publike Churches Neither doe I see howe the Heathen in those daies would haue suffered these ornaments to be vnconsumed which would not suffer the Bishops themselues to liue amongst them Notwithstanding Isidorus and Polydorus iudge the contrary Betweene this Stephen and Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was a great contention about rebaptising of heretickes whereof more hereafter Christ willing shall be saide Besides these Byshops aboue specified diuers other there were also sent into banishmēt vnder the forenamed Emperours Gallus Volusianus as appeareth by Dionysius writing to Hermammon on this wise that Gallus not seeyng the euill of Decius nor foreseeing the occasion of his seductiō and ruine stumbled himselfe also at the same stone lying open before his eyes For at the first beginning when his Empire went prosperously foreward and all thinges went luckely with him afterward he draue out holy men which praied for his peace and safegarde and so with them reiected also the praiers which they made for him c. Eusebius Lib. 7. cap. 1. Otherwise of any bloudshed or any Martirs that in the time of this Emperour were put to death we doe not read After the raigne of which Emperour Gallus and of his sonne Volusianus being expired who reigned but ij yeares Emelianus which slewe them both by ciuill sedition succeeded in their place who reigned but three monethes was also slayne Next to whom Valerianus his sonne Gallienus were aduaunced to the Empire About the chaunging of these Emperours the persecution which first began at Decius afterwarde slacked in the time of Gallus was now extinguished for a time partly for the great plague raigning in all places partly by the change of the Emperors although it was not very long For Valerianus in the first entraunce of the Empire for the space of iij. or foure yeres was right courteous and gentle to the people of God well accepted to the Senate Neither was there any of all the Emperors before him no not of the which openly professed Christ that shewed himselfe so louing and familiar toward the Christians as he did in so much that as Dionysius writing to Herman doth testifie all hys whole courte was replenished with holy Saintes seruantes of Christ and godly persons so that his house might seeme to be made a Church of God But by the malice of Sathan through wicked counsell these quiet dayes endured not very long For in processe of tyme this Valerianus beyng charmed or incensed by a certayne Egiptian a chiefe ruler of the Heathen Synagoge of the Egiptians a mayster of the Charmers or inchaunters who in deede was troubled for that he could not do his Magicall feates for the Christians was so farre infatuated and bewitched that through the detestable prouocations of that deuilishe Egyptian he was wholly turned vnto abhominable Idols and to execrable impietie in sacrificing young infāts and quartering bodies and deuiding the entrals of childrē new borne and so proceeding in his fury moued the eight persecution agaynst the Christians whom the wicked Egyptian coulde not abide as being the hinderers and destroyars of hys Magicall enchauntinges about the yeare of our Lord. 259. The eight Persecution IN the which persecution the chiefe administers and executours were Emilianus President of Egipt Paternus and Galerius Maximus Proconsuls in Aphrica Bergomensis also maketh mention of Paternus Uicegerent of Rome and of Perennius Vincentius speaketh also of Nicerius and Claudius Presidentes c. What was the chiefe originall cause of this persecution partly is signified before where mention was made of the wicked Egiptian But as this was the outward and politicall cause so S Cyprian sheweth other causes more speciall and Ecclesiasticall in his iiii booke Epist. 4. whose wordes be these but we sayth he must vnderstand and confesse that thys turbulent oppression calamitie which hath wasted for the most part all our whole company and doth dayly consume riseth chiefly of our owne wickednes sinnes while we walke not in the way of the Lord nor obserue his preceptes left vnto vs for our institution The Lord obserued the will of his father in all poynts but we obserue not the will of the Lord hauing all our minde and study set vpon lucre possessions geuen to pryde full of emulation and dissention voyde of simplicitie and faythfull dealing renouncing thys world in word onely but nothing in deede euery man pleasing himselfe and displeasing all other And therefore are we thus scourged and worthely For what stripes and scourges doe wee not deserue when the confessors themselues such as haue byd the tryall of their confession and such as ought to be an example to the rest of well doyng doe keepe no discipline And therfore because some such there be proudly puft vp with this swelling and vnmannerly bragging of their confession these tormentes come such as doe not easely send vs to the crowne except by the mercy of God some being takē away by quicknes of death do preuēt the tediousnes of punishimēt These things do we suffer for our sinnes and desertes as by the Lordes censure we haue bene forewarned saying If they shall forsake my lawe and will not walke in my iudgementes If they shall prophane my institutions and will not obserue my preceptes I will visite their iniquities with the rod and their transgressions with scourges These rods and scourges sayth he we feele which neyther please God in our good deedes nor repent in our euill deedes Wherefore the sayd Cyprian adding this exhortation withall exhorted them to pray and intreate from the bottome of their hart and whole minde the mercy of God which promiseth saying but yet my mercy I will not scatter from them c. Let vs aske and wee shall obtayne and though sayth Cyprian it be with tariance yet for so much as we haue greeuously offended let vs continue knocking for to him that knocketh it shal be opened if our prayers sighinges and weepinges knocke still at the dore with continuance and if our prayers be ioyned together with brotherly agreement c. Moreouer what vices were then principally raygning among the Christians hee further specifieth in the sayd Epistle which chiefly were deuision and dissention among the brethren For when it was spoken to them in a vision by these wordes Petite impetrabitis that is Pray and ye shall obtayne afterward it was required of the congregation there present to direct their prayers for certayne persons assigned to them by name but they could not agree and cōdescend altogether of the names and persons of them which they should pray for but were dissonant in their consent and petition whiche thing sayth Cyprian did greatly displease hym that spake vnto them Pray and ye shal obtayne for that there was no vniforme equalitie of voyce and hart nor one simple and ioynt concorde among the brethren whereof it is written the Psalme 67. God which maketh to dwell in
steede and benemen thee thy woorship and thy sacrifice and durst maken the people woorship them as gods The Sauter telles that God ne wole not in the day of dome demen men for bodiliche sacrifices Holocaustes But God sayth yeld to me sacrifice of herying and yeld to God thine auowes and clepe me in the day of tribulation and ych wole defend thee and thou shalt worship me The heryeng of God standeth in 3 things In louing God ouer al other things In dreading God ouer al other things In trusting in God ouer all other things These 3 poyntes Christ teacheth in the gospell But I trowe men louen him but a little For who so loueth Christ he wole kepen his wordes But men holden his wordes for heresie and folye and kepeth mennes wordes Also men dreden more men mens lawes and their cursings then Christ and his lawes and his cursings Also men hopen more in men and mens helpes than they doe in Christ and in his helpe And thus hath hee that setteth in Gods stede by no men God these three horâ—ings maketh men louen him and his lawes more then Christ and Christes law and dreden him also And there as the people shulden yeelde to God their vowes he sayth he hath power to assoylen them of theyr avowes and so this sacrifice he nemeth awayâ— from God And there as the people shoulde cry to God in the day of tribulation he letteth them of their cryeng to God and byne meth God that worship This day of tribulation is whan man is fallen thorowe sinne into the deuils seruice and than we shuldes cry to God after help and axen forgeuenes of our sinne and make great sorow for our sinne and ben in fâ—ll will to do so no more ne none other sinne and that our Lord God wole forgeuen vs our sinne maken our soule clene For his mercy is endlesse But Lord here men haue by nomen thee much worshyp For men seyn that thou ne might not cleane assoylen vs of our sinne But if we knowlegen our sinnes to priests taken of them a penance for our sinne gif we mowen speake with them A Lord thou forgaue somtime Peter his sinnes and also Mary Magdaleine and many other many sinfull men without shriuing to priests taking penance of priests for their sinnes And Lord thou art as mighty now as thou were that time but gif any man haue bynomen thee thy might And we lewed men beleuen that there nys no man of so great power and gif any man maketh him selfe of so great power he heigheth himselfe aboue God And S. Paul speaketh of one that sitteth in the temple of God highten him aboue God and gif any such be he is a false Christ. But hereto seyn priests that wheÌ„ Christ made cleane leprous men he bade them goe and shewe them to priests And therefore they seyn that it is a commandement of Christ that a man should shewen his sinne to priests For as they seyn lepre in the olde lawe betokeneth sinne in this new lawe A Lorde God whether thine Apostles knew not thy meaning as well as men done nowe And gif they hadden yknow that thou haddest coÌ„manded men to shriuen them to priests and they ne taught not that commandement to the people me thinketh they hadden ben to blame But I trow they knewen wel that it was none of thy commaundements ne nedeful to heale of mans soule And as me thinketh the law of lepre is nothing to the purpose of shriuing for priestes in the olde law hadden certain poynts and tokens to know whether a man were leprous or not and gif they were leprous they hadden power to putten them away from other cleane men for to that they weren cleane then they hadden power to receiuen him among his brethren and offeren for him a sacrifice to God This nis nothing to the purpose of shriuing For there nis but one priest that is Christ that may knowe in certaine the lepre of the soule Ne no priest may make the soul cleane of her sinne but Christ that is priest after Melchisedekes order ne no priest here beneath may ywit for certaine whether a man be cleane of hys sinne or cleane assoyled but gif God tell it him by reuelation Ne God ordeined not that his priestes should set men a penance for their sinne after the quantitie of the sinne but this is mannes ordinaunce and it may well be that there commeth good thereof But I wote well that God is much vnworshipped thereby For men trust more in his absolutions and in his yeres of grace than in Christes absolutions and therby is the people much appaired For now the sorow a man should make for his sinne is put away by this shrift and a man is more bold to do sinne for trust of thys shrift and of this bodilich penance An other mischiefe is that the people is ybrought into thys beleefe that one priest hath a greater power to assoylen a man of his sinne and clennere then an other priest hath An other mischiefe is this that some priest may assoylen them both of sinne and paine and in this they taken them a power that Christ granted no man in earth ne he ne vsed it nought on earth himselfe An other mischiefe is that these priestes sellen forgeuenes of mens sinnes and absolutions for money and this is an heresie accursed that is ycleped simonie and all thilke priestes that axeth price for graunting of spirituall grace beth by holy lawes depriued of their priesthode and thilke that assenteth to this heresy And be they ware for Helyse the prophet toke no mony of Naaman when he was made cleane of his lepre but Giesi his seruant and therefore * the lepree of Naaman abode with him and wyth his heires euermore after Here is much matter of sorow to see the people thus far ylad away from God and worshupen a fals god in earth that by might and by strength hath ydone away the great sacrifice of God out of his temple of which mischiefe and discomfort Daniel maketh mention and Christ beareth thereof witnes in the gospell Who that readeth it vnderstand it Thus we haue ytold apertie how he that saith he sitteth in Christs stede binemeth Christ his worship and his sacrifice of his people and maketh the people worshepen him as a God on earth Cry we to God and knowledge we our sinnes euerichone to other as S. Iames teacheth and pray we hartilich to God euerichone for other then we shulen hopen forgeuenes of our sinnes For God that is endles in mercy sayth that he ne wil not a sinful mans death but that he be turned from his sin liuen And therfore when he came downe to saue mankinde he gaue vs a lawe of loue and of mercy and bade gif a man do a trespas amend him priuilich and gif he
leue not his sinne amend him before witnes and gif he ne amendeth not men should tel to the church and gif he ne amendeth not than men shuld shone his company as a publicane or a man that is misbeleued and this lawe was yfigured in the law of lepre who that readeth it he may see the sooth But Lord God he that sitteth in thy stede hath vndo thy lawe of mercy and of loue Lord thou biddest loue enemies as our self as thou shewest in the gospell there as the Samaritane had mercy on the Iewe. And thou biddest vs also prayen for them that cursen vs and that defamen vs pursuen vs to death And so Lorde thou didst thine apostles also But he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar on earth and head of thy church he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercy For gif we speaken of louing our ennemies hâ— teacheth vs to fight with our enemies that Christ hath forboden He curseth and desireth vengeance to them that so doth to hym Gif any man pursueth him hee curseth him that it is a sorowe a Christen man to hearen the cursinges that they maken and blasphemies in such cursing Of what thing that I know I may beare true witnes But gif we speake of louing of our brethren this is vndone by him that sayth he is Godsvicar in earth For Christ in the gospell biddeth vs that we shoulden clepen vs no father vpon earth But clepen God our father to maken vs loue perfitlich together And he clepeth himself father of fathers maketh many religions to euerich a father But whether is loue and charity encreased by these fathers and by their religions or els ymade lesse For a Friar ne loueth not a monke ne a secular man neither nor yet one frier a nother that is not of the order and it is againward A Lord me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions For Lorde what charity hauen such men of religion that knowen how they mown against and sin and fleen away froÌ„ their brethren that ben more vncuÌ„ning then they ben suffren them to trauelen in the world withouten their couÌ„cell as beastes Trulich Lorde me thinketh that there is but litle charity and then is there litle perfection Lorde God when thou were on earth thou were among sinful men to drawen them from sin thy disciples also And Lord I trow thou ne grauÌ„test not one maÌ„ more kuÌ„ning then an other al for himself and I wote wel that lewd meÌ„ that ben laborers ne trauel not alonlich for himself Lord our belief is that thou ne wer not of the world ne thy teaching neither ne thy seruantes that liueden after thy teaching But all they forsaken the world and so euery christen man must But Lorde whether thou taughtest menne forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the worlde to liuen in ease and in rest and out of trouble and anger of the worlde by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world A Lord thou ne taughtest not a maÌ„ to forsaken a pore estate and trauel to ben afterward a Lord of his brethren or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with Lords as doth men of these new religions Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world to liuen in perfection by them selfe in ease and by other mens trauell But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise and seruen thee both night and day in singing their prayers both for themselfe and for other men that done them good both quicke and dead and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure A Lord gif they ben thy seruauntes whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done And when thou were heere on earth for our nede thou taughtest thy seruauntes to preyen thy father priuilich and shortlich And gif there had beene a better maner of praying I trowe thou wouldest haue taught it in helpe of thy peâ—ple And Lorde thou reprouest hypocrites that preyen in long preyer and in open places to ben yholden holy men And thou seyst in the gospel wo to you Pharisees hypocrits And lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice But thou seest in the gospel that the Pharises worshopeÌ„ thee with their lippes and their hart is farre from thee For they chargen more mens traditions than thy commaundements And Lord we lewed men han a beleefe that thy goodnesse is endles and gif we keepen thine hestes than ben we thy true seruauntes And though we preyen thee but a litle shortlich thou wilt thinken on vs and grauÌ„ten vs that vs nedeth for so thou behighted vs somtime And Lord I trowe that pray a man neuer so many quaint prayers gif he ne kepe not thine hests he is not thy good seruaunt But gif he keepe thine hestes than he is thy good seruaunt and so me thinketh Lorde that praying of long prayers ne is not the seruice that thou desirest but keping of thine heftes and than a lewd man may serue God as wel as a man of religion though that the Plowman ne may not haue so muche siluer for his prayer as men of religion For they kunnen not so wel preisen their prayers as these other chapmen But Lorde our hope is that our prayers be neuer the worse though it be not so wel solde as other mens prayers Lorde Ezechiel the Prophet sayth that whan he spake to the people thy words they turned thy words into songs into tales And so Lord men done now they singin merilich thy words and that singing they clepen thy seruice But Lord I trow that the best singers he herieth thee not most But he that fulfilleth thy wordes he herieth thee full well though he wepe more then sing And I trow that weping for breaking of thy commandements be more pleasing seruice to thee than the singing of thy words And wold God that men would serue him in sorow for their sinnes and that they shoulden afterward seruen thee in mirth For Christ sayth yblessed ben they that maken sorow for they shoulden ben yconforted And woe to them that ben merry and haue theyr comfort in this world And Christ sayd that the world should ioyen hys seruaÌ„ts shulden be sory but their sorow shuld be turned into ioy A Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth hath y ordained an order of priestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens euensong masse And therfore hee chargeth lewde men in paine of cursing to bryng to hys priests tithyngs and offerings to finden his priests and he clepeth that Gods part due to priests that seruen him in church But Lord in the olde law the tithings of the lewde people ne were not due to priestes but to that other childer of Leuie that ferueden thee in the temple and the
of charity But this charity Lord hath thy vicar ybroke and says that we sinnen but gif we suen for our right And we se I wote that thou taughtest vs sometime to geue our mantell also euer that we shoulden suen for our coate And so Lord beleueÌ„ we that we ben ybounden to don by thy law that is all charitye officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we coÌ„plainen not But lord thy law is turned vpsedown A Lord what dome is it to sleane a theefe that take a maÌ„s cattell away from hym and suffren a spousebreaker to liue and a lecherour that killeth a womans soule And yet thy lawe stoned the â—pousebreakers and leachours and let the theeues liuen and haue other punishment A Lord what dome is it to sleane a these for stealing of a hors and to let him liue vnpunished to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their liuelod and the soule of his foodeâ— Lorde it was neuer thy dome to sayen that a man is an heretike and cursed for breaking of mans lawe and demen hym for a good man for breaking thine hestes Lord what dome is it to curse a lewd man if he smite a priest and not curse a priest that smiteth a lewed man and leeseth hys charitie Lord what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings and not curse the parson that robbeth the people of tythings and teacheth them not Gods lawe but feedeth them with painting of stone walles and songs of Latin that the people knowen not Lord what dome is it to punish the poore maÌ„ for his trespas and suffer the rich to continue in his sin for a quantity of mony Lord what dome is it to slaine an vncunning lewed man for his sinne and suffer a priest other a clerke that doth the same sin scape a liue Lord the sinne of the priest or of the cleark is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man and greater ensample of wickednes to the common people Lord what maner people be we that neither keep thy domes and thy rightfulnes of the old testament that was a law of drede nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy but haue an other law and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs and remnaunt of heathen mennes lawes and Lord this is a great mischiefe O Lord thou sayest in thy law deme ye not and ye should not be demed for the same mesure that ye meten to other men men shall meten to you againeward And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them And by what we knowe that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts nor their workes that were not agaynst thy law expresly And yet Lord he that saith he is thy vicar will demen our thoughtes and aske vs what we thinke not of the Lord of thy hestes for they caren little for them but of him and of his whilke they sate aboue thine and maken vs accusen our selfe or els they willen accursen vs for our accusers mowen we not knowne And Lord thou sayest in thyne olde law that vnder two witnes at the least or three shoulde stand euery matter And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden helpe to kill them And when the schribes and the Pharises some tymes brought before thee a woman that was itake in spouse breaking and exeden of the a dome thou didst write on the earth and then thou gaue this dom He that is without sinne throw first at her a stone and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman thou forgaue the woman her trespasse and bad her go forth and sinne no more Sweete Lord if the priestes tooke keepe to thy dome they would be agast to demen men as they done O Lord if one of them breake a commaundement of thy law he will axe mercy of thee and not a peine that is due for the sinne for peyne of death were to little O Lord how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of theyr lawes other assent to such law for breaking of thy law they will set penaunce or pardon them and mayntayne them as oft as they trespassen But Lorde if a man ones breake theyr lawes or speake agaynst them he may done penaunce but ones and after be burnt Trulych Lord thou sayst but if euery of vs forgeue other his trespasse thy father will not forgeuen vs our sinnes And Lord when thou honge on the crosse thou prayedâ—t to thy father to haue mercy on thine enemies And yet the sain Lord that they demen no man to the death for the sain they ne mowen by their law demen any man to the death A leeue Lord euen so saden theyr forefathers the phariseis that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill any man And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death agaynst his owne conscience for he wold gladly haue iquitte thee but for that they threatened him with the Emperour and broughten agaynst thee false witnesse also And he was an heathen man ¶ O Lord how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice then in our kinges and iustices that woulden demen to the death and berne in the fire him that the Priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe For Pilate ne would not demen thee for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne had dest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee for to they broughten in theyr false witnesse agaynst thee But Lord as thou saydest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and Gomorra than to the cities where thou wrought wonders and miracles so I dred it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome then to our kinges and domes men that so demen without witnesse and prefe For Lord to demen thy folke for heretickes is to holden thee an hereticke and to brenneÌ„ them is to brennen thee for thou saydest to Paule when he persecuted thy people Saule Saule wherefore persecutest thou me in the dome thou shalt say that ye haue done to the left of mine ye haue done to me Thus Lord is thy mercy iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth for he neither keepeth it himselfe nor nill not suffer other to do it ¶ The third commaundement that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar Lord thou biddest sufferen both wroÌ„ges and strokes withouten againstanding and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs ensample to sufferen of our brethren For suffering nourisheth loue and agaynstandeth debate All thy lawes is loue or els the thing that draweth to loue ¶ But Lord men teachen that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore and els they seyn men ben in perill
shall adde hereto seuen folde woundes for your sinnes I shall send amongest you beastes of the field that shall deuour you and your beastes I shall bring you into a field and wayes shuln be desart And if that ye will not receiue lore but wenden agaynst me I will also wenden agaynste you and I shall smite you seuen sithes for your sinnes I shall leade in vpon you sword venger of my couenaunt and vpon the fleen into Cities I shall send pestilence in the middest of you So that tenne women shall bake their bread in one furnace and yeld theÌ„ agayne by wayght and ye shall eat not be fillet If that ye heare me not by these thinges but wenden agaynst me I shall wend in agaynst you in a contrary woodnesse and blame you with seuen plagues for your sinnes so that they shoulen eat the flesh of your sonnes and of your daughters And in so much my soule shall loth you that I shal bring your Cities into wildernesse and your Sanctuaryes I shall make desart ne I shal not ouer that receiue sweet oder of your mouth And I shall disperkle your land and enemies shulen maruell thereon when they shulen inhabite it I shall disperpel you among Heathen and draw my sword after you These vengeaunces and many moe God sayde should fall on them that breake his bidding and dispiseth his lawes and his domes Than sithe Christ become man and bought vs with his hart bloud and has shewed vs so great loue and geuen vs an easy law of the best that euer might be made and to bring vs to the ioy of heauen and we despise it and louen it nought what vengeaunce will be taken here on so long as he has suffered vs and somercifully abidden when he shall come that righteous iudge in the cloudes to deme this worlde Therefore turne we vs to him and leaue sinne that he hates and ouer all thinges mayntayne his lawe that he confirmed with his death For other lawes that men had made shoulde be demed at that day by the iust law of Christ and the maker that them made and then we wonne that long life and that ioy that Paule speaketh of that eye ne see not ne eare heard not ne into mans hart ascended not the blisse and ioy that God hath ordeyned to them that louen him and his lawes Deare worshipfull sirs in this world I beseech you for Christes loue as ye that I trow louen Gods law trouth that in these dayes is greatly borne abacke that they wollen vouchsafe these thinges that I send you written to Gods worship to let them be shewed in the Parliament as your wittes can best conceiue to most worship to our God and to shewing of the trouth and ameÌ„ding of holy Church My conclusions and mine appeale other true matters of Gods law gif any man can finde therein errour falsenesse or default prouet by the law of Christ clearely to christen mens knowledge I shall reuoke my wrong conceit and by Gods law be amendet euer redy to hold with Gods law opeÌ„ly priuely with Gods grace and nothing to holde teach or maynetayne that is contrary to his law Of the proces answeres condemnation of this worthy priest and true seruaunt of Christ WilliaÌ„ Swinderby you haue heard what afterward became vpoÌ„ him I haue not certainly to say or affirme whether he in prisoÌ„ died or whether he escaped theyr handes or whether he was burned there is no certayne relation made This remayneth out of doubt that during the time of K. Richard 2. no great harme was done vnto him Which was to the yeare 1401. at what time K. Richard being wrongfully deposed HeÌ„ry the 4. inuaded the kingdome of England About the beginning of whose reigne we read of a certayn Parliament holden at LondoÌ„ mentioned also of Thomas Walden as is aboue specified in which parliameÌ„t it was decreed that whosoeuer shewed themselues to be fauorers of Wickliffe they should be apprehended who at that time were called Lollards and if so be they did obstinately perseuere in that doctrine they should be deliuered ouer vnto the bishop of the dioces from him should be coÌ„mitted to the correctioÌ„ of the secular magistrate This law sayth the story brought a certaine priest vnto punishmeÌ„t the same yeare who was burned in Smithfielde in the presence of a great number This we haue drawne out of a piece of an old story it is most certaine that there such a Priest was burned for the affirmation of the true faith but it doth not appeare by the story what the Priestes name was Notwithstanding by diuers coniectures it appeareth vnto me that his name was Swinderby that was forced to recant before by the Bishop of Lincolâ—2 Whereby what is to be conicetured by the premisses let other men iudge what they think I haue nothing here of expressely to affirme This is plain for al men to iudge which haue here sene and read his story that if he were burned then the bishops Friers priestes which were the causes thereof haue a great thing to answere to the Lord when he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead seculum perignem ¶ The story and processe agaynst Walter Brute AFter the story of William Swinderby I thought good and conuenient next to adioyne the actes and doinges of Gualter Brute his ioynte fellow and companion being a lay man and learned brought vpp as it seemeth in the Uniuersitie of Oxforde being there also graduate The tractation of whose discourse as it is something long so therein may appeare diuers thinges worthye to be read and considered First yâ— mighty operation of gods spirit in him his ripe knowledge modest simplicitie his valiant constancie hys learned reactations and manifolde conflictes susteyned aagaynst Gods enemies On the contrary part in hys aduersaryes may appeare might against right mans authoritie agaynst plaine veritie against which they hauing nothing directly to aunswere proceede in condemnation agaynst whom they are able to bring forth no confiâ—ation The chiefest occasion that seemed to stirre vp the heart and zeale of this Walter agaynst the pope was the inâ—pudent pardons and indulgenses of Pope 〈◊〉 graunted to Henry Spenser Bishop of Norwich 〈◊〉 against pope Clement mentioned before pag. 428. Secondly the â—oroÌ„gfull condemnation of the articles and conclusions of William Swinderby the whole order wherof in the processe here following more playnly may appeare The processe had by Bohn Byshop of Hereford agaynst Walter Brute lay man and learned of the dioces of Hereford touching the cause of heresie as they called it set forward by the way of the Byshops office c. at the instruction of certain faithful Christians as he termed them but in deed cruell and false promoters IN the name of God Amen To all maner of faithful christian people that shall see and heare this our preseÌ„t proces Iohn by the sufferance of God bishop of
of warres among the Christiās in any case to be lawful for he himself before hath opēly protested the contrary But that his purpose is to proue the Pope in all his doings teachings more to be addicted to warre thē to peace yea in such cases wher is no necessity of war And therin proueth he the Pope to be contrary to Christ the is to be Antichrist Now he proceedeth further to the second part which is of mercy In the which part he sheweth how Christ teacheth vs to be merciful because mercye as he sayth proceedeth frō charity and nourisheth it In which doctrine of mercye he breaketh not the law of righteousnes for he himself by mercy hath clensed vs from our sinnes from which we coulde not by the righteousnes of the law be clensed But whom he hath made cleane by mercye vndoubtedly it behoueth those same to be also merciful For in the v. chapiter of Mathew he sayth Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy And againe in the 6. of Mathew If ye forgeue vnto men their sinnes your father will forgeue vnto you your sinnes And againe in the vij chapter of Mathewe Iudge not ye shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned with what measure ye measure with the same shal it be measured vnto you againe In the xviij chap. of Mathew Peter asked the lord saying Lord how often shal my brother sinne agaynst me and I shall forgeue him seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not vnto thee seuen times but seuentie times seuen tymes Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine king which would take accōpt of his seruants And when he had begun to reckē one was brought vnto hym which ought him tenne thousand talents And because he had nothing where withal to pay his maister commaūded him to be solde and his wife and his children and all that he had and the debt to be payd The seruaunt therefore fell downe and besought him saying haue pacience with me and I wil pay thee all And the Lord had pity on that seruant and loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when the seruant was departed he found one of his fellow seruaunts which ought him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and tooke him by the throte saying pay me that thou owest and his fellowe fell downe and besought him saying Haue pacience with me and I will pay thee all But he would not but went and cast hym into prison till he shoulde pay the debt And when his other fellowes saw the things that were done they were very sorye and came declared vnto their maister all that was done Then his maister called him and said vnto him O thou vngratious seruant I forgaue thee al that debt when thou desiredst mee Oughtest thou nor then also to haue such pity on thy felow euē as I had pity on thee And his lord was wroth and deliuered him vnto the Iaylers till he should pay all that was due vnto him So likewise shall my heauēly father do vnto you except ye forgeue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses By this doctrine it is most plaine and manifest that euery Christiā ought to be mercifull vnto his brother how often soeuer he offendeth against him Because we so often as we offend do aske mercy of God Wherfore for asmuch as our offence agaynst God is farre more grieuous then any offence of our brother agaynst vs it is playne that it behooueth vs to be merciful vnto our brethren if we wil haue mercy at Gods hand But contrary to this doctrine of mercy The Romish bishop maketh confirmeth many lawes which punishe offenders euen vnto the death As it is plaine by the processe of the decrees Distin 23. quest 5. It is declared and determined that to kill men ex officio that is hauing authority and power so to do is not sinne And againe the souldiour which is obediēt vnto the higher power and so killeth a man is not guilty of murther And againe he is the minister of the Lord which smiteth the euil in that they are euill and killeth thē And many other such like thinges are throughout the whole processe of the question determined That for certayne kinds of sinnes men ought by the rigour of the law to be punished euen vnto death But the foundation of their saying they tooke out of the olde law in which for diuers transgressions were appointed diuers punishments It is very much wōderful vnto me why that wyse men being the authors makers of lawes do alwayes for the foundation of their sayings looke vpon the shadow of the lawe and not the light of the gospel of Iesus Christ for they geue not heede vnto the fygure of perfection nor yet vnto the perfection figured Is it not written in that 3. of Iohn God sent not his sōne into the world to iudge the world but to saue the world by him In Iohn the 8. chap. The scribes and phariseis bring in a woman taken in adultery and let her in the middest and sayd vnto Christ Maister euen nowe this woman was taken in adultery But in the lawe Moises hath cōmaunded vs to stone such What sayest thou therfore This they sayd to tempt him that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And while they continued asking him he lift himselfe vp and sayd vnto them let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her And agayne he stouped and wrote on the ground And when they heard it the went out one by one beginning at the eldest so Iesus was lefte alone and the woman standing in the midst When Iesus had lift vp himselfe agayne he said vnto her where be they which accused thee hath no man condemned thee She sayd no man Lord. And Iesus sayd vnto her Neyther do I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne now no more It is manifest by the scriptures the Christ was promised he should be king of the Iews vnto the kings pertained the iudgements of the law but because he came not to iudge sinners according to the rigor of the law but came according to grace to saue that which was lost in calling the sinner to repentaunce it is most playne that in the comming of the law of grace he would haue the iudgement of the lawe of righteousnes to cease for otherwise he had dealt vniustly with the foresayd woman forasmuch as the witnesses of her adultery bare witnes against her Wherfore seeing the same king Christ was a iudge if it had bene his will that the righteousnes of the law shoulde be obserued he ought to haue adiudged the woman to death according as the law commaunded whiche thing forasmuch as he did not it is most euident that the iudgementes of the righteousnes of
the law are finished in the coÌ„ming of the king being kyng of the lawe of grace euen as the sacrifices of the priesthoode of Aaron are finished in the comming of the priest according to the order of Melchisedech who hath offred himselfe vp for our sinnes Because as it is before sayd neyther the righteousnes of the law nor sacrifices for sinne brought any man to perfection Wherfore it was necessary that the same by reason of their imperfection And seeing amongst all the lawes of the world the law of Moses was most iustest forasmuch as the author thereof was God who is the most iust iudge and by that law alwaies looke what maner of iniury one had done vnto an other contrary to the coÌ„mandement of the law the like iniury he should receaue for his transgression according to the vpright iudgemeÌ„t of the law As death for death a blow for a blow burning for burning wound for wound eye for eye tooth for tooth and most iust punishmentes were ordayned according to the quantitie of the sinnes But if this lawe of righteousnes be cleane taken away in the comming of the lawe of grace how then shall the lawe of the Gentiles remayne among Christians which was neuer so iust Is not this true that in them whiche are conuerted vnto the sayth there is no distinction betweene the Iewe and the Grecian For both are vnder sinne are iustified by grace in the sayth of Christ being called vnto sayth and vnto the perfection of the Gospell If therefore the geÌ„tiles coÌ„uerted are not bouÌ„d to play the Iewes to follow the lawe of the Iewes why should the Iewes conuerted follow the lawes of the GeÌ„tiles which are not so good Wherfore it is to bee wondred at why theues are among christians for theft put to death where after the lawe of Moyses they were not put to death ChrystiaÌ„s suffer adulterers to liue Sodomits and they which curse father and mother many other horrible sinners And they which accordinge to the most iust lawe of God were condemned to death are not put to death So wee neyther keepe the law of righteousnes geuen of God nor the law of mercy taught by Christ. Wherefore the lawe makers and Iudges do not geue heede vnto the aforesayd senteÌ„ce of Christ vnto the Scribes and Phariscis who sayd He which amoÌ„gst you is with out sinne let him cast the first stone at her What is he that dareth be so bolde as to say he is without sinne Yea and without a grieuous sinne when as the transgression of the commaundement of God is a greeuous sinne And who can say that hee neuer transgressed this commaundement of God Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Or the other coÌ„mauÌ„dement which is of greater force Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hart c. Wherfore thou whatsoeuer thou art that iudgest thy brother vnto death thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the iudgemeÌ„t of God which peradueÌ„ture hast offended more greuously theÌ„ hath he whom thou iudgest How â—eeâ—â— thou a mote in thy brothers eye seest not a beame in thine owne eye Knowest than not that with what measure thou measurest the same shall be measured to you agayne Doth not the scripture say Unto me belongeth vengeance and I will render agayne sayth yâ— Lord How can any man say that these men can with charitie keepe these iudgementes of death Who is it that offendeth God and desireth of God iust iudgement for his offence He desireth nor iudgement but mercy If he desire mercy for him selfe why desireth he vengeance for his brother offending Howe therefore loueth he his brother as himselfe Or how doest thou shewe mercy vnto thy brother as thou art bound by the commaundement of Christ which seekest the greatest vengeance vpon him that thou canst inferr vnto him For death is the most terrible thing of all and a more grieuous vengeance then death can no man inferre Wherefore they which wil keep charitie ought to obserue the commaundements of Christ touching mercy and they which liue in the law of charitie ought to leaue the lawe of vengeance and iudgementes Ought we to beleue that Christ in his comming by grace abrogated the most iust law whiche he himselfe gaue vnto the Children of Israell by Moses his seruaunt and established the lawes of the Gentiles being not so iust to be obserued of his faythfull Doth not Daniell expounding the dreame of Nabuchodonozer the king coÌ„cerning the image whose head was of gold the brest and armes of siluer the belly thies of brasse the legges of iron one part of the feete was of iron and the other part of clay Nabuchodonozer saw that a stone was cut out of a mountaine wtout hands and strake the Image in his feete of iron and of clay brake them to peeces Then was the iron the clay the brasse the siluer and gold broken altogether and became like the chaffe of the sommer flower which is caryed away by the winde and there was no place found for them and the stone that smote the image became a great mountayne and filled the whole earth He applieth therfore 4. kingdomes vnto the 4. partes of the Image namely the kingdome of the Babilonians vnto the head of the gold The kingdome of the Medes and Persians vnto the brest and armes of siluer The kingdom of the Grecians vnto the belly and thighes or brasse But the fourth kingdome whiche is of the Romaynes he applyeth vnto the feet and legges of iron And Daniell addeth In the dayes of their kingdomes shall God rayse vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed And hys kingdome shall not be deliuered vnto an other but it shal breake and destroy those kingdomes and it shal stand for euer according as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountayne without handes and brake in peeces the clay and iron brasse siluer and golde Seeing therfore it is certain that this stone signifieth Christ whose kingdome is for euer it is also a thing most assured that he ought to raygne euery where and to breake in peeces the other kingdoms of the world Wherfore it terrestrial kinges and the terrestriall kingdom of the Iewes and their laws and iudgementes haue ceased by Christ the king calling the Iewes vnto the perfection of his gospel namely vnto Fayth and Charitie It is not to be doubted but that the kingdome of the Gentiles which is more imperfect their lawes ought to ceasse among the Gentiles departing froÌ„ their Gentillitie vnto the perfection of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. For there is no distinction betwene the Iewes and Gentiles being conuerted vnto the faith of Christ but all of them abiding in that eternall kingdome ought to be vnder one lawe of Charitie and of vertue Therefore they ought to haue mercy and to leaue the iudgments of death and the desire of vengeance Wherfore they which do make lawes marke not the
in vs. If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and iust he will remit them and clense vs from all our iniquities If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not vs. My welbeloued children this I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world Therfore we ought to confesse our selues chiefly vnto God euen froÌ„ the hart for that he chieflye doth remit sinnes without whose absolution litle auaileth the absolutioÌ„ of man This kinde of confession is profitable and good The authors of the Canons say that although auricular confession made vnto the Priest be not expresly taught by Christ yet say they it is taught in that saying which Christ said vnto them diseased of the leprosy whom he coÌ„mauÌ„ded Go your wayes shewe yourselues vnto the Priestes because as they say the law of clensing lepers which was geuen by Moyses signified the confession of sinnes vnto the Priest And wheras Christ commauÌ„ded the lepers to shew themselues vnto the Priestes they say that Christ ment that those that were vncleane with the leper of sinne should shew theyr sinnes vnto the Priestes by auricular confession I maruell much at the authors of the Canons for euen from the beginning of their decres vnto the end they grounde theyr sayings vpoÌ„ the old law which was the law of sinne and death and not as witnesseth Paule vpon the words of Christ which are spirite life Christ sayth the wordâ—s which I speake vnto you are the spirit and life They grouÌ„â— theyr sayings in the shadow of the law and not in the light of Christ. For euery euill doer hateth the light commâ—th not into it that his deeds be not reproued but he that doth the truth commeth into the light that his workes may be openly sene because they are done in God Joh. 3. Now let vs passe to the words that Christ spake to the leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean And Iesus stretching forth his hand touched him saying I will be thou cleane and straight wayes he was cleansed of hys leper And Iesus sayd vnto him See thou tell no man but go and shew thy selfe to the Priest and offer the gyft that Moyses coÌ„maunded for a witnesse of these thinges This Gospell witnesseth playnely that the diseased of lepers were clensed onely by Christ and not by the Priests neither did Christ commaund the leper to shew himselfe vnto the priestes for any helpe of cleansing that he should receiue of the Priestes but to fulfill the law of Moyses in offering a sacrifice for his clensing for a testimony vnto the Priestes who alwayes of enuy accused Christ as a transgressour of the law For if Christ after he had clensed the leper had licensed him to communicate with others that were cleane before he had shewed himselfe clensed vnto the Priests theÌ„ might the Priestes haue accused Christ as a transgressour of the law Because it was a precept of the law that the leper after he was cleansed shoulde shewe himselfe vnto the Priestes And they had signes in the booke of law whereby they might iudge whether he were truely cleÌ„sed or no. And if he were clensed then would the Priestes offer a gift for his clensing And if he were not cleansed then would they segregate him froÌ„ the company of others that were cleane Seing euery figure ought to be assimuled vnto the thyng that is figured I pray you then what agreement is there betwene the clensing of lepers by the law the confession of sinnes By that law the Priest knew better whether he were leprouse then he himselfe that had the leper In coÌ„fession the priest knew not the sinnes of him that was confessed but by his owne confession In that law the Priest did not cleÌ„se the leprouse How now therfore ought the priests to clense sinners from their sinne that without theÌ„ they cannot be clensed In this law the Priest had certein signes by the which he could certaynly know whether a maÌ„ were clensed froÌ„ his leper or not In confession the Priest is not certaine of the clensing of sinnes because he is ignoraunt of his contrition He knoweth not also whether he will not sinne any more without the which contrition and graunting to sinne no more God hath not absolued any sinner And if God hath not absolued a man without doubt then is he not made cleane And how then is confession figured vnder that law Doubtlesse so it seemeth to me vnder the correction of them that can iudge better in the matter that this law beareth rather a figure of excommunication reconciliation of him that hath bene obstinate in his sinne is reconciled agayne For so it appeareth by the processe of the Gospell that when as the sinner doth not amend for the priuate correction of his brother nor for the correction of two or three neither yet for the publick correction of the whole Church Then is he to be counted as an Ethnike a Publicane as a certayn Leper to be auoyded out of the company of all men Which sinner notwithstanding if hee shall yet repent is then to be reconciled because he is then clensed from his obstinacy But he which pretendeth himselfe to be the chiefe vicar of Christ and the high Priest sayth that he hath power to absolue A poena culpa Which I doe not finde how it is founded in the scripture but that of his owne authority he enioyneth to sinners penance for their sinnes And grauÌ„t that froÌ„ their sinnes he may well absolue them yet froÌ„ the payn which they call a poena he doth not simply absolue as in his indulgences he promiseth But if he were in charitye and had such power as he preteÌ„deth he would suffer none to lie in Purgatory for sinne forsomuch as that payn doth farre exceed all other payne which here we suffer What maÌ„ is there being in charity but if he see his brother to be tormeÌ„ted in this world if he may he will helpe him and deliuer him Much more ought the Pope theÌ„ to deliuer out of paynes of Purgatorye indifferently as well rich as poore And if he sel to the rich his indulgeÌ„ces double wife yea triple wise he seduceth them First in promising to deliuer theÌ„ out of the payne from wheÌ„ce he doth not neither is able to deliuer theÌ„ And so maketh theÌ„ falsly to beleue that which they ought not to beleue SecoÌ„dly he deceiueth theÌ„ of their mony which he taketh for his indulgence Thirdly he seduceth them in this that he promising to deliuer them froÌ„ payne doth induce theÌ„ into greuous punishment in deed for the heresy of simony which both of theÌ„ do coÌ„mit therefore are worthy
both of great payne to fall vpon theÌ„ for so we read that Iesus cast out buiers and sellers out of hys temple Also Peter sayd vnto Symon the first author of this heresy Thy mony sayd he with thee be destroyed for that thou hast thought the gift of God to be possessed for mony Moreouer whereas Christ sayth frely you haue receiued frely geue and whereas contrary the Pope doth sell that thing which he hath taken what doubt is there but that he doth greuously deserue to be punished both he that selleth he that buyeth for the crime of simonye which they commit Ouer and besides by many reasons and authorities of the Scripture it may be proued that he doth not absolue a man contrite for his sinne although he doe absolue him from the guilt But this marueileth me that he in his indulgeÌ„ces promiseth to absolue men from all maner of deadly sinnes yet cannot absolue a man from debt forasmuch as the debt which we owe to god is of much more greater importaÌ„ce then is the debt of our brother Wherfore if he be able to remitte the debt due to God much more it should seme that he is able to forgeue the debt of our brother An other thing there is that I maruell at for that the pope sheweth himselfe more strait in absoluing a priest for not saying or negligently saying his mattens theÌ„ for traÌ„sgressing the commaundemeÌ„t of God considering that the transgression of the coÌ„maundement of God is much more greuous then the breach of mans commaundement For these and many other errours concurring and in this matter of the Popes absolutioÌ„s blessed be God honor be vnto him for the remission of our sinnes And let vs firmely beleue and know that he doth and wil absolue vs from our sinnes if we be sory froÌ„ the bottome of our harts that we haue offended him hauing a good purpose and will to offend him no more And let vs be bolde to resorte vnto good and discreet Priests who with wholesome discretion and sound counsell can instruct vs how to auoad the corruption of sinne hereafter And which because they are better then we may pray to God for vs whereby we may both obtayne more sooner the remission of our sinnes past and also may learne better how to auoyd the daunger of sinne to come Ex Registro Latino Episc. Hereford ¶ And thus much concerning the iudgement and doctrine of this Walter for Christian patience charity and mercy which as they be true and infallible notes and markes of true Christianity so the sayde Walter Brute making comparison herein betweene Christ and the Pope goeth about purposely to declare and manifest whereby all men may see what contrariety there is betweene the rule of Christes teaching and the proceedinges of the Pope betweene the examples and life of the one and the examples of the other Of which two as one is altogether geuen to peace so is the other on the contrary side as much disposed to wars murder and bloudshed as is easy to be sene who so looking not vpon the outward shewes and pretensed wordes of these Romishe Popes but aduising and considering the inward practises and secret works of them shall easely espye vnder their visour of peace what discord and debate they work Who bearing outwardly the meek hornes of the Lambe mentioned in the Apocalippes within doe beare the bowels of a Wolfe full of crueltye murder and bloudshed which if any doe thinke to be spoken of me contumeliously would God that man could proue as well the same to be spoken of me not truely But trueth it is I speake it sincerely without affection of blinde partiality according to the trueth of historyes both olde and new Thus vnder in Dei nomine Amen how vnmercifully doeth the Pope condemne his brother And while he pretendeth not to be lawfull for him to kill any man what thousandes hath he killed of men And likewise in this sentence preteÌ„ding in visceribus Iesu Christi as though he woulde be a mediatour to the magistrate for the party yet in deed will he be sure to excommunicate the Magistrate if he execute not the sentence geuen Who be true heretiques the Lord when he commeth shall iudge but geue them â—o be heretiques whom he condemneth for heretiques Yet what bowels of mercy is here where is nothing but burning faggoting drowning prisoning chayning famishing racking hanging tormenting threatning reuiling cursing and oppressing and no instructing nor yet indifferent hearing of theÌ„ what they can say The like cruelty also may in theyr warres appeare if we consider how Pope Vrbane 5. beside the racking and murdering of 7. or 8. Cardinals set vp Henry Spencer Bishoppe of Norwich to fight agaynst the French Pope Innocentius 4. was in warre himselfe agaynst the Apulians Likewise Alexander 4. his sucessour stirred vp the sonne of king Henry 3. to fight agaynst the sonne of Fredericke 2. Emperour for Apulia Boniface 8. moued Albertus which stood to be Emperour to driue Philip the freÌ„ch King out of his Realm Gregorius 9 excited Ludouike the French king 3. sundry times to mortall warre agaynst the Earle Raimundus and City of of Tholouse and Auinion where Lewes the sayd Frence king dyed Honorius 3. by strength of warre many wayes resisted Fredericke 2. and sent out 35. Gallyes agaynst the coastes of the Emperours dominions The same Pope also besieged Ferraria to passe ouer the warre at Ticinum with many other battayles and conflictes of Popes agaynst the Romanes Venetians and diuers other nations Innocentius 3. set vp Philip the French king to warre agaynst king Iohn What stirre Pope Gregorye the 7. otherwise named Hildebrand kept agaynst the Emperour Henricus 4. it is not vnknowne And who is able to recite all the warres battayles and fieldes fought by the stirring vp of the Pope These with many other like examples considered did cause this Walter Brute to write in this matter so as he did making yet thereof no vniuersall proposition but that Christian Magistrates in case of necessity might make resistaunce in defence of publique right Now he procedeth further to other matter of the Sacrament Touching the matter sayth he of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ diuers men haue diuers opinions as the learned do know As concerning my iudgemeÌ„t vpon the same I firmely beleue whatsoeuer the lord Christ Iesus taught implicitely or expresly to his Disciples and faythfull people to be beleued for he is as I beleue and know the true bread of God whiche descended from heauen and geueth life to the world Of which bread whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer as it is in the 6. of S. Iohn declared Before the comming of christ in the flesh although men did liue in body yet in spirit they did not liue because all men were then vnder sinne whose soules therby were dead from the which death no man by law nor with
charge of the realme because it was prooued in a certaine booke which the king hath that a hundreth houses of almes are sufficient for the whole realme And thereby might peraduenture greater increase and profite come vnto the temporalitie The 8. conclusion needefull to tel the people beguiled is that pilgrimages praiers and oblations made vnto blinde crosses or roodes or to deafe images made eyther of woode or stone are very neare of kinde vnto Idolatry and farre different frō almes And albeit that these thyngs which are forbidden and imagined are the booke of errour vnto the common people notwithstanding the vsual and common image of the Trinity is most especially abhominable This conclusion God himselfe doeth openly manyfest commaunding almes to be geuen to the poore needy man for he is the image of God in more perfite similitude and likenesse then any blocke or stone For God did not say let vs make a blocke or stone vnto our likenes and image but let vs make man for so muche as the supreme highest honor which the clergy calleth Latria pertaineth only to the Godhead the inferior honour which clergy call Dulia pertaineth vnto men and angels and to none other inferior creature The corolarie is the the seruice of the crosse celebrate twise euery yere in our church is ful of idolatry For if roode tree nailes and speare ought so profoundly to be honoured and worshipped then were Iudas lippes if any man could get them a marueilous goodly relique But thou Pilgrime we pray thee tell vs when thou doest offer to the bones of the Saintes and holy men whych are layd vp in any place whether dost thou relieue therby the holy man which is already in ioy or that almes house that is so well endowed whereas they are canonised the Lord knoweth howe and to speake more plaine euery faithfull Christian may well iudge and suppose that the strokes of that same man whom they calls Thomas were no came of Martyrdome nor yet be The 9. conclusion that keepeth the people low is that auricular confession which is said to be so necessary for saluation the fained power of absolution exalteth and setteth vp the pride of priests and geueth them oportunity of other secrete talkes which we will not at thys tune talke of for so much as both Lordes and Ladies doe witnes that for feare of their confessors they dare not speake the truth and in time of confession is good oportunitie ministred of wooing or to play the baudes or to make other secret conuentions to deadly sinne They affirme and say that they are commissaries sent of God to iudge discerne of al maner sinne to pardone and clense what so euer please them They say also that they haue the keyes of heauen and hell that they can excommunicate curse and blesse binde and loose at theyr owne will and pleasure in so muche that for a small rewarde or for 12. d. they will sell the blessyng of heauen by charter and clause of warrantes sealed by theyr commō seale This conclusion is so common in vse that it nedeth not any probation The corolarie hereof is that the Pope of Rome whych fained himselfe to be the profounde treasurer of the whole Church hauing that same woorthy iewell which is the treasure of the passion of Christ in hys owne keping and custody together with the merites of all the saintes in heauen wherby he geueth fained indulgences and pardons a poena culpa Hee is a treasurer almost banished out of chariti wherby he may deliuer al captiues being in purgatory at hys pleasure and make them not to come there But heere euery faithfull Christian may easily perceiue that there is much falshode hid in our church The 10. that manslaughter either by warre or by any pretensed law of iustice for any temporall cause or spirituall reuelation is expresly contrary vnto the newe Testamēt which is the law of grace full of mercy This conclusion is euidently proued by the examples of the preachyng of Christ heere in earth who chiefly teacheth euery man to loue his enemies and haue compassiō vpon them and not to kill and murther them The reason is this that for the most part when as men do fight after the first stroke charity is broken and whosoeuer dieth without charity goth the right way to hell And beside that we doe well vnderstand know that none of the clergy neither by any other lawfull reason can deliuer any man from the punishment of death for one deadly sinne and not for an other but the law of mercy which is the new Testament forbiddeth all maner of murther For in the Gospell it is spoken vnto our forefathers thou shalt not kil The corolary is It is a very robbing of the people when Lordes purchase indulgences and pardons a poena culpa vnto such as do helpe their armies to kil and murther the christian people in soreine countreys for temporal gaine as we do see certaine souldiors which do runne amongst the Heathen people to get themselues fame renowme by the murther slaughter of men Much more doe they deserue euil thanks at the hands of the king of peace for so much as by humility and peace our faith is multiplied increased for murtherers and manquellers Christ doeth hate and manaseth he that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword The 11. conclusion is whyche is shame to tell that the vow of chastity made in our church by women whych are fraile and vnperfite in nature is the cause of brynging in many great and horrible offences and vices incident vnto the nature of man For albeit the murther of their children borne before their time and before they are christened and the destruction of their nature by medicine are filthy foule sinnes yet they accompanying amongest themselues or with vnreasonable beastes or with any creature not hauing life doe passe to such an vnseemelinesse that they are punished by infernal torments The corolarie is that widowes such as take the mantell and the ring delitiously fed we would that they were maried because that we can not excuse them from priuate offence of sinne The 12. that the multitude of artes not necessary vsed in this our Church causeth much sinne offence in waste curiosity and disguising in curious apparell experience reason partly doth shewe the same for so muche as nature with a few actes is sufficient for mans vse and necessity This is the whole tenor of our ambassade which Christ hath commanded vs to prosecute at this time most fit and conuenient for many causes And albeit that these matters be heere briefly noted and touched yet notwithstandyng they are more at large declared in another boke with many other more in our owne proper tounge which we would should be common to all Christian people Wherefore we earnestly desire and beseeche God for his great
Archbishop to the Pope of Rome therefore he ought he sayd in no cause to be hys iudge And hauing his appeale there at hand ready writtē he shewed it with al reuerence to the king Wherewith the king was then much more displeased then afore and sayde angerly vnto him that he should not pursue hys appeale but rather he should tary in hold till suche time as it were of the Pope allowed And thē would he or nild he that archbishop should be his iudge Thus was there nothing allowed that the good Lord Cobham had lawfully afore required But for so much as he woulde not be sworne in all things to submit himselfe to the Church and so take what penaunce the archbishop would enioyne him He was arested agayne at the kinges commaundement and so ledde forth to the Tower of London to keepe hys day so was it then spoken that the archbishop had appoynted him afore in the kinges chamber Then caused he the foresayd confession of his fayth to be copyed agayne and the aunswere also which he had made to the foure articles proponed agaynst him to be written in maner of an Indenture in two sheetes of paper That when he should come to hys aunswere he might geue the one copy vnto the archbishop and reserue the other to him selfe As the day of examination was come which was the 23. day of September the Saterday before the feast of saint Mathewe Thomas Arundell the Archbishop sitting in Cayphas rowme in the Chapter house of Paules wyth Richard Clifford Byshop of London and Henry Bolnig broke Byshop of Winchester sir Robert Morley knight and Liefetenant of the Tower brought personally before hym the sayd Lord Cobham and there left him for the time vnto whom the archbishop sayd these wordes * The first examination of the Lorde Cobham SIr Iohn in the last generall conuocation of the clergie of this our Prouince ye were detected of certayne heresies and by sufficient witnesses found culpable Whereupon ye were by forme of spirituall law cited and woulde in no case appeare In conclusion vpon your rebellious cōtumacie ye were both priuately and openly excommunicated Notwithstanding we neyther yet shewed our selues vnready to haue geuen your absolution nor yet doe not to this houre would ye haue meekely asked it Vnto this the Lord Cobham shewed as though he had geuen no eare hauing hys minde otherwise occupyed and so desired no absolution But sayd he would gladly before him and hys brethren make rehearsal of that fayth which he held and en tended alwayes to stand to if it woulde please them to licence him thereunto And then he tooke out of his vosome a certayn writing endented concerning the articles wherof he was accused and so opēly read it before them geuing it vnto the Archbishop as he had made thereof an ende Whereof this is the copy I IOhn Didcastle Knight Lord of Cobham will that all Christen men weet and vnderstād that I clepe almighty God into witnesse that it hath bene nowe is and euer with the helpe of God shall be mine entent and my will to beleue faythfully and fully all the sacramentes that euer God ordayned to be do in holy Church and moreouer to declare me in these foure poynts I beleue that the most worshipfull Sacrament of the aulter is Christes body in forme of bread the same body that was borne of the blessed virgin our Lady sayne Mary done on the crosse dead and buryed the thyrd day rose from death to life the which body is now glorified in heauen Also as for the sacrament of penaunce I beleue that it is needefull to euery man that shal be saued to forsake sinne and do due penaunce for sinne before done with true confession very contrition and due satisfaction as Gods lawe limitteth and teacheth and els may he not be saued which penaunce I desire all men to doe And as of Images I vnderstand that they be not of beleue but that they were ordayned sith the beleue was zewe of Christ by sufferaunce of the Church to be Calenders to lewd men to represent and bryng to minde the passion of our Lord Iohn Christ and martyrdome and good liuing of other sayntes And that who so it be that doth the worship to dead Images that is due to God or putteth suche hope or trust in helpe of them as he should doe to God or hath affection in one more then in an other he doth in that the greatest sinne of maumerry Also I suppose this fully that euery man in this earth is a pilgrime toward blisse or toward payne and that he that knoweth not ne will not know ne keepe the holy comaundementes of God in his liuing here albeit that he be go on Pilgrimages to all the world and he dye so he shal be damned and he that knoweth the holy commaundementes of God and keepeth them to hys ende he shal be saued though he neuer in hys lyfe goe on pilgrimage as men now vse to Caunterbury or to Rome or to any other place This aunswere to hys articles thus ended and read he deliuered it to the Bishops as is sayd afore Than counceled the Archbishop with the other two Bishops and with diuers of the Doctours what was to be done in this matter commaunding hym for the tyme to stand aside In cōclusion by their assent information he said thus vnto him Come hether Syr Iohn In this your wryting are many good thinges contayned and right Catholicke also we deny it not but ye must consider that thys day was appoynted you to aunswere to other pointes concerning those articles wherof as yet no mention is made in this your Bil. And therefore ye must yet declare vs your minde more playnly And thus whether that ye holde affirme and beleeue that in the sacrament of the aulter after the consecration rightly done by a priest remayneth materiall bread or not Moreouer whether ye do hold affirme and beleue that as concerning the sacrament of penaunce where as a competent nomber of priestes are euery Christen man is necessarely bound to be confessed of hys sinnes to a priest ordained by the Church or not After certayn other communication this was the answere of the good Lord Cobham That none otherwise would he declare his minde nor yet aunswere vnto hys articles then was expressely in his writing there contayned Then sayd the Archbishop agayne vnto hym Syr Iohn beware what ye do For if ye aunswere not clearely to those thinges that are here obiected agaynst you especially at the time appointed you onely for that purpose the law of holy Church is that compelled once by a iudge we may openly proclayme ye an hereticke Unto whome he gaue this aunswere Do as ye shall thinke best for I am at a poynt Whatsoeuer he or the other Byshops did aske him after that he had them resorte to hys Bill for thereby would he
be done in priuate houses so that whosoeuer should atteÌ„pt the contrary should be depriued const 57. Moreouer coÌ„cernyng Clerkes leauyng their Churches const 58. Also concerning the order maner of funerals const 59. And that Byshops should not keepe froÌ„ their flocke const 67. The same IustiniaÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Clergy of ConstaÌ„tinople the priuiledge of the secular court in cases onely ciuile and such as touched not the disturbauÌ„ce of the Byshop otherwise in all criminall causes he left them to the iudgemeÌ„t of the secular court const 83. He geueth also lawes decrees for breach of matrimonie const 117. in diuers other places And in his const 123. after the doctrine of S. Paule he commauÌ„deth all Byshops Priestes to sounde out their seruice to celebrate the misteries not after a secrete maner but with a loude voyce so as they might not onely be heard but also be vnderstand of the faythfull people what was sayd done Whereby it is to be gathered that diuine prayers and seruice then was in the vulgar toung And as the said Iustinian other Emperours in those dayes had the iurisdictioÌ„ and gouernement ouer spirituall matters persons the like examples also may be brought of other kyngs in other laÌ„des who had no lesse authoritie in their Realmes then Emperours had in their Empire As in FrauÌ„ce Clodoueus the first Christened kyng at Orleans caused a CouÌ„cell of 33. Byshops where .33 Canons were instituted coÌ„cernyng the gouernemeÌ„t of the Church within .200 yeares after Christ. Ex primo Tomo Concil Carolus Magnus beside his other lawes and edictes political called v. Synodes one at Mentz the second at Rome the third at Remes the fourth at Cabilone the fift at Arâ—late where sundry rites ordinauÌ„ces were geuen to the Clergy about .810 yeares after Christ. The same Carolus also decreed that onely the Canonicall bookes of Scripture should be read in the Church none other Which before also was decreed an 4.17 in the third generall Councel of Carthage Item he exhorteth and chargeth Byshops and Priests to preach the word with a godly iniuÌ„ction Episcopi verò vt siue per se siue per vicarios pabulum verbi diuini sedulò populis annuncient Quia vt ait beatus Gregorius Iram contra se occulti iudicis excitat Sacerdos si sine praedicationis sonitu incedit Et vt ipsi clerum sibi commissum in sobrietate castitate nutriant Superstitiones quas quibusdam in locis in exequijs mortuorum noÌ„nulli faciunt eradicent that is That bishops either by them selues or their deputies shall shew forth the foode of Gods word to the people with all diligeÌ„ce For as Gregory sayth the Priest procureth against him the wrath of the secret iudge which goeth without the sound of preaching And also that they bring vp their Clergy to theÌ„ coÌ„mitted in sobernes chastitie The superstitioÌ„ which in certaine places is vsed of some about the Funerals of the dead let them exterminate plucke vp by the rootes c. Moreouer instructing informyng the sayd Byshops Priestes in the office of preaching willeth theÌ„ not to suffer any to fayne or preach to the people any new doctrine of their owne inueÌ„tion not agreing to the word of God but that they them selues both will preach such thyngs as lead to eternall life and also that they set vp other to do the same ioyneth with all a godly exhortation Ideo dilectissimi toto corde praeparemus nos in scientia veritatis mox vt diuina donante gratia verbum Dei currat crescat multiplicetur in profectum Ecclesiae Dei sanctae salutem animaruÌ„ nostrarum laudem gloriam nominis Domini nostri Iesu Christi Pax praedicantibus gratia obedientibus gloria Domino nostro Iesu Christo Amen Furthermore the said Carolus in his constitutions diuideth the goodes geueÌ„ to the Church so that in the more welthy places two partes should go to the vse of the poore the third to the stipeÌ„d of the Clergy Otherwise in poorer places an equall diuisioÌ„ to be made betwene the pouertie the Clergy vnles the gift had some speciall exception Ex Ansegiso lib. 1. cap. 80. And in the same booke a little after cap. 83. the author declareth by the sayd Carolus to be decreed that no Ecclesiasticall person or persons froÌ„ thenceforth should presume to take of any person any such gift or donation wherby the childreÌ„ or kinsfolkes of the sayd Donor should be defeited of their inheritance duly to them belongyng Ludouicus Pius king of France after Emperor was sonne to the foresaid Charles who being ioined together with the said Charles his father in the Empire ordained also with his father sundry actes obseruaunces touchyng the gouernement of the Church as in the author before alledged may appeare As first that no entry should be made into the Church by Symony Agayne that Byshops should be ordained by the free electioÌ„ of the Clergie of the people without all respect of person or reward onely for the merite of life and gift of heauenly wisedome Also the sayd Kynges Emperours forbad that any free maÌ„ or Citizen should enter the professioÌ„ of Monkery without licence asked of the kyng before added a double cause wherfore First for that many not for meere deuotioÌ„ but for idlenes and auoyding the kynges warres do geue theÌ„ selues to ReligioÌ„ againe for that many be craftely circumueÌ„ted deluded by subtile couetous persons seekyng to get froÌ„ them that which they haue Lib. 1. cap. 114. ibidem IteÌ„ that no young childreÌ„ or boyes should be shaueÌ„ or enter any profession without the will of their PareÌ„tes And no young maydens should take the veale or profession of a Nunne before she came to sufficient discretion of yeres to discerne chuse what they will follow That none should be interred or buried theÌ„ce forth within the Church which also was decreed by Theodosius Valentinianus 40. yeares before them Item the sayd Carolus .22 yeares before this Emperour enacted that murderers such as were giltie of death by the law should haue no sanctuary by flying into the Church c. which also was decreed by IustiniaÌ„ .300 yeares before this Carolus Ex Nouel Iustinia Moreouer the foresayd Ludouicus Pius with his sonne Clothariê° or as some call him Lotharius ioyned with him among other Ecclesiasticall Sanctions ordained a godly law for laymen to coÌ„municate the Sacrament of the body bloud of the Lord in these wordes Vt si noÌ„ frequeÌ„tius vel ter laici homines communicent nisi fortè grauioribus quibusâ—am criminibus impediaÌ„tur That laymen do communicate at least thrise if not ofter except they be let percase by some more haynous greuous offences Anseg lib. 2. cap. 43. Item they enacted that no goodes of the Church should be alienated vnder the payne Leoninae
cite vp both parties and to haue the hearing and deciding of the cause as did Macarius and Hesychius send to Iulius then bishop of Rome c. Item in that certaine of the Arrians returning from their Arrianisme offered vp and exhibited vnto the bishops of Rome their libels of repentance and were of them receiued againe as Vrsatius and Valens did to Iulius Socra lib. 2. cap 24. The x. cause was also for that Gratianus the Emperour made a law that all men should retaine that religiō which Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter bishop of Alexandria did hold Sozom lib. 7. cap. 4. And also if it happened the bishop of Rome to disalow the ordering of any minister or ministers the Popes perceiuing how diligent and redy they were to seeke their fauour and to send vp their messengers to Rome for their purgation tooke therby no little maner of exaltation Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 23. Besides these aforesaid the bishops of Rome had also an other artificiall practise that in sending out their letters abroad as they did to many in all their Epistles if the Epistles be theirs and not forged euer they were harping of the greatnes of their name and of their Apostolike sea and of the primacie of S. Peter their predecessor and prince of all the Apostles c. And this they vsed in euerie letter when so euer they wrote to any as appeareth in all their letters decretall namely in the letters of Miltiades Marcellus and Marcus c. Againe if any of the East church directed any writing to them wherein any signification was conteined of neuer so little reuerence giuen vnto them as learned men commonly vse for modesties sake that was taken by by and construed for plaine subiection and due obediēce as declareth the letter of Damasus written to the bishops of the East Church beginning thus Quod debita reuerentia c. in English thus but that your charitie yeldeth due reuerēce to the Apostolicall sea you in so doing deare children do much for your selues c. Theodoret. Lib. 5. cap. 9. where as the Bishops of the East Church notwithstanding had shewed little or no reuerence in their Epistle to Pope Damasus before Thus haue ye the first and originall groundes by the meanes wherof the Archbishops of the Romish Sea haue atchieued to this their great kingdome and celsitude ouer Christes church first beginning the mysterie of their iniquitie by that which was modestly and voluntarily giuē them Afterward by vse and custome claiming it ambitiously vnto them of dutie seruice lastly holding fast as we see that which once they had gotten into their possessiō so that now in no case they can abide the birdes to cal home their fethers againe which they so long haue vsurped And thus much concerning the life iurisdiction title of the Romain bishops In all which as is declared they and not we haue fallen from the church of Rome To these I might also ioyne the maner of gouernment wherin the said Romish Bishops haue no lesse altered both from the rule of Scripture and from the steps of the true church of Rome which gouernment as it hath bene and ought to be only spirituall so hath the bishop of Rome vsed it of late yeres no otherwise thē hath an earthly king or prince gouerned his realme dominiōs with riches glory power terror outward strēgth force prisō death executiō lawes policies promooting his friends to dignities reuenging his affections punishing and correcting faults against his person more then other offences against God committed vsing and abusing in all these things the word of God for his pretext cloke to worke his worldly purpose withall whereas indeede the word of God ministreth no such power to spirituall persons but such as is spirituall according to the saying of the Apostle Arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia sed spiritualia c. The armour and artillery sayth S. Paule of our warfaire is not carnall but spirituall such as serue not against flesh and bloud nor against the weake person of man but against Sathan agaynst the gates of hell and the profundities of the wicked power c. Which armour as it is al spiritual so ought they which haue the dealing therof to be likewise spirituall well furnished with all such giftes and graces of the holye Ghost meere for the gouernance of his spiritual Church as with wisedome and knowledge in the Scripture to instructe the ignorant with inward intelligence foresight of the craftye cogitations and operations of Sathan with power of the spirit to resist the same with practise and experience of tentations to comfort such as be afflicted and oppressed of Sathan with heauenly discretion to discerne spirits and truth from vntruth with iudgment and knoledge of tounges and learning to conuict errour wyth zeale of Gods glory with feruencye of prayer with patience in persecution with a minde contented with all cases and states incident with teares and compassion on other mens greeues with stoutnes and courage against proud and stout oppressours with humilitie towarde the poore and miserable with the counsaile of the Lorde Iesus by his word and spirite to direct him in all things to be done with strength against sinne with hatred of this worlde with gift of fayth power of the keyes in spirituall causes as to minister the word the Sacraments and excommunication when the worde biddeth that the spirite may be saued and to reconcile againe as case requireth c. These and such like are the matters wherin consisteth the sinews and strength of the church and the true gouernance of the same But cōtrary to these aforesaid both the Bishop clergie of this latter Church of Rome proceeding in their administration and gouernaunce as who vnder the name and pretence of Christ and his word haue exercised of long time nothing els but a worldly dominion seeking indede their owne glory not the glory of Christ riches of the world not the lucre of soules not feeding the flocke but fillyng the purse reuenging their owne wronges but neglecting gods glory stryuing against man onely and killing him but not killing the vice nor confuting the errour of man strong against flesh and bloude but weake against the Deuill stout against the simple but meeke against the mightie briefly doing almost all thinges preposterously more like to secular Princes then spirituall Pastours of Christes flocke with outward forcement and feare of punishment wyth prysoning famishyng hanging racking drowning headyng slaying murdering and burning and warring also on the other side with his riches and treasures wyth his garde and gardiance with strength of men with Court and Cardinals with pomp and pride about them with their triple crowne with the naked sworde with theyr ordinary succession with their lawes and executions their promotions and prefermēts their biddings and commandings threatninges and reuenginges c. In fine to compare therfore the Images of a
seconde point consisteth in preaching and expressing the glorious and triumphant Maiestie of Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the excellency of his glory who being once dead in the infirmitie of flesh rose againe wyth power ascending vp with maiestie hath led away captiuitie captiue Eph. 4. sitteth and reigneth in glory on the right hand of God in heauenly thinges aboue all principates and potestates powers and dominations aboue euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Ephe. 1. In whose name euery knee hath to bende both in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and euery tongue to confesse our Lord Christ Iesus to be of the glory of God the Fathee Phil. 2. In whome and by whome all things are made both in heauen and in earth things visible inuisible whether they be thrones or dominations or principates or potestats al are by him and for him created and he is before all all thinges consist in him who is the head of his body the Churche the beginning and first borne from the dead in whome dwelleth all fulnes Col. 1. To whome the Father hath giuen all iudgement and iudgeth no man himselfe any more Ioh. 5. To whom the Father hath giuen all things to his hands Iohn 13. To whome the father hath giuen power of all flesh Iohn 17. To whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth Math. vlt. In whome be all the promises of God Est. Amen 2. Cor. 1. 3. Thirdly he declareth the vertue of his Crosse Passion and that what exceeding benefites proceede to vs by the same By whose bloud we haue redemption remission of our sinnes Ephes. 1. By whose strypes we are made whole Eay 53. By whose Crosse all thinges are pacified both in heauen and in earth Col. 1. By whose death wee are reconciled Ro. 5. Who hath destroied death brought life to light 1. Timot. 1. Who by death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the diuell and hath deliuered them which liued vnder feare of death all theyr life in bondage Heb. 2. By whose obedience we are made iust by whose righteousnes we are iustified to life Rom. 5. By whose curse wee are blessed and deliuered from the malediction of the law Gala. 8. By whose bloud we that once were farre of are made neere vnto God Ephes. 5. Who in one body hath reconciled both Iewes Gentiles vnto God Eph. 2. Who by his flesh hath taken away the diuision and separation betweene God and vs abolishing the law which was set against vs in preceptes decrees Ephes. 2. Who is our peace our aduocate and propitiatiō for the sinnes of the whole worlde 1. Iohn 2. Who was made accursed sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. Who is made of God for vs our wisedome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor 1. By whom we haue boldnes and entraunce with all confidence through faith in him Ephes. 3. Who forgiueth all our sinnes and hath torne a peeces the obligation or handwriting which was against vs in the law of commaundements and hath crucified it vpon the Crosse vtterly hath dispatched and abolished the same and hath spoled principates and potestates as in an open shew of conquest triumphing ouer them openly in himselfe Col. 2. Who iustifieth the wicked by faith Ro. 4. In whom we are made full and complete Col. 2. c. 4. The fourth branch is to teach and informe vs to whō these benefites of Christes Passion and victory do apperteine by what meanes the same is applied redoundeth vnto vs which meanes is onely one that is onely faith in Christ Iesu and no other thing Which faith it pleaseth almightie God to accept for righteousnes And this righteousnes it is which onely standeth before God and none other as we are plainly taught by the Scriptures and especially by the doctrine of S. Paule Which righteousnes thus rising of faith in Christ. S. Paule calleth the righteousnes of God where he speaketh of himselfe vtterly refuseth the other righteousnes which is of the lawe that the might be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of Christ which is of faith Phil. 3. Againe the saide Apostle writing of the Iewes which sought for righteousnes and found it not and also of the Gentiles which sought not for it and yet found it sheweth the reason why because saith he the one sought it as by workes and the lawe and came not to it who not knowing the righteousnes of God and seking to set vp their owne righteousnes did not submit themselues to the righteousnes whiche is of God The other which were the Gentiles and sought not for it obteined righteousnes that righteousnes which is of faith c. Ro. 9. Also in an other place Saint Paule in the same Epistle writing of this righteousnes which commeth of faith calleth it the righteousnes of God in these wordes Whome God saith he hath set vp for a propitiatiō by faith in his bloud whereby to make manifest the righteousnes which is of himselfe in tollerating our sinnes c. Rom. 3. By the which righteousnes it is euident that S. Paule meaneth the righteousnes of faith which almightie God nowe reuealeth maketh manifest by preaching of the Gospell Wilt thou see yet more plainely this righteousnes of God howe it is taken in S. Paule for the righteousnes of faith therefore is called the righteousnes of God because it is imputed onely of God to fayth and not deserued of man In the same Epistle to the Romanes and in the 3. chap. aforesayd his wordes be manifest The righteousnes of God sayth he is by faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon al that doe beleue c. Wherfore whosoeuer studieth to be accepted with God and to be found righteous in his light let him learne diligently by the doctrine of S. Paule to make a difference a separation as farre as from heauen and earth betwene these two that is betweene the righteousnes of workes righteousnes of faith in any wise beware he bring no other meanes for his iustification or remission of his sins but onely faith apprehending the body or person of Christ Iesus crucified For as there is no way into the house but by the doore so is there no comming to God but by Christ alone which is by faith And as the mortall body without bodely sustenance of bread drinke can not but perishe so the spiritual soule of man hath no other refreshing but only by faith in the body and bloude of Christ whereby to be saued With this faith the Idolatrous Gentiles apprehēded Iesus Christ and receaued therby righteousnes Cornelius the first Baptised Ramane so sooone as he
to performe but also to do more and greater things then the law requireth Wherof riseth the works of supererogatiō contrary to the 6. and 8. principles aboue specified page 24. Also there be say they among other certaine workes of the lawe which pertayne not to all men but are consilia counsayles left for perfect men as matter for them to merite by and these they call opera perfectionis or opera indebita adding also to these newe deuises to serue God after their owne traditions besides the worde of God as Monasticall vowes wilfull pouerty difference of meates and garmentes pilgrimage to reliques and Saints worshipping of the dead superstitious ceremonies rosaries c. With such like and these they call workes of perfection which they preferre before the other commaunded in the lawe of God In so much that in comparison of these the other necessary duties commaunded and commended by the worde of God as to beare office in the common wealth to liue in the godlye state of matrimony to susteine the office of a seruant in a house is contemned and accounted as prophane in cōparison of these contrary to the 10. principle aboue mentioned pag. 24. * Of Sinne. OF Sinne likewise they teach not rightly nor after the institution of the Apostles and the auncient Church of Rome while the consider not the deepenes and largenes of sinne supposing still to be nothing els but inwarde actions with consent of will or outwarde such as are agaynst will whereas the strength of sinne extendeth not onely to these but also comprehendeth the blyndnes and ignorance of the minde lacke of knowledge and true feare of God the vntowardnes of mans minde to Godwarde the priuy rebellion of the hart against the lawe of God the vndeliting will of man to God and his worde The sense of flesh S. Paule also calleth an enimie against God and feeleth in himselfe that is in his fleshe nothing dwelling but sinne As touching also originall sinne wherin we are borne which is the destruction of original iustice and of gods Image in vs remayning in vs and bringing foorth in vs wicked cogitations affections and motions of naughtynes against the law of God and neuer ceaseth so long as man liueth this originall sinne the Popes doctrine doth not deny but yet doth much extenuate the same and holdeth that this inwarde concupiscence vicious affections not brasting out in vs with consent of will are no mortall nor damnable sinne but only fomes peccati And say moreouer that this concupiscentia in vs is no deprauation of the higher but onely of the lower partes of man beyng as a thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indifferent and no lesse naturall in vs then is the appetite to eate and drinke and that the same is left to remaine in the Saintes after Baptisme to be to them occasion of more meriting c. * Of Penaunce or Repentaunce OF Penaunce this latter Latterane Church of Rome of late hath made a Sacrament contrary to the fourth principle before pag. 24. which penaunce say they standeth of three partes Contrition Confession and Satisfaction canonicall Contrition as they teach may be had by strength of free will without the lawe and the holy Ghost per actus elicitos through mans owne action and endeuour Which contrition first must be sufficient and so it meriteth remission of sinne In confession they require a full rehearsall of all sinnes whereby the Priest knowing the crymes may minister satisfaction accordingly And this rehearsing of sinnes ex opero operato deserueth remission contrary y◠to 14. principle before pag. 24. Satisfactions they call opera indebita enioyned by the ghostly father And this satisfaction say they taketh away and chaungeth eternall punishment into temporall paynes which paines also it doth mittigate And againe these satisfactions may be taken away by the Popes indulgence c. This vnsauery and hethenish doctrine of penaunce farre differeth from the true teaching of holye Scripture By the which teaching repentaunce properly conteineth these three partes contrition fayth and new life Contrition is called in Scripture the sorrow of hart rysing vpō the consideration of sinne committed and of the anger of God prouoked which sorrowe dryueth a man to Christ for succour wherevpon ryseth fayth Fayth bringeth afterward amendement or newenes of life whiche wee call newe obedience working fruites worthye of repentaunce ¶ Difference betweene the law and the Gospell AS there is nothing more necessary and cōfortable for troubled consciences then to be well instructed in the difference betweene the lawe and the Gospell so is the Churche of Rome much to blame in thys behalfe because it confoundeth togyther those two beyng in nature so dyuers contrary one from another as threatninges and promises thynges temporall wyth thinges eternall sorrowfull thinges wyth glad tydinges death wyth lyfe bondage with freedome c. Teachyng the people that whatsoeuer the lawe sayth the Gospell confirmeth and whatsoeuer the Gospell sayth the same is agreeable to the lawe and so make they no difference betweene Moses and Christ saue onely that Moses they saye was the gyuer of the olde lawe Christ is the gyuer of the newe and a more perfect lawe And thus imagine they the gospell to be nothyng els but a newe lawe gyuen by Christ bynding to the promises thereof the condition of our dooynges and deseruinges no otherwise then to the olde lawe And so denyde they the whole lawe after this destinction into three partes to wytte the law of Nature the lawe of Moses and the lawe of Christ. And as for the Gospell they saye it is reueled for no other cause but to shew to the world more perfect preceptes and counsayles then were in the olde lawe to the fulfylling whereof they attribute iustification and so leaue the poore consciences of men in perpetuall doubt and induce other many folde errours bryngyng the people into a false opinion of Christ as though he were not a remedy against the law but came as an other Moses to gyue a newe lawe to the worlde Furthermore as they make no difference betweene the nature of the lawe and nature of the Gospell confoundyng Moses and Christ together so neyther doe they distinct or discerne the tyme of the lawe and the time of the Gospell a sonder For where S. Paule bryngeth in the law to be a schoolmaster limiteth him his tune vnto Christ saith that Christ is the end of the law that is wheras y◠law ceaseth there Christ beginneth where christ begineth there the law endeth they cōtrary make the law to haue no ende nor ceasing but gyue to it immortall life kingdome equall with Christ so that Christ and the lawe togither do reigne ouer the soule and conscience of man Which is vntrue For either Christ must giue place and the lawe stande Or els the law the condemnation and malediction of
the lawe I meane must ende and Christ reigne For both these Christ and the lawe grace and malediction can not reigne and gouerne together But Christ the Sonne of God which once dyed can die no more but must reigne for euer Wherefore the lawe with his strēgth styng and curse must needes cease and haue an end And this is it that S. Paule speaking of the tryumph of Christ saieth that he ascendyng vp led away captiuitie captiue hath set man at lyberty not at libertie to liue as flesh listeth neither hath freed him from the vse exercyse of the law but from the dominion and power of the lawe so that there is nowe no condemnation to them that bee in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh c. Romaines 8 And in an other place Saint Paule speaking of the same power and dominion of the lawe sayth that Christ hath taken the oblygation written against vs in decrees and hath nayled it vpon the Crosse tryumphing ouer all c. so that as the kyngdome of Christ fyrst began vpon the Crosse euen so vpon the same Crosse and at the same time the kingdome of the lawe expired and the malediction of the lawe was so crucified vpon the Crosse that it shall neuer ryse agayne to haue any power agaynst them that be in Christ Iesu. For lyke as if a woman be discharged from her first husband being dead hath maryed an other man the first husbande hath no more power ouer her euen so we nowe beyng espoused vnto Christ our seconde husbande are discharged vtterly from our first husbād the law as S. Paule in an other place sayth are no more vnder the law that is vnder the dominion malediction of the lawe but vnder grace that is vnder perpetual remission of al sinnes cōmitted not only before our Baptisme but as well also after Baptisme and duryng all our lyfe long For therein properly consisteth the grace of God in not imputyng sinne vnto vs so often as the repenting sinner rising vp by fayth flyeth vnto Christ and apprehendeth Gods mercy and remission promised in him according to the testimonie both of the Psalme Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne c. also of all the Prophets which as Saint Peter saith giue recorde to him that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receaue remission of their sinnes c. Actes 10. Which being so as it can not be denied then what needeth these priuate and extraordinary remissions to be brought into the Church by eare confession by meritorious deedes and by the Popes pardons for if there be no condemnation but by the law and if this law it selfe be captiued crucified abolished and departed which was the first husbande what condēnation thē can there be to thē that be in Christ Iesu or by whome should it come If there be no condemnation but a free and generall deliueraunce for all men once gotten by the victorie of Christ from the penalty of the lawe what nedeth thē any particular remission of sinnes at sondry tymes to be sought at the Priestes handes or the Popes pardons He that hath a generall pardon needeth no particular If remedy for sinne be generall and perpetuall once gotten for euer to all them that be in Christ Iesu what needeth any other remedy by auricular confession If it be not generall and perpetuall howe then is it true that Saint Paule sayth the lawe is crucified and condemnation abolished or howe standeth redemption perpetuall and generall if remission be not generall For what is redemption els but remission of sinnes or sinnes bought out or what is els to kill the lawe but to discharge vs from condemnation for euer He that deliuereth his friende for a time out of his enimies hande doth him a pleasure but he that killeth the enimie once out of the way giueth perpetuall safety So if remission of sinnes by Christ were for some sinnes and not for all the lawe then must needes liue still But nowe the kylling and crucifying of the law importeth full remission to be absolute and our safety to be perpetuall But here percase will be obiected of some how standeth remission of sinnes certeine and perpetuall seeyng newe offences being daily committed doe daily require newe remission Hereto I aunswere albeit sinnes doe daily growe whereby wee haue neede dailie to desire God to forgiue vs our trespasses c. yet notwithstanding the cause of our remission standeth euer one and perpetuall neither is the same to be repeted any more nor any other cause to be sought besides that alone This cause is the sacrificed body of Christ once vpon the Crosse for all sinnes that either haue or shall be committed Beside this cause there is no other neither confession nor mens pardons that remitteth sinnes Furthermore as the cause is one and euer perpetuall which worketh remission of sinnes vnto vs so is the promise of God euer one once made and standeth perpetuall that offereth the same to the faith of the repenting sinner And because the sayde promise of God is alwayes sure and can not fayle which offereth remission to all them that beleeue in Christ being limited neyther to time nor number therefore we may boldely conclude that what time soeuer a repenting synner beleeueth and by fayth applyeth to him the sacrifice of Christ he hath by Gods owne promise remission of his sinnes whether they were done before or after Baptisme And moreouer for so much as the said promise of God offereth remission to the repentaunt synner by no other meanes nor condition but onely one that is by fayth in Christ therefore excluding all other meanes and conditions of mans working we say that what repenting sinner soeuer beleeueth in Christ hath already in him selfe and needeth not to seeke to any Priest perpetuall assuraunce of remission not for this time or that time onely but for euer and a day For the promise fayth not he that beleeueth in Christ shall be pardoned this tyme so he sinne no more neyther doth it say that the law is stayde or the sentence repriued but sayth playnely that the law with her condemnation and sentence her selfe is condemned and hanged vp and shall neuer ryse agayne to them that be in Christ Iesu and promiseth indeterminatelye without limitation remission of sinnes to all that beleeue in his name c Actes 10. and likewise in an other place the Scripture speaking absolutely saith Sinne shall not preuayle ouer you addeth the reason why saying Because ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace Rom. 6. Adding this lesson withall as it followeth in the same place not that sinners shoulde sinne more therefore because they are vnder grace but onely that weake infirmities myght be releeued broken consciences comforted and repenting sinners holpen from desperation to the prayse of Gods glory For as God forgiueth
institution diuers other newfound rites phantasies of men but also where the vse of the olde Church of Rome was onely to baptise men they Baptise also Belles and applye the wordes of Baptisme to water fire candels stockes and stones c. But especially in the Supper of the Lord their doctrine most filthely swarueth from the right minde of the Scripture all order reason and fashion most worthy to be exployded out of all Christen Churches Touching the which Sacrament the first errour is their Idolatrous abuse by worshipping adoring sensing knocking and kneelyng vnto it in reseruing also and carying the same about in pompe and procession in townes and fieldes Secondlye also in the substance thereof their teaching is monstruous leauing there no substance of bread and wine to remayne but onely the reall body and bloud of Christ putting no difference betweene calling and making Because Christ called bread his body therfore say they he made it his body and so of a wholesome Sacramēt make a perilous Idole that which the old Church of Rome did euer take to be a mistery they turne into a blind miste of meere accidences to bleare the peoples eies making them beleeue they see that they see not not to see that which they see to worship a thing made for their maker a creature for their creator and that was threshed out of a wheaten sheffe they set vp in the Church worship for a Sauiour and when they haue worshipped him then they offer him to his father and when they haue offered him then they eate him vp or els close him fast in a pixe Where if he corrupt putrifie before he be eaten then they burne him to pouder ashes And notwithstanding they know wel by the scriptures that the body of christ can neuer corrupt and putrifie yet for all this corruption will they needes make it the body of Christ and burne all them which beleeue not that which is against true Christian beleefe * Of Matrimony WHat order and rule S. Paule hath set for mariage in his Epistle to the Corinthians it is manifest Wheras he preferreth single life in such as haue the gift of continence before the maried state so againe in such as haue not the gift he preferreth the coupled life before the other willing euery such one to haue his wife because of fornication Furthermore how the said Apostle aloweth a Byshop to be the husband of one wife so he excede not to the maner of the Iewes which were permitted to haue many how vehemently he reproueth them that restraine mariage his letters to Timothy do record Moreouer what degres be permitted by the law of God to mary in the booke of Leu. is to be seene cha 18. Also how children ought not to marry without consent of their parents by manifest examples of the Scriptures it is notorious Contrary to these ordinaunces of the Scripture the new Catholikes of the Popes church first doe repute and call mariage a state of imperfection preferre single lyfe be it neuer so impure before the same pretending that where the one replenisheth the earth the other filleth Heauen Further as good as the third part of Christendome if it be not more both men and women they keepe through coacted vowes from mariage hauing no respect whethey they haue the gift or no. Ministers and Priestes such as are found to haue wiues not onely they remoue out of place but also pronounce sentence of death vpon them account their children for bastardes illegitimate Againe as good as the iij. part of the yeare they exempt suspend from liberty of mariage Degres of copulation forbidden they extend farther then euer did the law of God euen to the fift or sixt degree Which degree notwithstanding they release againe when they list for money Ouer and besides al this they haue added a new found prohibition of spiritual kindred that is that such as haue bene gossips or godfathers and godmothers together in christening an other mans child must not by their law mary together Briefly and finally in this their doctrine and cases of Matrimony they gaine and rake to themselues much money from the people they augment horrible Sodomitry they nourish wicked adultery and much fornication They fill the worlde with offensions and bastardes and giue great occasion of murdering infants Of Magistrates and ciuill gouernement YE hard before what rules and lessons S. Paule gaue to the old Romanes concerning Magistrats to whose authoritie he would all humaine creatures to be subiected and how they are the ministers of God hauing the sworde giuen vnto them wherewith they ought to represse false doctrine and idolatry and maintaine that which is true right Rom. 13. Now let vs suruey a litle the Popes proceedinges and marke how farre he transgresseth in this as he doth in al other points almost from true christianity 1. First the Pope with all his clergy exempt themselues from all obedience ciuill 2. They arrogate to themselues authoritie to ordeine and constitute without all leaue or knowledge of the ordinary Magistrate 3. Yea they take vpon them to depose and set vp rulers and Magistrates whom they list Of Purgatory THe Paradoxes or rather the phantesies of the latter Church of Rome concerning purgatory be monstruous neither old nor Apostolicall 1. First say they there is a Purgatory where soules do burne in fier after this life 2. The paine of Purgatory differeth nothing from the paynes of hell but onely that it hath an end the paines of hell haue none 3. The painefull suffering of this fier fretteth and scoureth away the sinnes before committed in the body 4. The time of these paines indureth in some longer in some lesse according as their sinnes deserue 5. After which time of their paines being expired then the mercy of God doth translate them to heauenly blisse which the body of Christ hath bought for them 6. The paines of purgatory be so great that if al the beggars of the world were seene on the one side and but one soule of Purgatory on the other side the whole worlde woulde pitie more that one then all the other 7. The whole time of punishment in this Purgatory must continue so long till the fier haue cleane fretted and scoured away the rusty spots of euery sinnefull soule there burning vnlesse there come some release 8. Helpes and releases that may shorten the time of their purgation be the Popes pardons and indulgences sacrifice of the alter dyrges and trentals prayer fasting meritorious deedes out of the treasure house of the Church almes and charitable deedes of the liuing in satisfiyng gods Iustice for them c. 9. Lacke of beliefe of Purgatory bringeth to hell Many other false errours and great deformities heresies absurdities vanities follies bisides their blasphemous raylinges and contumelies may be noted in the said latter church of Rome
in the gospel His cruel condition or els displeasure was such toward the Romaines that he wished that all the people of Rome had but one necke that hee at hys pleasure might destroy such a multitude By this sayd Caligula Herode the murtherer of Iohn Baptist and condemner of Christ was condemned to perpetuall banishment where he died miserably Cayphas also which wickedly sat vpon Christ was the same tyme remoued from the high Priests roome and Ionathan set in his place The raging fiercenes of this Caligula incensed agaynst the Romaines had not thus ceased had not he bene cut of by the handes of a Tribune and other gentle men which slew him in the 4 yeare of hys raigne After whose death was found in his closet 2. litle libels one called a sword the other the daggar In the whiche libels were contayned the names of those Senatours and noble men of Rome whom he had purposed to put to death Besides this sword and daggar there was sound also a cofer wherein diuers kindes of poyson were kept in glasses and vessels for the purpose to destroy a wonderful number of people Which poysons afterward being thrown into the sea destroied a great number of fish Gotfr Vīterb But that which this Caligula had onely conceaued the same did the other two which came after bring to passe Claudius Nero who raygned xiii yeares with no little cruelty But especially the third of these Neroes called Domitius Nero. Whiche succeeding after Claudius rayned 14. yeares with such fury and tyranny that he slewe the most part of the Senats he destroyd the whole order of knighthoode in Rome So prodigious a monster of nature was he more like a beast yea rather a deuill then a man that he seemed to be borne to the destruction of man Such was his monstrous vncleannes that he abstayned not from hys owne mother his naturall sister nor from any degree of kindred Such was his wretched cruelty that he caused to be put to death his mother his brother in law his sister hys wyse great with childe also his instructor Seneca and Lucane with diuers moe of his owne kindred and consanguinitie Moreouer he commaunded Rome to be set on fire in vii places and so continued it 6. dayes and 7. nights in burning while that he to see the example how Troy burned sang the verses of Homere And to auoide the infamie therof he layd the fault vpon the Christian men caused them to be persecuted And so continued this miserable Emperour in his reigne 14. yeares till at last the Senate proclaiming him a publike enemie of mankind condemned him to be drawn through the citie and to be whipped to death For the feare whereof he flying the hands of his enemies in the night fled to a manor of his seruants in the countrey where he was forced to slay himselfe complayning that he had then neither friend nor enemie left that would do so much for him In the latter end of this Domitius Nero Peter also and Paul were put to death for the testimonie and faith of Christ. an 69. Thus ye see which is worthy to be marked how the iust scourge and heauie indignation of God from tyme to tyme euer followeth there and how all things there go to ruine neither doth any thing well prosper where Christ Iesus the sonne of god is contemned and not receiued as by these examples may appeare both of Romains which not only were thus consumed and plagued by their owne Emperors but also by ciuile warres wherof three were fought in two yeres at Rome after the death of Nero and other casualties as in Sueton is testified so that in the dayes of Tiberius aforesaid 5000. Romains were hurt and slaine at one time by fal of a Theatre And also most especially by the destruction of the Iewes which about this same tyme an 73. and 40. yeres after the passion of Christ and the third yeare after the suffering of S. Peter and Paule were destroied by Titus Vespasian his father who succeeded after Nero in the Empire to the number of xi hundred thousand besides them which Vespasian slue in subduing the country of Galilie ouer and beside them also which were sold and sent into Egypt and other prouinces to vile slauery to the number of 17. thousand 2000. were brought with Titus in his triumph of which part he gaue to be deuoured of the wild beasts part otherwise most cruelly were slaine By whose case al nations and realmes may take exāple what it is to reiect the visitation of Gods veritie being sent and much more to persecute thē which be sent of God for their saluation And as this wrathfull vengeaunce of God thus hath ben shewed vpō this rebellious people both of the Iewes and of the Romains for their contempt of Christ whome God so punished by their own Emperours so neither the Emperors themselues for persecuting Christ in his members escaped without their iust reward For amongest so many Emperours which put so many christian Martyrs to death during the space of these first 300. yeares fewe or none of them scaped either not slaine thēselues or by some miserable end or other worthily reuenged First of the poisoning of Tiberius of the slaughter of the other thre Neroes after him sufficiently is declared before After Nero Domitius Galba within 7. monthes was slaine by Ottho And so did Ottho afterward slay himselfe being ouercome by Vitellus And was not Vitellus shortly after drawen through the citie of Rome and after he was tormēted was thrown into Tiber Titus a good Emperor is thought to be poysoned of Domitian his brother The said Domitian after he had bene a persecutor of the christians was slaine in his chamber not without the consent of his wife Likewise Commodus was murdered of Narcissus The like end was of Pertinax and Iulianus Moreouer after that Seuerus was slayne here in England and lieth at Yorke did not his sonne Bassianus slay his brother Geta and he after slaine of Martialis Macrinus with his sonne Diadumenus were both slayne of their owne souldiours After whom Heliagabolus that mōstrous bellypanch was of his owne people slain drawn through the citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Seuerus that worthy and learned Emperour which sayd he would not feede his seruants doing nothing with the bowels of the common wealth although in life and vertues was much vnlike other Emperours yet prooued the like ende beyng slayne at Mentz with his godly mother Mammea by Maximinus whom the Emperour before of a Muletor had aduaunced to great dignities The which Maximinus also after three yeres was slaine himselfe of his souldiours What should I speake of Maximus and Balbinus in like sort both slaine in Rome Of Gordian slaine by Philip of Philip the first christened Emperour slaine or rather martired for the same cause of wicked Decius drouned and his sonne slaine the
was how and when it should appeare they aunswered that his kingdome was no worldly nor terren thing but an heauenly and Aungelicall kingdome that it should appeare in the consummation end of the world what tyme he comming in glory should iudge the quicke and the dead and render to euery one according to his deseruinges Domitian the Emperour hearing this as the saying is did not condemne them but despising them as vile persons let them go also staid the persecution then mooued against the Christians They being thus discharged and dismissed afterward had the gouernmeÌ„t of Churches beyng taken for Martyrs and as of the Lords stock and so consumed in good peace till the tyme of Traianus Haec Egesip Euseb Lib. 3. cap. 20. By this story here recited may appeare what were the causes why the Emperours of the Romaine Monarchie did so persecute the Christians which causes were chiefly these feare and hatred 1. feare for that the Emperors and Senate of blinde ignoraunce not knowing the maner of Christes kingdome feared and misdoubted least the same would subuert their Emperie Like as the Pope thinkeeh now that this Gospel wil ouerthrow his kingdom of maiestie And therfore sought they all means possible how by death and all kindes of torments vtterly to extinguish the name and memorie of the christians And therupon semeth to spring the old law of the Romaine Senate Non debere dimitti Christianos qui semel ad tribunal venissent nisi propositum mutent i. That the Christians should not bee let goe which were once brought to the iudgement seate except they chaunged their purpose c. Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 21.2 Hatred partly for that this world of his owne naturall condition hath euer hated and maliced the people of god from the first beginning of the world Partly agayne for that the Christians beyng of a contrary nature and Religion seruing only the true liuing God despised their false gods spake against their idolatrous worshippings and many tymes stopped the power of Sathan working in their Idoles And therfore Sathan the Prince of this world stirred vp the Romaine Princes blynd Idolaters to beare the more hatred and spite against them Upon these causes and such like rose vp these malicious slaunders false surmises infamous lies slanderous accusations of the Heathen idolaters against the Christian seruaunts of God which incited the Princes of this world the more to persecute them for what crimes so euer malice could inuent or rash suspicion could minister that was imputed to the Christians as that they were a people incestuous that in the night in their concourses puttyng out their candles they ranne together in all filthy maner that they killed their owne children that they vsed to eate mans flesh that they were seditious and rebellious that they would not sweare by the fortune prosperitie of Caesar that they would not adore the Image of Caesar in the market place that they were pernitious to the Emperie of Rome Briefly whatsoeuer mishappened to the Citie or Prouinces of Rome either famine pestilence earthquake warres wonders vnseasonablenes of weather or what other euils soeuer hapned it was imputed to the Christians as Iustinus recordeth Ouer and beside al these a great occasion that stirred vp the Emperours against the Christians came by one Publius Tarquinius the chiefe Prelate of the idolatrous sacrifices and Mamertinus the chiefe gouernour of the Citie in the tyme of Traianus who partly with money partly with sinister and pestilent counsaâ—â—e partly with infamous accusations as witnesseth Nauclerus incensed the mynde of the Emperour so muche against Gods people Also among these other causes abouesaid crept in some piece of couetousnes withal as in all other things it doth in that the wicked promooters and accusers for sucre sake to haue the possessions of the christians were the more redy to accuse them to haue the spoyle of their goods Thus hast thou Christian reader first the causes declared of these persecutions 2. The cruell law of their condemnation 3. Now heare more what was the forme of inquisition which was as is witnessed in the second Apologie of Iustinus to this effect that they should sweare to declare the truth whether they were in very deed Christians or not and if they confessed then by the law the sentence of death proceeded Iust. Apol. 2. Neither yet were these tyrants and organes of SathaÌ„ thus contented with death onely to bereaue the life from the bodye The kindes of death were diuers and no lesse horrible then diuers Whatsoeuer the cruelnesse of mans inuention could deuise for the punishment of mans body was practised against the Christians as partly I haue mentioned before and more appeareth by the Epistle sent from the brethren of France hereafter following Craftie traynes outcries of enemies imprisonments stripes and scourgings drawings tearings stonings plates of iron layd to them burning hote deep dungeons racks strangling in prisons the teeth of wild beasts gridirons gibbets and gallowes tossing vpon the hornes of Buls Moreouer wheÌ„ they were thus killed their bodies laid in heaps and dogs there left to keep them that no man might come to bury them neither would any prayer obtayne them to be interred and buried Ex Epistola fratrum Viennensium ac Lugdunensium c. And yet notwithstanding for all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments the church of the christians daily increased deepely rooted in the doctrine of the Apostles and of men Apostolicall and watered plenteously with the bloud of Saintes as saith Nicephorus Tib. 3. Whereof let vs heare the worthy testimony of Iustinus Martyr in his Dialogue with Tripheus And that none saith he can terrifie or remoue vs which beleue in Iesus by this it daily appeareth for when we are slaine crucified cast to wild beastes into the fire or geuen to other torments yet we goe not from our confession but contrary the more crueltie and slaughter is wrought against vs the mo they be that come to pietie and faith by the name of Iesus no otherwise then if a man cut the vine tree the better the branches grow For the vine tree planted by God and Christ our Sauiour is his people Haec Iust. ¶ To comprehend the names and number of all the Martyrs that suffered in all these ten persecutions which are innumerable as it is vnpossible so it is hard in such varietie and diuersitie of matter to keepe such a perfect order and course of yeares and times that either some be not left out or that euery one bee reduced into his right place especially seeing the Authors themselues whome in this present worke we follow doe diuersly disagree both in the tymes in the names and also in the kynd of Martyrdome of them that suffered As for example where the common reading and opinion of the Church and the Epistles Decretall doe take Anacletus to succeed after
M CC.L. and threw them in prison And not long after the sayd Alexander with Euentius his Deacon and Hermes and the rest were burned in a fornace Theodulus an other Deacon of Alexander seeyng and rebuking the crueltie of the tyrant suffered also the same Martyrdome Quirinus also the same tyme as sayth Antoninus hauyng first his tongue cut out then his hands and feete afterward was beheaded and cast to the dogs Equilinus saith that he was beheaded and cast into Tyber in the raigne of the Emperour Claudius but that cannot be Albeit Platina maketh relation but onely of Alexander with his two Deacons aforesayd Declaring moreouer that in the tyme of this Bishop Saphira of Antioch and Sabina a Romaine suffred Martyrdome Florilegus the Author of Flores Historiarum affirmeth that Alexander Byshoppe of Rome was beheaded seuen myles out of Rome where he lyeth buried anno 105. but that agreeth not with the Chronicles aboue recited Eusebius recordeth of him no more but that in the third yeare of Hadrian he ended his life and office after he had bene bishop ten yeares Diuers miracles are reported of this Alexander in the Canon Legends and liues of Saintes which as I deny not but may be true so because I cannot auouch them by any graue testimony of auncient writers therefore I dare not affirme them but dd referre them to the authors Patrons thereof where they are founde Notwithstandyng whatsoeuer is to be thought of his miracles this is to bee affirmed and not doubted but that he was a godly vertuous Bishop And as I say of his miracles the like iudgement also I haue of the ordinaunces both of him and of Euaristus his predecessour testified in the Popes Decrees by Gratianus as 93. Dist. cap. Diaconi where is sayd that Euaristus deuided diuers titles in the Citie of Rome to the Priestes also ordeined in euery Citie vij Deacons to associate and assist the bishop in his preaching both for his defence and for the witnes of truth Notwithstāding if probable coniectures might stand against the authoritie of Gratianus and his decrees here might be doubted whether this absolute ordination of Priestes was first forbidden by Euaristus and whether the intitulation of Priestes was first by hym brought in or not wherein an instaunce may be geuen to the contrary that this intitulation seemeth to take his first beginning at the Councell of Chalcedon and of Pope Vrbane in the Councell of Placent In the which Councell of Chalcedon the wordes of the Canon making no mention of Euaristus at all doe expressely forbid that any Ecclesiasticall person eyther Priest or Deacon should be ordayned absolutely otherwise the imposition of handes without some proper title of the party ordayned to stād voyde and frustrate c. And likewise Vrbanus in the counsell of Placentia doth decree the same alledging no name of Euaristus but the statutes of former Councels Moreouer in the time of Euaristus the Church then being vnder terrible persecutions was deuided in no peculiar Parishes or Cures wherby any title might rise but was scattered rather in corners and desertes where they could beast hide themselues And as the Church of Rome in those dayes was not deuided into seuerall Parrishes or Cures as I suppose so neyther was then any such open or solemne preaching in Churches that the assistaunce or testimony of vii Deacons eyther could auayle among the multitude of the Heathen or els needed amongst the christian secret congregations Agayne the constitution of vii Deacons seemeth rather to spring out of the counsell of Neocesaria long after Euaristus where it was appoynted that in euery Citie were it neuer so small there should be vii Deacons after the rule And this rule the sayd Councel taketh out of the booke of the Actes of the Apostles making no word or mentiō of Euaristus at all Dist. 93. but these as is said be but onely coniectures not denying that which is commonly receiued but onely shewing what may bee doubted in their Epistles Decretall More vnlike it seemeth to be true that is recorded and reported of Alexander that he should be the first founder and finder of holy water mixt with salt to purge and sanctifie them vpon whom it is sprinckeled The wordes of the Dist. be these Aquam sale conspersam in populis benedicimus vt ea cuncti aspersi sanctificentur purificentur quod omnibus sacerdotibus faciendū esse mandamus c. That is We blesse water mixt with salte among the people that all men being sprinckled therewith may be sanctified and purified And this we commaund all Priests to do c. The opinion is also but how true I haue not to affirme that by him first was ordained water to bee mixte with wine in the chalice Item that by him was brought in the piece of the Masse Canon beginning Qui pridie c. And thus much of these foresayd Bishops of Rome martired in the dayes of Traian and Hadrian * The third Persecution BEtwene the second Romain persecution and the third was but one yeare vnder the Emperour Nerua After whom succeeded Traianus And after him followed the third persecution So the second and the third are noted of some to be both one hauing no more difference but one yere betwene them This Traianus if we looke well vpon his politike and ciuill gauernance might seeme in comparison of other a right worthy and commendable Prince Much familiar with inferiors and so behauing himself toward his subiectes as he himselfe would haue the Prince to be to him if he himselfe were a subiect Also he was noted to be a great obseruer of iustice in so much that when he ordained any Pretour geuing to him the sword he would bid him vse the sword against his enemies in iust causes and if he him selfe did otherwise then iustice to vse then his power against him also But for all these vertues toward christian Religion he was impious and cruel who caused the third persecution of the Church In the which persecution Plinie the second a man learned and famous seyng the lamentable slaughter of Christians and mooued therewith to pitie wrote to Traianus of the pitifull persecution certifiyng him that there were many thousāds of them daily put to death of which none did any thing contrary to the Romaine lawes worthy persecution sauing that they vsed to gather together in the morning before day and sing Hymnes to a certaine God whom they worshipped called Christ. In all other their ordinaunces they were godly and honest Wherby the persecution by commaundement of the Emperour was greatly stayd and diminished The forme and copy of which Epistle of Plinie I thought here not inconuenient to set downe as followeth * The Epistle of Plinie an Heathen Philosopher to Traiane the Emperour IT is my propertie and maner my soueraigne to make relation of all those thinges vnto you
although saith he Alexander beyng perswaded through the entreating of his mother MaÌ„mea did fauour the Christians yet notwithstanding there was no publike Edict or Proclamation prouided for their safegard By reasoÌ„ wherof diuers there were which suffered Martyrdome vnder Almachius other iudges In the number of whom after some stories was Calixtus Bishop of Rome who succeded next vnto Zephyrinus aboue mentioned And after him Vrbanus also which both beyng Bishops of Rome did both suffer by the opinioÌ„ of some writers vnder Alexander Seuerus This Calixtus in his two decretal Epistles written to Benedictus and to the Bishops of Fraunce geueth these ordinances that no actions or accusations agaynst the Prelates or teachers of the church should be receaued that no secret conspiracies should be made against bishops Item no man to communicate with persons excoÌ„municate Also no bishop to excommunicate or to deale in an other Dioces And here he expoundeth the Dioces or the Parish of any bishop or minister to be his wife The wife sayth the Apostle is bound to the law so long as the husbaÌ„d liueth when he is dead she is free from the law So saith Calixtus the wife of a bishop which is his Church so long as he liueth is bound duely to him neither ought to be iudged or disposed by any other man without his will and iudgement after his death she is free from the lawe to marrie to whoÌ„ she will so it be in the Lord that is regulariter regularly In the end of the sayd his epistle decretall he confuteth the error of them which hold that they which are fallen are not to be receiued agayne Which heresie after the tyme of Calixtus or Calistus came in first by Nouatus in the dayes of Cornelius Moreouer in his sayd first Epistle decretall is contayned the fast of the foure tymes commonly called the Imber fast whereof also Marianus Scotus maketh mention But Damasus speaking of the same fast sayth he ordayned the fast but of three tymes which was for the encrease of corne wyne and oyle By these hetherto premised it is not hard for a quicke Reader to smel out the crafty iugling of that person or persons whosoeuer they were the falsly haue ascribed these decretall institutions to those holy fathers For first what laysure had the Christians to lay in their accusations against their bishops when we neuer read nor finde in any story any kynde of variaunce in those dayes among them but all loue mutuall compassion and harty communion among the Saintes And as we read of no variaunce among the people in those dayes nor of any fault or backsliding among the Bishops who for the most part then died all constant Martirs so neither do we read of any tribunall seat or Consistorie vsed or frequented then about any such matters Agayne if a man examine well the dangers of those busie days he shall see the poore flocke of the christians so occupied and piteously oppressed by the cruell accusations of the Heathen Infidels that though the cause did yet the tyme would not serue them to commense any law against their bishops SecoÌ„dly as touching their conspiracie against bishops what conspiracie either would they then practise agaynst them which always gaue their liues for their defence Or how could they then conspire in any coÌ„panies together when neuer a true thristian man durst once put his head out of his dores neither was there in the church any Christian man in those perilous dayes except he were a true man in deed such as was farre from all false conspiracies And when as all the world almost in all places conspired agaynst them What tyme what cause or what hart trow ye could they haue to coÌ„spire against their instructors Thirdly concerning the confutation of that heresie how standeth the confutation with the tyme of Calistus wheÌ„ Nouatus the author of that heresie was after him in the tyme of Cornelius Fourthly if by the lawe of Calixtus euery Dioces be the proper wife of euery bishop or minister then how many bishops wiues and persons wiues hath the adulterous Pope of Rome defloured in these latter dayes of the Church which so proudly and impudently hath intermedled and taken his pleasure his owne profit in euery Dioces and Parish almost through all Christendome without all leaue and licence of the good man who hath bene in the meane tyme yet is compelled stil where so euer the Popes holines commeth Vigilante sternere naso and to giue him leaue vnasked to do what he list Wherefore if this Canon decretall be truly his why is it not obserued so as it doth stand without exceptioÌ„ If it bee not why is it then falsly forged vpon him and the Church of Christ deceaued And certes lamentable it is that this falsifiyng of such trifling traditions vnder the false preteÌ„ce of antiquitie either was begon in the Church to deceaue the people or that it hath remayned so long vndetected For as I thinke the church of Christ will neuer be perfectly reformed before these decretall constitutions Epistles which haue so long put on the visard of antiquitie shal be fully detected and appeare in their owne colour wherein they were first paynted And yet neither do I say this or thinke contrary but that it may be that bishops of Rome and of the same name haue bene the true authors of these traditions but here coÌ„meth in the error as I credibly suppose that when other later bishops of the like name haue deuised these ceremoniall inuentions the vulgar opinion of men hath transferred them to the first primitiue fathers although beyng of an other time yet bearing the same name with the true inuentors thereof But of Calixtus enough who as Damasus sayth in the dayes of this Alexander Seuerus died a Martyr Vincentius affirmeth that he was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was thrown into a ditch Eusebius speakyng of his death maketh no mention of his Martyrdom and sayth he sate v. yeares Platina sayth vj. yeres Sabellicus giueth him vij yeares and so doth Damasus After Calistus folowed Vrbanus about the yeare of our Lord 227. who in his epistle decretall comming out of the same forge which he wrote in common to all bishops making no mention of the heauy persecutions of the Church nor ministring any exhortation of comfort or constancie to the brethren onely geueth many straight precepts for not transporting or alienating the goods of the Church and to pay truly their offâ—â—â—ngs which they vow also to haue all common among the Clergie Moreouer about the ende of his epistle he instituteth the confirmation of children after Baptisme which the Papistes bee woont to take into the number of their vii Sacraments affirming and denouncing more then Scripture will beare that the imposition of the Bishops hand bringeth the holy ghost and thereby to be made full ChristiaÌ„s c. But of these
with the rest of the multitude and perswading them what they should do and what had bene obteined for theÌ„ caused them to void the citie and not onlie them but also a great number of other mo who perswaded by him vnder that preâ—ence changing themselues in womens apparell or faming some impotencie so escapeh out of the citie At whose comming out Eusebius on the other side was readie to receiue them and refreshed their hungrye and pined bodies whereby not onelye they but the whole Citye of Alexandria was preserued from destruction Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 32. By this little historie of Eusebius and Anatholius described in the vij booke of Eusebius cap. 32. and briefly here set foorth to thee gentle Reader thou mayest partly vnderstande the practise of the Prelates what it was in those daies in the church which was then onlie imploied in sauing of life and succouring the common weales wherein they liued as by these two godly persons Eusebius and Anatholius may wel appeare Unto the which practise if we compare the practise of our latter prelates of the church of Rome I suppose no little difference will appeare The next Emperour to Florianus as is said was Marcus Aurelius Probus a Prince both wise and vertuous and no lesse valiant in martial affaires as fortunate in the successe of the same During his time we reade of no persecution greatly stiring in the church but much quietnes as well in matters of religion as also in the common wealth In so much that after his great and manye victories such peace ensued that his saying was there needed no more souldiers seing there were no moe enimies to the coÌ„mon wealth to fight against It was his saying also that hys souldiers nede not to spend corne and victuale except they laboured to serue the common wealth And for the same cause he caused his souldiers to be set a worke about certayne mountaynes in Syrinia in Messia to be planted with vines and not so much as in winter suffered them to be at rest therfore by them at length he was slayne after he had reigned the space of vj. yeres and 4. moneths an 284 Eutrop. Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus succeeded next after Probus in the Empire the raygne of which Emperors continued in all but iij. yeares Of the which three first Carus warring agaynst the Persians was slayne with lightning Of Numerianus his sonne beyng with his father in his warres against the Persians we finde much commendation in Eutropius Vopiscus and other writers which testified to him to be a valiaunt warriour an eloquent orator as appeared by his declamatioÌ„s and writinges sent to the Senate Thirdly to be an excellent Poet. This Numerianus sorrowing lamentyng for the death of hys father through immoderate weeping fell into a great sorenes of his eyes by reason whereof he keping close was slaine not long after of his father in lawe named Aper who traiterously aspiring to the Empire dissnnuled his death with a false excuse to the people asking for him saying for the payne of his eyes he kept in from the wind and weather til at length by the stinch of his body being caried about his death was vttered In the life of this Emperor Carus aforesaide written by Eutropius in the later edition set forth by Frobenius I finde whiche in other editions of Eutropius doth not appeare that Numerianus the sonne of this Carus was he that slewe Babylas the holye Martyr whose history before wee haue comprehended But that seemeth not to be like both by the narration of Chrysostome and also for that Vrspergensis declaryng the same hystorie and in the same wordes as it is in Eutropius saith that it was Cyrillus whome Numerianus killed the story whereof is this what time Carus the Emperour in his iourney going toward the Persians remayned at Antioche Numerianus his sonne would enter into the church of the christians to view and behold their misteries But Cyrillus their bishop would in no wise suffer him to enter into the church saying that it was not lawfull for him to see the misteries of God who was polluted with sacrifices of Idoles Numerianus full of indignation at the hearing of these words not suffering that repulse at the hands of Cyrillus in his fury did slay the godlye Martyr And therefore iustly as it seemed was he himselfe slayne afterward by the hands of Aper Thus Carus with his sonne Numerianus being slaine in the East partes as is declared Carinus the other sonne raigned alone in Italye where he ouercame Sabinus striuyng for the Empire and raigned there with much wyckednes till they returning home of the army againe from the Persians who then set vp Dioclesian to be Emperor by whome the foresayde Carinus for the wickednes of hys life being forsaken of his host was ouercome at length slayne with the hande of the Tribune whose wyfe before he had defloured Thus Carus with his two sonnes Numerianus and Carinus ended their liues whose raigne continued not aboue three yeares All this meane space we reade of no great persecution stirring in the Church of Christ but was in meane quiete state and tranquilitie vnto the xix yeare of the raigne of Dioclesian So that in counting the time from the latter ende of Ualerian vnto this foresaid yeare of Dioclesian the peace of the church which God gaue to his people semeth to continue aboue 44. yeares During the which tyme of peace and tranquilitie the church of the Lord did mightely increase and florish so that the more bodies it lost by persecution the more honor and reuerence it wan daily among the Gentiles in al quarters both Grekes and barbarous in so much that as Eusebius in his vij booke describeth amongst the Emperours themselues diuers there were which not onely bare singular good will and fauor to them of our profession but also did commit vnto them offices regiments ouer countries and nations so well were they affected to our doctrine that they priuileged the same with liberty and indemnitie What needeth to speake of them which not only liued vnder the Emperors in libertie but also were familiar in the court with the Princes themselues entertained with great honour and speciall fauour beyond the other seruitures of the court as was Dorotheus with his wife children and whole family highly accepted aduaunced in the palace of the Emperour Also Gorgonius in like maner with diuers other mo who for theyr doctrine learning which they professed were with theyr Princes in great estimation In like reuerence also were the bishops of cities and Diocesse with the Presidentes and rulers where they liued who not onely suffered theÌ„ to liue in peace but also had them in great price and regarde so long as they kept themselues vpright and continued in God his fauour Who is able to number at that time the mighty
long agone we weying with our selues that the libertie and freedome of religion ought not in any case to be prohibited but that free leaue ought to be geuen to euery man to doe therein according to his wil and minde we haue giuen commandement to all men to qualifie matters of religion as they themselues thought good and that also the Christians shoulde keepe the opinions and faith of their religion But because that many sundry opinions by the same our first licence spring and increase through such libertie graunted we thought good manifestly to adde thereunto and make plaine such things wherby perchance some of them in time to come may from such their obseruaunce be let or hindered When therfore by prosperous successe I Constantinus Augustus and I Licinius Augustus came to Mediolanum and there sate in councell vpon such thinges as serued for the vtilitie and profit of the common weale these things amongst others we thought woulde be beneficiall to all men yea and before all other things we purposed to establish those things wherin the true reuerence and worship of God is comprehended that is to geue vnto the Christians free choise to followe what religion they thinke good and whereby the same sinceritie and celestiall grace which is in euery place receaued may also be embraced and accepted of all our louing subiects According therefore vnto this our pleasure vpon good aduisement and sounde iudgement we haue decreed that no man so hardy be denied to chuse and followe the Christian obseruance or religion But that this libertie be geuen to euery man that he may apply his minde to what religion he thinketh meete himselfe whereby God may performe vpon vs all his accustomed care and goodnesse To the intent therefore you might knowe that this is our pleasure wee thought it necessary this to wryte vnto you whereby all such errours and opinions being remooued which in our former letters being sent vnto you in the behalfe of the Christians are conteyned and which seeme very vndiscreete and contrary to our clemēcy may be made frustrate adnihilate Now therfore firmly and freely we will and commaunde that euery man haue a free libertie to obserue the Christian religion and that without any griefe or molestation hee may be suffered to doe the same These things haue we thought good to signifie vnto you by as plaine wordes as we may that we haue geuen to the Christians free and absolute power to keepe and vse their religion And for as much as this libertie is absolutely geuen of vs vnto them to vse and exercise their former obseruance if any be so disposed it is manifest that the same helpeth much to establishe the publike tranquillitle of our time euery man to haue licence and libertie to vse and chuse what kinde of worshipping he list himself And this is done of vs onely for the intent that we woulde haue no man to be enforced to one religion more then an other And this thing also amongst others we haue prouided for the Christians that they may haue againe the possessiō of such places in which heretofore they haue bene accustomed to make their assemblies so that if any haue bought or purchased the same either of vs or of any other the same places without either mony or other recompence forthwith and without delay we will to be restored againe vnto the sayd Christians And if any man haue obtained the same by gift from vs and shall require any recompence to be made to them in that behalf Then let the Christians repaire vnto the President being the iudge appoynted for that place that consideration may be had of those mē by our benignitie al which things we will and commaunde that you see to be geuen and restored freely and with diligence vnto the societie of the Christians all delay set apart And because the Christians themselues are vnderstoode to haue had not onely those places wherein they were accustomed to resort together but certaine other peculiar places also not being priuate to any one man but belonging to the right of their congregation and societie you shall see also al those to be restored vnto the Christians that is to say to euery fellowship and company of them according to the decree whereof we haue made mention all delay set apart Prouided that the order we haue taken in the meane time be obserued that if any taking no recompence shall restore the same lands and possessions they shall not mistrust but be sure to be saued harmelesse by vs. In all these things it shall be your part to employ your diligence in the behalfe of the foresayde companie of the Christians whereby this our commaundement may speedely be accomplished and also in this case by our clemencie the common and publike peace may be preserued For vndoubtedly by this meanes as before we haue sayde the good will and fauour of God towardes vs whereof in many cases we haue had good experience shall alwayes continue with vs. And to the intent that this our constitution may be notified to all men it shall be requisite that the copie of these our letters be set vp in all places that men may reade and knowe the same least any should be ignorant thereof By these hystories I doubt not good reader but thou doest right well cōsider and behold with thy selfe the marueilous working of God his mighty power to see so many Emperours at one time conspired and confederate together against the Lord and his Christ annoynted whose names before we haue recited as Dioclesian Maximinian Galerius Maxentius Maximinus Seuerus Licinius who hauing the subiection of the whole world vnder their dominion did bende and extende their whole might and deuises to extirpate the name of Christ and of all Christians Wherein if the power of man could haue preuailed what coulde they not doe or what coulde they doe more then they did If policie or deuises could haue serued what policie was there lacking If torments or paines of death could haue helped what cruelty of torment by man could be inuented which was not attempted If lawes edictes proclamations wrytten not onely in tables but ingrauen in brasse could haue stande all this was practised against the weake Christians And yet notwithstanding to see howe no counsaile can stand against the Lorde note heere how all these be gone and yet Christ and his Church doth stande Fyrst of the taking away of Maximinian you haue heard also of the death of Seuerus of the drowning moreouer of Maxentius inough hath bene sayde What a terrible plague was vpon Galerius consuming his priuie members with Lice hath bene also described Howe Dioclesian the quondam being at Salona hearing of the proceedings of Constantinus and this his Edict either for sorrow died or as some say did poyson himselfe Onely Maximinus now in the East partes remained aliue who bare a deadly hatred against the Christians and no lesse expressed the same wyth
mortall persecution to whome Constantine and Licinius caused this constitution of theirs to be deliuered at the sight whereof although hee was somewhat appaled and defeated of his purpose yet forasmuch as he saw himselfe too weake to resist the authoritie of Constantinus and Licinius the superiour Princes Hee dissembled his counterfet pietie as though hee himselfe had tendered the quiet of the Christians directing downe a certaine decree in the behalfe of the Christians wherein hee pretendeth to wryte to Sabinus afore mentioned first repeating vnto him the former decree of Dioclesian and Maximinian in few wordes with the commandement therein contained touching the persecution against the Christians After that hee reciteth the Decree which he himselfe made against them when he came first to the imperiall dignitie in the East part ioyned wyth Constantius Then the Countermaund of an other Decree of his agayne for the rescuing of the Christians wyth such fayned and pretensed causes as is in the same to be seene After that declareth howe he comming to Nicomedia at the sute and supplication of the Citizens which he also fained as may appeare before he applying to their sute reuoked that his former Edict and graunted them that no Christian should dwell within their Citie or territories Upon which Sabinus also had geuen foorth his letters rehearsing withall the generall recountermaunde sent forth by him for the persecution againe of the Christians Last of all nowe hee sendeth downe againe an other Surrecountermaund with the causes therein conteyned touching the safetie of the Christians and tranquillitie of them Commaunding Sabinus to publish the same Which edict of his is at large set foorth of Eusebius lib. 9. cap. 9. But this Surrecountermaunde hee then dissimuled as he had done in the other before Howbeit shortly after he making warres and fighting a battaile with Licinius wherein hee lost the victory comming home againe tooke great indignation against the Priestes and Prophetes of his Gods whom before that time he had great regard vnto and honored vpon whose answers he trusting depending vpon their enchantments began hys warre against Licinius But after that he perceaued himselfe to be deceaued by thē as by wicked enchaunters and deceauers and such as had betrayed hys safety and person he kylled and put them to death And hee shortly after oppressed with a certaine disease glorified the God of the Christians and made a most absolute law for the safety and preseruation of them wyth fraunchise and liberty the copy wherof ensueth Imperator Caesar Gaius Valerius Maximinus Germanicus Pius Fortunatus Augustus It is necessary that we alwaies carefully prouide and see vnto the benefite and commoditie of such as be our subiects to exhibit such things vnto them wherby they may best obtaine the same But we suppose that there are none of you so ignorant but knowe and vnderstand what things make best for the profite commoditie of the common weale best please euery mans disposition But it is meete and conuenient that euery man haue recourse to that which they haue sene done before their eyes and that all sortes of men consider the same beare it in their mindes When therfore and that before this time it came vnto our knowledge vpon the occasion that Dioclesianus and Maximinianus our progenitours of famous memorie commaunded the assemblies and meetings of the Christians to be cut of there were many of them spoyled and robbed of our Officials which thing we also perceiue is now put in practise against our subiects that they in like case may be spoyled of their goods and substance which thing chiefly to preuent is our onely indeuour By our letters sent to the gouernours of euery prouince the yere past we ordeined that if any man were disposed to leane vnto the Christian religion that he might without any iniury done vnto him accomplish his desire neither to be of any man either let or molested and that he might without any feare or suspition do whatsoeuer he therein thought good But now also we vnderstand that there be certaine iudges which haue neglected our commandemēt and haue put our subiects in doubt whether that hath ben our pleasure or not which thing they did that such men might be the better aduised how they entred into such religion wherein they followed their owne phantasie To the entent therfore that after this all suspition doubt and feare may be taken away we haue thought good to publish this our edict whereby it may be made manifest to euery man that it shal be lawfull for all such as will follow that religion by the benefit of this our graunt and letters patents to vse what religion they like best And also hereby we graunt vnto them licence to build them Oratories or Temples And furthermore that this our graunt may more amply extende vnto them we vouchsafe to appoynt and ordaine that whatsoeuer landes and substance before belonging and appertaining to the Christians and by the commandement of our predecessors were transposed to our reuenew and exchequer or els be in the possession of any Citie by meanes of the franchises of the same or els otherwise sold or geuen to any man all and euery parcell thereof we commaund shall be restored vnto the proper vse of the Christians againe whereby they may all haue in this matter more experience of our godly deuotion and prouidence Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 10. Maximinus thus being conquered of Licinius and also plagued wyth an incurable disease in the guts sent by the hande of God was compelled by torments and aduersitie to cōfesse the true God whom before he regarded not and to write thys Edicte in the fauour of those Christians whom before he did persecute Thus the Lord doth make many times hys enemyes be they neuer so sterne stout at length to stoupe mauger their harts to confesse him as this Maximinus here did who not long after by the vehemencie of his disease ended his life Whereby no mo tyrauntes nowe were left aliue to trouble the Church but onely Licinius Of which Licinius and of hys persecutions stirred vp in the East partes against the Saints of God now remaineth in order of story to prosecute This Licinius being a Dane borne and made first Caesar by Galerius as is aboue specified was afterward ioyned with Constantinus in gouernement of the Empyre and in setting foorth the Edicts which before we haue described although it seemeth all this to be done of him with a dissembling minde For so is he in all hystories described to be a man passing all other in desire of vnsatiable riches geuen to lechery hasty stubburne and furious To learning hee was such an enemie that he named the same a poyson and a common pestilence and especially the knowledge of the lawes Hee thought no vice worse became a Prince then learning because hee him selfe was vnlearned Eutropius Letus Ignatius Euseb. Lib. 8.
Images inuented of the Diuel the which all men that beleue on Christ ought of necessitie to forsake and detest least they should be an offence to those Iewes that were amongst the Gentiles For this cause dyd S. Paule Circumcise Timothie for this cause did hee sacrifice in the temple and did shaue his head with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth all which thinges were done to none other purpose then to eschue the offeÌ„ce of the Iewes Hereupon also said Iames to Paule thou seest brother howe many thousand Iewes do beleue all these be zealous notwithstanding of the law Yet seing the Gospell is so manyfestly preached in the worlde it is not lawfull for the faithfull to bee Circumcised neither to offer sacrifice oâ— carnall things to God Therefore Iohn according to the custome of the law the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening did begin the celebration of the feast of Easter nothing respecting whether it were relebrated in the Sabboth or in any other feriall day But Peter when hee preached at Rome remembring that the Lord did arise from death on the first day after the Sabboth giuing thereby an hope to the world of the resurrection thoughht good to institute Easter on the day not after the vse and precepts of the law that was the xiiij day of the first moneth Euen so Iohn looking for the Moone at night if it did arise the next day after were Sonday which was then called the Sabboth then did he celebrate the Easter of the Lord in the euening like as wee vse to do eueÌ„ at this day But if Sonday were not the next day after the xiiij day but fel on the xvi day or xvij or on any other day vnto the xxi he taried alwayes for it and did begin the holy solemnitie of Easter on the euening nexte before the sabboth And so came it to passe that Easter was alwaies kept on the Sonday and was not celebrated but from the xv day vnto the xxj Neither doth this tradition of the Apostle breake the law but fulfilled the same In the which it is to be noted that Easter was instituted froÌ„ the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening vnto the xxj day of the same moneth at euening the which manner all S. Iohns successours in Asia after his death did follow and the Catholike Church throughout the whole worlde And that this is the true Easter and onely of all Christians to be obserued it was not newly decred but confirmed by the Councell of Nice as appeareh by the Ecclesiasticall history Wherupon it is manifest that you Colman do neither folow the example of S. Iohn as ye thinke nor of S. Peter whose tradition you do willingly resist nor of the church nor yet of the gospel in the celebration of Easter For S. Iohn obseruing Easter according to the preceptes of the law kept it not on the first daye after the Sabboth But you precisely keepe it onely on the first day after the Sabboth Peter did celebrate Easter from the xv daye of the moone to the xxj day but you keepe Easter from the xiiij vnto the xx day so that you begin Easter oftentimes the xiij day at night of which maner neither the law nor the Gospell maketh any mention But the Lord in the xiiij day either did eate the olde passouer at night or els did celebrate the sacraments of the new Testament in the remeÌ„braunce of his death and passioÌ„ You doe also vtterly reiect from the celebration of Easter the xxj daye the whiche the law hath chiefly willed to be obserued And therfore as I saide in the keeping of Easter you neither agree wyth S. Iohn nor with Peter nor with the lawe nor yet with the Gospel Then Colman againe aunswered to these things saying Did then Anatholius a godly man and on much coÌ„mended in the foresaid Ecclesiasticall history agaynst the law the Gospell who writeth that the Easter was to be kept froÌ„ the xiiij day vnto the xx or shal we thinke that Columba our reuerend father and his successors being meÌ„ of God who obserued the Easter after this maner did against the holye Scripture where as some of them were men of such godlines and vertue as was declared by their wonderful miracles And I hereby nothing doubting of their holines do endenor to fallow their life order dyscipline Then saide Wilfride it is certaine that Anatholius was both a godly and a learned man and worthy of great commendation but what haue you to do with him seyng you obserue not his order For he following the true rule in keping his Easter obserueth the circle of xix yeares The which either you know not or if you do you coÌ„temne the common order obserued in the vniuersal church of Christ. And moreouer the saide Anatholius doth so count the xiiij day in the obseruation of Easter as he confesseth the same to â—e the xv day at night aâ—ter the maner of the EgiptiaÌ„s and likewise noteth the xx day to be in the feast of Easter the xxi in the euening the which distinctioÌ„ that you know not by this may appeare for that you keepe the Easter on the xiij daye before the full Moone Or otherwise I can aunswere you touching your father Columba and his successors whose order you say you follow moued therto by their miracles on this wise that the Lorde will aunswere to many that shall say in the day of iudgement that in his name they haue prophesied cast out deuils haue done many miracles c. that he neuer knew theÌ„ But God forbid that I should say so of your fathers bicause it is much beter to beleue wel of those we know not then ill WherevpoÌ„ I deny not but they were the seruaunts of God and holy men the which loued the Lord of a good inteÌ„t though of a rude simplicitie And I thinke that the order whiche they vsed in the Easter did not much hurt them so long as they had none amongst them that could shew theÌ„ the right obseruation of the same for them to follow For I thinke if the truth had beene declared vnto them they woulde as well haue receiued it in this mater as they did in others But you and your felowes if you refuse the order of the apostolicall sea or rather of the vniuersal Church which is confirmed by the holy scripture without al doubt you doe sinne and though your forefathers were holy meÌ„ * what is their fewnes being but a corner of an IlelaÌ„d to be preferred before the vniuersall Churche of Christ dyspersed throughout the whole world And if Columba your father ours also being of Christ were mighty in miracles is he therefore to bee preferred before the Prince of the holy Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuayle against it
counted for great holinesse Men therefore either to winne publique same with men or merites with God gaue themselues to lead a straite life thinking thereby the stranger their conuersation was and farther from the common trade of vulgar people the more perfect to be toward God and maÌ„ There was at that time and before that a monastery in France named Floriake after the order and rule of Benedict from the which Monasterie did spring a great part of our english moÌ„ks Who being there professed and afterward returning into England did coÌ„gregate men daily to theyr profession And so partly for strangenesse of theyr rule partly for outwarde holinesse of their strait life partly for the opinion of holinesse that many had of them were in great admiration not onely with the rude sort but with kinges and princes who founded their houses maintained their rules and enlarged them with possessions Among the which order of monks comming from Floriake especially was one Oswaldus first a monke of Floriake then bishop of Wirceter and of Yorke a great patrone and setter vp of monckery Touching the which Oswaldus William in his booke De pontific writing of his historie hath these woordes Familiaris per id temporis Anglis consuetudo fuit vt si qui boni afflati essent desiderio in beatissimi Benedicti monasterio caenobialem susciperet habituÌ„ a quo religionis huiusce manauit exordium c. That is It was a common custome at that time amoÌ„g English men that if any good men were well affected or minded toward religioÌ„ they went to the Monasterie of blessed S. Benedict in France and there receiued the habite of a Monke Wherupon the first origine of this religion began c. But of this Oswald bishop of Yorke and Dunstane bishop of Canterburie and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester howe they replenished diuers Monasteries Cathedral Churches with Monkes and howe they discharged maryed Priestes and Chanans out of their houses to plante in Monkes in their celles more shall be spoken by the grace of Christ heereafter Nowe let vs returne againe to the matter where we left of king Edmund who besides his noble victories against his enemies and recouering the Cities aboue expressed into his own haÌ„ds did also subdue the prouince of Cumberland And after he had put out the eyes of the two sonnes of Dunmail king of Cumberland he committed the gouernance therof to Malcolinus king of Scots vpon promise of his trustie seruice obedience when the king should stande in any neede of him In the time of this king Dunstane was not yet Archbi of Canterbury but onely Abbot of Glastenbury of whom many fabulous narrations passe among the wryters importing more vanity then verity Wherfore this is one of the first what time Edgarus called Pacificus was borne Dunstane being the same time Abbot of Glastenbury as the monkish fables dreame heard a voyce in the ayre of certaine Angels singing after this tenour and saying Nowe peace commeth to the church of England in the time of this child and of our Dunstane c. This I thought to recite that the christian reader might the better poÌ„der wyth himselfe the impudent and abhominable fictions of this Romish generation Out of the same mint also haue they forged how the sayd Dunstane should heare the aungels sing the Kyrieeleyson vsed to be song at euensong in the church Guliel de pontif lib. 1. Which is as true as that the Harpe hanging in a womans house played by it selfe the time of the Antheme called Gaudent in coelis c. What would not these deceiuers faine in matters something likely whych in thinges so absurde and so inconuenient shame not to lie and to forge so impudently also so manifestly Through the motion of this Dunstane King Edmund builded and furnished the monasterie of Glastenbury made the sayd Dunstane Abbot thereof Concerning the ende and death of this King sundrye opinions there be Alfridus and Marianus say that while this King Edmund endeuored hymselfe to saue his sewer from the daunger of his enemies which would haue slaine him at Pulcherchurch the king in parting of the fray was wounded and died shortly after But Guliel de Regibus lib. 2. sayeth that the king being at a feast at Pulcherchurch vpon the day of S. Augustine espied a fellon sitting in the hall named Leof whom he before for his fellony had exiled And leaping ouer the table did flie vpon him plucked the thiefe by the haire of the head to the ground In which doyng the fellon with a knife wounded the king to the death and also with the same knife wounded many other of the kings seruants and at length was all to hewen and died forthwith By the lawes of king Edmund ordeyned and set forth as well for the redresse of church matters as also of ciuile regiment it may appeare that the state both of causes temporal likewise spiritual appertained then to the kings right the false pretensed vsurpatioÌ„ of the bishop of Rome notwithstanding as by these lawes is to be seene where he by the aduise of his lordes and bishops did enact determine concerning the chastitie pure life of ecclesiastical ministers and such as were in the orders of the Church with the penalties also for them which transgressed the same Item for tithes to be payd of euery christian man and for the church fees and alme fees c. Item for deflouring of womeÌ„ professed which we call Nunnes c. Item for euery bishop to see his churches repaired of his owne proper charge and boldly to admonish the king whether the houses of God were well maintayned c. Item for flying into the church for sanctuary c. Item concerning cases and determinations spousall or matrimoniall c. All which constitutions declare what interest kings had in those days in matters as wel ecclesiastical as other within their dominion and that not only in disposing the ordinances and rites such as appertained to the institutioÌ„ of the church but also in placing and setting Bishops in their sens c. In the tyme of this Edmund was Ulstanus Archb. of Yorke and Odo Archbishop of Canterbury which Odo beyng a Daâ—e borne as is before touched was promoted to that sea by king Ethelstane for that as they say hee being first bishop of Witone present with kyng Ethelstane in the field against Analafus before mentioned what time the said Ethelstane had lost his sword he thorough his intercession vp to heauen did see a sworde from heauen come downe into the sheath of the kyng Whereof relation beyng made to the kyng by the foresayd Byshop Ethelstane vpon the same was so affected toward Odo that not onely he counted him for a Patrone of his life but also made him Primate of Canterbury after the decease of Ulfelmus This Odo was the first from the commyng of the Saxons till his
horrible for the which we are all worthy to be burned alyue meanyng of the Sacrament of the body of Christ which Sacrament Hildebrand when he thereof inquired a diuine aunswer agaynst the Emperour and would not speake threw into the fire and burned it contrary to the perswasion of the Cardinals that were present and would haue resisted the same In the second holy day in the Easter weeke when the clergy the people were assembled at S. Peters Church to heare masse after the Gospell he went vp into the pulpit as he was in his pontificall attire and in the presence of diuers bishops Cardinals a great company both of the Senate and the people of Rome beyng gathered together openly preached among manye other wordes of diuination that the kyng whose name was Henry should die without all peraduenture before the feast of S. Peter next ensuyng or els at least wise that he should bee so deiected from his kingdome that he should not be able any more to gather together aboue the number of vj. knights This he preached to the bishops and cardinals and all that were present crying out of the pulpit in these wordes Neuer accept me for Pope any more but plucke me from the aulter if this prophesie be not fulfilled by the day appointed About the same tyme he went about by helpe of priuy murtherers to kill the Emperour but God preserued him And many there were eueÌ„ at that tyme which thoght Pope Hildebrand to be guiltie and to bee the deuiser of the treason because that then he before the deed put in execution presumed of the death of the kyng beyng by him falsly prophesied of before which wordes of his wounded many mens hartes And it came to passe that Hildebrand by his wordes was openly condemned in the congregation which as is sayd gaue iudgement of himselfe to be no Pope neither that he would be counted for Pope any longer but thought to be both a belyer and a traitour vnlesss that before the feast of S. Peter next comming the Emperour should dye or els should bee depriued of all kingly honour In so much he should not be able to make aboue 6. knights on his part And thus by the appoyntmeÌ„t of God it came to passe that by his owne mouth he was condemned for an heretike Thus sayth the Lord The prophet which of arrogancie will prophesie in my name those things I haue not commauÌ„ded him or els will prophesie in the name of other Gods let him be slaine And if thou shall say with thy selfe how shall I know what thyng it is that the Lord hath not commaunded to be spoken This token shalt thou haue to know it by Whatsoeuer thing the Prophet in the name of God shal prophesie the same come not to passe that mayest thou be sure the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath imagined through the hautinesse of his owne mynde therfore thou shalt not be afrayd of him When the tyme was expired that Hildebrand in his diuination had set and that neither the king was dead neither the power of the Empire empayred and fearing least by the wordes of hys owne mouth he should be reprehended and condemned subtleâ—y turned his tale saying and perswading the ignorant people that he ment not of the body of the king but of his soule as though the soule of the king had lost all sauing 6. of his knights or souldiours or els had bene dead during that space and thus by these sleights he beguiled the ignorant people Against such Prophets S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel sayeth Betwene true Prophetes and false this difference there is that true Prophets if they speake any thing vpon their owne mynd they be soone rebuked but the false prophets both they tell lies and not hauyng the spirite of truth they perseuere in their falsitie Ouer and beside the sayd Hildebrand iudged to death 3. men before they were conuict or els confessed their crime wythout the sentence of any secular iudge and caused them to bee hanged vpon a paire of gallowes ouer against the Church of S. Peter in a place called Palatiolum without any delay or aduisement contrary to the lawes which commaund that euery publike offender should haue 30. dayes space before he be put to execution Which thing euen amongst the Paganes is in vre and obserued as teacheth the authoritie of S. Ambrose and the Martyrdome of holy Marcelianus and Marcus He cast Centius the sonne of Stephen the Alderman into prison beyng before his trusty friend and in a vessell being thick set with sharpe nayles he tormented him to the poynt of death who after that he was escaped apprehended the sayd Hildebrand Of this apprehension before he was let at liberty he openly forgaue all the conspiratours Which thing afterwardes contrary to his fidelitie he brake and reuenged caused Centius to whome he had forgeuen all offences to be taken and hanged him 9. of his men vpon the gallowes before S. Peters porch There was at the apprehension of Pope Hildebrand a certain widowes sonne to whom and others moe for their penaunce he enioyned a yeares banishment Which tyme beyng explete or run out the widow in tokeÌ„ of more ample satisfaction thinking therby to haue appeased the mynd of Hildebrand put a halter about her sonnes necke and drawyng her sonne by the rope to the foot of Hildebrand sayd My Lord Pope at your hands will I receaue agayne my sonne which one whole yeare hath endured banishment and other penaunce by your holynesse enioyned Then the sayd Hildebrand for that instant because of those which were with him in company dissembling his wrath deliuered her her sonne very churlishly saying get thee hence woman I bid thee and let me be in rest After this he sent his officers appreheÌ„ded the widowes sonne and gaue commaundement to the Iustices to put him to death who altogether makyng aunswer sayd that they could no more condemne or meddle with him for that hee had for his crime committed appealed once to the Pope abidden the banishment and done the penaunce by him enioyned Hereupon this glorious Hildebrand beyng displeased wyth the Iudges caused the foote of the widowes sonne to be cut off makyng neyther repentaunce nor the lawes and ordinaunces to be of any estimation with hym And thus his foote beyng cut off he dyed within three dayes after with the payne thereof Many other wicked deedes did this Hildebrand vpon whom the bloud of the church cryeth vengeance shed by the sworde that is the miserable trecherie of his tong For which things and that iustly the church refused to communicate with him Haec Benno An other Epistle of Benno to the Cardinals TO the reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome and to hys beloued in Christ and to his brethren that shall for euer be beloued Benno the Cardinall of the Churche of Rome wisheth faythfull seruice
Aquitania and afterward a Frier This Hadrianus walking with his cardinals abroad to a place called Anagnia or Arignanum as Volateran calleth it chaunced to be choked with a flie getting into his throte and so was strangled who in the latter tyme of his papacie was woont to say that there is no more miserable kynd of lyfe in the earth then to bee a Pope and to come to the papacie by bloud that is said he not to succeed Peter but rather Romulus who to raigne alone did slay his brother Although this Adrian was bad enough yet came the next much worse one Alexander the 3. of that name Who yet was not elected alone for beside him the Emperor with 9. Cardinals albeit Sabellicus saith but with 3. did set vp another Pope named Victor the 4. Betwene these two Popes rose a soule schisme and great discord and long cōtinued In so much that the Emperour being required to take vp the matter sent for them both to appeare before him that in hearing them both he might iudge theyr cause the better Victor came but Alexander disdaming that his matter should come in controuersie refused to appeare Whereupon the Emperour with a full consent of his Bishops and clergy about him assigned and ratified the election of Victor to stand and so brought him into the Citie there to be receiued placed Alexander flying into Frāce accused them both sending his letters to all christendom against them as men to be auoided and cast out of all christian company Also to get him frendes at Rome by flattery and mony got on his side the greatest part of the Citie both to the fauouring of him and to the setting vp of such Consuls as were for his purpose After this Alexander comming from France to Sicile and frō thence to Rome was there receiued with much fauour thorough the helpe of Phillip the French king The Emperour hearing this rebellion and conspiracie in Rome remooued with great power into Italy where he had destroyed diuers great cities Comming at length to Rome he required the Citizens that the cause betwixt the two Popes might bee decided and that he which had the best right might be takē If they would so do he would restore agayne that which he tooke from them before Alexander mistrusting his part and doubtyng the willes of the Citizens hauing shippes ready prepared for hym from William Duke of Apulia fetcht a course about to Venice To declare here the difference in histories betweene Blondus Sabellicus and the Venetian chronicles with other writers concerning the order of this matter I will ouerpasse In this most do agree that the Pope beyng at Venice and required to be sent of the Venetians to the Emperour they would not send him Wherupon Fridericus the Emperour sent thither his sonne Otho with men and ships well apointed charging him not to attēpt any thing before his comming The yong man more hardy then circumspect ioyning with the Venetians was ouercome so taken was brought into the city Hereby the Pope toke no small occasion to worke his feates The father to helpe the captiuitie and miserye of hys sonne was compelled to submit hymselfe to the Pope and to intreat for peace So the Emperour commyng to Venice at S. Markes Church where the bishop was there to take hys absolution was bidde to kneele downe at the Popes feete Pope Alexander treading on the necke of Fredericke the Emperour Here as I note in diuers writers a great diuersitie and varietie touching the order of this matter of whome some say that the Emperour campt in Palestina before he came to Venice some say after so I meruell to see in Volaterane so great a fauourer of the pope such a contradiction who in his 22. book saith the Otto the Emperours sonne was taken in this conflict which was the cause of the peace betweene his father and the pope And in his 23. booke agayne saith that the Emperour himselfe was taken prisoner in the same battayle so afterward peace concluded tooke his iorney to Alia Palestina This P. in the time of his papacie whiche continued 21. yeares kept sundry councels both at Turo at Lateran where he confirmed the wicked proceedings of Hildebrand and other his predecessors As to binde all orders of the clergy to the vowe of chastitie which were not greatly to be reprehended if they would define chastitie aright For who so liueth not a chaste lyfe sayth he is no fit person to be a minister But herein lyeth an error full of much blindnes and also peril to thinke that matrimony immaculate as S. Paul calleth it is not chastitie but onely a single life that they esteeme to be a chaste life Now forasmuch as our english pope holy martyr called Thomas Becket happened also in the same tyme of this pope Alexander let vs somewhat also story of him so far as the matter shall seeme worthy of knowledge and to stand with truth To the end that the truth thereof being sifted from all flattery and lyes of such popishe writers as paynt out his story men may the better iudge both of hym what he was and also of hys cause The life and history of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury IF the cause make a Martyr as is sayd I see not why we should esteeme Tho. Becket to dye a martyr more then any other whome the Princes sword doth here temporally punish for their temporall desertes To dye for the Church I graunt is a glorious matter But the Church as it is a spirituall and not a temporal Church so it standeth vpon causes spirituall and vpon an heauenly foundation as vpon sayth religion true doctrine sincere discipline obedience to Gods cōmandements And not vpō things pertaining to this world as possessions liberties exemptions priuileges dignities patrimonies and superiorities If these be geuen to the Churche I pray God churchmen may vse them wel but if they be not geuen the church cannot clayme thē or if they be takē away that stadeth in the princes power To contend to Princes for the same it is no matter in my minde materiall to make a martyr but rather a rebellion agaynst them to whom we owe subiection Therfore as I suppose Tho. Becket to be far frō the cause and title of a Martyr neyther can he be excused from a playne rebell against his prince so yet would I haue wished agayne the lawe rather publikely to haue found out his fault then the swords of men not biddē not sent to haue smitten him hauing no speciall commandement neyther of the prince nor of the lawe so to doe For though the indignation of the Prince as the wise Prince sayth is death yet it is not for euery priuate persō straghtwayes to reuenge the secret indignation of his Prince except he be publikely authorised thereunto And thus had bene as I suppose the better way the lawes first to haue executed
them And thus much concerning Fulco Not long after this it befell that a certaine noble personage Lord of Lemonice in litle Britaine Widomarus by name found a great substance of treasure both of golde and siluer hid in the ground wherof a great part he sent to king Richard as chiefe Lorde and Prince ouer the whole countrey Which the king refused saying he would either haue all or none for that he was the principall chiefetaine ouer the land But the finder woulde not condescende to that Wherefore the king laide siege to a Castell of hys called Galuz thinking the treasure to lie there But the keepers and warders of the Castel seeing themselues not sufficient to withstand the king offered to him the castell desiring to depart with life and armour To this the king woulde in no wise graunt but bid them to reenter the castell againe and to defende it in all the forceable wise they coulde It so befell that as the King with the Duke of Brabant went about the castel vewing the places therof a souldiour wythin named Bertandus Cordoun stroke the king with an arrow in the arme whereupon the yron remaining and festering in the wound the king within 9. daies after died who because he was not content with the halfe of the treasure that another man founde lost all his own treasure that he had The king being thus wounded caused the man that stroke him to be brought vnto him and asked the cause of him why he so wounded him Who answered againe as the storie sayeth that he thought to kill rather then to be killed And what punishment soeuer he should susteine he was cōtent so that he might kil him which had before killed his father and brethren The king hearing his words frely forgaue him and caused an hundreth shillings to be geuē him Albeit as the story addeth after the death of the king the duke of Brabāce after great torments caused hym to be hāged Ex historia Regis Richardi 2. cui initium De patre istius Bruti c. The storie of Gisburne sayeth that the killer of king Richarde comming to the French king thinking to haue a great rewarde was commanded to be drawen a sonder with horse and his quarters to be hanged vp An other story affirmeth and Gisburn partly doth testifie the same that a litle before the death of K. Richarde 3. Abbotes of the order Cistercian came to him to whome he was confessed And when he sawe them somewhat stay at his absolution had these wordes that he did willingly commit his body to the earth to be eaten of wormes and his soule to the fire of Purgatory there to be tormented til the iudgement in the hope of God his mercy Ex Iornalens Gisburn alijs About the raigne of this king the sayd Iornalensis maketh mention of Roger archbish of Yorke which put out of his Churche the Monkes and placed for them seculare Priests saying that he woulde rather with Ecclesiasticall benefices to be geuen to wanton Priests then to abhominable Monkes that Thurstinus did sinne neuer worse in al his life then in building that house for monks c. Another story I haue which sayth that this was the Byshop not of Yorke but of Couentrie The king not long after departed without issue and Iohn his brother reigned after him in whome although some vices may worthely be reprehēded especially for his incontinent and too much licentious life yet was he farre from that deseruing for the which he hath bene so il reported of diuers wryters who being led more with affection of Poperie then with true iudgement and due consideration depraued his doings more then the sincere trueth of the historie will beare them Concerning which historie after so many wryters we thought also to bestowe a little labour although in this matter we can not be so long as I would and as the matter requireth Kyng Iohn AFter the death of king Richarde called Coeur de Lyon reigned his brother Iohn Earle of Morton Afterward the Archbyshop put the crowne on his head and sware him to defend the churche and to maintaine the same in her good lawes and to destroy the euil And except he thought not in his minde to do this the Archb. charged him not to presume to take on him this dignitie And on Saint Iohn Baptists day next following king Iohn failed into Normandy came to Roan where he was royally receiued and truce concluded betweene him the French king for a time And thether came to him the Earle of Flaunders and all other Lords of Fraunce that were of K. Richards band and frendship and were sworne vnto him Not long after this Philip the French king made Arthur Knight and tooke his homage for Normandie Britaine and al other his possessions beyond the sea and promised him helpe against K. Iohn After this King Iohn and the French king talked together wyth theyr Lordes about one houres space And the Frenche King asked so much land for himself and knight Arthur that king Iohn would graunt him none and so departed in wrath The same yeare a legate came into Fraunce and commaunded the King in paine of interdiction to deliuer one Peter out of prison that was elect to a Bishoppricke and thereupon he was deliuered And after that the Legate came into England commaunded K. Iohn vnder paine of interdiction to deliuer the Archb. which he had kept as prisoner 2. yeares which the King denied to do till he had payd him 6000. markes Because he tooke him in harnes in a field against him and sware him vpon his deliuerance that he should neuer weare harnesse against any Christen man This time diuorce was made betweene K. Iohn and his wife daughter of the Earle of Glocester because they were in the iii. degree of kinred And after by the counsell of the French king King Iohn wedded Isabel daughter of the Earle of Anguilla and then Arthur of Britaine did homage to king Iohn for Britaine and other At this time fell strife betwene K. Iohn and Geoffrey the Archbishop of Yorke for diuers causes first because he would not suffer and permit the Sheriffe of Yorke in such affaires as he had to do for the King within his Diocesse Secondly because hee did also excommunicate the sayde sheriffe Thirdly because he would not saile with him into Normandie to make the mariage betwene Lewes the French kings sonne and his niece c. After this in the yeare of our Lorde 1202. Phillip the French king in a communication betwene K. Iohn and him required that the saide K. Iohn should depart with all his landes in Normandy and Pictauia which he had beyond the sea vnto Arthur his nephew and that incontinent or els he would warre against him and so did For when king Iohn denied that request the next day folowing the French king with the sayde Arthur
not dissemble this hys mischieuous fact nor content himselfe therewith but that he would deuise and practise yet an other For by reason of those sclaunders whiche a little before I touched of the death and slaughter of hys wife Iola he incited Iohn Brennus his father in laws to make warre agaynst hym who caused the subiectes of his Empire to withdraw from him their allegeance as also the inhabitants of Picenum inhabitantes of Lumberdy And thus ioyning themselues together craued farther ayd of the Frenche king whereby they made a great power That done they deuided theyr host in two armies inuading with the one the Empire with the other the proper territories and ditions belonging in the inheritaunce of Fredericke Iohn Brennus and Pandolphe Sauellanus leading the one as Generals into Campania and the kingdome of Naples and the other with Iohn Columna Cardinals his Legat and that Thomas before conuicted of treason being his Liefetenantes he sendeth into Picenum Of this treason of the Pope agaynst Fredericus both also Mat. Paris make mention during hys warres in Asia Who sayth he purposed to haue deposed him and to haue placed alium quem libet filium pacis obedientiae loco eius subrogare that is any other he cared not whom so that he were the childe of peace and obedience in hys steede And for the more certaintie thereof the said Mat. Paris pag. 71. repeateth the letter which a certayne Earle of Siria wrote vnto him concerning the same which letter here vnder insueth word for word To the high and mighty Prince Fredericus by the grace of God Emperour of Rome and euer Augustus and most puissant king of Sicilia Thomas Earle of Actran his faythfull and trusty subiect in all thing humble salutation After your departure most excellent Prince Gregory the Byshop of Rome publique enemy to your magnificeÌ„ce gathering together a great power host of men By Iohannes Brennius late king of Ierusalem and other stout captaynes whome he hath made generals of the same hys host As a foreigne enemy inuading your dominions and possessions of your highnes subiectes agaynst the lawe of Christianitie hath purposed and determined to vanquish and subdue you with the materiall or temporall sworde whome he cannot maister and ouercome with the spirituall sworde he sayth For the foresayd Iohn Brennus gathering out of Fraunce and other prouinces heare adioyning a great armye geueth vnto them of the treasure he hath gotten by what meanes together I cannot tell great wages in hope to recouer and get from you the Empire And furthermore the same Iohn and others the captaynes of the see Apostolicall inuading your land burne and destroy all as they goe driuing away and taking for their booties all that they can come by as well cattell as other thinges And such as they take prisoners they constrayne by inflicting them with grieuous punishementes to raunsome themselues for great summes of money neither spare they man woman nor childe but take and keepe your townes and castles hauing no regarde that you be in the seruice of Iesus Christ. And further if any make mention of your maiesty vnto him he sayth there is none other Emperour but himselfe Your friends and subiectes most excellent Prince much maruell hereupon yea and also the Clergy themselues of the Empire doe maruell with what coÌ„science or vpon what consideration the Bishop of Rome can doe the same making such bloudy warres and slaughter vpon Christian men especially seeing that Christ commaunded Peter when he stroke with the materiall sworde to put vp the same into the scabbard saying all that strike with the sword shall perish with the sword Or els by what lawe he dayly can excommunicate such pirates burners of mens houses and robbers when he himselfe is the patron and mayntayner of suche himselfe hereat they greatly muse and maruell Wherefore most mighty and renowmed Emperour I beseeche your highnes to coÌ„sider your owne safety for that the sayd Iohn Brennus hath layde and fortifie all the portes and hauens with no small company of men and souldiours that if not knowing therof your grace shold ariue in any of them the same garisons of his shoulde apprehend and take you as a prisoner whiche thing to chaunce GOD forefend Thus whilest the host of this hostile enemy the Pope was encamped in the dominioÌ„s of Fridericke he receaued the letters which Fridericke by his Legates sent into Europa as you heard wherby he vnderstood the good successe he had in Asia Who not onely tooke no delecration at all therin but was also in a vehement perturbatioÌ„ therwith wherby manifestly it may appeare what was the cause meaning of the Pope that he was so solicitous vrgent to haue Fredericke the Emperour make a voiage into Asia Doubtlesse euen the same that Pelias had wheÌ„ by hys instigation he procured Iason with all the chosen youth and floure of Grecia to sayle into Colchus to fetch awaye the golden flease and that by the oportunitie of his absence he might vse or rather abuse hys power tyranny And that Fridericke might either be long afflicted molested in the Asian warre or that he might perish and lose his life therin was that he sought and all that he desired And when he saw that fortune neither fauored his fetthes nor serued to his loÌ„ging lust he was as a man berest of his wits specially at these tidings of the prosperous successe of the Emperour He tare and threw his letters on the ground and with all opprobrious words rebuked reuised the Legates for the Emperor their masters sake which thing also BloÌ„dus himselfe denieth not although he write altogether in the fauour of the Pope And to the intent that he might couer this his rage and vnbridled fury with some cloke colour of iust deserued dolour He fayned him selfe therefore so much to mislike therwith as though the Emperour therein had onely respected his owne priuate coÌ„moditie not regarding the vtilitie of the Christians for yâ— the Saracens had licence although without armour weapoÌ„ to haue repayre vnto the sepulcher of Christ had left for theÌ„ somewhat neare the same an hosterie or lodging place For which occasion sayth Blondus his Lord Pope rebuked the Emperours Legates by the name of traytors and such like other opprobrious wordes Now go to frend Blondus by what strong argumentes proue you your Lord Pope that the peace which the Emperour hath concluded to be either against the Christian common wealth or that the Emperour was a traytour But who is it that seeth not these thinges either by reading of old and ancient writers or els partly by me that haue gathered collected the same out of diuers monuments and historyes plainly perceaueth not the conspâ—racies treasons of your good Lord the Pope so notable and filthy as also hys manâ—est shame and infamie What there be diuers that write how the Pope commaunded
and bridle him withall that peace thereby and loue might dwell vppon the face of the earth But alas the B. of Rome sitting in the chaire of peruerse doctrine or pestilence that Pharisee anoynted wyth the oyle of iniquitie aboue the rest of his consortes in this our time which for his abhominable pride is fallen from heauen indeuoureth with his power to destroy and vndoe all and thinketh I beleeue to stellifie againe himselfe there from whence hee fell Hys purpose is to darken and to shadowe the light of our vnspotted life whilest that altering the veritie into lies his Papall letters stuft with all vntruthes are sent into sondry partes of the world of his owne corrupt humor and vpon no reasonable cause blemishing the sinceritie of our Religion The Lord Pope hath compared vs vnto the beast rising out of the sea full of names of blasphemy and spotted like a Lyberd But we say that he is that mōstrous beast of whom it is sayd and of whome we thus read And there shall come an other red horse out of the sea and hee that shall sit on him shall take peace away out of the earth let them therefore that dwell vpon the earth destroy him For since the tyme of hys promotiō he hath not ben the father of mercy but of discord A dilligent steward of desolation in stead of consolation and hath intised all the worlde to commit offence And to take the wordes in right sense and interpretation he is that great Dragon that dath deceiued the whole worlde hee is that Antichrist of whom he hath called vs the forerunner he is that other Balaam hired for money to curse vs the Prince of darcknes which hath abused the Prophetes This is the Aungel leaping out of the sea hauing his Phials fild with bitternes that he may both hurt the sea and the lande the counterfait Vicar of Christ that setteth forth hys owne imaginations He sayth that we doe not rightly beleue in the Christen fayth and that the world is deceiued with three maner of deceiuers which to name God forbid we should open our mouth seeing that openly we cōfesse onely Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour to be the euerlasting sonne of God coequall with hys father and the holy Ghost begotten before all worldes and in processe of tyme sent downe vpon the earth for the saluation of mankinde Conceaued not by the seede of man but by the holy Ghost which was borne of the glorious virgin Mary after that suffered and dyed as touching the flesh and by hys Godhead the third day he raysed from death that other nature which he assumpted in the wombe of his mother But we haue learned that the body of Machomet hangeth in the ayre and that his soule is buryed in hell whose works are damnable contrary to the law of the most highest We affirme also that Moyses was the faythfull seruant of God and a true teacher of the law and that he talked with God in mount Sinay vnto whō the Lord sayd Rubrum c. By whō also God wrought miracles in Egipt and deliuered the law written to the Israelites that afterwards with the elect he was called to glory In these and other thinges our enemy and enuier of our state causing our mother the church to accuse her sonne hath written agaynst vs venemous and lying sclaunder and sent the same to the whole worlde If hee had rightly vnderstoode the Apostles meaning he woulde not haue preferred his violent will before reason which beareth such sway with him neither would he haue sēt out his Mandates to the suggestion of those which call light darcknes and euill good whiche suspect hony to be gall for the great good opinion they haue cōceaued of that holy place which in deed is both weak infirm cōuerteth al truth into falshood affirmeth that to be that is not Truly my opinion so indifferent on euery side ought not in any case to be infringed and auerted from the fayth to such enemies of so corrupt a conscience Wherefore we greatly are inforced not a little to meruaile which thing also doth much disquyet vs to see that you which be the pillers and assistentes in office of righteous dealing the Senators of Peters Citie and the principal beames in Gods building haue not quallified the perturbation of so fierce a Iudge as doth the planets of heauē in their kynd which to mittigate the passing swift course of the great orbe or sphere of heauen draw a contrary way by theyr opposite mouinges In very deed our Imperial felicitie hath bene almost euen from the beginning spurned agaynst and enueied at of the papall see and dignitie As Simonides being demanded why he had no mo enemies and enuiers of hys state answered and sayd quia nibil falsciter gessi for because sayth he I haue had no good successe in any thing that euer I tooke in hand And so for that we haue had prosperous successe in all our enterprises the Lordes name be blessed therefore especially in the ouerthrow of late of our rebellious enemies the Lombardes to whom in their good quarrell he promised life and absolution and remission of their sinnes is the cause wherefore this Apostolicall bishop mourneth and lamenteth And now not by your councels I suppose he laboureth to impugne this our felicitie but of hys owne power of bynding losing wherof he glorieth so much he impugneth it But presently where power and habilitie wanteth to redresse there doth abuse take place We see in hym which was so mighty a king and the worthiest prince amongst all the Prophetes to desire craue the restitution of Gods holy spirit when he had polluted the dignitie of hys office But the prouerbe is Vti indissolubilia non solnuntur ita inligabilia non ligantur As thinges indissoluble are not to be losed so thinges that cannot be bound are not to be bound Which thing manifestly is proued in him For why the scriptures of God doe instruct men how to liue they mortifie our soules whiche are immortall and quicken the same whiche are dead for want of lyfe And doubtles he is able to humble and bring downe those that are vnworthy of dignitie as much as him pleaseth and when him pleaseth Doubtlesse if the Byshop of Rome were a true Byshop indeed innocent impolute and not associate with wicked liuers and euill men his life should declare him so to be He would not then be an offerer of dissentious sacrifice but a peaceable offerer of loue charity would cense not with the incense of griefe hatred but with the sweet smelling incense of concord and vnity neither yet would alter suum pontificium in maleficium That is make of a sanctified office an execrable abuse If he were such a Byshoppe as he ought to be he would not wrest or abuse the preaching of the word into the fruite and gayne of his owne dissention neither
subiect vnder one Adding furthermore that the kingdome of Scotland first was conuerted by the reliques of the blessed Apostle S. Peter through the deuine operation of God to the vnity of the Catholicke fayth Wherefore vpon these causes and reasons Pope Boniface in hys letters to the king required him to geue ouer hys clayme and cease his warres agaynst the Scottish nation And to release all such both of the spiritualtie and laytie as he had of them prisoners Also to call home agayne his officers and deputies whiche he had there placed and ordained to the greauance of that nation to the sclaunder of all faythfull people and no lesse preiudice to the Church of Rome And if he would clayme any right or title to the said Realme or any part therof he should send vp his procuratours specially to the same appoynted with all that he could for himselfe alleadge vnto the sea Apostolicke there to receaue what reason and right would require The king after he had receaued these letters of the Pope assembled a councell or Parliament at Lincolne by the aduise of which counsell Parliament he addressed other letters responsall to the Pope agaynes wherein first in al reuerend maner he desireth him not to geue light care to the sinister suggestions of false reportes and imaginers of mischiefe Then he declareth out of old recordes histories frō the first time of the Brittaynes that the realm of Scotland hath alwayes from time to time bene all one to England beginning first with Brutus in the tyme of Dely and Samuell the Prophet which Brutus comming frō Troy to his I le called then Albion after called by hym Britannia had three sonnes Locrinus to whome he gaue the part of the land called then of hym Loegria now Auglia Albanactus his second sonne to whom he gaue Albania nowe called Scotia and hys thyrd sonne Lamber to whome he gaue Cambria now called Wales c. And thus much concerning the first deuision of this I le as in auncient histories is found recorded In whiche matter passing ouer the death of king Humber the actes of Dunwald king of this Realme the deuision of Belyn and Brene the victories of king Arthur we will resort sayth the king to more nearer tymes testified and witnessed by sufficient authors as Marianus Scotus William Malmesbury Roger Abyndon Henry Huntington Radulph de Bizoto and other All which make special declaration geue manifest euidence of the execution of this our right sayth he title of Superioritie euer continued preseued hetherto And first to begin with Edward the Seniour before the conquest sonne to Alurede kyng of England about the yeare of our Lord. 900. it is playne and manifest that he had vnder hys dominion and obedience the king of Scots And here is to be noted that this matter was so notorious and manifest as Maryan the Scot writing that story in those dayes graunteth confesseth and testifieth the same and this dominion continued in that state 23. yeare At whiche tyme Athelstane succeeded in the crowne of England and hauing by battaile cōquered Scotland he made one Constantine king of that party to rule gouerne the country of Scotland vnder him adding this princely word That it was more honour to him to make a king then to be a king 24. yeares after that whiche was the yeare of our Lord 947. Eldred king our progenitour Athelstanus brother took homage of Irise then king of Scots 30. yeares after that whiche was the yeare of our Lorde 977. kyng Edgar our predecessour tooke homage of Kynalde king of Scots Here was a little trouble in England by the death of S Edward kyng and martyr destroyed by the deceite of hys mother in law but yet within memory 40. yeares after the homage done by Kynald to King Edgar that is to say in the yeare of our Lord. 1017. Malcoline the king of Scots did homage to Knute our predecessour After this homage done The Scots vttered some peece of theyr naturall disposition whereupon by warre made by our progenitour S. Edward the confessour 39. yeare after that homage done that is to saye the yeare of our Lord. 1056 Malcoline king of Scots was vanquished and the realme of Scotland geuen to Malcoline his sonne by our sayd progenitour S. Edward vnto whom the sayd Malcoline made homage and fealty Within 40. yeares after that William Conquerour entred this realme whereof he accompted no perfect conquest vntill he had likewise subdued the Scots and therfore in the sayd yeare which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1068 the sayde Malcoline King of Scots did homage to the sayd William Conquerour as hys superiour by Conquest king of England 25. yeares after that which was the yeare of our Lord. 1093. the sayd Malcoline did homage fealty to William Rufus sonne to the sayd William Conquerour and yet after that was for his offences and demerites deposed and hys sonne substitute in hys place who likewise fayled in his duety and therfore was ordained in that estate by the sayd William Rufus Edgar brother to the last Malcoline and sonne to the first who did hys homage and fealty accordingly 7. yeares after that which was in the yeare of our Lorde 1100. the sayd Edgar king of the Scots did homage to Henry the first our progenitour 37 yeare after that Dauid king of Scots did homage to Matilde the Emperatrice as daughter and heyre to Henry the first Wherefore being after required by Stephen then obtayning possession of the Realme to make his homage he refused so to doe because he had before made it to the sayd Matilde and thereupon forbare After whiche Dauids death whiche ensued shortly after the sonne of the sayde Dauid made homage to the sayde Kyng Stephen 14. yeares after that whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 1150. William king of Scots and Dauid hys brother with all the nobles of Scotland made homage to Henry the second sonne with a reseruation of their duetye to Henry the second hys Father 25 yeares after that which was in the yeare of our Lorde 1175. William kyng of Scotland after much rebellion and resistaunce according to their naturall inclination King Henry the second then beyng in Normandy knowledged finally his errour and made hys peace and composition confimed with hys great Seale and the Seales of the nobilitie of Scotland making therewith his homage and fealtie Within 15. yeares after that which wat the yeare of our Lorde 1190 the sayd William king of Scots came to our Citty of Caunterbury and there dyd homage to our noble progenitour Kyng Richard the first 1124. yeares after that the said William did Homage to our progenitour king Iohn vpon a hill besides Lincolne making his othe vpon the Crosse of Hubert then Archbishop of Canterbury being there present and a merueilous multitude assembled for that purpose 26. yeare after that whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 1230. Alexander king of Scots maryed
cōdemned by the Byshop of Paris and reproued by the maisters of diuinitie and burned openly by Boniface himself and in the full consistorie of Cardinals being likewise reprooued condemned and burned yet hee allowed it being wrytten againe and containing the same fault 6. Item that he might make the most damnable remembraunce of him perpetuall he caused his Images of siluer to be set in the Churche by this meanes bringing men to Idolatrie 7. Item he hath a priuate deuill whose counsell he vseth in all things and through all things 8. Item he said once that if all men were on one side and he on another they coulde not deceiue him neither in lawe nor in deede which thing could not be done except he vsed a deuilish ar◠and of this he is openly thus reported 9. Item he is a witch asking counsell at soothsayers both men and women and thus he is commonly iudged 10. Item he sayd openly that the Romish pope could not commit simonie which is hereticall to say This is a sinne reprooued aswell in the old Testament as in the new and generally in the holy Councels Also hee is wont to make marchaundise of prelates liuings dignities superiorities and benefices to the which holy orders be necessarely ioyned and of absolutions and dispensations like as vsurers and merchaunts vse to buy and sell common things in the market and of this the common bruit reportes him 11. Item hee letteth with all his might among Christian men the speciall Embassade of Christ made to hys owne sonnes saying Peace I leaue to you soweth discord and warres Wherefore ones it was sayde afore him that certaine parties would freindly agree after a good sort but he letted the peace and when the other parte did humbly beseech him that he would geue licence to agree he sayde he woulde not Yea if the sonne of God or Peter the Apostle would come downe into the earth and commaund him he would say I will not beleeue thee 12. Item because the French nation being manifestly a most Christian nation followeth not hys errours in the faith he reckeneth and openly calleth al and euery of them Paterniani 13. Item he is infect with sodomiticall sinne keping with him boyes for cōcubines and of this fault he is most commonly and openly reported 14. Item he hath caused many murthers of Clearkes to be done in his presence commending it reioysing at their death and if they were not deadly wounded at the first by his seruant◠as oft as he law them smiting he saide smite smite by which example many were slaine 15. Item when he had condemned a certaine noble man he forbad the Sacrament to be geuen him at the poynt of death desiring it and being penitent saying that the Sacrament of penaunce was not necessary to saluation 16. Item he cōpelled certaine Priestes to shew vnto him the confessions of men and hee published them openly afterwarde contrary to the will of them that were confessed to their shame confusion and compelled them to redeme their sinnes In so much that ones hee deposed a certaine bishop of Spayne for the faultes that he confessed to a certaine Cardinal confessing vnto him a certaine priuy horrible fault vnder Benedicite and compelled the Cardinall against his will to declare his confession and yet afterward he restored the same Bishop againe to his place for a little money Wherfore he is thought to play the hereticke in the Sacrament of penance 15. Item he fasteth not on the fasting dayes nor Lent but eateth flesh indifferently without cause suffreth his houshold and frends to eat saying it is no sinne Doing in this thing against the generall state of the holy church 16. Item he oppressed the order of the Cardinals and hath oppressed the order of blacke white monks of gray Friers preachers and said oft that the world was destroyed by them that they were false hypocrites and that neuer good could chance to any that would be confessed to them or would be familiar with them or would keepe them in their house and he neuer sayde good worde of any prelate religious man or clark but euer rebuketh and slaūdereth them taking away their good name and to compel them to redeeme their faultes he is glad of their accusations and this is the common voyce and report of him 17. Item of olde time he going about to destroy the faith conceiued a hate against the French king euen to the abhorring of the faith because of the light of faith which is there and because of the great witnes and example of christianitie is hath ben there And before he had this seat he is proued to haue sayd that if he were Pope he would rather ouerthrow all christendom but he would ouerthrow and destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of French 18. Also hee is reported that when the Embassadours of the king of England in the name of the sayde king did require and entreat for the tenth of the realme of England to be geuen him he aunswered that he would not geue them the tenth but on this cōdition that he would make warre with them against the French king And beside this he is reported to haue geuen great sommes of mony to certaine persons to hinder that peace shuld not be betwixt the sayd kings He himselfe also withall his might hath letted it by messengers letters and otherwaies that he coulde yea by geuing bribes 19. Item he is reported also to haue commaunded Fridericke which kepeth the I le of Cicil that if he would betray Charles the king and breake the peace which he made and sweare that he would keepe with him and would stirre against the king and kil the Frenchmen that then he would geue him aide helpe and counsaile for so doing he would geue and graunt him the said kingdoms 20. He confirmed also the king of Almaine to be Emperor and saide openly that he did it to destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of the French men which say that they are subiect to none in temporal things Wherein sayeth he they lied on their heds declaring moreouer that whosoeuer yea if it were an Angell from heauen would say that all kings of the world were not subiect to the same king of Almaine he were accursed 21. Further he brake the agreements of peace betwixt the king of Alamine and the French king in which eyther of them shuld haue their owne saued And what encrochings so euer had bene on either side should be brought to a due state and vnder an othe orderly geuen and taken he is reported to haue commanded the same king of Almaine that he should not kepe these conditions of peace but be an enemie and go about to sow debate among christen men 22. Itē he is openly reported that the holy land was betraied through his fault and came to the enemies of God and of faith and that he suffred this for the
ought as neare as I can to chuse the best part Wherfore I surely trust that M. I. Wickliffe is one of the number of theÌ„ which are saued The words of Christ moneth me therunto saying Math. 7. Doe ye not iudge that ye be not iudged Luke the 6. Do not condemn ye shal not be condemned and the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 Do ye not iudge before the Lord himselfe do come the which shall opeÌ„ those things that are hid in darknes to manifest the priuities of all hartes Secondly the loue and charity which I ought to bear vnto my neighbor louing him as my selfe doth moue me thereunto Luk. 10. Thirdly his good fame report moneth me the which he hath of the good Priests of the vniuersity of Oxford not of the wicked commoÌ„ly of the vulgar sort although not of the couetous proud and luxurious Prelates Fourthly his owne workes writings doe stirre me therunto by the which he goeth about with his whole indeuor to reduce all men vnto the law of Christ specially yâ— clergy that they shoulde forsake the pompe dominion of this world and with the Apostles lead the life of Christ. Fiftly his owne protestations which he doth oftentimes vse in his sentences often repeating the same doth not a litle moue me Sixtlye his earnest desire and affection which he had vnto the law of Christ doth not a litle allure me therunto disputing of the verity therof the which cannot fayle in any one iote or title Whereupon he made a booke of the verity of the holy Scripture approuing euen vnto the vtter most the trueth of Gods law Wherfore it were too foolish a consequeÌ„t to say that because the number of the Prelates and clergy in England Fraunce and Boheme do couÌ„t Iohn Wickeliffe for an hereticke that therfore he is an heretick c. Like as the reason for burning of the bookes for it is written in the first booke of Machabees first chapter that they did burne the books of the Lord tearing them in peeces and whosoeuer was founde to haue kept any bookes of the Testament or will of the Lord or the which obserued and kept the lawe of the Lord they were by the kinges commaundemen put to death If then the burning of these bookes by wicked men did argue or proue the euilnesse of the books theÌ„ was the law of God euill and nought So likewise the burning of S. Gregories bookes and diuers other sayntes and good men should argue proue that they were euill naughty men Wherupon as it doth not folow that because the Bishops Scribes and Phariseis with the elders of the people condemned Christ Iesus as an heretick that therfore he is an heretick So likewise doth it not follow of any other man The Byshops maisters of diuity monkes and prelates condemned thys man as an hereticke Ergo he is an hereticke For this consequeÌ„t is reproued by Iohn Chrisostom which was twise condemned as an hereticke by the Bishops and the whole clergy Likewise S. Gregory in his bookes was condemned by the Cardinals By like proofe also as they affirme M. Iohn Wickliffe to be an hereticke Iohn Duke of LaÌ„caster a man of worthy memory and progenitor of Henry king of Englande should also be an hereticke For the sayd Duke defeÌ„ded fauored and greatly loued M. Iohn Wickliffe Ergo the sayd Duke is or was an hereticke the consequent is good The Minor is well knowne vnto the Englishmen The Maior appeareth in the Canon where it is sayd he which defendeth an hereticke c. But these thinges set apart I demaund of the aduersary whether M. Iohn Wickliffe be damned for euer or no If he say that he is damned because he is an hereticke I propounde this vnto him whether M. Iohn Wickeliffe whiles he liued held any false doctrine coÌ„trary to the holy Scripture If he do affirme it let him then shew what doctrine it is and afterward declare that he held it obstinatly And he shall finde that in his bookes he alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse And by and by after M. Iohn Stokes in his intimation sayth that M. Iohn Wickliffe in EnglaÌ„d is counted for an hereticke This seemeth also false by the letter testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxforde vnto the which there is more credit to be geueÌ„ then vnto him And this shall suffise for this present Now as we haue declared the testimony of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Hus concerning the praise of Iohn Wickliffe It followeth likewise that we set forth and expresse the contrary censure and iudgementes of his enemies blinded with malicious hatred and corrupt affections against him especially of the Popes Councel gathered at Constance proceeding first in condemning hys bookes then of his articles and afterward burning of his bones The copy of which theyr senteÌ„ce geuen against him by that counsell here foloweth * The sentence geuen by the Councell of Constance in condemning the doctrine and 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe THe most holy and sacred councell of CoÌ„stance making and representing the catholick Church for the extirpation of this present schisme and of all other errors and heresies springing and growing vnder the shadow and pretence of the same and for the reformation and amendment of the Church being lawfully congregate and gathered together in the holy Ghost for the perpetuall memory of the time to come We are taught by the acts and historyes of the holy fathers that the catholicke fayth without the which as the holy Apostle S. Paule saith it is vnpossible to please God hath bene alwayes defeÌ„ded by the faythfull and spirituall souldiors of the Church by the shield of fayth agaynst the false worshippers of the same fayth or rather peruerse impugners which through their proud curiosity will seeme to know more and to be wiser then they ought to be for the desire of yâ— glory of the world haue gone about oft times to ouerthrow the same These kindes of warres and battelles haue bene prefigured to vs before in those carnall warres of the Israelites agaynst the Idolatrous people For in those spirituall warres the holy catholick Church through the vertue power of fayth being illustrateâ—â—â— the beames of the heauenly light by the prouideÌ„ce of God and being holpen by the helpe and defence of the Saints holy men hath alway continued immaculate the darcknes of errours as her most cruell enemyes being put to flight â—he hath most gloriously triumphed ouer all But in these our daies the old and vnclean enemy hath raysed vp new coÌ„teÌ„tions strifes that the elect of this world might be knowne whose Prince and captayne in time past was one Iohn Wickliffe a false Christian. Who during his life time taught and sowed very obstinatly many articles coÌ„trary and agaynst the Christian Religion and the Catholicke fayth And the same
at the least diminished by the contrary vertue induced and brought in It semeth also most pertinent vnto the laity forsomuch as they ought not to lay violēt hāds vpon their ministers or to abiect the priestly dignity neither to iudge any of the cleargy in theyr open courts It semeth also by the law of cōscience to pertain vnto the lay people for so much as euery man which worketh any worke of mercy ought diligently to haue respecte vnto the habilitie of them that he bestoweth his almes vpon least that by nourishyng or helping loyterers hee be made partaker of his offence Wherevpon if a priest doe not minister of their spiritualties as Hostyensis teacheth in his 3. booke of their tithes first frutes and oblations that the people ought to take away the almes of their tithes from them Item it is confirmed by the last chapiter of the 17. question out of the decre of rents appropriate vnto the church quicunque Whereas the case is put thus that a certaine man hauing no children neither hoping to haue any gaue all his goodes vnto the church reseruing vnto him selfe the only vse and profites therof it happened afterward that he had children and the bishop restored againe his goodes vnto him hoping not for it The bishop had it in his power whether to rēder again or no those things which were geuen him but that was by the lawe of man and not by the lawe of conscience If then by the decree of the holy doctoure S. Augustine in his sermone of the life of the cleargie Aurelius the Byshop of Carthage had no power by Gods lawe to with holde that which is bestowed vppon the churche for the necessitie of children by the which law the wanton proud and vnstable clergy being more then sufficiently possessed and enriched do detain and keepe backe the temporallities to the detrement and hurt of their owne state and of the whole Militant churche the seculare patrones being thereby so impouerished that they are compelled by penurie to robbe and steale to oppresse their tenants to spoile and vndoe others and oftentimes by very necessitie are driuen to beggerie Item suppose that a priest and minister howe greuously so euer he doe offend by what kinde or signe of offence so euer it be as it was in the bishop Iudas Iscarioth of the religious monk Sergius of Pope Leo the hereticke and many other priests of whom the scripture and chronicles make mention and daily experience doeth teache vs the same It is euident that as it is supposed the priestes in the kingdom of Boheme greuously offending it is the kings part forsomuch as he is supreme head next vnder God and Lorde of the kingdome of Boheme to correct and punish those priests And for so much as the gentillest correction punishmēt of suche as be indurate in their malice is the casting away of their temporal goods it followeth that it is lawful for the king to take away temporallities Wherfore it shuld seme very maruelous and strange if that priests riding about shuld spoile virgins violently corrupt defile honest matrones if in such case it were not lawful for them to take away their armors weapons horses gunnes and swordes from them The like reason were it also if they had vnlawfully conspired the death of the king or that they woulde betray the king vnto hys ennemies Item whatsoeuer any of the clergy doth require or desire of the seculer power according vnto the law ordināce of Christ the seculer power ought to performe graunt the same But the clergy being letted by riches ought to require helpe of the seculer power for the dispensation of the said riches Ergo the seculer power ought in such case by the law of Christ to take vpon them the office or duty of getting keping distributing all such manner of riches the Minor is heereby proued that no man ought to haue riches but to that end that they be helps preferring helping vnto the office which is appoynted of God Therfore in case that seculer possession doe hinder the cleargy from their duetie The secular power ought to take it away for so did the Apostles Actes 6. saying it is not lawfull for vs to leaue the worde of God vntaught and to minister to Tables And thus hetherto hath Iohn Hus prosecuted Wyckleffs articles with long arguments and reasons the which were to long a trauaile neither agreable for this place to alledge all the whole order of his reasons and profes which he vsed in that desputatiō aboue the nomber of 20. more besides the testimonies of all the wryters before recited the which hee alledgeth out of the scriptures decretals S. Ambrose in his boke of offices S. August in his 5. boke 5. quest and also vnto Macedo Isydore the councell of Nice Greg his 11. quest Bernard vnto Eugenius in his 3. booke and out of Lyncolniensis 61. Epistle besides many other moe The sum of al which testimonies tend vnto this end that he might vtterly take away all earthly rule dominion from the clergy and to bring them vnder the subiection and censure of kings Emperors as it were within certaine bonds the which is not onely agreable vnto equity and Gods word but also profitable for the cleargy themselues Hee teacheth it also to be necessary that they shuld rather be subiect vnder the seculer power then to be aboue them because that els it were dangerous lest that they being intangled with such kinde of busines they should be an easier pray vnto sathan and soner trapped in his snares And therby it should come to passe that the gouernance principality of al things being at the length brought into the hands of the clergy the lawful authority of kings princes shuld not only be geuen ouer vnto them but in a maner as it were growe out of vse specially for so much as already in certaine kingdoms and common wealths the ecclesiastical power is growen vnto such height that not only in Boheme but also almost thorowout al the common welths they do occupy the 3. or at least the 4. part of the rents and reuenues And last of al he alleageth the exāple of Greg. and of Mauritius afterwarde the prophecy of Hildegardis wryting in this manner As the Ecclesiastical ministers do willingly receiue rewarde and praise of kings rulers for their good deedes So also ought they when they do offend willingly suffer and receiue punishmēt at their hands for their euil doings The consequent holdeth thus forsomuch as the punishment mekely and hūbly receiued for hys offence doth more profit a man then his praise receiued for any good work Wherupon S. Greg. wryteth thus vnto Mauritius the Emperor when he did persecute him saying I beleue that you do please almighty God so muche the better in so cruelly afflicting me which haue ben so euel a seruaunt vnto him If then thys holy Pope did so humbly and
and that all auriculer and outward confessioÌ„ is superfluous and not requisite of necessitie to saluation 11. Item inferior Curates haue not their power of hynding and losing immediately from the pope or Bishop but immediately from Christ. And therfore neither can the pope nor bishop reuoke to themselues such kind of power wheÌ„ they see time and place at their lust and pleasure 12 Item that the pope cannot graunt such kinde of annuall yerely pardons because there shall not be so many yeares to the day of iudgement as are in the Popes bulles or pardons contayned Wherby it followeth that the pardoÌ„s are not of such like value as they speake of praysed to be 13. Item it is not in the popes power to graunt vnto any person penitent forgeuenes of the punishment or of the faulte 14. Item that person that geueth his almes to any whiche in his iudgement is not in necessitie doth sinne in so geuing it 15. Item that it stands not in the power of any Prelate of what religion soeuer he be of priuately to geue letters for the benefite of his order neither doth suche benefite graunted profite them to the saluation of their soule to whom they be graunted 16. Item that the same William vnmindeful of his own saluation hath many and oftentimes come into a certayn desert wood called Derualdwood of your diocesse there in a certain chappell not hallowed or rather in a prophane cottage hath in contempt of the keyes presumed of hys own rashnes to celebrate nay rather to prophanate 17. Item the same William hath also presumed to doe such thinges in a certayne prophane Chappell being situate in the park of Newton nigh to the town of Leintwarbin of the same your dioces VPon Friday being the last of the month of Iune in the yeare abouesayd about 6 of the clocke in the sayd parishe Churche of Bodenhone hath the sayd William Swinderby personally appeared before vs. And he willing to satisfie the terme to him assigned as before specified hath read out word by word before all the multitude of faythfull christian people many answeres made and placed by the same William in a certayne paper booke of the sheete folded into foure partes to the sayd Articles and the same answers for sufficient hath he really to vs exhibited aduouching them to be agreable to the lawe of Christ. Whiche thing beeing done the same William without any moe with him dyd departe from our presence because that we at the instaunce of certayne noble personages had promised to the same William free accesse that is to wit on that day for the exhibiting of those aunsweres and also free departing without prefixing of anye terme or without citation or els anye other offence or harme in bodye or in goodes ¶ As for the tenour of the same answers exhibited vnto theÌ„ by the same William as is before specified we haue here vnder annexed word for worde and in the same olde language vsed at that time when it was exhibited And followeth in these wordes The protestation of William Swinderby with hys aunsweres to the articles by the promotors layd agaynst him to the bishop of Herford taken out of the Registers in the same olde Englishe wherein he wrote it IN the name of God amen I William Swinderby priest vnworthy couenting and purposing wholy with all my hart to be a true christian man with open confessioÌ„ knowledging mine owne defaultes and vnwise deedes making openly this protestation cleping god to record here before our worshipfull Bishop Iohn through the sufferaunce of God Bish. of Herford with witnesse of all this people that it is not mine intent any thing to say or affirme to mayntain or to defend that is contrary to holy writte agaynst the beliefe of holy church or that should offend the holy determination of Christes Church or the true sentences of holy doctors And if I haue here before through mine vncunning bene vnordered or by euill counsaile bene deceiued or any thing sayd preached holden mayntayned or taught contrary to the law of God wholly and fully for that tyme for now and euer with ful will I reuoke it and withdraw it as euerich christen man should Praying and beseeching â—che christen man to whom this writing shal come to that gif I ought erre as God forbid that I do or euer erred in any poynt contrary to holy writ that it be had and holden of them as for thing nought sayd And all the trothes that I haue sayd according with the law of God that they mayntayne them and stand by them for life or death to Gods worship as a true Christen man shoulde submitting me meekely to the correction of our Byshop that here is or of any other christen man after Christes lawes and holy writ in will euer ready to be amended and with this protestation I say and aunswere to these conclusions and articles that here followen after the which bene put to me to aunswere to The first is this that I William of Swinderby pretending he sayth my selfe a priest was iudicially conuented of certain articles conclusions of error false schismatick heresie by me in diuers places tymes preached he sayth before multitudes of the true christen men the sâ—â—e articles and coÌ„clusions by need of law reuoked for sworn some as heresies and some as erroures and false suche I affirmed and veleued them to be And that none of them from that time forth I should preach teach or affirme openly or priuily ne that I should make no sermon to the people ne preache but by lawfull leaue asked and gotten And if I would presume in doing or affirming the contrary then to the seueritie of the lawe I should be buxom as by nede of the law I swore To this I say witnessing God that is in heauen to my wit and vnderstanding that I neuer preached helde ne taught these conclusions and articles the whiche falsely of Friers were put vpon me and of lecherous priestes to the Bishop of Lincolne For I was ordayned by processe yet sayd of theyr law by the byshop and his commissaryes so as I graunted them to bring my purgation of 13. priestes of good same And so I did with a letter 12. scales therby from the Mayor of Leycester and from true Burgeses and 30. men to witnes with me as the Duke of Lancaster knew and heard the Erle of Darby and other many great men that were that tyme in the towne that I neuer sayd them taught them ne preached them But when I should haue made my purgation there stooden forth fiue friers or moe that some of them neuer sawe me before ue heard me and three lecherous priestes openly knowne some liuing in their lechery xx yeare men sayden or more as by their childer was openly known Some of these they clepinden denounciations and some weren cleped comprobations that weren there falsely forsworne they suing busily and
knowledge mee guiltie so as I knew no errour in theÌ„ of which I should be guilty therfore the Byshop sate in dome in mine abseÌ„ce and deemed me an heriticke a schismaticke and a teacher of errours and denounced me accursed that I come not to correction of the Church And therefore for this vnrightfull iugement I appeale to the kinges Iustices for many other causes One cause is for the kynges Court in such matter is aboue the Byshops court For after that the Byshop has accursed he may no feare by his law but theÌ„ mote he sech succour of the kinges law and by a writ of Significauit put a man in prison The second cause is for in cause of heresie there liggeth iudgement of death that dome may not be geuen without the kinges Iustices For the Byshop will say Nobis non licet interficere quenquam That is It is not lawfull for vs to kill anye man as they sayden to Pilate when Christ should be deemed And for I thinke that no Iustice wil geue sodenly vntrue dome as the Byshop did and therfore openly I appeale to hem and send my conclusioÌ„s to the Knightes of the Parliament to be shewed to the Lordes and to be taken to the Iustices to be wel auiset or that they geuen dome The thirde cause is for it was a false dome for no man is an hereticke but he that maisterfully defends his error or heresie and stifly maintaines it And mine auÌ„swere has ben alway coÌ„ditional as the people openly knows for euer I say yet say alway will that if they caâ—nen shew me by Gods law that I haue erret I wil gladly ben ameÌ„det and reuoke mine errours and so I am no hereticke ne neuer more in Gods grace will ben en no wise The fourth cause is For the Bishops lawe that they deme men by is full of errours and heresies contrary to the truth of Christes law of the Gospell For there as Christs law biddes vs loue our enemies the Popes law geues vs leaue to hate them to sley them and grauntes men pardon to werren againe heatheÌ„ men and sley hem And there as Christes lawe teache vs to be mercifull the Bishops lawe teaches to be wretchfull For death is the greatest wretch that meÌ„ mowen done on him that guilty is There as Christes law teaches vs to blessen him that diseazen vs and to pray for him the popes law teacheth to curse them and in theyr great sentence that they vsen they presume to damne hem to hell that they cursen And this is a foule heresy of blaspheme there as Christes law byddes vs be patient the Popes law iustifies two swords that wherwith he smiteth the sheepe of the Church And he has made Lordes and Kings to sweare to defend him and his Church There as Christes law forbiddeth vs lecheâ—y the popes law iustifies the abhominable whoredome of coÌ„mon women and the Bishops in some place haue a great tribute or rent of whoredome There as Christes lawe byddes to minister spirituall thynges freely to the people the Pope with his law selles for mony after the quaÌ„tity of the gift as pardons orders blessing and Sacraments prayers benefices preaching to the people as it is knowne amongest them There as Christes law teaches peace the Pope wyth his law assoyles meÌ„ for mony to gader the people priests and other to fight for his cause There as Christes law forbids swearing The popes law iustifieth swearing and compels men therto Wheras Christes law teacheth his Priests to be poore the Pope with his law iustifies and mayntaynes Priests to be Lordes And yet the 5 cause is for the Popes law that byshops demen men by is the same vnrightfull law that Christ was demet by of the Byshops with the Scribes and with the Pharises For right as at that time they gauen more credens to the 2. false witnesses that witnessed agaynst Christ then they deden to al the people that witnesseden to his true preaching and his miracles so the Bishops of the Popes law geuen more leuen by their law to two hereticks Apostats or two comen wymen that woulden witnesseden agaynes a man in the cause of heresy than to thousands of people that were trew and good And for the Pope is thys Antechrist and his law contrary to Christ his lawe fully I forsake this law and so I reed all Christen menne For thus by an other poynt of this law they mighten coÌ„quere much of this world For whan they can by this law preseÌ„t a man an hereticke his goods shulen be forfet from him froÌ„ his heyres and so might they lightly haue 2. or 3. false witnesses to recorde an heresye agayne what true man so hem liked Herefore me thinkes that whatsoeuer that I am a christen man I may lawfull appeale froÌ„ a false dome of the law to be righteouslye demet by the trouth of Gods law And if this appeale will not serue I appeale opeÌ„ly to my Lord Iesu Christ that shall deme all the world for he I wot well will not spare for no man to deeme a trouth And therfore I pray GOD almighty with Dauid in the Sauter booke Deus iudicium tuum regi da iustitiam tuam filio regis Iudicare populum tuum in iustitia pauperes tuos in iudicio That is O God geue they iudgement to the king and thy iustice to the kings sonne to iudge thy people in iustice and thy poore ones in iudgement c. ¶ A letter sent to the Nobles and Burgesies of the Parliament by M. William Swinderby IEsu that art both God and man help thy people that louen thy law and make knowne through thy grace thy teachinge to all christen men Deare sirs so as we seen by many tokens that this world drawes to an end all that euer haue bene forth brought of Adams kinde into this world shuleÌ„ come togeder at domesday riche and poore ichone to geue accompt and receiue after hys deedes ioy or paynen for euermore Therfore make we our werks good ye while that God of mercy abides and be yee stable and true to God and ye shulen see hys helpe about you Constantes estore videbitis auxilium Domini super vos This land is full of Ghostly cowardes in Ghostly battayle few dare stand But Christ the comforter of all that falleth to that his hart barst for our loue agaynst the fiend the doughty Duke comforteth vs thus Estote fortes in bello c. Be ye strong in battell he sayes and fight ye with the olde adder State in fide viriliter agite c. Wake ye pray ye stond ye in beleue do ye manly and be ye comfortet and let all your thinges be done with charity For Saynt Paule bidds thus in his Epistle that saw the preuetyes of God in heauen Euigilate iusti c. Awake ye that bene righteous men bee yee stable
and vnmoueable Awake ye quickely and sleepe nought and stond now strongly for Gods law For Saynt Iohn in the Apocalips sayes blesset be he that awakes for nought to sleepers but to wakers God has behite the crowne of life For the hower is nowe as Paule sayth to vs from sleepe for to arise for he that earelye awakes to me he shall finde me sayth Christ himseluen This waking gostly is good liuing out of sinne this sleepe betokens that which cowardeth a mans hart from gostlye comfort and to stand in the same through a deceaueable sleepe is this that lets a man of the blisse of heauen the fende makes men bold in sinne and ferd to do worship to God death is a likening to a theefe that preuely steales vpon a man that now is riche and full of we le an one he makes him a needy wrech therfore sayd God by S. Iohn in the Apocalips in this wise Be thou waking for if thou wake nought I shall come to thee as a theefe and thou shalt not wit what houre And if the husbandman sayes Christ wist what houre the theefe should come he shoulde wake and suffer him not to vndermine his house Saynt Peter therefore warneth and sayth wake and be ye ware suffer ye no man he sayes as a theefe but wilfullye for Gods loue for it is time as Peter saies that dome begin from the house of God Ye bene the body of Christ sayes Poule that needes must suffer with the head or els your bodyes bene but deade and departed from Christ that is the head And therefore curset be he sayes Poule that loues not Iesu Christ. And who it is that loues him Christe himselfe telles in the Gospell he that has my hestes and keepes them he it is that loues me Cursed he be therfore sayes Poule that doth Christes workes deceiueably Be ye not therefore sayes Poule ashamed of the true witnesse of Iesu Christ for Christ our God sayes in his Gospell he that shames me and my wordes him shall mans sonne ashame when he shal come for to set in the siege of hys Maiesty And each man he sayes that knowes me and my wordes before men in this sinnefull generation and whorish mans sonne shall knowledge him before my father sayes Christ himselfe when he shall come with hys Aungels in the glory of his Father Sithe ye therefore bene Christenmen that is to say Christes men shew in deede that ye bene suche as ye daren shew you the kings men for hit hâ—d bene as Peter saies better not to haue knowen the way of trueth then after the knowing thereof to be conuerted backeward there from We knowen Christ that is trought we sain all through our beliefe if we turne from him for dred truely wee deny the troth And therefore sith our time is short how short no man knowes but God do we the good that we may to Gods worship when we haue time Be true sayes God to the death and you shall haue the crowne of life And thinke on Iudas Machabeus that was Gods true knight that comforted hartelye Gods true people to be the folowers of his law And geue ye he sayd your liues for the Testament of your fathers And ye shulen winne he sayd great ioy and a name for euermore Was not Abraham he sayd in temptation founden true and was arectet vnto him euermore to righteousnesse Ioseph in time of his anguish he kept truely Gods hest he was made by Gods prouidence Lord of Egypt for his trouth Phinees our fadure louing he sayth the zeale of God tooke the testament of euerlasting Priesthoode Iosue for he fulfillet the worde of God was domes man in Israell Caleph that witnessed in the Church he tooke therefore the heretage he sayth Dauid in his mercy hee gat the siege of the kingdome in worldes Hely for that he loued the zeale of Gods lawe was taken vppe into heauen Ananie Azary and Misaell he sayes weren deliuerer thoore through true beliefe out of the hoat flame of fire True Daniel in his simplenes was deliueret from the Lyons mouthe Bethinke ye therfore he sayes by generation and generation and thou shalt neuer finde that he sayled that man that truely trusted in him And therefore dread you nought he sayes of the wordes of a sinnefull man hys glory is he sayes but wormes and tordes he is to day he sayth y made hye to morow he sayes he is not foundeÌ„ for he is turned he sayes into his earth agayn the minde of him is perisher Sonnes therefore he sayes be ye comforter and dye manly in the lawe for when ye han done that that Gods commaundes you to doe ye shulen be glorious in him And Dauid the king sayes also on this wise in the Psalter booke blesset be they Lord that keepen thy law in worldes of worldes they shall prayse thee And in Leuiticus sayes God thus gif that ye wenden in mine hestes keepen my commaundementes and done hem I shall I shall bring forth theyt fruit and trees shall be fulfilled with apples And ye shallen eat your bread in fulnes ye shoulen dwell in your lande without drede I shall geue peace in your costes ye shall sleep and no man shall feare you Euill beastes I shall done away from you and sword shall not passe your termes ye shuln pursue your enemies and they shall fall before you fifty of yours shulne pursue an hundreth of heren an hundret of yours a thousand of theyrs your enemies hee saieth shulen fal through sword and your sute I shall he sayes behold you and make you to waxe and ye shall be multiplier And I shall strength with you my couenaunt ye shall eat the aldest and the new shull come in theron And ye shuln cast forth the old I shall dwell in the midst of you And I shall wend amonges you and shal be your God and ye shulne be my people If that ye heare me not ne done nought all my hestes but dispiseÌ„ my law and my domes and that ye done not tho thinges that of me bene ordener and breken my commaundements and my couenant I shall do these thinges to you I shall visite you surely in nede and brenning which shall dimme your eghenen and shall wast your liues about nought Ye shulne sow your sede for hit shal be deuouret of enemies I shall put my face agaynst you and ye shall fall before your enemies And ye shulen be vnderlings to them that han hatet you ye shall flee no man pursuing And if ye will not be buxome to me I shall adde thereunto thornes and seuen folde blame And I shall all to brast the hardnes of you I shall geue the heauen aboue you as yron the earth as brasse About nought shall your labour be for the earth shall bring you forth no fruit ne tree shall geue none apples to you If that ye wenden agaynst me and will not heare me I
thee and being sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceiued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto meÌ„ but vnto God And wheÌ„ Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost great feare came on all them that heard these things And the young meÌ„ rose vp and tooke him vp and caried him out and buried him And it came to passe about the space of iij. houres after that his wyfe came in being ignorant of that whych was done And Peter sayd vnto her Tel me womaÌ„ sold ye the land for so much And she sayd yea for so much But Peter saye vnto her why haue ye agreed together to teÌ„pt the spirit of the Lord Behold the feete of them which buried thy husbande are at the doore and shall cary thee out And straight way she fel downe before his feete and gaue vp the ghost and the yong men entring in found her dead and they caried her out and buried her by her husbaÌ„d And great feare came on all the church all those which heard these thinges It is meruaile that any man that is wise wyll say that by this processe Peter slue Ananias or hys wife For it was not his act but the act of God who made a wedding to his sonne sent his seruant to cal them that were bidden vnto the wedding and they would not come The king then sent forth his seruantes to the outcorners of the hie wayes to gather all that they could find both good and euill And so they did And the maryage was full furnished with gestes Then came in also the king to view and see them sitting Among whom he perceaued there one sitting hauing not a wedding garment and sayth vnto him frend how camest thou hither And he being dumme had not a worde to speake Then said the king to the seruitures take and binde him hand and foote and cast him into the outward darcknes there shall be weeping and gnashinge of teeth Many there be called but few chosen c. It is manifest that this wedding garment is charitie without which because Ananias entred into the maryage of Christ he was geuen to death that by one many might be informed to learne vnderstand that they which haue fayth not charitie although they appeare to men to haue yet it can not be priuy to the spirite of God that they doe fayne Such there is no doubt but they shal be excluded froÌ„ the mariage of christ as we see this here exemplified in the death of Ananias his wife by the hand of God not by the hand of Peter And how should Peter theÌ„ haue iudged Ananias albeit he had iudged him worthy of death by the rigour of the old law For why by the law he had not bene guilty of death for that part which they fraudulently dissemblingly did reserue to themselues Yea and if they had stolne as much from an other man which was greater neither yeâ— for hys lie committed he had not therfore by the law of iustice bene found gilty of death Wherefore if he did not condeÌ„ne hym by the law of iustice it appeared that he codeÌ„ned him by the law of grace and mercy whiche he learned of Christ. And so consequently it followeth much more apparent that Peter could not put him to death Furthermore to say that Peter put him to death by the meere motion of his own will and not by authoritie of the old law nor by the new it were derogatory and slaunderous to the good fame and name of Peter But if Peter did kill hym why then doth the Byshop of Rome which pretendeth to be successor of Peter excuse himselfe and his priestes from the iudgement of death agaynst heretiques and other offeÌ„ders although they themselues be conseÌ„ting to such iudgements done by lay men For that which was done of Peter without offence may reasonably excuse him and his felow Priestes from the spot of crime Actes 5. It is manyfest that there was another which did more greeuously offend theÌ„ Ananias and that Peter rebuked him with more sharpe words but yet he commanded him not so to he put to death For Simon Magus also remayning at Samaria after that he beleued and was baptised he ioyned himselfe with Phillip And when he sawe that the holye spirite was geuen by the Apostles laying theyr handes vpon meÌ„ he offred theÌ„ mony saying geue vnto me this power that vpon whome soeuer I shall lay my hand he shall receaue the holy Ghost To whom Peter answered Destroyed be thou and thy money together And for that thou supposest the gifte of GOD to be bought with money thou shalt haue neyther part nor fellowshippe in this doctrine Thy hart is not pure before god therefore repeÌ„t thee of thy wiâ—kednesse and pray vnto God that this wicked thought of thy hart may be forgeuen thee for I perceiue thou art eueÌ„ in the bitter gall of wickednes and bande of iniquitie Beholde here the greuous offence of Symon Peters hard sharp rebuking of him and yet therupon he was not put to death Whereby it appeareth that the death of Anamas aforesaid proceeded of God and not of Peter Of all these things it is to be gathered seing the iudgements of death are not grounded vpon the expresse and playn scriptures but onely vnder the shadow of the olde law that they are not to be obserued of Christians because they are coÌ„trarye to charity Ergo the bishop of Rome approuing such iudgements alloweth those that are contrary to the law doctrine of Christ as before is sayd of warres where hee approueth iustifieth that which is coÌ„trary to charity The order of Priesthood albeit it doth iustifie the iudgemeÌ„ts to death of the laity whereby offenders are condeÌ„ned to die yet are they themselues forbidden to put in execution the same iudgementes The priestes of the old law being vnperfect wheÌ„ Pylate said vnto theÌ„ concerning Christ whoÌ„ they had accused worthy death take him vnto you and according to your law iudge him answered that it was not lawful for them to put to death any man Wherby it appeareth that our priests being much more perfect may not lawfully geue iudgemeÌ„t of death against any offenders yet notwithstanding they claime vnto theÌ„ the power iudicial vpon offeÌ„ders Because say they it belongeth vnto them to know the offences by the auricular confession of the offenders and to iudge vpoÌ„ the same being knowne aud to ioyne diuers penances vnto the parties offending according to the quantitie of their offences coÌ„mitted to that the sinner may make satisfactioÌ„ say they vnto God for the offences which he neuer committed And to coÌ„firme vnto theÌ„ this iudicial power they alleage the scriptures in many places wrasting it to serue their purpose First they saye that the Bishop of Rome who is the chief priest and iudge among them hath ful power authority to
vitious this soueraygne herein is to blame but the subiect for his obedience deserueth meede of God For obedience pleaseth more to God than any sacrifice ☞ And I sayd Samuell the Prophet sayd to Saule the wicked king that God was more pleased with that obediēce of his commaundement then with any sacrifice of beastes But Dauid saieth and S. Paule and S. Gregory accordingly together that not onely they that do euill are worthy of death and damnation but also they that cōsent to euill doers And sir the law of holy Church teacheth in the decrees that no seruant to his Lord nor childe to the father or mother nor wife to her husband nor monke to his Abbot ought to obey except in lefull things and lawfull ¶ And the Archbishop said to me All these alledgings that thou bringest forth are not els but proude presumptuousnesse For hereby thou inforcest thee to proue that thou and such other are so iust that ye ought not to obey to Prelats And thus against the learnyng of S. Paule that teacheth you not to preach but if ye were sent of your owne authoritie ye will go forth and preach and do what ye lift ☞ And I saide Syr presenteth not euery Priest the office of the Apostles or the office of the disciples of Christ And the Archbishop sayd yea And I sayde Syr as the x. chapt of Mathew and the last chapter of Marke witnesseth Christ sent his Apostles for to preach And the x. chapter of Luke witnesseth that Christ sent his two and seuēty disciples for to preach in euery place that Christ was to come to And S. Gregorie in the cōmon law saith that euery man that goeth to priest hoode taketh vpon him the office of preaching For as hee sayth that Priest stirreth God to great wrath of whose mouth is not heard the voyce of preaching And as other more gloses vpon Ezechiell witnesse that the Prieste that preacheth not busilye to the people shall be partaker of their damnation that perish through his default And though the people be saued by other speciall grace of God then by the Priestes preaching yet the Priests in that they are ordeined to preach and preach not as before God they are manslears For as farre as in them is such Priests as preach not busily and truely sleyeth all the people ghostly in that they withholde from them the word of God that is life and sustenaunce of mens soules And Saynt Hydore sayd Priestes shall be damned for wickednesse of the people if they teach not them that are ignoraunt or blame not them that are sinners For all the worke or businesse of Priestes standeth in preaching and teaching that they edify all men as well by cunning of fayth as by discipline of workes that is vertuous teaching And as the Gospell witnesseth Christ sayd in his teaching I am borne comē into this world to beare witnesse to the truth and he that is of the truth heareth my voyce Then Sir since by the word of Christ specially that is his voyce Priestes are commaunded to preache whatsoeuer priest that it be that hath not good wil and full purpose to doe thus and ableth not himselfe after his cunning and power to doe his office by the example of Christ and of hys Apostles whatsoeuer other thing that he doth displeaseth God For loe S. Gregory sayth that thing left that a man is bound chiefly to do whatsoeuer other thing that a man doth it is vnthankfull to the holy ghost and therfore sayth Lincolne The Priest that preacheth not the word of God though he be seene to haue none other defaulte he is Antichrist and Sathanas a night theefe and a day theefe a sleyer of foules and an aungel of light turned into darckenes Wherefore Syr these authorityes and other well considered I deme my selfe damnable if I either for pleasure or displeasure of any creature apply me not diligētly to prech the word of God And in the same damnation I deeme all those Priestes which of good purpose and will enforce thē not busily to do thus also all them that haue purpose or will to let any Priest of this busines ¶ And the Archbishop sayde to those 3. Clerkes that stoode before him Lo Syrs this is the maner and busines of this Losell and such other to picke out such sharpe sentences of holy Scripture and Doctours to mayntayne theyr sect lore agaynst the ordinaunce of holy Church And therefore Losell it is thou that couetest to haue agayne the Psalter that I made to be taken frō thee at Caunterbury to record sharpe verses agaynst vs. But thou shalt neuer haue that Psalter nor none other booke till that I know that thy hart thy mouth accordfully to be gouerned by holy Church ☞ And I sayd Syr all my will and power is euer shal be I trust to God to be gouerned by holy Church ¶ And the Archbishop asked me what was holy Church ☞ And I sayd Syr I tolde you before what was holye Church But since ye aske me this demaund I call Christ and his Saintes holy Church ¶ And the Archbishoppe sayd vnto me I wore well that Christ and his Saintes are holy Churche in heauen but what is holy Church in earth ☞ And I sayd Syr though holy Churche be euery one in charity yet it hath two partes The first and pricipall part hath ouercomen perfectly all the wretchednesse of this life and raigneth ioyfully in heauen with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth busily continually fighting day and night agaynst temptations of the fiend forsaking and hating the prosperity of this world dispising and withstāding theyr fleshly lustes which onely are the pilgrimes of Christ wandring toward heauen by stedfast fayth groūded hope and by perfect charity For these heauenly pilgrimes may not nor will not be letted of their good purpose by the reasō of any doctors discording from holy scripture nor by the floudes of any tribulation temporall nor by the wind of any pride of boast or of manasing of any creature For they are all fast grounded vpon the sure stone Christ hearing his word and louing it exercising them faithfully and continually in all their wittes to do therafter And the Archbishop sayd to his Clerkes See ye not how his hart is indurate and how he is trauelled with the deuill occupying him thus busily to alledgr suth sentences to mayntaine his errours and heresies Certayne thus he would occupy vs here all day if we would suffer him One of the clerkes aunswered Sir he sayd right now that this certification that came to you from Shrewsbury is vntruely forged agaynst him Therefore sir appose you him nowe heare in all that points which are certified against him so we shall heare of his own mouth his answeres and witnesse them And the Archb. took the certification in his hand looked theron a while and then
people for their bodily liueloode But because that many Priests do contrary to Paule in this foresayde doctrine Paul biddeth the people take hede to those priests that folow him as he had geuē them example As if Paul would say thus to the people Accept ye none other Priests then they that liue after the forme that I haue taught you For certain in whatsoeuer dignity or order y◠any Priest is in if he conforme him not to follow Christ his Apostles in wilful pouerty in other heauenly vertues and specially in true preaching of Gods word though such a one be named a Priest yet he is no more but a priest in name for the worke of a very Priest in such a one wanteth This sentence approueth Augustine Gregory Chrisostom Limcolne plainly ¶ And the Archb. saide to me Thinkest thou this wholesome learning for to sow openly or yet priuily among the people Certein this doctrine contrarieth plainly the ordynance of holy fathers which haue ordeined graunted licenced priests to be in diuers degrees to liue by tithes offrings of the people and by other dueties ☞ And I said sir if priests were now in measurable measure number and liued vertuously taught busilye and truly the word of God by example of Christ of his apostles without tithes offrings other dueties that priests now chalenge take the people would geue them freely sufficient liuelode ¶ And a clerke said to me How wilt thou make this good that the people will geue freely to priestes their liuelode since that now by the law euery priest cā scarcely cōstraine the people to geue them their liuelode ☞ And I said Sir it is now no wonder though the people grudge to geue priests the liuelode that they aske Mekil people know now how that priests should liue howe that they liue contrarye to Christ to his Apostles And therfore the people is ful heauy to pay as they doe their temporal goods to parsons and to other vicares priests which should be faythfull dispensatours of the parishes goodes taking to thēselues no more but a scarce liuing of tithes nor of offrings by the ordinance of the cōmon law For whatsoeuer priests take of the people be it tithe or offering or any other duety or seruice the priests ought not to haue thereof no more but a bare liuing to depart the residue to the poore men womē specially of the parish of whom they take this temporal liuing But the most dele of priests nowe wasteth their parishes goodes and spendeth them at their owne wil after the world in ther vain lusts So that in few places poore mē haue duly as they should haue their own sustenāce nother of tithes nor of offrings nor of other large wages foundations that priests take of the people in diuers maners aboue that they nede for nede full sustenance of meat clothing But the poore nedy people are forsaken and left of Priests to be sustayned o◠the parishens as if the priests toke nothing of the parishers for to helpe the people with And thus sir into ouer great charges of the parishens they pay their tēporal goods twice where once myght suffice if priests were true dispensatours Also sir the parishners that pay their temporal goods be they tithes or offerings to priests that do not their office amōg them iustly are parteners of euery sinne of those Priests because that they sustaine those priestes folly in their sinne with their temporal goods If these things be well considered what wonder is it thē sir if the parishners grudge against these dispensators ¶ Then the Archb. said to me Thou that shouldst be iudged ruled by holy church presumptuously thou deemest holy church to haue erred in the ordinance of tithes other dueties to be paid to priests It shal be long or thou thriue Losel that thou despisest thy ghostly mother How darest thou speake this Losel among the people Are not tithes geuen to priests for to liue by ☞ And I said Sir S. Paule saith that tithes were geuen in the old law to Leuites and to Priests that came of the linage of Leuy But our priests he sayth came not of the linage of Leuy but of the linage of Iuda to whych Iuda no tithes were promised to be geuen And therfore Paule saith since the priesthode is chaūged from the generation of Leuy to the generation of Iuda It is necessary that chāging also be made of the law So that priests liue now with out tithes other duety that they now claime following Christ his Apostles in wilfull pouerty as they haue geuē thē example For since Christ liued all the tyme of hys preaching by pure almes of the people And by example of him his Apostles liued in the same wise or els by the trauaile of their hāds as it is sayd aboue Euery priest whose priesthode Christ approueth knoweth wel confesseth in worde and in worke that a disciple ought not to be aboue his maister but it sufficeth to a disciple to bee as hys maister simple and pure meke and pacient and by example specially of his maister Christ euerye Priest shoulde rule him in al his liuing so after his cūning power a priest should busy him to enforme and to rule whom so euer hee might charitably ¶ And the Archbish. said to me with a great spirite Gods curse haue thou mine for this teachinge for thou wouldest hereby make the olde law more free and perfect thē y◠new law For thou saiest that it is leful to Leuites and to priests to take tithes in the old law and so to enioy their priuilegies but to vs priests in the new law thou sayest it is not lawfull to take tithes And thus thou geuest Leuites of the old law more freedome than to priests of the new law ☞ And I said Sir I maruell that ye vnderstand thys plaine text of Paule thus Ye wot well that the Leuites and priests in the old lawe that tooke tithes were not so free nor so perfect as Christ and his Apostles that tooke no tithes And sir there is a Doctor I thinke that it is Saint Ierome that saith thus The priests that chalenge now in the new law tithes Say in effect that Christ is not become man nor that he hath yet suffered death for mans loue Wherefore this Doctor saith this sentence Since tythes were the hires and wages limitted to Leuites and to priests of the old law for bearing about of the tabernacle and for slayeng and fleing of beasts and for burning of sacrifice and for keeping of the temple and for tromping of battell before the hoste of Israell and other diuers obseruances that perteined to their office Those priests that will chalenge or take tithes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the priests office of the old law for whome tithes were granted
of sinnes the vprising of the flesh and euerlasting life Amen And for a more large declaration sayth he of thys my sayth in the Catholicke Churche I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God almighty in and of whose Godhead are these three persons the father the sonne and the holye Ghost and that those three persons are the selfe same God almighty I beleue also that the second person of this most blessed Trinitie in most conuenient tune appoynted therunto afore tooke flesh and bloud of the most blessed virgin Mary for the sauegarde and redemption of the vniuersall kind of man which was afore lost in Adams offence Moreouer I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ our Lord thus being both God and man is the onely head of the whole Christian Churche and that all those that hathe bene or shal be saued be members of this most holy church And this holy Churche I thinke to be deuided into three sortes or companyes Wherof the first sort be now in heauen and they are the sayntes from hence departed These as they were here coÌ„uersant conformed alwayes their liues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncing Sathan the world and the flesh with all their concupiscences and euils The second sort are in Purgatory if any suche place be in the scriptures abiding the mercy of God and a full deliueraunce of payne The third sort are here vpon the earth and be called the Church millitant For day and night they contend against crafty assaultes of the deuill the flattering prosperities of this world and the rebellious filthines of the flesh This latter congregation by the iust ordinance of God is also seuered into three diuers estates that is to say into priesthood knighthood and the commons Among whom the will of God is that the one should ayd the other but not destroy the other The priestes first of al secluded from all worldlines should conforme theyr liues vtterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shoulde they be occupyed in preaching and teaching the scriptures purely and in geuing wholesome examples of good liuing to the other two degrees of men More modest also more louing gentle and lowly in spirite should they be then ano other sortes of people In knighthood are all they which beare sword by law of office These should defend Gods lawes and see that the Gospell were purely taught conforming theyr liues to that same and secluding all false preachers yea these ought rather to hazard their liues theÌ„ to suffer such wicked decrees as either blemisheth the eternall Testament of God or yet letteth the free passage therof whereby heresies schismes might spring in the Churche For of none other arise they as I suppose then of erroneous constitutioÌ„s craftely first creeping in vnder hipocriticall lies for aduauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressours tyrauntes and theeues to see the clergie supported so long as they teach purely pray rightly and minister the Sacramentes freely And if they see them doe otherwise they are bound by the law of office to compell them to chaung their doinges to see all thinges performed according to gods prescript ordinaunce The latter fellowship of this Church are the common people whose duery is to beare their good mindes true obedience to the aforesayd ministers of God theyr kinges ciuill gouernours and Priestes The right office of these is iustly to occupy euery man his facultie be it marchaundise handicraft or the tilthe of the ground And so one of them to be as an helper to an other following alwayes in their sortes the iust commaundementes of the Lord God Ouer and besidés all this I most faythfully beleeue the the Sacramentes of Christes Churche are necessary to all Christen beleuers this alwayes seen to that they be truly ministred according to Christes first institution and ordinaunce And forasmuch as I am maliciously most falsly accused of a misbeliefe in the sacrament of the aulter to the hurtfull slaunder of many I signifie here vnto all men that this is my fayth concerning that I beleue in that Sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloud vnder the similitudes of bread and wyne yea the same body that was conceiued of the holy ghost borne of that virgine Mary done on the crosse dyed that was buryed arose the thyrd day from the death and is now glorified in heauen I also beleue the vniuersall law of God to be most true and perfect and they which doe not so follow it in theyr fayth and works at one time or an other can neuer be saned Where as he that seketh it in fayth accepteth it learneth it delighteth therin and performeth it in loue shall cast for it the felicitie of euerlasting Innocencie Finally this is my fayth also that God will aske no more of a Christen beleuer in this life but onely to obey that preceptes of that most blessed law If any Prelates of the Church require more or els any other kinde of obedience then this to be vsed he contemneth Christ exalting hymselfe aboue God and so becommeth an open Antichrist Al the premisses I beleue particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy scripture that I should beleeue Instantly desiring you my siege Lord and most worthye king that this confession of mine may be iustly examined by the most godly wise and learned men of your Realme And if it be found in all pointes agreeing to the veritie theÌ„ let it be so allowed and I therupon holden for none other then a true Christian. If it be proued otherwise then let it be vtterly coÌ„demned prouided alwayes that I be taught a better beliefe by the word of God and I shall most reuerently at all times obey therunto This briefe confession of this fayth the Lorde Cobham wrote as is mentioned afore and so tooke it with him to the court offering it withall meekenes vnto the kyng to read it ouer The king would in no case receaue it but coÌ„manded it to be deliuered vnto theÌ„ that should be his iudges Then desired he in the kinges presence that an hundred knightes and Esquiers might be suffered to come in vpon hys purgation which he knew woulde cleare hym of all heresies Moreouer he offered himselâ—e after the lawe of armes to fight for life or death in any man liuing Christen or heathen in the quarrell of hys fayth the king and the Lordes of hys Councell excepted Finally with all geÌ„tlenes he protested before all that were present that he wold refuse no maner of correction that shold after the lawes of God he ministred vnto him but that he would at al times with all meekenes obey it Notwithstanding all this the king suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuy chamber Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appeled from the
to say as I shall cursse where you blesse The archbishop made then as though he had continued forth his tale and not hearde him saying Sir at that tyme I gently profered to haue assoyled you if ye woulde haue asked it And yet I doe the same if ye will humbly desire it in due forme and maner as holy church hath ordayned Then said the Lord Cobham May forsooth will I not for I neuer yet trespassed agaynst you and therefore I will not do it And with that he kneeled downe on the pauement holding vp his handes to wardes heauen and sayd I shriue me here vnto thee my eternall liuing God that in my frayle youth I offended thee Lord most greuously in pride wrath and gluttony in couetousnes and in lechery Many men haue I hurt in mine anger and done many other horrible sinnes good Lorde I aske thee mercye And therewith weepingly he stoode vp agayne and sayde with a mighty voyce Loe good people loe For the breaking of Gods law and his great commaundementes they neuer yet cursed me But for their owne lawes and traditions most cruelly doe they handle both me and other mē And therfore both they and theyr lawes by the promise of God shall vtterly be destroyed At this the archbishop and his companye were not a litle blemished Nothwithstanding he tooke stomack vnto him agayne after certayne words had in excuse of their tyranny and examined the Lord Cobham of his Christen beleue Whereunto the Lord Cobham made this godly aunswere I beleue sayth he fully and faithfully the vniuersall lawes of God I beleue that all is true whiche is conteyned in the holy sacred scriptures of the Bible Finally I beleue all that my Lord God would I shoulde beleue Then demaunded the Archbishop an answere of that Bill whiche he and the Clergie had sent him into the Tower the day afore in maner of a determination of the Churche concerning the foure Articles whereof he was accused specially for the Sacrament of the aulter howe he beleeued therein Whereunto the Lord Cobham sayd that with that bill he had nothing to doe But this was his beliefe he sayd concerning the sacrament That his Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ sitting at his last supper with his most deare disciples the night before he should suffer tooke bread in his hand And geuing thanks to his eternall father blessed it brake it and so gaue it vnto them saying Take it vnto you and eat therof all this is my body whiche shall be betrayed for you Doe this hereafter in my remembraunce This doe I throughly beleue sayth he for this sayth am I taught of the Gospell in Mathewe in Marke and in Luke and also in the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians chap. 11. Then asked the Archbishop if he beleeued that it were bread after the consecration or sacramentall words spoken ouer it The Lord Cobham said I beleue that in the sacramēt of the aulter is Christes very body in forme of bread the same that was borne of that virgin Mary done on the crosse dead and buryed and that the third day arose from death to life which now is glorified in heauen Then sayd one of the Doctors of the law After the sacramentall wordes be vttered there remayneth no bread but onely the body of Christ. The Lorde Cobham sayd then to one Maister Iohn whitehead You sayd once vnto me in the castell of Couling that the sacred host was not Christes body But I held then against you and proued that therin was his body though the seculars and Friers could not therein agree but held ech one against other in that opinion These wer my wordes then if ye remember it Then shouted a sorte of them together and cryed wyth great noyse We say all that it is Gods body And diuers of them asked him in great anger whether it were materiall bread after the consecration or not Then looked the L. Cobham earnestly vpon the archbishop and said I beleue surely that it is Christes body in forme of bread Syr beleue not you thus And the archbishop sayd yes mary do I Then asked him the Doctors whether it were onely Christes bodye after the consecration of a Priest and no body or not And he sayd vnto them it is both Christes body and bread I shall proue it as thus For like as Christ dwelling here vpon that earth had in him both Godhead manhood and had the inuisible Godhead couered vnder that manhode which was onely visible and seene in him So in the sacrament of the aultar is Christes very bodye and bread also as I beleue the bread is the thinge that we see wyth our eies the body of Christ which is his flesh his bloud is there vnder hyd and not seene but in fayth And moreouer to proue that it is both Christes bodie and also bread after the consecration it is by playne wordes expressed by one of your owne Doctours writing agayne Eutiches whiche faith Like as the selfe same Sacraments do passe by the operation of the holy Ghost into a Diuine nature and yet notwithstanding keepe the propertie still of their former nature so that principall mistery declareth to remayne one true and perfect Christ. c. Then smiled they eache one vpon other that the people shoulde iudge him taken in a great heresie And with a great brag diuers of them sayd It is a foule heresie Then asked the Archbishop what bread it was And the Doctors also inquired of him whether it were materiall or not The Lorde Cobham said vnto thē The scriptures maketh no mention of this worde materiall and therfore my faith hath nothing to doe therwith But this I say and beleue that it is Christes body and bread For Christ sayd in the vi of Iohns Gospell Ego sum panis viuus qui de coelo descendi I which came downe from heauen am the liuing and not the dead bread Therfore I say now agayne as I sayd afore as our Lord Iesus Christ is very God and very man so in the most blessed sacrament of the aulter is Christes very body and bread Then sayd they all with one voyce It is an heresie One of the Byshops stoode vp by and by and sayd What it is an heresie manifest to say that it is bread after the Sacramentall wordes be once spoken but Christes body onely The Lord Cobham sayd S. Paule the Apostle was I am sure as wise as you be now and more gladly learned And he called it bread writing to the Corinthians The bread that we breake sayth he is it not the partakyng of the body of Christ Lo he called it bread and not Christes body but a meane whereby we receaue Christs body Then sayd they agayne Paule must be otherwise vnderstand For it is sure on heresie to say that it is bread after the consecration but onely Christes
like that if these men had intended any forcible entrees or rebelliō against the king they would haue made any rumours therof before the deed done so is it more credibly to be supposed all these florishes of words to be but words of course or of office and to sauer rather of the rāknes of the inditers penne who disposed either per amplificationem rhetoricam to shew his copy or els per malitiam Papisticam to aggrauate the crime And to make mountains of mollhilles first of rumours maketh congregations from congregations riseth vp to insurrections where as in all these rumours congregations insurrections yet neuer a blow was geuen neuer a stroke was stroken no bloud spilt no furniture nor instruments of war no signe of battaile yea no expresse signification either of any rebellious word or malitious fact described neither in records nor yet in any Chronicle Againe if these rumours were words spoken against the king as calling him a tirant an vsurper of the crowne the Prince of Priestes c. why then be none of these words expressed in their inditements or left in records Doth M. Cope thinke for a man to be called a traitour to be enough to make him a traytour vnlesse some euident prose be brought for him to bee so in deed as he is called Rumours sayth he congregations and insurrections were made Rumours are vncertaine Congregations haue bene and may bee among Christen men in dangerous times for good purposes and no treason against their princes ment The terme of insurrections may be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by practise or surmise of the Prelates and pen men who to bring them the more in hatred of the king might adde this rather of their owne gentlenes then of the others deseruing Certayne it is and vndoubted that the Prelates in those dayes being so mightely inflamed against these Lollards were not altogether behind for their parts nor vtterly idle in this matter but practised against them what they could first to bring them into hatred and then to death Examples of which kinde of practise among the Popish Cleargy haue not lacked neither before nor since Moreouer if these men had made such a rebellious insurrection against the king as is pretended in the preample before this statute which were a matter of high treason How chaunceth then that the whole body of the statute folowing after the said preface or preamble runneth in all the parts and braunches thereof both in maner of arrest of inditement information request alowance of officers cognisance of ordinaries of the forefact c. vpon cases of heresie and not of treason as by particular tractation shall be Christ willing declared And for so much as these men be so greuously accused of Alanus Copus for congregating rising against their K. the whole Realme if I had so much laysure to defend as he hath pleasure to diffame Here might be demaunded of him to keepe him some further pley touching this mighty insurrection where as they came in nūber of xx thousand against the king in what order of battaile ray they marched what Captaines vnder Captaines and pety Captaines they had to guide the wyngs and to lead the army whether they were horsemen or footemen If they were horsemen as is pretensed what ment they then to resort to the Thicketes neare to S. Gyles field which was no meet place for horses to stirre If they were footemen how standeth that with the author which reporteth them to be horsemē Moreouer is to be demanded what insignes or flagges what shot what pouder what armour weapōs and other furniture of war also what treasure of money to wage so many to the nūber of xx thousand what trumpets drommes other noise necessary for the purpose they had All these preparations for such an enterprise is requisite necessary to be had And peraduenture if truth were well sought it would be found at lēgth that in stead of armies and weapon they were comming onely with theyr bookes and with Beuerlay their preacher into those thickets But as I was not there present at the fact as is before said so haue I neither certeinely to define vpon theyr case nor yet M. Cope to exclame against them vnles peraduenture he taking an occasion of the time will thus argue against them That because it was the hoate moneth of Ianuary the 2. day after the Epiphany therefore it is like that Sir Iohn Oldcastle with xx thousand Lollards camped together in the fields in al the heate of the wether to destroy the king and all the nobles and to make hymselfe Regent of England And why not as well the King as regent of England seeing all the nobles should haue bene destroyed he onely left alone to reigne by himselfe ¶ It followeth more in the preamble of the foresaid statute to adnull destroy and subuert the Christen fayth and the law of God holy Church c. He that was the forger inuēter of this report as it appeareth to proceed frō the Prelates seemeth no cunning Daedalus nor halfe hys craftes maister in lying for the whetstone Better he might haue learned of Sinō in Uirgill more artificially to haue framed and conueied his narration Which although in no case could sound like any truth yet some colour of probabilitie should haue bene set vpon it to giue it some countenance of a like tale As if he had first declared the L. Cobham to haue bin before in secret cōfederacie with the great Turk or if he had made him some termagāt or Mahound out of Babylonia or some Herode of Iudea or some Antichrist out of Rome or some grandpanch Epicure of this world and had shewed that he had receiued letters from the great Souldan to fight against the faith of Christ and law of God then had it appeared somwhat more credible that the said Sir Iohn Oldcastle with his sect of heresie went about to adnull destroie and subuert the Christian faith and law of God within the Realme of England c. But now where will either he or M. Cope finde men so mad to beleeue or so ingenious that can imagine this to be true that the Lord Cobham being a Christian and so faithfull a Christiā would or did euer cogitate in his mind to destroy and adnull the faith of Christ in the Realme of England What soeuer the report of this pursuant or preface saith I report me vnto the indifferent Reader how standeth this with any face of truth That he which before through the reading of Wickliffes works had bene so earnestly cōuerted to the law of God who had also approued himselfe such a faithfull seruant of Christ that for the faith of Christ he being examined and tried before the Prelates page 553. not only ventred his life but stood constant vnto the sentence of death defined against him being a cōdemned and a dead man by law Et qui quantum ad
euery man which would beholde and looke vpon the same the forme and tenour wherof here followeth and is such ¶ The protestation of Iohn Hus. FOr so much as aboue all things I doe desire the honor of God the profite of the holy Churche and that I my selfe may be a faithfull member of our Lorde Iesu Christ which is the heade and husband of the holy Church whych hee hath redemed Therefore as heretofore oftentimes I haue done euen so now againe I make this protestation that I neuer obstinately sayd or heereafter will say any thing that shall be contrary vnto the truth and verity and moreouer that I haue alwayes holden do hold and firmely desire for to holde the very true and infallible trueth and veritie so that before that I would defende and maintaine any erroure contrary therunto I would rather chuse by the hope and help of the Lorde to suffer extreeme punishment euen vnto death yea and thorowe the helpe of God I am ready euen to offer this my miserable lyfe vnto death for the law of Christ the which I do beleue euery part and parcell thereof to be geuen and promulgate for the saluation of mankinde by the counsaile and determination of the most holy Trinitie and the saintes of God c. By the whiche his protestation and also other protestations by the sayde M. Iohn Hus being well obserued and noted it may be easily gathered and known that his whole intent and purpose was and is that hee neither would nor will haue spoken or written any thing in hys bookes treatises doctrines or publike sermones or els to haue affirmed any articles the whyche willingly and wittingly he did vnderstand or know to be either erroneous offensiue seditious hereticall or offending the godly eare All beit that these and suche like things are falsely imputed vnto hym by hys enemies But it hath alwayes bene his chiefe intent and purpose and so is that euery poynt conclusion or article contained in his bookes or articles to haue put and affirmed them to thys ende according to the truth of the Gospell the holy Doctors and wryters vppon the holy Scriptures and to that end and purpose as is before expressed in his protestations and if in any poynt he shoulde be founde to varie or goe astray or that he were not well vnderstanded of others by like information to be informed vnderstanded corrected and amended and that he wil by no meanes sustaine or defend any maner of article against the holy Churche of Rome or the Catholicke faith Wherefore most reuerende fathers the premisses notwythstanding his ennemies through the extreeme hatred whych they beare vnto him hath picked and taken out by piece meale certain articles out of the booke of M. Iohn Hus reiecting and not looking vppon the allegations and reasons neither hauing any relation vnto the distinction of their equiuocations haue compounded and made thereof certaine false and fained articles againste him to thys ende that all charitie and loue being sette aparte they might the better ouerthrow hym and bryng hym vnto death contrary vnto the safe conducte vppon good and iust occasion openly assigned and geuen vnto the sayde maister Iohn Hus by the most noble Prince the Lorde Sigismund king of the Romanes and of Hungarie for his iust defence against all the friuolous accusations and assaultes of the ennemies not onely of the sayd M. Iohn Hus but also of the famous kingdome of Boheme and for the quiete appeasing of all such tumultes and rumours rising and springing in the sayde kingdome of Boheme or else where the auoiding of which most perillous vprours the saide king of Romaines doth greatly desire and wish as the right heire and successour of the sayd kingdome Whereuppon the Barons and Nobles aforesayde most humbly desire and require the premisses being considered and respect had vnto the great infamie and slaunder which may happen by the premisses vnto the sayde kingdome and inhabitants thereof that you will put to your handes and take some order meane that maister Iohn Hus may be distinctly hearde by some famous men deuines already deputed or otherwise to be appoynted vpon all and singulare such articles as shall be laide vnto him to declare his owne minde and intent and also the minde of the doctours alleadged for his purpose with the manifolde distinctions and equiuocations in the which the drawers out of the most part of his articles haue also made equiuocations that so according vnto the disposition of witnesses of the which a great number of them are and haue a long time bene his mortall ennemies that at the friuolous instigation of his enemies when hee was miserably deteined prisoner that he should not be condemned vnheard For so muche as by the sayde declarations your fatherly reuerences might be the more better informed of the trueth hee hymselfe is ready alwaies to submit himselfe vnder the determination of thys most sacred councell For your reuerences by the craftie and fained perswasions of his ennemies are thus informed that M Iohn Hus hath bene vncurably obstinate by a long time in most perillous articles the which your reuerences may nowe plainely perceiue to be vntrue and for the more euidence heerein to be shewed there is presented vnto your reuerences an instrumente of publike recognition of the moste reuerend father in Christe the Lorde Nicholas Bishop of Nazareth and Inquisitour of heresies specially appoynted by the Apostolike sea in the dioces of Prage the which by your reuerences is more diligently to be hearkened vnto Wherefore it may please your fatherly reuerences to commaund the sayd M Iohn Hus neither conuicted nor condemned to be taken and brought out of his bondes and chaines in the which he is nowe most greeuously deteined and kept and to put him into the hands of some reuerend Lordes Byshops or commissioners appoynted or to be appoynted by this present councell That the sayd M. Iohn Husse may somewhat be releued and recouer againe his health and be the more diligently and commodiouslye examined by the Commissioners and for the more assurance the Barons and Nobles aforesayd of the kingdome of Boheme will prouide most sure and good sureties the which wil not breake their fidelity and faith for any thing in the worlde Which also shall promise in his behalfe that hee shall not flee or departe out of their handes vntill suche time as the matter be fully determined by the sayd Commissioners In the execution of the which promises wee haue determined to prouide and foresee vnto the fame and honour of the said kingdome of Boheme and also to the safeconducte of the moste worthy Prince the king of Romaines least that the enemies and detractours of the honoure and fame of the kingdome aforesayd might not a little slander and reproue the said Lordes pretending and shewing forth hereafter that they had made vnreasonable or vnlawfull requests for the withstāding of which mischiefe we require your fatherly
honour as no great renowne and glory vnto me Howbeit my enemies may in derision say vnto me that according to their willes pleasures I am exalted and honored Wherfore this article is wholy throughout false and vntrue Unto these articles aboue prefixed were other articles also to be annexed which the Parisians had drawne out agaynst M. Iohn Hus to the number of 19. The chiefe author wherof was Iohn Gerson Chauncellour of the vniuersity of Paris a great setter on of the Pope against good men Of these articles Iohn Hus doth often complayne in his Epistles that he had no time nor space to make answere vnto them Which articles being falsly collected and wrongfully depraued although Iohn Hus had no time t◠aunswere vnto yet I thought not vnfit here to set downe for the reader to see and iudge ¶ Articles formally contayned or picked out of the Treatise of Iohn Hus of Prage which he intituled of the Church folowing in this part or behalfe the errours they terme them of Iohn Wickelyffe THe first article No reprobate is true Pope Lorde or Prelate The errour is in the fayth and behauiour and manners being both of late and many times before condemned as well agaynst the poore men of Lions as also agaynst the Waldenses and Pikardes The affirmation of which error is temerarious seditious offensiue and pernitious and tending to the subuersion of all humaine policy and gouernance forasmuch as no man knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred for that all men doe offend in many poyntes and therby shoulde all rule and dominion be made vncertayne and vnstable if it shoulde be founded vpon predestination and charity neither shoulde the commaundement of Peter haue bene good which willeth all seruauntes to be obedient vnto their maisters and Lordes although they be wicked The 2. article That no man being in deadly sinne whereby he is no member of Christ but of the Deuill is true Pope Prelate or Lord. The error of this is like vnto the first The 3. article No reprobate or otherwise being in deadly sinne sitteth in the Apostolicke seate of Peter neither hath any Apostolical power ouer the christian people This error is also like vnto the first The 4. Article No reprobrate are of the Church neither likewise any which doe not followe the life of Christ. This error is agaynst the common vnderstanding of the doctors concerning the church The 5. Article They onely are of the church and sit in Peters seat and haue Apostolicke power whiche followe Christ and his Apostles in their life and liuing The error hereof is in fayth and maners as in the first article but contayning more arrogancy and rashnes The 6. article That euery man which liueth vprightly according to the rule of Christ may and ought openlye to preach and teach although he be not sent yea although he be forbidden or excommunicate by any Prelate or Bishop euen as he might and ought to geue almes for his good life in liuing together with his learning doth sufficientlye send him This is a rash and temerarious errour offensiue and tending to the confusion of the whole ecclesiastical hierarchy The 7. article That the Pope of Rome being contrary vnto Christ is not the vniuersall Bishop neither hath the church of Rome any supremacy ouer other Churches except peraduenture it be geuen him of Cesar and not of Christ. An error lately and playnely reproued The 8. article That the Pope ought not to be called most holy neither that his feet are holy and blessed or that they ought to be kissed This error is temerarius vnreuerently and offensiuely published The 9. article That according vnto the doctrine of Christ heretickes be they neuer so obstinate or stubburne ought not to be put to death neither to be accursed or excōmunicated This is the error of the Donatistes temerariously and not without great offence affirmed agaynst the lawes of the ecclesiasticall discipline as S Augustine doth proue The 10. Article That subiectes and the common people may and ought publickly and openly to detect and reproue the vices of their superiours and rulers as hauing power geuen them of Christ and example of Saynt Paul so to doe this error is pernitious full of offence inducing all rebellion disobedience and sedition and the curse and malediction of Cham. The 11. article That Christ onely is head of the church and not the Pope It is an errour accordyng vnto the cōmon vnderstanding of the Doctors if all the reason of the supremacy and of being head be secluded and taken away from the Pope The 12. article That the onely church which comprehendeth the predestinate and good liuers is the vniuersall Church whereunto subiectes do owe obedience And this is consequent vnto the former article The error is conteined as in the former articles The 13. article That tithes and oblations geuen vnto the Church are publicke and common almes This error is offenciue and contrary to the determination of the Apostle 1. Cor. 9. chapter The 14. article That the clergy liuing wickedly ought to be reproued and corrected by the lay people by the taking away of theyr tithes and other temporall profites A most pernicious errour and offenciue inducing the secular people to perpetrate sacriledge subuerting the ecclesiasticall liberty The 15. article That the blessinges of such as are reprobate or euill liuers of the clergye are maledictions and cursinges before God according to the saying I will curse your blessinges This error was lately reproued of Saynt Augustine agaynst Saynct Cyprian and his followers neither is the maister of the sentences allowed of the maysters in that poynt that he semeth to fauor this article The 16. article That in these dayes and in long tyme before there hath bene no true Pope no true Church or fayth which is called the Romishe Churche whereunto a man ought to obey but that it both was and is the sinagogue of Antichrist and Sathan The errour in this article is in this poynt that it is deriued and taketh his foundation vpon the former articles The 17. article That all gift of money geuen vnto the ministers of the Church for the ministration of any spirituall matter it doth make such ministers in that case vsers of Simony This errour is seditious and temerarius for so much as some thing may be geuen vnto the clergy vnder the title of sustentation or mayntaynyng the minister without the selling or buying of any spirituall thing The 18. article That whosoeuer is excommunicate of the pope if he appeale vnto Christ he is preserued that he need not feare the excommunication but vtterlye to contemne and despise the same This errour is temerarious and full of arrogancy The 19. article That euery deed done with out charity is sinne This errour was reproued and reuoked before this time at Paris specially if it be vnderstand of deadlye
thy names sake Amen Written in prison and in bondes in the Vigill of holy S. Iohn the Baptist who beyng in prison and in bondes for the rebuking of wickednesse was beheaded ¶ Among diuers other letters of Iohn Hus which he wrote to the great consolation of others I thought also here to intermixt an other certaine godly letter writteÌ„ out of England by a faythfull Scholler of Wickleffe as appeareth vnto Iohn Hus and the Bohemians which for the zealous affectioÌ„ therein coÌ„teined seemeth not vnworthy to be read ¶ A letter to Iohn Hus and to the Bohemians from London GReetyng and whatsoeuer can be deuised more sweete in the bowels of Christ Iesu. My dearely beloued in the Lord whom I loue in the trueth and not I onely but also all they that haue the knowledge of the trueth whiche abydeth in you and shall be with you through the grace of GOD for euermore I reioysed aboue measure when our beloued brethren came and gaue testimony vnto vs of your trueth and how you walke in the trueth I haue heard brethren how sharpely Antichrist persecuteth you in vexyng the faithfull seruauntes of Christ with diuers and straunge kyndes of afflictions And surely no maruaile if amongest you since it is so almost all the world ouer the law of Christ be too too greuously impugned and that redde Dragon hauyng so many heades of whom it is spoken in the Apocalyps haue now vomited out of his mouth that great floud by whiche he goeth about to swallow vp the woman but the most gracious God will deliuer for euer his onely and most faythfull spouse Let vs therfore cofort our selues in the Lord our God and in his vnmeasurable goodnes hopyng strongly in him which will not suffer those that loue him to be vnmercifully defrauded of any their purpose if we according to our duety shall loue him with all our hart for aduersitie should by no meanes preuaile ouer vs if there were no iniquitie raignyng in vs. Let therefore no tribulation or sorrow for Christs cause discourage vs knowing this for a surety that whosoeuer the Lord vouchsafeth to receaue to be his childreÌ„ those he scourgeth For so the mercifull father will haue them tried in this miserable life by persecutions that afterwardes hee may spare them For the golde that this high artificer hathe chosen he purgeth and trieth in this fire that he may afterwardes lay it vp in his pure treasurie For we see that the time which we shall abide here is short and transitory the life which we hope for after this is blessed and euerlasting Therefore whilest we haue time let vs take paine that we may enter into that rest What other thyng do we see in this brickle life then sorow heauinesse and sadnesse and that which is most greuous of all to the faithfull too much abusing and contempt of the lawe of the Lord. Let vs therefore endeuoure our selues as much as we may to lay holde of the things that are eternall and abiding despising in our mindes all transitory and fraile things Let vs consider the holy fellowship of our fathers that haue gone before vs. Let vs consider the Saincts of the olde and newe Testament Did they not passe through this sea of tribulation and persecution were not some of them cut in peces other some stoned others of them killed with the sword Some others of them went about in pelts and goates skinnes as the Apostle to the Hebrues witnesseth Surely they all walked straight wayes following the steppes of Christ which sayde he that ministreth vnto me let him follow me whether so euer I go c. Therfore let vs also which haue so noble examples geuen vs of the Saintes that went before vs laying away as muche as in vs lyeth the heauy burden and the yoke of sinne which compasseth vs about runne forwarde through patience to the battaile that is set before vs fixing our eyes vppon the author of faith and Iesus the finisher of the same who seeing the ioy that was set before hym suffred the paines of the crosse despising death Let vs call vppon him which suffred suche reproche against himselfe of sinners that we be not wearied fainting in our hearts but that we may heartely pray for helpe of the Lorde and may fight against his aduersary Antichrist that we may loue his law and not be deceitfull labourers but that we may deale faithfully in all things according to that that God hath vouchsafed to geue vs and that wee may labour diligently in the Lordes cause vnder hope of an euerlasting reward Behold therefore brother Hus most deaâ—ly beloued in Christe although in face vnknowen to me yet not in faith and loue for distance of places cannot separate those whom the loue of Christ doth effectually knit together be comforted in the grace which is geuen vnto thee labour like a good souldiour of Christ Iesus preach be instant in word and in example and call as many as thou canst to the way of truth for the truth of the gospel is not to be kept in silence because of friuolous censures and thunderboltes of Antichrist And therefore to the vttermost of thy power strengthen thou and confirme the members of Christ whych are weakened by the deuil and if the Lord wil vouchsafe it Antichrist shall shortly come to an end And there is one thing wherein I do greatly reioyce that in your realm and in other places God hath stirred vp the harts of some men that they can gladly suffer for the word of God imprisonment banishment and death Further beloued I knowe not what to wryte vnto you but I confesse that I could wish to powre out my whole heart if thereby I might comfort you in the lawe of the Lorde Also I salute from the bottome of my heart all the faithfull louers of the law of the Lord and specially Iacobellus your coadiutor in the gospell requiring that he will pray vnto the Lorde for me in the Vniuersall churche of Iesus Christ. And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead the shepheard of the sheepe the mighty Lorde Iesus Christ make you apt in all goodnesse to doe his will working in you that which may be pleasant in his sight All your friendes salute you which haue heard of your constancie I would desire also to see your letters wrytten backe to vs for knowe yee that they shall greatly comfort vs. At London by your seruaunt desiring to be fellow with you in your labors Ricus Wiceewitze priest vnworthy ¶ An other letter of Iohn Hus to his friendes of Boheme THe Lord God be with you I loue the counsaile of the Lorde aboue gold and precious stone Wherfore I trust in the mercy of Iesus Christ that he wil geue me his spirit to stand in his truth Pray to the Lord for the spirit is ready and the flesh is weake The Lord almighty be the eternal reward vnto my Lords which constantly firmely and
thinges shall come to passe and be brought by little and little in order of times dispensed of God for the same purpose And this God doth and will do for his owne goodnes and mercy and for the riches of his great longanimity and pacience geuing time and space of repētance to them that haue lōg line in theyr sins to amend and flye from the face of the Lordes fury whyle that in like manner the carnall people and carnal priestes successiuely and in time shall fall awaye and be consumed as with the moth c. ¶ An other letter of Iohn Husse MAister Martin my deare brother in Christ I exhorte you in the Lord that you feare God keepe hys commaundementes and flee the company of women and beware of hearing their confessions least by the hipocrisie of women Sathan deceiue you trust not their deuotion You know how I haue detested the auarice and the inordinate life of the Clergy wherefore through the grace of God I suffer now persecution which shortly shal be consummate in me neither doe I feare to haue my hart powred out for the name of Christ Iesus I desire you hartely be not greedy in seeking after benefices And yet if you shal be called to anye cure in the country let the honour of God the saluation of soules and the trauaile therof moue you therunto and not the hauing of the lining or the commodities thereof And if you shall be placed in any such benefice beware you haue no yong womā for your cook or seruant least you edifie and encrease more your house then your soule See that you be a builder of your spirituall house being gentle to the poore and humble of mind and waste not your goodes in great fare I feare also if you do not amend your life ceasing from your costly and superfluous apparell least you shal be greuously chastised as I also wretched mā shal be punished which haue vsed the like being seduced by custome of euill men and wordly glory wherby I haue bene wounded agaynst God wyth the spirite of pride And because you haue notably knowne both my preaching and outward conuersation euen from my youth I haue no neede to write many thinges vnto you but to desire you for the mercy of Iesus Christ that you do not followe me in anye such leuitie and lightnes whiche you haue in seene in me You knew how before my priesthoode whiche greueth me nowe I haue delighted to playe oftentimes at chesse and haue neglected my time and thereby haue vnhappily prouoked both my self and other to anger many times by that play Wherfore besides other my innumerable faultes for thys also I desire you to inuocate the mercy of the Lord that he will pardon me and so directe my life that hauing ouercome the wickednes of this present life the flesh the world and the deuill I may finde place in the heauenly country at the least in the day of iudgement Fare ye well in Christ Iesus with all them which keepe hys law My gray coate if you will keepe to your selfe for my remembraunce but I thinke you are ashamed to wear that gray colour therfore you may geue it to whō you shall thinke good My white coate you shall geue the minister N. my scholer To George or els to Zuzikon 60. groates or els my gray coate for he hath faythfully serued me ¶ The superscription I pray you that you doe not open this letter before you be sure and certayne of my death The consolation of Mayster Hierome to Mayster Hus. MY maister in those thinges which you haue both written hetherto and also preached after the law of God agaynst the pride auarice an other inordinate vices of the Priestes goe forward be constant and strong And if I shall know that you are oppressed in the cause and if neede shal so require of myne own accorde I will folow after to helpe you as much as I can BY the lyfe actes and letters of Iohn Hus hetherto rehearsed it is euident and playne that he was condemned not for any errour of doctrine which they coulde well proue in hym who neyther denyed their popishe transubstantiation neither spake against the authoritie of the church of Rome if it were well gouerned nor yet the 7. Sacraments also sayd masse himself and almost in al their popish opinions was a papist with them but onely of euil wil was accused of his malicious aduersaries because he spake agaynst the pompe pride and auarice other wicked enormities of the pope Cardinals Prelates of that Church and because he could not abide the high dignities liuings of the Churche and thought the doinges of the pope to be Antichristlike For this cause he procured so many enemies false witnesses agaynst him Who strayning and picking matter out of hys bookes and writinges hauing no one iust article of doctrine to lay vnto him yet they made hym an hereticke whether he would or no and brought him to hys condemnation This can hatred and malice do where the charitie of Christ hath no place Whiche being so as thy charitie good reader may easely vnderstand in perusing the whol course of hys story I beseech thee thē what cause had Iohn Cochleus to write his 12. bookes agaynst Iohn Hus and Hussites In which bookes how bitterly intēperately he misuseth hys penne by these few words in hys second booke thou mayst take a little tast which wordes I thought here briefly to place in English to the ende that all English men may iudge thereby with what spirite and truth these Catholickes he caryed Hys wordes be these Lib. 2. Hist. Dico igitur Ioan Huss neque sanctum neque beatum habendum esse sed impium potius c. That is I say therfore Iohn Husse is neither to be counted holy nor blessed but rather wicked and eternally wretched insomuche that in the day of iudgement it shal be more easie not onely with the infidell Pagans Turks Tartarians and Iewes but also with the most sinfull Sodomites the abhominable Persians which most filthily doe lye with their daughters sisters or mothers yea also with most impious Cain killer of hys owne brother with Thyestes killer of hys own mother and the Lestrygones other Andropophagi which deuour mans flesh yea more easie with those infamous murderers of infants Pharao Herode then with him c. These be the words of Cochleus Whose rayling books although they deserue neyther to be read nor aunswered yet if it pleased God it were to be wished that the Lord would stir vp some towardly yong man that hath so much leasure to defend the simplicitie of thys Iohn Hus whiche cannot now aunswere for himselfe In the meane tyme something to satisfie or stay the readers mynde agaynst thys immoderate hyperbole of Cochleus in like fewe wordes I wyll bryng out Iohn Hus to speake and to cleare hymselfe agaynst this slaunder whose wordes in
declare vnto them hys minde neyther would he by any meanes consent vnto those priuate iudges Wherupon the Presidents of the Councell thinking that the sayd M. Hierome woulde renue hys recantation before the sayd audieuce and confirme the same did graunt him open audieÌ„ce In the yeare of our Lord. 1416. the 25. day of May which was the Saterday before the Ascenâ—ion of our Lord the sayd M. Hierom was brought vnto open audience before the whole Councell to the great Cathedrall church of Constance whereas by the Commissioners of the Councell in the behalfe of hys foresayd enemies there was laid agaynst him of new C. and vii Articles to the intent that he should not scape the snare of death which they prouided and layd for him in so much as the iudges had before declared that by the saying of the witnesses it was already concluded in the same audience The day aforesayd from morning vntill noone he aunswered vnto more then 40. Articles most subtletie obiected agaynst him denying that he held or mayntayned any such articles as were either hurtfull or false affirming the those witnesses had deposed theÌ„ agaynst him falsly and slaunderously as his most cruel and mortall enemies In the same Session they had not yet proceeded vnto death because that the noone time drew so fast on that he could not answere vnto the Articles Wherfore for lacke of time sufficient to aunswere vnto the residue of the Articles there was an other time appoynted which was the third day after the foresaid Saterday before the Ascention of our Lord at whiche time againe early in the morning hee was brought vnto the sayde Cathedrall Church to answere vnto all the residue the Articles In all which articles as well those which he had aunswered vnto the Saterday before as in the residue he cleared himselfe very learnedly refelling his aduersaries who had no cause but onely of malice displeasure were set agaynst him did him great wrong in suche sort that they were themselues astonyed at his oration and refutation of their testimonies brought agaynst him and with shame enough were put to silence As when one of them had demanded of him what he thought by the sacrament of the aultar He answered before consecration sayd he it is bread wine after the consecration it is the true body and bloud of Christ adding withall moe wordes according to theyr catholicke fayth Then an other rising vp Hierome sayde he there goeth a great rumor of thee that thou shouldest hold bread to remain vpon the aultar To whom he pleasantly answered saying that he beleued bread to be at the Bakers At which wordes being spoken one of the Dominicke Friers fumishly tooke on and sayd what doest thou deny that no man doubteth of Whose peuishe sausines Hierome with these words did well represse holde thy peace said he thou monke thou hipocrite And thus the monke being nipped in the head sate downe dumme After whom started vp an other who with a loude voyce cryed out I sweare sayd he by my conscience that to be true that thou doest deny To whom sayd Hierome agayne speaking in latine Heus inquit sic iurare per conscientiam tutissima fallendi via est That is thus to sweare by your conscience is the next way to deceiue An other there was a spitefull and a bitter enemy of his whom he called by no other name then dogge or asse After he had thus refuted them one after an other that they could finde no crime against him neyther in this matter nor in anye other they were all driuen to keepe silence This done then were the witnesses called for who coÌ„ming in presence gaue testimony vnto the Articles before produced By reason wherof the innocent cause of Hierome was oppressed and began in the councell to be concluded Then Hierome rising vp begaÌ„ to speak forsomuch sayth he as you haue heard mine aduersaries so diligeÌ„tly hether to conuenient it is that you should also nowe heare me to speake for my selfe Whereupon with much difficultie at last audience was geueÌ„ in the Councell for hym to say his mind Which being granted he from morning to noon continuyng entreated of diuers and sondry matters with great learning and eloqueÌ„ce Who first beginning with his praier to God be sought him to geue him spirite habilitie and vtterance which might most tend to the profite saluation of his own soule And so entring into hys Oration I Know sayth he reuerend Lords that there haue bene many excelleÌ„t men which haue suffered much otherwise theÌ„ they haue deserued being oppressed with false witnesses condemned with wrong iudgementes And so beginning with Socrates he declared howe hee was vniustly condemned of hys countrimen neither woulde he escape when hee might taking from vs the feare of two thinges whiche seeme most bitter to men to wit of prisonment and death Then he inferred the captiuitie of Plato the banishment of Anaxagoras and the tormentes of Zeno. Moreouer he brought in the wrongfull condemnation of many gentiles as the banishment of Rupilius reciting also the vnworthy death of Boetius and of others whom Boetius himselfe doth write of From thence he came to the examples of the Hebrues and first began with Moyses the deliuerer of the people the law geuer how he was oftentimes slaundered of hys people as being a seducer and contemner of the people Ioseph also sayth he for enuy was sold of hys brethren and for false suspicion of whoredome was cast into bandes Besides these he reciteth Esayas Daniell and almost all the Prophetes who as contemners of god and seditious persons were oppressed with wrongfull condemnation FroÌ„ thence he proceeded to the iudgement of Susanna and of diuers other besides who being good and holy men yet were they vniustly cast away with wrongfull sentence At the length he came to Iohn Baptist and so in long processe he descended vnto our sauiour declaring how it was euident to all men by what false witnesses both he and Iohn Baptist were condemned Moreouer how Stephen was slayne by the Colledge of the priestes and how all the Apostles were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious styrrers vp of the people and contemners of the Gods and euil doers It is vniust sayth he vniustly to be condemned one priest of an other and yet he proued that the same hath so happened most vniustly in that Councell of Priestes These thinges did he discourse at large with marueilous eloqueÌ„ce and with singuler admiration of all that heard hym And forasmuch as all the whol summe of the cause dyd rest only in the witnesses by many reasons he proued that no credite was to be geuen vnto them especially seing they spake all thinges of no truth but onely of hatred malice enuy And so prosecuting the matter so liuely and expressely he opened vnto them the causes of their hatred
of mony delayed the time in making of their truce Camillus cōming vpon them did most shamefully driue them out againe But what need I to rehearse old histories when as our own examples are sufficient for vs Ye know your selues how often these delayes haue bene hurtfull vnto you how oftē the delay of a few dayes hath growne to a long tracte of tyme. For now this is the 8. yeare that you haue spent in delayes you haue seene that alwayes of one delay an other hath sprong and risen Wherfore I do require that Panormitan shuld consider that the conclusion being this day disturbed we know not whether it will be brought to passe hereafter againe or no. Many impedimentes or lets may rise Neither doth Panormitan say that this delay being obtayned he wold afterward consent with his fellowes vnto the conclusiōs for he denyeth that he hath any commaundement therunto which is more to be considered he sayth that the Ambassadours at their returne from Mentz may bring such newes wherby these conclusions may be omitted as though any thyng were more excellent then the truth The which thing doth manifestly declare that they do not seeke delayes for the better examination of the matter but for to impugne the conclusions the more strongly Neither do I agree with Panormitan as touching the effects which he sayd should ryse eyther of the denyall or graunting of the requests For I see no cause why the Princes should so greatly require any delay There are no letters of anye Prince come vnto vs as touching such request neyther is there any man lately come from them neyther is it greatly materiall vnto them but that the matters of faith shoulde be determined But this is a most pernicious conclusion which Panormitane hath made and not to be looked for at the handes of those most godly princes wheras he saith if we do please them they will take our part If contrariwise they will decline vnto Eugenius and wholy resist rebell agaynst vs. This is a meruailous word a wonderfull conclusion altogether vnworthye to be spoken of such a man The decrees of the Councell of Constance are that all maner of men of what state or condition soeuer they be are bound to the ordinaunces and decrees of the generall Councels But Panormitanes wordes do not tend to that effect for he would not haue the Princes obedient vnto the Councel but that councell to be obedient vnto that princes Alas most reuerend Fathers alas what times daies what maners and conditiōs are these Into what misery are we now brought How shall we at anye time bring to passe that the Pope being Christes Uicare and as they say an other Christ in earth should be subiect vnto the coūcell of Christians if the Councell it selfe ought to obey wordly Princes But I pray you look for no such things at the Princes handes Do not beleeue that they will forsake theyr mother the Church Do not thinke them so farr alienate frō the truth that they would haue iustice suppressed The conclusions whereupon the controuersie is are most true most holy most allowable If the princes do refuse them they do not resist agaynst vs but against the holy Scriptures yea and agaynst Christ himselfe which you ought neither to beleue neither was it comely for Panormitane so to say Panormitan by your licēce be it spoken you haue vttered most cruell words neyther do you seeme to go about any other matter then to inculcate terrour and feare into the mindes of the Fathers for you haue rehearsed great perils and daungers except we submitt our selues vnto the princes But you most reuerend fathers shall not be afearde of them which kill the body the soule they cannot kill neyshal ye forsake the truth although you should shedde your bloud for the same Neither ought we to be any whit more slacke in the quarrell of our mother the church and the Catholicke fayth then those most holy Martyrs whiche haue established the Church with theyr bloud For why should it be anye greeuous matter vnto vs to suffer for Christ which for our sakes hath suffered so cruel greuous death Who when he was an immortall God voyd of all passiōs toke vpō him the shape of a mortal man feared not for our redemption to suffer tormentes vpon the crosse Set before your eyes the Prince of the Apostles Peter Paule Andrew Iames and Barthelmew and not to speake onely of Bishops Marke what Stephen Laurence Sebastian Fabian did Some were hanged some headed some stoned to death other some burned and others tormented with most cruell and grieuous tormentes suffered for Christes sake I pray you for Gods sake let vs follow the example of these men If we will be byshops and succeed in honour let vs not feare Martyrdome Alas what effeminate harts haue we Alas what faynt harted people are we They in tymes past by the contempt of death conuerted the whole world which was full of gentilitie and idolatrye and we through our sluggishnes desire of life do bring the Christian Religion out of the whole world into one corner I feare greatly least that little also which is left we shall lose through our cowardlines if that by following Panormitanes minde we do commit the whole gouernaunce defence of the Church vnto the princes But nowe play the stout and valiaunt men in this time of tribulation feare not to suffer death for the Churche whiche Curtius feared not to doe for the cittie of Rome which Menchotheus for Thebes Codrus for Athens willingly took vpon them Not onely the martyrs but also the Gentiles might moue and stirre vs to cast of all the feare of death What is to be sayd of Theremens the Athemen With how ioyfull hart and minde and pleasaunt countenaunce did he drink the poyson What say you vnto the Socrates that most excellent Philosopher did he eyther weepe or sigh when he supped vp the poyson They hoped for that whiche we are most certayne of Not by dying to dye but to chaunge this present life for a better Truly we ought to be ashamed being admonished by so many examples instructed with so great learning yea and redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ so greatly to feare death Cato writeth not of one or two men but of whole legions which haue chearfully couragiously gone vnto those places frō whence they knew they shuld not return Wyth like courage did the Lacedemoniās geue thēselues to death at Thermopilis of whom Simonides writeth thus Dic hospes Spartanos te hic vidisse iacentes Dum sanctis patriae legibus obsequimur Report thou straunger the Spartaines here to lye Whiles that their coūtry lawes they obeyed willingly Neither iudge the contrary but that the Lacedemonians went euen of purpose vnto death vnto whome theyr Captayne Leonidas sayd O ye Lacedemonians goe forward couragiously for this day we shal sup together
themselues aboue the vniuersall church thought it lawfull for them to doe all things after their owne pleasure and that no one man froÌ„ henceforth should transport the councell from one place to another as Eugenius atteÌ„pted to doe now to Bononia now to Florentia theÌ„ agayne to Bononia after to Ferraria and after that agayne to Florentia and that hereafter the Bishops should withdraw theyr minds from the carefulnes of temporall goodes whiche as he himselfe did see had no mind at all on spiritual matters therfore by how much this SessioÌ„ was most holy and necessary by so much more the assent of the Ambassadours was most laudable acceptable to all the fathers These wordes thus spoken he rose vp and the congregation was dissolued Now after that Gabriel Condulmarius was deposed from the bishopricke of Rome the principall fathers of the Councell being called together in the Chapter house of the great Church consulted together whether it were expedeÌ„t that a new bishop should be created out of haÌ„d or deâ—erred for a time Such as thought good that the election shoulde be done with speed shewed how daungerous a thing it was for such a coÌ„gregatioÌ„ to be without a head also what a pestiferous sicknes was in al the City which not onely consumed young men and children but also men of middle age and old men in like maner and that this plague came first by straungers vnto the poore of the Citty and so infected the rich now was come vnto the fathers of the counceel amplifiyng moreouer and encreasing the terror therof and making the thing worse then it was as the maner is Neither doth the decree sayd they any thing let or hinder wherein it is prouided that there should be delay of lx dayes after the sea is voyde for that is to be vnderstand when as the sea is voyd at such time as there is no Councell holden neyther ought we to tary or make any delay least the Princes being perswaded by Gabriel should resist Unto whom the deposition of Gabriell and the election of some other is to be certified all vnder one message The other which thought good that there should be a delay sayde that the Councell did lacke no head for so muche as Christ was the head thereof neither did lacke a ruler for so much as it was gouerned by the Presidents other officers and that no mention shoulde be made of any pestilence in such case seing that vnto stout strong men death is not to be feared neither can any thing daunt or feare theÌ„ which contend for the Christian fayth As for that pestileÌ„ce which doth now encrease and grow in the City forasmuch as iudgement is now geuen it is to be hoped that it wyll asswage which was thought to haue come for the neglecting of iustice Also that in so doubtful a matter they ought rather to vse the princes agaynst theyr will then to neglect them and that it is not be feared but that in this case God will helpe those that are stoute valiaunt The matter being thus discussed amongest them albeit that there was as many mindes as there was men yet it seemed vnto them all that it was most profitable to choose the Byshop by and by but most honest to deferre it Hereupon Iohn Segouius a man of excellent learning sayd Most reuerend fathers I am diuersly drawne by sundry reasons to this side and that But as I way the matter more deeply in my minde this is my opinion that to come to a speedy election it seemeth good to speake after mans iudgement but to delay it for two moneths to speak after Gods iudgement it seemeth much better I do iudge that not onely the wordes but also the meaning of our decree ought to be obserued Wherefore if ye will geue any credite vnto me folow rather daungerous honesty theÌ„ secure vtility albeit that in deede vtility cannot be discerned from honesty This opinion of delay took place among the Fathers and they determined to staye for the space of two monethes In the meane time messegers were sent vnto the princes to declare the deposition of Eugenius by the Synode and publish it abroad During this time the corrupt ayre was nothing at all purged but the mortality dayly encreasing many died and were sicke Whereupon a sodayne feare came vpon the fathers Neyther were they sufficiently aduised what they might do for they thought it not to be without daunger either to depart or to tary Notwithstanding they thought it good to tary also they caused other to tary that since they had ouercome famine and the assaults of theyr enemies on earth they would not seeme to shrinke for the persecutioÌ„ of any plague or sicknes But forsomuch as the could not all be kept there it was politickly prouided that the councell should not seme to be dissolued for any maÌ„s departure And for the more establishmeÌ„t of the matter there were certaine thinges read before the fathers which they called De stabilimento whose authority continued long time after When as the Dogge dayes were come and that all herbes withe red with heat the pestilence dayly encreased more more that it is incredible how many dyed It was to horrible to see the corses hourely caryed through the streetes when on euery side there was weeping wayling sighing There was no house voyd of mourning no myrth or laughter in no place but matrones bewayling their husbandes the husbandes theyr wiues Men women went through the streetes and durst not speake one vnto another Some taryed at home and other some that went abroad had perfumes to smell vnto to preserue them agaynst the plague The common people dyed without nuÌ„ber and like as in the cold Autumne the leaues of the trees do fall euen so did the youth of the City consume and fall away The violence of the disease was such that ye should haue met a maÌ„ mery in the street now and within x. houres heard that he had bene buryed The number of the dead corses was such also that they lacked place to bury them in in so much that all the Churchyards were digged vp and filled with dead corses great holes made in the Parish Churches wheras a great number of corses being thrust in together they couered them ouer with earth For which cause the fathers were so afraid that there appeared no bloud in their faces and specially the sodayne death of Lodouicus the Prothonotary did make all men afrayd who was a strong man florishing in age singularly learned in both lawes whoÌ„ the same enuious and raging sicknes tooke away in a few houres By and by after dyed Lodouicus the Patriarke of Aquileia a man of great age and brought vp alwayes in troubles and aduersity neither coulde he see the day of the Popes election which he had long wished for Notwtstanding he tooke partly a consolation in that he had
seene Gabriel deposed before his death This mans death was greuous vnto all the fathers for now they sayde that two pillers of the Councel were decayed ouerthrown meaning the Prothonotary and the Patriarke whereof the one by the law and the other with his deedes defended the verity of the Councell About the same time also dyed the king of Arragones Amner in Switzerland a man of excellent learning being bishop of Ebron The Abbot of Uergilia dyed at Spyre Iohn the bishop of Lubecke betwene Uienna and Buda These two last rehearsed euen at the point of death did this thing worthy of remembraunce WheÌ„ as they perceiued the houre of theyr death approche calling vnto them certayne graue and wise meÌ„ sayd All you that be here present pray to God that he will conuert such as knowledge Gabriell for high Bishoppe for in that state they cannot be saued and professing themselues that they would die in the fayth of the Councell of Basill they departed in the Lord. In Boheme also departed the bishop of Constance which was Ambassador for the Councell There was great feare and trembling throughout all the CouÌ„cel There had bene also in the Councell by a long time the Abbot of Dona of the Dioces of Cumana a man poore vnto the worlde but rich vnto God whom neither flatterings nor threatnings could turne away from his good purpose intent chusing rather to begge in the truth of the fathers then to abounde in riches with the false flattering aduersaryes WherupoÌ„ after the Lords were departed which gaue him his liuing he remayning still was stricken with the plague and died Likewise a great number of the registers and Doctors dyed and such as fell into that disease few or none escaped One amongest all the rest Aeneas Syluius byting strickeÌ„ with this disease by Gods helpe escaped This man lay 3 dayes euen at the poynt of death all men being in despayre of him notwithstaÌ„ding it pleased God to grauÌ„t him longer life When as the pestilence was most feruent hote that daily there dyed about one hundred there was great intreatye made vnto Cardinall Arelatensis that he would goe to some other towne or village neare hand for these were the words of all his frendes household What do you most reuerend father At the least void this wane of the Moone and saue your selfe who being safe all we shall also be safe if you dye we all perish If the plague oppresse you vnto whom shall we flye Who shall rule vs or who shall be the guide of this most faythfull flocke The infectioÌ„ hath already inuaded your chamber Your Secretarye and chamberlayne are already dead Consider the great dauÌ„ger and saue both your selfe and vs. But neither the intreatye of his household neither that corses of those which were dead coulde moue him willing rather to preserue the Councell with perill of his life then to saue his life with perill of the couÌ„cel for he did know that if he should depart few would haue taryed behinde and that deceite shoulde haue beene wrought in his absence Wherfore like as in wars the souldiors feare no daunger when as they see theyr Captayne in the midst of theyr enemyes so the fathers of the Councell were ashamed to flye from this pestilence seing theyr President to remayne with them in the middest of all daungers Which theyr doinges did vtterly subuert the opinion of theÌ„ which babled abroad that the fathers taryed in Basill to seeke their own profite and commodity and not the verity of the fayth for there is no commodity vpon the earth which men would chaunge for theyr liues for that all suche as doe serue the world do prefer before all other thinges But these our fathers shewing themselues an inuincible stroÌ„g wall for the house of God vanquishing all the craftye deceites whiche Gabriell vsed and ouercoÌ„ming all difficultyes which this most cruell and pestiferous yeare brought vpon theÌ„ at the length all desire of liâ—e also being set a part they haue ouercome all daungers and haue not doubted with most constant mindes to deâ—end the verety of the councell euen vnto this present The time of the decree being passed after the deposition of Gabriel it semed good vnto the fathers to proceed to the election of another Bishop And first of all they nominated those that together with the Cardinals should elect the Pope The first principall of the Electours was the Cardinall ArelateÌ„sis a man of inuincible constancy and incomparable wisedome vnto whose vertue I may iustly ascribe whatsoeuer was done in the couÌ„cell for without him the prelats had not perseuered in theyr purpose neither could the shadow of any Prince haue so defended theÌ„ This man came not to the election by any fauor or denomination but by his owne proper right The rest of the Electours were chosen out of the Italian French Germayne and Spanish nations their Sels chambers appoynted to them by lots without respect of dignity or person as the lots fel so they were placed Wherby it chaunced a Doctor to haue the highest place and a Bishop the last Wherein the distribution of lots was very straunge or rather a Diuine dispensation reprouing the deuises of man wheras the prelates had determined to haue the best Chambers appoynted for themselues had earnestly conteÌ„ded before to haue theyr chambers appoynted according to theyr dignity The next day after there was a Session holdeÌ„ where in Marcus a famous Diuine made an Oration vnto the Electors wherein he reckoned vp the manifolde crimes of Gabriel whiche was deposed He endeuored to perswade the Electours to choose such a man which shoulde in all pointes be contrary vnto Gabriel eschew all his vices that as he through his manifolde reproches was hurtfull vnto al men so he which should be choseÌ„ should shew him selfâ— acceptable vnto all men through iustice and as Gabriell was couetous and full of rapine so this man should shew himselfe continent There was so great a nuÌ„ber of people gathered together to behold this matter that neither in the church neyther in the stretes any man could passe Thâ—re was preseÌ„t Iohn Earle of Diestein who supplyed the place of the Emperours Protector also the Senatours of the Citty with many other noble men to beholde the same whereof you shall heare Christ willing more largely hereafter The Citizens were without in armour to prohibite that there should be no vproare made The Electours receiued the Communion together and afterwardes they receiued theyr oth the Cardinall Arelatensis opening the book of Decrees read the forme of the othe in the audieÌ„ce of all meÌ„ first of all he taking the othe himself began in this maner Most reuerend Fathers I promise sweare and vowe before my Lord Iesus Christ whose most blessed body I vnworthy sinner haue receiued vnto whom in the last iudgement I shall geue accompt of all
done in the premisses at the day and place aforesayd or that he which hath so executed our commaundement do so certifie vs by his letters Dated at our Manour of Lambeth the xxij day of October an 1457 and in the 4. yeare of our translation This citation being directed the Byshop vpon the sūmon thereof was brought or rather came before the iudges and Bishops vnto Lambeth where the foresaid Thomas the Archbishop with his doctors and Lawyers were gathered together in the Archbishops Court. In which conuention also the Duke of Buckingham was present accōpanyed with the Bishop of Rochester and of Lyncolne What were the opiniōs and articles agaynst him obiected after in his reuocatiou shall be specified In his answering for himselfe in such a company of the Popes frendes albeit he coulde not preuayle notwithstanding he stoutly defending himselfe declared many thinges worthye great commendation of learning if learning agaynste power coulde haue preuayled But they on the contrary part with all labor and trauel extended themselues either to reduce him or els to cōfound him As here lacked no blustring wordes of terrour and threatning so also many fayre flattering wordes and gentle persuasions were admixt with al. Briefely to make a short narration of a long and busy trauers here was no stone lefte vnturned no wayes vnprooued eyther by fayre meanes to entreat him or by terrible manasses to terrifye his mind till at the length he being vanquished and ouercome by the bishops began to faynt and gaue ouer Wherupon by by a recantation was put vnto him by the Byshops which he should declare before the people The copy of which his recantation here foloweth ¶ The forme and maner of the retractation of Reynold Pecocke IN the name of God Amen Before you the most reuered Father in Christ and Lorde the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury priuate of England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea I Reynolde Pecock vnworthy Bishop of Chichester do purely willyngly simply and absolutely cōfesse and acknowledge that I in times past that is to say by the space of these 20. yeares last past and more haue otherwise conceiued holdē taught and written as touching the Sacramentes and the Articles of the fayth then the holy Church of Rome and vniuersall Church and also that I haue made written published and set forth many diuers pernitious doctrines bookes workes writings heresyes contrary and agaynst the true Catholicke and Apostolicke fayth contayning in them errours cōtrary to the Catholicke fayth especially these errours and heresies here vnder written 1. First of all that we are not bounde by the necessitye of fayth to beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ after his death descended into hell 2. Item that it is not necessarye to saluation to beleeue in the holy Catholicke Church 3. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to beleue the communion of Sayntes 4. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to affirme the body materially in the Sacrament 5. Item that the vniuersall Churche may erre in matters which perteyne vnto fayth 6. Item that it is not necessary vnto saluation to beleue that that which euery generall Councell doth vniuersally ordeine approue or determine should necessaryly for the helpe of our fayth and the saluation of soules be approued and holden of all faythfull Christians Wherfore I Reynold Pecocke wretched sinner which haue long walked in darckenesse and now by the merciful disposition and ordinaunce of God am reduced brought agayne vnto the light and way of truth and restored vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Church renoūce and forsake all errors and heresyes aforesayd Notwithstanding godly reader it is not to be beleued that Pecocke did so geue ouer these opinions howsoeuer the wordes of the recantation pretend For it is a pollicy play of the bishops that when they do subdue or ouercome any mā they cary him whither they list as it were a yoūg Stere by the nose and frame out his words for him before hand as it were for a Parate what he should speake vnto the people not according to his owne will but after theyr lust and fantasy Neither is it to be doubted but that thys Bishop repented him afterward of his recantation which may easely be iudged hereby because he was committed agayn into prison deteined captiue where as it is vncertaine whether he was oppressed with priuy and secret tyranny and there obteined the crown of Martyrdom or no. The Dictionary of Thomas Gascoigne I haue not in my handes present But if credite be to be geuen to such as haue to vs alledged the booke this we may finde in the 8. Century of Iohn Bale chapter 19. that the sayd Thomas Gascoigne in his third part of his sayd dictionary writing of Reinold Pecocke maketh declaration of his articles cōteining in them matter of sore heresy First saith he Reynold Pecock at Paules crosse preached openly that the office of a Christen Prelate chiefly aboue all other things is to preach the word of God That mans reason is not to be preferred before the Scriptures of the old and new Testament That the vse of Sacraments as they be now handled is worse then the vse of the lawe of nature That Byshops which buy theyr admissions of the Bishop of Rome do sinne That no man is bound to beleue and obey the determination of the Churche of Rome Also that the riches of Bishops by inheritage are the goods of the poore Item that the Apostles themselues personally were not the makers of the Creed that in the same Creede once was not the Article he went downe to hell Item that of the foure senses of the Scripture none is to be taken but the very first and proper sense Also that he gaue litle estimation in some poyntes to the authority of the olde Doctors Item that he condemned the wilfull begging of the Friers as a thing idle and needles This out of Thomas Gascoigne Leland also adding this moreouer sayth that he not contented to folow the Catholicke sentence of the Churche in interpreting of the Scripture did not thinke soundly as he iudged it of the holy Eucharist At length for these and suche other Articles the sayde Reynold Pecocke was condemned for an hereticke by the Archbishops and Bishops of Rosse Lyncolne and Winchester with other diuines moe Wherupon he being driuē to his recantation was notwithstanding deteyned still in prison Where some say that he was priuily made away by death Halle addeth that some say his opinions to bee that spirituall persons by Gods lawe ought to haue no temporall possessions Other write that he sayde that personall tithes were not due by Gods lawe But whatsoeuer the cause was he was caused at Paules Crosse to abiure and all his bookes brent and he himselfe kepte in his owne house during his naturall life I maruell that Polydore of this extremity of
written in his boke intituled Rapularium where as hee wryteth that in the Councell of Basill An. 1536. the Archbyshop of Lions did declare that in the time of Pope Martine there came out of France to the court of Rome 9. millions of golde which was gathered of the Byshops and Prelates besides those whych could not be counted of the poore clergy which daily without number runne vnto the court of Rome carying with them all their whole substance The archbishop of Turonne sayde also at Basil in the yeare of our Lord 1439. that three millions of gold came vnto Rome in his time within the space of 14. yeres from the prelates prelacies wherof no accompt could be made beside the poore cleargy which daily run to that court Let the man which feareth God iudge what a deuouring gulf this is A million containeth x. C.M. And what made Pope Pius the 2. to labor so earnestly to Lewes the 11. the French Kinge who as is aforesayde was a great enemy to the house of Burgoin that he wold according to his former promise abolishe vtterly extinct the constitution established before at the Counsell of Bitures by king Charles the 7. his predecessour called Pragmatica Sanctio but onely the ambition of that sea which had no measure and their auarice which had no ende the storie is this King Charles 7. the French king willing to obey and folow the councel of Basil did sommon a Parliament at Bitures Where by the full consent of all the states in Fraunce both spiritual and temporal a certain constitution was decreed and published called Pragmatica Sanctio wherein was comprehended briefly the pith and effect of all the Canons and decrees cōcluded in the councel of Basil The which constitution the saide king Charles willed and commaunded through all his realme inuiolably to be obserued and ratified for the honor and increase of Christian religion for euer This was An. 1438. It followed that after the decease of thys foresayde Charles the 7. succeded king Lewys 11. who had promised before being Dolphine to Pope Pius that if he euer came to the crowne the foresayd Sanctio Pragmatica should be abolished Wherupon Pope Pius hearing him to be crowned did send vnto him Iohn Balueus a Cardinall wyth hys great letterg patent willing him to be mindful of hys promise made The king eyther willing or els pretending a will to performe and accomplish what he had promised directed the Popes letters patēt wyth the sayd Cardinal to the counsaile of Paris requiring them to consult vpon the cause Thus the matter beyng brought and proposed in the Parliament house the kings Atturney named Ioannes Romanus a man wel spoken singularly witted and wel reasoned stepping foorth with great eloquence and no les boldnes prooued the sayd Sanction to be profitable holy and necessary for the wealth of the realme and in no case to be abolished Unto whose sentence the Uniuersity of Paris adioyning their consent did appeal from the attempts of the Pope to the next generall Councell The Cardinall vnderstanding this toke no litle indignation thereat fretting and fuming and threatning many terrible things against them but al his minatory words notwithstanding he returned againe to the king hys purpose not obtained An. 1438. Ex Ioan. Mario Thus the Popes purpose in France was disappoynted which also in Germanie had come to the like effect if Fredericke the Emperor had there done his part lykewise toward the Germaines Who at the same time bewailing their miserable estate wēt about wyth humble sute to perswade the Emperor that he should no longer be vnder the subiection of the Popes of Rome except they had first obtained certaine things of them as touching the Charter of Appeales declaring their estate to be far worse although vndeserued then the Frenchmen or Italians whose seruants and especially of the Italians they are worthely to be called except that their estate were altered The nobles comminalty of Germanie did instantly intreate with most waighty reasons examples both for the vtilitie and profite of the Empire to haue the Emperours aide and helpe therin for that which he was bound vnto them by an oth alledging also the great dishonor ignominie in that they alone had not the vse of their owne lawes declaring how the French natiō had not made their sute vnto their king in vaine against the exactions of Popes by whom they were defended whych also prouided decrees and ordinances for the liberty of his people caused the same to be obserued the which thing the Emperor ought to foresee within hys Empire to prouide for hys people and states of his empire as well as other Kings doe For what shall come to passe therby if that forreine nations hauing recourse vnto their kings being relieued and defended by them from the said exactions and the Germains states of the Empyre flying vnto theyr Emperour be by him forsaken or rather betraied depriued of their owne lawes and decrees The Emperor being mooued partly ouercome by theyr perswasions promised that he wold prouide no lesse for them then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen and to make decrees in that behalfe but the graue authoritie of Aeneas Syluius as Platina wryteth in the history of Pius the second brake of the matter who by his subtile and pestiserous perswasions did so bewitche the Emperour that hee contemning the equall iust and necessary requestes of hys subiects chose the sayd Aeneas to be hys Ambassadour vnto Calixtus then newly chosen Pope to sweare vnto hym in his name to promise the absolute obedience of al Germany as the only coūtry as they call it of obedience neglecting the ordinances decrees of their country as before he had done vnto Eugenius the 4. being Ambassadour for the sayd Fredcrike promising that he all the Germaines would be obedient vnto him from hēceforth in al matters as well spirituall as temporall Thus twise Friderike of Austrich contemned and derided the Germaines frustrating them of their natiue decrees and ordinances brought them vnder subiection and bondage of the Pope whych partly was the cause that 7. yeres before his death he caused his sonne Maximiliā not only to be chosen but also crowned king of Romains and did associate hym to the ministration of the Empire least after hys death as it came to passe the Empire shoulde bee transported into an other family suspecting the Germains whom he had twise cōtrary to his lawes made subiect and in bondage vnto the Popes exactions first be fore he was crowned in the time of Eugenius the 4. and again the second time after hys coronation and death of Pope Nicholas the 5. denying their requests Wherupon Germany being in this miserable pouerty and greuous subiection vnder the Popes tiranny and polling with teares and sighs lamenting their estate continued so almost vnto Luthers time as the hystories
the Romayn Empyre so lesse he passed vpon the proud obedience of the Pope What Saynt Paule ment by this defection the reading of these Turkishe storyes and the miserable falling away of these Churches by him before planted will soone declare Another mistery there is in the Reâ—elations Apoc. 13. where the number of the beast is counted 666. Whereby may seeme by all euidences to be signified the first origene and springing of these beastly Saracens as by sequele hereof may appeare by the first rising of this deuilish sect of Mahumet Moreouer an other place there is cap. 16. Apoca. where we read that by powring out of the Phial of Gods wrath of the sixt Aungell the great floud Euphrates was dryed vp to let in the kinges of the East the openyng of which Prophecy may also more euidently appeare in coÌ„sidering the order and maner of the comming in of these Turks into Europe Some also apply to the Turkes certayne Prophecyes of Daniell Ezechiell and other places of the old TestameÌ„t moe which here I omit for so much as the Prophecyes of the old Testament if they be taken in their proper natiue sence after my iudgement do extend no further then to the death of our Sauior and the end of the Iewes kingdome Albeit herein I do not preiudicate to any mans opinioÌ„ but that euery man may abound in his owne sense As touching the yeare and time when this pestiferous sect of Mahumet first began histories do not fully consent Some affirming that it began an 621. and in the 10. yeare of Heraclius Emperour of Constantinople in whyche minde is Ioannes Lucidus As Munsterus counteth it was in the yeare of our Lord 622. Martin Luther Iohn Carion referreth it to the 18. yeare of the raigne of Heraclius which is the yere of our Lord 630. Unto the which nuÌ„ber the computation of the Beast signified in the Apocali doth not farre disagree whiche numbreth the name of the Beast with three Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche Greeke letters after the supputation of the GreciaÌ„s make the number of 666. In this all writers agree that this damnable Mahumet was borne in the country of Arabia bordering on the East part of Iewry His father was a Syrian or a Persian his Mother was an Ismalite which Ismalites being a people of Arabia were called then Agarens which term Mahumet afterward turned to the name of Saracens Of this wretched Mahumete mention was made before pag. 124. where we shewed how he making himselfe the highest Prophet of all other yet denyeth not Christ to be an holy Prophet and next to him and Moses also to be an other Moreouer he denieth not Mary the mother of Christ to be a uirgin and to haue conceiued Christ by the holy ghost affirming further that Christ in his owne person was not crucified but another called Iudas for him He greatly coÌ„mendeth also Iohn the sonne of Zachary for a virgin wheÌ„ he himselfe permitteth a man to haue 4. wiues and as many concubines as he is able to finde sayth that where as Christ other Prophets had the gift geuen them to worke myracles he was sent by force of sword to compell men to his religioÌ„ The prodigious vanityes lyes blasphemies conteyned in his lawe called Alchoran are rather to be laught at then recited It is thought that Sergius a Nestorian was a great doer with MaÌ„humet in coÌ„triuing of this lying AlchoraÌ„ so it doth well appeare by the scope and pretence thereof which especially teÌ„deth to this end to take the diuinity froÌ„ the person of Christ whom he graunteth notwithstanding to be a most holy man also that he is receiued vp to God and shall come agayne to kill Antichrist c. Moreouer this ridiculous Alchoran is so blaunched poudered with so diuers mixtures of the Christians Iewes and the Gentiles lawes geuing suche liberty to all wantonnesse of flesh setting vp circumcision absteyning from swines flesh and Iudaicall lotions and so much standeth vpon Father Abraham that it is supposed of some this filthy AlchoraÌ„ not to be set out in the dayes of Mahumet but that certayne Iewes had some handling also in this matter and put it out after his death and so semeth first to take his force about the number of yeres limited in the Apocal. as is aforesayd where thus it is written He that hath intelligence let him count the number of the beast For it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundred sixe score and sixe After this deuilish Mahumet had thus seduced the people teaching theÌ„ that he came not by miracles but by force of sword to geue his law that they which wil not obey it must either be put to death or els pay tribute for so be the wordes of the Alchoran and after that hee had gathered strength about him of the Arabians which Arabians theÌ„ had occasion to rebell agaynst the Emperor because theyr stipendes were not paid them of Heraclius the Emperors officers he began to raunge with force and violence in the partes of Syria bordering nere vnto him and first subdued Mecha then Damascus and further encreasing in power entred into Egypt and subdued the same From thence he turned his power agaynste the Persians with whome Cosroes the king of Parsia encountring with a puissaunt army ouerthrew the Saracens put Mahumet to fight Of these Persians came the Turkes which afterward ioining with the Saracens maynteyned them agaynst the Christians Ex Munster After the death of this beast which as some say was poisoned in his house succeeded Ebocara or Ebubecer his father in law or as Bibliander affirmeth his sonne in law who tooke vpon him the gouernmeÌ„t of the Saracens and gotte the Cittye Gaza and besieged also Hierusalem two yeares He raigned two yeares hauing for his chiefe City Damaicus After him folowed Omar or Ahumar who conquered a great part of Syria and got Egypt The 4. king of the Saracens after Mahumet was OdmeÌ„ then folowed Haly after him Muhanias which after the siege of 7. yeares obteined got the christian Citty of Cesaria also ouercame the Persians with theyr king Orunasda and subdued that country to his law Thus the wicked Saracens in the space of 30. yeares subdued Arabia got Palestina Phenicia Syria Egypt and Persia whiche came directly to the 666. yeares prophecied of in the Reuelations of S. Iohn as is aforesayd And not long after they proceded further and got Affrike and then Asia as in the processe of theyr story shal appeare the Lord willing Not long after Heraclius Emperor of Constantinople succeeded Constans his nephew who in the 13. yere of his Empyre fighting vnluckely agaynst the Saraceus in Licia was ouerthrown of Muhamas aforesayd in the yeare of our Lord 655. Which Constans if he were not prospered by the Lord in his warres it was no great
to Zelymus and so beheaded whose hed being first caried about Asia for a triumph was afterward sent to the Senate of Uenice for a terrour vnto them The eldest sonne of Aladulus scaping the handes of his pursuers fled into Egypt This battaile thus fought and ended Zelymus after he had deuided the kingdome of Aladulus into three prouinces went to Lycaonia from thence to Europe there to defend the Citie of Samandria against the Christians in Hungary But the Hungarians being sone repressed by Iuno Bassa the Turkes captaine great preparation began to be made by the Turks against the confines of Seruia bordering vpō Hungary The terrour whereof stirred vp Maximilian the Emperour and Ladislaus king of Hungarie and Sigismundus Kyng of Polonie to consult together and conioyne their power for defence of Christendome But through new incumberances incident the turke leauing Europe made haste againe into Asia to renue againe his warres against the Persians who had made a vow not to geue ouer that warre before Ismael was ouerthrowne But before he entred that warre first he sent hys messengers to the Sultane of Egypte requiring hym not to entermedle in that warre for this sultane before had promised to assist the Persians against the Turke The name of the Sultane which reigned then in Egypt was Campson set vp by the Mamaluci These Mamaluci were a certain order amongst the Egyptians much like to the Ianizarites about the Turke being the childrē of christen men and after denyeng Christ were the chefest doers in y◠Sultanes court and being growne into a great multitude did degenerat into a turkish barbarity or rather became wors then Turkes This Campson vnto the messengers of the Turke gaue this aunswere againe that vnlesse he woulde leaue of his warre against Ismael and restore the sonne of Aladulus otherwise he woulde not lay downe his armor Zelymus being incensed not a little wyth this insolent aunswere of the Sultane leauing all other warres aside with great celeritie aduanced hys power against the Sultane Which Sultan partly through the falshode of his captaine Caierbeius partly by the sodeinnesse of the Turkes comming not farre from the citie of Damascus encoūtred with the turke and there ouerthrowne from his horse being a fatte and grose body and falling vnder his horse and his horse also falling vpon him was quashed in peces and so died which was the yere of our Lord. 1516. Mamalucie of whome more then a M. in thys battaile were slaine flyeng from thence to Memphis set vp Tomoumbeius in stede of Campson whose captaine Gazelles was ouercome at the City of Gaza he afterward himselfe driuen out of Memphis where a great part of the Mamaluci were destroyed Then Tomoumbeius flying ouer the floud Nilus renued his army agayne but in the ende was discomfited and chased into a marish where hee was found standing in the water vp to the chinne and so being brought to Zelymus was put to the rack and great tormentes to make him confesse where Campsons treasures were But when he would not declare he was caryed about the Towne with a halter about his necke hanged vp vpō a hie gibber for a spectacle to all Egypt which was the yeare of our Lorde 1517. And thus were the two Sultanes in Egypt destroied with the Mamaluci whych there had borne the rule in Egypt the space of 243. yeares The progenie of the whych Mamaluci remaining of the warres the Turke commaunded in pryson gates of Alexandria to be cut in peces Zelymus frō thence triumphing departed to Constantinople entending to spend the rest of his time in persecuting the Christians But in that meane space he was stroken with a cankerd sore rotting inward and died after hee had raigned 7. yeares like a beast in the yeare of our Lord. 1520. The raigne of this Turke was but short in number of yeres but in number of his murthers and cruel bloudshed it might seme exceeding long which liued more like a beast then a mā for he neuer spared any of hys frends or kinred His father first he poysoned his brethren and al his cosins he quelled leauing none of all his kinred aliue Moreouer his chief and principal captaines for smal occasions he put to death as Mustapha Calogere Chendeme Bostāg hys sonne in law and Iunobassa It is said moreouer that he entended the poysoning of his owne sonne Solyman sending vnto him a shirt infected with poison because he seemed something freely to speake against the cruel demeanor of his father But by the meanes of hys mother the gifte being suspected was geuen to an other which was his Chamberlaine who putting on the shirt was strucken with the poyson therof and therewith all died As touching thys Turke Zelymus by the way heere may be noted how the secret prouidēce of the Lord kept hym occupied with hys Turkish warres at home while that the reformation of christian religion here in Europe the same time begō by Martin Luther might the more quietly take some roring without disturbance or interruption For so it appeareth by the computation of time that in the dayes of this Zelymus Martin Luther first began to write against the Popes indulgences which was in the yeare of oure Lord. 1516. Solymannus the 12. after Ottomannus SOlymannus the onely sonne of Zelymus succeded after hys fathers death who in the first beginning seemed to some to be simple and shepish and not mete for the turkish gouernmēt Wherfore certain of his nobles cōsulting how to depose him entended to set vp an other Emperour In which conspiracy especially are named Caierbeius Gazelles This Caierbeius was he that betraied before Campson the Sultane of Egypt to Zelymus as is aforesayde who nowe also being in consultation with Gazelles other about this matter detected thē also vnto Solyman Wherfore the sayd Gazelles and his fellowes being thus detected were put to death by Solyman declaring thereby that he was not so shepish as he was thought of them to be as also by his acts afterward did more appeare Solymannus after thys execution done vpon the conspiratours taking his voiage into Europe first besieged Belgradum which being a Citye in Hungarie was the strongest forte of all the Romaine Empire and the chiefe defence at that time of al christendom which also being assaulted before time by Amurathes the 2. was valiantly defended by Ioannes Huniades as is aboue specified But here nowe lacked suche a one as Huniades was For the kingdome of Hungary at that time was vnder y◠gouernment of Ludouicus a yong king vnexpert and of a simple wit Whom other Princes specially the couetous church men did so pil and pol that they left hym nothing but only the bare name and title of his kingdom Wherby he being vnfurnished both of men and mony was vnable to match with such an enemie An other vauntage also the Turkes had in besieging of
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
Rome Pope Iohn had his eyes put out and so put to death Pope Gregory restored Vii electours of themperors ordayned in Germany and who they be Ex Chronico Martini King Egelred Anno. 979. The life of Egelred Anno. 981. The coronation of Egelred The prophecie of Dunstane as monkishe storyes geue it The Danes recoursed to England Houeden lib. continuationum London coÌ„sumed with fire The king warred against the Byshop of Rochester An. 990. The bloudy flixe and hote feuers reigned in this land The death of Dunstane Ethelgarus Elfricus Siricius Elphegus Archb. of Canterb. An. 995. The Byshops sea of Dyrham London besieged of the Danes The Dane spoyled the land Great tribute leuied of the Englishmen Danegelt The sorrowfull affliction of the English nation What disseÌ„tion and discorde doth amoÌ„g the nobles in a realme The pride and wretchednes of the Danes toward the Englishmen Lord Dane Lurdaine Anno. 1000. Henrie Archidiat lib. 6. The first ioyning betweene the Norm and Englishe men King Egelred marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy Richard Duke of Normandy The Danes by secret coÌ„mission slayne in euery towne of England Suanus K. of Denmarke ariueth in England Exeter beat down Norwiche spoyled and wasted by the Danes Anno. 1004. A tribute payd to the Danes of xxx M. pound to haue peace The persecution of Turkillus a Dane Euill counsell about a king what hurt it doth The second returne of Suanus into England The persecution of Suanus king of Danes Caunterbury besieged Treason of a false Deacon Caunterbury takeÌ„ and brent The tything of the Monkes of Caunterbury A cruell murther of the Danes Elphegus the Archb. of CauÌ„t stoned to death Anno. 1013. King Egelred driuen 〈…〉 I le of Wigâ—â— from then 〈◊〉 Normandy The vertue of Christen mens prayer The death and end of Suanus The Abbey of S. Edmundelburie builded King Egelred returneth into England Canutus cutteth of the noses and handes of hys pledges Canutus taketh Westsaxon A lessen for all Iudges and Iustices Brybes Euill Iudges worse in a common wealth then bloudy enemies Wicked officers Agaynst wicked Iudges A wicked Iudge deposed and depriued by the king Anno. 1016. Edmund Ironside sunne of Egelred king Canutus sonne of Swanus king The battayles betweene Edmundus and Canutus A witty oration to stay bloud betweene 2. armyes Two 〈◊〉 fight 〈◊〉 to hand The 〈◊〉 murtherd king Edmund Two soâ—ne of Edmund Yâ—onside Flattery 〈◊〉 fidelity 〈◊〉 vntrueth in English Lordes False vnfaythfulnes and vnconstant mobilitie in Englishe Lordes and rewarded Duke Edrike the false traytor and murtherer of 〈◊〉 king worthely rewarded for hys wicked falshode The end of pernicious traytours The brother of Edmund Yronside banished reconciled and lastly slayne Edmund and Edward two sonnes of Edmund Yronside sent out to be slayne Canutus K. of Denmarke Canutus maryeth Emma wife before of Egelred Lawes of K. Edgar Hâ—rold Harefoot K. of EnglaÌ„d a Dane Anno. 1039. Hardecknout king last of the Danes that reigned in England Erle Godwyn The miserable wretchednes of Godwyn agaynst the Normands The Normandes tythed and yet the tenthes retithed agayn Alfredus sonne of Egelred right heyre of the crowne tormented with cruell death The cause expended why God suffered this land to be conquered by the Normandes Example of Gods righteous iudgement The death of K. Hardeknout The sonnes of Erle Godwyn The story of Alfred repeated Taken out of the english story or chronicle compiled of certayne englishe Clerkes Alfred of Alâ—red sonne of K. Egelred Ex historia ignati autoriâ— Gunilda wife to Henricus the Emperour Canutus went to Rome The hospitall builde at Rome for English pâ—â—grimes Rome shote confirmed by Canutus The Cathedral Churche of Wintchest inritched by Canutus S. Benets in Norfolke builded Bury Abbey turned to Monkes Flatterers and clawbackes about Princes Canutus chargeth the sea to stand backe but it would not be A lesson notable for kinges and Princes God onely the king of all kings and Lord of Lordes The kinges crowne put on a roode Kinges of England haue as much right in causes spirituall as temporall Certaine lawes of K. Canutus for the ordering of matters ecclesiasticall Adultresse woman to loose their eares and noses Anno. 104â— King Edward the conâ—ellour England aâ—flicted by the Danes the space of 255. yeares K. Edward crowned Holy king Edward a virgine iâ— maryage Methe iâ— Greeke signifieth drâ—kennes Aceasation of the Archbish. against Emma the kinges mother False accusation purged by hote yron A straunge thing if it were true and without false conueyance Great snow and mortalitie in England Variaunce betweene the king and Godwyn Godwyn with hys v. sonnes outlawed Godwyn reconciled to the king vpon pledges geuen William D. of Normandy came into England to king Edward Marianus Scotus wheÌ„ he liued The end and death of vngodly Godwyn Ex lorna Malmesberiensi Polydor. Fabiano alijs Gods iust punishment vpon Godwyn for the murthering of Alphred Periurie plagued Edward the outlawe sonne of Edmund Yronside sent for to England Anno. 1056. The death of Edward sonne of Edmond Yronside William Duke of Normandy admitted heyre to the crowne The enuy and discorde of brethren Vngracious children of a wicked father A place of Polydorus Virg. examined Harold taken of the Normands Harold promiseth Duke William to marry hys daughter and to keepe the realme for hys behoofe Erle Leofricus euer true and faythfull to hys prince How Couentry was made free Godina wife to Leofricus The Abby of Couentry builded by Leofricus Edward the outlaw Edgar Edeling Margaret Queene of Scottes Matilde Queene of England Dauid King of Scots The death of King Edward Westminster repayred Guliel Malmesber Ex lornalen Ex Historia Richardi 2. iussu composita The lawes of K. Edward Ex Mathaeo pariensi William Conquerour sworne to K. Edwardes lawes yet went from it Ex libro Reg. antiquorum in praetorio Londinensi The office of a king described in the lawes of K. Edward A king the vicare of God in earth The limits of the kingdome of England how farre they doe extend The office of a king farther described 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 to haue 〈…〉 iecâ—ion Anno. 1066. Harold 〈◊〉 K. of Saxons Harold king of Denmarke and Tostius slayne The Pope sendeth a banner to Duke W. vpon bone vâ—age into England Duke William landeth at Hâ—stinges Three causes why Duke William entred England Three conditions offered to Harold by D. William The fight betweene Harold and Duke William K. Harold slayne The consanguinitie betweene K. Edward and William Conquerour Murther iustly recompensed Archbishops of Caunterb Liningus Egelmothus Robertus Stigandus The decay of the Church Pope Siluester 2. Siluester the. 2 a soule sorcerer Ioannes Stella Platina Petrus Praemostratensis Nancleâ—us Antoninus Robertus Barnus Ioannes Baleus Ex Ioan Stella An admonition for sorcerers and wicked coniuâ—ers The feast of all soules brouâ—ht into the church Benedictus the 9. Gregorius the 6. A constitution no pope to be chosen but by the
the old lawe which be not obserued nowe Many thinges vnlawful in the old law which be lawful now How Christ did loose and not loose the lawe Free iustification by fayth onely Grace that is free fauour mercy goodnes of God Rom. 5. Hebrews 9. Christ entreth not into the temple made by man but to very heauen The sacrifice of Christ not many tymes offered but once for all Hebrew 10. All shadowes ought to cease among Christians Hebrewes 7. Where the priesthood is remoued there also the law is remoued * 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 and not by the old law The 〈◊〉 ceasing the effect also ceaseth He meaâ—â—â—â— that neceâ—â—tie of tithe which â—â—â—deth by the neceâ—â—â—â— the old â—â—â— to cease If tithes be claymed by force of the ólde law by the same law priestes are boundâ— to haue â—â— temporalties He proueth not coÌ„tâ—â—â— but the 〈◊〉 thes be 〈◊〉 by the positiue law of man Although not by the ceremoniall law of Moses Circumciâ—â— ceaseth Ergo the ceremonies doe cease Galat. 4. Chrisâ—â— libertie from the bondage of the lawe Bounde in one thing hee meaneth bound in all Either beâ—â— to all or to none * Here hee expresseth his meaning plainly The one is disalowed the other is not commaunded Priestes wrest religion to theyr owne profit Tithes not expreslye commanded a newe by Christ in the Gospell Math. 6. 1. Tim. 6. Tythes not required in the primitiue church Tithes due to be payde by the positiue lawe of men The doctrine of Christ whether it be contrary to the traditions of the pope or not Math. 5. The doctrine of Christ and of the P. compared The glose of Gratianus vpon the cap. Paratus 23. q. 1. disproued Christ in aunswering to his striker did not breake his rule of patience outwardly The precept of Christ to turne the other cheek hath a priuy comparison as if ye would say rather be you content to suffer two blows then to reuenge one This article of Brute must haue a relation euer to the doctrine of the clergie The case here againe of Christ was priuate and his doctrine is to be vnderstanded in priuate cases Warre in case allowed of W. Brute He meaneth resistance for priuate cause or for worldly goods Pacience commanded in priuate causes among Christen brethren The inconuenience of priuate resistance amoÌ„g Christen brethren Paule being striken did not breake the rule of Christen patience neither made any bodely resistance The fact either of Paul or of any other doeth not derogate to the doctrine of our Sauiour Rom. 12. Rules of Christen patience 1. Cor. 5. He meaneth such warres of ChristiaÌ„s as the pope aloweth rising rather of priuate reuenge of princes for worldly glory or affection theÌ„ for any publike necessitie Ephe 6. Corporall wars in the old Testament be figures of the spirituall warres in the new Testament against sin and the deuill What be the wars most proper to Christians All this taketh not away the lawfulnes of warres in case of publike necessitie but onely in priuate case for temporall goods * Note this word without charitie Such kynde of wars that is suche kinde as be for priuate reuenge of temporall goods How Iohn Baptist alowed war They that be lesse in the kingdom of heauen greater then Iohn Baptist expounded He meaneth at those wars against 〈◊〉 sur 〈◊〉 and procured by â—â— pope vpâ—â— blind superstition to fight for the â—oâ—y lande 〈◊〉 taâ—â—â— by prinâ—â—â— in the â—â—essary â—â—â—sence of â—â—â—selues â—â— of their â—â—â—ntrey Obiection Answere â—egibus aâ—â—dum non exemplis True miracles here of holy men be â—â— disproued but speaâ—â—ng vniuersity the â—â—ple doctrine and worde of God is the â—â—â—e rule for men to followe â— Reg. 22. Acâ—s deâ—â—â—ed by â—â—â—se prophets Iere. 23. Prophets must be tryed by doctrine Marke 13. 1. Cor. 11. False prophets Apoc. 13. Myracles are to be tryed Math. 7. The seruauntes of Christ discerned by working not of miracles but of vertues Men or women are not rashly to be iudged Saintes This propositioÌ„ of Walter Bruit concerning the war of Christians not to be lawfull is not to bee taken vniuersally but in particular case as he meaneth which is this that such wars alowed of the pope not for the necessary defence of publike peace libertie and sauegard of our countries or against publike iniuries offered but onely to go kill the infidels because they beleeue not hauing no other cause those warres of the pope hee lyketh not Doctrine of Christian mercy declared Math. 5. Math. 6. Math. 7. Math. 18. Mercy and pitie commended among Christians Mercy and compassion necessary to all Christians The pope contrary to Christ in shewing mercy 23.9.5 The foundation of the foresayde 5. quest caus 23. in the popes decrees taken onely out of the old Testament and nothing out of the newe The makers of the popes law follow not the perfect rule Iohn 1. Iohn 8. Heere is mâ—t to be vnderstand not what publike nâ— gistrates may doe in cases of â—â—gh teousnes but what ecclesiastical persons according to the office of their profession should doe in not reuenging by death as they doe by offices Whether the iudiciall law of Moises fullye now after the coÌ„ming of Christ standeth in force or not The law of Moses of all lawes most iustest * His marcell is not so much why theeues are put to deth but why the Iudiciall lawe of Moses in this point is broken in other points is straightly kept Mark his meaning * Take his meaning wisely gentle reader his mind is not so that no magistrate being not without sin may punish a transgressioâ—s but he speaketh against such churchmeÌ„ whoÌ„ professing the rule of mercy shew no mercy at all but â—â— rigor by their law ex officâ—â— * 〈◊〉 meaâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 and of â—â—lergic â—â— speketh 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of reâ—â—â— not 〈◊〉 the â—â—cution â—â—cesiary 〈◊〉 done by â—â—â—â—trates â—â—e dreame â—â—â—â—uchoâ—â—our â—â—â—erning â—â—â—â—ge â—â—â—â—ded â— Damel The Iudaiâ—â—ll necessitie of those â—â—â—es hee â—eaneth to â—â—â—se notwithstanâ—â—g Chriâ—â—n princes â—â—â— borrow â—â—th out of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—es and out of al 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 thinke â—â—â—â— exâ—â—â—ent for 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â— weale His purpose is not thaâ— no euill doer should be punished in a common welth but his relation is to the 23. q. 5. asoresaid noting causes of religion which the Pope and his prelates are wont to punish with death taking many times for Tares that which in deed is pure wheate 1. Cor. 5. Hereby it appeareth that all his relation in this matter toucheth onely the cases of heresie and opinions in religion By this it appeareth againe that his respect is onely to the pope and his prelates of the church and not to ciuill magistrates The example of Peter slaying Ananias and Saphira falsly wrasted of the papists Peter not the cause of the death of Ananias and Saphyra The wedding garment what it is The death of Ananias and his wife what information
DispensatioÌ„ from Pope Alexander to forsake his first wife and to marry an other Ludouicus Vladislaus sonne king of Hungary Boheme Warre betwene Charles Duke of Burgoyne Fredericke the Emperour Anno. 1475. Charles Duke of Burgoyne slaine in warre Anno. 1477. Mary daughter of Charles of Burgoyne maried to MaximiliaÌ„ Warre dissention among Christen princeâ— The discord of Christians scourged by the Turkes Discord and dissention in the Church noted Ambition auarice of the church of Rome Ex Rapulario Henrici Token The sea of Rome is turned into an Oceane that haâ—â— no bottome What a million is Concilium Bituriense Pragmatica Sanctio Ex loan Maria Belga de Schismat Conciliis cap. 24. Pope pius laboreth that Pragmatica Sanctio should be abolished The counsaile of Paris appealeth from the pope to the generall Councell Vid. supra pag. 670. The complaint of the Germaines to the Emperour for helpe and ayde against the oppression of the Pope Fredericke made the Germaines twise subiect vnto the Pope Frid. Albertus his brother and Sigismundus striue for the dukedome of Austria Warre betwene Franciscus Sfortia and the Venetians about Millaine Warre betwene Lewes the French king and the citie of Millaine Iohn a Notherde of Franconia Martyr Anno. 1476. Iohn de Wesailia persecuted Anno. 1479. The articles and opinioÌ„s of Iohn de Wesalia Free will nothing Prelates haue no more power ouer scriptures then other men Extreme vnction reproued Against the primacy of the Pope Iohn de Wesalia brought before the prelates The Inquisitour speaketh The answer of Wesalianus reasonable The cruell proceeding of the Inquisitour The greater cause of the Pope described Scio. Credo His opinion of the sacrament His opinion of Monkes and Nunnes The vowe of chastitie Mortall sinne founnd by the Pope beside that which is expressed to be mortall in the scripture What is this article but to make the Pope a god Christ left no vicar in earthe Pardons and indulgences be of no effect The treasure of saintes merites is not in earth This saying waâ— taken out of one Cantor Pariensis which was went to say thaâ— pardoÌ„s were holy decertes because that laye men there were prouoked by naughtie decerteâ— to geue good almes Degrees â—nscripture forbidden to marry Nothing to be beleued but which is in scripture conteyned The Church geueth witnes who were the writers of the scripture but hath no authoritie aboue that which is writteÌ„ By this inquisition Christ himselfe might be condemned Ex Orth. Grat. Ex Paralip Abat Vrsper Discorde betwixt Reals Nominals Ex Orth. Grat. Doct. Iohn de Wesalia reuoketh his opinioÌ„s Albert duke of Saxonie called Dextra manus imperis Albert Marques of Brandenburg called Achilles Germanicus Anno. 1484. The abhomination of Pope Sixtus Ex Declamatione Agrippa ad Lonanienses The warres of Pope Sixtus Ex Ioan. Laziardo lib. Historia Vniuersalii cap. 284. A large gift of the Pope to the begging Friers Alanus author of our Ladies Psalter Then had the blessed virgine Mary two husbandes An olde knaue to sucke his wiues brest The detestable impietie and blasphemie of the popishe lying religion Mendacem memorem esse oportet Ex Latinâ— Codice impresso cui tituluit Rosasea Maria Corona The death of Pope Sixtus 4. Here endeth Platina The death of king Edward 4. Anno. 1483. Burdet Tyranny in miscoÌ„string a mans wordes The lawes of the realme misconstred for the princes pleasure K. Edward 5 Eccle. 10. Vaepuero regi in suo regno Richard Duke of Glocester made protectour The young king committed to Duke of Gloucester The Duke of Buckingham a great doer for the protectour Both king Edwardes children in the possessioÌ„ of the protectour The deuelisliâ— protectour picketh quarelles The Queene Shores wife falsely accused of the protector to bewitch his arme Adultery punished of God Murder iustly punished of god L. Hastings arrested for a traytour L. Stanley wounded B. Morton The tyranny of the protectour The L. Hastings beheaded The beastly protectour accuseth his owne mother Doct. Shawes impudent sermoÌ„ at Paules crosse Sap. 4. Example for all flattering preachers to bâ—ware The Duke of Buckingham an other minister for the protectours furie The Duke of Buckingham speaketh for the protectour in the Guildhall An hard thing to make the tongue speake against the hart A stolne consent in the Guild-hall Fye of hipocrisie The hypocrisie of the protector denying the crowne thrise before he would take it King Richard 3. vsurper King Richard crowned The truth of Robert Brabenbury to his prince Iames Tyrel I. Dighton Miles Iorest cruell traytors and murtherers of their Prince YouÌ„g princes The 2. children of king Edward murdered The iust punishmeÌ„t of God vpoÌ„ the minderers of them two The punishment of God vpon K. Richard The punishmeÌ„t of God vpon the Duke of BuckinghaÌ„ Doct. Shaw and Doct. Pinkie two flattering preachers Gods iudgement vpon flattering preachers The first motion of ioyning the two houses Yorke and Lancaster togeather Earle Henry maketh preparation toward his iourney The arriuing of Henry Earle of RichmoÌ„d in Wales K. Richad gathered his power to encounter with Earle Henry K. Richard taketh the field of Bolworth This Lord Stanley was he which was hurt at the Tower when the L. Hastings was arested vide pag. 727. Bosworth field The history of Sir Tho. More word â—or word taken out of Polid. Virg. W. Brandon Charles Brandon The death of king Richard Duke of Northfolke slaine Lord Tho. Haward Earle of Surrey aduaunced by K. Henry 7. K. Richards sonne punished for the wickednes of his father K. Richard proposed to marry Elizabeth his brothers daughter L. Stanley husband to K. Henries mother forsooke k. Richard The L. Strange meruelously preserued The shamefull tossing of king Richardes dead Corpes Anno. 1485. King Henry 9. K. Henry marieth with Elizabeth The two houses of Yorke and Lancaster ioyned together Anno. 1486. Maximilianus Emperour The reigne and death of Fridericus Emperour Anno. 1494. Maximilian marieth the Duches of Burgoyne This Mary was neece to king Edward 4. The learning of Maximilian coÌ„mended Maximilian writer of his owne stories Ex leaÌ„ Carione Maximilian first ordeiner of the vnyuersitie of Wittenberg Learned meÌ„ begin to grow in Christendome Doct. Weselus Groningensis Weselus called Lux Mundi The doctrine of Weselus Groningensis Ex lib. D. Weseli De sacrameÌ„to peniteÌ„tia The Popes supremacie written against Ex Epist. cuinsilam in opere Weseli Christes aunswere to Tho. de Corselis touching this place Quicquid ligaueris Not what so euer is said to be loosed in earth is loosed in heauen but whatsoeuer is loosed in very deede in earth that is also loosed in deede in heauen Against tiches in the Church The preceptes of the Pope prelates how they binde The Popes keyes Vowes Doctrine not to be receaued without examinatioÌ„ Excommunication Ex Nouiomago A prophesie of Weselus This Oftendorpius was a man well learned and Canon of the minster of Lubecke Here it appeareth that
maister but also the whole couÌ„try of Heynault And further for that to such an expedition as appertained he sayd the prouince of Reynault was but a small matter to make accoÌ„pt of he woulde procure for the king greater ayde friendship in the Empire as the Duke of Brabant his cousin Germaine and a puissant Prince the Duke of Guerles the Archbishop of Colayne the Marques of Iuliers c. which are all good men of warre and able to make 10. thousand fighting men sayth he Which aunswere well liked the king and made him ioyous therof But this counsaile of the king as secret as it was came to Phillip the French kinges cares wherupon he stayd the voiage of the Crosie whiche then he had in hand sending forth countermaundes to stay the same til he knew farther the purpose of the king of England The king hereupon himselfe taketh shipping accompanyed as to a king appertained and when he had consulted with all the foresayd Lords of the Empire in this matter and vnderstood theyr fidelitie he made hys repayre to the Emperour at whose handes he was well intertayned honorable receaued whoÌ„ the Emp. appointed to be his Lieâ—etenant generall hauing thereby more authoritie both to will commaund such as for this his expedition he trusted vnto and had made conuention with This hearing Phillip prepared his army and rigged hys nauy that so soone as the K should enter into the dominioÌ„ of Fraunce they also might enter into EnglaÌ„d requiting like for like The king of England after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist according to his purpose prepared all thinges ready to such an expeditioÌ„ coÌ„ducting his army gathering a greater strength in the Empire as before to him was promised vsing the Emperours authoritie therein as his lieftenant general howbeit at the charge altogether of the K. of England The French king as soone as king Edward had landed his army at Mackline in Flaunders and hearing of the defiance which the king and other Noble men of the Empire had sent vnto him Sent certaine ships lying ready therunto and wayting for such oportunitie vppon the cost of England did so much that vpon a Sonday whilest the townes men were at the Church little looking for any such matter entred the hauen of Southampton tooke the towne and spoyled the same defloured maydens enforced wiues brent kild tooke captiues and caryed away riche Ipoyles and great booties to theyr ships and so agayn departed into Fraunce Further as the king of EnglaÌ„d had allied himselfe with the noble men of the Empire and had the friendly fauour of the Emperour also therunto so the French king made the like league and aliance with Dauid the king of Scots whom the king had so hardly delt with all in Scotland as partly before you had and kept the most part of Scotland vnder hys subiection Binding the sayd Dauid is well by writing as oth pledge that without his consent he should make no peace nor conclude any truce with the king of England who agayne assured hym of ayd and rescue and helpe and to recouer his kingdome dominioÌ„ to his vse and forth with sent certain garisons bands into Scotland to keepe play with the Englishmen and there to fortifie diuers places till further oportunitie serued Hee also fortified with men money vitayle and munitioÌ„ the town of Cambrey which he suspected would be besieged lying so neare vpoÌ„ that Empire as in deed it came to passe For King Edward departing from Macheline set forward his host towardes Heynault and by the way asseÌ„bled such power as in the Empirie he looked for marching forward still till that they came to Cambrey it besieged with 40000. men while that with an other company the Fleminges Brabanters and Holenders went to S. Quentin But in effect neyther there nor at Cambrey nor els where any thing notorious was achieued but the summer being well spent and little preuailing in the siege of Cambrey being of situation strong wel defenced therwall with men munition brake vp the siege marched further into the hart of Fraunce towardes Mutterell Which thing the French king hauing vnderstanding of prepared himselfe to geue battaile to the king of England who with an other great army came to UiroÌ„fosse where daies were appoynted to meet in battaile but in the end nothing was done nor attempted betweene the princes And the king of EnglaÌ„d without any battaile either geuing or taking returned with his army from thence to Gaunt Concerning the cause of the sodaine remouing of the K. out of Fraunce seemeth most specially to rise of the pope which at the same time sent downe his Legates for the order of a peace to be taken betweene the kings At Gaunt was gathered by the kings appointment all the nobles as well of England as of the Empire in counsaile together what was best to be done Where playn answere was made to the king of England that vnlesse he would take vpon him the claime and title of Fraunce as his lawfull inheritaunce and as King thereof prosecute his warres It might not be lawfull for them any further to ayde the king of England or to fight with him agaynst the French king for that the Pope had bound them in two millions of Florences of gold and vnder payne of excommunication that they should not fight against the lawfull king of Fraunce Whereupon the king thought good therfore presently to make open challenge to the Realme and Crowne of Fraunce and further to quarter intermingle the armes of Fraunce with the armes of England in one Scootchen Wherupon eftsoones K. Edward made answere vnto the Pope agayne directing vnto him his letters wherein he declareth at large his right title vnto the Crowne of Fraunce purging thereby hymselfe and hys cause vnto the Byshop The copy and tenour of which letter because it is to long to expresse it is to be found in the story of Thom. Walsingham remaining in the Library of I. Stephenson Citizen of LondoÌ„ who so hath lift or leisure to peruse the same Besides this letter to the pope he directed an other to the Pieres and Prelates of France he remayning yet at Gaunt in tenure as followeth * The letter of king Edward to the Nobles and commons of Fraunce EDward by the grace of God king of Fraunce and of England Lord of Ireland Vnto all Prelates and the Ecclesiasticall persons to the Pieres Dukes Earles Barons and to the commons of Fraunce greeting The high Lord and king aboue to whome although his will be in his owne power yet woulde that power should be subiect vnto law commaunding euery thing to be geueÌ„ vnto him which is his declaring thereby that iustice and iudgement ought to be the preparation of the kinges seate Wherefore seing the kingdome of Fraunce through the prouidence of God by the death of Charles last king of Fraunce of famous
memory brother Germaine to our Lady mother is fallen vnto vs by playn and manifest law And for somuch that Lord Phillip de Valoys being the sonne of the Vncle of the foresayd king and so being farre from the crowne by a farther degree of consanguinitie through force and vsurpation hath intruded himselfe in the foresayd kingdome whilest we were yet in our Minoritie so contrary both to God and to iustice doth detayne and occupye the same And least we shoulde seeme to neglect our owne right and the gifte geuen vs of God or not to submit our will to Gods diuine ordinance We haue thought good to acknowledge the title of France and by supportation of the almighty king haue taken vppon vs the defence and regiment of the sayd kingdome Firmely purposing with our selues as euery good man ought to doe graciously to minister iustice to euery one according to the rites and laudable custome of the foresayd kingdome Also to renue the good lawes and customes whiche haue bene in the time of Ludouicke our progenitour adding to moreouer that which shall seeme expedient according to the condition and qualiitie of the time As by any chaunge of coyne or any other inordinate exactions we intend not to seeke our profites by your detrimentes when as the almighty bee praised therefore we abounde and haue inough And as concerning the affayres of the Realme our purpose is not to proceede rashely or by our owne will but by the discreete aduise and Counsell of the Pieres Prelates Nobles and other our faythfull subiects of the kingdome so farre forth as shall make for the honour of God the defence and aduauncement of the Church which in all fulnes of deuotion we doe reuerence and to the profite both publicke and priuate of all the subiectes thereof with full execution of iustice by the grace of God to be executed vpon al and singular persons being earnestly careful for the honour profite and tranquillitie of you all For as the Lorde knoweth nothing shall be more gratefull to vs then that by our carefull solicitude peace may be engendered specially betwixt vs and vniuersally among all Christen men so that by our concorde the force and strength of all Christen Princes may be ioyned together for the recouery of the holy land whiche our Sauiour and redemer hath dedicated with hys owne proper bloud whereunto we wil indeuour our selues through the grace of the holy ghost And for asmuch as we haue offered to the foresayd Lorde Phillip diuers friendly and reasonable conditions of peace whereunto he would neyther condescend neyther agree to any conformation yea rather moueth against vs vniust warre to the vtter subuersion of our state we are enforced of necessitie to the vttermost of our power for the defence both of vs and recouery of our right to defend our selues by force of battaile not seeking any slaughter of good and humble subiectes but desiring theyr safegarde and profite For the whiche cause all and singular such subiectes of the kingdome of Fraunce which shall submit themselues to vs as the true king of Fraunce within the feast of Easter next ensuing professing vnto vs theyr fealtie and doing to vs as to the Kyng of Fraunce by duety appertayneth so as our beloued subiectes of Flaunders haue done alredy or be ready to offer themselues so to do all such we willingly admit and receaue to our peace grace vnder our protection to be defended them to mayntayne as is conuenient from all molestation and disquietnes whatsoeuer in person or goodes hereafter to be inforced eyther by vs or by our officers vpon what soeuer occasion of rebellion afore passed And for as much as the premisses cannot easely be intimated to all and singular persons we haue prouided the same to be fixed vpon Church doores and other publicke places whereby the manifest notice thereof may come to all men to the comfort of you that be to vs deuout and to the true information of them whiche through sinister surmises of our enemies otherwise informed of vs. Dated at Gaunt the 8. day of February the yeare of our kingdome of Fraunce the first of England the 14. This done for that the winter then drew on neyther was there any hope as the time serued of farther doyng good the kyng thought best for a season to returne againe to Englande with his company geuing ouer the warres vntill the next spring and so did taking shipping and so ariued at Douer When he came to London it was declared vnto him of the great spoyle the Frenchmen had made at Southampton who answered agayne that within one yeare he doubted not the same to be well payd for recompenced And according to the same purpose of hys he lingered no time but calling a Parliament at Westminster with much grudge euill will of his subiects was for the mayntenance of hys warres graunted to him a great subsidie which was the 5. euery mans goodes and also the customes of his woolles 2. yeares before hand and the 9. these of euery mans corne At the spring the K. agayn prepared his army rigged hys nauy purposing to land in Flaūders But the Archb. of Canterb. then Lord Chauncellour hauing vnderstanding of the Frenche power vpon the Sea lying for the k. gaue him aduertisement there of willing him more stronglier to go or els not to venture But the king not crediting the Archbish. and being angry with him therefore sayd that he would go forward whereupon the bishop resigned the Chauncellorship remoued himselfe from his Counsayle then the k. consulting hereupon farther with the Lord Morley his Admirall and others hearing also the same of them furnished himselfe with stronger power and committed him to his ship and did so much that a few dayes before midsommer he was vpō the Sea with a great fleete Before the town of Sluse the french king to stop hys passage had layd ready a great nauy well neare to that number of 20. score sayle and had made the Christopher of England which before the French men took at Southamptō theyr Admirall betwixt which two nauies was a lōg and terrible fight But in the end the victory by Gods grace fell to the king of England in which fight he himselfe was personally So that of the number of thirtye thousand Frenchmē few or none were left escaped aliue and two hundreth sayle of shippes taken in one of the which were found 400. dead bodyes After this great slaughter of the Frenchmen of whom many for feare of the sword lept into the sea when no man durst bring tidinges thereof to the Frenche king They which were next about the king did subborne his foole to insinuate the vnderstanding thereof by subtiltie of couert words which was thus As the foresayd foole being in the kinges presence and was talking of many things among other talke he sodenly brast out being prompt by others into a vehement rayling of