Vulcans boyling 〈◊〉 For we now enter into an age wherein the people was not fed but with such fables Now this Pope Iohn passeth for a Martyr and was enrolled among the Saints as hauing suffered for conuerting the Arrian Temples into Christian Churches But Anastâ—sius Bibliothecarius seemeth to report the contrarie Anastas in Iohan. 1. Greg. Tureneâ—s de gloria Martyr c. 40. and Gregorie of Yours speaketh too confusedly to be beleeued It is therefore more probable that he was so handled vpon a poynt of State as about the same time Boetius and Symmachus lost their heads for that they had intelligence with the Emperour against Theodoric For it is cleere that Iohn crowned the Emperor at Constantinople though he had bin alreadie Sacred by the Patriarch which was too much for an embassador to do who would not voluntarily fall into suspition with him which sent him An. 525. So likewise it was a meere matter of State which moued Theodoric when hee saw the factions bandings which were vsed in the election of Popes to put to the hand of his authoritie and to appoint him to be Pope who was at that time in greatest reputation of honestie among the Orthodox which was Felix the fourth Whereupon Athalaric who succeeded his grandfather Theodoric the same yere Athalar Epist ad Senat. Roma apud Cassiodo li. 8. Epist much reioyced as appeareth by the letters which he wrot to the Senat of Rome which had receiued him You haue saith he receiued a personage instituted by God and approued by the iudgement of the Prince And had reason seeing that Baronius proueth out of this verie Epistle that for the space of fiftie eight dayes which the See was vacant the citizens of Rome had beene in continuall ielousies readie alwayes to come to blowes as in the former schisme which was between Symmachus and Laurence had not Theodoric interposed his authoritie But Baronius can by no meanes be brought to dispence with Theodoric for this grieuous sinne but whereas he was woont highly to commend his moderation hee now blazoneth him for a barbarous and a cruell tyran And see Reader saith he who it was which first made the ouerture to Emperours to confirme the Popes a Barbarian a Tyran and an Arrian Yet should he haue remembred that for preuention of the like confusion Odoacer long before had made the same law Which they neuer imposed vpon other places because they saw no where else the like disorders And which is more Athalaric was faine at the request of the most Orthodox among them though himselfe and Arrian by a law made to represse their vnlawfull simonie Whom yet they cannot accuse as ouer hard vnto them seeing that at the humble suit of the Roman Clergie he released them of the law of Valentinian the second Athalaricus apud Cassiod l. 8. c. 24. by which they were iusticiable in all causes both ciuile and criminall before the secular Magistrat in like sort as any other persons were and ordained That in the first instance they should goe onely to the Bishop of Rome Idem li. 9. Variar Epist 15 and not to the secular Iudge but by Appeale of which more at large hereafter And likewise in the East the Emperour Iustinian was faine to meddle in Church gouernement to rectifie what was amisse therein And this sticketh sore in the stomacke of Baronius and of his companions for that the more to represse the ambition of certaine Bishops which haunted the Court L. 14. Co. de Episc Cler. by a law directed to Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople he forbad all Bishops to come at Court vnder what colour or pretence soeuer saue onely vpon expresse order and commaundement from himselfe vpon paine and perill not onely of his displeasure but also of excommunication to be inflicted if the partie offending were a Metropolitan by the Bishop of Constantinople if an inferiour Bishop by his Metropolitan And it seemeth that this canker was farre gone when he was forced to applie so sharpe a remedie when by another law directed to Atarbius Grand Master of the houshold he ordained That so often as any See fell void the inhabitants should nominat three men of Orthodox religion and of sound life of which one to be chosen to the See whom the Emperour should thinke fit with many other circumstances there added forbidding also any Bishop Visitor Priest or other Clergie man of what dignitie soeuer or any Master of an hospitall to be made for money vnder paine as well to the giuer as to the receiuer of exclusion from all offices and dignities in time to come Which lawes would neuer haue beene made L. 42. Co. de Episc Cler. Nouell 123. but by occasion of a strange dissolution and corruption of discipline in suing for dignities in the Church And farther he was constrained to proceed to the reformation of the ordinarie Liturgie and of the Sacraments commaunding vnder paines both temporall and spirituall throughout the Empire that both the one and the other should bee celebrated in a knowne language and that in such absolute and mandatorie tearmes as a man may well perceiue that they proceeded not from a borrowed jurisdiction Which law of his was also to take place and to stand in full force within the walls of Rome it selfe 17. PROGRESSION Of Boniface the second and that he restored the Churches of Afrike to the communion of the Roman Church An. 530. ABout the yeare 530 vpon the death of Felix successour vnto Iohn the first new strifes arose about the election of a Pope some standing for Boniface and others for Dioscorus Lib. Pontif. in Bonifac. 2. but Dioscorus happening to dye about eighteene dayes after left the roome voyd for Boniface the second of that name who vnder colour of preuenting the like inconuenience in time to come called a Councell where he passed a Decree That a successor should there present bee created and thereupon he nominated to it Vigilius the Deacon but finding him to be a man of more sufficiencie than he thought for hee called another Synod wherein he declared Vigilius to be guiltie of treason Reum maiestatis and thereupon burnt the nomination which was made of him So well was this new forme of election alreadie ordered by the holie Ghost And yet this man in a certaine Epistle of his to Eulalius Bishop of Alexandria Bonifac. in Epist ad EulaliuÌ„ in 1. to Concil vaunteth That he had receiued authoritie from Saint Peter to be a helpe to the Vniuersall Church and that he ought to haue a superioritie ouer other Priests and Pastors of the Church as the Archangels haue ouer the ordinarie sort of Angels Which comparison serueth well for Archbishops but vnlesse he will compare himselfe to God how will he find a Pope among the Angels And it followeth in that Epistle That by vertue of this authoritie hee had by his Legats restored the Church of Carthage
helpe made no such great account of vs nor we of him but that these amities brust forth many times into open warre and contention Those of the kings Councell and of the bodie of the Parliament shewed him how diuersly the Pope and his adherents sought to infringe and cut off his prerogatiues The kings officers complaine that all iurisdiction was transferred from the royall tribunal to sacred decisions That many more temporall causes and controuersies betweene temporall men were heard and adiudged by the Bishops and other Priests than by the kings officers and Iudges Whosoeuer in any thing stood not to the censure of the Prelats he was expelled the Church remoued from communicating with the godlie and it was come to that passe as euen for debt when the partie was altogether vnable he was interdicted water fire Wherfore the deputies of the Prelats and Clergie were commaunded to appeare in the moneth of December at Bois de Vincennes neere Paris there Master Peter de Cugnieres the kings Atturney defended his Soueraignes cause and producing those words of our Sauiour in Saint Mathew Giue to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods he argued the distinction betwixt the jurisdiction spirituall and temporall verie worthie of obseruation of which the one belonged to the ciuile Magistrat the other to the Church which could not interpose her selfe in matters temporall without mingling heauen and earth together and entangling the whole earth in an vtter confusion His speech hee also confirmed by many apt and well applied places out of the Scriptures and the sacred Canons and insisting much vpon that text of the 22 of the Prouerbes Exceed not the auncient bounds and limits which thy fathers layed Because saith he if any customes were introduced contrarie to the same they could be of no worth nay rather they should be corruptions and Prescription can take no place against the kings royall prerogatiue neither can the king himselfe renounce these lawes and iurisdictions as may be proued by many chapters which are in the tenth Distinction If therefore saith he the king is sworne at his coronation no wayes to alienate the lawes of the kingdome and to reuoke againe those alienated so if they should be supprest or vsurpt by the Church or any other he is bound to renew and reuiue them againe And with that he brought forth a scedule comprehending sixtie six particulars wherein were expressed such aggrauations and oppressions for which the Clergie was to make satisfaction Bertram then Bishop of Hutum being to speake in behalfe of the Clergie hee ript vp the memorie of Charles the Great Lewis the Godlie and S. Lewis and other Pinces who in times past had endowed and immunified the Churches aduancing highly their glorie who had augmented Church liberties and so by many examples exaggerating their reproach and infamie who had preiudiced and impaired the same and this cause being referred for a day of hearing euen to the verie feastiuall of S. Thomas of Canturburie might fitly put the king in mind that this Thomas as on that day shed his bloud for the liberties and immunities of the Church and yet wee formerly obserued that the Diuines of Paris disputed how this Thomas was more probably to be supposed condemned because he suffered death for his rebellion But the king plainely made answer That he would haue a speciall care of all things to come Bertram vrgeth further for the better explication of himselfe when the king replied I would rather haue the liberties of the Church augmented than diminished I meane the true immunities and liberties but not vsurpations And therefore he consulted with them about the preseruation of royall rights and jurisdictions in hatred of which fact they endeuoured to depraue the memorie of Peter de Cognieres This is he who in a corner of our Ladies Church in Paris is commonly called Master Peter de Cogniet An Epistle of Lucifer to the Pope and Roman Church fel fit with these times Epist Luciferi ad Papam Some thinke it was written vnder Philip the Faire but because in some exemplaries it is said to be dated in the yeare of his Palace ouerthrowne 1351 Here seemes in the originall to be some error in computation of the yeares about the yeare from Christs birth 1318 it is referred to that yeare Lucifer is in it brought in discoursing How in times past Christs vicar preaching the word in pouertie of life the world was so conuerted that Erebus was turned into Eremum Hell into Hermitage but he had caried the matter so wisely as to suborne in their places those that should with both their clookes lay hold of worldlie kingdomes which Christ heretofore refused being offered him that therefore they should not now teach as he and his Apostles did Reddite Caesari quae sunt Caesaris c. Subiecti estote Principibus but seising both on spirituall and temporall things they should assume vnto themselues both swords endeuoring proudly to beare rule ouer Princes themselues And hereupon came in all excesse pride wantonnesse wicked deuises and simonie which carried that sway as he plentifully laid open that what aunciently in times past had beene forespoken by the Prophets was completely fulfilled The Church of Rome is become the Synagogue of Sathan The purpled harlot hath committed fornication with the kings of the earth Of a mother she is become a stepmother and of a Bride an adulteresse forgetting her originall charitie and chastitie and principally ruinating the Christian Faith which before she built vp and erected Then hee exhorts the Pope vehemently to perseuere in these offices Because saith he we are about to send forth Antichrist for whom all these treasures are to be reserued in the meane while we would haue you to be our Vicars c. They that spake so broadly in generall of the Roman Church what thought they suppose you of many her particular abuses Hereunto we may adde That Iohn Mandeuil an English man a writer verie neere to those times said Pope Iohn sent to the Grecians exhorting them to bee vnited to him and the Roman Church for the knowne and accustomed reasons of that plenarie power graunted vnto him ouer all the Church in the person of Saint Peter But they answered him laconically We vndoubtedly beleeue thy Soueraigne power ouer those that are subiect to thee but wee cannot endure thy extreame pride nor are we able to satisfie thy greedie auarice The diuell be with thee for God is with vs. 58. PROGRESSION Benedict the twelfth succeeded Iohn He holds the See while the yeare 1342 when as Clement the sixt came to the chaire after him Lewis the Emperour dyes and after some opposition Charles sonne to the king of Bohemia obtaines the Diademe Imperiall BEnedict the twelfth succeeded Iohn the Cardinalls hauing been sixteene daies in the Conclaue before they could agree vpon an election at last they resolued either for enuie or in despight one of another to
his subiects but of his owne Such are those shepheards that feed not the Lords flocke but themselues to whom it is sayd in Ezechiel 24 Mich. 3 You hate good and loue euill You violently flea the skin ouer their eares and teare the flesh from their bones and so they haue eaten the flesh of my people and flead the skins from off their backes The same saith Ezechiel cap. 34 I will cause them to cease from feeding any more my flocke for I will deliuer them from their mouthes and they shall be no longer their bait and food The sixt signe was The promotion of men vnworthie and contempt of the better sort According to Aristotle these things are the speciallest cause of the dissolution of any politicall gouernement and oftentimes in a secular welfare it happens that the dishonour of men famous and meritorious and the exaltation of the base and inferiour sort breeds great mutine and sedition For both in this respect and because of some of the premised reasons wee doe not onely read in Bookes but further haue seene with our eyes diuers kingdomes to haue beene almost ruined and defaced c. But this hath alwayes beene the incredulitie of humane obstinacie that though they doe not onely heare but also see it with their eyes yet will they not beleeue others perished through such and such vyces except they feele it by experience in the destruction of themselues The 7 signe was The tribulation affliction of temporall policie with the commotion and rebellions of people which is alreadie come to passe in diuers parts And because as Seneca saith euils skorn to come vnaccompanied or alone it is to be feared that after this the Ecclesiasticall policie also will not onely suffer and be replenished with these perturbations outwardly but also inwardly within the verie bowels of the Church which is prefigured in the 3 of Ieremie Desolation shall suddenly come in vpon desolation my Tabernacles are wasted and ruined In the 7 of Ezechiel Tumult vpon tumult terrour vpon terrour and the Law shall faile in the Priest and counsell in the Elders The eighth signe was The refusall of correction and amendment when that comes to passe in the principall Prelats of the Church which was writen by Ieremie cap. 7 They would not attend nor harken but made their hearts of Adamant least they should heare the words which the Lord in the spirit vttered vnto them by the mouthes of his Prophets As also by Esayas Lying children children that would not heare the Law who say stop your eares to the words of truth speake vnto vs things pleasing and acceptable And this shall then be fulfilled when the Prelats do maligne learned men and reuealers of truth euen as it is written of them in the 5 of Amos They hated him who reprehended them at the gates and abhorred him that spake truly and therefore to the Church of Hierusalem the Lord speakes in the 4 of Osee Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee so as thou shalt not execute thy Priesthood to me for thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God therefore I will change the glorie of thy sonnes into reproach and ignominie and euen as the people are so shall the Priest be And so obseruing well the forementioned signes you may easily iudge whether the present times be secure and whether those doe not now take place which the Lord deliuereth in the Text Iuxta est justicia mea vt reueletur He could not in more plaine and expresse notes haue described the Congregation that was to entertaine Antichrist It then remayned onely for him to aunswer certayne objections which he omits not There are a sort of men saith he too confident and affirming that the Prelats are the Church which the Lord will alwayes keepe and preserue not leauing the same euen as he promised them in the persons of his Apostles he saying in the 28 of Matth. I remaine with you euen vnto the end of the world But this is to be vnderstood in respect of faith which shall remaine for euer continuing alwayes in some few though charitie and zeale wax cold amidst all worldlie disturbances the which the same our Sauiour oftentimes presaged and foretold And because none may suppose themselues secure from tribulation by being of the Church the Lord refells this opinion when he sayth in Ierem. 7. Trust not to the words of lying and vntruth saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. which shall no wayes profit you There is another opinion of those that prorogue and protract Gods iudgements for they grant That the Church indeed shall be disquieted and molested but not so quickly because many reasons haue beene heretofore touched and other signes were made manifest seeing not long since the Prelats were reprehended by the Doctors Gregorie and Bernard for receiuing of bribes for their pompe for promoting the vnworthie and for sundrie other vices which then raigned in the Church nay more than now and yet by Gods grace it still remained in prosperous estate God most fitly preuents all these debatements in an example in Ezech. cap. 12. saying Sonne of man behold the house of Israel who sayd The vision that this man saw he hath prophesied of long time agoe Thou shalt therefore tell them saith the Lord My word shall no longer be protracted but I will performe it in your dayes And in Esay 3. We haue seene things come to passe in our dayes which before seemed incredible and the like hath otherwise happened Others say Come what come will we will conforme our selues to this age we will temporize like those which said in Wisdome 2. Let vs enioy those good things that are and replenish our selues Such are very preiudiciall especially to good men in the Church of God And if Ecclesiasticall Prelats were so base as to retaine these bad cogitations they could not be too deepely plunged in hel c. for herein they incurre the temporall danger which they most feare the Lord speaking thus vnto them in the first of the Prouerbs You haue neglected all my aduertisements and counsels and therefore I will returne to your destruction when tribulation and anguish shall euen violently rush in vpon you Some distrust altogether and it seemes that no due remedie in this case can be applied but euen as other things and former kingdoms haue had their periods according to that of Mathew they haue a time in the irreuocable reuolution of ages and so this gouernement of the Church must likewise haue an end the gouernours iust deserts and obstinacies requiring the same as it is in the eighth of Ieremie There is none that repents euerie one returnes to his owne course like an horse that violently presseth into the battell If an Aethiope can change his skinne or a Leopard his spots then you may doe good hauing learned nothing but euill and in the seuenteenth chapter of Iuda which implies the Church The sinne
set ouer Gemes least if hee should escape he should trouble his Empire Vpon this occasion Alexander and Alphonsus giue Baiazet to vnderstand That it was the purpose of the king of France hauing setled his affaires in Naples to passe ouer into Greece which was the more easily beleeued because hee was not ignorant how many troubles the French had raised and how many slaughters they had made in Asia The warres of Charles growing hot they sent Legats againe vnto him Alphonsus making choyce of Camillus Pendon Alexander of Gregorio Bucciardo of Genoa being both skilfull in the Turkish language Bucciardo being employed before in the like seruice by Pope Innocent These promised to ouerthrow the forces of Charles so he would supplie them with some great summes of money Whereby he should redeeme the State of Greece from destruction and entertaine warre in the kingdome of another and should haue for a bulwarke of his Empire the citie of Rome and the kingdome of Naples These embassadours were honourably receiued by Baiazet and so much the rather because hee had receiued the same newes from other parts He therefore gaue thankes to the Pope speaking to Gregorie that he that had the highest place in Christendome would be pleased so friendly louingly to giue him in time admonition notwithstanding he were of another beliefe touching God and of different maners touching men He aduised him to returne into Italie his embassadour Dantius accompanying him by whom he sent money and committed other matters of secrecie vnto him to that purpose Amongst other matters giuen vnto him in charge saith Iouius there was a letter written in Greeke wherein Baiazet with great art persuaded the Pope That he should prouide that by some meanes or other his brother might be taken out of the way by poyson which if he would performe hee promised him vpon his faith two hundred thousand ducats and freely to bestow vpon him the vnfeamed coat of Christ as some few yeares before he had sent the poynt of that speare wherewith Longinus pierced the side of Christ From hence let the Reader judge with how inward a commerce of wickednesse these two were joined since he durst giue that counsell to the Pope which the most wicked men of the world practised in all manner of villanie durst not haue done one to another It fell out in the meane time that the ships wherein they passed the seas were taken neere Ancona by Iohn de la Rouere brother to Cardinall Iulian an enemie to the Pope and a friend to the Frenchmen who seised vpon all the money as due vnto him from the Pope and so Dantius was inforced to make a journey by land to Ancona to saue himselfe But Alexander being verie much moued herewith sought new meanes to continue this entercourse and agreement with Baiazet With which Papall zeale he likewise diuerted the Croysado or money gathered in Spaine vnder a pretence of bearing the crosse against Baiazet to this vse For saith Guicciardine king Ferdinand excusing himselfe That his armie by sea could not so speedily be readie for the defence of the kingdome of Naples for want of money hee consented that the money gathered in Spaine in the naâ—â— of the Apostolike sea vnder a colour of making warre against the enemies of the Faith should be employed to that vse But Charles neuerthelesse passed through all Italie without resistance being led as it were by the hand of God opening not onely the gates before him but the walls too and comming neere Rome where the Pope had fortified himselfe with the forces of Alphonsus and other his confederats hee demaunded passage and to be admitted into the citie commaunding his enemies to depart and not dissembling That if Alexander obeyed not he would make his way through the citie with his sword Alexander hereupon was much troubled in his mind Fearing least Charles presuming vpon the title of Most Christian which the kings of France doe much glorie in should with his people being a nation renowmed for their religion turne his mind to the reformation of the Church a terrible thought to him whose conscience told him by what infamous meanes he had obtained the Popedome and how with great infamie he had administred it Paule Jonij l. 2. Moreouer he feared least he should be persuaded by the Cardinals of Colonna Sabelli and others to require the publication of a Councell with which one voyce saith Iouins the Popes of Rome are more terrified than with any other human accidents whatsoeuer But partly restes himself vpon that assurance which Charles had giuen him not to attempt any thing against his dignitie and partly because being in these straits he saw no surer course to be taken he retired himselfe to his castle S. Angelo suffered the king to enter the citie and sent away Ferdinand Duke of Calabria the sonne of Alphonsus that he might not see his ruine before his eyes Charles therefore entred Rome the last day of the yeare 1494 with his whole armie his ensignes displayed and his lance vpon his thigh no otherwise than he entred Florence a few dayes before Neither must we forget that the armie of the king comming neere Ostia some twentie fadome of the wall fell to the ground euen there where the King had prepared to enter and neere about the same time there fell about fifteene fadome of the antemure or outward wall of the castle S. Angelo as if the walles themselues had inuited the king to enter Here there wanted not some that were verie earnest with the king Philip Comineus in vita Caroli 8. c. 16.17 to remoue Alexander from his seat a man odious to the whole world telling him that it would not be lesse glorious to him to deliuer the Church of God from the tyrannie of a wicked Pope than it was to Pipin and Charlemaine to deliuer the good Popes from such as did vniustly oppresse them But Alexander beeing directed by a more deuout Councell hauing by presents and promises corrupted those that could preuaile most with him they so pacified the king that he came to this agreement That Alexander should deliuer to the king the castles of Ciuita vecchia Tarracina and Spoleto vntill he had conquered the kingdome of Naples That hee should offer no wrong to the Cardinals and Barons that were subject to the Church or seeke to reuenge himselfe vpon those that had taken his part That hee should inuest Charles into the kingdome That forasmuch as there might be good vse made of Gemes Baiazets brother in the warres against the Turke he would deliuer him into his hands That he should pronounce Charles Emperour of Greece Lastly That he should leaue with the king Caesar Borgia his sonne for three moneths as an Embassadour in outward shew but in effect an hostage for the performance of these promises All which for the most part he performed because hee could no otherwise chuse but yet so as that his accustomed false faith
thou dissemblest it These Iuglers in the meane time are nor ashamed to tell vs in bookes printed to that purpose That Antichrist is borne at Babylon with the teeth of a Cat with rowling eyes growen to his full stature in an instant made knowen by his miracles and presently marching towards vs with a huge armie What opinion haue these men either of your sottishnesse or their owne sufficiencie that they should thinke to blind you with these fooleries How long shall they with their brazen faces goe scotfree or you euen with the losse of your owne soules with your leaden minds Shall they alwaies lull you asleepe with these fables and will you neuer find a time to awaken neuer haue vnderstanding to discerne them Let me therefore speake vnto you O ye people why doe ye still make delaies Being so often deluded why doe ye not obey the voyce of God thundering from heauen Apoc. 18. v. 4. 9. Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And O ye kings so long made drunken why stand ye at a gaze not executing the counsell of the Almightie which cannot be made frustrat nay which in a manner is alreadie fulfilled why doe ye not rather make that beast desolat and naked Apoc. 17. v. 16. and eating her flesh burne her with fire In danger otherwise to lament before her to be partakers of hir punishment her ruine since you haue so long enioyed her pleasures and committed fornication with her But thou O my Sauiour in the middest of this cunctation or rather carelesse securitie awaken and rise vp and come downe and behold the sinnes of this spirituall Sodome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are now consummat and come to their ful height Tread the wine presse alone though none of the people none of the kings ioyne with thee Esay 63.3 Gird thy sword vnto thee euen thy two edged sword wherewith that man of sinne shal be slaine the spirit of thy mouth thy holie word And let the wicked at the last cry out standing a farre off for feare of her tormonts Alas alas the great citie Babylon Apoc. 18. v. 10. the mightie citie for in one houre is thy iudgement come Let the godlie sing together and let them repeat it againe and againe Halleluiah Saluation and glorie and honour Apoc. 19. v. 2. and power be to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgements for he hath condemned the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And let me O Lord sing with old Symion being wearie of this world full of yeres and thirsting after thee Luk. 2. v. 29.30 Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation The saluation and deliuerance of thy Church from the hands of her enemies the Lambe victorious and triumphant shortly celebrating the mariage of thine elect with the immaculat Lambe Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen ⧠To the Reader POpe Paule the fift caused himselfe to be pourtrayed in the first page of diuers Bookes dedicated vnto him printed at Rome and at Bolognia as hath beene sayd in the Preface The first words of the Latine inscription are PAVLO V. VICEDEO take the numerall letters and you shall find the number of the Beast Apocal. c. 13. v. 18. PAV 5. L 50. O V 5. V 5. I 1. C 100. ED 500. EO 5. 50. 5. 5. 1. 100. 500. 666. THE MYSTERIE OF INIQVITIE That is to say The Historie of the Papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this heigth and what oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it THE PREFACE Of the person of Antichrist of the time when and of the place where he was to be reuealed THe Mysterie whose proceedings we here intend to set downe in writing is none other than that which was foretold by S. Paule in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the second chapter and more particularly by circumstances and signes described by S. Iohn in the thirteenth fourteenth seuenteenth and eighteenth chapters of his Reuelation which Mysterie time it selfe from age to age hath euer interpreted by euents till now at length all prophesies fulfilled we see it clearely reuealed in these our dayes 2. Thess cap. 2. S. Paule therefore telleth vs That that day of Christ meaning that glorious day of his last comming shall not come vnlesse there first come that Apostasie and notable reuolt that is vnlesse some great part of the Church first fall away from the pure and vndefiled seruice of Christ and vnlesse that man of sinne be first reuealed that sonne of perdition which shall be ringleader and chiefe director in this desperate reuolt lost in himselfe and cause of perdition vnto others and is therefore called by S. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a Destroyer Apocal. 9. vers 11. And to the end that none should take offence when these things should come to passe he forewarneth vs of the greatnesse of this reuolt by representing it to our vnderstanding vnder the name of Babylon and of an Horrible confusion comparing him who was to haue the chiefe direction and commaund in this worke Apocal. 17. vers 3. to a woman sitting vpon a Beast of scarlet colour eminent and in euerie respect glorious and consequently admired of all those who should behold her Ibid. vers 8. saue onely those whose names are written in the booke of life insomuch that euen Kings those I meane whom she shall make drunke with the wine of her abhominations shall giue her their authoritie and power to helpe warre vpon the Saints and that Peoples and Nations shall serue her for a seat to sit vpon Ibid. vers 13. The waters sayth he on which she sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues So that that Apostasie and that man of sinne make both together a kind of Estate or Kingdome whereof the Apostasie is the Bodie euen the Papacie which hath long since degenerated from the true doctrine of Christ drenching the world with Idolatrie and Superstition and that Man of sinne is the Head euen the Pope or Romane Bishop in whose person all this power and authoritie is combined and in his name executed Apocal. ca. 13. vers 12. And for this cause maketh S. Paule mention of an Apostasie and of a man of sinne and S. Iohn of a second Beast and of a Whore By which second Beast which exerciseth the authoritie of the first what can be meant but the Romane Hierarchie which hath deriued vpon her selfe all the authoritie of that ancient Commonwealth making the earth to adore the first Beast in the second that is the old
August de ciuit Dei li. 20. c. 19. Baron Annal. to 1. an 45. art 17. 18. sit vpon the ruines of the Temple of Salomon or rather in the church for the Apostle would neuer call that the temple of the diuell which was Gods temple And therefore saith he some imagine that this Antichrist note well these words is a Prince with the whole bodie of those which belong vnto him and thinke it more proper to expresse it in Latine as it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in templum non in templo meaning that he shall sit as if himselfe were The Temple of God and his verie Church it selfe Ireneus l. 5. c. 25 Tertullian cauersus Iudaeos contra Marcio lib. 3. Hieron in Caâ—a in Isai c. 47. Euseb li. 2. c. 25. Ambros in 2. Thess â— c. 2. August lib. â—8 de ciuit Dei c. â— Andâ— Casaâ— in Apocal. c. â— In Beda Oecumen Lyran. Thomas Caiet in 1. Pet. c. vlt. Bellarmin de Romano Pontis lib. 2. c. 2. Tertul. aduersus Iudaeos lib. 3. contra Marciâ— Hieron ad Algasiam quest 17. Aret Andre in Apocal. 〈…〉 Glossa Ordin ibid. Hieron ad Marcellam viduam Idem contra Iouinian lib. 1. Which jumps with that maxime of the Popes adherents That in his person the whole Church resideth and consisteth Wherefore it is now manifest that Antichrist shall haue his seat in the Church Christian Now let vs see whether in the Latine Church or no. Ireneus surely searching after the number of 666 which is the name of the beast in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in so obscure a point he pronounce nothing definitiuely yet giueth he vs plainely to vnderstand that he thou gâ—â— it to be there For saith he It is verie likely for such is the name of the Empire which now swayeth in the world They call themselues Latines So likewise doe Tertâ—llian Ierome Ambrose Augustine Andrew B. of Caesarea Beda Oecumenius Lyranue Aquinas Caietan and others when by Babylon they vnderstand Rome as well in the first Epistle and last chapter of Saint Peter as in the Reuelations And Bellarmin himselfe is cleere in this opinion and Baronius affirmeth that by Babylon in the places before rehearsed cannot bee meant but Rome much more when by the whore clothed in scarlet which maketh drunke all the kings of the earth they vnderstand Rome as Tertullian Ierome Aretas Andrew of Caesareâ— the Ordinarie Glosse Bellarmin also and Baronius and others doe Nay wee say fâ—â—â— her that the Ancients vnderstand it of the Roman Church whose corruption they saw euen in those dayes to encrease so fast for to her applieth Saint Ierome those words of the Apocalyps Go out of her my people saith the Lord and be not partaker of her sinnes nor of her plagues flye out of Babylon and let euerie one saue his owne soule for she is fallen she is fallen and is made a receptacle for diuels an habitation of all vncleane spirits For surely saith he there is the holie Church there are the trophies and monuments of the Apostles and Martyrs and there is the confession of Christ But withall saith he there is ambition and oppression luxurie of the bellie and of the throat which goe to overthrow the preaching of the Crosse And therefore he summoneth all well disposed people to depart out of her though built vpon Christ the true rocke by the preaching of Saint Peter and though her Prophets which deceiued her cried out Peace peace the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord to lull them asleepe in their owne securitie And he seemeth farther to strike at her verie Hierarchie when as in his preface to the bookes of Didymus of the holie Ghost Idem in Prefati in lib. Dyd de Spir. sancto we find these words When I liued saith he in Babylon an inhabitant of that purple whore after the lawes of the Quirites or citizens of Rome I would haue written something of the holie Ghost and haue dedicated the treatise to the Bishop of that citie and behold that seething pot which was seene in the Prophet Ieremie looking out of the North beginneth alreadie to boyle and the Senat of Pharises cried out at me all at once neither was there so simple and meane a scribe of all that ignorant rabble which conspired not against me Wherefore I am now as it were out of captiuitie returned to Hierusalem and after that cottage of Romulus and those Lupercall sports come to visit againe the hosterie of the Virgine Marie and the sepulchre of our Sauiour c. Had this holie Father liued in the dayes of our fathers and seene what passed in these later ages what would he haue said And truely to vnderstand those passages of the Apocalips of Rome Painim as some would haue it and not of the Church of Rome were to make it of a mysterious prophesie as all acknowledge it to be a meere storie cold and friuolous or was it fitting that the Prophet with so maiesticall a preface speaking in the name of God and by his spirit should aduertise vs that the Roman Empire should persecute the Christians which had alreadie seene the bloud of his brother shed and so many thousand Christians slaughtered in all quarters of the Empire And againe where will a man find vs in Rome Painim those ten kings made drunke with his cup seeing there were in Rome no kings at all And therefore the Iesuites themselues haue beene forced to yeeld this point Ribera Apocalip c. 14. num 42. 57. Viega in 17. Apoc com 1. sect 3. This must saith Ribera bee vnderstood of Rome not onely such as she was vnder the Emperours but also such as she shall be in the later dayes And Viega saith That the name of Babylon must be referred to her and not only to that Rome which serued Idols before it receiued the faith of Christ but also to that Rome which shall be in the dayes of Antichrist By which words what can be meant but the Papacie and the Church of Rome Ca. Proposait extra de prabeÌ„d Gloss ib. Lib. â— cerem Pontis c. 1. But some man will say When was it seene that a Pope called himselfe God And I answer That neither are the Popes themselues ouer sparing in calling themselues Gods on earth and the Canonists are ouer prodigall of such titles and of far greater also if greater may bee whilest they make them to participate of the Deitie and with power to commaund both in heauen and hell as the sequell of this discourse will but too apparantly declare and it were but needlesse to repeat here what I haue long since sufficiently proued in my treatise of the Church cap. 9. But this is the point and this is that which God so often forewarned vs of That Antichrist should enter into the Temple and Church of God with false â—eyes In all deceitfulnesse of iniquitie saith Saint
faine disguise either beleeuing it himselfe or willing to put the gull vpon other men to make them beleeue that from the verie cradle and infancie of Christianitie there hath euer beene a Pope wrapt in such clouts as now we see him in and that Constantine because among others he gaue largely also to the Church of Rome therefore deuested himselfe of his imperiall robe and dignitie to clad him withall And obserue by what degrees he commeth to it First saith he To the end that the soueraigne Bishop of Christian religion should no longer dwell in a priuate house Baron to 3. an 312. art 80 81 82 83 84 85. he gaue vnto Miltiades for him and his successors after him one of his palaces to wit that of Lateran in Rome And whence had Baronius this report He is ashamed to alledge that Epistle of Isidore the Collector but whence had he it After much trash We haue it saith he from an approued Author Can. 12. q. 1. c. 15. § denique namely from Optatus Mileuitanus who telleth vs that Miltiades Bishop of Rome held the Councell of Rome in the house of Fausta in the Lateran he should haue added Optat. Mileuit aduers Parm. lib. 1. That he kept the Iubilie there also But what can he argue or proue out of these words That that was the Bishops house or if it were that it was giuen him by Constantine We read that not long after Syluester held another Councell Intra Thermas Domitianas was that house therefore his also or if that stately palace of Lateran was his before what needed he now to borrow another mans Yet this were a small matter if he stayed there but taking this as granted he wisely groundeth thereupon and inferreth That seeing the Emperour bestowed his Palace on him reason it selfe would that we beleeue that he gaue him his imperiall robes also which conjecture of his vanisheth like smoake so soone as it is denied Secondly he telleth vs Baron to 3. an 324. art 78. sequ that Constantine in the 24 yere of his reigne ordained That the Bishops of the Christian law should from that time forward haue the same priuiledges which the idolatrous Priests had and enioyed in times past not seeing at least not considering what prejudice he doth to his owne cause whilest he maketh it to appeare vnto vs that what euer they haue of this sort they haue it all from thence But yet what author hath he Baron an 311. an 315. art 10. None but the Acts of Pope Syluester in Latin which himselfe in so manie places vilifieth as being full of enormous falsities And yet from this sinke raketh he all those priuiledges of idoll Priests and Pontifes to settle them vpon the Christians They had sayth he as chiefe among them Rex Sacrificulus who in their solemne feast was wont to watch and haue an eye ouer all the rest They had also their soueraigne Pontife An. 324. art 79. Pontifex Maximus arbitrator of all questions arising about matters diuine or humane among them And who can thinke that Constantine would long endure that these should exceed the Christians in pompe and glorie the Christians I say to whom himselfe was contented to bow his necke Such are the proofes of this absolute authoritie and power of the Bishop of Rome yet may we learne from him those proud and pompous obseruances vsed by the Popes wherein if he erre somewhat in the times yet he maketh amends for it in the matter The Idoll Priests sayth he as Tacitus reporteth Tacit. lib. 12. had this priuiledge to enter the Capitoll in their Litter Plutarch q. 9. 10. Cic. ad Attic. lib. 2. ep 24. Prudent Hym. 10. so may you see the Pope alwayes carried through the Citie Whomsoeuer they met saith Plutarch they neuer vncouered vnto him no more doth the Pope at this day They were clad sayth Tullie with scarlet of the deepest dye so are the Pope and his Cardinals To conclude the High Priest as Prudentius reporteth at the time of his consecration had his labels and his crowne of gold O how much are we beholding to Baronius who presenteth vnto vs their Pope attyred from top to toe in habit of a Pagan But to say the truth the Popes were no such jollie fellowes in those dayes neither can anie proofe be made thereof As for the name of High Priest Pontifex Maximus it had beene no lesse than flat treason to haue vsurped it seeing that Histor lib. 4. as Zosimus reporteth as well Constantine himselfe as other Emperours after him by the space of one hundred yeares vntill the time of Gratian both retained the name and vsed the pontificall robes and ornaments presented vnto them by the Priests at the time of their coronation Which Baronius himselfe elsewhere not onely affirmeth Baron to 3. an 312. art 94. sequ but also proueth by sundrie old inscriptions which he produceth and giueth the reason thereof himselfe namely that therefore the High Priesthood was ioyned with the imperiall dignitie that the Senat and people of Rome those which were yet of the Heathenish faction might not so easily be drawne to conspire against the Christian Emperours as being of a foreine and different religion And who can then imagine that anie other durst vsurpe that name in Rome and in their presence Thirdly Baronius maintaineth That if the Pope had not perhaps the title yet he had in effect the power of a supreame Iudge in all causes of Religion and Heresie and that he was so commonly reputed and taken in the world much troubled in mind as it seemeth that Constantine himselfe tooke knowledge of the cause of the Donatists receiued their Appeale appointed Delegates and in the end sentenced and decided the cause himselfe in person whereof to doubt were to call all Historie into question The truth of the Historie is this The Donatists being moued by Anulinus the Proconsull by order from the Emperor to reconcile themselues to Caecilian Bishop of Carthage had thereupon recourse vnto the Emperour And because they held the Bishops of Afâ—ike as suspect preferred a petition vnto him That he would be pleased to appoint them Iudges out of Fraunce And Optatus sayth That the Emperour hereupon grew verie wroth and said You craue iudgement of me in my secular Courts Optat. Mileui cont Parm. lib. 1. which am my selfe to attend my doome from the hands of Christ as being justly incensed with the brawles and wranglings of these Bishops who in Christian dutie should haue fallen to an accord without an vmpire And yet as Optatus sayth at their suit Iudges were appointed namely Maternus Bishop of Cullen Rheticus of Authun and Marinus of Arles Here Baronius telleth vs Baron to 3. an 313. That Constantine was as yet a â—â—â—ce in the Faith not skilled in the courses and proceedings of the Church but that afterward he reformed this error being giuen to
first had and obtained thereunto Let vs therefore briefely examine this Epistle also whether according as we find it in the Councels Baron an 314. art 67 68 69. or whether as he alledgeth it out of Pytheus The title it selfe in the first is worth the noting Domino fanctissimo fratri Syluestro Episcopo i. To our most holie brother Syluester Bishop The exordium followeth in this manner The things which we haue with one consent decreed we here make knowne charitati tuae to your charitie to the end that all may know what they ought to doe hereafter Now this word Decree importeth no suspension of authoritie in them nor yet implieth that they were to learne of him but rather that the Pope as well as all others should learne of them neither doth that other copie much differ in sence Communi copula charitatis c. We say they knit together in one and vnited by that common bond of loue and charitie and met together in this citie of Arles by the good pleasure of the most godlie Emperour greet thee most religious Father with all due reuerence Religiosissime Papa Would God beloued brother you had beene present with vs at the hearing of this cause so should a more seuere decree haue passed against the Donatists and we all finding your iudgement to concurre with ours should haue had the greater ioy And comming a little after to signifie vnto him what had passed in the Councell It seemed good vnto vs say they the holie Ghost and the Angels being present with vs c. I would know whether this be to craue confirmation or to fetch the holie Ghost from Rome in a budget or is it not rather to determine of the cause absolutely without the Pope And againe Placuit c. It seemed good to vs say they because you hold the greater Diocesse therefore not all as if all the world were but one Diocesse and that subiect to his jurisdiction to make knowne vnto all men what we haue done and principally by you And who seeth not that to make knowne is one thing and to craue confirmation is another To conclude the Donatists finding themselues to haue the worse appeale to Constantine in person who though all wearie of their contentions and debates yet assigned the parties a day to appeare before him at Milan and there confirmed he by his decree all the former sentences giuen against them witnesse Saint Augustine in many places The Emperour saith he being constrained to iudge this cause after the Bishops caused the parties to appeare before him and with all care August Epist 168. diligence and wisedome entring into the knowledge of the cause pronounced Cecilian innocent and his aduersaries a companie of vngodlie persons And againe Post Episcopalia Iudicia saith he i. After the iudgements of the Bishops c. meaning as well that at Rome as that at Arles what King or Emperour in these our dayes attempting to doe the like should not be excommunicated and cut off from the Church yet Syluester at that time neuer grudged or repined at it And thus they still abuse the world Fourthly he alledgeth the case of Arrius let vs see therefore whether his successe be like to proue better in this than in the former Arrius therefore hauing disgorged his poyson in Alexandria and afterwards by his ballad-like letters dispersed it into all corners of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epâ—phan Haer. 69. Alexander Bishop of Alexandria opposed himselfe against him and sent likewise his Epistles general into all parts to the number of seuentie as Epiphanius reporteth Here Baronius without any authoritie or reason groweth verie peremptorie It is apparent saith he that Alexander before all others wrot first concerning this matter to Syluester Bishop of the first See But why should we take his bare word for proofe Proofe ynough Baron an 318. art 59. Epist Liber to 9 Biblioth Socrat. lib. 1. c. 3. sayth Baronius for haue we not a certaine Epistle of Liberius wherein it is thus written We haue euen at this day the letters of Alexander vnto Syluester And what of that for haue not we likewise euen at this day another of his Epistles generall in Socrates with this inscription To our most honored fellow Ministers throughout the Church wheresoeuer And haue not we another of the same in Theodoret written in particular to the B. of Constantinople Were we disposed to take such aduantage what might not we conclude out of this But we say farther That Alexander Bishop of Alexandria without attending any aduise from Rome Ibidem excommunicated Arrius and cut him off from the Church as appeareth by his owne letters and moreouer published an orthodoxall confession for an antidote against the poyson of his doctrine and raised both East and West against him in all which we heare no newes of Syluester Here againe Baronius runneth to his likelihoods Baron an 318. art 88.89 All other Bishops of the East saith he rising as it were in armes to ioyne with Alexander Haud par est credere we may not thinke that Syluester Bishop of Rome stood all the while idle But seeing it was heretofore said vnto him Feed my sheepe we may well imagine nay rather constantly affirme That he bestirred himselfe in the businesse as well as the best And hath Baronius indeed no better proofes than these Euseb de vita constantin l. 2. c. 63. Socrat. l. 1. c. 4. Sozom. l. 1. c. 15. Yes saith he for Syluester sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba his Legat into Aegypt This I confesse is somewhat to the purpose if it were true True it is that the Emperour to quench that fire dispatched his letters both to Alexander and Arrius by Hosius a man of note and one whom the Emperour honoured verie highly Euseb de vita Constant l. 2. c. 63. And Eusebius speaking of the same man saith That he was one much honoured among good men for his vertue and whom the Emperour had neere about him And the title of that chapter in Eusebius is Legatum de Pace componenda mittit i. He sendeth a Legate or Embassadour to make peace betweene them Theodor. l. 1. c. 7. Theodoret hath the like and withall a copie of that letter wherein the Emperour admonisheth them to handle such questions with discretion reuerence and good agreement As for Syluester or what hee did herein there is not in all these either word or sillable to be found And must Baronius his conjecture goe for currant That sure it was so but that Eusebius would not report it But to proceed This fire beginning now to flame out it was thought fit to assemble that first generall Councell in the citie of Nice But who then called it or by whose authoritie and commaund was it assembled All histories agree in one Euseb de vita Constant Edit Lat. c. 6. l. 3. Eusebius saith The Emperour Constantine assembled the generall
rate set downe in the Code of Theodosius But grant we that Regiones Suburbicariae and Vrbicariae were all one what getteth hee for Constantine in the third law de Annona Tributo sheweth plainely that by Regiones Suburbicariae were meant onely those which lay within Italie and were neere adjoyning vnto Rome where he speaketh in this manner Anatolius late Consul certified vs that he hath taken away the frauds of the a Tabulariorum Lib. 8. de Annon Tribut l. 3. 11. in Cod. Theodos Collectors per suburbicarias Regiones Which course saith he we commaund also to be held throughout all the other Regions of Italie so that the more remote regions of Italie it selfe are not comprised vnder this name of Suburbicariae Regiones but commaund giuen that these should be ordered after their example So likewise would Baronius faine comprise Sicilie and Afrike vnder the appellation of Vrbicariae Regiones Lib. 11. de Extraord sord muner But the words of Constantine and Constantius in the same Code giue him the lye where it is said That lands of inheritance and fee farme throughout Italie shall be free from all extraordinarie taxes paying only their customarie rates as the lands in Afrike doe The reason followeth For not onely in Italie but also in vrbicarijs Regionibus and in Sicilie lands of inheritance and lands held in fee farme must be rated according to their abilities Whereby it appeareth that Italie was to be eased after the example of Afrike and both Italie and Afrike and Sicilie it selfe distinguished from those which were properly called Vrbicariae Regiones So likewise in that law of Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius it is said by the Emperours vnto Probus Grand Master of the houshould in this manner Let thy sinceritie and vprightnesse obserue an equalitie throughout Italie Tit. Si per obreptioneÌ„ l. vnic Cod. Theodos as likewise in the Regions of Afrike and those which are called Vrbicariae and throughout all Illyria where again he distinguisheth them both from Italie and also from Afrike Now if he will aske what those Suburbe cities were that law of Gratian Theodosius teacheth vs L. 1. de Indulgent debit in Cod. Theodos We commaund say they that Picenum and Thuscia now called La Marca d'Ancona and Tuscanie and yet not all Tuscanie neither being the suburbe Regions shall beare the seuenth part of the tribute not comprising therein so much as Campania now a parcell of the kingdome of Naples nor other Regions of like distance And now let Baronius cast vp his reckonings and see what hee hath gotten by quarelling that place of Ruffinus But be this what he will can he denie that the Bishop of Rome was here ordered and confined as well as the rest As for that Canon which he would put vpon vs Art 57. sequent That from all Churches a man might appeale vnto Rome besides that there is no historie that reporteth it no not Gelasius Cyzicenus himselfe I would aske Whether this sixt Canon be not vtterly repugnant thereunto And farther let him say when men were long after this time sent of purpose to search the Archiues of the Churches of Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch to decide the controuersie betweene the Churches of Carthage and of Rome whether there were any such Canon there found or can he produce any one appeale made to Rome in all that time As for that goodlie Canon of the Councell of Rome which he would thrust vpon vs in these words The first See let no man iudge Baron to 3. an 324. art 130. because all other Sees seeke for equitie at her hands as of the chiefe neither may the Iudge be iudged by any Clergie Emperour or King or people whatsoeuer who is so ill aduised as to beleeue them in their owne cause or who seeth not that this is a meere tricke and gâ—llerie put vpon the reader For what kings could they meane if Pagans what can be more ridiculous if Christians where were any in those dayes and consequently what more vaine moreouer doe we not see the contrarie practised in the Nicene Councell immediatly ensuing And why is he not then ashamed to cousen the world with a false coyne so apparently discouered and bored thorough by all Historians and writers It is said in the acts of that Synod That there were 139 Bishops ex vrbe Roma aut non longè ab illa i. out of the citie of Rome or not farre from thence What were there more Bishops than one at Rome and where I pray you should a man find so many Bishops so neere to Rome It is also there said That Helena the mother of Constantine was there and subscribed to the acts And what had they so soone forgotten the saying of the Apostle That it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church Constantine also is there called Domnus which is meerely Gothish and joyned in Consulship with Priscus which was neuer heard of He should not for shame haue alledged this Synod seeing that the verie barbarousnesse of the stile is ynough to conuince it of open forgerie Last of all he saith That the Fathers of the Nicene Councell wrot to Syluester to craue his confirmation of their acts and decrees alledging for proofe hereof the acts of Pope Syluester and not remembring how oft himselfe in other places hath condemned them as false and counterfeit The truth is this that vpon any question arising about religion the Fathers assembled in Councel were wont to send their Synodal Epistle throughout all parts of Christendome Ruffin l. 1. c. 13. and some particulars among them to write their priuat letters to some chiefe and principal Bishops of other countries to acquaint them with the tenor of their acts and to request them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. to giue their suffrage and approbation thereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also were they wont to addresse another Epistle to the Emperour to entreat him to confirme and ratifie their acts and to cause them to be receiued of both which sorts we haue examples in this very Synod of the one in that Synodall Epistle which they wrot to the Church of Alexandria and the rest in Aegypt in which manner they wrot also another Epistle to all Churches in generall without attending any leaue from the Bishop of Rome of the other among the patents of Constantine who was present at this Councell which Epistle we haue in Eusebius Socrates Gelasius Theodoret Euseb de vita Constant lib. 13. Socrat. lib. 1. and others whereby he ordained That Easter day should be kept vpon the day which they appointed and that the bookes of Arrius should bee burnt in all places Which decree was published onely to authorise and to put in execution the Canons agreed vpon and enacted in the Councell And those patents of the Emperour were directed sometimes to the Bishops and people and sometimes to the Churches
Iulius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which onely permitteth him to take knowledge of the cause anew which in the fift Canon is qualified with this Particle as if say they the Bishop deposed As appealing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall flie for refuge to the Bishop of Rome and as the third Canon so this in the decision concludeth onely for a reuiew of the former sentence so little was this matter of formall Appeales meant or vnderstood in this Councell And this fellow which standeth so much vpon his knowledge of Antiquitie and hath written so manie volumes of it should in all reason haue produced some Canon of the Apostles some Constitution of Clement or of some precedent Councell or some example out of the Historie of the Church and not haue grounded himselfe wholly vpon a certaine Appeale made de facto by Martian Valentinian Fortunatus or some such like heretike and make that his onely title to claime by especially considering that the Councell of Nice setteth downe another order in expresse tearmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nicen. can 4. Concil Antioch can 4. sequ namely this that the power of ratifying for so doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there vsed signifie in good Greeke should belong to the Metropolitan in euerie Prouince where there is no superiour appointed ouer the Metropolitan no not the Patriarch himselfe at that time and yet was the question at that time properly concerning the ordination of Bishops And the Councell of Antioch which was held but a little before that of Sardica giueth to a Bishop deposed by his own Synod no other remedie but onely a reuiew in another Synod And farther all Antiquitie forbiddeth euerie Bishop or Metropolitan to receiue anie Bishop or Priest deposed without those solemne letters certificatorie called Formatae from his owne Metropolitan or Bishop which absolute and generall Law were to little purpose if this Law of Appeales did stand in force And hence came the vse of those Formata which were of so great weight and moment and were neuer granted forth but vpon mature aduise and long deliberation Fifthly here may we see how Baronius abuseth a certaine place of Theodoret Theodor. l. 5. c. 9. where he sayth That Iulius hauing receiued letters from Eusebius the Arrian of Nicomedia who made him Iudge following the Law or Ordinance of the Church commaunded him to come to Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cited Athanasius to appeare there also that is saith Baronius a Canon of the Nicene Councell now lost whereby it was enacted that men might from all parts appeale to Rome so small a piece of ground will serue their turne to found the tyrannie of the Pope vpon for what likelyhood thereof doe they find in anie Historie Wherefore it is more probable to say that seeing this was before that Canon of the Councell of Sardica it was meant rather of the common practise of the Church in those dayes when one Bishop oppressed was wont to flie for reliefe to some other of greater dignitie to cleare himselfe before him who thereupon vsed to call his aduersarie and to heare the cause betweene them according to that vniuersall Bishopricke whereof as sayth S. Cyprian euerie one did administer his portion by himselfe yet so as that no man neglected the whole Bodie or any particular member thereof the Church being a Bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. l. 8. c. 13. i. which liued but by one and the selfesame breath As appeareth in the example of Ammonius and Isidore who finding themselues wronged by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria fled to Chrysostome who receiued them and examined their cause and finding them to haue a right and Orthodox opinion concerning the Deitie wrote to Theophilus to receiue them to Communion if not and that he would yet draw the cause to a farther hearing that then he should send some one or other to make himselfe a partie in it The like was in Athanasius flying to Pope Iulius And yet did not Chrysostome hereupon ground anie pretence either ouer Theophilus in person or ouer the dioces of Alexandria The like was also in Liberius whom the Churches of the East assembled in the Syrmian Councell recommended to Pope Felix and to the Clergie of Rome requiring them to admit him as Collegue in that See which also they obtained And thus you see what that pretended Appeale was Baron an 349. art 6. vnlesse yet perhaps some man may thinke that foolerie of Baronius worth the answering where he sayth that Athanasius calleth the Church of Rome The Church Athanas Apolog 2. idem ad solitarios by excellencie without addition The words of Athanasius are these The Emperour sayth he sent me letters hauing receiued them I went vp to Rome with purpose to visit the Bishop and Church there Who seeth not that this word Rome was omitted in this last place onely to auoid an vnnecessarie repetition of what was necessarily implied Now if we would vrge a saying of the same Father where he calleth Milan the Metropolis of all Italie what rejoinder would he make Nay we may say farther that this Councell had beene ill aduised to draw all to one mans authoritie seeing that Hosius the proposer of this Canon a while after fell away from the true and Orthodox doctrine and that Liberius next successor to Iulius fell vnto Arrianisme excommunicating Athanasius and being therefore himselfe without regard to his pretended supremacie excommunicated by our S. Hilarie Baron an 347. art 25. an 352. art 14. to 3. Baronius seeing the consequence which this Historie draweth with it would faine make it trauersable and sometimes flatly denieth it to be true and which is more enrolleth him in the Catalogue of Saints as he did afterwards the good Hildebrand called Gregorie the seuenth But leaue we him to debate this question with Athanasius and Hilarie with Liberius himselfe whose Epistles Nicholas Faber his trustie friend lately published with the fragments of Hilarie with Bellarmine who as hath beene alreadie shewed so clearely condemneth him and lastly with himselfe for as much as he vseth these fragments of Hilarie so farre forth as they serue his own turne for from thence taketh he a Synodicall Epistle Baron an 357. art 26. written to Iulius from the Councell of Sardica and therefore ought in reason to admit also of that Epistle of Liberius found in the same volume but we need no argument in a thing which himselfe affirmeth so plainely as he doth Baron vol. 4. an 365. art 1 2 3 4 5 sequent By all these things saith he taken partly out of histories partly out of the writing of the Fathers partly out of his owne letters it is impossible to free Liberius from that imputation of communicating with Arrius and of ratifying the sentence by them giuen against Athanasius And if saith he there were no other proofe his owne letters are sufficient to put
turbulent Bishop and one who ordered Church matters by force and violence Last of all this Leo writing to the Emperours Idem in Epist 12. ad Theodos ad Pulcher. assumed the title sometimes of Pope of the Catholike Church of the citie of Rome and sometimes of the Roman Catholike Church and in the end of Vniuersall Bishop And because by vertue of the second generall Councell of Constantinople the Bishop of that citie tooke vpon him some authoritie in the East he caused his Legats to be present at the generall Councell of Chalcedon giuing them expresse charge to oppose against it by vertue of the Canon of the Nicene Councell to which saith he no man may presume to adde Idem Ep. 55. ad Pulcher. August falsly grounding his pretence vpon this Councell as his predecessors had done before him But now commeth the question to be decided How farre forth the Fathers of Chalcedon gaue way to his demaunds and chalenges OPPOSITION First therefore Leo himselfe tempereth his stile in many places with sober language Vpon this rocke will I build my Church that is saith he Leo. serm 2. in Natali Apostolor Petri Pauli Vpon the sound foundation of this faith my Church shall raise and exalt it selfe and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against this confession and the bands of death shall not restraine it Which confession surely was proper to no one man but common to all the Apostles and all the Orthodox Churches And would God he had staied here and not suffered himselfe to be carried downe the streame of his owne ambitious humors in claiming his pretended priuiledge Secondly vpon the complaint which hee made to Flauian Bishop of Constantinople Flauian gaue him the reasons of his proceedings and why he could doe no lesse than excommunicat Eutyches for his heresie But saith he this I doe to the end that your Holinesse hauing knowledge what hath passed in this matter might be pleased to signifie as much to your inferiour Bishops that they by letters or otherwise ignorantly admit of no communion with him Which was nothing else in effect but to request him to execute his sentence for him within the limits of his jurisdiction as in the like case he would haue done for him And we must farther vnderstand that Eutyches seeing himselfe condemned had presently recourse by way of supplication vnto Leo wherein he gaue him to vnderstand That he had appealed from Flauian and from the rest of the Bishops of the East vnto him requesting him to take his cause into his own hands which made Leo to demurre vpon the cause And thereupon Flauian shewed him that as in other things so also in this Eutyches had abused him with a tale Flauian apud Leon. Epist 9. giuing him thereby to vnderstand that in his countrey men scarce knew what these appeals meant and therefore saith he as it becommeth thy Priesthood and as thy maner is so make the common cause thine owne and confirme euen by thy writings his condemnation so canonically pronounced against him Wherefore though we should grant that Eutyches did appeale yet it appeareth that Flauian neuer gaue way thereunto no more than the Fathers of the African Councel did before in the case of the Pelagians Thirdly though we haue nothing concerning this Hilarius but what we haue from his opposite and aduersarie Leo yet is it euident that he bent himselfe against this pretended Primacie For saith Leo this man cannot endure to be subiect to Saint Peter Leo. Epist 89. ad Episc per Viennens prouinc constitut and why because saith he he presumeth to ordaine Bishops in France And againe He derogateth saith he from the reuerence of Saint Peter c. whose Primacie whosoeuer shall denie that man is filled with the spirit of pride and hath plunged himselfe into the pit of hell Whereas indeed the question as it appeareth was touching the Primacie either of the Pope in generall or of Leo in his particular not at all of the dignitie of Saint Peter And these demaunds were euer made at the solicitation of certaine Bishops which complained to him of the censures of their owne Prouinces which they requested might be reuoked at Rome as appeareth by the Epistle of Leo himselfe who yet euer vseth this protestation that he thereby pretended no right in himselfe to ordaine Bishops in their Prouinces as Hilarie would persuade them but onely sought to maintaine them in their owne against nouelties and vsurpations of others and that such a presumptuous fellow might no longer continue to breake and violate saith he our priuiledges Which he sought vnder the name of Saint Peter to extend to all causes whatsoeuer yet this I find that all his plottings had not much preuailed here in France about the elections of our Bishops in the yeare 478 An. 478. Sidon Apollin in Concion quae sequitur Epist 9. for we find in Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Clermont in Auvergne that the choise of the Metropolitan of Bourges being by common consent of the Bishops of that Prouince after the death of Eubodius referred vnto him he nominated absolutely Simplicius to succeed in his roome hauing first made a verie solemne oration to the Bishops in these words In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost Simplicius is the man whom I nominat to be Metropolitan of our Prouince Summum Sacerdotem and High Priest of your citie and therefore was not Simplicius to hold his See in fee from the Bishop of Rome or to doe homage for it And it is pretie to obserue how this canting of Rome was not vnderstood in those daies in France seeing that he himselfe writing to Lupus Bishop of Troies in Champagne calleth him our Lord the Pope directing his letter Domino Papae Lupo this title being at that time common to all Bishops not proper to any one and which is more he calleth him Father of Fathers and Bishop of Bishops which watcheth ouer all the members and parts of Gods Church What wonder then if we find that Stephen a simple Archdeacon wrot so to Damasus or Isidore to Hormisda Bishop of Rome Fourthly this question concerning the Primacie was cleerely decided by occasion of the claime which Leo made thereunto in the generall Councell of Chalcedon where he thought to haue set the Bishop of Constantinople cleane beside the cushion and these are the verie words of the Canon taken out of the Greeke copies of that Councell Concil Chalced. can 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 28. The decree of the maior part of voyces of that holie Synod made concerning the prerogatiues and degree of the See of the most religious Church of Constantinople Following in all poynts the decrees of the holie Fathers and acknowledging the Canon of 120 religious Bishops now read in our hearing We here assembled vnder Theodosius of holie memorie late Emperour of this royall citie of Canstantine called new
themselues content and satisfied therewithall Seeing that the verie words of the Acts are cleare against them and seeing that Liberatus the Archdeacon affirmeth That the opposition made by the Popes Legats was not regarded neither by the Bishops Liberat. in Breuia c. 13. nor yet by the Iudges And although saith he that the Apostolike See excepteth against that Canon euen to this day being supported by the Emperour yet the decree of the Synod continueth still for firme and good and seeing also that we haue the Epistles of Pope Leo himselfe to Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople written after this Councell was concluded wherein he debateth this point with all eagrenesse and vpon this occasion rejecteth that second Councell of Constantinople Leo epist 53. ad Anatol. Item ep 54 55 ad Martian Pulcher. Et epist 62. ad Maximum Antiochenum calling it a rotten ruinous Councell from the beginning and that it was now too late to set it vp againe and drawing the Bishop of Antioch into the quarrell complaineth sometimes to Martian the Emperour sometimes to Pulcheria the Empresse not knowing to what Saint first to turne himselfe and all this partly vnder colour of these words Tu es Petrus though to me it seemeth a strange matter that those 630 Bishops should not be able to reach vnto the mysterie of these words and partly vpon a false supposition of that Canon of the Nicene Councell which he protesteth that he will euer hold as sacred and inuiolable and which he will neuer suffer to be infringed whereas yet there is no one word to be found in all that Councell which maketh for his pretended Primacie It remaineth now the better to vnderstand what degree of authoritie and power the Bishop of Rome had at this time aspired to for Leo by his good will would not loose one ynch of his heigth that we consider who it was which called this Councell and who presided in it Concerning the former of these two the first action of this Councell telleth vs. Concil Chalced. Act. 1. That it was called by the commandement of the most religious and Christian Emperors Valentinian and Martian And Martian himselfe in a certaine Constitution of his Martian l. 3. Co. de sum Trinit saith it was called by his commaundement And the Fathers themselues when all things were now ended asked leaue of the Emperors to returne euerie man to his owne home But perhaps it were best to heare what Leo himselfe saith concerning this matter Leo therefore vpon the first bud of the Eutychian heresie wrote to the Emperour Theodosius in this manner Leo. ep 9. ad Theodos Iubeatis If your pietie saith he will vouchsafe to yeeld so much to our petition commaund we beseech you that a Councell of Bishops be assembled in Italie Where you see that euen in Italie where himselfe was all in all he requested that a Councell might be called by order from the Emperor And not long after vnderstanding that Theodosius had assigned it to be held at Ephesus Idem ep 12. 17. Constituit Since so it is saith he that your pietie hath appointed a Councell to be held at Ephesus I haue therefore sent thither my brethren Iulian a Bishop Reinold a Priest and my sonne Hilarie a Deacon to supplie my roome And afterward Vicem praesentiae meae when he was pressed to be present in person at the Councell which Theodosius commaunded to be held he verie mannerly excused himselfe vpon the shortnesse of the time and the troubled estate of Italie And againe You haue commaunded it saith he to be held at Ephesus and hauing shewed the inconueniences of holding it at that place Commaund saith he I pray you Leo epist 13. ad Pulcher. Augustam Idem ep 23 24 34 49 50 51. that it be held in Italie Which request he therefore so often made that he might thereby justifie the Appeale which Eutyches had formerly put in to the See of Rome as he affirmed and which Flauian Bishop of Constantinople had remonstrated to be false And in the 49 Epistle to the Emperour Martian he vseth the like stile as before We hoped saith he that your clemencie would haue yeelded so much to our entreatie as to haue appointed this Synod at a more conuenient time but since out of the zeale which you beare to the Catholike faith you are pleased that a Synod should be at this time assembled I therefore send my brother Paschasin to supplie my roome And euen like tearmes and phrase of speech doth he vse in his 50 and 51 Epistles And we farther obserue that all these his Epistles beare date according to the Consuls as the vse and custome of those times was as an euident marke and argument that the Pope at that time acknowledged their authoritie without claiming to himselfe the dominion and seigniorie of Rome Neither may we giue credit to Bellarmine when he affirmeth that Dioscorus was thrust out of this Councell for presuming to call a Synod without the authoritie of the Pope quoting these words as out of the Councell which was neuer lawfull to be done nor neuer was done before for so is he pleased to abuse his reader for these are the words of Lucentius one of the Popes Legats and not of the Fathers of the Councell To be short Epist Synod ad Leon. in Concil Chalced. Baron vol. 6. an 450. art 7 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epistle of the Synod vnto Leo would not suffer him to doubt who they were whom they acknowledged as Authors of that their assemblie namely the Grace of God and the most religious Emperours and so speaketh that Epistle throughout and Baronius himselfe doth not denie it As for the Presidencie which we distinguish from the Precedencie or Preseancie for we denie not but that in regard of the honour of that Citie he held the first place Leo telleth the Emperours Leo. ep 12. 49. that he sent his Legats to supplie his roome or presence And in his Epistle to the Synod he speaketh yet more aduantagiously for himselfe saying Idem ep 47. That in the person of his Legats or Vicegerents they should imagine that he himselfe was there to preside among them whether he meant properly of the Presidencie or else of the Preseancie I know not but this is certaine that in the Acts of this Councell we find no certaine order obserued Which disorder grew from hence because that Leo had drawne Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople into suspition and Dioscorus of Alexandria was alreadie attainted for not to enuenome their minds which were alreadie but too much exasperated towards each other their order in speaking was manie times of set purpose altered and sometime the Iudges who represented the person of the Emperor were faine to order the proceedings to propose matters to take the voices to pronounce judgement as we haue shewed before And we haue yet farther a more
Church together with their power that at this time came in the inuocation and adoration of Saints and Martyrs in stead of the gods the verie ground-plot of Heathenisme to erect the building of Christianitie vpon OPPOSITION Such were then the proceedings of the Popes yet when he presumed to passe his bounds too farre there neuer wanted some one or other to lay a blocke in his way which we should now more clearely discouer had the writers of those daies beene as carefull to record vnto posteritie the oppositions of the one part as they were to set downe the attempts of the other But this appeareth that Leo his pretencions were euer opposed by the Churches and we may perceiue by Symmachus his owne Epistle that in Sclauonie Dardanie and Dace Symmach in ep ad Presbyt Illyr Dardaniae Daciae his authoritie was little esteemed And in Rome itselfe his owne Clergie accused him to Theodoric at what time he was wiser than to replie as now they doe that no man may presume to aske him Domine cur ita facis Neither did his predecessor Anastasius the second find the Bishops of France and Germanie ouer gentle in taking their bitt into their mouths when they wrot vnto him in the time of Clouis the first and first Christian King of Fraunce that memorable Epistle whereof we will here insert some few of the most important clauses Non putatiuè sed veracitèr affirmant Episcopi that is The Bishops doe constantly and truly affirme Epist episc Gol. German ad Anastas 2. in Collecta Auentin that a Councell is of greater authoritie than is a Pope Anastasius Paule the Apostle which crieth out Be ye followers of me resisted Peter who was chiefe of the Apostles because he was to be reproued c. This is indeed a verie fountaine and nurserie of scandales to the people when the Bishops of the Church rise in dissention against each other among whom there should be a full and a perfect peace c. And againe Our weake wit say they cannot conceiue what this new kind of compassion meaneth which these Phisitians of Italie vse in the cure of the disease of France They who pretend to cure our Bishops are themselues shaken with a continuall feauer they who promise sight to vs are themselues blind they take vs to be crouchbackes and haue themselues such a bunch of auarice growing on their backes that it will not suffer them to enter in at the narrow gate they let their owne sheepe goe astray and call our Shepheards into the way of truth going about to persuade vs that the physicke of spirituall diseases the absolution of soules is at Rome c. But if they will needs applie their searing yrons to our wounds they shall quickly feele our French truth which they without a cause prouoke against themselues c. And if they say yet farther That the Bishops of France are spiritually sicke let them remember the commaundement of our Sauior and visit vs in our sicknesse for the sicke must not runne to the Physitian but the Physitian come vnto the sicke which if they refuse to doe then let them know that we haue of our owne a perfect good Antidot euen the Gospell of the Sonne of God to expell all venome from our hearts that is to say We haue no need of your Treacle Let them take this for a warning not to make shew of too great zeale of iustice thereby to draw vs into the snare of their King like iudgements least we answere them as it is in the Gospell Let him of the Bishops of Italie which is without sinne cast the first stone at vs. All which we say to this end that they in the hardnesse of their heart may not offer to lay their pretended authoritie vpon our Bishops For it is not impossible that the stone which they cast at vs may flie backe in their owne faces for our men vse not to be afraid of feathers Let them rather this day confesse before Christ that they are a sort of miserable comforters those properly whom S. Iohn saw in Pathmos of whom he saith He sent the Dragon and he drew the third part of the starres c. The stinke of their ill name is spred to the vtmost borders of the earth They which dwell beyond the mountaine of God that is they which will make themselues gods shoot their arrowes beyond the stone of saluation because they are not planted in the house of the Lord after the order of Melchisedech c. that is are not called by a lawfull vocation And although say they by the shaking of our Oxen of France the Arke of our couenant should be like to fall yet it belongeth to our Bishops to hold it vp and not to them But if they by their euill speaking slander the Arke of our Church the like mischiefe befall them as befell Vzzias the Leuit. To conclude let them learne this Syllogisme If there be equall power in all Bishops then is it equall in euerie one but it is equall in all ergo in euerie one And by this you may see what reckoning the Bishops of France made of the Bishops of Rome in those daies 15. PROGRESSION That Pope Hormisda tooke vpon him to constitute diuers Vicars of his See in the West AFter Symmachus succeeded Hormisda who would lose no time If we may beleeue his Epistles he made diuers Bishops his Vicars in sundrie Prouinces of the West as Auitus Bishop of Vienna in the Prouince of Narbona Iohn of Arragon in Spaine on this side the riuer Betis and on the other side Salust Bishop of Seuile These Bishops accepted of this title thereby to aduance and to set themselues aloft aboue their brethren and the Pope cunningly soothed them in their ambitious humor thereby to enlarge the precincts and limits of his owne authoritie And in the East also vnder colour of composing a certaine difference in religion concerning the Chalcedon Creed he sent his Legats to the Emperour Anastasius who would not receiue it The Pontificall Booke sayth That he did it by the aduice and counsell of Theodoric forbearing to say By his permission D. 50. c. Si ille qui. though indeed it had beene farre more honourable for the Pope to haue beene the author of so good an aduise himselfe And yet how earnest soeuer he would seeme to be in the defence of this Councell it is euident that he renounced one of the principall Canons thereof concerning the place and ordering of Bishops seeing that he protested though vpon another occasion that he receiued nothing but what was contained in the Councell of Nice for feare of broaching himselfe vpon the Canons of those two Councels of Constantinople and of Chalcedon both which equall in all points the priuiledges of the Church of Rome and of Constantinople And it is sport alone to see the instructions which he gaue vnto his Legats how he setteth downe how farre they should goe and
of Vniuersall Patriarch which place Holoander for feare of the Popes displeasure hath translated Patriarch of all that quarter whereas the word there vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth all the habitable earth Wherefore it is to be vnderstood that all those Patriarchall Sees are sundrie times called Oecumenicall without prejudice of each to other because the Bishops of those Churches being placed in the middest of the enemies of Christianitie were alwaies taken as watchmen ouer the whole Church who were to looke euerie man not to his owne peculiar charge onely but to all in generall that Sathan by schismes and heresies infected not the bodie of the Church like vnto fellow tutors who though by consent they administer euerie one his portion of the pupils goods apart yet is euerie one of them answerable for the whole Wherefore we see that sometimes these Patriarchs without blame put their sickles into each others corne and vpon the first alarme giuen by anie of these they all sought presently to procure an Oecumenicall Councell which was then so esteemed and called when they all or the greatest part of them with their inferior Bishops met in Synod and as Rome for the honour of the Citie held alwaies the first roome in dignitie so the Church there for the grace which God had giuen her to keepe herselfe more cleane from heresies than anie other was most respected and the Bishop also of that Citie tooke place before the other Patriarchs and in causes which arose was euer consulted with much respect and reuerence whereof Iustinian yeelded the cause which was for that saith he we haue sundrie times beene reformed by the Church of old Rome L. 7. Co. de sum Trinitat But so soone as either the Pope or anie other Patriarch began to abuse this honour and to encroach thereby vpon the liberties of their fellowes euerie man began presently to crie out of tyrannie and oppression 18. PROGRESSION 1 That the Gothish Kings vsed their authoritie in the election and creation of the Popes 2 That Belisarius by the commaund of the Empresse thrust out Syluerius and placed Vigilius in the Popedome 3 That Vigilius condemned the Councell of Chalcedon and confirmed the Heresie of the Eutychians 4 Baronius his censure of Vigilius 1 IT cannot be denied that the Popes of this age were sharpely set vpon this desire of soueraigntie and dominion but they met commonly with one or other who knew well how to prouide a Martingall for a jade and so much the rather because men began now to grow jealous of their authoritie and power as they saw them to vse it in fauour of one or other Wherefore these Gothish Kings vsed ordinarily to beare a hand in their elections which were carried otherwise after a fashion more befitting rogues and theeues than ingenuous competitors And Agapete was no sooner elected Pope Anastas in Agapete but Theodatus immediatly sent him as embassador to Iustinian the Emperour of Constantinople to excuse him of the death of Amalasuntha his wife daughter to Theodoric and by him recommended to the Emperors protection a fit commission for a Pope And the same Theodatus vpon the death of Agapete placed Syluerius in his roome being the naturall and lawfull sonne of Pope Hormisda Siâ—e deliberatione Decreti An. 536. The Pontificall Booke saith That it was done without anie deliberation of the Decree and he made manie Priests to subscribe thereto by force and feare How then can these men who boast so much of their Mission justifie this calling with sundrie actions ensuing thereupon Syluerius accepted of his kindnesse but Vigilius whom Boniface had formerly nominated to the See by solicitation of the Empresse put in now againe for his interest And here the Reader may well obserue an apparent progresse and proceeding of the iniquitie of this See the relation therefore of Liberatus Archdeacon of Carthage is as followeth 2 Liberatus in Bretuario c. 22. The Empresse Theodora who was of the Eutychian Heresie called vnto her Vigilius sometime Deacon to Pope Agapete requiring him to promise her vnder hand That if he were made Pope of Rome he would abrogate the Councell meaning that of Chalcedon and that he would write his letter to Theodosius Anthymius and Seuerus heretikes of the same profession and therein ratifie and confirme their faith promising him to send her commaund to Belisariuâ— that he should set him in the See and withall to giue him seuen hundred markes of gold Centenaria septem This Vigilius what for loue of the gold what for desire of the Popedome accepted of the offer and thereupon came to Rome where he found Syluerius alreadie created Pope wherefore he went to Belisarius who then lay at Rauenna to whom he deliuered his message from the Empresse and of those seuen promised him two hundred markes if he would thrust out Syluerius and put him in his place Belisarius thereupon returned to Rome and called Syluerius before him into the palace layed to his charge that he had entertained secret intelligence with the Gothes to surprise the Citie and it is reported that one Marcus a scholer and Iulian one of the gard had forged certaine letters as from Syluerius to the King of the Gothes whereby he was conuicted of conspiracie against the Citie And yet in the meane time did Belisarius and his wife deale priuily with Syluerius to satisfie the Empresse by cancelling and disannulling the Councell of Chalcedon and by writing to authorise and to confirme the faith of the heretikes But he was no sooner gone out of the place but hauing had conference with his Councell he withdrew himselfe into the Temple of S. Sabina from whence vpon assurance giuen vnto him by one Photis sonne to the Ladie Antonina he was againe sent for to come into the Palace his friends aduised him not to aduenture his person vpon the tickle faith and promise of those Grecians yet he came into the Palace from whence in regard of their oath and promise they suffered him to returne safely vnto the Temple of S. Sabina But when Belisarius sent for him a second time seeing a mischiefe readie to fall vpon him he recommended his cause to God and went vnto the Palace where he entred all alone and after that was neuer seene by anie of his friends The day following Belisarius called together all the Priests Deacons and Clerkes commaunding them to proceed to the election of a new Pope who after some little variance agreed in the end vpon Vigilius whom they chose in fauour of Belisarius and Syluerius was then banished vnto Patara a Citie of Lycia 3 Belisarius immediatly vpon the installation of Vigilius demaunded performance of promises which Vigilius had made vnto the Empresse and the two hundred markes which he had promised vnto him but he what for feare what for auarice refused to performe his promises Syluerius in the meane time arriued at Patara and the Bishop of that Citie went and
owne swords when as by approuing them they rather cut the throat of their owne cause What speake I of their approuing hereof when they receiue it as one of the six sacred Synods and that in these words This picture meaning of the Lambe is receiued by the Canons of the sixt Synod published by humane and diuine ordinance c. As for that which he sayth That Anastasius in his translation of the seuenth Synod testifieth That none of the Patriarchall Sees receiued them besides his proper qualitie as vassall to the Popes this author maketh himselfe otherwise too too much suspect in this businesse when in his Epistle Dedicatorie to Iohn he sticketh not to say That in this Synod meaning the second of Nice there are manie things of the Canons of the Apostles and of the sixt Generall Councell found which with vs saith he are not found either interpreted or receiued of so good dealing were the ministers of this See euen in those dayes to leaue out whatsoeuer might make against them 26. PROGRESSION That Aripert King of the Lumbards bestowed the Cottian Alpes vpon the Pope and that Iustinian the Emperour sent for Pope Constantine to come to Constantinople An. 705. THe greatnesse of the Bishop of Rome at this time was such that the Emperours residing in the East being harassed what with the inuasions of the barbarous abroad what with ciuile dissentions and rebellions at home had need of their fauour to maintaine their credit in the West So had the Exarchs in Italie to make their partie good against the Lumbards And the Lumbards themselues were faine vpon occasion to speake them faire and the Popes as children of this world and wise in their generation made vse of the times for their owne aduancement Anastas in Joh. 7. Paul Diacon l. 6. c. 28. Blond Dec. 1. l. 10. In the yeare therefore 705 Iohn the seuenth entred vpon his See Aripert King of the Lumbards gaue him as Paulus Diaconus reporteth the inheritance of the Cottian Alpes Blondus and Platina say that he gaue him all betweene Turin and Gennes and from thence as farre as France and this they call Giuing to Saint Peter and he made no great difficultie to be liberall of another mans Paulus saith Sigon de Reg. Jtal. l. 2. That all this did formerly belong to the See Apostolike meaning by that pretended donation of Constantine the Great and that they were taken away by the Lumbards and that he sent the Act of the donation in letters of gold to Aripert But Platina marreth all when he sayth Plat. in Ioh. 7. That this is reported without an author and that seeing there is no certainetie of the donation it selfe and that the Canonists reckon it as a Palea or chaffe without corne or substance in it how can the confirmation hold for good Wherefore this was either a meere deuice of the Popes to encroach vpon it or else a humor of Aripert thereby to redeeme the manie enormious cruelties by him committed and mentioned by Sigonius according to the common error of the times but he shortly after pursued by his enemie was drowned in the passing of a riuer On the other part Iustinian the second wearied with his homebred trauerses being now at length restored to the Empire which he had lost purposing to be reuenged of his enemies thought good first to gratifie the Pope and therefore sent him the Acts of the fixt Councell by two Metropolitans exhorting him to receiue them Anastasius the Popes Librarie keeper sayth it was with request to strike out what he thought fit But Platina their Historian sayth That it was absolutely to haue him subscribe vnto them but both of them agree in this that he sent them backe againe as wanting courage to contradict or censure them An. 708. But in the yeare 708 Pope Constantine made better vse of the times for Iustinian hauing made away the chiefe of the aduerse faction and hauing pulled out Callinicus the Patriach of Constantinople his eyes sent him prisoner to Rome thinking thereby to doe the Pope no little pleasure and thereupon sent to him to come into the East with purpose to vse his aduice in matters and to oblige him to himselfe with honors which he means to doe vnto him The Historie sayth That he gaue order to haue him receiued in all places as his owne person That he fell at his feet and kissed them with his diademe vpon his head Paul Diaco de gest Longobard l. 6. c. 31. but withall it letteth vs vnderstand that he vsed his authoritie to make him come Paulus Diaconus saith That he commaunded the Pope Constantine to come vnto him not as Sigonius an author of these dayes that he beseeched him And Anastasius himselfe sayth That he sent his sacred Patent by which he commaunded him to come vp to the royall Citie and that he with all readinesse to obey the Emperours behests Anastas in Constanti caused shipping to be prouided and these are the authors who liued neerer vnto the times so that Baronius is idle when he interpreteth his commaunds to be but prayers and requests Wherefore the rest that the Emperour did was in deuotion and compunction and not in dutie or obedience And indeed Paulus Diaconus reporteth That the Emperour renewed vnto him all the former priuiledges of his Church so that he was to hold them from him in time to come And Anastasius giueth the cause Requesting him saith he to pray for his sinnes for these were the satisfactions which those times required and so saith he the Emperour dismissed him to returne to Rome Who durst speake thus in these daies But Platina after all Iustinian saith he for all these calamities changed nothing of his former life onely he had the Apostolike See in a greater awe and reuerence than before and so long as good friends as might be OPPOSITION Notwithstanding this strong support yet were there alwaies some or other who would not endure this Tyrannie The Church of Rauenna was but lately come to the yoke and that by the commaund of the Emperours Wherefore Felix succeeding vnto Damian came and presented himselfe vnto Pope Constantine to be by him approued and consecrated at Rome but sayth Anastasius he would not enter caution according to the custome that is Anastas Plat. in Constanti Blond lib. 10. Dec. 1. as Platina and Blondus more ingenuously deliuer would not oblige himselfe to a set forme of obedience and to send a certaine summe of money to Rome wherein the magistrats themselues of Rome assisted him The tale goeth that his Caution being layed by the Pope vpon the holie confession of S. Peter that is vpon his Relikes it was found shortly after all blacke and as if it had beene burnt with fire These were the pettie miracles of those times to put to children but the matter stayed not here Blond ib. The Archbishop being thus repulsed by the Pope returned to Rauenna
time of their first Christian Princes Waltram Bishop of Naumbourg to this purpose speaking Gregorie the Great saith he wrot to Theodoric and to Brunichild To grant inuestitures of Bishops without simonie so that this right began in the first race of the kings of France And it followeth That long time before that decree of Adrian and his successors the kings once annointed and the Grand Master of their houshold Waltramus apud Naumburgensis granted inuestitures of Bishoprickes as did Dagobert Theodobert and Sigebert by whom were in throned Remaclus Amandus Audomarus Antpertus Eligius Lampertus and other holie Bishops c. We also find in histories how the Bishops of Spaine Scotland England and Hungarie came in alwayes by the authoritie of the kings following the ancient custome vntill this present noueltie meaning which the Popes brought in about the yeare 1100 So that where we read That about the yeare 779 Charlâ—maine would haue Turpiâ— or Tilpin Archbishop of Reims to accept of the Pallas Pope Adrians hands wee must take it for a speciall fauour which he meant to doe him at their present and which he knew well how to restraine when he saw himselfe at an end of his purposes which he had in hand Adde we hereunto That both Pepin and Charles made lawes meerely Ecclesiasticall not concerning Church gouernment onely but also concerning points of doctrine whereof we haue the articles to this day Capitularia and at Modena saith Sigonius are those lawes yet kept by which he fashioned the State of the Church after a new order whereof he alledgeth the prâ—â—me onely but thereby by appeareth that he purposed seriously to execute his power mentioned in the chapter Hadrianus in reforming the Church and 〈◊〉 Apostolike See it selfe But no cable could hold the violent ruine and corruption of that Church and all his diligence serued onely to their greater condemnation For the Scripture must needs be fulfilled That this ambition must raise it selfe vpon the ruines of whatsoeuer was good just or holy As indeed their 〈◊〉 deuotions and whatsoeuer seemed in them to participat most of the spirit had ouer reference to some worldly respect and purpose Gregorie the second and third sent Boniface into Germanie where they found Christian Churches of long continuance yet they call Boniface the Apostle of the Germans as if he had first coâ—â—ed them to Christ For what his chiefe drift and purpose was we may learne by the oath which he tooke to Gregorie the second at his going in these words I doe promise to S. Peter and to you his Vicar c. that with all integritie I will serue and bend my course to the behoofe and profit of thy Church c. If I shall otherwise do let me in the day of iudgement incurre the punishment of Ananias and Saphira and he deliuered him this oath signed with his owne hand And yet Gregorie writing to the Germans saith That he sent him for the illumination of the Gentiles promising to whomsoeuer that should assist him place with the blessed Martyrs 2. To. Concil in Decret Greg. 2. and threatning euerie one that should resist him with Anathema who yet preached nought vnto them but the authoritie of the Pope and Romish inuentions The like may we learne by the letters of Gregorie the third to Boniface Ib. in Epist ad Epist Praebyt Diacâ—n wherein he rejoyceth with him for that God had opened to him among these nations the way of saluation and the doore of mercie and had sent his Angell before him to prepare his way This Angell was Charolus Martellus who fauoured him and the cause why we haue seene before Neither doth he sticke to tell vs in this verie Epistle To. 2. Concil in Epist 2. ad Bonifac what this way of saluation was to wit the Apostolicall Tradition of creating Bishops there ex nostra vice that is in true construction after his owne mind and humor Neither did Boniface faile one jot of his promise as we may farther learne by his Epistle to Zacharie Ib. Epist Decret Zachar. wherein hee protesteth That looke how many auditors and disciples God had giuen him in this his embassage bee had not ceased to draw them euerie one to the obedience of his See As also by that Epistle of Zacharie to the Bishops of France and Germanie wherein he congratulateth them not for the vnion which they had with him in Christ but that they were conuerted to Saint Peter whom God had appointed as a fauourer and master ouer them that is That they acknowledged the Bishop of Rome deliuering them withall a doctrine no doubt verie necessarie to saluation to wit That Christians aboue all must beware of eating Gaies Dawes Storkes Beauers Hares wild Horses c. with such like fooleries for more necessarie doctrines of saluation shall you there find none referring himselfe for the rest to the sufficiencie of Boniface in these matters Ib. Epist Greg. ad Bonifac. to whom he writeth and holie brother saith he thou art well instructed in all things by the holie Scriptures Yet could not the Popes effect all that they attempted in France and Germanie for all their support by Princes For Gregorie the second is faine to write to Charolus Martellus vpon the information of Boniface and to request That hee would represse a certaine Bishop accused of some idlenesse in his charge And Zacharie was not well content with the Bishops of France for that contrarie to promise they regarded not the Pall when it was sent vnto them It may be hee tooke too deepe of them as he can hardly denie in his Epistle to Boniface but in the end If they will not saith he aduise them But which is more Carloman himselfe in the Synod which he assembled in his kingdomes assisted by Boniface saith in expresse words By the aduise of our Bishops and great men we haue appointed Bishops and for Archbishop ouer them Boniface Missum Sancti Petri. Synod Franc. sub Carlomanno An 742. the messenger or deputie of Saint Peter by which it appeareth That Carloman himselfe prouided or appointed them And this is the first time that we euer find a Legat of Rome assisting in any of the Councels of France namely in the yeare 742. To be short if Boniface sought to blemish any of the Bishops whom he found there at his comming they died not in his debt calling him Auenti Annal. â—oior li. 3. The author of lyeâ— the disturber of peace pietie and the corrupter of Christian doctrine who yet were Monkes and the most learned of those times Clemens and Sampson of Scotland Adelbertus of France disciples of Beda and others whom they seeke to staine by sundrie imputations But if any angred him or seemed to be more learned than himselfe his next way was to accuse him of Heresie to make the Pope damne him for an Heretike and the Prince to bee ill persuaded of him As for example Virgilius a
Emperour and because according to the Canons and auncient customes there are present no embassadors or other from the Emperor to hinder such disorders Canonico ritu we therefore will and command That when a Bishop of Rome is to be chosen the election be made by the Bishops and Clergie in the presence of the Senat and people and that the Bishop thus elected be afterwards consecrated in the presence of the Emperours embassadors Which ordinance is a foot at this day hauing scaped Gregorie the thirteenth his censure in his late edition Baron vol. 9. an 616. art 101 and what matter then though Baronius as he saith doubteth of it Yet was this law transgressed in the next election which was but one yeare after of Paschal in the roome of this Stephen This Paschal being solemnely and fully consecrated sent away presents and letters of excuse vnto the Emperour Aimoni. li. 4. c. 105. post completam solemniter ordinationē telling him that the Papacie was layed vpon him against his will and after much resistance This excuse presupposeth a confession of an act done contrarie to the law yet shortly after he sent another embassadour to entreat the Emperour That what had beene heretofore accorded betweene the Popes and his predecessors might stand good meaning betweene Charlemaigne and Adrian and Leo which we haue seene before Hostien li. 1. c. 18. for of anie other accord can it not be vnderstood and so Leo Hostiensis expoundeth it all which was graunted Here the Historians of the Popes produce a certaine graunt pretended to haue been made by this Lewis which the more ample it is the more also is it to be suspected And this is the first Graunt which is suffered to come abroad as for those others of Charles and Pepin they only quote them but produce them not to our scanning especially that of Charlemaigne produced by Anastasius Anastas in Adriano of the same stile tenor with that Palea of the donation of Constantine though written so long after in so different an age which graunt of Lewis containeth as they say an absolute renunciation of all right in the election of Popes expressed in the Canon Adrianus recited all at length by Sigonius and Baronius and taken by them word for word out of the Decrete of Gratian which the more learned sort haue euer rejected as false and counterfeit and that for many reasons First for that many lands and lordships are passed in that grant which we find many yeres after comprised in that donation which Maud the Contesse made vnto the Church Secondly because that of manie of those lands there passed the successors of Lewis disposed as of their owne Thirdly because there are graunted manie Prouinces Islands Demaines Ports and Riuers vnto which the Emperour Lewis neuer did or could lay anie claime and which in the treatie betweene the Emperors were left for a partage properly belonging to the Emperor of the East Fourthly because Lewis giuing Italie afterwards to one of his sonnes for his portion had left him small meanes to support his estate if besides the part of the Grecian Emperour and the state of Venice all those lands comprised in that donation had beene taken out of it Fifthly because the Citie of Rome was long after gouerned by the officers of the Empire and the Popes Buls dated as Guicciardine recordeth Imperante domino nostro c. Sixtly because this renunciation is not found obserued in those Elections which ensued afterward which were as we shall hereafter see ordered and confirmed by the Emperours who tooke it in great redainder if anie thing happened to be attempted to the contrarie Seuenthly because the Authors of that time as Nitare Aimonius and other Annalists make no mention thereof no not Anastasius himselfe in the life of Paschal who for the good will he bare vnto the Popes would not haue omitted so high a point of their honour Eightly because the Popes neuer pretended anie such grant vntill long after and when the house of Charlemaigne was fallen to the ground Ninthly and which cutteth the throat of all because Otho the third Diploma Othonis 3. Emperour in that donation which is kept in the Muniment house of the Charters of the Church of Rome at the Cordeliers of Assisa hauing by way of Preface declared That he purposed to giue vnto S. Peter and to Syluester the second his master things of his owne giueth him in that Charter eight Counties Pesaro Fano Senigallia Ancona Fossombrone Calle Haesio and Occimo being the verie same which are contained in the donation of Lewis pretended to haue beene made so manie yeares before For had there beene anie such what needed anie new donation or with what face could Otho in that his Charter haue vsed these words following We not regarding those forged Mandats and imaginarie writings doe out of our owne bountie and liberalitie giue vnto S. Peter things of our owne and not as ours that which is his alreadie By which words it is apparent that he dasheth that donation of Lewis and all others whatsoeuer And Syluester the second accepted of this donation though he vnderstood his writings as Lawyer like as anie Pope that went before him But whether that donation of Lewis be true or false we cannot doubt of their ambitious encroaching vpon other mens estates seeing that Paschal pulled out the eyes and cut off the nose of Theodore Anastas in Valentin chiefe Secretarie to the Church of Rome and of Leo the Nomenclator his sonne in law for carrying themselues loyally towards Lotharius sonne to Lewis and associated in the Empire and as little doubt may we make of their pride seeing that Anastasius their Historian glorieth in this That Pope Valentine elected in the yeare 828 made all the Senat of Rome come kisse his foot And this was the first Pope that euer suffered this so to be done vnto him and God suffered not him to sit aboue fortie dayes Helmold in hist Sclauor l. 1. c. 4. But Helmoldus obserueth a huge encrease of the pride of the Church in the dayes of this Lewis where he saith That he made them who in the regard of their care of soules were Princes of Heauen by his largesse and liberalitie Princes of his kingdome OPPOSITION Lewis for all his kind nature yet suffered not the Popes to do what pleased them and there wanted not those who spake broadly ynough of the encroachments and vsurpations of the Popes The Emperour himselfe tooke Paschal in hand and sent Adalong Abbot of S. Vast and Humfrey Countie of Coire to enquire vpon the murder committed as was said either by his commaundement or not without his priuitie and aduise Paschal thought to preuent him by his embassadors whom he sent to request him not to giue credence to any such report But when Adalong and Humfrey continuing on their journey were come to Rome they found that the Pope had purged himselfe by oath
in an abridgement of the historie Author Coaetaneus apud Vigner pa. 214. saith in expresse words That after many mischiefes done vpon the people of Rome they made them sweare fealtie to the Emperour and confirmed Sergius in his See againe as not holding his Title of the Popedome for good before much lesse of the Seigneurie of Rome And Anastasius doth not sticke to tell vs That the Popes authoritie was then and there questioned and debated for saith he Drogo Archbishop of Metz and other Archbishops and Bishops gathered together against this Vniuersall Church and Head of all other Churches without the leaue of their Metropolitan and did euerie day make new quarels against our most holie Pope and his Bishops And if you aske who they were that joyned with Drogo he telleth you That they were Gregorie Archbishop of Rauenna Anguilbert of Milan Ioseph Bishop of Iuree Agin of Verona Almaric of Coma Norchauld of Verseils Saufredus of Rhegium Toringar of Concorda Odelbert of Aqui Ambrose of Luques Iohn of Pisa Peter of Volaterra Gauspran of Pistoria Cancio of Sienna Lupus of Textina Sisimond of Aprusia Pico of Scolana Fratellus of Camerin Gisus of Ferma Racipert of Nocera Amadis of Pinna Donate of Frisoli and others and with them the Counts Boso Adelgisus Iohn Guido Vernard Wifrid Maurinus and others that is the better part of the Bishops of all Italie Insomuch that Anguilbert Archbishop of Milan separated himselfe wholly from the Roman Church which one of his predecessors had newly acknowledged some sixty yeres before And this separation dured as the sequell of this historie will declare two hundred yeres Sigonius obserueth this separation but concealeth the cause which was the pride of that See Simonie other disorders there vsed in the time of Sergius Besides that Theodorus Abbot of Fulden reporteth of this Anguilbert That he was much affectioned to the memorie of good S. Ambrose whose liturgie continued in the Church of Milan at that day and long after To go on with the time Baronius vpon the yere 839 produceth out of the Vatican a certaine Epistle of Gregorie the fourth An. 839. written to the Bishops of France Germanie of Europe and of all Prouinces he might haue made shorter work and haue written to all the world wherein vpon the complaint of Aldric Bishop of Mans made of the wrongs done vnto him by the other Bishops he giueth them to vnderstand That according to the ancient Canons an Appeale from them lay to Rome or to his Legat à Latere exhorting them in all hast to take horse and come away to him This pretence of the Popes was no newes to them and wee haue said alreadie That Charlemaigne was content to sooth the Popes in their humor But Baronius telleth vs not what became of this letter or whether the Bishops of France gaue way to this Appeale or no and it is verie likely that no for had there beene any thing for his purpose or not something against it we should haue beene sure to haue heard of it Baronius told vs before That Charlemaigne disposed not of the Empire as properly depending of the Popes election and we there shewed the contrarie Loe now Lewis surnamed the Courteous Charlemaines sonne he from whom they claime that goodlie donation who disposeth absolutely of the Empire and of Rome it selfe Thegan de gest Ludouici as we haue alreadie declared And farther Theganus saith That he named his sonne Lotharins after his decease to receiue all the kingdomes which God had giuen him by the hands of his father Nomen Imperium Nitard li. 1. and to haue both the name and Empire of their father which the other sonnes much stormed at And Nitard saith That he diuided his whole Empire among his sonnes in such sort that Pepin should haue Gascoine Lewis Bauiere but Lotharius after his decease should haue the whole Empire and suffered him in his life time to beare with him the name of Emperour And when the brothers after many hot bickerings Helmold l. 1. c. 4 came at last to an agreement In the end saith Helmoldus by the mediation of Pope Sergius this discord was appeased and the realme diuided into foure parts in such sort that Lotharius had Rome with Italie Lorraine and Burgundie for his part Lewis the riuer of Rhine and all Germanie Charles France and Pepin all Guiene both which were writers of that time or not long after 30. PROGRESSION That Leo the fourth was consecrated without the Emperours leaue and how the matter was excused An. 847. WHen Lewis was returned into France Pope Sergius the second dyed in the yeare 847 and the same day was elected Leo the fourth and presently consecrated contrarie to the law and without expecting the pleasure of the Prince The people excused their doing by reason of the Sarasens who at that time pressed sore vpon them and Leo his sufferance as being forced thereunto by the people Anastas in Leo. 4. who yet as Anastasius reporteth liued in feare of Lewis his second returne to Rome vpon the like occasion as feeling their wounds yet bleeding of his first being there And farther he obserueth That they carried him to the Patriarches Palace of Lateran and there after the ancient custome kissed his feet And yet all the antiquitie of this custome was but since the time of Valentine who as himselfe reporteth was the first author of it and liued some thirtie yeares past And for the rest this was that Leo which walled and fortified the Vatican against the Sarasens OPPOSITION An. 854. Leo about the yeare 854 cried for helpe to Lotharius against the Sarasens who presently sent his sonne Lewis with an armie into Italie but withall because he was informed That the discipline as well of the Church as Estate of Italie established heretofore by his father and grandfather was much fallen to decay he commanded him as soone as the warres would giue him leaue to call together the Bishops and the chiefe men of Italie to aduise of some course for the restoring thereof Lewis hauing assembled them at Pauia and calling vnto him Anguilbert Archbishop of Milan he who as we haue alreadie said separated himselfe from the Roman Church judge Reader by that which followeth how farre the regall authoritie then reached and Andrew Patriarch of Aquileia signified vnto them That his pleasure was to take a particular account of the liues and dueties of the Bishops and the rest of the Clergie of their sermons of the repâ—â—ation of Churches and Hospitals of the regularitie of Monkes of the jurisdiction of the Counties De Iurisdictione Comitum and to reforme in euerie person and degree what he could find amisse commaunding those two to make relation of what he had said vnto the other Bishops who were so farre from declining his jurisdiction that they yeelded him a particular account vpon euerie of the said articles humbly requesting him to grant such as
was If you will say that those statues were erected not past some two hundred yeares was it not long ynough for Rome to take knowledge of it being vnder her nose and to gaine say it if it had beene false Last of all Onuphrius sayth Luitprand l. 6. c. 6. 7. That he is of opinion that this tale proceeded from hence That Pope Iohn the twelfth had manie concubines and aboue the rest Ione Raineria and Stephania and because he suffered himselfe to be led by Ione and did what pleased her some idle head or other inuented this tale of her But he whose occupation is to be an Annalist doth he not remember that there are an hundred yeares betweene And what probabilitie to put Iohn the twelfth for Iohn the eight And doth he thinke with this friuolous conjecture to shake the foundation of so manie proofes And which is more Luitprand whom he alledgeth among all his concubines nameth no Ione but Raineria he doth whom he made gouernesse of manie Cities and gaue her manie Crosses and Chalices of S. Peter and Stephania who died in childbed of his doing being brought to bed before her time likewise one Anna a widow and another which was his neece As for Ione which Onuphrius nameth first there is no such named in Luitprand but Onuphrius hath foisted her name in onely to giue a colour to his owne inuentions And now let the indifferent Reader be judge of this strife betweene vs. 31. PROGRESSION The attempts of Pope Nicholas vpon the Emperour Lewis vpon Lotharius king of Lorraine vpon the Bishops of France and the small reckoning he made of holie Scripture An. 855. YEt could not this shame make them let goe their hold but the worser their game the better face they set vpon it Benedict the third then succeeded this Ione and was inthroned without leaue asking of the Emperour and thinking it ynough if he sent him word afterward thereof Whence followed that schisme of Anastasius who was borne out by those of the greater sort and qualitie and by the Emperour Lewis at the instance of his embassadours so that they were forced to returne to a new election wherein Benedict through the fauour of the people Anastas in Benedict 3. was againe preferred in the election and then followed by the consent of the Emperor and in the presence of his Lieutenants his confirmation Whereby it euidently appeareth That there was a meere nullitie in the first Act for want of his authoritie This Benedict liued not long and did but little but so soone as Lewis sole Emperour now by the decease of Lotharius and who had nothing to take vnto but onely Italie heard thereof knowing how neerely it concerned him to maintaine this prerogatiue he remoued presently to Rome to assist at the creation of a successor but found himselfe preuented by a choise alreadie made of Nicholas the first who as the manner then was had hid himselfe to make the world beleeue that he was elected against his will and was shortly after consecrated in the presence of the Emperour This is he whom they vse to compare to Gregorie the Great who indeed at the first entrance into his office made his hautie mind and itching humour sufficiently to appeare For abusing either the deuotion or the present necessities of the Emperour whose dominion was confined with the narrow bounds of a part of Italie and that ouerlaid with the inuasion of the Sarasens he was content to let him take his horse by the bridle at two seuerall times Idem in vita Nicolai 1. and querrie-like to lead him aboue a bow shoot as Anastasius himselfe reporteth adding farther That they kissed each other at their parting But Sigonius in a more glorious manner Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 5. saith That the Emperour taking his leaue kissed his holie foot An. 860. and so returned into Lombardie In the yeare 890 Iohn Archbishop of Rauenna set his old Title on foot againe declaring That he held nought from the See of Rome whereupon he fell presently into suspition of Heresie for greater Heresie than this knew they none in those dayes Anastas in Nicol 1. Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 5. Nicholas hereupon stirred vp some of his inferiour Bishops against him who also made other complaints of him whereupon he was depriued of his Bishopricke Iohn in this extremitie fled vnto the Emperour who mediated for him to the Pope The Pope called a Synod at Rome to heare and to sentence his cause in the presence of the Emperours embassadours where he was condemned to acknowledge the Pope to enter into a straiter band and to take a more speciall oath vnder paine of forfeiture of some good summe of money as we haue said before to him and his successors once in euerie two yeares to visit the Court of Rome if he were not hindered by sicknesse or otherwise dispensed with by the Pope This we learne out of Histories and a certaine Author of that time telleth vs That the ground of this rigorous proceeding was for that he seemed too familiar with the Emperor and farther That in despight of the Emperour for that he had appeared in his cause his anger led him vnder a colour of inspiratiō from heauen to set the crown of the Empire vpon Charles the Bauld his head Neither did the Pope stay here It fel out that Lotharius king of Lorraine falling in loue with a concubine of his called Waldrada whom he had of long time kept desired to be rid of his queene Thietberga and to marie her and Guntier Archbishop of Collen whether kinsman to Waldrada as some report or vpon what other respect I know not assisted the king in this his purpose Wherupon was a Synod assembled at Metz where the queene made her apparance and witnesses were produced to testifie a filthie incest betweene her and her brother and she was thereupon separated from Lotharius who shortly after in another Synod at Aix presented a bill shewing the importance of hauing children to succeed him and thereupon got leaue to take another wife which was this Waldrada the cause of all this quarell Hereupon the friends of Thietberga began to stirre among the rest Hubert duke of Mantiou Transturanorum Dux an allie of Charles of France and vncle though no great friend vnto Lotharius these complained to Pope Nicholas who hasted to be dealing with a Prince that was faultie finding himselfe to be backed by a puissant king of France and thereupon dispatched an embassage to Lotharius cited Thietgard Archbishop of Treuers and Gontier of Collen to appeare at Rome to answer the separation which they had made of Thietberga from Lotharius Annal. inceris Authoris made them deliuer vp into his hands the whole processe of the cause in writing by which they offered to shew That they had done nothing contrarie to the Canons called not long after a Synod of certain Bishops without any summons giuen to
the old fashion that he shall be deposed for a whole yeare if the Prince be cause of his so liuing that he be excommunicated for two yeares And the 17 Canon forbiddeth Princes and Emperours to be present at Synods vnlesse it be at generall Councels And the 22 disableth them and all Laies whomsoeuer to be present at the election or promotion of anie Patriarch Metropolitan or Bishop vnder paine of excommunication whereby no doubt the Popes Legats thought they had shut the Emperours of the West cleane out of their Conclaues vsing one Emperour as a rod alwaies to scourge the other As for the point of Appeales to Rome they could not effect it for the 26 Canon is plaine That who so findeth himselfe aggrieued with his Bishop shall appeale to his Metropolitan and from the Metropolitan to the Patriarch à quo litibus finis imponatur who shall make a full end of the controuersie and therefore meant not to run to Rome as Nicholas would haue had them And it was euen at the instant when the Articles were offered them to subscribe that they made their protestation against them In this Synod there appeared yet another notable ambition of the Popes for the Bulgarians being formerly Painims receiued Christianitie in the time of Nicholas who sent them Bishops for their instruction Michael their Prince sent his embassadors to the Synod who comming before them That we may not say they seeme to erre in our owne opinions we desire to be informed by you which supplie the places of the Great Patriarches to what Church we are to belong The Popes Legats replied presently That they ought to belong to the Roman Church The Bulgarians requested That the matter might be resolued and agreed vpon with the Legats of other Patriarches there present The Romanists replied That there was no more to be done with them and therefore without euer putting it to the Synod pronounced absolutely That they must belong to Rome The Easterne Bishops put this question to the Bulgarians When you first tooke the countrey said they from whom tooke ye it and the Priests which you found there were they Greekes or Latines They answered That they tooke the countrey from the Grecians and that they found there none but Greeke Bishops Whereuppn the Easterne Bishops inferred That they were doubtlesse ordained at Constantinople and so consequently should belong to that Church Thereupon the Legats replied That Churches were not bounded by the diuersitie of tongues That kingdomes and Sees differed in their jurisdictions That they had the presumption on their side who had giuen them their first Bishops That all Epirus Thassalie and Dardania had bin euer belonging to their jurisdiction The Easterne Bishops on the contrarie demaunded vpon which of these they would principally stand In the end the violence and pride of the Roman Legats ouerswayed who told the Synod That the Church of Rome held not that Councel for a competent Iudge of her controuersies who was her selfe by speciall prerogatiue to iudge of all other Churches That decree they what them lusted it should be as little regarded as it was lightly enacted That from this present time they by the authoritie of the holie Ghost pronounced a nullitie in whatsoeuer they should decree vntill the See of Rome had determined thereof And so the holie Ghost who was to Preside in the Councell Resided onely in their persons And they farther adiured the Patriarch Ignatius by the authoritie of the Apostles and of Adrian who had restored him to his See not to suffer Bulgaria to be taken from them Who made them a doubtfull answer telling them That he was neither so young as to be lightly deceiued neither yet so verie a dotard as to do that himselfe which he found fault withall in others And there rested this contestation betweene them being questionlesse a great scandall to the consciences of these poore conuerts who saw at first that these men sought not the enlargement of Christs kingdome but of their owne jurisdiction and iniurious to the Emperour who offended with these proceedings though dissembling it tooke no order for their passe and safe-conduct into their countrey So that hauing been certaine dayes at sea they fell into the hands of the Sclauons who stript them of all that euer they had took away the original of the Councell with the subscriptions of the Bishops and left them nothing but the copie of Athanasius and had peraduenture lost their liues but that some of their companie escaping the Sclauons feared the matter might come to light and they one day receiue the like measure The issue of all was That doe Adrian what he could the Bulgarians put out the Latine Priests and sent for others in their roomes to Constantinople and so remained they in obedience to that Church Whereupon they grew so odious to the Popes that they called that sinne condemned from heauen after their name Bulgarie thereby to make them odious and abhominable to all men And this was the end of Adrians enterprises in the East 33. PROGRESSION Of the attempts of Pope Adrian both vpon the Clergie and also vpon the kings of France LEt vs now see whether he sped any better in the West Hincmar Bishop of Laon nephew vnto Hincmar Archbishop of Reimes the most learned Bishop of France had surrendred certaine Church goods into the hands of Charles the Bauld to bestow them vpon a certaine Norman captaine Aimon li. 5. c. 24 from whom he would needs shortly after take them away againe and because the Norman would not resigne them but into the hands of the king from whom he had them therefore Hincmar excommunicated him for which in a Synod held at Vernons he was reproued and sharpely censured he thereupon appealed to Rome but they refused to grant him any letters dimissorie yet he continued still in his stubbornnesse vntill at length there was assembled another Councel at Attigni consisting often Prouinces where he was againe condemned and thereupon promised to submit himselfe to the good pleasure of the king and of Hincmar his Metropolitan and vncle and yet vnder hand signified the matter vnto the Pope procuring him to euocate the whole cause to Rome and himselfe to be serued with Processe to appeare there at a day making the best of his owne cause to Adrian Whereupon Adrian wrot vnto king Charles who yet would not license the other to goe to Rome and then did Adrian write him that bloudie letter calling him Tyran periured perfidious and a spoyler of the Church goods and what not And for conclusion as well to him as to Hincmar the Metropolitan We saith he by authoritie Apostolike will and commaund That thou cause Hincmar of Laon and his accusers to come before our Clemencie to the end that we may pronounce our sentence of his cause And wee shall see anone how well he was obeyed But not long after he made a farre more violent attempt vpon him The Emperour Lewis hauing as
and Doctors that reprehended the pluralitie of benefices and the pompe of the Clergie vntill occasion was giuen them to part stakes with them and to tast the benefit of such pluralities and then couetousnesse blinded them too It is written of a great learned Master that solemnely disputed against the riches and pride of Prelats as being altogether vnlawfull to liue in such a fashion Which the Pope being giuen to vnderstand merily answered Let vs bestow vpon him some good Priorie and such and such benefices and he will be quiet ynough which was speedily done and so presently he changed his opinion saying Vntill now I neuer vnderstood this matter c. But he compareth the state of the Church in these times to those of Hieroboam when he set vp the golden calues in Israel Many holie men saith he did commonly affirme that the same was to be feared in the Ecclesiasticall State and now we see it performed in many parts of the world The Clergie who should possesse nothing but that which in reason was competent for them nor intermeddle with the affaires of the Temporaltie will take vpon them to possesse and to gouerne all things and therefore as S. Bernard saith such as obserue no order hasten thither where dwelleth eternall horror c. Good Reader take heed thou follow not this dangerous custome neither excuse thy selfe with the Popes dispensation but follow the counsell of those that are in the heauens aboue with God least with the golden calues thou burne in hell fire An. 1046. In the meane time in the yeare 1046 the Emperour Henrie the second taketh his journey into Italie partly to take possession of the Empire partly at the persuasion of diuers to procure some remedie against those confusions which had beene brought into the Church by three Popes Benedict Siluester and Gregorie the one troubling and contending with the other and within the walls of Rome making barricadoes one against the other Siluester at S. Maria major Benedict at the palace of S. Lateran and Gregorie at S. Peters whereupon these verses were sent by a Hermit to Henrie Otho Frisingens l. 6. c. 31. Gregor Hemburg in admonitione de vsurpat Paparum Roman Imperator Henrice Omnipotentis vice Vnica Sunamitis Nupsit tribus maritis Dissolue connubium Et triforme dubium An. 1461. Herman contract Carthusian Sigibert in Chron. Platina in Gregor 6. Siluest 3. Great Emperour Henrie who in Gods stead must be The Church who is but one is maried to three Dissolue thou the knot and the doubt trebled will be Platina calls them three wicked monsters and in his historie of Siluester the third saith We are like to see worse matters than all these if God preuent them not since the good being opprest he onely riseth to promotion that excels in bountie and ambition not in learning and sanctitie of life They vse not saith he in these dayes to enter by the doore but the window like theeues and robbers and of diuers others in this Age hee affirmes as much Now by this onely disorder how many other may we imagine He therefore being receiued King in Lombardie before he came to Rome held a Councell of many Bishops at Sutri wherein Gregorie the sixt being conuicted for obtaining the Popedome with money by consent of them all was deposed and in like sort were the other two reiected being deposed saith Martine Canonica imperiali censura by a Canonicall and Imperiall censure And the Romans being altogether ignorant whom vpon the sudden they might nominat to bee Pope the Emperour proposed vnto them Suitger Bishop of Bamberge one of his owne followers and a man for his honestie and learning well spoken of whom he compelled them to approue This is he that was called Clement the second Sigon l. 8. de regno Ital. Martinus in Chron. The Church saith Sigonius hauing beene now sicke for the space almost of two hundred yeres the disease grew so desperat that it required violent remedies yea sword and fire medicines that belong to diseases incurable Whereupon saith Martin per vim substituit he gaue them a successor by force the Romans promising vnto him and swearing That they would neuer chuse Pope without his consent Leo Ostiens c. 80 Leo the Cardinall of Ostia speaking in his Chronicle of these disorders more briefely saith Pope Benedict hauing held the See at Rome twelue yeares was deposed by the Romans and Iohn Bishop of Sabins who was called Siluester substituted in his place non tamen gratis but yet not freely But three moneths after this Benedict with the aid of the Tusculans his kinsfolke draue away Siluester and by force repossessed the See of Rome But neuerthelesse perceiuing himselfe to be odious to all he deliuered the Popedome to Iohn the Archpriest who was accounted as it were the more religious and retired himselfe to his fathers house that there with better libertie he might fulfill his owne lusts and practise his wickednesse He could not in better words haue affirmed That he that of the three was accounted the best was starke naught But Henrie the Emperour saith he the sonne of Conrade his nefandis auditis hearing of these execrable things in the Apostolike See inspired from heauen in the yeare 1047 comming into Italie went to Rome desirous to purge the Apostolike See of these spots Whereupon he stayed at Sutri where deliberating vpon this great and necessarie businesse statuit he appointed there a general Councell to be called of all Bishops There being therefore gathered together at his commaund a great multitude of Bishops Abbots and other religious men he likewise inuited thither the Pope of Rome to be chiefe in that Councell What should I say more The Councell being held Gregorie being by their Synodall Canons and sentence conuicted of simonie of his owne accord rising from his seat and putting off his Pontificall habit humbly and prostrat vpon the ground asked pardon for that he had prophaned that dignitie Leo therefore we see agreeth not in opinion with Baronius who saith That it is not lawfull for an Emperour to intermeddle with the affaires of the See of Rome for he saith quite contrarie That he came inspired by God to that end yea and he addeth withall That he procured vnto him a successor And because these things were done with so prosperous and good successe Sigon l. 8. de regno Italiae the Romans gaue vnto the sayd Henrie the honour of a Patriciat as they did sometimes to Charles the Great and decreed that besides the Crowne of the Empire he should weare a Chaine This selfesame yeare in hope or rather vnder some shew of a reformation of the Church a Synod was held where first a question was made concerning simonie which sin was then growne to such a height saith Sigonius the Popes either winking at it or no way hindering the course thereof that it was a vsuall thing for Bishops to sel
Orders to Clergie men consequently for Clergie men to put their function to sale to the Laitie and therefore a question was made Whether such as were initiated by a Simoniacall Bishop should hold their Orders It was decreed That if a Clerk when he was initiated knew the Bishop of whom he tooke Orders to be Simoniacall he should doe penance for fortie dayes and so the sinne should be expiat and he continue in his Orders otherwise he must take his Orders againe And to pacifie those tumults that were risen amongst them by reason of the bad obseruation of that law which made the nomination of the Pope without the authoritie of the Emperor of no force it was decreed againe Petrus Damianus in lib Gratissimus Platina Onuphr in Clement 2. That all auncient honours should be restored to the Emperour Henrie and he should still continue a Patritius and dispose of the Church of Rome at his pleasure and that it should neuer hereafter be lawfull to create a Pope of Rome without his authoritie The Author is Petrus Daemianus Bishop of Ostia By this meanes Henrie seemed to haue restored all things to their auncient order who neuerthelesse was hardly returned into Germanie but the Disciples of Benedict the ninth Gerardus Brazutus and Hildebrand poysoned Clement so that he had not continued in all aboue six monethes but they thrust Benedict into the seat But yet neuerthelesse the Emperour taking stil hold of his priuiledge ordained for Pope Poppo Bishop of Brixen who was afterward called Damasus the second who likewise not without the industrie of the same men continued in the See but three twentie dayes in place of whom he named againe by the same right Brunus Bishop of Toul who was called Leo the ninth For the Romans as it is likely being wearied with those factions that arose about the election of the Popes for the space of two hundred yeares wherein the most factious commonly preuailed perceiued that had not the Emperours interposed their authoritie which neuerthelesse they endured with much impatiencie they could neuer haue obtained peace Neither must we forget that which Cardinal Benno noteth That Gerardus Brazutus a familiar friend of Benedict the ninth by his slie and subtile familiaritie in the space of thirteene yeares killed six Popes of Rome that is Clement Damasus Leo Victor Stephen by poyson Benedict the tenth by fraud and violence Baron vol. 11. an 1002. art 5. 6. Here what will Baronius say and what judgement will he giue of all these times Truely hauing in the whole precedent volume proclaimed for execrable monsters all those Popes that had held the See for a hundred yeares before at the last he pronounceth sentence against the race of the Emperours Othoes That in the person of Otho the third by the just judgement of God that race ended being poysoned by the wife of Crescentius because like Osias they durst to put their hands to the Arke though it were to vphold it and to adde their authoritie though it were with good zeale to remoue those monsters and to place others in their seats Are monsters then by the Canon law in Baronius countrey suffered to liue or must we stay and attend till they of their owne accord remoue and displace themselues Emperours yea and Christian Kings are they not bound as sometimes Ezechias Iosias and others were to repaire the Temple of God and to reforme the Church And to betray the Church of Christ vnto Antichrist to leaue it as a prey to the enemie needed there any other thing In this interim therefore which containeth about fiftie yeres were there in his owne judgement any that were more honest or more tollerable than others Let vs heare what he saith of Iohn whom he calls the twentieth the brother of that execrable Benedict whome for his wickednesse he placeth in the bottome of Purgatorie Idem vol. eodem an 1024. art 3. 4. Vnworthie as he was saith he he vnworthily and tyrannically occupied the place and by ill meanes ascended vnto it And again The secular power that is to say the Marquesses of Tuscane Glaber l. 4. c. 1. 2. 3. Ideman 1027. art 13. 14. an 1032. art 2. 3. hath brought forth monsters vnto vs. This monster neuerthelesse by his owne testimonie put S. Romwald into the Canon of Saints pronounced S. Martial an Apostle and that by an expresse decree in fauour of those of Limoges Benedict the ninth succeeded this Iohn But what saith Baronius The Earle Albericke had of his familie two Popes who were brothers Benedict and Iohn and hardly he could endure that the Papall dignitie should be transferred to any other and therefore he thrust in his sonne a child of ten yeares of age by gifts who againe by the testimonie of Baronius himselfe proued a tyran and the shame and monster of the Church For to omit other things what could be more monstrous than an infant of ten yeares of age to be the vniuersall Pope and Father of Fathers And yet if any man speake against it he is angrie and growes furious yea he makes profit of this shame Baron an 1031. and glories therein and by this intrusion which he confesseth he defends his right You see saith he how great the authoritie of the Church of Rome then was for though he were a child and an intruder too yet he was acknowledged by the whole Church for Pope in so much that the Archbishops of Hamburge receiued the Pall of him neither was there any thing that belonged to the Papall function which he did not vndergoe Dares he then to maintaine the Orders of an infant who himselfe was capable of no Order He was himselfe a simoniacal person created by gifts and it was his maner by all sorts of simonie to create others as Petrus Damianus Bishop of Ostia and one of the Popes chiefe champions describeth him vnto vs O wickednesse O prodigious monster saith he is Peter himselfe enforced to pay for the forestalments of Simon Magus out of his owne store who was knowne with an euerlasting curse to condemne Simon with all his marchandise And againe in his verses What pitie is it that the Apostolike See sometimes the glorie of the world should now out and alas be made the shop of Simon Thy hammers beat the anuill and thy money is the money of hell And yet this Benedict sat in the chaire about twelue yeares so that the greatest age he arriued vnto was but two and twentie yeares Now these people that boast so much of their successions vocations with what face can they defend the missions of this man Neither were those of Siluester the third any better who by the faction of Ptolomie a Consull of Rome interrupted the See of Iohn of whom saith Baronius Baron an 1044 art 2. This man was Bishop of the Sabines who also malis artibus by bad meanes that is by money made himselfe way to the Papacie
to the Apostolike See and are or shall be in my power I will so agree with the Pope that I will neuer incurre the danger of sacriledge and the perditition of my owne soule and to God and Saint Peter by the assistance of Christ I will doe all worthie honour and seruice and the first day that I shall see him that is Gregorie I will plight my faith with my hands to be a faithfull souldier of S. Peter and his for euer But Henrie in the meane time gaue him no leaue to doe what pleased him for hauing by his victories and prosperous successe appeased the tumults of Germanie he takes his journey with his armie into Italie And this was the last act of Hildebrands tragedie Henrie therefore who in the Synod held at Brixen had caused Gilbert of Corrigia Archbishop of Rauenna to be named Pope who was called Clement the third was absolued by him and so passed the Alpes and remouing all obstacles that stood in his way or did any way detract from his Empire pitching his tents as the manner is in the Neronian fields he determined to besiege the citie of Rome but being encountred at the first with strange difficulties by reason it was Winter he retired himselfe to Rauenna and there wintered But the yeare following 1082 An. 1082. in the beginning of the Spring he sets forward in the same steps as before An. 1083. and assailes the Vatican and in the yeare 1083 after a long siege he tooke the citie and entring into the Capitoll there fortified himselfe William of Malmesburie and others that writ the historie of Godfrey of Bulloine say That he was the first who with a ladder scaled the citie entred into Rome for which seruice the Emperour granted vnto him the inuestiture of the Duchie of Lorain There remained the fort of Crescentius otherwise called the castle S. Angelo into which Gregorie with some of his deerest friends was fled These wearied by Henrie resolued with themselues to offer twentie hostages and to take day vpon certaine conditions to deliuer the citie But Gregorie vnwilling to fall into his hands whom he had so much offended made choyce rather to hazard the bringing of Robert with his Normans to Rome though it were a course full of danger This Robert therefore being at an appointed time let in by the gate Flaminia by some of Gregories friends tooke the Pope out of the castle and caried him to Cassin Sigebert in Chron. Math. Paris in Histor Angl. and from thence to Salerne Whereupon Henrie returned into the citie by whose authoritie Gregorie was againe condemned and Clement confirmed who crowned and annoynted the Emperour with Bertha his wife But Henrie returning into Germanie to appease some tumults that were newly risen Gregorie making benefit of the occasion though he were absent stirreth vp his followers at Rome to rebellion but in the moneth of May being suddenly taken with a disease An. 1085. he died in the yeare 1085 but yet not without aduice giuen to the Cardinals to chuse either Desiderius Abbot of Cassin or if he refused it Hugh Bishop of Lyons or Otho of Ostia that it might be said That the ambitious enterprises of Gregorie outliued himselfe But Sigebert Abbot of Gembloux a writer of those times saith in expresse words That he called one of the twelue Cardinals whom he loued aboue the rest and confessed himselfe vnto him That by the suggestirn of the diuell he had stirred vp that anger and hatred against mankind hauing neuerthelesse published his Decree throughut the whole world vnder a colour of the encrease of Christianitie Whereupon he sent the aforesaid Confessor to the Emperour and to the whole Church receiuing both him and all Christian people that stood excommunicated into the Church both dead and liuing Clergie and Laitie desiring them and the whole Church to pray for the remission of his sinnes It is now of some importance to know what manner of man this Hildebrand was because the judgement of him throughout all Christendome was diuers some imputing all this to his ambition more than humane some to his zeale of the glorie of God Touching his priuat life therefore Lambert of Schaffnabourg Abbot of Hirtzaw a graue writer speaking of the Countesse Mathilda his good friend saith That she her husband Goselon Duke of Loraine yet liuing pretended a kind of widowhood farre from her husband she refusing to follow her husband to Lorain out of her natiue countrey and he employed about the affaires that belonged to his dukedome tooke no care for the space of three or foure yeares to visit his Marquisat in Italie after whose death she seldome or neuer parted from the Popes side following him with a strange affection And for as much as a great part of Italie obeyed her and she abounded aboue all other Princes with whatsoeuer men most esteemed of whensoeuer the Pope had need of her helpe she was presently at hand and was euer duetifull to doe any office vnto him as to her Father and Lord Whereupon she could not escape the suspition of an incestuous loue the Kings fauourers euerie where reporting and especially the Clergie whom he had forbidden lawfull mariage against their Canons That night and day the Pope did impudently sleepe in her bosome and she preoccupated with the stolne loue of the Pope after the losse of her husband refused to marie againe Others adde That she hauing maried Azo Marquesse of Este the Pope impatient therewith the yeare following dissolued the matrimonie Sigon l. 9. de regno Italiae vnder a pretence of kindred in the fourth degree of consanguinitie Whereby that suspition of adulterie that was before did more appeare to be a manifest truth and deseruedly too nothing in those dayes being more common than dispensations in an equall degree of kindred and neerer And if he loued her not but in the way of honestie what reason had he but to dispence with Mathilda too There is therefore one that speakes yet more freely Tractatus de vnit Eccl. conseruanda By this their frequent and familiar conuersation he ingendred a cruell suspition of dishonestie whilest he obserued not more carefully that diuine precept of Pope Lucius That a Bishop ought not at any time to be without the companie of two Priests and three Deacons as witnesses of his conuersation Which he should so much the more carefully haue obserued by how much the more seuerely he proceeded against lawfull matrimonie In this all Authors consent That Mathilda ruled both Pope and Popedome and by her the goods of the Church were administred Whereupon saith Benno Benno Cardin. in vita Hildeb Rome hath seene and heard how he liues with what persons day and night he conuerseth how he hath remoued the Cardinals from him who should be witnesses of his life and doctrine Neither was Sigonius ashamed to write Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Annales Godefrid Monachi That he appoynted
Decree they degrade him and put his sonne into his place The circumstances are set downe by Krantzius and Helmoldus Helmold l. 1. cap. 32. Krantzius l. 5. ca. 20. in Saxon. which let not the Reader thinke tedious to read The Bishops saith he of Mence Cologne and Wormes were commaunded to goe vnto him and to bring from him howsoeuer vnwilling the Imperiall Ensignes the Crosse Scepter Halberd Kingdome sword and Crowne but the Emperour enquiring the cause thereof they answere him That he committed Symonie in conferring of Bishoprickes and Abbies To whom the Emperour replied Tell me yee Bishops of Mence and Cologne by the name of the eternall God what I haue receiued from you they answered Nothing Glorie to God on high saith the Emperour that in this point we are found faithfull doubtlesse your great dignities might haue brought great gaine into our Chamber if we had sought after it my Lord of Wormes knowes we are not ignorant whether freely or for gaine we receiued him My good fathers violate not your faiths we now wax old haue patience a little and end not our glorie with confusion we require a generall Court If we must yeeld we will deliuer our Crowne to our sonne with our owne hands But they making offer to inforce him he retired himselfe a little and putting on his Imperiall ensignes and returning vnto them The goodnes of the eternal God saith he the election of the Princes gaue them vnto me God is able to preserue them vnto me and to withhold your hands from this your enterprise although we want our forces to defend vs not doubting of any such violence But yet let the feare of God bridle you since pietie cannot and if neither of them will behold here am I vnable to withstand your force Hereupon the Bishops paused a while but at the last the one encouraging the other they went to the Emperor tooke the Crown from his head and taking him out of his seat spoyled him of all his royall robes The Emperour fetching a deepe sigh spake in this manner The God of vengeance behold and reuenge this iniquitie you commit against me I suffer an ignominie the like whereof was neuer heard of before but it is God the iust Iudge that punisheth me for the sinnes of my youth But yet you are not free from this offence because you haue broken your oaths and therefore you shall not auoyd the reuenge of a iust Iudge God neuer prosper you vpon the earth but let your portion be with him that betrayed Christ This saith Krantzius is the narration of our Annales And Sigonius describes this matter almost in the same words Sigon l. 9. de regno Italia By which narration it plainely appeareth that this poore Emperour was not deposed because he had inuested Bishops for money which they of their owne accords acknowledge but purely and simply because according to the antient laws of his predecessors he did inuest them which the Synod calleth the Henrician heresie or of Guibert alias Clement 3 the Guibertine by which account all Princes were in those dayes heretikes But so farforth did the crueltie of Paschal extend Krantz Saxon. l. 5. cap. 21. Henric. Herford cap. 68. that he caused all that were inuested by Henrie to be digged out of their graues sixe yeares after their death but he demanding penance of the Legats is proudly reiected vntill he did humbly submit himselfe to Paschal But Paschal euerie thing thus falling out according to his owne mind by an honorable embassage is entreated to come into Germanie whilest the Emperour being depriued of his Kingdome is left to lead a priuat life in the Castle of Ingelheim But yet shortly after by the helpe of some of his friends he retireth himselfe into Cologne and being conducted by the Citizens to Liege he was honorably receyued by Othbert Bishop of that place and Henrie Duke of Lorraine And from thence hee dispatched Orators to all Christian Princes especially Philip the first King of Fraunce to lay open vnto them this miserable tragedie But his sonne pursueth him euen to that place notwithstanding those protestations he made that he only fought some little place of rest where he might end his life And at the last by his indeauours he brought it to passe that he got him againe by force into his power where his estate was such at the last that he intreated the Bishop of Spire sometimes his deare friend and aduaunced by him to giue him a place where he might liue as a Clerke in the Church of S. Maries which he had founded which was cruelly denied him And so a few dayes after being ouercome with griefe he dyed And that it might appeare that the impietie of his sonne had not altogether extinguished his loue and pietie towards him he sends vnto him for his last present testimonie of his fatherlie loue his Seale-ring and his sword who neuerthelesse in fauour of the Pope Auent l. 5. Annaliū Boior Helmold l. 1. cap. 33. and to expresse his obedience towards him kept his father for fiue yeares together vnburied in a solitarie Chappell of the house Here saith Helmoldus the Historiographer He was verie good to those Churches which he found to be faithfull vnto him but as for Gregorie and others who lay in ambush against his honour as they endeauoured the worst they could against him so he the like against them extreame necessitie as many affirme enforced him thereunto for who would willingly endure the least losse of honour We read of many that haue sinned who haue beene relieued by repentance Dauid sinning and repenting continued a King and a Prophet But King Henrie casting himselfe downe at the Popes feet praying and repenting is trodden vnder foot and could not obtaine that in the time of grace that Dauid obtayned in the time of the Law But let those dispute hereof that dare or know these things This only one thing we may know that the See of Rome at this day rues that fact For as many as since that time haue raigned of that stocke haue vsed their best endeauours to humble the Churches least they should gather strength against Kings and attempt as much against them as they haue done against their forefathers But Henrie the junior raigned for his father and there was peace betweene the Kingdome and the Priesthood but yet not long For neither did he prosper being all his life time ensnared as his father was by the Apostolike See And he was a Priest that here speaketh This Henrie according to most writers was called the fourth we following Onuphrius and Sigonius make him the third All this happened from the yeare 1099 to 1106. An. 1106. But let vs not forget an Epistle of this Paschal writ to the Archbishop of Polonia at the entrance of this age An. 1102. about the allegation of Councels Pascha l. Epist ad Archiep. Poloniae As if saith he any Councels may
giue Lawes to the Church of Rome To what end then are Councels held But contrarily saith he all Councels by the authoritie of the Church of Rome are called and haue their force and in all their Statutes the authoritie thereof is manifestly excepted But where can they shew one sillable OPPOSITION Platina in Paschaū 2. Prodigious spectacles in the ayre the earth and the sea still continued obserued by all the writers of these times Neither was Paschal moued with these saith Platina because he beleeued them to be wrought by nature nay hee could not indure that others should obserue them but there was no prodigious wonder that so much troubled the world as himselfe which no man could deny that saw him entring into his Popedome with this belt whereon hung the seuen keyes and the seuen seales play so formally the part of Antichrist whether it were to attribute vnto himselfe all that was proper vnto Christ alone or to represent in his person that Abbadon described vnto vs in the Apocalyps And this no doubt moued the Bishop of Florence in the yeare 1106 publikely to preach Acta vitae Paschalis that Antichrist was borne which Paschal vnderstanding of and being much grieued therewith tooke the paynes to goe in person to Florence and there held a Councell to stop the mouth of this Bishop being content neuerthelesse fearing to stirre in the matter too much to admonish him openly to desist from this bold enterprise that is to say Sigon l. 9. de regno Jtal. least the matter should more apparently breake out The Emperour Henrie as we haue seene retired himselfe to Liege Sabellici Aenneade 9. Platina in Paschali 2. which Paschal could not endure wherefore vnder a shew of congratuling Robert Earle of Flanders beeing happily returned from Hierusalem to his Countrie he writ this vnto him It is the part of a loyall and lawfull souldier to pursue the enemies of his King by all possible meanes We giue thee therefore thankes for executing our commaund in the Diocesse of Cambray and we commaund thee to doe the like vpon the excommunicated people of Liege who falsly terme themselues Clerkes c. And not onely in those parts but euerie where else when thou canst with thy whole power to persecute Henrie the head of the heretikes and his followers Thou canst offer no sacrifice vnto God more acceptable than to withstand him who rayseth himselfe against God and his church c. This we commaund thee and thy souldiers to doe in remission of your sinnes c. Hereby making this his reuenge equall both in right and merit with that famous expedition to the holie Land But what doe the Bishops Canons and Clergie of the Diocesse of Liege There is the second volume of the Councels both the Epistle of Paschal to them and their aunswere to him Epist Leodiens Cleri in 2. vol. Concilior Edition Coloniens apud Quiritel pag. 809. I crie saith the Church of Liege with sighs and astonishment as the Prophet Esay speaketh who exaggerating the burden of the desart Sea crieth out As the Whirle-windes in the South vse to passe from the wildernesse so shall it come from the horrible Land a grieuous vision was shewed vnto me He that vnderstood not hetherto what this desart Sea was by heresay let him now vnderstand it by the eye It is not onely Babylon but the world and the Church c. The Church sigheth to see herselfe abandoned and forsaken by the holie Councels and Prelats for was there euer greater confusion in Babylon than there is at this day in the Church In Babylon the languages of Nations were confounded in the Church the tongues and minds of beleeuers are diuided S. Peter saith in his Epistle 1. Petr. 5. The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you Hetherto I interpreted it that Peter would therefore by Babylon decipher Rome because at that time Rome was confounded with all Idolatrie and all manner of wickednesse But now my griefe enterpreteth it vnto me that Peter by a propheticall spirit foresaw the confusion of that dissention wherewith the Church at this day is torne in pieces c. What those whirle-winds are that come from Africa we rather learne by suffering than by reading from that horrible Land that is the Church of Rome a grieuous vision is shewed vnto me from thence commeth a whirle-wind as a tempest from Africa For the Bishop of Rome the father of all the Churches hath written Letters against vs to Robert Earle of Flanders And so they insert the Epistle What is he whose reynes reading these letters are not filled with sorrow not for the horror of the daunger but the horrible noueltie of the thing That a mother should write such lamentable Letters against her daughters yea though they had offended In that iudgement of Salomon is exprest the greatness of a mothers loue because Salomon giuing sentence that the infant for which they contended should be diuided with a sword the true mother chose rather that her child should liue with a stranger Esay 21. than be slayne with the sword The Prophet Esay saith speaking of Babylon The might of my pleasures is turned into feare vnto me But I say Rome my beloued mother is turned into feare vnto me For what is more fearefull nay what more miserable Dauid saw once the Angell of God standing with his sword drawne ouer Hierusalem wee the daughters of the Church of Rome see the Pope of Rome who is the Angell of the Lord for the place he supplieth with his sword drawne ouer the Church Dauid prayed that his people might not be slayne But our Angell deliuers the sword to Robert and prayes him to kill vs. From whence hath our Angell this sword There is but one sword of the spirit which is the word of God c. There is another sword of the spirit wherewith the sinnes of the flesh beeing mortified we buy the crowne of Martyredome The Apostles therefore receiuing of the Lord onely two swords from whence comes this third to the Apostolicall that is the Pope which he hath deliuered to Robert against vs Ezechiel 21. Perhaps he hath recourse to the Prophet Ezechiel that taking a third sword out of his hand he might goe to the right hand and to the left killing both the righteous and the wicked c. This is the sword of occision with which Ezechiel makes me astonished for what heart faints not to thinke that he that is annointed to giue life should be girt with this third sword to kill vs c And if it be lawfull to speake it with reuerence of the Apostolicall dignitie he seemeth to vs to haue beene a sleepe yea all his Counsellers slept with him when he hired at his charge a destroyer of the Church of God S. Paule commaundeth that the word of a Bishop be sound and irreprehensible we therefore reprehend not the word of the Bishop of
The offices themselues saith he of Ecclesiasticall dignitie haue passed into filthie gaine and into the businesse of darknesse neither seeke they in these the saluation of soules but the superfluitie of riches For this are they shorne for this they frequent Churches celebrate Masses sing Psalmes c. They impudently striue in these dayes for Bishopricks Archdeaconries Abbotships and other dignities that they might wast the reuenewes of Churches in such vayne and superfluous vses It remayneth that the man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition the Damon not of the day onely but of the mid-day who not onely transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light but exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped c. This shall be indeed an exceeding great assault but from this also the truth shall deliuer the Church of the Elect c. Poore Bernard stayed for him at the doore who had alreadie entred the house Baronius anno 1130. art 6. And thus much be spoken to Baronius who affirmeth that S. Bernard inueighed onely against schimaticall Popes Writing to Pope Eugenius nere vpon the yeare 1151 who had been his disciple and had not obeyed his admonitions Benard Epist 137. being entred into the Popedome Who will let me see before I die the Church as in the dayes of old when the Apostles did cast forth their nets not to take siluer or gold but to take soules O how I desire to see thee inherit thâ— voyce of him whose seat thou hast obtayned Thy money perish with thee In his bookes of consideration Ad Eugen. de consideratione lib. 1. what doth he omit for his amendment Tell me I pray thee saith he when art thou euer free vbi tuus where thine owne Euerie where is tumult euerie where the yoke of thy seruitude presseth thee replie not vnto me in the Apostles voyce who saith When I was free from all I made myselfe a seruant of all That is verie far from thee Was it in this seuritude that he serued men in the getting of filthie gaine Was it in this that from all parts of the world did flock vnto him the ambitious the couetous such as exercise Simonie sacrilegious persons whoremongers and incestuous and such other monsters of men that by his Apostolicke authoritie they might either obtaine or retaine Ecclesiasticall honours This man then hath made thee a seruant to whom Christ was life and death aduauntage that he might win many vnto Christ and not that he might encrease the gaines of his couetousnesse c. And truely euerie day the noyse of Lawes are heard in thy Palace but the Laws of Iustinian not of Christ c. Thou Pastour then and Bishop of soules with what mind dost thou suffer that to be euer silent before thee and these to bable I am deceiued if this peruersnesse moue not in thee some scruple Then for to bring him backe to the auntient bounds Lib. 2. he saith Thy high dignitie need not flatter thee thy care is the greater And if then we would thinke rightly of our selues we shall iudge that a ministerie is imposed vpon vs not a domination giuen Thinke thy selfe as some one of the Prophets Is not that enough for thee yea too much c. If thou be wise thou wilt be contented with the measure that God hath measured vnto thee For what is more is from that wicked one Learne by the example of the Prophet to wit Ieremie to be in authoritie not for to commaund but to doe as the time requireth Learne that hast need of a weeding hooke not a Scepter for to doe the worke of a Prophet c. It was sayd to the Apostles thy predecessors The haruest is great but the labourers are few Take to thee the paternall inheritance for if thou be a sonne thou art an heire That thou mayst proue thy selfe heire watch on this care and bee not ydle least it be sayd vnto thee Why standest thou here all day ydle much lesse to bee found loosse in delights 1. Peter 5.3 or wallowing in pompes The will of the Testator assigneth vnto thee none of these c. Dost thou thinke that he hath giuen thee domination heare him Not as though ye were Lords saith he in clero ouer Gods heritage but as made ensamples to the flocke And thinke not that he saith it onely in humilitie and not also it truth It is the Lords voyce in the Gospell The Kings of Nations rule and haue power of them c. But it shall not be so among you It is plaine that domination is forbidden the Apostles If thou wilt haue both thou shalt loose both Otherwise thinke that thou art not excepted from the number of them of whom God thus complayneth They haue raigned but not by me They haue beene Princes but I knew them not And this speech he extendeth verie long How farre different from the Diuinitie of Hildebrand who would vnite to his Mytre the temporall Monarchie of all the world For Appeales How long dost thou dissemble or not perceius the murmure of the whole earth Lib. 3. How long dost thou slumber How long doth thy consideration sleepe at this great abuse and confusion of Appeales How many haue we knowne to haue appealed that by the helpe thereof they might be suffered to continue the greater wickednesse Against all Law and right against all custome and order they are made There is no discretion had of place of time of the person nor of the cause And this matter he discourseth at large Lib. 4. shewing the inconueniences thereof and illustrateth it by many examples which it sufficeth vs only here by the way to point at There were Pastors afore thee who gaue themselues wholly to the feeding of their sheepe c. Their onely gaine pompe and pleasure to prepare and render them vp to God a perfect people Where is now I pray you this custome There is another vnlike vnto it come in place thereof affections are much changed and would to God it were not into worse Yet care anxietie emulation and ponsiuenesse doe continue but translated not changed I heare you witnes that you spare not your substance no more than before But the difference is in the diuerse imploying of it Great abuse few haue respect to the mouth of the Lawgiuer but all to the hands Yet not without cause they doe all the businesse of the Pope Can you shew me one of all that great Citie that hath receiued thee for Pope without money or without hope of hauing some for it And here let the Reader see that we be not tedious vnto him the description he maketh there of the Romans and especially of the Clergie in all kind of wickednesse far worse than others In the middest of all this saith he Thou Pastour marchest all layed with gold compassed about with so much varietie Thy sheepe what desire they These pastures if I durst so speake rather of Diuels than
not his manner to attend the consent of Princes touching elections celebrated in the Apostolike See as also for that hee had disannulled the election made by the Bishops of the Bishop of Norwich to whom he had giuen his consent protesting to maintaine the rights of his realme euen to death and to gard the sea that no more might goe to Rome except the Pope changing his sentence would make amends for that wrong he had done But Innocent interdicted his realme offered it as a prey to the first inuaders thereof absolued his subiects of all oathes both naturall and ciuile armed all his Clergie and the greatest part of the Nobilitie and Magistrats of the realme against him and in the end pronounced him deposed and commaunded another to be put into his place and for to execute his sentence he appointed Philip King of France his enemie promising him in reward of this seruice remission of all his sinnes giuing this realme to him and his successors proceeding so farre herein that he writ to many worthie and honourable persons into diuers nations Vt sese Cruce signent That they should signe themselues with the crosse come to assist the King of France in this expedition promising vnto them in their goods persons and soules the same prerogatiue and indulgence as those had that went to visit the holie Sepulchre And it is to be noted that it is a Monke that relateth vnto vs this historie In the meane time that Philip prepared to take hold thereof he priuily sent a Legat into England who being receiued by the Bishops caused his approaching ruine to be made knowne vnto him vnlesse he sought meanes to pacifie the Pope So that seeing himselfe beset with dangers on euerie side resigned his Crowne Matth. Paris in Johan p. 225. sequent with the realmes of England and Ireland into the hands of the Pope and his successors in the person of Pandolph his Legat confirmed vnder an authentike Charter with the generall consent of his Barons exprest in these words For the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the sinnes of all our kindred as well they which are liuing as those which are dead we freely grant to our Lord Pope Innocent and his Catholike successors the aforesaid kingdomes And thereupon Innocent gaue to him the said realmes to hold by faith and homage of him and his successors vpon condition to pay yearely besides the Peter pence a thousand markes sterling to the Church of Rome that is to say fiue hundred at the feast of Saint Michael and fiue hundred at Easter that is seuen hundred for England and three hundred for Ireland vnder protestation That if he or any of his should attempt any thing contrarie to this agreement should be discharged of the kingdom This Charter was signed by many of the Nobilitie and in performance thereof hee solemnely did the homage euen at Pandolphs feet In the meane time King Philip whom Innocent had stirred vp to war continued an vnreconcilable enemie to the King of England But marke the monstrous pride of the Legat in receiuing the tribute Pandolph saith he trampled vnder his feet the money which the King payed as an earnest penie in token of his subiection yet he tooke it and refused it not for God forbid he should say with S. Peter Thy money perish with thee Now as we haue often said as this Mysterie of Iniquitie did gather strength so the doctrine grew worse and worse for it was in the time of this Innocent that both the opinion and name of Transubstantiation did first come to light and at the last exprest in these words in the Lateran Synod Concilium Lateranens C. firmiter SS vna vero c. The bodie and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar are truely contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread being transubstantiated into the bodie and the wine into the bloud by diuine power And hereupon doe arise so many monstrous questions which wee read among the Schole-men of this age which we haue elsewhere noted more at large The ceremonies also from time to time were brought in by the Popes that followed especially by Honorius the third the successor of Innocent that ceremonie of bowing the knee at the eleuation that is when the bread is shewed in the Masse and the like But because to support such Idolatries otherwise weake and shaken they had need as it were of a pillar behold here these that arise so oportunely at this time Francis and Dominick the one an Italian the other a Spaniard the one principall and head of the Friers Minors and the other of the Preachers the one confirmed by Innocent the other by Honorius his successor both of them striuing by their clients and followers to be equall with Christ nay aboue Christ But what could be done or approued that sauoured more of Antichrist Lib. 3. de Euchar c. 17. And of these things we haue spoken more at large elsewhere but it belongeth to the course of the historie that we here briefely repeat something againe Of Francis therefore they say Liber conformitatum p. 24. p. 39 that he was greater than Iohn Baptist Iohn was the forerunner of Christ S. Francis the Preacher and Ensigne-bearer of Christ Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Francis both of Christ and the Pope which is more Iohn the friend of the spouse that is to say Christ Francis like to the spouse himselfe Fol. 66. 247. Prosa de Francisco ibid. initio libri fol. 194. Fol. 144. Fol. 17. Fol. 24. Fol. 149. Fol. 13. Fol. 5. Iohn eleuated into the order of the Seraphins Francis seated in the place from whence Lucifer fell Francis was better than all the Apostles placed in heauen proceeding out of the wounded side of Christ made a tipe of Iesus by his passion who receiued in a vision the same wounds of Christ suffered the same griefes the passion of Christ renewed in him for the saluation of mankind of whom Dauid hath said Thou hast crowned him with glorie and honour and hast set him aboue all the workes of thy hands he is set as a light to the Gentiles which the Prophet spake of Christ Abraham saw that day and was glad thereof And to conclude whatsoeuer was foretold by the Prophets of Christ onely the same was pronounced of him Fol. 14. Of whom may rightly be said that which is spoken in the Gospell All things are giuen me of my father Matth. 11. Of whom it is likewise said I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a sonne And againe that which was neuer said nor interpreted by any but by Christ In whom all the vertues of the Saints as well of the old as the new Testament are put vnitiuè conjunctiuè vnitiuely and coniunctiuely Wherefore also through his merits he was made the sonne of God and sanctified by the holie Ghost Fol. 4. Fol. 3.
which he prayed for in the garden That the cup might be taken from him was not grāted because he praying according to the flesh he would not obtaine according to reason but Dominick neuer demaunded any thing of God which he fully obtained not according to his desire that is to say Ibidem paragra 2. because he neuer requested any thing according to the desire of the flesh The Lord hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud but Dominick not without a certaine perfection of charitie spending the whole night with God in meditation and prayer did vndergoe a threefold discipline euen with his owne hand and that euerie day not with a whipcord but with a chaine of yron euen to the effusion of his bloud one for his owne faults which were verie small another for those which were in purgatorie and the other for those that liued in the world And Anthonie the Archbishop prosecuteth this comparison through all the parts of the life of Christ Finally our Lord departing from this world promised to his Disciples a Comforter that is to say the holie Ghost And Dominick sayd to his followers My deere friends weepe not for me Ibidem 4. paragr 14. nor let my bodilie departure trouble you in the place to which I goe I shal be more profitable vnto you than I can be here for after death you may haue me a better Aduocat than you can haue in this life What then shall we thinke of that which S. Iohn sayes vnto vs If we sinne we haue an aduocat euen Iesus the righteous And these blasphemies because they make to the strengthening of their authoritie are confirmed by the Church of Rome Jdem parte 3. Tit. 23. c. 43. 17. for Gregorie the ninth canonized Dominick in there 1223 made him a Saint appointed him a festiuall day and both approued and with priuiledges strengthened his Order And hee that writ these things was the Archbishop of Florence verie famous among our aduersaries and put into the Canon of the Saints This is said to the end the Reader may obserue what might bee then the corruption of the Church what the designes of the Popes when these and the like horrible blasphemies were supported by the Popes and also with what spirits their Consistories their Councels haue been carried in which in the meane time they giue vs new articles of faith Transubstantiation the Adoration of the Hoast in the Masse Auricular confession the Communion vnder one kind the like But they had need for the promulgation of such trumperies of such Preachers as might afterward serue their turne for the spreading abroad of their factions among the people and insinuat themselues by their preaching into the hearts of men by making euerie small matter a case of conscience they propose an art to extinguish all conscience Abbas Vrsperg in Chron. For the Abbot of Vrsperge saith by the commaund of the Pope they absolue rapes depopulations burnings seditions warres and therefore he said not without good cause That Pope Innocent had rather approue the Minors and Preachers than the humble poore of Lyons Who derogated from the Priesthood by those sermons they made for the most part in the secret places of Gods Church for they preached against the vices of the Clergie and yet they were not accused of any heresie because saith he they reprehended the vices of men still obeying the See Apostolike from which they deriue their chiefe authoritie But these things we shall better obserue in their due place OPPOSITION Now it behoueth vs to see what judgement the Authors of these times haue left vnto vs of the wicked actions of Innocent touching the warre he kindled betweene Philip and Otho The Abbot of Vrsperge who liued in those dayes speaks freely in this manner Innocent endeuoured by all meanes to hinder Philip to attaine to the Imperiall throne vpbraiding him with that which his brother and kindred had cruelly done which neuerthelesse they did by the instigation of wicked men wherein vnder correction of the Apostolike See he seemed not to haue iudged according to equitie when the Lord saith by his Prophet That the sinnes of the fathers ought not to be imputed to the children how much lesse of brothers or of other kindred Ezechias and Iozias most religious kings had verie wicked fathers In the genealogie euen of our Sauiour Iesus Christ some wicked ones are recited There is yet extant an Epistle of the said Innocent directed to Bartholdus Duke of Zaringia wherein are written many absurd things against Philip and some of them false which he caused to be inserted into the Decretals c. Then he began to stand vpon friuolous obiections and exceptions to the end hee might hinder him obiecting vnto him the sentence of excommunication that is to say of Celestine the third Moreouer he sent the Bishop of Sutrie to demaund of him the hostages of Apulia whose eyes long since his brother Henrie the Emperor had commaunded to be pluckt out But the said Philip as he was gentle and courteous when he heard of the sentence of excommunication he humbly intreated to be absolued by the said Legat and besides sent the aforesaid hostages to the Pope Wherefore the Bishop of Sutrie for as much as he had vnlawfully absolued Philip exceeding therein the bounds of his commaund was depriued of his Bishoprick and banished into a certaine island of the sea where he happily ended his dayes in a verie religious and strict Monasterie So that hee exclaimes against this wilie monopolie The horne of iniquitie is exalted wherewith many haue beene annointed against whom the Lord saith by his Prophet I haue said to the wicked Doe not wickedly and to transgressers Lift not vp your horne This horne is now filled with adulterous oyntment The horne of that oyntment is farre off wherewith Dauid was annoynted King What therefore should be done in the members but that which is done in the heads c O Lord behold such as the oyntment is in the head such it descends vpon the beard Oh that it were but vpon the beard onely with the reprobat it descended likewise vpon the beard of Aaron for they that had layed their foundation in the mountaine of strength vtpote Claustralis as cloystered Monkes seeming to lead a religious life that is to say they whose helpe Innocent vsed to alienat the hearts of the people from Philip are farre from the wombe of our mother the Church in which they were conceiued and baptised They haue wandered from the wombe wherein they ought to be comforted nourished with wholesome admonitions now they haue spoken nothing but lyes And here the Reader may judge what the Abbot thought of him that vsed the helpe of people so dishonest Through these discords in England Innocent proceeded so farre that king Iohn being brought into great extremitie was inforced to become tributarie vnto him That king saith the history hauing
known multiplici experiencia by deere experience Math. Paris in Johan that the Pope was ambitious and proud aboue all men liuing and an insatiable thirster after money Et ad omnia scelera pro praemijs datis vel promissis cereus procliuus Prone to all wickednesse whatsoeuer for rewards either promised or giuen was resolued to make a benefit of this his ill fortune purposing with himselfe a reuenge of the Barons and Bishops of the kingdome with the good liking and leaue of Innocent nay he being the author Whereupon he sent Embassadors vnto him who carried with them a great part of his treasure and withall promising more sware vnto him That he would alwayes be his subiect and tributarie vnto him so that he would find some subtile occasion to excommunicat his Barons and Bishops especially the Archbishop of Canturburie for whom the Pope had so much molested him Nicholas Bishop of Tuscule his Legat came into England to release the interdict that had continued six yeares three moneths and foureteene dayes To the irreuocable losse saith the Author of the Church both in temporall matters and in spirituall Iohn gaue him this infamous resignation of his realme no more in wax as to Pandolph but sealed in gold And because there was made a question of the losses which the Bishops had receiued the Legat in fauour of the king deferred it to a farther day But Innocent who desired to gratifie the king by his Legat of all the vacant Churches to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canturburie Intrusione magis quà m electione canonica disponit Disposed of them rather by intrusion than canonicall election Hereupon this Archbishop appealed but the Legat reiected his Appeale proceeded in his purpose and Innocent ratified the acts of his Legat speaking now of nothing but the praises and commendations of the Prince The Barons they assembled to demaund their libertie with whom also joyned the citie of London The Pope as the chiefe Lord reuoketh them and because they would not presently obey he excommunicated them and stirred vp all the subiects of the realme against them promising them remission of their sinnes and included in the same excommunication all the Bishops that delayed to publish the Anatheme But because Stephen Archbishop of Canterburie hauing lately beene his fauourite declared that hee could not publish it before he had seene the Pope and being readie to take shipping for the Councell assigned at Rome because tacita veritate sententia erat in Barones lata The sentence was pronounced against the Barons trueth it selfe being silent the Bishop of Winchester Pandolph the Legat the executioners of this sentence forbad him the Church and suspended him from the celebration of his office of so great force and efficacie was the money king Iohn powred into the lap of the Pope But besides he was no sooner come to Rome but the sentence of suspension was confirmed by Innocent These proceedings now put the Barons of England into despaire who saith the historie seeing all hope of their good to be taken away and knowing not what to doe Matth. Paris in Johan curst the fraud and infidelitie of the king Woe be to thee O Iohn say they the last of the Kings the abhomination of the Princes of England the confusion of the English Nobilitie O miserable England being now wasted and readie to be more wasted and destroyed O wofull England England that hitherto hath beene the Prince of Prouinces in all good things art made tributarie not onely subiect to fire famine and sword but to the empire and commaund of base slaues and strangers though there be nothing more vnhappie than to be enthralled to such people We read that many other kings yea and but petie kings too haue fought for the libertie of their countrey euen to death but thou Iohn of a mournefull memorie to all posteritie thy countrey that hath beene free for many yeares thou hast found the meane to bring it into bondage and employed thy endeuors to draw others with thee into slauerie thou hast first debast thy selfe being made of a free king a tributarie and a vessell of seruitude Thou hast bound the noblest of all countries with a band of eternall slauerie neuer to bee freed from seruile fetters vnlesse he hauing pitie vpon vs and the whole world vs I say whom auncient seruitude hath held vnder the yoke of sinne vouchsafe at the last to set vs at libertie Neither doe they lesse complaine of the Pope Thou say they who ought to be an example of light to the whole world the father of sanctitie the myrrour of pietie the defender of iustice the keeper of veritie consentest thou to such a thing doest thou approue and defend such a man But doubtlesse thou defendest him because hee hath exhausted the money of England exacted vpon the English Nobilitie to the end that all this might be swallowed vp in the gulfe of the Roman auarice But this cause and excuse is an offence and accusation before God In the end they resolued to make choyce of some Potent Prince to be their King who might restore vnto them their auncient possessions and liberties and this was Lewis the sonne of Philip Augustus the father afterward of S. Lewis to whom they sent twentie foure hostages to assure him the kingdome which he accepted Innocent vnderstanding hereof sent Waldo his Legat to Philip into France willing him That he suffer not his sonne to trouble England nor Iohn the King but rather to defend him as a vassall of the Church of Rome and England as the demaine thereof Philip plainely told him That the kingdome of England neuer was the patrimonie of S. Peter nor is nor euer should be and that Iohn condemned of treason against his brother Richard is not nor euer was the true and lawfull king nor could giue the kingdome although he had aspired to the Crowne by the murder of Arthur for which he was condemned in his owne Court. Moreouer no King or Prince can giue away his kingdom without the consent of his Barons who are bound to defend it And if the Pope be determined to defend such an errour he will giue a most pernitious example to all kingdomes All the Nobilitie therefore of the kingdome cried out with one voice That for this point they would fight euen to death This was at Lyons a little after Easter in the yeare 1216. An. 1216. The day following Philip gaue the Legat audience commanding his sonne Lewis to be present where all this businesse was againe disputed The Legat notwithstanding all these reasons forbad Lewis to enter into England and threatened the father vnder pain of excommunication not to permit him wherevpon Lewis departeth the Legat demaunding of Philip safe conduct for himselfe which Philip willingly granted vnto him by his letters But if perhaps saith he you fall into the hands of the Monkes of Eustachius or any other belonging vnto Lewis which keepe the
rash headlong and that by a Frier of Marpurg of the Order of Preachers who had beene appoynted by the Apostolike See generall Inquisitor of heretikes For as one writeth the same day that any man was accused whether iustly or vniustly no refuge of any Appeale or defence being able to helpe him he was condemned and cast into the cruell flames And a little before speaking of the great number of them discouered in Germanie Italie and principally in Lombardie he saith They which had beene taken at Strasbourg confessed openly before all the people and Clergie that the number of them was so great that if any of them were to goe from Cologne to Milan hee should find euerie night by the way an hoast of their sect and that they had little tokens about the doores of their houses and roofes whereby they knew how to find the dwellings of their complices Now he ascribeth vnto them the enormities aboue refuted but I pray you who wil beleeue that they would voluntarily vndergo the fire for such things None other truly but monks could write these things whom no man hardly wil be found so sottish as to beleeue At length saith Trithemius this Conrade hauing made himselfe hatefull to all both noble and ignoble especially for that hee persecuted the Earle of Seine falsely defamed of heresie he was slaine not farre from Marpurge notwithstanding his safe conduct by certaine gentlemen who had found no place of pardon or fauour with him Whereas we said that they were principally in Lombardie let vs adde thereto the testimonie of an Author of those times though an aduersarie In all the cities saith he of Lombardie and in other kingdomes and lands they had many Auditors and disputed in publike and called the people to solemne stations in a hall and in the field and preached on the tops of houses There was none that durst hinder them by reason of the power and multitude of their fauourers I haue beene often present at the Inquisition and at their examination and there hath beene reckoned vp fortie Churches infected with their heresie and in one onely Parish of Cammach were ten scholes of heretikes And this so notable an opposition happened in the time of the Councell of Lateran so famous for new inuentions and of Innocent the third whom they are woont in all qualities to compare with Hildebrand 51. PROGRESSION The voyage of Frederick the Emperour to the Holie Land and of the affaires and accidents there with the wicked practises of Pope Gregorie the ninth against him in his absence of the tumults factions in Italie stirred vp by the said Gregorie Of his malicious mind towards the Emperor and how he procured his owne sonne to rebell against him Of Innocent the fourth that he deposed the Emperor Frederick and corrupted diuers of his own domestike seruants to poyson him Of the death of the said Emperor and of his great vertue magnanimitie and prudence FRederick the second being sometimes brought vp vnder Innocent the third Apud Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 7. inter literas Frederici 2. quae apud Bononiens seruantur as soone as he came to the Empire found as little courtesie at the hands of Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth and Innocent the fourth as his grandfather and father Henrie and Frederick the first had found before at the hands of their predecessors For when as purposing with himselfe to goe into Italie in the yere 1220 he had sent before Conradus Bishop of Spires his Chancellor with a large commission Honorius construing this as an alarme and much distasting the tenor of his commission wherein he stiled himselfe King of the Romans and Sicilia directing the same to all Prelats Marquesses and Earles in Lombardie Romaniola Tuscan and throughout all Italie and declaring thereby That he had sent before Conradus his Lieutenant Bishop of Spires and Chancellor of the Empire to take fealtie of them and other rights belonging to him without appeale to any other was so exceedingly offended thereat the rather for that Conradus in his proceedings tearmed himselfe Fredericks Lieutenant generall throughout all Italie that he sought by all meanes hee could to crosse Fredericks voyage into Italie For they of Milan by the persuasion of Honorius shut the gates of the citie against him and other cities by his procurement did the like But he setting light by them passeth on to Rome commaunding the embassadours of the cities to follow him thither Now because it was not safe for Honorius to refuse the coronation of Frederick who was readie to take the accustomed oath he wrested another oath from him That by a day limited he should make a voyage to the Holie Land desiring nothing more than to keepe him farre from Italie Frederick therefore making a step into Sicilia settles that kingdome and leauing Conradus in Italie returnes into Germanie where he spent two yeares much to the Popes discontentment But in this interim Iohannes Bremensis king of Ierusalem comes to Rome desiring aid and succour from the Pope to support the declining state of the Christians in Syria The Pope embracing this opportunitie persuades Iohn to tender Yolanda his daughter vnto Frederick and to giue him with her in mariage the kingdome of Hierusalem vpon condition that he should vndertake to recouer the same from the Infidels which Frederic accepted of requiring only two yeres respite for setling the state of Lombardie This was concluded on vpon paine of excommunication which was presently denounced by the Cardinals and should actually take effect vpon Fredericks breach of couenant Now whilest Frederick for the setling of the affaires of Lombardie had assembled the Estates and to that end had sent for his sonne Henrie out of Germanie the confederat cities of Lombardie growing jealous hereof and thereupon combining themselues in a straiter league against Frederick stopt the passage of Henrie and increast their forces Honorius himselfe did much mislike hereof foreseeing that Frederick would hereby excuse the delay of his voyage to the Holie Land and at this time in the yeare 1227 died Honorius and Cardinall Hugoline An. 1227. called Gregorie the ninth succeeded him who without any respect doth so presse Frederick as he commaunds all those of the Croysado to bee readie at Brundusium on the day of the Assumption where he presently imbarkes his whole armie but falling sicke after three dayes sailing returned backe againe not without some losse of his fleet and forces Whereupon Gregorie would admit no excuse but complained to all Princes That Frederick was conuicted of periurie by breach of his contract made with Honorius therefore stood ipso facto excommunicated On the other side Frederick excused himselfe by his letters yet extant in Vrsperge complaining much that the Pope refused to giue audience to the Cardinall of Brundusium whom he sent of purpose to the Councell to make his defence Collenutius ex Ricobalâ— l. 4. It is not my purpose here to justifie
others but Frederick verie easily repressed him He also fostred incited against him the rebellions of Lombardie but these same also in the yeare 1237 An. 1237. Frederick hauing ouercome in battel at Corte noua brought them to that extremitie that he cōstrained almost al to yeeld themselues to his discretion Gregory til then could find no cause to manifest himselfe an open enemie against Frederick who onely sought but his owne But behold an occasion offered Frederick by force of armes recouered a part of Sardinia called Galura Gregorie pretendeth that all Sardinia belongeth to the Church therefore that this portion ought to be restored vnto him and we haue seene before vpon what friuolous title Contrariwise Frederick went carefully about to retaine it as being the auncient demaine of the Roman Empire and hereupon Gregorie being obstinatly bent he gaue the kinglie title thereof to Hentius his bastard Then was the Pope resolued on the day of Coena Domini to excommunicat him heaping vp together many vaine and friuolous causes which before he had not spoken of to strengthen the same Which Frederick vnderstanding being then at Padua sitting on his throne of justice declared and made his Apologie by Peter de Vineis his Chancellor who forgat nothing of the abuses and corruptions of the Pope and of the Court of Rome To the same end wrot the Emperour to the Romans and to all the other Princes cleering the equitie of his cause against all the obiections of the Pope and to shew how little account hee made of his Anathemaes he sent vnto him these verses Roma diu titubans longis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput Rome in great errours long time tost and shaken Head of the world no more shall fall forsaken But on the other part Gregorie openly professed himselfe head of the rebels of Lombardie stirred vp new commotions in Apulia joyning to himselfe in league the Genowayes and Venetians so that daily appeared some new treasons against Frederick some new rebellions still arose notwithstanding Frederick who lost no time passed into Tuscane and drew neere vnto Rome Now was it time for Gregorie to haue recourse to Precessions in shew for to mollifie the hearts of the people but in effect to trie all extreame meanes to publish the same indulgences pardons and absolutions from all enormities to such as should crosse themselues against Frederick as were woont to be granted to them that crossed themselues for the Holie Land against the Saracens So that an armie of Croysadoes issued forth of Rome and met him in the field but were by him in the first encounter ouerthrowne with a great slaughter With like faith and deuotion Gregorie conuerted against him the money that he had exacted throughout all Christendome namely in Germanie France and England vnder colour for the Holie Land and the Friers Preachers and Minors had none other theame of their sermons but this That there was greater merit in ruinating Frederick and his than in exterminating the Saracens than whom they were farre worse This rage passeth yet further Gregorie writeth to king S. Lewis requesting that his letters might be read coram toto Baronagio Franciae Before all the Barons of France That he had deposed Frederic and set Robert his brother in his place being resolued to assist him to this effect with all the forces of the Church Whereunto answered in full Councell Circumspecta Francorum prudentia saith the Author the circumspect prudence of the Frenchmen the words deserue to be written at length By what spirit or with what bold timerity hath the Pope disinherited and cast downe from the top of the Empire so great a Prince than whom none greater neither equall among Christians being not conuicted neither confessing the crimes obiected against him And if he were to be deposed for his demerits yet he could not be iudged but by a generall Councell Of his faults his enemies ought not to be beleeued of which number the Pope was knowne to be the chiefe For our parts hee hath beene vnto vs hitherto innocent yea rather a good neighbour neither haue we seene any hurtfull thing in him in secular faithfulnesse nor in the Catholike faith Wee know that he hath faithfully made warre for our Lord Iesus Christ valiantly exposed himselfe to the dangers of the sea and of battels We haue not found so much religion in the Pope but contrariwise he which ought to haue aduanced and protected him fighting the battels of God hath endeuoured wickedly in his absence to ruinat and supplant him The prodigall effusion of our bloud against him the Romans little regard so they may satisfie their wrath And when he shall haue by vs or others ouercome him he will trample vnder feet all the Princes of the world and lift vp his hornes of boasting and pride because he hath oppressed Frederick a great Emperour But least wee should seeme to haue receiued the Popes message in vayne though it he apparent to vs that the Church of Rome hath not done it for loue of vs but for hatred of the Emperour we will send prudent embassadours vnto him which may diligently enquire of his faith and certifie vs of it and if they find nothing but sound and good wherefore should we molest him But if he or any other bee it the Pope himselfe should hold an euill opinion concerning God we will persecute him to the death which the Popes embassadours hearing departed confounded There went then solemne French embassadours to the Emperour who rehearsed to him from poynt to poynt that which they had heard from the Pope Which when the Emperour vnderstood he was astonished at so vnmeasurable an hatred and answered I am a Catholike Christian rightly beleeuing all the articles of the Orthodoxall faith my Lord Iesus Christ forbid that I should euer depart from the faith of my noble fathers and predecessors for to follow the steps of vile cast-awayes The Lord iudge betweene me and him who hath so wickedly defamed me through the world and lifting vp his hands vnto heauen with teares and sighes he cried out The Lord God of reuenges render vnto him his reward Thus writeth the Monke Mathew Paris an English Chronicler And let the Reader judge what opinion France and S. Lewis had of this Pope In the meane time the affaires of Syria waxed daily worse and worse and the Christians that last passed thither had ill successe in Damascus which gaue pretext to Gregorie to call a Councell at Lateran An. 1240. in the yeare 1240 in which Frederick consented to be present hauing made truce with him But when he heard that he had sent his Legats Iames Cardinall of Prenest and Otho of S. Nicholas beyond the Alpes vnder colour to exhort the Princes to send to the Councell but indeed to make him odious to exact money of the Churches and to abuse the Councell against him hee intreated the Princes his confederats not to send
forgat not to purge himselfe towards all the Princes of Europe of the crimes obiected vnto him which was so much the more easie for him to doe for that as Historians affirme all the Popes of that age had made themselues by their behauiour infamous towards all men This new pretended Emperour in the yeare 1247 thought to be crowned at Aquisgrane hauing ouerthrown Conrade the sonne of Frederick forsaken of his owne people whom the Pope had corrupted with money but Conrade repaired his armie with great celeritie and vpon the verie point of the solemnitie gaue him battaile ouercame him and slew all his armie Whereat the Lantgraue himselfe proprij vulnere doloris sauciatus wounden saith the Historian and suffocate witâ—â—â—s owne griefe breathed forth his feminine soule vnwept for of any And then began to be verified that which â—â—hadâ—â—us the Emperours procurour had foretold in the Councell of Lions when the Pope thundred forth his sentence against his Master Heu heu dies ista verè dies irae calamitatis miseriae this day alas is a day of wrath of calamitie and miserie Neither yet for thâ—â—â—â—th Innocent yeeld but dispatcheth foure Cardinals into Germanie Italie 〈◊〉 and Norway so much the more grieuously to complain against Frederick interpreting it perhaps an iniurie done vnto him in that he defended himselfe And resolued to cause William Earle of Holland to be elected King of Germanie which againe by abundance of monies he obtained for all that he was able on all hands to rapine and scrape together was swallowed vp as it were in that gulfe This Earle going to be Crowned at Aquisgrane was likewise met withall by Conrade whom Octauian the Popes Legat laboured with faire words to diuert from his purpose but he answered him I will neuer for any of you traitors be wanting to my father Yet it came to that passe that by the subtill sleights of the Preaching Friars who corrupted the people William was receiued and crowned at Aquisgrane But not long time after constrained to retire himselfe from Conrade who got againe the vpper hand and Frederick in the end being readie to fall vpon him with an armie he was forced to go hide himselfe againe in Holland Then it remained to haue recourse to all sorts of treason and therefore by how much the more God blessed the iust cause of Frederick in Germanie Lombardie and Tuscanie it selfe so much the more eagrely did Innocent bend his mind to all kind of fraud Of his domesticke seruants and familiars are corrupted Theobald Franciscus Iames de Mora Pandolfe de Fasanellis William of S. Seuerin and others to lie in waite for his life of whom some came and reuealed to him the conspiracie the historie wherof we haue in Mathew Paris in the letters of Frederick to the King of England In Epist Petri de Viners lib. 2. cap. 10. If you demand the Authour of the same his name saith he we would willingly conceale did not the publick voice reueale him and the euidence of the deeds accuse him though we by our silence would couer him or by words excuse him For the executors of the said fact both the fugitiues and the besieged assisted with the companie of the Friers Minorites hauing receiued from them the signe of the Crosse pretend the Popes authoritie by Apostolicke letters against vs and openly declare that herein they doe the affaire of the holy mother Church of Rome affirming him to be the instigator of our death and disinheriting And this haue the said captiues whom the readie deuotion of our trusty seruants imprisoned at the winning of Scales castle confessed before all men in their voluntarie and last confession at the houre of death when it is execrable to lie The Bishop of Bamberg also returning from the court of Rome after his purchased consecration before he was of our faithfull seruants taken in Germanie said it would infallibly come to passe that within few daies we should be shamefully murthered of our familiars and domestick seruants These things we speake with shame witnesse the most high Iudge as being neuer able to beleeue that we should see or heare in our daies any such wickednesse that our owne nation and our Bishops Mathew Paris p. 692. in Henrico 3. Anno 1249. would wickedly deliuer any man to so cruel a death Insomuch that Frederick was vpon point to haue sent the six conspirators through out all the climats of the world to all Kings and Princes with the Popes Bull imprinted on the forehead found in the Castle of Scala where they were taken that this treason might be publickly knowne vnto all The same Author noteth that at Rome not long after were taken two pretended murthers sent for to kill the Pope but there were some saith he that said that it was a fraudulent inuention craftily deuised to defame â—â—â—â—â—rick with the same crime c. Innocent was not therefore wearie in preparing other snares whilst to bleare the eies of the world he published thundring writings against Frederick making him worse then Pharaoh â—erod Nero and other tyrans and that so much the more vehemently as he was â—â—ad to see his secret purposes discouered and that he stunke thereof throughout all Europe This horrible writing saith the Author against â—â—â—â—â—ic would haue pierced into the marrow of Auditors but that the couetousnesse Simoâ—â—â—â—urie and staines of other vices wherwith his aduersaries were defiled did take away the credit thereof Who vnder paine of excommunication impudently moue the crossed soldiers one while to the Holy land one while to subdue Romania another while to set vpon Frederic And that which is most detestable they extort by all means the monies appointed for the crossed soldiers and for this end make suos Telonarios their publicans and exactors the Franciscane and Dominic Friers Soon after another subtil practise coÌ„meth to light Frederic being returned into Apulia and finding himself ill at ease would take physick by the counsel of his Physitians Peter de Vineis his most familiar Counsellour had neere about him a Physitian who made the physicke and therein mixed a most speedy and mortall poyson and least this should faile he had also prepared a poysoned bath to the same end Frederick hauing by good hap had warning of it at the same instant said vnto them My friends my confidence is in you take heed I pray you ye giue me not poyson instead of a medicine Peter answered My Lord this my Phisitian hath often giuen you holesome potions why doe you now feare The Physitian amazed fained as if his foot had slipped and so spilt the most part of it but the rest being giuen to condemned malefactors they died of it within few houres after the Physitian then was hanged and Peter de Vineis had his eyes put out whom Frederick caused to be led about through most of the Cities of Italie and Apulia for to confesse this wicked fact before all men And when he had
and least of all ouer the Maiestie Imperiall and if he vsurpe the same they are bound by diuine lawes to resist him therein by word by deed by all meanes and all endeuours and not doing so they should be vniust and iniurious to God as on the contrarie they that fight for him and these false prerogatiues may be reputed to be the diuels champions That the Emperours confirmation belonged not to the Pope much lesse his election nay and this manner of his coronation by reason of many abuses growing from the same brings some danger to the Empire But so on the contrarie the Emperour being a Christian Prince by the consent of the Clergie and people may nominat a Pope and the partie being absent confirme him nominated If he be accused or obiected against he may reduce him into the true way and judge him by a Councell That Peter when he liued as he was a man might fall nay and erre neither was the Pope by any priuiledge exempted from error And whereas it was said to Peter Oraui pro te this may be extended likewise to the rest of the Apostles therfore he could be no surer of his faith constancie than the rest of the Bishops That only the Canon of the sacred Bible is the fountaine of truth in whose disesteeme wee must neither beleeue the Pope nor the Church That we ought not to beleeue the Popes and Cardinall onely about the sence and meaning of the Scriptures or any principall poynt of faith because verie often by their wicked interpretations and opinions they haue led miserable men to hell That the Christian Church is properly the generall bodie and number of the faithfull not the Pope or the Cardinals no not the Roman Church it selfe and the same is truely represented in a lawfull and general Councel of the Churches which was to be called by the Emperour with the consent of other Christian Princes and in times past was so perpetually called And surely my verie conscience vrgeth me to comprehend as briefly as I can what hee speakes of these things because neuer any man more plentifully displayed by what degrees and pretences the Popes haue attained to this height of tyrannie As also I would request the Reader not to thinke it tedious to read ouer the booke it selfe especially speaking of the Court of Rome Marsil Pataui part 2. c. 24. Those saith he which haue visited the Roman Court or to speake more significantly a Staple of traffickes more horrible than a denne of theeues Or they who haue not seene it may vnderstand by the report of a multitude of men worthie of credit that it is at this day become the verie receptacle of all bad and wicked practicioners both spirituall and temporall For what other thing is it than a concourse of Simoniacks What other than an harsh rude bawling of Barretters an Asylum for slaunderers and the trouble and vexation of honest men There the innocents iustice is hazarded or at least so long protracted if they be not able to compasse it by money and bribes that at last exhausted and toyld with innumerable disturbances they are enforced to let fall their miserable and tedious suites For there indeed humane lawes reecho and sound out but diuine precepts are are silent or seldome heard There are counsels and consultations of inuading Christian Princes by armed and violent power conquering and taking the same from them to whose custodie and iurisdiction they were lawfully committed but for purchasing of soules there is neither care nor counsell taken Whereunto we may annexe That there no order but perpetuall horror and confusion inhabites And as for my selfe that haue seene and beene present me thinkes I behold that fearefull statue which in the second of Daniel was represented to Nabuchadnezzar in a dreame hauing an head of gold armes and breast of siluer bellie and thighes of brasse yron legs and the feet one part yron and the rest of earth And so applying it in euerie part Brasen breasts and thighes saith he because of the shrill and large promises and the vocall though fallacious absolution from sinnes and penalties and the vniust and terrible maledictions and condemnations of such as but defend their owne libertie or obserue due fidelitie to their Soueraignes though through Gods protection all this rage and tumor is but vaine and innocuous And no maruell it is that the Index Romanus forbad all men the reading thereof Iohn de Iandun a Gantois maintained the same propositions who also was comprehended in the same sentence of condemnation a man of rare learning in those tempestuous dayes as may plainly be collected by his workes printed both at Venice and Florence Also Leopald of Bebemburg Doctor of the lawes and Bishop of Bamburg who handled the same argument namely That the Emperour had absolute power of gouerning the Empire presently after his election and the Popes coronation added nothing to him to whom he was neither vassall nor feudatarie He also conuicted Constantines donation to be a mere fable The title of the booke is De translatione Imperij printed at Paris anno 1540 but Michael of Cesenna Generall of the Franciscans spake much more broadly and confidently for he said expresly The Pope was Antichrist the Roman Church Babylon which was drunke with the bloud of the Saints And therefore Antoninus placeth him among the Fratricelli or poore Friers of Lyons who as formerly wee saw were the verie progenie of the Waldenses This man and his followers particularly auerred That Pope Iohn was an heretike and all the Popes and Prelats that should come after him Antonin parte 3. tit 21. c. 5. sect 1 And diuers saith Antoninus were burnt in sundrie parts of the world that stood firme in this opinion He also notes That long time after the Marquisat of Ancona Florence it selfe was full of them from whence being expelled they dispersed themselues ouer the countries of Greece as also that Lewis of Bauaria the Emperour was a supporter of these opinions and amongst others he makes mention of one Iohn Castiglio and Francis de Harcatara Franciscans Paulus Aemilius in Carolo Pulchro who were burnt Hereupon our Paulus Aemilius descends into these words Vnder king Charles the Faire there liued many admirable wits and most learned men This age flourished in learning Some of them were verie holie men and some contending ambitiously to excell others exceeding a meane grew to be wicked and impious Others there were of whose manners and intentions a doubtfull coniecture may bee made Good men grieued for the euils of the times and silently lamented And they who were called Fraterculi condemned both by deed and writing Ecclesiasticall wealth and opulencie and preached That riches the purple robe and domination were vnbeseeming and vnproper for religion c. But in the life of Philip de Valois we learne both out of him and other French writers That Pope Iohn what need soeuer he had of our
remoue than confirme the opinion she formerly conceiued of it Katherine also gaue the like censure of the state of the Roman Church nay and if we may beleeue Antoninus she presaged That euen then the Churches confusion was at hand and that presently a reformation would ensue When she heard of the Perugians rebellion against the Pope Begin not your lamentation saith she so soone for you shall haue weeping too much for this you now see is but milke and honie in respect of those miseries to ensue Thus doe the Laitie and presently you shall see the Clergie will doe worse for they shall giue a generall scandall to the whole Church of God which like an hereticall pestilence shall disturbe and dissipate the same It shall not properly be an heresie but as it were an heresie and a certaine diuision of the Church and all Christendome This saith Raimond who writ her Legend we see accomplished in the schisme that followed vpon Gregories death For when the schisme began Raymond told her That what she had prophesied was now come to passe and she replied Euen as then I told you that the present molestations were but milke and honie so I say vnto you That this you now see and behold is but childrens sport in comparison of future miseries especially in adiacent and bordering Prouinces Which we haue seene come to passe saith he ouer all Italie and Sicilia whereunto wee may worthily annex France which neuer felt a more sharpe and terrible warre than at this instant Then Raymond againe prosecutes Being curious saith hee to demaund of her what would follow after this wonderfull agitation and reuolt because it manifestly appeared that shee entertained celestiall reuelations she replied God shall purge his Church from all these tribulations and miseries by a meanes altogether inperceptible and vnknowne vnto men and after this shall occurre such a wonderfull reformation of Gods Church and a renouation of sacred and holie Pastors that through the cogitation thereof onely my spirit euen reioyceth in the Lord. And as otherwhiles I haue many times told you the spouse that now is deformed and rent shall then hee adorned with goodlie and precious iewels and all the faithfull shall exult for being honoured with such holie Pastors Antoninus addes further What this sacred virgine foretold of schismes and tribulations we haue seene them cleerely and euidently come to passe but for that shee denounced touching good Pastors and the Churches reformation that hath not yet beene effected And yet he wrot in the yeare 1450 after the schisme extinguished and the dissolution of the Councels of Constance and Basil the which as it seemes he thought had not sufficiently prouided for the reformation of the Church conformable to this virgines predictions neither can it any wayes be perceiued in the Church of Rome or in the Popes whether you consider doctrine or manners so as this prophesie may verie well be applied to that reformation that began not long after which purged both the errors of doctrine and the abuses of discipline through the diligence and zeale of those godlie ministers which God stirred vp in the age following by a meanes as she said inperceptible of men the which was then a preparing before his death In Bohemia mention is made of one Militzius a famous Preacher of Prage whom Iacobus Misnensis tearmes renowmed and venerable This man declared how against his will he was enioyned by the holie Ghost to search out of the holie Scriptures the comming of Antichrist whom he found to be now alreadie come the same spirit conducting him he was constrained to go to Rome where he preached publikely and afterwards before the Inquisitor he confirmed That the great Antichrist of whom the Scriptures doe prophesie was already come The same man said That in the Church Idols should be erected which would destroy Ierusalem and make desolat the Temple but that they were couered with hypocrisie That many know the truth and yet through iniustice suppressed it and therefore in this silence they renounced Christ and durst not auouch his truth before men He also inueyed particularly against many abuses as we may see in Iacobus Misnensis his treatise de Aduentis Antichristi which he wrot about the yeare 1410. An. 1410. We find also a Bull of Gregorie the eleuenth directed to Iohn Archbishop of Prage wherein he is commanded to excommunicat and persecute Militzius and his auditors who were taught and instructed by him That the Pope and his companions were Antichrists That there was no truth amongst them vndepraued So as it is manifest that the Church in Bohemia came to haue some reformation and so much the rather because the Waldenses as we formerly saw fixed here their habitations long time before In these verie dayes about the yeare 1460 one Iohn Wickliffe An. 1460. a man of singular vnderstanding began to lift vp his head who was trayned vp at Oxford in all learning and science being both a famous Diuine and Philosophâ—â— who was for these parts highly honoured and esteemed of all the Faculties and Degrees in that Vniuersitie This man questionlesse charged the Roman Church on euerie side verie stoutly for not satisfying himselfe in shewing the Pope to bee an Heresâ—arch the Antichrist deciphered in the Scriptures the abhomination of desolation in abstracto in abstract brought in by Sathans guile and their Churches impostume and that he conuinced him to be the same both by the Scriptures the course of all histories diuers preualent reasons and his owne proper actions but further he assaileth the inward poynts of his doctrine taxing it with vanitie superstition and idolatrie reprehending the seruice of the creator conuerted to the creature to mortall men to Saints to reliques to images That the Sacrifice of the Redeemers Passion was turned into the foolish spectacle and mummerie of a Masse the benefit of the death and passion of Christ the sonne of God into dispensations absolutions pilgrimages and indulgences the benefits or rather inchauntments not of a pure but most impure man The people were fallen away from the incomparable merits of Christ our Sauiour to their owne workes from the firme tuition and defence of Christs crosse to the shaken reed of their owne demerits To conclude from God the generall creator to a ridiculous host which must bee worshipped as God though it were knead and made with mens hands And for the furtherance of this so high a worke of Gods he translated the whole Bible into the vulgar Tongue all those heads of doctrine he deliuered to the learned in Latine and to the ignorant in the vulgar Tongue In publique lectures at Oxford he was a Doctor in ordinarie Sermons of the Church a Pastour putting on a brasen forehead against the shamelesse strumpet and a breast of Diamant against the power and violence of the whole Clergie thundring the like euen into the eares of Edward the third then raigning in England and he drew vnto himselfe the attention
of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the
fall into the hands of Francis Pregnan L. 1. c. 12. his brothers sonne And this is that humilitie which Theodorick commended in him before his Popedome When he saw the Cardinalls fall away from him he remained astonished and would haue returned to humilitie yet gathering courage to himselfe he thought he should not want some ambitious to take the Cardinals hat at his hand wherefore in one day he created twentie six three Romans the rest Neapolitans his countreymen The chiefe strife was for the possession of Rome and alreadie he ruled there but the Vrsines that held for Clement and the Frenchman captaine of the castle S. Angelo who shot off thence vpon his people made the citie dangerous vnto him therefore with the forces of his confederats he besieged him and constraineth him through famine to yeeld He woon vnto him also the fauour of the Emperour Charles the fourth and of Lewis king of Hungarie by giuing them hope of great matters and by their helpe got vnto himselfe the obedience of Lombardie and Sicilie Hence therefore taking courage he seriously bendeth his thoughts on the promoting of his nephew and sendeth for Charles Duras out of Hungarie against his promise by oath That he would neuer attempt any thing against the daughters of king Lewis and crowneth him king of Sicilie on this condition That hee should giue the dukedome of Capua and of Melfe in the realme of Naples and many noble earledomes in Sicilie to his nephew though he were a man effeminat and vnprofitable And because this Charles had no money he sold to the Roman citizens the proprieties and rights of many churches of Rome to the summe of eightie thousand Florins more also gold siluer Chalices crosses and other pretious ornaments of the said Churches and Monasteries he tooke away in great number and value and he coyned many siluer Images of Saints into money for to pay wages to the armie of Charles And here againe let the Reader weigh that deuotion which our Author had attributed vnto him before his Popedome His other conditions were found to be no better Charles led by his naturall pride marcheth to Naples and through the treason prepared by Vrban is receiued by his partakers into the citie for he had bound vnto him the best families by his Cardinals hats But Queene Ioan was retired into the new castle and Otho Duke of Brunswick with his armie besieged the citie He then counterfeited the seale of Queene Ioan and forged a letter as from her to Otho whereby she intreated him to come vnto her with six onely of his deerest and most faithfull friends for to resolue together in so great extremitie what was best for them to be done Otho suspecting nothing taketh his journey thitherwards by night accompanied with the Marquesse of Montferrat his cousen Balthasar Duke of Brunswick his brother sonne in law of the Earle of Fundi and three captains in whom he greatly trusted but they fall into a deepe pit prepared for them with their horses in which was hid in ambush fiftie men who kil the Marquesse and the three captains take the Duke Otho and his brother Balthasar and caried them prisoners to Charls who commaunded Balthasars eyes to be put out in the publike market place where the innocent young king Conradine by the commaundements of Charles the first had beene beheaded and he keepeth Otho full three yeares vnder custodie Queene Ioan when she heard that her husband was taken hoped that in yeelding the castle which besides was in distresse for want of victual she might at least redeeme her life but he sent her presently prisoner into a certaine castle of Abruzzo in the chappell whereof as she was kneeling at prayer before the Altar by his command she is strangled by foure Hungarian souldiers All this was done by the counsell of Vrban whose Legat à latere was euer by him the Cardinall of Sangro who thought he offered to God good sacrifice when hee destroyed them that had been faithfull to Queene Ioan as well of the Clergie as Laytie eyther depriuing them of their goods or deposing them of their Ecclesiasticall dignities without any respect of age condition or merit insomuch that in one day at their cost he created thirtie and two Archbishops and Bishops and many Abbots all Neapolitans and followers of Charles his part He addeth that they vsed the enchauntments of a certaine vagabond well knowne to the Author who named himselfe a Knight and a little after was burned by commaundement of Lewis Duke of Anjou whom he would haue deceiued Neither was Clement in the meane time idle A man saith the Authour of a large conscience and of great experience verie needie whom Gregorie the eleuenth by reason he could not otherwise maintaine his prodigalitie had appointed Legat in the Marca de Ancona and in Lumbardie more perhaps Jdem l. 2. c. 21. that he might by that meanes haue wherewith to liue from the inhabitants of those regions vnder pretence of his Legation than for any quiet or safetie that hee might procure vnto them Of which he bringeth vs some examples Neuerthelesse he is couetous or rather a greedie griper by reason of his prodigalitie For Otho Duke of Brunswick hauing taken Verseil and fortie Castles in those parts from Vicount Barnabo then commaunder of Milan who had deliuered them to Gregorie Clement beeing at that time Legat sold them all to Barnabo for readie money who exercised against them all sorts of crueltie and exacted from them the money he had disbursed to Clement And being come to the Popedome he retayned still the same humour granting in fee for a very small yerely reuenew without any difficultie the Lands and demesnes of Cathedrall Churches and Monasteries for to bind great men vnto him and giuing saith the Authour large thâ—ngs of another mans leather that he might recouer money at any price whatsoeuer And when he saw that Vrban had at his pleasure created a King of Apulia he resolued to giue him a competitour this was Lewis Duke of Aniou whom he crowned and sent into Italie with an armie of sixtie thousand men so that Vrban determined to leaue Rome and to goe into the kingdome of Naples whom Charles commeth to meet not farre from Auersa and did vnto him the office of a groome or yeoman of his stirrop And the same Authour being an eye-witnesse of this meeting noteth Lib. 1. c. 29. 30. 31. 32. that many Countrie people came and kissed the sayd Vrbans feet but before they did so they had thrice kissed the ground or earth But Charles vnder colour of shewing him the Castle of Auersa kept him prisoner suspecting some euill of Vrbans journey into Apulia and so much the rather for that hee had not fulfilled his promise in putting Pregnan his Nephew in possession of the Duchie of Capua and of Melâ—e But soone after at the entreaties of the Cardinals and vnder certaine conditions he set him at libertie and
Theodor. Ã Nyem Tract 6. c. 12. of the Cardinals that these two old men contending for the Popedom if it be lawful to speak a truth do strangely mock and abuse Christian people And briefely he setteth down their subtilties These two Lords seeme to play together like two Champions or Tilters who haue made an agreement not to hurt one another and yet entertaine the people with a kind of shew or ostentation as if they would doe wonders There he likewise produceth the conclusions of the Doctors of Bologne touching this schisme wherein they declare first That this schisme by their obstinacie and the long continuance thereof Tract 6. c. 16. is turned to an heresie Secondly That in auncient schismes if the lawfull Pope himselfe doe not his best endeuours to extinguish them he is to be accounted a nourisher of them and consequently of the heresie and that the Cardinals ought to forsake him and to withdraw their obedience from him as from a man incorrigible and an heretike and if they should refuse to doe so they were likewise fauourers of the schisme and heresie which they made good by many Canons and Ecclesiasticall lawes Thirdly That both Popes refused the meanes of vnion and so were both faultie and therefore he that of the two had most right to the Popedome at the request of any prouinciall Councell or the instance of a secular Prince ought to leaue the Popedome and to permit the Cardinals to proceed to a new election which if he did not agree vnto they were to forsake him By which reason he condemned them both and consequently their Acts and ordinations And here let our aduersaries consider where that succession then was they so much boast of Cap. 19. In the nineteenth chapter there is an Epistle in mitte sent to Gregorie and his adherents who of the two was thought to haue the better right It began with these verses Perfide qui phrenesi raptus Plutonis Tartareis inuectus equis haeresimque secutus Ausus es Ecclesiae tentare periculâ— sanctae Perfidious wretch carried with Plutoes frenzie On hellish horses and following Heresie Hast dared to attempt the danger of holie Church If this man were thought to come from the diuell what shall we thinke of the other As for his Cardinals they were tainted with all horrible wickednesse yea Sodomie it selfe In the selfesame stile is that other written in the eight and twentieth chapter whose Author F. writeth himselfe of Verona the faithfull seruant of Christ This setteth out the nephewes of Gregorie and his Cardinals in their colours infamous for treacherie hypocrisie simonie Iam Nero iunque Magus non vlli gratia gratis Affluxit vestrum c. Now Nero now Magus neuer came grace gratis from you to any c. And let not the Reader thinke it lost labour to read it out nor that Epistle of Theodorick in the foure and twentieth chapter Idem 24. Cap. 29. In the nine and twentieth chapter he sets downe an Epistle written at that time in the name of Sathan Emperor of the kingdomes of Acheron to Iohn Dominick of the Order of Preachers professor in Diuinitie created Cardinall by S. Sixtus chosen Bishop of â—aguse whom he calleth the scholer of perdition the worshipper of our workes to whom he wisheth health and pride euerlasting There he thanks him for his good endeuors he vsed to breake the vnion and to excuse the perjuries of Gregorie to put in practise his hypocrisie luxurie simonie thereby discouering all the infamies both of the Pope and Cardinals of those times But the Author himselfe in the 39 chapter in good earnest and without jesting cunningly describes the manners of Ecclesiasticall persons in Italie Cap. 36. 37. They are alwayes carefull saith he to aduance their brethren kindred and nephewes honouring them with Ecclesiasticall titles at whose gates there are seldome or neuer seene any poore And if perhaps any poore bodie beg an almes of a Bishop or Abbot they presently turne away their eyes and if perhaps extreame want vrge him to aske the second time they threaten him Into the Apostolike chamber there is euerie day carried great store of gold but it is neuer filled They are a wicked generation who carrie swords in stead of teeth to eat vp the poore from off the earth Amongst them are many bloud-suckers that crie bring bring The officers of the chamber are called Gentes Camerae the Gentiles of the Camber and well may they be so called for Gentes are barbarous nations hauing manners and lawes strange and different from the lawes of men vsing reason For as Turkes and Tartarians vse those vnfortunat Christians that fall into their hands roughly and inhumanely so these Gentes Camerae Gentiles of the Chamber being voyd of all pitie and pietie spâ—yâ— those new Ecclesiasticall Prelats that are promoted amongst vs by strange and exquisit meanes of all their substance And if perhaps they be not able to pay the full summe which the Chamber requires of them but a time must be giuen for the paiment thereof which grace is seldome granted and to a few they extort from them such horrible â—thes that there is no wise man that will not feare to take them either to obtaine a great benefit or to auoyd as great an euill And vpon this delay letters are giuen him in the Chamber non propter Iesum tantum not for the loue of Iesus only but for siluer if there be any remaining for the expence of his iourney homeward so that being freed from this Chamber he may well say Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator He that emptie purst trauels on the way May boldly before the theefe sing or say For all pretie mercie and clemencie haue taken their flight from thence And if thou art to pay a thousand Florins in gold and one of them want but a halfepenie in weight except than deliuer one more weightie than that or supplie that in siluer which it wanteth in gold there is no departing notwithstanding that what Florins they receiue of others they pay againe to others without weight and measure And if a Prelat within the yere wherein he is bound to pay the remainder discharge not the Chamber be he the most excellent Doctor in the world of a Bishop he is made a Clerke of an Abbot a Monke of a Prior a posterior there being no law or iustice to releeue him O our iust Gentiles one day to haue their portions with the infernall Furies or Harpies and thirstie Tantalus who are neuer satisfied They haue hard heads and flintie breasts made of the stones of Deucalion and hearts harder than steele without all compassion Vnhappie therefore is that poore Prelat who being intangled in the nets of that Chamber is enforced to endure such torment Touching the Popes of his time well knowne to himselfe he spake ingeniously of Vrban the sixt Before the time of his election to be Pope so long as he was
successors the bishops of Rome entring into the Popedome by the right way and all such as shall yeeld any helpe or fauour to any such appellants or perturbers c. or shall affirme them not to be bound and excommunicated by our sentence of what degree or dignitie soeuer they be whether Cardinals Patriarches Archbishops Bishops of authoritie or maiestie royall or imperiall of whatsoeuer state or condition ecclesiasticall or ciuile from which sentence none can be absolued but by the Pope except it be at the poynt of death c. Which excommunication being denounced by vs if he shall obstinatly beare for the space of 20 daies if he be a prince we subiect him to the determination of the Church with all his lands townes cities castles c. If Vniuersities so likewise c. Notwithstanding all liberties graces Apostolike indulgences graunted from vs or our predecessors Now it was in the beginning of the yere 1408 that the vniuersitie of Paris by the mouth of Master Iohn Courteheuse a Norman in the great hall of the palace of Paris made their complaint in the presence of the kings of Fraunce and Sicilia the dukes of Barry of Bar and Brabant the Earles of Mortaigne Neuers S. Paul Tancarville the Rector of the vniuersitie and deputies thereof and a great multitude of the Nobilitie Clergie and people also the earle of Warwicke an Englishman and the embassadours of Scotland and Galicia The text of this master Iohn was taken out of the 7. Psal v. 16. His mischiefe shal returne vpon his owne head and his crueltie shall fall vpon his owne pate From which words he drue six conclusions The first was That Petrus de Luna that is Benedict was an obstinat Schismatike yea an heretike a troubler of the peace and vnitie of the Church The second That he was not to be called a Pope nor a Cardinall or to be honoured with any other title of dignitie nor obeyed as a Pastour of the Church vpon those paynes ordayned against such as fauour Schismatikes The third That the acts sayings collations prouisions c. from the date of the letter made in forme of a Bull and all punishments Temporall and Spirituall publique or priuate therein contayned were of no force The fourth That the sayd letters were wicked seditious full of fraud troubled the peace offended his royall Maiestie The fifth That those letters are not to be obeyed and he that doth obey them to be censured as a fauourer of Schismatikes The sixt That the sayd Peter his fauourers and such as receiued his letters were to be proceeded against by a course of law Whereupon the Vniuersitie requested his Maiestie First That due inquisition should be made of those letters and their receiuers that such a punishment might be inflicted vpon them as the Vniuersitie at fit time and place should appoint Secondly That the king nor any of his realme should any more receiue any letters from Benedict Thirdly That the Vniuersitie of Paris might be enioyned by the commaund of the king to preach the truth throughout the whole kingdome Fourthly That the Bishop of S. Flour Master Peter de Courselles Sancien de Leu Deane of S. German d' Auxerre being apprehended should be punished according to their demerits that is for ioyning in Councell with the Pope Fiftly That that pretended Bull might be torne as iniurious and offensiue to the Maiestie of the king the Vniuersitie protesting to proceed to greater matters touching the faith note these words and to expound them and to shew them to those to whom it appertayned All which being granted by the king to the Vniuersitie the Popes letters were presently in that honourable assemblie torne by the Rector of the Vniuersitie the aboue named apprehended and cast into prison in the Louvre and the messinger that brought the Bull by the diligence of the kings Proctour was taken not farre from Lyons and brought backe bound to Paris Which Benedict vnderstanding was so astonished that with foure of his Cardinals by Venus gate he secretly stole away and went to Perpignan There was in the moneth of August following another assemblie touching the same matter where the Chauncellor of France was president all these Princes and great personages assisting as before There a certaine Doctour of Diuinitie famous amongst the Dominicans tooke vpon him to expound that Scripture in the 14 of the Romans verse 19 Let vs follow those things that concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie another In the handling whereof he proueth Benedict a Schismatike six wayes his Bulls fraudulent and injurious and that the king in that he tooke part with neither and had withdrawne himselfe from the obedience of both had done that which was right and just But in the meane time saith Monstrelet Master Sanctien and the messenger of Peter de Luna Benedict who had brought the letters before mentioned to the king both Arragonians being both mytred and attired with habillaments wherin the armes of Peter de Luna were painted vpside down were drawne out of the Louvre vpon a sled into the court of the Palace where neere the marble pillar that is next the staires there was a Scaffold built whereupon they were set to be seene of all that would behold them and on their myters there was written These are disloyall to the Church and King The day after there was a Councell held againe in the Palace where Master Vrsinus Taluenda Doctour of Diuinitie spake for the Vniuersitie of Paris and tooke his Theame out of the 122. Psal v. 7. Peace be within thy walles c. In the handling whereof he exhorted the King and Princes to prouide a remedie for this Schisme prouing Peter to be a Schismatike and an heretike and all that obeyed him to incurre the punishment due to the fauourers of Schismes and heresies alledging many examples of the Popes of Rome that made to that purpose Moreouer he did earnestly request that the Bulls might be publiquely torne with others of that kind brought to Thoulouse which was presently graunted and put in execution the twentieth of August 1408. Cap. 52. And all Prelats and other ecclesiastical persons likewise commaunded within the confines of their benefices with a loud voyce to publish this neutrallitie c. And the morrow after both the Arragonians before named were againe led through the Citie and put to open shame vpon a Scaffold as formerly they had beene Which vigour and courage is so much the rather worth the noting because it fell out in the most perilous diuisions of our State Now it followed that the Cardinals both of the one part and the other taking heart for the most part forsooke both Popes assembled themselues at Pisa where in a Councell they deposed them both as being both heretikes and Schismatikes The acts of which Councell are set downe at large in certaine letters of the Abbot of S. Maxence to the bishop of Poictiers who was present at that Councell Cap.
Nation differeth neuerthelesse from them in his life and conuersation Know that this flight suffiseth so long as the force of the furie compelleth not a man to wickednesse and so long as Gods mercie tollerateth the sinnes of the place not yet growne to their full height of corruption But where their state is desperate and past hope of amendement they admit no counsell no remedie no wholsome helpe whatsoeuer but refusing to be cured they rage like madd men and from all parts they send vp a continuall crie vnto God for the destruction of that place whosoeuer therefore he bee that abideth long time in that place and feareth not that vengeance of God that hangeth ouer that place how different soeuer hee be in manners hee is madd Neither is it lawfull for him that differeth in manners to liue there where the plague of corruption is growne to that strength that all are infected with the contagion thereof especially the cure being remedilesse Is he different in manners that hauing drunke of the cup of Babylon beene corrupted with her poyson polluted with her sinnes carried with her rage is constrained to appproue with commendation consent imitation those things that are done by wicked men not daring to open his mouth to the contrarie or to oppose himselfe with any freedome of conscience Thou askest whither thou canst goe where thou shalt not find a confused Babylon and thou seest no quiet resting place or contented abode for a peaceable mind as if Babylon were not in thy mind too For what mind canst thou euer make me instance of so peaceable setled and contented in which I will not say sometimes or often but euerie day and houre there is not some iarre some conflict wherein the tempestuous stormes of perturbations doe not arise which the blustering winds of pride doe tosse the murmuring noyse of diuers passions doth not disquiet and wherein there are not many times horrible and furious tempests in so much that it is needfull for vs daily to crie out Lord saue vs we perish Thence it was that one speaking of a mind meditating heauenly things and not earthly which therefore he called heauen sayd and not ineligantly though in meetre Confusa sunt hic omnia Spes metus moeror gaudium Vix hora vel dimidia Fit in coelo silentium All things are confused here Sorrow ioy hope and feare Scarce for a moment of time Peace in heauen can we find If thou seeke here an assured setled rest in all respects thou seekest a knot in a rush Gerson in Tractat de potestate Ecclesiastica consid 10. 11 as one said and thou shalt neuer find it either within or without thee All things are full of warre confusion danger euerie thing compassed with snares and subtilties neither canst thou retire thee within thy selfe but they follow thee In Tractat. de Anseribilitate Papae consid 4.9.10 12.14.15.16.18 Jtem in propositione facta coram Anglicis euntibus ad Concil consid 4. Jtem in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei appellare Papae Item in Tractatu de examine doctrinarum But yet notwithstanding though there be something of Babylon euerie where yet that Babylon is not euerie where that is the mother of the fornications and abhominations of the earth whose iudgement as Iohn saith is ascended vp to the heauens which hath made drunken all the nations with the wine of her whoredome and constraineth all her inhabitants to commit fornication to blaspheme to eat things sacrificed to Idols to worship the dragon With which impieties whosoeuer is polluted how can he find peace within himselfe except he hate the fornications of that whore forsake condemne detest them to which whosoeuer shall adhere is made one bodie with her because so long as he conuerseth with her hee cannot bee freed from her manners being by force and furie drawne vnto them But if thou flie the habitation of cities and the course of people as being infected with a Babylonish contagion there are secret places seuered from cities fit for the seruice of God religions approued deuout Monasteries sauouring rather of Ierusalem than Babylon To bee briefe Item in propos vtilib ad extirp schismat if thou feare all humane companie there are solitarie places wherein thou mayest dwell with thy selfe and retire thy selfe to thine owne heart liue to thy selfe haue onely God to be a witnesse and companion of thy life Item in regul moral where at the last thou mayest more easily and more happily find that peace of thy mind which thou professest is so much to thy desire In the same stile writ master Iohn Gerson the Chauncellor of the Vniuersitie who was likewise present at that Councell Item de loco Pauli ad Thessal in Tractatu de signu ruinae Ecclesiae for I leaue to speake of his inuectiues in many places Against humane traditions because we haue spoken thereof elsewhere and likewise against the corruption of Ecclesiasticall discipline and the simonies of the Court of Rome in selling graces and dignities which they call spirituall because all these are couered vnder a pretext of the infallibilitie either of the Church or of the Pope Gerson de vita spirituali aiae Lect. 2. Corol. 7. to 3. num 61. But this in diuers his treatises he closely yet elegantly teacheth That the Pope can erre and abuse that power committed vnto him to the ruine of the Church That he can prostitute and oppresse it fall into schisme heresie idolatrie in which case he may bee corrected by the meanest Lay-man that professeth the Gospell That hee may be reproued repressed deposed by a Councell representing the Church Item in Tractatu an liceat in causis fidei à summo Pontific appellare propos 3 tom 1. num 14. sub finem since the Church saith he can subsist without the Pope without his ministeriall head and yet bee gouerned well ynough by Christ the Spouse of the Church For it is not sayd saith he When you are assembled in the name of Peter or of the Pope but In my name c. And this doctrine hath displeased many but the Councells of Constance and Basil haue freed the Church from this pernitious heresie which placeth the Pope aboue the Church So farre hee proceedeth by reason of those inconueniences he found thereby that hee alledgeth some cases wherein it is lawfull to make an assault vpon his owne person But because hee handleth these propositions in whole Treatises we will content our selues with the quotations in the margent Touching the question Whether the Pope be aboue the Councell and the Church he peremptorily saith Gerson de examine doctrinar That it is as much as if one should aske Whether the part bee greater than the whole That the Pope is subiect to the Church That the keyes are properly giuen to the Church and not to Saint Peter much lesse to the Pope The Church in the meane time subiect
it was said they had craftily gotten into their hands Therefore thinking it best for him to rest quiet hee approueth the conuocation of the Councell of Basil and confirmeth the Legation of Cardinall Iulian and that so much the rather for that Sigismund came into Italie whose alliance with the Duke of Milan and intelligence with the Colonni he feared But this Prince otherwise great either by his owne negligence or more truely by reason of pouertie came thither in so poore a manner that hee easily put away from him all feare We haue seene him saith Valla with few followers about him liue but as for a day and he would haue perished for hunger if Eugenius had not fed him though not gratis for he wrested from him the Donation He comming to Rome to bee crowned Emperour of the Romans could not be crowned of the Pope but on condition that he should ratifie the donation of Constantine and also giue all those things anew Yea he addeth in indignation What is more contrarie than to be crowned Roman Emperour and to renounce Rome to be crowned of him whom he confesseth and as much as in him lyeth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire and to ratifie a donation which if it be true leaueth to the Emperour nothing of the Empire which I thinke children would not haue done Yea and Eugenius adiureth him before he set the Crowne on his head presently to depart Rome and to stay no longer in Italie and so hee forthwith passed the Alpes Platina in Eugenio 4. and returned into Germanie And this is it Platina hath In the beginning of his Popedome moued by the words of the Emperour Princes and Prelats he confirmed the Councel of Basil euen by his Apostolicall letters for he was so vexed with warres that he scarcely had power to breath but taking heart againe hee constantly and prudently administred all things Thus spake hee in fauour of the Popes Whereup Eugenius stoutly taketh vpon him to dissolue this Councell or to assigne another somewhere else and he publisheth his Bulls whereby he reuoketh both the Councell and Cardinall Iulian whom he had appointed to preside there who speedily returneth to him into Italie The Fathers of the Councell on the contrarie by their embassadours sundrie times beseech him That he would come and be there present himselfe otherwise by dissoluing the Councell hee would giue occasion of scandall yea they decree That reuocation can haue no place and set before him the most grieuous punishments propounded in the Councell of Constance vnlesse he would obey but if he purpose which he hideth to hold another Councell they declare openly that there can be but onely one And that if he breake it off Sess 10.11.12.26 he with his is to expect the like judgement of God as in time past fell vpon Core Dathan and Abiron schismatikes Lastly they admonish cite blame accuse and adiure him leauing no forme requisit vnobserued or done they abrogat the Cardinals by him created for to hold another Councell Sess 31.34 35. they suspend him from the Popedome depose him pronounce him a notorious schismatike periurer heretike scandalous incorrigible obstinat depriued deposed put downe and as such a one they take from him all obedience and make a Decree for the chusing another in his roome All which things in their order reach to the yeare 1439. And these things were done notwithstanding the Emperour Sigismund in the meane time was deceased who had chiefely set forward the Councell that Eugenius also with his had assigned another Councell first at Ferrara in the yeare 1438 An. 1438. and after by reason of the pestilence there transferred it in the yeare 1439 to Florence An. 1493. whither came the Emperour Palaeologus of Greece to entreat the succours of the Latines against the Turkes and for that cause as it was thought was the more pliable to the pretentions of the Romish Church But the Fathers of the Councell of Basil proceed farther to the election of a successor and prescribe beforehand the forme of the oath that hee ought to take namely To execute and obserue the Decrees of the Councells of Constance and Basil Sess 37. also to procure the celebration of generall Councels and confirmation of elections according to the Decrees of the sacred Councell of Basil They further declare the Councell of Ferrara to be vnlawfull and none at all and tearme it a Conuenticle And presently also authorise three Catholike truthes against certaine Inuectiues of Eugenius The first is That the power of a generall Councell representing the vniuersall Church Sess 38. is aboue the Pope and all other whomsoeuer is a truth of Catholike Faith Secondly That the Pope can by no meanes of his owne authoritie dissolue a generall Councell or prorogue it to another time or transferre it from one place to another without the consent thereof Thirdly That he which obstinatly repugneth the foresaid truthes is to be rudged an heretike And these they handle in a writing published expresly In the end they enter into the Conclaue and chuse for Pope Amades Duke of Sauoy absent by the name of Felix the fourth who a little before did liue an Hermits life at Ripaille vpon the lake of Lausanne In the meane time Eugenius was not idle in Italie Charles the seuenth king of France who held for the Councell of Basil had sent his gallies into the Ionicke sea for to meet Iohn Palaeologus Emperour of the East and to giue him to vnderstand in what place the lawfull Councell was held to persuade him to take land in France thence to conduct him to Basil Eugenius hauing corrupted with money the Generall of the French gallies breaketh off his course and draweth him to his part Whereupon Eugenius taketh occasion not a little to commend his Councell by the hope of making an vnion betweene the Roman and Greeke Church which notwithstanding as it seemed continued not long And so hauing dismissed his conuenticle he returneth to Rome where he is receiued with greater applause than before On the other part the Councell of Basil continuing still neuerthelesse it troubled him and truce being made betweene the kings of France and England whereby the souldiers on both parts were dismissed Eugenius taketh the occasion offered and winneth the Dolphine of France who was afterward Lewis the eleuenth who of those broken troupes gathered together to the number of thirtie thousand and more and vnder diuers pretences marcheth towards Basil but indeed with a purpose as the Historiographers of Italie doe testifie to terrifie the Fathers of the Councell for to constraine them to breake it off When these were entred on the territorie of the citie the Cantons of the Switzers ran to succour it There foure thousand Switzers sustained a violence and force neuer before heard of in a conflict that continued till night of the Switzers fighting it out euen to the last gaspe there hardly escaped an hundred and fiftie
but of the Armignacs for so they were called were slaine eight thousand among which was their chiefe Leader And thus did that good Father procure the peace of the Church which was betwixt Felix and him miserably distracted yet there were many that acknowledged neither And as Felix and his fauourers bold vpon the authoritie of the Councell of Basil defamed Eugenius in his Bulls so he likewise spareth not Felix in his written to all the Princes from Florence That this Felix Duke of Sauoy borne in a countrey infamous for witches and sorcerers from his youth consulted with them had this put into his head That he should be Pope and that to this end he had assumed the habit of an Hermit for to set a monstrous head on the Church as a most false hypocrite and that he might couer vnder sheepes clothing his woluish crueltie That he truely was an Image of Nabuchadnezzar or rather an Idol of Belzebub set vp in the Church of God a Lucifer who said I will place my seat in the North c. And worse he would haue said if he could Whilest in the meane time in his letters and Buls he stileth himselfe The true Spouse of the Church What dare Antichrist do more And hence let the Reader judge what lawfull vocation remained in the Roman Church when Eugenius dieth a schismatike an heretike deposed his Acts reuoked disanulled made void and neuer more thenceforth authorised and consequently all whatsoeuer ordinations consecrations haue proceeded therefrom and that by the authoritie of so famous a Councell when on the other side Felix in places of his obedience raigneth Pope nine whole yeares by the Councell of Florence excommunicated anathematized and his Bulls declared void and disanulled and whatsoeuer dependeth of them if the vocation of the Ministers of the Church proceed onely from the Pope as from the head Synodi Florentinae Acta Graecè conscripta ex Bibliotheca Regia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Graeca Synodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Patriarcha cùm omnes quos secum adduxerat Episcopos consuluisset una voce decreverunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redeunt manè Episcopi Pontificis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as we haue said Eugenius coloured his matters with the comming of the Emperour of Greece and of the Patriarch of Constantinople who with many Bishops had beene present at his Councell brought thither by the gallies of the Venetians countreymen of Eugenius There the Acts of the Councell written in Greeke doe testifie that the Pope did the best he could to make himselfe bee seene in his full pride In the morning before the first houre of the day we saw Caristinus come running to vs sent from the Emperour who told the Patriarch That the Pope expected that his Holinesse should goe to him and adore him and kisse his feet and the Emperour saith he hath alreadie insisted and contended three dayes that he might not doe it which in the meane time he declareth to your Holinesse that you may know in what manner you must come vnto him This was verie grieuous to the Patriarch who trusted that he should be receiued in a far other fashion and should find another affection and certaintie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For when he was yet at Venice he had said to one of his domestike fauorites concerning the Pope I haue determined with my self that if the Pope be of more yeares than I I hold him for my Father if of equall yeares for my brother but if he be younger than I I account him for my sonne And my mind is that if there bee any faire house neere vnto his which hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a priuat passage from the one to the other let him giue it me that priuatly I may goe to him and he likewise to me againe c. But when he heard of kissing his feet he was amazed notwithstanding hee departed and we came when the Courts were alreadie full to Ferrara and stayed right against the castle neere the bridge and before noone there came six Bishops and they in the Popes behalfe congratulat the Patriarches comming The Patriarch said That hee owed him not any such salutation but for as much saith he as wee are brethren let vs embrace and kisse each other brotherly otherwise I will doe nothing The Patriarch had also other speeches concerning that matter vnto which they made answer And the Patriarch with all the Bishops that he had brought with him tooke counsell together and with one voyce did decree That this is neither iust nor meet nor profitable to be done The Bishops of the Pope returne againe in the morning and instantly vrge that kissing of feet but the Patriarch declareth this instance is vnseemely for whence saith he hath the Pope that right shew vs what Synod hath giuen it to him or where it is written especially seeing the Pope calleth himselfe the successor of Saint Peter But the Bishops answer That it is an auncient custome of the Pope and that all salute him in that manner Bishops Kings the Emperour of Germanie himselfe and the Cardinalls who are greater than the Emperour in as much as they are persons consecrat Whereunto the Patriarch replied That this was a new inuention I will not saith he assent vnto it I will neuer do it but if the Pope be pleased that I salute him brotherly according to our auncient manner in that sort I will goe to him but if he accept not of that I refuse all and returne back againe At length saith the Greeke Synod it came to this That whereas the Pope thought to haue made the Patriarch kisse his feet in a frequent assemblie when he could not make him condescend vnto it was forced at last to receiue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his priuie chamber and that the Cardinals onely being present All which things were on each side treated and concluded before the Greekes would come forth of their ships For the order of the Councell the Pope contended that the Greeke Emperour and the Patriarch with the Orientals should sit on the left side of the Temple and the Westerne peoples on the right hand and that himselfe at the higher end of all in the middest betweene both as head of both should haue an eminent seat The Emperour contrariwise debateth That this place rather belongeth to him At last they agreed that the Pope with his Westerne people should sit on the right hand the Greeke Emperor with the Easterne people on the left but Eugenius ouerruled so farre that his throne was placed by the high Altar the Roman Emperours though absent in the next place but some degrees lower and equall with him sat the Cardinals and Westerne Prelats the Emperour of Greece had his throne set right against the Popes and on his left hand sat the Patriarch of Constantinople but in an inferiour degree and equall with him were the seats of the
vniuersall authoritie both of Councels and of the Church it selfe to the person of the Pope alone Eugenius in the Councell of Florence Pius the second in his eloquent bull on that matter and others afterward it followeth that the Pope is exalted aboue the holie Scriptures yea aboue God himselfe and is therfore to be accounted for him of whom the Apostle speaketh 2. Thes 2. He exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth in the Temple of God as God who dare correct God alter the sence of his word after his owne pleasure commoditie And thus Reader thou seest how this Mysterie of Iniquitie still aduaunceth forward OPPOSITION The precedent progression is intermixed with so many and mightie oppositions that there seemeth to be no need of any other notwithstanding as sighes encrease according to the euill so in this place aboundeth vnto vs verie manie The Emperour Sigismund had framed certaine Articles of reformation to be exhibited to the Councell of Constance diuers others also in diuers Nations had conceiued also some patternes M. Peter de Alliaco Cardinal of Cambray is particularly commaunded to write these things for to shew them to the Councel in the yere 1415 An. 1415. the first of Nouember foure monthes after that Iohn the foure and twentieth had renounced the Popedome the Seat being vacant two yeres before Martin was chosen to succeed during which space this matter of reformation seemed fittest of all to be thought vpon The Preface of his discourse is by a place of S. Bernard vpon the Canticles Sermon 33. A rotten vlcer spreadeth it selfe at this day ouer all the bodie of the Church so much the more desperat by how much the more it is farre and wide extended and by how much the more it is inward so much the more it is dangerous For if an heretike enemie should openly arise he might be cast out and so wither if a violent enemie she might perhaps hide her selfe from him but now whom shal she cast out or from whom shall she hide her selfe All are friends and all enemies c. they are the minister of Christ and serue Antichrist c. The wound of the Church is inward and incurable therfore in peace her bitternesse is most bitter And this place haue we aboue alledged at length out of which he draweth this conclusion Seeing that the Church from henceforth was fallen from euill to worse vnlesse betimes it be looked to and preuented after the horrible darknesse of so many schismes much more horride things were in very few daies to be expected He prosecuteth afterwards by degrees those things that he thinketh doe belong to reformation of the vniuersall body of the Church First That it is necessarie there shold be eftsoons held generall and Prouinciall Councels for the correction of abuses especially generall which can with greater authoritie correct both all sorts of persons and all things Neither are we to expect remedie from the Church of Rome as if it were able to satisfie all cases that fall out Many saith he suspect that she hath dissembled these things and for this cause hath neglected the holding of Councels that she might the more fully beare dominion according to her owne lust and pleasure and vsurpe the more freely the rights and prerogatiues of other Churches That before the time of Constantine because the Church might not with free libertie hold Councels it hath fallen into diuers heresies therefore no maruell if in these later times through neglect of Councels it fall into diuers schismes and innumerable other euils ad haereses disponentia which dispose it to heresies That generall Councels are first of all necessary for the reformation of the body of the Church Dist 19. C. Anastas ibid. Glossa Archid dist 15. especially of the Roman which is de arduis pertinentibus ad fidem difficult in things pertaining to faith in as much as that which the Glosse saith That the Pope ought to require a Councel when matters of faith is debated is not to be referred onely to the articles of faith but to those things that belong to the state of the faithfull Church whereas otherwise it would be too dangerous a thing to commit our faith to the judgement and fancie of one man alone Lastly that now if euer was a fit opportunitie either to procure the vnion of the Greekes with the Latines or to represse the designements of the Turks who after they haue rent and torne in peeces the Empire will with all violence rush vpon the Church and so make way for Antichrist And already saith he many very godly deuout men not without cause doe feare praesentialiter presently both the one and the other ruine namely of the Empire by the Turks and of the Church by Antichrist 2. For the reformation of the Court of Rome That for the auoiding of schismes which proceed from the factions of the Cardinals it is sufficient to haue of euery each Prouince but one onely Cardinall Also that the Pope ought to prouide remedies cut off the grieuous burdens wherwith the Roman Church oppresseth other Churhces seeing that the Greeke Church is alienated from it because of her exactions excommunications and statutes and that to take away those exactions it were meet she should abate of her pompe of her excesse and of the number of the Cardinals Excommunications which after the example of the Primitiue Church for to make them the more to be feared ought not come forth but for graue and weightie causes whereas in these dayes they are thundered forth for verie light and for the most part temporall causes and the Anathemaes themselues whereupon they are growne into contempt with all men That there be a meane vsed in Statutes Canons and Decrees which oblige to mortall paines and of which may be said that of our Lord to the Pharisies They lay burdens on mens shoulders which they wold not touch with the top of the finger And this article reached very farre 3. For the Prelats That they should be chosen capable in doctrine exemplarie in manners resident in their charges moderat in diet and expence abstaining from corporall armes from secular affaires cutting off all simonie That it was necessarie to declare that many obseruations are of that kind that they are rather counsels than precepts He bringeth for example Lent to be moderated out of the circumstances the Seruice to be abridged to a deuout and entire breuitie the varietie of Images in Churches to be repressed a meane and bounds to be set in new Holidayes Churches and Saints on Sondayes and solemne feasts onely to abstaine from labour and out of the Diuine Seruice to banish and put forth all Apocripha Scriptures new prayers and to be short all nouelties 4. For religious persons That their great number and diuersitie is altogether pernitious whilest the one boasteth and is proud in his Rule against the other aboue all
on either side with musick of diuers sorts There were seene also wild men couered with iuie which with a wonderfull art seemed to meet with Lyons Bears c. all the Temple being likewise spread with scarlet He also canonized S. Katherine of Sienna Platina noteth this among his Apophthegmes That mariage had beene for great reason taken away from Priests but that for greater reason it should bee restored to them But Onuphrius according to his ordinarie custome raced this out of his edition and others after him but we find it in the first edition of Platina printed by Iohn de Colonia in the yeare 1479 and in many others how he is praysed by many Volateran writeth That his vnmeasurable ambition stayned all his vertues Kliberius his Epitaph was this Frigida membra Pij retinet lapis iste loquacis Qui pacem moriens attulit Italiae c. Vendider at pretio Gentes crimina multa Virtutis specie gesserat ille Pius c. Here doe the bones of talking Pius lye Who by his death brought peace to Italie c. Nations he sold and many crimes vnfit He vnder shew of vertue did commit And he presently addeth the reason Nam scelus orbis erat For he was the wickednesse of the world Now in the yeare 1494 Peter Barbo a Venetian the sisters sonne of Pope Eugenius is created his successor by the name of Paul the second Hee was no sooner entred into the Popedome but in recompence of the benefits hee had receiued of Pius the second hee putteth downe all the Abbreuiators by him created without hearing them and vnder pretence of ignorance whom Pius for their learning had drawne vnto him out of all parts of the world vtterly depriuing them of their office without the repaiment of any money Some tried him by supplication beseeching him to referre their cause to the Auditors of Rota and Platina who was one of them spake for all but he answered Doest thou thus call vs vnto Iudges saith he as if thou knewest not that all lawes are lodged within the closet of our breast Thus is our sentence Let them void the place let them goe whither they will I passe not for them I am Pope and it is lawfull for me to disannull or approue the acts of others according to my owne pleasure Pius the second who reduced the whole Church to one only man and they also that haue subiected the holie Scripture vnto him to wrest it into whatsoeuer sence he pleaseth may perceiue into what danger they cast vs when these men after their owne lust destroy each other and either for pleasure or hatred ouerthrow all things both diuine and humane They solicit night and day that at least they may be heard and being reiected they haue recourse to a letter Being reiected of thee Platina in Paul 2. and disgraced with so notable contumelie we wil disperse our selues to the Kings Princes in all parts will exhort them to call a Councell wherein thou mayst be constrained to render a reason why thou hast stripped vs of our lawfull possession And this had Platina himselfe both written and signed But he was presently cast into prison fettered with yrons and declared guiltie of high treason for hauing sowed a slanderous libell and made mention of a Councel Platina defendeth himselfe That a libell hath no name set to it but to this on the contrarie he had set to his name That he thought not that it was a crime to speake of a Councell seeing that Councels are in all ages instituted by the holie Fathers as in time past the Censorship among the Romans least iniurie should be done to any But he was so much the more straitly kept and sharply vsed vntill at the end of foure monethes by the entreatie of Cardinall Gonzaga he was deliuered on condition that he should not stirre out of the citie Paul had for competitor vnder Eugenius whilest he was in minoribus the Cardinal Aloisio of Padoua whose grace and fauour did much offend him he died leauing great wealth behind him which he bequeathed by testament with the consent of Paul himselfe to the Scarampi his brethren He seised vpon all for himselfe and retained the Scarampi till the things which had beene transported to Florence were brought backe to Rome Out of these particular actions may be judged what was the conscience of this man on whose will they will haue the commonwealth depend Iames Picinin a famous captaine retained king Ferdinand yea and Paul himselfe in their duetie Francis Sforza Duke of Milan his father in law sendeth him to the king vnder faith giuen That whensoeuer he would he should returne againe safe Ferdinand casts him into prison with his sonne and a while after put him to death saying That he falling downe in the prison it selfe brake his leg whilest he beheld at a window more attentiuely than heedfully the kings gallies returning with victorie from Ischia It was thought of some that Paul had a hand in that treacherie seeing that in those dayes the Bishop of Milan went verie often to and fro betweene the Pope and the king and Paul himselfe said when he heard of his captiuitie That the Iudge of Appeales was taken out of the way A while after he entred into a conceit That one Callimachus a Roman had conspired against him whereupon as his fantasie led him he taketh hold of all that stand in reach committeth them to prison and that so much the more eagrely for that it was told him that Lucas Tortius a gentleman of Rome banished to Naples was seene thereabouts with some troupes And Platina himselfe came into his mind taking a felicitie in his suspitions whom being apprehended he commanded should presently be put to the rack Although a few dayes after he vnderstood that this Lucas had not stirred one foot and certainly knew that this pretended conspiracie was altogether vaine and without ground Yet he would needs make shew that there was some hidden cause least he should be accused of lightnesse Wherefore many in the midst of their torments died men of good note whose names and dignities the Author setteth downe twentie within the space of two dayes were called in question and sifted to the vtmost Platina among others Whilest saith he I did hang in these torments naked rent as a theefe and murderer Vianensius handling the bracelets of Sanga de Cioggia his companion asked him what wench had giuen him that for a fauor He sitteth as another Minos on spread carpets as if he were at a wedding or rather at the supper of Atreus and Tantalus Speaking of loue he turneth to me vrging me to vnfold the order of the conspiracie or rather fable inuented of Calimachus Consider here in so seuere an act the grauitie of this man of a Church-man especially whom the sacred Canons forbid to be present at such executions least if death should follow he should become irregular and impious He asketh
Sermons publiquely foretold That Italie should be inuaded by foraine powers with so great astonishment that neither Councell nor walles nor armes should be able to resist them And this he did for fifteene yeares together whilest he liued at Florence But saith he when Charles was returned into Fraunce and the Pope freed from his feares he began to remember Hieronimus who hauing beene long before accused vnto him for inueying against the Clergie and Court of Rome not without the great scandall of them both for nourishing discords at Florence for preaching doctrines that were not Catholike was for these causes many times cited to Rome but he refused to appeare and therefore in the yere 1479 he was excommunicated But he still continuing in his preaching his aduersaries by the authoritie of the Pope getting the vpper hand drew him out of the Monasterie of S. Mark where he liued cast him into the common prison-house In which tumult the kinsfolke of those who the yeare before lost their heads slew Franciscus Valori an excellent citizen and his chiefe patron This saith Guicciardine Sauanarola was examined with tortures vpon which examination a processe was published which discharging him of those calumnies which were imposed vpon him touching his auarice his dishonest behauiour his secret practises with foraine Princes tended onely to this that such things as he had foretold were done not by Diuine reuelation but out of his owne opinion grounded vpon the doctrine and obseruation of the Scriptures And that he was not moued thereunto for any ill intent or out of couetousnesse to obtayne any ecclesiasticall dignitie but this one thing he onely respected that by his meanes a generall Councell might be called wherein the corrupt manners of the Clergie might be reformed and the degenerate estate of the Church of God as farre forth as was possible might be reduced to the similitude of that it was in the Apostles times or those that were neerest vnto them And if he could bring so great and so profitable a worke to effect he would thinke it a farre greater glorie than to obtaine the Popedome it selfe because that could not proceed but from excellent learning and vertue with a singular reuerence of all men whereas the Popedome is obtayned for the most part either by wicked meanes or the benefit of fortune Here let the Reader judge how great a sinne it is with them to desire or to forward the reformation of the Church by a generall Councell and to make it conformable to that of the Apostles times Hauing confirmed this processe in the presence of diuers religious of the same order he with two others his fellowes was depriued of his holie orders by the sentence of the Generall of the Dominicans and the Bishop Romolin who was afterward Cardinall of Surrenta deputed Commissaries by the Pope This being done he was left to the power of the secular Court by the iudgement whereof they were first hanged and then burnt which their deaths forasmuch as they did constantly endure the diuersitie of iudgements and opinions of men still continued for diuers there were that thought him an Impostor and abuser of the people others were of opinion that that confession that was published was forged or that being a man of a weake constitution it was extorted from him by torments against the truth excusing his fragilitie and weakenesse with the example of the Prince of the Apostles who being neither imprisoned nor constrained by torments or any extraordinarie force but onely terrified with the words of a simple maid denied himselfe to be the Disciple of his master notwithstanding he had heard many of his godlie admonitions and seene his miracles And hereby are those slaunders sufficiently disproued which we read in Nauclerus to be imputed vnto him Naucler Genar 50. Guicciardine charging him with no other crime but that those predictions which before he affirmed to proceed from diuine reuelation being neere his death he acknowledged to be gathered from the obseruation and interpretation of the Scriptures no doubt of the Apocalyps which sound no other things but reuelation and which no man doubts but they are written by the penne of the holie Ghost Flaminius a famous Poet of Italie in his Epitaph thought farre otherwise Dum fera flamma tuos Hieronime pascitur artus Religio fleuit dilaniata comas Fleuit ô dixit crudeles parcite flammae Parcite sunt isto viscera nostra rogo B Whilest furious flames O Ierome thy bodie weare Religion weepes and teareth her haire She weeps and cries O cruell flames O stay your ire O stay our bowels burne in this same fire Now if any man shall aske what points of Religion he desired to haue reformed in that Councell he so much thirsted after it sufficiently appeares in his bookes wherein hee ouerthroweth as much as in him lyes all humane traditions placeth all his hope in the free iustification by faith in Christ Iesus stickes onely to his passion acknowledgeth Christes merits onely maintaineth the communion vnder both kinds thundreth against indulgences and as well for life as doctrine acknowledgeth Antichrist in the Court of Rome The doctrine especially of free iustification is excellently handled in his meditations vpon the thirtieth and fiftieth psalme which Posseuinus acknowledgeth to bee composed the night before his punishment As for his sermons and other bookes the Romane Index hath purged them according to their maner But if vnder that yoake of oppression to thirst after a reformation were heresie and worthie fire and fagot doubtlesse he was not onely faultie onely in daunger for Europe was then full of excellent men whose vowes and praiers vnto God tended to the same end Neither wanted there those who foretold a reformation at hand so plainely that there was no man but saw that it proceeded from diuine inspiration We haue spoken before of Wesselus of Groening called the light of the world Iohn Ostendorp a Canon of the Church of Deuentrie visiting that reuerend old man Gerad Nouiomagus in Historia hee sayd vnto him Young man thou shalt liue to see the day wherein the doctrine of these moderne contentious diuines Thomas and Bonauenture and others of that stamp shall bee contemned and hissed at of all diuines that are truely Christian Tilemanus Spengerberg speaking to his children and neighbours Shortly saieth hee this religion which now florisheth shall grow into contempt then shall yee see the Priests and Monkes for their wickednesse auarice hatred vncleanenesse cast out of the Temples and Monasteries and another true religion shall bee reestablished For God will no longer suffer the corrupt manners of these men teaching no one word of the Gospell and leading a life worse then Painims Paulus Scriptoris a Doctor of diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Tubingue spake likewise to that purpose so did Iohn Keiserberg a preacher at Strasbourg and an Author of certaine diuinitie bookes There shall one come saith hee raised by God that shall establish it
cruell nor so great beyond opinion and beleefe which was vnfit for his terrible mind after some dayes sicknesse he was taken away by death c. Worthie of great praise if he had beene a secular Prince and attempted such things or if he had more care to exalt the Church in spirituall things by peaceable meanes than to make it great in temporall things by warre And yet is he desired aboue others but note of whom of them who the true names of things being lost and the distinction of them confused iudge that Popes are more to be praysed in this That by armes and shedding Christian bloud encrease the domination of the Apostolike See than labour by good examples of life to amend corrupt manners and take care for the saluation of those soules for whom they boast that they are ordained of Christ the Lord his Vicars on earth And did not the Emperour Maximilian lifting vp his eyes to heauen Joakimus Cureus Freistadiensis in Annalibus Gentis Silesiae Arnoldus Ferronius in vita Ludouici Gilberti Ducerij Epigramma worthily exclaime against the naughtie life of this Pope O eternall God if thou diddest not watch how ill it would be with the world which we gouerne I poore hunter and that wicked drunkard Iulius We read also that when a little after his election hee departed from Rome to make warre against Maximilian and Lewis passing ouer the bridge he cast the keyes into Tyber and holding a naked sword said with a lowd and high voyce That seeing Peters keyes would not suffice Paules sword should not be wanting Which gaue occasion of many Epigrams these among others Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendit ab hoste Quandoquidem clauis niliuvat ista Petri. Sith Peters keyes with foes doth nought preuaile This sword of Paul to saue vs shall not faile And In Gallum vt fama est bellum gesturus acerbum c. And hereupon Wicelius though a defender of Popes plainely saith of him Marti quam Christo propior That he was fitter for Mars than for Christ and indeed it was thought that in the space of nine yeares he had beene the occasion of the death of two hundred thousand men Whereas his predecessors were woont to graunt priuiledges to begging Friers he to the Cantons of the Switzers his confederats the principall executers of his high enterprises gaue the perpetuall title of Defenders of the Ecclesiasticall libertie with many Bulls Standards a Sword and golden Cap and other gifts that he might haue them readie at all his commaundements Neither was he for all that negligent in his Indulgences whereby hee might rake in money witnesse the Epigram Fraude capit totum mercator Iulius orbem Vendit enim coelos non habet ipse tamen c. By fraud the merchant Iulius rakes in pelfe For heauen he sells yet hath it not himselfe And this euidently ynough appeareth vnto vs by his Bulls especially by that dated in the yeare 1505 whereby being newly entred his Popedome hee ordayned That euerie fifteenth yere annuities should be paid for benefices And that he might reserue to himselfe all libertie to do all things by his own mere authoritie Bulla cuius initium Ex debito Pastoral officij alia cuius initium Suscepti regiminis cura sollicitat against the admonitions made vnto him from all parts he renewed the Bul of Pius the second against them that appealed from the Pope to a future Councell in such sort that the Appealants were judged excommunicated and their Appeals voyd and with these goodlie Prefaces Out of the duetie of our Pastorall office and the care of the gouernement vndertaken soliciting vs c. But with what face and faithfulnesse let the Reader judge vnlesse it bee with that sinceritie which this Epigram describeth Genua cui patrem genitricem Graecia Conradus Grebelius in Epigram partum Pontus vnda dedit num bonus esse potest Fallaces Ligures mendax est Graecia Ponto Nulla fides in te haec singula Iule tenes From Genua and Greece his parents bloud At sea he had his birth can he be good The Genowais be false Greekes lyers be Trustlesse the sea all this Iulius in thee Which truely he verified in effect in the whole course of his life I would willingly omit these other verses of the same Author but that all filthinesse with them is but a play Venit in Italiam spectatus indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier To Rome a German went of faire aspect But he return'd a woman in effect Which he speaketh of Iulius The same we find written by the Diuines of Paris of two young gentlemen violated or forced by him whom Queene Anne wife of Lewis the twelft had recommended to the Cardinall of Nantes to carrie with him into Italie Let vs adde this for conclusion That when he was besieged at Bononia by the Grand Master de Chaumont Generall of the armie of Lewis the 12 vnder colour of entertaining a treatie of peace brought into the citie for his succours certaine companies of Turks conducted by Chapin Vitelli and in the meane time he published by his Bull full pardon and large Indulgences to whomsoeuer should kill a Frenchman that is a Christian So that not without reason our French Church at that time called that full power of Popes a boisterous tempest and a diabolicall word And thus are we come to the yeare 1513. An. 1513. The Popedome of Iulius was imperious and barbarous The Cardinals who had felt his crueltie before they would proceed to election thought by prescribing conditions to the future Pope to bridle his authoritie but presently after saith Guicciardine they themselues did abrogat them almost all Guicciard l. 2. according as they were led some with feare and some with hope of fauour all vncapable of a better State This same was Iohn de Medicis Commaunder as Legat of the Popes armie who had beene taken in the battell of Rauenna and hauing made an escape away contrarie to his faith was presently after created Generall of the warre against the Florentines He was scarcely thirtie seuen yeares old when against custome by a new example hee was aduanced to the Popedome by the craft of the younger Cardinals In his first act he made manifest what was to be hoped of the reformation of the Church in his time for the pompe of his coronation was so excessiue Guicciard l. 2. as well of them of his house and Court as of all the Prelats that no man but would confesse That from the inundation of the Barbarians there had beene nothing seene more proud and stately seeing it is certaine that hee on that day had spent an hundred thousand ducats And the wiser sort iudged saith he that such a pompe was not fit for Popes Next he resolued to continue the Councell of Lateran and to extinguish that of Pisa which he easily did in reestablishing the fiue Cardinals which Iulius
rageth euerie where and thirsteth after the bloud of the miserable Yee can by no meanes appease this Cerberus but with a golden riuer there is no need of armes nor armies the Tenths will be of more force than troopes of horsemen and regiments of footmen It seemeth vnto me when I diligently consider the matter that a two fold way is proposed on the one side gold is demanded which superstition commandeth on the other side if we refuse it the Popes excommunication is threatned Take which way of them yee please But O foolish and superstitious opinion of them that beleeue That the God of heauen beholding all things with the eyes of iustice will be led and turned at the becke and pleasure of the Florentines will be angrie with him that giueth not and againe pacified with him that giueth The excommunication of the Vicar of Christ is not to be contemned but yet not alwayes to be feared especially when it is done for humane affections I feare the indignation of Christ but of the Florentines I feare not And now indeed is in hand the affaires of Florence not of Christ The last Summer with great expence and charges was warre made against Frauncis Duke of Vrbin who being cast out of his Dukedome but first appeased with money Laurence de Medicis succeeded in his place Iulius the second being not prouident ynough that he left no more gold there was inuented a certaine new fraud against all the Cardinals that were the richest that they had conspired the Popes death and thereupon were their goods confiscat I speake not of the Crosses erected in euerie towne propitious according to the measure of the giuers I omit the comedie of S. Peters Church full both of laughter and of indignation The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord crieth the Prophet but it is not the Temple of the Lord It is Laurence buildeth and not Peter the stones in the night wander away I faine nothing here most excellent Princes of the Roman Empire Why is the world solicited for the Church of S. Peter whereon there is but two Masons onely in that worke and one of them lame sauing that of late in the great concourse of straungers is stirred vp a tumult of artificers there running and shouting there were seene foolish painted Angels receiuing gifts from the giuer and carrying them vp on high c. Consider now what is to be done euerie day will now bring forth new care The Duke of Vrbin being hunted away the like fortune is threatned to the Duke of Ferrara and then shall wee salute Laurence de Medicis or the Florentine Duke of Tuscanie Thus haue yee now briefely the summe of the Tenths and the Ambuscadoes of the Turke to wit of the Pope by meanes of superstition robbing your verie bowels And this was then the iudgement of Germanie The other followeth A solemne Appeale of the Vniuersitie of Paris assembled the seuen and twentieth of March 1517 in which after they had protested that they intend not to speake or doe any thing against the Catholike Church or against the Popes power benè consults well counselled they declared That by this power he the Pope is not made impeccabilis exempt from sinne So that if he commaund any thing to be done that is vniust which hath bin suggested vnto him by naughtie insinuation he ought to beare it patiently if it be not done and if he decree any thing against the commaundements of God he must not be obeyed yea he may be by right resisted But if he be so ayded by the power of the Prince vpon the false suggestion or euill counsell of flatterers or deceiuers that he cannot be resisted and the remedies of resisting be taken away yet by naturall right there remaineth one thing which no Prince can take away namely the remedie of Appeale seeing it is a certaine defence competent to euerie one by diuine natural and human right which cannot be taken away by the Prince And there they approue the Councels of Constance and Basil and vrge the reformations there ordayned which they specifie in particular as the remedies against Simony a prohibition not to raise or pay Annuities and other statutes confirmed by the nationall Councell of Fraunce held at Bourges and consequently strenghthened by the perpetual Edict of Charles the seuenth In preiudice of which things notwithstanding say they Leo the tenth in a certaine assemblie held at Rome which is against vs conuocated we know not how but not in the spirit of the Lord with which nothing can be decreed or ordayned against the law of God and sacred Councells which assemblie gaping after their lusts and commodities and expecting by these meanes gold and siluer to be brought vnto them at their wish out of the kingdome and out of the territories of Dauphinie enuying these Statutes that hindred it they haue laboured to abrogate them And for proofe that this Councell to wit of Lateran is vnlawfull they alledge That against the Catholike Faith it condemned the Councell of Basill and particularly the pragmaticall Sanction and in this deed king Frauncis by cunning meanes was deceiued who then was in Italie amidst the noise of armes and that vnder pretence of certaine Concordats which he commaunded to be published not sufficiently considering how great dammage it would bring to his realme Out of which they conclude Wee the Rector and Vniuersitie of Paris feeling our selues grieued endammaged and oppressed doe appeale from our Lord the Pope not well counselled and from the abrogation of the sayd sacred Councell of Basill and of the Statutes of the pragmaticall Sanction depending vpon it and from the edition of the new Statutes and yeelding consent thereto Vnto a future Councell lawfully assembled c. Protesting instantèr instantiùs instantissimè most instantly to prosecute this Appeale by way of nullitie of abuse of iniquitie or vniustice and otherwise the best we may to reserue the election and choise vnto our selues c. And moreouer all the principalls there present vnder-signed the same in solemne maner with all the formalities requisit thereunto Professio fidei fratrum Waldensium Regi Vladislao in Hungarian missa An. 1508. Responsio excusatoria Fratrum Waldensium contra binas literas R.P. Angustani sacrae Theologiae doctoris ad eundem data Anno 1508. But besides these oppositions among themselues in the kingdome of Bohemia and Prouinces of Morauia and Silesia the Churches in great number continued and openly opposed themselues against the Papacie and by publique preachings impugned the abuses of the Romish Church These same in the yeare 1508 presented againe a confession of their faith to Vladistaus king of Hungarie together with an Apologie wherein they vehemently confuted the Calumnies vsually laid against their doctrine and plainely laid open the reasons for which they had justly and lawfully departed from the Church of Rome which are longer than can be here inserted such notwithstanding as that
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
had long since aspired vnto a secular kind of soueraigntie and power where the Latine interpreter hath put in Quasi which word is not in the Greeke it selfe Adde hereunto That in those dayes all the Patriarchall Churches were equally called Apostolicall and not the Church of Rome alone Sozom. l. 1. c. 16. edit Graec. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Sozomene speaking of the first generall Councell of Nice In this Synod saith he were present for Apostolicall Sees Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem Eustachius of Antioch Alexander of Alexandria but Iulius Bishop of Rome was absent by reason of his age ranking Iulius in the same order and degree with the rest In which sence the Bishops of the East as Theodoret reporteth writing to Pope Damasus Theodoret. li. 5. ca. 9. call Antioch the most ancient and truely Apostolicall Church and that of Ierusalem they tearme the Mother of all Churches So likewise Ruffine Ruffin li. 2. c. 1. though himselfe a member of the Westerne Church as being a Priest in Aquileia In the citie of Rome saith he Syricius succeeding vnto Damasus and Timotheus in Alexandria vnto Peter and after Timotheus came Theophilus and Iohn in Ierusalem after Cyril restored the Apostolicall Churches And therefore this vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome proceedeth from the diuell and from none other Neither doe wee in all this age find any trace of that pretended donation of Constantine but rather we light vpon many arguments to proue the contrarie witnesse the verie production of the Instrument and the Vatican it selfe And for further proofe when by reason of the schisme between Boniface the first and Eulalius contending together for the Popedome Symmachus gouernour of the citie wrot vnto the Emperour Honorius he saith in this manner Baron vol. 5. an 418. art 81. sequent Absoluta iussione Idem an 419. art 2. 3. That since the knowledge of these matters belonged to him he thought fit to consult his Maiestie out of hand who thereupon rightly informed or not I will not say by his absolute command gaue order That Boniface should presently voyd the place and if hee obeyed not that forthwith he should be cast forth by force And when a little after for his more due information he had assembled a Synod out of diuers Prouinces To the end saith he that the cause being debated to the full in our presence Ib. art 10. sequent may receiue a finall and absolute decision And thereupon he sent for Paulinus Bishop of Nola a man at that time much respected for his sanctitie of life and wrot to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and sent for Italians French Africans and others Ib. art 15. and in the meane time prouided the Church of Rome of a Bishop namely Achillaeus Bishop of Spoleto to the end the people of Rome might not be vnprouided of a Bishop at the feast of Easter Commanding the Church of Lateran to be set open to him and to none other And when Eulalius offered contrary to the Emperors command to intrude himselfe into the citie the Emperour by the aduise of the Bishops there assembled gaue sentence in fauour of Boniface commanding Symmachus the Gouernor to receiue him into the citie which he did accordingly with these words Your Maiestie hath confirmed his Priesthood Statutis coelestibus per me publicatis edictis de more positis c. And when I published your Edict euerie man reioyced thereat And to conclude Boniface falling sicke to preuent the like inconuenience against hereafter wrot to Honorius to prouide by his authoritie that the Popedome might no more be carried by plots and canuasses The Epistle it selfe in the Councels bearing this Title Supplicatio Papae Bonifacij and being ful of these and the like clauses God hath giuen you the regiment of worldlie things and the Priesthood vnto me You haue the gouernment of worldlie matters and therefore wee were worthie to be blamed if what was heretofore obserued vnder Heathen Princes should not now be obserued vnder your glorie c. Vnder your raigne my people hath beene much encreased which now is yours Neither doth the Emperour put this from him as a thing not properly belonging to him But let the Clergie saith he know that if God shall otherwise dispose of you they must refraine all secret plots and practises and if it fall out through their factions that two be named let them likewise know that neither of them shall sit Bishop but he which in a new election shall be by generall consent chosen If therefore the Bishop of Rome had beene at that time Temporall Lord of that citie and territorie thereunto adioining would he haue vsed these kinds of language Neither was it farre from this time that Synesius Bishop of Ptolemais in his 57 Epistle Synes li. 57. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To couple the ciuile power saith he with the Priesthood is to ioyne those things which will not hold together they busie themselues in worldlie causes whereas we were appointed onely for our prayers 11. PROGRESSION Of the Pretence which Pope Leo the first made vnto the Primacie An. 450. Leo. 1. in Anniuersar de Assumpt Serm. 2. 3. ABout the yeare 450 Leo the first would not giue ouer his pretence vnto the Primacie and therefore tooke for a ground those words of our Sauiour Tu es Petrus For saith he Peter is here called a stone or foundation c. and all his power was in his See there his authoritie was principally seene c. He is the Primat of all Bishops c. Whatsoeuer Christ bestowed on the rest he bestowed it by his meanes c. all which we read in those his sermons which he preached among the townesmen of Rome Idem Epist 8. ad Flauia Constantinop And farther he challengeth Flauian Bishop of Constantinople for that he had not first aduertised him of the state of Eutiches cause taking occasion therevpon to doubt of the lawfulnesse of his excommunication and would faine haue persuaded Flauian that he had done much wrong to him and to Eutyches both in not giuing way to the appeale which Eutyches had put in to the See of Rome Idem Epist 89. ad Episc per Viennens prouinc constitut This same Leo also complaineth to the Bishops of Viennois in France That one Hilarie Bishop of Arles tooke vpon him to install and to depose Bishops without his priuitie which he tearmeth to be no lesse than à Petri soliditate deficere to fall away from the soliditie of Peter whom saith he our Lord associated to himself in the indiuiduall vnitie and commaunded him to be called as himselfe was called And yet in the end he flattereth our Bishops of France willing them to remember that their auncestors oftentimes were pleased to consult the Seo Apostolike seeking by these sugred words to make them swallow the bitter pill of his tyrannous Supremacie and branding Hilarie with the name of a
thither and declared that hee would giue no safe conduct to such as should vndertake that journey especially for that he had vnderstood that the Pope hauing had aduertisement that his Agents had collected great summes of money in England and in Fraunce was resolued to breake truce with him Here it is good to heare the same Author speake Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. Cardinall Iohn Columna hauing beene author of the truce Gregorie receiueth letters from the Legat That in Fraunce alone hee had gathered alreadie so much money as whereby hee might bee vndoubtedly able to wage warre against the Emperour for a whole yeare Whereupon repenting and grieuing that hee had accepted the truce called for the excellent Cardinals Iohn de Columna and Raymund mediatours of the same I am ashamed in my selfe saith he to them that I granted truce to Frederic the enemie of the Church Goe then in hast thou speaking to Columna which wast the spokesman betwixt vs and tell him boldly that I will not hold it and that I will be his enemie and doe defie him God forbid answered Columna that in the mouth of so great a man such light words should be reported to so great a prince especially by vs which are of no common ranke for I cannot consent to this counsell of instabilitie and vnfaithfulnesse but doe constantly contradict the same To whom the Pope replied And I hold thee not henceforth for Cardinall Nor I thee for Pope sayd Columna and so departed and of a friend became his aduersarie But it verie fitly fell out addeth the author that the French king Lewis hauing intelligence of it made to be stayed in his kingdome all that money which had bin gleaned from the clergie by his permission Mellitis sermonibus fellitis comminationibus By honied speeches and bitter threatnings That by this meanes the Pope who is called Christs vicar on earth might be found faithfull though against his will Now it so fel out that Frederic was not vnarmed or vnprepared against him for he had at that verie time fiue armies a foot the first before Fayenza which he himselfe in person commaunded the second on the Tuscane Sea vnder Hencius king of Sardinia against the Genowayes the third vpon the frontiers of Germanie against the Tartarians vnder the conduct of Conrade king of Germanie the fourth in the Marca de Ancona and vallie of Spoletum the fift in Palestina vnder Rodolph Marshall of the Empire for to defend the kingdome of Hierusalem which he did notwithstanding the trauerses and hinderances of the Pope for the space of fifteene yeares The warre then continuing the siege of Fayenza dured a long time neither had he little cause to reuenge himselfe of the inhabitants who some time before hauing shut the gates of their citie before and behind vpon him violently assailed him and wickedly slew another disguised like vnto him in imperiall armour thinking it had been their Lord. Yet notwithstanding they imploring his mercie he gaue them their citie and the like libertie as to other cities of the empire which be spoken to them that accuse him of being prone to reuenge The Legats also returned accompanied with many Bishops for the Councell them he requested to turne towards him and promised them all safe-conduct desirous only to make knowne the justice of his cause vnto them Now they refusing it and chusing rather to commit themselues to the safegard of the Genowayes his enemies Hencius who watched to surprise them tooke them at sea and led them prisoners to Naples Collenucius l. 4. At which successe and others prosperously performed in the Marca de Ancona and in Romania Gregorie the ninth conceiued so great discontent being withall verie auntient that for griefe thereof he died It is not in the mean time to be forgotten that the Popes to colour their affaires the better had euer sounding in their mouthes the holie land that when vnder Honorius the third king Iohn of Brenna had taken the famous citie of Damieta Cardinall Pelagius the Popes Legat pretended that he was to haue the chief commaund ouer the armie whereat the king incensed retired himselfe through despite to Ptolomais whereby were lost the best opportunities to doe good and in the end after many bad successes Damieta was forsaken Againe when as vnder Gregorie the ninth Richard earle of Cornewall the king of Englands brother was bent to the holie wars with an armie at his instance for recouerie of these losses and was come to S. Giles in Languedock readie to embarke himselfe there came a Legat to him from Gregorie with the Archbishop of Arles commanding in his name that he should not passe the Seas All which was to despite Frederic wherat this prince much offended said vnto them I thought there had beene firmenesse of truth in the Apostolike words and in the preachers that he sent vnto me and now I am readie to enter on shipboord this Pope whom they call the successor and Vicar of Iesus Christ who neuer failed of his word forbiddeth me to march forward in his seruice And neuerthelesse resolued Detestans Romanae Ecclesiae duplicitatem Detesting the double dealing of the Church of Rome with great bitternesse of mind to goe imbarke himselfe at Marseille giuing the Emperor to vnderstand by Robert Tuing Knight and other his embassadours Papalem muscipulationem The iuglings of the Pope and his Legats The same had he done a little before to the crossed souldiers in France and other nations who being come to Lyons that from thence they might take their journey into the Holie Land found there the Popes Legat who made them the like prohibition and deliuered a commaundement in writing That euerie man should returne backe to his owne home This gaue occasion to exclaime Vnde haec in Romana Curia in Papa multiplicitas Whence commeth this varietie in the Court of Rome and in the Pope Is not this here both the time and place prefixed and appointed by his Legats and preaching Friers vpon their promises wee haue set forward our iourney haue sold and engaged our houses bidden our friends farewell sent our mony before c. And little wanted they from laying violent hands vpon the Legat if the discretion of some Prelats had not restrained the furie of the people To prouide for the election of a successor to Gregorie there remained but tenne Cardinals at Rome they therefore intreated Frederick to permit them two whom he kept prisoners to come to them and to be present at the election which he graciously granted vnto them yet on condition they should both returne except one of them were created Pope Now there was nominated Godfrey Bishop of the Sabins called Celestine the fourth who died seuenteene dayes after before he was consecrated The Cardinals assembled againe and as they were diuided some for the Church others for the Empire that they could not agree the two prisoners to performe their promise giuen returned till at
length the Seat remaining vacant for the space of one and twentie moneths they not finding any sparke of charitie at least vnder the ashes were on the oâ—â—â—â—t vrged by the Emperour who to take away all excuse from them sent them backe the said Cardinals hauing taken their oath That they should procure the peace of the Church and of the Empire and the more eagrely to stirre vp the Romans he wasted and spoyled their countries On the other side by the French men who boldly declared vnto them That if they did not the sooner prouide they would elect a Pope for themselues according to the auntient priuiledge granted by Pope Clement to S. Denis who gaue vnto him the Apostleship of the Westerne people So that in the yeare 1243 they chose Signibard of Flisque An. 1243. a Genoway named Innocent the fourth whom straight the Emperour sent to congratulat by Peter de Vineis his Chancellor but as he was a prudent Prince hee foresaw what would be I haue lost saith he a Cardinall my friend and haue gotten a Pope mine enemie assuring himselfe that being come to the Popedome he would be no lesse his aduersarie than the others had beene As indeed he straight renewed the excommunication against him and after some speeches of peace enterchanged by Frederick on which they could not agree because the Pope would absolutely be beleeued Frederick would not submit himselfe thereto but Praecognitis causis praeuisa via omnibus conditionibus But with knowledge of the cause meanes and conditions Innocent priuily departed Italie in the Genoway gallies passed into France and came to Lyons there to hold a Councell which began in the yeare 1245 in shew for the Holie Land but indeed as the effect proued against Frederick Thither notwithstanding he went in person was alreadie at Thurin when he heard that Innocent had excommunicated him and that he would not heare his embassadour Thaddeus of Suisserland a man of qualitie requesting he would stay a little neither would he condescend to the intreaties of S. Lewis king of France and Henrie king of England and the embassadours of other Princes Which stayed Frederick from passing any further neuerthelesse he offered that he might haue peace of the Church to defend Europe from the Tartarians to free the Holie Land at his owne charges from the Sarasens to vnite the Greeke Church to the Roman But the Pope answered These are but words and demaunded of his embassadour what securitie he could giue The two kings saith he of France and England We will not answered the Pope because if he should faile his couenants neither can we otherwise beleeue we must turne our selues to chastise them so for one enemie we should haue three than whom in the secular power are none greater neither yet equal The Pope therefore proceedeth to excommunicat him to depose him from the Empire to absolue for euer his subiects from their oath of fidelitie and to excommunicat all them that should acknowledge him Emperour The forme of which is read in most proud tearmes in the histories of those times and in the Acts of the Synod of Lyons Mathew Paris particularly noteth That when king S. Lewis set before his eyes the danger of the Holy Land which could not humanely be preserued by any but by Frederick and requested him to receiue this great Prince into fauour being readie to vndergoe so great a humilitie in the name of Iesus Christ and according to the Lords example and precept to open the bosome of mercie to a sinner euen vntill seuen times seuentie times he answered him absolutely That he would not doe it It is also worthie obseruation That when Innocent had sent to publish this excommunication throughout all Europe and particularly in France the Princes in the end requested That time might be granted Frederick within which he might personally be present in the said Councell The Pope answered Farre be that from me I feare the snares that I haue escaped for if he should come I would presently depart I wish not yet the shedding of my bloud neither doe I feele my selfe disposed to martyrdome or imprisonment And so in the end pronounced sentence A certaine Curat of Paris acquited himselfe well towards his parishioners in these words Giue eare saith he I haue receiued commaundement to pronounce the solemne sentence of Excommunication against the Emperour Frederick candles put out and bells ringing Now not knowing the cause deseruing it yet I am not ignorant of the great quarell and inexorable hatred betweene them I know also that one of them doth iniure the other but which it is I know not So farre forth then as my power doth extend I excommunicat and pronounce excommunicated one of the two namely him that doth the iniurie to the other and absolue him that suffereth the iniurie which is so hurtful vnto all Christendome In like manner Krantzius telleth vs that many Princes and Barons exclaimed against this sentence It pertaineth not to the Pope to ordaine or degrade an Emperor but only to crowne him that is elected by the Princes In a word the Author aboue cited saith That all men for the consequence of the matter were wounded and grieued iudging well that in time the Pope would grow to that exceeding height of pride that he would for euery light cause when it pleased him depose Catholike Princes innocent and iust We haue will they say troden vnder feet that great Emperour Frederick and who is he henceforth that can resist vs And so the mightiest men beeing prouoked will lift vp their heele against him and God being the auenger the authoritie of Rome may come to nought This was the judgement of all men concerning this Excommunication which though it were grounded on pretence of Heresie yet could there none bee found but in this That he lightly regarded the Popes friuolous and vaine Excommunication But Innocent passeth further for he will ordaine an Emperour after his owne fantasie and therefore sendeth word to the Princes that they should proceed to a new election and also appointeth the Electors that should haue to doe in it namely the Dukes of Austria of Bauaria of Saxonie and of Brabant the Archbishops of Colonia of Mentz and of Saltzburg the most part of them sworn enemies to Frederick who were to passe into an island of Rhine no man following them to determine of the matter meane time he recommendeth vnto them by the Bishop of Ferrara his Legat Henrie Lantgraue of Turing whom also they for his sake choose But Frederick nothing astonished for all that The Pope saith he in his Councell hath depriued me of my Crowne Whence hath he so great presumption whence such rash boldnesse But in this I am in better condition than afore for I was bound in some things to obey him at least to reuerence him but now I am absolued from the bond of honour and of all kind of obedience towards him And yet he
giue their voyces to this man nominated Iacobo de Furno the sonne of a Baker of Bearne or as some sayd of Tolouse of a Doctor of Diuinitie being made Cardinall called the White the basest and most contemptible of all the rest And the Bulletines or scedules ran in these words I N. name such an one and if he may not be I name The white Albert. Argentinens in Chron. sed aduerte in Jndice Hispanico p. 1. multa eradi wherat himselfe being much amazed You haue done verie well said he for you haue chosen an asse For though he was a great Diuine yet he was thought but an ignorant man for this place because he was not learned in the Canon-Law wherein consists all the depth of their Mysteries It is worthie of memorie that a certain Bishop of Rome going to Auignion it was told him in a vision the same night that Iohn dyed Papam quaeris non est You seeke the Pope and he is dead then being shewed the Pope that should be when he came to Auignion and lookt for him amongst the Cardinals and not knowing him he asked whether they were al present aunswer was made one was wanting which was the white Cardinall to whom he presently went and knowing him by his vision formerly had he spake to him in these words Father you are to be Pope Then he added He that shewed me your countenance brought me into a most foule and vncleane stable full of dung where I saw a verie white Marble chest but nothing in it your selfe no question is that Chest which in your office and place you must seeke to fill with vertues and wonders And therefore O Pastor stabularie O shepheard and horse-keeper together you must now striue to purge the Court and See Apostolike at this instant a most vncleane stable of auaricious and Symoniacall dung take vnto your cure the holie Roman Church and the Citie And yet if we may belieue Hieronimo Squarzafico in the life of Petrarch who deepely protests that he would write nothing rashly nor nothing without ample and large testimonie he also though extreamely old brought in his obscenities as well as the rest For while Petrarch saith he Hieronimus Squarzaficus in vita Petrarcae was in esteeme in the Popes Court and was promised honours both by the Pope himselfe and other Princes hee had a sister about some two and twentie yeares old which dwelt in Auignion where she was borne with his brother Gerard being exceeding beautifull and endewed with singular manners and customes with whose beautie the Pope was desperatly in loue and many wayes he attempted to enioy her For this end he thought to purchase Petrarchs good will by rewards and preferments promising that he would make him a Cardinall so he might compasse his will of her Frauncis Petrarch who in all things had God before his eyes from whom nothing is hid and as he that had not learnt to flatter faine or dissemble being as he had iust cause wonderfully prouoakt and vttering that with his Tongue which was deepely printed both in his heart and countenance he made answer That so filthie a hat was not to be put vpon any ones head but rather to be shunned abhorred of all men as prophane and shamefull and were it not for the reuerence of his place being Gods Vicar on earth which detained him he would be reuenged with his pen for so great an indignitie as he was saith Philephus in a morall Sonet of his that begins thus in Italian Io non vo'piu cantare come solea The Pope notwithstanding enamored beyond all patience tampred likewise with his other brother Gerard who being corrupted with a few bribes yeelded his sister when Frauncis vnderstanding of this haynous offence and seeing the Church of God so violently transported to all vice and wickednesse he fled from Auignion and tooke his iourney towards Italie and his brother stroken with repentance after he had married his sister entred into a religious order and became a Carthusian in the Conuent of Materne nere to Marselles abandoning and forsaking all worldlie affaires Theodorick Enghelshuen in his Chronicle sets downe a speech of his wherein Benedict clearely manifests what himselfe thought of his owne Court for creating sixe Cardinals presently after his comming to the Sea and demaunded why he made no more he replied I would willingly haue done so if at the same instant I could likewise haue created a new world for that alreadie made is not enough to satisfie those that are In the meane while the Emperor Lewis was the butt whereat he meant to shoot all the arrowes of his wrath who though he were wel intreated by this mans predecessor omitted no meanes wherby he might assuage the swelling humor of the Pontificall Court And Benedict certainely gaue the better eare vnto him because Philip de Valois importuned that himselfe might be constituted the Popes Vicar generall both in Italie and ouer all Christendome besides and that a tenth might be granted him of all tenthes for tenne yeares as also that all the Churches treasurie might be deliuered into his hands for the expedition and succour of Palestina to wit that vnspeakable treasure left by Iohn the two and twentieth so as all of them were herewith mightily vexed and perplexed Albertus Argent in Chronic. Apprehending therefore due opportunitie the Emperour Lodouike sent Robert Count Palatine of the Rhine his brothers sonne and William Duke of Iuliers to Auignion to congratulat with Benedict who were closely whispered in the eare That if Lewis vnder certaine articles which should be set downe in writing would demand absolution and pardon it should be granted him When they were returned he sent other men of high note with ample commission to performe the greatest part of that which he desired amongst whom Marquard de Randeck a Canon of Auspurg afterwards Bishop of Bamburg a man of speciall estimation deliuered the embassage And Benedict made a verie mild and courteous answer How he was verie glad that this branch of Almaine would be reioyned againe vnto her stock◠this Prince the most noble and renowmed of all the world much commending Germanie and the Emperour Lodouike whom he tearmed the worthiest Prince aliue complaining that Italie was gouerned by tyrans and the kingdome of Armenia ouerrun by Pagans whose Princes both in Pope Iohns time and his called out for the Christians succour and the Holie land was almost lost for want of an Emperour and therefore he sayd he was deseruedly to bestow vpon him absolution and the same was expected saith the Historiographer the day following But the Cardinals who were partly created by Iohn and partly againe feared least their cōmings-in in France wold be intercepted then further moued by a great embassie sent from Philip king of France and Robert king of Sicilie who protested That he could not without a great scandall receiue againe into the bosome of the Church so famous an