And so indulging each other the free exercise of their Religion they break not League for that matter nor ever have to this day till lately notwithstanding any Civil Wars of Religion or State that have since happened Being it seems pretty equally poiz'd and ballanced on both sides But here it will not be amiss to note that these two Zuinglius and Luther went two several waies specially in point of consubstantiation or real presence Hence the Protestants became divided in Germany into Lutherans and Zuinglians afterwards called Reformed And the Names of Ubiquitarians and Sacramentarians every where break forth as has been hinted before under Germany c. Calvin afterwards rising in the place and stead of Zuinglius at Geneva added some Tenents about Predestination Free-will Universall Grace and Perseverance in Faith which further heightened and aggravated the Differences betwixt them About these arose afterwards in Holland great contentions with the Arminians which caused the General Synod at Dort against them An. 1618. c. But to return to Germany Between these two Religions of the Protestants arose grievous discords not only Theological but Political For that many would exclude the Calvinists or Reform'd from the Peace of Religion agreed on at first by the Augustian Confession at Ausburgh and banish them out of Germany Whence those violent Tumults of Ausburg in the Assemblies or Meetings of the States against the Elector Palatine 1560. and again against the succeeding Palatine Elector 1590. and of Lipsia and Brunswick 1595. And this might be one reason perhaps of the Elector the Duke of Saxony's siding at first with the Emperour against the Palatine in the Bohemian-German Wars about the year 1619. the Palatine being head of the Calvinists or Reform'd and then also the chief of the Electoral Princes and the Duke of Saxony of the Lutherans But afterwards fearing the Emperors prevailing and greatness who had ejected the Palatine and the coming in thereupon of Gustavus Adolphus in defence of the German Princes Liberties the Elector of Saxony convocates all the Protestant Princes at Lipsia an 1630. where they concluded of a defensive League against the Emperor and Imperialists and that Liberty was to be propagated and maintained by Arms. But after the King of Swedes death c. he deserts them and by himself alone injuriously agrees with the Emperor against the Swede and the rest c. The conditions of which Peace others also accepted and agreed to as before has been intimated In the end at the conclusion of these Wars of Germany by Munster Treaty 1648. This Political differance was reconciled and they agreed and united into one common name of the Augustan Confession at first made in the beginning of the Reformation as aforesaid The Theological differance ever since both Princes and Divines at this day labour hard to compose and 't is hoped that a bridle will be put upon the Tongues and Pens of the Pastors and Professors that they do not condemn but tolerate one another mutually and friendlily dispute their controversies amongst themselves In France they have of late proceeded so far as to allow and embrace communion with them and in their Churches and Sacraments if they will which made the Friers and Jesuites write that they might as well hold communion with them and be reconciled to the Church of Rome for that the Consubstantiarians was as far from the Sacramentarians as the Transubstantiarions but sufficiently answered Yet the Swedes have this present year lately decreed and enacted by Law for all to lose their native freedom that shall bring up their children in any other Religion then the Lutheran But to return to the Switzers This concord of Religion then made between them lasted till 1654 when a new War kindled amongst them again for Religion and the Protestants cruelly Murthered and Slaughter'd For when some Families of the Canton of Switzers and other Cantons had embraced the Gospel they cruelly put them to Death This those of Zurick and Berne would not suffer After long contestation at last they come to Arms and fierce War begins betwen those of Zurick and Lucern till at last the French King interposing and England this War was composed the same year and the civil commotions for Religion begun presently ended the Duke of Savoy likewise not only then but since persecuted the Waldenses in Piedmont as there has bin hinted c. An. 1663. the Duke Palatine of Newburg by his edict commands all Protestant Lutheran or Reformed out of his Dominions The Elector of Brandenburg by way of retortion in like manner commands all Papists out of his This should have been noted there The last year upon Jealousies of the great preparations of the King of France against some Neighbouring Countries of the Empire and his thriving Greatness this Commonwealth raise an Army of fifty thousand which chiefly diverted him from his then intended designes The thirteen Cantons are Switz Uren Underwald first united 1305. Lucern added 1332. Zurich and two others 1352. Bern 1353. Friburg and another 1481. Another and Basil 1581. and the two last 1511. two hundred years from the first Seven are Papist as Switz Lucern c. four Protestant as Zurich Basil Bern c. Bern is of all the largest and most potent c. and two mixt of Both. Of Geneva The Soveraignty of this City or Commonwealth was anciently in the Earls thereof at first Imperial Officers only but at last the haereditary Princes thereof Between these and the Bishops arose Controversies for the absolute Command At last the Bishops being under the Pope Powerful in those dayes obtained of the Emperor to be sole Princes thereof free from all Taxes and not accountable to any but the Emperor But to maintain it they were fain to call in the Earl of Savoy then who takes upon him first as Protector of them only but afterwards as Lord in chief Whence his pretence to it still And in this Sate it stood till the year 1528. the Bishop being their immediate Lord under him as supream But then Religion being altered in the Canton of Bern adjoyning by Zuinglius c. Viret and Farellus indeavour it in Geneva also But the Bishop and Clergy oppossing it by Persecution Violence and Tyranny the People defend themselves and their priviledges and by force expel the Bishop and his Clergy And though the Bishop made many fair overtures yet would they never harken to any accommodation nor ever admit him again and so changed the Government of the state also disclaiming all allegiance both to Duke and Bishop and standing on their own Liberty as a free Commonwealth like their Neighbour Canton who had sped so well under theirs Calvin afterwards An 1536. confirm'd them in these beginnings made them abjure the Pope and never more to admite their Bishop And then sets up his Ecclesiastick Discipline called since Presbyterian by the Form thereof by Presbyteries and gets it ratified by the Senate An. 1637. But the next year
his submission granted to him and his heirs The title of the Kings of England As if they never had it since the Conquest of right before Hence it is observed sayes the Popish writers That all Kings of England must acknowledg the Pope for their Landlord And in like manner his predecessor Hadrian the 4 th about 1555. gave Ireland to the Kings of England for a penny to be paid yearly out of every house as much as a shilling now But As long as there 's a Goose or Gander We must remember Alexander If it were but for this verse sake which ends a coppy sent to him by a Monkish Rimer little better in the Latin About 1190. Celestine Crowns the Emperor with his foot and then spurns it off again with this saying By me Kings reign He set all Princes almost together by the ears that Rome might gain with siding with one part or the other and making them friends again And this was and is a constant practise with them and a principal matter whereby they stand For if one deserts them another still upholds them for their own interest which is mingled with the Papal over all the World About 1200. Innocent the third raised the Otho's against Philip the Emperor resolving that he would uncrown him or be uncrown'd by him because chose without his liking And as soon as Otho himself was made Emperor excommunicates him too as also King John of England Peter King of Aragon and Raimund Earl of Tholoss And decreed in a Council held at Rome from thence forth the Pope to have the correction of all Christian Princes and no Emperor to be acknowledged all he had sworn obedience to him In pursuance whereof deposes the said King John and gives away his Kingdom to the French King causes him to surrender his crown to his Legate interdicts him the Kingdom for six years together and makes him stand to his mercy to have it again and upon the restoring to make it Tributary fining it at the yearly rent of 8000. Marks to be held of the Pope in fee-farme And his usurpations were so great here in England That the Nobles writ in their Letters to their Bishops To such a Bishop or such a Chapter who had rather dye then he ruined by the Romish Task-Masters Likewise the said King of Aragon Naples and Sicily c. was forced also to subject his Kingdoms as feudatory to the Church of Rome and to be held of the Pope And now also was brought up that Idol of Transubstantiation and adoration of the Host to subject the people to a more divine Reverance and external devotion and deportment towards their Holy things and mysteries which is wonderful to behold even to this very day and to make their Religion and Priests more Venerable at least this has been the efect thereof What matter of Zeal Fury and Persecution this became afterwards all storyes and ages ring of as if it had been to deny God indeed and Christ and all Religion to deny this their Idol God they had and have to this day so possessed people with such a fond Imagination God also giving them up to believe lyes and to erre concerning the Faith mistaking the Letter for the Spirit Also that devise of Auricular confession was introduced about this time which aws the people exceedingly likewise Moreover about the same time arose those deadly seuds between the Papaline Guelphs and Imperial Gibelines or if you will Elfs and Goblins so called as is thought from their terrible doings c. which destracted all Italy and contiuned for many ages after which factions were stirred up by the Pope and his Agents means and practises c. It was about the year 200. likewise that Philip King of France was excommunicated and then it was said In the year of the Reign of Christ not of Philip. Also 1204. the Sea of Constantinople and the Greek Church and Emperor became subject to the Roman for above 30. years through their projects c. And about 1220. the East as well as Westren Emperor was crowned at Rome by the Pope no longer now as a Servant you may now well think but their Lord and Superior by what has been already rehearsed For in this Popes time some thought fitting to make this Embleme There are two great lights The Sun that is the Pope and the Moon that is the Emperor Nay the high Papalists would have none to be truly Monarch and Soveraign that is absolute and Independent on any other as Supreme but the Pope as before has been intimated About 1240. the twentieths of Ecclesiastick Revenues are obtained for the Pope It came afterwards to the tenths nay the fifths and fourths too in some Kingdoms c. About 1245. Innocent the fourth excommunicates the Emperor Frederick the fourth time having been three times before by former Popes though he had been his greatest friend and deposes him the King of France in vain interceeding and sets up Anti-Cesaers because his Highness forsooth would not stope low enough to his Holiness and in the end because he would not bring him enough under got him poyson'd The four orders of the begging Fryars viz. the Dominicans Franciscans Carmelits and Augustins began to swarm under him as their great Patron and by their voluntary humility and external devotion to uphold this their exalted and triumphant Church and Religion This Pope demanded also the payment of the Twentieths before granted and afterwards of the Tenths of all Revenues and Profits of the Church adding grievous threatnings if they were not paid and by his Legate in Poland one fifth of all Afterwards he perswaded the French King to make War against Henry the 3 d. of England and to make him either yeeld to all the Pope demanded or to drive him out of his Kingdom An. 1255. The King of Lithuania being converted to Christianity is crowned by the Pope and subjects his Kingdom to him For if they would be Christians they must all acknowledge Christs Vicar or else be Infidels still for all other Christianity now was almost fled the Earth An. 1260. The Pope translates the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily which the King of Aragon had made feudatory to the Church as before c. and which the former Pope also would have sould to Henry the 3 d. of France from the right owners and bestows it on the French most bountifully And now was the Pope come to the hight of power riches and authority and to have mighty interest in the World and now all the Nations worshiped the Beast The Princes generally began to make appeals to the Roman Court and the people were devoted to the Romish Laws Customs and Religion The Pope had now the creating of Electors of the Empire almost as he listed and consequently the Emperor in a manner at his beck About 1270. Rodolph of Napsburg or Ausburgh the first of the Austrian House was affraid to go to Rome to take his Crown or to
that is called God was the first Pope in Heaven and the Father of these his Sons on Earth About 1605. He excommunicated the Venetians for maintaining stoutly their Rights of state and withstanding his incroachings whereupon War insued Baronias exhorting the Pope thus Arise and Eate the Venetians as if it had been as easie as to eate his dinner But he found them a tough Morsel which he could not get down and so was held to hard meat But a Cardinal of France made up the business as well as he could but could not without enough dishonour to his Popeship He by briefs or writings sent to the Loyal Catholicks of England forbad the Oath of Allegiance to King James from his own Subjects He laid a great Tax also on the Clergy in Italy to uphold the good old Catholick cause in the Wars of Germany about 1618. and a new Order of Knighthood was erected at Vienna the Imperial Court for all Heroick Catholicks under the Patronage of the blessed Virgin St. Michael and St. Francis to root out the Hereticks But all would not do For they increased and multiplyed The Powder plot in England was also in the beginning of his Popedom set on foot by the Jesuits and their complices in England An. 1605. An. 1621. Gregory the 5 th elected by way of adoration instigates the French King against the Protestants Canonizes Ignatius the founder of a company of Incendiaries that is Jesuits for so they have proved ever since Baptized with not the Holy Ghost but with Fire answerable both to his Name and Motto and their Natures Quarrels with the Venetians for entertaining Greeks now they had no wars with Infidels the Turks To whom the Venetians wisely replyed That they held all Infidels that opposed their Commonwealth An. 1623. Twenty four of the Cardinals grew sick upon the quarrelsome and ambitions choise of Urban the 8 th whereof ten lost their lives with divers of others Father Paul a venerable Religious Monk who stood up high for his Venetians against the Jesuits who pragmatically stood up for their Pope for which they were deservedly banished by the State not till now smarts and is wounded for his crime of Loyalty to them and petty treason as it were against the Jesuits c. this Pope made War against the Duke of Parma and Florence for the Dukedom of Castro c. And no doubt he had an underhand or little finger at least in the bloudy Massacre of Ireland 1641. by the Catholicks Afterwards Innocent the 10 th pronounces void and goes about by his Legate to null the Peace of Germany made at Munster 1648 between the Protestant and the Papal princes where the Protestants both Calvinists as well as Lutherans were esserted into full and free liberty of their Religion as hurtful and dangerous to the Church forsooth But Germany no longer now fears their loud Bulls roarings and bellowings as formerly and do but laugh at such the vanity of his Omnipotent Impotency After 1654. Alexander the 7 th determines new Articles of Faith against the Jansenist's and condemnes them for Hereticks The Church of France begin to vindicate their Liberty against such new decrees and power of the Pope It grows to a great faction between them and the Jesuits The Pope and his Instruments make the King look upon them as a dangerous Sect and as it were a new kind of Calvinistical Papists that would both joyn against the true French Catholicks and endanger France both Church and State as much as formerly those Hugonots But they increased notwithstanding and several Bishops Clergy men and others adhered to them against the Novel Usurpations and determinations of the Pope who would feign have been accounted infallible in his Court and pack'd Consistory at Rome without a general Council And fowl work had like to have ensued but that the King and Pope together have lately within this year or two devised an expedient latitude for the dissenting Bishops and Leaders least the rent should be made greater willing to make use of any Salvo for such a Sore c. An. 1662. The Popes Guards by his Brothers design against the interest of France assaults the French Embassador which was connived at by the Pope and his Brother who set it on foot countenanced and due Justice evaded The King demands satisfaction prepars a great Army to enter Italy whereof some had in a manner begun to enter which made the Pope tremble and the French sing hartily Rome is ours already c. yea the grand Ball at Court since become a common Tune or Air too in England began thus Great King will you profane Your Rapier in vain Your young brave Conquering Blades ' Gainst Chaplains only with Beads c. But his Holiness wisely submits and drives on a Treaty for Satisfaction and Accommodation and thereby condescended to set up at Rome a Piller of Remembrance as it were for the Injury and Affront offered Upon which submission the King of France recieves his Embassadour through all his Kingdom with extraordinary Magnificence and ever since has been very kind to his Holy Father and lately out of complement granted the present Pope leave to take down this too lasting a Monument of their reproach but all no doubt for further ends to himself which he is driving on in the world c. And while the King was thus good to the Church The Pope takes that opportunity to see if he could get to be owned as infallible in France and supreme Judge and determiner of Controversies and differences of Opinions in Religion finding by woful experience they should never have that property of a Vice-God Omnipotency in the World before they had thisof Infallibility This was towards and in the year 1666. by Alexander the late Pope But that year has not proved so kind and lucky to their projects as they looked for Nor could they fool France into such a premunire This Pope has had little to do yet but patch up the Jansenian Breaches to avoid further mischief as but now hinted To mediate between France and Spain as much as he could and to invite Princes against a less worse Enemy to Christendom than himself the Turk who never did it half so much harm nor ever will Yet the Noble Venetians deserve Succour and the Pope destruction Yet so it is that the Kings Princes Clergy and People of the Earth have so drunk of and been intoxicated with the Cup of Romes Fornications that notwithstanding all the evill they have suffered by her Domineering and Tyrannizing over them their Kingdoms Subjects and People both Soul and Body as by the foregoing story may in part appear yet they love to commit folly and abomination with her still and her fine and goodly Religion so carnal so pleasing and sutable to flesh and bloud But in the end sure God will put it into their hearts when he shall once have opened their Eyes to see what miseries and mischiefs she has brought
their Embassadors as free and absolute Soveraign Estates For by this time they had other Bones that touch'd them nearer to pick and a greater Enemy to deal with and a worse and nearer Neighbour which occasioned the defection of Portugal and Catalonia For the Portuguese in the year 1640 through Richlieu's Policy and Contrivance revolt and set up the Duke of Braganza right Heir to the Crown and the Catalonians turn to the Protection of France the same year Thus Spain that had the four chief parts of the World Europe Africa Asia and America and possest more Countries and People than all the ancient Monarchies put together has been shrewdly and dangerously enfeebled in some of its principal Limbs and never likely to recover its first strength 'T is observed from the Story that this Kingdom got its great increase by Marriages but lost alwayes by Arms. Three Marriages specially enlarg'd it 1. Of Maximilian the Emperor with the Heiress of Burgundy whereby all the Netherlands or Belgium came to the House of Austria 2. Of Philip the first the Emperor's Son with the Daughter and Heiress of Spain besides the Marriage of Ferdinand with Isabel her Parents which laid the first Foundation for Spains growth and greatness thereby uniting Austria Belgium or the Netherlands and Spain and of the Empire it self under Charles the 5 th Philip's son 3. Of this Charles the 5 th with the eldest Daughter and Heir of Portugal whereby his Son Philip the 2 d claimed and got that kingdom also though against the fundamental Law thereof that the Crown should not go to an Alien c. But enough concerning the encrease and decrease of this mighty Monarchy 7. Philip the 3 d succeeds about the year 1500 and finding his Estates almost destroy'd by those long and chargeable wars with Holland England c. first makes peace with England and afterwards a Twelve years Truce with the Netherlands Which done he totally banishes all the new Christians i. e. all the Moors turn'd Christians ere now out of Spain and afterwards was active for the Imperialists in the Protestant Wars of Germany 8. An. 1621. succeeded Philip the 4 th who got into his hands all the Lower Palatinate from the Elector Palatine in those Wars But lost the whole Kingdom of Portugal and Province of Catalonia before hinted with many of the best Towns in Flanders not yet recovered from the power of the French and some parts in Italy c. but many more lost this last year besides c. To particularize the Times a little Anno 1578. Sebastian king of Portugal helping Mahomet to recover the kingdom of Fez and Morocco was slain in Africa and so Portugal with all the Territories in Africa and the East-Indies fell to Spain as before-mentioned An. 1581. The Netherlanders revolt 1588. Their Invincible Armado beat by the English 1604. Spinola takes Ostend and the Prince of Orange Sluse 1609. Twelve years Truce with Spain 1621. Truce ended 1625. Breda surrendred to Spinola but retaken by Hollanders 1629. The Hollanders intercept the whole Spanish Silver-Fleet very rich coming out of their Haven in the West-Indies viz. the Port of Havan under Admiral Hayne 1635. War renewed between France and Spain which lasts for twenty years till 1660 in Flanders and Catalonia All which time various fortune Sieges Battels and taking and losing places 1640. Portugal and Catalonia revolt The Great Spanish Armado beat by Trump in the Chanel the same year 1643. French beat the Spaniards in the bloody Battel of Rocroy 1646. French take Dunkirk 1648. Peace between Spain and Netherlands after eighty years Wars 1654. A Plot discovered against Spaniards in Flanders The Duke of Lorrain sent prisoner into Spain The French relieve Arras with great victory and slaughter of Spaniards French under Duke of Guise invade Naples but repulsed 1656. French besiege Valentia Reliev'd with great victory and slaughter of them 1658. The French and English take Dunkirk This delivered to the English The French have Graveling and other places Jamaica lost to the English th' year before or more 1659. Mazarine and D' Haro contrive Peace and Marriage and Interviews of both Kings Duke of Lorrain released returns into France Sells his Provinces which he hardly knew how to get from to the French king An. 1662. Peace between the two Crowns agreed 1660. 1660. Spain renews Preparations against Portugal 1661. Spanish Armies move into Portugal The next year 1662 again invade Portugal take several places Queen of Portugal goes for England Tangier delivered to the English 1663. Spaniards like to gain Portugal But beat notoriously at Evora in a most memorable Battel Towns taken from the Portugals in the East-Indies by the Hollanders viz. Cauchin and Canamor c. Infanta of Spain betroth'd to the Emperor but departs not till 1666. An. 1662. Queen-Mother of Portugal remov'd from Government and the King administers Several Victories year after year against the Spaniards by assistance of the English 1664. King of Spain dies Since which time endeavours for Peace by Mediation of England but not throughly effectual till 1668. 1666. King of Portugal married to a Princess of France 1667. The King depos'd by his Brother and Subjects who now rules as Regent and marries the Queen c. And now Peace made with Spain who owns it a kingdom 1668. The French invade Flanders in right of his Queens Dowry and take many Territories But Peace soon made or rather but a making for they cannot yet agree on 't As for the Revolutions of England they are better known generally to English-men than can be in short described Of the Foundations and Revolutions of the seven present chief Dukedoms with the Archdukedom The Archdukedom of Austria was first a Marquisate then a Dukedom Afterwards they were Kings of Hungary and Bohemia Afterwards Emperors also as still at present And therefore shall say nothing further thereof save only that the Austrian Power has grown peculiarly by Marriages First The Emperor Maximilian the first obtain'd Burgundy and the Netherlands Philip his son Spain with its dependencies And Philip the 2 d by his father Charles the 5 th's marriage Portugal and all its dependencies as before hinted Of the great Dukedom of Tuscany or Florence The grand Dukedom of Moscovy is now reckon'd an Empire The great Dukedom of Lituania is subject to Poland The great Dukedom of Finland to Swedeland There remains only one Soveraign Great Dukedom and five Dukedoms As for the Dukedoms of Saxony and Bavaria they have the higher titles of Electorates The Great Dukedom of Tuscany was anciently a Free-State but never any more turbulent with Factions and several forms of Government in the State and most commonly between the Nobles and Commons till at last when there was no end of these Contentions the People prevailed against the Nobles Among the Commons the Medices princely Merchants were chief Adversaries of the Nobles and highly in favour with the People So that about the year 1410
Religion too Who refuses the Government but sends relief by an Army under the Earl of Leicester with Cautionary Towns put into his Hands Hereupon growing prosperous But jealous of the Earl they resolve to govern and establish the Commonwealth among themselves so that the Hollanders chuse Prince Maurice and the Friezlanders Prince William Earls of Nassaw for Governours Captain Generals by whose conduct and conquests the seven Provinces were wholly vindicated from the Spaniard and reduced into one intire Body of Common-wealth An. 1594. And afterwards so prospered and succeeded that before they would hearken to any treaty or accommodation they forc'd the Spaniard to this conclusion to treat with them as a Free-State in the year 1609. and then made a twelve years truce only And 1621. renew the War again but not so hot as at first c. till the Treaty of Munster 1648. whereby the Spaniard renounces all pretensions for ever and acknowledges them for a Free-State only dependant on God A War so shamefully begun and after fourscore years so shamefully ended in a Glorious and Eternal Peace made with them for ever Liberty of Religion according to the Laws of their first Union at Utrecht 1579 was the foundation and has been and is the preservation of this Commonwealth The Reformed Religion Protestant or Calvins was publickly established The Anabaptists or Mennonites and others had their publick Temples or Congregations Only Papists and Socinians since for reason of State were forbid the publick exercise of Religion to this Day as disturbing the Peace Though the War was Civil and for their Civil rights directly as knowing well they could not violate and invade their Religious without violating and invading these first yet the end motive and occasion principally was Religion and upon that account and indirectly Religious on both sides Zeal for Religion on both sides moved both to contend for their pretended civil rights and claims And so 't was not a War for Religion but as they say a Defensive War only for their Civil Rights and Liberties though in order subserviency to Religion And yet there was at the same time more Papists then Protestants then called Lutherans at first in these Countries They indulge Liberty of Religion with which their State begins and stands But Trade and Riches has almost eaten out Pure Religion For other particulars the chief are hinted before under Spain c. and we must be short An. 1662. War between England and Holland 1653. a great Sea fight The Hollanders are beat Peace made 1654. An. 1652. The King of France and Holland make a strict League having made a new League also before with the King of England after his restoration But a breach soon arose c. Of the Republick of the Switzers These Countries lie bordering upon Germany Savoy c. Upon the fall of the Roman Empire after various Fortunes and Masters coming under the possession and power of the Austrian Family and Emperors thereof afterwards and overburdened by the Tyranny of the Austrian Governors and Lords sent amongst them and their incroachments upon their Liberties and so weary of them and finding an opportunity amidst the distractions of the Empire by the Pope c. The Swisse constitute a Confederate Republick i. e. contract an offensive and defensive League amongst themselves for desence of their Liberties Begun 1305 but not finished till 1511. For when they did endeavour by force to make them of a free Nation of the Empire the Austrian's own proper Subjects and to bring in Arbitrary Government by force also they opposed First three Rusticks or chief Country men made a League amongst themselves of expelling Tyrants whereof each brought his Town or Village into Society The rest came by degrees afterward successively til in the end after two hundred years from the first beginning of their League to the finishing them they amounted to the present number of thirteen Cantons or distinct Parts and Corporations Besides several other Towns States without the bounds of their Commonwealth also joyn'd and comparted together with them for common defence and safety And becoming Invincible in innumerable Battels and Victories at the first forreign Enemies durst never attempt them more But since frequent Civil Wars amongst themselves but never to break their first Confederacy but still friends again Their Confederacy and Liberty was confirmed and allowed afterwards by the Emperor Lewis the fourth of Bavaria for adhering to him against the faction of Austria for the Empire at the same time After their forementioned Victories and Valour shewn in those Battels Wars eminently becoming renowned for Souldiers the French King takes them into pension in his Wars who became likewise a member of their Corporation which being afterward denied they serve the Pope who stiled them Defenders of the Church An. 1510. The King of France thinks it best to take them again into pension 1522. upon very advantagious terms to themselves and as burdensome to him They became Mercenary also to other Princes Any might have them for their Mony Hence reproached for a Mercenary Nation trusted by none But the King of France bid highest for them And at this day they are in all Armies and Wars Since that agreement they obtained also sixteen hundred to be of the French Gaurd the King preferring them for their Fame and Renown At last upon the differences of Religion they became divided also in pension The Popish Cantons taking pension of the Pope and King of Spain the Protestants of France and the mixt of both and all of the Venetians There was not long since some difficulties about their Pension and Agreements c. They sent Embassadours to the present French King who magnificently received them and things composed c. An Army consisting of Swisse Foot and French Horse is accounted of all the most excellent About 1516. Zuinglius a Canon of the Church begins the Reformation of Religion here at Zurich as Luther had before with good success in Germany Whom followed those of Bern and Basil c. to the number of four in whole and two other Cantons in part which to this day remain mixt of both Those of Lucern and the rest to the number of seven remain wholly Papists Geneva also soon after followed those of the Reformed under Farel and Calvin So that now this Common-wealth became divided into two factions and thence broke out into cruel Wars between Zurich and the Romish Cantons The Protestants at the beginning are worsted Zuinglius himself Slain in the head of the Battel 1531 his heart remaining whole like Cranmers in the midst of the Fire untouched as is said after all the rest consumed to Ashes At last after various successes and defeats on both sides they agree the business upon this condition That every one should imbrace what Religion they liked and force be offer'd to none for Religion but that the ancient first League should be inviolably and religiously kept and observed
Monarchies nor leave their Kings so much elbow-room nor their Commands so absolute and Sovereign as the other There are moreover in Europe other lesser Kingdoms comprehended under these as those of Bohemia and Hungary under the Emperor That of Navarre under the Crown of France Those of Naples Sicily Sardinia and Maiorck under the King of Spain And those of Scotland and Ireland under the King of England The Seven Electors three Eccleasiastick four Saecular and of late a fifth are the Arch-Bishop of Mentz Dean of the Colledge of Electors Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in Germany The Arch-Bishop of Colen Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in Italy The Arch-Bishop of Trevers Lord High-Chancellor of the Empire in France The King of Bohemia at this time Emperor till the young King his Son come to be installed therein chief Cup-bearer of the Empire Count Palatine of the Rhine heretofore the fifth Elector chief Almoner of the Houshold now the eighth and Lord High-Treasurer since the Duke of Bavaria new-created was put in his place The Duke of Saxony Lord High-Marshal or Sword-Bearer and the Marquess of Brandenburgh Lord High-Chamberlain and who has the largest Territories next the Emperor himself These Electors are Sovereign in their Estates and though Members of the Empire yet can make Peace and War when they please whereof we have at this present a sad example between the Elector Palatine and the Elector of Mentz with the Lorrainers The Ecclesiastick Electors ever had the precedency of the other by reason of the height and Supremacy of the Pope in Temporals and the Saecular Power of the Bishops in former times The seven Grand Dutchies or Dukedoms which have each their particular Lords and Masters are the Dukedom of Moscovy the Prince whereof assumes the Title of Emperor and by some is reckoned among Empires As indeed to say the truth it is a Dukedom on which depends thirty other Dutchies and three Kingdoms which exceed Germany and Poland in extent and notwithstanding all their Cold are fill'd with Inhabitants And the Duke himself is absolute over his Subjects The Dutchy of Savoy at this day the first in Europe the Dutchy of Tuscany of Lorrain of Saxony and Bavaria whose Dukes are Electors and the Dutchy of Holstein As for the great Duke of Lithuania he is subject to the King of Poland and the Dutchy of Milan to the King of Spain And the other petty Dutchies of Germany and Italy are not of any force or reckoning with these seven We must crown all these Dutchies or Dukedoms with the one only Arch-Dukedom of Austria whereof the Emperor is Master and add that all these Estates have nothing mixt in the form of their Government and that they acquiess under the Authority of one alone The seven Common-Wealths are those of the Suisses of Venice of the United Provinces of Genoa of Lucca of Geneva and of Raguza For the petty Common-Wealth of St. Marine must not come into this Range As for the Hans-Towns and free Cities of Germany they acknowledge some subjection or other to the Empire c. The three grand Principalities are Transilvania Wallachia and Moldavia all three tributary to the Turk As for the Prince of Precopia or lesser Tartary called the Crim Tartar he is now made slave to the Turk and over him a Beglerbeg or Bassa to command in chief It will not perhaps distast the Reader to give a List here of the present Kings and Princes according to their different Ages together The King of Spain Swedeland the Prince of Orange the Land-grave of Hesse-Cassel the Duke of Mantua the Duke of Modena are yet in their Minority The King of France England Portugal the Elector of Bavaria the Duke of Saxony the Duke Regent of Holstein the Dukes of Lunenburgh the Landgrave of Hesse-darmstat the Duke of Mickleburgh the Prince of Mount-Belliard the Prince of East-Friezland the Marquess of Bada the grand Duke of Moscovy and the grand Segnior All these Princes are in the prime of their Age and like to reign long Those that have passed the middle of their dayes and begin to draw towards their evening are the Pope alwayes the King of Poland who has now lately resign'd his Crown and none other yet chose the King of Denmark the three Electors Ecclesiastick three of the Secular the Palatine the Elector of Saxony and of Brandenburgh the three Princes of Transilvania Walachia and Moldavia The Duke of Lorrain Wittenburgh Newburgh Brunswick Wolfen-Buttel the great Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Parma The Ecclesiastick Government of Europe in general is either Papal owning the Pope as Supream or Episcopal owning the King as Supream in all causes and Arch-Bishops and Bishops under him call'd also Prelatical as in the Church of England or Super-intendent which is a kind of Episcopal among the Lutherans but yet owning no Head of the Church neither Pope nor King or Civil Magistrate to order the Affairs of the Church as such The Presbyterian or Synodical owning a Presbytery or Synod as Supream and Lay-Elders c. but no Bishops nor Super-intendents as in France Holland c. As for other forms of Government there are none established any where by publick Authority And this is the present face almost of Europe in General LANGUAGES The present Languages of Europe for we pass by those that are out of date as the Hebrew Greek and Latine which are rather Scholastical than National and onely us'd among the Learned may be reduced to three the Teutonick the Sclavonian and the derivatives of Latin and Greek corrupted By the way only take notice that the Arabick Tongue is the same in Asia that the Latin is in Europe and that by its help one may march from the Bosphorus in Europe to the furthermost Lands of the Indians We find not therefore in Europe more then two Mother Tongues at present which have each their several Dialects with some sprouts as it were of the two dead Languages Latin and Greek The two Mother Languages then are the Teutonick and the Sclavonian The Sclavonian is familiar at Constantinople and even at Grand Caire And has for its principal Dialects the Rheuthenick or Russian for the Moscovites the Dalmattan for the Transilvanians and Hungarians the Bohemian and the Polonian the Illyrian Jazigian c. with some others which have their course amongst the Walachians and the Moldavians and the lesser Tartary The Teutonick hath three principal Dialects the German the Saxon and the Danish And of these again issue forth other Idioms as the Flemish or Low-Dutch the English the Swedish the Cauchian of the East-Friezlanders amongst themselves only for they use Dutch to strangers the Language of Norway and of the Suissers The Greek Language Mort or dead but less corrupted than the Latin hath divers Reliques and shootings forth in divers Isles of the Archipelago in Achaia and Morea under the great Turk and is better preserv'd here in these named then in
c. marches into Pomerania takes several places besieges Stetin three months c. whilst the Swede busied against the Dane An. 1660. Peace made with the Pole and Brandenburgh Confederates against the Swede as also with the Dane The Ring about the same time dies leaving his young Son Charles the 11 th about five or six years of age Ring at present An. 1661. The Swede makes peace with the Moscovite Ever since they have been preparing great Armies and hovering up and down none scarce knows on which side or on what design Time must shew Revolutions of Denmark Christiern the 2 d being abhorr'd by all the North Ringdoms in common for his barbarousness and tyranny was by the Decree of the Danes Swedes and Norwegians outed of his kingdoms as beforesaid which endeavouring to regain by Arms was taken and miserably thrown into Prison where he lay about thirty seven years and ended his dayes and the Union of both kingdoms formerly made was quite dissolv'd For Frederick the Uncle of Christiern renounced all right in Sweden unto Erick king thereof upon his Confederacy with him against Christiern that Tyrant Hereupon the Nobles to whom Christiern had been odious for his Tyranny over them through means of the Citizens and Commons favouring him against them elect his Uncle Frederick Duke of Holstein Ring of Denmark and Norway upon certain Conditions and with great and large Priviledges to themselves reserv'd An. 1523 which they stifly alwayes maintain'd and afterwards under Frederick the 2 d encreased and made them far greater so that they had right of Majesty and Soveraignty in common with the Ring till lately in the year 1661 that they lost their ancient priviledges This Frederick the first reform'd Religion in both his Countries according to the Confession of Ausburgh or Augustan Confession that is the Doctrine of Luther there agreed on He being dead great Factions and Troubles about a Successor arose one party being violent and strong for Christiern in Prison who proceeded so far as to besiege Copenbagen But Christiern the third being elected by another with great troubles suppressed the other and perfected the Reformation begun by his Father Christiern the fourth engaging in the German Wars against the Emperor for the Liberties of Germany lost a great part of his Dominions by the prevailing Imperialists but soon compounded the business upon very good Terms and was restored to all his own again An. 1629 The Swede then coming in like a Tempest upon the Emperor An. 1643. The Swede moves into Holstein and Jutland and overcomes the Danes 1644. War between Swede and Dane with various fortune by Sea and Land whereby the Swede loses places in Germany but the Imperialists coming to help the Dane are beat 1645. Peace made between Swede and Dane and 1648 Frederick the 3 d the present king succeeds An. 1657 Ring of Swede invades Holstein c. before mentioned 1659. The Swede assaults Copenhagen is repulsed with great loss The Dane and his Confederates recover Fuinen and other Islands and overcome the Swede c. as before 1660. Peace between them whereby the Swede obtains Seandy Hallandt and Blecking from the Dane for ever This year was made the greatest mutation in the Ringdom of Denmark The Ring made absolute and supream Lord which depended before on the Senate of the kingdom and as it were redeem'd from the servitude of the Nobles The Nobles lose all their Priviledges and the Crown made hereditary to both sexes which before depended on Election And all this by the States of the kingdom conferred on him partly for his constancy and firm adhering to them in Person during all the Siege of Copenhagen as well as for other Reasons of State and Inconveniences made more evident and sensible by those Wars 1661. Norway swears homage and fealty to the Hereditary Prince 1663. A Plot and Conspiracy discovered against the Ring of Denmark Afterwards in the late Wars between England and Holland and Dane confederates with Holland But we hasten to France The Foundation and Revolutions of the present State of France 1. There have been three Races or Lines of the Kings of France the Merovinian Carolinian and Capetine or Saxon Line 2. Pepin Maire of the Kings Palace a place of vast power and priviledge and Father of Charles the Great deposed Childerick the last of the Merovignian Line the Pope approving thereof and confirming it To whom succeeded Charles the Great about the year 770 Ring of France and after large Conquests crowned Emperor of Germany by the Pope Anno 800 which the Pope ever since pretends to be his Gift 3. About the year 988. Hugh Capet Earl of Paris a place of something the like power with that of Maire formerly outed the Caroline Family 4. This Capetine Race has gone in three Families First in a direct Line till 1328. Then in the House of Valois till Henry the 4 th of the House of Bourbon an 1589. And ever since under Lewis the 13 th 14 th in the same House For Henry the 3 d the last of the Valoises created king of Poland fled privily thence upon the death of his Brother Charles the 9 th Ring of France and succeeded him thereupon Anno 1574 makes war against the Hugonites then in Arms upon the horrid Massacres not long before committed upon them and makes a new League with the Guises called the Holy League to root out the Hugonots For about this time there had been Commotions and Wars for Religion and Self-defence upon the growth of Calvin's Doctrine and Reformation and the Ringdom became divided into two Factions partly Ecclesiastick the Catholicks and Hugonots and partly Civil the Duke of Montmorrency or Conde that is the Bourbons and the Duke of Guise that is of Lorrain of the Race of Charles the Great Hence sharp Wars The Bourbons side with the Hugonots The Guises with the Catholicks which was called the Holy League In the mean while the Guises upon these occasions studied to exclude the House of Bourbon underhand viz. Henry the 4 th Ring of Navar and next of kin to this Ring and House as inclining to the Hugonets from succession and to set up themselves ruling the king as they pleased Who at last seeing himself abused and designs upon him through the power and favour of the Catholicks to the Guises the Head and Ringleaders of them sides with the Hugonites or they with him besieges Paris which they had seiz'd on but was there stabb'd by a Monk made use of by the Guisans and that Faction an 1589. and so the Family of the Valois ended and the Bourbons succeeds Namely Henry the 4 th next Heir Male King of Navar who continues War against the Leaguists who strongly oppos'd him but he greatly breaks them till at last seeing Religion the only hindrance to his quiet settlement in that Crown and the quite ruining of that League against him was prevail'd on to turn Catholick and so establish'd the
present House of Bourbon and granted good terms to the Protestants but was afterwards stabb'd by Ravillac of the Romish and Jesuitical Faction The first occasion as was hinted of these Troubles was the Massacre at Merindal Anno 1545. but specially the great Massacre at Paris and thereupon presently throughout the whole kingdom an 1572. from which time the Holy League began Which was a Sacred Confederation of the Pope king of Spain and Duke of Guise for the Catholick Religion and to root out Hereticks And to that end to set up some more Catholick and zealously affected and engaged King and Interest either the King of Spain or Duke of Guise of the Family of Lorrain descended from Charles the great on whom the Pope pretends to have bestowed no less than the Roman Empire upon its ruine and the kingdom of France upon its alienation to Pepin his Father Lewis the 13 th his Son succeeded 1610 the most absolute King of France since Charles the Great For he reduc'd the Protestants to his obedience and all the Forts and Castles held by them to the number of three hundred diminishes the Liberty of Religion granted by Henry the fourth by Decree ordering that all the Protestants should be in all things equal with the Catholicks and enjoy the same Priviledges and Immunities In which War the Siege of Rochel was most famous where all the Art of War was shewn Anno 1628. taken and its Walls demolished Cardinal Richlieu was his chief Counsellor and Minister of State under whom he brings all France into one entire body and state yet Liberty of Religion by agreement continued to the Protestants And from that time bent all his Horce against Spain and House of Austria then encreasing So by the Conduct of Richlieu accomplish'd great things in Italy Germany Spain and Flanders as well as his own Kingdom So that by the peace at Munster between both Emperor and Spain all Alsatia was added to France and the strongest places on this side the Rhine and a good part of Flanders c. whereby France recovered the bounds as it were of ancient Gaul The Dukedom of Lorraine also during the German wars was put into the protection of France about the restoring of which there has been some difficulties of late or demurres An. 1642. Lewis the 14 th four years old succeeds in whose minority the Queen Mother managed affairs with Cardinal Mazarine a stranger which stirred the envy and hatred of the French against him 1650. The discontented Princes are imprisoned which causes intestine commotions the Prince of Conde chief 1651. They are freed Mazarin driven out of Paris and banished But the King entering his 14th year recalled Conde arms against the King 1652. At Mazarin's return now Civil Discords revive But the Cardinal outdoes them and becomes more potent and glorious Prince of Conde takes the Spaniards part in Flanders Afterwards Mazarine made Peace with England 1660. The Wars between France and Spain for twenty six years ended and Peace made The Kings marriage with Spains Infanta follows by Mazarin's and De Haro's means Which has since occasioned the late War in Flanders Conde reconcil'd to the King and restor'd Since which the Protestants never in lower condition nor more under the hatches and have lost more by this Peace then ever they did by their own Wares Aurange taken into the Kings protection and unwalled 1661. Duke of Orleans the Kings Brother Marries the Princesse of England The Duke of Lorraine sells his Provinces to the King of France his Nephew dissenting The rest since are flesh in memory Namely the Political and Civildeath as it were of the Protestants since the General Peace 1660 and since this last Peace also The Wars with England France confederating with Holland or rather poizing the lighter Ballance or weaker side The Comprehension of the Jansenists and the four Jansenian Bishops with the chief thereof Doctor Arnaud within the Bounds of the Romish Church Marshal Turein turn'd Catholick So that France is like to be one entire Body of Catholicks which no doubt is one main design on foot of the Pope and Jesuites who by strange and unobserved artifices sway Princes and their grand Ministers of State c. The Foundation and Revolutions of Spain and Portugal After the breaking of the Roman Empire there was a Kingdom founded over all Spain and Portugal by the West Goths coming out of Italy This Kingdom was destroyed afterwards by the Moors and Saracens The Goths began soon after to revive again and to erect several lesser Kingdoms by degrees as they could which in time were variously united and disunited again and perpetual Wars with one another The grand division at last was into the kingdom of the Moors and of the Christians or Goths The Moors Kingdom in the end fixed only in Andalusia or most Southern parts of Spain The Christians became divided also in time into four chief Kingdoms Castile Arragon Navarre and Portugal which could never unite till 1. Ferdinand the Great sirnamed the Catholick King of Arragon laid the Foundations of the last and greatest Monarchy of Spain by marriage with Isabel Queen of Castile c. towards the year 1480. in which Race continued ever since Whereupon mighty things ensued 1. Perpetual Union betwixt those two potent Kingdoms 2. The utter rooting out presently thereupon the Moors and Saracens from the kingdom of Andalusia who had held Spain more or less in subjection for seven hundred years Anno 1492. Upon which they presum'd to stile themselves King and Queen of Spain i. e. all Spain to the prejudice of Navarre and Portugal who were yet distinct Kingdoms 3. The seizing on the kingdom of Navarre whereto belonged Naples and Sicily c. 4. The discovery of the New World America the year 1492. After which they had the title of Catholick by the Pope to the prejudice of all other Kingdoms 5. The marrying of their only Daughter and Heir to Philip the Emperors Son Archduke of Austria Prince of the Netherlands thereby uniting those great Estates and laying the Foundation also for the present Austrian Greatness and Family continued ever since by so many intermarriages between the Spanish and Imperial branches of that potent Family And thus the Spaniards first became considerable in the World and a Terror to Neighbours and suddenly look'd like the beginners of a fifth or Universal Monarchy of the World at least the New-World Which they affected first in Title Getting 1. that of Catholick Kings after they had usurped that of Kings of Spain as designed by the Pope for Universal or Catholick Monarch to promote the Catholick Cause on Religion to root out Hereticks c. which has been alwayes their pretext and which they have been alwayes zealous and mighty sticklers for And 2 they have hereby claimed prerogative over all other Kings and by pretext of their Title have ever since look'd on themselves as the Greatest Monarchs of all the World as indeed they had
power they quite and clean forget the salvation of Souls sanctity of Life and the Commandements of God Propagation of Religion and charity towards men And to raise Arms to make War against christians to invent new devises for the getting of mony to profane sacred things for their own ends by fine tricks fair and specious shews and pretences to get into the affections of Princes and oblige them to them by several arts and wayes to keep the people in ignorance and obedience though with the reigning of all manner of vice to get all the chief Preferments Benefices and Revenues of the Church into their disposal and the whole Army and interest of the Clergy at their service and devotion in these corrupt wayes and for such like unworthy ends to possess the Consciences of men with an opinion of their infallibility and undoubted power not only in Heaven and Earth but also over Pur gatory and Hell viz. to bind and loose to save or damn and that for mony and filthy lucres sake And lastly to make the whole Gospel and Christian Religion a pretext only to get and increase Church Power Dominion and Riches yea and with the Goods and Treasures of the Church to enrich their kindred and base children and raise their families c. I say these and such like things and practises become their only study and work and the great business of that is of him that would be accounted the chief Shepherd and Bishop of Christian Souls c. We will instance only in some of the most notorious particulars and matters of fact as they occur in time by the usurping and incroaching Popes following from this Hildebrand founder of the Popedom as hath been shewn about the year 1073. Next about the year 1090. his successor Urban the 2 d. excommunicates the Emperor likewise and deposes the Antipope by him chosen and thereby sets all christiendom in a combustion for these two Popes Therefore in stead of Urban called Turban or disturber And then likewise by his Religionists and Clergy stirs up and inflames all christendom with a zeal for that bloody Holy War for recovery of the Holy Land from the Saracens Which War consisted of twelve expeditions and of many hundred thousands at a time for the space of above 200 years together to the ruine of so many millions of Lives with the Arms first of the Cross and afterwards of a Globe too upon their Habits signifying that Christ crucified And to be sure the Pope as his Vicar ought to be Lord of the whole World To allay the quarrels of Christian Princes at home this Cross is often preached up with wounderous Zeal So that the main Religion of the World the Rulers and People generally in those days lay mostly in outward Christianity against Infidels Turks and Pagans and inlarging of this Visible Church as out of which no Salvation c. But i' th mean while this exhausive War of Christendom every way made for the Papal Interest The Popes having thereby greater opportunities to work their own ends out of poor Christians misguided Zeal and by weakning and diverting the Princes to strengthen and settle themselves for during all this time most cruel and perpetual wars continued at home between the Popes and Emperors for Imperial and Papal power and priviledges the Pope still usurping and domineering every day more and more About 1100. Paschal the 2 d excommunicates the said Emperor Henry the 4 th also sets his only son Henry the 5 th against him to persecute him to death who by the Bishops is perswaded to perjury also against his own Father whom the Pope caus'd after he was dead to lye likewise unburied five years together He denyed the right of investiture of Bishops to the Emperor and other Imperial priviledges And then excommunicated the son now as devoutly as he had done the Father And entertained and upheld Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in rebellion against his Soveraign This Paschal also first of all leaves off closing his letters with the year of the Emperor and substitutes the year of his Popedom An. 1120. Calixtus the 2 d. made Gregory set up Antipope by the said Henry the 5 th to ride through Rome upon a Camels back with his face towards the Tail and the tail in his hand for a bridle To shew no doubt that he held up the Tail Caesar and not by the Head St. Peter c. and then thrust him shaven into a Monastery About 1150. the Papal Canons Decretals are first hatched which afterwards in process of time were brought into use and set up and prevailed in the World and the Church in opposition to the Civil and Imperial Law and chiefly to advance the Pontificiall Omnipotency as themselves phrase it And this Canon Law or Divinity not the Law of God became in time almost the only divinity and study of the Prelats and great Church men who studied little else then to gain and increase Church Power and Treasure to get all into their clutches and to keep all people in slavery and subjection to their Authority and Religion And for others there began to creep in a Scholastick Divinity and Philosiphy out of the Fathers and Aristotle together not the Scripture And this Philosiphic-divinity brought all confusion of Opinions and learned Ignorance and Error into the world And for the more piously inclined and devout a practical Divinity of Monkish Legends or pious Tales and at best but devout stories of the Sanctimonious lives of Saints c. all which still made for the Pope About 1160. Alexander the 3 d. opposses the Emperor Frederick the first and excommunicates him thundering out curses and raising War against him every where and by the French Kings favour settles himself in the Popedom The Emperor notwithstanding takes Rome and drives the Pope to Venice for protection and sends his Son with an Army after him whom they beat and took Prisoner neer Venice The good Father therefore to preserve his Son is forced to submit and to prostrate himself before the Pope openly in the great Church at Venice to kiss his feet Where setting his foot on the Emperors neck he impiously and imperiously was not asham'd to say Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and the Adder and the Dragon shalt thou trample under foot And when the Emperor took the boldness to reply and say I do it not to you but to Peter The proud Beast goes on To Peter and to me too And from this time forth and for evermore forsooth it must be an high favour to kiss his Toes as much as other Princes hands And all this is Your most humble Servant of the Servant of God his Title once come too Beggers of all men proudest are When once they got into the chair This Pope likewise upheld Thomas a Becket against his King here in England and made the King submit to the lash for St. Thomas's death for his Holiness Sainted the Traitor and upon
meddle with Italy Because as he said The Fox saw no safe return of his Predecessors out of the Lions paws And to be quiet in Italy he granted Romania and Ravenna to the Pope An. 1279. About 1280. The Popes having rais'd and fomented a quarrel between the King of France and the King of Aragon for the Kingdom of Sicily whence grew the Massacre of the French called the Sicilian Vespers wherein upon the toll of a Bell all sorts of French were cruelly butchered Pope Martin the 4 th for this excommunicates i. e. deposes Peter of Aragon and the whole Kingdom Had they done it on the Popes behalf 't is like it had pass'd for a noble action as many worse have done The King he contemn'd the excommunication But the Sicilians they it seems could not be quiet in their consciences or rather in their Kingdom for so bloudy a fact without doing penance to the Pope and comimg to ask pardon of him which their Embassadors did by delivering their Supplication in this manner saying three times O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us And this was an expedient Salve on both sides to be quiet They hitherto have plaid Rex that is King now it seems they would act God on Earth too An. 1283. The said Pope sent his Legate into Germany to gather Monies c. and three or four years after requires one fourth of all Ecclesiastick Revenues of Germany degrading a Bishop for deposing it and also within a year more requires it again He also set a Vicar of the Empire over Italy For now the Emperors durst come no more thither nor no longer meddle with the affairs thereof loosing almost all their right power and possessions there An. 1293. To the inauguration of Celestine the fifth formerly a devout Monk two hundred thousand people resort But he was too honest and simple an Hermite to hold it out above a year For resolving to be strict in reforming the Church he was quell'd by one that fained himself an Angel speaking through a Trunk in a Wall Celestine Celestine g ve over the Chair for it is above they ability He meant sure Honesty Whereupon he would not hold it though the French King much perswaded him and decreed That the Pope might quit his place and turn Hermet and honest again which he did to that end but was hindred imprisoned and made away by the impostor that had deceiv'd him viz. Boniface the 8 th who the next year 1294. entered like a Fox but raigned after like a Lion and at last dyed wretchedly like a Dog He exempts the Clergy by his general Bull or zeal from all taxes and payments to temporal Princes Which was complyed with by the Clergy of England c. He threw ashes into an Arch Bishops Eyes on Ashwensday because he was a Gibelline and took the Emperors part excommunicated Philip King of France and gave away his Kingdom to the Emperor and boasted That all powers were subject to him Instituted the first Jubilee of Triumph therefore when in that great concourse of people and to make it great indeed every one that did repair to it was to have a plenary remission of all his sins What better invitation could there be devised besides the fine sight to be seen The Pope carried in Procession in a Chair of state wirh a Sumptuous Canopy born over his Head by Kings or Nobles for so he is in the year of Jubilee shewed himself openly before them all one day in the habit of a Pope and the next in the habit of an Emperor and every day caused two Swords to be carried before him in token that all power Ecclesiastical and Civil did belong unto him Yet King Philip in contempt of his Bull of excommunication gave the proud Fool his own writing back thus Let your mighty Foolship know that we are subject to none in Temporals And from this time forward the year of Jubilee has been us'd as a constant Fair as it were for the trade of Indulgence Agnus Dei's and other fine Sanctified knacks That so the people invited thereby to come or send from all parts to Rome to spend their Mony might not have nothing for it This was a pretty step towards making pardons and indulgences directly sealable afterwards And that it might not be so long a coming they not long after reduced it from every hundredth to every fiftyeth and at last to every twentyfifth year In his time about the year 1300. the forementioned factions of the Guelphs and Gibellines the one for the Pope and the other for the Emperor grew to their height and have lasted all ages ever since almost to ours more or less Not long after Clement the fifth removed the Sea from Rome to Avignon in France where it continued seventy years His inauguration was ennobled with the presence of several Kings and Princes in which Pomp he lost a Carbuncle out of his Hat valued at a great rate He rooted out the Knights Templars as too good for his turn excommunicated the Florentines Luccans and Venetians Whose Duke he made come and beg pardon chain'd like a Dog and fed under his Table He excommunicated the Emperor of the East because he would not subject himself and the Greeke Church to the Roman nor suffer appeals to Rome as his Father before him had done And likewise durst neither fearing God nor man forgive presently the Monk that then poysoned the Emperor of the West in the Host c. They were now arived to their utmost height and became so insolent and imperious that they could be indured no longer So that about this time there were several Meetings and Assemblyes of the Empire against their intolerable domineerings An. 1333. The Pope leaves at his death a vast treasure of twenty milions of Crowns which they had amassed thus together by their extortions and devises For all things e're this time had been become saleable at Rome Now it was that the Emperors wholly in a manner depended on the Popes will and pleasure who assume right and Soveraignty over the Cities Subject to the Empire in Italy And the Emperors give up as it were all their Power and Authority so long contested for to the Popes For Clement the 6 th after 1340. to diminish still more and more the Emperors Right and Authority created Vicount Vicars to rule the Empire Yet the Emperor again in requital instituted other Vicars to governe the Church This and other things so netled him that he would never be reconciled with the Emperor except he put himself and all his into his Holiness disposal Which for quietness sake and to prevent the shedding of Christian bloud the Emperor doth The Princes of the Empire exclaim against the Popes tyrannical usurpations The Arch-Bishop of Mentz is depos'd for but speaking on the Fmperors behalf and the other Electors partly brib'd and partly awed agree to set up his Son Thus the Empire
Hierarchy was founded by Boniface as Universal Bishop and high Priest And from him to Hildebrand for about 400. years more Hence the Titles of Divine Celestial Majesty The Popedom Temporal was founded by Hildebrand as Universal Monarch Hence from both Innocent the 8th is stilled one above all Principalities and Powers and every name that is named in this or the other World And the Height and flourishing of both under Alexander the 3d. and Boniface the 8th who boasted that all powers were become subject to him c. to the dawning of the Reformation by Wicklif c. another four hundred years the Brightnes whereof has been ever since by degrees a consuming it And if we may guess by the Stars the last great Conjunction of the two Superior Planets in the fiery Trigon in 1663. which never happened before since Charls the Great 's time 800. years agoe they bode no good predictions for the Popedom but look as if they would burn up Alsted sayes all the dross and dregs of Rome more then the fire of London was ever like to do as they accounted of the Protestants But we must not think that Rome is only in Rome though there she sits as a Queen seing no sorrow During the first 400. years they contended for preeminence priviledges dominion and riches to maintain it and began to Lord it over and incroach upon other Churches as the best the most orthodox and most Apostolick as the chiefest and most flourishing and Imperial Church For Pope Victor about the year 192. excommunicated the Eastern Bishops for not keeping Easter the same day with him concerning which point the West or Roman Church afterwards prevailed under Constantine the Great by the Council of Nice the Eastern standing for the tradition of St. John and Philip the Western for that of St. Peter and St. Paul Afterwards they induced Constantine upon his Infant conversion as the first Christian Emperor to be good to the Church which had so suffered under the Heathen Emperors and to make it great glorious and flourishing in the world and peace setled in the Church together with Dignities Dominions and Preferments in a politick and prudential way namely to avoid Heresies Schismes and Factions of Opinions c. they began now to Lord it over one another and over Gods Heritage which they had not opportunity to do before under persecution nor sufficiently to shew the rottenness of their Religion at the heart They brought Constantine to decree Tithes to be paid of all things to all Churches At which time was heard this voice in the air now is poyson poured into the Church which refers to the pride of the Bishops and Clergy which these riches occasioned afterwards For Hormisda was so malpert upon 't about the year 500. as to excommunicate the Emperor because he stood upon 't That it was the Emperors part to command and not be subject to Bishops During the next 400. years they contended with the Eastern Bishops and Patriarchs of Constantinople for Universal Supremacy devising divers sad stories and complaints and incroached more and more upon the Emperors and civil matters of State and became as well Troublers of the Empire as of the Church For the other four hundred they contended with the Emperors themselves for Universal Monarchy or Supremacy in Church and State iuterwove Temporal Jurisdiction with Spiritual and at last withdrew themselves from all subjection to the Emperors and brought them indeed under their feet usurping and inlarging power and dominion to themselves out of others ruines c. as by the forgoing story may partly appear But this last neer 300. years they have swelled only with Titles and big words and roared a little with their cursed Bulls with short Horns And thus Pride begat Prelats Prelats Patriarchs Patriarchs Popes answerable to worldly Empire and Dignities and Popes would be Kings and Emperors and not only so but Gods too but indeed and in truth very Devils For Pope Sixtus they say gave his soul to the Devil for seven years Popedom Such a sweet proud Tyranny it is And now this long lived Popedom is come to its old age and drawing towards its end and from 666 plainly lyes a dying against which year it strove as it were for life again once more in England Ireland Holand France Poland Suitzerland Piemont c. with struglings in the world afresh are to be reckoned but as lightenings before death Unto which if it fill up the 100. current or more 't will but be answerable to such tough and lasting heart of Oak too great to be rooted up in one generation In a word four hundred years or more a rising as we may say four hundred a growing and increasing and four hundred more a flourishing in it's height and towards three hundred a decreasing So that least of all of any Kingdom can it be said of this Few though evill have the dayes of the years of the Popedom been Taking evil for wicked and mischievous or doing evil c. And so significently enough and not unworthily may his Evilness now be stilled Pope that is Ancient or old Father But There is another Reason Would you know why Their Bastards swarm as thick as Stars i' th Sky But we meddle not with the Personal Vices of his Holiness Conclusion Thus have we seen in this last and worst age of the World all Christendom all on a flame of Wars and Confusions like Wildfire every where catching from Country to Country and then taking its course round Neither has any Nation escaped scot-free from Stupendous Revolutions both Ecclesiastick and Civil We have seen within the compass of a few years above a thirty years bloudy War in Germany almost laying it desolate which divided it self into several Streams as first the Wars of Bohemia then of Denmark then of the Swedes of Saxony of the French of Hungary and of Italy too c. Above a fourscore years War in the Low-Countries with all the cruelties imaginable and at last the most mighty Monarch of Christendom outed of his own dominions by his Subjects and forc'd to acknowledg them a free State by a publick Treaty at Munster 1648. A twenty years War between the two most mighty Monarchs and Sons of the Church with the Revolt of Catalonia A threescore years Usurpation of the Kingdom of Portugal from the right Heirs brought to nought in a day and without bloud but neer a thirty years effusion of bloud and Treasure ensuing thereupon yet at last that great Monarchy forced to consent to the lopping off this so Principal a member from its body by a late Peace 1667. above a twenty years Wars of the hugeous Grand Turk against Christendom We have seen a lamentable twenty years Civil Wars in England c. The whole Subversion both of Church and State A Glorious King brought before the Tribunal of his own Rebellious Subjects and unmercifully put to death by a faction of Republicans An ancient and