the sustentation of the Ministery the support of the poore and the fabricke of the Church 15. Let mens bodies be buried in that Parish vnto the which they payed their tythes 16. No buriall place shall be sold for mony 17. Let Laicke people be buried in the Church-yard not in the Church but if they be buried already let not their bodies be remooved 18. The vessels wherein holy mysteries are celebrated are Challices and Platters whereof Saint Bonifacius a Bishop and Martyr being demanded if it was lawfull to celebrate the Sacrament in vessels of wood Hee answered that of old there were golden Bishops and woodden vessels but now by the contrary saith hee the Bishops are wooden Bishops and the vessels are vessels of gold And Sepherinus ministred the Sacrament in vessels of glasse Neverthelesse this Councell straitly inhibiteth the Sacrament to be consecrated in vessels of wood 19. Let not wine without water be offered in the holy Challicâ because both blood and water flowed out of the side of Christ. 20. Priests are shaven to the end they may carry vpon their heads a similitude of the crowne to wit of thornes wherewith the Lord was crowned who is their lot and portion 21. Let not Presbyters who are called before Iustice-seats be compelled to sweare but let them bee put in rememberance of their holy consecration in stead of an oath 22. The tryall of persons defamed by the burning iron is ceased but let no man giue out rash iudgement in secret matters 27. They who haue vndertaken a spirituall office should not goe to war-fare nor accept vpon them ciuill offices according to the seventh Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon 31. A theese or a robber who is slaine in the perpetration of his diabolicall fact let no man pray for his soule nor distribute almes for his reliefe 35. Let no iustice-Courts be holden on the Lords day neither of Festivall nor Fasting dayes 39. A man who marrieth a woman of a strange countrey but not of a strange religion shall bee compelled to cohabite with her 40. It shall not bee lawfull for a man to marrie a woman whom hee hath polluted in adultery during her husbands life-time 45. Hee who hath defiled two sisters let him be subiect to penance all his dayes and remaine continent 46. A woman that hath committed adultery and for feare of her husband who pursueth her vnto the death shee fleeth vnto Bishoppes to seeke reliefe let them travell seriously for the safety of her her life and if that can be obtained let her bee restored to her husband againe but if that cannot be obtained let her not bee restored but her husband during his life-time shall not marrie another 54. A forme of externall repentance is prescribed to them who of precogitate malice and of purpose haue committed slaughter CENTVRIE X. IN the yeere of our Lord 903. a Councell was convened at Ravenna of 74. Bishops It seemeth to bee assembled by Iohn the tenth whereat was present Carolus Simplex the King of France In this Councell the acts of Pope Formosus had allowance and the Decrees of Stephanus the sixt were condemned and burnt VNder the raigne of Carolus Simplex King of France a Councell was gathered at Rhemes apparantly for the place is not certaine for correcting the abuse of Church-rents Noblemen in Court such as Hugo and his brother Robert Master of the Kings horses and Vinemarus with diverse others vnder pretence of sustayning the Kinges honourable estate and paying wages to souldiers had converted to their owne vse a great part of Church-rents especially belonging to Abbies Fulco Archbishop of Rhemes vttered his minde freely in the Councell Vinemarus one of the notable oppressors in the Court defiled the Councell with blood and killed Fulco Bishop of Rhemes The Fathers of the Councell returned vnto their owne Churches with great feare for the like of this was not heard since the second Councell of Ephesus called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a Councell of briggandrie because in it Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople was slaine IN the dayes of Otto the first a great Councell was assembled at Rome against Pope Iohn the thirteenth or as others doe reckon Pope Iohn the twelfth The principall faults wherwith he was charged besides perfidiousnes obiected against him by the Emp. were these following to wit 1. Peter a Cardinall Presbyter affirmed hee saw him say masse and communicated not himselfe 2. Iohn Bishoppe Narrien and Iohn a Cardinall Deacon affirmed they saw him ordaine a Deacon in an horse-stable 3. Benedictus with the rest of Deacons and Presbyters affirmed he received money for the ordination of Bishoppes 4. Likewise they sayd albeit they saw it not with their eyes yet they were fully perswaded that hee accompanied with the widow of Rainer and with Stephana his Fathers Concubine and that he made the sacred Pallace like vnto a bawdy-house 5. That he was an open hunter 6. That he thrust out the eyes of Benedict his spirituall Father and by so doing procured his death 7. That he had gelded Iohn an Archdeacon raised fire and cloathed himselfe with armour in military manner 8. That he did drinke to the divell all the Clergie bare witnesse 9. And that in playing at dice hee craved the helpe of Iupiter and Venus and the rest of the gods of the Gentiles whom the Apostle Paul calleth divels 10. That hee sayd not Mattins nor kept his Canonicke houres nor signed himselfe with the signe of the Crosse. 11. That he distributed the golden crosses and chalices of the Church to his harlots 12. That hee had consecrated one Zacheus a wicked man and vnlearned to be Bishop to the Hungars to the end that by his seditious Sermons he might concitate them against the Emperour Concerning the letter written to Pope Iohn by advice of the Emperour Otto and his proud answer sent backe againe to the Councell together with their last good night to him granting to him such power of binding as Iudas had that is to binde his owne necke to the Gallowes Of these things I haue spoken in the Treatise of Succession IN the yeere of our Lord 975. a Councell was gathered in England at Canterburie The question debated in the Councell was concerning the marriage of men in spirituall offices Dunstanus at this time was Bishop of Canterburie and he was an adversarie to the marriage of men in spirituall offices But the question was so wel discussed by testimonies of Scripture and the Fathers of the Primitiue Church that Dunstanus had cause to be ashamed For this cause hee implored the helpe of the Diuell for he was knowne to be a Sorcerer Satan compelled him to persist in his argument And when they were convened againe and in the heate of their disputation a voyce sounded from the Image of the Crucifix which was in the place of their convention that Dunstanus his opinion was the best This lying miracle so dashed the
to slay the King as he was returning from Picardie to Paris Thus vpon the 27. day of December Anno 1584 âas the King was readie booted and spurred to returne from Picardie to Paris within a chamber at Lououre this stripling went into the chamber amongst the presse and as the King was busily occupied in receiuing his Nobles and in a princely manner kissing them for his farewell suddenly he would haue stricken the King in the bodie with a knife he had in his hand But by reason his Maiesty was very readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping he strucke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable caitiue was taken and after examination vnderstanding that he was a scholler of the Iesuites the King said And must it needs be that the Iesuits must be confounded by my mouth This parricide being brought to prison freely declared all the circumstances of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuits secret practises Amongst many other things he remembred he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the King that he was excommunicated out of the Church that he was not to be obeyed nor taken for their King vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament condemning this Castile of Treason in the highest degree caused him to be brought naked in his shirt before the principall part of the Cathedrall Church in Paris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted there to confesse his haynous sinne asking forgiuenesse of God the King and the lawes which done he was conveyed to the place of execution carrying in his hand the murthering knife wherewith he intended to murther the King the which was there first cut off his flesh pulled off with hot burning Pincers both from his armes and thighs after that his bodie was drawne in peeces with foure horses and cast into the fire and consumed to ashes and the ashes scattered in the winde Likewise the said Court of Parliament ordeined that all the Priests and Schollers of Clermont colledge and all other of the same societie of Iesus to be holdeâ and reputed as corrupters of youth disturbers of the publique peace enemies to the King and State and to avoyde within three dayes after the Proclamation of this edict out of Paris and all other townes and places where their Colledges are and within 15. dayes after out of the kingdome on paine if being found after the time prefixed to be punished as guiltie of the said crime of treason Besides these horrible troubles that were in France in the dayes of this Emperour Rodulph the King of Spaine prepared a great armie to invade the Realme of England This armie was counted invincible and of most admirable preparation it conteined an hundreth and thirtie Ships wherein were as many Regiments having an hundreth seuentie two Ensignes and 20000. fighting men besides the number of 1000. moe that had nothing to doe with armes also their furniture and provision was exceeding great for they had 11000. Quintals of Biscat 14170. Pipes of Wine 6500. Quintals of Bacon 3433. Quintals of Cheese 8000. Quintals of dried fish of all sorts 6320 Bushels of Beanes and Pease 11398. Roues and Measures of oyle 23870. Roues of Vineger And 11850. Pipes of fresh Water besides the victuals and necessaries of houshold that were in great number and of all sorts The armes reserued for store were 7000. Caleeuers their furnitures a 1000. Muskets a 1000. Lances a 1000. Partisants and Halbards 6000. Pikes More Pickaxes Payles and other instruments then would serue for 700. Pioners With this number and in this manner being prepared the armie departed out of Lisbone vnder the conduct of the Duke de Medina Gidonia assisted with 22. Lords of estate councell and experience But it had searce entred into the sea sailing toward the Gnongnes in Gallicia but there arose a storme with so great force that the Navie was constrained to put to land and there to stay till winde and weather serued hauing lost in that storme three Gallies of Portugalls and many of them so scattered and bruised that they were not seruiceable for that Voyage The storme being calmed and the weather good about the 22. of Iulie the Generall caused them to set saile so fortunately that in lesse then fiue dayes after they descryed the point or end of Cornwall and at the same time they were seene from Plimmouth by the Admirall of England and Sr Francis Drake Vice admirall who made them turne their faces and gaue them such a skirmish and that so neere that the Ships were in disorder and a great Gallion lost wherein was found a part of the treasures that the Armie brought with it and all the instructions which the Duke de Medina had and what he should doe having Conquered England At the last the Navie got as farre as Callis where it should haue ioyned with the Duke of Parma but the Armie of England that fought to impeach it followed it and that so nie that it was forced to leaue her Anchor-hold confusedly to flie away Their principall Gallias among other Vessels was by the streames cast vpon the sands hard by the hauen of Callis there with his Ordnance was left for the governor of Callis After this it made toward the North seas passing betweene Norway and Scotland and so toward Ireland where those northerne seas being as then risen according to the time of yeare were very tempestuous and vsed the rest of the armie very hardly for it drowned and sunke 17. great Vessels vpon the coast of Ireland and spoyled broke and ouerthrew diuers others in such manner that of 130. Shippes there were scarcely 30. that returned to SPAINE Here endeth the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the Church Containing a briefe Catalogue of the beginnings proceedings and deaths of all the Bishops Popes Patriarches Doctors Pastors and other learned men in Europe Asia and Africa since Christs dayes vntill this present CENTVRIE I. Of Apostles AFter the Lords resurrection his twelue Apostles were indued with grace from aboue and sent forth to convert all people to the obedience of Christ whose travels the Lord so wonderfully blessed that within a short time many thousands of all Nations Languages whom God had appointed to eternall life were converted to the faith of Christ. This conquest that Christ made by the Ministrie of twelue poore and contemptible men is more worthie to be called a Conquest then all the valiant exployts of Cyrus Alexander Caesar and other Conquerours For he made this conquest by a small handfull of poore and infirme Disciples also he conquered not onely the bodies of men but also their hearts to his obedience and finally he made this conquest not by shedding of peoples blood but by
neuer at Rome Eightly That the Clergie of Rome is a den of Theeues Ninthly That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leades to eternall death In another treatise he disputes of free iustification by grace and that workes are no efficient cause of Saluation Sed causa sine qua non for the which doctrine hee was condemned by the Pope I passe by a great number who clearelie discouered the corruptions and Apostasie of the Church of Rome such as Ioannes de Gunduno Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de Castro Dante 's an Italian Taulerus a Preacher of Argentine in Germanie Franciscus Petrarcha a man famouslie learned who in his workes in Italian verses speaking of Rome calles it the whoore of Babilon the schoole and mother of errour the Temple of heresie the nest of treacherie growing and increasing by the oppression of others Likewise Ioannes de rupe scissa who was cast in prison by Pope Innocentius the sixt also Conradus Hager a Germane of the citie of Herbipoli Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Gray friers Petrus de Corbaria with one Ioaxnes de Pâliato This foresaid Michael general of the gray friers writ against the tyrannie pride and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome to be the whoore of Babilon drunken with the blood of the Saints He affirmed there were two Churches one of the wicked florishing wherein raigned the Pope the other of the Godly afflicted also that the veritie was almost vtterlie extinct and for this cause hee was depriued of his dignitie and condemned by the Pope Notwithstanding he stood constant in his assertions and left behind him many fauourers and followers of his doctrine of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope Some were condemned as William Ockam who writ both in defence of the Emperour Lewes whom the Pope excommunicated and likewise in defence of Michael generall of the gray friers whom the Pope had cursed for an heretike and some were burned such as Ionnes de Castellione and Franciscus de Arcatara Likewise Armachanus a Bishop in Ireland and Matthias Parisiensis Ioannes Montziger rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Iacobus Milnensis and one Milezius Henricus de Iota and Henricus de Hassia Likewise in this most desperate time when the estate of religion was vtterlie corrupted and the onely name of Christ remained amongst Christians his true and liuely doctrine being vtterly vnknowne and turned into an heape of shadowed Ceremonies which so increased that there was no end of heaping vp of ceremonies invented by man at this time I say the Lord raised vp Iohn Wickliffe a professor of Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Oxford who seeing that error by long vse and custome had beene so deeplie rooted in the hearts of men that it could hardly be plucked out hee medled not with all at once bââ firsâ bâgâânne to touch the matter of the Sacraments and discoâer ãâã ârrours that men were fallen into in this head of ãâã but this byle could not be touched without the great griefe and paine of the whole world For first of all the whole rabble of Monkes and begging Friers were set on rage and madnes against him and after them the Priests and then after them the Archbishop Simon Sudburie tooke the matter in hand who for the same cause depriued him of his benefice which then he had in Oxford Notwithstanding being supported by the friendly assistance of the Duke of Lancaster sonne to king Edward the third and some other friends whom God raised vp for his protection he bare out the malice of the Friers and Archbishop Likewise Pope Vrbane was so busied with suppressing of another Pope Clement the seuenth set vp against him that he could not spare any time to suppresse Iohn Wickliffe and so it came to passe thorow the prouidence of Almightie God that the enemies of the true light with fretting minds were compelled to see the sparkles thereof not being able to quench them The chiefe heads of doctrine which hee maintained against the Roman church were these That the substance of bread remained in the Sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration That it is not found in the Gospell that Christ instituted or confirmed a masse That it is a presumptuous Speaking to affirme that the infants of the faithfull who die vnbaptised are condemned That in the time of Paul there were onelie two orders of Clerks to wit Elders and Deacons neither was there in the time of the Apostles any distinction of Popes Patriarches Archbishops Bishops but these the Emperours pryde did finde out That the causes of diuorcement for spirituall consanguinitie or affinitie are not founded on the scriptures but onely by the ordinance of men That he who is most seruicable and humble in the church and most inamored with the loue of Christ the same is the neerest vicar of Christ in the militant Church If corporall vnction were a Sacrament then Christ and his Apostles would not haue left the ordinance of that vntouched Whatsoeuer the Pope and Cardinals doe command which they cannot deduce cleerely out of the Scriptures the same is to be accounted hereticall and not to be obeyed That it is but a follie to beleeue the Popes Pardons That it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the church of Rome to be supreme head of other Churches A Deacon or Priest may Preach the word of God without the authoritie of the Apostolike sea The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Sathan neither is the Pope immediatlie the vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles That the Emperour and Secular Lords are seduced who so inrich the Church with ample possessions If any man enter into any priuat religion whatsoeuer it be hee is thereby made more vnapt and vnable to obserue the commandements of God Of Monkes POpe Clement the sixt bearing rule Iohn king of France sonne of Philip invented the sect and order of those Monkes which in Latine are called Stellati whose maner is alwayes to weare a starre vpon their brest signifying thereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the cleere shining of good workes Yea that they themselues are the light of the world according to the saying of Christ vos eslis lux mundi yea are the light of the world Item That they shall rise againe at the later day all shining and glistering as the most cleere and pleasant starres according as it is written by the Prophet They that informe many into righteousnes shall be as the starres world without end In Anno 1336. Pope Boniface the ninth raigning a certaine man called Gerardus being of great learning and vertuous conversation ordained a certaine fraternitie or brotherhood of learned godlie men to teach schollers and to bring vp youth not onely in good letters but also in good maners that by those means there might be
Terebynthus was the composer of these bookes which Manes gaue out vnder his owne name Manes was but a slavish boy bought with money by a woman of Babylon in whose house Terebynthus had lodged and shee brought vp the boy at schoole his name was Curbicus when he was bought but when this woman died shee left in legacie to Curbicus the money and bookes of Terebynthus and he went from Babylon to Persia changed his name and called himselfe Manes and set forth the bookes of Terebynthus as if they had beene composed by himselfe so that he added vnto the rest of his villanies this fault also that he was from his very youth a dissembling and deceitfull fellow After Manes sprang vp Hierax who spake of the Father and the Sonne as of two lights different in substance Hee damned mariage denyed the resurrection of the bodie and excluded infants from the kingdome of God Marke in this Catalogue of heresies of the first three hundred yeeres how many of the divels trumpeters sounded the doctrine of the prohibition of marriage The Nicolaitans Gnostici Encratitae Montanistae Apostolici Origeniani called Turpes Manichei and Hieracitae Satan hateth mariage to the end that his kingdome might be advanced by fornication and all kind of vncleannesse CENTVRIE IV. OLd heresies before mentioned such as the heresies of the Novatians Sabellians and Manicheans did more hurt in this Centurie then in the time wherein they were first propagated as appeareth by the books and Sermons of learned Fathers seriously insisting to quench the flame of hereticall doctrine which was kindled before their time In this Centurie the plurality of Heretiques did most mightily abound Meletius a Bishop in Thebaida was deposed by Peter Bishop of Alexandria who suffered martyrdome vnder Dioclesian because hee was found to haue sacrificed to Idols After his deposition he was factious and seditious raysing vp tumults in Thebaida and practizing tyranny against the chaire of Alexandria and his disciples were found to haue communicated with the Arrians The Councell of Nice suffered Miletius to enioy the name of a Bishop without power of ordination In the yeere of our Lord 324. sprang vp Arrius a Presbyter in Alexandria who denyed that the Sonne of God was begotten of the substance of the Father but that hee was a creature and made of things not existent and that there was a time wherein the Sonne was not Alexander Bishop of Alexandria dealt with him to reclaime him from his hereticall opinions but his travels were spent in vaine Therefore Alexander was compelled to vse the last remedie to depose and excommunicate Arrius with his complices to wit Achilles Euzoius Aethalus Lucius Sarmata Iulius Mânas Arrtus alter and Helladius This excommunication had allowance by the Bishops of Thebaida Pentapolis Lybia Syria Lycia Pamphylia Asia Cappadocia and many other places But Arrius an head strong heretike was incorrigible neither the letters of the good Emperour Constantine nor the trauelts of Osius Bishop of Cordubae could worke any amendment in him He laboured to fortifie himselfe in his hereticall opinion especially by the assistance of Eusebius B. of Nicomedia a perilous deceitful man Arrius was condemned by the Councel of Nice was banished by the Emp. Constantine Albeit he was reduced againe from banishment by the meanes of Constantia the Emp. sister of an ArriaÌ presbiter whom she coÌmended to the Em. her brother when she was concluding her life Yet the Lord punished the insolent pride of this heretike with a shamefull vnquoth death as hath bin already declared This heresie was propagated by Constantius by Iustina and her sonne Valentinian the second by the Emp. Valens and by the kings of Gothes and Vandalles The principall defenders of the heresie were Eusebius B. of Nicomedia Menophantes B. of Ephesus Theogonius B. of Nice Vrsatius B. of Sygdonia and Valens B. of Mursa in vpper Panonia Theonas B. in Marmarica Secundus B. of Ptolemaida in Aegypt Maris B. of Chalcedon Narcissus B. in Cilicia Theodorus B. of Hearaclea in Thracia and Marcus B. of Irenopolis in Syria In the number of most impudent Arrian Bishops was Ishyras the chiefe accuser of Athanasius to whom the Arrians gaue the wages of iniquity and ordained him B. of Mareotis The ouer-throwing of the holy Table the breaking of the holy Cup the burning of the holy bookes the slaughter of Arsenius many other accusations were all forged against Athanasius by Ishyras for hope of reward Eulalius Euphronius Placitus Stephanus LeoÌtius Spado and Eudoxius Bishops of Antiochiaâall these were defenders of the Arrian heresie with many others of whom I will haue occasion to spèake hereafter Albeit Anomaei were a branch of the stocke of the Arrians yet they differed from other Arrians in this that they abhorred from the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which other ArriaÌs embraced The principall authors of this heresie were Acatius Ennomius and Aetius whereof it came to passe that some called them Acatiani others Eunomiani and some Aetiani Acatius in the Councell of Seleucia manifested the Hipocrisie of his deceitfull speeches because in his books he had called the Son of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is of like Substance with the Father he was demaunded in what sence he had so written he answered that the Sonne of God was like vnto the Father in will but not in substance Eunomius bishop of Cyzicus in Bythynia was the inuenter of this miserable Heresie of Anomaei a man who delighted in multitude of wordes as many Heretikes doe Sozomen blames him for altering the custome of thriee dipping the water in Baptisme The people of Cyzicus complained to the Emp. Constantius of the bad and reprobate opinion of Eunomius The Emperour was offended against Eudoxius bishop of Constantinople who had placed him in Cyzicus Hereof it came to passe that Eudoxius who was of that opinion himself but durst not auow it sent secret aduertisement to Eunomius to flie out of Cyzicus Basilius Magnus in his fiue bookes written against Eunomius as it were filled with the spirit of Phineas who with one speare killed Ombri and Cosbi euen so Basilius with one penne confounded both Eunomius and his master Aëtius This Aetius was a Syrian admitted to the office of a Deacon by Leontius Spado he spake vnquoth things of the Trinitie and was justly called an Atheist The Emp. Constantius albeit he loued other Arrians yet he disliked Anomei and procured his deposition and excommunication by the Bishops who came to Constantinople from Ariminum and Seleucia Eudoxius first Bishop of Germanitia in the confines of Cilicia after Bishop of Antiochia last Bishop of Constantinople a hunter for preheminence of place he was a fauourer of the sect of Arrians called Anomei or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yet he had the heart of a beast for neither would he embrace the true faith neither durst he defend
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
established and that by his authority all tumults of men disobedient to the Councell might be repressed Aboue all crauing of them or rather charging commanding them that they should decerne nothing repugnaÌtto the actes of the Councel of Nice The Ambassadours of Leo Bishop of Rome craued that Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria should not sit in the Councell as a iudge but that he should stand and answere to things that were to be obiected vnto him Which petition being granted Eusebius B. of Dorileum stood vp and accused him of three things First that he had beene an aduersarie to the true faith in absoluing Eutyches a notable heretike in the second Councell of Ephesus Secondly that he was a murderer of Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople a constant defender of the true faith and thirdly that hee had done himselfe wrong in deposing him without a cause and therewith hee desired his letter to be read The Councell not onely read his letter accusatorie but also read all the acts of the second Councell of Ephesus and heard the reports of Bishops who were present at the Councell of Brigandrie and consented against their hearts to the deposition of Flauianus because Dioscorus had bands of souldiers sent by Chrysaphius in the name of the Emperour Theodosus 2. to compell simple men to obey all his desires All this beeing considered together with his vnmanerly rudenesse who would not suffer the letter of Leo Bishop of Rome to be read in the Councell aforesaid and finally that hee had most vniustly and vnaduisedly excommunicated Leo Bishop of Rome The Councell of Chalcedon cited Dioscorus the ground of this controuersie but he appeared not therefore hee was condemned as an heretike together with Eutyches and Iuvenalis Bishops of Ierusalem and it was ordained that men should beleeue that the natures of Christ albeit they were vnited yet were they not confounded as Eutyches heretically had affirmed Likewise all the actes of the second Councell of Ephesus were abrogated rescinded except the deposition of Damâus Bishop of Antiochia and substitution of Maximus in his place Moreouer Theodoretus Bishop of Cyns and Ibas Bishop of Edessa who had beene vniustly deposed in the second Councell of Ephesus were both restored to their places after they had clearely damned the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches In the cause of Bassianus and Stephanus who contended both for the Bishopricke of Ephesus it was ordained that both of them should be remooued from that dignitie as men who by vnlawfull meanes had aspired to ecclesiasticke offices and a third person should haue the office Finally it was appointed and ordained in this Councell that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople and his successours should haue the chiefe dignitie next vnto the chaire of Rome It is to be marked that Proterius Bishop of Alexandria to whom the place of old belonged albeit hee was present in the Councel yet he made none obstacle vnto this ordinance but the Ambassadours of Leo Bishop of Rome spake against it fearing left the increasing magnificence of such an Emperiall towne should in ende bring Constantinople to the preheminence of the first seat Supremacie was long agoe the apple of their eye and they could not abide that afarre off a diminution of this should be once pointed at Neuerthelesse this ordinance had allowance of the Councel notwithstanding of the contradiction of the Romane Ambassadours Incodice Romano saith learned Morneus all this action is left out In the sixt Session of this Councell the Emperour Martianus with Pulcheria the Empresse were both present and craued of the Councell that ordinances should be made for restraining the filthie lucre and ambition of Monks and Clergie who intangled themselues with secular businesse for desire of gaine and riches wherevpon followed this constitution that men who addicted themselues either to the Monastickelife or the Clergie men they should not be promoted to other dignities meaning mere ciuill offices because that that is a distraction of them from their calling CENTVRIE VI. THE schisme that fell out in the election of Symmachus was the cause of the gathering of the Councell of Rauenna Laurentius was his competitour In this Councell it was found that Symmachus was first ordained and that the most part both of Clergie and people adhered to him therefore hee was declared to bee Bishop of Rome and Laurentius was ordained Bishop of Nuceria The multiplied number of Councels in Symmachus time al conueened by the authoritie of Theodoricus king of Gothes who raigned in Italie Al this number of Councels I say was assembled for matter of litle importance except the fourth fifth Councell wherein a libel of accusations was giuen in against Symmachus but he compeared not before the Councell to answere yet was he absolued by the most part of the Councell being his own fauourers chiefly for this reason because they thought that the high Priest should be iudged by no man but his doings should be examined only before the TribuÌal of God Marke how this matter goeth the B. of Rome are lying vnder the feete of the Gothes neither haue they liberty to assemble themselues together except that licence be sought obtained froÌ Theodoricus king of Gothes NotwithstaÌding supremacie that great Idol whereat they aimed continually runneth so high in their heads that the flatterers of the B. of Rome would absolue him as a man whose actions came not vnder the indicature of mortall men His accusers protested in write that if the successours of Peter should bee protested in writing that if the successors of Peter should be iudged by no man then with the rest of the priuiledges of their chaire they had also a priuiledge to sinne and to doe what they please THe Councels of Spaine called Ilerdense and Valentinum assembled in Valentia are very obscure Councels In the one eight Bishops were present in the other sixe Bishoppes Many new and needelesse-Canons were made in these assemblies and farther I see nothing In the first called Ilerdense a prohibition of marriage in time of Lent and three weekes before the festiuitie of Iohn the Baptist and betwixt the dayes of the Aduent of our Lord and the dayes called Epiphania In the other Councell it was appointed that in the ordinarie seruice the Gospell should be read after the Epistle partly in respect that all the people of God haue entresse to heare the wholesome precepts of their Sauiour and partly in respect that by such hearing some were found to be conuerted to the faith whereof it may be perceiued that the Gospell was read vnto the people in a known and intelligible language els it could not worke faith in the heartes of the hearers IN the 20. yeeere of the Emp. Anastatius a nationall Councell was assembled at Sidon of eightie Bishops by the procurement of Xenaeas B. of Hierapolis for vndoing the Councell of Chalcedon The Emperour had alreadie banished Euphemius and Macedonius Bishops of Constantinople
Yet hee found that Flavianus B. of Antiochia and Helias B. of Ierusalem altogether disliked reprooued his proceedings neither could they admit the law of obliuion called in the Greeke language ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which the Emperour would haue brought in to pacifie controuersies in the Church as ciuil controuersies at sometimes haue bin pacified for this cause the Emperour Anastatius set himselfe directly against the truth of God and gathered this Councell to vndoe the authoritie of the Councel of Chalcedon Flavianus and Helias would not bee present at this vngodly Councell wherein they damned the Councell of Chalcedon yet they abstained from damning Flaevianus and Helias for a time Neuerthelesse by continuall accusations of these two Bishops as if they had beene mockers of all the Emperours doings they procured their banishment as hath beene declared in the preceding historie IN the 22. yeere of the raigne of Anastatius and vnder the raigne of Clodoueus King of France conueened 32. Bishops in the towne of Aurelia of purpose to settle some order in Ecclesiasticall discipline which through iniurie of time and irruption of barbarous people into the countrie of France had beene brought to great dissolution and misorder The Canons of this Councel are coincideÌt for the most part with the Canons of all other Councels THe two former Councels assembled in Spaine namely Ilerdense and Valentinum were vnder the raigne of Theodoricus Now these two Gerundense and Caesaraugustanum are celebrated vnder the same King to wit Theodoricus of the nation of the Gothes raigning in Spaine In Gerunda seuen Bishops conueened made Ecclesiasticall constitutions chiefly about Baptisme that Catechumeni should bee baptized on Easter day and at Pentecost when most solemne conuentions of people were gathered They who were vnder infirmitie and sicknesse might bee baptized at any time and the infant which was likely to die might be baptized the same day wherein it was borne In Caesaraugusta eleuen Bishops seemed to haue beene conueened They forbid fasting vpon the Lords day for superstition or for respect of times or for perswasion It would appeare that this Councell had a desire to abolish the rites and customes of the Manichean heretikes who were accustomed to fast vpon the Lords day IN the dayes of Hârmisda by the mandat of Theodoricus King of Gothes raigning in Italie a Councell was assembled at Rome vpon this occasion It was thought meet by the Emperour Anastatius Theodoricus King of Italie and many others that a Councel shuld be assembled at Heraclea for deciding coutrouersies in religion Many Bishops resorted to Heraclea about the number of 200. but Anastatius suffered no Councell to be holden thereby incurring the great blame of inconstancie and carelessenesse in seeking out the truth for this cause Theodoricus willed Hormisda Bishop of Rome to gather a Councell at Rome wherein the errour of Eutyches is damned of new againe Ambassadours are ordained to be sent to Anastatius the Emperour and to the Bishop of Constantinople to diuert theÌ if it were possible from the errour of Eutyches but how inhumanely the Ambassadours were intreated it hath beene declared in the description of the life of Hormisda VNder the raigne of the Emperour Iustinus a Synode was gathered in Constantinople by Ioannes Cappadox Many grieuons accusations were giuen in against Severus Bishop of Antiochia such as sacrilegious spoyling of Temples vnder pretence of eschewing causes of Idolatrie hee tooke away the golden doues that hung aboue the fontes and the altars and hee vttered many blasphemous speeches against the Councell of Chalcedon Ioannes Cappadox albeit hee was of a bad religion himselfe yet the authoritie of the Emperour and consent of the Councell procured that Severus should be damned of heresie whom the Emperour also banished and as some affirme punished him also by commanding that his blasphemous tongue should bee cut out In like manner the Monks of Apamea in a Councell conueened in Syriasecunda accused Severus of bloody cruelty and oppression in besieging of Monasteries slaying the Monks and spoyling their goods The like accusation was giuen in against Peter Bishop of Apamea which accusations beeing sufficiently proued by vnsuspect witnesses this Councell damned Severus and Petrus Bishop of Apamea IN the fifth yeere of King Abnaricus was the second Councell of Toledo conueened partly for renuing the ancient constitutions of the Church and partly for making new constitutions belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline It was ordained that children whom their parents had dedicated to the Church they should not be admitted to the office of a Subdeacon vntill they were eighteene yeeres of age neither to the office of a Deacon before they were twentie fiue yeeres old and at the beginning of their admission to the office of a Subdeacon namely when they were full eighteene yeeres old and not before that time they should bee presented before the Clergie and people to make an open declaration whether they were of purpose to leade a continent life or to marrie and these who protested they had not the gift of continency are tolerated by the first Canon of the second Councell of Toledo to marrie IN the yeere of our Lord 551. and in the 94. yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian was a generall Councell assembled at Constantinople The principall causes of this meeting are expresly set downe by Euagrius lib. 4. cap. 38. First in respect of the controuersie betwixt Eustochius B. of Ierusalem and Theodorus Ascidas B. of Caesarea Cappadocia Eustochius cast out the Monkes of Nova Laura who obstinately defended the errours of Origen Theodorus Ascidas assisted them and said that Eustochius Bishop of Ierusalem had dealt cruelly and inhumanely with his brethren to pacifie this controuersie was this Councell conueened Also great disputation was in the Church about the bookes of Origen of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsuesta and some writings of Theodoritus Bishop of Cyrus and Ibas Bishop of Edessa this was the second cause of this great conuention to put an ende vnto these contentious disputations At this time Menas was Bishop of Constantinople but he ended his life in the very time of the generall Councel The first question mooued in the Councel was this Whether or no men who were dead and had ended their course might lawfully be cursed and excommunicated To this Eutychius a man before this time of no great account answered That like as Iosias not onely punished Idolatrous Priestes who were aliue but also opened the graues of them who were dead to dishonour them after their death who had dishonoured God in their life-time euen so the memorialls of men might be accursed after their death who had harmed Christes Church in their life-time This was thought by the Fathers of the Councell to be pertinently spoken and when his answer came to the eares of the Emperour Iustinian hee appointed that hee should be ordained Bishop of Constantinople for
of incest but Gregorius was declared to be innocent his accuser was scourged with roddes and was banished In this Councell the name of Oecumenick Bishop was attributed to Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople TThe first Councel of Matiscon was assembled about the time of Pelagius 2 as the second Tome of CouÌcels recordeth In it commandement was giuen that no man of the Clergie should cite another man hauing a spirituall office before a secular iudge And that a Bishop or Presbyter should not intangle himselfe with carnall lust after hee is promoted to so high dignitie but the woman who before was his wife now let her be his sister and let the husband be changed into a brother Marke how subtilly Sathan vnder pretence of lothing matrimoniall chastitie is bringing in all kinde of vncleannesse into the Church THe second Councell of Matiscon was conueened in the twentie foure yeere of the raigne of Gunthranus king of France In it complaint was made that Baptisme was ministred vsually vpon euery holy day insomuch that vpon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptisme This they ordained to be amended and that no man except vpon occasion of infirmitie presume to present his child to Baptisme but to attend vpon the festiuall dayes prescribed of olde that is Easter and Whitsonday Also it was appointed and ordained that the Sacrament of the altar should be ministred before any communicant person had tasted of meat or drinke That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a citie of refuge be drawne backe againe by violence from the bosom of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a bishop must not be attached before a secular iudge That the houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayers and singing of Psalmes and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogges and muting of haukes That secular men shall doe reuerence to those who are of the Clergie euen vnto the lowest degree of theÌ in such sort that if the secular man doe meere any of the Clergie walking on foot he shall honour him by vncouering his head but if the secular man be riding on horsebacke and the Clergie man on foote then the secular man shall light downe from his horse and shall doe reuerence to the Church-man this age smelleth of Antichristian pride In the third Councell at Matiscon there is nothing to be read but a contentious disputation betwixt two Bishops Palladius and Bertramus foolish questions scarse worthy to be disputed in Grammer schooles Whether or no a woman may be called Homâ IN the yeere of our Lord 595. and in the thirteene yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Mauritius Gregorius first Bishop of Rome assembled a Councell at Rome of twentie foure bishops thirty foure Presbyters wherein first of all he confirmed the first foure generall Councels He ordained that at the celebration of the Sacrament there should be lesse singing and more reading of Psalmes and Gospel because weake people transported with the delight of a sweet and delicate voyce marked not how men of a lewd life drew neere vnto the Altar of God He ordained also that laicke boyes should not be cubiculars to the bishops or Rome but that Presbyters Deacons or Monkes should be witnesses of the honestie of their conuersation And that the Beare wherein the body of the Bishop of Rome is brought forth to be buried shall not be ouerspred with any couering aboue the Beare That for ordination of men in spirituall offices no reward shall be craued For like as the Bishop should not sell the imposition of his hands euen so the minister or notare should not sell his voyce and pen. If hee who is ordained voluntarily giueth any thing as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse this is not forbidden to be receiued Gregorius standing before the place where the body of Saint Peter is buried pronounced many Anathems wherevnto the rest of the assemblie with vniforme consent said Amen Amongst the rest the Presbyter or Deacon who marrieth a wife is deliuered to the deuill and a man who marrieth his owne spirituall sister whom in our language we call his gossope hee is likewise deliuered to an euill Heard to be kept Albeit Gregorius be not counted the worst amongst the bishops of Rome yet when hee followeth not the certaine rule of the written word of God hee is wandering in the mist as boldly as others did before him THe Councels which I haue ouerpassed with silence such as Gradense Braccarense Lateranense Lugdunense Pictaviense Merense lest I should ouercharge a litle booke with an vnnecessarie burthen or trouble the reader of superstitious rites damning of old ãâã and of euery contentious disputation more ãâã belonging to ciuill iudges than to spirituall conuentions I referre mine excuse in this to the wisdome of the iudicious Reader CENTVRIE VII IN the yeere of our Lord 607. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Phocas a Councell was assembled at Rome of 72. Bishops 30. Presbiters and 3. Deacons In this councell the priuiledge of supremacie giuen by Phocas to the Roman Church was published Likewise it was ordained vnder paine of cursing that during the life-time of a Bishop no man should talke of the election of another That no man by largition of money should purchase vnto himselfe a spirituall office and that no man should consult concerning the election of another Bishop or Pope before three dayes were expired after the death of the defunct and that the Bishop should be elected by the Clergie people and their electioÌ should be ratified by the Magistrate of the Citie and the Pope by these words Volumus et iubemus that is we will and we command otherwise the election shall be voyde and of none effect Bonifacius the fourth gathered another assemblie in the eight that is in the last yeere of the raigne of Phocas wherein he gaue power to Monkes to preach to minister the Sacraments to heare Confessions to bind and loose and associated them in equall authoritie with the Clergie BRacara or Braecara vulgarly called Braga is a towne in Portugall In the yeere of our Lord 610. and vnder the raigne of Gundemarus king of Gothes raigning at that time in the countrey of Spaine assembled some Bishops of Gallicia Lusitania and of the Prouince called Lucensis of olde It was ordained That euârie Bishop should visit the Churches of his diosie and see that baptisme was duly ministred and that Catechumeni twenty dayes before their baptisme should resort to the purifications of Exorcismes and should bee instructed in the knowledge of the Apostolick Symbol and that the people should bee exhorted to beware of Idolatry adultery murther periury and all other deadly sins That Bishops should not lift vp the third part of the oblations of the people but that it should remaine in the parish Church for furnishing light and for repairing
children and that they shall be accursed who dare presume to seeke the kingly authority without the consent of the whole countrey of Spaine and the Nobility of the nation of the Gothes and that no man shal raile vpon the King or lie in waite for his life IN the yeere of our Lord 652. or as others reckon 650. Pope Martinus gathered a Councell at Rome of moe then an hundred Bishops The errour of the Monothelites obstinately defended by Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was the occasion of this Councell together with the impious edict of the Emperour Constans set out in favour of the heresie of the Monothelites In this Councell over and besides an ample confession of Faith many decrees and constitutions were made all tending to damne those who denyed the Trinity or the divine vnity in the divine nature or the manifestation of the second person of the Trinitie and his suffering in the flesh or the perpetuall virginity of the Lords mother or the two nativities of Christ one before all times and another in time by the operation of the holy spirit or the distinction of the two natures after the ineffable vnity or the distinction of wils and operations in Christ. In like manner all were damned who made opposition to the fiue preceding generall Councels In particular Theodorus of Pharatrita Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople were condemned as patrons and obstinate defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites There is more frequent mention of Fathers than of Scriptures in this Councell a perilous example to the posterity IN the yeere of our Lord 653. and in the third yeere of Chintilla King of the Gothes in Spaine the sixt Councell of Toledo was assembled of 52. Bishops Eugenius Bishop of Toledo being President The occasion seemeth to haue beene the renovation of old heresies and contradiction to preceding Councels After a confession of the Faith Letanies are ordained to be said as was appointed yeerly for preservation of the King It was ordained by the advice of the Councell with consent of the King and his Nobles that no man should be tolerated to dwell in the kingdome of Spaine who did not professe the Catholike Faith and that Kings in all time to come before they were placed in their royall seate should be bound by the obligation of a solemne oath to interpose their authority that this act might bee obeyed Otherwise let the King refusing to put this act in execution be counted accursed and be a faggot of the flames of everlasting fire What Ferdinandus King of Spaine did in driving out of his dominions the Iewes and the Saracens some alledge that it was done vpon the ground of this act but now it is not a fit time to examine that question No man shall presume by Simony or largition of mony to attaine to Ecclesiasticall offices If any of the Clergie obtaine a pension out of the Church-rents let him possesse it vnder the title of Praecaria lest by long possession the Church rents be diminished If any person be cloathed with a religious habite which hee hath voluntarily accepted if afterward hee forsake it let him be excommunicated if hee returne not againe vnto his order The seuenth Canon is a renewing of the foure and fifty Canon of the fourth Councell of Toledo A married man who voweth chastitie in time of sicknesse if he recouer health and haue not the gift of continencie let him cohabite againe with his wife but if shee die he is debarred from the second marriage which notwithstanding is permitted to the wife if shee haue not vowed This Canon is not set downe by precept and commandement but permissiuely through indulgence and a consideration of humane infirmitie Seruants whom the Church hath set at libertie when one Prelate dieth and another succeedeth they are bound to renew the charters of their land which they possesse else their charters shall be voyde and of none effect if they be not renewed within the space of a yeere next after the election of the new Prelate The children of them whom the Church hath set at libertie if their parents bring them vp in learning they shall be brought vp in that same Church from which their libertie did arise and shall serue the Bishop of that Church alwayes without prejudice of their libertie Let no man vpon occasion of an accusation be punished vnlesse his accuser be presented and in case he be a vile and infamous person let no sentence be giuen out vpon the ground of such accusation except in an action of treason against the life of the King He who hath committed hainous offences and fearing punishment fleeth to the enemies of his countrey for refuge let him be excommunicated Let young men honour them who are in great credite and fauour with Princes And let Seniors louingly cherish the younger sort and present vnto them profitable examples of a good conuersation The 14. and 15. Canon intreate of the reward due to them who are found faithfull seruants to the King in whatsoeuer estate especially in the Church and that rentes and landes bestowed vpon the Church shall abide firmely in their possession without reuocation In the 16.17.18 and 19. Canons there is a commemoration of the bountiful kindnesse of king Chintilla toward the Church a prouision that no Church-men should be allured by no deceitfull perswasion to take a course against the king A protestation before God his Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs and whole Church That no man should enterprise any attempt against the King his Noble estate And they who shall presume to doe to the contrarie are appointed to eternall damnation In the end prayers are made to God to giue a good successe to their meeting and thankes are giuen to the King by whose authoritie they were assembled So it is manifest that by the authoritie of Princes Nationall Assemblies were conueened at this time IN the yeere of our Lord 662. as Functius reckoneth and in the 6. yeere of Chindasuvindus king of Spaine the 7. CouÌcel of Toledo was assembled consisting of 4. Archbishops 30. Bishops and a great number of presbyters and messengers from them who could not be present The occasion of this meeting was Theodisclus Bishop of Hispalis a GraeciaÌ borne He had corrupted the bookes of Isidorus and dispersed many errours in his Church he contended for supermacie with the Bishop of Toledo In this Councell Theodisclus was remooued from his office The prioritie of dignitie was conferred to the Bishop of Toledo In the second Tome of Councels six Canons are referred to this meeting First Laickes and men also in spirituall office are forbidden to attempt any thing against the estate of their countrie either by sedition or treason Secondlie it is appointed and ordained That in case any man ministring the Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper be hindred by
any superuenient sicknesse that another shall bee readie to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Thirdly That the Presbyters and the whole Clergie shal be present at the funerall of a bishop Fourthly It is forbidden that Bishops in their visitation should extort or oppresse the Churches which they visite Fiftly That men inclosed into a Monasterie should first receiue instruction in their Monasteries before they presume to teach others Sixtly A commandement is giuen That the Bishops in neare adjacent places should bee obedient to the Bishop of Toledo and at his commaundement they should appeare in the towne of Toledo CAbillonum vulgarlie called Chalon is a towne in Burgunnie not farre distant from Matiscone In this towne by the commandement of Clodoneus king of France conueened 44. Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Laudilenus Bishop of Vienne Theodorus Bishop of Arls because hee refused to appeare before the Councell was suspended from his office vntill the next Councell In this Synode the Canons of the Councell of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be ordained in one towne That no man should sel a Christian seruant to a Iew And that two Abbots should not be chosen to gouerne one Monasterie That no labouring of the ground or other secular worke should be done on the Lords day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councels IN the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and vnder the Popedome of Agatho a Councell was gathered at Rome about the question of the willes and operations of Christ wherein it was decerned by the suffrages of 125. Bishops of Italy France Lombardy of the nation of the Gothes of Britanes and Sclauonians That two willes and two operations were to bee acknowledged in Christ And the opinions of Theodorus Cyrus Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites was damned The vaunting words of the letter of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell wherein he braggeth that the Bishops of Rome neuer erred in matters of Faith I lay them aside at this time for they are false and vntrue as I haue alreadie prooued and shall prooue hereafter if it please the Lord. IN the yeere of our Lord 671. and in the fift yeere of Recesuvindus King of Gothes the eight Councell of Toledo was conueened To this Assemblie resorted two and fiftie Bishops Great disputation was in this Councell concerning perjurie In end it was resolued That no necessitie bindeth a man to performe an vnlawfull oath For Herod and Iephthah sinned in making vnlawfull oathes but they sinned more grieuouslie in performing vnlawfull oathes Marriage is vtterlie forbidden to Bishops and places of Scripture are miserablie abused to confirme this interdiction of marriage Be yee holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And in another place Mortifie your members which are on the earth Coloss. 3.5 Miserable ignorance in this age counteth marriage to bee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is vncleanenesse a member of the bodie of sin which the Apostle commandeth to mortifie Yea and the sub-deacons who pleaded for retaining of their wiues in regard that in their admission no such condition was required of them are in most seuere manner interdited from the companie of their wiues or else to be thrust into a Monastery to suffer penance vntill the last period of their liues Vnlearned men are not to be admitted to the celebration of diuine misteries especially such as are not well acquainted with the Psalter Eating of flesh is forbidden in Lent for three principall causes First Because the fourtie dayes of Lent are the tithes of all the dayes of the yeeres and the tithes should be consecrated to God Secondlie because that Christ by fasting fourtie dayes expiated the sinnes of mankinde Thirdly because it is conuenient that a man made of the 4. elementes for breaking the ten precepts of the decalogue should afflict his bodie foure times ten dayes In the 10. Canon the vertues where with the king shall be indewed who shall be chosen to raigne in Spaine are rehearsed In the last Canon the ordinances of preceding Councels are to be obeyed and the Iewes are to bee deale with according to the actes of the 4. Councell of Toledo Can. 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. c. IN the yeere of our Lord 673. and in the 7. yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes by the commandement of the King 16. Bishops conueened in Toledo and made these ordinances following First That founders of Churches and bestowers of rentes vpon the Church and their posteritie should haue a sollicitous care that Church-rents be not abused with misorder if it shall happen to fall out let complaint be made to the Bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestow any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause be clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voide Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church-affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a Bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow aboue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and in case he build a paroch Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestow aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the Bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that third part to the Church it selfe out of which it is raised or to any other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because he is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct Bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitan and in case the Metropolitan depart this life let no intermeddling with his goods bee made without the foreknowledge of is successour lest by fraud and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church-rents the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death and not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commodity which a Bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another Bishop Children procreated by Bishops Presbyters Deacons c. shall not onely be deprived of the heritage some time belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall service of those Churches wherein their fathers served Let the reader marke that there is a greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one Antichristian
precept concerning prohibition of marriage than to all the ten Commandements of Gods law Let not a servant be accepted to serue in the Ministery of the Church before he be first set at liberty When servants are set at liberty let the supputation of time begin at the death of him who set them at liberty and not at the time when the charter was made Servants set at liberty shall neither marry a woman of the Romane nor of the Gothes blood and they shall be subiect to the Church that set them at liberty and if necessity compell them to sell lands let the land be first offered for a competent price to one Minister in that Church from which their liberty did arise Iewes who are baptized shall in time of solemne feastes attend vpon the Bishop of the parts where their dwelling is to the end that hee may beare testimony of the integrity of their faith If this coÌmmandement beâ ansgresed the Bishop shall ordaine the Iew either to be scourged or to be subiect to such abstinence as he thinketh most fit In the end thanks being rendered to God for their meeting and for the vnitie of their iudgements and supplications being made to God for the weale of the King Recesuvindus in soule and body the Councell was dissolved IN the eight yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus King of Gothes assembled in Toledo one and twenty Bishops They decerned concerning the Feasts of the nativity of our Lord and of the Lords mother at what times they should be kept Punishments are appointed for men of the Clergy and Monkes who are not found dutifull to the King and the Countrey That men vnmeet for spirituall offices should not bee intruded into the Church neither for propinquity of blood nor for hope of lucre and gaine That widowes professing a religious order shall receiue an habit convenient for that order And that women who depart againe from their professed order shall be punished That Parents shall not render their children to religious orders before they be eighteene yeeres of age Finally Protamius Bishop of Bracara being convict of adultery was removed from his office and Fructuosus was placed in his roome IN the seventh yeere of the raigne of Bamba King of the Gothes ninteene Bishops and seven Abbots were assembled in Toledo by the Kings Commandement Quiricus Bishop of Toledo being President In the beginning after a protestation of a decent order to be kept in their Assembly that no tumult nor contentious disputation nor indecent laughter should disturb the comely modesty of their Assembly they set downe a prolixe confession of Faith and Canons belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline in the forme following 1. That Bishops should bee well acquainted with Scriptures and apt to teach 2. That Metropolitan Bishoppes should try how the Pastors of their Dioces increase in knowledgeâ That the forme of singing vsed in the Metropolitane Church shal be likewise vsed in other inferiour Churches 4. That persons who haue discorded shall not stand at the Altar vntill the time they bee reconciled againe 5. That Church-men shall not judge in actions of blood 6. That Bishops should not giue sentence before a sufficient triall of the cause 7. Bishops who commit adulterie or murther shall be deposed and excommunicated beside the punishment to be inflicted by the secular Iudge 8. No reward shall be taken for ministration of the Sacramentes 9. Bishops before their ordination shall giue their oath that they haue not acquired that dignitie by rewards either giuen or to be giuen 10. He who is to be preferred to any Ecclesiasticall office let him first sweare that hee shall continue constantly in that true Catholicke faith and that hee shall be obedient to Ecclesiasticall Canons 11. Let no man refuse to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper when it is offered by him who hath a lawfull calling to ministrate it 12. Absolution should bee pronounced when perill of death impendeth albeit complet satisfaction be not made 13. The holy Sacrifice shall not be ministered by persons possessed with deuils or transported with the passions of madnesse 14. He who ministreth at the Altar shall haue other concurring with him to the end that if he be suddenly oppressed with any infirmitie the other assistant brother may supply his place 15. Councels are ordained yeerely to bee kept IF order of time be not precisely kept in commemoration of the Councels of Bracara and Toledo let no man maruell some regard must be had to the memorie of the Reader and it is not meetâ that the Councels of Toledo being many in number and so frequently conueened following vpon the necke of another except the eleuenth Councell conueened twelue yeeres after the 10 should be miserably disioyned if such things be not comported with by the fauorable Reader it will bee hard to abridge this head of Councels to the contentment of a learned Reader This Councell of Bracara by Caranza is called the first Councell of Bracara In it many old opinions of the Priscillianists and Manicheans concerning prohibition of marriage and meates are condemned together with the heresies of Samosatenus Photinus Cerdon and Marcion Canons set forth in this Councell are so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that there is no necessity to make rehearsall of them In the 30. Canon of this Councell it is ordained That no poesie shall be sung in the Church except the Psalter of the old Testament IN the 4 yeere of Bambas King of Gothes eight Bishops were assembled in Braga In the beginning of the Councell for confession of their Faith they made a new rehearsall of the summe of the Nicene Faith After this they set downe eight ordinances in manner following 1. That all superstitious opinions being reiected bread and wine mixed with water onely should be offered in the Sacrifice and not the liquor of milke nor pure vnmixed wine nor bread dipped in wine Here marke that the giving of vnmixed wine to the people in the Sacrament or Sacrifice is called superstition such bitter fruits do ensue vpon magnifying the traditions of men that Christs owne institution is called superstition 2. That vessels dedicated to God bee not abused and imployed to secular and humane vses 3. A Presbyter when he sayeth masse let him bee cloathed with his Orarium on both his shoulders and be signated on his brest with the signe of the Crosse. 4. Let no person of the Clergy cohabit with women no not with their owne sisters without witnesses of their conversation 5. Vpon Festivall dayes reliques enclosed in an Arke shal be borne vpon the shoulders of the Levites as the Arke of God in the old Testament was accustomed to bee borne 1 Chron. 15.15 and not about the necke of a Bishop and in case the Bishop will needs carry them himselfe then shall he walke on foot with the rest of the people and not be carryed in a coach by his Deacons Here marke
not distribute the Lords bodie indiscreetly to children and to all persons who happen to be present who if they be entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation then any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup unworthily hee shall be guilty of the bodie and blood of the Lord Let a man therefore try himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. By this let the iudicious Reader marke that even in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate masses had no place but they who were duly prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by every man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and Presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sinnes penance discreetly according to the waightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Cloyster and sleepe vnder one roofe to the end they may bee ready to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Canon vnto the 32. are contained constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to be prolix Canon 32. All men should studie to peace and concord but especially Christians forsaking hatred discord and envie 33. Lords and Iudges should be obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their Bishops and Bishops on the other part should reverently regard them to the end they may be mutually supported every one with the consolations one of another 34. Lords and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admit not vile and naughty persons to beare witnesse in their iudicatories because there are many who for a contemptible price are ready to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a reward For divine Scripture in many places forbiddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the blind 36. Let euery man be carefull to support indigent persons of his owne family and kindred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bow downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steven and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lords day and other solemne dayes on the which the vniversall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lords resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and noyse and in time of prayer and celebration of the masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speeches but even to abstain from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement-seates of secular Iudges be in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God should bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saith 40. Let it be forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lords day or Iustice-Courts because all men should abstaine from servile labours to the end this day may be spent in praising and thanking God from morning till evening 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church-men but persevere in their vitious conversation who must be reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people be admonished to abstaine from Magicall Arts which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beasts but they are the deceitfull snares of the Divell whereby he deceiveth man-kinde 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credit to that which they speake they take God to be witnesse of the verity of their speeches 44. Many free subiects by the oppression of their Masters are redacted to extreame pouerty whose causes if our element Soveraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vniustly redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duly payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the civil Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not only lights in the Church and stipends to the Clergie began to inlacke but also the very parish Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastings are appointed for any impendent calamity let man neglect the fellowship of the humble Church for desire to feed his belly with delicate foode 48. Drunkennes and surfeiting are forbidden as offensiue both to soule and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to be admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subiects yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in a yeere vnlesse they be hindred by some grivous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were dis-inherited by thâ donation of lands which their Fathers and friends had bestowed vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwaies in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitted themselues to be corrected by their Soveraigne Lord and King THe Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell convened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall Estate Many of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall be the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of ancient Fathers together with the Pastorall bookes of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practice in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by by reading 3. Let them also constitute Schooles wherein learning may be increased and men brought vp in them that may be like to the salt of the earth to season the corrupt manners of the people and to stop the mouthes of Heretiques according as it is said to the commendation of the Church A thousand Targes are hung vp in it even all the Armour of the strong Cant. chap. 4 vers 4. â 4. Let Church-men shew humility in word deed countenance and habite 5. Let Priests bee vnreproueable adorned with good manners and not given to filthy lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre wherewith many Church-men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the world and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplyed number of words to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitfull speeches haue circumvened
multitude of simple and ignorant Priestes that they thought it to bee the Oracle of God but in their next meeting Falthodus whom others call Ethelredus a learned man of Scotland so evidently by testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers prooved that marriage was a thing lawfull to men in spirituall offices that the answer which came from the Crucifix was counted the answer of the Divell whom Dunstanus served because Christ would speake nothing repugnant to his owne Word VNder the raigne of Nicephorus Phocas Emperor of Constantinople and when Polyeuchus was Patriarch the Emperour assembled a Councell at Constantinople The question disputed in the Councell was this Nicephorus having obtained the dominion of the East tooke to wife Theophania the relict of Romanus his predecessor This matter so displeased the Patriarch Polyeuchus that hee debarred the Emperour Nicephorus from holy things pretending these two causes First because the Emperour had celebrated the second marriage Secondly because Nicephorus had beene witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania This question being discussed in the Councell in presence both of Prelats and Counsellers the Emperours marriage was allowed and the acts alledged by Polyeuchus was counted impious made by Capronimus and that they had no force to hinder the marriage The proud Patriarch when he was overthrowne by reason armed himselfe with obstinacie and stiffe neckednesse vntill Bardas the Emperours father came to him and affirmed by an oath that Nicephorus the Emperour was not witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania Thus were the Patriarches of the East serious in observing the traditions of men but remisse and negligent in observing the ordinances of God And this is a sure testimony that defection from the faith had now prevayled both in the west and East IN the yeere of our Lord 992. in the ninth yeere of the Emperour Otto and in the fourth yeere of Hugo Capeto King of France a Councel was gathered at Rhemes against Arnulphus Bishop of Rhemes His hand-writing was produced wherein hee did binde himselfe to bee obedient to Hugo Capeto King of France and never to come in the contrary vnder paine of infamy and perpetuall malediction Notwithstanding he had countenanced Duke Charles who claimed the right of the kingdome as nearest heire thereto being the brother of Lotharius To Duke Charles Arnulphus had opened the ports of the towne of Rhemes and made him Commander of the citie Great disputation was in the Councell concerning Arnulphus His friends would haue had this cause remitted to the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome But many of the Bishops of France mightily opponed to the contrary The discourse is very prolix but the paines of reading is well recompenced with the fruitfulnesse of the disputation This Councell toke this end Arnulphus confessed his fault denuded himselfe of his Episcopall honour and Gilbertus who had beene instructor of Robert the Kings sonne was placed in his roome Likewise Arnulphus was sent to Orlience to be imprisoned there together with Siguinus Archbishop of Senon because hee consented not freely to the deposition of Arnulphus but thought that this matter was overswayed by the tyranny of Courtiers and vsurpers of the kingdome vnlawfully VVHen the deposition of Arnulphus was reported at Rome Iohn the thirteenth was mooued with great wrath and incontinent excommunicated all those Bishops of France who had consented to the deposition of Arnulphus In so doing Pope Iohn kept the accustomed order of the Romane Church to wit to pronounce a sentence before a lawfull cognition and tryall of the cause Also hee sent an Abbot called Leo furnished with the authority of the Romane chaire to appoint a new Councell at Rhemes Hugo King of France was somewhat terrified with the cursing of the Bishop of Rome and feared to oppose himselfe to so many bishops agreeing in one minde and therefore he suffered the councell to hold forward The conclusion of this Councell was that Arnulphus was restored to his former dignitie And left that either the Emperour Otto or Hugo Capeto should be offended Gilbertus was promoted to be Bishop of Ravenna CENTVRIE XI IN the yeere of our Lord 1026. and vnder the raigne of the Emp. Henry the second a Councell was assembled at Aken by the authority of the Emperour who seeing the wrath of God kindled against the word manifold tokens of the anger of God manifested in the Calamities hanging vpon the head of all people and nations he gathered this Councel By the authoritie whereof Priests were commanded to pacifie the wrath of God by frequent saying of masse the people by fasting abstinence Princes by distributing of almes to reconcile themselues to God The Doctrine of repetance and amendement of life was forgotten in this time of horrible ignorance and all religion was turned into outward exercises of fasting of distributing of almes and of saying of Masses Also new fasting daies were inioyned to be kept in most solemne manner to the honour of Iohn the Baptist S. Laurence so that by a multitude of human traditions daily increased the ordinance of God as Christ witnesseth was made null and of no effect IN the yeere of our Lord 1023. and in the 21. yeere of the raigne of the Emp. Henry 2. a Councell was assembled at Halignustat wherein Harido Bishop of Mentz was moderator great pains were taken to make a conformitie vnitie in obseruation of superstitious rites in Germanie such as statut times of fasting and abstinence from marriage at certaine times of the yeere and not casting of the corporall into the fire to quench the fire kindled in a towne which was the custome of foolish Priests at that time that no sword shuld be brought into the Church except the Kings sword and no meetings or confabulations should be in the Church or the poarch thereof and that women should not bee addicted to particular and select Masses such as the Masse of the Trinitie and Saint Michael but let them heare common Masses for the safetie of the quicke and the dead Also Lawes were made in this Councell concerning the reckoning of the degrees of consanguinitie and that no man should iourney to Rome for obtaining pardon for great sinnes before hee had first confessed himselfe to his owne Priest and fulfilled the penance prescribed by him with many other constitutions full of new invented superstition IN the yeere of our Lord 1030. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Conrad the second a Councell was assembled at Triburia The Emperour was present at the Councell After some constitutions about fasting one arose and said that certaine Epistles were come from heauen concerning peace to be renued on earth he was commanded to write a coppie of these Epistles to be communicat to other Bishops to the ende that nations and people might obserue these new lawes following 1. That no man should weare armoure 2. That no man should seeke restitution of things
of our Lord 1081. the Emperor irritate with the incessant attempts of the Pope against his life and estate thought meet once to put an end to this labour and to the distresses of the Empire Therefore hee besieged the towne of Rome and tooke it Hildebrand with the rest of the Wolfes who had troubled the sheepfold of God they fled The Emperour with the advice of the Roman Senate appointed a Councell to be assembled at Rome wherein fugitiue Hildebrand should appeare and render an account of his adminstration but hee would not appeare Therefore he was deposed as a profane and wicked man a louer of discord a bloody man and an invader of the Apostolick chaire by Sorcery And Gilbertus by some called Wigbertus was placed in his roome AFter the death of Gregory the 7. the Romans had no regard to Gilbertus whom the Emperor had made Pope but they chose another who was Abbot in Cassinates named Desiderius He was not chosen by the Cardinalls nor by the Pope of Rome but by Mathildis and the Normans Commanders of Apulia as Functius recordeth all these were enemies to the Emperour After his election to the Popedome he was called Victor the third He assembled a Councell at Beneventum which was his natiue soyle There hee cursed Gilbertus Bishop of Ravenna as an vsurper of the Chaire belonging to Gregory the seventh his predecessor Likewise he cursed Hugo Archbishop of Lions and Richard Abbot of Marseil because as it seemeth they had been his competitors This man walked closely in the footsteps of Hildebrand but his time was short for hee died before hee could execute the proud conceits of his minde after he had ruled one yeere and six months Platina attributeth vnto him onely the continuance of one yeere and foure moneths IN the yeere of our Lord 1095. Vrbanus the second gathered a great assembly at Clermont in Overnie of France The lessons of Hildebrand were forgot by his successours Therefore in this Councell and the Councell of Placentia and other Councels which I haue ouerpassed studying to shortnesse It was ordayned that no spirituall office nor rent annexed thereto should be received from the hand of a secular man in this Councell it was ordayned with advice of many Christian Princes that an army should bee raised vp and march toward Ierusalem for support of distressed Christians and recovery of the holy Land out of the hands of Infidels as hath beene declared in the History of the life of Vrbanus the second CENTVRIE XII THe multitude of Councels assembled in this Centurie if they should all be particularly rehearsed I doubt not but the Reader would bee wearied in reading them for they exceede the number of an hundred and fifteene Councels So that I am compelled to reduce them vnto certaine principall heads and to produce examples of every head so shall the intention and designe of them who assembled Councels in this time be cleerly knowne Some Councels were assembled for prohibition of Priests marriages others for excommunication of the Emperour some for the question of investment of Bishops being most willing to extort this priviledge out of the hands of the Emperour and to conferre it to the Bishops of Rome Some were gathered for deciding the question which arose by plurality of Popes contending hotly one against another for the Popedome Many Councels also were assembled for advancing of the warre called Bellum sacrum and setting forward Christians to fight against the Saracens for conquering the holy Land out of their hands Some few were assembled against men whom they supposed to bee Heretiques such as Abelardus and his disciple Gilbertus and Vualdenses When a few examples of every one of these heads shall be commemorated the luxriant superfluity of the Councels of this Centurie shall not be found inconvenienly abridged ALexius Emperour of Constantinople sent letters to Vrbanus the second wherein he declared the rage of the Turkes and implored support from the West Vrbanus assembled a Councell of all Nations at Paris and was present himselfe at the Councell incitating the hearts of all men to driue out the barbarous Turkes from the place wherein the redeemer of the world did suffer In this Councell were appointed an hundred thousand men out of Aquitania Normandie England Scotland Ireland Brittannia Galitia Wastemia France Flanders Lorane and other Nations toward the holy Land with Hademarus a Bishop who had power of binding and losing in the Popes name IN the yeere of our Lord 1110. the Bishop of Florence openly preached that Antichrist was already come which hee cleerely perceived by that horrible change of the spirituall Kingdome of Christ into an earthly Monarchie for the Bishops of Rome were rather Warriours then Preachers of the Word of God They opposed themselues to Emperours and most contemptuously abused them they depraued the articles of Faith prophaned the Sacraments instituted by Christ. Idolatry dayly increased hypocriticall discipline through propagation of Monastique orders and humane constitutions were out of measure extolled Moe were advanced to the Popedome by deceit weapons and slaughter then by free election Matrimoniall chastitie was banished from the order of Clergie-men who count themselues holy And finally the Bishop of Rome was like vnto a gulfe devouring and exhausting the substance of the world and administrating his turnes rather by force then reason These abuses and others like to these presented to the Bishop of Florence a notice that Antichrist was come alreadie and openly domineered in the Church Pascalis the second who was Pope at this time thought it was no time to slumber or sleepe in such a matter Therefore hee convened a Councell at Florence and called the Bishop of Florence to his accounts The arguments by which hee prooued that Antichrist was already come are buried in silence Onely hee was sharply rebuked and commanded that in time to come he should vtter no such doctrine IN the yeere of our Lord 1102. and in the third yeere of the raigne of Henry the first King of England Anselmus Archbishop of Canterburie a man much addicted to Pope Paschalis assembled a Councell at London for prohibition of the marriages of Priests This was an vncouth thing in England and some counted it an holy designe others a matter perilous as it was indeed lest men attempting things that were aboue their strength should fall into the snare of the Deuill and into horrible Lusts of vncleannesse which thing came to passe For horrible Sodomie had place among the Clergie and the yeere following Anselmus was compelled to conuene another Councell at S. Pauls in London and to make constitutions for punishment of those who were found to bee polluted with that vild lust of vncleannesse Neuerthelesse Anselmus was one of the number of the Antichristian Clergie who would be wiser than God and finde out better remedies than marriage to stay the intemperat lust of men who had not the gift of Continencie IN the yeere of our
THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH SINCE THE DAYES OF Our Saviour IESVS CHRIST vntill this present Age. Devided into foure Bookes 1. The first containeth the whole proceedings and practises of the Emperours both of the West and East for or against the Church as also the wonderfull loue of God towards it by whom it was so preserved that neither by Tyranny it could be subdued nor by policie circumvented 2. The second containeth a breefe Catalogue of the beginnings and proceedings of all the Bishops Popes Patriarchs Doctors Pastors and other learned men in Europe Asia and Affrica with or against the Church together with their deaths 3. The third containeth a short summe of all the Heretiques which haue beene in the Church the time when and the place where they lived as also the persons by whom they were subdued 4. The fourth containeth a short compend of all the Councels Generall Nationall and Provinciall together with their severall Canons which haue beene established either with or against the Church Devided into 16. Centuries By all which is clearely shevved and proved the Antiquitie Visibilitie and Perpetuitie of our Church euer since Christs dayes vntill this present Age. Collected out of sundry Authors both ancient and moderne by the famous and worthy Preacher of Gods vvord Master PATRICK SYMSON late Minister at Striueling in Scotland LONDON Printed by I.D. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Golden Lions in Corne-hill neere the Royall Exchange and for William Sheffard at the entering in of Popes-head Alley out of Lumbard streete 1624. TO THE RIGHT GRATIOVS PRINCE LODOWICK Duke of Richmond and Lenox Baron of Settrington Darnley Teâbanten and Methuen Lord great Chamberlane and Admirall of Scotland Lord Steward of the Kings household Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most honorable privie Councell ALthough it may seeme both to your Grace and others great presumption in me a stranger to trouble your Grace either with the view of these vnpolished lines or this ensuing Historie yet I hope the latter shal be a sufficient excuse for the former For having received it from your Noble Sister the Countesse of Marre at her Ladiships commaundement and especiall direction I revised it put it to the Presse hastened the Printing and now also craue your Graces Patronage thereto not so much respecting the greatnesse of your authoritie as the goodnes of your nature and disposition whereof much might be sayd but that I hold it needlesse to shew the Sunne with a candle Thus humbly commending it to your Graces favourable acceptation and heartily committing you to the Almighties gracious protection I humbly take my leaue resting Your Graces humble servant A. Symson TO THE RIGHT NOBLE VERTVOVS and elect Ladie Marie Countesse of Marre P.S. wisheth grace mercie and eternall felicitie THE estate of the Church of Christ NOBLE LADIE whereof wee reioyce to be accounted feeling members hath beene subject vnto manifold afflictions even from the beginning of the world not like vnto the estate of Moab setled vpon her dregs and not poured out from vessell to vessell yet the more afflicted the more beloved of God whose face watred with teares is faire and whose mourning voyce is pleasant in the sight of God and as doing of good willingly hath a great recompence of reward from God even so patient suffering of evill for righteousnesse sake as it is highly commended in Scripture so it shall be richly rewarded in heaven yea the very heathnick Philosopher Plato to whom the glory of the sufferings for Christ was vnknowne affirmeth that men who suffer scourging binding tormenting boring out of eyes and finally strangling of their breath for righteousnesse sake are exceeding happy are as the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã importeth thrice happy although the superlatiue degree of suffering which can be found amongst the heathnicks could never equall the glorie of the sufferings of Christians They who were initiated in the mysteries of Mittera which word in the Persian language signifieth the Sunne could not bee admitted to that honour before they had beene tried by suffering fourscore divers sorts of punishments such as long abstinence from meate and drinke solitarie living in the wildernes a long time tryall of suffering the fervent heate of fire and the coldnes of water and many other torments vntill the number of fourescore had beene completed These voluntarie sufferings like as in the beginning they wanted the warrant of Gods calling so likewise in the end they wanted the hope of Gods reward but the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth Christians to be blessed who die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them The manifold persecutions of the Church may be devided into three rankes some were fierce and bloodie some were craftie the third was and is both craftie and cruell The ten heathnicke Emperours Nero Domitian Traian c. were so prodigall of the blood of the Lords Saints that they poured it out like water vpon the ground The Arrian Emperors were subdolous and craftie but the persecution of Antichrist which is the third goeth beyond the rest both in crueltie and craft yea the experience which we haue had in our owne dayes of the cruelty of Antichrists supposts and their craftie convey of their malicious enterprises intended against our Soveraigne Lord His Royall race and Noble Counsellers doth cleerely proue that the malice and craft of Antichrist goeth as farre beyond the craft and malice of all Emperours as the flood of Noah exceedeth the inundation of Nilus In the first second and third Centuries the faith and patience of Christians was tried by the yoake of ten bloody persecutions For first the Apostles who had heard with their eares the words of the great shepheard of our soules and seene with their eyes God manifested in the flesh were chosen to be faithfull to the world of the doings sufferings and doctrine of Iesus Christ and next to the Apostles their Disciples and true successours sealed vp with rivers of blood that faith which they receiued from the Apostles The fire wherewith they were burnt the water wherein they were drowned the ayre wherein their bodies were hanged the mountaines and wildernesses through which they wandered the darke prisons wherein they were enclosed as people vnworthy of libertie yea all the elements the very light of heauen from whence by most vnrighteous violence they the righteous heires thereof were excluded all these I say were witnesses of their glorious sufferings In the fourth fift and sixt Centuries the knowledge of the Church was tryed by Heretiques who by the mistie clowds of error endeavoured to blindfold the eyes of men and to leade them captiue from the simplicity of the truth of God at which time also the power of the light of God was manifested in discipating the darknesse of errours as the Sun-rising doth the darknesse
of God who would not for gaining of their liues once fashion themselues according to the similitude of Idolaters in outward and externall things Tertulian in his booke de corona militis declareth that true Christian souldiers abhorred from setting a garland of flowers vpon their heads when they received wages for their painfull seruice in warfare because it was the habit of Idolaters who sacrificed to Iupiter O happy men of God whose vertues the dead colours of Painters cannot represent and the festered manners of this corrupt age cannot imitate When shall the fresh oyle of the grace of God bee powred into our lampes that the light of our faith patience and constant perseverance may shine clearely to the world as theirs did The occasion of this great persecution of Nero was his owne barbarous and cruell fact hee caused the towne of Rome to be set on fire which wasted the buildings of the towne for the space of sixe dayes and to eschew the vile infamy of this barbarous fact hee layde the blaine vpon the Christians and gaue forth edicts and commandements to to persecute them to the death Nero was so hatefull an aduersary to all righteousnesse that Eusebius following the example and words of Tertullian affirmeth that if the Gospell had not beene an excellent good thing it had not been condemned by Nero. It is supposed that Peter was crucified and Paul was beheaded at Rome in the time of this persecution If this be true the very dead bones of Peter and Paul are witnesses against the Romane Church if they continue not in the same faith that Peter and Paul sealed vp with their blood The estate of the Iewes vnder Nero was very hard in respect of the oft change of the Romane Deputies For in Neroes time continued Felix for a space whom the Emperour Claudius had sent to Iudea and after him Festus Albinus and Florus This last Deputy was fashioned according to the similitude of the manners of Nero his Master and the Proverb holdeth true in Nero and Florns Such man such master In the time that Felix was Deputy a certaine Egyptian man pretending to be a Prophet and promising great things perswaded foure thousand of the Iewes to follow after him but Felix sent forth companies of horsemen and footmen who slew foure hundreth of the people that followed the Egyptian and tooke two hundreth of them aliue the rest were scattered but the seducing Prophet escaped and could not be found When Festus was Deputy King Agrippa heard the Apology of Paul and sayd that in a part Paul perswaded him to be a Christian. This Agrippa I say the sonne of Herod whom the Angell of God slewe was advanced to great honours by the Emperour Claudius as his father had beene before him by the fauour of Caius and he possessed not onely his fathers dominions but also the Tetrarchy of Iturea and Trachonitis sometime belonging to Philip the sonne of Herod the great His might and riches procured trouble to the Nation of the Iewes He had a palace situate vpon the West-side of the Temple of Ierusalem and in regard it was builded vpon a mountaine he had a delectable prospect of the towne of Ierusalem yet not content with this hee mounted vp the walles of the Palace by a new building so high that they who were in the Palace might haue seene the Altar and sacrifices of the Iewes offered in the inner court which at that time was called Atrium Iudaorum This doing grieved the hearts of the Iewes They on the other part to cut off the sight of those who dwelt in the Palace from beholding their sacrifices raysed vp the wall of the inner court on the West-side to such eminency that no man could behold the sacrifices of the Iewes from the Palace King Agrippa and Festus with authority commanded the Iewes to demolish their new builded wall In end this matter was referred to the Emperour Nero who being solicited by his wife Poppea gratified the Iewes in this poynt and compelled them not to cast downe their wall Festus died in Iudea and Albinus was sent to be Deputie in Iudea Ananus was the high Priest of the Iewes in those dayes and finding opportunity of time to practice the malice of his heart against Iames the sonne of Alpheus furnanamed Iustus an holy Apostle and kinsman of our Lord Iesus When Albinus was vpon his iourney and had not as yet arriued neither to the coasts of Egypt nor of Iudea this Ananus I say caused Iames furnamed Iustus and the brother of our Lord to bee stoned to death Eusebius writeth that he was throwne down from the pinacle of the Temple This cruelty of Ananus albeit it displeased both King Agrippa and Albinus the Deputy of the Romans and the people of Ierusalem yet wicked men are wiser in their owne generation then the children of light and Ananus sawe that if hee had lingred vntill the Romane Deputy had arriued hee could not haue procured the death of a man counted so inst and so welbeloved of the people as the Apostle Iames was It is to be marked that Eusebius in the forementioned place describeth the Martyrdome of Iames furnamed Iustus before the edict of the persecution of Nero after which folloshed the martyrdome of Peter and Paul in the 12. yeere of Nero his raigne neuerthelesse the Romane Church had forged Epistles decretall whereinto Clemens Bishop of Rome writeth to Iames furnamed Iustus after the death of Peter What credit these decretall Epistles deserue it shall be declared hereafter God willing But Florus who succeded to Albinus was an avaritious and cruell man hee exhausted the treasure that was in the Temple and tooke out of it sixteene talents of siluer And when the Iewes at Ierusalem murmured against him hee came to the towne in great wrath and permitted the souldiers to slay and to spoyle the Citizens of Ierusalem at their pleasure Likewise he afflicted with vnaccustomed cruelty men of noble birth by scourging and crucifying them This was the ground of the warre betweene the Romanes and the Iewes wherein Ierusalem came to that lamentable ruine foretold by our Saviour Christ. Now to returne to the Emperour himselfe and forme of his death After he had raigned 13. yeares and eight moneths the Senate of Rome proclaimed him to bee an enemy to mankind and condemned him to be whipped with wands to the death and to be harled through the City For feare of which punishment he was forced to flie and by slaying of himselfe made an end of his most wretched life Iustin. Vespatian AFter Nero Otto Vitellius and Galba contended for the Empire and were all hastily cut off and made out of the way and Flavianus Vespatian was chosen Emperour by the Roman Arny he reigned ten yeares The Nation of the Iewes at this time for the most part was given ouer into a reprobate minde according as it was
of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit me to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no ma n thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to be strengthened by a lie as Nicephorus is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were Maximianus Malchus Martinianus Dionysius Ioannes Serapion and Constantinus were lurking in a caue the entrie whereof Decius commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not separate these holy Martyres from Christ. But Nicephorus the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe which they continued till the time of Theodosius that is from the 250. vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith Nicephorus But he who will giue hastie credite to Nicephorus fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to Euagrius description of Barsanuphius an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeares and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that many persecuted preachers had wiues and children as the historie recordeth Cheremon Bishop of a citie in Egypt called Nilus fled to the mountaines of Arabia accompanied with his wife and returned not againe to Egypt neither was he seene of those who sought him in the wildernesse Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria who miraculously escaped the crueltie of persecuters maketh expresse mention of his children Deo mihi vt migrarem praecipiente viámque mirabiliter aperiente ego liberi multi fratres egressisumus that is after that God had commanded me to remooue and had miraculously opened a passage vnto me I and my children and brethren went forth If antiquitie be regarded Bishops who doe marrie are not Nicolatian Heretiques but rather such as forbid to marrie teach a doctrine of deuils Thirdly it is to be marked that in time of this vehement persecution many fainted and fell backe from the open profession of Christian faith Others to prouide timous remedie against such defections gaue out a rigorous sentence against such as had fallen of infirmitie that they should not be receiued againe into the fellowship of the church In this opinion was Nouatus and his complices And by their example we should learne to beware of such men as vnder pretence of zeale perturbe the vnitie of the Church and inuent remedies to cure the maladies of the diseased Church which are worse then the sicknes it selfe as the Novatians did Weakenes at some time is to be pitied but deuilish rigour pitying no man who falleth of infirmitie is a lesson that hath no allowance in the booke of God This cruell tyrant after he had raigned two yeeres made warre against the Scythians some call them the Gothes by whom hee was vanquished in battell and fearing to be ouertaken and to come vnder the tyrannie of barbarous people he cast himselfe into a deepe pit where he ended his life and his body could not be found The great desolations that were made in the world about this time by the plague of pestilence the Ethnickes imputed the cause of them to the Christians But Cyprian whose pen the Lord guided better declared that the cause of all these calamities was the worshipping of Idols the contempt of Gods true seruice and the persecuting of innocent Christians Gallus and Volusian AFter Decius Gallus and Volusian his sonne raigned two yeeres Hee walked in the footsteps of Decius Hee was slaine by Emilian who presumed to raigne but he was so hastily made out of the way that Eusebius and many other Historians misknow his name in the Catalogue oâ Emperours Valerianus and Gallienus VAlerianus and Gallienus his sonne raigned 15. yeeres viz. Gallienus with his father in coniunct authoritie 7. yeeres after his fathers captivity and death hee raigned alone eight yeeres In the first three or foure yeeres of the Empire of Valerian hee was favourable and friendly to Christians and great numbers of them were found in the Emperours Court But afterward hee was seduced by an Egyptian Sorcerer who hated Christians because that by them he was hindred from practicing his magicall charms So the eight persecution began vnder Valerian In this persecution suffered three Bishops of Rome Lucius Stephanus and Sixtus and a Deacon Laurence who was layd vpon an hot broyling iron and patiently endured the torment of fire This is that Deacon who called the poore the treasure of the Church for then is the Church rich when it is rich in good workes and feedeth clotheth and visiteth Christ in his hungry naked and diseased members Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria was banished to Cephro a place in the wildernesse of Libya Priscus Malâbus and Alexander were devoured by beasts in Caesarea Palestina Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was beheaded Marinus a Roman Captaine in Caesarea was envied for the dignity and honour he was advanced vnto and hee was accused to bee a Christian and consequently to bee vncapable of great preferments and dignities he was encouraged by Theotecnus Bishop of Caesarea patiently to suffer death for the cause of Christ by taking him into a secret chamber and laying before him a drawne sword and the booke of the Gospell and bidding him take his choice of one of these two which he liked best Marinus liked better the booke of the Gospell then of the sword and was martyred for the faith contained in that sacred booke of holy Scripture Astyrius a noble Senatour caryed the body of this holy Martyr Marinus vpon his own shoulders and buried it hounourably In the end the Lord delivered this persecuting Tyrant into the hand of Sapor King of Persia who not onely detained him in strait captivity but also abused him most filthily and made his bodie a footstoole and trampled vpon his necke at such times as he was about to mount on horsebacke This fearfull captivity of Valerian had vnto it a notable testimony of the wrath of God against persecuters For like as hee trampled vnder his feet the Church of Christ so in like manner the Lord gaue his necke and backe to be trampled vpon by the feet of his enemies This example of Gods heavie indignation somewhat terrified Galâienus his sonne and he gaue out an edict for the safe returning of such as were banished to their own dwelling places and for staying the rage of persecution Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria having liberty granted by the Emperors edict to returne from banishment came back againe to Alexandria wherein hee found such terrible desolation by famine
the insolent pride of this bloody Tyrant It is to be noted that in time of this publicke calamitie Christians and no others but they onely were found to be fraughted with loue and full of charitie euen toward their hatefull enemies The second time whereinto Maximinus seemed to change his minde toward Christians was after the victorie obtained by Constantine and Licinius against Maxentius The said two Emperours set foorth edictes in fauour of the Christians and Maximinus rather fearing Constantine then louing God began in his bounds also to stay the rage of cruell persecution as the letter written to his Deputie Sabinus clearely declareth But after a small time he altered his minde and set foorth new commandements to persecute Christians Yet the Lord pitying the grieuous afflictions of his persecuted Church brought this Tyrant to an ende For hee made warre against Licinius being counselled thereto by his sorcerers and charmers who promised vnto him good successe in his battell against Licinius but the contrarie fell out for hee was discomfited and cast off his imperiall ornaments fledde feeble and naked and mixing himselfe with the effeminat multitude wandering through townes and lurking in villages hardly escaped the hands of his enemies After this he killed and put to death those enchanters and deceiuers who had bewitched him all his dayes and had put him in esperance of victorie in his battell foughten against Licinius and shortly after oppressed with a certaine disease glorified the God of the Christians and made a most absolute law for the safetie and preseruation of them And so the Tyrant of Tyrants by the vehemencie of his sicknesse ended his life After wee haue spoken a litle of Maxentius who was chosen Emperour by the Praetorian souldiers resteth nothing but to conclude this short summe of the historie of the ten persecutions with the ende and death of that notable hypocrite Licinius Maxentius was so villanous in his behauiour that hee abstined not from abusing of the wiues of noble senatours whom he caught violently from their husbands and contumeliously abused them and sent them backe againe The like villanie also hee intended to haue done to a certaine Christian gentlewoman at Rome called Sophronia whose husband neither could nor durst make resistance to the vile appetite of the proud Emperour but this noble woman desiring libertie to goe to her chamber to adorne and decke her selfe a short while and after shee would goe with the messengers to the Emperour shee chused rather to put her selfe to death in her chamber then to be abused by him Which lamentable fact being reported to him he was nothing moued therewith neither abstained he any white from his wonted sinnes The people of Rome being wearie of his villanie sent to Constantine for aide who gathered an armie in France and Brittaine to represse this Tyrant to whom when hee approched he feared Maxentius charmes wherewith hee was supposed to haue vanquished Seuerus whom Galerius Maximinus had sent against him before and stood in doubt what to doe and as hee was doubting hee cast his eyes often to heauen and sawe about the going downe of the sunne a brightnesse in the heauen in the similitude of a Crosse with certaine starres of equall bignesse giuing this inscription like Latin letters In hoc vince that is in this ouercome After this vision his banner was made in the similitude of a Crosse and caried before him in his warres Maxentius was compelled to issue out of the towne against Constantine whose force when hee was not able to sustaine hee fled and retired in hope to get the citie but was ouerthrowne off his horse about the bridge called Pons Miluius and drowned in the flood Dioclesian hearing tell of the prosperous successe of Constantine and what edicts he had set foorth for the peace of Christians for very griefe hee died Others alledge that he poysoned himselfe Ann. 317. Licinius was made Caesar by Maximinus as is said Hee was very familiar with Constantine and was his colleg in the gouernement 7. yeeres and married Constantina the sister of Constantine Likewise hee concurred with him to subdue the tyrant Maxentius Also he ouercame Maximinus in battell He purposed likewise to haue circumucened and slaine the good Emperour Constantine to whom hee was many wayes greatly addebted but the Lord disappointed his counsells and preserued Constantine to the great benefit and good of his Church But Licinius failing of his purpose conuerted his rage against the Christians notwithstanding he had set out edicts before to procure their peace Hee pretended this quarrell against them that they prayed for the welfare of Constantine and not for his welfare He set foorth against the Christians three cruell edicts 1. Inhibiting assemblies and conuentions of Bishops to consult in matters belonging to their religion 2. He discharged women to resort to the assemblies where men were to pray or to be instructed in matters to religion 3. Hee commanded that no man should visit imprisoned Christians or succour them with any reliefe threatning against those who would disobey such punishment as the imprisoned persons were to suffer After these edicts the mountaines woods and wildernesses began to be the habitation of the Lords saints The Bishops about Libya and Egypt were taken cut in pieces and their flesh cast into the sea to be meat for the fishes And this was done by the flatterers of Licinius supposing to gratifie him by the cruell handling of the Lords seruants In his time were put to death these 40. martyrs of whom Basilius writeth who were set in a pond of water all night lying open to the blasts of cold Northen winds and in the morning they being frozen and almost senslesse with the extremitie of the cold yet were caried vpon carts to be burned with fire to the ende their poore carkeses might feele by experience whether the extremitie of cold or heate were the greater torment Of these 40. noble souldiers of Christ one being stronger then the rest endured the vehemency of the cold better to whom his mother came not to desire him to embrace this present life by a filthy denyall of Christ nor to weepe for the paines of the tormented body of her sonne but rather to exhort her sonne to persevere constantly in the faith of Christ to the end for shee craved licence to lift vp her sonne with her owne hands into the cart admonishing him to accomplish that happy iourney he had begun But whether these were the 40. Martyrs who suffered the like punishment in Sebastia a towne of Armenia or not is not certaine in respect that some circumstances set downe by Basil doe agree to those of Sebastia Likewise in this persecution suffered Barlan a noble man mentioned in a Sermon of Basilius who after many torments was in the end layd vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to Idols and while there was some strength in
his hand they put frankencense into his right hand thinking that hee would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but hee endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In the end Licinius made warre against Constantine and being diverse times ouercome both by sea and land hee yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a private life where hee was slaine by the souldiers So Constantine obtained the whole Empire alone Here end the ten Persecutions CENTVRIE IV. Constantine THE Church of Christ flourished in time of the ten Persecutions as a Palme tree groweth vnder the burthen and spreads out her branches by increasing growth toward heaven Satan on the other part that piercing and crooked Serpent who striues against the militant Church of God both by might and slight when his might faileth it is time to try his slight which he did by the canker-worme of hereticall doctrine Now therefore let vs entreate of the Arrian and Eutychian Persecutors in the three subsequent Centuries Other Heretiques albeit they were fierce and cruell such as the Donatists yet their crueltie was like vnto the stighling of a fish when the water is ebbed and shee is not covered with the deepenesse of over-flowing water the more stirre she maketh the nearer shee is vnto her death But the Arrian and Eutychian Heretiques found Emperours favourably inclined to the maintenance of their errors such as Constantius and Valens protectors of the Arrian heresie Anastatius and Heraclius favourers of the heresie of Eutyches This support they had of supreame powers strengthened the arme of Heretiques and made them able to persecute the true Church of Christ. Notwithstanding betwixt the ten great Persecutions and the Arrian persecution a short breathing time was granted by God vnto his Church who will not suffer the rodde of the wicked perpetually to lie vpoÌ the righteous lest they put out their hand vnto inquity The dayes of the raigne of Constantine were the breathing daies of the persecuted Church Men banished for the cause of Christ by the Emperours edicts were returned from their banishment restored to their offices dignities and possessions which duely belonged vnto them The heritage and goods of such as had suffered death for the cause of Christ were allotted to their neerest kinsmen and in case none of these were found aliue then their goods were ordained to appertaine vnto the Church These beginnings of an admirable change of the estate of persecuted men wrought in the hearts of all people a wonderfull astonishment considering within themselues what could bee the event of such sudden and vnexpected alteration The care that Constantine had to disburthen persecuted Christians of that heauy yoke of persecution that pressed them downe so long was not onely extended to the bounds of the Romane Empire wherein Constantine was soveraigne Lord and absolute Commander But he was carefull also to procure the peace of Christians who lived vnder Sapores King of Persia who vexed Christian people with sore and grievous persecution so that within his Dominions more then sixteene thousand were found who had concluded their liues by martyrdome Among whom Simeon Bishop of Selentia and Vstazares the Kings eldest Eunuch and his nurs-father in time of his minority Pusices ruler of all the Kings Artificers Azades the Kings beloved Eunuch and Acepcimas a Bishop in Persia all these were men of Note and Marke who suffered martyrdome vnder Sapores King of Persia. While the cogitations of Constantine were exercised with meditation by what meanes the distressed estate of Christians in Persia might be supported by the providence of God the Ambassadours of Sapores King of Persia came to the Emperor Constantine whose petitions when he had granted hee sent them backe againe to their Lord and Master and hee sent with them a Letter of his owne intreating Sapores to bee friendly to Christians in whose Religion nothing can be found that can iustly bee blamed His letter also bare the bad fortune of the Emperor Valerian the eight persecuter of Christians and how miserably hee ended his life and on the other part what good successe the Lord had given vnto himselfe in all his battels because hee was a defender of Christians and a procurer of their peace What peace was procured to distressed Christians in Persia by this letter of Constantine the history beares not alwayes his endevour was honest and godly In Constantines dayes the Gospell was propagated in East India by Frumentius and Edesius the brother sonnes of Meropius a man of Tyrus This History is written at length by Ruffinus Theodoretus Sozomenus and many others Likewise it was propagated in Iberia a country lying in the vttermost part of the Euxine Sea by the meanes of a captiue Christian woman by whose supplications first a childe deadly diseased recovered health and afterward the Queen of Iberia her selfe was relieved from a dangerous disease by her prayers made to Christ. The King of Iberia sent Ambassadours to Constantine craving of him that hee would send Preachers and Doctors to the countrey of Iberia who might instruct them in the true faith of Christ. Which desire also Constantine performed with great gladnesse of heart Now to returne and to speake of the Dominions subiect to the Romane Empire Constantine the sonne of Constantius Chlorus began to raigne in the yeare of our Lord 310. and hee raigned 31. yeares hee gaue commandement to reedifie the Temples of the Christians that were demolished in the time of the persecution of Dioclesian This commanmandement was obeyed with expedition and many more large and ample Churches were builded meet for the conventions of Christian people Likewise the temples of Idols were locked vp better they had beene demolished and equalled to the ground then had it beene a worke of greater difficulty to Iulian the Apostate to haue restored againe Heathen Idolatry Many horrible abuses both in Religion and manners were reformed by the authority and commandement of the Emperour such as cubitus mensuralis called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Egypt whereunto was attributed the vertue and cause of the inundation of Nilus by the Egyptians therefore by the Emperors commandement this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was transported out of their Temples In Rome the bloody spectacle of Gladiatores that is of Fencing men with swords killing one another in sight of the people was discharged In Heliopolis a towne of Phoenicia the filthy manners of young women accustomed without controulment to prostitute themselues âo the lust of strangers vntill they were maried this filthy custom I say by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine was interdicted and forbidden In Iudea the Altar builded vnder the Oke of Mambre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and whereupon the Pagans offered sacrifice in time of solemne Faires for buying and selling of
seditious Monkes On the other part a great number of Syria Caua came to support the troubled estate of Flauianus For these things as if he had beene a contentious man he was banished and Senerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saraceus deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias Bishop of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that hee would not subscribe the Synodicke letter of Seuerus and damne the councel of Chalcedon and by the Emperours commandement Olympius the captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Seuerus and was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for he openly auouched the foure generall councels and anathematifed the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Seuerus Bishop of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them and slew 300. of them and gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas Bishop of Epiphania and Severianus bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus Bishop of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenicia that hee should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as eiuil controversies at sometimes are settled namely by a law of oblivion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknesse and light but darknesse must yeeld vnto the light of God In Africke moe then 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the raigne of Anastatius as Magd history recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writeth that he was slaine with thunder Iustinus the elder AFter Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and governed nine yeeres and three dayes Hee restored the Bshops whom Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian Bishops who were found within his Dominions Severus Bishop of Antiochia a vile Eutychian Heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out of his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of the Gothes obtaining domion in Italy persecuted true Christians with great hostility and sent Ambassadors to the Emperour Iustinus to restore the Arrian Bishops whom hee had banished else he would pursue the Bishops who were in Italy with all kinde of rigour And because the Ambassadors returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boetius Likewise when the Ambassadors were returned hee cast in prison Iohannes Tuscus Bishoppe of Rome and his companions whom hee had before imployed to goe on message to the Emperour Iustinus The Bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the Lord suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the Lord strake him with madnesse of minde so when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him hee imagined it was the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine and was so stupified with feare that anon after hee died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not beene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken and vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming and resolving into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast down In this calamity Euphrasius Bishop of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Antiochia and put on sackcloth on his body and was in great heavinesse whereof it is supposed that hee contracted that disease whereof hee dyed When he found his disease daily encreasing he made choyce of Iustinian his sisters sonne to be his colleague who governed foure moneths in equall authority with his vncle and then Iustinus ended his course Iustinianus A After the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne governed 38. yeares Hee would suffer no faith to be openly professed except the faith allowed in the foure generall Councells Notwithstanding the Empresse Theodora his wife was a favourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recover all that was lost by his predecessors in Asia Africke and Europe and hee had good successe through the vertue and valour of his Captaines especially Belisarius and Narses Belisarius first fought against the Persians who had overcome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena and Cava Hee overcame them in battell and compelled them to goe back beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Vandales in Africke who possessed great bounds of the Romane dominions ever since the dayes of Gensericus King of the Vandales And it is to be marked that the time was now come wherein the Lord wil declare that the blood of his Saints is precious in his eyes For since the dayes of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted Gods Saints with so barbarous cruelty as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their Bishoppes to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some favour to Christians and reduced their Bishoppes from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him and gaue his kingdome to Gillimer Now the Lord remembred the grones of his owne prisoners and would not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lie vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recovered Carthage and all the bouÌds pertaining to the Roman Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King and carried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of gold which the Emperour Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem
not only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to pay tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proud attempts of Gregorius the second vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome saw that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens hee thought it a fit occasion to draw the dominion of Italie vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of the Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the Images of the Saints and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueraignty in Italy So earely began the increasing Grando of Antichrist to send forth the thunder-bolts of cursings against the anoynted of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracens passed over the Straits invaded the kingdom of Spaine slew Rodericus King of the Gothes and his sonne and put an end to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had raigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towards France but through the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountred that three hundred thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracens were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens Constantinus Copronymus AFter Leo his sonne Constantinus Copronymus raigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onely 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of Images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age The writers of the History of this time haue dipped their pens in gall and wormwood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constantinus but whatsoever Paulus Diaconus or Zonoras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regard in the Church of Christ. The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of Images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tidings of his death when he went to fight against the Arabians and they chose Artabasdus to be Emperour in his stead But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recovered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a generall Councell at Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of Images was damned as shall be declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the King of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Roman Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all Kings of Lombardis and by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles and Kings of France the Lombards were vtterly subdued the chaire of Rome was enriched the revenue of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was layd for the advancement of the Kings of France to the Imperiall dignity In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Scythians invaded the Armenians and molested the Saracens and some countries of Asia minor in the end they accorded with the Saracens But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia should vndergoe the name of Saracens hoping thereby that they would easily embrace the Mahometan religion wherin their expectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the raigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Pââsâ they perswaded both themselues and others also That if a man would sell all that hee had and throw himselfe headlong from the walles of the Citie his soule should by and by be transported to heaven So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes to beleeue promises which God hath not made Leo the sonne of Copronymus LEo the sonne of Constantinus Copronymus raigned fiue yeeres Hee followed the footsteps of his father in zeale against worshipping of Images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Stratâius and Theophanes for worshipping of Images The superstitious writers of the History of this time such as Zonaras and Paâlus Diaconus reckon the aforesayd persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ will neuer count them to be his Martyrs who fight obstinately against the truth even vnto the death neither will hee count them to be his Confessors who suffer iustly inflicted punishment for the contempt of the lawes of Magistrates being agreeable to the law of God Irene and Constantinus her sonne AFter the death of Leo raigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwards Constantine deposed his mother from her authority and raigned alone seven yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignity done vnto her grievously shee spoyled her sonne both of his eyes and of his Empire cast him into prison where he dyed for heart griefe and shee raigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the raigne of Irene and her son coniunctly severally first and last were 21â yeeres This Empresse was superstitious crafty and infortunate Shee was a superstious defender of the worshipping of Images A malicious and venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body shee commanded to be brought out of his graue to be burnt with fire resolved into ashes and to be cast into the Sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in law The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her raigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom shee knew to haue beene adversaries to the worshipping of Images and sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine and pestilence and being besieged three yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that thirty thousand of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for the repayring of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new Inhabitants These strangers she sent backe againe to the places from whence they came especially because in popular commotion they had set themselues in armes and menaced the Fathers convened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of Images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuated in her time that it was rather like vnto a shadow then vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent History I will forget after a manner the Emperours
of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who raigned eight yeeres after her banishment CENTVRIE IX Carolus Magnus IN the yeere of our Lord 801. Charles the Great King of France was declared Emperour by Leo the third Bishop of Rome and hee raigned sixteene yeeres in his Imperiall dignity for hee continued King of France forty and six yeeres The Empire of the West had beene cut off since the dayes of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes whom Odoacer King of Rugiheruli c. had compelled to denude himselfe of the Imperiall dignity Now after the issue of 300. yeeres and after the Hunnes the Gothes the Lombards and other Nations had obtained dominion in the West all abstaining notwithstanding of their prevailing power from the name dignity and stile of Emperours Now at length I say Charles the Great is anoynted and crowned Emperor by Leo the third in the towne of Rome And this was the beginning of that evill custome which after followed to wit That Emperours should receiue their coronation from the Bishops of Rome At this time the Empire of the East was in the hands of the Empresse Irene and in the hands of the Emperour Nicephorus who had banished Irene and raigned in her stead The Empire of the East was also weake at this time as appeareth by a covenant of peace which they concluded with Charles Emperour of the West in the which no mention is made of Exarchatus Ravennae to be rendred againe vnto them onely that the Isle of Sicile and the townes and lands which lie from Naples Eastward on the right hand and from Manfredonia sometimes called Syponto on the left hand compassed about with the Seas called Superum Inferum these should remaine in the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople ' Charles a prudent and godly Emperour more sound and vpright in sundry heads of Christian doctrine then many others for hee detested the worshipping of Images as vile Idolatry as appeareth by his bookes written against the second Councell of Nice Charles was very friendly to Christians and defended them against the violence and tyranny of their persecuting enemies namely against Godfridus King of Denmarke a fierce adversary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxony Likewise hee subdued the Slavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was iustly called Magnus for his great exploits and valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of the Emperour Charles was declared King of Italy who died before his father and after his death hee appointed Bernard his nephew to raigne in Italy with expresse commandement That hee should bee obedient to his sonne Ludovicke whome hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Imperiall office So the Emperor Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in Aken Ludovicus Pius AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludovicus Pius and raigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behaviour he was called Pius He received the Imperiall Diadem from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludovicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other Bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife behaued themselues very vndutifully towards their father Neverthelesse he freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into favour Also Fredericke Bishop of Vtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if hee did noâ forsake the company of Iudith his welbeloved wife and daughter to the Duke of Bavaria because shee was his neere kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinity for bidden in the Popish lawe The Empresse willing to bee revenged of the Bishop shee hired two Gentlemen who set vpon him after Church service and slew him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracens in huge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Egypt and Africke and invaded the Isle of Sicile By cutting downe all fruitfull trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing Bishops Priests and Monkes they brought the I le to an vtter desolation Gregory the fourth at that time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicile They answered That albeit that matter duly belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neverthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the Countrey Now whilest these things were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arrived with a Navie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountred with the Saracens foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicile like as of old the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne country So Bonifacius returned back againe with an army victorious and richly lodened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprovidently done by the good Emperour Lodovicus Pius then the giving ouer of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This foresaid right Ludovicus gaue over to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendshippe should send an Ambassadour to the King of France declaring whom they had elected to bee Pope Hereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperours and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperours raigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michael Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armemenius raigned seven yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michael Balbus slew Leo his predecessor whilst he was praising God in the Church and raigned in his stead nine yeeres In his time the Saracens mightily prevailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another company comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicile Theophilus raigned ten yeeres and fought against the Saracens who did oppresse the countrey of Asia but he had no good successe Lotharius LOtharius the sonne of Ludovicus Pius was declared King of Italy and Augustus before his fathers death He was anoynted by Pope Paschalis in the Church of Saint Peter and he raigned 15. yeeres Great hostility and bloody warres fell out amongst the children of Ludovicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewis Charles and Pipinus fordividing of their fathers Lands In this civill dissention the Nobility of France was so miserably weakened that the Normans and Danes tooke boldnesse to invade the countrey of France which they vexed for the space of twenty yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded
his life his sonne Michael with his mother Theodora governed the estate Michael raigned foure and twenty yeeres Theodora continued only eleven yeeres She persecuted those who would not worship Images albeit her husband before his departure from his life had seriously admonished her that shee should not trouble the Church for restoring of Images Ludouicus the second LVdouicus the second and son of Lotharius raigned one and twentie yeeres The intestine dissention betwixt him and his brother Charles seemeth to be like vnto an hereditarie sicknesse Howsoeuer the Emperour Lâdouicke had dishonour thereby because the rebelles of Charles desired the Emperours protection against his owne brother which when hee had graunted the rebelles were reconciled againe with their owne King Charles and the Emperour with dishonour was compelled to retire from his brothers Dominions In the East Michael Emperour of Constantinople slew his brother Theoctistus and thrust his mother Theodora and her sisters into a Monasterie and raigned himselfe alone after his mothers deposition thirteene yeares So the whole time of the gouernement of Michael was twentie and foure yeeres He fought against the Saracenes but very vnprosperously and was slaine by Basilius who raigned in his stead seuen yeeres Carolus Caluus LVdovicus the second dying without children his brother Carolus Caluus king of France obtained at the handes of the Bishop of Rome by many liberall giftes to be annointed Emperour Hee continued Emperour not aboue two yeeres and was poysoned by one Sedekias a Iew whom hee vsed for his Physitian Carolus Crassus CArolus Crassus was the sonne of Lewis king of Germanie hee raigned ten yeeres Carolus Balbus the son of Carolus Caluus was quicklie cut off by death I herefore I haue ouerpassed his name with silence In this Emperours time the Normanes and Danes made such horrible excursions and desolations in France that the Emperour who came with a great Armie to support the distressed estate of France was compelled to make peace with them Anno 888. and assigned vnto them that part of Fraunce which lieth beyonde Seane towardes the Britannicke Ocean to bee their habitation which hath the name of Normandie vntill this day Crassus for his negligence and euill gouernement was deposed from his authoritie and Arnulphus his nephew was declared Emperour Arnulphus AFter the death of Carolus Crassus great troubles ensued in Italie by the factions of Berengarius whom the Lombardes choosed to be king of Italie on the one part and Guido Duke of Spoleto whom others choosed to raigne in Italie on the other part In the middest of these factions Arnulphus leadeth an armie out of Germanie He tooke the Towne of Bergamum and hanged Ambrose the Earle thereof vpon a Gibbet before the port of the Towne This seueritie terrified other Townes and made them to yeelde Hee addressed towardes Rome and was crowned Emperour by Formosius whose enemies he punished vnto the death From thence hee addressed to fight against Guido but hee fled and escaped the Emperoures hands The wife of Guido hauing no puissance to resist the Emperours forces shee hired some of the Emperoures seruantes who gaue vnto him a cup of poyson which brought vpon him a lethargie and three dayes sleeping continually After this he arose sicke and left the siedge for hee was besieging the wife of Guido and he died after hee had raigned twelue yeeres In the East gouerned Leo the sonne of Basilius in whose time the Saracens coÌquered Taurominium a towne in Sicile and the Isle of Lemnos CENTVRIE X. Ludovicus tertius AFter Arnulphus succeeded his son Lewis the 3. raigned 10. yeeres he receiued not the Emperial Diadem at Rome because BereÌgarius by force inioyed the Kingdome of Italie At this time the Hungares a nation fierce and cruell inuaded Italy France and Germanie and made in these nations horrible desolations Likewise the Saracens invaded Calabria and Apulia in Italie and if the Lord had not pittied the distressed estate of Europe it was at this time like to be vndone for Platina writeth that while they were besieging Consentia the King of the Saracens was slaine with thunder and the Saracens terrified with this vnprosperous successe returned backe againe to Africk In this Emperours dayes a remarkable thing fell out Albert Marquis of Bamberg rebelled against the Emperour Lewis and hee had slaine Conrad the Emperours brother The Emperour seeing that by no meanes hee could prevaile against him hee was supported by the coofening treason of Hatto Arch-bishop of Mentz for he came to the noble Marquis as though he would make reconciliation betweene the Emperour and him and swore vnto him that hee would bring him backe in safetie to his owne house but his deceitfull maner of reducing was this After they had riden a short way the Bishop felt his stomach and repented they had not first dined before they had taken iourney Thus the Marquis and the Bishop returned backe againe and dined this the Bishop counted an exoneration of his promise and oath and like a traitour deliuered him to the Emperour who by and by beheaded the Marquis In the East Alexander raigned two yeeres and after him Constantine a man of good disposition but defrauded of his kingdome by Romannus Captain of his armie Cunradus primus AFter Lewis his Nephew Cunrad the first was made Emperour and ruled seuen yeeres Hee was the last of the of-spring of Charles the great who had enioyed the empire of the West 112. yeeres after whom the Empire was transferred to the Saxons When he fell sicke hee called for his brother Eberhard and desired him to deliuer the imperiall ornaments to Henrie Duke of Saxon who for his wisedome and worthinesse was most meet to gouerne the troubled estate of the Empyre which dutie Eberhard most faithfullie performed preferring fidelitie in performing his promise made to his brother before the desire of a kingdome Henricus auceps HEnrie Duke of Saxonie to whom Eberhard broght the Imperial ornaments was called Auceps because he was delighting himselfe in hauking when Eberhard came vnto him with the ornaments a foresaid He raigned 17. yeeres for wisedome and magnanimitie worthy of so high a place He made a couenant of peace with the Hungars for the space of 9. yeeres He fought against the Sclauonians the people of Dalmatia and the Bohemians and made them tributaries vnto him when the 9. yeeres were expired hee fought a great battell against the Hungares at Mersburg and prevailed against them and in testimonie of his thankfulnesse to God who gaue vnto him victorie he purged his dominions from Simonie a fault vniuersallie ouerspread in those dayes and dedicated to Gods seruice the whole tribute which the Saxons were accustomed to pay to the Hungars hee was greatly beloued of his subiects and was called Rater patriae In the East Constantine recouered his Empire againe From Romanus and his Sonnes and measured to his sonnes such measure as they had measured to their father Romanus For Stephanus
Michael Paphlago who married Zoe the daughter of Constantine the tenth raigned in the East eight yeeres Henry the third AFter Conrad the second his sonne Henry the third raigned 17. yeeres Hee married the daughter of Canutius the sonne of Sueno King of Denmarke who at that time raigned in England In his time great strife was among the Bishops of Rome contending for the Popedom Which sedition the Emperour suppressed by remooving all the three seditious Popes and appointing Clemens the 2. to bee Pope as shall be declared God willing in the Head of Councels In the East after the death of Calypha Prince of Egypt his sonne Dabir made a covenant of peace with Argyrophilus Emperour of the East and gaue liberty to Christians to build those Temples againe which Calypha had demolished Constantinus Mononiachus also furthered the building so that the worke was perfected anno 1048. Henry the fourth HEnry the fourth was a young childe of seven yeeres old when his father died and hee raigned 50 yeeres Hee was an Emperour valiant wise eloquent and fortunate in warfare Neverthelesse hee was miserably vexed with the divilish pride of Pope Gregorie th 7. by whom hee was twice excommunicate and his subiects in Germany were stirred vp by the Pope to rebell against him vnder the conduct of Rodolph Duke of Sueue But the God of heaven gaue victory to the the Emperour Henry and Rodolph was sore wounded in the last battell for his right arme was cut off and hee convicted in conscience of the treasonable attemps against the Emperour his Master and the breaking of his oath of allegance admonished the Bishops who had incited him to seditious insurrection to bee more obedient to their soveraigne Lord in time to come because God had punished him for his disloyalty in his right arme which was once lift vp to sweare the oath of allegance to his Master The seditious enterprises of Gregorius the 7. against the noble Emperonr Henry of purpose to throw out of his hands the power of investment of Bishops together with the wise resolution of the Emperour to represse the pride of this insolent Pope they are to be declared God willing heareafter in a more convenient time In this Emperours time William Duke of Normandy entered into England to whom Harold who at that time vsurped the government of the countrey gave an hard and sharpe encounter but Duke William prevailed slew Harold and governed the countrey At this time also was the estate of Christians in most lamentable manner afflicted by the Turkes and Saracens as shall bee declared hereafter at greater length God willing CENTVRIE XII Henry the fift IN this Century the Bishops of Rome who breathed for preheminence and longed for soveraignty attained to all their intended desires And albeit no age afforded more magnanimous couragious Emperours such as Henry the 4. Henry the 5. Lotharius the 2. Conrad the 3. Fredericke the 1. called Barbarossa yet the power of the wrath of God iustly punishing the defection of men from the true faith suffered the man of sinne and childe of perdition to be mounted vp to high preheminence and to treade vnder foot the power of the Emperour So that the Bishop of Rome was reverenced as a God in the world and all high powers stouped vnder his authority Henry the fift was incited by the Councell of Bishops to make cruell warre against his naturall father Henry the fourth And from a Councell assembled at Mentz the Bishops of Mentz Collen and Worms were sent to depriue Henry the fourth of all his Imperiall ornaments and to conferre them to his sonne The father through sorrow and partly through sicknesse departed this life after hee had raigned 50. yeeres as hath beene declared After the dayes of Henry the fourth his sonne Henry the fift raigned 20. yeeres Who came to Rome to bee crowned Emperour by Pope Paschalis the 2. The Pope would not consent to his coronation except hee first did giue over all right of election of the Pope and all right of investments of Bishops by staffe and ring The Emperour grieved with this proud carriage of the Pope layd hands vpon the Pope and his Cardinals and compelled them to perfect the worke of his coronation and to confirme his priviledges of right to elect Popes and to conferre investments to Bishops It is to be noted that Pope Paschalis when hee covenanted with the Emperour and confirmed the priviledges aforesaid tooke a consecrated Hostie and divided it in two parts and gaue one part of it to the Emperour and tooke the other part vnto himselfe vttering with his owne mouth this imprecation Let him be divided from the kingdome of Christ who shall presume to violate this covenant bound vp betweene you and mee Neverthelesse Pope Paschalis so soone as the Emperour returned vnto Germany hee revoked all that hee had done and cursed the Emperour and called the priviledge which hee had confirmed vnto the Emperour pravilegium and not privilegium The Emperour hearing what the Pope had done with expedition marched toward Rome with an army the Pope was forced to flie to Apulia The Emperour returned to Germany where he did find the Bishops for the most part seditiously affectionat to the Pope Therefore the Emperor wearied with multitude of businesses stirred vp against him by Bishops gaue over his priviledges aforesaid gaining some peace with giving over of rights At this time died Mathildis a noble Countesse in Italy and excessiuely addicted to the Romane Church In restamentall Legacy shee gave to the Church of Rome many townes and possessions lying betwixt the Apenning and the Sea and among the rest the towne of Ferrara The Romane Church braggeth of many donations such as the donation of Constantine of Aistulphus of Pipinus of Charles the Great of Ludovicus Pius of Otto and of Mathildis If these bounds appertained to the chaire of Rome by so many anterior donations How did these townes belong to Mathildis in hereditary possession so that she had power to bestow them on whom she pleased In Ierusalem after Godfrey succeeded Baldowin his brother the second King of Ierusalem and after him another Baldowin of Burgon Hee prospered for a time but in the end was taken prisoner by Balach King of Parthians and was redeemed by paying a great summe of money He left Fulto Earle of Aniow his successor the fourth King of Ierusalem Lotharius the second AFter the death of Henry the fift Lotharius Duke of Saxonie by the consent of the Electors was chosen Emperour and raigned thirteene yeeres In his time two men contended for the Popedome to wit Innâcentius the 2. and one Peter a citizen of Rome and sonne to Peter Leo whom they called Anacletus whom Rogerius Count of Sicile did favour But the Emperour Lotharius came to Rome with an army and authorized Innocentius Rogerius fearing the power of the Emperour returned backe to Sicile Conradus the third AFter the death of
Sultan of Aegypt who fained as though hee had beene flying from place to place vntill hee found the Christian armie Camping in a low place beside the riuer Nilus and then opening the sluâes of the water the most part of all the Christians were drowned and Damiata againe recouered The second armie was led by Fredericus the second into Asia at what time Ierusalem was recouered againe and all that Baldwine the fourth had of old in his possession was rendered to the Christians and a couenant of peace was bound vp for 10. yeeres to come as hath beene declared in the treatise of the life of Fredericke The third armie was raised vp by Theobald King of Nauarre Americus Count of Montfort Henry Count of Campanie Peter Count of Britan and Anselmus de Insula Theobald hauing the chiefe regiment of the armie which set foreward by the intisement of Gregorie the 9. before the time of the 10. yeeres peace concluded by Fredericke had taken an ende For the which cause it is not to be doubted but this voyage had the more vnprosperous successe for they had lost the third part of the armie before they came to Antiochia from thence they went to Ptolemais and from thence to Gaza The Barbarians perceiuing that this armie was set forth without the Emperours aduice because his Souldiers that were in Asia keeped the bond of peace and assisted not this armie of Theobald they laid there Ambushments in secret places wayting for advantage of the Christian armie and set vpon them when they were wearie returning from their spoiling with great prey but the Christians made strong resistance and put the aliens to flight The day next following the Barbarians renewed their forces and prevailed against the Christians Americus Count of Montfort and Henry Count of Campanie being slaine And Theobald king of Navarre with great difficultie escaped and returned home accompanied with a very few number of men who remained vndestroyed in that vnprosperous voiage The fourth armie was led by Richard Count of Cornwall whom the Pope had put in hope to be made Emperour but when hee came to Ierusalem and vnderstood by Rainoldus the Emperours deputie there of the peace which had beene concluded by a solemne couenant hee enterprised nothing against the Barbarians but subscribed the bond of peace concluded before by the Emperour Fredericke and left he should seeme to haue made all his trauels in vaine hee receiued some dropps of the Lords blood from the Patriarch of Ierusalem so blind was this seduced age that a vaine shew of counterset reliques was counted a worthie price to recompence the ieopardous trauels of Princes leading great armies from one end of the world to another After the death of Rainald the Templaries without all regard of the peace bound vp denounce warre to the Saracens and compelled the Christians in Asiato put themselues in armes But the Soldan of Aegypt sent for support of the Babylonians who sent vnto him a companie of sauadge men called Grossouij who pitched their campe at Gaza and tooke it and destroied all the Templaries that dwelt therein The like did they to the inhabitants of Askelon also the people that came to support the Templaries were vtterly cut off and finallie they set vpon Ierusalem which was easily conquered and all the inhabitants thereof were put to the sword without regard of sexe or age and the towne it selfe was subuerted neither was any building spared though neuer so ample pleasant also they subverted the Sepulchre of the Lord. The first voiage was vndertaken by Lewis King of Fraunce sonne to the Queene Blanch who being diseased and almost at the point of death vowed to God that in case hee recouered health hee would be crossed or marked with the crosse to visit the Lords Sepulchre and there solemnly to render thankes which vow also hee endeuored to performe and in the yeere of our Lord 1248. after he had receiued the Popes blessing at Lyons set forward with a mightie armie hauing in companie with him the Earle Atrabacensis his brother the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Brabant the Countesse of Flanders with her two sonnes the Earle of Britanie with his sonne the Earle of Barrensis the Earle of Swesson the Earle of S. Paul the Earle of Druise the Earle Retel with many other noble Persons In the beginning of this enterprise they seemed to prosper well for they tooke the Towne of Damiata at their first arriuall into Aegypt which was the chiefe seat and hold of the Saracens in all Aegypt At the losse whereof the Soldan of Aegypt with the Saracens in those parts were so astonished that they offered the Christians the possession of Ierusalem and the holy Land which the Christians so much contended for prouiding they would render vnto them againe the Towne of Damiata But the Earle of Artoys the kings brother puft vp with insolent pride would in no waies suffer the offers of the Saracens to be accepted but required also Alexandria the chiefe Metropolitan towne of Aegypt to be deliuered vnto them But soone after the Soldan of Aegypt beset them so stronglie both by Sea and Land that they were glad to craue againe the peace which was offered and could not obtaine it In the ende they were purposed to leaue a Garrison to keepe Damiata and to march out in battell themselues The Earle of Artoys through his insolent pride thinking all was his owne whensoeuer he gat any small aduantage of the enemie brought himselfe and all the armie to confusion for he passed ouer a shallow foord of Nilus which a certaine Saracen lately converted to Christ had made knowne and hauing in company with him the Master of the Temple and William Longspath with his companie of English souldiers and diuers others euen the third part of the armie set vpon the Saracens when they were not aware and did them great harme This victorie obtained he would needs goe forward deuiding himselfe from the maine Hoast and besieged the Castle and Village of Mansor But the Saracens finding him separated from the rest of the army compassed him about and destroyed him and all his company in so much that scarce one man escaped aliue except two Templars one Hospitular and one poore Souldier to bring newes thereof to the King After this the Souldan suddenly appeared with multitude of innumerable thousands against the King himselfe In this miserable conflict the King with his two brethren and a few that claue vnto him were taken captiues all the residue were put to the sword or else stood to the mercy of the Saracens whether to bee slaine or remaine in wofull captivity The Souldan after the captivity of the King fraudulently suborned an army of Saracens to the number of the French army with the armes and ensignes of them that were slaine and sent them toward Damiata where the Duke of Burgundie with the French Queene and Odo the Popes Legat and other Bishops and
and there incontinent killed Vlrick the Earle wounding him and cutting him in peeces The king hearing thereof although hee was not a litle discontented thereat in his mind yet seeing there was none other remedie hee dissembled his griefe for a time But afterward in his Progresse when hee came to Buda accompanied with the two sonnes of Huniades hee caused them both to be taken and cast into prison and Ladislaus forthwith was beheaded Mathias was carried Captiue to Austria to suffer the like punishment if the Lord had not prevented Ladislaus the king by suddeÌ death who departed this life about the verie time appointed for the celebration of his marriage in Prague with Magdalen daughter to the King of Fraunce Thus the young king who hated the race of Huniades and more hated the light of the Gospell that shined in Bohemia and was of purpose as is supposed at his marriage to root out the sect of the Hussits as hee called it was timously in the mercie of God cut off himselfe to the great benefit of the true Church of God In this Emperours time suite was made by the Germanes to the Emperour that hee would prouide remedie against the actions of the insatiat Popes and that hee would not suffer his subiects in Germanie to bee exhausted and empourished by them The Emperour being moued and ouercome by their perswasion promised that hee would prouide no lesse for them then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen But the subtle perswasions of Aeneas Syluius did so bewitch the Emperour that he contemning the equall iust and necessarie requests of his subiects chosed the said Aeneas to be his Ambassadour to Calixtus newly chosen Pope to sweare vnto him in his name and to promise the absolut obedience of all Germanie Thus the Germans were derided and frustrate by Fredericke and the Emperour on the other part fearing least the Germanes after his death should transport the Empire to another familie caused his son Maximilian 7. yeeres before his death to be chosen and also crowned king of Romans and did associate him to the ministration of the Empire In this Emperours time likewise flourished a valiant man sonne of Iohn Castriotus Prince of Epirus and Albania called George who was giuen in hostage to the Turke with other two brethren But this George excelling all the rest of his equalls in strength of body vigour of minde and actiuitie in warfare was named by the Turkes Scanderbeius which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus Hee was sent out by the Turkes to fight against Caramannus of Cilicia the Turkes enemie in which expedition hee behaued himselfe so manfully that hee wanne great renowne with the Turke insomuch that hee trusting to the Turkes fauour when hee heard of the death of his father durst aske of the Turke the grant of his fathers dominion to be giuen vnto him The which request although Amurathes did not deny vnto him yet notwithstanding hee perceiuing that the matter was dallied out with faire words by subtle meanes and policie slipt out of the Turkes Court and came to Epirus his owne inheritance where first by counterfeite letters hee recouered Croia The other cities of their owne voluntarie minde yeelded to him and hee so manfullie behaued himselfe that against all the force both of Amurathes and Mahomet he maintained his owne repulsed their violence and put to flight their armies many yeeres together In this Emperours time Mahomet the second tooke the Isle of Euboia and destroyed the towne of Calcis afterward hee commanded the Cittie of Athens to be razed and vtterly subverted and from thence returning his armie to Thracia with a mightie multitude compassed the towne of Constantinople both by sea and land in the yeere of our Lord. 1453. and in the 54. day of the sayd siege it was taken and sacked and the Emperour Constantinus slaine such terrible crueltie did they vse as the like is not often read of in any historie There was no corners in Constantinople which was not defiled with floodes of Christian blood so that in this one towne are reckoned to the number of fortie thousand persons that were slaine amongst whose dead bodyes the body of Constantine the Emperour was found whose head being brought to Mahomet he commaunded it to be carried vpon a speare through the whole Citie for a publike spectacle and derision to all the Turkish armie Also he tooke the Image of the Crucifixe being there in the high Temple of Sophia and writing this superscription vpon the head of it Hic est Christianorum Deus this is the God of the Christians caused it to be carried thorow all his armie and made every man to spit at it most contumeliously Thus was the noble citie of Constantinople sacked 1139. yeers after it was first built by Constantine the great now is made the Imperiall seat of the Turkish dominion Notwithstanding the proud heart of Mahomet which was so highly lift vp by the conquest of Constantinople was by the providence of God somewhat abated soone after For at the siege of Belgradum in Hungarie in the yeere 1436. hee was so manfully resisted by that worthie Governour Iohannes Huniades that hee was compelled after the losse of a great part of his army to the number of 40000. souldiers his owne person also being sore wounded to raise his siege and for feare and shame ready to kill himselfe In the East after Emanuel raigned Iohannes his sonne who was present at the Councell of Florence with Eugenius 4. Pope of Rome but lived not long after his returning And after his death because hee had no children his brother Constantine succeeded in whose time the town of Constantinople was pitifully destroyed and the Emperour himselfe slaine as hath beene declared And here is the end of the Empire of Christians in the East CENTVRIE XVI Maximilianus IN the yeare of our Lord 1486. Fredericus waxing aged and partly also mistrusting the hearts of the Germaines did in his life-time associate his sonne Maximilian to be ioyned Emperor with him with whom he reigned for the space of 7. yeers till the death of Fredericke his father after whose departure he reigned 25. yeers This Maximilian as he was a valiant Emperor prudent and singularly learned so was his raigne intangled in many vnquiet and difficult warres First in the lower Countries of Flanders and Brabant where he was taken captiue but worthily againe relieved by his father Hee had to wife Mary the onely daughter to the Duke of Burgundie by whom hee had two children Philip the father of Charles the fift and Margaret this Mary by a fall from her horse fell into an ague and died So happy was the education of the Emperor in good letters so expert hee was in tongues and sciences but especially such was his dexteritie and promptnesse in the Latine tongue that hee imitating the example of
England by his brothers wife Whereupon the Emperour forsaking the marriage did couple himselfe with Ladie Isabell daughter to King Emmanuel of Portugall which marriage was done in the yeere of our Lord 1526. The King vpon this occasion casting many things in his minde beganne to consider the matter more deeply and finding that neither his conscience could be cleered in keeping his brothers wife nor yet the estate of the Realme firme by the succession of a daughter begotten in such a marriage he proposed the question to the chiefe Vniversities of all Christendome whose censures all agreed in one that the marriage was vnlawful Yet would not the King proceed to the divorcement without the Popes consent Who sent Campeius his Ambassadour with concurrance of the Cardinall of Yorke to be iudges in that cause The Cardinall of Yorke called Wolsey at the first was verily bent to haue the divorcemeÌt set forward but afterward finding that the Kings affection was bent towardes Ladie Anne Bulloigne to take her in marriage he changed his purpose sent advertisment to Pope Clement that in case King Henry the eight were divorced from Ladie Katherine then should another infected with Luthers doctrine succeede in her place to the great hurt of the Church of Rome For this cause the Pope calleth backe his Ambassadour Campeius before the Kings cause was decided Neuerthelesse the King proceeded in his purpose and was divorced from Ladie Katherine by meanes of Dr Cranmer This was the ground of that great hatred that fell out betweene the Pope and King Henry for on the one part the Pope cursed King Henry and the Realme of England for the divorcement The King on the other part abolished in his Realme the Bishop of Romes vnlawfull tyrannie with commandement that he should be called no more Pope in his Country but onely Bishop of Rome and that the King should be taken and reputed as supreame head of the Church of England haue full authoritie to reforme and redresse errours heresies and abuses in the same Now to returne againe to Germanie The Emperour was so busied with Warres all this time that he had no leisure to tarry in Germanie and although many assemblies were gathered to suppresse the doctrine of Luther he was onely present at two to wit at the first kept at Wormes the last kept at Auspurg For this cause it seemed good to the Emperour to declare his brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romanes and apparent successor to the Empire to the end he might with greater authoritie gouerne the affaires of the Empire in his absence He sent also letters to the Protestants commanding them to acknowledge him King Wherefore the Ambassadours of the Protestant Cities being gathered at Franckford concluded with the Princes that for their part they would not for this resist the Emperour for denying a title and a name only to his brother to make him more eager against their Religion But the Duke of Saxonie other Princes not agreeing thereto writ to the Emperour that because it was done against the manner and liberty of the Empire they could not allow it This seemeth to be the first ground of the warres that after followed For Ferdinand King of the Romanes expelled Vlrich of Wirtenberge from his Lordship and when no redresse could be had at the Emperours hands the Landgraue of Hesse with his cousin Vlrich gathered an Armie at Lawferme by Wirtenberg ouercame their enemies and put them to flight recouered the townes of Asperge Wrath Tubinge and Niphe and tooke prisoner Philip Prince Palatine and chiefe Captaine of Ferdinands armie Shortly after agreement was made on these conditions that Vlrich should haue againe his Lordship of Wirtenberg but so that he should hold it by the benefit of Ferdinand and the house of Austrich that if issue male did saile in the house of Wirtenberge that Lordship should returne to the heire of the Emperours house of Austrich that the Landgraue and Vlrich should come to Ferdinand and submit themselues to him The Emperour foreseeing that this diversitie of Religion that was in Germanie would in the end burst forth into some bitter fruit and great inconuenience aduised with himselfe by what means reconciliation might be made and all controversie might cease and in the end appointed a Councell at Wormes and communication of Religion and for this cause sent Granuellanus thither But the matter was so long delayed by the fautors of the Sea of Rome vntill Letters came from the Emperour againe to deferre the whole matter to the Councell of Ratisbone To which came all the Princes of the Empire except the Duke of Saxonie who came not himselfe but sent thither a noble ambassage together with Melanchthon and other Preachers Vnto the same Councell also came from the Pope Caspar Conterane a Cardinall In this disputation Fredericke the Palsgraue and Granuellane were appointed moderators Melanchthon Bucer and Pistorius Disputers for the Protestants Pflugius Eccius Gropper for the Papists Vnto these six was offered a booke conteining the definition of most Articles in Controversie which they were willed to ouer-looke and either to allow or disallow those things that they could agree vpon This booke was deliuered againe after a time to the Emperour in many points they could not agree in some they did The Protestants deliuered together with the booke their opinion concerning those controversies and their arguments to proue the same The Emperour deliuered the same to the Princes to be examined but they being most part Popish referred the whole matter to the Popes Ambassadour who exhorting the Bishops to honestie of life and suppressing of Luthers doctrine thought good it should be deferred to a generall Councell This convention which began in Aprill Anno 1541. was dissolued in the end of Iulie after that the Emperour had decreed that the communication begun and whole controversie of Religion should be deferred to a generall or Provinciall Councell of Germanie That the Protestants should teach no other points of Religion then such as were agreed vpon That Bishops should see amendment of life in their Diocesse That there should be a Provinciall Councell within a yeare and an halfe if they could not obtaine a generall Councell of the Pope That the Churches of Monasteries should not be pulled downe but reformed that the Church-goods should not be inverted that the decree of Ausbrough and all Proscriptions of the Protestants should be suspended all those conventions of estates disputations promises of generall or provinciall Councels to be kept in Germanie could not reconcile diuerse Religions but at length lurking hatred behoued to breake out into open hostilitie The first occasion whereof was offered by Henry Prince of Brunswick who by often invasion of Cities confederated with the Protestants in Germany moued the Duke of Saxonie and the Landgraue to make warre against him in name quarrell of all the Protestants confederated by the league of Smalcaldy
and that he would giue him what part of his Realme hee would aske to let him liue in peace This their enterprise succeeding so well farre aboue their owne expectation mooved them to set forward and to desire of the King that hee would make and sweare an irrevocable edict of extirpation of Heretikes To take by force the townes holden by those of the new religion To renounce the protection of Geneva to authorize their warres to reconcile them vnto him to bee of their league and of a King to become a participant Wherevpon followed an edict prohibiting the exercise of the new religion and revoking all other edicts that favoured it commanding all the Ministers out of the Land and all subiects in France within six moneths after to make profession of the Catholike religion or to depart out of the Realme Dispersing also the tripertite chambers of Parliaments likewise ordayning that the townes given in hostage to those of the religion should be yeelded vp and approving the warre which the Leaguers had begun acknowledging it to be done for his service And not content with this they asked of the King for their further surety the townes of Chalon Thoul Verdium Saint Desier Rhems Soissons the Castle of Dyon the towne and castle of Beaume Rue in Picardie Dinan and Conque in Brittaine to be delivered vnto them The King of Navarre all this while kept himselfe quiet being solicited by the King so to doe But when hee saw the King had rendered himselfe to the appetite of the Leaguers hee set forth a declaration of the cause why the Leaguers had taken armes of the vanity of their pretences and of the fruits which the Estates in France might reape by the conclusions of Peronne Nemours and Nauty for in those places the Leaguers had bound vp their league with protestation that with him the Prince of Condie his cousen the Duke de Mommerencie with Lords Gentlemen Provinces and Townes both of the one religion and of the other so many as would concurre with him should oppose themselues to the authors of these troubles In the meane time while the King of Navarre is so busied with the King and the Leaguers who were now as it were incorporate in one bodie the third assault commeth on and Pope Sixtus the fift with his thunderbolts of excommunication setteth vpon him declaring him to be vncapable of the crowne of France abandoning his person and his countrey for a prey to such as should obtaine them At the same time also the Electors of Germany who in all the former warres had beene so helpfull to the Protestants of France was not vnmindfull of them at so strait a pinch but sent Ambassadours to the King desiring him to heare the requests of his neighbours and to pity the case of his poore subiects and not to keepe backe the edict of peace that hee had lately graunted vnto them The King answered that hee thought strange that forrain Princes should meddle with his affaires and that he would doe nothing against the honour of his conscience nor the fatherly care he had vnto his people With this answer the Ambassadours returned not well pleased The Duke of Guise being advertised of the dislike the Ambassadours of Germany had touching their answere counselled the King to set vpon the Protestants before the Rutters entred into France so that in lesse then eighteene moneths the King of Navarre saw himselfe assayled by fiue Camps royall vnder fiue severall Generals Neverthelesse very few exploites worthy of remembrance were done by those armies vntill the army of the Germanes entred into France vnder the conduct of the Baron of Othna a man of greater courage then experience The Duke of Bulloigne in the name of the King of Navarre ioyned with the Baron of Othna to leade this great army wherein were moe then thirty thousand Switzers Rutters and French-men They marched from Loraine to Cheaumont in Bassigny and passed the river of Marne also they crossed l' Anbe at Montigny and Seine aboue Casklion and Cure aboue Vermentone and Yome hard by Crenaunt and so made haste towards the river of Loire There began the complaints of the Switzers and the mutinies of the Rutters because the King of Navarre came not to them and the King of France was at the side of the river Loire either to fight with them or to stay their passage At this time the King vsed a stratagem which was the cause of his victory and of the dissipation of the army of strangers For hee considered that the onely meanes to breake their army was to impeach their ioyning with the King of Navarre Therefore he commanded the Duke Ioyense to keepe the King of Navarre in Poictou and rather to hazard battell then suffer him to passe the river of Loire as hee determined at the head thereof to the which end the Duke de Ioyense that had an army fortified both with men munition artillery and meanes marched to Coutras to passe la Drogne at Que and vpon tuesday the twentith of October Anno 1587. he stayd with all his forces betweene la Rotch Chalais and Coutras The King of Navarre made toward him fully resolved to fight and about eight of the clocke in the morning the King of Navarres artillery began to play and that of Duke de Ioyense to answer them but not very fortunately for that either the ignorance or malice of the Canoners had placed it so low that the mouth of the canon shot right vpon a little hill of earth wherein the bullets stayed without piercing any further The battell was so soone decided that in ten houres this great army of the Kings that had the vantage both for place and number began to retyre and was sooner broken then fought withall The King of Navarre the Prince of Condie and the Earle of Soissons behaved themselues most valiantly executing the offices both of Captaines and souldiers and gaue thankes to God in open field In this battell Duke de Ioyense and Monsieur de S. Sauueur his brother were slaine and fiue and twenty other Gentlemen of name all their cornets were taken with their artillery and baggage and fourteene Gentlemen of account were taken and put to ransome That done the King of Navarre being eased of so many nets that were set vp to catch him marched forward to ioyne with the forraine army and to passe the river Loire The King on the other part to impeach the meeting of the two armies of his adversaries caused the ditches betweene Povilly and Dony to bâe broken vppe filling them with thousands of trees stones and chaines to entangle the feet of the Rutters horse that should passe and in truth the letting of that passage was next to the helpe of God the second cause the King had of the victory For the Rutters being disappointed of their passage were compelled to recoile and having failed of their enterprise at la
Charitie they entred in the way of Beauce drawing towards Montargis From this time forth a great mutinie began in the army of the strangers being mooved with impatience because they could neither haue money nor sight of the King of Navarre whereof the King being then at Bonevall had intelligence and thereupon vsed all the meanes hee could to sound the hearts of the Switzers and perswaded them to separate themselues from the rest of the army and retyre home whereunto the Switzers condiscended and vpon agreement of 400000. crownes payed to them in ready money they returned backe againe to their owne countrey The Duke of Guise perceiving the army of the Rutters to be as a body dispersed hauing nothing left but the armes and legges tooke boldnesse to set vpon them as they camped at Aunew and entred with his footmen into the streets about the time that the carts and baggage were ready in the morning to issue out and so couragiously surprised the Rutters at their breakefast when the trumpets began to sound a chivall having no meanes to issue out they were constrained to retyre into their lodgings at the pleasure of the assaylants The booty was great being 800. chariots iewels and chaines of gold and two thousand horse both for the field and waggons The gates being seazed vpon and the streets chained there was no meanes to saue themselues but by the walles which the Generall leaped ouer Notwithstanding of this surprise the army of the Rutters was in such estate that by reason of some small assurance they had of the King of Navarres arrivall it was likely to haue overcome the Duke of Guise forces And as it was at point to retyre backe againe the Prince of Condie the Duke of Bulloigne and the Lords of Chastillion and Cleruant promised to pay them all their wages if they would march forward The hope of their pay made them to march in a time not very convenient towards the Forrest of Orleance The King perceived that the longer the armie kept the fields the greater would be the ruine of his Countrey and that being ioyned with the king of Navarre would doe great hurt caused the Sienrs of the Isle of Cormont to certifie the Coronels that if they would yeeld vp their colours and sweare to beare no armes in Fraunce without the expresse commandement of his Maiestie hee would giue them assurance to retire in safetie They on the other part perceauing themselues to be farre from the king of Navarre hardlie handled by the Frenchmen beaten by the league pursued by the king and forsaken of the Switzers assembled themselues together at Marsigni and accepted his Maiesties offers sent by Monsieur D' Esperno and retired out of France toward Geneua The Marques Du pont eldest sonne to the Duke of Loraine and the Duke of Guise against their faith giuen followed the miserable troupe of the Rutters to the mountaine at Saint Clande where they gaue thankes for the good successe of their companie and from thence to please their hungrie troupes they trauersed the Countrie of Bourgoundie entering into the Countries of Mombeliard and Hericourt where his men vsed diuers great cruelties and spared not the lands of the Bishop of Basile After the bloodie ceasing of so lamentable vengeance vpon a poore innocent people which as yet doe feele the losse and destruction of two hundred villages the violence vsed to a number of women and maids the Massacre of so many old men and the furious and beastlie inhumanitie of the League they beare the signes of their spoyles into Loraine Neuerthelesse after this exploite of the Duke of Guise so full of crueltie falshood inhumanitie the Roman Church extolled him aboue all measure The Pope sent vnto the D. of Guise a sword engraued with burning flames in token of his valiantnes accompanied with burning zeale towards the Roman religioÌ The Preachers of France advaÌced him aboue the king saying that Saul had slaine his thousand but Dauid ten thousand and so the Duke of Guise puft vp with winds of popular praise seeing also that the greatnesse of the Soueraigne maiestie was embraced and that the Protestants were retired vnto the Rotchell also that England had a proud Spaniard embarked on her backe meaning the great Spanish Nauie by Sea hee assured himselfe to take the king without danger and to this effect aduertised the Cardinall of Burbone not to neglect so good an occasion but to gather his principall friends at Nancie there to aduise the meanes to passe forward and to constraine the king as it were to make his will and so that assemblie concluded that the King should be summoned to ioyne his forces to the league to refuse the Counsell amitie of such as should be named vnto him to establish the inquisition in euerie towne to publish the Councell of Trent euen touching the things that derogated the priuiledge of the French Church to consent to the restitution of the goodes that had bin alienated and sold for the charges of the warres to giue them townes wherein they might place men of warre to make such fortifications as the necessity of the time would require ordaine the sale and confiscation of Hugonits goodes also the disabling of their persons entertaine an armie vpon the Fronteris of Loraine against the returne of the Germans that would come to haue some recompence for the cruelties by the league committed in the countie of Montbeliard The Duke of Guise came to the King at Soissons to constraine the King either to bow or breake and to confirme the articles drawne and deuised at Nancie and Dyion The King on the other part by Mousieur de Bellieure gaue the Duke to vnderstand that he should doe him a pleasure if he would abstaine from comming to Paris in so troublesome a time wherein so many factions raigned and if hee came thither against his will hee would lay the cause of all the troubles that might arise by his presence vpon him But the Duke of Guises heart as it were attainted with a burning feauer could find neither appetite nor pleasure but in that which liked his stomach would needes for the loouer or die by the way and therefore mounted on horsebacke with eight Gentlemen about nine of the clocke at night leauing the Prince de Iumueille his sonne at Soissons and desiring the Archbishop of Lyons to follow him in the morning and so arriued at Paris This maner of arriuall together with the peoples fauour vttered by their ioyfull acclamations at the Duke of Guises lighting increased the distrust of the kings heart so that hee resolued to preuent the enterprises intended against him and commanded the Marescall Biron to cause foure thousand Switzers to enter into the Towne and to lodge them in diuers quarters thereof who seased incontinent vpon the bridges of Nostredame and Saint Michael But the Parisians being abashed at the sight shut vp their shoppes
succeeded Germanion and after Germanion Gordius in whose time Narcissus manifested himself to the Church of Ierusalem who requested him to take his office againe for they reverenced him as a man raised from death to life againe and the punishment of God inflicted vpon his accusers increased their reverence toward him Hee was old and not able to discharge the weighty office of a Bishop therefore Alexander a worthy man was ioyned as fellow labourer with him Eusebius writeth that he was admonished by a celestiall vision of the will of God that hee should bee Bishop of Ierusalem with Narcissus for hee had beene Bishop of another paroach before in Cappadocia by the like celestiall vision Narcissus and other of the Clergie were admonished that the day next following a Bishop should enter into Ierusalem whom God had appointed to be an helper to Narcissus Hee defended Origen against the fury and madnesse of Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria who set both himselfe and others to great busines for a matter of no importance as is sayd In the persecution of Decius he was carryed to Caesârea closed in a darke prison and dyed a Martyr as hath beene declared Alexander is supposed to haue been the 35. Bishop of Ierusalem Mazabanes Hymeneus Lebdas Thermon all these followed Alexander Bishops of Alexandria IN Alexandria to Philetus and Demetrius succeeded Heraclas the twelfth Bishop of that towne Hee was disciple to Origen and a fellow labourer with him in gouerning the Schoole of Alexandria in the end hee was chosen to bee Bishop of Alexandria whose successor was Dionysius the thirteenth Bishop whom God delivered miraculously from the hands of persecuters in the dayes of Decius by the sudden assault of a number of people who had beene at a mariage feast When they heard that Dionysius was taken by souldiers and led away to Taposiris they arose from table and followed with a speedy pace with a tumultuary voice so that the souldiers who had Dionysius in keeping were afraid and fled and so Dionysius by the great providence of God was delivered out of the hands of his enemies After him Maximus Theonas Petrus a Martyr vnder Dioclesian and Achillas were Bishops of Alexandria Bishops of Antiochia AFter Serapion succeeded Asclepiades the ninth Bishop of Antiochia of whom Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem being the prisoner of Christ in Caesarea wrote vnto the people of Antiochia that it was a comfort to him and it made his imprisonment and bonds the more easie that hee heard it reported that Asclepiades a man well exercised in the true faith by the providence of God was made Bishop of Antiochia Philetus was the tenth Zebenus the eleventh and Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antiochia of whom Eusebius recordeth that hee dyed in prison like as Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem ended his life in prison both the one and the other suffered such kinde of martyrdome vnder the persecution of Decius In the Catalogue of Emperours catholicke Bishops and Heretiques subioyned to the Ecclesiasticall History of Theodoretus wee reade that Babylas Bishop of Antiochia would not suffer Decius to enter into the Temple wherein Christians were convened and that before hee was beheaded hee gaue direction to burie with his bodie the chaine also wherewith his bodie had beene bound as a funerall ornament of his buried body But Eusebius deserueth best credite who affirmeth that hee dyed in prison and maketh no mention of his beheading Some imagine that hee who died in prison and hee who was beheaded were both Bishops of Antiochia but living in different ages yet seeing the Catalogue aforesaid speaketh of this suffering vnder the Emperour Decius it is more probable that there is some ouersight in the writer of the Catalogue To Babylas succeeded Fabius Hee was entangled with the error of Novatus but was reclaymed againe by the vigilant travails of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria Demetrianus a married man was successor to Fabius Paulus Samosatenus a pestilent Heretique was the fifteenth Bishop of Antiochia Domnus the sonne of Demetrian the sixteenth Timeus the seventeenth Cyrillus the eighteenth and Tyrannus the ninteenth Bishop of Antiochia The names of the Bishops of Rome Alexandria and Antiochia were the more accurately obserued and registred after the Councell of Nice albeit I recite them before because it happened in that generll Councell that for timous suppressing of heresies the Bishoppes of these places were called Patriarches and had power to convocate Councels within their owne bounds for suppressing of Heretiques Alwayes it fell out farre contrary to the expectation of holy fathers for the Patriarches were the chiefe protectors of heresie as the historie of the subsequent Centuries euidently declareth Neuerthelesse in this Centurie beside those men of God aboue mentioned nothing inferior in spirituall graces to the Bishops of Rome Alexandria Antiochia and Ierusalem there were many worthy men in other places such as Fârmilianus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia a man familiarly acquainted with Origen Gregorius and Athenodorius brethren and Pastours in Pontus Helenus in Tarsus and Nicomas in Iconium Theotectus in Caesarea Palestinae Maximus in Bostra Eusebius and Anatholius Bishops of Laodicea Quirinus Bishop of Scesiana or as others call it Scescania a worthy martyr about whose necke a milstone was hanged as hath beene before declared I make an end of this second head with the greater gladnesse that I perceiue the litle stone hewed out of the mountaine without hands to be waxing and growing to the bignesse of a great mountaine replenishing the whole earth euen in the time of most horrible persecutions CENTVRIE IIII. Bishops of Rome AFter Eusebius Miltiades gouerned the Romane Church 4. yeeres 7. months and 8. dayes His ministration was in the dayes of the raigne of Constantine to whom the Emperour remitted the controuersie betwixt Cecilianus and the Donatistes to bee judged by him and his Collegues Rheticus Maternus and Marinus The Donatistes would not rest vpon the determination of Miltiades and his Collegues And therefore the good Emperour appointed this cause of new againe to be judged in Arles by a number of Bishops of Spaine Italie and France In the Councell of Arles Cecilianus was likewise absolued and the Donatistes againe succumbed in their probation Notwithstanding they appealed to the Emperour Constantine and when the Emperour heard the cause of Cecilianus pleaded before himselfe the Donatists could not proue that either Cecilianus had beene admitted Bishop of Carthage by a man who was Proditor or yet that he had admitted any other man culpable of the like fault to an Ecclesiasticall office If the Bishop of Rome had bin supreame Iudge in all Ecclesiasticall causes Constantine had done him wrong to appoint other Iudges to iudge in this cause after the B. of Rome and his Collegues had giuen out their definitiue sentence His ordinance concerning prohibition of fasting vpon the Lords day expedient at
messengers to visite them neither would they receiue true information concerning the estate of their brethren Yea and Basilius saith that hee purposed oft times to haue written to the chiefe of them that is to Damasus that he should not count the splendor of pride to be true dignitie and honour Where it is to be marked that when hee speakes of Damasuâ hee called him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the principall of them to wit of the Churches of the West but not the supreame gouernour of the vniuersall Church neither the soueraigne commander of the Churches of the East It is ignorance of the Ecclesiasticall historie that makes men to imagine that the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome is an ancient thing When Damasus damned the heresie of Apollinaris in the councel conueened at Rome it was the yeere of our Lord 379. according to the computation of Ierom and at this time the very aiming to supremacie is counted Splendor superbiae that is the splendor of pride Damasus wrote concerning the liues of the Bishops of Rome preceding his time and was familiarly acquainted with Ierom as Ieroms writings clearly declare To Damasus succeeded Siricius and ministred 15. yeeres at what time Gratianus and Valentinian obtained the Emperiall gouernment he ordained that married men who were admitted to Ecclesiasticall offices after their ordination should abstaine from the company of their wiues as if it were great deuotion to a man to transgresse against the wife of his youth the wife of his couenant and his companion in all his wearisome labours His prohibition of the second marriage smelleth of the Heresie of Montanus In his time with pride of the Cleargie at Rome was joyned vnsatiable auaritiousnesse increasing daily by degrees so that the Emperours Valentinian the 11. and Theodosius were compelled by a law to inhibite widows vnder pretence of deuotion to leaue their houses treasures and house-hold-stuffe to the Church to the vtter impouerishing and vndoing the estate of their children Bishops of Alexandria IN the third Centurie wee rested at the name of Achillas Bishop of Alexandria whose successour was Alexander His accurate disputation concerning the vnitie in the Trinitie made Arrius a presbyter in Alexandria to thinke that Alexander was intangled with the errour of Sabellius Hereof arose contentious disputations new opinions exulcerate minds and open schismes This intestine maladie was not vnknowne to the good Emperour Constantine who sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba a man singularly beloued of the Emperour together with perswasiue letters from the Emp. exhorting both Alexander Arrius to leaue accurate and profound disputations and keepe inuiolably the peace and vnitie of the Church But no meanes could auaile vntil this question was decided by the determination of the generall Councell of Nice After the Councell of Nice had damned the opinion of Arrius as Hereticall Alexander continued not aboue fiue months aliue In the last period of his life hee called for Athanasius but he was not present Of whom Alexander said Thou hast escaped but shalt not escape fore-prophecying that Athanasius should vndergoe the weightie charge which hee giuing place to nature and to the calling of God was leauing Athanasius in his young yeeres and childish playes was counterfeiting diuine mysteries and baptizing children yet after such due forme of interrogatories and answeres preceeding Baptisme that Alexander the Bishop durst not presume to rebaptize those who apparently in childish simplicitie had beene made partakers of diuine grace He began no sooner to accept the waightie charge of the Church of Alexandria Anno 333 but the Arrians began to fret and offend knowing how diligent he attended vpon Alexander his predecessor at the councell of Nice and how vigilantly and wisely hee had detected the lurking absurdities of the vilde Heresie of Arrius And they thought the preferment of Athanasius was the vtter vndoing of their opinion Therefore they conspired against him and by a multiplied number of false accusations preuailed somewhat against him euen in the dayes of the Emperour Constantine But in the dayes of Constantius and Iulian almost the whole world conspired against him so that except hee had beene vpholden by that grace that commeth from aboue it was not possible that hee could haue borne out such vnsupportable hatred Iustly did Nazianzene compare him in time of aduersitie to the Adamant and in time of prosperitie to the Magnes In time of aduersitie no trouble ouercame him in time of prosperitie hee allured the hearts of men more intractable then yron to embrace the truth of God Now seeing Athanasius liued sixe and fourtie yeeres gouernour of the Church of Alexandria his great troubles cannot be comprised in better order then by declaring shortly what troubles he sustained first in Constantines dayes next vnder the raigne of Constantius thirdly vnder the raigne of Iulian last to speake of his peaceable end vnder the raigne of the Emperour Valens albeit he was an Arrian Persecuter In the dayes of Constantine first he was accused by an effronted harlot whom the Arrians had suborned to beare false witnesse against him but Athan. guided the matter with wisedome and suffered Timotheus a worthy Presbyter to speake whom hee had brought in with him to the Councell but he was silent himselfe The impudent woman pointing out Timotheus by the finger as if hee had beene Athanasius with clamours voyde of all womanly modestie affirmed that he had abused her in whoredome so that all who were present were ashamed of her impudencie This was done in the Councell of Tyrus to the perpetuall shame of the Arrians who subborned an harlot to accuse the faithfull servant of Christ without a cause Secondly they accused him for this that hee had cut off the hand of Arsenius sometime his owne servant and for greater evidence they produced in the Councell of Tyrus before the Iudges the hand of a man inclosed in a case which hand they affirmed that Athanasius had cut off from Arsenius This they spake the more confidently because they supposed that Arsenius remayned still kept in their own custodie but by the providence of God hee escaped came to Tyrus and was presented before the Councell having both his hands perfect sound and vnmutilated After this the Councell was full of confusion for the Arrians cryed that Athanasius by magicke arts deluded the senses of men and they were purposed by violence and force to lay hands vpon him and to teare him in pieces but he fled by a ship and came to Constantinople where the Emperour was as shall bee declared God willing The rest of his accusations and how they dealt against him most vniustly and falsely and gaue out a sentence of deposition against him in his absence I remit vnto its owne place Vnder the raigne of Constantius Athanasius was compelled to flie at two diuers times First while the Emperour Constans was yet aliue who procured a Councell to
brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Egypt In the ende he was ordained Bishop of Salamina the Metropolitane towne of the Isle of Cyprus He refuted the Heresies preceding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regard to the poore in so much that he was called Oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Egypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and he distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him he was circumveened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and tooke a dealing against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the Books of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the hearts of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion and ordained a Deacon in Constantinople without the foreknowledge and consent of Chrysostome and contrary to the Church order Chrysostome on the other part sent him aduertisement that in case he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fury of popular commotions he should blame himselfe who by his own inordinate doings was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when he entered into the ship he said he left three great things behinde him to wit a great towne a great pallace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a Compend to write of all the worthie men of God in the Easterne parts who did fight a good fight runne a good race and kept the Faith Asclepas in Gaza Luciââ in Adrianopolis Basilius presbyter in Ancyra a mightie adversarie to the Arrians vnder the raigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the raigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius Bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus Bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became Bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councell of Nice Iames Bishop of Nisibis in Mesopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores King of Persia was miraculously disappointed Paulus Bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euprates and Paphnutius Bishop in Thebaida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councell of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptioÌs of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to be Bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour threatned to cut off his right hand in case he deliuered not the subscriptions aforesaid yet he constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emperour both admired and commended his constancie Barses Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the raigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose travailes God wonderfully blessed to the conversion of many soules to the kingdome of God Theodulus Bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he married a young woman and the first night after her marriage he perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sonne of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposiâon of the hands of an Arrian Bishop Letoius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia who burnt the Monasteries or rather as Theodoretus writes the dennes of theeues wherein the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syrian Language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in company with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because he married a young woman procreated three children with her and in the end left her and entered into a Monasterie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebeânius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine revelation the places were manifested wherein the bodies of the Prophets Habacuk and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers alreadie become that the searching out of things nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascribed to divine revelations The judicious Reader will pardon me that I write not in particular of the liues of all the fore mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short Compend cannot permit it to be done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde he became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all things the exact knowledge of divine Scriptures made him a terrour to the Arrians Many doe write that the very last period of time wherein Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was revealed to Didymus in a dreame and that he againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the raigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward he became a Christian and craued to be baptized Christian Bishops lingered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had beene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet Arnob. freed himself from all suspition of Paganisme by writing Bookes wherein he confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our Lord 330. About the suffering of our Lord he writes very judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne-beames cannot be cutted Euen so in the suffering of Christ the diuine Nature suffered no paine Lactantius Fârmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Master yet it is thought that he impugned errours with greater dexteritie then he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his Pen against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurd assertion he clearely refutes First Whereas the Donatists affirmed that the Church of Christ was onely to be found in a corner of Africke He refutes it by Scripture
piece of drie timber budded and flourished yet was he an idiot and an vnlearned man Remaclus Bishop of the same Towne and borne in Burdeaux of France left his Episcopall office and went to the Wildernesse where hee led an Heremiticall life defending his insolent fact by the example of Moses Abraham Elias Heliseus and Christ himselfe who were all found to haue beene in the Wildernesse But if hee had beene a man of deepe vnderstanding hee might haue alledged more pertinently the example of Narcissus bishop of Ierusalem who in going to the Wildernesse forsooke his Episcopall office for a time than the example of Christ who went vnto the Wildernesse to enter into the holie office of Preaching after preparation of fasting praying and fighting with spirituall armour against the prince of Darknesse Notwithstanding hee is thought both in his life time and also after his death to haue wrought miracles In Austume a Towne of France called in Latine AugustodunuÌ Leodegarius is thought to haue retained his voice the benefite of distinct speaking after that his tongue was cut out and that manie miraculous works were wrought after his death if credite can bee giuen to Vincentius The miracles of Andoenus Bishop of Rowen who also writ a booke of the miraculous deliuerance of the soule of Dagobertus king of France and an infinite number of other lying miracles all confirming superstition of purpose I leaue them as fables superaboundant in the writings of Vincentius Concerning Isidorus Hispalensis occasion will be offered to speake of him in the sixt Councell of Toledo The vaine disputation concerning the diuersitie of the keeping of Easter day in Scotland and England betwixt Colmannus and Wuilfridus it is as vnnecessarie to be written as it was vnnecessary with heat and contention to haue beene disputed CENTVRIE VIII Popes of Rome AFter Pope Sergius succeeded Iohn the 6. and continued 3. yeeres and 3. months After him Pope Ioannes 7. continued 2. yeeres and 7. monthes hee liued in the dayes of Iustinian the 2. who sent Ambassadors vnto him for procuring an vnion betwixt the churches of the East and west because they differed in opinions concerning the Canons of the sixt generall Councell wherein prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices was dissallowed and the Patriarch of Constantinople was equalled in autoritie to the Patriarch of Rome These Ambassadors aforesaid returned from Pope Iohn the seuenth without any answere with proud carriage or as others thinke a cowardlie forme of dealing all writers doe reproue After him succeeded Sisinius who continued not about 20. dayes in his Popedome After Sisinius succeeded Constantine the first and gouerned 7. yeeres and 20. dayes his Popedome was vnder the raigne of Iustinian the second Philippicus and Anastasius The Emp. Iustinian supported him against Foelix Bishop of Ravenna who had refused to pay to the B. of Rome the summe of money imposed vnto him in time of his ordination so that Foelix was taken prisoner by the Emperours admirall and sent to Constantinople where his eyes were put out he was baÌished to Pontus Against the Emp. Philippicus he contended as one hauing authoritie to raze the name of the Emp. out of charters as had bin already declared This is the Pope who was Iudge betwixt the B. of Ticinum and Millane who contended for superioritie and Constantine exemed the shop of Ticinum from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Millan but in such way as he should be subject to the Church of Rome The Emperour Iustinian the second sent for Pope Constantine who came to Constantinople and from thence went to Nicomedia where he met with the Emperour and the Emperour kissed his feete Marke the growing and daylie increasing pride of the Roman Antichrist After Constantine succeeded Gregorius the second and continued sixteene yeeres nine months and eleuen dayes Hee liued vnder the raigne of the Emperour Leo Isaurus whom he rashly excommunicated for abolishing of images Also he drew away from the obedience of the Emperour the countries of Hesperia Aemilia Liguria and other parts of Italie forbidding them to pay tribute to the Emperour expresse contrary to Christes commandement Matth. 22.21 where He saith Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars c. and this Christ spake concerning paying of tribute Gregorie the third gouerned ten yeeres eight monthes and twentie foure dayes and followed the foote steps of his predecessor both in aduancing the doctrine of worshipping of images and in with-drawing the people of Italie from the obedience of the Emperour More-ouer he gathered a Councell at Rome wherein the worshipping of images had allowance And the Emperour Leo was both excommunicated and likewise so farre as in him lay depriued of his Emperiall dignitie So early did the beast of Rome euen in ciuill matters vsurp autority ouer the Princes and Monarches of the world In his dayes the towne of Rome was besieged by Luitprand king of Lombardis But Carolus Martellus a noble prince in France beeing sollicited by letters of Gregorie to support the distressed estate of the Church of Rome hee perswaded Luitbrand to desist from molesting besieging the towne of Rome After Gregorie the third succeeded Zacharias the first coÌtinued ten yeeres foure months and foure dayes In antichristian pride hee surpassed all his predecessors distributing the Kingdomes of the world at his pleasure For he procured that Pipinus the sonne of Carolus Martellus who was but a subject and ruler of the kings house should bee anointed king of France and that Childericus the lawfull successour of the kingdome should haue his head shauen and be thrust into a Monasterie Likewise he procured that Carolomânnus the elder brother of Pipinius should be a Monke of the Order of Saint Benedict in the Monasterie of Cassinates Rachis also king of Lombardes after hee had raigned 4. yeeres gaue ouer his kingly authority and entered to a Monasterie and exhorted his wife and children to do the like and so his brother Aistulphus obtained the kingdome Pipinus was anointed king of France by Bonifacius at the commaundement of Pope Zacharias anno 750. or as Platina reckoneth Anno 753. What recompence of reward Pipinus rendered to the chaire of Rome for this beneuoleÌce or rather this manifest iniquitie of Zacharias it will be declared in the description of the life gouernememt and carriage of Stephanus the second if the Lord please After Zacharias succeeded Stephanus the second and ruled fiue yeeres and one month In his time Aistulphus King of Lombardes besieged Rome at two diuers times and Stephanus implored the aide and assistance of Pipinus King of France at both times At the first time Pipinus besieged Aistulphus in Papia the chiefe Citie of residence of the kinges of Lombardes and compelled him to restore to the chaire of Rome all the townes and lands which by violence hee had taken from them But at his second comming he not only
relieued Rome from the siege of the Lombardes but also bestowed vppon the chaire of Rome the dominions of Rauenna and Penta-polis appertaining to the Emperour of the East and which they enjoyed since the death of Narses 170. yeeres In so doing there was such bargaining betwixt the kinges of France and the Popes as was of olde betwixt Herod and the Iewes he gratified them with the blood of Christes Apostles and they gratified him on the other part by giuing to him the glory of God Euen so Zacharias bishop of Rome bestowed vpon Pipinus the kingdome of France which duly appertained to another and Pipinus againe bestowed vpon the chaire of Rome the dominion of Rauenna Pentapolis which duely appertained to the Emp. of the East It shall not be amisse to make a particular rehearsall of the townes territories bestowed vpon the church of Rome by the donatioÌ of Pipinus but not of Constantine as they haue rumored most fabulously many yeares agoe In primis Rauenna Bononia Imola Fauentia Commaclum Hadria Pompilii Forum Leuii Forum Cesena Bobium Ferraria Ficoclas and Gabellum all these townes were vnder the dominion of Rauenna And in Pentapolis Ariminum Pisaurum Concha Fanum Senogallia Ancona Auximum Hummanam Aesium Sempronij Forum Mons Feretri Vrbium Balmense territorium Callas Luceolos Engubium together with the Castles and lands appertaining to these townes to wit the Prouinces called in our time Romandiola Marca Anconitana and of olde Aemilia Flaminea PicenuÌ Thus we see what a rich reward the chaire of Rome obtained for their defection froÌ the Emp. of the East and their fauour towards the kings of France Also for further confirmatioÌ of friendship betwixt the bishops of Rome and the kings of France Pope Stephanus the 2. procured that he should be inuited to be witnes at the baptisme of the king of Fraunce his yong son at which time as a man couetous of vaine glorie he suffered Pipinus Charles his son to kisse his feet to hold his stirrope to lead his horse by the brible and finally he was content to be mounted vp and carried vpon the shoulders of men leauing behind him an example of stinking pride to the posterity after following After Stephanus the secoÌd succeeded his brother Paulus the first who continued 10. yeeres and one month In antichristian pride he was nothing inferiour to his predecessours for he sent Ambassadours to the Emperour of the East Constantinus Copronymus to exhort him to restore againe the images of the Saints which hee had demolished with intermination of cursing if hee refused to bee obedient to the popes counsell In his time Aâstulphus King of Lombardes dyed and Desidârius the last King of Lombards raigned in his stead Constantine the brother of Desiderius King of Lombardis succeeded to Paulus the first a man admitted to the Popedome before he received Ecclesiasticall orders therefore hee was hated of the people of Rome and denuded of his Papall dignity after hee had continued one yeere and one moneth Some writers affirme that his eyes were thrust out and that hee was sent to a Monasterie others affirme that hee was burnt with fire by the hatefull malice of the Romanes To him succeeded Stephanus the third who ruled foure yeeres fiue moneths and twenty seven dayes Hee gathered a Councell at Rome in the which twelue Bishops of France sent thither by Charles de Maine were present with the Bishoppes of Italy who disauthorized Constantine his predecessor and annulled all his decrees Likewise they damned the seventh generall Councell convened in Constantinople by Constantinus Copronymus wherein the worshipping of Images was disallowed But in this Laterane Councel assembled by Stephanus the third the worshipping of Images got allowance And it was thought that God and the Saints were in worser case then mortall Princes in case that Images might be made to represent mortall Princes but not to represent God and his Saints It was rumored in this Popes time that Charles King of France was of intention to marrie Bertha the daughter of Desiderius King of Lombards Stephanus fearing left this marriage should vndoe the friendship lately tracted betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the King of France disswaded Charles from the marriage aforesayd as if the marriage of a woman of the kindred of the Lombards were a mixing of darkenesse with light and of Belial with Christ. And the menacing letter of Stephanus the third prevailed so farre at the hands of Charles the Great that he repudiated Bertha the daughter of Desiderius his lawfull maried wife after he had cohabited with her one yeere and hee married another woman named Hildegarde of the Dukerie of Sweue These are the fruits of Antichristian pride to threaten the torments of hell against the Princes of the world for marriage if so be they fore-see any damage may redound to the chaire of Rome by the marriage of Princes After Stephanus the third succeeded Adrian the first and governed twenty three yeares ten moneths and seventeene dayes In his dayes Charles the Great came into Italy with an army and Desiderius King of Lombards his wife and children to Lions in France and vtterly subdued the kingdome of the Lombards which had continued in Italy 204. yeeres Now in the yeere of our Lord 776. this kingdome was abolished and vndone by Charles the Great king of France for the fauour he carried towardes the chaire of Rome Likewise hee augmented the donation of his father Pipinus and he bestowed vpon the Church of Rome the Isle of Corsica and the places lying betwixt Luca and Parma with the Dukedomes Spoleto and Benevento This being done Charles returned back againe to France carying with him Bertha his brothers wife and her children who came to Adrian Bishop of Rome hoping for favour at his hands and that he should haue anoynted her sonnes to bee Kings of France seeing Carolamannus their father was now dead but he delivered them into the hands of Charles and so Charles the Great raigned without exception as absolute Commander of France Irene the Empresse of the East during his Popedome assembled a great Councell at Nice in Bythinia where the adoration of Images was allowed In this Councell the Popes Ambassadors were present and his owne letter was read in the Councell no man gaue greater allowance to the worshipping of Images then Pope Adrian did as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels It is to be marked that Platina writing of the death of Constantinus Copronymus is compelled to beare witnesse to the truth and testifie that the opinion of the leprosie of Constantine the Great was a notable fable and that it sprung vp by occasion of the disease of Constantinus Copronymus the father in law of the Empresse Irene To Adrian succeeded Leo the third and governed one and twenty yeeres He was hated by Pascalis and Campalus who lay in wait for him at the Church
father Ludouicus Pius Hee augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the second succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled 8. yeares 3. months He was a man of many trades a builder a warriour and a Bishop He compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the towne He was a warriour fought against the Saracenes against whom also he preuailed And finally at some time he was a Bishop and he gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous lying writings In this Popes dayes Edelwulphus King of England came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made He was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause hee ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in England that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo the fourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credit to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384 yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ioane the eight an English woman borne in the towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and she profited in learning beyond her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue months and foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854 being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this villanie of the Roman church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole world For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the church of LateraÌ she trauelled in birth died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but he bringeth an argument from the authority of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credit of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth he maketh no meÌtion of Ioane the eight but of Benedictus the third as successor of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for he bringeth in the testimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Misterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six months and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence ready at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop should bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the third succeeded Nicolas the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine months and thirteene dayes He subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obedieÌce He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the second to light from his horse to leade his bridle vntil he came to the Campo which was the space of a mile He permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of parties And that persons in spirituall offices should not be subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates Hee ordained also that no man should receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith should bee intreated Likewise hee ordained That the seruice of God in all countries should be celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Solauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of God in their owne Vulgar Language He added vnto the Liturgie of the Masse Gloria in Excelsis Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolas the first and ruled 5. yeeres nine months and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of France whom hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolike seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of France had euer beene Soueraigne Lordes in their owne countrie and not vice-gerentes vassales to Bishops and That hee would not permit any man who had beene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne country to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall councell was assembled whereof I shal speake in its owne time God willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the second and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is he who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to be Emperour and was cast into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of France than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fled to Ludouicke king of France whom also hee crowned to be Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Iohn the ninth must seeke new acquaintance because his olde friends were gone therfore he crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the second ruled one yeere and fiue months Hadrianus the third succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernment was also short for he continued not aboue one yeere and two months yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time He perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they should freely choose whom they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke
the Bishop of Rome Likewise in the cause of Rhotardus Bishop of Soission whom Hincmarus deposed and removed from his office Nicolaus the first Bishop of Rome absolved him Hadrian 2. gaue him commandement to excommunicate C. Calvus King of France his soveraigne Lord but he refused to performe such an vnlawfull commandement and writ vnto the Pope to be circumspect and not precipitate rashly his sentences of excommunication The question whereunto Hadrian 2. was so serious was about division of lands betwixt C. Calvus and his brother Lotharius C. Calvus denyed that he did vniustly invade any of his brothers lands but lands duely belonging to himselfe by paction and covenant And the Nobles of the country said that it was a strange and an vnaccustomed thing that the Pope would take vpon him to be iudge in a controversie concerning the Titles and Rights of kingdomes because he could not be both a Bishop and a King CENTVRIE X. Popes of Rome TO Thedoricus succeeded Pope Iohn the tenth hee abrogated all the decrees of Pope Stephanus the sixt and allowed the decrees of Formosus whereupon great tumult and vprore arose in Rome For this cause the Pope fled to Ravenna and gathered a Councell of 74. Bishops also Carolus Simplex King of France was present at this councell There hee ratified the decrees of Formosus and damned the decrees of Stephanus Here let vs marke that the Bishops of Rome doe both mocke God and the world in saying that their Councels are guided by the holy Spirit and cannot erre in the meane time one of their Councels damning another and being altogether opposite one to another After hee had come backe to Rome he concluded his life having ruled two yeeres and fifteene dayes To him succeeded Benedictus the fourth and continued three yeeres and foure moneths After Benedictus ruled Leo the fift and continued not in his Popedome aboue forty dayes for he was cast into prison and bonds by Christophorus his owne domestique servant Christophorus by vnlawfull meanes attained to the Popedom and lost it againe vnworthily in the seventh moneth of his government for hee was thrust into a Monastery as the only refuge of all disasterd people Those monsters saith Platina God permitted them not long to liue After Christophorus Sergius the third ruled seven yeeres foure moneths and fifteene dayes Hee raised againe the body of Formosus out of the graue wherein hee had lien buried eight yeeres and beheaded it as if it had beene aliue and cast it into the river Tyber accounting it vnworthy of a buriall place Platina doth marke that Formosus had been his competitor and hindered Sergius from attaining to the Popedome they who are so overtaken with ambition and hatefull malice that they cannot moderate their owne affections how shall they governe and rule the vniversall Church of God Beside this barbarous cruelty he was a vile whoremonger and begate Iohn the twelfth who afterward was made Pope with Marozia the wife of Guido a famous harlot After him Anastatius the third ruled two yeers of whom nothing worthy of memory is written except this that he was not so malicious in damning the memorials of other men as his predecessors had beene Landus succeeded to Anastatius and ruled sixe moneths and 21. dayes To Landus succeeded Iohn the eleventh and ruled thirteene yeares two moneths and three dayes Hee was more martiall in exployts of warfare then religious and expert in knowledge of heavenly things For hee fought against the Saracens who had been brought into Italy by the Grecians and discomfited them But when hee returned againe to Rome hee incurred the hatred of Albericus Marquis of Hetruria who had fought with him against the Saracens and could not abide the pride of a presumptuous Bishop who in his triumph ascribed the whole praise of the victory to himselfe onely This variance was the occasion of great trouble in Italy for Albericus allured the Hungarians to enter into Italy who did greater damage to the Countrey then the Saracens had done before On the other part the Italians who could not avenge themselues by rendering like evill to the Hungarians they poured out their wrath vpon Albericus and killed him The Pope also by the souldiers of Guido was cast in prison and strangled by stopping a pillow in his throat The villany betweene him and Theodora a notable harlot I haue overpassed with silence fearing to be prolixe Leo the sixt followed and continued seven moneths and fifteene dayes After Leo followed Stephanus the seventh and ruled two yeeres one moneth and twelue dayes The two preceding Popes are supposed by Italian heights to be made out of the way by Marozia a notable harlot to the end that her sonne Iohn the twelfth whom shee had borne to Pope Sergius the third might bee promoted to the Popedome who ruled foure yeeres ten moneths and fifteene dayes Marozia was an incestuous harlot who like vnto Herodias was not ashamed to marrie two brethren namely Guido and Hugo according as the verse made thereof witnesseth Nubere Germanis satagens Herodia binis Herein appeareth the terrour of the wrath of God punishing the vngodlinesse of the Romane people they were guided by the Popedome and the Popedome was guided by notable harlots After him succeeded Leo the seventh and ruled three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Stephanus the eight was a Germane and ruled three yeers foure moneths and ten dayes Hee was mightily troubled with the seditions of the people of Rome and was so miserably wounded that hee was ashamed to come forth vnto publique places to be seene Martinus the third succeeded to Stephanus the eight and governed three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Platina calleth him a devout man and altogether bent to religion because he repaired old Churches that were tending to ruine and decay the substance of religion being lost the care of the fabricke of the Church and such other externall things was counted the onely devotion Agapetus the second successor to Martinus continued in his Popedome nine yeeres seven moneths and ten dayes In his time Berengarius King of Italy and his sonne Albertus tyrrannously abused the countrey not sparing those of the Clergie So that Agapetus was compelled to send messengers to Otto the first whose fame was spread abroad in all Nations and Otto without delay addressed himselfe to Italy and suppressed the insolencie of Berengarius and his sonne Albertus as hath beene already declared in the historie of the life of Otto the first To Agapetus succeeded Iohn the thirteenth and governed nine yeeres three moneths and fiue dayes A man from his very youth replenished with all kinde of abhominable vices a libidinous beast a monstrous varlet of whom I haue made so frequent mention already and the head of Councels will cast vp the filthinesse of his infamous name of new againe so that for the present I write the lesse He
except a litle circle In the yeere of the Lord 198. Of this Religion was that great Clarke S. Bernard Pope Innocentius the third confirmed and allowed the Order of Humiliats first of all deuised by certaine persons exiled by Fredericus Barbarossa who when they were restored to their countrie apparelled themselues all in white and promised to goe in lowlie and simple cloathing The men and women to be separated each from other and to labour euerie one in that wherein hee was most skilfill They had one commune purse amongst them They professed S. Bennets rule This Order in processe of time hath increased so both in goodes and persons that it was confirmed and endewed with many priuiledges of diuers Bishopps of Rome in the yeeres of our Lord 1166. Pope Celestinus the fift willinglie gaue ouer his Bishoprike and returned againe to his solitarie life wherein he quietly liued before his Papacie Certaine superstitious persons counterfeited this Bishop taking vpon them an order of S. Bennet in a wildernesse and called themselues Celestines after Celestine The garment which they weare cloakes coule and cape are blew in the yeere 1297. Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule S. Gilbert in England at Sirington and Semphring hame began an order of Monkes called after him Gilbertines in the yeere 1148. Pope Eugenius the fourth confirmed the religion of the Iustinians adorning the same with manie liberties and priuiledges It was first of all invented by Lewes Barbus a counsellors of Venice and practised in the parts of Treuisa in the Cloyster of S. Iustine by the citie of Padua They professe Monke Bennets rule but in habit and apparrell they differ Pope Gregorie the seuenth being Bishop of Rome Bruno of Colen that Philosopher and diuine whom Bernard calleth a faire pillar of the church did institute the Order of charterhouse Monkes in the Diocesse of Gratianopolis at a place named Curtusia Their life was outwardly full of painted holinesse in forbearing flesh in fasting with bread and water euery Friday in wearing hairie cloathes next to their body solitarie much silent neuer going out refusing all womens companie c. Pope Gelasius the second bearing rule the order of the Templars begun in Ierusalem and continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus Templars begun in Ierusalem continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus After that Godfrey Duke of Loraine had conquered Ierusalem certaine Knights perceiuing that such Pilgrimes as came to them of their devotion were robbed and murthered by the way made a band among themselues to serue God in chiualrie At the beginning they were but few and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertie and their chiefe master was the keeper of the Temple doore whence they were called Templary They dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre lodging the Pilgrimes keeping them from mischiefe and shewing them much kindnesse bringing them from one holy citie to another The badge of their order was a white cloake with a red Crosse. S. Bernard made them a rule according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues Afterward they became verie rich through the gifts of noble men and Pilgrimes But Pope Clement the fift put them downe and destroied them all in one day partly because as they writ they renounced the faith of Christ and conspired with the Turke and partly for other notable crimes Notwithstanding some say that this rooting out of them was more because of envie of their prosperitie and royaltie then for their faults For when their grandmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with many of his brethren he affirmed that hee was neuer guiltie of the accusation laied against him Thus perished this order of Templars all in one day their lands and possessions being distributed and giuen to others in the yeere of our Lord 1110. Pope Calixtus the second allowed and approued the monkish order of premonstratenses which was first of all deuised by a certaine man borne at Colen called Notorobertus a Priest they be vnder the rule of Bennet the Monke they be clothed all ouer in white to declare their vnstained virginitie Anno 1119. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning the Monkes of Mount Oliuet sprung vp through the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus Their cloathing is all white their rule is Bennets with some additions vnto it In the yeere of our Lord 1406. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning confirmed and established also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice which was begun by a spirituall man the Patriarch Laurence Iustinian a man of an incredible strictnesse of life These Monkes are vnder S. Peters rule and the first order with certaine ordinances ioyned thereto In the yeere 1407. Pope Vrban the second bearing rule the order of white Monkes begun first deuised by one Stephen Harding and afterward in the yeere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Waiter Especk who built an Abbey of the same order called Meriuale Pope Honorius bearing rule Raymound a man of Nobilitie first of all invented the Order of S. Iohn Baptist at Ierusalem about the yeere 1130. Pope Clement the sixt being Bishop of Rome a certaine Pestilent sect of false religious persones sprang vp in high Almaine who called themselues Penitentes Cruciferi seu flagellatores that is patient crosse-bearers or scourgers of themselues Their maner was to goe from place to place hauing a banner vpon the Crucifixe borne before them and neuer to tarrie in one place but vpon the Sabboth euery day also they did pennance both morning and euening by scourging themselues before the people with a great whippe of three coards full of knotts vpon their bare bodies affirming that it was reveiled vnto them by an Angel from heauen that they thus scourging themselues should within thirtie dayes and twelue houres thorow the suffering of those paines be made so cleane and free from sinne as they were when they were Baptized Anno. 133. CENTVRIE XIIII Of Popes AFter Bonifacius the eight succeeded Benedictus the eleuenth and ruled eight months and seuenteene dayes To him succeeded Clemens the fift and ruled eight yeeres ten months and fifteene dayes who translated the Popes Court from Rometo Aviniogue in France where it remained 74 yeeres At the Coronation of this Clement Philip king of France Charles his sonne and Iohn Duke of Britaine were present who being in the middle of their Pompe and Procession a great wall brake and fell vpon them by which Duke Iohn and 12. others were slaine king Philip hurt the Pope striken from his horse hauing lost out of the miter on his head a carbuncle esteemed to the value of 6000. florence By him also the order of the Templars were put downe at the counsell of Vienne who for better collowring of so cruell an act was not ashamed to say these words in the councell Etiamsi non licet per viamiustitiae tamen licet
Popes excommunications are not to be feared and that hee who doth feare or flie them is excommunicate of God 9. That the auricular confession is not necessary 10. That hee had mooved the Citizens to vprore and sedition 11. That hee had neglected and contemned the Popes citation 12. That he had shamefully slandred and spoken against the Pope 13. That he had taken Christ to witnesse of his naughtinesse and heresie 14. That Italy must be cleansed through Gods scourg for the manifold wickednesse of the Princes and Clergie These and such like articles were layd to their charge and reade before them Then they demanded of the said Hierom and his companions whether they would recant and giue over their opinions Whereunto they answered that thorow Gods help they would stedfastly continue in the manifest truth and not depart from the same Then were they degraded one after another by the Bishop of Wasson and so delivered to the secular rulers of Florence with strict commandement to carry them forth and handle them as obstinate and stifnecked Heretiques Thus was that worthy witnesse of Christ with the other two aforesayd first hanged vp openly in the market place and afterward burnt to ashes and the ashes gathered vp and cast into the river of Arum the 24. day of May 1499. In this age likewise sprang vp many men of great erudition and learning as namely Laurentius Valla Picus Mirandulae Comes Angelus Politianus with many others whose names for learning are worthy rememberance The meane whereby learning so exceedingly increased in this age seemeth to bee the Art of printing found out in Germany by a certaine Gold smith named Iohn Faustus in Strausbrugh and Guttemberg his copartner as some write but whosoever was the inventer of it it is certaine that this faculty was given to the vse of man by the providence of almighty God at what time the Bishop of Rome with all the whole and full consent of all the Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Lawyers Doctors Provosts Deanes Archdeanes assembled together in the Councell of Constance and had condemned poore Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prague to death for heresie and after subdued the Bohemians and in a manner the whole world to be vnder the supreme authority of the Romiâh Sea In the very time so dangerous and desperate where mans power could doe no more The blessed wisedome and omnipotent power of God began to worke for the Church not with sword and target to subdue his exalted adversary but with printing writing and reading to convince darknes by light error by truth ignorance by learning So that by this meanes of printing God hath heaped vpon the proud kingdome of Antichrist a double confusion For whereas hee could not abide to haue the enormity of Prelats liues to be condemned by Iohn Hus who neither denyed his Transubstantiation nor his Purgatory nor yet spake any thing against his Masse but onely exclaimed against his excessiue and pompous pride his vnchristian or rather antichristian abhomination of life Now of late dayes God hath found a way by this faculty of printing not onely to confound his life and conversation which before hee could not abide to be touched but also to cast downe the foundation of his standing that is to examine confute and detect his doctrine lawes and institutions in such sort that albeit his life were never so pure yet his doctrine standing as it doth no man is so blinde but may see the Pope to be Anti-Christ For by this Art Tongues are knowne knowledge groweth iudgement increaseth bookes are dispersed the Scripture is seene the Doctors are read the stories bee opened times compared truth decerned falshood detected and with the finger pointed at and all as I haue said God hath wrought by the benefit of printing CENTVRIE XVI Popes of Rome AFter Paulus the second succeeded Sixtus the fourth and ruled thirteen yeeres and foure dayes Hee changed the custome of keeping the Iubilie every 50. yeere and would haue it kept every 25. yeeres After him succeeded Innocentius the eight and ruled seven yeers ten months and twenty seven dayes After him Alexander the sixt ruled eleven yeeres and eight dayes Hee was a notable tyrant and a scourg of God to all Italy and in speciall to that corrupt Colledge of Cardinals which had chosen him to be Pope not for his good graces and vertues but for the heapes of gold which hee had distributed amongst them of whom some he banished others hee caused to be impoysoned and cruelly slaine In his time Charles the eight King of France clayming right to the Kingdome of Naples entred into Italy with a mighty army and without great resistance came to the towne of Rome and from thence to Naples Alphonsus King of Naples at this time finding himselfe to be hated of all men had denuded himselfe of the Kingdome and given it to his sonne Ferdinand and hee himselfe was fled into Sicilie Also his sonne Ferdinand not being able to resist the puissant army of King Charles was likewise compelled to flie to the little Island of Istria for safety of his life and the whole kingdome of Naples was in short time ouer-run and subdued to the King of France This victorious conquest so hastily atchieved made the name of Charles to be terrible to other Princes even to the Duke of Millan and Estate of Venice who had beene his confederate friends assisters in this warfare Notwithstanding fearing lest his increasing power should in time be the overthrow of their Estates they conspired with the Pope and the Emperour and the King of Spaine against him and as hee returned backe againe to France fought against him at Fornovo not farre distant from the towne of Parma The victory was vncertaine notwithstanding Ferdinand King of Naples was so encouraged with this encounter that hee recovered againe all his kingdome which hee had lost Likewise in this Popes time Lewis the twelfth who succeeded to Charles the eight came into Italy claiming right not onely to the kingdome of Naples but also to the Dukedome of Millan He had before bound vp a covenant with the Pope the King of Spaine and the Venetians vpon these conditions that having possessed himselfe first in the Dukedome of Millan hee should give Cremona a famous towne in the Dukedome of Millan to the Venetians and hee should assist Caesar Borgia Duke of Valentinois and sonne to Pope Alexander the sixt to eiect out of Romagna the Lords presently bearing sway in that Countrey to the end that all might come vnder the Soveraignty and commandement of this Duke of Valentinois only and finally that he should divide the Kingdome of Naples betwixt himselfe and Ferdinand King of Spaine Vpon these conditions was King Lewis assisted by the Pope the King of Spaine and the Estate of Venice and so with little adoe obtained the Dukedome of Millan and carryed away Lodovick Sforce Duke of
and ruled seuen yeere In this time the Isle of Ciprus was taken by Mustapha Captain of Selims armie but with so great effusion of blood for it is supposed that 80000. Turkes were slaine in the siege of Nicosia and famogusta two principall townes of the Isle that Mustapha considering the number that were slayn violated his promise made to Bragadinus chiefe captain and defender of the Isle of Cyprus and cruelly martyred that valiant Captaine This calamitie of Cyprus made the Venetians very much bent against the Turke and they banded themselues with Philip King of Spaine and with Pius the fift Bishop of Rome by whose support and assistance a Navie was set forth to the Sea and a notable victorie was atchieued vnder the conduct of Iohn de Austria at Lepanto of which before Gregorius the thirteenth followed and ruled thirteene yeeres one month and three dayes Hee founded a new Colledge for Iesuits in Rome and bestowed great revenues vpon it chiestie for this cause to be a Seminarie of Learned Schollers to convert the countrie of Germanie to the Roman religion againe In this Popes time fell out that horrible murther of Paris in the yeere of our Lord 1572. which was well liked of by the Pope who also sent to Charles the ninth king of France the summe of 40000. Ducates to maintaine and set forward the warre against the Hugonits as they called them In his time Sebastian king of Portugal was slaine in Mauritania beyond the straits Philip king of Spaine who was his neerest kinsman obtained the kingdome after him by strong hand and by driuing out of the land Duke Anthonie whom the people had chosen to be king Gregorie also set forth a new Calendar and corrected the olde Roman Calendar which new alteration bred many contentions speciallie in Germanie To him succeeded Sixtus 5. who in the beginning of his Popedom excoÌmunicated the king of Nauarre Prince of Condie fearing that which indeede came to passe hereafter to witt that king H. 3. dying without children the kingdome shuld come to the house of Burboune Likewise he inteÌded a processe of excoÌmunicatioÌ against H. the third king of France for slaying of the Cardinal of Lorain his brother the D. of Guise at Bloyes for detaining Captiues the Cardinal of Burbon the Archb. of Lions This proceeding of the Pope encouraged others against the King so that a Iacobin Fryer called Clement came out of the towne of Paris when the king was besieging it killed the King with an impoisoned knife as hath beene declared before Yet after the death of the King when H. the fourth King of Navarre succeeded to the kingdome and besieged the towne of Paris this Pope gaue no subsidue to those of the League that were banded together against the King fearing that if the King prevailed in France he would be a strong adversary to him if he had supported his enemies whether this was the cause as Onuphrius writeth or another that mooved him so to doe yet this matter so displeased Philip King of Spaine and the Leaguers that they were minded to haue made a solemne prorestation against the Pope if he had not prevented their intention by excusing himselfe in the Consistory of his Cardinals Hee was a very vigilant and actiue Pope and vsed often to make mention of that speech of Vespasian That a Prince should die standing on his feet meaning that a Prince should be vigilant and ever doing some part of his calling He died after he had ruled fiue yeeres foure moneths and three dayes and left behinde him fiue millions of gold After him succeeded Vrbanus the seventh and ruled only thirteene dayes for he died before his inauguration To him succeeded Gregorius the fourteenth and ruled nine moneths and ten dayes After him Innocentius the ninth and ruled onely two moneths and one day After him Clemens the eight hee absolved the King of France from the sentence of excoÌmunication pronounced by Pope Sixtus the fift against him For that the Kings Oratours in his name had renounced and abiureed that doctrine which the King in his young yeeres had so long prosessed and after they had accepted such conditions as it pleased the Pope to impose to the King namely that hee should receiue the Councell of Trent make it be obeyed in all parts of his kingdom also that hee should deliver the young Prince of Condie a childe of nine yeeres old to be brought vp by Bishops or Abbots in the Romane religion and that hee should certifie by his letters all Catholique Princes of the abiuration of his former religion with many other conditions which were all accepted by the Kings Orators and ratified by the King himselfe Of other Doctors IN this age God having compassion of the miserie of his poore sheepe led out of the way by blinde-guides raised vp many faithfull and learned men by whose labours the clowds of grosse ignorance was remooved the vsurped authority of the Bishop of Rome that was counted the mother Church of all others was discovered to be the Synagogue of Satan Amongst whom Martin Luther a German borne in Islebia in the Countie of Mansfelt steppeth forth as it were a couragious Captaine in the forefront of the army whom God drew forth out of the very Cloyster of the Augustinian Monks to be an instrument to reforme his house The bitternesle of Pope Leo the tenth and Pope Adrian the sixt and their Ambassadours who would not suffer the corruption of the Romane Church to be pointed out afarre off in selling of pardons made this man of God more diligent in searching and more couragious in defending the truth of God so that at last the Pope tooke it to heart that his kingdome should fall if Martin Luther were not rooted out yet the Lord raysed vp the Duke of Saxonie to bee his friend by whose favourable assistance the Gospell was deeply rooted in Germany and Martin Luther himself was preserved from the fury of all his enemies till at last he dyed in Islebia the towne of his nativity in the yeere 1546. and in the 17. day of the moneth of February Iohn Calvin was borne in Noyen a towne of Picardie anno 1509. the tenth day of the month Iuly and was a Preacher of Christs Gospell in Geneva three and twenty yeers His learning and painfull travels in writing are knowne by his bookes The blessing accompanying his travels is knowne by the reformation of many Churches in France by his advice and counsell as also of the kingdome of Scotland The power of the grace of God in him is knowne by the malice of adversaries who railed against him in his life-time and after his death as if hee alone and none other had troubled the kingdome of Antichrist and finally his painfull travels in teaching his owne flocke of Geneva is knowne by the disease which he contracted by great fasting
Now are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you The heresie of Sabellius began to shew it selfe vnto the world about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnder the raigne of Gallus It was set forth by Nortus in Ptolemaida afterward by Hermogenes and Prazeas and last it was propagated by Sabellius the disciple of Noetus Alwaies the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master They confessed that there was but one God onely but they denyed that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead viz. the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By this their opinion they confounded the two Greeke words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if there were no difference betwene them No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances therefore Sabellius and his adherents sayd that there were not three distinct substances or persons in the Godhead but the three names of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost were given to one person only but pointed not out distinction of persons or substances in the Godhead By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who cloathed himselfe with our nature and dyed for our sinnes and they were called Patrispassâani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered In the raigne of Gallienus and about the yeere of our Lord 264. a certaine Bishop in Egypt called Nepos began to affirme that at the later day the godly should rise before the wicked and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in abundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures The ground of this errour was the misvnderstanding of the words of the Revelation of Iohn chap. 20. vers 5.6 In refuting of this heresie Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria bestowed his travels with good successe for hee disputed against Coracion a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt whom hee refuted in presence of many brethren who were auditors of that disputation for the space of three dayes from morning till evening So that in the end Coracion yeelded and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come About that same time that is in the time of the raigne of Gallienus Claudius and Aurelianus Paulus Samosatenus Bishop of Antiochia a pestilent fellow denyed the divinity of the Sonne of God and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behaviour and patient suffering but he was not naturally and truely the Sonne of God begotten of the substance of the Father His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and prophane He was so covetous of vaine-glory that he built vnto himselfe in the Church a glorious seat according to the similitude of a princely throne and from this seat hee spake vnto the people whom he was accustomed to reproue with sharpe words if they had not received his words with cheerfull acclamations and shoutings such as were wont to bee vsed in Stage-playes The Psalmes also that were sung in Church to the praise of God hee abrogated and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lords people For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most iustly deposed by the Councell convened at Antiochia and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world and was so detested by all good men that Fârmilius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Dionysius Alexandrinus who for his olde age might not travell and be present at the Councell of Antiochia yet they both damned the Heretique Samosatenus by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia but not to the Bishop thereof because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by word or writ Manes a Persian otherwise called Manicheus a man furious and mad answering well vnto his name set forth the venome of his heresie in the time of the raigne of Diclesian a man both in speech and manners rude and barbarous in inclination divelish yet hee durst to call himselfe the holy spirit as Montanus had done before and to represent Christs actions in chusig vnto him twelue disciples whom hee sent forth to propagate his errors into diverse parts of the world His heresie contained a masse or venomous composition of old extinguished errors which hee renued and massed together such as the error of Cerdon and Marcion concerning two beginnings The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiving specially flesh and wine Hee vtterly reiected the old Testament as many other Heretiques had done before him Hee ascribed not sinne to the free will of man and his voluntary defection from the estate of his first creation but to necessity because mans bodie was made of the substance of the Prince of darknes This was that heresie wherewith Augustine was infected before his conversion but the Lord who brought forth light out of darknesse and made Paul sometime a Persecuter to be a Preacher of his Gospell and Cyprian a Sorcerer to be a worthy Preacher and Martyr this same gracious Lord I say in the multitude of his vnspeakeable compassions drew Augustine out of this filthy myre of abhominable heresie and made him liste vnto a bright starre sending forth the beames of light to comfort Gods house The opinion of Manes concerning the creation of the world and the creation of man the manifestation of Christ in our nature rather in shew and appearance then in verity and the horrible abhomination of their vile Eucharist no man can be ignorant of these things who hath read but a little of the bookes of Augustine written against the Maniâheans In the end like as Manes exceeded all the rest of the Heretiques in madnesse of foolish opinions even so the Lord pointed him out among all the rest to be a spectacle of his wrath and vengeance For the King of Persia hearing of the fame of Manes sent for him to cure his sonne who was deadly diseased but when hee saw that his sonne died in his hands hee cast him into prison and was purposed to put him to death but he escaped out of prison and fled to Mesopotamia Neverthelesse the King of Persia vnderstanding in what place Manes did lurke sent men who pursued him tooke him and excoriated his body and stopped his skin full of chaffe and set it vp before the entry of a certaine Citie of Mesopotamia If any man bee desirous to haue greater knowledge of this remarkeable Heretique both in respect of his life and death hee may reade the fore-mentioned chapter of the Ecclesiasticall history of Socrates and he shall finde that the first man called Manicheus who renued the error of two beginnings was a man of Scythia He had a disciple first called Buddas afterward Terebynthus who dwelt in Babylon This man
turne to Heresies So the Donatists in the end were defenders of Hereticall opinions namely that the Catholicke church was no where els to be found but only in that corner of Africke wherein they themselues dwelt and that Baptisme was not effectual except it had bin ministred by one of their societie Of all the branches of this heresie CircuÌcelliones was the most reprobate branch a people cruel sauage not only against others but also against themselues throwing themselues headlong froÌ high places or casting themselues in fire and water and this sort of death they counted Martyrdome The diuersitie of names wherewith this Heresie was pointed out clearely declares that the Donatistes wanted not a great number of fauorers for they were called Parmeniani Rogatistae Cirtenses and Maximianistae Against this Heresie and the Heresie of the Pelagians August Bishop of Hippo contended with mightie grace as likewise against the Heresie of the Manicheans wherein he had bin nursed himselfe Collyridiani were a sort of superstitious people who worshipped the Virgin Marie the mother of our Lord with diuine adoration and with baking little pasties which in the Greeke language are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which they offered to the Virgin Marie as to the Queene of Heauen Epiphanius counts them Heretikes because the Virgin Marie albeit shee be a blessed woman yet is shee not God Many late heresies are nothing els but a renewing of old decayed heresies Such was the heresie of Priscillianus a man of Noble birth in Spaine very eloqvent rich temperate with great show of humilitie who easilie insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the people In his youth hee was inclined to Magical Arts and renewed the heresie of Gnostici who disallowed Marriage and commended fornication Some Bishops of Spaine were entangled with this heresie such as Iustantius Salvianus and Helpidius whom Adygimus Bishop of Corduba damned in a CouÌcell gathered at Caesaraugusta This was done in the dayes of the Emp. Gratianus Valentinian The great Citie of refuge to heretikes was to addresse themselues to the Bishop of Rome and to leane vnder his shadow But Damasus who was bishop of Rome at this time would not admit these Heretikes to his presence Neither would Ambrose Bishop of Millane to whom they addressed next in any wise accept of them when al other means failed them last of al with buddes and bribes they sollicited the Emp. cubiculers were sent backe againe to enjoy their owne places Neuerthelesse God suffered not Priscillianus to escape punishment for hee was conuict of sorcery and was punished to the death after the death of Valentinian the second whether by Maximus an vsurper of the Emperiall Soueraintie or by Theodosius I am not certaine Lucifer was Bishop of Calaris in Sardinia He was present at the Councell of Millan and was banished by Constantius because hee would not consent to the deposition of Athanasius Hee was reduced from banishment by the Emperour Iulian. Hee visited Antiochia a towne miserably distracted with Schismes and by ordaining Paulinus Bishop of Antiochia hee rather augmented then lessened the schisme he perceiued that this his fact was disproued by Euseb. Bishop of Vercellis and many others therefore he and his followers did not communicate with such as disproued the ordination of Paulinus This seemeth rather to be reckoned in the catalogue of schismes then of heresies and Theod. disprouing Lucifer saith that hee made faith to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but he saith not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a weapon of contentions but not a weapon of heresie These who supposed that after the Natiuitie of the Lord the Virgin Marie companied with her husband Ioseph and did beare children to him were called Antidicomarianitae In this opinion was Helvidius a man more curious then wise The opinion of the Fathers of the Church not repugnant to Scripture was this That like as no man did lie in the sepulchre wherein Christ was buried before him Euen so in the wombe wherein hee was conceiued no man was conceiued after him so the Fathers tooke the words of the Apostolicke symbole ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if it had beene said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is borne of Mary a perpetuall Virgin In holy scriptures by the brethren of our Lord is meant the kinsmen of the Lord according to the flesh to which exposition the consent of Ancient and Neotericke writers for the most part agreeth Augustine cites out of Philaster a sort of heretikes called Metangismonitae whose heresie sounded to this That the sonne is in the Father according to the similitude of a little vessel comprehended within the compasse of a greater vessel ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greeke Language signifieth a vessell and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth the entering of one vessel within another which in our language cannot be expressed by one word as it is in the Greeke From Seleucus Hermias this heresie had the name where they dwelt or in what Emperours daies this heresie was propagated August maketh no mention their opinions were most abominable namely that the Masse whereof God created the elements was coeternall with him and that the Angels and not God created the soules of men that Christ in his ascension vncloathed himselfe of the flesh of man and left it in the Globe of the Sunne They receiued not baptisme by water They denyed the resurrection of the dead supposing that by new generations one succeeding to another that is performed which in Scripture is written concerning the resurrection The rest of heresies of this age were all obscure and had few followers such as Proclianitae who denied that Christ was come in the flesh Patriciani who affirmed that the body of man was formed by the deuil not by God Ascitae who carried about with them the new vessels to represent that they were vessels filled with the new wine of the Gospell Patalorynchitae foolish men who counted it religion to stop their breath with their fingers and to vtter no intelligible speech Aquarij who in stead of wine receiued water in the holy Sacrament The beginning of this errour seemes to haue beene in the dayes of Cyprian Coluthiani denyed that any evill either of sinne or punishment came of God Floriani who by the contrary affirmed that God created creatures in an evill estate The eight heresies which Philaster coÌmemorates without any name either taken from the Author or from the heresie it self Augustine scarcely will reckon them into the roll of heresies CENTVRIE V. PElagius Brito and his followers Iulianus and Coelestius mantained damnable heresies in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius Their pernitious heresies may be easily knowne by the learned writings of Augustine who directly impugneth the Pelagians and by the Councels of Arausio in France and Milivetanum in Numidia which damned the error
of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Severitae Apartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenij all were Eutichian Heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speeches in authors whom they principally admitted and followed in places where the heresie chiefly increased and in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian Heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other Heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were Heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these ancient errours were sufficiently refuted in ancient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches by a secret and crafty conuoy insinuating it selfe into credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus Bishop of Nicomedia with many others They denyed not directly the two natures of Christ personally vnited but onely affirmed that after the vnion of the natures there was onely one will and one operation in Christ whereas the holy Scriptures attribute vnto Christ as hee is man the action of sleeping and to Christ in respect of his divine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormy tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in its owne place CENTVRIE VIII MAny were accounted heretikes in this age because they worshipped God sincerely according to the rule of his owne blessed word and would not giue consent to the fond errours of the Roman Church But some were counted heretikes iustly and without all controuersie as namelie they who call Christ in his human nature the adoptiue son of God This wicked heresie repungeth vnto the celestiall Oracle which the three Apostles heard in the holy mountaine This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased we are adopted in Christ to be the sons of God But Christ euen in his manly nature is the son of God by the excellent prerogatiue of personall vnion with the diuine nature It is not certainlie knowne whether Elipandus Bishop of Hispalis or another named Foelix with whom some affirme that Elipandus consulted about this damnable opinion was the author of this damnable heresie CENTVRY IX THey who of old were accustomed to condemne Heresies now they are become the chiefe patrons and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose Pusillanimitre argueth the weakenesse of their cause For vnder the raigne of Lodouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publike edict commaunded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilst Claudius was aliue But Ionas Bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime but after his death with impotencie of railing words rather then with power of solide arguments hee indeuored to refute Claudius Taurinensis Let the iudicious reader without partialitie peruse the bookes of Ionas Bishop of Orleans and the verie stinking breath of the aduersarie of the truth shall giue great allowance to the truth of God Godescalcus a man of the low Countries is reckoned in the number of Heretikes of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. Because hee spake of Predestination perilouslie to witt that these who were Predestinated to life by the decree of Gods Predestination were forced to doe well and those who were Predestinated to condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill Concerning old extinguished heresies as the Manicheans Arrians Donatists and such like who preased to build vp the walls of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attempts wiihout any successe CENTVRIE X. IN this age darkenes had gotten such vpper hand that the eye it selfe was darkened as our Lord speaketh The Spirit of errour so possessed the verie teachers that the most part of them worshipped Images yea the verie elements in the holy Sacraments of the Supper Churches were replenished with the bones of dead men whereunto the people kneeled worshipping dead bones in place of the liuing God And the small sparke of knowledge which remained not extinguished seemeth to be in the people rather then in the Pastours for the people saw that the Preachers entered not at the right doore but rather like vnto thiefes robbers they entered by bribes and gifts into spirituall offices and therefore the Historie recordeth that Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made his vowe to God that if the Lord would giue him victorie against his enemies hee would purge his countrie from Simonie which was an euident token that the vilde heresie of Simon Magus in buying and selling spirituall things did at this time mightily abound CENTVRIE XI IN this Centurie the Pope had such vpper-hand both ouer Princes and Pastors that they accounted euery thing that displeased them to be heresie The inuestment of Bishops by secular men was called Simonie and marriage of Priests was called the Heresie of the Nicolaitans Likewise betweene the Latine and Greeke Church fell out such contention for a matter of small importance that they accounted one another to be heretikes The Greeke Church called the Latines Azymitae because they celebrated the Lords supper with vnleauened bread and the Latine Church on the other part called the Greeke Church Fermentarij because they vsed leauened breade yea and the Roman Church in this age so obstinately maintained the errour of Transubstantiation that they accounted all them heretikes who dissented from their opinion CENTVRIE XII IN this Centurie is found a French man Petrus Abelardus an accurat Philosopher who vttered vncouth things concerning the blessed Trinitie That the holie spirit was the soule of the world and that hee was not of the substaÌce of the father whose opinions were daÌned by the Theolgues of Paris by Bernard of Clarauall in the Councells of Seison and Senon as also by Pope Innocentius the second after he had receiued this foyle hee entered into the Monasterie of Cluniacke where he concluded his life CENTVRYE XIII AMongst Heretikes in this age were reckoned Albigenses so called from the name of the part in France where they dwelt They were fauoured and assisted in many parts of France but namelie in Tolosa not only by the inferiour sort but also by the Count himself It is to be lameÌted that the heads of their doctrine are not acuratly set downe by the writers of this age For it is verie likely that they haue taught otherwise then their aduersaries doe report of them who attribute vnto them the errours of the ManicheaÌs who supposed that there
of Munster assisted with the Princes of Germany besieged the town very strictly and in the end prevailed and tooke this new made King Cniperdolingus his false Prophet aliue and adiudged them not onely to be hanged in chaines of iron but before their hanging to haue their flesh seared with hot iron pincers Thus came the authors of this most vnhappy sect vnto a most miserable and shamefull destruction Of this Sect of Anabaptists sprang vp in Holland an impudent fellow David Georgius who affirmed that hee was Christ the Messias and Saviour of the world yet for feare of punishment hee fled out of the Low Countries and came to Basile where he remained vntill the day of his death all which time hee not only obscured his blasphemous errors but also behaved himselfe in outward show so humbly and modestly that hee was in good account and became wealthy also Yet after his death it was knowne that he had seduced many with his blasphemous errours Therefore the Councell of Basile commanded that his body should bee raised out of the graue and burnt with fire in token of their detestation of his abhominable errors About the same time also sprang vp Michael Servetus a Spaniard who renewed the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius affirming that God the Father is onely the true God and that neither the Sonne nor the holy Spirit is eternall God but that the Sonne is a creature and had the beginning of existence when God created the world He was taken in the towne of Geneva cast in prison but he would not be reclaimed from his blasphemous errors Therefore the Councell of the towne thought meet with flames of fire to stoppe the breath of this blasphemous man who durst set his mouth against the heauen to blaspheme the Sonne of God After his death many were found who maintained his errors as namely Valentinus Gentilis Gregorius Blandrata a Physitian in Italy Matheus Gribaldus a Lawyer and Paulus Alciatus with many others Amongst whom Valentinus Gentilis was bold to put in print his blasphemies and he called the summe of faith set forth by Athanasius Symbolum Satanasi calling Athanasius himselfe Satanasius but after hee had blasphemed the Sonne of God a while both by word and writ in the end hee was taken in the towne of Berne where hee suffered the iust deserved punishment of death Many other sprang vp in this age who were teachers of false and hereticall doctrine but because they had few followers so that the errour died with the author thereof wee haue no great need to enroll their names and errors in this booke at large but shortly to poynt them out Gasper Suenkefeldius a man borne in Silesia maintained this errour that the outward ministerie of the Word and Sacraments was not necessarie to eternall life because that by the illumination of Gods holy spirit without the ministerie of the Word men might be saved Andreas Osiander thought that Christ was our Mediatour onely in respect of his divine nature and on the other part Stantcarus refuting Osiander fell into the contrarie extremitie that Christ was Mediatour onely in respect of his humane nature Flaccius Illiricus supposed originall sin was a substance Huberus beleeved that all men were elected vnto eternall life and Franciscus Puccius defended this opinion that all men of whatsoever religion they were should bee saved if they led not a very impious life and evill conversation Finally in this age was cleerly discovered that hee who sate in the chaire of Christ as Christs Vicar was the very Antichrist and they who depend vpon the Pope as generall Bishop of all Christs sheepe were notable Heretiques giving the glorie of Christ to Antichrist denying the sufficiencie of the written Word bowing and kneeling to Images praying to creatures and accounting them mediators of their intercession sacrilegiously imitating the holy Sacrament of the Supper and taking from the people the vse of the Cup offering dayly a new propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne as though Christs sacrifice once offered vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse were imperfect damning marriage in some persons and forbidding meates which God hath allowed to bee eaten with thanksgiving with many other errors which the Lord hath cleerly detected to haue beene a long time by-past in the Romane Church Here endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY of the Church containing a short Compend of all the Councels together with their severall Canons since Christs dayes to this present CENTVRIE IV. COuncels may bee divided in Generall Nationall or Provinciall and Particular Councels Generall were called Oecomenicke Councels ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the greek language signifieth the world because from all quarters of the world wherein Christ was preached Commissioners were sent to these Councels and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or Provinciall Councels were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperor in one Nation with the assistance of other neere approaching Nations for suppressing of heresies deciding of questions pacifying of âchismes and appointing Canons and Constitutions for decent order to be kept in the Church The third sort of Councels were particular Councâls by Bullenger called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Such as the Councels of Gangra Neocaesaria and many others gathered vsually by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a Countrie but for the like causes that nationall Councels were assembled Let no man expect a recitall of particular Councels except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them ANcyra is a towne of Galatia in this towne were assembled Bishops of diverse Provinces about the yeere of of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principall cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution should bee received into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rancks of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathenicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati and Proditores The Councell of Ancyra took order chiefly with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had cast vp incense vpon idolatrous Altars or else had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idols to whom it was inioyned to testifie their repentance a long time before they were received to the communion of Gods people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or six yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councell it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continency but were disposed to marrie if they married they should remaine in their Ministerie but they who in time of imposition of hands by
their silence had professed continencie if afterward they married they should bee remoued from their Ministrie Also it was ordained that Chorepiscopi these were Countrie Bishops in the Latine language called Vicarii-Episcoporum These I say were commanded to abstaine from ordination of Elders and Deacons and from vsurping of doÌinion ouer the preaching Elders who were in Cities Likewise it was ordained that whosoeuer did abstaine from eating of flesh as from a creature in it selfe vncleane he should be depriued of his dignity This Councell was subscribed by â8 Bishops IN the yeere of our Lord 330. and in the 20. yeere of the raigne of Constantine as Eusebius reckoneth others referre it to the 333. yeere of our Lord for there is great diuersitie in this counting The Councell of Nice in Bithynia was gathered not by Silvester nor by Iulius but by the authority of the Emperour The name of the towne answered to the successe of the Councell for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greeke language signifieth victorie and when the veritie encountered with the lie in this Councell the veritie preuailed and got the victorie The matter entreated in the Councell was concerning the opinion of Arrius a presbyter in Alexandria who denied that the Sonne of God was consubstantiall with the Father but affirmed there was a time wherein the sonne was not and that he was created of things not existent This opinion was so vnquoth and abominable to the Fathers conueened in the Councell of Nice that they vtterly damned and anathematized the opinion of Arrius Onely 17 Bishops adhered to his blasphemous opinion The Emperour liked well the determination of the Conncell and threatned to punish them with banishment who did refuse to subscribe the determination of the Councell for they had concluded that the sonne of God was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is consubstantiall with the Faith Of the number of feuenteene who were fauourers of Arrius only two to wit Secundus a B. of Ptolemaida in Aegypt and Thomas Bishop of Marmarica adhered to Arrius vntil the end of the Councell with a a few moe whom the Fathers conueened at Nice deliuered vnto Sathan and the Emperour banished them the rest for feare of punishment subscribed to the deposition of Arrius with their handes but not with their hearts such as Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Theogonius of Nice Menophantus of Ephesus Patrophilus of Scythopoâis Narcissus of Neronias otherwise called Irenopolis of Cilicia these I say and some others subscribed the summe of Faith set downe by the Nicene Councell and the deposition of Arrius About the controuersie of keeping the festiuitie of Easter day a conclusion was taken that it should be kept vpon the Lords day and not vpon the fourteene day of the first month of the Iewes called Nisan And this was done for keeping of vnitie and peace in the Church for it was expedient that that thing which was vniuersally done should also bee vniformely done for auoiding of schismes in the Church Neuerthelesse Socrates granteth that it is but an ancient custome not authorized by any Apostolike commandement About Marriage many were in the opinion that Bishops Elders and Deacons who were married before their ordination should in time to come abstaine from the companie of their wiues But Paphnutius a Bishop in a towne of Thebaida a chaste man who neuer companied with a woman entreated the Councell that they should abstaine from making such an ordinance because Marriage is honorable and the cohabitation of a man with his married wife is chastity Likewise it was a diffiicult matter to be performed and it opened a doore to vnchast liuing Yet Paphnutius inclined too much to this opinion That Bishops Elders and Deacons who were vnmarried should abstaine from marriage The Councel would make no constitution about such matters but remitted marriage as a thing indifferent to euery mans free arbitriment The Canons of the Nicene Councell pertaining to matters of discipline in number 22. reade them in the history of Russin The appointing of three Partiarches one in Rome another in Alexandria the third in Antiochia with power to conuocate within their owne boundes particular Councels for timous suppressing of heretikes It was like vnto a faire morning presenting vnto the world the countenance of a faire day but at Euen the face of the Heauen is couered with blacke cloudes troubling the earth with the tempest of changed weather Euen so these Patriarches for the most part became in the end chiefe propagators of notable heresies as the historie following God willing shall declare THe Nationall Councell of Tyrus was gathered by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine in the thirtieth yeere of his raigne Eusebius by ouer-passing with silence a due commemoration of the malice and falsehood of the Arrians against Athanasius giueth occasion to Socrates to suspect that Eusebius Pamphili was not a sound follower of the Nicene Councell To this Nationall Councel conueened threescore Bishops from Aegypt Lybia Asia Europe The most part of them were Arrians who had solde themselues to iniquity of purpose with false accusations to oppresse the innocent seruant of Christ Athanasius The crimes laide vnto his charge were fornication the slaughter of Arsenius and cutting off of his hand the ouerthrowing of the holy Table the breaking of the holy Cup and burning of the holy volumes No assembly was so full of partialitie confusion clamour and vnrighteous dealing as this assembly at Tyrus in so much that Paphnutius a Bishop in Thebaida arose and left the Councell of vngodly men and drew with him Maximus Bishop of Ierusalem fearing lest his simplicitie should haue beene circumueened by the subtiltie of deceitfull Arrians How Athanasius fled to the Emp. and declared the vnrighteous proceedings of the Councell of Tyrus it hath bin declared already In this assembly PotaÌion Bishop of Heraclea a man full of spirituall libertie finding Eusebius Pamphili sitting as a Iudge Athanasius standing outbraided Eusebius as a man who in the persecution of Dioclesian was enclosed in that same prison with himselfe but Eusebius escaped out of prison without the markes of the rebuke of Christ which Potamion and other faithfull Confessors could not get done In like manner Athanasius refused to compeare in Caesarea Palestinae where Eusebius was Bishop as a place suspect for fauour carried to Arrians All these things brought the name of Euseb. Pamphili in some disliking The issue of the Councell of Tyrus was this the Arrians in his absence deposed him and amongst the rest Arsenius was one of them who subscribed the deposition of Athanasius with that same hand that the Arrians had alleadged was cut off by Athanasius so effronted are Heretikes defenders of false and lying doctrine The Emperour Constantine commanded the bishops assembled at Tyrus to addresse to Constantinople but when they came thither they durst make no mention of the
fornication of Athanasius of the hand of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged new accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credit and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediatly after the Councell of Tyrus many Bishops were assembled at Ierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emperour Constantine had builded at the place of the Lords sepulchre Concerning the Councell of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councell of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needful then is contained in the history of the liues of these two Bishops GAngra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our Lord 324. The occasioÌ of their meeting was the heretike Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the heresie of Encratitae and the ManicheaÌs he spake against Marriage against eating of flesh and hee damned the publicke Congregations of Gods people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his possessions and renounced the world after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were daÌned in the Councell of Gangra The subscriptions of the fathers of this Councell after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue wee subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minds to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture Ecclesiasticall rules bring in new commandements But wee admire humble Virginity and we approue continencie that is vnder taken with chastity and Religion And we embrace the renounciation of secular businesse with humilitie And wee honour the chast boÌd of Marriage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse good workes And we coÌmend a simple course apparrel vsed for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise we reject loose and dissolute garments And we honour the houses of God assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the Lord we honour and Congregations assembled in the places for the common vtilitie wee approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens abilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles IN the time of the raigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled nineteene Bishops of Presbyters thirty six The end of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion manners which in time of the ten Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And now in time of peace such enormities and festered manners could hardly be amended Many Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a few and such as clearely pointeth out the principall end of their meeting They ordained the Heaâhnicke sacrificing Priests called of old Flamines if they were content to abstaine from sacrificing to Idols and to learne the groundes of Christian Religion after three yeeres repentance they should be admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgins should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the floure of their youth they should be entangled with spiritual whooredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no reward from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped should be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idols should be found And in case the masters of houses were afraid of the violence of their seruants at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they should be counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to be slayne in the action of breaking downe images his name shall bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyrs because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles vsed any such forme of reformation whereby they signifie that by wholsome doctrine images should be cast out of the hearts of men rather than broken with popular violence and with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any iudicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Councell was assembled THey who count the first Councell of Carthage to be that Councell whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africa ordained men who were baptized by Heretikes to be rebaptised againe they commit a great ouer sight to reckon the first Councell of Carthage to be holden vnder the raigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valerian the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councell of Carthage that was kept in Constantines dayes was that Councell whereinto the Donatistes coÌdemned Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterward was tryed by many Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of little account All these Councells aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of Constantine the Great Now followeth Councells gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councell of Antiochia in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit Constantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of the Temple was laide Constantius his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as said is this Assemblie of Antiochia was gathered Anno 344. but indeed of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted many Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of Ierusalem and Iulius Bishop of Rome neither came they to the Councell neither sent they any messenger in their name fearing as the truth was that they were gathered for euill and not for good At this time Placitus the success out of Euphronius gouerned Antiochia Now when they were meâ together many accusations were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his returning backe againe to Alexandria there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne befor justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councell of Tyrus against Athanasius It was an casie matter for the
Arrians to imprint into the vlcerate mind of Constantius an hatred against Athanasius In this Councell they set downe diuers summes of Faith first secretly couering the venome of their heresie but afterward as it were repenting they manifested themslues more clearly in their owne colours After this Councell followed terrible earth-quakes in the East wherewith many townes were shakeÌ especially the towne of Antiochia with continuall earth-quakes was shaken for the space of a whole yeere The principall designe of the Councell was to eject Athanasius out of his chaire to alter the sum of Faith set downe in the Nicene Councell as euidently appeared by sending of Syrianus to destroy Athanasius and to place Gregorius in his roome but Athanasius escaped the danger by the great prouidence of God and fled to Iulius Bishop of Rome and the Arrians displaced againe Gregorius and appointed Georgius a man of Cappadocia and more fit for their purpose to be bishop of Alexandria THe fauour that Iulius Bishop of Rome shewed to Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Asclepas Bishop of Gaza and Lacius Bishop of Adrionopolis was the cause mouing the Arrians to haue so frequent meetings in Antiochia Very sharpe letters passed betwixt Iulius and the Orientall Bishops Iulius blamed them because they had both rashly and vnrighteously deposed the fore-named bishops They on the other part expostulated with Iulius because he had receiued to his fellowship men deposed by theÌ whereas none of the East Church had admitted Novatus to their communion whom the Bishop of Rome had excommunicated After the issue of three yeere another Councell was conueened in Antiochia about the yeere of our Lord 348. wherein the Arrians set foorth a newe summe of their Faith in very ample and prolix manner and different from all other formes set downe before the copie whereof they sent to the Bishops of Italy by Endoxius Bishop of Germanicia and Martyrius and Macedonius but the Bishops of Italy would not receiue it contenting themselues with the summe of Faith set downe in the Nicene Councell IN the yeere of our Lord 351. by the commandement of Constantius and his brother Constans a great nationall Councell was gathered in Sardica a towne of Illyricum of Dacia Many Bishops of the West to the number of three hundred resorted to this assembly but from the East only seventy six They who came from the Easterne parts would not vouchsafe to be present in the Councell except Protogenes Bishop of Sardica and Osius Bishop of Corduba had separated from their fellowship Paulus Bishop of Constantinople and Athanasius Bishoppe of Alexandria But the cause of their absenting themselues from the Councell indeed was this as Theodoretus prudently recordeth because the forgers of salse accusations against the men of God whose cause was appointed to be iudged in this Councell durst not abide the tryall of honest Iudges and men of vnsuspected credit The Councell finding that the Arrians couvicted in conscience durst not compeare to accuse Paulus and Athanasius whom notwithstanding they had deposed in the Councels of Tyrus and Antiochia proceeded to the tryall of their cause and findeth all the accusations of the Arrians against Panlus Athanasius Asclepas and the rest to bee but a masse of forged calumnies and lyes Arsenius was found to be aliue whom the Arrians had alledged Athanasius had slaine As concerning the overthrowing of the holy Table and breaking of the holy Cup by Macarius whom Athanasius had imployed and therefore the blame was layd vpon him it was found to be a notable lye because when Macarius entred into the Church of Mareota where this fact was alledged to bee done ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were present in the Church And such kinde of persons were not permitted to be present at the celebration of divine mysteries Ishyras also who was the principall forger of all the afore-mentioned calumnies was found to haue beene tyed to the bed by infirmity at that time when Macarius was alledged to haue done all these things And finally it was found that Ishyras had received a Bishopricke as the wages oâ iniquity from the Arrians before hee had beene admitted Presbyter in any Church Also the supplicant bils of Paulus Asclâpas Marcellus c. were read tryed and examined and they were all found honest and vpright men and they were all recommended by the letters of the Councell of Sardica to their owne flocks On the other part the Bishops whom the Arrians had intruded in the places of the fore-mentioned brethren they deposed them and abhorred their memorie such as Gregorius in Alexandria Basilius in Ancyra and Quintianus in Gaza of whom they discerned that they were not worthy the name of common Christians much lesse to bee called Bishops commanding all people to forsake their fellowshippe and neither to send letters to them nor to receiue letters from them The like sentence they pronounced against Theodorus of Heraclea Narcissus of Neronias Acacius of Caesarea Palestinae Stephanus of Antiochia Vrsatius of Sigidun in Mysia Valens of Myrsa in Panonia Menophantus of Ephesus and Georgius of Laodicea principall patrons of the Arrian heresie The Arrians on the other part assembled themselues in Philippopolis a towne of Thracia and there they damned of new againe Paulus and Athanasius Likewise they damned Iulius Bishop of Rome Osius Bishop of Corduba Protogenes Bishop of Sardica Maximinus Bishop of Triere and many others whom they cursed also because they had admitted to their fellowship those Bishops whom they had deposed Sozomenus is in that opinion that the Councell of Philippolis succeeded the Councell of Sardica From 35. Provinces did Bishoppes resort vnto the Councell of Sardica From this time forward there was added diversitie of affection vnto diversity of opinion and those who dwelt in the East did not communicate with them who dwelt in the West Some Arrian Bishoppes dwelt in the West such as Auxentius Bishop of Millan and Vrsatius and Valens But by the vigilant travels of the Bishoppe of Rome and other godly Bishops of the West it came to passe that these Seminaries of errors did not prevaile much in the Westerne parts This is that Councell wherein Iulius Bishop of Rome for his good carriage and good deservings was appointed to be Iudge of Appellations when the like case fell out that righteous men were oppressed with the vnrighteous dealing of Heretiques But remember that this is a constitution of the Councell of Sardica and not of the Nicene Councel And this was a priviledge both personall and temporall for extraordinary causes conferred to Iulius but not to bee extended to all his successours nor yet to continue at all times IN the yeere of our Lord 356. and fiue yeeres after the Councell of Sardica by the commandement of the Emperour Constantius a Councell was gathered in Sirmium a towne of Illyria Bullenger calleth it a towne of Pannonia Photinus Bishop of Sirmium
had renued the heresies of Sabellius and Samosatenus A disputation was instituted betwixt Basilius Bishop of Ancyra an Arrian Heretique and Photinus a Sabellian Heretique in which disputation Photinus was thought to be overcome and was damned by the Councell as an Heretique and banished by the Emperour In this Councell they set downe summes of Faith one in Greeke and two in Latine wherein albeit they abstained from the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã neverthelesse they gave great glorie to the Sonne of God But in the end they repented and by the Emperours authority would haue recalled backe againe the copies of the summes of Faith set forth at Sirmium but the mandates of the Emperour commanding in most rigorous forme to deliver backe againe the copies that were past abroad could not bring to passe that that thing which was once divulgated should be againe suppressed The weaknesse of Osius Bishop of Corduba kythed in this Councell hath been touched in the history of his life AFter that the Emperour Constans was slaine by Magnentius the whole Soveraignty both of the East and West was in the hands of Constantius alone The Arrians moved him to assemble a Councell at Millan partly for ratification of the sentence pronounced against Athanasius in Tyrus amd partly for the subversion of the Nicene Faith The Occidentall Bishops to the number of three hundreth at the Emperors commandement assembled at Millan But neither would they ratifie the deposition of Athanaesius nor yet alter the summe of faith And some of them with libertie and freedome accused the Emperour of vnrighteous dealing For this cause many worthie Bishops were banished such as Liberius Bishop of Rome Paulinus B. of Triere Dionysius B. of Alba Lucifer B. of Calaris in Sardinia Eusebius B. of Vercellis in Liguria If in this Councell Osius B. of Corduba was banished as Theâdoretus recordeth it would appeare that the Councell of Millan preceded the Councell of Sirmium because that Osius immediatly after he was reduced from banishment was compelled to addresse to the Councell of Sirmium But I haue followed the order of Ecclesiasticall writers IN the yeere of our Lord 363. and in the two and twentith yeere of the raigne of Constantius the Arrians having a great vantage of the flexible minde of Constantius mooved him to appoint a place wherein a generall Councell should be gathered for confirmation of their Faith Whether this place was the towne of Nicomedia or Nice alwaies it was shaken with earth-quake and the God of heaven hindered the purposes of their mindes The next course was that two nationall Councels should be convened one at Ariminum in Italy as a meet place for for the Bishops of the West to convene at and another in Sâlââcia of Isauria as a meet place for assembling of the Orientall Bishops To the Councell of Ariminum more then foure hundred Bishops did resort In this nationall Councell compeared Vrsatius and Valens with Germanus Auxentius and Caius and Demophilus desiring that the wordes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as words not found in Scripture and grounds of vnsupportable contention in the Church should bee cancelled and razed out of the summe of Faith and that the Sonne of God should be called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is of like substance with his Father The Fathers convened at Ariâninum altogether disliked this proposition of Vrsatius and Valens and adhered for the most part of them closely to the Nicene Faith and excluded from the fellowship of the Church Vrsatius and Valens with their complices aboue menâioned as the letter of the Councell written to the Emperour cleerely beares With the letter the Councell sent twenty Ambassadors chosen and selected men who should giue further instruction to the Emperor concerning the matter of Faith But Vrsatius and Valens prevened the Ambassadours of the Councell and by sinistrous informations hindered them from accesse to the Emperour onely their letter was read whereunto the Emperour turned a differing answer bearing that for the present hee was busied with weighty affaires of the kingdome but when hee should finde any breathing time hee would hearken vnto them The Councell sent the second time to the Emperour desiring they might haue libertie before the winter season to returne to their owne flocks and herewithall they assured the Emperour that in the matter of Faith they would adhere to that which was comprehended in the former letter To this second message no answer was returned Therefore the Bishops wearied with long attendance returned every man to his owne flock the Emperor counted this dissolution of the Councell without warrant of his anthority to bee a contempt of his Soveraignty Therefore he gaue charge to Valens to publish the summe of the Arrian Faith read in Ariminum albeit it was both disapproued and reiected with power also to Vrsatius and Valens to eiect those bishops out of their places who would not subscribe to the Arrian Faith and to ordaine others in their roome Vrsatius and Valens being strengthned with the Emperours commandement not onely troubled the Churches of the West but also went to Nica a towne in Thracia where they gathered a number of Bishops of their owne faction and approved the summe of Faith read by Arrians in Ariminum being first translated into the Greeke language and this they called the Nicene Faith deceiving themselues with vaine hopes as if men had beene so senselesse as to be altogether deceived by the similitude of words Nica in Thracia and Nice in Bithinia Moreouer Athanasius was as yet aliue who could haue discovered both the blasphemie of the Arrians at Sirmium and the falshood of the Arrians at Nica for at Sirmium in the first Session of the Councell it was written by the Clerke of the Councell Presente Constantio sempiterno Magna Augusto Consulibus Eusebio Hypatio Loe saith Athanasius writing to his friends the Arrians will not call the Sonne of God everlasting but they say there was a time wherein hee was not but they call the Emperor Constantius being a mortall man everlasting Emperour SElucia is a towne of Isauria or Cilicia from whence Paul and Barnabas sayled to Cyprus Isauria lyeth betwixt Lycaonia and Cilicia and in an ample signification it comprehendeth Cilica In this towne convened 160. Bishops of the East in the moneth of December of that same yeere of our Lord wherein the Councell of Ariminum was assembled Leonas one of the Princes of the Emperours court and Lucius otherwise called Lauritius Captaine of the bands of souldiers in Isauria were appointed to attend the peace of the assembly and that all things should bee done decently and in order The Emperour gaue commandement that the matter of faith should bee first intreated but afterward hee gaue commandement that the liues of them who were to bee accused should first bee examined Whereupon arose contention in the assemblie some vrging the
of Christ. And the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture which are to be read in time of holy Conuocations of people are particularly reckoned out both of olde new Testament And in this Catalogue of canonicke bookes no mention is made of the bookes of the Machabees of Ecclesiasticus and other Apocreeph bookes VNder the raigne of the Emperours Valentinian and Valens and about the yeere of our Lord 370. With aduice of both the Emperours a Councell was gathered in Illyricum wherein the Nicene Faith had confirmation and allowance The Emperour Valens was not as yet infected with the poison of the Arrian heresie LAmpsacum is a towne situated about the narrow passages of Hellespontus The MacedoniaÌ heretikes sought liberty from the Emp. Valens to meete in this towne who granted their petition the more willingly because he supposed that they had accorded in opinion with Acacius Eudoxius but they ratified the CouÌcel set foorth at Seleucia damned the Councel holden at Constantinople by the Acacians The Emp. Valens being deceiued of his expectation commanded them to be banished and their Churches to be giuen to the fauourers of the opinion of Eudoxius This dash constrained the Macedonians to take a new course and to aggree with Laberius Bishop of Rome But these Camelions when they had changed many colours they could neuer be white that is sincere and vpright in Religion VNder the Emperour Valentinian in the West Damasus bishop of Rome gathered a Councel in Rome wherein he confirmed the Nicene Faith and damned Auxentius Bishop of Millan with Vrsatius Valens and Caius Likewise hee damned Apollinaris and his disciple Timotheus IN the yeere of our Lord 38.3 or as Bullinger reckoneth 385 in the third yeere of the raigne of Theodosius a Generall Councell was gathered at Constantinople consisting of 150. Bishops of whom 36. were entangled with the heresie of Macedonius who called the Holy Spirit a creature a minister seruant but not consubstantiall with the Father and the Son In this Councel the MacedoniaÌ heretikes were louingly admonished to forsake their errour to embrace the true faith and that so much the more because they had once already sent messengers to Liberius and professed the true Faith But they continued obstinately in their errour departed from the Councell The heresie of Macedonius was daÌned the Nicen faith confirmed with amplification of that part of the Symbole which concerned the holy Spirit in this manner I beleeue in the holy Spirit our Lord giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped glorified They ordained Nectarius B. of CoÌstantinople that ConstaÌtinople shuld haue the prerogatiue of honour next to Rome Great care was had of Prouinces that they should not of new againe be infected with Heresies For this cause the name of Patriarches in the Councell of Nice appropriated to a few in this Generall Councell is communicated to manie To Nectarius Megapolis and Thracia was allotted Pontus to Hellodius Cappadocia to Gregorius Nyssenus Meletina and Armenia to Otreius Amphilochius attended vpon Iconium and Lycaonia Optimus vpon Antiochia and Pisidia Timotheus vpon the Churches of Aegypt Laodicea was recommended to Pelagius Tarsus to Diodorus and Antiochia to Meletius who was present at the Councell and ended his life in Constantinople To other Bishops a care and sollicitude of their owne boundes was committed with this caueat that no man should inuade the bounds belonging to another but if necessitie so required Synods should be assembled and euery one being desired should mutuallie assist his neighbour THe great affaires of the Church the care of their brethren in the West compelled them to meete againe in Constantinople where they wrote a Synodicke letter to Damasus B. of Rome to Ambrose Britto ValeriaÌus Acholius Anemius Basilius to the rest of the Bishops coÌueened at Rome Wherin they declare the maÌifold troubles they had sustained by heretikes now albeit in the mercie of God they were ejected out of the sheepe-folds yet like vnto rauening wolues they were lurking in woods seeking oportuÌity to deuour the sheepe of Christ. They excuse their absence because the infirmitie of their Churches newly recouered from the hands of heretikes could not permit many of their number to journey to Rome Alwayes they sent their beloued brethren Cyriacus Eusebius Priscianus to countenance the assembly at Rome In matters of Discipline they recommended vnto them the Canons of the Councell of Nice namely that Ecclesiasticall honours should be conferred to persons worthy that with the speciall aduice and consent of the Bishops of that same Prouince with assistance of their confining neighbours if neede required After this manner was Nectarius B. of Constantinople Flauianus B. of Antiochia Cyrillus B. of Ierusalem ordained Heere marke that the consent of the Bishop of Rome was not necessarie to the ordination of the Bishops of the East And the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome smelleth of Noueltie and not of Antiquitie This Synodicke letter sent from Constantinople would seeme to import that the Councell which Damasus gathered at Rome was assembled in the dayes of Theodosius or els that hee had gathered two assemblies in Rome at diuers times and yet for owne purpose GOdly Emperours and Kings such as Constantine Theodosius and Dauid were very carefull of the vnitie of the Church that it might be like vnto a compact Citie as Ierusalem was when the tower of Iebus was conquised then the people worshipped one God were obedient to one Law and subject onely to one Soueraigne Theodosius in the fifth yeere of his raigne caring for the peace of the Church conueened a great Nationáll Councell at Constantinople not onely of Homousians but also of Arrians Eunomians and Macedonians hoping that by mutuall conference possibly they might in end accord The good Emperour consulted with Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople Nectarius with Agelius a Bishop of the Novatians Agelius with Sisinius an eloquent man and a mightie Teacher and a Reader in his Church This man considering that by contentious disputations Schismes were increased but not quenched gaue this aduice to Nectarius that hee should counsell the Emperour to demande of Heretikes in what account they had the holy Fathers who preceeded their time The Heretikes at the first spake reuerently of the Fathers but when they were demaunded if in matters of Faith they would giue credit to the testimonie of the Fathers the Heretikes were diuided amongst themselues Therefore the Emperour rent in pieces the summes of the Arrian Eunomian and Macedonian faith and ordained the Homousian Faith onely to haue place THe second Councell of Carthage was asseÌbled vnder the raigne of Theodosius neere vnto the time of the Generall Councell holden in Constantinople In it first the summe of the Nicene Faith is confirmed The continencie of
of holy Scripture onely that it is to be wished that other Councels had followed the example of this Councell wherein Augustine was President The other cause of the meeting of this Councell was to constitute canons concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne Bishop to Bishops beyond Sea but in case his owne Bishop did him wrong then hee should appeale vnto an assembly of African Bishops but hee who would needes appeare to Bishoppes beyond Sea meaning chiefly of the Bishop of Rome let him be secluded from the communion of all African Bishops The cause of Apiarius and his Bishop Vrbanus Siccensis seemed already to bee wakened and the Fathers of this Councell fore-smelled that he was to appeale to the Bishop of Rome like as he did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius and therefore like wise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius received the Councels letter from a brother named Iulius and approoved the condemnatory sentence pronunced against Pelagius and Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coepiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestraeliteras quas ex Milevitano cura fideâ propensiore misistâs mihiânopinanter suggessiâ that is to say Our brother and fellowship Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which ye sent vnto me from the Councell MilevitanuÌ with a care very bent for the Faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee received their letter before hee knew that any such Councell was gathered for the Bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authority to bee the onely appointers of generall and nationall Councels Pelagius after this Councell compeared before a Councell in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errors but hee spake deceitfully as Heretiques are accustomed to doe but hee set forth nothing in writing to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safety of them whom hee had intangled with the snares of deceitfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Evodius and Possidius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Covncels I haue not overpassed with silence and do minde God willing to keep the like order in time to come IN the yeere of our Lord 402. and vnder the raignes of Honorius and Theodosius the second a great nationall Councell was assembled in Carthage two hundred and seventeene bishops were present at this Councell and it continued for the space of six yeeres Aurelius Bishop of Carthage was Moderator Three Bishops of Rome to wit Zosymus Bonifacius the first and Coelestinus endevoured with all their might to perswade the African Bishops that they were vnder the soueraignty and iurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councell will proue The ground of the great controversie betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the sixt Councell of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter Siccencis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne Bishoppe Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching Bishops Hee appealed to Zosymus Bishop of Rome a Citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before hee had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius hee absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreover vnderstanding that a Councell was to be convened in Carthage hee sent thither Ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunication of Vrbanus and in case this succeeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane Bishop as vndoubted Iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councell of Nice The Fathers of the Councell of Carthage answered with great modesty that they knew no such act to haue beene made in the Councell of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the Bishop of Rome to prooue that such right belongeth to him by an act of the Councell of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for hee ended his course within the space of one yeere and few moneths Bonifacius the successor of Zosymus seriously vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councell of Nice When all the acts were read both in the Latine and Greeke exemplars and no such act was found the Ambassadors of Bonifacius returned to him with this answer that the principall Registers ought to bee searched which were to bee found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should bee challenged for appealing to the Bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by viewing of the authentique Registers Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent to the Councell of Carthage the iust copies of the acts of the Councell of Nice but no such act was found as was alledged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee sate not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the sixt Councell of Carthage declaring that they found the act aforesayd alledged by the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome to bee supposititious and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing hee had ended his life it came into the hands of Coelestinus the successor of Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a Bishop and Philippus and Asellus two Presbyters to haue Apâarius received into fauour and the African Bishops to bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome but their travels were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controversie was this that Apâarius despairing of helpe from the Bishops of Rome confessed his faults and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councell of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answer that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over the Bishops of Africa but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councell and if the nationall Councel also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councell but no appellation to be made in time to come from Africa to the Bishop of Rome VNder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius and about the yeere of our Lord 433. The Donatists assembled themselues in a towne of Africa called Bagaia in frequent number for they are counted 310. who were present at this Councell The principall purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus Bishop of Bagara who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappy Councell for two causes First to declare the vncessant diligence of Heretiques in advancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present
Menas died suddenly in time of the Councell Vigilius Bishop of Rome was in Constantinople in time of this Councell but would not be present at the Councel left the dignitie of the Romane chaire should bee impaired if the Patriarch of Constantinople had beene equalled with him in honour for Eutychius after Menas was moderator of the Councell The generall conuention tooke this effect That the writings of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsuesta were vtterly condemned and the replyes of Theodoretus to the 12. heades of Cyrillus with the letter of Ibas written to Maris a PersiaÌ were damned Finally the errours of Origen were damned Theodorus Ascidas together with the Monks of Nova Laura who defended the errours of Origen all were excommunicated and the 4. preceeding generall Councels were confirmed with full allowance The Councell of Mopsuesta immediatly following tended onely to this to know when the name of Theodorus sometime B. of Mopsuesta a towne of Cilicia was razed out of the roll called sacra diptycha And the ancients both of Clergie and people assured the Emperour Iustinian that the name of Theodorus was razed out of the rol of holy Bishops before their time VNder the raigne of Childebertus king of France were frequent meetings of Bishops in Aurelia a town of France commonly called Orleans Many superstitious constitutions were hatched amongst them especially about prohibition of marriage for this doctrine of deuils had now gotten the vpper hand in the West The verse of Homer may be written in the frontispice of these Councels ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is It is a shame to tarie long and to returne emptie If they meet so oft somefruites worthy of their meeting should haue beene brought out to the world but it is a wearisome thing to trauell a long time in the wildernesse of Arabia albeit in it there bee large fieldes yet it is a barren ground and the paine of wearisome trauelling is not recompensed with the delight of any refreshment that can be had there This I write not to hinder any man from the reading of these Councels also for some good things are to bee found in them but to wish that the short time wee haue to liue in this world should not be vnfruitfully spent In the second Councel Simonie is damned and the receiuing of money for admitting a man to a spirituall office is vtterly derested In the third Councell Periurie is abhorred in a man hauing a spirituall calling but softly punished by 2. yeeres excluding of him from the communion In the fourth Councell it is ordained that in the offering of the holy Calice nothing shall be presented except wine onely vnmixed with water because it is a sacrilegious thing to transgresse the holy mandate and institution of our Sauiour Christ. In the fifth Councell it is condescended that no man shall be ordained Bishop without consent of King Clergie and people according to the ancient constitutions of the Church and that no sprituall office shall be bought by money The heape of constitutions about the keeping of Pasche day and Lent about the prohibition of marriage betwixt Christians and vnconuerted Iewes about seruants not to bee admitted to Ecclesiasticall orders about assemblies to be at the least yeerely conuocated by Bishops about Ecclesiasticall rents not to be dilapidated The nature of a short Compend cannot permit mee to insist in such things VNder the raigne of Theodobertus king of France the Fathers who were present at the Councels of Aurelia conueened also in the Councell of Overnie and ordained that no man should presume to the office of a Bishop by the fauour of men in credit but by the merites of an honest and vnreprouable life That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his funerall should be couered with the pall otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis which couered the Altar left the honour done to the body should be a polluting of the Altar with many other constitutions which of purpose I ouerpasse with silence VNder the raigne of Aribertus king of France a Councell was assembled at Tours In this Councell it was ordained that the Clergie and people in euery Congregation should prouide support for their owne poore and not permit them to wander to vncouth places for indeed this custome of wandering hath brought in Atheisme amongst the poore when they leaue their owne Congregation they leaue also their owne Pastor who attended vpon their conuersation and they fall into the snare of the deuil It was also statute and ordained that a Bishop should count his wife as his sister and that he should no manner of way companie with her and for this cause hee should haue Presbyters and Deacons so familiarly conuersant with him that they might beare testimonie of his honest behauiour to wit that he neuer companied with his wife The Romanists who count the prohibition of marriage to be the soule of their religion could not ouerpasse this Canon without a censure Now let vs heare what Censura saith Intellige hunc Canonem iuxia vsum Orientalis Ecclesiae in qua coniugatus promouebatur ad sacerdotium that is Vnderstand this Canon according to the custome of the Orientall Church wherein a married man was promoted to the Priesthood well excused The B. of Rowen Burges Tours c. are conueened in the towne of Tours to prescribe rules to the Orientall Church or at least rules vnto their own bishops to liue after the forme of the Orientall Church which neuer came in their minde to doe as may evidently be knowne by the sixt generall Councell Moreouer it was ordained that no Priest or Monke should receiue in bed with him another Priest or Monke to the end they might be so vnreproouable that they would abstaine from all appearance of euill In this Councell was set downe very strict prohibitions that no man should oppresse the Church and conuert vnto his owne vse any thing duely belonging to them left hee incurre the malediction of Iudas who was a thiefe and kept the bag and conuerted to his owne vse a part of that mony which belonged to the poore IN the Councell holden at Paris order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their offices that no man should be admitted Bishop without the full consent of Clergie and people and that no man should presume by fauour of Princes onely without the consents aforesaid to become Bishop in any place REcaredus king of Spaine of the discent of the Gothes who were miserably infected with the Arrian heresie assembled a Councell of 62. Bishops at Toledo where he renounced the Arrian heresie and embraced the true faith the whole nation of the West Gothes in Spaine did the like about the yeere of our Lord 585. VNder the raigne of Mauritius a Councel was assembled at Constantinople for trying of the cause of Gregorius Bishop of Antiochia whom Asterius Deputie in the East had accused
the fabrick of the Church and that the Bishop should compell noue of the Clergy to attend vpon him in servile workes That Bishops for ordination of the Clergy should receiue no rewards That neither a little balme nor yet the price thereof should be exacted from the people for their baptisme in any time to come lest they should seeme with Simon Magus to sell the gift of God for money That Bishops before the dedication of Churches shall see a charter containing a sufficient maintenance for them who shall serue in the Church and for a substantiall furniture of lights thereunto A Church builded for gaine and contribution of the people redounding to the vantage of the builder shall not be consecrated Parents who are poore and present their children to baptisme if they offer any thing voluntarily it shal be accepted but they shall not be compelled to pay any thing neither shall a pledge be required from them left poore people fearing this with-hold their children from baptisme If any of the Clergie bee accused of fornication let the accuser proue his accusation by two or three witnesses according to the precept of the Apostle else let the accuser be excommunicate That Metrapolitane Bishops shall signifie to others of the Clergie the time of the observation of Easter or Pasch day and the Clergie after the reading of the Gospell in like manner intimate the day vnto the people That whosoever tasteth meat or drink before he consecrate the oblation of the Altar shall be deposed from his office IN the yeere of our Lord 613. assembled in a towne of France called Altissidorum otherwise Antissidorum vulgarly Auxerre a number of Abbots and Presbyters with one Bishop and three Deacons In this Councell they damned Sorcerie and the seeking of consultation at Sorcerers in the first third fourth and fift Canons wherby it appeareth that Sorcery hath been in frequent vse in France Many superstitious constitutions were set down in this Synod concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meate before Masse concerning buriall prohibition of Baptisme before the festivity of Easter-day except vpon necessity and feare of approaching death prohibition of Matrimoniall copulation with their owne wiues to Presbyters and Deacons after their blessing and consecration with prohibition of marriage also to the widowes of the defunct Presbyters Deacons or Sub-deacons this was a yoke of Antichristian subiection indeed Brothers and sisters children are forbidden to marrie It is not lawfull for a Presbyter to sit in iudgement when any man is condemned to death It is not lawfull for a Clergie-man to cite another of the Clergie before a secular Iudge It is not lawfull for a woman with a naked hand to touch the holy Eucharist It is not lawfull to take refreshment of meate with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergie receiue an excoÌmmunicate man without the knowledge of him who did excommunicate him he shall receiue the like sentence that is he shall likewise be excommunicated It is not lawfull for a Presbyter in banqueting time to sing or dance Many Canons to the number of 45. were concluded in this Councell but I haue determined not to over-lade a little booke with commemoration of an heape of vnprofitable vnnecessary and superstitious Canons IN the yeere of our Lord 364. and in the 24. yeere of the raigne of the Emp. Heraclius a Councel was gathered in Hispalis a towne of Spaine vulgarly called Civill la grand It was gathered by Isidorus Bishop of Hispalis at the command of King Sisebutus who was both present President in this Councell For two principall causes was this Synod convened namely for suppressing the heresie of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches secondly for decision of questions which arose amongst Bishops concerning the marches bounds of their dioceses with some other Ecclesiasticall causes They had 13. Sessions or meetings as is declared 2. Tom. Council In the first action Theodulphus Bishop of Malaca complained that by iniury of warres an ancient parish Church was separated from his towne and possessed by others It was concluded that he should be repossessed againe into his ancient priviledges and that prescription of time should haue no place if it were knowne that hostility and war-fare had hurt a man in his rights In the 2. Session the controversie betwixt Fulgentius B. of Astigita and Honorius B. of Corduba concerning the marches of their dioceses was debated and men were chosen to visite the bounds and to decide the controuersie In the 3. Session compeared Cambra B. of Italica a towne of the province of Spain of old called Baetica he coÌplained against one of his Clergie named Passandus that hee being brought vp froÌ his infancy in the Church of Italica yet had fled without any iust cause to Corduba It was ordained that whosoever fled from his owne Church vnto another should be sent back againe and be put into a Monastery should be devested of his honor for a time to the end that the sharpnesse of discipline might correct the licentious liberty of vagring and wandering In the 4. Session it was complained that some were consecrated to bee Levites in the Church of Astigita who had maried widowes This ordination was annulled and it was ordained that none of these Leuites should be promoted to the honor of a Deacon In the 5. Session a Deacon of the Church of Agabra complained of the ordination of three persons in that Church one was ordained to bee Presbyter and two to bee Levites The Bishop being blind laid his hands vpon them but one of the Presbyters pronounced the blessing Now the Presbyter who had pronounced the blessing was dead before the Councell of Hispalis therefore they remitted him to his owne Iudge but the three persons afore-said admitted to Church-offices they deposed them from their offices as persons vnlawfully admitted In the 6. Session it was found that Fragitanus a Presbyter of the Church of Corduba was most vniustly both deposed and banished by his Bishop For remedy that the like mis-order should haue no place in time to come it was statuted ordained that a Bishop without advice of his Synode should not presume to depose a Presbyter In the 7. Session Chore-episcopi Presbyters are debarred froÌ the high priviledges of the Episcopal office namely from the consecration of Presbyters of holy Virgins Churches Altars from laying hand vpon men converted from heresie conferring vnto them the holy Spirit froÌ making of Chrisme signating with it the fore-heads of them who are baptized from absolving publickly in time of Masse any penitent person and sending testimonials to forraine parts called Formatae epistola and finally from baptizing consecrating the Sacrament blessing the people and teaching them receiving penitents when the Bishop was present The 8. Session intreated concerning Heliseus a servant whom
the Bishop of Agabra had set at liberty and hee on the other part abused his liberty so farre that he presumed by Magicall Art to cut off the Bshoppe who had beene so beneficiall vnto him he was ordained to be redacted againe to his former servile estate that hee might learne obedience to his superiours by the heavie yoke of servile subiection In the ninth Session it is forbidden that Bishops should haue Leke-men to be masters of their house but onely some of their owne Clergie should be dispensators of their houshold affaires because it is written Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together By the way marke that nothing was so miserably abused at this time as testimonies of holy Scripture In the tenth Session the Monasteries lately builded in the Baetike Province were allowed and confirmed In the eleventh Session the Monasteries of Virgins are recommended to the over-sight of the Abbot governing the Monastery of Monkes with caveats that all appearance of evill should be providently eschewed In the twelfth Session one professing the heresie of Acephali compeared who denyed the distinction of two natures in Christ and affirmed that the divinity of Christ did suffer vpon the Crosse but he was seriously dealt withall and convicted by testimonies of holy Scripture and Fathers so that hee renounced his hereticall opinion and embraced the true faith and the whole Councell gaue thankes and praise vnto God for conuersion In the thirteenth Session there is a prolix refutation of the opinion of those who supposed that the two natures of Christ were confounded and that the divinity suffered Isidorus seemeth to be the compiler of this Treatise against Acephali given into the Councell of Hispalis and many do thinke that hee collected into one volume the Councels that preceded his time for he was a man more learned than his fellowes in his dayes IN the yeere of our Lord 639. and vnder the raigne of Sisenandus King of Spaine by the Kings commandement moe then 70. Bishops and Presbyters were convened in the towne of Toledo vpon occasion of diversity of ceremonies and discipline in the countrey of Spaine First they set downe a short confession of the true Faith which they ordayned to be embraced and kept Secondly that there should be an vniforme order of praying singing of Psalmes solemnities of Masses Euen-song seruice throughout al Spaine Gallicia like as they all professed one faith dwelt in one kingdome lest diuersitie of ceremonies rites should offend ignorant people make them to thinke that there was a schisme in the Church It was statuted and ordained That at least once in the yeere prouinciall Councels should be assembled and in case any controuersie should fall out in matters of Faith a generall Councell of al the prouinces of Spaine should be assembled Here let the judicious Reader marke that in processe of time almost all thinges are subject to alteration and Councels of old called Nationall now abusiuely begin to be called Generall The order of incomming of Bishops to the Councell sitting in the first place and of the Presbyters after them and sitting in a place behinde the Bishops and of Deacons who should stand in presence of Bishops and Presbyters is described at length in the third Canon That the Festiuitie of Easter or Pashe day should be kept vpon the day of Christes resurrection Concerning the diuersitie of rites vsed in Baptisme some vsing the ceremonie of thrise dipping in water others one dipping only It was thought most expedient to be content with one dipping because the Trinitie is so viuely represented in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost that there is no necessitie by three dippinges in water to represent the Trinitie and for eschewing all appearance of schisme and lest Christians should seeme to assent vnto heretikes who diuide the Trinitie For all these causes it was expedient to keepe vniformitie in the ceremonies of Baptisme It was statuted and ordained That vpon Fryday immediately preceeding Easter day the doctrine of the suffering of Christ of repentance and remission of sinnes should be clearely taught vnto the people to the end that they being purged by the remission of sins might the more worthily celebrate the feast of the Lords resurrection and receiue the holie Sacrament of the Lords bodie and blood The custome of putting an ende vnto the fasting of Lent vpon fryday at nine a clocke as damned because in the day of the Lords suffering the Sunne was couered with darknesse and the elementes were troubled and for honour of the Lords suffering that day should be spent in fasting mourning and abstinence and he who spendeth any part of that day in banqueting let him be debarred from the Sacrament of Christs bodie and blood on Pashe day That the Tapers and Torches which shined in the church in the night preceeding the day of the resurrection should be solemnly blessed to the end that the mystery of the holy resurrection might be expected with consecrated lights Such voluntary seruice inuented by the braine of man had great sway at this time That in the day lie Church-seruice the Lords prayer vulgarly called Pater noster should be rehearsed because it is vsually called Oratio quotidiana that is a daylie prayer That Alleluiah be not sung in time of Lent because it is a time of mourning and humiliation vntill the dayes of resurrection be celebrated which is a time of ioy and gladnesse That after the Epistle a part of the Gospell should bee read That Hymnes and spirituall songes not contained in holy Scripture may be sung in the Church The song of the three Children shall be sung in all Churches of Spaine and Gallicia In the end of Spirituall songes it shall not be simply saide Glorie to the Father and to the Son c. but Glorie and honour to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit to the end that hymmes sung in earth may be correspondent to the song of the Elders in Heauen ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Apocal. 4.11 In Responsories if it be a matter of gladnesse the ende shall be Gloria c. and if it bee a matter of sadnesse the end shall be Principium c. The booke of the Apocalyps of Saint Iohn is declared to be a booke of Canonicke Scripture and to be preached in open audience of the Church betwixt Easter and Whitsonday It is forbidden that the holy Communion should be celebrated immediatly after the saying of the Lords Prayer but let the blessing bee first giuen and then let the Priestes and Leuites communicate before the Altar the Clergie within the Quire and the people without the Quire No man shall be promoted to the honour of Priesthood who is infamous who hath beene baptized in heresie who hath gelded himselfe who hath married the second wife or a
with great libertie they may attend vpon spirituall seruice Let Bishops have some of their owne Clergie to be rulers of their house-holde-affaires according as the Councell of Chalcedon hath ordained A man is made a monke either by his parents deuotion or by his own profession but whether he be embarked into the Monasticke life the one way or the other there is no redresse againe vnto a secular estate Persons of the Clergie who are desirous to enter into a Monasterie and to leade a contemplatiue life let not their Bishops hinder the purpose of their minde because they haue intention to enter into a better trade of living Bishops haue power to constitute Abbots to governe Monasteries and to correct enormities that shall happen to fall out amongst them but not to redact them to servile offices nor to convert the rents of the Abbie to their owne vse as a possession duly belonging to themselues The Monks who leauing their Monastery returne againe to a secular life and marrie wiues let them be brought back againe to their owne Monasterie there to doe penance and to lament for their by past sins Religious men who wander vp and downe in a Nation and are neither members of the Clergie nor Monkes of any Monasterie let the Bishops restraine their licentious libertie and appoint them either to serue in the Clergie or in a Monasterie except such as through infirmity or age haue gotten an exemption They who haue confessed the committing of any deadly sinne cannot be promoted to Ecclesiasticall honors Secular men who in receiving their penance haue been content to be shaven and to put on a religious habit if they revolt againe and will needs become Laickes and be incorrigible then let them be counted apostates and excommunicate from the fellowship of the Church Widowes who haue put on a religious habit and vowed chastitie if they marrie they haue damnation according to the wordes of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.12 Iewes are not to bee compelled to receiue the Christian faith but these who already by constraint haue received it in the dayes of the noble King Sisebutus seeing they haue been already partakers of our Sacraments let them be compelled to persevere left the Name of the Lord Iesus bee blasphemed and the Faith which they haue embraced bee counted vile and contemptible They who receiue the bribes and rewards from the Iewes to cloake their vngodlinesse and to foster them in their infidelity let them be accursed and counted strangers from the Church of Christ. Iewes after their conversion to the Christian faith if they be found to haue circumcised their sonnes or servants by the commandement of the most religious King Sisenandus it is ordained that the circumcised children of the Iewes shall be separated from the fellowship of their parents and the servants shall bee set at liberty for the iniury done vnto their body by circumcision Iewes who are punished to death for any contempt done by them against Christ after their baptisme this punishment shall not preiudge their children from right to enioy their goods if they be faithfull because it is written The sonne shal not beare the iniquity of the father Ezech. 18.20 Let not Iewes after their conversion haunt the company of other superstitious Iewes as yet addicted to the abolished law of ceremonies left they be perverted if they transgresse this ordinance such of them as haue professed Christianity shall be given in service to Christians others shal be appointed to be publickly scourged Iewes who haue married Christian women if they will not embrace Christian religion let them be separated from their wiues company and let the children be brought vp in the faith of their Christian mothers Iewes who haue once professed Christian Faith and haue sliden backe againe from it shall not bee admitted witnesses before a Iudge albeit they professe themselues to be Christians because like as their faith is suspected so in like manner their humane testimony is to be doubted of Let no Iew be preferred to any publique office Let no Iew presume to buy a Christian servant which if hee doe the servant shall be taken from him and shall be set at liberty Bishops who haue not benefited the Church by any proper donation of their owne goods they should not impoverish their Church by setting at liberty Church-servants which thing if hee presume to doe his successour shall reduce those servants againe to the possession of the Church whom iniquity without any iust right hath absolved A Bishop who setteth a servant at liberty having first by permutation set another of the like worth and merit in his place shall deny liberty to the fore-said servant either to accuse or to beare witnesse against the Church wherein hee was a seruant else he shall forfeit his liberty and bee reduced to his former servile condition in that same Church which he would haue harmed and in the meane time the permutation afore sayd shall stand firme and stable Hee who hath augmented Church-rents either by conferring or accquiring some augmentation vnto it hath some liberty to set Church-servants at liberty prouiding alwayes they abide vnder the patrociny of the Church Because the patronage of the Church never dieth let those servants whom the Church hath set at liberty and their posterity be obedient to the Church depend vpon their patrociny If they be vnthankfull let their liberty bee forfeit and let the Church defend them from all insolency and wrong Servants who are set at so full liberty that their patrons haue kept no band of subiection over their heads if they be vnspotted and vnreproueable they may bee promoted to Ecclesiasticall offices But it is vnseemly that any man shal be received into a spirituall office who is bound vnto the servile subiection of an earthly Master In the end earnest supplications are ordained to be made to God for preservation of King Sisenandus and the Nation of the Gothes and many Anathenus are pronounced against them who shall presume to violate the oath of allegeance made to the King In the end the Acts of this Councell are subscribed by Isidorus Bishoppe of Hispalis and seventie other Bishops IN the first yeare of Chintilla King of the Gothes and about the time of the raigne of the Emperour Heracleon convened with Eugenius Bishoppe of Toledo twenty other Bishops In this Councell nothing was entreated except a mandate was given concerning the yeerely Letanies that should be made three dayes immediatly following the Ides of December and if the Lords day intervened these three dayes Letanies should be deferred vntill the beginning of the next weeke In these three dayes pardon for sins should be humbly begged at the hands of God with teares The rest of the ordinances of this Councell appoint supplications to be made to God for the preservation of the King and his
how mens traditions are equalled to the commandements of God 6. Presbyters Abbots and Levites for the dignity of their calling shall not bee punished with stripes by the Bishoppe lest in dispersoning the principall members of his owne body hee bring himselfe into contempt of his subiectes 7. Let no honour be sold for promise of rewards 8. Let governours of Churches haue a greater regard to the weale of the Church then to their owne particular affaires In the end thankes is given to God and the King for their meeting they subscribe the fore named ordinances Here marke that in the country of Spain the King still keepeth in his owne hand power of convocating Councels IN the yeere of our Lord 681. and in the 12. yeare of the raigne of Constantius Pogonatus a general Councell was assembled at Constantinople by the authority of the Emperour and not by the commandement of Pope Donus nor Agatho his successor nor of Leo the 2. the successor of Agatho as the Divall letter of Constantine directed to Pope Donus and received and obeyed by Pope Agatho cleerly testifies As for the number of Bishops convened there is an infinite discrepance betwixt the authors who make rehearsall of their number the least number reckoned is 150. The question discussed in this Assembly was about the wils and actions of Christ. Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia and Stephanus his disciple pertinaciously defended the errour of the Monothelites confirming also their opinion by the testimony of Honorius sometime Bishop of Rome whose letters written to Sergius sometime Bishop of Constantinople being read in the open audience of the Councell made it cleerly knowne that he also was infected with the erour of the Monothelites For this cause Honorius Bishop of Rome Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria and Macarius Bishop of Antiochia were all excommunicated likewise Polychronius a ridiculous Monke and his complices were excoÌmunicated and with great shame and ignominy reiected from the fellowship of the Church For he offered to proue the opinion of the Monothelites to bee the truth of God by writing the summe of that opinion in a paper and over spreading it vpon a beere wherein a dead man was laid hee put the Councell in hope that hee would raise the dead man to life againe but after tryall hee was found to be a lying and a deceitfull fellow and he likewise was excommunicated This Councell made no Canons and Constitutions concerning Church-discipline as other Councels had done before For this cause Iustinian the 2. the son of Pogenatus gathered these same Fathers who had beene in the preceding Councel to perfect the worke which they had begun They made many Constitutions but two in special which displeased the Romane Church First they annulled the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices Secondly they ordained the Patriarch of Constantinople to bee in equall authority with the Pope of Rome These Constitutions and Canons Pope Sergius refused to subscribe albeit his ambassadors in his name had subscribed them in Constantinople BAmbas King of the Goths resigned the title of his royall authority to Euringius and he was content to be shaven and enter into a Monastery In the first yeere of the raigne of Euringius 33. Bishops with some Abbots and 13. Noblemen of the Court convened at Toledo The King amongst many other things protested that he was content that whatsoeuer thing in his lawes seemed repugnant to reason it should be corrected by the prudent advice of this Councel The Fathers of this Councell for confession of Faith adhered vnto the Councell of Nice After this the hand-writings and seales of Bambas and the Nobles of his Court and the testimony of Iulianus ArchBishop of Toledo are presented whereby it is knowne that Bambas had resigned his government in favour of Euringius willing them to chuse him to be his successor So it came to passe that Euringius was solemnly proclaimed to be King and the people were assoyled from the oath of allegeance made to Bambas and were astricted to the obedience of King Euringius In this Councell it was forbidden that new Bishoprickes should be erected in villages and the Bishop of Emerita begged pardon for this that he had ordayned a Bishop in a certaine village being compelled so to doe by the commandement of King Bambas They who stand at the Altar and sacrificeth are commanded to eate of the sacrifice as often as they offer it The acts made in preceding Councels against the Iewes were renewed and amplified in this Councell and thankes was given to God and the King for their meeting Other Councels of Toledo vnder the raignes of Euringius and Egita seeing there is little written of them worthy of Commemoration I over-passe with silence CENTVRIE VIII IN the yeere of our Lord 712. a Councell was assembled at London where Bonifacius was present and Brithuvaldus the chiefe Prelate of England and the Kings of Saxons ruling in England were commanded vnder pain of cursing to be present at this Councell The purposes intreated in this Councell were two to wit concerning the adoration of Images and prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices About worshipping of Images no disputation was heard whether that service did agree with the written word of God or not This was counted a sufficient wartant for bringing Images into places of adoration and for worshipping them especially the Image of the Virgin Mary that Eguvinus a superstitious Monke in England of the order of Saint Benet who afterwards was made a Bishoppe affirmed that the Virgine Marie appeared vnto him in a dreame and declared that it was her will that her Image should bee set vp in the Churches and worshipped These dreames once confirmed by the oath of Eguvinus and approoved by Constantine Bishop of Rome and obtruded by Bonifacius the Popes Legate they were embraced in England with little contradiction in such a corrupt time The other purpose entreated in this Councell was prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices This doctrine of the Romane Church was not received without reluctation of the Clergie Onely a ground was laid whereupon followed a building of the doctrine of Divels ABout the same time that is about the yeere of our Lord 712. it is supposed that the Emperour Philippicus gathered a Councell at Constantinople for vndoing of the sixt generall Councell in the which the errour of the Monothelites was condemned and that hee did this according to a promise made to a Monke named Iohn who fore-told him that hee would bee made Emperour and craved this promise of him that when hee should bee advanced to the Imperiall dignity he should vndoe the sixt generall Councell But the writers of this History doe not make particular mention of the Fathers who were present at this Councell The rest of the History is cleere that Philippicus razed the pictures of the
Fathers who had been present at this Councell and were pictured in the Temple of Sophia and that on the other part Pope Constantine the first not onely caused the same effigÃes to bee pictured in the porch of the Church of Saint Peter at Rome but also procured that the Emperours name should be razed out of charters and that his effigie should not bee ingraved in any kinde of coyned mettall Also it is cleere that Philippicus remooued Cyrus from his office and placed in his roome Iohn who fore-told him that he should be Emperour IN the yeere of our Lord 714. Pope Gregorie the second assembled a Councell in the which two Bishops of Brittaine to wit Sedulius and Fergustus were present It was ordained that masses should bee celebrated publiquely in Temples which custome was not in vse before In the second Tome of Councels this Synod is referred to Gregorie the third A great number of the Canons of this Councell doe concerne marriage That no man should take in marriage a woman who was a relict of a Presbvter or Deacon or a Nunne or his spirituall sister or his brothers wife or his neece or his mother in law or daughter in law or his neare cousens or a woman whom by these or ravishing hee hath led away And that no man should consult with Iuchanters and Sorcerers And that no man should violate the mandates of the Apostolicke Chaire no not in a matter of an haire GRegorie the third after he had received a mandate from the Emperour Leo concerning abolishing of Images hee assembled a great Councell at Rome of 903. Bishops in the which the Emperour Leo was excommunicated and deprived of his Imperiall dignity Here marke the tyranny and fiercenesse of Antichrist Who gaue such authority to a Roman Preacher to dismount the Monarches of the world from their royall thrones Yet Gregorie the third attempted such high matters because the Emperor Leo had disallowed the worshipping of Images Likewise by his instigation the whole countrey of Italy refused to pay tribute to the Emperour Now is the banner of Antichrist displayed against the Emperour and this is a fore-running token of the hatefull enmity which is to ensue betwixt the Popes and the Emperours which God willing shall bee declared in its owne time Likewise Anastatius Patriarch of Constantinople was condemned and excommunicated in this Councell To favour the Emperour and to dislike the worshipping of Images were two irremissable sinnes and meriting the great Anathems of the Bishop of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 742. and in time of the raigne of Charles the Great and vnder the Popedome of Zacharias the first Bonifaoius Archbishop of Mentz assembled a Councell of the Bishops Presbyters and Clergy of France for reformation of abuses in that countrey or rather as the truth is to bring the countrey of France as hee had already brought many parts of Germany to a conformity with the superstitious rites of the Romane Church It is to bee marked that this nationall Councel was assembled by the mandate of King Charles howsoeuer Bonifacius ordered the affaires of the Councell It was ordained that Synodes should be kept yeerly and that Clergie men should not put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two Bishops with their Presbyters Chaplens to prescribe penance to them who should happen to confesse their sinnes And that hunting and hauking and such idle pastimes should not be vsed by the Clergie That every Presbyter shall be ready to giue account of his ministery to his owne Bishop in time of Lent especially concerning his ministration of Baptisme the summe of his Catholicke Faith the forme of his prayers and the order of his saying of masses That no vncouth Bishop or Presbyter be admitted without the tryall and allowance of a Synode That Presbyters and Deacons be not cloathed as secular men with short cloakes but with the habit of men who are in spirituall offices And that no woman cohabite in the house with them That every Bishop haue a care within his owne bounds to abolish all heathenish superstitions IN the yeere of our Lord 755. and in the thirteenth yeere of the Empire of Constantinus Copronymus a general CouÌcell of 338. Bishops was assembled at Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour In this Councell the worshipping of Images was damned and the placing of them in Oratories and Temples where the divine Maiesty is worshipped was forbidden as a custome borrowed from Pagans who had no hope of the resurrection and therefore solaced theÌselues with pictured similitudes of their friends as if they had beene bodily present with them Yea for three principall causes they damned the worshipping of Images First because the worshipping of them is repugnant vnto holy Scripture Secondly because the divine and humane nature being vnseparably vnited in Christ and the divine nature cannot be presented by an Image therefore it is not meete to represent his humane nature by an Image left we should seeme to separate the two natures in Christ. And thirdly because the writings of ancient Fathers doe vtterlie condemne the worshipping of Images such as Epiphanius Eusebius Gregorius Theologus Athanasius Amphilochius Chrysostomus and Theodorus Bishop of Ancyra It were a prolixt thing to make a rehearsall of the sentences of all the forenamed Fathers therefore for breuities cause I will heere onely make choise of one place which is this Eusebius Pamphili writing to Constantia the Empresse who was desirous that the image of Christ should be sent her hee returneth vnto hir this answere Because yee haue written vnto mee to send vnto you the Image of Christ I would gladly vnderstand what image of Christ yee are inquiring for whether it bee that true and vnchangeable nature bearing the character and ingrauen similitude of the person of the Father or if it bee the image of the shape of a seruant which Christ tooke vpon him for our sakes As concerning His diuine nature I hope yee are not sollicitous to seeke the image thereof beeing sufficientlie instructed that no man knoweth the Father except the Sonne and on the other part no man knoweth the Sonne except the Father But if yee desire the similitude of mans nature wherewith He clad Himselfe for our sakes vnderstand that the splender and shining brightnesse of his glorie cannot be represented with dead coloures and shaddowed pictures For euen his Disciples in the mountaine were not able to abide the brightnesse of His shining face Mat. Chap. 17. vers 1. Mark Chap. 9. vers 2. Luk. Chap. 9. vers 28. how much lesse are we now able to abide the celestiall splender of his glorified bodie In this Councell Germanus Bishop of Constantinople Georgius Cyprius and Damascene a Monke who were principall defenders of the worshipping of images were excommunicated In the Canons of this Councel which were 19. in number inuocation of Saints hath allowance in the 15. 17. Canon
So that in this Councell also is presented vnto vs a viue paterne of the weakenesse of Councels Like as in euery sacrifice there was dungue so likewise in euery Councell there is found some note of infirmitie and weakenesse And it is a foolishe thing to adhere to all the ordinances of Councels except they doe agree in all pointes with the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 788. and in the eight yeere of the raigne of Irene and her sonne Constantine a Councell was assembled at Nice in Bythania of three hundreth and fiftie Bishops The Ambassadours of Adrian the first Bishop of Rome were present in this Assemblie Basilius Bishop of Ancyra Theodorus Bishop of Myra and Theodosius Bishop of Amorium offered to the Councell their supplicant letters confessing that they had sinned in condemning the worshipping of images in the Synode assembled by Constantinus Copronymus These reedes shaken with the winde and vnconstant fooles were accepted in fauour as a preamble vnto this malignant Councell The Epistle of Adrian Bishop of Rome was openly read in the Councell approuing the worshipping of images His letter was full of fables and lies such as the fable of the leprosie of Constantine and of the shedding of the blood of innocent babes to procure remedie against his sicknesse and baptisme of Constantine by Syluester the miraculous restoring of the Emperour to health after his Baptisme and of the images of Peter and Paul produced to Constantine before his baptisme Such a Legend of lyes no Councell could haue heard read in their audience if it had not bin a time in the which the mistery of iniquity was effectually working For the history of the life of CoÌstantine written by Eusebius expressely prooueth the contrary to wit that Constantine was not leprous but rather a man of a cleane and vnspotted body and that hee was not baptized by Syluester in Rome but by Eusebius in Nicomedia Notwithstanding the letter of Pope Adrian was accepted and allowed by the Councell And it was ordained That the image of Christ of the blessed Virgine Mary and of the Saints should not onely bee receiued into places of Adoration but also should bee adored and worshipped And the honour done to the image is thought to redound to him or her who is present by the image according to the words of Basilius Magnus But Basilius Magnus is writing in that place of Christ the image of the inuisible God and not of images made with mens hands THe Fathers of this Councell as it were bewitched by the delusions of the Deuill were not ashamed to confirme the adoration of images by lying miracles and by a foolish confabulation betwixt the Deuill and a Monke whom Sathan ceased not to tempt continuallie to the lust of vncleannesse and would make none end of tempting him except he would promise to desist from worshipping the image of the Virgin Mary But argumentes taken from the fables of Monkes and delusions of the Deuill are not to be hearkened vnto in a matter expressely repugnant to the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 794. Charles the Great King of France assembled a great Councell at Frankford partlie in regard of the heretike Foelix who called Christ the adoptiue Sonne of God in his humane nature and was condemned in a Councell assembled at Ratisbona Anno. 742. but hee was returned to his vomite againe and therefore was of new againe condemned as a notable heretike in the Councell of Frankford partly also in respect of the great disputation that arose euerie where concerning the worshipping of images disallowed in the councell of Constantinople and allowed in the second Councell of Nice Not onely the Bishops of France but also of Germanie Lombardie as Prouinces subdued to the King of France were present at this Councell Likewise Pope Adrian sent his Ambassadours Theophilactus Stephanus to the Councel And Charles himselfe King of France was present in the Councel of Frankford The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian produced the actes of the second Councell of Nice hoping that the Councell of Frankford should haue giuen consent and allowance vnto the same But the Fathers of this Councell collationed the actes of the Councell of Constantinople with the actes of the second Councell of Nice And they disallowed in the Councell of Constantinople the strict prohibition to picture images either in Temples of other places And in the second Councell of Nice they disallowed the Act of worshipping of images and of honouring them with garments incense candles and kneeling vnto them counting the afore-saide Act to be so impious that the Councell in the which it was concluded was neither worthy to be called Catholicke nor Oecumenicke The arguments whereby the second Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authoritie of Epiphanius who in his book called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretikes it is answered by the Councel of Frankford that in case Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretikes hee had likewise inserted their names in the catalogue of Heretikes but seeing he hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them than it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of Frankford the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne Bishop of Ierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie bringing in of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of the Greeke into Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to be read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. CENTVRIE IX IN the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Carolus Magnus in the Towne of Mentz were assembled 30. Bishops 25. Abbots with a great number of Priests Monkes Countes and Iudges about reformation of the dissolute manners of Ecclesiasticke and Laicke persons After three dayes abstinence and fasting joyned with Litanies publicke Prayers and imploring the helpe of God they diuided themselues into three companies In the first company were the Bishops with some Noters reading the history of the Euangell and the Epistles and the Actes of the Apostles together with the Canons and workes of ancient Fathers and the Pastorals booke of Gregorie to the ende that by the Preceptes contained in these bookes the enormitie of mens liues might be corrected In the second companie were Abbots and Monkes reading the rules of S. Benedict for the reformation of the liues of Monkes In the third company were Lords and Iudges pondering the causes of all men who came to complaine that wrong was done vnto them The 1.2 and 3. Canons of this Councell intreat concerning Faith Hope and Charitie 4. Concerning the Sacraments to be ministred chiefly at Easter and
a forme of receiuing of confessions and prescribing of penance according to the Canonicall institutions 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the end their diuersitie being distinguished every man might know what vices he should eschew and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed of the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers and should attend vpon the preaching of the Word of God 15. That Bishops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of holy Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. Canon is coincident with the 12. 17. That Bishops and Abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their presence but let poore and indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lectures of divine Scripture and praising of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all things be done to the glory of God 18. Gluttony and Drunkennesse forbidden to Bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not Bishops bee rash to iudge in things secret which are to bee referred to the iudgement of God who can manifest things hid vp in darknesse and discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a low place to a greater 21. Whosoever by paying money procureth a preferment in the Church shall be deposed 22. No Church-man shall cohabite with a woman except it be with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose company no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts given to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Canon 35. The Sabbath day shall be kept holy and in it no servile worke shall bee done according to the Lords commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. Nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes with-draw any thing duly belonging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let prayers and oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble race that it would please God to preserue them in all happines in this present life and vouchsafe vnto them celestiall ioyes in company of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by King Pipinus of Good memory which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne should not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing many periuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should be remoued from his mansion to whom the Emperours almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision and end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses may be ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of periuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our Lord 813. and at the commandement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of many Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the towne of Towers In the first Canon all men are admonished to be obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of allegeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperity and wel-fare 2. All Bishoppes shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangels and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to bee ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which every man as in a liuely mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let every Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of good conversation 5. A Bishop must not be giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heed that your hearts be not surfeited with gluttony or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather then the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whom they may refresh both with corporall and spirituall repast 7. The delicate pleasure of the eare and eyes are to bee eschewed left by such pleasures the minde be effeminate and inchanted 8. Let not the Lords servants delight in vaine gesting nor in hunting nor hawking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons follow the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enioyned vnto their Bishops is also enioyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthy lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters and Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure to support indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to be ordained vntill hee bee thirtie yeere old 13. Let the Bishop make diligent inquisition in his owne parish Church that no Presbyter comming from any other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Presbyter leaving a low place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giving money for it let him bee deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by advice of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall be instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be given to good men and the condemnation of people and of the resurrection and last iudgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may be promerited and that the Homilies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke-Latine-language to the end that every person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath beene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and barbarous Latine are counted better then instructions in good French language 18. It is the dutie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyter concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely that they should renounce the divell and all his workes and his pomps Now the workes of the Diuell are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faults But the pompes of the Divell are pride ostentation swelling conceits vaine-glory loftinesse and such other faults as spring vp from such grounds 19. Presbyters are precisely to be admonished that when they say the masse and do communicate they doe
purpose to the ende hee may abolishe his sinnes by Almes-deedes for that is all one as if a man should hyre God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners should bee most frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to abolished because the erroures of these Bookes are certaine howbeit the authors of them be vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to lay vnder the heads of them who are sleeping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded liue like seculare men neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them be excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not be receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which he liued in that he hath liued innocently in his own Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are found Scots-men who call themselues Bishops they ordaine Presbyters Deacons whose ordination we altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie Laickes goâ to holy places such as Rome Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sins are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to be vsed Neither let the taking of it be long differred because Christ saith Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saith He who eateth and driâketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the body blood of Christ which in one day is accustomed to be receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons should be annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these words inclosed in a parenthesis are added to the Text for he saith Is any man sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if he haue committed sin it shal be forgiuen him I am cap. 5. vers 14.15 Such a medicine as cureth both bodily spirituall maledies is not to be neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee said and Oblations offered by Bishops or Presbyters in priuate houses This question also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to be interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lords day 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of diuerse conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruants vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferiours knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall be made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue we touched shortly to be exhibited to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to be followed and vices to be eschewed let him read the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our Lord wherein the preceding foure Councels were conueened by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conneened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 25. 1. They set downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lords people in all truth and To administrate the Sacraments rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishops 5. That Presbyters be not admitted for rewards 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attend that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. and 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Canon pertaineth to the payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the word of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to be vâterly abhorâed 12. Peace is to bleeâ kepâ with all men according to the words of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without theâ which no man shall see God Heb. cap. 12. vers 14 1â Let Lords Iudges and the rest of the people be obedient to their Bishop let ãâ¦ã judgâment be vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie be admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures be equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day be kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere if he finde the poore to be oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bishop with wholesome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression and in case they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuen them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue pawned their word for their faith 20. Ancient Churches shall not be depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shal be kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgment-seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles
and Iudges of the Citie 24. Let fugitiue Presbyters and Church-men bee inquired and sent backe againe vnto their Bishop 25. He who hath a benefice bestowed vpon him for helping the fabricke of Churches let him support the building of them 26. They who sinne publickely let them make their publicke repentance according to the Canons These things haue wee shortly touched to bee presented vnto our Lord the Emperour and to be corrected by his Highnesse wisedome IN the yeere of our Lord âââ and in the third yeere of the raigne of Basilius Emperour of the East and vnder the raigne of Lewis the second Emperour of the Westâ the Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second came to Constantinople Basilius the Emperour gathered a Councell against Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople In this Councell great policie was vsed to haue all things framed to the contentment of Adrian Bishop of Rome Foâ no man was admitted to the Councell except only they who had subscribed the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Bishops They who refused to subscribe the fore-saide supremacie were contemptuously rejectâd and not admitted to the Councell So did the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome proceede to further grouth by flattering of Basilius who slew his associate Michael as it was founded in the flatterie of Bonifacius the third who flattered that vile murtherer Phocas who slew his master Mauritius In this Councell Photius was deposed and excommunicated his bookes which he wrote against the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome were commanded to be burnt Photius was accused for this that he had accepted the office of a Bishop before hee he receiued other Ecclesiasticall orders Photius alleadgâd that this was no sufficient cause of deposition in respect that Ambrose Bishop of Millan Nectarius bishop of Constantinople and of late dayes Tarasius with consent of the Bishop of Rome of Laickes were made Bishops The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second answered that Ambrose was endewed with extraordinarie giftes Nectarius was called at an extraordinarie time to wit when heresie was so ouerspred that it was an harde thing to finde out a man who was not spotted with heresie and concerning the aduancement of Tarasius to be Bishop of Constantinople to whose admission Adrian the first gaue consent they answered That it was done for a speciall cause in regard hee was a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images This answer declareth that in case Photius also had beene a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images the Roman Bishop and his Ambassadours could haue dispensed with the want of Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding his admission to his Bishopricke as they did in the person of Tarasius In this Councel also the Ambassadoures of Adrian magnifying the authoritie of the Pope affirmed that the Bishop of Rome might judge of the actions of all other Bishops but no man might judge of him And albeit the Orientall Bishops in the sixt Generall Councell cursed Pope Honorius after his death yet it is to be marked say they that hee was accused of heresie And in this case onely it is lawfull for inferiours to resist their superiours and to disclaime their peruerse opinions In this point also they said That none of the Patriarches and Bishops proceeded against the defunct Bishop of Rome without the consent of the Roman Chaire going before them Now obserue good Reader with what fidelitie Onuphrius defendeth the name of Honorius the first as free of all suspition of heresie when as the Ambassadours of Adrian the second for verie shame durst not presume to doe it More-ouer the worshipping of Images in this Councell got a new allowance againe and it was commanded That the image of Christ should be holden in no lesse reuerence than the bookes of the Gospell The Bulgarians also were made subject to the Romane Bishop And Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople in regarde he was restored to his place againe by the meanes of the Bishop of Rome hee made no opposition to the contrarie Neuerthelesse this alteration continued but short time for the Bulgarians droue out of their bounds the Latine Priests and were serued with Greeke Priests againe Diuers Canons were constituted in this CouÌcell but so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that it is a superfluous thing to make a rehearsall of them In the subscription of the Actes of the Councel great controuersie fell out for the Grecians could not abide the name of Ludouicke Emp. of the Weâ because they thought that the honourable name of an Emp. only belonged to their owne Soueraigne Lord who was Emp. of CoÌstantinople More ouer a number of them came to the Emp. Basilius and requested him that their subscriptions might be redeliuered vnto them againe wherein they had subscribed to the supremacie of the Romane Bishop or else the Church of Constantinople would be in perpetuall subiection to the chaire of Rome These subscriptions afore-sayd were restored againe but with great difficulty CAarolus Caluus convocated a Councell in France at Acciniacum consisting of ten Bishops The Bishops of Lions Vason and Trier were chiefe Presidents in the Councell Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes accused in this convention his owne nephew Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitan and a man who for private iniuries had excommunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying masse baptizing Infants absolving of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus Bishoppe of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which he desired to be read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the Bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitan hee was also deprived of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Iohn the ninth vnder the raigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe being the more affectioned vnto him because hee had appealed from his owne Bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be iudged by the chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twenty and two Bishops of Germany were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to over-passe with silence lest he should make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell that excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not bee deposed before his cause bee iudged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishoppes and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church-man who committeth slaughter shall bee deposed albeit hee hath beene enforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not bee ministred except at Easter and Whitsunday without necessity require 13. Tythes are to be paid for
taken from him 3. That no man should reuenge the wrongs done to his blood and kindred 4. That men should be compelled to pardon them who smote them 5. That euery Friday a fasting shall bee kept with bread and water 6. That on Saturday there should be an abstinence from flesh and fat things 7. That men should content themselues with this kinde of fasting for remission of all their sinnes so that they neede none other kind of repentance That all men should be bound by an oath to obserue these new lawes they who refused to sweare obedience to these ordinances should be separated from the Church and they should neither be visited when they were sicke nor buried when they were dead These new lawes which came not from heauen but from the instinct of an euill spirit many were content to receaue Others who were of more sound iudgement specially the B. of Cambry reiected them as repugnaÌt most part to the word of God to the coÌstitutions of the Church to the peace of wel-ordered common-wealths to charitie Alwayes consider that this was a time of horrible darknesse and ignorance wherein any durst affirme in face of a Councell that such lawes came from heauen as were flatlie repugnant to the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 1046. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Henry the third an assemblie was gathered by the Emperour at Sutrium a towne of Italie for pacefying an horrible schisme in the Roman Church for three Popes contended for the Popedome to wit Benedict the ninth Silvester the third and Gregorie the sixt when the fathers had conueened at Sutrium and the Emperour had considered the causes of the scisme and the ambition of Prelats striuing for superioritie they thought expedient to remoue all these three monsters and to choose one Sindigerus Bishop of Bamberg to be Pope whom they called Clemens the second Moreouer the Emperour did bind the Romans with an oath that they shuld in time to come abstaine from the electioÌ of the Pope ABout the yeere of our Lord 1050. Leo the ninth assembled a Councell at Rome against Berengarius Deacon at Angiers vpon this occasion was the Councell gathered Berengarius saw that the opinion of Transubstantiation was ouerspred in his time to wit that after the words of coÌsecration the substance of bread evanished and the substance of the body and blood of Christ was in the Sacrament vnder the accidents of bread and wine which opinion he disaproued and followed rather the opinion of Augustine Ioannes Scotus about the Sacrament of the supper He writ also letters to Lanfrancus B. of Canterbury about this question The Messenger who carried the letters did not find Lanfrancus in Normandie whether he was directed Therefore he deliuethe letters to some of the Clergie who opened the letters of Berengarius and sent them to Pope Leo the ninth After the sight whereof he assembled a Councell at Rome and read the letters of Berengarius and condemned him though absent as an heretike LEo the ninth assembled another Councell at Vercellis against Berengarius in the moneth of September of the yeere of our Lord 1050 so that both these Councels were holden in one yeere against Berengarius Berengarius was warned to bee present at the Councell Lanfrancus Bishop of Canterbury was also present In Berengarius name compeared two of the Clergie who were taken and cast into prison The issue of the Councell was this The Bookes of Ioannes Melrosius Scotus de eucharistia were read in the Councell and condemned Leo likewise appointed in many Prouinces Synods to be assembled against Berengarius notwithstanding he persisted constantly in his opinion vntill the dayes of Pope Nicolaus the second IN the yeere of our Lord 1055. Pope Victor the second assembled a Councell at Towrs against Berengarius The Popes Ambassadours were present at the Councel and Berengarius answered that hee adhered to no particular opinion of his owne but he followed the Common doctrine of the vniversall Church and that hee would not be contentious This gentle answere mitigated the kindled affections of his Adversaries yet he persisted in his own opinion for this cause Lanfrancus obiected against him that he deluded the Councel of Towrs with general doubtsome words IN the yeere of our Lord 1059. Pope Nicolaus 2. assembled a great Councel at Rome of 100. 13. B. Berengarius was present at the Councel Berengarius through infirmitie submitted himselfe to be corrected by Pope Nicolaus 2. and the Councel They prescribed to him a forme of renounciatioÌ of his error as they called it which Berengarius accepted recaÌted Notwithstanding afterward he published in writing a refutatioÌ of the doctrine of Transubstantiation damned his owne recantation Manie other constitutions were made in this Councel such as that the election of the Pope should belong to the Colledge of Cardinals that no man should heare a Masse sayd by a married Priest that no Laick person should be iudge to a man in a spirituall office that no person should marrie any of his owne consanguinitie vntill the seventh generation with many other foolish constitutions IN the yeere of our Lord 1060. as appeareth Pope Nicholaus the second sent Petrus Damianus to hold a Councell in his name at Millan The questions disputed in the Councell were two chiefly to wit about Simonie and the errour of the Nicolaitans It was accounted Simonie to receiue investment by staffe and ringe from a secular man It was counted the errour of the Nicolaitans when Priests married wiues And Damianus to bring such mariages vnder the Compasse of Heresie hee said that faults in manners if they were obstinatlie deâânded they became Heresies But suppose this was true as it is a false definition how can it bee called the heresie of the Nicolaitans seeing that Nicolaitans were not called Heretikes in respect they had wiues but in respect they made their wiues common as I haue declared in the first Centurie The issue of this Councell was that the whole Towne of Millan both Clergie and people was in an vprore complaining that the Towne wherein Ambrose was Bishop should be brought in subiection to the Ordinances of any other Church Damianus was in great feare to bee rent in pieces albeit the Archbishop of Millan was sitting at his one side and the Bishoppe of Luca at his other After that the tumult was pacified Damianus did speake vnto the Clergie and people manie things concerning the prerogatiue of the Chaire of Rome and the Bishop of Millan standing before the Altar did sweare that hee should bee obedient to the ordinances of the Roman Church in extirping the heresie of Simonie and of the Nicolaitans and many of the Clergie following his example did the like and were content like inconstant fooles to receaue penance for cohabitation with their owne lawfull wifes IN the yeere of our Lord 1066.
The Emperour Henry the fourth assembled a Councell at Mantua for pacifiing the scisme of the Roman Church which arose betweene Alexander the second and Candalus who was called Honorius 2. They contended one against another with armoure violence shedding of blood and cursings For Alexander conueened them who were of his faction at Rome deliuered Honorius to the Deuill as an ambitious and bloodie man On the other part Honorius assembled his fauourers at Parma and cursed Alexander because hee bought the Popedome by money from the Romans and because hee accepted the Popedome without the foreknowledge and consent of the Emperour For pacifying of the outrage of these Roman vultures the Emperour appointed a Councell to be assembled at Mantua wherein Alexander was declared to be Pope Candalus had pardon and Gilbertus by whose Councell Candalus accepted the Popedome was made Archbishop of Rauenna 1. In this Councell it was ordained that no man should heare Masse sayd by a Priest who had a concubine 2. The sonnes of Priests may be accepted to Church orders prouiding the authoritie of the Pope be interponed to giue allowance thereto 3. He who is admitted to a Church-office willingly and wittingly by a Simoniake person shal be remoued from his Order 4. Monks destinat for monasterie shall not be admitted to offices in the Clergie 5. Members of the Clergie shall not accept Ecclesiasticall benefices from Laicke persons 6. No Ecclesiasticall office or benefice shall be sold for money but freelie giuen to them who are learned and godly 7. No person excommunicat shall haue power to excommunicate others POpe Alexander the second sent two Cardinals to EnglaÌd to pacifie the troubled estate of the Church there they conueened a Councell at Winchester wherein they deposed certaine Bishops Abbots from their offices and namely Stigandus Bishop of Canterburie Against whom these crimes were obiected First that he had possessed the chaire of Canterburie Robert Archbishop thereof being aliue Likewise that he possessed another Bishopricke with it as namely the Bishoppricke of Winchester and thirdly that he had receiued his pallium from Benedict the tenth a man vnlawfullie elected and reiected by fathers THe Emperour Henry the fourth was young when his father died and it was couenanted amongst the Princes and Bishops of Germanie that during the minoritie of the Emperour Henry the Princes and Bishops by course should attend vpon the young Emperour and should gouerne the estate of the country The Archbishop of Breme when hee had ended his course he gaue not place to others as it was couenanted but insinuated himselfe into the fauour of the yong king by giuing him Libertie to liue according to all the youthly conceits of his owne heart The rest of the Princes and Bishops were offended at this imperious carriage of the Archbishop of Breme and they assembled themselfes in Triburia which in our dayes is called Friburg In this Councell it was decreed that the Bishop of Breme shuld be declared to be an enemie to the countrey except he deliuered the king to be brought vp according to the couenant aforesaid IN the yeere of our Lord 1069. a Councell was assembled at Mentz vpon this occasion The Emperour Henry the fourth disliked his wife and delt secretly with the Bishop of Mentz for divorcement from her promising to bee addicted to his Councell and to interpose his authoritie to bring the people of Turingia vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Mentz and to compell them to pay tithes vnto him The Emperour Henry could not blame his wife of any fault Onely he caried no good liking toward her when the CouÌcell was conueened at Mentz Petrus Damianus came Ambassador from the Pope and by many arguments disswaded the Emperour from the intended diuorcement It agreed not with human lawes not with the constitutions of the Church nor with the Emperours honour and it would raise a great scandal in the Church And it was the Emperours dutie to punish such faults in others but not to giue them example of sin in his owne person Finallie if the Emp. would not obey wholsome admonitioÌ he had power to vse the Censurs of the Church against him and to withhold him from the honour of his coronation The issue of the Councell was this the Emp. desisted from his purpose of diuorcement honoured his Lady with ornaments agreeing to her Princely estate but cohabited not louingly with her IN the yeere of the Lord 1974. Gregorie the seuenth otherwise called Hildebrand hauing alreadie prepared a way to execute Antichristian pride in Councels of Millan and Mantua before hee was authorised Pope Now in his Popedome hee beginneth to execute those vnhappie decrees of Millan and Mantua And hee commaundeth the Bishop of Mentz to separat the Priests of his bounds from their wifes or else to depose them from their offices The Bishop of Mentz willing to obey the Popes commandement assembled a Councel at Ersurd wherein he declared what coÌmandement he had receiued On the other part married Priests said they had libertie to marry by the written word of God and in doing so they followed the example of the men of God and fathers of the Church Thirdly they confirmed by many reasons that it was lavefull to marrie speciallie for avoiding fornication and that it was an auncient custome in the Church that men of spirituall offices married wiues Finally with humble supplications and requests they entreated the Bishoppe of Mentz that hee would not separate them from the company of their louing wiues and deare beloved children But all these reasons and supplications mixed with teares prevailed nothing at the Bishops hand because hee said a necessity was laid vpon him to obey the Popes commandement The married Priests arose and departed out of the Councell and consulted amongst themselues what was meetest to be done Some of them thought it expedient to depart from the Councell and not to returne to it againe Others thought it better to returne to the Councell againe and to put hands on the Bishop and spoyle him of his life before hee could promulgate the prohibition of marriage which the Apostle calleth the doctrine of divels The Bishop being advertised of this conspiracy against his life resolued with faultering words to mitigate their wrath promising to write to the Pope to abstaine from imposing such hard conditions to married Priests so was their fury asswaged This tumult was scarce pacified when another greater arose The avaritious Bishop exacted tythes from the people of Turingia besides the covenant that had past betweene him and them at Gerstundun after great contentention and effusion of blood yet the Bishop overpassing the covenant claymed rigourously more then was covenanted The people of Turingia being inraged were purposed to haue revenged the iniuries which this avaritious Prelate had done vnto them with shedding of his blood and the fervent heate of their rage was so great that all the Bishops and members of the Clergie
who were assessors to the Archbishop of Mentz departed from him fearing the rage of commoued people This Councell began with pride and ended with fury and tumult The Bishop of Mentz in great wrath departed to Helegenstad because he could hardly digest the repulse which he gat in the Councell IN the yeere of our Lord 1075. in the moneth of October a Councell was assembled at Mentz wherein the Bishop of Chur as Ambassador from the Pope Gregorie the seventh was present and straitly commanded the Bishop of Mentz vnder paine of deposition from his prelacie to proceed against married Priestes according to the Popes commandement The Bishoppe terrified with the Popes threatning convened a Synode at Mentz The married Priests finding that the Bishoppe againe was willing to execute the Popes vngodly commandement they left supplications which they had vsed in the Councell of Erfurde and with their hands and a vehement commotion of their bodies so terrified the Bishop of Mentz and the Popes Ambassadour that they were glad by flying to escape the danger of their life Not daring to assemble any mo Councels to that effect AFter this Pope Hildebrand in the lofty conceits of his proud and Antichristian heart intended to gather a Councel at Rome in the time of Lent And he gaue warning to the Emperour to compeare before him and to answer to such things as had bin obiected against him The Emperor thought it no time to slumber nor sleepe when this seditious Pope threatned to cut him off from the body of the Church if hee did not compeare before his Iudgement-seat Therefore the Emperour assembled all the Bishops of his kingdome to the number of 24. in the towne of Wormes Many Abbots also were present The question intreated in this Councell was concerning the deposition of Pope Hildebrand As they were devising concerning this purpose in the Councell Hugo Blancus a Cardinall came from Rome with letters from the Popes enemies with many accusations against him These were read openly in the Councell Hildebrand was accused of periury and ambition of avarice and of pride and they desired that Hildebrand might bee displaced and another seated in his roome The determination of the Councell was this that Hildebrand who called himselfe Gregorie the seventh a forclopen Monke an vsurper of the Popedome without consent of the Emperour and against his oath a false interpreter and wrester of holy Scripture a renter of vnity a man who mixed all divine and humane things so together that he polluted them both a man who heard the false accusations of vngodly people who in one cause would be an accuser a witnesse a Iudge and an enemy who separated husbands from their wiues and preferred whoredome to lawfull marriage who stirred vp the people against their Bishops and teachers who counted no man consecrated lawfully except hee had bought his Prelacie from his dependers and begged it from himselfe a seeker of popular applause and a deceiver of the people vnder colour of religion â a man who like to Decius and the rest of the persecuting Emperours and worshippers of false gods vsurped both Empire and the Priesthood For all these forementioned causes the holy Emperour the Bishops and Senators and Christian people assembled with them decerned that Hildebrand should bee remooued from the Popedome and that the sheepe of Christ should not be committed to a Wolfe This decreet was subscribed by all the Bishops who were present at the Councell IN the yeere of our Lord 1076. another Councell was assembled at Triburia The Princes of Saxonie and Sweue came to the Councell with obstinate mindes setting their whole indeavours against the Emperour Henry the fourth He approached neere to the towne but the river of Rhene was interiected betweene them The Emperour in all submissiue manner promised to amend all the faults whereof they complained But their hearts being possessed with a superstitious favour to the chaire of Rome and being inclinable to sedition alteration of the State they returned a very hard answer to the Emperour wherein they made a commemoration of all his youthly infirmities and how their expectation of his amendment had often-times deceiued them But seeing their consciences witnessed vnto them that infirmities in Princes is no sufficient cause to shake off the yoke of their obedience Therefore in the end they pretend that in case they adhered any longer to him they were in danger to incurre the condemnation of their own soules because hee was excommunicated by the Apostolick chaire This Councell is like vnto a looking glasse wherein two things may bee evidently seene to wit the inconstancy of people and pride of the Roman Antichrist bearing downe the authority of Princes for desire of his owne advancement THe Pope had appointed a day of compearance to the Emperour to be iudged in Lent as hath beene declared heretofore This Councell was full of cursings flattering the Romanes and prodigall largition of money to those who followed the Pope For in this Councell Gilbertus Bishop of Ravenna was cursed The Emperour Henry the fourth was not onely cursed but also denuded of his Imperiall dignity as if the Bishop of Rome had power to conferre the kingdomes of the world to whom hee pleaseth The flattering words of the Pope to the Romane Nobles Senators and People are beyond all measure of moderation For hee called them the head of the world having power to conferre all spirituall and civill dignities to whom they pleased Like as 270. yeeres agoe they transferred the Empire from the Grecians to the Germanes And like as the Emperour may displace an vnworthy souldier even so a souldier may forsake an vnrighteous Captaine After this hee distributed to his followers 15000. talents of siluer and so by cursings flattery and prodigality hee bewitched the Romans and engaged them against the Emperour IN the yeere of our Lord 1080. the Emperour Henry the fourth assembled of Germany and Italy 30. Bishops in the towne of Brixia-Notice together with many Princes of his kingdome All these consented that Hildebrand should be deposed from his Popedome and Gilbertus Bishoppe of Ravenna should be placed in his roome because Hildebrand was a subuerter of Ecclesiasticall order a troubler of the Imperiall estate a perturber of peace stirring vp dissention among brethren contention among those who lived peacebly divorcement among married persons and had troubled every thing that was setled in godlinesse and peace The tenour of the Decree followeth We who are assembled together by the providence of God in Brixia decerne that Hildebrand that obstinate preacher of sacrilegious flames and burnings a defender of periuries and murthers a Sorcerer and Inchanter a man who calleth in question the true Faith concerning the body and blood of Christ. We say they decerne that such a man should bee deposed and expelled from the Popedome and except nee forsake it after intimation of this Decree that hee is to be condemned perpetually IN the yeere