ignominie to the Maiestie Royall shame to the glorie Imperiall and eternall infamie to the Christian Commonweale Aeneas Syluius Histor Bohem. c. 46. That our age hath seene Sigismund a Prince of good yeares borne of Emperours and himselfe an Emperour whose name Italie France Germanie and all Europe honoured and whom barbarous nations feared a suppliant vnto this man not borne otherwise of any great nobilitie an old man blind an heretike giuen to sacrilege and all wickednesse to offer vnto him money and the greatest honours that he might vouchsafe to take his part But the death of Zischa partly broken with trauels partly with yeares brake off the treatie And some write that hee dyed of the plague Whereupon Syluius hath this bitter taunt Him whom the hand of man was not able to kill the finger of God destroyed By how much better right ought hee in the basenesse and infirmitie of the man which he representeth to haue acknowledged the arme of God Neither yet were this miserable poore people destitute of Gods protection although by his death they thenceforth named themselues Orphans as shall bee seene in his place The Epitaph written on his tombe in the citie of Tabor which he had builded is memorable I Iohn Zischa rest here in skill of militarie affaires not inferiour to any of the Emperours or Captaines Paralipom Abbatis Vispergensis a seuere reuenger of the pride and couetousnesse of the Clergie-men and a most valiant defender of my countrey That which Appius Claudius being blind did for the Romans in well counselling and Furius Camillus in valiantly exployting the same haue I done for my Bohemians I neuer was wanting to the good fortune of the warre nor it to mee I haue foreseene though blind all importunities of well-doing and with Ensignes spred haue fought eleuen times euer victorious It seemed vnto mee that I haue verie well done to take in hand the most iust cause of the miserable and hungrie against the delicat fat and crammed Priests and in this doing haue felt the helpe of God If their enuie had not hindered it no doubt I should haue merited to be numbred among the Illustrious men Neuerthelesse my bones lye here in this sacred place etiam insalutato inuitoque Papa Euen without hauing saluted the Pope and in despight of his teeth And vnderneath was written in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn Zischa enemie of the Priests couetous of dishonest gaine but in a godlie zeale Neither is it to be omitted That when a certaine Picard came into Bohemia had by his illusions enticed after him some people into an island of the riuer Lusmik where he had taught them to goe naked and promiscuously to couple themselues one with another whence they were called Adamites as it is an ordinarie thing with Sathan to cast such mistie clouds ouer the light of the Gospel when he seeth it begin to shine forth Zischa and his people were the first that set vpon them with open force inuaded the island and put them all to the edge of the sword excepting two onely of whom they might learne the particularities of their impious superstition When notwithstanding the Preachers of the Romish Church burden the doctrine of Iohn Hus with diuers calumnies the Fathers of the Councell of Constance condemned it for the opinions of Wickliffe but they imputed to wickliffe such opinions after their owne pleasure as he neuer thought off and one monstrous aboue the rest That God ought to obey the diuell although the calumnie it selfe is such as sheweth their vntrue dealing and none of them that wrot against Wickliffe whilest he was aliue doth make mention of any such And as for Iohn Hus Pope Pius the second recounteth in his historie the articles of his doctrine agreeable to our confessions And there is extant the confessions of the Bohemians exhibited to their kings when libertie of their religion was permitted them in which is nothing which agreeth not with true Christian pietie In the meane time Pope Martin loseth not courage on the contrarie thinking as indeed it was that the vnion of this people was shaken by the death of Zischa determined to contriue against them They had two different captaines for the warre the great and the little Precop and thence their concord seemed to be but ill repaired He therefore sendeth the Cardinall of Winchester an Englishman into Germanie to stirre vp the mind of the Emperour command the Germans to take the Crosse against this people and so is a threefold armie leuied the first out of the circuit of Saxonie and the townes by the sea coast commaunded by the duke of Saxonie the second out of the territorie of Franconia by the Marquesse of Brandebourg and the third out of the jurisdictions of Rhine of Bauaria and of Sueuia by Otho Archbishop of Treuer who by three wayes enter into Bohemia and joyne themselues together joyntly to recouer the citie Mizla which the night before the enemies had surprised That handfull of men seemed vnable to stand against so mightie an armie neuerthelesse hauing gathered themselues together in hast they march directly towards their enemies Aeneas Syluius c. 48. But they saith Pius the second fled without seeing the enemie and comming to Thacoâ—ia left their artillerie and bootie there The Cardinall commeth to meet them admiring at the fearefull and shamefull flight of so many Captaines and valiant men He earnestly entreateth them againe and againe to turne backe their face to the enemie euerie way weaker than they But when hee could not obtaine this hee is constrained to accompanie them in their flight I durst not write thus much if Pope Pius the second had not first written it and in so many words Scarcely were they entred into the forest when the Bohemians comming vpon them began to assaile the hindmost troupes then their flight is made more disorderly and fearefull neither doe the Germans giue ouer sooner to flie than the Bohemians to follow Therefore they take their baggage winne Thacouia by assault and make themselues masters of the artillerie Thence they wast Misnia taxe Franconia Bamberg Nuremberg and other cities to redeeme themselues Here Sigismund and Pope Martin bethinke themselues of another armie stronger than the former vnto which all the Princes States and cities doe contribute Iulian Cardinall of S. Angelo commaunded for the Pope and the Elector of Brandebourg for the Emperour many Princes accompayning them there was in the army fortie thousand horse but the number of the footemen was not so many And with these great forces the Cardinall entreth into the countrie putting all he can to fire and sword and sparing neither sex nor age Yet scarcely haue the feet of all touched the borders but that whether there were treason in the armie of the faithfull meaning the Papall as many supposed or that a vaine feare had inuaded the mindes of men without cause they trembled throughout all the campe and before there was one enemy
according to his Gospell That the Church of Rome with other Churches in the world were departed from the traditions of the Apostles That they all sought after riches and pleasure and dominion ouer the people consumed in wickednesse and luxurie the goods destinated to the poore people of Christ That they either knew not the commaundements of God or if they knew them made little account of them These are Pius the second his own words in which who acknowledgeth not the voyce of truth He addeth immediatly The principall men of this great Synod perceiuing the obstinacie and immouable courage of these miserable men gaue sentence That putrified members of the Church which could not bee healed were to be cut off least they should infect the whole bodie putrified members because they accuse their putrifaction In the assemblie therefore it was concluded That such were to be burned that reiected the doctrine of the Church So that they who held that it belonged not to Ecclesiastical persons to sentence any man to death by the testimonie of Pius himselfe were their judges in this case Touching the sentence pronounced against Hus he expresly saith That he appealed from them to Christ Iesus the soueraigne Iudge which was not the least part of their crime But as touching their death Both of them saith Pius suffered death with a constant mind and went ioyfully to the fire as if they had beene inuited to a feast neither of them yeelding any one word that might discouer any shew of heauinesse or a discontented mind When they began to burne they began to sing a hymne which hardly the flame and noyse of the fire could let to be heard Neuer haue we read of any of the Philosophers that suffered death with better resolution and greater courage than these endured the fire Poggius a Florentine an honorable writer of our age writes an eloquent Epistle of the death of Hierome to Nicholas Nicholai though he seeme according to his maner to inueigh a little against the manners of the Clergie This Poggius whom hee here alledgeth who was Secretarie to the Councell Poggius Concilij Constantiens Secretar in Epist. ad Leonard Aretinum writ an Epistle to Leonard Aretine which for as much as it is worthie the reading I haue here thought good to set down at large Soiourning for many dayes at the Bathes saith he I writ from thence a letter to our friend Nicholas which I thinke you haue read Afterwards some few dayes after my returne to Constance the cause of Hierome whom they tearme an heretike was heard and that publikely which I haue thought good to relate vnto you both for the weightinesse of the matter and especially for the eloquence and learning of the man I confesse I haue neuer seene any man that in pleading a cause especially that concerned his life who hath come neerer to those auncient Orators we haue so much admired It is a wonderfull thing to see with what words what eloquence what arguments what cariage what countenance what confidence he answered his aduersaries and at the last concluded his plea in such sort as that it is much to be lamented that so noble a spirit and so excellent should applie it selfe to those studies of heresie si tamen vera sunt quae sibi obijciunt if neuerthelesse note the words of Poggius the matters obiected against him be true for it belongs not vnto me to iudge of so great a cause but I refer myselfe to the opinions of those who are wiser than my selfe Neither would I haue you to thinke that according to the maner of Orators I relate vnto you euerie particular circumstance of this businesse for it were too tedious and a worke of many dayes I will onely touch some principall places whereby you may in some sort vnderstand the learning of the man This Hierome being charged with many matters which tended to heresie and those confirmed by witnesse it was at the last determined placuit that he should answer publikely to euerie poynt that was obiected against him Being therefore brought before the assemblie and commaunded to answer to such poynts as were obiected a long time he refused to doe it alledging that hee was first to plead his owne cause before he answered to the false accusations of his aduersaries but this condition being denied him standing in the middle of the assemblie What iniustice is this saith he that hauing lyen for three hundred and sixtie dayes in prison in ordure in stench in fetters and want of all earthly comforts whatsoeuer in all which time you haue heard my aduersaries speake against me and yet you will not now suffer me to speake one houre for my selfe Hence it is that whilest euerie mans eares are open vnto them to heare in so long a time whatsoeuer may persuade that I am an heretike an enemie of the faith a persecutor of Ecclesiasticall persons and shut against me whereby I haue no meanes to defend my selfe that you haue concluded me to bee an heretike in your owne conceipts before you know what I am And yet notwithstanding all this yee are but men and not gods not perpetuall but mortall such as can stumble and fall and erre be deceiued be seduced c. In the end it was decreed that first he should answer to those errours that were obiected against him and afterwards he should haue leaue to speake what he would There were read therefore out of the pulpet all the heads of his accusation which were likewise confirmed by witnesses Then it was demaunded whether he had any thing to obiect It is incredible to be spoken how cunningly he aunswered with what arguments he defended himselfe He neuer spake any thing vnworthie a good man insomuch that if he thought that in his heart which he professed in words there could not be found in him any iust cause of death or of the least or lightest offence He affirmed all to be false and that they were all crimes deuised against him by those that hated him But by and by the cause for the multitude and weight of the offences which could not be determined in one day was put off for three dayes longer At which time the arguments of euerie crime being recited and by many witnesses affirmed he arising Forasmuch saith he as you haue with such diligence heard mine aduersaries it is right and conuenient that with indifferent minds yee likewise heare me speake Which after much adoe being graunted vnto him he first began with praier vnto God that he would be pleased to giue him that mind and that facultie of speech that might redownd to the saluation of his owne soule And then I know saith hee many excellent men that haue suffered many things vnworthie their vertues oppressed by false witnesses condemned by vniust Iudges c. And againe it is an vniust thing that a Priest should be condemned by a Priest and yet this was vniustly done by the Colledge and Councell of Priests
be read and also which bookes they are which ought to be accounted for Canonicall onely for correspondencies sake they adde farther in these words We will also that this be signified to our companion in Priesthood Bonifacius and others to the end that they may confirme it for so haue we receiued from the Fathers that these onely ought to be read in Churches Now if the Popes authoritie alone had beene necessarie to the validitie of this Canon what needed they to signifie it vnto others This therefore was nought else but a testimonie of their mutuall loue and charitie Baronius here stormeth because we say That by occasion of that forenamed Canon the whole Church of Afrike was cut off from the Communion of the Church of Rome because it thence followeth that S. Augustine and such a multitude of other holie Fathers died out of the Communion of the Church of Rome and excommunicated by the Pope and thereupon seeketh by all meanes to discredit that Epistle of Bonifacius the second which testifieth that they were not reunited till a full hundred yeares after I confesse that whereas it is there said Vnder the reigne of Iustin the mistake was easier of Iustin for Iustinian than that of Nicene for Sardican and the inconuenience thence arising is verie great for what then shall become of so manie Martyrs put to death during those hundred yeares vnder the persecution and tyrannie of the Vandales But they themselues must looke to that Sure I am that this is none of their greatest cares witnesse the poore Grecians in these dayes who haue now lyen groning vnder the yoke of the Turks so manie yeares And if this Epistle was not written by Bonifacius they may thanke themselues who haue inserted it in the bodie of the Councels Bellarm. de Bontif Rom. l. 2. c. 24. Let the reader now judge what reason Bellarmine had to say that those Fathers neuer intended to forbid their Bishops to appeale to Rome seeing they name Bishops in expresse tearmes and ordaine that all causes should be determined within the same Prouince Or what conscience when he saith that S. Augustine vnderstood that Councell otherwise in his 262 Epistle August ep 262. because he there saith that Caecilian needed not to care for the conspiracie of his aduersaries seeing himselfe ioyned in Communion with the Church of Rome and with all other countries whence the Gospell first came into Afrike where he would be alwayes readie to plead his cause if his aduersaries should seeke to alienate those Churches from him For what can he gather from thence but onely this that it was no hard matter for him to purge himselfe vnto those Churches in case he had been traduced for if he thence conclude That therefore he might appeale to Rome as much may be said and concluded of all other places But he was wise not to quote the place for there is nothing and he knew it well ynough which maketh for his purpose And farther here obserue that S. Augustine was present at this Councell as appeareth by his 207 Epistle Also we read An. 431. that about the yeare 431 the Generall Councell of Ephesus was assembled against Nestorius where we find not this pretended Primacie in anie sort acknowledged For as touching the calling thereof Socrat. l. 7. c. 3. the Bishops saith Socrates assembled themselues together out of all quarters vnto Ephesus by order from the Emperour And Euagrius and Nicephorus say Euagr. l. 1. c. 3. Nicephor l. 14. c. 34. that they were assembled by the letters of the Emperour directed to the Bishops of all places And the Synod it selfe in more than twentie seuerall places vseth these words By the will of the most religious Kings meaning Theodosius and Valentinian Acta Concil Ephesin in 1. to Concil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. to 2. cap. 17 18 19. passim Ib. pa. 99. 177. 201 202. Bellarm. l. 1. de Concil c. 19. Acta Concil Ephes c. 17. And the Acts all along speake in this and the like manner Whom your Maiesties commaunded to come to Ephesus c. and Their letters commanded vs so c. and By vertue of the Edict of the most religious Emperors c. And so likewise wrote Theodosius vnto Cyrill that he had appointed the Bishops to assemble at Ephesus out of all parts at Easter And Caelestin Bishop of Rome writing to Theodosius Wee yeeld saith he our presence in the Synod which you haue commaunded by those whom we haue sent As for the Presidencie in that Synod it is a matter questionlesse and not denied by our aduersaries That Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria presided onely they say that he was Vicegerent to Pope Caelestin hauing no other colour for their assertion but this That the Pope requested him to execute his sentence giuen in the Synod at Rome against Nestorius But the Synodall Epistle to the Emperour euidently sheweth that that was done long before this Counsell at Ephesus was called And the truth is that the Popes Legats there present were neuer called to preside which yet they should haue beene had they beene collegues with Cyrill but at a pinch a forgerie must helpe A certaine moderne Writer in his abridgement of the Councels sayth That in this Councell presided the blessed Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria Isidor Decret Paris impres an 1524. pa. 79. To. 1. Concil in Concil Ephes Colon. an 1551. Which sentence he tooke out of Isidore but he addeth of his owne head these words In the place of Pope Calestin which are not to be found in Isidore and Bellarmine himselfe is more than halfe ashamed of it Now let vs see what aduantages Baronius here taketh and first Nestor epist ad Caelestin ex Co. Anto. August apud Baron to 5. an 430. art 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist Cyrilli ad Calest in Act. Graec. pa. 141. Baron vol. 5. an 430. art 11. When Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople had broached his heresie against the vnion of two natures in Christ Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria tooke him to taske and then they went each of them to make his partie the strongest and to haue a Bishop of Rome on his side was thought no small aduantage therefore they both wrote vnto him Nestorius was the first Fraternas nobis inuicem debemus colloquutiones c. We owe saith he each to other brotherlie communications and Cyrill much after the same manner The auncient customes of the Church aduise and counsell vs to take instruction one of another c. And hence it is that Baronius concludeth That no matter of Faith could be questioned without the Bishop of Rome yet how manie heretikes haue we alreadie seene condemned sometimes without him and sometimes in despight of him Secondly Caelestin vpon this alarme giuen him by Cyrill called a Synod at Rome and from thence wrot a long Epistle to Nestorius willing him to hold fast the faith of the Church of Rome of
to be preferred he maketh them worthie so soone as they are preferred Gregorie in our time tooke the paine to reuiew the Canon Law and taking especiall notice of this Canon is bold to equall it with the Apostolike Decrees And I feare that ere it be long a man may more truly say that this See hath this especiall prerogatiue and priuiledge That either it admitteth of none but knaues or maketh them such so soone as they are admitted But what will Symmachus say to Gratian who speaking of Anastasius the second D. 19. c. Anastasius his predecessor saith of him That he was strucken by the iudgement of God because he communicated with Photinus the Deacon a disciple of that master heretike Acatius Anastas Biblioth in Pontific which is auerred also by Anastasius Bibliothecarius in his life OPPOSITION An. 472. Odoacer therefore Captaine of the Rugians hauing made himselfe King of all Italie about the yeare 472 for preuention of tumults which might ensue if Simplicius should happen to die made a Law and published it by Basilius in the open Vatican and before the Bishops there assembled That in case Simplicius should happen to die for the auoidance of trouble and hurt both in Church and Citie none should be elected without his priuitie Baron vol. 6. an 476. art 1 2 3. Which Odoacer hath at least this commendation from Antiquitie That he was neuer offensiue or troublesome to the Catholike Church in matters belonging to Religion though himselfe were a professed Arrian Cassiodor in Chron. and farther is reported to haue beene of so good a temper that in thirteene yeares space which he held Italie vnder his commaund he neuer tooke vnto him either the title or the robe of the Emperour who all barbarian as he was shall yet one day rise in judgement against these mens insolencie and pride True it is that Sigonius reporteth that this law was made by the aduise of Simplicius himselfe Sigon de Occident Imperio l. 15. 16. Synod Roma 3. sub Symmacho an 498. but what author hath he for it For the third Synod of Rome which was held vnder Symmachus sayth no such thing but tearmeth it in precise tearmes The Law of Odoacer And there was good vse to be made of this Law about the yeare 498 at the election of a Bishop after the death of Anastasius the second For by reason that Anastasius the Emperour had filled the fists of a great part of the Clergie of Rome to this end that he might haue alwaies a Pope at his owne deuotion it came to passe that one part set vp and named Symmachus Theodor. Collectan l. 2. and the other Lawrence and each faction kept quarter apart vntill in the end some being wiser than some the matter was referred to Theodoric King of the Ostrogothes who at that time reigned in Italie and he preferred Symmachus who not long after in a Synod at Rome abrogated this verie law as Sigonius reporteth And we doubt not of the mans good will but yet we find that this Law stood in force vntill the time of Benedict the second whom the Emperour Constantine Pâ—goratus Synod Roma 3. sub Symmach about the yeare 68â— absolued from the obseruance of this Law as Onuphrius himselfe acknowledgeth But these matters stayed not here For foure yeares after this wound began to bleed afresh Lawrence was called home to Rome where the factions fairely â—â—ll to blowes whereat Theodoric tooke great offence and deposing them both he placed Peter Paul Diacon l. 15. Nicephor l. 16. c. 35. Bishop of Alâ—in in the roome Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus speaking of this accident report That there were infinit spoiles and murders committed by either partie the greater part of the Priests manie Clerkes and a multitude of the Citizens were there slaine Sabell Eun. 8. l. 2. and the holie virgins themselues as Sabellicus writeth were not spared in those seditions Yet must all this passe for zeale towards the Church Ennod. in Epist ad Faustum insomuch that one Ennodius a Writer of that time maketh them all Martyrs who died in the cause of Symmachus Their bloud there shed sayth he enrolled them in the Register Booke of the Court of Heauen And Baronius is of the same opinion and for proofe he voucheth a saying of that great Denis Bishop of Alexandria but see his honestie for the case standeth thus Denis wrote to the schismatike Nouatus who would haue made him beleeue that he was taken by force and made Bishop whether he would or no whereupon Denis told him That it had beene better for him to haue suffered anie mischiefe Euseb Histor Eccles l. 6. c. 37. than to haue broken the vnitie of the Church and that it had beene as glorious a martyrdome vnto him as if he suffered for not offering vnto Idols True if rather than thou wouldest be made a Bishop in a Schisme thou wouldest suffer thy selfe to be killed But the case is altered if thou puttest thy selfe in danger or causest either thy selfe or others to be slaine not to auoid but to obtaine a Bishopricke And such was the case of those which died in Symmachus his quarrell And we must remember that the fourth Synod which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus Iornandes de Robus Gothicis Synod Roma 4. sub Symmacho where the greatest part of the Bishops of all Italie were assembled was called by Theodoric True it is that at the first the Bishops began to remonstrate to him That the calling of the Synod belonged to the Pope but Theodoric produced Symmachus his owne letters wherein he requested him to assigne the place and Symmachus himselfe in open Synod gaue him humbly thankes for so assigning it Here Baronius putteth on his brazen face Vol. 6. an 501. art 2. He knew well saith he that to assemble a Synod of Orthodox Bishops appertained not to him and therefore treading the steps of his predecessors he assembled it by the authoritie of Pope Symmachus and the verie Acts of the Councell testifie as much And then falleth he to his accustomed acclamations A memorable matter saith he that a Prince a Barbarian a Goth by nation a stranger an heretike and an Arrian do the schismatikes what they could by importuning him to the contrarie should yet yeeld such respect and reuerence to the See Apostolike But what if the whole proceedings and the Acts themselues of this Synod shew the contrarie It is therefore to be vnderstood that the yeare before Theodoric at the instance of the aduerse part had sent Peter Bishop of Altin to Rome in qualitie of a Visitor to informe himselfe of the crimes which were layed to Symmachus his charge And so it seemeth that Theodoric and Ennodius were not both of the same mind when Ennodius saith That the Pope is accountable to none but vnto Heauen Afterward Theodoric gaue order that this difference should be taken vp Ennod.
himselfe as well as to the Pope of Rome And that Saint Peters priuiledge taketh place onely where men iudge according to the equitie of Saint Peter and is of force wheresoeuer that equitie is vsed no more at Rome than at Reimes no lesse at Reimes than at Rome in euerie place alike according as the Bishops doe or doe not their duetie So likewise when this Leo presuming vpon the pretended Apostleship of Boniface encroached vpon the Churches of Germanie more than reason was he should Luithpert Archbishop of Mence writing to Lewis king of Germanie Luithpertus Episc Moguntinens spareth him not The cause saith he will not suffer me to keepe silence for I were inexcusable before God and your Highnesse if seeing with my eyes the imminent danger of the Church I should dissemble my knowledge as an hired seruant and no longer a true Pastor of my sheepe The Primacie therefore and the dignitie thereof now shaketh and is growne infamous in the verie chaire of Saint Peter for after a secret and vnheard kind of persecution she is wronged not by those who know not God but by such as ought to be conductors and leaders of the people of God which make more account of earthlie trash than they doe of heauenlie treasure And this ache of the head if speedie remedie bee not applied In Capite will quickly distill vpon the members c. You know the danger wherein the people of God standeth euerie man seeth it and the verie elements tremble at it to see how the gouernours and conductors thereof whose duetie is to seeke to saue the weake forsake themselues the way of saluation and run headlong to their downfall drawing those which follow them into the like pit of perdition Wherefore I exhort your wisedome which loueth veritie and iustice that according to the knowledge giuen you by God you would aduise with such as know the Law and are louers of equitie and iustice how peace and vnitie may be restored to the Church c. For the whole bodie of the Church is not hurt though the Head being wounded all the members are weakened thereby Wherefore the sound parts must helpe the sick at least if they will take the medicine if not then cut them off according to the precept of that true Physitian least all the bodie perish with them Wherefore I thinke it necessarie that Charles your brother and a religious Prince should be requested by your letters and embassadour to come to a conference with you concerning this matter as soone as may be to the end that he and the Bishops of his kingdome who are yet cleane from those pollutions may ioyne with you and your Bishops and all together take vpon you this common care to reforme by the assistance of God the peace and concord of the Catholike and Apostolike Church This Luitpert was a man much esteemed for his integritie wisedome and sanctitie of life and conuersation and for this cause of so great authoritie in the world that the two kings of Germanie and France made him arbitrator betweene them in differences of their kingdomes And yet saw he euen then corruption so farre growne in that pretended Head that hee could hope for redresse and remedie from none but from these two great Princes For that hee meant the Pope no man can doubt who knoweth the Historie of the times and the contentions which they had at that time with Germanie and France Neither may we here forget before we passe any farther that we haue a certaine Canon of this Leo his making Leo. 4. ad Epist Britan. by which he taketh away all authoritie from all Decretall Epistles of Popes vntill the times of Syluester and Syricius and so blotteth out with one dash of a pen all those which are attributed to them D. 2. ca. de Libellis during the three or foure first ages which yet our aduersaries at this day vse as good authoritie against vs. And the Roman Code seemeth to point hereat seeing that it neuer vseth any before that time Here now are we to obserue shall I say a Proceeding or rather a headlong stumble of this Mysterie of Rome that prodigious accident and monster of this time A stumble indeed and a fall withall it should haue beene if either the Church of Rome had had any forehead or the people eyes I meane that which fell out in the yeare 854 after the death of Leo the fourth An. 854. which yet I had rather set downe in Platina his words Plat. in Iohan. 8. as we find them in his Historie which he dedicated to Pope Sixtus the fourth A woman or rather a wench sitting in the See of Rome saying Masse creating Bishops offering her foot to bee kissed by Princes and people As if God purposed to expose to the view of the world in this liuing picture that mother of fornications foretold in the Apocalyps Iohannes Anglicus therefore saith Platina borne at Mence aspired to the Papacie as it is said by euill practises For being a Female and dissembling her sex she went with her paramour a learned man to Athens and there grew so expert in the liberall Sciences that comming afterward to Rome she found there few equall none superiour to her selfe And what by lecturing what with disputing both wittily and learnedly withall grew so farre in grace and fauour with all men that vpon the death of Leo as saith Martinus by a generall consent she was chosen Pope in his roome But not long after being great with child by her seruant hauing for a while hid her great bellie in the end going to Latran betweene the Theatre which they call the Colosse of Nero and S. Clements falling into her throwes she was there deliuered and died in the place hauing sat Pope two yeres one month and foure daies and was buried without honor Some write that vpon this occasion the Pope when he goeth to Latran shunneth this street of purpose and that to preuent the like inconuenience in time to come when the Pope first sitteth in S. Peters Chaire wherein is a hole made for this purpose the punie Deacon is to handle his priuities I will not denie the first to be true for the second I suppose that the Chaire is so pierced to the end that he which shall be set in so high a place may know that he is a man and no God and subiect to like necessities of nature as other men are and therefore it is called Sedes Stercoraria we in English may call it by a more cleanelie name a close-stoole But Platina for feare no doubt of the hole or dungeon where he had long lyen in the time of Paule the second after all this addeth that which followeth That saith he which I haue said is a common bruit the authors thereof vncertaine and of no great name which yet I thought good briefely and nakedly to set downe that I might not seeme wilfully to omit a
and gaue vnto him tribute and obedience and the Popes forces consisted in his holie execrations which the Christian kings did then greatly feare What thing then is more plaine than this to giue vs to vnderstand That the authoritie of the Pope consists onely in matters spirituall After Iohn succeeded Benedict the sixt by the verie same law of Leo the eigth and authoritie of Otho But Otho being dead and his sonne much troubled in the warres of Germanie and France the Romans returned to their former naturall conditions and vpon the death of Benedict strangled as is said by Cardinall Boniface being incouraged by one Cincius a citizen of Rome they created Donus the second for successor presently Boniface the seuenth the murderer of Benedict corruptis comitijs as the Author saith whom Benedict the seuenth thrusts out of the seat through the fauour of the Tusculan Earles So much was this seat swayed by theft and corruption Wherefore Otho the second came into Italie and vsed extraordinarie seueritie to represse these inconueniences and yet there wants not those that would persuade vs that they were Martyrs Fascicul tempo but the author of Fasciculus temporum maketh a fit distinction of them They were slaine saith he as in the Primitiue Church but they were no Martyrs the punishment all one but the cause different Otho died and not long after Benedict and Peter Bishop of Paula succeeded who was saith Platina Iohn the fifteenth who being scarce warme in his seat Boniface the seuenth before expeld through the helpe of a great masse of money which by sacriledge he had gathered together cast him into prison there died he of famine or otherwise within eight moneths following into the possession of whose vacant chaire he was admitted by the Romans who neuerthelesse left it soone after through sudden death to Iohn the sixteenth the sonne of a Priest and this Iohn the sixteenth left it to Iohn the seuenteenth that the saying of Platina may here be found true That to the great good of the Christian Commonwealth these monsters while mutually they banded one against another they liued not long Boniface the seuenth is noted by him malarum artium to attaine to the Popedome by wicked meanes sacriledge corruption and tyrannie and also Iohn the sixteenth to be prodigall to his kindred and friends of all things both diuine and humane without any respect of the seruice of God or the honour of the dignitie of the See of Rome Which errour saith Platina he hath so left by tradition to his posteritie that it continueth euen to our time insomuch that the Clergie of this age desire not the Popedome for the seruice and worship of God but that they may satisfie the gluttonie and auarice of their brethren kindred and familiars And so of the rest At length one Crescentius a citizen of Rome Otho the third being farre distant dared to attempt the gouernment of the citie the people distasting a strange Empire Iohn who loued better a Lord farre off than neere at hand rather forraine than domesticall inuiteth Otho who was afterward the third to come into Italie and promised to crowne him Emperor But Iohn dying before Otho arriued at Rome Otho by his authoritie created at Rauenna Bruno Pope of the house of Saxonie his kinsman then in his companie and sent him to be created at Rome This was Gregorie the fift who likewise in the yeare 996 receiued him An. 996. and crowned him with Marie his wife in the citie of Rome But so soone as Otho was returned into Germanie Crescentius made chiefe Consul taking courage to himselfe expeld Gregorie as not chosen by the people but by the onely authoritie of the Emperour and created a certaine Greeke Bishop of Plaisance with the consent both of the Clergie and people no lesse rich saith Platina than learned whose name hath beene concealed because hee was vnlawfully created Whereupon Gregorie flyeth to Otho who from Germanie returneth with his armie into Italie entreth Rome and assayleth Crescentius in the castle taketh this Iohn the eighteenth putteth out his eyes and reestablisheth Gregorie This Gregorie saith Martin Platina in Gregor 5. and after him Platine who in fauour of him established a law to continue for euer That it should onely appertaine to the Germanes to chuse the Prince who is called Caesar and King of the Romanes but yet not held for Emperour till he were crowned and confirmed by the Bishop of Rome But Onuphrius sheweth by good arguments that they are deceiued attributing to Gregorie the fift that which belongeth to the tenth Baron an 996. art 71. And Baronius after a long disputation comes to this That the Electors of the Empire create him not but that the Emperours should be chosen by the Princes of Germanie without anie necessitie to goe to Rome to consult thereon And these matters reach to the yeare 998. As for the affaires of Rome and Italie An. 998. euerie man may judge what their miserie might be among these frequent mutations of Popes being neuer almost without murther sedition ciuile warres and forreine forces Baronius notwithstanding attesting and detesting all these disorders the cause whereof he could neither dissemble nor ouerslip the Historie could not endure that the Emperor in a solemne Synod of the Church wherof Luitprand describeth all the circumstances should bring matters to a better state but thought it more tollerable that the Church should sticke in the depth of all filthinesse and gluttonie than to be drawne forth by the hands of a lawfull Prince This Synod sayth he held at Rome vnder the authoritie of the Emperour Otho the first in the yere 963 to depose this execrable Iohn the thirteenth whom he tearmeth a monster was a false Synod Baron an 963. art 31 32. if euer were anie wherein the Ecclesiasticall law was neuer more wronged more Canons violated nor pernitious traditions and iustice prostrate trodden vnder foot and oppressed with greater shame But how forsooth Because saith he that they hauing once acknowledged him for Pope be it right be it wrong by freewill or by force as he hath said before that nothing was lawfully acted in his election they could assemble no Councell against the Pope without his consent And hereupon he groweth verie testie and cholericke a Priest fit to adore Antichrist in the Church and carrie his traine after him Now then after he had apparantly demeaned himselfe as a Tyran and a ruffian in the Church doest thou doubt whether he will be a suppresser of brothel-houses or a supporter of them or that he will recall those by whom he hath beene expelled or be brought into order by Parliaments And all that which besides he alledgeth is nothing but pedantrie And the same sayth he of the Councell of Lateran held after the death of this miserable Iohn the thirteenth that is they that were subrogated Popes in a solemne manner after such a monster were all vnlawfull
by degrees he put off and resigning to the king that which he had receiued from him and deliuering the ensignes of his Priestly dignitie into the hands of the Bishops he recited with his owne mouth the forme of the deposition in the middest of this assemblie according to the example of his predecessor Hebo which was there read word by word and by all the Bishops that were present subscribed all of them saying vnto him Cap. 54.55 according to thy profession and subscription cease from thine office Which being done they discharged the Clergie and people from their oath they had made vnto him that it might be free for euerie man to subiect himself to the authoritie of any other man And here the Synod ended which we haue thought good to repeat the more at large that it might appeare with what grauitie wisedome moderation circumspection our Fathers of France haue proceeded in this businesse all of them with one accord speaking by the mouth of Arnulph Bishop of Orleans and withall what they thought and judged of Rome and the Bishop thereof Sixtly Pope Iohn hereupon waxeth angrie and full of discontent in so much that he threateneth his excommunications against the Kings But Hugh least his competitors should thereby take aduantage sendeth him the whole course of proceeding in writing and withall sends him letters to this effect We know we haue done nothing against your Apostolike See and if you vouchsafe not to giue credit to vs that are absent being present your selfe learne the truth of those that are present Grenoble is a citie situat vpon the confines of Italie and France where the Bishops of Rome were wont to meet the Kings of France If it shall so please you you may doe the like or if it shall content you better to visit vs and ours we will receiue you at the foot of the Alpes with all honour and follow you with all due obseruances both staying here and returning backe This we speake from the bottome of our hearts that you may know and vnderstand that neither we nor any of ours wil refuse your iudgemēt But Iohn resolued rather to send Legats And in the meane time whilest these things were thus delayed Gerbert afterwards Pope Siluester the second writ an Epistle to Siguin Archbishop of Sens who to the Pope seemed to fauour Arnulph the man accused and now condemned Which Epistle was read at the end of this Synod Gerbertus in Epist ad Siguinum Senomens Your wisedome saith he should haue auoided the wilie subtilties of craftie men and haue hearkened to the voyce of the Lord which saith If they shall say vnto you Here is Christ and there is Christ follow them not It is said that he is at Rome who iustifieth that which you condemne and condemnes that which you take to be iust and we say that it is God and not man that condemnes those things that seeme iust and to iustifie that which seemeth euill c. God saith If thy brother haue sinned against thee goe and reproue him c. How then doe these that emulate vs say That in the deposing of Arnulph we were to expect the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome Can they teach vs that the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome is greater than the iudgement of God when the first Bishop of Rome and the Prince of the Apostles tels vs that we must rather obey God than men yea the great Doctor of the world Saint Paul telleth vs That if any man shall preach vnto you any other doctrine than that ye haue receiued though he be an Angell from heauen let him be accursed Thinke you that because Pope Marcelline burnt incens to Idols therefore all the Bishops must doe so too I dare boldly say that if the Bishop of Rome shall sinne against his brother and being often admonished shall refuse to heare the Church this Bishop of Rome I say by the commaundement of God is to be accounted as a Heathen or Publican For by how much higher his degree is by so much greater is his fall And if he shall therefore account vs vnworthie his communion or fellowship because none of vs consent vnto him against the Gospell yet he cannot therefore seperat vs from the Communion of Christ A Priest if by his owne confession or otherwise he be not conuicted cannot be put from his office especially since the Apostle himselfe saith Who shal seperat vs from the loue of Christ Iesus And againe Sure I am that neither life nor death c. The priuiledge then of S. Peter saith Leo the great is not in force wheresoeuer iudgement is not executed according to equitie And therefore we are not to giue occasion to those that emulate vs to thinke that Priesthood that is euerie where one as the Catholike Church is in all places one should in such sort be subiect to one onely man though he be corrupted with money fauour feare or ignorance none may be a Bishop but only he that is commended for such or the like vertues Let the Canon Law of the Catholike Church the Apostles the Prophets the Canons ordained by the spirit of God and consecrated with the reuerence of the whole world the Decrees of the Apostolike See not disagreeing from them c. Fare ye well and depend not vpon holie mysteries But Pope Iohn in the meane time hardly enduring these things appointed a Synod sometimes at Rome sometimes at Aix where our Bishops pretending that they were not bound to goe forth of the realme would not be found at the last at Mouson vpon the borders of France where onely Gerbert whom Hugh had nominated Archbishop of Rheimes appeared and in the presence of Leo Abbot of S. Boniface the Popes Legat many of the Bishops of Germanie and Italie assisting he defended the cause of the Fathers of France in such sort that the Legat durst not proceed any farther before he had consulted with the Pope and therefore referred the determination thereof vnto another Synod at Rheimes but yet in the meane time he forbad Gerbert to vse his Episcopall function who not fearing to answer him to his face told him That it was not in the power of any Bishop Patriarch or Pope to remoue from the communion any of the faithfull who hath not been conuicted or of his owne accord confessed the fact or hath not refused to come vnto the Councell but of all these three was none that might hinder him since he had neither confessed nor was conuicted and had onely amongst all the Bishops of France appeared at this Councell But in the meane time Gerbert went into Germanie to the Emperour Otho the third with whom he had been formerly brought vp who shortly after made him Archbishop of Rauenna perceiuing wel that our kings not yet setled in their new kingdomes nor approued by all did much feare to offend the Pope and indeed he saw that whatsoeuer our Bishops could alledge to the contrarie in the
where doe we read in the Scriptures of Nazarius baptized by Linus since Cardinall Baronius himselfe in his Martyrologie saith Card. Bar. in Martyrolog Iunij 19. p. 341. That he is enforced to beleeue that Nazarius and Celsus suffered vnder the Emperour Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus two hundred yeares after which the Legendaries doe likewise make good Iacob de Veragine Geruasio Prothasio and doe also tell vs that Geruasius and Protasius being twinnes were the sonnes of S. Vital and S. Valerie remaining then at Ambrun neere to S. Nazarius and therefore both liuing at one time farre from the raigne of Nero. And now after all this how will he proue that of S. Ambrose especially that S. Nazarius receiued Peters Baptisme Where doth he find in the Scripture a Baptisme of Peter Is there any other than of Christ Can it be spoken without blasphemie 1. Cor. 1.11.12.13 since Paul himselfe saith Is Paul crucified for you or are you baptized into the name of Paul shall we doubt that he would likewise haue said in the name of Peter who so sharply reprehended those that said I am Pauls I am Apolloes I am Peters This good Apostle of Rome likewise addeth That Ambrose seeing hee could not ouercome the Heresie of the Nicholaits who euer at that time heard of any such Heresie craued helpe of Pope Siricius who fot the suppressing thereof sent a Priest a Deacon and Subdeacon that they by his example in the like difficultie should seeke the like remedie By these toyes in the meane time he boasteth That he had preuailed so farre with the people that he could make them do what he would haue them that is to say for the establishment of the law of single life which we haue spoken of elsewhere hauing appointed a penance of a hundred yeares to the Archbishop which neuerthelesse for a certaine summe of money yearely to be paid he might redeeme But as Damianus saith The chiefest thing is to know of what power the priuiledge of the Church of Rome is But the matter stayed not there For he was no sooner returned to Rome but the Clergie presently recouered their libertie Erlembaldus Cotta being chosen gouernour of the people by the death of Landulph who by the instigation of Arialdus renew the sedition and sendeth againe to Damianus but he being much moued therewith spareth not Ambrose himselfe This saith he is no new thing in the Church of Milan which hath alwayes had men of diuers opinions begun at the first by Auxentius and Ambrosius It is true that Auxentius was an Arrian but what fault hath Ambrose committed that he should be accused of that fault whom lately he proposed vnto vs as a patron of his negotiations To this passe it is come that Erlembaldus himselfe went to Alexander being at Lucques in the yeare 1065 about this businesse An. 1065. of whom he obtained a Decree against the Clergie which being brought to Milan the Archbishop purposed to dispute the case vpon the day of Pentecost But so had Arialdus and Erlembaldus ordered the matter that hauing framed their faction to sedition the Archbishop could not withstand them The yeare following 1066 An. 1066. the other part became so strong that Arialdus was constrained to betake himselfe to flight but being taken as the author of all these euils he endured a miserable and shameful punishment by whose example Erlembaldus being terrified thought it the best way for him to be quiet But in the yeare 1067 An. 1067. by reason of the absence of the Bishop Erlembaldus hauing gotten more strength compels the citizens to sweare and spares neither Priest nor Archbishop in so much that the Bishop being returned to pacifie this sedition he feared not to lay violent hands vpon him and at the last that we judge of this whole Progression by the end he obtaineth another Decree from Pope Hildebrand That no Bishop should be accounted true and lawfull without the commaund of the Pope notwithstanding he were declared to be such by the Clergie the people and the King For the strengthening of which Decree he binds both the people and Clergie of Milan with an oath At which the Archbishop Wydo being astonished as being now old and desirous of rest gaue ouer his Archbishopricke and sent his ensignes of honour into Germanie to Henry the third All these things were proposed vnto the people and easily deuoured with the sauce of Simonie and Nicholaisme which whosoeuer should contradict was presently with Dathan and Abiron Iudas and Caiphas damned to the pit of hell For so saith Mainardus Bishop of Syluacandida and Iohn the Priest and Cardinall the Popes Legats and Commissaries in this businesse The Emperor therefore in the yeare 1068 bestowed that dignitie vpon Godfrey Chastillon a Milanois An. 1068. and of a noble house whom the Pope presently interdicted and Erlembaldus his partaker made him to flie the citie But the Pope after the death of Wydo gaue it to Atho a clerke of Milan brought in and receiued by Erlembald not without the great griefe of the people who now saw this dignitie to be carried and disposed according to the will and pleasure of the Romans And from hence ariseth a new controuersie with the Emperour Henrie the third for from these fained Heresies as once from that difference that fell out touching Images the Popes reaped a great commoditie that is the oppression of other Bishops and diminution of lawfull Empires But to proceed in the Progression we must not forget that there were in these times diuers Kings that made themselues tributaries to the Romish Babylon that that from time to time might be fulfilled which was foretold in the Apocalyps Of Kings that should fall down and worship the Whore and be made drunken with her cup. Cassimire therefore King of Poland in the yeare 1045 made his kingdome feodatarie and tributarie to the Pope that miserable monster Benedict the ninth and bound all his subiects to pay euerie yere a poll halfepenie in so much that neither he nor his successors could afterward free themselues from that bondage The like did Sueno King of Denmarke in the yeare 1069 Epist. Alexand. 22. ad Suenonem Regem Daniae being summoned by Alexander the second who demaunded it of him as a thing long since promised by his predecessors and therefore exacted it now as a due which by the same right in the yeare 1068 Eiusdem ad Guilielm Regem Angliae he extorted from William King of England whom he would persuade That from the time that the name of Christ was first knowne in England the kingdome had beene Sub manu tutela Petri Vnder the hand and protection of Peter that is the Popes of Rome whereas there were many Christian Kings in Britaine before Rome had heard of a Popedome And this exaction went vnder the name of Peter pence And as for Gregorie the seuenth or Hildebrand he was not slower
to the Apostolike See and are or shall be in my power I will so agree with the Pope that I will neuer incurre the danger of sacriledge and the perditition of my owne soule and to God and Saint Peter by the assistance of Christ I will doe all worthie honour and seruice and the first day that I shall see him that is Gregorie I will plight my faith with my hands to be a faithfull souldier of S. Peter and his for euer But Henrie in the meane time gaue him no leaue to doe what pleased him for hauing by his victories and prosperous successe appeased the tumults of Germanie he takes his journey with his armie into Italie And this was the last act of Hildebrands tragedie Henrie therefore who in the Synod held at Brixen had caused Gilbert of Corrigia Archbishop of Rauenna to be named Pope who was called Clement the third was absolued by him and so passed the Alpes and remouing all obstacles that stood in his way or did any way detract from his Empire pitching his tents as the manner is in the Neronian fields he determined to besiege the citie of Rome but being encountred at the first with strange difficulties by reason it was Winter he retired himselfe to Rauenna and there wintered But the yeare following 1082 An. 1082. in the beginning of the Spring he sets forward in the same steps as before An. 1083. and assailes the Vatican and in the yeare 1083 after a long siege he tooke the citie and entring into the Capitoll there fortified himselfe William of Malmesburie and others that writ the historie of Godfrey of Bulloine say That he was the first who with a ladder scaled the citie entred into Rome for which seruice the Emperour granted vnto him the inuestiture of the Duchie of Lorain There remained the fort of Crescentius otherwise called the castle S. Angelo into which Gregorie with some of his deerest friends was fled These wearied by Henrie resolued with themselues to offer twentie hostages and to take day vpon certaine conditions to deliuer the citie But Gregorie vnwilling to fall into his hands whom he had so much offended made choyce rather to hazard the bringing of Robert with his Normans to Rome though it were a course full of danger This Robert therefore being at an appointed time let in by the gate Flaminia by some of Gregories friends tooke the Pope out of the castle and caried him to Cassin Sigebert in Chron. Math. Paris in Histor Angl. and from thence to Salerne Whereupon Henrie returned into the citie by whose authoritie Gregorie was againe condemned and Clement confirmed who crowned and annoynted the Emperour with Bertha his wife But Henrie returning into Germanie to appease some tumults that were newly risen Gregorie making benefit of the occasion though he were absent stirreth vp his followers at Rome to rebellion but in the moneth of May being suddenly taken with a disease An. 1085. he died in the yeare 1085 but yet not without aduice giuen to the Cardinals to chuse either Desiderius Abbot of Cassin or if he refused it Hugh Bishop of Lyons or Otho of Ostia that it might be said That the ambitious enterprises of Gregorie outliued himselfe But Sigebert Abbot of Gembloux a writer of those times saith in expresse words That he called one of the twelue Cardinals whom he loued aboue the rest and confessed himselfe vnto him That by the suggestirn of the diuell he had stirred vp that anger and hatred against mankind hauing neuerthelesse published his Decree throughut the whole world vnder a colour of the encrease of Christianitie Whereupon he sent the aforesaid Confessor to the Emperour and to the whole Church receiuing both him and all Christian people that stood excommunicated into the Church both dead and liuing Clergie and Laitie desiring them and the whole Church to pray for the remission of his sinnes It is now of some importance to know what manner of man this Hildebrand was because the judgement of him throughout all Christendome was diuers some imputing all this to his ambition more than humane some to his zeale of the glorie of God Touching his priuat life therefore Lambert of Schaffnabourg Abbot of Hirtzaw a graue writer speaking of the Countesse Mathilda his good friend saith That she her husband Goselon Duke of Loraine yet liuing pretended a kind of widowhood farre from her husband she refusing to follow her husband to Lorain out of her natiue countrey and he employed about the affaires that belonged to his dukedome tooke no care for the space of three or foure yeares to visit his Marquisat in Italie after whose death she seldome or neuer parted from the Popes side following him with a strange affection And for as much as a great part of Italie obeyed her and she abounded aboue all other Princes with whatsoeuer men most esteemed of whensoeuer the Pope had need of her helpe she was presently at hand and was euer duetifull to doe any office vnto him as to her Father and Lord Whereupon she could not escape the suspition of an incestuous loue the Kings fauourers euerie where reporting and especially the Clergie whom he had forbidden lawfull mariage against their Canons That night and day the Pope did impudently sleepe in her bosome and she preoccupated with the stolne loue of the Pope after the losse of her husband refused to marie againe Others adde That she hauing maried Azo Marquesse of Este the Pope impatient therewith the yeare following dissolued the matrimonie Sigon l. 9. de regno Italiae vnder a pretence of kindred in the fourth degree of consanguinitie Whereby that suspition of adulterie that was before did more appeare to be a manifest truth and deseruedly too nothing in those dayes being more common than dispensations in an equall degree of kindred and neerer And if he loued her not but in the way of honestie what reason had he but to dispence with Mathilda too There is therefore one that speakes yet more freely Tractatus de vnit Eccl. conseruanda By this their frequent and familiar conuersation he ingendred a cruell suspition of dishonestie whilest he obserued not more carefully that diuine precept of Pope Lucius That a Bishop ought not at any time to be without the companie of two Priests and three Deacons as witnesses of his conuersation Which he should so much the more carefully haue obserued by how much the more seuerely he proceeded against lawfull matrimonie In this all Authors consent That Mathilda ruled both Pope and Popedome and by her the goods of the Church were administred Whereupon saith Benno Benno Cardin. in vita Hildeb Rome hath seene and heard how he liues with what persons day and night he conuerseth how he hath remoued the Cardinals from him who should be witnesses of his life and doctrine Neither was Sigonius ashamed to write Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Annales Godefrid Monachi That he appoynted
a place in Councels to Mathilda Doubtlesse the Monke Godfrey saith plainely That being circumuented by the Pope she gaue vnto S. Peter without the knowledge of the Magistrats and rulers the Marquisat of Ancona But as touching his publike life and gouernement Gerochus his follower Gerochus in vita Hildebrand who writ the historie of his life describes him to be verie obstinat and proud in his own conceit The Romans saith he vsurpe a diuine honour they will giue no reason of their actions neither can they endure it should be said vnto them Why doest thou this and they haue alwayes in their mouthes these Satyricall words Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I command For reason my will shall stand And that indeed was his humor according to the description of all writers Sigebert who writ of those times saith That by his example and by reason of his new decrees many things were done in the Church against all lawes diuine and humane and there arose in the Church by this occasiō Pseudomagistri false Doctors who by their prophane nouelties had diuerted the people from the discipline of the Church and that he excommunicated the Emperour for this very cause that the Peeres of the Realme should withstand their King being for iust cause excommunicated Againe that the Pope meeting the Emperour in Lumbardie vnder a false shew of peace absolued him For all they who had first abiured Hildebrand adding periurie to periurie abiure the Emperour and appoint Rodolph Duke of Burgundie their King the crowne being sent vnto him by the Pope Hereby we may easily gather what opinion he had of him Another saith He receiued for accusation of the King the writings of his enemies and thereupon excommunicated him Histor Saxonica in literis Henrici ad Hildebrand Benno Cardin. in vita Hildebrand And with what furie he was caried appeareth by that his Apothegme I will either die or take from thee thy life and kingdome But Cardinall Benno noteth the manifest iudgement of God As saith he he rose from his chaire to excommunicate the Emperour then newly made of strong timber by the sudden hand of God it was strangely torn into diuers peeces to giue all men to vnderstand how many horrible schismes by that dangerous excommunication and presumption he that sate in that chaire should sowe both against the Church of Christ and the Sea of S. Peter how cruelly he should dissipate the chaire of Christ trampling the lawes of the Church vnder his feet and bearing rule with power and austeritie And another saith From hence there arose a more than ciuile warre without respect of God or man the Diuine and humane lawes were corrupted without which neither the Church of God nor common-wealth could stand and the publike and Catholike faith is violated And if you aske them where the fault was they tell you speaking of the extraordinarie submission of Henrie to Gregorie Apologia Henrici that hee omitted nothing that might mollifie the heart of Gregorie and regaine his grace and fauour insomuch that at the last for a testimonie of his reconciliation he receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus at the hands of the Pope sits at table with him and so is sent backe in peace But the author addeth That peace which Iudas dissembled not which Christ left Insomuch that Leo Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens li. 3. Chron. Cassinen c. 48. who then flourished saith The businesse being brought to an end the Pope by the counsel of Mathilda sent one of his ouer the mountains with the crowne of the Empire to Rodolph persuading him to rebell against the Emperour And the letters whereby he incited him are yet to be read in the Historie of Saxonie Historia Saxonica Apologia Henrici yea some repeat his owne words Trouble not your selues saith he I restore him vnto you more faultie than before for the person of the King shal be more contemptible in his kingdome if satisfying he lay aside the ensignes of his kingdome and if without permission he resume his regal ornaments I shall haue the iuster cause to excommunicate him But of both the kings this is his iudgement Henry born brought vp in the kingdome by the ordinance of God succeeded his progenitors in the kingdome c. But Rodolph saith he was obedient to the Pope who had discharged him of his faith and allegiance and assured him that bearing armes against Henrie he could be no way condemned of periurie and disloialtie because being excommunicated he could be no longer King it being the dutie of all the faithfull in the Church to persecute and kill all those who fauouring Henrie the King excommunicated refuse to forsake him This was a new Doctrine saith the Authour neuer heard of before there being no other sword permitted in the Church Helmold in Historia Sclauorū c. 28. 29. 30. than that of the spirit which is the word of God But the iudgement of God acknowledged by Rodolph himselfe giues better satisfaction who being neere his end vsed this speech to some of his familiar friends You see heere my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henrie that I would neuer hurt him or hinder his glorie but the commaund of the Pope and request of the Bishops haue brought me to this that laying aside all respect of mine oath I should vsurpe an honour that was none of mine But what comes of it you now see In that hand which hath violated mine oath I am wounded to death Let those therefore consider hereof that haue prouoked vs hereunto how they haue led vs least perhaps we fall into the bottomlesse pit of eternall damnation And so with these wounds and great anguish of heart he departed this life The same author addeth that the Saxons gathering heart againe chose one Herman surnamed Cluffloch king who had conquered Henrie in the field Who by the iust iudgement of God entring victoriously into a Citie the Gate fell off the hinges and killed him and diuers others Whereupon the Saxons seeing their purposes frustrated they gaue ouer the creating of a new King or to beare armes any more against Henrie manifestly perceiuing that the kingdome was reserued vnto him by the approbation and permission of God himselfe What now remaineth but that we adde the confession of Gregorie himselfe alledged before by Sigebert and confirmed by Mathew Paris That by the instigation of the Diuell he had stirred vp wrath and reuenge against mankind I willingly here omit the contradictorie writing of this age with the replications and duplications of those that tooke part with Gregorie to maintaine his excommunication who say that a Pope excommunicated Chilperick King of Fraunce for his idlenesse and vnprofitable gouernement onely and established Pepin in his place That Kings are not lesse subiect to the key of Rome then the rest of his subiects for
are manifold you would as little spare him When he had vttered this with a loud voyce he said Verily I feare not to vndergoe death for the truth but I tell you in the word of our Lord that the omnipotent God will not pardon your impietie Yee are full of all vncleanenesse and goe to hell euen before the people that are committed to your charge God is the reuenger Platina in Honor 2. Sabell Ennead 9. l. 4. Platina saith that he was followed by many of the Roman Nobilitie as a Prophet and the true disciple of Christ But Sabellicus saith This wicked deed that was cōmitted by the Clergie defamed their whole order yet it was the fault but of a few for their licentious life was grown to that height that they could not endure wholesome admonitions And Honorius truely tooke it grieuously saith he but presently addeth caeterum questione abstinuit but the restrefrayneth to speake of By this the Reader may judge what his anger was Let vs here speake of that which is written touching Nordbertus An. 1125. who came to Honorius in the yeare 1125 for the confirmation of the order of Premonstre instituted by him who published that Antichrist was euen at hand and readie to bee reuealed S. Barnard writing to Gaufrid Bishoppe of Chartres saith Barnard Epist 56. ad Gaufr Carnotens Whereas not many dayes since I saw his face and from his heauenlie pipe that is to say his mouth I heard many thing yet this I neuer heard that he should go into Hierusalem But whē I did inquire what he thought of Antichrist he protested he knew most certaine that he should be reuealed in this present generation And hereupon it appeareth that this question was then verie frequent But saith he as I entreated him to declare vnto me from whence he had this certainetie as I gaue eare to his answer I thought I might not beleeue him neuertheles he affirmed that he should not die before he saw the general persecution of the Church which truely he saw not long after if he obserued it against them that were called the Waldenses and so bloudie and cruell as hardly was euer any But the mischiefe was That Antichrist walked about the Theatre of the world but so disguised as few knew him and they that did know him durst not speake ill of him Vrspergen Abbas an 1119. The Abbot of Vrsperge telleth vs of this Norbertus That he was at the Councell of Collen vnder Calixtus in the yeare 1119 where he was accused of all that were there touching many things whereof he wisely excused himselfe whereupon it is written of him That the hands of all these were against him and he against them all Vpon what occasion he sheweth not 46. PROGRESSION Of the factions in the Popedome betweene Innocent the second and Anaclet the second and how Innocent requited the Emperour Lotharius in defending him against Anaclet Of the militarie enterprise of Innocent against Roger Duke of Apulia and Calabria and the successe thereof BY the death of Honorius arose a great schisme in the Church of Rome the one part hauing chosen Gregorie the sonne of Guido who was named Innocent the second the other Peter the sonne of Peter Leo who was first consecrated and called Anaclet the second both citizens of Rome but Anaclet of the more honourable familie so that Innocent after he was consecrated by the Bishop of Ostia was constrained for his safetie to flie into the towers of the Frangepanes riuals of Piter Leo and at length to leaue the citie Anaclet in the meane time being possest of the Vatican and finding therein crownes cups crosses and crucifixes of gold siluer and other rich ornaments caused them to be molten and made into money to content those that were of his faction and followers And it is likely the other would haue done no lesse if he had had power and meanes according as the election of the Popes at these times were carried Innocent therefore imbarked himselfe with his Cardinals and came to Pisa and there excommunicated Anaclet and presently went into France and sent to King Lewis the Grosse declaring vnto him the equitie of his cause to be protected by him This was the occasion of the Councell of Estampes where our Bishops disputing with those of the Popes S. Bernard held for Innocent who at the same time was inuited by Legats to take his refuge in France For hauing S. Bernard on his side was a great helpe vnto him And our Frenchmen were willing to bind the Pope vnto them who for a good turne receiued might afterward requite them in Italie There was also by chance at the same time in France Vincent l. 27. c. 6. Bernard vita l. 2. c. 1. Suggerus Abbas in vita Ludouici Grossi Henrie the first King of England whom Bernard persuadeth in the behalfe of Innocent against the opinion of all his Bishops through whose persuasion he went to Chartres to meet him Then both the Popes indeuored to defend each others part but Anaclet thundered his Excommunications at Rome against Innocent and his partakers Innocent at Clermont and Rheimes did the like against him and his followers And moreouer in Italie the Princes of the Normans defended the faction of Anaclet for he had bound Roger with a new benefit Leo Hostiens seu Petrus Diaconus l. 4. c. 99. in giuing him the title of a King and Anselme also Archbishop of Milan with all the Bishops of Lombardie his Suffragans And as on the one side S. Bernard defended Innocent so Anaclet was authorised by Sinaretus Abbot of Mont Cassin and all those of his Order who were of great authoritie especially in Italie where it was a question of holding his seat at Rome Innocent therefore in the yeare 1132 An. 1132. endeuoured to procure an enteruiew and conference betweene him and the Emperour Lotharius at Liege where according to the example of Charls and Otho the Great he requested him to take vpon him the protection of the Church A thing which he willingly yeelded vnto but vpon condition That the inuesting of Bishops which the Church of Rome had taken away from his predecessor Henrie should be restored vnto him At which word Vita Bernardi l. 2. c. 1. saith the Author of the life of S. Bernard the Romans were amazed and waxed verie pale thinking they had incountred greater danger at Liege than they had auoided at Rome vntill S. Bernard whom he had alwayes neere vnto him caused Lotharius to change his opinion telling him That it stood not with his generous mind to make a benefit of the diuision of the Church because it was a thing that could not be done without much slaughter and bloud Wherefore Lotharius was therewith content Vrspergens in Lothario so that he would promise him to crowne him Emperor so soone as he should be reestablished in the See at Rome Then Lotharius came into Italie in the yeare 1133
Iudas from one sonne of perdition to another In the Sermon of the conuersion of Saint Paul Jdem in sermone de Conuersione B. Paulâ— speaking to the people Ah ah Lord God they are the first in persecuting thee which seeme to loue Primacie and beare chiefe sway in the Church They haue possessed the fort of Sion they haue seised vpon the strong places and afterward liberè potestatiuè freely and with full power haue set the whole citie on fire Miserable is their conuersation and miserable the subuersion of thy people and would to God they did hurt in this part alone c. The last of their thought is the saluation of soules Can there be any greater persecution to the Sauiour of soules Others doe also wickedly against Christ and there are many Antichrists in our times yet by good right he esteemeth more cruell and more grieuous the persecution that he suffereth of his owne Ministers c. These things Christ seeth and is silent these things the Sauiour suffereth and dissembleth and therefore it is necessarie also that we dissemble them and in the meane time be silent chiefely of our Prelats and Masters of Churches Neither let them thinke here to escape by saying That this is meant of schismaticall Popes hee speaketh of the same whom he acknowledged Thy friends said hee before and thy neighbours haue drawne neere and set themselues against thee It seemeth that the whole world of Christian people haue conspired against thee from the least euen to the greatest from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head is not any soundnesse Iniquitie hath proceeded from the Elders and Iudges from thy Vicars which seeme to gouerne thy people note thy Vicars Vita Bernard l. 2. c. 8. In his Sermons vpon the Canticles which the Author of his life witnesseth to haue beene written after the death of Anaclet when Innocent was established at Rome after he had spoken of the diuers temptations of the Church by persecution which the Martyrs haue ouercome by heresie Bernard in Cantic serm 33. which the Doctors haue conuinced Behold saith he our times through Gods fauour are free from them both but wholly defamed with the businesse that walketh in the darke Woe be to this generation for the leuen of the Pharises which is hypocrisie if notwithstanding it may be called hypocrisie which now for the aboundance thereof cannot be hid and for the impudencie thereof seeketh not to be hid A stinking Vlcer creepeth in these dayes throughout all the bodie of the Church being the more desperat by how much the more it is spread abroad and the more inward it is the more dangerous For if an open enemie should rise against her he might be cast out and there wither if a vioolent enemie she might perhaps hide her selfe from him But now whom shall shee cast out or from whom shall she hide her self All are friends namely in shew and all are enemies all are necessarie and all domestike and none are peaceable all neighbours and yet all seeke their own Could he more significantly expresse vnto vs this disease spread ouer al the bodie of the Church this running canker feeding vpon al the substance therof But he proceedeth further They are the ministers of Christ serue Antichrist They go honoured with the goods of the Lord and giue no honor vnto the Lord thence is as you daily see meretricius nitor that whorish glittering that apparell of stage players that royall furniture gold on bridles sadles and spurres and spurres do shine more than Altars c. It is for these they will be heads of Churches Deanes Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops For all these are not giuen to desert but to that worke which walketh in darknesse in hipocrisie long ago this was foretold and now is come the time of the accomplishment Behold how in peace my bitternesse is most bitter Bitter before in the death of Martyrs more bitter after in the conflict of heretikes now most bitter of all in the maners of domestikes The Church can neither put them to flight nor auoid them so great is their force so much are they multiplied aboue number The wound of the Church is inward and incurable and therefore in peace the bitternesse thereof is most bitter But in what peace It is both peace and no peace peace from Pagans and peace from heretikes but not from children The voice of her that lamenteth in these times I haue nourced children and brought them vp and they haue despised me They haue despised and defiled me with their filthie life with their dishonest gaine and commerce and lastly with that businesse that walketh in darkenesse It remaineth that now should come forth that Daemon of Mid-day for to seduce if there be yet any residue in Christ abiding yet in simplicitie for he hath deuoured the flouds of the Wise and the streames of the mightie hee trusteth that he can draw vp Iordan into his mouth that is Iob. 40. the simple and humble which are in the Church There rested but the name and here it presently followeth Ipse eâ—im est Antichristus For this is very Antichrist who will vant himselfe not only to be the day but the mid-day will exalt himselfe against all that is called God 2. Thes 2. or that is worshipped whom the Lord Iesus shall slay with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming as he that is the true and eternall mid-day the Bridgroome and Aduocate of the Church For to whom may this last clause be referred but to the Pope distributer of all the dignities abouesaid head of all that commerce which he calleth the businesse of darkenesse In his 77 sermon of the Pastours of his time Whence thinkest thou aboundeth vnto them that great abundance Jn Cantic serm 77. glittering of apparell c. but from the goods of the Spouse Hence it is that she is left poore and needy and naked with a face to be pitied vnhandsome vndressed blood-les For this is not at this day to adorne the Spouse but to despoile her this is not to keepe her but to lose her not to defend but to abandon her not to institute but to prostitute her this is not to feed the flocke but to kill and deuour it c. Wherefore let vs leaue thâ—se which find not the Spouse but which sell her c. All would be successours but few imitatours c. It sufficeth not our watchmen that they keepe vs not vnlesse also they lose vs. Out of which we may thinke what opinion he henceforth had of them In his sixt sermon vpon the 91 Psalme where he testifieth that he wrote those sermons after his other on the Canticles that is after the Schisme was abolished what before hee there had spoken of Antichrist hee now here taketh vp againe almost in the same words Then proceeding Bernard in Psal 91. Serm. 6. 7.
his permission That Clerkes accused of any crime being aduertised by the Kings Iustice may come to the place appointed and answere for themselues That the Archbishops Bishops may not depart the realm without the Kings licence and without taking an oth to do nothing either in going staying or returning to his preiudice That the Archbishops Bishops and others who hold of the King in Capite and haue their possessions of the King should answere to the Iustices after the same manner as the Lords and Barons of the realme The vacation of a Church hapning the King sending for the principall persons thereof commandeth them to make choise of a successour in his Chappell with his consent and the Councell of the realme in whose presence the man chosen shall doe homage and loyaltie to the King as to his liege Lord of his life his body and of his worldly preferment except his order and that before he be consecrated and to this are sworne all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earles Barons and the Nobilitie of the realme viua voce in the word of truth to obserue towards the King and his successours for euer Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie who was the first that had taken this oth within few daies after being corrupted by Alexander the third who in a Councell held at Tours placed him vpon his right hand requested his absolution whom Alexander soone discharged both of the oth and the sinne But this is to be noted that the thing that vrged him most was That they of the Clergie that were taken in publico Flagitio in publike wickednesse by the Kings officers might bee deliuered to the Bishop without any punishment inflicted vpon them contrarie to that order the King had ordained that those whom the Bishops themselues should find faultie ought to be degraded in the presence of his officers and afterward be deliuered to the Kings Court to be punished But Thomas did heere exclaime that this was to be punished twice for one and the same thing that is to say degraded by the Bishop and punished by secular authoritie Now good Reader hee that dies for such a cause is he a Saint or a Martyr For what wickednesse will not a man iustifie if only degrading may discharge the punishment Now Thomas hauing wrought with al the Bishops of England his suffragans to renounce their allegiance without the kings knowledge passed the sea towards Alexander into France who from time to time delaied his answere vnto him fearing to offend the King his affaires then hanging but in a wauering and doubtfull manner but as the authour saith pensans periculosa tempora weighing the dangerous times granted to the Archbishop of Yorke by a Bull the office of Legat Insomuch that Thomas displeased with these delayes writing to the Archbishop of Mence Epist Thomae Cantuariens ad Archiepisc Moguntin thus complaineth Matrem Romam factam esse meritricem pro mercede prostitutam Our mother Rome is become a harlot and prostituted to whosoeuer will giue most From this wee may gather what the other Bishops of England might say when Thomas his pretended Martyr had spoken in this sort Now of this Henrie the second whom Thomas had wilfully made his aduersarie Peter of Blois Archdeacon of Bath and Chancellour of Canterburie writing to Gualterus Bishop of Palerme hath left vs this worthie testimonie No man saith he is more wise and subtill in counsell in speech more vehement more carelesse in dangers nor more constant and resolute in aduersitie c. hauing alwaies in his hands either a bow a sword or a iauelin except sitting in counsell or busie at his booke for whensoeuer he had any respite from his important and waightie affaires spent his time in priuate studie and reading or in arguing with learned men his daily life is as if it were a Schole of learning in dissoluing continually difficult questions None more mild than he in speech more temper at in eating more moderat in drinking more bountifull in gifts more liberall in almes c. Our King is peaceable victorious in warre glorious in peace c. None more gentle and meeke to the afflicted more gratious and affable to the poore none more seuere to the proud for he euer studied as it were by an image of diuinitie to beat downe the hauty and proud minded to raise the oppressed and continually to persecute the swelling loftinesse of pride c. But when according to the custome of the realme he had in elections the greatest and most powerfull part neuerthelesse hee would haue his hands euer free from all partiality and corruption For the death of this Thomas who procured his wrath through so many mischiefes and iniuries I tell you saith he in the word of our Lord and by the faith and order of a Deacon that in my conscience he was no way culpable or guilty thereof And thus much the Lord Theodinus Bishop of Port and the Lord Albert Chauncellor who came hether as Legats to examine the truth and haue knowne and reported his innocency can affirme c. which Legats after a canonicall purgation by the commandement of the Pope pronounced him cleare of this crime before God and the World Notwithstanding these Legats made benefit as the manner is of the rebellion of Henrie his sonne through certaine words that he had vttered in some choler whereby the authours of his death were emboldened to attempt the life of the said Thomas who inforced him to purchase his absolution with the hurt of his kingdome abolishing those customes that were brought in against the liberties of the Church and approuing all appellations to the sea of Rome and all this for the remission of his sinnes Mathew Paris discoursing of this Historie Math. Paris in Henr. 2. giueth vs to vnderstand by certaine circumstances that it was the pride of Alexander or at least his Legats The King and the Archbishop saith he being come to Freteuall to be reconciled they twice descended their horses and as often mounted againe and both these times the King held the raines of the Bishops bridle What dutie would the Pope haue looked for when so much was done to his Legat Againe though the King alwaies protested that he neuer commanded nor willed nor by any deuise sought the death of Thomas neuerthelesse because through some of his own words not aduisedly spoken these murtherers had taken occasion thereby to kill him this proud beast inforst him asking his absolution to submit his naked skin to the punishment of the whip and that all the religious people there assembled being a great multitude should euery man giue him three or fiue lashes which the King miserably bewitched by those Romish sorceries submitteth himselfe vnto The saying of one Gratian the Popes Legat is worth the noting in this cause to the King of England who had said somewhat vnto him in threatning manner Sir saith he threaten vs not we feare no threatnings for we
sufficient for euery man if he confesse his sinnes priuatly to God That Baptisme ought to be done with common water without the mixture of oyle That Churchyards haue been inuented for gaine for the earth is all one euery where to burie in That the world is the temple of God and that they that builded Churches Monasteries and Oratories would reduce the maiestie of God into a narrow strait as if a man should find his diuine goodnesse more propitious there than else where That the Priests vestments that ornaments of the altar robes caps Chalices dishes and other the like vessels are little worth and of no moment That a Priest in what place or time soeuer may consecrate the body of Christ and administer the same to others vsing only the words of the institution of the Sacrament That it is in vaine to implore the fauour of Saints who raigne in heauen with Christ who can no way helpe That a man loseth his time in singing or saying his Canonicall houres That no day a man may cease from his labour except the Sunday and not the feasts of Saints That to obserue the fasts ordained by the Church is of no merit Which opinions the Author who had looked more inwardly into them carried by that malice he bare towards them setteth downe maliciously ynough in his owne words but being rightly vnderstood nothing differed from the true doctrine if distinctly set downe as well in their confession as in ours At the least they free themselues from their false accusations which charge them with errours against the due obedience to Magistrats and against a lawfull oath and diuers others mentioned by Rainerius And much more they defend themselues from the sorceries or diuinations by lots which the malice of the time had blazed abroad although sorcerers wicked persons were and also are in diuers Prouinces called Waldenses and from that putting out of candles to commit whoredome one with another auncient subtilties of the diuel to defame the first Christians and by him renewed againe when it pleased God to send the light of the Gospell Frederick the second therefore in the costitutions which he made against them accused them not but for seperating themselues from the Church of Rome and from the ceremonies and seruices thereof without imputing any other crime vnto them Petrus de Vineis li. 1. c. 25.26.27 as appeareth in the Epistles of Peter of Vineis his Chancelor And also Claudius Seisellienses Archbishop a man of great credit vnder Lewis the twelfth although he had written a booke expresly against them he acknowledgeth them to be a good people vpright and honest innocent and irreprehensible in their conuersation and obseruations of the commandement of God Notwithstanding they were excommunicated by Iohn de Bellamaine Archbishop of Lyon at the commaundement of Alexander the third and soone after were summoned to the Councel of Lateran but they would not appeare because they knew they should haue the Pope both their judge and aduersarie Guido de Perpinian pag. 79. de haeresibus Whereupon he proceeded against them with all persecutions as warres slaughter spoils massacres and whosoeuer could most cruelly pursue them obtained forgiuenesse of all their sinnes But at length through the great prouidence of God it came to passe that through their dissipation and scattering abroad were gathered together a great number of Churches ouer all Europe as shall bee hereafter declared We may adde That some writers of this Age albeit aduersaries tell vs that there was held a conference at Realmont among the Albienses where disputed on their side Ponticus Iordanus Arnoldus Aurisanus Arnoldus Otho Philibertus Caslienus and Benedictus Thermensis On the other side Peter de Castro nouo a Monk of the order of the Cistertians and the Popes Legat and also Rodolphus deputed by the Pope Didacus Bishop of Erenenses and Dominicus a Canon of the same Church both Spaniards And there were chosen as Arbitrators two of the Nobilitie Bernard of Villa noua and Bernard of Arre and of the Comminaltie Raimond Godeus and Arnold Riberia There they say Guilielm de Podio Laurentij Noguier en l'historie Tolouse that these Doctors of the Waldenses did constantly affirme That the Church of Rome was not the holie Church nor the spouse of Christ but a Church polluted with the doctrine of the diuell and that Babylon whom S. Iohn describeth in his Apocalyps the mother of fornications and abhominations ouerwhelmed and drowned in the bloud of Saints That the Masse was not instituted by Christ nor his Apostles but a humane inuention and many the like things and so departed not agreeing vpon any thing 49. PROGRESSION The contentions and seuerall differences betweene the Emperour Frederick Pope Lucius the third Of the voiage to the Holie Land by the Emperour and the Christian Princes for the recouerie of Hierusalem from the Souldan with the death of the said Emperour and of the troubles that afterward arose to his sonne Henrie The solemnitie and manner of the coronation of the Emperour ALexander the third held the seat two and twentie yeares which happeped to few either before or since and in all this time it fell out so happily for him that the Antipopes liued not long so that by these mutations he aduanced not a little his owne affaires Foure the one after the other had opposed themselues against him whereof euerie one being entred the throne labored with new slights either to doe or vndoe The onely power of Frederick made head against him being often disturbed as wel in Germany as in Italie through the rebellions which Alexander had stirred vp against him whereby the cities and Princes tooke occasion vnder the colour of his Ecclesiasticall reformations to reuolt Neither did the ambition of his sonne Henrie lesse troble him who at what price soeuer would be King of Italie yet feared least the death of his father then engaged in the Popes warres might surprise him in that estate and so much the rather because the Popes seemed to be Arbitrators of the greatest part of the Empire of Italie Alexander therefore being dead and Hubald Cardinall of Ostia named Lucius the third elected in his place according to the order decreed in the Councell of Lateran by the Cardinalls onely without the consent of the Clergie and the people Henrie to persuade his father to be at peace with Italie omitted no meanes or opportunitie whatsoeuer but first of all remouing all lets procured the friendship of Lucius the third who hauing a desire to gratifie the citie of Lucca where he was borne Frederick at his request soone granted that no other money should be currant through all Tuscane Marchia Romania and Campania but that which should be coyned in Lucca in the Emperours name Lucius in the meane time did no better agree with the Romans than his predecessors who when hee sought to put downe the Consuls they cruelly chastising his faction and threatning himselfe worse
rash headlong and that by a Frier of Marpurg of the Order of Preachers who had beene appoynted by the Apostolike See generall Inquisitor of heretikes For as one writeth the same day that any man was accused whether iustly or vniustly no refuge of any Appeale or defence being able to helpe him he was condemned and cast into the cruell flames And a little before speaking of the great number of them discouered in Germanie Italie and principally in Lombardie he saith They which had beene taken at Strasbourg confessed openly before all the people and Clergie that the number of them was so great that if any of them were to goe from Cologne to Milan hee should find euerie night by the way an hoast of their sect and that they had little tokens about the doores of their houses and roofes whereby they knew how to find the dwellings of their complices Now he ascribeth vnto them the enormities aboue refuted but I pray you who wil beleeue that they would voluntarily vndergo the fire for such things None other truly but monks could write these things whom no man hardly wil be found so sottish as to beleeue At length saith Trithemius this Conrade hauing made himselfe hatefull to all both noble and ignoble especially for that hee persecuted the Earle of Seine falsely defamed of heresie he was slaine not farre from Marpurge notwithstanding his safe conduct by certaine gentlemen who had found no place of pardon or fauour with him Whereas we said that they were principally in Lombardie let vs adde thereto the testimonie of an Author of those times though an aduersarie In all the cities saith he of Lombardie and in other kingdomes and lands they had many Auditors and disputed in publike and called the people to solemne stations in a hall and in the field and preached on the tops of houses There was none that durst hinder them by reason of the power and multitude of their fauourers I haue beene often present at the Inquisition and at their examination and there hath beene reckoned vp fortie Churches infected with their heresie and in one onely Parish of Cammach were ten scholes of heretikes And this so notable an opposition happened in the time of the Councell of Lateran so famous for new inuentions and of Innocent the third whom they are woont in all qualities to compare with Hildebrand 51. PROGRESSION The voyage of Frederick the Emperour to the Holie Land and of the affaires and accidents there with the wicked practises of Pope Gregorie the ninth against him in his absence of the tumults factions in Italie stirred vp by the said Gregorie Of his malicious mind towards the Emperor and how he procured his owne sonne to rebell against him Of Innocent the fourth that he deposed the Emperor Frederick and corrupted diuers of his own domestike seruants to poyson him Of the death of the said Emperor and of his great vertue magnanimitie and prudence FRederick the second being sometimes brought vp vnder Innocent the third Apud Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 7. inter literas Frederici 2. quae apud Bononiens seruantur as soone as he came to the Empire found as little courtesie at the hands of Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth and Innocent the fourth as his grandfather and father Henrie and Frederick the first had found before at the hands of their predecessors For when as purposing with himselfe to goe into Italie in the yere 1220 he had sent before Conradus Bishop of Spires his Chancellor with a large commission Honorius construing this as an alarme and much distasting the tenor of his commission wherein he stiled himselfe King of the Romans and Sicilia directing the same to all Prelats Marquesses and Earles in Lombardie Romaniola Tuscan and throughout all Italie and declaring thereby That he had sent before Conradus his Lieutenant Bishop of Spires and Chancellor of the Empire to take fealtie of them and other rights belonging to him without appeale to any other was so exceedingly offended thereat the rather for that Conradus in his proceedings tearmed himselfe Fredericks Lieutenant generall throughout all Italie that he sought by all meanes hee could to crosse Fredericks voyage into Italie For they of Milan by the persuasion of Honorius shut the gates of the citie against him and other cities by his procurement did the like But he setting light by them passeth on to Rome commaunding the embassadours of the cities to follow him thither Now because it was not safe for Honorius to refuse the coronation of Frederick who was readie to take the accustomed oath he wrested another oath from him That by a day limited he should make a voyage to the Holie Land desiring nothing more than to keepe him farre from Italie Frederick therefore making a step into Sicilia settles that kingdome and leauing Conradus in Italie returnes into Germanie where he spent two yeares much to the Popes discontentment But in this interim Iohannes Bremensis king of Ierusalem comes to Rome desiring aid and succour from the Pope to support the declining state of the Christians in Syria The Pope embracing this opportunitie persuades Iohn to tender Yolanda his daughter vnto Frederick and to giue him with her in mariage the kingdome of Hierusalem vpon condition that he should vndertake to recouer the same from the Infidels which Frederic accepted of requiring only two yeres respite for setling the state of Lombardie This was concluded on vpon paine of excommunication which was presently denounced by the Cardinals and should actually take effect vpon Fredericks breach of couenant Now whilest Frederick for the setling of the affaires of Lombardie had assembled the Estates and to that end had sent for his sonne Henrie out of Germanie the confederat cities of Lombardie growing jealous hereof and thereupon combining themselues in a straiter league against Frederick stopt the passage of Henrie and increast their forces Honorius himselfe did much mislike hereof foreseeing that Frederick would hereby excuse the delay of his voyage to the Holie Land and at this time in the yeare 1227 died Honorius and Cardinall Hugoline An. 1227. called Gregorie the ninth succeeded him who without any respect doth so presse Frederick as he commaunds all those of the Croysado to bee readie at Brundusium on the day of the Assumption where he presently imbarkes his whole armie but falling sicke after three dayes sailing returned backe againe not without some losse of his fleet and forces Whereupon Gregorie would admit no excuse but complained to all Princes That Frederick was conuicted of periurie by breach of his contract made with Honorius therefore stood ipso facto excommunicated On the other side Frederick excused himselfe by his letters yet extant in Vrsperge complaining much that the Pope refused to giue audience to the Cardinall of Brundusium whom he sent of purpose to the Councell to make his defence Collenutius ex Ricobalâ— l. 4. It is not my purpose here to justifie
conferred vpon Charles on this condition That he should pay 40000 crownes yearely in token of homage which he reserued to himselfe as also further that he should not accept of the Roman Empire though it were imposed vpon him Collen l. 4. Charles therefore went forward into Apulia the Bishop of Constance who was Clements Legat accomganying him Giuing plenarie remission of sinnes to those that should take vp armes for Charles Neere to Beneuento he discomfited Manfred in battell who was there slaine by meanes of which victorie he presently after secured to himselfe the kingdome and did no little reuiue the factions of the Guelphes and Popes which before were prostrat and troden vnder feet ouer all Italie But the Gibellines on the other side rousing themselues vp called Conrade Fredericks nephew commonly named Conradinus out of Germanie to oppose Charles He in the later end of the yeare 1267 comming to Verona about the beginning of the Spring he went forward into Apulia and so being proclaimed Emperour by all the Gibelline faction not farre from Arezzo he by the way defeated part of Charls his forces and then going to Rome ouerslipping the Pope that lay at Viterbe he was with general voyce and acclamation receiued by all the people But not long after joyning battell with Charles in the confines of the kingdome vpon the first charge he put his armie to flight but while his men were attentiue on bootie and spoyle Charles reenforcing the fight obtained victorie and himselfe with the chiefest of his nobles being driuen to flie he fell into his enemies hands And here Clements pastorall mercie and commiseration plainely appeared Sigonius glauncingly vseth these words Conradine by Charles commaund and definitiue sentence Collen l. 4. was put to death like an ordinarie theefe because by armes he made claime to his fathers and grandfathers kingdome The Princes are at great variance amongst themselues vpon ambiguous title But the Neapolitan Historiographer and some others write freely That after Charls had kept him a whole yeare in prison he consulted with the Pope what should be done with him who briefly made this answer Conradines life is Charles his death and Conradines death is Charles his life Collen l. 4. Hist Neapolitano vnderstanding by this that he was to be put to death The Historiographer obserues That diuers of the French Nobilitie could not be brought to condescend vnto this sentence but especially the Earle of Flanders Charles his sonne in law who thought it fitter to set him at libertie and haue him obliged by some matrimoniall affinitie whose opinion the nobler sort were of especially those who were free from preiudicat passions but saith he the more cruell sentence tooke place Neither certainly hapned this to omit the law of Nations without some super-humane instinct for besides the Vespers or Sicilian Euen-song which tooke publike reuenge hereof Charles Prince of Salerno sonne to the aboue mentioned Charles hauing thirtie gallies ouerthrowne himselfe with a number of other Nobles was taken and with nine other kept close prisoners and two hundred other gentlemen had their heads cut off at Messina others also that were in durance in a popular tumult who set fire on euerie part of the prison in contempt of the Popes excommunication were burned together in the same flame And the Ciuilians of the kingdome assuming a president from the proceeding against Conradine sat in triall vpon Charles the like sentence execution he had vndergone but onely for Queene Constantia wife to Peter king of Aragon a Ladie of singular prudence and pietie who vnder pretext of conueying him into Catalogna to the king preuented this intended just reuenge for which she purchased amongst all men immortall praise and commendations To returne to our former subject Charles caused Conradine being scarce eighteene yeares of age to be beheaded in the publique market place of Naples who called God to witnesse of the injurie and injustice done vnto him herein and so throwing his gloues vp into the ayre he denounced Frederick of Castile his aunts sonne heire and successour to his kingdomes Henricus Guldelfingensis in Historia Austriaca In his view and sight Frederick Duke of Austria his inward familiar and equall in yeres had his head cut off that by his death he might the more be daunted and terrified which he tooke vp and kissed then after him eleauen other noble men Italians and Sueuians The Historiographer adds that Charles would needs haue the executioners head chopt off in the place by an other appointed to performe this office because he might not hereafter boast of the cutting off his head who was discended from so illustrious a familie as also that the Count of Flaunders in a rage slew him with his owne hand that had pronounced the sentence All Christendome held this wicked deed in most odious detestation especially all the Princes in that they remembred how king S. Lewis and this Charles his brother being taken prisoners not long before by the Souldan in Palestina were curteously and friendly entertayned And from hence it proceeds that Peter of Aragon exprobrateth to Charles in some letters of his Tu Nerone Neronior Saracenis crudelior thou art more bloudie than Nero and more cruell than the Saracens There was not any one which ascribed not this crueltie in the greatest part to Clement and the verie sentence it selfe denounced against Conradinus may testifie as much Apud Pertam de Vineis which was For disturbing the peace of the Church and falsly vsurping to himself the Royal title But I pray you was not his right good enough for the clayming of this title Furthermore we haue the same Clements owne letters that is to say the letters of this Charles king of Sicilie to Peter of Aragon ordained and deuised saith the Author by Pope Clement the fourth wherein he proudly threatens Peter of Aragon being backt by this Pope that sought to obtaine the kingdome of Naples by armes Thou most wicked man saith he didst thou not consider the inexplicable excellencie of the mother the Church who is to commaund ouer all Nations and whom the whole earth and all the people in the same doe obey Shee it is whom land Sea and skies obey worship and resound to whom all that liue vnder her Sun are bound with stooping heads to pay due duties and tribute So as he exprobrated cast him in the teeth with Conradines death for a terror to himself of whom notwithstanding he shamed not to say that he had wel deserued who being taken in fight like a theef by the just sentence of death had deserued the gibbet yet he permitted him to vndergoe the stroak of cruel death by the sword of a bloudy heads-man presaging vnto him also the same ruin which sounded not like the stile of a king or prince descended of the French royal race but of the Popes of these present times of the same vnclement Clement And thus much
any proportion which yet had beene too much but simply properly absolutely But if Bellarmine here say Bellarm. de Romano Pontific l. 2. c. 31. Bern. Epist 237. ad Eugenium That Gregorie did this but as he was Christs Vicar I aske him Whether he euer so much as heard that if a Princes embassadour contract any matrimonie in his Masters name he calls himselfe the Bridegroome or if he could doe this without committing an hainous offence Or how can hee in thus doing auoid S. Bernards reprehension who forbids Pope Eugenius this tytle but rather that he should take heed of S. Iohns Prophesie in assuming to himselfe such blasphemous titles Thomas de Corsellis apud Aenean Syâ—uium 7 Comentar de Concil Basiliens Questionlesse Thomas de Corsellis speakes not so in the Councell of Basil We said saith hee that the Church was Christs spouse and the Pope wee know is his Vicar but no bodie substitutes a Vicar in such a sort as that hee will submit his spouse vnto him nay the spouse in matters very important may be thought to haue more authoritie than the Vicar whereas she and her husband haue but one bodie but so it stands not betweene the Vicar and his Lord. This Gregorie died about the beginning of the yeare 1276 whom Peter of Tarento succeeded that was Bishop of Ostia of the Order of Predicants being nominated Innocent the fift and about fiue moneths after Otho Fliscus a Genoway came to the Papacie after this man also who was called Adrian the fift he being chosen at Rome in king Charles his presence who was created and chosen Senator of that citie This manner of election was no wayes pleasing to the Cardinals because their authoritie herein seemed to be somewhat impaired Presently after his comming to the Papacie he departed to Viterbe the better to abate Charles his power and greatnesse for extenuation whereof he sent for the Emperour Rodulphus into Italie to oppugne and make head against Charles who being formerly solicited by Gregorie had promised to come And here the Reader may easily judge whether he was not wonderfully transported with this affaire that hauing occupied the chaire Pontificall but eleuen dayes onely and not yet being fully consecrated he studied and deuised how to supplant Charles Platina in Adriano 5. Neither were the Cardinals satisfied with that forme of Conclaue instituted by Gregorie the which was not obserued in the election of his successor nor likewise of this present Pope but contrariwise it was reuoked by Adrian in the small time he liued by an expresse Bull published to that end that so by this means all ambition and practise might be cut off and all means of attaining to the place by bribes gifts that so they might rather chuse to create the Pope by bandie and partialitie When therefore this Bull could not stand in force and vigor by reason it was made before his consecration Iohn the 22 who succeeded him presently confirmed the same And hereupon Nicholas the third Martine the fourth Honorius the fourth Nicholas the fourth and Celestinus the fift were elected without Conclaue Whereby you may plainly discerne how inconstant the spirit is that leads and directs them Iohn treads his predecessors foot-steps though he was but a foolish and vnworthie man Platina in Johan 22. Bringing as they say more detriment than either honor or profit to the Papacie and therefore hee importuned Rodulphus to come into Italie But hee eâ—cused himselfe through the warre he had in hand with the king of Bohemia and Iohn in the second yere of his Papacie died at Viterbe being by the fal of a vault crushed to death Vpon this occasion the Cardinals returned to Rome and now likewise Charles discharging the Senators place of the citie carried greatest sway in the election who labouring but in vaine that some French man might be nominated after much altercation Platina Stella in Nichol. 3. Machiauel hist. Flor. l. 3. the sixt month after Iohn Vrsinus was chosen being afterwards called Nicholas the third who was a man full of ambition and insolencie for so he is deciphered by Machiauel and he impatiently supporting Charles his so great power he instantly propounded to him how behouefull it was that Rodulph should come into Italie and so from thence to passe by sea into Palestina which otherwise could by no meanes be succoured and releeued also That Tuscan was vnder the jurisdiction of the Empire and except it were restored againe to Rodulphus he would make this serue for him as a just excuse Vnder this pretext therefore he took away from him Tuscan which his predecessors had conferred vpon him by way of Vicariate as also at Rome in that he could not endure to see him a Senator of such soueraigne authoritie he excited his fauouries against him laboring to be chosen Senator himselfe And thus deposing Charles he alone discharged both the Pontificall and Senatorian dignities Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. He furthermore ordained That no King Prince or any other borne of royall stocke or otherwise of any high eminent dignitie should be preferred to the Senatorship and that the citie vnder no title or office whatsoeuer might not be gouerned by any one for aboue the terme of a yere without his speciall fauour and permission And thus the Sueuian familie being wholly extinct in that he could the more easily forbeare his amitie he now began to tread Charles vnder foot For Rodulph he heard that he had businesse ynough in Germany without attempting any thing in Italie in whose mouth the saying was verie frequent Vestigia Italiam adeuntium videre se non cernere redeuntiuÌ„ He saw the steps of those that entred into Italie but not of such as came well out againe Wherfore out of this confidence he so much the more vrged him seeming to be verie angrie with his delayes but especially in that he prepared not himselfe for a voyage to Ierusalem the which was wont to be a common pretext for excommunicating of the Emperors Rodulph therefore not minding to loose a certaine substance for a greater shadow Martinus Polonus in Chron. ad an 1277. Platina in Nichol 3. Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. Stella ibid. that he might be freed from this burden he peaceably surrendred and confirmed vnto Nicholas the possession of all Romania vpon this condition That taking Tuscan out of Charles his hands he should restore it vnto him Which being done Nicholas created Bertold Vrsine his brother Count of Romania furnishing him with an armie wherwith to recouer those towns that were held by the Gibellines He also allotted another armie to Franciscus Latinus his sisters sonne being Bishop of Ostia with the same to scoure ouer all Tuscan the Marquisat and Lombardie And thus he disposed of the greater part of Italie Martinus and Platina say That if death had not preuented him hee was minded to haue made two kings of his name one of Tuscan
contemners of ordinarie Pastors and their supplanters creepers into royall chambers and adulterators of confessions as they that roaming ouer vnknowne Prouinces administred a libertie and boldnesse of sinning All these complaints being heard the Pope commaunded that this new booke which they called The eternall Gospell should secretly and with as little scandall as could be to the Friers be burnt with some other inuentions which were said to proceed from Ioachims erronious braine This execution therefore was closely and priuily performed and with as little scandall as possible might be to the Friers through the speciall diligence of Cardinall Hugo and the Bishop of Messina both which were of the Predicant Order so as this tumult at that time ceased and slept The opinions of this Gospell were these That God the Father raigned vnder the Law and the Sonne vnder Grace but by the rising of the foure Orders Mendicants the holie Ghost began then to raigne and so should doe while the end of the world and that from this time forward they onely should be saued that beleeued in this new Gospell That Christs Gospell was not true perfect nor sufficient to saluation as also his Sacraments were of little esteeme but if this new one were compared with that it as farre exceeded it as the Sunne doth the Moone and so consequently that the Church which should be grounded on this new Gospell would in the same proportion excell the other precedent The authors notwithstanding of these inuentions which were to be extirpated the Pope did tollerat and support because any thing whatsoeuer seemes just and equall to them so it make for their prerogatiue and power and they were afraid especially least these their hucksters should grow out of grace with the people by whose tongues and talons so much good bootie and spoyle came vnto their hands Wherefore that same William of S. Amors one of wonderful estimation amongst good men both preached writ against them declaring in his sermons That he affected aboue all other crimes to be zealous in discouering of hypocrisie because this brought more damage and preiudice to true pietie than all the other besides as also in that the Church was now ouergrowne with the same sinne and no bodie for feare of the Pope and Prelats durst lay hand to the irradication of it Amongst others wee read at this day a booke of his intituled De periculis mundi seu nouissimorum temporum which begins thus Quia nos vacantes sacris Scripturis Matth. Paris in libro de Antichristo c. printed at Basil in the yeare 1555 and no wayes to be suspected of falsitie seeing Mathew Paris in a great volume that he writ against Antichrist comprehends the same wholly and entirely ascribing it to the Vniuersitie of Paris and this questionlesse because it was made and publisht by authoritie thereof especially in that hee alwayes speakes in the Plurall number In which booke he conuinceth them That they preached vnsent or at least without a Mission canonicall against and contrarie to the veritie of the sacred Scriptures and fraudulently concealing that which should most principally be deliuered That they crept into houses and insinuated into the peoples priuities by confessions Gulielmus de Sancto Amore lib. de periculis mundi edito Basileae An. 1555. whom by this means they bring vnder their power the easier to commaund and rule them And they call themselues Generall aiders and supporters of the Church preferring themselues before all men euen before the religious Orders themselues And to appeare the more holy they deuise new and superstitious traditions That they loued the highest places at inuitements the chiefest chaires in Synagogues reuerences and low bowings in the open market places and of men to be called Rabbies That they vaunted of the great good they did in the Church of God boasted of their owne and their followers myracles and chalenging the prayse of that they neuer performed That vnder pretext of humilitie they insinuated themselues into the Courts of Princes and affect to be reputed Courtiers That they smoothed the defects of men and arrogantly assumed a farre greater zeale than that of ordinarie Pastors That at first men entertaine them joyfully but at last they grow wearie of them the which happened quite contrary with the true Apostles That they asked with importunitie and receiued indifferently not to releeue necessities but to prosecute their delights and pleasures To conclude That they solicited and sued to obtaine letters commendatorie from great men And here the Reader may obserue the maners and carriage of these Neotericke Pharisies The same man deliuered in a certaine sermon Duo Conciones Gulielmi de Sancto Amore in Antilogia Basileae edita An. 1555. That Christ chose plaine and simple men to preach but Antichrist on the contrarie for the propagation of his falsities and errours made election of men of a double heart subtile and expert in worldlie policies and not onely Antichrist himselfe made choyce of such but also his members and champions No maruell therefore though they persecute the professors of the Christian faith to death seeing Iohn saith in his Apocalyps I saw a beast rise out of the sea that had seuen heads and seuen hornes this beast was intended by Antichrist and his followers And certaine yeares after Iohn de Poliaco Williams disciple and Laurence an English man defended these propositions publikely in Sorbon In a sermon of his he particularly admonished the Church Laurentius Anglicus in defensione Gulielmi de Sancto Amore Tractat. Cauendum esse à Pseudoprophetis Serm. 2. in die Philippi Jacobi Thomas Cantipratensis in Apibus mysticis That a great danger hung ouer her head by the Monkes That they were the seducers and ministers of Antichrist of Antichrist who was hard at their doores But when the Pope had suppressed the scandall of this new Gospell least it might haue prejudiced his affaires taking an occasion of reuenge against William of S. Omers and some other his like for the denunciation of these truthes whether by right or wrong he published and declared him for an heretike as also he complained of him to our Princes that had need of his helpe and fauour and caused him to be expelled out of the Vniuersitie which remained as it were desart and forsaken exciting in like manner Thomas Bonauentura and others to write against him so as all true Diuinitie yeelded to Sophistrie and Paul to Aristotle But so the Mendicants on the other side euen seazed on the Diuinitie Scholes and the Canonists on the Ciuilians chaire that so all points were decided by Gratian and Lombard and of the holie Scriptures there was not so much as any mention in scholes Out of their studies therefore from this time forward came bookes easie to be smelt by their verie titles as Summae Repertoria Quodlibeta Rosaria Legendae Specula in Sententias Decreta Ordines Monachorum Regulas Confessiones Tractatus de
of Rome was a congregation of vnfaithfull and not a Christian assemblie as also the merits and intercession of Saints to God the difference of dayes and meats the Roman consecrations with many other things of this nature they vtterly detested and held friuolous What the Author layes further vpon them proceeds from the father of lyes But he testifies Chronic. Hirsaug that there were innumerable multitudes of this profession in Austria Bohemia and other bordering countries and that one of their Preachers being condemned to be burnt at Vienna and conducted to the place of execution more than eightie thousand vpon the same embraced that religion in those parts of whom many were committed to the fire in sundrie places But they saith he with ioynt will and consent perseuered in their errours euen vnto death Now let the indifferent Reader judge whether any one could euer cheerefully and joyfully lay hold of the flames for such haynous crimes and offences as they are imputed and charged withall much lesse so great a number of all kinds and qualities Not long after Lombardus was taken at Collen a principall Pastor amongst them who drew vnto him both there and elsewhere many disciples by his bookes which were written in the German tongue and vulgarly dispersed Wherin saith the same Author he defended his doctrine strengthening and fortifying the same out of the holie Scriptures and therefore he was condemned to the fire leauing many as himselfe confesseth both within and without the citie secret professors and disciples of his errours Moreouer he addes That Bohemia being then infected with this heresie euen to this present day abounds and swarmes with such errors obscenities as hereafter in the yere of Abbot Blasius 17 shall more fully be related though afterwards it was euident ynough to all the whole world what the Bohemians were especially in the time of the Councell of Constance in whom no blemish of those corruptions appeared and therefore Trithemius mouth may herein fitly be stopt who transported too violently with a vulgar aspersion replenisheth his historie too plentifully with these calumniations 57. PROGRESSION Afer a vacancie of two yeares three moneths and seuenteene dayes the Cardinals dissenting and referring it to his owne arbitrement Iames de Ossa chose himselfe Pope and was called Iohn the two and twentieth Lewis of Bauaria subduing Frederick of Austria went to Rome with an armie where against the Popes will he was crowned and afterwards he elected another Pope Peter Corbario of Rietto being named Nicholas the fift This Nicholas comming into Iohns hands by treacherie was cast into prison Iohn dyes at Auignion An. 1316. IN the yeare 1316 after a vacancie of two yeares three moneths and seuenteen dayes during which time the Cardinals could not agree of their election Iames d'Ossa of Cahors whom Platina calls Iohn the three and twentieth came to the dignitie The Cardinalls dissenting referred it to his arbitrement to make choice of any one out of their number whom he should judge worthie and most fit But beyond all mens expectation and through Cardinall Neapolion Vrsinoes aduice deluding them all he chose himselfe Pope and so mounting vpon the throne I am Pope Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 4. saith he And here Antoninus addes Though in other elections no man can chuse himselfe yet in the electing of a Pope this is not prohibited when the election is thus absolutely referred to himselfe Let the indifferent Reader but censure of this kind of vocation to the Seat by euents ensuing All these things passed at Lyons and not long after he went to Auignion there to settle his residence This Iohn was borne of verie obscure parents and as it is noted by the writers of those times he much affected innouations and was verie ambitious Henrie the seuenth being dead for supplying the place of the vacant Empire the Electors were greatly diuided in their voyces many inclining to Lewis Duke of Bauaria and diuers to Frederick Duke of Austria Lewis to procure his owne coronation solicited by Embassadours Iohns consent Iohn alledged that he had alreadie presumed to do things euerie way exceeding the power of an absolute Emperor and so he repelled his entreaties Then Frederick on the other side propounded vnto him by Embassadours the demerit and valour of his predecessours Rodolphus and Albert both Emperours His aunswer was briefe in one word Blondus Decad 2. l. 10. Auentin l. 7. That Salomons son was not so wise a man and so dismissed them detayning them thus as long as he could betwixt two stooles That he according to the Law of his predecessour might sway and gouerne the Empire the which he challenging out of that law arrogated to himselfe Lewis notwithstanding still held his possession and subdued Frederick in battaile taking both him and the chiefest of the Nobilitie in the field Afterwards prouiding for the affaires of Italie he constituted Mathew Vicount of Milan and restored the Gibbellines in many places When Iohn obserued these proceedings he commaunded him to lay downe the gouernement of the Empire vnder paine of excommunication as also he sent a Cardinall Legat into Lombardie who vpon the same penaltie enjoyned the Vicounts Antonin Part. 3. Tit. 21. l. 6. Parag. 10. both father and sonne to depart Milan and they vsing some protraction he excommunicated them interdicted the Citie it selfe from all sacred offices and armed the Croysados against them To this end therefore in the Cathedrall Church of Auignion this excommunication was solemnely thundered out as shall in proper place be mentioned that Lodouick onely making some delay in his obedience might bee charged with heresie And hereupon Italie was diuided into more cruell factions than euer before and the Guelphes rose against the Gibbellines in the selfe same Cities being one fleshed against another yea the verie Monkes themselues some holding with the Pope and others with the Emperour the Minorites against the Dominicans and the Dominicans rent and diuided amongst themselues Notwithstanding amiddest all these tumults Lodouick passing through Italie with an armie was louingly entertayned at Rome and that he might the better manifest to al the world the incredible loue and consent of the people herein he deferred his coronation while the Nobles of Italie and the Embassadors of Cities could arriue which came daily to him from all parts Nauclerus vol. 2. And then they set the Crowne on his head at S. Iohn Laterans or as some say in S. Peters Church and at the peoples great instance by the hands of Stephen Colunna and Vrsinio d'Vrsini he being consecrated likewise by Iames de Prato Bishop of Castello and the B. of Ellera for they thought it not requisit to attend the Popes comming or any Legat from him because then the gouernment of the city was in the hands of certaine principall Barons or Nobles who instiled themselues to be the king of Romans Substitutes they executing full and absolute authoritie but they were yearely
the execrable blasphemie For the Lord should not else haue beene discreet that so I may speake with his reuerence except he had left such an onely Vicar behind him Bald. in cap. Cum super de causis propr possess Jn ExtrauagaÌ„t Comm. l. 1. de maiorit Et obedientia C. vnam sanctaÌ„ ibi Glossa Et additio Petri Bertrandi in iure Canonic Editionis Gregorianae Lugdunens C. Fundamenta de Electione in 6. that could doe all these things now Peter was his Vicar and so the same may bee affirmed of Peters successors But because many Canonists of those times were ashamed of such words in certaine editions they were quite rased out and Gregorie the thirteenth vnder colour of reformation restored them againe The Glosse vpon the chapter Fundamenta electionibus sexto pronounces flatly That the Pope is not a man and in a little verse it is said Thou greatest of all ehings thou art neither God nor man but some intermediant power whereupon he surnames the Pope Admibilis Admirable by which name Christ is called in the 9 of Esay it was a wonder omitted the attribute following Emanuel God be with vs. That Glosse vpon the Extrauagants of Iohn the two and twentieth titulo 14 sayes Non est purus homo Glossa in proemium Clementinar but yet that of the chapter Cum inter nonnullos titulo 14 speakes as it were infuriated To beleeue that our Lord the Pope could not so or so decree is merely heretical Now judge by all precedent inferences Ius Canonicum impressum Lutetiae an 1â—20 apud Claudium Cheualonium in sole aureo Ius Canonicum Gregorij 1â— impressum Lugduni postrâ—me Editionis apud Rouillium in Extrauag Iohan 22. C. cum inter nonnullos Tit. 14. ni verbo declaramus circa finem what reformation is to be expected from these men when Gregorie the thirteenth perusing the whole Canon law left this Glosse absolute and entire and being formerly rased out by others precisely renewed the same such an heart-griefe it is vnto them howsoeuer they may faine and dissemble to abridge the least title of Antichristian priuiledges But as Antichrist augments and multiplies his blasphemous names and titles so does God daily excite and stir vp men in the world to detect and point him out with their finger which we shall better obserue in the sequel of these relations OPPOSITION Lewis the fourth Emperour suppressed his competitor Frederick and fortified himselfe by the king of Englands affinitie whose wifes sister hee maried being daughter to the Count of Holland and therefore Pope Iohn thought to rayse a verie dangerous conspiracie against him either to detaine him still in Germanie or to make all enterprises more difficult to him in Italie He therefore entred into a league with Charles the Faire king of France and Robert king of Sicilie enjoyning further Leopald Duke of Austria and brother to Frederick to take vp armes he made the Duke of Poland a king vpon condition that hee should war against him and further he commaunded the Teutonian Knights to make peace with the Lituanians who were yet Pagans to inuade the Marquisat of Brandenberg which belonged to Lewis his sonne When he saw that in all likelihood he would not leaue Germanie he sent Philip de Valois into Italie with Cardinall Bertrand a Dominican in his companie to open a way for him and he excommunicated all those whosoeuer that were of Lodouikes partialitie Lodouikes partakers cried out vnto him in these distresses requesting his aid He notwithstanding to claime his right fairely sent an embassadour to Iohn yea to his Legat to treat of a peace who being entertained with threats and contumelies returned backe againe Iohn still reiterates his thundering excommunications so as all other affaires layd apart Lewis must needs enter Italie with an armie Auent l. 7. In Auentine Iohns Bull against Lewis is to be read taken out of the ancient Libraries of Bauaria the which it will be verie requisit here to insert absolute and entire After saith he that the Roman Empire transferred by our predecessors from the Greeks to the Germans was committed to the custodie and protection of Charles the Great this soueraigne honor was woont to be the benefit and prerogatiue of the highest Priest For it was then decreed That if the Almans at any time made choyce of a king this election should be of no vigor nor force except the Pope of Rome Father and Prince of Christendome did ratifie the same and he so assigned by the Princes and States of the Empire could neither gouerne nor take vpon him royall Title before the Pope Gods Legat authorized and approued him suo numine with his diuinitie And further the Empire being destitute of an head the absolute power and prerogatiue lay in the Pope whose see it manifestly is And wee haue seene throughout all precedent discourse what strife hath beene about this word Benefice or Fee as also how much bloud was shed in all parts of Italie In like manner when the seuen Electors are diuided neither the one nor the other of the elected can be king And so the Roman Bishop as the common parent to all men is to manage at his owne will the Roman Empire being by such a dissention destitute of an head And as the mind commaunds the bodie to serue by whose benefit it onely liues so no man can denie but that then the Christian affaires goe best forward when things fraile yeeld to those eternall prophane to sacred and those corporall to the other spirituall Which then comes to passe when the Pope at his discretion gouernes both dignities for both the the Church is gouerned and all other power is reduced vnder his lawes and obedience And the Emperour by oath is bound vnto him who by a Vicegerencie vnder the celestiall Emperour swayes and rules the earth For this cause it is that two after Henrie the seuenths death hauing beene nominated Emperours Frederick and Lewis both the one and the other were incapable of this soueraigne dignitie and so consequently the Christian Commonwealth came to be dissipated and abandoned and therefore in all right was to be directed and gouerned by vs. As also Lodouike to his owne great hurt and preiudice and no lesse detriment to the Roman Church before he was thought worthie by vs to rule out of his owne head tooke vpon him the royall Titles rashly vsurping the authoritie and power of Emperour which still he holds both in Italie and Germanie For hee hath giuen into his sonnes hands the Principalitie of Brandenburg contrarie to all lawes And notwithstanding our opposition he succoured Galeazzo and his hrethren who were condemned of heresie And this is continually for such an heresie as neither the Apostles nor the Fathers euer made mention of We therefore according to the authoritie deriued to vs from heauen peremptorily commaund Lewis within the space of three moneths to abiure all royal Title and absolutly to
of Iuda is written with an yron penne with the point of a Diamant as if he should say it is indelible But all these things pretend not impossibilitie but onely difficultie because the peruerse are hardly corrected or reformed For in the third of Ionas it is sayd Who knowes whether he may be conuerted and acknowledge God It is therefore said in the 26 of Ieremie Doe not withdraw the word for it may be they will heare and euerie one may be conuerted from his euill way At last he concludes with a serious exhortation to repentance conuersion and amendment of life This is that Nicholaus Oremus who by Charles the fift his persuasion our king and surnamed the Wise turned the whole Bible into the French Tongue Many copies of the same are to be found at this day in the libraries of the noble families of this land but especially there is one in the kings librarie wherein Charles testifies by his owne hand writing That this Bible was translated by his commaundement And here we may fitly set downe That Charles the Sage was the Author of a booke written by Alanus Charterius his Secretarie whose title was Somnium Viridarij The Gardens Dreame printed at Paris aboue an hundred yeares since against the Papall tyrannie both spirituall and temporall That booke stifly maintaines and so consequently our king Charles That the Roman Church from Constantines dayes had obtained prioritie through a silent and voluntarie consent of the Churches not that it had any authoritie properly ouer them as also because there did reside in that place many famous men who out of their charitie were verie carefull to admonish brotherly the other faithfull and these men againe embraced their admonitions as the rules and precepts of learned men which seemed wonderfull beneficiall and profitable They also were subiect to their censures to preserue the vnitie of the faithfull and this their voluntarie obedience was in stead of a formall election though no wayes by any diuine or humane lawes they were no more tyed to the commaunds and institutions of the Roman Church or the Pope than the Pope himselfe was to him or his Churches And the reason hereof certainely was because they had not yet ouer them any supreme Christian Prince to comprehend and keepe them within order and vnitie the which is most plaine and perspicuous because we cannot gather out of any place of the holie Scriptures That by the commaundement of Christ of any one of the Apostles or of any primitiue Councell that the Churches or Bishops in generall were subiect to the Church or Bishop of Rome no not in those things that appertaine to rites Ecclesiasticall Which in no apparance Christ and his Apostles would haue omitted if it had concerned the saluation of the faithfull much lesse in that which concernes iura coactiua lawes of constraint not onely ouer Clerkes but ouer secular Princes themselues the which the Popes take vpon them against the expresse precepts and iniunctions of Christ and his Apostles And therefore the Church and Bishops of Rome obtained prioritie out of the commendable ends aboue mentioned from Constantine the first Christian Emperour which afterwards they persuaded the world but most falsly that they held ex iure diuino by law diuine further extending the same ouer all Kings and Princes as also that they are to gouerne during a vacancie in the seat Imperial Which the later Popes haue presumed to ratifie by many Decretalls by which out of a plenarie power they pretend to create or depose kings and they not obeying their Decree in this poynt are subiect to interdict and excommunication All which propositions are sharpely refuted in that booke the Pope being reduced to these tearmes That both he and the Church of Rome had no further authoritie ouer other Churches than what by the same Churches was voluntarily conferred vpon them Hereunto let vs annex That Edward the third king of England after he had oftentimes complained in vaine to the Popes of the exactions wherewith the Churches of England were continually pressed hee at length determined to free England from that jurisdiction which the Pope vsurped in England Wherefore in the yeare 1374 he ordained An. 1374. That the Bishops afterwards should be created by himselfe and so other inferiour Ministers by the Bishops and thereupon not long after it came to passe that the Pope lost the tenthes which before time he vsed without checke or controll to impose vpon the Clergie As also it was prohibited vnder grieuous paines That for the obtaining of any benefice in England no man should repaire to the Pope wheresoeuer he were and the Peter pence which were yearely payed to Rome were quite put downe The which when Gregorie the eleuenth vnderstood he was mightily vexed and exclaimed That this was nothing else but to diuide the Christian Church to annihilat Religion and to cut off all lawes both diuine and humane Wherefore he first dealt with Edward to reuoke this law but after this Popes death Polidorus l. 19. schisme arising in the Church saith Polidore there was no other of his successors that minded this matter till Martine the fift wrot letters of great vehemencie and persuasion to king Henrie the sixt but both the one and the other receiued a like answer which was That the Decree of a Councell or Parliament that is of England could not be abrogated without the authoritie of another Councell or Parliament which he would presently cause to be summoned the which notwithstanding was neuer performed At this verie time S. Bridget and Katherine of Sienna were celebrated for Saints both supposed to haue receiued diuine reuelations from aboue and therfore they were canonized both of them notwithstanding conceiuing verie well what manner of monster the Pope was And Bridget being borne in Scotland and maried in Suethen came to see Vrban the fift who was then at Montefiascone neere Rome supposing by her journey to haue gained great Indulgences And yet in her reuelations she calls the Pope a murderer of soules the disperser and deuourer of Christs sheepe more abhominable than the Iewes more despightfull than Iudas more vniust than Pylat worse than Lucifer and that his seat should sinke like a weightie stone the Apocalyps sayes like a mill-stone and that his assistants should burne in a sulphurous and inextinguishable fire Afterwards she reprehends the Bishops and other Priests that through their default the doctrine of Christ is cleane neglected and almost abolished the diuine wisedome and knowledge was by the Clergie conuerted into wicked and vaine sciences That they were leapers and dumbe men turning all Gods commaundements into one onely saying Da pecuniam giue money To conclude she affirmes that she saw the blessed Virgine speaking thus to her sonne Rome is a fertile and plentifull field when Christ made answer So indeed it is but of Cockle and Darnell But yet she said she was admonished in a vision to go to Rome rather to
of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the
Christ had giuen to Peter of binding and loossing on earth And by this meanes these chapmen being fatted well returne vnto the citie with many faire horses and a decent familie and make an account of these their collections to Boniface c. which he most seuerely required of them and many taken in fraud he put to death Thus Vrban had sowed the yeare of Iubilie which in his stead Boniface reaped But the testimonie of Theodorick shall not be heard alone though without all exception the greater because his Secretarie Platina himselfe saith Indulgences yea plenarie Platina in Bonifacio 9. were sold euerie where in so much that the authoritie of the keyes and Apostolicall letters were in contempt c. and many wickednesses were done by simonie Krantzius in Metrop l. 11. c. 10. 12. And Krantzius Vnder his Popedome were made many and often translations of Bishops many and often giuings of Indulgences euen to the breeding of loathing in mens hearts Hee gaue graces and Indulgences vnheard of and what he easily gaue he as lightly reuoked stirring vp a report throughout all Christendome that he could not be filled with gold The Romans had hitherto retained the chiefest authoritie in the citie which was the cause that the Popes abhorred to abide there This Pope taking occasion by their discords dealt so with them that in the tenth yeare of his Popedome he got to himselfe alone the temporall domination in alto basso saith the Author high and low in all and through all and to maintaine the same he spared no subsidies nor tributes exacted from the Clergie He reedified the castle of S. Angelo and the Capitoll and therein placed a garrison And this truely hee obtained by a verie notable sacrilege He greatly desired the comming of the yeare 1400 An. 1400. to celebrat the great Iubilie notwithstanding the other that Vrban had interserted Boniface a little before departed to Assisium making a shew to stay there Whereupon the people fearing least by reason of his absence who should giue the blessing the Iubilie would not be celebrated at Rome with that solemnitie they come humbly with great pompe to entreat him to returne vnto them But he the more he is intreated the lesse he is moued and vpbraideth them of their euill behauiour towards him and seemeth to loath the citie That since the later yeares of Vrban they had not receiued any Senators from without but I know not what Conseruers of the chamber men vnsufficient who had suffered all things to be done at the pleasure of the Banderets Wherefore the Romans were brought to that passe being desirous of gaine by that faire that they bought his blessing with the price of their libertie consented that authoritie should bee taken away from the Banderets receiued from his hand a stranger Senator Malatesta de Pisaro admitted also for his safetie a garrison into the citie in which from thenceforth he ruled as absolute Lord all his life time And hereby taking more boldnesse he established the law of Annates in all nations which till then he had practised onely in Italie where he might That by the same saith Blondus hee might make the Roman Bishops his successors no lesse Lords of all Christendome than of Rome for in the law set forth he ordained That it should be lawfull for no man promoted to a benefice to possesse the same before he had payed so much money into the Popes treasurie as the first yeares reuenues thereof might amount vnto and the Englishmen alone obeyed the law in the Cathedrall Churches but in the smaller benefices they contemned the Popes commaund Now in this Iubilie he sold Indulgences to the most giuer as hee had done in the former and though the pestilence grew hot at Rome yet hee would not depart thence Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 1. c. 28. Yea for feare least he should lose in the meane time the temporall dominion of the citie he remained there also in the Sommer time neither gaue hee any almes to sicke pilgrims in that dangerous season although he then abounded in all things for he was accustomed to catch away and not to communicat any thing of his prey to the needie Now betweene the two Iubilies died the Antipope Clement at Auignion who in his obedience was in nothing lesse diligent than Vrban and Boniface To him succeeded Peter de Luna a Spaniard Benedict the thirteenth He being vrged by the king of France who by the aduise of the Vniuersitie of Paris had receiued him onely on condition That hee should indeuour the vnion of the Church sent his Nuntioes to Boniface and his Cardinalls to request him That they might meet together in some place safe to both parties for to take counsell for the concord of the Church This hee propounded indeed discreetly and diligently though as it thought fraudulently And thus also did the Cardinalls of Boniface seeme to take it But Boniface answered not verie gently affirming That he was Pope and the sayd Peter an Antipope and the like words making little or nothing to the cause Whereat the Nuntioes being angrie sayd in his presence That their Lord was not a Simoniack noting Boniface to be one At which words being greatly moued he commaunded them to depart the citie and when they answered That they had safeconduct from himselfe and from the people of Rome and had some time yet left vnexpired which they would enioy he was so immoderatly chafed with anger that his disease of the stone beginning to torment him he went to bed and the third day after dyed Krantzius Saxon l. 10. c. 13. Yet neuerthelesse saith Krantzius that hee might obtaine by the mediation of the mother of God the vnion of the Church hee published by his Buls the feast of the Visitation of Marie instituted by his predecessor Let the Reader judge with what faith in so wicked an intention Neither is it here to be omitted That Francis Pregnan the nephew of Vrban the sixt for whose aduancement he so much laboured when he had a long time beheld a dancing entred into his chamber and gaue himselfe many blowes with a sword and by them that ranne in at his crying out he was hindered of finishing his purpose But the judgement of God which pursued him stayed not long for whiles he was going to Venice with his mother his sonne his daughter and eighteene seruants men and maids his ship was cast away neere Brundusium And so saith the Author all the posteritie of Vrban the sixt was extinguished the waues of the sea requiring vengeance to wit for the Cardinals whom he so wretchedly had cast into the sea And thus are we come to the yeare 1404 when Boniface died for this schisme is longer than can be at once declared OPPOSITION The onely historie of these Antipopes described by such as were neere about them and inward with them the judgement also which they gaue the one against the other the one
cause banished their countrey Theodor. Ã Nyem de schismate l. 3. who repaired to Iohn Hâ—s who as Aeneas Siluius saith gaue him great light in many principall poynts In Italie it selfe Nicholas Lucensis a Carmelite and Doctor of Diuinitie was not afraid out of the pulpet at Lucca in the presence of Gregorie the twelfth to preach against his and the Papall tyrannie whereupon he was cast into prison and hardly got out againe notwithstanding that fauour and helpe he had from the gouernour and from thence forward he was put to silence Besides infinit numbers of all estates and conditions whom euerie where with exquisit torments they put to death in France England and elsewhere some shut vp in barrels some hanged on gibbets some burnt whose memorie remaines in the bookes of their aduersaries themselues Thom. Waldens in Fasciculo Zizoniorum Baptista Panaetius in Chron. in sermon Thom. Walsing in Chron. Thom. Walsing an 1413. in Henr. 5. Waldensis Baptista Panetius Walsingham and others Amongst whom we must not forget Iohn Oldcastle a nobleman of England heire by right of his wife to the Lord Cobham A man saith Walsingham Regi propter probitatem charus acceptus in great fauour with king Henrie the fift for his honestie and likewise renowmed for his valour and great knowledge in feats of armes who in the yeare 1413 is in the historie called the Protector and defender of the Lollards for that name or title was giuen to all those who protested against the corruptions of the Church who sent into the Diocesses of London Rochester Hereford some to publish the truth of the Gospell without the leaue and license of the Ordinaries who were especially in their sermons to confute the doctrine of Transubstantiation the Sacrament of Penitence Perigrinations the worshipping of Images the Keyes vsurped by the Church of Rome For these speciall heads the Authour reciteth Hee therefore reporteth That Oldcastle being by the authoritie of the king committed to the Tower of London and being brought before the Archbishop of Canturburie hee tooke out of his bosome a copie of the confession of his Faith and deliuered it vnto him to read which the Archbishop hauing read said That it contained in it much good and Catholike matter but yet he must satisfie him touching other poynts that is to say the abouenamed but especially that that concerned the power of the Pope and Cardinals and the Roman Hierarchie which Oldcastle refused not to doe but ingeniously professed withall That the Pope was true Antichrist that is his head the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelats his members the Friers his tayle And as touching the other poynts Idem in Ypodigmate Neustriae an 1413. They are ordinances sayth he of the Church of Rome made against the Scriptures after that it grew rich and the poyson had dispersed it selfe therein and not before The place it selfe is worthie the reading that we may acknowledge the agreement of their doctrine with ours against which no man can cauill Wherefore the Archbishop pronounced Oldcastle an heretike and excommunicated him requiring the secular power for the putting of him to death But the king proceeding slowly and vnwillingly in this businesse he escaped out of prison to whom there gathered a great multitude to haue freed him from that danger who were almost all put to the sword and such amongst them as were taken prisoners as well Clergie as Lay vnder a pretence of heresie were put to death whose constancie appeares in these words That the greatest part of them nec quidem poenitere curabant tooke no care to repent If wee may credit Walsingham there were not then lesse than an hundred thousand who made publike profession of this doctrine Another Annalist in few words sayth Iohannes Capgrauius l. 2 de Nobilibus Henricis That Oldcastle was not afraid in the Parliament to say That England would neuer be at peace vntill the Popes power were banished beyond the seas And learned and eloquent as he was he caused many bookes to be scattered in the streets against the inuocation of Saints auricular confession the single life of Priests Transubstantiation and other abuses of the Church of Rome for which cause being led prisoner to London at the last he was burnt But there comes now vpon the stage euen with open faces Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage men by the testimonies of their aduersaries themselues renowmed for their learning and godlie conuersation who being called to publike charge in the Church did publikely preach against the abuses of the Church of Rome euen those that we in these dayes detest and abiure namely against the tyrannie of the Pope whom as their owne Iudges doe testifie they called Antichrist Aeneas Siluius in historia Bohemia c. 35. Aeneas Siluius himselfe who was afterwards Pope Pius the second sayth With the sound of their voyce the spirit of God assisting the word of God thundering in them the people were awakened out of their dead sleepe ran by flockes to this great light enuiting likewise their neighbours from diuers parts And whereas about that verie time Pope Iohn the foure and twentieth had granted a full remission of sinnes to all that would beare armes in defence of the Church of Rome against Ladislans king of Naples Certaine mecanicall persons saith Pius the second hearing this published with a lowd voyce Pope Iohn to be Antichrist bearing the crosse against Christians These good Fathers in the meane time assembled at the Councell of Constance for the reformation as they sayd of the Church as well in the head as in the members who should haue beene stirred vp thereunto by the sound of these Heraulds vnder a pretence of fidelitie as much as in them lay supprest and opprest them Being therefore called to the Councell vnder the trust of a safeconduct granted by the Emperour Sigismond who had called that Councell there to giue a reason of their doctrine they willingly came but presently they were cast into prison declared heretikes and in the end burnt aliue Iohn Hus first and Hierome about a yeare after Cap. 35. These Fathers leauing this Decree for an example and law to all posteritie Haereticis non seruandam fidem That we are not to keepe faith to Heretikes For such they accounted all those as we haue seene that withstood their opinions euen in matters meerely ciuile and that not without an apparent purpose to cut off all hope of a reformation of the Church by a free and lawfull Councell Siluius telleth vs That they were admonished not to thinke themselues more wise than the Church and that it would be easie for them to obtaine an honourable place in the Church if they would renounce their opinions In which meanes of conuerting we may easily note the stile of that auncient Doctor tempting our Sauiour in the desart Cap. 36. But they answer saith Pius That they teach the truth being the disciples of Christ directing themselues
read in the nineteenth Session with this title That notwithstanding the safeconduct of the Emperour of Kings c. it is lawfull by a competent Iudge to enquire of hereticall prauitie The words themselues are these This present holie Synod declareth Concilium Constantiens Sess 19. That notwithstanding any safeconduct giuen by the Emperour or Kings or other secular Princes to heretikes or any suspected of heresie pretending thereby to draw them from their errours by what band soeuer they be bound it cannot nor ought to be any preiudice or hinderance to the Catholike faith or Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and that the said safe-conduct can be no let but that it shall be lawfull for a competent and Ecclesiasticall Iudge to make iniquisition of the errours of such persons and otherwise to proceed against them and to punish them as iustice shall require if they shall obstinatly refuse to reuoke their errours notwithstanding that vnder the assurance of a safeconduct they shall come to the place of iudgement refusing otherwise to come Neither shall be that hath so promised hauing otherwise done what in him lyes from thence forward continue in any thing bound In the margent this is likewise noted A safeconduct can be no defence for an heretike obstinatly defending his heresies So that by this meanes Princes are discharged of their faith their safeconducts in this case are made voyd They that appeare vnder this assurance are deliuered to the Inquisition and they that dispence so absolutely with other mens consciences what faith can they make and being made how doe they performe it or who will take it Iohn Hus therefore died a Martyre of Christ in the yeare 1415 An. 1415. the people that were present at his death breaking out into these words What this man hath heretofore taught or done we know not but doubtlesse these are great tokens of true pietie that is to say hearing his ardent prayers vnto God touching this point turning to the Prelats that were present at this spectacle he said After an hundred yeres you shall answer to God and to me Whereupon there was money coyned in Bohemia with this inscription in Latine on the one side CentuÌ„ reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis mihi and on the other side Credo vnam esse Ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeue one Catholike Church It is likewise said that he should say You roast â—e the goose for that his name Hus signifieth in the Bohemian tongue but hereafter will a Swan come who in despight of you shall sing better and yet you shall not roast him Now iust an hundred yeares after came Luther by whose doctrine the Church of Rome being striken as it were with lightning notwithstanding all their rage and furie he died peaceable in his owne house 62. PROGRESSION The fortunat proceedings of Iohn de Trosnouie otherwise called Zischa Captaine of the distressed Christians against the Emperour Sigismund The practises of Pope Martin to destroy the Christians in Bohemia after the death of Zischa The cunning shifts of Martin the fift to auoyd the reformation of the Church at the Councell of Constance The Councell of Basil deposeth Eugenius and chuseth Amades Duke of Sauoy for Pope Of the comming of the Emperour of Greece and the Patriarch of Constantinople to the Councell at Florence Vladislaus king of Hungarie maketh peace with Amurath the great Turke which he breaketh through the persuasion of Pope Eugenius and what happened thereof Aeneas Syluius in histor Bohem. c. 35. 36. GReat was the authoritie of Iohn Hus in Bohemia whose puritie also of life commended him to be powerfull in words The people were filled with his doctrine especially at Prage the capitall citie where vpon the exceeding great Indulgences of Iohn the foure and twentieth they made this outcrie That he was Antichrist and when the magistrat had put many of them to death in prison not daring to do it openly the people seeing their bloud running vnder the gate of the palace ran thither to seek the bodies crying out These are the Saints that haue deliuered vp their bodies for the testament of God Moreouer that Epitome of Roman abhominations which was come so neere vnto them at Constance made their stinking sauor reach so far as into Bohemia the people of Sueuia complaining That in so very little space of time they had brought in with them so great a deluge of vncleannesse as could not be washed away in thirtie yeres seeing that among the traine of those Prelats are numbred of Historiographers to be foure hundred and fiftie common whores and three hundred juglers The report then of the death of Iohn Hus comming vpon this and aboue all the infamous treacherie vsed towards him exceedingly stirred vp the people yea made them so much the more beleeue the truth of his doctrine for that he had sealed it with his bloud and contrariwise moued them to abhorre the Romish whose abhominable faith could not bee maintained but only by treacherie Then therefore they entreat the king to grant vnto them Temples for the free exercise of their religion which he consented to them and they multipled and according as they encreased they require to be prouided of places necessarie Neither did queene Sophia of the house of Bauaria who gouerned the kings weakenesse shew her selfe repugnant vnto them But he being deceased of a palsie the Emperour Sigismund his brother succeeded who instigated by the Councell and after by the Pope resolueth to vse all violence against them and employeth against them all the â—tes of the Empire assembling to that end Princes Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 257. Prelats Knights Esquires and common people out of Liege Holland Zeeland Henault and other places and left nothing vnattempted that could be done either by force of warre or bitternesse of torments There rose vp at that time one Iohn de Trosnouie called Zischa because he had but one eye of a noble house but of meane fortunes yet a valiant man who gathered together the wandring and scattered people of euerie age and sex into a place of aduantage It were incredible but that the aduersaries themselues doe testifie it hee fought eleuen battels with Sigismund and euer got the vpper hand and in some of them after he had lost his eye blind of both he was no lesse fortunat a Leader of this wretched people whose murmurings often in that desperat estate was no lesse difficult a matter for him to restraine and appease than to sustaine the violent force of the enemie till at length Sigismund seeing all things succeed well vnto him and that at his onely becke all the affaires of Bohemia were swayed resolueth to ouercome and ruine him with faire words and giueth vnto him the Lieutenancie of the kingdome with chiefest authoritie and a great yearely pension on condition That he should acknowledge him king and cause all the rest also to acknowledge him Here the acclamation of Pope Pius is worthie noting Surely a great
of God Hypocrites they oppresse the good persecute the humble seruants of Christ imprison and burne them for that they reproue their voluptuousnesse Such men murdered Christ the Apostles and Martyrs reputing them for herotikes for that they taxed their sinnes And indeed the histories of all nations are ful of the crueltie which in this age was vsed toward the professors of this truth 63. PROGRESSION Felix the fourth voluntarily deposeth himselfe and Nicholas the fift remaineth sole Pope Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes taketh Constantinople with the slaughter of many thousand Christians and the miserable death of the Emperour Paleologus Of the pride and corruption of Aeneas Syluius called Pius the second after he became Pope NOw after the death of Eugenius in the yeare 1447 Thomas de Sorzana was created Pope by the name of Nicholas the fift whilest Felix the fourth yet liued and raigned vpon which occasion many nations remained in neutralitie namely Germanie vnder the Emperour Frederick the third whose Secretarie Aeneas Syluius was of whom we haue before made mention one of the most notable defenders of the Councell of Basil Him had Eugenius knowing his excellent wit endeuoured by promises to bind vnto him but being preuented by death Nicholas continued the same batterie and that so much the more for that he had heard that Frederick had a purpose to come into Italie to bee crowned at Rome Frederick then by the persuasion of Aeneas Syluius who had gotten into great fauour with him vndertaketh that purposed businesse and fully finisheth it And Nicholas to content the Germans consenteth to certaine agreements contained in the Bull which beginneth Ad sacram Petri sedem dated in Aprill 1447. In which namely are the Annates brought to some order and generally are approued and ratified all the prouisions and expeditions of whatsoeuer kind as well of the Councell of Basil yet continued at Basil as of Felix the fourth also other censures excommunications Anathemaes and their releasements c. by the Bull which beginneth Vt pacis dated in Iulie 1449. By which meanes Nicholas remained sole Pope Felix voluntarily deposing himselfe from the dignitie Monstrelet vol. 3. whom hee appointeth his Legat in Germanie And so was the Councell dissolued And all this was done by the mediation of the kings of France and England of Renatâ—â— king of Sicilie and Lewis the Dolphine The title of this Bull in the volumes of Councels is The approbation of the Acts of the Councell of Basil Yet because they hardly approue the same they set before it this other title The Councell of Basil is of little force Summa Constitut c. Meaning though it say nothing that all the things whatsoeuer which are not expressed in the same Bull are thereby disallowed as namely the sentence whereby the Councell is decreed to be aboue the Pope and others more of the like nature Neuerthelesse the force of our argument remaineth still firme That Martin the fift was created Pope onely by vertue of the like sentence giuen at Constance and otherwise had not beene That Eugenius was chosen by the Cardinals whom Martin had made and since Nicholas by them which Martin and Eugenius had promoted and consequently all their successors after them Therefore these are not true Popes nor lawfull Pastors which they haue ordained vnlesse these Councels remaine lawfull vnlesse their sentences keepe their authoritie Nicholas hasted to finish this agreement with the Emperour because of the yere of Iubilie at hand the market whereof would be much hindered otherwise vnto which was made from all parts so great a concourse that Platina recordeth Platina in Nichol. 5. when once out of the Vatican hauing seene the image of our Sauiour they returned to the citie a certaine mule of Peter Barbo Cardinall of S. Marke was met and stopped when none of the passengers by reason of the multitude following was able to giue place so that one another falling vpon the mule it was oppressed of the multitude and two hundred men and three horses were troden downe and choaked on the bridge of Hadrian Many also falling from the bridge into the riuer perished in the waters The yeare following Frederick arriued in Italie partly for to be crowned and partly for to marrie Leonora daughter of the king of Portugall Nicholas in the meane time being in great care and doubt least he mindfull of the auntient authoritie of Emperours would take vpon him the rule of the citie fortified the gates and the Towers the Capitol also and the castle of S. Angelo and to content the people with some shew of Magistracie he appointed thirteeen Marshals to command in xiij quarters of the citie to each of which he gaue a purble robe But Frederick fearing new commotions in Germanie made no shew of any such thing At that time Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes prepared himselfe to besiege Constantinople chiefe citie of the Christian Empire in the East and Nicholas made large promises of ayd to Constantine Paleologus so that he would ioyne himselfe to the Catholike faith that is to say make him be acknowledged supreame Bishop by the Greekes and to this end he sendeth Embassadour to him Isidore Bishop of Russia who after the Councell of Florence was ended had remained in Italie for a Cardinals hat to that end giuen him but this businesse alreadie attempted so many ages in vayne was of greater weight and consequence than could be vpon the verie instant suddenly by tumult determined So that this Emperour being brought into great extremities in that verie yeare 1453 in the moneth of May the citie being taken by force hee miserably lost his life with many thousands of men to the great dishonour and dammage of all Christendome Antonin part 3. Tit. 22. c. 13. Antoninus who liued then When the citie of Constantinople saith he was besieged by the Turkes the Greekes sent Embassadors to Pope Nicholas imploring his succours of men and money whom Nicholas would not heare thinking it a thing vnworthie to burthen Italie with impositions being alreadie exhausted of money for expenses of the warres especially for that he knew they might helpe themselues with their money if they would employ it for the leuying of souldiers A goodly consideration as if for lesser causes his predecessours had not often published many a Croisado euen against Christian Emperours and Princes But the truth is he did it of purpose to make a gaine out of his extreame daunger to get to himselfe a soueraigne commaund ouer the Greekes which is more than Antoninus durst say In the meane time that hee might turne the destruction of the Greekish Church to his owne commoditie he createth Bessarioâ— a Greeke bishop of Nice whom Eugenius had made Cardinall Patriarke of Greece on condition that he should depend vpon him though the Greekes had chosen Gennadius Scholarius who in the middest of those calamities exercised that dignitie Bodin in Demonomania Jacob. Sprenger in malleo
might alwayes appeare For when he saw that he must needs deliuer Gemes Guicciard l. 2. yet hee was verie carefull to satisfie his brother Baiazets request who saith Guicciardine had long time made good vse of the auarice of the Vicars of Christ that hee might possesse his Empire in peace and therefore he was no sooner come to Naples but he dyed not without manifest tokens of a slow poyson giuen him to drinke to shorten his life The king had demaunded for the better assurance of this treatie and the performance thereof the castle S. Angelo the Cardinals openly protesting That Alexander would not otherwise haue any respect to his faith and promise Whereupon the great artillerie was thrice brought forth of the Palace of S. Marke where the king lodged to haue beene planted against the castle but by the like art as before this purpose was altered and so returning into the Vatican Alexander receyued the king who with bended knee kissing his feet was presently admitted to kisse his cheeke And another day celebrating the Masse he hold the bason of water to wash his hands which ceremonies the Pope caused to bee paynted in a gallerie of the castle of S. Angelo As being euer the manner of the Popes to take that to be a duetie which is done of curtesie Charles therefore hauing continued at Rome three weekes he tooke his journey towards Naples and hauing in a short time broughr the kingdome to his obedience he tooke order for his returne into Fraunce But in the meane time Alexander prepared new difficulties joyning himselfe in league with Maximilian the Emperour the kings of Spaine the Venetians and Lodwick Sfortia who being terrified with the successe of this magnanimious Prince deuise how they might oppresse him in Italie to which purpose against his returne into Fraunce they raysed an armie in the playne of Fornoue of fortie thousand men which he encountred with eight thousand men or thereabout which hee chose out of the garrisons of Naples and with an incredible valour made his way through the middest of them But being returned into France and preparing for a second expedition An. 1497. Philip. Comineus in vita Caroli 8. c. 26. 51. in the yeare 1497 and in the moneth of Aprill being taken with an apoplexie he suddenly dyed Comineus reporteth That Hierome Sauanarola who was then taken for a Prophet at Florēce being asked whether the king could passe without the perill of his lyfe answered That some difficulties he should haue in his iourney but yet they should all turne to his glorie yea though he had but a hundred souldiers with him for that God by whose conduct he came into Italie would likewise return him safely into his countrie But forasmuch as he had not procured the reformation of the Church according to his duetie c. there hung a scourge ouer his head and God had pronounced a sentence against him which he would execute elsewhere Moreouer hee addeth That hee foretold many things publikely in his Sermons that the king should returne That he might reforme the Church with his sword and expell the tyrans out of Italie and that therefore this charge was imposed vpon him by God which if he did not he would sharpely be reuenged on him Which he had likewise many times by letters signified to the king and that not long before his death The scourge that Sauanarola spake of Philip. Comineus in vita Carol. 8. Philip de Comines enterpreteth to be the death of the Dolphin which strucke him to the verie heart and the sentence pronounced by God to be the suddaine death of Charles which he describeth to be verie miserable and to that end he repeats this Historie Guicciard l. 3. Alexander therefore being freed from so great a feare bends all his endeauors to the aduauncement of his children But saith the Historie not without domesticall misfortunes and tragicall examples of whoredome and crueltie horrible to the Barbarians themselues From the first entrance into his Popedome he resolued to conferre all the temporall power he could vpon the Duke of Candia his eldest sonne Caesar Borgia his younger sonne Cardinall of Valentia wholly alienated from his profession of Priesthood tooke it impatiently that this place of dignitie should be taken from him by his brother and no lesse was he moued against him for that he had a greater part than himselfe in the loue of Madame Lucretia sister to them both One euening therefore hauing supped together with their mother Zanoccia walking alone through the citie he caused him to be murdered and secretly to be cast into Tyber The report went That in the loue of Lucretia not onely the two brethren did concurre but the father also who being once Pope tooke her from her first husband be being now too base and she to great too be his wife and married her to Iohn Sforza Lord of Pezaro Afterwards not enduring her husband to be his corriuall this second marriage being consumat by the sentence of certaine Iudges chosen by himselfe and witnesses suborned to that purpose as if Iohn had been vnfit for marriage he likewise dissolued or rather brake It is Guicciardine himselfe that speakes it and therefore we haue the lesse need of the verses of Pontanus Hoc iacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus Lucrece by name in deed Thais lyes vnder this stone Alexanders daughter his sons wife and his owne Againe Humana iura nec minus coelestia Ipsosque sustulit Deos Scilicet liceret heu scelus patri Natae sinum permingere Gods lawes and mans he God himselfe denies O wickednesse that with his daughter lyes Now so long as Alexander was in doubt of the authour of the death of his sonne he was strangely moued therewith and made a shew of changing the course of his life but so soone as he was assured of the truth thereof he returned to his old vomit and thought it necessarie to dissemble the matter Onuphrius speakes more significantly Winking at that outragious sinne of paricide hee determined with himselfe at what price or perill soeuer to aduance Borgia the paricide It would be perhaps too long and to small purpose here to relate the deeds of this monster Comming one morning into the Consistorie he put off his Cardinals hat and openly professed that he would be a man of warre Hee made a voyage into France where with the leaue and good liking of Lewis the twelft who at that time needed the Popes helpe for the conquest of Milan he maried Charlotta of Albret and was made Duke of Valentia by which meanes Lewis found Alexander more willing to yeeld to that diuorce which he pretended Being returned at the last into Italie presuming vpon the authoritie of his father he attempted the ruine of all the Vicars or Lieutenants of the cities of Romania for the effecting whereof there was no kind of crueltie treacherie treason which hee put not
cruell nor so great beyond opinion and beleefe which was vnfit for his terrible mind after some dayes sicknesse he was taken away by death c. Worthie of great praise if he had beene a secular Prince and attempted such things or if he had more care to exalt the Church in spirituall things by peaceable meanes than to make it great in temporall things by warre And yet is he desired aboue others but note of whom of them who the true names of things being lost and the distinction of them confused iudge that Popes are more to be praysed in this That by armes and shedding Christian bloud encrease the domination of the Apostolike See than labour by good examples of life to amend corrupt manners and take care for the saluation of those soules for whom they boast that they are ordained of Christ the Lord his Vicars on earth And did not the Emperour Maximilian lifting vp his eyes to heauen Joakimus Cureus Freistadiensis in Annalibus Gentis Silesiae Arnoldus Ferronius in vita Ludouici Gilberti Ducerij Epigramma worthily exclaime against the naughtie life of this Pope O eternall God if thou diddest not watch how ill it would be with the world which we gouerne I poore hunter and that wicked drunkard Iulius We read also that when a little after his election hee departed from Rome to make warre against Maximilian and Lewis passing ouer the bridge he cast the keyes into Tyber and holding a naked sword said with a lowd and high voyce That seeing Peters keyes would not suffice Paules sword should not be wanting Which gaue occasion of many Epigrams these among others Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendit ab hoste Quandoquidem clauis niliuvat ista Petri. Sith Peters keyes with foes doth nought preuaile This sword of Paul to saue vs shall not faile And In Gallum vt fama est bellum gesturus acerbum c. And hereupon Wicelius though a defender of Popes plainely saith of him Marti quam Christo propior That he was fitter for Mars than for Christ and indeed it was thought that in the space of nine yeares he had beene the occasion of the death of two hundred thousand men Whereas his predecessors were woont to graunt priuiledges to begging Friers he to the Cantons of the Switzers his confederats the principall executers of his high enterprises gaue the perpetuall title of Defenders of the Ecclesiasticall libertie with many Bulls Standards a Sword and golden Cap and other gifts that he might haue them readie at all his commaundements Neither was he for all that negligent in his Indulgences whereby hee might rake in money witnesse the Epigram Fraude capit totum mercator Iulius orbem Vendit enim coelos non habet ipse tamen c. By fraud the merchant Iulius rakes in pelfe For heauen he sells yet hath it not himselfe And this euidently ynough appeareth vnto vs by his Bulls especially by that dated in the yeare 1505 whereby being newly entred his Popedome hee ordayned That euerie fifteenth yere annuities should be paid for benefices And that he might reserue to himselfe all libertie to do all things by his own mere authoritie Bulla cuius initium Ex debito Pastoral officij alia cuius initium Suscepti regiminis cura sollicitat against the admonitions made vnto him from all parts he renewed the Bul of Pius the second against them that appealed from the Pope to a future Councell in such sort that the Appealants were judged excommunicated and their Appeals voyd and with these goodlie Prefaces Out of the duetie of our Pastorall office and the care of the gouernement vndertaken soliciting vs c. But with what face and faithfulnesse let the Reader judge vnlesse it bee with that sinceritie which this Epigram describeth Genua cui patrem genitricem Graecia Conradus Grebelius in Epigram partum Pontus vnda dedit num bonus esse potest Fallaces Ligures mendax est Graecia Ponto Nulla fides in te haec singula Iule tenes From Genua and Greece his parents bloud At sea he had his birth can he be good The Genowais be false Greekes lyers be Trustlesse the sea all this Iulius in thee Which truely he verified in effect in the whole course of his life I would willingly omit these other verses of the same Author but that all filthinesse with them is but a play Venit in Italiam spectatus indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier To Rome a German went of faire aspect But he return'd a woman in effect Which he speaketh of Iulius The same we find written by the Diuines of Paris of two young gentlemen violated or forced by him whom Queene Anne wife of Lewis the twelft had recommended to the Cardinall of Nantes to carrie with him into Italie Let vs adde this for conclusion That when he was besieged at Bononia by the Grand Master de Chaumont Generall of the armie of Lewis the 12 vnder colour of entertaining a treatie of peace brought into the citie for his succours certaine companies of Turks conducted by Chapin Vitelli and in the meane time he published by his Bull full pardon and large Indulgences to whomsoeuer should kill a Frenchman that is a Christian So that not without reason our French Church at that time called that full power of Popes a boisterous tempest and a diabolicall word And thus are we come to the yeare 1513. An. 1513. The Popedome of Iulius was imperious and barbarous The Cardinals who had felt his crueltie before they would proceed to election thought by prescribing conditions to the future Pope to bridle his authoritie but presently after saith Guicciardine they themselues did abrogat them almost all Guicciard l. 2. according as they were led some with feare and some with hope of fauour all vncapable of a better State This same was Iohn de Medicis Commaunder as Legat of the Popes armie who had beene taken in the battell of Rauenna and hauing made an escape away contrarie to his faith was presently after created Generall of the warre against the Florentines He was scarcely thirtie seuen yeares old when against custome by a new example hee was aduanced to the Popedome by the craft of the younger Cardinals In his first act he made manifest what was to be hoped of the reformation of the Church in his time for the pompe of his coronation was so excessiue Guicciard l. 2. as well of them of his house and Court as of all the Prelats that no man but would confesse That from the inundation of the Barbarians there had beene nothing seene more proud and stately seeing it is certaine that hee on that day had spent an hundred thousand ducats And the wiser sort iudged saith he that such a pompe was not fit for Popes Next he resolued to continue the Councell of Lateran and to extinguish that of Pisa which he easily did in reestablishing the fiue Cardinals which Iulius
who hauing left their dwellings are constrained to flie into the desarts And moreouer with bitter deep-fetcht sighes he exhorted Leo to prouide especially for three things The peace of Italie The discipline of the Court of Rome and the reformation of Faith sicke euen to death which he better expresseth in these verses Led tria praesertim restant cura atque labore Digna tuo bellum est primum quo fessa laborat Italia pleni humano iam sanguine campi Est aliud Romana graui maculata veneno Curia quae spargit terras contagia in omnes Postremum est oppressa fides exposta rapinis Vndique in praedam populis proiecta cruentis A te haec subsidium magnis clamoribus orant Sancte Pater succurre Leo Respublica Christi Labitur aegrotatquè fides iam proxima morti Three chiefe things rest worthie thy paine and care The Warre is first wherewith Italians are All tir'd and fields with humane bloud are fild Another is the Court of Rome defil'd With venome which to all lands is conuaid Last is the Faith opprest and open layd To rapine made to bloud-succours a prey These of thee with lowd cries for helpe doe pray Helpe holie Father Leo Christs estate Doth fall and Faith lyes sicke now at deaths gate And in all these things we haue seene that Leo followed a quite contrarie course as appeareth by the judgement of many great men that liued vnder the Popedom at that time But now we come to that which was done by whole corporations Grauamina nationis Germanicae There was not any nation vnder Leo which presented not vp their grieuances against the vnlawfull proceedings of the Court of Rome which violated all Concordats refused elections reserued the principall dignities for the Cardinals vnmeasurable in distributing expectatiue graces vnmercifull in exacting annuities which measured Indulgences according to the quantitie of money redoubled the tenthes vnder pretence of making warre against the Turkes bestowed benefices and Ecclesiasticall offices to the vnworthie yea to Mule-keepers and drew all causes without difference to Rome Of which things are extant whole bookes presented to Emperours and Kings together with their necessarie remedies especially in the yeres 1516 and 1517 which are our bounds At which verie time also flourished at Paris Iohn Maioris an excellent professor of Diuinitie whose Theses we haue of the power Royall and Papall Remedium contra grauamina nationis Germanicae Ioh. Maioris dist 24. q. 3. handled at large Dist 24. q. 3. First The Pope hath not any temporal domination ouer Kings c. 2. For if thou say he succeedeth Christ Christ is Lord of all On the contrarie thou canst not proue that Christ according to his humanitie is Lord of all seeing he said to Pylat My kingdome is not of this world And that being graunted yet the consequence is of no force impossible to be proued for oftentimes the Lieutenant hath not so great authoritie as his superiour whose Lieutenant he is For Christ instituted the Sacraments gaue the law of grace and may reuoke all diuine positiue law yet this cannot the Pope do 3. If the contrarie should be granted then would follow this conclusion Constantine gaue nothing to Syluester but onely restored vnto him his due the contrarie whereof is said 96 D. C. Constantinus 12. Q. 1. C. Futurum 4. The Popes themselues confesse that temporall iurisdiction pertaineth not vnto them that they will take nothing from the right of Kings Innoc. 3. in C. Nouit de judicijs Alexand. in C. Causam Qui filii sint legitimi And in that famous chapter Per venerabilem in the same title where Innocent the third saith That the king of France acknowledgeth not any superiour in temporall things and therefore may dispence with his sonne as with his inferiour But if thou say with the Glosse he acknowledgeth not any de facto in deed but yet he ought de jure by right I hold this to be a Glosse of Orleans which corrupteth the text because if it were so the Pope had not sufficiently answered to that gentleman of Mont-pellier requiring a dispensation for his bastard that thereby the king might dispense with him For the Pope sayd The king of France is a supreame Soueraigne in his kingdome in temporall things If he had spoken de facto his answer had beene none for the gentleman might haue answered him I acknowledge not or will not acknowledge a superiour de facto 5. Many deuout kings haue beene canonized by Popes that neuer acknowledged the Bishops of Rome to be aboue them in temporall things and in this haue died Therfore it is a signe that the Bishops of Rome haue not domination ouer all in temporal things Item Kings haue not their powers immediatly from the Bishop of Rome neither doe they take any influence from him in temporall things but haue their kingdomes by the consent of the people by succession by purchase by donation or by some other title For earthlie power dependeth not of the spirituall power of the Pope as the Captaine dependeth of his Generall but as two powers not subordinat of which neither dependeth of the other For he that possesseth a kingdome is not vassall of the Bishop of Rome neither is the Emperor his subiect in any manner And these were the Maximes of the French Church at that time But of the same time we haue two notable instruments one of Germanie the other of Fraunce as for the first Leo had sent his Legats into Germanie to exact tenthes vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes and they had prepared an eloquent Oration to induce the Princes thereto But they consulting about that matter with a notable personage he declared vnto them That Germanie had alreadie been ynough and more than ynough taxed That after peace was made among Christian Princes and that they were well disposed to that holie warre it would then be time ynough to thinke on tenthes That since the time that Popes haue mixed sacred things with prophane or rather forsaken the sacred to busie themselues onely in ciuile matters there hath beene no meane nor end of miseries and calamities there hath beene no care had of the flocke of Christ and contempt of diuine things hath aboundantly growne Christ sold and the whole world polluted vnder pretence of religion and brought to extreame ruine with this filthinesse and contagion Exhortatio viri cuiusd doctissimi ad Principes ne in Decimae praestationem consentiant Will you saith he destroy the Turke I praise your purpose but I greatly feare least yee erre in the name seeke him in Italie not in Asia Against him of Asia euerie of our kings is strong enough of himselfe to defend his owne limits But for to tame the other all Christendome is not sufficient That other who hath elsewhere enough to do with his bordering neighbours hath yet done vs no harme but this man
he describeth a woman sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal 17. v. 1.2.3.4.5 c. vpon a skarlet coloured beast commaunding an Empire adorned meerely with scarlet shee herselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arayed in purple and scarlet and guilded with gold and pretious stones and pearles and in her forehead in titulo in title these words a name written a Mysterie that great Babylon not really that auntient Babylon but in a Mysterie that mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth carnall aboue all measure spirituall beyond all shame What shall I neede to name him seeing he manifesteth himselfe and speaketh heere sufficiently And doth it not seeme that Satan hath taken pleasure to performe this worke that he might shew vnto the world a Master-peice of his art and as it were reproach vnto as our blindnesse when he brought forth as it were on a Theatre this Man that of so long a time before so plainely so clearly the spirit of Almightie God by the mouth of his Prophets and Apostles hath fore-warned vs of the comming of Antichrist of his conditions doings behauiour seat apparell and furniture Who would euer haue beleeued that he now comming directly in the same habit in the same posture and manner should so farre preuaile with vs that any man should receiue him that any should worship him and for so many ages and Satan himselfe in him And moreouer all these circumstances are described in the Ceremoniall booke of the Popes printed at Venice in Nouember 1516 and dedicated to Leo the tenth Now at that very time Martin Luther after many others being impatient of the blasphemies ouerflowing all Europe in Germanie thundered out against the Pope that Augustine Monke Doctor of Diuinitie of meane parentage of no authoritie in the end of the world accompanied with some few men of the same condition carried with the same zeale and moued with the same spirit at whose voyce the voyce certainely of almightie God thundering by them innumerable people throughout all Europe were stirred vp who either being made drunken slept the sleepe of death or being yet halfe asleepe had need of these instruments to awake and animate them These men durst amidst so great splendor of his Babylonish pompe and pride and so great painted brauerie call the Beast by his proper name in the midst of swords waters and fires of the rigor of magistrats furie of the people and rage of officers Whereupon all nations young and old women and children by their meanes openly professed and maintained the same they astonished beat downe and confounded with their humilitie his pride with their patience his crueltie and with the puritie of their doctrine by the great grace of God they restored the Gospell to light and in the constancie of their martyrdomes they brought as it were to life againe the faith of the Primitiue Church In so much that in a short time whole nations departed from the Roman Seat many Kings and Princes euen of them who had most contributed to that monstrous building now triumph loden with his spoyls There appeared from all parts godlie and learned men who kindled with the zeale of God with their labours stoutly endeuoured to cast downe to the ground that tottering pile and brought it neere to an vtter ruine 2. Thess 2. v. 8. Is not this according to that of S. Paule And then shall the wicked man be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth Of Saint Iohn also Apocal. 17. v. 16 Those Kings shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolat and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire Yet this Whore endeuoureth to take courage Apocal. 18.7 and set an impudent face on the matter She saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widow and shall see no mourning I cannot erre whatsoeuer they say my filthinesse is elegancie and the blaines budding forth from my vnchastitie pearles and precious stones She multiplieth so much the more her blasphemies against Christ the Sonne of God she rageth against his sacred word she adiudgeth it of insufficiencie of imperfection of ambiguitie dangerous deceitful and worse if may be making it wonderfull inferiour to the Roman Church the same Church in the meane time of which the Pope maketh himselfe superior alone greater than is represented in generall Councels How much superiour and higher will he haue it aboue the holie Scripture the word of God and consequently God himselfe And thereby he appeareth the more euidently to bee the same whom we seeke the Antichrist poynted out by the Apostles Therefore after we would haue applied Balme for her sore if she might perhaps be healed which shee obstinatly refused wee haue laboured to procure a holie reformation in the Church against which the Papacie is so much the more enuenomed with rage bringing in worse Popes of purpose in hatred thereof and vttering more absurd assertions as the infallibitie of traditions and the vprofitablenesse of the word written with the finger of God and inspired into his Prophets and Apostles May we not lawfully now say with the Prophet Ierem. 51. v. 9.10.11 We would haue cured Babel but she would not be healed forsake her and let vs goe euerie one to his owne countrey Let vs now wash our hands of her and expect what God hath determined of her especially seeing her iudgement is come vp vnto heauen on the contrary the Lord hath set forth our righteousnesse And what then doe we wait for from the same counsell the same prophesie and therefore from the same certaintie but that those Kings and the same States who haue worshipped her finish the worke of God Apoc. 17. v. 17 who will put into their hearts to fulfill his will and his pleasure to execute his sentence And let not the present state of things astonish vs in one day in one houre Apoc. 18. v. 8. in a moment are his workes performed and this worke without doubt must be performed And long agoe as of a thing alreadie done neere at hand and most certaine the Angell cried out and redoubled it It is fallen it is fallen Babylon Apocal. 18.2.4 But God forbid also that wee should neglect that other crie that followeth Goe out of her my people we to whom God hath giuen to know her yee which know her but too well take heed it bee not to your damnation Can any man now pretend an excuse That ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues least being defiled by the contagion of her Idolatrie and enchauntments yee be made partakers of the sentence long agoe pronounced against her of eternall fire which remaineth for her But because we are for the most part incredulous and stupide let vs pray vnto God of his meere mercie to draw vs as a Lot out of this spirituall Sodome as S. Iohn calleth it to pull vs to himselfe by the hand of his Angels to grant vnto vs that wee looke not backe againe and that we may before he powre downe his judgements on Babylon get to his holie mountaine to that little Segar his Church how small and contemptible soeuer it be in the eyes of the world Is it not a little one saith Lot and my soule shall liue Now to him Father Sonne and holie Ghost for the bottomelesse depths of his judgements and of his graces be prayse and glorie world without end Amen ⧠Errata Fol. Lin. Fol. Lin. 214 25 more pernitious traditions 474 42 succeed to 263 37 Tarracina 473 18 in his owne presence 272 1 imploreth his helpe 475 3 he that would but know 278 4 night of my 481 3 spittle of their 309 24 giue thee his 506 16 as it was thought 311 3 acknowledged 545 38 concourse of people 378 2 at Douer 559 45 decreed in these words 378 47 a longer day 586 8 Corpus Christi 388 42 after riches 593 14 excommunicated 401 18 to wauer 594 36 might more easily be discerned 401 39 Abbot of S. Albons 609 45 his successor 417 vlt. not so much 612 43 he being 441 vlt. and by their digressing 615 21 as visited 446 40 of the eternall judgement 629 vlt. or if he had had more care FINIS