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
according to our calling In which words Krantzius expresseth their doctrine though verie contrarie vnto them Mathew Paris saith further That they spread themselues so farre as into Bulgaria Croatia and Dalmatia and there tooke such such root that they drew vnto them many Bishops And thither came one Bartholomew from Carcassonne in the countrey of Narbon in Fraunce vnto whom they all flocked who in his letters wrot himselfe Bartholomew seruant of the seruants of the holie faith and he created Bishops and ordained Churches These words are taken out of the letter that the Cardinall of Port the Popes Legat wrot to the Archbishop of Rouan full of abashment and he calleth him Anti-Pope without imputing vnto him any other crime or doctrine namely because this Bartholomew reestablished the order of the Church a new in those Countries and laboured to set true Pastors in the places of the false And the Cardinall commanded the Archbishop to be present in a Synod holden in the Citie of Sens to giue counsell in a businesse of that importance otherwise he threatned he would signifie his disobedience to the Pope This was about the yeare 1220 vnder Honorius the third and it must needs be that they haue largely multiplied since for the same Author telleth vs that in a certaine part of Germanie vnder Gregorie the the ninth a great number of them were enclosed in a place with marish on the one side and the Sea on the other where they were all slaine At the same time also in Spaine they ordayned Bishops which preached the same doctrine though the aduersaries faine lies of the same at their owne pleasure for to make them the more odious But we cannot be ignorant what manner of doctrine it was partly by their confession and partly by the acts of iudgement passed against them We read of one Robert Bulgarus who was fallen away from them and become a Iacobin Frier wholly gaue himself to persecute them in Flanders especially deliuered vp many to the fire But he being found to abuse his power and that he imputed crimes vnto them of which they were clearely innocent hee is presently discharged of his office and beeing found guiltie of many crimes which saith the Auhour it is better to conceale than to speake of is condemned to perpetuall prison Let the Reader judge considering the furious rage wherewith they were transported against these men whether as well their innocencie as that mans filthinesse be not hence manifestly and sufficiently proued In Lombardie at last they were very greatly multiplied when in the yeare 1229 An. 1229. Sigon l. 17. de regno Jtaliae at the instance of the Popes Legat it is ordayned that they should be banished both out of Cities and Countries their houses rased their goods confiscat they which receiued them put to a great fine and in the Citie of Milan is appointed in euery quarter two Friers Preachers and Minorites who in the authoritie of the Archbishop should make enquirie after them and take care that hauing taken them and deliuered them to the Gouernour they should be at the charges of the Commonwealth carried whether the Archbishop should appoint when also the Emperour Frederick in the yeare 1225 in the letters he wrote to Gregorie An. 1225. Jdem l. 18. complaineth that they encreased imo siluescant yea grew vp to a forrest In Italie and in the Cities began alreadie to choke the good come so spake he according to the stile of the time And to conclude when the truce being made betweene Gregorie and Frederick from which them of Milan were excluded that they might iustifie themselues to each other and gratifie one the other they tooke a great number of these poore men whom they offered vp in sacrifice by putting them to death Wherunto may be added also that which an ancient writer of those times wrot of the Waldenses that in the only valley Camonica they had tenne schooles as also that of Petrus de Vinei in his Epistles that their little riuers streamed so farre as to the kingdome of Sicilie who in the meane time alledgeth none other cause for which they should be persecuted but for that they with-drew the sheepe from the keeping of S. Peter to whom they had beene committed of that good Sheepheard to be fed and departed from the Romane Church which is the head of all Churches But were in this their profession aboue all beliefe constant prodigall of their life and carelesse of death and which is more hard than can be spoken saith he the suruiuours are nothing terrified by example affecting to be burned aliue in the presence of men This vertue in the minds of men whence can it flow but from the spirit of God 52. PROGRESSION Innocent to disturbe Conrades proceedings returnes into Italie but after many contrarieties of fortunes his hopes were frustrated and he dyed at Naples THe death of Frederick thus occurring affoorded opportunitie to Innocent not onely of renewing his owne designes in Italie but also of disturbing other mens affaires in Germanie He intending therefore these molestations to Conrade Fredericks sonne he thought good to returne into Italie But it is not altogether vnworthie of obseruation how ceremoniously he tooke his leaue of those of Lyons after the Councell was dismissed For assembling together the Lords and Nobles therein assisting as also the whole people Cardinall Hugo made a farewell sermon in behalfe of the Pope and the whole Court of Rome and so at last began to speake in these words Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. Louing friends since our arriuall in this citie we haue performed much good and done great almes for at our first comming hither wee found three or foure stewes but now at our departure we leaue but one marrie this extends it selfe from the East to the West gate of the citie And these were verie scandalous words in the eares of all the women who were present at the sermon in great numbers for the inhabitants of the citie were cited by publike proclamation in name of the Pope readie to depart He therefore went downe to Genoa and from thence he went to Mylan where being receiued in triumphant sort he obliged the cities by new oathes against the Emperour many he drew againe into a new league and they which perseuered in fidelitie towards Conrade he excommunicated and most seuerely persecuted to conclude he omitted no meanes whereby he might preuent Fredericks successors entrie into Italie When he came to Ferrara he preached to the people out of a window and he vsed preualent persuasions to intimate that this citie was his His text was Happie is the nation that hath the Lord for their God and the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance inferring by this that the city and people was happie which were particularly subiect to the Pope and so he made but a mocke of the holie Scripture But Historiographers wonderfully extoll this sermon because it was no small
haue receiued saith he his Synodall Epistle Epist 34. wherein he requireth vs not to trouble the peace of the Church and I haue likewise aduertised him of that superstitious and haughtie name of Vniuersall Bishop that he could haue no peace with vs vnlesse he did reforme the haughtinesse of this word c. otherwise saith he we corrupt the faith of the Vniuersall Church c. and not to speake of the wrong which he doth vnto vs Eleuationem if there be one called Vniuersall Bishop then must the Vniuersall Church goe to the ground if he which is Vniuersall happen to fall but neuer may such foolerie befall vs neuer may this weaknesse come vnto my eares But to Cyriacus himselfe he wrot requesting him at his first entrie to abolish that word of pride by which there was so great scandale giuen in the Church for whosoeuer saith he is desirous of honour contrarie to the honour of God shall neuer be accounted honourable by me tearming this title of Vniuersalitie a thing contrarie to God and to his honour And because Antichrist that enemie of the Almightie Epist 28. is now at hand my earnest desire saith he is that he may find nothing of his owne or anie waies appertaining to him either in the manners or in the names of the Priests And when the Emperour Maurice commanded that for a friuolous name there should no such scandale arise betweene them Consider saith he vnto the Emperour that when Antichrist shall call himselfe God the matter it selfe is but small and friuolous yet most pernitious if you looke to the qualitie of the word it consisteth only of two sillables but if you regard the weight of iniquitie which dependeth thereon you shall see an vniuersall enemie Wherefore I speake it boldly that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be called by others the Vniuersall Priest or Bishop is in his elation of mind the forerunner of Antichrist because that in like pride he preferreth himselfe before others like I say for that as that wicked one would seeme as God aboue all men so will this man exalt himselfe aboue all Bishops And in like manner writeth he to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria Epist 30. And that no man may say That Gregorie went to take away that from another which he yet reserued as due vnto himselfe in his Epistle to the same Eulogius he thus writeth You haue beene carefull saith he to aduertise me That you forbeare now to write vnto any by those proud names which spring meerely from the root of vanitie and yet speaking to me you say Sicut iussistis i. As you commaunded Let me I pray you heare no more of this word Commaund for I know well ynough both what I am and what you are In degree you are my Brethren and in maners you are my Fathers Wherefore I commaunded you nothing onely I aduised you what I thought fittest to be done And yet I do not find that you haue perfectly obserued that which I desired to leaue deepest grauen in your best remembrance for I told you That you should not write in any such manner either to me or to any other and yet in the verie Preface of your Epistle you call me by that name of pride and vanitie Vniuersall Pope which I would intreat you to forbeare hereafter seeing that your selues lose whatsoeuer you giue vnduely to another For my owne part I seeke to encrease in vertue and not in vanitie of Titles That addeth nothing to my honour which I see taken from my brethren my honour is the honour of the Vniuersall Church and the sound vigour of my brethren Then am I truely honoured when my brethren haue euerie man his due For if you call me Vniuersall Pope you denie your selues to bee that which indeed you are in that you call me Vniuersall but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vs vp to pride and vanitie and woundeth charitie to the death Distinct 99. c. Ecce in praefatio 5. All which part of his Epistle is inserted in the Decret which Gregorie the thirteenth in his Reformation of the Canon Law knew not how to redresse but onely by giuing S. Gregorie the flat lye Now we may not for all this thinke that Gregorie would lose any thing of his owne or was carelesse to set foot and to encroach vpon another mans for it appeareth by his Epistles that he spread his wings as farre and farther than his neast would giue him leaue taking all occasions to gaine credit and to be dealing not onely in Italie but also in other more remote Prouinces of the West making himselfe sometimes arbitrator betweene parties and sometimes Iudge of controuersies betweene Church and Church and eftsoones a sanctuarie and refuge for those who had beene censured and cast out by their own Metropolitans whereof we haue but too many examples in his Epistles And if we will ground our opinion vpon certaine Epistles which goe commonly vnder his name he was the first which brought in the Pall of the Archbishops which was a certaine Mantle or Cloake which he sent vnto them in honour thereby to oblige them to the subiection of his See namely to Virgilius Bishop of Arles and by vertue thereof conferred vpon him his Vicarship ouer the Churches of king Childebert with power to watch ouer their doctrine and behauiours But it hath beene right well obserued that those Epistles are of another growth because the whole course of the Historie of Gregorie of Tours who liued in the same time with Gregorie the Great sufficiently teacheth vs That the authoritie of our Prelats and Archbishops depended not of the Popes neither did they euer heare talke of that Pall which is more than probable Greg. li. 4. Epist 51. 52. because that in so many changes of Bishops and Metropolitans as we read of we find no mention at all made thereof Wherefore those words Idem ad Interroga Augustin ca. 9. Quod iuxta antiquum morem Pallij vsum ac vices Apostolicae sedis postulasti And Cum priscam consuetudinem Fraternitas vestra repetat by which they say That Virgilius requested of Gregorie the vse of the Pall and the Vicarship of the Roman See according to the ancient custome were ill deuised And how vnlikely a thing is it that Childebert should intreat the Pope to commit the ouersight and charge of the Churches of his kingdome to the Bishop of Arles who was at that time subiect to king Gontran with whom hee might in time vpon occasion haue open warre Adde we hereunto That notwithstanding this pretended Pall Gregorie expresly forbad Augustine his Legat to exercise any jurisdiction ouer the Churches of France We saith he giue you no authoritie in the Churches of France c. Thou mayest not presume to iudge them by thine authoritie but onely by warning and speaking them faire and by making thy vertues to shine before them To
are plucked vp the other of good which are planted by the word of God as also those other of pulling downe and setting vp of the efficacie of the spirit of his mouth Yea but the glorie of the second Temple should be greater than the glorie of the first What second Temple caitife diuine as he is but the Temple of Ierusalem And what was that greater glorie according to all interpreters both Iewes and Christians old and moderne but the redemption of mankind by Christ crucified for our sinnes vnder the second Temple Or if by the second Temple he will needs vnderstand the Church of Rome what followeth thereof but this That the Bishop of Rome be either Caiphas or Herod or because he chalengeth both jurisdictions Caiphas and Herod all in one And what is meant by that glorie of the ministrie of the Gospell which the Apostle speaketh of 2. Cor. 3. but Christ raigning powerfully in vs by his spirit Which the Apostle also in that same place tearmeth the ministerie of the Spirit not of the letters opposing that Law grauen in stones vnto condemnation against the faith of Christ written in out hearts vnto saluation And what fellowship I would know hath this ministerie with the others pretended magisterie This ministyer I say of the spirit with that magisterie which is simply carnall and worldly breathing out ambition and conspiring nought but tyrannie Saint Chrysostome vpon this place The glorie saith he In 2. Corinth c. 3. Hamil 7. of Moses was outward to the sence for they saw it with their eyes but the glorie of the New Testament is not to be discerned but by the eyes of the Spirit Wherefore they that seeke for glorie in temporall and carnall things doe not they renounce this other glorie And againe He hath opposed saith he the stone to the heart and the letter to the spirit and the New Testament gaue not onely life but also spirit from whence proceedeth life How farre is this construction from that of Baronius which sauoureth naught but flesh and bloud Saint Ambrose also vpon this place Ambros It is manifest saith he that the grace of the Law of Faith is greater than that of the Law of Moses This holie Father expoundeth this glorie to consist in grace in stead of Baronius his tyrannie and oppression And againe The gift of the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Christ is greater than the gift of the old Law And now see how these men alwayes follow the interpretation of the Fathers Too much alreadie said I confesse but the Reader will pardon me in a case of such absurd positions which yet to denie or doubt of is no lesse with them than open heresie Fourthly Baronius affirmeth Baron to 9. an 806. art 26. Arbitrio Romani Pontificis electiuum That Charlemaine when hee parted his kingdomes amongst his children disposed not of the Empire as knowing saith he that it depended of the election of the Pope But the verie Testament which he produceth for his proofe gaine saith his assertion which yet is an vncertaine writing in the judgement of Peter Pytheus from whom he had it for in the verie instep thereof it is thus written We desire saith hee with the good pleasure of God Regnivel Imperij nostri to leaue our children heires of this our Realme or Empire And againe Such partages wee haue thought fit to make of our Realme or Empire And indeed hee diuided among them his whole Estate namely Italie euen vnto Rome on the right hand and on the left saue only that which we call at this day the kingdome of Naples which was yet possessed by the Emperours of Greece The cause why he made none of his sons Emperour was to leaue no occasion of discord among the brethren meaning that each of them should hold his part without prerogatiue of the one aboue the other For hauing parted his whole Estate among his children if he had left the Title of the Empire to be disposed of at the Popes pleasure what had the Pope but so much smoke to giue in case he would haue placed it vpon a stranger 28. PROGRESSION How the Popes encroached vpon Lewis the sonne of Charlemaine and of his pretended Donation CHarlemaine kept his temporall power safe ynough from the intrusion of the Popes leauing sometimes the spirituall as a prey vnto them for by his law it was that the Bishops of France finding themselues agrieued with the judgements of their Metropolitans or comprouinciall Bishops were permitted to run to Rome Yet his words are carefully to be noted When a Bishop saith he hath had sentence against him it shall be lawfull for him to demaund a reuiew and if need be to goe freely to the Bishop of Rome where this word liceat as also in another place placuit import a nouell grace and fauour granted by the Prince not that the Churches of France were anciently tied to any such obseruation And yet is it set also with an alternatiue Let him saith he be iudged either by the Bishop of the Diocesse or by the Bishop of Rome And this was tearmed a Proclamation or an Appellation the source of so many debates and quarels which ensued between the Popes and the Bishops of France Charles had treated with the Emperour of the East An. 816. and particularly agreed about the partage of Italie betweene them two each of them retaining the Title of Emperor the one of the East the other of the West Which he did the rather to set himselfe safe from that raging ambition of the Popes But when Charles was dead though he vsed his power with such moderation as they in discretion had no reason to complaine yet they presently set themselues to worke on the good nature of Lewis sonne and successor vnto Charls After Leo succeeded Stephen the fift Electus ordinatus contrarie to the law being after his election presently consecrated without expecting the Emperours commaund as saith Aimonius Aimoni. lib. 4. c. 103. Thega de gestis Ludoui c. 16 17 18. Yet to daube this fault committed he commaunded saith Theganus all the people of Rome to take the oath of fealtie vnto Lewis and came himselfe in post hast into France sending two embassadours before him as it were to demaund consecration at the Emperors hands all which was nothing but to trie his patience and after a while when he had crowned him he returned home laden with rich gifts and presents Yet it should seeme that he was taught his dutie while he was in France for we find an ordinance of his in the Decrete C. Quia sancta in these words For as much as the holie Church of Rome ouer which D. 53. c. 28. Deo autore by the will of God we are now placed vpon the death of the Pope manie times suffereth violence because the election and consecration of the Popes are made without the aduise and knowledge of the
in the presence of manie Bishops and had taken the murderers into his protection as belonging to the familie of S. Peter pronouncing those that were slaine guiltie of treason Aimoni. de familia S. Petri. and consequently their murder iustified So that Sigonius himselfe let fall this word That the embassadours of Lewis could not search out the veritie of this fact nor so much as begin to take knowledge of it This was about the yeare 823. But when Lotharius came the yeare following after the death of Pascal An. 823. Iusticias facere into Italie to see iustice done in those parts he found the cause of these mischiefes to proceed from the misdemeanors of the Popes and conniuencie of the Iudges by meanes whereof manie mens goods had beene confiscated all which he caused to be restored to the right owners Aimoni. lib. 4. c. 112. reuiuing withall an ancient custome of sending some certaine personages à Latere with speciall commission from the Emperour to doe iustice betweene man and man indifferently Author vitae Ludoui without respect of persons as often as the Emperour should thinke fit All which was done with the consent of the new Pope Eugenius say the Historians and to the contentment of Lewis when he vnderstood thereof Sigonius also produceth a certaine ordinance which he left behind him for the ordering and composing of matters within the Citie of Rome wherein is contained That none should intrude himselfe into the election of the Popes but such as are called thereunto by the Canons vnder paine of banishment which article tended to preuent all canuassing for the Popedome also therein was contained That all those who were to exercise anie place of judicature in Rome should first come into his presence that he might informe himselfe both of their number and of their names and put them in mind of their seuerall duties Item that the King himselfe or in his absence others in his roome should assist at the consecration of the Popes And so saith he was it for certaine yeres after obserued and last of all established by a new Constitution In the yeare 824 came there embassadors from Michael and Theophilus Emperours of Greece to Lewis and Lotharius to craue their aduise and the aduise of the French Church concerning the vse of Images and withall to entreat them to be a meanes to the Pope that he would graciously accept the embassage which they purposed to send vnto him vpon the same question whereupon there assembled a Nationall Councell of the French Bishops to giue their aduise jointly vnto the Emperors Synod Paris sub Ludoui Lothar an 824. where they openly declared vnto them as well the euill practises of Adrian in the carriage of the Councell as also the pestilent contagious error and abhominable superstition which vnder Images he had brought into the Church But aboue all they plainely shew that the position concerning the Popes not erring was no article of their learning or beleefe when they say That the Pope suffered himselfe to be carried downe the streame of this error partly by ignorance partly by wicked custome That it was pitie to see those who were placed in chiefe authoritie to direct others themselues to forsake the high way and to run astray into paths of error And in their Epistle to Eugenius they sticke not to write plainely That the matter of this miserable rent and distraction was a thing without which through faith hope and charitie the Church might be saued as well in this world as in the world to come And that the Empresse Irene and her sonne in the passing of that Edict concerning the adoration of Images were abused by a pestilent illusion of the diuell And the booke which thereupon they wrote to the Emperours Lewis and Lotharius is so well grounded both vpon the authoritie of the Scriptures and interpretations of the Fathers that it may easily appeare that the diuinitie of Italie was no way comparable to that of the French Clergie As for the Pope when the Emperors requested to heare some proofes for the adoration of Images out of the word of God he neuer put himselfe to the paine to giue them satisfaction but answered all in a word saying Simoneta c. 5. That they were arrogant fellowes that made such questions Adde we here one obseruation of the manner of speaking which that Synod so frequently vsed We say they hold the place of S. Peter to whom Christ said Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind c. All the Bishops then holding themselues as the Vicars of S. Peter saying farther of the simple Priests That they were the porters to whom were committed the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen And what can the Pope chalenge more In the yeare 827 vpon the death of Valentine was elected Gregorie the fourth Sigon lib. 4. de Reg. Jtal. with due obseruation of the Law which Lotharius had left behind him For the Lieutenant of the King happening at that present to be away Gregorie could not be consecrated vntill he was returned and had fully informed himselfe of the proceedings in that election And the Annalist sayth in expresse tearmes That his consecration was deferred till the Emperours pleasure was knowne thereupon Author vitae Ludouici An. 833. Certaine yeares after about the yeare 833 his children made a conspiracie against him This Gregorie to oblige Lotharius to himselfe tooke his part and came into Fraunce in shew to mediate a reconciliation betweene the father and the sonnes but indeed as Aimonius reporteth to set them farther out Aimoni. lib. 3. c. 14. and to giue countenance to a certaine Synod which the sonnes assembled at Compiene to depose their father This attempt as say the Authors of those times proceeding meerely from the working of the diuell Thega de gest Ludoui Chronichon Dionysian which wrought by his ministers in the hearts of the children against the Emperour The Bishops of Fraunce tooke part some with the father others with the sonnes on the sonnes side was chiefe Hebo Archbishop of Rheims a slaue by birth and a man of lewd conditions against whom the Historian cryeth out saying Miserable wretch how hast thou recompenced thy masters kindnesse Purpura vestiuit te pallio he made thee free for noble he could not clothing thee with the Pall and Scarlet and thou makest him to put on hairecloth How hast thou despised those precepts of the Apostle Be ye subiect to euerie higher power Feare God Honour the King Who persuaded thee hereunto but he who is onely King ouer the children of pride who said to his Creator All these things will I giue vnto thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me For the father stood principally Drogo or Dreux Bishop of Mets a great man in his time with manie others all which perceiued plainely that this Gregorie was a part taker in this conspiracie The Emperour said If he be come into Fraunce as
Epist 58.65 But in this cleere light in this Sun-shine wherin we liue where is the shame And for as much as he compares him in this with S. Paul 2. Thessal 2. let him heare what Paul saith The comming saith he of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition that is Antichrist of whom he foretold before is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Which words of S. Paul are they not accomplished 41. PROGRESSION Of the factions that arose in the Popedome by the death of Gregorie the seuenth Of the rebellion of Conrade against the Emperour Henrie his father Of the diuisions and strange opinions that grew among the people through the schisme betweene Clement the third and Vrban the second GRegorie if we beleeue some Authors neither doth Baronius himselfe denie it had prouided as we see that his enterprise should not dye with himselfe for he nominated to the Cardinals those whom he thought fittest to succeed him in the Popedome which Desiderius the Abbot of Mount-Cassin failed not to giue those Cardinals to vnderstand that tooke part with him And as he was the first of the three that Gregorie had commended so all mens eyes were especially cast vpon him who whether it were out of a consideration of the greatnesse of the charge or to the end he might be the more earnestly intreated twice or thrice refused it yea and disrobed himselfe of his Pontificall ornaments and retired himselfe to his Monasterie at Cassin euen then when it was thought that he had yeelded to the persuasion of his friends Sigonius giues a little touch Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Eight dayes after his retire to Cassin the Countesse Mathilda aduertised him of her arriuall at Rome and that she desired much to conferre with him whereupon he returned to the citie and being by her and her armie with all duetie receiued for the space of eight dayes he continued in the Vatican Auentine speakes more plainely Mathilda and the Normans create him that is to say in hatred of Clement who neuerthelesse held the seat at Rome and was called Victor the third But as soone as Hugh Bishop of Lions one of the three that Gregorie had commended thought that Desiderius had in good earnest accepted of the Popedome he presently banded himselfe against him and in a Synod held at Beneuent he excommunicated him and with him Richard of Marselles But Desiderius liued little aboue a yeare after Gullielm Malmes b. l. 4. and if we may beleeue William of Malmesburie he was poysoned in the Chalice saying his first Masse In that short time neuerthelesse that he liued he had published new excommunications against Clement and Henrie and vnder the selfesame pretence that Gregorie did He retired himselfe to his Abbie at Cassin for the better recouerie of his health and there vpon his death-bed according to the tradition of Gregorie he recommended vnto those that were his assistants Otho Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. who had beene brought vp at Clugni for his successor in so much that taking him by the hand he peremptorily said vnto them Take him and place him in the Roman seat and vntill you haue done it hold my place Benno calls him Pedissequum the Page or Lackey of Hildebrand The Bishops therefore that tooke part with him in the yeare 1088 An. 1088. meet at Terratina to consult of a successor There were first present in the name and by the commaund of the Romans who did adhere to this part for the Clergie Iohn Bishop of Portua and for the Lay Benedict gouernour of the citie A new kind of proceeding it was because Clement held the place in the citie neither was there here any mention at all of expecting the Emperours consent herein There without any other solemnitie they nominated Otho Pope called Vrban the second who was no sooner entred into Rome but he was driuen out againe by Clements faction Hereupon saith Leo of Ostia if we will judge of the validitie of this election we must say That he was chosen by the statutes of Gregorie Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. But William of Malmesburie more freely To that part that seemed to be the more iust the armie of Mathilda ioyned Herfeldens Theol. in tractatu de vnitate Eccles conseruand an 1090. Sigon l. 9. de regno Jtaliae who forgetting her sex not vnlike to the auntient Amazons led her armie into the field and by her voyce Vrban obtained the Apostolicke throne But another saith more plainely Vsing the helpe and succour of most wicked people with whom the Law of God and man had no place Sigonius confesseth that Mathilda who called her selfe the daughter of Peter tooke vpon her the protection of Vrban and that Vrban was the cause that she married Welfo Duke of Bauaria to the end he might strengthen himselfe by him against the Emperour in Germanie Not so much saith Bertholdus for incontinencie Bertholdus Constant Presbyter in Chron. as for obedience to the Pope that she might be so much the more able to giue ayde and succour to the Church of Rome against the Schismatikes therfore he presently addeth that he wholy sequestred kept himselfe free from her being more greedie of the principalitie than the woman Are these then the lawfull ends of marriage Neither is it here to be omitted that there were certaine lots drawne at Rome to know who should be successour to Gregorie the 7 which was then a thing vsuall at Rome and it was found that one Otho should succeed him Fragmentum Monastici Cadomens an 1084. whereupon Otho Bishop of Baieux and brother to William the Conqueror King of England though he were Earle of Kent and Lieutenant generall of his Realme conceyued a hope of obtayning the Popedome whereupon he sent to Rome great presents and there built great and goodlie houses and left nothing vndone with the Senators that either gifts or his other best endeauors could worke But hauing embarked himselfe for this voyage taking with him diuers of the Nobilitie king William vnderstanding in Normandie of this expedition took shipping for England meeting him in the Isle of Weight there arrested him for many offences he had committed in the carriage of his matters of State cast him into Prison The other Otho therefore Vrban the second obtained the chaire and his first exploit was in a Synod holden at Melfe to excommunicat Clement and Henrie and all those that receiued either orders of the one or inuestiture of the other to be briefe all those that in any respect had any commerce with them Moreouer he confirmed Roger Guischard of the race of the Normans Duke of Apulia and Calabria the better to retaine his friendship and fidelitie towards him But Henrie passing into Italie in the yeare 1091 got into his possession and wasted the greatest part of those Countries that belonged to Mathilda but for some
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
commended by all Histories for his pietie vertue clemencie forgetfulnesse of all iniuries whereby he left a desire in all men of his continuance yet no man euer endured greater more vnjust dealings by the Popes Through his death arose many molestations to his son Henrie as well in Germanie as in Italie But the thing that most troubled him was to get into his possession the kingdome of Sicilie in the right of Constance his wife by the death of William the which Pope Clement for want of an heire male challenged to belong to the church and had sent his forces to inuade it if the States and gouernours thereof had not opposed against him one Tancred the Bastard son of Roger by which meanes the inuasion of Clement being delayed Henrie had the better opportunitie to prouide for himself Thus did he obserue the promise made by his predecessor to those that went into the holie Land to defend and protect their estates and rights in that state they should leaue them Platina in Clement 3. Frederic being dead in this expedition his sonne Henrie besides the griefe for the losse of his father through so extraordinarie and vnexpected an accident was no lesse diuersly disquieted and disturbed in the kingdome of Germanie But Clement while he was endeauouring to put by Henrie from the imperiall Diademe died in Aprill in the yeare 1191 whom Cardinall Iacynthus succeeded a Citizen in Rome and was called Celestine the third By this change Henrie sped the better and with all diligence came to Rome where he was crowned by Celestine whom hee had before bound vnto him Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 40. by restoring into his hands the citie of Tusculus which had been deliuered into his protection a meanes for Celestine to gratifie the Romans because that for the space of 50 yeares before it had beene either the cause or pretence of many dissentions and brawles betweene them and the Popes Vignier ex Chron. Germā manuscr Baro an 1191. Sect 1. 10. ex Rogero authore Coaetaneo parte posteriore in Richardo primo But as soone as hee had restored it vnto them hee refrained not any kind of crueltie that he might practise against those miserable people But the manner of his coronation is worthie to bee noted After the Emperour had taken his oath to defend the Church and the patrimonie of Saint Peter and to restore whatsoeuer belonged to the Church whole and entire if any thing were withheld or detayned from it the Emperour and the Empresse are brought into the Church by the Pope and Masse being solemnely celebrated by him he annoynteth first the Emperour with words instituted to that purpose and afterward the Empresse Then sitting downe in his pontificall Chaire holdeth the imperiall Crowne betweene his feet and the Emperour bowing downe his head and likewise the Empresse receiue it from his feet And after this immediatly the Pope striking the Crowne with his foot kickes it from his head to the ground in token hee hath power if his merits so deserue to depose him then the Cardinals standing round about receiue the same Crowne and reuerently puts it vpon the heads of the Emperour and the Empresse Baronius himselfe is the Author and likewise Ranulph in the same words Ranulph in Polycr l. 7. ca. 26. Thus this proud mysterie did still rise by degrees Now by the death of the Bastard Tancred it was the easier for Henrie to make his peace with the kingdome of Sicilia But Celestine was now readie to excommunicate Henrie and also his brother Philip if his death had not preuented it by an auntient pretence wherby he had vsurped the possessions of the Countesse Mathilda though before to the end that Henrie should ruinate and destroy Tancred whom hee saw now established by the States hee had inuested the sayd Henrie into these dominions as his feudatarie But Henrie dying in the yeare 1197 left onely a sonne by Constance his wife of the age of one yeare and the troubles that euerie-where rise about the succession gaue Celestine meanes or rather a fit opportunitie to his successour Innocent the third to doe whatsoeuer they would in prejudice of the Empire For as Philip the brother of Henrie and Otho Duke of Saxonie striued for the Kingdome of Germanie Innocent taking an oath of faithfull homage of the Gouernour of the Citie of Rome inuadeth the Dukedome of Tuscane which Henrie had giuen to Philip his brother and sending to the Bishoppes of Germanie commaundeth them to deliuer the hostages which Henrie had brought out of Sicilia with him namely Sibilla the widow of Tancred his children and the Archbishoppe of Salerne Butt if Vezilus de Berco their keeper should refuse to deliuer them then they should excommunicate him by which meanes he seemed to haue composed the businesse of Sicilia to his owne desires The verie same way partly by force and partly by excommunication hee chased away Marcoaldus out of Romania and Conradus out of the Dukedome of Spoleto whom Henrie had inuested and interdicted all the Cities that any whit fauoured them and strengthened and confirmed the Cities of Lombardie in their societie to remayne free in such sort that the Emperours who afterward came into Italie found they had no authoritie left vnto them Furthermore hee enforced Constantia the widow of Henrie to take an oath to hold of him and his successours in homage Apulia and Calabria paying yearely sixe hundred squifats and for the Countrie of Mercia foure hundred vpon condition that her sonne comming to age shall take the same oath And as Constancia not long after chaunced to dye hee tooke vpon him to bee the Tutor and Gardian of the child who was Frederic the second and by these cunning sleights hath made himselfe Arbiter of the Kingdome Againe in Germanie he refused the election of Philip brother of Henrie as excommunicated by him and approued that of Otho Duke of Saxonie thereby taking from his pupill the support and helpe of the Vncle neither doth hee dissemble it that what hee did was in hatred of his predecesours who had opposed themselues against due See of Rome that is to say for defending the rights of their Empire And here the Reader may see the care they had of the affaires of the East that whilest they were bent wholly to the care of themselues all things went to ruine And here we make an end of the twelfth age OPPOSITION I willingly omit those frequent contentions betweene the Emperours and the Popes in these times contenting my selfe to haue noted here what the better sort haue thought of the Church of Rome Clement the third solicited the kings of Fraunce and England to the voyage of the holie Land who for the differences that grew betweene them thought it not fit and conuenient for them to go forward into a strange Countrie vnlesse the cause of the discord were first taken away and it seemed to Clement that Philip the second our king was
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
Clements election Iohn also Duke of Burgondie and many other Princes The recourse was such as at the entring in of the multitude a wall instantly falling downe many were crushed amongst whom Charles the kings brother and the Duke of Britaine were sore hurt and the Pope himselfe was ouerthrowne and his Myter strucke from his head whereof one jewell of inestimable price was lost And all these things presaged disaster and ruine This made all men beleeue that he transferred the Papacie into France for some speciall end because this new Pope at his first entrie created many French Cardinals in whose hands lay the whole authoritie and power of election Then on the other side that the Romans might not grow into any great discontent he sent them three Cardinals on whom he conferred the dignitie of Senators that so they might in some sort supplie his absence Now in the years 1308 Albertus being slaine An. 1308. the electors chose for Emperour Henrie sonne to Henrie Count of Lutzemburg called the seuenth being a Prince of noble valour and fortitude imposing on him the Diademe at Aquisgrane who presently sent embassadours to Clement being at Auignion to obtaine at his hand that his coronation might be celebrated at Rome which Clement yeelded vnto vpon this condition That within the space of two yeares hee should goe into Italie But Henrie not attending an appointed day passing the Alpes came into Italie where he found many cities of the Guelphish faction ill affected towards him who had formerly bound themselues vnto him in very strict league as also Robert king of Sicilia the Popes friend who supplied them with forces to erect strong garrisons where speciall need did require An armie in like manner he brought with him to defend their league and societie But so on the other side many that receiued him with great applause suffered him willingly to haue both succours and captaines but especially in Lombardie which being more remote from Robert was the lesse subiect to his plots and stratagems When he came to Viterbe the Clergie and people of Rome met and saluted him conducting him honourably to Rome At his entrie he discouered a conspiracie on foot against him and therefore for his securitie he bound the Nobilitie to him by oath and put sufficient defensiue forces into all the strong places Many also adde hereunto That out of a new and vnknowne example he would haue exacted a tribute of the people on the same day when other Emperours contrariwise were woont to giue great largesse For these respects therefore the Guelphes found fit opportunitie to stirre vp the people against him especially being backed by Robert king of Sicilia who vnder colour of honouring this festiuitie was come thither Henrie therefore being crowned at S. Iohn Laterans leauing the citie to the Cardinals was enforced to retire to Tiuoli whither he being gone they then manifestly shewed how they were not so precisely enjoyned to set the Crowne on his head as to forbid him the Citie For vpon his occasion Clement presently enacted this Law Henricus Steron in Annaâ—ibus sub annum â—313 Clemès Ne sede vacante aliquid innouetur Jdem de sententia de re iudicata Collenuc lib. 5. Henricus Stero in Annalibus Trithem in Chron. in Abbate Hen. 13. That the elected kings of Romans in Germanie could neither be held nor taken for absolute Emperours before they receiued this title and inuestiture from the Popes owne hands and moreouer That during the Interregnum and vacancie of that dignitie the Pope should rule and commaund ouer all the Cities and precincts of the Empire But the controuersie betwixt them lasted not long For this good Prince going towards Sienna and besieging Bonconuento by the way in few dayes after he was poysoned whereof he died Out of the precedent Storie let the Reader conjecture of his death although in this point all writers consent that this poyson was administred to him by one Bernard a Dominican who was Henries confessor in the Hoast from whence grew this verse Iure dolet mundus quod Iacobita secundus Iudas nunc extat mors Caesaris haec manifestat The world much grieues a Iacobine making great shew of pietie Should proue a second Iudas poysoning th' imperiall Majestie And some affirme the Popes Legat instigating him thereunto They that put their hands into these practises belieue they vnfaynedly thinke you in their hearts Transubstantiation Others relate that the Dominican Priests in commemoration of this haynous deed were commaunded afterwards to communicat onely with the left hand An indictment was framed against this criminall by Henrie Count of Flanders and other Noble men of the Armie but the partie after he saw the effect of this poison made an escape Auentine notes that Clement became an enemie to Henrie because in receiuing the Crowne he denyed to take an othe before the Cardinals saying How it was against the custome of his predecessours and the libertie of Christian religion that a Prince of Princes and Lord ouer all the whole earth should be put to an oath by a seruant of seruants By meanes whereof he stirred vp Robert of Naples and other Princes against himselfe then he perceiuing this Robert's practise to take away his life by poyson appointed him a day of triall when he meant to haue pronounced him a rebell and Traytor and so haue stript them of his kingdome But Clement gaue him to vnderstand that it belonged not to him to dispose any way of the kingdome of Naples but to the Roman See of which he held in homage Clement being made Pope by Charles Count of Valois his procurement according to Antoninus he promised by solemne oath to performe six things which are set downe Antonin parte Tit. 21. c. 1. parag 3. Villan in Historia Florent both in Antoninus and other writers First that he should absolue all those that had colleagued against Boniface and that he should redeliuer the hat to the Cardinals Collanaes one thing he reserued to be propounded in due and conuenient time which was to rase out the verie memoriall of Boniface excluding his name out of the Catalogue of Popes and to disinterre his carcasse An. 1310. Chronic. Martini Chronic. Monsort Thom. Walsingham in Chronico In the yeare therefore 1310 in Auignion Philip King of Fraunce being publiquely excused by him of some matters that hee had attempted against the memorie of Boniface sometimes Pope hee pronounced further in the Kings behalfe That what hee did hee did out of a good mind intention and zeale the Kings Orators beeing then present and these things consequently as hath beene sayd were confirmed by the testimonie of the Popes Bulls this businesse was presently referred to Pope Clement who in this Processe of Boniface tooke vpon him to bee both accusant and defendant the Pope vndertaking both to examine and finally to determine this controuersie Item At the same time Pope Clement absolued William de Nogarete
euer read of From words therefore they came to blowes for when Charles heard of Lewis death he came to Ratisbone the Consuls themselues giuing him entrie into the citie and when the people heard of the Popes pretences they ran violently to armes himselfe was scarcely exempted from their furie so as of necessitie he must needs depart the citie From thence going to Nuremberg and being honourably entertained by the Senat the people againe expelled him and sent for Lodouikes sonne All this proceeding from a detestation of those articles imposed by Clement vpon Charles as also from the forme of a Commission granted to the Bishop of Bamberg for the vrging of such to a reconciliation to the Church who had followed Lewis partie which ran in this manner They shall sweare hereafter to hold the Catholike Faith but marke wherein it must consist to be faithfull to the See Apostolike to beleeue nor fauour no heretike That it is a condemned heresie to thinke that the Emperor may depose the Pope and create another That the Emperor is to be esteemed no Emperor except he be first approued by the See Apostolike neither were they to cleaue or adhere to the progenie or children of the same Lewis except they were reconciled to the Church And lastly That they should obey Charles king of Romans approued and confirmed in the throne otherwise they were not to be absolued from these censures and penalties Charles was aduised not to publish this forme if he meant to be louingly entertained of the people But the Bishop fearing the Popes displeasure durst not absolue any of the Interdict vnlesse hee would performe this manner of abiuration which many resisted and namely at Basil Conradus Burneueld Burgomaster who when Charls entred the citie he protested before a publike Notarie in behalfe of the whole citie My Lord of Bamberg vnderstand that we will neither beleeue nor confesse that our Soueraigne Lewis Roman Emperor was euer an heretike and whosoeuer the Princes Electors commend vnto vs or the greater part of them for king of Romans or Emperor for the same we will take him though he neuer seeke to the Pope neither will we performe any thing which may be in any sort repugnant to the royalties and iurisdictions of the Empire Yet the Bishop was counselled to remoue the Interdict and Charles by stealth left Basil comming by water to Strasbourg where he met with the like and yet more bitter distasts as also presently after at Spire and other cities where much sedition strife grew about this forme which he was driuen to moderat and qualifie At Wormes the Bishop was constrained to absolue the Interdict without any oath taken or conditions at all Charls was receiued into Magunce with this prouiso That he should not establish Gerlac constituted their Archbishop by the Pope nor suffer any patent to be publikely read in his behalfe In many places this Gerlac minding to depart all his people garding before his lodging in armes the hosts not being payed for the charges of his traine and kitchin hee was detained and namely at Wormes vpon the complaint of a publike executioner And hauing no other mâ—â—nes hee was enforst to pawne his Patent or collection Warrants to pay his hosts And all this out of doubt not properly out of any hatred to Charls but to the Pope Pontificiall exactions But the Princes yet attempt further for assembling in the greatest part at Reinsey vpon the Rhine vnder the castle of Longstein they conâ—â—â—ed about the deposing of Charles and chusing Emperour Edward king of England Lewis his neere allie to whom by embassadours they solemnely offered the Empire but after many thankes giuen he excused himselfe by reason of the warre hee had in hand with the French men Then they betooke themselues to Henrie Marquesse of Misnia Lodouikes sonne in law but for a summe of money hee yeelded his right to Charles At last they resolued on Gunther Count of Swartzburg as renowmed a gentleman for martiall prowesse as was in that age who accepted of it on this condition That in a solemne assembly of the Princes to be coâ—â—ocated at Franckfort the vacancie of the seat were confirmed by the greater part which was effected in the yeare 1349 An. 1349. So much they grudged to receiue an Emperour from the Popes hands But being sicke as our Author Albertus sayes one master Fridanck a famous Physitian ministred to him a pâ—tron which Gunther commanded him though greatly against his owne will to assay and tast of in his owne preence and presently after his assay Gunther himselfe tooke some but the Physitian who incontinently began to discolour in his countenance within the space of three dayes died and Gunther mightily swelling grew to be weake and vnable of bodie so as it was thought this Physitians seruant had put in some poyson By reason of this bodily indisposition Gunther was the readier to come to accord being also excited thereunto by diuers of the Princes his friends who looking into this discommoditie meant to aduance their owne interests both by benefits and affinities with Charles It was therefore couenanted betwixt them That for the right of his election accepting of 22000 markes of siluer and two Imperiall townes in Turingia he should renounce his title for terme of life But within a moneth after Gunther died Charles remained peaceably installed but this was by sinister meanes and to the irrecouerable dammage of the Empire For in him and by his basenesse the processe was ended to the Popes benefit commenced anciently by Gregorie the 7 called Hildebrand for conâ—â—rmation of the authority of their Sees against the liberties of the Empire being wholly exhausted of treasure and therefore to appease the townes States who were prouoked by his molestations and to be acknowledged in them Charls was constrained to acquit them of the greatest part of his taxes subsidies in such sort as the Maiesty of the Empire was scarce able euer after to recouer it self again By the same meanes the German Emperours lost all their authoritie in Italie while Lewis the fourth was at variance and strife with the Popes partly because Popes ordained Magistrats in the cities Imperiall and out of the Vicariate which they arrogated to themselues in the Empires vacancie they appointed the principall of the Guelphish faction to be their substitutes and partly also in that the Emperour being employed in Germanie to retaine still some authoritie and power he constituted the more illustrious personages of his partie who were tearmed Gibellines his deputies vicegerents in those cities that remained vnder his subiection And thus it came to passe that many of these Vicars and Substitutes grew at last to be Lords and proprietaries of the places Many cities likewise shaking off the yoke of subiection redeemed their libertie And so amidst these great agitations and disturbances the more mightie and potent deuoured and swallowed vp their weaker neighbours For thus we see that
the Church it selfe the Masse the bodie of Christ and all are set to sale c. Nichol. Clemangis ad Gersonem It is become a publike faire a brothell house worse than the Synagogue yea Babylon it selfe For what doest thou thinke saith he of that prophesie of the Reuelation of S. Iohn Doest thou not think that in some sort it belongs to thee Thou art not growne so shamelesse as to denie it Jdem de ruina reparatione Ecclesiae Consider therefore of it and read the damnation of the great strumpet sitting vpon many waters there contemplate thy worthie Acts c. And a little after It is now long since that this thine arrogancie not able to endure it selfe began to fall though slowly and by little and little and therefore thy ruine not to be perceiued of any that is to wit as the light of the Gospell began to shine but now thou fallest downe headlong like a riuer downe a hill Much more like vnto this may you read in this Author which let it suffice that I haue briefely collected But yet I cannot omit an Epistle or declamation that he writ to that purpose to Gerard Market a Doctor of Paris the Argument whereof is this We are not onely to depart from Babylon with our affections but with our bodily feet Which argument for as much as he handles it excellently according to that precept of our Lord in the Reuelation Goe out of Babylon my people c. Let it not be troublesome to the Reader if I insert it wholly and so much the rather because our aduersaries could be content it were buried in their liberaries That we are to flie out of Babylon according to the admonition giuen in both Testaments thou confessest but thou wilt not haue that flight to bee vnderstood corporally changing the place but spiritually not imitating the corrupt manners of the wicked Truly this is not amisse but it sufficeth not for a full resolution of this question We see the Patriarch Abraham was commaunded to depart out of his owne countrey and from his kindred and fathers house not onely in affection but effect too yea his bodily departure is first commaunded and then he is enioyned to withdraw his verie mind and thoughts from it too Lot after he receiued a commaund to goe out of Sodome because he was backward and slow in doing it he was taken by the Angels and drawne forth with a kind of violence The people of Israel were not commaunded to goe out of Aegypt because it was not in their libertie to doe it because of their grieuous oppression but by the commaundement of God giuen to Moses and by the ministerie of Moses obeying God they were led forth with a strong hand not onely by a departure of affections but by a March on foot too Now by the circumstance of these places it is easie to note for what causes this was done Abraham was commaunded to goe forth of Chaldea wherein he was borne because the inhabitants of the countrey were Idolaters Lot was constrained to goe out of Sodome because they were wicked men and that hee might escape that destruction that hung ouer their heads for their sinnes The Hebrewes were led out of Aegypt by Moses and Aaron not onely because of that intollerable seruitude they endured in their bodies but much more for the saluation of their soules because the Aegyptians were giuen to vaine superstitions and it was not there lawfull for the Israelites to sacrifice vnto the Lord. And therefore in these words of our Lord so often repeated by Moses to Pharao by his commaundement this cause is openly exprest Let my people goe that they may sacrifice vnto me I doe not thinke therefore thou wilt denie except thou wilt openly contradict the Scriptures that wee must depart out of Babylon not onely with our liues and conuersations but with our feet too since that there with sound manners with integritie of conscience with the obseruation of the commaundements of God it is not lawfull to liue and least we being altogether vnable to resist the corrupt and wicked maners of the Babylonians violently carrying all things headlong with them they put vpon vs their manners The nature of man by it owne corruption is prone vnto euill and good men are more easily drawne into errour by the wicked than the manners of the wicked mended by the good Vice be it neuer so pernitious and dangerous by little and little growes into custome and whilest it stealingly creeps into vs it growes and encreaseth Errours when they are made publike change their names and take vpon them the laudible titles of vertue and wisedome For to omit those grieuous sinnes which a man may not lawfully name but yet is lawfull for God to punish with his vengeance behold rapine and robberie by a publike impunitie are not accounted vices which vntill now were woont to be punished with death Now who is he that can liue there in health sound and free where not onely things vniust are permitted but where a man is constrained by all sorts of punishment the most cruell that may be to beleeue to say to follow to embrace as iust and laudible that which is most vniust most wicked Who can be sober who would not abhorre to liue where all are madde Who can be so confident vpon his owne strength that he should hope in the middest of the fire not to burne or in the middest of a shipwracke not to bee drowned But perhaps thou wilt say That the furnace of Babylon burnes onely the kings ministers not the children of God Let that man boldly applie that historie to himselfe that is like to those holie children that may with reason expect that God should bridle the force of a fire so furious and consuming to preserue him The furnace of Babylon burnt onely the ministers that kindled it Consider diligently whether they are of the number of these ministers that put fire to the furnace that are constrained to consent to follow to approue the things that belong to the kindling thereof and that dare not resist it when they would which whosoeuer doe to vse the words of the Apostle are worthie of death not onely they that doe them but they that consent to those that doe them God was afeard of faithfull Abraham least he should be burnt in Vr a citie of the Chaldees for then as thou seest the fire was alreadie kindled He was afeard of holie Lot least he should be corrupted with the companie of the wicked and so should be partaker of their destruction And yet we in the midst of the furnace of Babylon burning aboue woonted measure secure our selues from all daunger and flatter our selues with the deliuerie of the three children as if the case were all one with vs that as the flame of the burning furnace was extinguished with the dew of heauen that it could not offend them so no flame of euill concupiscence no
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
in practise stabbing some poysoning strangling others And his father striuing as it were to exceed his sonne practised the like against the chiefe Barons of the citie in so much that Volateran and Guicciardine are wearie with describing his wickednesse Machiauel himselfe setting downe the true pourtract of a tyran preferres the example of Borgia before all others as Xenophon in Cyrus described a lawfull Prince And all this impietie sayth Guicciardine among others Guicciard l. 5. proceeded from the Prince of our Christian religion the which that he might the better with money maintaine besides those rapines and robberies hee was woont to commit through the whole countrey Alexander found out new at Rome euerie day as a new Colledge of fourescore Registers who payed euerie one seuen hundred and fiftie crownes a creation of six and thirtie new Cardinals who for the most part payed well for it a wonderfull tribute imposed vpon the Mores who being driuen out of Spaine by the Catholike king Alexander for lucre receiued into Rome Adde hereunto diuers Cardinals and Prelats poysoned whose goods he chalenged to himselfe Onuphr in Alexand. 6. Doubtlesse saith Onuphrius he had a purpose to haue put in practise the like experiments vpon the rest that were rich had hee not by the wonderfull prouidence of God hastened his owne death by the fatall errour of the cup-bearer for he was a man borne to the ruine of all Italie He had an infinit number of tale-bearers and the least ill word that might bee was death Volateran in Antropol l. 22. Rome saith Volateran that was woont to be a refuge and sanctuarie for all other nations and in former ages a tower of defence was now become a publike shambles and for as much as it was lawfull for his to doe whatsoeuer pleased them there was no safetie by night in the citie nor by day in the fields All places were full of theeues and robbers And in the middest of all these disorders saith he Alexander celebrated a Iubilie selling it by his Bulls to as many as either could not or refused to come Being told that Caesar Borgia had lost an hundred thousand ducats at play his answer was That these were the sinnes of the Germans So good opinion had he of his owne wares The end at the last crownes the worke Guicciard l. 6. In the greatest height of all their hopes sayth Guicciardine Alexander supping in a Vine neere the Vatican to enioy the coolenesse of the ayre he was suddenly carried desperatly sicke into the Palace and the next morning he died blacke swollen and beyond all credit deformed which happened as it is credibly reported by reason of poyson in this mannor Caesar Borgia his sonne Duke of Valentia had resolued with himselfe to poyson Adrian Cardinall of Coruoto in whose vineyard they were to sup that night He sent therefore before certaine flagons of poysoned wine which he caused to be deliuered to a seruant of his with a strict commaund that no man should tast or touch it It happened that before the houre of supper Alexander came who being verie hot and thirstie called for wine and because his supper was not yet brought from the Palace the partie to whom the wine was giuen in custodie thinking that charge that was giuen him for the safe keeping thereof was because it was a more excellent wine than the rest filled some of that wine that the Duke had sent to another purpose and gaue it to the Pope It happened that whilest his father was drinking the Duke came in and dranke of the same wine to but the sonne saith he partly because hee was young and partly because hee vsed present remedies escaped though oppressed with a long and a grieuous sicknesse Hee addeth For it is most certaine that both the father and the sonne were woont to vse poyson not onely to bee reuenged of their enemies or to secure themselues against daungers suspected but also to satisfie their vnsatiable desire of riches and to spoyle the richer sort of their goods Cardinalls and Courtiers that had neuer offended them Thus they tooke out of the way the Cardinall of S. Angelo who was verie rich and thus diuers others of their neerest and most faithfull friends and followers as the Cardinalls of Capua and Modena To conclude there was saith he a wonderfull concourse of people out of all parts of the citie who with vnspeakable ioy came to Saint Peters Palace to glut their eyes if they could with the sight of the dead carkasse of this serpent who with his vnbridled ambition perfidious treacherie horrible crueltie monstrous luxurie insatiable auarice selling without difference or respect things holie and prophane had infected the whole world In the selfesame manner speakes Onuphrius the Popes Historiographer His treacherie was more than Punicall his crueltie barbarous his couetousnesse and extortion vnmeasurable his desire to enrich his children whether by right or by wrong vnsatiable Hee was strangely giuen to women by whom hee had foure sonnes and two daughters His principall courtisan was Vannoccia a Roman whom for her singular beautie pleasant carriage and admirable eloquence in the time of his meaner fortunes hee tooke for his wife Which giues credit to diuers Epitaphes which otherwise might haue beene attributed to Poeticall libertie Wee onely will respect these few Vendit Alexander Cruces Altaria Christum Emerat ille prius vendere iure prtest Pope Alexander sold Altars Christ and his Crosse He bought them had he not sold had liued by the losse Againe Tot regna vertit tot Duces Letho dedit Natos vt impleret suos c. Kingdomes he ouerthrew Dukes he did kill And all this his childrens purses to fill c. Againe I nunc Nerones vel Caligula nomina Speake now no more of Caligula or Nero. The rest yee may read elsewhere namely in the Epigrams of Sanazara Iacob Sanazar. l. 1. 2. Epigram Lugd. 1560. Hieron Marius in Eusebio Captiuo an excellent Poet which hee writ of him and his daughter Lucretia wherein there is an abridgement of all his wickednesse both publike and priuat But the Spanish Index Expurgatorius hath wisely prouided that they shall bee rased out in all future impressions Marius reporteth That by the helpe of the diuell hee got the Popedome and that without his counsell he did nothing And hee noteth That he carried himselfe verie kindly towards Petrus Mendosius a Spaniard and Cardinall of Valentia to the end he might abuse the Marquesse of Zaneta his bastard What can the diuell himselfe adde to this wickednesse And yet this is that man whom Wicelus affirmeth to be alwayes reading or imployed about some holie exercise or other and euer meditating how to withdraw the Princes of Christendome from ciuile warres to ioyne against the Turke That man who graunted those goodlie Indulgences to as many as vsited the title of Christ his Crosse at Rome Summa constit in Bulla cuius initium inter
Decree of the Councels of Constance and Basil But Pope Pius the fift caused all his workes to be gelded by Thomas Manriques as may be seen in the librarie of Posseuin the Iesuite who gathered those notes But truely as it was a most grieuous vniuersall euill yet in diuers nations there openly shewed themselues both notable men who acknowledged that tyrannie and also whole corporations that rightly and formally opposed themselues against it In Germanie Bernard de Lublin writing to Simon of Cracouia in the yeare 1515 against the Popes Primacie maintained That it cannot bee that any one man should commaund the whole world That it is sufficient to saluation to embrace the faith of Christ alone That they which neuer heard any thing of the Pope are not the lesse for all that saued That we must stand to the Gospell and lay aside the traditions of men without which saluation may consist but it is a miserable condition of Christians who for the Decrees of men may not giue their assent to the manifest truth the Popes flatterers persuading them That it is not to be endured that any thing should be spoken of them though in a right good and honest zeale whilest in the meane time themselues take libertie to speake against whatsoeuer they list In the Vniuersitie of Erford Sebastian Brand Doctour of Diuinitie and Preacher of the Cathedrall Church of Strasbourg in the yeare 1508 publikely inueighed against Roman Indulgences in these words Deare friends we should this Whit-Sunday haue opened vnto you our wares but here is a Merchant-stranger who boasteth he hath better when he shall be departed hence we will vnfold ours namely the doctrine of the Gospell after the sellers of Indulgences were gone And the same against satisfactions which are performed by other mens workes We haue some which goe to church which pray which sing which mumble ouer their portueis which celebrat Masses for vs but who will goe into hell in our stead This in his Sermon which of many remaineth vnto vs for it is a wonder that they haue left vs any but he was for this occasion driuen away and retired himselfe to Magdebourg chiefely because he was woont to say to his Auditors The time will come when the Gospell shall be read vnto you out of the booke it selfe some of you shall see it Ioh. Alman de domineo naturali Ciuili Ecclesiastico but I shall not liue till then Iames Alman Doctour of Diuinitie in his booke set forth at Colonia 1514 of the Popes power against Thomas de Vio after Cardinall Caietan Legat of Leo for the collection of Tenths Of Indulgences by name It seemeth not to me that the power of binding and loosing ought to be extended to them that be in Purgatorie seeing that wheresoeuer in the Gospell it is promised or giuen it is sayd Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth and whatsoeuer thou shalt loosse on earth super terram mention is neuer made of them that are departed out of this life And hence it followeth that the soules which are in Purgatorie cannot be loossed from payne by bestowing of Indulgences but indeed by suffrages What shall then become of all the Iubilies whereby for so many thousands of yeares true remission by Popes is promised for the deceased And Ludolfe Castrik Curat of S. Michaell at Magdebourg preaching against Indulgences admonished the people to aske remission of sinnes at Gods hands for Christs sake alone giuing them hope of a reformation whereby they should shortly be taken away And Conradus Celtes at Vienna a most learned man in his time many of whose writings yet remaine was excommunicated for that he condemned the Roman Hierarchie and doctrine but being borne out by the Emperour Maximilian he made little account of it Wee read likewise that about this time in Germanie arose one that was held for a Prophet who ran about from Church to Church preaching repentance to Christians and that vnlesse they obeyed and repented they shold vtterly perish Joseph Grundperg in specuto Visionis impresso Norimbergae Anno 1508. these were his words Awake O yee Christians out of the heauie sleepe of wickednesse and blacke darkenesse of death and circumcise your eares and your hearts for to heare with attention my words For yee haue cast the law of the Lord into the takes and his words into the filthy sinkes of obliuion and contempt c. Yee haue wasted the patrimonie of Christ on harlots and haue also fulfilled your vnbridled lusts in adulteries and incests and your insatiable couetousnesse with thefts and sacriledges Lastly the Temple of God by your wickednesse and great iniquitie is made a stewes and the house of theeues and robbers in which soundeth forth not hymmes of prayses to the king of heauen but blaspemies c. In Fraunce in the beginning of that age a little after the yeare 1500 flourished Iames Faber of Estaples a man of excellent learning and knowledge but chiefely in Diuinitie Auentine testifieth that he had heard him sixe hundred times together with Iosse Clithou Doctour of Diuinitie his Master saying That Lumbard had confounded and troubled the trueth and the most pure fountaine of holie doctrine with contaminated and muddie questions and streames of opinions But his Psalter printed in the yeare 1508 and his Commentaries on the Gospels and Epistles of S. Paule doe testifie what his judgement was in many principall points of Christian Religion by occasion of which he was so vexed by the Sorbonists brought to that trouble in his old age such was their rage that king Frauncis then prisoner in Spaine was forced to write from thence for his safegard in fauour of his learning And there need no further proofe thereof vnto vs than this Index Expurgat Hispanic fol. 110. vsque ad 111. 120. That the Diuines of Spaine in their Index Expurgatorius in our time commaunded many places and whole Pages to be raced out in the later editions aboue all that his Commentarie vpon S. Iohn should be wholly abolished because it could not be well amended That is to say because all of it wholly repugned against their corruptions traditions inuentions presumptions of men and imaginarie authorities About the same time grew into reputation William Budè of Paris Master of requests to king Frauncis the first who in many places of that famous booke de Asse describeth the state of the Church in his time The Clergie men in all sorts of vices wickednesse and wanton dissolutenesse worse than the worst of the people the Prelats ignorant enemies of learning hauing no care of the saluation of Christians whom they contrariwise cast headlong into hell both by their ill teaching them and by beeing vnto them examples of all wickednesse moreouer Epicures and Libertines and worse if may be He saw in his time with what violence the Pragmaticall sanction was shaken Therefore after hee had discoursed that the riches of his time was nothing to that of