should be sentenced or condemned without being summoned or without hearing his defence it was not good to Decree so heavy a sentence without giving him warning to answer for himself and without hearing his reasons whatsoever they were The King seeing the obstinacy of the States and their resolution against the King of Navarre procures an absolution at Rome for the Prince of Conti and Count Soissons of the House of Bourbon which much troubleth the Duke of Guise The King being no longer able to bear the insolencies of the Duke of Guise resolves upon his destruction and to bring the matter the better to pass seeming as it were to be stirred by devotion determined to remove to a Cell meaning there to be confessed and receive the Sacrament He called into his Chamber four of his Council such as he best trusted to whom he discovered the injuries and indignities he had received of the Duke of Guise his extreme ambition the danger himself stood in by the Treasons continually practised by the said Duke and his Confederates against his Person He told them he was determined to have the Duke slain as a Traytour which was consented to The evening of the 22. day of December being come the King commanded Monsieur de Larchant one of the Captains of his Guard to double them the next morning and to keep the Hall door after the Lords of the Council were gone in but that he should do it in such a manner as the Duke of Guise might not suspect any thing which was done In the morning the King made himself ready before day Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France l. 9. under colour of going Personally to the Council and pretending he should stay there many hours dismissed all his Servants and in his closet there only remained Revol Secretary of State Colonel Alfonso Corso and Monsieur de la Bastide a Gascon who were all commanded by him to stay there In his Chamber was St. Pris one of his old Gentlemen-waiters in the Wardrobe the Count de Termes Great Chamberlain and in the Anti-chamber two Pages an Usher that waited at the Council-chamber-door and Lognac with eight of the five and fourty to whom the King had with very great Promises signified his pleasure and found them most ready to obey his command At break of day the Counsellours met and went into the Great Hall The Duke being come into the Council sitting near the fire fell into a little swound but quickly recovered Secretary Revol came into the Council out of the Anti-chamber and told him the King would have him to come unto him in the Closet The Duke arose and entred into the Anti-chamber which presently being locked after him he saw there only eight Gentlemen of the King's Guard which were well known unto him and as he went from thence into the Closet he stretcht forth his hand to lift up the hanging of the door but at that instand S. Malin one of the eight stabbed him into the neck with a Dagger The Duke of Guise Slain and the rest presently fell upon him on every side and after many wounds given him in the head being at last struck by Lognac upon whom he had most violently thrown hlmself he fell down at the door of the Wardrobe and there expired The Cardinal of Guise and Archbishop of Lions are made Prisoners as also all the Lords and other chief adherents of the Duke of Guise with Anne d'Este Duchess of Nemours and Mother to the Guises Pelicart the Duke of Guise's Secretary was likewise taken with all the writings which belonged to his Lord among which they found many Letters containing divers practices within and without the Kingdom the accounts of money which he had received from Spain to the summ of two millions of Ducats Many whom the King desired to get into his hands escaped the fury of that present revenge The body of the dead Duke being laid up in a green cloth was carried by the door-keepers into the great room beyond the King's Closet and there laid till further order Then the King sent Revol to the Cardinal-Legate to give him notice of all that had passed and to entreat him to meet him at Mass shewing how great a desire he had to be excused to the Pope Then having caused the doors to be opened and every one to be admitted into his Chamber he said with a loud voice That from thence-forward he would have his Subjects learn to know and obey him that every one therefore from that time should forget stubbornness and Rebellion for he would be a King not only in words but in deeds also So with an angry look and sowr countenance he went down the stairs into his Mothers Lodgings The Queen having been ill lay in her bed when the King came unto her to whom the King said This morning I have made my self King of France having put to death the King of Paris The Queen replyed You have made the Duke of Guise to be slain but God grant you be not now made King of nothing Have you foreseen the mischiefs that are like to follow Two things are necessary Speed and Resolution So being much afflicted in mind and with the Gout she held her peace And the King went to meet the Legate that they might go to Mass together and before Mass the King discourseth long with the Cardinal of Moresini about the Duke of Guises death The King seeing that the Legate shewed no trouble at the imprisonment of the Cardinals Commandeth that Lewes of Lorain Cardinal of Guise be also put to death And Du-Gast Captain of the King's Guard causeth the Cardinal of Guise to be slain by four Souldiers Armed with Partezans His body was carried to the same place where the body of the Duke his Brother lay The King doubted that if their bodies were seen they might occasion some tumult and therefore having by the Counsel of his Physitian caused them to be buried in quick-lime within a few hours all their flesh was consumed and afterwards the bones were secretly interred in an unknown place The Duke of Nemours escaped out of Prison on the fourth day And Anne d'Este Mother to him and the dead Princes of Lorain was also voluntarily freed by the King and divers others were set at liberty The Cardinal of Bourbon the Prince of Janville now Duke of Guise the Archbishop of Lions and the Duke of Elbeuf are all put into the Castle of Amboyse The Archbishop of Lions being often examined would never answer alledging that as Primate of all France he had no other Superiour but the Apostolick See Charles Duke of Mayenne third Brother to the Guises being advertised of the death of his Brothers flees from Lions unto Dijon a place under his Government In his valour and wisdom all the foundations and hopes of the League were now reduced The Queen-Mother died on January 5. 1589. in the seventieth year of her age After the death of
they saved his Life at Tours and delivered him from extream danger And in the Year 1617. they had the Testimony of their fidelity from their own King Lewes XIII written to their Deputies assembled in a Synod at Vitre in these terms We have received with good satisfaction the new assurances and protestations which you have made unto us of your fidelity obedience in the which if you persist as ye ought and as ye have done before you may also be assured that we shall always have a care to maintain and preserve you in all the advantages which have been granted unto you A Reverend Divine on the Revelation speaking of the French Churches saith God hath made the Church of France a wonder to me in his proceeding toward them from first to last and therefore to me great and special honour would seem to be reserved for them yet at the last For the first light of the Gospel the first and second Angels preaching Rev. 14. which laid the Foundation of Antichrist's ruine was from them namely those of Lyons and other places in France and they bare the heat of persecution which was as great as any since if not greater Moreover the Churches of France have ever since had as great a share in persecutions yea greater than any of the Protestant Churches And although it be well nigh five hundred years since they began to separate first from Antichrist yet they never had the great honour and priviledge which other Churches have been so blest with as to have a supream Magistrate professing their Religion except one who also continued not therein Pareus in his Commentary on the Revelation writing concerning the destruction of Rome Paraei Com. in 17. Apoc. Vis 6. inserts a Prophecy taken out of an Antient Manuscript found in the house of Salezianus and a little before his writing on that Chapter sent unto him which is as followeth Ex Natione Illustrissimi Lilii orietur Rexquidam c. There shall arise a King out of the Nation of the most illustrious Lily viz. France having a long forehead high brows great eyes and an Eagle's nose He shall gather a great Army and destroy all the Tyrants of his Kingdom and slay all that fly and hide themselves in the Mountains and Caves from his face For Righteousness shall be joyned unto him as the Bridegroom to the Bride with them He shall wage War even to the fortyeth year bringing into subjection the Islanders Spaniards and Italians Rome and Florence he shall destroy and burn with fire so as salt may be sowed on that Land The greatest Clergy who have invaded St. Peter's seat he shall put to death and in the same year obtain a double Crown and at last going over Sea with a great Army he shall enter Greece and be named King of the Greeks The Turks and Barbarians he shall subdue making an Edict That every one shall dye the death that worshippeth not the crucified one and none shall be found able to resist him because an holy Arm from the Lord shall always be with him and He shall possess the Dominion of the Earth These things being done he shall be called The rest of Holy Christians Thus far the Prophecy which every one may credit so far as it likes him saith my Authour There is another common Prophecy viz. That from the Carolingians that is of the race of Charlemaigne and Blood-Royal shall arise an Emperour of France by name Charles who shall be a great Monarch and shall reform the Church and State He that is curious to see this Prophecy may find it among the vulgar Revelations Whether this Prophecy hath any weight in it I refer my self to other Mens Judgements When God hath appointed it to be done he will touch their hearts that shall do it W. G. THE Ecclesiastical HISTORY OF FRANCE Century I. BEing about to write the History of the Gallican Church Ephr. Pagit Christianogr I shall begin with the first Plantation of the Gospel in France Some Writers tell us that Philip the Apostle of the City of Bethsaida first preached the Gospel in France and having afterwards preached in Phrygia he was honourably buried with his Daughters at Hierapolis Others say Heylin's Cosmogr Lib. 1. that the Christian Faith was first planted among the Gauls by some of St. Peter's Disciples sent thither by him at his first coming to Rome Xystus Fronto and Julianus the first Pastors of Rhemes Peregort and Mantz being said to be of his Ordaining in the Martyrologies The like may be affirmed but on surer grounds of Trophimus said to be the first pastor or Bishop of Arles For afterwards in a controversie betwixt the Archbishops of Vienna in France and Arles for the Dignity of Metropolitan in the time of Pope Leo the first it was thus pleaded in behalf of the Bishop of Arles Quod prima inter Gallias c. That Arles of all the Cities of Gaul did first obtain the happiness of having Trophimus ordained Bishop thereof by the hands of St. Peter Trophimus was a partaker with St. Paul in all his afflictions and his daily companion Zosimus writeth that out of his Spiritual Fountain all the Rivers and Brooks of France were filled Neither is St. Paul to be denied the honour of sending some of his Disciples thither also to preach the Gospel Euseb Eccles Hist Lib. 3. cap. 4. Crescens a companion of St. Paul mentioned by him in his second Epistle unto Timothy is said to have departed into Galatia 2 Tim. 4.10 which Eusebius saith was France That he was the first Bishop of Vienna forementioned not only the Martyrologies but also Ado Viennensis an ancient Writer of that Church doth expresly say And that it was into this Countrey that he sent Crescens at that time and not into Galatia in Asia Minor the testimonies of Epiphanius and Theodoret Doroth. de LXX Discip which affirm the same may sufficiently confirm Dorotheus saith that Crescens preached the Gospel in France and was there martyred and buried in the time of Trajan the Emperour In the History of Lazarus and Maximinus we find that they with Mary Magdalen and her sister Martha came to Marseilles Maximinus was one of the seventy Disciples of Christ as divers Authors tell us The French Antiquities tell us That after the Ascension of our Lord Anno 14. the Jews raised so horrible a persecution against the Christians that the most part fled whither they could That Maximinus accompanied with Lazarus took Mary Magdalen Martha Marcella her handmaid and some others and committing themselves to the Sea to avoid the fury of the Jews they arrive at Marseilles where the Prince of Marseilles was baptized Lazarus became first Pastor of Marseilles and Maximinus of Aquens They were ordained to those Churches in the Year of Christ 46. in which Year these Authors tell us that Simon the Leper whom our Saviour cured of that infirmity was Ordained to be Minister of
the Empire Anno 361. having before obtained of Constantius the Title of Caesar and been Entitled Augustus by the Soldiers in the City of Paris In the Year 375. St. Martin was made Bishop of Turin in France Exuperius was Bishop of Tholouse Simplicius of Vienna Amandus of Bourdeaux Maurice of Anjou Philastrius of Breux these were all accounted Bishops of great fame About this time sprung up the Sect of the Donatists Fuller's Prophane State Cap. 11. who were so called from a double Donatus as one saith whereof the one planted the Sect the other watered it and the Devil by God's permission gave the encrease The elder Donatus raised a Schism in Carthage against good Cecilian the Bishop there whom he loaded unjustly with many crimes which he was not able to prove August ad quod vult Deum and vexed with this disgrace he thought to right his credit by wronging Religion and so began the Heresie of the Donatists His most Dominative Tenet was that the Church was perished from the face of the earth the reliques thereof only remaining in his party There were two principal sides of them first the Rogatists so called from Rogatus their Teacher to whom St. Augustine beareth witness That they had zeal but not according to knowledge These were people of good lives hating bloody practices though erroneous in their Doctrine But there was another sort whom they called Circumcellions though as little Reason can be given of their Names as of their Opinions Their number in short time grew to be considerable Their Tenet was plausible and winning and that Faith is easily wrought that teacheth men to think well of themselves From Numidia Quod apud eum solum justitia locum haberet Aug. contr Petil. Lib. 2. where they began they overspread Africa Spain France Italy and Rome it self Their greatest increase was under Julian the Emperour This Apostate next to no Religion loved the worst Religion best they fled to this Bramble for succour extolling him for such a Godly man with whom alone justice did remain and he restored them their Churches again and armed them with many privileges against Christians Hereupon they killed many men in the very Churches murthering Women and Infants and ravishing Virgins c. The Donatists were opposed by the Learned Writings of private Fathers Optatus Milevitanus and St. Augustine and by two Councils one at Carthage Vid. August Epist 162. another at Arles in France Pope Miltiades was by the Emperour made Judge between the Catholicks and Donatists and after him the Bishop of Arles This Heresie continued till about the six hundreth year of Christ and that which put a period to this Heresie was partly their own dissentions but chiefly they were suppressed by the Civil Magistrate for Honorius the Emperour by punishments mixt with Instructions from the Church Vide Baron Annal in Anno 362. Num. 264. converted and reclaimed very many He caused the Patent of Privilege which Julian granted the Donatists Publicis locis affigendum in ludibrium To be affixed to publick places for a reproach unto them Julian was slain in battel against the Persians having governed the Empire after the death of Constantius one year and seven months Then Jovian was saluted Emperour who being a professor of the Christian Faith rejected the Arians but he died of a surfeit in the eighth month of his Reign Then Valentinian was Elected Emperour a man constant in the Christian Faith but he died of an Apoplexy in the twelfth year of his Government leaving his Son Gratian to succeed him in the Empire who after the death of Valens his Uncle had the Government both of East and West his Brother Valentinian was his Colleague in the Government of the West Gratian in the beginning of his Reign reduced from banishment those Bishops whom Valens that Arian Persecutor had banished Gratian was slain by Andragathius Captain of the Army of Maximus who usurped the Empire of the West by fraud and treachery near Lions in France where he made his abode But Theodosius a man of Noble Parentage in Spain to whom Gratian had committed the Government of the East being mindful of the kindness of Gratian toward him lâ—d an Army against Maximus The Captains of Maximus's Army hereupon delivered him bound to Theodosius who put him to death Andragathius who slew Gratian seeing no way to escape threw himself head-long into the Sea and so perished Not long after Eugenius by the Power of the Earl Arbogastes Usurped the Government Anno 391. And the year following the said Arbogastes slew Valentinian at Vienna in France Epiphanius saith he was strangled in his Palace Century V. IN the Year 401. died St. Martin Bishop of Turin who following Hillary into France from his banishment having there lived an austere and retired life was Created Bishop of Turin almost at that time that St. Ambrose was established Bishop of Milan viz. in the Year 375. A man to be admired above all his Predecessors for Piety whom the Emperours themselves have had in great esteem and among the rest Maximus who feasted him Anno 386. in a Feast that his Wife the Empress had prepared who supplyed the place of a Waiter and Attendant at the Table her self Sulpitius Severus in the life of St. Martin sheweth that when he was to be chosen Bishop one of the people having taken the Psalter in the place of the Reader then absent began to read the eighth Psalm where there was Vt destruas inimicum defensorem at which word defensorem the people cryed out against one Defensor who opposed Martin's Election to the Episcopacy About this time the Monastical Profession came into Europe to which Jerome at Rome and St. Martin in France did much contribute In the Year 446. the Pelagian Heresie having spread over all Britain the British Churches being infected therewith King Vortigern sent for Germanus Bishop of Auxerres and Lupus Bishop of Troyes in Champagne out of France men eminent for their Counsel and Doctrine who confuting the Pelagians gained to themselves great esteem among the Britans After the return of Germanus and Lupus into their own Countrey Pelagianism began to sprout forth again in Britain But after three years Germanus returning back again into Britain brought with him Severus and the Pelagian Heresie was again condemned in a second Synod Britain being thus settled in good order Germanus went again into France and died soon after his return In this Century flourished other worthy Bishops and Preachers in France Eucherius Bishop of Lions was then eminent some of whose writings are yet extant Baron ad Ann. 453. About this time Baronius speaks of a Synod of Anjou which saith Let none be Ordained Priests or Deacons but such as have one Wife only who married Virgins Hillary first Bishop of Arles and afterward as appeareth of Vienna flourished about the year 458. he opposed himself directly to Leo Bishop of Rome and would acknowledge no
the end of his periods He was a very learned man as by the Commentaries which he wrote upon the Old and New Testament evidently appeareth Catal. Test verit Among the Collections of Aventinus there is an Epistle with this Title The Epistle of the Bishops of Germany and France to Pope Anastasius This was written in the time of King Clovis Leporius a French Monk made a flourish of the Nestorian Heresie but being refuted by Augustine he asked pardon of his Errour Faustus of an Abbot was made Bishop of Rhegium in France as Gennadius writeth in his Catalogue He wrote against the Pelagians and Epicureans A contention arose in France about the Doctrine of Predestination which had it's rise out of the Books of St. Augustine being ill understood Lucidus made opposition Faustus chastised him and brought him to his Opinion Eleven Bishops subscribed to the Epistle of Faustus in the Council of Arles by which Faustus himself affirmeth that an hard piece of work was put upon him of disputing concerning Grace and Free-Will About the same time also was solemnized at Lions an Assembly of twenty seven Bishops Victorinus of Aquitain at the request of Hillary set forth an Easter-Circle of 532 years in the year 563. Century VI. THe Province of Narbon which was called the first Province of France remained in the Goths subjection and thence it began to be called Gothia for Amalaricus his Father Alaricus being dead hastily flying into Spain he retained under his Power Spain with that part of France which we have mentioned before The Divine Providence gave to Clovis above all other Princes in the world such happy success as oftentimes his wars were miraculously confirmed to be guided of God among which is that remarkable thing That hastening against Alaricus having encamped near the River Vigenna he found a shallow place by the direction of an Hind that passed over the River before him through which he transported his Army to the other side and after this victory preparing to besiege Angoulesm the walls of the City falling down of their own accord gave him an easie entrance into the City Which things being known the Emperour Anastasius the year following the victory of Vocles sent a Standard to Chlodoveus or Clovis Petav. Hist Orbis Lib. 7. cap. 2. And he went in Procession in St. Martin's Church at Turin with his Belt his Purple-gown and his Diadem then coming to Paris there he established his Throne Anno 507 with so happy successes Procopius saith that the Franks made a League offensive with King Theodorick against the Burgundians and that the Goths delaying the time purposely at length arrived when the fight was ended and so without receiving any loss they divided the spoil with the Francks equally sharing the Kingdom which it is like came to pass about the year 508 it being after the Visigoths great defeat although at that time the Burgundian Kingdom was not utterly extinct in France for Gundebaut being defeated and dead Sigismond his Son kept still what remained who harkening to Avitus Bishop of Vienna changed his Arian Heresie into the Orthodox Faith After this Clodoveus raging against his nearest Friends put them almost all to death and at last in the year 511. died in Paris Clovis convoked the first Synod at Orleans Then flourished in France Caesarius Bishop of Arles whom we read to have been one of the Council of Agathus held in the year of Christ 506. and lived unto the time of Vigilius of whom he received a Letter Anno 538. Also Avitus Bishop of Vienna by whom the Burgundians received the Christian Faith Remigius Bishop of Rhemes called the Apostle of the Francks died Anno 534. In the same Year was held a Council at Avergnes wherein was Flavius Bishop of Rhemes Then are Hincmarus and Flodoardus mistaken in saying that he officiated in the Bishoprick 74 years and lived 96 years In France Launomarus of Chartres and Maximinus of Orleans were renowned Friars Maximus builded the Micians Monastery near unto the City he was Nephew to Euspicius Clovis as he went first to Orleans brought them both thither along with him Sigebert calleth that Monastery of the Micians Maximus's Monastery also Avitus and Carilesus Maximus's Disciples But Clovis being dead his four Sons divide the Realm into four Kingdoms Childebert was King of Paris and under this Realm was comprehended the Provinces of Poictou Main Tourain Champaigne Anjou Guyenne and Auvergne Clotaire was King of Soissons and the dependance of this Realm were Vermandois Picardy Flaunders and Normandy Clodamir was King of Orleans and the Estates of this Realm were all the Dutchy of Orleans Burgundy Lionois Daulphine and Provence Thierri was King of Metz and to his Realm was subject the Country of Lorain and all the Countries from Rhemes unto the Rhine and beyond it all Germany which was the Ancient Patrimony of the Kings of France De Serres in vit Childeb He was received in this Royal Partition with his Brethren though he were a Bastard the which hath been likewise practised by others in the first Line And as every one of these four Kings called themselves Kings of France so they also added the name of their Principal City where they held their Court. But there was a Civil Dissention betwixt the Brethren they Leavy Forces with intent to ruine one another They Reigned forty and two years together as Kings of France yet with a particular Title under this general as hath been said But in the end Clotaire remained King alone At this time were frequent meetings of Bishops in Aurelia or Orleans many superstitious Constitutions were hatched among them Symson's Church History Lib. 6. de Conciliis especially about prohibition of marriage for this Doctrine had now got the upper hand in the West In the second Council Simony is condemned and the receiving of money for the admitting a man to a Spiritual Office is condemned In the third Council Perjury is abhorred in a man having a Spiritual Calling but softly punished by two years excluding him from the Communion In the fourth Council it is Ordained The Bishops met in the Synod at Orleans direct their letters thus to the King To our Lord the most Illustrious King Clovis the Son of the Catholick Church all the Clergy whom you commanded to come unto the Council c. And it is said in the Preface to the second Council of Orleans We are here Assembled by the Command of our most Illustrious Kings in the City of Orleans That in the offering of the Holy Chalice nothing shall be presented but Wine only unmixed with water because it is a sacrilegious thing to transgress the holy mandate and institution of our Saviour Christ In the fifth Council it is condescended that no man shall be Ordained Bishop without consent of King Clergy and People according to the Ancient Constitution of the Church and that no Spiritual Office shall be bought by money There was an
Sorcerers in the first third fourth and fifth Canons whereby it appeareth that Sorcery hath been in frequent use in France Many superstitious Constitutions were set down in this Synod concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meat before Mass concerning burial prohibition of Baptism before the Festivity of Easter except upon necessity and fear of approaching death prohibition of Matrimonial copulation with their own Wives to Presbyters and Deacons after their Blessing and Consecration with prohibition of Marriage also to the Widows of the defunct Presbyters Deacons or Sub-deacons Brothers and Sisters Children are forbidden to marry They Ordained that it is not lawful for a Presbyter to sit in judgement when any man is condemned to death That it is not lawful for a Clergy-man to cite another of the Clergy before a Secular Judge That it is not lawful for a Woman with a naked hand to touch the Holy Eucharist That it is not lawful to take refreshment of meat with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergy receive an excommunicate person without the knowledge of him who did excommunicate him he shall receive the like sentence that is he shall be likewise excommunicated That it is not lawful for a Presbyter in Banquetting-time to sing or dance Many Canons to the number of 45 were concluded in this Council But I shall not trouble you with an heap of unprofitable unnecessary and superstitious Canons Another Council was afterwards called at Cabillon vulgarly called Chalon which is a Town in Burgundy not far distant from Matiscon In this Town by the Commandment of Clovis King of France convened 44 Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Landilenus Bishop of Vienna Theodorus Bishop of Arles because he refused to appear before the Council was suspended from his Office until the next Council In this Synod the Canons of the Council of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be Ordained in one Town that no man should sell a Christian Servant to a Jew and that two Abbots should not be chosen to govern one Monastery That no labouring of the ground or other secular work shall be done on the Lord's day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councils Clovis the second married a Gentlewoman of Saxony named Baudour a Lady of good life and much given to Devotion as the Abby of Shelles St. Baudour with other Foundations do witness Whilst she busied her self in her Devotion and to build Monasteries Clovis addicted himself to sensuality Yet one memorable thing is recorded of him In a time of great dearth to relieve the poor people he suffered them to take the Silver wherewith the Temple of St. Denis had been covered by Dagobert Aimo saith that two years after a famous Assembly of Bishops being had he appointed the Monastery of Dionysius which his Father had built nigh unto the City to be free from the Jurisdiction of all Bishops Landerick the Chief Ruler of Paris agreeing to it Clovis died Anno 660. of his Reign 17. At the same time Erchenwald Major of the Palace dying Ebruin succeedeth him From which time the French Kings being let loose into sloth and riot the Government of the Affairs of State came to the Majors of the Palace The Kings being contented only with the Name or Title contained themselves in their Palace neither came they but once every year viz. in the Kalends of May into open view of the people Clotharius the eldest Son of Clovis succeeded his Father but having Reigned four years he died Anno 664. Theodorick his Brother for a short space was Chief but the French being weary of this man shut up Theodorick in a Monastery being shaven at St. Denis in Paris and Ebruin at Luxovien Then Childerick was made King who after three years Reign was slain by Bodille a Noble French man whom he had commanded being bound to the stump of a tree to be whipped with rods His Queen also being great with Child was killed by the same Bodille Ebruin secretly breaking out of the Monastery Petav. Hist Lib. 8. again invadeth the Lieutenantship of the Palace and killeth Leudesius the Son of Erchenwald Major of the Palace and Leodegar Chief Ruler of Augustodunum whom after he had been tortured with divers torments and in an Assembly of Bishops spoiled of his Dignity he commanded to be smitten with a sword In those times there were many in France flourishing in Holiness among whom Eligius Bishop of Noviomum and Audoenus Bishop of Roven are mentioned Eligius died in the seventieth year of his Age. Audoenus died being ninety years old in the 44 year of his Bishoprick Private persons also graced France with an exact holiness of Life viz. Furseus Foillanus Vltan who having come out of Ireland built Monasteries in France Thierri the first is now made King of France a King in shew who is a spectator of divers Tragedies Thierri dieth having reigned 19 years Ebruin in the third year after the death of Leodegar was thrust thorow by Hermenfrid then Pepin governeth the Kingdom Clovis the third the eldest Son of Thierri reigned four years and dieth without Children His Brother Childebert the second succeedeth him Century VIII CHildebert Reigned 17 years and died Anno 711. having left two Sons Dagobert and Clothaire Pepin made great shew of love to Religion and for this cause makes war against Robod Duke of Frisia a Pagan whom he conquered and forced to receive the Christian Religion with all his Subjects He restored Lambert Bishop of Traict to his Dignity being expelled by Ebruin and confined unto a Monastery and one of his chiefest cares was to advance them that had charge over the Church He commanded absolutely being armed with the Authority of his Soveraign neither was there any appeal from him to the King Yet Pepin besides his Lawful Wife called Plectrude held a woman named Alpaid for the which the forenamed Lambert reproved him Of this Alpaid he had a Son whom he named Charles which Charles was after sirnamed Martel and was very profitable to the Realm of France Alpaid caused Bishop Lambert to be slain by her Brother Dodon who soon after felt the punishment of this blood for being diseased with Worms not able to endure his own stench he cast himself headlong into the River Meuze Pepin upon his death-bed Ordained Charles his Bastard to succeed him in the Government of the Realm But Plectrude after the death of Pepin causeth Charles to be imprisoned at Colen and advanceth Thibauld to the Government although in effect She under his Name governed all the Affairs of State Dagobert dying at this time the French took a Prince of the blood called Daniel out of a Cloyster Him they called King under the Name of Chilperic the second and they give him a Noble Man of France called Rainfroy to be his Major who having leavied an Army De Serres hist defeated Thibauld and his Grandmother Plectrude in
and knees made with continual praying valiant also and excellently well seen in martial affairs After the death of Arnulph Patriarch of Jerusalem Guarimond born in France succeeded him About this time the two great orders of Templers and Teutonicks appeared in the World The former under Hugh de Paganis and Ganfred of St. Omer their first Founders They agreed in profession with the Hospitallers and performed it alike vowing poverty chastity and obedience and to defend Pilgrims coming to the Sepulchre It is falsly fathered on St. Bernard that he appointed them their rule who prescribeth not what they should do but only describeth what they did At the same time began the Teutonick Order consisting only of Dutch-men well descended living at Jerusalem in an house which one of that Nation bequeathed to his Country-men that came thither on Pilgrimage King Baldwin was afterwards taken prisoner and Eustace Grenier chosen Vice-Roy while the King was in durance stoutly defended the Countrey Baldwin a little before his death renounced the World and took on him a religious habit He dyed not long after viz. in the thirteenth year of his Reign and was buried with his predecessours in the Temple of the Sepulchre Fulco Earl of Tours Mam and Anjou coming some three years before on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem there married the King 's Daughter he was chosen the fourth King of Jerusalem He was well nigh 60 years old By his first Wife he had a Son Geoffery of Plantagenet Earl of Anjou to whom he left his Lands in France and from whom our Kings of England are descended Fulco having reigned eleven years with much care and industry Tyrius lib. 15. ca. ult was slain as he followed his sport in hunting Thomas Fuller brings him in thus speaking his Epitaph A Hare I hunted and Death hunted me The more my speed was was the worse my speed Fuller's holy War lib. 2. For as well-mounted I away did flee Death caught and kill'd me falling from my Steed Yet this mishap an happy miss I count That fell from Horse that I to Heaven might mount Baldwin the third succeeded his Father He was well learned especially in History liberal witty and facetious His mother Millesent continued a Widow and as for Children's-sake she married once so for her Children's-sake she married no more St. Bernard and she often conversed together by Letters He extolled her single Life This St. Bernard Abbot of Clarevaux or Clareval was famous in that time He often complains of the defection of the Church He sharply rebuked the vitious lives of Bishops and Abbots Yea he did not spare the Popes Bern. Ep. 42. as appeareth partly by what he wrote unto Pope Eugenius and unto Innocent the second And for his liberty in speaking against the errours of his time Epist 178. Apolog ad Willerm Abbat he was reproached so that he was constrained to publish Apologies where he saith that they called him the most miserable of Men one who presumed to judge the World and by the shadow of his baseness insult over the lights of the World And he saith there that he was like to be killed every day and was judged as a sheep for the slaughter yet nevertheless he was not afraid to speak of their vices because said he melius est ut scandalum oriatur quam veritas relinquatur It is better that a scandal should arise than truth should be relinquished Who at the beginning when the order of Monks began saith he could think that Monks would become so naughty Oh how unlike are we to those in the days of Anthony did Macarius live in such a manner did Basil teach so did Anthony ordain so did the Fathers in Egypt carry themselves so how is the light of the World become darkness how is the salt of the Earth become unsavoury I am a Lyar saith he if I have not seen an Abbot having above sixty horses in his train when ye saw them riding ye might say These were not Fathers of Monasteries but Lords of Castles not feeders of Souls bur Princes of Provinces They have carried after them their Table-Cloths Cups Basons Candlesticks and Portmantua's stuffed not with straw but ornaments of Beds scarce will any of them go four miles from his house but he must have all things with him as if he were going into a leaguer or through a Wilderness where necessaries could not be had O vanity of vanities the Walls of Churches are glorious and poor folks are in necessity Yet may it be said that Bernard was a follower of the Popes I answer yes he gave them all the Titles that others gave them but see what blows he gave them as appeareth by what he wrote to Innocentius and Eugenius he lays on them the blame of all the wickedness in the Church In rites he was carried with the sway of the times but his Doctrine was far different from the Tenets of the Church of Rome In one of his Epistles he writes thus Bern. Epist 91. ad Abbates Suess Congreg I would be in that Council where the Traditions of Men are not obstinately defended nor superstitiously observed but where they search diligently and humbly what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God thither am I carried with all my desire and there would I abide devoutly In Tract de praecept Dispens And elsewhere he saith many things were devised and ordained not because they might not be otherwise but because it was so expedient and certainly but for conserving charity therefore so long as the things do serve charity let them stand without change nor can they be changed without offence no not by the Rulers But contrarily if they be contrary unto charity in the judgement of such only unto whom it is granted to oversee is it not clearly most just that what things were devised for charity should also be omitted or intermitted for charity when it is so expedient or at least that they be changed to another thing more expedient as on the other side certainly it were unjust if these things that were ordained for charity be held against charity Let them therefore hold fast that which is immoveable The same Bernard informs us Bern. de consider ad Eugenium li. 3. that then was held a Council at Rhemes wherein the Pope was president And saith he Brethren I tell you of another Synod where the Lord God will sit in Judgement where we must all stand and there will God judge all the World Here on earth unrighteousness is shut up in a bag but in that Judgement God will judge righteously and there we must all appear whether he be a Pope or a Cardinal or an Arch-Bishop or a Bishop or poor or rich or learned or unlearned that every one may receive according to what he hath done in the body whether good or ill Moreover he said unto the Council that the Imposthume was spread through all the body of the
Jacob. Mejer in annalib rerum Flandricarum would not suffer the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of Rhemes Rhoan Sens Paris Beauvis and some others to assist there because they were Benedict's partizans by reason of the great courtesies they had received either from him or his predecessour In a Decree made February 18. 1406. we find a complaint by Charles VI. They take occasion to reserve the First-fruits in the vacancies and to extort great sums of Money whereby the Kingdom is exhausted and to thrust themselves upon the Popedom for to enrich both them and theirs And when there is any question saith he of preferring men to elective dignities they never used those ways which ought to be observed and which are appointed to examine and try them Whence it comes to pass that it being not possible that the Pope should know all Men and the state of the Churches he admits divers into those dignities who are unworthy of them and sometimes such as are unknown to him but by their money He addeth They insert divers clauses in their Bulls which are sometimes inextricable they make divers Rules besides the Law or else quite against Law which they revoke at their pleasure insomuch that the most clear-sighted cannot discern who hath best right among divers pretenders Hence arise infinite Suits in Law which they must prosecute out of the Kingdom with great expence and charges In another Decree made the same year he accounts this among other extortions Imposing Tenths and other Subsidies at their pleasure without ever consulting the rest of the Bishops about it in the raising whereof there is no mean observed either of Justice or equity It was then ordained that none should pay Tythes to Popes nor Cardinals And in another Decree made in March Anno 1408. mention is made of certain presidents by Charles VI. established at a Council at Paris Not long ago saith he it was proposed and demanded by our Attorney-General at a Council holden at Paris consisting of the Bishops and Clergy of the Churches within our Kingdom and Daulphiny where our Cousin Lewes King of Sicily our eldest Son Duke of Aquitain and Viennois the Duke of Bourges our Vnckle by the Father's side the Duke of Burgundy our Cousin and the Duke of Burbon our Vnckle by the Mother's side did preside for us that the Pope 's exactions and other grievances formerly rehearsed might be utterly abolished We read of another Decree made afterwards wherein complaint is made by the same King Charles VI. That an infinite deal of Gold and Silver and Rents were transported out of the Kingdom and the Province of Daulphinè to the prejudice of the antient Customs and the undoing of the Realm to the irreparable loss and damage of the Common-wealth and the miserable desolation of the Churches as well such as were of Royal Foundation as others And elsewhere he complaineth That certain Collectors and other the Pope of Rome 's Officers particularly for his Moneys have of late oppressed the Church and Church-men of our Realm and Province of Daulphinè by an insufferable slavery in seizing upon the Goods of the Bishops and Clergy-men both Regulars and Seculars presently upon their Decease An Edict was made discharging the payment of Annates Pope Vrban VI. being dead in Rome after he had managed the Popedom for eleven years with little satisfaction either to the people or Clergy the Cardinals created Boniface the ninth in the 33. year of his Age who shewed much prudence in the whole course of his Papacy He sate fourteen years and nine months and dyed Anno 1405. Guilel Noubrigensis li. 4. ca. 1. King Charles VI. bestirred himself to remove the schism which was between Benedict XIII and Boniface IX and to dispose all the Princes of Christendom for the same design according to the Testimony of an English Historian He heard with patience saith he the Legates of either Pope but by the advice of his Divines he would not submit himself neither to the one nor to the other He rather thought on a means whereby he might relieve the Church by removing out of her all matter of dissention Having therefore sent his Ambassadours to the Emperour as also to the Kings of England Bohemia and Hungary he conjured them not to be wanting to the publick good and tranquillity He perswaded Wenceslaus the Emperour to come to Rhemes where a general Council was held on that occasion I find another Ordinance of the same King Charles VI. made by the counsel and assistance of the Lords and Clergy of France Vid. Libell de Eccles Gallic in Schismat p. 15. wherein he saith That the Royal power is ordained of God for the preservation of the Church and that the Kingdom of Heaven increaseth by means of the Earthly Kingdom when those which destroy the Church are crushed by the rigour of Princes That the sacred Canons will have recourse to be made unto Princes when such things are committed by great men in the Church and that according to the opinion of Holy Doctours the Pope ought not to be obeyed in such things wherein the state of the Church is notoriously disturbed And in another Ordinance of April 17. 1410. These things being considered that it belongs unto us who are the Guardian Protector and Defender of the Churches of our Kingdom and of Daulphinè and who have ratified and approved the Statutes and Ordinances aforesaid made in the Council aforesaid to cause all this and all that followeth upon it to be kept inviolable c. There is an Arrest of the Parliament of Paris toward the latter end of this King's Reign wherein it is said that Pope Benedict and his Officers should from thenceforth give over and abstain from the exaction of Annates in the Kingdom of France and the County of Daulphinè The same Charles VI. being excommunicated by Benedict the XIII put the bearers of his Bulls to the * Armende honoraire So they call this ignominious kind of punishment Honourable Amends making them to be carried in Tumbrels apparelled in painted Coats with paper Mitres upon their heads and the Pope's Bull represented in their hands and his Arms reversed All which was done by the advice of his Princes Lords and the Prelates and other Ecclesiasticks of his Kingdom together with the Parliament and University of Paris as appeareth by the Acts published concerning this particular After the death of Pope Boniface IX the Cardinals created Cosmo di Sulmona Pope who took the name of Innocent VII he lived but two years after and dyed in a time when all Italy was in an ill condition Whilst this schism continued Three Princes in France who by reason of the King's indisposition did then govern that Kingdom viz. the Dukes of Berry of Burgundy and of Orleans went all of them together to Pietro di Luna who was called Benedict XIII to Avignon beseeching him to provide against this disorder by renouncing the Papacy urging that it was
the Heretical and forbidden Books The King was informed of their shifts and of that Letter Wherefore he ordereth the Bishop to require them again After divers exhortations to this purpose they send fifteen places which they had marked The Bishop conferreth with their Deputy Gagneius upon these Instances and writes a large Letter unto them commending the Annotations and shewing what course they should observe in their censure They were the more enraged at that commendation and would not go on in their censure but would have the Book to be condemned which they had declared Heretical Then the King sent his Letters Patent and sealed charging them to proceed in their censure and to deliver it unto his Printer They do still refuse and at that time King Francis dyeth viz. on March 31. Anno 1547. His Son King Henry II. who succeeded him sendeth the like charge unto them on August 16. 1547 They return Answer that they shall perfect their censure before November 1. But then in place of the censure they send a supplication craving that the Books may be forbidden because he is a Sacramentarian and had written that mens Souls are mortal The Printer is informed of it and addresseth himself to answer before King and Council Then they return unto Paris But he shews how false their calumnies were At that time they sent unto the King forty six Articles which they had collected It was told unto their Deputies that they had spoken of some thousands of Errours and were these all turned to forty six They answered the University had more but had not as yet put them in form The Printer returns to Paris chiding some of the Divines for accusing him falsly The Printer craves of the King protection from the malice of his Enemies The King grants it under his Seal This storm being over he gathereth fifteen old Manuscripts of the new Testament in Greek and printeth it with the divers lections on the Margin and gives the first copy unto Castellan The Pope sends into France Jerome Boccaferrius a Roman Cardinal of St. George in shew to condole with the King for the death of his Father and to give him joy of the beginning of his Kingdom but with commission to make confederation with him The Pope gave the Legate most ample power to grant the King all his demands in matter of Benefices without regarding the Decrees of the Tridentine Council a strong Alliance is made between the Pope and the French King and two Cardinals are created at the King's instance viz. Charles of Guise Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and Charles of Vandosme of the Blood-Royal The Cardinal of Guise made an open discourse in publick consistory in the name of the French King shewing Hist Concil Trident li. 3. that King Francis had never spared any cost or danger to maintain the liberty of other Princes In conformity whereof Henry not degenerating from the vertue of his Ancestors as soon as he had left to mourn for his Father's death was willing to declare his observance towards the See of Rome That the merits of the Kings of France were famous and exceedeth all those of other Nations But this was above all which the King now doth promising all his Forces to preserve the Papal Dignity now when it is so contemned He prayed the Pope to receive the King for his Son and to promise to himself all assistance from him and to take care that the Church should receive no damage nor shame in regard that from small beginnings great factions have risen which have brought the Popes into great calamities He exemplified in many Popes afflicted who were defended and raised by the Kings of France concluding that the present King will not yield to his Ancestors in preserving the Dignity of the Apostolick See In the year 1549. The French King making his first entry into Paris caused a solemn procession to be made and published an Edict wherein he signifieth that he received the protection of the Catholick Religion and of the See of Rome and the care of the Ecclesiastical Order and that he abhorred the Novity of Religion and testified unto all his will to persevere in the Doctrine of the Church of Rome and to banish the new Hereticks so he called the Protestants out of all his Dominions He caused this Edict to be printed in French and sent it into all parts of his Kingdom He gave leave also to his Prelates to make a Provincial Assembly to reform the Churches Which being known at Rome was thought to be a bad example and might be a beginning to make the French Church independent of the Church of Rome He caused also many Lutherans to be put to death in Paris himself being present at the Spectacle and in the beginning of the next year he renewed the Edict against them laying grievous punishments upon the Judges who were not diligent in detecting and punishing them Pope Paul III. dyeth Anno 1549. the Cardinals were divided into three factions about the choice of a new Pope Imperialists French and dependents on the dead Pope and by consequence on his Nephews Hist of Cardin. part 3. li. 2. They made agreement among themselves that nine Cardinals should be named of each Faction three but that the nomination should be made by two only of the Faction of France and that afterwards it should be lawful for the Imperialists to take one of the said nine at their pleasure and that the rest should be obliged to concur Of the French Faction accordingly were named the Cardinals of Lorrain Tornon and Bellai Of the Imperial Faction Theatino Monte and San Marcello and three others of the other Faction Salviati Ridolfi and Trani The Imperialists refused all the nine persons which were named which gave great offence to the other two Factions insomuch that it was proposed by the French to the Farnesians to unite among themselves and to choose a Pope in spite of the Imperialists But they could not agree in the choice of their persons because there were several Cardinals among the Farnesians who were much obliged to the Emperour and much afraid of his displeasure But after a tedious discussion of the Cardinals for the space of three months during the vacancy of the See Gio Maria del Monte was created Pope on February Anno 1550. by the name of Julius the third And now the Faction of the Nipotisme was introduced into the conclave having over-powred the Factions of the Emperour and King of France with no small reputation The Council having been translated to Bolonia the Emperour having protested against it the Pope deliberates about the remitting of it to Trent The French King offered to the Pope whatsoever he was able to do for him promised to assist the Council and to send the Prelates of his Kingdom and all favour and protection for the maintenance of the Papal Authority The Book of Francis Duraneus a learned Lawyer entituled De Sacris Ecclesiae Ministeriis came
the siege and at the end of the siege the Fishes were found no more in that coast Sanserre a Protestant Town after eight Months siege was forced to surrender to Castrius the King's Lieutenant in those parts Upon the ninth day of May 1572. Henry Duke of Anjou was with a general consent chosen King of Poland Wherefore he having long besieged Rochel and seeking to come off from that siege with such moderation that his reputation might be safe and the minds of his new subjects not unsatisfied from whom he endeavoured to remove all suspicion of his taking away their liberty of Conscience he proceeded not so violently against the Protestants who now being quite tyred out desired peace This was favoured by the Duke and the City was yielded upon these conditions That the King should declare the Inhabitants of Rochel Nismes and Montauban to be his faithful Subjects pardoning all faults whatsoever had been committed by them during the Civil War That in those three Cities he should allow the free and publick exercise of the Reformed Religion they meeting together in small numbers and without Arms the Officers appointed for that purpose being there among them That in all other outward matters except Baptism and Matrimony they should observe the Rites and Holy-daies observed and commanded by the Church of Rome That the King should confirm all the liberties and priviledges of those three Towns not permitting them to be in any part diminished altered or violated That the Rochellers should receive a Governour of the King's appointment but without a Garrison who might freely stay there inhabit go and return into the City at his pleasure That they should be governed by the Laws and Customs with which they had been governed under the Kings of France ever since they were Subjects to that Crown That they should not lend any aid to those which should continue up in Arms though of the same Religion That the use and exercise of the Catholique Religion should be restored in those Cities whence it had been taken leaving freely unto the Church-men not only the Churches Monasteries and Hospitals but likewise all the Profits and Revenues belonging to them That all Lords of free Manours through the Kingdom might in their own houses lawfully celebrate Baptism and Matrimony after the manner of the Protestants provided the Assembly exceeded not the number of ten persons That there should be no Inquisition upon mens consciences and that those who would not dwell in the Kingdom might sell their Estates and go live where they pleased provided it were not in places that were enemies to the Crown And that for the observing these Articles the said three Cities should give Hostages which should be changed every three Months and alwayes should follow the Court. When these conditions were established and the Hostages given which by the Duke were presently sent to the Court Monsieur de Byron the Governour appointed by the King entred Rochel with one of the publick Heraulds took possession of the Government and caused the Peace to be Proclaimed After which the Duke of Anjou now King of Poland having dismissed the Army went with a Noble Train of Princes Lords and Gentlemen unto the City of Paris where assuming the title of his new Kingdom and having received the Polish Ambassadours he prepared for his journey to go and take possession of the Crown All the Protestants dwelling in Languedoc Dolphinè and Provence were offered those conditions which the Rochellers had embraced But they craved liberty first to assemble themselves together before they should give their answer Which being granted and the Assembly convened at Miliald they craved these Conditions viz. That in every Province of France two Towns might be granted unto the Protestants for their further security and those Towns to be kept by the Guards of their own Souldiers and have all their pay out of the King's Treasury and that liberty should be granted to all that were of their Religion to exercise the same freely without any exception of places Also that all those that should be found guilty of the horrible Murthers committed at Paris August 24. should be severely punished The Queen-Mother when she had read the Conditions which were required said with great indignation That if the Prince of Conde had been in the midst of France with twenty thousand Horse-men and fifty thousand Foot-men yet would he not have required the half of those conditions This great boldness of the Protestants put the Enemies in suspicion that the Nobles of France were confederate with them About the same time Count Montgomery had returned out of England and taken some Towns in Normandy but soon after he was besieged in Donfront a Town of Normandy where he is taken and sent to Paris and condemned to death This is that Noble man who had slain King Henry the second with a Spear whom King Henry would not suffer to be harmed for it But when he came into the hands of this cruel woman he must die She caused divers of the Nobility to be imprisoned and spared not her own Son the Duke of Alançon The Prince of Conde conveyed away himself secretly into Germany In November following after the bloody Massacre a new Star was seen in the Constellation of Cassiopeia which continued full sixteen Months being carried about with the daily motions of the Heaven Theodore Beza wittily applyed it to that Star which shone at the Birth of Christ and to the murthering of the Infants under Herod and warned Charles IX King of France who confessed himself to be the Authour of that bloody Massacre at Paris to beware in this Verse Tu verò Herodes sanguinolente cave Cambden's Hist of Qu. Elizab. And thou bloody Herod look thou to thy self And he was not wholly deceived in his belief for in the fifth Month after the vanishing of this Star King Charles died of a bloody Flix As he had caused much Protestant blood to be shed so in his sickness before his death great store of blood issued out by vomiting Thuan. Hist li. 57. and by other passages of his body in the two last weeks of his sickness and in his bed he could have little rest but horribly Blasphemed the name of God which he had accustomed himself unto even from his Child-hood Such was his unquietness and affrightments in the night that he endeavoured to appease it by Musick Andrew Melvin hath these Verses to Charles IX dying with an unusual Flux of blood Naribus ore oculis atque auribus undique ano Et pene erumpit qui tibi Carle cruor Non tuus iste cruor Sanctorum at caede eruorem Quem ferus hausisti concoquere haud poteras In those Verses are comprised both the cause and manner of his death He died May 30. 1574. before he was full five and twenty years of Age. As soon as Henry King of Poland heard of his Brother's death he returned privily and speedily and was
Avergne by force where the blood of the Inhabitants shed without pity by the Duke of Anjou confirmed the Protestants in the bad opinion they had conceived of him The Duke of Mayenne sends forth a Navy to Sea under the Command of Lansac which coming before the Isle of Ré retired seeing the Islanders resolved to fight if they approached The Rochellers Arm seven Ships those of the Islands five entreating aid from Holland and Zealand to withstand the force of the Fleet. The Nobility invite all others to charge themselves willingly for the maintenance of this Army Mayenne assaulteth Brovage a little square Town built in a Marsh recovered out of the Sea fortified during the third Peace and after the Rochellers had cut off six hundred of his men the Town for want of victuals entred into Capitulation and departed August 28. 1577. with their Arms and Baggage leaving the place at the Duke's devotion But a Peace was concluded at Poictiers and was in the end of September Proclaimed with great joy of either party This last Edict cut off some Articles of the former made no mention of Strangers left their consciences free yet without exercise of Religion but in Towns and places where then it was publickly used in the houses of Gentlemen Feudataries or as they call them de Haute justice free admission was given to every body but in the houses of private Gentlemen not above the number of seven was allowed and in a prefixed place in every jurisdiction and Baily-wick except in Paris and ten Leagues about it and two Leagues compass from the Court wheresoever it should be But the Marshal D'anville who every day withdrew himself further from the Protestants ceased not to prosecute those by whom he pretended to be injuried in Languedoc under colour of reducing the places of his Government under his own Command Nor did the Sieur des Diguieres in Dolphinè dare to trust the Peace nor hazard himself upon the King's word remembring what had befallen Monbrun in whose company he had made War and therefore still continued Armed for his security And the Papists when they saw the Protestants meet at their Sermons could not suffer them without murmurings and detractions which occasioned many contentions and sometimes dangerous bloody accidents whereby a great part of France though the Peace was made continued still in broyls and insurrections About that time the King created two Mareschals men valiant in War and very prudent in Government viz. Armand Sieur de Byron and Jaques Sieur de Matignon men free from the Interests of the Duke of Guise depending wholly upon the King's will And Renato di Birago the High Chancellour being made Cardinal Philip Hurault Viscount de Chiverny is chosen in his place In the year 1579. the King shews himself in publick for a mirrour of Reformation and Piety he builds many Monasteries Chappels and Oratories undertakes many Pilgrimages on foot confirms the brotherhood of Penitents erects tne Order of Jeronomites is daily conversant with the Capuchins and Fucillans called Jesuites and by their instructions erects many Congregations He carrieth a Crucifix and Beads in Procession with a Whip at his Girdle He causeth many Books of Devotion to be Printed And leads a Life more befitting a Cloyster than a Court. He institutes the Order of The Knights of the Holy Ghost binding them to Conditions which carry a strict bond to the Church of Rome The Duke of Anjou dies and now the King of Navarre is by quality the first Prince of the Blood and first Peer of France and most part of France cast their eyes upon him as upon the Sun rising This amazeth the Duke of Guise and his adherents they assemble the Heads of their house at St. Dennis and endeavour to renew the Catholique League which before was almost laid aside for seeing that the King ballanced the forces very carefully with those of the Hugonot Lords and that he would not suppress that party which as they believed he might easily have done and that under several pretences he devested all the dependants of both Factions of their places and honours to bestow them upon such as should acknowledge them meerly from himself they were the more highly incensed Nor could it satisfie them to see the King taken up with Religious thoughts and addicted to a quiet unactive life for they knowing his nature wherewith they had been conversant from his very Childhood interpreted that course of life to subtil deep dissimulation Wherefore the Duke of Guise a man of a very quick insight discerning judgement and high thoughts determined to prevent and not stay to be prevented In which resolution he was seconded by his Brother Louis the Cardinal a man of an high spirit and great wit as also by Henry of Savoy Duke of Nemours and Charles Marquess of San-Sorlin both Sons of Anna d'Esté and therefore his Brothers by the Mother Charles of Lorain Duke of Aumale and Claude his Brother a Knight of Jerusalem Charles of Lorain Duke d'Elbeuf Emanuel Duke de Mercure and his Brothers Only Charles Duke of Mayenne proceeded more slowly than the rest who thinking how dangerous it would be to hazard their safety by rash resolutions advised them to proceed with more patience and more respect toward the Lawful possessour of the Crown But the Duke of Guise resolute in his thoughts by the Authority of his Person Vivacity of his courage and Eloquence of his Language drew all the rest to his Opinion and excluding his Brothers advice setled all his thoughts upon the machinations of the League for the establishment whereof dissembling his discontents no less than his jeolousies and private interests he made shew of stirring only for the respects of Religion and the general good making an ill interpretation of all the King's actions and with many arts and circumstances aggravating that danger which he pretended hung over the Catholick Religion in France He grounded his fears upon the death of the Duke of Alançon and the Queens barrenness which in the space of ten years had had no Son whereby the King dying without heirs of the house of Valois the Crown fell to the Princes of Bourbon and in the first place to the King of Navarre whom he termed a relapsed Heretick and an open enemy to the Roman Religion He urged that his coming to the Crown would be the universal ruine of Religion and the total Conversion of all France to the Doctrine and Rites of Calvin and therefore shewed how all good Catholicks were obliged to look to it in time Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 7. and to prevent the terrible blow of that imminent subversion He shewed that when sometimes he had been constrained to make War against the King of Navarre he employed the Mareschal de Byron who though a Catholick in outward appearance was yet by many former proofs known to be a favourer of the Hugonots and interessed in their Factions that therefore he
King himself He calls him the Grand Director and most puissant Genius of France the perfectest of men who doth penetrate things to come and is ignorant of nothing great and incomparable Cardinal the most eminent among mortals to whom the â—rabbed iâ— and most mysterious affairs of State are but pastimes visible God and tutelar Angel of the Universe a spirit that moves the Heavens and and the Stars the bliss of the world the Supreme Intelligence the Phoenix of the earth who never had nor ever shall have his parallel As there were a number of such profane Sycophants among the Wits of France that idolized him in that manner so there wanted nor others that aspersed him by Pasquils and Libels One calleth the Capuchin the Cardinal and the Devil the three degrees of Comparison Horel's Hist of Lewes XIII One hath made this Epitaphical invective on him Adsta viator quò properas Quod nusquà m videbis aut audies heic legitur Armandus Johannes de Plessis Cardinalis de Richlieu Clarus Origine magnus ingenio fortunâ eminentissimus Quodque mirere Sacerdos in Castris Theologus in Aula Episcopus sine plebe Cardinalis sine titulo Rex sine nomine unus tamen omnia Naturam habuit in numerato fortunam in consilio Aerarium in peculio securitatem in bello victoriam sub signis Socios in praecinctu cives in servitute Amicos in obsequio inimicos in carcere Hoc tamen uno miser quod omnes miseros fecit Tam seculi sui Tormentum quà m ornamentum Galliam subegit Italiam terruit Germaniam quassavit Afflixit Hispaniam coronavit Briganzam cepit Lotharingiam Accepit Cataloniam fovit Sueciam truncavit Flandriam Turbavit Angliam lusit Europam Poeta purpuratus Cui scena mundus gloria stiparium Regia gaza Choragium fuit Tragicus maximè quam fabulam malè solvit Post regnum Testamento suis distributum paupertatem populo imperatam Dissipatos Principes nobilitatem suppliciis exhaustam Senatum authoritate spoliatum exteras Gentes bello incendiis vastatas Pacem terra marique profligatam Cùm fatiscente corpore animum gravioribus consiliis aegrè vegetare Et nullius non interesset ipsum aut vivere aut mori Jamque bona sui parte mortuus aliorum tantum morte viveret Derepente spirare desiit timeri O fluxa mortalitas Quà m tenue momentum est inter omnia nihil Mortui corpus rheda extulit Secuti equites peditesque magnó numero Faces praetulerunt Ephebi crucem nemo quia currus pâ—blicam ferebat Denique hunc tumulum implet non totum Quem tota Europa non implebat Inter Theologos situs ingens disputandi argumentum Quò migravit sacramentum est Haec te lector volui heic te metire Et abi Stay passenger where hast'nest thou Here maist thou read what thou shalt not see nor hear any where else Armand John du Plessis Cardinal of Richlieu Noble by descent great in wit most eminent in fortune And what thou maist admire A Priest in the Field a Divine at Court A Bishop without a Cure a Cardinal without a Title a King without name Yet one who was all these He had nature in all her numbers Fortune in his Counsels The Royal Treasure in possession security in War Victory under his Banner He kept his Confederates in compass his Countrey-men in servitude His friends at a distance his enemies in Prison In this only wretched that he made all men so Being as well the torment as the ornament of his time He subdu'd France he scar'd Italy he shook the Empire He afflicted Spain he Crown'd Braganza he took Lorrain He accepted of Catalonia he fomented Sweden he maim'd Flanders He troubled England he cousened all Europe A purpled Poet Whose Stage was the world glory his Curtain the Exchequer his tyring house His subject for the most part tragical to which he put an ill Catastrophe Having turn'd the Kingdom to Legacies bequeathed poverty to the people Dissipated the Princes exhausted the Nobility with punishments Bereft the Parliament of power destroy'd other Nations with fire and sword Driven away peace by Sea and Land His body now fainting his mind not recreable for restlesâ— thoughts When it concern'd every one that he should live or die Being in good part already mortifi'd and living only in others death He suddenly ceas'd to breath and to be feared O the frail things of mortality What a small moment is there betwixt something and nothing The Corpse were carried in a Chariot Horse and Foot followed in great numbers Pages carried Torches none the Cross for the Chariot carried the publick Cross In fine he hardly fill'd up his grave Whom all Europe could not fill He lies among the Sorbonists Of Dispute a mighty Argument Whither he is gone 't is a Sacrament Reader this is all I would have with thee Hereby measure thy self and be gone He died at Paris December 4. 1642. in the 57. year and third month of his Age. After the decease of Richlieu Cardinal Julius Mazarin a Gentleman of an ancient Roman Extraction was put to sit at the Helm He together with Leo Bouthiller Chavigni and Soublet Noyer both Secretaries of State were the Cabinet Counsel to the King Mazarin was a bosom friend and a great intrinsick Confident of Richlieu before who had imparted his designs infused all his Maxims into him and opened unto him all the Arcana Imperii He had been an active Political Instrument employ'd by the Pope before in sundry Treaties and difficult traverses of State wherein he had good success and in all his negotiations he was discovered to be a Person of excellent address and rare endowments Five months after the death of Cardinal Richlieu the King fell sick at S. German's and died on May 14 1643. the same month the same day of the month and about the same hour of the day that his Father died thirty three years before but with this mark of difference that the one went out the other was sent out of the world about the same time His bowels were presently carried to be interred at Saint Dennis whither his Body followed after in the height of all solemnity and magnificence that his Queen could devise whom he left Regent of the Realm He was a great Zealot in the Religion and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome When the Queen found her self quick he caus'd a solemn Declaration to be published wherein he made the blessed Virgin Protectress under the holy Trinity of all his Estates all which he consecrated to her and for an immortal Mark of this Consecration he commanded the great Altar in the Cathedral Church of Paris to be built anew with the Image of the Virgin which should hold in her Arms that of our Saviour and the K. to lie prostrate before the Son and Mother offering them his Crown and Scepter The Archbishop of Paris was enjoyn'd to Commemorate this Declaration once every year
she was taken down cast into prison and reserved for further Torment Attalus also a Famous Man and notably exercised in the Christian Profession was led within compass of the Theatre with a Scroll before him wherein was written in the Roman Tongue This is Attalus the Christian The President knowing that he was a Roman commanded him to be imprisoned and closely kept with the other prisoners concerning whom he had written unto Caesar and expected an Answer Alexander a Phrygian born and a Physician having dwelt in France many years a man well known for his great Zeal towards God and boldness of speech stood hard by the Tribunal-Seat and comforted and encouraged many Martyrs at their Examination When the people that stood by took in evil part that they which before had recanted did now confess Christ with one consent they cry out against Alexander as Author thereof Then the President demanding of him what he was he Answered I am a Christian for which Answer he was allotted to be torn in pieces by the wild Beasts Attalus was fryed to death in a scalding Iron Chair so that the savour of his broiled body filled their nostrils who being demanded what Name God had Answered God is not called after the manner of Men. Blandina together with Ponticus a youth of fifteen years of Age was brought forth whom they would have compelled to swear by their Idol's Name But they contemning their Idol the multitude were enraged against them tormenting them with all manner of punishments Ponticus being comforted and confirmed by Blandina in presence of the Pagans after he had suffered most exquisite Torments yielded up the Ghost Last of all Blandina like a noble Mother having exhorted her Children and sent them before as Conquerours unto the King pondering with her self all the punishments of her Children hastened after them joying and triumphing at her end as if she had been invited and going to a wedding dinner After scourging after combating with wild Beasts after the broiling of her body as it were in a frying-pan at length she was wrapped in a Net and tumbled before a wild Bull which fanned and tossed her on his horns to and fro yet had she no feeling thereof in the end she was beheaded the Pagans themselves pronouncing That never any Woman among them was heard to have suffered so many and so great Torments As many as were choked with the noisom stench of the prison were thrown to be devoured of Dogs the Pagans keeping a watch day and night that none of them might be buried by their Friends To be short after that the bodies of the blessed Saints had been every kind of way spitefully and scornfully entreated lying six whole dayes unburied at length they were burned to ashes the ashes also they gathered together and scattered in the River Rhodanus which passed by so that no jot or relique thereof should any longer remain upon the earth This they did that there might as they said be no further hope of their Resurrection Irenaeus after Photinus was Bishop of Lions he flourished in the dayes of the Emperour Commodus his meek disposition and peaceable carriage answered to his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Peaceable and made his Name to be in great account among Christians Euseb Eccles Hist Lib. 4. The Martyrs forementioned did highly commend Irenaeus unto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome as their own words do declare in this manner Father Eleutherius we wish you health in all things and alwayes in God We have requested Irenaeus our Brother and Fellow-labourer to deliver you these Letters whom we pray you to accept of as a zealous follower of the Will of Christ For if we understood that any mans degree yielded forth and delivered Righteousness unto the Graduate namely as being Minister of the Church which this man is we would have chiefly commended this in him Iren. Lib. 3. cap. 3. Eusebius hath set down out of Irenaeus a Catalogue of the Roman Biships unto his time Iren. Lib. 2. cap. 57. Irenaeus sheweth how unto his time Miracles were wrought by the faithful some saith he do soundly and truly cast out Devils others have the foreknowledge of things to come they see Divine Dreams and Prophetical Visions others cure the diseased and restore them to health by their laying on of hands The dead were raised to life saith he and lived together with us many years Again in another place Irenaeus thus writeth We have heard of many Brethren in the Church which had the gift of prophesying which were able through the Holy Ghost to speak with sundry Tongues Iren. Lib. 5. which could reveil the secrets of men where it so behoved and expound the dark mysteries of God Then arose a Controversie about the keeping of Easter for the Church of the West and part of that of the East did Celebrate the Feast of Easter upon the Lord's day but part of the Church of the East did Celebrate it upon the fourteenth day of the Moon of March not looking for the Lord's day Towards the end of this second Century Victor the successour of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome took that business in hand with eagerness and for that cause separated the Oriental Churches from his Communion Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus resisted him Victor being incensed with that resistance excommunicateth all the Eastern Churches Eusebius saith That this did not please all the Bishops wherefore also they made him a contrary Command that he should keep Peace Union and Charity with his Neighbours Among other Examples he brings forth the Epistle of Irenaeus to Victor whereby he accuseth him to have violated Charity and to have departed from the Example of his Ancestors Ruffinus relateth the same Eusebius makes mention of what Irenaeus wrote concerning the Holy Canonical Scriptures and the translation of the Septuagint Irenaeus wrote divers Epistles to confute such as at Rome corrupted the sincere Rites of the Church He wrote one to Blastus of Schism another to Florinus of Monarchy or shewing that God is not the Author of Evil which Opinion Florinus seemed to be of but afterwards he was seduced with the Errour of Valentinus Irenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus Reporteth that he had conversed with Polycarpus so that he remembred the place where Polycarpus sate when he taught his course of Life the figure and proportion of his body the Sermons he made unto the Multitude the report he made of his Conversation with St. John the Apostle and others which saw the Lord how he remembred their sayings and what he heard out of their mouths touching the Lord of his Power and Doctrine These things saith he I diligently marked and printed them in my heart And I am able to testifie if that Holy and Apostolick Elder had heard any such thing he would have presently stopped his ears and reclaimed it To be short this may be reported for true out of the Epistles which he wrote for the
Confirmation of the bordering Churches or out of the Epistles which he wrote to certain Brethren for Admonition or Exhortation-sake Thus far Irenaeus There are but few of the Fathers but have some particular Opinion which the Church of Rome disalloweth as well as we The Learned Dr. Du Moulin mentioneth many of the Ancients Du Moulin Contr. Perront Lib. 1. cap. 49. and among them Irenaeus who saith that Jesus Christ Taught until the Age of forty or fifty years Fevardent who hath Commented upon the Book hath written in the Margin Naevus de aetate Christi it is a fault of Irenaeus about the Age of Christ The same Father also Teacheth that the Souls separated from the bodies have a bodily shape and keep the character or form of the body to which they were joyned The same Irenaeus saith Iren. Lib. 4. cap. 30. That the Law was not given to the Fathers that lived before the Law because they were Righteous and there was no need they should be warned by Reprehensions but that this Righteousness being given in Egypt God then had given his Law The same Father in the Fifth Book Chap. 33 and 34 brings in bodily Feasts after the Resurrection because Christ said He should drink of the New Fruit of the Vine in the Kingdom of his Father The same Father opposeth them as Hereticks that hold that the Souls of the Faithful departed do enjoy the Heavenly Glory His Opinion was that at their going out of the Body they go down into an invisible place where they expect the Resurrection Besides those Epistles of Irenaeus forementioned there is extant another very learned and necessary Book of his against the Gentiles Entituled A Book of Science or Knowledge Another unto Marcianus his Brother Entituled A Declaration of the Apostles Preaching And another Book of divers Tracts where he makes mention of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Book of Wisdom called Solomon's Ex Platina in vita Sixti In the time of the Emperour Commodus Peregrinus flourished who had been sent before by Xistus Bishop of Rome into the parts of France to supply there the room of a Bishop and Teacher Because of the horrible Persecutions thereabout those places were left desolate and destitute of Ministers and Instructors where after he had Preached with much success among the Flock of Christ and had established the Congregation there returning to Rome he there finished his Martyrdom Six several Synods were held about the Observation of Easter and the fourth was held in France in which Irenaeus was Chief Century III. AFter the Death of the Emperour Commodus Reigned Pertinax but few months after whom succeeded Septimius Severus under whom was raised a notable Persecution against the Christians Great Persecution was stirred up on every side whereby an infinite number of Martyrs were slain as Eusebius reporteth Vincent Lib. 11. cap. 6. Ex Martyrol Vincentius speaketh of one Andoclus whom Polycarpus before had sent into France which Andoclus because he spread there the Doctrine of Christ was apprehended of Severus and first beaten with staves and after was beheaded About the same time died Irenaeus Henry of Erford Ado and other Martyr-writers do hold That he was martyred with many more for the Confession and Doctrine of Christ about the fourth or fifth year of Severus This Irenaeus as he was a great Writer so was he greatly commended of Tertullian for his Learning whom he calleth Omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum exploratorem a great searcher of all kind of learning In the time of this Irenaeus the state of the Church was much troubled not only for the outward persecution of the foreign enemy but also for divers Sects and Errours then stirring against which he diligently laboured and wrote much although but few Books be now remaining Calixtus succeeded Zepherinus Bishop of Rome and after him Vrbanus which both as some Writers affirm did suffer under the Emperour Alexander Severus This Calixtus in his two decretal Epistles written to Benedictus and to the Bishops of France giveth forth divers Ordinances concerning the Bishops and Ministers of the Church Vincentius affirmeth that Calixtus was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was thrown into a ditch Under the Emperour Decius as Gregory of Tours observeth Gratian came to Tours to preach the Gospel among the Pagans Gregor Turonens Hist Lib. 5. Anno Christi 252. Saturninus preached at Tholouse and was the first Bishop of that place Dionysius also came to Paris where he was Bishop and suffered Martyrdom This is he who is falsly named Dionysius or Denis the Areopagite Saturninus also was thrown down from the Capitol of Tholouse Rusticus and Eleutherius also there suffered Martyrdom The Author of St. Omer's Life relateth that Fuscianus and Victorinus the Companions of Dionysius preached at the same time the Faith of Christ That St. Quintin did the same among the Ambianians and suffered Martyrdom Aurelius Probus being invested with the Empire Anno 276. went into France where he regained sixty Towns out of the Barbarians hands and killed of them near seventy thousand Having quieted all things in France he went into Sclavonia and overcame the Nations in Scythia And being gone thence into the East he gave battel to the Persians and having overcome them and taken some of their Cities as he was returning to Italy passing through Sclavonia he was killed at Sirmium by the Soldiers Anno 282. M. Aurelius Carus born at Narbon in France succeeded Probus who soon after Created his Sons Carinus and Numerianus Caesars And having sent Carinus into France to keep it in peace he with his Son Numerianus went against the Persians there having overcome Mesopotamia he was strucken dead by a Thunderbolt Numerianus was slain by the conspiracy of Aper his Father in Law Carinus was slain by a Tribune whose Wife he had defloured Dioclesian succeeded him Dioclesian upon his Establishment associated unto him Maximianus Hercules in the Government of the Empire and they both chose Constantius Chlorus and Galerius to be their Colleagues and they were Created Caesars In the time before the Tenth Persecution the Church of Christ having had above forty years of outward rest and peace through the connivance and indulgence of some Emperours viz. from the death of Valerian until the nineteenth year of Dioclesian this prosperity being abused by the Clergy and other Christians unto idleness contentions c. moved the Lord to scourge them whereupon followed that sharp and cruel Persecution under Dioclesian Maximianus in the West and Dioclesian in the East bent all their Forces to root out the profession of Christian Religion Dioclesian endeavoured to destroy all the Churches and Temples of the Christians that they might not Assemble together to Pray and to use Divine Service he burnt all the Books he could get of the Holy Scripture and would not permit any man if he were a Christian to hold any Office or Magistracy The Soldiers being
tribulations will not mourn who hearing of our calamities will not lament Affliction is on every side and we know not what to do O ye Christians behold the dayes of trouble the dayes of mourning and bitterness are come upon us It is come as we feared from the Lombards for we are afflicted distressed and besieged on every side by their most ungodly King Aistulph and that Nation Therefore with the Prophet we pray the Lord saying Help us O God of our Salvation and for the honour of thy Name deliver us c. And now because Aistulphus with an Army hath pitched his Tents and encamped against us and hath often said unto us Open unto me the Gate of Salaria that I may enter into your City and give me your High Priest and I will shew Clemency unto you If not beware lest when I have battered down your walls I kill you altogether with the sword and let me see who can deliver you out of mine hand Wherefore our Beloved I beseech you and as if I were present I adjure you by the mysteries before the true and living God and before St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles that with great speed you help us lest we perish seeing under God we have committed all our lives into your hands forsake us not After this the Pope sent another Letter in the Name of St. Peter A Letter sent in the name of St. Peter as if it had been written from Heaven which beginneth thus Peter called an Apostle Grace Peace and Power to deliver the Holy Church of God and the People of Rome committed to me from the hands of their enemies be fully given from the Lord God unto you most excellent men Pepin c. and to the most holy Bishops Abbots Presbyters and all Religious Monks c. I Peter the Apostle of God who have you my adopted Children to deliver from the enemies hand this Roman City and the people committed of God unto me provoking all your Love do exhort and protesting do admonish you to deliver the Church of God which by Divine Power is commended to me seeing they suffer very great afflictions and oppression by the most wicked Nation of the Lombards Think not otherwise but certainly believe it that I my self am standing alive in the flesh before you and our Lady the Mother of God the Virgin Mary with us doth adjure you with the greatest Obligations and Protesteth Admonisheth and Commandeth c. Behold here with what fooleries and impieties they would bewitch the world But Pepin did not leavy an Army until Pope Stephen came into France And when he took his journey he commended himself to St. Mary and his flock unto St. Peter Pepin hearing of his coming sent his Son Charles an hundred miles to meet him and when he came within three leagues of Carisiac Pepin went forth unto him and returned on foot and the Pope on horseback Then Pepin was crowned again by the Pope for the greater pomp Pepin went into Italy and forceth Aistulph to give hostages to render unto the Pope all due Right But after the return of Pepin into France Aistulph with new Forces doth more mischief to Rome Then Pope Stephen wrote another Supplication to Pepin who made no delay but forceth Aistulph to perform the former conditions and to give unto the Pope the exarchate of Ravenna Within a year Aistulph dieth then a division ariseth between Rachis and Desiderius for the Kingdom Then Stephen wrote his fourth Epistle unto Pepin giving him thanks for his aid wishing many blessings unto him and shewing that Aistulph was stricken by the hand of God and drowned in the bottom of Hell and that by the hands of Peter Prince of the Apostles and by thy most powerful arm speaking unto Pepin Desiderius a most mild man was Ordained King of the Lombards who had sworn to restore unto St. Peter the Cities Faventia Insubres and Ferrara with all their Territories and also Ausimo Ancona Humana Bona with all their Territories and he had sworn to keep peace with the Church of St. Peter and to be Loyal unto the Crown of France and entreated Pepin to approve the Coronation of Desiderius upon these conditions Henceforth the Pope began to lift up his head and having large Territories given unto him will not rest until he be Monarch of the world When Stephen had peace he began to repair the Churches which Aistulph had caused to be thrown down and died in the sixth year of his Papacy Fabian's Chroni Part. 6. Then Gaifer Duke of Guienne imposed a Tribute upon the Lands of the Clergy in his Dukedom without their consent wherefore the Bishops for a redress complained unto King Pepin thereof Pepin reproved the Duke for it but the Duke not regarding the Kings Admonition Pepin soon after with an Army entred the Territory of Guienne wasting and spoiling the Countrey Hereupon the Duke hearkened to him and bound himself to restore unto the Clergy what he had extorted from them But the King being returned into France the Duke gathering Forces together sent them to the City of Chalours in Burgundy and did much hurt to that Town and Countrey The King being sorely discontented at it returned with his People into Guien and therein beat down many strong holds and Castles and took or won Burbon Cancarvile and Cleremont and wasted the Country with fire and sword till he came to Limoges The winter coming on the King having strengthened the foresaid Cities Towns and strong Holds that he had won and then rode to a place called Caus there kept his Christmass and Easter In the next Spring he re-entred the foresaid Dutchy and took by force the Cities of Bourges and Tours The People of that Countrey considering the obstinacy of their Duke murthered the said Duke and after yielded themselves and their Country to the King with all such Treasure and Jewels as to the said Duke belonged whereof King Pepin offered a great part unto St. Denis Then this victorious Prince was vexed with grievous sickness wherefore in all hast he sped him to St. Martin's where he made certain Prayers and Oblations And from thence his sickness increasing he was conveyed unto Paris where he shortly after died when he had reigned as King there by the space of eighteen years After the death of Pepin the Estates of France Assemble and by their consents Charles and Carloman his Sons divide the Realm between them by equal portions Charles was Crowned at Wormes Carloman at Soissons But by the death of Carloman the whole Realm came to Charles within three years after the death of his Father Charles was endued with singular gifts both of body and mind he had the instructions of a virtuous Conversation and was bred up in Learning and Arms He was Religious and reverenced the Churches and Pastors he was a great Justitiary a reliever of the poor and kept his Faith both to friend and foe he was a lover of
also unto destruction whom he would 2. That they who are predestinated unto destruction cannot be saved 3. That whereas the Apostle saith God willeth that all men be saved he meaneth only all them who shall be saved 4. That Christ came not to save all men nor did he suffer for all men but only for them who shall be saved by the mystery of his passion 5. Since the first man fell of his Free-will none of us can use Free-will to do good but only to do evil Remigius Bishop of Lions in the name of the Church of Lions defended these five Articles whereupon Hinckmar wrote unto Pope Nicholas against Gotteschalk and calleth these Articles the heresie of the Predestinarians which was overthrown in Africk and afterwards in France by Authority of Pope Celestine When Gotteschalk returned from Italy Raban Bishop of Mentz summoned him to a Synod and when he could not perswade him to change his mind he wrote unto Hinckmar and others Hinckmar summoned Gotteschalk unto a Synod of twelve Bishops and some Priests and Abbots in Carisiac on Isara where four Articles were enacted against him He was condemned of Heresie and contumacy he was whipt with rods Vid. Petries Ch. Hist Cent. 9. and cast into prison The Church of Lions after sight of these four Articles sent forth their censure of them Remigius was a man of a most holy Conversation and very learned as appeareth by the Comments which he wrote upon the Old and New Testaments At this time was published a Commentary on the thirteen Epistles of the Apostle St. Paul which was lately printed at Rome under the name of Remigius of Rhemes Lupus Abbot of the Monastery of Ferraria by the water Lupa running into Sein at the same time wrote several Epistles unto King Lewes and to Hinckmar which were printed at Paris Anno 1588. He comforteth his Master Einhard after the death of his Wife He speaks honourably of Marriage and comfortably of the estate of the Godly after this life without any mention of purgatory or Mass for the defunct At the same time also was a question of the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament Charles the Bald King of France commanded Bertram a Priest at Corbey to search and write what was the Doctrine of the Fathers and Ancient Church in this Article Trithemius saith Bertram was singularly learned of an excellent eloquence and utterance pregnant in judgement and no less famous for holiness of life and wrote many excellent Treatises In obedience unto King Charles he compiled a Treatise De corpore sanguine Domini which is all inserted in Catal. Test verit lib. 10. This Book was forbidden to be read by order from the Roman Inquisition confirmed afterward by the Council of Trent Usher's Answ to the Jesuites challenge The Divines of Doway perceiving that the forbidding of that Book did not keep men from reading it but gave them rather occasion to seek more earnestly after it thought it better Bertram should be suffered to go abroad but handled in such sort as other ancient Writers that made against them were wont to be Bishop Ridley highly commends this Bertram Ridl Pres at coen Dom. Paschasius Rathbert Abbot of Corbey at the same time wrote a Book of the Eucharist Remigius Bishop of Auxerre flourished about the year 880 he wrote many Books He was called Doctor Sententiosus Charles the Bald died at Mantua Anno 879 being poisoned by Sedecias the Jew whom he employed for one of his Physicians leaving the Realm to his Son Lewes the second called the Stuttering Lewes King of Germany had vowed that he would take both Empire and Kingdom from Charles the Bald but was arrested with sickness at Frankford There he divided his Kingdom among his three Sons to Lewes he gave Saxony Turingia Frisia and the Provinces within them with the Title of East-France to Carloman he gave Bojaria Austria Bohemia and Moravia with the Title of King of Bavaria To Charles his third Son he gave Suevia Franconia with some parts of Lorain which he had taken after the death of Lotharius with the Title of King of Germany De Serres Hist Charles the Fat King of Germany strove for the Empire and was Crowned by the Romans Pope John would not consent and therefore was imprisoned he escaping goes into France and confirmeth Lewes the Stutterer He was courteously received by Lewes stays in France a whole year and there holds a Council at Troyes in Champagne The Pope was scarce gone but Lewes dieth having reigned only two years He had no lawful Children but two Bastards he left his Wife with Child The Queen was afterward delivered of a Son which was saluted King and called Charles During the minority of Charles Lewes and Carloman Brothers the two Bastards of Lewes the Stutterer are chosen by the States to Govern the Realm of France Lewes was defeated by the Normans and dies for grief Soon after his Death it is said that Carloman fell down and brake his neck Another Lewes succeedeth to these two Brethren but he quickly dyed Then the States called Charles the Gross King of Bavaria to this high Dignity He began his reign Anno 885 and reigned nine years His entrance was goodly but his end Tragical He was crowned King with promise to restore the Crown to the lawful Heir and to govern according to the will of the States He was Son to Lewes called Germanicus Son to Lewes the Gentle Being defeated by the Normans he yieldeth to a prejudicial peace and is much hated of the French At length the French and the Grrmans resolve to dispossess him The Germans made choice for their Emperour of Arnulph Son to Carloman the Son of Lewes the Gentle The French likewise reject this miserable Charles from the Regency of the Realm and call Eudes of Odon Duke of Anger 's named by the will of Lewes the Stutterer So this poor Prince is cast out both from Realm and Empire and remains naked without an house to shrowd himself in from this disgrace being banished from Court and driven into a poor Village of Suevia where he lived some days in extreme want without any means of his own or relief from any Man in the end he dyed neither pitied nor lamented of any in a corner unknown but to have been the Theatre of so extraordinary a Tragedy that one of the greatest Monarchs in the World should dye without House without Bread without Mourning and without Memory but the note of this end so prodigiously memorable Century X. CHarles the Third called the Simple was Crowned in the Year 902. Eudes governing with him eight Years from his Coronation Charles remaining alone after the Death of his Regent Reigned 27 Years His Reign was miserable throughout Now begins a notable league against the King Robert Duke of Anjou becomes the Head of this League accompanied with many great Men of France This Robert was Governour by the Death of his
Peter did and although his Doctrine was so often condemned by the Popes yet it could not be rooted out of the minds of men for Matthew Paris writeth Math. Paris Hist Anglor Math. Westm that all France was affected with this Doctrine and Matthew of Westminster at the same time saith That the Doctrine of Berengarius had corrupted all the English Italian and French Nations So that the Berengarians that is the Preachers of the true Faith which the Romanists call Heresie against the rising errours did not lurk in a Corner Sigeb Gemblac Chroni And Sigebert in his Chronicle saith that there mere many disputations among divers persons both for him and against him both by word and by writing Thuan. Hist in Epist Dedicat. Thuanus also hath noted that in Germany were many of the same Doctrine and that Bruno Bishop of Trevers banished them all out of his Diocess but sparing their Blood And John Tossington a Franciscan in his confession set forth Anno 1380. saith thus The Heretical sentence which is raised of the dreams of Berengarius affirmeth openly that all the Fathers of the Church and Doctors of the second thousand years as they speak that is who have been within 380 years have been after the loosing of Satan and the Doctrine which we saith he hold to be the Faith of the Church Usher ca. 3. concerning the blessed Eucharist they say it is not right but an errour and heresie and the tares of Satan being let loose To defend the words of the former Recantation which was given in the Synod at Lateran unto Berengarius these flatterers of the Romish Idol have devised a new distinction of oral manducation viz. That oral eating is either visible or invisible And they called the opinion of eating Christ 's flesh visibly the errour of the Capernaites and they said the eating of Christ 's flesh with the mouth invisibly was the explication of Christ But the Fathers of higher antiquity condemned all oral eating as Capernaitism neither were the Capernaites so subtle as to make such distinctions yea surely Christ would have made his correction according to their errour Mark what St. Augustine saith August Tract 27 in Johan who abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without all doubt he neither spiritually eateth Christ 's flesh nor drinketh his blood albeit carnally and visibly he with his teeth do press the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ And Tract 28. What is it They are Spirit and Life they are spiritually to be understood Understandest thou them spiritually they are Spirit and Life Understandest thou them carnally so also they are Spirit and Life but not to thee They understanding spiritual things carnally were scandalized Here St. Augustine opposeth carnal eating unto spiritual eating and he saith that carnally men eat not the flesh of Christ but the Sacrament of his flesh Philip the first succeeded his Father Henry This Henry had caused his Son Philip to be crowned King being but seven years old and gave him Baldwin Earl of Flanders for Tutor and Regent of the Realm He lived but a little time after his Son 's Coronation The King 's Minority passed quietly by the wise government of Baldwin who having accompanied his Pupil to the Age of 15 years dyeth and leaveth him his Realm in peace Baldwin left two Sons Baldwin and Robert with their Mother Richilde Then their Unckle Robert the Frison pretended the Inheritance to belong to him and supplanting his Nephews seizeth on the Earldom of Flanders and King Philip forsakes Baldwin's Children at their need forgetting the good Offices he had received from their Father Now William Duke of Normandy is received King of England and Crowned in a solemn Assembly of the English and homage is done unto him as their lawful Lord Anno 1066. He had encountred King Harold and overcome his Host in that place where afterward was builded the Abbey of Battle in Sussex The day after the Battle very early in the morning Odo Bishop of Baieux sung Mass for those that were departed being slain in the Battle Before this time Priests were forbidden to marry but could not be restrained from their liberty In the Year 1074. Pope Gregory VII otherwise Hildebrand in a Synod at Rome condemned all married Priests as Nicolaitans He directed his Bulls as they called them to Bishops Dukes and other Powers declaring every one to be no Priest that had a Wife His Bull was sent into Italy and Germany This Decree being proclaimed through all Italy he sent many Letters unto the French Bishops commanding that they should upon pain of an everlasting curse put away all the Women from the Houses of Priests But the residue of the Clergy stoutly withstood the Pope 's decree and would not agree thereunto Then there arose such a Schism in the Church that the people would not send their Priests unto the Bishops but did elect them among themselves and put them in Office without the knowledge of the Bishops And Nauclerus saith that both Priests and people did oppose the Pope 's decree and that not only in Germany but in France also Yea Gebuiler a late Papist testifieth that in those times 24 Bishops in Germany and France with their Clergy did constantly maintain the liberty of Priests marriage If other Nations had followed the like concord and constancy of these German and French Ministers the devilish decree of this Hildebrand had been avoided About this time at Nantes a Letter was presented unto a Clerk as directed from Hell in it Satan and all that fry gave thanks unto all the Popish Clergy Math. Paris Hist because they were not wanting to do their wills and pleasures and because by negligence of preaching they had sent so many souls to Hell as no Age preceding had seen so many After the death of Hildebrand Victor the third Abbot of Cassa was made Pope not by the Election of the Romans or Cardinals but was thrust in by the aid of his Harlot Mathilda and the Normans that were of his faction He being established began to defend Gregorie's pranks against the Emperour and others But the hastiness of his death shortned his malice When Gregory and Victor were dead the Bishops of Germany and France considering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy schism Avent Annal. li. 5. met at Gurstung to end the controversie There Conrade Bishop of Vtrecht made a long Oration in the Assembly The Papal party had chosen Gebhard Bishop of Salisburgh to speak in their name but when he heard the Oration of Conrade he would not open his mouth to speak on the contrary At length a Synod was convocated at Mentz whither came the Emperour the Electors and many Dukes Peter Bishop of Portua and Legate of Clemens and many Bishops of Germany and France There the faction of Hildebrand by common suffrage was condemned as contrary unto Christian piety and a decree was published
equity and honourableness of the cause and chiefly with a Vision as they say from Heaven took the whole business upon him and travelled to Rome to consult with Pope Vrban the second about the advancing so pious a design Some think that the Pope first secretly employed this Hermit to be his Factor and to go to Jerusalem to set on foot so beneficial a Trade for the Church of Rome because the Pope alone was the gainer by this great adventure and all other Princes of Europe came off losers Pope Vrban had called the Council of Clermont in France forementioned where met many Princes and Prelates to whom he made a long oration which was to this effect First he bemoaned the miseries of the Christians in Asia and the vastation of those holy places Next Tyrius li. 1. c. 15. he encouraged the Princes in the Council to take Arms against those Infidels and to break their bonds in sunder and to cast their cords far from them as it is written to cast out the Handmaid and her Children Otherwise if they would not help to quench their neighbours houses they must expect the speedy burning of their own and that these barbarous Nations would quickly over-run all Europe Now to set an edge to their courage he promised to all that went this Voyage a full remission of their sins and pennances here and the enjoying Heaven hereafter Lastly he thus concluded Gird your Swords to your Thighs O ye men of might It is our parts to pray yours to fight ours with Moses to hold up unwearied hands to God yours to stretch forth the Sword against these Children of Amaleck Amen This motion was most chearfully entertained so that the whole Assembly cryed out God willeth it Sabell An. 9. lib. 3. A speech which was afterward used as a fortunate Watch-word in their most dangerous designs Then many took a cross of red cloth on their right shoulder as a badge of their devotion And to gain the favourable assistance of the Virgin Mary to make this War the more happy her Office was instituted containing certain prayers which at Canonical hours were to be made unto her One observeth that it is enough to make it suspicious that there were some sinister ends in this War Tho. Fuller Hist sacri belli because Gregory VII otherwise called Hildebrand and by Luther in his Chronology Larva Diaboli the worst of all that sate in the Papal Chair first began it but death preventing him Vrban the second whom Cardinal Benno called Turban for troubling the whole world effected it Now a great controversie was in Christendom about the investiture of Bishops whether the right lay in the Pope or in secular Princes Now the Pope diverted this question out of Princes Heads by opening an issue another way and gave vent to the activity of their spirits in this Martial employment and in the mean time quietly went away without any corrival concluding the controversie for his own profit Moreover he got a Mass of Money by it He had the office to bear the bag and what was put into it as contributed to this action from pious people and expended but some few drops of the showers he received As the Pope so most of the Clergy improved their Estates by this War Aemil. de gest Franc. p. 109. For the secular Princes who went this Voyage sold or morgaged most of their Estates selling for Gold to purchase with Steel and Iron and the Clergy were generally their Chapmen Godfrey Duke of Bovillon sold that Dukedom to the Bishop of Liege and the Castle of Sartensy and Monsa to the Bishop of Verdun Baldwin his Brother sold him the City of Verdun Daniel in Henric 1. Yea by these sales the third part of the Feoffs in France came to be possessed by the Clergy who made good bargains for themselves and had the conscience to buy Earth cheap and Heaven dear Many Prelates and Fryars left their pastoral Charges and Covents to follow this business The total sum of those pilgrim Souldiers amounted to three hundred thousand The French Dutch Italian and English were the four Elemental Nations whereof this Army was compounded But France contributed more Souldiers to this Army than all Christendom besides The signal men were Hugh sirnamed le Grand Brother to the King of France Godfrey Duke of Bovillon Baldwin and Eustace his younger Brothers Stephen Earl of Bloys Father to Stephen afterwards King of England Reymund Earl of Tholouse Robert Earl of Flanders Hugh Earl of St. Paul Baldwin de Burge with many more besides of the Clergy Aimar Bishop of Puy and Legate to the Pope and William Bishop of Orange Out of the farthest parts of Italy Boemund Prince of Tarentum and Tancred his Nephew both of the Norman seed though growing on the Apulian soyl led an Army of twelve thousand Men. Many Souldiers also went out of Lombardy England also the Pope's pack-horse in that Age sent many brave men under Robert Duke of Normandy Brother to William Rufus now King of England after the Death of his Father as Beauchamp and others whose names are lost All these Princes being called up by Pope Vrban gathered together great Armies at divers times and places unto that War After many difficulties and the loss of many men they arrived in Palestine and Jerusalem was won by the Christians and twenty thousand Turks therein slain on July 15. Anno 1098. Robert the Norman refuseth the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Godfrey of Bovillon is chosen King In this choice that they might know the nature of the Princes the better their Servants were examined on Oath to confess their Master 's faults The Servants of Godfrey protested their Master 's only fault was this That when Mattens were done he would stay so long in the Church to know of the Priest the meaning of every Image and picture that Dinner at home was spoiled by his long tarrying All admired hereat and unanimously chose him their King In the latter end of this Century Bruno Chanon of the Church of Colen and Rhemes bare the praise of Learning and Holiness and was Master of the Schools by whom the order of the Carihusians was begun The Cistercian Order was begun Anno 1098. by Robert Abbot of Molisma as Sigebert saith Godfrey of Bovillon dyed having reigned one year wanting five days After his death the Christians with a joynt consent sent to Baldwin his Brother Count of Edessa a City in Arabia the Lord whereof had adopted this Baldwin to be his Heir and entreated him to accept of the Kingdom which honourable offer he courteously embraced Anno 1100. He was a Prince of the largest size higher by the Head than his Subjects Bred he was a Scholar entred into Orders and was Prebendary in the Churches of Rhemes Liege and Cambray but afterwards turned secular Prince but Baldwin put not off his Scholar-ship with his habit but made good use thereof in his Reign Century XII
Engine had his Head parted from his body Some conceived they saw God's finger in the Womans hand that because the greater part of his cruelty lighted on the weaker Sex for he had buried the Lady La Vaur alive respecting neither her Sex nor Nobility a Woman was chosen out to be his Executioner He dyed even then when the Pope and three Councils of Vaur Lateran and Montpelier had pronounced him Son Servant favourite of the Faith the invincible defender thereof Among other of his stiles he was Earl of Leicester in England and Father to Simon Montfort the Cataline of this Kingdom See Camden in Leicester-shire also in Worcester-shire who under pretence of curing this Land of some grievances had killed it with his Physick had he not been killed himself in the battle of Evesham in the Reign of King Henry the third Here ended the storm of open War against the Albigenses though some great drops fell afterward And the Pope grew sensible of many mischiefs in prosecuting this people with the Holy War Perin de Albigensib li. 2. ca. 4. Three hundred thousand of these croised Pilgrims lost their lives in this expedition within the space of fifteen years so that there was neither City nor Village in France but by reason hereof had Widows and Orphans cursing this expedition The Pope therefore now resolves upon a privater way namely to prosecute them by way of Inquisition The chief promoter of that War was Dominick the Authour of the Order of the Dominicans His Mother being with child of him dreamed that she had a dog vomiting fire in her Womb. Du. Moul. Contr Perron l. 7. This ignivomus Cur as one calleth him did bark at and deeply bite the poor Albigenses who put above two hundred thousand of them to death Almerick for his laziness was deposed by the Pope and John Bren was made King of Jerusalem In the beginning of his Reign this accident fell out In France a Boy for his years went about singing in his own Tongue Jesus Lord repair our loss Restore to us thy Holy Cross Numberless Children ran after him and followed the same tune their Captain and chanter did set them No bolts no bars no fear of Fathers nor love of Mothers could hold them back but they would to the Holy Land to work wonders there but this merry musick had a sad close all either perishing on Land Math. Paris p. 324. or being drown'd by Sea Mathew Paris saith it was done by the instinct of the Devil King Lewes VIII having compounded with Almery the Son of Simon Earl of Montfort for Languedoc resolves to unite this rich Province to the Crown To this end he levies a great Army fortified with cruel Edicts against the Albigenses as Hereticks and Rebels Count Reymund submits himself to Pope Honorius and yieldeth to Lewes and perswades the Earl of Cominges to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people and go to Rome leaving the poor Albigenses to the mercy of Lewes who presently subdues all Languedoc and Provence The House of Montlor one of the greatest in the County of Vivaret having followed the Albigenses party makes his peace by means of the Town of Argentiere given to the Bishop of Viviers who enjoyeth it to this day Many Families were made desolate These poor miserable people were dispersed here and there and such as remained in the Country were forced to acknowledge the Pope's Authority Lewes ordered the Marshal Foy of the house of Mirepois to command his Forces leaving the Lord of Beaujeu for Governour and Lieutenant-General of Languedoc All this mischief was contrived by the Pope who had sent his Legat into France Fox Act. monum Vol. 1. to summon a Council at Biture whither the King with six Arch-Bishops and the Bishops and Suffragans of nine Provinces repaired to the number of an hundred besides the Abbots Priors and Proctors of all the Covents of France Having dispatch'd the business of Earl Reymund and the Albigenses the event whereof hath been before declared Romanus the Pope's Legate gave leave to all Proctors of Covents and Chapters to return home only retaining with him the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots to whom he opened another part of his Commission which was to obtain of every Cathedral Church two Prebend-ships one for the Bishop the other for the Chapter And in Monasteries also after the like sort where the Abbot and Covent had divers and several portions to require two Churches one for the Abbot the other for the Covent keeping this proportion that how much should suffice for the living of one Monk so much the whole Covent should find for their part and as much the Abbot for his likewise The Clergy of France answered that the thing he enterprized could not be brought to effect without great offence taken and inestimable damage to the Church of France In conclusion when the matter came to debating with the Legat the objections of the inferiour Clergy were these following 1. They alledged the great damages and expences Math. Paris which they were like to sustain thereby by reason of the continual procurators of the Pope which in every Diocess must live not of their own but must be sustained upon the charges of the Cathredral Churches and other Churches also and many times they being but procurators will be found as Legats 2. By that means they said great perturbations might ensue to the Covents and Chapters of Cathedral Churches in their elections Forasmuch as the Pope's Agents and Factors being in every Cathedral Church and Chapter-house perchance the Pope would command him in his person to be present at their elections and so might trouble the same by delaying and deferring till it might fall to the Court of Rome to give and so should be placed more of the Pope's Clientele in the Churches of France than of the proper Inhabitants of the Land 3. By this means they affirmed that all they in the Court of Rome should be richer and receive more for their proportion than the King of the Realm by means whereof the Court of Rome would delay and drive off great suits and would scarce take any pains with small causes Thus would Justice be turned aside and poor suitors should dye at the gates of Rome and for the better speeding of their causes they thought seeing it was meet they should have friends in the Court of Rome by keeping them needy their gifts might be the sweeter and their causes sooner dispatched 4. Seeing it is impossible that the Fountain of greedy desires should be stopped it was to be feared that either they would do that by others which they were wont to do by themselves or else they should be enforced to give greater rewards than before for small gifts with great Rich Men are little regarded 5. Whereas the removing away the slander was alledged which goeth on the Court of Rome by this means rather the contrary were to be
Charles the second King of Sicily and Apulia dyed also After the death of Pope Gregory X. the first conclave was in Arezzo where the Pope dyed The Guards lasted but one night for the same night the Cardinals entred they agreed to chuse Pietro Farantasio a Burgundian and Dominican Fryar Pope who took upon him the name of Innocent V. Innocent was crown'd in Rome forty days after his Election After the death of Innocent which happened in the year 1276. six months exactly after his Election Alexander V. who succeeded him being created in Rome with all the formalites of the conclave revoked the order established by Gregory concerning the affairs of the conclave though in due form it had the approbation of a general Council Divers other succeeding Popes were all created according to the order observed before the time of Gregory X. King Philip the third dyeth having reigned fifteen years and lived forty of his first Wife Isabel he had Philip and Charles remaining Philip his eldest Son was King of France after him Charles was Earl of Valois of Alanson and of Perche Father to that Philip of Valois who in his course shall succeed to the Crown Fryar John of Paris a Doctor in Divinity of the Order of predicants wrote about the year 1280. Joann Paris in Tract de potest Regia Papal in pro. In his Tract of the Royal and Papal power he saith I am of opininion that truth it self hath made a medium here namely that it is not utterly impossible that Clergy-men have Dominion and Jurisdiction in Temporal matters but yet it belongs not unto them by reason of their profession and as Christ's Vicars and the Apostles successors but is convenient for them to have it by the grant and permission of Princes if so be they have bestowed it upon them out of devotion or if they have got it by other means And in the eighth Chapter he sets down this conclusion Whence it appears that seeing Christ as Man had no power nor jurisdiction in Temporal matters the Priest be what he will hath not received any power over them from Christ inasmuch as he did not give unto them what he had not in himself Philip the fair now King of France was advised by the Princes and French Barons not to suffer the Pope to make any Ordinances belonging unto his Kingdom Du. Tillet en Padvis sur les libertez del eglise Gallicane p. 5. without the Council of him and his nor any new and unwonted thing to be brought in thither So saith Mr. John du Tillet in his advice concerning the Liberties of the Gallican Church And it is the very counsel which Eudeas Duke of Burgundy gave him which is yet to be seen in the Treasury of Chartres This King loved Justice and Learning wherein he was well instructed for that Age. His Wife Joan builded in her name that goodly Colledge of Navarr Peter Morone an Hermit was chosen Pope and assumed the name of Celestine V. a Pope little practised in politick or Ecclesiastick affairs The Cardinals in short time by reason of the many errours that he fell into by his insufficiency for the Popedom made several Instances to him that he would spontaneously be pleased to renounce the Papacy and not expose the Church to so many perils Hereunto they were stirred up by the instigation of Benedetto Gaetano who was afterwards Boniface VIII Who was a Cardinal of great Learning and Experience but so extreamly ambitious of the Papacy that he left no Stone unturn'd to compass his designs And because he saw he might easily bring it about if Celestine would renounce he perswaded Celestine to resign laying it to him as a scruple of conscience telling him that at the day of Judgement it would be imputed to him if any ill did happen to the Church Gaetano likewise suborned some of Celestine's friends to make an hole corresponding with that part of the chamber in which the Pope's bed stood from whence they cryed all night long with a most dismal voice as if it had been the Judgement of Heaven Celestine Celestine lay down the Popedom for it is a charge too great for your abilities Celestine hereupon resigneth the Papacy in the sixth Month after his creation and returned to the Cell from whence he came The same day in which Celestine renounced the Cardinals without the form of the conclave chose the said Gaetan with open Votes He being declared Pope and having assumed the name of Boniface VIII began his Reign with so much insolence and Tyranny that in a short time he gain'd the Title of Nero II. A great Assembly meet in the City of Gramont Anno 1296. Where Adolph the Emperour Edward King of England the Duke of Austria John Duke of Brabant the Earl of Juliers and his Son John Earl of Holland and Henuault Robert Earl of Nevers William Henry and Guy of Flanders unanimously resolve to make War against King Philip. The colour was to maintain Guy Earl of Flanders unjustly afflicted by Philip who had violently taken and stoll'n away his Daughter and detained her against the right of Nations refusing to restore her to her Father It was decreed that Guy should begin by force and be well seconded by the Emperour and the English But before they come to Arms Pope Boniface should make the first point by the lustre of his Authority This Pope commandeth Philip by his Nuncio to restore to the English and Flemmings what they demanded and for not obeying he cites him to appear at Rome upon pain of Excommunication Philip sends an honourable Embassage to Rome by the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and the Earl of St. Paul to lay open his right against the Deputies of the King of England and the Earl of Flanders who were then at Rome to complain as being wronged All parties being heard Boniface decreeth that Philip should yield unto Edward and to Guy all they demanded both in Guienne and Flanders charging the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes to signifie this Bull unto the King upon pain of Excommunication for not obeying Philip being undaunted prepares to defend himself invades Flanders and defeats the Flemmings seizeth upon all Flanders and the Earl of Flanders is forsaken by his confederates Guy with his children and followers are imprisoned in sundry places in France under sure guards Philip getting Flanders and uniting it to the Crown of France He comes to Gaunt where he is received as their Soveraign appointing James of Chastillon Lord of Leuse and Condè for Governour and Lieutenant-General and so returneth to Paris The people of Flanders being oppressed revolt from Philip. All the Cities Gaunt excepted make an offensive and defensive League against King Philip and for their Earl's delivery At Bruges the French are slain by their Hosts The Nobility joyn with the people Philip prepares an Army of 40000 Men but even at his entry into Flanders returns again His sudden retreat incensed this mutinous people more
was written in the same Bull We command the Angels to carry the absolved Soul into Paradise It was then a received Article that the Pope may command the Angels as his Serjeants Pope Clement granted great Indulgences to such as could not go but could find Money for that use Out of an old French Chronicle so as he that gave a penny was to have one year's pardon he that gave twelve pence twelve year's pardon and he that would give as much as would maintain a man going over Seas a plenary pardon for all The Pope appointed certain men whom he put in trust for the receiving of this Money Unspeakable were the sums of Money that were given for the purchasing these pardons for five years together At the end whereof when the good men were ready to go and perform what they had promised and vowed the business was broke off but the Pope kept the Money the Marquess his Nephew had a share of it and King Philip the fair and his three Sons who had taken up the cross to go thither in person Edward King of England and other noble persons stayed at home In this Council it was ordained that the feast of Corpus Christi should be kept with many Indulgences granted unto them who should celebrate this Feast In the same Council Pope Clement V. set forth a Book of Papal decrees called Liber Clementiarum which was received Symson Eccles Hist in Cent. 14. allowed and ratified by this Council Nauclerus saith that Clement before his death repented the setting out of this Book and commanded it to be burnt Yet notwithstanding the succeeding Popes and particularly John XXII confirmed and Authorized the said Book again together with the Decretals of Gregory and Boniface because these Books highly advanced the See of Rome exempting the Bishop of Rome from subjection to general Councils and attributing power to him to receive or reject the Emperour after he is chosen comparing the Pope to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moon Finally counting it a thing necessary unto Eternal Life that every person be subject to the Bishop of Rome It was also ordained that Schools should be erected and foreign Tongues should be learned namely the Hebrew Chaldaick and Arabick Languages It was also ordained that the name and remembrance of the Templars should be rooted out which decree was put in execution by all Christian Princes Know then Tho. Fuller supplem Hist sacribelli ca. 1. that about nineteen years after the Christians had lost all in Palestine by the cruel deed of Pope Clement V. and foul Fact of Philip the fair King of France the Templars were finally extirpated out of all Christendom Pope Clement having long sojourned in France had received many great courtesies from King Philip yea he owed little less than himself to him At last Philip requested of him a boon great enough saith my Authour for a King to ask and a Pope to grant namely all the Lands of the Knights Templars in France forfeited by reason of their horrible Heresies and licentious living The Pope was willing to gratifie him in some good proportion for his favours received and being thus long the King's Guest he gave him the Templars Lands and Goods to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France are clapt in prison damnable sins were laid to their charge as sacrificing of Men to an Idol they worshipped roasting of a Templar's Bastard and drinking his Blood spitting upon the cross of Christ conspiring with Turks and Saracens against Christianity they were charged with Sodomy Bestiality with many other Villanies out of the Road of humane corruption and as far from Man's Nature as God's Law The sole witness against them was one of their own Order a notorious Malefactor who at the same time being in prison and to suffer for his own offences condemned by the Master of their Order sought to prove his Innocency by charging all his own Order to be guilty And he swore most heartily to whatsoever was objected against their Order Besides many of the Templars being brought upon the rack confessed the accusations to be true wherewith they were charged Hereupon all the Templars were most cruelly burned to death at a stake through all France with James the Grand-Master of their Order Many men accounted not the Templars Malefactors but Martyrs First because the witness was unsufficient a Malefactor against his Judge and Secondly they bring tortured men against themselves And a confession extorted upon the Rack say some is of no validity But being burned at the stake they denyed it at their death though formerly they had confessed it A Templar being to be burned at Burdeaux and seeing the Pope and King Philip looking out of a Window Hospin de Orig. Monach. ca. 18. fol. 193. cryed unto them Clement thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is no other among mortal men to whom I should appeal for my unjust Death I cite Thee together with King Philip to the Tribunal of Christ the just Judge who redeemed me there both to appear within one year and a day where I will lay open my cause and Justice shall be done without any by-respect In like manner James Grand-Master of the Templars though by piece-meal he was tortured to death craved pardon of God and those of his order That forced by extremity of pain upon the rack and allured with hope of life he had accused them of such damnable sins whereof they were innocent True it is they were generally cryed up for innocents But Pope Clement and King Philip were within the time prefixed summoned by death to answer to God for what they had done Besides King Philip missed of his expectation and the morsel fell besides his Mouth the Lands of the Templars which were first granted to him as a portion for his youngest Son being afterwards by the Council of Vienne bestowed on the Knights-Hospitallers William Durand Bishop of Menda in Languedoc being summoned by Clement V. to the general Council at Vienne to come and see what was fitting to be reformed in the Church made a Book de Consiliis toward the beginning whereof he saith It seemeth to be a thing considerable and it is most expedient and necessary that before any thing else we should proceed to the correction and reformation of such things as ought to be corrected and reformed in the Church of God as well in the head as the Members And in the first Chapter of the third Book Verily as concerning the Reformation of the Catholick Church to bring it about profitably and effectually it seems expedient that it begin at the Head that is at the Holy Church of Rome which is the Head of all others Then he sets down in particular such things as stood in need of reformation notably representing many abuses of the See of Rome that deserved to be corrected But for all his learned discourse there was nothing done therein in
that Council Witness the Bishop of Panormo in his advice touching the Council of Basil This decree concerneth the general Estate of the Church and the matters belong to a general Reformation which may be hindred by a dissolution as it was by the dissolution of the Council of Vienne Durand further said in that Council that the Court of Rome and the Colledge of Cardinals together with the Pope would have a certain allowance of all Bishops that are preferred there it seems very requisite that this were taken order with For this errour doth much corrupt the Catholick Church and the common people and the remedies which have been applyed hitherto are quite disregarded inasmuch as the contrary is usually practised in the Court of Rome as if it were no sin at all to commit Simony or as if it were not all one to give first and then take as first to take and then to give The thing was taken into consideration at the Council of Vienne so as they were once advised Joann Andr. in Ca. inter coer de offic ordinar to allow the twentyeth part of all livings in Christendom to the Pope and his Cardinals but at last it was shifted off without resolving upon any thing A Doctor of the Canon Law saith it was better for that because their covetousness is so unsatiable that if that had been resolved upon they would have taken both This Bishop of Mende mentioned another abuse fit to be reformed For after he had said that every Bishop's jurisdiction ought to be preserved entire to himself he addeth That Ecclesiastical Benefices which belong to the collation and disposal of Bishops are bestowed by the See Apostolick and others even before they be void and that not only in the Court of Rome but out of it howbeit the Bishops must give account of the cure and of those that execute them whose Consciences they are utterly ignorant of inasmuch as they are none of their preferring He would never have demanded the reformation hereof unless the abuse had been notorious Durand also perswaded the abolition of Fraternities for two reasons for their dissoluteness and for their conspiracy against superiours It would be also useful saith he that Fraternities Durand de modo celebr concilii part 2. tit 35. wherein both Clergy and Laity do nothing but pamper themselves with delicates live in dissoluteness and drunkenness and busie themselves in divers plots against their superiours were abolished Then speaking of dispensations he saith That the very Nerves of the Canons and decrees are broken by the dispensations which are made according to the stile of the Court of Rome Durand de modo celebr concil Tit. 4. part 1. that they are against the common good And citing the Authority of St. Hierom writing to Rusticus Bishop of Narbon he saith Since Avarice is increased in Churches as well as in the Roman Empire the Law is departed from the Priests and seeing from the Prophets He gives us the definition of a dispensation according to the Lawyers which he saith is a provident relaxation of the general Law countervailed by commodity or necessity that if it be otherwise used it is not a dispensation but a dissipation that the question is now about the staining of the state of the Church that those who dispense upon unnecessary causes do err Lastly for matter of dispensation he would have that observed which Pope Leo said viz. That there are some things which cannot be altered upon any occasion others which may be tempered in regard of the necessity of the times or consideration of Mens Ages but always with this Resolution when there is any doubt or obscurity to follow that which is not contrary to the Gospel nor repugnant to the Decrees of Holy Fathers Concerning Exemptions he further declareth in that Council That they give occasion to the persons exempted to live more dissolutely and more at their liberty That they take away the reverence and obedience which the exempted owe unto their Prelates and Ordinaries Durand de modo celebr concil general Tit. 5. part 1. and make them think themselves as good men as the Bishops and other their superiours That the correction and punishing of faults and excesses is hereby hindred and brought to nothing That they are prejudicial to the whole Church Catholick inasmuch as the exempted cannot be judged but by the Pope and he cannot do it by reason of his remoteness from them That they rob men of the means of doing many good works in Religion That they are cause of many scandals That those to whom they are granted abuse their priviledges That they draw after them the ruine of Monasteries being rather a burthen than an honour or profit to them The same Durand maintaineth that the Pope hath no power to grant such exemptions considering that they overthrow the general order of the Catholick Church which proceeds from God the Apostles the Holy Fathers and general Councils and which was approved and confirmed by Popes That by this order all the Monasteries Religious places Abbots Abbesses Monks and Nuns and all other Religious and Ecclesiastical persons are immediately subject to the government and guidance of Bishops within their Cities and Diocesses as unto their Superiours the Apostles Successours and such as have power and Authority over them Pasquier saith there were these remarkable excellencies in William Durand he was a great Divine a great Lawyer Pasqu Recherch de la France li. 9. ca. 35. Leigh's Treat of Relig. and Learning and an excellent Poet He put out a Book entituled Speculum Juris divided into three great Tomes As Lumbard among Divines is not usually quoted by his own name but by that of Master of the Sentences so among the Lawyers he is not quoted by the name of William Durand but he is stiled Speculator He delivered this Sentence about the Sacrament Verbum audimus modum Sentimus modum nescimus praesentiam credimus I find this given as his Character Gulielmus Durandus omnis Divini Humanique juris Consultissimus Natione Vasco Gallus Episcopus Mimatensis Scripsit Speculum juris undè speculator est dictus Multa profectò utilia author monuit praecipuè de Reformatione Papae Cleri Illyr Catal. Test verit lib. 16. Lewes Hutin called Lewes X. began to reign over France Anno 1315. and dyed Anno 1316. He left his Wife with child who was delivered of a Son which lived but eight days Lewes left one Daughter named Jane which was Queen of Navarr and Countess Palatine of Brie and Champagn Philip V. called the long succeeded his Brother Lewes Anno 1316. He dyed in the sixth year of his Reign viz. Anno 1322. Pope Clement V. dyed Anno 1314. after whose death the Papacy stood void two years and three months The Cardinals at last did yield all their suffrages unto Jacob de Ossa Cardurcensis who afterwards went up into the Papal Chair and said I am Pope This
trusted by us and such as neither can nor ought to perform those Duties and Services which they are bound to do unto us by reason of the said Benefices In this Century flourished Stephen Pasquier a learned French-man a notable moral Philosopher Ludov. Jacob. de Clar. script Cabilon a Man well skilled in the Greek and Latin Tongues and in all the liberal Sciences He hath published also Icones Epigrams and Epitaphs and several other works He hath written an excellent Treatise in French stiled La Recherche de la France After the death of Pope Nicholas V. which happned in the year 1455. tne Cardinals entring into the conclave made four factions eleven of them pretending to the Papacy themselves and yet there were but XV. for any one After this there began strong practices in the behalf of Cardinal Bessarion a Grecian of Constantinople an opposite to the Latin Church He had disputed much against purgatory unleavened bread and against the very person of the Holy Ghost who he asserted proceeded from the Father alone and not from the Father and Son Cardinal Bettone Arch-Bishop of Avignon laboured to frustrate that enterprize who thus expressed himself Most Illustrious Lords shall we prefer a Grecian to the Latin Church and establish a Neophite in the highest place of the Vatican 11 Cardinalismo part 3. lib. 1. Who can assure us his conversion is true Heterodox opinions in matter of Religion though renounced and altered with the Tongue do yet leave a muddiness and disturbance upon the heart Shall we give the Keys of Heaven to him who for so many years and with so many Arguments denyed that there was a purgatory Shall we make him Head of the Catholick Church who opposed it with so much boldness Is the Church of Rome so poor and indigent that there cannot be one person found out who was born in her bosom and is worthy of the Government of the flock of Christ What will the rest of the Nations say to see us go up and down begging our Popes of this Countrey and of that Rouze up your selves most noble Companions and permit not a thing so scandalous in the Church of Christ I am sure of this He which is a Friend to Christianity will not give his voice for such a Pope These words being spoken with great energy had such an effect upon the Cardinals that they chose Cardinal Alphonso Borgia of the City of Valenza in Spain who took the name of Calixtus III. He lived three years and dyed August 6. 1458. and on the 20 th of the same Month Cardinal Aeneas Piccolomini of Siena was created Pope by 18. Cardinals which were present in the conclave in which there were but two competitors for the Papacy viz. Cardinal Rotomagensis and Aeneas aforesaid so that for the four days time in which it was debated in the conclave they had no other difficulty but to make choice of the one or the other of these two It was strange to see each of these two persons driving on his own promotion magnifying his own virtues and debasing the qualifications of his Adversary Rotomagensis in this manner went from one Cardinal to another saying What have ye to do with Aeneas How can ye think him worthy of the Papacy What passion blinds you so as to confer an office of that import upon a gouty Beggar Where is his Knowledge Where is his Learning Will ye make him a Pope because he is a Poet It is not long since he came out of Germany and may he not be likely to transfer the See into Germany I should not have ambition'd it had I not seen a person stand for it of much weaker parts than my self Besides I am the Ancienter Cardinal of the two And I believe you think I have parts and Learning enough to govern the Church of Christ Moreover I am of Royal extraction and have wealth friends and faculties wherewithall to accommodate and alleviate the necessities of the Church and upon my Election the many Benefices I hold will be divided among you The Cardinal of Avignon pursued the interest of William Rotomagensis not so much as he was a French-man as because upon the promotion the Church of the said William he hoped with his Palace and Chancery would fall to him He assembled therefore certain Cardinals in an house of Office as in a secret place in the night and agreed with them about the way how William should be chosen The Cardinal of Bologna discovered the business to Aeneas after midnight In the morning early Aeneas went to Cardinal Roderigo a Spaniard and one of the conspirators for Rotomagensis who had received a promise in writing from the said William and the Cardinal of Avignon that the Chancellourship should not be taken from him He excused himself to Aeneas that he had concurred because he certainly believed he would be chosen and he was unwilling to hang off and lose his Chancellours place Aeneas answered will you then sell your Vote and by Simony run your self into the displeasure of God Do you take so little care then to obtrude a youth upon the Vatican and one that is an enemy to your Nation Know that the Chancellourship which is promised to you is promised likewise and confirmed to the Cardinal of Avignon and can you think that a French Pope will do more for a Spaniard than for one of his own Nation But Roderigo Borgia gave him not a word So Aeneas departing found out the Cardinal of Pavia who was one of the conspirators likewise and accosted him in this manner I hear you resolve to choose Rotomagensis Pope you ought to be ashamed to degenerate so much from Cardinal Brando your Uncle who with so much labour and sweat tyred himself out to transfer the Pontifical court from Germany to Rome and you that are his Nephew would transport it from Italy into France Surely Rotomagensis will never give the Italians the precedence before the French and yet you an Italian will confederate sooner with France than with your own Countrey Can you have the heart to see your self a slave to the French when it is in your power to make the French obedient to our Nation Cardinal Pavia replyed that he did not believe that the French had any thoughts against the profit of the Church they having given with so much generosity most of the Provinces it possessed and they would not probably take away that which they had so lately given To which Aeneas replyed thus But suppose that should be ought it not to stir up your heart against Rotomagensis to consider the infamy of his manners who is given to all lasciviousness You have often told me you would sooner dye than give your voice for Rotomagensis What is the reason of so great a change Is he in the twinkling of an eye become an Angel of a Devil Or are you become a Devil of an Angel Pavia was astonished at these words and
this our Request which it most just and reasonable but will obey it especially considering that our said Chancellour Presidents Masters of Requests c. are employed daily and in continual trouble about the maintenance and defence of the Rights and priviledges of the Churches of our said Realm and the administration of Justice to our said Subjects signifying unto you that you shall herein do us such an acceptable favour as nothing more by means whereof we take you and your affairs into special recommendation Given at Mascon August 18. in the sixth year of our Reign thus subscribed By the King In the presence of my Lord Cardinal D' Amboise Legat in France and others Robertet Sealed with yellow Wax with the King 's broad Seal There is in the same Book an exemplification of the privy Letters which the Court of Parliament writ to the Prelates about these nominations the Tenour whereof is this Reverend Father in God We send greeting to you It hath pleased the King to grant unto the Presidents Counsellours and other Officers of this Court his Letters and nomination to some Benefices which are in the hands of some Collatours and Patrons of this Realm and among others to our Brother such a Counsellour of our said Soveraign in this Court to the Benefices which are in your gift and disposal Wherefore we earnestly beseech you that in obedience to the said Letters and in consideration of the deserts of our said Brother you would bestow upon him the first Benefice that falls in your gift being by him required thereunto And in so doing you shall do us a most acceptable courtesie for which we shall take your affairs into special Recommendation Reverend Father in God we beseech the blessed Son of God to grant you your desire Written at Paris in the Parliament under the Seal thereof Septemb. 7. The Men celebrating the Parliament And this Annotation is written in the Margin Antiquitùs fiebant alitèr Voyez le recueil Du Fontan les grand ordonnances Tom. 4. Tit. ◠cap. 1. The said King Lewes XI in an Ordinance of January 8. 1475. makes this Narration When any Questions or differences come upon us as well concerning the state of the Church of our Kingdom as other our affairs we that ought to have recourse to them cannot be assisted aided or advised therein by reason of their absence where we and the Common-wealth are oftentimes much interessed Then after this he ordains in this manner We Will Ordain and declare by these Presents that all Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Prelates and others that hold any Dignities within our Kingdom and do reside out of the bounds thereof and out of our Obedience Do Return and Repair within five months after the publication of these Presents unto their Benefices within our sald Realm or unto some one of them if they have any more and there make continual Residence there to celebrate and continue divine Service as belongs unto them and as they are bound to do As also to the end that they may serve and assist us in our Councils and otherwise to the behoof of us and the Common-wealth of our said Kingdom when need shall be And this upon pain of being deprived of the Temporals of their said Benefices Fabian's chroni King Lewes falling into a long and and grievous sickness gave much Alms and in the Church of St. John Baptist in Paris he founded certain Priests to sing Masses for him perpetually for whose maintenance he gave of yearly Rent a thousand pounds of Paris Money So he remained in a languishing condition three years before he dyed He dyed August 30. 1483. and his Son Charles VIII succeeded him in the Kingdom Charles being crowned at Rhemes was from thence with pomp brought to Paris A general Parliament was held at Tours where the Pragmatick Sanction was restored to use it as they had accustomed In the year 1494. this King Charles VIII carried an Army of fifty thousand of Foot and Horse out of France into Italy and in two months space he became Lord of the whole Kingdom of Naples except some little Towns on the Sea-side which held for King Ferdinand The Pope seeing the success of King Charles makes a League with the Emperour Maximilian and the Venetians Into this League also entred Lewes Duke of Milan notwithstanding that by his procurement King Charles took occasion to come into Italy King Charles having Intelligence of this League resolves to leave such forces in the Kingdom of Naples as might be sufficient for the defence thereof and with the rest of his Army to return into France and marching toward Rome he gave the Pope to understand that he came to do his duty to his Holiness Pope Alexander not daring to abide his coming departed from Rome wherein and in other of the Pope's Towns the King's Troops did much harm The French King departing from Rome continueth his journey toward France Coming near to Parma passing the River Tarro he met a great Army of his Enemies whereof Francis Gonzaga Marquess of Mantua was General with whom they came to a Battle in which there dyed a thousand Men of both sides Anno 1495. But after some Treaties between the two Armies the French in a night went toward Astè where the King remained certain days and a Peace was concluded between him and the Duke of Milan and Lewes Duke of Orleans rendring Novarra King Charles returned into France and Ferdinand King of Naples recovered that Kingdom Concerning the abuses of the Court of Rome among the Statutes of this King Charles VIII I find in a Statute of February 18. 1496. this complaint Some years ago the Popes of Rome in despight and contempt of the Decrees of Antient Fathers and General Councils have brought all Ecclesiastical Dignities Cathedral and Collegiate under their disposal and all other of greatest value next after Bishopricks Review of the Counc Trident. li. 2. ca. 6. they have granted Livings in reversions upon the Vacancy to any that would sue for them which hath been the occasion for one to thirst after the death of another They have invented abundance of tricks whereby they have utterly annihilated the power and Authority of the Bishops Chapters and Colledges insomuch that there is none now that hath the power to present to a living In the Year 1498. King Charles VIII dyed of an Apoplexy at Amboise In him failed the direct Line of the Kings of France descended from Philip of Valois and the Crown fell to the collateral Line of the which the nearest Prince of the Blood was Lewes Duke of Orleans and Valois who succeeded in the Kingdom of France He was an excellent Prince of a liberal Nature affable temperate and of great moderation and was happy in his Reign Who subdued under his obedience Milan with Lombardy and Genoa with her two Rivers East and West together with the Islands of Corsica and Chio reconquered and divided the Realm of
example and perswasions the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were induced to renounce the Protestant Profession for a time Yet afterwards this same Rozarius being gravely admonished of the vileness of his Apostasie departed out of France into Germany and writ Letters to the Prince of Conde wherein he acknowledged his errour begged mercy of God for that he had been a snare and stumbling block unto him I read in the life of the learned Dr. Peter du-Moulin the elder that his Father Joachim du-Moulin See the Life of Dr. Peter du Moulin written by his Son was called to be Minister at Coenures near Soissons Anno 1570. The Protectour of that Church was Monsieur d'Estree called since Marques de Coanures who then professed the Protestant Religion But when he heard of the great Massacre of Paris August 24. 1572. and that the like was to be speedily executed over all France he presently forsook the Protestant Profession and to approve himself a true Convert expelled the said Joachim du-Moulin out of Coenures Then was the good man in great extremity and in this general Massacre the murtherers were seeking for him And how to dispose of his Wife and four little Children he knew not At last this he did he left his Children with a Woman of contrary Religion half a mile from Coenures Himself with his Wife fled to Muret a Town belonging to the Prince of Conde and so to Sedan with the Duke of Bovillon of the house of de la March who passed that way flying from the Court The Murtherers that were sent to kill Joachim and his Family for they spared neither Age nor Sex found the Womans house where the Children were left Ruffina the Woman to whom the Children were committed hid the Children in the straw of a Bed the ordinary bottom of beds of the lower sort in France and laid a feather-bed and a blanket over them Scarce had she laid the blanket when the Murtherers came into the room and searched it but lookt not in the Bed Peter then under four years of age not liking to be thus laid up would cry but his Sister Esther then seven years old who had been made apprehensive of their danger stopt his mouth with her hand whereby she made him struggle and to make some noise which to drown with another Ruffina pretending to reach something upon a shelf made the Pewter fall and then took it up again with much rustling till the Murtherers were gone As soon as they were out of doors she ran to help the Child whom she found well-nigh smothered with the stopping of his wind but he soon recovered and the Children were kept safe in her house till their Parents sent for them Thus God doth many times preserve the infancy of his servants from the rage of Satan and the world The day before that terrible execution the King dispatched Posts into divers parts of the Kingdom commanding the Governours of Cities and Provinces to do the like but this Commission was performed with more or less severity according to their several inclinations for the same night at Meaux and the daies ensuing at Orleans Roven Bourges Angiers Tholouse and many other places but above all at Lions there was a most bloody slaughter of the Hugonots On the other side in those places where the Governours were either Dependants on the Princes or followers of the family of Montmorancy the Order was but slowly and remisly executed And in Provence the Count of Tende refused openly to obey it for which cause being a while after at the City of Avignon he was secretly made away and as it was believed by the King's Commission The third day after the death of the Admiral the King accompanied by all the Princes and Lords of his Court went unto the Parliament where he pretended that he had miraculously discovered the conspiracy of the Admiral and his Complices to take away his life and not his alone but the lives of the Queen-Mother and the Dukes of Anjou and Alanâ—ou his Brothers and even the King of Navarre's also who because he was alienated from their party was esteemed no less their enemy than all the rest He gave order it should be recorded among the ordinary Acts of that Court that whatsoever had befallen the Admiral and the rest of his faction either in Paris or any other part of the Kingdom was done by his will order and express Commission Then he commanded them to proceed to the examination of Prisoners to defame the memory of the dead by laying open their Rebellions and by inflicting such punishments upon them as the strictness of the Law required And lastly he caused to be published not only in the Parliament but likewise in all the Streets of Paris that they should desist from further effusion of blood The Parliament condemned Briquemald and Cavagnes two Protestant Noble-men They laboured by torturing them to extort from them a confession of the fore-alledged Conspiracy But the Noble-men died constant in the true Faith without any confession of such Treason as was alledged They were publickly torn with Pincers and their bodies quartered Notwithstanding they were not ashamed in their names after their death to publish a confession of horrible Treason which they never confessed whilst they were yet alive Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 5. The King commanded also a Statue of the Admiral 's to be broken in pieces and burned declaring him a Rebel a disturber of the Kingdom an Heretick and an enemy to all good men The Magistrates also sentenced the Hostel de Chastillon to be razed to the very ground and all his Posterity to be deprived of Nobility and made incapable of bearing any Office or possessing any goods in the Kingdom of France The King therefore dispatched his Grand-Provost with all diligence to seise upon his Wife and Children But his eldest Son with the Widow-Lady his Mother-in-Law the Wife of Teligni and Monsieur de la val the Son of Andelot deceased were already fled secretly to Geneva and the better to avoid their danger went to live among the Swisses in the Canton of Bearn The younger Children were condemned to death in their tender years coming to that end which in the variety of worldly affairs accompanies the ruine of great Families At the same time this execution was done in Paris la Charite which was still held by the Protestants was surprized by the Gens d'Arms of the Duke of Nevers The Town of Rochel was the Town of greatest importance of all the rest of the Towns that were yet in the hands of the Protestants The King with a mighty Army besieged it by Sea and Land which siege began in the Month of December and endured until the Month of July next following Anno 1573. The marvellous providence of God was seen in this siege for God sent a number of Fishes called Surdonnes to the support of the poor during the time of
causes of that ruine Among the writings of John Guignard of Chartres were found certain scandalous libels against the King for which he was executed And one Francis Jacob a Scholar of the Jesuites of Bourges had lately said he would have killed the King but that he held him for dead and that another had done the deed Anno 1595. The Duke of Mayenne and Nemours yield unto the King and are received unto Grace The King of France is now admitted to a reconciliation with the Church of Rome upon these conditions and in these words He shall abjure all Heresies and profess the Catholick Faith in such form as shall be here done by his Ambassadours He shall introduce the Catholick Faith into the Principality of Bearn and shall nominate Catholick Magistrates in the said Province he shall procure within a year the Prince of Conde out of the hands of the Hereticks whom he shall cause to be instructed and brought up in the Catholick Religion The Decrees of the Council of Trent shall be published and received throughout the whole Kingdom of France He shall nominate to the vacant Churches and Monasteries such as are Catholicks and free from all suspicion of Heresie He shall do his best endeavour that the Churches and Clergy be invested anew in their Livings that have been seised upon without any judicial proceeding In bestowing of Magistracies and Dignities he shall take care that Catholicks only be preferred and that Heteticks as near as may be may be expelled The Concordates shall be observed and all abuses removed which have crept in contrary to the same The absolution in France granted by the Bishops shall be condemned He shall write letters to all the Princes of Christendom wherein he shall give notice of his Conversion and profession of the Catholick Faith The Pope granted his Absolution on September 16. by the Negotiation and pursuits of d'Ossat and du Perron his Procurers in the Court of Rome These were afterwards upon his recommendation honoured with Cardinals Caps After a War between the French and Spaniards a Peace was concluded between France and Spain Anno 1598. Then the French King who had hitherto flourished in Martial glory having now his thoughts wholly setled upon peace did so promote the welfare of France which had run headlong to ruine for many years through the storms of Civil War by maintaining and supporting Religion as well the Roman as the Reformed reviving the Laws cherishing Learning restoring Trade and Commerce and beautifying the Kingdom with splendid buildings that he far surpassed all the Kings that were before him In the year 1599. the King's Sister the Lady Katherine de Bourbon was married to the Duke of Bar Son to the Duke of Lorain The Reformed Religion in which she had been bred she would not change by reason as she said of her deceased Mother Queen Joane of Navarre whose life and actions were held worthy to be imitated as who had preferred safety of Conscience before assurance of honours and greatness yea than life it self Being accustomed to say to them on her part that Arms should not be laid down but with these three Conditions either an assured Peace an absolute Victory or an honest Death The Marriage was consummate in the King 's own Cabinet by the Archbishop of Roven at the King 's special Command to avoid greater inconvenencies She cordially affected that which did concert the Liberty of Conscience throughout all France often beseeching the King to let her see the assurances thereof whilst she was in France and not to suffer his Edicts to remain without execution being Proclaimed and without a durable observation being executed She used to be attended in her house by the Ministers of Paris who served her by turns every one a quarter of a year Being then to go into Lorain with her Husband the Church appointed Monsieur de Montigni an Antient Minister to attend her in that journey But M. Peter du-Moulin then coming to Paris the Old Gentleman desired to be excused and that the new Minister as fitter to travel by reason of his age might be chosen for that service To which motion the Princess presently enclined having a special liking to Du Moulin See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin wâ—itten by his worthy Son He took then that journey and because the Princess was entertained in Bishops Palaces and Abbeys he did officiate in the Palace of the Bishop of Meaux in that of the Bishop of Chalons and in the Abbey of Joverre The Harbingers of the Princess being come to Vitris le Francois a Town of Champagne addressed themselves to the chief Magistrate of the Town to prepare quarters for the Princess and her Court. Since Du-Moulin's establishment at Paris till the death of the King's Sister which was five years after he made a journey into Lorain every Spring either with her or to her and having served his quarter at her Court returned to Paris there the Princess was most part of the year Those of the Reformed Religion made many and great complaints that the King's Edicts were not kept nor observed that they were not provided of all things necessary for the exercise of their Religion the liberty of their Consciences and safety of their persons and fortunes That they were excluded from all charges and Offices in the State justice treasure and policie to the great prejudice of their Children c. The end of all their Assemblies was to obtain an Edict from the King so clear and plain as they should not be constrained to sue for any other Then the King made an Edict at Nantes and signed it after he had reduced that Province to his obedience containing a Declaration of the Edicts of Pacification and of the troubles grown in France for matter of Religion the which though granted in April 1598. was not allowed in the Court of Parliament of Paris until the 25. day of February following by reason of the many oppositions and difficulties that were made against it The Duchess of Bar would not go out of Paris before it was confirmed such was her zeal and affection in that matter as in all other affairs of that nature And for the better satisfaction of the Protestants in matters of justice it pleased King Henry IV. to erect a Chamber in the Court of Parliament of Paris purposely for them It consisted of one President and Sixteen Counsellours their Office to take knowledge of all the Causes and Suits of them of the Reformed Religion as well within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris as also in Normandy and Britain till there should be a Chamber erected in either of them There were appointed also two Chambers in the Parliament of Burdeaux and Grenoble and one at Chasters for the Parliament of Tholouse These Chambers were called les Chambres de l'Edict because they were established by a special Edict at Nantes in Britain The Duke of Joyeuse wallowing in sensual pleasures being
entred into Sedan where he was joyfully received by the Duke being Prince of Sedan and Protectour of the Protestant Church there The King promised that the Church of Sedan should suffer no alteration but enjoy the liberty of their conscience In the year 1603. the Duke of Savoy had an enterprize upon Geneva his men on scaling Ladders mounted the Walls undescried surprized the Souldier that stood Centinel got the word of him and slew him being also Masters of the Streets about two hours But they were disappointed thirteen were by the Towns-men taken alive among whom was the Baron of Attignas which were condemned to be hanged whose heads with the heads of those that were killed in all seventy seven were set upon the Gallowes and their bodies thrown into the River of Rhosne for which deliverance they made a solemn thanksgiving to God concluding a peace with the Duke in July the same year The same year the King being at Metz there came unto him four Jesuites to obtain their re-establishment in France In October there was a National Synod held at Sap by those of the Reformed Religion which Treated touching Doctrine Discipline and the Government of Churches The King made Monsieur Alexander his Bastard Son of the Order of the Knights of Malta A great number of Commanders and Knights being assembled at Paris where he was invested into the Order in the Augustines Church by the Grand-Prior of France who set upon his Breast a Plastron of black Satten with a white Cross So the Ceremony ended with great joy and sounding of Trumpets The new Knight feasted the Grand-Priors of France and Champagne with the Commanders and Knights at the Temple The King having promised to restore the Jesuites Father Cotton came to Paris by his Majesties Command with Father Armand the Provincial and Father Alexander and the King grew presently into such a liking with Father Cotton as he did nothing but he was called and in the end his Majesty granted their return upon certain Conditions and the Edict made for their establishment notwithstanding any oppositions made unto the Court to hinder the confirmation therof was confirmed in the beginning of the year 1604. and their Colledges were restored at Lions Roven Bourges and Dijon The Signeur of Varenne Controller General of the Posts and now Governour of the Town and Castle of Anger 's who loved them of this company besought the King to build a new Colledge at La Fleche in Anjou with priviledges like to the other Universities of that Realm the which the King made of a Royal Foundation and gave them his own House with Pensions for the instruction of a good number of young Gentlemen whom his Majesty would have bred up and instructed there in all Professions Tongues and Exercises But Father Cotton returning one night somewhat late about the end of February and passing by the Street of the new Bridge to go unto the Louvre there were certain Pages and Lacquies which calling for him at the door of the Coach wounded him with their Rapiers giving him one great wound in the shoulder going toward the neck and throat whereof he was soon after cured There was great search made for this attempt Some were taken and examined Cotton requested the King to pardon them yet were they banished the Court and forbidden ever to come there upon pain of death In the year 1606. the King made special orders on the behalf of those of the Reformed Religion enjoyning them to carry themselves according to the Edict of Nantes avoiding all occasions of scandal About Easter this year were such violent winds and storms throughout all France as the tops of houses being cast down many were slain and sore hurt in Paris Not long after there was a violent Plague in the same and in the beginning of the following year In the year 1608. were the Jesuites admitted into Navarre and Bearn whereat all the Judges and Officers of the Country were discontented as who hated the Jesuites above all Creatures living and had in former times put them to death like Spies if they found any within their limits The Prelates of France in like manner Petitioned the King once again that the Decrees of the Council of Trent might be observed On April 11. Anno 1609. there was a Conference between Monsieur Du Moulin lone of the Ministers of the Reformed Church of Paris and Father Gontier a Jesuite being seconded by the Baroness of Salignar after which it was bruited abroad that Gontier had confuted Du Moulin in divers points which the Protestants held Gontier himself writing a specious Letter to the King to that effect Du Moulin finding his Reputation touched and the truth misreported was forced to publish a true Discourse of the whole Conference In the year 1610. another attempt against Geneva was discovered whereof the Authour was â—analis one of their own home-bred and native Citizens a man not meanly reputed of both for his knowledge in Physick and the Languages whereof being found guilty and of another before he was condemned and his body broken and so laid half dead on a wheel unbound he was cast from thence to be burned in a fire under him On May 13. the Queen was solemnly Crowned at St. Dennis by the Cardinal of Joyeuse On Friday May 14. the day after the Queens Coronation the King was treacherously murthered by the cursed hand of a bloody villain The King being advertised of some ominous influence and Prediction which did threaten him that day went to see Mass with great devotion At his return they brought him some of his Children among the rest the Duke of Anjou whom he dearly loved but being then very pensive he commanded they should carry him to breakfast Then being very sad he cast himself upon his bed to sleep if he might but not being able to take any rest he fell upon his knees and began to pray Then he lay down again and prayed again and thus he did three times In the end he went and walked in the Gallery till dinner time After dinner many Noblemen came into his Chamber and began to tell some tales to make him laugh Having smiled a little with the rest being naturally of a pleasant disposition in the end he said We have laughed enough for Friday we may well weep on Sunday Hereupon he caused some to go to the Arsenal at four of the clock Whereupon they say that the Duke of Vendosme told him that he had been warned to beware of the 14. day yet making no account thereof he went down into the Court where a man of a mean condition entertained him a quarter of an hour Then he went into his Coach by the Duke of Espernon who sate in the first place of the Boot on the King 's right hand Montbazon the Marshal of Lavardin la Force and Praulin being followed by two Foot-men and one of his Guard on Horse-back having commanded Monsieur de Vitry and the rest of
could not be cleared before his death the thing to his great grief remained unperfect In the end of the year 1611. the suit between the University of Paris and the Jesuites was decided Monsieur Servin concluding for the University against the Jesuites to whom these four Articles were propounded to be by them subscribed 1. That the General Council was above the Pope 2. That the Pope hath no Temporal Power over Kings and could not by Excommunication deprive them of their Realms and Estates 3. That Clergy-men having heard of any Attempts or Conspiracies against the King or his Realm or any matter of Treason in confession are bound to reveal it to the Magistrate 4. That Clergy-men are subject to the Prince or Temporal Magistrate Anno 1612. by a Decree of the Court of Parliament a certain Book written in Latine by Gaspar Scoppius entituted Ecclesiasticus tending to the Rebellion of Subjects against Sovereign Power and containing an infinite number of execrable blasphemies and scandalous assertions against the glorious memory of the deceased King Henry IV. was burnt by the Hang-man publickly in the Palace-yard Near this time flourished Arnald Ossat a French Cardinal His and Cardinal Perron's French Letters are esteemed useful both for the understanding of Ecclesiastical and State affairs He was Scholaâ— to Peter Ramus One gives him this character Cardinalis Ossatus Vir eruditione prudentia integritate suavitate morum eximiè conspicuus Gassend de vit Piereskij li. 1. Whilst M. Du Moulin lived in Paris he was invited by many Universities to accept of the Chair of Divinity but the Church of Paris would never part with him The University of Leyden did most constantly court him considering him still as a member of their Body They began in the year 1611. and offered him the place of Arminius then newly dead And not only the Curators by frequent addresses to the Church of Paris and to him but the States by their Ambassadours and the Prince of Orange by his Letters did from time to time demand him Before the death of King Henry IV. Du Plessis desired leave of that King to retire himself which the King unwillingly granted withal desiring him to come sometimes to Court. Being returned to his Government at Saumur he began his work of the Mystery of Iniquity Anno. 1607. which he finished in nine Months Then he began to set on those great Volumes of Baronius to which he intended a Confutation Du Perron was much pressed by the King to answer Du Plessâ—â— His Friends told him that the Action at Fountainbleau was little to his Credit and if Du Plessis should die it would be then too late to answer him because men would be ready to say he durst not do it in his life time wherefore he promised and undertook the business and going to Rome sequestred himself from other business to perform it promising the Pope at his arrival in France to Print his answer which he said was risen to a great Volume Upon his return the King demanded of him when he would Print it he told his Majesty that he stayed but for some Manuscripts from Rome Which answer the King seeing his delays used as a Proverb to some undertakers whose work went not forward making idle excuses to him Yes saith the King I see you stay for Manuscripts from Rome too Casaubon who was about the Cardinal wrote to Monsieur Du Plessis concerning this answer telling him that it was finished and that himself had seen it Du Plessis desired Casaubon to give him from him the same Counsel which Christ did to Judas in the Gospel What thou dost do quickly But this Volume of answer never appeared the Cardinal after the King's murther accounting himself to be disengaged from his promise Du Plessis turned his Mystery of Iniquity into Latine which he dictated so fast that his Amanuensis had much ado with his pen to keep pace with him After the horrid Murther of the King he took so good order as to keep the people about his Government in quiet and as soon as he had received an Edict for the Regency of the Queen-Mother he administred the Oath of fidelity to all the Clergy and People within his jurisdiction making a speech unto them in which he desired them to forget the distinguishing names of Papist and Protestant Afterwards a dissention arose between Monsieur Du Moulin Minister of the Church at Paris and Tilenus Professour at Sedan about the effects of the union of the natures in Christ The making up of this difference was by a National Synod held at Tonneinx referred to Monsieur Du Plessis who proved the happy Authour of a full reconciliation between them in the year 1614. Yet had this difference like to have broke forth again the year following by indiscretion or malice rather of some particular persons had not Monsieur Du Plessis in time stopped its progress In the year 1615. King James sent by Sir Theodore Mayerne to invite Du Moulin into England to confer with him about a Method of uniting all the Reformed Churches of Christendom to which he had been often solicited by Monsieur Du Plessis The issue of which voyage was That King James resolved to send Letters to all Protestant Princes to invite them to Union and desired the French Churches to frame a Confession gathered out of all those of other Reformed Churches in the which unnecessary Points might be left out as the means of begetting discord and dissention Two Months before Du Moulin's coming into England Du Perron had made an Oration in the States assembled at Blois where he had maintained that the Pope had power to depose Kings and had used King James very ill and having published it in Print he sent it to his Majesty To answer that Oration King James made use of Du Moulin's service for the French Language and it was Printed the first time in French while Du Moulin was in England in that year 1615. before it was Printed in English The King going to Cambridge carried Du Moulin along with him and made him take the Degree of Doctor The Doctor at his return into France Landed at Bullen where Monsieur de Compagnoles was Governour for the Duke of Espernon It was the time when the French Princes began to stir against Mary the Queen-Mother of France And because the Prince of Conde was courting the Reformed Churches to joyn with him in that design the Doctor was suspected as having taken that journey to procure help from England for the Princes Wherefore Campagnoles was charged to arrest him at his Landing which he did and committed him to the Guard of two Souldiers seized upon his Trunks and Papers and searched them But after two daies he released him desiring him to tell no man of the wrong he had done him The Doctor finding at his return that the Protestants began to engage with the Princes against the Queen-mother and in effect against the King who was then declared Major
Rochel and took the way of Lions In that resolution he was guided by a good Providence for if he had gone to Rochel he should have been apprehended not far from that Town after his coming out of it At Lions he received a Letter from Monsieur Drelincourt Minister of Paris which gave him notice of his danger This warning made him baulk the high-way yet he went to Paris and entring the City in the night went directly to the Lord Herbert who bad him to flie in haste for his life which was in danger by the interception of his Letters to the King his Master That very night without going so much as to his own house he went out of Paris with his Brother Captain John Du Moulin to Lumigni a house of the Count de la Suze ten Leagues from the City Thither came two Elders of the Church of Paris to him from the Consistory to desire him to remove himself out of the reach of those who waited for his life Which he did and the next night travelled toward Sedan a place then acknowledging the Old Duke of Bovillon a Protestant Prince for Sovereign To Sedan he came safe in the beginning of the year 1621. and was kindly received by the Duke to his house and Table This was his parting with the Church of Paris where he had lived one and twenty years And although great means were made to appease the Court and albeit many years after the indictment against him was taken off and leave was given him to live in France yet was it with that exception that he should not live in Paris At Sedan he was presently desired to accept of the place of Minister of that Church and of the Chair of Divinity then lately left by Tilenus in discontent and by Andrew Melvin by death He accepted of these places but conditionally in case that he could not obtain his restitution to Paris He found at Sedan much love and respect from the Prince and the Academy as also from the Church Daniel Tilenus was a Learned man He hath written Notes and Observations upon Bellarmines Disputation De Christo Capite And on his Book De Summo Pontifice and his Book De Verbo Dei Other Works there are of his as Paraenesis ad Scotos Amica collatio Tileni Cameronis De gratia voluntatis humanae concursu Disput de Antichristo Consideratio sent Jac. Arminii de Praedestinatione gratiâ Dei libero Arbitrio Syntagma Disputationum in Academia Sedanensi The Government of the Town and Castle of Saumur was continued unto Du Plessis until this year 1621. when the King falling into displeasure and suspicion of the Protestants by reason of their high deportment in the Assembly at Rochel displaced him at first but for three Months with a promise of restoring him so soon as affairs should be quieted in some measure But these discontents growing to an open War he could never procure a re-establishment though it were continually solicited by him Wherefore retiring himself to his House in the Forest upon Dayure he continued there till the day of his death which followed in the year 1623. there applying himself to holy meditations and Exercises of Patience Doctor Du Moulin having had time and occasion whilst he was President of the Synod of Alais and in his long journey to it and from it to know the evil posture of affairs he found himself prest in Spirit to write to the Assembly of Rochel and because that Epistle is a piece that giveth much light to the History of that time and a good lesson to all that pretend Conscience and Religion for their resistance to their Soveraign by force of Arms I will give some account of it in this place Gentlemen I do not write to you to pour my sorrows into your bosom See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin w itten by his Son or to entertain you with my private crosses c. A more smarting care hath moved me to write to you and forced me to go beyond my nature which was alwaies averse from medling with publick businesses and from moving out of the sphere of my proper calling For seeing the general body of the Church in eminent danger and upon the brink of a dismal Precipice it was not possible for me to keep silence c. It becomes me not indeed to take upon me to give Counsel to an Assembly of Persons chosen out of the whole Kingdom to bear the burden of the publick affairs in a time so full of difficulty yet I think it is useful for you to be truly informed what the sense and what the disposition is of our Churches by persons that have a particular knowledge of it The Question then being whether you ought to separate your Assembly to obey his Majesty or keep together to give order to the affairs of the Churches I am obliged to tell you that the general desire of our Churches is that it may please God to continue our peace in our obedience to his Majesty And that seeing the King resolved to make himself obeyed by the force of his Arms they trust that you will do your best to avoid that storm and rather yield unto necessity than to engage them in a War which most certainty will ruine great part of our Churches c. By obeying the King you shall take away the pretence used by those that set on his Majesty to persecute us And if we must be persecuted all that fear God desire that it may be for the profession of the Gospel and that our persecution may truly be the cross of Christ I can assure you that the greatest and best part of our Churches wisheth for your separation if it may be with the safety of your persons yea that many of the Roman Church desiring the publick peace are continually about us beseeching and exhorting us that we do not by casting our selves headlong involve them in the same ruine Generally our poor flocks are frighted and dismaied casting their eyes upon you as persons that may procure their rest and by yielding to the present necessity blow away the storm hanging over their heads Many already have forsaken the Land many have forsaken their Religion whence you may judge what dissipation is like to follow if this exasperation go on further No more do I need to recommend unto you to have a tender care of the preservation of our poor Churches knowing that you would chuse death rather than to draw that reproach upon you that you have hastened the persecution of the Church and destroyed that which the zeal of our Fathers had planted and put this State in confusion c. Consider then whether the subsistence of your Assembly can heal all these sores whether your sitting can give a shelter to our Churches provide all things necessary for a War where the parties are so unequal raise Forces and make a stock of money to pay them whether all the good that your
upon Assumption-day at the Altar in the Morning and that in the Evening a general Procession should be made wherein the Provost of Paris and all the Soveraign Companies should be assistant with the Court of Parliament This Command extended to all other Archbishops and Bishops throughout France that they should in every Cathedral Church erect one special Altar to the Virgin Mary for this end and in commemoration of this Act to pepetuity One Instance more I shall add of his Zeal to the Romish Religion When the Old Marshal de la Force a Protestant was admitted to see him a little before he expired he told him on his death-bed That he thought God Almighty suffer'd him meaning the Marshâ—â— to live so long upon Earth expecting his Conversion as he had done that of Lesdiguiers He put out sundry Proclamations against Swearers against Pride in apparel as also against Duels and the last was so strict That both the appellant and defendent whosoever did survive should suffer death without mercy and be deprived of Christian burial but both rot upon the Gallows with their heels upwards Here I shall put down a List of divers Books that were Printed in France for sundry years past Francisci Garciae Evangelicus concionator Printed at Lions Anno 1622. Petri Damiani Cardinalis opera Printed at Lions 1623. Bibliothica Veterum Patrum Graecorum Printed at Paris 1624. Deus Natura Gratia by Saint Clara Printed at Lions 1625. Puteani Commentaria in summam D. Thomae Printed at Tholouse 1627. Biblia Septuaginta cum Graeco Testamento Graec. Lat. in three Volumes Printed at Paris 1628. Biblia Vulgata Printed 1628. Bibliotheca Ordinis Praemonstratensis per Job le Praige Printed at Paris 1633. Ludov. Dolae de Concursibus Dei creatura Printed at Lions 1634. Concilia Generalia Graec. Lat. ten Volumes Printed at Paris Franc. Lanovii Chronicon generale ordinis Minimorum Printed at Paris 1635. Didacus Baeza de Christo figurato in Vet. Testam Printed at Lions 1636. Francis Hallier de sacris electionibus ordinationibus at Paris 1636. Historia Ecclesiae Gallicanae at Paris 1636. Franc. Bouquet de Pontificibus Romanis è Gallia oriundis Jacobi Sirmondi propemptrion contra Eucharist Cl. Salmasii Jac. Sirmundi opuscula Dogmatum veterum Scirptorum Andrew de Saussay Martyrologium Gallicanum at Paris 1637. Mart. Bonacinnae opera omnia Printed at Paris 1638. Jacobi Saliani Annales Ecclesiastici Steph. Fagundez in Decalog at Lions 1640. Theses Theologicae Protest Academiae Salmuriensis at Saulmur 1641. Hâ—ttingeri Historia Ecclesiastica five Volumes compleat Hottingeri Analecta Historico-Theologica Octavo Afterwards Anno 1646. there was published Annalium Ecclesiasticorum Epitome at Roven Novissima Galliae Concilia à Tempore Concilii Tridentini ad Annum 1646 at Paris Lewes XIV the present French King succeeded his Father in the Kingdom being about five years old Mazarine casting with himself what is hutful and profitable past this sentence upon the Clergy These are his words counselling the Queen Regent The Sacred Order for these many years hath had but a thin harvest of excellent Persons however it come to pass Men follow after nice Questions live idly do not embrace serious Studies All is done with pomp nay if any Sermons be to be made and the very venerable sacrifice offered Of their Office they lay claim to nothing but their Rents the duty of Preaching which is the principal dignity of a Bishop they quit to any one though never so insufficient They think themselves Bishop enough if they can but ride in fine Coaches with their Arms set on out-vie one another in rich Liveries and Lacquies and punish with rigour those that transgress in the least matters Perpetual haunters of Ladies Couches not without undervaluing the Pastoral staff This is for the most part for there are some that lead holy and unreprovable lives He that shall take offence will own himself not to be one of these but those other So much power hath Religion over the minds of men that as often as among men in holy Orders any eminent vertue hath got up and overcome the common attainments and the vices of mankind it is adored like a Deity At that time that company was of no weight nor moment in France said Mazarine There was Francis Paul Gondy by extraction a Florentine but born in France Abbot of Rhetz afterwards Coadjutor to the Bishop of Paris Archbishop of Corinth one that if occasion had offered would have aspired high as Cardinal Mazarine confessed he was perswaded Over and above an honourable Family he had eloquence and learning with promptness of spirit All was now prosperous and quiet in France whose power reached over Almania from the Mazelin Brink beyond the Rhine By the Victory at Norlingue the parts confining on the Danube were afterwards invaded and terror struck on all sides In Spain by seizing Tortosa and Flix the French got to the River Iber. Their Fleets ranged over the Mediterranean and Ocean All Italy from the Pope who then was Vrban VIII to the least Princes bore reverence The Dukes of Savoy Mantua and Modena then rather Instruments of French slavery than free Princes The Kings of Sweden and Denmark boasted of their friendship the Pole sued for it The Electors of Germany sought to interest themselves in their favour Portugal rent from Spain depended on the looks of France whose Yoak Catalonia had put on being weary of the Spanish Dominion The Low Countries stuck close to them All Europe with astonishment stood gazing at such a state of the French affairs nothing was then wanting to compleat their happiness besides moderation and the art enjoying it Paul Gondy designed Archbishop of Paris is consecrated of Corinth it is the Bishop of Rome's practice that so the whole world may be thought depending on the Vatican Oracle to exercise his authority even upon the dissenting parts That day was first occasion of much ensuing mischief Ferraro Pallavicini a Canon Regular a Parmesan of a Noble house sharply inveighing in libellous Pamphlets against the practices of the Roman Court lost his Head at Agivnon in France and gave instance how unsafe a thing it is to touch upon the Roman State in writing though never so truly The Divisions of Italy being closed up Pope Vrban VIII died July 29. 1644. after he had sate twenty one years and some months Then Gio Battista Pamphilio a Noble Roman was Proclaimed Pope after the See had been vacant 45. daies He assumed the name of Innocent the Tenth The Hist of Cardinals part 3. lib. 2. This Election was not at all displeasing to the French though they were not a little displeased at Cardinal Antonio who for his own private Interest had by his reiterated instances perswaded that Crown to the exclusion of Pamphilio and afterwards consented to it contrary to the King's order and without expecting the return of the Currier which was dispatched to that Court that they might consult upon the
heap of Constitutions about the keeping of Lent and Easter about the prohibition of Marriage betwixt Christians and unconverted Jews about Servants not to be admitted to Ecclesiastical Orders about Assemblies to be at the least yearly Convocated by Bishops about Ecclesiastical Rents not to be dilapidated Under the Reign of Theodebert King of Lorain Burgundy and Turinge the Fathers who were present at the Councils of Orleans convened also in the Council of Overnie and ordained that no man should arrive to the Office of a Bishop by the favour of men in Authority but by the merits of an honest and unreprovable life That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his Funeral should not be covered with the Pall otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis lest the honour done to the body should be a polluting of the Altar with many other Constitutions Under the Reign of Cherebert King of France a Council was Assembled at Tours In this Council it was Ordained that the Clergy and People in every Congregation should provide relief for their own poor and not permit them to wander up and down It was also Ordained that a Bishop should count his Wife as his Sister and that he should no manner of way company with her and for this cause should have Presbyters and Deacons so familiarly conversant with him that they might bear testimony of his honest behaviour viz. that he never companied with his Wife The Papists themselves could not overpass this Canon without a censure Moreover it was Ordained That no Priest or Monk should receive in bed with him another Priest or Monk to the end they might be so unreprovable that they would abstain from all appearance of evil In this Council were set down very strict prohibitions that no man should oppress the Church and convert to his own use any thing duly belonging to them lest he incurr the malediction of Judas who was a Thief and kept the bag and converted to his own use a part of that mony which belonged to the poor A Council likewise was holden at Paris wherein order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their Offices That no man should be admitted Bishop without the full consent of Clergy and People and that no man should presume by favour of Princes only without the consents aforesaid to become Bishop in any place Now Clotaire remained alone King of France his Brethren being dead their Children also were dead and Childebert the eldest died without Issue The Reign of Clotaire was short and wretched He sought to extort the thirds of all Ecclesiastical Things to his private Affairs but the Clergy opposed themselves against him so as threats prevailed not He dies Anno 567. Before that he Rules as King alone he Erected the little Realm of Yvetot upon this occasion Upon good Fryday he slew Gawter of Yvetot his Servant in the Chappel where he heard Service It is said that the King had ravished his Wife lodging in his house so as he that was beaten suffered the punishment Pope Eugenius displeased with this infamous murther condemned him to repair the fault upon pain of Excommunication Clotaire for satisfaction Ordaineth That from thenceforth the Lords of Yvetot should be free from all homage service and obedience to the King for the Land of Yvetot in the Countrey of Normandy And so this small seigneury hath continued long with the Title and Prerogative of a Realm until that this Title of a Realm was changed into a Principality the which the house of Bellay doth now enjoy Clotaire had by two Wives five Sons and one Daughter four survived him viz. Cherebert Chilperic Sigebert Gonthran and Closinde his Daughter Cherebert was King of France Chilperic King of Soissons Gonthran King of Orleans Sigibert King of Metz or Lorain although each of them called himself King of France and commanded absolutely over the Countries under their obedience All of them Reigned together fifteen years The second Council of Matiscon was convened in the twenty fourth year of King Gunthran In it complaint was made that Baptism usually was ministred on every holy day insomuch that upon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptism This they Ordained to be amended and that no man except upon occasion of infirmity presume to present his Child to Baptism but to attend upon the Festival dayes prescribed of old that is Easter and Whitsunday Also it was Appointed and Ordained that the Sacrament of the Altar should be Administred before any of the Communicants had tasted of meat or drink That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a City of Refuge should be drawn back again by violence from the bosome of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a Bishop shall not be attached before a Secular Judge That the Houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayer and singing of Psalms and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogs and muting of Hawks That Secular men shall do reverence to those of the Clergy even unto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the Secular Man do meet any of the Clergy walking on foot he shall honour him by uncovering his head But if the Secular man be riding on horseback and the Clergy-man on foot then the Secular man shall light down from his horse and shall do reverence to the Church-man In the third Council at Matiscon we read of nothing but a contentious disputation between two Bishops Palladius and Bertram and foolish questions scarce fit to be disputed in Grammar-Schools Chilperic a crafty man seizeth on his Father's Treasure and laboureth to become Master of the City of Paris but was not able to effect it Cherebert having cast off his Lawful Wife and being Excommunicated by German Bishop of Paris dieth at Blavia in Sancton in the ninth year of his Kingdom about the year 570 whose Kingdom his Brothers divide among themselves Chilperic and Sigebert waged War one against the other Chilperic enters the Countrey of Sigebert and takes from him the City of Rhemes Hereupon Sigebert pursues his Revenge and takes from Chilperic Soissons the Capital City of his Realm with his Son Theodobert forcing him to retire to Tournay Sigebert comes a Conquerour to Paris where he is received by common consent and so all the Cities belonging unto Cherebert yield him obedience But as he thought himself settled behold two young soldiers suborned by Fredegund an harlot of Chilperic's came to his Court enter freely into his Hall and getting near unto him each of them stabs him with his dagger and he falls down dead in the place These murtherers were suddenly torn in pieces so as they could not be known nor declare by whose instigation they had committed this murther Yet was it generally thought it was the practice of Fredegund to free Chilperic and to make her way the more smooth by the death of Sigebert who crossed her most Now is
Chilperic received King of France in the place of his elder Brother Anno 578. and Reigned fourteen years at Paris and Soissons while that Childebert the Son of Sigebert Reigned in Austrasia or Lorain and Gonthran at Orleans and Burgongne He found Brunhault the widow of Sigebert at Paris a subtil and audacious woman whom he confined to Rhoven whither he likewise sent his Son Merovee to take possession o the City but there he was surprised by the beauty of Brunehault She so insinuated into the Bishop that he allowed of this Marriage although she was his Aunt Chilperic moved herewith came to Roven degraded and banished the Bishop and puts Merovee into a Cloyster Merovee fleeing is pursued taken and slain by his Father's command and lest Audovere his Mother a virtuous Princess and Clovis her other Son should seek means of revenge he rejects his Wife and causeth Clovis his other Son to be slain For these disorders the Nobility complain against Fredegunde hereupon Chilperic takes Galsonde to Wife the Daughter of Athanagild King of Spain but by the instigation of Fredegonde Chilperic strangleth his second Wife and publickly marrieth Fredegonde Chilperic when he had seen Clotharius born to him of Fredegonde the fourth moneth after a little before night returning from hunting is by privy murtherers killed Anno 584. That murther was hatched by Fredegonde and committed by Landerick an Adulterer of hers thus died this detestable Chilperic Historians make him guilty of impiety as well as of execrable wickedness for he denied the truth of the three persons in one Deity and the Incarnation of the Son of God Gunthran dieth in the year of Christ 593. having left a good memorial behind him of Piety and other Virtues the which being committed to Church-Tables is repeated every year on the 28th of March His Kingdom came to Childebert Childebert Anno 596. is taken away by poison together with his Wife whom Theodoric and Theodebert his Sons succeed under the tuition of their Grandmother Brunehault They fight against Clotharius and being overcome in battel they force him to part with the greatest part of his Kingdom Sagittarius Bishop of Ebreduna and Salonius Bishop of Vopinga in France for their wickednesses and also because being armed they fought in manner of soldiers in the Assembly of Lions were before this deprived of their Episcopacy in the sixth year of Gunthran but they appealing to Pope John were restored by his command At last because they continued in hainous offences they were again by the Cabillonian Council deprived of all Dignity At Augustoritùm died Radegund Anno 587. in whose Monastery were some Virgins sprung from a Royal Stock who being lifted up in pride against Leubovera the Governess of the Nunnery first of all departed from her The Guardians being sent into the Monastery and all things taken away they drew out Leubovera by force from thence At length by the command of Châ—ldebert a Council of Bishops being gathered together in Pictavia they were Excommunicated and Leubovera restored unto her former place About the year 590. Serenus Bishop of Marseilles seeing his people falling to the adoration of Statues brake them and cast them out of the Church About which Pope Gregory the first reproveth him in two Epistles saying That Images indeed ought not to be worshipped but that they ought not to be broken neither because they are instead of Books unto the ignorant But it was not long before the Popes became the great Patrons of the adoration of Images and made it a means of their rising for when the Greek Emperours fell to the breaking of Images Gregory the second took thence occasion to shake off the yoke of the Emperours as enemies of the Saints Sigon Lib. 3. de regno Ital. and made Rome and part of Italy to revolt from the Obedience of their Soveraign And he made himself a Temporal Prince under colour of defending Images as Sigonius relateth Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus by Nation an Italian came into France seating himself first at Tours afterwards at Poictiers he was first made a Presbyter then he became Bishop of that place He is reported to have reduced the French to a more gentle kind of life by his writings and example Illyricus make's mention of one Alcimus Catal. Test verit Lib. 6. of the Ancient Family of the Aviti whose Great Grandfather Grandfather Father Uncle Brother were famous and eminent for Ecclesiastical Dignities His Father succeeded Mammertus in the Bishoprick of Vienna Alcimus succeeded his Father Many excellent Verses of his are extant unto this day Concerning the first sin of Man and the Grace of Christ you may read what he saith in these following Verses Quòd varii eveniunt humana in gente labores Vnde brevem capiunt mortalia tempora vitam Vel quod polluti vitiantur origine mores Quos aliena premunt priscorum fata Parentum Addatur quanquam nostrâ de parte reatus Quodque etiam amisso dudum peccatur honore Adscribam tibi prime Pater qui semine mortis Tollis succiduae vitalia germina proli Et licet hoc totum Christus persolverit in se Contraxit quantum percussa in stirpe propago Attamen Auctoris vitio qui debita lethi Instituit morbosque suis ac funera misit Vivit peccati moribunda in carne cicatrix And speaking unto Christ he addeth Nullum aliud praeter te unum solamen habemus Then speaking of Christ the Mediator whose Figure was that Bow in the Heaven after the flood and of the salvation of those that believe in him he saith Nunc quisquis semel allatam servare salutem Optas signatum potiùs signo inspice Christum Verus enim atque unus firmati faederis arcus Ille deum atque homines inter qui virgine carne Virgineo ex utero sumptâ jam munere lucet Multiplici in caelo Varius sed fulgidus omni Vitalem monstrat sacrati pignoris arcum Hunc coram aspicies quisquis baptismate tinctus Ad coelum liber culpis pereuntibus ibis And of the water flowing out of the Rock he thus speaketh Nec portentificae caepit me oblivio virgae Quo signo summus percussâ rupe sacerdos Protulit irriguos poculis sitientibus haustus Insinuans Christum stabilem consistere petram Percussus jaculo largas qui praebuit undas Porrexitque suis sacro de vulnere potum Hist magdeb Cent. 6. cap. 9. King Chilperic before his death called a Synod made up of the Gallican Bishops at Prennacum upon this occasion The Earl Leudastes applyed himself to Riculphus a Presbyter a perverse man and rebellious against Gregory Bishop of Tours his own Bishop these two reported to the King as if Gregory had said that Queen Fredegund had carnally lain with Bertram Bishop of Burdeaux hereupon Bertram accuseth Gregory before the Synod Chilperic being present Gregory constantly denieth it But the King asserteth that he could convince Gregory of this