helpe made no such great account of vs nor we of him but that these amities brust forth many times into open warre and contention Those of the kings Councell and of the bodie of the Parliament shewed him how diuersly the Pope and his adherents sought to infringe and cut off his prerogatiues The kings officers complaine that all iurisdiction was transferred from the royall tribunal to sacred decisions That many more temporall causes and controuersies betweene temporall men were heard and adiudged by the Bishops and other Priests than by the kings officers and Iudges Whosoeuer in any thing stood not to the censure of the Prelats he was expelled the Church remoued from communicating with the godlie and it was come to that passe as euen for debt when the partie was altogether vnable he was interdicted water fire Wherfore the deputies of the Prelats and Clergie were commaunded to appeare in the moneth of December at Bois de Vincennes neere Paris there Master Peter de Cugnieres the kings Atturney defended his Soueraignes cause and producing those words of our Sauiour in Saint Mathew Giue to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods he argued the distinction betwixt the jurisdiction spirituall and temporall verie worthie of obseruation of which the one belonged to the ciuile Magistrat the other to the Church which could not interpose her selfe in matters temporall without mingling heauen and earth together and entangling the whole earth in an vtter confusion His speech hee also confirmed by many apt and well applied places out of the Scriptures and the sacred Canons and insisting much vpon that text of the 22 of the Prouerbes Exceed not the auncient bounds and limits which thy fathers layed Because saith he if any customes were introduced contrarie to the same they could be of no worth nay rather they should be corruptions and Prescription can take no place against the kings royall prerogatiue neither can the king himselfe renounce these lawes and iurisdictions as may be proued by many chapters which are in the tenth Distinction If therefore saith he the king is sworne at his coronation no wayes to alienate the lawes of the kingdome and to reuoke againe those alienated so if they should be supprest or vsurpt by the Church or any other he is bound to renew and reuiue them againe And with that he brought forth a scedule comprehending sixtie six particulars wherein were expressed such aggrauations and oppressions for which the Clergie was to make satisfaction Bertram then Bishop of Hutum being to speake in behalfe of the Clergie hee ript vp the memorie of Charles the Great Lewis the Godlie and S. Lewis and other Pinces who in times past had endowed and immunified the Churches aduancing highly their glorie who had augmented Church liberties and so by many examples exaggerating their reproach and infamie who had preiudiced and impaired the same and this cause being referred for a day of hearing euen to the verie feastiuall of S. Thomas of Canturburie might fitly put the king in mind that this Thomas as on that day shed his bloud for the liberties and immunities of the Church and yet wee formerly obserued that the Diuines of Paris disputed how this Thomas was more probably to be supposed condemned because he suffered death for his rebellion But the king plainely made answer That he would haue a speciall care of all things to come Bertram vrgeth further for the better explication of himselfe when the king replied I would rather haue the liberties of the Church augmented than diminished I meane the true immunities and liberties but not vsurpations And therefore he consulted with them about the preseruation of royall rights and jurisdictions in hatred of which fact they endeuoured to depraue the memorie of Peter de Cognieres This is he who in a corner of our Ladies Church in Paris is commonly called Master Peter de Cogniet An Epistle of Lucifer to the Pope and Roman Church fel fit with these times Epist Luciferi ad Papam Some thinke it was written vnder Philip the Faire but because in some exemplaries it is said to be dated in the yeare of his Palace ouerthrowne 1351 Here seemes in the originall to be some error in computation of the yeares about the yeare from Christs birth 1318 it is referred to that yeare Lucifer is in it brought in discoursing How in times past Christs vicar preaching the word in pouertie of life the world was so conuerted that Erebus was turned into Eremum Hell into Hermitage but he had caried the matter so wisely as to suborne in their places those that should with both their clookes lay hold of worldlie kingdomes which Christ heretofore refused being offered him that therefore they should not now teach as he and his Apostles did Reddite Caesari quae sunt Caesaris c. Subiecti estote Principibus but seising both on spirituall and temporall things they should assume vnto themselues both swords endeuoring proudly to beare rule ouer Princes themselues And hereupon came in all excesse pride wantonnesse wicked deuises and simonie which carried that sway as he plentifully laid open that what aunciently in times past had beene forespoken by the Prophets was completely fulfilled The Church of Rome is become the Synagogue of Sathan The purpled harlot hath committed fornication with the kings of the earth Of a mother she is become a stepmother and of a Bride an adulteresse forgetting her originall charitie and chastitie and principally ruinating the Christian Faith which before she built vp and erected Then hee exhorts the Pope vehemently to perseuere in these offices Because saith he we are about to send forth Antichrist for whom all these treasures are to be reserued in the meane while we would haue you to be our Vicars c. They that spake so broadly in generall of the Roman Church what thought they suppose you of many her particular abuses Hereunto we may adde That Iohn Mandeuil an English man a writer verie neere to those times said Pope Iohn sent to the Grecians exhorting them to bee vnited to him and the Roman Church for the knowne and accustomed reasons of that plenarie power graunted vnto him ouer all the Church in the person of Saint Peter But they answered him laconically We vndoubtedly beleeue thy Soueraigne power ouer those that are subiect to thee but wee cannot endure thy extreame pride nor are we able to satisfie thy greedie auarice The diuell be with thee for God is with vs. 58. PROGRESSION Benedict the twelfth succeeded Iohn He holds the See while the yeare 1342 when as Clement the sixt came to the chaire after him Lewis the Emperour dyes and after some opposition Charles sonne to the king of Bohemia obtaines the Diademe Imperiall BEnedict the twelfth succeeded Iohn the Cardinalls hauing been sixteene daies in the Conclaue before they could agree vpon an election at last they resolued either for enuie or in despight one of another to
bringeth him to Naples Lib. 1. c. â3 â4 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 Sweâe 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 gaâded 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
53. 54. There a certaine bishop of Arragon a great Doctour of Diuinitie in a solemne Sermon chose for his text that of the Apostle Purge the old leauen c. wherein he feared not to say That they were no more Popes than his old shooes worse than Annas and Carphas yea to be compared to the Diuels of hell Whereby let the Reader judge of those Archbishops Prelats that he ordayned and of those things that by them were done whom he ordayned The selfesame is to be read in the letters of the Embassadours of the Vniuersitie of Paris to their Lords and Masters That the neutrallitie and subtraction of obedience was good and lawfull and the processe and sentences of the competitors against those that had withdrawne themselues iustly pronounced to be of no force Approuing in all respects the sentence of the Vniuersitie As there is likewise extant the definitiue sentence against both the contendants for their horrible sinnes and a reuocation of all their acts in the yeare last past with the Epistle of Alexander the fifth to the Bishop of Paris Cap. 67. who expresly pronounced them the enemies of God and his Church for their grieuous and horrible notorious sinnes Iohn the foure and twentieth alias the three and twentieth the successour of Alexander in the yeare 1410 sent his Legats namely the Archbishop of Pisa to demaund the Tenthes due in the vacancie procurations and mortuaries An. 1410. Bochell l. 2. Decret Eccles Gallicanae p. 323.324 Jdem l. 4 p. 51.52.53 54.55.56 ex ijsdem The Vniuersitie assembled at the Bernerdins the three and twentieth of Nouember and calling vnto them such Prelats as were then at Paris concluded that those Lawes and ordinances aboue mentioned made in the yeare 1406 were to be defended that is to say That the Church of Fraunce was freed from all tenthes procurations and other subsidies and annuities whatsoeuer And if the Pope or his Legats shall constrain any man by ecclesiastical censure to pay them that it shold be lawfull to appeale from them to a generall Councell And if any of the collectors shall goe about to exact them they are to be punished with the losse of their goods if they haue any if not with imprisonment They humblie besought the king and the Councell thus to determine the matter and his Proctor generall to joyne with the sayd Vniuersitie But if the Pope should alledge some manifest necessitie of the Church that a Councell should be called wherein some charitable subsidie should be determined of which honest men chosen by the Councell should gather and being gathered by the authoritie thereof distribute it The Munday following there was called a royall Councell where the Archbishop deliuered vnto them That what he demaunded was due to the Apostolike chamber by law Diuine canon ciuile and naturall which whomsoeuer should denie to pay was no Christian Let the Reader here note the definition of a Christian The Rector interrupting him affirmed That these words were pronounced to the dishonour of the king and the Vniuersitie and consequently of the whole realme Wherefore the thirtieth of Nouember he called a generall congregation wherein it was agreed to send Orators to the king to request that the Legat might be commaunded to reuoke his words and if he should refuse to doe it that then the professours graduats of Diuinitie and Law should write against him vpon the Articles of the faith That both he and his Colleagues might according to their desart be punished That they would likewise write to all other Vniuersities and Prelats to ioyne with them in this controuersie and to the Archbishop of Rheimes likewise and others of the kings grand Councell to that purpose who haue bin sworne to the sayd Vniuersitie otherwise to be depriued that dignitie Whereupon the Popes Legats departed without taking their leaue Neuerthelesse the Pope is nothing at all herewith discomfited but sendeth his Legats againe to the king to require the Tenths imposed vpon Fraunce who pronounced in the kings Councell the duke of Aquitan being present That not only the Church of Fraunce but all others whatsoeuer were bound to this subsidie not onely by the positiue law but also by the law of God The Vniuersitie withstood it and in a congregation concluded That the manner in demaunding this subsidie was to be reproued as vniust and contrarie to the law before made in the yeare 1406 which they were resolued to defend And if the Pope or his Legats should proceed any farther that they would then appeale to the generall Councell of the Church and if the gouernours of the new king and kingdome should attempt any thing against the sayd law they would appeale to the king and the Lords of his Councell And if any of the Vniuersitie it selfe should goe about to gather these tenthes he was to lose his rights and priuiledges if other his temporalties if he had any if not to suffer imprisonment But if the Pope by way of charitie would gather this money then the Vniuersitie would beseech his Maiestie that the Prelats of the kingdome might be called to deliberat First What was to be handled in the next generall Councell Secondly What answer was to be made to the supplication of the Popes Legats Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 67. So that if a subsidy should be granted that it might be gathered by some chosen honest men of the kingdome for the vnion of the Greekes and Latines the peace of the kingdome of England the recouerie of Palestina and for the preaching of the Gospell to all creatures since these were the ends for which the Pope as his owne Legats did affirme did leuie this subsidie In all which they humbly beseech the Lords of the Parliament and the kings Proctors to yeeld them their helping hand and to joyne with them Whereupon the Archbishop of Pisa carried himselfe more humbly towards the Vniuersitie and began to flatter the principall amongst them that hee might win them to deale more mildly with him but it was to small purpose for the Vniuersitie continued still constant though the greater part of the Nobles yea the Princes themselues began to faint in their resolutions An. 1416. Here is fit place to speake of the Councell of Constance wherein in the yeare 1416 a bill was exhibited in the name of the Church of France and the Vniuersitie of Paris called Apostoli because Charles the sixt by a Decree of the Court of Parliament and an Edict following thereupon had forbid annuities to be paid It was otherwise called De Annatis non soluendis Which bill was so much the more necessarie because the Cardinals going about to put downe the Antipopes endeuoured neuerthelesse to retaine their gaineful arts and inuentions especially these annuities which their promoters with their reasons likewise defended There it was disputed by our Diuines That those annuities were not due either by the law of God or man That they were extraordinarily granted to
satisfie thee herein if I can Thou wouldest know when Antichrist inuaded this chayre which for a long time hee coueted and now possesseth It was necessarie that the Palladium le Garde corps of the Church should first be stollen before he could be receiued before that fatall horse could be admitted The word of God the Candlesticke of the holie Scriptures must first bee hid vnder a bushell before the theefe durst creepe in or make any assault vpon the Church which still continuing in force in vaine could that sinke of superstitions besiege it but we kept it farre off from our Troy our rampiers our territories much more from the porch the Temple the Sanctuarie of the Lord. That old Dragon vnder the colour of a not written word cunningly and closely brought in Traditions to betray the Church which the wisedome of the flesh their neere alliance better agreeing with carnall reason did willingly and with good countenance receiue equalled them with the Written word the sacred oracles made them sit cheeke by cheeke with them This law of equalitie being often attempted in the seuenth age and seuenth Idolatrous Synod it was established yea and by vertue thereof Traditions preferred before the Word opposed against it Then Simon rather vnder the name than shape of Simon began to appeare by diuers cunning deuices couering his treacherie persuading vs to receiue that dangerous engine that Troian horse that Epitome as it were of all the Painims impieties into the place of our Palladium the word of God Capis then and diuers others who were of a sounder iudgement fearing their subtilties and finding them cried out to haue it burnt The most famous Fathers of the Church throughout the world foretold threatened the euill to come resisted banded themselues against it But you vnaduised or rather ill aduised ita ferentibus fatis being necessarie that the Prophesies should be fulfilled in their due time Diuiditis muros moenia panditis vrbis Et licet Vtero sonitum quater arma dedêre Diuide your walls and make them plaine euen with the ground Though foure times the armor in his bellie did sound Nothing regarding either the aduertisements of the Apostles the counsell of the Fathers of the Church or the suspitions that it gaue of it selfe But Instantes operi immemores caecique furore Hoc monstram infoelix sacrata sistitis Arce Blind with furie the more is the pitie You place this monster within your citie From thence forward he put all to fire and sword in the citie ransacked the Church polluted the holie things left nothing vntouched with the infectious hands of his Harpies powred out of that fatall horse all manner of superstitious seruices in the Church calling this horse although a marke of the Greekes the Troian horse These superstitions Catholike Orthodoxall because consecrated and hallowed these are their owne words by the Popes though from their bginning they were Heathenish and Idolatrous Now in the middest of this fire this vniuersall confusion thy neighbours house being on fire nay thine owne nay thy beard being singed thou gapest stretchest thy selfe as if thou were halfe asleepe thou cauillest and disputest where it first tooke fire where it began and in the meane time thou burnest thy selfe Wise Antenor deuout Aeneas did not so but breaking through the Grecian troupes got themselues out of the citie with their fellowes gathered together what they could and to sea they goe and putting themselues into the first ships they met with hoyse vp sayles to seeke a new countrey and find it and there they settle being stil Troians whither soeuer they went in what place soeuer they rested carrying with them their houshold gods and the ensignes of their countrey Being still Christians professors of the Catholike faith carrying with them the word of God vntouched by the fire of the Greeks keeping the Sacraments of our Lord sound and pure The Grecians are no Troians though they hold the place and possesse it whatsoeuer title they alledge neither art thou that hast yeelded thy selfe forsaken thy countrey a true Christian since the enemie is where Troy was Antichrist where Christ was furious in the middest of the Temple as once Antiochus was sacrilegious euen betweene the Altars the sacrifices Doe you yet doubt my brethren heare what S. Iohn saith Apocal. 13. v. 5. 2. Thess 2. v. 4. And there was giuen vnto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies S. Paule likewise Hee doth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Hearken now and behold Paul 5 your Pope at this day Lib. Benedicti de Benedictis Bononiae excusus Anno 16â8 Jtem Thes Caraffae Neapoli excusae 1609. He is placed in the beginning of the books lately printed counterfeited as it were in a table euen to the life with this inscription PAVLO V. VICEDEO to Paule the 5 Gods Vicegerent The inuincible Monarch of the Christian Commonwealth and the most valiant Protector of the Pontificall power And in the same stile we read at Tolentine To Paul 3 The most great and excellent God on earth The scepters and diademes of Princes Kings and Emperours are his Trophes who stand about him beholding him with astonishment bowing downeward strooken with his lightning adoring him with this inscription ouer his head His countenance presageth an Empire The word of God soundeth on euery side but God knowes strangely wrested and applyed The nation and kingdome which will not serue him I will visit saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence Ierem 27. That which was once foretold of Nabuchadnezzar the destroyer of the Church he like another Caiphas applyeth to himselfe and will haue it fulfilled in him the Alastor and vsurper of the Christian Church Againe He gaue him dominion and honor and a Kingdome and all the people shall serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his Kingdome shall neuer be destroyed Dan. 7 With their faces towards the earth they shall licke the dust of thy feet Esay 49.23 That which was spoken of Christ onelie the eternall sonne of God gouerning his Church and to be applied to no man else is without blasphemy communicated to others These things were done by the commaund of the Superiors and printed at Bononia and at Naples And that not rashly or by the priuat endeuors and inconsiderat zeale of some priuat men but by a decree of the Popes Senat the matter solemnly deliberated and in Loco Maiorum in the presence of Paul himselfe in a famous assembly of Cardinals and a great concourse of people disputed and determined Here Reader thou beginnest to bend thy browes but they are not secrets that I vtter Rome knowes these things and these monsters are set out to the view of euery man And thou art a great stranger in thine owne Church if thou knowest them not a traytor to thy selfe if knowing them
Paul and borrowing as Saint Iohn speaketh the hornes of a Lambe that is as a seruant of God and vnder colour of his seruice for otherwise euerie man would haue shut gates against him And this is that which all the Fathers aimed at Origen in Matt. tract 27. Origen saith Antichrist hath nothing of Christ but the verie âame he neither doth his deeds neither teacheth his doctrine Christ is truth it selfe Idem in Matt. tract 24. and Antichrist a counterfeit And to the end saith he that he may haue some colour to exalt himselfe aboue God he taketh the testimonies of his false doctrines out of the Scriptures to deceiue those who will not otherwise be satisfied Hee taketh possession of the chaire of the Scriptures he builds vpon them and from thence sheweth himselfe as God Which when and so often as I read me thinke I heare him come in with his Tibi dabo with his Pasce oues meas with Oram pro te Petre and the like Saint Ciprian also He shall teach saith he infidelitie vnder a shew of faith Cypr. epist 7. the night for the day destruction for saluation and Antichrist vnder the name of Christ August in Apocal Hom. 11. And we read saith Saint Augustine in the Apocalips that the Beast hath two hornes like a Lamb that is two Testaments like the Church thereby the more easily to shed out the poyson of Antichrist vnder the name of Christ And Saint Ierome yet more particularly Hieron in Dan. c. 13. according to the interpretation of Symmachus saith That Antichrist shall speake as God He shall attribute to himselfe as well the words as the power of his Maiestie Hee shall goe about to change the lawes and ceremonies instituted by God to enthrall all religion to his owne authoritie And in another place He shall change saith he Idem in 2. ad Thessal c. 2. and seeke to encrease the Sacraments of the Church Now therefore seeing that the Pope maketh himselfe to be called The most holie Father seeing he deposeth kings new moulds at his pleasure all Religion all Commaundements all Sacraments instituted by God may we not say that Saint Ierome prophesied And thus you see how these predictions of Saint Paul and of Saint Iohn were vnderstood by the ancient holie Fathers of the Church This Mysterie therefore of iniquitie which our age now beholdeth in her height and exaltation began to worke and to set it selfe forward euen in S. Paules time This monster of pride was alreadie conceiued in the mind of Satan shewing it selfe in mens ambition From hence proceeded those sidings in the Church I am of Paul I am of Apollo I am of Cephas and I am of Christ And what 1 Cor. c. 1. v. 12. 13. sayth Paul Is Christ diuided or was Paul crucified for you The like would he haue said of Cephas and Cephas of himselfe But Paul to reserue all entirely vnto Christ speaketh cleerly and saith He that planteth is nothing and he which watereth is nothing Ib. c. 3. v. 7. 8. but God which giueth the encrease as for those others they were all one and seruants in the same degree And farther to cut off all pretence of inequalitie Gal. 2. v. 6. I was nothing different saith he from those which seemed to be some bodie They which seemed to be great added nothing to me aboue that which I had before and who were they but Iames and Cephas and Iohn which were accounted pillars of the Church Who also acknowledged saith he that the Gospell of the vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospell of the circumcision was vnto Peter and therefore gaue vnto me and vnto Barnabas the right hand of fellowship in all which no one jot of superioritie is to be found And farther in another place he saith From Hierusalem to Illiricum Rom. c. 15. v. 19. 20. I haue made to abound the Gospell of Christ and not there where he had beene alreadie preached that I might not seeme to haue built vpon another mans foundation much lesse therefore did he preach by another mans commission And Cephas himselfe that is Saint Peter putteth off from himselfe and others this claime of superioritie where he saith I beseech the Elders which are among you 1. Pet. 5. v 1.2.3 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I that am a fellow Priest or Elder with you And againe Feed saith he the flocke committed to your charge c. not domineering ouer the heritage of the Lord But that yee may bee ensamples to the flocke decked as he speaketh afterward with humilitie because God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Math. cap. 20. vers 25. 26. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Baron Annal. to 1. an 34. art 275. idem an 57. to 1. art 39. As well remembring the lesson of his Lord whose tearme he vseth You know saith Christ that the Princes of the earth lord it ouer them but saith he it shall not be so with you you shall not doe so ouer my Church ouer mine inheritance Far and wide is this from that claime which Baronius maketh in the Popes behalfe where he saith That Christ after his resurrection translated vpon the Popes both Priesthood and Kingdome and that this was signified by that shadow of Saint Peter whereby the sicke were healed namely that the Popes should alwayes haue the same power which Saint Peter had though neuer so farre different from him in life and conuersation because they should euer retaine the shadow And what is it now that they would conclude out of this shadow no power to heale the sicke but to destroy kings and kingdomes for what other miracles haue they wrought these thousand yeares But shortly after the death of the Apostles this ambition began to sway more violently in the Church And true in this poynt as also in many others is that saying of Hegesippus Euseb lib. 3. c. 26. lib. 4. c. 21. as Eusebius reporteth him That to the times of Traian or thereabouts the Church continued cleane and vndefiled as a virgine but since that sacred companie was taken out of the world the conspiracie of iniquitie began to worke with open face And this fell out about the yeare one hundred since which time what progression this Iniquitie hath made vntill these our dayes we will here set downe as we find recorded in the Histories of the times 1. PROGRESSION Of the difference which fell betweene the Churches of the East and of the West conâerning the obseruation of Easter day ABout the yeare 195 touching the Feast of Easter whether it should be held vpon the foureteenth day of the Moone after the Iewish manner or rather vpon the Sunday following diuers Synods were assembled and different decisions made those of Palestina Rome Corinth France Osroene and Pontus held for the Sunday and those of the lesser Asia for the foureteenth day of the Moon the first pretending
doe otherwise than this were to thrust thy sickle into another mans corne Wherefore what euer is to be done by authoritie leaue vnto the Bishop of Arles whose iurisdiction reacheth as far as to Lions The like may be said of that Pall which they say was sent to Siagrius Bishop of Authun and many such forgeries may we find in those Epistles as we may ghesse by the priuiledge there granted to S. Medard Bishop of Soissons bearing date the yeare 593 Indictione 2 whereunto Theodoric his hand is set as if he had beene then raigning in Soissons who yet was neuer there and was scarce of age to speake at what time that priuiledge beareth date neither did the Popes of that time date after the manner which is there expressed But this I say that Gregorie had that name of Vniuersal Bishop in such abhomination that as he condemned it in another so he would neuer accept thereof in himselfe being verily persuaded that whensoeuer it came to be accepted the morrow after Antichrist should set foot into the Church It remaineth now that we see what Baronius replieth to all this Baron vol. 8. an 595. art 27. Saint Gregorie saith he imitated our Sauiour who stroue not with Sathan in his diuine Maiestie but in the humble and low estate of his flesh A weake ward to beare off so great a blow for did Christ to ouerthrow Sathan play Sathan himselfe For what else did Gregorie when he called euerie man the forerunner of Antichrist and Sathan himselfe if in the meane time he reserued this high Title and prerogatiue to himselfe Secondly he saith That Gregorie would not indeed be called Vniuersall Ib. art 32 33 34 as Father of all the world because the other Bishops were not his children but his brethren But in another sence saith he he doth not refuse it namely that they remaining his brethren and fellow Bishops he might yet bee reputed and taken as superiour vnto all In which sence he calleth himselfe by that Title in his Epistle Of the Priuiledges of Saint Medard to all Bishops But I would learne where they can find a ground for this distinction in Saint Gregories owne words seeing that he so often repeateth these and the like words That none would euer be called by that name and taketh offence that his brethren the Patriarches call him so and reckoneth thereof as of a great wrong done vnto him Me thinke so great an Annalist should haue brought some better proofe than that priuiledge of S. Medard which who so doth but see it condemneth presently as a fable and which himselfe confesseth to be subscribed by those Bishops which were not at that time created Bishops namely by Augustine Bishop of Canterburie and Mellitus Bishop of London whereas they were not yet passed ouer into England And how came Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria to subscribe this priuiledge Neither did Theodoric at that time raigne in France as Baronius himselfe confesseth Ib. art 81. an 593. but Childebert and Gontran And who can warrant vs that there is more truth in the priuiledge it selfe than there is in the subscription or is not the falshood of the subscription ynough to ouerthrow the instrument it selfe And yet is he not ashamed of this false coyne clipt by himselfe and rounded at his pleasure but vseth this forged instrument not onely as a law to bind vs poore men withall but euen as a definitiue sentence against the liues and Crownes of Princes For saith hee Gregorie pronounceth That Sedes Roma speculationem suam toti orbi indicit i. The See of Rome enioyneth her speculation to all the world and sendeth out her new constitutions vnto all Perfect good Latine no doubt but he goeth on If any King Bishop or Iudge violate or infringe the Decrees of our Apostolike authoritie and of this our commaundement of what degree or estate soeuer he be let him be depriued of his honour and cut off from the communion of Christ that is saith Baronius Kings from their kingdomes for violating the priuiledge of one poore hospitall Greg. 7. li. 8. Epist 21. li. 4. Epist 2. 23. And so did Gregorie the seuenth vnderstand and extend these words And is it then possible that hauing himselfe cried downe this Epistle he will now so much enhaunce the price of this base coyne Thirdly saith he when Pelagius predecessor vnto Gregorie saith in his first Epistle That no Patriarch may presume to vse this prophane name his meaning was that none of the foure Patriarches of the East should vse it to the exclusion of him of Rome that is in effect to take it from them and to appropriat it to himselfe And for proofe he alledgeth a certaine Epistle of Gregorie to Natalis where indeed he speaketh of foure Patriarches Epist 37. li. 2. but not a word to this purpose But not to goe farther a man that readeth the text it selfe had need to blush for him which cannot blush for himselfe for these words follow immediatly vpon the former Pela 2. Epist 1. ad vniuers Epise If saith he the Soueraigne and chiefe Patriarch such as hee supposeth himselfe to be in all that Epistle be called Vniuersall then is the name of Patriarch taken from all others but farre be this from the thought of a Christian Which then of these two did he Did he giue the Title of Soueraigne Patriarch to any one of the Patriarches of the East or did he denie himselfe to be a Christian or when he forbiddeth them to giue this Title of Vniuersall to any man doth he exclude himselfe out of the number of men Fourthly he saith That this verie Iohn of Constantinople Baron vol. 8. an 565. art 34. who chalenged this Title yet still acknowledged Gregorie as Head or Chiefe aboue him as appeareth saith he in the case of Iohn of Chalcedon which stood condemned of Heresie and yet Iohn of Constantinople suffered him to carrie his cause by Appeale to Rome and for proofe hereof alledgeth the Epistles of Gregorie to Iohn of Constantinople Greg. Epist 52. 64. li. 2. and vnto Narses It is true that in the former of those Epistles he complaineth That whereas hee hauing written to him concerning certaine wrongs done to Iohn of Chalcedon and to other Monkes of Isauria he made him answer That he knew of no such matter Wherupon he stormed and wrot to him againe That if he had made him a more direct answer he would haue sent them backe to him againe without more adoe and would neuer haue spoken of that which of right belongeth to him by the Canons which also he repeated vnto Narses Now no man euer doubted of their protections But what is all this to an Appeale to Rome seeing that there is not so much as the name either of an Appeallant or of an Appeale to be found in all those Epistles And as for those 15 16 17 Epistles of Gregorie which he citeth out of his
to passe so long as he stood vpright yet Zonaras An. 718. though a Monke and a great maintainer of Images saith no such matter no more doth Cedrenus But the Popes must haue some colour for so hauâ an enterprise Gregorie hereupon called in the Lombards against the Exarch who poasted to Rome in all hast but was repulsed by the Lombards and faine to returne vnto Rauenna and there brake off the peace betweene the Exarches and the Lombards which had continued euer since Rhotharis his time to the finall ruine of both Estates and first of that of the Exarches whose chiefe seat and citie Rauenna Luitprand king of the Lombards tooke and sacked But Gregorie liked not this sudden encrease of the Lombards power and therefore altered his course and carrying the matter verie closely got aid of the Venetians and thereby suddenly reestablished Paul in the Exarchat of Rauenna In the meane time the Emperor Leo ceased not to exhort Gregorie to forbeare the maintenance and support of Images in the Church Gregorie replied That it belonged not to the Emperour to innouat any thing in matters of faith for so he tearmed the vse of Images Neither staied he here but farther as the Histories report he solicited the Venetians and the inhabitants of Rauenna to rise in armes against the Emperour and his Exarch caused cities and townes to thrust out their lawfull magistrats Blond Dec. 1. li. 10. Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 3. and to put others of their owne choyce in their roomes persuaded the citizens of Rome to abandon him as an Heretike if he persisted in those his opinions and in the end absolued the people of Italie from their oath and allegeance to him freed their conscience forbad them to pay their tribute or to yeeld him obedience in any kind The people feeling the reines to lye loosse vpon their neckes presently murdered Paul Exarch of Rauenna pulled out Peters eyes who was Duke of Rome killed Exhilarate Duke of Campania and his sonne Zonar p. 8. 85. to 3. Cedren p. 373. 1 filled euerie corner of Italie with sedition and bloud And in conclusion finding themselues so farre ingaged in these disorders that they saw no hope of reconciliation left them with the Emperour they shooke off and first of all the citizens of Rome the yoke of the Emperour taking a solemne oath to become liege seruants obedient in all points and to all purpose Baron 9. an 726 art 34. to the Pope And here saith Baronius was an end of those Dukes and Gouernours which the Emperours were wont to send to commaund in Rome and places neere adioyning This reuolt would he faine justifie Onuphr in Annot ad Plat. in Constant vnder colour of conspiracies made against the Pope which no Author reporteth but Anastasius a domestike of the Popes And therefore Sigonius saith also That Rome and the dukedome of Rome were translated from the Grecians to the Pope of Rome by reason of their wicked Heresie and impietie What impietie saue onely that pretended sinne against the vse of Images But he goeth on and setteth downe a beadroll of places which came to the Pope by this new conquest Rome with her castles and borough townes in Tuscanie Zonar to 3. in Leo. 3. p. 85. Port Centocella Cere Bleda Matuta Sutri Nepet Castelgalesi Orta Polimarte Ameria Tuderta Perusia Narni Oricoli and in Campania di Roma Signia Cedren pa. 373. Anagnia Ferentino Alatrio Patrico Frusigno Tiuoli and in Terra di Lauoro Sora Arces Aquino Teano and Capua whereunto we may adde That Luitprand king of Lombards who at his entrie vnto his kingdome redemanded the Cottian Alpes as a part of his demaines restored them againe and confirmed the grant of Aripert hauing as good right the one as the other to grant away that which belonged to neither of them And thus by the Bishops of Rome were the Emperours thrust out of Italie whither they neuer after looked but with a sigh Onuphrius speaking of Gregorie and this his fact saith in plaine tearmes That he was more hardie than his predecessor Constantine and that he lawfully rest out of Leo the third his hands all the Empire of Italie which was not possessed by the Lombards in the yeare 729. Thus haue we seene the ruine of the Exarches It remaineth now that we shew how they suppressed the kingdome of the Lombards of whom Gregorie stood in bodily feare because Luitprand their king comming with his armie before Rome gates Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 3. had alreadie forced him to intreat for peace moreouer Gregorie saw that he was linked with Charles Martell at that time Maior of the kings house in France Blond Dec. 1. li. 10. who had sent vnto him his son Pepin with request that he would adopt him as his owne and in token thereof after the manner of the Lombards to cut off his lockes Aimon li. 4. ca. 57. which Luitprand accordingly had done though Aimonius saith He did it as his godfather and after the manner of the Christians Wherefore to preuent a mischiefe he sent vnto Charles a solemne embassage the Keyes of the holie Sepulchre and Saint Peters Chaines with other rich presents which as Aimonius saith had neuer beene heard of nor seene before vpon condition That he should free the Church of Rome from the present tyrannie of the Lombards and preferring heauenlie rewards before earthlie and transitorie respects should breake off all alliance and confederacie which he had with them Charles hereupon dispatched another embassage to Rome to ratifie an accord with the Pope whereof ensued the deliuerance of the Pope out of that imminent danger wherein he was Appendix Greg. Turmens 1. c. 110. and the vtter ruine of the Lombard State in Italie Gregorie in his Epistle vnto Charles bringeth in the Lombards speaking in this wise Let Charles now come with his French men and helpe thee if he can c. And againe Saint Peter could doe well ynough of himselfe but his purpose is to trie the courage of his children c. Howbeit Baronius would attribute this Epistle to Gregorie the third his successor Gregorie the second died in the yeare 731 and after him succeeded Gregorie the third An. 731. both in place and also in purpose Concerning Images hee decreed in a Synod of 93 Bishops That whosoeuer would not doe them religious honour should be cut off from the bodie and bloud of Christ and from the vnitie of the whole Church thereby putting Leo and his sonne out of all hope euer to reenter againe vpon Italie As for the Lombards it happened that Thrasamond Duke of Spoleto intended to rebell against Luitprand and for that purpose made alliance with Gregorie and to oblige him the more because his power was great in Italie hee surrendred vnto Gregorie certaine places which had beene formerly litigious betweene them and thereupon rise in open rebellion Luitprand presently came downe vpon him
and forced to crie to Gregorie for helpe Gregorie according to their articles receiued and defended him Luitprand summoned Gregorie to deliuer him into his hands An. 739. if not threatened to take him for an open enemie and when Gregorie refused to doe according to his summons Luitprand moued from Spoletum where he lay tooke by the way sundrie places of the Popes dominion and at length came and encamped before Rome gates Sundrie gentlemen of the citie growen wearie and scorning this new Church gouernment came ouer to Luitprand and offered him their seruice France was too farre off to helpe in time yet Charles intreated Luitprand by an embassador sent vnto him to raise his siege which he did holding onely in his hand what he had alreadie taken Luitprand was no sooner returned to Pauia but Thrasamond supported by Gregorie tooke the field againe surprising many of those cities and places which he had lost But shortly after all in one yeare died the Emperour Leo Charles Martel and Gregorie the Pope An. 741. After Gregorie succeeded Zacharie who redemaunded his places of Luitprand and tooke part as his predecessors had done with the rebels but seeing himselfe in danger entreated a parley and there got of this vertuous prince for so they tearme him what euer he desired who was contented at the Popes entreatie to giue ouer the action which he intended against the Exarch of Rauenna In like sort dealt hee with Rachis successor vnto Luitprand sometimes trying his patience and otherwhiles flying to his mercie but still abusing his deuotion vntill at length building vpon the foundation which his predecessors had laid hee resolued to ruine this ouer powerfull neighbouring Estate of the Lombards by a forreine power which though greater in it selfe yet was lesse dangerous to him and of lesse annoyance to his proceedings And the ambition of the French easily hearkened to such a motion Pepin succeeded his father Martel in his Mairaltie of the houshold and vnder this name in the royall authoritie But not content with the thing vnlesse he might also haue the Title sent to consult Zacharie Whether it were not reason that he which tooke all the paines in administration of all affaires of the kingdome should be king rather than he Aimon l. 4. c. 61. Sigon li. 3. Blond Dec. 2. li. 1. who contenting himselfe with the Title tooke care of nothing but onely in pleasures and pastimes pointing at Chilperic his Lord and Soueraigne whom he would faine haue pulled from his throne by force onely he wanted authoritie cloaked with deuotion Zacharis who vnderstoood by the halfe what the whole meant presently commaunded as saith Aâmonius by his authoritie That Pepin should be created king who was accordingly that same yeare sacred by the Archbishop Boniface the subiects discharged of their allegeance and Chilperic degraded Pope Zacharie saith Sigonius anteâposing his Decree out of the greatnesse of his authoritie What authoritie but that which was foretold vs by the Apostle of that sonne of perdition placed in the Temple of God 2. Thessal 8.4 exaltting himselfe aboue all that is called God and carrying himselfe as if be were God God saith the Prophet to whom alone it appertaineth to set vp and to pull down kings to continue kingdomes or to translate them from one stocke vnto another And Sigonius cannot hold but must needs say That he dyed hauing carried matters more for the behoofe of the Church and of the Apostolike See than according to rules of true pietie and religion And this fell out in the yeare 750. An. 750. Pepin now owed Zacharie a good turne and quickly had occasion to requite his kindnesse Rachis king of the Lombards entring into religion Aistulphus his brother who succeeded in the kingdome set vpon the Exarch of Rauenna tooke the citie made him saue himselfe in Greece And this was the period of the Exarchat after two hundred yeares space that they had borne sway in Italie This done whether Aistulph grew more insolent than before or whether a fright tooke the Pope to see such proceedings Stephen who had now succeeded Zacharie resolued for preuention to flie to Pepin And Aistulph by his predecessors examples grew wise and would not be led with words Stephen knew not whom to trust and to passe himselfe in person ouer the Alpes had beene to runne into the diuels mouth wherefore he vsed the credit of Pepin to make faire weather with him to win him to withdraw his forces and to grant him safeconduct through his countries towards France which he did and receiued him in his journey with all honour at his Court Whence he passed into France where meeting with Pepin at Pontigon An. 754. in the yere 754 exhorted him in remembrance of the kindnesse which he had receiued of Zacharie to stand Saint Peters good friend nothing came amisse vnder so plausible a name And Pepin desired no better office both in regard saith Sigonius of the kindnesse of Zacharie in degrading Chilperic making that iust and lawfull by his sacred authoritie which otherwise seemed vtterly vnlawfull as also because he desired to haue this right of succession established by Stephen vpon his two sonnes Charles and Carloman The conclusion of all was That the next Summer Pepin should passe with his armie into Italie and force Aistolph to surrender the Exarchat and all other places which he had taken And that the Pope should spend the Winter in France to annoint and sacre his two children But vpon the holding of the Parliament in France when he saw all matters sort after his desire he went a step farther and drew a promise from Pepin That he would not restore either the Exarchat or Pentapolis vnto the Emperour of Greece who had made himselfe vnworthie thereof by his cowardise and heresie but that he would bestow them vpon Saint Peter and his successors for euer for the good of his soule and for the remission of his sinnes Which Pepin sware vnto him to performe and made his two children take the same oath and he presently deliuered him a Patent thereof signed with his owne hand Pepin had no sooner set foot in Italie but Aistulph presently promised to yeeld vp the Exarchat and what euer else he had taken for performance whereof he gaue fortie hostages which were presently conueyed into France Pepin had no sooner turned his backe but Aistulph immediatly repented him of his surrender drew his forces into the field and Pepin was faine to repasse the mountaines and to hasten backe into Italie againe Then was Aistulph faine to personne his promise with effect And when the Emperor of Greece required him to restore to him the Exarchat and Pentapolis as to him properly appertaining and not vnto the Pope his answer was That he had bestowed it vpon the Church for his soules health and for the remission of his sinnes And thereupon renewed his grant to Stephen giuing him liuerie and seisin for him and his
Bishop much renowned for his pietie and learning in Bauaria for affirming That there were Antipodes as hee was indeed a man seeme in all sciences especially in the Mathematikes Which Boniface persuaded Zacharie a couple of scholers well met to condemne in him as Heresie and irreligion And thereupon were letters dispatched to Vtilo king of Bauiere to depose him from his charge To conclude this section we may not forget that this Adrian was the first that is said to haue sealed in lead as also that he laid the first stone of that doctrine which since that time hath beene so well practised by his successors to the cost of so many kings and princes Adrian in Epist ad Charo mag de Nicae Synod That if any man hold any Church goods if he refuse to restore them he is an Heretike The verie seed of so many excommunications spoyles and reuolts of subiects from their lawfull Lords and Soueraignes and vnder this colour did he animat Charlemaine against the Emperours of the East and hereupon also Leo the third tooke occasion to crowne him Emperour of the West and if we will beleeue Baronius to translate the Empire vpon him Now from this coronation of Charlemaine at Rome by Pope Leo Baronius after his accustomed boldnesse in this kind draweth in consequence a cruel and a bloudie doctrine wherein all Christian Princes haue their interest namely That the Bishop of Rome hath authoritie and power to translate Empires and kingdomes Baron vol. 9. ââ 800. art 6 7 8 sequent filling with this argument six or eight pages Leo set the Crowne vpon Charlemaines head We grant what followeth Ergo saith he Leo collated the Empire vpon him translated it from the Greekes to the French did it and had right so to doe What Reader can endure such a non sequitur as this For when the Patriarch of Constantinople was wont to crowne the Emperour or when Archbishops in other places crowne their kings doe they bestow the Empire or kingdome on them or because they are instruments vsed for the performance of this ceremonie doth it implie a power or right in them of conferring kingdomes whether hereditarie or electiue No doubt neither he that did consecrate nor he that was consecrated had euer any such opinion And therefore the Emperors crowned by the Patriarches and Charlemaine by the Pope were neuerthelesse teermed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. crowned of God as appeared in Charles by the acclamation before mentioned of the people made at his coronation Charolo à Deo coronato c. But peraduenture his authorities are better than his reasons All this saith he was according as it is written Dan. 4. The most high ruleth ouer the kingdomes of men and he giueth it to whom it pleaseth him True but how doth he proue that the Pope is God or that the most high hath surrendred his place to him And againe By me kings raigne and by me princes beare rule Prouerb 8. which words Salomon spake of the eternall wisedome of God And where doth he proue that this wisedome was hypostatically and essentially residing in the person of the Pope And yet as if he had deliuered some high point of doctrine Reader saith he consider well this matter c. and what I pray you followeth of this wide gaping but meere gallerie and cogging Secondly Who doubteth saith he but God hath giuen as great authoritie to his Church as heretofore he gaue to the Iewish Synagogues And doe we not for how Samuel translated the kingdome of Saul to Dauid Elias and Eliseus from the house of Achab to the stocke of Iehu Nothing but trickes againe for where readeth he that the Synagogue had euer right to translate the kingdome that euer it did it or medled with it And if the Pope for this purpose will needs be master of the Synagogue and circumcise himselfe yet how wil he proue vnto vs that vnto this decayed Synagogue of the Iewes the Church of Rome hath now succeeded rather than that of Ierusalem of Alexandria or of Antioch or which is more where will he shew vs That God hath spoken to him and giuen him any speciall commaund either by Oracle or by myracle or by any other way Doth he not see that this worke was altogether extraordinarie wherein the High Priest was not vsed but a Prophet and vessell elected of God for this speciall purpose which should not haue beene if the office had beene properly affected to the Synagogue And shall these men be ouer suffered thus to abuse the world Thirdly saith he it was said to Ieremie Ierem. 1. I haue set thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes to plucke vp and to destroy to plant and to build And it was also said by the Prophet Haggei The glorie of this house i. of the second Temple shall bee greater than the glorie of the first And Saint Paul saith If the ministration of condemnation i. the Law was glorious much more shall the ministrie of righteousnesse exceed in glorie meaning the ministrie of justification by faith in Christ Ergo saith Baronius much more hath the Pope power to plucke vp and to pull downe to collate and to translate kingdomes Who can but grind his teeth to heare such prophane abuse and blasphemie of the word of God For was Ieremie either Synogogue or High Priest or was he to denounce and threaten the ruine of the Iewish Estate by the Babylonians as a Priest of Anatoh or as a Prophet and was it not said vnto him when he would haue excused himselfe Ierem. â 6 9. Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet for the nations And did nor the Lord put forth his hand and touch his mouth saying Behold I haue put my words into thy mouth What can Leo and the rest of such companions alledge for themselues like vnto this And last of all doth he make no difference betweene denouncing the judgements of God as they were reuealed vnto him by speciall commaund from him and the intruding himselfe without commission to the deposing of one king and installing of another Ieremie though founded as you see vpon a greater power yet did he presume to depose Sedechias or to annoint Nabuchadnezzer in his roome Saint Ierome truely was of another mind concerning this place of Scripture who expoundeth it by another in the fiue twentieth of the same Prophet where God deliuered to the Prophet a cup to make drunke all nations with the wine of his wrath all which are there specified by their names that is to forwarne them of the plagues which God was redie to powre out vpon them And yet doe we any where find that the Prophet intermedleth with the affaires of those seuerall nations And when Saint Ierome will goe a little farther and allegorise this peece of Scripture he expoundeth these words of planting and pulling vp the one of bad doctrines which
are plucked vp the other of good which are planted by the word of God as also those other of pulling downe and setting vp of the efficacie of the spirit of his mouth Yea but the glorie of the second Temple should be greater than the glorie of the first What second Temple caitife diuine as he is but the Temple of Ierusalem And what was that greater glorie according to all interpreters both Iewes and Christians old and moderne but the redemption of mankind by Christ crucified for our sinnes vnder the second Temple Or if by the second Temple he will needs vnderstand the Church of Rome what followeth thereof but this That the Bishop of Rome be either Caiphas or Herod or because he chalengeth both jurisdictions Caiphas and Herod all in one And what is meant by that glorie of the ministrie of the Gospell which the Apostle speaketh of 2. Cor. 3. but Christ raigning powerfully in vs by his spirit Which the Apostle also in that same place tearmeth the ministerie of the Spirit not of the letters opposing that Law grauen in stones vnto condemnation against the faith of Christ written in out hearts vnto saluation And what fellowship I would know hath this ministerie with the others pretended magisterie This ministyer I say of the spirit with that magisterie which is simply carnall and worldly breathing out ambition and conspiring nought but tyrannie Saint Chrysostome vpon this place The glorie saith he In 2. Corinth c. 3. Hamil 7. of Moses was outward to the sence for they saw it with their eyes but the glorie of the New Testament is not to be discerned but by the eyes of the Spirit Wherefore they that seeke for glorie in temporall and carnall things doe not they renounce this other glorie And againe He hath opposed saith he the stone to the heart and the letter to the spirit and the New Testament gaue not onely life but also spirit from whence proceedeth life How farre is this construction from that of Baronius which sauoureth naught but flesh and bloud Saint Ambrose also vpon this place Ambros It is manifest saith he that the grace of the Law of Faith is greater than that of the Law of Moses This holie Father expoundeth this glorie to consist in grace in stead of Baronius his tyrannie and oppression And againe The gift of the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Christ is greater than the gift of the old Law And now see how these men alwayes follow the interpretation of the Fathers Too much alreadie said I confesse but the Reader will pardon me in a case of such absurd positions which yet to denie or doubt of is no lesse with them than open heresie Fourthly Baronius affirmeth Baron to 9. an 806. art 26. Arbitrio Romani Pontificis electiuum That Charlemaine when hee parted his kingdomes amongst his children disposed not of the Empire as knowing saith he that it depended of the election of the Pope But the verie Testament which he produceth for his proofe gaine saith his assertion which yet is an vncertaine writing in the judgement of Peter Pytheus from whom he had it for in the verie instep thereof it is thus written We desire saith hee with the good pleasure of God Regnivel Imperij nostri to leaue our children heires of this our Realme or Empire And againe Such partages wee haue thought fit to make of our Realme or Empire And indeed hee diuided among them his whole Estate namely Italie euen vnto Rome on the right hand and on the left saue only that which we call at this day the kingdome of Naples which was yet possessed by the Emperours of Greece The cause why he made none of his sons Emperour was to leaue no occasion of discord among the brethren meaning that each of them should hold his part without prerogatiue of the one aboue the other For hauing parted his whole Estate among his children if he had left the Title of the Empire to be disposed of at the Popes pleasure what had the Pope but so much smoke to giue in case he would haue placed it vpon a stranger 28. PROGRESSION How the Popes encroached vpon Lewis the sonne of Charlemaine and of his pretended Donation CHarlemaine kept his temporall power safe ynough from the intrusion of the Popes leauing sometimes the spirituall as a prey vnto them for by his law it was that the Bishops of France finding themselues agrieued with the judgements of their Metropolitans or comprouinciall Bishops were permitted to run to Rome Yet his words are carefully to be noted When a Bishop saith he hath had sentence against him it shall be lawfull for him to demaund a reuiew and if need be to goe freely to the Bishop of Rome where this word liceat as also in another place placuit import a nouell grace and fauour granted by the Prince not that the Churches of France were anciently tied to any such obseruation And yet is it set also with an alternatiue Let him saith he be iudged either by the Bishop of the Diocesse or by the Bishop of Rome And this was tearmed a Proclamation or an Appellation the source of so many debates and quarels which ensued between the Popes and the Bishops of France Charles had treated with the Emperour of the East An. 816. and particularly agreed about the partage of Italie betweene them two each of them retaining the Title of Emperor the one of the East the other of the West Which he did the rather to set himselfe safe from that raging ambition of the Popes But when Charles was dead though he vsed his power with such moderation as they in discretion had no reason to complaine yet they presently set themselues to worke on the good nature of Lewis sonne and successor vnto Charls After Leo succeeded Stephen the fift Electus ordinatus contrarie to the law being after his election presently consecrated without expecting the Emperours commaund as saith Aimonius Aimoni. lib. 4. c. 103. Thega de gestis Ludoui c. 16 17 18. Yet to daube this fault committed he commaunded saith Theganus all the people of Rome to take the oath of fealtie vnto Lewis and came himselfe in post hast into France sending two embassadours before him as it were to demaund consecration at the Emperors hands all which was nothing but to trie his patience and after a while when he had crowned him he returned home laden with rich gifts and presents Yet it should seeme that he was taught his dutie while he was in France for we find an ordinance of his in the Decrete C. Quia sancta in these words For as much as the holie Church of Rome ouer which D. 53. c. 28. Deo autore by the will of God we are now placed vpon the death of the Pope manie times suffereth violence because the election and consecration of the Popes are made without the aduise and knowledge of the
himselfe as well as to the Pope of Rome And that Saint Peters priuiledge taketh place onely where men iudge according to the equitie of Saint Peter and is of force wheresoeuer that equitie is vsed no more at Rome than at Reimes no lesse at Reimes than at Rome in euerie place alike according as the Bishops doe or doe not their duetie So likewise when this Leo presuming vpon the pretended Apostleship of Boniface encroached vpon the Churches of Germanie more than reason was he should Luithpert Archbishop of Mence writing to Lewis king of Germanie Luithpertus Episc Moguntinens spareth him not The cause saith he will not suffer me to keepe silence for I were inexcusable before God and your Highnesse if seeing with my eyes the imminent danger of the Church I should dissemble my knowledge as an hired seruant and no longer a true Pastor of my sheepe The Primacie therefore and the dignitie thereof now shaketh and is growne infamous in the verie chaire of Saint Peter for after a secret and vnheard kind of persecution she is wronged not by those who know not God but by such as ought to be conductors and leaders of the people of God which make more account of earthlie trash than they doe of heauenlie treasure And this ache of the head if speedie remedie bee not applied In Capite will quickly distill vpon the members c. You know the danger wherein the people of God standeth euerie man seeth it and the verie elements tremble at it to see how the gouernours and conductors thereof whose duetie is to seeke to saue the weake forsake themselues the way of saluation and run headlong to their downfall drawing those which follow them into the like pit of perdition Wherefore I exhort your wisedome which loueth veritie and iustice that according to the knowledge giuen you by God you would aduise with such as know the Law and are louers of equitie and iustice how peace and vnitie may be restored to the Church c. For the whole bodie of the Church is not hurt though the Head being wounded all the members are weakened thereby Wherefore the sound parts must helpe the sick at least if they will take the medicine if not then cut them off according to the precept of that true Physitian least all the bodie perish with them Wherefore I thinke it necessarie that Charles your brother and a religious Prince should be requested by your letters and embassadour to come to a conference with you concerning this matter as soone as may be to the end that he and the Bishops of his kingdome who are yet cleane from those pollutions may ioyne with you and your Bishops and all together take vpon you this common care to reforme by the assistance of God the peace and concord of the Catholike and Apostolike Church This Luitpert was a man much esteemed for his integritie wisedome and sanctitie of life and conuersation and for this cause of so great authoritie in the world that the two kings of Germanie and France made him arbitrator betweene them in differences of their kingdomes And yet saw he euen then corruption so farre growne in that pretended Head that hee could hope for redresse and remedie from none but from these two great Princes For that hee meant the Pope no man can doubt who knoweth the Historie of the times and the contentions which they had at that time with Germanie and France Neither may we here forget before we passe any farther that we haue a certaine Canon of this Leo his making Leo. 4. ad Epist Britan. by which he taketh away all authoritie from all Decretall Epistles of Popes vntill the times of Syluester and Syricius and so blotteth out with one dash of a pen all those which are attributed to them D. 2. ca. de Libellis during the three or foure first ages which yet our aduersaries at this day vse as good authoritie against vs. And the Roman Code seemeth to point hereat seeing that it neuer vseth any before that time Here now are we to obserue shall I say a Proceeding or rather a headlong stumble of this Mysterie of Rome that prodigious accident and monster of this time A stumble indeed and a fall withall it should haue beene if either the Church of Rome had had any forehead or the people eyes I meane that which fell out in the yeare 854 after the death of Leo the fourth An. 854. which yet I had rather set downe in Platina his words Plat. in Iohan. 8. as we find them in his Historie which he dedicated to Pope Sixtus the fourth A woman or rather a wench sitting in the See of Rome saying Masse creating Bishops offering her foot to bee kissed by Princes and people As if God purposed to expose to the view of the world in this liuing picture that mother of fornications foretold in the Apocalyps Iohannes Anglicus therefore saith Platina borne at Mence aspired to the Papacie as it is said by euill practises For being a Female and dissembling her sex she went with her paramour a learned man to Athens and there grew so expert in the liberall Sciences that comming afterward to Rome she found there few equall none superiour to her selfe And what by lecturing what with disputing both wittily and learnedly withall grew so farre in grace and fauour with all men that vpon the death of Leo as saith Martinus by a generall consent she was chosen Pope in his roome But not long after being great with child by her seruant hauing for a while hid her great bellie in the end going to Latran betweene the Theatre which they call the Colosse of Nero and S. Clements falling into her throwes she was there deliuered and died in the place hauing sat Pope two yeres one month and foure daies and was buried without honor Some write that vpon this occasion the Pope when he goeth to Latran shunneth this street of purpose and that to preuent the like inconuenience in time to come when the Pope first sitteth in S. Peters Chaire wherein is a hole made for this purpose the punie Deacon is to handle his priuities I will not denie the first to be true for the second I suppose that the Chaire is so pierced to the end that he which shall be set in so high a place may know that he is a man and no God and subiect to like necessities of nature as other men are and therefore it is called Sedes Stercoraria we in English may call it by a more cleanelie name a close-stoole But Platina for feare no doubt of the hole or dungeon where he had long lyen in the time of Paule the second after all this addeth that which followeth That saith he which I haue said is a common bruit the authors thereof vncertaine and of no great name which yet I thought good briefely and nakedly to set downe that I might not seeme wilfully to omit a
we haue alreadie said quietly swallowed the election of Adrian made without calling his Lieutenants to it made the Pope to like well of him and gaue him an appetite to trie his authoritie somewhere else It came to passe about this time that Lotharius king of Lorraine died and Charles king of France and Lewis of Germanie both vncles to the deceased intending to succeed in his inheritance Adrian set vp Lewis of Italie Emperour thundering more violently than euer had done his predecessor wrot to all Kings Barons and Prelats of France namely to Hincmar of Reimes That none should presume to inuade or take vnto him the kingdome of Lotharius deceased nor yet his subiects and vassals because saith he it appertaineth to the Emperour Lewis his spirituall sonne by right of inheritance and ought to fall vnto him by the others decease And if any officer shall presume the contrarie he declareth him Anathema no longer to be called a Christian and to dwell for euer with the diuell if he be a Bishop and hath in any sort consented thereunto or winked thereat declareth him to be no longer a Pastor but an hireling and as one that hath no care of his sheepe depriued of his Pastorall dignitie and honour Yet Charles hearing of the death of Lotharius remoued into Lorraine and being receiued by the Barons and Prelats there as their lawfull king was crowned at Metz by Hincmar Archbishop of Reimes So that Adrian pursuing his point charged him by his Legats vnder paine of excommunication to forbeare and Hincmar to pronounce the censures of the Church against him and to separat himselfe from him and not to say so much as Good morrow to him And this was a great way gone in a little time But let vs see what answer our French made hereunto OPPOSITION Hincmar Epist ad Adria Extant etiam apud Baron an 861. art 93. sequent to 10. Hincmar therefore Archbishop of Reimes answered him That as touching Hincmar of Laon He had no power without expresse order from the king to send him or any other Bishop of his diocesse to Rome or to any other place much lesse the Bishops of other Prouinces and that himselfe without leaue from the king might not offer to set foot out of the realme The kings answer though it be long as taking vp after his owne account foure leaues of paper and therefore not fit to be inserted into this discourse yet shall it not be amisse to alledge the chiefe points and principall causes thereof which are as followeth We read saith he in the booke of Paralipomenon That the children of Israel went forth to battell with a quiet mind because they were not to fight in malice or enuie for reuenge but with a desire in hope of peace And we let you to know you which by letters your little befitting the authoritie of a king much lesse the humble modestie of a Bishop haue disgraced vs by reproches that you make vs write vnto you otherwise than we would to the end that you may perceiue that we are a man though subiect to mens passions yet one that walketh in the Image of God not void of common sense raised to this kinglie throne by the grace of God and by right of succession to our father and grandfather and which is more than this a Christian a Catholike an obseruer of the Orthodox and true religion brought vp from our cradle as well in knowledge of the Scriptures as in the vnderstanding of good and wholesome lawes both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuile not accused either Legally or Canonically in any Episcopall audience much lesse conuicted of any publike and notorious crime who yet haue not beene able to preuaile so farre by our honourable letters as to receiue any reasonable answer from you nor yet to haue that respect and due regard as was wont to passe betweene your predecessors and ours c. In the entrance of your letters you commend indeed our wisdome but presently you charge vs in shew more fairely in effect more grieuously with murmuring repining grutching against your Fatherhood with sundrie other reproaches and imputations In your former letters you called vs Tyran periured and spoiler of Church goods whereas we haue neither confessed any such thing against our selfe neither by any course of law haue any such crimes beene proued against vs And in this other which you haue sent by Actard one of our Bishops you accuse vs of murmuring and mutinie For our owne part wee would not beleeue that those letters came from you because the holie See hath euer beene woont to correct euerie man according to his qualitie and ranke with good sobrietie and discretion Now if we haue spoken euill beare witnesse of the euill but if well why grow you into such choler against vs Abraham could say vnto God and God tooke it not in ill part Wilt thou destroy the iust with the wicked and yet you grow much offended when we tell you That you ought not to pronounce any man guiltie of a crime without either confession of the partie or conuiction by course of law much lesse vse a king as a priuat person and condemne him as conuicted You are not ignorant how great a sinne it is to say vnto his brother Racha how much greater to say so to a king both by the doctrine of the Apostle and by the practise of Dauid in the person of Saul though a reprobat from God And yet in your letters you aduise vs to receiue ioyfully and with an humble heart all that commeth from the Apostolike See of Rome Is it your meaning then that we should so wel relish these tearms of Tyran periured and perfidious person or must we needs say of you with the Poet Quicquid calcaueris Rosa fiat Whereuer you tread red Roses grow Or may we not rather say with the Prophet Woe be to them which call that sweet which is bitter c. Or if we should hold our peace and winke at this should wee not confesse our selues fallen from this royall dignitie and from the communion of the Catholike Church c. Write you vnto vs things befitting our calling and yours and then will we as you did receiue them with a willing and a thankfull mind As for your letters at least those which come vnto vs in your name they euer charge vs with some fault without either proofe or inquest yet the Apostle giueth you a rule in these cases Argue obsecra increpa Argue beseech reproue in all patience and doctrine And saint Augustine saith That the Apostle would not that one man should condemne another vpon suspition neither yet should run to extraordinarie proofes but rather after the law of God and order of the Church either confessing of himselfe or conuicted by his accuser And afterward comming to the matter concerning Hincmar of Laon You write saith he vnto vs in you letters in this manner We will and command by Apostolike authoritie
with vs that we will very sufficiently proue that he was lawfully and orderly accused and conuicted To conclude because you haue ouershot your selfe in what is alreadie past we now entreat you for the honour of God and in reuerence to the holie Apostles that from hence forward you send no such mandats either to vs or to our Prelats or to the great men of our kingdome least we be enforced to dishonour them and those which bring them Which we tell you of beforehand for the honour of your priuiledge because we desire to be obedient vnto you in all things that are fitting as vnto the Vicar of Saint Peter But you must also take heed that you driue vs not to take that course which is both approued and commended in the fift generall Councell concerning the Apostolike authoritie and in the Synodall Epistle of Saint Gregorie to the foure Patriarches and the foure precedent Epistles all which treat of the ordering and limiting of Ecclesiasticall powers and jurisdictions which we would not insert into these our letters till we might see whether we may bend you to mitigat the rigour of your commaunds For looke what is sent vnto vs in the name of the See Apostolike according to the holie Scriptures and the preachings of our auncestors and the Decrees of the Orthodox Fathers we know we ought to follow But what euer commeth besides come it from whom it will we know how to reiect and to controll it Last of all if in this answer there be any thing misbeseeming me or you you haue forced me thereunto Such were the letters which passed betweene king Charles the Bauld and Adrian the second though he had giuen him not long before some hope to make him Emperour though any other would giue him bushels of gold Baron vol. 10. an 871. art 79. offering him indeed an Empire but as he did in the desart vpon condition That he would fall down and worship him And this Charles was he which a few yeares before An. 853. first made a breach vpon the liberties of the French Synods when about the yeare 853 hauing held a Synod at Soissons two or three yeares after he sent the Acts thereof to Benedict the third thinking onely to gratifie him and neuer considering vnto what consequence his successors might draw the same Our French Bishops wrot much after the same maner vpon the same argument vnto Adrian being assembled in Synod at Dousy wherein they call him Primae Sedis Papam complaining That they were vtterly mistaken and casting the fault vpon his multitude of other businesses that he had not more maturely considered of their Acts which were in all points agreeing with the holie Canons As for the Excommunication which Adrian thundered out against this Charls we could wish we had his owne Epistle in answer to it but Hincmars the Archbishop of Reimes we haue who receiued command from the Pope to pronounce it and we will here produce the principall clauses thereof And first of all hauing complained of many grieuous reproofes and menaces receiued he declareth vnto him That he had imparted the tenor of his letters to the great ones and Prelats of the kingdome and which was more had caused them to be openly read in an assemblie of Bishops of France and Lorraine and had shewed Lewis king of Germanie the aboue mentioned letter wherein he was commaunded by Adrian to excommunicat by his authoritie all those who attempted any thing vpon the kingdome of Lotharius deceased I vnderstand saith he Qui de regno eius estis that like letters haue beene sent to the glorious king Lewis and to the great ones and Bishops of his kingdome which you who are his naturall borne subiect should best know But comming afterwards to the matter he letteth him to vnderstand That he is informed by diuers that the two kings had agreed to diuide this kingdome equally betweene them without which the people had long ere this beene vp in armes That therefore hee knoweth not what to doe seeing he must either disobey his commaund or disallow of the treatie and accord made betweene the two kings That whereas he saith That no man better than himselfe knoweth the great wrong which Charles doth herein he plainely telleth him That in case he did know yet would hee not thereupon doe any thing seeing that Charles confesseth no such matter of himselfe neither standeth he legally or canonically conuict thereof But rather protesteth and many there are which beare him witnesse That this part of the kingdome of Lorraine was by the consent and assent as well of the Bishops as of the great ones of the Empire giuen him by his father Lewis and confirmed to him by oath by his brother Lotharius That therefore he taketh that Canon of the Councell of Afrike to be spoken to him as well as to all other Bishops whereby men are forbidden to lay a crime to a mans charge which he is not able to euict by proofes because as S. Augustine who was there present saith Manie things are true which yet a Iudge may not beleeue without sufficient proofes That he hath no power to put anie man from the Communion for a crime neither confessed by the defendant nor proued by the informer That otherwise they should make themselues both judges and accusers which were not lawfull alledging for his authoritie the rule of the Apostle and the practise of the Church with sundrie places out of Augustin Gelasius Boniface and others And whereas he is charged by him as a partaker or rather author of this vnjust inuasion because he held his peace and stirred not as he was commaunded his answere is That Adrian should remember that it was written The cause which I vnderstood not I searched out with diligence and that Gregorie sayth That God to whose eyes all things are open yet in the verie case of Sodome sayth Descendum videbo I will goe downe and see to teach vs to be well informed before we beleeue a fault And whereas he commaundeth him to seperate himselfe from Charles and not to bid him so much as Good morrow whereas yet he desireth to be receiued to the Communion of Adrian that this toucheth him to the heart and that manie men of great sort both secular and Clergie now met at Rheimes hauing heard this commaund say that the like was neuer heard of to be sent from Rome though in their dayes there had beene warres before this time not onely betweene confederat Kings but also betweene the brothers and betweene the father and the sonnes That for his owne part he must needs thinke that this displeasure is befallen him for his other sinnes seeing it fareth better with some others who haue not doubted to call Charles into the kingdome of Lorraine That for the rest the Parliament of that kingdome sayth That Popes and Bishops excommunications are no titles to claime kingdomes by That the Scripture teacheth that
this right belongeth vnto God by whom Kings reigne and who giueth them to whom it pleaseth him That the Pope cannot be King and Bishop all at once That therefore he should doe well to leaue the disposing of state matters vnto them and not commaund them to take a king from a farre off who cannot be at hand to helpe vpon all occasion against the Painims this being a yoke which the Popes neuer before layed vpon the neckes of their ancestors and such as themselues could not beare seeing they were commanded in holie Scripture for their heritage and libertie to fight while the breath was in their bodie That one needeth not to tell them that a Bishop who excommunicateth a man contrarie to law loseth the power which he had of binding That none can take heauen from anie man saue onely from him which loseth it by his sinne That for earthlie respects none can take away the title of a Christian or lodge with the diuell him for whom Christ died to free him from the bondage of the diuell That therefore if the Pope desire peace he should do well to seeke it by quiet meanes because they neuer meane to make it an Article of their Creed That they cannot come to heauen vnlesse they will receiue for their King him whom he shall appoint them here in earth And saith he manie such like inconueniences they shew vnto vs as murders seditions warres all which will ensue if we goe to infringe the accord alreadie made betweene the Kings not sparing to vtter threats against your selfe which I will not rehearse and such as if God giue them leaue they purpose to put in execution neither can my excommunication nor the sword of anie humane tongue stay the King and his Barons from the course they haue set to run Thus it pleased this great Prelat to let the Pope vnderstand his mind as in the words and vnder the name of the Great ones which he could not handsomely doe in his owne Last of all concerning himselfe That being in the kingdome of Charles and in the chiefe Citie of his diocesse whether the king and all the princes of either kingdome vsed to resort he might not offer like an hireling to leaue his flocke and to goe hee knew not whither And that therefore he would attend vpon the king and such as were about him to the end he might passe his time in quietnesse with his flock and that the king saith His predecessors haue had this power which hee will not forgoe for any excommunication whatsoeuer and that therefore it behoueth the Bishops himselfe especially to consider how they carrie themselues towards the king seeing that Augustine expounding that place of the Apostle saith That the Apostle teacheth that euery soule must be subiect to the higher power and that we must giue to euerie one that which belongeth to him tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome appertaineth c. This letter thus written with the aduise and counsell of all the Bishops assembled at Reimes was sent to Adrian who died the yeare following 872 and so the quarrell ended 34. PROGRESSION How the Pope conferred the Empire vpon Charles the Bald and of the donation of Constantine AFter Adrian the second according to Platina his account succeeded Iohn the ninth according to those who reject the shee-Pope Iohn the eight in the yeare 873 and in the yeare 875 died the Emperour Lewis without issue An. 873. wherefore Charles of France and Lewis of Germanie began to stirre and Italie her selfe was not quiet one calling Charles the Bald of Fraunce and others Charles the Grosse sonne to King Lewis Sigon de Reg. Jtal. lib. 5. and some there were who faine would haue established the Empire in Italie and these were the Earles of Tusculana who at that time strucke a great stroake in Rome He of France was first in a readinesse Aimoni. li. 5. c. 32. 33. who euer since the dayes of Nicholas the first had entertained secret intelligences in Italie he therefore sent embassadors to Iohn with great presents and greater promises assuring him That vpon condition he will set the Crowne of the Empire vpon his head he would protect the Church from all wrongs and leaue the Seignorie of Rome wholly in his hands Iohn who could better brooke a foreiner than a neighbor and a stranger than a domestike Emperour who peraduenture would haue dimmed his light by a greater lustre bid him come and welcome and at his comming to Rome receiued and crowned him Emperour From that day forward saith Sigonius the title of the Empire began to be a meere feoffment of the Popes Sincerum Pontificis beneficium and the yeares of the Empire to be reckoned from the day wherein they receiued their consecration from the Popes But a certaine Author of that time addeth farther That Charles of France comming to Rome renewed his couenants with the Romanes Eutropij Continuator gaue vp into their hands the rights and customes of the kingdome with the reuenues of manie Monasteries giuing them moreouer the countries of Samnium and Calabria with all the townes belonging to Beneuent with the Duchie of Spoleto and the two Cities of Tuscanie which the Duke was wont to hold Arrezzo and Chiusi so that he who before that time commaunded in Rome for the Emperour was now become as subiect vnto them quitted them from expecting the presence of his embassadors at the election of their Popes To be short sayth he he accorded what euer they demaunded as commonly men vse to be liberall of what they haue ill gotten or feare they shall not long keepe That which made Charles the more pliant to the Pope was that Lewis of Germanie inuaded him in his owne person in France and sent his sonne Charles the Grosse to crosse his designes in Italie But saith that Author this is certaine that from that day no King or Emperour euer recouered the state and Port of a King in Italie for want still either of skill or of courage and by reason of the great contentions and daily iealousies among them Here the Historians and Sigonius himselfe obserueth that whatsoeuer the Emperours predecessors of Charles gaue vnto the Pope yet they euer reserued to themselues the Proprietie Soueraignetie and Lordship euen ouer the Exarchat and Duchie of Rome it selfe which rule began now to faile in Charles though his successors sometimes redemanded their auncient prerogatiues and rights also that vntill this time the Empire euer passed as hereditarie from the father to the sonne and the suruiuor euer seised of the Empire by the death of the deceased So Charlemaigne succeeded Pepin so after Charlemaigne succeeded Lewis after Lewis Lotharius and after him Lewis the second So also vnto this time their crowning and sacring by the Archbishops of Milan for the kingdome of Lumbardie and the Bishops of Rome for the Empire serued onely for pompe and solemnitie But this Pope Iohn tooke
of Naruie and Iohn a Cardinall testifie They saw him giue Orders to a Deacon in a stable among horses Benedict with other Deacons and Priests say They knew that he made Bishops for money and that he had created one of the age of ten yeares a Bishop in the citie of Tudertina And for sacriledge we need not search farre because we may know more by the eye than by the eare For adulterie they say They were not eye witnesses yet they certainely knew the widow of Ranierus and Stephana his fathers concubine and Anna a widow with his neece to be defiled by him and that he made the holie Palace a stewes and common brothell house Moreouer he put out the eyes of Benedict his spirituall father who soone after died slew Cardinall Iohn a Subdeacon after he had cut off his genitors he exercised burnings and violent outrages being armed and a sword by his side that he vsed to carouse in wine a health to the diuell which all as well the Clergie as the Laitie with one voyce did confesse That playing at dice they say he vsed to call vpon the name of Iupiter and Venus and all the diuels to helpe him That he celebrated Matins in no fit houre and neuer made any signe of the crosse But for as much as worthie men are often inueyed against and through enuie and malicious detractation falsely accused the Emperour againe conjureth them That they propound nothing against him that is not plainely to be proued To this the whole Synod cried out Quasi vnus vir as if but the voyce of one man If this vnworthie Pope Iohn hath not committed more shamelesse and more abhominable acts than these that are here exprest by Benedict the Deacon we desire holy Saint Peter the Prince of Apostles neuer to absolue vs from the snares of our sinnes who by his word shutteth the gates of heauen against the vnworthie and openeth them to the iust and righteous but that we may be accursed and set vpon the left hand at the last day Neuerthelesse the Synod requested the Emperor That letters might be sent vnto him to come to purge himselfe which were presently dispatched both in the name of the Emperour and the Archbishops wherein briefely were exprest the crimes whereof he was accused Whereto he answered directing his letters Omnibus Episcopis To all the Bishops We heare say that yee meane to create another Pope which if yee doe I excommunicat yee by the omnipotent God that yee haue no power to ordaine any nor to celebrat the Masse In the meane time that this letter was in reading there arriued the Archbishop of Treuers and other Bishops of Lorraine Liguria and Aemilia with whose aduise and counsell both the Emperour and the Synod returned him this answer If he came not nor had any other lawfull cause to alledge being he was neither to passe the seas nor had any bodily infirmitie nor yet a verie long iourney they made light account of his excommunication and that they would returne it vpon himselfe because they might iustly doe it Iudas say they who betraied sold our Sauior Iesus Christ receiued of him with others the power to bind and vnloosse c. and so long as he continued honest among the Disciples he was able to bind and vnloosse but afterward when through the venome and corruption of couetousnesse he became an Homicide to destroy life whom could he more tye or vntye but himselfe whom most wickedly he strangled with an halter Surely by this it plainely appeareth that the pretended seat of Saint Peter is no impediment to be a Iudas The Emperour who all this while complained not of any iniurie offered by him particularly vnto himselfe seeing him sufficiently charged by others declared now vnto them with great moderation How that he hauing taken an oath vpon the corps of Saint Peter did neuerthelesse combine and arme himselfe with Adelbert against him intreating the Synod to consider thereof whose sentence was That a strange Vlcer ought to be burnt with a strange searing yron and it was fit to driue away this monster of the Church a scandall to the whole world and some good and vertuous man to be put in his place This sentence was approued by the Emperour and all with one voyce chose Leo the eighth in place An. 963. as they say of this Apostat Iohn the Emperour allowing the same These things fell out in the yeare 963 but not long after such things being set in order as did most concerne them the Emperor with Leo called another Synod at Rome in which it manifestly appearing to all that there was no other cause of these tumults than the neglect of the law and institution ordained by Charles the Great and quite abrogated by Adrian the third labouring more Sigon l. 7. de reg Ital. saith Sigonius for the dignitie than the tranquilitie of the Church whereby the Popes were chosen by vnlawfull suits and briberies a law was made for the restitution thereof and that bridle which the Popes and Clergie of Rome had studiously shaken of D. 69. c. in Synod 23. they were enforst againe to admit We read in the Decrees of Gratian this Canon D. 63. repeated also by Sigonius in his Historie According to the example of holie Adrian Bishop of the Apostolike Sea Sigon l. 7. de regno Ital. Fasciculus tempo who granted to Charls the most victorious king of the French and Lombards the dignitie of the Patritij and the administration of the Apostolike See and the inuesting of Bishops I likewise Leo Bishop and seruant of the seruants of God with all the Clergie and people of Rome An. 964. constitute and confirme and by our Apostolicall authoritie grant and giue vnto the Lord Otho the first king of the Germans and to his successors of the kingdome of Italie for euer the authoritie and power to elect and chuse a successor and to ordaine and appoint the Bishop of the Soueraigne Apostolike See and furthermore that the Archbishops and Bishops shall take their inuestiture of him but their consecration where they ought except those whom the Emperour hath giuen or granted to the Popes and Archbishops And that no man hereafter of what degree or religion soeuer shall haue any power in chusing or ordayning either Patricius or Bishop of the Soueraigne Apostolike See or any Bishop without the consent of the Emperour and that without any corruption or money and that hee bee Patricius and King If any therefore whosoeuer enterprise or attempt any thing against this rule and Apostolicall authoritie wee iudge him excommunicat and if he be not penitent therefore perpetuall exile and euerlasting torment The summe of this Canon with Gratian is thus The election of the Bishop of Rome by right belongeth to the Emperour And Theodore of Nyem who liued vnder Iohn the 23 affirmeth That he had seene the Letters Patents at Florence from whence it was taken reserued for the
especially Leo the eight neither doe we greatly labour therein for whether of them are to be preferred it matters not greatly Iohn whom he tearmeth a monster is the onely lawfull Pope But he could in no wise dissemble the cause for that constitution of Leo in fauour of Otho and his successors Dist 63. which we haue formerly alledged D. 63 vext him euen at the heart whereof he fretteth and fumeth against Gratian These things saith he he handled too vnaduisedly this Synod was a counterfeit Synod and this Leo the eight a false adulterous Pope And to speake a truth where shall we find a true and a lawfull one Besides what necessitie was it in him saith he to pronounce him King and Patricius when Iohn the twelfth had consecrated him Emperour Verily because he did not thinke he could be well consecrated by such a monster And who did euer see saith he that the constitutions of Popes had commination of punishment and yet what more frequent Baron an 964. art 23. Was it not decreed in that worthie Councell of Constance that the execution should be left to the politike Magistrat but he should haue rested himselfe vpon Gregorie the thirteenth who approued this Constitution in a reformed decree by his silence with notes added thereunto But see what he elsewhere sayth as a thing verie authentike to proue the right that the Emperors haue by the Popes permission to chuse a successor Baron an 996. art 41. To great Otho saith he this right was first graunted by the Bishop of Rome These are his owne words how then without shame dares he call it into doubt 38. PROGRESSION Of the troubles that arose in Fraunce through the faction of Hugh surnamed Capet and Charles Duke of Lorraine with the treason and treacheries of Arnulphus Canon of Laon. HEre let vs now recite what past in these times in our France which vpon the declination of the race of Charles the Great was diuersly vexed vntill the progenie of Capet either through others negligence or their owne policie had gotten the vpper hand whereupon the kingdome of Fraunce by the consent of all the States was translated to Hugh surnamed Capet whose posteritie by the prouidence of God doth yet flourish In the meane time Charles Duke of Lorraine entred into Fraunce to dispute his right by force of armes and first worketh with Arnulphus Canon of Laon base sonne of King Lothaire father of the last Lewis by whose meanes he possessed the Citie and taketh Adalbero Bishop thereof and putteth him into prison who soone after escaped and came to King Hugh Gerbert in ep ad Othonem ad Wilderodonem Episcop Argentinensem Synod Rhemens c. 26. which was not done without slaughter and spoyle as appeareth by an Epistle of Gerbert to the Emperor Otho He tooke prisoner saith he his owne Bishop circumuented by fraud and with him the Citie of Laon after much bloudshed and manie outrages committed And writing to the Synod at Rheims He became saith he a famous Apostate and held a long time the place of the traitor Iudas in the Church c. Neuerthelesse Hugh sought all meanes to draw him into his faction hoping to benefit himselfe thereby and Adalbero Archbishop of Rheims chauncing to die appointing for his successor Gerbert who was afterward Pope Syluester the second he made him Archbishop taking of him an authentike promise of fidelitie written with his hand sworne with his mouth and subscribed of all the people and nobilitie of that diocesse Synod Rhemens c. 25. Gerbert in epistola ad Othonem ad Wilderodonem Ep. Argentinens Acceptis ab eo saith the Synod terribilibus sacramentis which the same Gerbert witnesseth His intelligence neuerthelesse for all that continued with Charles of Lorraine so that six moneths after he marching with his armie before Rhemes was receiued into the Citie through the treason of the said Arnulph who neuerthelesse played his part by a Priest of his named Adalgare and the better to hide his villanie was carried prisoner to Laon with other French Lords that were then within the Citie And of this second periurie saith Gerbert He betrayed the Citie he polluted the Sanctuarie of God ransackt all and caused the people to be carried away captiue And presently after saith he excommunicated his owne proper thefts and commaunded the Bishops of France to doe the same In the meane time so farre forth did he persist in his dissimulation that for the space of eighteene monethes being carefully admonished by the Bishops of France to purge himselfe of so great a crime at length being forsaken of his chiefest consorts was not ashamed to submit himselfe to the Kings fauour and tooke a new oath more strict than the former and so was admitted to his table and notwithstanding returned soone after to the part of the said Charles Hugh therefore as yet scarce seated in the kingdome thinking to deale mildly with him repaireth to Iohn the sixteenth and both by letters and embassages complaineth of the injuries done vnto him and at the first was gently accepted But the Synod sayth Synod Rhemens c. 27. As the Legats of the Countie Herbert arriued and had deliuered their presents vnto him this man as Platina tels vs who prodigally bestowed vpon his kindred all things both diuine and humane that belonged to the seruice of God altered his mind insomuch that being wearied in waiting at the gates of his palace the space of three dayes they returned not doing anie thing not onely not admitted but forced to depart But Hugh who in the meane time had taken in the Cities of Rheims and Laon and by the same meane got Arnulph into his power caused a Nationall Councell to be held at Rheims in the yeare 991 An. 991. Wherein Arnulph by his owne proper confession being found guiltie was in a solemne manner deposed and Gerbert who was afterward Syluester the second put by the King in his place who had the charge to put in writing the Acts of this Councell which also are now read by vs. The Pope then being inwardly moued not so much for the judgement of Arnulphus as offended at the lawfull libertie of the French Fathers excommunicated those that had subscribed to the conclusion of this Councell and straitly forbad Gerbert his Archiepiscopall function in a Synod held at Moson and threatened the Kings themselues with curses and excommunications Insomuch that it is a wonder that these men infamous in Italie for so much wickednesse should so impudently abuse our patience and so boldly mocke vs with their Bulls in Fraunce vnder the confidence without doubt of this our new and yet but feeble Empire But Gregorie the fift proceeded in the same course insomuch that Gerbert was constrained to forsake that part and to liue vnder the protection of the Emperour Otho the third But with what constancie neuerthelesse the French Bishops did entertaine the arrogancie of the Popes it is now time
by degrees he put off and resigning to the king that which he had receiued from him and deliuering the ensignes of his Priestly dignitie into the hands of the Bishops he recited with his owne mouth the forme of the deposition in the middest of this assemblie according to the example of his predecessor Hebo which was there read word by word and by all the Bishops that were present subscribed all of them saying vnto him Cap. 54.55 according to thy profession and subscription cease from thine office Which being done they discharged the Clergie and people from their oath they had made vnto him that it might be free for euerie man to subiect himself to the authoritie of any other man And here the Synod ended which we haue thought good to repeat the more at large that it might appeare with what grauitie wisedome moderation circumspection our Fathers of France haue proceeded in this businesse all of them with one accord speaking by the mouth of Arnulph Bishop of Orleans and withall what they thought and judged of Rome and the Bishop thereof Sixtly Pope Iohn hereupon waxeth angrie and full of discontent in so much that he threateneth his excommunications against the Kings But Hugh least his competitors should thereby take aduantage sendeth him the whole course of proceeding in writing and withall sends him letters to this effect We know we haue done nothing against your Apostolike See and if you vouchsafe not to giue credit to vs that are absent being present your selfe learne the truth of those that are present Grenoble is a citie situat vpon the confines of Italie and France where the Bishops of Rome were wont to meet the Kings of France If it shall so please you you may doe the like or if it shall content you better to visit vs and ours we will receiue you at the foot of the Alpes with all honour and follow you with all due obseruances both staying here and returning backe This we speake from the bottome of our hearts that you may know and vnderstand that neither we nor any of ours wil refuse your iudgemeÌt But Iohn resolued rather to send Legats And in the meane time whilest these things were thus delayed Gerbert afterwards Pope Siluester the second writ an Epistle to Siguin Archbishop of Sens who to the Pope seemed to fauour Arnulph the man accused and now condemned Which Epistle was read at the end of this Synod Gerbertus in Epist ad Siguinum Senomens Your wisedome saith he should haue auoided the wilie subtilties of craftie men and haue hearkened to the voyce of the Lord which saith If they shall say vnto you Here is Christ and there is Christ follow them not It is said that he is at Rome who iustifieth that which you condemne and condemnes that which you take to be iust and we say that it is God and not man that condemnes those things that seeme iust and to iustifie that which seemeth euill c. God saith If thy brother haue sinned against thee goe and reproue him c. How then doe these that emulate vs say That in the deposing of Arnulph we were to expect the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome Can they teach vs that the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome is greater than the iudgement of God when the first Bishop of Rome and the Prince of the Apostles tels vs that we must rather obey God than men yea the great Doctor of the world Saint Paul telleth vs That if any man shall preach vnto you any other doctrine than that ye haue receiued though he be an Angell from heauen let him be accursed Thinke you that because Pope Marcelline burnt incens to Idols therefore all the Bishops must doe so too I dare boldly say that if the Bishop of Rome shall sinne against his brother and being often admonished shall refuse to heare the Church this Bishop of Rome I say by the commaundement of God is to be accounted as a Heathen or Publican For by how much higher his degree is by so much greater is his fall And if he shall therefore account vs vnworthie his communion or fellowship because none of vs consent vnto him against the Gospell yet he cannot therefore seperat vs from the Communion of Christ A Priest if by his owne confession or otherwise he be not conuicted cannot be put from his office especially since the Apostle himselfe saith Who shal seperat vs from the loue of Christ Iesus And againe Sure I am that neither life nor death c. The priuiledge then of S. Peter saith Leo the great is not in force wheresoeuer iudgement is not executed according to equitie And therefore we are not to giue occasion to those that emulate vs to thinke that Priesthood that is euerie where one as the Catholike Church is in all places one should in such sort be subiect to one onely man though he be corrupted with money fauour feare or ignorance none may be a Bishop but only he that is commended for such or the like vertues Let the Canon Law of the Catholike Church the Apostles the Prophets the Canons ordained by the spirit of God and consecrated with the reuerence of the whole world the Decrees of the Apostolike See not disagreeing from them c. Fare ye well and depend not vpon holie mysteries But Pope Iohn in the meane time hardly enduring these things appointed a Synod sometimes at Rome sometimes at Aix where our Bishops pretending that they were not bound to goe forth of the realme would not be found at the last at Mouson vpon the borders of France where onely Gerbert whom Hugh had nominated Archbishop of Rheimes appeared and in the presence of Leo Abbot of S. Boniface the Popes Legat many of the Bishops of Germanie and Italie assisting he defended the cause of the Fathers of France in such sort that the Legat durst not proceed any farther before he had consulted with the Pope and therefore referred the determination thereof vnto another Synod at Rheimes but yet in the meane time he forbad Gerbert to vse his Episcopall function who not fearing to answer him to his face told him That it was not in the power of any Bishop Patriarch or Pope to remoue from the communion any of the faithfull who hath not been conuicted or of his owne accord confessed the fact or hath not refused to come vnto the Councell but of all these three was none that might hinder him since he had neither confessed nor was conuicted and had onely amongst all the Bishops of France appeared at this Councell But in the meane time Gerbert went into Germanie to the Emperour Otho the third with whom he had been formerly brought vp who shortly after made him Archbishop of Rauenna perceiuing wel that our kings not yet setled in their new kingdomes nor approued by all did much feare to offend the Pope and indeed he saw that whatsoeuer our Bishops could alledge to the contrarie in the
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
herein than the rest That oath which he made Richard Prince of Capua to take Gregor 7. in Epist post 21. l. 1. l. 8. post Epist 10. is verie notable I Richard by the grace of God and Saint Peter Prince of Capua by what diuinitie doth he couple the creature and the Creator together from this houre and euer hereafter will be faithfull to the holie Church of Rome and to the Apostolike See and to thee a helper to hold obtaine and defend the royalties of Saint Peter and his possessions with a true faith against all men and I will giue my best assistance that thou maist securely and honourably hold the Popedome of Rome and the dominions of S. Peter These clauses according to his owne interpretation goe farre And I will neither seeke to inuade or obtaine thy principalities nor presume to rob or wast them without the leaue and licence of thee and thy successors that to the honor of S. Peter shall enter What other words could he vse to a captaine of theeues But to King Henrie when I shall be admonished by thee or thy successors I will sweare alleageance reseruing still my fidelitie to the holie Church of Rome These things fell out about the yeare 1073. And the same oath tooke Robert for Apulia and Calabria doing his homage Gregor l. 2. Epist 71. And if we may beleeue the Epistle of Gregorie the seuenth in the yeare 1073 there came to Rome in pilgrimage the sonne of Demetrius king of Russia whom he inuested into his kingdome in the name of S. Peter Vndoubtedly affirming that this his petition should be ratified and confirmed by the consent of his father if he should possesse his kingdome by the gift of the See of Rome Thus abusing as it appeareth by the stile the sottish deuotion of this young man In like manner in the yeare 1081 was the Earle Bernard besotted who gaue for the remission of his sinnes the earldome of Prouence As for the donation of the Countesse Mathilda we shall speake thereof in his due place But it is worthie the consideration from what ground it should arise that he writes to Philip K. of France daring to promise him remission of his sinnes if he would take part with him We will An. 1080. saith he and in the name of the Apostle we commaund that thou hinder not in any sort that election which the people and Clergie of the Church of Rheimes are to make whereby it may be thought lesse canonicall but if any man shall goe about by any endeuor whatsoeuer to hinder it thou shalt giue thy best helpe to withstand him Goe forward therefore that we may not be thought in vaine to haue spared the sinnes of thy youth and to haue expected thy amendment but especially endeuour to make S. Peter thy debtor that is Hildebrand who makes himselfe Peters successor in whose power is thy kingdome and thy soule who can bind and loosse thee in heauen and in earth by which thy diligence and execution of iustice thou maiest deserue his eternall grace and fauour Here I may aske who discernes not the voyce of the diuell tempting our Sauiour in the Gospell But the Aphorismes which they call the Popes Dictats published by him about the yeare 1076 lay him open to the view of euerie man That the Church of Rome hath no other foundation but from God Why then alledge they Peter That the Bishop of Rome onely is by right called Vniuersall and therefore he alone hath right according to S. Gregorie the Great to be either the forerunner of Antichrist or Antichrist himselfe That he alone may depose and restore Bishops what then shall we say of so many Bishops that in the Church for so many yeares and ages in so many countries haue beene lawfully by good and worthie lawes without any respect of him nay in despight of him placed and displaced That his Legat though otherwise inferiour in degree must take place aboue all other Bishops in Councels and may denounce the sentence of deposition against them The reuerend generall Councels therefore in which diuers Bishops haue beene Presidents and taken the vpper place and pronounced sentence in the presence of his Legats yea many times against them too whither are they now gone That the Pope may depose such as are absent And this saith Baronius is to cut off occasions and excuses from our aduersaries yea the Emperor himselfe who being absent he had excommunicated why then doe they so much wonder that he should vse the same law against him That we must not remaine in the same house with such as he hath excoÌmunicated What is this but like the Pagan high Priests to interdict fire and water Greg. l. 2. Epist 37. But how happie is it for Christendome that few beleeue it To conclude That it is lawfull for him onely according to the necessitie of the time to make new lawes to ordaine colonies of a religious house to make an Abbie and contrarily to diuide a rich Bishopricke and to vnite the poorer That he onely may vse the Imperiall ensignes That all Princes are to kisse the feet of the Pope onely That his name onely is to be recited in Churches That no generall Synod is to be called without his commaund That no booke may be accounted canonicall without his authoritie That all causes of greatest importance of what Church soeuer must be referred to him That he may absolue subiects of their allegeance towards their Prince That he can iudge of all men and no man can iudge of him And all this because the Church of Rome hath neuer erred nor as the Scripture witnesseth shall euer erre That the Pope of Rome if he be canonically ordained is vndoubtedly made holy by the merits of S. Peter That there is but one onely name in the world that is the Pope he had almost said that which the Apostle speaks of our Sauiour A name aboue euery name Phil. 2.9 Acts 12.4 the onely name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now gentle Reader what doest thou expect but that ouer and aboue all this he should adde Because the Pope is Christ he is Antichrist himselfe But before we come to the chiefe Oppositions we are to note some particular things not to be contemned Leo the ninth saith the Abbot of Vrsperg being at Menze and the Archbishop himselfe celebrating Masse An. 1052. it fell out that a certaine Deacon called Hunibert read a lesson that made not for the Pope Leo being admonished hereof by one of his friends commaunded him twice or thrice to bee silent who neuerthelesse proceeded The lesson being ended he called him before him and presently degraded him Wherewith the Archbishop being offended and much moued protested That neither he nor any man else should end the seruice at that time except his Deacon were restored vnto him in the same state he was in before in so much that the Pope to satisfie
worshippers of false gods were woont to doe he vsurpeth both the Empire and the Popedome c. He resisteth the diuine maiestie and the most Christian King ordained from aboue and inaugurated by God himselfe he impugneth And cunningly and craftily and closely he goeth about in a sheepes skin and vnder the title of Christ to get into his hands the Empire of the whole world For these causes the Emperour the Bishops the Senat the people pronounce him deposed being vnwilling to commit the flocke of Christ to the gard and custodie of such a wolfe And so both those pretended heresies of Simonie and Nicholaisme with one consent they ouerthrew and this verie Decree not onely the Bishops of Germanie and France but of Italie it selfe in a Synod holden at Pauia did vnder their Seales and by oath confirme They writ likewise by the authoritie of the Synod of Wormes to Hildebrand that he should giue ouer the Popedome and betake himselfe to a priuat life and also to the Clergie and people of Rome that according to the Law of their auncestors they should chuse another but yet so as that they should lay no violent hands vpon the person of Hildebrand but leaue him to the iustice of God Amongst all these Bishops there was not any that contradicted the decree but Albert of Wirthsbourg and Herman of Metz who likewise were soone persuaded by the admonitions and reasons of William of Vtrecht to be of the same opinion and to subscribe with the rest Gregorie so soone as hee vnderstood hereof is nothing at all discouraged but borrowing a great summe of money of Mathilda distributeth it amongst the people with the poore mens money payed his souldiers wages flattereth the people of Rome setting before their eyes their auncient renowme and giues them hope of libertie and so calls a Councell at Rome where in a full assemblie in the name of the Synod of Wormes one Rowland a Prelat of Parma vpon the suddaine stands vp and without any duetie done vnto him speakes vnto him in these words Our most Christian Emperour and the reuerend Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce commaund thee to resigne that charge which thou hast vsurped by subtilty money and fauour For it is not lawfull for thee against their willes and the authoritie of the Emperour and decree of the Church of Christ to meddle with the Sheepefold of Christ And presently turning himselfe towards the assemblie Most holie brethren saith he chuse according to your owne Law a Pastor which choice of yours the sacred Consull Tribune and your Prince according to the maner of your auncestors will authorise For this Hildebrand is neither Pastor nor Father nor Pope but a theefe a wolfe a robber and a tyran Whereupon they rushed vpon him and he wanted not much of being ouerborne by the people In the Letters which he deliuered there were these words Because thine entrie began with so many periuries and the Church of God by the abuse of thy nouelties hath beene endaungered in this so great a tempest and hast dishonoured thy whole life by thy infamous conuersation as we haue promised vnto thee no obedience so will we neuer performe any to thee Gregorie therefore returning the fault vpon themselues the day following depriued Henrie as much as in him lay of the kingdome of Germanie and Italie discharged the Princes of their oath of allegiance excommunicateth Sigefrid Archbishop of Mence and the Bishops of Vtrecht and Bamberge threatning to proceed in like maner against the rest if they came not to Rome to purge themselues In which decree let the Reader note the cunning he speakes to Peter as to his reuenger Heare me saith he O Peter Prince of the Apostles thou and thy brother S. Paule can best witnesse for me besides others that I was drawne against my will to the gouernement of thy holie Church and therefore I persuade my selfe that it pleaseth thee that I should rule the people of Christ committed by God especially to thy charge c. Being therefore confident herein for the honour of thy Church in the name of the omnipotent God the Father sonne and holie Ghost and by right of thy authoritie I interdict Henrie the King the sonne of Henrie the Emperour who by a straunge pride the like whereof was neuer heard of hath risen against the Church all the Kingdome of Germanie and Italie c. To the end all people may see and vnderstand that thou art Peter super tuam Petram and vpon thy rocke the sonne of God hath built his Church c. These selfesame words hath Sigonius and not vpon this rocke And some denying that the King could be subiect to the Popes curse or excommunications Thinke you saith he that God when thrise together he committed the charge of his Church to S. Peter saying feed my sheepe that he excepted Kings And so what he would he obtayned Thus Hildebrand being by the Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce deposed in a Councell at Wormes and Henrie excommunicated and depriued his kingdome by Hildebrand and the Clergie at Rome they both endeuour to strengthen their owne part But forasmuch as such Kingdomes as are long time gouerned vnder a minoritie are seldome or neuer without factions there arose presently against Henrie many Princes of Germanie to whom Hildebrand alledged that Pope Zacharie had deposed Childerick king of Fraunce onely for his negligence and placed Pepin in his Throne Why then should it not be lawfull for him to do the like against whomsoeuer should rebel against S. Peter And they on the other side vnder his patronage are content to comfort and to flatter their consciences with these toyes Of this number was Hugh Duke of Alsatia who was growne far in debt Rodulphus Duke of Sueuia the Emperors brother in law fed with the hope of the Empire Bertholdus Duke of Zaringia his sonne in law Welfo Duke of Bauaria the Bishops of Mence Mets and Wormes and certaine Abbots eyther stroken with a feare of the excommunication or for some speciall causes bound to these Princes who with one consent reuolt from the Emperour ioyne their counsels and forces to the Saxon rebels and fill all Germanie with robberie sword and fire Insomuch that the Historiographers of those times want words to expresse the horror and abomination of that disordered confusion which by all good men was imputed to Gregorie who crie out against this vnworthie and wicked act in their sermons curse Gregorie wish all ill to Hildebrand publish him to be Antechrist vnder a shew of pietie say they he exerciseth his furies with honest words he makes shew of seeking the publike good vnder the title of Christ he playes the part of Antechrist in Babylon he sits in the Temple of God and extolleth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as if he were God he glorieth that he cannot erre and for the greater increase of his glorie he takes vpon him to make an Emperor at his pleasure
a place in Councels to Mathilda Doubtlesse the Monke Godfrey saith plainely That being circumuented by the Pope she gaue vnto S. Peter without the knowledge of the Magistrats and rulers the Marquisat of Ancona But as touching his publike life and gouernement Gerochus his follower Gerochus in vita Hildebrand who writ the historie of his life describes him to be verie obstinat and proud in his own conceit The Romans saith he vsurpe a diuine honour they will giue no reason of their actions neither can they endure it should be said vnto them Why doest thou this and they haue alwayes in their mouthes these Satyricall words Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I command For reason my will shall stand And that indeed was his humor according to the description of all writers Sigebert who writ of those times saith That by his example and by reason of his new decrees many things were done in the Church against all lawes diuine and humane and there arose in the Church by this occasioÌ Pseudomagistri false Doctors who by their prophane nouelties had diuerted the people from the discipline of the Church and that he excommunicated the Emperour for this very cause that the Peeres of the Realme should withstand their King being for iust cause excommunicated Againe that the Pope meeting the Emperour in Lumbardie vnder a false shew of peace absolued him For all they who had first abiured Hildebrand adding periurie to periurie abiure the Emperour and appoint Rodolph Duke of Burgundie their King the crowne being sent vnto him by the Pope Hereby we may easily gather what opinion he had of him Another saith He receiued for accusation of the King the writings of his enemies and thereupon excommunicated him Histor Saxonica in literis Henrici ad Hildebrand Benno Cardin. in vita Hildebrand And with what furie he was caried appeareth by that his Apothegme I will either die or take from thee thy life and kingdome But Cardinall Benno noteth the manifest iudgement of God As saith he he rose from his chaire to excommunicate the Emperour then newly made of strong timber by the sudden hand of God it was strangely torn into diuers peeces to giue all men to vnderstand how many horrible schismes by that dangerous excommunication and presumption he that sate in that chaire should sowe both against the Church of Christ and the Sea of S. Peter how cruelly he should dissipate the chaire of Christ trampling the lawes of the Church vnder his feet and bearing rule with power and austeritie And another saith From hence there arose a more than ciuile warre without respect of God or man the Diuine and humane lawes were corrupted without which neither the Church of God nor common-wealth could stand and the publike and Catholike faith is violated And if you aske them where the fault was they tell you speaking of the extraordinarie submission of Henrie to Gregorie Apologia Henrici that hee omitted nothing that might mollifie the heart of Gregorie and regaine his grace and fauour insomuch that at the last for a testimonie of his reconciliation he receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus at the hands of the Pope sits at table with him and so is sent backe in peace But the author addeth That peace which Iudas dissembled not which Christ left Insomuch that Leo Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens li. 3. Chron. Cassinen c. 48. who then flourished saith The businesse being brought to an end the Pope by the counsel of Mathilda sent one of his ouer the mountains with the crowne of the Empire to Rodolph persuading him to rebell against the Emperour And the letters whereby he incited him are yet to be read in the Historie of Saxonie Historia Saxonica Apologia Henrici yea some repeat his owne words Trouble not your selues saith he I restore him vnto you more faultie than before for the person of the King shal be more contemptible in his kingdome if satisfying he lay aside the ensignes of his kingdome and if without permission he resume his regal ornaments I shall haue the iuster cause to excommunicate him But of both the kings this is his iudgement Henry born brought vp in the kingdome by the ordinance of God succeeded his progenitors in the kingdome c. But Rodolph saith he was obedient to the Pope who had discharged him of his faith and allegiance and assured him that bearing armes against Henrie he could be no way condemned of periurie and disloialtie because being excommunicated he could be no longer King it being the dutie of all the faithfull in the Church to persecute and kill all those who fauouring Henrie the King excommunicated refuse to forsake him This was a new Doctrine saith the Authour neuer heard of before there being no other sword permitted in the Church Helmold in Historia SclauoruÌ c. 28. 29. 30. than that of the spirit which is the word of God But the iudgement of God acknowledged by Rodolph himselfe giues better satisfaction who being neere his end vsed this speech to some of his familiar friends You see heere my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henrie that I would neuer hurt him or hinder his glorie but the commaund of the Pope and request of the Bishops haue brought me to this that laying aside all respect of mine oath I should vsurpe an honour that was none of mine But what comes of it you now see In that hand which hath violated mine oath I am wounded to death Let those therefore consider hereof that haue prouoked vs hereunto how they haue led vs least perhaps we fall into the bottomlesse pit of eternall damnation And so with these wounds and great anguish of heart he departed this life The same author addeth that the Saxons gathering heart againe chose one Herman surnamed Cluffloch king who had conquered Henrie in the field Who by the iust iudgement of God entring victoriously into a Citie the Gate fell off the hinges and killed him and diuers others Whereupon the Saxons seeing their purposes frustrated they gaue ouer the creating of a new King or to beare armes any more against Henrie manifestly perceiuing that the kingdome was reserued vnto him by the approbation and permission of God himselfe What now remaineth but that we adde the confession of Gregorie himselfe alledged before by Sigebert and confirmed by Mathew Paris That by the instigation of the Diuell he had stirred vp wrath and reuenge against mankind I willingly here omit the contradictorie writing of this age with the replications and duplications of those that tooke part with Gregorie to maintaine his excommunication who say that a Pope excommunicated Chilperick King of Fraunce for his idlenesse and vnprofitable gouernement onely and established Pepin in his place That Kings are not lesse subiect to the key of Rome then the rest of his subiects for
they are all sheepe That whom God hath made a ruler ouer things Celestiall he hath made him much more ouer things terrestrial and therefore the Pope had power ouer all Hereupon they alledge or rather abuse the examples of some Princes that haue beene censured by the Pastors of the Church Such as tooke part with Henrie on the other side replied that Chilperick was deposed by the common consent of the States of the Realme and not by the Pope that it is the office of a Pastor to feed not to kill to instruct not to destroy that the examples that were alledged by them were either false or impertinent That Henrie refused not to doe any thing nay had performed whatsoeuer belonged to his place That Gregorie on the other side carried himselfe as an actor not as a Iudge That God onely ruleth Kings and Kingdomes and those subiects that God hath giuen them no man can absolue of their oath allegiance This they confirmed by places of Scripture and the testimonies of the Fathers wherupon they conclude Gregorie to be Antechrist who taking vpon him the name of Christ did vtterly ouerthrow the Lawe of Christ and his doctrine But this is nothing among the rest they strongly maintained that the Catholike Church is not with him that destroyes the Church and that the title of Catholike belongs not to him or his followers who speake and hold against the holie Scriptures against the Gospell of the sonne of God But rather according to S. Iohn he and his societie are Antichrists qui Iesum soluunt betray Christ offer him violence whilest they violently wrest the Scriptures And it is well noted of a learned Historiographer of our time Vignier in Hist Ecclesiast that in this whole controuersie there is no mention made by the Gregorians either for the donation of Constantine or the renunciation of Lewis A manifest proofe vnto vs that there was no such thing as yet found out But there is none that better layeth open vnto vs the mysteries of the iniquitie of Hildebrand then Cardinall Benno the Roman Arch-priest As touching his Magick all writers display him to be skillfull in this art as likewise that truely diabolicall Oracle wherewith he deceiued Rodolph and was himselfe deceiued by the diuell for which qualitie also he was condemned in many Synods by innumerable Bishops of France Germanie Italie in the Councels of Wormes Pauia Brixen and Rome where in the sentence it selfe in verie significant words he is called a Magitian a Diuiner a Southsayer possessed with a Pithonicall spirit a Negromancer And if this had not beene apparent ynough they had spoken doubtlesse much more there wanting not matter to obiect against him But Benno who penetrated into the hidden secrets of Gregorie sets downe all circumstances That he had learnt Magick of Theophilact who was Pope Benedict the ninth of Laurence his companion and of Iohn the Archpriest of S. Iohn Port Latin afterwards Gregorie the sixt who by his commerse with diuels and the singing and flying of birds told of those things that were done in farre countries of the euent of warres and the death of Princes That he whilest they liued yea euen in the Popedome was the chiefe instrument and companion of all their wickednesse yea the heire of Gregorie the sixt not onely of his money but his perfidious treacherie That he enforced Pope Nicholas by fearing him with strange apprehensions of death and presenting before him horrible visions to make him Archdeacon That none of the Cardinals subscribed to his election all forsaking him but he was created by the open force of the souldiers That comming one day from Alba to Rome he had forgot a certaine booke of Negromancie without which he seldome or neuer went which he in his journey remembring at the entrance of Portlateran he hastily called vnto him two of his familiar friends and faithfull ministers of his wickednesse commanded them with all speed to fetch that booke vnto him and withall terribly threatned them not to presume to open the booke vpon the way but by how much the more they were prohibited by so much the more were they kindled with a curious desire to prie into the secrets of that book In their returne therefore vnclasping the booke and curiously reading the precepts of that Diabolicall art there appeared presently before them certaine of the diuels angels whose multitude and horror so frighted these young men that they were almost beside themselues Benno Cardin. in vita Hildeb c. And these are the verie words of Benno That it was a common thing with him to shake sparkles of fire out of his sleeue and with these and the like myracles to blind the eyes of the simple as if they were signes of sanctitie That he sent two Cardinals Alto and Cuno to S. Anastasia to performe a fast of three dayes euery one euery day to sing a Psalter and Masses to the end that God might shew a signe which of the two thought more truely of the bodie of our Lord the Church of Rome or Berengarius which neuerthelesse came not to passe That he consulted the Sacrament it selfe as it had beeene an Oracle against the Emperour and the Cardinals withstanding him cast it into the fire That he had layed a trap for the Emperour in the Church of S. Maries in Mount Auentine and obseruing the place wherein he commonly stood or kneeled he commaunded a great stone to be laid vpon the beames of the Church ouer his head that being let fall vpon his head whilest he was praying might dash out his braines But the stone with the weight thereof bare downe with it the instrument of this villanie who by the just judgement of God was bruised to peeces vpon the pauement and for as much as this succeeded not wel he suborned murderers to kill him In the meane time whilest he deposed the Emperour vnder a pretence of Simonie he had no sooner depriued those Bishops of whom he complained of their authoritie but he restored it to them againe thereby binding them vnto him and against the Emperour In honour of Pope Liberius who was an Arrian he ordained a Feast and committed many outrages besides against all law and equitie murders oppressions violences which it would be too long to relate For which cause saith he the bloud of the Church crieth out against him c. I could wish the Reader would read the booke But here we must answer to the obiections of Bellarmine who striues to affirme that this booke is not to be beleeued First because it is likely to be suborned by some Lutheran or other R. If he had said of some malicious person it might haue beene borne with but I referre it to the judgement of any Reader that can discerne the stile weigh the circumstances consider of the phrase and I thinke there is none to be found that will take it to be suborned Secondly some man perhaps faith he in
writ vnto Richard Archbishop of Sens to consecrat him but Richard as we learne by the letter of Vrban himselfe refused to doe it vpon which his refusall Vrban himselfe was inforced to consecrat him commanding Richard to yeeld his helping hand to Yuo in the gouernement of the Church reseruing still his obedience to his Church Yuo Carmitens Epist 12.8 but Richard neuerthelesse would not obey him but writ saith Yuo sharpe letters and such as were derogatorie to the Maiestie of the Apostolike See Wherupon Yuo warneth him that the Scriptures pronounce him an heretike because he agreeth not with the Church of Rome I appeale vnto his owne conscience out of what peece of Scripture he proueth that But he likewise acknowledgeth ingeniously that by the hand of Vrban he had bin raised from the dunghill and therefore he held himselfe obliged in duetie to aduaunce his honour and commoditie and to that end tendes that salutation of his in a certaine congratulatorie Epistle Cum Petro pugnare cum Petro regnare To fight with Peter and to raigne with Peter that is as the Popes courtiers say to follow the Popes fortunes through what dangers so euer But here the Archbishop stayed not for he assembled at Estampes the Bishops his Suffragans namely of Paris Meaux and Troy to deliberat hereupon wherein he sheweth that this ordination was against the Maiestie royall which Yuo had greatly offended in receiuing it all of them concluding to restore Iefferay into his place and to depose Yuo whereupon he appealed to Rome to which appellation they refused to obey for which cause he complaineth to Vrban imployeth his helpe That he would be pleased to write to the Archbishop and his Suffragans in his behalfe that it was necessarie to send a Legat into France to prouide for these and the like matters But in the mean time whilest they vnited themselues together for the libertie of the French Church King Philip the first sent to the Pope for a dispensation to marie his concubine Bertrade and so withdrew his hand and commanded Yuo to be established in his Bishopricke Thus it oftentimes falleth out that the priuat vices of Princes doe greatly prejudice their publike dignities In these Epistles in the meane time it is worth the noting That Yuo doth not alwayes agree in doctrine with Vrban For whereas diuers Bishops had condemned the inuestitures of lay persons for heresie because by this means the great Prelats got vnto themselues the right and prerogatiue of lay founders and patrons An. 1099. Yuo neuerthelesse hauing gotten the Bishopricke and being out of their reach maintained against Hugh the Popes Legat the Primat of Lyons and others Yuo Carnutens Epist 235.238.239 That it was no heresie since there was nothing here that concerned faith which had nothing common with Orders This was Yuo who otherwise held with Vrban and did omit no occasion whereby he might serue him and did carefully aduertise him to assist Manasses with his authoritie for his confirmation in the Bishopricke of Rheimes Idem Epist 48. Because saith he it is necessarie that the Church of Rome should haue one in that See that should be a true and trustie seruant vnto him He armeth him likewise in such a sort with his counsels against those obstacles that may any way hinder the course of his Legats or Decrees in France that he feared not to say of himselfe I thinke of my selfe that there is no man on this side the mountaines that hath suffered greater wrongs endured more contumelies for the maintenance of your commaunds and that fidelitie that is due vnto you Yea Richard the Archbishop of Sens being dead and Daribert canonically nominated to his place Yuo being prohibited by Hugh Primat of Lyons and Legat to Vrban to consecrate him Bishop because he had not performed vnto him his due obedience Yuo deales sharpely with the Legat by letters giuing him to vnderstand That he would not obey him to the preiudice of the auncient Canons and the venerable authoritie of his forefathers he therefore bitterly reproueth him But Baronius who had hitherto approued him begins now to chide him because he had not spoken of inuestitures as was fitting Baron an 1099 art 8. That which remaineth saith he in this Epistle of Yuo is more harsh as speaking too abiectly of the auncient inuestitures yea of many things he speakes with contempt which if they were not corrected in other Epistles of the same Author would call into question that his glorious reputation which he hath gotten by defending the Apostolike See and the Catholike veritie So much doth reason and affection disagree euen in great personages An. 1093. In England Anselme by nation an Italian being chosen Archbishop of Canterburie by the consent of King William the second craues leaue of him to goe to Rome to receiue his Pall of Pope Vrban wherewith the King being greatly offended answered That no Archbishop or Bishop in his realme was subiect to the Court of Rome or to the Pope and that he had that libertie in his realme that the Emperour had in his Empire Anselme therefore was accused of high treason all the Bishops consenting thereunto except Gondoulfe Bishop of Rochester Vrban hereupon sent Gualter Bishop of Alba into England to bring him the Pall and to reconcile him to King William But Anselme being still desirous to goe to Rome King William answered him in plaine tearmes That if he would promise and bind himselfe by an oath vpon the booke neither to goe nor to appeale to Rome for any affaires whatsoeuer he should then well and peaceably enjoy his Bishopricke if not that it should be free for him to passe the seas but neuer to returne And this he spake in Common Councell He neuerthelesse went to Rome where by his counsell the Decree was renewed vnder paine of excommunication against the inuestiture of Layman Mathias Paris in Guilielmo 2. and so he continued at Lyons so long as William liued Let vs adde hereunto in these times the report of the Monke of Malmesburie touching the Romans The Romans sometimes Lords of the world Malmes l. 5. a people that goe in long gownes are now of all others the most ignorant An. 1097. selling iustice for gold and the Canons rule for siluer We must not forget that it was at this verie time that Pope Vrban granted to Roger Earle of Calabria and Sicilia those letters patents so much disputed by Baronius against the King of Spaine Baron an 1097 art 20. 21. sequent who now possesseth the kingdome both of the one and the other Sicile where in consideration of his good and loyall seruices done vnto the Church of Rome and against the Sarasens he made him the sonne of the vniuersall Church and by a speciall priuiledge he granteth vnto him and to his sonne Simon or any other his lawfull heire that they should neuer haue during their liues within their dominions
Decree they degrade him and put his sonne into his place The circumstances are set downe by Krantzius and Helmoldus Helmold l. 1. cap. 32. Krantzius l. 5. ca. 20. in Saxon. which let not the Reader thinke tedious to read The Bishops saith he of Mence Cologne and Wormes were commaunded to goe vnto him and to bring from him howsoeuer vnwilling the Imperiall Ensignes the Crosse Scepter Halberd Kingdome sword and Crowne but the Emperour enquiring the cause thereof they answere him That he committed Symonie in conferring of Bishoprickes and Abbies To whom the Emperour replied Tell me yee Bishops of Mence and Cologne by the name of the eternall God what I haue receiued from you they answered Nothing Glorie to God on high saith the Emperour that in this point we are found faithfull doubtlesse your great dignities might haue brought great gaine into our Chamber if we had sought after it my Lord of Wormes knowes we are not ignorant whether freely or for gaine we receiued him My good fathers violate not your faiths we now wax old haue patience a little and end not our glorie with confusion we require a generall Court If we must yeeld we will deliuer our Crowne to our sonne with our owne hands But they making offer to inforce him he retired himselfe a little and putting on his Imperiall ensignes and returning vnto them The goodnes of the eternal God saith he the election of the Princes gaue them vnto me God is able to preserue them vnto me and to withhold your hands from this your enterprise although we want our forces to defend vs not doubting of any such violence But yet let the feare of God bridle you since pietie cannot and if neither of them will behold here am I vnable to withstand your force Hereupon the Bishops paused a while but at the last the one encouraging the other they went to the Emperor tooke the Crown from his head and taking him out of his seat spoyled him of all his royall robes The Emperour fetching a deepe sigh spake in this manner The God of vengeance behold and reuenge this iniquitie you commit against me I suffer an ignominie the like whereof was neuer heard of before but it is God the iust Iudge that punisheth me for the sinnes of my youth But yet you are not free from this offence because you haue broken your oaths and therefore you shall not auoyd the reuenge of a iust Iudge God neuer prosper you vpon the earth but let your portion be with him that betrayed Christ This saith Krantzius is the narration of our Annales And Sigonius describes this matter almost in the same words Sigon l. 9. de regno Italia By which narration it plainely appeareth that this poore Emperour was not deposed because he had inuested Bishops for money which they of their owne accords acknowledge but purely and simply because according to the antient laws of his predecessors he did inuest them which the Synod calleth the Henrician heresie or of Guibert alias Clement 3 the Guibertine by which account all Princes were in those dayes heretikes But so farforth did the crueltie of Paschal extend Krantz Saxon. l. 5. cap. 21. Henric. Herford cap. 68. that he caused all that were inuested by Henrie to be digged out of their graues sixe yeares after their death but he demanding penance of the Legats is proudly reiected vntill he did humbly submit himselfe to Paschal But Paschal euerie thing thus falling out according to his owne mind by an honorable embassage is entreated to come into Germanie whilest the Emperour being depriued of his Kingdome is left to lead a priuat life in the Castle of Ingelheim But yet shortly after by the helpe of some of his friends he retireth himselfe into Cologne and being conducted by the Citizens to Liege he was honorably receyued by Othbert Bishop of that place and Henrie Duke of Lorraine And from thence hee dispatched Orators to all Christian Princes especially Philip the first King of Fraunce to lay open vnto them this miserable tragedie But his sonne pursueth him euen to that place notwithstanding those protestations he made that he only fought some little place of rest where he might end his life And at the last by his indeauours he brought it to passe that he got him againe by force into his power where his estate was such at the last that he intreated the Bishop of Spire sometimes his deare friend and aduaunced by him to giue him a place where he might liue as a Clerke in the Church of S. Maries which he had founded which was cruelly denied him And so a few dayes after being ouercome with griefe he dyed And that it might appeare that the impietie of his sonne had not altogether extinguished his loue and pietie towards him he sends vnto him for his last present testimonie of his fatherlie loue his Seale-ring and his sword who neuerthelesse in fauour of the Pope Auent l. 5. AnnaliuÌ Boior Helmold l. 1. cap. 33. and to expresse his obedience towards him kept his father for fiue yeares together vnburied in a solitarie Chappell of the house Here saith Helmoldus the Historiographer He was verie good to those Churches which he found to be faithfull vnto him but as for Gregorie and others who lay in ambush against his honour as they endeauoured the worst they could against him so he the like against them extreame necessitie as many affirme enforced him thereunto for who would willingly endure the least losse of honour We read of many that haue sinned who haue beene relieued by repentance Dauid sinning and repenting continued a King and a Prophet But King Henrie casting himselfe downe at the Popes feet praying and repenting is trodden vnder foot and could not obtaine that in the time of grace that Dauid obtayned in the time of the Law But let those dispute hereof that dare or know these things This only one thing we may know that the See of Rome at this day rues that fact For as many as since that time haue raigned of that stocke haue vsed their best endeauours to humble the Churches least they should gather strength against Kings and attempt as much against them as they haue done against their forefathers But Henrie the junior raigned for his father and there was peace betweene the Kingdome and the Priesthood but yet not long For neither did he prosper being all his life time ensnared as his father was by the Apostolike See And he was a Priest that here speaketh This Henrie according to most writers was called the fourth we following Onuphrius and Sigonius make him the third All this happened from the yeare 1099 to 1106. An. 1106. But let vs not forget an Epistle of this Paschal writ to the Archbishop of Polonia at the entrance of this age An. 1102. about the allegation of Councels Pascha l. Epist ad Archiep. Poloniae As if saith he any Councels may
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
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
other In the meane time Innocent the third as saith the Abbot of Vrsperge Abbas Vrsperg made profit of this confusion which he describeth so horrible in the Empire as the like hardly happened euer in any age That a man saith he could not safely passe from one Parish to another for there was scarce any Bishopricke or Ecclesiasticall dignitie or Parish church that was not become litigious by which meanes all processe were broughe to Rome but not with emptie hands Reioyce our mother Rome for the floud-gates of the treasuries are opened vpon the earth to the end the riuers may flow to thee and thou maiest heape money in great aboundance make thy selfe merie vpon the iniquitie of the children of men the price is giuen to thee as a recompence of so many euils take comfort in Discord thy best friend because it is broken loosse from the bottomelesse pit of hell that the heape of thy treasures may be raysed to the top Thou hast that thou hast long thirsted after sing a song for through the enuie of men and not thy owne religion thou hast ouercome the world It is not for deuotion or pure conscience that men draw vnto thee but through the multiplicitie of euils the deciding of controuersies and all for money And this was of the entrance of Innocent the third that he spake And here end the Annales of Baronius Neither let vs omit the affaires of the East vnder the schisme of Alexander the third and Victor Alexander sent a Legat into Palestina that he might there be acknowledged Pope so the two Patriarches of Antioch and Hierusalem with the King and his Barons assembled together to consult thereon The Kings aduice was to admit neither the one nor the other Guilielm Tyrius l. 18. c. 29. and to permit the Legat onely Sine insignibus Legationis Without the marks of his Legation to visit the holie places as a pilgrime if he thought good thereof and presently to returne againe for there was no need of a Legat in the kingdome that serued to no other vse but to burthen the Churches with a greater charge and to impouerish them with extortions But the greater number caried it that he was receiued wherby it came to passe That to those to whom hee was best welcome his long continuance was burthensome 50. PROGRESSION The contentions betweene Philip and Otho procured by Pope Innocent Of the pride and presumption of the said Innocent and the bold Decrees he made Of his intrusions in England and the many troubles he procured Iohn then King thereof after he had excommunicated him Of the submission in the end of the said King who resigneth his Crowne and kingdome and becommeth tributarie to the Pope Of the first beginning of the doctrine of Transubstantiation Of the two Orders of S. Francis and S. Dominick and the blasphemous comparisons and opinions conceiued of them NOw as Innocent had kindled the warre betweene Philip and Otho hee taketh this mans part against the other and the worser truely if wee may giue credit to the Abbot of Vrsperge For he was saith he proud and foolish but accounted the more valiant To establish him he omitted nothing sent to the Bishops and Princes of Germanie to obey him and absolued them of their othes towards Philip and would not giue the Pall to any Archbishop vnlesse by oath hee would acknowledge him he made his Legat to crowne him in Germanie and excommunicated and disgraded Adulphus Bishop of Collen for crowning Philip. But as he vnderstood that Philip had woon the field and that in diuers other battels Otho was alwayes ouercome procured a treatie of peace through the mediation of Hugoline Bishop of Ostia and Leo Cardinal of the holie crosse and the conditions were that Otho should marrie the daughter of Philip and relinquish the title of the Realme during his life and after his death to succeed him But Philip continued not long for returning from Saxonie into Sweuia whilest he stayed at Banbridge for his ease and the recouerie of his health was let bloud in both his armes and beeing at rest in his Chamber accompanied with a few of his owne domesticall seruants Otho Palatine of Witelspach accompanied with certaine seruants of the Bishops rusht in with his sword drawn killed him though in vaine his Chamberlaine sought to defend Here the Abbot of Vrsperge noteth that Innocent had broken the lawful election of Luitpold Bishop of Mence in hatred of Philip which in the Chapter Bonae memoriae Extr. de electis is to be read non iudiciaÌ facienteÌ Abbas Vispergens in Chro. saith he sed iniuriam Not doing justice but iniurie he addeth that this peace was made as he vnderstood of credible persons because it was promised the Pope that King Philips daughter should marrie his Nephew his brother Richards sonne whom he had lately made an Earle some say he was his Bastard and therefore resolued with himselfe not to request the Lands which his predecessours often vsed to demaund of the Emperours both in Tuscane Spoleto and Ancona hoping they should come into his Nephewes possession through the aforesayd mariage And so Philip left Otho to succeed him a man qualified with many vertues as Vrsperg who liued at that time often reporteth namely for his great clemencie and gentlenesse for which good coÌditions he was neuer the better thought of by the Pope But let vs see whether Otho whom the Pope had defended against Philip found him more propitious when he challenged to himselfe the rights of the Empire In the yeare 1209 Otho therefore conueying his armie into Italie was entertayned with great applause of the people An. 1209. receyued the Crowne of Iron at Milan from the hands of the Archbishop and so went to Rome to be crowned with the Imperiall Diademe and hetherto agreed well with Innocent But trusting to the counsell of his Lawyers he went about to search the rights of his Empire in Tuscane and to recouer into his hands the Townes which through the vacancie of the Empire the Popes had drawne vnto themselues in prejudice of the Empire whereupon Innocent presently threatned him with Ecclesiasticall censures Notwithstanding Otho proceedeth in his purpose taketh Viterbe Montefiascone Oruieto Perusia and all that was accounted the patrimonie of Mathilda moreouer he gaue the Dukedome of Spoleto to Bertaldus his fauourite That done hee returned into Lombardie to suppresse and hinder new reuolts there Now therefore Innocent vpon new consultations was resolued to serue his turne by the meanes of young Frederic his Pupill King of Sicilia whom he caused to goe into Germanie recommended vnto them with the remembrance of his father and grandfather Henrie and Frederic the first there to molest Otho and to cause him to forsake Italie Otho beeing otherwise not greatly beloued of the Princes Auent l. 7. nor much esteemed for his vertue so that not long after being inforst to goe into Saxonie was declared through all
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
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
them at Pamiers And of the part of the Albigenses were defendants Theodore before Canon of Neuers Baldwin and Bernard of Simorre and others But their aduersaries hide from vs here the points in controuersie in these conferences If they had beene Manichees Gnostickes Cathares Montanistes Adamites as they would make men beleeue they were no doubt they would not haue omitted them But when these conferences did little satisfie the Lords and that the people were nothing moued at the preaching of Dominicus whom the Pope hauing beene as he sayd warned in a dreame had chosen to vphold his Palace of Lateran that otherwise was readie to fall to ruine he hath recourse to other counsels which these fore-proceedings did but colour for forme sake He therefore excommunicateth Earle Raymund whose authoritie was chiefest exposeth his Countrie for a prey dischargeth and absolueth all men that were bound vnto him by necessitie league or other couenant from that bond and from their oath of fidelitie and that by Apostolike authoritie affirming that to him that had not kept his faith with God faith ought not to be kept and also giueth leaue to all men to attempt against his person and against all the Albigenses no lesse than against the Saracens largely promising them the like indulgences Insomuch also that the mony that had beene appointed for the holie warre is turned to the slaughter of Christians The crosse which in times past was at least in pretence assumed against the infidels is now taken vp for to crucifie Christ in his members by a new and horrible example So that such was the furie or ignorance of that age he incited many Princes Lords and Prelats to assemble themselues on all parts to set vpon them who might better cheape and easier expiate their vices with the dammage of this people than by fighting against the Saracens in the holie land At their comming with the fright of this deluge Earle Raymund is astonished and promiseth obedience to the Church of Rome But marke here the manner Almarick the Popes Legat Generall of this armie draggeth him into the Church by a stole cast about his necke and with scourgings From thence the countries are laid wast Townes are sacked and all places filled with slaughters fire and ruine neuerthelesse the Albigenses courage fayled not vtterly but many times renewed the warre Earle Raymund also after this so great disgrace finding himselfe no gentlier vsed by the Pope taketh armes again with them assisted with the Earles of Foix and of Comminges till such time as there comming new supplies from all parts of Bishops and Lords of Fraunce into the Popes armie signed with crosses Earle Raymund is constrained to withdraw himselfe into Arragon and the Albigenses forced to forsake the champian Countrie and flie vnto the mountains and some vnwarlike families to seeke new countries to inhabit Meane time it is here to be noted that although this warre was made in Fraunce yet King Philip Augustus was not the head thereof but the Pope and his Legat who made it his owne conquest that was woon in this warre The King onely suffered his subjects to enrol themselues for the Popes wars and the Lords of the Kingdome to lead troupes of souldiers thither An. 1215. For in the yeare 1215 Peter Beneuent the Popes Legat in a Synod holden at Monpellier in the name of Innocent appointeth Simon Earle of Montfort Prince and Lord of his conquest others say Gardian vntill the Councell of Lateran should more fully determine of it The Albigeois Historie also noteth that Lewis the Kings eldest sonne comming at that time into the armie the Legat was not well pleased at it fearing least he would dispose of the Land by right of war gotten to the Pope which the Soueraigne Lord himselfe had so long time abandoned to the poyson of heresie Therefore in the Councell of Lateran the Pope pronounceth Simon Earle Montfort Lord of all that had beene Raymunds yet on condition that hee should doe homage for it to the King which also the King admitteth But presently after all the Townes from Auignon to Thoulouse reuolted from Simon to Raymund his sonne and by this means the hearts of the Albigenses were restored So that new worke is made the war reuiued againe Bishops and crossed souldiers sent for from all parts and whilest they lost in one place and gained victorie in another the Earle of Montfort hauing nine moneths besieged the citie of Thoulouse in a sallie receiued a blow with a stone whereof the same day he dyed so that the citie was deliuered from siege and the Albigenses got the vpperhand This Simon de Montfort was indeed a man of courage and a great captaine but particularly noted of ignorance which perpetuall enemie of truth wee haue also found in our dayes so as they onely haue persecuted it as neuer had nor would haue the care to search after it And thus much brieflly out of the Albigenses historie of Peter des Vallees and out of the Chronicle of Montfort it selfe In the meane season whether it were by reason of the dispersion of the Waldenses or for that in other Prouinces God had made the truth knowne at the same time in diuers places the like sermons were heard and by consequence had the like persecutions Chronic. Hirsaug Naucler 2. vol. Gener. 41. For Trithemius and others both before and after him recite That in the citie of Strasbourge for the same were burned to the number of fourescore and in the countrey about it were slaine an hundred in one day Nauclerus saith That in Italie this doctrine which he calleth heresie wonderfully increased as well among the Nobilitie as the common people and that euery yere they sent to Milan some collection for the maintenance of their Teachers Bruschius saith That at Mentz were burned nine and thirtie And from this time forth nothing is more frequent these ashes hauing beene as it were by the breath of Gods spirit strewed into all the corners of Europe and yet this cannot be ascribed to any conniuence Trithem in Chron. Hirsaug Godofrid Monach in Annalibus or tolleration of it For Trithemius and the Monke Godfrey telleth vs plainely That Conrade of Marpurg an Apostolike Inquisitor was wânt to proue these men attainted of heresie if they denied it Iudicio ferri candentis By touching of red hot yrons and those whom the yron burned hee deliuered ouer to the secular power as heretikes to be burned So all a few excepted that were once accused brought to this triall were condemned to the fire Some beleeued that he had condemned many innocents because the hot yron found not any free from sinne though not infected with any spot of heresie And a few pages after he addeth In this time many noble and ignoble Clergie men Monkes Nunnes Burgesses citizens and countrey people in diuers places of Germanie were vnder the name of heresie condemned to the fire by a sentence as some thought too
rash headlong and that by a Frier of Marpurg of the Order of Preachers who had beene appoynted by the Apostolike See generall Inquisitor of heretikes For as one writeth the same day that any man was accused whether iustly or vniustly no refuge of any Appeale or defence being able to helpe him he was condemned and cast into the cruell flames And a little before speaking of the great number of them discouered in Germanie Italie and principally in Lombardie he saith They which had beene taken at Strasbourg confessed openly before all the people and Clergie that the number of them was so great that if any of them were to goe from Cologne to Milan hee should find euerie night by the way an hoast of their sect and that they had little tokens about the doores of their houses and roofes whereby they knew how to find the dwellings of their complices Now he ascribeth vnto them the enormities aboue refuted but I pray you who wil beleeue that they would voluntarily vndergo the fire for such things None other truly but monks could write these things whom no man hardly wil be found so sottish as to beleeue At length saith Trithemius this Conrade hauing made himselfe hatefull to all both noble and ignoble especially for that hee persecuted the Earle of Seine falsely defamed of heresie he was slaine not farre from Marpurge notwithstanding his safe conduct by certaine gentlemen who had found no place of pardon or fauour with him Whereas we said that they were principally in Lombardie let vs adde thereto the testimonie of an Author of those times though an aduersarie In all the cities saith he of Lombardie and in other kingdomes and lands they had many Auditors and disputed in publike and called the people to solemne stations in a hall and in the field and preached on the tops of houses There was none that durst hinder them by reason of the power and multitude of their fauourers I haue beene often present at the Inquisition and at their examination and there hath beene reckoned vp fortie Churches infected with their heresie and in one onely Parish of Cammach were ten scholes of heretikes And this so notable an opposition happened in the time of the Councell of Lateran so famous for new inuentions and of Innocent the third whom they are woont in all qualities to compare with Hildebrand 51. PROGRESSION The voyage of Frederick the Emperour to the Holie Land and of the affaires and accidents there with the wicked practises of Pope Gregorie the ninth against him in his absence of the tumults factions in Italie stirred vp by the said Gregorie Of his malicious mind towards the Emperor and how he procured his owne sonne to rebell against him Of Innocent the fourth that he deposed the Emperor Frederick and corrupted diuers of his own domestike seruants to poyson him Of the death of the said Emperor and of his great vertue magnanimitie and prudence FRederick the second being sometimes brought vp vnder Innocent the third Apud Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 7. inter literas Frederici 2. quae apud Bononiens seruantur as soone as he came to the Empire found as little courtesie at the hands of Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth and Innocent the fourth as his grandfather and father Henrie and Frederick the first had found before at the hands of their predecessors For when as purposing with himselfe to goe into Italie in the yere 1220 he had sent before Conradus Bishop of Spires his Chancellor with a large commission Honorius construing this as an alarme and much distasting the tenor of his commission wherein he stiled himselfe King of the Romans and Sicilia directing the same to all Prelats Marquesses and Earles in Lombardie Romaniola Tuscan and throughout all Italie and declaring thereby That he had sent before Conradus his Lieutenant Bishop of Spires and Chancellor of the Empire to take fealtie of them and other rights belonging to him without appeale to any other was so exceedingly offended thereat the rather for that Conradus in his proceedings tearmed himselfe Fredericks Lieutenant generall throughout all Italie that he sought by all meanes hee could to crosse Fredericks voyage into Italie For they of Milan by the persuasion of Honorius shut the gates of the citie against him and other cities by his procurement did the like But he setting light by them passeth on to Rome commaunding the embassadours of the cities to follow him thither Now because it was not safe for Honorius to refuse the coronation of Frederick who was readie to take the accustomed oath he wrested another oath from him That by a day limited he should make a voyage to the Holie Land desiring nothing more than to keepe him farre from Italie Frederick therefore making a step into Sicilia settles that kingdome and leauing Conradus in Italie returnes into Germanie where he spent two yeares much to the Popes discontentment But in this interim Iohannes Bremensis king of Ierusalem comes to Rome desiring aid and succour from the Pope to support the declining state of the Christians in Syria The Pope embracing this opportunitie persuades Iohn to tender Yolanda his daughter vnto Frederick and to giue him with her in mariage the kingdome of Hierusalem vpon condition that he should vndertake to recouer the same from the Infidels which Frederic accepted of requiring only two yeres respite for setling the state of Lombardie This was concluded on vpon paine of excommunication which was presently denounced by the Cardinals and should actually take effect vpon Fredericks breach of couenant Now whilest Frederick for the setling of the affaires of Lombardie had assembled the Estates and to that end had sent for his sonne Henrie out of Germanie the confederat cities of Lombardie growing jealous hereof and thereupon combining themselues in a straiter league against Frederick stopt the passage of Henrie and increast their forces Honorius himselfe did much mislike hereof foreseeing that Frederick would hereby excuse the delay of his voyage to the Holie Land and at this time in the yeare 1227 died Honorius and Cardinall Hugoline An. 1227. called Gregorie the ninth succeeded him who without any respect doth so presse Frederick as he commaunds all those of the Croysado to bee readie at Brundusium on the day of the Assumption where he presently imbarkes his whole armie but falling sicke after three dayes sailing returned backe againe not without some losse of his fleet and forces Whereupon Gregorie would admit no excuse but complained to all Princes That Frederick was conuicted of periurie by breach of his contract made with Honorius therefore stood ipso facto excommunicated On the other side Frederick excused himselfe by his letters yet extant in Vrsperge complaining much that the Pope refused to giue audience to the Cardinall of Brundusium whom he sent of purpose to the Councell to make his defence Collenutius ex Ricobalâ l. 4. It is not my purpose here to justifie
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
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
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 coÌteramus 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 indignatioÌ in the hearts of many But the embassadors of the realm of EnglaÌd being arriued at the Councel of Lions partly by the words of WilliaÌ of Powerick partly by a most large letter declared quantuÌ est extortum tributuÌ 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
past holie religious and learned the holie Ghost working with them and inspiring them were vnwillingly drawne into the Chaires which now are violently occupied per fas nefas by courtyers wranglers in law and barbarous All the houses of which the election pertaineth to the Pope are thereby destroyed Patronage is now a burden not an honour a damage not a profit O Pope Father of fathers why sufferest thou the climats of Christians to be defiled with such persons Worthily therefore worthily being chased from thine owne citie and seat as another vagabond Cain thou art forced to banishment thine enemies prosper thou fliest before the partakers of Frederick and they which persecute thee are swift and mightie Euerie where thy Bulls do shine as lightening against them that obey thee and is of no esteeme with such as rebell Prelats are euery where suspended that others may he prouided of their benefices which are vnworthie barbarous and vnknown who seeke the milke of the sheepe of the Lords fold sheere them flea them and plucke out their bowels O Lord God of vengeances when wilt thou sharpen thy sword as lightning and make it drunke with the bloud of such men In France vnder the raigne of S. Lewis Innocent spared vs not the more although he soiourned there heare what the same Author saith Hee is no sooner come to Lyons but without the consent of the Chapiter he would giue away the vacant Prebends the Canons resist him to his face threaten those to whom he giues them That if they came thither the Archbishop should not bee able to hinder them from casting them headlong into the riuer Rhosne But as the matter passed further others more entermedled in it For saith he all and euerie one saw and perceiued that the Pope did insatiably gape after money and spoyle to the dammage and impouerishment of many And many alreadie did not beleeue that he had the same power of binding and loossing as was granted from heauen to S. Peter being knowne to be altogether vnlike to S. Peter In France many noblemen conspired against the Pope and the Church which we neuer remember to haue happened before as may bee seene in this Charter written in the French tongue which is there at large expressed the summe of it is this All the confederats whose seales did hang at that writing vnite themselues together for to defend their rights and prerogatiues against the Court of Rome and there was named for heads of the league the Duke of Bourgondie the Earle Perron of Britaine and the Earles of Angolesme and of S. Paul who if any of the league haue need are to helpe them with necessarie forces and that say they because the Clergie made them of worse condition than the Heathens of whom God said Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods and by these new customs abolished their ancient priuiledges whereas indeed the kingdome had not beene gotten by the pride of the Clergie but by the souldiers and men of warre Which when the Pope vnderstood fearing least that were done by intelligence with Frederick he thought it his wisest course to content them in their grieuances and to appease the chiefest by giuing them store of benefices yet neuerthelesse he sendeth the Friers Preachers and Minors to all the Prelats of France who require of them to lend him money promising to restore it them so soone as he should be able to take his breath But king Lewis suspecting the couetousnesse of the Court of Rome forbad all the Prelats of his kingdome vnder paine of loosing all their goods that none should in any such sort impouerish his land And so these sophisticall Legats of the Pope departed out of the kingdome hissed at and derided of all men Yet true it is saith the Author that after infinit extortions in France worthie of eternall silence the Pope consented to king Lewis in fauour of his voyage to the Holie land that he might collect a tenth for three yeares on condition that himselfe might also for other three yeares following receiue the like which was with such rigour extorted that the Churchman that had yearely but twenty shillings comming in and was readie to perish for hunger was constrained without all pitie to pay two of them and of this crueltie he bringeth many examples And for that king S. Lewis did permit or tollerate the Pope to make these extortions in his kingdome it was vndoubtedly beleeued that his voiage to the Holie Land tooke such vnfortunat successe Now of all these as wee haue abouesaid these new Friers Preachers and Minorites were the executors being the Popes ordinarie Publicans or Toll-gatherers who in the meane time also deuoured one another And which is terrible and of vnluckie presage saith he no Monasticke Order in the space of three or foure hundred yeares or vpwards hath growne so much and so soone neere a downefall as is their Order in twentie foure yeres that their mansions were first founded in England When any great and rich men lye at point of death they come diligently about them to draw profit and riches from them not without the hurt and hinderance of the Ordinaries and wrest from them confessions and secret testaments onely recommending vnto them their Order and preferring it before all others So that no faithfull man beleeues to be saued vnlesse he be gouerned by the counsels of the Preachers and Minorites who are carefull of getting priuiledges are Counsellors Chamberlaines and Treasurers in the Courts of Kings and Potentates Paranymphes and mariage-makers executors of the Popes extortions in their preachings either flatterers or most biting reprouers and in confessions either disclosers or vndiscreet reprehenders Who doth not here perceiue the true picture of the Iesuites And there he further setteth downe the great priuiledges giuen by the Pope for to bee serued of them which in this and other places may be read Mathew noteth That when they had discouered that the king of Norway was deuout with great industrie they prouided a certaine stone of white marble which they said they had bought for a great price wherein they fained was printed the sole of the foot of our Lord ascending vp into heauen That others of them shewed some of the bloud of Christ and milke of the Virgine Marie In those first ages of the Church gentle Reader when all things were fresher how commeth it that there is no speech of any such things And in the mean time this good Monk addeth In these dayes multi generati per incubos many children were begotten by spirits which seeing it followeth together in the same place there is none but may vnderstand what is meant thereby Gregorie attempteth to stretch forth his hands vnto the East parts and behold with what successe By reason of the conquest made of Constantinople by the Westerne people the Emperour Baldwin had submitted the Church of Constantinople to that of Rome in hope 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
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 ProloguÌ 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
conferred vpon Charles on this condition That he should pay 40000 crownes yearely in token of homage which he reserued to himselfe as also further that he should not accept of the Roman Empire though it were imposed vpon him Collen l. 4. Charles therefore went forward into Apulia the Bishop of Constance who was Clements Legat accomganying him Giuing plenarie remission of sinnes to those that should take vp armes for Charles Neere to Beneuento he discomfited Manfred in battell who was there slaine by meanes of which victorie he presently after secured to himselfe the kingdome and did no little reuiue the factions of the Guelphes and Popes which before were prostrat and troden vnder feet ouer all Italie But the Gibellines on the other side rousing themselues vp called Conrade Fredericks nephew commonly named Conradinus out of Germanie to oppose Charles He in the later end of the yeare 1267 comming to Verona about the beginning of the Spring he went forward into Apulia and so being proclaimed Emperour by all the Gibelline faction not farre from Arezzo he by the way defeated part of Charls his forces and then going to Rome ouerslipping the Pope that lay at Viterbe he was with general voyce and acclamation receiued by all the people But not long after joyning battell with Charles in the confines of the kingdome vpon the first charge he put his armie to flight but while his men were attentiue on bootie and spoyle Charles reenforcing the fight obtained victorie and himselfe with the chiefest of his nobles being driuen to flie he fell into his enemies hands And here Clements pastorall mercie and commiseration plainely appeared Sigonius glauncingly vseth these words Conradine by Charles commaund and definitiue sentence Collen l. 4. was put to death like an ordinarie theefe because by armes he made claime to his fathers and grandfathers kingdome The Princes are at great variance amongst themselues vpon ambiguous title But the Neapolitan Historiographer and some others write freely That after Charls had kept him a whole yeare in prison he consulted with the Pope what should be done with him who briefly made this answer Conradines life is Charles his death and Conradines death is Charles his life Collen l. 4. Hist Neapolitano vnderstanding by this that he was to be put to death The Historiographer obserues That diuers of the French Nobilitie could not be brought to condescend vnto this sentence but especially the Earle of Flanders Charles his sonne in law who thought it fitter to set him at libertie and haue him obliged by some matrimoniall affinitie whose opinion the nobler sort were of especially those who were free from preiudicat passions but saith he the more cruell sentence tooke place Neither certainly hapned this to omit the law of Nations without some super-humane instinct for besides the Vespers or Sicilian Euen-song which tooke publike reuenge hereof Charles Prince of Salerno sonne to the aboue mentioned Charles hauing thirtie gallies ouerthrowne himselfe with a number of other Nobles was taken and with nine other kept close prisoners and two hundred other gentlemen had their heads cut off at Messina others also that were in durance in a popular tumult who set fire on euerie part of the prison in contempt of the Popes excommunication were burned together in the same flame And the Ciuilians of the kingdome assuming a president from the proceeding against Conradine sat in triall vpon Charles the like sentence execution he had vndergone but onely for Queene Constantia wife to Peter king of Aragon a Ladie of singular prudence and pietie who vnder pretext of conueying him into Catalogna to the king preuented this intended just reuenge for which she purchased amongst all men immortall praise and commendations To returne to our former subject Charles caused Conradine being scarce eighteene yeares of age to be beheaded in the publique market place of Naples who called God to witnesse of the injurie and injustice done vnto him herein and so throwing his gloues vp into the ayre he denounced Frederick of Castile his aunts sonne heire and successour to his kingdomes Henricus Guldelfingensis in Historia Austriaca In his view and sight Frederick Duke of Austria his inward familiar and equall in yeres had his head cut off that by his death he might the more be daunted and terrified which he tooke vp and kissed then after him eleauen other noble men Italians and Sueuians The Historiographer adds that Charles would needs haue the executioners head chopt off in the place by an other appointed to performe this office because he might not hereafter boast of the cutting off his head who was discended from so illustrious a familie as also that the Count of Flaunders in a rage slew him with his owne hand that had pronounced the sentence All Christendome held this wicked deed in most odious detestation especially all the Princes in that they remembred how king S. Lewis and this Charles his brother being taken prisoners not long before by the Souldan in Palestina were curteously and friendly entertayned And from hence it proceeds that Peter of Aragon exprobrateth to Charles in some letters of his Tu Nerone Neronior Saracenis crudelior thou art more bloudie than Nero and more cruell than the Saracens There was not any one which ascribed not this crueltie in the greatest part to Clement and the verie sentence it selfe denounced against Conradinus may testifie as much Apud Pertam de Vineis which was For disturbing the peace of the Church and falsly vsurping to himself the Royal title But I pray you was not his right good enough for the clayming of this title Furthermore we haue the same Clements owne letters that is to say the letters of this Charles king of Sicilie to Peter of Aragon ordained and deuised saith the Author by Pope Clement the fourth wherein he proudly threatens Peter of Aragon being backt by this Pope that sought to obtaine the kingdome of Naples by armes Thou most wicked man saith he didst thou not consider the inexplicable excellencie of the mother the Church who is to commaund ouer all Nations and whom the whole earth and all the people in the same doe obey Shee it is whom land Sea and skies obey worship and resound to whom all that liue vnder her Sun are bound with stooping heads to pay due duties and tribute So as he exprobrated cast him in the teeth with Conradines death for a terror to himself of whom notwithstanding he shamed not to say that he had wel deserued who being taken in fight like a theef by the just sentence of death had deserued the gibbet yet he permitted him to vndergoe the stroak of cruel death by the sword of a bloudy heads-man presaging vnto him also the same ruin which sounded not like the stile of a king or prince descended of the French royal race but of the Popes of these present times of the same vnclement Clement And thus much
victorious where he had no opposite But if this supreme spirituall power should offend whether in this case must be our refuge I pray you see how perspicuously he resolues this doubt If this supreme power erre 1. Cor. 1. v. 14. 15. must onely be iudged by God and not by man the Apostle testifying The spirituall man iudgeth all things but he is iudged of no man but is this spirituall man of Paules to be onely vnderstood by the Pope doth he not there rather oppose one to another the man meerly animal and liuing to the man spiritual the man regenerat by the spirit of God to one vnregenerat and haue all the faithful this power to judge of Kings and Princes as their superiours Is the Bishop of Rome then onely a faithfull one in that he onely assumes to himselfe this power and prerogatiue And thus in their Decretalls the Popes make as meere a mock of the Scriptures no lesse than Roman Pasquill doth Yet notwithstanding out of these ridiculous antecedents he impudently concludes We therefore affirme declare determine and pronounce That vnder paine saluation euerie creature must be subiect to the Pope of Rome But now let vs see how wicked an vse he makes of so impious a Decretall After the Emperour Rodulphes death there grew a schisme and rend in the Empire there concurring at the same time a vacancie of the Popedome for part of the Princes especially the Ecclesiasticall chose Adolph Count of Nassau and the other part Albert Rodolphes sonne But when Boniface came to be Pope he reiected them both vnder this pretext that without his approbation they could descend to no election Hereupon grew a ciuile warre in Germanie and at a last a battell was fought wherein Adolph was slaine so as then Albert came to be easily confirmed in the dignitie by all the Doctors When the Iubile was ended he sent embassadours to Rome to haue his election by him ratified and confirmed Krantzius in Saxon. l. 8. c. 36. But this stout Pralat made answer That without his authoritie the election past was not validious affirming that he had in his hands the power of both swords Another pregnant testimonie he gaue of himselfe in the Easterne Empire Charles Count of Valois brother to Philip le beau king of France maried Katherine daughter to Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople he permitted him to inuade the Easterne Empire out of which his father in law was driuen vnder colour sayth Platina of vsing his aid in an expedition to the Holie Land Platina in Bonifac 8. Extra in Sexto l. 5. c. 23. Clericus but rather in truth to constitute him his Lieutenant in Tuscan for the extirpation of all the Gibellines And at last he grew to that height of insolencie as that he commaunded by authoritie Apostolicall all Prelats Clerkes and persons Ecclesiasticall to pay no tributes tenthes twenties nor hundreds to any lay powers to Emperours Kings Dukes Counts Barons or inferior Lords c. as also that they should impose nothing vpon them vpon paine of incurring excommunication enioyning the like to all communities and gouernements vpon paine of interdiction from which they could not be absolued before the verie point of death Matthaeus Westmonast in Floribus Temporum an 1301. and that by the Pope himselfe A bold enterprise very iniurious and preiudicial to all Princes and magistrats which notwithstanding presently tooke effect in England where the Clergie proudly answered the king returning from a warre with the Scots That it was no more lawfull for them to pay tribute which he hearing presently layd hold of all the Clergies temporall goods where he also by expresse Patents forbad the attempting of any thing against Scotland because pleno iure in true right and equitie it belonged to the See of Rome Thus farre he preuailed without any resistance but attempting the like oppressions in France he light vpon king Philip the faire who making no such extraordinarie account of his decretall to the great benefit and emolument of all Princes curbed as we see and bridled his vnjust insolencies OPPOSITION In the yeare therefore 1301 An. 1301. Boniface sent the Bishop of Pamiers into France to Philip the faire a man verie like himselfe in pride and arrogancie to stir him vp to a sacred warre with no greater fidelitie questionlesse than his predecessours formerly had done He furnished his Legat with imperious and menacing Letters vnlesse he stoopt at his beck to thunder out against him excommunications as also the Legat out of his own froward disposition inserted with his persuasions verie vnseemely and distastfull words But Philip could not digest so great arrogancie for apprehending his Legat he committed him in custodie to the Archbishop of Narbon while he should further determine of him Boniface grew into a rage herewith and sent the Archdeacon of Narbon by birth a Roman to Philip by whose embassie he commaunded the king forthwith to set his Legat at libertie the Bishops and Peeres of Fraunce also were enjoyned to appeare in Rome at a Councell by a certaine day But Philip mouing some scruple herein Henricus Steron in Annalib Ann. 1301. Chronique de S. Denis Paulus Aemilius in Philippo Pulchro Blondus Decad. 2. l. 9. Naucler vol. 2. Generat 44. Bochellus Decret Gallican Eccles l. 2. c. 32. Chronic. Monsort Theodor. Ã Nyem Gulielm de Nangis Iean le Maire de Belges the Pope protested that the kingdome of Fraunce did belong to the Roman Church and therefore he should refraine the gouernement thereof committing the same to him and the Church forthwith he absolued his subjects from the oath of fidelitie speaking to them personally that were present and for want of obedience in this point he suspended all the indulgences pardons and graunts which vnto that day the Popes had giuen to the kings and kingdome presuming of his owne head to inuent and deuise That in the Treasorie of Rome he found a certaine record which made mention that Fraunce belonged to the Pope Philip being exasperated with these threatnings forbad the Prelats to goe out of the kingdome The Pope ratled out his excommunications the more against him because he had layed hands on a Bishop disposed of the goods of seats vacant and inuested Bishops True it is that Philip to justifie and confirme his owne right freed the Bishop out of prison but snatching the Bull out of the Archdeacons hand while he red it he gaue the same to Robert of Artois to be burned in the Palace Court at Paris commaunding him presently to withdraw which he did And here it is not amisse to see what letters he brought and what he retourned These of Boniface were of this tenour Feare God and keepe his commaundements We would haue you to vnderstand that both in Spirituall and Temporall things you are subiect to vs The collations of benefices and prebends no wayes belong vnto you for though you haue the vacancie of places in your
custodie yet reserue the fruits and profits thereof to the due successours And if you haue conferred any we denounce such collations voyd or being alreadie past we reuoke them againe and whosoeuer belieue otherwise we declare them heretikes Philips of returne were to this effect Let your grosse foolerie take notice That in matters temporall we are subiect to none the collation of certaine Churches and Prebends vacant belongs vnto vs out of our regall prerogatiue and the fruits and benefits during their vacancie shall be ours That collations formerly conferred by vs and to be conferred hereafter shal be validious and by vigour and force of those grants we wil stoutly defend their possessors against all men and whosoeuer thinks otherwise we repute them to be but fooles and mad men Euen as he was answered by Peter Flot Philips embassadour to the like menaces and threatnings Your sword is verball but my Soueraignes sword is reall And here our countrey man Iohn Tillet Bishop of Meaux is worth the hearing Let vs but behold saith he this mans impudencie who dares affirme the kingdome of France to be feudatarie to the Papall Maiestie Platina in Bonifac 8. Nauclerus vol. 2. Gener. 44. Chron. Martin manuscriptum And yet more foolish are they whosoeuer goe about to debate whether the Pope may doe thus much or no. During these controuersies the States of the kingdome assembled at Paris assisted with all the Archbishops Bishops Prelats Decretists Diuines and Masters of Faculties before all whom the Bishop of Narbon making an oration hee produced ten seuerall heads of accusation against Boniface First That he was a Symonist Secondly in that he said he could not commit simonie Thirdly That he was an homicide Fourthly an vsurer which was most manifest Fiftly That he gaue no beliefe to the ministers of the Eucharist Sixtly in that he affirmed the soule to be mortall and there was no other ioy but of this present life Albertus Argentiâ in Chron. Krantzius in Saxon. l. 8. c. 37. Seuenthly because he was a reuealer of confessions for he enforced a Cardinall to reueale vnto himselfe a confession that was made vnto him by a certaine Bishop of Spaine which being knowne he remoued the Bishop from his place but the Pope afterwards being pacified with money he restored him againe Eighthly because he kept two of his owne neeces as concubines and had begotten children by either of them O fertile and lustie Father Ninthly because he had granted all the tenthes of Ecclesiasticall goods for an aid of warre against the French king And tenthly and lastly for that he entertained the Saracens into pay for the inuasion of Sicilia Wherefore he appealed vnto the See Apostolicall as he sayd then vacant and vnto the next Councell In the meane while it was enacted vnder grieuous penalties That no man might transport any gold or siluer out of the kingdome to the vse or seruice any wayes of the Court of Rome Wherewith Boniface bursting for anger calling a Councell at Rome hee imposed his interdiction vpon the kingdome of France excluding out of the Church the king himselfe and all his posteritie to the fourth generation sending the Archdeacon of Constance to thunder out these things in all parts whose journey notwithstanding was cut short by the apprehension of himselfe and of his Bull at Troyes And now Boniface resolued to confirme Albert in the Empire whom before he had so often repelled so he would promise to vndertake a warre against Philip and to inuade his kingdome vpon which condition he gaue him both the titles of king of Romans and king of France But Albert doubtlesse out of his wisedome and discretion refused these offers but to the end he might not make him his open enemie his answer was That he could not entertaine these offers except he would permit the perpetuation of the Diademe Imperiall to his posteritie and familie But in the meane while this warre turned into royal nuptials and so reiecting Pope Boniface his vaine and hollow counsell he embraced Philips affinitie and alliance by the mariage of his daughter And Philip seeing himself entangled with an implacable man resolued to make an end of this great altercation strife As formerly we heard Boniface had depriued the Cardinals Colonnaes of the hat their uncle Sarra wandring vp and down by sea land fel into the hands of pyrats who now had nothing left but only his wil and desire of reuenge a certaine noble man of France knew him as he was fastened to an oare with a chaine in the Tryreme of a Pyrat and so suing for his libertie he priuily conueyed him to king Philip. Now the king was formerly determined to send William Nogarete of Narbone a gentleman by birth into Italie to declare vnto Pope Boniface presentially how the king appealed from him to a Councell and whatsoeuer came of it to put vpon him such an affront as his insolencie worthily deserued Philip therefore joyned Sarra with Nogarete in commission and Nogarete made some stay at Sienna about taking vp some money out of the Bank of the Petrucci while Sarra in disguised habit visited and solicited his old friends but aboue all others he secured to his partie three hundred French horse which being remainder companies of the Sicilian warre trouped vp and downe here and there Wherefore betimes in the morning he suddenly surprised Anagnia where Boniface then was in his fathers house who vpon so sudden a tumult being ignorant what the matter should be roabing himselfe in his Pontificals hee sat on a throne and Nogarete entring in shewed him the Appeale in the kings name signifying that the Pope must come to Lyons that so afterwards he might be deposed of his dignitie in France and taking him by the necke when he made some resistance he gaue him a good blow on the cheeke with his gantlet and caused him to be carried to Rome The Historie relates That when they had taken him they set him on an vnbridled horse his face turned to the horse tayle and so they made him runne as long as he had any breath in him This Bonifacie saith the Author of Mounforts Chronicle who lately made Kings Popes Prelats and oftentimes the people to tremble and feare now suddenly in one day both feare trembling and griefe assayled and ouerwhelmed and thirsting so much after gold he now lost the same that all superiour Prelats may learne by his example not to tyrannize too insolently ouer the Clergie and people but rather be an example to their flock and to take care of those vnder their charge striuing more to be loued than feared The same Boniface Platin. in Bonifac 8. who saith Platina sought rather to strike terrour and feare into the minds of Emperours Kings Princes nations and people than there to plant religion and pietie as he that at his pleasure would giue and take away kingdomes expell and reduce men backe againe greedily thirsting after gold howsoeuer
of the sentence of excommunication which was laid vpon him for the surprizing of Pope Boniface A further clause of fauour was added by the consent of the whole Consistorie which was That neither the kings nor kingdome of France could not be subiect to any excommunication or interdict which Bull is reserued in the Treasurie of the Charters Momforts Chronicle sayes expresly That he reuoked two of Bonifaces Decrees one wherein he had written to the king That he was subiect to the Church of Rome both in spirituall and temporall things and another inserted in the sixt of the Decretals whose beginning is Clericos c. The Colonnaes were alreadie prouided for but the defacing of Bonifaces memorie remained yet to be performed being sufficiently conuicted by Philips testimonie and the absolution of the attemptors but this poynt was referred to the Councell of Vienna which began about the end of this present yeare There it was debated on the behalfe of king Philip That Boniface was to be condemned for an heretike which three Cardinals aboue all the rest vehemently argued but at last the stronger partie ouercame partly because the Cardinals by him created feared least by this meanes they should endanger their owne places and partly because Clements election wherein their hands bare the stroke might wonderfully by this proceeding bee weakened and disioynted But certaine it is that king Philip was so perseuerant in this affaire Walsingham Chronic. That by speciall messengers saith Walsingham he with much importunitie demaunded the bones of his predecessor Boniface to be burned as an heretikes And this questionlesse he did not without the consent of the Parisian Senat and of the Sorbon In this Councell three heads were propounded The affaire of the Templers The warre of the Holie Land and The reformation of the Church The Templers were condemned both of heresie and other crimes and hereupon cruelly burnt in many places proscribed ouer all Europe and spoyled of their goods And yet many Authors affoord testimonies of their innocencie as Bocatius Villanus Antoninus Nauclerus Auentinus and others Some say that greedinesse of enioying their goods brought vpon them this prosecution and herein they blame Philip and Clement himselfe who would denie him nothing Others affirme that the Popes choler was incenst against them because they detested the Court of Rome which was the onely cause of all the miseries in Christendome and of the vtter destruction of the Holie Land So as by no torments nor crueltie of punishment inflicted they could be brought to confesse the crimes imposed and layd vpon them Paulus Aemilius in Philippo pulchro And they of Germanie proued their owne innocencie in an assemblie called at Mogunce as Aemilius witnesseth They be not obscure Authors saith he which alledge that Iames Burgond Principall of that Order some call him Molanus being brought forth to dye and enuironed with a mightie multitude while the fire was a setting about him and being offered his life and release of that paineful punishment if confessing publikely that which he had deliuered during his imprisonment both of himselfe and his whole Order he vttered these words In these my last actions it being vnpardonable impietie to lye I freely and frankely confesse that I committed a great offence both against my selfe and my Order and that I haue therein deserued a most tormenting punishment because in fauour of them for whom I should not and allured with the sweetnesse of life I haue in my tortures slaunderously imposed many impieties and detractions vpon my Order which hath euer deserued well of the Christian religion I haue now no need of a life obtained by intreatie much lesse retained by lying and defamation And then being set to the pile and fire kindled about the nether parts of his feet to wring out from him some confession euen when the flames began to wast and frie his entrails he neuer swarued from the constancie of his former speech or shewed the least change or alteraion of mind neither he nor two others of his Order being of a great familie one of which was brother to the Dolphine of Vienna From hence the Reader may easily obserue and judge of the calumniations and slanders that the Popes in all ages haue imposed and laid vpon their oppugnants Some Authors of no small esteeme adde Supplementum Martini Parad in Historia Burgundica That two Cardinals were present at this execution and that this great Master summoned Pope Clement before the tribunall of the euerliuing God to answer to the judgement and sentence hee had denounced against him who some fortie dayes after died justly on the same day for this execution was the eleuenth of March and he dyed the twentieth of Aprill a moneth after the publication of his Clementines For that which concernes Palestina The crosse was published to be assumed against the Turkes with a more ample and large grant of Indulgences than euer before that is to say Whosoeuer tooke vpon them the Crosse for this expedition he could not incurre damnation in these plaine words We will not that he be subiect to the torments of hell We further granting to those that be signed with the Crosse for this end three or foure soules at their pleasure to be deliuered out of Purgatorie by their supplications and prayers Whereat the Parisian Diuines were wonderfully scandalized and so much the rather because there was a speciall clause annexed to this Bull We commaund the Angels that absolutely freeing the soule from Purgatorie they conduct it into the glorie of Paradise Conformable to a doctrine taught then by themselues and their adherents That the Pope could command the Angels as his officers and serieants And many copies of this Bull are yet reserued at Vienna Poictiers and Limoges As for Church reformation little or nothing was spoken at all as shall appeare in the section ensuing But by the conclusion and shutting vp of Clements life we shall see what manner of man he was which with such confidence tooke vpon him to dispose of Paradise These be therefore the verie words of Antoninus himselfe After the celebration of a generall Councell in the yeare 1313 Clement going from Vienna to Bourdeaux fell sicke by the way and dyed This man as Chronicles relate was too much addicted to concupiscence and for this cause the sinne of simonie so deepely detested and punished by the Canons tooke deepe root in his Court about the recommendations to benefices And whereas some say That simonie cannot concurre nor stand with the Pope S. Thomas sharpely reproues them Besides it is reported That when he was departing out of this world a certaine nephew of his whom he had sensually before affected mark well these words brought in one that was skilfull in the art of Negromancie that by his wicked art he might seeke out how his nephew should be disposed of in another life who putting in practise his skill he cause one of the Popes Chaplaines a bold
in no sort be scandalized with this negligence of the See Apostolicall for these reasons to make any doubt of the infallible veritie of Christs Gospell seeing he himselfe foretold as much long time before and God had now in one selfe same time made twice denunciation thereof and this Herauld being vnworthily repulsed scorned and cast into bonds was not at all therewith shaken nay more constantly and firmely than euer before he perseuered in the Faith For I know saith he that God will yet the third time denounce his predictions to the Seat Apostolicall but by whom where or when I precisely know not because it is not reuealed vnto me And if this See receiues the denunciation prosecuting it with Moses and Phineas zeale he will honour her by his diuine power both with all auncient and new glories but if she neglect and contemne the same bee assured that God within the foresaid three yeares will bring vpon her most fearefull and terrible iudgements such as shall giue wonder and amazement to the Easterne and Westerne parts what manner of ones I will tell you before my departure in the sence spirituall And certainely much about that time grew that great and long discord betweene the Emperor and the Pope Lewis of Bauaria then wearing the Diademe But this Denouncer and Herauld of whom mention hath beene made was questionlesse Arnoldus himselfe being a man then verie famous all Europe ouer for the knowledge of all Tongues and Arts who deliuering a speech about Church reformation at Rome answer was returned him Meddle in Physicke and not in Diuinitie and we will honour thee In which words saith he they endeuoured to seclude Christs little ones out of the field of Diuinitie desiring onely to haue this field possessed by Giants that is with such as make warre against God Frederick therefore being moued by Arnolds relations he resolued in himselfe verie curiously to search out the truth of the Gospell to frame his life according to Christs doctrine who is truth it selfe and can only bestow on men eternall life That he would by all labour and endeuour procure the propagation thereof rooting out whatsoeuer was aduerse and opposit thereunto And he exhorted the king of Aragon his brother to doe the like whom by letters he certified of all the proceedings to which he likewise with the same resolution and intention made answer Both of them are yet extant being dated in the yeare 1309. We also read an Epistle of king Edwards to Clement wherein he inferres how many kings and nobles of his kingdome from the verie originall of the Church had religiously built many Churches liberally endowed them and placed therein verie sufficient and fit ministers so as the Catholike Faith might the more spread and encrease among the people and nations subiect to him and by this meanes the Lords vine did wonderfully grow and spread But saith he a thing much to be grieued at the verie branches of this vine are degenerated into briers and brambles and the wild boares of the forest extirpate it and all the wild beasts seed thereon But if you doubt whom he meant obserue While saith he the impositions and prouisions of the See Apostolike which daily grow more burdensome contrarie to the intentions of the donors and the best benefices are conferred on strangers and those many times verie vnworthie and not altogether free from iust suspition who are not resident in the sayd benefices know not the countenance of those sheepe committed to their charge nor vnderstand not their language And hee set many discommodities before his eyes that thereof ensued to the vnspeakable and wonderfull detriment of the States Temporall and Spirituall both of Church Kingdome and people earnestly requesting him That he would forthwith remedie these inconueniences because so principall an euill was no wayes to be shuffled vp The successor sayth he of the Prince of the Apostles receiued a commaundement from Christ to feed and not to feed vpon the Lords sheepe to confirme and strengthen and not to suppresse and tread vpon his brethren But because Clement opened not readily his ears to these things Edward forbad the Annates to be conueyed out of his kingdome as also that Prelats should not goe personally to Rome for their ordination The Epistle began thus Pensata sedis Apostolicae clementia c. The Waldenses continued still in diuers Prouinces and vnder diuers nominations according as their aduersaries were for the most part pleased to impose vpon them for we see that in Lombardy they were called Fratricelli Little brethren and because they hated the Pope the Roman Court and such as had brought in deprauation and corruption both into doctrine and manners they were not onely most cruelly put to death but further by calumniation and detraction made infamous to posteritie in many kinds of vncleannesse though their opinions were neuer any other than those of the Waldenses and Albigenses being in the greateh part consonant to the confessions of the reformed Churches This is most apparent out of the relations of Raynerius a writer of those times who sayth he was present both in Lombardie and other places when they were examined by the Inquisitors But formerly out of his workes we extracted those things that were pertinent to their confessions that they need not here any further repetition Concerning their manners he writes they were modest simple medling little with bargaines or contracts to auoyd lying and deceit liuing on their labour being content with a little chast and sober inuiting others by their example to euerie good thing Moreouer hee addes That the first rules and instructions which for rudiments they gaue vnto their children was the Decalogue of the Law the ten Commaundements of God that they should learne to abstaine from those sinnes which vulgarly were called mortalia mortall all which poynts haue small coherence with the distastfull detractions imposed vpon them by many Clement therefore commaunded the Crosse militar to be taken vp against them exposing these poore soules to prey and spoyle proscribing them to be stripped both of life and goods and foure thousand of them he destroyed being assembled together in one place Others of them recouered the inaccessible and insuperable places of high mountaines where till Pope Eugenius time which was about an hundred yeares after our Author Antoninus sayes they abode Antonin Part. 3. Tit. 22. c. 10. And these be the verie race of them from father to sonne which we see in the vallies of Oste Angrogne and other places The same opinion is held of them which at the same time were burned in great numbers within the town of Crema in the Duchie of Austria which the Abbot of Hirsaug beleeuing his predecessors taxeth with the same faith and beleefe inuoluing the truth in many lyes and fictions Yet by his testimonie it is manifest that they reiected the Masse as vaine and vnprofitable and the consecrated Hoast a god inuented by men affirming that the Church
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 Adâianus 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
Ecclesiasticall goods Then came in priuat sacrifices sacrificing Priests sacrileges pilleries peculiarities of temples and these that we call Incorporations and Non-residencies all which may be found out in the auncient Records From this Iohn also proceeded that Decretall Supplement called Extrauagantes so called of Iohn the two and twentieth as the Clementines were of Clement And some affirme That they were both published by him because Clement perceiuing many things in his repugnant to Christian veritie Summa Constit C. cum nonnulli C. super gentes extr de consuetudine Can. Solita de maiorii obedient Clementina vnica de iureiurando Clementina Pastoralis de sententia de re iudicaâa C. Venerabilem de electionibus C. 2. de sententia re iudicâta August de Ancona in lib. de potestate Eccles q. 36. art 2 et q. 35. art 1. 37. 38. 44. 45 46. De Rescriptis 6. ibi Glossa Decis Rote he called them in againe We read of one beside these in the Abbreuiate of Constitutions wherein he commaunds the Inquisitors to proceed against them as against heretikes in that they had associated themselues with heretikes And these were some Prouinces and townes of Italie who had followed the Emperor Lewis partie The heresie was this in that they serued their lawfull Prince against the Pope which there he sayes is in praecipitium damnationis mortis sese iminergere to throw themselues downe headlong into damnation and death And thus at length the Decretals came forth accomplished from which our fathers left vnto vs a common prouerbe That since the Decretalls had wings which is that Decretals were added to Decretals the world daily grew worse and worse Those Decretals which denounce thus vnto vs That the Pope of Rome is constituted by the Lord ouer nations and kingdomes There is as much difference betwixt Popes and Kings as there is betwixt the Sunne and the Moone That the Emperor was bound to take an oath of fealtie to the Pope That the Pope is the Emperours superior and the Empire being vacant his successor That he may depose the Emperour and if he so thinke good elect another onely of himselfe In like manner That he may appoynt him an ouerseer and so any other King or State Kingdomes he may transferre from one to another as he that is their rector and corrector All these priuiledges accruing vnto him so you will beleeue it from that saying of our Lord Omnes potestas mihi data in coelo in terra In Decret Gregorij tit 7. c. Quanto Glossa Lancelot in templo omnium Judicum l. 2. c. 1. par 4. Bald. in l. rescripta C. de praecib Imperat. offer num 7. August de Ancona de potestat Eccles q. 18 art 1. 2. 3. 5. Canonistae ad cap. Quanto de Translat Episc C. Proposuit de Concess Praebend Gloss dist 4. C. 4. August de Ancona vt supra Hostiensis in caput cum venissent de iudicijs Crauetta post Baldum Concil 566. colum 2. Rolland Concil 1. num 93 num 130. Baldus Concil 359. Crauetta Concil 241. num 3. Glossa in Can. 4. de concess Praebend Can. 3. q. 6. causa 15. Decisiê° 1. vel 447. in compilat Rebuffi edition Lugdunens ann 1555. p. â7 Bald. in Lege vltima as also that which Dauid prophesied of Christ He shall beare rule from one sea to another And hereupon the Canonists enlarge hand ouer head in their Glosses and Decisions of the Rota The Pope vndoubtedly is Christs vicar not onely in earthlie celestiall and infernall things but further ouer the Angels both good and bad He onely hath the power and iurisdiction of all the Patriarches together a greater priuiledge than all the Saints or all the Angels haue so as he may excommunicat the Angels themselues The whole world is but his Diocesse the square he may make round right of iniurie and something of nothing He also may against lawes naturall of nations those ciuile humane and diuine determine absolutely and yet iustly Aboue and contrarie to any law aboue and contrarie to all Decrees Canons and Statutes of Councels as he whose decree and sentence is aboue all the Bishops of the earth hee being the cause of causes of whom no reason can be yeelded but himselfe and he that demaunds any other presumes to liken himselfe to the most high make himselfe equall to God and therefore the Pope is their god But heare more He may dispence against the Apostle as superiour and against the old Testament in that he is greater than all the Authors of the same Why sayes he not greater than the holie Ghost which inspired them And some say against the Gospell it selfe For the Popes will is the rule of all iustice whatsoeuer he does God holds it well done God and he haue one Consistorie Christ and he one tribunall the Pope being like to God sinne excepted so as if he might change opinion wee may as well presume that God can change opinion Item Wee cannot appeale from him to God in that vpon earth he is God and as God he iudgeth In conclusion He may command the Angels to transferre soules into Paradise and diuels out of the vigour and vertue of his Indulgences to draw them out of hell and purgatorie The bookes of this Age are full of these Axiomes and no man is ignorant thereof and now they striue who shall blaspheme highlyest for the Canonists are not only thus violently carried but euen the Authors themselues of the Glosses who should haue made a more strict examination before the yeelding of them vp for authenticall they recommending vnto vs the Pope for a god yea and that in essence if it were lawfull for vs to beleeue them The which who would euer haue beleeued if the spirit of God had not foretold as much The Glosse vpon the chapter Periculoso of the state of Regulars in Sexto tearmes him The Prince of the whole world but I suppose they call him not so in the same sence that Sathan is so called What remaines there more Cod. de sententijs rescindend ibi Lancelotus alij Lancel l. 1. c. 1. par 4. de respons Pontif. C. debetur de Appellat Lancel Conrad in Templo omnium iudicum l. 2. c. 1. but to be accounted God himselfe But Peter Bertrands addition vpon Pope Boniface the eight his Extrauagant speakes peremptorily to this purpose Iesus Christ the Sonne of God both while he was in this world and also from eternitie was naturall Lord ouer all and out of naturall right might denounce sentence of deposition and condemnation against the Emperour or any other whatsoeuer as against such persons whom he had created endowed them with gifts naturall and those of grace as also preserued them by the same reason therefore his Vicar may doe the like But did hee I pray you create or preserue these creatures In stead of any reason alledged obserue but
fall into the hands of Francis Pregnan L. 1. c. 12. his brothers sonne And this is that humilitie which Theodorick commended in him before his Popedome When he saw the Cardinalls fall away from him he remained astonished and would haue returned to humilitie yet gathering courage to himselfe he thought he should not want some ambitious to take the Cardinals hat at his hand wherefore in one day he created twentie six three Romans the rest Neapolitans his countreymen The chiefe strife was for the possession of Rome and alreadie he ruled there but the Vrsines that held for Clement and the Frenchman captaine of the castle S. Angelo who shot off thence vpon his people made the citie dangerous vnto him therefore with the forces of his confederats he besieged him and constraineth him through famine to yeeld He woon vnto him also the fauour of the Emperour Charles the fourth and of Lewis king of Hungarie by giuing them hope of great matters and by their helpe got vnto himselfe the obedience of Lombardie and Sicilie Hence therefore taking courage he seriously bendeth his thoughts on the promoting of his nephew and sendeth for Charles Duras out of Hungarie against his promise by oath That he would neuer attempt any thing against the daughters of king Lewis and crowneth him king of Sicilie on this condition That hee should giue the dukedome of Capua and of Melfe in the realme of Naples and many noble earledomes in Sicilie to his nephew though he were a man effeminat and vnprofitable And because this Charles had no money he sold to the Roman citizens the proprieties and rights of many churches of Rome to the summe of eightie thousand Florins more also gold siluer Chalices crosses and other pretious ornaments of the said Churches and Monasteries he tooke away in great number and value and he coyned many siluer Images of Saints into money for to pay wages to the armie of Charles And here againe let the Reader weigh that deuotion which our Author had attributed vnto him before his Popedome His other conditions were found to be no better Charles led by his naturall pride marcheth to Naples and through the treason prepared by Vrban is receiued by his partakers into the citie for he had bound vnto him the best families by his Cardinals hats But Queene Ioan was retired into the new castle and Otho Duke of Brunswick with his armie besieged the citie He then counterfeited the seale of Queene Ioan and forged a letter as from her to Otho whereby she intreated him to come vnto her with six onely of his deerest and most faithfull friends for to resolue together in so great extremitie what was best for them to be done Otho suspecting nothing taketh his journey thitherwards by night accompanied with the Marquesse of Montferrat his cousen Balthasar Duke of Brunswick his brother sonne in law of the Earle of Fundi and three captains in whom he greatly trusted but they fall into a deepe pit prepared for them with their horses in which was hid in ambush fiftie men who kil the Marquesse and the three captains take the Duke Otho and his brother Balthasar and caried them prisoners to Charls who commaunded Balthasars eyes to be put out in the publike market place where the innocent young king Conradine by the commaundements of Charles the first had beene beheaded and he keepeth Otho full three yeares vnder custodie Queene Ioan when she heard that her husband was taken hoped that in yeelding the castle which besides was in distresse for want of victual she might at least redeeme her life but he sent her presently prisoner into a certaine castle of Abruzzo in the chappell whereof as she was kneeling at prayer before the Altar by his command she is strangled by foure Hungarian souldiers All this was done by the counsell of Vrban whose Legat à latere was euer by him the Cardinall of Sangro who thought he offered to God good sacrifice when hee destroyed them that had been faithfull to Queene Ioan as well of the Clergie as Laytie eyther depriuing them of their goods or deposing them of their Ecclesiasticall dignities without any respect of age condition or merit insomuch that in one day at their cost he created thirtie and two Archbishops and Bishops and many Abbots all Neapolitans and followers of Charles his part He addeth that they vsed the enchauntments of a certaine vagabond well knowne to the Author who named himselfe a Knight and a little after was burned by commaundement of Lewis Duke of Anjou whom he would haue deceiued Neither was Clement in the meane time idle A man saith the Authour of a large conscience and of great experience verie needie whom Gregorie the eleuenth by reason he could not otherwise maintaine his prodigalitie had appointed Legat in the Marca de Ancona and in Lumbardie more perhaps Jdem l. 2. c. 21. that he might by that meanes haue wherewith to liue from the inhabitants of those regions vnder pretence of his Legation than for any quiet or safetie that hee might procure vnto them Of which he bringeth vs some examples Neuerthelesse he is couetous or rather a greedie griper by reason of his prodigalitie For Otho Duke of Brunswick hauing taken Verseil and fortie Castles in those parts from Vicount Barnabo then commaunder of Milan who had deliuered them to Gregorie Clement beeing at that time Legat sold them all to Barnabo for readie money who exercised against them all sorts of crueltie and exacted from them the money he had disbursed to Clement And being come to the Popedome he retayned still the same humour granting in fee for a very small yerely reuenew without any difficultie the Lands and demesnes of Cathedrall Churches and Monasteries for to bind great men vnto him and giuing saith the Authour large thângs of another mans leather that he might recouer money at any price whatsoeuer And when he saw that Vrban had at his pleasure created a King of Apulia he resolued to giue him a competitour this was Lewis Duke of Aniou whom he crowned and sent into Italie with an armie of sixtie thousand men so that Vrban determined to leaue Rome and to goe into the kingdome of Naples whom Charles commeth to meet not farre from Auersa and did vnto him the office of a groome or yeoman of his stirrop And the same Authour being an eye-witnesse of this meeting noteth Lib. 1. c. 29. 30. 31. 32. that many Countrie people came and kissed the sayd Vrbans feet but before they did so they had thrice kissed the ground or earth But Charles vnder colour of shewing him the Castle of Auersa kept him prisoner suspecting some euill of Vrbans journey into Apulia and so much the rather for that hee had not fulfilled his promise in putting Pregnan his Nephew in possession of the Duchie of Capua and of Melâe But soone after at the entreaties of the Cardinals and vnder certaine conditions he set him at libertie and
was drinking in a banquet at Buda whereunto she had inuited him notwithstanding hee had yeelded vnto her all the rights of the kingdome and had sent to Vrban to gratifie him the sword yet bloudie wherewith his head was smitten off Collenuc l. 5. The historie telleth vs that Vrban receiued it with so great a pleasure that hee could not satisfie himselfe with beholding it And thus much for Vrban him of the two which by Platina Onuphrius and others is put in the Catalogue of Popes as the more lawfull For full encrease of his good deeds he caused a booke to be written by one Iohn de Therano his Chamberlaine the beginning whereof is Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods wherein he affirmeth That these words of Christ haue place onely for a time namely vntill his ascention but that from the time of his ascention they should be of no moment seeing that hee himselfe saith Ioh. 12. When I shall be taken vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto me that is all kings and kingdoms vnder the Empire of the Pope whom he therefore concludeth to be King of kings and Lord of lords not fearing in so weightie a matter to abuse the sacred word of God worse than the verie Pasquils As for Clement hee was the first author as Gaguin witnesseth of expectatiue graces and Annates yet because he is held for an Antipope whose acts therefore were the lesse firme the honour of them is attributed to Boniface successor of Vrban by whose care in his obedience they were receiued But Nicholas de Clemangis Archdeacon of Baieux who liued in the time of this schisme in his booke de Corrupto Ecclesiae statu of the corrupt state of the Church describeth Clement vnto vs in few words After saith he that by the insupportable burden of our sinnes the furious euill of schisme hath crept into the Church to omit the mischiefes done through the errour of such as follow the false Pope a man wholly defiled with all impuritie Was there euer man more miserable than our Clement while he liued Who so made himselfe a seruant of seruants to the Princes of France that the threatnings and contumelies daily cast vpon him by the Courtiers were hardly fit to be spoken against the basest slaue He gaue place to furie to the time and to the importunitie of troublesome demanders he fained dissembled promised largely draue off from day to day to these he gaue benefices to those words he chiefely laboured to please all flatterers iesters in the Court and by benefits to deserue well of them that by their helpe he might win the fauour of their Lords and therefore on these neat and trimme young men in whose companie he chiefly delighted he bestowed almost all the vacant Bishopricks and other chiefe dignities Lastly That he might the more easily obtaine and continue the good will of the Princes hee gaue them verie many gifts consented vnto whatsoeuer exactions they would require of the Clergie and often of his owne accord offered them vnasked In this miserable slauerie he passed more than three lustres or twelue yeares with incredible wast of the Church Moreouer there is extant horrible Bulls which these Popes published the one against the other wherein they called each other Schismatike Paulus Aemilius in Carolo Sapiente Heretike sower of tares theefe traitor tyran Antichrist sonne of Belial Iohn de Ligniaco wrot in fauour of Vrban and the Abbot of S. Vaast of Arras Counsellor of king Charles the fift in fauour of Clement After the decease of Vrban the Cardinals that were his followers elected Pope Peter de Thomacellis a Neapolitan who was called Boniface the ninth ignorant saith the Author of writing and singing and so vnfit for administration of the affaires of the Court of Rome Theodor. à Nyem l. 2. c. 6. that whilest he liued he hardly vnderstood the propositions made before him by the Aduocats in his Consistorie in so much that in his time Inscitia ferè venalis facta fuit in ipsa Curia Ignorance was welnigh set to sale in the Court it selfe And yet in all kind of simonie he so farre excelled all his predecessors that he promoted not any Cardinall or bishop without extorting a great summe of mony from them And such a one indeed had Vrban the sixt found him out to be who for his goodlie stature of a vagabond Clerke had made him Cardinall but after he discouered him to be so open an arch-simoniack that it is likely he would haue taken his hat from him if death had not preuented him Of his inuention then as Theodorick his Secretarie teacheth vs are the Annates which hee reserued to himselfe of all the vacant Cathedrall Churches and Abbies so that they which were promoted vnto them were forced beforehand to pay all before they could get the possession of the same Vsurie also whereby they which came to the Court might find money at any rate whatsoeuer which was no more accounted a sinne yea rather was oft exacted before their Iudges and Officials that the saying of the Psalme might be veried Both vsurie and guile wanteth not in their streets The Dates as they call them to wit the prioritie of the time of graces which they sold to such as gaue most and that with such impudencie that this so open a buing and selling became a mocke among the people The Expectatiues which did tread vnder feet those graces commonly Cum clausula Anteferri And innumerable subtile deceits extortions filthie and vnhonest pillages which the Author describeth in the 7 8 9 10 11 chapters of his second booke and would be too long for vs here to recite Out of which may be judged what manifest proceedings forward this Romish robbing had made vnder this Pope But the most vile of all was that of the Iubilie by Vrban appointed Theodor. à Ny l. 1. c. 68. For innumerable strangers out of the diuers kingdomes and Prouinces of his obedience came to the citie and exceeding great offerings were giuen to the Churches and Temples of the citie the greater part of which came to the hands of Boniface and of some others But Boniface himselfe not content with these offerings although they amounted to an exceeding summe for he was an insatiable gulfe and in couetousnesse none like vnto him sent his money-gatherers or chapmen into diuers kingdomes for to sell the sayd Indulgences to such as offered so much as it would cost them to go to Rome to fetch them these extorters or chapmen also subtilly extorted verie great summes of money from simple and barbarous people so that by such sales they sometime brought away out of one kingdome or one Prouince more than an hundred thousand Florins because they remitted all sinnes to all confessing them euen without penance for mony dispensed of all irregularities saying that they had all the power ouer the same that
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 ãâã 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
not so much as the people of Liege but they resolued to forsake Boniface at Rome and to embrace this neutralitie to whom the better to retaine them in their faith and obedience hee sent a Legat but he not daring to passe any farther stayed at Cologne and from thence by a carrier sent letters who was forbid to returne to the Legat except he loued to be cast into the riuer Mosa Thus was the miserable state of the Church knowne to the whole world And this brings vs to the yeare 1399. An. 1399. There passed many yeares in these contentions betwixt these Popes either of them intending vnion whilest neither of them embraced it and both of them in their owne jurisdictions amongst whom they were obeyed laying exactions burthens and exercising tyrannie vpon the Churches violently exacting likewise certain annuities brought in by the inuention of Boniface wheresoeuer their power did extend Whereupon there followed a Decree of our Parliament assisted by the great Councell dated the eleuenth of September in the yeare 1406 An. 1406. the Vniuersitie of Paris requesting the same by which it was forbidden to be payd to the Pope or any of his Cardinals and if afterwards they shall request it not to receiue any thing from him or to haue ought to doe with him In the narration whereof the Vniuersitie feared not to say that it is written Withdraw your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinatly presently adding that of the Apostle I know that after my departure shal grieuous Wolues enter in amongst you Arrestum Curiae an 1406. impressum cum Nicholao Clemangis not sparing the flocke and that of the Prophet Because my flocke was spoyled and my sheepe were deuoured of the beasts of the field hauing no shepheard neither did my shepheards feed my sheep but the shepheards feed themselues and feed not my sheep therefore sayth the Lord I will cause them to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the shepheards feed themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouthes and they shall no more deuour them Which words the Vniuersitie applies to Benedict shewing likewise that Rome receiued the preheminence of her See from Constantine but yet had not therefore any power to command or to impose any thing vpon others There followeth the Edict of Charles the sixt then raigning dated the eighteenth of Februarie in the yeare 1406 whereby both his annuities and his baser seruices as they call them and innumerable the like grieuances and oppressions which are there particularly expressed are vtterly made voyd as being dangerous to the Church and Commonweale causes of pouertie amongst the people and perdition to a million of poore soules that by that meanes are destitute both of corporall and spirituall nourishment The occasion of this Edict was because the later moderne Popes being often admonished made no account thereof but hardened themselues and stopped their eares against all complaints Another cause was because the regall power for the establishing of the Church is ordained of God in so much that the celestiall kingdome may be amended by the terrestriall when the Church is destroyed by them who hold the highest places therein and are to be repressed by the seueritie of Princes to whom in such cases we are only to flie since by their oath made vnto God they are to prouide for the good of the Church otherwise to yeeld an account In this case especially wherein all the Doctors teach That we are to denie obedience to the Pope himselfe And this whole Edict is yet to be read much differing from that their axiome That the Pope hath the chiefest commaund both in heauen and on earth These things fell out in the time of Innocent the seuenth one of the competitors Gregorie his successor thought good at the first to flatter vs and by his Legat sent a Bull to the king wherein he promiseth in good earnest to doe his best endeuour to procure a vnion vpon those conditions before mentioned It bare date the eleuenth of December 1406 and is to be had in Monstrelet Whereupon the king and the Vniuersitie of Paris the matter being deliberated with the chiefe of the Clergie and Councell sent embassadours to Benedict the Patriarch of Alexandria the Bishops of Cambray and Beauvais the Abbots of S. Denis and Mount S. Michael and certaine Doctors of the Vniuersitie who should let him vnderstand That except he would doe his office and come to some reason that the king and the Dolphine would withdraw themselues from his obedience and refuse his Bulls Benedict continuing obstinat in his purposes entertained the embassadours with fayre words and in the meane time without the knowledge of his Cardinals made a constitution which he sent by speciall messengers to the king and Vniuersitie threatening grieuous punishment to all those that should withdraw themselues from the obedience of himselfe and his successors Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 33. And afterwards with doubtfull speeches sent away the Embassadours The king and his Councell began now to perceiue that these Popes abused the world both the one and the other but yet are nothing terrified therewith But the yeare following they sent Iohn de Castro morando and Iohn de Courseno Jdem 1. Cap. â0 knights to Benedict to let him know That if the vnion were not restored to the Church by Ascention day that he the Clergie Nobles and people of his kingdome and Dolphine would no longer obey him nor his aduersarie To whom he answered without delay That he would send an answer by a speciall messenger who was a certaine man I know not who that came into the palace of S. Paul where the kings Court then was and entring into the kings Oratorie at the beginning of Masse deliuered Benedict his letters and presently departed The letters were read which contained an excommunication against the king and his subiects but the messenger vanished Wherefore the king by the counsell of his Princes and the persuasion of the Vniuersitie of Paris forsooke the Pope and withdrew himselfe from his obedience The letters are to be read in the same Authour wherein the Pope complaineth That the subiects of his kingdome rebell against the Church of Rome in appealing from him against the canonicall constitutions and that the king permitted diuers errours to be sowed therein contrarie to the puritie of the law So he calleth the reprehension of his exactions Furthermore that the vnion which he dreames of is properly a sinne and a perseuerance in a Schisme and that such as exhort him thereunto doe but abuse him Concluding that if he continue in this vaine errour besides those punishments and sentences pronounced in the law he will send constitutions comprehended in his Bull by the tenor whereof both he and all other that shall offend shal be punished These letters neuerthelesse are intermingled with some flatterie but the Bull marres all We excommunicat all those that shall appeale from vs or our
successors the bishops of Rome entring into the Popedome by the right way and all such as shall yeeld any helpe or fauour to any such appellants or perturbers c. or shall affirme them not to be bound and excommunicated by our sentence of what degree or dignitie soeuer they be whether Cardinals Patriarches Archbishops Bishops of authoritie or maiestie royall or imperiall of whatsoeuer state or condition ecclesiasticall or ciuile from which sentence none can be absolued but by the Pope except it be at the poynt of death c. Which excommunication being denounced by vs if he shall obstinatly beare for the space of 20 daies if he be a prince we subiect him to the determination of the Church with all his lands townes cities castles c. If Vniuersities so likewise c. Notwithstanding all liberties graces Apostolike indulgences graunted from vs or our predecessors Now it was in the beginning of the yere 1408 that the vniuersitie of Paris by the mouth of Master Iohn Courteheuse a Norman in the great hall of the palace of Paris made their complaint in the presence of the kings of Fraunce and Sicilia the dukes of Barry of Bar and Brabant the Earles of Mortaigne Neuers S. Paul Tancarville the Rector of the vniuersitie and deputies thereof and a great multitude of the Nobilitie Clergie and people also the earle of Warwicke an Englishman and the embassadours of Scotland and Galicia The text of this master Iohn was taken out of the 7. Psal v. 16. His mischiefe shal returne vpon his owne head and his crueltie shall fall vpon his owne pate From which words he drue six conclusions The first was That Petrus de Luna that is Benedict was an obstinat Schismatike yea an heretike a troubler of the peace and vnitie of the Church The second That he was not to be called a Pope nor a Cardinall or to be honoured with any other title of dignitie nor obeyed as a Pastour of the Church vpon those paynes ordayned against such as fauour Schismatikes The third That the acts sayings collations prouisions c. from the date of the letter made in forme of a Bull and all punishments Temporall and Spirituall publique or priuate therein contayned were of no force The fourth That the sayd letters were wicked seditious full of fraud troubled the peace offended his royall Maiestie The fifth That those letters are not to be obeyed and he that doth obey them to be censured as a fauourer of Schismatikes The sixt That the sayd Peter his fauourers and such as receiued his letters were to be proceeded against by a course of law Whereupon the Vniuersitie requested his Maiestie First That due inquisition should be made of those letters and their receiuers that such a punishment might be inflicted vpon them as the Vniuersitie at fit time and place should appoint Secondly That the king nor any of his realme should any more receiue any letters from Benedict Thirdly That the Vniuersitie of Paris might be enioyned by the commaund of the king to preach the truth throughout the whole kingdome Fourthly That the Bishop of S. Flour Master Peter de Courselles Sancien de Leu Deane of S. German d' Auxerre being apprehended should be punished according to their demerits that is for ioyning in Councell with the Pope Fiftly That that pretended Bull might be torne as iniurious and offensiue to the Maiestie of the king the Vniuersitie protesting to proceed to greater matters touching the faith note these words and to expound them and to shew them to those to whom it appertayned All which being granted by the king to the Vniuersitie the Popes letters were presently in that honourable assemblie torne by the Rector of the Vniuersitie the aboue named apprehended and cast into prison in the Louvre and the messinger that brought the Bull by the diligence of the kings Proctour was taken not farre from Lyons and brought backe bound to Paris Which Benedict vnderstanding was so astonished that with foure of his Cardinals by Venus gate he secretly stole away and went to Perpignan There was in the moneth of August following another assemblie touching the same matter where the Chauncellor of France was president all these Princes and great personages assisting as before There a certaine Doctour of Diuinitie famous amongst the Dominicans tooke vpon him to expound that Scripture in the 14 of the Romans verse 19 Let vs follow those things that concerne peace and wherewith one may edifie another In the handling whereof he proueth Benedict a Schismatike six wayes his Bulls fraudulent and injurious and that the king in that he tooke part with neither and had withdrawne himselfe from the obedience of both had done that which was right and just But in the meane time saith Monstrelet Master Sanctien and the messenger of Peter de Luna Benedict who had brought the letters before mentioned to the king both Arragonians being both mytred and attired with habillaments wherin the armes of Peter de Luna were painted vpside down were drawne out of the Louvre vpon a sled into the court of the Palace where neere the marble pillar that is next the staires there was a Scaffold built whereupon they were set to be seene of all that would behold them and on their myters there was written These are disloyall to the Church and King The day after there was a Councell held againe in the Palace where Master Vrsinus Taluenda Doctour of Diuinitie spake for the Vniuersitie of Paris and tooke his Theame out of the 122. Psal v. 7. Peace be within thy walles c. In the handling whereof he exhorted the King and Princes to prouide a remedie for this Schisme prouing Peter to be a Schismatike and an heretike and all that obeyed him to incurre the punishment due to the fauourers of Schismes and heresies alledging many examples of the Popes of Rome that made to that purpose Moreouer he did earnestly request that the Bulls might be publiquely torne with others of that kind brought to Thoulouse which was presently graunted and put in execution the twentieth of August 1408. Cap. 52. And all Prelats and other ecclesiastical persons likewise commaunded within the confines of their benefices with a loud voyce to publish this neutrallitie c. And the morrow after both the Arragonians before named were againe led through the Citie and put to open shame vpon a Scaffold as formerly they had beene Which vigour and courage is so much the rather worth the noting because it fell out in the most perilous diuisions of our State Now it followed that the Cardinals both of the one part and the other taking heart for the most part forsooke both Popes assembled themselues at Pisa where in a Councell they deposed them both as being both heretikes and Schismatikes The acts of which Councell are set downe at large in certaine letters of the Abbot of S. Maxence to the bishop of Poictiers who was present at that Councell Cap.
maleficorum Bodin alledgeth out of the booke of Iacob Sprenger Inquisitour of witches a strange dispensation of this Nicholas A certaine German bishop was sicke whom Nicholas greatly loued he vnderstood by a witch that his sicknesse came of witchcraft from which he could not be deliuered but by a contrarie charme by which the witch herselfe that had bewitched him must die He therefore sendeth in post to Nicholas entreating leaue of him to be cured by the witch which dispensation Nicholas granteth with this clause Of two euils auoyd the greater The Bull being receiued the witch vnder the Popes authoritie and at the Bishops entreatie setteth her hand to the businesse about midnight the Bishop was restored to health and at the verie same instant the disease passed into her that had bewitched him whereof she dyed And they would make vs beleeue that this Pope dyed of griefe for the losse of Constantinople but his denying of succours to the Greekes persuadeth vs to the contrarie From this shipwracke he gathered about him some learned Grecians but that was properly to build vp the sepulchres of the Prophets whom before he had suffered to be murdered But Alphonsus Borgia who succeedeth him by the name of Calixtus the third made a shew of repairing that fault and presently denounced warres against the Turkes saying that hee had made a vow to that end a long time before knowing but whence had he this prophesie that he should be Pope and shewed written and subscribed with his owne hand in a certaine booke these words following I Pope Calixtus make a vow to almightie God Platina in Calixto 3. and to the holie indiuisible Trinitie That I will persecute the Turkes most cruell enemies of the Christian name by warre cursings interdictions execrations and to conclude in whatsoeuer manner I can and yet was he alreadie decrepit with age He imposeth therefore a tenth on all the Clergie and publisheth a Croysado throughout all Europe according to custome granting full remission of sinnes to all that contributed to it so that once in his life and once at his death he were confessed yea and giuing authoritie to whomsoeuer would giue fiue ducats to absolue and dispence in many cases And there were set forth to sea onely sixteene gallies vnder the charge of the Patriarch of Aquileia Alphonsus king of Naples and Philip Duke of Bourgondie were admonished to crosse themselues for those warres which they made shew of But as the businesse was for a brunt onely with great earnestnesse stirred forwards so also it easily rested And then saith Platina ad Pontificia negotia animum adijciens Applying his mind to the affaires of the Popedome he began to canonize Saints one Edmund in England one Vincent in Spaine and others Which Bessarion seeing especially how rashly and indirectly the same was done These new Saints saith he make me doubt of the old Gulielm Langaeus in Praefat. suae Hist But it behoued them also in this to imitat the chiefe Bishops of the Pagans Moreouer for a supplie in stead of yeelding succours to the Greekes he ordaineth a bell to be tolled euerie day betweene noone and euening at the sound whereof whosoeuer did on their knees mutter ouer three Aue-maries and Pater-nosters should haue three yeares and three fortieth parts of Indulgences Also hee appointed a generall Procession or Letanie euerie first Sonday of the moneth in which whosoeuer assisted should obtaine seuen yeares and seuen fortieth part of Indulgences besides a prayer in the Masse for victorie against the Infidels which who so sayd should also merit three yeares of Indulgences In the meane time if the safetie and good of Christendome had beene seriously thought vpon there was offered a verie notable occasion Antonin part 3. tit 22. c. 14. for Iohn Vaiuode in that verie time ouercame Mahomet in that famous battell neere Belgrade whom his forces being diminished and he left of our men he could not follow But Calixtus howsoeuer forgat not to looke to his owne affaires and therefore Alphonsus king of Naples being deceased and Ferdinand his bastard hauing obtained his place he presently prouided for the chiefest Bishoprickes of the realme which he durst not doe in the kings life-time And which is more saith Antoninus by Bulls he declared Antonin part 3. tit 22. c. 16. that the realme of Naples vacant pertained to him alone as a feoffee of the Church commaunding Ferdinand to forgoe it and that neither he nor any other whosoeuer vnder paine of excommunication should call himselfe king of that kingdome but that if any pretended there any right the businesse should first be discussed by him who dissolueth all oathes of fidelitie or homage which any had yeelded vnto him He likewise wrot to the States of the kingdome That Ferdinand was not the sonne of Alphonsus but one supposed And this he did that he might transferre the kingdome to Iâigni Borgia his nephew or his sonne From which sentence Ferdinand moued with anger appealeth Francis Sforcia Duke of Milan his father in law was also grieuously offended protesting to leaue nothing vnattempted whereby the state of his sonne in law may be defended Pandolf Colenuc lib. 5. Donatus Bossius But thereupon Calixtus dieth who a little before had framed the office or seruice of the Transfiguration with the like Indulgences as hath the feast of Corpus Christri For it was meet that the Popish religion being meerely humane should from day to day encrease with humane inuentions Aeneas Syluius called Pius the second a man of great knowledge I would hee had beene of like conscience An. 1458. succeeded this Calixtus in the yeare 1458 but the Papall chaire soone discouered what a manner of man he was He had bin Scribe in the Councell of Basil Platina in Pio 2. Register of the Apostolike letters one of the twelue which were ordained Censors of the Councell yea had many times sat chiefe among those that had beene deputed touching matters of faith and was twice chosen amongst them which conferred benefices and if any thing of moment were to be determined by the nations he was euer chosen chiefe for Italie He was moreouer appointed embassadour in the Councels name thrice to Strasbourg once to Trent twice to Constance once to Franckford and twice into Sauoy authour or furtherer of all things that were done in this Councell the Acts whereof he writeth downe in two bookes out of which his opinion thereof is manifest ynough In so much that when Eugenius was deposed and Felix set in his place he was sent by Felix embassadour to the Emperour Frederick to declare vnto him the just causes of his election on which occasion admiring the dexteritie of his wit he drew him to his seruice He being sent to Rome by Frederic to deale with the Pope about his coronation was enticed with the delights of the Court of Rome and in fauour of Nicholas sold the renunciation of Felix Whereupon he was
first created Bishop of Triesté and after Cardinall by Calixtus and by degrees according to the encrease of his dignities he changed his stile as appeareth to whomsoeuer readeth his Epistles which hee himselfe hath distinguished by degree Till at length being made Pope he thought nothing better than to reuoke his former and more laudable Acts by his Bull set forth concerning that matter bearing the title of Retractation and the things which before he had seemed to detest in other Popes hee himselfe now both praysed and aduanced forward This is manifest by the Bull which beginneth Execrabilis dated in the second yeare of his Popedome whereby he forbiddeth to appeale from the sentences of the Pope to the future Councell pronounceth all such appeales of Emperours Kings Bishops c. to be voyd vaine execrable and pestiferous excommunicateth such as haue appealed not to be absolued but at the poynt of death He also subiecteth Vniuersities Colledges and other corporations to the Interdict and inflicted vpon all the punishments of high treason and heresie and the Notaries or letter-carriers witnesses and others which were at those Acts c. In another Bull also which beginneth In minoribus agentes directed to the Vniuersitie of Colonia An. 1463. in the yeare 1463 hee professeth That it repented him that hee wrot the Dialogue and other bookes for the authoritie of the Councell saying that he had persecuted the Church of God ignorantly as did S. Paul contrariwise affirming the authoritie of the Pope to bee aboue the Church by the same texts which before he had expounded in a farre other sence Wherefore hee declared That the Pope is the soueraigne Monarch of the Church whose sinnes are left to the judgement of God so that no man may take knowledge of them And neuerthelesse at the end he reuerenced saith he the Councell of Constance which had decreed the contrarie But here Bellarmine inuenteth a notable distinction That the later Sessions are approued not the first because in the first the Councel was placed aboue the Pope and yet notwithstanding in that Councell Martin the fift had beene chosen and what hee had caused to be ordained in the later tooke force and vigour onely from the first Sessions whereby it was judged That the Councell may judge the Pope arraigne him condemne depose and punish him and chuse another in his roome all which they had practised on Iohn the foure and twentieth Benedict the thirteenth and Martin the fift deposing the two former and electing the third and both the Sessions former and later proceeding from one same spirit and from one and the same authoritie But it troubleth them that they know not which way to turne themselues when they are demaunded what was the vocation of Martin Eugenius and others which hath no ground but on the onely decision of this Councell and the Councell of Basil And here we might set before the eyes of Syluius what he hath said of this Councell and that of Basil which now he condemneth and that not being a young man as he said but a man of perfect age and honoured with principall dignities Where is there in the world such a companie of Fathers Where so great light of knowledge Where the wisedome Where is the goodnesse that can be equall to the vertues of these Fathers O most perfect fraternitie O true Senat of the world c. So that these things may not honestly now be denied But as the eye of reason is other than the eye of passion so is the judgement of an vpright mind other than of corrupt desire of Syluius sitting in that most honourable assemblie which he describeth vnto vs than of Pius the second raigning in that contagious chaire And he had cast out a speech of an expedition into Asia against the Turkes in the assemblie of Mantua Bulla quae incipit Quoniam vt proxime in summa Constitution Iohan. 5. Stella in Pio 2. whither the embassadours of many Princes were come from all parts and vnder pretence thereof had imposed a tenth on the whole Clergie yea euen vpon all the profits of the Roman Court but he could not bring it to effect perhaps because he arrogated too much to himselfe with the Princes which were of greatest power For saith Stella for the augmentation of the Papall Maiestie he feared neither Kings nor Dukes neither peoples nor tyrants but if they saw any offending that is to say not obeying in all poynts his desire he persecuted them so long both by warre and by censures till he perceiued them to be recouered And for this cause became he an aduersarie to Lewis King of France who went about to diminish the libertie of the Church in his kingdome to Borsio d'Este because he fauoured Sigismund Malatesta and the affaires of France against Ferdinand He persecuted with terrible execrations Sigismund Duke of Austria for that he had chastised the Cardinall of S. Peter ad Vincula Hee deposed also the Archbishop of Mentz iudging ill of the Roman Church and set vp another in his roome He deposed likewise the Archbishop of Beneuent for attempting new matters against his will and for that he would betray Beneuent to the Frenchmen And he brought many townes of Campania into the power of the Church of Rome Neither doe histories conceale that he confirmed the kingdome of Naples to Ferdinand reuoking the Bull of Calixtus the third and that in fauour of the mariage of Anthonie Picolhuomini his nephew with the sister of the wife of Ferdinand whose dowrie was the Earledomes of Maldeburg and Celano Whereby hee began to set himselfe against the rights of our France Monstrelet addeth Monstrelet vol. 3. That it was commonly thought that Ferdinand had giuen Pius a verie great summe of gold partly to be absolued of his crimes and partly that he might peaceably enioy his kingdome But his ambition cannot not better be knowne than in his 396 Epistle where hee offereth and promiseth the Empire of the Greeks to Mahomet king of the Turkes if he would become a Christian and succour the Church that is to say his faction that hee might the more easily rend Christendome which he vexed with continuall warres presuming to persuade him that that Empire depended on him and was in his gift and that so his predecessors had giuen the Empire of Germanie to Charlemaine It seemeth that to him also is to be ascribed that extraordinarie pompe of Corpus Christi day for that which is commonly boasted of the Temple of S. Peter very fitly agreeth with the Roman superstition which neuer is brought to his full height Antoninus Campanus Bishop of Arrezzo in the life of Pius saith He celebrated at Viterbium the feast of the Eucharist with an vnaccustomed brauerie the citie being vnder foot spread with scarlet ouer head couered with linnen in which starres of gold shined as in the firmament so that the procession went not seeing the skie betweene flowres strewed an ynch thick
letters which he had written to them of Norimberg Our Sauiour said Pius substituted Peter Prince of the Apostles to the gouernement of the Church Who knoweth not answered Heimburg That Iesus commaunded all the Apostles That they should goe to preach faith baptisme and saluation through the world Who knoweth not That the promise was made to all That whatsoeuer they did bind on earth shuold be in heauen In which words he plainely taketh away the Popes Primacie Insomuch saith he that to this day the Catholike Church prayeth to be kept by the continual protection of the Apostles whom our Sauiour himselfe hath appointed to rule Pastours and Vicars of so great a worke And therefore who doubteth but that the holie Councels represent the place of Christ which haue succeeded the assemblie of the Appostles seeing that the world is greater than a citie Pius said againe That it is a vaine thing to appeale to a Councell which is not and which cannot bee aboue the Pope To which hee replieth The assemblie of the Apostles was aboue S. Peter and like as appeale may bee made to the Apostolike seat vacant so to a Councell not yet gathered c. This is a slauish seruice which he exacteth of vs and not a filiall reuerence c. He calleth me heretike because I say That a Councell of all Christendome is aboue the Pope but I say The Pope is an heretike who holdeth the contrarie c. He commaundeth my goods to be confiscat and giueth them to whosoeuer will enter vpon them willing them therein to doe the worke of Catholike men This word were verie daungerous but that the Popes fond trifling is before alreadie well knowne vnto vs when he made at Mantua so large and so loud a discourse in the behalfe of incestuous embracements and vices enemies to publique honestie Lastly Pius sayd That the Church is not assembled Hee aunswereth It is he that hindereth and distrubeth it by his factions in me is no let not any fault c. One Theodore bishop of Feltre aunswered him in the behalfe of the Pope heaping together all the places and reasons whereby the Canonists are woont to defend that fulnesse of power which Popes doe arrogate to themselues And this againe Gregorie de Heimburg confuted from point to point in an Apologie made expresly against the detractions and blasphemies of Theodore In this particularly he reproached him That Pius after he had exhausted Christendome by his Iubilie would in the Councell of Mantua wring out the verie last drop by forging new exactions vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes And that he and his Cardinals laughed at it when he propounded vnto them what great prouisions were needfull for such a warre because hee had another thing in his mind And hence is that wrath of Pius which hee now vomiteth forth against him Wherefore saith he Your money vnder colour of a militarie expedition against the Turke shall be conuerted into a wicked and damnable vse in succour of Ferdinand conceiued by the damnable embracement of Alphonsus sometime king of Arragon against Renatus lawfull heire of the kingdome of Sicilie and that noble Duke of Calabria the ornament and inimitable patterne of Christian nobilitie and of militarie glorie And therefore saith the Pope that Gregorie de Heimburg was borne of the Diuell because hee is not of the damnable seed but lawfully begotten for the Pope is a hater of such a fauourer of bastards in whose fauour he made a verie large Oration almost three houres long and made all Mantua ring with the praises of the bastard Ferdinand But as touching the question of the Popes Primacie I entreat the Reader to peruse the Apologie it selfe Gregor Heimburg in tractat de Primatu excuso Magdeburgi in Antilogia Basil 1555. Item Francofurti apud Wolfang Richesterum an 1607. In another Treatise of his also against the Primacie he calleth the Roman Synagogue Babylon and the Harlot And after he had proued that it hath no ground in sacred Scripture nor in the writings of the Fathers yea that all these things are of meere vsurpation contrarie to the institution of Christ and against the commoditie of the Church he pronounceth that such tyrannie is not to be endured and exhorteth euerie one as it is commaunded in the Apocalyps to depart from it Which that it might be more easily be discerned he framed a most exquisit antithesis of Christ and the Pope whereby he manifestly sheweth him to be Antichrist He accuseth also the Doctours who either for hope or feare not daring to contradict his errours confirme him the more by their silence At last he bursteth forth into this Thas for these many yeares it is more free for a man to dispute and call into doubt the power of God than of the Pope For men saith he are drunken with the wine of the said harlot and inspired with the sweetnesse of this woman they flatteringly expounded the Scriptures wresting it for confirmation of errour And because that Emperours and Kings either through ignorance for want of accustoming themselues to studies and sciences or by reason of too much worldlie vanitie that possesseth them haue not beene able to see it they haue beene brought to so great a seruitude that they are compelled to beleeue for a point of farth necessarie to saluation That Christ hath giuen the Pope such a fulnesse of power that he may dispose of all things which are on the earth after the pleasure of his owne will neither shall any dare to say vnto him why doest thou so seeing that the Pope himselfe hath power to commaund the Angels In this our age there could hardly be said any thing more cleerely But the controuersie of Diether of Mentz troubled all the Empire hee had beene chosen Canonically by the Canons yea his election confirmed by Pope Pius himselfe but he was not sound verie readie in buying his Pall or in paying his Annates but the principall clause was That he opposed himselfe against the Popes exactions of money vnder colour of the holie warres whereupon being vexed by Pius he appealed to a Councell saying he loued better the wealth of the Germans than the defence of the Faith Further he refused to sweare to the Pope That he should neuer assemble the Estates nor the Electors of the Empire without consulting first his intention either for the election of a new Emperour or for to obtaine a Councell or for any other affaire of importance He therefore reuoked his confirmation and transferred his Bishopricke to Adolfe of Nassau his competitor and excommunicated Diether and Frederick the Palatine his fauourer Hereupon the friends of both parties take armes Frederick surnamed the Victorious and Lewis Duke of Bauaria for Diether Albert Marquesse of Brandeburg Charles Marquesse of Baden Iohn Bishop of Metz his brother Vlric Earle of Wirtemburg and Lewis Niger of Bauaria for Adolfe The battell was fought wherein Diethers part had the victorie most of the
Princes being taken prisoners by the Palatine whereupon they fell to this agreement Krantzius in Saxon. l. 12. c. 1. Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 49. That Adolph should possesse till his death the places which he had surprised and that Diether should peaceably enioy all the rest and also should succeed Adolfe whensoeuer he should decease which happened six yeares after And this was the fruit of ouerthrowing the Pragmaticall sanction which Pius said would be so profitable to the Church Neither was France better contented with the Decree of Pius the second than Germanie and so much the lesse for that Pius to gratifie Ferdinand bastard of Alphonsus had troden vnder foot the right of the Frenchmen in the kingdome of Naples He therefore sent a Legat into France for to abolish the Pragmatical sanction which was there obserued by vertue of the Councell of Basil and moued the king by letters in these words If thou be the sonne of obedience wherefore doest thou hold and defend the Pragmaticall sanction Eugenius warned thee to leaue it as not being according to God the same did Nicholas and Calixtus as the cause of great euill and discord in the Church and yet thou wouldst neuer heare the voyce of the Church And the king was somewhat moued with these words But the Court of Parliament of Paris came to him and earnestly declareth vnto him of how great importance it was for the Christian Commonweale the want whereof would most certainely bring foure principall inconueniences First A confusion of the whole Order Ecclesiasticall Secondly The depopulation of the subiects of the kingdome Thirdly An emptying the kingdome of money Fourthly The ruine and totall desclation of Churches All which they at large lay open vnto him from point to point This their admonition may be seene at large recited by Iohn Cardinall of Arles comprehended in 89 Articles in the workes of Peter Pithou which is worthie the Readers perusing There among other things they declared vnto him out of the holie Scriptures the practise of the Primitiue Church Canons of Councels Decrees of the Fathers ordinances of Popes themselues and by the lawes of Christian Emperours and Kings especially of ours That the Election of Bishops Abbots and other Prelats of the Church doth no whit depend and neuer haue depended of the Bishop of Rome That such was neuer the intention of Charlemaigne Lewis the Meeke Philip Augustus S. Lewis Charles the Wise and others who haue euer ordained and maintained Canonicall election so that whatsoeuer things are done otherwise is by meere vsurpation Then they come to speake of the pillages and buying and selling of the Court of Rome which in France alone doth amount to many millions of gold of which they set downe examples draw a roll of them and cast vp the particulars For what doe they say that in one onely Diocesse in one yeare the expectatiue graces are found to bee in number six hundred c. Whereupon the Pope was so moued Jacob. Cardin. Papiensis in Epistolis that as Iames Cardinall of Pauia writeth to king Lewis when he heard of a refusal he cried out Guerra vsque ad capillos But knowing wel that this king was diuersly intangled with many affaires and hauing found out his easie disposition that he wold do all things of his own head he could warily obserue him That thus had Constantine the great the two Theodosius Charlemaigne and many other of his predecessors gotten themselues an immortall name and a neuer-fading glorie to wit by abolishing the Pragmaticall sanction And what can be farther off from the truth and therefore what more vnworthie But principally because he heard his humor was in many things to goe contrarie to his fathers doings and wold be absolutely obeyed in what he pleased he there taketh hold Aeneas Syluius Epist 387. data Romae 26. Octob 1461. and tickleth him in that We commend saith he this among other things that without the assemblie and consultation of many thou hast resolued to take away the Pragmaticall Surely thou art wise and shewest thy selfe to be a great king which art not gouerned but doest gouerne c. Thou doest that which is meet for thee knowing that the Pragmaticall sanction is without God thou hast decreed to banish it out of thy kingdome and wilt not enter into deliberation whether those things ought to bee done or no which thou knowest are to be done This is to be a king and a good king whom good men loue and euill doe feare c. Betimes make knowne thy wisedome as to vs it is so to the whole world to the end that none may say he was a long time vnwilling because long in deliberating And if the Prelats and vniuersities require any thing of vs let them haue recourse to vs and make thee their Mediator Knowing without doubt if the matter once had come to deliberation he should surely haue had againe the repulse And he addeth Neither do we doubt but that when thou wert exiled namely when he was out of his fathers fauour as it were out of the kingdome thou wouldest often say with thy selfe O if I one day sit on my fathers throne I will doe many acceptable seruices to thee O God Surely I will not suffer thine inheritance to be spoyled by the furie of the Turkes c. But what doth he conclude of this Now shew thy slefe gratefull to his diuine goodnesse seeing he hath made thee his sonne king and hath restored the kingdome with great glorie and for so great benefits doe this againe for him take away the Pragmaticall sanction as thou hast promised our embassadour to doe and that done which is no hard thing to doe addresse thy selfe wholly to the succouring of Christian religion against the Turkes c. Thus to abrogat this law which respected onely the Canonicall election of Bishops and the restraint of the pillages of Rome was a matter of greater importance with him than the purpose or vow of making warre against the Turkes So then Lewis resolued to disannull it vnder colour that it had beene published in the time of schisme although he concealed not to encrease the benefit That it had beene concluded in a great assemblie of Prelats and with great deliberation of time and was now hardened and had taken firme footing But to what purpose he so eagrely pursued this businesse anon after appeared whereof wee haue a shew and example in the letters of Iames Cardinall of Pauia to Francis Spinola William Cardinall of Hostia saith he told vs a storie of an Abbie in France famous for wealth and religion of which there was an Abbot old and decrepit who seeing himselfe vnprofitable in his charge for conscience sake would leaue the administration of the same I know not what Bishop whose Church was farre thence requested that the Abbay should be giuen him in Commenda The Abbay as we haue sayd was of great fame in Fraunce hauing no ill in
it for which it had need to be commended It was apparant that hee required it not for desire of good worke but for couetousnesse In comming therfore to speake their opinions the Cardinall de Porto who was next to the Cardinall of Hostia I feare Holie Father saith he that verie shortly we shall heare that al the Abbayes in France will be in Commenda so that there will not any remain that hath an Abbot for whatsoeuer we ordayne there is nothing else but Commenda's That kingdome will one day when we least looke for it rise against vs and not beeing able to endure our vnprofitable ministerie will attempt some great matter against thy seat The Pope approued his iudgement and added That from the Popedome of Calixtus till that day he thought there were more than fiue hundred Monasteries giuen in Commenda that is in lesse than nine yeares And yet in his Epitaph among his triumphes is obserued this exploit Platina in Pio 2 Pragmaticam in Gallia abrogauit hee abolished the Pragmaticall sanction Wherefore Pius beeing dead who in foure yeares space had taught Fraunce sufficiently what great dammages would ensue thereupon complaints for the Pragmaticall sanction are redoubled whereupon the king commaunded his Court of Parliament to set downe vnto him in writing the causes of this complaint which it did and deliuered them vnto him againe in eightie sixe Articles vnder this Title For the libertie of the French Church against the Court of Rome The principal Articles are the 14 15 16 17 18 in these words Whereas many things had been decreed in the holie Councels of Constance and Basill consonant or agreeable to the auntient Canons and to the royall ordinances abouesayd King Charles the seuenth the king who then was Dolphin being present together with the Princes of the bloud Royall the Prelats and the Colledges Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall and in the hearing of the Embassadours both of the Pope of Rome and of the holie vniuersall Councell at length he receiued those Decrees and confirmed them by his Edict which commonly wee call Pragmaticall And these things were done a Bourges in the yeare 1438. This sanction therefore was euer held to be of so much the more authoritie because it had the originall from the holie Councels in which the Pope or his Legat sat President For there had beene neuer any law made in Fraunce before that time which had authoritie and force from the vniuersall Church 16. From that time forth the kingdome better prospered and had greater authoritie and glorie than ever before and more plentie and abundance of all things Guienne and Normandie can witnesse what terrour it was to the enemies out of which places they were expulsed and cast out 17. The obseruation of this sanction dured the space of twentie and three yeares and now since hath ceased these foure yeares When in the meane time men of excellent probitie and grauitie haue gouerned and ruled the Churches without molestation and disturbance of which some for the singular sanctitie of their liues after their decease were had in reputation for miracles as Michaell Bishop of Anger 's the Archbishop of Arles and many others 18. Contrariwise of the abrogation of these Canons Decrees and Constitutions innumerable inconueniences would arise which seeme may be referred to foure kinds Those same which were obserued in the admonition afore mentioned But the king being troubled either with continuall warres or with suspitions from time to time put off the businesse to a generall assemblie Yet saith Monstrelet in the yeare 1467 Paule the second being Pope Monstrelet es Chronologiques the king graunted his letters to his Legat being come from Rome in the moneth of September for the abrogation of the Pragmaticall sanction which were exhibited and published in the Chastellet of Paris without any contradiction or disturbance But he addeth on the first day of October following M. Iohn Balue who after was Cardinall came to the hall of the Palace royall at Paris to procure the publication of the same in Court Where he findeth M. Iohn de Saint Romain the kings Atturney generall who verie stoutly opposed himselfe against the execution of the said letters whereat Balue was verie much displeased Balue threateneth him That the king would not be well content with it and would displace him from his office But he despising his threats answered That the king might take away his office from him yet neuerthelesse he was resolued rather to lose it than he would either doe or suffer to be done any thing against his conscience or to the detriment and dishonour of the king and kingdome And to Balue he said That he might blush for shame for hauing vndertaken the dispatch of such a businesse And after that the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Deputies of the same came to the Legat himselfe and appealed from him and from the effect of his said letters to the Councell and in whatsoeuer place it should be made They also went to the Chastelet where they requested that their opposition might be inregistred there These are the words of Monstrelet and it is not to be omitted That this Iohn Balua being Bishop of Eureux was made a Cardinall and a little after conuicted of treason against the king and kingdome The yeare following one M. Iohn Loyre by vertue of certaine Bulls from the Pope interdicted the citie and Diocesse of Niuers vsing the authoritie of the Officiall of Besanson But by the sentence of the Court it was decreed the twelfth of December at the suit of the kings Atturney generall and of M. Peter Chartres Doctor and Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Paris That notwithstanding the Interdict the Diuine Seruice should be continued and the Churchmen compelled vnto it being by the kings power set into their temporalties That also the said Loire and Officiall should be layd hold on and be held to procure at their owne charges the abrogation of the Bulls Neither wanted there in all places some who in the middest of the tyrannie powred forth their sighes euen before the Popes Dominicus Bishop of Brescia in Italie wrot a Treatise which he directed to Pius the second and intituled it The Reformation of the Court of Rome truely mild ynough according to the times and yet sometime not without a sting If saith he we consider the former Popes and their Acts the Cardinalls the Bishops Protonotaries and other Prelats Penitentiaries Subdeanes Auditors Clerkes of the Chamber Acolythes or vnder ministers Chamberlains Aduocates Proctors and others appointed in diuers degrees and offices wee shall surely weepe with Ieremie Lament 4. Oh how is the gold become so dimme the most fine gold is changed the stones of the Sanctuarie that is the Prelats are scattered in the corner of euerie street that is of the broad wayes which lead to destruction in the corners whereof they are as Gregorie expoundeth it Her Nazarites were purer than snow and whiter
common consent of the States George Prodebraccius a great captaine and a professor of their religion who restored the condition and sliding state of these Churches And as he constantly perseuered therein notwithstanding the threats of the Emperour and Pope hee was excommunicated by Paul the second and his Estate exposed to the first inuaders thereof Matthias king of Hungarie tooke vpon him the conquest of this Prouince by the instigation of Rodolfe the Popes Legat with the approbation of the Emperour Fredericke the third and by the fauour of many of the great men of the kingdome But after many battels fought with variable successe he could not bring his purpose to passe And in the meane time this valiant Prince was thereby hindered from the necessarie warre which he had prosperously made against the Turkes being accused of ingratitude for that he had set vpon George to whom he was verie notably obliged for hauing generously set him free out of prison without any ransome and also giuen him his daughter in mariage when he was chosen king of Hungarie In hatred of which fact euen after the death of George when Matthias was declared king by the Pope the States of the kingdome of Bohemia would neuer giue their consent vnto it but preferred before him Vladislaus sonne of Casimir king of Polonia who although he was oftentimes instigated by the Pope against George yet would neuer be persuaded to take armes against him judging it a thing vnworthy vnder pretence of the Catholike Faith to violat the faith giuen to each other And this bringeth vs to the yeare 1470. 64. PROGRESSION The Atheisme of Sixtus the fourth and his abhominable and wicked life whom Innocent the eighth succeeded both in the Popedome and in all impietie Of Alexander the sixt by what diuellish meanes he attained the Popedome and of his abhominable incestuous life and miserable death Charles the French king passeth into Italie with a mightie armie and of his valiant proceedings there NOw it was thought that the Popes were come to that height of impietie and tyrannie that they could hardly ascend to a higher step and yet by that which followeth we shall easily perceiue that they found meanes to adde both a ridge and pinnacles to that building It is beyond all beleefe especially we reporting it had we not their owne Authours to witnesse it against them In the yeare 1471 Francis de Rouere borne in Sauoy Generall of the Franciscans got the Popedome who was called Sixtus the fourth Of this man Onuphrius giues this testimonie That for his great learning as long as hee was Cardinall all questions that concerned matter of Faith were committed to him Where let the Reader note from that which followeth vpon whose faith the Catholike Faith depended At the first onset he made shew of calling a Councell at Lateran vnder a twofold pretence The reformation of the Church and The holie Warres The causes were both verie plausible both for the allaying of the grieuous gronings of good men and the freeing them of their feares But the place was not thought so fitting being that out of which there neuer came any thing profitable to the Church The Emperour Frederick desired that it might be in the borders of Germanie and at the instant request of the Archbishop of Carnie who gaue his best assistance to forward the Reformation the Emperour and Princes called an assemblie of many Bishops at Basil But Sixtus hearing thereof Stumfius in Histor Heluetia sent Angelus the Bishop of Suesse to the Senat of the citie threatening to interdict them if they sent not the Archbishop to Rome bound hand and foot accounted not the rest of the Bishops that were with him for excoÌmunicat persons But the Senat of Basil not enduring that so great a wrong shold be offred vnto them in a free city the Legat excommunicating them departed in choler Frederic neuerthelesse persisted in his purpose but yet the better to pacifie Sixtus he desired that the Councel might be called at Vtina in Friuli a countrey in Italie but that pleased him not neither This difficultie so soone as he saw he had ouercome withall established his seat with the mutuall Legations of Princes hee bent all his endeuours to the encrease of the honour and greatnesse of his friends and kindred Volateran Onuphr Volateran and Onuphrius say in expresse tearmes That he was accounted by the iudgement of all verie louing and indulgent towards his kindred for whose sakes hee had done and granted many things praeter fas jusque against all lawes humane and diuine Hee created therefore two Cardinals and that not without a mysterie Peter Riere whom hee had brought vp from a child with his brother Ieronimo and Iulian his brothers sonne who was afterward Iulius the second Peter being in a short time strangely inriched became so sumptuous that he seemed to be borne to spend money for he consumed in those two yeares wherein he liued a Cardinall two hundred thousand crownes in his ordinarie houshold expence left fortie thousand crownes in debts and other infinit riches and mouable goods He died weakened and worne out with pleasures But neuerthelesse a Legat a mad choyce it was in Italie It is he whose prodigious prodigalitie Baptista Fulgosius describeth to be such Baptista Fulg. dict factor memorab l. 9. Baptista Mantuanus in Alphonso l. 4. that hee vsually gaue to Tiresia his harlot pantofles wrought all ouer with pearle of whom likewise Baptista Mantua writeth these verses wherein Iupiter thus saluteth him in hell At tu implume caput cui tanta licentia quondam Foemineos fuit in coitus tua furta putabas Hic quoque praetextu mitrae impunita relinquit Sic meruit tua foeda Venus c. But thou O Bauld-pate who once mightest freely Glut thy desires with womens companie Thinkst thou thy Myter can here thy thefts defend Such hath the desert of thy leacheries been c. To the reproach and ignominie both of Pope Sixtus and himselfe Of Iulian we shall speake hereafter in his place Hauing prouided for these two that were neerest vnto him both in bloud and affection he bent his endeuours to the promotion of the rest of his kindred He made therefore his brother Ieronimo brought vp with him the Prince of Forlie and Imola whether by right or wrong hee regarded not whom he maried to Catherina the bastard daughter of the Duke of Milan hauing first bestowed a hat vpon Ascanius the Dukes sonne to get his fathers consent Presently after he raised Leonard his brothers sonne whom he maried to a bastard of king Ferdinands and made him Gouernour of Rome He made Iohn also the sonne of Cardinall Iulian Prince of Soria and Senogallia who maried Ioan the daughter of Frederick of Montefeltro Duke of Vrbin from whom came Franciscus Maria who his vncle dying without heires male obtained the dukedome and in this manner did he exalt diuers others He was so liberall say
in Alexand 6. Volaterran in Anthropologia Guicciard lib. 1. who neuerthelesse gaue lesse credit to these things But Innocent tooke more care to send out his Bulls against those that payed not their yearely pensions at their day appointed whom he punished with excommunication and depriuation of those benefices they possessed In such and the like expeditions the zeale of the Church then appeared Now to these abhominations what could be added to make vp the heape in these times And yet Rodericus Borgia called Alexander the sixt stayed not here For as some report that he came to the Popedome by a compact with the Diuell so his actions bewrayed the Diuels conditions Doubtlesse in this all Authours agree that there was neuer any that ascended to that dignitie by worse meanes Volateranus and Onuphrius say That he obtayned so high a dignitie by the endeauours of some Cardinals corrupted with ambition and auarice who afterwards had experience of his ingratitude and receiued condigne punishment for their wicked assistance and their voyces they then made sale of Of these the principall was Ascanius Sfortia who sold himselfe at a high price that hee that of the whole order was the most wicked might in stead of the best be chosen Pope And there they relate how he ouerthrew them all some by exile some by imprisonment some by violent death some he strangled some he poysoned But Guicciardin more exquisitely He was chosen Pope saith he by meanes of the discord that was betwixt the Cardinals Ascanius Sfortia and Iulian of S. Peter ad vincula But add withall thereunto That by a new example in the sight and knowledge of all men hee bought the Popedome partly with money partly with the promise of his greatest offices and benefices by which meanes he got the Cardinals voyces who contemning the commaundement of the Gospell were not ashamed to sell the power vnto him to make traffique of the sacred treasures by a celestiall authoritie and in the most high and principall part of the Temple that is to say according to that of the Apostle sitting in the Temple of God c. To this abhominable negotiation many amongst them were drawne by Cardinall Ascanius not onely by persuasion but example who being corrupted by an infinit desire of riches bargained with the Pope that for a reward of this his great wickednesse he might haue the Vice-Chauncellorship which was the principall office of the Court of Rome enriched with most pretious furniture But the Pope could not auoyd neither for the time to come the iudgement of God nor for the time present the infamie and iust hatred of men filled by reason of this election with astonishment and horrour because it was made by dishonest meanes and the nature and condition of the man knowne vnto all And among others to the king of Naples who though in publique he dissembled his griefe yet he opened it to the Queene his wife and that with teares from which he was woont to refraine euen at the death of his children because they had chosen a Pope who would proue dangerous not onely to Italie but all Christendome A diuination not vnworthie the wisedome of Ferdinand for there was in Alexander a quick and subtile wit a deepe reach of iudgement a maruelous force to persuade and in all affaires whatsoeuer an incredible care and dexteritie But his many vices did farre exceed these his vertues His maners were verie dishonest there was in him no sinceritie no shame no truth no faith no religion but rather vnsatiable auarice ambition beyond measure more than brutish crueltie and an insatiable desire to raise his sonnes which were many in number whether by right or by wrong to the highest dignities among which one of them in all manner of wickednesse was equall with the father And here let the Reader againe compare these manners with those gifts that are necessarie for a Bishop remembred by Paul 1. Timoth. 3. The onely end therefore of all his endeuours was to encrease the honour and greatnesse of his sonnes whom hee was not ashamed to acknowledge to be his to the whole world for he would not haue them accounted for nephewes as others were woont to doe the better to couer their shame In the first Consistorie he created Iohn Borgia his sisters sonne Cardinall but he was vpon the sudden stricken with a strange feare Charles the eighth king of Fraunce attempting the possession of the kingdome of Naples came with a great power into Italie being inuited by Lodouicus Maurus Duke of Milan and other Princes of Italie against whom Alexander made a league with Alphonsus of Aragon heire to his father Ferdinand in the kingdome of Naples The principall conditions were these That Alexander should inuest Alphonsus into the kingdome of Naples at the same rate that he did his father and should send his Apostolicall Legat to put the Crowne vpon his head That hee should create Lodowicke the sonne of Henrie who was Alphonsus his bastard brother Cardinall Againe That Alphonsus on the other side should pay to the Pope thirtie thousand ducats That he should giue to the Duke of Candia the eldest sonne of Alexander in the kingdome twelue thousand ducats of yearely reuenew and the first of the seuen principall offices that should be voyd That he should maintaine at his charge three hundred men at armes to be alwayes readie when need shold be to serue him That vpon Caesar Borgia his other son by him made Cardinall he shold bestow benefices to a certain yerely value Here the Author noteth That he made him Cardinall after that he had proued by false witnesses that hee was the lawfull sonne of another because otherwise hee could not haue beene capable of that dignitie What impudencie was this hauing before commonly called them and publikely shewed them to be his sonnes In the meane time Charles prepared a great armie for this voyage notwithstanding that Alexander did sometimes dehort him from it with his Briefes sometimes threaten him with his Ecclesiasticall censures Paulus Iouius l. 2. But yet finding himselfe in these straits it was thought expedient for him and his confederat Alphonsus to flie vnto Baiazet the Prince of the Turkes and by embassadours sent to that purpose to lay open vnto him their imminent danger It fell out happily with them at that time that Gemes the brother of Baiazet was detained prisoner at Rome a man famous both for his valour and wisedome who being ouercome by his brother in the plaines of Bythinia retired himselfe to Rhodes where being taken by Aubussonius the Great Master of the Order for a summe of money was deliuered to Innocent the eighth whereupon there was that friendship betwixt Innocent and Baiazet that Baiazet payed vnto him a yearely pension of fortie thousand ducats which Alexander his successors did afterwards receiue Phil. Comin in Histor Carol. 8. c. 19. Philip de Comines saith sixtie thousand to the end that a strong gard might be
set ouer Gemes least if hee should escape he should trouble his Empire Vpon this occasion Alexander and Alphonsus giue Baiazet to vnderstand That it was the purpose of the king of France hauing setled his affaires in Naples to passe ouer into Greece which was the more easily beleeued because hee was not ignorant how many troubles the French had raised and how many slaughters they had made in Asia The warres of Charles growing hot they sent Legats againe vnto him Alphonsus making choyce of Camillus Pendon Alexander of Gregorio Bucciardo of Genoa being both skilfull in the Turkish language Bucciardo being employed before in the like seruice by Pope Innocent These promised to ouerthrow the forces of Charles so he would supplie them with some great summes of money Whereby he should redeeme the State of Greece from destruction and entertaine warre in the kingdome of another and should haue for a bulwarke of his Empire the citie of Rome and the kingdome of Naples These embassadours were honourably receiued by Baiazet and so much the rather because hee had receiued the same newes from other parts He therefore gaue thankes to the Pope speaking to Gregorie that he that had the highest place in Christendome would be pleased so friendly louingly to giue him in time admonition notwithstanding he were of another beliefe touching God and of different maners touching men He aduised him to returne into Italie his embassadour Dantius accompanying him by whom he sent money and committed other matters of secrecie vnto him to that purpose Amongst other matters giuen vnto him in charge saith Iouius there was a letter written in Greeke wherein Baiazet with great art persuaded the Pope That he should prouide that by some meanes or other his brother might be taken out of the way by poyson which if he would performe hee promised him vpon his faith two hundred thousand ducats and freely to bestow vpon him the vnfeamed coat of Christ as some few yeares before he had sent the poynt of that speare wherewith Longinus pierced the side of Christ From hence let the Reader judge with how inward a commerce of wickednesse these two were joined since he durst giue that counsell to the Pope which the most wicked men of the world practised in all manner of villanie durst not haue done one to another It fell out in the meane time that the ships wherein they passed the seas were taken neere Ancona by Iohn de la Rouere brother to Cardinall Iulian an enemie to the Pope and a friend to the Frenchmen who seised vpon all the money as due vnto him from the Pope and so Dantius was inforced to make a journey by land to Ancona to saue himselfe But Alexander being verie much moued herewith sought new meanes to continue this entercourse and agreement with Baiazet With which Papall zeale he likewise diuerted the Croysado or money gathered in Spaine vnder a pretence of bearing the crosse against Baiazet to this vse For saith Guicciardine king Ferdinand excusing himselfe That his armie by sea could not so speedily be readie for the defence of the kingdome of Naples for want of money hee consented that the money gathered in Spaine in the naââ of the Apostolike sea vnder a colour of making warre against the enemies of the Faith should be employed to that vse But Charles neuerthelesse passed through all Italie without resistance being led as it were by the hand of God opening not onely the gates before him but the walls too and comming neere Rome where the Pope had fortified himselfe with the forces of Alphonsus and other his confederats hee demaunded passage and to be admitted into the citie commaunding his enemies to depart and not dissembling That if Alexander obeyed not he would make his way through the citie with his sword Alexander hereupon was much troubled in his mind Fearing least Charles presuming vpon the title of Most Christian which the kings of France doe much glorie in should with his people being a nation renowmed for their religion turne his mind to the reformation of the Church a terrible thought to him whose conscience told him by what infamous meanes he had obtained the Popedome and how with great infamie he had administred it Paule Jonij l. 2. Moreouer he feared least he should be persuaded by the Cardinals of Colonna Sabelli and others to require the publication of a Councell with which one voyce saith Iouins the Popes of Rome are more terrified than with any other human accidents whatsoeuer But partly restes himself vpon that assurance which Charles had giuen him not to attempt any thing against his dignitie and partly because being in these straits he saw no surer course to be taken he retired himselfe to his castle S. Angelo suffered the king to enter the citie and sent away Ferdinand Duke of Calabria the sonne of Alphonsus that he might not see his ruine before his eyes Charles therefore entred Rome the last day of the yeare 1494 with his whole armie his ensignes displayed and his lance vpon his thigh no otherwise than he entred Florence a few dayes before Neither must we forget that the armie of the king comming neere Ostia some twentie fadome of the wall fell to the ground euen there where the King had prepared to enter and neere about the same time there fell about fifteene fadome of the antemure or outward wall of the castle S. Angelo as if the walles themselues had inuited the king to enter Here there wanted not some that were verie earnest with the king Philip Comineus in vita Caroli 8. c. 16.17 to remoue Alexander from his seat a man odious to the whole world telling him that it would not be lesse glorious to him to deliuer the Church of God from the tyrannie of a wicked Pope than it was to Pipin and Charlemaine to deliuer the good Popes from such as did vniustly oppresse them But Alexander beeing directed by a more deuout Councell hauing by presents and promises corrupted those that could preuaile most with him they so pacified the king that he came to this agreement That Alexander should deliuer to the king the castles of Ciuita vecchia Tarracina and Spoleto vntill he had conquered the kingdome of Naples That hee should offer no wrong to the Cardinals and Barons that were subject to the Church or seeke to reuenge himselfe vpon those that had taken his part That hee should inuest Charles into the kingdome That forasmuch as there might be good vse made of Gemes Baiazets brother in the warres against the Turke he would deliuer him into his hands That he should pronounce Charles Emperour of Greece Lastly That he should leaue with the king Caesar Borgia his sonne for three moneths as an Embassadour in outward shew but in effect an hostage for the performance of these promises All which for the most part he performed because hee could no otherwise chuse but yet so as that his accustomed false faith
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
who hauing left their dwellings are constrained to flie into the desarts And moreouer with bitter deep-fetcht sighes he exhorted Leo to prouide especially for three things The peace of Italie The discipline of the Court of Rome and the reformation of Faith sicke euen to death which he better expresseth in these verses Led tria praesertim restant cura atque labore Digna tuo bellum est primum quo fessa laborat Italia pleni humano iam sanguine campi Est aliud Romana graui maculata veneno Curia quae spargit terras contagia in omnes Postremum est oppressa fides exposta rapinis Vndique in praedam populis proiecta cruentis A te haec subsidium magnis clamoribus orant Sancte Pater succurre Leo Respublica Christi Labitur aegrotatquè fides iam proxima morti Three chiefe things rest worthie thy paine and care The Warre is first wherewith Italians are All tir'd and fields with humane bloud are fild Another is the Court of Rome defil'd With venome which to all lands is conuaid Last is the Faith opprest and open layd To rapine made to bloud-succours a prey These of thee with lowd cries for helpe doe pray Helpe holie Father Leo Christs estate Doth fall and Faith lyes sicke now at deaths gate And in all these things we haue seene that Leo followed a quite contrarie course as appeareth by the judgement of many great men that liued vnder the Popedom at that time But now we come to that which was done by whole corporations Grauamina nationis Germanicae There was not any nation vnder Leo which presented not vp their grieuances against the vnlawfull proceedings of the Court of Rome which violated all Concordats refused elections reserued the principall dignities for the Cardinals vnmeasurable in distributing expectatiue graces vnmercifull in exacting annuities which measured Indulgences according to the quantitie of money redoubled the tenthes vnder pretence of making warre against the Turkes bestowed benefices and Ecclesiasticall offices to the vnworthie yea to Mule-keepers and drew all causes without difference to Rome Of which things are extant whole bookes presented to Emperours and Kings together with their necessarie remedies especially in the yeres 1516 and 1517 which are our bounds At which verie time also flourished at Paris Iohn Maioris an excellent professor of Diuinitie whose Theses we haue of the power Royall and Papall Remedium contra grauamina nationis Germanicae Ioh. Maioris dist 24. q. 3. handled at large Dist 24. q. 3. First The Pope hath not any temporal domination ouer Kings c. 2. For if thou say he succeedeth Christ Christ is Lord of all On the contrarie thou canst not proue that Christ according to his humanitie is Lord of all seeing he said to Pylat My kingdome is not of this world And that being graunted yet the consequence is of no force impossible to be proued for oftentimes the Lieutenant hath not so great authoritie as his superiour whose Lieutenant he is For Christ instituted the Sacraments gaue the law of grace and may reuoke all diuine positiue law yet this cannot the Pope do 3. If the contrarie should be granted then would follow this conclusion Constantine gaue nothing to Syluester but onely restored vnto him his due the contrarie whereof is said 96 D. C. Constantinus 12. Q. 1. C. Futurum 4. The Popes themselues confesse that temporall iurisdiction pertaineth not vnto them that they will take nothing from the right of Kings Innoc. 3. in C. Nouit de judicijs Alexand. in C. Causam Qui filii sint legitimi And in that famous chapter Per venerabilem in the same title where Innocent the third saith That the king of France acknowledgeth not any superiour in temporall things and therefore may dispence with his sonne as with his inferiour But if thou say with the Glosse he acknowledgeth not any de facto in deed but yet he ought de jure by right I hold this to be a Glosse of Orleans which corrupteth the text because if it were so the Pope had not sufficiently answered to that gentleman of Mont-pellier requiring a dispensation for his bastard that thereby the king might dispense with him For the Pope sayd The king of France is a supreame Soueraigne in his kingdome in temporall things If he had spoken de facto his answer had beene none for the gentleman might haue answered him I acknowledge not or will not acknowledge a superiour de facto 5. Many deuout kings haue beene canonized by Popes that neuer acknowledged the Bishops of Rome to be aboue them in temporall things and in this haue died Therfore it is a signe that the Bishops of Rome haue not domination ouer all in temporal things Item Kings haue not their powers immediatly from the Bishop of Rome neither doe they take any influence from him in temporall things but haue their kingdomes by the consent of the people by succession by purchase by donation or by some other title For earthlie power dependeth not of the spirituall power of the Pope as the Captaine dependeth of his Generall but as two powers not subordinat of which neither dependeth of the other For he that possesseth a kingdome is not vassall of the Bishop of Rome neither is the Emperor his subiect in any manner And these were the Maximes of the French Church at that time But of the same time we haue two notable instruments one of Germanie the other of Fraunce as for the first Leo had sent his Legats into Germanie to exact tenthes vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes and they had prepared an eloquent Oration to induce the Princes thereto But they consulting about that matter with a notable personage he declared vnto them That Germanie had alreadie been ynough and more than ynough taxed That after peace was made among Christian Princes and that they were well disposed to that holie warre it would then be time ynough to thinke on tenthes That since the time that Popes haue mixed sacred things with prophane or rather forsaken the sacred to busie themselues onely in ciuile matters there hath beene no meane nor end of miseries and calamities there hath beene no care had of the flocke of Christ and contempt of diuine things hath aboundantly growne Christ sold and the whole world polluted vnder pretence of religion and brought to extreame ruine with this filthinesse and contagion Exhortatio viri cuiusd doctissimi ad Principes ne in Decimae praestationem consentiant Will you saith he destroy the Turke I praise your purpose but I greatly feare least yee erre in the name seeke him in Italie not in Asia Against him of Asia euerie of our kings is strong enough of himselfe to defend his owne limits But for to tame the other all Christendome is not sufficient That other who hath elsewhere enough to do with his bordering neighbours hath yet done vs no harme but this man
alone to the Lambe 2. Thess 2. v. 8. to the spirit of his mouth to the brightnesse of his comming Which things are of so much the more greater weight in as much as our aduersaries the ministers of Antichrist hauing gotten the vpper hand of all haue with all diligence and industrie left nothing vndone whereby they might with continuall care and craft extinguish and deface our proofes by abolishing withholding or corrupting the instruments and writings of good men from time to time in all ages By which meanes we are forced to seeke right out of the instrument of their owne pleading out of their owne writings for to decide and defend our cause to produce witnesses out of their bosom and testimonies from their owne mouth to make seeing Gods will is so euen Balaams Asse to speake the verie beast that carrieth them to vtter their Histories Councels and Decrees to the rebuke and reproofe of themselues and their doings But it remaineth for recapitulation to set before our eyes in what state wee found both the See of Rome and Roman Bishop at first and vnto what state from that by degrees at length we haue brought him and now see him brought As touching therefore their spirituall function the Bishops of Rome in those first ages as we haue seene were indifferently called Bishops and Priests behauing themselues as brethren towards others yea by their neerest neighbours were named Brethren and Collegues they were consulted withall and did themselues also consult with others about the affaires of the Church controuersies schismes and heresies liuing simply in their profession and dying vertuously in the confession of the name of Christ they glittered not in any other purple or scarlet than with their owne bloud the Crosse was their onely glorie But not long after we might perceiue in some that spirit which from Saint Paules time wrought which vnder pretence of the dignitie of the citie drew vnto it selfe the cause of the neighbors would haue their counsels accounted for Decrees and turned the honour voluntarily offered them into right of homage seemelinesse into seruitude That sting notwithstanding of ambition was oftentimes beaten backe by the persecutions and many times also blunted by the vertuous Oppositions of the ancient Fathers But when after that by Constantine peace was restored to the Churches through the fauour of Princes they encreased in honors and riches behold this spirit continually watching ouer the worke and not loosing any moment of time gathereth heart and strength to it selfe by degrees And because that by reason of the dignitie of the citie the first Seat was willingly granted vnto it they contend That their Church ought to haue dominion ouer other Churches That like as Rome I meane the Commonwealth thereof ruled ouer other cities and Prouinces so the Bishop of Rome like as a Monarch ouer other Bishops That therefore from all parts of the world they should appeale vnto him from him expect commaundements which all men were held absolutely to obey Whereas he on the contrarie ought to depend of none might be judged of none neither yet of all together And hereof came those falsifications that wee haue seene of Councels and Decrees those suppositions of Acts and Histories those prophanations of the holie Scriptures and shamelesse wresting of them to a contrarie sence Hence are also those contestations and protestations of some of the greatest men in all ages against that domination which they arrogat to themselues ouer other Churches and Bishops which they on the other side besides and against all right diuine and humane either by none or by a false title complained to be vsurped not sticking to pronounce That it proceeded from none other and pertained to none other than the forerunner of Antichrist or Antichrist himselfe Yet thinke not for all this that they any thing slacked in their purpose By Phocas the murderer of the Emperour Mauritius his Lord was the Bishop of Rome declared Vniuersall Bishop he laboured to be so declared so farre was he off from blushing at it Now from thenceforth carried with full sayles hee maketh no difficultie of any thing As Emperours and Kings in a confused troubled world had need of his helpe or endeuour he got authoritie in their dominions Hee winneth the Archbishops to his side by alluring the most ambitious with commissions and offices and hauing woon them hee bindeth them vnto him by a Pall and that at first was sent them freely and onely as a token of good-will towards them afterward by ordinance made necessarie and a badge of subiection at length by degrees it grew to be sold taxed exacted the price thereof euerie day encreasing of which the Archbishops from time to time complayned After that hee obtained of the Princes That the Clergie the Lords lot sayth hee and inheritance should bee exempt and free from all temporall jurisdiction whereupon followed licence of all vices impunitie of all crimes and so by little and little withdrew from their lawfull and naturall Lords them whom hee had marked with his character by voluntarie seruitude yea and liege homage bound them vnto himselfe By their ministerie and meanes and not without mysterie hee sitteth and presideth in the Councels of Kings exerciseth his kingdome in their realmes and his tyrannie in the consciences of kings and their people whilest he bindeth them to his pleasures by his censures and excommunications and as he will loseth them from all duetie and obedience He setteth Princes one against the other or else bandeth their nobles and people against them and maketh many to sheath their swords in their owne bowels By which and by such like meanes hee obtained at length a Soueraigne Empire in spirituall things throughout the West And because the East yeelded not vnto him hee excommunicated those Churches and chuseth to himselfe from among his owne Patriarches of the Easterne Churches imaginarie indeed but yet future Images of his vniuersall Monarchie which hee arrogateth to himselfe who were resident with him representing the person or vizor rather of the Orientall Church Yea when hee celebrated the Masse Cerem Roman l. 3. Charta 6. 7. hee commaunded the Epistle and Gospell to bee read in Latine and in Greeke signifying both Churches but in Latine first and with seuen candles lighted in Greeke afterward with two onely lighted for to shew the supereminencie of the Latine Church Yet who knoweth not that the Greeke Testament is the originall and the Latine but a translation taken out of the Greeke At last hee pardoneth all sinnes out of his fulnesse of power thereby affecting the Maiestie of God who alone pardoneth and of Christ the Lambe of God who alone taketh away sinnes Yet truely hee giueth not those pardons but selleth and maketh merchandise of them and vnder that pretext wasteth and despoyleth the whole world Then hee instituted Iubilies at certaine set times which by degrees hee shortened being truely his generall Marts and Faires in which he
on the right to be granted to such as die excommunicate or desperate The continuall and ordinarie traffike of all benefices with cure or without cure of Compatible of Incompatible Vancancies Preuentions Resignations Commenda's expectatiue cases reserued expeditions according to certaine clauses and formes infinite farre surpassing them of the antient Law so that hardly would the volume of a Calepine suffice to containe but the names onely And truly how laborious a worke it is to be able to know those intricate turnings and windings and so many cunning subtilties Sure it is needful to bistow more time in them than in the knowledge of all the liberall sciences than in Philosophie or in the whole law And with these are imploied al the bankes of the Money-changers and Vsurers in Europe with the trottings vp and downe of these the Post-horses of al places are wearied hence are so many officers so many brokers both in the Court and dispersed all the world ouer more in number and of more kinds than hath beene euer knowne in the West and East Empires yet out of Simonie alone haue these men not onely their maintenance but excesse and pride Insomuch that they haue brought the Mamelukes and Ianizaries into the Popes Court and thought it not sufficient to haue drawne to themselues all the Romane titles but they must borrow also from Souldans and Infidels both offices and markes of offices And therefore when we consider this traffike of sinne how great a facilitie or facultie of sinning the Pope hath brought in by his dispensations and absolutions for sins either alreadie coÌmitted or to be committed euen the most execrable for money shall we not say that he is truely that Man of sinne who at so easie a rate and so lightly giueth leaue and indulgence for all sinnes and also giueth way to all crimes without difference against the law of God and against Nature Seing it is manifest by the Tables of his Mart to euerie man how much each sinne will cost that he may know at what rate to free himselfe from punishment Seeing he would persuade the world that whosoeuer hath satisfied this his Table of Rates hath sufficiently satisfied God and need no more care for Gods justice I pray thee Reader if Sathan himselfe were there in person for to open the floud-gates and sluices of sinne that it might as a deluge ouerflow the whole world could he find any more fit inuention than this This was not the meaning of Saint Paule when he said That sinne hath abounded that grace might superabound who by the justice of God and by the holinesse of the law representeth vnto vs the horrour and filthinesse of sinne and the wrath of God kindled against it yea against those sinnes that seeme vnto vs more light which wrath cannot bee quenched and is not to be appeased by any humane merit by any price but by the bloud alone of the onely begotten Sonne of God shed for sinners vnto whom alone by a right and perfect faith and earnest repentance wee ought to haue recourse How then from one and the same fountaine can there proceed doctrines so contrarie And seeing the one is truely of Christ and the other vnder his name whose can this be but the doctrine of Antichrist Dan. 7. v. 20. Apocal. 13. v. 5.6 Of whom it is sayd Os loquens grandia A mouth speaking presumptuous things c. A mouth opened vnto blasphemie against God c. In this shamefull traffike I say in this infamous selling of sinne whereby the Harlot prostituted vnder euerie greene tree hath engaged all sorts of men Apocal. 13. v. 16.17 doe wee not perceiue it by these words of Saint Iohn Hee made all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads and that no man might buy and sell saue he that had the mark For indeed what condition of men are exempted therefrom for dispensation for absolution for benefit office warfare fraternitie for all occupations of great or of base esteeme for hauing done euill or for to doe euill can free himselfe from this buying and selling Are not these therefore those Merchants of which Saint Iohn speaketh Apoc. 18.3 The Merchants of the earth are waxen rich of the aboundance of her pleasure which distilled from the gulfe of her excesse and from her sacrileges And when we more neerer consider that this Babylon this heape of confusion this loftie building hath none other foundation than absurdities none other matter than iniquities none other morter than impieties may wee not necessarily conclude with the Apostle that God hath sent vnto men a strong delusion 2. Thess 2.10.11 that they should receiue that Man of sinne that Antichrist that they should beleeue lyes because they would not receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued Whilst that man of sinne therein applaudeth them applying as it were Narcotickes vnto them whereby his pleasing allurements stupefie them without all sence or feeling of conscience or remorse of sinne I omit his other doctrines of the merites of men whereby the merite of Christs passion is brought to nothing his daily sacrifice of the altar whereby that onely and perpetuall sacrifice of our Lord Iesus on the Crosse is abolished Christian Religion swallowed vp and conuerted into Ceremonies into superstition into idolatrie Stations Reliques Agnus dei little Images blessed graines new Lawes new Sacraments new Gospell and if God had not hindered it a new Christ and a meere Alcoran obtruded in stead of the Gospell for of these things haue wee spoken in their place more largely Cerem Roman Chart. 140. 141. 150. But surely if we list to obserue his seate and his furniture he sitteth at Rome on the Citie of seuen hills there ye may see him ride in sollemne manner about the Citie mounted on a white Horse sumptuously caparassoned the Horse led by the hand of an Emperour or a King if any be present if not by the greatest person there he himselfe gorgeously apparelled in scarlet weareth a Tiara or Diadem on his head adorned with a triple Crowne which they commonly call Regnum Kingdome in token say they of supreame dignitie both Sacerdotall and Imperiall enriched with most rare gemmes and pretious stones There followeth him a troupe of Cardinalls glittering also in scarlet But if he goe forth of the Citie he hath his port-mantues ladder couered with red cloth twelue red standards then follow Noblemen carrying the standards of the Citie a Barber and a Taylor then foure Noblemen carrying foure Caps of crimson veluet on the ends of staues some of the measure of three or foure hand-breadth who are called Scutiferi honoris Thus this whole furniture is of scarlet colour When therefore S. Iohn saith in the Apocalyps Come I will shew thee the damnation of the great whoore with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication then presently after
any proportion which yet had beene too much but simply properly absolutely But if Bellarmine here say Bellarm. de Romano Pontific l. 2. c. 31. Bern. Epist 237. ad Eugenium That Gregorie did this but as he was Christs Vicar I aske him Whether he euer so much as heard that if a Princes embassadour contract any matrimonie in his Masters name he calls himselfe the Bridegroome or if he could doe this without committing an hainous offence Or how can hee in thus doing auoid S. Bernards reprehension who forbids Pope Eugenius this tytle but rather that he should take heed of S. Iohns Prophesie in assuming to himselfe such blasphemous titles Thomas de Corsellis apud Aenean Syâuium 7 Comentar de Concil Basiliens Questionlesse Thomas de Corsellis speakes not so in the Councell of Basil We said saith hee that the Church was Christs spouse and the Pope wee know is his Vicar but no bodie substitutes a Vicar in such a sort as that hee will submit his spouse vnto him nay the spouse in matters very important may be thought to haue more authoritie than the Vicar whereas she and her husband haue but one bodie but so it stands not betweene the Vicar and his Lord. This Gregorie died about the beginning of the yeare 1276 whom Peter of Tarento succeeded that was Bishop of Ostia of the Order of Predicants being nominated Innocent the fift and about fiue moneths after Otho Fliscus a Genoway came to the Papacie after this man also who was called Adrian the fift he being chosen at Rome in king Charles his presence who was created and chosen Senator of that citie This manner of election was no wayes pleasing to the Cardinals because their authoritie herein seemed to be somewhat impaired Presently after his comming to the Papacie he departed to Viterbe the better to abate Charles his power and greatnesse for extenuation whereof he sent for the Emperour Rodulphus into Italie to oppugne and make head against Charles who being formerly solicited by Gregorie had promised to come And here the Reader may easily judge whether he was not wonderfully transported with this affaire that hauing occupied the chaire Pontificall but eleuen dayes onely and not yet being fully consecrated he studied and deuised how to supplant Charles Platina in Adriano 5. Neither were the Cardinals satisfied with that forme of Conclaue instituted by Gregorie the which was not obserued in the election of his successor nor likewise of this present Pope but contrariwise it was reuoked by Adrian in the small time he liued by an expresse Bull published to that end that so by this means all ambition and practise might be cut off and all means of attaining to the place by bribes gifts that so they might rather chuse to create the Pope by bandie and partialitie When therefore this Bull could not stand in force and vigor by reason it was made before his consecration Iohn the 22 who succeeded him presently confirmed the same And hereupon Nicholas the third Martine the fourth Honorius the fourth Nicholas the fourth and Celestinus the fift were elected without Conclaue Whereby you may plainly discerne how inconstant the spirit is that leads and directs them Iohn treads his predecessors foot-steps though he was but a foolish and vnworthie man Platina in Johan 22. Bringing as they say more detriment than either honor or profit to the Papacie and therefore hee importuned Rodulphus to come into Italie But hee eâcused himselfe through the warre he had in hand with the king of Bohemia and Iohn in the second yere of his Papacie died at Viterbe being by the fal of a vault crushed to death Vpon this occasion the Cardinals returned to Rome and now likewise Charles discharging the Senators place of the citie carried greatest sway in the election who labouring but in vaine that some French man might be nominated after much altercation Platina Stella in Nichol. 3. Machiauel hist. Flor. l. 3. the sixt month after Iohn Vrsinus was chosen being afterwards called Nicholas the third who was a man full of ambition and insolencie for so he is deciphered by Machiauel and he impatiently supporting Charles his so great power he instantly propounded to him how behouefull it was that Rodulph should come into Italie and so from thence to passe by sea into Palestina which otherwise could by no meanes be succoured and releeued also That Tuscan was vnder the jurisdiction of the Empire and except it were restored againe to Rodulphus he would make this serue for him as a just excuse Vnder this pretext therefore he took away from him Tuscan which his predecessors had conferred vpon him by way of Vicariate as also at Rome in that he could not endure to see him a Senator of such soueraigne authoritie he excited his fauouries against him laboring to be chosen Senator himselfe And thus deposing Charles he alone discharged both the Pontificall and Senatorian dignities Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. He furthermore ordained That no King Prince or any other borne of royall stocke or otherwise of any high eminent dignitie should be preferred to the Senatorship and that the citie vnder no title or office whatsoeuer might not be gouerned by any one for aboue the terme of a yere without his speciall fauour and permission And thus the Sueuian familie being wholly extinct in that he could the more easily forbeare his amitie he now began to tread Charles vnder foot For Rodulph he heard that he had businesse ynough in Germany without attempting any thing in Italie in whose mouth the saying was verie frequent Vestigia Italiam adeuntium videre se non cernere redeuntiuÌ He saw the steps of those that entred into Italie but not of such as came well out againe Wherfore out of this confidence he so much the more vrged him seeming to be verie angrie with his delayes but especially in that he prepared not himselfe for a voyage to Ierusalem the which was wont to be a common pretext for excommunicating of the Emperors Rodulph therefore not minding to loose a certaine substance for a greater shadow Martinus Polonus in Chron. ad an 1277. Platina in Nichol 3. Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. Stella ibid. that he might be freed from this burden he peaceably surrendred and confirmed vnto Nicholas the possession of all Romania vpon this condition That taking Tuscan out of Charles his hands he should restore it vnto him Which being done Nicholas created Bertold Vrsine his brother Count of Romania furnishing him with an armie wherwith to recouer those towns that were held by the Gibellines He also allotted another armie to Franciscus Latinus his sisters sonne being Bishop of Ostia with the same to scoure ouer all Tuscan the Marquisat and Lombardie And thus he disposed of the greater part of Italie Martinus and Platina say That if death had not preuented him hee was minded to haue made two kings of his name one of Tuscan
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. FundameÌta 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