stode vacant the space of two yeres thre monethes .xvii. dayes For bycause y â— cardynalles coulde not agree at that elexcion and counceyl of carpentras in so moche that they fell togyther and fought in the whiche arroure was slayne two of the chefyste Cardynalles and this hurle burley in shorte tyme after they gathered a couÌ„ceyll at lyon and they held theyr coÌ„claue within the black freres called our lady of conforte where as they coÌ„cluded to haue IohnÌ„ the .xxii. of y â— name borne in Cauors Anno dnÌ„i 131â— and some wryters say that he was chosen by kynge Lowys and Phyllyp his brother kynges of Fraunce and his brother countye of poyeters ¶ After the coronacyon of y â— sayd IohnÌ„ the .xxii. of y â— name he kept his resydence in Auynyon and for his fyrst acte he exercysed a marueylous iustyce agaynst Hewe bysshop of caours the which bisshop was taken w t a coÌ„spyrasy agaynst the bysshop of Rome IohnÌ„ .xxii. for the which he was degraded and delyuered to the hangman and cruelly put to deth so in this meane season Lowys de bauaria kynge of romayns ouer came in batayl duke Frederyke of Ostrich whiche toke vpon hym bycause he had y â— corone of myllan he wolde vsurpe thempyre of Rome without auctoryte agaynst the whiche IohnÌ„ bysshop aforesayd withstode with great indignation with dyuerse censurys curses agaynst y â— sayd kynge of bauaria which was called nycolas the .v. which caused the .xxi. sysme which seassed not vnto y â— boniface counte de Pisa toke prysoner this sayde antipape the which raysed a great decyme thorowe al the church of Fraunce vnder colour to goo agaynst the sarasyns w t a hole crosse for the which was money gathered he dyd pretend nothyng lesse in this .xxi. sysme amonge the valdays and y â— comons of Lyon arose and engendred many great heresyes ¶ Of the two and twenty sisme longest incontynuaunce and most sclaunderous amonge all other for throughe it the lande of Boheme became full of heresyes ⧠⧠☞ ☞ ⧠⧠THis .xxii. sisme contynued forty yeres in the which season was many bisshops of rome one agaynst another whiche was so obscure and crafty that al y â— clargy in crystendome were troubled therwith to iudge to whome partayned the ryght and iust tytle who shuld possesse the iust patrimony of saynt peter called these appostolyke some sayd the one some opynyon of the other by the which dyuysion the bohemes fel in great decay and heresyes as then it was taken and called bicause partly it preteÌ„did agaynst y â— vsurped maiesti of y â— bisshops of rome and agaynst theyr fylthy deceytfull câ—uyâ—ousnesse inuented for theyr owne lucre for money and pylled and robbed al the worlde many yeres clene agaynst all goddes lawe and holy scrypture as nowe it is euydently perceyued that the lyght is at his lybertye and not darkened as it was then and these be the here syes y â— the Bohemes helde as then was that y â— bysshop of Rome was a bisshope of no hyer preeminence then other bysshops be eche for his perticuler dyoses also they held that there was no purgatory to be remitted by theyr power also that it was vayne and vnprofytable to pray for soules ons passed this lyfe but helde opynyon that it was a profyte inuented by the couetousnesse of Preestes onely for lucre also y â— ymages of Chryst and of sayntes were not to be worshypped nor to stande in syght for it was Ydolatry and also that all the orders of Fâ—eres beggers was not of God but inuented by the deuyllys crafte also that no preest nor bysshop shulde possesse no temporalytes nother in auctoryte nor in iurisdiccion these were great heresyes as y â— tyme required as nowe many may haue experyence ¶ And so to procede come to our purpose of the .xxii. sysme it began the yere of our Lorde a .1378 y â— was anone after the court of Rome was remoued from auynion to Rome agayne by the meane of bysshop Gregorye y â— eleuenth of that name borne in Limogis as I haue wryten more playnly in the seconde parte of this boke where as I wrote of two couÌ„cellys holden at Parys in the tyme of kynge Charles the syxt ¶ Thus that I may come directly and folowe the courses of these sysmes Ye shall vnderstand that in the yere aboue wryten the .xxii. sisme began in the tyme of Gregorie the .xi. the which remoued y â— â—ee appostolyke from Auynion vnto rome then at y â— tyme the cardynallys were deuyded in two bandys or partys so the cardynallys of Italy set vp Urban the .vi. borne in naples and the French cardynalles set vp Robert of Geneua who was called Clement the .vii. and he kept his see in auignion bycause of this sysme thus al cristendome was deuided in two partys by the wilfulnesse of these two monstruous Antypapes beynge a strauÌ„g syght as it were a man to haue two heddes and so this sysme infected the oryent partes of Italy Almayne Hungory which gaue obedyeÌ„ce to UrbaÌ„ the .vi. on the other part FrauÌ„ce spayne Englande helde with Clement the .vii. whiche was the occydent parte ¶ In the tyme of this great dyuysyon Lowys duke de aungeoy which fauoured bisshop Clement the .vii. which held his aucâ—orite in auynyon and so entred into Italy w t .xxxi. thousande horse men of armys party for the Realme of Naples and also to socoure quene Ione agaynst kynge Charles of Hungry as well as for the dyfference that was bytwene the two bysshops aforesayd antypapes to thend to gyue clemeÌ„t the hole auctoryte but in conclusyon this sayd duke of aungeoy soÌ„ne of kynge IohnÌ„ y â— was prysoner in England fel sycke and died within the space of two yeres in the land of polonya afore he had fynysshed his sayd warres for the which this sayd french men departed thense into frauÌ„ce agayne this forsayd bysshop Urban yet coulde not lyue in peace with Charles kyng of Hungry and of naples but was constraynt to flee out of Rome to Gennes by see where as in y â— passage he caused to be drowned .v. Cardynallys whiche were great frendes of this sayd clement in auynyon dyd fauoure hym greatly thus this forsayd quene Ione sold auinion the couÌ„ty of venyse vnto Clement the .vii. but some stories wryt y â— they chauÌ„ged for y â— tribuit which y â— realme of naples ought to y â— church of rome ¶ For to retorne wryte yet further of bysshop Urban the .vi. of the .xxii. sysme ye shall vnderstande that this sayde bysshop as storyes do wryt was a very peruerse man the which toke great pleasure to sowe disceâ—tions and debatys amonge crysten prynces soner raither then to set peace vnite and concorde the which dyscordys and debaytes were not apeased longe after his death and thus longe endured this sysme and so in his place was
insomoch that after hym folowed his wyffe with gret noÌ„bre of people And w t them conradus kynge of romaynes Alfonce kyng of Spayne Rycharde the fyrste of England with great nombre of knyghtes and barons whiche was the seconde passage vnyuersall y â— crystendome made to the holy Lande of Ierusalem ¶ And as Platyne sayth this Eugenius and saynt Bernarde was the cheyf setters forth in this counceyl for this armye And so returned to rome quyetly ¶ Of the thyrd councell holdeÌ„ in Ouernya of two other councelles one at Towers another at Dygyon THus the .xx. sysme of y â— churche was agaynst bisshop Alysaunder the thyrde of that name borne at Senys the yere of our Lorde M.lxxx and this sysme dyuysion endured in the churche .xvii. yeres agaynst .iiii. Antypapes that then rayned were suffered by y â— emperoure frederyke called Barbarouse and so this AlyxsauÌ„der fled out of Rome for socoure vnto kynge Phillype augustus who then assembled a couÌ„ceyll in Cleremonde in Ouernya agaynst the forsayd Frederyke for mayntenynge of victor Antypape by the which varyaunce and dyuysyon in crystendome in this meane season Ierusalem was wonne by y e soul dan Saladyne which was neuer yet recouered to this day this was the yere of Chryste .1184 and so this emperour Frederyk wolde fayne a brought to passe a vnyte concorde wold haue had this coâ—â—ceyl at Dygyon iÌ„ Burgony where they shulde amet with kynge Phyllype and the kynge of Boheme and kynge of Scottes and shuld haue had the said antypape Uictor whiche he brought all to passe byforce of armes or els not ¶ But yet this Alexsaunder bysshup of Rome wolde not consent to come there for he had that place in susspecke and so gadered a nother counceyll at Towers and thus y â— emperour Frederyk in spyte and displeasur returned in to Almayne and sent Uictor his antypape in to â—talye thus was al thyngê in more pertur bacyon vnquyetnesse theÌ„ it was afore thus al cristen people may se what myschefe vengeaunce hath ben through y â— obstynacy of wycked bisshops of Rome ouer all crystendome euer wyll be vntyll the hande of God put remedy ¶ Of two couÌ„ceylles in fraunce holden in Parys in Phyllyps tyme and of the disiâ—e of Salandyne IN the tyme of this phyllip august came Enbassatoures quene Isabel from the kynge of Ierusalem which came for socour for the cristen prysoners y â— Saladyne soldaÌ„ had in captyuite wherupon was gadered a couÌ„seyll at Parys to no purpose but for the socour of crysten meÌ„ for the kyng Phillyp had as then great warre agaynst Hew duke of Burgone and other ¶ And thus this sayd Phillyp sent enbassatours to kynge Rycharde curedelyon desyring hym of ayed in this cause to the whiche he graunted w t good wyll so shortly after he assembled a great armye on both partys of Fraunce and England and went on a croose agaynst the ennemys of cristendome but the forsayd kiÌ„g Richard could not obtayne his purpose for he was slaine afore a Castel or he came to Ierusalem and notwithstandynge his sone toke that Iourney on hym for the mayntenaunce of this was payed al the hole rentes of the churches and monestaryes in Fraunce whiche was called y â— subsedy of Salandyne and after this forsayd company folowed Frederyke emperour w t a great puyssauÌ„ce which was called y â— thyrde generall viage in to the holy lande ¶ Of another couÌ„ceyl holden in FrauÌ„ce by a Legat of the bysshop of Rome agaynst kyng phillype augustus THus another couÌ„ceyll was holden agaynste Pyyllype after his retorne by y â— legat of InnoceÌ„t y â— thyrde of that name there was y â— kynge Pyllype enterdyted and all the Realme for forsakyng of the Quene which was the bysshops kynswoman and herupon the Kynge armyd hym raysed a great armye he exyled all the bysshops that consented to the curse and put them in Pryson and frome theyr benefyces c. ¶ Of the counceyll holden at Parys agaynst the albygens IN y â— tyme of Lowys father to saynt Lowys then Gregory the .ix. rayned Anno. DnÌ„i .1226 then came in to FrauÌ„ce a legat from the Bysshop whiche legat was named Romanus there was gadred a couÌ„ceyll they concluded to warre vpon the herytykes Albygoys whiche was in y â— couÌ„â—re of Auynion in ProuauÌ„ce Languedock whiche were repleat with great vyllany and herysyes and so the Kynge went vpon these countryes subdued them and in retournyng home he dyed ¶ Of the fyrst couÌ„ceyl holden at Lyons in the tyme of saynt Lowys kynge and of Innocent bysshop of Rome the .4 of y t name borne in Genys THe which bisshop came into FrauÌ„ce for socoâ—r for case that the Emperour Frederyk persecuted hym Anno DnÌ„i .1246 and y â— Emperour was syted to appere at this counceyll and came w t a great company and at turayne he retourned home agayne for his ennemies were entred into his countrye ¶ This debat contynued long tyme the space and tyme of thre bysshops of Rome successyuely y â— was Honorius the .3 the other Gregorye Innocent afore wryten and thus thorow y â— cruell obstynacy of these bysshops there arose great mischeffe dissencion through al cristendome so therby was engendred great war in al crystendom in the which tyme of warres was lost Constantinople so at this couÌ„ceyl was nothyng concluded through the great ruyne that fell in crystendome by these forsayd bysshops of Rome one after a nother ¶ Of the seconde counceyl of Lions in the tyme of Gregory the tenth and in y â— tyme of kynge Phyllyp sone to saynt Lowys THe yere of grace .1232 rained kyng Phillip sone to saint Lowys who assembled a nother counceyll at Lyons wherunto came Gregorye bysshop the tenth borne in Plesaunce this Kynge Phyllyp was the fyrst y â— gaue y â— bisshop a garde of men of armys also he gaue hym .3 stronge Places for his sauegard about Lyon and to this counceyll came themperour Michel paleolog of Constantinople for the Reformacion of the greke church which had fallen the .xiii. tyme in to Ruyne and yet wolde not be reformed ¶ Of another couÌ„cell holden at Parys in the tyme of kyng Phillyp the fayre agaynst y â— bysshop bonyface the eyght whiche vsed great tyranny agaynst y â— Clerge PHyllyp the fayre a prudent vertuous kyng began to raygne .1286 in his tyme possessed the see of Rome Boniface the .viii. successoure of Celestyne the .v. which was a wyse and a vertuous man the which Bonyface craftely deceyued this bonyface was of the nature facyon of the Italyans as arrogaunte and fyerse which nothynge considering the beneficial giftes y t his predecessours had receyued in FrauÌ„ce as ye shall here more at large ¶ This sayd Bonyface the .8 sent as strayte a coÌ„maundement vnto the kyng of FrauÌ„ce by an enbassade a fyerse bysshop howe that
was a venecyan borne as Platina historial wryteth of his lyfe which propryete is very strauÌ„ge among meke good bisshops for in his warres he syted the Dolphyne of Fraunce whiche afterwarde was lowys the eleuenth kynge of Fraunce of that name that he shulde come w t a great company of men of armys to rayse and trouble the counceyl of Basyle agaynst Felix his aduersary y â— was chosen by the sayd counceyll whose name was Ame duke of Sauoy somtyme an holye heremyte and thus shortly to conclude this .xxiii. sysme that which was bytwene Felix eugenie whiche contynued .xvi. yeres tyll the deth of of eugenius whome succeded Nâ—colas the .v. borne in the towne of sarasanne in y â— lordshyp of luke sone to a physytien who was choseÌ„ Anno .1447 and at this tyme the church was in diuysion in thre partyes for the one alowed Eugenius and the other Felix and some neyther of both and were not content with the one nor with the other and inconclusyon it was determyned by themperour Fredericus the .iii. that felix of sauoy shulde be constrayned to gyue his dignyte profyte to the sayd Nicolas and this felyx was content to be come Cardynall and Legaâ— appostolyke ouer al countryes to se peace and vnyte vnyuersall and thus endeth the .xxiii. sysme and yet notwithstandynge al decrees and actes whiche the sayd Felix dyd in his papalyte was confyrmed to be good so dyed in good estymacyon and holynesse c. ¶ Of the .xxiiii. sysme which contyneweth to this day as we haue had and haue experyence of ANd so brefly to procede and conclude the .xxiiii. sysme began in calixtus dayes wherof I make no mencyon bycause myne auctoure leueth there at the xxiii â—â—sme as he then hauynge no delyte nor pleasure to wryte therof bycause the abuses and abhomynable vyces enormytes be to tedius to wryt specyally of the arrogauÌ„t abhomynacyons sysmâ—s bataylles blode sheddes luxury symony buggerys treasons poysons with in numerable vyces to moch abhorryng all Cyuyll lyuynge and vrbanyte what shal I say there is so many now lyuâ—ng that which haue experyence of the lyâ—e actes of some of these antecristyans bisshops of Rome folowynge specyalâ—y Iulius the seconde that I can wryt no more of pope holy lyuynge ypocrytall deceyt and dissymylacyon and extorsiâ—n and so to procede ¶ After Nycolas rayned Calixtus the thyrde who rayned .iii. yeres Anno dnÌ„i .1455 then rayned in england Henry the syxth crowned in Fraunce ¶ After hym rayned Pius the seconde Anno dnÌ„i .1458 in Henry the .vi. tyme. ¶ After Pius rayned Paulus the seconde who rayned .vii. yeres Anno dnÌ„i .1464 in whose tyme rained in Fraunce Lowys the eleuenth afore wrytten and kyng Edward the fourth in Englande ¶ After Pius rayned sixtus the fourth thurtyne yeres then rayned Edward y â— fourth in Englande Anno dnÌ„i .1471 ¶ After Pius rayned Innocentius the eyght who rayned .viii. yeres Anno dnÌ„i 1435. then rayned Rychard the thyrde in Englande iÌ„ whose tyme was great waters in Rome great famyne through al out eutopa great pesteleÌ„ce folowed ¶ After Innocentius Alexander the .vi who rayned .xii. yeres Anno dnÌ„i â—492 Then rayned kynge henry the .vii. of Englande ¶ After Alexander rayned Pius the iii.xxx dayes and Iulius the seconde succeded hym whiche was a great warryar and iÌ„ al his tyme was no peace through all crystendome but through his malycyous mynde was all Crystendome in warre batayl and stryffe w t shedynge of Crysten mennes blode to pytefull and lyued an excecrable lyfe both afore god man he rayned .x. yeres Anno dnÌ„i 1543. then rayned kyng Henry y â— seueÌ„th ¶ After this Iulius rayned Leo the .x. he rayned .ix. yeres Anno dnÌ„i .1513 in the v. yere of kynge henry the .viii. in his tyme began Luter to wryt Anno 1517. ¶ After leo rayned Adrianê° de traiecto who rayned one yere and .1522 the .xiiii. yere of kynge Henry the eyght ¶ And after hym rayned ClemeÌ„t the .7 Anno M. ccccc.xxii who rayned .xiii. yeres in the tyme of kynge Henry the .viii. ¶ And after hym Paulus y â— thyrde Anno M. ccccc.xxxv this Paulus was the .cc.xxi. bysshop of Rome in whose tyme now largly appereth the .xxiiii. sysme which longe hath endured and yet more largely shall appere to the hye honor of God and to the great tranquilite of all crysten regyons for the which let vs all gyue laudes and prayer to god that antechryst may be knowen apparently in his owne nature and kynde in the â—yes hartes of all crysten people and that he may be vtterly confounded with all his assystence and adherentes tradycyons sectes thus fynysheth this lytell abbreuyatyon foloweth the conclusyon of the auctor ¶ Here foloweth the coÌ„clusyon of this boke IT is to be vnderstonde that thynges concernynge prophesyes and thynges to come we haue no certayne determynatyons nor yet iust iudgementes of as coÌ„cernynge the veryte and trewth yet it is wryten y â— the world accordynge to scryptures shall fynysshe by fyre elymentall Also it is wrytten in scripture as the appocalypsis wytnesseth that afore that tyme Antechryst shall apere afore al people and shall be knowen after the antechryst openly knowen shall the great and horryble sysme appere the twenty four y t which so loÌ„ge hath ben hyddyn afore the people for the whiche crystyen kynges and prynces shal be in enforsed and constrayned to set to theyr power to resyst to sâ—t reformacyon in the church catholyke vnyuersall as it hath ben reuelated by inspyracyons reuelacyons dyuyne as appereth by the appostles prophetes sybylles sayntes auncyent astronomyers metamatisians whose inspyracions hath set furth a great part of the coÌ„mynge of such lyke thynges ¶ Yet notwithstandyng al such prophesyes and pronostycations as hath ben wryten yet remayneth storyes and wrytynges of dyuerse and of many other holy persons dyuyne which had reuelacyons as these auctours folowynge boccase saynt vincent de valentia abbat Ioachym of calabre raymundus lulliê° reuelacyons of saynt Brigit besyde certayne pagans which I make no mention of yet notwithstandynge I wolde y e no person shulde obstynatly stande faâ—te in ony lyke prophâ—syes and sayenges as an arâ—icle of scripture nor to gyue fayth there vnto none otherwyse then the catholyke churche wyll it admit and so aâ— all such senteÌ„syes wryten and set forthe in laâ—yne to the intent y â— all people may perceyue of whense they be of whome and so foloweth now the hole substauÌ„ce of all thynges that is afore wryten penned and declared by the most noble oratour mayster Alayn charter whiche wrytcth this sentensyes worde â—or worde in the end of his boke called Lâ—xil wherof I do translate but a parte which is expedyent and serueth for this tyme. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ⧠⧠¶ In olde tymes past was decreed in y e latyne church now called Rome as concernyng
these enormytes and IncoÌ„uenyences it was expedyent for dyuerse Kyngê Pryncê to assemble dyuerse councelles and congregacyons of wyse prudent persons and faythfull chrysten Rulers and gouerners the which counceles doth more playnly appere in the fyrst parte of this present boke and specyally in the .vii. fyrste sysmes ¶ Of the fyrst sysme deuysyon that began in the churche of Rome with persecucyons and deuysyons that arose through the possessyons that constantyne the emperour gaue to the Bysshop of Rome Syluester and his successours IT is a comune experience dayle sene and harde that none euyll is engendred but through some euyll and malyuolent persone as it appered playnly by one Nouatus an heritike preest cardynall of Rome which was y â— fyrst y e inuiolated y e church of Rome through his detestable abusioÌ„s ypocrysy for he preteÌ„ded none other but to obtayne y â— dignyte of the see of rome vnder his fayned holynesse that was throughe Rygore and ambysyon Thus vnder his false subtyll pretence was reysed vp two anty papis agaynst the holy bysshop saynt Cornelis the one was y â— sayd Nouaâ—us at rome the other nicostratus in affrica and so was expulsed the said Nouatus frome y â— knowlege of the churche of Rome named hym selfe vnmaculat clene without spot and al his diciples and thus they a bode in theyr appostasy as men that denyed the fayth catholyke not worthy to come agayne to the crysteÌ„ Relygyon accordyng as Chrystes dycyples dyd preach and teache the Gospell For the whiche errour it was thought expedyent to assemble a counsell in Rome of .40 Bysshoppes In the whiche couÌ„ceyl the sayd Nouatus was coÌ„dempned which was the fyrst counceyll that was assembled in the church of Rome except in the prymatyue churche by the Appostles and Discyples of Chryste Thus abode Cornelis a Romayn in y â— see bysshop suffryng great tribulacions and persecucyons through the sysmes of the two forsayd antypapes nâ—uatus and Nycostratus cardynalles and perforse put Cornelius to exyle so afterwarde he was put to y â— Crowne of marterdome vnder the tyraunt Decyus emperour he rayned bysshop of Rome .ii. yeres and .iii. dayes and so he gaue his power and auctoryte to steuen and thus the see of Rome lyued many yeres after Chrystes passyon in great perfeccyon symplyciâ—e holynesse replet with grace and vertue vntyll the tyme that CoÌ„staÌ„tyne poysoned holy perfeccion w t temporall possessyons whiche he gaue then to the church of Rome and so rayned after Cornelius Fabyan the fyrst the .xxi. bisshop of Rome whiche cristened Phillip the fyrst Emperour of y â— name of y e nacioÌ„ of Arabye who began to raygne Anno dnÌ„i .cc.xlvi. which when he dyed gaue al his treasours possessyons vnto y e sayd Fabyan bysshop of Rome the whiche Emperour dyed vnder Decius the Tyraunt and so bycause that Decius the tyraunt coude not obtayne Kyng Phyllyppes treasours whiche was gyuen to Fabyan bysshop of Rome Then Decyus caused great persecucyon through all the worlde amonge crysten people whiche was y e .vii. persecucion after Nero the great tiraunt so in this persecucyon Fabyan was put to deth by cruell martyrdome with the fyrst and the .xxi. martyre bysshop of Rome folowynge Saynt Peter and vnder y â— sayd decyus dyed martyrs Sebastian saynt Agatha Appolonia with many other y e were innocent of the treasours that fabyane had whiche was y â— specyall cause of this cruell persecucyon of chrystes flocke ¶ And so this cruell tyranny contynewed many yeres by detyns and his successours and so after Detyns successid Ualeryan gallus which began the .viii. persecucion vnder whom dyed Sextus bishop of rome the fyrst of that name also Laurens his deacon which distrybuted the goodes of the church to the pore accordyng to y â— law of God also saynt Ypolyt with dyuers other martyrs dyed vnder hym And after hym Aurclianus emperour borne iÌ„ Dalmace the .xxxii. emperour founder of Orleaunce in Fraunce And y â— cytie of Geneue vpon the lake in sauoy he persecuted the .ix. persecucion on Christes flocke or region through cristendom to pytefull to suffer THe .x. persecucion was most cruely vsed through Dioclesian Maximyan Emperours borne in DalmatiqÌ„ whiche persecucyon endured .x. yeres whiche Dioclesyan caused hym selfe to be honoured lyke a God in kyssyng his fete as popis of late daies hath vse princes and crysten rulers to do which was abhomynable afore God man and this sayd Dioclesian persecuted ouer al the Orientall partes of y e world Maximian in lykewyse in y â— occident partes and tyranny vpon chrystes chosen chyldren was so horryble vnmerciful lyke bochers of bestes that it was to execâ—eble in the syght of all people impossyble for pen to wryt for in the space of a moneth in y â— paâ—tê of EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce was put to deth .xvii. thousaÌ„d christeÌ„ people in so moch that y â— fayth of chryst was almost in Englande and frauÌ„ce extynckit that no man durst shew hym felfe a crysten man for fere of deth and tyranny all bokes of Chrystes fayth brent that myght be goten so after this cruell persecucyons the deuyll ennemye to al maÌ„kynd engendred many heresyes as Sabellyans that denyed y t Ihesus Chryste was not the sone of God and also y e herytykes called Manekis put forth two questyons one good y â— other euyl whervpon was gadred a great counceyll in Antioch agaynst Paule the samosethaÌ„ bysshop which denyed the virginite of the virgyne Mary mother of chryste In the whiche counceyll and busynesse was assembled .xviii. bysshoppes in the cyte of senesse in the countrey of naples ¶ All this persecucyon endured vnto y â— tyme of Constantyne y â— great emperour in which tyme was martyred and put to deth for Christes fayth all these sayntes Marcellyn Marcell Melchiades bysshops of Rome Also Agnes Anastase Barbara Crispyn and Crispian Crystofer Cosme and Damyan Kateryne Luce marget George maximiliaÌ„ quintyn Blase Mauryce Uincent many without nombre whose names are wryten in the boke of lyfe ¶ Here foloweth the occasyon of the sismes and enormytyes that came of the donacyon and gyftes of Constantyne to the churche of Rome THus haue you harde howe the fylthy treasours y â— Fabyan helde Chrystes churche was infected fyrste with by the couetous mynde of Fabyan bysshop of Rome whiche held the treasours of Phyllyp kynge whiche dyed vnder Decyus the tyraunt whiche Decyus cruelly persecuted all crystendome for with holdynge the sayd tresory of kyng Phyllyp and so afterward the forsayd Noâ—atus Nycostratus was proued false prophetes antipapes openly to theyr great rebukes and shame by a generall counceyll and yet after this there â—ose agayne throughe all Chrystes churche great dyscordes trybulatyoÌ„s persecucyoÌ„s through the infexions pryd of arrogansy y e arose in the church of Rome through the treasours and gyftes of coÌ„stantyne and of his successours where
asseÌ„bled aboue .300 prelates of dyuerse couÌ„tres through all crystendom this couÌ„ceyl was partly gadered at kyng Phillips reqÌ„st to reproue y e forsayd boniface an herytyke a sismatyke whiche was his cruell ennemy to disanul his actes and decrees howbeit it came not to pas though clement bysshop promysed hym the couÌ„ceyll wold not consent therunto yet notwithstaÌ„dyng it was iudged sayd and declared that his actes and decrees against y â— Kynge were nowght vniust and of no valoure ¶ Also at this couÌ„ceyll was vtterly destroyed all the rules wrytynges of the Templers and brent them and all theyr possessyons gyuen vnto y â— order of saynt IohnÌ„s in Ierusalem the which we call the knyghtes of the Rodes ¶ Also at this couÌ„ceyll the gray Fryers were at great dyuysyon within them selues for y â— which was decred many actes and decrees in y â— canon boke called Clementynys compyled by this sayd Clement bysshop of Rome also at this couÌ„ceyll was great counceyll for to recouer the holy Lande but it nothyng auayled also some hystoryans holde opynyon y t this bysshop Clement kepte two other couÌ„ceyls in Fraunce to destroye the herysyes that were in valdoyes and pyemont and sauoye this fynyshed y â— great counseyll of Uyenne ¶ Of a counceyll holden at Auynyon AT the tyme of the .xxi. sysme ye shal here more largly of in y â— later end of this boke and so this couÌ„ceyll of Auynyon began by Iohan bisshop of Rome the .xxii. of y â— name a graye Fryer in whose tyme arose an Antypape by y â— mayntenaunce of themperour Lowys of Bauaria the whiche antypape helde a counceyll in Italye where as he declared y â— sayd IohnÌ„ .xxii. of that name to be an herityke and this sayd Antypape and his company helde opynyon y â— Chryst his discyples were pore and y t they had nothyng pryue nor comon the which was proued the countrary in this counceyll of Auynyon ¶ Of two couÌ„ceyllys holden in FrauÌ„ce at Parys in y â— tyme of kynge Charles the syxth forcause of a great dyssencyon that was in the church in the two and twenty sysme SOme men wyll thynke that kynge Phyllyp la bell dyd for a polecy cause Clement to moue the see appostolyke from Rome so to be kept at Auynyoâ— but al thynges pondered it tourned his country to moche trouble ruyne and grefe as longe as it was there-holden the space of .lxxiiii. yeres for as sone as the see appostolike was moued to Auynyoâ— by Clement then succedyd IohnÌ„ the .22 of that name Anno .1327 of our Lorde in his tyme rayned Lowys de Bauaria Frederyk duke of oystryche which had great warre together by this meane also kynge Phyllyp de valoys father of kyng IohnÌ„ y â— was prysoner in EnglaÌ„d through y â— cause y â— .xxi. sisme of y â— which ye shal here more of in y â— last part of this boke thrugh this forsaid cause arose also an Antipape iÌ„ Italye named Nycolas y â— thyrd which was supported by the emperoure Lowys de Bauarya ¶ Also yet further incoÌ„uenyenses arose by this meane y t this sayd Bisshop preached and supported dyuerse visions faÌ„tasyes and dremyes of contemplacyon whiche was of lytle fayth y e whiche dyuerse doctoures in dyuyne withstode proued the contrarye yet furthermore this sayd bysshop oppressyd y â— realme of Fraunce w t imposycyons donacyons and decimis subsides expectatyues with other inuencyons such as y â— court of Rome could well coÌ„tryue in so moch that no learned man of Parys could obtayne any benefice but they were polled and pylled by cardynalles curtysians vnder theÌ„ of auynyoÌ„ through y â— whiche pyllage abhomynable liuynge it was generally called the whore of babylon for theyr great pyllage ryches pomp pryde in somoch they had the halfe of al the benefyces in FrauÌ„ce and this abhomynacyon was sore resysted by the vnyuersyte of Parys ¶ After this shamful ruyngne y â— sete appostolyke was remoued to rome agayn Anno DnÌ„i .1376 in y â— tyme of Gregorye the eleuenth borne in Lymogys and he was not longe without great preiudyce and flaunder by the .xx. sisme moued by Urbane the .vi. Neopolitane borne whiche Urbane caused .v. Cardynallys of Fraunce to be drowned and in this season was two bysshops in crystendome the one in Rome and y â— other in Auynyon in somoch that people were so a mased troubled that they colde not iudge nor knowe which of them was in y â— iust and in ryght auctoryte and this sysme endured .40 yeres which was more troblous and daungerous then any y â— euer befel afortyme thus befel euyll vpon eyull so the Bohemis became as y â— tyme requyred farre from the faythe vtterly denyed and disspysed the Romayns ¶ Thus was all crystendome vexed troubled with these two bysshops whiche contynued many yeres successyuely from bysshop to bysshop after the dethe of Urban y â— which held his see at Rome after whome succeded Innocent the .7 and after hym succedyd Augelus a Uenecyan whom was named Bonefacius the .ix. and thus after Clement .vi. y â— dyed in Auygnyon succedyd Benedictus .xiii. whose errours were worse theÌ„ were afore for this Benedictus was very obstynat ¶ By this occasyon was Charles sore moued and vnquyeted through these sysmes sent noble enbassatours vnto Auynyon to y â— bysshop which was onely for the concorde vnyte of cristes Church but it lytel auayled for they retourned without aunswer ¶ That seynge the kynge assembled at Parys a great counceyll of all his prynces and barons w t the prelates the best learned meÌ„ of his realme where as they coÌ„sulted togyder y t both bisshops shulde be deposed wherupon the duke of bauarye and y â— duke of Burgone went to the byâ—shop at Auynyon to discus this message with a noble power and when the bysshop vnderstode what was theyr comynge and wherfore for feare to conseÌ„t fled away secreatly out of Auynyon left them alone without farewel or leue taken retourned in to his natyue couÌ„trye wherof these dukes were abasshed and so retourned to Parys agayne pensiue where y â— Kyng lay after this they helde another couÌ„ceyl in the same Cytie in the tyme of charles y â— .vi. for this vnyon of the church to y â— which this bisshop y â— fled wold not coÌ„seÌ„t nor be coÌ„fyrmable ¶ Of other two couÌ„cellys in FrauÌ„ce the one at lyons y â— other at burges by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of charles y â— .vii. al to abolyshe this sayd sysme AFter the great couÌ„ceyl of coÌ„staunce whiche was assembled in Almayne by the aduyse of sygisemundus with the assystaunce of .v. pryncypall crysten nacyons that is to wet germany Fraunce Englande Spayne Italye for to extyrpe these sismes in the church and to depose thre bysshops sysmatykes y t was Gregorye the .xii. AlexauÌ„der the fyfth IohnÌ„
chosen Boniface the .ix borne in Naples y â— whiche was not aboue .30 yeres of â—ege and this bisshop boniface was he that vsurped and toke the auctoryte from y â— Romayns so transported it brought it to the set of the bysshops of Rome and so fortefyed the castel aungel agaynst the Romayns also this boniface began to rayse y â— exactions vpon the 〈◊〉 for al benefycys thorowe all chrystendome onely except y â— realme of Englande and in his tyme was the gerat Iubelee vnyuersall ¶ So on the other part after the death of â—lement the .vii. was chosen another bysshop Antypape at Auynyon by the consent of the Cardynallys of Fraunce called the bysshop of the mone after named benedictus the .xiii. against whome was holden a counceyl in Fraunce as it is wryten in the seconde part of this the which enforsed and enlarged this sysme the which perceuered and contynued vnto the counceyl of Constaunce duryng the whiche tyme this sayd benedictus of the mone supported his obstynat pleasure and so coÌ„tynued in his wylfulnesse vnto the ende of his lyfe ¶ Thus wheÌ„ Boniface the .ix. was deed in Rome afore wryten the cardynallys of Italy chose another bssshop of Rome called Cosmian of Perouse who was named in the see of Rome Innocent the vii and after hym succedyd gregory the xii a venecian somtyme called Angelus be corario thus worse and worse was the sisme for yet al this whyle rayned in auynyon Benedictus of the mone whiche held his ful auctorite as an antipape vnto whome came as enbassatoure the duke of burgonye and of berry and orlyâ—unce from kynge Charles the .vi. the which kynge desyred this bysshop of the mone to be perswaded from certayne poyntes the which he vsurped and that he myght be set in his ryght iust auctorite also y â— the bisshop Gregory the .xii. his felowe shulde do in lykewyse vnto the whiche this bysshop of y â— mone wold make no auswere but fled secretly into spayne for fere of losynge of his dignite and so y â— barons retourned with displeasure without answere there this Bysshop held a counceyl at perpignan and there held hym sure in a stronge castell called Paniscolle ¶ Thus when the crysten prynces and cardynallys sawe that none accorde nor appoyntement coulde come to passe bytwene these two papystes bysshops of the see of Rome but contention stryfe and that none wolde come to the ryght thoughe they had promysed it afore so then was there gathered and assembled another generall counceyll at Pysa in Italy y â— yere of grace of our lorde .1408 ¶ In the which couÌ„ceyl was a syted personally to appere both the papystes bisshops solemply according to theyr estate yet for all this they lytle regarded this apperaunce but held it as a scorne indyrysion the one as wel as y â— other for the whiche they were both depriued and deposed in theyr places chosen Alexsander the .vi. borne in the yle of Candye a frere minor the whiche lyued not after full .v. monethes and dyed in bollone le grasse and after his tyme gregorye the xii whiche held hym in Austrych yet notwithstandinge he thought not hymselfe there not in suretye but he retourned agayne into Italye there helde hym in the cytie of Armyne vnder y â— proteccion of a baron named charles y â— euyl hedyd ¶ In this tyme all y â— possessours of the church of Rome were redy in an vprore and in armyes towards batayl for this Alexsaunder the .v. whiche had frendys as y â— kynge of Naples w t dyuerse other so this alexsaunder lyued not longe but after hym was choseÌ„ bysshop a cardinal of naples named Balthasar â—ossa whiche was afterward intytuled IohnÌ„ the xxiii and so in this tyme was in crystendome .iii. antipapes the one at Bollonâ—â— grasse the other in Armyne the .iii. in the castell of Panyscole in Spayne yet notwithstandynge for the deposition of these two bysshops at the counceyl that is to say of Gregorye the .xii. y â— forsayd Beneâ—ict of y â— mone all crysten nacions consented vnto except some of Spayne and the â—ynge of Skottes the which faâ—oured the sayd Benedictus of y â— mone ¶ And thus after this forsayd counceyl whiche was gathered agaynst Gregory the .xii. whiche came not personally to this counceyl but sent his debytes duke les euyll heddyd lorde of Armyne with other procuratours and so contented to resygne the ryght and iust tytle that he helde from themperour yelded vp his dignyte papall in Rome and put it into the handes of the counceyl and so fynably he was there created legat and marquys de Ancona where he dyed not loÌ„ge after for sorowe ¶ Thus was these two stoborne antypapes consumed so yet resteth the thyrd ydoll and antypape that is to wyte Benedictus the .xiii. surnamed the bysshop of the Mone the whiche put this sayde good emperour Sigismundus to moch vnquyetnes and payne for after the forsayd ydolles antypapes were deposed and y â— this of the mone wold not come to no appoyntement nor concorde by no perswasyon then this sayd Sigismundus themperour went personally to the Kynge of Englande and so retourned by the kynge of Fraunce all this was to set vnite in the crysten churche concorde wherof he had good answeres from thens went to Narbone to Fardinandus kynge of Aragon for the same cause al this was to perswade the styffe obstynacye of the bysshop antypape of the moone the which fury coulde not be ouercome by no maner of wayes thus this sayd emperoure retourned agayne to the counceyl of constance wher as he depryued and deposed the sayd euyl bisshop of the mone and so was there chosen by the consent of all Chrystendome bysshop Martyne the fyfth of the noble house of collonyois a man estemed of synguler vertue and prudent moderat iuste Anno domini M. cccc and .xvi and thus came peace in to the churche and so ended this .xxii. cursed sysme ¶ This bysshoppe of the mone incontynente after he was deposed by a hole generall counceyâ—â— and depryued of his papalyte And so seynge that all his frendes were constrayned to forsake hym thus in conclusyon he dyed in his obstynacye in the castell of panyscoll And in his restament charged his Cardynalles to chose an other ydoll antypape in that place to succede hym named clemeÌ„t the .viii. borne in barfylonne and as the storye sayth he lyted reioysed of his dygnyte for the forsayd bysshop Martyne the fyfth helde and kept the see auctoryte papall honorably for al crysten prâ—nces and dukes held w t hym as they had chosen hym at Constauâ—ce and so fynably this Clement the eyght gaue vp his dignyte and became bisshop of Maior◠¶ Of the thre and twenty sysme Bytwene Felix the fyth and Eugenius the fourth folowed the thre and twenty sysme and this sayd Eugeniê had great pleasures in warres he
y â— sacreed ordinauÌ„ce of maryege with y â— dignite of preest hode which â–ª was pretended vnder y â— coloure of clennesse chastite without spot yet notwithstaÌ„diÌ„g now is alowed y â— statute of coÌ„cubynage which is clene coÌ„â—rary against al statutê decreed by goddes lawes or of clene lyuyng but rather folowynge al sensualyâ—e bodely lustes pleasurê it is to be iudged y â— the makers of such statutes or decrees were more apt vnto auâ—â—ice and couetousnesse through the procuracyon of symony with dyuerse other vnâ—efull wayes stryfull with processe corrupt as by benefyces prelacions spyrytual whiche ar defyled spotted w t wordly cures busynes temporall thus largely wryteth storyes of the greke churche and the latyne also as concernynge the ambylyon and dishordinauÌ„ces of preestes relygyous persons and men of the clargy which was onely the cause of the seperacion of the people of boheme and also of other nacions of the churches of Rome what shall I meane of Boheme none other then al crysten regyons for the prelates of the church w t theyr adherentes hath so abhominably fylthily enfected not only them selues or theyr estate but al crystendome y â— they haue gyuen occasyon to be disdayned of all crysten pâ—ople both great and small and to be holden as straungers dishobedyent to the holy catholyke church of christ through the baroynesse who were clene destiâ—ute of theyr dyewty of cleâ—e holy mynistracyon lyuynge haue set furâ—h vsed all vnlawfull tradycyons vayne luâ—uryous werkê of baâ—dry and forâ— cacâ—on I may not wryt so large w t my 〈◊〉 as I culde onely for to vtter to moche theyr abhomynacyon for maÌ„nes eres to here or iyes to rede ¶ And yf I shulde say al that I thynke I shulde say playnly the exâ—esse and fatnesse of the goodes temporall medled w t the hote sulfure of enuy with the hete of ambycyon and lechery hath made them redy to put the fyre into the Church but this matter is of to depe inuestigacyon and y â— determinacioÌ„s doubtfull though there be experyence and proffe therof ynowgh so w t this I holde my peace but yet I pray vnto hym which consecrated our mother the holy church w t his blode that which I do thynke folow not pyte hath caused me to wryt this wherfore pray we all to god that al chrysten prynces may perceyue theyr dyewty regall to set forth goddes worde prosperiously vnyuersall accordynge to goddes wyll and to reforme all such enormytes sâ—smes which antechryst hath deceyued vs by whiche we may auoyd to y â— hye honor of God and tranquyl lyte of all chrysten regyons Amen ⧠⧠☞ ☞ ⧠⧠¶ The tenour of the Kynges preuylege HEnry by the Grace of God Kynge of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce defensor of the fayth lorde of Irland supreme hede vnder crist ouer the catholyke church of Englande To all maner of people exercysing the art of pryntyng we gyue gretynge and to vnderstande that we haue onely graunted and lycencyd vnto IohnÌ„ gowgh cytesynâ— and stacyoner of London that he onely to prynte vnder our pryuelege all maner of bokes new begon translated or compyled by the sayd IohnÌ„ gowgh â–ª all suche as he doth cause to be translated and prynted by his procurement cost or charge we graunt lycence auctoryse to the sayd IohnÌ„ gowgh his assigneâ—s factors to prynte all such storyes newe begonne lawful and not prohybyted so that all such storyes or bokes be perused ouersene by our couÌ„ceyl or by such as we shal admyt we graunt to the sayd IohnÌ„ gowgh the makyng pryntyng and vtteraunce of al such bokes newe set forth to his owne aduantage for y â— space of .vii. yeres Imedyatly ensewynge the pryntynge and settynge forth of all such bokes or processe new begonne and not afore prynted and thus duryng the tyme afore lymyted that in onywyse no person vsyng the scyence of printing or not vsyng do by any maner of crafte or delay prynte with in this ont Realme or cause to be prynted elswhere no such bokes but that the forfayd IohnÌ„ gowgh haue the onely auantage accordynge to 〈◊〉 of this our forsayd lycense and pleasâ—t to hym onely graunted vpon payne of forfâ—â—â—ture of all such bokes contrary imprynted to the effect of this our lycense coÌ„maundyng therfore all subiectes â–ª offycers and mynysters to ayde and fauourably assyst the sayd IohnÌ„ gowgh in the executyng of this our lycense and auctorite yf nede requyre ¶ God saue the kynge ¶ Cum priuilegio regali ad soluÌ„ imprimendum ê‘ septiennium ¶ Inprynted by me IohnÌ„ gowgh dwellynge in Lumbard strete agaynst the stâ—ckes market at y â— sygne of the mermayd Anno dnÌ„i M. ccccc.xxxix