these enormytes and IncoÌ„uenyences it was expedyent for dyuerse Kyngê Pryncê to assemble dyuerse councelles and congregacyons of wyse prudent persons and faythfull chrysten Rulers and gouerners the which counceles doth more playnly appere in the fyrst parte of this present boke and specyally in the .vii. fyrste sysmes ¶ Of the fyrst sysme deuysyon that began in the churche of Rome with persecucyons and deuysyons that arose through the possessyons that constantyne the emperour gaue to the Bysshop of Rome Syluester and his successours IT is a comune experience dayle sene and harde that none euyll is engendred but through some euyll and malyuolent persone as it appered playnly by one Nouatus an heritike preest cardynall of Rome which was y â— fyrst y e inuiolated y e church of Rome through his detestable abusioÌ„s ypocrysy for he preteÌ„ded none other but to obtayne y â— dignyte of the see of rome vnder his fayned holynesse that was throughe Rygore and ambysyon Thus vnder his false subtyll pretence was reysed vp two anty papis agaynst the holy bysshop saynt Cornelis the one was y â— sayd Nouaâ—us at rome the other nicostratus in affrica and so was expulsed the said Nouatus frome y â— knowlege of the churche of Rome named hym selfe vnmaculat clene without spot and al his diciples and thus they a bode in theyr appostasy as men that denyed the fayth catholyke not worthy to come agayne to the crysteÌ„ Relygyon accordyng as Chrystes dycyples dyd preach and teache the Gospell For the whiche errour it was thought expedyent to assemble a counsell in Rome of .40 Bysshoppes In the whiche couÌ„ceyl the sayd Nouatus was coÌ„dempned which was the fyrst counceyll that was assembled in the church of Rome except in the prymatyue churche by the Appostles and Discyples of Chryste Thus abode Cornelis a Romayn in y â— see bysshop suffryng great tribulacions and persecucyons through the sysmes of the two forsayd antypapes nâ—uatus and Nycostratus cardynalles and perforse put Cornelius to exyle so afterwarde he was put to y â— Crowne of marterdome vnder the tyraunt Decyus emperour he rayned bysshop of Rome .ii. yeres and .iii. dayes and so he gaue his power and auctoryte to steuen and thus the see of Rome lyued many yeres after Chrystes passyon in great perfeccyon symplyciâ—e holynesse replet with grace and vertue vntyll the tyme that CoÌ„staÌ„tyne poysoned holy perfeccion w t temporall possessyons whiche he gaue then to the church of Rome and so rayned after Cornelius Fabyan the fyrst the .xxi. bisshop of Rome whiche cristened Phillip the fyrst Emperour of y â— name of y e nacioÌ„ of Arabye who began to raygne Anno dnÌ„i .cc.xlvi. which when he dyed gaue al his treasours possessyons vnto y e sayd Fabyan bysshop of Rome the whiche Emperour dyed vnder Decius the Tyraunt and so bycause that Decius the tyraunt coude not obtayne Kyng Phyllyppes treasours whiche was gyuen to Fabyan bysshop of Rome Then Decyus caused great persecucyon through all the worlde amonge crysten people whiche was y e .vii. persecucion after Nero the great tiraunt so in this persecucyon Fabyan was put to deth by cruell martyrdome with the fyrst and the .xxi. martyre bysshop of Rome folowynge Saynt Peter and vnder y â— sayd decyus dyed martyrs Sebastian saynt Agatha Appolonia with many other y e were innocent of the treasours that fabyane had whiche was y â— specyall cause of this cruell persecucyon of chrystes flocke ¶ And so this cruell tyranny contynewed many yeres by detyns and his successours and so after Detyns successid Ualeryan gallus which began the .viii. persecucion vnder whom dyed Sextus bishop of rome the fyrst of that name also Laurens his deacon which distrybuted the goodes of the church to the pore accordyng to y â— law of God also saynt Ypolyt with dyuers other martyrs dyed vnder hym And after hym Aurclianus emperour borne iÌ„ Dalmace the .xxxii. emperour founder of Orleaunce in Fraunce And y â— cytie of Geneue vpon the lake in sauoy he persecuted the .ix. persecucion on Christes flocke or region through cristendom to pytefull to suffer THe .x. persecucion was most cruely vsed through Dioclesian Maximyan Emperours borne in DalmatiqÌ„ whiche persecucyon endured .x. yeres whiche Dioclesyan caused hym selfe to be honoured lyke a God in kyssyng his fete as popis of late daies hath vse princes and crysten rulers to do which was abhomynable afore God man and this sayd Dioclesian persecuted ouer al the Orientall partes of y e world Maximian in lykewyse in y â— occident partes and tyranny vpon chrystes chosen chyldren was so horryble vnmerciful lyke bochers of bestes that it was to execâ—eble in the syght of all people impossyble for pen to wryt for in the space of a moneth in y â— paâ—tê of EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce was put to deth .xvii. thousaÌ„d christeÌ„ people in so moch that y â— fayth of chryst was almost in Englande and frauÌ„ce extynckit that no man durst shew hym felfe a crysten man for fere of deth and tyranny all bokes of Chrystes fayth brent that myght be goten so after this cruell persecucyons the deuyll ennemye to al maÌ„kynd engendred many heresyes as Sabellyans that denyed y t Ihesus Chryste was not the sone of God and also y e herytykes called Manekis put forth two questyons one good y â— other euyl whervpon was gadred a great counceyll in Antioch agaynst Paule the samosethaÌ„ bysshop which denyed the virginite of the virgyne Mary mother of chryste In the whiche counceyll and busynesse was assembled .xviii. bysshoppes in the cyte of senesse in the countrey of naples ¶ All this persecucyon endured vnto y â— tyme of Constantyne y â— great emperour in which tyme was martyred and put to deth for Christes fayth all these sayntes Marcellyn Marcell Melchiades bysshops of Rome Also Agnes Anastase Barbara Crispyn and Crispian Crystofer Cosme and Damyan Kateryne Luce marget George maximiliaÌ„ quintyn Blase Mauryce Uincent many without nombre whose names are wryten in the boke of lyfe ¶ Here foloweth the occasyon of the sismes and enormytyes that came of the donacyon and gyftes of Constantyne to the churche of Rome THus haue you harde howe the fylthy treasours y â— Fabyan helde Chrystes churche was infected fyrste with by the couetous mynde of Fabyan bysshop of Rome whiche held the treasours of Phyllyp kynge whiche dyed vnder Decyus the tyraunt whiche Decyus cruelly persecuted all crystendome for with holdynge the sayd tresory of kyng Phyllyp and so afterward the forsayd Noâ—atus Nycostratus was proued false prophetes antipapes openly to theyr great rebukes and shame by a generall counceyll and yet after this there â—ose agayne throughe all Chrystes churche great dyscordes trybulatyoÌ„s persecucyoÌ„s through the infexions pryd of arrogansy y e arose in the church of Rome through the treasours and gyftes of coÌ„stantyne and of his successours where
frome the Romayns came into Fraunce to kynge Lowys the good Kynge at Orlyaunce was there honorably receyued and at his retorne gaue hym ayed and strength to retorne to Rome and he gaue hym a crosse of so great valoure that was inestymable to iudge whiche was sent as an offrynge to seynt Peter ¶ Of the coursed and wycked couÌ„ceyll that was holdeÌ„ at Campyne by the prelates of FrauÌ„ce agaynst the sayd good kynge Lowys ✚ THere was about this tyme a detestable and wycked counceyll a permysyous which was gadered by euyll auctoryte ***** of the wycked prelates of Fraunce whiche conspyred agaynst theyr good Kynge Lowys bycause he set a dyreccyon and good order agaynst theyr dishonest lyuynge pompe pryde abhomynacyon and superfluytes as afore was wryten and thus this wycked counceyll of prelates conspyred a great insurreccyon and army of moch people as the sone against the father and frend agaynst frend so toke the good Kyng Lowys put hym captyue at seysons in a stronge hold And to this conspyrese was agreed pope Gregory y â— .iiii. of his name bycause he was not benefyciall to the Churche of Rome at that tyme and for redressyng many enormytê And not so benefycyall as he was to other Bysshops afore And as the orator Raphael of voluntary testyfyeth of this wycked counceyll companye assembled without auctoryte And so there these traytours coÌ„dempned this good kyng without auctoryte deposed hym frome all armes and out of his dignyte emperyal and dyspoyled hym of his Kynges rayment and put on hym a monkes kole in derysyon ¶ O cursed wycked Pharysyans repleat with treason and ypocresy sacerdotall howe can ye conspyre so great abhomynacyon and cruelty agaynst so good a kynge for redressynge your Antecristian lyuynge pompe pryde suerly this is not your fyrst cruelty for ye began w t the hede y t was our sauyour Iesu Christ whome ye shamfully crucyfyed and put to deth ¶ And thus contynued the good kynge Lowys captyue indesolacyon amonge his ennemyes tyll God prouyded for hym through good couÌ„ceylles iustyce diuyne of Kynges and Prelates that he was restored to his originall tytle emperour and Kynge of Fraunce agayne ¶ Of the couÌ„ceyll of Troyes in Champane holden by the kynge Lowys that stutted in his speakynge IN the tyme of this Lowys sone of Charles came in to Fraunce IohnÌ„ bysshop of Rome the .viii. of that name borne in Rome And escaped out of the prysons and captyuyte of the Romayns which hated hym bycause he wold haue crowned this sayd Lowys y â— sâ—utter Emperour of Rome for the Romayns wolde rather haue had Charles his brother kynge of Germanye and not onely for this cause he fled but bycause of two erles which wolde haue taken frome hym the patrymonye of the Churche and in this cause he dyd curse theÌ„ and so came for socour in to fraunce and there abode a .xii. monethes desyred the help of the Kynge which could not come bycause he lay secke at Towers notwithstaÌ„dynge within short tyme after he recouered his sykenesse then he the bysshop met togyther in Troyes in Champane and there assembled a counceyll of the churche Gallycane ¶ And thus at this sayd counceyll were determyned many holy decrees there they confyrmed a bysshop to be Pastore ouer the countre of Flaunders whiche was a wylde Forest for to make Colys and full of maryse as Platyne wryteth which afterwarde was replet with people and townes wherthrough it is to be coniectured they be vnder the dioses of Tornay as yet remayneth ¶ Yet furthermore at this sayd couÌ„ceyll this said IohnÌ„ bysshop gaue the crown empyre to kyng Lowys the stutâ—er alled him august yet wold not he grauÌ„t to crowne his wyfe Quene so after this counceyll fynyshed IohnÌ„ bysshop the .viii. of that name retorned to Rome to warre on the Sarasyns whiche were entred in to the partys of Italye ¶ Of two couÌ„ceylles holden at Raynys one agaynst another one by the kynges the other by the bysshop of Rome AGaynst these counceylles the bysshop Benedict the .vii. of that name caused to asseÌ„ble another counceyll at Raynes in the which Arnulphus was restored to the byshoprych of Rayns and the vsurped bysshop deposed which was after Archbysshop of Reuenna and syns bysshop of Rome by crafte and meanes of Diabolyke scyence wherin he was expert yet notwithstandynge he ended his dayes myserably ¶ Of a great couÌ„ceyll generall asseÌ„bled at CleremoÌ„de in Auernea iÌ„ the tyme of Phyllyp the fyrste of that name Emperour kynge of FrauÌ„ce there present Urbanus y â— secoÌ„de bysshop of that name in Rome in the which couÌ„ceyl was y â— great vyage of Godfroy debullyon set forth vpoÌ„ the sarasyns where by the fayth of Chryste was largely encreased in Turkey ✚ THis holy bysshop of Rome Urban the .xii. of that name Abbot of Clunye a blacke monke and Cardynall of Hostyensis was moued w t pyte and compassyon thorow the lameÌ„table complayntes of the worthy pylgrâ—me Peter the heremyte borne at Mens the whiche came lately from the holy laÌ„de And so informed Urban of the mysâ—ry and poâ—erte seruytude that crysten people were in there with the patryarke Symon in Ierusalem So this complaynt herynge Urban moued with coÌ„passyon prepayred with all dylygence for succour delyuerauÌ„ce of them there beyng in the thraldom dauÌ„ger of Sarasyns turkys Infidels which crysteÌ„ people laye in this thraldom from the tyme of Hiracle whiche was the yere of our Lorde god cccc.lxxx or there aboute as platyne wryteth ¶ And shortlye after Urban was in so greate trouble and veracyon amonge the Romayns that they were fayne to flye out of Rome and came in to Fraunce And there was assembled throughe his commynge a great counceyll of all the Prelates of the Churche catholyke whiche was holden in the cytie of Cleremount in Ouernia And some storyes sayth that Phillyp y e fyrste of that name assembled another counceyll agaynst y e Hollandes And so whan the great couÌ„cell of Urban the bysshop of rome was assembled in the holy Ghost this sayde Urban made an excellent and elygant Oration to that asseÌ„ble And there therof breyfly sentenciously I gadred as foloweth concernynge the vyage to Ierusalem for the delyueraunce and captyuyte of the crysten people ¶ All ye honourable audyence here assembled ye shall vnderstande y t I whiche haue taken on me vnworthy this entendeth to set good ordre and reformacyon in all thynge accordynge to the catholyke Relygyon of Chryste ¶ It is not vnknowen to you what ingerys and losse hathe ben of late dayes in crystendome by Sarasyns and Infydellys without mercy or pytie with great warres and battayllys for the whiche remedy is there none but by force of armys wherfore to redresse it as we and you be very Câ—tristyans stonde faste in the fayeth and lette vs seke remedy for this pyteous tyranny that chrysten people do susteyne
the sayd Kynge shulde in contynent without delay goâ— and prepayre in al hast a great nauey and an armye also to go into the holy Lande the which y â— sayd Kynge coulde not brynge to passe forcause of great warres y t he had at y t time against y â— FlauÌ„ders nacioÌ„ ¶ And thus this sayd ArrogauÌ„t bishop seynge y t he coulde not obtayne his purpose began to threten rebuke y â— kynge rygoryously sayeng that in case that he wolde not fulfyll his message he wolde cause hym to fle out of his Realme and for bycause y â— this bysshop enbassatour vsed hymselfe so rygorously agaynst y â— Kynge the Kynge toke hye displeasure and straytly coÌ„maunded hym to pryson ¶ After this tydinges came to this foresayd Boniface the .viii. Coloryk proud and arrogant aboue mesure And sente strayght an Archedeacon Embasadour coÌ„maundyng the kyng phyllyp the fayre that he shulde not enterpryse to take nor rayse no money Subsidie vpon the churche the whiche subsydie he was enforced to do for the great warres that he was charged with at that tyme for his defence And the sayd archedeacon dyscharged the sayd kyng for the InprysonemeÌ„t of the sayd bysshop that he shuld be exyled all y â— iurisdixion of Rome And that it shuld be auctorysed in Rome for euer his disobedyence and so taken nomynated as an Herytyke and a sysmatyke also y â— sayd Archdyacon syted hym with dyuers other Bysshops prelats of the Cleargy to come vnto Rome parsonally by a certeyn day and disanulled all the Preuylages of grauntes pardons gyuen by his predycessours of the see of Rome ¶ This was an extreme rygoure in the presens of all his barons and counceyll whiche was so dysdaynous proudly spoke by the sayd enbassatour without any seueryte or of good order and yf the Kynge were moued or abasshed it was no marueyle so coÌ„mauÌ„dynge with sober aduysement y t the fyrst Enbassatour the bysshop shuld be set at lybertye and that in all the hast with further deliberacyon he shulde depart his Realme and so in short tyme after he asseÌ„bled a great counceyll of Bysshops barons in the whiche the Kynge openyd all the vltrages and abhomynacyons y t the forsayd Innocent the eyght vsed agaynst hym and openly there expressed howe shamfully craftely this Boniface came by the see of Rome and tourned hym to the Clargy to y â— Lordes temporal sayeng of whome holde ye your Landes possessyons but of me wherfore I wyll ye ye henseforth not so hardy to send or pay any money or treasour to y â— court of Rome and hereupon caused all brydges portys and passages to be stopped and kept thus Boniface y â— bysshop of Rome cursed hym coÌ„spyred great malyce and ingeris agaynst y â— Kyng procured great enuyte agaynst hym by certayne Prynces and shortly this was the fyne and coÌ„clusion of this debate was thus ¶ The Kynge seynge y â— importunat malyce of this Antecryst bysshop y â— Kynge caused .200 men of armys conduted by two subtyle and wyse persons and they which went to y t towne of agnane wher the Bysshop lay in Naplys and toke hym ther in brought hym prysoner to Rome where he dyed myserably for doloure cursed mynde within .24 dayes after and his epytaphe was suche lyke as he deserued as foloweth Intrauit vt Uulpes regnauit vt Leo mortuus est vt cauis y t is in Englysshe he entred as a Foxe rained lyke a Lyon and dyed as a Doge ¶ Of a nother couÌ„ceyll holden in fraunce at Uyenne Anno DnÌ„i .892 THe auctour founde in olde auncyaunt Lybrary a Boke at Lyons wherin was wryten that from the tyme of Formosus bysshop of Rome began the .ix. sisme which shalbe more leargely treated of in y â— thyrd parte of this boke and so by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Lowys Kynge otherwyse called Lowys le balbe throughe the counceyll of his wyfe assembled a counceyll in the churche of saynt Saluatour where were gadered two legatê of Rome the one named pascal the other IohnÌ„ the archebysshop of Uyenne and Aurelyan archebysshop of Ualencie with many other prelates and learned men of the Clergye and yet at this tyme the preestes were maryed and at this counceyll was decreed this acte worde for worde ¶ Ut presbiteri non in villis sicut quibusdam consuetudinis est morentur et feminas suas secum in domibus suis habitare non permittant exceptis quas canonicas permittit auctoritas that is in englyshe That preestes which dwelt in Cyties in Townes of custume hauyng theyr wyfes with them dwellyng shulde no more so be suffered but onely those as shulde be permytted suffered by the auctoryte of the holy Canons ¶ Of a nother general couÌ„ceyl holden at Uyenne in Dolphyne .1312 AFter y â— Ignomynyous and shamfull deth of Bonyface afore wryten y â— .8 of that name bysshop of Rome succeded Benedictê° y â— eleuenth borne at Taruyse in Italye a blake Frere which was amoderat parsone nothynge lyke his predycessour for he assoyled Phillip kynge of Fraunce of y t sensurys of the churche whiche bisshop Bonyface surmysed agaynst hym so this good bysshop rayned but eyght monethes and .17 dayes after whom rayned Clement y â— .v. a gasken borne archbysshop of Burdux whiche was chosen by the Cardynallys resydent for the tym ethe yere of our Lorde at the instaunce of kynge Phyllyp la bel .1305 ¶ Thus shortly after this sayd ClemeÌ„t assembled a great companye of Cardynalles Bysshops to no lytell cost and charge to all y â— churche of Fraunce and so came to Lyons with great pompe wordly glory where met with hym many cardynalles of Italye where as he was corwned with great pompe Royalty at the which coronacion was kyng Phyllyp la bel w t his brother Charles all the prynces of Fraunce in all this pompe royalty befell a great sodayne myschauÌ„ce where as a great nombre of people were slayne in the fall of a great olde wall where as moche people were asseÌ„bled for to beholde this great pomp and ryalty in the which fall was â—layne the duke IohnÌ„ of Brytanye the kyng sore hurte and the new bysshop smyten from his Horse in so moch y â— his crowne fell from his hed lost the rychest stone there one called a Carbuncle estemed worth .vi. M. duccatê thus after this mysfortunat aduentour this sayd bysshop Clement departed from Lyons came to Auygnyon wher as he abode there remoued the See appostolyque from Rome vnto Auignyon the whiche see appostolike remoued abode there the space .lxxiii. yeres after afore it was remoued to Rome agayne ¶ The syxt yere after the forsayd Clementis coronacyon which was the yere .1311 in the moneth of NoueÌ„bre was asseÌ„bled a great generall couÌ„ceyl vnyuersal through all crystendome in the Cytie of Uyenna iÌ„ Dolphyne wher as was
through sprange .xxiii. great sysmes in contynuaunce iÌ„ crystes church through these possessyons temporall abused ¶ Of constancius father of constantyne COnstantyne was sone to the doughter of claude Emperour the seconde of his name and the said Constancius maryed Helene quene of Englande herefor to the Crowne of Englande by whom was conceyued and borne constantyne the great the yere of oure Lorde God .ccc.viii. whiche Constantyne was emperour of all the occident partes and after warde emperour of all the worlde ¶ And thus after his great warres Cyuyle he beynge yet a pagan a persecutor of crysten men as his predecessours were frome the whiche tyranny God of his wonderfull workes conuerted hym to y e faith by Siluester byshop of Rome which was fled hyd hym selfe for dred of deth in mountens and woodes ¶ Of Siluestre the fyrst which tryumphed ouer the churche mylytaâ—â—t of Rome through great possessyonâ— treasours whiche the empâ—rouâ— Constantyne enpoysoned 〈◊〉 churche fyrste withall SIluester the .xxxiiii. byshâ—p borne iÌ„ Rome was estemed a maÌ„ of holy lyfe which had great grace gyueÌ„ to hym in coÌ„uertyng many to the fayth as specylaly constantyne the great by whose dylygence and preachyng the sayd syluester caused hym to sease of his cruell tyraÌ„ny vpon cristen people coÌ„maunding 〈◊〉 destroy all ydoles temples and set vp Crystes churches so worshipped the crosse and passyon of cryst ouer all the worlde vnyuersall to the great ioy of all crysteÌ„dome and straytly he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that no persecucion shulde be done ouer crysten men in no regyon which was to al crystendome a wonderful sâ—d ayne mutacyon and chaunge y â— in a lytle whyle afore y e no man so hardy y e durst be knowen to be a crysten man for feare of persecucyoÌ„ of deth in somoch they were hated ouer all that no body wold suffre a crysteÌ„ maÌ„ ones knoweÌ„ abyd iÌ„ no place but lyued in great dred and in secret places ¶ Thus by the prouysyon of God syluestre was taken in lyke honour w t kynges whiche was as many haue opinion and say it was by the subtyl craft of the deuyll whiche is euer was the auncyaunt ennemy of mankynd which could fynde none other poyson to destroy the perfexion of holy byshops which were xxxii that dyed holy martyrs for crystes fayth afore Syluester thus y â— deuyll supposynge to haue a great parte of crystendome through riches power dignite pryd and heresy and sismes y e shulde sprynge dyd in dede afterward vnto this day experience leadeth vs to moche And some holdeth opynyon wryteth that at this tryumphe was herd a voyce horryble in the ayer sayenge Hodie venenum iÌ„ ecclesia semiauâ— yet I can not assure this for a trewth but as some writers haue wryten ¶ This noble Prynce Constantyne in loue zelus mynde to siluester through the wonderfull suffraunce of God and blynded with worldly vanytes caused Siluester the bisshop to be clothed with purple sylkes rayment imperyal most lyke a Kynge or a Prynce in somoch he toke his crowne imperiall set it on his hede yet notwithstaÌ„dyng Siluester w t humble couÌ„tenaunce wolde not take it but vtterly refused it wold not vse nor take vpon hym to were it but a symple myter of fustian the whiche is yet vsed among the bysshops and cardinalles of Rome to this daye notwithstandynge though Siluester wolde not take vpon hym the emperyall Crowne yet the bysshops of Rome of late dayes haue takeÌ„ vpon them vsurpacyon hye auctoryte thre crownes of golde facyoned hye and sharpe copped ryche w t stones and perle as the boxe of a great lapydarye oryental for truely it is to be woÌ„dered on such superfluyte to be worne on any such holy persones hede for Chryst our redemptour vsed no such vayne glory for iÌ„ this cause Platyne y â— great wryter of stores mayster of the roulles in Rome whcihe mocketh this abusyoÌ„ in y â— tyme of AdriaÌ„ y â— fyrst which was called paule y â— proude a venecyan which gloryfyâ—d iÌ„ hym selfe in suche lyke ryche apparel eueÌ„ as a god in earth and wolde so be called among people in earth iÌ„ his arrogancy pryde and thus wolde y â— sayde Paule vse hym selfe gloryfyed euery yere of Iubely afore all y â— worlde afore y â— Pylgrymes dyd vse hym to were y â— maner facion rayment of women in those dayes lyke the customable weryng that Bysshops dyd vse and yet moreouer saynt Austyn sayeth de verbis domini in reproche of the arrogancy pryde of popes whiche wolde be called Goddes saynge thus Qui vult videre deus cum sit homo non imitatur illum qui cuÌ„ deus esset pro illo factus est homo ¶ Thus to proced of Siluester though he with holy and symple countenaunce refused the ryche crowne emperyall of Constantyne yet he wolde not refuse of Constantyne y e great possessyon gyftes and rentes y â— he gaue with the hole cytie of rome which was no small possessyon as dyuers wryters maketh mencyon as doth Laurence valla the great orator ¶ This Syluester caused to assemble the fyrste great generall councell at Nycene and Bythena purposly agaynst the herysies of Aryen which greatly encreased whose errours was in the distynctions of the thre persons in Trinite And in this couÌ„ceyl was preseÌ„t .xxxviii. Bysshoppes assembled ✚ ¶ Of the seconde scisme and dyuysion that was in y â— church of rome shortly after the donacion of CoÌ„stantyne And of the herysies that fell in this tyme by the fyrst pope heretykes shamefull sysmatykes ⧠⧠AFter the donacyon of ConstaÌ„tine folowed two bisshoppes of Rome pesyble iuste men in theyr offyce without sysme or dyscorde amonge crystes flocke the one was named Marke the other Iuly In whose tyme y â— heresyes of the Aryans encreased more more whiche torned the hart and mynde of Constance the sone of Constantyne y â— then rayned And so he began the .xi. persecucyon vpon crysten people And put Iulius in exyle out of rome whose place succeded Liberius and Felyce togyther which enuyed ech other who shuld haue the see of Rome so in contynuauÌ„ce Liberius y â— heretyke throughe the fauor of Constans opteyned his purpose to be bysshop of Rome And enioyed the see of Rome the space of .xlii. yeres and .vii. monthes and thre dayes notwithstandyng he was noted to be the fyrste pope heretyke and sysmatyke And supporter of the Aryans artycles through his abhomynable gloryous dygnyte pleasyng the mynde of the Emperoure Constantyne the yonger infecte with the sayd heresyes whiche was the most abhomynablest and cruel heresyes y â— euer was worse then the seckte of MahoÌ„met for the Preestes Aryans persecuted other crysten bysshops catholyke people without pety or mercy in Affryque Spayne Thus was Felyxe y â— bysshop of Rome put to deth iÌ„ this persecucioÌ„ the .xiiii moneth of his reygne after this rose
stode vacant the space of two yeres thre monethes .xvii. dayes For bycause y â— cardynalles coulde not agree at that elexcion and counceyl of carpentras in so moche that they fell togyther and fought in the whiche arroure was slayne two of the chefyste Cardynalles and this hurle burley in shorte tyme after they gathered a couÌ„ceyll at lyon and they held theyr coÌ„claue within the black freres called our lady of conforte where as they coÌ„cluded to haue IohnÌ„ the .xxii. of y â— name borne in Cauors Anno dnÌ„i 131â— and some wryters say that he was chosen by kynge Lowys and Phyllyp his brother kynges of Fraunce and his brother countye of poyeters ¶ After the coronacyon of y â— sayd IohnÌ„ the .xxii. of y â— name he kept his resydence in Auynyon and for his fyrst acte he exercysed a marueylous iustyce agaynst Hewe bysshop of caours the which bisshop was taken w t a coÌ„spyrasy agaynst the bysshop of Rome IohnÌ„ .xxii. for the which he was degraded and delyuered to the hangman and cruelly put to deth so in this meane season Lowys de bauaria kynge of romayns ouer came in batayl duke Frederyke of Ostrich whiche toke vpon hym bycause he had y â— corone of myllan he wolde vsurpe thempyre of Rome without auctoryte agaynst the whiche IohnÌ„ bysshop aforesayd withstode with great indignation with dyuerse censurys curses agaynst y â— sayd kynge of bauaria which was called nycolas the .v. which caused the .xxi. sysme which seassed not vnto y â— boniface counte de Pisa toke prysoner this sayde antipape the which raysed a great decyme thorowe al the church of Fraunce vnder colour to goo agaynst the sarasyns w t a hole crosse for the which was money gathered he dyd pretend nothyng lesse in this .xxi. sysme amonge the valdays and y â— comons of Lyon arose and engendred many great heresyes ¶ Of the two and twenty sisme longest incontynuaunce and most sclaunderous amonge all other for throughe it the lande of Boheme became full of heresyes ⧠⧠☞ ☞ ⧠⧠THis .xxii. sisme contynued forty yeres in the which season was many bisshops of rome one agaynst another whiche was so obscure and crafty that al y â— clargy in crystendome were troubled therwith to iudge to whome partayned the ryght and iust tytle who shuld possesse the iust patrimony of saynt peter called these appostolyke some sayd the one some opynyon of the other by the which dyuysion the bohemes fel in great decay and heresyes as then it was taken and called bicause partly it preteÌ„did agaynst y â— vsurped maiesti of y â— bisshops of rome and agaynst theyr fylthy deceytfull câ—uyâ—ousnesse inuented for theyr owne lucre for money and pylled and robbed al the worlde many yeres clene agaynst all goddes lawe and holy scrypture as nowe it is euydently perceyued that the lyght is at his lybertye and not darkened as it was then and these be the here syes y â— the Bohemes helde as then was that y â— bysshop of Rome was a bisshope of no hyer preeminence then other bysshops be eche for his perticuler dyoses also they held that there was no purgatory to be remitted by theyr power also that it was vayne and vnprofytable to pray for soules ons passed this lyfe but helde opynyon that it was a profyte inuented by the couetousnesse of Preestes onely for lucre also y â— ymages of Chryst and of sayntes were not to be worshypped nor to stande in syght for it was Ydolatry and also that all the orders of Fâ—eres beggers was not of God but inuented by the deuyllys crafte also that no preest nor bysshop shulde possesse no temporalytes nother in auctoryte nor in iurisdiccion these were great heresyes as y â— tyme required as nowe many may haue experyence ¶ And so to procede come to our purpose of the .xxii. sysme it began the yere of our Lorde a .1378 y â— was anone after the court of Rome was remoued from auynion to Rome agayne by the meane of bysshop Gregorye y â— eleuenth of that name borne in Limogis as I haue wryten more playnly in the seconde parte of this boke where as I wrote of two couÌ„cellys holden at Parys in the tyme of kynge Charles the syxt ¶ Thus that I may come directly and folowe the courses of these sysmes Ye shall vnderstand that in the yere aboue wryten the .xxii. sisme began in the tyme of Gregorie the .xi. the which remoued y â— â—ee appostolyke from Auynion vnto rome then at y â— tyme the cardynallys were deuyded in two bandys or partys so the cardynallys of Italy set vp Urban the .vi. borne in naples and the French cardynalles set vp Robert of Geneua who was called Clement the .vii. and he kept his see in auignion bycause of this sysme thus al cristendome was deuided in two partys by the wilfulnesse of these two monstruous Antypapes beynge a strauÌ„g syght as it were a man to haue two heddes and so this sysme infected the oryent partes of Italy Almayne Hungory which gaue obedyeÌ„ce to UrbaÌ„ the .vi. on the other part FrauÌ„ce spayne Englande helde with Clement the .vii. whiche was the occydent parte ¶ In the tyme of this great dyuysyon Lowys duke de aungeoy which fauoured bisshop Clement the .vii. which held his aucâ—orite in auynyon and so entred into Italy w t .xxxi. thousande horse men of armys party for the Realme of Naples and also to socoure quene Ione agaynst kynge Charles of Hungry as well as for the dyfference that was bytwene the two bysshops aforesayd antypapes to thend to gyue clemeÌ„t the hole auctoryte but in conclusyon this sayd duke of aungeoy soÌ„ne of kynge IohnÌ„ y â— was prysoner in England fel sycke and died within the space of two yeres in the land of polonya afore he had fynysshed his sayd warres for the which this sayd french men departed thense into frauÌ„ce agayne this forsayd bysshop Urban yet coulde not lyue in peace with Charles kyng of Hungry and of naples but was constraynt to flee out of Rome to Gennes by see where as in y â— passage he caused to be drowned .v. Cardynallys whiche were great frendes of this sayd clement in auynyon dyd fauoure hym greatly thus this forsayd quene Ione sold auinion the couÌ„ty of venyse vnto Clement the .vii. but some stories wryt y â— they chauÌ„ged for y â— tribuit which y â— realme of naples ought to y â— church of rome ¶ For to retorne wryte yet further of bysshop Urban the .vi. of the .xxii. sysme ye shall vnderstande that this sayde bysshop as storyes do wryt was a very peruerse man the which toke great pleasure to sowe disceâ—tions and debatys amonge crysten prynces soner raither then to set peace vnite and concorde the which dyscordys and debaytes were not apeased longe after his death and thus longe endured this sysme and so in his place was
chosen Boniface the .ix borne in Naples y â— whiche was not aboue .30 yeres of â—ege and this bisshop boniface was he that vsurped and toke the auctoryte from y â— Romayns so transported it brought it to the set of the bysshops of Rome and so fortefyed the castel aungel agaynst the Romayns also this boniface began to rayse y â— exactions vpon the 〈◊〉 for al benefycys thorowe all chrystendome onely except y â— realme of Englande and in his tyme was the gerat Iubelee vnyuersall ¶ So on the other part after the death of â—lement the .vii. was chosen another bysshop Antypape at Auynyon by the consent of the Cardynallys of Fraunce called the bysshop of the mone after named benedictus the .xiii. against whome was holden a counceyl in Fraunce as it is wryten in the seconde part of this the which enforsed and enlarged this sysme the which perceuered and contynued vnto the counceyl of Constaunce duryng the whiche tyme this sayd benedictus of the mone supported his obstynat pleasure and so coÌ„tynued in his wylfulnesse vnto the ende of his lyfe ¶ Thus wheÌ„ Boniface the .ix. was deed in Rome afore wryten the cardynallys of Italy chose another bssshop of Rome called Cosmian of Perouse who was named in the see of Rome Innocent the vii and after hym succedyd gregory the xii a venecian somtyme called Angelus be corario thus worse and worse was the sisme for yet al this whyle rayned in auynyon Benedictus of the mone whiche held his ful auctorite as an antipape vnto whome came as enbassatoure the duke of burgonye and of berry and orlyâ—unce from kynge Charles the .vi. the which kynge desyred this bysshop of the mone to be perswaded from certayne poyntes the which he vsurped and that he myght be set in his ryght iust auctorite also y â— the bisshop Gregory the .xii. his felowe shulde do in lykewyse vnto the whiche this bysshop of y â— mone wold make no auswere but fled secretly into spayne for fere of losynge of his dignite and so y â— barons retourned with displeasure without answere there this Bysshop held a counceyl at perpignan and there held hym sure in a stronge castell called Paniscolle ¶ Thus when the crysten prynces and cardynallys sawe that none accorde nor appoyntement coulde come to passe bytwene these two papystes bysshops of the see of Rome but contention stryfe and that none wolde come to the ryght thoughe they had promysed it afore so then was there gathered and assembled another generall counceyll at Pysa in Italy y â— yere of grace of our lorde .1408 ¶ In the which couÌ„ceyl was a syted personally to appere both the papystes bisshops solemply according to theyr estate yet for all this they lytle regarded this apperaunce but held it as a scorne indyrysion the one as wel as y â— other for the whiche they were both depriued and deposed in theyr places chosen Alexsander the .vi. borne in the yle of Candye a frere minor the whiche lyued not after full .v. monethes and dyed in bollone le grasse and after his tyme gregorye the xii whiche held hym in Austrych yet notwithstandinge he thought not hymselfe there not in suretye but he retourned agayne into Italye there helde hym in the cytie of Armyne vnder y â— proteccion of a baron named charles y â— euyl hedyd ¶ In this tyme all y â— possessours of the church of Rome were redy in an vprore and in armyes towards batayl for this Alexsaunder the .v. whiche had frendys as y â— kynge of Naples w t dyuerse other so this alexsaunder lyued not longe but after hym was choseÌ„ bysshop a cardinal of naples named Balthasar â—ossa whiche was afterward intytuled IohnÌ„ the xxiii and so in this tyme was in crystendome .iii. antipapes the one at Bollonâ—â— grasse the other in Armyne the .iii. in the castell of Panyscole in Spayne yet notwithstandynge for the deposition of these two bysshops at the counceyl that is to say of Gregorye the .xii. y â— forsayd Beneâ—ict of y â— mone all crysten nacions consented vnto except some of Spayne and the â—ynge of Skottes the which faâ—oured the sayd Benedictus of y â— mone ¶ And thus after this forsayd counceyl whiche was gathered agaynst Gregory the .xii. whiche came not personally to this counceyl but sent his debytes duke les euyll heddyd lorde of Armyne with other procuratours and so contented to resygne the ryght and iust tytle that he helde from themperour yelded vp his dignyte papall in Rome and put it into the handes of the counceyl and so fynably he was there created legat and marquys de Ancona where he dyed not loÌ„ge after for sorowe ¶ Thus was these two stoborne antypapes consumed so yet resteth the thyrd ydoll and antypape that is to wyte Benedictus the .xiii. surnamed the bysshop of the Mone the whiche put this sayde good emperour Sigismundus to moch vnquyetnes and payne for after the forsayd ydolles antypapes were deposed and y â— this of the mone wold not come to no appoyntement nor concorde by no perswasyon then this sayd Sigismundus themperour went personally to the Kynge of Englande and so retourned by the kynge of Fraunce all this was to set vnite in the crysten churche concorde wherof he had good answeres from thens went to Narbone to Fardinandus kynge of Aragon for the same cause al this was to perswade the styffe obstynacye of the bysshop antypape of the moone the which fury coulde not be ouercome by no maner of wayes thus this sayd emperoure retourned agayne to the counceyl of constance wher as he depryued and deposed the sayd euyl bisshop of the mone and so was there chosen by the consent of all Chrystendome bysshop Martyne the fyfth of the noble house of collonyois a man estemed of synguler vertue and prudent moderat iuste Anno domini M. cccc and .xvi and thus came peace in to the churche and so ended this .xxii. cursed sysme ¶ This bysshoppe of the mone incontynente after he was deposed by a hole generall counceyâ—â— and depryued of his papalyte And so seynge that all his frendes were constrayned to forsake hym thus in conclusyon he dyed in his obstynacye in the castell of panyscoll And in his restament charged his Cardynalles to chose an other ydoll antypape in that place to succede hym named clemeÌ„t the .viii. borne in barfylonne and as the storye sayth he lyted reioysed of his dygnyte for the forsayd bysshop Martyne the fyfth helde and kept the see auctoryte papall honorably for al crysten prâ—nces and dukes held w t hym as they had chosen hym at Constauâ—ce and so fynably this Clement the eyght gaue vp his dignyte and became bisshop of Maior◠¶ Of the thre and twenty sysme Bytwene Felix the fyth and Eugenius the fourth folowed the thre and twenty sysme and this sayd Eugeniê had great pleasures in warres he