Sodomit c. Wherfore Iohn changing his garmeÌ„t fled from ConstaÌ„ce went to Friburg but by coÌ„mand of the CouÌ„cell after he had 5. yeares poped he was depriued of his Popedome euery other office He was sought for found caught imprisond in the castle of Hidelberga in Germany where he was 3 yeares prisoner in great affliction for that his kepers were Germans simple rude which neither vnderstood Latine nor yet Italian the miserable Pope neither spake nor vnderstood Duch From this prison he afterward escaped The questioÌ„ whether the Pope be aboue the CouÌ„cel or the Councel aboue the Pope was in this CouÌ„cel debated And in the 4. 5. SessioÌ„s coÌ„cluded as Caranâ—a himselfe saith that a general Councel lawfully assembled which represeÌ„teth the catholike church millitaÌ„t had it authoritie imediatly of Christ which Councel euery person of what estate dignitie soeuer yea the Pope himselfe ought to obey in matter coÌ„cerning the faith c. This decre of the CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„staÌ„ce is confirmed in the 3. and 18. Sessions of the Councell of Basile In the Councell of Constance was Iohn Gerson a famous diuine present who not onely with wordes but also with writing approued and extolled this decree that the Pope was to be subiect to the Councell This decree he saith deserued to be fixed in all Churches and in all publike places for a perpetuall remembrance He saith that those which brought this tyranny into the Church that the chiefe Bishop ought not to obey the Councell and that the Councell neither ought nor could Iudge the Pope were pernicious flatterers As though the Councell receiued all that power and dignity of the chiefe Bishop and could not be assembled but at the will of the Pope As though there were no law for the Pope nor account to be demaunded of that which he did Such monstrous words saith he ought to be far from vs as those that be contrary to lawes equitie and reason He saith that all authoritie whatsoeuer the Church holdeth the same holdeth the Councell and that apleales from the Pope ought and may be made to the Councell He saith that they which demaunde whether the Pope or Church be greater Doe no lesse then they that demaunded whether the whole or parte bee greater The Councell saith he hath authoritie and right to chuse Iudge and depose the chiefe Bishop All which with the Councell of Constance Gerson confirmed This Councell Iudged the causes of three Popes Gregorie 12. Benedict 13. and Iohn 24. and finding them all there faulty deposed them and elected Martin 5. Eneas Siluius afterwardes called Pius 2. was present in the Councell of Basill and wrote all whatsoeuer was there debated extolling to the clouds that was there decreed but afterwards being Pope he changed his opinion saying that the Councell ought to be subiect to the Pope The vniuersitie of Paris a few moneths before Luther handled the question of Indulgence from Leo 10. appealed to the Councel This decree of the Councels of Constance and Basill did not nor yet doth please the Popes flatterers who against their owne consciences make the Pope God in the earth absolute Lord of all Iohn Wickeliffe an Englishman before in England deceased for freely preaching the euangelical Doctrin which discouereth hypocrisie and false papisticall doctrine was in this Councell condemned For the same also were Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage who suffered their Martyrdome with great constancie and ioyfulnes condemned and burned Pius 2. saith that Iohn Hus was greater in age authoritie but Ierome was greater in learning and eloquence And a little before he saith both suffered death with a constant mind as if they had bene inuited to some banquet they prepared themselues to go to the fire When the fire began they sung a Psalme which the flame rushing in of the fire could hardly hinder None of the Philosophers with such constancy fortitude of mind is read to haue suffered death as these men endured the fire Eneas Siluius albeit an enemy thus speaketh of them Vnder safe conduct came these two to dispute maintaine their cause as they did in the Councell But neither faith nor promise regarded they against all law and reason were condemned and burned The reason which the Papists yeeld for this deed doing is because no faith is to be kept with heretiques This faith-breach was cause of great bloodshed in the great warres which afterwards happened in Bohemia as Siluius himselfe reporteth Great praise worthy are the Bohemians that with great constancy haue continewed in the good Doctrine and reformation which these holy martirs of Iesus Christ taught them And so much the more is their praise by how much the more they haue suffered troubles persecutions for almost 200 yeares yet by the mercy of God doe they stil vse this good doctrine and reformation which from thence hath crept to Morauia and Polonia the bordering regions In our time hath God stretched the same through Germany from theÌ„ce spread throughout al Europe and hath further passed the great Ocean sea and gone to India all the lets of Antichrist by meanes of his Inquisitors notwithstanding and the more they shall burne the more will it spread abroad because as before we haue said of Tertulian The bloud of the Martirs is the seede of the Gospell Carança in his Summa Conciliorum noteth 45 errors as he calleth them of Iohn Wickelife and 30 of Iohn Hus who listeth to knowe what Iohn Hus taught let him read Carion lib. 5. When Iohn 24. had as we haue said escaped out of prison he came to present himselfe to Pope Martin 5. who was chosen in the CouÌ„cel of Constance to Florence came he prostrated himselfe at the feet of Pope Martin acknowledging him to be Pope kissed his feet Martin moued with this humilitie within few dayes after made him Cardinal Bishop of Tuscan read Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 3. O. what a Cardinal O what a Bishop if that be true as it was which was obiected and proued against him in the Councel of CoÌ„stance But no new thing it is that the Popes Cardinals bishops should be as he was But a few moneths after Iohn in his Cardinalship of very griefe is supposed in the 1419. yeare died Friar Iohn de Pineda saith that it was suspcted they gaue him poyson And saith that most solemnly was hee buried in the chappel of S. Iohn Baptist Don Iohn 2. theÌ„ reigning in Castil Martin 5. was made Pope in the Councel of CoÌ„sance of whose electioÌ„ Sigismund the Emp. much reioyced so thaÌ„ked the Councel for chusing such a Bishop And prostrating himselfe before the Pope kissed his feete This pope embraced him as his brother gaue him thankes that by his meanes and trauell the Church was quieted after so great a Sisme But for all this
the life of King Recaredo saith these wordes Phocas graunted to the blessed Boniface 4. Bishop of Rome the Temple called Pantheon to be consecrated in the honour of the blessed virgin Mary and of all the saintes as in the legend of that feast celebrated the first day of Nouember more largely is conteyned thus farre the Bishop Here is to be noted the saying of the Bishop Platina and many others That the Pope demaunded of the Emperour this Temple and that the Emperour did graunt it Doctor Illescas as a flatterer of the Pope in his Hist Pontif. saith that Boniface did consecrate the Temple c. the which saith he well pleased the Emperour Phocas and saith not that he demaunded it of the Emperour least he he should seeme to impeach the authoritie of the Pope Of that which we haue said it followeth that the Pope was not then Lord of Rome For had he so bene he would not haue requested the Temple of the Emperour This onely reason were there no other sufficeth to proue the donatiō of Constātine as they call it to be false which was almost 300. yeers before wherin he made the Pope saith they absolute Lord of Rome and of many other lands which they call S. Peters patrimony The Pope as a thiefe hath either stolne it from the Emperor or as tyrant by force hath life himselfe vp with him In the 613 yere dyed Boniface At which time in Spaine the great Catholique Recaredo 1 reigned Theodatus or Deus dedit ordeyned Godfathers and Godmothers to be had in baptisme and that the godfather should not marry with the Godmother nor the goddaughter with the son of the Godfather This Pope died in the 616 yeare at that time in Spaine Huiterico reigned Boniface 5. ordeyned theeues and murtherers which fled to the Churches or Churchyardes might not be drawn from thence which hath emboldened many to commit great villanies and flying to a Church haue freely escaped without any punishment And these they call sanctuary men He dyed in 622. yeare In which time raigned Sesibuto in Spaine After Boniface 5. succeeded Honorius 1. A Monothelite heretique he was and for such a one as saith Fryar Iohn de Pineda part 3. lib. 17. cap 34. ¶ 1. in the 13. 16. and 17. Acts of the 6. Councell of Constantinople coneemned The which by a letter of the Emperour and by a nother from Leo. 1. to the Emperour is confirmed D. Illescas as he which could not beleeue that any Pope could erre calleth Honorius a holy and commendable Bishop Panuinus to excuse Honorius saith that the copies of the 6. Councell of Constantinople be corrupted he giueth his excuse Seuerinus succeeded Honorius Iohn 4. Theodorus and Martinus Martine 1. ordeyned that Priestes should carry Crownes to wit the head shaued leauing a circle vpon it which they call a Crowne The Pope this commaunding did not imitate Christ nor his Apostles who neuer had shauen Crownes but the Priestes of the Idolls which as saith Baruc had their heads and beardes shauen and sate bare headed in the houses of their Gods Let our aduersaries see if their Priestes doe not the like Wherein they imitate doutlesse the Priestes of the Idolls He commaunded that bishops euery yeare should consecrate holy oyntment and send it through their Dioses He imposed vpon Priests the vowe of Chastitie a very hard yoke and borne but of a fewe as in Gregorie 1. we haue noted In the. 653. yeare dyed Martinus 1. Sisenando then reigning in Spaine and Eugeniup and Vitelianus succeeded Martinus Vitelianus ordeyned the song and organs in the Church He commaunded the howers singinges ceremonies and Masses should be celebrated in the Latine tongue contrary to that which saith the Apostle the vse of strange tongues is vnprofitable and therefore without interpretation of that which is said not to be vsed 1. Cor. 14. Vitelianus dyed in the 672. yeare in whose time Tulga reigned in Spaine after Vitelianus succeeded Adeodatus Donus and Agathus Agathus commaunded that the constitutions of the chiefe Bishop should be holden for Apostolicall as pronounced by the mouth of God O grieuous blasphemie In this time was celebrated the sixt generall Councell in Canstantinople where marriage to the Grecian priestes was permitted but to the Latine priestes forbidden This Agathus sent to the 6. Councell an Epistle wherein he condemned Honorius 1. for a Monothelite In the 682. yeare dyed Agathus and Leo 2 Benedict 2. and Iohn 5. succeeded him Iohn 5. being dead then arose the 8. Sisme and 2. Popes were elected Petrus and Theodoretus which being deposed in the 606. yeare was Cunon chosen Cunon dying in the 687. yeare was the 9. Sisme and 2. Popes Theodor and Pascall were elected Both which deposed Sergius who was Pope thirteene yeares eight moneths and thirteene dayes was chosen After Sergius succeeded Iohn the 6. Iohn the 7. Sisimus and Constantine the first Constantine 1. was called of the Emperour Iustinianus to goe to Constantinople He was the first that gaue his feete to the Emperour his Lord to be kissed And against the first commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any Image c. he commaunded Images to be placed in the Temples and worshipped He dyed in the 716. yeare At this time was the miserable dissipation of Spaine made by the Moores of Affrik with the ayd of the Count Don Iulian. Don Rodrigo then king the last of Gothes end the first vnfortunate Gregorie 2. and Gregorie 3. continewed the commaundement of Image-worship contrary to the commaundement of God And Leo the Emperour for not allowing them was excommunicate In the 731. yeare dyed Gregorie 2. in the 741. yeare Gregorie 3. In the time of Gregorie 2. Don Pelayo reigned in Spaine and in the time of Gregorie the third Don Fasila Zacharias was the first that inuented to adorne the Church vestiments with gold and precious stones He was also the first that attributed to himselfe a certaine diuine power concontemptuously tooke vpon him to make and depose kinges He was the first that absolued vassals of their othe made to their Lordes which Childerick King of France whom the foresaid Zacharie deposed at the instance of Pipin the little bastard sonne of Charles Martell vassall of Childericke tried In this Zacharie and Pipin the old prouerbe was verified Vn mulo rasca à otro y Hazme la barua y hazer tehe el copete One mule rubbeth another and doe thou forme and I le doe thee The Pope had neede of Pipins ayd to exempt himselfe from the subiection of the Emperour of Greece his Lord. Saint Gregorie writing to the Emperour called him Lord. Pipin and and his successors the kinges of France mindfull of this benefit did great seruice to the sea Apostolique And for being such loyall seruantes he gaue
to pardon sinnes and that for money it being God alone which doth graciously pardon theÌ„ The Pope Who hath caused a little peece of white bread to be worshipped saying it is the true God which created heauen and earth The Pope Therefore is he Antichrist which neither honoreth nor a doreth the God of his fathers who in the bookes that the Pope burneth hath manifested himselfe to his faithfull The 2. marke is that he shall not regard the loue of women to wit that vnder colour of chastitie holines meritorious works he shall abhorre marriage So greatly hath the Pope abhorred marriage that a law he hath made that no Pope Cardinal Patriarke Archbishop Bishop Deane Archeacon Priest nor Friar Deacon nor subdeacoÌ„ nor any Nunne shal marry And wherefore For pure hypocrisie to be sold to the ignorant people for holy for Angels which are not fleshly but wholly spirituall And the miserable people dispising the meanes of marriage which God hath giuen them Will rather burne then marry And so God deliuereth them vp to shamefull vile affections and in their lusts doe they burne as saith S. Paule Fornicators they are adulterers Incestuous persons that moreouer which the Apostle meÌ„tioneth These be the fruits of his coÌ„strained chastitie of his angelical not fleshly life of his vowe of chastity vowed of so many and kept of so fewe Of such like the same S. Paul fore warneth his disciple Timothie saying that they shall speake lies through hypocrisie hauing their coÌ„sciences seared that they shall forbid marriage What nation in the world hath bene so barbarous so cruel so tyrannous Godlesse that hath forbidden marriage to so many thousands of men and women as are at this day of Priests Fryars and Nunnes Onely such law maketh Antichrist Only the Pope maketh it therefore is the Pope Antichrist which regardeth not his owne lawful wife but his Ganimeds and strumpets Much paine hath the Pope of long time taken to cause this his tyrannicall lawe to bee obserued Many people and nations seeing it a law tyrannous and preiudiciall to the Common-wealth haue withstood him because that priests and Friars not hauing proper wiues and being lusty men which liue in idlenesse and abundance a life inclyning men to luxuritie bestow themselues among the wiues daughters of their neighbours friends In the Councell of Nice was this busines proposed but through the Councell of good Paphnucius not affected S. Gregorie forbad marriage but taught afterwards by experience of 6000. heads of young Infants which they fouÌ„d in a pond adnulled reuoked his decree as before in his life we haue declared Note that which we haue said to this same purpose vpon the life of Siricius who so against the hayre alleaged the saying of S. Paul Those which be in the flesh cannot please God And that which we noted vpon Nicholas 1. in the life of Pius 2. of Paul 2. experience at this day sufficiently sheweth how impious and tyrannous this law is And suppose it were good yet is it not obserued Much better should it be to leaue to each one the liberty which God hath giuen them and not to lay sâ—ares for the conscience He that can passe without marriage shall doe very well not to marâ—y and chiefly the minister in time of persecution which iâ— to be free to preach the word of God wheresoeuer they shall call him But the guift of chastitie is not giuen to all and if to any yet is it not perpetuall The surest way then not to offend God nor defile his owne body wâ—ich is the temâ—le of the holy Ghost and â—herefore to be kept cleane is that euery man as Saint Paul doth aduise vs haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband to the great griefe of the Pope who is Antichrist and commaundeth the contrary The third marke is that Antichrist shall not care for any God to wit hee shal be an Atheist a Godlesse man and without religion This in many Popes haue wee fully and clerely seene which neither liueing nor dying had any religion He is not one alone that entred into the Popedome like a fox liued in the Popedome like a Lyon and dyed like a dogge Let their liues be read the reason of all this giueth Daniel saying for hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all Antichrist which is the Pope hath made himselfe vniuersal Bishop head of the Church absolute or dissolute Lord aswell in the temporaltie as the spiâ—itualty euer all the Monarkes kings and Princes of the world that he may displace and place them when he pleaseth and no man ought to demaund why doest thou so And so causeth Emperours kings and great Lords to fall prostrate on the gorund in token of vassallrie slauerie and subiection kisse his feete and worship him The Pope truly is proud as the diuell who said to Christ All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me And so shall haue the wages that had the diuell Which thing Daniell declareth in the 36. verse of the 11. chapter saying that he shall prosper vntill the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made and in the last words of this chapter he saith And his end shall come and none shall helpe him This is the comfort of a Christian that Antichrist the Pope his enemie and persecutor shall so end as he hath deserued And so shall the Church be from hiâ— tyranny The 2. passage is of S. Paul to the Thessalonians where clerely and plainely he calleth Antichrist man of sinne and sonne of perdition which opposeth liâ—teth vp himselfe against all which is God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the temple of Cod shewing himselfe that he is God And a little lower whose coÌ„ming is by the working of Sathan with great power signes lying wonders with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse working in them that perish c. The papists themselues coÌ„fefse that Saint Paul here speaketh of Antichrist Now let vs fee if the Pope doe the same things and if he do them then is he Antichrist By Antichrist must we not vnderstand one man alone which is to be and happen but an estate a seat a succession of men an Empire exalted against Christ yet with the name and title of pastor and Bishop of the Church and with the title of the vicar of Christ Iesus himselfe Through hypocrisie and fayned humilitie he calleth himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants but through diuelish pride he maketh himselfe Lord of all In the time of S. Paul began this Empire of Antichrist as he witnesseth saying For all ready the misterie of Iniquitie beginneth to worke onely he which now ruleth shall let vntill he be taken out of the way This shal be when the Lord shall slay him with the spirit of his mouth as there saith the Apostle Now haue we proued
TWO TREATISES The first OF THE LIVES OF THE POPES AND THEIR DOCTRINE The second OF THE MASSE THE ONE and the other collected of that which the Doctors and ancient Councels and the sacred Scripture do teach Also A Swarme of false Miracles wherewith Marie de la Visitacion Prioresse de la Annuntiada of Lisbon deceiued very many and how she was discouered and condemned Reuelation 17. 1. Come and I will shew thee the condemnation af the great Whore which fitteth vpon many waters And vers 15. The waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues The second edition in Spanish augmented by the Author himselfe M. Cyprian Valera and translated into English by Iohn Golburne 1600. Printed at London by Iohn Harison and are to be sold at the Grey-hound in Pater noster row 1600. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR THOMAS EGERTON KNIGHT LORD KEEPER OF the great Seale of England Chamberlaine of the Countie Palatine of Chester and of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell I. G. wisheth all health increase of honour and euerlasting happinesse SOlons law to the Athenians right Honorable adiuged him to die vnworthy to liue that in time of ciuill garboyles as carelesse of the weale publike withdrew himselfe and became a neuter Which law albeit proceeding from a Pagan yet holding affinitie with holy writ I cannot but approue and wish the same were also of force among Christians Professed Christians I meane which in these factious broyles in the common wealth of Israel wherein Religion seemeth to be rent as it were in two each part challenging the truth as his owne proper whereas but one Truth there is and the same indiuisible are either carelesse and negligent in the Lords worke and so accursed or els become luke-warme awaiting onely occasion to runne with the streame and cleaue to time and stronger part for their better safetie Both which as abominable to God are to be spued out of his sacred mouth to be shunned of men as the Apostle willeth Sith hated then of God and detested of men I conculde with Solon such Foxes not worthy to liue among Christians would God they were cut off from destroying the Lords vineyard The consideration whereof and that my selfe albeit simple and most vnworthy of many thousands secluded from the world and cut off from the societie of men or meanes of imployment to benefit as of right it claimeth my natiue country am also a member of this Christian cōmon wealth hath made me charie to be taxed with the guilt of like crime careful to auoid the note of both the one and the other prickt therefore with the spurre of dutie zeale and hartie desire to good the Region wherein I first tooke breath though little carefull of my good to the vtmost stretch of my poor abilitie I bring here my endeuour and translation into our vulgar tongue for the helpe and instruction of the simple The due commendations of the Author and Subiect farre exceedeth my reach and therefore do leaue them to the censure of the learned And taught by long experience your Lordships godly zeale for the aduauncement of true religion and due execution of iustice the hauing or wanting whereof is the glorie and suretie or maime and ruine of all sttates and kingdomes and seeing your Lordship by diuine goodnesse placed and by Regall power deputed in this selfe same common-wealth for a light vnto others and a Shepheard to feed the people with iustice and iudgement These my good Lord with the worthinesse of the worke best beseeming so worthy a Patron together with humble acknowledgment of dutie to your Lordship haue caused me make choise of your honorable selfe the better emboldened thereunto by your good acceptance of my former booke And so I humbly commend this my trauel to your like view and protection not doubting but your Lordship after your wonted honorable disposition will vouchsafe to take in worth my simple present and pardon my presumption proceeding from an affectionate desire to do your honour seruice whereunto before all men I acknowledge my selfe bounden and my dayly study shall be imployed I beseech the eternall Deity to increase his graces in your Lordship that his glory may more thereby appeare and multiply your dayes as the dayes of heauen to pull the pray frō the Spoylers iawes and relieue the oppressed And so in all humilitie I take leaue Fleete my miserable prison this 24. of October 1600 Your Lordships most bounden in all affectionate dutie IOHN GOLBVRNE The Translator to the Reader I Haue pained my selfe gentle Reader to doe thee pleasure and therefore craue but that curtesie of thee which in common right is my due namely thy good conceit and fauourable censure of my trauell which albeit not pollished with finenesse of phrase yet it is beautified with truth of matter as God gaue abilitie my small knowledge in the tongue and the misery of the place aforded If any will charge me with folly and presumption in attempting this translation better beseeming some of riper iudgement I graunt there is cause yet thou forward taxer of faultes in others why doest thou not rather iudge condemne thy self that hauing a better talent hast worse imployed it nay hast buried the same in ten yeares space sithens this worthy worke was first published hast not bettered thy country by thy paines taking nor benefited others by translating it thy selfe For my part I hold it fitter that the body rather brooke a meane repast then starue for want of foode And had rather my rash ignorance should be published in print and so noted of thee for of better minds I expect better thoughts then that so heauenly a light of Christian knowledge should rest obscured in the mysty darknesse of a strange language and so precious a treasure be buried in rustie silence without comfort or commoditie to my countrey For among so many worthy labourers in the Lords vineyard raised vp by God in this latter age there is none pardon me good Reader if my simple iudgement faile me that hath exceeded nay few or none that hath equalled this Authour in the matter and method of this booke Wherein by way of Antithesis are liuely set forth Christ and Antichrist To the end that two contraries opposed Christ the true light may appeare more glorious and Antichrist the child of darkenes may be viewed in his proper colour that the one may be imbraced with all obedience and the other abandoned with all detestation and horror For if thou wouldest know by the word of God and be assured by the testimony of his holy Spirit that Ancichrist foretold by the Prophets and Apostles is already come and the sonne of perdition renealed if thou wouldest know the certaine time the place the maner and markes of his reuelation If thou wouldest know and be acertained by the same Spirit that the Pope is a false Priest that very same
Antichrist so proued by his abominable life and doctrine by the testimonie of Gods sacred word and vnrefutable arguments drawne from the same If thou wouldest know and be assured likewise that the Masse is a diuelish prophanation of the holy Supper of the Lord a most blasphemous idolatrous and false sacrifice derogating from the most precious bloud death passion of Iesus Christ If thou wouldest know by the same Spirit be assured that the same Iesus Christ true God true man is the only Lord Sauiour and redeemer of the world the onlie aduocate Intercessor Mediator betweene God and man the only alone king Prophet and true high Priest which entred into the holy place once for all and found eternall redemption If thou wouldest know that his body and bloud once offred vpō the altar of the crosse is the only alone true sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauor in the nosethrils of God his Father for the remission of sins whereby onlie Gods wrath is appeased we obtaine pardon peace reconciliation with God grace fauor and euerlasting life If thou wouldest know and be likewise assured that this most holy sacrifice of Christ one only time offered is all sufficient for the sins of all men that no place remaineth for any other reiteration of the same sacrifice If thou wouldest know the true meaning vse practise of the holy Supper of the Lord Iesus the benfit thereof to the Faithfull If thou wouldest certainlie know and be fully assured by the same Spirit of Grace which is the ancient doctrin of God leading to all blisse and true blessednesse confirmed with his sacred word contained in the bookes of the old new Testament and penned by the finger of the holy Ghost and which is the new doctrine of men pointing the pathway to hell death destruction confirmed with vaine apparitions dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell Come and see except the god of this world hath blinded thy mind that the light of Christes glorious Gospell should not shine vnto thee except thou list to grope at noone day and wilfully say I will not see except thou hast shaken hands with death and made a couenant with hell except God for thy wilfull obstinacie hath giuen thee ouer vnto a reprobate sence to oppose thy selfe against him his knowne truth In reading this booke without partiall preiudication thou canst not but see exactly perceiue and tast to thine vnspeakeable comfort how sweet are the mercies of the Lord in reuealing to thee dust and ashes the mysterie both of the one and the other which the wise of this world neither haue vnderstood nor can comprehend but is reuealed vnto babes his Saints to whom he would make knowne the riches of his glorie to confound and make foolishnes the vvisdom of the wise Which if thou shalt find as if in singlenesse of heart thou seeke thou canst not but find Then praise Iehouah the author of all goodnesse be thankefull to this Author the meanes of thy good and take in worth my simple trauell an inferiour furtherance thereunto who hartily wish thee no lesse comfort and ioy in reading then my miserable selfe receiued in translating of this booke And because it seemeth a thing difficult to translate the Prouerbs wherein not the letter but the sence is to be followed that course haue I obserued set downe withall the proper phrase of the Spanish and Portugal tongues both in them and some other hard doubtfull words that thou gentle Reader indued with better gifts maist iudge and curteously amend by thy knowledge what my vnskilfulnesse hath missed hoping that my desire herein to do well may excuse in thy Chistian conceit whatsoeuer is if any thing misdone And so I leaue thee to him that is able to keepe thee Thine in the Lord I. G. THE EPISTLE TO THE CHRIstian Reader HAd it not bene for the great necessity which our country of Spaine hath to know the liues of the Popes that knowing them it may beware them and nought esteeme their authority which against all right diuine and humane they haue vsurped ouer the consciences which Iesus Christ our redeemer with his death passion hath freed I should neuer Christian Reader haue entred a labyrinth so confused and rugged as is to write the liues of Popes For thou must know that the Romists themselues concord not nor agree in the number of the Popes Some set downe more and others lesse And hence it commeth that so little they agree touching the time that they poped Let it be lawfull for me as of a king he is sayd to raigne to say of a Pope to Pope Some of these selfe same also that all confesse to haue bene Popes of some of them say great Laudes and praises extolling them to the heauens Of these selfe same say others filthie things casting them downe to hell An example of the first S. Gregory As saith Friar Iohn de Pineda 3. part cap. 8. ¶ 1. of his Ecclesiasticall Monarchie was the 66. Pope c. And not the 63. As saith Mathew Palmer Nor the 64. As saith Panuinus Nor the 65. As saith Marianus nor lesse 62. As saith S. Antoninus This farre Pineda Gelasius 1. after Platina is the 51. Pope After Panuinus the 50. And after George Cassander and Carança the 49. Also Paule the second after Platina is the 220. Carança counteth him for the 219. Pero Mexia for 218. and Panuinus For 215. fiue lesse then Platina According to this account Sistus 5. which in the yeare 1588. tyrannizeth in the Church should be after Platina the 236. Pope after Carança 235. After Per◠Mexia 234. and after Panuinus 231. Most Popish authors be all these Some Spaniards and others Italians And had we alleaged more authors more disagreement and contrariety should we haue found Of this diuersitie springeth the disorder which is in the time that some Popes Poped For they which reckon least Popes put the yeares which they take from 4 or 5 Popes whom they reckon not to other Popes Carança in his Summa conciliorum speaking of Boniface 3. this was the first Pope as in his life shal be shewed saith these words There is diuersitie among writers how long time Boniface 3. was Pope For of Platina is it gathered that he was nine monthes Others say 8 monethes and a halfe others a yeare and 25 dayes Others a yeare 5 monthes 28 daies Others say that he died hauing bene Pope 8 moneths and 22 dayes This farre Carança The same might we say of many other Popes For example of the second will we put Liberius and Formosus besides many others that we might set downe Liberius and Formosus some of the papists themselues do cannonize and others doe curse them Platina saith that Liberius was an Arian Panuinus saith that he was holy Read his life which of diuerse authors we haue gathered As touching Formosus Stephen 6 or 7. condemned him So
things by which they might represent and worship God they made of set purpose a Calfe of mettall as is read in Exod. 32. 4. And Aaron formed it with the grauing toole and made thereof a Calfe of mettall and they said These be thy Gods ô Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. The same saith God in the eight verse complaining of the people to Moses And Dauid Psal 106. 19. They made saith he a Calfe in Horeb and worshipped a molten Image and turned their glorie to the similitude of a bullocke that eateth grasse And Ieroboam renewing this Idolatrie made two calues of gold one whereof he placed in Bethel the other in Dan and said as his predecessors in the wildernesse had said These be thy Gods which brought thee c. Exod. 32. 4. And it is not to be thought as before we haue said that either Aaron or the Israelites or after them Ieroboam or his people were so sencelesse to thinke that the Calfe or calues which they themselues with their hands a little before had made was God whose being is from euerlasting That which they thought was this that God which had brought them out of Egypt representing himselfe in the Calfe had poured thereinto a certaine diuinitie and therefore would be worshipped in the same as they did worship him This doing they tooke quite away the worship which they only owed to God and gaue it to the creature For this cause saith Dauid that the Israelites turned the glorie of God into the similitude of a Bullocke c. c. Psal 106. 20. The same say we to our aduersaries They beleeue not will they say that the image of our Ladie of Guadalupe nor that of Mountserrat is the same virgin Marie which is in heauen They beleeue not say they that the woodden Crucifixe of Burgos is the same Christ which sitteth at the right hand of his Father That which they beleeue is this that God hath infused into these and such other Images a certaine diuinitie to represent the Virgin Marie or Christ crucified c. And therupon say they worke they miracles and therefore doe they reuerence and adore them And so fixe they their eyes and settle their whole mindes to honour and worship these visible Images that they take away the honour which is onely due to God and giue it to a woodden image that is made with mens hands And being in any affliction in steede of seeking helpe at God by the meanes of his sonne Christ Iesus One crieth out O my Ladie of Guadalupe another O my Ladie of Mountferrat another O my Lady of Walsinhham another Lord Saint Elmus Lord Saint Blase Lady saint Lucie c. Of God or his sonne Christ none hath remembrance except here and there one in a corner and if the others heare him they call him a Lutherane heretike that inuocateth not the Saints but God only and his sonne Christ Iesus But God commands vs to call vpon him in the time of trouble and hath promised to heare vs Psal 50. 15. Christ saith All whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name shall be done vnto you Mat. 7. 7. Mar. 11. 24. Ioh. 14. 13. 16. 23. But of this will we speake more at large intreating of inuocation of the Saints in the Treatise of the Masse Let vs now returne to the Calfe The Iewes endeuour what they can to excuse their forefathers and so lay the fault of this sin vpon the poore base people of the Egyptians which together with the Israelits went out of Egypt But that which the Lord saith to Moses casteth wholly the fault vpon the Israelites not once naming the poore people and saith also that it is a stiâ—ffe-necked people and as such wold consume them Exod. 32. 8. 9. 10. The Iewes cannot then excuse their forefathers their owne Rabbins doe witnesse that the sin of the Calfe is not wholly yet cleansed This said Moses Gerunden speaking to the Iewes No punishment hath happened to thee ô Israel wherein there hath not bene some ounce of the iniquitie of the calfe But in crucifying their Messiah the Lord of glorie as in Esa 53. through the whole chap. Dan. 9. 20. and other places was prophesied the Iewes afterward committed another no lesse wickednesse For which so enormious a sinne God cut them off being the naturall branches from the euer-greene oliue tree which is his Church in their place graffed in vs Gentils branches of the wild oliue tree Rom. 11. And note that the maner wherein we are ingraffed is farre different from the common naturall graffing For we are not ingraffed the the wild Oliue into the Oliue tree nor the wilde peare into the peare tree but contrariwise the oliue into the wild oliue tree the peare into the wild peare tree so our ingraffing into the Church and into Christ her head supernatural For which benefit receiued he saith to the GeÌ„tils Praise the Lord al ye GeÌ„tils c Three great Captiuities besides others not so great haue the Iewes suffered The first in Egypt the second in Babylon the third that which now they suffer scattered like chaffe or straw through the world Concerning the first secoÌ„d God foretold them how long they should be captiues So he said to Abraham Know thou for certaine that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serue them and shall be afflicted foure hundred yeares But the nation which they shall serue will I also iudge and then shall they come forth with great riches as in Exod. 12. 36. 37. appeareth As touching the second captiuitie God sayth by Ieremie And it shall come to passe that when seuentie yeares shall be fulfilled I will visite the king of Babylon c. Againe Thus saith the Lord vvhen seuentie yeares in Babylon shall be fulfilled I vvill visite you and performe my good promise towards you and cause you to returne to this place Of the accomplishment of these setie yeares speaketh Daniel chap. 9. 2. 2. Chron. 36. 22. and Ezra ch 1. 1. Concerning the third captiuitie wherin aboue these fifteen hundred yeares they haue bene and yet are and shall bee scattered throughout the world without king without high-priest without sacrifice without Pesah that is the Paschall lambe without Prophetes and many other things by God commanded subiect to strange nations and not in some sort but as slaues no word in the Scriptures mentioning how many yeares this captiuitie shall endure But contrariwise saith the Angell to Daniel chap. 9. 27. that Ierusalem shall be destroyed and that the Moysaicall worship and Temple should neuer more returne This third captiuitie for three respects is worse then the second First for the time That endured seuentie yeares This hath endured aboue fifteene hundred yeares 2. In the second the Iewes had Prophtes and miracles Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel c. the three children were deliuered from the
thee beholde it is layd ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath in it In like manner The stocke saith Ieremie is a doctrine of vanitie Againe Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge Euery founder is confounded by his grauen Image for his melting is but falshood and there is no breath therein They are vanitie and the worke of errors c. wherefore well said Athanasius When a liuing man cannot moue thee to knowe God how shall a man made of wood cause thee to know him Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres comming into a Church and seeing a veyle wherein the Image of Christ or some other Saint was pictured cōmanded to take it thence and that the veyle should be imployed for the buriall of some poore vsing these wordes To see in the Temples of Christians the Image of Christ or any Saint pictured is horrible abhomination Of this moreouer wrote he to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem vnder whose Iurisdiction was that people of Anablatha where the veyle was to prouide that no such veyles which be contrary to that which Religion permitteth should thenceforth be had in the Church of Christ So greatly did this epistle please Saint Ierome that he translated the same out of Greeke into Latine The same Epiphanius said Remember my beloued sonnes that you place no Images in the Church nor churchyardes but carry God euer in your hearts and yet say I further permit them not in your houses For to be fixed by the eyes but by meditation of the minde c. is vnlawfull for a Christian c. The most ancient Councell of Eliberis holden in Spaine as now we will declare and many other ancient Councels condemned Images and manie Christian Emperours haue forbidden them And for that purpose wrote Valens and Thedosius to the chiefe Gouernor of the Councell house saying As our care is in and by all meanes to mainteine the religion of the most high God so permit wee none to purtrayt engraue or picture in colours stone or any other matter whatsoeuer the Image of our Sauiour Moreouer we commaunde that wheresoeuer such an Image can bee founde it be taken away and all those to be chastised with most grieuous punshment that attempt ought against our decrees and commaund Seeing then the Christian Emperours Doctors and ancient Councels yea and that which is all the scripture it selfe to forbid Images let not our Aduersaries be obstinate Let them not thinke it to be nowe as in time passed when the blind led the blind and so both fell into the ditch Blessed be God we nowe see and neede not them which be more blind to guide vs. Where or when I demaund hath God commaunded to doe that which they doe Let them giue me one only example of the olde or newe Testament that any of the Patriarches Propetes Apostles or Martyrs of Iesus Christ did that which they doe adored or honored God or his saints in their Images They will not giue it Then let them not be more wise then they Let them take heede least God say vnto them Who required these thinges at your handes This is not the worship by God appointed but humane and diuelish inuention And so shall God punish them as hee punished Nadab and Abihu Leuit. chap. 10. ver 1. that offered strange fire which he neuer commaunded them Hold we fast that which God hath commaunded Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. And so shall we not erre The Church of Rome hath taken away the second commandment and hath but nine commaundements But to fill vp the number of tenne of the tenth commandement which forbiddeth lust in generall and afterward the chiefe kind and partes thereof hath shee made two But the Hebrewes and ancient Doctors Greeke and Latine do not so who place that of Images for the second commaundement Some thinke saith Origen hom 8. vpon Exod that all this together meaning the first and second commandements is one commaundement which if it so should be taken there wold want of the number of ten commaundements and where then should be the tenth of the Decalog of ten commaundments but deuiding it as afore we haue distinguished the full number of the ten commaundements will appeare So that the first commaundements is Thou shallt haue no other Gods but me And the second Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. hitherto Origen Chrisostome hom 49. vpon Saint Math. Exposition 2. Athanasius in Synopsi Seripturarum Saint Ambrose vpon the sixt chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians and Saint Ierome vpon the same place all these Fathers place as we doe that against Images for the second commaundement And for the third Thou shalt not take the name of the lord c. For the 4. Remember thou keepe holy c. for the 5. Honor thy father and thy Mother c. and for the tenth that we shall not couet any thing of our neighbors c. Iesephus in his 3. book of Antiquites chap. 6. and Philo in his booke which he made of the tenne comandements deuide them in like manner with vs. If this be the true deuision of the Decalogue as it is and by the expresse word of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image as by the Hebrew Greeke and Latin Doctors we haue proued Hereupon it followeth that the Church of Rome is accursed of God because she hath dared to diminish and adde any thing to the most holy eternall and inuiolable lawe of God whereunto being perfect full and entire no man ought to adde or take away according to that which the same God saith Thou shalt adde nothing to the word which I commaund thee neyther shalt thou take ought therefro but keepe the commaundements of the Lord your god which I commaunde you Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. Prouerb 30. 6. If the Church of Rome heere in a thing so cleere so notable and of so great importance hath so apparantly and without shame dared to adde and diminish what will they not dare Let vs looke more neerely The belly say they hath no cares These things will not the Romists heare Images in the Popedome fill the bellies and the chests Great is the treasure that is giuen to Images Oyle waxe perfumes silke siluer gold cloth of gold and precious stones wherein Theeues and wicked women are most liberall The Pirestes and friers doe clothe and decke their Images with the giftes of strumpets wherein they transgresse the commaundement of God which commandeth that none shall bring the hier of an whore into the house of the Lord c. because God who is iust and pure abhorreth robbery and detesteth that which with sinne and filthinesse is euill gotten And the Glosse in Decret dist 90. Cap. Oblationis determineth that no gaine of a whore be offered in the Church And that the suprestitious vulgar sort may giue the more they make them beleeue
wit If the head of an horse be put to a humane body A distinction truly very rediculous Conclude we this matter with that which was ordeyned in the Councell of Eliberis in Spaine holden about the yeare of the Lord. 335. whose 36. Cannō was as Carranza noteth in his Summa Conciliariorum Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut odoratur in parietibus depingatur It pleaseth vs that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that be worshipped or adored which is painted on the walles Eliberis where was celebrated this ancient Councell was a Cittie neare vnto that place where is now Granada Eliberis was destroyed and of the ruines thereof was Granada builded or augmented And there is one gate in Granada euen to this day called the gate Deluira corrupting the worde in steed of Elibera The gate is so called because men goe that way to Elibera Had this Cannon made in our countrie of Spaine 1263. yeares past bene obserued in Spaine there had not bene such Idolatrie in Spaine as now there is Vp Lord regard thine owne honour Conuert or confound not being of thine elect all such as worship Pesel grauen or carued Images or Temuna picttures or patternes All that whatsoeuer we haue sayd against Images is meant of those that are made for religion seruice worship and to honour serue and adore them Such Images are forbidden by the law of God And so the Arte of caruing grauing painting and patterne making not done to this end is not forbidden but lawfull The superstition and Idolatrie taken away the Arte is good If there be any people or nation that haue and doe commit inward and outwarde Idolatrie it is the Popish Church For what else see we in their Temples houses streetes and crosse-streetes but Idolles and Images made and worshipped against the expresse commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image No nation hath bene so barbarous to thinke that which they outwardly beheld with their eyes to be God They supposed as before we haue said their Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus to be in Heauen whom they worshipped in the Images that did represent them Many of the Moores Turkes and Iewes would conuert vnto Christ were it not for the offence and scandall of Images in the Churches Therefore said Paulus Pricius a most learned Hebrew which became in a Christian Paue that it was very meet Images should be taken out of the Temple for they were the cause that many Iewes became not Christians The Popish Church doth not onely commit the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but farre exceed them also One Idolatrie it committeth which neuer Pagan nor Gentile euer committed It beleeueth the bread and wine in the Masse called a sacrifice celebrated by her Pope or a Priest made by the authoritie of the Pope to be no representation nor commemoration of the Lordes death but his very body and bloud the same Iesus Christ as bigge and great as he was vpon the crosse And so as very God doth worship it We will then in this first Treatise proue by the Lords assistance whose cause we now maintaine the Pope to be a false Priest and very Antichrist that such Idolatrie and other much more he hath inuented in the Church In the second Treatise we will also proue by the same assistance the Masse to be a false Sacrifice and great Idolatrie And because our chiefe purpose is not so much to beat downe falshood as to aduance the truth after we haue shewed the Pope to be a false Priest And the Masse a false Sacrifice we will shew also which is the argument of the Apostle in the Epistle written to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ to be the true and onely Priest and his most holy body and bloud which he offered vnto his father vpon the Crosse to be the true and only sacrifice where with the eternall father is well pleased and receiueth vs into his fauour and friendship iustifying vs by faith and giuing vs his holy spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba father and liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And so be glorified of him to reigne ' with him for euer Many will wonder that we with so great constancie or as they call it sawsinesse reiect condemne and abhore the Pope and his Masse And therefore doe slaunder and defame vs not among the common people onely but amongest the Nobles also and great Lordes Kinges and Monarches that we are fantasticke heady arrogant sedicious rebellious partiall and many other false reportes they raise against vs wherewith they fill and breake the eares of the ignorant and of all those that take pleasure to heare them To shew them then that it is no foolish opinion nor fantasie which doth lead vs neither any ambition vaine glory nor other passion that doth alter moue or transport our minds but a good zeale rather of the glory of God and feruent desire of the health of our owne soules A reason will we giue in this first Treatise vnto all that desire to heare vnderstand it of that which we beleeue hold concerning the Pope and his authoritie And chiefely if we be asked because as saith Saint Peter we ought to be ready with meekenesse and reuerence to make answere to euery one that demaundeth a reason of the hope which we hold The reason then which we giue for reiecting condemning and abhorring the Pope and flying from him as from the pestilence is his euill life and wicked doctrine Note also what the Doctors and ancient Councels the holy Scriptures in three wonderfull places chiefly for that purpose say concerning him In the second Treatise we will declare what wee thinke of the Masse and the holinesse thereof The Pope and Masse two pillers of the Popish church be very ancient For it is now a thousād yeares past since they first began to be buylded Their beginnings were very small but they dayly increased adorning and decking themselues vntill they attayned to the estate wherein we now see them For aswell the Pope as the Masse is holden and called God Without are they made very beautifull couered ouer with silke gold siluer cloth of gold rich stones but within is superstition hypocrisie and Idolatrie I haue often pondred with my selfe whether of these two pillers the Pope or the Masse were strongest and more esteemed The vertues excellencie holinesse and diuinitie which they say is in the Masse who can declare How profitable it is for al things liuing and not liuing quick dead By cōsideratiō hereof the Masse I supposed was chiefest and therefore ought to begin with it But the Pope vpon better aduisement mee seemed notwithstanding to be the chiefest piller The reasons mouing me so to beleeue are these that the cause in dignitie is before the effect the creator before the creature the maister before the seruant the Priest before the
the 2. to Timoth. cap. 4. 1. 2 which some what before his martyrdome he wrote the second time being prisoner in Rome and in the Epistle to Philemon verse 23. and 24. Also in the Epistle which he wrote to the Romanes he not once maketh mention of Saint Peter to whom no doubt he would haue sent salutations had hee bene in Rome and which is more Saint Peter being Bishop at Rome as they say 25. yeares Read the last chap. of this epistle and thou shalt see the catalogue which S. Paule maketh from the fift verse to the fifteenth he saith onely Salute such a one salute such a one c. without naming of Saint Peter Because he neither was Bishop of Rome nor yet was in Rome Also the Iewes which dwelled in Rome as reciteth S. Luke Act. 28. 21. 22. said to S. Paule when he came prisoner to Rome that they had not heard nor vnderstood any thing concerning him and prayed him to declare his opinion touching that sect which was gainsayd and euill spoken of in all places vnderstanding by this sect the Gospel which Saint Paule preached Who will beleeue that S. Peter which as they say was before come to Rome and a Minister of the Circumcision had not taught nor spoken ought vnto them of the Gospell These reasons taken out of holy Scripture are me seemeth as they be very sufficient to proue the common opinion holden of S. Peters being Bishop of Rome and that 25. yeares to be false Whereupon that of the Papists appeares plainely to be meere ignorance or which is worse extreame malice when they call the Pope Saint Peters successor Vicar of Iesus Christ as though hee were Saint Peter and therefore vniuersall Bishop Against the Primacie of the Pope we will speake in the end of this Treatise Seeing then Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome we place Linus for the first All the Bishops of Rome that were from Linus to Syluester who was in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great whom we will put in the first order were in generall trulie Bishops and holy men who with their good doctrine and holy life and conuersation wrought great fruit in the Church of God They were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citie built vpon a mountaine a candle light and set vpon a candlesticke These be the titles wherewith Christ adorneth his apostles and ministers Math. 5. These were the Angelles of God according to the saying of Malachie speaking of Leuie and consequently of the good Ministers The lawe of trueth saith he was in his mouth and no iniquitie was found in his lippes In peace and equitie he walked with me and turned away from iniquitie For the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hosts Many more titles are comprised in the holy scriptures wherewith the true ministers are adorned which I will passe ouer to auoide tediousnes In the ende these good bishops of Rome sealed the Gospell which they had preached with their bloud and so were Martyrs of Iesus Christ Men they were poore in spirit and simple of heart strangers to couetosnes and ambition they were true bishops for the space of almost three hundred yeares And so the Church of the Lord hauing such ministers was then happie and rich in the sight of God albeit in the eies of men contemptible miserable such as the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes from the 36. to the 38. verse describeth Others saith he haue benetryed by mocking and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment 37. Others were stoned others were hewen asunder Others were tempted others slayne with the sworde Others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented 38. whome the worlde was vnworthie of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaynes and dens and caues of the earth c. These Bishops caried on their heads not Miters but coifes not honor but dishonor not riches but pouerty following herein their Maister as Esaias the Prophet in his chapter 53. 3. doth liuelie describe him Despised and forsaken of men a man full of sorrowes hauing experience of infirmities and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not This was the outward apparance of the Primitiue Church and so hath it bene in our time sithens the reformation of the Church began these 70. or 80. yeers vnto this time how many haue bin burned drowned beheaded hāged banished shamefully disgraced and died of hunger Truly innumerable and that which is more admirable the more they burned and killed the more they increased and multiplied For the bloud of the Martyrs as saith Tertullian is the seed of the Gospell From the passion of the Lord vnto Saint Siluester which is the time of the first order were almost three hundred yeares wherein the Emperours of Rome became Lords of Spaine The Romanes in two hundred and so manie yeares that they conquered Spaine vntill the time of Augustus Caesar were neuer absolute Lords thereof Augustus was the first that vanquished the Montanists and Biscayes and made himselfe absolute Lord of all Spaine The Romists as those say they that haue held the command and staffe for many yeares to giue antiquitie and authoritie to their ceremonies and humane traditions haue falsly reported that manie of these good Bishops of Rome whom we place in the first order ordained them Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome say they ordained the confirmation of young children the Masse and holy garments wherewith the Priests are clothed They do not consider that he was a a man poore and for preaching of the Gospell banished into mines where he hewed Marble stones and tyed in the end to an anchor they cast him into the sea D. Illescas speaking of Pope Caius in his Pontificall historie saith He ordained that no laye man might bring a Clearke to iudgement That no pagan nor heretike might make accusation against a Christian c. How can this be true sith Caius liued and died in the time of the tenth persecution which as Illescas himselfe saith was of all the most cruell and lasted many yeares Let the Romists be ashamed and cease with lies to confirme their religion Now is it not the time that was wont to be when the blind led the blind c. So say they also that Euaristus Alexander and Sistus fifth sixth and seuenth Bishops of Rome made the popish decrees namely the ordering of the Clergie holy water and holy garmentes Telesphorus say they that was the eighth Bishop of Rome ordained three Masses to be sayd on the day of the Natituitie These good Bishops had other cares and embraced not such childish and superstitious toyes Saciety and idlenesse brought them forth O what euils haue riches wrought to the Church of God Wisely therfore said
Frederick the Emperour Detrahamus illis nocentes diuitias hoc enim facere opus est charitatis Let vs take away speaking of the Pope and clergie the riches which so much hurt them for this to do is a worke of charitie Here it is to be noted as reciteth Panuinus in his chronicle 30 Sismes to haue bin and that which happened in the yeere 252. betweene Cornelius and Nouatus is counted for the first and the same only hapned in the first order wherin were good all the Roman Bishops except Marcellinus who offred incense to Idols but touched by God he greatly repented so came into the Councell holden at Sessa in the kingdom of Naples where were present as saith D. Illescas three hundred Bishops and thirtie Presbiters or as saith Platina 180. Bishops and there asked he with teares God and them pardon of the most grieuous sin which he had coÌ„mitted FroÌ„ Sessa he went to Rome and there did chide Dioclesian for compelling him to sacrifice to Idolles wherefore Dioclesian commanded to kill him When Marcellinus was dead the seate was voide 7. yeeres and a halfe as saith Illescas and 25. daies or as saith Platina 25. daies The second order conteineth the bishops of Rome from Siluester 1. vnto Boniface the 3. These neither in life nor doctrin agreed by far with the bishops of the first order For persecution nowe ceassing they gaue themselues to idlenesse and pleasure and made Cannons and Decrees wherby they prepared the seate of great Antichrist Those of the second order were called for the space of 200. yeeres Archbishops It is to be vnderstood that from the yeere 320. vnto that of 520. afterwardes from the yere 520. vnto that of 605. they were called Patriarks S. Siluester was then the first Archbishop whome Marcus Iulius 1. and Liberius succeeded Liberius in the beginning of his Bishopdome thought well of the diuinitie of the sonne of God and for ought the Arian Emperour Constantius did would not be drawne to condemne Athanasius for which cause he was banished Rome Theodoretus lib. 2. ca. 16. of his historie reciteth the conference that passed between him and Constantins when he was banished wherein Liberius shewed himselfe verie constant Three yeeres saith Platina and others say lesse was Liberius banished The Romans at this time held a Councell wherein they chose for bishop Felix second This Felix as saith Platina was a very good man and so by his liking and consent of 48. bishops Vrsacius and Valens which held part with Constantius the Arrian Emperour were deposed These two went to Constantius and complained vpon Felix praying the Emperour to restore againe Liberius who wearied with the trouble of his banishment and nowe changed his opinion through ambition and the counsell of Fortunatus Bishop of Aquilea His banishment pardoned and Liberius restored to his Bishoprike in and by all things as saith Platina he agreed with the heretikes This restoring of Liberius and deposing of Felix caused great tumult in Rome so that the matter came to blowes and many Priestes and Ecclesiasticall men euen in the Churches were murthered This was the second Sisme In that which I haue said of Liberius and Felix I haue followwed Platina who vpon the life of Felix saith that faulting in nothing which became a true and good Christian he was caught with manie more good Christians and so by the aduersaries murthered Athanasius in an Epistle written to such as led a solitarie life saith plainly that Liberius after two yeares of his banishment passed being threatened wrth death changed his opinion and subscribed against Athanasius Ierome in his Chronicle saith that Liberius ouercome with disdaine of banishment subscribed to that wicked heresie Tome 1. Concil It is said that when Liberius was entered Rome he agreed with the heretike Constantius The same saith Damasus in his booke de Pontif. And Platina and Alonso venero in his Enchiridion of times and Iohn Stella and others Bale saith With ambition Gigas saith that Liberius moued with the martyrdome of Felix and fearing the like agreed with the Arrians approued their doctrine No mention is made of Liberius repentance therefore he is counted among the Arrian Popes Damasus his successour for this cause condemned Liberius al that he did But Gregorie 7. that abominable Pope as afterward in his life shall appeare canonized notwithstanding this Arrian Liberius and coÌ„manded saith Card. Benon his feast to be celebrated Panuinus the Popes great parasite in his chronicle of Bish cals him S. Liberius Behold if that which is said be true that many bee holden for Saintes whose soules are burning in hell Behold if the Pope may erre in â—aith To write the life of this Liberius hath cost me some trauell and diuersity of opinions the cause Some hold him for a Catholike others for an Arrian and both the one and the other say truth For in the beginning of his Bishopdome he was as we haue said a Catholike but after without repentance an obstinate Arrian Note we here what an euill beast is ambition He that standeth let him take heed lest he fall It sufficeth not to begin well but to end well is needfull He that continueth to the end saith the Lord shall be saued God giue vs grace to tame our ambition which we all haue need of For there is none which reputeth not himselfe for a demi-God and giue vs strength in afflictions which for his name we suffer Remember we Liberius But what speake I of Liberius Remember we Salomon that so well began but how proceeded he afterward The Lord gouerne vs vnto the end In the time of this Liberius and in the citie of Tagasta in Affrike was borne the great Doctor and light in the Church Saint Augustine and on the same day they say that Pelagius the heretike was borne in great Brittaine Oh the great mercie of God that prouided an Antidote against the poison of Pelagius Damasus a Portugall as we haue sayd condemned Liberius Damasus was verie deuout and ceremonious Panuinus in his Chronicle noteth that all the Bishops of Rome vntill Damasus were chosen and consecrated vpon one selfe same day But afterwards saith he this was not so obserued Vpon the day of Consecration now called coronation is a solemne triumph holden in Rome So much haue increased the riches power ambition and pride of those which call themselues the Fishers successours In this time flourished Saint Ierome and was a deare friend of Damasus as by their writings appeareth Betweene Damasus and Vrsinus was the third Sisme But in the 367. yeare Vrsinus renounced and was made Bishop of Naples Damasus died in the 384. yeare and Siricius succeeded him Siricius as saith Gracianus dist 82. was he that first forbad mariage to the Westerne priests which ordination many nations and chiefly our countrey of Spaine nothing esteemed Wherefore Hymerius then Bishop of Tarragona wrote to Siricius that the priestes
the soules in Purgatorie But who eateth and drinketh the same not the soules but the Preists and Friars their concubines and children A poore old woman watched early and late to spinne and ad farthing to farthing for a Masse to be said for the soule of her husband brother or son she forbare to eate and gaue it vnto knaues All these visions or apparitions they made by the Arte of the deuill Iudge Lord thine owne cause deliuer the poore people from the handes of these Inchaunters false prophets and deceiuers Open thine eies ô Spaine and see beleeue him that with great loue doth aduise thee Behold whether this that I say be true or no Iohn 20. of poyson as some say in the 1009. yeare died Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Castile Leons Sergius 4. a Roman by the accustomed waies in his time had the Bishopdome albeit Platina and Estella the Popes parasites affirme him to haue bene a holy man The Sun in his time was darkened the Moone in shew like bloud famin pestilence were in Italy the water of a certaine fountaine in Lorena was turned into bloud All these were prognostications most certain signs of Gods wrath for the idolatry which then reigned Sergius died in the 1012. yeare Benedict 7. or 8. son of Gregorie Bishop of Porta a lay man by the aid of his nephew Theophilact a great inchanter and disciple of Syluester 2. which learned his nigromancy in Seuill as in his life before we haue declared was made Pope This Theophilact proued very expert in his art so that sacrificing to the diuel in woods mouÌ„taines he caused by his sorcery saith Cardinal Benon that women enamored of him left their houses followed him such a one as he was he was afterwad Pope Whilest Henrie Banare the Emperour liued this Benedict was Pope quietly but the Emperour once dead the Cardinals dispoped him placed another in his room but afterward appeased with mony which Benedict gaue them they inthronized him againe cast out the Antipope This was the 19 Sisme Of this Benedict reporteth Pet. Damianus the same also reciteth Antoninus Frier Iohn de Pinedapar 3. lib. 19. cap. 17. ¶ 3. others that a horseman on a blackeâ—horse after his death appeared to a Bishop his verie friend The Bishop appalled with the vision demaunded saying What art not thou Pope Benedict that lately died I am the same that thou sayest sayd Benedict The Bishop demanded Father how doest thou Grieuously tormeÌ„ted answered the pope but I may well be holpen Go then tell my brother the now pope that he giue to the poore the treasure in such a place hidden Moreouer he appeared to the pope his brother saying I hope I shall be deliuered Oh wold God Odilus Cluniacensis wold pray for me See here how the diuel dalied with men to confirm their Masse purgatory Benedict in the 1024. yeare died and Fernando 1. reigned in Castile and Lyons Iohn 21. or 19. was pope by the same means that his brother was to wit by the means of Theophilact his nephue the great inchanter This Iohn being a lay man without any orders receiued was made pope In the 1032. yeare he died And Don Fernando 1. in Castile and Lyons reigned Theophilact the great inchanter of whoÌ„ we haue made mention after the death of his two vncles Benedict 8. Iohn 21. by his wicked arts was made Pope called himselfe Benedict 9. or 8. The Cardinals Laurentius Ioh. Gracianus his disciples and great nigromancers he made great account So skilful wer they in Nigromancie that they knew what passed in the East West North South Many thought theÌ„selues happy to be their disciples Out of this cursed schoole issued that cursed Hildebrand who being Pope called himselfe Gregory 7. and as saith Cardinal Benon wrought so great mischief This Benedict 9. fearing Henry the Emperor for 1500. â— sold his Popedome to l. Gracian his companion who called himself Gregory 6. For this sale saith Platina was Benedict of all accused by diuine iudgement coÌ„demned And why was he not so for his fornications adulteries idolatries nigromancies inchantmeÌ„ts exorcismes inuocations of diuels other abominations Thus was his end he was straÌ„gled by a diuel Histories report namely Martiniana Iohn de Col. S. Anthonin Ioh. de Pineda others that this Theophilact or Benedict appeared after his death to a certain Hermit in a very fearful figure for in his body was he like a beare his taile head like an asse being demanded of the Hermit how he became so fearful he answered say they because in my popedoÌ„ I liued without law without God for defiling the RomaÌ„ seat with al kind of filthinesse The name of Cardinal in his time very highly climbed In the 1034. or after others 1032. died Benedict 9. of whom note more vpon Syluester 3. Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Spaine After that Benedict 9. had sold his Popedome Syluester 3. by bribes was made Pope albeit others labored for Iohannes Gracianus vnto whoÌ„ for mony Benedict had renounced the Popedome in the end was Syluester Pope albeit no more but 49. dayes For to such a state saith Platina the Bishopdome then came that who so could do most with money and ambition I say not with holinesse of life and doctrine the good being suppressed and cast aside he only obtained the Popedome Would God such customs were not in our time vsed But this is nothing worse things then those shal we see if God put not to his hand Hitherto Platina Otho Frinsingensis Godfridus Viterbiensis and other Anthours report three Popes to haue bene in the time of Benedict 9. and all of them in Rome Benedict 9. Syluester 3. Gregorie 6. Benedict held his seat in the Pallace of Lateran the other held his in S. Peters and the third held his in S. Maries the great Henry the Emperour hearing of these seditions came to Rome and held a Councell wherein the said three Popes were condemned and a fourth chosen whom they called Clement the second These three great villaines did not the Emperour punish as he ought but only as saith Bennon chased Theophilact from Rome cast Gregorie into prison whom iointly with Hildebrand he banished into Germanie and caused Syluester to returne to his Bishopricke of Sabina Note that this Bendict 9. was three times Pope the first he cast out Syluester and was depriued the second Clement 2. being dead and was depriued the third after the death of Damasus the second he was Pope by times as writeth Platina the space often years foure moneths and nine dayes The like happened to Sergius 3. who in the yeare 897. was three times Pope In the 1045. yeare was Syluester depriued and Don Fernando 1. reigned in Spaine In the
attend him so came he to Brixia where he abode The Gemane Princes hearing of the Emperours arriuall came to kisse his hands and giue him the welcome-home The Emperour rewarded the Souldans people that had attended on him and sent them backe to their Lord againe This done the Emperour held a Diet in Norinberge where he recouÌ„ted that which had hapned the great treason of the Pope read the letter sent by the Pope to the Souldan which seene the Princes promised their aid both for performance of his promise to the Souldan and also for the chastising of Pope Alexander A great campe he leuied without any let passed through Italy and went towards Rome The Emperour sent Ambassadors to Rome by whom he required without mentioning the receiued villanies and iniuries by Pope Alexander that the cause of the Popes might be heard examined that he which had most right might be Pope and so the Sisme cease Alexander seeing his part vnfurnished fled by night to Gaeta and from thence to Beneuente and there attiring himself in the habite of his Cooke in the 17. yeere of his Bishodome came to Venice where he was made Gardiner of a Monasterie from whence by commandement of Sebastian Duke of Venice with great pome he was taken and very pontifically carried to the Church of Saint Marke This historie is cited by Nauclerus Barnus Funcius and others The Emperour hearing that the Pope was in Venice requested the Venetians to deliuer so pernicious a man his enemie vnto him which denied by the Venetians the Emperor with an Armie sent Otho his sonne commanded him not to fight before his comming The young Prince desirous of fame sought with the Venetians against the commandement of his father of whom he was vanquished and carried prisoner to Venice This was a notable victorie for the Generall of the Venetians called Ciano brought but thirie Gallies and Otho 75. I will here recite that which Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 25. cap. 7. ¶ 3. saith Glorious Ciano entered into Venice c. and somewhat lower The Pope gaue him the glorie of the victorie a little gold ring he also deliuered him saying he gaue him that in token he graunted him the segniorie of the sea which he had gotten and would he should cast it into the sea to bind the sea thenceforth as his wife to be alwayes kept vnder the Venetian Empire And that all the after Dukes should vpon some speciall day celebrate this ceremony euerie yeare And somewhat after the ceremony passed was vpon the day of the Ascension and the Pope granted in that Church vpon such day full remission c. for euer Thus farre Pineda Alexander growne proud with this victorie would not make peace with Fredericke vntill he himselfe should come to Venice at such day as the Pope would appoint The father for the loue he bare to his sonne did all whatsoeuer he was commanded He came to Saint Markes where the Pope before all the people commanded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe and craue mercie which the Emperour there did Then trode the Pope with his feete vpon the necke of the Emperour who was prostrate on the ground and with his mouth that spake blasphemies said It is written Thou shalt go vpon the Aspe and Basiliske and vpon the Lyon and Dragon shalt thou treade The Emperour herewith ashamed made answere Not to thee but to Peter Whereat the Pope stamping vpon the necke of the Emperour said Both to me and to Peter Then was the Emperour silent and so the Pope absolued him of his excommunication Another such like thing as this to the Emperor Henry of whoÌ„ we haue spoken in the life of Gregory 7. hapned The conditions of peace were That the Emperor shold hold Alexander for rightfull Pope restore all whatsoeuer that during the war he had taken The peace thus made the Emperor with his sonne departed Robert Montensis in his historie reporteth that Lewis king of France and Henry king of England going on foot and holding the bridle of the horse whereupon this Alexander rode the one with the right-hand and the other with the left with great pompe they led him through the citie of Boyanci which is vpon the riuer Luera In the time of this Alexander God to reproue the pride and tyranny of the Bishop raised vp the Waldenses or as other call them the poore of Lyons in the yeare of the Lord 1181. in which yeare this beast died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Lucius 3. who purposed to abolish the name of Consuls in Rome by the commoÌ„ consent of the Cardinals was chosen For which the Romans much offended expelled him from Rome disgraced with diuers kinds of reproches those of his part and some of them also they killed In the 1185. yeare he died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Vrban 3. whom for his troublesomenesse they called Turbano as saith Albertus Crantzio in the 6. booke and 52. chap. of his Saxon historie determined to excommunicate the Emperour because he was a let vnto him and wold not permit him to do what he listed but he did it not because in the 1187. yere he died before he would Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile and at this time the Moores tooke Ierusalem Gregorie 8. before he was two moneths Pope died When Clement 3. was Pope he incited the Christian Princes as had done his predecessours to warre beyond the seas which did the Popes not so much for the increase of Christendom as for their own peculiar intents commodities as vpon Alexander 3. we haue already declared because the Princes being so farre remote and intangled with warres against the Infidels the Popes might do and did whatsoeuer they listed The Danes this Pope excommunicated because they would their Priestes should be married and not concubine keepers In this 1191. yeare he died Don Alonso the eight then reigned in Castile The next day after Celestine 3. was made Pope He crowned Henrie 6. and much repining that Tancred the bastard son of Roger whom the Sicilians had chosen for king William their king being dead without heire should be the king of Sicilia The Pope married the Emperour with Constantia the daughter of Râ—gero taking her out of the Monasterie of Panormo where she was a Nunne vpon this condition that expelling Tancred who then possessed it He should demaund for dower the kingdome of both Sicils and for being king of Sicilia should pay his fealty to the Pope which was the cause of much bloudshed When this Emperour Henry was dead great sisme arose in the Empire such and so great was the discord that hardly one parish agreed with another By these coÌ„tentions amoÌ„g the priests the Pope greatly enriched himselfe because in Rome they were to be ended as noteth Conrado Lichtenao Abbot of Vespurg whose words for that
to be murdered For Conradino the sonne and heire of Conrade king of Sicilia sought to defend his right but Charles ouercame and tooke him prisoner together with Fredericke Duke of Austria neere vnto Naples and by the counsell of the pope did behead them For Charles wrote to the Pope what he should doe with Conradino his prisoner The Pope answered The life of Charles the death of Conradino c. After him Adrian 5. against this Charles demanded aide of Rodolph the Emperour The kingdome of Naples by meanes of this cursed Pope came to the French and the Dukedome of Sueuia tooke end In the 1270. yeere this butcher died The seat of Sathan was long time to wit two yeeres and nine moneths and two dayes voide And Don Alonso 10. then reigned in Castile Clement the fourth being dead the Cardinals which were 17. number to chuse a new pope assembled together Amongst whom so great discord arose that in almost three yeeres space they could not agree for euery of them pretended to be pope Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicill hearing of this great discord came to Viterbo where the Cardinals were and prayed them to dispatch and chuse a chiefe bishop but so great was the ambition of the Cardinals that all this trauell and sute of the two kings were to no purpose so they returned without any thing done When they were in the election inuocating the holy spirit bishop Iohn Cardinall Portuensis seeing the great forwardnesse of the Cardinals said vnto them My Lords let vs vncouer this chamber for the holy spirit through so great roofes cannot enter vnto vs. When the same Cardinall vnderstood that Gregory was Pope he cōpiled these two verses Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum To wit an Archdeacon attained to the Popedom whom the discord of brothers made father of fathers All this reporteth Panuinus an Augustin Frier Behold here what the Romists thēselues report of the elections of their Popes behold here Ambition the holy spirit which in their election gouerneth Gregory 10. thus elected in the yere 1273. at Lyons in France did celebrate a Councell where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who approued the doctrin of the Romaine church his predecessors hauing 12 times done the like as many times more reuoked the same was present In this councell it was ordeined that the Pope being dead the Cardinals shold shut thēselues in the Conclaue And that moreouer which Panuinus in the note vpon Platina vpon the life of this Gregory 10. saith He renued a fresh the warre of the holy land And in 5 yeres that he poped neuer saw Rome In the 1276. yere he died and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Innocent 5. a Burgonion was the first begging friar that was made pope for which cause he much fauored his dominicks And hauing poped 6. moneths 2. daies the same yere with his predecessor he died Adriā 5. a Genoway was the nephew or as is thought the son of Innocēt 4. whē he was Pope he went frō Rome to Viterbo frō whence he wrote to Rodulph the Emperour to aide him against Charles king of Sicilia which Charles had the former popes against all right made king of Sicil as in the life of Clement 4. we haue noted but the Emperor occupied in the wars of Bohemia could not succor him He poped but one moneth 7 daies then died Iohn 22. or 21 or 20 before he was pope called in latin Petrus Hispanus was born at Lisbon by professiō a Phisition Albeit this mā was holden for very learned yet was he very vnskilfull to gouerne And as saith Platina wrought more domage thē profit to the popedom Many things he did which shew his folly lightnes One good property he had that whē he saw a yong man inclined to study with benefits money he would aide him This mā foolish as he was promised by the stars long life to himselfe so would tell it to all men But it farre otherwise happened to him for a certaine chamber which Valerius calleth a sporting chamber Estella calleth it a precious bed chamber which he had builded for his pleasure in the pallace of Viterbo at the end of 4. dayes fell suddenly to the ground the Pope was found betweene the timber the stones who hauing poped 8. moneths and 8. daies at 7. dayes end in the 1277. yere died Six moneths after the death of his predecessor was Nicholas 3. chosen for the Cardinals could not agree at the end of which time Charles king of Sicilia ruling as a Senator in the Conclaue Nicholas 3. was chosen who after he was pope began thē to persecute Charles he tooke frō him the vicaredge of Hetruria he tooke frō him also the power of Senator giuē him by Clement 4. he forbad that no king or prince thenceforth should dare to demand or administer that office tooke it to himselfe But Martin the 4. his successor did restore it vnto him For so agree the Popes that that which one doeth another vndoeth This Nicholas with great wars vexed Italy And the better to effect his purposes he perswaded Don Pedro king of Arragon to demand the kingdom of Sicilia seeing it was his in the right of his wife Constance This counsell much pleased Don Pedro which was afterwards the cause of much bloodshed In the yere 1381. died Nic. Martin 4. a Frenchman Panninus cals him 2. with great humanity receiued Charles king of Sicilia and restored him to the dignity of Senator that moreouer which his predecessor had taken frō him He excōmunicated Don Pedro king of Arragon who leuied a great armie to inuade Charles in Sicilia gaue his kingdome for a prey to the first that could take it absolued all his vassals from their oth to him made as their king c. yet Don Pedro of al this made no reckoning but passed into Italy aided by Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople wan Sicilia The Sicilians for their pride luxuritie bare great hatred to the French so that they conspired against Charles his frenchmen toulling the bels they issued out killed all nor sex nor age regarded yong old men and women albeit great with child they destroyed These be the Euensongs which the Sicilians call so famous After this Charles with his armie comming to Naples was vanquished taken as saith Platina sent into Arragon This Pope Martin tooke the concubine of his predecessor Nicholas 3. when Martin had 4. yeares and one moneth poped in the 1285. yeare he died of whom saith Platina that after his death he wrought great miracles Don Alonso 10. then raigned in Castile Honorius the fourth following the steps of his predecessor Martin 4. confirmed the excommunication and interdiction against Don Pedro which held
French English and Flemish In this booke it is liuely depainted and with many notable exampeles confirmed This is to be noted that how many soeuer entred into the Inquisition for what cause soeuer all came out with confusion and losse of goods and many of their liues and none at all instructed Such is the intreatie wherewith the Fathers of the faith doth intreat them They haue not leysure to teach them but to robbe and kill them Would God that according to the lawdable custome of Spaine in other Audienecs Iudges of residence should be sent men learned and voyd of passion which might examine the Inquisitors and those that be and haue bene prisoners in the Inquisition O what would then bee discouered Aragon as it were by force receiued afterwardes the Inquisition and so they killed the first Inquisitors In the 1546. yeare Don Pedro of Toledo attempted to place it in Naples but could neuer effect it as Doctor Illescas vppon Paul 3. reporteth For the Neapolitanes did vehemently withstand it Thinges standing in these termes Pope Paule before certified of what passed in Naples dispatched forth a writ apostolique whereby he declared that the knowledge of causes touching the offence of heresie apperteyned to the ecclesiasticall Court and Iurisdiction apostolique commaunding the viceroy and all whomsoeuer secular Iudges to surcease in them and not entermedle to proceede against any heresie by way of Inquisition nor any other manner reseruing to himselfe the determination of such causes as of a thinge concerning the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction Thus farre Doctour Illescas Some yeares after one Sayavedra Cordoves perswaded the king of Portugale that he was sent a Nuncio from Paul 3. vnto him And so in the 1545. yeare thus brought in the Inquisition into Portugale There went out of Portugale 30000. Iewes Time brought it to light that the Pope had not sent him and so was he condemned to the gallies Another pleasant conceate haue I heard of this Nuncio an excellent writer he was and well knewe to counterfeite what handsoeuer This Nuncio remayning in the gallies came a poore woman to beseech the Generall of the gallies to ayde her with some almes for the mariage of her poore daughter The General made answere that very willingly would he helpe her but present want of money was the cause he could not The poore woman with this answere departed weeping of whom when the Nuncio saw her weepe hee demaunded the cause of her weeping She told him that which she had passed with the Generall Then did he comfort her saying that he would effect what she desired And taking inke and paper he wrote these words Steward vpon sight of these presents giue so many thousand marmades the number I remember not to her that shall giue you this scedule which scedule the Nuncio subcribed as if the Generall himselfe had done it The poore woman departed with her scedule to the Stewarde The steward answered that he wondered his Lord would in such a time send that scedule But sith such was his pleasure he would giue her that which he commaunded him to giue her and so gaue it indeede When the day came that the Generall tooke account of the steward the steward presented the said scedule vnto him which he read againe and said to the steward True it is that such a poore woman came to me to aske an almes but I answered her that I could not helpe her for the present And beholding the subscription said this is my hand but I wrote it not Wherefore he made inquirie in the gally who had written it and it was proued to be the Nuncio For which cause the generall would haue caused his hand to be cut off but at request of many his hand cutting was spared and he put to the oares For by reason of his wealth he rowed not-before D. Illescas in the life of Clement 6. saith that he saw him in the gally rowing One of the chiefe causes of the low countries reuolt wherein so many thousands of Spaniards and other nations haue died and so many millions of crownes haue bene wasted y aun el rabo como dizen estápor desollar yet the taile as the say is to be fleyed for to begin anew is each day needfull was that the Duke d' Oliua sought to bring in the inqusition You see here the profit which the Inquisition hath brought to Spain This saie I not as though I would that there were neither king nor ruler but that each one might doe and beleeue what he listed Good lawes be necessarie in euery cōmon wealth for this cause committed God the sword to the Magistrate for the chastisement of the wicked and praise of the good as saith the Apostle Saint Peter Let them then that doe euill be punished but not tyrannically All lawes permit the delinquent to know who is his aduersarie and the witnesses that depose and who they be that he may except against them if they be infamous or his enemies c. In this Inquisitorie Audience the Lo. Treasurer who it may be neuer knewe nor saw the delinquent is made partie the witnesses howe infamous what villaines soeuer or great enemies they be are neuer named and so cannot be excepted against The which is contrary to all diuine and humane Iustice If the witnesses haue witnessed against one three or foure things the Inquisitors doe charge him as though the witnesses had spoken of ten or twelue things much more horrible then the witnesses haue deposed And so maie the Inquisitors doe what they list knowing that there is no residēt Iudge which is to take account of that they haue done Against this tyrannie doe we speake Maie it please the diuine Maiestie which hath geuen to the king the sword authoritie and commaund ouer all whatsoeuer that liue in his kingdomes be they secular as they terme them or ecclesiasticall to put into the kinges heart willingnes to be informed of the wronges and grieuances which the Inquisition doth and to geue as is his dutie remedie for the same which one day I hope the Lord will performe reuenge the blood of the iust which the Inquisition vniustly hath spilled The blood of the Iust is as the blood of Abell crying for vengeance How long say the dead for the word of God c. Lord holy and true wilt thou not iudge auenge our blood c. The brotherhood hath done and doth great good to Spaine for it clenseth the waies and wast places of the eues and robbers and so men may walke and sit safely vnder their figge trees and at the foote of their vine A common prouerbe it is that in Spaine are three holy sisters the holy Inquisition the holy Crosse and the holy brotherhood frō the one which is the Inpuisitiō they pray God to deliuer them from the other will they keepe themselues The tyrrany of the Inquisition in this saying is noted God of his great loue
ordinariely see in such like places c. And vppon the life of Benedict the eight saith the same Illescas That it should not be amisse for the prelates to commaund that none remayne by night in such like hermitages for many wicked thinges which are there committed should be excused c. This Iulius with his hoste vpon a time issuing out of Rome hurled the keyes of Saint Peter into the riuer Tyber saying Sith the keyes of Peter are now of no force et the sword of Paule preuayle and so drewe he the sword out of the scaberd For like a good captaine he carried the sword at his side Vppon this so notable a deede many Poetts made verses of which I will recite fower that declare the Historie Inde manustrictum vagina diripit ensem Exclamansque truci talia voce refert Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendet ab hoste Quando quidem clauis nil iuuat ista Petri. From scaberd then his naked sword he drew Exclaming with cruell voyce he said This sword of Paul shall make our foes to rew Sith Peters keyes nought serue vs for our ayd What religion had this Pope that so shamelesly mocked with Saint Peter and Saint Paule When hee was made Pope he promised that with an othe that within 2 yeares he would hold a Councell Of this oath maketh mention Friar Bartholmew Carrança speaking of the Lateran Councell that in the time of this Iulius was holden But when the 2 yeares yeares yeares more passed and no hope of a Councell was seene the Pope being far of from any such matter for that the Councels are too bitter purges for the Popes as before in the CouÌ„cels of Pisa Constance and Basile we haue seene 9 Cardinals whereof Barnardino Carauaiall a Spaniard was one together with the procurators of Maximilian the Emperour and of Lewes 12 king of France assembled at Millan and nominated Pisa for the Councel to be holden which should begin the first day of September in the 1511 yeare The causes that moued them so to doe were that the Pope had broken the othe which hee had made sith so many yeares passed yet made he no showe of a CouÌ„cel therfore to accuse the Pope of enormious offences had they called a Councell Their purpose was to depriue him of his Popedome where vnto he had aspired through ambition and bribes But Iulius vnderstanding hereof commaunded vnder a greiuous paine that no person of what condition or estate soeuer should goe to Pisa and that nothing of that should be obeyed which those of Pisa decreed ordeyned and nominated Rome for the celebration of a Councell the yeare following which was to begin the 9. of Aprill 1512. At this time liued in Padua Philipus Decius an excellent lawer who by writing defended against the Pope the cause of these Cardinals When the king of France perceiued that the Pope had ioyned with the Venecians to make war with him he called a Councell at Tours and there propounded these 5 questions whether it were lawfull for the Pope to moue warres and that causelesse against any Prince whether such a Prince defending his countrie might set vppon him that had inuaded him and depart from his obedience It was answered that it is not lawfull for the Pope to moue warres c. and that it is lawfull for such a Prince in defence of himselfe to doe that a foresaid and that for the kingdome of France the law pragmaticall ought to be obserued That no account was to bee made of the Popes censures and excommunications if then hee should passe them The King receiuing this answere sent it to the Pope praying him eyther to be content with a peace or else to call a generall Councell purposely to examine and determine this busines but the Pope admitted neither the one nor the other This wretched Iulius as some authors report was reputed for a great Sodomite Queen Anne of France say they sent 2 youthes to Cardinal Robertus Nanetensis to be instructed whom the Pope abused the like report another author maketh of an Almaine youth great Lord with whom he committed the like wickednesse These be things which neither honest pen ought to write nor chast eares to heare yet is it needfull to discouer the shames of the Roman Courte that Spaine thereby be no longer deceiued And for this pardon mee good Christian reader Albeit that such a one was Iulius yet wanted he not those that did extoll him for very Godly wise prudent and a man of Counsell Woe vnto you that call euill good and good euill When Iulius had Poped 10. yeares in the 1513. yeare he dyed In whose time died also Dona Isabella Queene and in her place Dona Iane her daughter which married with Don Phillip of Austra sonne of Maximilian the Emperor reigned And so the low countries were ioyned with Spaine Leo 10. a Florentine was of his owne nature quiet and gentle but leauing himselfe to be ruled by vnquiet and cruell men he suffered many Insolencies to be commited Much giuen he was to Idlenes pleasure taking and carnall delights many bastards he had whom he greatly enriched making them Dukes and mightie Lords and marrying them with great Ladies At the age of 13 yeares was this Leo made Cardinal what age was this to be a pillar of the Church At this CoronatioÌ„ were made most great feasts which should be long to recount Aboue 100000 duckets they affirme were cast among the people as saith D. Illescas vpon the life of Leo c. Leo 10. at one time created 13 Cardinals among whoÌ„ he would make Raphaell Vrbinas a most excelleÌ„t painter that this way he might recoÌ„peÌ„ce the great sum of money which he owed him for his picturs See here wherfore the hats doe serue yet is this to be passed ouer for they are wontedly giueÌ„ for other abhominatioÌ„s Liberal he was in granting of IndulgeÌ„ces much more in taking money for them to enrich his children In the 1515. yeare Leo graunted a Iubile to Fraâ—ucis king of France which Iubile passed also into many other prouinces The comissares Echacueruos deceiuers did preach that whosoeuer would giue the summe of money which was taxed should draw one what soule he would out of Purgatorie They said that God according to the promise made to S. Peter whatsoeuer thou looseston earth shal be loosed in heauen would doe all whatsoeuer they would But not a farthing said they must be wanting of that which was taxed They pardoned those that tooke this Iubile for thinges done and to bee done which gayne as they said displeased many Godly and learned and so they began to debate the question of the authoritie and power of the Pope Which question was the ruine of the Popedome Martin Luther among others opposed himselfe to these Insolent Pardons and preached against them in Almaigne as saith Bartholomew Carança a
and lyars will the Lord abhorre Returne we now to Paul the third who approued sanctified aduaunced and extolled such monsters in nature Paule 3. hauing Poped 15 yeares in the 1549. yeare dyed In whose time Don Charles the Emperour raigned in Spaine Iulius 3. an Aretinian after great discord had among the Cardinals was chosen who for that by the ancient custome he might giue his hat where his listed gaue it to a youth called Innocent whom he had fauoured being Legate in Bologna so made him Cardinall and receiued him to his ancient office This pleased not the Cardinals And albeit one of them spake freely vnto the Pope saying what saw your holinesse in this young man for which he ought to be placed in so great dignitie The Pope answered what saw yee in me that ye elected me chiefe Bishop So that seeing it is the play of fortune which aduaunceth whom she pleaseth as your aduaunced me without desert of mine we aduaunce this young man and make him Cardinall and so he was This Innocent the Romans called Ganimedes and the Pope they called Iupiter The Fable of Iupiter and his Ganimedes is filthy and therefore will I passe it ouer When the same Iulius was merry he said of his Innocent that he was very laâ—ciuious c. O what a vicar of Iesus Christ ô what a holy father D. Illescas albeit the Popes parasite vttereth these wodes Iulius 3. gaue his hat with the tittle of Cardinall de monte to a youngling of 15 or 16 yeares whom he held with him and mostâ— strangely affected him He shortly made him rich Caesar holpe him with sufficient pensions and all this to gaine the fauour of the chiefe Bishop that the Councell should eftsoones returne and be holden in Trent hitherto Illescas vpon the life of Iulius 3. Iulius was a great blasphemer very filthie in his wordes and much more filthie in his deedes the same blasphemyes he vsed that the desperate souldiers and horsekeepers are accustomed to vse which for that it is so much against the maiestie of that good God that with so great patience suffereth the blasphemy of him who boasteth to be his vicar calleth himself most holy father A sathanicall father I call him I omit to write them Swines flesh peacoks he greatly loued which flesh is euill for the gout therefore his Phisitions forbad them to be set on the table but notwithstanding he would haue them And when vpon a time they failed to set them on the table the Pope missing them demaunded where the porke was become And when the steward answered that the Phisitions had commanded not to set it on the table he cursed with his cursed mouth dispiting God with the same words which ruffians villaines in Italie blaspheme saying that they should bring him the porke Another time as he was eating they brought vnto him a peacocke which was vntouched and the Pope commanded they should reserue it for supper And when he saw not at supper that cold peacoke albeit he had hot peacokes he was terribly enraged blasphemed as he was wont A certaine Cardinal which supped then with him said Let not your Holinesse be so angry for a thing of so small importance whom Iulius answered If God would be so angry for an apple that he cast our first pareÌ„ts out of Paridice why shall it not be lawful for me that am his vicar to be angry for a peacocke seeing a peacocke is a thing of greater importance then an apple If this be not to profane the scripture what shal be So wicked was Iohn of the house of Florence Archbishop of Beneuent Deane of the Chamber Apostolike and this Iulius his Nuncio in Venice that he compiled a booke in prayse of the wicked sinne which booke was printed at Venice in the house of Troyano Nauo Behold if the abhominations of the Ammorits be come to the height Awake Lord remember and iudge thine owne cause behold for thy Churches sake that swine doe destroy her Qual Abad Aizen tal Monazillo such Abbot say they such nouice An abhominable Sodomite was Pope Iulius an abhominable Sodomite was his Nuncie which sat to Iudge the cause of Christians Open thine eyes O Spaine Vpon the money made by Iulius he put this circumscription Gens quae non seruierit tibi peribit The people that will not serue thee shall perish Wherein Iulius 3. appeareth to be another Nabuchadnezzer K. of Babilon of whom these words are spoken Ier. 27. 8. In the 1555. yeare he died In whose time the Emperour Don Charles reigned in Spaine Marcellus 2. a Tuscan changed not his name who being meanely learned in humanitie was made maister of Grammer and afterwards Paul 3. made him tutor of Alexander his grandchild whom he had made Cardinall being a youth of 12 yeares old What a pillar of the Church was this Thus by little and little came Marcellus to be Cardinal afterwards to be Pope He was one of the three Legats whom Paul 3. sent to the CouÌ„cell of Trent This man as he whom the Pope most trusted the Pope commaunded that nothing in the Councell shoud be suffered to be spoken which might any way preiudice the Maiestie of the seat Appostolique that all those which any such thing attempted should be expulsed the Councell and when Iacobus Nachiantes Bishop of Clodia Fossa said that he could not approue the decree which said That traditions ought to be receiued and kept with the same Godly affection and reuerence as the Gospell which was written This Marcellus was the cause that the said Bishop was expulsed the Councell and when Gulihelmus venetus a Dominican Friar said in the CouÌ„cel that the Councel of Constance was aboue the Pope This Marcellus sent for him and most sharply reproued him and when the Friar answered that experience shewed the Councell to haue bene aboue the Pope sith it desposed him Marcellus answered it is not so For that the Pope willingly depriued himselfe said moreouer that this he could proue by a bul of lead and so commanded him to depart the Councell Petrus Paulus vergerius Bishop of lustinople was at this time come to the Councell some held this man suspected in doctrin For that he had bene often the Popes Legate in Almaine The other two Cardinals Legats of the Pope Poole monte the Cardinall of Trent himselfe and Pachecus would haue permitted the fore named Vergerius to haue entred the couÌ„cel this lest in should be said the Councell was not free if they chased away Vergerius a man well knowne in Germany But Marcellus the Popes third Legate neuer stayed vntill hee saw him forth of the Councell Many Bishopes hearing that the purpose was to expulse Vergerius The Councell agreed to write to the Pope that in no wise he should suffer such a thing to be done because many would say the Councell was not free
of the Lord 1557. another memorable thing hapned also in the same citie of Seuill And this it was that one called Iulian Hernandez whom the French by reason of his small stature called Iulian le petit with the great desire and zeale that he had to doe some seruice to God and his countrie drewe out of Geneua two great drifattes full of Spanish bookes of those which before we haue said Doctour Iohn Peres to haue printed in Geneua Which bookes and moreouer all those that taught true Doctrine and Godlinesse had the Inquisitors forbidden because the ignorance and darkenes of Antichrist loueth not the wisedome and brightnesse of the Gospell of Christ for feare that their workes should be conuinced and reproued Iulian by Gods great miracle carried all these bookes and put and dispersed them in Seuill Yet so secretly could he not doe it but by meanes of a fearefull man an hypocrite which sould himselfe for a brother and was in deede a Iudas it came in the end to the Inquisitors eares and so they tooke Iulian and many others more So great was the takeing that they filled the prisons and some particular houses also There was eight hundred then taken for the Religion in Seuill a thing which astonished the Inquisitors themselues Among these prisoners and them also which were afterwardes taken were found many men excellent in life and doctrine As were Doctor Constantine maister White the licenciate Iohn Gonâ—ales the licenciate Christopher de Losada PhisitioÌ„ minister of the priuate Church in Seuil Christopher de Arellano Friar of S. Isidor a most learned man euen by report of the Inquisitors themselues maister Ieronimo Caro a Friar dominik Olmedo a man learned the beneficed çafra There were also people both men women rich of qualitie among whom was that truely illustrious in pietie and goodnes Don Iohn Ponce de Lyons brother to the Countie of Baylen and eldest sonne of the Duke of Arcos and Lady Iane wife of the Lord de la Higura to whom newly deliuered of childe the Inquisitors gaue the torment called del Borro in the Castle of Triana and such was the torment that thereof she dyed For the cordes pearced the very bones and marrow pipes of the armes of the muscles and of the legges And so tormented they caried her to her prison as dead casting out of her mouth bloud in great aboundance by reason that her intralles were broken in her bodie Eight dayes after this cruel torment without company or any assistance saue onely a young maide which a few dayes before was likewise tormented in the end she died Oh Inquisitors more cruell then wilde beastes how long shall the Lord suffer your tyrannies and cruelties O yee Spaniardes that so much loue your wiues and so zealously keepe them how long will ye suffer that these cursed Elders of Susanna should see your wiues and daughters in their smocks yea in a manner naked taking pleasure to behold them and after giuing them torments hauing sometimes formerly made loue vnto them ô that all that were knowne which in the Inquisition passeth A certaine Inquisitor there was which in merriment and iest said of his companion that he contented not himselfe to beate a cutle but also to eate it This said hee because the Inquisitor had whipped a faire young maid that was taken for a Iewe theÌ„ lay with her burned her afterwards By this subtillty may the rest be vnderstood which the Lords Inquisitors vse with the women which they hold prisoners Of this great number of prisoners where many burned by tweÌ„ties or fewe lesse it chaunced that they burned them The rest were vnhappily handled The house of Isabella de Vaena where the faithfull assembled to heare Gods word was plucked downe and sowne with salt that it should neuer be built againe and fot a perpetuall memorie that the faithfull Christians whom they called Lutheran heretiques there assembled In the middest thereof they placed a marble pillar The Licenciat Losada minister of Gods word was burned many deceassed were vntombed and burned namely Doctour Vargas and Doctour yeares was this Egidius in the Inquisition prisoner part of them in the castle of Triana and the rest in other places where they shut him vp D. Constantine who by infirmitie and ill intreatie was not long before dead in the castle of Triana and so knewe by such as were present at his death and ayded him in his sicknes was also vntombed which notwithstanding the sonnes of falshood bruted it abroad that Constantine murdred himselfe This so great a lie they inuented that the vulgar sort which neither know nor beleeue but that onely which the Inquisitors command them to know and beleeue should abhorre the religion and the preachers thereof sith being desperate like Iudas they killed themselues This D. Constantine was one of the most learned and eloquent men that of long time our country of Spaine yeelded confessor preacher he was to Don Charles the Emperor K. of Spaine thereby might if he had would haue attained to great dignities but as one that nought esteemed the vaine honors of this world he dispised them al and returned to Seuill where of the Inquisition he was taken therin died and by the same was afterwards burned About this same time or a little after began the great persecution in Vallodalid where Doctour Caçalla preacher to the Emperour the most eloquent as saith D. Illescas in the pulpit of any that preached in Spaine his mother brethren and sisters Don Charles a knight qualified aud many others were burned The sonne of the marques of Poza and others were disgraced and the house where they assembled was pulled downe and in like sort vsed as was that of Isabell de varna in Seuill The vulgar sort beleeued that they met by night in these houses and that the sermon ended they put out the candles and abused themselues together without respect of kindred or other of many other abhominations were they slaundred These lies be not newly stamped many yeares are since passed that to defame the Gospel and professors there of Sathan did innent them as by the apologies made by the fathers of the Church that then liued to Iustifie their cause doth appeare Read Iustine Martir lib 1. of his questions and the answeres to the 126 question Tertulian in his Appologie S. Ciprian against Demetrianus Origen against Celsus Arnobius in seuen bookes and chiefly in the first against the Gentiles Saint Ambrose Prudencius against Symachus much to the purpose S. Augustin in the 5 first bookes de Ciuitate Dei and Orosius lib. 7. Of the selfe same things that were the Christians in old time slaundered of the very same thinges are we now falsely slaundered About the sixty fiue yeare Nero caused Rome to be fired which burned nine dayes and the tyrant gaue it out that the Christians had done it About
the same danger To another monke another chaūce hapned And this it was A certaine boy seeing that by reason of the great presse and multitude of people he could not goe forth clymed as he could vpon their shoulders and heades and so came and placed himselfe on the top of the Church dore where he aboade not able to passe further Thus resting vpon the height of the dore he espied by chaunce among those that came crawling vpon the heades of others a monke comming towards him who bare at his backe a great and large cowle the boy seing good occasion offered let it not slip and so when the monke was neare vnto him he let fall himselfe from the height of the dore and very wittily put himselfe into the monkes cowle supposing if the monke escaped that he also with him as it hapned should goe out of the Church In conclusion the monke crawling vpon the heades of others at last escaped carrying the boy at his backe that was placed in the cowle for some time perceiued not any weight or burthen vpon him In the end within a while the monke came somewhat to himselfe felt his cowle more weightie then wontedly it was and hearing the voyce of one that spake in his cowle then began he afresh to feare more thē before when he was thronged among the people supposing that verely that the euill spirit which had fired the Church was placed in his cowle then presently began he to coniure the spirit saying In the name of God and of all the Saintes I commaund thee to tell me whom thou arte that hanges at my backe To whom the boy answered I am Beltrams boy for so was his maister called But I coniure thee said the monke in the name of the indiuisible Trintie that thou wicked spirit tell me who thou art whence thou comest and that thou depart hence To whom the youth answered I am Beltrams boy I beseech you sir let let me goe and so speaking assayed to goe out of the cowle which with the weight and the boyes endeuour to goe out began to rend vpon the shoulders of the monke When the monke well vnderstood the matter he drew the boy out of the cowle The boy seeing himselfe out of daunger tooke him to his heeles and ranne with what speede he could In the meane time whiles this passed they that were with out the Church beholding on all sides and seeing there was no cause of feare marueyled to see them in such a straight and made signes showes to them in the Church to be quiet and told them abroad there was no cause of feare But for asmuch as they that were in the Church could not for the great noyse and rushing within heare that which was told them the signes which they made they interprete to the worst sence as though all without the Church had with liuely flames burned and that for the distilling downe of the molten lead and for that it fell in many places they should abide within the Church and not aduenture to goe forth So that signes and voyces much increased the feare For the space of some howers indured this confusion The day following and that whole weeke also were many billets fixed one the Church dore one said If any haue foūd a payer of shooes lately lost in the Church of Saint Mary another said if any haue found a garment In another it was prayed that a hat should be restored In another a girdle with a purse and mony which was lost In another was demanded a little ring other such like thinges for there was no one person almost in the Church which had not lost or forgotten some thing As touching the poore penitent him they commaunded that for asmuch as he had not by reason of this tumult done his pennance as was meete he should doe it the day following in the Church of Saint Frideswid and so he did it These Histories of the fire of Rome of the fire of Vallodalid and the imaginarie fire of Oxford doe very wel confirme that which wee haue said that the poore Chistians haue at all times bene slaundered and vniustly condemned Therefore are they called sheepe appointed to the slaughter God who is Iust will not leaue without punishment such monstrous lies such false testimonies and such fierce cruelties his day albeit he slacke will come vpon the Inquisitors For the bloud of the Iust holy faithfull and catholique Christians by them shed cryeth vnto God as did the bloud of Abell saying How long Lord holy and true wilt thou slacke to Iudge and reuenge our bloud on those that dwell vpon the earth To whom it was answered that they should rest yet a while vntill their fellow seruantes were fulfilled and their brethren which were also to be slaine with them This day let vs then expecte with pacience God one day shew mercie to Seuil that this monasterie of Saint Isodor be conuerted to an vniuersitie where diuinitie may be chiefly professed The rents of this monasterie which be great suffise with ouer plus to maintaine the said vniuersitie and the ruyned house of Isabella de Vaena may be conuerted to a publique Church where the word of God may be preached and the Sacraments without adding or diminishing according to the institution of Iesus Christ administred So great and greater things then these hath the Lord in our time brought to passe It shall not be from our purpose to recite that which D. Illescas reporteth to haue happened in Spaine in the time of this Paule 4. touching the great nomber of Spaniards of the religion which he calleth Lutheranes that was discouered His words be these In the former yeares were Lutheran heretiques accustomed to be taken burned whatsoeuer in Spaine but al those that they punished were straungers as Dutchmen Fleminges or Englishmen c. And of those which came from these kingdomes And a little lower vile people and of most wicked race afore times did wontedly goe out to the Scaffoldes and to weare the Sarbenitos in the Churches but in these latter yeares haue we seene the prisons scaffolds and fires also furnished with famous people And which is more to be moaned of illustrious persons also and of such as to the eie of the world in learning and life were farre before others c. And somewhat lower The businesse came to termes that they practised now among themselues a most fearefull conspiracie such as had it not happened so soone to be discouered as it was afterwardes vnderstood al Spaine had run in great hazard to be lost c. And a lttle lower In Valladolid D. Caçalla his fiue brothers and mother with most great secrecie singular diligence were taken In Toro was taken Herrezuelus many other in Cemora in Pedrosa many men women Nunnes maried women and damsels famous and of great qualitie c. Among those that were burned were also certaine Nunnes very young and
shalt see if I speake truth Great shame it is for our Spaniards who esteemed themselues of as free and good conceit as the Italians that they disable and deiect themselues slaues to the Pope not daring to whisper against him what villanies soeuer they see him commit Libertie of conscience Libertie away away with the Pope this proud Antichrist Some of these places which Pius 5. hath gelded among the sayings of learned men which haue spoken against the Pope will we afterwards alleage In the 1572 yeare and first day of May died Pius 5. Don Philip being king of Spaine Gregorie 13. a Bolonnist before called Hugo boncompagno the 15. day of may 1572. yeare was set in the seat of Antichrist 13 yeares little more or lesse he Poped when he was Pope he renewed the old hatred of his predecessor Pius 5. against the Queene of England so practized by al possible meanes one while by force as appeareth by the great Armada sent into Ireland had a miserable end another while by craft and deceit as was seene in the great traitor Parry and others by him sent who had also a miserable end and were quatered into 4 parts as they had deserued to doe her all the mischiefe he could But God deliuered the Queene from all those cursed inuentions and the same God a iust iudge in the end chastized this Gregorie by killing his body and sending his soule into hell It was the common voyce and fame in Rome that Gregorie before he was Pope and also being Pope like a father but not most holy nor yet holy but carnall had his concubyne of whom he had also little sonnes which said vnto him such graces as made him to laugh And beeing Pope such was the grace that his little sonne Philippicus sayd that the Pope his father gaue him fiue thousand crownes of rent Marke ô yee Spaniards how the Patrimony which you call Saint Peters is imployed And he is not alone he which hath it doth so also imploy it as we haue seene in the liues of the Popes The ceremony of the stoole needed not this Gregorie for very well was he knowne to be a man and not a woman In the time of this Pope was the most fierce bloudy battaile betweene the Portugales and Moores in Africk wherein 3 kinges died Don Sebastian the king being dead in this battell the Cardinall Don Henry brother of king Don Iohn the third grandfather of Don Sebastian was elected king who like another Anius was king and Priest of whom Virgill saith in the 3. of his Aeneads Rex Anius rex idem hominum Phaebique sacerdos Of this Cardinall say the Portugales that in the Epistle of the moone he was borne and in the Eclipse of the moone he died In the 1581 or 82 yeare in the time of Gregorie 13. his Popeing a very straunge chaunce happened in Valladolid There dwelled in Valladolid a knight quallified who in the Inquisition had 2 daughters which constantly perseuering in the good religion they had learned of the good D. Caâ—alla and other martyrs of Iesus Christ were condemned to be burned The father being a most rancke Papist besought the Inquisitors to permit theÌ„ for their better instruction to be carried to his house which thing the Inquisitors in regard of the great credit they reposed in him graunted And brought thus to his house the father endeauored to diuert them from their constant resolution And seing he could not conuince them he caused Priests and Friars to dispute with them but in vaine were all their disputs For the Lord as in Luke 21. 15. he had promised gaue them vtterance and wisedome which the new Pharesies Priests and Friars were not able to resist nor gainesay The father then seeing al his endeuour nought auailed went himselfe to his groue cut downe wood and caused it to be drawne to Valladolid he himselfe kindled the fire so were they burned And no maruell Seing the Lord in the same place of S. Luke forwarned vs that it so shuld happeÌ„ Ye shal be saith he deliuered vp euen of your owne fathers brothers kinsflolkes friends they shall kill you ye shal be hated of all men for my names sake thus farre of the afflictions miseries of the poore faithful yet that which the Lord then addeth is for our comfort But one haire saith he shall not perish or fall from your head in pacience possesse ye your soules So did these two blessed of the Lord possesse and now enioy that celestiall glorie which the Lord for whom they died had prepared for them before the foundation of the world This cruell father in doing that he did against his daughters vndoubtedly supposed he did great seruice to God Of this also hath the Lord foretould vs Iohn 16. 2. The hower commeth saith he that whosoeuer shall kill you shall thinke he doth God seruice And that we should not bee dismayed but coragious in such afflictions the Lord in the end of this chapter saith These things haue I told you that in me ye might haue peace in the world ye shall haue trouble but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world This Gregorie carelesse to correct himselfe or Clergie either in life or doctrin by aÌ„ticipating 10 daies in the yere gaue himselfe to correct the callender And to eternize his name this callender he called Gregorilanum At this time were reunited al the kingdomes of Spaine which from the enterance of the Moores into Spaine 880. so many yeares sithens haue bene deuided so Don Philip our king and Lord in all Spaine reigneth I beseech my God from the bottome of my hart to giue him vnderstanding to know who the Pope is In the 1521. yeare the yeare of famine the 13 of December and in a village of 25 or 30 houses called Montalto neere to the citie of Firmo which is in the marches of Ancona was borne Felix Pereto called Sistus 5. In this Sistus 5. the common saying in Spaine was fulfilled Rex por natura y papa por Ventura A king by nature a Pope by aduenture for so poore was his father that he was a swineheard Felix in his childhood was very poorely brought vp but shewing some sufficiencie of wit a geÌ„tlewoman for Gods sake clothed him with the habite of Saint Frauncis intreated the warden to receiue him into his couent where he studied GraÌ„mer logique Philosophie schoole diuinitie and in those sciences much proffited In the end being nowe of age hee was made Inquisitor In which office such was his cariage as few could abide his crueltie And so it happened that he called before him a magnifico of Venice who being come very discourteously inhumanly he intreated This gentleman vnaccustomed to heare such iniuries and disgraces as by that which after he did for reuenge to the Lord Inquisitor appeareth did stomacke the matter A few dayes after this gentleman
Elephant fell to the ground vppon him and there he dyed Iudith cutte of the head of Holophernes The warre that Antiochus and Holophernes made against the people of God was vniust but the warre which Henry the third made against the league which had conspired against him to kill him and take from him his kingdome was most iust So that herein was hee no tyrant Besides this both liuing and dying hee was of the same religion of the league as at his end appeared For in that small time that he liued after he was wounded hee confessed communicated and was anoynted But leauing these humane reasons come we to the holy scripture It appeareth by the scripture that Saule was a wicked king an hypocrite a tyrant forsaken of God and so hath God to Samuel How long doest thou morne for Saul seeing I haue forsaken him and that he shall not reigne ouer Israell And commanded him to goe and anoynt for king one of the sonnes of Issai which was Dauid and in the same chap. verse 14. it is said The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and the euill spirit of the Lord did torment him Albeit such a one was Saul yet did not God commaund Samuel or any other to kill him And so Dauid although God had chosen him and Samuell annointed him for king when manifest occasion and meanes were twise offered him to kill Saul yet killed he him not Also when Dauid and his followers were hid in a caue for feare of Saul as 1. Sam. 24. appeareth Saul entred the same caue to doe his needs then did Dauids men aduise him not to let slippe occasion but to kill Saule But Dauid instructed in a better schoole then were they answered The Lord keepe me from doeing such a thing against my maister and the annointed of the Lord that I stretch not out my hand against him for he is the Lordes annointed And not only did not kil him but grieued to haue cut of the lap of his garment as if herein he had done some great disgrace And in the 26. chap. of the same booke it is reported that Dauid Abisai came by night to the camp of Saule found him sleeping c. Then Abisai said to Dauid God hath closed thine enemy into thine hands this day now therfore I pray thee let me smite him once with a speare vnto the earth and I will not smite him agayne And Dauid said to Abisai Destroy him not for who can lay his hand on the Lords Annoynted and be guiltlesse Moreouer Dauid said As the Lord liueth either the Lord shall simite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descend into battayle and perish The Lord keepe me from laying myne handes vpon the Lordes annoynted c. And when one brought newes of the death of Saule saying that hee had slaine him what gaue Dauid vnto him for his good tidings He said vnto him How wast thou not affraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the Annointed of the Lord Then Dauid commanded one to kill him who wounded him and so he died And Dauid said vnto him Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed And Dauid mourned for Saule c. Whereupon we will conclude that wickedly did this Friar and those of his counsell in murthering their king and that wickedly did the Pope in praising and cannonising this fact What reuelation had Sistus 5. that God had wholly cast off Henrie the third that he should forbid any obsequies and honours accustomed to be made for the dead should be made for him commanded also that they should not pray for him Samuel and Dauid had most sure reuelation that Saule was forsaken of God and that as such a one was he fallen into a reprobate sence yet notwithstanding did they let him liue coÌ„spired not his death If a Prince in our time be he heretike as they call him or Catholike shall not fully obey whatsoeuer the Pope commandeth him albeit it be to the depriuing him of his kingdome and giuing it to another then shall he be cursed and excommunicate both in bodie and soule and the most vile person if we beleeue Sistus 5. with good conscience may kill him And such a one that shall murther him shall haue done an act very meritorious and holy for the which he deserueth to be cannonized What Christian religion is this that one shall be cannonized for committing that which by the word of God as by exaÌ„ples we already haue proued is expresly forbidden Oh times oh customes But vpon such will his day come these swine shall not escape as they say without their Saint Martin With Sistus 5. conclude we saying that in the moneth of September and 1590. yeare he died whom Vrban 7. which poped 12 dayes succeeded At the end of the yeare 1590. Gregorie 14. succeeded him and died in September 1591. Innocent 9. succeeded Gregorie 14. who a small time poped So that in the space of 14. moneths foure Popes died Sistus Vrban Gregorie and Innocent and it is to be thought the most or all of them died of poyson For Brazuto is not dead that giueth theÌ„ poyson This Brazuto killed 6 Popes with poison as vpon the life of Damasus 2. we haue declared In the 1592. yeare Innocent 9. being dead Clement 8. or 9. or 10. succeeded This Clement poping in the 1599. yeare a Friar Capuchan incited by the Iesuits attempted to kill the French king Henry 4. but his treason was discouered and so was he caught In the time of this Pope in September 1598. died the king Don Philip 2. aged 70 yeares Don Philip 3. sonne of the forenamed Don Philip 2. and of the daughter of Maximillian the Emperour and of the Empresse Dona Maria de Austria sister of the king Don Philip 2. succeeded him God grant him grace as the dutie office of a king requireth night and day to meditate in the law of the Lord accomplish that which God Deut. 17. 18. commandeth a king shuld do When he shall sit saith God speaking of the king vpon the throne of his kingdome he shall cause to be written the booke of this law c. And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life Note ye Spaniards that God commandeth the king to reade the holy Scriptures and then saith he he is to reade them that he may learne to feare the Lord his God that he may keepe all the words of this Law and these ordinances to do them That he lift not vp his heart aboue his brethren nor turne fâ—rm the commandement to the right hand nor to the left that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdome he and his sonnes c. And God not onely comaundeth the king to reade the holy scripture but his captaines also when they be in warres to reade the
with him 30000. men and onely Saint Barnard without any payne flew to heauen 3. descended into purgatorie and all the rest into hell perpetually to be damned Thus far Venero He that reporteth this was no Ideot but a preacher and of the order of preachers Who will not beleeue an holy hermite come from another world a Bishop and a preacher also O happie Bishop which knew what passed in Heauen Purgatorie and hell Blessed be our God which hath opened our eyes and made vs to vnderstand such apparitions to be illusions of the diuell For confirmation of this our Doctrine Reade the Parable which our Sauiour propoundeth of the rich worldling who prayed Abraham to send Lazarus before deceased to the house of his father that he might declare to his fiue brethren that which he passed But Abraham answered they haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them whom if they will not heare neither will they bee perswaded though a man should rise from the dead Luke 16. So that euery Christian which readeth searcheth and meditateth the holy scripture doth know that all this which they say concerning Purgatorie is lies albeit the Pope will haue it an Article of faith Were it an article of faith it should be founded vpon the scripture On the scripture it is not founded therefore it is no Article of faith Also were it an Artticle of faith it should be one of the twelue of the Apostles creede but it is not therefore it is not an Article of faith But it is as saith Doctour Constantine the head of the wolfe It serueth to mainetayne idle bellies Conclude wee this then of the false myracles of Antichrist with that which the Lord saith False Christes and false Prophetes shall arise and shall worke signes great and wonderfull so that if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued Well hath our Redemer forewarned vs well hath his Apostle Saint Paule foretold vs. See we now to our selues for of ignorance now shall we not sinne we are forewarned And as Daniel for our consolation foretold vs of the miserable end of Antichrist so also saith Saint Paule and that more plainely then Daniel that the Lord will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and consume him with the brightnesse of his comming which we see dayly more and more accomplished How many kingdomes and prouinces do now know the Pope to be Antichrist And how came they by this knowledge not forced but by reading and hearing the word of God Very wise was the Pope in forbidding the Bible in forbidding the reading of the holy Scripture well did he vnderstand that all his euill his whole ruine and destruction should there thence proceede But I commaund it The Lord saith Saint Paule will destroy him with the Spirit of his mouth with his word with the holy Scripture with the doctrine of the olde and new Testament with the Bible which he so much abhorreth Many nations haue forsaken him onely Spaine and Italy giue him life But albeit they so do yet is his sicknesse vncurable and doubtlesse shall he die thereof The third and last passage wherewith we confirme the Pope to be Antichrist is taken out of the seuenteenth chapter of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Reade the whole chapter Here will we note the principall points Saint Iohn saith hee saw a woman sit vppon a beast the woman and the beast with their quallities and attire he depainteth The woman saith hee was the great whore which sitteth vpon manie waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication He saith that she was set vppon a beast That this woman was clothed with purple and Scarlet and guilded with golde and adorned with precious stones c. Who had in her forehead a name wriâ—ten A Mysterie Great Babylon mother of fornications and abhominations of the earth that this woman was drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus And concluding the chapter he saith that this woman is the great citie whâ—ch reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth Concerning the beast saith he which was of the colour of Scarlet full of the names of blasphemie which had seuen heades and ten hornes Saint Iohn saith that when he saw this woman ride vpon the beast he greatly wondered The Angell declareth vnto him the secret of the woman and of the beast The beast saith the Angell which thou hast seene was and is not c. He saith vnto him that the seuen heades be seuen mountaines whereupon the woman sitteth He saith that the ten hornes be ten kinges subiect to the beast That these kings shall fight against the Lambe but the Lambe shall oueâ—come them That the waters whereupon the Whoore sitteth bee peoples and kindreds and nations and tongues Hee saieth that the ten hornes of the beast shall hate the whore shall make her desolate and destroy her Who seeth not Antichrist the Pope of Rome here figured and liuely painted out to whom can all these things be applied but to him alone The whore is the Pope the beast is the Romane Empire whereupon the Pope sitteth aâ—d wherewith hee hath lifted vp himselfe It is a common pâ—rase of speech in the Scrâ—pture to call Idolatrie and superstition fornication and tâ—e Idolaters it calleth strumpets and whoores Reade the sâ—cond chapter of Ieremie and 3. verse Ezech. 16. chap. Of 〈◊〉 chap. 1. 2. and 3. The Pope then is called Whore and greâ—t whore for his idolatrie and superstition which he committeth and teacheth to so many people and nations Note that which we haue said in the passage cited out of the 11. chapter of Daniel How much more yet by the great prouidence of God hath this thing fully and plainely happened seing a Pope hath bin which was a woman and a greate whoore Reade the life which we haue recited of Iohn 8. where he saith that the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and gold c. Euen so is the Pope in his pontificall habite and chiefly the day of his coronation fully clothed Platina speaking of Pope Clement the fifth as in his lâ—fe we haue declaâ—ed saith that at his coronation fell a wall which killed many and that the Pope falling from his horse lost a Carbuncle which fell from his Miter or as they call it Reyno that was worth sâ—xe thousand Florences D. Illescas chap. 24. speaking of the coroantion of Leo the tenth saith these words The day of this coronation in Rome was so solemne and ioyfull that any hardly remembred to haue seene the like thing For besides the other feastes made which should be tedious to recount they affirme aboue an hundred thousand duckets to haue bene cast among the people c. How could this Pope say that which said Saint Peter Siluer and gold haue I none This woman he calleth Babylon as much to say as confusion He calleth
displaceth and placeth kings and transferreth kingdomes from one nation to another Ergo say they the Pope hath authoâ—iâ—ie to dispose kingdomes giuing them to whom he will and taking them from whom he listeth Herehence came it that kinges and Emperours began striâ—ingly to kisse their feete beeing present or by their Embassadous being absent Hence it is that the Emperour himselfe â—erueth him for a horse boy holding the stirrop to his Sathanship when he mounteth on horsebacke And yet brawleth the Pope if he hold not the stirrop featly So shamelesse was Pope Boniface 8. that he made an Article of faith without which there could bee no saluation That the Pope aswell in the temporalltie as spiritualltie is absolute Lord presenting himselfe in the Iubile to the viewe of all men with a keye in the one hand and a Sword in the other His successor Pope Clement the sixt not contenting himselfe to commaund kinges and Emperours dared in a bull to commaund the Angels In the Popes Rota which is his Chauncerie was it concluded and determined that whatsoeuer the Pope doth God holdeth for good and approueth it That the will of the Pope is the rule of all lawe and Iustice That the Pope may doe absolutely in this world all whatsoeuer God doth Seeing that he is all and aboue all thinges And that if hee chaunge his opinion it ought to be presumed that God also hath chaunged That ableit the Pope should send many thousands of soules to hell none can reproue him That the power extendeth to heauen earth and hell it selfe That from him may no man appeale to God That he may dispence and commaund against the Epistles of S. Paul as hee that is greater then Paul The same may he doe against the old Testament as hee that is greater then the authors of the old Testament And yet haue they gone further they haue disputed whether the Pope might dispence against the Gospell Whether the Pope hath more power then Saint Peter Whether the Pope be simple man or as God Briefly the deuill hath so farre further proceeded that a little before the comming of Luther and afterwards also it was disputed in the schooles whether the Pope did participate as did Iesus Christ of the â— natures to wit diuine and humane Better should they haue demaunded if the Pope were an Hermophrodit which well may be because a woman hath bene Pope Read Erasmus Annot. 1. caput 1. Epistle ad TimotheuÌ„ They also disputed to vse their proper Latine An mille Angels possint saltare in summitate digiti To wit whether a thousand Angels might daunce one the end of a fingar Item an Christus sub forma scarabei posset saluare genus humanum Whether Christ in forme of a beetle could saue mankind Item whether the Pope were more mercifull then Christ O blasphemy they conclude yea The reason which they giue is this That it is not read in all the scripture That Iesus Christ drewe any soule out of Purgatorie But the Pope of his great pietie and mercy an infinite number of Soules doth daily deliuer And yet go they further and in their disputations conclude that the Pope hath power to kindle and quenche the fire of Purgatorie Flattering the Pope conclude they in all these questions lying against their owne consciences and making no reckoning of the honour onely due to God nor of his onely sonne Christ Iesus And Ca. Quoniam de imunit in 6. the Pope saith we not willing to contemne our Iustice nor that of our spouse the Church The Church is well knowne to haue no other spouse but onely Christ The Pope passeth further Hee saith and commaundeth that so it be said and preached and that we also so beleeue the vertue and holinesse of his seate to be such and so great that what wicked man soeuer how impious periured and abhominable hee be which shall sit therein euen then in a moment for hauing sitten therein is altered and changed to another man and is made holy But heare we the selfe same words which the beast himself speaketh as in Ca. Non nos dist 41. they be written and these they be The blessed S. Peter transferreth to his successors together with the inheritance of innocency an euerlasting dowery of merits That which to him was granted by the light of his workes pertaineth to those that be lightened with like clerenesse of conuersation For who may doubt him to be holy which is lifted vp to the height of dignitie wherein if he want goods gotten by his owne merit those that are giuen by the predecessor of the place suffice c. If this were truth then no Pope should be euill either in life or Doctrine sith that in being Pope he is learned and holy and in a word to speake all he is God vpon earth and so all whatsoeuer he doth God approueth it in heauen But the liues of the Popes by vs recited and the same liues also which the Popes parasites haue written doe shew vs the contrary This is that seate papall this is the heritage which one Pope inheriteth of another that one sitting therein were he not so euill before he is made euill And if he were euill he becommeth most euill and in the end each one is made the sonne of perdition and man of sinne opposing and lifting vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God All these things which here we haue gathered together concerning the doctrine of the Pope are blasphemies such as were the diuell himselfe clothed with humane flesh he could not speake greater nor more horrible yet for all this art thou blind ô Spaine and seest not nor yet knowest thou Antichrist whom supposing thou doest seruice to God and honour to Iesus Christ his sonne thou adorest and honorest God shewe thee his mercie and open the eyes of thine vnderstanding that thou maist reade heare and vnderstand the will of God which his Maiestie hath reuealed in his holy Scriprure without the reading or meditation whereof vnpossible it is for a man to attaine to the truth Search saith Iesus Christ the Scripture for they be those that testifie of me so by consequence of Antichrist also When with the Spirit of humilitie thou shalt well haue read and meditated vpon them thou shalt then vnderstand how great hath bene thy blindesse and ignorance Then turning thy selfe hartily to the true God that created redeemed and sanctified thee thou shalt abhorre the idols of siluer and the Idols of gold which thy sinfull hands as saieth Esaie haue made And thou blind and ignorant supposing thou didst great seruice to God diddest honor and adore them Then shalt thou cast them from thee stampe them in peeces and consume them so greate shall be thy hatred against Idolatrie Then then by how much
king of kings and vnder the name of Pastor he sheweth himselfe a rauening Wolfe and vnder pretence to be S. Peters successor he declareth himselfe the follower of Iudas For as Iudas with a kisse fayned friendship betrayed his Lord so with fayned holinesse and outward ceremonies doth the Pope draw the common people into the chaines and snares of ignorance and superstitions The said title therefore which Christ gaue vnto Iudas Ioh. 17. 12. the Apostle giueth to Antichrist 2. Thess 2. 4. A contemner of mariage when he esteemes it a carnall estate and therefore with such seuerity forbiddeth it to his Clergie that although fornicators and adulterers can easily purchase absolution of their sinnes no pardon remaineth for the Clergie that mary according to the ordinance of God but the same is reputed and punished by the Pope for an vnpardonable sinne Albeit the holy scripture teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 9. That it is better to marry then to burne And Hebr. 13. 4. Marriage is honorable among all men Also 1. Timoth. 3. 2. Euery Bishop must be the husband of one wife Insatiable is the couetousnesse of the Pope and extendeth into all parts For money he pardoneth sinnes selleth ecclesiasticall functions maketh marchandize of his Bulles indulgences Iubilies Reliques Masses praiers and sacraments and compelleth the miserable people to buy his marchandize not on such dayes onely as other marchants vse to traffique but also and principally on the feast dayes the Lords dayes and Sabboths when other men rest And raketh together euery day in the yeare and of all sortes of people euen of the Iewes and Curtesans of Rome A tyrant he is and persecutor of Saints being the cause of the sheding of so much Christiā blood inciting kings princes to persecute such as contradict him and abandon his Idolatries and superstitions to serue God according to his will and word whom the Pope condemneth for heretiques to be burned and least they should speake putteth a gagge in their mouthes And to fill vp the measure of his crueltie he spareth not Emperours nor kings being the Lords Annointed when they refuse to execute his tyrannies as histories plainely witnesse A deceauer he is sundry waies because he deceaueth the common people with false doctrine and vaine promises with high titles and fayned holinesse with bulles Pardons false miracles and illusions of the diuell c. He is full of impietie because he pleaseth and delighteth himselfe not only in sinne but causeth others also to sinne because he hath depraued the worship of God with idolatrie the authoritie of kings with tyrany The common faith with deceit and the life of his Clergie with shame and filthinesse occasioned by constrayned single life To conclud in the kingdome of the Pope is the fountaine and spring af all abhominations and slaunder according to the old prouerbe The neerer to Rome the worse Christian So the neerer to Antichrist the further from Christ By these demonstrations it appeareth plainely that the Pope is Antichrist whom the Holy scripture hath foretold and by whom the Church of Christ hath so much suffered The second Treatise of the Masse and the holinesse thereof WE haue passed by the Lords assistance the Laborinthe not of Creete but of Rome of the Pope and his Roman Court another much worse and for more intricate troublesōe The Pope haue we proued to be a false Preist and very Antichrist to be the man of sin sonne of perdition to be that whereof whom speaketh S. Iohn in his Reuelation This haue we proued by his euil life wicked Doctrine by the sayings of Doctors and ancient Councels and by three notable passages of holy scripture Now will we shew the Masse which is the second pillar that supporteth and vpholdeth the Roman Church to be a false sacrifice an inuention of the diuell and a profanation of the holy supper which Iesus Christ our redeemer instituted And if such bee the Masse as we will proue it to bee it followeth that wee ought to flie and detest it and so doe we flie and abhorre it as a thing condemned and abhominable before the face of God This done wee will shewe by the Lordes assistance without which we can doe no thing that good is Iesus Christ to be the true and onely priest and chiefe bishop And his propper body blood which he offered vpon the crosse to his father to be the true only sacrifice the memory wherof we shew forth so oftē as we celebrate his holy supper A table wil we place at the end of this Treatise wherein we will shew the conformity vnion and likenesse which the holy supper instituted by Iesus Christ holdeth with the holy supper in the reformed Churches celebrated And thē also wil we shew the differēce disconformity contrariety that the Masse which our aduersaries celebrate holdeth with the holy supper of Christ which is the same we now celebrate As the name of Pope is not found in the holy scripture as little also is there found the name of Masse And doubtlesse had it bene so necessarie for a Christian to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope and holinesse of the Masse without which faith say they it is vnpossible for a man to bee saued It is I say to bee beleeued that Iesus Christ or his Apostles would haue made some mention thereof For all whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation doth Christ and his Apostles teach vs. Saint Paule speaking to the Ephesians saith Ye knowe that I keepe backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and haue taught you openly and throughout euery house Witnessing both to the Iewes and Grecians the repentance and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ But this holy Apostle so diligent in teaching that which we ought to beleeue maketh no mention of the Pope nor of the Masse Hereuppon it followeth that to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope or holinesse of the Masse is no Article of faith But true it is will they saie vnto me that this word Masse is not found in the scripture but its equiualent is found the supper of the Lord And if we ought to admit the Lords supper thē must we admit this name Missa Whereunto we aunswere that most great Iniurie and wrong doe they to the holie supper which the Lord instituted in saying it to be the same that is their Masse which they haue imagined and forged For how great difference there is betweene Truth and Falshood Light and darkenesse God and Belial So great is the difference betweene the holy supper and the profane Masse Had the question bene concerning the name whether the holy supper were to be called Missa or no. It should not be of great importance Agree wee in the substance of the things and call it as ye list Albeit it bee il done when the holy spirit calleth a thing by such or such name that man dare call it by another name The Apostle calles it
the supper of the Lord and not the Masse Call wee it then the supper of the Lord and not the Masse And chiefly the difference betweene the supper and the Masse beeing so great as wee shal see Concerning the name of Masse yet is it not concluded among the Romists themselues whence it is deriued Some say that it is deryued of this hebrew word Mas which signifieth trybute or taxe others sayd that it is Latine and that Missa is the same that Missio is as Remissa which word some of the ancients and chiefly Saint Ciprian vsed is the same that Remission is and others sayd other thinges The Masse as our aduersaries define it is a sacrifice whereby pardon is obtained for the sinnes of the quick and dead The Romists doe magnifie their Masse and that as they say for diuers reasons Eight of the chieffest whereof I will here set downe The first for that it is a sacryfice expiatorie The second in regard of him who instituted the same which as they say was Iesus Christ The third in regard of them that say it which were as they say Saint Peter Saint Iohn who was chaplaine say they of the virgine Mary Saint Iames and the other Apostles The fourth for the antiquitie of the Masse seeing all the Church from the death of Christ vntill now hath celebrated it with great reuerence God would neuer permit say they that his Church should so long time be deceiued The fift with many myracles which the Masse and their consecrate host haue done they confirme it which shew the holinesse and diuinitie that remayneth in the Masse The sixt they maintaine it saying that in the Masse are many good thinges taken out of holie scripture as the Epistle the Gospell the Hoc est corpus meum the Pater noster c. The seauenth that this sacrifice of the Masse say they was figured in Melchisedech who being a priest of the most high God offered bread and wine vnto him Malachie they say spake of the Masse when he said For from the rising of ths sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place Incense shal be offered vnto my name and a pure offring 8. For the great profit which thereby we receaue doe they esteeme it Of all this they conclude that the masse is holy good blessed and diuine And that we for so shamelesly speaking against a thing so excellent which Iesus Christ ordayned his Apostles celebrated and all the Church Catholique worshippeth and honoreth are heretiques dogges c. In conclusion their Masse is their Helen for whom they trouble the whole world These be the principall reasons wherewith our aduersaries doe maintaine their Masse Whereunto inuocating the name of the Lord whose cause we deale in and here mainetaine in like order as we haue proposed them will we answere I beseech thee Christian reader for the zeale thou holdest of the glory of God the desire thou hast of the saluatiō of thine own soule attentiuely to read with ripe Iudgment to waigh the foresaid reasons and the answers which we will giue and that moreouer which wee shall say to this purpose See which of these two Doctrines doe agree and are more conformable with the squier and rule of holy scripture and that beleeue Bee not a beast vnderstanding and his law hath God giuen thee Consider well if thou be an idolater or no that nought therein befall thee but the saluation of thy soule Concerning the first where the Masse they say is a sacrifice to obtaine remision of sinnes c. I say by their leaue that the Masse is no sacrifice For were it a sacrifice it should not speaking properly be a sacrament And they affirme the Masse to be both a sacrifice and a Sacrament which cannot be For so great is the difference betweene a sacrifice and a sacrament as there is difference betweene giuing and taking The sacrifice is offered and presented vnto God The sacrament is taken and receiued of the hand of the Lord by the ministerie of the minister of his word The holie supper speaking properly is no expiatorie sacrifice for of this doe wee now speake but a sacrament of the precious bodie and blood of Iesus Christ our redeemer But improperly speaking it may bee called a sacrifice because a memoriall it is of that euerlasting and onely sacrifice which Iesus christ offered to his father vppon the alter of the Crosse And so vnderstand it the fathers when they call it a sacrifice Not that the supper is a sacrifice but a memorial of the sacrifice doe they vnderstand according to that which Christ speaketh of his supper saying Doe this in remembrance of me And Saint Paul to the same purpose saith Ye shall shew the Lords death till his comming againe And if the supper be no sacrifice much lesse shall the Masse be which they celebrate in the place of the supper Besides this were the Masse a sacrifice It should be either propitiatory which we also call expiatory or Eucharisticall to wit either offered for remission of sinnes or in thanksgiuing They will say vnto me as in the definition thereof they said that it is a sacrifice expiatory I say vnto them it cannot so be for no other expiatory sacrifice is there but only the death and passion of Iesus Christ An expiatorie sacrifice is that which is made to appease the wrath of God and to satisfie his iustice and in so doing doth purge and clense sinnes that the sinner beeing clensed from his filthinesse and sinnes and restored to the purity of righteounesse may be reduced into the fauour of God All this wholy and perfectly did the Lord by his death vppon the Crosse and hee onely and no other did sacrifice such kind of sacrifice For the vertue and efficacy hereof which Christ alone one only time offered is eternall And so said he in offering this sacrifice all is finished all is fullfilled asmuch to say That whatsoeuer was necessarie to reconcile vs with the father to obtaine remission of sinnes righteousnesse and saluation all this was ended and fulfilled with that onely sacrifice which Iesus Christ offered And so faulted hee nothing that no place might afterwardes remaine for any other sacrifice Hereuppon will we then conclude that it is an intollerable disgrace and monstrous blasphemy against Iesus Christ and against his sacrifice if any offer any other sacrifice besides that already offered or shall reitterate that which Christ before offered supposing by such sacrifice to obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes reconciliation with God and righteousnesse And what other thing is done in the Masse but that wee by the merit of a new sacrifice may bee made partakers of the death and passion of Christ Who so will well vnderstand this which wee saie concerning the onely expiatory sacrifice one onely time offered and neuer more iterated Let him read the
and answered to the prayers in it was neither the sacrament of the bread nor wine adored But in the Masses of our aduersaries are all things contrarie wherein the people do not but once in the yeare communicate this once that they do communicate they take from them halfe by the middle they take frō them the sacrament of the bloud of Christ which Christ cōmanded that all should drink their Masses they say in a strange tongue which the people vnderstand not and oftentimes he himselfe that saith it neither knoweth nor vnderstādeth that which he saith The people are silēt as though they shuld heare an Enterlude The people adore the bread wine as though it were Christ and not the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ That which Iesus Christ instituted was his holy supper he commanded his Apostles who represented the vniuersal or catholike Church that they shuld afterwards do the same which they had seene him do Do this saith he in remembrance of me And S. Paul speaking to the Corinthians among whō Satan had already bestirred himself bringing some abuses into the Church concerning the supper of the Lord saith For I receiued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you That the Lord the night c. And what agreemēt hath the masse with this which the Apostle saith Nothing at all Let our aduersaries then cease to cōfoūd things togither Let them cease to change their names Let thē not call the supper of the Lord the Masse nor the Masse the supper of the Lord Because it is not so This supper of the Lord a very smal time cōtinued in it being perfection For euen thē whiles the Apostles yet liued arose vp dissentions scismes heresies about the same The which S. Paul willing to reforme reduced the supper to it first institution as the Lord had instituted celebrated it cōmanded that the faithful shuld celebrate the same After these times came others the busines went frō il to worse Men not cōtented with the simplicity wherwith the Lord had celebrated his supper sought to be famous shewing thēselues more wise more prudent and aduised thē Christ himself And so they began to ad diminish in the supper of the Lord. But notwithstāding al this for a 1000. yeares space the substāce of the supper was not touched Albeit as touching outward shew they vsed many ceremonies which Christ Iesus neuer vsed attired themselues with other then cōmon ornaments the which Christ nor his Apostles neuer did The 1000. years passed mē dared to touch the to quick the substance of the holy supper They begā to say that the bread was not bread and that the wine was not wine but that they were cōuerted trāsformed transsubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ And this gainsaying the holy Scripture and the Fathers as well of the Greeke as Latine Church which wee will afterwards very sufficiently proue The matter thus going in the Councell of Vercele Leo the ninth being Pope Transubstantiation was concluded This Pope condemned the doctrine of Berengarius as speaking of the fourth domage we will afterwards declare Berengarius beleeued what the holy scripture had taught him and in the Fathers hee had read to wit that the Sacrament of the Lords supper in two things consisted in matter as they cal it and in forme the matter is that which is seene touched tasted which is the bread and wine The forme is that which is not seene but beleeued the body and bloud of Christ You see here the great herefie of Berengarius which the Pope and the Councell gouerned by the Pope condemned Afterwards speaking against transubstantiation by manifest authorities of the Scripture and by the sayings of ancient Doctors will we proue true bread and true wine visible and tangible to be in the Sacrament and the true body and bloud of Christ to be iuuisible and beleeued by faith And albeit the Pope commanded that Transubstantiation should be beleeued and the Councell decreed it yet were there in those times manie learned and godly men who giuing credit to that which the holy Scripture and ancient Doctors said nought esteemed that which the Pope and his Councell commanded And yet as constantly passed they further they wrote against such doctrine as impugning the word of God and the Fathers Afterwards in the yeare of our Lord 1200. Pope Innocent 3. confirmed this decree and Vrban 4. in honor of this sacrament at the request of a recluse with whom in times past he had bin ouermuch familiar inuented the solemne feast which they call Corpus Christs Read the life which we haue written of this Vrban 4. And the diuel not contented to haue so euilly intreated the most holy Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ nor to haue giuen it so mortal a wound passed yet further He cut off the sacrament half in halfe he took away say I the sacramentall wine which represented sealed and ioyntly gaue receiuing it by faith the bloud of Christ And so was it decreed in the Councell of Constance where were three Popes deposed that the Sacrament not sub vtraque specie in both kinds but in one only should be giuen True it is they yeeld their excuses why they departe from the institution of Christ that which in the Church was vsed but their excuses be very friuolous to be laughed at As more hereafter we shall see intreating of the sixt domage which the masse causeth And a faire thing it is that they condemne those for heretiques which in both kinds receiue the Sacrament according to the Institution of Christ himselfe If they seeke antiquitie This manner of communicating sub vtraque specie vnder both kinds continued in the Church for the space almost 400. yeares Their communion in one kinde is newe and hath not bene but 180 yeares for so long is it since was held the Councell of Constance One thing had I forgotten that it is many yeares sithence they began to say their Masse without cōmunicating of the People for the priest alone eateth and drincketh it vp all without giuing any parte thereof to any How can this be said to be the supper of the Lord a communion a common banquet set forth and prepared for all the faithfull These maner of Masses call they priuie Masses and with fauor speaking very priuie True it is that many Canons and decrees haue bene made against these priuie Masses but behold how they are kept The priuies haue so evilly smelled that each one thought good to stoppe their noses and passe by them Priuate be these Masses called not for that they be priuately or secretly said which publiquely are in the Churches and hearing of all men that will But so they are called Because not the people but the Priest alone doth communicate And yet haue they gone further The Pope giueth license to say these priuie Masses in the corners of
without any competency of Antichrist may reigne So be it Amen I haue long dwelled vpon this fourth answere for the matter so required considering that many simple people which not otherwise haue heard nor are able to vnderstand how God who loueth his Church would permit her so long time to be deceiued at the least with such a deceit of idolatrie are in this deceiued And so they and the rest shall see that not to be the truth which our aduersaries hold for for an oracle that the visible Church cannot erre God open their eyes that seeing they may see and hearing they may heare and so conuert and be saued Amen Only God is he which cannot erre but doth euer right But only his sonne Christ Iesus is he which sinned not which erred not neither was there any guile found in his mouth Onely the word of God abideth for euer And as often as the Church be she neuer so populous apparant shall depart from this word of God and shall not hold it for her squire rule and patterne she shall erre And the more she turneth away the more shall she erre But alwayes when she will be gouerned thereby she shall be established and shall neuer erre For the word of God saith Dauid is a lantern vnto our feet and a light vnto our paths The 5. reason wherewith they confirme their Masse is the great miracles which the Masse their consecrate hostes haue done Here will I recken some for to seeke to recken all should bee neuer to end Damascen among other great strange matters which he citeth in the sermon of the dead afterwards will wee speake of these wonders telleth for a great miracle a true fable and old womans tale One Macarius saith he desirous to know the state of the dead spake with the drie scull of one that was dead c. And that the same scull answered him that the soules of the dead are not so greatly tormented whilest the sacrifice of the Masse continueth Herehence our aduersaries conclude the Masse to be holy and good S. Cyprian an Author more ancient and autentike and a martyr of Iesus Christ reporteth a strange miracle which in his presence happened Thus then saith he I my self being present an eye witnes therof It chaÌ„ced that the pareÌ„ts of a yong girle flying making through great feare no reckening of their daughter they left her with the Nurse that brought her vp The Nurse hauing the abandoned childe caried her to the Magistrate gaue vnto this young girle before the idoll whereunto the people flocked a foppe wet in the wine that was left of the sacrifice of them which perished This sop gaue they vnto her for that by reason of her tendeâ— age she could not yet eate flesh the mother after this recouered her child but so much could the infant tell or declare the horrible fact it had committed as it could not before either vnderstand or auoyd it It happened that the mother brought her through ignorance when we were sacrificing as much to say as celebrating the supper of the Lord which in memorie of the sacrifice by the Lord once offered was celebrated but the infant mingled with the Saints vnable to abide our supplication and prayer nowe with shrikes tormented her selfe now with feruour of heart like a waue of the â—ea she cast her selfe to and fro as though a hangman had tormented her And with the tokens and shewes that the ignorant soule of her age and simplicitie might shee confessed the conscience of the deede But when the solemnities ended the Deacon began to present the cuppe to them that were present note the communion in both kindes and the others hauing taken it the turne came to her in the time of Saint Cyprian they also gaue the cup to young children the girle by very instinct of the diuine Maiestie turned away her face shut her mouth and forcing together her lippes refused the cuppe But all this notwithstanding albeit she refused the sacrament of the cuppe yet insisted the deacon and cast it into her mouth Then began she to sigh and vomite The Eucharist could not stay in a body and mouth which were filthy The drinke sanctified in the bloud of the Lord note that he calleth the wine in the supper drinke sanctified in the bloud of the Lord with furie departed from the polluted intralles so great is the power of the Lord so hreat is his maiestie c. Hitherto Saint Cyprian Of this miracle Saint Augustine also in the 23. Epistle maketh mention reciting it there so certaine authours and more Saint Cyprian saith that hee was an eye-witnesse I assuredly beleeue that so it happened But the same will I not say of that recounted by Damâ—scen noâ— of that which now I will declare Albeit reported by Pius the second In the description of Europe cap. 21. Pius the second speaking of Estiria a prouince of Almaine saith these words It is said and is a thing common among theÌ„ of Estiria that there was a certain Gentleman who manie times purposed to hang himselfe which much displeasing hm he went to a certaine learned person to demaund remedie against this temptation The counsell that hee gaue him was this that he should carie his owne priest euery day to say Masse in a solitary rocke where he dwelled The Gentleman obeyed and so continued for a yeere and neuer after came into his memorie this wicked thought Afterwards the Priest craueth of him licence to goe and ayde another Priest his neighbour which dwelled in another mountaintaine neare adioyning to celebrate the feast of the dedicatioÌ„ of the Church The Gentleman was contented that the Priest shuld go purposing in himself to follow speedily heare Masse The Caualleâ—o busied now with one thing then with another stayed long after In the end almost at the middle of the day he departed and in the way encountred a certaine villaine which said vnto him The Masse in the other mountaine is already ended and the people departed The Gentleman sorrowing at this newes and calling himselfe vnluckie for not seeing that day the body of Christ the villaine began to cheare him and said vnto him that he would sell him the merite which he had gotten by hearing of Masse if the other would buy it and demaunded for a price of the Gentleman his coat for know this that among the Papists one selleth his merits to another as if there were some that had done more thereof then hee ought wherewith he might do what he pleased The sale made and passed the knight notwithstanding went vp into the mountaine and made his prayers in the Church And as he returned he found the villaine hanged vpon a tree and neuer afterwards was troubled with wicked temptations Hitherto Pope Pius the second If this were truth who ought not to worship the Masse But either it was a lie or if it so happened it was one of
Sathans miracles the more to blind the people with the idolatrie of the Masse Of such miracles the Lord and his Apostles do aduise vs to beware that we bee not deceiued by them Manie other miracles they recount but in answering to these aforesaid we shall haue answered to all that they can recken And the better to answere this fift obiection knowe we that there are two sortes of miracles the one true and the other false Those that are true are done by the power of God for confirmation of the truth and the confusion of falshood Such were the miracles which God wrought by the hand of Moses and of the other Prophetes Such bee those which Christ and his Apostles did Comming then to our purpose I say that the miracles which God hath done in the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ to make vs vnderstand that he instituted this sacrament and that it was not humane inuention he did them And this did the Lord for one of these two endes The first is to expell the wicked impious and vnworthy persons from this so high a Sacrament for this end serued the miracle which Saint Cyprian saw and we haue declared and others also which the same author reporteth For what actuall sinne had a sucking infant witout anie discretion committed in eating a soppe moystened in the wine sacrificed vnto idols But did the Lord to make vs vnderstand howe much those men which vnworthily and without any consideration receiue the holy Supper doe displease him and that to them is it all one to sitte at the table of the Lord and to receiue the Sacrament of his bodie and of his bloud or to sit at the table of the Diuell and receiue the Diuell himselfe If God chastised by his iust Iudgement a sucking Babe as Saint Cyprian reporteth for hauing participated of the table of the Diuell and of that of the Lord how thinke wee will hee punish those that of ripe age and deliberate purpose do participate of both tables This young childe could not drinke the cuppe of the Lord hauing first drunke that of the Diuels it could not bee partaker of the table of the Lorde and of the table of diuels For the cuppe of the Lord is the communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which wee breake in the Supper is the Communion of the bodie of Christ And what agreement hath Christ with the Diuell This is not mine owne inuention they are the words of Saint Paul speaking for this purpose to the Corinthians 1. Cor. chap. 10. 15. So that we confesse that God hath miraculously many times chastened those which vnworthily receiue the most holy sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ And the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter doth witnesse the same when he saith For which cause as much to say as for hauing vnworthily eaten many amongst you are sicke and weake and many are asleepe that is to say are dead The second end that God pretendeth in the miracles which he doth in the Supper is touching good men In the celebration of this sacrament hath God willed sometimes to do miracles to illustrate the same and to shew forth the excellencie and dignitie thereof and the more therewith to confirme the faith of the godly that the Lord hauing blowne away their sinnes doe worthily receiue it And not onely for confirmation of the faithfull hath the Lord in the Sacrament wrought miracles but also hath he done them in the celebration of Baptisme And so S. Iohn Baptist when Christ was baptized sawe the heauens open and the holy Ghost visibly descending in the shape of a Doue And this was that the Baptist as an eye witnesse might testifie of Christ and say Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Such miracles then admit wee that for confirmation of our faith are done hy the power of God The second sorte of miracles are done by the arte of the Diuell to deciue men and to cause them not to beleeue the true but the false doctrine such miracles call wee false for one of these two causes The first is in regard of the Authour the Diuell who is a lyar and the father of lyes The second because such miracles deceiue them that beleeue them By the arte of the Diuell did the Sorcerers of Pharaoh worke wonders as Moses did Of such miracles the Lord forewarneth vs There shall arise vp saith he false Christes and false prophetes and shall shewe great signes and wonders so that the verie elect if it were possible should be deceiued Behold saith the Lord I haue tolde you before And Saint Paule speaking of Antichrist saith That his comming shall bee by the working of Sathan in all power signes and lying wonders c. Such may we thinke were the miracles of the Sorcerers of Pharaoh Such bee the miracles which Damascen reporteth of the dead mans scull and of the soule of Traian and of the soule of Falconilla that being condemned and in hell were saued Of these miracles of Damascen we will speake afterwards Such may we thinke was the miracle of the Masse by vs recited of Pius the second In conclusion all miracles which bee to confirme a thing that is contrarie to the word of God be false and done by the arte of the diuell Against the word of God is it that the soules by the iust iudgement of God condemned and buried in hell should go out thence and be saued Against the word of God is it to beleeue there is any other Purgatorie then the bloud of Christ Ireneus a most ancient Doctor telleth that a certain man called Marke a great deceiuer and heretike with the Sacrament of the Eucharist did strangely deceiue the simple For he so changed the colour of the wine that nothing but bloud appeared and by his inchantments so greatly increased a little of the wine that it filled the cuppe and also ranne ouer And another cuppe greater and more capable being brought the selfe same without adding more liquor did fill it vp to the top Shall we beleeue his heresie because he confirmed it with miracles Surely no. A commandement haue we that if an Angell from heauen shall teach vs another Gospell another doctrine another faith then that which Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue taught vs wbich they haue left vs written in the olde and new testament that although hee confirme it with many miracles as did this Marke and the sorcerers of Pharaoh we should not beleeue him Of this Marke maketh Saint Ierome mention and citeth Ireneus for his author This Marke saith he went into France and thence passed into Spaine and with his enchantments deceiued many the Gentle women chiefly whom he allured to carnall loue Reade the epistle to Theodora the wife of Lucinus Beticus or Audaluz tom 1. If we reade the histories of the Gentiles we shall find that they shew
euer after the order of Melchisedech Psalm 110. 4. As much to say as in that Melchisedech was thy figure and likenesse As Mechisedech in that he was a figure of Christ was an euerlasting Priest so thou also the Messiah art the same That which the Apostle saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother is to be vnderstood insomuch as he was the figure of Christ for otherwise had he father and mother and so think some that Melchisedech was Sem. The Priests after the order of Aaron were mortall and none of them continued for euer but he of the order of Melchisedech is immortall and euerlasting Of the order of Aaron were there many but of the order of Melchisedech was there but onely one the same Messiah our redeemer and Lord who in that he is the eternall son of God hath no mother in that he is man borne in this world when the fulnesse of time was come hath no father and as hee is eternall so shall his priesthood be eternall Euery day sing they in their euensongs Iurauit Dominus non poenitebit eum Tu et Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech But I call their owne consciences to witnesse that dayly sing it if they vnderstand that which euery day they sing Of this order of Melchisedech expect no other priests then Christ But Antichrist is he that shall so terme himselfe to be as he saith the vicar of Christ Hee and all his shavelings and fatlings will say themselues to be Priestes after the order of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron But so are they not after the order of Melchisedech sith there is no more but one which is Christ as little are they after the order of Aaron seeing with the death of Christ ceased the Leuiticall priesthood What priests then be the Papists After the order of Baal and so they be enemies of God and of his Prophets which preach against idolatrie The third thing that the Apostle noteth wherein Melchisedech was the figure of Christ is that Melchisedech by reason of his priesthood was much more excellent than Abraham and so as the greater blessed Abraham And Abraham himself acknowledging this maioritie and superioritie gaue vnto him the tithes of the spoyles Such a one truly is Christ vpon whom the redemption righteousnesse sanctification not of Abraham only but of all the faithful also doe depend Here see you the things wherin may we beleeue the Apostle a vessell of election Melchizedeck was the figure of Christ No mention at all maketh he of the sacrifice of bread nor of wine which we doubt the Apostle would haue done had Melchizedeck in this bene a figure of Christ The place which they cite of Malachy saith thus For from the rising of the sun vntill the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name pure incense and Myrrach which we translate present or guift The common edition wherunto our aduersaries giue more credit then to the Ebrew text translateth Et in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda To wit And in euery place is sacrificed and offered to my name a cleane offering Here hence they conclude that this cleane offering which in euery place is sacrificed and offered is the sacrifice of the masse But the Masse being a profanatiō of the holy supper as before we haue proued it cannot be a present nor offering which is offered to God nor acceptable to him whereof it followeth that this Incense and present Of which speaketh Malachy is another thing farre different from the Masse It is say I the sacrifice not expiatory but Eucharistical of prayse and thanksgiuing which the faithful euery day and moment doe offer to God As before wee haue said in the one hundred forty one Psal and 2. verse The Prophet vseth these two very names which we translate Incence and offering The which place none vnderstand of the Masse because the Prophet saith An euening sacrifice But their Masse is said in the morning It is no new thing with God when his people his priests and princes prouoked him with their superstitions and Idolatries to threaten them that he would forsake them that he would nought esteeme them that he would take vnto himselfe another people which should serue him much better Of whom he would haue great regard S. Paul alleageth to this purpose a notable passages when he saith But I say hath not Israel attained to knowledge First Moses saith I will prouoke you to ielousie with a people which is not mine with a foolish people I will prouoke you to wrath also Esaias is bold to say I was foūd of those that sought me not I was manifested to them that enquired not for me c. The same doth the Lord in the place of Malachias which we haue in hand forsaking the Iewes he saith I take no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hostes neither do I regard the offerings of your handes You see here how he forsaketh the Iewish people And then in the following verse hee admitteth the Gentiles saying For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name Incense and a pure offering Then saith God That his Church should now no more be straightned in Iudea But that it should extend throughout all the world Which was fulfilled when the Lord sent his Apostles throughout all the world to preach the Gospell to euery creature Then did Malachy prophesie the calling and conuersion of the Gentiles which hartily conuerted should offer Incense and a pure offering vnto God That is to say That they shall serue him with spirituall worshippe and seruice and shall worship him in spirit and truth and not in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem As said Christ to the woman of Samaria but throughout al the world The prophets when they will speake of the calling of the Gentiles are wont to signifie the spirituall worship Whereunto they exhort them by the ceremonies of the lawe And in stead of saying that all the people should turne vnto God They say That they shall goe vp to Ierusalem In stead of saying that all the people of the South and of the East shall worship God they say that they shall offer for a present the riches of their land To shewe the great and abundant knowledge which he was to giue to his faithfull in the kingdome of Christ they say That the Daughters shal prophesie the young men shal see visions old men shal dreame dreames So now Malachy willing to say that the Gentiles shall worship God in spirit and in truth saith that they shall offer Incense and an offering which bee things which God in the lawe commaunded the Iewes to offer vnto him and addeth pure to
fourth domage which the Masse worketh Yet is there no other mediator but Iesus Christ alone The reason is this for he that is to be a Mediator must be in hand with both parties between whō he is made a mediator for if he be in hatred or is not welbeloued with one of the parties he shal neuer preuaile for suspected shal he euer be holden For this cause was it meere that man hauing offended God and being to be reconciled with God it was needfull I say that the reconcilour Intercessour aduocate and mediator should bee verie God and very man for had hee bene onely man hee should haue bene a sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and so should hue nought preuailed with God And had hee bene God and not man hee could not by dying haue satisfied the iustice of God as dyed our Mediatour and Intercessour Christ and dying satisfied and payd all whatsoeuer man ought to the iustice of God Like as sinne for being committed against the infinite God was infinite so was it meete that the wages of that sinne should be infinite and so the infinite God and man Christ perfourmed the same No other intercessour nor mediator is there to obtaine of the Father pardon of sinnes but Christ alone for as there is but one God so is there but one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus as sayth Saint Paul He onely is the Mediatour of the new testament as in many places of the Epistle to the Hebrues the Apostle doth witnesse The same which we said of inuocation say we also now that there is no commandement of God which commandeth to put the dead Saints for intercessours neither is there any example in the olde or newe Testament that anie of the faithfull hath put them for intercessors To seeke bread beyond wheate may we not goe for better bread then that of wheate cannot be Wee may not leaue a certaintie for a thing vncertain Assured we are by the word of God that Iesus Christ is our Intercessour that the Saints are the same wee see not by holy Scripture and it not appearing vnto vs yet doubting without faith will we put them for intercessours And whatsoeuer proceedeth not of faith is sinne as saith S. Paul to the Romans And writing to the Hebrues he saith Without faith it is impossible to please God Whereupon we conclude then that Christ onely wee ought to put for our intercessour and that the Masse doteth in putting for intercessour another besides Christ to obtaine remission of sinnes and not Christ onely in dying was our Mediatour But now also is he the same as Saint Iohn in his catholike Epistle saith Little children these thinges haue I written that yee sinne not And if anie man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. Had there bene more Aduocates then one Saint Iohn would doubtlesse haue sayd We haue Aduocates and would haue named them But as hee certainely knew that there was but onely one Aduocate he sayd We haue an Aduocate and nameth him Iesus Christ and addeth The righteous By which tytle all other men he excludeth all which none excepted of their owne nature are the children of wrath conceyued and hardened in sinne in the belly of their mothers as that holie Prophet king Dauid witnesseth This doctrine so wholsome and full of consolation that Iesus Christ now is and hereafter wil be our mediator and Intercessor hath Sathan obscured and for many yeares buried it in the church Who was he that seeing himselfe in necessity and misery would remēber Iesus Christ to put him for an intercessor aduocate with his father Some ran to one he or she Saint others to other according to their zeale according to their foolish deuotion and sometimes put they those for Intercessors whose soules were burning in hell With the Popes is it no new thing to discannonize these whom other Popes haue canonized for Saints For example Pope Boniface 8. that discannonized Hermanus Ferrariensis comaunding him after he had 30 yeeres beene buried to be vntombed and burned during all which time he had bin holden for a Saint was inuocated of al contrariwise a Pope hath bin which cannonized him for a Saint whom others condemned for an heretike S. Ierome and Pope Damasus condemned for an Arrian Pope Liberius but Gregory 7. did cannonize him for a Saint Their Mule being sicke they call vpon S. Polonia when they haue fore eyes S. Lucie for the throate they inuocate S. Blase for the pestilence S. Roccus They go yet further and shamelessely for their filthy lusts put they Magdalen for intercessour the barren put for intercessour whom thinke you the great gyant Saint Christopher whose legend for being so fabulous Pope Pius the third commanded to be taken out of the Roman Breuiarie which he caused to be corrected as in the life of Marcellus the second before wee haue noted How many kingdomes how many prouinces how manie people how many houses how many persons there bee so manie protecting Gods haue they whom they put for their intercessours God our maker and Iesus Christ our redeemer sleepe Hereof complaine the Prophets and chiefly Ieremie when he saith For according to the number of thy cities vvere thy Gods ô Iudah Blessed be the Lord who by his great mercie hath pleased in these latter times to shew vs so great mercie as to renew and raise vp againe this doctrine so admirable and full of consolation the which in the time of darkenesse of ignorance and superstition was dead as it were and buried Here will I briefly recite a chaunce that vpon this matter happened It is now thirty sixe yeares past that one conferring with a graduate with a maister in Israell among other things sayd vnto him that Iesus Christ was now also our Aduocate The maister wondred at that which was said it seeming to him to be new doctrine for that neuer such had he heard or read The other seeing him wonder wondred at his wonder and for confirmation of that he had sayd alleaged vnto him the place of S. Iohn We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ c. Saint Paul confirmeth this doctrin Rom. 8. 34. speaking of Christ he saith Who is at the right hand of God maketh request or intercession for vs. And Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore hee is able also euerlastingly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Well beleeued this Maister that the Saints were Aduocates but that Iesus Christ was the same he neither beleeued nor knewe If he being a Maister in Israel was ignorant of this what shall wee wonder if the ignorant people know it not What shall we maruell if silly old women do not knowe it That which I say that there is no other intercessour but Christ I meane it as touching the obtaining of remission of sinnes
albeit God of his absolute power can drowne the whole world againe yet will hee not drowne it So then say we now that Christ could doe that which they say annihilate the substance of the bread and be transubstantiated into it But we say that he will not do it because he will remaine sitting at the right hand of his father in heauen and according to his humanitie according to his flesh which he tooke of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh wherein he dyed wiil he neuer descend hither vntill he come to iudge the quick and the dead And so to this end sayd he to his disciples The poore ye shall haue alwayes with you but me shall ye not haue alwayes For fortie dayes passed after his resurrection hee ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of the Father c. Very well did his Apostle S. Peter vnderstand this when in a sermon which he preached at Ierusalem hee sayd Whom meaning Christ the heauens must containe vntill the time that all things bee restored And this is an Article of our faith which in the Creed we confesse That Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father from whence shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then will he not come to transubstantiate the bread into his body So our aduersaries be heretikes denying in deed this article of faith which with their mouth they confesse in the Creed Hereuppon let vs nowe conclude that Christ can but hee will not transubstantiate himselfe into the bread but will sit at the right hand of the Father vntill he come to iudge c. As the holy Scripture doth witnesse it and in the Creed wee confesse it The second reason wherewith they confirme their Transubstantiation is That Iesus Christ is infallible truth and therefore of necessitie that which hee sayth must bee as hee saith it He saith This is my body Then it followeth that that is his bodie and if it be the body of Christ it is not Bread With Esayas chap. 53. verse 9. and Saint Peter chap. 2. vers 22. confesse we that Iesus Christ neuer sinned we also confesse that vntruth nor deceit was euer found in his mouth For he is that which of himselfe he saith Ioh. chap. 14. verse 6. The way the trueth and the life Wee also confesse that with his owne mouth he hath sayd This is my body and so beleeue we that it is For should wee denie that which our King Prophet and Priest affirmeth we should not be Christians Thus farre agree we with our aduersaries The difference that is betweene them and vs is as touching the maner How or in what manner that which Iesus Christ by the meane of his minister in the holy Supper doth giue vs is truely and really the body and bloud of Iesus Christ For the better vnderstanding hereof it shall bee needfull to vse the distinction which the Lord vseth in the sixth chapter of the Gospell of Saint Iohn That there bee two maners of eating the bodie of Christ the one carnall the other spirituall Commonly when the Scripture opposeth the flesh to the Spirit by the flesh it vnderstandeth the parte of man that is not regenerate nor subiect to the lawe of God So call wee men without the knowledge of God carnall naturall and sensuall men But it is not heere so to bee taken By the flesh is vnderstood the same flesh of Christ it selfe ioyntly with his blood bones and sinewes and which Iesus Christ took when he was borne and liued in this world when he dyed and rose againe c. The second maner of eating which is called spirituall is when the faithfull Christian his bodie being here below is lifted vp so high in spirit that with the wings of faith it flyeth and with one flight doth pierce all the heauens and stayeth not vntill it come before the throne of the maiestie of God the father at whose right hand he findeth sitting his redeemer and satisfier Christ And finding him with great ioy doth feede vpon him eateth his glorious bodie and drinketh his most precious bloud And if the faithfull Christian doth freely eate him much more freely doth the Lord giue himselfe to sustaine the soules which he with the death of his body with the shedding of his bloud redeemed He that with his body and bloud did redeeme them with his body and with his bloud wil he maintain them yet not carnally but spiritually by faith as before we haue sayd Our aduersaries beleeue the body of Christ in the first manner to be in their Masse They beleeue that the mouth taketh the teeth chawe the throate swalloweth and the stomacke receiueth the same carnall bodie which was borne which dyed which rose againe c. They wil vnderstand the words of Christ literally be it as it will be but Christ himselfe speaking of the necessity that wee haue to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud saith The words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life to wit that which I haue sayd vnto you touching the eating of my flesh and drinking of my bloud vnderstand you not after the letters as they carnally sound lift vp the mind and vnderstand it spiritually The Capernaits and many of the disciples also as saith S. Iohn carnally vnderstood the words of Christ And also they sayd that it was a hard saying and murmured at it To whom Christ vnfolding their errour told them they should vnderstand his words spiritually You see here that our aduersaries are worse then the Capernaits for the Capernaits would not carnally eate the flesh of Christ nor drinke his bloud but they make no bones at it without any scruple and without any loathing will they eate the flesh of Christ carnally but it will nought auaile them For the Spirit it is that quickeneth and the flesh as Christ himselfe saith speaking to our purpose profitteth nothing c. That the Lord in his supper gaue carnally his body may wee not vnderstand For should wee so vnderstand it A most great absurditie world followe that Iesus Christ when hee celebrated his supper had two carnall bodies One by one The Bodie that celebrated the supper that brake the bread in his handes blessed it brake it and gaue it to his disciples c. was the true carnall body of Christ which was borne and dyed c. If that which this carnall bodie tooke in his handes and gaue to his disciples was also the carnall body of Christ it followeth that Iesus Christ when he had celebrated his supper had two carnall bodies one which sate and remained in his place and the other which sitting body gaue to his disciples The which is a great absurditie But did they vnderstand this second manner of body which the Carnall body of Christ gaue to his disciples and they tooke it and did eat it not to bee his
they taken it for an error But none of them say that Origin thought amisse of the Eucharist Therfore that which Origin saith is no error neither among the anciēt Doctors was it holden for an error But leaue we the pudles let vs drinke of the cleare water of the fountaine Leaue we apart the fathers and let vs see what the holy scriptur saith Many times doth S. Paul call it bread yea after it be consecrated after it be dedicated made the sacrament of the body of the Lord. First the bread saith he which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ 2. For one bread is that we many are one body 3. For we be al partakers of one bread 4. So that whosoeuer shall eat of this bread c. 5. Let euery man therefore proue himselfe 50. Let him eate of that bread c. The Apostle in all these places calleth the bread bread Not because it was so But because it is so concerning the wine the Lord himselfe aftrr he had made the sacrament of his blood calleth it The fruit of the vine And I say vnto you saith he That henceforth will I not drinke more of this fruit of the vine c. what thing is the fruit of the vine or of the grape but wine S. Paule saith The cupp of Blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ Also Or shall drinke of this cupp of the Lord vnworthily Also And drinketh of that cup. In these there places S. Paul by the cup doth vnderstand that which in the cuppe is conteyned which is that which his maister calleth the fruit of the vine or wine Here yee see that the Lord his Apostle and the auncient Doctours call that bread wine which in the sacrament is visible earthly and by the same reason admit no transubstantiation As there is none in deede This simple and sound Doctrine taketh away many absurditie inconueniences which followe transubstantiatiō it taketh away many scruples afflictions of conscience And so if the sacrament I speak as they speak for it is not a sacrament but when it is taken eaten Take saith Christ and eate and afterwards saith This is my body Then in the sacrament is not Christes body except it be taken and eaten be mouldy corrupt eaten with wormes or mice when it falleth on the ground or powered out c. For to all these things the bread and wine and not the body of Christ are subiect the bread say we is mouldy is corrupt c. The wine is spilled The which bread and wine had not rat◠but men eaten and dronken had bin the sacrament of the body blood of Christ Would our aduersaries vnderstand this they should not neede the booke which they cal De coutelas de la Missa which intreateth what ought in such former like cases to be done This booke is a continuall affliction torment and slaughter house of the consciences which haue zeale but as saith S. Paul not according to knowledge The reason is because this conscience are not founded vpon the firme foundatiō vpon the word of God but vpon the sand the traditions of men Such as will not vnderstand the words of the Lord This is my body c. Spiritually but carnally doe fall into great heresie horrible Idolatrie The Christian religion as witnesseth Athasius in his Symbol beleeueth that in Iesus Christ are 2 natures diuine and humane It beleeueth that these two natures are so vnited and conioyned in Christ that they are not confounded nor mingled one with another The diuine hath his properties and the humane his As the reasonable soule and fleshly bee one man So the diuinitie and humanitie bee one Christ It is the propertie of the diuinitie onely and of no other thing besides to bee in euery place for it is vnmeasurable infinit and no other thing there is that is vnmeasurable and infinite It is the propertie of the humanity to be in some one place and not in euery place So witnesseth the Angell speaking of the humanitie of Christ He is risen sayth he he is not here Beholde here the place where they put him And S. Peter Whom sayth he the Heauens must contayne vntill the time of the restauration of all things And so do wee hold it for an article of faith that he ascended into Heauen and is set at the right hand of God the father from thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead Iesus Christ himselfe sayth The poore shall you haue alwayes with you but me shall you not haue alwayes All these places doe proue Iesus Christ according to his humanity and in as much as he is man not to bee here below but in heauen This Article of faith do our aduersaries impugne when they beleeue the body of Christ to be in euery Masse And so many as dayly through all the world are celebrated and in all their Sagrarios or pixes where they keepe it inclosed really corporally carnally so great and so big as it was vpon the crosse If this be not heresie what shall bee heresie Good Transubstantiators are our aduersaries when they haue transubstātiated the bread and the wine into the body and bloud of Christ so that now is it no bread now it is no wine but as they say the body and bloud of Christ So now they transubstatiate the humanitie of Christ his flesh and his bloud into the diuinitie seeing they attribute vbiquitie to the bodie and bloud of Christ the which is only proper to the diuinitie Iesus Christ is true God and true man But his Godhead is not his manhood and his manhood is not his Godhead The one is the Creator whose beginning is from euerlasting the other is a creature whose being had beginning Notwithstanding all this which our aduersaries of the learned I speake may heare and reade they continue obstinate and hardened and God hath left them to a reprobate mind that they may beleeue the bread to be no bread but the bodie of Christ the wine to be no wine but the bloud of Christ And so they worship that which a parish Clearke maketh betweene two yrons and the Priest giueth it a forme making it his God In the pixe do they keepe it to the sicke they carie it Vpon some feastes of the yeare and chiefly the day which they call Corpus Christi with great pompe triumph and maiestie take they it forth to walke and wo to that person that will not kneele before it I would aske them who commanded them to doe this If they know that Iesus Christ hath so done orcommaunded his Apostles so to doe Neither example nor commandement will they giue Christ neither did nor commanded any such thing nor his Apostles nor the Catholike Church did so by the space of one thousand yeares after
the first in an Epistle to the Clergy and people of Constantinople affirmeth this distribution to be mysticall to be spirituall meate and that therein wee receiue a celestiall power to passe or bee conuerted into the flesh of Christ who for vs tooke vpon him our flesh Ciril lib. 4. cap. 14. vpon Saint Iohn saith So to the faithfull disciples gaue he peeces of bread saying Take c. Also in an Epistle to Calosyrius he sayth It was meete that by meanes of his holy flesh and precious bloud he shoud in a certaine maner vnite or couple himselfe with our bodies which by the liuely blessing in the bread and wine we receiue Hesychius lib. 20. vpon Leuit cap. 8. saith By this he commandeth to eat the flesh with the bread that we might vnderstand hee called it a mysterie which is bread and flesh ioyntly togither Gelasius doth witnesse against Eutiches that in the Eucharist the substance and nature of the bread and wine in no wise ceaseth to hold their being And that moreouer which before we haue said Gregorie the first in his Register saith When we receiue as wel the bread without leauen as the leauened wee are made the body of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram in the booke which hee made of the bodie and bloud of the Lord speaking of the nature of the Symbols sayth that according to the substance of creatures the symbols which be the bread and wine bee the same after consecration that before they were But why alleage I one place of Bertrams booke sith the whole booke doth purposely handle this argument and concludeth the same that we now affirme with the holy Scripture and many sayings of the Fathers Ambrose Ierome Augustine Fulgentius c. confirmeth Bertram his doctrine and confirming his doctrine which is the same with ours it weakeneth and ouerthroweth that of our aduersaries which sayth the bread and wine in the sacrament to bee the very same body and bloud of Christ in flesh bones and sinewes which was borne dyed and rose againe c. But the bodie of Christ saith Bertram is in two maners one in flesh and in bones c. which was borne and dyed c. and the other spirituall which is that which is giuen in the sacrament and also he saith that the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall bloud vnder the couerture of the corporall bread and of the corporal wine remaine At the request of Charles the Great wrote Bertram this booke as he himself in the end of his book speaking of Charles the great to whom he dedicated the same saith The occasion he had so to didicate it was for that As Bertram saith in the beginning of the booke Charles the Great had demanded of him whether the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued with the mouth of the faithful be in mistery or really in truth receiued So that it is now aboue 760. yeeres past sithens this booke was written Iohannes Trithemius giueth this Testimony of Bertram Bertram was saith Trithemius much conuersant in the holy scripture very learned in humane science eloquent he was and no lesse excellent in life then in Doctrine S. Bernard is the sermon of the supper of the Lord by the similitude which he putteth of a ring sheweth that he is wholy for vs. Now to close vp this band of the fathers which against transubstantiation of diuerse times diuerse regions we haue alleaged we will set downe one most learned godly This is Theodoret bishop of Cyr that wrote the ecclesiastical historie He flourished about the yeare of our Lord 451. For he was present in that famous Councell of Chalecdon in the company of 630. bishops which condemned Diâ—scorus These bishops with great curtesie honorable titles did honor Theodoret being present in the Councel calling him catholique true pastor Doctor of the Church The same witnesseth Leo 1. Bishop of Rome in an epistle which he wrote to the foresaid Theodoret. And it is to be beleeued that had not Theodoret rightly thought of so high a mystery As is the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ that a Councel and one of the most famous that hath bin wherin were 630. bishops wold not haue called Theodoret catholike true pastor of the church c. In the 2. Councel of Ephesus was this Theodoret vniustly depriued from his bishopirck because he would not take parte with the heretike Eutiches But in the Councell of Chalcedon with great honor praise was his bishopricke restored If that which Theodoret then thought taught touching the Doctrine of the sacrament were catholike the same also shall it now be for the same which then was truth is now truth Very truely spake this Theodoret against transubstantiation in a booke God would should be printed in Rome for the greater confusion of the Romists which cannot deny that Theodoret is wholly for vs. But they excuse him with saying that this question of transubstantiation the Church had not yet determined Thus may the Pope for he is all in all cause that the Doctrine which in old time was catholike true be now hereticall wicked and that which then was hereticall and wicked be now catholike and good But if an Angel from heauen saith S. Paul shall preach another Gospel other Doctrine then that which he had taught such a one should be cursed Theodoret in his Dialogues bringeth in 2 persons which dispute of good things of thinges touching Christian religion The one called Orthodoxo and the other Eranistes Then saith Orthodoxo dost thou know that God hath called the bread his proper bodie Eran. I knowe it Ortho. knowest thou also that in an other place his flesh he calleth wheate Eran. This doe I also knowe c. And a little lower Ortho. In the same distribution of the misteries The bread he calleth bodie the cuppe mingled blood Erannist So doth he suerly call them Ortho. But also hath power to be called a bodie according to it nature his bodie surely and his blood Erannist It is clere Ortho. But the same our sauiour chaungeth the names and giueth vnto his bodie the name of symboll and contrariwise to the Simboll giueth hee the name of bodie After the same manner also when he had said of himselfe that he was a vine the same blood called he a Symboll Eranist This hast thou well spoken But I would learne also the cause why the names are chaunged Ortho. This is the marke whereat those ayme which professe religion For I would not that they which be partakers of the diuine misteries should settle their minds vpon the nature of those things which are seene but that by the change of the names they may beleeue that transmutation which is wrought by grace For hee which called his natureall body wheate and bread and called also himselfe a vine he himself honoreth the
Transubstantiation among our aduersaries that they hold him not a Christian but an heretike anathematized accursed and excommunicated that doth not beleeue it Wherein to the Councell of Florence held in the time of Eugenius the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1439. do they great iniurie In this Councell were present the Emperour of Grecia the Patriarke of Constantinople and many Easterne Bishops The Greekes and Latines agreed in this Councell in the difference which they held touching the holy Spirit and in some other things they also agreed but as touching Transubstantiation albeit the Pope did labour them to allow of it yet could they neuer effect it with them And great heed tooke the Greekes that in the letter of vnitie no mention were made of Transubstantiation the which was done to the good liking of the Greeks as in the Bull of Eugenius which beginneth Exultent coeli laetetur terra appeareth wherin he giueth for good to all Christendome that the Greeke and Latine Church had once againe accorded And I surely know had their Transubstantiation bene an article of faith without which there is no saluation the Romane Church did wickedly to admit the Greeks for brothers seeing they openly denyed Transubstantiatiō That which our aduersaries say of the mutual cōsent of the Church touching the article of Transubstātiation here appeareth to be false For neither the Greek nor Eastern church euer beleeued it nor now at this day beleeueth it nor yet did the Latine Church for a thousand yeares space beleeue it Of all this which we haue spoken touching Transubstantiation we conclude that which we say to be truth that he which heareth the Masse is a great Idolater and he which sayth it is a greater The fift Domage which the Masse causeth is that besides the sayd foure domages it maintaineth many abuses as is Purgatorie Concerning Purgatorie say we there is no other purgatorie but the bloud of Christ which purgeth our sinnes By which purgation wee are reconciled with the euerlasting Father The other purgatorie say we which our aduersaries haue forged without the word of God is the head of a wolfe as Doctor Constantine did call it who for the cause of religion of infirmitie age and hard imprisonment among those cruell Canibals and eaters of mans flesh the defilers of the faith in the castle of Traiana died Purgatorie is a common cutpurse that without shame or correction stealeth robbeth and catcheth all what it can to fill the paunches of these idle bellies priests and friers all the ecclesiasticall order For whence haue they so enriched themselues whence is it that they haue builded so many sumptuous Monasteries which seeme rather Castles and pallaces of most rich kings and Princes then houses of begging Friers and poore Monkes who in times past gained their liuing with the labour of their hands Whence haue they founded so many Chappels so manie Trentals so many Masses prayed and sung which they called de requiem but of the foolish perswasion of Purgatorie As the Masse entertayneth Purgatorie so also doth Purgatorie entertaine the Masse The Masse and Purgatorie are euen as two Mules the one rubbing the other The false prophets made an old simple woman beleeue that the soule of her father mother husband daughter or other person whō she deerely loued was suffering most grieuous torments and paines in Purgatory and demanded some reliefe by the Masse or Masses which should be said for it Then the poore old woman taking it from their mouth ioyned peece to peece 68 Blancas which is a ryall went to a Priest and giuing him the tyall for Masses are sold for money besought him to say a Masse with great deuotion for the soule of her father or some other person whom she loued And were the old woman so much more superstitions then went she to a monasterie holding it for certaine that the Fryers liued a more religious and holy life then the Priestes and being come to the monasterie besought the Sextan or potter to cause a Masse with all speede to be sayd The Sextan or porter sayd it should presently bee done Then went out a Father to say the Masse and tooke money of her to whom better had it beene to haue giuen then taken it from her for God knoweth the pouertie that remayned in the house of this old woman and the riches and superfluity that was in the monasterie And a faire thing it was that they sayd it not for her for oftentimes it happeneth that more Masses are receiued for in one day then all the Priestes of the monastery can say in a moneth And this is the cause why they cannot say all the Masses they receiue for But thou wilt say vnto mee Why do these reuerend men take of them more money for Masses then they well can say Me seemeth they rob in doing this which thou sayest Hereunto I answer that they reckon not of this nor make they any conscience thus to rob and deceiue And that which is worse this their theft and robberie do they sanctifie saying that is very well done and that necessity so requireth that the deuotion of the people be not despised Ad the Pope for the cause aforesayd a proueth and maketh good this theft and commandeth them to say two Masses at euery moneths end one for the quicke another for the dead which two Masses saith he are as auayleable as all those how many soeuer they haue omitted to say Did the Magistrates their dutie they would seeke and in the chests of their Monasteries should find such Bulles such mockeries and such licenses to steale Purgatorie haue they made a new article of faith so that he which beleeueth it not is therefore an heretike If it be heresie not to beleeue that which neither in the doctrine of the old or new Testament is confirmed Nor is in any of the three Creedes of the Apostles the Nicen nor of Athanasius being a Summarie token out of the scripture which a Christian ought to beleeue conteyned The 6. domage is that suppose the sacrifice of the Masse or sacrament of the altar As they call it had bene such As they paint it out Yet should it not be wel administred sith the Christian people are defrauded and depriued of the one halfe of the sacrament because they giue them not the sacramentall wine which is the sacrament of the bloud of Christ shed for vs vpon the Crosse when the other halfe is receiued they giue it seldome once in the yeare wickedly with so many superstitions and Idolatries As we haue already proued In bread and wine did Iesus Christ institute this sacrament for the high signification and allusion which the bread and wine holde with his bodie and with his bloud and commaunded his Apostles in the selfe same maner As they had seene him celebrate the supper in memoriall of his death to celebrate it When he gaue thē the bread he said Take
league distant from Siuill They said vnto him How darest thou I pray thee stretch out thy handes stayned with vniust slaughter and bloud to receaue with the same the holy bodie of the Lord Or thou that moued with the fury of wrath so much bloud so wickedly hast spilled how wilt thou apply to thy mouth his venerable bloud depart then c. Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 24. maketh also mention of this Historie The same S. Ambrose in the funerall oration which he made at the death of Theodosius maketh mention of Theodosius his repentaunce Were there many Ambroses There would bee many Theodosies The cause will I here briefly tell why Saint Ambrose depriued him of the holy supper They of Thessalonica murdred a Tribune in a popular tumult the Emperour Theodosius hearing it was so highly offended that hee caused seuen thousand men to bee slayne Pero Mexia writing the life of this Theodosius applyeth this to his Masse which is so much against it Hee saith that Theodosius the day following would go to the Temple to pray and heare Masse as he was saith he accustomed c. And note the affected malice of Pero Mexia That he alleaged not the author of this his saying That Theodosius went to heare Masse which he would haue done had any said it Maliciously he concealeth the name of Theodoret because it made against his Masse which he so much adored Two things may we note in this saying of S. Ambrose First that he which did communicate toke the sacrament with his handes and not with his mouth a childe when they giue it pappe This sacrament is not for Infants which cannot eate strong meates but it is for people that haue discretion can eat a peece of bread and drinke a boule of wine And so saith Christ vnto them Take eate Take drinke He saith not Open thy mouth receaue therewith the bread The second thinge which we are to note in this saying of Saint Ambrose is that the sacrament to the faithful was giuen in both kinds in bread wine For to eate without drinking what doth it profit the body Both the one the other haue we noted in the place of S. Cyprian before aleaged Also lib. 4. De sacramentis cap. 5 these words saith the same S. Ambrose In the distribution of the bodie bloud of Christ the priest said Take the body of the Lord Take the bloud of Christ Whereunto the commucant answered Amen The second Doctour is Saint Ierome Where speaking vppon the second chapter of Malachy saith The priest which consecrateth the bread of the supper and distributeth the blood of the Lord to the people Saint Augustine is full of notable sayings confirming our Doctrine of the communion in both kindes Of which I will alleage one or two to auoyd tediousnesse How saith Saint Augustine lib. 5. Hypognost Tom. 7. dost thou promise the life of the kingdome of heauen to Babes not regenerate of water and the holie Ghost nor nourished with the flesh nor watered with the blood of Christ c. Also in the first Epistle to Ianuarius Some saith he doe euery day communicate the body and the bloud of Christ others c. This is most certaine that in the time of S. Cyprian and of S. Augustine and long time also after the Eucharist was giuen in both kindes and that to Infants As Erasmus noteth it The fourth Doctor which is S. Gregory now remayneth whom we may iustly intitle the last bishop of Rome and his successor Boniface 3. may we call the first Pope because he would be wholy Pope calling himselfe by the ayd of that murderer Phocas vniuersall Bishop Saint Gregorie then saith you haue learned what the bloud of the Lambe is and this not by hearing but by drinking his bloud to wit as often we haue said the sacramēt of his bloud is shed into the mouths of the faithful Here you see al the foure Doctors of the Church confirme our Doctrine Why then doe our aduersaries deny it And what say I of foure doctors reade they all the ancient Doctors as wel Greeks as Latins all are found to be for vs. And many years also after Saint Gregorie when all things as it were went to ruine this custom continued not as a custome but as a law inuiolable was it holdē for the reuerence of the diuine institution was yet on foot in it being to separate those things which God hath ioyned they doubted not to be sacrilege So said Gelasius Bish of Rome as de Consecratione dist 2. cap. Comperimus it is alleaged we haue vnderstood saith he that some hauing only taken the body of the Lord doe absent themselues from the cuppe who for as much as they sinne of superstition must bee compelled to receiue entirely the whole Sacrament or to abstaine from the whole For the diuision of this misterie cannot be without great sacrilege Our aduersaries then in diuiding this mysterie by the saying of Gelasius be superstitious Church-robbers In the 3. Councell of Toledo 2. Cannon And in the conclusion of the sayd Councell the symbol of our faith is commaunded to be said before the communion of the body and bloud of Christ according to the custome of the East the reason which the Councell giueth is that the people should confesse that which they beleeue and so hauing hearts purified by faith are said to receiue the body and bloud of Christ In this Councell was present the Catholike king Ricaredo as by the prayers which hee made in the Councell appeareth The 7. Domage that the Masse causeth is that suppose the Masse were good celebrated as it ought to be celebrated yet in a strange tongue is it sayd that the people vnderstand it not sometimes also be himself that faith it vnderstandeth not that which he saith which is against the commandement of S. Paul who commandeth that all be done with comelinesse order And what comelines or order is there where the people heare a language which they vnderstand not and so know not whether the Priest doth blesse or curse them The same Apostle saith that the vse of tongues not vnderstood albeit to the praise of God is vnprofitable in the Church And therefore without interpretation of that which is said ought not to be vsed Read 1. Cor. 14. 8. where he saith If the trumpet shall giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnder flood that which is spoken For ye shall speake in the aire c. And therefore in the 19. verse he sayth I would rather speake fine words in the Church with vnderstanding that is to say that may be vnderstood thereby also to instruct others then tenne thousand wordes in a tongue to wit that the people vnderstand not The same Apostle in the 27. verse commandeth that if
Christ Saint Ierome vppon the 66. chap. of Esayas saith Not being holie in bodie nor spirit they eate not the flesh of Iesus nor drinke they his bloud Manie other places bee there in the Fathers that proue our doctrine the wicked c. not to eate nor drinke the bodie bloud of Christ But those which wee haue alleaged are now sufficient Another absurditie there is and this it is that the banquet being to be common and generall to all by which it is called Communion one onely at his pleasure eateth it and swalloweth all without giuing part to others Who taught them thus to doe Not Christ nor his Apostles nor the primitiue Church In old time all those that were present when the Supper of the Lord was celebrated did communicate and that in both kindes And except they did communicate they depriued them of the Supper which our Aduersaries cannot denie So confesseth George Cassander in the Preface of the booke intituled Ordo Romanus de officio Missae for confirmation hereof hee alleadgeth the tenth Cannon of the Apostles where it is commaunded that all the faithfull which were found present at the holy solemnities of the Church and continued not till the Masse were ended nor receiued the holie Communion should bee cast from the Communion He citeth the Councell of Antioch the second chapter wherein it is ordayned that all they which enter into the Church of God and receiue not the holy Communion should bee cast out of the Church Hee alleaged also the Cannon of Calixtus or as say others Anacletus which commandeth that the consecration ended all should communicate Hee alleageth also Iohn Coclaeus in the booke which hee intituled De Sacrificio Missae contra Musculum In old time saith Cochleus Aswell the Priestes as the Laitie so manie as were found present at the sacrifice of the Masse the offering being ended did ioyntly with the Priest communicate c. And the same Cannon which they say in their Masse maketh this to bee clearely vnderstood because it maketh mention of the people standing about offering and communicating For which cause some expounders of the Cannons say that the Cannon ought not to be sayd in the Masse but onely when the people communicate Many more Councels and Fathers might be alleaged to confirme that which Cassander sayth but the thing being so manifest many witnesses shal be needlesse The Grecians vntill this day obserue the ancient custome there is no priuate Masse among them Vpon the Lords dayes and festiuall dayes the Supper of the Lord is onely celebrated and the people in both kindes communicate Our aduersaries may see what hath beene the cause of leauing this ancient and laudable custome and that as many also as heare the Masse and communicate not incurre thereby Excommunication The Communion in our time is but once a yeare celebrated and this with damage and great idolatrie and all the dayes in the yeare is no other thing done but saying of Masses in euery corner of the Churches and in those also of particular houses without any Communion except it be that some for deuotion will communicate and oftentimes it happeneth that none is found present at these Masses but the Nouice onely that answereth Et cum Spiritu tuo and with thy spirit when the Priest hath said vnto him Dominus vobiscum The Lord bee with you And note that the Nouice is wont to be commonly a little villaine according to the prouerbe Hize à mi hijo Monazillo y torno seme diabillo Make my sonne a Nouice and turne him a little diuell What agreement then hath this their priuate Masse with the holy Supper of the Lord which is a common banquet proposed to the whole Church Reade the tenth and eleuenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians which before we haue alleaged What wickednes do they then that conuert the Masse into the supper of the Lord which they neuer celebrate except the whole Church or the greatest part of it do communicate acording to the institution of Christ according to that which his Apostles did and the Church many yeares after The 3. absurdity is that which before we haue said that were there Trāsubstantiation Christ shuld haue 2 carnal bodies one which sate the other which this sitting body did eate giue to his Disciples The fourth Absurditie is that they put the body of Iesus Christ in diuerse places at one instant in all the Masses which are sayd through the world Against the order of nature doe they in this according whereunto nothing created that is finite can be at one selfe same time in diuerse places The body of Iesus Christ considered it selfe is finite and in time created therefore can it not bee in diuerse places at one instaut In this do they also against the article of our faith which in the Creed we confesse that Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father From whence shall he come saith the article of our faith to iudge the quicke and the dead Also they do against common experience for seeing bread and wine with the eyes tasting them with the mouth and smelling them with the nose yet for all this say they that no bread nor wine remaineth I demaund now when they burne this their Sacrament for the causes that they themselues in the booke de Cautelis do command it to be burned I demaund of them what is that which is burned and conuerted into ashes Not the bodie of Christ which now being glorified is impassible nor the accidents of the bread nor of the wine for the substance of the ashes engendred of that which was burned could not bee engendered but of another substance according to that which commonly is said The generation of one thing is the corruption of another It followeth then Albeit it grieue them that they deny it that the bread is burned I demaund of them also when the Priest deuideth the Host into three partes what is that which he deuideth Some say they bee accidents without subiect To others this answere not seeming to be good because not the accidents but the substance which hath quantitie is parted Therefore say they that nothing is parted This people thinke vs to be blocks and fooles They will make vs as they say del cielo cebolla to beleeue things impossible Free should they be from all these absurdities would they with Iesus Christ with his Apostle Saint Paul and with the Catholike Church confesse true bread and true wine to be in this sacrament of which bread and of which wine being corrupted are engendred those things before spoken So that the wormes and ashes are engendred and made not of the body of Christ which is glorious and set at the right hand of the Father not of the accidentes which haue not other being but doe remaine in some subiect and by a miracle say they the accidentes in the Sacrament bee
hanged in Siuill These men had secretly by night murdred their prouinciall and the day following to auoyd all note of suspition all foure of them said Masse But as they themselues afterwardes confessed they had no intention to consecrate and so did they not consecrate Yet in the rest they vsed all the Ceremonies and acts accustomably done by them that say the Masse For confirmation of that which I haue said that the popish priests haue oft times no intention to consecrate and that not hauing intention to consecrate they cause all those that heare their masse to commit idolatrie I will here rehearse one notable history which a graue author reporteth in our dayes happened There was in this land saith this author a certaine priest c. Whē this man for his filthy life incredible rudenes and ignorance of holy things was deposed and another more sufficient which could well and profitably feede the sheepe of the Lord put in his place He that was deposed about certaine busines which he had came to my house After some discourse I demanded of him that seeing he had bene aboue 30 yeares a leacher that he had by his concubine some sonnes now of big stature I demanded of him I say if purposely truly withall his hart had at any time repēted him of his whoredome He answered me that he had sometimes repented As at the time whē he celebrated the birth of our Lord at the feast of the resurrection at Easter At that time said he he alwaies separated his bed for some nights slept not with his concubine I cōmanded of him if finally at any time he had truly repēted him of this his abhominable life I demād of him if with praiers teares sighes and grones that with delebrat purpose to liue thence forth chastly to chaūge his life into a better he had craued pardon at Gods hand for his offence And if hauing reputed he put from him his concubine with intent neuer more to receiue her He neuer had sayd he any such purpose I sayd vnto him How then saydest thou euerie day Masse How maidest thou no scruple to eate the bread of the Lord and to drinke of his holie cuppe thy conscience accusing thee of so enormious a sinne Didest thou not feare that the earth would open and swallowe thee vp quick I still insisting and constrayning him at last he confessed that not pronouncing the sacramentall wordes wherewith is consecrated the sacrament that hee should not vnworthilie receiue the bodie and bloud of the Lord he had not consecrated What sayest thou Sayd I I tell you that which passed answered hee and the same is truth Alas Alas sayd I darest thou committe so horrible and neuer once heard of wickednesse Is it possible that thou gauest so great an occasion of so horrible Idolatry The people at your eleuation kneeled on their knees cast thēselues to the earth lifted vp the handes towards the altar stroke their breasts and worshipped the vnconsecrate bread and cuppe What thing is this I tremble to speake it But God sayd I if thou repent not will doubtlesse sometimes giue thee the punishment that for such abhomination and boldnesse thou deseruest But what neede many words When I with wordes had earnestly reprooued him my gallant who not with wordes but with prison and irons deserued to bee punished began to excuse his fault saying that it was not so great and that he was not alone but many more did the same which thought it not so abhominable an offence as I made it c. This far the said author All they that heard the masse of those men adored the sacrament which they lifted vp by their owne Cannons and decrees cōmitted idolatry For this is their Maxim that he consecrateth not which hath no intention to consecrate and as little doth he consecrate that pronounceth not the words of consecration miserable is the religion of those that depend vpon the intention of another And who knoweth the intent of man but God alone which searcheth the harts In the meane time shall man doubt whether that be God which he worshippeth or no. Therefore a certaine Inquisitor most great enemy to the cōuerts fearing when he heard masse whither the priest had intētion to consecrate or no said O Lord if thou be there I adore thee By this subteltie thought this Inquisitor to escape committing of Idolatrie In the time of the Councel of Constance there were 3 Popes all three did the Councel for their wickednes abhominations depose and elected Martin 5. These 3 Popes not being true Popes could not ordaine priests nor giue them authority to consecrate So that after their owne cannons All they that heard their Masses committed Idolatry As little did all they that were ordayned in the time of Constantine 1. and of Pope Ione consecrate For Constantine being a laye man and without receiuing any orders was by force which Desiderius his brother king of Lombardie vsed to the Romaines made Pope who not being a priest could not ordaine nor giue authoritie to ordaine priests which not being priests consecrated not Concerning Pope Ione there is none doubted but that neither shee nor they by her ordayned nor they which by her authoritie were ordayned did consecrate And so as many as in the time of this man Pope and in the time of this woman Pope adored the sacrament by their owne Cannons committed Idolatrie For although they had intention to consecrate yet had they not the Caracter which they call Indelibele Of the priestly order and he which is not ordained priest doth not consecrate and not consecrating all that heare his Masses commit Idolatry And to make their sacrament the more to be loathed I will recite here an historie which in the 1526. yeare in a Monastery of Dominican Fryars of the towne of Auserra in Fraunce and vppon the solemne feast day of Corpus Christi happened There was a Friar in the sayd couēt who by reason of his age and chiefly for being eaten with the Bubos had not sayd Masse now of many dayes before This increasing in him deuotion he tooke courage to say Masse vppon so solemne a day So that hee sayd Masse and finished it His Masse ended and hee going through the cloister of the Monasterie his stomack turned and beeing not able to digest retaine God which hee had in bodie and bloud receiued did vomit him vp before the chapter gate Which thing once knowne a great rumour was presently raysed througout all the Couent Some sayd this thing others that thing should bee done But in fine hauing some time disputed vppon this matter they concluded that the Tabernacle or tombe which they vse to put on the graues when they celebrate the Office of the dead should be placed ouer that holy vomit And so was it done And this that none should tread vppon nor any dogges should eate that holie
possesse them incorporateth them into himselfe and he incorporateth himselfe into them These be they alone which receiue not only the bread wine but also the sacramēt of the body bloud of Christ by the bread by the wine signified receauing the sacramēt of the bodie bloud of Christ they receiue truly really the glorious body bloud of christ yet not carnally but spiritually by faith As before we haue said would our aduersaries admit this so true and cleare doctrine that bringeth with it no absurdities but rather taketh away manie which the word of God doth teach vs and the ancient Doctors doe witnesse they would not beleeue that the mouse the chicken the poore Chough c. doe eate the bodie of Christ but a peece of bread and that but of small substance and so would they not burne nor being burned preserue their ashes I cannot omit here to tell that which on the same day of Corpus Christi did an Inquisitor in Bercelona The tale is this It is 34. or 35. yeares little more or lesse since that being to go in solemne procession which with so great pompe and triumph is vpon this day of Corpus Christi accustomed to be done through out all Spaine and the Priest hauing now sung the high Masse which wontedly is the last vpon that day for all the Priests will that day go in procession it then hapned that the consecrated Host which was to be put in the boxe was so great that it could not be placed in the same This seen the preparation staied and there was none in that famous companie that could tel in such a case what ought to be done But in the end the wisest of the cōpany were of opinion that another Masse should be sayd and an Host consecrated of the like bignes with the boxe but grieuous it was vnto them to waite so long it might be also that no Priest was found which had not already said his Masse and broken his fast the better to be able to go in procession which as that day is very solemne and is farre in going and comming In this famous companie was there an Inquisitor much spoken of called Molon This man impatient to suffer so much delay waite so long a time presuming vpon his Inquisitory authority demanded a paire of sheeres wherewith he clipped the consecrate Host so that he made it fit for the boxe and so the procession went forward It is to bee thought that some did abhorre the rashnesse of the Inquisitor and sighed to see their God and Creator as they call the sacrament so handled by the wicked hands of the Inquisitor Others would say otherwise This is most certain that had any other but the Inquisitor committed such an offence and chiefly had he bene of any race of a new Christian he should not I suppose haue escaped with life one by one al that he had he should haue lost The chastisement wherewith Signor Molon was punished for so enormious a fault was that they depriued him of his inquisitors Office in Barcelona but because so notable an Inquisitor should not be idle they prouided for him the office of the inquisitor at Seuill where hee better might vse his handes in the time of the great persecution which a few yeares before was raised as in the life of Pius the 4. and the 1557. yeare we haue declared This was the great punishment which they gaue to better him withall We will then conclude this Treatise with a notable history reported by Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo who ended his history as himselfe at the end thereof witnesseth in the yeare of the Lord 1243. and in the 26. yeare of king Don Fernando and in the time of the great vacation of Gregorie 9. So that it is now three hundred fifty fiue yeares since he wrote it The said Archbishop in his sixt booke and twentie fiue chapter That the Office which they call Toledano by Isidorus and Leander ordayned was throughout all Spaine celebrated vntill king Don Alonso the sixt which wanne Toledo at the instance of his wife Queene Constance Frenchwoman sent to Rome to Pope Gregory 7. requesting him that the Toledan Office being taken away the Roman Office throughout all Spaine might be vsed c. And in the 26. chap. he saith that Pope Gregory 7. at the petition of king Don Alonso sent one Ricardus Abbot of Saint Victor to set in good order the Churches of Spaine This Legate sent by the Pope as the same Archbishop reporteth did wickedly gouerne so that he was depriued from his office Before he was depriued he much disturbed the state Ecclesiasticall and common wealth of Spaine For the Legate and the King caused them to take the French Office and to leaue the Toledan wherein they and their Ancestors had beene brought vp by the space almost of fiue hundred yeares which was from Saint Gregorie the first in whose time liued Saint Leander and his brother Saint Isidor Archbishops of Seuil vntill this Gregorie the seuenth in whose time reigned Don Alonso the sixt and so vppon a certaine day for his pleasure was this matter very truly debated in the presence of the king the Primate the Legate and the people The Ecclesiasticall state Nobilitie which the Archbishop calleth Militia and people did purposely much withstand it endeuouring what they could that their seruice should not be changed But the king perswaded by his wife a French-woman insisted with threates vnlesse it were chaunged The conclusion was thus Two knights were named to fight the one for the king which should defend the French Office the other for the Nobilitie and Communaltie of Spaine which should maintaine the office of Toledo Hee that tooke part with the king was vanquished the people seeing the knight of the Toledan Office was victor reioyced But so greatly was the king pricked forward by the Queene that hee would not chaunge his purpose ' saying That the single fight or combat of two was not law The knight which sought for the Toledan Office was of the linage of the Matienças whose race as yet liueth And when for this cause arose great tumult for the Nobilitie and people did greatly mutine it was determined that the booke of the Toledan Office and the booke of the French Office should bee cast into a great fire all being first commanded to assemble and pray together Then after they had deuoutly ioyned together and prayed both the one booke and the other were cast into the fire And the booke of the Toledan Office arose vp safe and sound without dammage aboue all the flames of the great fire All which saw those that were present gaue thanks vnto God But the king being of an high stomacke and bold executor of his will neither feared by the miracle nor moued by request perseuered rather in his purpose threatening the losse of goods and life to those that should resist him
negligence forgetfulnes of the things which concern our saluation that we shuld not forget the benefit of his death passion did institute the most holy sacrament of his precious body which he gaue vpon the crosse of his precious bloud which he shed in his passion which sacramēt he wold shuld be vnto vs a memoriall of al that which he suffred for vs of the benefit we receiue by his death passion As often as ye shal do this to wit as ye shall celebrate the holy Supper ye shal do it saith Christ in remembrance of me One only time was Christ offered and by this only offering he obtained for vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes But hee would we should alwayes remember this benefit And to help our memorie did he institute this sacrament and willeth wee not once but many times in our life receiue it The institution of this Sacrament the Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke do declare but most largely Saint Paul in 1. Cor. chap. 11. and in the tenth chap. he beginneth also to intreate thereof He are wee then Saint Peul declare how Christ celebrated his holy supper wherein hee instituted the Sacrament of his body and of his bloud I receiued of the Lord saith Saint Paul that which I also deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate This is my body which is broken for you Do this in remembrance of mee Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup saying This is the new testament in my bloud Do this as often as you shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming Whosoeuer therefore shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let then a man proue himselfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh the same vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not considering the Lords body We haue heard how the Lord did celebrate his holy supper and instituted therein the most holy sacrament of his body and bloud The same order that Iesus Christ vsed in celebrating of it held his Apostles as often as they celebrated the same This selfe same order as we haue before shewed was for a thousand yeares space obserued in the Church Albeit true it is that before the thousand yeares were accomplished Sathan enuying the great benefite and comfort which we receiue with this sacrament began to alter it adding thereto many thinges touching rites and ceremonies But the thousand yeares passed the whole sacrament with furie hee cast to the earth and in place thereof aduaunced an idoll made of dough made betweene two irons which they adore and sacrifice vnto neither more nor lesse then if it were God himselfe that created heauen and earth But in all this time of so great ignoraunce and Idolatrie The Lord as we haue said did neuer vtterly forsake his Church For euer he raised vp some true prophet some holy man or men that with zeale of the Lordes house and nor accompting of the daunger whereunto they thrust their liues reproued the world Because through the Church of God was sold this so horrible idolatry But particularly in these our times hath the Lord shewed mercy raysing vp very many learned godly men Which being simple poore men haue with great zeale opposed them selues to the tyranny of Antichrist and to all the power of the world which was inchanted bewitched with the false Doctrine of Antichrist And so hath God blessed the labour of these men As he blessed in times past the labour of the Apostles meane simple people that they haue cast to the earth the Missa or Masse the breaden God which our aduersaries haue raysed vp and haue eftsoones restored the holy supper which the Lord Iesus the night before he should suffer celebrated with his disciples They that haue eyes to see Let them see and they that haue eares to heare Let them heare That seeing and hearing All the world may iudge if that be true which we say I will here set downe the order holden in our Churches which God by the meanes of these holy men hath in our time reformed when the holy supper is celebrated Hearken then O Spaine what in thine owne Language I speake that small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand me The forme which is holden in the reformed Churches of celebration of the holie supper of the Lord. It is to be noted That the Lords day before the supper is celebratae The minister doth warne the people that each one dispose and prepare himselfe to receiue it worthily and with such reuerence as is meete The second thing which is done is that youthes which haue now attayned to yeares of discretion doe not present themselues to receiue it before they he well instructed and taught in the Christian Doctrine and have made profession of their faith in the Church Thirdly if therebe any straungers or newe commers which be as yet rude and ignorant in religion that they come present themselues to be taught particularly in that which is meete for them to know the day on which they celebrate the same the minister at the end of the sermon toucheth somewhat concerning the misteries Or if neede require his whole sermon treateth of the Doctrine of the supper to declare to the people what the Lord by this mistery will say giue to vnderstand And how we ought to receiue it After that the minister hath publiquely prayed he saith the generall confession after the confession of faith made to witnes in the name of the people that they all wil liue die in the doctrin Christian religion The table being prepared the bread wine vpō it he thus aloud speaketh The institution of the holy supper of the Lord Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth I receiued of the Lord c. As we haue before recited The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it We haue heard brethren how the Lord celebrated the supper with his disciples and in that which he did he sheweth vnto vs that straungers to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull ought not to be admitted vnto it Following therefore this rule in the name by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ I excommunicate all Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God heretiques all Schismatiques which make sects a part to break the vnity of the Church all periured persons all that be
disobedient to their fathers and mothers and to their superious all seditious persons factious traytors contentious persons adulterours fornicators thieues dauncers manslayers euill speakers deceiuers couetous persons he she witches vsurers raysers of false witnes robbers drunkards gluttons all those that liue scandalously denouncing vnto them that they abstaine from this holy table that they foule not nor defile the holie meat which our Lord Iesus Christ giueth to his houshold and faithfull only An exhortation wherein is declared what is the vse and fruit of the supper Therefore after S. Paules admonition let euery man proue and examine his conscience to knowe if hee haue true repentaunce of his sinnes and if hee abhorre them grieuing to haue coÌ„mitted them against the diuine goodnes desireth thenceforth to liue holily according to the wil of God And aboue all if he haue his trust in the diuine mercie seeke wholy his saluation in Iesus Christ And if all Enmitie and rancour layd aside hee haue a good purpose to liue with his neighbours in concord and brotherly loue If we haue this testimony in our hart before God we nothing doubt but that he accepteth and acknowledgeth vs for his sonnes And that the Lord Iesus Christ directeth his word to vs to admit vs vnto his Table and communicate this sacrament vnto vs which hee commnnicated to his disciples And albeit wee feele in our selues great weakenesse and misery As not yet to haue perfection of faith But to bee inclined to vnbeliefe and distrust and as not to bee so fully addicted to serue God and with such a zeale as wee ought But to fight continually with the Iustes of the flesh Notwithstanding this hath the Lord shewed vs this mercy to haue imprinted in our harts his Gospel to resist all incredulity and hath giuen vs a desire and affection to renounce our owne inclinations and corrupt desires to follow his righteousnesse and obey his holie commandements Sure we are that the vices and imperfections remaine in vs cannot let but that he receiue vs make vs worthy to be partakers of his good things in this spirituall banquet For wee come not to him to protest that in our selues wee are perfect or iust But contrarywise in seeking with great desire our life in Christ wee confesse that we abide in death This sacrameÌ„t vnderstand we to be a medecine for those which are needy in spirtuall infirmities that all the dignitie which Christ our redeemer requireth at our hands is to know vs to haue sorrow and hartie griefe for our offences and to settle all our delight ioy contentment only in him First doe we beleeue these promises which Iesus Christ who is the infallible and eternall truth pronounced with his mouth To wit that he will truly make vs partakers of his body bloud To the end we may wholy possesse him that he may liue in vs we in him And although we see not the thing giuen but only bread wine yet are we sure he wil spiritually fulfil in our harts all that which he out wardly sheweth by these visible signes He is I would say the heauenly bread to feede vs nourish vs vnto life eternal Let vs not then be vngrateful to the infinit goodnes of Iesus Christ our sauiour who setteth before vs vpon this holy table all his riches to distribute the same vnto vs. For in giuing himself vnto vs he doth witnes that all his good things are wholy ours Let vs therfore receiue this sacrameÌ„t as a most certaine pledge wherby the vertue of his death passioÌ„ is imputed vnto vs for righteousnes As if we our selues in our own persons had suffered Let vs not be so peruerse of vnderstanding nature to refuse to reioyce enioy this diuine banquet wherunto Iesus Christ by his word doth so gently inuite vs. But with great esteeme of the dignitie of this most precious guift wherewith he graceth vs to present we our selues vnto him with a burning zeale and faithful hart that he make vs capable to receiue him For this end lift we vp our minds harts vnto him there where Iesus Christ is in the glorie of his father from wheÌ„ce we expect him for our redemptioÌ„ And let vs not be occupied nor dwel vppoÌ„ these earthly corruptible elements which we see with the eyes touch with the hands to seeke him in theÌ„ as though hee were inclosed in the bread wine For theÌ„ shall our soules being so lifted vp aboue all earthly things be disposed to be fed quickened with his substauÌ„ce to come vnto heaueÌ„ enter into the kingdoÌ„e of God where he remayneth Content we then our selues to hold the bread wine for signes testimonies seking spiritually the truth where the word of God doth promise This done the ministers distribute vnto the people the bread and the cup hauing first admonished all that they come with all reuerence by order to receiue it In the meane time they sung some psalmes in the congregatioÌ„ or read with a loud voyce some thing of the holy scripture agreiug to that which by the sacrameÌ„t is signified wheÌ„ all haue coÌ„municated they kneele on their knees giue thanks A thankesgiuing after the communion We giue thee euerlasting thanks praise eternall and heauenly father for the clemencie which thou hast vsed towards vs in communicating vnto vs so great a benefit being as we are miserable sinners and in hauing made vs partakers of the communion of thy son Iesus Christ our Lord. Whom thou deliueredst ouer to death for vs and now giuest him vnto vs for foode and nourishment of euerlasting life Haue mercie also vppon vs and neuer suffer vs to forget these thinges so worthie of thee But hauing them imprinted in our harts we may alwayes growe be strengthened in faith effectuall to all good works And that this doing we may order proceede all our life time holily to the aduauncement of thy glory and edification of our neighbours through Iesus Christ thy son who in the vnity of the holy spirit liueth raigneth with thee the true God euerlasting This done the minister with this blessing dispatcheth the people wherewith the Lord commaundeth that they should blesse the people Numb 9 24. The Lord blesse you and saue you the Lord make his face shine vpon you be merciful vnto you The Lord turne his fauourable câ—uÌ„tenance towards you giue you his peace Amen In the vulgar tongue is all this sayd that all small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand Whosoeuer without passion with a desire to be assured of the way of his saluation shall read this which we haue sayd hee shall easily vnderstand the supper which now we celebrate in the reformed Churches to be the same which Iesus Christ our king prophet and priest instituted which his Apostles the catholike church for many hundred yeares did celebrate And contrary wise
shal he vnderstand the Masse which our aduersaries at this day celebrete to haue no agreement with the holy supper of the Lord but in al by al to be opposit vnto it And so cōtrary that where the one is the other in no wise can be where the masse is there is not the snpper of the Lord where the supper of the Lord is there is not the masse For how can light and darknes be ioyned the table of the Lord the table of diuels God and Belial And that the Christian people of my nation for whose cause desiring to do them seruice I haue taken this paine if that may be called paine which the person with great content and desire to serue and doe some good taketh may easily vnderstand this I will here in a table set downe the agreement conformity and vnity which is betweene the holy supper by vs in our reformed Churches celebrated the holy supper of the Lord then will I set downe the difference disagreement contrariety which is between the holy supper by our Christ instituted and the prophane masse which Antichrist hath inuented and sold for mony to miserable people called Christians Hee whom God hath giuen vnderstanding to vnderstand Let him vnderstand the will of the Lord and doe the same The holie supper of the Lord. Iesus Christ alone ordained his holy supper and commanded his Church to celebrate the same As he himselfe had celebrated it The supper of the reformed Churches The supper is celebrated neither more nor lesse then Iesus Christ did celebrate it and after the same manner by him cōmanded to his Church as the Euangelists Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. 24 do declare Therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Masse hath bene made by many Popes For one Pope made the confite or another the introit another the Kyri-elecson another the Gloria in excelsis another the Gradual another the Offertorie another the Cannon another the Memento another the Teigitur another the Cōmunicātes another ordayned that the bread in the Masse should be vnleuened another that water should be put into wine Another cōmanded that the bread shuld be worshipped saying it was not bread but God which made heauē earth c. Another made the Agnus Dei The same may also be sayd of whatsoeuer is done in the masse Christ made none of all these things nor cōmanded his faithfull to doe them Diuers Popes and at sundry times did inuent them Whereuppon it followeth that neuer Christ no not at all did institute the Masse nor his Apostles sayd it Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ entending to celebrate his Supper changed not his garments The Supper of the reformed Churches So also the Ministers when they celebrate the Supper change not their garments Therefore is our Supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest going to say his Masse doth nought els but cloth and vncloth and euery garment that hee putteth on how little soeuer carrieth great mysteries which they without the word of God to keepe the poore people still bewitched haue forged Moreouer the Priest saying Masse must haue his head beard shaued vpon his head a circle of haire which they cal a crown wherein they follow not Christ nor his Apostles who neuer did weare head nor beard shauen but they imitate the Priests of the Gentiles whom Baruch chap. 6. and 30. reporteth to haue had their heades and beardes shauen Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ vsed common bread serued at the table when hee supped with his Apostles The Supper of the reformed Churches We also do vse common bread therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest must expresly vse other maner of bread baked betweene two yrons which properly is no bread but wafers Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ made his Supper vppon a table The Supper of the reformed Churches We do also celebrate the Supper vpon a table and not vpon an altar An altar is for sacrifice and sacrifices ceased with the death of Christ Therefore neede we no altar A table is to suppe on Saint Paul cals it the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 11. 20. whereuppon it followeth that it being a Supper vpon a table and not an altar it is to be celebrated therefore is our supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest must haue an altar which he calleth consecrated An altar I say in a hole in the middest whereof which they call the Sepulchre is put a peece of some reliques and if the altar be not consecrate then must he haue a marble stone which they call a consecrate altar in the border whereof are little peeces of cloth which they cal Corporales All which Durandus in his booke intituled Rationale diuinorum hath diligently trauelled to declare therefore the Masse is not the Suppet of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ in celebrating his supper preached and taught his Apostels The supper of the refoumed Church The supper is neuer celebrated but the minister doth preach and teach those that communicate therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest mumbleth between his teeth certain praiers he turneth to and from the altar one while his backe another while his face to the people now goeth he from one part of the altar vnto another now he singeth with an high voyce now with a low voyce now liftes hee vp his armes now he casteth them downe he lifts vp the traine of his cope holding a candle or wax burning Briefly he seemeth to be nothing els but a man wholly madde not knowing what countenance to vse Let them shew when Christ or his Apostles did this or commāded the Church to doe the same Therfore the Masse is not supper of the Lord. The holy Super of the Lord. Christ in celebrating of his Supper spake in the vulgar tongue that all might vnderstand The Supper of the Reformed Churches All whatsoeuer is sayd when we celebrate the Supper is spoken in the vulgar tongue that all may vnderstand therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope In the Masse a strāge tongue is vsed which most of the Massing priests vnderstand not which is wholly contrary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. where hee sheweth that no tongue in the Church is to be vsed but that which may be vnderstood Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ in the Supper first brake the bread and then gaue it
her to say the Cannonicall houres and at the End of euery Psalme would she say Gloria Patriet tibi Spiritui Sancto Or as saith friar Lewys de Granada Tibifilio To wit Glory be to the Father and to thee his Sonne and to the holy ghost c. In the 9. Page he saith To communicate and receiue her Creator was her ordinary custome during which time the other Nunnes saw her in a trance for a long space rapt vp in Spirit vntill her Gouernour commaunded her to go to the Communion with the other Religious And then returning to her selfe shee went most obediently forthwith to accomplish this holy mysterie c. In the 10. pag. speaking of her great charitie he recounteth a miracle this it is In the Monastery there was a Nun that was very weake withall had this fansie that she would in no wise eate any meat supposing that all sorts of meats were poisoned and in this franticke humour she kept her teeth shut by reason whereof her lips and iawes were couered with filth matter This religious Marie hauing compassion of the poore frantick Nunne and moued with a feruent charitie to her went to see her and praying her to eat a peece of bread which she offered her assured her it had no poison in it The diseased answered If you will eate of the same bread and bite in the side that I with my teeth and iawes which were cankered will bite then will I beleeue that the bread hath no poison that it is good bread Marie full of charitie enforced her selfe and with a strong hart least she should vomite promised to do so Then tooke she the bread and bit therof in the same place that the frantike Nunne had bitten And this she did with incredible cheerefulnesse hardly had she thus done when our Lord Iesus Christ by reason of his charitie appeared to the sayd Mary sayd vnto her For this thy so charitable an act I will giue health to this diseased And so was the sicke healed of her infirmitie The 11. pag. saith That as often as being in the Monastery she heard the litle bel which accompanied the most holy sacrameÌ„t of our Lord wheÌ„ they carried it to the diseased through the citie she kneeled downe on the ground with teares was rapt vp in a trance as witnesse the religious of the said Monasterie desirous is she of this most holy sacrament c. so hunger after it that Iesus Christ appeareth very often visibly vnto her he himselfe giueth himselfe to this religious The wednesday in the holy week she went into the low quire where the Nunnes through a window do wontedly receiue the holy communion at the haÌ„ds of the priest who is on the other side without where seeing that all the Nunnes had communnicated and that there was neuer a consecrat host left for her she betooke her selfe to praier intreating with teares the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that she might haue means to comunicate c. And a little after Then the holy place where so rich a treasure as is the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was kept opened of his owne accord one of the consecrate formes went forth without any visible helpe and offred it selfe to the mouth of this Religious woman which with most great deuotion and humility she receiued Another time on Innocents day another like miracle happened vnto her who euer increasing in perfecttion vertue is now come to so high an estate That about foure or fiue yeres since Iesus Christ crucified appeared vnto her all shining from whose right side issued a beame of fire which stroke vpon the left side of this Religious who stood right against the Crucifixe made and left in her flesh a red marke as bigge as the stroke of Launce and this wound on certaine daies namely at euery Friday openeth from whence issue certaine droppes of bloud and she feeleth she saith great griefe of the saide wound The diâ—ine Maiestie hath shewed these wonders since she was made Prioresse which was in the yeare 1583. in the beginning of Iulie c. Pag. 12. When she is in her Cell at prayer the religious see her enuironed with brightnesse and lifted vp into the aire with a great light which issues from her breast and face which signifie the great and feruent charitie and loue of God that is in her Lastly vpon the day of Saint Thomas of Aquine the 7. of March 1584. she being before aduised thereto by our Lord Iesus and by the sayd Saint Thomas communicated this vision to her Prouinciall And being by him exhorted therunto for nine dayes together euery day first confest her self she receiued the most holy communion In these dayes God shewed many fauours with much brightnesse by night As she was praying in the Quire on the said feast of Saint Thomas after Mattens betweene the houres of foure fiue in the morning Iesus Christ crucified gloriously shining appeared vnto her as before he had appeared with his fiue most holy wounds From his feete hands and side issued out beames of fire which wounded the hands feete and side of this Religious The wounds and marks of bloudy colour most faire remaine in her aswell within the palmes of the hands the feet as without the one in a round figure like to a naile answering the other the same side was marked in the same place wherein she had before bene wounded but with a signe or marke far more apparant She confesseth that she feels extreme griefe of the said wounds c. At the end of the letter the Prouinciall hath these words Some of my Religious bring I with me to giue good testimonie of that which I haue said he nameth these Friar Antonio de la Cerda Prouincial of Portugal who wrote this letter F. Gasper Leiton RegeÌ„t of the Colledge of Lisbon preacher to the king Friar Lewys de Granada Friar Pedro de Somer CoÌ„fessor of the most illustrious D. Henrie Cardinall that afterwards was K. of Portugal The second Letter is from Friar Lewys de Granada sent to the Patriarke of Valencia The date is from Lisbon the 18. of March 1584. the principall pointes are these In the 16. page of the book it saith that S. Thomas appeared vnto her 10 dayes before his feast told her she should prepare her selfe for vpon his feast day the Lord would come to visit her shew vnto her grace and particular fauour namely that of the impression of the fiue wounds as was said in the first letter c. Also he saith fiue or sixe dayes the paine endured during which time when she stepped to walke the soales of her feet shee thought trod vpon nayles c. And pag. 18. it saith On Tenable Wednesday she was in the Quire with great desire to communicate in a window by which the Religious did coÌ„municate right against whereunto was an altar where the little casket of
that they are certayne lost persons and without reformation they taught a grosse error which ought in no wise to be suffered That the holy virgin was conceiued without sin He told them also that they should highly houour an Image of the holy virgin which their Fryars had made by a certaine Arte that distilled teares by the eyes as though it had wept All this at first was beleeued that red bloud was adored As the verie bloud of Christ and was sent to great Lordes as an incomparable Treasure Great concourse there was to the weeping Image So well knew the Dominickes to draw water to their mill that they onely were holden for holie and so caried they all the Almes and deuotions of the people And the poore Franciscans were cast aside and no man made reckoning of them The Franciscans then seeing themselues so despised and perceiuing like people as well exercised in false miracles as were the Dominickes and the rest of the popish Clergie the craft and deceit of the Dominickes vsed great diligence to discouer the villany So much did they that at last it was discouered The foure principal Authors of this Tragedy in the one thousand fiue hundred ninth yeare were burned and the rest were pardoned Those deceauers that so shamelesly make a mockery of religion besides these aforesaid confessed in their torments great abhominations As the papists themselues that wrote this Historie doe witnesse wherein the Pope sending His Legate for this purpose put all to scilence For he feared to loose his ecclesiasticall persons which so great seruice with their false miracles haue done and doe vnto him For well vnderstandeth the Pope their superstitions and Idolatries whereof their religion is full to haue bene inuented or at the least confirmed with like deceipts of fayned apparitions reuelations and false miracles Into this reprobate sence God leaueth them to fall for not reading of the holie Scripture which is the onely rule of the well liuing and seruing of God As his maiestie will be serued But returne we now to our holy Nunne who with ful gale vntill now most happily sayled and set as say the Gentiles on the toppe of Fortunes wheele so much as was possible of small and great Aswell in Portugal as else where was esteemed and reuerenced O how often of her was it sayd Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke Shee nothing wanted in this world to be wholy blessed but that then shee should die O how great a Saint shall hell possesse O how great a Saint hath the Roman Church lost Now that we haue hard the Pro Let vs heare the Contra. From this spouse of Iesus Christ so holie so charitable and so miraculous would the true Iesus Christ not her husband which was the diuell that the Maske of hypocrisie wherewith she was couered should be taken away her abhominations wickednes superstitions Idolatries discouered And so at the end of the admirable yeare 1588. was she condemned as a certaine booke which at the beginning of the yeare following being the 1589. was printed at Seuil doth witnes from whence word for word haue I drawne that I will say against other The title thereof is this A Relation of the holinesse and woundes of Mother Mary de la Visitation which was Prioresse de la Annuntiada of Lisbon and that which was declared in the Sentence which was giuen All the booke will I not set downe but the principall points thereof will I take for my purpose Thus then it beginneth Hauing committed the verification of the woundes and holinesse of Marie Prioresse de la Annunciada of the order of Saint Dominick to the most reuerend and illustrious Archbishoppes of Lisbon and Braga the Bishop de la Guardia the Prouincial of Saint Dominiks order the Inquisitors of this Citie of Lisbon and Doctor Paulo Alfonso of his maiesties Councell The sayd Lordes went to the Monastery vppon the said verification and examination by the testimony of many Nunnes of the sayd Monastery which consentingly declared that the holinesse of the Prioresse was fayned and the woundes painted The information ended the sayd Prioresse was brought before them whom they commaunded to sweare vppon the Masse booke and Christ crucified that shee should say the truth of that should be demaunded of her And if shee so sayd that God should helpe her And if not that the diuell should carry her away Frst how sayd she that she had oft times seene the mother of God And how had she the woundes By the oath she had made she answered That at nine or tenne yeares of age shee entred into the Monastery And after she had made profession being seuenteene yeares olde one day as she was praying to her was it reuealed that God would cherish her And that anonother like day when shee was at prayer came the Angels and put a Crowne of thornes vppon her head which wounded her And many dayes after being in prayer Christ crucrufied apeared vnto her and of the beams that issued from his woundes were those which she had imprinted And Christ whom she called husband oftentimes appeared to her and talked with her and holpe her to say ouer the praiers and that she confessed to this confessor that she said Gloria Patri tibi Spiritui sancto The Confessor told her she should no more say so but Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui sancto as saith the holy mother the Church And in a conference which shee had with her husband she told him that which her Confessor had sayd vnto her And the husband answered she should doe what her Confessor had commanded her The foresayd Fathers seeing she sought each way to make her selfe holy and yet all was fayned as the other Nunnes declared vnto them they perswaded her to say the truth of that which had passed seeing all was fictions and so to them it appeared by information which they had taken and that shee should craue mercie and so would they haue compassion vpon her But she persisting that no other truth there was but that which shee had sayd as her husband well knew they left her Another day in the Visitation which they had with her they tooke hard sope and hot water and well washed her hands and wounds And when they began to do it she fained to haue great paine And after a while that they had washed them the sayd wounds were taken from her And when she saw they were taken away she fell to the earth and began to weepe sigh and craue mercie and cast her selfe at the feete of the sayd Lords who willing her to confesse the truth shee was wearied and dead said she and that they should leaue her till another day and she would confesse the truth and so they left her in guard of the Nunnes charging them on paine of excommunication they should for no cause leaue her alone Another day the foresaid Lordes returned to
better proofes For dreames and false miracles are now nothing worth The time through the mercie of God is not now as wontedly it was when the Clergie easilie deceiued the people and made them to beleeue all whatsoeuer they listed Blessed bee the Lord for the light which in our times he hath giueÌ„ vs. His Maiestie giue vs grace to draw neere vnto it For the seruant that knoweth his maisters will doth it not shall be more punished then he that knoweth it not Besides this there is nothing in these his ten instructions which hath not already in the two precedent Treatises of the Pope and of the Masse bene sufficiently confuted To them I referre my selfe Our redeemer Iesus Christ when hee beganne to preach his Gospell confirmed the same with true miracles and departing from this world as Saint Marke in the last chapter of his Gospell declareth for the same effect to confirme the Euangelicall doctrine he left to his Church the gift of working miracles This gift in the Church I would say in some of the faithfull for all had it not as witnesseth Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12. where reckoning vp the giftes of the holy Spirit and how he distrributeth them amongst other hee saith And to another are giuen the gifts of holinesse by the same Spirit To another working of miracles c. for some time continued vntill the doctrine was confirmed and then afterwards ceassed Albeit God vsing his omnipotency leaueth not sometimes to do miracles But this is extraordinary and not common as then it was The Antichristians willing to be sold for Christians pretend and doe confirme their new and false doctrine with new and false miracles of which their bookes bee full For this is the chiefe proofe wherewith they confirme their doctrine Concerning that of the fiue wounds there is no word in all the new Testament nor in any of the ancient Doctours which for the space of one thousand and two hundred yeares liued in the Church of God that any of the Apostles no not Saint Iohn the dearely beloued Disciple nor yet the holy mother of our redeemer her selfe hath had them nor euer was it said anâ—e hee or shee Saint in all this time to haue had them for so much as I remember to haue read the first that they say had them was Saint Francis and this a few yeares before his death who died in the 1226. yeare The booke of Conformities fol â— demaundeth In which of the saints haue the miraculous wounds of Christ bene imprinted The same answereth In none but in the blessed our Father Saint Frauncis As witnesseth the Romane Church and commandeth the faithfull to beleeue it Afterwardes say same that in the 1340. yeare Saint Gertrude had them And holy Ludiuina say they but know not in what yeare also had them Also they say that S. Katherine of Sena who died in the 1380. yeare And in our dayes in the 1588. yeare was a publike voice and fame that the holy Nunne of Lisbon had them For so great a truth hold they that of Saint Francis that if anie beleeue it not or doubt it for an heretike is he â—olden and as an heretike ought he to be punished So that it is now one of their new articles of faith And so Pope Gregorie did commaund it to be beleeued The same commanded Pope Alexander the fourth and saith that with his owne eyes he saw theÌ„ as in his Bull he doth witnesse Another such like Bull gaue out Pope Nicholas 3 and Pope Bendict 12. who graunted besides this to the Franciscan Friars that they should celebrate the feast of the wounds of Saint Francis All this saith the booke intituled Of the Conformities of Saint Francis with Iesus Christ A booke full of blasphemies seeing it maketh him equall with Iesus Christ proueth S. Francis with many reasonles reasons to haue bin much more excellent then S. Iohn Baptist Amongst which he setteth these downe that he conuerted many more than Iohn that he preached repentance 18 yeares instituted the order of Penance S. Iohn but 2 yeares and some what more preached Iohn receiued of the Lord the word of repentaÌ„â—e Francis receiued it of the Lord of the Pope And which is more terrible blasphemie to adde ought to the infinit power of the Lord S. Iohn was a friend of the Bridegrome The like to the Lord Iesus Christ was the blessed S. Francis In holinesse to the world was Iohn most singular In conformitie of his wouâ—ds with Christ was Francis then all men more excellent S. Iohn is aduanced into the order of the Seraphins In the same Seraphical order seat of Lucifer is placed the blessed S. Francis c. If this be not to make a mockery of Christian Religion of the maiestie of the Son of God and of the holinesse of Saint Iohn Baptist what shall bee Friar Iohn de Pineda a Friar Franciscan part 3. lib. 22. cap. 23. ¶ 3. speaking of his holy Saint Francis saith thus A few yeares before his death fasting and praying vppon the Eue of Saint Michael the Archangell he receiued in his virginall bodie the wounds of Iesus Christ by the impression of the same Iesus Christ as say Vbertino and the Maister Pisano S Francis himselfe to haue reuealed the same hauing suffered most terrible paines when they were imprinted c. He confirmeth his saying with the sayings of Vbertino and the Maister Pisano who is the Author of that blasphemous booke of Conformities They say the same Of no great credit be these two Authors as easily as they speake it with the same facility will we condemne it It is sayd of Saint Francis that he couered the wounds of S. Katherine of Sene saith Antonius that she besought God they should not be shewed vpon her body Of S. Lyduuina saith Iohn Brugmano that to auoyd the applause of the world shee besought the same at God his hands Of S. Gertrude saith Surius that for manie dayes ran bloud from them 7. times euery day But of our holy Nunne of Lisbon say the Prouinciall and Friar Lewes de Granada and it was the publike voyce and fame that she had them and shewed them that they yeelded alwayes fresh bloud wherewith shee painted the small clothes which they gaue her The Prouinciall saith that the wound of the side on certaine dayes namely the fridayes opened that certaine drops of bloud issued from the same c. Surely this was much more shamelesse than all the others Saint Francis and the rest sayd to haue the wounds liued in the times of great ignorance aswell of good letters as of true and pure Christian religion when the Roman Antichrist was absolute Lord of all swayed both swords spirituall and temporall Then was there none that durst whisper against him nor that was so bold to say vnto him thou dost wickedly but it should cost him his life or litle lesse An easie thing was it then with such
like fictions of wounds and other miracles to deceiue the simple poore common people But now that the Lord hath giuen so great light of his Gospell a verie hard thing shall it bee to be long time manitained with like opinion of holinesse by and by flyeth away hypocrisie by and by God raiseth vp some to speake and write against it Vnhappy therefore was this Nunne as touching the word that in our time and not in their dayes she liued Had those sayd to haue the wounds bene well examined and with hot water and hard sope washed their hypocrisie no no doubt had bene discouered as well as that of our Marie de la Visitacion Wherein as touching the soule were they more vnhappy then she seeing they died in their hypocrisie wherewith they deceiued many and vntill this day do deceiue with it But our Mary liuing of her hypocrisie conuinced in time it may be will she employ her great wit to better purpose and craue mercie at the hands of God whom so wickedly she hath offended And so his Maiestie giue her grace truly to conuert to the true Christian religion which not with dreams nor false miracles but with the word of God it selfe is confirmed His Maiestie shewe her this grace and mercie Had this miserable creature as did the others died before her hypocrisie had bin discouered cannonized had she bene as they were and for â—o holy had bene holden that hardly in all heauen should her Dominickes haue found place to haue set her Had she bene a Franciscan as she was a Dominicke her Franciscans would haue placed her next to Saint Francis in the most highest place of the Quire of the Seraphins ioyning to the seat of Lucifer where they themselues sayd that their Saint Frauncis is placed Much do I maruell at the Lords which examined the processe of this diuelish creature this truly possessed of the diuell another Magdâ—len de la Cruz. Another such as she whom they called in England The holy Mayd of Kent who in the time of Henry the eight king of England did wonderfull and most false miracles Against whom was made processe and all proued to be false and fained as was that of our Nunne For which she was senâ—enced to death and so was executed That which passeth in the Pontificall kingdom is a thing against all â—ustice that one for speaking as in his conscience hee thinketh and according to that which the word of God in the holy scriptures hath reuealed that he knoweth no other Purgatorie but the only bloud of Christ that he knoweth no other righteousnesse but that which is receiued by faith and that none is to be called vpon but God alone by the onely meane of Iesus Christ c. That he shall die without redemption and with greatest disgrace before the world and that Magdalen and Marie and other such like being cursed blasphemers periured in publike audience possessed of the diuell mockers of Christian religion of God and of Iesus Christ his sonne shall liue True it is that they were condemned yet not to bee burned but to certaine Fâ—iaâ— like peâ—anâ—es and restraints Arise Lord iudge thine owne cause Behold those die that confesse thee and they that blaspheme thee do liue Very much I say do I maruell aâ— these Lords which condemned this cursed Mâ—rie that they should vse these words in their sentence which they giue against her All that which this Nunne hath done is and hath bene fained of 〈◊〉 onely that they should hold her for holie and that she had not dealt with nor inâ—ocated the diuell Surely they speake in this let their Lordships pardoâ—â—e against their owne consciences which told them her miracles to haue bene done by the aâ—â—e of the diuell with whom doubtlesse was she verie familiar and he was her husband conductor and guide For how could she do the miracles she did without the helpe of the diuell and her inuocation vpon him That which she saith that Iesus Christ appeared vnto her now accompanied with hee and she saints and now alone that very familiar he was with her that he hoâ—p her to pray ouer the houres that he was her husband and imprinted the wounds vpon her Let all this be fained of her as all is fained that men should take her for holy and more foolish they that beleeued her and did not remember Magdalen de la Cruz. But what will they say vnto me of the diseased and franticke Nunne which was healed as the Prouinciall in his letter witnesseth That the Prouinciall lyed will they say and that the Nun was not healed I think not so Healed she was by the meane which the Prouinciall reporteth by miracle wrought by the diuell What will they say vnto me of the Lady of qualitie that had the â—anker and was healed as the same Prouinciall doth witnesse and saith that all this was taken by faith and testimonie before a Notarie publike by commandement of the Cardinall What will they say vnto mee of the diseased persoâ— who forâ—aken of the Physitions with drinking of the water wherein was the little 〈◊〉 of the wodden crosse which the Prioresse had giuen to Anna Rodriguez was healed What will they say vnto me of this little 〈◊〉 which set it selfe vpright and of the other also that being cast into the water claue vnto and was ioyned with the first so that of them twaine one faire little crosse was made which moued to great deuotion all those that saw it and this was that which the diuell with this false miracle of the crosse pretended to cause theÌ„ to commit Idolatrie of this also was information taken by commandement of the Legat. Of many other such like things that the Prouinciall faith he could declare what will they say vnto me How could these things and the rest bee done without the art of the diuell without his help and inuocation vpon him I demaund of theÌ„ what was that which the three Moores saw in the Prioresse which were things so great maruellous that the Moores were not able to speake To the Archbishop of Lisbon in the presence of the Prouinciall and many others they confessed that they saw neere to the Prioresse Iesus Christ in humane shape put vpon the crosse throughout all Portugall was this miracle published Will they say vnto mee that it was the true Iesus Christ or that it was the illusion of the diuell that it was Iesus Christ will they not say For in their Sentence they say All whatsoeuer this Nunne hath done to haue bene fained It followeth then that it was the diuell in humane shape that appeared vnto her Saint Paul doth aduise vs 2. Cor. chap. 14. that Satan is wont the better to deceiue to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light But here in the businesse of these three Moores much more bold was Sathaâ— transforming himselfe into Christ crucified and taking his forme vpon him O the great patience of God And the Prouinciall
addeth So famous and so admirable was this miracle that the fame thereof hath stretched throughout all the kingdome c. Then was it a true miracle But of those which Sathan worketh to deceiue men and not a fiction of the Prioresse Why make their Lordships no mention in their sentence how the Prioresse had made Sathan to appeare in the figure of Christ crucified And how that litle so deuout a crosse was made and how the sicke persons were healed The principall passed they ouer least they should 〈…〉 superstitions and Idolatries That which they demanded of her is How sayd she that she had oftentimes seene the mother of God wherof in the Letters were made little mention O great subtiltie herewith they haue stopped the mouth of the people All these things was the iust iudgment and punishment of God wherewith he punisheth those that beeleue not the word of God reuealed in the holy Scripture but beleeue lies confirmed with false miracles illusions of the diuel The principall resteth for me yet to demaund What was I demaund of them that consecrate forme as saith the Prouinciall or hoste consecrated as saith Friar Lewes de Granada which the wednesday in the holy weeke issued out of the little casket wherein the most holy sacrament lay which casket of it selfe opened and out of it issued the said host without any visible ministery was presented to the mouth of the Religious and she receiued it with most great deuotion c. The Prouinciall addeth that another time vpon Innocents day another such like miracle happened Friar Lewes de Granada saith That the Masse being ended which Saint Iohn Euangelist did celebrate a consecrated host came from the Altar and was put into the mouth of this most holy Nunne Of Magâ—alen de la Cruz was it said that when shee communicated she lifted vp a rod to measure the hight of the ground as in the Treatise of the Masse we haue noted The host which Magâ—alen the Franciscan hipocrite and that which Mary the Dominican hypocrite receiued albeit the ordained Masse-Friars and with intention to consecrate did consecrate them murmuring ouer them their words of consecration Hoc est enim Corpus meum were not the body of Iesus Christ whose glorious body sits at the right hand of the Father and is not to descend thence vntill hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead As witnesseth S. Peter Act. 3. 21. Whom meaning Christ the heauens must containe vntill the day of restauration of all things And so doe we holde it for an article of faith and confesse the same in the Creed Were there no other proofe to proue their consecrated hostes their sacrament of the aultar not to be the body of Christ this in good reason should suffice that the diuell vseth his consecrated hostes he carrieth them into the aire and putteth them into the mouth of his he and she deuoted that men may holde them for holy As these two domestical exaÌ„ples of the Franciscan Magdalen de la Cruz and of the Dominican Mary de la visitation doe confirme the same But for as much as many other proofes they are taken out of the holy scripture out of the ancieÌ„t doctors which we haue noted in the Treatise of the Masse there maist thou read the same This opening of the casket this issuing out of the consecrated host and visible comming through the aire without any visible mystery and putting it in to the mouth of Magdalen of Mary and other such like was by the arte of the deuill he came betweene and was inuocated Open then thy eies O Spaine and vnderstand Suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued in the first article of christian religion Remember it is the first coÌ„mandement which our great God whose name is Iehona coÌ„maÌ„deth vs to keep Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me How can that be God how can that be a creator which the diuell vseth to cause the people to commit idolatry to entertaine the fained holinesse hypocrisy of Magdalen Mary and of other such both hee and shee Holy and blessed is our God he abhorreth wickednes hipocrisy superstition idolatry Therfore conclude that he which entertaineth these abhominations is not the true but a false God made by the inuention of men and Sathan their father which gouerneth them And this is the iust iudgment and punishment of God that they which neither read nor heare nor yet giue credit to the word of God registred by the holy prophets and Apostles without which there is no saluation may beleeue lies wherwith Antichrist and his father the diuil deceiued them to carry them with him into hell These things which we haue spoken of done by these Ladies I confesse are miracles and they caused that which our aduersaries hold for the sacrament and for the body of Christ truely to come But of these they are which the false prophets Antichrist and their father the diuell doe as our redeemer forewarneth vs Math. 2â— 24. and his Apostle 2. Thess 2. 9. wherewith they that are founded vpon the firme rocke which is Christ they that be taught by the word of God shal not be deceiued But they that be founded vpon the sand they that confirme their opinion with dreames imaginations and humane tradititions these shall beleeue them and hold them for true miracles which God hath wrought so beleeuing them shall perish except God hauing mercie vpon them doe before they depart this world conuert them With their Lordships fauour conclude we theÌ„ saying that Mary de la visitation did her miracles by the help and inuoâ—ation of the diuel for otherwise could she not doe them I vehemently suspect the cause of their so saying they feare to giue occasion lest some begin to think that their Sacrament which they sell for the body of Christ is not the body of Christ nor his Sacrament which in his holy Suppeâ— he instituted but their prophanation thereof This if our Spaniardes begin once to vnderstand the pontificall kingdom will wholly fall the kitchin of the Preists and Friars which is the Masse and Purgatory will bee cold and so superstition ignonorance heresy and Idolatry as a new thing which hath no foundation in the word of God but in dreames with false miracles and illusions of the diuell shall likewise fall and the ancient doctrine of the Gospell of Christ crucified written in the holy scripture maugre Antichrist shall flourish through the worlde Blessed and euer glorified be the holy name of the Lord who by his great mercie freed vs from such ignorance errors and superstitions heresies Idolatries where we were nourished who deliuered vs I say from the power of darknes and translated vs into the true kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom we haue redemption by his bloud and forgiuenes of sinnes What shall we render speaking as doth the Prophet vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vppon vs we will take the cuppe