rer memora additis Ab. Vrsperg and said for his excuse that hee did he did prouoked of vs before and he would haue reuoked the curse but that hee was coped and kepte in against his owne liking Clemens 6. Clemens the 6. blowed vp the fire which Benedict his predecessour would haue quenched And euen at the Lordes supper he cursed the Emperor as Cuspinian writeth Io. Cusp in vita Ludou As Iudas was at the Lordes supper that betrayed his maister But notwithstanding the curses of Popes Ludouick reigned about 37. yeeres as Cuspinian accounteth Alber. Cranz Saxo. Lib. 8. cap. 22. and hee ouerliued two of the Popes that cursed him and hee dyed not without suspition of poyson as Albert. reporteth Philip the Emperour Philippe the Emperour about the yeere of our Lorde God 1198. as Vrspergensis accounteth is praysed of him for a milde and gentle Prince valiant in warres at chiof him with good successe yet because hee was not currant in the fauour of Pope Innocent the third Ab. Vrsperg in gest Phil. first hee vrged an excommunication of Pope Celestine against him And after by his practise and other Emperour called Otto was sette vppe against him but Philippe by treason ended his life in the ende Then Pope Innocent fell a cursing of Otto also Otto the Emperour whom as his darling he had Crowned before Thus a common practise it is with Popes to make quarrels to curse Princes if they stand not in their grace and bee not at their deuotions and if they make not their composition with them Philip the Emperour As Philippe the Emperour was 〈◊〉 come to composition with Pope Innocent the third Abbas Vrsperg in titulo de bellis Philippi by Ambassadours sent for that purpose who promised a mariage betweene the kinges daughter and the Popes brothers sonne for reconcilement of Phillippe to the Popes grace as Vrspergensis vowcheth of the reporte of credible men Frederick the first Emperour of that name Frider. the 1. was fayne to put a masse of gould into Pope Hadrian his mouth to make his composition with him by his solliciters for the recalling of his curse against him Ab. Vrsperg ex cremoneÌ„s and for reconcilement to him As the Abbat of Vrsperg out of the Cremonensis called Iohn the Priest rehearseth Otherwise if suit be not made for reconcilement and composition with them the common enginne and practise of Popes against Princes is to drawe out the banning blade vppon them As Hornets haue their stinges and Scorpians their tayles so the common enginne of Popes reuenge vppon Princes is their excomminging and cursing of them Saxo Craâ— Hist Danâ—s lib. 14. Saxo the wryter of the Danes storie sayeth the Bishoppes reuenge is his curse And the same Pope Innocent the third afore rehearsed didde drawe his banning blade vppon king Iohn of England King Iohn of England Fabian the 7 parte in anno 1212. Phil. le Bewa king of Fran. Who was fayne 〈◊〉 make his composition with Pandolph his Legate to pay a yeerely fee to the Pope of a thousand markes for the Realmes of Englande and Ireland and as his Feodarie to houlde the Crowne of him Boniface the eight did proceede in like sorte to cursing and banning of Philippe surnamed the fayre Ro. Gag in annalibus regum Fran. lib. 7. king of Fraunce but he in the steed of coÌ„position suborned Sarra the Italian and sent Nogaretus a French man to his aid and at Anagnia sodenly they surprised the Pope by force of armes and brought him to Rome where with chafe and greefe he died Gagwine generall of the order of the holy Trinitie in Fraunce Bonifacius 8 in his storie saith of Pope Boniface that being too proud he priued Philip of his kingdome and gaue it to Albert Duke of Ostrige together with the Empire of Germanie And after the same Gagwine had told of the taking of the Pope and of his death he saith Such an end of his life had Bonifacius the despiser of all men who without remembring the commaundementes of Christ went about to take away and to giue kingdomes at his pleasure Rob. Gagwins iudgement of Bonifacius 8. when he was not ignorant that hee occupied his place on earth whose kingdome was not of this world and of earthly thinges but heauenly Thus farre father Gagwin as they call him the generall of his order We see the Pope is sent into Christes schoole of his own deuout disciple as father Gagwin was and the birdes of his owne nest are readye to scratch out his eyes What treason was this against the Popes person and power to say that he remembred not the commaundements of Christ while he went about to take away and to geue kingdomes at his pleasure And yet he calleth him selfe Christes Vicar His kingdome was not not of wordly thinges but heauenly Thus father Gagwin who was in the Popes own bosome for his Religion yet is a witnesse against his vsurped power pride and tyranny in deposing of Princes and disposing of kingdomes And turneth them into Christes schoole whose Vicars they professe theÌ„selues to bee to learne an other lesson of him whose kingdome was not of earthly but heauenly thinges Thus of banning Bonifacius his ende and father Gagwines witnesse against the vsurped power of Popes in taking away and giuinge the kingdomes of the earth Paulus 2. Clemens 5. Paulus the second excomminged and cursed George kinge of Beme and Clemens the fifte the Venetians the Florentines and them 〈◊〉 Luke and diuers other Popes haue cursed and banned many other Princes and people And euen yet they blush not in the light of the Gospell to do the like as they were wont to do in darkenesse and in the night of grosse idolatrie and ignorance they cannot hould themselues but if Princes reuolt from their viâ—due obedience and hee reclaymed from their idolatrous errors then they fall to managings their cursings bannings in the names of Peter and Paul by whose doctrine their vsurped power and tyranny is condemned Thus of the vsuall enginne of the Bishoppe of Rome commonly vsed of them in contriuing and managing of practises of treason and rebellion against Christian Princes and Realmes which is their excomminging and cursing of them The 2. chiefe point of the first matter The second point and matter of my first parte is at what time chieflie the Bishoppe of Rome beganne to vse this engine of excommunicating and cursing of Princes and Realmes and practising of such treasons and rebellions gainst them OTto Bishoppe of Frising a famous writer of Cronicles Otto Bishop of Frising and of great account in the Church of Rome in his storie writeth that before Henry the fourth Emperour of that name hee could neuer finde Roman Emperour or king to haue beene excomminged and cursed of any Bishoppe of Rome This Otto by parentage was of the blood imperiall by his mothers side before hee was a
the Emperor withdrawing himselfe a while The Bishops of Mens Colon and Wormes with violeÌ„ce deposed their soueraigne Lord Henrie the 4. inuested himselfe in the Imperial robes returning These saith he â—â—e the Imperiall ornaments of estate these by the goodnesse of the euerlasting king and election of Princes haue bin bestowed on me God is able also in these to continue vs and to hold your hands froÌ„ the worke you intend although we be now disgarnished of our forces and armies for supposing our selues to bee in safetie we made no preparation against suche violence But let the feare of God stay you whom pietie doth not reclaime and if you reuerence neither behold we are in presence we cannot resist your force The Bishops staggered The Bishops pluck the crowne from the Emperors head but after they encouraged one the other to set on the Emperor to pluck the crown froÌ„ his head and wheÌ„ they had plucked him out of his seat they turned him out of his Imperiall robes ornameÌ„ts The Emperor fetting deep sighes saith thus vnto theÌ„ God the Lorde of reueÌ„ge see it take reuenge of the wickednes you commit I susteine ignominie and dishonor that neuer the like was heard before for the sins of my youth of the iust iudge I am punished you neuerthelesse shal not be free froÌ„ sin because you haue falsified your othes of loyaltie The Emperor coÌ„pareth his Bishops to Iudas the Traitour you shal not escape the vengeance of that iust iudge your honor neuer prosper your portion be with him that betraid Christ But they stopping their eares go back carrying the imperial robes ornameÌ„ts to his son Thus far the report of the storie of the deposing of Henry the 4. out of Alberâ— who telleth it out of the Chronicle of Germanie for he saith Haec est narratio nostrorum aâ—naliuÌ„ Who that hath bowels of good naturâ— in him would he not rue to heare the pitifull plaint of so valiant a Prince to his sworne subiects that had been aduaunced to so high dignitie of him Hee gaue ghostly counsell to them which shoulde haue giuen it to him But their eares were stopped like the deafe Aspes Psal 48. They wilfully brake the oth of their alleageance they layde violent handes on the Royal person of the Prince they vndertook the execution of treason and the Popes curse vppon the sacred person of their prince by whome they were mounted vp in high estate of honor Thus in the treason and rebellion of the sonne against Henry the 4. his father and in the deposing of him in the ende the bishops which chiefly should haue bene faithfull and loyall to him were the principall actors and instruments against him and tooke on them the execution of the Popes curse and the violent deposing of the Emperor from his Imperiall estate King Iohn of England Fabian 2. vo part 7. in anno 1205 So in king Iohn of England his time the execution of the Popes curse vpon him and the realme was committed to the Bishops of London Ely Winchester and Herford who after they had denounced it against the king the land were fain to flie the land And in that blind time when the Pope sate in the consciences of simple people to binde and loose the king by practise of the Pope and popish Prelates was so encountred and wrapped in troubles that at length he yelded himselfe to Randolph the Popes Legate by oth Fabian 2. vo part 7. in anno 1212 to stand to the Popes order Finally hee was driuen on his knees to take the crowne from his head as Fabian reporteth it to resigne it with solemne wordes into the Popes handes and after to resume it as Feodarie to the Pope as Fabian telleth vppon a yeerely fee of a thousand marks to be paid vnto him So wheÌ„ there is variance in the land and the Pope is vmpire by cursing of Princes and lands hee fingreth and filcheth gaine and setteth a sale his cursings and blessings againe Popish Prelates are the Popes hands and bowels in Countries To whom chiefly doth hee commit the trust of the execution of such things to popish Prelates They are as the Popes hands in countries they are as the bowels of his own body and as if their conscience liued of him they are made actors and instruments eftsoones against their own Princes for him as in the practise of stories we see Running to Rome And if there grow quarrell betweene the Prince them they goe round to Rome The Pope is the vmpire they keepe that string for their bowe whatsoeuer faileth at home Tho. Becket packed him to Rome againste Hen. the 2. Thomas Becket returned with authoritie froÌ„ the Pope against the Prince Anselme Archbishop of Canter Anselme Archbishop of Canterb. sped him to Rome against Henrie the first at his return held a conuocation at London by the authority of the Pope against the Prince Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterburie Lanfrank likewise Archbishop of Canterburie Thomas of York pleated the libel of their preemineÌ„ce at Rome vnder William the conqueror Abbat Benet Abbat Benet had 5. times been at Rome Rome was their paradise on earth to run in pilgrimage to it The Pope as a God sate in dark consciences as hauing Peters key to bind lose The Abbat of Vrsperg who himself had bin at Rome runneth in Romish religion with them and raileth vpon Hen. the 4. for resistance against Popes of Rome yet hee cryeth out on Rome for sucking the gaine of the world and saith Gaude mater nostra Roma Ab. Vrsperg in Chro. quia aperiuntur catarractae the sauroruÌ„ in terra vt ad te confluant riui aggeres nummorum in magna copia our mother Rome reioyce saith he because the sluces and Gulfes of gaine are opened on earth Mother Rome sacketh the treasure of the earth that streames and heapes of money may come flowing in to thee in great abuÌ„dance Thus the Abbat though hee were her deare sonne yet crieth out on his mother Rome for sucking the treasures of the erth And now because his mother Rome hath byn kept so long fasting froÌ„ England the gulf of her great gaine stopped there not only she is hungred but with rauening iawes gapeth coÌ„tinuallie ouer it by practise of monstrous treasons and rebellioÌ„s to pluck it in again Thus of the taking and deposing of Henrie the 4. and of the Bishops that were chiefe instruments and actors in it The fourth chiefe point of the discourse of this storie The 4. The death of Henry the 4. and the crueltie on his corps is of the death of Henry the fourth and the crueltie shewed on his corse After that Henrie the Emperor was of the bishops aforesaide thus deposed and dispoyled of the robes of estate and the Imperiall ensignes he fled to Limburg and lighting on a prince a hunting Alb.
15. â—1 Let his prayer saith he in annother Psalme bee turned into sinne The sacrifices of the wicked as Salomon saith are abhominable to God If therfore we lift vp such hearts and handes as the wicked doe with vnrepentant hearts in their sinnes then we harbour the common enemies in our owne bosomes Wee praye for the Prince and beare good hearts vnto her but looke into our owne bosomes and there lurke the Ghostly and common enemies euen grosse greeuous sinnes which breake out carry all before them ouerflow all Osee 4. One sin as Osee saith toucheth an other and ouertaketh an other Esai 5. they are linked together as if they were drawne with Wainropes as Esai saith and they are heaped vp to heauen as S. Iohn saith of the sinnes of Babylon Reue. 18. And they are in the eares of the Lorde of Hoasts as Esai saith Esai 5. Alacke for the greeuous sinnes of England our sinnes are the common enemies our sins arme our enemies against vs Chrysost ho. 1. de ver Esai vide Dom. as Chrysostome saieth Ones heart may bleed to thinke it cannot but rue in the speaking and hearing of it The great and greeuous sinnes of England are readie to conspire to pluck out our gracious deare mother out of the Royall chrone Because for the sinnes of the people God taketh away a godlie Prince and giueth them a Prince in his wrath Osee 13. as the Prophet Osee saith and sendeth oppressours and effeminate persons to rule ouer them as God by the prophet Esai sheweth Esay 3. Iob. 34. And as Elin saith in the booke of Iob for the sinnes of the people hee causeth an hypocrite or wicked man to raigne ouer theÌ„ For the word Chancph doth signifie both because commonly they are concurrent So Iosiah the godlie Prince was taken away Iosiah Hier. lament for whom Hieremie the Prophet wrote Lamentations and all singing men and singing women as the Scripture saith mourned for Iosiah in their Lamentations to this daye 2. Chro. 25. and made the same Lamentations an ordinaunce in Israel and there succeeded hym Iehohas a Prince of three Moneths Iehohas and after him Ichoakim an vngodly king Ieoachim 2. Chro. 26. Hesechiah 2. Chro. 32. So after the godlie and gracious King Hesechiah by Gods visitation ended his life whome all Iuda and all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem did honour at his death Mannasse 2. Chro. 33. as the Scripture saith Manasse his sonne succeeded him an vngodlie and idolatrous Prince Iehosaphat Iehoram 2. Chro. 21. till by repentance after he was reclaimed Likewise after Iehosaphat the religious and vertuous Prince Iehoram his sonne followed who embrued himselfe in the blood of his brethren and walked in the wicked wayes of Ahab Abiah Absha c. And for Abiah and Ashah and other godlie kinges eftsoones followed wicked and idolatrous Princes which were snares and stumbling blockes to the people of God This is the course of Gods iudgment for the continuall multiplying of greeuous sins in Countries he withdraweth the blessing of gracious and godly Princes from them If therefore our hartes melte ouer the Prince by occasion of the late daungers as the hartes of all faithfull subiectes doe let vs put from vs those great and greeuous sinnes which continually prouoke his displeasure against vs. Let vs cast our sinnes from vs as by Ezechiel God warneth that they bring vs not to ruine Ezech. 18. I haue no pleasure in the death of a sinner sayth the Lorde God shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes Now is the Are put to the roote of the tree as S. Iohn the baptist sayth Luke 3. God by his late wonderful worke hath giuen generall warning to all and summoneth all to repentance Let vs fal to hartie repentance and turne to God from greeuous sinnes and wicked life with an vnfeyned purpose to leaue them and a gracious purpose hencefoorth to lead a godly life And in this purpose let vs lift vppe pure handes to God as Paul exhorteth for the long and prosperous preseruation of the royall person and estate of our Prince that the goodnesse of God in the tender mercye of Christe will vouchsafe to accepte our prayers Thus of the laste clause of this matter with what mindes wee should make our prayers for her that the goodnesse of God may vouchsafe to accept them The 9 cheefe matter The ninth is of the inner wall of England which is true faith to God vnfeyned fidelitie to our Prince and mutuall loue and concord amongst our selues And of the outward wall which is the shipping nauigation and the furniture thereof wherewith her Maiestie hath fortified our Countrie and what a comforte and blessing it is to our whole Countrie The inner wall of Engnland is made of liuely stones as Peter calleth Christians closely couched to Christ the corner stone The inner wall of England 1. Pet. 2. Ephe. 2. Col. 2. Act. 15. Ephe. 3. as Paul calleth him by true liuelie faith which is the gift of God and his effectuous worke to purifie and clense the heart and by which hee dwelleth in the hartes of the faithfull as Paul sayeth And in the bodie politike and ciuill building of the same liuely stones are layed and linked together with hartie fidelitie to their Prince as the Principall stone of that building and in the reste of the building the same liuely stones are ioyned and coped togither in mutuall loue and Christian concord and charitie together Thus the inner wall of the Realme is built and arreared vppe by true faith to God hartie fidelitie to the Prince and mutuall loue and concord amongest our selues Dauid speaking of the walls towers munitions of Herusalem willeth vs to walke about Syon Psal 47. to tell her Towers to marke well her Bulwarks and withall and without the which all the rest is nothing saith hee for this God is our God for euer and euer hee shal be our guide vnto death And if we will truely consider of the inward wall of England these be the Towers Bulwarkes and munitions therof true faith to God loyaltie to our Prince and mutuall loue amongst our selues and with all and without the which all worldly munitions and fortifications are nothing if in the spirite and faith of Dauid we say This God is our God for euer and euer he shal be our guid vnto death Therefore let al good subiects of England earnestly indeuour to lay themselues close and firme in the building of the inner wall of England by true faith to God vnfeyned fidelitie to our Prince and mutuall loue amongest our selues Beware there be none like loose and sagging stones which lye in the middest of the wall and deceiue and weaken the building of it and make riftes and rentes in it by infidelitie to God disloyaltie to the Prince and malicious hate of true subiectes to