to his charge to plong the Cardinal the mere But as for me sayth Theodoricus I could abide this wofull sight no longer and therefore dissembling my selfe to be sicke I gat leaue to departe And in like maner was the other Cardinals vsed afterward Finally VrbaÌ„ remouing from Naples commauÌ„ded that these Cardinals and their fellow prisoner the bishop of Aquilo should followe him and ride next after him assigninge to euerye one his garde to keepe them that they should not escape by the waye But the bishop partly because he roade vpon a iade partly because his bodye was yet after his racking so sore and feeble that he was not able to endure faste riding but as the Pope galloped he came lagging after as fast as he might And yet the Pope thinking that helingred to haue stollen awaye in a greate rage commaunded his villaines to kil him and so they slew him mangling him with many woundes and left his dead carkasse vnburied in the waye Afterward at the sute of king Richard of England Pope Vrban did partly release to the custody of a certaine priest one of the Cardinals called Adam Cardinal of Sicil but he toke from him all that euer he had and left him in case of a vagabounde till Boniface his successour restored him But as for the other fiue he kept miserablye in prison in an abbey in a towne of Ianua being next to the Church where he laye and if that he saw any man resort to that Church at extraordinary howers he thought that he resorted thether to deliuer the Cardinals by stealth and therefore he committed to prison tormeÌ„ted many of his owne Court onlye vpon suspition therof And notwithstaÌ„ding the duke citizeÌ„s of Ianua sued for those prisoners yet he wold neuer shew them any mercy but in the end caused them to be put to death as some saye beheaded other saye drowned but how so euer it were sure it is they perished Furthermore Charles king of Sicil being at variaunce with Vrban and hauing his nephew FrauÌ„cis prisoner dyed at length Then came Margaret the wyfe of the said Charles humbly suing to Vrban to be gracious to her and to her children and to graunt that her husbands body might be buryed in which sute manye nobles of Florence and other Cityes ioyned w t her and yet his hard hart woulde nothing pittye her sute nor grauÌ„t her so much as a graue for the king her husbaÌ„d thoughe she had freely released his nephewe to him yet he added processe to processe and heaped condemnation vpon condemnation against her and her poore children because he did from his harte detest the name of the saide Charles Thus reporteth Theodoricus word for word as he is alledged whoe beinge Secretarye to Pope Vrban wrote that which he sawe with a sorrowfull hart The cause whye that the Pope did dispatche those Cardinals was this he was sodenlye forced to remoue from one place to another and therefore thinking that those Cardinals if he shoulde carye them with him would hinder and comber him on the one side on the other side he was loath to leaue them behind least they should escape and therfore flying from Nuceria to Ienua as is sayd it is thought that by the way he tyed them fast to the rockes so lefâ— them to be drowned It is sayd that this yeare one Bertholdus Swart or otherwise Schuuartz an Alchymist and a monke in the North parte of Germanye deuised first and contryued Gunnes to the spoyle of mankinde 144. Clement the 7. CLement the seuenth was a Frenchman and by byrth Earle of Gebenny called in time past Robert he being first a Cardinal was made Pope by the Cardinals These Cardinals after the third month of the election of Vrban perceyuinge bowe he was giuen to tyrannye and that he would not returne into Fraunce they stale away fledde from Rome to Fundus But first they besoughte him to giue them lycence with his fauoure to go to Anagnia to chaunge the ayre for the Sommer time but they fearinge his melancholy mode and franticke fits went away These Cardinals were gotten together Iohn Preuestin VVilliam of S. Steuens in Coeli hill Bertrandus of S. Cicill Robert aforesaide Hugh of the 4. holye Crownes Gui of the holye Crosse in Hierusalem Iohn of S. Marcellus Peter of S. Laurencis in Lucine Gerard of S. Clements Peter of S. Eustace VVilliam of S. Angell Peter of S. Maryes immaculate and Peter of S. Maryes of Cosmidin These sayth Platina did pilfer out the treasure of the Church at the death of the Pope and did euerye thinge as liked them best Who as sone as they fled to Fundus rayled vpon Vrban as an vsurper of the Popedome saying that he was creat perforce and perforce receyued the Crowne of the Pope ship because that election was made for feare in a place of great daunger in the which men ought to haue had libertye to do and speake their minds francke free and yet they were compelled by the people contrarywise to chuse rather an Italian then a Frenchman For these causes they saide the seate being voyde and Iane Queene of Sicill fauouring their purpose they choose the foresaid Robert to be Pope and called him Clement the seuenth Because sayth Theodoricus they knew him to be ambitious nedye and yet very prodigall of a large coÌ„science but of noble birth well be frended and of great power hauing a strong troupe wayting vpon him whereby sayth he lib. 1. cap. 10. it may be iudged that this election proceded not of the holye ghost nor of good consciences Herevpon arose a greate discorde amonge Christian Churches while some Princes fauoured Pope Vrban some fauoured Pope Clement and some there were that medled with neyther of them and they were called neuters Clement goinge to Auenio was worshipped of the Spaniards Frenchmen who did welcom him thether He continued fiftene yeares making diuers lawes whom beside the French king the kinge of Aragon of Castile Nauar obeyed In the meane time a councell was held at Paris to take vp the strife for the Popedome which councell yelded to Clement as Tillius wryteth In his time aboute the yeare 1387. arose a controuersy betweene the students of Paris and the dominick fryers concerning the conception of the virgin Mary Pope Clement dyed Anno 1392. being buried at Auenio These two Popes scattered about the world in diuers quarters their terrible and fearefull bulles and spread abrode rayling bookes full of infamye and defacing backbytinge and excommunicating one another callinge each other w t sharpe despite and bitter reproche Antichriste scismatick heretick tyrant theefe traytour vniust wicâ—ed sower of darnel in Gods Haruest and the cursed sonne of Beliall Iohn of Lignia doctour of both Lawes set out a booke in the behalfe of Vrban and the abbot of S. Vedast councellour to the French kinge did publishe another for ClemeÌ„t against Vrban Amonge other broyles wrought betweene these 2. fyrebrands
doughter choaked the mother and engendred the mōster ambition who also like the cursed impe of the bastard her morher did in the ende deuoure her grandmother Religion THE PRELATES or Archebishops of Rome 1. Marcus MArcus a Romaine bestowed a pall vpon the bishop of Hostia who had consecrate the bishop of Rome before other He also cōmaunded that the people and the clergie should on Sondayes after the Gospell were redde singe the Nicean Crede He builded churches and gaue many giftes vnto them died a confessour in the yere 335. 2. Iulius the first IVlius the first a Romaine appointed that a priest shoulde as they forge of him not aunswer his cause any where but before an ecclesiasticall iudge and he reprehended the bishops of the east onlesse they slaunder him because they had helde counsels without his authoritie but they scorned him for his pride he caused churcheyardes to be made and at the lenghth died a confessour in peace Anno. 351. Platina sayth that this Pope appointed certaine notaries to wryte the actes of other men the whiche office sayth he is yet about the Pope remaining But these notaries of our time saith he are such doultes for the moste parte that for wante of learning they can not wryte their owne name in Latin of their maners I will not speake because these offices are bestowed on bawdes and flatterers vnmete to wryte the actes of other men 3. Liberius LIberius a Romaine for ambition as Hierome witnesseth falling into the Arrian heresie forsooke the trew faith and subscribed to Arrius articles And yet this man died a confessour also Anno. 366. though in dede taynted with damnable heresie 4. Foelix the seconde Foelix the seconde a Romaine was preferred by the Arrians who thrust out Liberius and aduaunced him because they hoped he agreed with them in opinion But in the seconde yeare after he was driuen from his seate and Liberius restored And in the yeare of our Lorde 359. He with other spirituall persones was slayne in a tumulte This man sayth Isidorus made lawes for the defense of the Clergie Also Sozomenus lib. 4. ca. 10. Eccle. histor saith that he being bishop did both admitte Arrian heretikes to the ministery and also vsed their communiō though els he yelded to the counsell of Nice 5. Damasus DAmasus a Spanyarde being made Pope in a certaine faction and vehemently accused of adultery did condemne Liberius his dedes he builded temples and beawtified them with iewels he gaue landes and bathes to the Clergie he encreased strange seruice in the churche he added Confiteor to the seruice he appointed the singing of the Psalmes and allowed Hieroms translation of the Bible For then the myndes of the Prelates began to bee more puft vp with ambition Afterward ▪ Damasus as they saye being a diligent gatherer of thinges doone in times past wrote the lyues and decrees of his predecessours the byshops of Rome enterlacing them with many open and manifest vntruthes And in the yere 384. died a confessour Socrates in the eight booke of his ecclesiasticall history and the 24. chapter sayth that when this Damasus was chosen bishop one Vrsinus a Deacon of the same churche did stande in suite against Damasus but whē he sawe that Damasus was preferred for anger he began by all endeuour to gather congregations to him selfe seuered from the churche Also he perswaded certaine obscure and abiect byshops to chose him bishop secretly in a corner And so he was created not in the churche but in a close place of the pallaice called Sicona Whiche being done the people began to wrangle And hereof arose a bitter contention and deadly sedicion not touching religion ▪ but whether of these two Prelates should be bishop Of this grewe so many assemblies and so often brawlinges that in the end the tumulte was so great that many were slayne about it And therfore Maximinus then liuetenant of the citie did punishe sharpely a great numbre both the Clergie and layetie so suppressed Vrsinus and his faction Thus it appeareth that bloudy ambition is not a newe thing in Rome 6. Siricius SIricius a Romaine medling and making decrees in many matters remoued those from saying seruice that had bene twyse maried was the firste that admitted monkes into orders for pretence of single life who before were neuer reckened to be as clarkes He mingled y Antiphones with the Psalmes and appointed that orders should be geuen some at one time some at an other he died a confessour Anno 399. 7. Anastasius ANastasius a Romaine appointed that whyle the Gospel was reading they should stand not sitte He exempted from the ministery those that were lame impotēt or diseased persons and slept with his forefathers in peace being a confessour Anno. 404. 8. Innocentius INnocentius borne in Albania aduaūced the sea of Rome aboue all other and would haue it to be iudged by none He commaunded the faithfull to faste on the Saturday to bewayle with Mary Magdalene our sauiour Christe that was buried ▪ euen as on that daye He deuised that at masse time the Pax should be geuen about in the church and cōmaunded that the church a wayghty matter being ones consecrate should neuer be consecrate any more He made certayne decrees concerning Iewes Pagans Monkes and made the anoyling of the sick to be a sacrament And is counted among the dead confessours Anno. 416. The yeare before being the yeare 415. Alaricus king of Gothes ouerranne Italy wan Rome wasted spoyled and burnt it miserably And sone after him his cosen Athoulfus came thether againe and spoyled all that he had left 9. Sozymus SOzymus a Greke appointed that tapers should be blessed on the holydaye and that the Deacons in saying seruice should haue their lefthandes couered He forbad that clarkes should vse tipling in opē place or haunte tauernes and that no bondmen should be admitted to be of the Clergie And died a confessour Anno. 420. Also this Sozymus suppressed the Nouacian heretikes whiche in time past had borne great swaye in Rome But nowe they were kept vnder for sayth Isocrates the byshop of Rome as well as the byshop of Alexandria had stretched his power beyond the limittes of priesthood stepping into temporall authoritie Socrat. histor eccle lib. 7. cap. 11. 10. Bonifacius BOnifacius a Romaine the sonne of one Iucundus a priest was chosen Pope at suche time as there was great sedition among the Clergie He made decrees that were very necessary God graunte they proue so as that a woman yet though she were a hoodded noonne should not openly touche the altar cloth nor the holy vessels nor smell to the incense And that none should be made priest till he were thirty yeres olde After he had decreed that sainctes eueninges should be kept he died a confessour Anno. 426. 11. Coelestinus Caelestinus borne in Campania patched the Popishe masse vp with these thinges Introitum Graduale Responsorium Tractum Offertorium as his owne deuices And gaue
the Popedome it selfe and what crafte the deuill wrought in them before the great Antechriste came and was reuealed to the full So that as ye see the bishops of Rome Here againe altered their name the seconde tyme to title of greater dignitie that is froÌ„ Archbishops to Patriarkes and so the rest folowing for a season were called 21. Iohn the first IOhn the firste a Thuscane whome Theodoricus kyng of Italy sent for then they were subiect to Princes as his oratour with certaine other vnto Iustinus the Emperoure This bishop being the worthiest man of all this latter company gaue a testimonie of his pure life by suftring paciently vndeserued death He decreed and that very godly that if any man were robbed of any thing he should haue all restored againe But I take it to be false that he should restore three churcheyardes enriched the churches with giftes or decked the altars with golde syluer or precious stones as Platina and other wryte least he should seeme nothing to haue encreased the kingdome of Antichriste There is to be seene comfortable Epistles of his to the byshops of Italy whereby he warneth them that they should not shrinke from their purpose but stande to it stoutly although that the said king Theodoricus fowly tainted with the Arrian heresy had threatened to destroye them and all Italy For the whiche at the tyrannous commaundement of Theodoricus Anno 527. hee perished at Rauenna through famine stinke noysomnes in the pryson As touching Arrius thus Mantuan writeth of him This Arrius euen the deadly bayne infecting mankinde And borne to breake Gods lawe and quenche the faithe of Christian minde Had venomd sondry nacions infecting all the world 22. Foelix the fourth Foelix the fourth was borne in Samia being not verye carefull in his pastorall charge and casting of the office of preaching builded the churche of Cosma and Damianus he restored Saturninus temple and repaired other temples of the dead He commaunded that masse should be said only in halowed places He made a partition betwene the Clergie and the people in the churche He excommunicated the Patriarke of Constantinople misdemed of heresy he commaunded that if a priest died another should succeade him twoo dayes after and commaunded precisely that they that lye a bying should be annoynted with hallowed oyle and died a confessour Anno. 530. 23. Boniface the seconde BOniface the seconde a Romaine was made bishop wheÌ„ the Clergie were at great iarre ready to go together by the eares He made canons especially this one that within three dayes after one bishop were dead another should be appointed in his rowme He following Foelix did seuer the Clergie froÌ„ the layetie by making the quier in the church and that for double pollicie the one was that by this meanes he might at length take froÌ„ the people both their place and their voyce whiche they had in chusing the bishops that it might not be lawefull for any of them to sewe a byshop or any of the Clergie in any cause ciuill or criminall before a temporall magistrate But marke what happened these wretches through their pryde as I thinke Whyle euen like the Pharisies they wil be counted holier then other with their shauen heades their annoynted fingers seuered chauncelles deuiding them selues from the faythfull that were redemed with the bloud of Christe It is to be feared least hereby they become the Goates that in the last day shal be deuided froÌ„ the lambes Math. 25 as not pertaining to the misticall body of Christe It is easy to iudge howe muche these men swarue from Peter the Apostle of whome they boaste so muche to whome it was not lawefull in the tenth of the Actes to decree of Cornelius that he should be either a layeman or a prophane persone Boniface died a confessour Anno. 532. 24. Iohn the seconde IOhn the seconde was a Romaine who otherwyse for his eloquencie was called Mercurie or Iuppiter his embassadour Iustinianus the Emperoure sent vnto this man a cup of gold of sixe pound waighte beset with precious stones and two syluer cuppes of seuen pounde weight and twoo syluer chalices waying fiftene poundes for a present from Constantinople after he had condemned Athenius the Patriarke of heresie and the sayde Emperoure commaunded his bishops as Crantzius witnesseth to talke with the byshop in his name moste friendly vnder benediction this byshop died a confessour Anno. 534. And as VVicelius saith he did nothing of any valewe 25. Agapetus the firste AGapetus the first a Romaine sonne of a priest called Cardinall Gordian was sent by Theodatus kyng of the Gothes as his Embassadour to pacifie Iustinianus the Emperour for the cruell murther of Amalasimitha a noble queene and an excellent learned woman whose worthy vertues the same Emperour reuerenced highly who also procured his peace with spending saint Peters treasure He decreed that on the sonday they should go in procession in the churches And died a confessour Anno. 535. 26. Syluerius SYluerius borne in CaÌ„pania sonne of Hormisda a bishop of Rome when Agapetus was dead as he went on his voyage to the Emperoure this man by the commaundement of Theodatus kyng of Gothes was placed in his steade without the Emperours consent Therefore by the prouocation of Vigilius a Dâ—acon who also did accuse him that he would betraye Rome to the Gothes he was banished into the Isle Pontus by Theodora the Empresse and Antonina the wife of duke Bellisarius So that it appeareth the Popedome at that time was a thing but of small countenaunce when they were sent as Embassadours at the commaundement of inferiour princes could be depriued of their authoritie put from their seate by women At length Syluerius died miserably in his banyshement being an hooded confessour Anno. 537. 27. Vigilius VIgilius a Romaine the crafty accuser of the sayd Syluerius compassing the bishoprike by subtiltie was aduaunced into the sayde place by the forenamed women Whereby Rome had then twoo bishops one made by the Gothes another by the Grekes or rather by those Grekishe dames And were vsed vngently but not vnworthely of them for either of them receiued the reward of his rashnesse for the one attayned the Popedome by crafte the other by might and yet the Papistes will haue them bothe reckened among martyrs Theodora did sue Vigilius because he brake promisse with her and caused him first to be brought to Constantinople there to be reuiled and beaten and afterwarde with an halter about his necke to be draweÌ„ through the streate and last of all bee driuen into banishement This man made certaine lessons of his owne for the holydayes to be redde in the churche He woulde haue the church of Rome to be taken for the mother of other churches He appointed Candelmas daye to be kept holy daye and that the masse should be sayde the priest standing with his face into the East He died a confessour in the yere 554. in Cicilia In these dayes was one Maurus who
misbegotten sonne murthered the louer of the olde harlot her mother Theodora by the helpe of her husbandes seruauntes But because the people of Rome and the Clergie had not agreed vpon the election of this subordined Iohn the xii the selfe same yeare of his election he was deposed againe And thus the same Iohn of whome being set vp by force by and by thrust downe againe Carsulan Platina Stella and others do make mencion because they knew not the true story of him whiche Luthprandus wrote the ignoraunce whereof bredde muche coÌ„fusion for some toke these twoo Iohns to be both one and some the one for the other 61. Leo the sixt LEo the sixt after that Iohn the xii bastarde of Marozia the harlot and Sergius the Pope was deposed obtained to be Pope by the election of the Romaine people and clergye being in great tumult This Pope did nothinge commendable but the establishing of peace in Italye after he had raigned vii monethes he was poysoned by Marozia wherby she might establishe her sonne againe Anno 930. 62. Steuen the seuenth STeuen the seuenth did as Leo had done he medled with nothing for after he had liued Pope ii yeares in peace securitye and liberty of the fleshe at his owne ease hauing the blinde worlde readye to bende at his becke he toke his death in a cup wherewith as they saye he was poysoned For sayth Crantzius it is a straunge thinge that so manye Popes at this time dyed so soone in their dignityes which is a great presumption that they were poysoned as the moste part of them were knowen to be 63. Iohn the xii IOhn the xii the bastard impe of Pope Sergius the third and of the famous concubine Marozia was now againe made Pope after much sedition At this time a fountaine in Genua flowed with bloud very plentifully prognosticatinge the wrath of God that immediatlye followed for the Aphricans Sarracens and Hungarians wasted and spoiled all and slue a houge nomber of people There are some wryters as is said before that make ii Iohns of this one the one going before Leo and Steuen who they said neuer enioyed the Popes Albe or Rochet the other this which nowe was set vp after Steuen of whom they saye the historyes write nothing Againe there are other some that make this beinge borne in Rome the other borne at Rauenna all one amonge whom Platina sayth that either of them was sonne to Pope Sergius but Anselmus deceiued by Platina sayth the one was brother to the other but other writers do make him a seuerall parson from the other two saying he was not knowne of the Cronographers because he did nothing worthie of memorye But Luthprandus in his thirde booke and xii Chapter wryteth thus of the mother of Iohn Marozia a shameles concubine and mother to Pope Iohn after the death of her husbaÌ„d Gui doth send messengers to his brother Hugh king of Italy a Burgundian borne to desire him to come to her and to receiue of her the noble cittye of Rome vvhich she sayd vvithal she could not do vnlesse he would take her to be his vvife For whiche her incestious desire Luthprandus wrote thus against her in Uerse VVhye broyling thus vvvith Venus brand Marozia doest thou raue Thunlavvfull loue and vvilt thou of thy husbandes brother haue Dare bucksom dame Herodia tvvo naturall brethren vved Lo Ladye blinde Iohn Baptists lavve is quite out of thy hed VVho did forbid that brother vvith his brothers vvyfe should meâ—l And Moses Lavve doth not allovve thy doing to be vvell VVho did commaunde the brother rayse vnto his brother seede If that the former by his vvyfe had issue none in deede But that thy husbande children hath by the can be declarde T is so saye you but dronken loue doth nothinge it regarde Kinge Hughe euen as an Oxe to death for thy desire is brought Vvhose mind not for to gaine thy loue but rather Rome hath sought VVhat boteth it thou cursed dame this noble man to spoile For seâ—king thus by sinne to gaine a Queenely place a vvhile Iehouah iudge doth make thee leese both Rome and all the toile Uppon the said message the king leauing his armye aloofe came to Rome who being honourably receiued passed forth vnto the stronge hould S. Angels castell and so into the bedde chamber of Marozia After he was established in vncesteous mariage with her he began to coÌ„temne and despise the Romaines at which time Marozia had a sonne named Albericus brother to Pope Iohn but begotten by Marques Albericus While this Albericus at his mothers bidding gaue water to king Hugh washinge his handes the king because he did it not handsomelye gaue him a blâ—w on the face Herevppon Albericus to reuenge this iniurye callinge the Romaines together spake thus vnto them The honour and dignity of Rome is brought to such doultishnes and follye that it is nowe controlled euen by harlots For what is more abhominable what more shamefull then that Rome should be brought to obeysaunce throughe the incest of one woman and that the Burgundians whilom slaues to the Romaines shoulde now be lordes ouer them If he beinge yet especiallye but a new come gest take vppon him to dashe me on the face being his verye sonne in lavve hovve thincke you vvil he deale vvith you in processe of time Knovve ye not the pride of a Burgundian c This being sayde without any delaye the Romaynes all defyed king Hughe chose the same Albericus to be their Prince King Hughe being driuen into this terrible feare was compelled to forsake Rome and leauinge Marozia fled to his owne companye Then Albericus and his mother Marozia did only enioye the Monarche of Rome and his brother the Popedome who spendinge fiue yeares in Popishe practises dyed Anno 937 while the harlotte his mother ruled as well the estate temporall as spirituall in Rome 64. Leo the seuenth LEo the seuenth succedinge Iohn because hee desired to liue quietlye medled wyth no matters but as a slouthfull parson did nothinge worthye remembraunce In his time sayth Luthprandus the said kinge Hugh forsaking his wyfe Berta loued especiallye three concubines Bezola Roze Stephana and because they were such notorious harlots hee gaue them the names of three Goddesses callinge Bezola Venus Roze Iuno and Stephana Semele by Bezola he had a sonne called Bozones whom hee made bishop of Placentia by Stephana he had Theobaldus made Archdeacon of Millain Churche and by Rosa he had another greate prelate of the Churche and a doughter beside In those dayes many sawe bloude rayne oute of the Sunne as Masseus wryteth and after it followed a great pestilence amonge men Leo dyed An. 941. 65. Steuen the eight STeuen the eight a Germaine obtained y Popes chayre after this Leo yet this seemeth straunge to many how it should be doone because no Emperour out of Germany procured it But Steuen being notwithstandinge Pope was so vexed with ciuill seditions among the
to the Popes letter FRederick by the grace of God Emperour of the Romaynes Augustus euermore to Hadrian Pope of Rome and to al those that are vvilling to cleaue to that vvhich Christ began to do and teach sendeth greetinge The lavve of Iustice restoreth to euerye man his ovvne For vve do not dishonour our auncestours to vvhom vvithin this our kingdome vve yelde due reuerence by vvhom vve haue enherited our Crovvne and regall dignitye Is it knovvne that Syluester bishoppe of Rome in the time of Constantine the Emperour had anye kinglye poart But by his godlye graunte the Church obtayned libertye peace vvas restored and vvhat soeuer your princelye pontificality is knovvne to haue it came by the bountifulnes of Princes VVhereby vvhen soeuer vve vvrite to the Pope by good righte vve set our ovvne name former and accordinge to the rule of Iustice vve allovve it to him vvritinge to vs. Loke ouer the Recordes and if ye marked not in readinge vvhich vve auouche there ye shall finde it But vvhy shoulde vve not require homage and royal oathes tovvarde our parson of them that are Gods by adoption and possesse the royaltye belonging to vs Seing that he vvho taught both vs and you takinge nothing of a Prince but geuinge al goodnes to all men yet payde tribute to Caesar for himselfe and Peter and gaue you an example that ye shoulde do the like And so he teacheth you saying Learne of mee for I am humble and gentle of harte Therefore let them eyther graunte vnto vs that belongeth to our royaltye or els if they vvill challenge this for their more commoditye then let them paye vnto God that is due vnto GOD and vnto Caesar that is due vnto Caesar. The Churches are shut to your Cardinals and the Cityes are not open vnto them and reason good because vvee see that they are not feeders but steâ—â—ers of their flockes not kepers of peace but catchers of pence not those that amend the vvorld but that deuoure it But vvhen vvee shall see them such as the Church requireth bearinge peace giuinge light to their countreye assistinge the cause of the lovvlye in equity vve vvil forthvvith succour them vvith necessarye stipends and sustinaunce But ye do much discredit your humilitye and curtesye beinge the sauegâ—rde of all vertues vvhen ye moue to secular parsons such questions as do not much further religion Let therefore your fatherlye vvisedome prouide least vvhile ye sturre aboute such vnmeete matters yee giue offence vnto those vvhich applye themselues to giue eare to the vvords of your mouth as it vvere to a shovver of raine after Harueste For vve cannot but aunsvveare to those thinges vvhich vve heare vvhen vve see the detestable beast of pride to haue crept euen to Peters seate so long as vve purpose God vvillinge continuallye to prouide for peace and the Church Fare ye vvell Here may you discerne somwhat the dealing and spirite of the Romain bishops which I leaue to euery one 's owne indifferent consideration To returne to the matter hereuppon this Pope Hadrian did excommunicate the Emperour and by his Legates sent from Rome prouoked rebellions against him in Italye and other places and brought it secretly to passe that the conspiracye of the rebels should be made the stronger by these lawes confirmed among them by oath that none of them should take peace with him wtoute the whole consent of all the rest And againe that if this Pope Hadrian should dye they should choose none to be Pope but one of those Cardinals that were of the conspiracye against the Emperour But shortlye after God punished this Hadrian very straungelye for sayth Abbas Vspergensis in Frederico primo it came to passe that this Pope Hadrian the fourth going to Agnania to denounce the excommunication against the Emperour after he had taryed there a fewe dayes walked forth with some of his companye to coole him selfe And when he came to a certaine springe of water he drancke thereof and forthwith a flye did enter into his mouth and did cleaue to his throte in such sort that no art of the PhisitioÌ„s could get it away and so he was choaked therew t and died therof Anno 1159. in the fift yeare of his Popeship But the Italians being thus set on by the Pope deuised continuallye treasons against the Emperour amonge other practised to haue murthered him by a certaine counterfeit foole beinge in deede an excellente Musician who had surelye slaine him but that the Emperour driuen to his shift leaped out at the fifte window downe into a riuer which ranne vnder the place where he was The foole beinge taken was also throwne downe out of the same windowe and so he brake his necke After this they hyred an enchanter of Arabia who poysoned his bridle his spurres his ringes and his stirope and such other thinges that with the onlye touching thereof he should haue beene slaine But he was bewrayed and hanged vp This Pope Hadrian made king Henry the second of Englande Lorde of Irelande Carion in his Chronicle wrytinge of Conradus the thirde Emperour of Germanye sayth that it is found written that this Pope Hadrian the fourth euen a little before his death should say that there is no kind of life vpon earth more wretched theÌ„ to be Pope and to get the Popedome by bloud is not to succeede Peter but Romulus whoe for the kingdome slue his owne brother III. Alexander the thirde ALexander the third was borne in Hetruria called first Rolland Chancelour After Hadrian the fourth had his breath stopped and was choaked with a flye this man succeded him beinge farre worse then the other But because that all partyes coulde not agree to elect him nine of the Cardinals that held on the Emperours part did choose another Pope called Octauianus a citizen of Rome being a priest and Cardinall of S. Clements whom they called Victor the fourth And after the death of this Victor the sciesme and discention beinge continued three Popes succeeded in order Paschalis Calixtus and Innocentius all which withstoode this Pope Alexander and made greate turmoyles in the Church of Rome and al perished he yet lyuinge But when the Emperour sommoned a councell at Papia wherby the strife might be ended and the matter debated that he might be confirmed Pope that had the better right this Alexander defyinge the Emperours Embassadours aunswered proudlye that the Pope as he toke himselfe to be is to be iudged by no man and thus sent awaye the Embassadours with great contempte and sendinge his letters throughe all Christendome he plagued both the Emperour and this Victor with excommunications And because he might assure Rome to himselfe hee sente letters forthwith to Iohn Cardinall of sainct Peters Church who supplyed his roume there who by briberye and flatterye so curried fauor with the people that he allured the most parte of the Citye to fauour Alexander and to make those Consuls that did most leane to his part In the meane
sommoned a councell into his Pallaice in Viciana sylua where the whole assemblye subscribed against the Popes heresye and therefore the kinge sent to Pope Iohn willinge him both to reforme his heresye and also to deliuer the prysoner so the said Thomas was set at libertye This Pope reformed and transposed the orders decrees of the Church at his owne pleasure made Colledges of Scribes according to the nomber of the Apostles who receyuing their fee should write such letters as he should appoint He cōdemned Iohn Poliacus a deuine because he taught that mē should not trust the begging fryers He cōpelled certaine Nonnes called Biginae to marrye and detested pictures He helde it for a grounded article that Christ gaue none other rule of godlinesse to his Apostles then to other Christians and that the Apostles neuer vowed pouertye Iohn Mandeuil in his first booke and seuenth Chapter sheweth that this Pope wrote at large to the Greekes that there is but onely one Christian Church and that he was head thereof and vicar of Christ to whō the Greekes aunswered briefely VVee do assuredlye acknowledge your highe power ouer your subiectes but wee cannot abide your high pride wee cannot stanch your greedye couetousnes the deuill is with you but God is with vs. Thus briefely in a worde they reuealed the Popes estate This Pope condemned Lewis Bauare a noble Emperour to be a rebell to the Church a scismaticke and hereticke because he toke vpon him by the Electours choyse the gouernment of the Empyre not vowing anye fealtye to the Pope Thus wryteth Iohn Marius of this Emperour Lewis Pope Iohn sayth he hated vnto death Lewis Bauare partly because he beinge chosen by the estates of Germanye kinge of the Romaynes did disdaine to receyue at the Popes hand according to the Canon of Pope Clement the fifte the name and title Emperiall partly againe because he defended from the Popes power certaine monkes whom he had condemned for heretickes therefore Pope Iohn auouched Lewis to be an hereticke Lewis comminge into Italye appointed his deputies in euery Cittye and came to Millen and because he desired to qualifye the Popes displeasure he sent Embassadours to him kepinge his courte then at Auenio in Fraunce to require of him the ornamentes belonging to the estate imperiall with freindlye affection as his auncestours had done the Pope did not onelye denye the sute but sent awaye the Embassadours with great reproche and cited the Emperour him selfe peremptory wyse as they terme it to come to Auenio submit himselfe to the Canons of the Church The Emperour knowinge the Popes tyrannye vsed in his Church vnderstanding that he had his estate giuen him from God desired to keepe and defende the same holye and vndefiled and therefore woulde not submit himselfe like a slaue vnto Popes and so denyed to come to Auenio And yet being desirous of peace he besought the Pope by Embassadours once againe to bestowe on him with curtesye the ornamentes of the Empyre the Pope stoode peuishlye in his wilfulnes vaunting and boasting in his wrytings that he had power to playe make marre w t Princes and that at his pleasure he might set vp and depose whom he listed and that the Empyre being voyde the Pope is ful Emperour And for malice against Lewis he excōmunicated the Uicounts whom the Emperour had appointed to gouerne Millen The Emperour perceyuinge the Popes obstinate minde taking with him many Princes of Italye came to Rome and was honourablye receyued of al the people and required according to the custome to receiue the solemnityes of the Empyre The Romaine peeres and all the people sent Embassadours to Pope Iohn in Fraunce and humbly besought him to come to visit his City Rome to bestowe vpon the king of the Romaynes the imperiall rites which if he would not do they said plainly that they them selues would keepe the ould law priuiledge of the Romaynes Iohn hauing heard the Embassadours vsing great threates and terrours draue them away with foule rebuke frō him The Romaynes seing this decreed to yeld to the noble Lewis his lawfull request and so by the commaundement of the clergy and people both he and his wyfe together were crowned by Steuē Nicolas being Senatours in the meane time the nobilitye shouted oute saying God saue Lewis Augustus Emperour of the Romaynes The Pope hearing this though the Emperour did nothing but that was lawful and godly did accuse him for a traytour and an heretick he published sore processe against him put him frō his estate imperial depriued him of his kingdome condemned him by vile and cruel curse of excōmunication as a rebell and Captaine heretick againste the Church of Rome by meanes whereof he enflamed all Christendome with such discord deadly warres as could not afterward be quenched in thirty yeres Thus farre wryteth Marius Thus the Pope had nothing to defende his forged supremacye and auctoritye but the dreadfull boultes of his excommunication But there were certaine at this time as well deuines as lawyers which preached that Christe and his Apostles did possesse nothinge properlye and that the Emperour in temporall cases was not subiect to the Pope Amonge these men were Michael Coesenus VVilliam Occam minorites Marsilius of Padua Iohn of Iandane lawyers with diuers other Lewis the Emperour was so comforted by these that he did stoutly withstand the Popes ententes and published this his appellation about the coastes of his Empyre ¶ The Emperours letters WE Lewis kinge of the Romaynes doe pronounce against Iohn who saith that hee is Pope that he doth naughtelye execute the testament and will of Christe cōcerning peace troubling the cōmon tranquility of Christendome neither is he mindfull that what honour soeuer he nowe doth enioye was first giuen by the holye Emperour Constantine to Syluester euen when he forfeare lurked in forrestes Thus doth he shewe himselfe vnthankful to the Romaine Empire from whence hee reaped all the roialty which now he abuseth c. Thus when Lewis and the peeres of Rome perceyued well the iniquitye of Pope Iohn and the people of Rome from the hyest to the lowest did take it in euill part that the Embassadours whō they had sent were so mocked of him they all agreed together that the ould custome of chosing the Pope should be brought into the Church that is that he being chosen by the people of Rome should be admitted and allowed by the Emperour Therefore one Peter of Corbaria a minorite was made Pope and was called Nicolas the fifte and as for Iohn they cōcluded of him that he was an heretick and a tyrant of the Church not a pastour but a breaker of the common peace of Christians In the meane time Pope Iohn Anno 1335. in the fourscore x. yeres of his age dyed at Auenio About the yeare of our Lord 1326. in the time of this Pope Iohn the prelats of Englād played a stout prancke for the bishop of Hertford
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
which was saide to be S. Andrewes head beside he wroughte diuers other Popishe pranckes He powred out riches vpon diuers vaine sumptuous and prodigall buildinges He made Corsian the towne wher he was borne to be a Citye calling it after his owne name Pientia buildinge a statelye Churche of wrought stone in it In the ende he dyed of an agew at Ancona goinge thether aboute his warres He was muche troubled with diseases while he liued as with the coughe the stone and the goute Volateranus sayth that ambition did ouerwhelme manye vertues in him for he was euer greedye of promocion and therefore he toke great paynes and sought the fauour of Princes This Epitaphe was founde written of him in an olde booke Frigida membra Pij retinet lapis iste loquacis Qui pacem moriens attulit Italiae Summe Deus quantum mortalibus alme dedisti Fulmine cum tetigit hoc caput aequa manus Vendiderat precio gentes crimina multa Virtutis â—pecie gesserat ille Pius Impius hic fuerat quamuis sub nomine pulchro Crediderit falsis posse iuuare fidem Nunc fidi comites scelerataque turba clientum Ingemuere Pium nam scelus orbis erat CONCLVSIO Impius hic situs est crudelis raptor iniquus Aeneas fatue quem genuere Senae Platina and Sabellicus do testifye that among other his prouerbiall sentences he lefte this in writinge There is a great cause why the clergie shoulde be depriued of mariage but greater cause why they should be suffered to marrye He hath the same sayinge also in his seconde booke of CouÌ„saile Perhaps sayth he it should not be worse if most priestes were wedded because that in maryed priesthoode manye shoulde be saued that in vnwedded priesthoode are dampned This Pius the second saith Coelius secundus did breake vp diuers nooneryes coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to come out of their cloister and to burne no longer in coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce and not to play the strompets secretelye vnder pretence of Religion Iohn Maria Polutianus sayth that in these dayes the Minorites and Bullistes in Italye fell out bitterlye stryuing whether of them should visite keepe and rule the nunnes 157. Paule the second PAule the second was borne in Venice called first Peter Baâ—bus nephewe to Eugenius the fourth he beinge Cardinall of S. Marke succeded Pope Pius He before his Papacye purposed to fall to the trade of marchandize but when hee heard that his â—nckle Gabriel was created Pope he began to applye his minde to his booke and so arose from one degree to another till in the end he gat the Papacye He was a man of a goodlye parsonage but of a hautye minde he was verye couetous and bestowed benefices for rewardes Touchinge his pontifâ—call pompe ye neede not doubte sayth Platina that he furnished it in such sort as he excelled all his predecessours especiallye in his royall kingdome Touching his Miter he bestowed infinite treasure thereon procurinâ—e to haue broughte to him froÌ„ euery place of great price Diamants Saphyrs Carbuncles Chrysolits Iasperstones Pearles and all other kinde of precious stones He being thus royallye attyred like Aaron with Iewels shewed himselfe abrode in such a maiestye as neuer did anye earthlye creature Then his desire was to be gazed on to be worshipped and for this cause he stayed straungers often in the Citye shewinge his handkerchiffe in the streate that the greater companye might behold him He commaunded also that none shoulde presume to weare a scarlet hat but the Cardinals on whom hee bestowed much cloth of the same colour in the first yeare of his Popeship to make them trappinges for their horses and Mules saith Platina He practisinge both by worde by sworde to aduaunce the maiestye of his seate did nothing all his life time but moue warre in Italye sodenlye when he spyed his aduauÌ„tage Amonge diuers others Cityes hee assaulted Arminium and caused both Suburbes and Citye to be myserablye shaken rente and torne with force of gunneshotte and other engins He abhorred euen from his harte the decrees and deedes of his predecessour Pius He restored the regular Canons whom Calixtus had expulsed out of Lateran abbey and bestowed greate buildinges at S. Markes at Vatican He condemned all chose to be heretickes that should make any mention of vniuersityes for he was a very doult and of grosse capacitye and therfore he loued neither learning nor vertue He being whollye addicted to ambition royotousnes and pleasure spent the whole daye eyther in feasting as Volateranus sayth or in takinge vp his money or els in searching oute and vewing of olde coynes images or Iewels His greatest care was that the Citye shoulde neuer lacke victuals Finallye after he had created tenne Cardinals whereof Frauncis Ruerius was one and assured himselfe to liue longe Anno 1470. he dyed of an Apoplexie sodenly by him selfe alone after he had supped meerelye After his death his cosins the Cardinals bestowed on him a woÌ„derfull riche and costlye tombe From this time forward the estate of the Papacye begaÌ„ to impaire and decay Stanislaus Ruthenus reporteth this one notable thinge of this Pope Paule in these wordes VVhen Pope Paule had seene certaine latine Verses written against him and his daughter it is reported that he wept and cryed out against the hardnes of the lawe of single life amonge his frends Because that he who ought to be not onlye the head of the Church but also of chastlife shoulde see his doughter liue in the face and countenaunce of the Citye with great shame and disdaine who although she were verye beutifull yet it greued his harte that it should be said he begat her in whoredome because he knewe that there was a law of God whereby she mighte haue beene borne in wedlocke vnlesse this lawe of single life had disanulled it They saye therefore that he toke councell how he mighte restore againe the mariage of the clergie but beinge preuented by death he coulde not attaine to his purpose 158. Sixtus the fourth SIxtus the fourth was borne at Sauona in Liguria called Frauncis Ruerius before and generall minister of the Franciscans succeded Pope Paule He being at a time of solemnitye caryed in an horselitter to Lateran there arose a sodein tumult so that the Pope was in great daunger of loosing his life being so pelted with stones so that the dryuers did almost forsake him in the Litter This Pope vsed to graunte one benefice to diuers and sondry parsons He loued his frendes so well that to gratifye them he did manye things against all law and equitye He promoted his companion Peter Ruerius both of his owne order and couÌ„trye whom with his brother Hierome he broughte vp for purpose to be a Cardinall a man otherwise borne to wast riches for within the space of two yeres after then which time he liued not longer he spent of himselfe alone by his royotous lyuing â–ª two hundreth thousand Crownes beside this he endebted himselfe three score Thousand and spent