the yeare abouesaid 1375. Although touching the precise points of yeares and times it is not for vs greatly to be exquisite therein but yet where diligence and studious meditation may helpe to knowledge I would not wish negligence to be a pretence to ignorāce And thus much for the times of Antiochus and his felowes Now what cruelty this Antiochus exercised against the people of God it is manifest in the history of the Machabees where we reade that this Antiochus in the eight yeare of his reigne in his second comming to Hierusalem first gaue forth in commaundement that all the Iewes should relinquish the law of Moses and worship the Idole of Iupiter Olimpius which he set vp in the temple of Hierusalem The bookes of Moses and of the Prophetes he burned He set garrisons of souldiours to warde the Idole In the Citie of Hierusalem he caused the feastes and reuels of Bacchus to be kept full of all filthe and wickednes Olde men women and virgines such as woulde not leaue the lawe of Moses with cruell tormentes he murthered The mothers that would not circumcise theyr children he slue The children that were circumcised hee hanged vp by the neckes The temple he spoiled wasted The aultar of God and candlesticke of gold with the other ornaments and furniture of the temple partly he cast out partly be caried away Contrary to the lawe of God he caused them to offer and to eate Swines fleshe Great murther and slaughter he made of the people causing thē either to leaue their lawe or to lose their liues Among whome besides many other with cruell tormentes he put to death a godly mother with her vij sonnes sending hys cruell proclamations through all the land that whosoeuer kept the obseruauncies of the Sabboth and other rites of the lawe and refused to cōdescend to his abhominations should be executed By reason whereof the Citie of Hierusalem was left voide and desolate of all good mē but there was a great nūber that were contented to follow obey his Idolatrous proceedings and to flatter with the king became enemies vnto ther brethren Briefly no kind of calamity nor face of miserie could be shewed in any place which was not there sene Of the tiranny of this Antiochus it is historied at large in the book of Machabees And Daniell prophesieng before of the same declareth that the people of the Iewes deserued no lesse for their sins and transgressions By consent of all writers this Antiochus beareth a figure of the great Antichrist which was to folow in the latter end of the world and is already come worketh what he can agaynst vs Although as S. Iohn sayth there haue bene and be many Antichristes as parts and members of the body of Antichrist which are forerūners yet to speake of the head principall Antichrist great enemy of Christs Church he is to come in the latter end of the world at what tyme shall be such tribulation as neuer was sene before Whereby is ment no doubt the Turke prefigured by this Antiochus By this Antichrist I do also meane all such which followyng the same doctrine of the Turkes thinke to be saued by their workes and demerites not by their fayth onely in the sonne of God of what title and professiō els soeuer they be especially if they vse the like force violence for the same as he doth c. Of the tyranny of this Antiochus aforesayd and of the tribulations of the Church in the latter tymes both of the Iewes Church and also of the Christian Church to come let vs beare consider the words of Daniell in xj chap. also in his vij chap. Prophecying of y◠same as foloweth He shall returne and freat agaynst the holy couenaunt so shall he do he shall euen returne and haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy couenaunt And armes shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and shall take away the dayly sacrifice and they shall set vp the abhominable desolation And such as wickedly breake the couenaunt shall flatter with him deceitfully but the people that doe know their God shall preuayle and prosper And they that vnderstand among the people shall instruct many yet they shall fall by sword and by flame by captiuitie and by spoyle many dayes Now when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe but many shall cleane vnto them faynedly And some of them of vnderstandyng shall fall to be tryed and to be purged and to make them white till the tyme be out for there is a tyme appointed And the kyng shall doe what him lyst he shall exalte himselfe and magnifie himselfe agaynst all that is God and shall speake marueilous thynges agaynst the God of Gods and shall prospere till the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers nor the desires of womē nor care for any God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all But in his place shall he honour the God Mauzzim and the God whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold and with siluer and with precious stones and pleasaunt thynges Thus shall he doe in the holdes of Mauzzim with a straunge God whom he shall acknowledge he shall increase his glory and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gayne And at the end of tyme shall the kyng of the South push at him and the kyng of the North shall come agaynst hym lyke a whirle wynde with charets and with horsemen and with many shyppes and he shall enter into the countreys and shall ouerflow and passe thorough He shall enter also into the pleasaunt land and many countreys shal be ouerthrowen but these shall escape out of his hand euen Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon He shall stretch for his handes also vppon the countreys and the land of Egypt shall not escape But he shal haue power ouer the treasures of gold and of siluer ouer al the precious thynges of Egypt and of the Libians and of the blacke Mores where he shall passe But the tydynges out of the East and the North shall trouble him therfore he shall go forth with great wrath to destroy and roote out many And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace betweene the Seas in the glorious holy mountaine yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him To this place of Daniell aboue prefixed might also be added the Prophesie of the said Daniell written in the vij chapter and much tending to the like effect where he intreating of his vision of foure beastes whiche signifie the foure Monarchies and speaking now of the fourth Monarchie hath these words After this I saw in the visions by night and behold the fourth beast was grimme and horrible and maruelous strong It had great yron
Israell so that the fishes of the Sea the foules of the heauen the beastes of the field and all that mooue and creepe vpon the earth and all the men that are vpon the earth shall tremble at my presence the mountaines shall be ouerthrowne the starres shall fall and euery wall shall fall to the ground c. ¶ The Prophesies of Methodius Hildegardis and other concerning the reygne and ruyne of the Turkes VNto these testimonies aboue excerped out of the holy Scriptures let vs adde also the propheticall reuelatious of Methodius Hildegardis Sybilla and others This Methodius is thought of some to be the same Methodius of whome Hierome and Suidas make mention which was Bishop first of Olympus in Lycia then of Tyrus and suffred martyrdome in the last persecution of the primitiue Church vnder Diocletian Unto whome also Trithemius attributeth the booke intituled De Quatuor nouissimis temporibus But that can not be forasmuch as the said Methodius doth cite and alleadge the Maister of Sentence namely in his second booke and sixe distinc Which Maister of Sentence followed more then a thousand yeare after Christ besides certaine other fabulous matter conteined in the same booke Albeit because he speaketh there of many things coÌ„cerning the state of the Church vnder Antichrist and the reformation of Religion as secmeth rightly to come to passe and more is like to follow I thought not to defraude the Reader thereof leauing the credite of the Authour to his arbitrement to esteeme and iudge of him as he seeth cause Among diuers other places of Methodius prophesieng of the latter time these words do follow After that the children of Ismaell haue had multiplied in their generations to an infinite and innumerable multitude in the desert aforesayd they came out of the wildernesse of Arabie and entred into the habitable land and fought with the Kings of the Gentiles which were in the land of promise and the â—â—â—d was filled with them And after 70. weekes and halfe of their power wherewith they haue subdued all the kingdome of the Gentiles their hart was exalted seeing themselues so to haue preuailed and to haue conquered all things c. And afterward it followeth of the same matter in this sort It shall come to passe that the sayde seede of Ismaell shall issue out and obteine the whole world with the regions thereof in the entring of peace from the land of Aegypt vnto Ethiopia from the floud Euphrates vnto India and from the riuer Tigris to the entring of Nabaot the kingdome of Ionithus the sonne of Noe and from the North vnto Rome and Illyricum Aegypt and Thessalonica and Albania and so foorth to the sea Ponticum whych deuideth the sayd kingdomes from Germanie and Fraunce and their yoke shall be double vpon the neckes of all nations and Gentiles neither shall there be nation or kingdome vnder heauen which shall be able to stand against them in battaile vntill the number of eyght weekes of yeares c. Briefly as in a grosse somme this shall suffice to admonish the reader touching the meaning and methode of Methodius Prophesies which Methodius first describing the long and tedious afflictions of Christes Church maketh mention of the seede of Ismaell which comming out of the partes and deserts of Arabie shall destroy saith he and vanquish the whole earth So that the Christians shall be giueÌ„ of God to the hands of the filthy Barbarians to be slain polluted and captiued Persia Armenia Capadocia Cilicia Syria Aegypt the East partes Asia Spaine all Grecia Fraunce Germania Agathonia Sicilia The Romanes also shall be slaine and put to flight also the Ilands of the Seas shall be brought to desolation and to captiuitie and put to the sword The which tribulation of the Christians shall be without mercy or measure the raunsome of gold and siluer and other exactions intolerable but especially the dwellers of Aegypt and Syria shall be most in the affliction of those times And Hierusalem shall be filled with multitudes of people brought thether in captiuitie from the foure windes which are vnder heauen So that beastes also and foules and fish in the water and the waters of the Sea shall be to them obedient Cities and Townes which were before full of people shall be layde waste Women with child shall be ript their children sticked infantes taken from the mothers and cast in the streates and none shall burie them The rulers and sage of the people shall be slaine and throwne out to the beastes Churches shall be spoiled the Priests destroyed virgines defloured and men coÌ„pelled to sell their children and the comming of them shall bee chastisement without mercy and with them shall go these foure plagues captiuitie destruction perdition and desolation wyth much more which for breuitie I ouerpasse And this affliction sayeth hee shall last eight weekes or Sabbates of yeares which I take to signifie eight hundreth yeares c. Secondly after these terrible plagues thus described by Methodius vpon the Christians which he sayth shall fall vpon them for their wicked abhominations recited in the first and second chapter of S. Paule to the Romaines the saide Methodius afterwarde in this great distresse of the Christians being out of all hope and comfort of reliefe declareth and speaketh of a certaine King of the Greekes or Romains which shall restore peace againe to the ChristiaÌ„s In which peace they shal reedify their cities mansions againe the Priests shal be deliuered from their greuances men at that time shall rest from their tribulations and then shall the King of the Romaines dwell in the Citie of Hierusalem a weeke or sabbate and a halfe of times c. Thirdly during the time of this peace the said Methodius saith the men shal fal into licentious securitie carelesse life and then according to the word of the Apostle saying WheÌ„ they shal say peace peace sodeine destruction shal fall vpon them then sayth he shal be opened the gates of the North the beastly people shal breake in which King Alexander the great did close vp within 2. mountaines making his prayer vnto the Lorde God that he would bind vp that bestial execrable people least with their filthy detestable pollutions they shuld come out and pollute the holy land Whose intercession being heard the Lord coÌ„manded them to be inclosed within 2. mountains in the North parts to the depenes of 12. cubits which signifieth peraduenture 12. C. yeres so that neither by witchcraft nor by any means they could get out or any might come vnto them vntill the time of the Lord apointed which are saith he the latter times then according to the prophecie of Ezechiel in the latter time of the coÌ„summation of the world Gog Magog out froÌ„ the north shal come forth into the land of Israel shal work al this mischiefe against the christiaÌ„s aboue recited And then saith Method
more then lx M. florences of mere contributiō besides hys other auayles common reuenues out of benefices prebendaries first fruites tributes Peter Pence collatiōs reseruatiōs relaxations such marchandise c. Mention was made a little before pag. 231. and 239. of Albingenses keeping about the City of Tholouse These Albingauses because they began to smell the pope and to controle the inordinate proceedinges and discipline of the sea of Rome the Pope therefore recounting thē as a people hereticall excited and stirred vp about this presēt time yeare an 1220. Ludouick the yong French king through the instance of Phillip his Father to lay siege agaynst the sayd City of Tholouse to expugne extinguishe these Albingenses hys enemies Wherupon Ludouicke according to his fathers commaundement reared a puissant and a mighty army to compasse about and beset the forenamed city and so did Here were the men of Tholouse in great daunger But see how the mighty protection of God fighteth for hys people agaynst the might of man For after that Ludouicke as Mathew Paris testifieth had long weryed himselfe and hys men in waste and could do no good with all their ingines and artilery agaynst the City there fell moreouer vpon the French hoste by the hand of God such famine and pestilence both of men and horses beside the other dayly slaughter of the souldiours that Ludouick was enforced to retyre and with suche as were left to returne agayne home to Fraunce from whence he came In the slaughters of whiche souldiours besides many other was Erle Simon de monti forte generall of the army to whō the landes of the Erle of Tholouse was geuē by the pope who was slayne before the gate of the Citty with a stone And so was also the brother of the sayd Symon the same time in besieging a castell neare to Tholouse slayne with a stone in like maner And so was the siege of the Frenchmen agaynst Tholouse broke vp Ex Mat. Par. As the siege of these French men could doe no good against the Citty of Tholouse so it happened the same time that the christiās marching toward the holy land had better luck by the way in laying their siege to a certaine tower or castle in Egipt neare to the city Damieta which seemed by nature for the situation and difficultie of the place inexpugnable as which being situate in the middest of the great floud Nilus hard by the citty called Damieta could neither be come to by land nor be vndermined for the water nor by famine subdued for the nearenes of the citty yet notwithstanding through the helpe of God and policy of man in erecting scaffoldes and Castles vppon tops of mastes the Christians at last conquered it and after that the Citty also Damieta albeit not without great losse of Christen people In the expugnation of this City or forte among other that there died was the Lantgraue of Thuring named Ludouicke the husband of Elizabeth whom we vse to call S. Elizabeth This Elizabeth as my story recordeth was the daughter of the kyng of Hungary and maryed in Almayne where she liued with the forenamed Ludouicke Lantgraue of Thuringe Whom she thorough her perswasions prouoked and incēsed to take that vyage to fight for the holy land where he in the same vyage was slayne After whose death Elizabeth remaynyng a widow entred the profefliō of cloysterly religion made her selfe a Nunne So growing and increasing from vertue to vertue that after her death all Almayne did sounde with the fame of her worthy doynges Mat. Paris addeth this more that she was the daughter of that Queene who being accused to be naught with a certayne Archbishop was therfore condemned with this sentence pronounced agaynst her Reginam interficere nolite temere bonum est etsi omnes consenserint non ego contradico That is although it be hard in English to be translated as it standeth in Latine To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all men consent thereunto not I my selfe do stand agaynst it c. The which sentence beyng brought to Pope Innocent thus in poynting the sentence which otherwise seemeth to haue a double vnderstanding so saued the Queene thus interpreting and poynting the sentence Reginam interficere nolite timere bonum est si omnes consenserint non ego Contradico That is To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all doe consent thereto yet not I I my selfe do stand agaynst it And so escaped she the daunger This Queene was the mother as is said of Elizabeth the Nunne who for her holy Nunny shenes was canonised of the popes church for a Sainct in Almanie about the yeare 1220. Ex Mat Parisiens And this by the way nowe to proceede farther in the yeares and life of this king Henry The next yeare following which was an 1221. the king went to Oxford where he had something to do with William Earle de Albemartia who had taken the Castle of Biham but at last for hys good seruice he had done in the realme before was released of the king with all his men by the intercession of Walter Archbishop of York and of Pandolphe the Legate About which present yeare entred first the Friers Minorites or gray friars into England and had their first house at Cāterbury whos 's first patron was Fraunciscus which dyed an 1127. and hys order was confirmed by the pope Honorius 3. an 1224. About the first comming of these Dominicke and gray Friers Franciscane into the Realme as is in Nic. Triuet testified many Englishmen y◠same time entred into their orders Among whome was Iohannes de sancto Egideo a man famously expert in the science of Phisicke and Astronomy And Alexander de Hales both Englishmen and great diuines This Iohannes making hys Sermon ad clerum in the house of the Dominick Fryers exhorted his auditory with great perswasiōs vnto wilful pouerty And to confirme his words the more by hys owne example in the middest of his sermon he came downe from the pulpite and put on hys Fryers habite and so returning into the pulpite agayne made an end of hys Sermon Likewise Alexander Hales entred the order of the Fraunciscanes of whom remayneth yet the booke intituled De. Summa Theologiae in old Libraries Moreouer not long after by William de longa spata which was the Bastard sonne of K. Henry 2. and Earle of Salisbury was first founded the house of the Carthusian monkes at Heytrope an 1222. After whose death his wife Ela was translated to the house of Hentone in Barkeshyre an 1227. which Ela also founded the house of Nunnes at Lacockes and there continued her self Abbes of the place The Byshop of London named William the same tyme gaue ouer his byshopricke after whom succeeded Eustace in that sea Flor. hist. In the towne of
therof should be displaced and the said Herrigetto perferred Yea also non obstante that the sayd Pope himselfe had before giuen his graunt to the king realme of England y◠one Italian should not succeede an other in any benefice there yet for all that the said Herrigetto vpon paine of excommunication to be placed therin Ex Paris fol. 240. And thus much hetherto of these matters through the occasion of the East churches and the Grecians to the entent all men that read these stories see the doings of this Westerne Bishop may consider what iust cause these Grecians had to seclude themselues from hys subiection and communion For what christian communion is to be ioyned with him which so contrary to Christ and his gospel seeketh for worldly dominion so cruelly persecuteth hys brethren so giuē to auarice so greedy in getting so iniurious in oppressing so insatiable in hys exactions so malitious in reuenging stirring vp warres depriuing kings deposing Emperours playing Rex in the Church of Christ so erronious in doctrine so abominably abusing excommunication so false of promise so corrupt in life so voyde of Gods feare and briefly so farre from all the parts of a true Euangelicall Bishop For what seemeth he to care for the soules of men which setteth in benefices boyes and outlādish Italians and further one Italian to succede an other which neither did know the language of the flocke nor once would abide to see their faces And who can blame y◠Grecians then for diffeuering themselues from such an oppressour and gyant against Christ. Whose wise example if this Realme had then folowed as they might certes our predecessours had bene rid of an infinite number of troubles iniuries oppressiōs warres commotions great trauails charges besides the sauing of innumerable thousand of poūds which the sayd bishop full falsely hath raked and transported out of thys Realme of ours But not to excede the bounds of my history because my purpose is not to stande vpon declamations nor to dilate common places I will passe ouer leauing the iudgement therof to the further examination of the reader For els if I lifted to prosecute this argument so far as mater would lead me truth peraduenture wold require me to say I durst not only say but could well proue the Pope court of Rome to be the only fountain principal cause I say not of muche misery heere in England but of all the publicke calamities and notorious mischiefes which haue happened these many yeres through all these West parts of christendome especially of all the lamentable ruine of the church which not only we but the Grecians also this day do suffer by the Turks and Saracens As whosoeuer wel considereth by reading of histories the course of times and vieweth with all the doings and acts passed by the said bishops of Rome together with the blinde leading of his doctrine shal see good cause not only to thinke but also to witnes the same Only one narratiō touching this argument and yet not transgressing the office of my historie I minde the Lorde willing to set before the Readers eyes which happened euen about this present time of thys king Henries reigne in the yere of our Lord. 1244. In the which yeare it chanced that Lewes the French king sonne to Quene Blanch fel very fore sicke lying in a swounde or in a traunce for certaine dayes in such sorte as few thought he would haue liued some said he was gon already Amongst other there was with him hys mother who sorowing bitterly for her sonne and giuen somewhat as cōmonly the maner of women is to superstitiō went brought foorth a peece of the holy crosse wyth the crowne and the speare which peece of the holy crosse Baldwynus Emperour of Constantinople whome the Grecians had deposed a litle before for holding with the bishop of Rome had sold to the French king for a great summe of mony and blessed him wyth the same also laid the crowne the spear to his body making a vow wtal in the person of her sonne that if the Lorde would visite him with health and release him of that infirmitie he should be croysed or marked with the crosse to visit his sepulchre and there solemnly to render thankes in the lande which he had sanctified wyth his bloud Thus as she with the B. of Parys and other there present were praying beholde the king which was supposed of some to be dead began with a sigh to pluck to his arms and legges and so stretching himselfe began to speake geuing thankes to God who from an high had visited him called him from the danger of death Which as the kings mother with others there toke to be a great miracle wrought by the vertue of the holy crosie so the king amending more and more as soone as he was well recouered receaued solemnely the badge of the crosse vowing for a freewil sacrifice vnto God that he if the counsaile of his realme would suffer him would in hys owne person visite the holy land forgettyng belyke the rule of true Christianitie where Christ teacheth vs otherwise in the gospel saying That neither in this mount nor in Samaria nor at Ierusalem the Lord will be worshipped but seeketh true worshippers which shall worship him in truth and veritie c. An. 1244. Pariens fol. 182. After thys was great preparaunce and muche a do in Fraunce toward the setting foorth to the holy land For after the K. first began to be croysed the most part of the nobles of Fraunce with diuers Archbishops and Byshops with Earles and Barons and Barons and gentlemen to a mighty number receaued also the crosse vppon their sleeues Amongst whom was the Earle Atrebacensis the kings brother the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Brabant the Countesse of Flaunders wyth her two sonnes the Earle of Britaine with his sonne the Earle of Barrēsis Earle of Swesson Earle of S. Paul Earle of Druis Earle Retel with many noble persons mo Neither lacked here whatsoeuer the Pope could do to set forward this holy busines in sending his Legates and Friers into Fraunce to stirre the people to folow the king to contribute to his iourny Wherupon was graunted to the King to gather of the vniuersall church of France by the popes authoritie the tenth part of all their goods for 3. yeares space together vpon thys condition that the king likewise wold graunt to the Pope the 20. part for so many yeares after to be gathered of the sayd Church of Fraunce Which was agreed An. 1246. Ex Mat Parisiens fol. 204 b. Shortly after thys in the yeare of our Lorde 1247. followed a Parliament in Fraunce where the king with his nobles being present there was declared how the king of Tartarians or Turkes hearing of the viage of the French king writeth a letter to him requiring that he wil become hys
keping of Kaira Babylonia It folowed now after the taking of Diamata that the soldan of Babylon accused the Prince which had the custodie thereof before his nobles of prodition as giuing the Citie vnto the Christians Who notwithstanding in indgement did sufficiently cleare himselfe declaring how he was certified that the king would land at Alexandria and therfore bent all power to preuent the kings ariuall there But by distresse of weather he missing of his purpose and the king landing about Damiata by reason therof the city was taken vnprouided he notwithstanding with his company resisting as well as they might till they could no longer and so departed out cursing said he Mahomet his law At which wordes the Soldan being offended commanded him to be had away as a traytor and blasphemer and to be hanged albeit he had sufficiently purged himselfe by the iudgement of the court His brother which was the keper of Kayra and Babylonia being therewith not a litle agrieued and bearing a good minde to the Christian religion deuised in him selfe bow to giue the said city of Kayra with Babylonia to the French king so in most secrete wise sent to the king shewing his ful purpose and what had happened and furthermore instructing the king in all things how and what he should do moreouer requiring the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme meaning in deede good sayth and sending also away all the Christian captiues which he had with hym in prison The king being glad hereof sent in al hast for william Longspath promising a full redresse of all iniuries past who vpon hope of some good lucke towardes came at the kings request and so ioyned with the French power agayne * The lamentable ouerthrow and slaughter of the French armey fighting agaynst the Infidels through the sinister councell of the Popes Legate TO make the story short the king setting forward from Damiata directed his iourny toward Kayra slaying by the way such Saracens as there were set to stop the vitailcs from Damiata The Soldane in the meane tyme hearing of the couragious comming of the French host as beyng in great hope to conquere all sent vnto the king by certayne thrt were next about him offering to the Christians the quyet and full possession of the holy land with al the kingdome of Ierusalem and more besides other infinite treasure of gold and siluer or what els might pleasure them onely vpon this condition they would restore again Damiata with the captiues there and so would ioyne together in mutuall peace and amitie Also they should haue all their Christian captiues deliuered home and so both couÌ„tries should freely passe one to an other with their wares and traficke such as they lifted to occupy Furthermore it was also firmly affirmed spokeÌ„ that the Soldan with most of hys nobles were minded no lesse then to leaue the filthy law of Mahomet and receaue the fayth of Christ so that they might quietly enioy their landes and possessions The same day great quietnes had entred no doubt in all Christendome with the end of much bloudshed and misery had not bene for the pope and hys Legate who hauing commaundement from the Pope that if any such offers should come he shoulde not take them stoutly frontosè as the words be of the story coÌ„tradiceÌ„s in no wyse would receaue the conditions offered Parisiens fol. 233. Thus while the Christians vnprofitably lingered the tyme in debating this matter the Soldan in the meane tyme got intelligeÌ„ce of the compact betwene the Tribune of Kayra and the French king whereupon he sent in all hast to the Citty of Kayra to apprehend the Tribune till the truth were fully tryed which seemed to him more apareÌ„t for that the Christian prisoners were already deliuered Hereupon the Soldan being in some better hope and lesse feare refused that which before he had offered to the Christians albeit they with great instaunce afterward sued to the Soldan and could not obteine it Then the Soldan beyng wholy bent to try the matter by the sword sent to the East partes for an infinite multitude of souldiours geuing out by Proclamation that whosoeuer could bring in any Christen mans head should haue x. talentes besides his standing wages And whosoeuer brought his right hand should haue fiue He that brought his foote shoulde haue 2. talentes for his reward After these thiuges thus prepared on both sides to the necessitie of warre the king commeth to the great Riuer Nilus hauing gotten together many boats thinking by them to passe ouer as vpoÌ„ a sure bridge On the other side the Soldan pitcheth himselfe to withstand his comming ouer In the meane tyme happened a certayne feast amongst the Saracens in which the Soldan was absent leauing hys tentes by the water side Whiche beyng foreseene by a certayn Saracen lately conuerted to Christ seruing with the Earle Robert the kings brother and shewing them withall a certayne shalow foorde in the Riuer of Nilus where they might more easily passe ouer the sayd Earle Robert the Mayster of the Temple with a great power esteemed to the third part of the armey issued ouer the Riuer after whome also followed William Longspath with hys band of English souldiours These beyng together ioyned on the other side of the water encountered the same day with the Saracens remayning in the tents and put them to the worse After this victorye gotten the FreÌ„ch Earle surprised with pride and triumph as though he had conquered the whole earth would needes forward deuiding hymselfe from the mayne host thinking to winn the spurres alone To whome certayne sage men of the Temple geuing contrary counsell aduised him not so to do but rather to returne and take their whole company with them and so should they be more sure agaynst all deceites and daungers which there might be layd priuely for theÌ„ The maner of that people they sayd they better knewe and had more experience therof then he Alledgists moreouer their weryed bodyes their tyred horses their famished souldiours the insufficiency also of their number which was not able to withstand the multitude of the enemies especiall at this present brunt in whiche the aduersaries did well see the whole state of their dominion now to consist eyther in winning all or losing all with otâ—er such like wordes of perswasion Which when the proud Earle dyd heare being inflated with no lesse arrogance then ignoraÌ„ce with opprobrious tauntes reuiled them calling them cowardly bastardes and betrayers of the whole countrey obiecting vnto them the common report of many whiche sayd that the land of the holy Crosse might be wonne to Christendome were it not for the rebellious Templarics with the Hospitalaries and their fellowes c. To these contumelious rebukes when the Maister of the TeÌ„ple answered againe for him and his felowes bidding him display his ensigne when he would where be
false crueltie And therefore the foresaide Synode to the glory of almighty God and preseruation of his catholicke faith and augmenting of Christian religion and for the saluation of mens soules hath corporally reiected and cast forth of the houshold of God the foresaid I. Wicklieffe I. Hus and Ierome who amongst other things did beleeue preach teach and maintaine of the Sacrament of the aultar and other sacrameÌ„ts of the church articles of the faith coÌ„trary to that the holy Church of Rome beleueth holdeth preacheth and teacheth haue presumed obstinately to preach teach hold and beleue many other moe to the damnation of themselues and of others and the sayde Synode hath separated the same as obstinate and malipert heretickes from the Communion of the faithfull people and haue declared them to be spiritually throwne forth and many other things both wholesome profitable hath the same Councell as touching the premisses stablished and decreed whereby they which by the meanes of those Arch-heretikes and by their false doctrine haue spiritually departed from the Lords house may by the canonicall rules be reduced to the straight path of truth and veritie And moreouer as we to our great griefe do heare not only in the kingdome of Bohemia and Dukedome of Morauia and other places aboue recited but also in certaine parts and prouinces neere adioining and bordering vpon the same there be many other of the secretaries and followers of the foresayd Archheritickes and hereticall opinions casting behind their backes as well the feare of God as the shame of the world neither receiuing fruit of conuersion repentaunce by the miserable destruction of the foresayde Iohn Hus and Hierome but as men drowned in the dungeon of their sinnes cease not to blaspheme the Lord God taking his name in vayne whose minds the father of lies hath damnably blinded and do read and study the foresaid bookes or workes contayning heresies erroures being lately by the foresayd Synode condeÌ„ned to be burned also to the perill of themselues and many other simple men against the statutes decrees and ordinaunces in the Synode aforesayd and the Canonicall sanctions do presume to preach teach the same to the great perill of soules the derogation of the Catholicke fayth and sclaunder of many other besides We therfore considering that errour when it is not relisted seemeth to be allowed and liked and hauing a desire to resist such euill and pernicious errours and vtterly roote them out from amongst the companie of faythfull christians especially froÌ„ the afore recited places of Bohemia Morauia and other straights and Ilands ioyning and bordering vpon the same least they shold stretch out enlarge their â—â—â—ites we will and commaund your discretions by our letters Apostolicall the holy Councell of CoÌ„stance approuing and allowing the same that you that are Archbishops Bishops and other of the clergy and euery one of you by himself or by an other or others being graue and fit persons to haue spirituall iurisdiction do see that al and singuler persons of what dignitie office preeminence state or conditioÌ„ so euer they be and by what name soeuer they are knowne which shall presume otherwise to teache preach or obserue touching the most high and excelent the most wholesome and superadmirable Sacrament of the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe or els of the Sacrament of Baptisme confession of sinnes penaunce for sins and extreme vnction or els of any other Sacramentes of the Church articles of the faith then that which the right holy vniuersall church of Rome doth hold teach preach obserue or els that shall presume obstinately by any wayes or meanes priuily or apertly to hold beleue and teach the Articles bookes or doctrine of the foresayd Archhereticks Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hieronimus of Prage being by the foresayd Synode of Constaunce with theyr authours as is sayd damned and condemned or dare presume publikly or priuily to allow or commend in any wise the death and end of the said archheretiks or of any other their receiuers ayders and fauourers in the fauour or supportation of the foresayd errors as also their beleuers and adherentes that then as before you see and cause them and euery of them to be most seuerly punished that you iudge and geue sentence vpon them as hereticks and that as arrant hereticks you leaue them to the secular court or power Let the receiuers also and fauourers and defenders of such most pestiferous persons notwtstanding they neyther beleue fauour nor haue deuotion towardes their errors but happely shal receaue or entertain such pestiferous persons because of carnall affection or friendly loue besides the punishmene due vnto theÌ„ by both lawes ouer and aboue the same punishment by competent iudges be so afflicted for so haynous actes of theirs with so seuere payn punishment excruciated that the same may be to other in like case offending an example of terrour that at the least those whome the feare of God by no meanes may reuoke from such euill doing yet the seueritie of this our discipline may force and constrayne As touching the third sort which shal be any maner of wayes infected with this damnable sect and shall after coÌ„petent admonition repeÌ„t and amend themselues of such errours and sectes aforesayd and will returne agayn into the lap and vnitie of our holy mother the Churche fully acknowledge and confesse the Catholike fayth towardes them let the seueritie of iustice as the quallitie of the facte shall require be somewhat tempered with a tast of mercy And furthermore we will and command that by thys our authoritie Apostolicall ye exhort and admonish al the professours of the catholicke fayth as Emperours kings Dukes Princes Marquesses Earles Barons Knights and other Magistrates Rectors Consuls Proconsuls Shires Countries and Uniuersities of the kingdomes Prouinces Cities otwnes Castles villages their lands other places al other executing teÌ„poral iurisdiction according to the form exigence of the law that they expell out of their kingdoms prouincies Cities towns castles villages lands other places al all maner of suche heretickes according to the effect and tenour of the Councell of Laterane beginning Sicut ait ecclesia c. that those whom publikely and manifestly by the euidence of their deedes shall be knowne to be such as like sicke and scabed sheepe infect the Lords flock they expell and banish till such tyme as from vs or you or els other ecclesiasticall iudges or Inquisitours holding the fayth and communion of the holye church of Rome they shall receiue other order and countermaund and that they suffer no such within theyr shyres and circuites to preach or to keepe either house or familye either yet to vse any handicrafte or occupations or other trades of merchaundise or els to solace themselues anye wayes or frequent the company of Christen men And furthermore if suche publike and knowne heretiques shall
authorised TransubstaÌ„tiation Mariage in the 3. degree forbidden The pope setteth kings and Emperours together by the eares Philip the Emperour deposed Otho the Emperour deposed The councel of Lateran Martyrs of Alsatia to the number of all 100. burned in one day Ex Herm. Mutio. Collectes sent from the brethreÌ„ of Millane to them of Alsatia Obseruant Friers begaÌ„ Dominick Friers vpholders of the popes Church The Minorite Friers discended from Sainct Fraunces Diuers sectes of Franciscans The table of all religious orders A propheâ— for the deeâ— of the Remish church â—ildegardis â—â—ophecying â—rier and â—onkes Crossebearer Fryerâ— Albingenses A letter of the Bishop Portinensis concerning the Albingenses The blind ignorance of fryers described The fruites of Antichrist Antichrist his broode Patience proueth M. Fryer The Fryer must answere according to Gods worde Friers may better breake Gods law then mans lawe There is but one religion The Frier more bound to his habite then the man to his wife If the habite make the Fryer religious as his habit weareth so doth his religion Holines of all hipocrites consisteth in clothing and outward appearaÌ„ce All Fryâ— found 〈◊〉 Fryers be dead men and 〈◊〉 beggaâ— Graâ—es 〈◊〉 for de◠〈◊〉 and noâ— courtly 〈◊〉 Friers 〈◊〉 the kingâ— liege 〈◊〉 Friers 〈◊〉 no mâ—s pâ—ers Friers graâ—ter and beter thé 〈◊〉 O vnchâ—â— table Friâ—â— Friers stealers of meâ— children Shrift anâ— burials 〈◊〉 more gaâ—full then 〈◊〉 ministring of the sacrâ—ments Poore 〈◊〉 haue no soules says my felloâ— Fryer These be they that will not â—â—ter themselues noâ— suffer otheâ— men that would The Frier getteth by In prineâ—â— yet hateth the Gospeâ— Iudas for â— pence but the priest â— Frier for 4. pence selleth Christ. A compariâ—on betwene â—uâ—as the â—rier The Frier writeth beâ—ause God â—orgetteth â— is better â— labour â—eue then â— loiter and â—g M. Frier â—lers begge â—om al men 〈◊〉 make the â—ope rich 〈◊〉 it be imâ—erfectioÌ„ to â—e rich why â—o the friers â—esire to â—ake the â—ope vnperâ—â—ct Fraunces â—der be coÌ„â—ary to Christ his â—â—stament 〈◊〉 is Franâ—s accursed He that is more holy in hand thâ— in heart is false to God A subiect to exempt him selfe from the lawes of his prince smelleth oâ— treason Friers are forced to be theeues Workes of supererogation God is the limiter of nâ—eede and reward and not the Frier Friers will not pray but for them that be of their fraternitie Friers doe make Apostataes The number of Friers are superfluous as necessary as ten fingers on one hande See so fast the Frier followeth Christ in his pouertie Friers are the letters of preaching the Gospell What holynes is in a friers coat The stouter begger the nobler Fryer Why fryers so much desire to haue rich men buryed in their frieries Friers behestes are false deceits Friers desire to be Lordes and Ladies confessors Fryers and Pharises say one and doe another Dilemma Which is the best order of Friers Friers neuer agree one with an other The Fryeâ— thinkes 〈◊〉 rule peâ—â—ter the â—â—stes beeâ—â— be leaâ—â— the one 〈◊〉 follow 〈◊〉 the other Dilemma Fryers 〈◊〉 sit in 〈◊〉 aboue the Apostles Otho the Emperoâ— set vp 〈◊〉 deposed againe by 〈◊〉 Pope A complaint of the nobles of England against the couetousnes of Rome Example reaching neuer to take part against their king with foreigne power Cardinall Otho Legat The pope requireth two prebeÌ„dships in euery cathedrall Church Note the cause why the pope is compelled to craue money of other countries A councell at London called Great rewardes giuen to the Cardinall Contention for sitting on the right hand of the Cardinall Why Saint Paul standeth on the right hand of the popes crosse Why the archb of Cant. hath the right hand and the archb of Yorke the left hande Note the theam of the Cardinall applyed to God howe he applyeth it to him selfe Scripture clerkly applyed A letter of the Cardinal to bishops and archdeacons Censure of the Church well applyed Foure markes to be paide to the Pope of euery procuration Note the craftie practise of the Romish prelats to proyle for money * Note the stile of Rome * mmo malesicium naufragiuÌ„ pecuniae Fredericke the Emperour maried king Iohns daughter The fifth part of euery spirituall mans liuing giuen to the Pope Three hundred Romanes to be placed in the best benefices of England Petrus Râ—beus the Popes ageâ— A Romish sleight of 〈◊〉 pope to geâ— English mâ—ney Exceptioâ—â— alledged foâ— not contributing to the Pope Articles exhibited in the councel of Lugdunâ— for the greuances susteined by the pope The 1. greuance The seconâ— The third The fourth The fifth He meaneth â—ercase Oâ—ho or maiâ—er Martiâ—â—s The sixte The seuenth The Babiloâ—icall captiâ—â—tie slaâ—ery of Englande vnder the Pope The letter of K. HeÌ„ry the third to the Byshops K. Henry the â— commaundeth no taxe nor tallage to be sent to the pope The popes saying against kyng Henry K. Henry againe restraineth the popes taxes The pope taketh against the king The kyng compelled for feare to gyue ouer to the pope The pope asketh the 3 part of the church goods A story of Cardinall Otho at Oxford A skirmish betwene the scholers of Oxford and the Cardinals men The Cardinall runneth away Thirtie scholers taken and had to prison Three score thousand Florens contributed to the pope in one yeare of the clergic Ludouicke the French kyng Ludouicke fighteth against Albingenses Ludouicke besiegeth Tholouse The hand of God fighting for his people Ex Mat. Pariensian vita Henrici 3. The generall of the army slaine The siege against Albingenses broke vp The expugnation of a certaine strong castle of Damiâ—ta in Egypt by the Christians Damieta taken by the christiaÌ„s The story of S. Elizabeth Elizabeth daughter of the kyng of Hungary S. Elizabeth prouoketh her husband to goe and fight for the holy lande The mother of S. Elizabeth accused of adulterye The sentence of a double meaning The 〈…〉 of a 〈◊〉 sentence Elizabeâ—â— Canâ—â—â— Saint 〈◊〉 mayne Ann. 1221. Ex 〈◊〉 pensâ—â— dius 〈◊〉 The grayâ—â—ers â—â—tred into England The 〈◊〉 Gray 〈◊〉 first câ—â—med Ioannes oâ— Egideo Alexanâ—â— de Haâ—â— Charterhouse 〈◊〉 founded by WilliaÌ„ 〈◊〉 Ela soâ—dre 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Laâ—â—â—â— Two 〈◊〉 ned at 〈◊〉 cell in Oxford Ex Nic. â—â—uet Dissentâ—â— betweene the Citizâ— of London of Wesminster Wholsome counsayle of the Maior of London refused of wilde heads Constantine executed at London for ryot Hubert lord chiefe iustice of England Ex Math. Parisiensi Discord and contention amoÌ„g church men Ex Math. Paris ex Florilego Whether the monastery of Westminster be exemted from the subiection of the bish of London or not Anno. 1222. horrible teÌ„pest in Englande A woman with 8. of her householde slaine with thunder Grantham church burned with lightning Anno. 1223. Lewes king of Fraunce The French king false of his promise Anno. 1224. Wardship first graunted to the kyng Ex Gisburnensi aelijs Magna
bee noted in the turks how many victories they haue got howe cruelly they haue vsed their victories Ex Marino Barletio de Scodr ex pugnat lib. 2. Ex Michael Sottero lib. 1. de Bello Pannonico fol. 525. Ex Bernardo de Breydenbach Decano Eccl. Maegunâ— The superstitious vse of the materiall crosse Vide supra pag. 755. Ex Bernardo Breydenb A notable example of maydenly chastitie Vid. supra pag. 7â—4 The miserable spillyng of Christen mens bloud by the wretched turkâ— A briefe recitall of Christen townes forts wonne of the tuâ—ke in Europe The crueltie of the turk against the Citizens of Constantinople Vide supra pag. 706. The crueltie of the turk against the prisoners of Methone Ex Leonico Chalcondyla de rebus Turcicis lib. 10. A straunge and a prodigious wonder of a brute beast towarde a dead Christian body More humanitie seene in a brute beast then in the turke The Byshop with the Citizens of Methone slayne of the turke Ex Andrea de Lâ—cuna aliss Ex Ioanne Fabro in oratione ad Regem Henr. 8. The crueltie of the turke in Euboâ—a The prince of Seruia slayne slayne of the turke â—et neuer Christen prince trust the turke The turkes stirred vp of the deuil to fight against Christ. The turkes are butchers of the Christians The miserable state of the Christian captiues vnder the turke The buying and sellyng of Christen captiues vnder the turks Christen capriues tythed of the turke O wickednes passing all miserie O miserie aboue all miseries The seruitude of yong women captiues Ex Bartholomeo Georgioniz Peregrina lib. de afflictionibus Christianorum sub Tuica The miserable calamitie of Christen women being in captinitie vnder the turkes The maner of Christen captiues how they are brought to markets and solde Christians in their captiuitie put to drawe in the plough like horses The great daungers of Christen captiues which flye out of turky The maner and shift of our men in getting ouer the sea The manifold daungers by the way in flying The mysery of Christian cities prouinces which line vnder the turkes tribute If Christians may not goe lyke turkes why should our Gospellers goe like Papistes The turkes haue their fire fagots as well as our papistes The Christians must light from their horse meting a turkish priest and adore hym An other miserie most lamentable in takyng away Christen mens children from their parentes to serue the turke O myserie This is with teares rather theÌ„ with words to be expressed Priuy Gospellers in Turkie An olde Prophesie of the turkes touching the sword of the Christian. Necessary for many causes that the troubles of the church beknowen The largenes of the Turkes dommions declared A pamea is a citie in Bithinia also another in Mesopotamia Apamea Cybotus also a citie in great Phrygia and another also in parthia Phrygia Minor in Ptolomy is called Iroas At Carura a certayne baude with a company of harlots beeing there lodged sodenly hapned an earthquake in the citie wherein the sayde baude with al his strompettes were swallowed vp Pius 2. papa lib. Descriptione cap. 16. Here Basilius Magnus was Bishop The couÌ„trey where S. Paule was borne * Another Corycus is also in the I le of Creta Bessabee is a citie in Iury also an other in Ipumaea * Antiochia apud Orentem chiefe citie in Siria where the disciples of christ were first named Christians Acts. 11. * Nicopolis is a City also in Macedonia mentioned in the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus Cap. 3. * Seleucia is a citie in Siria Also another in Pamphilla another in Cilicia pisidiae an other in Coelisyria and in Mesopotamia another * In this Laodicaea was the councell kept which is called Concilium Laodicense There is another Laodicaea in Lydiae neare to Colosâ—ae in Asia minor Coloss 5. Lacodicae a also is the chief Citie in Phrigia pa catiana neare to Galatia Act. 18. 1. Tim. 6. In Edessa raigned king Abgarus mentioned in Euseb. lib. 1. cap. 15. to whome Christ wrote promysing to send vnto him after his death Babylon in Chaldoea where Nabuchodonoser raigned and was after destroyed and translated by Seleucus Nicanor Another is in Egypt called Alcayâ—â—s Ilands belonging to Asia Minor This Cyprus K. Rich. the first did once subdue fighting agaynst the Saracens Ex Aene. syluio Lib. De Orbis Descrip. cap 74. A memorable facte of a virgine in defence of her countrey Ex Sebast. Munst Cosmo lib. 5. in praefat Vide supra pag. 98.99 Argos is a citie in Amphilochia and an other also in Peloponesus Of Corinthus Strabo writeth that more then a thousande virgines there in the temple of Venus vsed yearely to be set out to bee made common and therfore not without cause Saint Paule writeth Eratis Scortatores Idololatrae c. 1. Cor. 6. The Ilands about Graecia Vide supra pag. 719. In Creta S. Paule ordained Titus to be Byshop and ouerieer Corcica is an Iland beyond Italy whiche the Turkes nauie ioynyng with the French dyd ouercome an 1553. The region of Mysia is deuided into two partes wherof the one is in Asia is deuided into Mysia maior and Mysia minor The other is in Europa is deuided into Mysia or Moesia superior and Mysia inferior Epidaurus is a citie in Illiria and also an other in Peloponesus These regions were in the former tyme called by the name of Illyria or Illyricum and Afterward by reason of certaine Scythians commyng thether they were also called Sclauonia Stephanus kyng of Bosna afterward of Rascia and Mysia was by subtil trayne allured to come and speake with Mahumete the Turk who being come was taken and his skinne flayne off All this tracte of Bulgaria Walachia Transyluania Seruia Rascia Moldauia was wont to be called Dacia but afterward was seuered into diuers lands and dominions Of Ioannes Huniades read before pag. 720.721 At Columbetz Sigismunde loste the fielde fightyng against the Turkes Vide supra pag. 719. In Varna a Citie in Rascia Ladislaus K. of Hungary fought with the Turke and was ouercome an 1444. Vide supra pag. 720. Prophesies considered for the beginning and falling of the Turkes kingdome Two things to be considered in the tyme and order of the olde Testament The scriptures the people In Dan. Prophe Phil. Melanct Gen. 4. The Saracens come of Ismael ResemblaÌ„ce betweene the 12. soÌ„nes of Ismaell and the 12. Ottoman Turkes 4. Reg. 17. The olde church of the Israelites beareth a representatioÌ„ or image of the publicke church of Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 10. The church of the Iewes a figure of Christes Church Ex Phil. Melanct in Danielem cap. 9. The tymes and yeares of the old church compared with the newe The rule and dominion of the high priestes in the Iewes common wealth and of our prelates compared Antiochus beareth a figure of Antichrist The family of Antiochus The family of the Turkes ResemblaÌ„ce betwene the Syrian kings and