the taile the which they gaue her for a bridle in her hand and in a mockerie sent her out at one of their gates The Emperour taking iust indignation against this iniury besieged them seuen yeares before they could enter but at the last constraining them to yeeld hee ruinated and sacked the Towne with great effusion of bloud He receiued some to mercie but it was vpon this cōditiō that if they would saue their liues they shuld draw out with their teeth a Figge from behind of the she Asse Many chose rather to die then to suffer that ignominy Others desiring to liue did whatsoeuer was commanded them Frō hence comes a iust mockerie amongst the Italians to shewe the thumbe betwixt two fingers and say Ecco la fico beholde the Figge Crantes reciteth this Story in his 6. booke of Saxonia Frederic sent Embassadors vnto the King of France to take away that schisme from Rome they agreed to meete in a certaine place very conuenient for France and Almaine and that was at Dijon Thither came Henry king of England the king of Scotland the king of Bohemia Alexander would not bee there saying he was not ordained by his authoritie The King of France was not there in fauour of Alexander Frederic not well content that he and so many Princes had thus lost their paines commaunded Victor to drawe into Italie but Victor died in the way at Luques and in his place Guido Bishop of Cremone was chosen who afterward was called Paschall the third vnto whom the Emperour Frederic the Duke of Bauiere the Count Palatin in Rhene the Lantgraue of Turinge the Bishops of Magdeburg of Breme of Treuers of Colongne and of Banberge promised him obedience R. Barns Amaricus the brother of Baudwin was the sixt King of Ierusalem Sigeb Alexander in the meane while held a Councell at Tours But at Rome the Vicegerent of the Pope Alexander the Bishop of Prenestine died and in his place was substituted Iohn Cardinall of the Church of S. Peter He by siluer and other meanes drewe to Alexander the most part of the Romane Citizens and did so much as they created new Consuls such as fauoured the said Alexander They recalled Alexander out of France and he was well receiued at Rome the Bishop of Pauie was put out for that he held on the Emperours side Frederic the third time went into Italie against certaine that rebelled and came to Rome to knowe the cause of those Popes Alexander would not appeare but drewe backe as before The Townes of Italie rebelled against the Emperor at the perswasion of Alexander and they conspired together The Millainois reedified their Towne in fauour of this Alexander and called it Alexandria Frederic the fourth time returned into Italie with a great Armie against the rebells but Henry Leon Duke of Saxonie corrupted by siluer as is thought left the Emperour and returned into Saxonie with his company The Emperour required him not to faile him in that great need but he lost time therefore was hee constrained to withdrawe from Italie and returne into Almaine in a seruants apparell and that with great difficultie Behold how by Popes the world hath euer beene troubled The yeare of Christ 1173. Saladin slew his Lord the Calyphe and raigned in his place Chron. Euseb The yeare of Christ 1175. Frederic the fift time returned into Italie but at the perswasion of his Confessor he conuerted his Armes against the Turkes and passing through Hungarie came vnto Constantinople occupied many Townes and places of the Turkes as Philomenia and Iconium after he came into Armenia the lesse finally euen to Ierusalem Whilest Frederic was thus busied with the Turke the Pope Alexander with his confederates ceased not to thinke how they might destroy him To the end then that hee should not returne victorious the Pope sent to the Souldan the Image of the Emperour which he caused to be drawne very liuely by an excellent Painter with Letters by which he gaue aduertisement vnto the Souldan to sley or destroy the said Emperour by treason if euer hee pretended to liue in peace The Souldan hauing receiued the said Popes Letters with the Emperours figure sought by all meanes to come to his purpose but occasion fell not out so soone But finally as the Emperour returned from the conquest of Ierasalem being in Armenia one day as it was very hotte hee withdrew into a wood with a fewe of his people and with his Chaplaine and not thinking of any daunger there made his people goe aside and hee and his Chaplaine lighted off their horses vnapparelled themselues and so refreshed them in a running streame of water There was hee surprised by the ambushes which the Souldane had laid and were carried through the wood vnto the Souldan His people knowing nothing of his taking sought him all the next morning The brute came vnto the Campe the Emperor was drowned and by the space of an whole moneth they sought him in the floud where he washed The Emperour being brought before the Souldane feigned himselfe to be the Emperors Chaplaine but the Souldan knowing him by the Image the Pope sent him maintained that he was the Emperour of the Christians and indeed commanded that straight some should bring him the said Image and that the Popes Letters should be read The Emperour astonished at this treason confessed the truth and demaunded fauour Certaine time after the Souldan sent him away vnder certain couenants agreed betwixt them The Emperour returning assigned a day at Noremberg and assembling his Court declared the Pope Alexander his treason shewing his Letters and the Image Briefly euery one promised him helpe to pay his ransome and to doo iustice of the said Alexander In this time of darknesse and horrible tempests after the Grashoppers and vermine of begging Friers which deuoured the title graine of the world here gaue the Lord again a light as it were the breake of day The beginning of the Waldois Peter Waldo a Citizen of Lions beganne by litle and litle in this time to cleare the thicke darknesse therof and this was as a first and litle beginning of the Instauration of the Christian doctrine and religion The Historie is this In the Towne of Lions as many of the chief of the Towne in Sommer time to recreate themselues and talke together one amongst them suddenly fell downe dead in the presence of others amongst which was this Waldo a rich man who more then all other men was mooued and surprised with feare and an apprehension of the humane frailtie and began to think the spirit of God drawing him more nearly to repencance and to meditate true pietie more then euer hee had done before He began then to giue much more almes to open his house to all and to speake of penance and true pietie to such as for any cause came vnto him This feare was of God the fruite and the ende sheweth it in this person But the feare that
of Brabant In Cyonia a Citie of Muschouie within a pleasant valley the tombe of P. Ouidius Naso was found with this Epitaphe Hic situs est vates quem viui Caesaris ira Augusti Latio cedere iussit humo Saepe miser voluit patrijs succumbere tectis Sed frustra hunc illi fatadedere locum Genebrardus The 18. day of March the Prince of Orange being in Antwerpe quiet and in the greatest fortune that hee was euer was shot in his house as he was rising from the table in the middest of all his seruants with a Pistoll by one Iohn Scarigni a Biscaine mooued therevnto by zeale of Religion as hee pretended the bullet hitting him vnder his right Iawe passed forth through the windowe and although hee was supposed dead yet was he cured and liued and the offender was presently slaine by his guard and all such as were found accessary were executed Cardinall Albert Arch-duke of Austria was made gouernour of Portugall Ieronimo Conestaggio Don Antonio departed for France from the Terceres leauing Emanuel de Sylua in his place with 500. Frenchmen vnder the charge of Baptist Florentine and Charles a French man their Captaine In the moneth of August the Forces of Don Antonio king of Portugall skirmishing with Phillip king of Spaine in a battaile at Sea at S. Michaels Mount were discomfited Heere Strossius the Generall of the Forces of France with the losse almost of all his Army was in the ende discomfited Genebrardus There was one thing worthy of obseruation in the fight at Sea Within the Gallion of S. Mathew a Priest called Iohn de Iaem Chaplaine vnto the Marshall of the field a man which had seene the warres during the fight being vnder lowest deck of the Gallion when hee sawe so much wilde fier cast by the French heauing their shot and seeing the hurt which the Cannon did he died onely of feare and amazement hauing receiued no wound Phillip after the death of Diego his eldest sonne who was sworne Prince of Portugall at Tomar hee would likewise that the same oath should bee made in the person of Phillip his second sonne being then sicke and for the swearing of him hee assembled the estates at Lisbone resolute to accomplish this ceremonie before his departure At that time the Duke of Alua consumed with a continuall feauer died in the Pallace at Lisbone in the Kings owne quarter being of the age of three score and fourteen yeares During his sicknesse hee was greatly fauoured of the king who did visit him a litle before his death but after it the next day the Portugalls obserued that he went publikely to Masse without any shewe of discontentment in him contrary to the custome of their Kings who vpon the death of one of lesse qualitie hauing done many notable seruices to the Crowne relied themselues for a time the which seemed the more straunge for that King Emanuel vpon the death of a noble Pilot withdrew himselfe three dayes Ieronimo Conestaggio He arrogating too much to himselfe caused a statue of brasse to be erected for him in the Citadell of Antwerpe which the king willed afterwards to be beaten downe Charles Borgia Duke of Candia a man of greater vertue then experience succeeded in his place Vpon the 28. of Iune Peregrin Bartu Lord Willougbie was sent Embassador to Frederick the second with the Garter The Prince of Orange hauing recouered his hurt came abroad His wife Carola lineally discended from the right noble house of Montpensier with ouermuch ioy of his recouerie within three daies after died of a plurisie D. Chytreus In this yeare of our Lord 1582. this Pope by anticipating tenne daies in the yeare gaue himselfe to correct the Calender and to eternize his name this Calender he called Gregorianum and by his decree all Christian Princes obeying the Romish Sea gaue commandement to cut of tenne daies in the moneth of October so as for the fift day they should generally write fifteene the which was done to fitte the meanes and principall aspects wherein the heauens were when as our Redeemer Iesus Christ suffered that they might celebrate Easter and the other Feasts vpon their proper dayes The which they had not formerly done for that the true course of the Sunne which makes the yeare being certaine minutes of an houre lesse the time which they vntill then had taken for a yeare It seemed that in the course of so many yeares so small a difference had mounted vnto tenne dayes so as by this equallitie it was made cōformable to the time past Ieron Con. D. Chytreus Phillip caused the bones of Sebastian late king of Portugall to be brought out of Affricke the which with king Henries that were at Almerin he would before his departure see solemnly interred in the Church of Belem neare to the other Kings of Portugall At this time were revnited all the kingdomes of Spaine which from the entrance of the Moores into Spaine 860. and so many yeares fithence haue bene diuided M. Cyprian Valera D. Saunders the Popes Nuntio and Legate who came from Rome with Iames Fitzmoris in Iuly in the yeare 1599. to beare Armes in Ireland against her maiestie after that hee had wandred vp downe three yeares together with the Earle of Desmond and Syr Iohn his brother hee fell sicke of an Irish Ague and a Flixe and lay in the wood Clennetisse which wood is full of withies bryers thornes and through which is no passage where partly through his sicknesse but chiefly through famine and want dyed Hollenshed The Earle of Desmond was taken by one Kollie an Irishman in an old house alone and there slain whose head was sent into England and set vpon London bridge Amias D. of Leneux so created in the yeare 1579. was now in this yeare vpon displeasure banished Scotland and enforced to returne into France in whose exile was performed an olde prophecie That a man of fiue shillings should buy all the Dukes of England Scotland For when this Duke was out of the Scottish kingdome there was neither Duke in that Countrey nor in England Idem Henry King of Nauarre when hee vnderstood that the Archbishop of Cullen was in great distresse and the many traiterous practises of the Pope against him hee sent his Embassador to the Electors Princes of Germanie who professed the true doctrine of the Gospell First for the establishing of a generall concord by a generall Synode of the Churches in Germanie France England and other Countries imbracing the true Religion Then that these Princes of the reformed Church should by oath all ioyne their powers against the Pope his adherents which that hee might the better perswade hee set downe in his Letters the imminent daungers ouer the principall kingdomes in Europe which professed the true Faith As many as in Spaine or Italie were suspected for the truth were put into the Inquisition and so martyred In France
Iohn they proceeded also against Pope Gregorie the 12. who was cyted to appeare in person but he would not come there yet either by faire meanes or force hee sent Malateste Lord of Armenia with an ample procuration and power to resigne the said right hee had in the the Papall dignitie into the hands of the said Councell The which was done and the said Gregorie 12. was created Legate in the Marquesdome of Ancone where he died soone after with mourning in the Towne of Racany which is a Port of the Adriatike Sea Iohn le Maeire There remaineth yet the third Antipope Peter de la Lune Of him it was that Gerson often said We must needs take away this man of the Moone called Benet the 13. who would not obey the Councell but died obstinately in the Kingdome of Arragon and commaunded his Cardinalls on his death-bed that as soone ar he was dead they should elect an other which they did and elected Clement the 8. borne at Barselone wherein they profited litle For the Pope Martin as shall bee saide had the Popedome whole and had the obedience of all the Princes in Christendome yet the saide Clement the eight was after made Bishop of Maiorque See Iohn le Maire That Pope Benet troubled much the Emperour Sigismond For seeing hee would not consent to any agreement the said Emperour was constrained in person first to goe into France vnto the King then to the King of England to make an attonement betwixt those two Kings Item towards the King of Arragon in Spaine with certaine Embassadors deputies of the saide Councell to exhort them to hold the hand to the vnion of the Church and to perswade the said Pope to doo as others did which hee would neuer be brought vnto Then the Princes of Spaine the Arragonians the Cathelains Armignaes and the Kings of Fraunce and England seeing his obstinacie followed the opinion of the Councell and withdrew themselues from the obedience of Pope Benet the thirteenth which Sigismond signified to the said Councell Naucler Sigismond returned after to Constance about Candlemas and the Councell with burning Candles excommunicated and depriued the said Benet of his Popedome after declared him an heretike a schismatike the 18. day of March 1417. Naucl. This Pope Iohn whilest he was placed in the Romane seate amongst other Ieasts of a Pope he did that which followeth in diuers Authors He had stirred maruellous warres against the king Ladislaus and assembled a Councell at Rome to find means to driue him from his kingdome He also commanded to make a procession with the head of S. Iohn Baptist for that subtilly and cautelously he had determined to sell it to the Florentins He approoued the Sect of such as named themselues De la Chemise or Frisonniers which lifted themselues vp in the territorie of Luques and admitted the congregation of that new reformation in the Monasterie of S. Iustine commenced at Padoue by Lewis Barbe As Pope Martin the fift was at Florence this Pope beeing deliuered from prison contrarie to the opinion of all so that all that were present maruelled thereat came thither towards him and after he had kissed his feete acknowledged him as his Pope the successor of S. Peter saluted him as if he had bin some earthly God Martin mooued with affection certain daies after receiued him into the number of Cardinals and hee made him Bishop of Tusculū but after certain moneths he finished his life sad and grieuous the yeare of the Lord 1419. in the same Towne of Florence where he was honourably buried with great pompe in the Temple of S. Iohn Baptist by Cosme de Medicis who euer bore him great loue In the said Councell the Counts of Cleues and Sauoy were erected to Duchez by the Emperour Sigismond Things being effected as is said the Emperours will was that there should now be an handling to correct the maners of Ecclesiasticall persons and to reforme the Church but it was said that this could not well bee done during the vacation of the Apostolike seate wherefore it was concluded to proceed to a new election of a Pope Naucler Martin Pope fift of that name called Otho a Romane Cardinal Deacon of the house of Colonnois of one same accord and will by the consent of all was chosen of 33. Cardinalls at the Councell of Constance and was called Martin because hee was consecrated on S. Martins day hee gouerned fourteene yeares The Emperour Sigismond very ioyfull that the Cardinalls had chosen such a Pope and so necessarie to the Christian common-wealth entred into the Conclaue where without regarding his dignitie falling on his knees before the Pope in great reuerence hee kissed his feete On the other part the Emperour receiued him beningly and heartily thanked him for the diligence and paines which he had taken to establish the vnion of the Church Naucler After that the Emperour had long time trauelled to assemble this Councell of Constance desiring to see the particular reformation of the Church excused it that Rome had bene long without an head and the time would not permit to begin a reformation for the Councell had long endured Wherefore an other Councell should bee assigned at Basil where that should be done and so the Emperour was frustrate of his purpose and hope for seeing a reformation in the Church-people In the said Councell was dispatched Letters and Bulls to Lewis Duke d' Aniou to goe take possession of the kingdome of Pouille for him and his Naucler Martin Pope returning from Constance to Rome remained two yeares at Florence and for recompence of his entertainement he ordained that the Bishop of that place should bee a Metropolitane and subiected there vnto the Church of Volaterre Pistorie and Fesides The Hussites came vp at this time which reiected all humane traditions more purely preaching the doctrine of Iesus Christ which engendred many contentions betwixt Lay-men and Clarkes A pestilence was at Florence where died more then 16. thousand men Chron. Euseb Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes died after he had raigned 14. yeares Wencelaus died taken with feare because of a tumult raised at Prage hee fell into an Apoplexie and from that euill into a palsie which within 18. daies tooke away his life the yeare of his raigne 20. Charles 7. of that name king of France the onely sonne of Charles the 6. succeeded his father Hee was assailed by the English and Bourgonions and hauing lost as it were all the Countrey of the Frontiers tooke his recourse into Bourges and there remained a certaine time and therefore the enemies in mockerie called him king of Bourges Henry sonne of Charles his sister called himself in his titles king of England of France and at Paris was crowned king of France A pucell or maide plaide the part of a man at Armes and gaue succours to Orleance which was besieged constrained the enemies to leaue the siege conducted the king
at large The Councell of Laterance was begunne by Iulius this yeare 1512. Leo his successor continued the said Councell the ende whereof was the 16. of March 1517. This horrible monster died the yeare following after he had begun the said Councell that is the yeare 1513. hauing committed an infinit number of murders and wickednesses vnheard of before he died the yeare 1513. the 21 of Februarie before the Councell which he had assembled at Rome was ended See Functius in his Commentaries There was an Almaine called Conrade Garbelius who made of him Tetrastike in Latine verses whereof the sence was this Hee that hath for his father a Genoua for his mother a Grecian and that is borne in the Sea it is impossible he should be good The Genouaes are deceiuers the Grecians are lyars and there is no securitie nor faithfulnesse in the Sea Thou Iulius hast in thee all these things We read a certaine Commētarie of the Doctors of Paris against the Lutherans being drawne on by a diuellish rage had by force the carnall company of two young children of a noble house which the Queene Anne of France had sent to Roberte Cardinall of Nantes to teach Melancton amongst others hath written certaine Latine Verses how that Iulius meaning to go to warre cast S. Peters keyes into Tiber and tooke the sword of S. Paul saying Seeing the keyes of S. Peter serue vs to no purpose it may be S. Pauls sword will do something Gaston de Fouex the Kings Nephewe was sent into Italie and tooke Bolongne and Bresse by force The Swisses alreadie practised by the Pope passed into Italie On Easter day the yeare 1512. the French got a battaile at Rauenna and tooke the Towne against the Pope the Spaniards and the Venetians Gaston died there aduauncing himselfe with too small a company vpon his enemies Iulius practised with the Emperour and the King of England to assaile the King of Fraunce in diuers places of his Kingdome Ferdinand king of Spaine tooke and occupied against all right vnder colour of excommunication the Arrathame of Iulius the kingdome of Nauarre The King of England beeing assured of succours from Flaunders discended to Calais but the king of Scotland Iames the fourth and the king of France his Allie entered into his Countrey but lost a great battaile and was himselfe slaine They did litle in Guien or Normandie whether they sent two Armies Afterward the French and they fought vpon the Sea Two faire Ships well furnished that is the Regent of England and the Cordelier of France grapled one with the other And the most part of such as were within were either burnt or drowned A peace was published betwixt the King and the Venetians The English men besieged Terwine At the Iourney of Sporrs the French fared ill The Townes of Terwine and Tornay were taken by the English Anne de Britaine the wife of king Lewis the 12. and before the widowe of Charles the eight dyed at this time leauing two daughters Claudia which afterward espowsed Francis de Valois and Renee at this present widowe of the Duke of Ferrara Leo the tenth of that name borne at Florence of the house of Medices before called Iohn de Medices being Cardinall of the title of S. Mary in Dominica beyond all mens expectation was elected Pope and succeeded Iulius Hee had beene very diligently instructed in good Letters in his first youth and had had learned schoolemaisters Amongst others Angelus Politian a man very learned as well in the Greeke as Latin tongue this was the cause he loued so much men of learning and knowledge Being of the age of thirteene yeares hee was chosen Cardinall by Innocent the 8. and in the 30. of his age he was chosen Pope of Rome This Leo of his owne nature was debonaire gentle and peaceable but he was too much gouerned by such as were enemies of rest and cruell after whose wills many things were done very disloyally The King Lewis died the first day Ianuarie 1514. hauing raigned 17. yeares He was called the Father of the people a title which fewe kings had after him The greatest pleasure that Pope Leo had was delicately to nourish himselfe in all things pleasant to the flesh and such delights as would soonest drawe men into all wicked concupiscences He tooke great pleasures in Singers and Musitians to recreate his spirit at Table as hee dranke and made good cheare Hee bare an irreconciliable hatred vnto the Gospell of the kingdome of God which he persecured in the person of Luther and many others For as one day the Cardinall Bembo vttered before him a certaine thing drawne from the Gospell he answered him mocking It hath euer sufficiently bene knowne what profit that Fable of Iesus hath brought vs and our company This marchant gaue hereby sufficiently to be knowne that he was that Antichrist which S. Paul called the man of sinne and the sonne of perdition He spread abroad through the world certaine pardons and Indulgences full of all impietie yea and ridiculous to the end to heape vp siluer to maintaine his pleasures to nourish his whores and enrich his bastards And heerein he serued himselfe with Mendicant beggers which in infinit number traced and ranne ouer all Christian kingdomes One called Sampson of Millaine a Friar heaped vp by that meane so great a summe of siluer in diuers Countries that the world was astonished thereat as a thing contrarie to nature For he one day offered the summe of an hundreth and twentie thousand Ducats for the Papacie This Pope Leo created in one day one and thirtie Cardinalls and by that meanes pursed vp a great sum of siluer And that same day were seene very horrible signes and wonders the yeare 1521. at which time Soliman Emperor of the Turkes tooke Rhodes On the day of Christs Natiuitie as Leo went out of his chamber to goe sing Masse at the breake of the day after their maner a marble couer well couched and laid fell suddenly downe so that many of his company were there slaine and amongst others the Captaine of the Swisses gard By such a presage God shewed that the Popedome should shortly perish because of the enormeous and detestable wickednesse committed therein He greatly inriched at other expences his bastards and erected and lifted them vp to principalities and dignities as well Secular as Ecclesiastice Hee created Duke of Mutine Iulian whom some said was his Nephewe his sisters sonne and Laurence Duke of Vrbin and married the one that is to say Iulian with the Duke of Sauoyes sister and the other with the the daughter of the Countesse of Bolongne But hee had depriued the true Duke of Vrbin of the possession of the Duchy to the ende hee might establish one of them in his place hee sought also to doo the like to the Duke of Ferrara but it was in vaine As for his Nephewe Iulius hee made him a Cardinall The yeare 1421. and
onely sonne of Selim aforesaid succeeded him in the Empire of the Turkes Anno 1518. Soliman three yeares after tooke Belgarde in Hungarie which was the Fortresse and defence of the Christians and from thence about other three yeares he tooke Rhodes by composition hauing in his Armie 200000. Turkes and 400. Gallies and two yeares after that he destroyed the Country of Hungarie with fire sword vanquished the King of the Country and tooke Bude But the 14. of his kingdome comming to besiege Vienna in Hungarie with a great puissance he was put backe by God his grace and the force of the Almaines By nature he was hautie and glorious hauing so great dominions and victories Hee pretended that the Empire of Rome and of the West appertained vnto him For he said he was the true successour of Constantine who transported the Empire from Rome and vnto Constantinople His ordinary reuenew is of sixe millions of skutes some say seuen for each yeare and whensoeuer it pleaseth him to make warre he gaineth more thereby then he leeseth because of the great store of siluer he taketh of his subiects He hath more treasure and precious stones then all other kings together as Paulus Iouius saith who also attributeth the losse of Rhodes to the carelesnes and negligence of the Pope Maximilian deceased in Austriche the 12. Ianuary after the obteining of the Empire 27. yeares Charles 5. the sonne of Phillip Archduke of Austrich of the age of 19. yeares was chosen Emperor of Rome the 25. Iune and succeeded his graundfather Maximilian The Pope would haue hindered his election because he was king of Naples and that the kings of Naples were bound to the Pope to denounce that Empire whilest they should be kings of Naples but it was in vaine Zuinglius is called from Glarone to Zurich to read teach Theologie The bookes of Luther are burnt the Popes partakers in Almaine Luther also for his part publikely burnt at Wittemberge the Popes Canon lawe as also a new decree whereby hee was condemned and after yeelded a reason of his so doing The Emperour at the instance of Frederic of Saxonie sent the 6. of March to Luther that vnder his faith and safegard he should come to a Iourney held Wormes whither hee came against the aduise of his friends and entering there the 16. of of Aprill he came out againe the 26. of the said moneth Ferdinand the Emperours yonger brother Prince of Austrich tooke to wife Anne the onely daughter of Vladislaus King of Hungarie and of Boheme the sister of Lewis the last King of the line of Hungarie Luther apposed by Eckins the Lawyer at the Iourney at Wormes constantly maintained the truth The Emperour writ Letters to Princes wherby he declared his aduise that Luther should be abandoned to whosoeuer would sley him He is excōmunicated anathematized by Pope Leo. The Sorbonists of Paris assailed him so did Henry the 8. King of England by his owne writing Wherevpon the Pope gaue him the title of Defendor of the Church A Decree at Wormes published by the Emperours Letters Patters against Luther and his fauorites Adrian Pope sixt of that name borne at Vtrict in the country of Holland come from a poore house passed his youth in studie at Louaine norished and brought vp amongst the poore of the Colledge called du Pourcean From a Doctor in Diuinitie and Doyen of S. Peter de Louaine he was called to be a Pedagoge and Schoolemaister of Charles the fift after Emperor Erasmus hauing bene cast off as a suspected person because of the doctrine which after Luther published afterward being sent Embassador towards Ferdinand King of Spaine he obteined the Bishoppricke of Derthuse The Emperour passing into England to goe into Spaine made alliance at Windsore with Henry the 8. to espowse Marie his daughter then of the age of seuen yeares when she should be of full age Iohn Rouchlin restorer of the Hebrew tongue in Almaine this yeare died Rhodes besieged in the moneth of Iune by Soliman Emperour of the Turkes the seuenth moneth following is taken by composition to the great damage and dishonour of the Christians Christierne King of Danemarch Noruege and Snede for feare that for his great tyrannie and ill gouernment he might fall into some daughter of his person this yeare fled into Zeland with his children and his wife Isabel the Emperours sister brought vnto great necessitie We may learne by such examples to feare God his iudgements when hee chastiseth both Countries and Kings for our instruction Charles Duke of Bourbon Constable of France willingly departed partly drawne by the Emperors faire promises turned himselfe against the French King to the great misfortune both of his owne person and of France The bookes of a Phisitian Magician were burnt at Rome some of which were brought vnto Adrian whereof hee made great account and they were after his death founde amongst his secret papers And some thought he came to his Popedome by an euil art Paralip Chron. Abb. Vrsp The Pope Adrian after like others he had persecuted the truth of the Gospell in the person of Luther and Oecolampadius died of a death suspected of poison in September the second yeare of his Popedome Clement Pope seueth of that name a Florentine of the Sect of Knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem Prior des Cappes succeeded Adrian He before was called Iulius but admonished by his familiar Cardinalls he tooke the name of Clement Functius Some write him the Nephew others the sonne of Leo others his bastard brother of the house of Medices At Zuric there was a disputation three dayes whether the Masse and Idolls should be abolished The 20. of Ianuarie following the Iourney of the Swisses was held at Lucerne where they wholy cōfirmed the Popes doctrine and condemned that of the Gospell The Swisses in common complained of them of Zuric Bourbon besieged Marceill in vaine from whence hee retired into Italie where he was pursued of the French King who tooke Millaine and in winter besieged Pauie vppon Tesin Anthonie Duke of Lorraine sharpely persecuted such as bare any fauour to Luthers doctrine About the ende of this yeare certaine Countrey-men or peasants of Snabe beganne to rise and rebell against the Count de Loupae their Lord and after their example their neighbours did the like vnder the colour of certaine charges wherewith they complained to be burdened This stirre was after verie pernitious and brought great troubles and effusion of blood A battaile giuen at Pauie betwixt Charles de Lauoy a Gentlemen of the Country of Hainaut the Emperours Lieutenant and the French King wherein the said King was taken in the combat and from thence carried by sea into Spaine Zuinglius agreed not with Luther in an Article of the Supper He said that in the words of Iesus Christ there is a figure such as there is found in infinit places of the scripture
Religion then that of the Protestants Moreouer if they thought good of it hee had a great desire to send Theologians and learned men into Amaigne or else if they woulde they might sende theyr learned Diuines into Fraunce to communicate together of certaine points of Religion The Senate of Auspurge receiued the doctrine of the Gospell The 24. of Iuly the Town of Munster is besieged and by might taken by the Count d'Obersten Captaine of the Armie and by their Bishop About the end of the moneth of Ianuary Iohn de Leiden Head of the Anabaptists Coipperdolin and Chrechring his companions being tyed to postes were slaine at Munster the Head alone confessing his fault and something repenting Henry King of England had by his wife Anne Bullen a faire daughter called Elizabeth The Emperour entred into Prouence with his Armie but wanting victualls for his Campe he was constrained to retyre to Gene. A great number of his souldiers dyed and amongst others his Lieutenant Anthonie de Leue. Francis the King of France his eldest sonne dyed at Tournon vpon Rosne of the age of 18. yeares Sebastian de Moncucul an Italian was drawne with 4. horses For giuing him poyson as it is said Perone besieged by Henry Count de Nassau and by Adrian d'erouy Count de Reux There arose a great sedition in England against the King For that bee had plucked downe and banished the Popes authoritie The Emperour by Sea returned from Genes ouer into Spaine Alexander de Medices Duke of Florence is slaine by Lawrence his kinsman promising him the enioying of a Ladie his neighbour of excellent beautie Iames the fift King of Scotland espowsed Magdaline king Francis his eldest daughter The Emperours Armie in Artois vnder the conduction of Florent de Bure tooke by force S. Paul besieged Terouanne but could not winne it The eleuenth of October was borne Edwarde King Henry his sonne of England of Iane Semer which he tooke to wife after Anne Bullen Anne de Mont-mourancy is created Constabled France which is a soueraigne degree of honour which office had bene vacant 15. yeares since the reuolt of Charles de Bourbon The Emperour and the king Francis assembled Nice where the Pope was to make a peace betwixt them and although they accorded not in the principall yet they concluded a truce betwixt them for tenne yearers Margarite the Emperors bastard-daughter after the death of the aforesaid Alexander is married vnto Octauian the Popes sonne in lawe Henry of England caused the Relickes of S. Thomas of Canterburie to be taken out of his Schrine and made them publikely to be burnt The Emperour and king Francis met at Aignes mortes in Languedoc and entertained one an other Charles d' Egmond Duke de Gueldres deceased very olde and William Duke of Cleues possessed his Countrey as well by the dead mans will as by the Nobilitie of the Countrey Castelubro a Towne of Illyrica in the gulfe of Ambracia is taken from the Turke by the Emperour and the Venetians allied together Touching this Pope Paul amongst a great number of his acts I will recite but this litle following that the world may know how great their sanctitie is which the Papists maintaine with an his voyce to be Peters succors and the Vicars of Iesus Christ This Paul was an Astrologian a Magician and Diuine and amongst his most familiars had one called Denis Seuila a Magician whom therefore afterward hee made a Cardinall with one named Gaurice of Portugall Cecius and Marcell Negromancians and wicked villaines Of these did hee enquire the fortune of himselfe and his bastards He got his red hatte in this maner Hee had a sister called Iulia Farnese which hee deliuered to Pope Alexander that hee might be a Cardinall and Bishop of Hostia and to finde meanes to pay his debts For those good Popes commonly are so inflamed with whoredome that they make no difficultie to promise redde hats and Bishopprickes to such as will bring them their sisters or else that which is more horrible their young bretheren to violate Many by such practises obtaine great riches fatte Benifices And as Agrippa saith there is no shorter way then that to come therevnto This murderer poysoned his mother and a Nephewe to this end that all the succession of the Farneses might fall vpon him Moreouer seeing the other of his sisters whose carnall company he had sometime had followed too openly the maners and conditions of them of the house of Farnese and that shee loued more the company of others then his hee poysoned her also Beeing a Legate in Marke d'Ancone in the time of Iulius the second hee most wickedly abused a maide issued of a noble house of that Towne For hee counterfeited and disguised himselfe feigning to bee one of the Gentlemen of the Legates house so vnder the colour of a promise to marrie her deflowred her Who after shee knew the truth what hee was and that shee was not his legitimate wife but his whore at the least by the Canon lawe shee became almost out of her wittes And of this marriage came that great Porteenseigne and Captaine of all Buggerers and Sodomites Peter Lewis As one Nicholas de Chesme found him one day adulterously abusing his wife Laurea Farnese who was the saide Pauls Neece hee wounded him so well with his dagger that hee carried the marke thereof all his life Hee slewe with poyson Bosuis Sforza the husband of his daughter Constance whom before hee had often vsed as his whore to the ende hee might more at his ease and with greater libertie enioy her This Dotard very tyrannously oppressed them of Peruse and droue from the Seignorie Ascanius Columne a very iust Prince This detestable Robber and Rouer tooke and vsurped for himselfe the Towne of Camer after hee had driuen away the Lady thereof which was a woman endowed with a rare and singular religion and prudence and did so much with his practises with Cardinalls that hee exchaunged the said Citie of Camer which was not his owne with the townes of Parme and Plaisance to the end to make his sonne Lewis Lord maister of them Which act afterward by a iust iudgement of God was cause of the death of the said Peter Lewis He often consulted with his Cardinalls how hee might hinder a Nationall Councell in Almaine and commaunded his Embassadors that they should enflame the hearts all Princes against the King of England Anne de Cleues sister of William Duke of Cleues is accorded in marriage to the king of England In the moneth of Maya Comete appeared in the ayre and almost the same day deceased Elizabeth the Emperours wife In August Castelnouo in Illirica is taken againe vpon the Emperor by Barbarosse the great Turkes Lieftenant almost all the garrison of the Spaniards slaine The Citizens of Gaunt rose vp against Mary Regent in the lowe Contries for the Emperour for which cause it was need-full for him to haste
and the Prince vnto the court after stared them prisoners and handled the prince very rigorously On the other side their forces assembled on all sides to ouerrun the realme The king of Spain should enter into Bearne to ruinate destroy the queen of Nauarre and to solemnise the entry of the Estates the prince should haue bene publikely beheaded afterward straigt vpon the conclusion of the Estates the Armies marched to sacke and spoyle such as were suspected and the people were suffered and countenanced to runne vpon all such as were religious to dispatch them with out other Inquisition And to the end to leaue none aliue the King should cause all the Princes Lords and Knights of the order to sweare and seale all the articles of Sorbone sending to the fire without longer proces all such as denied it The Chancelor did the like with such as were of the order d'la longe robe about the court The Parliaments Prelates had charge to do the like with such as belonged to Iustice and to the Cleargie Likewise Ladies honorable womē were not forgotten This being done the Inquisition of Spain entred into France to begin new tragidies But as all things were vpon the point to be executed God cut the strings thereof striking the king Francis with an Apostume in his eare wherewith after he had languished certain dayes he was finally stifled and dyed the fift day of December 1560. hauing only raigned 17. moneths This death ouerthrew the disseines and purposes of the Duke of Guise and constrained the aduersaries of the reformed Church to yeeld some reliefe vnto the faithfull who had that yeare giuen them in mockery the Huguenots because of their night assemblies to muse deuise new subtilties and persecutions whereof we will God willing speake briefly in the years following but yet the Churches in that yeare prospered in all Prouinces with infinite witnesses of God his fauour towards his and of his iudgements vpon his enemies of all estates Some of the Religion were publikely executed in diuers places but for one which died there came a thousand to the doctrine of the Gospell In so much that it was incredible the great number of persons which this yeare and that following forsooke the Romane Religion to come vnto the Christian This yeare Scotland was troubled with a ciuill war by the practises of some which would needs commaund all ouer vnder the colour of maintaining the Romane Religion but they frustrated of their hope and the reformed religion began then to set foote in that kingdome by the fauour and assistance of Elizabeth Queene of England The Queene widowe of Iames the fift died in the moneth of Iune Martin Bucer and Paul Phagius whose bodies had bene buried and burned foure yeares before in England by the sollicitations of Cardinal Poole were established in their first honor and their memorie publikely celebrated the 30. of Iuly The 10. day of Aprill before died that very learned and modest person Phillip Melancton an excellent ornament of all Almaine after whose decease many wicked spirits troubled the Almain Churches which during his life they durst not haue enterprised Ioachim Camerarius a man very learned and his great friend hath described his life The moneth of Ianuary before tooke also from this world Iohn Alasco a Gentleman of Polonia one very affectionate to the aduancement of the kingdome of Chist whose memory is precious in all Churches About the end of the same yeare Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy warred vpon them of the vale of Angrogne and their neighbours professing the doctrine of the Gospell which after assaying all meanes of peace to conserue it offering their Prince all that good subiects should do defended themselues though fewe in number so couragiously and were assisted of God that after many combats they were left in peace which at this present they enioy the fauour of Margarite of France Duchesse of Sauoy amongst other humane meanes seruing them greatly both then and afterwards In the same Countrey of Piemont were seene many prodigious wonders the like in France Austrich Pologne Almain At the begginning and vntill the end of this yeare 1561. the French Churches encreased openly shewed themselues Katherine de Medices Queene mother hauing all affaires in her hand was counselled by the Princes of the house of Bourbon by the Admirall and other great Lords of the Religion by meanes whereof the greatest of the Romane Religion entred into league with them and so made priuie preparation for great troubles and vexations after hapning In the moneth of Ianuary the Princes and great Lords being assembled at S. Germaine in Laye an Edict was made the seuenteenth of the said moneth which on the one side gaue some release and libertie vnto them of the Religion and on an other side curbed and brideled them After the Councell assigned on the ninth day of September following was a conference and disputation at Poissy betwixt the Doctors of the Romane and reformed Churches In that same moneth the Electors and Princes of Almaine being assembled at Neubourge in Turinge to take Councell for maintaining the confession of Ausbourge by them presented vnto the Emperour Charles the 5. Anno 1530. gaue audience about the beginning of February the Popes Embassadors which commaunded them to send their Embassadors vnto the Councel assigned at Trent to effect which they offred for the Pope their M. such safe conduct as was possible to desire The 7. of February the Electors and Princes made answer that they found it strange that the Pope being the cause of all the cōfusions then in the Church should go about to assemble a Councel to assigne it vnto them whom he had nothing to doo to command that they did not neither euer would acknowledge any soueraigntie to belong vnto the Romane seate yea they were assured that it appertained not vnto the Pope to conuocate or call a Councell And after they had shewed the orders and filthinesse of the Romane Church and that it were good to regard and looke vnto the meanes to procure a generall and free Councel they sent away their Embassadors and after they writ vnto the Emperour Ferdinand that they all with a commō aduise agreed vnto the confessiō of Ausbourge afterward they published in an Imprinted writing their causes of reculation against the Councell of Trent These Embassadors went into diuers other places to the same effect but they receiued no good answere o any King Prince or great Lord making profession of the Gospell but especially the Queene of England would not giue leaue to the Abbot Martinengue who was sent by the Pope vnto her to passe the sea to come into England The 5. day of March the Pope caused to bee strangled in the night time in the S. Angelo the Cardinall Charles Caraffe he beheaded also in an other prison the Counte of Palliane and certaine other Cardinalls the next day shewing all their bodies
Conrad Gesner of Zurich a Phisitian learned in the tongues and humane sciences laborious and painfull amongst others and who very diligently writ a perfect and full historie of all beastes foules fishes and creeping things died also in the moneth of December leauing infinite other writings in all sorts of litterature alreadie Imprinted and others to Imprint About the end of this yeare the King Phillip sent from Spaine into the lowe Countries an Edict wherby he ordained that the auncient and new placarts against them of the Religion should be executed that the Inquisition shuld be throughly established and the Inquisitors fauoured in the exercise of their charge that the decrees of the Councell of Trent should be receiued and obserued from point to point These Letters Patents were the cause of all the troubles following and not yet ended The 7. day of Ianuary 1566. Michael Gillier a Monke of Lombardie being come from one degree to an other till he was Cardinall finally was chosen Pope and called himselfe Pius the fift The 21. day of the said moneth the Emperour Maximilian second of that name held his first Imperiall Iourney at Ausbourge where the affaires of Religion was handled Frederick Count Palatin de Rhene and chiefe Elector of the Empire a Christian and magnanimous Prince constantly maintained the pure doctrine and the true reformation established in his Countrey by meanes whereof he made himselfe redoughted of all such is resisted him either openly or secretly and was well beloued of the Emperour and of the greatest in Almaine He was then accompanied with the Prince Cassimere his sonne who kept him good company and a great company of the Nobilitie In the moneth of March and in the other following hapned great troubles in Scotland and finally the King himselfe was strangled in the night and the chamber wherein hee was ouerthrowne with Cannon powder An Earle of that Realme espowsed his widow but being ouerthrowne in battaile by the Nobilitie he fled out of the Realme The Queene thingking to saue her selfe in France was stayed prisoner in England Iames the sixt the sonne of her and her slaine husband at this present King of Scotland of the age of fifteene or sixteene yeares is a Prince of great hope In the same moneth of March at the Imperiall Iourney at Ausbourge the Emperour there assisting it was decreed that the affaires of Religion should remaine in their present estate but for the affaires of the Empire they prouided especially for the warre against the Turkes In the beginning of Aprill certaine great Lords and Gentlemen of the low Countries leagued themselues in good number against the Inquisition pretending the same to be contrary to the liberties of the lowe Countrie The people banded themselues and the Assemblies of them of the Religion began to encrease In so much that the fourth of May there was publike preaching at Antwerpe without the Towne fiue weekes after within the said Towne At the same time such as were leagued against the Inquisition were surnamed les Gueux The cause hereof was for that some of the principalls going to present a request to the Councell of the estate the Sieur de Barlaimont their aduersary said to an other Councellor that sate nigh him Voici mes Gueux Great and litle after that tooke a deuise wearing apparell of gray cloath and peeces of money about their necke hauing on the one side the kings Image and on the other side a beggers dish with this Inscription Faithfull to the king euen to the begers dish In the moneth of Iune Iuly and the other following fell a sharpe warre in Hungary against the Turkes but the end was not very good for the Hungarians and Almaines lost many men in diuers encounters also many strong holdes especially at Zigeth which was besieged by Soliman himselfe who dyed a fewe dayes before the taking thereof Selim the second of that name succeeded his father Soliman was acknowledged and crowned Emperour of the Turkes in the moneth of September and soone after transported himself into Hungarie to prouide for the affaires of that warre and then straight departed towards Constantinople leauing one of his Bâ—ssâ—es called Pertaw to continew who with a puissant Armie of Turkes and Tartarians forraged Hungarie and Transyluania committing very straunge saccagements and cruelties The Vainoda of Transyluania called this Bassa to his succours to recouer certaine places occupied by the Hungarians but perceiuing such succours did wholly ruinate ouerthrow himself he sound means to surprize the Tartarians cut them all in peeces and so dissipated all that Turkish Armie first himselfe beeing well chastifed for drawing such people into his Countrey Iohn Functius a learned Chronographer amongst all them of our time Matthias Horst and Iohn Shnell Ministers of the Gospell at Conigsprucke in Pruse were beheaded the 28. of October for the crime of conspiracie against the Prince Albert who had established the Osiandrisme that is to say the dreames and errors of one Andrew Osiander concerning Christian righteousnesse and other points of Diuinitie which errour these three maintained and would haue reuenged themselues of Albert who had purged his Countrey of that infection The death of Soliman the great whip of Christendome gaue some release vnto Almaine Selim preparing himselfe to make warre vpon Venetians but the Emperour decreed a new warre within Almaine it selfe against Frederick of Saxonie sonne of the dead Elector taken in battaile by Charles the fift The cause heereof was that Iohn Frederick supported and gaue refuge vnto William Grembach and other Gentlemen which were banished out of the Empire because of the murder of Melchior Zobel Bishop of Wirthbourge Augustus Elector Duke of Saxony the Cosin-germaine of Iohn Frederick had the charge of this warre whervnto he prepared himselfe in the moneths of October and Nouember and about the end of the yeare he laid siege before the Towne of Goth where there was a Citadell or Castle one of the strangest in Almaine Iohn Frederick Grombach and others were there which sustained the siege certaine moneths They of the Religion encreased maruellously in Flaunders Brabant and in many other Prouinces of the lowe Countries and their affaires got so forward that the 20. day of August the Images in the Churches of Antwerpe were broken in peeces The Images of other Townes were vsed incontinently after the like handling euen with an incredible swiftnesse by the simple people with such an astonishment of euery one that none of the Magistrates opposed themselues against them William de Nassau Prince of Orange Gouernour of Antwerpe hauing done what he could to hold things in an euennesse and considering that it should be impossible for him to withstand the tempest which he sawe comming gaue place to the time and resolued to retire himselfe into Almaine admonishing other Lords to do the like seeing men made account to think vpon meanes to conserue the priuiledges of the
haue bene a continual prisoner then to be deliuered after such maner D. Chytraeus Two things gaue an alarum to he League one the assembly at Mountauban the other the voyage of the D. d'Espernon to the K. of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fire and began to send out Commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them prohibited the raising of souldiers The first point of their disliking shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and Commons beeing Catholickes to oppose themselues against the heretikes Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to be holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had beene reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the King should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crowne whereof the King of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practice of his friends and fauourers of the king Fiftly because of the great preparations of warre made both within and without the Realme that should be readie by the 15. of Aprill then next ensuing to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourge the 15. of December 1584. against y e religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queen of England should furnish 5000. Rutters 4000. Switzers 12000. English Count Palatine Prince Cassamire and the D. Pomeranie each of them 4000 Rutters The Lantgraue of Hesse two thousand 500. The Duke of Wittemberge 2000. The Lords of their League besides the Queene of Englands Forces 5000. Switzers The Kings Protector and Consull of Scotland 2000. Scots The King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde their Associats twentie and fiue thousand Harquebusiers and 4000. horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the King of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the King of Spaine and to helpe the Emperour to get the Domaines of the Empire withholden by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the moneth of March to Basill and Switzerland there to determine the differences of the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion would not yeeld vp the Townes by them held for the assurance of the execution of the Edict of peace Seuenthly because of the vniuersall abuse suffered in placing of Officers in leauying of monies and by inuention of excessiue oppressions laid vpon the people And lastly against such as at abusing the Kings fauour and authoritie had in a manner seazed vpon his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest men vnto him consumed the Kings treasures braued the Nobilitie out of the libertie of iustice spoiled the Cleargie of their Tithes and perswaded the King that it was necessary for his seruice to weaken and diminish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes and Lords Vpon these iust occasions they said they were forced to meete in armes H. of Fr. The League made warre against the Huguenots seazing vpon the best Townes of the Catholickes in all the Realme Religion was preached in Guyenne and they went to driue it out of Picardie the Huguenots were Rochell and the Leagues Army marched straight to Paris they were at Mountpellier and the League set vpon Marsaille which by meanes of the second Consull of the Towne they tooke who afterward was hanged Antwerpe a Citie Brabant the most famous Towne of all Belgia and Europe after Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma had stopped their passage by the Riuer by the space almost of an whole yeare constrained by famine and the daily tumult of the common people who desired peace returned to the obedience of the king of Spaine yeelded to the Duke vpon very meane conditions On the 26. of Iune arriued at London Deputies for the Estates of the Netherlands or lowe Countries and on the 29. of the same they came to Greenwich where by vertue of their commission from the vnited Countries they presented to her Maiestie the soueraigntie of those Countries to wit of Brabant but the commission for the siege of Antwerpe not fully authorised of Gelder of Flaunders Holland Friseland Zeland and Vtrick I. Hooker The Queene of England of her most gracious compassion and mercie tooke into her protection and defence the estate of Poland and Zeland Syr Frances Drake Generall of the English Nauie tooke his voyage to the coasts of Spaine and America that thereby hee might weaken the power of king Phillip hee tooke the greene Promontory where the ships that are to goe to America lie at Roade Then came he to Hispaniola an Iland of S. Domingo in the beginning of Ianuary where he stirred vp the slaues of Affrica and Aethiopia who had there their Colonies and were so cruelly handled that many times in dispaire they offered violence to themselues to fight for their libertie who being armed by thē killed the Spaniards and deliuered vp the I le He tooke all their gold which was ready shipped for Spaine 254. peeces of Ordinance and returned richly laden with gold into England before Autumne with 23. ships D. Chytraeus At this time was the conspiracie of Anth. Babington Salisbury Tytchbourne Abington c. against our most gracious Soueraigne incited thereto by Mary Q. of Scots who for this traiterous attempt were arraigned conuicted condemned executed according to the law made for traitors A great victory hapned to the Queen in Ireland against the E. of Arrane and L. Feruhurst who were banished out of Scotland These practised with the Guise the Spaniards brought with thē 3000. Scots into Ireland and at Conocke they were put to the sword by S. Ri. Bingā gouernor of that prouince Chytraeus Vpon the 8. day of September Robert E. of Leicester accompanied with diuers honorable personages Captaines and souldiers with a traine to the number of 50. sailes of ships and hoyes set forward toward Flushing where he was princely entertained by Graue Maurice second son to the deceased Prince of Orange I. Hooper The Pope excommunicated the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde declaring him incapable to the succession of the Crowne of France abandoning his person and his Countries for a pray to such as could obtaine it but they sleigthly regarding it opposed themselues against it The K. of Nauarre complained himselfe to all the estates of France in that they had caused the succession of a king being yet aliue to be decided in the Court of Rome made the title of a Prince of the bloud to be iudged by the Pope and suffered the Consistorie to giue that which belonged not vnto them he sent his Letters to the Cleargie the Nobilitie and the Commons The Princes of Germanie that sought to aide such as were of their religion perceiuing France to
be a body wounded to death sent their Embassadors to the K. desiring him to open his eyes to the teares his eares to the complaints of his poore subiects to heare the requests of his neighbours for his owne good the quietnes and honor of his faith his name and reputation The K. answered that he knew what was necessary for himselfe and his subiects that according to the cause and for their good and tranquillitie he had made and changed his ordinances as all Princes in Christendome vse to do and that for his part hauing the feare of God the loue of his subiects liuely ingrauen in his heart hee would do nothing against the honour of his conscience nor the fatherly care he had of his people With which answere they returned not well pleased This yeare Augustus Duke of Saxonie one of the Princes Electors new come from hunting suddenly died being of the age of 60. yeares and was buried at Friberge Genebrardus There died likewise at the same time Margarite of Austria the base daughter of Charles the fift and mother of Alexander Duke of Parma and Gouernour of Belgia Charles Count Palatine married Dorithie the daughter of William Duke of Brunswick at Cella D. Chytraeus On the fourth day of Iune L. Edward Earle of Rutland went Embassador into Scotland for a ratificatiō of a firme bond of peace betweene Elizabeth Queene of England Iames the sixt K. of Scots vpon certain causes necessary and important which was confirmed at Barwicke the 19. of Iune where the Embassadors of Scotland were likewise present I. Vowell The 16. of Iuly not farre from Barwick the borderers of both the Nations of England and Scotland assembled to determine for recompence of all such iniuries as each people offered to other at what time the Lord of Fernhurst Warden of the Scottish borders Iames Steward Earle of Arrane then Chauncelor and Syr 〈◊〉 Russell Knight Lord Russell and Syr I. Forster Knight Warden of their middle Marshes came with their company When the Wardens were set vpon the bench there did suddenly arise amongst the people a contention whereby followed at the first some small fray which beeing perceiued by the Lord Russell hee arose from the bench and called for his horse who meaning to appease the matter went amongst the prease at what time a certaine number of shot comming on him he was suddenly but most vniustly slaine with a peece amongst the rest discharged against him by a Scot borne about that place suspected by the most to be the Lord of Fernhursts brother The losse of which noble Gentleman being of so great a hope was much lamented and that especially for his vntimely death so iniuriously by the Earle of Arrane as the common report went procured and so suddenly performed hee in the 35. yeare of his age did bereaue the Realme of England of a goodly young person well stayed in gouernment bountiful wise and vertuous whose death happened the day before that his honourable father the Earle of Bedford departed this world I. Hooker Fourteene thousand Heluetians who were Catholickes and commaunded to appeare by the King of Nauarre went to the aide of the holy League but before they tooke their iourney they all receiued the Sacrament and swore that they did beare Armes onely for the defence of the Catholicke faith but if the king shuld be found to do any fauour to the Heluetians they promised to lay downe their weapons and returne Anth. Cicarella A Parliament was held in Nouember both for the continuing of the defence of the lowe Countries against the King of Spaine and as for the determining of the treacherous practises of the Queene of Scot shee was forthwith conueyed to Foderinghay Castle in Northampton Shire which sometimes belonged to the Dukes of Lancaster where being tried by the Nobles of the Realme shee was found guiltie and afterward beheaded She was crowned Queene of Scots when she was but 18. moneths old and after in the sixt yeare of her raigne called into France where at 15. yeares she was married to Frances the second then the Dolphin of France being 14. yeares of age with whom she liued three yeares After whose decease she returned into Scotland and was married to Henry Arlye at the age of 22. by whom she had one onely sonne Ieames the sixt now king This husband dead she was married the third time to the Earle of Bothuell who died in prison after this she liued 18. yeares in England Genebrardus Gulielmus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua departed this life whom his onely sonne Vincentius succeeded being of the age of 25. yeares Idem Syr F. Drake returned out of America came into Zeland the other fleete went towards India who tooke two ships out of S. Thomas I le and the Gouernour thereof The one of them perished the other was brought home a rich prize This yeare at Zutphen in Gilderland S. Phillip Sidney Englands Mars and Muse was shot in the thigh with a Musket whereof he died His body was conueyed into England and honourably buried in Powles I. Vowell Frederick king of Denmarke sollicited by the king of Nauarre for aide against Guise sent his Embassadors to Henry king of France who should entreate that the peace of the reformed Religion graunted before by the king and confirmed by oath might bee kept with the king of Nauarre and his followers D. Chytraeus At Augusta after the superintendent was cast out the estate of the Ministers of the Church waxed euery day worse For after that the Gregorian Calendar was receiued of them the pontificall Magistrate assured to himselfe authoritie and right of choosing and calling the Ministers of the Church which priuiledge the Elders and Gouernours of the Church had before with the Ministery held it by the authority of the Emperor who sent Commissioners to that end into the Citie But when the Ministers of the Church would not agree to them they were all commanded to depart the Citie before Sunne set and others of the same confession were called from Noriberga and other places and substituted in their places Whom when the people could not heare nor vse their seruice the pontificall Magistrate besides the garrison that was alreadie in the towne brought more souldiers thereby to terrifie them and bring them to obedience D. Chytraeus Iulius Bishop of Wurtzeburg began to vse great crueltie towards them of the confession of Augusta in his Diocesses banishing many of them and constraining them to sell their goods in so short a space that they left the third part to him William Lantsgraue of Hesse his neighbour disswaded him from this crueltie but following the example of Balthasar Abbot of Fulden who greatly persecuted his subiects vnder the praetext of Religion hee not only incurred the hatred of all men but was depriued of all titles and dignities Idem This yeare vpon the 27. of September Stephen Bathorus King of Poland Prince of Transiluania
THE Estate of the Church With the discourse of times from the Apostles vntill this present Also of the liues of all the Emperours Popes of Rome and Turkes As also of the Kings of Fraunce England Scotland Spaine Portugall Denmarke c. With all the memorable accidents of their times Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike Gentleman LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1602. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Syr VVilliam VVray of Glentworth in the Countie of Lincolne Knight THis worke Right Worshipfull called the Estate of the Church from the beginning of the raigne of the Emperour Augustus to the first yeare of Rodolph the second now liuing First written in French by I. Crispinus and lately translated into our mother tongue by a Gentleman of desert at the request of my very friends I haue bene intreated to propagate to this present time For him although some hold that translation is not capable of that elegance as is the original because the one hath full libertie of inuentiō the other is by necessitie tyed to obseruation yet in my opinion the Author hereof for his faithfull significant indeuour therin hath deserued to be ranked with the choisest inuentions For my selfe in the continuation as I haue alwaies in matters of small consequence shewed the mightie perturbation of my mind feare so in this labour of extraordinary moment especially in presuming of protection vnder your worships patronage I am confounded since the shewe of my deuotion is begun with so meane a sacrifice for to this heape I haue onely added an handfull In the whole discourse is set downe at large the originall of Papacie that slaughter-house of consciences the aduancing increasing therof the beginnings of all heresies the persecutions of the faithfull the chaunge of religions the decrees and Councells of Bishops the Canonie and lawes of the Church The iudiciall knowledge wherof is a light illuminating the blindnesse of soules and deliuering them from the more then Cimerian darkenesse of ignorance This rectifieth the iudgement of man and teacheth him rightly to distinguish between true Religion and superstition who both haue one ground which is his soule This prospectiue shewing the spots and errors of the Church of Rome with the darke sullen colours of hypocrisie heresie which two venemous wormes like snakes do poyson and infect the florishing estate of a setled Church will manifest the right Diaphonia and concord thereof But iealous of this ouer-boldnesse I take my leaue humbly dedicating my poore labours to your Worships true-iudicial consideratiō desiring withal your gentle hand of approbation to this essentiall testimony of my most dutious loue Your Worships humbly at commaund IOHN CRISPIN to the Church of Iesus Christ SVch as apply their spirites to collect Histories ought to look vnto this principall marke to propose as in a glasse the power wisedome iustice and admirable bountie of the liuing and eternall God to the ende hee may lesse nothing among men of that which appertaineth vnto him As indeed he proposeth and setteth out nothing in the world be it in the person of kings or of such as be of base condition wherein he meanes not to shew that it is hee which setteth his hands to all things that men may learne to depend vpon him to hope for all good things at his hands and to honour and tremble vnder his iudgements When we see an Historie that some kingdome hath bin established and brought into good estate which before was dissipated diuided or else that some man hath bene deliuered from some great calamity and hath recouered some prosperitie behold heere is a glasse to let them know which reade such things what good and happie issue they may attend at Gods hands after long and troublesome calamities if they trust in him Againe if we encounter such an example that a Common-wealth which otherwise was of no great force to resist many enterprises attempted against it yet it standeth fast only making it selfe strong vpon the succours it looked for at Gods hands behold here a Painter to represent vnto vs liuely with what wisedome God worketh breaking the counsels of the proud which abuse their power to confound and oppresse such in the middest of which he hath established his seate to be honoured Moreouer when such witnesses appeare as the greatnes force magnificence the long spreading stretching of great Monarchies cannot often hinder but all this hath bin ouerthrowne or at the least comen to some decay this is an other portrait which should make vs thinke vpon the admirable iudgements of God raigning who therein shewe euidently has strong and outstretched arme from aboue and would giue men to know that if he can reduce and bring to nothing powers established in so apparant assurance farre more easily can he ouerthrow euery arrogant and proud head to the end there may be no humaine creature of what condition or estate soeuer it be which trembleth not in the consideration of such wonderfull iudgements Moreouer so many chaunges and straunge mutations which the discourse of time bringeth vs do demonstrate vnto vs what may be the assurance and felicitie of all the frame of the world and what may be the common condition of men As indeed there is nothing so well gouerned vnder the Sunne be it neuer so well ordeined and established which is not subiect to diuers chaunges We see the Crownes of kings fall downe to the earth the scepters of Emperours bruised yea broken in pieces the glory of Common-weales fade and decaie but ambitiō proud ingratitude insatiable auarice of such as were ordeined to rule and acknowledged not God are the cause of such ouerthrowes and mutations But since all men seeke to finde some firme estate wherein they may subsist stand the reading of such examples should bring them to behold their God who is the firmitie assurance of all things and without whom nothing can remaine firme one minute of time And as he hath shewed this assurance in the middest of his Church against all tempests and stormes and against all the assaults machinations of Antichrists as is clearly shewed in this present collection so should this bee the refuge of euery one to finde out that hee would seeke for The Church may well be shaken but it can neuer be ouerthrowne for it leaneth vpon the foundation of the truth of God It may be tossed by tempests waues stormes but her ancre ascendeth euen to heauen and is sure held by the hand of him which cannot be remoued out of his place But contrary men perceiue not the stormes and tempests which are to settle and sinke the great kingdomes of the world yet it is so that without being shaken they fall vanish away as of thē selues But the spirituall kingdome of the sonne of God which is his Church ought not to be esteemed after the daungers of this present life for it is
from the Sonne as the Father They agreed also to Purgatorie and the Romane Pope to be the primate of the Catholicke Church which they had neuer done before now but euer were of contrarie opinions But as soone as they were come to their Countrey againe at the perswasion of Marcus Bishop of Ephesus they againe denied the two last Articles Plat. Vola and Naucler It is straunge that the Grecians which haue beene so slowe to acknowledge and confesse so true a doctrine of the holy Ghost are now so quick and light to accord so friuolous and false a thing that is to receiue and beleeue against all holy scripture that there is a Purgatorie and Romane Pope to be Primate of the Catholicke and Vniuersall Church wherevnto the first generall Councell had openly resisted in the time of Constantine the great In the said Councell of Florence the Armenians and Indians were also brought into the vnion of the Romane Church and promised to keepe and maintaine the Sacrament of Confirmation Naucler This Pope Eugenius confirmed Annates vpon all Benefices Hee Canonized S. Nicholas Tolentin of the order of the Hermits of S. Augustine Bessarion Cardinall flourished and his house at Rome was open to euery man of knowledge like a Colledge Vadian Sigismond of the age of 70 yeares died and was buried in Hungarie in the citie called Albe His wife Barbara was without all religion and without God insatiable in all paliardize and whoredome Shee mocked her damzels because they fasted and prayed saying they must liue iocondly and merily and take all their pleasures during this life for after death the soule perisheth with the bodie The Councell of Basill continued still and proceeded against Eugenius the fourth who after many times cyting and not appearing was publikely deposed by the authoritie of the Councell the tenth of Iuly Eugenius mooued herewith incited the Dolphin of France who after was called king Lewis the 11. to lead a great Armie in to the Countrey of Ferrara and Alsarce and to come to Basill Wherefore the said Councell brake vp and herevpon came many mischiefes See Naucler Albert the fift of that name Duke of Austrich and second king of the Romanes of that name sonne of Albert the fourth Duke of Austrich was scant 10. yeares olde when his father died of poyson fighting against Iosse Marquesse of Morauia but being yer vnder Tutors which were his vncles there was great strife betwixt them for his tutelage Therefore Vienna and all the Countrey of Austrich endured great calamities till Albert came to age and was dispatched of his tutelage and planted a peace in Austrich which was before full of theeues and of Intestine warres After the yeare 1422. he espowsed Elizabeth the doughter of Sigismond and had with her in marriage the noble Townes of Maruia But after the death of Sigismond he was chosen king of Hungaria by the consent of all the principall of the Countrey and Crowned the yeare of grace 1438. After this he was also made king of Bohemia and that came because there was a great alliance betwixt the Kings of Boheme and the Dukes of Austrich whereby they had ordained betwixt them that whensoeuer one of the houses remained without heire-male of the other they should create a king He was also chosen king of the Romanes by the common accord of all the Princes Electors The yeare 1459. the 17. day of Nouember in the Councell of Basill after the deposition of Eupenius the Cardinalls elected Amedeus of Ayme Duke of Sauoy and called him Felix the fift so came into the Church the 23. schisme and diuision which endured the space of sixteene yeares Some followed Eugenius others Felix some said they were newters and so obeyed neither one nor the other The Kings of France England Spaine Scotland obeyed the Pope Eugenius For although he was deposed yet held he good during his life This Councell of Basill assembled with great authoritie was notwithstanding dissipated and broken by one onely Pope That of Constance deposed three and ordained the fourth This could not bring about to depose one Fasci Temp. In the Councell of Basill it was forbidden that secular Princes Councellors and Communalties vpon paine of excommunication should not bee so hardie to greete and submit the Churchmen with tallies and common collection Fasci temp Augustine of Rome was condemned an heretike in the said Councell and there was confirmed the Conception of the Virgin Marie to bee kept as a solemne Feast But to the contrarie see Epiphanius in his 3 Booke and 12. Tome 68. and 69. heresie See also S. Bernard in the Epist 154. to the Canons of Lions The said Councell then confirmed that the Virgin Marie was conceiued without originall sinne it also confirmed her visitation In this time was a Councell held of the French Church at Bourges in Berry and there was published the pragmatike sanction which is all the marrow and substance of the Canons of the Councell of Basill to bee expresly obserued for euer Iohn le Maire The Duke Aime of Sauoy after the death of his wife Margarite of Bourgongne had left his Ducall estate and withdrew himselfe into an hermitage pleasant and delightfull called Ripaille vpon the Lake of Lansanne which he had caused to bee sumptuously builded and so left the gouernment of his signiories to his eldest sonne Lewis father of Duke Phillebert of Sauoy Beeing then in his said place of Ripaille the said Duke Anne with tenne knights all hermits wearing great beardes and simple cloathing and writhen staues full of knottes in great renowne of sanctetie of life was by the said Councell elected to be Pope as is said the 17. of Nouember the yeare 1439. and the 17. day of December the election was denounced vnto him and he went vnto Basill and was there solemnly crowned in the presence of two of his eldest sonnes Before this ceremonie his Beard was taken from him and in a small time he learned the Romane office He created some Cardinalls of great estimation and vertue Iohn le Maire The Emperour being called to goe into Hungarie sound himselfe greatly tormented in the moneth of August with an intollerable heate which hee thought to haue taken away by colde viands which brought to him a fluxe of the belley euen to bloud whereof he died the yeare 1439. nigh Strigoma after hee had beene Emperour almost two yeares Hee left two daughters and his wife with childe who soone after brought forth Ladislaus Frederic Duke of Austrich after Albert was Emperour of Rome He loued peace and rest restrained and brideled easily them of Austrich which stirred strifes and commotions So extinguished he the warre alreadie commenced by Matthias king of Hungarie by agreement with him Likewise this Frederic making warre against the Flemmings to haue his sonne Maximilian whom they detained prisoner appeased and contented them by the punishment of some and so taking and receiuing his
at that seruice but he refused to kisse the dish or pax offered by the Cardinall of Ausbourge who sung the Masse whereat the Cardinall was so despited that he said vnto him If thou wilt haue no blessing receiue a curse euerlasting Other deputies of the Townes and Princes of the confession of Ausbourge entered not into the Church Certaine time after Othon Henry Elector Palatin left his dignitie and estates to Frederick who reformed his Countrey after the pure doctrine whereof he shewed himselfe a constant and faithfull protector with an admirable wisedome and moderation The Diethmarsois yeelded themselues vnto Frederick the 2. of that name king of Denmarke about the end of the moneth of Iune after they had couragiously maintained the war and receiued diuers battailes before they gouerned themselues without yeelding any subiection vnto any person But now they yeelded to gouernment about 35. yeares after the death of Henry de Supphon minister of the word of God whom they had cruelly put to death in the Towne of Meldorf where the truth of the Gospell encreased greatly by the preachings of that man The first day of Ianuary that Christian king of Denmarke of the age of 56. yeares died and about three weekes after died also Christierne his Cosin and predecessor who for his vniust wicked dealings was driuen away of his subiects straying out of his own kingdome the space of 10. yeares thinking to come thither again was taken vpon these and after locked in prison where he reamined 17. years vntil his death being vs the age of 78. Laurence Priarli Duke of Venice Heroides Duke of Ferrare died the same year y e one inâ—â—â— the other in Octo. Paul 4. hauing bin Pope 4. yeares 2. moneths 27. daies died the 18 day of August 1559. of the age of 85. yeares Scant had he yeelded vp his spirit but the Romane people which wished death vnto him because of his warres exactions and 〈◊〉 brake the prisons of the Inquisition deliuered the prisoners fired the whole building threw downe the Popes Image cutting off the head and right hand 〈…〉 which were drawne three dayes 〈◊〉 〈…〉 cast 〈…〉 And it was 〈◊〉 that the Armes of the family of â—â—râ—ffes should be plucked downe from all places of the towne and burst in peeces which was 〈◊〉 the same day His body was in daunger to haue bene handled as his Images and so had bene but that they kept certaine dayes 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—d and strong hand from the people He was also very violent in his Popedome not only toward his enemies many of which were yet in prison but also towards his seruants and friends The 26. day of the said moneth of August Phillip d' Austrich king of Spaine hauing set in order his affaires in Flaunders and the lowe Countries made saile from the Hauen of Flushing into Spaine pretending to set vpoÌ„ the Turke seeing he was agreed with the king of France Elizabeth the eldest daughter of the dead king Henry being accorded vnto him for wife and committed vnto the king of Nauarre other to conuoy her euen vnto the frontiers of Spaine But being embarked with a great number of ships and all the riches which his father had heaped vp out of Almain Italy with a great quantitie of the rich Tapistry of Flaunders as he approached the port of S. Iames in Galicie so great a tempest arose that of all that magnificall furniture and riches gotten together with so long time and so great trauell nothing arriued in safetie but the sea was made heire of those riches euen in the sight of the Spaniards As for him that tempest spared him so litle that scant could he set foote in any 〈◊〉 but the vessel wherein he was was ready to sinke into the bottome of the sea This losse chafed him so much the more against them of the Religon especially of the lowe countries which were there persecuted with fire and sword before after his departâ—â—â— In England the Churche got vp vnder the peâ—câ—â—ble gouernment of Elizabeth As for Scotland many came vnto the Gospell and they so multiplied that soone after they remained maisters The Papall seate being vacant the space of foure moneths by the aduise of the Cardinalls Iohn Angelus de Medicis Cardinall was chosen Pope about the end of December and was crowned the sixt day of Ianuary 1560. naming himselfe Pius the fourth he liued in the throne of error fiue yeares eleuen moneths and fifteene dayes He confirmed the election of the Emperour Ferdinand which his predecessour would not approue hee also iustified and set at libertie out of prison certiane Cardinalls and Bishops At the beginning of this said moneth Elizabeth of France was brought to the limits of Spaine deliuered into the hands of the Cardinall de Burges of the Duke d'el Infantasque King Phillip his deputies vnto whom they brought her and there was great triumphs in the celebration of the marriage which they called the firme bond to holde vnited the kingdomes of France and Spaine Charles Prince of Spaine receiued the homages of many Townes insomuch that for a time there was nothing but reioycings Iusts Feasts and Bankets through all King Phillips Countries but this mirth endured no long time as shall be seene hereafter For the estate of France the Churches had many troubles this yeare For the violent and illegitimate domination of the house of Guise which ruled the king and the kingdome at their pleasure the recoyling of Princes and great Lords the despising of the states and other coÌ„fusions brought in by these new gouernours stirred a great part of the Nobilitie to ioyne themselues together to get the King out of the hands of such people and to procure by good order that things might return into their auncient estate And because this could not be executed but by armes they assembled certaine troupes vnder the conduct of Godfroy de Barry seur de la Renaudie and other valiant Captains to come vnto Amboise to seaze the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine to make an account of their administration But hauing bene discouered and betrayed long time before they came into the field this enterprise did but â—â—uenome make more cruell the Lords of Guise Insomuch that they put to death a great number of Lordes Captaines Gentlemen and souldiers at Amboise And because the most part of them professed the true religion then in France called Lutherisme the Cardinall charged the Churches that they had made this enterprise yea they dealt with y e princes of the blood royall namely with Anthonie de Burbon king of Nauarre and his brother Lewis de Burbon prince of Conde after with the houses of Montmorencie of Chastillon determining to roote vp churches houses all at once to effect which the Lordes of Guise made infinit preparatiues all this yeare both within without the realme they also found meanes to draw the king of Nauarre
the Count de Lodron theyr Captaine After by the space of certaine moneths hee remained peaceable in his gouernment of the lowe Countries which he forraged at his pleasure heaping vp a maruellous bootie to himselfe The third ciuill warre tooke an end in France and the Edict of pacification was published in the Parliament of Paris the 11. day of August Iohn Brencius a Minister in the Duchie of Witemberge of the age of 69. yeares and who had begun to preach write after the first Doctors of our time died the 11. day of September Certaine yeares before his death he had published by diuers Imprinted bookes a new opinion to maintaine the carnall presence of Iesus Christ in his holy Supper The summe of this opinion willing to attribute to the flesh of Iesus Christ a presence in all places as well as to his diuine nature was that the humane and diuine nature being inseperably vnited in one alone person the humane is in each place as well as the diuine But in the explication of this mysterie he maintained that the personall vnion of these two natures in Iesus Christ doo onely signifie that they are together not otherwise in Iesus Christ then in S. Peter and other seruants of God according to the essence But as to the efficacie that all the properties of the diuine nature are really and indeed dispersed and communicated to the humane nature so that thereby hauing egall maiestie and power with the diuine the said diuine nature worketh and doth nothing without it Although the authoritie of this person serued to the increase of this dangerous errour yet there wanted not for many learned men which opposed themselues betimes against this errour and prooued euen to Brencius himselfe without that either he or any of his Disciples could answer pertinently therevnto that if such an opinion of the vbiquitie of the flesh of Iesus Christ and of the personall vnion of the two natures according to the definition of Brencius were true the two natures of Iesus Christ should be seperated euen according to the essence as well in Iesus Christ as in S. Peter and other the faithfull and Christ should be God after the flesh Behold a blasphemie which establisheth the heresie of Nestorius seperating the two natures of Christ and which on the other side confoundeth the properties of those two natures as did the heretike Eutiches Notwithstanding that they discouered to Brencius the absurdities and blasphemies rising vpon his opinion yet left not he to maintaine it hauing a Disciple called Iames Andreas who with certaine other that after rose vp added errors vnto errors And which is worse Brencius in the end of his life in the place to humble himselfe before God for so molesting the Churches in the making of his testament thundred against the Churches which approoued not his vbiquitie being so farre audacious euen he alone who could not vnto the purpose reply to the arguments of certaine Doctors which liuely refuted him as to condemne all the Churches of France England Scotland Suetia and others This testament was maintained by his Disciples and from that time till this instant hath caused great euils and kindled a fire which cannot be extinguished if God set not too his hand in some especiall maner The last day of October East and West Friseland Holland Zeland Brabant and other places thereabouts were sore tormented and beaten with a straunge tempest of windes and two dayes after the Sea swelled and hauing broken and ouerthrowne her dikes and leuies drowned many Countries and infinite people and cattaile with such an astonishment of all that it was feared all the lowe Countries would haue bene swallowed vp There happened as much in the Balthike sea especially at Hambourge There was also great ouerflowings of waters in France about the end of this yeare About this time the Turke made quicke warre vpon the Venetians in the I le of Cyprus with a puissant Army which by assault tooke Nicosia one of the greatest Townes thereof wherein there was made a cruell and bloudie butcherie of the besieged in the moneth of September The fourteenth day of Nouember Phillip King of Spaine espowsed his Nieco Mario the daughter of the Emperor Maximilian The 17. of Nouember a great Earthquake hapned at Venice Ferrara and other places of Italy whervpon followed maruellous tuines and desolations especially at Ferrara The 26. and others following Charles King of Fraunce espowsed at Mezieres Elizabeth the daughter of the Emperor Maximilian The 16. of December the Riuer of Rhene so ouerflowed that in 80. yeares had not beene seene the like wherevpon many discourses published remembring the miseries passed and the wonders happening teach vs euery one to feare and preuent the euils to come The 11. of the same moneth the Emperor assembled the estates at Spire to prouide for the affaires of Almaine and to giue audience vnto straunge Embassadors The Kings of Denmarke and Snede made peace together the 13. of the same moneth hauing bene at warre together 10. yeares or there abouts The 20. of that moneth the Embassadors of the Protestant Princes made a long oration to the King of France beeing then at Villers to exhort him aboue all things to keepe his Edict of pacification which he promised to doo The French Churches lifted vp their heads after many stormes Ieachim Elector of Brandebourge died the second day of Ianuary and 11. dayes after deceased also his brother Iohn Marquesse of Brandebourge The 13. day of March Iohn Vaiuoda of Transiluania suffering himselfe to be gouerned by a pernitious heretike called Blandrata one that counterfeited himself a Phisitian was slaine by the drugges of the said Blandrata and died without heires by meanes whereof Stephen Bathory was chosen Vaiuoda in his roome The 28. day of May began a disputation betwixt Peter Datherius Minister of the Gospell and 15. Preachers Anabaptists in the presence of Frederick Elector Palatin who had giuen them safe conduct The Articles in the disputation to the number of 13. touched that which is in chiefe debate at this day betwixt them and the reformed Churches namely of the authoritie of Canonicke bookes of the old and new Testament of the vnitie of the diuine essence and of the destination of the three persons subsisting therein of the one flesh and humane nature of Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Mary of the Israelitike and Christian Church of originall sinne of little children of iustification of the resurrection of the flesh of excommunication and diuorce of the proprietie and possession of goods of the Magistrate and of criminall iustice of an oath of the Baptisme of litle children and of the communion of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper This disputation was set downe in writing and continued from the 28. of May vntil the 19. of Iune without any fruite because of the obstinacie of the Anabaptists
all that yeare passed in doubtfulnesse in regard of the Churches and the estate of France Warre began in Flaunders in Brabant betwixt Iohn de Austria and the Estates he gained a battaile the last day of Ianuary and after he got Giblon Louaine Arcscod Tiltmond Diest and Sichem and in this last handled most discourteously the officers of the place The 8. of February the Towne of Amsterdem by capitulation with the Prince the estates of Holland revnited themselues with the other Townes of the Countrie vnder the Princes gouernment The estates at the same time sent their Embassador to the Imperiall iourney where they shewed the iustice of their cause and demaunded succours The Duke Cassimire prepared himselfe with an Army the Queene of England also promised to furnish them with men and money Cassamire by the counsell of Imbysa Consull of Gaunt and Borhutus was requested by those of Flaunders to take the Earldome vpon him came to Gaunt where he found Petrus Dathenus and others the chiefe of the congregation by whom the Citizens being stirred vp thrust out all the Masse Priests and Monkes out of the Citie and put their goods into their treasurie to serue afterwards for the necessary vse of the Common-wealth and by a booke set forth by them they drew others to the free libertie not onely ciuill but also to a libertie of conscience and religion From thence Cassamire in the beginning of the next yeare came to the Queene of England for money to pay his souldiers Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma the sonne of Octauius the Nephewe of Peter and Pope Paulus the 3. his Nephewes sonne was created Duke of Parma by the King of Spaine D. Chytraeus The Iesuites and certaine Friars were thrust out of Antwerpe in the moneth of May as then Phillits a Towne yeelded it selfe by composition to the Spaniard Kempens was besieged taken by the estates A noble encounter hapned betwixt thē and Iohn de Austria who had the worst the first of August In the moneth of August a free exercise of the reformed Religion was permitted in Antwerpe by Mathias Arch-duke chiefe Generall and Lieftenant of the Prince of Orange and the authoritie of the estates So the libertie of Religion was proclaimed vpon these conditions that the reformed should not hinder or trouble either by themselues or others the rights and exercises of the olde Religion nor should offer any iniurie reproach or violence to any one for the diuersitie in Religion that they should obey the political Magistrates beare the like taxes impositiōs with other Citizens that they shuld haue no Sermons but in such places as the Magistrates appointed that the Ministers should swear to preach nothing scandalous or seditious in their Sermons that no man shuld spoile any holy place or breake any Images nor should sell any ballads or libels reproachful to the other religiō c. These the Gouernor the Deputie of Brabant the Praetor Senate of Antwerpe promised to receiue into their charge and patronage This libertie of religion they of Gaunt with the Hollanders and Zelanders embraced To the which a litle after the States of Geldria condiscended But the Hannonians Artesians taking in very ill part that the Catholick Roman religion which they professed at Bruxelles they would constantly retaine before the Emperror the King of Spaine and other Princes should now be left and abolished of thē of Gaunt in whose Citie their protestation was made seperated themselues frō the other estates who had changed their religion by bookes published accused them of their inconstancie and periurie And therein protest that they wil be faithful maintainers defenders of the Catholick Romane faith and true liegemen to the king if he would conserue their priuiledges These were presently called Malcontents who forthwith made war vpon them of Gaunt deadly hating them for this change They of the reformed religion at Antwerpe desired to haue their religious exercise which they obtained with fewe Churches namely the Chappell of the Castle the Temple of the Iesuits of the Iacobins S. Andrewes and halfe of the Friars Certain daies after the Protestants of Ausbourge obtained also certain tēples The Emperor the King of France sought to make some agreement betwixt the parties but it came to nothing On the other side Cassimere hauing soiourned in the Countrey of Zutphen certaine time for the muster of his people being in number 4000. footmen 6000. horsmen came into Brabant and ioyned with the Estates the 26. of August Iohn de Austria died of the pestilence in his campe nigh Nance the 21. of Octob. Alexander Prince of Parma succeeded him in his charge The Malcontents made war vpō the Gauntois vnder the conduct of Sieur de Montignie the Cardinall of Granuell his brother This league did after maruellously hinder the proceedings of States affaires and vnder that ouerture the Spaniards who could not long haue stood do hitherto maintaine themselues The 20. of Nouember the Towne of Deuentry yeelded it selfe by composition vnto the Estates Mathew Hamond by his trade a ploughwright three miles frō Norwich was conuented before the Bishop therof for that he denied Christ to be our Sauiour For this and many other heresies he was condemned in the Consistorie and burned in the Castle ditch of Norwiche About the end of the yeare they of Alenson forsooke the Estates to draw into France The Prince of Orange appeased the troubles which hapned at Gaunt Almaine was then in quiet in regard of ciuill affaires but greatly troubled by the practises and factions of certaine Disciples of Brencius the father of the Vbiquitaries whereof after followed many disputations without any conclusion of the mater They which desired a truce of peace in the Church attended no other thing by the sollicitation of so many wandering spirits but some great troubles in both the politicke and Ecclesiasticall estates if God be times remedie not the same by the wisedome of the Princes and States of the Empire At this time the Irish men rebelled in diuers parts of that kingdome pretending the libertie of Religion and complained to the Pope taking for their leader the Earle of Desmond Onrake and some other of the sauage Irish affirming that if they were aided they would easily drawe the whole Countrey from the Queenes obedience The Pope did communicate this with the Catholicke King exhorting him to vndertake this action as most godly and to succour this people the which they resolued to do But for as much as the Queene of England did seeme in words friend vnto the King and did as the Spaniards supposed couertly vnderhand assist the Prince of Orange in Flaunders against him the King would likewise walke in the same path and make a couert warre against her They concluded to assist this people in the Popes name but secretly at the Kings charge To this effect they leuied certaine footemen in
the promulgation of the Councell of Trent and the constitution of the Inquisition was vrged by the Popes Legate against the intercession of the Senate and the liberties of the Church of France That in England by the treacherous practises of the Iesuites the hearts of her maiesties subiects were drawne from their alleagiance As for the Scots such matters were set abroach euen in the Court that those of the better sort and such as studied for the common good and peace of the realme by the dissention of some Nobles and the Kings youth were banished which vnlesse it were presently remoued it would hazard the estate of their Church and raise warre betweene England and Scotland The miseries of Belgia it being so ouerpressed by the Spanish powers and they euery day encreasing promise no good successe to their Church In Heluetia by the Popes contributions subtilties and the most turbulent preachings of the Iesuites these two yeares haue bene ciuil warres Insomuch that the Bernates imbracers of the reformed Religion should be oppressed by the power of the D. of Sauoy The Churches of Suecia stand wauering whilest the Popish ceremonies are there kept and Iesuites frequent the Court and feare least their perswasions should alienate their King And for Germanie in the which by the care sinceritie of the most mightie Princes the surest and safest harbours are giuen to the Churches the Pope doth what in him lyeth to confound and ouerthrow In Coloine he hath stirred vp such tragedies against that Princely Elector the ende whereof vnlesse it be brought vpon his owne head he hopeth wil be the confusion of all Germanie This Embassage although it was beningly receiued of all the Princes to whom it came yet new disputations troubles arising in France about the death of Alanson the dangers encreased D. Chytreus Georgius Ernestus the last Prince of Henneberge died this present yeare Idem Elias Thacker was hanged at S. Edmonds-Bury in Suffolke and Iohn Copping for spreading certain bookes seditiously penned by one Robert Browne against the booke of commō praier established by the lawes of the realme their bookes as many a could be found were burnt before them I. S. Iohn Lewis who named himselfe Abdiot an obstinate heretike denying the Godhead of Christ and holding diuers other detestable heresies much like to his predecessor Mathew Hamond was burned at Norwich Albertus Alasco free Baron of Lasco Vaiuode or Palatine of Syradia in Poland arriued at Harwiche in Essex and on the last of April came by water to Winchester house in Southwarke where he remained for the most part of his abode Frances of Valois Duke of Alanson attempted diuers exployts in the lowe Countries the issue whereof fell out to his misfortune wherefore feeling himselfe sicke he retyred from Dunkerke towards Fraunce where hee fell into so straunge a iudgement that euen the Phisitians beganne to doubt him for a flixe of blood issued so continually out of his nose and mouth that they were still forced to hold him a Basen whereinto hee voyded the cleare and pure blood whereof he dyed Some say this happend either by his riotousnesse in the lowe Countries or for griefe of the hard successe of his affaires there or by Salcedas meanes that was executed His death weakened the most drowsie heads it brake all the bonds that staied the proceedings of the League and caused it presently to waine at Chalouns Rhemes Troy Dyon and Mezeiuel Historie of France The tenth of Iuly William Nassau Prince of Orange in the one and fiftie yeare of his age was slaine with a Bullet by Balthazar Gerardus otherwise called Serach See Genebrardus This villaine beeing taken aliue confessed that hee was neither set on by the French nor Spanish but did it of his owne minde thinking that thereby hee did God good seruice foorthwith hee was punished with such a death as the qualitie of so hainous a fact deserued Yet a certaine writer of Coloine setteth him downe for a Martyr See Dauid Chytraeus H. Earle of Darbie by the Queenes maiestie was sent Embassador to Henry the third the French King the 30. of Ianuary to inuest him with the order of the Garter Hyperas the eight day of April and Briges which next to Gaunt is the chiefe Citie of Flaunders a little before the Prince of Orange his death in the moneth of May was recouered by the Prince of Parma all former offences forgotten so that they would restore the Catholicke religion of Rome and performe true allegiance to the king of Spaine Assoone as the League perceiued that diuers Townes had made great fiers for ioy of her byrth it was presented to the Pope that he might giue it his blessing auouch it for his and declare it to be for the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romish Church But Gregorie the 13. desiring to shewe himselfe the Father of all Christians and a Pastor and not a dispearser of his flocke considering that the raising of Armes against a most Christian Catholicke king was wholy contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell the examples of Christ and his Apostles and the lawes of policie and state certified the Leagues Deputies that he could not approue their inuentions and to conclude sent them back againe without an answer And not long before he dyed hee said to the Cardinall Est that the League should neuer haue Bull Letter nor Commission from him for hee knew not what they meant and that hee would not serue for a fire-brand to kindle a warre which he could by no means quench In the prime of this yeare the first of April S. Walter Raleigh tooke his voyage for the discouery of that land which lieth between Norembega and Florida in the West Indies and returned in August following preparing afterwards for a second voiage S. H. Gilbert attempted to discouer with intention this country of Norembega to settle an English Colonie there in the yeare 1578. accompanied with a company of Gentlemen of good calling and ten sailes of all sorts of shipping but the iourney tooke no successe for all their ships inforced by some occasion or mischance made their present returne that only excepted where his brother S. W. R. was Captaine who tooke his course to the West Indies but for want of vittailes other necessaries when he had sailed as farre as the Ilands of Cape de Verde vpō the coast of Affrica he was cōstrained to set saile and returne for England But S. H. G. enterprised the voyage the second time and set to sea with three shippes and pinnases this yeare 1584. in which iourney he lost his life This yeare also S. W.R. encouraged by the reports of his men of the goodnes of the soile and the fertillitie of the country which they had discouered the last yeare past and now by her maiestie called Virginia furnished with 8. sailes of all sorts set them to the sea appointing S. Richard Greenfeeld his Lieutenant enioyning him either to