and Constantine had caused their father Romanus to bee shauen and thrust into an Isle called Prote And Constantine after the issue of 26. yeeres wherein Romanus and his sonnes raigned he laied hands on Stephanus and caused him to bee shauen and sent vnto the isle Mytelene and his brother to the Isle of Samothracia Thus the Lord who will not suffer iniquitie to escape vnpunished rendered to the sonnes of Romanus a iust recompence of their vnkindlie dealing with their father Otto Primus OTto the first after the death of his father Henrie was chosen Emperour and raigned 36. yeeres Hee was molested with many forraine and domestique warres but hee prospered in all his enterprises yea and Lyndolphus his owne sonne conspired against him for the marriage of Adelphed the relict of Lotharie sonne to Hugo who contended against Berengarius for the kingdome of Italie This Adelphed the Emperour Otto not onely relieued from her distressed estate but also married her The mother of Lindolphus was daughter to Edmont King of England after whose death it displeased him that his father should marrie Adelphed But when hee made warre against his father he was ouercome and besieged at Ratisbon and in the end was reconciled to his father The tyrannie of Berengarius the second enforced the Romans to implore the assistance of the Emperour Otto who led an armie to Rome at diuerse times The first time hee gathered a Councell at Rome and deposed Ioan. 13. whom others call Ioan. 12. and placed Leo 8. in his steed Likewise hee subdued Berengarius and his sonne Albertus did flie to Constantinople and so the Emperour recouered againe his owne dignitie to be king of Italie and that no man should bee chosen Pope without consent of the Emperour Againe the inconstancie of the Romans in reiecting Leo 8. and receiuing againe Ioan. 13. or 12. compelled the Emperour to returne to Rome and to punish the authors of that sedition to the death After hee had declared his sonne to be Emperour he died and was buried in the Church of Magdeburg which he had builded in his owne time In the East after Romanus the son of Constantine had raigned 3. yeeres Necâ—phorus raigned 6. yeeres a man more magnanimous in warfare then wise in government He was murthered by the Counsell of his owne wife Theophania and Zimisces raigned in his steed Otto Secundus OTto the second after his fathers death raigned ten yeeres he was a vertuous Prince but not like vnto his father Henrie Duke of Bavare contended against him for the title of the Empire but Otto prevailed Likewise Lotharie the King of France invaded the countrie of Loraine onely belonging to the Emperour But Otto gathered a strong armie recouered the Countrey of Loraine and pursued Lotharie to Paris burning and destroying all the Countrey whether hee went The third great conflict was against the Eretians assisted with the Saracons for the Countries of Apulia and Calabria These countries did appertaine of old to the Emperour of the East But Basilius with his brother Constantine willing to recouer these Countries againe did fight against the Emperour Otto and discomfited his armie and the Emperour himselfe hardly escaped in a fisher boate faining himselfe to bee but a simple Souldier and payed his ransome Afterward hee conuerted all his wrath against the Italians who had trayterouslie forsaken him and were the chiefe cause of the discomfiture of this armie hee died at Rome and was buried in the Church of S. Peter Basilius Emperour of the East raigned 50. yeeres and recouered the Isle of Candie from the Saracens and the Countryes of Apulia and Calabria from Otto as is said after whom his Brother Constantine raigned 3. yeeres Otto Tertius OTto the third was young in yeeres when his father died For hee exceeded not eleuen yeeres old notwithstanding he was chosen Emperour and raigned 19. yeeres Hee was wise aboue his yeeres and was called Mirabile mundi that is the admirable thing of the world The Italians continuallie breaking soueraigntie advanced one Crescentius to bee Emperour The Emperour Otto for suppressing such seditious attempts pearced into Italie with an armie at three diuers times and pardoned Crescentius twise But when hee made no ende of his seditious attempts the third time hee hanged him Likewise Iaon 18. whom the Seditious Romanes had advanced reiecting Gregorie the fift who was made Pope with the Emperours consent his eyes were plucked out and hee was throwne headlong from the Capitol By the prudent aduise of Otto Gregorie the fift appointed Seuen electors of the Emperour to wit the Bishops of Mentz Collen and Treer with Count Palatine the Duke of Saxonie and the Marquis of Brandenburgh and in case of contrary opinions the King of Bohemia Which custome doth continue even to our dayes One thing was lacking in the felicity of this noble Emperour that his wife Mary of Arragon was a notable and barren harlot and the widow of Cresentius and had almost bewitched his noble heart Shee being alwayes disappointed of her expectation sent vnto the Emperour a paire of impoysoned gloues which procured his death and hee was buried in Aken CENTVRIE XI Henry the second AFter Otto the third Henry the second Duke of Bavaria by the Princes Electors was declared Emperour hee raigned two and twenty yeeres Platina assigneth vnto him onely eighteene Hee was a wise valiant and godly Emperour He subdued all his rebells He received the Imperiall crown from Benedict the eight Hee expelled the Saracens out of Italy In this Emperours time Sueno King of Denmarke invaded England and subdued it to his obedience A savage Prince in whom if power had not lacked to performe his designes his cogitations were highly bended to extirpate all profession of Christian religion in England Likewise about this time Calipha of Egypt one of the Saracen Princes destroyed some of the temples of Ierusalem and poluted the rest but in speciall he overthrew the Temple builded about the Lords Sepulchre His mother was a Christian woman when that was obiected to him in way of exprobation as if hee had favoured Christians for his mothers sake hee bended all his might against the Christians destroyed and poluted their Temples and massacred in most cruell manner all them who were in spirituall offices This was the first ground of the terrible warfare which afterward ensued vulgarly called Bellum sacrum Conrad the second AFter Henry the second succeeded Conrad the second and was elected Emperour three yeares after the death of Henry In this inter-raigne many cities of Italy desirous of libertie made desertion from the subiection of the Emperour But Conrad was a wise and valiant warriour and reduced the cities of Italy in short time to subiection He was the first Emperour who made a law that the perturbers of the common peace in Germany should be punished vnto the death Hee received the Imperiall crowne from Pope Iohn 21. and raigned 15. yeeres In whose dayes
So did the Saracens easily recover againe Ierusalem Here also is to be marked that the Popes of Rome who were too prodigall of Christian mens blood continually instigating them to lead armes to Asia for the recovery of the Holy Land yet did they esteeme so much of their owne glory that they preferred it to the Holy Land and the liues oâ— all the Christians that were in Asia as evidently appeareth in the doings of Bonifacius the 8. who had the fairest occasion offered to him of all others of recovering the Holy Land For Cassanus Prince of the Tartarians had conquered Syria from the Saracens and left Governours in it with expresse commandement that they should binde vp a covenant of friendship with the Princes of the West and get support from them for the keeping of Syria in the Christians possession But the Bishoppe of Rome puft vp with pride was so busie to tread vnder his feet the King of France that hee neglected this ocasion the like whereof was never offered in any time following And this negligent dealing was the cause why Capcacus made defection to the Souldan of Egypt CENTVRIE XIV Albertus the first AFter the slaughter of Adulph Albert the first Duke of Austria was made Emperour and raigned ten yeeres and in the end was killed by his Brothers sonne In his dayes sprang vp Otthoman the first King of the Turkes who being a conragious warriour by spoyles and robberies enriched himselfe and subdued a great part of Bythinia and of the countrey lying about Pontus Euxinus and tooke vpon him the name of a King to be called the King of the Turks Henricus the seventh NExt to Albert raigned Henrie the 7. A Prince wise iust honest and beloved of all men neither puft vp with pride in his prosperity neither deiected in mind for any kind of adversity After hee had pacified the countrey of Germany hee tooke his iourney toward Italy to reforme the abuses there but was hastily cut off by the wicked malice of the Florentines as is supposed for they hyred a certaine Monke to poyson the Emperour which thing hee performed and mixed poyson with the bread of the Eucharist wherewith the noble Emperour was impoysoned in the Castell of Bonconvent after hee had raigned foure yeeres and eight moneths Ludovicus the fift Lewis the fift was chosen Emperour after the death of Henry the 7. and raigned 32. yeeres Hee was Duke of Bavaria against whom others had elected Fredericus Pulcher Duke of Austria to be Emperour which was the ground of cruell warrs betwixt the two new chosen Emperours but Fredericke was vanquished in battell and taken prisoner himselfe During the time of these warres the burgesses of Vren Switz and Sylvania or Vnderwalden assisted Lewis of Bavaria and would not acknowledge the Emperour Fredericke Duke of Austria for which cause they were continually vexed by him so that at last they assembled themselues in the towne of Vrania and there entered into a mutuall league of perpetuall society amongst themselues To whom afterward were ioyned Lucernates then Tugani then the Tigurines then the Bernates The last almost of all were the Basilians after whom followed other seven pages who now by a generall name are called the Switzers or the Cantons or Pages of Helvetia The Emperour Lewis after hee had subdued his competitor fell into a greater trouble for hee was excommunicate by Pope Clement the sixt and the Princes Electors were commanded to choose another Emperor which commandement they also obeyed and assembled themselues at a certaine towne of the Diocie of Trevers called Bens and chose Charles the fourth sonne to Iohn King of Bohemia Carolus the fourth CArolus the fourth was chosen Emperour after that his predecessor Lewis was excommunicated by the Pope and raigned 32. yeeres In his time Amurathes the King of the Turkes passed over Hellespontus and tooke the townes of Cestus and Callipolis which was the first beginning of the conquest of Thracia and all other regions of Europe which are now subiect to the Turke This Charles procured at the hands of the Princes Electors that his sonne Vinceslaus should be proclaimed King of the Romans in his owne time Vinceslaus TO Charles the fourth succeeded his sonne Vinceslaus and raigned two and twenty yeeres A man very vnlike his father for hee was sluggish and carelesse more enclined to ryot excessiue drinking and voluptuous pleasures then to any princely vertue In his time Baiazeth King of the Turkes fought a cruell battell against the Christians at Nicopolis a towne of Thracia at the side of Ister and albeit many moe of the Turkes were slaine then of the Christians yet at length the Turkes prevailed against the Christians and put them to flight This is that King of the Turkes who afterward was overcome by Tamberlaine King of the Sythians and being inclosed in a cage of yron was carried about all Asia as a mocking stocke to men and as a spectacle of the wrath of God against all cruell Tyrants The Emperour Vinceslaus for his beastlines was depriued of his Emperiall dignitie by the Princes Electors and Rupertus Duke of Bauaria chosen to be Emperour in his steed In the East during the raigne of those foresaid Emperours ruled Andronicus the sonne of Michael Paleologus and after him Michael and after him Andronicus the younger after whom followed Ioannes Catecunzenus and Calo Ioannes and his sonne Manuellâ— these are all the things worthy of rememberance are left in writing CENTVRIE XV. Rupertus VIncesâ—aus the Emperour for his Cowardize vnhonest life was deposed Rupertus Duke of Bauaria was advanced to the Emperiall authoritie by the Electors of Germanic and ruled 10. yeeres This Emperour went vnto Italie against Galiatius of Millan but hee preuailed nothing In his time Mahomet the Turke when hee had killed his brother obtained alone the kingdome who after the death of Tamburlan the Tartarian recouering againe his fathers dominion vexed with extreme murther and slaughter the Bulgares and Vallaches and tooke the citie of Hadrianopolis which he made his Seat royall Sigismundus AFter Rupertus Sigismund sonne of Charles 4. and brother to Vinceslaus being King of Bohemie and Hungarie was ordained Emperour and reigned 27. yeares Hee was a prudent wittie learned and noble Prince but in warre and deeds of armes vnfortunate for hee was oftentimes ouercome and chased of the Turkes and other enemies By the procurement of this Emperour a great councell was holden at Constance for the vnion of the Church which continued for the space of 4. yeeres In this councell Iohn Husse was burned for preaching against the Bishop of Rome Also Hieronymus of Prague was condemned by the same councell and burned after whose burning in Bohemie was great tumult sedition and ciuill warre For the common people that fauoured Iohn Husse gathered together in great number and choosed a certaine valiant man named Zisca to be their Captaine a man verie witty and
England by his brothers wife Whereupon the Emperour forsaking the marriage did couple himselfe with Ladie Isabell daughter to King Emmanuel of Portugall which marriage was done in the yeere of our Lord 1526. The King vpon this occasion casting many things in his minde beganne to consider the matter more deeply and finding that neither his conscience could be cleered in keeping his brothers wife nor yet the estate of the Realme firme by the succession of a daughter begotten in such a marriage he proposed the question to the chiefe Vniversities of all Christendome whose censures all agreed in one that the marriage was vnlawful Yet would not the King proceed to the divorcement without the Popes consent Who sent Campeius his Ambassadour with concurrance of the Cardinall of Yorke to be iudges in that cause The Cardinall of Yorke called Wolsey at the first was verily bent to haue the divorcemēt set forward but afterward finding that the Kings affection was bent towardes Ladie Anne Bulloigne to take her in marriage he changed his purpose sent advertisment to Pope Clement that in case King Henry the eight were divorced from Ladie Katherine then should another infected with Luthers doctrine succeede in her place to the great hurt of the Church of Rome For this cause the Pope calleth backe his Ambassadour Campeius before the Kings cause was decided Neuerthelesse the King proceeded in his purpose and was divorced from Ladie Katherine by meanes of Dr Cranmer This was the ground of that great hatred that fell out betweene the Pope and King Henry for on the one part the Pope cursed King Henry and the Realme of England for the divorcement The King on the other part abolished in his Realme the Bishop of Romes vnlawfull tyrannie with commandement that he should be called no more Pope in his Country but onely Bishop of Rome and that the King should be taken and reputed as supreame head of the Church of England haue full authoritie to reforme and redresse errours heresies and abuses in the same Now to returne againe to Germanie The Emperour was so busied with Warres all this time that he had no leisure to tarry in Germanie and although many assemblies were gathered to suppresse the doctrine of Luther he was onely present at two to wit at the first kept at Wormes the last kept at Auspurg For this cause it seemed good to the Emperour to declare his brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romanes and apparent successor to the Empire to the end he might with greater authoritie gouerne the affaires of the Empire in his absence He sent also letters to the Protestants commanding them to acknowledge him King Wherefore the Ambassadours of the Protestant Cities being gathered at Franckford concluded with the Princes that for their part they would not for this resist the Emperour for denying a title and a name only to his brother to make him more eager against their Religion But the Duke of Saxonie other Princes not agreeing thereto writ to the Emperour that because it was done against the manner and liberty of the Empire they could not allow it This seemeth to be the first ground of the warres that after followed For Ferdinand King of the Romanes expelled Vlrich of Wirtenberge from his Lordship and when no redresse could be had at the Emperours hands the Landgraue of Hesse with his cousin Vlrich gathered an Armie at Lawferme by Wirtenberg ouercame their enemies and put them to flight recouered the townes of Asperge Wrath Tubinge and Niphe and tooke prisoner Philip Prince Palatine and chiefe Captaine of Ferdinands armie Shortly after agreement was made on these conditions that Vlrich should haue againe his Lordship of Wirtenberg but so that he should hold it by the benefit of Ferdinand and the house of Austrich that if issue male did saile in the house of Wirtenberge that Lordship should returne to the heire of the Emperours house of Austrich that the Landgraue and Vlrich should come to Ferdinand and submit themselues to him The Emperour foreseeing that this diversitie of Religion that was in Germanie would in the end burst forth into some bitter fruit and great inconuenience aduised with himselfe by what means reconciliation might be made and all controversie might cease and in the end appointed a Councell at Wormes and communication of Religion and for this cause sent Granuellanus thither But the matter was so long delayed by the fautors of the Sea of Rome vntill Letters came from the Emperour againe to deferre the whole matter to the Councell of Ratisbone To which came all the Princes of the Empire except the Duke of Saxonie who came not himselfe but sent thither a noble ambassage together with Melanchthon and other Preachers Vnto the same Councell also came from the Pope Caspar Conterane a Cardinall In this disputation Fredericke the Palsgraue and Granuellane were appointed moderators Melanchthon Bucer and Pistorius Disputers for the Protestants Pflugius Eccius Gropper for the Papists Vnto these six was offered a booke conteining the definition of most Articles in Controversie which they were willed to ouer-looke and either to allow or disallow those things that they could agree vpon This booke was deliuered againe after a time to the Emperour in many points they could not agree in some they did The Protestants deliuered together with the booke their opinion concerning those controversies and their arguments to proue the same The Emperour deliuered the same to the Princes to be examined but they being most part Popish referred the whole matter to the Popes Ambassadour who exhorting the Bishops to honestie of life and suppressing of Luthers doctrine thought good it should be deferred to a generall Councell This convention which began in Aprill Anno 1541. was dissolued in the end of Iulie after that the Emperour had decreed that the communication begun and whole controversie of Religion should be deferred to a generall or Provinciall Councell of Germanie That the Protestants should teach no other points of Religion then such as were agreed vpon That Bishops should see amendment of life in their Diocesse That there should be a Provinciall Councell within a yeare and an halfe if they could not obtaine a generall Councell of the Pope That the Churches of Monasteries should not be pulled downe but reformed that the Church-goods should not be inverted that the decree of Ausbrough and all Proscriptions of the Protestants should be suspended all those conventions of estates disputations promises of generall or provinciall Councels to be kept in Germanie could not reconcile diuerse Religions but at length lurking hatred behoued to breake out into open hostilitie The first occasion whereof was offered by Henry Prince of Brunswick who by often invasion of Cities confederated with the Protestants in Germany moued the Duke of Saxonie and the Landgraue to make warre against him in name quarrell of all the Protestants confederated by the league of Smalcaldy
the Prince of Condie was taken by the Guisians and on the other part the Constable was taken by the Protestants and the Marescall Sanctandreus was slaine The Duke of Guise after this battell renewed his Forces and besieged the Towne of Orleance where he was slaine by a Souldier called Portrot This slaughter was the ground of a new Peace for after the death of the Duke of Guise a new edict was made the thirteenth day of March Anno 1563. although not so ample as the edict of Ianuarie Yet by it some libertie was granted to the Protestants to enioy their owne Religion without disturbance of any This was the end of the first ciuill warre in France for Religion Maximilianus the second AFter the death of Ferdinand Maximilian his sonne King of Hungarie was made Emperour gouerned twelue yeares he gaue his two daughters in marriage vnto two puissant Princes to wit to Charles the ninth King of France he gaue Elizabeth and to Philip King of Spaine he gaue his eldest daughter Anna. Great troubles for Religion fell out in his time namely in the Low countries and in France In the low countries the number of them that professed the Gospell increased marueilously and on the other part the rage of the Popish Prelats causing the Spanish Inquisition to be severely executed wrought great feare in the hearts of the professours of the Gospell Also Duke de Albe was sent with a great Armie vnto the low Countries vtterly to extirpate and roote out the Gospell who behaued himselfe most outragiously against the Nobilitie and Townes of the low Countries in beheading Count Egmount and count Horne and permitting his souldiers to vse all kinde of villanie against honest matrons and the daughters of honest Citizens and oftentimes compelled the husbands themselues to stand beside and be eye witnesses of the vilde abusing of their owne wiues Also with so great severity he executed the Spanish Inquisitiō against the professours of the Gospell that the people were compelled to take armes vnder the conduct of William Nassaw Prince of Orange and Lodouicus his brother to defend their liues the libertie of their Countrie and of their Consciences against the barbarous tyrannie of this Duke and his armie In this Warre although the Prince of Orange was oftentimes defeated and his brother slaine yet the Countrey so abhorred the crueltie of Duke de Albe that the most part of Zeland and Holland was conquered by the Princes armie and was free from the tyrannie of the Spaniards In France the professours of the Gospell could not enioy the benefit of the Edict of pacification made in March Anno 1563. except in a few parts where the authoritie of some noble persons fauouring the Gospell procured obedience to the foresaid Edict as namely the presence of Condie in Picardie Andelot in Britannie and the Queene of Navarre in Gascoigne In other parts of the country little regard was had to the Edict The Cardinall of Loraine also a capitall enemie to the Gospell had consulted with the fathers of the Councell of Trent by what way the Gospell might be suppressed in France and it was thought meetest that a couenant should be made amongst them that fauoured the Catholique Religion which they called the holy league to extirpate and roote out them that professed the new Religion for so they named it and the two puissant Kings of Spaine and France in speciall should bee intreated to be of this league and mutually to helpe one another to roote out the Gospellers Now when King Charles the 9. was 14. yeares old and declared to be Maior it was thought meete that he should make a progresse through the bounds of his Dominions pretending that it was expedient that the King should know the estate of his Country and that he should heare the complaints of his people but the cause indeed of this progresse was that the King of France might meete with the King of Spain in Bayon for binding vp of the league aforesaid In this progresse was discharged all Preaching and exercising of the reformed Religion in the Townes of France wherein it should happen the King to be during the time of his progresse Also many new interpretations of the edict of March were invented and found out whereby the libertie granted to the Protestants was vtterly infringed and impunitie granted to them that should doe them wrong In the end the King came to Bayon where he met with his sister Elizabeth wife to Philip King of Spaine who after she had declared certaine causes why her husband could not be present himselfe bound vp in name of her husband a couenant with Charles King of Spaine mutually to helpe one another in rooting out the professours of the reformed Religion The report of this league was not kept so secret but it came to the eares of the Prince of Condie and the rest of the nobilitie of France that professed the Gospell who all thought meete that the Prince of Condie should in proper person addresse himselfe to the King being for the time at Moncellium and should exhibite to the King the supplication of the Protestants in France pittifully complaining that contrarie to the edict of March they were iniuried and cruelly slaine desiring redresse of the aforesaid iniuries and that they might haue libertie to enioy their Religion according to the act of pacification aboue mentioned But the King hearing of the Prince of Condies comming to him and namely because he was well accompanied with foure hundred men all in armes fearing the malignitie and obstinate malice of his adversaries left they should hinder his iourney or doe wrong to himselfe The King I say hearing tell of the Princes comming made hast to depart and with all expedition to Paris in great feare and caused the Parisians to giue thankes to God as though he had beene deliuered from a great perill and imminent danger After this without further delay the second warre for Religion in France broke vp The Prince of Condie approached with an armie to Paris and so beset it about in all quarters that this populous Towne soone began to be grieued for want of foode and issued out of the Towne vnder the Conduct of the Constable and came by S. Denis where the Prince of Condies armie lay In this Battell the Admirall set vpon the Parisian souldiers and disturbed their rankes and put them to flight The Constables troope also was greatly perturbed by their flying and the Constable himselfe refusing to be taken by M. Stewart was shot by a Scottish Souldier whereof hee soone after died The Constables sonnes Anveil and Momerance being carefull for their Father succoured him and the battell was renewed againe and cruelly fought vntill night compelled them to make an end The morrow after the Prince of Condie came with his Forces againe to the place where the battell was fought but none of the Parisians came forth to
encounter him After the battell he marched toward Loraine of purpose to ioyne with the Germane Armie which was to be sent for his support from the Count Palatine of the Rhine vnder the conduct of Cassimire his owne sonne This armie of the Germanes ioyned with the Forces of the Prince of Condie at Pontamonssou a towne in Loraine on the riuer Mosell and from thence marched forward without battell offered to them by the adversarie partie vntill they came to Chartresse a famous Towne within two dayes iourney to Paris This towne the Prince of Condie and the Germanes besieged and when it was fore battered and not able to indure the siege any longer the Queene mother according to her wonted manner thought meete to compasse them with faire and deceitfull promises whom she could not get ouerthrowne by force And therefore sent to the Prince of Condie desiring him to require of the King conditions of peace such as himselfe liked best and they should be granted The Prince of Condie being euer more bent to peace then prouident to foresee the deceitfull snares of his adversaries required of the King that the edict set forth in March Anno 1563. should be precisely kept all new additions and interpretations of the said act being disanulled and that the iniuries done to the Protestants should be seuerely punished and not passed ouer with silence as they were accustomed to be All this was granted and the edict of pacification was proclaimed The townes also which the Protestants had conquered with great paines and effusion of their blood were all deliuered into the hands of their enemies the Germane souldiers were dismissed and euery man returned to his owne house But in the very time of their returning it was knowne that this pacification was but a subtile snare to entangle them withall for the professours of the Gospell were compelled to lay downe their armour when they entred into the townes where they dwelt and strictly commanded to remaine in their houses so that they had not libertie to visite one another In all the parts of the Countrey great crueltie was vsed and many cruelly massacred so that within the space of three moneths moe then three thousand were reckoned to be killed by the sword Besides this crueltie committed against the inferior sort all meanes were sought out to intercept the Prince of Condie the Admirall Andelot Rupesocald and other principall personages for this counsell was giuen by Duke de Albe whose aduise was often craued in this turne that one Salmond head was better then an hundreth paddle heads signifying thereby that it was most needfull to cut off the principall Noble-men of the Protestants The Prince of Condie and the Admirall after many advertisements that their liues were directly sought began to remoue and the Prince came to Nucetum a Towne in Burgundie the Admirall lodged at Tauleum in a place pertaining to his brother Andelot not farre distant from Nucetum where they receiued new advertisements that the companies that were appointed to take them were with great celeritie approaching alreadie to Nucetum Thus was the Prince of Condie and the Admirall compelled in all hast to flie with their wiues young children and families and commending themselues to the prouidence of God entered into a long and dangerous iourney from Noyers to the Towne of Rotchell The good prouidence of God so conducted them that albeit all the bridges and passages were strictly kept yet God prouided a foord in the river of Loyre neere to Sanser which was not knowne before neither was any passage found to be there two dayes after By this way they passed very safely and in the end came to the Towne of Rochell although through many dangers and infinite perils In the meane time the Prince of Condie had sent Letters to the King heauily complaining of the Cardinall of Loraine who so wickedly abused the Kings name and authoritie and so maliciously sought the liues of his innocent Subiects for their Religion expresly against the Kings edict of pacification which was sealed with the Kings own hand-writ and his great oath solemnly made To those Letters no answere was made but all the Countrey was inflamed with wrath and bent to warre and the Duke of Aniou brother to the King was made generall commander of the armie The Queene of Navarre on the other part adioyned her selfe and her Forces to the Prince of Condie and from Britanny came Andelot and his Forces who had passed the river of Loyre by a certaine foord vnknowne before and vnpassable afterward no lesse miraculously then the Prince of Condie and his familie had done in another place of the same river before After whose comming Angolesme a Towne of great importance in those parts was besieged and taken by the Prince of Condie Likewise Acierius brought with him to the Prince a great companie out of Delphine Provance Languedok and other parts fauouring the Gospell to the number of twentie three thousand men On the other side the Duke de Anion was come with his armie to Poictou and pitched his Campe at Castellerault a Towne of Poictou neere to the river Vienna The Prince of Condie and the Admirall daily provoked him to fight but he was admonished by frequent letters from the Queene mother that he should beware to hazzard the cause in battell but should prolong time to abate the fierie courage of the Protestants and to take his advantage when he could see it In the meane time both parties waited for supplyment of new Forces out of Germanie and Duke de Aumald was sent to Loraine to meete the Dukes who came to support the Kings armie as also to hinder the progresse of the Duke of Bipont who was marching forward to support the Prince of Condies armie The first support came to the Kings armie the Count of Tend brought three thousand footmen Bingrane and Bossempeire brought two thousand and two hundreth horsemen out of Germanie to the Duke This supplyment so encouraged the Kings armie that they enterprised to recouer the Towne of Angolesme againe and for recouering of it it was needfull that the towne of Iarnaque should be taken for the commoditie of the bridge to transport his armie ouer the river of Charence but the Admirall prevented the Duke and fortified the Towne of Iarnaque and disappointed him of the commoditie of the bridge The Prince of Condie marched forward to Iarnaque and the Admirall to Blansack where he vnderstood that a tymber bridge was set vp neere to the stone bridge that was at Casteaneur for the greater expedition in transporting of the Dukes armie ouer the riuer of Charence This great celeritie of the Duke who transported all the armie ouer the riuer in one night put the Prince of Condie and the Admirall in great feare because their Forces were farre behinde them Therefore it was thought expedient to retire backe in time to their Forces But the Duke
pursued so strictly that before they had marched backe halfe a myle from Blansack they were compelled to turne and fight In this battell the Prince of Condie was taken and slaine and two hundred of the Protestants more and fortie taken prisoners The rest of the armie the Admirall led backe to Saint Iande-angeli Soone after this Andelot dyed at Sainetes to the great griefe of all the armie his body being opened was found to be poysoned The Queene of Navarre comforted the armie of the Protestants and the King of Navarre her sonne with the Prince of Condies sonne tooke vpon them the government of the armie and sent Count Mongomrie to support the Towne of Angolesme which was then besieged by the Dukes Forces by whose comming the towne was so refreshed and encouraged that the Duke was compelled to raise his Siege and depart from the Towne About this time the Duke of Bipont with his Germane Forces were entred into France to support the Princes of the reformed Religion and tooke the Towne of La charitie in Burgundie a Towne of no small importance for the passage of the river of Loyre The Princes of the Protestants marched forward to meete the Duke of Bipont and by the way killed two hundred Hagbushers who were appointed by the Duke of Andion to stoppe the passage of the river Vienna in the river of Limosin and so the passage being opened they came the day after to the Campe of the Germanes and receiued them with great gladnesse but through the sudden death of the Duke of Bipont who died two dayes after their meeting their gladnesse was mixed with great heauinesse Notwithstanding the Duke before his death exhorted all his Captaines valiantly to debate that cause of Religion For the which they were entered into France and placed in his roome Wolrad Count of Manfelt to be generall Commander of the Germane armie In which were reckoned to be seauen thousand and fiue hundred horsemen and sixe thousand footemen besides two thousand French horsemen who came in their companie and ten Ensignes of footemen The Prince of Orange with his brother Lodowick and Henry were also in this armie In the Countrey of Poictou the Princes had taken many Townes and the most part of the Countrey was alreadie subiect vnto them And it was thought meete to besiege the Towne of Poictiers it selfe and the Towne was willing to render to the Princes vpon reasonable conditions if the Duke of Guise had not come to support the Towne But the comming of the Duke altered their mind and the Towne was strongly fortified and valiantly indured a strict Siege The Admirall although he had lost two thousand men at this Siege and great sicknesse and penurie of victuals was felt in the armie yet was he very vnwilling to raise the Siege till at length the Duke of Andum strictly besieged Monsieur Loe in Castelleralt whom the Admirall willing to relieue left the siege of Poictiers Soone after this the armie of the two Princes being at Moncontuire in the Country of Poictou was purposed to march toward Niort and the armie of the Duke in like manner was purposed thither Through this occasion the two armies ioyned in battell a little space from Moncontuire and the Duke of Andium had the Victorie The footemen of the Germanes were cruelly slaine in this Battell without all commiseration some greater fauour was showne to the French Souldiers The Admirall foreseeing as appeareth the euent of this battell had caused the two Princes of Navarre and Condie to be conveyed out of the Hoast The number of those that were slaine at this battell are supposed by some to haue beene sixe or seauen thousand men by others twise as many The report of this losse so discouraged the Protestants that all the Townes which they had conquered in Poictou were incontinent recouered by the adversaries and S. Ian Dangely after it was besieged two moneths was surrendered to the adversarie vpon certaine conditions At the siege of this Towne Martiques Governour of Britanie a great enemie to those of the Religion was slaine wherein is to be noted the iust iudgement of God punishing the pride of those that blaspheme his blessed name This Martiques perswaded La Matpinolis to yeeld the Towne to the King and desired the towne to remember the battell of Moncontur e wherein their strong God had forsaken them and said it was time for them to sing Helpe vs now O God for it is time Not long after this proud man felt that the strong God was liuing able to helpe the weake and to confound the proud The Princes with the Admirall consulted in what part of the Realme it were meetest to sustaine the hazzard of the Warrefare and it was thought meetest in Languedok because the Towne of Nimes was lately surprised by the Protestants and many townes in that Countrie fauoured their Religion While new preparations are made by the Princes to sustaine the Warre behold a new edict of pacification is for forth granting libertie of Religion to the Protestants againe and granting to them for their further securitie the keeping of foure Townes during the space of two yeares to wit Rotchell Cognack Montallan and Caritea This edict being proclaimed in both thâ— Campes the people were in great ioy being wearied with long and perillouâ— Warres and being desirous to visite their owne houses and families Thus was an end put to the third ciuill warre in France After this pacification the King married Elizabeth daughter to Maximilian the Emperour and the rumour went thorow the Countrey that the King was inclined to peace Likewise the apparent hatred betwixt the King and the Duke of Aniou his brother confirmed this rumour for it seemed to the people that the King was offended because the Prelates of France depended more vpon his brother then vpon himselfe and paied to him yeerely 200000 Frankes to be a patron and defender of their cause Wherefore it seemed to many that the King would incline his affection toward the Protestants to abandon the power of his brother But all this was deceitfull treacherie to colour the intended malice of his heart Also the edict of pacification was better kept then it had beene at any other time before except in a few places And when the Queene of Navarre sent messengers to the King to complaine of the violation of the edict in the Townes of Roane and Aurenge the King returned backe againe to her a very pleasant answere that he would not onely punish most seuerely the transgressours of the edict but also for a further confirmation of a stedfast bond of Peace with the Protestants he would bestow Margaret his sister in marriage to the King of Navarre her sonne The King himselfe passed to Bloyes and sent for the Queene of Navarre whom hee receiued so courteously and conferred with so louingly that the Queene was fully perswaded that this marriage would
the Protestants in crauing so great liberties put the enemies in suspicion and feare that the Nobles of Fraunce had secretlie banded themselues with the Protestants About the same time Count Mongomry had returned out of England had taken some townes in Normandy but soone after he was besieged in Donfront a town of Normandy by Matigonus the kings Lieutenant in those parts to whō he yeelded himself vpon certain conditions which were not kept vnto him but he was sent immediatly to Paris to the king The Duke of Aniow had departed from France to the kingdome of Polonia the king of France was fallen sicke also many noble men in the land were highlie offended at the ambition pride and crueltie of the Queene mother who had not onely cut off the noble men of the Protestants but also intended the like crueltie against many other noblemen in Fraunce whose names were insert in the bloody roll of the Massacre albeit they professed the Roman religiō The Queene mother knowing that she was vehementlie hated in the land and fearing left this matter should tend to her vtter disgrace and abandoning of all her authoritie thought meete to prevent all the deuices of the nobilitie of France against her and begun to lay hands on those of the Nobilitie whom she most suspected and cast them in prison such as D. Alauscone her owne son whom she knew to be discontent with her forme of gouernment and the king of Navarre also Monmerance and Cassens Marescallis The Prince of Condie also was to be taken but he conveyed himselfe away secretly vnto Germanie In the meane time the king died in the moneth of May Anno. 1574. with greateffusion of blood from many parts of his body And the Queene mother had all the gouernment in her owne hand vntill the returning of her son out of Polonia whom shee aduertised of the death of his Brother Charles and desired him without all delay to returne againe to Fraunce In the meane time the cruell heart of the Queene mother thirsting for blood procured that Count Mongomrie should be condemned to death This is that noble man who had slaine king Henry the father of Charles with a speare whom king Henry would not suffer to be harmed for that cause it being done in game and against Mongomries heart Neuerthelesse when he came in the hands of this mercilesse woman he must die Before king Henry returned out of Poland vnto France the Prince of Condie had sent from Germanie to France Messengers to declare to the Protestants the great care of his minde to advance the Religion and to procure the peace and libertie of his countrie who also was chosen to be generall commaunder of all the Protestants Many Catholikes were associate with him who being of a contrarie religion notwithstanding tooke armes with the Prince of Condie to restore the countrie to the owne libertie In the moneth of December Anno 1574. the king came to Lyons where the Queene mother accōpanied with Alauscon her son and the king of Navarre and Duke of Guise were awaiting for his cōming In this towne they aduised what was most expedient to be done whether they should prosecute the war or they should quiet the countrie with new edicts of pacification The Queene mothers aduise was that the king should assault the townes of Languedok Delphine that were kept by the Protestants because the presence and terrour of the king would so astonish the peoples hearts that incontinent they would yeeld and giue ouer the townes into the kings hands This aduise was followed and the king besieged the towne of Pusinum in Viuaret tooke it also the towne of Libero in Delphin was strōgly besieged but the king was cōpelled to leaue his siege to depart from the towne which according as the name of it foretokened remained free and vnconquered by the aduersaries during the time of this siege the Cardinal of Loraine died vpon this occasion The king being in Avinion some Paenitentiaries fortuned to scourge themselues in a cold winter season the Cardinall would ioyne himselfe to their fellowship and walked barefooted in the companie of those Paenitentiaries wherby he contracted a deadlie disease and soone repented this repētance The king himselfe was content to afflict his body after the same forme which was expoūded by many to be an euil presage that he should not conquer that little towne of Libero but should be scourged from the towne leaue the siege of it with shame which truly came to passe From thence the king went to Paris to his Coronation where many Ambassadours came to the king not only from the Prince of Condie who as yet remained in Basile but also from the D. of Sauoy and the Cantons of the Switzers and from the Queene of Englād to treat for peace but al their trauels were ineffectuall for the conditions of the peace could not be agreed vpon so the war continued waxed hote In Languedoke Anvillius although he was of the Romane religion yet had ioyned himselfe to the Protestants and tooke Agnes Mortes a towne of great importance in those parts with many other townes In Delphin Mombruniris was chiefe commaunder and had so good sucesse in all his attempts that he was a great terrour to the aduersaries In the end he was sore wounded and taken beside Dia a towne in Delphine and by the commaundement of the king and Queene mother was carried to Grenoble and there was executed in the sight of the people This war was much different from the former warres wherein those that were of one religion were also on one side but now the Catholikes were mingled with the Protestāts which thing albeit it seemed for a time to augment their number yet in the end it turned to euill as shall be declared hereafter God willing The Prince of Condie had required helpe of Cassimire the sonne of Count Palatine who also had condiscended to support the distressed Church of Fraunce and very strict obligations of mutual duties were passed between them as these namely that they should not dissolue their armes vntill that libertie were obtained to the Protestants fullie to enioy their owne Religion And likewise that Cassimire should haue the townes of Metis Tullion and Verdum in his hands besides other townes in all the Provinces of France which the Protestants were to require for there further assurance and as pledges of the Kings fidelitie faithfulnesse towards them While this armie of Cassimire was marching forward towards Loraine Alauscon the kings brother departed from Court and many of the nobilitie of France resorted to him all pretending that they could not suffer the countrie to be exhausted with ciuill warres and the people to be vexed with exorbitant and vnnecessarie taxations All those tumults were found in the end to be the subtile policies of the Q. mother by the meanes of Alauscon her son to
Charitie they entred in the way of Beauce drawing towards Montargis From this time forth a great mutinie began in the army of the strangers being mooved with impatience because they could neither haue money nor sight of the King of Navarre whereof the King being then at Bonevall had intelligence and thereupon vsed all the meanes hee could to sound the hearts of the Switzers and perswaded them to separate themselues from the rest of the army and retyre home whereunto the Switzers condiscended and vpon agreement of 400000. crownes payed to them in ready money they returned backe againe to their owne countrey The Duke of Guise perceiving the army of the Rutters to be as a body dispersed hauing nothing left but the armes and legges tooke boldnesse to set vpon them as they camped at Aunew and entred with his footmen into the streets about the time that the carts and baggage were ready in the morning to issue out and so couragiously surprised the Rutters at their breakefast when the trumpets began to sound a chivall having no meanes to issue out they were constrained to retyre into their lodgings at the pleasure of the assaylants The booty was great being 800. chariots iewels and chaines of gold and two thousand horse both for the field and waggons The gates being seazed vpon and the streets chained there was no meanes to saue themselues but by the walles which the Generall leaped ouer Notwithstanding of this surprise the army of the Rutters was in such estate that by reason of some small assurance they had of the King of Navarres arrivall it was likely to haue overcome the Duke of Guise forces And as it was at point to retyre backe againe the Prince of Condie the Duke of Bulloigne and the Lords of Chastillion and Cleruant promised to pay them all their wages if they would march forward The hope of their pay made them to march in a time not very convenient towards the Forrest of Orleance The King perceived that the longer the armie kept the fields the greater would be the ruine of his Countrey and that being ioyned with the king of Navarre would doe great hurt caused the Sienrs of the Isle of Cormont to certifie the Coronels that if they would yeeld vp their colours and sweare to beare no armes in Fraunce without the expresse commandement of his Maiestie hee would giue them assurance to retire in safetie They on the other part perceauing themselues to be farre from the king of Navarre hardlie handled by the Frenchmen beaten by the league pursued by the king and forsaken of the Switzers assembled themselues together at Marsigni and accepted his Maiesties offers sent by Monsieur D' Esperno and retired out of France toward Geneua The Marques Du pont eldest sonne to the Duke of Loraine and the Duke of Guise against their faith giuen followed the miserable troupe of the Rutters to the mountaine at Saint Clande where they gaue thankes for the good successe of their companie and from thence to please their hungrie troupes they trauersed the Countrie of Bourgoundie entering into the Countries of Mombeliard and Hericourt where his men vsed diuers great cruelties and spared not the lands of the Bishop of Basile After the bloodie ceasing of so lamentable vengeance vpon a poore innocent people which as yet doe feele the losse and destruction of two hundred villages the violence vsed to a number of women and maids the Massacre of so many old men and the furious and beastlie inhumanitie of the League they beare the signes of their spoyles into Loraine Neuerthelesse after this exploite of the Duke of Guise so full of crueltie falshood inhumanitie the Roman Church extolled him aboue all measure The Pope sent vnto the D. of Guise a sword engraued with burning flames in token of his valiantnes accompanied with burning zeale towards the Roman religiō The Preachers of France advāced him aboue the king saying that Saul had slaine his thousand but Dauid ten thousand and so the Duke of Guise puft vp with winds of popular praise seeing also that the greatnesse of the Soueraigne maiestie was embraced and that the Protestants were retired vnto the Rotchell also that England had a proud Spaniard embarked on her backe meaning the great Spanish Nauie by Sea hee assured himselfe to take the king without danger and to this effect aduertised the Cardinall of Burbone not to neglect so good an occasion but to gather his principall friends at Nancie there to aduise the meanes to passe forward and to constraine the king as it were to make his will and so that assemblie concluded that the King should be summoned to ioyne his forces to the league to refuse the Counsell amitie of such as should be named vnto him to establish the inquisition in euerie towne to publish the Councell of Trent euen touching the things that derogated the priuiledge of the French Church to consent to the restitution of the goodes that had bin alienated and sold for the charges of the warres to giue them townes wherein they might place men of warre to make such fortifications as the necessity of the time would require ordaine the sale and confiscation of Hugonits goodes also the disabling of their persons entertaine an armie vpon the Fronteris of Loraine against the returne of the Germans that would come to haue some recompence for the cruelties by the league committed in the countie of Montbeliard The Duke of Guise came to the King at Soissons to constraine the King either to bow or breake and to confirme the articles drawne and deuised at Nancie and Dyion The King on the other part by Mousieur de Bellieure gaue the Duke to vnderstand that he should doe him a pleasure if he would abstaine from comming to Paris in so troublesome a time wherein so many factions raigned and if hee came thither against his will hee would lay the cause of all the troubles that might arise by his presence vpon him But the Duke of Guises heart as it were attainted with a burning feauer could find neither appetite nor pleasure but in that which liked his stomach would needes for the loouer or die by the way and therefore mounted on horsebacke with eight Gentlemen about nine of the clocke at night leauing the Prince de Iumueille his sonne at Soissons and desiring the Archbishop of Lyons to follow him in the morning and so arriued at Paris This maner of arriuall together with the peoples fauour vttered by their ioyfull acclamations at the Duke of Guises lighting increased the distrust of the kings heart so that hee resolued to preuent the enterprises intended against him and commanded the Marescall Biron to cause foure thousand Switzers to enter into the Towne and to lodge them in diuers quarters thereof who seased incontinent vpon the bridges of Nostredame and Saint Michael But the Parisians being abashed at the sight shut vp their shoppes
King of Gothes compelled the Clergie to subscribe to his election hee governed the Church of Rome at that time when Iustinian sent Belisarius to fight against Vitiges Theodora the Emperour Iustinians wife sent to Silverius desiring him that he would condiscend to the restitution of Anthemius an Eutychian Heretique and to the deposition of Menas Bishop of Constantinople Silverius refused to obey such impious commandements Therefore Theodora sendeth a commandement to Belisarius to banish Silverius and to appoynt Vigilius Bishop of Rome who had promised to fulfill her desires Thus was Silverius banished to the Isle of Pontia after hee had ruled the Church of Rome one yeere and fiue moneths Vigilius succeeded Silverius and ruled seventeene yeeres and six and twenty dayes His entry to this office is inexcusable for by open force secret bribes and promises to performe the impious desires of the Empresse hee obtained the chaire of Rome so that Onuphrius cannot finde out an excuse for his vnlawfull entry Theodora the Empresse vrged him to performe his promise and to restore Anthemius But Vigilius as appeared repenting of his great temeritie and rashnesse answered that evill promises were not to be kept for this cause hee was led away violently to Constantinople and a cord was fastned about his necke and he was drawne through the streets and cast into prison hee endured all this contempt the more patiently because hee confessed that for his sinnes hee had deserved greater punishment at the hands of God then this man In the end hee was delivered out of prison by the earnest request of Narses Captaine of Iustinians army in Italy but hee dyed by the way and hee whom so many cares could not destroy the sicknesse of the travell destroyed him at Sicrlâ—e and his bodie was transported to Rome and buryed there But now let vs consider the fondnesse of Baronius who keepeth no measure in his Historie but as the Poet speaketh of a Ship rossed with a vehement tempest Tollimur in coelum subtato gurgite idem Subducta ad manes imos descendinâ—us vnda When Baronius speaketh of the entry of Vigilius he calleth him a thiefe a brigand a man who entred not by the doore of the sheep-fold a false Bishop an Antichrist yet soone after hee calleth him the Vicar of Christ as though by the crueltie whereby he draue his predecessor Siluerius to death he were worthy of the name of the Vicar of Christ. Albeit hee restored not Athemius according to his impious paction with Theodora yet hee wrote vnto the Heretiques Anthemius Theodosius and Severus and confirmed their error by his secret missiue letters as Morenus in his booke called Misterium iniquitatis prooveth His cariage in the fift generall Councell hee being present in the towne of Constantinople shall be declared God willing in its owne place the cord that was lapped about his neck and drew him through the streets of Constantinople could not draw out of his proud stomacke the conceite of supremacie for hee sent his opinion in writing to the Councell but would not bee present to sit in a lower place then Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople and Moderator of the Councell After Vigilius succeeded Pelagius the first hee ruled the Church of Rome eleven yeares twelue moneths and twenty eight dayes In a very perillous time this charge was committed to him namely when the Nation of the Goâ—â—s had chosen Toulâ— to bee their King who was a fierce and cruell man and was called for his fiercenesse Flagellum Dei that is the scourge of God hee led a great army from Tarvisium through Italy destroying and wasting the countrey whithersoever hee went but hee set his face chiefly against Campania By the way hee addressed himselfe in the habite of a simple souldier to mount Cassinates where was Saint Benedict the father of Monkes not because he invented the Monasticke life but because the most part of Monks adhered to the forme invented by him hee was but lately sprung vp in the dayes of the Emperour Iustinus the elder and of Pope Iohn the first yet was his name in great account so that Totilas in a disguised habite went vnto him and conferred with him Platina writeth that Saint Benedict knew him notwithstanding of his deepe dissimulation and with terrifying words disswaded him form vsing cruelty against Christians The counsell was good but Totilus was not obedient vnto it He was slaine in battell by Narses neere to Brixellum and Teias whom the Gothes chose in his roome was slaine in battell at Nuceria so the Kingdome of the Gothes in Italy was vtterly vndone by the valour of Narses After the first comming of Theodoricus into Italy they raigned in Italy seventy two yeeres Now their name dominion and all their might is vtterly quenched Pelagius depended much vpon the friendship of Narses And when Macedonius Bishop of Aquileia died Honoratus Bishop of Millan ordained Paulinus to be his successor Pelagius Bishop of Rome grieved at this Neverthelesse hee complaineth not to Narses that Paulinus was Bishop of Aquileia without his consent but rather because this was done without the foreknowledge of the most noble Emperour Iustinian who like as he had delivered Istria and Venice from the grievous bondage of Totilas so likewise it became them to expect the Emperours answere before they had appointed a Bishoppe in Aquileia Marke the hypocrisie of the Bishops of Rome vnder colour of obedience to the civill Magistrate secretly creeping to their owne soveraignty the chiefe marke whereat they continually aymed Iohn the third succeeded Pelagius and governed twelue yeers eleven moneths and twenty six dayes In the dayes of Iustinus the younger who was successor to the Emperour Iustinian did he minister in the Roman Church and at that time when Alboinus King of the Longobards came into Italie with a great army with their wiues and children and setled their aboad in that part of Italy which lyeth about the river Padus The Empresse Sophia had irritated Narses that valiant captaine with contumelious words and he gaue to her and to the estate of the Empire this hard meeting that hee possessed the Longobards in Italy weaving a web vnto her according as hee promised which shee was not able all her time to vndoe againe The Deputy of the Emperour of Constantinople kept a part of Italy which was not conquered by the Lombards and this was called Exarchatus Ravennae and the Bishop of Rome with the assistance of the countrey kept Rome free from the dominion of the Lombards for a short time At this time did Iohn the 3. governe the church of Rome He brought in new constitutions into the church that Chorepiscopi otherwise called Vicarij Episcoporum would haue no power at all of imposition of hands which constitution he confirmed with a foolish reason because none of the 70 disciples whom Christ adioyned as helpers to the Apostles had power by imposition of hands
at Occumenicke Councels as were at this convention Secondly to declare the effromed peartnesse of Heretiques when they are met together all that they doe is ascribed to the holy Spirit for in their definitiue sentence against Maximianus they borrow the words of the holy Apostles Placuit Spiritui sancto qui in nobis est that is It hath pleased the holy Spirit who is in vs. Yet were they guided by Satan and not by the holy Spirit in all the actions of this Councell IN the eight yeere of the raigne of Theodosius the second was a general Councel assembled in Ephesus against the Heretique Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople of whom Socrates writeth that the first ground of his heresie was the speeches of a Presbyter in his Church called Anastatius whom hee had in reverent account This Anastatius vpon a time teaching in the Church sayd let no man call the Virgin Marie the mother of God whereupon ensued great trouble in the Church for they were assured of the divinitie of Christ. And Nestorius not willing that the man should bee disesteemed whom he so much regarded he chopped oft in his Sermons vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not willing to giue vnto the blessed Virgin so great an honour When the Councell of Ephesus was assembled consisting of the number of two hundreth Bishops and aboue and Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria was appointed Moderator by the ordinance of the Emperours who commanded the Councell to bee gathered Cirillus began to embarke and to agitate the question before Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia and his companie could be present at the Councell At the first meeting Nestorius being present in the towne of Ephesus vtterly spoyled his cause and added to his former opinion borrowed from Anastatius that they thought it an indignity done to the onely begotten Sonne of God to speake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were all reproachfull words to be spoken of the Sonne of God that is that hee was nourished vpon milke that he was borne of a maide that hee was two moneths or three moneths old all these words hee counted to bee reproachfull words to be spoken of the Sonne of God The Fathers of the Councell were all highly offended at these wordes and warned him to bee personally present at the Councell but hee refused to appeare vntill the time that Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia should be present at the Councell Cirillus Bishop of Alexandria was a man prompt and forward in all causes both good and bad and hee would not linger vntill the comming of Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia and his company but forthwith hee caused his books and writings to be examined wherein it was cleerly found that hee sayd the Sonne of the Virgin Mary was not God but onely that God was with him so hee denyed the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature The Fathers of the Councell vpon this ground damned Nestorius as an Heretique and Nestorius on the other part gathered the Bishops of his ownefaction and damned Cirillus Bishoppe of Alexandria and Memnon Bishop of Ephesus After this Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia came to Ephesus whose comming rather increased then diminished the schisme for hee was so angry against the precipitation and hastinesse of Cirillus that hee would not adioyne himselfe to the Councell hereupon followed mutuall excommunications Iohn Patriarch of Antiochia excommuicated Cyrillus and Memnon and they on the other part excommunicated him and his 〈◊〉 who came not to the Councell yet in the mercy of God this schisme that fell out last amongst good men was cured and they were reconciled and the Heretique Nestorius was banished to Oasis BEfore Theodosius the second had ended his life Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople had gathered a particular Councell and damned Eutyches an Abbot of Constantinople because hee affirmed that in Christ after the vnion of the divine and humane natures there was no longer two natures This absurd opinion Flavianus damned as hereticall Notwithstanding Chrysaphius the chiefe Governour of the Emperours Palace was a friend to Eutyches and a favourer of his heresie And hee procured at the Emperours hands that Eutyches cause should bee iudged in a more frequent assembly to bee gathered at Ephesus and wherein Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria should be Moderator In this assembly Dioscorus dealt imperiously like vnto an head-strong Heretique Hee called vpon Eutyches and required a confession of his faith which when hee had given not expecting the votes of others who were present with clamour and out-crying hee gaue allowance vnto it as if no more were requisite in a Councell except onely the suffrage and vote of the Moderator Likewise hee suffered not the letters of Leo Bishop of Rome sent to the Councell to be read Thirdly he absolued Eutyches and 300 Monks all intangled with this heresie whom Flavianus had iustly excommunicated and last of all he excommunicated Flavianus and caused him by the tumult of his factioners to be so rudely and discourteously entreated that he was trod vnder foot and was so wounded that within three dayes after hee ended his life for this cause this Councell was called a Councell of brigandrie THe Councel of Berytus in Phoenicia wherein the cause of Ibas Bishop of Edessa whom Dioscorus had deposed was wakened and he was iustified and absolued I purposely passe by because the controversie against Ibas will be discussed in a greater assembly And the Councell called Agathense in France wherein albeit there be a great number of Constitutions yet nothing is more remarkable in it than this that they grant they had libertie to meete together by cōmandement of Alaricus king of Gothes who at that time had soueraigntie in that part of France called Gallia Narbonensis where the Councell was gathered so that in al countries Councels both generall and nationall were conueened by the authoritie of Princes IN the yeere of our Lord 454. and in the third yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Martianus a generall Councell was assembled at Chalcedon a towne of Bythinia lying directly ouer against Constantinople Martianus the Emperour was in person present at the Councell and of Bishops and reuerend Fathers from all partes of the world sixe hundreth and thirtie The like whereof hapned not in any generall Councell preceeding this time The Patriarches were all present at this Councell either in proper person or by their Ambassadours Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria Maximus Bishop of Antiochia Iuvenalis Bishop of Ierusalem and in stead of Leo Bishop of Rome his Ambassadours Pascasianus a Bishop Lucentius Bonifacius and Basilius Presbyters with a Christian brother Iulianus Martianus entreated all the Fathers of the Councell to thinke that he gaue his presence to the conuention not for ostentation of his power or vertue but onely for desire that the true faith should be confirmed and
how mens traditions are equalled to the commandements of God 6. Presbyters Abbots and Levites for the dignity of their calling shall not bee punished with stripes by the Bishoppe lest in dispersoning the principall members of his owne body hee bring himselfe into contempt of his subiectes 7. Let no honour be sold for promise of rewards 8. Let governours of Churches haue a greater regard to the weale of the Church then to their owne particular affaires In the end thankes is given to God and the King for their meeting they subscribe the fore named ordinances Here marke that in the country of Spain the King still keepeth in his owne hand power of convocating Councels IN the yeere of our Lord 681. and in the 12. yeare of the raigne of Constantius Pogonatus a general Councell was assembled at Constantinople by the authority of the Emperour and not by the commandement of Pope Donus nor Agatho his successor nor of Leo the 2. the successor of Agatho as the Divall letter of Constantine directed to Pope Donus and received and obeyed by Pope Agatho cleerly testifies As for the number of Bishops convened there is an infinite discrepance betwixt the authors who make rehearsall of their number the least number reckoned is 150. The question discussed in this Assembly was about the wils and actions of Christ. Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia and Stephanus his disciple pertinaciously defended the errour of the Monothelites confirming also their opinion by the testimony of Honorius sometime Bishop of Rome whose letters written to Sergius sometime Bishop of Constantinople being read in the open audience of the Councell made it cleerly knowne that he also was infected with the erour of the Monothelites For this cause Honorius Bishop of Rome Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria and Macarius Bishop of Antiochia were all excommunicated likewise Polychronius a ridiculous Monke and his complices were excōmunicated and with great shame and ignominy reiected from the fellowship of the Church For he offered to proue the opinion of the Monothelites to bee the truth of God by writing the summe of that opinion in a paper and over spreading it vpon a beere wherein a dead man was laid hee put the Councell in hope that hee would raise the dead man to life againe but after tryall hee was found to be a lying and a deceitfull fellow and he likewise was excommunicated This Councell made no Canons and Constitutions concerning Church-discipline as other Councels had done before For this cause Iustinian the 2. the son of Pogenatus gathered these same Fathers who had beene in the preceding Councel to perfect the worke which they had begun They made many Constitutions but two in special which displeased the Romane Church First they annulled the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices Secondly they ordained the Patriarch of Constantinople to bee in equall authority with the Pope of Rome These Constitutions and Canons Pope Sergius refused to subscribe albeit his ambassadors in his name had subscribed them in Constantinople BAmbas King of the Goths resigned the title of his royall authority to Euringius and he was content to be shaven and enter into a Monastery In the first yeere of the raigne of Euringius 33. Bishops with some Abbots and 13. Noblemen of the Court convened at Toledo The King amongst many other things protested that he was content that whatsoeuer thing in his lawes seemed repugnant to reason it should be corrected by the prudent advice of this Councel The Fathers of this Councell for confession of Faith adhered vnto the Councell of Nice After this the hand-writings and seales of Bambas and the Nobles of his Court and the testimony of Iulianus ArchBishop of Toledo are presented whereby it is knowne that Bambas had resigned his government in favour of Euringius willing them to chuse him to be his successor So it came to passe that Euringius was solemnly proclaimed to be King and the people were assoyled from the oath of allegeance made to Bambas and were astricted to the obedience of King Euringius In this Councell it was forbidden that new Bishoprickes should be erected in villages and the Bishop of Emerita begged pardon for this that he had ordayned a Bishop in a certaine village being compelled so to doe by the commandement of King Bambas They who stand at the Altar and sacrificeth are commanded to eate of the sacrifice as often as they offer it The acts made in preceding Councels against the Iewes were renewed and amplified in this Councell and thankes was given to God and the King for their meeting Other Councels of Toledo vnder the raignes of Euringius and Egita seeing there is little written of them worthy of Commemoration I over-passe with silence CENTVRIE VIII IN the yeere of our Lord 712. a Councell was assembled at London where Bonifacius was present and Brithuvaldus the chiefe Prelate of England and the Kings of Saxons ruling in England were commanded vnder pain of cursing to be present at this Councell The purposes intreated in this Councell were two to wit concerning the adoration of Images and prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices About worshipping of Images no disputation was heard whether that service did agree with the written word of God or not This was counted a sufficient wartant for bringing Images into places of adoration and for worshipping them especially the Image of the Virgin Mary that Eguvinus a superstitious Monke in England of the order of Saint Benet who afterwards was made a Bishoppe affirmed that the Virgine Marie appeared vnto him in a dreame and declared that it was her will that her Image should bee set vp in the Churches and worshipped These dreames once confirmed by the oath of Eguvinus and approoved by Constantine Bishop of Rome and obtruded by Bonifacius the Popes Legate they were embraced in England with little contradiction in such a corrupt time The other purpose entreated in this Councell was prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices This doctrine of the Romane Church was not received without reluctation of the Clergie Onely a ground was laid whereupon followed a building of the doctrine of Divels ABout the same time that is about the yeere of our Lord 712. it is supposed that the Emperour Philippicus gathered a Councell at Constantinople for vndoing of the sixt generall Councell in the which the errour of the Monothelites was condemned and that hee did this according to a promise made to a Monke named Iohn who fore-told him that hee would bee made Emperour and craved this promise of him that when hee should bee advanced to the Imperiall dignity he should vndoe the sixt generall Councell But the writers of this History doe not make particular mention of the Fathers who were present at this Councell The rest of the History is cleere that Philippicus razed the pictures of the
not only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to pay tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proud attempts of Gregorius the second vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome saw that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens hee thought it a fit occasion to draw the dominion of Italie vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of the Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the Images of the Saints and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueraignty in Italy So earely began the increasing Grando of Antichrist to send forth the thunder-bolts of cursings against the anoynted of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracens passed over the Straits invaded the kingdom of Spaine slew Rodericus King of the Gothes and his sonne and put an end to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had raigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towards France but through the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountred that three hundred thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracens were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens Constantinus Copronymus AFter Leo his sonne Constantinus Copronymus raigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onely 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of Images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age The writers of the History of this time haue dipped their pens in gall and wormwood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constantinus but whatsoever Paulus Diaconus or Zonoras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regard in the Church of Christ. The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of Images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tidings of his death when he went to fight against the Arabians and they chose Artabasdus to be Emperour in his stead But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recovered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a generall Councell at Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of Images was damned as shall be declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the King of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Roman Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all Kings of Lombardis and by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles and Kings of France the Lombards were vtterly subdued the chaire of Rome was enriched the revenue of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was layd for the advancement of the Kings of France to the Imperiall dignity In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Scythians invaded the Armenians and molested the Saracens and some countries of Asia minor in the end they accorded with the Saracens But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia should vndergoe the name of Saracens hoping thereby that they would easily embrace the Mahometan religion wherin their expectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the raigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Pâ—â—sâ— they perswaded both themselues and others also That if a man would sell all that hee had and throw himselfe headlong from the walles of the Citie his soule should by and by be transported to heaven So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes to beleeue promises which God hath not made Leo the sonne of Copronymus LEo the sonne of Constantinus Copronymus raigned fiue yeeres Hee followed the footsteps of his father in zeale against worshipping of Images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Stratâ—ius and Theophanes for worshipping of Images The superstitious writers of the History of this time such as Zonaras and Paâ—lus Diaconus reckon the aforesayd persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ will neuer count them to be his Martyrs who fight obstinately against the truth even vnto the death neither will hee count them to be his Confessors who suffer iustly inflicted punishment for the contempt of the lawes of Magistrates being agreeable to the law of God Irene and Constantinus her sonne AFter the death of Leo raigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwards Constantine deposed his mother from her authority and raigned alone seven yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignity done vnto her grievously shee spoyled her sonne both of his eyes and of his Empire cast him into prison where he dyed for heart griefe and shee raigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the raigne of Irene and her son coniunctly severally first and last were 21â— yeeres This Empresse was superstitious crafty and infortunate Shee was a superstious defender of the worshipping of Images A malicious and venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body shee commanded to be brought out of his graue to be burnt with fire resolved into ashes and to be cast into the Sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in law The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her raigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom shee knew to haue beene adversaries to the worshipping of Images and sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine and pestilence and being besieged three yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that thirty thousand of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for the repayring of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new Inhabitants These strangers she sent backe againe to the places from whence they came especially because in popular commotion they had set themselues in armes and menaced the Fathers convened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of Images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuated in her time that it was rather like vnto a shadow then vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent History I will forget after a manner the Emperours
of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who raigned eight yeeres after her banishment CENTVRIE IX Carolus Magnus IN the yeere of our Lord 801. Charles the Great King of France was declared Emperour by Leo the third Bishop of Rome and hee raigned sixteene yeeres in his Imperiall dignity for hee continued King of France forty and six yeeres The Empire of the West had beene cut off since the dayes of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes whom Odoacer King of Rugiheruli c. had compelled to denude himselfe of the Imperiall dignity Now after the issue of 300. yeeres and after the Hunnes the Gothes the Lombards and other Nations had obtained dominion in the West all abstaining notwithstanding of their prevailing power from the name dignity and stile of Emperours Now at length I say Charles the Great is anoynted and crowned Emperor by Leo the third in the towne of Rome And this was the beginning of that evill custome which after followed to wit That Emperours should receiue their coronation from the Bishops of Rome At this time the Empire of the East was in the hands of the Empresse Irene and in the hands of the Emperour Nicephorus who had banished Irene and raigned in her stead The Empire of the East was also weake at this time as appeareth by a covenant of peace which they concluded with Charles Emperour of the West in the which no mention is made of Exarchatus Ravennae to be rendred againe vnto them onely that the Isle of Sicile and the townes and lands which lie from Naples Eastward on the right hand and from Manfredonia sometimes called Syponto on the left hand compassed about with the Seas called Superum Inferum these should remaine in the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople ' Charles a prudent and godly Emperour more sound and vpright in sundry heads of Christian doctrine then many others for hee detested the worshipping of Images as vile Idolatry as appeareth by his bookes written against the second Councell of Nice Charles was very friendly to Christians and defended them against the violence and tyranny of their persecuting enemies namely against Godfridus King of Denmarke a fierce adversary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxony Likewise hee subdued the Slavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was iustly called Magnus for his great exploits and valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of the Emperour Charles was declared King of Italy who died before his father and after his death hee appointed Bernard his nephew to raigne in Italy with expresse commandement That hee should bee obedient to his sonne Ludovicke whome hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Imperiall office So the Emperor Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in Aken Ludovicus Pius AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludovicus Pius and raigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behaviour he was called Pius He received the Imperiall Diadem from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludovicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other Bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife behaued themselues very vndutifully towards their father Neverthelesse he freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into favour Also Fredericke Bishop of Vtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if hee did noâ— forsake the company of Iudith his welbeloved wife and daughter to the Duke of Bavaria because shee was his neere kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinity for bidden in the Popish lawe The Empresse willing to bee revenged of the Bishop shee hired two Gentlemen who set vpon him after Church service and slew him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracens in huge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Egypt and Africke and invaded the Isle of Sicile By cutting downe all fruitfull trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing Bishops Priests and Monkes they brought the I le to an vtter desolation Gregory the fourth at that time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicile They answered That albeit that matter duly belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neverthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the Countrey Now whilest these things were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arrived with a Navie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountred with the Saracens foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicile like as of old the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne country So Bonifacius returned back againe with an army victorious and richly lodened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprovidently done by the good Emperour Lodovicus Pius then the giving ouer of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This foresaid right Ludovicus gaue over to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendshippe should send an Ambassadour to the King of France declaring whom they had elected to bee Pope Hereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperours and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperours raigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michael Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armemenius raigned seven yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michael Balbus slew Leo his predecessor whilst he was praising God in the Church and raigned in his stead nine yeeres In his time the Saracens mightily prevailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another company comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicile Theophilus raigned ten yeeres and fought against the Saracens who did oppresse the countrey of Asia but he had no good successe Lotharius LOtharius the sonne of Ludovicus Pius was declared King of Italy and Augustus before his fathers death He was anoynted by Pope Paschalis in the Church of Saint Peter and he raigned 15. yeeres Great hostility and bloody warres fell out amongst the children of Ludovicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewis Charles and Pipinus fordividing of their fathers Lands In this civill dissention the Nobility of France was so miserably weakened that the Normans and Danes tooke boldnesse to invade the countrey of France which they vexed for the space of twenty yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded
their garrisons were remaining supposing vnder the shew of Frenchmen to be let in But the Captaines mistrusting their hasty comming and misdoubting their visages not like to the French-mens shut the gates against them whereby they returned frustrate of their purpose Yet afterward Damiata was rendered to the Saracens as a part of the Kings ransome which citie being twice won and twice lost by the Christians the Souldan afterward caused vtterly to be razed downe to the ground It is to bee noted in this Tragedy that the Pope of Rome was the chiefe ground of all this lamentable calamity For the King wisely considering what great helpe hee might haue gotten by the concurrance of the valiant and wife Emperour Fredericke travailed for reconciliation between him and the Pope before hee vndertooke his voyage but all his travails were spent in vaine and so the King of France went alone to this dangerous enterprise taking with him the Popes blessing as is sayd before But like as Fredericke before prospered not the worse thate he was cursed of the Pope so it may be perceived that Lewis King of France prospered not the better albeit the Pope blessed him Before wee speake of the sixt voyage of his age it is to marked that God raised vp Mango King of the Tartarians to make warre against the Saracens he was baptised and professed the name of Christ and sent his brother Halâ— to fight against the Saracens Who overhailed Persia Assyria Mesopotamia and in the end came to Syria and conquered Damascus appointing his sonne Abaga to bee Governour of the same for hee returned himselfe to inherit the kingdome of his brother Mango whom hee heard to be dead Also Abaga afterward hearing of the death of his father Halo returned to gouerne his fathers kingdome leaving behinde him ten thousand horsemen to support the Christians in the hands of Guirboca who also favoured the Christians for a time vntil they slew his Nephew and then hee also became an enemie vnto them and invaded the towne of Caesarea and set it on fire At this time Nelethinus the sonne of Turqueminius Souldan of Egypt fearing the dominion of the Tartarians in Syria provoked Guirboca to fight and destroyed him and his army and they that escaped of the Tartarians fled to Armenia Thus the small comfort which the Christians had by the Tartarians was first turned into hatred and afterward was vtterly taken away by their destruction The sixt voyage was vnder the King of France and Henrie King of England who sent Prince Edward his sonne to Palestina in his place and Charles Duke of Angeow who was declared by the Pope to be King of Sicile and King of Ierusalem In this voyage the one part of the army to wit French-men arrived at Africa and besieged the towne of Carthage and tooke it also they besieged Tuenetum sixe moneths at which time the army was troubled with a grievous pestilence whereof the King himselfe and the Popes Legat both died But Charles King of Sicile came with a fresh army Mulet the Prince in those parts entreated for peace which was granted vpon these conditions First that if any in Africke would professe the Christian religion they should bee permitted so to doe without molestation Next that the Christians who were detained in captivity should be set at liberty And thirdly that there should bee payd yeerely to the King of Sicile forty thousand crownes The other part of the army vnder the conduct of Edward Prince of England came to Syria where Edward was circumvented by a deceitfull Saracen who came with letters to him from his master and wounded him with an invenomed knife whereby hee was in great danger of his life but being cured by skilfull Physitians he escaped death Also hee staied in Ptolemais vpon the arrivall of the rest of the army out of Africke but when hee had long waited in vaine hee was compelled to returne back againe to his owne countrey In this voyage it is to be noted that the Pope of Rome miserably abused the Christian people for the armies raised against the Turkes and Infidels hee caused to serue the covetous appetite of his bloody heart as plainely appeareth in the French army which Guido Bishop of Altisiodorum conducted to Viterbium Vrbanus Quartus sent his army against Manfred King of Sicile to subdue vnto him Sicilia and to roote out the ofspring of Fredericke which he deadly hated and when this enterprise succeeded not to his hearts contentment Clemens his successor stirred vp this Charles Duke of Angeow who vsurped the kingdome of Sicile destroyed the posterity of Fredericke and at the Popes desire vndertooke this voyage to Asia whereof wee haue last spoken The seventh voyage of this age was vndertaken by the Emperour Rodolph who according to his promise made to Pope Gregory the tenth was willing to raise an army and succour the Christians in Asia but hee was so impeded by the warres hee had with the King of Bohemia that hee could not in his owne person goe to Syria but hee sent Henrie Prince of Mechelburg with a strong army to supply his place who comming to Ptolemais wasted and burnt with fire the region round about Damascus The Barbarians durst not encounter with him in open battell but circumvened him and vpon a time as hee was leading away a great prey they lying in wait for him arose and brought him to the Souldan where hee was detained in captivitie 26. yeeres After this the Christians in Asia were brought to vtter wracke for the Saracens invaded Antiochia and tooke it and destroyed the Christians there Afterward vnder the conduct of Aphir their Souldan they besieged Tripolis and tooke it and razed it to the ground Also Tyrus was rendered vpon condition that the Christians there should safely depart with so much of their substance as they could transport with shippes or drawe with beasts And finally all the townes and holds which the Christians had in Syria were taken by the Saracens onely Ptolemais excepted which afterward was taken by Araphus the Souldan the Christians therein being put to the sword and the citie it selfe vtterly razed to the ground in such sort that there was not so much as a monument of it left vndestroyed Now when all was lost the Christians obtained some new and fresh comfort by the conversion of Cassanus Prince of the Tartarians to the Christian religion who expelled the Saracens out of Syria and repayred the temple and towne of Ierusalem and restored it to the Christians and set at liberty Henry Prince of Mechelburg who had been detained captiue a long time Also he tooke the towne of Damascus and appointed Capcacus to be Governour there like as Molais was left to defend Ierusalem But after the returne of Cassanus to his owne countrey Capcacus revolted to the Souldan of Egypt and Molais finding himselfe alone vnable to resist the force of the Saracens departed to Mesopotamia
Iulius Caesar did write and comprehend in Latin Historie his owne acts and feats of warre done by him In this Emperours time Baiazeth the second Emperour of Turkes after long siege tooke a strong towne of Peleponesus called Methon or Modon being vnder the dominion of the Venetians and caused all the Noblemen of the Venetians and Grecians that were found in the towne to be brought into his owne presence and there most cruelly to be slaine Carolus quintus AFter Maximilian Charles King of Spaine Duke of Austria and Burgundie and nephew to Maximilian was chosen Emperour and raigned 37. yeeres He was a Prince of singular wisedome expert in warre slow to wrath and if it had pleased the Lord to haue illuminated his heart with that true light that begun to shine in his time hee might haue beene reckoned amongst the most renowned Emperours His inclination to wisedome may appeare by these witty sentences vttered by him Like as Saturne which is counted the most supreme planet hath the slowest course of all the rest even so they that are in supreme authority ought to doe all things with greatest deliberation and advisement And like as the Sunne sendeth out his beams in like brightnesse both vpon poore and rich so ought supreme Magistrates minister iustice without partiality both to poore and rich And like as the eclipse of the Sunne is a foretoken of great commotions so likewise the errors and oversights of Princes bring with them great perturbations to countries Hee was intangled with great and dangerous warres all the time of his government either against forraine Princes or some of the Empire In his warrs against the King of France hee had better successe then he could haue looked for for as much as the towne of Millaine being already taken by the King of France and the towne of Pavie in Italy likewise besieged yet the Emperours army shortly after encountred with the French-men and both vanquished them and also tooke the King himselfe prisoner and from thence conveyed him away to Spaine where through care and griefe hee fell into sicknesse but when hee was comforted by the Emperour and put in some hope of agreement hee began to take heart vnto him and recovered and in the end a peace was agreed vpon at Madruce in Spaine and the King was set at liberty leaving for pledges his two eldest sonnes But shortly after hee revoked his oath being absolved by the Bishop of Rome and said he was forced to swear or else hee should never haue beene delivered The Emperor after the delivery of the King of France gaue to Charles Duke of Burbon the Dutchie of Millaine on condition to pay 4000. ducats and finde a number of souldiers yeerely This Charles Duke of Burbon passing through Italy to Naples afterward in the Emperours quarrell besieged Rome and in the assault was slaine but his souldiers tooke the citie spoyled it and besieged the Bishop Clement with his Cardinalls in the Mount Adrian from whence hee could not be dismissed by any meanes vntill hee agreed with the souldiers Notwithstanding this the Emperour Charles being then in Spaine and staying the thunderbolt of Excommunication which the souldiers nothing regarded did excuse himselfe by letters that hee knew not of that his men had done and therefore willed the Bishop to bee set at liberty In this Emperours dayes begun reformation of religion in Germany by meanes of the disputations writings and doctrine of Martin Luther whom the Emperour laboured by all meanes to suppresse First by gathering a convention of the estates of Germany in the towne of Worms Which convention was kept in the yeere of our Lord 1521. and Martin Luther being cited by an Herald of armes to appeare before the said Councell with a letter of safe conduct by the Emperour and Princes appeared and although many perswaded him not to adventure himselfe to such a present danger yet Luther answered that he was resolved and certainely determined to enter Worms in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ although hee knew that there were so many divells to resist him as there were tyles to cover the houses in Wormes thus being presented before all the Estates of the Empire Iohn Eccius who then was the Bishop of Triers generall officiall at the Emperours command demanded of Martin two questions First whether hee confessed those bookes which were given out vnder his name to be his or no shewing herewith an heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latin and Dutch tongues Secondly whether hee would revoke and recant them or stand to all that hee had written To the first point hee answered affirmatiuely that hee would acknowledge his owne bookes As touching the second whether he would recant any thing contained in his bookes or no he craved time to premeditate what hee should speake in that matter which was the more easily granted because they were in some hope that Luther would recant some of his writings but it fell out farre otherwise then they looked for For at the time of his next appearance hee divided his bookes into three sorts some of them opened the grounds of Christian religion simply which his very enemies had counted inculpable and therefore hee would not condemne them himselfe Another sort contained invectiues against the Papacie and others of that retinue which had with their pestiferous doctrine and pernitious examples corrupted the whole estate of Christianity which bookes if hee should revoke hee should adde more force to their tyranny and his retraction should be a cloake and shadow to all their impiety and naughtinesse The third sort of his bookes were written against certaine particular persons who with tooth and naile laboured to maintaine the Romane tyranny and to deface his doctrine and these likewise hee could not recall left by his recantation it should come to pasle that tyranny and impiety supported by his meanes should rage more violently against the people then ever it did before When no recantation could be obtained nor yet submission of his writings to the iudgement of the Emperour and his Estates Martin Luther departed from Wormes being dismissed according to his promise of his safe conduct and returned to his owne countrey Soone after this the Emperour Charles to purchase favour with the Pope because hee was not yet confirmed in his Empire provideth and directeth out a solemne writ of outlawry against Luther and all them that take his part commanding the said Luther where-ever hee might be gotten to be apprehended and his bookes burned After this another convention of the Estates of Germanie was gathered at Norinberg for the suppressing of Martin Luther to which Councell Pope Adrian the sixt sent his Ambassadour Cheregatus to desire that the sentence of the Apostolick Sea and the Emperours edict against Martin Luther should bee put in execution The Princes of Germany on the other part declared great vrgent causes wherefore they were compelled to forbeare
erected vp in Churches to that intent the same ought to be taken downe 10. That Matrimony is prohibited to no estate or order of men but for eschewing of fornication generally is permitted to all men by the word of God And forasmuch as all fornicators are excluded by the testimony of Scripture from the communion of the Church therefore this vnchast and filthy single life of Priests is most of all inconuenient for the order of Priesthood At this disputation were present Oecolampadius Bucerus Capito Blanreus with many other moe all which defended the affirmatiue of the conclusions propounded On the contrary part of the opponents the chiefest Captaine was Conradus Trogedus a Fryer Augustine who to proue his assertion when he was driuen to shift out of the Scripture to seeke helpe of other Doctors and the Moderators of the disputation would not permit the same being contrary to the order before appointed he departed out of the place and would dispute no more The disputation indured nineteene dayes in the end whereof it was agreed that the conclusions there disputed were consonant to the truth of Gods Word and should be ratified not onely in the Cittie of Berne but also proclaimed by the Magistrates in sundrie other Citties neere adioyning Furthermore that Masses Altars Images in all places should be abolished The day and yeare when this reformation with them beganne from Popery to true Christianitie they caused in a pillar to be engrauen in Golden letters for a perpetuall memorie to all posteritie to come This was Anno 1528. The rumour of this disputation and alteration of Berne was noysed in other Citties and places abroad and others were encouraged by this occasion to take the like order within their bounds and namely the Townes of Strousbrough and Basile and Geneua All this time by the providence of God the Emperour and the King of France were together occupied in Warres and strife which hapned very commodiously for the successe of the Gospell for otherwise it is to be thought that the Helvetians and other Germanes should not haue had that leisure and rest to reforme Religion and to linke themselues in league as they did albeit Ferdinandus the Emperours brother and Deputie in Germanie omitted no time nor diligence to doe what he could in resisting the proceedings of the Protestants as appeared both by the decrees set forth at Ratisbone and Speirs as hath beene declared The rest of the Pages of the Helvetians which were of a contrary profession hearing of the end of this disputation at Berne and namely because they had not regarded their admonition disswading them to proceed in their intended purpose of disputation and reformation of Religion confederated themselues in league with Ferdinandus to suppresse the Religion of Christ in Berne and Zurik The names of which Pages especially were fiue to wit Lucernates Vrani Suitenses Vnternaldij and Tugiani who for hatred and despite hanged vp the armes of the foresaid Cities vpon a Gallowes beside many other iniuries and grieuances which they wrought against them For the which cause the said Cities of Berne and Zurik raised their power intending to set vpon the foresaid Switzers as vpon their capitall enemies But as they were in the field readie to encounter one Armie against the other through the meanes of the Citie of Strousbrough and other intercessours they were parted for that time and so returned After this the old wound waxing raw againe beganne to burst out and the Tigurines and Bernates by reason of certaine new iniuries and contumelious words spoken against them began to stoppe the passages and straits whereby no corne not victuall should be conveyed to the fiue Pages aforesaid This second debate also was composed by meanes of the King of France and certaine Townes of Switzerland as namely the Glareans Friburgians Soloturnians and some other laboured to set them at agreement vpon certaine conditions which not being kept and the fiue Pages not obseruing the couenant the warre brake vp of new againe amongst them And the Tigurines and Bernates begunne againe to stoppe the passages so that for lacke of victuall the fiue Pages were pinched with penurie Who notwithstanding arming themselues secretly set forward in warre-like aray towardes the borders of Zurike whereas then was lying a Garrison of Zurike men to the number of a thousand and aboue Whereupon word was sent incontinent to the Cittie of Zurike for ayde to their men But their enemies approached so fast that they of Zurike could hardly come to rescue them fot when they were come to the top of the hill whereby they must needs passe they did see their fellowes at the foote of the hill in great distresse Whereupon they encouraging themselues made downe the hill with more hast then order striuing who should goe fastest by reason whereof they were discomfited and ouer-matched by their enemies Amongst the number of them that were slaine was also Vlricus Zuinglius the blessed seruant of God whose bodie after his death they most vildly abused by cutting it in pieces consuming it with fire and practising against it all despite that malice and hatred could deuise The Bernates were willing to come and reuenge their quarrell but before they came their enemies set vpon them the second time and had the vpper hand yet would they of Zurik nothing relent in Religion At the last through mediation a Peace was concluded and thus the matter agreed that the Tigurines Bernates and Basilians should forsake the league which they lately made with the Citie of Strousbrough and the Landgraue Likewise should the fiue Page men giue ouer the league and composition made with Ferdinanâ—us and hereof Obligations were made and sealed for the greater suretie and better keeping of the promises In this Emperours time amongst other places great alteration of Religion fell out in the Countrey of England vpon this occasion Henry the 7. King of England had two sonnes Arthur and Henry Prince Arthur his eldest sonne married Katherine daughter to Ferdinand King of Spaine but he soone after his marriage died without children King Henry with advise of his Nobles to the end her dowrie might remaine within the Realme thought meete to espouse Lady Katherine to Prince Henry brother to King Arthur This marriage seemed very strange and hard for one brother to marry the wife of another but yet by dispensation of Pope Iulian the second this marriage which neither sense of nature would admit nor Gods law suffer was concluded approued and ratified and so continued as lawfull without any scruple or doubt the space of twentie yeares till that a certaine doubt began to be moued by the Spaniards themselues of the Emperours Councell Anno 1523. At which time Charles the Emperour being in England promised to marry Lady Mary daughter to King Henry the eyght King of England with the which promise the Spanyardes were not well contented Obiecting that the Ladie Mary was begotten of the King of
would depart with their bands of Italians and Spainiards otherwise such order and remedie should be found as the time and matter required In this meane time many of the Princes of the Protestants townes with whom the Emperour was displeased because of the aide they had sent to the Duke of Saxonie and Lantgraue reconciled themselues to the Emperour and obtained their pardon after they had payed great summes of money Of this number was Palsgraue of the Rhene Elector and the Prince of Witemberg Also earnest request was made to the Emp. for the Lantgraues pardon by the Marques of Brādenburg But the conditions were so grieuous that the Lantgraue would rather venture the extremitie then submit himselfe The Emperour came forward to Misne by the riuer Albis not farre from the Duke of Saxonie Campe. Wherefore the Duke made speed to Witemberg and burnt the bridge that the Emperour should haue no readie passage to pursue him but the Emperour getting knowledge of a shallow ford in the riuer quicklie followed the Duke and by the wood of Lothans ouertooke him ioyning battell discomfited him and tooke him prisoner and although the Duke was condemned to die yet by the entreatie of the Marques of Brandenburg his life was granted him with most grieuous conditions amongst which this was one that hee should submit himselfe to the old religion but he chosed rather to die then so to doe Wherefore the Marques of Brandenburg obtained also that condition to be remitted but al his lands and goods were giuen to Maurice except a pension of 50000. crownes which the same Maurice paied him yeerely Immediately herevpon Witemberg yeelded to the Emp. as also diuers other Princes and Cities did the like The Lantgraue was content to yeeld al that he had to the Emp. pleasure so that hee might not be kept prisoner which condition the Marques of Brandenburg Maurice the new Duke of Saxonie that had married his daughter vndertooke to obtaine and for the performance of the same bound thēselues to him in great bonds But when he came to the Emp. hee was commaunded to remaine as prisoner then he began to complaine grieuously saying that the Emperour kept not promise And the next day the Marques of Brandenburg Maurice went to the Emp. and intreated for the Lantgraue but all would not serue for the Emperour answered that he brake no promise although he kept him 14. yeeres in prison For his meaning was onely to pardon him perpetuall emprisonment This matter afterward turned the Emp. to great trouble In the meane time hauing the principall chiefe Princes of the Protestants in Captiuitie the Emp. thought meete to gather a conuention of the estates at Ausbrough to finish that matter which hee had intended long before All the Electors with other Princes were gathered together in great number but about the citie and in diuers places of the countrie neere thereto was companies of Spaniards and Italians and other souldiers to the terrour of them that were present The Principall matter purposed was concerning the Councell of Trident. The Emperour required of the Princes priuatlie of the Palsgraue Maurice Duke of Saxonie whether they would submit themselues to the Councell of Trident or no. At the first they refused it but afterward fearing the Emp. displeasure they were cōtented to permit the matter to his will The free cities also being demaunded if they would adde any thing to the answere of the Princes answered it was not their part so to doe and offered a writing to the Emperour on what condition they would admit the Councell The Emperour as though they had fullie consented sent to the Cardinall of Trident and the Pope desiring that the Councell which was remoued from Trident to Bononia might bee againe revoked to Trident which was neerer to Germanie vpon hope that the Germanes would come and submit themselues to the Councell But forasmuch as the Pope and Bishops assembled at Bononie would not returne backe againe to Trident but vpon such conditions as liked themselues best the Emperour protested by his Ambassadours that all such things that they should decree there to be vnlawfull and of no force and that he himselfe would vndertake the care of the cōmon-wealth of Christendome which the Bishops neglected Thus the Emperour perceiuing that there was no hope of a generall councell in Germanie consulted with the Princes about the agreement of Religion and appointed Iulius Pflugins Bishop of Numburg Michael Sidon and Iohn Islebie to draw out a booke for reformation of Religion which they called Interim This was the ground of a new trouble for the Emperour strictly commaunded that the Princes would receiue and admit the manner of Religion set forth in the booke called Interim The Duke of Saxonie that was kept prisoner being earnestlie required to subscribe would not in any wise and for that cause after was vsed more strictly insomuch that his Preacher who was hitherto permitted fled for feare of danger The Lantgraue hoping to obtaine fauour and libertie receiued the Emperours booke and submitted himselfe to it but all would not helpe him The Marques of Brandenburge not onely receiued it himselfe but also sent for Martin Bucer whom partly with entreatie partly with thretnings he commaunded to subscribe the Emperours booke but he constantlie refused and with great danger of his life returned to Argentine Wolfangus Musculus Preacher at Ausbrough perceiuing the counsell of the towne not to stand constantly in defence of Religion went to Berne in Switzerland Brentius was compelled to flie from Hala a towne of Sueue and was receiued of Vlrick Duke of Wirtemberg Andreas Osiander Erasmus Sarcerius Erardus Schueffins and other Preachers of the Dukedome of Wirtemberg fled because they would not allow the Emperours booke Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius left Germanie and went to England Ambrose Blaurer left the towne of Constance Mauricius Duke of Saxonie returning home from Ausbrough Proclaimed the Emperours decree concerning Religion Vpon that occasion the diuines and Preachers of the vniuersities of Lipsia and Witenberg diuers times assembled themselues and at length concluded vpon these things that they called indifferent to receiue them as the Emperour had prescribed This thing was by other Preachers in Germanie sore impugned saying that by the interpretation of their indifferencie they had opened a way to the whole doctrine and superstition of the Church of Rome taking those things for indifferent in which was manifest errour The tyrannie of this booke indured not long for it was hated of all men the Pope himselfe added his corrections vnto it for albeit it established all the grounds of the roman Religion yet because it tolerated the marriage of Priests and the vse of the Sacrament vnder both kindes and tooke not so sharpe order for restoring of the Church goodes as hee could haue wished for those causes and others such like the Pope would not giue his allowance to this booke without some
raising vp of the bones of the men of God Bucer and Fagius out of their graues and the cruelty intended against her owne sister Lady Elizabeth all these things being so well and amply discoursed in the Booke of Martyrs the godly Reader is to be remitted to the reading of the sayd booke Now to conclude this Historie of Charles something is to be noted of his warres with the Turkes In his time Solyman the great Turke conquered the citie of Belgrade the most sure and strong garrison of the Christians and vexed the countrey of Hungarie He besieged the Isle of Rhodes and tooke it to the great shame and rebuke of Christian men who provided not support for the Rhodians that resisted the common enemy so long and so couragiously After this Solyman slew Lewis King of Hungarie and Paulus Bishop of Collen who more rashly then wisely with a small power of foure and twenty thousand men encountered the great Turke leading an army of 200000. souldiers Also hee besieged Vienna but was mightily resisted and repulsed with losse of a great number of his army all this was done before the Emperour Charles began to stirre himselfe against the Turke but when the matters of religion in Germanie were put to some point in the Councell of Ratisbon the Emperour raised an army of eighty thousand footmen and thirty thousand horsemen and compelled the Turke to raise his siege from the towne of Gunza and with speed to retyre backe to Constantinople After this Charles sayled with an army vnto Africa and restored the King of Tunis to his kingdome againe whom Barbarossa Admirall of the Turkes Navie in Africke had dispossessed and deprived of his kingdome In this same voyage he delivered 20000. captiues out of servitude Notwithstanding Solyman with vnsatiable ambition pnft vp to conquer all Europe was ever subduing townes and Isles as Corcyra Zacynthus Cythara Naxus with diverse others also the towne of Newcastle in Dalmatia and Buda in Hungarie which hee obtained by meanes of Frier Cogdridge Tutor to Stephen sonne to Iohn Vaivod of Transilvania and meanes of the relict widow of the sayd Vaivod These two sent for aide to the Turke against Ferdinand and the Turke not neglecting so good an occasion came to Hungarie discharged the Hoast of Ferdinand that was besieging Buda and got the citie into his owne hands Which done hee prevailed mightily in Hungarie and tooke the towne called Quinque ecclesiae and Strigonium Alba regalis and Vizigradum and it was an easie matter for him to haue conquered all Hungarie in respect the Emperour Charles was so busie in warres with the King of France that the common enemy of all Christian people had leave to rage at his owne pleasure and had it not beene the gracious providence of God pitying the misery of Christian people who stirred vp the Persian Sophie against Solyman and droue him backe out of Europe for a time and likewise the murther of his owne sonne Mustapha which stirred vp a peece of a Tragedie in his owne house the Christian people had no doubt beene brought to greater extremities in Solymans dayes The vnprosperous voyage of the Emperour to Argier I passe by and many conventions of Estates in Germanie kept for quieting of religion and preparation for warre against the Turkes In the end the Emperour finding himselfe troubled with sicknesse resigned the gouernment of the Low Countries into the hands of King Philip his sonne and surrendred the Imperiall crowne vnto the Electors of Germany sayled vnto Spaine where hee entered into an house of religion and gaue himselfe to meditation and prayer and there concluded his life Ferdinandus AFter that Charles the fift had surrendered the Imperiall crowne into the hands of the Electors of Germany they assembled at Frankford and there elected Ferdinand King of Bohemia and brother to the forenamed Charles the fift to bee Emperour who raigned seven yeeres The ancient manner was that he should be crowned in the forenoone at masse but because diverse of the Electors would not in any wise come to masse the coronation was solemnized in the afternoone and the masse with other like ceremonies omitted To this King before hee was elected Emperour his Nobles in the countrey of Bohemia made earnest supplication that they might bee permitted to vse the Sacrament in both kindes according to Christs institution but he strictly commanded them they attempted no alteration in religion Neverthelesse the Nobility continuing constant in the purpose of their mindes at last after many earnest suits obtained their desire In France about this time the persecution of the Protestants waxed hot and King Henry the second was sore grieved that the Parliament of Paris it selfe could not be kept free of this new doctrine as hee called it Wherefore hee caused Annas Burgeus an honourable and wise Counsellor to be taken to whom hee spoke in great wrath that hee would stand by and see his body burnt for that new religion which hee favoured But hee was wonderfully cut off before hee could get his heart satisfied with that pitifull spectacle of the burning of a noble Counsellor For God so disposed the matter that the King cloathed all in armour put a speare in one of his subiects hands and compelled him against his will to runne at him at which time the said speare broke and a small splinter of it entring at the Kings eye pierced into his braine whereby hee died Yet by his death was not the foresaid persecution relented but rather vehemently augmented for Francis the second succeeding to his father Henry in the the kingdome married Mary Queene of Scots who was descended of the linage and stocke of the house of Guise By this meanes the Guisians were in great credit and authority with the King and presumed to high things not onely to suppresse the Gospell vtterly in France but also in Scotland For at this time a great part of the Nobility and people of Scotland had shaken off the yoke of the Romane Bishop they had throwne downe Altars and Images and had forsaken all the superstitious ceremonies of the Romane Church The Guisians purposing to supresse the Scotish Nobility sent out of France into Scotland an army of 4000 men vnder the conduct of Monsieur La Broch This army assisted the Queene regent to reduce backe againe the kingdome of Scotland to the Romish religion But the Scottish Nobility obtayned helpe of the Queene of England and brought the Frenchmen to such extremity that they were compelled to accept conditions of peace and to retyre backe againe to France So this first high attempt of the Guisians against the reformed religion in Scotland was by the providence of God disappointed In France the King with advice of the Guisians had appointed a nationall Councell to bee kept in Orleance for the quieting the tumults which were like to ensue for religion in France but all was done in hypocrisie and with deceitfull
mindes as evidently appeared so soone as the King of Navarre and Prince of Condie came to Orleance and had saluted the King the Captaine of the Kings guard layd hands on the Prince of Condie and the King was informed that the Prince of Condie had conspired against his honour and life Thus by the craft and deceitfull practises of the Guisians was the Prince of Condie brought into great danger and hazard of his life and had assuredly died if the mercy of God had not provided timely reliefe But the Lord pitying the estate of his owne poore Church in France shortned the life of Francis the second who dyed of a putrefaction of his eares And thus was the second high attempt of the Guisians against the Gospell marvailously disappoynted by the sudden and vnexpected death of Francis the second After whose death the innocency of the Prince of Condie was declared by a decree of the Parliament at Paris and the government of the young King Charles the ninth was devolued in the hands of the Queen mother and the King of Navarre Those Gouernours with advice of the States of the Realme thought meet that a free disputation should be appointed at Poyssie a towne in France neere to Saint Germane wherein the controversies of religion should bee freely reasoned in presence of the young King the Queene mother the King of Navarre and other Princes of the royall blood This disputation began the ninth of September anno 1561. For the Protestants part were appointed Theodorus Beza Minister at Geneva Peter Martyr professor of Divinity in Zuricke Nicholas Gelasius Augustinus Marloratus Iohannes Merlinus Franciscus Morellus Iohannes Malo and Espineus a man of great learning who had lately forsaken the Romane Church and embraced the true reformed religion On the other part the Cardinall of Loraine with many other Cardinalls Archbishops and Bishops to the number of fifty Prelates besides many other Divines and Doctors were ready to pleade the cause of the Romish Church In this disputation after that Theodorus Beza had at length declared the summe of the Protestants faith and the Cardinall of Loraine had answered In the end the Romane Prelats devised a pretty shift to cut off all further reasoning for the Cardinall of Loraine produced the opinion of the Germans about the matter of the Sacrament extracted out of the cōfession of Ausbrugh Jemanded of the Protestants whether they would subscribe to it or no to the end that if they consented to subscribe they might seem to haue convicted themselues of errour in the matter of the Sacrament and if they refused to subscribe then it might bee knowne to the Princes that were present that the Protestants agreed not amongst themselues To this it was answered by Theodorus Beza in the next meeting that if the confession of Ausbrough should be subscribed then it was good reason to require a subscription of the whole confession and not of one line thereof onely also if they vrged the Protestants to subscribe that confession of Ausbrough then let themselues first begin to subscribe the same and when they haue yeelded to the whole confession of Ausbrugh it will be more easie to finde out any way of agreement in matters of religion After this the forme of disputation was changed and a few in number to wit fiue onely on either side were chosen to conferre in quiet and peaceable manner who beginning at the matter of the Sacrament seemed all to agree in this forme that Iesus Christ by the operation of the holy Spirit offereth and exhibiteth vnto vs the very substance of his body blood and wee doe receiue and eate spiritually and by faith that same body which dyed for vs to the end we may be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and that we may be quickned by him and receiue all things that are needfull to our salvation And because faith leaning to the word of God maketh those things that are received to be present by this faith indeed we receiue truely and effectually the very naturall body and blood of Iesus Christ through the power of the holy Spirit In this respect wee acknowledge the presence of the body and blood in the Supper The article of the Sacrament being conceiued in this forme was presented to both the parties and many of the Romane Prelates condiscended to the article aboue specified but when they had conferred with the Doctors of Sorbon they all with one consent refused the same and finding that the communers that were chosen for their part did persevere in their opinion they cryed out against them and would giue no further power to them to reason in that cause Thus the disputation of Poyssie broke vp the 25. of November without any agreement of the controversies in religion but rather leaving in the harts of men a seed of greater contention and cruell wars which afterward ensued But before we speak of the warres in France for religion somewhat is to bee spoken of the cruell persecution that the faithfull suffered in Piemont in which countrey certaine townes had received the Gospell and abolished the masse namely the townes of Angrona Lucerne Perose Tallaret with divers others in the convalles of Piemont all which townes are subiect to the dominion of the Duke of Savoy who hearing of the reformation that was made in the foresayd bounds of his dominion sent out his Captaine Triniteus with an army of 500. men against them to sack and vtterly destroy them except they would receiue the masse againe and put away from them their ministers The towne of Angrona was first assaulted and the people fled to the mountaines but being strictly pursued they turned themselues and with slings stones defended their liues and put their enemies to the worse in so much that Triniteus the Dukes Captaine was to deale with them by subtilty and craft rather then by open force and therefore promised vnto the Convallenses that if they layd downe their armour and sent messengers to the Duke to cuane his pardon and would pay to him the summe of sixteene thousand crownes then vpon those conditions they should haue peace The poore people glad to accept conditions of peace performed all that was required but no peace could be obtained of the Duke except they would put away their Ministers and receiue the masse againe Therefore being spoiled both of money and armour by the craft of their enemies and a new army also sent against them they were compelled in time of winter to flie with their wiues and children to the mountaines all over-layd and covered with snow and from thence to behold the pitifull spectacles of the burning of their houses and spoyling of their goods But necessity compelling them to make some shift for their liues they tooke the strict passage of the mountains and resisted their enemies committing the successe to God who so prospered this poore vnarmed people that in few
nothing but the dissention dayly encreased hee ordayned Paulinus presbyter of Antiochia and the chiefe of those who were called Eustatiani to be Bishop of Antiochia This fact of Lucifer was like vnto fuell added vnto the fire and mightily augmented the schisme Theodoretus blameth him for so doing and Eusebius Vercellencis when hee came backe from Alexandria disliked also the fact of Lucifer Wherefore Lucifer would not communicate any longer with Eusebius These sorrowfull times of multiplyed schismes alienated the hearts of a great number of people from the true Church Meletius was restored from his second banishment in the dayes of the Emperour Gratianus Paulinus would on no condition communicate with him because hee had receiued ordination from the Arrians When Meletius had ended his life the people would not admit Paulinus to be their Bishop because they sayd it was not meete that he should be his successor who dispised his fellowship and counsell in his life time To Meletius succeeded Flavianus a worthy man Paulinus albeit hee appoynted Evagrius to bee his successor yet such formes manifestly repugnant to the approoved order of the Church could take no place The Bishoppes of Rome Damascus Siricius and Anastatius were great adversaries to him and mis-informed the good Emperour Theodosius against him but when he appeared before the Emperour hee spake before him both freely and wisely words that liked the Emperour well as they are reported by Theodoretus O Emperour if any man doe blame my Faith as perverse or my life as vnworthy I am content to bee iudged by my very adversaries but if the disputation onely bee concerning principality and eminent places I will not contend with any man but denude my selfe of all superiority and commit the chaire of Antiochia to whom yee like best The Emperour admired his courage and wisedome and sent him backe againe to governe his owne Flocke and was slow to heare frivolous accusations in time to come against Flavianus This was that worthy Bishop who associated Iohn Chrysostome to bee his fellow labourer in Antiochia and who mitigated the wrath of Theodosius conceived against the City of Antiochia for misusing the Image of his wife Placilla Bishops of Constantinople COnstantinople was builded by Constantine Anno 336. in a place where Asia and Europe neerly confines being separated onely by a narrow river called of olde Bosphorus Thracius The cause wherefore this Imperiall Citie was builded in this place was not to resigne the towne of Rome and the government of the West to the Bishop of Rome but as Sozomenus writes that Constantinople or new Rome might bee as a soveraigne Ladie to all those who in the East West North or South were obedient to the Romane Empire Learned men in our dayes are ashamed to maintaine all the foolish fables of the Romane Church for they see cleerly the cause of the building of this great Citie was to keepe firmely both the East and the West vnder the Soveraignty of Constantine and his successors Alexander Bishop of Constantinople prooved a worthy man in the dayes of the Emperour Constantine The Arrians finding themselues to be vtterly reiected by Athanasius they addressed themselues to Constantinople vnder the conduct of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and threatned Alexander that in case hee would not receive Arrius into the fellowship of the Church then they would bring him in authorized with the Emperours command to the griefe of his heart Alexander cloathed himselfe with the armour of God and all the night long prayed in this sense Lord if Arrius be to be received to morrow into the communion of thy Church then let thy servant depart in peace and destroy not the iust with the wicked but Lord if thou wilt spare thy Church wherevnto I am assured thou wilt be favourable then Lord turne thine eyes toward the wâ—rdes of the Eusebians and give not thine inheritance to a desolation and reproach and cut off Arrius lest while hee entreth into the Church his heresie also seeme to enter with him and so no difference seeme to bee betwixt Piety and Impiety The next day following the prayer of Alexander Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia with his retinue came with great confidence and pompe to performe all which they threatned they would doe But Arrius was compelled to goe to a secret place where his bowels gushed out and he concluded his wretched life with ignominy and shame To Alexander succeeded Paulus his lot was to gouerne this Church vnder the raigne of an Arrian Emperour Constantius who reiected him and seated Eusebius Bishoppe of Nicomedia in his place But this great Patron of the Arrian heresie scarcely was placed in Constantinople when he ended his life The Homousians received againe Paulus to bee their Bishoppe The Arrians chose Alaâ—edonius This was the cause of great strife in Constantinople and the people divided in factions hatefully invaded one another the Emperour hearing of the tumult sent Hermogenes the Generall Commander of his horsemen to remoue Paulus from Constantinople Hermogenes was very ready to execute the Emperours commandement but the people being affectioned toward their Pastor arose vp with popular tumult compassed the house of Hermogenes set it on fire sâ—ew him and fastned a cord to his legges and trailed him along the street For this cause the Emperour Constantius willing to punish the authours of this tumult hastened to come to Constantinople The people went forth to meet him and with teares confessed their fault and craved pardon The Emperour abstayned from punishing them vnto the death but he cut off the one-halfe of thâ— victuall which the liberality of his father had bestowed vpon Constantinople to bee payed yeerely out of the tributes of Egypt Hee banished Paulus the second tune and seated Macedonius in Constantinople not without effusion of blood Paulus was againe restored by the meanes of the Emperour Constans but after the death of Constans hee was banished to Cucusus a towne of Armenia where hee was strangled by the bloody Arrians The Church of Constantinople was miserably troubled with Arrianisme vnder the raignes of Constantius and Valens The raignes of Gratianus and Theodosius was a breathing time to the professors of the true Faith At this time Nazianzen a constant defender of the Faith was chosen Bishop of Constantinople who notwithstanding voluntarily left the great Citie in regard the Bishops assembled in the second generall Councell gaue not a full and vniversall consent to his admission Yet gaue they all their consent to Nectarius a man of noble birth of the countrey of Cilicia at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who had received no Ecclesiasticall preferment before that time This man I say they made Bishop of Constantinople with full consent and allowance both of the Councell and people ouer-passing Nazianzenus so fraile are the cogitations of men euen in generall Councels that they are oft times more ruled
wherein it is written Aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the world for thy possession This place proues the Church to be Catholicke Also whereas they saide that Baptisme was not auaileable except some of their sect had beene present at the administration thereof he answereth That when God first created the Element of water the presence of the Trinitie was powerfull in operation to create water albeit none of the Donatists were then present Euen so the Trinitie can worke effectually in Baptisme albeit none of the Donatists be present Yea and that it was God the author of Baptisme and not the Minister that did sanctifie according as it is written Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow c. Bishops and Doctours of Europe ACHOLIVS Bishop of Thessalonica baptized the Emperour Theodosius after he returned from the slaughter of Maximus The Emperour fell sicke by the way before he came to Constantinople and was desirous to be baptized Neverthelesse he would not suffer Acholius to baptize him vntill he was assured that Acholius was not spotted with the Arrian Heresie After Baptisme the Emperour recouered his health againe Acholius was brought vp in Monasteries like as Epiphanius and many other worthie men were brought vp Hilarius Bishop of Poitiers in France liued vnder the raigne of Constantius a man in Religion constant in manners meeke and courteous He was banished immediately after the Councell of Millane to Phrygia as some suppose Theodoretus writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and relieued againe from banishment vnder Iulian. But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia vntill the Councell of Seleucia vnto which Councell he was brought from banishment not by any speciall commandement from the Emperour but by a generall commandement giuen to his Deputie Leonas to assemble together the Bishops of the East Vnder pretence of obeying this commandement Hilarius being banished in the East was brought to the Councell of Seleucia from Seleucia he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to heare him reason with the Arrians in the matters of Faith but gaue him libertie to returne to his owne countrey againe He tooke great paines to purge the countrey of France from the poyson of Arrian heresie and he preuailed so farre that Ierom compares him to Deucalion who both sawe the flood of waters ouer-flowing Thessalia and the abating of them also Euen so Hilarius saw both the growth and decay of Arrianisme in France He liued sixe yeeres after his returning from banishment and concluded his life vnder the reigne of Valentinian Ambrose the sonne of Symmachus was a man of noble parentage vnder the Emperour Valentinian he was gouernour of Liguria At this time Auxentius Bishop of Millane an Arrian died Great sedition was in the Towne for the election of a new Bishop euery man contending to haue a Bishop chosen of that faith which he himselfe best liked Ambrose fearing the vndoing of the Towne by this intestine contention exhorted them to vnitie and concord with words and reasons to perswasâ—â—e that the people with one consent cried out they would be all of one minde if that Ambrose were appointed to be their Bishop The Emperour thought this inexpected consent of the people came from GOD and he consented to the desire of the people So was Ambrose ordained Bishop of Millaine After the death of Valentinian he was grieuously troubled by Iustina the mother of Valentinian the second for shee was infected with Arrianisine Ambrose was fauoured by the people and would not betray the sheepe-folde of GOD to Wolues The particular description of the broile of Iustina may be read at length in the Epistle that Ambrose writes to his sister Marcellina The miracle wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Gervasius mittigated somewhat the furie of Iustina But the dolorous tydings of the slaughter of Gratianus compelled Iustina to flie from Italie to Illyricum for safetie of her owne life and her sonnes life He sustained also great trouble vnder the two Tyrants Maximus and Eugenius so that he was compelled in the time of Maximus to flie to Aquileia and in the time of Eugenius to flie to Hetruria He liued also vnder the raigne of Theodosius whom hee sharpely reprooued for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica and died in the third yeere of the raigne of Honorius after he had gouerned the Church of Millane twentie-two yeeres Prudentius a man of Spaine a Lawyer at some times and a Warriour at other times in his young yeeres In his old age he writ of diuine matters He liued vnder the reigne of Valentinian the second of Theodosius and his sonnes He set forth his knowledge in Bookes of Latine Poesie albeit Greeke inscriptions be prefixed vnto them such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the fight betwixt the spirit and the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the workes to be done in the day time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Divinitie and divine things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Originall sinne against Cerdon and Marcion the Authors of two beginnings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a booke conteining the prayses of victorious Martyrs In this Booke is frequent invocation of Saints expresse against holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteining Histories both of the olde and new Testament The verses wherein he argueth the Heresie of the Manicheans who attributed vnto Christ not a true but a phantasticall bodie made of aire are very judiciously conceiued Restat vt aëriam pingas ab origine gentemâ— Aërios proceres Leuim Iudam Simeonem Aerium DAVID magnorum corpora Regum Aeria at que ipsam foecundae virginis alvum Acre fallaci nebulisque nube tumentem The Ecclesiasticall Writers whom I haue chiefly followed in this Compend make no mention of him Osius Bishop of Corduba was a Confessor in the Persecution of Dioclesian and Maximianus He was regarded by the Emperour Constantine for the markes of the rebuke of Christ. The Emperour employed him in the schisme in Aegypt betwixt Alexander and Arrius Likewise he sent him to the Bishops of the East who differed in opinion from the Bishops of the West concerning the keeping of Easter day He was present at the Councell of Nice where he damned the heresie of Arrius And at the councell of Sardica he absolued Athanasius Paulus c. Neither was he terrified with the menacing Letters of Constantius but answered couragiously that Athanasius was an innocent man and that the Emperour did not well to hearken to the calumnies of Versatous and Valens men who had by writ confessed to Iulius Bishop of Rome that the accusations intended against Athanasius were but forged calumnies And this they did of their owne accord freely and not compelled In his decrepit yeeres for hee liued an hundreth yeeres some
to conferre the gift of the holy Spirit Now the time is come when every man endevoureth with some novelty and new toy which hath not been heard of before to go beyond his predecessors Benedict the first continued in his charge 4. yeeres one moneth 28. dayes He had great griefe in his time because the prevayling power of the Lombards oppressed the countrey of Italy and the towne of Rome was sore pinched with famine The heart griefe hee conceived for the calamiâ—â—e of the countrey is thought to haue hastened his death Neverthelesse he had this comfort that the Emperour Tiberius the second in whose time he ministred sent ships loadned with corne from Egypt to support the distressed estate of the Romanes Tiberius was indued with many good qualities and princely gifts hee was valiant godly and liberall and the more bountifull he was to the poore his riches so much the more abounded for besides the treasures of Narses that were brought to him from Italy when Narses dyed hee found also in his owne palace vnder a crosse of marble which he commanded to be raised and not to bee trod vnder foot any longer but to be set in a more honourable place there I say he found an infinit treasure of silver and gold Finally when hee overcame the Persians such quantitie of gold silver precious things were atchieved as none of his predecessors had obtained the like so that the Proverb hee who soweth largely shall reape largely had liuely performance in the person of the noble Emperour Tiberius After Benedict succeeded Pelagius the second and ministred vnder the raignes of Tiberius and Mauritius 10. yeers 12. moneths 10. dayes Hee was elected without the foreknowledge of the Emperour contrary to the custome observed in those dayes but hee excused himselfe to the Emperour Mauritius by sending Gregorius Ambassadour vnto him and declaring that the towne of Rome was besieged by Lombardis so that no messenger could bee sent from Rome to Constantinople to acquaint the Emperour with his election The forme of the siege of Rome was this The Emp. Mauritius had hired Sigibertus King of France to make warre against the Lombards and to driue them out of Italy but his army was overthrowne by Eucharis King of the Lombards With this victory the Lombards were puft vp and they besieged the towne of Rome they had also taken it if they had not been hindred by great inundation of waters The inundation of Tiber was extraordinary it overflowed the wals of the towne of Rome and brought with it a multitude of Serpents which afterward putrifying corrupted the aire whereof arose a vehement pestilence in Rome and Pelagius the second in this contagious sicknes ended his life Gregorius the first called Magnus succeeeded Pelagius 2. and ministred 13. yeeres 6. months 10. dayes He was chosen with consent of the Clergie and people but he was vnwilling to accept the office And he wrote to the Emperour Mauritius that he should not assent neither to the desire of the Clergie nor people but his letters were intercepted by the Governour of the towne of Rome and rent in pieces And other letters were written vnto the Emperour requesting him to condiscend that Gregorius might haue the office whom both Clergie and people had elected The Emperour agreed willingly to his election for he had beene acquainted with him in Constantinople when he came Ambassador from Pelagius 2. to excuse his oversight in accepting the office of Bishop of Rome before the Emperours knowledge of that purpose Hee brought into the Romane Church the forme of the Greek Letanies and ordayned that in their prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be nine times repeated This prayer is thought to haue beene vttered by multiplyed repetitions in the dayes of the Emperour Iustinius when Antiochia was terribly shaken with a vehement earthquake the little number that were aliue sayd Lord haue mercy Lord haue mercy which in Greeke Kyrie Eleison hee borrowed also from the Liturgie of the Iewes Allelu-iah and added these words vnto the Latin service Diesque nostros in pace disponas that is In peace dispose our dayes Hee was the first that devised the stile of Servus servorum Dei that is the servant of the servants of God taking occasion as appeareth so to doe by the arrogant attempt of Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ieiunator who had vsurped the stile of Ocumenicke or vniversall Bishoppe to whom Pelagius the second and Gregorius the first mightily opposed themselues and called him the fore-runner of Antichrist who durst vsurpe such an arrogant stile But marke now I pray you how farre ambition prevailed both in the Chaire of Constantinople and in the chaire of Rome The humility of Christ was now layde aside notwithstanding of their humble stiles Servus servorum Dei and the first occasion that was presented vnto them of vsurpation of the stile of vniversall Bishop it was greedily embraced First Iohn called Ieiunator Patriarch of Constantinople saw that the Imperiall seat was in Constantinople and that the towne of Rome was besieged by the Lombards Now he thoght it was time to stirre and to advance his owne chaire aboue all chaires And incontinent after Bonifacius the third finding himselfe in favour with the Emperour Phocas gladly accepted the same preheminence in his owne person which his predecessors had damned in the person of Iohannes Ieiunator so they were all for the most part a nest of ambitious Prelats preaching the humility of Christ but hunting for the supremacy foretold of Antichrist Reade the Epistles which Gregorius writeth to Mauritius detesting and abhorring this supremacy whereat the Patriarches of Constantinople aymed Amongst other things hee saith Exclamare compellor ac dicere O tempora ô mores ecce cuncta in Europae partibus barbarorumiuri sunt tradita Destructae vrbes eversa castra depopulatae provinciae nullus terram cultor inhabitat tamen sacerdotes qui in pavimento cinere flentes iacere debuerunt vanitatis sibi nomina experiunt novis ac prophanis vocabulis gloriantur that is to say I am compelled to cry out O times O manners behold in all the parts of Europe all things lie vnder the reverence of barbarous people townes are destroyed castles are overthrowne provinces are spoyled no labourer inhabiteth the land Notwithstanding the Priestes who should lie in ashes vpon the ground weeping they are seeking vnto themselues names of vanity and they glory in prophane stiles Now apply these words of Gregorius the first vnto Bonifacius the third and it shall be found that hee embraced the name of vanity and the glory of prophane stiles at that same time when it became him better to be lying in sackecloth and ashes and to bee mourning for the prevailing power of barbarous people and for the barbarous butchery of Phocas the Emperour who conferred vnto him that eminent stile to be called Bishop of
the Bishop of Rome Likewise in the cause of Rhotardus Bishop of Soission whom Hincmarus deposed and removed from his office Nicolaus the first Bishop of Rome absolved him Hadrian 2. gaue him commandement to excommunicate C. Calvus King of France his soveraigne Lord but he refused to performe such an vnlawfull commandement and writ vnto the Pope to be circumspect and not precipitate rashly his sentences of excommunication The question whereunto Hadrian 2. was so serious was about division of lands betwixt C. Calvus and his brother Lotharius C. Calvus denyed that he did vniustly invade any of his brothers lands but lands duely belonging to himselfe by paction and covenant And the Nobles of the country said that it was a strange and an vnaccustomed thing that the Pope would take vpon him to be iudge in a controversie concerning the Titles and Rights of kingdomes because he could not be both a Bishop and a King CENTVRIE X. Popes of Rome TO Thedoricus succeeded Pope Iohn the tenth hee abrogated all the decrees of Pope Stephanus the sixt and allowed the decrees of Formosus whereupon great tumult and vprore arose in Rome For this cause the Pope fled to Ravenna and gathered a Councell of 74. Bishops also Carolus Simplex King of France was present at this councell There hee ratified the decrees of Formosus and damned the decrees of Stephanus Here let vs marke that the Bishops of Rome doe both mocke God and the world in saying that their Councels are guided by the holy Spirit and cannot erre in the meane time one of their Councels damning another and being altogether opposite one to another After hee had come backe to Rome he concluded his life having ruled two yeeres and fifteene dayes To him succeeded Benedictus the fourth and continued three yeeres and foure moneths After Benedictus ruled Leo the fift and continued not in his Popedome aboue forty dayes for he was cast into prison and bonds by Christophorus his owne domestique servant Christophorus by vnlawfull meanes attained to the Popedom and lost it againe vnworthily in the seventh moneth of his government for hee was thrust into a Monastery as the only refuge of all disasterd people Those monsters saith Platina God permitted them not long to liue After Christophorus Sergius the third ruled seven yeeres foure moneths and fifteene dayes Hee raised againe the body of Formosus out of the graue wherein hee had lien buried eight yeeres and beheaded it as if it had beene aliue and cast it into the river Tyber accounting it vnworthy of a buriall place Platina doth marke that Formosus had been his competitor and hindered Sergius from attaining to the Popedome they who are so overtaken with ambition and hatefull malice that they cannot moderate their owne affections how shall they governe and rule the vniversall Church of God Beside this barbarous cruelty he was a vile whoremonger and begate Iohn the twelfth who afterward was made Pope with Marozia the wife of Guido a famous harlot After him Anastatius the third ruled two yeers of whom nothing worthy of memory is written except this that he was not so malicious in damning the memorials of other men as his predecessors had beene Landus succeeded to Anastatius and ruled sixe moneths and 21. dayes To Landus succeeded Iohn the eleventh and ruled thirteene yeares two moneths and three dayes Hee was more martiall in exployts of warfare then religious and expert in knowledge of heavenly things For hee fought against the Saracens who had been brought into Italy by the Grecians and discomfited them But when hee returned againe to Rome hee incurred the hatred of Albericus Marquis of Hetruria who had fought with him against the Saracens and could not abide the pride of a presumptuous Bishop who in his triumph ascribed the whole praise of the victory to himselfe onely This variance was the occasion of great trouble in Italy for Albericus allured the Hungarians to enter into Italy who did greater damage to the Countrey then the Saracens had done before On the other part the Italians who could not avenge themselues by rendering like evill to the Hungarians they poured out their wrath vpon Albericus and killed him The Pope also by the souldiers of Guido was cast in prison and strangled by stopping a pillow in his throat The villany betweene him and Theodora a notable harlot I haue overpassed with silence fearing to be prolixe Leo the sixt followed and continued seven moneths and fifteene dayes After Leo followed Stephanus the seventh and ruled two yeeres one moneth and twelue dayes The two preceding Popes are supposed by Italian heights to be made out of the way by Marozia a notable harlot to the end that her sonne Iohn the twelfth whom shee had borne to Pope Sergius the third might bee promoted to the Popedome who ruled foure yeeres ten moneths and fifteene dayes Marozia was an incestuous harlot who like vnto Herodias was not ashamed to marrie two brethren namely Guido and Hugo according as the verse made thereof witnesseth Nubere Germanis satagens Herodia binis Herein appeareth the terrour of the wrath of God punishing the vngodlinesse of the Romane people they were guided by the Popedome and the Popedome was guided by notable harlots After him succeeded Leo the seventh and ruled three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Stephanus the eight was a Germane and ruled three yeers foure moneths and ten dayes Hee was mightily troubled with the seditions of the people of Rome and was so miserably wounded that hee was ashamed to come forth vnto publique places to be seene Martinus the third succeeded to Stephanus the eight and governed three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Platina calleth him a devout man and altogether bent to religion because he repaired old Churches that were tending to ruine and decay the substance of religion being lost the care of the fabricke of the Church and such other externall things was counted the onely devotion Agapetus the second successor to Martinus continued in his Popedome nine yeeres seven moneths and ten dayes In his time Berengarius King of Italy and his sonne Albertus tyrrannously abused the countrey not sparing those of the Clergie So that Agapetus was compelled to send messengers to Otto the first whose fame was spread abroad in all Nations and Otto without delay addressed himselfe to Italy and suppressed the insolencie of Berengarius and his sonne Albertus as hath beene already declared in the historie of the life of Otto the first To Agapetus succeeded Iohn the thirteenth and governed nine yeeres three moneths and fiue dayes A man from his very youth replenished with all kinde of abhominable vices a libidinous beast a monstrous varlet of whom I haue made so frequent mention already and the head of Councels will cast vp the filthinesse of his infamous name of new againe so that for the present I write the lesse He
except a litle circle In the yeere of the Lord 198. Of this Religion was that great Clarke S. Bernard Pope Innocentius the third confirmed and allowed the Order of Humiliats first of all deuised by certaine persons exiled by Fredericus Barbarossa who when they were restored to their countrie apparelled themselues all in white and promised to goe in lowlie and simple cloathing The men and women to be separated each from other and to labour euerie one in that wherein hee was most skilfill They had one commune purse amongst them They professed S. Bennets rule This Order in processe of time hath increased so both in goodes and persons that it was confirmed and endewed with many priuiledges of diuers Bishopps of Rome in the yeeres of our Lord 1166. Pope Celestinus the fift willinglie gaue ouer his Bishoprike and returned againe to his solitarie life wherein he quietly liued before his Papacie Certaine superstitious persons counterfeited this Bishop taking vpon them an order of S. Bennet in a wildernesse and called themselues Celestines after Celestine The garment which they weare cloakes coule and cape are blew in the yeere 1297. Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule S. Gilbert in England at Sirington and Semphring hame began an order of Monkes called after him Gilbertines in the yeere 1148. Pope Eugenius the fourth confirmed the religion of the Iustinians adorning the same with manie liberties and priuiledges It was first of all invented by Lewes Barbus a counsellors of Venice and practised in the parts of Treuisa in the Cloyster of S. Iustine by the citie of Padua They professe Monke Bennets rule but in habit and apparrell they differ Pope Gregorie the seuenth being Bishop of Rome Bruno of Colen that Philosopher and diuine whom Bernard calleth a faire pillar of the church did institute the Order of charterhouse Monkes in the Diocesse of Gratianopolis at a place named Curtusia Their life was outwardly full of painted holinesse in forbearing flesh in fasting with bread and water euery Friday in wearing hairie cloathes next to their body solitarie much silent neuer going out refusing all womens companie c. Pope Gelasius the second bearing rule the order of the Templars begun in Ierusalem and continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus Templars begun in Ierusalem continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus After that Godfrey Duke of Loraine had conquered Ierusalem certaine Knights perceiuing that such Pilgrimes as came to them of their devotion were robbed and murthered by the way made a band among themselues to serue God in chiualrie At the beginning they were but few and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertie and their chiefe master was the keeper of the Temple doore whence they were called Templary They dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre lodging the Pilgrimes keeping them from mischiefe and shewing them much kindnesse bringing them from one holy citie to another The badge of their order was a white cloake with a red Crosse. S. Bernard made them a rule according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues Afterward they became verie rich through the gifts of noble men and Pilgrimes But Pope Clement the fift put them downe and destroied them all in one day partly because as they writ they renounced the faith of Christ and conspired with the Turke and partly for other notable crimes Notwithstanding some say that this rooting out of them was more because of envie of their prosperitie and royaltie then for their faults For when their grandmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with many of his brethren he affirmed that hee was neuer guiltie of the accusation laied against him Thus perished this order of Templars all in one day their lands and possessions being distributed and giuen to others in the yeere of our Lord 1110. Pope Calixtus the second allowed and approued the monkish order of premonstratenses which was first of all deuised by a certaine man borne at Colen called Notorobertus a Priest they be vnder the rule of Bennet the Monke they be clothed all ouer in white to declare their vnstained virginitie Anno 1119. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning the Monkes of Mount Oliuet sprung vp through the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus Their cloathing is all white their rule is Bennets with some additions vnto it In the yeere of our Lord 1406. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning confirmed and established also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice which was begun by a spirituall man the Patriarch Laurence Iustinian a man of an incredible strictnesse of life These Monkes are vnder S. Peters rule and the first order with certaine ordinances ioyned thereto In the yeere 1407. Pope Vrban the second bearing rule the order of white Monkes begun first deuised by one Stephen Harding and afterward in the yeere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Waiter Especk who built an Abbey of the same order called Meriuale Pope Honorius bearing rule Raymound a man of Nobilitie first of all invented the Order of S. Iohn Baptist at Ierusalem about the yeere 1130. Pope Clement the sixt being Bishop of Rome a certaine Pestilent sect of false religious persones sprang vp in high Almaine who called themselues Penitentes Cruciferi seu flagellatores that is patient crosse-bearers or scourgers of themselues Their maner was to goe from place to place hauing a banner vpon the Crucifixe borne before them and neuer to tarrie in one place but vpon the Sabboth euery day also they did pennance both morning and euening by scourging themselues before the people with a great whippe of three coards full of knotts vpon their bare bodies affirming that it was reveiled vnto them by an Angel from heauen that they thus scourging themselues should within thirtie dayes and twelue houres thorow the suffering of those paines be made so cleane and free from sinne as they were when they were Baptized Anno. 133. CENTVRIE XIIII Of Popes AFter Bonifacius the eight succeeded Benedictus the eleuenth and ruled eight months and seuenteene dayes To him succeeded Clemens the fift and ruled eight yeeres ten months and fifteene dayes who translated the Popes Court from Rometo Aviniogue in France where it remained 74 yeeres At the Coronation of this Clement Philip king of France Charles his sonne and Iohn Duke of Britaine were present who being in the middle of their Pompe and Procession a great wall brake and fell vpon them by which Duke Iohn and 12. others were slaine king Philip hurt the Pope striken from his horse hauing lost out of the miter on his head a carbuncle esteemed to the value of 6000. florence By him also the order of the Templars were put downe at the counsell of Vienne who for better collowring of so cruell an act was not ashamed to say these words in the councell Etiamsi non licet per viamiustitiae tamen licet
then the traditions of Bishopps and therefore by his Cardinall de Columna Iohn Husse was cited to appeare at Rome where hee appearing by his procurators was notwithstanding excommunicated as an obstinate Heretike because hee appeared not personallie at the appointed day The Bohemians notwithstanding cared litle for all this but grew in knowledge daylie In the meane time it hapned by the occasion of Ladislaus king of Naples who had besieged the Popes townes and territories that Pope Iohn raising vp warre against the said Ladislaus gaue full remission of sinnes to all them who would warre on his side to defend the Church When this Bull of the Popes indulgences was come to Prague Iohn Husse and his fellowes not able to abide the impietie of those pardons began manifestly to speake against them And albeit Winceslaus king of Bohemia who then fauoured the Pope gaue out strict commaundement that no man should speake against those indulgences yet of Iohn Husses companie were found three Artificers who hearing the Priest speaking of the forsaid indulgences did openly speake against them calling the Pope the Antichrist wherefore they were brought before the Senate and committed to prison But the people ioyning themselues in armes required them to be let loose The magistrates one the other part albeit they satisfied the people with gentle wordes and faire promises for a time yet when the tumult was asswaged they sent to the prison and secretlie beheaded the three foresaid artificers whose names were Iohn Martine and Staston The people hearing of this tooke their dead bodies and with great solemnitie buried them in the Church of Bethleem at whose funerall diuers Priests fauouring that side did sing thus These be the Saincts which for the testimonie of God gaue their bodies c. Thus the citie of Prague was divided The Prelats and greatest part of the Clergie and most of the Barons who had any thing to lose did hold with the Pope especially Steuen Pallats being chiefest doer of that side On the contrarie part the communes with part of the clergie and students of the vniuersitie went with Iohn Husse Winceslaus the king fearing lest this should grow to a tumult being moued by the Doctors and Prelats and Counsell of his Barons thought best to remoue Iohn Husse out of the citie who had beene excommunicated before by the Pope The people on the other part began mightilie to grudge and to cry out against the Prelats and Priests who were the workers hereof accusing them to be Simonits couetous whoremasters adulterers proud not sparing also to lay opē their vices to their great ignominie shame wherevpon it came to passe that the king seeing the inclination of the people being also not ignorant of the wickednesse of the Clergie vnder pretence to reforme the Church began to require great exactions from such Priests men of the clergie as were accused knowne to be wicked liuers And thus the Popish clergie while they went about to persecute Iohn Husse were intrapped themselues in great tribulation brought in contempt and hated of all men At this time were three Popes raigning together by reason whereof a generall Councell was ordained and holden at Constance in the yeere of our Lord 1413. And this councell being called by Sigismund the Emperour for the taking away of the schismaticall dissention of so many Popes ruling at one time to the great disturbance of all Christian nations it pleased the said Emperour to send vnto Iohn Husse Bacheler of Diuinitie in the countrie of Bohemia his safe conduct and letters of protection inviting him to come to the Councell and promising him a libertie of safe returning vnto his owne country without any maner of empeachment trouble or vexation Notwithstanding as soone as he came to Constance he was cast into prison before he was heard And when he was brought forth to the Councell there befell a strange and shamefull matter for his aduersaries had scarsly read one article and brought forth a few witnesses of the same against him but as he was about to open his mouth to answere all that were about him began so to cry out that he had no leasure to speake a word The noise and trouble was so great and vehement that a man might well haue called it a noyse of wilde beastes not of men much lesse was it like a congregation of men gathered together to iudge and determine so graue and weightie matters The next time he was brought foorh to the convent of the Franciscans where the Emperour himselfe was present and exhorted Iohn Husse to submit himselfe to the generall councell otherwise said he my safe conduct cannot nor should not be a protection to any who maintaine hereticall doctrin The day after which was the eight of Iune he was brought out againe to the same place and in his presence there were read thirtie nine Articles the which they said were drawne out of his bookes which were iudged by the councell to be hereticall and hee of new againe was required by the Emperour to submit himselfe to the councell Iohn Husse answered that hee would not maintaine any opinion with obstinate minde but if the Councell would instruct him clearlie that any of his Articles were repugnant to the holy scriptures of God he would renounce and forsake the same affirming also most constantlie that the most part of all those thinges that were alledged against him were falsly forged and neuer thought nor vttered by him when they saw that by no exhortation Iohn Husse could be moued to acknowledge his doctrine to be errōeous to recant the same vpon the sixt day of Iulie he was brought to the head church of the citie of Constance there in presence of the Emperour and councell was degraded of all Priestly orders and dignities and a definitiue sentence was giuen out against him wherein hee was condemned as an heretike for that hee preached and openly defended the articles of Iohn Wickliffe which were condemned by the Church of Rome and likewise had appealed to the Lord Iesus Christ as the most high Iudge which appellation they counted a great contempt of the Apostolique Sea and the Ecclesiasticall Censures and Keyes After this hee was put into the Secular Iudges hands to be burnt as an Heretique having vpon his head a crowne of paper with vgly pictures of divels painted thereupon Which rebuke as also the torment of fire hee most patiently sustained with Psalmes and spirituall Songs lauding God vntill the winde droue the fire vpon his face and choaked his breath And after his bodie was consumed with fire they cast the ashes of the burnt body into the river of Rhene Thus died Iohn Hus the faithfull Martyr of God the sixt of Iuly 1516. Now while as Iohn Hus had beene lying in prison and so hardly handled his faithfull companion Ierom of Prague came to Constance the fourth day of Aprill anno 1415. who there
and ruled seuen yeere In this time the Isle of Ciprus was taken by Mustapha Captain of Selims armie but with so great effusion of blood for it is supposed that 80000. Turkes were slaine in the siege of Nicosia and famogusta two principall townes of the Isle that Mustapha considering the number that were slayn violated his promise made to Bragadinus chiefe captain and defender of the Isle of Cyprus and cruelly martyred that valiant Captaine This calamitie of Cyprus made the Venetians very much bent against the Turke and they banded themselues with Philip King of Spaine and with Pius the fift Bishop of Rome by whose support and assistance a Navie was set forth to the Sea and a notable victorie was atchieued vnder the conduct of Iohn de Austria at Lepanto of which before Gregorius the thirteenth followed and ruled thirteene yeeres one month and three dayes Hee founded a new Colledge for Iesuits in Rome and bestowed great revenues vpon it chiestie for this cause to be a Seminarie of Learned Schollers to convert the countrie of Germanie to the Roman religion againe In this Popes time fell out that horrible murther of Paris in the yeere of our Lord 1572. which was well liked of by the Pope who also sent to Charles the ninth king of France the summe of 40000. Ducates to maintaine and set forward the warre against the Hugonits as they called them In his time Sebastian king of Portugal was slaine in Mauritania beyond the straits Philip king of Spaine who was his neerest kinsman obtained the kingdome after him by strong hand and by driuing out of the land Duke Anthonie whom the people had chosen to be king Gregorie also set forth a new Calendar and corrected the olde Roman Calendar which new alteration bred many contentions speciallie in Germanie To him succeeded Sixtus 5. who in the beginning of his Popedom excōmunicated the king of Nauarre Prince of Condie fearing that which indeede came to passe hereafter to witt that king H. 3. dying without children the kingdome shuld come to the house of Burboune Likewise he intēded a processe of excōmunicatiō against H. the third king of France for slaying of the Cardinal of Lorain his brother the D. of Guise at Bloyes for detaining Captiues the Cardinal of Burbon the Archb. of Lions This proceeding of the Pope encouraged others against the King so that a Iacobin Fryer called Clement came out of the towne of Paris when the king was besieging it killed the King with an impoisoned knife as hath beene declared before Yet after the death of the King when H. the fourth King of Navarre succeeded to the kingdome and besieged the towne of Paris this Pope gaue no subsidue to those of the League that were banded together against the King fearing that if the King prevailed in France he would be a strong adversary to him if he had supported his enemies whether this was the cause as Onuphrius writeth or another that mooved him so to doe yet this matter so displeased Philip King of Spaine and the Leaguers that they were minded to haue made a solemne prorestation against the Pope if he had not prevented their intention by excusing himselfe in the Consistory of his Cardinals Hee was a very vigilant and actiue Pope and vsed often to make mention of that speech of Vespasian That a Prince should die standing on his feet meaning that a Prince should be vigilant and ever doing some part of his calling He died after he had ruled fiue yeeres foure moneths and three dayes and left behinde him fiue millions of gold After him succeeded Vrbanus the seventh and ruled only thirteene dayes for he died before his inauguration To him succeeded Gregorius the fourteenth and ruled nine moneths and ten dayes After him Innocentius the ninth and ruled onely two moneths and one day After him Clemens the eight hee absolved the King of France from the sentence of excōmunication pronounced by Pope Sixtus the fift against him For that the Kings Oratours in his name had renounced and abiureed that doctrine which the King in his young yeeres had so long prosessed and after they had accepted such conditions as it pleased the Pope to impose to the King namely that hee should receiue the Councell of Trent make it be obeyed in all parts of his kingdom also that hee should deliver the young Prince of Condie a childe of nine yeeres old to be brought vp by Bishops or Abbots in the Romane religion and that hee should certifie by his letters all Catholique Princes of the abiuration of his former religion with many other conditions which were all accepted by the Kings Orators and ratified by the King himselfe Of other Doctors IN this age God having compassion of the miserie of his poore sheepe led out of the way by blinde-guides raised vp many faithfull and learned men by whose labours the clowds of grosse ignorance was remooved the vsurped authority of the Bishop of Rome that was counted the mother Church of all others was discovered to be the Synagogue of Satan Amongst whom Martin Luther a German borne in Islebia in the Countie of Mansfelt steppeth forth as it were a couragious Captaine in the forefront of the army whom God drew forth out of the very Cloyster of the Augustinian Monks to be an instrument to reforme his house The bitternesle of Pope Leo the tenth and Pope Adrian the sixt and their Ambassadours who would not suffer the corruption of the Romane Church to be pointed out afarre off in selling of pardons made this man of God more diligent in searching and more couragious in defending the truth of God so that at last the Pope tooke it to heart that his kingdome should fall if Martin Luther were not rooted out yet the Lord raysed vp the Duke of Saxonie to bee his friend by whose favourable assistance the Gospell was deeply rooted in Germany and Martin Luther himself was preserved from the fury of all his enemies till at last he dyed in Islebia the towne of his nativity in the yeere 1546. and in the 17. day of the moneth of February Iohn Calvin was borne in Noyen a towne of Picardie anno 1509. the tenth day of the month Iuly and was a Preacher of Christs Gospell in Geneva three and twenty yeers His learning and painfull travels in writing are knowne by his bookes The blessing accompanying his travels is knowne by the reformation of many Churches in France by his advice and counsell as also of the kingdome of Scotland The power of the grace of God in him is knowne by the malice of adversaries who railed against him in his life-time and after his death as if hee alone and none other had troubled the kingdome of Antichrist and finally his painfull travels in teaching his owne flocke of Geneva is knowne by the disease which he contracted by great fasting
of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Severitae Apartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenij all were Eutichian Heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speeches in authors whom they principally admitted and followed in places where the heresie chiefly increased and in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian Heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other Heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were Heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these ancient errours were sufficiently refuted in ancient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches by a secret and crafty conuoy insinuating it selfe into credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus Bishop of Nicomedia with many others They denyed not directly the two natures of Christ personally vnited but onely affirmed that after the vnion of the natures there was onely one will and one operation in Christ whereas the holy Scriptures attribute vnto Christ as hee is man the action of sleeping and to Christ in respect of his divine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormy tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in its owne place CENTVRIE VIII MAny were accounted heretikes in this age because they worshipped God sincerely according to the rule of his owne blessed word and would not giue consent to the fond errours of the Roman Church But some were counted heretikes iustly and without all controuersie as namelie they who call Christ in his human nature the adoptiue son of God This wicked heresie repungeth vnto the celestiall Oracle which the three Apostles heard in the holy mountaine This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased we are adopted in Christ to be the sons of God But Christ euen in his manly nature is the son of God by the excellent prerogatiue of personall vnion with the diuine nature It is not certainlie knowne whether Elipandus Bishop of Hispalis or another named Foelix with whom some affirme that Elipandus consulted about this damnable opinion was the author of this damnable heresie CENTVRY IX THey who of old were accustomed to condemne Heresies now they are become the chiefe patrons and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose Pusillanimitre argueth the weakenesse of their cause For vnder the raigne of Lodouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publike edict commaunded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilst Claudius was aliue But Ionas Bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime but after his death with impotencie of railing words rather then with power of solide arguments hee indeuored to refute Claudius Taurinensis Let the iudicious reader without partialitie peruse the bookes of Ionas Bishop of Orleans and the verie stinking breath of the aduersarie of the truth shall giue great allowance to the truth of God Godescalcus a man of the low Countries is reckoned in the number of Heretikes of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. Because hee spake of Predestination perilouslie to witt that these who were Predestinated to life by the decree of Gods Predestination were forced to doe well and those who were Predestinated to condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill Concerning old extinguished heresies as the Manicheans Arrians Donatists and such like who preased to build vp the walls of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attempts wiihout any successe CENTVRIE X. IN this age darkenes had gotten such vpper hand that the eye it selfe was darkened as our Lord speaketh The Spirit of errour so possessed the verie teachers that the most part of them worshipped Images yea the verie elements in the holy Sacraments of the Supper Churches were replenished with the bones of dead men whereunto the people kneeled worshipping dead bones in place of the liuing God And the small sparke of knowledge which remained not extinguished seemeth to be in the people rather then in the Pastours for the people saw that the Preachers entered not at the right doore but rather like vnto thiefes robbers they entered by bribes and gifts into spirituall offices and therefore the Historie recordeth that Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made his vowe to God that if the Lord would giue him victorie against his enemies hee would purge his countrie from Simonie which was an euident token that the vilde heresie of Simon Magus in buying and selling spirituall things did at this time mightily abound CENTVRIE XI IN this Centurie the Pope had such vpper-hand both ouer Princes and Pastors that they accounted euery thing that displeased them to be heresie The inuestment of Bishops by secular men was called Simonie and marriage of Priests was called the Heresie of the Nicolaitans Likewise betweene the Latine and Greeke Church fell out such contention for a matter of small importance that they accounted one another to be heretikes The Greeke Church called the Latines Azymitae because they celebrated the Lords supper with vnleauened bread and the Latine Church on the other part called the Greeke Church Fermentarij because they vsed leauened breade yea and the Roman Church in this age so obstinately maintained the errour of Transubstantiation that they accounted all them heretikes who dissented from their opinion CENTVRIE XII IN this Centurie is found a French man Petrus Abelardus an accurat Philosopher who vttered vncouth things concerning the blessed Trinitie That the holie spirit was the soule of the world and that hee was not of the substāce of the father whose opinions were dāned by the Theolgues of Paris by Bernard of Clarauall in the Councells of Seison and Senon as also by Pope Innocentius the second after he had receiued this foyle hee entered into the Monasterie of Cluniacke where he concluded his life CENTVRYE XIII AMongst Heretikes in this age were reckoned Albigenses so called from the name of the part in France where they dwelt They were fauoured and assisted in many parts of France but namelie in Tolosa not only by the inferiour sort but also by the Count himself It is to be lamēted that the heads of their doctrine are not acuratly set downe by the writers of this age For it is verie likely that they haue taught otherwise then their aduersaries doe report of them who attribute vnto them the errours of the Manicheās who supposed that there
Fathers who had been present at this Councell and were pictured in the Temple of Sophia and that on the other part Pope Constantine the first not onely caused the same effigÃes to bee pictured in the porch of the Church of Saint Peter at Rome but also procured that the Emperours name should be razed out of charters and that his effigie should not bee ingraved in any kinde of coyned mettall Also it is cleere that Philippicus remooued Cyrus from his office and placed in his roome Iohn who fore-told him that he should be Emperour IN the yeere of our Lord 714. Pope Gregorie the second assembled a Councell in the which two Bishops of Brittaine to wit Sedulius and Fergustus were present It was ordained that masses should bee celebrated publiquely in Temples which custome was not in vse before In the second Tome of Councels this Synod is referred to Gregorie the third A great number of the Canons of this Councell doe concerne marriage That no man should take in marriage a woman who was a relict of a Presbvter or Deacon or a Nunne or his spirituall sister or his brothers wife or his neece or his mother in law or daughter in law or his neare cousens or a woman whom by these or ravishing hee hath led away And that no man should consult with Iuchanters and Sorcerers And that no man should violate the mandates of the Apostolicke Chaire no not in a matter of an haire GRegorie the third after he had received a mandate from the Emperour Leo concerning abolishing of Images hee assembled a great Councell at Rome of 903. Bishops in the which the Emperour Leo was excommunicated and deprived of his Imperiall dignity Here marke the tyranny and fiercenesse of Antichrist Who gaue such authority to a Roman Preacher to dismount the Monarches of the world from their royall thrones Yet Gregorie the third attempted such high matters because the Emperor Leo had disallowed the worshipping of Images Likewise by his instigation the whole countrey of Italy refused to pay tribute to the Emperour Now is the banner of Antichrist displayed against the Emperour and this is a fore-running token of the hatefull enmity which is to ensue betwixt the Popes and the Emperours which God willing shall bee declared in its owne time Likewise Anastatius Patriarch of Constantinople was condemned and excommunicated in this Councell To favour the Emperour and to dislike the worshipping of Images were two irremissable sinnes and meriting the great Anathems of the Bishop of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 742. and in time of the raigne of Charles the Great and vnder the Popedome of Zacharias the first Bonifaoius Archbishop of Mentz assembled a Councell of the Bishops Presbyters and Clergy of France for reformation of abuses in that countrey or rather as the truth is to bring the countrey of France as hee had already brought many parts of Germany to a conformity with the superstitious rites of the Romane Church It is to bee marked that this nationall Councel was assembled by the mandate of King Charles howsoeuer Bonifacius ordered the affaires of the Councell It was ordained that Synodes should be kept yeerly and that Clergie men should not put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two Bishops with their Presbyters Chaplens to prescribe penance to them who should happen to confesse their sinnes And that hunting and hauking and such idle pastimes should not be vsed by the Clergie That every Presbyter shall be ready to giue account of his ministery to his owne Bishop in time of Lent especially concerning his ministration of Baptisme the summe of his Catholicke Faith the forme of his prayers and the order of his saying of masses That no vncouth Bishop or Presbyter be admitted without the tryall and allowance of a Synode That Presbyters and Deacons be not cloathed as secular men with short cloakes but with the habit of men who are in spirituall offices And that no woman cohabite in the house with them That every Bishop haue a care within his owne bounds to abolish all heathenish superstitions IN the yeere of our Lord 755. and in the thirteenth yeere of the Empire of Constantinus Copronymus a general CouÌ„cell of 338. Bishops was assembled at Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour In this Councell the worshipping of Images was damned and the placing of them in Oratories and Temples where the divine Maiesty is worshipped was forbidden as a custome borrowed from Pagans who had no hope of the resurrection and therefore solaced theÌ„selues with pictured similitudes of their friends as if they had beene bodily present with them Yea for three principall causes they damned the worshipping of Images First because the worshipping of them is repugnant vnto holy Scripture Secondly because the divine and humane nature being vnseparably vnited in Christ and the divine nature cannot be presented by an Image therefore it is not meete to represent his humane nature by an Image left we should seeme to separate the two natures in Christ. And thirdly because the writings of ancient Fathers doe vtterlie condemne the worshipping of Images such as Epiphanius Eusebius Gregorius Theologus Athanasius Amphilochius Chrysostomus and Theodorus Bishop of Ancyra It were a prolixt thing to make a rehearsall of the sentences of all the forenamed Fathers therefore for breuities cause I will heere onely make choise of one place which is this Eusebius Pamphili writing to Constantia the Empresse who was desirous that the image of Christ should be sent her hee returneth vnto hir this answere Because yee haue written vnto mee to send vnto you the Image of Christ I would gladly vnderstand what image of Christ yee are inquiring for whether it bee that true and vnchangeable nature bearing the character and ingrauen similitude of the person of the Father or if it bee the image of the shape of a seruant which Christ tooke vpon him for our sakes As concerning His diuine nature I hope yee are not sollicitous to seeke the image thereof beeing sufficientlie instructed that no man knoweth the Father except the Sonne and on the other part no man knoweth the Sonne except the Father But if yee desire the similitude of mans nature wherewith He clad Himselfe for our sakes vnderstand that the splender and shining brightnesse of his glorie cannot be represented with dead coloures and shaddowed pictures For euen his Disciples in the mountaine were not able to abide the brightnesse of His shining face Mat. Chap. 17. vers 1. Mark Chap. 9. vers 2. Luk. Chap. 9. vers 28. how much lesse are we now able to abide the celestiall splender of his glorified bodie In this Councell Germanus Bishop of Constantinople Georgius Cyprius and Damascene a Monke who were principall defenders of the worshipping of images were excommunicated In the Canons of this Councel which were 19. in number inuocation of Saints hath allowance in the 15. 17. Canon
are bold without consent of Bishops to place and to displace Pastours to distribute Ecclesiastical liuings according to their pleasure And to burthen Church-men with exactions and taxations whensoeuer they please This forme of doing is ordained to be punished with excommunication And he who receiueth a Church from a Laicke person without his owne Bishops authoritie is to be debarred from the communion and in case he perseuere obstinatly in his sin he is to be depriued of Ecclesiastical orders Also Laicke persons who transfer the right of tythes to other Laicke persons they who receiue thē and deliver them not to the Church shall want the honour of Christian buriall Church-men who haue accquired riches by Church-rents howsoever they die let their goods pertaine to the Church Moreover because some Bishops are found in some parts who permit them whom they call Decani for a summe of money to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction it is ordained that hee who so doth shall bee depriued from his office and that the Bishop shall haue no power to conferre any such office Let not the votes of a few persons in the Church hinder the ordination of them who are thought meet by the most part to be ordained to Eclesiasticall offices If a question arise concerning presentations of diverse persons to one Church or concerning the gift of patronage if the foresayd question bee not decided within the space of three moneths the Bishop shal place in the Church the man whom he thinketh to be most worthy Seeing that the Church as a provident mother should provide all things necessary for the soules and bodies of the people left the poore and indigent parents want the benefite of good education in learning It is appointed and ordayned that in every Cathedrall Church a worthy benefice shall be bestowed vpon a Schoole-master to the end the teacher receiving a competent reward for his travels a patent doore may be opened to the increase of learning Diuers Churches are so heauily over-loadned with tribute and taxations by Consuls Gouernours of townes and Rulers of Provinces that the estate of Bishops is worse then was the estate of the Idolatrous Priests of Egypt in the daies of Pharaoh for the Priests had an ordinarie of Pharaoh and they did eate their ordinary which Pharaoh gaue them wherefore they sold not their ground which Pharaoh gaue them But now all charge of civill affaires are layd vpon Gods Church Therefore it is ordayned vnder paine of cursing that Governours and Rulers of Provinces desist in time to come from such doing except the Prelates vpon consideration of the great necessitie of the countrey would voluntarily consent to support the necessitie of the Laiques Seeing that Pope Innocentius the second and Pope Eugenius the third our predecessors of good memorie condemned the spectacles on market-dayes and holy-dayes for ostentation of their valure and strength skirmishing one against another in sight of the people whereby it came to passe that some were slaine and their soules were in ieopardie These spectacles are also damned by vs and if any person be slaine in them let him want the honour of Christian buriall This containeth a commandement of superstitious observation of dayes Let no men presume to alter the ancient custome of exactions without the authority and consent of Princes Persons diseased with leprosie it is permitted to them to haue their owne Church and their owne Pastor They who furnish armour to the Saracens who fight against Christians or who take Christians prisoners who are busie in their lawfull callings or who spoyle them who haue made ship wracke let them be excommunicated Manifest vsurers shall be debarred from the communion and if they repent not they shall want the honor of Christian buriall and no man shall receiue their offering Iewes and Saracens shall not be permitted to haue Christian servants in their houses no not vnder pretence of education of their children Also the testimony of a Christian against a Iew shall be admitted and if any Iew through the mercy of God be converted to the Christian religion hee shall in no manner of way be secluded from his possessions In the last Canon after a smooth preface that Pope Leo said Ecclesiastical discipline is content with a Priestly iudgment but vseth not bloody revenges Alwayes Pope Alexander in this Councell thought it lawfull to borrow the power of secular Princes to persecute those whom he called Heretiques in Gasconie Tholuse and other parts These he calleth Cathari Patrini or Publicani but out of question they were Valdenses who being driven out of Lions Pope Alexander would grant them no corner in the world to rest in But meitated by his cruell edicts all Princes Nobles Lords Governours to pursue them with fire and sword and all kinde of hostility promising to them who so doth if they bee vnder Ecclesiasticall censure indulgence and relaxation of two yeeres of the compleat time of their penance and to those who doe zealously pursue them such security in their persons and goods as vseth to bee conferred to such persons as visite the holy graue and are taken vnder the protection of the Church Others of Aragon Navarre and other places whom also hee calleth Heretiques and who practised against Christians all kinde of mercilesse in humanity neither sparing sex nor age I cannot vnderstand of what kinde of Heretiques he meaneth for their heresie is not expressed CENTVRIE XIII ABout the yeere of our Lord 1215. Pope Innocentius the third gathered a generall Councell at Rome wherein the doctrine of Transubstantiation was ratified Also the Grecians were ordayned to turne to the obedience of the Church of Rome to the end there might be one shepheard and one sheepfold and that they should desist from detesting the Priests of the Latin Church whom the Grecians so abhorred that they would not say masse vpon the Altar which the Latin Priest had touched vntill it had beene cleansed and washed Also that they should not rebaptize such as were baptized by Latin Priestes and that all these things should be observed vnder paine of cursing And finally it was concluded that an army should bee sent vnto Syria for reliefe of the Christians there and the recouery of the holy Land and that processions supplications and fastings should be kept monethly for the more easie obtaining of it LIkewise in the yeere of our Lord 1273. Gregorius the tenth gathered a generall Councell at Lions where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople was present who by the slaughter of Theodorus Luscaris sonne committed to his custody had vsurped the Empire This Michael I say being present at the Councell acknowledged the superiority of the Church of Rome wherevnto the other Grecians were so farre from condiscending that they abhorred the said Emperour and would not suffer his body to be buried amongst other Christians In this Councell also was concluded that