barbarous Pyrates then this churlishe Boniface He hated the Gibelines with such rancour that in persecuting them he heard saye that some of them were fled to the Genewaies therupon he poasted thether to destroy them vtterly to roote out the very name of them vpon earth And when vpon Ash wednesdaye he should according to the superstitious vse crosse al commeâ—s on the forheade with ashes and saye vnto them thus Remember man that thou art ashes and to ashes thou shalte returne Upon the same day for the same cause the archbishop of Porchet who was a Gibeline came vnto him kneelinge downe vnto the Pope put of his cappe to haue the ashes put on his head whoÌ„ when Boniface had espyed beinge neither ashamed for the time nor the place nor the people present vttered his rancour towarde the bishoppe most shamefullye For takinge vp an handfull of ashes he threwe them spitefullye in the eyes of the bishop sayinge reprochfullye wyth malicious chaunge of woordes Remember man thou arte a Gibeline and to the Gibelines thou shalt returne And beside this depriued him of his archbishopricke though in the ende he restored it In his time were great and cruell warres betwene the Sicilians and Robert duke of Calabria which wroughte much mischiefe to all Italye and yet the Pope being ofteÌ„times requested thereunto would neuer with his auctoritye steppe in betwene them to pacifye the matter But by the prouidence of God they that before fled out of Italye with the rouers arriued in Italye againe and gathering together a fewe who fled and lurked here there for feare of the rage of Boniface came to Anagnia ere the Pope mistrusted any such matter they brast open the gates vpoÌ„ him apprehended him and brought him to Rome where frettinge and raginge in a great agonye most desperatlye for the space of xxx dayes throughe the extremitye of his malady he dyed myserablye Anno 1304. This Pope sent a commaundement to the king of England charging him not to molest Scotland as he did then anye longer because the Scottes were a priuiledged people belonging to his Chappell but the kinge stoode stoutlye in the defence of his righte and quarrell and claymed it as his right not the Popes After this the Pope moued kinge Edwarde to warre vppon the Frenche kinge because he had offended the Pope but the kinge would not be so abused by him After this when the kinge had bestowed the bishopricke of Canterbury vpon Robert Burnel bishop of Bathe the Pope in spite of his teeth did not onlye place another called Iohn Peccam but also sent downe his Bull to the spirituall men of England for their discharge not to paye one penye tribute to the kinge in any case to his no small trouble for vpon this the most of them were at defiaunce with the kinge and his Parliamente especiallye the bishop of Canterburye This is that Pope of whom it was coÌ„monlye said He entred like a foxe he raigned like a Lion he died like a dogge He thinking that kingdomes and Empires were all in his owne hande did vsurpe the aucthority of both swordes woulde be counted the Lord of all the world He gaue sentence the vnlesse kinges woulde receiue their kingdomes at his hand they should be accursed and oughte to be deposed He excommunicated Philip kinge of Fraunce because he would not suffer the treasure of his Realme to be transported oute to Rome he cursed both him and his to the fourth generation Also he would not confirme Albertus to be Emperour whom before he had three or foure times reiected vntill he woulde inuade Fraunce and depose king Philip. He maintayned the discorde that was in Italye and purposed to nourishe them continuallye He forbad that the clergye should paye anye tribute to their Princes without his commaundement He boasted that he bare the keyes of heaueÌ„ and published this Canon that he oughte to be iudged of none althoughe hee shoulde drawe thousandes of soules to hell with him He was the first that deuised the Iubelye according to the Iewishe tradition He gaue full remission of sinnes and pardons to all that shoulde come on pilgrimage to Rome At the first daye of Iubelei hee prancked himselfe gorgeouslye in his pontificalibus The seconde daye he being arrayed most royallye with Emperiall insignes commaunded a naked sword to be caryed before him and said with a loude voice Ecce potestatem vtriusque gladij Lo here is the power of both swordes Finallye he being as is said apprehended and offeringe rather his head to be cut of then he would yelde vp his Papacye those conditions beinge put to him his house was first spoyled of so much treasure that as it is reported all the kinges of the earth together were not able to make so much oute of theyr treasurye as was caryed oute of his Pallaice and from three Cardinals and a Marquesse that were with him Then afterward he was set vpon an vnbroken coult with his face to the horse tayle and so caused to ride a gallop iaunted til he were breathlesse and then was he imprisoned and there almost pined by kinge Philips souldiours of Fraunce till the people of the towne of Aragon where he was did releue him and yet neuerthelesse for thought of this misery and losse he dyed He bestowed on S. Peters Pallaice a chayme of belles making a sweete and pleasaunt noyse and encreased the reuennues therof he yet encreased very much that priuiledges of the begginge fryers He doubled the idolatrous honour of the Apostles the 4 Euangelistes and the foure doctours of the Church He gaue auctoritye to the Ecclesiastical parsons generally in England to excommunicate the people twise in the yeare He caused one Hermanus of Ferraria to be taken oute of his graue and burned xxx yeares after he had beene buryed He said that to be subiect to the Church of Rome is of the necessitye to saluatioÌ„ He deposed diuers Cardinals he deuested diuers kinges of their estate he fostered harlots â—e begat diuers bastardes beside sondrye other lâ—ude pranckes He sommoned kinge Edwarde the first to Rome vpon the coÌ„plaint of Robarte VVinchelsey bishop of Canterbury after the death of Iohn Peccam both which Archbishops troubled the kinge as almost all their auncetours from the time of Hildebrand had done to the Princes in their time for so VVilliam Rufus and Henry the first were troubled wyth Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury Henry the second also with Thomas Becket King Richard and all England with VVilliam bishop of Elye the Popes Legate King Iohn with Steuen LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterburye Henry the thirde with Edmonde Archbishop and now this kinge Edwarde wyth these two The kinge beinge cited to Rome was there suspended till he had purchased full dearely his absolution but of the said Peccam this one thing is to be noted that he caused to be ordayned that no spirituall mynister should haue any more benefices theÌ„ one which was also
had raigned 50 yeare in his life he lacked lyuinge and after death he wanted a graue throughe malice of the Pope Pope Paschal held a councell of Princes and bishoppes about matter of gaynes as homages and fealtyes due vnto him also he spoiled the bishop of Rauenna of his lands and toke them into his owne handes But afterwarde because he refused to confirme certaine bishops appointed by the Emperour Henry the fift the Emperour though laâ—e before he had kissed the Popes feete appreheÌ„ded him and cast him into prison where he continued vntill he had coÌ„firmed them all and should by his Seale restore the priuiledge of ratifying a bishop which was graunted to Charles the great and confirme him to be Emperour While sayth Masseus the Pope sate in his chayre after Masse beholde the souldiours cryed vnto him and his clergye Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and forthwith apprehended both him and all his clergye and caryed them out and stripped them out of their apparell so naked that they lefte them not theyr breeches on and ledde them thus haÌ„dled to Soractis mount wher they put them in prison c. This broyle being ceased and Henry being crowned Emperour Paschal renued vnto him the auctoritye of appointing bishops and pronounced openlye in the Church that they were all held accursed who soeuer would disanul the preuiledge which he had graunted Then thy sange Gloria in excelsis because of this peace betwene the Emperour and the Pope But as sone as the Emperour this being done was departed into Germanye the Pope brake al his oathes and went from his word in euerye thinge saying that hee did it not freelye and of his owne accorde but that for feare hee yelded to the Emperours desire Then was the priuiledge condemned and the Emperour excommunicated and terrible tragedyes sturred which were all blazed throughe diuers countryes Also hee by a councell diuorsed the clergye of Fraunce from their wyues as Gregorie had done in Germanye and draue diuers bishops froÌ„ their Seas because they would not leaue theyr wyues Againe to encrease the regiment of Rome he reuiued the strife for the bestowiÌ„g of bishoprickes which wrought great slaughter and bloudshed in all countreyes of Europe Anselmê° archbishop of Canterbury wyth sophistrye and cauillinge vphelde this Popes doing as he did Pope Vâ—banus being both their couÌ„celour at Rome their Uicar here in Englande This Anselmus did depriue kinge Henry the first of all auctoritye in Ecclesiastical causes and denyed to do homage to the kinge thinking and auouching it to be vnlawfall because it was due in the clergye vnto the successours of S. Peter Also he condemned in England the mariage of ministers Pope Paschal dyed Anno 1118. Matthaeus Paâ—siensis wryteth in his Chronicle that when Anselmus accused his soueraigne kinge Henry the first of England before the Pope at Rome for medling with the appointing of bishops and ministers VVilliam VVarelwarst the kinges Proctour did aunsweare stoutlye in hys Princes behalfe and amonge other thinges sayd that the kinge would not for the losse of his kingdome lese his auctoritye in appointing of prelates â–ª Whereto the Pope said If as thou sayest thy kinge to hazarde his crowne wil not forgoe his giuing of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges knowe thou preciselye I speake it before God that I will not suffer him without punishmeÌ„t no not for the price of his head Which beinge heard Anselmus besought the Pope to laye hands in despite of the kinge on those whom he had disgraded so sayth Mattheus the holye seate readye to yelde fauour to all restored them to their former dignities by the intercession of White and red But kinge Henry did depriue Anselmus of all his goodes and confiscated his Archbishopricke and defyed the Popes auctoritye Anno 1110. the Moone was darkened as if she had lost her lighte the yeare following it rayned bloud at Rauenna in Italy at Parma in the month of Iulye Anno 1114. in December the Heauen appeared sodenlye of a very fierye and ruddye colour as if it had burned and the Moone suffered an Eclipse The same yeare the riuer of Thames was drye for two dayes Anno 1 â–ª 17. there were thonders hayle great windes horrible dreadful and houge earthquakes that ouerthrewe Churches Towers walles buildinges and destroyed men 102. Gelasius the second GElasius the second called before Iohn Caietanus of a noble house was sometime a monke he succeded Paschal but not without great discention For because he was chosen withoute the consente of the Emperour one Cincius a maÌ„ of great power in Rome would not suffer this iniurye but went with a troupe of souldiours to PalladiaÌ„ minster where the Cardinals were gathered together and breakinge the gates open he rushed in vppon them and stroke at euerye one that he mette And as for the Pope with his necke wrongde awrye he threwe him on the ground stamped on him wyth his feete and cast him into prison and as the Cardinals were ruÌ„ning away he hoysed them of their Mules and horses to the grounde and vsed all the despite he could toward them But the Romaynes would not suffer this and therfore by the ayde of the Normans they deliuered the Pope made his ennemyes to submit themselues and to aske pardon wyth kissinge his feete The Emperour hearing this sent a great arâ—â—ye out of Germanye to Rome which Gelasius fearing fled by shippe wyth his companye to Caieta and there was made a priest for he was made Pope before beinge but a deacon Henry the Emperour comming to Rome in the absence of Gelasius created Maurice Burdinus archbishop of Bracharie Pope and called him Gregorie the eight and theÌ„ he returned froÌ„ Rome Gelasius hearinge thereof returneth priuilye to Rome and takinge harte to him he commeth into Praxis Church to saye masse where he was so hindred by the contrarye syde that he scant saued himselfe by running away From thence he fled into Fraunce where at the length he was entertayned by an abbot in whose house hee dyed of a pleuresye in the seconde yeare of his raigne In his life by a Legat that he sent he held a councell in Collen where he excommunicated the Emperour and decreed that the Popes of Rome should be iudged by none 103. Calixtus the seconde CAlixtus the second being before called Guido of Burgundy came of the kinges of Fraunce and Englande he succeded Gelasius And after he was coÌ„firmed at Rome he sent a messenger to the said Conon in Germanye to coÌ„tinue the excommunication of his predecessour against the Emperour Hereupon the Emperour was coÌ„pelled to summon a councell of Princes and bishops at Tybur to make peace betweene him the Pope and least the Popes part shoulde haue spoyled his dominions he toke peace vppon vnequall conditions He confirmed to his great dishonour the electioÌ„ of this Calixtus who was chosen Pope at Cluny in Fraunce by a fewe Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought wyth him and yet was the other
time Anacletus sought wyth spendinge and brybinge to winne and confirme all mens good wills towarde him that anye way seemed to fauour him He made Roger kinge of both Sicils to be his freinde Innocentius was busye on the other syde to recouer the Popedome therefore held a councell in Fraunce and condemned Anacletus for an ennemye of the Church Afterward he went to Philip kinge of Fraunce and crowned his sonne Lewes then he wente to Carnotus where he met with Henry the first kinge of Englande perswading with him to send an armye against the Sarracens that kept the holye lande but his purpose was to haue vsed that army for the recouering of his Popedome From him he went to Lotharius kinge of Germanye desyringe him to see him restored Lotharius gyuinge his oath to the Pope prepared an armye to conducte Innocent safe to Rome So Lotharius entred into Italye wyth a puissante armye to restore Innocent to hys place and comminge to Rome deuided his hoast and entred into the Citye ouerthrewe Anacletus with duke Roger and set Innocētius safe in Lateran Innocentius therefore to shew himselfe thanckfull crowned Lotharius Emperour and gaue to Reginold his chiefest Captayne the Dukedome of Apulia that was none of his owne to bestow and all that Roger possessed in Italy ▪ But Reginold dyed soone after and then Roger claymed his right againe and because the Pope withstoode him he toke him againe his Cardinals sodenly ere that they wist would neuer let them depart vntill they had graunted him his whole desire yea to make him kinge of both Sicils and so since that time the kingdome of Sicill is called S. Peters patrimonye But sayth Nauclerus much mischiefe arose vp hereof because the Pope woulde thus take vppon him the bestowinge of Princelye titles robbinge the Emperours of that righte which they had gotten by the sworde Innocentius made a lawe that whosoeuer should strike an annointed priest or shauen clarke shoulde be excommunicated to be absolued onelye by the Pope after this hee dyed Anno 1143. In this Popes time Steuen Kinge of Englande Anno 1136. kept to himselfe and vsed in his owne power the inuesture of prelates And Lotharius the Emperour would haue reclaymed that to himselfe which the Pope toke from Henry the Emperour but that S. Bernard being then of great credite disswaded him About this time was VVilliam bishop of Yorke called S. VVilliam of Yorke who was poysoned in his challice by his Chapleynes 106. Celestine the second CElestine the second a Thuscan succeded Innocent by the commaundement of Conradus his life was so shorte that he could not play the Pope like other At this tyme was a great contagious plague through out al Italy Celestine dyed in the sixt month of his Popeship In his time the bishop of VVinchester in Englande helde a councell where was concluded that if any man abused eyther Church or Churchyard or layde hand on an Ecclesiasticall person he shoulde be excommunicate to be absolued onelye by the Pope 107. Lucius the second LVcius the second borne in Bononia succeded Celestine He was the cause auctor of much discension in Rome for deposing and disanullinge a kinde of office called Patricianship which the Romaynes being weary of the Popes yoke had made in the time of Innocentius because the Popes toke vppon them all swaye within the Citye abroade likewise But this Pope Lucius because he was not able to depose the Patrician alone craued ayde of the Emperour Conradus whoe beinge otherwise busied coulde not assiste him Lucius therefore soughte to attaine his purpose another waye for when the Patrician the Senatours were all gathered together close in the Capitol Lucius toke his oportunitye and came thither with a bande of souldiours in armour meaninge either to destroye the Capitoll or to driue them out The Cityzēs hearing hereof armed them selues forthwith and ranne to succour theyr officer whervppon roose a very bloudye fraye Pope Lucius beinge in the middest of the broyle was so pelted with stones and other lumpes that sone after he dyed therof Anno 1145 ere he had raigned a yeare 108. Eugenius the third EVgenius the thirde sometime an abbot was made Pope by this meanes w t the consente of the Cardinals This Eugenius was scholer to S. Barnard who for his learning was then in great reuerence and cōsidering the time how the Romaynes wrangled to haue auctoritye in the electiō of the Pope they thoughte it safest and surest for the maintenaunce of the Popes auctoritye to chose none of the Colledge of Cardinals but this Eugenius that it mighte be a cause why his scholemaister Barnarde shoulde aduaunce the Sea of Rome in his wrytinges and so it fell out as it appeareth in his 2. booke of Considerations Eugenius at his first creation perceyued the Romaynes woulde be importunate to haue the election of theyr Senatours ratifyed and therefore hee fled wyth his Cardinals from Rome by night to Viterbium where he excommunicated all the Romaynes which caused the Citizens to obeye Iordan chosen Patrician then he ioyned his armye with the hoast of the Tiburtines olde ennemyes to Rome so compelled the Romaynes to sue for peace which he graunted at length vppon condition that they should fullye abolish the principalitye of the Patrician and shoulde restore his deputye to his former place and for hereafter shoulde be contente to take suche Senatours as hee by his Papall auctoritye would assigne them Peace beinge thus concluded he returned into Rome but perceyuing afterwarde that falsehoode was mente towarde him he slipt againe to Tiburie the Romaynes pursued him forthwith with bowes and bils and draue him from Tiburie into Fraunce And at length he returned to Rome and there dyed Anno 1152. 109. Anastasius the fourth ANastasius of a Cardinall became Pope wherein hee did nothinge worthye memorye but that hee bestowed vppon Lateran a riche and massye Chalice and bestowed cost in repayringe S. Maries Churche and so dyed the seconde yeare of his Popeship Anno 1154. This Anastasius after the death of one Henry Mordachus a proud mōke whom Pope Eugenius intruded restored S. Williā archbishop of Yorke which William was afterward poysoned in the Challice comminge to receiue the Communion as Mattheus Parisius sayth In this Popes time y Thames at London was so frozen the cartes and waynes passed ouer the I se and a litle before were two Eclipses one of the Sunne and the other of the Moone after which followed terrible tempestes stormes thonder lightninges raine and winde 110. Hadrian the fourth HAdrian the fourth was an Englishmā borne called Nicolas Breakespeare the sonne of one Dan Robert a mōke of S. Albanes he was first a reguler priest afterwarde a bishop then a Cardinall and finallye Pope of Rome He being chosen by the clergye at Rome would not ascende take the place vntill they had consented vnto him that one Arnold bishop of Brixia whom he counted an hereticke should be banished
to the Popes letter FRederick by the grace of God Emperour of the Romaynes Augustus euermore to Hadrian Pope of Rome and to al those that are vvilling to cleaue to that vvhich Christ began to do and teach sendeth greetinge The lavve of Iustice restoreth to euerye man his ovvne For vve do not dishonour our auncestours to vvhom vvithin this our kingdome vve yelde due reuerence by vvhom vve haue enherited our Crovvne and regall dignitye Is it knovvne that Syluester bishoppe of Rome in the time of Constantine the Emperour had anye kinglye poart But by his godlye graunte the Church obtayned libertye peace vvas restored and vvhat soeuer your princelye pontificality is knovvne to haue it came by the bountifulnes of Princes VVhereby vvhen soeuer vve vvrite to the Pope by good righte vve set our ovvne name former and accordinge to the rule of Iustice vve allovve it to him vvritinge to vs. Loke ouer the Recordes and if ye marked not in readinge vvhich vve auouche there ye shall finde it But vvhy shoulde vve not require homage and royal oathes tovvarde our parson of them that are Gods by adoption and possesse the royaltye belonging to vs Seing that he vvho taught both vs and you takinge nothing of a Prince but geuinge al goodnes to all men yet payde tribute to Caesar for himselfe and Peter and gaue you an example that ye shoulde do the like And so he teacheth you saying Learne of mee for I am humble and gentle of harte Therefore let them eyther graunte vnto vs that belongeth to our royaltye or els if they vvill challenge this for their more commoditye then let them paye vnto God that is due vnto GOD and vnto Caesar that is due vnto Caesar. The Churches are shut to your Cardinals and the Cityes are not open vnto them and reason good because vvee see that they are not feeders but steâ—â—ers of their flockes not kepers of peace but catchers of pence not those that amend the vvorld but that deuoure it But vvhen vvee shall see them such as the Church requireth bearinge peace giuinge light to their countreye assistinge the cause of the lovvlye in equity vve vvil forthvvith succour them vvith necessarye stipends and sustinaunce But ye do much discredit your humilitye and curtesye beinge the sauegâ—rde of all vertues vvhen ye moue to secular parsons such questions as do not much further religion Let therefore your fatherlye vvisedome prouide least vvhile ye sturre aboute such vnmeete matters yee giue offence vnto those vvhich applye themselues to giue eare to the vvords of your mouth as it vvere to a shovver of raine after Harueste For vve cannot but aunsvveare to those thinges vvhich vve heare vvhen vve see the detestable beast of pride to haue crept euen to Peters seate so long as vve purpose God vvillinge continuallye to prouide for peace and the Church Fare ye vvell Here may you discerne somwhat the dealing and spirite of the Romain bishops which I leaue to euery one 's owne indifferent consideration To returne to the matter hereuppon this Pope Hadrian did excommunicate the Emperour and by his Legates sent from Rome prouoked rebellions against him in Italye and other places and brought it secretly to passe that the conspiracye of the rebels should be made the stronger by these lawes confirmed among them by oath that none of them should take peace with him wtoute the whole consent of all the rest And againe that if this Pope Hadrian should dye they should choose none to be Pope but one of those Cardinals that were of the conspiracye against the Emperour But shortlye after God punished this Hadrian very straungelye for sayth Abbas Vspergensis in Frederico primo it came to passe that this Pope Hadrian the fourth going to Agnania to denounce the excommunication against the Emperour after he had taryed there a fewe dayes walked forth with some of his companye to coole him selfe And when he came to a certaine springe of water he drancke thereof and forthwith a flye did enter into his mouth and did cleaue to his throte in such sort that no art of the PhisitioÌ„s could get it away and so he was choaked therew t and died therof Anno 1159. in the fift yeare of his Popeship But the Italians being thus set on by the Pope deuised continuallye treasons against the Emperour amonge other practised to haue murthered him by a certaine counterfeit foole beinge in deede an excellente Musician who had surelye slaine him but that the Emperour driuen to his shift leaped out at the fifte window downe into a riuer which ranne vnder the place where he was The foole beinge taken was also throwne downe out of the same windowe and so he brake his necke After this they hyred an enchanter of Arabia who poysoned his bridle his spurres his ringes and his stirope and such other thinges that with the onlye touching thereof he should haue beene slaine But he was bewrayed and hanged vp This Pope Hadrian made king Henry the second of Englande Lorde of Irelande Carion in his Chronicle wrytinge of Conradus the thirde Emperour of Germanye sayth that it is found written that this Pope Hadrian the fourth euen a little before his death should say that there is no kind of life vpon earth more wretched theÌ„ to be Pope and to get the Popedome by bloud is not to succeede Peter but Romulus whoe for the kingdome slue his owne brother III. Alexander the thirde ALexander the third was borne in Hetruria called first Rolland Chancelour After Hadrian the fourth had his breath stopped and was choaked with a flye this man succeded him beinge farre worse then the other But because that all partyes coulde not agree to elect him nine of the Cardinals that held on the Emperours part did choose another Pope called Octauianus a citizen of Rome being a priest and Cardinall of S. Clements whom they called Victor the fourth And after the death of this Victor the sciesme and discention beinge continued three Popes succeeded in order Paschalis Calixtus and Innocentius all which withstoode this Pope Alexander and made greate turmoyles in the Church of Rome and al perished he yet lyuinge But when the Emperour sommoned a councell at Papia wherby the strife might be ended and the matter debated that he might be confirmed Pope that had the better right this Alexander defyinge the Emperours Embassadours aunswered proudlye that the Pope as he toke himselfe to be is to be iudged by no man and thus sent awaye the Embassadours with great contempte and sendinge his letters throughe all Christendome he plagued both the Emperour and this Victor with excommunications And because he might assure Rome to himselfe hee sente letters forthwith to Iohn Cardinall of sainct Peters Church who supplyed his roume there who by briberye and flatterye so curried fauor with the people that he allured the most parte of the Citye to fauour Alexander and to make those Consuls that did most leane to his part In the meane
by night to Caieta afterward to Beneuent last of all in the 17 yeare of his Popeship he came to Venice disguised in the apparell of one that was his cooke where lurking in an abbey he became a Gardener A while after he was bewrayed and knowne and there vpon calling a councell by the commaundement of duke Sebastian he was receyued with great honour and brought into S. Maryes Church w t pontificall pompe The Emperour hearing that the Pope was at Venice desyred the Venetians to yeld to him his ennemye being likewyse the ennemye of the common wealth The Venetians denyed to do it therefore the Emperour sente his sonne Otho with a nauye of souldiours to demaund Alexander of them but he charged him withall that he should attempt nothing in any case till he himselfe were come vnto him But Otho being a lustye yonge Prince ful of courage and desirous of renowne neglecting his fathers commaundement would needes encounter the Venetians whereby hee was ouercome taken prisoner bounde brought to Venice Herevpon Alexander began to set vp his crest and put out his hornes and woulde not take peace with the Emperour in anye case vnlesse the Emperour would come to Venice take suche conditions of peace as hee woulde offer him Whereuppon the good and carefull father to prouide for the infortunate miserye of his sonne promised hee woulde come at the time appointed and so came where they commoned vppon conditions of peace But the Pope woulde not absolue the Emperour of excōmunication till he came to S. Markes Church where before all the people Pope Alexander commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe on the ground and to craue pardon The Emperour did as hee commaunded him then the Pope trode on the Emperours necke with his foote sayinge it is written Thou shalt walke vppon the serpent and adder and shalt treade downe vnder rhy feete the Lion and dragon The Emperour disdayninge this reproche aunswered It was not sayd to thee but to Peter The Pope then treadinge downe his necke againe sayde Both to mee and to Peter The Emperour then fearing some daunger durst saye no more so the peace was concluded The conditions wherof are these that the Emperour should vphold Alexander to be true Pope that he should restore all that did belonge to the Church of Rome which had beene taken away in the warres Thus the Emperour departed with his sonne The Pope to shew himselfe thankfull to Venice bestowed of his liberality giftes vppon duke Sebastian the Senate First he gaue them a white Taper which onely the Popes vsed to Beare Secondlye he lycensed them to seale theyr letters with leade and he graunted theyr Duke the third seate in the Popes Theatre Fourthly he graunted that on Ascention daye they should haue whole and perfit pardōs for euer at S. Markes Church Fiftly he gaue the Duke viii banners of silke and an attier for the head like an hat Afterward Alexander depriued the bishop of Papia of his Pall exempted him of the dignitye of caryinge the Crosse because he toke the Emperours part He made many Canons in a councel at Lateran as that an archbishop should not receyue his Pall vnlesse he had sworne first to be true and obedient to the Pope And that a man should not marrye his brothers wyfe beinge wydowe that they that toke orders should vowe chastetye that a bastarde should not be made a bishop that the canonizinge of Saincts belonged onlye to the Pope that such sainctes should haue deuine honour Amonge other he made Thomas Becket archbishop of Canterbury a rancke traytour to his prince but stoutlye vpheld therein by the Pope a sainct He bounde kinge Henry the seconde of Englande excusing himselfe of the death of Thomas that his subiectes should franklye freely appeale frō him to the Court of Rome that afterward none should be king of England vnlesse he were first called king by the Pope This arose vppon the quarel betwene the king and Thomas Becket who so vexed and disquieted his soueraigne prince with all the nobles and prelates of this Realme with cursinges excommunications interditinges threatninges mouing both French kinge Pope to moleste the kinge in his behalfe and finallye as then Pope Alexander played the incarnate deuill against the Emperour so did Becket rage like a subdeuill against the kinge in England till certaine not able to endure his arrogante seditious and trayterous doinges in great despite therof slue him at Canterbury He decreed that a mā shoulde not be deuorced frō his wyfe though she had the Leprosye Also that those that could be proued vsurers shoulde neyther be admitted to the Communion nor buryed in the Church after these other like deedes he dyed Anno 1181. Robert Montēsis Chronicle hath that Lewes king of Fraūce and Henry kinge of Englande wayted on Pope Alexander as his gentlemē vsshers and footemen the one leading his horse by the bridle on the right syde and the other on the left throughe the whole City Taciacū to Legeris In this Popes time the Sunne was Eclipsed and earthquakes were euery where Also there were certaine called VValdenses who defended manye articles against the Pope and his doctrine as transubstantiation Purgatorye c. 112. Lucius the thirde LVcius the thirde borne in Thuscia of an honourable stocke succeded by consente of all the Cardinals But the Romaynes so vexed him that hee was driuen oute of the Citye and manye of his frendes and companye taken by the Romaynes some were set vppon Asses with their faces towardes the tayle and Miters on their heades and so ledde throughe the Citye in mockadge some vsed despitefullye otherwyse Some had their eyes put oute by the Romaynes in a madnes othersome murthered for this cause onelye that he wente about to take away the name of Consuls in the Citye The Pope sufferinge this great shame wente to Verona where in a councell he condemned the Romaynes doinges and euen then when the Christians were persecuted in Asia which pretence of holines wrought the perill of many that they might be succoured because the ennemyes were emboldned to wast the bolye lande vnder their Captaine Saladinus presuminge for that our Princes were at discētion This Pope being mindfull of his coūtrye Thuscia bestowed large giftes vppon it and obtayned of the Emperour that the Hetruriās should haue the selfe same coyne that the Lucēsians amōg them had euen as the Lombards had onelye the money of Papia with the Emperours coyne Valerius Anselmus wryteth that this Pope contrarye to other allowed the Sacraments that were done by whoremaister chapleins he dyed in Verona Anno 1185. In his time were greate earthquakes which did destroye diuers notable Cityes in Sicil were destroyed thereby fiue and twentye thousand parsons The Armenians being at this time at greate debate with the Greeke Church did for hatred thereof become subiect to the Church of Rome 113. Vrbanus the thirde VRbanus who because of his
addition to Vspergensis sayth After the Pope had depriued and excommunicated both Frederick his sonne Cōradus Frederick did so shake and worrye the Pope and the Church of Rome that some marked w t crosses set themselues in battaile againste him when hee came to batter downe the gates and walles of Rome where he encountred with a mightye armye of these crossed fellowes But ouer comminge them and takinge them prisoners some of them he hewed a fonder w t foure square woundes in forme of a Crosse of some he cleft their sculs a crosse in 4. parts some he marked on the forhed with a crosse cut and as for the clergye hee caused their shaued crownes to be pared a crosse When the said Henry Landsgraue of Thuringe was chosen kinge of the Romaynes and Frederick deposed by this fourth excommunication then the bishoppe of Strosborough like a peaceable prelate of that time to gratifye the Pope tooke part with the Landsgraue and assisted him with such power strength as he coulde both against the father and Conradus the sonne for he assaulted wan diuers townes some he sacked and razed to the grounde some he burnt with fier which townes and Cityes themperour had recouered to the Empyre in Alsatia On the other syde Conradus the sonne of Frederick gathered an armye against Henry but was easely ouerthrowne and manye of his armye being slaine diuers of his nobilitye were taken prisoners But soone after this Henry beinge thus foysted into the Empire by the clergy grew into cōtempt with them that liked not his election whereupon he was in mockadge termed King of clarkes Prince of priestes but the Pope did straitly charge by his Legates al the Almaine Princes to obeye Henry as their soueraigne and to defye Frederick his sonne In the meane time this Hēry dyed and yet the Pope ceased not but sent a Legate into Germanye one Peter Caputius a Cardinall who summoninge the Princes at Collen caused them to electe one VVilliam Earle of Holland a readye man to maintaine any quarell by the sworde In the ende the Emperour beinge in Apulia one hired by the Pope gaue him poyson by meanes whereof he was daungerouslye sicke but seemed to recouer it but was smothered to death with a pillowe by Manfredus his bastard sonne who as some thinke was allured by bryberye and fayre promises of the Pope to do it The truth hereof is written in sixe bookes of Epistles written by Peter of the Uine Anno 1250. Frederick dyed and as some write in his last will and testamente he gaue a summe of moneye for satisfaction to the Church of Rome and bequeathed his estate and the order of all thinges to his sonne Conradus This Will was brought to the Pope to be approued but the Pope did whollye disanull and frustrate the Will sayinge that the Prince whom he had deposed could make no Wil and so it was voide Within a while after a yonge Prince to whom the Emperour by his sonne Kinge Henry was graūdfather was murthered but by whō no mā could tell About this time before the death of Frederick there were certaine preachers in Sweueland who stoutlye and openly preached against the Pope and his Cardinals iustifyed the doinge of Frederick and his sonne Conradus sayinge bouldly that the Pope his bishops and Cardinals had no auctoritye because they were al stayned with that one blot of simony and that their power depended not vppon Christ that a priest committing deadly sinne coulde neither binde nor loose nor consecrate that no man in the world might forbid a Christian to execute diuine functions that they should be hearde celebrated without any difference And in the ende of their Sermons this pardon quoth they which we do pronounce vnto you wee do not declare it to you as forged by the Pope and his prelates but procedinge from Almightye God These preachers were maintayned by Conradus and therfore he incurred almost danger of his life In the former councell helde at Lions it was decreed that the Cardinals should ryde on their trapped Gennets throughe the streates and weare red hattes and crimsen roabes to signifye sayth Parisius that they are readye to spend their bloud for the Catholicke fayth and the safetye of the people but as Platina sayth for the honour of their estate Also in that councell Innocentius decreed amonge manye matters that the Pope mighte depose the Emperour He did greatly fauoure the order of begging fryers and bestowed on them manye priuiledges and benefittes He preferred the Dominicans to dignityes Ecclesiastical and aduaūced the Franciscās to be the Popes confessours He adopted the White fryers and Augustine friers to be his sonnes wher as they liued before in deserts he brought them into Cityes teachinge them to begge their breade w t idlenes By the helpe of the Dominicans he reformed the rule of the Whitefryers mitigated it and finallye with his blessinge confirmed it that as the sayd rule sheweth they should hope to be saued not onlye by Christ He graūted these the begging fryers lycence to preach to dispute and to shriue people Also he exempted them from all power iurisdiction of kinges and bishops whereupon they crammed the worlde ful and chaoked it with their gloses vpon Sentences decretals cannons wich their commentaries vpon Aristotle their Sophisms Repertories Sūmaries Tables Trinies Quatrinies Conclusions Questions Distinctions Quidities Quodlibets Myracles of the dead Legendaryes Saincts liues Martyrdoms Uisions Dreames Reuelatiōs Exorsisms Concordances Discordāces Marials perspectiues Aphorismes wyth a thousande vaine and combrous pamphlets full of grosse deceitful heresyes and then nothing was counted deuinitye nor lawe but their fansyes and canons And in these dayes the world was fallen into such grosse blindnesse ignorance and barbarousnesse that not onelye knowledge in diuinity but also other learning was almost decayed the knowledge of the tongues as Greeke and Hebrew buried in ignoraunce though some rubbishe of the latine tongue were left yet it was rustye corrupte and broken stuffe as appeareth yet by theyr wrytings that the like barbarousnesse is not in any tongue But to returne to Pope Innocent he canonized diuers makinge them saincts that for his aduauncemente had played the traytours and rebels against theyr owne Princes as one Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other of sondrye places Till the time of this Innocentius the 4. sayth Bibliander it was not an article of fayth nor a law of the Church that men should worship the breade and the wyne in the Sacrament therefore sayth he the Pope as a creator brought forth a newe God Mauzis by transubstantiation This Pope offred to sell to king Henry the third of England the kingdome of both Sicils to the vse of his sonne Prince Edmond and yet Conradus kinge thereof was lyuinge He vexed and polled the Churches of England with myserable exactions for money he maintayned and licensed anye wickednes amonge the clergye suffering worser matters in his bastards
whereof he had diuers especiallye one called VVilliam One Robert Capito bishop of Lincolne had a great controuersye with this Pope for he detested defyed both in preachinge and wrytinge the Popes couetousnes pride and tyrannye He would not admit one of the Popes bastardes because he was vnlearned and but a boye of yeares to a canonship of Lincolne but rebuked the Pope for it in a letter and withstoode the Popes pollinge â—obbinge the Realme and therefore the Pope receyuinge the sharpe letter from this Robert Grosted for anger rayled not onlye on the bishop but also brast into these arrogante wordes against his Prince king Henry the third sayinge as Mattheus Parisius testifyeth Is not the kinge of EnglaÌ„d our vassel our slaue our page who may at our pleasure to hamper him put him in prison to vtter shame And finallye because he coulde not tell howe otherwise to ease his rancke stomacke against the bishop hee excommunicated him but he constantlye defyed and despised his excommunication euen to the death He defended in disputation that the Pope could do nothinge against iustice truth and that he was worse then Lucifer and Antichrist at the length being cited to appeare in the court and condempned by the Pope wrongfullye he appealed to the iudgemente of Christe This good bishop after he had detected much of the Popes treachery before his death vttered these two Uerses applying them against the Pope Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Eius auariciae totus non sufficit orbis One concubine could not suffice his burning lust to quenche Nor yet his honger after golde one world serude not to stenche Also this bishoppe by diligent searche tryed it that this Pope and his clarkes had in reuenewes out of Englande aboue iii. score and tenne thousande markes where as the reuenewes of the Crowne came not to 30. thousand Cestrensis in his seuenth booke wryteth that when this bishop of Lincolne dyed a voyce was heard in the Popes court sayinge Veni miser in iudiciuÌ„ dei that is Come thou vvretch to be iudged of God And that the Pope was found deade in his bedde the next daye and a blewe stroke in his bodye as if he had beene beaten wyth a staffe This was done Anno 1253. he being at Naples and loking soone after to haue enioyed the whole kingdome of Sicill where he lyeth buryed Thaddition to Vspergensis sheweth that the yeare before as the Pope was going from LioÌ„s to Millen these straunge tokens happened certaine bloudy cloudes were seene in the ayre streames of bloud gusshed out of breade as oute of wounded bodyes After his death the seate was voide two yeares 124 Alexander the fourth ALexander the fourth borne in Campania being Cardinall of Hostia succeded Innocent He persecuted Ecelinus of Runcan and Manfred king of Sicill because they had beene ennemyes to the former Popes thus he began his raigne And first he craftelye admonished them not to stande against the dignitye of the Church in anye point before he gaue them this charge he had prouided his army in a readinesse meaning to course them if they should seeke to preuent him and his Cardinals of the kingdome of Sicill yet these Princes very couragiouslye with an oast of Saracens and other fearinge not the Popes threates did set vppon his army at vnawares euen in a trench ere they wist and partly slue them partly toke them prisoners In the meane while Pope Alexander goinge to Anagnia excommunicated Manfred and sent a Cardinal called Octauian to Naples to make the Neapolitans to stand faithful to him against Manfred promysing speedely to bring ayde to all Campania and to the Neapolitans but Manfred not pacifyed with troubling Naples did also moue factions in Hetruria but chiefely in Florence where he brought in the Guelphis againe who euer were at deadly foode with the Gibelines Thus was al Italy in a myserable vprore torne in sonder with cruell and saluage warre But Manfred hauing poysoned Conrad king of Sicill was proclaymed kinge at Panorme and with an armye of hyred souldiours he ouerthrew the Popes Legat with great slaughter This Pope sent one Rustand Legate into Englande Anno 1255. to gather vp the tenthes in Englande Scotland IrelaÌ„d to warre against Manfred And saith Mattheus Parisius manye mischiefes detestable issued from the burning fountayne of Rome in those dayes to the destruction of manye for after the begginge fryers had preached the power of the Crosse he required infinite sommes of moneye the exaction of the Pope was such sayth he that the like hath not bene heard Whereupon Fulck bishop of LoÌ„don sayd with great griefe Ere I giue my consent to oppresse the Church vvith such iniurye seruitude and bondage surely I will first loose my head for although that Courte hath often in times past pinched euen to the bone the faithfull flocke of Christ yet it neuer wouÌ„ded in such deadlye sort all and euery one of Christes seruaunts as it did this yeare and the yeare following c. The money the was gathered for the holy land was transposed into Apulia against Christians and sayth Mattheus vnmeete meÌ„ are made gouernours of noble Churches the prelates are sould as oxen and asses this is the extreame point of seruitude c. About this time the said Rustand the Popes Legate being PrebeÌ„dary of Paules Church in LoÌ„don dyed beyond the sea king Henry the third hearing therof gaue the same prebend to one Iohn Crakehale his chaplein but after the sayde Crakehale had full possession thereof came one Iohn Grasse from Rome wyth the Popes embulled letter to chalenge the sayde lyuing Hereupon the matter being in controuersye it was brought before Boniface bishop of Canterbury who finding that the Popes gift was dated before the kinges dispossessed the Englishman and inuested the Popes man which was taken so in despite by certaine repyning to see the Pope and his Italian priestes in this and all such cases to beare more sway then the king and to reape all commodyties from the kinge and his subiects that the said ItaliaÌ„ and a coÌ„panion of his were murthered in a thronge by whom no man knewe Rustand in a conuocation at London alleaged that all Churches were the Popes to whom one Leonard an Englishman answeared modestly yea sir in tuition not in fruition to defend not to expende Seuell bishop of Yorke by the example of the former bishop of Lincolne did likewyse wtstande this Pope Alexander and desyred him by letter to leaue of his wonted polling according to Peters example to feede the sheepe not to flece them not to flea them not vnbowel them neither as a wolfe deuoure them Further it followeth in the sayd Mattheus that the Pope sente yet other Legates into England namelye Arlot Mansuet minorite fryers who had power to pardon for money eyther lyers forswearerers vowbreakers adulterers and Sodomits traytors poysoners murtherers and all suche Whereuppon a certaine woman
And thus at one time three Sunnes for so the Pope calleth himselfe the Sunne of the world did shine at one time in the Popedome and yet none of them all shoane in heauen Gregory after the degree of the councell was curteouslye entertayned by Charles Malatest Prince of Arminus And while he stayed at Luca by the consent of the Cardinals that hetherto forsaked him not he created Gabriel Condelmerius his sisters sonne Cardinall He drew by the eares one Nicolas of Luca a white fryer doctour of diuinitye oute of the pulpit because in his Sermon he moued and perswaded him to seeke for peace and vnitye to the profite of all Christendome beside that he vsed him so violently in the Church he afterward also sent him to prison to terrifye other that they should not talke of this matter In the ende the fathers of the generall councell of Constance sent vnto him that eyther he should come thether or send his messenger and thereupon he sent Charles Malatest to be his proctour who seinge them thus to be minded to put him from the Popedome he stept vp into the Popes trone being there for the purpose prepared and comming downe from it againe francklye gaue ouer the fourth day of Iulye Anno 1415. for the which free yelding the whole assemble made him Legate of Picene which as soone as Gregory vnderstoode within a fewe dayes for anger griefe and anguish of minde he dyed sodenlye But Peter Moone stoode stiffely in his dignitye of whom Iohn Gerson doctour of diuinitye of Paris did being present in the said Synode speake of that lunaticke Pope Peter Moone saying the Church shall neuer be at peace vntil the Moone be quite eclipsed But he woulde not yeld neyther for entreating perswasion nor threatning of any man Thomas VValden doth make larger discourse hereof in his Sermon preached before king Henry the fift of England Because that the doinges of these two Popes raigning both at ons that is Gregory the ix Peter of the Moone are so notorious that it were worthye to be knowen but so longe that it were tedious here to be shewed onelye this may suffice to signifye their treacheryes which Theodoricus hath written as a preface to the rest of their storye coÌ„piled by him at large I come now sayth Theodoricus to Gregory who succeded the former Pope Innocentius A man should scante finde incke and paper sufficiente and shoulde be tediouslye occupyed to declare by what crafte guile deceite iugling caueling hypocrysies subtilties this Gregory was chosen by the Colledge of Cardinals with whom he and Peter Moone afterwarde delayed to agree for the quietnesse of the vniuersall Churche promisinge and not performing and excused themselues for not agreeing mocking and deluding with naughtye pranckes all Christendome vsing shiftes excuses false forgeryes frumpinges on both partes by theyr messengers to fro But it is euidente that they haue their consciences seared sayinge that they are plaine and simple men when as they are in deede full fraughte with diuelishe delusions And because it shoulde be a godlye deede they haue saide and do say that they would yeild to vnitye which yet in their malicious hartes they neither do nor euer did purpose as by their deedes shall appeare as I will reueale to the worlde for euer not onelye in this booke but also in my other worke called Nemus vnionis Although alas there be manye kinges princes and many inferiour secular powers Cityes boroughes townes villages and castels and the most part of Ecclesiastical prelates of al sortes beside clarkes and Ecclesiasticall parsons both secular and regular in sondrye countryes natâ—ons and landes walkinge wandering in desertes of darcknes and many of them not desiringe the common profite of the catholicke fayth but beinge deuided into sondrye factions for theyr sondry affections do yet cleaue to the said Gregory Peter vpholdinge and cherishing them most dampnably in their obstinacye sciesme and heresye and lifting them vp as their idols like the foolishe Egiptians c. What ende therefore is like to come of this lamentable sciesme which they foster which are Lords of this world not to procure peace but greater discorde and to be feared if God helpe not to the destructioÌ„ of lower powers who being perilouslye bewitched charmed with the vaine promises sleightes of these two Popes their adherents do vphold them in the pride of their ranckour mischiefe and errour as if there were no God in heauen but that the saluation of soules and bodyes did onelye depende vpon these two priestes of Babilon from whom more mischiefe hath spronge and flowed ouer al the face of the earth then euer proceeded from any that fought for the Papacye from the beginning to this oure time And out alas these biles and soares are so brast out in the eyes of al the world that there is no shift to denye or couer the same whereupon the Catholicke fayth is darkened w t cloudes of ignorance al religion hath suffered shipwracke Christians being at iarre amonge themselues do deuoure one another Gonnes and other instruments of mischiefe and murther are put in practise feare of God honesty and vertue haue departed farre from kinges and gouernours and from the people of all sortes and vice hath stepte into their places and finallye the whole vniuersall Church is sicke froÌ„ the Crowne of the heade to the sole of the foote c. Much more to the like effecte complayneth Theodoricus being then Secretarye to the said Gregory when these vprores were thus raysed by these prelates whose particuler doinges as they are manye and diuers so are they strauÌ„ge monstrous horrible and to be wondred at that anye man though he did but suspect that there were a God would so delude both the world him but that the spirite of God hath saide that they shoulde be blinded in their sinnes And thus was all the worlde troubled with this Gregory on the one side the Sunne of darcknes and with Petrus Luna the maÌ„ of the Moone on the other side 149. Alexander the fift ALexander the fift was borne in Crete a franciscan fryer in profession called Peter Philargus or of Candy He succeded the foresaid Gregorie in his Popeship for the former prelates Gregorie and Benedict being deposed in the couÌ„cel of Pice as is said this Alexander was chosen Pope by general consent of all that were there present Which dignitye being bestowed vpon him sayth Platina he was worthelye called Alexander because he being before but a beggerly and begging fryer might now be matched with the proudest Prince in Europe for excessiue prodigalitye hautye courage Wherupon he vsed to ieast merelye oftentimes saying I am a rich bishop a poore Cardinall and a beggerly Pope This Pope was of so stout a stomacke that he cast oute of his kingdome Ladislaus then most mightye king of Naples Apulia who did conuert to his vse more conuenientlye the lordships of the Church being
desperation and so continued a most myserable man to his death tormented in conscience Paulus Vergerius did also hardlye escape the rigorous hand of this Iohn Casa But to be short it were a tedious thinge to declare at large all the demeanour of this Pope Iulye the thirde in the time of his Iubelie and in the Tridentine councell in establishing the idoll of Lauret and in his quarell braule with the bishop of Armin comptrollour of his house for one peacocke other such like trifles For he delighted much in the eating of peacocks and swynes fleshe but when his Phisitian had giuen him warning that he should forbeare swines fleshe because it was hurtfull for the goute his disease yet Iulius would not forbeare The Phisition therefore gaue councell to the Popes Steward to take order that the Pope should haue no such meate serued at the table Whereuppon the Pope wantinge his dish asked What is become of our bacon The Steward aunswered that the Phisition willed him that hee shoulde not set it on The Pope forthwith violently brast into these wordes sayinge Fetche me my meate hether Al di spetto di Dio as he might say in English In spite of Gods hart This blasphemous outrage is a common phrase amonge ruffians and varlets of Italye in their rage and as coÌ„mon with Pope Iulius as to other beside other lasciuious and vnciuill speach On a time he had at his table a peacocke which was vntouched and therefore he commaunded that it should be kept for him til Supper for I wil quoth he haue certaine of my freindes with me at supper in my garden When supper time came the Pope was serued with hot peacocks but his cold peacocke came not in according to his commaundemeÌ„t And therefore he began according to his custome to blaster out his blasphemyes raginge and raylinge One of the Cardinals that sat at the table sayd I beseeche your holines not to be so highlye offended for so small a matter No quoth Iulius If God were so offended for one apple that he threw our first parentes out of Paradise why shoulde not I that am his Uicar be angrye for my peacocke seing a peacocke is of greater valew then an apple This Iulius caused this sentence to be printed on his coyne Gens regnum peribit quod mihi non inseruit That nacion and kingdome shall perishe which doth not serue me When he shoulde create one Peter Betauus Cardinall certaine of the Cardinals stoode against it vrginge especiallye that the sayd bishop was infected with Luthers heresye What then quoth the Pope were it not better for vs by putting on him the Cardinals hat to purge him of that vncleanes and by that bonde to knit him vnto vs rather then to suffer him by escaping from vs to ioyne wyth oure ennemyes in Germanye as Vergerius hath done After sixe yeares raigne this Pope Iulius died Anno 1555. the xxiii daye of May. Upon whom these verses were made Quò ventum est superi quò vis progessa Diones Quò gula quò luxus quò genus omne mali Ambrosie foetent epulae mareotica sordent Vina nisi Iliacus porrigat illa puer Caetera mens horret meminisse ea discat ab vno Crimine me quisquis legerit atque gemat Among diuers other Epitaphs this was written of him and sent from place to place as followeth Iohannes Maria â— Monte. c. Iohn Maria of the mount by haphazard obteining the papacie in the time that the Cardinalles were at a great braule which he durst neuer presume to hope for In 6. yeres he did shed more Christian bloud then any other Antechrist hath done at any tyme. Fex sacrificulorum grex Episcoporum armentum Cardinalium gratitudinis ergo monimentuÌ„ aeternum posuit Ciuill eares perhap will be offended that a man shoulde â—ere set down the sluttishe behauiour vsed in three pointes by this Pope Iuly euen at open table otherwise then any person of meane modestie would do in priuate chamber As Beza sheweth in this EpigraÌ„ made of this Pope Iuly Ebrius ad mensam quum Iulius ille sederet Impia quem potuit Roma nec ipsa pati Tres pariter fertur pelues habuisse paratas Vt triplici triplex vase leuaret onus Vna alui pondus vomitum altera peluis habebat Tertia uesicae concipiebat onus I nunc pontifices Germania dira negato Omnia clausa suo iura tenere sinu And yet this Pope was he whose auctoritie and supremacie was with all humilitie and deuoute reuerence restored here in England in the yere of our Lorde 1554. by queene Mary From this man Cardinal Poole who before was outlawed and vanished for high treason against king Henry the viij came into England and brought with him this Popes blessinge pardon and absolution For the whiche Cardinal Poole was made Primat of England and Archbyshop of Canterbury Thus the Popes blessing and pardon was receiued by the estate of Englande And Pontacus in his cronicle published Anno. 1572. printed in Louany by Iohn Fowler an Englishman that blotteth much paper to publishe grosse vntruthes for the defamynge of his countrey by him forsaken is not ashamed Folio 179. to reporte but boastingly writeth it that kinge Phillip and Queene Mary with the whole Parliament house did humbly kneele vpon theyr knees to receiue the Cardinals blessinge and absolution from the Popes holynesse But it is well known and the knowledge therof dearely bought by Englande how that noble Queene being otherwise of great wisedome and godly minde yet ouermuche deceyued by ignorance in scripture and putting too great a confidence in the Popes autoritie the antiquitie of her religion and the professours therof did euen of simple zeale yeld the disposition and orderinge of her affayres ouermuch to the crafty clergie who with fyre and faggot followed in England the rygorous example of Iuly practized in Italy against those that dissented from the Popes doctrine But this is both at large set forth in the actes and monuments of the Church and further is not pertinent to this purpose and therefore not here to be mentioned at large Onely this is that whiche I note â–ª to what kinde of person of lyfe and conuersation England in these later dayes submitted it selfe as to his generall Pastour and the vicar of Christ. Of what maner of man we receyued blessinge and absolution so deuoutly whom we did so highly commend honour and reuerence aboue our natural prince with heauenly title of our moste holy father the Pope To whom and to whose seruile yoke our prynce dyd yelde her selfe to be at his commaundement whose curse we feared whose loue and fauour we sought to purchase with infinite treasure whose displeasure caused bothe prynce and people to quake as it were at hel fyer If the person that thus bleared vs be considered I doubte not but we shall firste be ashamed of him secondely ashamed of our selues that we haue thus fallen downe and
fier And therfore these Nicodemites that will visit Christ onelye in the darcke and by night and not openly before men the Lord will not acknowledge him before his Heauenly father Such is the ende of fleshly pollicy So that Right honourable onely such ar to be held as wyse in deede which thincke that it lyeth vpoÌ„ them especially beloÌ„geth vnto them to make a constant and opeÌ„ profession of true Religion If then to be wyse be to professe Religion it is worthy to be farther considered how a man may attaine to perfection herein The heathen that euer measured wysedomeÌ„ by ciuill pollicy haue accompted best of those by whose good endeuour their commoÌ„ wealth hath bin most vpheld and strengthned from forain inuasions and that haue employed themselues to breake the force of such as would assault it And so my very good Lord they that haue bin the most worthye members of the Church of God haue euer excelled in this point to shew themselues forward in promoting Religion and suppressing to their power the enemyes therof and especially I say in suppressing the enemyes For the houlding downe of them is the houlding vp of the other So the godly Dauid did both fetch home the arke of God and scourged his ennemyes the Philistines and Iebusites So the zealous king Iosias both restored the Law of the Lord and put downe the wicked Chemerinus that sacrificed vnto Baal So the noble Cyrus deliuered Israell and held BabiloÌ„ captiue Finally so the worthy CoÌ„stantine the sonne to Helen borne in this Island brought peace to the Church set Christian ReligioÌ„ at libertye and also ouerthrew the cruell ennemy and tyraunt MaxeÌ„tius If these godly examples were euer to be followed in any place If this zeale in Religion were euer to be shewed in any age where more then in this our natiue countrye If this perfit wysedome were euer to be wished in any gouernours of whom rather then of the nobility of England when rather then in this our time against the tyrannye of the bishop of Rome For what enemye bath made such greedy spoyle and wrought such broyle in any countrey as he and his hath done continuallye in this little Isle as but for being tedious might be shewed almost in euery kings time since the coÌ„quest as VVilliam Rufus and HeÌ„ry the first both were sore combred w t Pope Vrban the second and Paschal the second through Anselmus bishop of CaÌ„terbury Henry the second much more with Thomas Becket and Pope Alexander the 3. Richard the first complayned greuously of the Popes shamefull polling his Realme and yet could not redresse it K. Iohn suffered a thousand stormes and the Realme was myserablye spoyled and made tributarye to the Pope for euer by the treachery of StepheÌ„ LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterbury In the time of HeÌ„ry the 3. the Pope ransackt all the Churches in Englande and so hath he continued with the rest vexing by exactioÌ„s excommunications or some such meanes euerye one But because his staffe hath here bin brokeÌ„ he throweÌ„ out of the dores in this our time what meanes doth he dailye leaue vnproued to worke our confusion as sturring rebellioÌ„s mouing treasons seditions and conspiracies within the land cursing and excoÌ„municating both Prince and people nobilitye and commons and yelding vs a praye vnto him whoÌ„ he hath assigned by his bulls to enioye their lyuings and dignities abroad who hourelye wait wheÌ„ eyther by nature it selfe or their violent hand the thred shoulde faile whereon dependeth the staye of our estate Such is the purpose of Antichrist against vs and yet practised with colour of holines So that if euer the bloud of Christ his Church ought euer to be precious in the eyes of men the time is now Now lyeth it vpon euery one to shew himselfe a freind to his countrey by withstanding to his power the common enemye therof and especially those that stande in the hyest place both for their owne sakes because their fall shal be the greater and for charge of Gods people coÌ„mitted vnto them whose bloud he wil require at their hands if they leaue them to the wolfe For the which cause Right honourable I as a member of that bodye which is so assaulted by this Dragon both for the safetye of my selfe and other employed my self a litle to discouer the secret traynes of this deceitful ennemye and because this my enterprise of it selfe lyeth open to the perill of the malicious mouthes of many his partakers so that it shold not be able to beare out it selfe agaiÌ„st their force Therfore necessitye driueth me to seeke for the succour of such a Patrone in whom I might assure my selfe of that perfite wysedome which Lactancius alloweth and find that rescue which this cause requireth that is one who by power should be able by wysedome skilfull and in zeale and affection willing and forward to encounter this aduersarye with anye of his faction whereof because it is not vnknowen to mee by many priuate occasions that your honour hath made proofe that this perfite wysedome is planted in you as it was in Dauid Iosias Cyrus and Constantine bearing on your lefte arme a target of defence for Religion and hauing your right hand armed with a sword to wound the ennemye Antichrist And againe seing it hath not bin so priuate but that this zeale hath shewed it selfe openlye in biddinge battell to the members of Antichrist marchinge against them in fielde and pursuing them out of the countrye I thought your Lorship most meete and I assured my selfe that your honour would be most willing to suffer this my little volume to fight vnder your baÌ„ner in that quarrell against the Pope wherein your honour hath heretofore personallye proceeded If therefore the worthines of the matter herein contayned written by maister Bale maye so excuse the vnworthines of my simple stile in translating it that your honour vouchsafe to accepte the one with the other and beare with the one for the other your curtesye shall the rather confirme all the professours of the Gospel in that vndoubted opinion which they haue iustlye conceyued of you and giue them cause still to glorifye God for such nobility wishing the good encrease and longe prosperitye of such and I hauing my trauaile most happely bestowed shall acknowledge my dutye alwayes bounde vnto your honour for it And thus crauinge pardon of this tedious volume wherewith I haue troubled your Honour ouer longe I leaue you to the Almightye Your honours most humble Iohn Studley The translatour to the Reader IT maye be gentle Reader that when thou shalt in this booke reade many monstrous horrible histories rather to be suppressed theÌ„ put in print thou wilt not thincke well of my trauayle I grauÌ„t that here are manye thinges vttered odious to be heard but yet if any thing offend thy chasâ—e eares blame not me gentle Reader but the importunitye of the Papistes who hath forced me thus to