of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the
known multiplici experiencia by deere experience Math. Paris in Johan that the Pope was ambitious and proud aboue all men liuing and an insatiable thirster after money Et ad omnia scelera pro praemijs datis vel promissis cereus procliuus Prone to all wickednesse whatsoeuer for rewards either promised or giuen was resolued to make a benefit of this his ill fortune purposing with himselfe a reuenge of the Barons and Bishops of the kingdome with the good liking and leaue of Innocent nay he being the author Whereupon he sent Embassadors vnto him who carried with them a great part of his treasure and withall promising more sware vnto him That he would alwayes be his subiect and tributarie vnto him so that he would find some subtile occasion to excommunicat his Barons and Bishops especially the Archbishop of Canturburie for whom the Pope had so much molested him Nicholas Bishop of Tuscule his Legat came into England to release the interdict that had continued six yeares three moneths and foureteene dayes To the irreuocable losse saith the Author of the Church both in temporall matters and in spirituall Iohn gaue him this infamous resignation of his realme no more in wax as to Pandolph but sealed in gold And because there was made a question of the losses which the Bishops had receiued the Legat in fauour of the king deferred it to a farther day But Innocent who desired to gratifie the king by his Legat of all the vacant Churches to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canturburie Intrusione magis quà m electione canonica disponit Disposed of them rather by intrusion than canonicall election Hereupon this Archbishop appealed but the Legat reiected his Appeale proceeded in his purpose and Innocent ratified the acts of his Legat speaking now of nothing but the praises and commendations of the Prince The Barons they assembled to demaund their libertie with whom also joyned the citie of London The Pope as the chiefe Lord reuoketh them and because they would not presently obey he excommunicated them and stirred vp all the subiects of the realme against them promising them remission of their sinnes and included in the same excommunication all the Bishops that delayed to publish the Anatheme But because Stephen Archbishop of Canterburie hauing lately beene his fauourite declared that hee could not publish it before he had seene the Pope and being readie to take shipping for the Councell assigned at Rome because tacita veritate sententia erat in Barones lata The sentence was pronounced against the Barons trueth it selfe being silent the Bishop of Winchester Pandolph the Legat the executioners of this sentence forbad him the Church and suspended him from the celebration of his office of so great force and efficacie was the money king Iohn powred into the lap of the Pope But besides he was no sooner come to Rome but the sentence of suspension was confirmed by Innocent These proceedings now put the Barons of England into despaire who saith the historie seeing all hope of their good to be taken away and knowing not what to doe Matth. Paris in Johan curst the fraud and infidelitie of the king Woe be to thee O Iohn say they the last of the Kings the abhomination of the Princes of England the confusion of the English Nobilitie O miserable England being now wasted and readie to be more wasted and destroyed O wofull England England that hitherto hath beene the Prince of Prouinces in all good things art made tributarie not onely subiect to fire famine and sword but to the empire and commaund of base slaues and strangers though there be nothing more vnhappie than to be enthralled to such people We read that many other kings yea and but petie kings too haue fought for the libertie of their countrey euen to death but thou Iohn of a mournefull memorie to all posteritie thy countrey that hath beene free for many yeares thou hast found the meane to bring it into bondage and employed thy endeuors to draw others with thee into slauerie thou hast first debast thy selfe being made of a free king a tributarie and a vessell of seruitude Thou hast bound the noblest of all countries with a band of eternall slauerie neuer to bee freed from seruile fetters vnlesse he hauing pitie vpon vs and the whole world vs I say whom auncient seruitude hath held vnder the yoke of sinne vouchsafe at the last to set vs at libertie Neither doe they lesse complaine of the Pope Thou say they who ought to be an example of light to the whole world the father of sanctitie the myrrour of pietie the defender of iustice the keeper of veritie consentest thou to such a thing doest thou approue and defend such a man But doubtlesse thou defendest him because hee hath exhausted the money of England exacted vpon the English Nobilitie to the end that all this might be swallowed vp in the gulfe of the Roman auarice But this cause and excuse is an offence and accusation before God In the end they resolued to make choyce of some Potent Prince to be their King who might restore vnto them their auncient possessions and liberties and this was Lewis the sonne of Philip Augustus the father afterward of S. Lewis to whom they sent twentie foure hostages to assure him the kingdome which he accepted Innocent vnderstanding hereof sent Waldo his Legat to Philip into France willing him That he suffer not his sonne to trouble England nor Iohn the King but rather to defend him as a vassall of the Church of Rome and England as the demaine thereof Philip plainely told him That the kingdome of England neuer was the patrimonie of S. Peter nor is nor euer should be and that Iohn condemned of treason against his brother Richard is not nor euer was the true and lawfull king nor could giue the kingdome although he had aspired to the Crowne by the murder of Arthur for which he was condemned in his owne Court. Moreouer no King or Prince can giue away his kingdom without the consent of his Barons who are bound to defend it And if the Pope be determined to defend such an errour he will giue a most pernitious example to all kingdomes All the Nobilitie therefore of the kingdome cried out with one voice That for this point they would fight euen to death This was at Lyons a little after Easter in the yeare 1216. An. 1216. The day following Philip gaue the Legat audience commanding his sonne Lewis to be present where all this businesse was againe disputed The Legat notwithstanding all these reasons forbad Lewis to enter into England and threatened the father vnder pain of excommunication not to permit him wherevpon Lewis departeth the Legat demaunding of Philip safe conduct for himselfe which Philip willingly granted vnto him by his letters But if perhaps saith he you fall into the hands of the Monkes of Eustachius or any other belonging vnto Lewis which keepe the
paine of deposition from his Crowne and State with which summes of money the Pope being backed he leuied an armie Conrade on the other side was no whit hereat dismayed but intended to resist the Pope and therefore he the more encouraged his nobles and subiects And here our Historiographer a Monke bursts out into these words Whether the Pope did well herein or no let the Iudge of all Iudges decide But for an abridgement of this warre this miserable Prince had poyson presented him who wasting away by little and little when he drew neere to his last breath in complaining manner he vttered these words The Church which should bee a mother to my father and me is rather a stepmother and so he left behind him a sonne who was but two yeares old Some impute this poyson to a brother of his others to the Popes ministers which of the two were most likely as may be presumed by the state and condition of the present affaires Mathew saith That hauing heard this newes with great ioy of heart cheerefulnesse of countenance and eleuation of voice he vttered these words I reioyce certainely and so let all the vpholders of the Roman Church exult together with me because two of our greatest enemies are now dead one Ecclesiasticall the other of the Laitie Robert Bishop of Lincolne and Conrade king of Sicile He therefore embracing this opportunitie found it an easie matter to recouer into his hands Naples Capua and a part of the kingdome But Manfred being assisted by the nobles of the kingdome he both crossed him in this prosperous course of his proceedings and daring to wage battell vanquished and ouerthrew him in the same and so his last errour was worse than the first Whereupon Innocent tooke such sorrow to heart that within a few dayes after he dyed at Naples suruiuing Conrade but a few moneths and being molested by the Bishop of Lincolns meanes euen to his last gaspe as in proper place shall plainely appeare These things occurred in the yeare 1254 An. 1254. in the moneth of December And so both the king of Englands treasure and ambitious designes perished together with him The volume of the Decretals is ascribed to this Innocent wherein his drift and maine scope was That whatsoeuer had beene by his predecessors out of wonderfull pride digested and decreed against the temporall Monarchie by them it might be ratified and made authenticke as also whatsoeuer profane or sacrilegious act they had performed against the Spirituall it might be in them as it were hallowed and consecrated To him also the Canonists haue reference ouer whom hee was head and principall hauing promoted them to some of the highest dignities of the Church and many of them also he raised to the Cardinalls hat out of which fountaine sprung that hideous gulph of forensiall contentions and first of all that detestable clause of Non obstante of which Mathew so often makes mention after the induction whereof all the auncient Canons of the Councells and Decrees of the old Popes as also the verie liberties and priuiledges of the Churches began at length to bee put downe So that this abuse breaking afterwards into the ciuile Courts it wrought wonderfull subuersions of equitie and justice From hence proceeded that common complaint Out alas alas why looked we after these dayes Behold the Courts ciuile are now corrupted according to the example of the Ecclesiasticall and the riuers are poysoned by a sulpherous fountaine Now the manner was that the money ordayned for warre in the Holie Land and the Indulgences of the Croysadoes were then in their vse by the Popes diuerted against the Emperours and other Princes This man that he might exceed all others divulged out of the Pulpit That whosoeuer tooke vp armes against Conrade he should obtaine more ample remission of sinnes than if hee fought against the Souldan So that if any man were crossed against Conrade both he his father and mother should gaine full pardon of all their sinnes He maried also his neeces verie highly and amongst the rest one he maried to Henrie Fredericks sonne and nephew to the king of England that thus hee might be adopted a sonne of the Church Which seemed a thing maruellous strange to all the Nobles of the Empire That a Pope said they would presume so to disparage a noble royall gentleman In conclusion he so pilled and polled the Christian Commonwealth as vpon due competation made it was found saith our Author and that most truely and exactly that this present Pope Innocent the fourth had more impouerished the Church vniuersall than all his other predecessours from the time of the primitiue Papacie and the reuenues of the Clergie by him alienated in England which had aunciently beene endowed therewith by the Church of Rome amounted to more than seuentie thousand markes whereas the kings meere reuenue could not be valued at a third part so much OPPOSITION And for that same Robert Bishop of Lincolne whom we formerly spake of it should seeme Innocent had commaunded him to performe some wicked office Which saith Mathew he did both to him and diuers other Prelats of England Wherefore he made answer by an Epistle which he produceth whole and entire in this tenor Health Your discretion shall vnderstand Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. that deuoutly and reuerenly I obey with filiall affection the Apostolicall iniunctions and so affecting reuerent honour I oppugne and resist such as are opposit to commaunds Apostolicall for to both these courses I am obliged by commaundement diuine The Apostolicall commaunds neither can be nor are any other than the doctrine of the Apostles and of our Lord Iesus Christ Master and head of the Apostles whose figure and person our Lord the Pope specially representeth in the Hierarchie of the Church being consonant and conformable And there he enters into a detestation of that clause Non obstante From whence springeth vp saith he the head and fountaine of inconstancie boldnesse and obstinacie of shamefull lying deceiuing distrustfully beleeuing or giuing credit to another and so from these a number of other subsequent vices which doe but disturbe and coinquinat the puritie of Christian religion and the peace and quiet of ciuile conuersation Furthermore saith he next to the sinne of Lucifer which shall be the same of Antichrist the sonne of perdition in the end of times whom God shall destroy with the breath of his mouth there neither is nor can be any kind of sinne so opposit and contrarie to the doctrine Euangelicall and of the Apostles and to the same our Lord Iesus Christ so odious detestable and abhominable as to kill and destroy soules by defrauding them of Pastorall offices and ministeries c. The introductors of such manquellers and butcheries amongst the sheepe in the Church of God are worse than the murderers themselues neerer both to Lucifer and Antichrist and particularly they are worse in this degree in that being supereminent of place out of
words We seuerely prohibit this error Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. and excommunicat the maintainers and defenders thereof as men saith our Author that dare touch the holie hill to be oppressed with Gods glorie and that rashly endeuour to search out the inscrutable secrets of God and are presumptuously inquisitiue into the iudgements of God which are like bottomelesse depthes Afterwards the Author also noteth in diuers places how they laboured as much as in them lay to ouerthrow the Parisian Academie to whose lawes and statutes they would in no wise be subiect since they were made Confessors and Counsellors to kings The students therfore were constrained to contribute and make a collection euerie one according to his meanes to send to Rome and euerie ones weekes allowance was cut shorter But they found the Pope aduerse to their proiects as also the Cardinals of the same stampe who in the behalfe of the Mendicants augmented the number of Diuinitie Doctors that so they might be brought in by meanes of which schisme the Vniuersitie was in great danger of a dissipation What was the effect and issue of all these turbulencies will afterwards more manifestly appeare Concerning the Waldenses they did so spread abroad both in France and Germanie that throughout the course of all histories we may as it were discerne their prints and footsteps And also in Lombardie where Petrus Veronensis a Dominican vsed all rigour of Inquisition against those who were called Credentes Beleeuers indicting vpon them all kind of seuere punishment when seising on some of the principall he was found slaine in the territories of Mylan One Carinus was apprehended for this slaughter who notwithstanding the tenth day after was dismissed by the Pretor as guiltlesse and Petrus Veronensis least others should bee discouraged canonized by the Pope for a Saint But we must not omit to mention how Innocent though he imployed much labour and studie to this end and in authorizing his Decretals nor any of his successors could euer effect that the French Churches would be subiect to them As concerning the Canons they rested in the auncient collection of them which commonly is called Corpus Canonum and for the Epistles of the Popes they approued of none but til Gregorie the seconds time that is to say before Boniface Archbishop of Magunce infringed the libertie of the French Synods about the yeare 742 which was so sound and good law Johannes Andreas in Prologū l. 1. Nichol. 1. ad Episc in Gallia constitutos in Epist Bonifacij l. 3. Epist 42. that Iohn Andreas a famous Ciuilian testifies in his Prologue vpon the Decretals That whosoeuer cited any thing not conceiued within this bodie of the Canons he was to be esteemed a criminall of false testimonie The which is farre from that opinion which Pope Nicholas the first held in the nineteenth distinction aboue by vs mentioned 53. PROGRESSION Alexander the fourth succeeds Innocent He treats with Richard Earle of Cornwall and with the king of England for his sonne Edmonds inuestiture in the kingdomes of Apulia and Sicilie Conradinus pretended Emperour and Frederick Duke of Austria not much differing in yeares are both beheaded in the market place of Naples A duell appointed betweene Peter king of Arragon and Charles of Aniou Diuers succession of Popes POpe Innocent dying at Naples the Gouernour shut the gates and enioyned the Cardinals to chuse a successor This was Renaldus of Anagnia Cardinall of Hostia who was called Alexander the fourth This man whether out of the late vision mouing him or his owne natural instinct thereto enclining gaue greater hopes of better regiment which principally was conceiued from this because after his arriuall he solicited in generall by letters to make prayers in his behalfe vnto God That he might proue fit and sufficient for the gouernement of the Church For his other successors saith Mathew neuer vsed any such custome as also for that in his letters especially in those to the Bishops of Germany a copie whereof is to be seene in Auentine Auent l. 7. Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. he sharply rebuked their abuses and vices But saith Mathew giuing too much eare to the imposterous whisperings of flatterers and to the wicked suggestions of men auaricious that is to his Cardinalls his simplicitie was suddenly diuerted and misled And his Bulls which is as it were the earnest and testimonie of Papall integritie came to be tearmed vnexpected fraud although in these poynts also I cannot excuse him that relying on the aduice of some in whom hee was most confident and by the persuasion of Pope Innocent the fourth his predecessor who on his death bed animated the Cardinalls thereunto in that he powerfully determined to continue the warre begun against Fredericks partakers especially against Manfred Fredericks naturall sonne The which resolution was pretended with deuotion and pietie because Nocera a citie of Calabria was then held by the Saracens And in that it was not fit the king of England should so soone discouer the fraud intended to him a Legat was sent which by a ring inuested Edmond his sonne king of Apulia and Sicilia and this incircumspect Prince thought that hee both possessed the cities and the harts of the subiects too Wherfore he presently set forward on his journy taking care for nothing but how he might conuey his treasure through France Presently after another Legat called Rustand was sent to demand a Tenth in England Scotland and Ireland as also he had authoritie to absolue the king of his vow of going to the Holie Land so he would commence a warre against Manfred Thus this credulous Prince suffered himselfe to be deluded with these artes nay and Rustand moreouer both in London and other cities preached the Crosse against Manfred in expresse words And Christians wondered saith the Author when they heard him promise as largely vnto them for the effusion of Christian bloud as sometimes he did for killing of Infidels And the Preachers instabilitie moued mockerie and laughter As also on a certaine day at the end of a sermon not doubting to adde Be sonnes of obedience And wherein should this consist I pray you Why be bound to such or such a Merchant in such or such a summe of money But now obserue the Catastrophe Manfred defeated the Popes forces in Apulia and the subiects of the kingdome vnderstanding that the Pope had constituted them a foraine king vnknowne to their Nobilitie as also that the Croisadoes were diuerted from their first ends and imployed against them as Infidels they all repayred to Manfred yea euen they who before were of the Popes partialitie raising against him a mightie armie Wherefore saith our Author the vsuall respect and deuotion borne by the Prelats and people towards our mother the Roman Church and our Lord our Father and Shepheard the Pope was almost expired For though that Court had many times with great bitternesse of spirit terrified Christs faithfull ones yet it neuer so mortally
Exarchat tooke Ferrara Comachio Faenza and entred verie farre vpon Romagnia and la Marche Adrian hereupon sent an embassage by sea to Charlemaigne in Fraunce and the more to interest him in the quarrell told him That Didier would force him to annoint the sonnes of Carloman his brother that his refusall was the cause of all this trouble Adrian all this while was in a piteous plight for Didier either for or vnder colour of deuotion came before Rome gates when by meanes of an excommunication which Adrian cast out against him his priuat familie and others would not suffer him to passe anie farther But when Charles was once passed the Alpes those of Spoleto and Riete and others came presently and yeelded to the Pope Moreouer those of Didiers owne dominions fell from him by heapes so that he was forced to breake vp the siege Then came Charlemaigne to Rome where he was receiued as the sole author of the life and libertie of the Church the people singing before him by the appointment of Adrian as the children once did at the entrance of our Sauiour into Ierusalem Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna c. And after some few dayes spent in pompous deuotions Charles was requested to confirme the donation of the Exarchat Romania and la Marche which his father himselfe and his brother Carloman with all the Iudges of France had long before promised at Creci in Fraunce all which he presently accorded giuing ouer and aboue of that which was none of his the Islands of Corsica Sardinia and Sicilie the territorie of the Sabines with the Duchies of Spoleto and Tuscanie which belonged to the Lumbards reseruing alwaies to himselfe the soueraignetie of them And thus came the kingdome of the Lumbards to an end by the practises of the Popes whereas yet their Kings haue this testimonie affoorded them euen by the Historians of their greatest enemies That from the time they receiued the Christian Religion and Catholike Faith they had euer beene great Iusticers and deuoutly giuen witnesse saith Sigonius their good lawes which so seuerely punished thefts robberies rapes murders and adulteries carefully preseruing euerie man in his owne estate goods and libertie witnesse also the sumptuous Temples and ample Monasteries with which they beautified and adorned Italie the faire and goodlie Cities which they either built or repaired the honours they did to holie persons the Lordships and riches which they bestowed vpon the Popes with the great reuerence they vsed towards them insomuch that some of them at the Popes persuasions left Crowne and Kingdome to confine themselues within a cloister But the Popes ambition was great and the Lumbards payed the price of their deuotion towards that See by the finall ruine of their state and kingdome Neither is Onuphrius ashamed to vaunt Onuphr in Constant that Gregorie the second had chased the Emperour out of Italie That Gregorie the third by the helpe of Pepin had begun the warre vpon the Lumbards which being pursued by his successors must needs as it did end in the ruine of that Kingdome And this fell vpon the yeare 773. Where note also An. 773. for the more perfect view of these proceedings that about the yeare 740 the King of West Saxons in England purposing to take the Frocke vpon him first made his realme tributarie to the Pope binding it to pay yerely a pennie for euerie chimney in the land So likewise in the same Island did Offa King of Northumberland vnder Adrian the first The Author setteth downe the cause which was the feare he had to be punished for his sinnes as thinking he should neuer be able to make sufficient satisfaction to God for them though he had alreadie giuen the tenth of all his goods vnlesse he gaue other mens goods also and made the kingdome to beare the penaltie of his offences so well did the inuention of Purgatorie suit alreadie with their ambition But Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrand Gregor 7. in ep ad Pet. Alban G. Principem Salernitanum would make the world beleeue That Charlemaigne in humble acknowledgement of S. Peters helpe in his victories vpon the Saxons had giuen the countrey of Saxonie as an offering to the Church of Rome and that he commaunded smoake pence to be payed throughout Fraunce vnto the Pope but he alledgeth no author saue onely his pretended Charters by vertue whereof he commaunded Peter Bishop of Alba and G. Prince of Saleme his Legats to make demaund of those said pence in Fraunce But the French euer laughed at such claimes and Charlemaigne was too wise to fall into such a trap About this time also was it that Boniface falsely surnamed the Martyr a great champion of the Popes and Pope himselfe published the Decree Si Papa containing That if the Pope happen to neglect his owne saluation and others c. he euer draweth with him multitudes of soules to hell Distinct 46. A great mischiefe but what remedie for it followeth This no mortall wight may presume to reproue him for his faults because he himselfe iudgeth all men and is iudged of none vnlesse he be found erring in faith Which doctrine once layed for a ground what wonder if Popes haue alwaies run so headlong to all manner of impietie And the better to see how the Apostasie from true doctrine hath alwaies encreased with the Tyrannie of the Papacie we must further note that the most grosse abuses grew vp in this lamentable time We haue said before that Gregorie the first altered the Liturgie of Rome this was now receiued in Italie by the meanes of Adrian the first in Germanie by the diligence of Boniface and in Fraunce by the authoritie of Charles and where euer they found opposition there they brought it in by force and violence The holie Supper was for the most part left off priuat Masses vsed in stead thereof the Sacrament was turned into a Sacrifice and then began the opinion of Transubstantiation to giue it the greater credit Purgatorie also now came to be vndoubtedly beleeued of the common people hence came those multitudes of foundations the Church euer parting stakes in the reuenues Now began men to flocke to Rome in pilgrimage hoping thereby to purchase remission of all their sinnes insomuch that the Bishops and Fathers of Fraunce in the Councell of Tours began to oppose against it Concil Turoni An. 813. sub Charo Magno Concil Nice 2. and to entreat the Emperour to stay the current of this abuse And lastly in the yeare 788 was held that second Councell of Nice called the seuenth Generall Councell vnder Constantine the seuenth and his mother Irene wherein after strong opposition was finally established the adoration of Images Adrian the first there assisting by his Legats whom Irene the Empresse hoped so to satisfie and content by giuing way to this Decree that by his fauour she might once more set foot in Italie OPPOSITION Neither may
where doe we read in the Scriptures of Nazarius baptized by Linus since Cardinall Baronius himselfe in his Martyrologie saith Card. Bar. in Martyrolog Iunij 19. p. 341. That he is enforced to beleeue that Nazarius and Celsus suffered vnder the Emperour Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus two hundred yeares after which the Legendaries doe likewise make good Iacob de Veragine Geruasio Prothasio and doe also tell vs that Geruasius and Protasius being twinnes were the sonnes of S. Vital and S. Valerie remaining then at Ambrun neere to S. Nazarius and therefore both liuing at one time farre from the raigne of Nero. And now after all this how will he proue that of S. Ambrose especially that S. Nazarius receiued Peters Baptisme Where doth he find in the Scripture a Baptisme of Peter Is there any other than of Christ Can it be spoken without blasphemie 1. Cor. 1.11.12.13 since Paul himselfe saith Is Paul crucified for you or are you baptized into the name of Paul shall we doubt that he would likewise haue said in the name of Peter who so sharply reprehended those that said I am Pauls I am Apolloes I am Peters This good Apostle of Rome likewise addeth That Ambrose seeing hee could not ouercome the Heresie of the Nicholaits who euer at that time heard of any such Heresie craued helpe of Pope Siricius who fot the suppressing thereof sent a Priest a Deacon and Subdeacon that they by his example in the like difficultie should seeke the like remedie By these toyes in the meane time he boasteth That he had preuailed so farre with the people that he could make them do what he would haue them that is to say for the establishment of the law of single life which we haue spoken of elsewhere hauing appointed a penance of a hundred yeares to the Archbishop which neuerthelesse for a certaine summe of money yearely to be paid he might redeeme But as Damianus saith The chiefest thing is to know of what power the priuiledge of the Church of Rome is But the matter stayed not there For he was no sooner returned to Rome but the Clergie presently recouered their libertie Erlembaldus Cotta being chosen gouernour of the people by the death of Landulph who by the instigation of Arialdus renew the sedition and sendeth againe to Damianus but he being much moued therewith spareth not Ambrose himselfe This saith he is no new thing in the Church of Milan which hath alwayes had men of diuers opinions begun at the first by Auxentius and Ambrosius It is true that Auxentius was an Arrian but what fault hath Ambrose committed that he should be accused of that fault whom lately he proposed vnto vs as a patron of his negotiations To this passe it is come that Erlembaldus himselfe went to Alexander being at Lucques in the yeare 1065 about this businesse An. 1065. of whom he obtained a Decree against the Clergie which being brought to Milan the Archbishop purposed to dispute the case vpon the day of Pentecost But so had Arialdus and Erlembaldus ordered the matter that hauing framed their faction to sedition the Archbishop could not withstand them The yeare following 1066 An. 1066. the other part became so strong that Arialdus was constrained to betake himselfe to flight but being taken as the author of all these euils he endured a miserable and shameful punishment by whose example Erlembaldus being terrified thought it the best way for him to be quiet But in the yeare 1067 An. 1067. by reason of the absence of the Bishop Erlembaldus hauing gotten more strength compels the citizens to sweare and spares neither Priest nor Archbishop in so much that the Bishop being returned to pacifie this sedition he feared not to lay violent hands vpon him and at the last that we judge of this whole Progression by the end he obtaineth another Decree from Pope Hildebrand That no Bishop should be accounted true and lawfull without the commaund of the Pope notwithstanding he were declared to be such by the Clergie the people and the King For the strengthening of which Decree he binds both the people and Clergie of Milan with an oath At which the Archbishop Wydo being astonished as being now old and desirous of rest gaue ouer his Archbishopricke and sent his ensignes of honour into Germanie to Henry the third All these things were proposed vnto the people and easily deuoured with the sauce of Simonie and Nicholaisme which whosoeuer should contradict was presently with Dathan and Abiron Iudas and Caiphas damned to the pit of hell For so saith Mainardus Bishop of Syluacandida and Iohn the Priest and Cardinall the Popes Legats and Commissaries in this businesse The Emperor therefore in the yeare 1068 bestowed that dignitie vpon Godfrey Chastillon a Milanois An. 1068. and of a noble house whom the Pope presently interdicted and Erlembaldus his partaker made him to flie the citie But the Pope after the death of Wydo gaue it to Atho a clerke of Milan brought in and receiued by Erlembald not without the great griefe of the people who now saw this dignitie to be carried and disposed according to the will and pleasure of the Romans And from hence ariseth a new controuersie with the Emperour Henrie the third for from these fained Heresies as once from that difference that fell out touching Images the Popes reaped a great commoditie that is the oppression of other Bishops and diminution of lawfull Empires But to proceed in the Progression we must not forget that there were in these times diuers Kings that made themselues tributaries to the Romish Babylon that that from time to time might be fulfilled which was foretold in the Apocalyps Of Kings that should fall down and worship the Whore and be made drunken with her cup. Cassimire therefore King of Poland in the yeare 1045 made his kingdome feodatarie and tributarie to the Pope that miserable monster Benedict the ninth and bound all his subiects to pay euerie yere a poll halfepenie in so much that neither he nor his successors could afterward free themselues from that bondage The like did Sueno King of Denmarke in the yeare 1069 Epist. Alexand. 22. ad Suenonem Regem Daniae being summoned by Alexander the second who demaunded it of him as a thing long since promised by his predecessors and therefore exacted it now as a due which by the same right in the yeare 1068 Eiusdem ad Guilielm Regem Angliae he extorted from William King of England whom he would persuade That from the time that the name of Christ was first knowne in England the kingdome had beene Sub manu tutela Petri Vnder the hand and protection of Peter that is the Popes of Rome whereas there were many Christian Kings in Britaine before Rome had heard of a Popedome And this exaction went vnder the name of Peter pence And as for Gregorie the seuenth or Hildebrand he was not slower
Epist 58.65 But in this cleere light in this Sun-shine wherin we liue where is the shame And for as much as he compares him in this with S. Paul 2. Thessal 2. let him heare what Paul saith The comming saith he of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition that is Antichrist of whom he foretold before is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Which words of S. Paul are they not accomplished 41. PROGRESSION Of the factions that arose in the Popedome by the death of Gregorie the seuenth Of the rebellion of Conrade against the Emperour Henrie his father Of the diuisions and strange opinions that grew among the people through the schisme betweene Clement the third and Vrban the second GRegorie if we beleeue some Authors neither doth Baronius himselfe denie it had prouided as we see that his enterprise should not dye with himselfe for he nominated to the Cardinals those whom he thought fittest to succeed him in the Popedome which Desiderius the Abbot of Mount-Cassin failed not to giue those Cardinals to vnderstand that tooke part with him And as he was the first of the three that Gregorie had commended so all mens eyes were especially cast vpon him who whether it were out of a consideration of the greatnesse of the charge or to the end he might be the more earnestly intreated twice or thrice refused it yea and disrobed himselfe of his Pontificall ornaments and retired himselfe to his Monasterie at Cassin euen then when it was thought that he had yeelded to the persuasion of his friends Sigonius giues a little touch Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Eight dayes after his retire to Cassin the Countesse Mathilda aduertised him of her arriuall at Rome and that she desired much to conferre with him whereupon he returned to the citie and being by her and her armie with all duetie receiued for the space of eight dayes he continued in the Vatican Auentine speakes more plainely Mathilda and the Normans create him that is to say in hatred of Clement who neuerthelesse held the seat at Rome and was called Victor the third But as soone as Hugh Bishop of Lions one of the three that Gregorie had commended thought that Desiderius had in good earnest accepted of the Popedome he presently banded himselfe against him and in a Synod held at Beneuent he excommunicated him and with him Richard of Marselles But Desiderius liued little aboue a yeare after Gullielm Malmes b. l. 4. and if we may beleeue William of Malmesburie he was poysoned in the Chalice saying his first Masse In that short time neuerthelesse that he liued he had published new excommunications against Clement and Henrie and vnder the selfesame pretence that Gregorie did He retired himselfe to his Abbie at Cassin for the better recouerie of his health and there vpon his death-bed according to the tradition of Gregorie he recommended vnto those that were his assistants Otho Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. who had beene brought vp at Clugni for his successor in so much that taking him by the hand he peremptorily said vnto them Take him and place him in the Roman seat and vntill you haue done it hold my place Benno calls him Pedissequum the Page or Lackey of Hildebrand The Bishops therefore that tooke part with him in the yeare 1088 An. 1088. meet at Terratina to consult of a successor There were first present in the name and by the commaund of the Romans who did adhere to this part for the Clergie Iohn Bishop of Portua and for the Lay Benedict gouernour of the citie A new kind of proceeding it was because Clement held the place in the citie neither was there here any mention at all of expecting the Emperours consent herein There without any other solemnitie they nominated Otho Pope called Vrban the second who was no sooner entred into Rome but he was driuen out againe by Clements faction Hereupon saith Leo of Ostia if we will judge of the validitie of this election we must say That he was chosen by the statutes of Gregorie Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. But William of Malmesburie more freely To that part that seemed to be the more iust the armie of Mathilda ioyned Herfeldens Theol. in tractatu de vnitate Eccles conseruand an 1090. Sigon l. 9. de regno Jtaliae who forgetting her sex not vnlike to the auntient Amazons led her armie into the field and by her voyce Vrban obtained the Apostolicke throne But another saith more plainely Vsing the helpe and succour of most wicked people with whom the Law of God and man had no place Sigonius confesseth that Mathilda who called her selfe the daughter of Peter tooke vpon her the protection of Vrban and that Vrban was the cause that she married Welfo Duke of Bauaria to the end he might strengthen himselfe by him against the Emperour in Germanie Not so much saith Bertholdus for incontinencie Bertholdus Constant Presbyter in Chron. as for obedience to the Pope that she might be so much the more able to giue ayde and succour to the Church of Rome against the Schismatikes therfore he presently addeth that he wholy sequestred kept himselfe free from her being more greedie of the principalitie than the woman Are these then the lawfull ends of marriage Neither is it here to be omitted that there were certaine lots drawne at Rome to know who should be successour to Gregorie the 7 which was then a thing vsuall at Rome and it was found that one Otho should succeed him Fragmentum Monastici Cadomens an 1084. whereupon Otho Bishop of Baieux and brother to William the Conqueror King of England though he were Earle of Kent and Lieutenant generall of his Realme conceyued a hope of obtayning the Popedome whereupon he sent to Rome great presents and there built great and goodlie houses and left nothing vndone with the Senators that either gifts or his other best endeauors could worke But hauing embarked himselfe for this voyage taking with him diuers of the Nobilitie king William vnderstanding in Normandie of this expedition took shipping for England meeting him in the Isle of Weight there arrested him for many offences he had committed in the carriage of his matters of State cast him into Prison The other Otho therefore Vrban the second obtained the chaire and his first exploit was in a Synod holden at Melfe to excommunicat Clement and Henrie and all those that receiued either orders of the one or inuestiture of the other to be briefe all those that in any respect had any commerce with them Moreouer he confirmed Roger Guischard of the race of the Normans Duke of Apulia and Calabria the better to retaine his friendship and fidelitie towards him But Henrie passing into Italie in the yeare 1091 got into his possession and wasted the greatest part of those Countries that belonged to Mathilda but for some
God than man which Saint Peter in the Acts spake to another sense At his returne into Italie finding himselfe more firmely setled in Rome in the yeare 1097 he caused those articles to be confirmed An. 1097. but yet strengthened with a notable reason Guill Malm. l. 4 Edinerus in vita Arnulini Archiepiscop Symeon Dunelmens l. 2. Chron. That it was too abhominable that those hands that by the signe create their Creator should be bound as handmaids to serue those that euerie day and houre pollute themselues with vncleanenesse Thus abusing the world with a shew of reuerence due to the holy Eucharist because then Transubstantiation began to take footing To conclude we read that in these times he made a shew vpon this occasion of his authoritie in France and England in France in that Geffrey Bishop of Chartres was not onely deposed by him for his many and grieuous offences but Iuon Abbot of S. Quintin put into his place of whom he made choyce being a man famous in those dayes that by his commendations he might the better countenance his owne vsurpation In England in that he persuaded Anselmus an Italian the disciple of Lanfrane being chosen Archbishop of Canterburie by the consent of King William the second to take his confirmation of him which being once admitted by the Primat of England was an example for all the rest to doe the like OPPOSITION But it is now time to consider what the state of the Christian world was especially in the time of these schismes which for the space of sixteene yeares filled it with fire and sword The Popes Cardinals Councels Decrees Excommunications being opposit the one against the other each part chalenging to themselues the true Church affirming that without it there was nothing but heretikes heresies Christ himselfe if you will beleeue them was personally present on both parts and yet not so much as his footsteps to be found in either In so much that many Christian States tooke part with neither of them but left the gouernement of the Church to their owne Bishops not so much as turning their eyes towards Rome out fathers hauing then learnt that the Church of God might subsist without Popes and that Christ without their Vicarship was able to gouerne the Church Germanie was the Theatre of this tragedie wherein it much grieued all sorts of people that such controuersies as should be decided by Scriptures were with a strange disorder of all things determined by ciuile warres And therefore in the yeare 1088 at the entrance of Pope Vrban An. 1088. the Bishops and Princes on both parts assembled in Councell at Garstunghen to find some course for peace to be proposed to Vrban before he were touched with the affections of his predecessors which he seemed neuerthelesse to succeed by right of inheritance There Conrade Bishop of Vtrecht layd open vnto them how necessarie a thing peace was and how detestable it was for any man vpon any pretence whatsoeuer to breake his plighted faith for whosoeuer did so contemned him by whom he sware since we are not so much to consider to whom we sweare as by whom and we are admonished by Christ and his Apostles to obey Tiberius Nero and the most wicked monsters that are how much more then good and lawfull Princes Ambitious therefore and proud are they who with a brasen face abuse the words of our Sauiour Whatsoeuer thou loossest vpon earth shall be loossed in heauen adulterating them by their interpretations enforce them to serue their owne appetites and like children and such as are vnskilfull in all things endeuour to deceiue vs as if saith he wee were ignorant that it is a familiar and common thing with the holie Prophets and Preachers of the word to call one and the same thing by diuers names according to the capacitie of the hearers and to expresse them sometimes figuratiuely sometimes simply according to the diuersitie of the effects Doubtlesse that which Christ Iesus spake more obscurely in one place he expresseth plainely in S. Iohn and most plainely in S. Mathew S. Marke and S. Luke Peace be vnto you saith he Auent l. 5. As my Father hath sent me so I send you Receiue ye the holie Ghost Whose sinnes ye remit shall be remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine shall be retained And to the end he might sow concord and shew himselfe to be the onely true shepheard he saith to one If thou loue me feed my sheepe that is goe into the whole world and preach the Gospell to all creatures And againe All power is giuen me both in heauen and in earth goe therefore and teach all nations And therefore this heauenly Doctor opened the minds of his Disciples that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes and commaund them in his name to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to all nations and to be witnesses of these things This good Bishop had not yet learnt that these places were to be restrained to one Pope to Peter onely excluding all the rest both Apostles and Bishops or that they were more to be applied vnto him than the rest And therefore he addeth For these causes Hildebrand is fallen headlong into ambition since he vsurpeth the power of the immortall God whose messenger he is such are the customs the times the men The Supreame and Soueraigne Maiestie had ill prouided for humane affaires if it had deliuered the sword into the hands of one mortall man whosoeuer For who can set limits to the boundlesse desires of man c. We haue no need to be taught after what manner Peter and his Collegues vsed the Spirituall power or to speake more truely the dispensation and procuration of the heauenlie food for we are the Butlers as it were and Yeomen of Gods garner It plainely appeareth in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles written by Saint Luke the Physitian that the armour of our warfare is the spirit not sword nor rapine nor murders nor periuries but our breastplate or helmet girdle sword buckler are peace loue righteousnesse hope truth the word of God faith all which our most Christian Emperour hath many times of his free will offered to Hildebrand but he hath refused them We denie not but he is a man and apt to sinne without which no man commeth into the world but it is his happinesse that the greatest are not layed to his charge He is giuen to the lusts of the flesh but yet that which nature hath permitted which as youth hath stirred vp in him old age is accustomed to correct I confesse that this is a great sinne but yet humane and such as many yea good men haue often committed And if we truely consider of this our Prince we shall find that whatsoeuer vices there are in him either by naturall inclination or by reason of his age they are ouer counterpoysed by his excellent vertues his readinesse in the execution of great
and thy souldiers to doe in remission of your sinnes c. Here I know not what I should say or whether to turne my selfe For if I should turne ouer the whole volume of the old and new Testament and all the auntient expositers that writ thereupon I should neuer find any example of this Apostolike commaund Only Pope Hildebrand hath offered violence to the sacred Canons whom we read commaunded the Marquesse Mathilda in remission of her sinnes to make warre against Henrie the Emperour And so hauing discoursed out of the Scriptures and some places of Gregorie of the true manner and meanes of the remission of sinnes and shewing to a sinner his sinnes and making him to confesse them to feele the burthen of them to bee sorie for them to seeke the remedie by a liuelie faith in Christ Iesus the church of Liege concludeth in these words This manner of binding and loossing thou hast heretofore held and taught vs O my mother the Church of Rome From whence then comes this new authoritie by which there is offered to offendours without confession or repentance an immunitie from all sinnes past and a dispensation for sinnes to come what a window of wickednesse doest thou hereby set open to men The Lord deliuer thee ô mother from all euill Let Iesus be the doore vnto thee let him be the Porter that no man enter into thee but to whom be shall open He deliuer thee I say and thy Bishop from those who as the Prophet Michah speaketh seduce the people of God that bite with their teeth and yet preach peace This was the letter of the church and Clergie of Liege to Pope Paschal the second fortified with the testimonies of the holie Scriptures and authorities of the Fathers Neither need we doubt that such in those times was the voyce of the greatest part of the Churches of Christendome who consequently acknowledged Satan to be let loose wasting the Church of God in the person of Antichrist sitting in his Throne which the Emperour Henrie instructed by his Prelats spake plainely in his Epistle to the Christian Princes exhorting them to haue regard to their posteritie the royall Maiestie Auent l. 5. and the saluation of all Christian people because saith he the Pope vnder the honest title of Christ goeth about to oppresse the publike libertie of all Christian people whom Christ hath bought with his bloud and indeauoureth day and night to bring vpon all Christians a slauish seruitude except the Kings and Princes of the earth preuent it neither will he cease to doe it vntill like Antichrist he sit in the Temple of God and be worshipped of all as if he were God These and the like letters saith Auentine are to be found in many antient Libraries written to the kings of France Denmarke England and to other Kings and Princes of Christendome who neuerthelesse became not the more strange vnto him but being rather sorie for this his condition detested the author An. 1104. It was at this time that Yuo Bishop of Chartres writ a letter to Richard Bishop of Alba the Popes Legat who would censure his Clegie of simonie whom he openly giueth to vnderstand that he had done his best endeauors to mend that fault but all in vayne because they maintained it by the custome of the Church of Rome You Epist 133. If the Deane saith he and Chapter or other officers doe exact any thing of those that are made Canons my selfe forbidding it and persecuting the fault they defend themselues by the custome of the Church of Rome wherein they say the Chamberlaines and other officers of the Palace doe exact much of such Bishops and Abbots as are consecrated which they couer vnder the name of oblations or benedictions for there they say neither penne nor paper will be had without money and with this collop they stop my mouth not hauing any other word to answer them but that of the Gospell Doe that which they say that is to say the Pharisies and not that which they doe If therefore I cannot pluck vp this plague by the root impute it not onely to my weakenesse because from the first growth of the Church of God the Church of Rome hath been sicke of this disease nor to this houre cannot free herselfe of those that seeke their owne gaine Moreouer the same man being much molested by the Clergie at Rome makes a grieuous complaint vnto Paschal against the Appeales to Rome which are the cause of much disorder rebellions in the Clergie against their superiours whom abusing that libertie they slaunder at Rome Epist 75. he neuerthelesse not long before in the cause of Godfrey appealed to Rome whose place by the authority of the Pope he supplied out of the selfesame humor as aboue acknowledging reason and justice when it made for their owne purposes 43. PROGRESSION Of the turbulent estate of the Church and Common-wealth through the factious pride of Pope Paschal NOw to follow againe the course of our Historie Auentine concealeth not ratiunculas some smal reasons as he calleth thē why these Popes since Hildebrand pretended a right to deiect from their Throne vel potentissimum Imperatorem any Emperor how mightie soeuer That all power had been giuen of God to Christ and from Christ vnto S. Peter and to the Bishops of Rome his successors vnto whom by Religion of oath all Christians were bound perpetually to obey and to other Princes onely a limited time and vnder condition so long as it shold please them That therefore it was lawfull for the Pope if the Emperour disobeyed him who represented Christ on earth to excommunicate and depose him no lesse than any other Christian insomuch as he raigneth but by precarie right and holdeth the Empire in homage of him That in case he should rebell he might root him out of the Common-wealth as a Tyran by any meanes whatsoeuer And the people saith he bewitched by Hildebrand with such reasons as they are subiect to let themselues be carried away with euerie wind of doctrine Fraunce Italie and Germanie were pierced to the heart for the space of three and thirtie yeares Namely Paschal following from point to point this instruction who seeing his enemie dead reenforced the rigor of his Decrees and will not receiue to absolution the inhabitants of Liege till they had taken him out of the Sepulcre where they had layed him when Henrie also his sonne demaunded permission of him to giue him buriall he flatly refused him saying that the authoritie of holie Scriptures and of diuine miracles and of the Martyrs receyued vp into heauen repugned thereunto This writeth Peter the Deacon l. 4. ca. 38. And Auentine noteth expresly that till that time the Bishops of Rome had accustomed to date their Bulls Epistles and other affaires from the yeres of the Emperours raigne which he first ceased to doe and began to date from the yeare of his Popedome He was also the first that gaue
immunitie to Colledges though erected by others than himselfe He noteth further that till then in Germanie Ecclesiasticall persons Bishops Priests Abbots Monkes c. had not any care of their worldlie goods but imploying themselues in the seruice of God and at their studie referred the managing of those affaires to some neighbour Lord ordayned of the Emperour who administred vnto them prouision of meat apparell and other necessaries for life and distributed also to the poore and this they called Vogt Patron or Curator which the Roman Lawes call gouernour or Steward But from that time forth the Churchmen reiected them and took the administration into their owne hands promising to giue euerie yeare to the Pope nummum aureum quem Bizantium vocant diplomata a piece of gold which the Bulls call a Bizantium nothing being more easie to Paschal than in giuing away anothers right to take neuerthelesse tribute of it And hereupon for the space of sixteene yeares all things diuine and humane were in confusion vntill in the end he had attained his purposes In Italie also his power encreased by two occasion The one was the death of the Marquesse Mathilda in the yeare 1115 An. 1115. Platina in Paschal Vrspergensis in Chronico who in the time of Hildebrand had made donation of Lumbardie and of Tuscan to S. Peter which ministred new matter of contention betweene Henrie and him because he pretended to be her heire and comming into Italie endeauoured to take possession thereof and so did of a part Blondus and Platina make the limit thereof to extend from the Riuer of Pissia S. Quirico in the Countrie of Siena vnto Ceperan betwixt the Apennine and the Sea adding thereunto Ferrara Auentine saith here that Eneas Siluius which is Pius the second saith that Mathilda bequeathed by Testament to the Bishop of of Rome that which is called Patrimonium Petri the Patrimonie of S. Peter And then was heard a voyce from heauen as I haue learned of most graue Diuines Venenū melle litum foemina propinasse Christianis that a woman had giuen Christians poyson to drinke tempered with honie The other occasion was the diminution of the Archbishopricke of Rauenna Platina ibidem which as the Histories of those times say had oftentimes till then opposed it selfe against the Church of Rome whose power to abate he caused a Councell to be held at Guastall wherein was decreed that the Cities of Romania Placentia Parma Regio Modena and Bononia should no more acknowledge the Archbishop of Rauenna Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 10. Let vs adde yet a third That Arnulfe Patriarch of Hierusalem being accused by his Clergie was deposed in another Synod held in Syria by the Bishop of Orange by authority from the Pope who neuertheles being come in person to Rome Larga muneruus profusione by his many gifts Guliel Tyrius l. 11. c. 26. li. 9. ca. 17. l. 11. cap. 14. 15.16 saith William of Tire pleased again Paschal by him was absolued reestablished in his seat A thing neuer before seene that one of the antient Patriarches should be judged by the Bishop of Rome But this was because they that commaunded in the holie Land were Westerne Princes and to maintaine their enterprise had need of his good fauor In effect Dabert Bishop of Pisa Patriarch of Hierusalem saith William of Tire is created in an assemblie of Princes by the common consent of the people and presently after installed in the Throne There was no speech of sending to Rome The onely extremitie he found himselfe in being iniured by the King whose dissolute life he would not winke at made him take this course against Ebremarus whom he moued thereunto And as for this Arnulfe who by his gifts had saith the author circumuented the Religion of the holie See it is he who as he saith elsewhere had when hee was but Archdeacon set the whole Church in confusion Inuita Diuinitate vti credimus Gibelino substitutus created for successour saith he in another place of the Patriarch Gibeline in despite of the Diuinitie as we beleeue And such a one was it behoofefull he should be for to fit Paschals liking But let vs come againe to the principal quarrell of inuestitures for that it is the Theame of this age Paschal by setting the sonne against the father had so ruinated the credit of the Empire in Italie shaken euen in Germanie it selfe that hee thenceforth thought any thing lawfull for him And Historiographers doe particularly obserue that vnder this confusion the Cities of Italie had taken a new forme and vsurped libertie the Pope fauouring the same who had rather their forces should be diuided than vnited together vnder the authoritie of the Empire And yet thereby shall we see so much the greater disorders and ruine hereafter Paschal then being inuited to be present at Augsbourg for ordering of affaires being in good hope of this sonne whom he had authorised against his father An. 1106 resolued in the yeare 1106 to goe thither But by the way he held that Synod of Guastalla a Towne of the Countesse Mathilda where were present the Embassadours of Henrie the fourth he fore-judgeth the sayd affaires confirming all the rigours of Hildebrand Vrban and his owne prouideth absolutely for the Bishoprickes of Germanie Gebhard to Trent Conrade to Salzbourge and others to the Ecclesiasticall Colledges he giueth immunities on all Churchmen imposeth a certaine tribute Auent l. 6. and reenforceth his faction To such saith Auentine as take his part he giueth preferment without delay others if within a certaine day they change not opinion he forbiddeth their office pronounceth and will haue all men beleeue that all Lawes are resident within the closet of his breast and maketh no scruple of any lie So that he must more aduisedly he dealt withall than before and men must hold for Law whatsoeuer he saith he being resolued to destroy all that oppose themselues against him and his seat These are the Authors words This was hard newes to the Emperor who expected better for his seruices thinking at least before he had passed further he would haue conferred with him about it Which the Pope vnderstanding at Verona changed his journey and in the yere 1107 passed the Alpes An. 1107. came to Clugni and from thence to Troyes in Campania where he thought to hold a Synod more fauourably for his pretences Philip the first then raigning in Fraunce in trouble for his Concubine Bertrade and withal troubled by the Princes Barons and Prelats of his kingdome borne out namely by the king of England and therefore not in good estate to dispute himselfe for his priuiledges This was the renewing of a quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour wherein Henrie the fourth clearely shewed that what he had done by the Popes instigation against his father had not beene for zeale of Religion but rage of ambition seeing he now contended for the same right being
with full authoritie who without repairing to Lewis the Grosse who then succeeded to the Crowne put himselfe in possession of the Bishopricke But the said Lewis though greatly busied at his entrance Richard de Vassenburg in Chron. by the rising of the Barons of the Realme against him would in no wise approue of him but on the contrarie made himselfe to be crowned at Orleans by Giselbert Archbishop of Sens notwithstanding the complaints that Rodolph made of the wrong done to his Bishopricke and prouided and inuested Archbishop of Rheimes one Geruais chosen from among his domesticall seruants by reason whereof the citie was tossed with many troubles and for receiuing Geruais was interdicted and excommunicated This we learne of Yuo Bishop of Chartres in his Epistles namely in the 206 directed to Paschal We haue saith hee opportunely and importunatly requested the King of France to reestablish Rodolph in the Metropolitan Church of Rheimes receiuing him into fauour and that he should put out Geruais vsurper of the same Thus he spake the Popes language He hath in the end condescended to our prayers and permitted that we should bring him safely to his Court which should be holden on Christmas day at Orleans there to treat with him and with the Princes of the Realme of the affaires of Rheimes But by reason of the contradiction of the Court notwithstanding our requests and intercessions multiplied we haue not beene able to obtaine a full peace except Rodolph did yeeld fealtie to the King Yuo Carnutens Epist 206. per manum sacramentum By hand and oath such as to the Kings his predecessors from all times the Archbishops of Rheimes and other Bishops of the Realme of France haue done how religious and holie soeuer they were c. We therefore intreat thee euen with bended knees that in regard of charitie and peace your fatherlie moderation would hold for veniall that which the eternall law that is to say the law of God makes not vnlawfull but the onely prohibition of those that doe preside that is the Popes with an intention of gaining libertie Idem Epist 238. 239. And this agreeth with that which he defended afterwards against Iohn Bishop of Lions That in this inuestiture there was nothing that concerned heresie and with that which he writ to Hugh the Popes Legats in France in his 65 Epistle complaining of an Archbishop of Sens inuested by the King For as much as it hath not any force of a Sacrament whether admitted or omitted we see not how it can any way be hurtfull to faith or religion especially when we read that kings were woont to be intreated by the Popes to grant Bishoprickes to those that were canonically chosen and that the Popes deferred the consecration of those which had not as yet beene admitted by the kings And that kings intended not the gift of any spirituall thing but yeelded at the request of the petitioners temporall things onely to those that were elected which the Churches obtained from the bountie of kings For proofe whereof he alledgeth S. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in his first treatise So likewise writing to Paschal himselfe who endeuoured to alienat those of Tournay from the Bishopricke of Noyon he saith We your faithfull sonnes humbly beseech Yuo Epist 138. and aduise you to suffer the Churches of France to continue in the same state wherein they haue beene for almost these foure hundred yeres least by this occasion that schisme grow strong in France which hath alreadie taken root in Germanie against the Apostolike See c. For your Holinesse cannot but know that when the Kingdome and the Priesthood agree together the world is well gouerned and the Church flourisheth and fructifieth but when they are at discord one against the other not onely small things doe not prosper but the greatest that are doe miserably vanish and passe away And the selfe same judgement of Paschal gaue Sigebert Abbot of Gemblous in Brabant Sigebert in Chron. an 1111. a man of that singular commendation that Platina doubteth not to place him in the same ranke with S. Bernard and thought that Ageblessed wherein he liued yea in playner tearmes King Henrie saith he went to Rome to appease the discord betwixt the Kingdome and the Priesthood begun by Pope Gregorie the seuenth who was called Hildebrand and renewed by his successors Victor and Vrban and especially by Paschal who was a scandal to the whole world The king would vse the authoritie customes and priuiledges of the Emperours who since Charles the Great for three hundred yeares and vpward gouerned the Romans vnder sixtie three Popes lawfully conferring Bishoprickes and Abbies by the ring and the staffe Against this authoritie of the Elders the Popes ordained by a Synodall censure That Bishoprickes or any other Ecclesiasticall inuestiture could not nor ought to be giuen by the ring and the staffe by any lay man And whosoeuer did so receiue any such inuestiture was excommunicated Moreouer Trithemius saith Trithemius de Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis that he made an Apologie for the Emperour against Gregorie the seuenth and another against the Epistle of Paschal in which he shewed That the Popes had no superioritie ouer the Emperors That it is heresie to absolue the subiects of their oath and allegeance to their Prince And he noteth besides in the time of Paschal many extraordinarie prodigious wonders which all the Chroniclers of those times doe likewise obserue In England Paschal proceeded in the execution of his Decree which Anselme with no good successe had begun And when Henrie the first maintained in the yere 1103 his inuestitures against Paschal protesting That he would rather hazard his kingdome than yeeld vnto Paschal Neither will I saith Paschal for the redemption of mine owne head suffer him freely to obtaine them But yet by the mediation of Anselme he mercifully dispensed with those Prelats who had receiued their inuestiture of Henrie Math. Paris in Henrie But Mathew Paris expoundeth this mercie This merciful Chaire saith he which is neuer wanting to those that bring with them either white or red reestablished those Bishops and Abbots that were suspended to their auncient dignities and receiued them with ioy Anselme thought that this office he had done vnto the king would haue bin well accepted of and he the better welcome into England But the king vnderstanding that neither Paschal nor Anselme abated any thing of their purpose therein he joyned the Archbishopricke to his owne demaines and confiscated the goods of Anselme An. 1107. whom neuerthelesse in the yeare 1107 he reestablished And in a Councell held at London it was agreed That from thenceforward no Bishop or Abbot should be inuested by the King with the ring and the staffe the Archbishop likewise agreeing thereunto and that for their homage done vnto the King they should not be depriued of their charges The letters of Paschal to Henrie are worth the noting That by occasion
are manifold you would as little spare him When he had vttered this with a loud voyce he said Verily I feare not to vndergoe death for the truth but I tell you in the word of our Lord that the omnipotent God will not pardon your impietie Yee are full of all vncleanenesse and goe to hell euen before the people that are committed to your charge God is the reuenger Platina in Honor 2. Sabell Ennead 9. l. 4. Platina saith that he was followed by many of the Roman Nobilitie as a Prophet and the true disciple of Christ But Sabellicus saith This wicked deed that was cōmitted by the Clergie defamed their whole order yet it was the fault but of a few for their licentious life was grown to that height that they could not endure wholesome admonitions And Honorius truely tooke it grieuously saith he but presently addeth caeterum questione abstinuit but the restrefrayneth to speake of By this the Reader may judge what his anger was Let vs here speake of that which is written touching Nordbertus An. 1125. who came to Honorius in the yeare 1125 for the confirmation of the order of Premonstre instituted by him who published that Antichrist was euen at hand and readie to bee reuealed S. Barnard writing to Gaufrid Bishoppe of Chartres saith Barnard Epist 56. ad Gaufr Carnotens Whereas not many dayes since I saw his face and from his heauenlie pipe that is to say his mouth I heard many thing yet this I neuer heard that he should go into Hierusalem But whē I did inquire what he thought of Antichrist he protested he knew most certaine that he should be reuealed in this present generation And hereupon it appeareth that this question was then verie frequent But saith he as I entreated him to declare vnto me from whence he had this certainetie as I gaue eare to his answer I thought I might not beleeue him neuertheles he affirmed that he should not die before he saw the general persecution of the Church which truely he saw not long after if he obserued it against them that were called the Waldenses and so bloudie and cruell as hardly was euer any But the mischiefe was That Antichrist walked about the Theatre of the world but so disguised as few knew him and they that did know him durst not speake ill of him Vrspergen Abbas an 1119. The Abbot of Vrsperge telleth vs of this Norbertus That he was at the Councell of Collen vnder Calixtus in the yeare 1119 where he was accused of all that were there touching many things whereof he wisely excused himselfe whereupon it is written of him That the hands of all these were against him and he against them all Vpon what occasion he sheweth not 46. PROGRESSION Of the factions in the Popedome betweene Innocent the second and Anaclet the second and how Innocent requited the Emperour Lotharius in defending him against Anaclet Of the militarie enterprise of Innocent against Roger Duke of Apulia and Calabria and the successe thereof BY the death of Honorius arose a great schisme in the Church of Rome the one part hauing chosen Gregorie the sonne of Guido who was named Innocent the second the other Peter the sonne of Peter Leo who was first consecrated and called Anaclet the second both citizens of Rome but Anaclet of the more honourable familie so that Innocent after he was consecrated by the Bishop of Ostia was constrained for his safetie to flie into the towers of the Frangepanes riuals of Piter Leo and at length to leaue the citie Anaclet in the meane time being possest of the Vatican and finding therein crownes cups crosses and crucifixes of gold siluer and other rich ornaments caused them to be molten and made into money to content those that were of his faction and followers And it is likely the other would haue done no lesse if he had had power and meanes according as the election of the Popes at these times were carried Innocent therefore imbarked himselfe with his Cardinals and came to Pisa and there excommunicated Anaclet and presently went into France and sent to King Lewis the Grosse declaring vnto him the equitie of his cause to be protected by him This was the occasion of the Councell of Estampes where our Bishops disputing with those of the Popes S. Bernard held for Innocent who at the same time was inuited by Legats to take his refuge in France For hauing S. Bernard on his side was a great helpe vnto him And our Frenchmen were willing to bind the Pope vnto them who for a good turne receiued might afterward requite them in Italie There was also by chance at the same time in France Vincent l. 27. c. 6. Bernard vita l. 2. c. 1. Suggerus Abbas in vita Ludouici Grossi Henrie the first King of England whom Bernard persuadeth in the behalfe of Innocent against the opinion of all his Bishops through whose persuasion he went to Chartres to meet him Then both the Popes indeuored to defend each others part but Anaclet thundered his Excommunications at Rome against Innocent and his partakers Innocent at Clermont and Rheimes did the like against him and his followers And moreouer in Italie the Princes of the Normans defended the faction of Anaclet for he had bound Roger with a new benefit Leo Hostiens seu Petrus Diaconus l. 4. c. 99. in giuing him the title of a King and Anselme also Archbishop of Milan with all the Bishops of Lombardie his Suffragans And as on the one side S. Bernard defended Innocent so Anaclet was authorised by Sinaretus Abbot of Mont Cassin and all those of his Order who were of great authoritie especially in Italie where it was a question of holding his seat at Rome Innocent therefore in the yeare 1132 An. 1132. endeuoured to procure an enteruiew and conference betweene him and the Emperour Lotharius at Liege where according to the example of Charls and Otho the Great he requested him to take vpon him the protection of the Church A thing which he willingly yeelded vnto but vpon condition That the inuesting of Bishops which the Church of Rome had taken away from his predecessor Henrie should be restored vnto him At which word Vita Bernardi l. 2. c. 1. saith the Author of the life of S. Bernard the Romans were amazed and waxed verie pale thinking they had incountred greater danger at Liege than they had auoided at Rome vntill S. Bernard whom he had alwayes neere vnto him caused Lotharius to change his opinion telling him That it stood not with his generous mind to make a benefit of the diuision of the Church because it was a thing that could not be done without much slaughter and bloud Wherefore Lotharius was therewith content Vrspergens in Lothario so that he would promise him to crowne him Emperor so soone as he should be reestablished in the See at Rome Then Lotharius came into Italie in the yeare 1133
doing something won the Kings heart with many persuasions to intreat the Pope to come againe into the campe and comming againe he receiued him integrato officio with intire duetie that is hee held his right stirrop Otho Frising de gestis Frederici l. 2. c. 20. But whilest they all reioyced at it thinking all matters well Adrian saith vnto them There remaineth yet one thing for your Prince to doe hee must conquer Apulia for Saint Peter which William of Sicilia possesseth by force and that done let him come to vs to be crowned And verie hardly obtained they of him to deferre this conquest till after his coronation The Acts of the Vatican produced by Baronius Baron an 1155 art 8. sequēt doe onely say That Frederick refused to hold the stirrop in the end was brought to doe it stregulam say they fortiter tenuit that otherwise Adrian would not receiue his kisse Yet this is the Adrian that said To couet the Popedome is not to succeed S. Peter in feeding the sheepe but Romulus in committing paricides because a man cannot attaine thereto without shedding the bloud of his brethren and now he is entred is as hot in the businesse as any of the rest Anton. ex Ioh. Sarisbur Halinando Part. 2. Tit. 17. c. 1. § 9. Now Frederick at the last hauing recouered his good fauour Arnold was apprehended in Tuscan by the seruants of Adrian and deliuered vnto him and was condemned vnder pretence of heresie and burned aliue and his ashes cast into the riuer Tiber. But when Frederick returned into Germanie either because of the hot season of the Canicular dayes which the Germans could not well endure or for the cold satisfaction he had receiued from Adrian or some other affaires calling him backe thither Adrian in his absence made so good vse of his opportunitie that William Duke of Calabria and King of Sicilia who had vndertaken the inuestitures of Bishops in his lands by the rebellion that he stirred vp of the Lords his subiects against him is constrained to fall downe at his feet to obtaine pardon and to acknowledge himselfe his liege vassall And so this successe besides his naturall disposition raised vp his heat against Frederick vpon the first occasion offered A Bishop of London then was taken by robbers in Germanie and it seemed vnto Adrian that Frederick stirred not in it as he ought who in the meane time was at Bezanson in Bourgondie whither he was come to marie Beatrice the Earls daughter He sendeth to him his Legats the Cardinall Rowland Bernard with his letters of complaint or rather of reproach for that he ill remembred saith he Radcuicus Canonic Frising l. 1. c. 10. Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 12. Quanto studio Imperialis Coronae insigne tibi contulerimus With what affection we haue giuen him the Imperiall Crowne beneficia and the good turnes or rather benefits Thus saith mildly Sigonius But Radeuicus an Author of that time Canon of Frisingen produceth a copie of the letters in rougher tearmes Remember thou Quantam tibi dignitatis plenitudinem honoris contulit mater tua Romana Ecclesia What ample dignitie the Church of Rome hath bestowed vpon thee and that thou hast receiued from her hand maiora beneficia the greatest benefits that might be Clauses which properly offended the Princes as if the Pope should haue said That the Emperour held the Empire by homage of him and that the Empire were his fee. And so much the more saith Radeuicus did they hold themselues to the strict interpretation of his words because they knew that the Romans rashly affirmed That the Empire of the citie and the realme of Italie had not beene possessed till then by our Kings but of the donation of Popes Which they were not content onely to say but represented in writings and pictures and so conueyed to posteritie Insomuch saith he that there was written ouer a certaine picture of the Emperour Lotharius which was set vp at the Palace of Lateran Rex venit ante fores iurans prius vrbis honores Post homo fit Papae sumit quo dante Coronam The King before his gates doth come which sweares first to the towne Whom both the Pope his seruant makes and after him doth crowne That after he had taken his oath he was made the Popes seruant and receiued the Crowne in gift of him When Frederick was told of this picture being then about Rome he complained thereof to Adrian who promised him to cause both the writing and picture to bee taken away least so vaine a thing should giue matter of strife and discord betweene two the greatest persons in the world And indeed that such was the meaning of Adrian appeareth by his owne letters to Arnulph Archbishop of Mence Fredericke of Cologne and Hillin of Treuers in these words Auent l. 6. The Roman Empire was translated from the Greekes to the Germans so as that their King was not called Emperour till after he was crowned by the Pope Before the consecration he is King after he is Emperour Whence hath he then the Empire but from vs From the election of his Princes he hath the name of King from our consecration the name of Emperour of Augustus and Caesar From vs then he hath the Empire Call to mind antiquitie Zacharie aduanced Charls and gaue him a great name that he might be Emperor to the end that frō thenceforth for euer the king of Germanie might be an Aduocat of the Apostolike See that Apulia by him reduced might be subiect to the Bishop of Rome which is ours with the citie of Rome and not the Emperours For Rome is our seat the seat of the Emperour is Aix in Ardenna All that the Emperor hath he holdeth of vs. As Zacharie translated the Empire of the Greeks to the Germans so may we from the Germans to the Greekes Behold it is in our power to giue it to whom we will and for this are we established of God ouer nations and ouer kingdomes for to destroy and plucke vp to build and to plant c. Thus you see the enterprise of Adrian it remaineth for vs to shew what Frederick doth thereupon without forgetting by the way that this is that Adrian who writing to Henrie King of England Adrian Epist ad Regem Angliae Henr. apud Matth. Westmonaster was not ashamed to say That Ireland and all islands on which Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath shone by right appertaine to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome Therefore that he should honourably receiue him thither without preiudice of the said rights and namely pay him a penie pention by the yeare for euerie houshold OPPOSITION Krantz l. 6. c. 35 So soone as Frederick had seene that picture of Lotharius doing homage hee suddenly turned away his sight and fretted at it without speaking a word for there was Innocent the second sitting in his Pontificall chaire
arising in the Church of Rome through the dissention of two Popes it is our duetie to call both parties and according to equitie and iustice to decide the controuersie The day therefore being come he ordayned fasting and publike prayers for the good successe of this Councel then declared he first vnto them That albeit the conuocation of Councels rightly appertayned vnto him For so saith he haue Constantine and Theodosius and also Iustinian besides those of later time Charles the great and Otho Emperours done Neuerthelesse the authoritie of defining and deciding this great and important businesse he thought fit to commit to their wisedome and iudgement Radeuicus l. 2. cap. 64.65 For since it pleased God to ordaine them Priests in those things that belonged vnto God It is not saith he our parts to iudge of you to whom God hath giuen power to iudge of vs Onely we exhort you saith he that you so carrie your selues in this businesse as you will answer the matter at the iudgement seat of God This done he retired himselfe from the Councell leauing the examination thereof to the Church and Ecclesiasticall persons that is to say to fiftie Archbishops and Bishops and Abbots without number besides Embassadours from diuers Prouinces who promised they would stand to whatsoeuer should be decreed in this Synode So the Bishops and all the Clergie continued in the canuasing of this cause the space of seuen daies at length the lot fell to Octanian called Victor the fourth the Councell or rather the Court giuing their sentence for him and condemned Roxland called Alexander the third who being lawfully summoned proudly refused to appeare Blondus and Sigonius say his reason was That he that ought to iudge all men ought not to be iudged of any man But Radeuicus in his narration seriously admonisheth the Reader that in the inquisition of the veritie of this act a man respect not his words but the writings that came to his owne hands which are inserted into this worke and will not seeme tedious to the Reader But first he produced an Epistle of the Chanons of S. Peter of Rome to Frederick Jdem l. 2. c. 66. wherein after they had bewailed the corruption of Rome as the Prophets before deplored the state of Ierusalem in these words For the sinnes of the Prophets and the iniquitie of the Priests they haue wandered like blindmen in the streets for the face of the Lord was turned from them They declare that in the time of Adrian one Boson whom they call the first borne of Satan possest the sorts and holds of S. Peter by corrupting the gard who were inforst by oth to giue their faith vnto him But Rowland seeing the lawfull election to fall vpon Octauian without any contradiction ascended the same fort and there lurked with his associats in a hollow vault of Neroes I say the same vault whereinto the Romane Nero fled through feare of the Romans yet could he neuer afterward attaine the pontificall Mantle for all the care and diligence of his followers Radeuic l. 2. c. 66.67.68.69.70.71.72.73.74.75.76 And heere let the Reader note a peece of strange diuinitie that from a mantle cast vpon the shoulders of a man whether by right or by wrong by freewill or by force an argument should be drawne of a lawfull or vnlawfull election especially his that is accounted the chiefe Bishop of the Christian Church They come afterward to the act of the Councell which being plainely and simply propounded by the Author by all circumstances iustifieth the election of Victor and weakeneth and disableth that of Alexander But yet it is continually a question An immantatus Rolandus nec ne which is perpetually denied by all Then was made a catalogue of all those that had giuen their consent with Victor and Rowland himself said to his partakers De me non facietis ridiculum â—bi est Papa ite ad eum obedite Make not me your laughing-stocke the Pope is there goe to him and obey him The Councell therefore being led by these and the like proofes pronounced sentence which was likewise ratified by the Emperour being presented vnto him The Presidents of the Councell writ into diuers parts of the world that for these causes aforesaid they had chosen Victor and abandoned Rowland whom they had curst with booke and candle to the Deuill himselfe because in the life of Adrian he would haue made a confederacie that none but of the number of the confederats should be chosen Pope and these Synodall letters were signed by Pâ—regrinus Patriarch of Aquileia with his suffragans Arnaldus of Menze Artenicus of Breâ—e Hellinus of Treuers Renaldus of Collen Wickman of Magdeburge for Germanie with their followers For France the Archbishops of Bizanson Arles Lion Vienna with their suffragans The Embassadors of the Kings of England Hungarie Denmarke grounding themselues vpon the commaunds and letters of their Lords and an infinite number of Bishops Abbots and Prelates of Italy and Lords of the Empire as well within as without Italy did likewise subscribe thereunto And the Embassadours that were sent from the Councell to worke a quiet approbation of what was done in that Councell was the Bishop of Collen into France of Verdune into Spaine of Prague into Hungarie Which to this end be it spoken that it might plainely appeare how justly and vprightly Frederick carried himselfe in that Councell against the practises that were afterward made in diuers parts by Alexander The Abbot of Vrsperge made a short abridgement of all this businesse There is law ynough saithe he that the election of Rowland being disproued Octauian should be iudged the right and lawfull Bishop of Rome c. And Rome continued in confusion through conspiracies that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They that rise vp against me shall be confounded and againe My seruant shall be replenished with ioy c. Alexander had no sooner vnderstood these things but he was the more eagre and forward to excommunicat Victor and Frederick but first he sent to Milan the Cardinall of Anaigne who excommunicated all those cities that fauoured Frederick and joyned in a firme league with his enemies But doubting it would not fall out well for his aduantage to hold a Councell in Italie resolued with himselfe at the Spring of the yeare 1162 to passe into France An. 1162. being the bolder because Lewis the younger and Henrie the second King of England were yet wauering and doubtfully affected the one towards the other and that those of the Order of the Cistertienses who then bare great sway in France would be readie to take his part He arriued at Montpellier about Easter where he was receiued in the Kings name by Theobald Abbot of S. Germaine neere Paris from whence departing within some few dayes he held a Councell at Claramont in Auergne where he cursed and excommunicated Victor Frederick and all that tooke their part Frederick in
the meane time drew to Bezanson and inuiteth king Lewis to meet him neere Ararim to conferre touching the peace of the Church But the mischiefe was that Frederick arriuing about the euening at the day appointed Lewis was alreadie departed whereupon these Princes grew afterwards so jealous and suspicious of each other Helmold Histor Solauorum l. 1. c. 91. as they neuer afterward agreed vpon any point Whereby it came to passe that Frederick hauing in vaine attempted to renew this parley betweene them few daies following Alexander the third was entertained at Tossack vpon Loyre by the Kings of France and England An. 1163. from whence he went to Tours in the yeare 1163 and there celebrated a Synod to the same end the rest was onely to make a shew of things saue onely an Act against the Waldenses whereof wee shall speake in his due place An. 1164. And at the end of the yeare 1164 Victor happening to dye the Cardinals presently created in his place Guido of Cremona Cardinall of S. Caliste who was called Paschal the third An. 1165. Anent l. 6. approued afterward in the yere 1165 by a Councell held at Wiertsborge Auentinus noteth a memorable Decre which was then made That from thenceforth not any Pope should be created but after the auncient manner with the consent of the Emperour nor should be otherwise stiled but Nuntius duntaxat Christi The messenger onely of Christ and the successor of S. Peter and to be no more a riuall of the Imperiall power In obseruation whereof all tooke their oathes not otherwise euer to admit of any though the Emperour should dye and whosoeuer should refuse to doe it to be depriued of their offices Alexander making benefit partly by this change and partly by the absence of Frederick being gone into Germanie was resolued to passe into Italie and so much the rather because he vnderstood the cities began to be wearie of the gouernement of the Germans especially the Romans being bewitched by the persuasions of the Cardinal Iohn his Legat desired his returne Whereupon his affaires began to strengthen albeit Frederick to intercept his proceedings sent Renaldus Archbishop of Collen and Christianus of Mence into Italie whilest he prepared an armie to come himselfe in person Frederick arriuing in Lombardie all the cities thereof mutually condescended to complaine of the iniuries offered vnto them by the Almane Gouernours and made humble petition to be released from their seruitude and oppression But he easily smelling the subtiltie of Alexander resolued to march with his armie directly vnto him and in the meane time deferred his answer These on the other side who gained nothing by attending the euent concluded a league for the common libertie in such sort that few cities there were that remained vnder his obedience Frederick in the meane time hasted with his armie towards Rome to establish Paschal in the throne so that Alexander through the helpe and aid of the King of Sicilies gallies was constrained for his safetie to flie to Gaieta But the heat of the Summer drawing on and the plague growing verie hot in his army Frederick was constrained to leaue Paschal with a strong garrison in Rome and retired himselfe into Lombardie where he vnderstood at his returne that the league of the cities were increased both in number and strengthened with new oathes yet adding this clause for fashion sake With exception of his seruice in so much that the Venetians themselues flourishing in Italie both in reputation and wealth were willing to joyne with them and all at once gaue courage to the Milanois to reuolt All this happened through that tickling desire of libertie which the cities had tasted by the absence or farre distance of the Emperour being all reduced into the forme of Commonwealthes Frederick therefore seeing his armie greatly weakened in the yeare 1168 repassed the Alpes An. 1168. and thereby gaue by his absence a fit occasion to Alexander for his aduantage to whom in the meane time Emanuel Emperour of Greece offered to vnite the Greeke Church to the Latine if hee would yeeld into his hands the Empire of the West but it was farre from his meaning to establish the one or the other but rather to destroy them both In the meane time died Paschal to whom succeeded Iohn a Hungarian called Calixtus the third whom the Romans both chose and vndertooke the protection of him against Alexander Now whilest these things thus happened and Frederick being returned about his affaires into Germanie Alexander vpon this change propounded to the Romans That if he might be receiued into the citie he would be contented onely with the Ecclesiasticall administration would neuer meddle with any ciuile gouernement which neuerthelesse he could not yet obtaine for the contradiction of Fredericks fauourers An. 1175. But in the yeare 1175 Frederick being returned into Lombardie at his first arriuall set vpon Alexander where in the heat of the siege Henrie Duke of Saxonie faining himselfe to be touched with scruple of conscience for the Popes Excommunications departed shamefully from him and carried away with him the greatest part of the Germans for which crime he was afterward accused in Germanie The confederats by this diminution of their power gathered courage and gaue him battell at Lignane where after long and doubtfull fight they got the victorie and of this vnhappie chance ensued other troubles and molestations in Germanie and then his counsellors tooke occasion to persuade him to peace Then Frederick sent an embassage to Alexander being at Anaigne the chiefe whereof was Christianus Archbishop of Mence by whom a perpetuall peace was concluded betweene them and with William king of Sicilia for the space of fifteen yeares and with the cities of Lombardie for six yeares vpon condition that hee should acknowledge Alexander the Catholike Pope and Calixtus the third to liue a contented life in an Abbie and the Cardinals created by him to returne to their pristinat state The Acts of whose agreement and treatie are extant in the writers of these times An. 1177. Naucler 2. vol. Generat 40. Jacob. Bergom in supplem Chronic. ad ann 1160. Petrus Justinian l. 2. rerum Venetarum Papirius Masso l. 5. de Episcopis vrbis Asorius Iesuita in Jastitut moral parte 2 l. 5. c. 43. Hieronim Bardus in victoria nouali Sabel l. 7. Decad 1 de rebus venetis Chronic. Codex Cardinal Bessarionis Asseruatus in Bibliotheca Veneta Pluteo 17. citatus ab Hieron Bard. in Victoria nauali p. 140. 141. apud Baron an 1176. art 2. 5. Baron an 1177. art 86. But because this peace would not seeme firme ynough vnlesse the parties came to enteruiew in the yeare 1177 after certaine delayes on both sides in the end Venice was appointed the place of their parley and the performance of their othes to each other and there saith Sigonius they drawing neere to the Palace of S. Marke Frederick came to meet Alexander and
taking him vpon the right hand leadeth him in and after diuine seruice followed him out where Alexander mounting his palfrey the Emperour holding his stirrop did him all the honour and reuerence he could But for shame he durst not tell the rest For the Emperour being prostrat before him Alexander putting his foot vpon his neeke said It is written Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and the Basilick and shalt tread vpon the Lion and the Dragon Frederic answered Not to thee but to Peter whose successors I obey The Pope replied pressing his foot the harder Et mihi Petro Both to me and Peter This pride being in the sight of all the people neuerthelesse was patiently endured by Frederick partly fearing worser things through the great priuiledges that Alexander had bestowed vpon this Commonwealth namely The marying of the Sea euerie yeare with a ring c. and partly at the instance of his sonne Henrie who exceedingly desired the kingdome of Italie Some adde That his sonne Otho being taken by the Venetian gallies was set at libertie vpon this condition Baronius in the meane time endeuoureth to make this historie doubtfull although he relateth it at large by his owne confession out of that famous Chronicle that is kept in the Librarie at Venice and his reason is let the Reader judge whether it be otherwise that there is no likelihood that a Pope so mild and patient would commit so arrogant so insolent and so monstrous an act But first we must agree vpon that pretended equanimitie and modestie and the prodigious pride of Gregorie the seuenth in receiuing Henrie the fourth to doe penance and we shall easily giue credit hereunto But it is most certaine and the Venetian historie affirmeth it and the Iesuites themselues doe triumph therein so farre are they with Baronius from blushing at it Now the Romans in regard of this submission by their embassadors inuite him to Rome which he accepted vpon condition that the Senators chosen by them should take vpon them an oath of fidelitie to the Church of Rome before they entred into that office An. 1178. An. 1180. And so in the yeare 1178 he came into the citie and the yeare afterward 1180 he held a Councell at Lateran where he ordained That if the Cardinalls could not agree in the election of the Pope the Pope might bee chosen by two of the parts and whosoeuer being chosen by the third part should carrie himselfe as Pope should be depriued of the Communion and so he declareth the ordinances made by Victor the fourth Paschal and Calixtus the third arch heretikes to be of no force And judge the Reader into what scruple of conscience he brought by these vaine and idle ordinances the best and greatest part of Europe But he died not long after hauing more valiantly ouercome Sigon de regno Ital. l. 14. than moderatly handled his enmitie with Frederick as Sigonius saith seeming no doubt vnder these mild words to conceale that shamefull and horrible act which he was not willing to expresse Neither were this fit to be omitted being both an argument and an augmentation of the Papall authoritie That this Alexander was the authour of that law whereby the canonizing of Saints should be only in the power of the Bishop of Rome Extra de reliquijs sanctorum venerat c. 1. It is not lawfull saith he that any should be worshipped for a Saint without licence from the Pope By which law he chalenged to himselfe the authoritie of the ancient Bishops of the Panims who placed whom they pleased in the number of the gods and to giue the greater lustre he began with S. Bernard who was famous for his sanctitie then followed Thomas of Canterburie whom he pronounced Martyr because he defended his pontificall vsurpations against the kings royal authoritie in England When notwithstanding it is a thing worthie the noting that after his canonizing it was publikely disputed among our Sorbonists that he was damned for rebelling against the King the minister of God Casorius Monach in Dialog l. 8. c. 69. Another law he also made that none should weare the Archbishops pall vnlesse he had taken an oth of fidelity to the Pope Farthermore he called to this Synod all the Churches of the west but those which either for the distance of the places or through other impediment could not appeare were punished by the purse which redeemed the fault of their absence which was saith Neubrigensis more dishonestly exacted than payed Gulielm Neubrig l. 3. c. 2. We must likewise remember that he was Vicar vnto him that saith in the Gospell I will giue thee all these Kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me for he graunted to Alfonsus the first Duke of Portugall the title and dignitie of a King Baro. An. 1179. art 16. 17. vpon condition he should doe him homage and pay him yearely a reuenew of two markes of gold which by a letter from Innocent the third to King Sancius euidently appeareth finding himselfe greeued that since that time his successours had neglected the paiment thereof giuing him to vnderstand that he had taken order with his Legat Ramerius to leuy the same by Ecclesiasticall authoritie OPPOSITION This is an opposition worthie the noting against the Papall tyrrannie when so great an Emperour so great an Empire bent their wits and endeauored with the vtmost of their courages to resist and impugne it the Romans themselues shut their gates because they knew him insupportable But the opposition did best appeare when these Popes mutually striued with curses execrations to put down each other and pronouncing one another Antichrists in their Synodes but it shal not be amisse to note some of the principall Auentinus expresly telleth vs Auent l. 6. that the greater part neutrum Pontificem recipiebant would receiue neither of the Popes vsing that saying of the Apostle all things are yours be it Paul be it Apollo be it Peter one faith one God and one Father of vs all and the wordes of Christ there is but one master and yee are all brethren And furthermore he addes that Gerochus Bishop of Richemberg writ much vpon this controuersie and the title of his booke is de Antichristo This Gerochus was afterward Bishop of Halberstat deposed as Sigonius saith through the treatie of a peace with Alexander Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 14. and Vlrich instituted into his place In England in the yeare 1164 Henrie the second assembled all the principall of his Clergie at Clarendon to confirme auitas consuetudenes An. 1164. the customes of his ancesters to the end they should serue as a barre betweene the vsurping enterprises of the Clergie and the Kings Iustices and the customes are comprehended in 16 Chapters recited by Mathew Paris the most important are as followeth Mathew Paris in Henrico 2. That the Churches which hold in fee of the King be not graunted in perpetuitie without
his permission That Clerkes accused of any crime being aduertised by the Kings Iustice may come to the place appointed and answere for themselues That the Archbishops Bishops may not depart the realm without the Kings licence and without taking an oth to do nothing either in going staying or returning to his preiudice That the Archbishops Bishops and others who hold of the King in Capite and haue their possessions of the King should answere to the Iustices after the same manner as the Lords and Barons of the realme The vacation of a Church hapning the King sending for the principall persons thereof commandeth them to make choise of a successour in his Chappell with his consent and the Councell of the realme in whose presence the man chosen shall doe homage and loyaltie to the King as to his liege Lord of his life his body and of his worldly preferment except his order and that before he be consecrated and to this are sworne all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earles Barons and the Nobilitie of the realme viua voce in the word of truth to obserue towards the King and his successours for euer Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie who was the first that had taken this oth within few daies after being corrupted by Alexander the third who in a Councell held at Tours placed him vpon his right hand requested his absolution whom Alexander soone discharged both of the oth and the sinne But this is to be noted that the thing that vrged him most was That they of the Clergie that were taken in publico Flagitio in publike wickednesse by the Kings officers might bee deliuered to the Bishop without any punishment inflicted vpon them contrarie to that order the King had ordained that those whom the Bishops themselues should find faultie ought to be degraded in the presence of his officers and afterward be deliuered to the Kings Court to be punished But Thomas did heere exclaime that this was to be punished twice for one and the same thing that is to say degraded by the Bishop and punished by secular authoritie Now good Reader hee that dies for such a cause is he a Saint or a Martyr For what wickednesse will not a man iustifie if only degrading may discharge the punishment Now Thomas hauing wrought with al the Bishops of England his suffragans to renounce their allegiance without the kings knowledge passed the sea towards Alexander into France who from time to time delaied his answere vnto him fearing to offend the King his affaires then hanging but in a wauering and doubtfull manner but as the authour saith pensans periculosa tempora weighing the dangerous times granted to the Archbishop of Yorke by a Bull the office of Legat Insomuch that Thomas displeased with these delayes writing to the Archbishop of Mence Epist Thomae Cantuariens ad Archiepisc Moguntin thus complaineth Matrem Romam factam esse meritricem pro mercede prostitutam Our mother Rome is become a harlot and prostituted to whosoeuer will giue most From this wee may gather what the other Bishops of England might say when Thomas his pretended Martyr had spoken in this sort Now of this Henrie the second whom Thomas had wilfully made his aduersarie Peter of Blois Archdeacon of Bath and Chancellour of Canterburie writing to Gualterus Bishop of Palerme hath left vs this worthie testimonie No man saith he is more wise and subtill in counsell in speech more vehement more carelesse in dangers nor more constant and resolute in aduersitie c. hauing alwaies in his hands either a bow a sword or a iauelin except sitting in counsell or busie at his booke for whensoeuer he had any respite from his important and waightie affaires spent his time in priuate studie and reading or in arguing with learned men his daily life is as if it were a Schole of learning in dissoluing continually difficult questions None more mild than he in speech more temper at in eating more moderat in drinking more bountifull in gifts more liberall in almes c. Our King is peaceable victorious in warre glorious in peace c. None more gentle and meeke to the afflicted more gratious and affable to the poore none more seuere to the proud for he euer studied as it were by an image of diuinitie to beat downe the hauty and proud minded to raise the oppressed and continually to persecute the swelling loftinesse of pride c. But when according to the custome of the realme he had in elections the greatest and most powerfull part neuerthelesse hee would haue his hands euer free from all partiality and corruption For the death of this Thomas who procured his wrath through so many mischiefes and iniuries I tell you saith he in the word of our Lord and by the faith and order of a Deacon that in my conscience he was no way culpable or guilty thereof And thus much the Lord Theodinus Bishop of Port and the Lord Albert Chauncellor who came hether as Legats to examine the truth and haue knowne and reported his innocency can affirme c. which Legats after a canonicall purgation by the commandement of the Pope pronounced him cleare of this crime before God and the World Notwithstanding these Legats made benefit as the manner is of the rebellion of Henrie his sonne through certaine words that he had vttered in some choler whereby the authours of his death were emboldened to attempt the life of the said Thomas who inforced him to purchase his absolution with the hurt of his kingdome abolishing those customes that were brought in against the liberties of the Church and approuing all appellations to the sea of Rome and all this for the remission of his sinnes Mathew Paris discoursing of this Historie Math. Paris in Henr. 2. giueth vs to vnderstand by certaine circumstances that it was the pride of Alexander or at least his Legats The King and the Archbishop saith he being come to Freteuall to be reconciled they twice descended their horses and as often mounted againe and both these times the King held the raines of the Bishops bridle What dutie would the Pope haue looked for when so much was done to his Legat Againe though the King alwaies protested that he neuer commanded nor willed nor by any deuise sought the death of Thomas neuerthelesse because through some of his own words not aduisedly spoken these murtherers had taken occasion thereby to kill him this proud beast inforst him asking his absolution to submit his naked skin to the punishment of the whip and that all the religious people there assembled being a great multitude should euery man giue him three or fiue lashes which the King miserably bewitched by those Romish sorceries submitteth himselfe vnto The saying of one Gratian the Popes Legat is worth the noting in this cause to the King of England who had said somewhat vnto him in threatning manner Sir saith he threaten vs not we feare no threatnings for we
measure inforced him according to the example of his predecessors to forsake Rome and to hold his See at Velitre Who neuerthelesse prouiding himselfe against them vnder a pretence of a Sarasen warre called a Councell at Verona in the yeare 1184 where the Emperour Frederick himselfe was present An. 1184. Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 40. Frederick making benefit of the time hauing now pacified Lombardie and receiued Alexandria into fauour touching which citie there had growne so great contention betweene him and Alexander seemed to reduce things to their pristinat state Sigon l. 14. de regno Jtal. as appeareth by these articles That all the citizens of Alexandria should at his will and pleasure depart the citie and so long should abide from thence till they were brought in by his Deputie or Lieutenant in a solemne manner that by this act it might appeare he gaue and they receiued their countrey from the hand of the Emperour and so the citie should from hence forward be called Caesaria In this Councell Lucius the third so farre preuailed by meanes of the Emperours presence to represse the Romans that they were proclaimed as enemies to the Church But on the other part as Frederick requested to crowne his sonne Henrie Emperor he expresly denied it vnlesse he would restore first vnto him the inheritance of the Countesse Mathilda and other dueties which he withheld from the Church thereby not so much renuing an old quarrell as determining it at his owne pleasure It was also requested by the Emperour That he would receiue into fauour those Ecclesiastical persons that were ordained by the Antipopes whereunto he consented but the day following when he should haue laid his hands vpon them vtterly refused it and referred it to another Synod Fearing saith Krantzius least the Church Krantzius l. 6. Saxon. c. 47. as in former times should fall into a most dangerous schisme which euill the neerer they knew it the more they feared it Euen so both with grudge and discontented minds dismist the Councell And now Frederick passing forward into Italie straitly pursued the cities that held with the Church and on the other part Lucius was resolued to vse all extremities euen when he died in the citie of Verona hauing neuer dared to looke backe toward Rome and in the same place was chosen for his successor Lambert Archbishop of Milan who was named Vrban the third It is a thing worthie to be noted That this Lucius excommunicated the Waldenses and Albienses because they did weare sandalls on their feet and a hood saying they did therein imitat the plainnesse and simplicitie of the Apostles But out of all doubt it was rather through malice let it suffice vs that he had no greater crimes to charge them withall There is also extant another Decree of his Abbas Visperg in Chron. extra de Judicijs Tit. 1. c. Clerici 8. Abbas Vrsperg Ex Epistola quadam Pragens vniuers ad Oxoniensem tempore Wenceslei Jmperatoris scripta Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 15. ex Naubrig Vrsprergens Viterbiens Krantxius in Saxon. l. 6. c. 52. That a Clergie man for euerie crime should be conuented before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge notwithstanding any other custome whatsoeuer Here is also of him a certaine Epigram which is alluded to the fish called a Pike being in Latine Lucius who deuoureth other fish Lucius est piscis Rex atque tyrannus aquarum Aquo discordat Lucius iste parum Deuorat ille homines hic piscibus insidiatur Esurit hic semper hic aliquando satur Amborum vitam si laus aquata notaret Plus rationis habet qui ratione caret Lucius is a fish a tyran in water Like to this Lucius as mother to daughter He deuours men this fishes doth eat He still hungers this sometime's full with meat If both their liues we equally should praise He hath most reason that reason denayes In the remainder of the historie of these times wee must follow the selfe same steps Vrbanus although he continued not long notwithstanding in that little time purchased the name of Turbanus through the troubles which hee euerie-where procured Frederick made peace with William King of Sicilia and for the better confirmation thereof maried his sonne Henrie to Constance the daughter of Roger the grandfather of the said William who dying without issue was the next heire This manage pleased not Vrban and the lesse because Frederick in an assemblie holden at Geilhausen caused the Prelats of Germanie to write vnto him to preserue the tenthes held in fee and other rights to the Nobilitie being by her worthily obtained in the defence of the Church But as hee prepared at Verona to excommunicat him they of Verona to whom hee was now retired made knowne vnto him That they would not endure that in their citie such a Decree should be published against the Emperour Whereupon he departing to Ferrara for the same purpose was preuented by death The Abbot of Vrsperg of him thus briefely speaketh Being borne in Milan in hatred of the Emperour he was verie trouble some to the Church which had a while beene quiet but he was preuented by the will of God and died hauing continued in the seat but one yere ten Moneths and fifteen dayes An. 1187. In the yeare 1187 the Cardinall Albert his Chauncelor chosen by the Cardinals at Ferrara succeeded him being called Gregorie the eight who soone after writ to all Princes to persuade them to goe personally into Palestina to recouer Hierusalem which the infidels had forcibly gotten from the Christians assuredly promising them life euerlasting and the protection of the Church during the time of their absence for the safetie both of their states goods And doubtlesse the miserable estate there of the Christians persuaded many to vndertake this journey as the Emperour Frederic Philip king of Fraunce and Richard King of England and diuers other Princes in their owne person Notwithstanding Gregorie saw not the successe thereof death preuenting him in Pisa euen at the setting forward of this enterprise But the Cardinals that were of his traine chose in the same place Cardinall Paule a scholler of Rome who was Clement the third being so named because the dissention that had continued betweene the Popes and the Romans the space of fiue and fortie yeares was extinguished and appeased by his meanes vpon condition that they might haue a Patricius But the Senators and Gouernours of the Citie created by them before they enter into that office should be inuested permantum with a mantle by the Pope Now Frederic died in this voyage after many notable worthie exploits An. 1190. in the yeare 1190 hauing entred into a certaine riuer in Armenia called Serra to refresh himselfe in the violent heat of summer the suddaine cold to the extreame heat striking inwardly into him presently ouercame his vital parts Otho de S. Blasio cap. 35. Abbas Vrspergens Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 15. A Prince
commended by all Histories for his pietie vertue clemencie forgetfulnesse of all iniuries whereby he left a desire in all men of his continuance yet no man euer endured greater more vnjust dealings by the Popes Through his death arose many molestations to his son Henrie as well in Germanie as in Italie But the thing that most troubled him was to get into his possession the kingdome of Sicilie in the right of Constance his wife by the death of William the which Pope Clement for want of an heire male challenged to belong to the church and had sent his forces to inuade it if the States and gouernours thereof had not opposed against him one Tancred the Bastard son of Roger by which meanes the inuasion of Clement being delayed Henrie had the better opportunitie to prouide for himself Thus did he obserue the promise made by his predecessor to those that went into the holie Land to defend and protect their estates and rights in that state they should leaue them Platina in Clement 3. Frederic being dead in this expedition his sonne Henrie besides the griefe for the losse of his father through so extraordinarie and vnexpected an accident was no lesse diuersly disquieted and disturbed in the kingdome of Germanie But Clement while he was endeauouring to put by Henrie from the imperiall Diademe died in Aprill in the yeare 1191 whom Cardinall Iacynthus succeeded a Citizen in Rome and was called Celestine the third By this change Henrie sped the better and with all diligence came to Rome where he was crowned by Celestine whom hee had before bound vnto him Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 40. by restoring into his hands the citie of Tusculus which had been deliuered into his protection a meanes for Celestine to gratifie the Romans because that for the space of 50 yeares before it had beene either the cause or pretence of many dissentions and brawles betweene them and the Popes Vignier ex Chron. Germā manuscr Baro an 1191. Sect 1. 10. ex Rogero authore Coaetaneo parte posteriore in Richardo primo But as soone as hee had restored it vnto them hee refrained not any kind of crueltie that he might practise against those miserable people But the manner of his coronation is worthie to bee noted After the Emperour had taken his oath to defend the Church and the patrimonie of Saint Peter and to restore whatsoeuer belonged to the Church whole and entire if any thing were withheld or detayned from it the Emperour and the Empresse are brought into the Church by the Pope and Masse being solemnely celebrated by him he annoynteth first the Emperour with words instituted to that purpose and afterward the Empresse Then sitting downe in his pontificall Chaire holdeth the imperiall Crowne betweene his feet and the Emperour bowing downe his head and likewise the Empresse receiue it from his feet And after this immediatly the Pope striking the Crowne with his foot kickes it from his head to the ground in token hee hath power if his merits so deserue to depose him then the Cardinals standing round about receiue the same Crowne and reuerently puts it vpon the heads of the Emperour and the Empresse Baronius himselfe is the Author and likewise Ranulph in the same words Ranulph in Polycr l. 7. ca. 26. Thus this proud mysterie did still rise by degrees Now by the death of the Bastard Tancred it was the easier for Henrie to make his peace with the kingdome of Sicilia But Celestine was now readie to excommunicate Henrie and also his brother Philip if his death had not preuented it by an auntient pretence wherby he had vsurped the possessions of the Countesse Mathilda though before to the end that Henrie should ruinate and destroy Tancred whom hee saw now established by the States hee had inuested the sayd Henrie into these dominions as his feudatarie But Henrie dying in the yeare 1197 left onely a sonne by Constance his wife of the age of one yeare and the troubles that euerie-where rise about the succession gaue Celestine meanes or rather a fit opportunitie to his successour Innocent the third to doe whatsoeuer they would in prejudice of the Empire For as Philip the brother of Henrie and Otho Duke of Saxonie striued for the Kingdome of Germanie Innocent taking an oath of faithfull homage of the Gouernour of the Citie of Rome inuadeth the Dukedome of Tuscane which Henrie had giuen to Philip his brother and sending to the Bishoppes of Germanie commaundeth them to deliuer the hostages which Henrie had brought out of Sicilia with him namely Sibilla the widow of Tancred his children and the Archbishoppe of Salerne Butt if Vezilus de Berco their keeper should refuse to deliuer them then they should excommunicate him by which meanes he seemed to haue composed the businesse of Sicilia to his owne desires The verie same way partly by force and partly by excommunication hee chased away Marcoaldus out of Romania and Conradus out of the Dukedome of Spoleto whom Henrie had inuested and interdicted all the Cities that any whit fauoured them and strengthened and confirmed the Cities of Lombardie in their societie to remayne free in such sort that the Emperours who afterward came into Italie found they had no authoritie left vnto them Furthermore hee enforced Constantia the widow of Henrie to take an oath to hold of him and his successours in homage Apulia and Calabria paying yearely sixe hundred squifats and for the Countrie of Mercia foure hundred vpon condition that her sonne comming to age shall take the same oath And as Constancia not long after chaunced to dye hee tooke vpon him to bee the Tutor and Gardian of the child who was Frederic the second and by these cunning sleights hath made himselfe Arbiter of the Kingdome Againe in Germanie he refused the election of Philip brother of Henrie as excommunicated by him and approued that of Otho Duke of Saxonie thereby taking from his pupill the support and helpe of the Vncle neither doth hee dissemble it that what hee did was in hatred of his predecesours who had opposed themselues against due See of Rome that is to say for defending the rights of their Empire And here the Reader may see the care they had of the affaires of the East that whilest they were bent wholly to the care of themselues all things went to ruine And here we make an end of the twelfth age OPPOSITION I willingly omit those frequent contentions betweene the Emperours and the Popes in these times contenting my selfe to haue noted here what the better sort haue thought of the Church of Rome Clement the third solicited the kings of Fraunce and England to the voyage of the holie Land who for the differences that grew betweene them thought it not fit and conuenient for them to go forward into a strange Countrie vnlesse the cause of the discord were first taken away and it seemed to Clement that Philip the second our king was
the cause to delay and prolong it whereupon he threatned to excommunicat him and to interdict his Realme Mat. Paris in Richardo if he did not the sooner agree Mathew Paris the author of the English Historie saith he made him this answer That he nothing feared his sentence as being vpheld with no equitie he addeth that it belongeth not to the church of Rome to punish by sentence any King especially of France if the sayd King be disposed to reuenge himselfe vpon his ill deseruing vntamed people and rebellious to his Kingdome He addeth moreouer that the Cardinal of Anagne his Legat had smelt the sterlings of the King of England by whose odour beeing attracted according to the fashion of the Romans he became more fauourable to him and therefore had the more reason to suspect him to be his iudge Moreouer the Earle Richard did hardly contayne himselfe and as hardly could the Lords hold his hands but that with his sword drawne he had furiously assaulted the Cardinall insomuch that the Cardinall retiring and hiding himselfe for feare Verba continuit ampullosa stayed his swelling words Both these Kings hoise vp saile and Richard of England arriued within the Riuer of Tiber where met him Octauian Cardinall of Ostia sent from Clement the third to whom as Roger Houenden saith he spake many reprochfull words Blaming the Simonie of the Romans that to consecrate the Bishop of Mans they had taken 700 markes Rogerus Houenden in Annalium parte posteriore and 1500 for the legation of the Bishop of Elie and besides a great summe for not deposing the Bishop of Burdeaux accused by his Clergie But he saith besides that he arriued at Messine about the same time that Philip King of Fraunce went with a desire to see Ioachim Abbot of Courace of the order of the Cistertiens a man in that age verie famous and thought to haue a propheticall spirit whom hee requested to expound vnto him and his followers the vision of S. Iohn in the Apocalyps wherein he receyued much content Apud Rogerum de Houenden Annal. parte posteriore especially when he spake of seuen Kings Whereof one was not yet come he sayd vnto him this man is Antichrist who is now in the Citie of Rome and is set on high in the Apostolike seat and of this Antichrist saith the Apostle he is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God c. The king replied vnto him I thought that Antichrist should be borne in Antioch or in Babylon of the progenie of Dan and should raigne in the Temple of the Lord at Hierusalem c. But Ioachim persisted in his exposition adding That the seuen Diademes signified the Kings and Princes of this world who should beleeue in Antichrist c. but he saith in the times of this Antichrist many of the Christians should preserue the Christian faith in the feare of the Lord in dennes and caues of the earth and in solitarie rockes and desert places euen vntill the consummation of Antichrist All this he spake notwithstanding the Archbishops of Roan Pamiers and Dauch who were there present haue endeuoured to proue the contrarie And to this purpose it was that the Abbot spake vpon Ieremie There is another fig tree who through the malediction of his preuarication is now withered The Latine Church or the little barke of S. Peter whose leaues are temporall things whereof they make breeches to hide their wicked conuersations wherewith they excuse the dishonestie and shame of their life as well of Adam the High Priest as Eue that is to say the Church subiect vnto them and miserably hide themselues in the wood of Ecclesiasticall glorie Now Baronius toucheth this historie Boron an 1190 art 2. lom 12. but hee taketh good heed for disclosing the principal clauses which expresly disciphers the Pope of Rome King Richard returning from Palestina was stayed by the Duke of Austria passing through his countrey who deliuered him to the Emperour Henrie the sixt who would not release him without a great ransome Queene Elinor his mother thinking that Pope Celestine was content to winke at this shamefull act because of the friendship that was yet betweene him and Henrie writ three letters vnto him which we may read in the Epistles of Peter of Blois the last for as much as hee seemed to neglect the former was more sharpe and in more expresse tearmes as followeth Deliuer vnto me saith she thou man of God my sonne Petrus Blaesens Epist 144.145.146 if thou be a man of God and not rather a man of bloud if thou beest carelesse and negligent in giuing libertie to my sonne that the omnipotent God may require his bloud at thy hands Oh and alas that the Soueraigne Pastor should become mercenarie that he should flie from the face of the Wolfe that he should leaue his sheepe committed to his charge yea a chosen Bell-weather the leader of the Lords flocke in the iawes of a cruell beast Hardly truely wilt thou aduenture thy soule for him for whom thou hast not dained to speake or write one word and now three times we haue beene promised Legats and yet they are not sent that to say the truth I may thinke them rather Ligati than Legati bound that they shall not come than appoynted to come If my sonne were in prosperitie they had come with all possible speed because out of his great bountie and the publicke profit they make of the kingdome they expected plentifull rewards of their Legations And what greater glorie can there be than to set free a captiue King to bring peace to the people safetie to the religious and ioy and comfort to euerie one But now they faile at a pinch The Wolfe holdeth his prey and the dogges either cannot or will not barke Is this the promise which you made vnto vs at the castle of Radolphus with so much protestation of loue and fidelitie What can it profit you to deceiue simple people and by a vaine confidence to mocke the prayers of the innocent So long since King Achab made a couenant of friendship with Benhadab but their mutuall loue had a dismall euent comparing the Pope to this Infidell King and God prospered the battels of Iudas Iohn Simion brothers of the Machabees but so soone as by their embassage they made a contract of friendship with the Romans they lost the succour and helpe of God and not once but often their mercenarie familiaritie was turned into sobs and bitter sighes c. I would to God they would remember that for the negligence of Hely their Priest ministring in Silo the glorie of the Lord was translated from Israell neither is it a parable of the time past but the time present because God forsooke the Tabernacle of Silo his owne Tabernacle where himselfe dwelt amongst men deliuered their power into captiuitie and their beautie into the enemies hands meaning the Church of Rome It was imputed to their
Italie an enemie to the Church and those that tooke his part namely the Millanois and their adherents were excluded from the communion of the Church In the meane time Innocent died in the yeare 1216 and Otho in the yeare 1218 who as an argument of repentance left by testament the ensignes of the Empire to young Frederic Krantzius speaking of the causes of discord betweene Otho and Innocent although for the most part inclined towards the Popes Krantz l. â— c. 33. 34. saith That the Emperour demaunded through Italie the auntient rights of the Empire whereof long since some of them were transferred to the Church He also challenged that great inheritance of Mathilda a woman of great estate in Italie as appertaining vnto him by a double right for he seemed to be the heyre of his Aunt who descended from the Marquesses of Saxonie and also as falling to the Empire for want of heires And hereupon Innocent saith he exhorted the Princes Electors that forasmuch as he had cast off Otho first excommunicated and then deposed to chose vnto the Empire another Prince offering vnto them Frederic of the age of 20 yeares of whom although he had the administration of his Gardenship he couerted all to his owne profit for the Continuor of the holie warre saith Frederic being yet a child and a pupill Continuator belli sacri l. 3. c. 10. was depriued by Innocent his tutor of the inheritance of his Kingdome and beeing free was made tributorie without respect either of the prayers of Henrie his father or Constance his mother or his owne promise made vnto them Blond Decad. 2. l. 6. Blondus noteth two bold Decrees of this Pope the first so often as one Prince shall offend another that the correction shal belong to the Bishop of Rome The which was done vpon the difference betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and is inserted into the Decretals The second That two striuing for the Empire hauing voyces alike Extra de election c. Venerabilem he whom the Pope alloweth shall be preferred which is there red and put in practise in fauour of Otho the fourth and ought to be receyued as lawfull by this meanes he was made the Arbitrator of the whole world But the Bookes especially written by himselfe doe testifie how much this mysterie did pricke him forward The Bishop of Rome saith he Innocentius 3. ser in festo Syluestri Papae vseth the Globe in signe of Empire the Globe is the signe of the Empire vseth the Mytre in signe of his Popedome But the Mytre he vseth alwayes and euerie where but the kingdome neyther euerie where nor alwayes because the Papall authoritie is both the first and the worthier and further spread than the imperial for among the people of God the Priesthood went before the kingdom when Aaron the first priest went before Saul the first king Jdem Serm. 1. in festo Gregorij Papae Noah also was before Nemroth when of him the Scripture saith That Babylon was the beginning of Nemroth but Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifice vpon it But speaking of the Priests and Kings he calleth the Priests Gods and the Kings Princes From the Gods he saith thou shalt not detract and the Prince of the people thou shalt not curse and when the Apostle spake of the King All humane creatures be yee subiect euen for Gods cause to your Kings as the most excellent or to you leaders as sent by him The Lord saith to Hieremie the Priest of the Priests of Anatoth I haue appointed thee ouer Nations and Kingdomes that thou maiest pull downe and destroy build and plant c. But to Peter especially he sayd Thou shalt be called Cephas that is to say head wherin the fulnesse of the senses consist Who did euer read such Diuinitie And yet behold there is worse When our Lord and Sauiour sayd vnto S. Peter Duc in altum Jdem in Serm. 2. de festo Sancti Petri. cast into the deepe this deepe Sea is Rome which obtayned and holdeth the prioritie and principalitie aboue all the world as if he sayd Goe to Rome and transport thy selfe with all thine to the Citie there cast thy nets abroad to take In another place The Church of Rome oweth not any reuerence to any person but the Pope who hath no superior but God But yet see here his companion and corriuall The Bishop of Rome saith he hath the Church of Rome his spouse and yet bringeth in other Churches subiect vnto him This is the first that I knew that hath gone so farre as to call himselfe the spouse of the Church arrogating to himselfe the true and incommunicable title of the Lord who is the true and onely spouse of the true Church and therefore the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church if the Pope be her spouse nor the Pope her spouse Bernard ad Eugen Epist 237. if the Church of Rome be the true spouse Let vs heare what S. Bernard saith writing to Pope Eugenius It remaines now that thou take care that the spouse of thy Lord who is committed to thee be made the better by thee If thou bee a friend of the spouse thou shalt not call his beloued My Princesse but Princesse challenging nothing to thy selfe in her vnlesse if occasion were to giue thy life for her If Christ haue sent thee thou must make account thou art sent to serue and not to be serued Can a man thinke that it is sufficiently excused by that poore distinction of Bellarmine Bellarmin de Romano Pontif l. 2. 31. of a principall or subalterne spouse I omit his comparison of the two lights which God hath placed in the firmament the Sunne and the Moone the Sunne hee compareth to the Pope the Moone to the Emperour for doubtlesse he that feareth not to violat the commaundements of Christ himselfe the King of kings wee may thinke he will little spare the Princes of the earth And truely vnder the pretence of this spirituall authoritie hee required at the same time the temporall homage of the kingdome of England for there being a controuersie betweene the Bishops Suffragans of the Archbishop of Canturburie and the Monkes touching the election of the Archbishop the Monkes pretending that they onely ought to chuse him and the Bishops saying they could not doe it without them Both of them comming to Rome Innocent persuaded the Procters of the Monkes to chuse Stephen Lanthon a Cardinall Priest his seruant and albeit they protested they could not doe it without the King and their Conuent being ouerborne with his threats of excommunication hee ouercame them and pronounced sentence for the Monkes against the Bishops giuing the Monkes likewise to vnderstand that he would excommunicat them if they obeyed not his Decree King Iohn who then raigned was much offended as well because Innocent had said Math. Paris in Johan p. 216. That it was
not his manner to attend the consent of Princes touching elections celebrated in the Apostolike See as also for that hee had disannulled the election made by the Bishops of the Bishop of Norwich to whom he had giuen his consent protesting to maintaine the rights of his realme euen to death and to gard the sea that no more might goe to Rome except the Pope changing his sentence would make amends for that wrong he had done But Innocent interdicted his realme offered it as a prey to the first inuaders thereof absolued his subiects of all oathes both naturall and ciuile armed all his Clergie and the greatest part of the Nobilitie and Magistrats of the realme against him and in the end pronounced him deposed and commaunded another to be put into his place and for to execute his sentence he appointed Philip King of France his enemie promising him in reward of this seruice remission of all his sinnes giuing this realme to him and his successors proceeding so farre herein that he writ to many worthie and honourable persons into diuers nations Vt sese Cruce signent That they should signe themselues with the crosse come to assist the King of France in this expedition promising vnto them in their goods persons and soules the same prerogatiue and indulgence as those had that went to visit the holie Sepulchre And it is to be noted that it is a Monke that relateth vnto vs this historie In the meane time that Philip prepared to take hold thereof he priuily sent a Legat into England who being receiued by the Bishops caused his approaching ruine to be made knowne vnto him vnlesse he sought meanes to pacifie the Pope So that seeing himselfe beset with dangers on euerie side resigned his Crowne Matth. Paris in Johan p. 225. sequent with the realmes of England and Ireland into the hands of the Pope and his successors in the person of Pandolph his Legat confirmed vnder an authentike Charter with the generall consent of his Barons exprest in these words For the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the sinnes of all our kindred as well they which are liuing as those which are dead we freely grant to our Lord Pope Innocent and his Catholike successors the aforesaid kingdomes And thereupon Innocent gaue to him the said realmes to hold by faith and homage of him and his successors vpon condition to pay yearely besides the Peter pence a thousand markes sterling to the Church of Rome that is to say fiue hundred at the feast of Saint Michael and fiue hundred at Easter that is seuen hundred for England and three hundred for Ireland vnder protestation That if he or any of his should attempt any thing contrarie to this agreement should be discharged of the kingdom This Charter was signed by many of the Nobilitie and in performance thereof hee solemnely did the homage euen at Pandolphs feet In the meane time King Philip whom Innocent had stirred vp to war continued an vnreconcilable enemie to the King of England But marke the monstrous pride of the Legat in receiuing the tribute Pandolph saith he trampled vnder his feet the money which the King payed as an earnest penie in token of his subiection yet he tooke it and refused it not for God forbid he should say with S. Peter Thy money perish with thee Now as we haue often said as this Mysterie of Iniquitie did gather strength so the doctrine grew worse and worse for it was in the time of this Innocent that both the opinion and name of Transubstantiation did first come to light and at the last exprest in these words in the Lateran Synod Concilium Lateranens C. firmiter SS vna vero c. The bodie and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar are truely contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread being transubstantiated into the bodie and the wine into the bloud by diuine power And hereupon doe arise so many monstrous questions which wee read among the Schole-men of this age which we haue elsewhere noted more at large The ceremonies also from time to time were brought in by the Popes that followed especially by Honorius the third the successor of Innocent that ceremonie of bowing the knee at the eleuation that is when the bread is shewed in the Masse and the like But because to support such Idolatries otherwise weake and shaken they had need as it were of a pillar behold here these that arise so oportunely at this time Francis and Dominick the one an Italian the other a Spaniard the one principall and head of the Friers Minors and the other of the Preachers the one confirmed by Innocent the other by Honorius his successor both of them striuing by their clients and followers to be equall with Christ nay aboue Christ But what could be done or approued that sauoured more of Antichrist Lib. 3. de Euchar c. 17. And of these things we haue spoken more at large elsewhere but it belongeth to the course of the historie that we here briefely repeat something againe Of Francis therefore they say Liber conformitatum p. 24. p. 39 that he was greater than Iohn Baptist Iohn was the forerunner of Christ S. Francis the Preacher and Ensigne-bearer of Christ Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Francis both of Christ and the Pope which is more Iohn the friend of the spouse that is to say Christ Francis like to the spouse himselfe Fol. 66. 247. Prosa de Francisco ibid. initio libri fol. 194. Fol. 144. Fol. 17. Fol. 24. Fol. 149. Fol. 13. Fol. 5. Iohn eleuated into the order of the Seraphins Francis seated in the place from whence Lucifer fell Francis was better than all the Apostles placed in heauen proceeding out of the wounded side of Christ made a tipe of Iesus by his passion who receiued in a vision the same wounds of Christ suffered the same griefes the passion of Christ renewed in him for the saluation of mankind of whom Dauid hath said Thou hast crowned him with glorie and honour and hast set him aboue all the workes of thy hands he is set as a light to the Gentiles which the Prophet spake of Christ Abraham saw that day and was glad thereof And to conclude whatsoeuer was foretold by the Prophets of Christ onely the same was pronounced of him Fol. 14. Of whom may rightly be said that which is spoken in the Gospell All things are giuen me of my father Matth. 11. Of whom it is likewise said I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a sonne And againe that which was neuer said nor interpreted by any but by Christ In whom all the vertues of the Saints as well of the old as the new Testament are put vnitiuè conjunctiuè vnitiuely and coniunctiuely Wherefore also through his merits he was made the sonne of God and sanctified by the holie Ghost Fol. 4. Fol. 3.
Frederick but Ricobaldus discouers the ground of this malice That wheras Gregorie was desirous to make Frederick more firme vnto him by an alliance of mariage this offer was reiected by the Emperors children and Frederick was afraid least in his absence hee should inuade the kingdome of Sicilia Abbas Vrsperg The Abbot of Vrsperge being a man of note in that age hath giuen this judgement of him This Gregorie saith he being a proud man in the first yeare of his Popedome began to excommunicat Frederick the Emperour vpon false and friuolous causes and contrarie to all order of iudicious proceeding He vpbraided him That the Church of Rome vnder the tuition of Innocent the third had been a mother vnto him Frederick answers That she was rather a stepmother being the root and fountaine of all his troubles And therefore hee sets before the eyes of Princes her rapines sacrileges simonies and iniurious attempts against kings and kingdomes alledging for instance how cruelly shee dealt with Iohn king of England and others Math. Paris in Henrico 3. concluding at the last That it was to be feared least the Church whose foundation was layed in pouertie and simplicitie should by her wealth and aboundance be brought to ruine and that therefore it is high time for them that see their neighbours house on fire to looke to their owne Let vs note by the way that the Popes earnest soliciting of this voyage to the Holie Land promising pardon of all their sinnes to such as should goe thither was suspected by those of best judgement which did not onely foresee the mischiefe that would follow thereof but felt the present euill which alreadie it had wrought Abbas Vrsperg The same Abbot saith thus Cardinall Conradus Bishop of Portua when he went Embassadour into Germanie to aduance the seruice of the Croysado as they call it and did appoint Preachers for the publishing thereof Then a certaine frier predicant called Iohn comming from Strasbourge preached daily and earnestly laying mens sinnes to their consciences with great vehemencie and for the intangling of their soules broached certaine doctrines before vnheard of which albeit in some sort they might be maintained yet it was found by experience that much euill ensued thereof being misconceiued by the hearers who were thereby incouraged to commit many enormous crimes and offences for at that time Engilbert Archbishop of Collen was slaine by his owne kinsmen and many Priests murdered For some damnable companions said I will commit villanies for by the taking of the crosse I shall be not onely absolued from them but shall also deliuer the soules of many wicked men Whereupon Auentine speaking of the same Iohn and such like saith Auent l. 7. That to incourage men to vndergoe the hazard of this dangerous warre they deliuered many strange doctrines That whatsoeuer sin a man had committed were it parricide incest or sacriledge as soone as he had sowed a crosse vpon his coat he was presently absolued both from the fault and punishment And for proofe hereof he brought many examples Let vs now returne to Frederick Gregorie vpon that day which is commonly called Coena Domini excommunicats him The Frangipanes being an honourable familie in Rome taking offence thereat incite the people against him and droue Gregorie out of Rome who retired himselfe to Perusia Now Frederick hauing setled his affaires in Sicilia with as much speed as he could to the end hee might approue his actions to the whole world vpon Christmas eue he arriued with his whole armie in Palestina and therefore Gregorie might well haue pacified his anger had not somewhat else than the zeale of Christ inflamed him But Sigonius himselfe tells vs That Gregorie was so much the more incensed against him that he durst vndertake that voyage before he was reconciled to him Wherefore taking opportunitie of his absence vnder the conduct of Iohannes Bremensis he inuades Apulia stirres vp the confederat cities of Lombardie against Frederick diuides or rather rents asunder all Italie into the factions of the Guelfes and Gibellines the one holding for the Pope the other for the Emperour that scarce any citie or towne was to be found where the higher part against the lower one quarter against another the commons against the nobilitie the nobility against the commons did not exercise hostilitie with all manner of crueltie so that this fire could scarcely be quenched without the vtter ruine of Italie Frederick for all this desisted not from his purpose which he so effectually pursued that he did not so much as thinke of Italie before he had recouered the citie of Hierusalem But so soone as he had taken the citie and caused himselfe to be crowned King of Hierusalem and had setled his affaires there being informed that the Pope played rex in his dominions for redresse thereof in the yeare 1229 he returnes into Italie Mathew Paris a writer of that age though fauouring Gregorie saith thus Matthaeus Paris in Henric. 3. Hee taking it in euill part that the Emperour of Rome being excommunicated and rebelling against him went to the Holie Land did not a little despaire of his repentance and satisfaction and returning againe to the vnitie of the Church and therefore he determined to depose him from his Empire for his contumacie and rebellion and to place in his roome some other that would bee a peaceable and obedient sonne vnto him And yet a little before he had told vs that Frederick at his arriuall in the Holie land found them in such a desperat case that the Templers Hospitallers at his comming adored him vpon their knees kissed his knees Moreouer he produceth a letter of the Earle of Aterne aduertising Frederic that Iohannes Bremensis his father in law by the instigation of Gregory had inuaded his dominions set on fire his townes and villages c. And if any man made mention of the emperor vnto him he said there was no other emperour but himselfe Your friends saith he wonder hereat most mightie emperour especially those of the Clergie vpon what ground and with what conscience the Pope can doe thus Cuspinian in Frederico Abbas Vrsperg Collenutius l. 4. Neapol Histor. and warre against Christians The Abbot of Vrsperge and some other say further that Gregorie to the end he might weaken the forces of Frederic in the holie land forbad those of the Croysado in Apulia and Lombardie to goe thither and caused the Lombardes in their journey thitherward to be ransackt and spoyled and that he might crosse the good successe of these warres scattered letters in Fredericks campe admonishing his soldiers to take heed of him moreouer that he did write to the Souldan to be of good courage and not to restore any thing to Frederic Whereupon this good Abbot breakes out into these speeches Who would not saith he both bewaile and detest these dealings which are manifest forerunners and prodigious signes of the Churches ruine He saith further
thither and declared that hee would giue no safe conduct to such as should vndertake that journey especially for that he had vnderstood that the Pope hauing had aduertisement that his Agents had collected great summes of money in England and in Fraunce was resolued to breake truce with him Here it is good to heare the same Author speake Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. Cardinall Iohn Columna hauing beene author of the truce Gregorie receiueth letters from the Legat That in Fraunce alone hee had gathered alreadie so much money as whereby hee might bee vndoubtedly able to wage warre against the Emperour for a whole yeare Whereupon repenting and grieuing that hee had accepted the truce called for the excellent Cardinals Iohn de Columna and Raymund mediatours of the same I am ashamed in my selfe saith he to them that I granted truce to Frederic the enemie of the Church Goe then in hast thou speaking to Columna which wast the spokesman betwixt vs and tell him boldly that I will not hold it and that I will be his enemie and doe defie him God forbid answered Columna that in the mouth of so great a man such light words should be reported to so great a prince especially by vs which are of no common ranke for I cannot consent to this counsell of instabilitie and vnfaithfulnesse but doe constantly contradict the same To whom the Pope replied And I hold thee not henceforth for Cardinall Nor I thee for Pope sayd Columna and so departed and of a friend became his aduersarie But it verie fitly fell out addeth the author that the French king Lewis hauing intelligence of it made to be stayed in his kingdome all that money which had bin gleaned from the clergie by his permission Mellitis sermonibus fellitis comminationibus By honied speeches and bitter threatnings That by this meanes the Pope who is called Christs vicar on earth might be found faithfull though against his will Now it so fel out that Frederic was not vnarmed or vnprepared against him for he had at that verie time fiue armies a foot the first before Fayenza which he himselfe in person commaunded the second on the Tuscane Sea vnder Hencius king of Sardinia against the Genowayes the third vpon the frontiers of Germanie against the Tartarians vnder the conduct of Conrade king of Germanie the fourth in the Marca de Ancona and vallie of Spoletum the fift in Palestina vnder Rodolph Marshall of the Empire for to defend the kingdome of Hierusalem which he did notwithstanding the trauerses and hinderances of the Pope for the space of fifteene yeares The warre then continuing the siege of Fayenza dured a long time neither had he little cause to reuenge himselfe of the inhabitants who some time before hauing shut the gates of their citie before and behind vpon him violently assailed him and wickedly slew another disguised like vnto him in imperiall armour thinking it had been their Lord. Yet notwithstanding they imploring his mercie he gaue them their citie and the like libertie as to other cities of the empire which be spoken to them that accuse him of being prone to reuenge The Legats also returned accompanied with many Bishops for the Councell them he requested to turne towards him and promised them all safe-conduct desirous only to make knowne the justice of his cause vnto them Now they refusing it and chusing rather to commit themselues to the safegard of the Genowayes his enemies Hencius who watched to surprise them tooke them at sea and led them prisoners to Naples Collenucius l. 4. At which successe and others prosperously performed in the Marca de Ancona and in Romania Gregorie the ninth conceiued so great discontent being withall verie auntient that for griefe thereof he died It is not in the mean time to be forgotten that the Popes to colour their affaires the better had euer sounding in their mouthes the holie land that when vnder Honorius the third king Iohn of Brenna had taken the famous citie of Damieta Cardinall Pelagius the Popes Legat pretended that he was to haue the chief commaund ouer the armie whereat the king incensed retired himselfe through despite to Ptolomais whereby were lost the best opportunities to doe good and in the end after many bad successes Damieta was forsaken Againe when as vnder Gregorie the ninth Richard earle of Cornewall the king of Englands brother was bent to the holie wars with an armie at his instance for recouerie of these losses and was come to S. Giles in Languedock readie to embarke himselfe there came a Legat to him from Gregorie with the Archbishop of Arles commanding in his name that he should not passe the Seas All which was to despite Frederic wherat this prince much offended said vnto them I thought there had beene firmenesse of truth in the Apostolike words and in the preachers that he sent vnto me and now I am readie to enter on shipboord this Pope whom they call the successor and Vicar of Iesus Christ who neuer failed of his word forbiddeth me to march forward in his seruice And neuerthelesse resolued Detestans Romanae Ecclesiae duplicitatem Detesting the double dealing of the Church of Rome with great bitternesse of mind to goe imbarke himselfe at Marseille giuing the Emperor to vnderstand by Robert Tuing Knight and other his embassadours Papalem muscipulationem The iuglings of the Pope and his Legats The same had he done a little before to the crossed souldiers in France and other nations who being come to Lyons that from thence they might take their journey into the Holie Land found there the Popes Legat who made them the like prohibition and deliuered a commaundement in writing That euerie man should returne backe to his owne home This gaue occasion to exclaime Vnde haec in Romana Curia in Papa multiplicitas Whence commeth this varietie in the Court of Rome and in the Pope Is not this here both the time and place prefixed and appointed by his Legats and preaching Friers vpon their promises wee haue set forward our iourney haue sold and engaged our houses bidden our friends farewell sent our mony before c. And little wanted they from laying violent hands vpon the Legat if the discretion of some Prelats had not restrained the furie of the people To prouide for the election of a successor to Gregorie there remained but tenne Cardinals at Rome they therefore intreated Frederick to permit them two whom he kept prisoners to come to them and to be present at the election which he graciously granted vnto them yet on condition they should both returne except one of them were created Pope Now there was nominated Godfrey Bishop of the Sabins called Celestine the fourth who died seuenteene dayes after before he was consecrated The Cardinals assembled againe and as they were diuided some for the Church others for the Empire that they could not agree the two prisoners to performe their promise giuen returned till at
length the Seat remaining vacant for the space of one and twentie moneths they not finding any sparke of charitie at least vnder the ashes were on the oâ—â—â—â—t vrged by the Emperour who to take away all excuse from them sent them backe the said Cardinals hauing taken their oath That they should procure the peace of the Church and of the Empire and the more eagrely to stirre vp the Romans he wasted and spoyled their countries On the other side by the French men who boldly declared vnto them That if they did not the sooner prouide they would elect a Pope for themselues according to the auntient priuiledge granted by Pope Clement to S. Denis who gaue vnto him the Apostleship of the Westerne people So that in the yeare 1243 they chose Signibard of Flisque An. 1243. a Genoway named Innocent the fourth whom straight the Emperour sent to congratulat by Peter de Vineis his Chancellor but as he was a prudent Prince hee foresaw what would be I haue lost saith he a Cardinall my friend and haue gotten a Pope mine enemie assuring himselfe that being come to the Popedome he would be no lesse his aduersarie than the others had beene As indeed he straight renewed the excommunication against him and after some speeches of peace enterchanged by Frederick on which they could not agree because the Pope would absolutely be beleeued Frederick would not submit himselfe thereto but Praecognitis causis praeuisa via omnibus conditionibus But with knowledge of the cause meanes and conditions Innocent priuily departed Italie in the Genoway gallies passed into France and came to Lyons there to hold a Councell which began in the yeare 1245 in shew for the Holie Land but indeed as the effect proued against Frederick Thither notwithstanding he went in person was alreadie at Thurin when he heard that Innocent had excommunicated him and that he would not heare his embassadour Thaddeus of Suisserland a man of qualitie requesting he would stay a little neither would he condescend to the intreaties of S. Lewis king of France and Henrie king of England and the embassadours of other Princes Which stayed Frederick from passing any further neuerthelesse he offered that he might haue peace of the Church to defend Europe from the Tartarians to free the Holie Land at his owne charges from the Sarasens to vnite the Greeke Church to the Roman But the Pope answered These are but words and demaunded of his embassadour what securitie he could giue The two kings saith he of France and England We will not answered the Pope because if he should faile his couenants neither can we otherwise beleeue we must turne our selues to chastise them so for one enemie we should haue three than whom in the secular power are none greater neither yet equal The Pope therefore proceedeth to excommunicat him to depose him from the Empire to absolue for euer his subiects from their oath of fidelitie and to excommunicat all them that should acknowledge him Emperour The forme of which is read in most proud tearmes in the histories of those times and in the Acts of the Synod of Lyons Mathew Paris particularly noteth That when king S. Lewis set before his eyes the danger of the Holy Land which could not humanely be preserued by any but by Frederick and requested him to receiue this great Prince into fauour being readie to vndergoe so great a humilitie in the name of Iesus Christ and according to the Lords example and precept to open the bosome of mercie to a sinner euen vntill seuen times seuentie times he answered him absolutely That he would not doe it It is also worthie obseruation That when Innocent had sent to publish this excommunication throughout all Europe and particularly in France the Princes in the end requested That time might be granted Frederick within which he might personally be present in the said Councell The Pope answered Farre be that from me I feare the snares that I haue escaped for if he should come I would presently depart I wish not yet the shedding of my bloud neither doe I feele my selfe disposed to martyrdome or imprisonment And so in the end pronounced sentence A certaine Curat of Paris acquited himselfe well towards his parishioners in these words Giue eare saith he I haue receiued commaundement to pronounce the solemne sentence of Excommunication against the Emperour Frederick candles put out and bells ringing Now not knowing the cause deseruing it yet I am not ignorant of the great quarell and inexorable hatred betweene them I know also that one of them doth iniure the other but which it is I know not So farre forth then as my power doth extend I excommunicat and pronounce excommunicated one of the two namely him that doth the iniurie to the other and absolue him that suffereth the iniurie which is so hurtful vnto all Christendome In like manner Krantzius telleth vs that many Princes and Barons exclaimed against this sentence It pertaineth not to the Pope to ordaine or degrade an Emperor but only to crowne him that is elected by the Princes In a word the Author aboue cited saith That all men for the consequence of the matter were wounded and grieued iudging well that in time the Pope would grow to that exceeding height of pride that he would for euery light cause when it pleased him depose Catholike Princes innocent and iust We haue will they say troden vnder feet that great Emperour Frederick and who is he henceforth that can resist vs And so the mightiest men beeing prouoked will lift vp their heele against him and God being the auenger the authoritie of Rome may come to nought This was the judgement of all men concerning this Excommunication which though it were grounded on pretence of Heresie yet could there none bee found but in this That he lightly regarded the Popes friuolous and vaine Excommunication But Innocent passeth further for he will ordaine an Emperour after his owne fantasie and therefore sendeth word to the Princes that they should proceed to a new election and also appointeth the Electors that should haue to doe in it namely the Dukes of Austria of Bauaria of Saxonie and of Brabant the Archbishops of Colonia of Mentz and of Saltzburg the most part of them sworn enemies to Frederick who were to passe into an island of Rhine no man following them to determine of the matter meane time he recommendeth vnto them by the Bishop of Ferrara his Legat Henrie Lantgraue of Turing whom also they for his sake choose But Frederick nothing astonished for all that The Pope saith he in his Councell hath depriued me of my Crowne Whence hath he so great presumption whence such rash boldnesse But in this I am in better condition than afore for I was bound in some things to obey him at least to reuerence him but now I am absolued from the bond of honour and of all kind of obedience towards him And yet he
forgat not to purge himselfe towards all the Princes of Europe of the crimes obiected vnto him which was so much the more easie for him to doe for that as Historians affirme all the Popes of that age had made themselues by their behauiour infamous towards all men This new pretended Emperour in the yeare 1247 thought to be crowned at Aquisgrane hauing ouerthrown Conrade the sonne of Frederick forsaken of his owne people whom the Pope had corrupted with money but Conrade repaired his armie with great celeritie and vpon the verie point of the solemnitie gaue him battaile ouercame him and slew all his armie Whereat the Lantgraue himselfe proprij vulnere doloris sauciatus wounden saith the Historian and suffocate witâ—â—â—s owne griefe breathed forth his feminine soule vnwept for of any And then began to be verified that which â—â—hadâ—â—us the Emperours procurour had foretold in the Councell of Lions when the Pope thundred forth his sentence against his Master Heu heu dies ista verè dies irae calamitatis miseriae this day alas is a day of wrath of calamitie and miserie Neither yet for thâ—â—â—â—th Innocent yeeld but dispatcheth foure Cardinals into Germanie Italie 〈◊〉 and Norway so much the more grieuously to complain against Frederick interpreting it perhaps an iniurie done vnto him in that he defended himselfe And resolued to cause William Earle of Holland to be elected King of Germanie which againe by abundance of monies he obtained for all that he was able on all hands to rapine and scrape together was swallowed vp as it were in that gulfe This Earle going to be Crowned at Aquisgrane was likewise met withall by Conrade whom Octauian the Popes Legat laboured with faire words to diuert from his purpose but he answered him I will neuer for any of you traitors be wanting to my father Yet it came to that passe that by the subtill sleights of the Preaching Friars who corrupted the people William was receiued and crowned at Aquisgrane But not long time after constrained to retire himselfe from Conrade who got againe the vpper hand and Frederick in the end being readie to fall vpon him with an armie he was forced to go hide himselfe againe in Holland Then it remained to haue recourse to all sorts of treason and therefore by how much the more God blessed the iust cause of Frederick in Germanie Lombardie and Tuscanie it selfe so much the more eagrely did Innocent bend his mind to all kind of fraud Of his domesticke seruants and familiars are corrupted Theobald Franciscus Iames de Mora Pandolfe de Fasanellis William of S. Seuerin and others to lie in waite for his life of whom some came and reuealed to him the conspiracie the historie wherof we haue in Mathew Paris in the letters of Frederick to the King of England In Epist Petri de Viners lib. 2. cap. 10. If you demand the Authour of the same his name saith he we would willingly conceale did not the publick voice reueale him and the euidence of the deeds accuse him though we by our silence would couer him or by words excuse him For the executors of the said fact both the fugitiues and the besieged assisted with the companie of the Friers Minorites hauing receiued from them the signe of the Crosse pretend the Popes authoritie by Apostolicke letters against vs and openly declare that herein they doe the affaire of the holy mother Church of Rome affirming him to be the instigator of our death and disinheriting And this haue the said captiues whom the readie deuotion of our trusty seruants imprisoned at the winning of Scales castle confessed before all men in their voluntarie and last confession at the houre of death when it is execrable to lie The Bishop of Bamberg also returning from the court of Rome after his purchased consecration before he was of our faithfull seruants taken in Germanie said it would infallibly come to passe that within few daies we should be shamefully murthered of our familiars and domestick seruants These things we speake with shame witnesse the most high Iudge as being neuer able to beleeue that we should see or heare in our daies any such wickednesse that our owne nation and our Bishops Mathew Paris p. 692. in Henrico 3. Anno 1249. would wickedly deliuer any man to so cruel a death Insomuch that Frederick was vpon point to haue sent the six conspirators through out all the climats of the world to all Kings and Princes with the Popes Bull imprinted on the forehead found in the Castle of Scala where they were taken that this treason might be publickly knowne vnto all The same Author noteth that at Rome not long after were taken two pretended murthers sent for to kill the Pope but there were some saith he that said that it was a fraudulent inuention craftily deuised to defame â—â—â—â—â—rick with the same crime c. Innocent was not therefore wearie in preparing other snares whilst to bleare the eies of the world he published thundring writings against Frederick making him worse then Pharaoh â—erod Nero and other tyrans and that so much the more vehemently as he was â—â—ad to see his secret purposes discouered and that he stunke thereof throughout all Europe This horrible writing saith the Author against â—â—â—â—â—ic would haue pierced into the marrow of Auditors but that the couetousnesse Simoâ—â—â—â—urie and staines of other vices wherwith his aduersaries were defiled did take away the credit thereof Who vnder paine of excommunication impudently moue the crossed soldiers one while to the Holy land one while to subdue Romania another while to set vpon Frederic And that which is most detestable they extort by all means the monies appointed for the crossed soldiers and for this end make suos Telonarios their publicans and exactors the Franciscane and Dominic Friers Soon after another subtil practise coÌ„meth to light Frederic being returned into Apulia and finding himself ill at ease would take physick by the counsel of his Physitians Peter de Vineis his most familiar Counsellour had neere about him a Physitian who made the physicke and therein mixed a most speedy and mortall poyson and least this should faile he had also prepared a poysoned bath to the same end Frederick hauing by good hap had warning of it at the same instant said vnto them My friends my confidence is in you take heed I pray you ye giue me not poyson instead of a medicine Peter answered My Lord this my Phisitian hath often giuen you holesome potions why doe you now feare The Physitian amazed fained as if his foot had slipped and so spilt the most part of it but the rest being giuen to condemned malefactors they died of it within few houres after the Physitian then was hanged and Peter de Vineis had his eyes put out whom Frederick caused to be led about through most of the Cities of Italie and Apulia for to confesse this wicked fact before all men And when he had
deliuered him to the men of Pisa that mortally hated him through despaire he dashed his head against the pillar to which he was tied and killed himselfe Thus much reciteth the Monke Paris and Sigonius after him who addeth That the enemies of the Church sayd that the Pope had inclined the heart of this Peter to this fact by great gifts and promises And seeing the foregoing practises who can doubt of it Meane time this vnhappie Prince began to loath his life What wee saith he is fallen vpon me that mine owne bowels arme themselues against me That this Peter whom I esteemed the one halfe of my soule hath prepared my death That the Pope whom my predecessors haue created and inriched of nothing laboureth both to ruinate the Empire and by death to destroy me Et obsorduit domini Papae fama per hoc non mediocriter And the Popes reputation was thereby not a little defamed Yet God the infallible searcher of secrets knoweth the truth thereof Of which truth we may yet giue judgement out of that which Krantzius writeth in the same yeare 1249 An. 1249. Krantzius in Metropol l. 8. c. 14. That Pope Innocent the fourth was transported with so great enuie against Frederic eximperatorem deposed from the Empire That not only he opposed against him the Christian Princes but also sent an Embassador to the Souldan of Egypt to diuert him from his friendship And it is great pitie we haue not his letters but at least he representeth the Souldans letters to Innocent translated out of Greeke into Latine and by the answer we may gather what the demaund was The summe is this after the accustomed complements which deserue to be read in the Author That God would make him of the number of them that affect and doe good and that earnestly seeke peace and perseuer in the causes thereof and that God would assist him in things that are conuenient both towards them of his owne Religion and towards others That he vnderstood that which he had declared concerning Christ to whom be praise And of Christ saith he we know more than yee know and doe magnifie him more than yee doe But as touching the Emperour that there was friendship betweene them euen from the time of the Souldan his father And betweene you saith he and your Emperour it is as your selfe doth know Therfore that it was not lawfull for him to treat with the Christians without the aduice and consent of the Emperour And surely it is a maruaile that so many and so great troubles especially now in his old age did not ouerwhelme him Adde to these that his base sonne Hencius was taken prisoner by the men of Bouonia and himselfe suddenly taken with a grieuous sicknesse called ignem sacrum At length being tost with so many aduersities saith the Author hee resolued by all meanes to seeke peace and offered to the Pope an honest forme of peace but the Pope reioycing at his aduersities would not accept of it whereby he incurred the indignation of many and namely of the French Lords who began to comfort Frederic and to adhere vnto him and to detest the pride of the seruant of the seruants of God And thus the affaires of Frederic prospered so well that Innocent entreated the king of England that he might make his abode at Burdeaux vnder pretence of making a generall peace But in the meane season died the greatest of Princes saith the Author Stupor quoque mundi and the astonishment and wonder of the world hauing made a most noble testament recited by Mathew in his additions Collenucius also telleth vs Collenucius l. 4. Hist. Neapol out of the report of Mainardine bishop of Imola That his penitencie was so great in the confession of his sinnes that thereby alone it might be coniectured he had beene a singular vessell of Gods election And as touching the course of his life after he had exalted the great and rare vertues as well naturall as acquired wherewith he was endued the excellent and profitable lawes he had made both Ecclesiasticall and ciuile comming to speake of the debate he continually had with the Popes for which he had beene excommunicat by Innocent the 4 he doubteth much that it was without just cause All these actions considered saith he such as diuerse authors haue described vnto vs weighing also his Epistles and writings I know not verily whether they declared him enemie of the Church because he spake too truely de Pontificijs of the Papists and found many things worthie reproofe in their manners and in all that Apostolicall life or because he ouer stoutly defended the rights of the Empire or for that he was in Italie more powerfull than was to their liking I leaue the iudgement hereof to the indifferent Reader of the gests of Frederick but in the meane time when I consider that Christ whom Popes as his Vicars ought to imitate and obey commaundeth vs to put vp the sword into his place and to pardon a sinner seuentie times seuen times not seuen times onely and that on the other side I see so many ambushes treasons proiected against Frederick so many Ecclesiasticall Legats which are called Pastors sent against him into the kingdome into the Marca de Ancona Lombardie and Romania so many cities and Provinces for the same cause laid wast so much Christian bloudshed and Frederick neuerthelesse alwayes victorious and the Popes side that ioyned themselues against him euer to be vnfortunat and carrie away the worst I cannot but approue that which Pope Pius writeth in his Australl historie That nothing excellently euill is committed in the Catholike Church the first originall whereof proceedeth not from Church-men it may be by some secret counsell of God I haue truely seene and read many Epistles of Frederick which are extant written to Popes and Cardinalls and to other Christian Princes and priuat persons but I perceiued in them nothing against the rule of our faith nothing hereticall nothing that sauoureth of contumacie or oppression of the Church There are indeed in the same many complaints lamentations and admonitions of the couetousnesse and ambition of Priests of the Popes obstinacie who would not heare his excuses the defence of the Empire and of snares and treasons wrought against him He that would see the truth of these things let him read among others an Epistle of his written to all Christian Princes which beginneth The chiefe Priests and the Pharisies gathered a Councell against the Prince Gods annoynted and another also which he wrot to the Colledge of Cardinals That they should dissuade the Pope from maintaining discords between them and the Empire which beginneth In exordio In the beginning of the birth of the world and that also which beginneth Infallibilis veritatis testem We take to witnesse the infallible Iudge of truth and Iustice Out of one among others written to the Christian Princes he produceth these words Petrus de Vineis lib. 1.
expoundeth against the old Testament the Apostles and Euangelists These Decrees Innocent the fourth made to be compiled into one volume by one Raymund a Iacobin Frier and wil haue them to be accounted authenticall and is that which is named Decretals The Councell of Lions promised a great reformation to the Church and here it is That Cardinals from thenceforth should weare red hats and scarlet cloakes and should ride through the citie on horses well caparisonned for the honour of their dignitie Thinke that Christendome was hereby wonderfully well restored And this is spoken to shew who haue beene inuentors of this pompe as also of the superstitious deuotions at this day held in so high accompt OPPOSITION Who will thinke it strange if no man dare resist a pride so inueterat a possession of so long time taken to rule the world at his pleasure to condemne to hell whosoeuer resisteth him And yet euen in this most desperat wicked age there hath not wanted some that haue opposed themselues against the exactions violences and corruptions of the Church of Rome In England they thought all things lawfull for them boasting themselues to be Soueraigne Lords thereof vnder colour of the Charter of king Iohn who had submitted himselfe to their homage There we shall see a piece of their gouernement wherby we may judge into what ruine they wold haue brought the church if they had bin left to their owne will The BB. of England were reuolted against their king at the Popes instigation So that peace being made betweene king S. Lewis and Henrie the third king of England they see themselues excluded they therefore haue recourse to the Pope to be restored Among these was Henrie Bishop of Lincolne of whom Honorius exacted a thousand markes of siluer and so of the rest according to that proportion Such saith the Author was the Spirituall dropsie of the Court of Rome He also calleth him Leonem feritate sanguisugum auaritia a Lion in fiercenesse a bloud-sucker in couetousnesse This Pope sendeth Otho his Legat into England who in full Councell produceth the Popes letters in which he is not ashamed to alledge the scandale of the holie Church of Rome and her most antient opprobrie namely the staine of concupiscence the root of all euils and in this chiefely that none can dispatch any businesse in the Court of Rome but with great expences of money and giuing of gifts And because saith he that pouertie is the cause of this infamie children of a good nature ought to helpe the necessitie of their mother And note the remedie that he bringeth for this That of all the Cathedrall Churches two prebends should be giuen him one of the Bishop another of the Chapiter and in like manner of Abbayes and Monasteries promising if this be graunted to doe them iustice without rewards The Clergie of England thereupon assemble and vpon the reading of the Popes letters looke one vpon another admiring the couetousnesse of the Romans who had not learned this morall distich Quòd virtus reddit non copia sufficientem Et non paupertas sed mentis hiatus egentem Vertue not plentie makes man rich indeed A greedie mind though rich is still in need But the king by the aduice of the Prelats and Nobles of the realme answered That this businesse concerned all Christendome in the vtmost skirts whereof hee was that like as he should see other Estates gouerne themselues erga tales exactiones towards such exactions the Pope should find him readie to follow their example And indeed our Frenchmen being assembled in Councell vpon the same matter at Bourges the king being present where sat Romanus the Popes Legat to whom they propounded so many reasons partly in refutation partly in derision of the proposition he made in the Popes behalfe and of the commoditie he promised the world thereby that he himselfe was euen ashamed therewith the conclusion was in these words So much wealth would make the Romans madde and so betweene the diuers kindreds among them would arise so many seditions of which now already they are not free as the ruine of the whole citie might iustly be feared This is not the meanes to drie vp the spring of couetousnesse that which they now doe by themselues they then would doe by others and would procure to giue more rewards to their partakers than now they doe After which the Archbishop of Lyons said My Lord wee will euer haue friends in the Court of Rome and therefore we haue need of aboundance of gifts But my Lord let the Zeale of the vniuersall Church moue you and of the holie See of Rome for if there were an vniuersall oppression of all there would be cause to feare ne immineret generalis discessio least a generall reuolt or Apostasie were at hand which God forbid That reuolt is foretold by the Apostle speaking of Antichrist 2. Thessal 2. Hee therefore protested that he had neuer consented thereunto and that hee had receiued commaundement of the Pope being now entred into France whereat he greatly grieued Gregorie is no sooner come to the Popedome but following the steps of his predecessors he sendeth into England his Nuntio and Chaplaine who being heard in the assemblie of Prelats produceth the Popes letters whereby he openly demaunded the tenths of all the moueable goods as well of the Clergie as of the Laitie for the extermination of Frederick The king who had alreadie by his solicitors engaged himselfe to Rome held his peace as being become a staffe of a reed to them that trusted in him But the Earles and Barons and all other lay persons absolutely declared That they would in no wise suffer that their Baronies and lay possessions should be in any sort obliged to the Church of Rome In like manner also the Prelats and whole Clergie who yet three dayes after waxed calmer fearing a sentence of excommunication which the Legat was found to haue in commission from the Pope and indeed hee imployed it against all them that made difficultie to obey and of thâ—se tenthes which he exacted with threats for feare of the excommunications hee agreed and made part with one Stephen Segraue a Counsellor of the king in so much that he tooke the tenth of the fruits of Autumne which was yet but in the blade and for to haue readie money he constrained the Churchmen to sell Chalices siluer pots and other vessels of the Altar the Land is filled with continuall but secret maledictions all people curse both the exactions and the exactors exactio suis nunquam exactoribus fiat fructuosa yea the Pope himselfe that it might neuer prosper with him And after that time England was no more seene without forraine vsurers from beyond the Alpes who vnder the name of Marchants made gainful vse of the extorsions of the Court of Rome Whereby in a short time after the subiects of the kingdom as well noble as ignoble were brought to that desperate extreamitie that to seeke
some remedie for these mischiefes they write letters to the Bishops and Chapiters with this subscription To such a Bishop or such a Chapiter Vniuersitas the whole bodie of them that had rather die than be confounded by the Romans send greeting In these letters they particularly complained That the Pope had commaunded the Bishops vnder paine of suspension that they should not giue a benefice to any home-borne of the kingdome till first fiue Romans in euery Church were prouided of benifices throughout all Dioceses to the value of a hundred pounds sterling the yeare Neither did they designe them by their names but the sonne of Rumfred or of such a one as if they would fulfill that prophesie They haue spoiled the Aegyptians for to enrich the Hebrews Wherefore seeing they had resolued with themselues to deliuer the Church the King and the kingdome from so great a tyrannie vnlesse they themselues the Bishops would feele and suffer in their goods that which they prepared for the persons of the Romans ere long to suffer they should not entermedle in their affaires In like manner they wrote vnto them that had their lands at farme That they should not pay them their yearely reuenues and their letters were sealed with a seale wherein was grauen two swords with this inscription Ecce duo gladij hic Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. heere are two swords And the matter came to that passe that their corne was taken away throughout all England freely and without contradition They distributed them in large almes to the poore and sometime cast their monies about on the ground and exhorted the poore to gather it vp The Romane Clergie-men hid themselues in Abbaies not daring once to mutter at the iniuries done them choosing rather to lose their goods than incurre the Sentence of death Vntill at length Gregorie being aduertised of these things wrote vnto the King that vnder paine of excommunication and interdict he should proceed against the Authours thereof neuerthelesse he wrote letters of recommendations to the Pope in the behalfe of Robert de Tinghe knight their head that he might more easily obtaine absolution But Gregorie gaue not ouer for all that but the next yeare after sent his Nuncio's with Legantine power into all parts one while pretending the ruine of Frederick another while for the recouerie of the holy Land for to exact money on all sides Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. Inuenting saith the Historie and multiplying argumentosas extorsiones extorsions fortified with arguments especially in England he appointed his Legats in shew simple messengers yet hauing power Legantine who as if it were for succour of the holy Land exacted very much money by preaching entreating commaunding threatning excommunicating and exacting procurations whereby infinite many in England were brought to forsake their countrey and to beg and yet the Church had neuer any aduancement therby And here he giueth vs a copie of his letters Excellent words saith he able to pierce the stonie hearts of men had they not beene followed with deeds notoriously contrarie to humilitie and iustice he would haue said had it not been for that it was meere hypocrisie of such as represented in their Buls as it were on a stage the pason of Christ and desolation of the Holy Land not so much for to moue the people as to pull out their bowells He therfore addeth To these men was giuen power to presse crossed soldiers and for money also to release them of that vow wherefore many without number crossed themselues But the Friers Preachers Minorites who had chosen with humility a voluntary pouerty were in a short time aduanced to so great Nobilitie that I say not arrogancie that they made themselues be receiued into Couents and Cities with solemne procession with banners and lighted tapers each man in his best apparell and due order and they had power to grant pardon for many daies to their auditors and such as to day were crossed for the warres in giuing money they absolued the morrow after from that vow And in a short space so great an exchange is made and exaction of money so manie waies neither could it be knowne into what bottomlesse gulfe so much money as the Popes agents did gather could be drowned so that the busines of the Holy Land went not forward and the charitie of the faithfull yea of all in generall waxed cold Cardinall Otho comming as a Legat into England at his first arriuall refuseth all gifts contrary to the custome of the Romans saith the Authour and with his gesture woon the good liking of the people but scarcely hath he giuen this tast of him but he taketh all things with both the hands from the Bishop of Winchester alone fiftie fat oxen an hundred measures of wheat eight buts of the best wine and so from the other Bishops And when there was a Councell to be held he commandeth there should be set vp in the Church of S. Paul a seat nimis fastigiosam solemnem too solemne and too high raised vp mounting with many steps There he propoundeth new inuentions to the preiudice of the Clergy and Nobility from the Nobilitie he tooke away the right of patronage seised it for the Pope and from the other he tooke away part of their benefices and gaue it vnto strangers And hence arose new complaints of the States against the Court of Rome But he taxed also all the Ecclesiasticall liuings for the succour of the Pope against the Emperour and exacteth it vnder paine of most rigorous censures and for monie absolueth from the vow of the holy Land and a certaine sum was set by the Fryers Preachers Minorites according to the rate the same voiage ouer seas might cost them Thence saith Mathew Paris a great scandall is made among the people with a schisme euen the most simple obserued the absurditie quam diuersis muscipulis by how many mouse-trappes the Court of Rome endeuoured to depriue the simple people of God of their substance requiring nothing but gold and siluer He exacted moreouer of all the Clergie the fift part of their reuenues to bee employed against Frederick and wrested it away perforce the Lords of the kingdome in vaine crying out to the King Most renowned Prince why sufferest thou England to be made a prey and desolation of strangers as a Vineyard without enclosure common to all that passe by and for the wild bores to root vp The King answering them I neither will nor dare gainsay the Pope in any thing And thereupon a lamentable despaire grew among the people We must not omit that at the same time was taken at Cambridge a certain Carthusian Monke bearing the habit and gesture of an honest and austeer life who would not enter into the Church he is brought vnto the Legat to be committed prisoner to the Tower of London and being questioned by him he saith Gregorie is not Pope is not head of the Church The Church is prophaned
diuine Mysteries ought not to be celebrated vntill first it be againe dedicated The Deuill is let loosse the Pope is an hereticke polluteth the Church yea the world Gregorie that is called Pope All this in presence of many Prelats named expresly by the Authour Againe the Legat asketh Is there not giuen from aboue a power vnto the Pope our Lord to bind and loosse soules and to execute ahe place of S. Peter on earth And whilest all men expected what he would answere beleeuing that the iudgement thereof depended on his answere he replied by way of question How can I beleeue that to any person tainted with Simonie and vsurie and perhaps with greater crimes any such power is granted as was to S. Peter who being made immediatly his Apostle followed the Lord not so much by the steps of his feet as by brightnesse of vertues At which words the Legat blushed Neuerthelesse he proceedeth for all that in his enterprise begun in so much as the Abbots of the kingdome are constrained to come to the king to make their complaint with their heads lowly bowed and their faces full of teares We are beaten verie sore and yet we dare not crie out our throats are cut and yet we may not weepe or complaine The Pope imposeth an impossibilitie vpon vs an exaction detestable to the whole world New and vnexpected seruices are daily thus and thus reuiued and inuented of the Romans so that they suffer vs not to haue neuer so little time to fetch our breath The Bishops then vniuersally gather together and fortifie themselues with reasons which they oppose against it but the Legat being borne out by the king who would gratifie the Pope he made a schisme amongst them that he might the more easily sayth Mathew seise vpon his prey Gregorie de pecuniae congreganda vigil contemplator a vigilant contemplator in gathering of money together expecting his desired prey from England signified to the Legat That he should not as before assemble the whole Clergie together least they should encourage one another and strengthening themselues with their former reasons and exceptions should flatly contradict him but rather that he should endeuour to bow euery one of them by himselfe hauing first by all meanes weakened the constancie of the king to the end that he who before stood for the Clergie and had giuen them hornes being made effeminat might be for their ruine When the Legat had vnderstood these things de docto factus est doctior ad nocendum becomming more skilfull to hurt called together afore him by the Popes authoritie the whole Clergie of England to London on the feast day of all Saint and in the end obtained his ful desire For the poore sheepe were deliuered vp as it were rictibus Luporum cruentatis to the bloudie throats of Wolues by the seducings of the Legat mellitis super oleum mollitis sweeter than oyle and honie which he afterward turned into darts The same also did Gregorie in all the other Prouinces of Europe in Scotland Denmarke and France it selfe in which notwithstanding according to the measure of his power the matter had diuers euents finding eftsoones many impediments For as wee haue seene before hauing gathered money in France when he would abuse it against the quiet rest of Christendome S. Lewis intercepted the money and made it be stayed neuerthelesse he continued in the same obstinacie vntill his death as Mathew Paris witnesseth Gregorie saith he being vnable to sustaine the griefes hee had conceiued and yet stirred vp and drawne vpon himselfe the eleuenth of the Calends of September dyed pro meritis à summo Iudice recepturus to receiue of the soueraigne Iudge according to his deserts c. The greatest griefe which more inwardly pricked the heart of Gregorie at his death was for that the Emperour anon after the feast of the Assumption had taken a certaine castle of the Popes nephewes other his kinsmen in Campania neere Mountfort c. and in signe of the subuersion thereof had left a tower halfe ruinat that the memorie as well of the fault as of the vengeance taken might not dye And in this sence it is that he may seeme justly to take to himselfe that saying of our Lord The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp Neither are we to expect better of Innocent the fourth from new Popes proceed new exactions No sooner is he seated in his Pontificall chaire but he presently sendeth euerie where new exactors into England as into his farme he sent first one master Martin with power to excommunicat and suspend which hee so well fenced withall that he presently obtained whatsoeuer the Pope chalenged to himselfe in benefices Ad opus Clericorum consanguineorum suorum For the vse of his Clergie men and kinsmen neither was he ashamed saith he to exact and extort from the Prelats and especially of Monkes in a commaunding manner Palefridos concupiscibiles choyce palfreyes or ambling nags by letters straitly commaunding this Abbot and that Prior That he should send vnto him such horses as became a speciall Clerke of the Pope to ride vpon but such as gainesayd and pretended excuses and causes of deniall though reasonable as did the Abbot of Malmesburie and Prior of Merton he grieuosly punished by suspending them vntill such time as they made full satisfaction At length the king himselfe was wearie of these and such like extortions who after hee had yeelded all sorts of subiection to the Pope so that he placed his Legat in his owne throne could not chuse but be moued at the complaint made vnto him by the whole Church and that so much the more confidently as he knew that when the Popes chamber at Lyons was by chance set on fire that same Charter whereby king Iohn had made England tributarie to the Pope was withall burned to ashes Therefore hauing assembled a Parliament he began to set downe a most excellent order for the well gouerning of the realme and for the reforming of justice But the diuell saith Mathew Paris enemie of mankind disturber of peace and raiser vp of schismes vnhappily hindered all that by the Popes couetousnesse For the Pope beleeuing that the flexible English had alreadie submitted their neckes to the sayd contribution according to their custome as well by reason of the kings desire thereto as for the instance of his request sent à Latere suo one master Martin his Clerke whom many for his wicked rauening called master Mastife hauing a new and vnheard of power greater than euer any Legat had before him For he stretched forth his hands to exact contribution made prouisions after his owne fantasie voyd of reason ad opus ignotorum for to supply the need of vnknowne persons and violently tooke away the reuenues for to giue them to the Popes kindred being cruelly armed with the Popes authoritie whose Bulls he daily shewed new at his pleasure and according as the businesse on euery sudden
occasion fell out Whence it came that some said he had many papers vnwritten yet sealed that he might write in them what he pleased which farre be it But Iste Legatus sophisticus That sophisticall Legat commeth to the king beseeching him That he himselfe would diligently labour in the Popes behalfe that the Prelats of England might generally giue consent to make contribution to the Pope of at least ten thousand markes The king answereth That his Barons and Prelats are so often spoyled of their goods vnder diuers pretences that they neither would nor could thenceforth promise any thing They will not neither are they able to contribute either to me their king or to the Pope who yet haue promised to aid me And at this master Martin being greatly troubled departed from the kings presence And when he presented his letters to the Prelats they say vnto him The king our Lord and patron and founder and repairer of many of our Churches being destitute of treasure demaundeth ayd of vs for the strength and defence of the realme that is of the Commonwealth the same also doth the Pope instantly request vs for the king And there commeth moreouer another vnexpected demaund from the Pope so that on this side we are assailed on that side wee are distressed on this side we are troden downe on that side sorely pressed we are bruised as it were betwixt the anuill and the hammer and tormented as betweene two milstones Neuerthelesse master Martin vrgeth and is instant vigilantissimè incessantèr vigilantly and incessantly for the gathering and bestowing of reuenues in what fashion they would for the vse of the Pope and his kindred and of his saucinesse and iniurious extotion I thinke it honester and safer for reuerence of the holie Church of Rome to be silent than to offend the eares of the hearers and trouble the minds of the faithfull in rehearsing such things In the meane time the Ports of England are verie narrowly obserued that the Popes carriers might bring no more dispatches from Rome and there was one of them stayed a Douer who brought many bulls Multas abominationes de diuersis argumentis emungendi pecuniam continentes saith the Author contayning many abominations for to wrest away money so that the king detesting the insatiable couetousnesse of the Court of Rome resolued to prouide a remedie and to that end sent certaine honourable persons embassadours to the Councell of Lions in the name of the whole kingdome And to Maister Martin in the meane time is signified by one Fulke Warin that he should forthwith depart out of England he asketh from whom he hath that commaundement he is aunswered from them which of late were assemble in armes at Luithon and that if he were wise he should not tarrie three yeares longer then went he to the king and asked if that were done by his authoritie the king answereth no but that hee could hardly withhold his Barons from rising vp against him for hauing endured such robberies in his kingdome Martin trembling requesteth of him safe-conduct for the honour of the Pope the king answereth in anger The Diuell lead and carie thee into hell yet he commaunded his Knight Marshall to bring him safe to the Sea side So soone as he is come to Rome he declareth this his ill successe to the Pope And behold with what repentance he is touched The king saith he of Fraunce and the king of Aragon haue forbidden our Nuncios entrance into their kingdomes we must therfore saith he in great anger make peace with prince Frederic that we may breake in pieces these pettie kings vt hos regulos cōteramus which kick against vs for the draggon foiled or appeased the little serpents will soone be trodden down Voce sursurra saith the Historiographer oculos obliquando nares corrugando thus describeth he his choler which word being spread among the people beget a scandal of indignatiō in the hearts of many But the embassadors of the realm of Englād being arriued at the Councel of Lions partly by the words of Williā of Powerick partly by a most large letter declared quantū est extortum tributū iniuriosè how great is the tribute wrongfully extorted And after some accustomed complements to the Pope Behold say they by you and your predecessours not hauing any consideration besides the subsidies abouesayd Italians now are enriched in England of whom there is alreadie an infinit number in Churches the patronage whereof belongeth to the religious persons themselues and are called rectors of Churches leauing the foresaid religious persons whom they ought to defend altogether vndefended hauing not any care of soules but suffering most rauenous wolues to disperce the flocke and deuoure the sheepe Whence it may truely be said that they are not good Pastors for they know not their sheepe neither their sheep them they abide not in the Churches for to keepe good hospitalitie and to giue almes as is appointed yet they receiue yearely in England sixtie thousand markes and more diuers other receipts excepted they reape more profit of the mere reuenues of the Kingdome than the king himselfe who is the defender of the Church and gouernour of the Realme Now we firmely hoped and yet doe hope bearing that affiance of you that we shall reioyce by meanes of the mercie of your fatherhood that our sayd Almes deeds shall in your dayes be reformed to the due and former estate it hath beene But we cannot conceale our grieuance wherewith we are not onely grieued but also beyond measure oppressed concluding with entreatie that he would remedie the same so soone as might be especially that violent oppression intollerable griefe and impudent exaction which is committed by that hatefull clause often inserted in the Popes letters Non obstante c. But the Pope put them off to a long day for their answer neither could he dissemble the passion of his mind for that they complained to the Councell threatning among his familiars that if he had once repressed Frederic he would trample vnder his feet the English men and their King The English Embassadors then are vrgent for an answer to whom by a third he aunswereth that they could not obtayne what they demaunded And thereupon they protesting that they would neuer pay that detestable tribute he priuily sendeth secret messengers into England who made euerie bishop particularly to subscribe to that lamentable Charter of king Iohn namely as it is likely to supplie the want of the originall burnt at Lions with a copie thus made authenticall But the king hearing of it made an oath that whatsoeuer the Bishops did he would neuer pay it though it cost him his life Math. Paris And the authour addeth that in the conference that Innocent had with the king S. Lewis at Clugni he vsed all the art hee could to persuade the king to reuenge him of this jurie and to make warre against ipsum regulum Anglorum the pettie king of the
English either for to depriue him of his kingdome or to make him will he nill he submit himselfe to the pleasure of the Court of Rome which if hee would doe the Church with the Papall authoritie should to the vttermost of his power assist him But yet that the king of Frannce constantly refused him In the yere following are made new admonishments to the Pope and Cardinals by the letters of the king States and Prelats of the kingdome whereby were represented vnto them innumerable grieuances the articles of which are rehearsed by the same author These among others were new that the Pope by his letters enjoyned the Prelats that they should euerie man at their owne proper charges furnish forth one man fiue another tenne and another fifteene c. men of warre well horsed and armed for to doe him seruice wheresoeuer he should commaund to whom they should giue a yeares pay which is a militarie seruice due to the king alone and from which neuerthelesse they might be dispensed for money Also that to the end the king might not hinder it the Popes Nuncios fraudulently had forbidden the Prelats vnder paine of excommunication that they should not reueale this exaction to any in sixe moneths Innocent then was so farre off from reuoking them that in despite of the king he made a new statute in England That the goods of such as died intestate should be conuerted to his vse and appointed the Preaching Friers diligently to put the same in execution Which the king hauing intelligence of expresly forbiddeth detesting Romanae curiae augmentosam multiplicem ac multiformem auaritiam the augmenting multiplying and euerie way manifold couetuousnesse of the Court of Rome He also forbiddeth thenceforth to pay tribute to the Pope whereat the Pope being greatly moued resolueth to excommunicat the king and kingdome Hereupon Cardinall Iohn an Englishman a Cistertian Monke saith vnto him For Gods sake my Lord refraine your anger which is if I may so speake vndiscreet and with temperance bridle the passions of your will considering that the dayes are euill The holie land lieth open to daunger the Greeke church is departed from vs Frederic is our aduersarie then whom none among the Christian Princes is mightier or yet like vnto him You and we which are the highest of the church are banished from the Papall seat yea from the Citie it selfe yea from Italie Hungarie and the adiacent prouinces expect nothing but vtter ruin from the Tartarians Germanie is shaken with ciuile warres Spaine is growne to that crueltie as to cut off the tongues of Bishops Fraunce is by vs alreadie brought to pouertie and hath conspired against vs and England so oftentimes hurt by our iniuries as Balaams asse spurred and beaten with a staffe at last speaketh and speaketh against and complaineth that shee is ouermuch and intollerably wearied and vnrestoreably damnified After the manner of Ismael beeing hatefull to all wee procure all men to hate vs And when for all that the Popes mind was not appeased nor inclined to compassion or humilitie but was inflamed to punishment and reuenge there came messengers from England who mitigated the Popes mind gaping after profit assuring him that by his most speciall friends in England the kings heart was bowed so that he remitted it to the Clergie to effect his wish the ioy whereof wonderfully calmed his mind and countenance Yet whilst he waited and expected the same taking boldnesse of this hope he commandeth the Prelats of England solito imperiosius more imperiously than he was woont That they should cause to be paid him from all beneficed persons resident the third part of their reuenues and by nonresidents the one halfe with this detestable clause Non obstante c. which abolisheth all iustice And for to vrge these exactions are sent Iohn and Alexander Friers Minorites who armed with Bulls from the Pope and couering vnder sheepes clothing their woluish rauening presented themselues to the king and with a simple looke humble countenance and fawning speech entreated leaue of the king to wander throughout the Realme ad opus Domini Papae charitatem petituri to demaund a charitie for the need of the Pope promising that they would doe nothing by constraint But a while after they became proud with the gifts of the Clergie mounted vpon noble horses with golden saddles decked in most costly apparell and with souldiers shooes vulgarly called Heusees shod and spurred after a secular or rather a prodigall manner which turned to the hurt and opprobrie of their Order and profession exercising the office and tyrannie of Legats and exacting and extorting procurations and account twentie shillings for a procuration but a small matter First then they goe to the chiefest Prelats of England and shamefully exact money from them for the Popes vse vnder terrible paines setting too short a time for answer or payment and shewing the Popes thundering letters as so many threatning hornes put forth In so much that the Bishop of Lincolne who had euer protected the Order of the Minorites and was minded to haue made himselfe one of them seeing such a monstrous transformation was wholly astonied and that so much the more for that they demaunded of his only Bishopricke six thousand markes Neither yet is the Pope moued at the complaint made vnto him thereof at Lyons but although they appeale vnto him yet are they constrained with all kind of rigour But we must bring here the whole Author throughout if we should set downe all that he saith of these tyrannicall exactions it sufficeth vs here for conclusion to shew the description that he maketh of the miserable state of the Church of England vnder Gregorie and Innocent vnder Gregorie in these words In those times faith waxed cold and scarcely seemed to sparkle being almost brought to ashes For simonie was practised without blushing vsurers openly by diuers occasions did shamelesly extort money from the meaner sort of people Charitie is dead the libertie of the Church is withered away Religion is become vile and base and the daughter Sion is as a bold-faced harlot hauing no shame And of the Court of Rome he properly speaketh plentifull setting forth the iniuries thereof which he concludeth in this one word Armato supplicat ense potens He entreateth vs with a sword set to our throats It were better for vs to dye than to see the euils of our nation of the Saints But these are scourges to Englishmen they hauing committed many offences and God being angrie maketh the hypocrite raigne and the tyran rule for the sinnes of the people But vnder Innocent Heu heu Alas alas now the naturall inhabitants of the kingdome are despised men holy learned and religious and strangers are intruded that are vnworthie of all honour altogether ignorant of the letters and language of the countrey wholly vnprofitable for confessions and preachings not stayed neither in gestures nor in manners extorters of money and contemners of soules In times
be the better aided of the Pope for the strengthening of his new Empire and there rested onely to agree the controuersies of religion Therefore Germane Patriarch of Constantinople writeth vnto Gregorie That he desired nothing more than to enter into conference about them being readie old as hee was to resort to any place where need should be to that effect But saith he because no man euer can see the spots of his owne face vnlesse hee looke himselfe in a glasse or be certified by some other whether his face be spotted or not so we haue many great and shining myrrors namely the Gospell of Christ the Epistles of the Apostles and the bookes of the Fathers let vs looke into them they will shew vs how euerie man beleeueth siue nothè siue legitimè falsely or truely The same also to the Cardinals but that he passeth further There is a scruple of offence bred in our minds that gaping onely after earthlie possessions yee gather together the gold and the siluer that yee can from any place extort yet say yee are the disciples of him to wit Peter that said Siluer and gold haue I none Yee make kingdomes tributarie vnto you yee multiplie moneyes by negotiations yee vnteach by your actions that which yee teach with your mouth Let temperance moderat you that yee may be to vs and to all the world an example and paterne c. But Gregorie answereth him with his Tu es Petrus thinking to put him downe with the onely name of Primacie And indeed Germane said vnto them The diuision of our vnitie proceeded from the tyrannie of your oppression and of the exactions of the Church of Rome which of a mother is become a stepdame To this Gregorie answereth That to him alone belongeth the decision of the questions of faith moreouer that to the Pope of Rome belongeth both the swords materiall and spirituall by the testimonie of the Gospell where it is said Ecce duo gladij behold two swords consider I pray you what a goodly course he taketh to conuert the Greeks These admonitions being heard but not yeelded to the Grecians submitted not themselues to the Church of Rome Fortè saith the Author tyrannidem auaritiam ejus pertimescentes Fearing perhaps the tyrannie and couetousnesse thereof the Pope and Cardinalls hauing a diligent treatie thereupon they resolue to turne the whole armie of crossed souldiers against them And a publication thereof being made many are crossed to goe against the Greekes and chiefely them of Constantinople He addeth This was the seed of schisme betweene the Roman and the Greeke Church A certaine Archbishop canonically chosen to a noble Archbishopricke in Greece went to Rome to be confirmed but could not obtaine it vnlesse he would promise infinitum aurum aboundance of money for the same But hee without doing any thing returned detesting the simonie of the Court and told it to all the Nobilitie of Greece And others that had beene at Rome witnessed the like and worse actions and so all in that Gregories time departed from the subiection of the Church of Rome Hereupon the Authour giueth his judgement The Greeke Church hauing seene so much malice and oppression rise vp against the Roman and expelling their Emperour obeyed onely their Archbishop Germane of Constantinople Not long after the Patriarch of Antioch also followed the same steps and proceeded so farre as to excommunicat Gregorie Solemnely preaching That he and his Church in time and dignitie was to be preferred before the Pope and the Church of Rome and that it was more excellent than the Roman Church because the Apostle Peter had first gouerned with great honour the Church of Antioch the space of seuen yeeres and there was receiued with all due reuerence and likewise established in the Chaire whereas at Rome he was manifoldly vexed with many iniuries and reproaches and at length suffered vnder the Emperour Nero a cruell death with his fellow Apostle S. Paul the speciall Doctor of the Gentiles The power of binding and loossing he rather bestowed on the Greeke than on the Roman Church which is now manifestly defamed with the spots of simonie vsurie couetousnesse and other enormities And these things passed in the East What shall we say then if the Romans themselues haue not been able to hold their peace When Gregorie went about to excommunicat them they spake against him maintaining That for no cause the citie ought to be subiect to his interdict And the Pope replied That he was lesse than God but greater than any man whatsoeuer therefore greater than any citizen yea than any King or Emperour Secondly the Magistrats and Senators exacted a yearely tribute of the Roman Church which they of new and auncient right were euer in perpetuall possession of vntill Gregories time He answered That this was a free gift which the Church vnder persecution was woont to giue for to redeeme their peace which ought not grow into a custome seeing for so many ages there had beene no persecution at Rome but that which the Popes themselues vsed against others If this right had had none other foundation who can doubt but that many ages afore that they would haue exclaimed against it and abolished it Thirdly the Romans extended their countie or bounds of their jurisdiction so that they included therin Viterbe Montalto and other towns castles which were pretended to belong to the Church He answered That this was to vsurpe another mans right and that Christ on the crosse by his bloud had made the citie of Rome so free that the gates of hell could nothing preuaile against it Note gentle Reader the pleasant diuinitie of this Pope For these causes therefore contentions being debated betweene the Pope and the Romans he with his Cardinals depart the citie and withdraw themselues to Perousa thence he thundereth forth an excommunication against them whence came as the same Author saith warres and many conflicts and great effusion of Christian bloud for many yeares And for this cause Innocent his successor set no firme footing at Rome but assigned a Councell at Lyons and also by his Embassadors requested Henrie the third king of England That he might with his good leaue soiourne at Bourdeaux because the brethren of king S. Lewis being prisoner among the Infidels did vehemently presse him to make peace with Frederick But the wisest men of England saith Mathew feared such a guest Because from thence he might soone passe by ship into England and by his presence make it worse and defile it And this is that which Cardinall Iohn the Cistertian Monke said in his admonition to Innocent aboue recited We are in exile chased from the Papall seat from Rome it selfe yea and from Italie But as in Germanie their venome did chiefly spread it selfe so it is worthie our obseruation to see what strong resistance the force of nature made against that strange force And Gregorie the ninth as we haue seene had taken vpon him to
wonder that the Pope then preached Going from thence he confirmed all the cities of Romania and Tuscan leauing Cardinall Octauiano behind in Lombardie with an armie but yet being verie doubtful in mind he delayed his entrie into Rome for the Romans through his absence augmented in reputation the Popes leauing Rome had now for many yeres held their seat in diuers other places as at Viterbe Oruietto Perugia Anagnia Assisia that there they might rule and gouerne ouer other Prouinces being vncertaine what authoritie or power they should retaine within the citie And at this verie instant the Romans called Brancalone from Bologna a man very famous for his justice and equitie to be a Senator of Rome who doubting the petulancie and insolencie of their Youth would not accept of it without being confirmed therein for three yeares and pledges giuen him of thirtie of the chiefe citizens sonnes as also they themselues bound by solemne oath to doe their vttermost endeuours that they might faithfully obey him whom he presently sent to Bologna there to be kept vnder safe custodie And questionlesse he bare himselfe so strictly in this charge as he stroke terrour into the best of them but the more authoritie was ascribed to him the more the same was extenuated towards the Pope In the meane while the Romans began to grieue that the mightie gaine which daily accrued by the wonderfull concourse to the Roman Court did now through the Popes absence both cease was otherwhere diuerted and so at length they supposed that without singular imputation they could not for so long time haue their Bishop wanting Wherefore they sent embassadours to Innocent being at Perugia to intreat him that he would returne to Rome That so he might helpe his flocke Matth Paris in Henrico 3. like a good Pastor and that Rome might enioy her Bishop as other cities enioyed their Prelats For they thought it a great abuse and errour that onely Rome which was instiled the Empresse of other cities should among so many other cities for so long time be depriued of her Prelat and Bishop For saith Mathew Paris while he liued beyond the Alpes gaping after the profit of concurrents and opening his bosome to gifts he was vagrant and altogether vnsetled by being resident amongst the Cisalpines But he framing delayes they once againe vrged him after a preualent maner Intimating to him how they greatly wondered that he would run vp and downe here and there like a wandering and instable person leauing Rome his Pontifical seat together with his sheep wherof he was to yeeld a strict account to the supreme Iudge he left them to be rent torne by the incursions of wolues himself only gaping and thirsting after coyne as also with this peremptorie clause annexed That he should either come then or neuer But when he saw that the Romans threatned the Perugians Assisians both with siege ruine if they longer detained him departing from Perugia he went towards Rome yet trembling fearefull he made his entrie because it was reported that the Romans would presently redemaund of him that money which at his instigation they had disbursed in the attempts against Frederick And in effect not long after the people required at his hands the damages which they had sustained through his absence For say they the world knew well ynough that he was neither Bishop of Lyons Perugia nor Angiers where hee did often reside but of Rome In which verie words wee may see they did not acknowledge him for vniuersall Bishop and out of doubt had not the Senator pacified the people he would haue vndergone some great troubles Now on the other side Conrade Fredericks sonne passed ouer into Italie the more to encourage his adherents and diuers times conflicts and slaughter fel out in the cities while the Guelphes rose against the Gibellines and the Church raged against the Empire both of them cruelly prosecuting and subuerting one another and the more horrible this warre was in that it fell out within the selfe-same walls and vnder one roofe and building that the like plots and examples of reuenge were neuer read of throughout all Antiquitie Afterwards marching further vp into his kingdome he tooke in Naples which had formerly yeelded it selfe to the Pope ouerthrowing his armie ouer which his kinsman William was Generall and putting to the sword foure thousand foot which were euen the flower of the Italian Youth he recouered all his cities reduced his subiects vnder due obedience and thus brought the Pope to a verie hard poynt But amidst these anxieties the Pope thought good to excite an opposit against Conrade which was Richard Earle of Cornwall brother to the king of England being a Prince according as the fame ran of him of indomptable courage Wherefore to this end and scope he offered vnto him the kingdomes of Naples and Sicily to be held in homage of him Vsing herein as the Historiographer saith his diabolicall sophistication who said All this will I giue thee if falling downe thou wilt worship me Besides his Bulls should not be spared against Conrade wherein hee should be anathematized and his subiects absolued of their oath of obedience with other like interdictions for he had formerly denounced him an heretike and the heresie was in that he obeyed not his interdict and left not the kingdome to his disposition Richard though he was earnestly sollicited by Legat Albertus who was sent to this end and purpose not remaining satisfied in words required pledges to be giuen him of the most eminent persons of his familie as also sufficient summes of money to defray the charges of the warre certaine holds also which lay on the frontiers of his kingdome he demaunded to bee deliuered into his hands whereinto being vrged he might at any time retire Otherwise said he speaking to the Legat it is as much as one should say I sell or giue vnto thee the Moon ascend and lay hold on her When therefore they could no wayes agree vpon the matter hee had recourse to the king of England himselfe Richards brother a Prince saith Mathew verie credulous and apt to embrace his owne preiudice to whom he made offer of all the Croisado forces destined for Palestina and they should serue in this expedition Hereupon grew a wonderfull discontent and murmure of the Patriarch of Ierusalem and all the Prelats of Palestina together with the Templers and Hospitalers who fell into a great detestation of the Popes delusions that hauing long time beene fed with such large hopes hee went now about not to forsake but rather to betray them Yet the king of England proceeded on and accepted of the kingdome of Sicile offered in his son Edmonds name whatsoeuer money he was able to raise either of the Christians or Iewes he sent to the Pope and gaue him authority to raise what treasure soeuer he could or at what rates soeuer any where in his name and hereunto he obliged himselfe vpon
a greater and more diuine power granted vnto them from aboue for further edification and not for destruction they were the deepelier engaged to exclude and extirpate such bloud-suckers out of the Church of God And so inferring that his commaundements were of this nature and therefore not Apostolicall For this saith he would be but either a manifest defect corruption or abuse of his sacred and absolute power or an absolute recession from the glorious throne of our Lord Iesus Christ and a present accession to the pestilentiall chaire of infernall torments intimated in the two forementioned Princes of darkenesse Neither can any subiect or faithfull one vnto that seat in immaculat and incontaminat obedience and no wayes by schisme disseuered nor rent from the same bodie of Christ and the same holie seat obey the same precepts commaundements or iniunctions from whence soeuer they come yea though it were from the highest order of Angels but of necessitie he must needs with his whole power contradict oppose them For the sanctitie of the See Apostolicall can enioyne nothing but that which tends to edification and not destruction for herein consists the fulnesse of power That all things may be done to edification and these things which are tearmed Prouisions tend no way to edification but to manifest destruction Wherefore the blessed seat Apostolicall may no wayes entertaine them because flesh and bloud which shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen hath reuealed these things and not the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is in heauen Vpon the receit of these letters Innocent so stormed as he vowed by Peter and Paul That if a certaine naturall clemencie did not dissuade me I would bring him to such a confusion that he should be an example terrour prodigie and a verie fable to all the world Is not the king of England our vassall nay and to say more our bondchild who at a becke of our finger can imprison and impose vpon him any reproach or shame And the Cardinals could hardly assuage his furie by saying How it was not conuenient to denounce any hard Decree against the Bishop for to confesse but truth said they these things are most true which he inferreth Condemne him we cannot he is a Catholike nay and a most holie one more holy more religious and more excellent than our selues and of a farre better life so as it may hardly be beleeued that amongst all the Prelats there is any one better or equall to him This the whole French and English Clergie know and therefore our contradictions would but little auaile and so the truth of this Epistle which peraduenture is well knowne to many may excite and stirre vp many against vs For he is reputed a great Phylosopher absolutely learned in the Geeeke and Latine tongues a louer of iustice a publike Reader in Diuinitie Scholes a Preacher to the people a louer of chastitie and a persecutor of Symoniacks This was vttered by the Lord Aegidius a Spanish Cardinall and others who seemed to be touched euen in their owne consciences And so they aduised our Lord the Pope conniuently with dissimulation to passe ouer all these matters not raising any stirre or tumult thereupon But obserue the reason which he annexed to all the former allegations Especially saith he because it is knowne that a departure must one day happen That departure foretold by the Apostle in the second to the Thessalonians cap. 2. Antichrist himselfe being to be the author hereof whom they expected and looked for not as they would haue it beleeued from Babylon but euen out of the heart of the Church from Rome it selfe And hereupon grew Innocents mortall hatred to Lincolne But this verie yeare he fell sicke in his house at Buckdon where speaking to Frier Iohn of S. Giles one of the Predicant Order he both sharply reprehended him others of his institution vowing pouertie That they did not reprehend the sinnes of great men with whom they were familiar yea though it were of the Pope himselfe who committed the care of soules to his owne vnworthie kinsmen that were both ignorant and greene in yeares this being a true heresie contrarie to sacred Scripture which commaunds vs to ordaine fit and conuenient Pastors and therefore the Pope was an heretike in doing so and they in conniuing thereat being both worthie of eternall punishment Then calling about him his Clergie and mourning for those soules which perished through the auarice of the Court of Rome Christ said he came into the world that he might gaine soules and therefore whosoeuer feares not to loose soules he may not worthily be tearmed an Antichrist God in six dayes created the whole world but for mans redemption he trauelled and suffered therein more than thirtie yeares may not therefore a destroyer of soules be thought to be the enemie of God and Antichrist The Pope impudently annihilates the priuiledges of the holie Roman Bishops his predecessors with this Prouiso Non obstante c. Grant that any of those Popes were saued and God forbid the contrarie doth not our Sauiour say He that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater than Iohn Baptist a greater than whom there was neuer any amongst the sonnes of women Is not then such a Pope who was a giuer and confirmer of priuiledges greater than this man liuing Wherefore doe they then that follow root vp the foundations laid by their predecessors Many Apostolicall persons confirmed diuers priuiledges which had formerly in pietie beene granted Are not many alreadie saued through diuine grace of farre greater authoritie than one who yet hangs in danger From whence then proceeds this iniurious temeritie to frustrat the priuiledges of so many auncient Saints And here hee spake liberally against the rapines and simonies of the Roman Church which enioyned the Friers Mendicants to be alwayes neere at hand to those who were departing the world to the end to persuade them to bequeath a part of their goods by Will and Testament for the aid of the Holie Land or if they recouered health to vow a journey thither They sold the Croisado to lay persons euen as they were woont to sell oxen and sheepe in the Temple they sold many things and these peraduenture to be appropriated to their owne vses And we also viewed the Popes letter wherin we found written That they which made such Testaments tooke vpon them the crosse or affoorded any aid or succour to the Holie Land the more money they bestowed the more plenarie Indulgence they should receiue In briefe Eius auariciae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis The whole world not suffic'd his auarice to content Nor harlots all his lust so ill his mind was bent And it was in this that he did manifest by what meanes the Roman Court like as Behemoth in Iob promised to swallow vp all Iordan in his throat might vsurpe vnto her selfe the goods of all intestates and
distinct legacies and for the more licentious performance hereof how she might draw the king to be a pertaker and consort with her in her rapines For said he the Church shall neuer be freed from her Aegyptian seruitude till she embrue her sword in bloud But towards the end of this prophesie being much pressed with sobs and teares this same holie Bishop of Lincolne Robert the second left the banishment of this world which he neuer loued who was a seuere reprehender of our lord the Pope and the king a reformer of Prelats a corrector of Monkes the director of Priests an instructer of Clerks a supporter of schollers a preacher to the people a persecutor of incontinent men a carefull searcher of diuers Scriptures and the verie mallet and beater downe of the Romans Innocent notwithstanding out of an obstinat will against all his Cardinals consent caused his bones to be throwne out of the Church and that hee should be proclaymed ouer all the world for an Ethnick disobedient and rebellious and such a letter he caused to be written and sent ouer to the king of England in that he knew the king would willingly assume any occasion of rigour towards him and to prey vpon the Church But the night following the Bishop of Lincolne appeared to him in his Pontificall roabes and so with a seuere countenaunce and ghastly aspect he approached and spake to the Pope in a lamentable and mournefull voyce as he lay in his bed taking no rest and giuing him a forcible push on the side with the point of the Pastorall staffe he carried on his shoulder saying vnto him Senebald thou miserable Pope from whence proceeds it that thou determinest to cast my bones out of the Church both to mine and the reproch of my Church of Lincolne It were more fit that thy selfe being exalted and honoured by God thou shouldest likewise respect and esteeme Gods louers though dead and buried God will suffer thee in no wise to haue any power ouer me I writ vnto thee in the spirit of humilitie and loue that thou wouldest correct and amend thy frequent errors but thou with an obdurat heart and proud looke didst contemne my healthfull admonishions Woe be to thee that contemnest shalt not thou also be dispised And so Bishop Robert going backe he left the Pope who when he was pushed as I told you lamented wonderfully as one pearced through with a lance halfe dead sighing and sobbing with a submisse and deploring voice so as they of his Chamber hearing the same and being astonished they demaunded the reason thereof the Pope with sobs and sighes made answere and sayd I haue beene mightily vexed with visions of the night and there is no meanes for me to be absolutely restored to my former state out alas alas how my side torments me which was goared through with the launce of a Ghost So as he neither eat nor drunke all that day but fained himselfe to be grieued with the feauer asmaticall and againe that he was sicke of an incurable plurisie neither did the Pope euer after this liue one good or prosperous day while the night or one night while â—he day but altogether without rest and much disturbed and molested till his whole armie was difcomfited and then his sadnesse conuerting into deepe and growen melancholie he ended his life at Naples when perceiuing his kinsmen to lament and houle renting their garments and tearing their haire for griefe lifting vp his eyes which were almost drowned in death he sayd Poore miserable soules why doe you lament doe not I leaue you all rich What would you haue more and instantly vpon the words he gaue vp the Ghost his soule being to vndergoe the strict and seuere sentence of the euerliuing God Auent l. 7. Auentinus obserues thus much in few words that Innocent entending to deuoure and swallow vp the kingdome from Conrades son of 2 yeres old was suddenly taken away in a day diuinely prescribed vnto him as we find in the Annales by the supreame and highest Iudge Caestr l. 7. Caestrensis saies that the same night he died a voyce was heard in the Popes Palace Veni miser ad Iudicium and a pale deadly wound was found in his side But the vision of a certain Cardinal which happened the same week is worthie of speciall note and Matheus conceales his name for some purpose He though the was in heauen before the Maiestie of the euerliuing Lord sitting on the Tribunal on his right hand stood the blessed Virgin and on his left a certain noble Matron verie venerable both in bodie and in habit who stretching out her right arme ouer her left hand she supported as it were a Temple on the Frontispice of which Temple was written in golden letters Ecclesia and Innocent the fourth prostituted before his diuine Maiestie with hands ioyned and erected and bended knees requiring pardon and not iudgement But this noble Matron contrariwise said Most iust Iudge giue a iust iudgement for I accuse him in three points first when thou laidst the foundation of thy Church on earth thou diddest endow it with liberties which proceeded from thy selfe but this man hath made her a most contemptible bondmaid secondly thou diddest found thy Church for the saluation of sinners that so she might gaine the soules of miserable caitiues offenders but this man hath made it a table of money changers thirdly the Church was founded in constancie of faith iustice truth but this man hath made both faith good to maners wauer and fleet he hath remoued iustice ouershadowed veritie yeeld me therefore iust sentence Then the Lord sayd well depart and receiue the reward of thine owne demerits and so he was taken away But when the Cardinall out of the terrour of the sentence awaked he was almost out of his sences and all his men supposed him to be mad At last his distraction being mitigated he began more at large to explaine his vision so it came to be published ouer all those parts Of the same kind was that of Alexander his successor who saw him in this state and a beautifull woman expostulating with him before God on his throane in these words Dissipasti EcclesiaÌ„ Dei duÌ„ viueres carnalis penitus factus c. And he heard God denouncing the same sentence formerly related whereupon saith the author being vehemently terrified for the space of certaine daies he could not well come to himselfe again therfore one presenting him a gift to obtain froÌ„ him a grant of a certain church he made answer No brother the Church seller is dead but it is thought that if out of the astonishment of this vision he doe not amend he will be more seuerely taken vp before God All which things haue some reference to Robert of Lincolnes Historie whom he of all Ecclesiasticall persons tooke to be his greatest enemie although he is celebrated by writers of those time to haue beene a
wounded both in generall and particular the seruants of Christ as both in this and the yeare following for innocents were enforced to idolatrtes and as Apostates to renounce truth which is God himselfe And here the Author stayes a little in declaring some circumstances which were these Prelats were sold like Oxen and Asses Behold the vttermost condition of seruitude behold the sellers which should haue beene cast out of the Temple and beene whipped But because it is a more vnworthie thing to commit an iniurie violently than to suffer innocently it may be thought that the complaining crie of this will ascend vp vnto the Lord God of reuenge But at length he concludes The Pope hath power in all those things which tend to edification not in those which lead to ruine according to Robert Bishop of Lincolne Neither did matters succeed any better with him in other places for saith he when they perceiued his actions so different from those prayers which at his first comming to the chaire he had caused to be made in his behalfe Manies deuotion grew coole towards him and diuers construed it to be meere hypocrisie and masking of his secular power therefore their former hopes conceiued of his sanctimonie fell to the ground And first at Rome Senator Brancalone of whom former mention was made executing justice at Rome without any exception of persons and the Nobilitie hardly digesting this seueritie after apprehension they put him in prison but his wife escaped out of the tumult and got to Bologna and there caused the hostages to be closely kept The Romans moued the Pope that out of his Pontificall prerogatiue he would commaund the Bolognians to deliuer them who to gratifie the Romans omitted neither threats nor intreats herein yet hee had the deniall Then the people rose against the Nobilitie and in despight both of them and the Pope restored and set at libertie Brancalone The Pope being hereunto solicited by the Nobilitie excommunicated both the Senator and all his followers that is to say the people of Rome omnes cachi nantes all of them with scorne and laughter condemned and mocked at his threatnings The Senator suppressed all the seditious not sparing the Popes friends and neere kinsfolkes and at length he vrged himselfe to forsake the citie and threatned to demolish his natural town and countrey Anagnia The matter came to this passe that will he nill he in verie submisse and humble words he was enforst by Legats to intreat them to forbeare the ruine of his naturall Citie least he should become an opprobrie to the whole world In the meane while Brancalone makes euen with the ground the Palaces of the Roman Nobilitie part of them he casts into prison and other some he hanged maimed many of which were kinsmen and nere allies to the Cardinals being as great a friend to Manfred as he was an enemie to Alexander Yea and after his death his memorie was so venerable amongst the people that in hatred and detestation of the Pope they chose his vncle Senator in his place and closing his head within a rich vrne they set it vpon a marble pillar for a monument of his integritie and justice These things turne the rather to the skorne and contempt of the Roman Court because the Pope vnderstanding of his death admonished the people That they should chuse no man Senator without his consent but they laughing hereat and dispising the Popes iniunction chose forthwith Brancalone his vncle sollemnely electing and constituting him Senator in his nephewes place These things Mathew relates whereby he proues as much as he had formerly spoken in what great contempt and skorne the Pope was held of all men for his euill proceedings and gouernement An. 1259. In Germanie about the yeare 1257 William Count of Holland retayned the Title of Emperour beeing conferred and continued in him by the Popes who retiring out of an hot battaile beeing shot through the bodie with an arrow died Conrades sonne was yet too young to be chosen Emperour Alexander notwithstanding commaunded the Archbishop of Magunza and the other German Prelats threatning them with all in verie grieuous penalties if they did elect this boy sonne to the excommunicated Emperour seeing they could not be ignorant how opposit his grandfather Frederick was to the Popes but so he highly commended vnto them Richard Earle of Cornwall of whom part of the Princes accepted especially for this respect because he was reputed to be rich in treasure and coyne whereupon grew this verse Nummus ait pro me nubit Cornubia Romae The money plainely saies it selfe Rome marries Cornewall for vile pelfe Part of the Electors made choice of Alphonsus king of Castile but the most voices concurred at last with Richard who being sent for out of England he was conducted into Germanie Alphonsus began to moue warre for the holding of his place and sollicited the Pope by Embassadours that no other might be crowned but himselfe Answer was returned from him that the custome was that none could receiue the imperiall crowne except he had formerly beene instald in the Germaine and Italian kingdomes Summa constitut Firma profecto consistit An. 1262. Sigon l. 19. de regno Jtaliae The Empire therefore hanging in doubt Germany was diuided while Octauius his Legat abusing the institution of the crosse proceeded with all kind of crueltie against the imperiall adherents and during these ambiguities Alexander died in the yeare 1261 to whom three moneths after Vrban the fourth succeeded borne of obscure parents in Troie a towne of Campania Celtica Men obserued one notable constitution of his our author cals it most cruell which was That euerie Bishop or Abbot elect was bound personally to trauell beyond the Alpes Math. Paris in Henrico 3. that is to enrich to his owne hurt nay and vtter ruine the Romans purses Vrban called a Councell at Rome not about matters of faith which now grew obsolete but about the expelling of Manfred He thought good therefore to produce against him the Croysadoes and augmented for this end their indulgences Charles Earle of Anjou brother to S. Lewis he also called into Italie out of hope to be installed in the kingdomes of Apulia and Sicilie And thus all the treasure which Henrie king of England had so vnaduisedly disbursed was sunk and swallowed vp in this ambitious gulph And Charls took counsel of king Lewis about this affaire But Vrbans death preuented his comming whom Clement the fourth prosecuting the same designe succeeded borne at Narbone elected at Perugia he presently sent Legats to Charls who commaunding his armie to follow him by land went by sea to Rome where he was louingly entertained by the Romans being created perpetuall Senator which then was the supremest dignitie of that citie And Clement in the meane while held his residence at Viterbe by reason of some controuersies that occurred betwixt him and the Romans Wherefore by foure Cardinals the inuestiture of the kingdome was
and the other of Lombardie that the one with his power might euer be readie to suppresse the Germans beyond the Alpes and the other to ouer awe the French within the kingdome of Naples but against these principally he stirred vp Peter king of Arragon whom he persuaded that enioying his fauour and assistance he would set afoot againe his title that grew from his mariage with Constantia Manfreds daughter although formerly both by verie many Buls of his predecessors as also by the Decree of two Councels at Lyons all Fredericks posterity was excluded And doubtlesse some two yeres after this Peter by him incited plotted the Sicilian Vespers or Euensong so by writers tearmed on an Easter Monday euery one killing his lodger and guest And so by this meanes Peter was reduced into his kingdome by the inhabitants Here we must note that after he had taken from Charles the Vicariate of Tuscan and the dignitie Senatoriall by some priuie intelligencers of his he diued into his mind to see whether he now ought any rancor or reuenge against him who affirming That they found him no other wayes affected to the Church than before Yea yea saith he measuring the Princes nature and disposition by his owne his fidelitie he hath from the House and race of France his pregnancie of wit from the kingdome of Spaine but the grauitie and weight of his words from his often frequenting the Court Wel we may tollerat others but this man is no wayes to be endured Furthermore this good Nicholas was author of that famous Decretall which is extant in the chapter Fundamenta de electione electi potestate in sexto Ca. Fundamēta de electione electi potestate whose words run thus Peter saith he God called into the societie of the indiuiduall Trinitie to be called as he was the Lord saying Thou art Peter c. that from him as from a certaine head hee might deriue and powre forth all his gifts throughout the bodie meaning the Church That the worser men they be and the wickeder actions they enter into Ca. Fundamenta de electione electi potestate An. 1282. so much the more they might continually and impudently arrogat and assume to themselues Nicholas dying in the yeare 1282 Simon of Tours succeeded him who was called Martine the fourth the French Gardinals preuayling in number and he was consecrated at Oruetto He prosecuted the same designe which his predecessours begun of getting all Italie into his hands but by contrarie meanes for he restored the Senatorian dignitie to Charles and in fauour of him excommunicated Peter of Aragon publishing the Croisado against him and all his abettors as if the spirit that gouerned them had been quite contrarie in himselfe Iohannes Nouio dunensis in illustrationibus Beatae concurring onely with his predecessour in this that he retayned his concubine and because she brought forth to him a beare to auoid the like inconuenience he caused all the armes of the Vrsin within the Court to be rased out least by continuall beholding the same she might againe conceiue such a forme Historiographers here report that Peter of Aragon being mightily pressed by Charles his forces who intended a reuenge of the Sicilian butcherie he tooke occasion out of this mans letters to turn the warre into a duell and therefore he offered to decide the quarrell of the kingdome in a battell of a thousand to a thousand an hundred to an hundred or in single fight Charles chearefully embraced the condition of single combat a day was constituted and the field appointed at Burdeaux in Aquitane and the king of England as a kinsman to them both was to be judge of the field Blondus decad 2. l. 8. Collenu l. 4. They relate also that Martine though this seemed verie absurd consented thereunto and sent thither Gerard Cardinall of Parma to obserue both the progresse and euent of this matter Charles appeared attending there the greatest part of the day which the judge of the field did testifie but Peter of Aragon fayling of his presence he departed and left the field the Pope for this cause excommunicating Peter and denouncing him vnworthie and incapable of the kingdome of Naples as also he deposed him from the kingdome of Catalogna which then was conferred vpon Charles second sonne to Philip king of Fraunce Not long after he turned likewise the Croisado against him and in the assistance and fauor of Charles he promised plenarie remission of sins to all those that would assume this conscription military vpon them Genle Reader doe but obserue what manner of Christs Vicar this is who permitted two such mightie Princes to entertaine a duell make you any doubt but Christ did abjure him All the Sicilians beeing likewise included in the same excommunication Peters affaires obtaining hard successe in most submissiue manner they had recourse to Martine and so prostrat on the earth they were enjoyned to crie out aloud far off from him Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vs thy peace which blalphemie he no wayes refused to but backe neither did these miserable soules discerne that while he shewed the hornes of the Lambe a Dragon spake out of his mouth Nicholas de Biberach Pul. Aemilius in Histor Francorum in Philip. tertio a Diuine of Erford complains of this selfesame Pope that in his young yeres at Rome he would prostitute himselfe in the detestable office of a Ganymed these are his words that he mortally hated Germanie that he often wisht it were turned into a standing mere whereupon also he framed vnto him this Epitaph Hic iacet ante chorum submersor Teutonicorum Pastor Martinus extra qui totus ouinus Nicholaus de Biberachin l. qui in scribitur occultius Et lupus introrsus cui nulla redemptio prorsus Sed sit ad inferna detrusus ab arce superna Before the Quire a restlesse enemie To German name Pope Martin here doth lye Without a sheepe within a rauening wolfe From heauen thrust downe into th' infernall gulph And hereupon many instile him Teutenicorum inimicum the Germans enemie but especially the Author of the historie of the South There succeeded him about two yeres after Iacobus Sauellus a Roman who was called Honorius the fourth who proceeded in the reduction of Romania vnder the obedience of his See and at last obtained his desire partly by subjugating in a warre Guido of Montefeltro head of the Gibelline faction that principally withstood it and partly vrging him to come to an accord who was faine to retire himselfe into the countie of Ast and so vpon this condition was receiued into grace and fauour But that which principally then set the Popes agog in Italie was Rodulphes either too great simplicitie or too great wisedome from the one side he fearing the powerfull oppositions which the Popes had raised against his
scantly satisfie their ambitious thirst to which the Legats and Mendicants were like cloukes and talons to gripe and fasten on their prey For first Princes feared their censures not so much out of religion as that they feared least their people would be abused by these stratagems or that ambitious neighbours vnder this pretext might make some vse of them for their owne auarice and greedinesse And yet there wanted not those that opposed and withstood them euen as aboue all others our king S. Lewis who shined in an example herein beyond all the rest in that his pragmaticall sanction which discreetly runnes in this manner Bochellus l. 4. Decret Gallican p. 647. We will and commaund that the pestiferous crime of simonie which defaceth and ruinates the Church be vtterly banished and extirpated out of our kingdome As also we will in no wise permit any such exactions and grieuous pecuniarie impositions laid or to be leuied vpon our Church by the Court of Rome whereby our kingdome is miserably impouerished or that hereafter shall be imposed and layd to be leuied or collected except vpon a reasonable pious and verie vrgent occasion or ineuitable necessitie and that by our owne voluntarie expresse consent as also by that of the Church of our whole kingdome He likewise reformed the location of benefices called Prouisiones according to the auncient Canons of the Church expresly forbidding the transporting of any money to Rome Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. for the confirmation of Prelats either electiue or presentatiue But the Clergie of England were yet somewhat more bold for seeing the Legats neuer came thither but to pill and poll the kingdome and the Clergie they humbly intreated the king That according to the auncient lawes and priuiledges of England no Legat might be suffered to crosse the seas without expresse leaue and permission first demaunded They likewise instantly required That the like Decree might be enacted about the Mendicants Predicants and Minorites especially those who are vulgarly called Legatos sophisticos sophistical Legats and no doubt they had obtained this suit but that they light on a king who was ready to joyne hands with the Pope that so by a common accord they might both glib and euen flea the people Rustand the Popes Legat vrging a most tyrannicall and cruell exaction whereto the king gaue his consent steeming out of the sulphurie fountaine Oh miserable of the Roman Church Fulco Bishop of London in a verie solemne assembly said Before I will agree to such a seruitude iniurie to the Church I will by intollerable oppression yeeld first my head to be cut off Then followed the Bishop of Worcester who spake in a lowd voyce Before holie Church shall be subiect to such corrodiation and vtter subuersion I will be hanged on a gibbet Rustand replied All Churches were vnder the Pope when master Leonard modestly made this exception Tuitione non fruitione in tuition not in fruition not to be ruined but preserued The king to whom the Legat had granted a share in this gaine threatned the Bishop of London with seuere punishment as he that instigated the rest when he replied and said The Pope and the King who are stronger than I may take away my Bishoprick which notwithstanding by no equitie they can doe they may take away my Myter but yet I shall haue an head-peece left All this occurred vnder Alexander the fourth to which the people added This is the Pope who at his first comming to the chaire caused prayers and supplications to be made to God for him that hee might raigne and gouerne well how can it be that he should performe worse things than all the rest God forbid But no man bore himselfe herein more stoutly than Seuual Archbishop of York of whom S. Edmond Archbishop of Canturburie out of whose schole he came had presaged so many excellent things This man perceiuing how the Pope with his prouisions left nothing throughout his whole Archbishoprick vnharrrowed he with a noble constancie oppugned his proceedings First because he placed all the Ecclesiasticall benefices in Italians that were about himselfe and so consequently were leauers of their flocks and secondly in that he commanded all the Prelats of England to passe personally ouer the Alpes to be confirmed at Rome Our Lord the Pope therefore bare an heauie hand ouer him Math. Paris in Henrico 3. and procuring him ignominiously to be excommunicated all England ouer with lighting of tapers and ringing of Bels that by this terrible and fearefull forme he might quaile and daunt his constancie but he no wayes dispaired of comfort to be sent downe to him from heauen patiently vndergoing the Popes tyrannie neither would he suffer the large reuenewes of his church to be conferred vpon vnworthie and vnknowne Transalpineans nor yet leauing the letter of strict equitie and right effeminatly stoop to the Popes will and pleasure Wherefore the more he was cursed by the Popes order commandement the more the people blessed him although closely for feare of the Romans Flying out of this worldly prison he ascended into heauen while most constantly with his whole power he stoutly defended his Church from the tyrannie of the Roman Court and so being depressed and vext with many tribulations for this earthlie life as all men firmely beleeued he purchased the kingdome of the highest heauens And here it must not be omitted that S. Edmond was euer wont to say vnto this his deare and speciall disciple O Seuual Seuual thou must leaue this world a Martyr eyther by the sword or else ouerlayed and euen killed with insuperable and grieuous worldlie afflictions Yet let him be thy comfortor who inspired that saying into his Psalmist Multi tribulationes iustorum de quibus quandoque liberabit omnibus eos Dominus Many are the tribulations of the righteous but God shall deliuer them out of all The same Author also recounteth that perceiuing himselfe approching to death lifting vp his watrie eyes vnto heauen he burst out into these words I call the Pope by appeale before the supreame and most incorruptible Iudge and both heauen and earth shall be my witnesses how vniustly he hath prosecuted and scandalized me with sundrie important oppressions Wherefore in this bitternesse of soule after Robert the bishop of Lincolns example he by letters layd down to the Pope all his enormious actions and that he would obserue his admonitions in abandoning his accustomed tyrannies and returning againe into the humble pathes of his holie predecessours For the Lord sayd vnto Peter Feed my sheepe doe not sheare or flea them doe not euiscerat and by continuall deuorations consume and destroy them But our Lord Pope scoffing and deriding hereat conceiued no small indignation that they would breake out into such a presumption and rashnesse as to dare in any wise to sollicit and moue him and therefore he stopped his eare to the healthfull admonitions both of Archbishop Seuual as also of Robert of
changed except the Senat at any time thought good to vse some prorogation Lewis proceeded yet further by the Romans instigation who had many times in vaine summoned and solicited the Pope as their naturall Bishop to reside at Rome causing election to be made of Peter Corbario of Rietto An. 1327. a Frier Minorite by the Clergie and people of Rome he beeing a verie learned man and fit for the managing of any gouernement who was called Nicholas the fift and there were many that he made both Cardinals and Bishops Nay and moreouer Iohn being conuinced in a solemne Councell of heresie he condemned him to be burnt which sentence was presently and publiquely executed in effigie or picture After the performance whereof setting all things in as good order as was possible in Italie he thought good to returne into Germanie which was wonderfully molested by Iohns arts and stratagemes From such a forme of contention kindled in Christendome what could bee expected but a generall confusion and so much the rather because some yeares before Iohn called Philip de Valois and other Princes into Italie with preualent forces against Lewis and the more to endeere vnto him Philip who afterwards came to the kingdome hee permitted him to leuy a tenth of his whole Clergie Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 6. part 6. 9. Auent l. 7. Guiielmus de Naugiaco vnder pretext of an entring into a warre against the Infidels which custome his predecessors had formerly taken vp Thus all things hung in doubtfull balance by the variable successe of affaires till Lewis in Germanie came to an accord with Frederick who was glad to redeeme his owne libertie by yeelding vp the Empire Now Nicholas the fift Iohns corriuall in Italie An. 1334. Supplem Martini being deliuered into Iohns hands by the Pisanes who reuolted from Lewis Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 6. part 15. Summa Constit à Greg. 9. ad Sixt. 5. vsque constit paternuÌ„ morem Annales Franciae Christianus Massaeus in Chronico Guilielmus Ockam in opere 90 dicrum Adâ—ianus 6. in quaest de confirmat he was cast into prison Wherefore Iohn king of Bohemia interposed himselfe to procure some peace betwixt them vpon conditions but during the negotiations in the yeare 1334 Iohn dyed at Auignion Christendome being all ouer in turmoyles but especially all the Prouinces and cities of Italie All Historiographers concurre in this That Iohn left behind him a huge treasure in readie coyne some say fifteene and others fiue and twentie Milliones auri millions of gold which for those times was verie wonderfull For vnder colour of recouering Palestina he gramd and gript all the world And yet hee was not ashamed to admonish Edward king of England That hee should not impose such grieuous burdens vpon the Irish The gouernement of whom saith he my predecessor Adrian granted vnto you vnder certaine conditions But by what right or succession suppose you should these people any wayes belong to the Pope For other matters he publikely preached in Auignion That the souls yea of the most holie and faithfull did not behold the face of God before the last day of judgement which he pretended to vnderstand from certaine visions of one Tundall an Irish man And two Monkes he sent to Paris one a Minorite and the other a Dominican to preach this opinion out of his suggestion and to exhort the Sorbon to imbrace the same labouring also the like in other Vniuersities But king Philip of Valois assembled all the learnedest Diuines of his kingdom at Bois de Vincennes who expresly censured this opinion to be plaine heresie In these things Thomas Wallis Durandus de Sancto Portiano William Caleth and other Authors are plentifull Auentine addes That he read a certaine Epistle of the Diuines liuing amidst these dissentions especially of those of Paris by which they taxed him of heresie persuading him to renounce this opinion which they say he did by their persuasion not many dayes before his death But he might rather peraduenture be condemned of heresie by the moderne Diuines of the Roman Church because as the same Author relates he sent for certaine men that dwelt in the confines of Bohemia and Austria who had painted the Trinitie Auent l. 7. vnder the formes of an old man a young man and a doue as yet at this day they vse to doe whom he charged with irreligion denouncing them to be Anthropomorphites whom he condemned to be burnt although in so cleere a Sun-shine of the Gospell both Bellarmine and other of his followers are not ashamed to allow and defend the same Jn extrauag Johan 22. tit de verb. signific c. 1. 2. 3. 4. cap. ad Candidorem Cum inter non nullos quia quorundam Nicholas the fift wonderfully promoted the Minorites and Iohn laboured hard according to the vsuall inconstancie of the spirit of lyes to suppresse beat them downe and this by such arguments as plainely ouerthrew the Mendicants foundation For concerning the question Whether Christ or his Apostles held any thing in proper he saith we must herein beleeue the holie Scripture by which the articles of our faith must be confirmed which teacheth vs That they possessed something in proper and therefore to beleeue otherwise was heresie and he that otherwise affirmed was to be reputed an heretike And because their most glorious pretext was in a wilfull pouertie he turned them to beggerie indeed enioyning them to be content with meere almes shewing how the custome de facto permitted to them by Nicholas the fift with an exception of propertie reserued to the Church of Rome was but a plaine delusion and cousenage that so they might cunningly be exempted from that pouertie which they professed and therefore the Mendicants being driuen to beg their liuing from doore to doore grew mightily incenst against him He further argued That Christ neuer commaunded nor aduised Christians to relinquish their goods That hee neuer set downe any other rules of pietie to the Apostles than to other Christians to whose perfection the possession of mouables or immouables were no wayes repugnant That the Apostles neuer vowed pouertie nor neuer out of vow renounced their temporall goods who questionlesse euen as other godlie men doe both might and may with a good conscience contend for temporall goods and the naked vow was no furtherance at all to Christian perfection But to this point he grew saith Auentine That such Franciscans as now liued from hand to mouth and begged from doore to doore that spake against his opinion in preaching That Christ and his Apostles possessed nothing he condemned of impietie and pernitious errour banisht them out of the Christian Commonwealth called them Fraterculos Sillie brethren and many also he burned The same Auentine obserues in these times That what was formerly distributed for the sustentation of the poore was now conuerted to ornaments setting forth of walls and glorious pompe which was out of
the execrable blasphemie For the Lord should not else haue beene discreet that so I may speake with his reuerence except he had left such an onely Vicar behind him Bald. in cap. Cum super de causis propr possess Jn ExtrauagaÌ„t Comm. l. 1. de maiorit Et obedientia C. vnam sanctaÌ„ ibi Glossa Et additio Petri Bertrandi in iure Canonic Editionis Gregorianae Lugdunens C. Fundamenta de Electione in 6. that could doe all these things now Peter was his Vicar and so the same may bee affirmed of Peters successors But because many Canonists of those times were ashamed of such words in certaine editions they were quite rased out and Gregorie the thirteenth vnder colour of reformation restored them againe The Glosse vpon the chapter Fundamenta electionibus sexto pronounces flatly That the Pope is not a man and in a little verse it is said Thou greatest of all ehings thou art neither God nor man but some intermediant power whereupon he surnames the Pope Admibilis Admirable by which name Christ is called in the 9 of Esay it was a wonder omitted the attribute following Emanuel God be with vs. That Glosse vpon the Extrauagants of Iohn the two and twentieth titulo 14 sayes Non est purus homo Glossa in proemium Clementinar but yet that of the chapter Cum inter nonnullos titulo 14 speakes as it were infuriated To beleeue that our Lord the Pope could not so or so decree is merely heretical Now judge by all precedent inferences Ius Canonicum impressum Lutetiae an 1â—20 apud Claudium Cheualonium in sole aureo Ius Canonicum Gregorij 1â— impressum Lugduni postrâ—me Editionis apud Rouillium in Extrauag Iohan 22. C. cum inter nonnullos Tit. 14. ni verbo declaramus circa finem what reformation is to be expected from these men when Gregorie the thirteenth perusing the whole Canon law left this Glosse absolute and entire and being formerly rased out by others precisely renewed the same such an heart-griefe it is vnto them howsoeuer they may faine and dissemble to abridge the least title of Antichristian priuiledges But as Antichrist augments and multiplies his blasphemous names and titles so does God daily excite and stir vp men in the world to detect and point him out with their finger which we shall better obserue in the sequel of these relations OPPOSITION Lewis the fourth Emperour suppressed his competitor Frederick and fortified himselfe by the king of Englands affinitie whose wifes sister hee maried being daughter to the Count of Holland and therefore Pope Iohn thought to rayse a verie dangerous conspiracie against him either to detaine him still in Germanie or to make all enterprises more difficult to him in Italie He therefore entred into a league with Charles the Faire king of France and Robert king of Sicilie enjoyning further Leopald Duke of Austria and brother to Frederick to take vp armes he made the Duke of Poland a king vpon condition that hee should war against him and further he commaunded the Teutonian Knights to make peace with the Lituanians who were yet Pagans to inuade the Marquisat of Brandenberg which belonged to Lewis his sonne When he saw that in all likelihood he would not leaue Germanie he sent Philip de Valois into Italie with Cardinall Bertrand a Dominican in his companie to open a way for him and he excommunicated all those whosoeuer that were of Lodouikes partialitie Lodouikes partakers cried out vnto him in these distresses requesting his aid He notwithstanding to claime his right fairely sent an embassadour to Iohn yea to his Legat to treat of a peace who being entertained with threats and contumelies returned backe againe Iohn still reiterates his thundering excommunications so as all other affaires layd apart Lewis must needs enter Italie with an armie Auent l. 7. In Auentine Iohns Bull against Lewis is to be read taken out of the ancient Libraries of Bauaria the which it will be verie requisit here to insert absolute and entire After saith he that the Roman Empire transferred by our predecessors from the Greeks to the Germans was committed to the custodie and protection of Charles the Great this soueraigne honor was woont to be the benefit and prerogatiue of the highest Priest For it was then decreed That if the Almans at any time made choyce of a king this election should be of no vigor nor force except the Pope of Rome Father and Prince of Christendome did ratifie the same and he so assigned by the Princes and States of the Empire could neither gouerne nor take vpon him royall Title before the Pope Gods Legat authorized and approued him suo numine with his diuinitie And further the Empire being destitute of an head the absolute power and prerogatiue lay in the Pope whose see it manifestly is And wee haue seene throughout all precedent discourse what strife hath beene about this word Benefice or Fee as also how much bloud was shed in all parts of Italie In like manner when the seuen Electors are diuided neither the one nor the other of the elected can be king And so the Roman Bishop as the common parent to all men is to manage at his owne will the Roman Empire being by such a dissention destitute of an head And as the mind commaunds the bodie to serue by whose benefit it onely liues so no man can denie but that then the Christian affaires goe best forward when things fraile yeeld to those eternall prophane to sacred and those corporall to the other spirituall Which then comes to passe when the Pope at his discretion gouernes both dignities for both the the Church is gouerned and all other power is reduced vnder his lawes and obedience And the Emperour by oath is bound vnto him who by a Vicegerencie vnder the celestiall Emperour swayes and rules the earth For this cause it is that two after Henrie the seuenths death hauing beene nominated Emperours Frederick and Lewis both the one and the other were incapable of this soueraigne dignitie and so consequently the Christian Commonwealth came to be dissipated and abandoned and therefore in all right was to be directed and gouerned by vs. As also Lodouike to his owne great hurt and preiudice and no lesse detriment to the Roman Church before he was thought worthie by vs to rule out of his owne head tooke vpon him the royall Titles rashly vsurping the authoritie and power of Emperour which still he holds both in Italie and Germanie For hee hath giuen into his sonnes hands the Principalitie of Brandenburg contrarie to all lawes And notwithstanding our opposition he succoured Galeazzo and his hrethren who were condemned of heresie And this is continually for such an heresie as neither the Apostles nor the Fathers euer made mention of We therefore according to the authoritie deriued to vs from heauen peremptorily commaund Lewis within the space of three moneths to abiure all royal Title and absolutly to
Heresiarke and that the Pope had need take heed least he were reputed a fauourer of Heretikes they suddenly resolued that Lodouikes submission was to be reiected and so they withdrew the Pope from his absolution though he constantly maintained that Lewis was not in fault and they obiecting how Lewis had done many things against the Church He replied nay rather wee did against him for hee would haue come with a staffe in his hand falling downe at our predecessors feet but he would neuer receiue him and whatsoeuer he did he did it by prouocation In which words he manifestly condemned both his predecessor and his proceedings The embassadours therefore returning into Germanie made relation what was there to be hoped for In brief that the court of Rome was wonderfully afrayd of peace and concord how it was an vsuall prouerbe amongst them That it made well for them the Germans were so foolish And so in the yeare 1328 an Imperial Diet was summoned at the Bourg of Reynsey Auent l. 7. An. 1328. on the bank of the Rhine where all the Electors of the Empire were present and many Princes both lay and Ecclesiastical where giuing vp an oath and all solemne rites performed they published a Decree That the Empire depended onely on God to whom the Emperour is bound to yeeld an account That being once chosen by the Electors he is absolute Emperour That with a good conscience he could not against the Imperiall Maiestie solicite the Pope by Legats yeeld him an oath or demaund leaue of him to gouerne the Empire who had nothing to doe with the Empire but was a keeper of sheepe bound in this respect to looke well to his flocke That so hee was taught out of the holie Scriptures and they that thought otherwise that the Emperour was the Popes vassall and except he were by him approued hee could not be acknowledged Emperour did but euidently abuse the Scriptures contaminating and wresting them with their corrupt interpretations which they apply to their owne behoofes and interests contrarie to the meaning of those Scriptures no question euen by the verie instinct of Sathan the Prince of this world as may plainely be discerned by the mischiefes that deriue therefrom ciuile wars intestine seditions deuastation of nations taking of cities deflagrations slaughters and violations Wherefore said they we perpetually enact That all power and the Empire it selfe proceeds onely from the benefit of election and that by no meanes we need herein the Bishop of Romes sanctimonie consecration authoritie or consent and whosoeuer speakes thinkes or practiseth to the contrarie let him be condemned of high treason let him be reputed an enemie to the Commonwealth and proscribed let him bee punished with the losse of his head and his goods confiscated to the Emperor And so the whole assemblie concluded in these words Not long time after Edward king of England crossed ouer the seas into Germanie to see Lodouike for the Empresses sister was his wife and they met both at Franckfort whither many Nobles Bishops both of Italie Germanie France and England repaired There by the aduise and consent of both Princes as also of the whole assemblie this Decree was divulged That whosoeuer brought in any of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth his Buls for to spare the liuing they laid vpon the dead he should be condemned of high treason The principall heads and points of this Act may more fitly be reserued to the section following Albertus Argent in Chronic. Auent l. 7. Nine dayes after the Princes of the Empire assembled againe together at Lenstaine within the Diocesse of Magunce binding themselues mutually by oath to defend this Decree and denouncing him that did otherwise a pernitious schellem or knaue This Decree is extant in Albericus de Rosata in Legem 3. Cod. de quadrienni praescriptione apud Hieronimum Balbum Episcopum Gurcensem in his booke de Coronatione ad Carolum quintum Imperatorem William Ockam a most famous Diuine and his whole societie assisting in all these promulgations And the Dominicans themselues vnderstanding that Pope Benedict out of his owne enclination was not opposit to Lewis made choyce rather to joyne with him than to depart out of the cities In some places also to auoyd the blame of weakenesse and leuitie being resolued to obey they caused themselues to bee enforst to celebrate sacred functions And to this time Pope Benedict held the chaire that is to say vntill the yeare 1342 An. 1342. described for his time in these two short verses Iste fuit verò Laicis mors vipera Clero Devius à vero turba repleta mero This man the Laities death the Clergies viper prou'd Himselfe did swarue from truth the people strong wine lou'd Peter Roger a Lymosine of the Order of S. Benedict succeeded him called by the name of Clement the sixt Albertus declares That after his election Albertus Argent in Chronic. making a speech he said That first he was promoted to be a rich Abbot then to bee a better Bishop and lastly to the best Archbishopricke of all France which was of Roan that he left all these dignities deepely indebted Then said he I afterwards rose to be Cardinall and now Pope by diuine instinct because the former places could not support him Obserue how this man feared the weightie burden of his Pontificall office and function It is specially noted in him That contrarie to the custome of his predecessors he was the first that fastened the armes of his familie to his Bulls which was the fiue Roses And at Paris in a publike sermon while he was Archbishop of Roan the kings of France and of Bohemia being present he grossely and foolishly preached against Lewis Afterwards being Pope he ouerthrew all the Churches of Christendome by his exactions He was addicted to women was couetous of honour and dominion obseruing no mediocritie in his promotions so as he made himselfe and the Court of Rome infamous for simonie And being demaunded whether simple Clerks were not to be well examined interogated or no he made answer That the hills and mountaines which they were to passe had examined them sufficiently Idem ibidem that was to say had drawne their purses drie ynough And amongst other things the English Historiographer obserues Thom. Walsing in Hypodeigm Neustriae that when his Cardinals told him that he had made the king of Englands Secretarie Bishop of Excester An. 1345. a lay and ignorant man hee replied That at his entreatie the king of England he meant he had made an Asse Bishop Lewis though he had sufficient testimonie of his ill affection towards him yet defatigated as he was with ciuile warres he sent vnto him an honourable Embassie which was Henrie Dolphine of Viennois Lewis Count of Ottinghen and Vlric Hagenhor his Secretarie of State hauing commission to attend while any hope of peace remained as also Philip king of France affected the same matter
euer read of From words therefore they came to blowes for when Charles heard of Lewis death he came to Ratisbone the Consuls themselues giuing him entrie into the citie and when the people heard of the Popes pretences they ran violently to armes himselfe was scarcely exempted from their furie so as of necessitie he must needs depart the citie From thence going to Nuremberg and being honourably entertained by the Senat the people againe expelled him and sent for Lodouikes sonne All this proceeding from a detestation of those articles imposed by Clement vpon Charles as also from the forme of a Commission granted to the Bishop of Bamberg for the vrging of such to a reconciliation to the Church who had followed Lewis partie which ran in this manner They shall sweare hereafter to hold the Catholike Faith but marke wherein it must consist to be faithfull to the See Apostolike to beleeue nor fauour no heretike That it is a condemned heresie to thinke that the Emperor may depose the Pope and create another That the Emperor is to be esteemed no Emperor except he be first approued by the See Apostolike neither were they to cleaue or adhere to the progenie or children of the same Lewis except they were reconciled to the Church And lastly That they should obey Charles king of Romans approued and confirmed in the throne otherwise they were not to be absolued from these censures and penalties Charles was aduised not to publish this forme if he meant to be louingly entertained of the people But the Bishop fearing the Popes displeasure durst not absolue any of the Interdict vnlesse hee would performe this manner of abiuration which many resisted and namely at Basil Conradus Burneueld Burgomaster who when Charls entred the citie he protested before a publike Notarie in behalfe of the whole citie My Lord of Bamberg vnderstand that we will neither beleeue nor confesse that our Soueraigne Lewis Roman Emperor was euer an heretike and whosoeuer the Princes Electors commend vnto vs or the greater part of them for king of Romans or Emperor for the same we will take him though he neuer seeke to the Pope neither will we performe any thing which may be in any sort repugnant to the royalties and iurisdictions of the Empire Yet the Bishop was counselled to remoue the Interdict and Charles by stealth left Basil comming by water to Strasbourg where he met with the like and yet more bitter distasts as also presently after at Spire and other cities where much sedition strife grew about this forme which he was driuen to moderat and qualifie At Wormes the Bishop was constrained to absolue the Interdict without any oath taken or conditions at all Charls was receiued into Magunce with this prouiso That he should not establish Gerlac constituted their Archbishop by the Pope nor suffer any patent to be publikely read in his behalfe In many places this Gerlac minding to depart all his people garding before his lodging in armes the hosts not being payed for the charges of his traine and kitchin hee was detained and namely at Wormes vpon the complaint of a publike executioner And hauing no other mâ—â—nes hee was enforst to pawne his Patent or collection Warrants to pay his hosts And all this out of doubt not properly out of any hatred to Charls but to the Pope Pontificiall exactions But the Princes yet attempt further for assembling in the greatest part at Reinsey vpon the Rhine vnder the castle of Longstein they conâ—â—â—ed about the deposing of Charles and chusing Emperour Edward king of England Lewis his neere allie to whom by embassadours they solemnely offered the Empire but after many thankes giuen he excused himselfe by reason of the warre hee had in hand with the French men Then they betooke themselues to Henrie Marquesse of Misnia Lodouikes sonne in law but for a summe of money hee yeelded his right to Charles At last they resolued on Gunther Count of Swartzburg as renowmed a gentleman for martiall prowesse as was in that age who accepted of it on this condition That in a solemne assembly of the Princes to be coâ—â—ocated at Franckfort the vacancie of the seat were confirmed by the greater part which was effected in the yeare 1349 An. 1349. So much they grudged to receiue an Emperour from the Popes hands But being sicke as our Author Albertus sayes one master Fridanck a famous Physitian ministred to him a pâ—tron which Gunther commanded him though greatly against his owne will to assay and tast of in his owne preence and presently after his assay Gunther himselfe tooke some but the Physitian who incontinently began to discolour in his countenance within the space of three dayes died and Gunther mightily swelling grew to be weake and vnable of bodie so as it was thought this Physitians seruant had put in some poyson By reason of this bodily indisposition Gunther was the readier to come to accord being also excited thereunto by diuers of the Princes his friends who looking into this discommoditie meant to aduance their owne interests both by benefits and affinities with Charles It was therefore couenanted betwixt them That for the right of his election accepting of 22000 markes of siluer and two Imperiall townes in Turingia he should renounce his title for terme of life But within a moneth after Gunther died Charles remained peaceably installed but this was by sinister meanes and to the irrecouerable dammage of the Empire For in him and by his basenesse the processe was ended to the Popes benefit commenced anciently by Gregorie the 7 called Hildebrand for conâ—â—rmation of the authority of their Sees against the liberties of the Empire being wholly exhausted of treasure and therefore to appease the townes States who were prouoked by his molestations and to be acknowledged in them Charls was constrained to acquit them of the greatest part of his taxes subsidies in such sort as the Maiesty of the Empire was scarce able euer after to recouer it self again By the same meanes the German Emperours lost all their authoritie in Italie while Lewis the fourth was at variance and strife with the Popes partly because Popes ordained Magistrats in the cities Imperiall and out of the Vicariate which they arrogated to themselues in the Empires vacancie they appointed the principall of the Guelphish faction to be their substitutes and partly also in that the Emperour being employed in Germanie to retaine still some authoritie and power he constituted the more illustrious personages of his partie who were tearmed Gibellines his deputies vicegerents in those cities that remained vnder his subiection And thus it came to passe that many of these Vicars and Substitutes grew at last to be Lords and proprietaries of the places Many cities likewise shaking off the yoke of subiection redeemed their libertie And so amidst these great agitations and disturbances the more mightie and potent deuoured and swallowed vp their weaker neighbours For thus we see that
the glorie of Paradise But the Parisian faculties of Diuinitie condemne the Pope of intollerable errour and temeritie There are that referre such an other as you haue heard to Clement the fift Questionlesse all Authors exclaime of wonderfull Symonie in his time and vnusuall reseruations of Benefices throughout the whole Church some of which he reuoaked onely to auoyd publique scandall But gentle Reader while thou seest him here thus commaunding ouer Angels why doest thou not listen to the Apostles prediction in the second to the Thessalonians 2 where he speaks of the man of sinne bearing himselfe as God equall to God and extolling himselfe aboue all that is called God in so manie ages after succeeding to whom may it fitlyer be applied than to him OPPOSITION The oppositions declared throughout this whole Progresse against the Papall Tyrannie may seeme sufficient without adding any other because we see him to haue beene euer mightily oppugned by all the famous men of those ages as also by most commendable and vertuous Princes yet for the Readers better satisfaction we will not thinke it amisse to annexe some thing else The imperiall Decree publisht in the yeare 1338 against the acts of Iohn the two and twentieth as you heard was approued by Edward king of England who also was present at the digesting it For the flanckering and seconding of which the Emperour Lewis dimulged another Edict whose principall heads it will not be altogether impertinent here to insert Lewis the fourth Emperour and by Gods grace Caesar Augustus to all Christians health S. Peter and S. Paule the first Embassadours from the eternall Maiestie declared and foretold long time before seriously informing vs That after their times there should arise false Prophets audatious and subtile and that Priests should become lying messengers plainely deciphering their workes vnto vs In the Temple of God said they that is the Church they shall sit as gods and be exalted aboue all that is reuerenced or worshipped by any Nation as God That those things are most true which the true Prophets of God and the interpreters of his secrets did denuntiat by manifest experience it is confirmed and except we be dull and sencelesse wee cannot but perceiue and euen feele the same We cannot denie but that men now are too superstitious to oppose the abuses of the times though in hipocriticall fraudes delusions wherewith the ignorant vulgar are many times taken and ensnared they are most wittie and craftie brasen-faced to vphold customes and rights receiued and herein abusing the simple credulitie of sillie fooles whereof the number is infinit But it is my part to detect and refell such impostures and digressions to the end they may not affront Christian integritie and plainly mock deride diuine veritie Men gather not grapes from thorns and the Prophet of God receiues no bribes or rewards Christ commanded his messengers that whosoeuer amongst them sought to be highest should be lowest And the Kings of the earth beare domination and rule ouer people but you are the seruants of my flocke that is to say Shepheards you are not Lords Notwithstanding all these things are most true and euident yet Pharisies and pernitious Antichrists sustaine That an Emperour chosen by voyce and custome imperiall and by the suffrages of Princes cannot be Emperour except the high Priest who is Lord ouer all and possessor of both powers allow and confirme him And here he refuted this proposition as being flatly opposit both to the sacred Scriptures to the auntient Laws and Canons and to the customes of all ages further adding For these reasons well rightly and wisely I appeale from the enemie of the Christian Common-wealth to a future generall Councell of all Christendome to be held whereof he is but a member and no head for as S. Ierome sayes The church of the whole world is greater than that of the Citie c. Clement perseuering in this his rage and furie William Ockham incessantly defended Lewis right especially because through his plot and deuise Charles came to be nominated Emperour and in a booke which he publisht vpon this subject He taxed Clement with the note of an heretike calling him verie Antichrist an hater of Christian pouertie an enemie of the Common-wealth a mortall foe to the Germans a most Christian Nation and a follower of Clement the fift and Iohn the two and twentieth false Popes and most deuouring Wolues Charles also he accuseth of periurie treason parricide and of impietie towards his grandfather and nere kinseman in breaking the oath Auent l. 7. wherein he stood bound to Lodouick and perfidiously infringing the Lawes of Constans Franckfort and Longsteine promulged by the Dyets Edict and terming him a vile seruant to the Priests of Auignion of whom he bought the Diadem imperiall Leopald also Bishop of Bamberg and Ockhams Collegues doe no lesse in a Tractate entituled Vindex pacis Christianae wherein they affirme That the Pope except he had rather take vpon him Antichrists pride than emulate Christs and his Apostles pouertie was but a seruant to the meanest Christian much more to soueraigne and supreame power so farre from reason it was that to the singular preiudice of the Christian Commonwealth he should domineere and rule doe whatsoeuer he thinkes good and requiring not onely to be called but to be beleeued a god Indeed Conrade of Magdeberg laboured hard in the answer of these men but seuen yeares after Ockams death who dying anno 1347 and was honourably buried at Franckfort in the Franciscans Colledge together with other two of his companions Bona gratia de Bergamo and Michael de Cesena Some few yeares also before Vlric Hengherohr Lodouikes Chancellor and Secretarie to the Empire deceased who fearing the Auignion Antichristians reuenge so he tearmed them he gaue order in his last Wil and Testament to be buried without the Church least they should haue persecuted him in his verie bones But no man shewes vs more plainly than Florentine Petrarch what opinion all the renowmed men of those troublesome seasons held of the Pope and of the Court of Rome who was Archdeacon of Parma the verie light of that age and greater had beene if he could haue soothed and flattered the Popes of whom he might haue obtained any thing And so much the rather because he writ for the most part as one exempted from the heat and spleene of those present contentions and partialities I omit to set downe how liuely in his Poems he deciphers the Roman Court many times calling her the Babylonian Harlot the Schole of all errour the verie Forge of deceit and the Temple of heresie But here it may be sayd That Poets haue euer beene permitted to speake broadly Let mee request the Reader therefore but onely to read his Latine Epistles full of grauitie zeale and learning wherein he sincerely explaines his opinion In the eighth of those Epistles which are called Sine titulo where he describes the Court of Rome vnder
of Iuda is written with an yron penne with the point of a Diamant as if he should say it is indelible But all these things pretend not impossibilitie but onely difficultie because the peruerse are hardly corrected or reformed For in the third of Ionas it is sayd Who knowes whether he may be conuerted and acknowledge God It is therefore said in the 26 of Ieremie Doe not withdraw the word for it may be they will heare and euerie one may be conuerted from his euill way At last he concludes with a serious exhortation to repentance conuersion and amendment of life This is that Nicholaus Oremus who by Charles the fift his persuasion our king and surnamed the Wise turned the whole Bible into the French Tongue Many copies of the same are to be found at this day in the libraries of the noble families of this land but especially there is one in the kings librarie wherein Charles testifies by his owne hand writing That this Bible was translated by his commaundement And here we may fitly set downe That Charles the Sage was the Author of a booke written by Alanus Charterius his Secretarie whose title was Somnium Viridarij The Gardens Dreame printed at Paris aboue an hundred yeares since against the Papall tyrannie both spirituall and temporall That booke stifly maintaines and so consequently our king Charles That the Roman Church from Constantines dayes had obtained prioritie through a silent and voluntarie consent of the Churches not that it had any authoritie properly ouer them as also because there did reside in that place many famous men who out of their charitie were verie carefull to admonish brotherly the other faithfull and these men againe embraced their admonitions as the rules and precepts of learned men which seemed wonderfull beneficiall and profitable They also were subiect to their censures to preserue the vnitie of the faithfull and this their voluntarie obedience was in stead of a formall election though no wayes by any diuine or humane lawes they were no more tyed to the commaunds and institutions of the Roman Church or the Pope than the Pope himselfe was to him or his Churches And the reason hereof certainely was because they had not yet ouer them any supreme Christian Prince to comprehend and keepe them within order and vnitie the which is most plaine and perspicuous because we cannot gather out of any place of the holie Scriptures That by the commaundement of Christ of any one of the Apostles or of any primitiue Councell that the Churches or Bishops in generall were subiect to the Church or Bishop of Rome no not in those things that appertaine to rites Ecclesiasticall Which in no apparance Christ and his Apostles would haue omitted if it had concerned the saluation of the faithfull much lesse in that which concernes iura coactiua lawes of constraint not onely ouer Clerkes but ouer secular Princes themselues the which the Popes take vpon them against the expresse precepts and iniunctions of Christ and his Apostles And therefore the Church and Bishops of Rome obtained prioritie out of the commendable ends aboue mentioned from Constantine the first Christian Emperour which afterwards they persuaded the world but most falsly that they held ex iure diuino by law diuine further extending the same ouer all Kings and Princes as also that they are to gouerne during a vacancie in the seat Imperial Which the later Popes haue presumed to ratifie by many Decretalls by which out of a plenarie power they pretend to create or depose kings and they not obeying their Decree in this poynt are subiect to interdict and excommunication All which propositions are sharpely refuted in that booke the Pope being reduced to these tearmes That both he and the Church of Rome had no further authoritie ouer other Churches than what by the same Churches was voluntarily conferred vpon them Hereunto let vs annex That Edward the third king of England after he had oftentimes complained in vaine to the Popes of the exactions wherewith the Churches of England were continually pressed hee at length determined to free England from that jurisdiction which the Pope vsurped in England Wherefore in the yeare 1374 he ordained An. 1374. That the Bishops afterwards should be created by himselfe and so other inferiour Ministers by the Bishops and thereupon not long after it came to passe that the Pope lost the tenthes which before time he vsed without checke or controll to impose vpon the Clergie As also it was prohibited vnder grieuous paines That for the obtaining of any benefice in England no man should repaire to the Pope wheresoeuer he were and the Peter pence which were yearely payed to Rome were quite put downe The which when Gregorie the eleuenth vnderstood he was mightily vexed and exclaimed That this was nothing else but to diuide the Christian Church to annihilat Religion and to cut off all lawes both diuine and humane Wherefore he first dealt with Edward to reuoke this law but after this Popes death Polidorus l. 19. schisme arising in the Church saith Polidore there was no other of his successors that minded this matter till Martine the fift wrot letters of great vehemencie and persuasion to king Henrie the sixt but both the one and the other receiued a like answer which was That the Decree of a Councell or Parliament that is of England could not be abrogated without the authoritie of another Councell or Parliament which he would presently cause to be summoned the which notwithstanding was neuer performed At this verie time S. Bridget and Katherine of Sienna were celebrated for Saints both supposed to haue receiued diuine reuelations from aboue and therfore they were canonized both of them notwithstanding conceiuing verie well what manner of monster the Pope was And Bridget being borne in Scotland and maried in Suethen came to see Vrban the fift who was then at Montefiascone neere Rome supposing by her journey to haue gained great Indulgences And yet in her reuelations she calls the Pope a murderer of soules the disperser and deuourer of Christs sheepe more abhominable than the Iewes more despightfull than Iudas more vniust than Pylat worse than Lucifer and that his seat should sinke like a weightie stone the Apocalyps sayes like a mill-stone and that his assistants should burne in a sulphurous and inextinguishable fire Afterwards she reprehends the Bishops and other Priests that through their default the doctrine of Christ is cleane neglected and almost abolished the diuine wisedome and knowledge was by the Clergie conuerted into wicked and vaine sciences That they were leapers and dumbe men turning all Gods commaundements into one onely saying Da pecuniam giue money To conclude she affirmes that she saw the blessed Virgine speaking thus to her sonne Rome is a fertile and plentifull field when Christ made answer So indeed it is but of Cockle and Darnell But yet she said she was admonished in a vision to go to Rome rather to
bringeth him to Naples Lib. 1. c. â—3 â—4 That Pregnan was a man giuen to all vices and of whom notwithstanding he was so exceeding fond that when his petulant loosenesse was told him he was woont to aunswer He is young and yet was he then fortie yeares old It happened among other things that he violated and rauished by force a certaine professed Nunne and recluse of the order of S. Clare of the Monasterie of S. Sauiour at Naples and descended from a Noble house her hee kept certaine dayes with him The people is moued with that wicked fact whereupon the guiltie person suddenly saueth himselfe in a Church vnder the protection of his vncle the king according to Law hauing conuicted him condemneth him to die the Pope contesteth against it that he is a superiour Lord in whose presence the king cannot punish a nobleman of his kingdome Thereupon he fortifieth the gates of his palace and gathereth his partakers about him so that this so infamous a crime remaineth vnpunished because it so pleased the Pope yea which is worse that peace might be made betweene the Pope and the king it is agreed vpon by the Cardinals procurement That Pregnan should marie the daughter of the Lord chiefe Iustice of the realme the kings kinswoman and that the king for so long time as the duke of Aniou should remaine in the countrey should pay vnto Pregnan euerie yeare in stead of the reuenewes of those dukedomes seuentie thousand Florins Of his owne accord he gaue him also the castle of Lucera with the appurtenances being between Naples and Salerne Idem c. 40. whither he with the Pope his vncle retired himselfe a place verie pleasant and safe for their persons being lodged in the castle but the towne was not so which was appointed for the Cardinals and courtiers who in a state so troubled betweene two Princes in warre together had many great alarmes L. 1. c. 42. and yet could not make him resolue to depart thence Wherefore at the instance of Cardinall Reatine it was treated amongst them out of the opinion of many Doctors If a Pope were too negligent or vnfit to gouerne and leaned so much to his owne wit that he brought thereby the whole Church into danger or were so vnbridled that without the aduice of the Cardinalls he would doe things after his owne fantasie and pleasure Whether it were not lawfull to substitute by the election of the Cardinals a Curator or some fit Curators by whose counsell and aduice the Pope should be held to dispatch all the affayres of the Church which was concluded to be lawfull But Vrban being aduertised hereof by the Cardinall of Manupello when the Cardinalls of dutie came to visit him he kept six of them whom he most feared prisoners whose goods without any order of law he presently confiscated and by that means terrified all the rest yea a few dayes after he gaue their hats to certaine vnworthie persons of Naples who knowing their owne vnworthinesse were ashamed to weare them in publike Idem l. 1. c. 45. His crueltie was such that he cast them into a dungeon commonly called the old Cisterne and without any respect of age infirmitie or qualitie put them to the racke and all manner of tortures his nephew Pregnan being present and vrging the tormentors so that here Theodorick moueth all to compassion neither yet whatsoeuer these do testifie and protest could he euer be mollified not towards the Cardinall Sangrâ— a man broken with old age and before his Legat in the realme who to please him had exercised so many cruelties and now acknowledged that he was justly punished by himselfe But when Pregnan was so proud and audacious as to seise vpon the castle of Scifatti three leagues distant from Lucera and was presently besieged by the kings seruants and forced to yeeld Charles resolued to besiege Vrban himselfe within Lucera who feeling himselfe extreamely pressed Idem l. 2. c. 45. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. led by a German called Loter of Sweâ—e fled through by-wayes of the mountaines and so saued himselfe at Salerne where he is receiued of certaine gallies of Genua prepared for him and caused the captiue Cardinalls through these incommodities to accompanie him euer by his side gaâ—ded with halberdiers and when the Bishop of Aquila broken with tortures was not able to follow him he commaunded his hangman to kill him and left his bodie in the fields without buriall Then directing his course into Sicilie which was vnder his obedience he arriued at Palermo where hauing made prouision of things necessarie he put to sea againe and came to Genua where he continually kept with him those Cardinalls in bonds all except one Cardinall Adam a poore Monke whom he gaue to Richard king of England on condition that he should euer haue a certaine Clerke of his chamber watching ouer his actions At Genua he receiueth great gifts from Iohn Duke of Milan Perhaps saith the Author that he should absolue him from the fault he had committed for that whilest Vrban remained at Naples the Duke had taken his vncle Lord Barnabo the daughter of whose cousen german hee maried by dispensation from the Pope and strangled her in a castle neere Milan and a while after he impoisoned Barnabo himselfe In the end being readie to depart from Genua to rid himselfe from the cumber of those fiue Cardinals hee made them all in one night be beheaded others say cast into the sea and others burnt in his stable Collenucius saith distinctly Collenuc l. 5. That foure were sowed vp in a sacke and cast into the water and three beheaded whose heads dried in an ouen were layd and carried vpon his sumpter moiles and so by his reckoning there should haue beene seuen but out of Theodorick his Secretarie this at least is cleere That they were neuer seene more And yet this is he whom before his Popedome he describeth vnto vs to be zealous of iustice In the last yere of his Popedome being mindfull of the great gaine that the Iubilie had brought to Clement the sixt in the yere 1350 against all reason he abreuiated the same namely to euerie thirtie three yeres An. 1350. Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 1. c. 68. 69. yet so as that it should begin at Christmas in the yeare of our Lord 1388 and should continue a yeare inclusiuely but being preuented by death he saw it not and so left that fruitfull field to be reaped by his successor Boniface An. 1388. For being departed from Genua to goe to Perouse by the fall of his mule vnder him he was bruised in many parts of his bodie and neuerthelesse hauing still an intention to returne into Sicilie he is carried to Rome where after some few dayes he died some say of poison It is here worth the noting That when Elizabeth Queene of Hungarie had caused the head of Charles Duras king of Naples to be cut off as he
That with a good conscience and without the damnation of his soule he could not consent to the vnion The old Cardinals laboured to get away from him but he chargeth them vnder most grieuous paynes that they should not depart yea if the regent of Luca had not by his wisedome prouided for them their persons had bin in no safetie But the Cardinall of Liege a man of a great spirit in disguise escaped from Luca and got to Pisa yet being discouered by some seruants of Gregorie he continued there not without great danger of his life In like manner all the rest by little and litle steale away being moued neither with his promises nor threats from which they publiquely appeale and solemnely signifie the same vnto him sitting in consistorie amiddest his new Cardinals The Cardinall of Liege first maketh knowne to the world by his Letters Cap. 33. 34. That God ought rather to be obeyed for if saith he the Pope commaund or would constraine to such things as tend to the destruction of soules it is most manifest that he ought not be obeyed neither by diuine nor humane right yea and that man meriteth who for not obaying in such a case doth suffer his seuere censures And thus haue wee now a two-fold Schisme of Benedict against Gregorie and of Gregorie against his owne Cardinals Now vpon this departure of the Cardinals from Gregorie Benedict making vse of this occasion objecteth vnto him his craftie sleights which at length hath burst forth into so euill an issue Whereupon hee withdrew himselfe into the countrie of Arragon where he was borne seeing there was no more hope of the vnion But Gregorie seeing him departed and being not yet wearie of deceiuing assigneth a Councell at Aquileia and to strengthen the same createth againe new Cardinals whilest on the other side Benedict appointeth likewise his Councel in Arragon Both of them euer vnder pretence of vnion but which neither of both desireth both laboring to assure thereby the Popedome to himselfe alone Which part of the Cardinals of Benedict perceiuing they find meanes to escape away from him and come to Pisa There the Cardinals of both sides ioyned together and by the consent of the Florentines Lords of Pisa determined to hold there a Councell Thither are both after a solemne manner cited to be present either personally or by their proxie hauing fit and due commission Both do testifie That it belongeth not to them to call a Councell The Cardinals on the contrarie maintaine that seeing the Popedome is doubtfull and diuided neither of the striuers for it could call a Councell because it would be a particular and not an vniuersall one where a part onely should be present Cap. 36. 37. 38. Wherefore they passe further and entreat the Emperour and Princes of the Empire the Kings of Fraunce England Hungarie Arragon Polonia and others that they would be present by their Embassadors which the greatest part agreed vnto Then after many Sessions when neither they themselues nor any in their name appeared all things well and duely examined Cap. 44. they all with one voyce pronounce That Benedict and Gregorie damnably contending for their Popedome are pronounced truly and notoriously in a petition presented and exhibited to the sacred and vniuersall Synod That they haue bin and are verie Schismatikes nourishers defenders fauourers approuers and obstinat maintainers of an old Schisme heretikes strayed from the faith ensnared with notorious crimes and enormous periuries notoriously scandalizing the vniuersall holie Church of God with incorrigibilitie contumacie and obstinacie in notorious euident and manifest crimes and for these and other causes haue made themselues vnworthie of all honour and dignitie and also of the Papall they and each of them besides the foresaid iniquities crimes and excesses committed that they might raigne commaund and beare sway are ipso facto cast away and depriued of God and of the sacred canons and also cut off from the Church c. Moreouer all Christians of all sorts yea Emperours Kings and others in any dignitie are declared for euer absolued from their obedience forbidding the faithfull of Christ in no wise to obey or intend to obey the foresayd striuers for the Popedome or either of them neither shall they yeeld them either counsaile helpe or fauour or receiue them or repaire vnto them vnder paine of excommunication c. Moreouer all and singular proceedings and sentences of excommunication suspension or other censure and payne of priuation also of orders and dignities c. giuen and thundered forth haue beene and are disanulled reuoked voyd of no strength efficacie or moment Moreouer promotions or rather profaâ—ations made of any whomsoeuer to be Cardinals by the said contenders for the Popedome and either of them to wit by the sayd Angelus from the third day of May and by the foresaid Peter from the fiftenth of Iune of the yeare past 1408 haue beene and are disadnulled An. 1408. reuoked and made void Which when Benedict vnderstood swelling with choler he createth twelue Cardinals in Arragon Gregorie as many in Germanie but some of the wiser of them refused the hats And for an vpshot of his deceitfull slights he feareth not to publish That all difficulties remoued he was readie to repaire to what place the Emperour Robert Sigismund king of Hungarie and Ladislaus king of Sicilie should like of Cap. 46. 47. 48. But seeing saith the Authour that there were manifestly so many enimities and rancours for the causes aforesayd betweene Robert Sigismund and Ladislaus it seemeth vnpossible by any reason or humane wisedome that they should be able to agree together how to make a vnion in the Church I would we could haue as good a witnesse of the craftie wiles of Benedict though this man doth in many places liuely enough represent them whence it is apparant that they stroue to excell each other in wickednesse But it was needfull that the guiles of Gregorie should bee more exactly shewed as him whom they doe rather approue and enregister in the Catalogue of Popes Theodor. Ã Niem l. 2. c. 33. Furthermore he at length hauing suffered many troubles from his countriemen the Venetians whom he vsed no better than others he getteth him to the coast of the Abruzzo and flying for refuge to Caieta committeth himselfe to the protection of king Ladislaus who commaundeth him to be obeyed in his jurisdictions In the meane time the Cardinals of both obediences chose Pope Peter Philargas of Candie by Nation a Greeke a Franciscan Frier and named Alexander the fifth he that was woont to say That he had bin a rich bishop a poore Cardinall Cap. 51. 52. and a beggarly Pope A man saith the Authour liuing delicately and drinking of strong wines who wholly gouerned himselfe by the counsailes of Balthasar Cossa Cardinal Deacon who was afterward Iohn the three and twentieth the most wicked among all the Popes Therefore saith Theodorick he was no sooner come
conuersant in the Court of Rome he was reputed humble and deuout but he was no sooner setled in the Popedome but he was changed into another man he began to tyrannize ill demeaning himselfe towards those Cardinals that had chosen him and doing other outrages vnaduisedly He had a nephew called Francis Pregnan an vnprofitable member more licentious than is fit to be spoken vpon whom he would bestow many dukedomes and earledomes in the kingdome of Sicilia and intitled him vnto them and would willingly if it had beene in his power haue made him Souldan of Babylon too notwithstanding it were too apparent that he was vnable to gouerne a small familie To conclude there was no man euer in the Popedome more wicked and more cruell in so much that hee caused many Bishops and Cardinals barbarously and cruelly to be murthered Secum super hoc vt aestimo diabolo dispensante the diuell as I thinke dispensing with him for it or atleast wise ioyning with him in the execution thereof Of Boniface the ninth He was of a goodlie stature but a vicious nature For we read of none that euer bare rule in the Apostolike See that durst presume so publikely and with so little shame to commit the sinne of simonie scandalizing without respect of difference and ordaining Archbishops Bishops Prelats Clerkes and Priests and all for gaine He likewise made his brothers Marquesses Dukes Earles Of Innocent the seuenth In him vertue and vice was at variance he was a great dissembler firie in carnall affection He enriched his kindred with temporalties and tooke no care to confirme the vnion in the Church which he had promised and sworne to doe Of Gregorie the twelfth How he hath and doth carrie himselfe touching his kindred and that vnion that is to be made by him 〈◊〉 is apparent ynough And these foure gaue no almes which is a signe of damnation and though a fault in all yet worst in a Prelat because no man can be saued without charitie And this he writ being notarie of the Apostolike letters An. 1408. in the yeare 1408. There was likewise an Epistle directed to this Gregorie which he calleth delusorie of the officers of the Church of Rome wherein he is called The damnable forerunner of Antichrist Neither is Benedict his competitor forgotten therein There they protest That the world from thence forward will make no account of their excommunications but rather make a jeast of them since it manifestly appeareth that they both draw men into open perdition being the one and the other vnworthie of the Popedome especially Gregorie to whom they attributed most was a drunkard an heretike a destroyer of the Church of God a man accursed And in like manner they speake of his most familiar friends namely of Gabriel who was afterward Eugenius the fourth whom they call his first borne sprung from his raines and of the Cardinall of Raguse they say he was a Demoniacall Monke an infernall Legat and the like of diuers others The Author in the end concludeth That this schisme was come to that passe that the Princes of both parts contemned these Popes and nothing regarding their Bulls knit themselues in friendship alliances and mariages one with the other in such sort that a man might truely say that all things on both sides were doubtfull We haue neither a true Pope nor a true king of the Romans Behold here againe that succession they boast of He likewise writ a treatise of the inuestiture of Bishops and Abbots and attributeth the right to the Emperour Henrie Token Deligat of the Bishop of Magdeburge in the Councell of Basil maketh mention of him in his treatise That the Councell is aboue the Pope Here our France doth the rather offer it selfe to our consideration because one of these contendants was then resident at Auignion Clement therefore being departed the Cardinals chose Petrus de Luna called Benedict Froissard saith That the election was made vpon condition If it pleased the king of France and his Counsell otherwise he was not to be receiued yea that when he gaue the king to vnderstand of his Popedome he carelesly answered That it was doubtfull whether hee should acknowledge him to be the true Pope or no. He sent therefore vnto him some of the most learned of the Vniuersitie of Paris as master Iohn of Gigencourt master Peter Playons others to admonish him That the Christian faith was much weakned by this schisme that the Church could not long continue in that state In so much that the Vniuersitie of Paris was not of opinion that the Clergie seeking grace and fauour should send their petitions to Auignon notwithstanding that Benedict had before opened the fountaine of grace to all Clergie men which the king likewise forbad by their counsell vntill it were otherwise determined The Duke of Britaine did the like notwithstanding some Princes of France fauoured Benedict because he denied them nothing The king therefore without the knowledge of the Pope disposed of such benefices as were voyd in so much that the Cardinals began to feare least he should likewise lay hands vpon those benefices they held within the kingdome and therefore they sent a Legat vnto him to assure him That if Benedict were lesse pleasing vnto him they would enter the Conclaue againe to chuse another to his owne contentment The Legat being heard and withall a Frier Minorite who resided with the king in behalfe of Boniface Pope of Rome it was concluded in Councell not without the consent of the Vniuersitie That both the riuals should be commaunded to resigne the Popedome Froissard l. 4. c. 58. and all the Cardinals their Cardinalships and that certaine Clergiemen that were men knowne to be honest and of a good conscience should be chosen out of Germanie France and other nations who deliberating of the cause amongst themselues with good aduice and without all fraud should restore the Church to her former state and vnitie Which sentence of the Vniuersitie the king approued and so did the Dukes of Orleance and Burgundie and their Counsellors Whereupon he sent embassadous to the kings of Germanie Bohemia Hungarie and England vndertaking for the kingdome of Castille Nauarre Arragon Sicilia Naples and Scotland that they should yeeld their obedience vnto him to whomsoeuer he and his realme should grant his There was much time spent in these embassages but yet with this fruit That Richard king of England agreed to whatsoeuer the king of France thought conuenient and the Emperour Wenceslaus in the yeare 1398 with many other great Princes came to Rheimes to consider of this businesse with the king notwithstanding he pretended the cause of this his journey to bee the mariage of the daughter of the Duke of Orleance to the Marquesse son of Brandebourg There after many deliberations those great Princes being assisted with the greatest and grauest personages of their States decree That Petrus de Alliaco Bishop of Cambray should goe in
their names to Boniface at Rome and there should summon him to renounce his Popedome that a new election might be made wherein that right which he had should be still reserued and hauing receiued his answer hee should likewise doe the like to Benedict the Emperour and king promising each of them for the kings and Princes their allies and confederats to confirme this their decree The Bishop therefore one of the greatest men of name in those times tooke his journey to Rome where hauing had audience the Cardinalls thinking it necessarie to dissemble aduise Boniface to answer That he would willingly yeeld to whatsoeuer he should be by them aduised prouided that Benedict should renounce the name of Pope and then he would be readie wheresoeuer it should please them to appoynt the Conclaue And yet the Romans at that time murmuring hereat because they feared they should thereby loose that gaine they hoped for by the Iubilie he answereth them ingeniously My sonnes assure your selues I will continue Pope and whatsoeuer these kings shall determine I will neuer stand to their arbitrement This was concealed from the Bishop of Cambray He therefore returned to the Emperour who sent him to the king with this message That he was first to make Benedict to submit himselfe since Boniface his obedience depended thereupon Whereupon our Nobles and Prelats assembled at Paris whither neuerthelesse the king out of his wisedome thought it not good to call the Archbishops of Rheimes Rouen and Sens because the Pope had many wayes bound them vnto him There by the councell of the Vniuersitie of Paris it was determined That the king should presently send Monsieur Boucicant his Marshall into the parts of Auignon who either by treatie or any other meanes should endeuour that Benedict should yeeld his Popedome to the Counsell of the king of France and that the Church to the vtmost bounds of the kingdome should follow neither part vntill by the iudgement and decree of the Prelats who were deligated to that purpose the vnion were confirmed The Bishop of Cambray arriued at Auignon leauing the Marshall at Lyons there to attend the newes but as he deliuered his message Benedict saith Froissard changed colour and with a lowd voyce sayd They will that I yeeld to renounce my Popedome whilest I liue I will neuer doe it And I would haue the king of France to vnderstand that what he appointeth I will not doe but I will retaine my name and Popedome to the death To which the Bishop answered I tooke you to be wiser than I find you take a day to consider better of the matter with your brethren Whereupon they being assembled together and the Cardinall of Amiens shewing That whether they would or no they must be obedient to the kings and that the king of France did alreadie threaten the losse of the fruits of their benefices whereby many did alreadie stagger he grew the more obstinat I will not resigne saith he nor submit my Popedome to any treatie for any King Duke Earle whosoeuer And with those words he dismissed the Bishop adding withall You shall say to our sonne of France That hitherto we haue taken him for a good Catholike whom now wee see by a wrong information fallen into errour but he shall repent him of it Whereupon the Bishop went presently to the Marshall Boucicant who was come as farre as Port S. Andrew nine leagues distant from Auignon who presently vpon the newes sent for the nobilitie and men of warre from all parts stopping the passages both by land and water and by a Herauld denounced warre against Benedict within his palace His Cardinals almost all studied how to satisfie the king and so did the citizens of Auignon but he persisting still obstinat told them their citie was strong that he would send for the king of Arragon to his ayd who he knew would come to serue him being bound therunto both by propinquitie in bloud and that obedience which he did owe vnto the Pope and that they were frighted with small matters But the Marshall hauing threatned the inhabitants That he would burne all their vines and houses in the field without the knowledge of the Pope they resolued with some of the Cardinals who ioyned with them that is to say of Amiens Poictiers Neufchastel Viuiers and diuers others to receiue him into the citie and to besiege the palace vpon condition that he should offer no violence to them or theirs which was performed on both sides Benedict in the meane time defended himselfe in his palace being well furnished with all manner of victuall and still expecting the comming of the king of Arragon to whom if he would now set him at libertie hee promised by an instrument drawne to that purpose to keepe his residence at Perpignan but his answer was this Doth this Priest thinke that I to defend his subtilties will vndertake a warre against the king of France the world would thinke I was ill aduised And the nobilitie likewise that were about him were of opinion That the king of France was so wise that he would do nothing that was vnlawfull and that it was fit that the Clergie should learne how to obey their Lords from whom they had their maintenance remember from whom they receiued their good He therefore resolued by the king of France his example and at his request to follow neither part And the greatest part of his Clergie kingdome were of this opinion since by no other means the peace and vnion of the Church could be restored Benedict therefore seeing himselfe thus forsaken and his prouision to decrease apase began to flie vnto mercie The conditions were these That he would not depart out of the palace of Auignon vntil the vnion of the Church were restored a speciall gard in the meane time being appointed ouer him and some of the principall Cardinals citizens bound to haue him forth comming dead or aliue which being done the armie was dismissed These are the words of Froissard Froissard c. 97. 98. 99. So the king of France performed that which he had concluded with the Emperour whereof he presently gaue him to vnderstand by an honourable embassage the chiefe whereof was the Patriarch of Hierusalem who was to require of the Emperour according to promise the like faith and diligence in this businesse Now there were that had giuen their consent to this neutralitie the kings of Spain Scotland Arragon Nauarre to whom by the authoritie and endeuour of the Emperour there joyned the Germans Hungarians Bohemians Italians so that England onely remained for whom the king of France had past his word But king Richard could not persuade his Clergie thereunto they alledging That this Richard of Bourdeaux was wholly French Cap. 120. and that they would be aduised by some other than a Frenchman Besides he was shortly after troubled in such sort with his domesticall affaires that he had no leysure to thinke of foreine matters Yea
it was said they had craftily gotten into their hands Therefore thinking it best for him to rest quiet hee approueth the conuocation of the Councell of Basil and confirmeth the Legation of Cardinall Iulian and that so much the rather for that Sigismund came into Italie whose alliance with the Duke of Milan and intelligence with the Colonni he feared But this Prince otherwise great either by his owne negligence or more truely by reason of pouertie came thither in so poore a manner that hee easily put away from him all feare We haue seene him saith Valla with few followers about him liue but as for a day and he would haue perished for hunger if Eugenius had not fed him though not gratis for he wrested from him the Donation He comming to Rome to bee crowned Emperour of the Romans could not be crowned of the Pope but on condition that he should ratifie the donation of Constantine and also giue all those things anew Yea he addeth in indignation What is more contrarie than to be crowned Roman Emperour and to renounce Rome to be crowned of him whom he confesseth and as much as in him lyeth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire and to ratifie a donation which if it be true leaueth to the Emperour nothing of the Empire which I thinke children would not haue done Yea and Eugenius adiureth him before he set the Crowne on his head presently to depart Rome and to stay no longer in Italie and so hee forthwith passed the Alpes Platina in Eugenio 4. and returned into Germanie And this is it Platina hath In the beginning of his Popedome moued by the words of the Emperour Princes and Prelats he confirmed the Councel of Basil euen by his Apostolicall letters for he was so vexed with warres that he scarcely had power to breath but taking heart againe hee constantly and prudently administred all things Thus spake hee in fauour of the Popes Whereup Eugenius stoutly taketh vpon him to dissolue this Councell or to assigne another somewhere else and he publisheth his Bulls whereby he reuoketh both the Councell and Cardinall Iulian whom he had appointed to preside there who speedily returneth to him into Italie The Fathers of the Councell on the contrarie by their embassadours sundrie times beseech him That he would come and be there present himselfe otherwise by dissoluing the Councell hee would giue occasion of scandall yea they decree That reuocation can haue no place and set before him the most grieuous punishments propounded in the Councell of Constance vnlesse he would obey but if he purpose which he hideth to hold another Councell they declare openly that there can be but onely one And that if he breake it off Sess 10.11.12.26 he with his is to expect the like judgement of God as in time past fell vpon Core Dathan and Abiron schismatikes Lastly they admonish cite blame accuse and adiure him leauing no forme requisit vnobserued or done they abrogat the Cardinals by him created for to hold another Councell Sess 31.34 35. they suspend him from the Popedome depose him pronounce him a notorious schismatike periurer heretike scandalous incorrigible obstinat depriued deposed put downe and as such a one they take from him all obedience and make a Decree for the chusing another in his roome All which things in their order reach to the yeare 1439. And these things were done notwithstanding the Emperour Sigismund in the meane time was deceased who had chiefely set forward the Councell that Eugenius also with his had assigned another Councell first at Ferrara in the yeare 1438 An. 1438. and after by reason of the pestilence there transferred it in the yeare 1439 to Florence An. 1493. whither came the Emperour Palaeologus of Greece to entreat the succours of the Latines against the Turkes and for that cause as it was thought was the more pliable to the pretentions of the Romish Church But the Fathers of the Councell of Basil proceed farther to the election of a successor and prescribe beforehand the forme of the oath that hee ought to take namely To execute and obserue the Decrees of the Councells of Constance and Basil Sess 37. also to procure the celebration of generall Councels and confirmation of elections according to the Decrees of the sacred Councell of Basil They further declare the Councell of Ferrara to be vnlawfull and none at all and tearme it a Conuenticle And presently also authorise three Catholike truthes against certaine Inuectiues of Eugenius The first is That the power of a generall Councell representing the vniuersall Church Sess 38. is aboue the Pope and all other whomsoeuer is a truth of Catholike Faith Secondly That the Pope can by no meanes of his owne authoritie dissolue a generall Councell or prorogue it to another time or transferre it from one place to another without the consent thereof Thirdly That he which obstinatly repugneth the foresaid truthes is to be rudged an heretike And these they handle in a writing published expresly In the end they enter into the Conclaue and chuse for Pope Amades Duke of Sauoy absent by the name of Felix the fourth who a little before did liue an Hermits life at Ripaille vpon the lake of Lausanne In the meane time Eugenius was not idle in Italie Charles the seuenth king of France who held for the Councell of Basil had sent his gallies into the Ionicke sea for to meet Iohn Palaeologus Emperour of the East and to giue him to vnderstand in what place the lawfull Councell was held to persuade him to take land in France thence to conduct him to Basil Eugenius hauing corrupted with money the Generall of the French gallies breaketh off his course and draweth him to his part Whereupon Eugenius taketh occasion not a little to commend his Councell by the hope of making an vnion betweene the Roman and Greeke Church which notwithstanding as it seemed continued not long And so hauing dismissed his conuenticle he returneth to Rome where he is receiued with greater applause than before On the other part the Councell of Basil continuing still neuerthelesse it troubled him and truce being made betweene the kings of France and England whereby the souldiers on both parts were dismissed Eugenius taketh the occasion offered and winneth the Dolphine of France who was afterward Lewis the eleuenth who of those broken troupes gathered together to the number of thirtie thousand and more and vnder diuers pretences marcheth towards Basil but indeed with a purpose as the Historiographers of Italie doe testifie to terrifie the Fathers of the Councell for to constraine them to breake it off When these were entred on the territorie of the citie the Cantons of the Switzers ran to succour it There foure thousand Switzers sustained a violence and force neuer before heard of in a conflict that continued till night of the Switzers fighting it out euen to the last gaspe there hardly escaped an hundred and fiftie
of God Hypocrites they oppresse the good persecute the humble seruants of Christ imprison and burne them for that they reproue their voluptuousnesse Such men murdered Christ the Apostles and Martyrs reputing them for herotikes for that they taxed their sinnes And indeed the histories of all nations are ful of the crueltie which in this age was vsed toward the professors of this truth 63. PROGRESSION Felix the fourth voluntarily deposeth himselfe and Nicholas the fift remaineth sole Pope Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes taketh Constantinople with the slaughter of many thousand Christians and the miserable death of the Emperour Paleologus Of the pride and corruption of Aeneas Syluius called Pius the second after he became Pope NOw after the death of Eugenius in the yeare 1447 Thomas de Sorzana was created Pope by the name of Nicholas the fift whilest Felix the fourth yet liued and raigned vpon which occasion many nations remained in neutralitie namely Germanie vnder the Emperour Frederick the third whose Secretarie Aeneas Syluius was of whom we haue before made mention one of the most notable defenders of the Councell of Basil Him had Eugenius knowing his excellent wit endeuoured by promises to bind vnto him but being preuented by death Nicholas continued the same batterie and that so much the more for that he had heard that Frederick had a purpose to come into Italie to bee crowned at Rome Frederick then by the persuasion of Aeneas Syluius who had gotten into great fauour with him vndertaketh that purposed businesse and fully finisheth it And Nicholas to content the Germans consenteth to certaine agreements contained in the Bull which beginneth Ad sacram Petri sedem dated in Aprill 1447. In which namely are the Annates brought to some order and generally are approued and ratified all the prouisions and expeditions of whatsoeuer kind as well of the Councell of Basil yet continued at Basil as of Felix the fourth also other censures excommunications Anathemaes and their releasements c. by the Bull which beginneth Vt pacis dated in Iulie 1449. By which meanes Nicholas remained sole Pope Felix voluntarily deposing himselfe from the dignitie Monstrelet vol. 3. whom hee appointeth his Legat in Germanie And so was the Councell dissolued And all this was done by the mediation of the kings of France and England of Renatâ—â— king of Sicilie and Lewis the Dolphine The title of this Bull in the volumes of Councels is The approbation of the Acts of the Councell of Basil Yet because they hardly approue the same they set before it this other title The Councell of Basil is of little force Summa Constitut c. Meaning though it say nothing that all the things whatsoeuer which are not expressed in the same Bull are thereby disallowed as namely the sentence whereby the Councell is decreed to be aboue the Pope and others more of the like nature Neuerthelesse the force of our argument remaineth still firme That Martin the fift was created Pope onely by vertue of the like sentence giuen at Constance and otherwise had not beene That Eugenius was chosen by the Cardinals whom Martin had made and since Nicholas by them which Martin and Eugenius had promoted and consequently all their successors after them Therefore these are not true Popes nor lawfull Pastors which they haue ordained vnlesse these Councels remaine lawfull vnlesse their sentences keepe their authoritie Nicholas hasted to finish this agreement with the Emperour because of the yere of Iubilie at hand the market whereof would be much hindered otherwise vnto which was made from all parts so great a concourse that Platina recordeth Platina in Nichol. 5. when once out of the Vatican hauing seene the image of our Sauiour they returned to the citie a certaine mule of Peter Barbo Cardinall of S. Marke was met and stopped when none of the passengers by reason of the multitude following was able to giue place so that one another falling vpon the mule it was oppressed of the multitude and two hundred men and three horses were troden downe and choaked on the bridge of Hadrian Many also falling from the bridge into the riuer perished in the waters The yeare following Frederick arriued in Italie partly for to be crowned and partly for to marrie Leonora daughter of the king of Portugall Nicholas in the meane time being in great care and doubt least he mindfull of the auntient authoritie of Emperours would take vpon him the rule of the citie fortified the gates and the Towers the Capitol also and the castle of S. Angelo and to content the people with some shew of Magistracie he appointed thirteeen Marshals to command in xiij quarters of the citie to each of which he gaue a purble robe But Frederick fearing new commotions in Germanie made no shew of any such thing At that time Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes prepared himselfe to besiege Constantinople chiefe citie of the Christian Empire in the East and Nicholas made large promises of ayd to Constantine Paleologus so that he would ioyne himselfe to the Catholike faith that is to say make him be acknowledged supreame Bishop by the Greekes and to this end he sendeth Embassadour to him Isidore Bishop of Russia who after the Councell of Florence was ended had remained in Italie for a Cardinals hat to that end giuen him but this businesse alreadie attempted so many ages in vayne was of greater weight and consequence than could be vpon the verie instant suddenly by tumult determined So that this Emperour being brought into great extremities in that verie yeare 1453 in the moneth of May the citie being taken by force hee miserably lost his life with many thousands of men to the great dishonour and dammage of all Christendome Antonin part 3. Tit. 22. c. 13. Antoninus who liued then When the citie of Constantinople saith he was besieged by the Turkes the Greekes sent Embassadors to Pope Nicholas imploring his succours of men and money whom Nicholas would not heare thinking it a thing vnworthie to burthen Italie with impositions being alreadie exhausted of money for expenses of the warres especially for that he knew they might helpe themselues with their money if they would employ it for the leuying of souldiers A goodly consideration as if for lesser causes his predecessours had not often published many a Croisado euen against Christian Emperours and Princes But the truth is he did it of purpose to make a gaine out of his extreame daunger to get to himselfe a soueraigne commaund ouer the Greekes which is more than Antoninus durst say In the meane time that hee might turne the destruction of the Greekish Church to his owne commoditie he createth Bessarioâ— a Greeke bishop of Nice whom Eugenius had made Cardinall Patriarke of Greece on condition that he should depend vpon him though the Greekes had chosen Gennadius Scholarius who in the middest of those calamities exercised that dignitie Bodin in Demonomania Jacob. Sprenger in malleo
earnestly bent and ouer hastie that he neuer thought any thing done with speed ynough but euer kindled with furie cried out to the captaines and chose his owne lodging amongst the ordnance insomuch that in his kitchin two of his seruants were slaine with a shot whatsoeuer his Cardinals could persuade to the contrarie telling him That hereby both his owne person and the whole See were made a scandall and a laughing stocke to the whole world And therefore saith Monstrelet to this purpose He left the chaire of S. Peter and tooke vpon him the title of Mars the god of war displaying in the field his triple crowne and spending his nights in the watch How goodlie a thing it was to see the Myters Crosses and Crosier-staues flying vp and downe the field God he knoweth It is not likely any Diuels could be there where blessings were sold at so base a price Mirandula being taken he set forward with his armie against Ferrara and neglecting these conditions that the Emperor offered and the counsel of Ferdinand of Spain his friend he persisted in his determination Wherupon it was thought good to cite him to the Councel of Pisa on the one side those fiue Cardinals with the Prelats of Fraunce and Germanie vrging it as beeing a man notoriously scandalous incorrigible a stirrer vp of warres and altogether vnfit to rule the Popedome for which cause the authoritie of calling a Councell was diuolued vnto them on the other side king Lewis the twelfth being readie by force and if need were to march against him with his armie in his owne person notwithstanding he had no assistance from Maximilian who hauing made a truce with the Pope was therefore by the writers of that age condemned of inconstancie It is worthie the noting that by the commaund of Lewis there was money coyned in Fraunce which yet remaineth in the custodie of some in the one side wherof there was this mot I will destroy Babylon and in some I will destroy the name of Babylon that it might seeme no new thing to any that Rome is Babylon to vs hauing so great an Authour euen the Father of Fraunce Iulius therefore created eight new Cardinals that he might thereby win vnto him other Princes contrary to that he had promised at his election Triuultius therefore the leader of the French forces hauing freed Ferrara from feare taken Bononia publiquely fastened his placarts whereby Iulius was cited to Pisa he retired himselfe in despaire to Rome no lesse wounded in his mind that the Duke of Vrbin his Nephew had stabbed the Cardinall of Pauia his Legat and inward friend in a manner before his eyes for his many and monstrous wickednesse saith Guicciardine worthie the greatest and most grieuous punishment Then gathering heart he confirmed his truces mollified the mind of the Emperour woon him from the alliance of Fraunce and thinking now he had ouercome all difficulties he applied his thoughts onely to Lewis thundring against him with his excommunications and interdicting his kingdome But our Clergie yeelding him neuer the more obedience proceed still in setting forward the Councell of Pisa which at the last was thought to be more safe and commodious to transferre to Milan where againe these good Cardinals got no better reputation than Iulius at Rome At length Iulius with his confederats raised an armie which doubtlesse would daily encrease greater by reason of the jealousie that many Princes had of the greatnesse of Fraunce and aboue all the Spaniard for fear of the realm of Naples which the French pretended a right vnto But king Lewis seeing himselfe alone against so many enemies either open or readie shortly to declare themselues resolued to win time and commaunded Gaston de Foix his Lieutenant generall in the Duchie of Milan to omit no occasion of fighting with the Popes armie wherein if he got the victorie he should with all speed march to Rome and there assaile the Pope without any reuerence towards him Yet notwithstanding that it might be estemed he did it lawfully and by good right he doth all by the authoritie of the Councell which appointed their Legat in the armie who receiued in the name thereof the cities conquered in the warre This was the Cardinall of S. Seuerin ordayned by the Cardinals Legat of Bononia A man saith our Authour more adicted to warre Guicciard l. 10 than religion Therefore Gaston after some notable exploits of armes for to draw the Popes armie to battaile besieged Rauenna In the meane time Iulius armie came to succour it vnder the conduct of Iohn de Medicis after Leo the tenth exiled from Florence whom he had aduanced chiefely in hatred of the Florentines But Gaston marched against them and vpon an Easter day gaue them battell wherein he obtayned that so renowned victorie of Rauenna The Legat taken and the most part of the commaunders of the armie vpon the first newes thereof Iulius despairing was readie to forsake Rome but the death of Gaston interrupted the course of the victorie and so gaue him time to breath and settle himselfe in his seat And that so much the more for that the Mareschal de la Palice with the French forces which he commaunded after the death of Gaston was called backe into Fraunce to oppose themselues against the Switzers who partly in fauour of Iulius partly moued by their owne commoditie had spred themselues ouer Bourgundie Now he turned this victorie obtayned by the French men to his owne commoditie by setting before the eyes of all Princes of how great moment it was that the power of the French men should be repressed This he doth with the States of Italie chiefely the Duke of Ferrara and the Florentines to withdraw them from their league with France he blameth the kings indiscretion who not knowing how to vse his good fortune had withdrawne his succours and abandoned his confederats to his discretion And now he onely spake of shaking off the Arragonois and of driuing the Spanish forces out of Italie or defeating them by whose helpe notwithstanding he had beene maintayned in his aduersitie for to procure to himselfe the kingdome of Naples Lastly he thought himselfe in sufficient safetie by the friendship and confederacie of the Switzers Moreouer he now openly despised the Councell of Pisa which had beene translated to Milan because it was onely maintayned by the French forces who had now ynough to doe to defend their owne and taking againe courage opposed vnto it another Councell at Lateran excommunicating all them that adhered to that of Pisa and king Lewis by name from whom by his Bull set forth be tooke away the title of Most-Christian transferring it to the king of England whom he solicited to make warre against Fraunce the kingdome whereof by the Councell of Lateran and in an expresse Bull he exposed to him that would first inuade it But amidst such and so great thoughts saith Guicciardine and others perhaps greater more secret for nothing so