to haue suffered but only all this persecution to rest onely in the exilement of bishops or guides of the flock Of other suffrings or executions we do not read for the terrible pestilence following immediatly kept the barbarous heatheÌ„ otherwise occupied Unto this tyme of Gallus rather then to the tyme of Decius I referre the banishment of Cyprian who was then bishop of Carthage Of the which banishment he himselfe testifieth in diuers of his epistles declaryng the cause therof to rise vpon a commotion or sedition among the people out of the which he withdrew himselfe lest the sedition should grow greater Notwâ—thstaÌ„ding the sayd Cyprian though beyng absent yet had no lesse care of his flocke and of the whole church then if he had bene present with them And therfore neuer ceased in his Epistles continually to exhort and call vpon them to be constant in their profession and pacient in theyr afflictions Amongst diuers other whom he doth comfort in his banishmeÌ„t although he was in that case to be comforted himselfe writing to certayne that were condemned to minyng for metals whose names were Nemesianus Felix Lucius with other bishops Priests and Deacons declareth vnto them how it is no shame but a glory not to be feared but to be reioyced at to suffer banishment or other paynes for Christ. And confirming them in the same or rather commending them signifieth how worthily they do shew themselues to be as valiant captaines of vertue prouoking both by the confessions of their mouth and by the suffring of their body the hartes of the brethren to Christian Martyrdome whose example was and is a great confirmation to many both maydes and children to follow the like As for punishment and sufferyng it is sayth he a thing not execrable to a Christian. For a Christian mans brest whose hope doth wholy consist in the tree dreadeth neyther batte nor club woundes and skarres of the body be ornaments to a Christian man such as bring no shame nor dishonestie to the partie but rather preferreth and freeth him with the Lord. And although in the mines where the mettals be digged there be no beds for Christian mens bodies to take their rest yet they haue their rest in Christ. And though their wearie bones lye vpon the cold ground yet it is no payne to lye with Christ. Their feete haue bene fettered with bandes and chaynes but happily he is bound of man whome the Lord Christ doth loose happily doth he lye tyed in the stockes whose feete therby are made swifter to runne to heauen Neither can any man tye a Christian so fast but he runneth so much the faster for his garland of life They haue no garmentes to saue them from colde but he that putteth on Christ is sufficiently coated Doth bread lacke to their hungry bodies But man liueth not onely by bread but by euery worde proceedyng from the mouth of God Your deformitie sayth he shall be turned to honour your mourning to ioy your payne to pleasure and felicitie infinite And if this doe grieue you that ye cannot now employ your sacrifices and oblations after your wonted maner yet your sacrifice daily ceaseth not which is a contrite and humble hart as when you offer vp daily your bodies a liuely and a glorious sacrifice vnto the Lorde which is the sacrifice that pleaseth God And though your trauaile be great yet is the rewarde greâ—ter which is most certaine to follow For God beholding and looking downe vpon them that confesse his name in their willyng mynd approoueth them in their striuyng helpeth them in their victory crowneth them rewarding that in vs which he hath performed and crowning that which he hath in vs perfected With these and such like comfortable wordes he doth animate his brethren admonishing them that they are now in a ioyfull iourney hasting apace to the mansions of the Martyrs there to enioy after this darknes a stable light and brightnes greater then all their passions according to the Apostles saying These sufferings of this present tyme be nothing like comparable to the brightnesse of the glory that shall be reuealed in vs c. And after the like wordes of sweete comfort and consolation writing to Seagrius and Rogatianus which were in prison and bondes for the testimony of truth doth encourage them to continue stedfast and patient in the way wherein they haue begun to runne for that they haue the Lord with them their helper and defender who promiseth to bee with vs to the worldes ende and therfore willeth them to set before their eyes in their death immortalitie in their payne euerlasting glory of the which it is written Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saintes Item although before men they suffred torments yet their hope is full of immortalitie and beyng vexed in small things they shall be well requited in great matters For the Lord hath tried them as gold in the fire And writeth moreouer admonishing them that it is so appoynted from the beginnyng of the world that righteousnes here should suffer in secular conflicts for so iust Abell was slayne in the beginnyng of the world and after him all iust and good men the Prophets also and the Apostles sent of the Lord himselfe vnto whome all the Lorde first gaue an example in himselfe teachyng that there is no comming to his kingdome but by that way which he entred himselfe saying by these wordes he that loueth his lyfe in this worlde shall loose it c. And agayne feare ye not them that slay the body but haue no power to slay the soule And S. Paule likewise admonishing all them whosoeuer couete to be pertakers of the promises of the Lord to follow the Lord sayth if we suffer together with him we shall raigne togeâ—her c. Furthermore as the same Cyprian doth encourage here the holy Martyrs which were in captiuitie to persist so likewyse writing to the Priestes and Deacons which were free exhorteth them to be seruiceable and obsequious with al care and loue to cherish and embrase theÌ„ that were in bondes Cypria Lib. 3. Ep. 6. wherby may appeare the feruent zeale care of this good-Byshop toward the Church of Christ although beyng now in exile in the time of this Emperour Gallus In the same time and vnder the said Gallus reignyng with his sonne Volusianus was also Lucius bishop of Rome sent to banyshment who next succeeded after Cornelius in that byshopricke about the yeare of our Lorde 256. Albeit in this banishment he did not long continue but returned againe home to his Church as by the Epistle of S. Cyprian Lib 3. Epist. 1. maye appeare As to all other Bishops of Rome in those primitiue daies certaine decretall Epystles with seuerall ordinaunces be ascribed bearing theyr names and titles as hath bene afore declared so also hath Lucius one Epistle fathered vpon him in the which Epistle he writing
Parma hauing this occasion offered with all force speed possible entred the Emperors campe or towne Victoria which being not very stroÌ„gly fenced nor hauing gates to shut agaynst theÌ„ was a thing easy enough to do The soden strauÌ„genes of the matter much abaÌ„shed the souldiors rang out their larâ— bell The first assault was geuen vpoÌ„ Marcus Malaspina his charge whom when the Emperor returning in all haste fouÌ„d to be hard beset had thought to haue rescued him But wheÌ„ that was perceiued of the enemy they beÌ„t all their force altogether on yâ— side In so much that the Emperor was inforced to take the trench lest he should haue bene of the enemy enuironed from thence he retired into the citie or campe where he had thought to haue gathered further aide But the enemy geuing not so much tune thereunto â—aâ—l force entred the citie Uictoria The Emperor now when the enemies were entred left the campe came to Dominum who when they had killed slaine a great nomber of the Emperors soldiors had burnt destroied the same campe Uictoria came againe to Parma The Emperor theÌ„ suspecting this thing to be wrought by treason whereby the enemy had vnderstanding as wel of the Emperors absence as also of the negligence of his soldiors imprisoned certaine of the chiefest about hym amongst whome also was Petrus de Vineis Yet whilest he was at Dominum gathering together his souldiors and residue of his baÌ„ds Encius getteth a great victorie of the Mansuanos who coming to the rescue of Parma lost 50. of their ships and all that they had in them After this also Richardus in another conflict in Picenum discomforted the Popes souldiors slewe their captaine Hugolinus besides 2000. others slaine taken prisoners When nowe Fredericus had gathered againe and new mustered his bands at Dominum he marched foorth to Cremona and notwithstanding that there he vnderstoode of the good successe and victory that Encius had at Rhegium yet for that he perceiued the defection and backsliding of all or most part of Lumbardie from him he determined to take his iorney into Apulia and when he had there leuied a strong and sufficient power he purposed to make hys speedy returne againe into Lombardie Therefore in hys iorney through Netruria into Apulia he ioyned with hys sonne Fridericus which besieged Capras and tooke the same and led with him diuers of the chiefest captains prisoners and after that subduing vnto the obedience of the Empire Miniatum he came into Apulia When newes was brought him thether that Encius hys sonne comming to aide the Mutinenses against the Bononiens was taken prisoner two miles of from Mutina and that in his absence the Popes capitaines with theyr bandes and garrisons went throughout all Lumbardie Aemilia Flamminia and Hetruria to stirre and procure the Cities to reuolt from the obedience of the Emperour And the same partly working by subtile pollicies partly by force sinister meanes to bring them to his purpose determined with himself that with all the force and power he might by any meanes procure and make to haue begon a fresh prosecuted this warre to the vttermost Neyther was it to be doubted as Pandolphus Colonucius writeth but that he would haue wrought some maruellous exploit great atteÌ„pt but that he was of this his purpose wherunto he was both willing beÌ„t preueÌ„ted by vnlooked for death For wheÌ„ he fell into this ague being at a certaine castle of his in Apulia called FloreÌ„tinuÌ„ saw by the extremity thereof his daies to be short he remeÌ„bred that which was once shewed him how he should die at FloreÌ„ce Wherupon he made and ordeined his testament and when vnto Conradus and other of his children he had geuen and appoynted the great and innumerable masse of mony which he had collected leuied for the maintenance of his wars and godly purpose as it is called And vnto them also had geuen all other his kingdomes dominioÌ„s to euery one according to their ages and yeres departed this wretched and miserable world Pandolphus writeth that Fredericus was very willing to dye as they made certayne report to him which were present at his death that his minde was altogether set and bent vpon the heauenly ioy felicity Which thing also Gulielmus Putranus Andreas Panbalus and Manardus the bishop being Italian writers do all affirme of whom this last writeth that he assuredly beleueth Fredericke to be one of the number of Gods elect The writers notwithstanding are of sundry iudgmeÌ„ts opinions touching this good Emperours death Some write that he was traiterously poisoned by his cup bearer being hyred therunto Some other that he was strangled with a pillow of MaÌ„fredo the sonne of Pherus But Pandolphus as good a writer as the best maketh no mention of any poyson that was geuen him but onely that he died of an ague The last opinion of Manfredus he manifestly refuteth and that there is no maner of lykelihood of the same further that the coÌ„trary is affirmed by diuers other writers that were of that time He died in the yeare of our Lord. 1268. the 13. day of December in the 57. yeare of his age and 37. yeare of his raigne whose corpes was brought to Panorinum and there intombed Fredericke had 3. wiues the first was Constantia the daughter of the king of Arragon of whom he begat HeÌ„ry the Duke of Sueuia and king of the Romains The other Iole the daughter of Iohaunes Brennus king of Ierusalem by whom he had the inheritance of Ierusale Naples and Sicile of whom he begat CoÌ„radus Duke of Suenia king of Ierusalem Naples being Cesar. The third Isabell the daughter of king Iohn of EnglaÌ„d by whom he had a sonne named HeÌ„ry which is said to die in his childhood This Fredericus had not his peere in Marshall affayres to be compared vnto him and warlike pollicies amongst al the princes of that age A wise and skilful souldiour he was a great indurer of paynefull labors and trauels most boldest in greatest perils prudent in foresight Industrious in all his doinges prompt humble about that he tooke in hand and in aduerâ—ity mest stout couragious But as in this corruption of nature few there be the attain perfection neither yet is there any prâ—ice almost of such gouernment and godly institution both in life doctrine as is required of them So neither was this Fredericke without his fault humaine fragility For the writers â—â—pute to him some fault of concupiscence wherwith he was stayned and spotted And it appeareth that he was not all cleare therof for as much as by suÌ„dry Concubines he had sundry children As Eneâ—is the king of Sardina Manfredus the prince of SarcutinuÌ„ And Frederick king of Antioche And this is all that I finde of the description of Fredericke by Colonucius which he affirmeth to haue
successors But if thou haue geuen any we iudge the gift to be voyde and call backe how farre so euer thou hast gone forward And whosoeuer beleueth otherwise we iudge them heretickes Vnto this letter of the Pope king Phillip maketh answere agayn in maner order as followeth which is this ¶ Phillip by the grace of God King of Fraunce to Boniface not in deedes behauing himselfe for Pope little friendship or none TO Boniface bearing himselfe for chiefe Byshop little health or none Let thy follishnes know that in no temporall things we are subiect to no man and that the giftes of prebendes and many benefices made and to be made by vs were and shall be good both in time past and to come And that we will defend manfully the possessours of the sayd benefices and we thinke them that beleue or thinke otherwise fooles and mad men Geuen at Paris the Wednesday after Candlemas an 1301. After these aforesayd and other writinges passing to and fro betweene the French kyng and the pope within a yeare and a halfe after the king sommoneth a Parliament sending downe hys letters to his Sheriffes and other officers to summon the Prelates and Barons of the Realme vnto the sayd Court of Parliament according to the tenor of the kinges letters here following PHilip by the grace of God king of Fraunce c. Whereas we would take counsaile with the Prelates Barons and other our faythfull about weighty matters and hard and suche as belong greatly to our right and touching our honour state liberties and lawes of this our Realme Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and would also go forward and proceede in the foresayd matters according to their counsayle We commaund you that ye dilligently in our behalfe require straightly charge all the Prelates in your baliwicke and also all and singuler Abbots and Priors of the same your foresayd baliwicke to certayne of the whiche we haue directed downe our special letters for the same cause that as they fauour our honour the good state both of the realme of théselues and of the Church they repayre to vs in their own persōs all lets and delayes set aside and all other busines left of Shewing to them moreouer that we can iudge none of them to be eyther to vs faythfull subiects or friendes to the Realme which shall faile herein or withdraw himselfe in the foresayd busines counsayles and helpes in tyme. Wherin if peraduenture any shall slack or refuse to resort and come toward vs within 8. dayes frō the tyme of this charge geuen by you or your commaundement That then you to seise all hys temporall goodes into our hand so seised to holde them vntill you receiue other commaundement from vs. Geuen at Paris the Monday before the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare of our Lord. 1303. ¶ A declaration of maister William Nagareta made against Pope Boniface the eight with his appellation also made at Paris afore the kyng and his Counsaile in the Church of Paris IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of our Lorde 1303. Indictione secunda the 12. day of March and the ix yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father the L. Boniface the 8. by Gods prouidence pope and in the presence of vs common notaries and witnesses written vnder the noble man maister William Nagareta knight a worshipfull professour of the lawes standing afore the most excellent Prince the Lord Philip by the grace of God most noble king of Fraunce spake with liuely words and gaue in writinges these thinges that follow There haue bene false Prophetes among the people as there haue bene also among you false teachers c. S. Peter the glorious prince of the Apostles speaking to vs by the spirite tolde vs thinges to come that likewise as there were false Prophetes afore tyme so there should come among you false teachers bringing in sectes of destruction by the which the way of trueth shall be defaced and couetously they shall make marchandise of you with fayned wordes and further addeth that such maisters did follow the way of Balaam of Bosor whiche loued the reward of wickednes and had hys bridled Asse to correct hys madnes whiche speaking in a mans voyce did stop the foolishnes of the Prophet All which thinges as they be shewed to vs by the greatest Patriarch himself Your eyes see them fulfilled this day according to the letter For there fitteth in S Peters Chaire the mayster of lyes causing himselfe to be called Boniface 1. a well doer where he is notable in all kinde of euill doyng And so both he hath taken to himselfe a false name and where he is not a true ruler and maister he calleth himselfe the Lord Iudge and mayster of all men And comming in contrary to the common order appoynted by the holy fathers and also contrary to the rules of reason and so not entring in at the doore into the Lordes shepefold is not a shepheard nor hierling but rather a theefe robber For he the true husbād of the Romish church yet liuing deceiued him that was delighted in simplicitie entised him with fayned flatterings gifts to let him haue his spouse to be his wife let no man separate at length laying violent handes vppon hym perswading him falsely that thing which the deceiuer sayd to come from the holy spirite was not ashamed to ioyne to himselfe with wicked practise that holye Church which is maistresse of all Churches calling hymselfe to her husband where as he cannot be for Celestinus the true Romish Byshop agreed not to the said deuorce being deceiued by so great subtiltie nothing is so contrary to agreeing as errour and deceit as mans lawes beare witnes that I neede not to speake of his violence But because the spirite inspireth where he will and he that is led with the spirite is not vnder the lawe the holy vniuersall Church of God not knowing the craftes of that deceiuer stumbling and doubting whether it came from the holy ghost that Celestinus should leaue of his gouernment and the sinnes of the people deseruing it for feare of a schisme suffered the foresaid deceauer although according to the doctrine of our Lord by hys fruites he might be knowne whether he came to the say'd regiment by the holy ghost or otherwise his fruites as it is playnely here written beneath are now manifest to all men by which it is apparaunt to the worlde that he came not in by God but otherwayes and so came not in by the sheepefould His fruites are most wicked and hys ende is death and therefore it is necessary that so euill a tree according to the Lordes saying should be cut downe and cast into the fire This cānot auaile to his excuse which is said of some men that is that the Cardinals did agree vpon him agayn after the death of the sayd Celestinus the pope seing he could not be her husband whom
declared as it hath bene in times past the which also is done by a maruelous dispensation that through one onely thing both Gods loue iustice should be fulfilled For a while the power of miracles being taken away the holy church appereth the more abiect and forsaken and the reward of good men doth cease which reuerēced the same for the hope of heauēly riches not for any present signes And that the minds of euill men agaynst the same might that sooner be knowne which neglect to folow the inuisible thinges which the church doth promise whiles they be led with visible signes Forsomuch then as the humility of the faithfull is as it were destitute of the multitude and appering of signes by the terrible working of Gods secret dispensation wherby mercy is geuē vnto the good and iust wrath heaped vpō the euill For so much then it is truely said that before this Liuiathan shall playnely and manifestly come pouerty shall go before his face for before that time the riches of miracles shal be taken away from the faythfull Then shall that auncient enemy shew himselfe agaynst them by open wonders That as he is extolled through signes wonders so shall he the more manly be vanquished of the faythfull without any signes or miracles Also in his 16. booke vpon this word which the blessed man Iob sayde who shall reprehend his way before him or who shall cast in his teeth what he hath done whilest he did speake of the body of all euill he sodenly connected his speach vnto the head of all the wicked for he did see that toward the end of the world Sathan should enter into man whom the scripture calleth Antechrist he shal be extolled with such pride he shall rule with such power he shal be exalted with such signes wonders vnder the pretence of holmes that his doing can not be cōtrolled of mē for somuch as his signes tokens are ioined with power terror with a certain shew of holynes Wherfore he saith who shall controll his wayes before him what man is he that dare once rebuke or check him whose looke or countenaunce is he afeard of But notwithstanding not onely Enoc Elias the which are brought as ample for his exprobation but also all the elect do argue reproue his way whiles that they do contemne and by the force and power of their minde resist his malice But for somuch as this thing is not done by their owne power or strength but by Gods helpe and grace therfore is it very well sayd who shall argue or reproue his waies before him who but onely God By whose help the elect are ayded and made able to resist And a little after vpon the same booke of Iob Gregory saith in so much as holy men do withstād his iniquity It is not they thēselues which do so rebuke his wayes but it is he thorowe whose helpe they are strengthened Also in his second booke he sayth now the holy Church doth not regarde but despise the signes and miracles of the heretikes if they do any for so much as the Church doth sufficiently vnderstand that it is no kind of holynes for why the prose of holines is not to make signes or wōders but to loue euery man as him selfe to thinke truely of the very true God to thinke better of thy neighbor then of thy selfe for trew vertue holynes cōsisteth in loue and not in shewing of miracles This the veretie declareth saying hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other but he saith not that hereby mē shal know that ye are my disciples because ye worke miracles but contrary wise if ye loue one an other declaring plainly therby that it is not miracles but the mere charitie loue of God which maketh vs the seruants of God Wherefore the chiefe testimony of being Gods disciple is to haue the gift of brotherly loue This thorow out doth S. Gregory write and often times in other places he speaketh verye much of miracles howe that they shall cease amongst the iust and abound amongst the wicked Also Chrisostome in his lv Homily sayth thus it is a common an indifferent woorke betwene the ministers of God the ministers of the deuil to cast out deuils but to confesse the trueth and to worke righteousnes is the onely worke of the saints and holy men therefore whomsoeuer thou doest see casting out of deuils if he haue not the confessiō of the trueth in his mouth neyther righteousnes in his hands he is not a man of God but if thou doest see a man openly confessing declaring the truthe and doing iustice although he do not cast out no deuils yet he is the man of God And it followeth let vs know that like as at the cōming of Christ before him the Prophets and with him thapostles wrought miracles thorow the holy ghost for such as the thing is which is sturred such sent sauor wil proceede frō the same He writeth also vpon the beginning of Mathew The whole world did maruel wōder at three things that Christ rose againe after his deth that flesh ascendeth into heauē that he did conuert the whole world by his xi apostles There is iiii causes which wrought the same That is to say the contempt of riches or money The dispising of pomp and glory The seperation of thēselues from all worldly occupation and busines and the pacient suffering of tormentes Thus much writeth Chisostome also saint Isydore in his first booke and xxv cha De summo bono writeth thus like as in the apostles the maruelous effect power of works was much more cōmendable then the vertue of their signes euen so now in the Church is it much more better to liue wel thē to worke any signes or miracles And the cause why that the church of God doth not at this present worke miracles as it did in the time of the Apostles is this That it was necessary at that time that the worlde should beleue miracles and nowe at this present euery faithful beleuer ought to shine with good workes for to this end were signes miracles then outwardly wrought that their sayth thereby might be inwardly strengthned and stablished for what soeuer faithfull man he be that seketh to worke miracles he seeketh vaine glory to be praysed of mē for it is written miracles are signes and tokens vnto the infidels misbeleuers and not vnto the faythfull Thus muche wryteth Isidore Item Saint Augustine in his Booke of cōfession sayth thus there is no greater miracle amongst mē thē to loue our enemies By these wordes of these holy men a man may easely gather that both in our dayes and in the time to come the disciples of Antichrist both do shall more florish and shewe thēselues by strannge signes miracles thē the disciples of Christ according to
Barbarossa an 1269. furthermore how mightely almighty God hath stand agaynst them how their warres neuer prospered agaynst the Turke how the iudgementes of the godly learned froÌ„ time to time haue euer repugned agaynst theyr errours c. of these and a thousand other mo not one word hath bene touched but all kept as vnder Benedicite in Auriculer confession This partiall dealing and corrupt handling of Historyes when I considered I thought with my self nothing more lacking in the church then a ful a complet history which being faythfully collected out of all our Monastical writers writteÌ„ Monuments should conteine neither euery vain written fable for that would be to much nor yet leaue out any thing necessary for that would be to little but with a moderate discretion taking the best of euery one should both ease the labor of the reader from turning ouer such a number of writers and also should open the plaine truth of times lying long hid in obscure darcknes of antiquity Wherby all studious Readers beholding as in a glasse the state course and alteration of Religion decay of doctrine and the controuersies of the church might discerne the better betwene antiquity and nouelty For if the things which be first after the rule of Tertullian are to be preferred before those that be latter then is the reading of histories much necessary in the church to know what went before and what folowed after And therfore not without cause Historia in old authors is called the witnesse of times the light of verity the life of memory teacher of life shewer of antiquitie c. Without the knowledge wherof mans life is blind and soone may fall into any kind of errour as by manifest experience we haue to see in these desolate latter times of the Church when as the Byshops of Rome vnder colour of antiquity haue turned truth into heresy and brought such new found deuises of straunge doctrine and ReligioÌ„ as in the former age of the church were neuer heard of before and all through the ignorance of times and for lacke of true history For to say the truth if times had bene well searched or if they which wrote Hystories had without partiality gone vpright betwene God and Baall halting on neither side it might well haue bene fouÌ„d the most part of all this catholicke corruptioÌ„ intruded into the church by the bishops of Rome as Transubstantiation leuation and adoration of the sacrament auriculer confession forced vowes of Priestes not to mary veneration of Images priuate and satisfactory Masses the order of Gregories Masse now vsed the vsurped authoritie Summa potestas of the sea of Rome with all the route of their ceremonies and wiedes of superstition ouergrowing nowe the Churche all these I say to bee new nothinges lately coyned in the minte of Rome without any stampe of antiquitie as by readyng of this present history shall sufficiently I trust appeare Whiche history therefore I haue here taken in hand that as other story writers heretofore haue employed their trauayle to magnifie the Church of Rome so in this history might appeare to all Christian readers the Image of both Churches as well of the one as of the other especially of the poore oppressed and persecuted Churche of Christ. Which persecuted Church though it hath bene of long season troden vnder foote by enemyes neglected in the world nor regarded in histories and almost scarse visible or knowne to worldly eyes yet hath it bene the true Church only of God wherin he hath mightely wrought hetherto in preseruing the same in all extreeme distresses continually stirring vp froÌ„ time to tyme faythful ministers by whoÌ„ alwayes hath bene kept some sparkes of hys true doctrine and Religion Now for asmuch as the true Church of God goeth not lightly alone but is accompanyed wyth some other Church or Chappel of the deuill to deface and maligne the same necessary it is therfore the difference betweene them to be sene and the descent of the right Churche to be described from the Apostles tyme. Which hetherto in most part of histories hath bene lacking partly for feare that men durst not partly for ignoraunce that men could not discerne rightly betweene the one and the other Who beholding the Church of Rome to be so visible and glorious in the eyes of the worlde so shining in outward beauty to beare suche a porte to cary suche a trayne and multitude and to stand in such hye authoritie upposed the same to be only the right Catholike mother The other because it was not so visibly known in the world they thought therfore it could not be the true church of Christ. Wherin they were far deceaued For although the right church of God be not so inuisible in the world that none can see it yet neyther is it so visible agayne that euery worldly eye may perceiue it For like as is the nature of truth so is the proper condition of the true Churche that commonly none seeth it but such onely as be the members and partakers thereof And therefore they which require that Gods holy Church should be euident and visible to the whole world seeme to define the great sinagogue of the world rather then the true spirituall Church of God In Christes time who would haue thought but the congregations and Councelles of the Pharisies had ben the right church and yet had Christ an other Church in earth besides that which albeit it was not so manifest in the sight of the world yet was it the onely true Church in the sight of God Of this Church ment Christ speaking of the Temple whiche he woulde rayse agayne the thyrd day And yet after that the Lord was risen he shewed not himselfe to the worlde but onely to his electe which were but few The same Churche after that encreased and multiplied mightely amonge the Iewes yet had not the Iewes eyes to see Gods Churche but did persecute it till at length all their whole nation was destroyed After the Iewes then came the heathen Emperours of Rome who hauing the whole power of the world in their hands did what the world could do to extinguish the name and church of christ Whose violence coÌ„tinued the space of 3. hundreth yeares All which while the true church of christ was not greatly in sight of the world but rather was abhorred euery where and yet notwithstanding the same small â—elly flocke so despised in the worlde the Lorde highly regarded and mightely preserued For although many then of the Christians did suffer death yet was their death neither losse to them nor detriment to the Church but the more they suffered the more of theyr bloud encreased In the time of these Emperours God raysed vp then in this Realme of Britaine diuers worthy teachers and witnesses as Elnanus meduinus Meltiuianus Amphibolus Albanus Aaron Iulius and other moe In whose time the doctrine of fayth without mens traditions was sincerely
preached After theyr death and Martyrdom it pleased the Lord to prouide a generall quietnes to his Church wherby the number of hys flocke began more to encrease In this age then followed here in the sayd land of Britayne Fastidius Niuianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubricius Congellus Kentigernus Helmotus Dauid Daniell Sampson Elnodugue Asaphus Cildas Heulanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuell Niuius and a great sort moe whiche gouerned the Churche of Britayne by Christen doctrine a long season albeit the ciuil gouernours for the tyme were then dissolute careles as Gildas very sharply doth lay to theyr charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons All this while about the space of foure hundred yeares Religion remayned in Britayne vncorrupt and the word of Christ truely preached till about the comming of Austen and of hys companions from Rome many of the sayd Britayne preachers were slayne by the Saxons After that began Christen fayth to enter spring among the Saxons after a certayne romish sort yet notwithstanding some what more tollerable thē were the times which after folowed through the dilligent industry of some godly teachers which then liued amongest them as Aidanus Finianus Coleman Archbishop of Yorke Beda Iohn of Beuerlay Alcuinus Noetus Hucharius Serlo Achardus Ealredus Alexander Neckam Negellus Fenallus Alfricus Sygeferthus such other who though they erred in some few thinges yet neither so grossely nor so greatly to be complayned of in respect of the abuses that followed For as yet all thys while the error of Transubstantiation and leuation with auriculer confession was not crept in for a publicke doctrine in Christes Church as by theyr owne Saxon Sermon made by Aelfricus set out in the second Volume of this present history may appeare pag. 1114. During the which meane time although the Bishops of Rome wer had here in some reuerēce with the Clergy yet had they nothing as yet to do in setting lawes touching matters of the Church of England but that only appertayned to the kings and gouernours of the land as is in this story to be seene pag. 754. And thus the Church of Rome albeit it began then to decline a pace frō God yet during all this while it remayned hitherto in some reasonable order till at length after that the sayd Bishops began to shout vp in the world through the liberalitie of good Princes and especially by Mathilda a noble Duches of Italy Who at her death made the Pope heyre of all her landes and indued his sea with great reuenewes Then riches begot ambition Ambition destroyed Religion so that all came to ruine Out of this corruption sprang forth here in Englād as did in other places more an other romish kind of Monkery worse then the other before being much more drowned in superstition and ceremonies which was about the yeare of our Lord. 980. Of this swarme was Egbertus Aigelbert Egwine Boniface Wilfrede Agathon Iames Romayne Cedda Dunstane Oswold Athelwold Athelwine Duke of Eastangles Lanfrancke Anselme and such other And yet in this tyme also through Gods prouidence the Churche lacked not some of better knowledge and iudgement to weigh with the darcknes of those dayes For although king Edgar with Edward his base sonne being seduced by Dunstane Oswold and other Monkish Clerkes was thē a great author and fautor of much superstition erecting as many Monasteries as were Sondayes in the yeare yet notwithstanding this continued not long For eftsoones after the death of Edgar came king Ethelrede and Queene Elfthred his mother with Alferus Duke of merceland and other peeres and nobles of the Realme who displaced the Monkes againe and restored the maryed Priests to their old possessions and liuings Moreouer after that followed also the Danes whiche ouerthrew those Monkish foundations as fast as king Edgar had set them vp before And thus hetherto stode the condition of the true Church of Christ albeit not without some repugnance and difficultie yet in some meane state of the truth veritie till time of pope Hildebrand called Gregory 7. which was nere about the yeare 1080. And of Pope Innocentius 3. in the yeare 1215. By whome altogether was turned vpside downe all order broken dissipline dissolued true doctrine defaced Christian faith extinguished Instead whereof was set vp preaching of mens decrees dreames and idle traditions And whereas before truth was free to be disputed amongest learned men now libertie was turned into law Argument into Authoritie Whatsoeuer the Byshoppe of Rome denounced that stode for an oracle of all men to be receaued without opposition or contradiction whatsoeuer was contrary ibso facto it was heresie to be punished with fagot and flaming fire Then began the sincere fayth of this English Church which held out so long to quayle Then was the clerre sunne shine of Gods word ouershadowed with mistes and darcknes appearing like sacke-cloth to the people which neither could vnderstand that they read nor yet permitted to read that they could vnderstand In these miserable dayes as the true visible Church beganne now to shrinke and keep in for feare so vpstart a new sort of players to furnish the stage as schole Doctours Canonistes and foure orders of Friers Besides other Monasticall sectes and fraternities of infinite variety Which euer since haue kept such a stirre in the Church that none for them almost durst rout neyther Caesar king nor subiect What they defined stode What they approued was Catholicke What they condemned was heresie whom soeuer they accused none almost could saue And thus haue these hetherto continued or raigned rather in the Church the space now of foure hundreth yeares and odde During which space the true Church of Christ although it durst not openly appeare in the face of the world oppressed by tyranny yet neyther was it so inuisible or vnknown but by the prouidence of the Lord some remnaunt alwayes remayned from tyme to time which not onely shewed secret good affection to sincere doctrine but also stode in open defence of truth agaynst the disordered Churche of Rome In which Catalogue first to pretermit Barthramus and Barengarius which were before Pope Innocent 3. a learned multitude of sufficient witnesses here might be produced whose names neyther are obscure nor doctrine vnknowne as Ioachim Abbot of Calabria Almericus a learned Byshop who was iudged an hereticke for holding agaynst Images in the time of the sayd Innocentius Besides the Martirs of Alsatia of whome we read an hundred to be burned by the sayd Innocentius in one day as writeth Hermanus Mutius Adde likewise to these Waldenses or Albigenses which to a great number segregated themselues from the Church of Rome To this number also belonged Reymundus Earle of Tholose Marsilius Patiuius Gulielmus de S. Amore Simon Tornacensis Arnoldus de noua villa Ioannes Semeca besides diuers other preachers in Sueuia standing agaynst the Pope Anno. 1240. Ex Cranz Laurentius Anglicus a Mayster of
case we our selues had bene in those times of theirs so troubled and distressed as they were spoiled of goods hated of the world cited in consistories pinched in prisons sequestred from wife house and children loking for nothing but death What would we say what would we thinke what would we do Much otherwise doubtlesse then we do now God graunt we may do better for worse I thinke we caÌ„not if we would Ioh Wickliffe W. Swinderby Thorpe Sawtrie with a nuÌ„ber of godly men moe beyng theÌ„ glad in friese gownes goyng barefoote to preach where they could If they were now alyue how glad would they be of these dayes what paines would they take yea what pains would they not take in preaching the gospell not for lucre nor for mony nor passing for promotions or dignities of the church Sir I. Oldcastle L. Cobham sir Rog. Acton with diuers worshipful gentlemen a great nuÌ„ber If they being in our state might enioy with vs their houses and lands with the good fauour of their Prince as then they could not how gladly would they haue contented themselues though they neuer raised their rentes and fines to the vndoyng of their poore tenants Likewise in the tyme of Ioh. Hus and Hierome of Prage the Nobilitie and gentlemen of Bohemia if they might haue had halfe this tranquillitie which we haue to enioy the liberty of Gods word and true vse of the sacraments without molestatioÌ„ of Romish prelates what would they haue cared how simply they walked in their attire without any such monstrous pomp in pranckyng vp themselues as we Englishmen in these reformed dayes walke now more like plaiers in a stage then gods children in his Church ¶ The fourth consideration WHerfore welbeloued these thinges being so let vs call our selues to mind considering the times that haue bene the times that be and times that may come how we stand and by whom we stand If it be the fauor of God onely that doth support vs in the midst of so many enemies let vs beware in no wise we prouoke his indignation If it be his trueth and Gospell that we professe let vs walke in the light of his truth and keepe our selues within the compasse of his Gospell what the Gospel requireth and what it abhorreth who knoweth not And yet who foloweth that he knoweth If S. Paule willeth euery one to depart from iniquity which nameth the Lord Iesus And if the Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth playnely his kingdome not to be of this worlde how will then the nature of that kingdome so spirituall and our conditions so worldly match well together To rippe vp all our deformities in particular I minde not here neither need I the same being so euident to all mens eyes that who cannot see our excessiue outrage in pompous apparrell our carnall desires and vnchast demeanors without feare of God our careles security with out conscience as though there were no iudgement to come our studyes so vpon this world as though there were no other heauen what pride and idlenes of life double dissembling in word deed with out simplicity auarice vnsatiable litle regard to heare Gods word lesse to read it least of all to folow it euery man aspiring to worldly wealth and promotion litle or no mercye to the poore racking of rentes fines bribing and taking vnmeasurable What should I speake of the contentions and vnbrotherly diuision amongest vs most lamentable to see but more lamentable if all were seene which may or is like to folow vpon the same Such were the times once of the Churh before the horrible persecution of Dioclesian for so we read such hatred and disdayne through much peace and prosperity of the Church to creepe in amongest the Church men Read pag. 77. Wherefore let vs be exhorted dearely beloued to reclayme our selues whyle time doth serue If we finde the Lord so gracious in sparing vs as he doth let that not make vs worse but better It is a lewd childe which will not learne without beating A well minding man will be good not forced by coaction but of voluntary office induced As aduersity if it come ought not to dismay vs so neither prosperity now present ought not to puffe vs vp in security consideâ—ing what commonly is wont to folow As Plato well writeth Summae atque effrenatae libertatis seruituteÌ„ plaerumque affeclam esse Of immoderate liberty and to much security foloweth most commonly extreme seruitude And as Hippocrates sayth dispositions of bodyes when the are come to the highest perfection of health then are they most subiect to daunger of sickenes c. Let vs therfore hauing light geuen vs walke like children of light Otherwise if we walke like children of disobedience God hath his roddes to scourge vs if we will needes be Rebelles he hath his Pharaos and Nabuchodonosors to plague vs. Or if we will be so vnordinate and with reuerence be it spokeÌ„ without offence to God or man so doggish and currish one to another the Lorde lacketh not his Doggestrikers to whippe vs. And would God our liues were such that the destruction and ruine here of late seene amongest vs may portend nothing agaynst vs as I trust there is no cause for vs to feare but rather to feare the Lord and walke in his obedience amend that is amisse amongest vs. Amen ¶ The Grace of our Lord Iesus blesse thee gentle reader that long mayst thou read and much mayst thou profite Amen ¶ Pax Pradicantibus Gratia Audientibus Gloriae Iesu Christo. Amen In Martyrologium Ioan. Foxi Laurentius Humfredus TRistes Iliadas docti miramur Homeri Quas scite studuit texere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deflentur tragico multorum fata cothurno Haec madidis spectant maesta theatra genis Multa dolenda quidem sed vatum somnia multa Fictis intexunt vera probata nothis Sunt quos delectant vanae commenta Legendae Quam stabulum Augeae rite vocare queas Dum vitam mortem Sanctorum naerrat vt errat Vt pingit fingit Plumbeus ille liber Aurea nunc tandem prodit noua vera Legenda Egregium Chronicon lugubris historia Authorem commendat opus sic rursus adornat Author opus simul haec vtraque felle carent Authorem specta pius est tersus amplus Iudicio clarus dexteritate fide Si rem consideras casus caedesque bonorum Tractat immeritae stigmata saeua crucis Illudant alij carpant at Zoilus olim Dum perijt quid sit rodere iam docuit Hic discas Lector quam sit furiosa tyrannis Romanae caulae cornigerique gregis Vt lupus innocuos semper grassetur in agnos Vt fremat atque auidis faucibus ossa voret Nonne satis fuerat Christi pia membra cremare Et viuos flammis perdere nonne satis Nonne satis damnasse senes puerosque virosque Faemellas omni ex ordine nonne satis Cur iuuat heu Manesscriptis lacerare iacentes
sought for aboue other Bishops but onely for that he coueted to be bishop and Pastor alone in euery Church in such sort as there should be no other Bishop nor Pastour els but himselfe onely But as is said that was neuer the Archbishops seeking nor the matter of Gregories reprehension For the said Archbishop of Constantinople went not about to bee Bishop alone which was to much absurd and also impossible but to be vniuersall alone nor to take away the office from other but the honour from other not to depose them but to despise them And therfore saith Gregory vt despectis fratribus not depositis fratribus so that this worde solus here noteth a despising of other not a deposing of other importeth a singularitie in condition aboue other and not the office or substaunce of ministration without other that is to be vniuersall among many and not to bee one alone without any nor to diminish the number of them but only to encrease the honour to himselfe For the more euident probation whereof although the thing of it selfe is so euident that it needeth no proofe what can be more playne then the words themselues of Pelagius and Gregory wherwith they charge him for running before his brethren for chalenging superioritie aboue them for diminishing their honour by taking more honour then to him was due for following the aungell of pride in exalting himselfe in admitting that to him which the bishops of Rome and their predecessours had refused beyng offered to them before c All which declare that he sought not to thrust out all other bishops out of their churches and to be bishop himselfe alone For that was neuer offered to the Bishops of Rome by the Councell of Chalcedon that they should be bishops alone and none other Neither did Lucifer seeke to haue no mo angels in all heauen but himself but he to be aboue all other alone Likewise the word praecurrere that is to runne before other in the Epistle of Pelagius declareth that Iohn sought not to be bishop alone but Bishop vniuersall We say not that a man runneth before another whē he runneth alone and no mā followeth him that is not properly praecurrere but solus currere Moreouer in seeking to be superior to other bishops he seeketh not to take away other Bishops but to make other bishops inferior to him For where no inferior is there can be no superior forasmuch as these together are correlatiues inferre necessary respect mutually And if it were true as this Gloser sayth that he had sought to be bishop alone how would that Councel either haue graunted that vnto him or haue offered it to the Bishop of Rome before or if they had howe could it be possible for him alone to serue all Churches without any felow Bishop to helpe him And where this foresaid clerke standeth so much vpon the wordes of S. Gregory Solus Episcopus Gregory therfore shall expound Gregory and one Solus shall declare another Wherfore if this diuine whatsoeuer he be Doctour or Bacheler either knoweth not or would learne what onely Byshop meaneth in this place an other place of the sayde Gregory may instruct him where Gregory wryting to Eulogius Patriarch of Alexandria geueth this reason why he refused the same title offered to him which then was offered to the sayde Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople saying Quia videlicet si vnus Patriarcha vniuersalis dicitur Patriarcharum nomen coeteris derogatur sed absit hoc c. That is to say For if one alone woulde be called Patriarch vniuersall then should the name of Patriarches be derogated from all other c. Wherby two things are to be noted First what thing it was which the Patriarche of Constantinople did seeke for Gregory here findeth no other fault but with the same which was geuen to Iohn which was to be called Patriarche vniuersal The seconde thing to be noted is the cause why Gregory did rebuke this title both geuen to Iohn and offered to him because sayeth he if one take vpon him the name of vniuersall Patriarch then is the name Patriarche taken from the rest As who would say if I should take vpon me to be named vniuersal Patriarch then should there be no other Patriarche◠but I shoulde be Byshop Patriarche alone And here commeth in your Solus Episcopus c. Furthermore the same Gregory speaking of the sayde Solus in an other place by seemeth to declare there what he meaneth by this Solus here in these wordes as follow vt nulli subesse solus omnibus praeesse videretur That is to say so that he would be subiect to none and would be chieftain to all other alone c. And so by this place may the other place be expounded vt solus Episcopus sit is qui solus inter Episcopos praeesse appetat That is he that seeketh to be as bishop alone who alone seeketh to be extolled aboue other byshops But to be short in a matter that needeth not many wordes he that thus cauilleth vpon this place Solus Episcopus in Gregory must be desired here not to take Solus alone but ioyne with all the word going before which is despectis fratribus by the which might seeme sufficiently declared what Gregory ment by Solus Episcopus meaning that to despise other bishops to diminish their honor to set vp his owne to be subiect to none but to preferre him selfe inequally before al other is as much as to be counted bishop alone And thus much touching this obiection An other obiection of our aduersaries is this although say they no Byshop of Rome was euer called or would be called by the name of vniuersal Bishop yet it followeth not therefore that they be not or ought not to be heades of the vniuersall Church Their reason is this As S. Peter had the charge of the whole Church by the testimonie of Gregory committed vnto him although he were not called vniuersall Apostle So no more absurde it is for the Pope to be called the head of the whole Church and to haue the charge thereof although he be not called vniuersall Byshop c. Wherein is a double vntruth to be noted First in that they pretend Peter to be the head to haue the charge of the whole Church if we take here charge or head for dominion or mastership vpō or aboue the Church in all cases iudiciarie both spirituall temporal for the wordes of the Scripture be plaine Non dominantes in clerum 1. Pet. Vos autem non sic Luke 22. That is Not as maisters ouer the Clergy c. but you not so c. Againe that the Churche is greater or rather the head of Peter it is cleare 1. Corrin 3. All thinges are yours whether it be Paule or Apollo or Cephas either the world death or life you be Christes Christ is Gods c. In which wordes the dignitie of the Churche
wherein I doubt For who can better either correct my slackenesse or instruct mine ignoraunce then you I was neuer yet present my selfe at the exaamination and execution of these Christians And therfore what punishment is to be administred and how farre or how to proceede in such Inquisitions I am plaine ignoraunt not able to resolue in the matter whether any difference is to bee had in age and person whether the young and tender ought to be with like crueltie intreated as the elder and stronger whether repentance may haue any pardon or whether it may profite him or not to denie which hath bene a ChristiaÌ„ whether the name onely of Christians without other offences or whether the offences ioyned with the name of a Christian ought to be punished In the meane season as touching such Christians as haue bene presented vnto me I haue kept this order I haue inquired the second and third time of them whether they were Christians manacing them with feare of punishment and suche as did perseuere I commaunded to execution For thus I thought that what so euer their profession was yet their stubburnenesse and obstinacie ought to be punished Whether they were also of the same madnesse whom because they were Citizens of Rome I thought to send them backe againe to the Citie Afterward in further processe handling of this matter as the sect did further spread so the more cases did thereof ensue There was a libell offred to me bearing no name wherein was contained the names of many which denied themselues to be Christians contented to doe sacrifice with incense and wine to the Gods and to your Image whiche Image I for that purpose caused to be brought and to blaspheme Christ whereunto none such as were true Christians in deede could be compelled and those I did discharge and let goe Other some confessed that they had bene Christians but afterward denied the same c. Affirming vnto me the whole summe of that sect or errour to consist in this that they were woont at certain times appointed to conuent before day and to sing certaine Hymnes to one Christ their God and to confederate among themselues to abstaine from all theft murther and adulterie to keepe their faith and to defraude no man which done then to departe for that time and afterward to resort againe to take meate in companies together both men and women one with an other yet without any acte of euils In the truth whereof to be further certified whether it were so or not I caused two maidens to bee laied on the Racke and with tormentes to bee examined of the same But finding no other thing in them but onely lewde and immoderate superstition I though to surcease of further inquirie til tyme that I might be further aduertised in the matter from you for so the matter seemed vnto me worthy and needefull of aduisement especially for the great number of those that were in daunger of your statute For very many there were of all ages and states both men women which then were more are like hereafter to incurre the same perill of condemnation For that infection hath crepte not onely in Cities but Villages also and Boroughs about which seemeth that it may be staied and reformed For as much as we see in many places that the Temples of our Gods whiche were woont to be desolate beginne now againe to be frequented and that they bring sacrifices from euerie parte to be solde whiche before verye fewe were founde willing to buie them Whereby it may easilie be coniectured what multitudes of men may bee amended if space and tyme bee giuen them wherein they may be reclaimed The Epistle of Traianus to Plinie THe Acte and Statute my Secundus concernyng the causes of the Christians whiche ye ought to followe ye haue rightlye executed For no suche generall lawe can be enacted wherin all speciall cases particularly can be comprehended Let them not be sought for but if they be brought and conuicted then let them suffer execution So notwithstanding that whosoeuer shall deny himselfe to be a Christian and that he do it vnfainedly in open audience and do sacrifice to our Gods howsoeuer he hath bene suspected before let him be released vpoÌ„ promise of amendment Such libels as haue no names suffice not to any iust crime or accusation for that should geue both an euill President neither doth it agree with the example of our tyme. Tertullian writing vpon this letter of Traianus aboue prefixed thus saith O sentence of a confused necessitie He would not haue them to be sought for as men innocent yet causeth them to be punished as persons gilty And thus the rage of that persecutioÌ„ ceased for a tyme although notwithstanding many naughty disposed men and cruell officers that were which vpon false pretence to accomplishe their wicked myndes ceased not to afflict the Christians in diuers prouinces And especially if any occasioÌ„ were geueÌ„ neuer so litle for the enemies to take hold or if any commotion were raised in the Prouinces abroad by and by the fault was laid vpon the christians As in Hierusalem after that the emperor Traianus had sent doune his commaundement that whosoeuer could be found of the stocke of Dauid he should be enquired out and put to death vpon this Egesippus writing saith that certaine sectaries there were of the Iewish nation that accused Simeon the bishop then of Ierusalem and sonne of Cleophas to come of the stocke of Dauid and that he was a Christian. Of the which his accusers it happened also saith the said Egesippus that certaine of them likewise were apprehended and taken to bee of the stocke of Dauid and so right iustly were put to execution themselues which sought the destruction of other As concerning Simeon the blessed bishop the foresayd Egesippus thus writeth That Simeon the lordes nephew wheÌ„ he was accused to Attalus the Proconsul by the malicious sect of the Iewes to be of the line of Dauid to be a christian was scourged during the space of many dayes together beyng of the age of an hundred and twentie yeres In which his Martyrdome he indured so constant that both the Consul and all the multitude did meruaile to see him of that age so constantly to suffer and so at last being crucified finished his course in the Lord for whome he suffered as partly before also is recorded In this persecution of Traianus aboue specified which Traianus next followed after Nerua besides the other afore mentioned also suffred Phocas bishop of Pontus whome Traianus because he would not do sacrifice to Neptunus caused to be cast into an hote Limekilne and afterward to be put into a skalding bathe where the constant godly Martyr in the testimony of Christ ended his life or rather entred into lâ—â—e Anton. Equil Fascic temporum In the same persecution suffered also Sulpitius and Seruilianus two Romains Whose wiues are
the porte of Southhampton But as Polydorus sayeth and Fabian affirmeth the same that it was by Thames side at London When his flatterers comming about him began to exalt him vp with high wordes calling him a king of all kings most mighty who had vnder his subiection both the people the land and also the sea Canutus reuoluing this matter in his minde whether for pride of his heart exalted or whether to trâ—e and refell their flattering words coÌ„maunded his chaire of estate to be brought to the sea side at what time it should begin to flowe Polydore sayth that no seate was brought but sitting vpon his garments being folded together vnder him there charged and commaunded the floudes arising comming toward his feete that they shoulde not touch neither him nor his clothes But the water keeping his ordinary course came nearer and nerer First to his feete and so growing higher began to wash him welfauoredly Wherewith the king abashed partly also afeard starte backe and looking to his Lordes Loe sayth he ye call me such a mighty king yet can I not commaunde backe this litle water to stay at my worde but it is ready to drowne me Wherfore all earthly kings may know that all their powers be but vaine and that none is worthy to haue the name of a king but he alone which hath all things subiect to the power authoritie of his word which is the Lord of heauen earth the creatour aboue of all thinges the father of our Christ and Lorde who with him for euer is to be glorified him let vs worship and extoll for our king for euer After this as histories witnes he neuer suffred the crowne to come vpon his head but went to Winchester or as some say to Canterbury but both those may be true for his going to CaÌ„terbury was to acknowledge that there was a Lorde much higher of more power then he himselfe was and therewithal to render vp his crowne for euer With that Egelnothes Archbyshop of Canterbury informed him of the image of the Crucifix before meÌ„tioned which dissolued the matter betweene maried Priests and life of Monkes and did many other myracles moe being then at Winchester Wherewith the King prouoked to go to Winchester to the roode there resigned vp hys regall Crowne and made the roode king ouer all the land Here is also to be noted in this Canutus that although as is said he coÌ„descended in the beginning of his raigne vpon king Edgares lawes yet after in proces of time hee set forth peculiar lawes of his own Among which diuers there be that concerne as well causes Ecclesiasticall as also temporal Whereby it may appeare that the gouernmeÌ„t of spirituall matters not to depende then of the Bishop of Rome but to appertaine to the lawfull authoritie of the temporall Prince no lesse then of matters and causes temporall As for example by these ordinaunces of the foresayd Canutus may be well considered as here folowe Pecunia sepulturae iustum est vt aperta terra reddatur Si aliquod corpus a sua parochia deferatur in aliam pecunia sepulturae c. In English It is mete and right that in funerals money be geuen for opening the earth If anybody or corse be caried from his owne Parishe into an other the money of the buriall shal pertaine by the law to his owne Parish Church All ordinaunces and ceremonies of God let them be obserued as neede in all things requireth Uppon the Sonday we forbid all publique â—ayres or markets all Synodes or conuenticles huntinges or any such seculare actions to be exercised vnlesse vrgent necessitie compell therunto Let euery ChristeÌ„ man prepare himself thrise a yere to approche to the receauing of the Lords body so to eate the same as not to his iudgemeÌ„t but to his wholsome remedy If a minister of the altare doe kill any man or haue intangled himselfe in any notorious crime let him be depriued both from his order and dignitie If any maried woman her husband being aliue haue committed adultery be proued with the same to her opeÌ„ shame in the world let her haue her nose and eares cut of Let euery widow after the death of her husband so remaine sole xij monethes or if shee marrye let her loose her ioynter And heere an ende of the Danish kyngs Nowe to the English kings againe whose right line coÌ„meth in againe in Edward here following King Edward called the Confessor FOr so much as God of his mercye and prouidence who is onely the maker of heires thought it so good after the wofull captiuitie of this Englishe nation to graunt now some respite of deliuerance in taking away the Danish kings without any issue left behind them who reigning here in EnglaÌ„d kept the english people in miserable subiection about the space of xxviij yeares and that from their firste landing in the time of King Brightricus wasting and vexing this land the terme of cc. â—v yeres Now their tiranny here comming to an ende the next election right of the crowne fell as appertained to Edwarde the yonger sonne of king Egelred and Emma a meere Englishman who had bene now long banished in Normandy as is aboue declared A man of gentle and soft spirite more appliable to other mens couÌ„sailes then able to trust to his owne of nature condition so geuen from al warre and bloudshed that being in his banishment he wished rather so to continue all his life long in that priuate estate then by warre or bloudshed to aspire to any kingdome This Edward after the death of Canutus the seconde or Hardecanute being sent for of the Lordes into NormaÌ„die to take possession of the Realme although he something mistrusted the vnconstant and fickle heads of EnglishmeÌ„ yet hauing sufficient pledges laid for him in Normandie came ouer with a few Normands accompanied and not long after was crowned at Winchester an 1043. by Edsius then Archbishop of Cant. And not long after that he maried Goditha or Editha daughter of Earle Godwyne whome he entreated after such sort that he neither put her from his bed nor yet delt with her fleshly Whether it 〈◊〉 for hate of her kin as most like it was or for loue of chastitie it remaineth vncertaine But most writers agree that he continued his lyfe without offence with women â—or the which he is highly exalted among our story writers and called holy king Edwarde After he had thus taken vpon him the gouernement of the realme he guided the same with much wisedome and iustice the space of 24. yeres lacking two monethes from whome issued as out of a fountaine much godlinesse mercy pitie and liberalitie towarde the poore gentlenes and iustice toward all men and in all honest life he gaue a vertuous example to his people He discharged the Englishmen of the great tribute called Dane gelt which before
Imperye But the bishop minding nothing lesse sendeth word againe not to be right to condemne any person his cause beyng not heard thus vnder the pretence of the law colouring his vnlawfull treatory Henricus thus disappointed and forsaken on euery side with his men about him attempteth battayle against Rodulphus In which battaile a meruailous great slaughter was on both sides but the victory on neither part certain So that both the Captaines yet chalenged the Empire After the battayle great murder on both sides they sent to Rome both to know of the Popes determination to whether of them two he iudged the right title of the empire to appertayne The Bishop commaundeth them both to break vp their armies and depart the field promising that he shortly will call a councell where this matter should be disputed In the meane time they should cease from warre But before the messengers returned agayne their armies beyng refreshed they had an other conflict together but no victory got on either part Thus both the Captaines beyng weried in warres the Romish beast the bishop which was the cause therof perceiuing whether these cruel wars would tend to the great calamitie not onely of the Germains but also of other nations trusting to find another way to helpe Rodulphus and his adherentes sendeth downe a commission by Ottho Archbishop of Treuers Bernardus Deacon and Bernardus Abbot of Massilia to whom he gaue in charge that they should call together a Councell or sitting in Almany and there to be defined to whether part the Empire should pertayne by most right and publicke consideration Promising that what they should therein determine he looking vpon the matter through the authoritie of God omnipotent and of S. Peter and Sainct Paule would ratifie the same Moreouer for that no let nor impeachment should happen to the Legates by the way he geueth with them letters to the princes and nations of Germany Whereof the contents be declared briefly in Platina if any list to read them But the Emperour would not so permit the Legates to haue any Councel within Germany except they would first depriue Rodulphus of his kingdome The Legates considering that to be against the drift and intention of the Pope returned agayne froÌ„ whence they came The Pope hearing this and seing his purpose so disappointed by the Emperour draweth out another excommunication against him and agayne bereaueth him of his kingdome sending about his letters excommunicatorie throughout all places thinkyng therby to further the part of Rodulphus the better Platina hath in his booke the whole effect of the writing which tendeth after this sort The copy of the second excommunication of Hildebrand against the Emperour BLessed S. Peter prince of the Apostles and thou Paule also the teacher of the Gentiles geue eare vnto me I beseech you a little and gently heare me for you are the disciples and louers of truth the things that I shall say are true This matter I take in hand for truth sake that my brethren whose saluation I seeke may the more obsequiously obey me and better vnderstand how that I trusting vpon your defence next to Christ and his mother the immaculate virgin resist the wicked and am ready to helpe the faythfull I did not enter this seate of myne owne accorde but much agaynst my will and with teares for that I accounted my selfe vnworthy to occupy so high a throne And this I say not that I haue chosen you but you haue chosen me and haue layed this great burthen vpon our shoulders And now where as by this your assignement I haue ascended vp this hill crying to the people and shewing them their faults to the children of the church their iniquities the members of Sathan haue risen vp agaynst me and haue layd hands together to seeke my bloud For the kings of the earth haue risen vp against me and the Princes of this world with whom also haue conspired certaine of the Clergy subiectes against the Lord and against vs his annointed saying let vs break a suÌ„der their bands cast off from vs their yoke This haue they done agaynst me to bring me either to death or to banishmeÌ„t In the number of whom is Henricus whome they call kyng the sonne of Henry the Emperour which hath lift vp so proudly hys hornes and heele against the church of God making conspiracie with diuers other bishops both Italians French Germains Against the pride of whom hetherto your authoritie hath resisted who rather being broken thâ—n amended comming to me in Cisalpina made humble sute to me for pardon absolution I thinking nothing els but true repentance in him receaued him again to fauour did restore him to the communion only from which he was excommunicate but to his kingdome from which in the Synode of Rome he was worthily expulsed I did not restore nor to the rentes and fruites therof that he might returne to the faith againe that I graunted not vnto him And that I did for this purpose that if he should deferre to fall to agreement with certaine of his neighbours whom he hath alwayes vexed and to restore agayn the goods both of the church and otherwise thaÌ„ he might be compelled by the censures of the Church and force of armes therunto Wherby diuers and sundry bishops and princes of Germany such as he had long troubled being helped by this opportunitie elected Rodolphus their Duke to be king in the place of Henricus whom they for his transgressions had remooued dispatched from his empire But Rodolphus first in this matter vsing a princely modestie and integritie sent vp his messengers to me declaring how he was constrained wild he nild he to take that regall gouernment vpon him albeit he was not so desirous therof but that he would rather shew himselfe obedient to vs then to the other that offied him the kingdom and whatsoeuer our arbitrement should be therin he would be vnder obedience both of God and of vs. And for more assurance of his obedience he hath sent his owne children hither for pledges Vpon this Henricus began to snuffe and first entreated with vs to restraine and inhibite Rodolphus through the paine of our curse from the vsurpation of his kingdom I aunswered againe I would see whether of them had more right and title thereunto so send our Legates thither vpon the same to know the whole state of the matter and thereupoÌ„ I would decide betwixt theÌ„ whither of them had truer part But Henricus would not suffer our Legates to come to take vp the matter and slew diuers both secular men and of the Clergy spoiling and prophaning churches and so by this meanes hath indangered himselfe in the bandes of excommunication I therefore trusting in the iudgement and mercy of God and in the supportation of the blessed virgin also vpon your authoritie do laye the sentence of curse vpon the said Henricus all his adherents
the same and came to Brundusium and frō thence without any disturbance went forthwith to the sea he fell into the same sickenes agayne by the which he was let of hys purpose which thing saith he he is able to proue by sufficiēt testimony Now the Pope also doth lay the loosing of Damieta and other thinges whiche prospered not well with him vniustly to hys charge when as he had made great prouision for the same iourney both of soldiors other necessary thinges But he that will vnderstande these things more playnely among other Epistles of Petrus de Vineis written in the name of Fridericke let hym read these especially which begin thus In admirationem iusticiam innocentiam Leuate oculos And truely euen as Fredericus the Emperour declareth in his letters concerning thys matter all the olde writers of Germany doe accord and agree in the same Math. Parisiensis also briefly collecteth the effect of an other letter which he wrote to the king of England complayning vnto him of the excommunication of the Pope agaynst him Whose wordes are these And amongst other Catholicke Princes sayth he He also wrote his letters vnto the king of England embulled with gold Declaring in the same that the Bishop of Rome so flamed with the fire of auarice and manifest concupiscence that not being contented with the goodes of the Churche which were innumerable but also that he shamed not to bring Princes Kinges and Emperours to be subiectes and contributors to hym and so to disherite them and put them from their kingly dignities And that the king of Englande himselfe had good experiment thereof whose father that is to say King Iohn they so long held excommunicate till they had brought both him and his dominions vnder seruitude and to pay vnto hym tribute Also that many haue experience of the same by the Earle of Tholouse and diuers other Princes which so long held theyr persons and landes in interdict till they might bring them into like seruitude I pretermit sayth he the Symonies and sondry fortes of exactions the lyke whereof was neuer yet heard which dayly are vsed amongest the ecclesiasticall persons besides their manifest vsury yet so cloked and coloured to the simple sort that therewithall they infect the whole world They be the sugred and embalmed Simonistes the insatiable horse leaches or bloudsuckers saying that the Churche of Rome is our mother and nurse where as it is in deede the most polyng Court in the vniuersall world the roote and right mother of all mischiefe-vsing and exercising no motherly doings or deeds but bringing forth the right exercises of a wicked stepdame makyng sufficient proofe thereof by her manifest fruites to all the worlde apparaunt Let the Barons of England consider whether this be true or not whom Pope Innocent by his bulles with one consent encouraged to ryse and rebell agaynst their soueraigne Lord and Prince king Iohn your father as an obstinate enemy to the Church of Rome But after that the king farre out of square remembring himselfe had crouched vnto him and obliged both himselfe and kingdome to the Church of Rome more liker a woman then a man and that the wise Barons whome the Pope had first mayntained and stirred up without all shame eyther of the world or feare of God had done the same sought howe he might with gaping mouth deuoure and consume the sweet fat from thē whom he had miserably to death betrayed and disherited as the maner of the Romayne Bishops is By whose greedy auarice it came to passe that England the Prince of prouinces was brought vnder miserable subiection and tribute Behold the maners and conditions of our Romaine Byshops behold the snares wherwith these prelates do seeke to intangle men withall to wype their noses of their money to make their children bondmen to disquiet such as seeke to liue in peace being clothed with sheepes clothing when in deede they be but rauening Wolues sending their Legates hither and thither to excommunicate and to suspend as hauing power to punish whom they list not sowing the seed that is the word of God to fructifie but that they may bribe and pole mens purses and reape that which they neuer did sow Thus commeth it to passe that they spoyle the holy Churches and houses of God which should be the refuge for the poore and the mansion houses of sainctes which our deuout and simple parentes to that purpose builded and ordeined to the refection of poore men and pilgrimes and to the sustentation of suche as were well disposed and religious But these degenerate varlets whome onely letters hath made both mad and malipert doe striue and gape to be both kinges and Emperours Doubtles the Primatiue Church was builded and layd in pouerty and simplicitie of life and then as a fruitfull mother begate she those her holy children whom the Catologe of Saintes nowe maketh mention of and verily no other foundation can be laid of any other Church then that which is layd by Iesus Christ. But this Church as it swimmeth and waloweth in all superstuitie of riches and doth build and rayse the frame in all superstuous wealth and glory So is it to be feared least the walles thereof in time fall to decay and when the walles be downe vtter ruine and subuersion follow after Agaynst vs he knoweth that is the searcher of all hearts how furiously these Catholiques rage and go to work Saiyng therefore excommunicating me that I will not take vpon me the iourney I haue promised beyond the seas whereas ineuitable and most vrgent causes and perils as well to the Churche of God as also to the Empire besides the annoyaunce of myne infirmitie and sicknes do deteine me at home and stay the same but specially the insolency of the rebellious Sicilians For why neither do◠we thinke it safety to our Empire not expedient to the Christian state that we should now take our iourney into Asia leauing behinde vs at home such intestine and ciuill warres no more then for a good surgeon to lay healing plaister to a grieuous wounde newe striken with the sworde and made In conclusion also to this he addeth admonishing all the Princes of the world that they would beware and take heede by their auaricious iniquitie of lyke perill and daunger to themselues Because that as the prouerbe is It behoueth him to look about that seeth his neighbours house on fire Thus much out of Parisiens pag 69. But now that Fredericus the Emperor might in very deed stop that slaunders of the cruell Pope which did persist and goe forward still in his excommunication agaynst him And that he might declare in the whole world howe that the last yeare he torslowed not his iourny by his own voluntary will but by necessitie when he had deutied and prepared all thing meet for the warre and that he had gathered together and leuied a great army of mē
litle to nothing at all Let the Barons also consider how that there is but few which beleeue not in yâ— church For the church is one as in the 6. of CanticuÌ„ My Doue derling is one Wherfore without great perill of trasgression can they not perswade and counsell such liberties of the church to be abrogated and taken away That therfore your Maiesties conscience may remain pure and immaculate pleseth it your highnes by your anthority to seale confirme this good auncient canonicall priuiledge and contrary attempts if any be made by way of proclamation or otherwise to reuoke and call them in And further to keepe your mother the church of FrauÌ„ce in her auncient franck choyse liberty and customes And theÌ„ by you in al thinges God shal be glorified and honored to whom be honor and glory for euer and euer Amen Who then will honor you as is sayd 1. Reg. 21. whosoeuer shall honour me I will crowne him with that glory in which consisteth the true honor and is grauÌ„ted to none vnworthy Wherunto also none is admitted but worthy as blessed S. Austen saith which honor graunt he vnto you vs who is blessed world without end Amen And because a bill of many articles was exhibited wherof part did infringe the whole ecclesiastical iurisdictioÌ„ to the defeÌ„ce therof we wil according to the 4. cha of Ecclesiasticus stand eueÌ„ to the death where it is sayd for the truth striue thou vnto the death and God shall fight for thee agaynst thine enemies Some other of theÌ„ contayne onely abuse which we beleue none such to be But if there be we will see redresse therin Therfore for the honor of God for the vnburdening of our consciences for the kings maiesties reuerence for yâ— peoples profit and peace All we here assembled haue concluded to see remedy that the aforesayd abuses if any such be shal be left to the quietnes of the people and prayse of almighty God To whom be honor and glory world without end Amen * Another sitting in the Parliament The next Friday following being the 29. of December the prelates assembled themselues agayne together at the kings palace in Paris Where the reuerend father the L. Peter Bertrand by Gods permissioÌ„ bishop of Eduen spake openly there before the king sitting with his Counsellors and Barons about him taking to his theame the which is written in the 18. of Genesis O Lord be not angry that I speake yet more c. The which he applyed to this end that for the maiesty of the king the prudency of his counsell and insufficiency of himselfe considering the waightinesse of the cause he trembled and was afrayde to speake yet neuertheles trusting vpon his accustomed clemency tooke to him audacity presumed that which was appoynted to him by the prelates Beginning with the 89 psalme Lord thou art our refuge c. Which he prosecuted in extolling the king his persoÌ„ and his miraculous atteining to the crowne of Fraunce preaching further how he ought to be the champion defender of the faith all which he proued in few words by many reasoÌ„s and authorityes Afterward he touched those propositioÌ„s which were propounded by the foresaid Lord Peter of Cugner and for no other onely cause as he protested but to informe the coÌ„science of his soueraign Lord and king to aduise his grace concerning the same Not going about to make any finall iudgement determination or answer wherby either sentence Order Statute right to any man or other processe might thereof ensue or be grouÌ„ded And namely he first beginning with the Theame of the Lord Peter first affirmed render vnto the Emperour which is the Emperors and vnto God which is hys Marke 12. By whych woordes was signified the obedience and subiectioÌ„ to the king with the differeÌ„ce of the spiritualty from the temporalty wherof the first meÌ„ber is proued by the 1. Pet. 2. Where is sayde be yee subiect to euery humaine creature c. Also by the Cap. solite extra de maio ob And by the c. nouit extra de iudicijs cap. de sacerdotibê° 10. q. 1. with the notes about the same Moreouer as touching the distinction of both iurisdictions whereof the Lord Peter prooued the temporall iurisdiction to pertaine to seculare men the spiritual to the clergie by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ. Luke 22. where hee sayde Beholde two swordes Also for that Christ did pay tribute Teaching thereby how that the temporalties were to be reserued to the temporall men Math. 17. 11. q. ca. Si tribut ca. Magnum In like maner by the law of Iustinian where it is written that 2. great giftes were ordained graunted of God a Byshoprike and a kingdom The first to beare rule ouer Gods matters the other ouer worldly thinges c. And sayde moreouer that these 2. be the cases which in no wyse could be altered or changed Prou. 20. de TioÌ„ mo lib. 1. vlt. And affirmed also that oâ— suche Princely right the Kynge coulde not abrogate and depriue hymselfe For that it was unprescriptible appertaining to the crowne and his regal seat considering howe he tooke his othe at time of hys coronation not onely not to break or alienate the lawes of his realme but also to restore and reuoke such as were broken and alienated To which these his reasons it was answered that the iurisdiction and determination of ciuill causes whereabout the controuersie now standeth belongeth to the Church both by Gods law and mans law By Gods lawe it prooued was euen from Adams time to Christes comming per Innoc. ca. licet extra de foro compe And from Christes comming to Peters time and hys successors 22. di câ—omnes patriarchae Math. cap. 16. But how the Churche in the Realmes of Catholike Princes attained vnto thys right and interest which at this presence it doth enioy the law proueth 2. q. ca. 5. Si quis Praesbyter 11. q. 1. Relatum 25. dist Ecce Whych also is confirmed by the Emperors in the body of the lawe ff 3. ¶ Si causam col 9 23. q. vlt c. his a quibus The Canon furthermore teacheth how that S. Peter commaunded all the Princes of the earth and others to obey and giue place to the Byshops c omnes extra de maior ob 16. dist duo sunt Wherefore it was concluded that in no wise this right is to be separated and taken away from the Church And albeit in the realmes of tyrannous Princes this state of the Church is violated and not kept yet in this blessed realme of Fraunce it hath bene alwayes euen to these dayes duely obserued c. nouit extra de iudicijs This iurisdiction the lawes of Theodosius the Emperor and Carolus the great hathe also confirmed extra de iudicijs c. nonne all 11. q. 1. quaecunque c. fe iurisdictio c. expresse Where it is mentioned that the same Carolus Kynge of Fraunce
theyned vp all this while for the space of a thousand yeares beginneth about this time to be losed and to come abroad according to the forewarning of S. Iohns Reuelation Therefore to conclude the fourth Booke wherein sufficiently hath bene described the excessiue pride and pompe of Antechrist florishing in his ruffe and securitye from the time of William Conquerour hitherto now Christ willing assisting vs thereunto we minde in these latter Books hereafter following in order of history to expresse the latter persecutions and horrible troubles of the Church raysed vp by Satan as in his minister Antechrist with the resistaunce agayne of Christes Church agaynst him And so to prosecute by the mercifull grace of Christ the proceeding and course of times till we come at length to the fall and ruine of the sayd Antechrist To the intent that if any be in such errour to thinke that Antechrist is yet to come let him consider and ponder well the tragicall rages the miserable and most sorrowfull persecutions murders and vexations of these latter 300. yeares now following and I doubt not but he will be put out of all doubt to know that not onely Antechrist is already come but also to know where he sitteth how he is now falling apace the Lord Christ be thāked for euer to his decay and confusion THE FIFT BOOKE CONTEYning the last 300. yeares from the loosing out of Satan THVS hauing discoursed in these former Bookes the order and course of yeares from the first tying vp of Sathan vnto the yeare of our Lorde 1360. I haue a little ouerpassed the stint of time in the Scriptures appoynted for the loosing out of hym againe For so it is wrytten by S. Iohn Apocal. 20. that after a thousande yeares Satanas the olde Dragon shal be let loose againe for a season c. For the better explanation of the whych mysterie let vs first consider the context of the scripture afterward let vs examine by history and course of times the meaning of the same And first to recite the wordes of the Apocal. the text of the Prophecy is this cap. 23. And I saw an Aungell descending from heauen hauing a kay of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hande And hee tooke the Dragon the olde Serpente whych is the deuill and Satanas and bounde hym for a thousand yeares and put hym in the bottomlesse dungeon and shutte him vp and signed him with hys seale that he should no more seduce the Gentiles till a thousande yeares were expired And after that he must be loosed againe for a little space of time And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and the soules I sawe of them which were beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus c. By these wordes of the Reuelation heere recited three speciall times are to be noted 1. First the being abroade of Sathan to deceyue the world 2. The binding vp of him 3. Thirdly the losing out of him againe after a thousand yeares consummate for a time Concerning the interpretation of whych times I see the common opinion of many to be deceiued by ignorance of hystories and state of things done in the church supposing that the chaining vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares spoken of in the Reuelation was meant from the birthe of Christe our Lorde Wherein I graunt that spiritually the strength and dominion of Sathan in accusing condemning vs for sinne was cast downe at the passion and by the passion of Christ our sauiour and locked vp not onely for a thousande yeares but for euer and euer Albeit as touching the malitious hatred and furie of that Serpent against the outward bodies of Christes poore saints which is the heele of Christ to afflicte and torment the Churche outwardly That I iudge to be meant in the Reuelation of S. Iohn not to be restrained til the ceasing of those terrible persecutions of the primitiue Church At what time it pleased God to pity the sorrowfull affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of three hundred yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments Which is meant by binding vp of Sathan worker of all those mischiefes vnderstanding thereby that for so much as the Deuill prince of thys worlde had now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost al his power and interest against the soule of man shoulde turne his furyous rage malice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ which is meant by the heele of the seede Genes 3. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet shuld not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it shoulde please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and geue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time being expired the sayd serpent should be suffred loose againe for a certaine or a small time Apoc. 20. And thus to expound this Propheticall place of scripture I am led by three reasons The first is for that the binding vp of Sathan and closing hym in the bottomles pit by the Angell importeth as much that hee was at libertye raging and doyng mischiefe before And certesse those so terrible and so horrible persecutiōs of the primitiue time vniuersally through the whole world during the space of three hundreth yeares of the Church do declare no lesse Wherein it is to be thought and supposed that Sathan all that time was not fastened and closed vp The second reason moouing me to thinke that the closing vp of Sathan was after the ten persecutions of the primitiue Church is taken out of the twelft chapter of the Apocalips Where we read that after the woman meaning the Church had trauailed foorth her man childe the olde Dragon the Deuill the same time being cast downe from heauen drawing the thirde part of the starres wyth him stoode before the woman with great anger and persecuted her that is the Church of God with a whole floude of water that is wyth aboundance of all kindes of torments and from thence went moreouer to fight agaynst the residue of her side and stoode vpon the sands of the sea wherby it appeareth that he was not as yet locked vp The thirde reason I collect out of the Apocalyps thirteenth Chapter where is wrytten of the beast signifying the Emperiall Monarchie of Rome that hee had power to make warre fourtie and two monethes By the whych monethes is meant no doubt the tyme that the Dragon and the persecuting Emperours should haue in afflicting the Saintes of the primitiue Church The computation of which fortie two monethes counting euery moneth for a Sabboth of yeares that is for seuen yeares after the order of Scripture riseth to the summe counting from the passion of the Lord Christ three hundred yeares lacking sixe at what time Maxentius the last
ordeined that priests should haue a part of the sacrifices that were offred in the tabernacle and the first begotten beastes both of men and beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And the other children of Leuy that serued in the tabernacle should haue tythings of the people to their liueloode of the which tythings they should geuen the priestes the tenth partie in forme of offering The children of Leuy both priestes and other shoulde haue houses and croftes and lesewes for their beasts in the land of behest none other heritage so God gaue theÌ„ their land of behest and bade them that they ne shoulde worship no other God then him Also he bade that they should kepe his coÌ„mandâ—ments and gift they did so all their enemies about them shuld drede theÌ„ and be their seruaunts And giue they worshipped false gods and so forsaken his lawes he bihight them that he woulde bring them out of that land make them serue their enemies but yet he said he would not benemen his mercy away from them if they would cry mercy and amende their defautes and all thys was done on Gods side And heere is much loue showed of God to man And who so looketh the Bible hee shall finde that man showed him little loue againeward for when they were come into their heritage they forgetten their God and worshipped false gods And God sent to them the Prophetes and his seruaunts * fele times to bidde them withdrawen them from their sinnes and other they haue slowen them or they beaten them or they ledde them in prison and oft times God tooke vpon them great vengeance for their sinnes when they cried after helpen to God he sent them helpe and succour This is the generall processe of the old Testament that God gaue to his people by Moses his seruaunt And al this Testament and this doing ne was but a shadow and a figure of a newe Testament that was geuen by Christ. And it was byhoten by Ieremie the Prophet as S. Paul beareth witnes in the Epistle that he wryteth to the Iewes And Ieremy sayeth in this wise Loe dayes shall come God sayth and I will make a new band to the house of Israel and to the house of Iuda not like the forward that I made with their fathers in that day that I tooke their hand to leade them out of the lande of Egypt the which forward they maden veyne and I had Lordship ouer them But this shal be the forward that I wold make with them after those daies I wil geue my lawes with them in their inwardnes and I will wryten them in their hearts and I wil be their God and they should be my people and after that a man shall not teach his neighbour ne his brother For all God sayeth from the least to the most should knowe me for I will forgeuen them their sinnes and I wil no more thinke on their sinnes Thys is the newe Testament that Christe both God and man borne of the maid Marye he taught here in this worlde to bryng man our of sinne and out of the deuils thraldome and seruice to heauen that is land of blisse and heritage to all tho that beleeuen on him and kepen hys commaundements and for his teaching he was done to the death But the third day arose againe from death to life and fette Adam and Eue and many other folke out of hell and afterward he came to his disciples and comforted them After he stied vp to heauen to his father and tho hee sent the holy Ghost amonges his disciples and in time comming he wol come and demen all mankinde after their werkes and after the wordes he spake vpon earth some to blisse with in body and in soul euer withouten end and some to paine withouten end both in body and in soule This is our beloue and all christen mennes and this beleue is the first poynt of the newe Testament that yche Christen man is holde stedfastly to beleue and rather to suffe the death thair forsaken this beleue and so this beleue is the bread of spirituall life in forsaking sinne that Christ brought vs to life But for asmuch as mans liuing ne stondeth not all onlych by bread he hath ygilten vs a draught of water of life to drink And who that drinketh of that water he ne shall neuer afterward ben a thurst For this water is the cleare teaching of the gospel that encloseth seuen commaundements The first is this thou shalt loue thy GOD ouer all other things and thy brother as thy selfe both enemy and frend The second commaundement is of meekenes in the whych Christ chardgeth vs to forsake Lordship vppon our brethren and other wordly worships and so he did himselfe The third commandement is in stonding stedfastlich in truth and forsaking all falsenes The fourth commaundement is to suffer in this world diseases and wrongs withouten ageinstondings The fifth commandement is mercy to forgeuen our brethren their trespasse as often time as they gilteth without asking of vengeaunce The sixth commaundement is poorenes in spirite but not to ben a begger The seuenth commaundement is chastity that is a forsaking of fleshlich likings displeasing to God These commaundements enclosen the ten commaundements of the old law and somwhat more Thys water is a blessed drinke for christen mennes soule But more harme is much folke would drinke of thys water but they mowe not come thereto for God sayth by Ezechiel the prophet when iche geue to you the most cleane water to drinke ye troubled that water with your feete and that water so defouled yee geue my shepe to drink But the clene water is yhid fro the shepe and but gif God cleare this it is dread least the sheepe dyen for thurst And Christ that is the wisdome of the father of heauen well of thys wisdome that come from heauen to earth to teache man this wisdome thorow the which man should ouercome the sleights of the deuill that is principall enemy of mankinde haue mercy and pity of his people and shew if it be his will howe thys water is troubled and by whom and sith clere thys water that his sheepe mowne drinken hereof and kele the thurst of theyr soules Blessed more our Lord bene for he hath itaught vs in the Gospell that ere then hee woulde come to the vniuersall dome then should come many in his name and sayen that they weren Christ and they shoulden done many wonders and begilen many men And many false prophets shoulden arisen and begylen much folke A Lorde yblessed more thou ben of euerich creature which ben they that haue ysayd that they weren Christ haue thus begiled thus thy people Trulich Lord I trowe thilke that sayen that they ben in thy steede and binemen thy worship and maken thy people worshippen them as God haue hid thy lawes from the people Lorde who durst sit in thy
priest haddeÌ„ their part of sacrifices and the first bygeten beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And Lorde S. Paul thy seruant sayth that the order of the priesthode of Aaron ceased in Christes comming and the lawe of that priesthode For Christ was end of sacrifices yoffered vpoÌ„ the crosse to the father of heauen to bring man out of sinne and become himself a priest of Melchisedeks order For he was both king priest without beginning and end and both the priesthoode of Aaron and also the law of that priesthode ben ychaunged in the comming of Christ. And S. Paul sayth it is reproued for it broghâ— no man to perfection For bloude of gotes ne of other beastes ne might done away sinne for to that Christ shad his bloud A Lord Iesu wether thou ordenest an order of priests to offreÌ„ in the auter thy flesh and thy bloude to bringen men out of sinne and also out of peine And whether thou geue them alonelych a power to eat thy flesh and thy bloud and wether none other man may eate thy flesh and thy bloud with outen leue of priestes Lord we beleeuen that thy flesh is verey meate and thy bloude verey drinke and who eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy bloud dwelleth in thee and thou in him and who that eateth this bread shall liue without end But Lord thine disciples sayd this is an hard worde but thou answerest them and seidest When yee seeth mans soone stiuen vp there hee was rather the spirite is that maketh you liue the wordes that yche haue spoken to you ben spirite life Lord yblessed more thou be for in this worde thou teachest vs that hee that kepeth thy wordes and doth after them eateth thy fleshe and drinketh thy bloude and hath an euerlasting life in thee And for we shoulden haue minde of thys liuing thou gauest vs the sacrament of thy flesh and bloud in forme of bred and wine at thy supper before that thou shouldest suffer thy death and tooke bread in thine hand and saidest take ye this and eate it for it is my body and thou tookest wine and blessedest it and sayde thys is the bloud of a new and an euerlasting testament that shall be shed for many men in forgeuenes of sinnes as oft as ye haue done doo ye this in minde of me A Lord thou ne bede not thine disciples makeÌ„ this a sacrifice to bring men out of paines gif a priest offred thy body in the alter but thou bede them go and fullen all the folke in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost in forgeuenes of their sinnes and teache ye them to keepe those thynges that ych haue coÌ„manded you And Lord thine disciples ne ordeined not priests principallich to make thy body in sacrament but for to teach the people and good husbandmen that well gouern their housholds both wiues children their meiny they ordeind to be priests to teachen other men the law of Christ both in worde in dede they liuedein as true Christen men euery day they eaten Christes body and drinken his bloude to the sustenance of liuing of theyr soules and otherwhiles they tooken the sacrament of his body in forme of bread and wine in mind of our Lord Iesu Christ. But all this is turned vpse downe for now who so will liuen as thou taughtest he shal ben holden a foole And gif he speake thy teaching he shal ben holden an heretick accursed Lord yhaue no lâ—nger wonder hereof for so they seiden to thee wheÌ„ thou wer here some time And therefore wee moten take in pacience theyr wordes of blasphemy as thou didest thy selfe or els we weren to blame And truelych Lord I trowe that if thou were nowe in the world and taughtest as thou diddest some time thou shuldest ben done to death For thy teaching is damned for heresy of wise men of the world and then moten they nedes ben heretickes that teachen thy lore and all they also that trauelen to liue thereafter And therfore Lord gif it be thy wil helpe thine vnkunning lewde seruaunts that wolen by their power and their kunning helpe to destroy sinne Leue Lorde sithe thou madest woman in helpe of man in a more fraile degree then man is to be gouerned by mans reason What perfection of charity is in these priests and in men of religion that haue forsaken spoushod that thou ordeinedst in Paradise betwixt man and woman for perfection to forsaken traueile and liuen in ease by other mens traueile For they mow not do bodilich workes for defouling of their handes with whom they touchen thy precious body in the aulter Leue Lorde gif good men forsaken the company of woman nedes they moten haue the gouernaile of man then moteÌ„ they ben ycoupled with shrewes and therfore thy spoushode that thou madest in clennes from sinne it is nowe ychaunged into liking of the flesh And Lord this is a great mischiefe vnto thy people And young priestes and men of religion for defaulte of wiues maken many women horen and drawen through their euell ensample many other men to sinne and the ease that they liuen in and their welfare is a great cause of this mischiefe And Lord me thinketh that these ben quaint orders of religion and none of thy sect that wolen taken horen whilke God forfendes and forsaken wiues that God ne forfendeth not And forsaKen trauail that God commaunds and geuen their selfe to idlenes that is the mother of all noughtines And Lorde Mary thy blessed mother and Ioseph touched oftentimes thy body and wroughten with their honds and liueden in as much clennes of soule as our priestes done nowe and touched thy body and thou touchedest them in their soules And Lorde our hope is that thou goen not out of a poore mans soule that traueileth for his liuelode with his handes For Lord our beliefe is that thine house is mans soul that thou madest after thine owne likenes But Lord God men maketh nowe great stonen houses full of glasen windowes and clepeth thilke thine houses and Churches And they setten in these houses Mawmets of stockes and stones and to fore them they knelen priuilich apert and maken their prayers and all this they sayen is thy woorship and a great herieng to thee A Lorde thou forbiddest sometime to make suche Mawmetes and who that had yworshipped such had be woorthy to be deeade Lorde in the Gospell thou sayst that true heriers of God ne herieth him not in that hil beside Samarie ne in Hierusalem neyther but true heriers of God herieth him in spirite and in trueth And Lord God what herying is it to bilden thee a church of dead stones and robben thy quicke Churches of their body liche lyueloode Lord God what heryeng is it to cloth mawmets of stockes and of stones in siluer and in golde and
is a mannour of worshipping of false Gods to breake thy hestes For who that loueth thee ouer all thinges and dreadeth thee also he nole for nothing breake thyne hestes O Lord gif breaking of thine hestes be heryeng of false gods I trow that he maketh the people breake thyne hestes and commaundeth that his hestes ben kept of the people maketh himselfe a false GOD on earth as Nabuchodonosor did some tyme that was king of Babilon But Lord we forsaken such false Gods and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo Gods then thou And though thou suffer vs a while to bene in disease for knowledging of thee we thanken thee wyth our hart for it is a token that thou louest vs to â—â—uen vs in thys world some penaunce for our trespas Lord in the old law thy true seruauntes tooke the death for they would not eaten swynes fleshe that thou haddest forbid them to eat O Lord what truth is in vs to eaten vncleene mete of the soule that thou hast forbid Lord thou sayst he that doth sinne is seruaunt of sinne and then he that lyeth in forswearing hymselfe is seruaunt of lesing and then he is seruaunt to the deuill that is a lyer and father of lesinges And Lord thou sayst no man may serue two Lordes at ones O Lord then euery lyer for the tyme that he lyeth other forsweareth himselfe and forsaketh thy seruice for drede of hys bodyly death and becommeth the deuils seruaunte O Lord what truth is in him that clepeth himselfe seruaunt of thy seruantes in his doing he maketh him a Lord of thy seruauntes Lord thou were both Lord and maister and so thou sayd thy selfe but yet in thy warkes thou were as a seruaunt Lord this was a great truth and a great meeknes but Lord bid thou thy seruaunts that they should not haue Lordship ouer theyr brethren Lord thou saydst kings of the heatheÌ„ men han Lordship ouer their subiectes and they that vse their power be cleped well doers But Lord thou saydst it shoulde not be so amongest thy seruantes But he that were most should be as a seruaunt Thou Lorde thou taughtest thy disciples to be meeke Lord in the old law thy seruauntes durst haue no Lordship of theyr brethren but if that thou bid them And yet they should not doe to theyr brethren as they did to thrailes that serued them But they should doe to theyr brethren that were theyr seruauntes as to theyr owne brethren For all they were Abrahams Children And at a certaine tyme they should let theyr brethren passe from them in all freedome but if they would wilfullich abiden still in seruice O Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue is token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother And to make vs perfect in loue thou bid that we shoulde clepe to vs no father vpon earth but thy father of heauen we should cleape our father Alas Lord how violently our brethren and thy childreÌ„ ben now put in bodily thraldome and in despite as beastes euermore in greeuous trauell to finde proude men in ease But Lord if we take this defoule and this disease in pacience and in meeknes and kepe thine hests we hope to be free And Lord geue our brethren grace to come out of thraldome of sinne that they fal in through the desiring and vsage of Lordship vpon theyr brethren And Lord thie priestes in the old law had no Lordships among theyr brethren but houses and pastures for theyr beastes but Lord our priestes nowe haue great Lordship and put theyr brethren in greater thraldome then lewed men that be Lordes Thus is meekenesse forsaken Lord thou biddest in the Gospell that when a man is bid to the feast he should sit in the lowest place and then he may be set hyer with worship when the Lord of the feast beholdeth how his gestes fitteth Lord it is drede that they that sit now in the hyest place should be bidd in tyme comming fit beneath And that will be shame and vileny for them And it is they saying those that hyeth himselfe shuld be lowed and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed O Lord thou biddest in thy Gospell to beware of the Pharaseis for it is a poynt of pryde contrary to meekenesse And Lord thou sayst that they loue the first sittinges at supper and also the principall chaires in churches and greetings in cheeping and to be cleped maysters of men And Lord thou sayest be ye not cleped maisters for one is your maister and that is Christ and all ye be brethren And clepe ye to you no father vpon earth for one is your father that is in heauen O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke But Lord he that clepeth himself thy vicar on earth he clepeth himselfe father of fathers agaynst thy forbidding And all those worships thou hast forbad He approueth them and maketh them maisters to many that teach thy people their owne teaching and leaue thy teaching that is nedefull and hiden it by quainte gloses from thy lewd people and feede thy people with sweuens that they mete and tales that doth little profit but much harme to the people But Lorde these glosers obiecte that they desire not the state of mastry to be worshipped therby but to profit the more to thy people wheÌ„ they preach thy word For as they seggeÌ„ the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole then the preaching of an other man that hath not take the state of maistry ¶ Lorde whether it bee any neede that maysters beren witnes to thy teaching that it is true and good O Lord whether may any maister mowe by his estate of maisterie that thou hast forboden drawe any man from his sinne rather then an other man that is not a maister ne wole bee none for it is forboden him in thy Gospell Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people and thou knowledgist in the Gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men and shewed it to litle Children And Lord maisters of the law hylden thy teaching foly and seiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching Trulich Lord so these maisters seggeth now for they haue written many bookes agaynst thy teaching that is truth so the prophecie of Ieremy is fulfilled when he sayth Truelich the false points maisters of the law hath wrought leasing And now is the time come that S. Paul speaketh of where he sayth time shal come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching But they shullen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing and turnen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistry and their wisedome ¶ And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then hys words the dede sheweth well of these
art in daunger of Cesar. Wherefore if thou wilt owe nothing vnto any earthly king forsake all chose things and followe Christ If then all ecclesiasticall ministers hauing richesse ought to be vnder the subiection of kings and geue vnto them tribute It foloweth that kings may lawfully by the authoritye which is geuen them take away theyr temporallities from them Here vpon S. Paule acknowledging him selfe to be vnder the iurisdiction of the Emperour appealed vnto Cesar as it appeareth Actes 25. I stand sayth he at Cesars iudgement seat there I ought to be iudged Whereupon in the 8 distinction chapter quo iure S. Ambrose alleageth that all things are lawfull vnto the Emperour al things vnder his power For the confirmation wherof it is said Daniel second chapter the God of heauen hath geuen vnto thee a kingdome strength Empire and glory and all places wherein the children of men do dwell and hath geuen into thy power the beastes of the field and fowles of the aire and set all things vnder thy subiection Also in the 11. question and 1. He sayeth if the Emperour require tribute we do not denie that the landes of the Church shall pay tribute if the Emperour haue neede of our landes hee hath power to chalenge them let him take them if hee will I doe not geue them vnto the Emperour neither doe I denie them Thys wryteth S. Ambrose expresly declaring that the seculare Lorde hath power at hys pleasure to take away the lands of the Church and so consequently the seculer Lords haue power at their owne pleasures to take away the temporal goodes from the Ecclesiasticall ministers when they doe offend Item S. Augustine wryteth if thou sayest what haue we to do wyth the Emperour But nowe as I sayde wee speake of mannes lawe The Apostle would be obedient vnto the kings and honor them saying Reuerence your kings and doe not say what haue I to doe with the king What haste thou then to doe wyth possessions By the kings law the possessions are possessed thou hast said what haue I to doe with the king but doe not say what hath thy possessions to doe wyth the king For then haste thou renounced the lawes of menne whereby thou diddest possesse thy landes Thus wryteth S. Augustine in his 8. distinction by whose wordes it is manifest that the king hath power ouer the churche goodes consequently may take them away from the clergie transgressing or offending Item in his 33 Epistle vnto Boniface hee sayeth what sober man will say vnto our kings care not you in our kingdome by whome the church of the Lorde is maintained or by whome it is oppressed it partaineth not vnto you who will bee eyther a religious man or who will be a church robber Vnto whome it may be thus answered Doeth it not pertaine vnto vs in our kingdom who will either liue a chast life or who will be an vnchast whoremonger Beholde this holy man sheweth heere howe that it is the duety of kings to punish suche as are robbers of Churches and consequently the proud clergy when as they do offend Item hee wryteth in the 33. quest 7. si de rebus The seculare Lordes may lawfully take away the temporall goodes from heritickes and for so much that it is a case greatly possible that many of the cleargie are vsers of Simonie and thereby heretickes Therefore the seculare Lordes may very lawfully take away their temporallities from them For what vnworthy thyng is it sayeth Saint Augustine if the Catholickes doe possesse according vnto the will of the Lorde those thynges whych the heretickes helde For so muche as this is the worde of the Lorde vnto all wycked men Mathew 21. the kingdome of God shall be taken away from you and geuen vnto an nation whiche shall doe the righteousnesse thereof is it in vaine whych is wrytten in the 11. chapter of the booke of Wisedome The iust shall eat the labours of the wicked And whereas it may bee obiected as touching the desire of other mennes goodes Saynte Augustine aunsweareth that by that euidence the seuen nations whyche did abuse the lande of promesse and were driuen out from thence by the power of God may obiecte the same vnto the people of God whyche inhabite the same And the Iewes them selues from whome accordynge vnto the woorde of the Lorde the kingdome is taken away and geuen vnto a people whiche shall doe the woorkes of righteousnesse maye obiecte the same vnto the Churche of Christ as touching the desire of other mennes goodes but Sainte Augustines aunswere is thus Wee sayeth he doe not desire another mannes goodes for so much as they are oures by the commandement of him by whom all things were made By like euidence the clergie hauing offended their temporall goodes are made the goodes of others for the profite of the church to this purpose also according to S. Augustine serueth the 14. question 4. vnto a misbeleeuer it is not a halfepennie matter but vnto the faithfull is a whole worlde of richesse shal we not then conuince al such to possesse an other mans goodes which seemed to haue gathered great richesse together and know not howe to vse them for that truely is not an others whych is possessed by right and that is lawfully possessed whych is iustly possessed and that is iustly possessed which is well possessed Ergo all that is euell possessed is another mannes and he doth ill possesse it which doth euell vse it If then anye of the cleargie doe abuse the temporall goodes the temporall Lordes maye at theyr owne pleasure accordynge vnto the rule of charitie take away the sayde temporall goodes from the cleargie so transgressing For then according to the allegation aforesayde the cleargie doeth not iustly possesse those temporall goodes but the temporall Lordes proceadyng according to the rule of charitie Doe iustly possesse those temporallities for so muche as all things are the iust mannes 1. Corrinth 3. chapter All thynges sayeth the Apostle are youres Whether it be Paule or Apollo or Cephas eyther the worlde eyther life or death or thynges present or thynges to come for all thynges be youres you be Christes and Christe is Goddes Also 23. quest 7. Quicunque It is wrytten Iure diuino omnia sunt iustorum The woordes of Sainte Augustine in that place ad Vincentium be these Who so euer sayeth hee vppon the occasion of this law or ordinaunce of the Emperour doeth molest or persecute you not for loue of any charitable correction but onely for hatered and malyce to doe you displeasure I holde not wyth hym in so doyng And althoughe there is nothyng heere in thys earthe that any manne may possesse assuredly but eyther hee must holde it by Goddes lawe by whyche cuncta iustorum esse dicuntur that is all thynges be sayde to pertayne to the possession of the iuste or else by mannes lawe whych standeth in
in the Prologue of his Sermons And Hiereme in the 95. distinct Ecce ego And Augustine vpon this place Homo quidam peregrinus A certayne traueller ☞ The fourth conclusion toucheth the Sacrament of the aultar and is this That wholy I beleue that the Sacramēt of the aultar made by vertue of heauenly words is bread and Christes body so as Christ himselfe sayth in the Gospell and as S. Paule sayth and as Doctors in the common law haue determined To this sentence Iohn 6. Moses hath not geuē you bread from heauen but my father will geue you bread from heauen He is the true bread that came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world My father geueth vnto you bread in deed the very true bread of God is that which came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world I am the bread of life The bread which I wil geue is my flesh And in the Canon of the Masse Panem sanctum vitae aeternae the holy bread of life And Corinth the 10. cap. and first Epistle The bread which we breake is it not the communicating of the body of the Lord Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread c. And Canon De consecratione distinction 2. Under the authority of Hilarius the Pope Corpus Christi quod sumitur de altari c. And Augustine in the foresayd distinctiō That which is sene is bread c. That which fayth requireth is bread and is the body of Christ. And in the foresayd distinction cap. Omnia quaecunque c. By these two sentēces it is manifestly declared that that bread this bee not two but one bread and one flesh Note the woordes for that he sayth the breade and fleshe And the author De diuinis officijs and also Augustine in his booke De remedijs poenitentiae why preparest thou thy teeth c. And Ambrose De Sacramentis de consecratione distinct 2. Reuera mirabile est c. This meat which you receiue this bread of one which descended from heauen doth minister the substaunce of eternall life and whosoeuer shall eate the same shall not dye euerlastingly and is the body of Christ. Note how he sayth and is the body of Christ. ☞ The 5. article telleth of forgeuenesse of sinnes is this That very contrition withouten charity and grace do away all sinnes before done of that man that is verely contrite and all true confession made by mouth outward to a wise Priest and a good profiteth much to a man and it is needfull and helping that men shew theyr life to such trusting fully to Gods mercy that he forgeueth the sinne And herto I say that there bene 2. remissiōs of sinnes one that longeth onely to God And that remission is the clensing of the soule from sinne And the other remission a certifying that one man certifieth an other that his sinnes bene forgeuen of God if he be sory with all his hart for thē and is in full wil to leaue them for euer and this maner of forgeuenes longeth to Priests Of the first maner of forgiuenesse Dauid sayth And I sayd I will confesse my vnrighteousnes vnto the Lord thou forgauest me my misdeed And Zachary sayth And thou O childe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. To geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of theyr sinnes by the bowels of Gods mercy And Iohn Baptist. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Iohn the Euangelist sayth in his Epistle If we confesse our sinnes he is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our sinnes and clense vs from al our iniquity And it foloweth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ and he it is that is the propitiatiō for our sinnes And of the other remissiō of sinnes Christ speaketh in the Gospell and sayth Whose sinnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen And mans forgeuenes auayleth litle but zif God forgeue our sinnes through his grace ☞ The 6. conclusion teacheth indulgences and pardons that the Pope graunteth in his Buls and men callen it an absolution A poena a culpa Of this maner of speach I cannot finde in the Gospel ne in no place of holy write ne I haue not read that Chryst vsed this maner of remission ne none of his Apostles But as me semeth if the pope had such a power sithē the paines after a mās death bene much greater thē any bodily paines of the world me thinketh he should of charity keep mē out of such paynes and then men needed not to finde so many vicious Priests after theyr life to bring theyr soules out of Purgatory An other thing me thinketh that sithe the popes power ne may not keep vs in this world fro bodely paynes as from cold from hunger from dread frō sorow and other such paynes how should his power help vs frō spirituall paynes when we bene dead But for that no mā commeth after his death to tell vs the sooth in what payne they bene men mow tell thereof what him lust S. Iohn sayth in his Apocalips that he sawe vnder the aultar the soules of them which were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they had And they did cry with a loud voice saying how long Lord holy and true doest not thou reuenge our bloud of them which dwel on the earth And white stoles were geuē to euery of thē to rest a while till the number of theyr felow seruaunts brethren should be fulfilled which also remayned to be slayne as they were c. Here semeth it that these soules were not assoiled a poena that is from payne for theyr desire is not fulfillen And they were bidden abide a while and that is a payne And if Martyrs were not assoyled from payne it is hard for any mā to to say that he assoyleth other mē a poena Also good mēs soules haue not but spirituall blisse and they want bodely blysse vntill their resurrection in the day of dome And after they desiren to haue that blysse and abiden it and that is paine to them And I cānot see that y◠Pope hath power to bring him from this paine But it any man can shew me that he hath such a power graunted in the troth of holy write I will gladly leefen it ☞ The vii point speaketh of the Pope and is this Sith it is onely due to God as I haue syd before to geue to graunt plener remissiō from paine and from blame that whatsoeuer he bee Pope or other that presūptuously mistaketh vpon him the power that onely is due to God in that in as much as in him is he maketh him selfe euen with Christ blasphemeth God as Lucifer did when he sayd Ascendam ero similis altissimo That is I will ascend
shall adde hereto seuen folde woundes for your sinnes I shall send amongest you beastes of the field that shall deuour you and your beastes I shall bring you into a field and wayes shuln be desart And if that ye will not receiue lore but wenden agaynst me I will also wenden agaynste you and I shall smite you seuen sithes for your sinnes I shall leade in vpon you sword venger of my couenaunt and vpon the fleen into Cities I shall send pestilence in the middest of you So that tenne women shall bake their bread in one furnace and yeld theÌ„ agayne by wayght and ye shall eat not be fillet If that ye heare me not by these thinges but wenden agaynst me I shall wend in agaynst you in a contrary woodnesse and blame you with seuen plagues for your sinnes so that they shoulen eat the flesh of your sonnes and of your daughters And in so much my soule shall loth you that I shal bring your Cities into wildernesse and your Sanctuaryes I shall make desart ne I shal not ouer that receiue sweet oder of your mouth And I shall disperkle your land and enemies shulen maruell thereon when they shulen inhabite it I shall disperpel you among Heathen and draw my sword after you These vengeaunces and many moe God sayde should fall on them that breake his bidding and dispiseth his lawes and his domes Than sithe Christ become man and bought vs with his hart bloud and has shewed vs so great loue and geuen vs an easy law of the best that euer might be made and to bring vs to the ioy of heauen and we despise it and louen it nought what vengeaunce will be taken here on so long as he has suffered vs and somercifully abidden when he shall come that righteous iudge in the cloudes to deme this worlde Therefore turne we vs to him and leaue sinne that he hates and ouer all thinges mayntayne his lawe that he confirmed with his death For other lawes that men had made shoulde be demed at that day by the iust law of Christ and the maker that them made and then we wonne that long life and that ioy that Paule speaketh of that eye ne see not ne eare heard not ne into mans hart ascended not the blisse and ioy that God hath ordeyned to them that louen him and his lawes Deare worshipfull sirs in this world I beseech you for Christes loue as ye that I trow louen Gods law trouth that in these dayes is greatly borne abacke that they wollen vouchsafe these thinges that I send you written to Gods worship to let them be shewed in the Parliament as your wittes can best conceiue to most worship to our God and to shewing of the trouth and ameÌ„ding of holy Church My conclusions and mine appeale other true matters of Gods law gif any man can finde therein errour falsenesse or default prouet by the law of Christ clearely to christen mens knowledge I shall reuoke my wrong conceit and by Gods law be amendet euer redy to hold with Gods law opeÌ„ly priuely with Gods grace and nothing to holde teach or maynetayne that is contrary to his law Of the proces answeres condemnation of this worthy priest and true seruaunt of Christ WilliaÌ„ Swinderby you haue heard what afterward became vpoÌ„ him I haue not certainly to say or affirme whether he in prisoÌ„ died or whether he escaped theyr handes or whether he was burned there is no certayne relation made This remayneth out of doubt that during the time of K. Richard 2. no great harme was done vnto him Which was to the yeare 1401. at what time K. Richard being wrongfully deposed HeÌ„ry the 4. inuaded the kingdome of England About the beginning of whose reigne we read of a certayn Parliament holden at LondoÌ„ mentioned also of Thomas Walden as is aboue specified in which parliameÌ„t it was decreed that whosoeuer shewed themselues to be fauorers of Wickliffe they should be apprehended who at that time were called Lollards and if so be they did obstinately perseuere in that doctrine they should be deliuered ouer vnto the bishop of the dioces from him should be coÌ„mitted to the correctioÌ„ of the secular magistrate This law sayth the story brought a certaine priest vnto punishmeÌ„t the same yeare who was burned in Smithfielde in the presence of a great number This we haue drawne out of a piece of an old story it is most certaine that there such a Priest was burned for the affirmation of the true faith but it doth not appeare by the story what the Priestes name was Notwithstanding by diuers coniectures it appeareth vnto me that his name was Swinderby that was forced to recant before by the Bishop of Lincolâ—2 Whereby what is to be conicetured by the premisses let other men iudge what they think I haue nothing here of expressely to affirme This is plain for al men to iudge which haue here sene and read his story that if he were burned then the bishops Friers priestes which were the causes thereof haue a great thing to answere to the Lord when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead seculum perignem ¶ The story and processe agaynst Walter Brute AFter the story of William Swinderby I thought good and conuenient next to adioyne the actes and doinges of Gualter Brute his ioynte fellow and companion being a lay man and learned brought vpp as it seemeth in the Uniuersitie of Oxforde being there also graduate The tractation of whose discourse as it is something long so therein may appeare diuers thinges worthye to be read and considered First yâ— mighty operation of gods spirit in him his ripe knowledge modest simplicitie his valiant constancie hys learned reactations and manifolde conflictes susteyned aagaynst Gods enemies On the contrary part in hys aduersaryes may appeare might against right mans authoritie agaynst plaine veritie against which they hauing nothing directly to aunswere proceede in condemnation agaynst whom they are able to bring forth no confiâ—ation The chiefest occasion that seemed to stirre vp the heart and zeale of this Walter agaynst the pope was the inâ—pudent pardons and indulgenses of Pope 〈◊〉 graunted to Henry Spenser Bishop of Norwich 〈◊〉 against pope Clement mentioned before pag. 428. Secondly the â—oroÌ„gfull condemnation of the articles and conclusions of William Swinderby the whole order wherof in the processe here following more playnly may appeare The processe had by Bohn Byshop of Hereford agaynst Walter Brute lay man and learned of the dioces of Hereford touching the cause of heresie as they called it set forward by the way of the Byshops office c. at the instruction of certain faithful Christians as he termed them but in deed cruell and false promoters IN the name of God Amen To all maner of faithful christian people that shall see and heare this our preseÌ„t proces Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of
they shall be declared after my maner and fashion it shal playnely appeare what my opinioÌ„ iudgement is concerning all matters that I am accused of But because I am ignoraunt unlearned I wil get me vnder the mighty defences of the Lord. O Lord I will remeÌ„ber thine onely righteousnes God the father almighty vncreate the maker of heaueÌ„ and earth hath sent his sonne that was euerlastingly begotten into this world that he should be incarnated for the saluation and redemption of mankind who was coÌ„ceiued by the holy ghost euerlastingly proceeding from the father and the sonne and was borne of Mary the virgin to the end that we might be borne a new He suffered Passion vnder PoÌ„tius Pilate for our sinnes laying down his life for vs that we should lay down our life for our brethreÌ„ He was crucified that we should be crucified to the world and the world to vs. He was dead that he might redeeme vs from death by purchasing for vs forgeuenes of sinnes He was buried that we being buried together with him into death by Baptisme and that we dead to sins should liue to righteousnes He desceÌ„ded into hell therby deliuering man froÌ„ thraldom and from the bondage of the Deuill restoring him to his inheritaunce which he lost by sinne The thyrd day he rose from the dead through the glory of his father that we also should walke in newnes of life He ascended vp to the heauens to which no body hath ascended sauing he that descended from heaueÌ„ eueÌ„ the sonne of man which is in heaueÌ„ He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty vntill his enemies be made his footstoole He being in very deed so muche better then the Aungelles as he hath obteyned by inheritaunce a more excellentname then they From thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead accordingly to theyr workes because the father hath geuen all iudgemeÌ„t to the sonne In whose terrible iudgement we shall rise agayne and shall all of vs stand before his iudgement seat and receiue ioy as well bodely as spiritually for euer to endure if we be of the sheepe placed at the right hand or els punishment both of bodye and soule if we shall be fouÌ„d amongst goates placed on the left hand c. Iesus Christ the sonne of God very God very man a king for euer by stablishing an euerlasting kingdome breaking to ponder all the kingdoms of the world Dan. 2. a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech wherby also he is able euermore to saue such as by him come vnto god alwayes liueth to intreat for vs. Hebr. 7. He offring one sacrifice for our sins hath made perfect for euer by one oblation those that be sanctified Heb. 10. Being that wisedome that cannot be deceiued the trueth that cannot be vttred he hath in this world taught the will of the godhead of his father which will he hath in worke fulfilled to the intent that he might faithfully instruct vs and hath geueÌ„ the law of charity to be of his faythfull people obserued whiche he hath written in the hartes and mindes of the faythful with the finger of God wher is the spirit of God searching the inward secrets of the Godhead Wherfore his doctrine must be obserued aboue all other doctrines whether they be of Angels or of men because that he could not nor would not erre in his teaching But in mens doctrins there chanceth oftentimes to be error and therfore we must forsake theyr doctrines if clokedly or expresly they be repuguaunt to the doctrine of Christ. Mens doctrins being made for the peoples profit must be allowed and obserued so that they be grounded vpon Christes doctrine or at least be not repuguant to his words If the high bishop of Rome calling himself the seruant of the seruauntes of God and the chiefe vicare of Christ in this world do make maintaine many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is he of those that haue come in Christes name saying I am Christ haue seduced many a one by the testimony of our sauiour in Math. cap. 24. and the idoll of desolation sitting in the Temple of God and taking away from him the coÌ„tinuall sacrifice for a time times and halfe a time Which idoll must be reueled to the christian people by the testimony of Daniel Wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell When you shall see the abhomination of desolation that was tolde of by Daniell the Prophet standing in the holy place let him that readeth vnderstand and he is the pestiferous mountayn infecting the whole vniuersall earth as witnesseth Ieremy chap. 51. not the head of Christes body For the auncient person in yeares honorable in reuerence he is the head the prophet teaching lies is the tayle as Esay alledgeth chap. 9. And he is that wicked and sinnefull Captayne of Israell whose foreappointed day of ininuity is come in time of iniquity who shall take away Cidarim and take awaye the crowne Ezech chap. 21. to whom it was sayd Forasmuch as thy hart was exalted and did it say I am a God sittest in the seat of god in the hart of the sea seing thou art a man and not God and hast geuen thine hart as if it were the hart of God therfore behold I will bring vpoÌ„ thee the most strong and mighty straungers of the nations they shall draw theyr swords vpoÌ„ the beauty of thy wisedom shall defile the commaundements kill thee and pul thee out thou shalt dye in the destruction of the slayne and it foloweth In the multitude of thine iniquities of the iniquities of thy marchandise thou hast defiled thy sanctification I will therfore bring forth a fire from the midst of the whole earth will make thee as ashes vpon earth Thou art become nothing neuer shalt thou be any more Eze. cha 28 Furthermore he is the idle shepheard forsaking his flock hauing a sworde on his arme an other sworde in his right eye Zach. 11. sitting in the temple of God doth aduaunce himselfe aboue all thing that is called God or whatsoeuer is worshipped by the testimony of Paule to Thes 2. epist. 2. chap. And in the defection or falling away shall the man of sinne be reueled whom the Lord Iesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth For euery kingdâ—â—e deuided in it selfe shall be brought to desolation He â—â—â—so besides the beast asceÌ„ding vp out of the earth hauing two hornes like vnto alambe but he speaketh like a dragon as the cruell beast ascending vp out of the sea whose power shall continue 42. monethes He worketh the things that he hath geuen to the image of the beast And he compelled small and great rich and poore freemen and bondslaues to worshyp the beast and to take his marke in theyr forehead or theyr hands Apo.
the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the
But touching the temporal gouernment of the City of Rome it is fallen alreadye and so that the other also for the multitude of her spiritual fornicatiōs shal fall The Emperours of this city gaue themselues to Idolatry and would haue that mē should honour them as Gods put al those to death that refused such idolatry by the cruelty of their torments al infidels gate the vpper hand Hereupon by the image of Nabuchodonosor the empire of the Romaines is likened to yron which beateth together and hath the mastery of all mortals And in the visiō of Daniel wherein he saw the foure windes of heauen to fight in the mayne sea and fower great beastes comming out of the sea The kingdom of the Romaynes is lykened to the fourth terrible and maruelous beast the which had great yron teeth eating destroying and treading the rest vnder his feete this beast had ten horues as Danyell sayth he shall speake words agaynst the most highest and shall teare with his teeth the Saynts of the most highest and he shall thinke that he may be able to chaunge times and lawes and they shall be delyuered into hys power vntill a tyme tymes and halfe a time In the Apocalips Saine Iohn sawe a beast comming out of the sea hauyng 7. heads and 10. hornes and power was geuen to hym to make monthes 42. So long time endured the Empire of the Romaynes that is to say from the beginning of Iulius Cesar which was the first Emperor of the Romains vnto the ende of Fridericus whych was the last Emperour of the Romaines Under this empire Christ suffred other Martirs also suffred for his name sake And here is fallen Rome as Babylon which is all one accordyng to the maner of speakyng in the Apocalips as touchynge the temporal and corporal power of gouerning And thus shall she fall also touchynge the spirituall power of gouerning for the multitude of the iniquities and spirituall fornication and merchaundise that are committed by her in the Church The feete of the image which Nabuchodonezor saw dyd betoken the Empire of Rome part of them were of yron and part of clay earth The part that was of yron fell and the power therof vanished away because the power therof was at an end after certaine monthes That part of clay and earth yet endureth but it shal vanish away by the testimony of the Prophets whereupon saint Iohn in the Apocalips After that he sawe the part made of yron rising out of the sea to which eche people tribe and tong submitted themselues And he saw an other beast cōmyng out of the earth which had two hornes like to the hornes of a Lambe and he spake like a Dragon and he vanquyshed the first beast in his sight This beast as seemeth me doth betoken the claye and earthē part of the feete of the image because hee came out of the earth For the by terrene helpe he is made the high chief priest of the Romaines in the church of Christ so from alow he ascended on hygh But Christ from heauen descended because that he which was God author of euery creature became man and he that was Lord of Lords was made in the shape of a seruant And although that in the heauens the company of angels minister vnto him he himselfe ministred or serued in earth that he might teache vs humilitie by which a man ascendeth into heauen euen as by pride a man goeth downe into the bottomlesse pyt This beast hath two hornes most like a Lambe because that he chalengeth to himselfe both the priestlye kingly power aboue al other here in earth The Lambe that is Chryst which is a king for euer vpō the kingly seat of Dauid he is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech but hys kingdome is not of this world but the kingdome of thys beast is of this world because those that be vnder him fyght for him And as Iesus is Christ two maner of waies because that Christus is as much to say as Vnctus He verelye was annoynted king annointed priest so this beast saieth that he is chiefe king priest Wherefore doth he call himselfe Christ because that Chryst knowing that afore sayd Many shal come in my name saying I am Chryst and shall decyue many And thus because that he is both king priest he chalengeth to himselfe the double sworde that is the corporall sword and the spirituall sworde The corporal sword is in his right hand and the spiritual sword is in his right eye by the testimony of Zachary But hee speaketh subtilly like a Dragon because that by the testymony of Christ he shal deceiue many as the Apoc. witnesseth He did great wonders that also he might make more fire to come from heauen into the earth in the sight of mē that he might deceiue those that dwel vpon the earth because of the wonders that are permitted hym to do in the sight of the beast hee ouercame the first beast which ascended out of the sea For that beast challenged vnto himself authoritie of gouernment of that whole worlde He hath put to death tormented those that resist his commaundements and would be honored as a God vpon the earth The byshop of Rome sayth that that whole world ought to be in subiectiō vnto him those that be disobediēt vnto his commaundements he putteth in prison and to death if he can If he cannot he excommunicateth them and commaundeth them to be cast into the deuils dūgeon But hee that hath no power ouer y◠body much lesse hath he power ouer the soule And truely his excommunicatiō nor the excommunication of any priest vnder him shall at that time little hurt him that is excommunicat so that the person of him that is excommunicate be not first excommunicat of God through sinne And thus it seemeth a trouth vnto me that God thus turneth their blessinges into cursinges because they geue not due glory vnto his name So when that they vniusty excommunicate curse he turneth their cursings into blessings Also the bishop of Rome doth make me to worshyp him as God because that the special sacrifice that God doth require of vs is to be obedient vnto him in keping of hys commaundements But now the Popes commaundemēts be commaunded to be kept and be kept in very deede but the commaundements of Christ are contemned and reiected Thus sitteth the Byshop of Rome in the Temple of God shewing himselfe as God and extolleth himselfe aboue al that which is called God or worshipped as God But in his fall he shal be reuealed because that euery kingdome deuided in it self shal be made desolate He teaching a truthe is the head of the Churche but the Prophet teaching a lye is the tayle of the Dragon Hee seducyng the worlde shal be acknowledged to be the veritie of the doctrine of Christ
God deuysed ordayned for the best vnto the elect Christians The fourth Like as the mystical body of Christ is the congregation of al the Electiso Antichrist mistically is the church of the wicked of al the reprobates The fift The conclusions of Swinderby be agreable to the fayth in euery part ¶ This letter was thus subscribed By the spirite of God sometime visityng you ☞ Besides this epistle aboue prefixed there is also fouÌ„d annexed with the same a deuise of an other certayne letter couÌ„terfeited vnder the name of Lucifer prince of darknes writing to the Pope and al popishe Prelates persecuting the true and right Church with all might and mayne to maintayn their pride and domination in this earth vnder a coulourable pretence visor of the catholique church succession Apostolical Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Dekam aboue mentioned yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford coÌ„teyned inserted amoÌ„g yâ— tractations of Walter Brute and deuised as yâ— Register said by that Lollards I thought no meeter place then here to annexe the same the tenour wherof thus proceedeth in words as follow ¶ The deuise or counterfayt of a certayne letter fayned vnder the name of Lucifer Prince of darknesse wryting to the persecuting prelates of the popish clergy I Lucifer prince of darknes and profound heauinesse Emperour of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont Captaine of the dungeon Erebus kyng of hell and comptroller of the infernall fire To all our children of pryde and companions of our kyngdome and especially to our Prynces of the Church of this latter age and tyme of which our aduersary Iesus Christ accordyng to the Prophet saieth I hate the church or congregation of the wicked send greeting wish prosperitie to all that obey our commaundementes as also to those that be obedient to the lawes of Sathan already enacted that are diligent obseruers of our behestes and the precepts of our decree Know ye that in times past certaine vicars or vicegerents of Christ following hys steppes in miracles and vertues liuing and continuyng in a beggerly lyfe conuerted in a maner the whole world from the yoke of our tiranny vnto their doctrine maner of lyfe To the great derision and contempte of our prison house and kyngdome and also to the no little preiudice and hurt of our iurisdiction and authorytie nor fearing to hurt our fortified power ond to offend the maiestie of our estate For then receiued we no tribute of the world neyther dyd the myserable sort of common people rushe at the gates of our deepe dungeon as they were wont to do with continuall pealyng and rappyng but then the easie pleasant broad way which leadeth to death lay still without great noyce of traÌ„pelyng trauaylers neyther yet was trode with the feete of myserable men And when all our courtes were without sutets Hell then began to houle And thus continuyng in great heauines anguish was robbed and spoyled Which thing considered the impacient rage of our stomacke coulde no longer suffer neyther the ougle retchelous neglygence of our great Captayne generall could any longer indure it But we seeking remedy for the time that should come after haue prouyded vs of a verye trimme shift For in stead of these Apostles and other their adherentes whyche draw by the same lyne of theirs as wel in maners as doctrine are odious enemis vnto vs We haue caused you to be their successors put you in their place which be Prelates of the church in these latter times by our great might and subtletie as Chryst hath sayd of you they haue raigned but not by me Once we promised vnto him al the kingdom of the world if he would fal down and worships vs but he would not saying my kingdome is not of this would and went his way when the multitude would haue made him a temporall kinge But to you truely which are fallen from the state of grace and that serue vs in the earth is that my promise fulfilled and all terrene thyngs be our meanes which we haue bestowed vpon you are vnder gouernment For he hath said of vs as ye know The prince of the world coÌ„meth c. and hath made vs to raigne ouer al children of vnbeliefe Therfore our aduersaryes before recited dyd pacientlye submit themselues vnto the Princes of the worlde and did teache that men shoulde do so saying Be ye subiect to euery creature for Gods cause whether it be to the Kyng as moste chiefest And agayne Obey ye them that are made rulers ouer you c. For so their maister commauÌ„ded them saying The kinges of the heathen haue dominion ouer them c. But I think it long til we haue powred our poyson vpoÌ„ the earth and therefore fill your selues full And now bee yee not onely vnlyke those fathers but also contrary vnto them in your lyfe and conditions and extoll your selues aboue all other men Neyther do ye geue to God that which belongeth to him nor yet to Caesar that which is his But exercise you the power of both the swordes according to our decrees makinge your selues doers in worldlye matters fighting in our quarell intangled with secular labours and busines And clyme ye by litle little from the myserable state of pouerty vnto the highest seates of all honours the most princely places of dignitie by your deuised practices false and deceitfull wyles and subtlety that is by hypocrisy flattery lying periurie treasons deceits simonye and other greater wickednes then which our infernal furies may deuise For after that ye haue by vs bene aduaunced thither where ye would be yet that doth not suffice you but as gready staruelings more huÌ„gry then ye were before ye suppresse the poore scratch and rack together all that comes to hand peruerting and turninge euerie thing topsie toruey so swollen that redy ye are to burst for pride liuing like Lechers in all corporal delicatenes and by fraude dyrecting all your doinges You challenge to your selues names of honour in the earth callyng your selues Lordes holye yea and most holy persons Thus eyther by violence ye rauen or els by ambition subtilly ye pilfer away and wrongfully wraft and by false title possesse those goodes whych for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ whom froÌ„ our first fall we haue hated were bestowed and geuen consuming them as ye your selues lyst therewith ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whoores strumpets and bawdes with whom ye ride pompously like mightie Prynces farre otherwise goinge then those poore beggerly priestes of the primatiue Church For I would ye shoulde buylde your selues ryche and gorgeous palacies yee fare lyke Prynces eating and drinking the most daintiest meates and pleasauntest wiâ—es that may be gotten ye hoord and heepe together an infynite deale of treasure not like to him
the obedience of Christs true vicare yet peraduentuâ—e if euery man were left to his owne libertie he would doubt of the preferring of your dignity or that is worse woulde vtterly refuse it by such doubtfull euidence alleaged on both sides and thys is the subtil craft of the croked Serpent that is to say vnder the pretense of vnitie to procure schismes as the spider of a wholesome flower gathers poyson and Iudas lerned of peace to make warre Wherefore it is liuely beleeued of wise men that except this pestilent schisme be withstand by and by the keyes of the Churche will be despised and they shall binde the consciences but of a few and when either none dare be bolde to correct this fault or to reforme things contrary to Gods lawe so by this meanes at length temporall Lordes will take away the liberties of the Church and peraduenture the Romanes will come and take away their place people and landes they wil spoile their possessions and bring the men of the Churche into bondage and they shall be contemned reuiled and despised because the obedience of the people and deuotions towardes them will almoste bee taken away when the greater part of the Church left to their owne libertye shall waxe prouder than they be wont leauing a wicked example to them that doe see it For when they see the Prelates studie more for couetousnesse than they were wont to pursse vp money to oppresse the subiectes in their punishings to seeke for gaine to confounde lawes to stirre vp strife to suppresse truth to vexe poore subiects with wrong corrections in meat and drinke intemperate in feastings past shame what maruell is it if the people despise them as the foulest forsakers of Gods lawe but all these things doe folowe if the Church shoulde be left long in this doubtfulnesse of a schisme and than shoulde that olde sâ—ying be verified in those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery one did that that seemed right and straighte to himselfe Micheas did see the people of the Lord scattered in the mountaines as they had bene shepe without a shephearde for when the shepheard is smitten the sheepe of the flocke shal be scattered the great stroke of the shepheard is the minishing of his iurisdiction by which the subiects are drawen from his obedience When Iason had the office of the highest Priest hee chaÌ„ged the ordinance of God and brought in the customes of the heathen the priests leauing the seruice of the holy altar applying themselues to wrasting other exercises of the Grecians despising those things that beloÌ„ged to the priests did labor with all their might to learne suche thinges of the Grecians and by that meanes the place people and holy oynting of Priestes whych in time past were hadde in greate reuerence of kynges were troden vnder foote of all men and robbed by the kinges power and was prophaned by thrusting in for money Therefore let the hyghest vicare of Christe looke vnto this with a diligent eye and let hym be the follower of him by whom he hath gotten authoritie aboue others If you mark well most holy father you shal find that Christ rebuked sharpely two brethren coueting the fease of honour hee taught them not to play the Lordes ouer the people but the more grace they were preueÌ„ted with to be so much more humble then other and more lowly to serue their brethren To hym that asked hys coate to geue the cloake to him that smote him on the one cheeke to tourne the other to him For the sheepe that are geuen to hys keeping hee must forsake all earthly thyngs and to shedde his owne bloud yea and if neede required to die These things I say be those that adorne the highest Byshop if they be in him not purple not hys white horse nor his Imperiall crowne because hee among all men is most bounde to all the sheepe of Christ. For the feare of GOD therefore and for the loue of the flocke which yee guide consider these things diligently and doe them wisely and suffer vs no longer to wauer betwixte two although not for your owne cause to whom peraduenture the fulnes of your owne power is knowen yet in pitying our weakenes if thou be he tell vs openly and shew thy self to the world that al we may follow one Be not to vs a bloudy bishop least by your occasion mans bloud be shed least hel swalow such a nomber of soules least the name of Christ be euill spoken of by Infidels thorough suche a worthy personage But peraduenture yee will say for our righteousnes it is manifest inough and we will not put it to other mens disputations If this bald aunswer should be admitted the schisme should continue still seeing neither part is willing to agree to the other and where the world is as it were equally deuided betwixt them neither part can be compelled to geue place to the other without much bloudshed The incarnation of Christ and his resurrection was well inough knowen to himselfe and his disciples yet hee asked of his father to be made knowen to the world Hee made also the Gospel to be wrytten and the doctrine of the Apostles sent his Apostles into all the world to do the office of preaching that the same thing might be knowen to all men The foresayde reason is the subtelty of Mahomet the which knowing himselfe guilty of his sect vtterly forbad disputations If ye haue so ful trust of your righteousnesse put it to the examination of worthy persones in a generall councel to the which it beloÌ„geth by right to define such doubts or els commit it vnto able persons and geue them ful power to determine all things concerning that matter or at the lest by forsaking the office on both parties leaue the Churche of God free speedily to prouide for a new shepheard We finde kings haue forsaken their temporal kingdomes vpon onely respect of deuotion and haue taken the apparel of Monkes profession Therefore let Christes Vicar being a professour of most high holinesse be ashamed to continue in his seat of honor to the offence of all people and the preiudice and hurt of the Romish church and the deuotion of it and cutting away kingdomes from it But if you say it is not requisite that the cause of Goddes church should he called in controuersie and therefore we cannot so easily goe from it seeing our conscience gainesayeth it To the which we answer if it be the cause of God and the church let the general councel iudge of it but if it be a personal cause as almost all the world probably thinketh if ye were the follower of Christ ye would rather chose a temporall death then to suffer such a wauering I say not to the hurt of so many but the endles destruction of soules to the offence of the whole world and to an euerlasting shame of the Apostolical dignitie Did
not Clemente named or that I may more truely speake ordeined of S. Peter to the Apostolike dignitie and to be bishop resigne his right that his dede might be taken of his successours for an example Also Pope Siricius gaue ouer his Popedome to be a comfort of the 11000. Virgins Therfore much more ought you if neede require geue ouer your Popedome that you might gather together the children of God which be scattered abroade For as it is thought a gloryous thing to defend the common right euen to bludshed so is it somtimes necessary for a man to wincke at his owne cause and to forsake it for a greater profite and by that meanes better to procure peace Shoulde not he be thought a deuill and Christes enemie of all men that woulde agree to an election made of him for the Apostolicall dignitie and Popedome if it should be to the destruction of Christians diuision of the church the offence and losse of al faithfull people If such mischiefs should be known to al the world by Goddes reuelation to come to passe by such receiuing of the Popedome and Apostolicall dignitie then by the like reason why shall he not be iudged of all men an Apostata and forsaker of hys faith which chuseth dignitie or rather worldly honour then the vnitie of the Churche Christ died that he might gather together the children of God which are scattered abroad but such an enemie of God and the Church wisheth his subiectes bodily to die in battaile and the more part of the worlde to pearish in soule rather then forsaking to be Pope to liue in a lower state although it were honourable If the feare of God the desire of the heauenly kingdoÌ„ the earnest loue of the vnitie of the church do moue your hart shew in dede that your workes may beare recorde to the truth Clement and Siricius most holy Popes not only are not reprooued but rather are reuerenced of all men because they gaue ouer their right for profitable causes for the same cause all the church of holy men shewe forth their praise Likewise your name should liue for euer and euer if ye would do the like for a necessary cause that is to say for the vnitie of Gods Churche Geue no heede to vnmeasurable cryings of them that say that the ryghte chusing of Popes is lost except ye defend your part manfully but be afraid least such stirrers vp of mischiefe looke for theyr owne commoditie or honour that is to say that vnder your wing they might be promoted to richesse and honour After this sort Achithophel was ioyned and Absolon in persecuting his owne father and false vsurping of hys kingdome Furthermore there shoulde be no ieopardie to that election because both parties sticke stifly to the old fashion of election and either of them couer the preheminence of the Romish Churche counsailing all Christians to obey them And although throughe their geuing ouer the fashion of chusing the Pope should be chaÌ„ged for a time it were to be borne rather then to suffer any longer this diuision in Gods church For that fashion in chusing is not so necessary required to the state of a Pope but the successour of the Apostle as necessary cause required might come in at the doore by an other fashion of chusing and that Canonicall inough And this we are taught manifestly by examples of the fathers for Peter the Apostle appoynted after him Clement and that not by false vsurping of power as we suppose And it was thought that that fashion of apoynting of Popes was lawfull vnto the time of Pope Hillary Which decreed that no Pope shuld apoynt hys successor Afterward the election of the Pope went by the cleargy and people of Rome and the Emperors counsaile agreeing therto as it appeareth in the election of the blessed Gregory But Martinus Pope with the consent of the holy Synode graunted Charles the power to chuse the Pope But of late Nycholas the 2 was the first whome Martine makes mention of in his councels to be chosen by the Cardinals But all the Bishops of Lumbardie for the most part wythstode this election and chose Cadulus to be Pope saying that the Pope ought not to be chosen but of the precincte of Italie Wherefore we thinke it not a safe way so earnestly to stick to the traditions of men in the fashion of chusing the Pope so oft to chaunge least we be thought to breake Goddes traditions concerning the vnitie of the church Yea rather it were better yet to ordaine a newe fashion of his election and meeter for hym as it hath beene afore But all things concerning the same election myght be kept safe if Gods honour were looked for afore youre owne and the peace of the Church were vprightly soughte for such a dishonouring shoulde be most honour vnto you and that geuing place shall be the getting of a greater dignitie the willing deposing of your honour shoulde obtaine you the entrie of euerlasting honour and shoulde procure the loue of the whole worlde toward you and you shoulde deserue to be exalted continually as Dauid was in humbling himselfe O howe monstrous a sight and how foule a monster is a mannes body disfigured wyth two heades So if it were possible the spouse of Christ shoulde be made so monstrous if shee were ruled wyth two such heades but that is not possible she is euer altogether faire in whome no spot is found therfore we must cast away that rotten member thruster in of hys second head We cannot suffer any longer so great a wickednesse in Gods house that we shoulde suffer Gods cote that wantes a feame by any meanes to be torne by the handes of two that violently draw it in sonder For if these two should be suffred to raigne together they woulde so betwixte them teare in pieces that litle coate of the Lord that scarse one piece woulde hange to another They passe the wickednesse of the souldiours that cursed Christ. For they willing to haue the coate remaine whole said Let vs not cut it but let vs cast lots for it whose it shal be But these 2. Popes suffring their right and title to be tried by no lot nor way although not in wordes yet in deedes they pronounce this sentence It shall neither be thine nor mine but let it be deuided for they chose rather as it apeareth to be Lords though it be but in a litle part and that to the coÌ„fusion of vnitie of the Church then in leuing that lording to seke for the peace of the church We do not affirme this but we shew almost the whole iudgemeÌ„t of the world of them being moued so thinke by likely coniectures We looked for amendement of thys intollerable câ—â—fusion by the space that these two inuentours of this mischiâ—â—liued But wee looked for peace and beholde trouble for neither in their lyues nor in their deaths they
Richard againe in the raigne of this king that many yeares after he was rumored to be aliue of them which desired belike that to be true which they knew to be false for the which diuers were executed For the space of sixe or vij yeares together almost no yeare passed without some conspiracy against the king Long it were here to recite the bloud of all such Nobles and other which was spilt in the raigne of this king as the Earle of Kent Earle of Salisbury Earle of Huntington named Iohn Holland c. as writeth the story of S. Albans But the English writers differ something in their names and make mention of 4. Earles of Surrey of Excester of Salisbury and Lord Spenser Earle of Gloucester Ex Lib. cui tit Calendarium Bruti And the next yeare following Syr Ihon Clarendon knight with two of his seruauntes the Priour of Laund with 8. friers were hanged and quartered And after these Henry Percy the younger the Earle of Worcester named Thomas Percy his vncle Lord of Kinderton and L. Richard de Uernoua The Earle of Northumberland scarce escaped with his pardon an 1403. In the which yeare the prison in Cornhill called the tonne was turned into the conduit there now standing To let passe other moe hanged and quartered the same time as Blount knight Benet Kely knight and Thomas Wintersel Esquier Also the same yeare was taken and executed sir Bernard Brokes knight sir Iohn Shilley knight Syr Iohn Mandelyn and William Frierby After all these L. Henry Earle of Northumberland and L. Bardolfe conspiring the kings death were taken in the North and beheaded which was in the 8. yere of this king Henry This ciuil rebellion of so many nobles other against the king declared what grudging heartes the people then bare towarde this king Henry Among whome I cannot pretermit heere also the Archb. of Yorke named Richarde Scrope who with the L. Moubrey Marshal of England gathered a great company in the North countrey against the foresaid king to whom also was adioyned the helpe of L. Bardolfe Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland Ex Chron. D. Albani And to stirre vp the people more willingly to take their partes they collected certaine Articles against the said king to the number of 10. and fastned them vpon the doores of Churches and Monasteries to be read of all men in English Which articles if any be disposed to vnderstand for somuch as the same also containe a great part of the doings betweene king Henry king Richard aforesayde I thought for the better opening of the matter heere vnder to inserte the same in such forme as I founde them in the historie of Scala mundi expressed ¶ Articles set vp on Church doores against king Henry the fourth IN the name of God Amen Before the Lorde Iesus Christ iudge of the quicke and dead c. We A.B.C.D. c. not long sithens became bounde by othe vppon the sacred Euangelicall booke vnto our soueraigne Lorde Richarde late king of England and France in the presente of many prelates potentates and nobilitie of the realme that wee so long as we liued should beare true allegeance and fidelity towardes hym and his heires succeding hym in the kingdom by iust title right and line accordyng to the statutes and custome of this realme of England By vertue wherof we are bound to foresee that no vices or hainous offences arise in the common weale do take effect or wyshed ende but that we ought to geue our selues and our goodes to wtstand the same without feare of sword or death whatsoeuer vpon paine of periurie which paine is euerlasting damnation Wherfore we seing perceiuing diuers horrible crimes and great enormities daily without ceassing to be committed by the children of the deuill and sathans soldiours against the supremacie of the Church of Rome the libertie of the church of England and the lawes of the realme against the person of king Rich. and his heires against the prelates noble men religion and comminaltie and finally against the whole weale publike of the realme of England to the great offence of the maiesty of almighty God and to the prouocation of his iust wrath and veÌ„geance towards the realme and people of the same And fearing also the destruction both of the Churche of Rome and England the ruine of our couÌ„try to be at hand hauing before our eyes the iustice the kingdom of God calling alwaies on the name of Iesus hauing an assured confidence in his clemency mercy and power haue here taken vnto vs certain articles subscribed in forme folowing to be proponed tried and heard before the iust iudge Iesus Christ and the whole world to his honour the deliuery of the church the cleargy and comminalty and to the utility profite of the weale publick But if which God forbid by force feare of violence of wicked persons we shal be cast in prison or by violent death preuented so as in this worlde we shall not be able to proue the saide articles as we would wish then do we apeale to the high celestiall iudge that he may iudge discerne the same in the day of his supreme iudgement 1. ¶ First we depose say except and entend to proue against the Lord Henry Derby sonne of the Lord Iohn of Gaunt late Duke of Lancaster and commonly called king of England himselfe pretending the same although without all right and title thereunto and against his adherents fautours and complices that euer they haue bene are and will be traytors inuaders and destroyers of Gods Church in Rome England Wales and Ireland and of our soueraigne Lord Richard late King of England his heires his kingdom and common wealth as shall hereafter maniâ—estly appeare 2. Secondarely we depose c. against the said Lord HeÌ„ry for that he had conceaued deutied conspired certaine hainous crimes and traiterous offences against his sayd soueraigne Lord Richard his state and dignitie as manifestly did appeare in the contention betwene the said Lord Henry and yâ— Lord Thomas Duke of Northfolke begon at Couentry but not finished throughly Afterwards he was sent in exile by sentence of the said king Richard by the agreement of his father the Lord Iohn Duke of Lancaster by the voice of diuers of the Lords temporall nobilitie of the realme and also by his owne consent there to remaine for a certaine time appointed vnto him by the said Lords and withall he was bound by othe not to returne into EnglaÌ„d before he had obteined fauour grace of the kyng Not long after when the king was departed into Ireland for reformation of that countrey apperteining to the crowne of England but as then rebelling agaynst the same the sayd Lord Henry in the meane time contrary to his oth and fidelitie and long before the time limited vnto him was expired with all his fautours and inuaders secretly entred into the Realme swearing
First for that they should the rather dreade God and leaue their sinne As it is writ their sickenes hath bene multiplied and after they haue hyed to Godward For we see oft men in sicknes know their God that neuer would haue turned to him whyle they had beene whole Also God sendeth them sicknes oft to agast other men lest they follow their sin As the sickenes of kyng Antioche whome God smote with such a sickenes that wormes fell out of hys body whyle he lyued in so farforth that he stanke so foule that his frends were so wearye of it that they might not suffer it And at the last when he himselfe might not suffer his owne stinch then he began to know himselfe and sayd It is rightfull to be subiect to God and a deadly man not to hold himselfe onely euen with God and the story saith he asked mercie of God and made a vowe to God that he would make the Citie of Ierusalem free and the Iewes to make them as free as the men of Athens and that hee would honour Gods temple wyth pretious ary and multiply the holy vessels and finde of his owne rent and spenses perteining to the sacrifice And he would become a Iew and go ouer all the lond to preach Goddes might And yet God gafe him not such mercy as he desired And I trow certein that it was for good In as much as God knew he would not afterward hold his couenaunt or els for he axket it too late What mede was it for him to forsake his wickednes whan hee was vnmightie to doo good or euill Neuertheles I trow he was not dampned in as much as he had such repentaunce for repentaunce in this life come neuer too late if it be trew But by thys vengeaunce that God tooke on thys king should men see what it is to be vnobedient to God And also it is to take heede that whan euer sickenes commeth euer it sheweth that hee that suffreth this deadly shall nedes dye For though he may skape of his sicknes yet hee may not skape death And so thou must needs come giue rekening of thy bayly The second somnour that shall clepe thee to this particuler doome is elde or age And the condition of him is this though that he tarie with thee he will not leue thee till he bring thee to the thirde that is death But there be many that though they haue this somnour with them they take none hede though they see ther he are hore her back crook her breth stynke her teeth fayle her yen derk her visage riuely her crene wexit heuy to her What meneth all this but that age sunneth to the dome But what more madhead may be than a man to be cleped and drawe to so dreadfull a reckenyng there where but he aunswere well he forfeteth both body and soule to damnation for euer If seing a litle wordly merth on the way he thinketh so mekill theron that he forgetteth who draweth him or whether he draweth So doth he that is smiten with age and liketh so on the false world is wealth that he forgetteth whether he is away Herefore sayth an holy Doctour that among all abusions of the world most is of an old man that is obstinate for he thinketh not on his out going of this world ne of passing into the lyfe that is to come he heareth messengers of death and he leueth hem not and the cause is this for the threfold cord that such an old maÌ„ is bounden with is hard to breke This cord is custome that is of three plightes that is of idel thought vnhonest speach and wicked deede the whiche if they groweth in a man from the childhood into mans age they maketh a treble cord to bynde the old man on custome of sinne Herefore sayth Esay breake the bondes of sinne Thinke herefore whosoeuer that thou be that art thus sumned that thou might not scape that thou ne shalt yeld the rekenyng of thy baily The third somner to this reckenyng is death And the condition of him is that whan euer he come first other the secoÌ„d other the last houre he ne spareth neither power ne yougth ne he dreadeth no thretning ne he ne taketh hede of no prayer ne of no gift ne he graunteth no respit but withouten delay he bringeth forth to the dome Herefore seyth Sainct Austen Well ought euerie man drede the day of his death For in what state a mans last day findeth hym whan he dyeth out of this worlde in the same state he bringeth hym to hys dome Herfore seyth the wise man Sonne thinke on thy last day and thou shalt neuer sinne Therfore I rede that thou thinke that thou shalt geue reconing of thy bayly I sayd also that there shall be another doome to the which all men shall come together and this shall be vniuersall And right as to the other dome euery man shall be cleped with these three sumnours so to this dome all this world shall be cleped with three generall clepers And right as the other three messengers tell a mans end so these tell the end of the world The first cleper is the worldly sicknes the second cleper is feblenes and the third is the ende The sicknes of the world thou shalt know by charitie a cooling His elde and febles thou shalt knowe by tokens fulfilling and hys end thou shalt know by Antichristes pursuing First I sayd thou shalt knowe the worldes sicknes by charitie a cooling Clerkes that treate of kynde sayne that a bodie is sicke when his bodely heate is to lite or when his vnkindely heate is too muche Sythe then all mankynde is one bodye whose kindly heate is charity that is loue to God and to our neighbors vnkindly heate is lustfull loue to other creatures When therefore thou seest that the loue of men to Godwaâ—de and to their neigbour is litle and faynt and the loue of worldlye thynges and lustes of the flesh is great and feruent then wit thou well that vnkindly heate is too great and kindly heate is too little That this be acknowlich of this sicknes I may proue by autoritie of Christ. For he himselfe gaue them as a signe of the drawing to the ende of the world For that wickednes shall be in plente charitie shall acoole Therfore whan thou seest charitie this little in the worlde and wickednes encrease know well that this world passeth and hys welth and that this somner is come And thus seyth Seint Poule Wit ye well that in the laste dayes shall come perilous times and there shall be men louing them selfe that is to say their bodyes couetous by pride vnobedient to father and mother vnkynd fellons withouten affection withouten peace blamers incontinent vnmylde withonten benignitie traytours rebels swelling louers of lustes more then of God hauing a lykenes of pietie and denying the vertue thereof And these flee thou If thou seest
in prison and in bandes daily looking for death although for the secrete iudgements of God I dare not say whether this be my last Epistle for nowe also almighty God is able to deliuer me Another letter of Iohn Hus wherin he comforteth his frendes and willeth them not to be troubled for the condemnyng of his bookes and also declareth the wickednesse of the Clergy MAister Iohn Husse in hope the seruaunt of God to all the faythfull which loue him and his statutes wisheth the truth and grace of God Beloued I thought it needefull to warne you that you should not feare or bee discouraged because the aduersaries haue decreed that my bookes shall be burnt Remember how the Israelites burned the preachynges of the Prophet Ieremy and yet they could not auoyde the thynges that were Prophecied of in them For after they were burnt the Lord commaunded to write the same Prophecie agayne and that larger which was also done For Ieremie sittyng in prison spake and Baruch which was ready at his hand wrote This is written either in the 35. or 45. chapiter of the Vision of Ieremie It is also written in the bookes of the Machabees that the wicked did burne the law of God and killed them that had the same Agayne vnder the new Testament they burned the Saintes with the bookes of the law of God The Cardinals condemned and committed to fire certaine of S. Gregories bookes had burnt thē all if they had not ben preserued of God by the meanes of Peter Gregories minister Hauing these things before your eyes take heede least through feare you omit to read my bookes and deliuer them to the aduersaries to bee brent Remember the sayings of our mercifull sauiour by whych he forewarneth vs. Math. 24. There shall be sayeth he before the day of iudgement great tribulation such as was not from the beginning vntill this day neither shall be afterwardes So that euen the elect of God shoulde be deceiued if it were possible But for their sakes those dayes shal be shortened Whē you remēber these things beloued be not afraid for I trust in God that that schoole of Antichrist shall be afraide of you and suffer you to be in quiet neither shall the Councell of Constance extende to Bohemia For I thinke that many of them which are of the Councell shall die before they shall get from you my bookes And they shall departe from the Councel and be scattred abroad throughout the partes of the world like storkes and then they shall knowe when winter commeth what they did in sommer Consider that they haue adiudged their heade the Pope worthy of death for many horrible factes that he hath done Go to nowe Aunswer to this you preachers which preach that the Pope is the God of the earth that he may as the Lawyers say make sale of the holy things that he is the head of the whole holy Church in verity wel gouerning the same that he is the heart of the Church in quickening the same spiritually that hee is the well spring from the which floweth all vertue and goodnesse that he is the sonne of the holy church that hee is the safe refuge to which euery Christian mā ought to flie for succour Beholde nowe that head is cutte off with the sworde nowe the God of the earth is bound now his sinnes are declared openly nowe that well spring is dried vppe that sunne darkened that heart is plucked out and throwne away least that any man should seeke succour thereat The Councell hath condemned that head and that for this offence because hee tooke money for indulgences Bishopprickes and other such like But they condemned hym by order of iudgement which were themselues the buiers and sellers of the same marchandise There was present Iohn Byshop of Lytomissia who went twise about to buy the bishoprike of Prage but others preuented him O wicked men why did they not first cast out the beame out of their owne eyes These men haue accursed and cōdemned the seller but they themselues which were the buiers and consenters to the bargaine are without daunger What shall I say that they doe vse in this maner of buying and selling at home in their owne countreis For at Constance there is one Bishop that bought another which sold and the Pope for allowing of both their factes tooke bribes of both sides It came so to passe in Bohemia also as you knowe I woulde that in that Councell God had sayde he that amongst you is without sinne let him geue the sentence against Pope Iohn Then surely they had gone all out of the Councel house one after another Why did they bowe the knee to him alwaies before this his fall kisse hys feete and call him the most holy father seeing they saw apparantly before that he was an hereticke that hee was a mankiller that he was a wicked sinner all which things nowe they haue found in him Why did the Cardinals chuse him to be Pope knowing before that he had killed the holy Father Why suffered they him to meddle with holy thinges in bearing the office of the Popedome for to this ende they are his counsailours that they shoulde admonish him of that which is right Are not they themselues as guiltie of these faults as he seeing that they accoūted these things vices in him and were partakers of some of them themselues why durst no man lay ought to his charge before he had fledde from Constance but assone as the secular power by the sufferaunce of God laide holde vpon him then and neuer afore they conspired altogether that he shoulde not liue any longer Surely euen as at this day is the malice the abhomination and filthinesse of Antichrist reuealed in the Pope and others of this Councell Nowe the faithfull seruaunts of God may vnderstande what our sauiour Christ meant by this saying when you shal see the abhomination of desolation which is spoken of Daniel c. who so can vnderstand it c. Surely these be great abhominatiōs pride couetousnesse symonie sitting in a solitarie place that is to say in a dignitie voide of goodnesse of humilitie and other vertues as we do now clearely see in those that are constituted in any office and dignitie O howe acceptable a thing should it be if time would suffer me to disclose their wicked actes which are nowe apparant that the faithfull seruaunts of God might knowe them I trust in God that he wil send after me those that shall be more valiant and there are aliue at this day that shall make more manifest the malice of Antichrist and shall geue their liues to the death for the truth of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall geue both to you and me the ioyes of life euerlasting This Epistle was written vppon S. Iohn Baptistes day in prison and in colde yrons I hauing thys meditation with my selfe that Iohn was beheaded in his prisone
and bondes for the worde of God ¶ Another letter of Iohn Hus. IOhn Husse in hope the seruant of God to all the faithfull at Boheme which loue the Lord wisheth to stand and die in the grace of God and at last to attaine to eternall life Amen Ye that beare rule ouer other and be rich and ye also that be poore well be loued and faithfull in God I beseeche you and admonish you all that ye will be obedient vnto God make muche of his worde and gladly hearing the same will humbly perfourme that which yee heare I beseeche you sticke fast to the veritie of Gods worde which I haue written and preached vnto you out of his lawe and the Sermons of his Saintes Also I desire you if any man either in publicke Sermon or in priuate talke heard of me any thing or haue read any thing written by me which is againste the verity of God that he do not follow the same Albeit I do not finde my conscience guiltie that I euer haue spoken or wrytten any such thing amongst you I desire you moreouer if any man at any time haue noted any leuitie either in my talke or in my conditions that he doe not follow the same but pray to God for me to pardon me that sinne of lightnes I pray you that ye wil loue your priests and ministers which be of honest behauiour to prefer and honor them before others namely such priests as trauaile in the worde of God I pray you take hede to your selues and beware of malitious and deceitful men and especially of these wicked priests of whom our Sauiour doth speake that they are vnder shepes clothing inwardly are rauening wolues I pray suche as be rulers superiors to behaue them selues gently towardes their poore inferiours and to rule them iustly I beseche the citizens that they will walke euery man in his degree and vocation with an vpright conscience The Artificers also I beseeche that they will exercise their occupations diligently and vse them with the feare of God I beseeche the seruauntes that they wil serue their maisters faithfully And likewise the scholemaisters I beseeche that they liuing honestly will bryng vp their Scholers vertuously and to teach them faythfully First to learne to feare GOD then for the glory of GOD and the publicke vtilitie of the common wealth and their owne health and not for auarice or for worldly honor to employ their myndes to honest Artes. I beseech the Studentes of the Vniuersitie and all Scholes in all honest thynges to obey their Maisters and to follow them and that with all diligence they will study to be profitable both to the settyng foorth of the glory of God and to the soules health as well of themselues as of other men Together I beseech and pray you all that you will yeld most harty thankes to the right honorable Lordes the Lord Wencelaus de Duba Lord Iohn de Clum Lord Henry Lumlouio Lord Vilem Zagecio Lord Nicholas and other Lordes of Boheme of Morauia and Polony that their diligence towardes me may bee gratefull to all good men because that they like valiaunt champions of Gods trueth haue oftentymes set themselues agaynst the whole Councell for my deliueraunce contendyng and standyng agaynst the same to the vttermost of their power but especially Lord Wencelaus de Duba and Lord Iohn de Clum What so euer they shall report vnto you geue credite vnto them for they were in the Councell when I there aunswered many They know who they were of Bohemia and how many false and slaunderous thynges they brought in agaynst me and that Councell cryed out agaynst me and how I also aunswered to all thynges wherof I was demaunded I beseech you also that ye will pray for the kyng of Romaines and for your kyng and for his wife your Queene that God of his mercy would abide with thē and with you both now and henceforth in euerlastyng life Amen This Epistle I haue writtē to you out of prison and in bandes lookyng the next day after the writyng hereof for the sentence of the Councell vpon my death hauyng a full trust that he will not leaue me neither suffer me to deny his truth and to reuoke the errours whiche false witnesses maliciously haue deuised agaynst me How mercyfully the Lord GOD hath dealt with me and was with me in maruailous temptations ye shall know when as hereafter by the helpe of Christ we shall all meete together in the ioye of the world to come As concernyng M. Hierome my dearely beloued brother and fellow I heare no other but that he is remayning in straight bandes lookyng for death as I doe and that for the fayth which he valiauntly mainteyned amongest the Bohemians our cruell enemies of Boheme haue geuen vs into the power and handes of other enemies and into bandes I beseech you pray to God for them Moreouer I beseech you namely you of Prage that we will loue the temple of Bethleem and prouide so long as God shall permit that the word of God may be preached in the same For because of that place the Deuill is angry and agaynst the same place he hath stirred vp Priestes and Canons perceiuyng that in that place his kyngdome should be disturbed and diminished I trust in GOD that he will keepe that holy Church so long as it shall please him and in the same shall geue greater encrease of his worde by other then he hath done by me a weake vessell I beseech you also that ye will loue together and withholdyng no man from the hearyng of Gods word ye will prouide and take care that good men be not oppressed by any force and violence Written at Constance the yeare of our Lord. 1415. ¶ An other right godly letter of Iohn Hus to a certaine priest admonishing him of his office and exhorting him to be faithfull worthy to be red of all Ministers THe peace of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. My deare brother be diligent in preaching the Gospel and do the worke of a good Euangelist neglect not your vocation labour like a blessed souldiour of Christ. First liue godly and holily Secondly teach faithfully and truely Thirdly be an example to other in well doing that you be not reprehended in your sayings correct vice and set foorth vertue To euill liuers threaten eternall punishmēt but to those that be faithfull and godly set forth the comforts of eternall ioy Preach cōtinually but be short and fruitfull prudētly vnderstanding discretly dispēsing the holy Scriptures Neuer affirme or maintaine those things that be vncertaine and doubtfull least that your aduersaries take holde vpon you which reioyce in deprauing their brethren whereby they may bring the ministers of God into contempt Exhort men to the confession of their faith and to the communion of both kindes both of the body bloud of Christ wherby such as do repent earnestly of their sinnes may the more often come to
Knightes of the order dâ—pilued for not doyng sacrifice Euseb. Lib. 10. Cap. 8. A straight charge agaynst the relieuing of the imprisoned Christians Euseb. Lib. 1. de vita ConstaÌ„tini Secret persecution for feare of Constantinus Zozomenus Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Euseb. lib. 10. Cap. 8. The violent wronges of Licinius Euseb. lib. 1. de vita Const. The Christians flee into the wildernes Hote persecution renued Theodorus An other Theodorus Byshop of Tyrus A man of Perga Nicholaus Byshop of Mirorus Gregorius Byshop of Armenia Paulus Byshop of Neocaesaria with 40. other martyrs XL good men and their wiues martyrs Amones with xl wiues of xl men martyrs The wicked purpose of Licinius had he not bene preuented by God and slayne by Constantinus Licinius ouercome in battaile by Constantinus The end and death of the tyrauntes whiche were the authors of this x. persecution A briefe story of the most notable Martirs that suffered in this x. persecution Albanus Martyr Fruite of hospitalitie to be noted Albanus first conuerted and by what occasion Albanus offereth himselfe to death for an other The words of the Iudge to Albane The conâ—â—cy and zeale of Albane The confession of Albane The suffering and martyrdome of Alban Superfluous miracles in this story written by Bede omitted The legend of S Alban disproued S. Alban the first martyr in this realme of England The stories of the Saintes corrupted with lyes Amphibalus Martyr Flores Historiarum The martyrdome of Amphibalus Aaron Iulius Martyrs Persecution in thys realme of Britaine The lamentable story of Romanus Martyr The exhortation of Romanus to the christians The Christian boldnes of Romanus The noble patience of Romanus in his suffering The preaching of Romanus to the Captaine Antiquitie alleadged of the pagans The confession of a childe against Idolatry A childe martyred for the testimonye of Christ. An example of vertuous education A godly mother of a godly childe The cruell wordes of the tyrant The Christian childe beheaded for confessing of Christ. Nature ouercome of religion The fire quenched with rayne that shoulde burne Romanus Romanus speaketh after hys tongue was pluckt out Romanus after long tormentes strangled in prison Prudent in hymnis de coroâ—iâ— Martyrum The story of Gordius a Centurian Martyr Gordius of hys accord vttereth hymselfe to be a Christian. Gordius brought to examinatâ—â—â— The confesion of Gordius The bolde constancy couragious sprite of Gordius Gordius attempted with fayre promises and good giftes Gordius condemned to be brent The aunswere of Gordius to his freÌ„ds A subtile kynde of disswaders None ought to deny Christ with hys mouth and confesse hym with hys hart The Martyrdome of Gordius Ex Basili in Ser. in Gordium militem Caesariensem Menas Martyr Ex Symeon Metaphr tom 9. The confession of Menas The words of Menas in hys tormentes All the world is not to be weyed with one soule saued The prayer of Menas at his death Menas martyred Symeon Metaphr tom 5. The story of â—0 martirs Tormentes brought out to terrifie the Christians The couragious boldnes and Christian confession of these 40. martyrs Martyrdome and death for Christ preferred before lyfe and riches of this world The Martirs in a cold ponde all a winters night The Martyrs taken out of the pond were cast into the fire A good mother caring more for the soule then for the body of her sonne Ex Basil. in Serm. de 40. Martiribus Another story of 40. Martyred in a colde ponde at Sebastia Cyrus Ioannes Athanisia with her three daughters Theoctiste Theodota Eudoxia Martyrs The louing 〈◊〉 of one Christian toward an other Cyrus to doe others good lost hys life The story of Sebastian Martyr A worthy example of a captayne to be followed Marcus Marcellinus Nicostratus with Zoe hys wife Tranquillinus with Martia hys wife Traglinus Claudius Castor Tiburtius Castellus Martyrs Barlaam What desire the Heathen had by some meanes to allure the Christians to offer sacrifice Agricola with hys seruaunt Vitalis martyrs Ex Ambro. in Serm aa Virgines Vitalis first martyred Agricola desirous of martyrdome Agricola dyed martyr vpon the Crosse. The cruell martyrdome of Vincentius Ex August in Sermon The tormentes exercised vpon Vincentius The comfort of the Lord vppon hys Sainctes Philoromus Martyr Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 9. The confession and Martyrdome of Philoromus Procopius Martyr The tormentes and constancie of Procopius to death Nicephor lib. 7. cap. 15. Gregorius Martyr The sundry tormentes of Georgius Sergius Bacchius PanthaleoÌ„ Theodorus Faustus GereoÌ„ with 318. fellowes Hermogenes Menas a man of Athens Eugraphus Samonas Gurias Abibus Hieron with hys fellowes Iudes Dom. Eualasius Maximinus Thiesus Lucius Callinicus Apollonius Philemon Asilas Leonides Arrianus the President Cyprianus Byshop of Antioche Iustina Glicerius Felix Priest Fortunatus and Achilleus Deacons Carpophorus Abundus hys Deacon Claudius Syrinus Antonius Cucusatus Felix Byshop Adauctus and Ianuarius Fortunatus Septimus Martyrs The LameÌ„table story of Cassianus Martyr Ex Aurel. Prudentius lib. peristephanon Cassianus Martyr Eulalia Martyr Ex Arel Prudentio lib. peristephanoâ— The chaste and continent behauiour of Eulalia Eulalia geueth the onset denying to sacrifice to deuils Eulalia kept secret by her parentes Eulalia disproueth the Heathen Iudge The godly confession of Eulalia Eulalia allured with fayre perswasions Eulalia singeth anâ— prayseth God in he tormente Eulalia put in the fire The end and martyrdome of Eulalia Ex Prudeâ—â— Agnes martyr Straunge and vnnecessary myracles omiâ—ted Ex pruden lib. de Câ—ronis Agnes constant in the confession of her fayth Agnes threatned to the brothel house Agnes bolde vpon the helpe of Christ. The incontinent eyes of a young man beholding Agnes strunken out The young man restored agayne to his health by the prayer of Agnes Agnes desirous of martirdoÌ„e The prayer of Agnes Agnes beheaded The history of Katherine martir All thinges be not true and probable that be written of Sainctes liues Petrus de Natalibus lib. 10. Katherine resisteth the Emperour openly to hys face Katherine committed to prison and comforted by an Aungell The tormentes and end of Katherine The history of Iulitta Martyr Ex Basil. in Serm. Iulitta violenâ—â—ly spoyled of her goodes Iulitta once abiured Iulitta standeth to the coÌ„fession of her fayth A Christian voyce of a true martyr The answere of Iulitta Iulitta condemned to the fire The words and exhortations of Iulitta to woemen about her Barbara Fausta Euclatius Maximinus Iuliana Anysia Iustina Tecla Martirs Caius Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius Miltiades Byshops of Rome and martyrs Marcellinus denyeth and repenteth Ex Lib Concilior Platina Euseb. in Chro. Authors dissent Ex Sabel Enead 7. Lib. 8. Sabel ibid. A place of Platina confuted The order and proceeding described in iudgement agaynst the Bishop of Rome An obiection of the Papistes answered vnto The Byshop of Rome cyted vp and appeareth before the councell The Byshop of Rome condemned by the Councell The decretall Epistles and constitutions of these Byshops of Rome examined The chief scope of
speke against the pride of prelates and their excessiue dignities All be Pagans with the Pope that like not his superstitious and idolatrous traditions A great difference betweene a rouing mother and the fratike whore of Babilon We fooles thought their life to be madnes and their ende without honour Sapiens 5. Et os eius sicut os Leâ—nis 1. And his mouth is like the mouth of a Lyon Apoc. 13. Draconis lex saguine scripta The popes religioÌ„ hath left all sence of humanitâ—e * Et vidi bestiam â—â—ges terrae excercitus corum pugnantes cum illo qui â—eceoat in equo exercitu eius Apoc. 13. Et data est illi potestas in omnem tâ—ibum et populum et linguam gentem 1. And power is geuen him ones all tribes and people and tongues and nations c. Apoc. 13. Note the tendernes of this louing mother the Church of Rome Et facies omnes punâ—â—â—s et â—â—â—gâ—â— dinites et â—auperes et icâ—uos accipere characterern in manu sua dextra 1. And he shall make both little and great riche and poore free bond to take his character in their right hand c. Apoc. 13. Satan ratteleth his chaines The olde maner of the popishe othe Speaking of the inuisible church the article is true This article seemeth to be wrasted out of the wordes of Hierome of Prage The papaâ—â— dignitâ—â— toucâ—â—d Iohn Hus expoundeth this article with this distinct non ratione meriti sed ratione officii Iohn Hus declareth his mind touching this article sufficiently before Election maketh not the successor of Pet. but immitation One head of the vniuersall church beside Christ hath no foundation in all scripture The forme and maner of the popes inquisition Heresie to pâ—ay for l. Wickliffe or â—â—â—lus c. Heresie not to beleeue the councell of ConstaÌ„ce Heresie to â—â—â—ster in both kindes Heresie to deny the Popes indulgences Heresie not to worship images These Popes wil be sure to lose nothing Wealthy wickednes maintained The pope neyther preacheth himselfe nor yet will suffer other good priests to preach Papa spirat minas caedes See here the Dragon casting out whole floudes to swalow vp the Sainteâ— Pope Martin 5. contrary to Pope Boniface 8. Pope Martyn vndoeth the aâ—is and edictes of al other popes Note howe Antichrist rageth and ryleth against christ Mans power and counsaile too weake against christ An exhortation of the Bohemians The Pope and prelates by their letters stirred them to flight Faire words doe make fooles faine The Pope seduceth the world with vaine promises of thinges which he cannot geue The deuil the Pope â—iche in proâ—ising and poore in geâ—â—ng Galat. 6. False pretenses of the papistes M. Hus Hierom by wrongful violence put to death Christ heard the deuill bâ— the pope wil not heare men confesse their fayth 2. Esdras 3. Iohn 14. Iohn 8. A iust and ly requesâ—â— Bohemiâ—â— Wherefore the popes clergie wil abide no coÌ„ference with the laytie The Popes pretensed excuse detected Rom. 1. Experience of Gods blessing where the pope hath cursed Obiection Aunswere The popes false accusation answered Math. 15. The abuse of popishe religion in making priests Cardiaâ— ls c. Actes 8. The abuse of popishe religion in taking orders Popishe excommunication abused 1. Cor. 16. The popeâ— church poysoned with buying and selling their praying and singing and all their doing for money Feare of purgatory hath robbed almost all the whole world So long as priestes be rich they will neuer be true teachers The subtiltie of the deuill in making the church rich Eccle. 19. Popishe priests with their long sumtuous gownes more like to the Pharises then Christ. 1. Tim. 3. Honor in well gouerning The popes church poysoned with couetousnes Tim. 1. The popes church poysoned much with whoâ—e dome The Popes church and monasteries commonly poysoned with deuelishe enuie The popes church poysoned with idlenes and belly cheare The Popes church infamous with notorious lies The Popes church erreth in diminishing one part of the Sacrament The Popes church charged with partialitie He meaneth of claiming tithes by mere necessitie of the olde lawe and not by the positiue law of princes The Popes church charged with vsury He meaneth the immoderate riches teÌ„po all possessions MeÌ„ appointed to preach may preach tâ—oagh the Pope forbid them When the Pope holdeth his councell let meÌ„ looke to their wiues daughters where the councell is kept Ex vetustissimo codice manuscripto Great lameÌ„tatioÌ„ for Zisca The army of Zisca deuided The order and poâ—â—cie that the armie of Zisca vsed in warre after his decease Procopius Magnus Sigismund the Emperor which burned Hus and Hierom before now is fayne to entreat for hys kingdome The death of I. Hus Hierome reuenged The Cardinall of Winchester sent into Germany to rayse warre agaynst the Bohemians Three armies set against the Bohemians God rescueth his people newly conuerted The popes army flyeth Lyke captayne lyke souldiour Anno. 1421. The Pope rayseth warre the second time against the Bohemians A newe warre raysed by the pope against the Bohemians The number of the popes army against the Bohemians Cardinall Iulian with a maine host entreth Boheme The cruell slaughter done by the Cardinall God striketh a feare in the popes army * Rather for the religion of Antichrist This Cardinall belike loued to preach rather in the campe theÌ„in the church The Cardinals army ranne away for feare Great slaughter in Boheme by Duke Albert The councel of Basill A letter of the Emperour to the Bohemians The Boheâ—ians sent for by the Councell Safeconduct geuen to the Bohemians to come to the councell A doubt among the Bohemians whether to goe to the councell of Basill or no. This Maynardus was after a great backfriend to the faithful Bohemians 300. horsemen of the Bohemians sent Ambas to the councell This english man was Peter Paine The receiuing of the Bohemians at Basill Procopius famous among the Germaynes The oration of Cardinall Iulian. The Bohemians aunswere to the Cardinals oration The articles wherin the Bohemians dissented from the church of Rome Certaine appointed by the Bohemians and the councell to dispute The death of K. Henry 5. called prince of priests for fauouring the pope King Henry 6. Anno. 1422. Ex Scala mundi Ex Regist. Cant. William Taylour the first tyme apprehended W. Taylour againe appeareth before the Archbishop Three articles first obiected to W. Taylour The forme of canonical absolution in the church vsed against thâ— that were excommunicate The opinion of Wil. Taylour coÌ„cerning worshipping of Saintes Cultus latriae that is worship which is onely due to God Ang. super Psal. 21. 4. articles by the 4. orders of Friers laid against W. Taylour W. Taylour disgraded W. Taylour Martir burned in Smithfield The popes maner of degradation Iohn Florenceâ— a Turner He meanetâ—they should claime such â—â—thes by any exaction Anno. 1424. The maner