learned Arguments the same which is now received in most reformed Churches concerning Grace Faith Hope Charity Repentance and Works of Mercy Reynerius an Italian Inquisitor under Pope Innocent the third writes of them thus Among all the Sects that ever were or now are none is so hurtful to the Church as these poor men of Lyons for three causes 1. Because it continueth longest for some say it hath been from the days of Pope Sylvester I. and others say from the days of the Apostles 2 Because it is most general seeing there is no Nation where it spreadeth not 3. Whereas all other are conjoyned with blasphemy against God this Sect of the Leonists hath a great shew of Godliness for they live justly before men and believe all things concerning God and all the Articles of the Creed only they reproach and hate the Roman Church and the multitude is ready to accept such things Reynerius saith there were accounted forty Churches defiled with this Heresie as he calleth it and in one Parish they had ten Schools Verner in Fascicul Tempor So He. Vernerus saith there were some most subtil persons among them who endeavoured to maintain their opinions And James de Rebiria saith Because they who were called Priests and Bishops at that time were ignorant almost of all things it was easie unto the Waldenses being learned to gain the first place among the people Catal. Test verit li. 15. Some of them disputed so accurately that the Priests permitted them to preach publickly As for the continuance of this Sect in following times one having inserted the Confession of Faith which they sent to the King of Hungary Anno 1508. saith It differeth not much from those things that are now taught by Some meaning Luther And he addeth that the Waldenses may be better known from that confession than by the Catalogue of Hereticks set forth by Bernard of Lutzenburgh Nauclerus saith that the Hussites followed the Sect of the Waldenses Thuan Hist ad Ann. 1508. And Thuanus saith that Peter Waldus leaving his Countrey went into Belgium and Picardy finding many followers he passed thence into Germany abiding a long space in the Cities of Vandalia and lastly he settled in Bohemia where to this day saith he they who embrace that Doctrine are called Picards His Companion Arnold went into Aquitain and abode in Albium whence the followers of him were called Albigei or Albigenses Their liberty of Speech wherewith they used to blame the vices and dissoluteness of the Princes of France and the Clergy Du. Havillan Hist in Phil. August yea to tax the vices and actions of the Popes this was the principal thing that brought them into Universal hatred and which charged them with more evil opinions than they had Philip Augustus intending to declare his Son Philip his successour in the Realm M. Joan. Du. Tillet greffier en ses memoires called a general Council at Paris of all the arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots together with the principal Lords of his Kingdom In this Council they treated of all things Temporal and Spiritual Whence that appears to be true which a learned French-man hath written long ago That antiently the affairs of France were managed by the Clergy and Lay-men joyntly King Philip had put away Queen Isabel his Wife and married Alix the Daughter of the King of Hungary who lived not long with him She being dead he took Jugerberga Sister to the King of Denmark whom likewise he put away and in her place married Mary the Daughter of the Duke of Moravia yet after a long and bitter controversie upon the repudiation of Jugerberga he received her again and ended his days with her The King of Denmark vehemently pursued Philip in the Court of Rome Philip prepares his Advocates to shew the reasons why he had put her away The cause was to be pleaded before the Pope's Legate in the great Hall of the Bishop's Palace at Paris De. Serres Hist in vit Philip. August saith de Serres In this great Assembly Philip's Advocates pleaded well for him against his Wife but no Man appeared for her As the Cryer had demanded thrice if there were any to speak for Jugerberga and that silence should be held for a consent loe a young man unknown steps forth of the presse and demands audience it was granted him with great attention Every man's ears were open to hear this Advocate but especially Philip's who was so touch't and ravish't with the free and plain discourse of this young Advocate that they might perceive him to change his countenance This Advocate having ended his discourse returns into the presse again and was never seen more neither could they learn what he was who sent him nor whence he came The Judges were amazed and the cause was remitted to the Council Philip presently takes Horse and rides to Bois de Vincennes whither he had confined Jugerberga having embraced her he receives her into favour and passeth the rest of his days with her in Nuptial Love An antient Historian saith Rigord de gest Philip. August that there was a Council holden at Soissons in which King Philip was assistent with the arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops and chief Lords of his Realm where the point of the divorce or confirmation of the King's Marriage with Jugerberga was discussed After the death of King Richard I. of England Philip Augustus having some difference with King John of England concerning the Dukedom of Guyen and Earldom of Poictiers which Philip supposed to belong to him because homage was not done for them and concerning the Dukedom of Britain which was confiscated unto him by the murther of Arthur King John's Nephew whom he had killed he was summoned to Rome by Innocent III. upon the information made by John supposing that the Pope ought to have the determining of their controversie by reason of an Oath upon the settling of the Lands formerly made between the two Kings and the violation thereof concerning which he writ at large to the Bishops of France that they would approve of his proceedings which was so well liked by his Successours that they Canonized his Decretal which nevertheless hath been disliked by some Divines Gabr. Biel supr Canonmissae sect 75. And for the Canonist's some of them have said that the protestation which he makes at the beginning of it contradicts the Act it self inasmuch as he declares he will not meddle with the jurisdiction of France which nevertheless he did for the feudal differences being determined by the Peers of France betwixt Philip the Lord and John the Vassal yet the Pope would have his Legates to take cognizance of them for hearken how he speaks That Philip would patiently suffer the Abbot of Casemar and the Arch-Bishop of Bourges to have the full hearing whether the complaint put up against him be just or his exception legal See what learned Cujacius observeth upon that Chapter He protesteth saith he doing one thing
the end of his periods He was a very learned man as by the Commentaries which he wrote upon the Old and New Testament evidently appeareth Catal. Test verit Among the Collections of Aventinus there is an Epistle with this Title The Epistle of the Bishops of Germany and France to Pope Anastasius This was written in the time of King Clovis Leporius a French Monk made a flourish of the Nestorian Heresie but being refuted by Augustine he asked pardon of his Errour Faustus of an Abbot was made Bishop of Rhegium in France as Gennadius writeth in his Catalogue He wrote against the Pelagians and Epicureans A contention arose in France about the Doctrine of Predestination which had it's rise out of the Books of St. Augustine being ill understood Lucidus made opposition Faustus chastised him and brought him to his Opinion Eleven Bishops subscribed to the Epistle of Faustus in the Council of Arles by which Faustus himself affirmeth that an hard piece of work was put upon him of disputing concerning Grace and Free-Will About the same time also was solemnized at Lions an Assembly of twenty seven Bishops Victorinus of Aquitain at the request of Hillary set forth an Easter-Circle of 532 years in the year 563. Century VI. THe Province of Narbon which was called the first Province of France remained in the Goths subjection and thence it began to be called Gothia for Amalaricus his Father Alaricus being dead hastily flying into Spain he retained under his Power Spain with that part of France which we have mentioned before The Divine Providence gave to Clovis above all other Princes in the world such happy success as oftentimes his wars were miraculously confirmed to be guided of God among which is that remarkable thing That hastening against Alaricus having encamped near the River Vigenna he found a shallow place by the direction of an Hind that passed over the River before him through which he transported his Army to the other side and after this victory preparing to besiege Angoulesm the walls of the City falling down of their own accord gave him an easie entrance into the City Which things being known the Emperour Anastasius the year following the victory of Vocles sent a Standard to Chlodoveus or Clovis Petav. Hist Orbis Lib. 7. cap. 2. And he went in Procession in St. Martin's Church at Turin with his Belt his Purple-gown and his Diadem then coming to Paris there he established his Throne Anno 507 with so happy successes Procopius saith that the Franks made a League offensive with King Theodorick against the Burgundians and that the Goths delaying the time purposely at length arrived when the fight was ended and so without receiving any loss they divided the spoil with the Francks equally sharing the Kingdom which it is like came to pass about the year 508 it being after the Visigoths great defeat although at that time the Burgundian Kingdom was not utterly extinct in France for Gundebaut being defeated and dead Sigismond his Son kept still what remained who harkening to Avitus Bishop of Vienna changed his Arian Heresie into the Orthodox Faith After this Clodoveus raging against his nearest Friends put them almost all to death and at last in the year 511. died in Paris Clovis convoked the first Synod at Orleans Then flourished in France Caesarius Bishop of Arles whom we read to have been one of the Council of Agathus held in the year of Christ 506. and lived unto the time of Vigilius of whom he received a Letter Anno 538. Also Avitus Bishop of Vienna by whom the Burgundians received the Christian Faith Remigius Bishop of Rhemes called the Apostle of the Francks died Anno 534. In the same Year was held a Council at Avergnes wherein was Flavius Bishop of Rhemes Then are Hincmarus and Flodoardus mistaken in saying that he officiated in the Bishoprick 74 years and lived 96 years In France Launomarus of Chartres and Maximinus of Orleans were renowned Friars Maximus builded the Micians Monastery near unto the City he was Nephew to Euspicius Clovis as he went first to Orleans brought them both thither along with him Sigebert calleth that Monastery of the Micians Maximus's Monastery also Avitus and Carilesus Maximus's Disciples But Clovis being dead his four Sons divide the Realm into four Kingdoms Childebert was King of Paris and under this Realm was comprehended the Provinces of Poictou Main Tourain Champaigne Anjou Guyenne and Auvergne Clotaire was King of Soissons and the dependance of this Realm were Vermandois Picardy Flaunders and Normandy Clodamir was King of Orleans and the Estates of this Realm were all the Dutchy of Orleans Burgundy Lionois Daulphine and Provence Thierri was King of Metz and to his Realm was subject the Country of Lorain and all the Countries from Rhemes unto the Rhine and beyond it all Germany which was the Ancient Patrimony of the Kings of France De Serres in vit Childeb He was received in this Royal Partition with his Brethren though he were a Bastard the which hath been likewise practised by others in the first Line And as every one of these four Kings called themselves Kings of France so they also added the name of their Principal City where they held their Court. But there was a Civil Dissention betwixt the Brethren they Leavy Forces with intent to ruine one another They Reigned forty and two years together as Kings of France yet with a particular Title under this general as hath been said But in the end Clotaire remained King alone At this time were frequent meetings of Bishops in Aurelia or Orleans many superstitious Constitutions were hatched among them Symson's Church History Lib. 6. de Conciliis especially about prohibition of marriage for this Doctrine had now got the upper hand in the West In the second Council Simony is condemned and the receiving of money for the admitting a man to a Spiritual Office is condemned In the third Council Perjury is abhorred in a man having a Spiritual Calling but softly punished by two years excluding him from the Communion In the fourth Council it is Ordained The Bishops met in the Synod at Orleans direct their letters thus to the King To our Lord the most Illustrious King Clovis the Son of the Catholick Church all the Clergy whom you commanded to come unto the Council c. And it is said in the Preface to the second Council of Orleans We are here Assembled by the Command of our most Illustrious Kings in the City of Orleans That in the offering of the Holy Chalice nothing shall be presented but Wine only unmixed with water because it is a sacrilegious thing to transgress the holy mandate and institution of our Saviour Christ In the fifth Council it is condescended that no man shall be Ordained Bishop without consent of King Clergy and People according to the Ancient Constitution of the Church and that no Spiritual Office shall be bought by money There was an
with augmentation if need require for eschewing of perjuries false testimonies and many other inconveniences Of the Council of Tours In the same Year 813 at the Commandment of the Emperour Charles the Great a Council of many Bishops and Abbots was Assembled there about establishing Ecclesiastical Discipline 1. In the first Canon all men are admonished to be obedient to the Emperour Charles and to keep the Oath of Allegiance made unto him and to make prayers for his prosperity 2. All Bishops shall frequently read all the Books of holy Scripture together with the Books of Ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawful for any Bishop to be ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastoral Book of Gregory 4. Let every Bishop feed the Flock committed to him not only with Doctrine but also with an holy Example 5. That a Bishop be content with a moderate diet that holy Lectures be read at his Table rather than the idle words of Parasites 6. Let strangers and poor people be at Bishops Tables whom they may refresh both with corporal and spiritual repast 7. That the delicate pleasure of the eye and ear be eschewed lest the mind be enchanted therewith 8. Let not the Lords Servants delight in vain jesting nor in hunting and hawking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons follow the footsteps of their Bishops in leading a pious life 10. Let Bishops take care of the poor and faithfully dispense Church-goods 11. That Bishops may with consent of Presbyters and Deacons bestow somewhat out of the Church-treasure to support needy people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to be Ordained till he is thirty years old 13. Let the Bishop see that in his own Parish Church no Presbyter coming from any other parts do Service in his Church without Letters of Recommendation 14. Let a Presbyter leaving a low place and presuming to an higher incurr that same punishment which a Bishop taken in the like fault should incurr 15. A Presbyter who getteth a Church by giving money for it let him be deposed 16. Let Tithes bestowed upon Churches by advice of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poor by the Presbyters 17. The Families of the Bishops shall be instructed in the summ of the true Faith in the knowledge of the retribution to be given to good men and the condemnation of evil people and of the resurrection and last judgement c. 18. That the Bishop instruct his Presbyters concerning the Sacrament of Baptism what it is they should desire the baptized people to renounce 19. That Presbyters when they say Mass and do communicate do not distribute the Lord's body indiscreetly to children and to all persons who happen to be present c. Then Reader take notice that private Masses had no place in those dayes but they who were duly prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrism to be touched by any man 21. Presbyters shall not haunt Taverns 22. Bishops and Presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who have confessed their sins penance discreetly according to the nature of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in one City shall eat in one Cloyster and sleep under one roof that they may be ready to Celebrate their Canonical hours 24. From the 24 to the 32 Canon are Constitutions concerning Monks and Nuns which I overpass with silence 32. All Christians are exhorted to peace and concord 33. Lords and Judges should hearken to the good admonitions of their Bishops and Bishops on the other side should reverently regard them 34. Lords and Judges are not to admit vile persons to bear witness in their Judicatories 35. Let no man for his Decree receive a reward 36. Let every one be careful to support indigent persons of his own kindred 37. That Christians do bow their knees in prayer except upon the Lord's Day and other Solemn dayes on the which the Universal Church keepeth a memorial of the Lord's Resurrection At such times they use to stand and pray 38. That none enter into the Church with noise and tumult and in time of prayer and celebration of the Mass not to be busied in vain confabulations but even to abstain from idle thoughts 39. Let not the Consistories of Secular Judges be in the Church or porches thereof in any time to come because the House of God should be an house of prayer 40. That Merchandize be forbidden on the Lord's Day that the whole day be spent in God's service 41. That paricides murtherers and incestuous persons be reduced to Order by the discipline of the secular power 42. That all people abstain from Magical Arts which are the deceitfull snares of the Devil 43. A frequent custom of swearing is forbidden 44. That the causes of many Free Subjects brought to poverty by oppression be examined by the Emperour 45. That false weights and measures are an abomination to the Lord. 46. The 46 Canon bewaileth that Tithes were not duly paid to the Church shewing the ill effects thereof 47. When general Fastings are appointed for any impendent Calamity let no man neglect the fellowship of the humble Church c. 48. Drunkenness and surfeiting are forbidden c. 49. Lords and Masters are to be admonished not to deal cruelly with their subjects yea and not to seek that which is due unto themselves with excessive rigour 50. Let Laick people communicate at least thrice in a year unless they be hindered by some great sins 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 the donation of Lands which their Fathers and Friends had bestowed on the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complain yet in that matter if any thing was done amiss they humbly submitted themselves to be corrected by their Soveraign Lord and King Of the Council of Chalons This Council was Convened in the same year of our Lord 813 by the Commandment of Charles the Great for the Reformation of the Ecclesiastical Estate Many of the Canons of this Council are co-incident with the Canons of the former which I shall overpass and mention only some of the other Can. 3. Let Bishops Constitute Schools wherein Learning may be encreased and men brought up in them that may be the salt of the earth to season the corrupt manners of the people and to stop the mouths of Hereticks 4. Let Church-men shew humility in word deed habit and countenance 5. Let Priests be unreproveable adorned with good manners and not given to filthy lucre 7. Bishops and Abbots who have circumvented simple men and shaven their heads and by such means do possess their goods let them be subject to Canonical or Regular Repentance 8. If Church-men lay up provision of Corn in Victualling-houses let it not be to keep them to a dearth but therewith to support the poor in a time of need
all that hath been done And whosoever believeth otherwise We judge them Hereticks Given at Lateran the fourth of the Nones of December in the sixth year of our Popedom Unto this Letter of the Pope King Philip makes Answer in manner as followeth Philip by the Grace of God King of France to Boniface calling himself the Soveraign Bishop little or no health Let thy foolishness know that in Temporal things we are subject to no Man and that the Gifts of Prebends and Benefices made and to be made by Vs were and shall be good both in time past and to come and that We will defend manfully the possessour of the said Benefices and We think them that believe or think otherwise fools and mad-men Given at Paris the Wednesday after Candlemas Anno 1301. After these and other Writings had passed to and fro between the French King and the Pope within a year and an half after the King summoneth a Parliament sending down his Letters to his Sheriffs and other Officers to summon the Prelates and Barons of the Realm unto the said Court of Parliament according to the Tenour of the King's Letters Patents Then William Nagaretta Knight and professour of the Laws Vid. Fox Act Monum Tom. 1. p. 448. made a large Declaration and appeal against Pope Boniface VIII at Paris before the King and his Council He taxeth Boniface to be an Intruder into the Papacy that entring not in at the door he is to be judged a Thief and a Robber He declares him to be guilty of many Heresies and to be an horrible Simoniack He chargeth him with cursing and blasphemy a blood-thirsty man a destroyer of the Churches one that is very greedy after gold and rooted in all sins that he is the Abomination of Desolation described by Daniel the Prophet Then he thus speaks to King Philip I beseech you my Lord and King that you would declare thus much to the Prelates Doctors People and Princes your Brethren in Christ and chiefly to the Cardinals and all Prelates and call a Council In the which when the aforesaid Boniface is condemned by the worthy Cardinals the Church may be provided of a Pastor And I beseech and require the said Cardinals by you and I require them and the Church of God that this wicked Man being put in prison the Church of Rome may be provided of a Vicar which may minister those things that shall appertain until the Church of God be provided of a Bishop utterly to take away all occasion of Schism After this protestation of Nagaretta immediately ensued the Appeal of the King pronounced and published against the said Boniface The manner and form is set down at large by Mr. Fox Act Monum Tom. 1. p. 449. 450. This was done Anno 1303. Indictione prima June 13. on the 14 th day of the same Month of June the aforesaid King Philip being present and also the Lords Arch Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors and many witnesses being present William of Plesiano Knight objected propounded affirmed and read out of a certain paper which he held in his hand divers Articles against Pope Boniface to the number of thirty charging him with denying the immortality of the Soul with asserting that Whoredom is no sin charging him with Witch-craft Simony Sodomy Murther Oppression Bribery Adultery and many other detestable sins These things being thus read and done King Philip answered and his Appeal is as followeth We Philip by the Grace of God hearing and understanding the Objections propounded by our beloved and faithful Knight W. of Nagaretta against Boniface having now the Regiment of the Romish Church c. We earnestly beseech and require in the Bowels of Jesus Christ you Arch-Bishops and other Prelates here present as Children of the Church and pillars of the Faith that you would labour the calling and assembling of a Council in which We intend to be personally present c. Then the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots and Priors answered the premisses provoked and Appealed c. And made an Appellation Agreement and protestation as was contained in a certain paper there openly and plainly read in Tenour and Form following We Arch-Bishops of Nicosen Remen Senorem Narbon and Bishops of Landviren Belnacen Carolacen Antisidore Meldimen Nurmen Chartres Orleans Anjou Constance with many others And we Abbots of Clugny Proemonstrator of the greater Monastery of the Court of St. Denis in France St. Victor St. Genoveue St. Martin c. and Fryar Hugh Visitor of the Houses of the Order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in France and the Father Prior of St. Martin in the fields c. Hearing these things which were said propounded and objected yesterday and to day by you the Lords Earls and Wil. aforesaid against Pope Boniface VIII c. We answer you our Lord and King and you our Lords Earls and William that the Honour and Reverence of the Holy Romish Church salved in all points we agree to your due Request in this behalf for the calling of the Council and are ready to assist to the calling together of the said Council according to the Decrees of the Holy Fathers and to the lawful Orders of the Canons not intending by any means to make parties of this matter nor to stick to any that maketh parties And lest we should be hindred by any means by the said Boniface by Excommunication suspension interdiction deposing deprivation c. And that we may sit in the same Council to judge and do all other things that belong to the Office of Prelates that We our friends our subjects Parish-Churches c. may remain safe We provoke and Appeal in Writing to the aforesaid Council that is to be gathered and to him that shall be the true and lawful highest Bishop and to him or them to whom of right we should Appeal and do earnestly require our Appellations committing us our Parish-Churches and them that stick to us our state and theirs c. to the godly defence of the aforesaid Council and of him that shall be true and lawful highest Bishop And we protest to renew this Appellation where when and before whom it shall be thought meet This was done at Paris at Lupara in the Chamber of the King many Lords and Earls Knights and Clerks and others being Witnesses After these things thus in the Parliament decreed and agreed the Prelates consulting with themselves what to do in so doubtful a matter and dreading the Pope's displeasure for what was now done to clear themselves to the Pope partly to certifie him what was done and partly also to admonish him what he should do sent this ensuing Letter to him thus directed To their most Holy Father and dearest beloved Lord Boniface the chief Bishop of the Holy Romish Church and the Universal Church his humble and devout arch-Arch-Bishops Abbots Priors Conventuals Deans Provosts Chapters Covents and Colledges of the Cathedral and Collegiat Churches Regular and Secular of all the Realm of
all kind of Judgements he should will and command equity and mercy 4. That throughout his whole Territory and jurisdiction he should labour to exterminate and cut off from the Church the noted Hereticks They argue also that by the possessions of the Church many Brethren and Kinsmen of the French Nobility be maintained Ergo such possessions are not to be grudged at And because a Bill of many Articles was exhibited whereof part did infringe the whole Ecclesiastical jurisdiction to the defence thereof they said they would stand to the death On the next Friday following being Decemb. 29. the Prelates assembled themselves again together at the King's Palace in Paris where the Lord Peter Bertrand Bishop of Eduen spake openly before the King sitting with his Counsellours and Barons about him In his speech he extolled the King's person and his miraculous attaining to the Crown of France adding that he ought to be the Champion and Defender of the Faith all which he proved in few words by many reasons and Authorities Afterwards he touched those propositions which were propounded by the aforesaid Lord Peter de Cugneriis He besought the King for his Souls health to maintain the rights and liberties of the Church desiring him to consider what commodities he daily receiveth by the Church and that his Church never failed him yet when he had need of the Laity shewing the dangers and examples of them who did to the contrary Further he entreated the King to weigh how entirely his Lord the Pope doth love his person and Realm After this in the said Session the aforesaid Bishop of Edven answered particularly to the Articles exhibited by the Lord Peter in writing to the King and Parliament Which because they touch more the subtilty of the Law and stiles of the Courts than are necessary to this our History and because I would not burthen this Treatise with them little profit being contained in them I have here purposely for brevities sake omitted them The next Friday after this the Prelates assembled at Vicenas before the King to hear their answer Where the aforesaid Peter de Cugneriis being Prolucutor for the King said that their King was to keep the rights of the Church and Prelates which they had by Law and by good aâ—d reasonable custom where between the first and second conclusion he went about to prove that the cognition of civil causes ought not to appertain to the Church for that such things were Temporal and ought to pertain to the Temporalty as Spiritual things to the Spiritualty And besides his other reasons he alledged the 86. Distinct declaring that for this intent the Clerks Crowns were first shaven in sign that they should be free from all worldliness and forsake all Temporal things He added that their Lord and King was ready to hear them who would instruct him of any custom and those customs which were good and reasonable he would observe The Bishop Edven answered for all the Prelates saying that the words of the Lord Peter engendred darkness and obscurity and might give occasion to the Temporal Lords to break and infringe the Rites and Customs of the Church As to that which was spoken concerning the shaving of the crown it was answered that the crown did betoken rule and excellency and the shaving did signifie that they ought not to heap up Temporal things so as to apply their hearts thereunto but that the Temporal things ought to be subject to them and not they to the Temporalty After divers other speeches the said Bishop concluded and besought the King that it would please his Grace to give them a more plain and comfortable Answer and that they might not go away sad and pensive out of his presence whereby occasion might be given to the Laity to impugn the Rites and Liberties of the Church In the end it was answered to them in the behalf of the King that his mind and intent was not to impugn the Customs of the Church The Sunday following the Bishops assembled themselves again before the King at Vicenas where the Bishop of Senon in the name of all the Prelates gave humble thanks for it and he besought that such Proclamations as were made to the prejudice of the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction might be revoked and repealed Hereunto the King himself answered with his own mouth that they were not published at his commandement neither did he know of them nor ratifie them Moreover the Bishop proposed that those abuses which the Temporalty complained of should be so ordered and reformed that every man should be content therewith Finally he besought the King that he would give them a fuller and more comfortable answer Then answered the Lord Peter in the name of the King That if the Prelates and Bishops would see reformation of those things which were to be amended about which he would take respite betwixt this and Christmas next following his Majesty would innovate nothing in the mean time And if in the aforesaid space they would not correct and reform what was amiss his Majesty would appoint such order and remedy that should be acceptable both to God and his Subjects Then the Prelates had leave of the King to depart and went hoâ—â—e A brief recapitulation of Bishop Edven's answer with certain notes in answer to his Popish reasons may be read in the Acts and Monuments of the Church p. 476. 477. The Ecclesiastical Judges have since that time attempted to usurp this jurisdiction over the Laity in case of Adultery c. but the complaint which was made of it by Peter de Cugneriis In Libr. compos super facto Praelator on the behalf of the King's Judges which we may read at this day extant did put an end to that trouble And always whatsoever the Clergy attempted to meddle in such matters they have been prohibited by the Parliaments upon Appeals as from abuses which have been put in against their decrees Pope Clement had promised unto King Philip to abolish the memory of Pope Boniface VIII and to anull all his Acts but by advice of Cardinal Pratensis he delayed unto a general Council and this he summoned to be held at Vienna in France Naucler p. 872. and 878. where the King required from the Pope the performance of his promise The Council did acknowledge Boniface to have been a lawful Pope but they did declare all his Acts against the King to have been unjust and that none of them should be prejudicial to the King or to his Successours In this Council the Pope propounded the aid of the Christians in Syria the punishment of the Templars and the reformation of the Church Wars were proclaimed and Indulgences were offered in these words We Will that the punishment of Hell be no way laid upon him who is signed with the Cross granting also unto every signed person power to pull three or four Souls out of Purgatory at their pleasure Hereat the Divines of Paris were offended because it
Robert a French-man by name and Nation a Franciscan by profession the longer he was in that Order he loved the Fryars the worse A Treatise in his name is Printed with the Prophecies of Hildegardis Pope Clement VI. sent a Letter to the King of England in behalf of the French-men whilst he lay at the siege of Calais which siege he continued from the third of September Anno 1346. till the third day of August next ensuing upon which day it was yielded up to the said King Edward and subdued unto the Crown of England The King of England returneth an answer to the aforesaid Letter of the Pope Then by the intercession of two Cardinals Ambaldus and Stephanus a Truce was concluded betwixt England and France for a time In the year 1350. dyed Philip King of France after whom succeeded his Son John in the Kingdom Petrarch Epist 18. Petrarcha vir omnium soeculorum memoria dignissimus Pignor Symbol Epist 14. At this time flourished Francis Petrarch a Florentine Arch-Deacon of Parma a sententious Poet and Oratour He calleth Rome the Whore of Babylon the School and Mother of Errour the Temple of Heresie the nest of Treachery and seemeth plainly to affirm that the Pope was Antichrist declaring that no greater evil could happen to any Man than to be made Pope In one of his Epistles he directeth his Speech to Babylon in France that is to Avignon thus Shall I call thee a famous or infamous Whore who hast plaid the Harlot with the Kings of the Earth Indeed thou art the same that the Evangelist saw in the Spirit sitting upon many Waters the people and the Nations are the Waters upon which thou fittest Whore know thy habit a Woman cloathed in purple and Scarlet and Gold and pretious Stones having a Golden Cup in her hand full of abomination and uncleanness of Fornication Dost thou not know thy self Babylon unless that deceive thee which is written in her Fore-head Great Babylon and thou art little Babylon little indeed in compass of Walls but in vices and compass of infinite lusts and passions and multitude of all evils thou art greatest And what followeth agreeth unto thee and no other Babylon the Mother of Fornications and abominations of the Earth If thou wilt yet dissemble mark what followeth And I saw the Woman drunken with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Witnesses of Jesus Why art thou silent either shew another drunken with this Blood or deny that thou art drunken if thou canst for the Vision must be true The life of Petrarch is written by Papirius Massonus Many resorted to him from France and all Italy About this time Hayabad a Franciscan preached in Avignon before Pope Clement that he was commanded by God to declare Catal. Test verit li. 8. that the Church of Rome is the Whore of Babylon and that the Pope and his Cardinals are the very Antichrist and that his predecessours Benedict and John are condemned When the Pope challenged him he said he was commanded in a Vision to speak so and therefore he durst not fail to speak it John Rochetalada another Franciscan preached the same and is said to be one of them who were burnt at Avignon Anno 1353. At the same time Gregory de Arimino opposed the Doctors in the Articles of Justification by works and of free will At Paris he taught that man hath free will to do evil but no good without special grace and that we are justified by Faith only And he said the Schoolmen deserve to be called Semipelagians Andreas de Castro and John Buridan two famous Men at that time agreed with him Then Eudo Duke of Burgundy perswaded the French King that he should not receive into his Realm the new Decretals and Extravagants His sage advice is extant among the Records of France A new War arose between King John of France and Edward the third King of England The Pope sent the Cardinal of Peregort to these two Princes being ready to fight to calm this storm John being the stronger demanded that Edward should give him four Hostages and as one vanquished should remain at his mercy and discretion Edward was content to yield up all that he had taken from him but without any blemish to his honour Edward encourageth himself and prepares to fight the French and vanquisheth them at Poictiers King John is taken prisoner and his Son Philip by Edward the Black Prince Son to Edward the third King of England they are brought to Burdeaux and from thence sent into England where they are lodged in the City of London in the Duke of Lancaster's house under a sure Guard Many others of the Nobles of France were also taken Captive 1700 Gentlemen were slain in this Battle among which were 52 Lords King John continued five years a prisoner for he was taken in September Anno 1356. and delivered in May Anno 1361. There hapned in France a certain contention between the French Prelates and the Fryars of Paris The French Prelates assembling in the City of Paris caused by the Bedles to be called together all the Students Masters and Batchellors of every faculty with the chief heads of all the Religious Houses and Fryars of the University of Paris Who being all congregated in the Bishop of Paris his house where there were present four Arch-Bishops and twenty Bishops the Bishop of Biture preached to the Students of Paris against the Fryars He told them that true charity would compel them to provide for their flocks to withstand errours that they were bound to give their lives for the flock committed to their charge That no Man ought to busie himself with what belonged not to his Office For thereby saith he all Ecclesiastical Order is dissolved He shewed how the Dominican and Franciscan Fryars did usurp what belonged to the Prelates They charged the Fryars for preaching against their wills throughout all their Diocesses and for hearing confessions saying that they have the Pope's priviledge to bear them out therein Then stood up another in the publick place and read the priviledges of both the orders and afterwards read the constitution of Pope Innocent III. written in the fifth of the Decretals Which constitution was repugnant and contrary to the aforesaid priviledges Then rose up the Bishop of Ambian a great Lawyer who discoursing from Article to Article there proved by good Law that the said constitution stood in it's full force and vigour and ought not to be infringed by the Fryars priviledges in any part and therefore by vertue of that constitution the Fryars ought not so misorderly to hear confessions enjoyn pennance and preach in Churches without special licence of the Bishop of the Diocess and leave from the Curate of the Parish unto whose words none of the Fryars replyed at that time So the Bishop proceeding to the conclusion desired the University to assist them in that case wherein they were all determined to stand
another place speaking of the Popes he saith They have arrogated unto themselves the right of disposing of all Churches in all places as far as the Christian Religion reacheth of all Bishopricks and Dignities which are conferred by election voiding and disanulling the Decrees formerly made by the Holy Fathers with so much care and commodity that so they may by this means fill their own Budgets the better And since this custom was used there have been none but Dunces Worldlings Money-men and such as were raised to those Dignities by Simony And again To the end that the Rivers of Gold derived from all parts may flow unto them in a fuller stream they have taken away the power of presentations and the liberty of bestowing and disposing of Benefices by any means whatsoever from all Diocesans and lawful Patrons forbidding them upon pain of Anathema rashly to presume for so their Writs run to institute any person into a Benefice within their jurisdiction till such time as some one be presented to it to whom by their Authority they have granted it And again saith he What greediness is this speaking of the Cardinals to hold such a number of repugnant and incompatible Benefices They are Monks and Chanons Regulars and Seculars Vnder the same habit they enjoy the Rights Degrees Offices and Benefices of all Religions of all Orders of all Professions not two or three but ten twenty an hundred two hundred yea sometimes five hundred and upwards and those no petty ones nor contemptible but of the best and fattest And how great a number soever they have of them they are never content but still would have more They are daily suing for new Graces new Grants Thus they catch up all the Vacancies and go away with all Charles VII now King of France was so distressed that he had only two entire Provinces left him viz. Gascoign and Languedoc and his enemies were about them and all the rest was possessed by the English who besides had besieged the City of Orleans and brought it to that pass that the highest hopes of those therein was to yield on good terms Three French Noble men conclude to set up a Virgin called Joan of Arc to make her pretend that she had a Revelation from Heaven to drive all the English out of France By the mediation of the Lord of Baudricourt she is brought to the presence of King Charles whom she instantly knew though never seen before and at that time of set purpose disguised To the King she saith boldly That this was the time wherein the sins of the English and the sufferings of the French were come to the height and she appointed by the God of Heaven to be the French Leader to conquer the English Ever after she went in Man's cloaths being armed Cap-a pe and mounted on a brave steed No sword would please her but one taken out of the Church of St. Katherine at Firebois in Tourain Polid. Virgil in Henr. VI. p. 471. Her first service was in twice victualling of Orleans whilst the English made no resistance Under her conduct the French drive away the English from Orleans Hence she marched on into other Countries which instantly revolted to the French Crown The English in many skirmishes were worsted and defeated with few numbers The French following their blow in one twelve-month recovered the greatest part of that the English did possess This was done Anno 1429. But this Joan of Arc after the Coronation of King Charles at Rhemes seeking to surprize St. Honories Ditch near the City of St. Denis she was not only wounded her self but also lost a Troop of her stoutest Souldiers and not long after nigh the City of Compiegne was taken prisoner by the Bastard of Vendosme who sold her to the Duke of Bedford and by him she was kept a prisoner a twelve-month and burnt in Rhoan being condemned by the English for a Witch The pragmatick Sanction of King Charles VII was made in a Synod assembled at Bourges consisting of arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops Chapters Abbots Deans Provosts and other Ecclesiastical persons together with Doctors of Law Divine and humane and other Learned Men of the Realm and also of the chief Lords of France and others of the King's Council about receiving the Councils of Constance and Basil The Sanction hath this complaint The Prelates and other ordinary dispensers as also the Patrons are deprived of their right the Hierarchy of the Church is confounded and many other things are committed contrary to the Laws of God and Man to the loss of Souls and the oppression of the Churches of our Realm The Council of Basil did provide a remedy against this abuse and the pragmatick after it but so as the Popes have cast off the yoke of it having disanulled almost all the Decrees of that Council Du. Moulin contr Porron li. 3. cap. 37. The Popes for a long time branded all the French for Hereticks by reason of that pragmatick Sanction Pope Martin V. dyed Anno 1431. whom Eugenius IV. succeded who was deposed by the Council of Basil assembled by himself to reform the Church In the place of Eugenius the Council chose Amadeus Duke of Savoy who called himself Felix But Eugenius brought against Basil the Daulphin of France who was afterward Lewes XI who in all things opposed his Father Charles VII and his confederates He brought four thousand horse against Basil to break the Council which yet he could not have effected had not the pestilence within Basil forced the Fathers of the Council to separate themselves after they had condemned Eugenius as an Heretick and unworthy to govern the Church But Eugenius took Arms and being held up by Princes maintained himself against the Anti-Pope Felix who after he had been five years Pope retired to Ripaille a pleasant house in Savoy there to lead a private Life So the Popedom remained in the hands of a Man deposed by a Council assembled by the Pope himself where Bishops met out of all parts of the Roman Church Note that after this deposition he created many Cardinals and Bishops whose Office was null since they were created by an Usurper who had by force maintained himself in the Office of a Pope after his deposition And yet those very Cardinals created by this Usurper of the Popedom are those very men that elected the Successours of Eugenius Nicholas and Pius the second from whom is descended the succession of the Popes of our time as the learned Dr. Du-Moulin hath well observed The Arch-Bishop of Lyons in the Council of Basil did declare that in the time of Pope Martin Fox Act and Monum there came out of France to the Court of Rome nine millions of Gold which was gathered of the Bishops and Prelates besides innumerable sums of the poor Clergy which daily without number ran unto the Court of Rome carrying with them all their whole substance The Arch-Bishop of Turenne said also at Basil that three
requite their duty and fidelity both in publick and in particular but desired they would not think it strange if he did not so presently satisfie their first requests because the quality of the thing demanded required a convenient time of advice and the ripeness of a grounded resolution That he set a greater value upon his Soul and Conscience than upon all earthly greatness That he had been bred in the Reformed Religion but nevertheless he would not be obstinate That he was ready to submit himself either to a General or National Council and to the instructions which without palliating the truth should be given him by learned conscientious persons That he had a firm resolution to endeavour the satisfaction of his Subjects but that conjuncture was not proper to put his good desires in effect lest his action and declaration should seem feigned and extorted by force or else perswaded by worldly interests Wherefore he intreated them to stay till a fit opportunity and if in the mean time they desired any condition or security for the maintenance of the Catholick Religion he was ready to give them all the satisfaction they could wish for After their departure the Sieur de la Nove a Protestant tells the King he must never think to be King of France if he turn not Catholick At last it was concluded that the King taking a prefixed time for his turning to the Romish Religion he should secure the State of the Catholick Religion and that upon those terms they would receive and follow him And at last a writing was mutually agreed on between both Parties whereby the Popish Princes Lords and Officers of the Crown Nobility and Souldiery on the one side swear fidelity to the King and on the other side the King swears to the maintenance of the Popish Religion The Duke of Espernon standing upon precedency will not sign the writing but departs from Court Many Lords and a great part of the Souldiers following the Duke of Espernon's example leave the Camp so that in few daies the Army is decreased to half the number Many of the Protestants also disbanded out of anger and discontent and returned in great abundance to the Cities of their party The King raiseth the siege from Paris and divides his Forces into convenient places The Cardinal of Bourbon is taken out of Chinon and removed to Fontenay a stronger place where he is kept with stricter Guards The Duke of Luxembourg is sent Ambassadour to the Pope by the Catholick Royallists and the King appoints the Assembly at Tours which is made the Head-quarter of his party The body of King Henry III. is laid in the great Church of Compeign with very little Pomp and such as the necessity of the times would permit by King Henry IV. who went towards Normandy with all possible speed The King's Army is reduced to but 6000. Foot and 1400. Horse yet he marcheth with good success as far as Diepe where he fortifies his quarters possessing all places of advantage The Duke of Mayenne being come before the King's trenches draws his Army in Battalia but the King's Souldiers coming only to skirmish no Battel followeth They that were in the League making signs of coming over to the King's party are received by them at the Maladery but being entred in an hostile manner fall upon them that had brought them in and make themselves masters of the place whereupon both Armies joyn Battel and the King being relieved by Monsieur de Chastillon recovereth the trenches and the Duke of Mayenne marcheth from Diepe with his Army The King came to Amiens the chief City of Picardy where he was entertained with very great pomp being met without the Gates by all the Citizens who presented unto him a Canopy of State to be carried over him as the custom is to do unto the King but he refused it giving great testimony of his prudence and moderation by an act of so great modesty Whilst he stayed at Amiens Elizabeth Queen of England first sent him twenty thousand pounds Sterling with Powder Munition for War and certain Ships also to serve at his command and causing a general Muster to be taken in most of the Shires of England she sent 4000. English Souldiers and 1000. Scots very well appointed and furnished All the money he presently distributed among his Souldiers The General of the English was the Noble Peregrine Barty Lord Willoughby which Forces were again recruited with a supply of three thousand Foot which were sent into Britany under the Conduct of that Son of Mors Sir John Norris These joyning with the Prince of Dombes General of that Province did many worthy exploits for the French King The King now marcheth towards Paris having in his Army 20000. Foot 3000. Horse and fourteen great Pieces He assaults the Suburbs of Paris upon All-Saints-day and taking them gives the Pillage to the Souldiers In the assault above 900. Parisians were slain and more than 400. taken Prisoners among which Father Edmond Burgoine Prior of the Covent of Jacobins who being convicted by witness to have publickly in the Pulpit praised the Murder of Henry III. and to have counselled and instigated the murderer comparing him also in his Sermons after the fact to Judith and the dead King to â—olofernes and the City delivered to Bethulia he was by Judgement of the Parliament of Tours Sentenced to be drawn in pieces by four Horses his quarters burned and his ashes scattered in the wind Which Sentence was some few months after severely executed Yet notwithstanding the pillaging of the Suburbs charge was given not to violate either Churches Monasteries or other Sacred places which was so exactly observed that Masses were said that day in all Churches as if there had been no such business and all the Romanists in the King's Army were present at them celebrating that Holy-day with great rejoycing But at the arrival of the Duke of Mayenne the King leaves the Suburbs of Paris and coming to Estampes he causeth it to be dismantled Many successes hapned to the King's party through all France The King takes Vendosme and gives the pillage to his Souldiers condemns the Governour to death for his unfaithfulness and Father Robert a Cordelier who had there publickly commended the King's murderer and with his Sermons excited the people At this time flourished Lambertus Danaeus a French Divine of Orleans Quin Lamb. Danaeus vir sanâ— apprime eruditus de instruendis aliis optimè meritus Physicam suam Theologicam tam ex Veteri quam novo codice non in utili labore exstruxit Tych. Brah. Ep st Astron lib. 1. Henry IV. is acknowledged King of France with publick solemnity at Tours he defers the Assembling of the States and in short time makes himself Master of all the Towns and Fortresses of Normandy The Pope resolves to send aid to the League against the King He declares Cardinal Henrico Gaetano Legate to the League of France He appointed moreover
cared not for the talk of the people nor for challenges And to get out of that mire he moved a question to Du Moulin whether he could tell after what manner of Creation the Angels were created Du Moulin knowing that this was their last meeting answered that the Question in hand was only of subscribing the Acts. But Cayer refusing turned his back and said you shall hear of me and so went away to the great scandal of the Romanists there present A Protestant made the company laugh saying that Cayer was not yet of Age to sign Thus was the Conference broken to the great satisfaction of many faithful souls and the instruction of many ignorant Papists who since gave glory to God by an open Profession of the truth The Acts of the Conference are extant published by Archibald Adaire a Reverend Bishop of Scotland The Doctors of the Faculty of Sorbon stung with the ill success of this Conference provoked him to another in which the body of the University took interest They were to oppose three daies upon what points they thought best and Du Moulin was to oppose three daies also and choose what points he pleased He was then Respondent for three daies and found in the Dispute that blessing of God which never was wanting to him in the defence of his truth After the Dispute of the third day he being returned home and retired to his study a man in a Priest's habit came in the dark evening up the stairs and knockt at his Study door When Du Moulin had opened it the man thrust the door with all his strength to have rusht in and Du Moulin with all his strength in which he was inferiour to few men of his size kept him out and called for help The man hearing some stirring below ran hastily down the stairs and so into the Street It is supposed upon probable ground that the man was come to kill him before he presented himself to be opponent according to the Covenants of the Conference But on the next morrow he met with a Prohibition from the King to continue that Conference any longer These passages raised his reputation very high whereby God was glorified his Truth confirmed and his Church edified and increased with many Converts The last sickness of the King's Sister gave a great exercise to his zeal and industry whereby he did faithfully and constantly assist her in that extremity Du Perron did his utmost to pervert her and to fright him away When she drew near to her end Du Moulin standing by her Bed side Du Perron came and said he was sent by the King and would remove him by plain force But Du Moulin held fast the Bed-post And when Du Perron told him he was to take place of him in all Companies Du Moulin answered that his place was before Du Perron's at the Princesses Beds side and in that service He added that he believed not that the King would offer violence to his Sisters Conscience appealing to her self and beseeching her Highness to declare her pleasure She declared that she would die in the Reformed Religion and that she would have Du Moulin to stay by her Whereupon Du Perron withdrew and the good Princess persevered in God's truth to her last breath The King wisht she had died in the Roman Profession and did all he could without violence to pleasure the Court of Rome in that point A little before there was a Conference between the Bishop of Eureux and Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis Marly Governour of Saumur in the presence of the King Princes and Officers of his Crown Counsellours of State and other Noblemen of Mark. It was touching a Book which Monsieur du Plessis had published of the Institution of the Lords Supper and against the Mass wherein the Bishop did tax him to have falsified many Authorities Whereupon Du Plessis presented a Petition unto the King that his Majesty would be pleased to appoint Commissioners to examine every passage of Scripture cited in his Book The King yielded to this Conference referring the care thereof to his Chancellour The Commissioners appointed for the Catholicks were Augustus Thuanus President of the Court of Parliament at Paris Pithou Advocate in the Court and Fleure Schoolmaster to the Prince of Conde in whose absence came Martin the King's Physitian And for the other the President of Calignon Chancellour of Navarre in whose place entred De Fresnes Gavay President of the Chamber of Languedoc and Isaac Casaubon his Majesties Reader for the Greek Tongue All men of great Learning and well skilled in the Tongues This Conference began on May 4. in the Hall at Fountainbleau De Serres Hist in Henry IV. in the midst whereof was a Table of a reasonable length At the one end sat the King on his right hand the Bishop of Eureux and on the left right against him Du Plessis Pasquier Vassaut and Mercier Secretaries of the Conference were at the lower end of the same Table Somewhat higher on the right hand sate the Chancellour and the Commissioners Behind the King stood the Archbishop of Lions and the Bishops of Nevers Beauvais and Chastres On the King 's left hand were the four Secretaries of State Behind them which conferred were the Dukes of Vaudemont of Nemours of Mercoeur of Mayenne of Nevers of Elbeuf of Aiguillon and of Janville the Officers of the Crown Counsellours of State and other Noblemen of quality All were commanded to keep silence The King said that the Dispute was not betwixt party and party but particular betwixt the two Conferents not for any question of Right and Doctrine but for the literal truth of some passages He desired they would treat with all mildness and moderation without any bitterness or passion but that of the truth Declaring moreover that he did not mean that this Dispute should in any thing alter or disquiet the peace of his Subjects as the Chancellour did then Declare unto them at large by the King's Commandment After the first daies Conference M. Du Plessis fell very sick so as they could proceed no further The King did write the same day unto the Duke of Espernon what had past in the Conference and shewed by his Letter what his judgement was My friend the Diocess of Eureux hath vanquished that of Saumur Wherewith Du Plessis was discontented so that in a Discourse Printed soon after touching this Conference he termed this Letter A spark of fire and said That the Bishop of Eureux Fly was made an Elephant Some Months after Canay one of the Commissioners and President in the Chamber of the Edict at Castres a man learned in Philosophy and the Tongues and well read in the Church History left his Profession of the Reformed Religion and became a Romish Catholick Philip Mornay Lord of Plessis his work concerning the truth of Christian Religion was written in French against Atheists Epicures Paynims Jews Mahumetists and other Infidels began to be translated
Rochel and took the way of Lions In that resolution he was guided by a good Providence for if he had gone to Rochel he should have been apprehended not far from that Town after his coming out of it At Lions he received a Letter from Monsieur Drelincourt Minister of Paris which gave him notice of his danger This warning made him baulk the high-way yet he went to Paris and entring the City in the night went directly to the Lord Herbert who bad him to flie in haste for his life which was in danger by the interception of his Letters to the King his Master That very night without going so much as to his own house he went out of Paris with his Brother Captain John Du Moulin to Lumigni a house of the Count de la Suze ten Leagues from the City Thither came two Elders of the Church of Paris to him from the Consistory to desire him to remove himself out of the reach of those who waited for his life Which he did and the next night travelled toward Sedan a place then acknowledging the Old Duke of Bovillon a Protestant Prince for Sovereign To Sedan he came safe in the beginning of the year 1621. and was kindly received by the Duke to his house and Table This was his parting with the Church of Paris where he had lived one and twenty years And although great means were made to appease the Court and albeit many years after the indictment against him was taken off and leave was given him to live in France yet was it with that exception that he should not live in Paris At Sedan he was presently desired to accept of the place of Minister of that Church and of the Chair of Divinity then lately left by Tilenus in discontent and by Andrew Melvin by death He accepted of these places but conditionally in case that he could not obtain his restitution to Paris He found at Sedan much love and respect from the Prince and the Academy as also from the Church Daniel Tilenus was a Learned man He hath written Notes and Observations upon Bellarmines Disputation De Christo Capite And on his Book De Summo Pontifice and his Book De Verbo Dei Other Works there are of his as Paraenesis ad Scotos Amica collatio Tileni Cameronis De gratia voluntatis humanae concursu Disput de Antichristo Consideratio sent Jac. Arminii de Praedestinatione gratiâ Dei libero Arbitrio Syntagma Disputationum in Academia Sedanensi The Government of the Town and Castle of Saumur was continued unto Du Plessis until this year 1621. when the King falling into displeasure and suspicion of the Protestants by reason of their high deportment in the Assembly at Rochel displaced him at first but for three Months with a promise of restoring him so soon as affairs should be quieted in some measure But these discontents growing to an open War he could never procure a re-establishment though it were continually solicited by him Wherefore retiring himself to his House in the Forest upon Dayure he continued there till the day of his death which followed in the year 1623. there applying himself to holy meditations and Exercises of Patience Doctor Du Moulin having had time and occasion whilst he was President of the Synod of Alais and in his long journey to it and from it to know the evil posture of affairs he found himself prest in Spirit to write to the Assembly of Rochel and because that Epistle is a piece that giveth much light to the History of that time and a good lesson to all that pretend Conscience and Religion for their resistance to their Soveraign by force of Arms I will give some account of it in this place Gentlemen I do not write to you to pour my sorrows into your bosom See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin w itten by his Son or to entertain you with my private crosses c. A more smarting care hath moved me to write to you and forced me to go beyond my nature which was alwaies averse from medling with publick businesses and from moving out of the sphere of my proper calling For seeing the general body of the Church in eminent danger and upon the brink of a dismal Precipice it was not possible for me to keep silence c. It becomes me not indeed to take upon me to give Counsel to an Assembly of Persons chosen out of the whole Kingdom to bear the burden of the publick affairs in a time so full of difficulty yet I think it is useful for you to be truly informed what the sense and what the disposition is of our Churches by persons that have a particular knowledge of it The Question then being whether you ought to separate your Assembly to obey his Majesty or keep together to give order to the affairs of the Churches I am obliged to tell you that the general desire of our Churches is that it may please God to continue our peace in our obedience to his Majesty And that seeing the King resolved to make himself obeyed by the force of his Arms they trust that you will do your best to avoid that storm and rather yield unto necessity than to engage them in a War which most certainty will ruine great part of our Churches c. By obeying the King you shall take away the pretence used by those that set on his Majesty to persecute us And if we must be persecuted all that fear God desire that it may be for the profession of the Gospel and that our persecution may truly be the cross of Christ I can assure you that the greatest and best part of our Churches wisheth for your separation if it may be with the safety of your persons yea that many of the Roman Church desiring the publick peace are continually about us beseeching and exhorting us that we do not by casting our selves headlong involve them in the same ruine Generally our poor flocks are frighted and dismaied casting their eyes upon you as persons that may procure their rest and by yielding to the present necessity blow away the storm hanging over their heads Many already have forsaken the Land many have forsaken their Religion whence you may judge what dissipation is like to follow if this exasperation go on further No more do I need to recommend unto you to have a tender care of the preservation of our poor Churches knowing that you would chuse death rather than to draw that reproach upon you that you have hastened the persecution of the Church and destroyed that which the zeal of our Fathers had planted and put this State in confusion c. Consider then whether the subsistence of your Assembly can heal all these sores whether your sitting can give a shelter to our Churches provide all things necessary for a War where the parties are so unequal raise Forces and make a stock of money to pay them whether all the good that your
they connive at the punishment of crimes whereof they have the Cognizance the Courts of Parliaments may interpose by means of an Appeal as from Abuses especially considering it is it that grants them Jurisdiction over Spirituals And if the Question be of granting pardon to a Priest or other Ecclesiastick not only in a priviledged case but also in a common crime by him committed it belongs to the King only to grant it not to the Pope nor the Bishop And so it hath been always accustomed to be done in France Moreover the Pope cannot there restore Clergy-men to their former State Papon ca. 15. 16. des libertez de l'Eglise Gallic so as to free them from the infamy which they have incurred nor Lay-men unless it be to receive them into Orders Offices and Ecclesiastical Acts not otherwise As also that within this Realm he cannot pardon or remit the Honorary Amends adjudged by a Lay-man albeit the condemnation were passed by an Ecclesiastical Judge and that against a Clerk as making such Honorary condemnation a part of the civil satisfaction The Pope cannot make any Vnions or annexations of the livings in France during the life of the Incumbents nor at other times but he may grant out Writs of Delegation concerning unions which is conceived to be done according to the form prescribed in the Council of Constance and with the consent of the Patron and not otherwise The Kings of France have always reserved this authority and prerogative to themselves to determine of the Residence of Bishops to compel them to feed their Flocks and wait upon their Churches when need required and that by seizing upon their Temporals to call them from Rome to return into France to dispense with them and approve the causes of their absence The Pope cannot in France dispense for any cause whatsoever with that which is of the Law of God or Nature or with that wherein the Councils do not allow him to dispense And the Ordinances of the French Kings do expresly forbid all the Judges of the Land to have any regard to dispensations granted contrary to the sacred Decrees and Councils upon pain of losing their places And declare furthermore That such as procure the said Proviso's and dispensations shall not make use of them unless they get leave and permission from his Majesty The Gallican Church is also more free from payments to the Pope than the Church of Spain as also to the King The Clergy of France pay only the Disme whereas in Spain the King hath his Tertia's Subsidio Pyla Escusado in all a moiety of the Church-livings As to the French Churches separating from Communion with the Church of Rome they have often been brought very low by the Popish party Sad was the condition of the Church of Merindol which was cruelly rooted out by vertue of an Arrest of the Parliament of Aix Men Women and Children being destroyed And yet I doubt not but some small remainder of them was preserved For so the story saith expresly pauci quidem profugi Genevam alia loca Vicinia pervenerunt Osiand Eccl Hist Some few of them escaped by flight to Geneva and other Neighbouring places What Persecutions did the Waldenses or Albigenses suffer when the Pope sent about his Fryars in France it seemeth to preach Crusado 's viz. That whosoever would take the Badge of the Cross upon his Garment and serve the Pope forty days in his Wars against those Christians who denyed him obedience and opposed his Pride and Tyranny should have full pardon of all his sins and if he dyed in the Wars should presently go to Heaven and escape the flames of Purgatory and by this means as I remember he had at one time about an hundred thousand of the silly people in Arms whom he used against the most faithful Christians seeking utterly to extirpate them and by this means much Blood was shed It was easie for him in those times of darkness to draw multitudes of poor blind Souls to Destruction And Reimond Earl of Tholouse a great Prince and Peer of France was ruined the Pope seizing on his Estate and holding it unto this day A French Historian speaking of the bloody massacre in the Reign of Charles IX saith Thuan. Hist li. 54. that many wise men that were Papists themselves did think that in all Antiquity there could not be found an example of like cruelty But even then remarkable was God's Providence towards those of the Reformed Religion in France In the time of that cruel massacre at Paris the Protestants being in great fear shifted for themselves here and there Among the rest many of them fled to a certain honourable Lady for protection who being near of kin to the King was the more bold but being a faithful Christian she was also willing to receive them Hereof complaint being made the King in great displeasure commands her to dismiss them all which she could not withstand so that in one day about 300 Waggons for the most part filled with Women and young Children were constrained to dislodge and without a guard to go to a strong Town for the safety of their lives In this Journey they were to pass through their bloody enemies stragling up and down in Armes and ready to seize on such a booty But by the special providence of God a certain Troop of Armed Gentlemen on Horse-back hapned to meet them who soon perceiving and pitying their danger conducted them along in safety and often repulsed their enemies that were ready to assail them And though the French Kings have all of them professed the Roman Religion yet the Lord hath had many Instruments who with the hazard of their lives and outward Estates have stood for the defence of his Church divers Princes of the Blood Nobles Gentlemen and others and did strangely raise his Church again after that horrid massacre by which it seemed to have been extinguished And King James of happy Memory speaketh thus of those worthy Patriots whom God raised up for the defence of his Church at that time in his book of the defence of the right of Kings I never knew yet saith he that the French Protestants took Arms against their King In the first troubles they stood only on their defence Before they took Arms they were burnt and massacred every where And the quarrel did not begin for Religion but because when King Francis the second was under Age they had been the Refuge of the Princes of the Blood expelled from the Court even of the Grandfather of the King now reigning and of that of the Prince of Condè who knew not where to take Sanctuary it shall not be found that they made any other War Nay is it not true as a learned Divine of ours hath well observed that King Henry III. sent Armies against them to destroy them and yet they ran to his help as soon as they saw him in danger Is it not true that
Christians which would not renounce their Faith he cashiered and deprived of all military honour and some of their lives Many of the Bishops were plundered slain and martyred Great Cruelties were exercised against the Christians in Egypt Syria Phrygia and in other parts Vincentius saith Vincent in Specul Lib. 12. That at Triers which is a City situated by the River Mosella one Bietionarius exercised so great cruelty that the River was red with the blood of the Christians that were slain In France likewise he sent Posts up and down hither and thither with Decrees and express Commissions to this end that in whatsoever place any Christian was found he should presently be put to death But these two bloody Emperours seeing the number of the Christians rather to encrease than to diminish notwithstanding all the cruelty that they could shew and having now as it were their fill of blood they ceased at last of their own accord to put any more Christians to death and finding themselves not able to destroy the Church they gave over the Empire and became private men Constantius Chlorus and Maximinus Galerius succeeded in the Empire Constantius parted the Empire with Galerius and would Rule but in Britain Spain and France Galerius chose to him his two Sons Maximinus and Severus and Constantius took Constantine his Son Caesar under him Constantius was a great supporter of the Christians And when in the other Jurisdictions of the Empire the Congregations of the Christians were molested with Persecutions Constantius gave liberty to the Christians Century IV. COnstantius dying at York ANNO 306. Constantine his Son succeeded him in the Empire Constantine who Ruled France did not only abstain from shedding Christian blood but also had the Christians in great esteem Nazarius and Patera were esteemed rare Oratours in France living at that time The Histories of those Times make mention of one Sebastian a Martyr he being born in that part of France called Galâ—ia Narbonensis Fox Act. Monum Vol. 1. was a Christian and a Lieutenant General in the Army of Dioclesian who also encouraged many Martyrs of Christ by his Exhortations unto Constancy and kept them in the Faith He being therefore accused to Dioclesian was apprehended and brought into the open field where of his own Soldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrows and after that his body was thrown into a jakes or sink St. Ambrose makes mention of this Sebastian the Martyr in his Commentary upon the 118. Psalm Constantine restored Peace unto the Church Anno 311. he Reigned thirty and two years great Tranquility enjoyed the Church under this good Emperour Before he had subdued Licinius he set forth many Edicts for the restitution of the Goods of the Church for the revoking the Christians out of Exile for taking away the Dissentions of the Doctors out of the Church for the setting of them free from publick charges A Copy of his Constitutions may be seen in Eusebius his Ecclesiastical History in his tenth Book and fifth Chapter In the fourteenth Year of Constantine there was holden a Council at Nice for the debating of the Controversie about the Feast of Easter and for the rooting out the Heresie of Arius There was likewise a Council holden at Arles under Constantine's Reign Constantine left three Sons whom he had by Fausta Maximian's Daughter Heirs of the Empire who also divided the Empire among themselves A sudden Sedition after their Father's death embroiled them all in blood and wars by the commotion and dissimulation of the Emperour Constantius In his Time the Arrian Heresie which for fear of Constantine had been suppressed began now again to lift up it's head for Constantius propagates that Heresie Hilary Bishop of Poictiers in France lived under the Reign of Constantius a man in Religion constant in Manners meek and courteous he wrote sharply against the Arians Ruffin Lib. 1. cap. 31. he was banished immediately after the Council of Milan into Phrygia as some suppose Among divers others he dedicated his Book De Synodis fidei Catholicae contra Arianos to the Bishops of the Provinces of Britain during his Exile for the Orthodox Faith commending them for their constancy in the profession of that Faith Theodor. Lib. 3. cap. 4. Theodoret writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and recalled from Exile again under Julian But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia until the Council of Seleucia unto which Council he was brought from banishment not by any special Commandment from the Emperour but by a general command given to his Deputy Leonas Hist Magdeb. Cent. 4. cap. 10. to assemble together the Bishops of the East under pretence of executing the command of the Emperour Hillary being banished in the East was brought to the Council of Seleucia from thence he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to hear him dispute with the Arians in matters of Faith but gave him liberty to return to his own Countrey again He took great pains to purge the Countrey of France from the Arian Heresie and he prevailed so far that Jerome compares him to Deucalicon who both saw the flood of waters overflowing Thessalia and the abating of them also even so Hillary saw both the growth and decay of Arianism in France Hilar. Lib. 10. de Trinit Yet even this Father had his Errours for in his Tenth Book of the Trinity and upon Psal 138 and 53 he maintaineth That Jesus Christ in his death suffered no pain but that only he would make us believe that he suffered and that the blows did not give him any pain no more than if an arrow pierced the water or prickt the fire or hurt the air and that the virtue of the body of Christ received the violence of pains without feeling The same Father saith That Christ did eat and drink not out of any necessity but to comply with Custom for which Opinion he is reproved by Claudius Bishop of Vienna Du Moulin cont Perron Lib. 1. cap. 49. in the Book of the State of the Soul That Errour so gross hath brought him to another that in these words of the Lord Father let this Cup pass from me Jesus Christ desired his Father that his Disciples also might suffer in the like manner so that by his account St. Peter felt no pain in suffering martyrdom It is also one of his Opinions that Souls are Corporal He lived six years after his return from banishment and died under the Reign of Valentinian Stephanus Paschasius hath these Verses of him in his Icones Et nos exhilaras Hilari sanctissime Praesul Et monitis victa est Arria secta tuis Jerome although he was born in a Town of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in rudiments of Learning at Rome yet from Rome he went into France of purpose to increase his Knowledge and to divers other places Constantius being dead Julian his Cousin German alone governed
heap of Constitutions about the keeping of Lent and Easter about the prohibition of Marriage betwixt Christians and unconverted Jews about Servants not to be admitted to Ecclesiastical Orders about Assemblies to be at the least yearly Convocated by Bishops about Ecclesiastical Rents not to be dilapidated Under the Reign of Theodebert King of Lorain Burgundy and Turinge the Fathers who were present at the Councils of Orleans convened also in the Council of Overnie and ordained that no man should arrive to the Office of a Bishop by the favour of men in Authority but by the merits of an honest and unreprovable life That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his Funeral should not be covered with the Pall otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis lest the honour done to the body should be a polluting of the Altar with many other Constitutions Under the Reign of Cherebert King of France a Council was Assembled at Tours In this Council it was Ordained that the Clergy and People in every Congregation should provide relief for their own poor and not permit them to wander up and down It was also Ordained that a Bishop should count his Wife as his Sister and that he should no manner of way company with her and for this cause should have Presbyters and Deacons so familiarly conversant with him that they might bear testimony of his honest behaviour viz. that he never companied with his Wife The Papists themselves could not overpass this Canon without a censure Moreover it was Ordained That no Priest or Monk should receive in bed with him another Priest or Monk to the end they might be so unreprovable that they would abstain from all appearance of evil In this Council were set down very strict prohibitions that no man should oppress the Church and convert to his own use any thing duly belonging to them lest he incurr the malediction of Judas who was a Thief and kept the bag and converted to his own use a part of that mony which belonged to the poor A Council likewise was holden at Paris wherein order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their Offices That no man should be admitted Bishop without the full consent of Clergy and People and that no man should presume by favour of Princes only without the consents aforesaid to become Bishop in any place Now Clotaire remained alone King of France his Brethren being dead their Children also were dead and Childebert the eldest died without Issue The Reign of Clotaire was short and wretched He sought to extort the thirds of all Ecclesiastical Things to his private Affairs but the Clergy opposed themselves against him so as threats prevailed not He dies Anno 567. Before that he Rules as King alone he Erected the little Realm of Yvetot upon this occasion Upon good Fryday he slew Gawter of Yvetot his Servant in the Chappel where he heard Service It is said that the King had ravished his Wife lodging in his house so as he that was beaten suffered the punishment Pope Eugenius displeased with this infamous murther condemned him to repair the fault upon pain of Excommunication Clotaire for satisfaction Ordaineth That from thenceforth the Lords of Yvetot should be free from all homage service and obedience to the King for the Land of Yvetot in the Countrey of Normandy And so this small seigneury hath continued long with the Title and Prerogative of a Realm until that this Title of a Realm was changed into a Principality the which the house of Bellay doth now enjoy Clotaire had by two Wives five Sons and one Daughter four survived him viz. Cherebert Chilperic Sigebert Gonthran and Closinde his Daughter Cherebert was King of France Chilperic King of Soissons Gonthran King of Orleans Sigibert King of Metz or Lorain although each of them called himself King of France and commanded absolutely over the Countries under their obedience All of them Reigned together fifteen years The second Council of Matiscon was convened in the twenty fourth year of King Gunthran In it complaint was made that Baptism usually was ministred on every holy day insomuch that upon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptism This they Ordained to be amended and that no man except upon occasion of infirmity presume to present his Child to Baptism but to attend upon the Festival dayes prescribed of old that is Easter and Whitsunday Also it was Appointed and Ordained that the Sacrament of the Altar should be Administred before any of the Communicants had tasted of meat or drink That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a City of Refuge should be drawn back again by violence from the bosome of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a Bishop shall not be attached before a Secular Judge That the Houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayer and singing of Psalms and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogs and muting of Hawks That Secular men shall do reverence to those of the Clergy even unto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the Secular Man do meet any of the Clergy walking on foot he shall honour him by uncovering his head But if the Secular man be riding on horseback and the Clergy-man on foot then the Secular man shall light down from his horse and shall do reverence to the Church-man In the third Council at Matiscon we read of nothing but a contentious disputation between two Bishops Palladius and Bertram and foolish questions scarce fit to be disputed in Grammar-Schools Chilperic a crafty man seizeth on his Father's Treasure and laboureth to become Master of the City of Paris but was not able to effect it Cherebert having cast off his Lawful Wife and being Excommunicated by German Bishop of Paris dieth at Blavia in Sancton in the ninth year of his Kingdom about the year 570 whose Kingdom his Brothers divide among themselves Chilperic and Sigebert waged War one against the other Chilperic enters the Countrey of Sigebert and takes from him the City of Rhemes Hereupon Sigebert pursues his Revenge and takes from Chilperic Soissons the Capital City of his Realm with his Son Theodobert forcing him to retire to Tournay Sigebert comes a Conquerour to Paris where he is received by common consent and so all the Cities belonging unto Cherebert yield him obedience But as he thought himself settled behold two young soldiers suborned by Fredegund an harlot of Chilperic's came to his Court enter freely into his Hall and getting near unto him each of them stabs him with his dagger and he falls down dead in the place These murtherers were suddenly torn in pieces so as they could not be known nor declare by whose instigation they had committed this murther Yet was it generally thought it was the practice of Fredegund to free Chilperic and to make her way the more smooth by the death of Sigebert who crossed her most Now is
calumny by witnesses yet first of all he propoundeth it to be debated by the Synod whether witnesses ought to be admitted against a Bishop or whether the bare assertion of the Bishop only ought to be believed The Synod pronounceth That they could not safely give credit to an inferiour person bearing witness against a Bishop Yet they require Gregory to say Masses at three Altars and that he purge himself by Oath which being done by Gregory he was absolved But the Synod excommunicated his Accuser and certified other Bishops by Letters concerning the absolution of Gregory In this Century Rupertus Bishop of the Francks with twelve other Divines came into the Country of the Boii and there Rupertus by preaching the Gospel converted Theodon the Prince of the Countrey with his Son from Heathenish Idolatry unto Christ and baptized them both at Ratisbon Many others also were converted by him In this Age flourished German Bishop of Paris forementioned Osiand Eccles Hist Cent. 6. Lib. 2. When he was an Abbot in a dream he saw the Keys of the Gates of Paris delivered to him and demanding the cause of it he was answered That he should as Pastor feed the Lords Flock belonging to that Church Not long after the Bishop of Paris dying he was Constituted Bishop there by King Childebert With singular zeal he provoked the People to Godliness great was his gravity in preaching and his words were weighty and powerful he was liberal towards the poor and redeemed many Captives King Chilperic after his death who was wont to deride and contemn other Ministers wrote this honourable Epitaph upon him which I thought fit to set down Ecclesiae speculum patriae vigor ara reorum Et pater medicus pastor amorque gregis Germanus virtute fide corde ore beatus Carne tenet tumulum mentis honore polum The Histories of this Age make mention of one Etius Arch-Deacon of the Church of Paris who when he understood that Innocent Praetextatus Bishop of Rhothomagum accused of Treason against the King was in danger to be condemned in a Synod at Paris he with great boldness entred into the Synod and admonished the Bishops and Assessours to beware of having an hand in the condemning of an Innocent person he told them they ought rather to reprove King Chilperic for his sins In the Reign of this King many Jews were baptized in France but many of them returned to their vomit and perfidiously renounced the Christian Religion In those dayes there were great inundations of waters which did much hurt in many places especially at Lions where part of the walls of that City were thrown down Horrible earthquakes made great concussions in part of France and overturned some mountains toward Spain which overwhelmed many men and beasts A fire falling from Heaven consumed the City of Orleans and the streets of Bourdeaux together with the fruits of the earth Other places were sorely afflicted with a grievous hail There followed almost through all France a malignant Cough and bloody Flux which destroyed very many men and women by which disease that wicked Austigildis Wife of King Gunthran perished The cause of these evils was said to be the dissentions civil wars and horrible impieties of those three Brothers forementioned Sigebert Chilperic and Gunthran Kings of France and their Counsellours and Ministers who provoked them to those impieties who were punished of God for their flagitious practices with most grievous judgements Here I shall make mention of the various fortune of Theodorus Bishop of Marseilles in the Reign of Childebert Divamius a most wicked man being Governour of that Province This man hated Theodorus and laid divers snares to entrap him And when Theodorus was going to King Childebert to implore his help he was seized on by Divamius in the midst of the City of Marseilles and injuriously dealt with and so dismissed In his journey Theodorus by the instigation of Divamius is taken by Gunthran King of Orleans then the Clergy of Marseilles being no better than Divamius being very joyful at the news of it do immediately invade and plunder all the substance and treasures of the Church and load Theodorus with divers calumnies King Chilperic setteth Theodorus at liberty and sendeth him back with Gundulphus the Governour to Marseilles that there he might be restored to his former dignity At the coming of Gundulphus and Theodorus Divamius and the Clergy do shut the gates and drive them back reproachfully But Gundulphus by Art getting into the City with his Soldiers soon brake the power of Divamius and sharply rebuked him yet Gundulphus being appeased with deprecations and gifts Divamius having taken an oath that he would restore Theodorus to his Bishoprick and for the future be faithful to the King he returned to his house But Divamius despising his Oath signifieth the restitution of Theodorus to King Gunthran adding That while Theodorus held his Government King Gunthran could never enjoy the City of Marseilles Gunthran being angry sendeth Soldiers to take Theodorus who seizing upon the Bishop unexpectedly they carry him on horseback bound with chains most ignominiously to their King But King Gunthran knowing the innocency of Theodorus without doing him any harm suffers him to return to his charge bestowing many gifts upon him Upon this occasion great enmity grew between King Gunthran and Childebert Many other calumnies and grievous indignities did this innocent Bishop suffer from other of his wicked and malicious enemies About that time Mundericus Episcopus Ternoderensis being by force taken away from his Church is thrust into a close and strong Tower built upon the bank of the River Rhodanus and there was detained almost two years and most grievously handled Under the Jurisdiction of Gregory Bishop of Tours there was a certain Presbyter who denied the Resurrection of the Body The foresaid Gregory disputed against him which disputation you may read at large in the Magdeburgensian History The disputation being ended the Presbyter promised that he would afterward believe the Resurrection of the dead Chidet Anast Child Reg. cap. 10. This Gregory hath put out these works Hist Francorum de Gloria Martyrum de Gloria Confessorum de vitis quorundam Patrum I find him by a certain Writer thus stiled Osiand Cent. 6. Lib. 4. cap. 17. Antiquissimus fidelissimus Francorum scriptor He wrote sharply against the Jews and Arians yet there are divers errours found in his writings which are mentioned by Osiander He was very intimate with Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome flourishing at that time Century VII THe Author of the Book called the Catholick Traditions first in French and then Translated into English searcheth the difference of all Churches and except in Rites or Ceremonies hath not marked any great difference of the Abyssines and Jacobites from our Reformed Churches And in his Preface he saith They pretend to have their name Jacobites from Jacob the Old Patriarch and the name Cophtes because
Sorcerers in the first third fourth and fifth Canons whereby it appeareth that Sorcery hath been in frequent use in France Many superstitious Constitutions were set down in this Synod concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meat before Mass concerning burial prohibition of Baptism before the Festivity of Easter except upon necessity and fear of approaching death prohibition of Matrimonial copulation with their own Wives to Presbyters and Deacons after their Blessing and Consecration with prohibition of Marriage also to the Widows of the defunct Presbyters Deacons or Sub-deacons Brothers and Sisters Children are forbidden to marry They Ordained that it is not lawful for a Presbyter to sit in judgement when any man is condemned to death That it is not lawful for a Clergy-man to cite another of the Clergy before a Secular Judge That it is not lawful for a Woman with a naked hand to touch the Holy Eucharist That it is not lawful to take refreshment of meat with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergy receive an excommunicate person without the knowledge of him who did excommunicate him he shall receive the like sentence that is he shall be likewise excommunicated That it is not lawful for a Presbyter in Banquetting-time to sing or dance Many Canons to the number of 45 were concluded in this Council But I shall not trouble you with an heap of unprofitable unnecessary and superstitious Canons Another Council was afterwards called at Cabillon vulgarly called Chalon which is a Town in Burgundy not far distant from Matiscon In this Town by the Commandment of Clovis King of France convened 44 Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Landilenus Bishop of Vienna Theodorus Bishop of Arles because he refused to appear before the Council was suspended from his Office until the next Council In this Synod the Canons of the Council of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be Ordained in one Town that no man should sell a Christian Servant to a Jew and that two Abbots should not be chosen to govern one Monastery That no labouring of the ground or other secular work shall be done on the Lord's day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councils Clovis the second married a Gentlewoman of Saxony named Baudour a Lady of good life and much given to Devotion as the Abby of Shelles St. Baudour with other Foundations do witness Whilst she busied her self in her Devotion and to build Monasteries Clovis addicted himself to sensuality Yet one memorable thing is recorded of him In a time of great dearth to relieve the poor people he suffered them to take the Silver wherewith the Temple of St. Denis had been covered by Dagobert Aimo saith that two years after a famous Assembly of Bishops being had he appointed the Monastery of Dionysius which his Father had built nigh unto the City to be free from the Jurisdiction of all Bishops Landerick the Chief Ruler of Paris agreeing to it Clovis died Anno 660. of his Reign 17. At the same time Erchenwald Major of the Palace dying Ebruin succeedeth him From which time the French Kings being let loose into sloth and riot the Government of the Affairs of State came to the Majors of the Palace The Kings being contented only with the Name or Title contained themselves in their Palace neither came they but once every year viz. in the Kalends of May into open view of the people Clotharius the eldest Son of Clovis succeeded his Father but having Reigned four years he died Anno 664. Theodorick his Brother for a short space was Chief but the French being weary of this man shut up Theodorick in a Monastery being shaven at St. Denis in Paris and Ebruin at Luxovien Then Childerick was made King who after three years Reign was slain by Bodille a Noble French man whom he had commanded being bound to the stump of a tree to be whipped with rods His Queen also being great with Child was killed by the same Bodille Ebruin secretly breaking out of the Monastery Petav. Hist Lib. 8. again invadeth the Lieutenantship of the Palace and killeth Leudesius the Son of Erchenwald Major of the Palace and Leodegar Chief Ruler of Augustodunum whom after he had been tortured with divers torments and in an Assembly of Bishops spoiled of his Dignity he commanded to be smitten with a sword In those times there were many in France flourishing in Holiness among whom Eligius Bishop of Noviomum and Audoenus Bishop of Roven are mentioned Eligius died in the seventieth year of his Age. Audoenus died being ninety years old in the 44 year of his Bishoprick Private persons also graced France with an exact holiness of Life viz. Furseus Foillanus Vltan who having come out of Ireland built Monasteries in France Thierri the first is now made King of France a King in shew who is a spectator of divers Tragedies Thierri dieth having reigned 19 years Ebruin in the third year after the death of Leodegar was thrust thorow by Hermenfrid then Pepin governeth the Kingdom Clovis the third the eldest Son of Thierri reigned four years and dieth without Children His Brother Childebert the second succeedeth him Century VIII CHildebert Reigned 17 years and died Anno 711. having left two Sons Dagobert and Clothaire Pepin made great shew of love to Religion and for this cause makes war against Robod Duke of Frisia a Pagan whom he conquered and forced to receive the Christian Religion with all his Subjects He restored Lambert Bishop of Traict to his Dignity being expelled by Ebruin and confined unto a Monastery and one of his chiefest cares was to advance them that had charge over the Church He commanded absolutely being armed with the Authority of his Soveraign neither was there any appeal from him to the King Yet Pepin besides his Lawful Wife called Plectrude held a woman named Alpaid for the which the forenamed Lambert reproved him Of this Alpaid he had a Son whom he named Charles which Charles was after sirnamed Martel and was very profitable to the Realm of France Alpaid caused Bishop Lambert to be slain by her Brother Dodon who soon after felt the punishment of this blood for being diseased with Worms not able to endure his own stench he cast himself headlong into the River Meuze Pepin upon his death-bed Ordained Charles his Bastard to succeed him in the Government of the Realm But Plectrude after the death of Pepin causeth Charles to be imprisoned at Colen and advanceth Thibauld to the Government although in effect She under his Name governed all the Affairs of State Dagobert dying at this time the French took a Prince of the blood called Daniel out of a Cloyster Him they called King under the Name of Chilperic the second and they give him a Noble Man of France called Rainfroy to be his Major who having leavied an Army De Serres hist defeated Thibauld and his Grandmother Plectrude in
battel But Charles Martel getting out of prison assisteth Plectrude gathereth Forces and overcometh the new King and Rainfroy Charles is now received and installed Major of France and having assured himself of the Children of King Dagobert he caused them to be gently brought up in a Monastery At Colen he seizeth on Plectrude and Thibauld and inflicts no other punishment upon them but enjoyns them to live quiet and to attempt nothing without his liking He pardons Rainfroy and gives him the Government of Anjou He degradeth Chilperic being advanced against Law and causeth the eldest Son of Dagobert to be chosen King named Chilperic the third Chilperic dies having reigned five years and in his place his Brother Thierri was crowned King He reigned ten years and dying left his Son Childerick the last King of this first race of the Merovingiens Charles Martel from Major of the Palace is chosen Duke or Prince of the French Eudo Prince of the Gascoigus to whom Rainfroy joyned himself called in the Saracens with their King Abdiram out of Spain Anno 725. whom Charles met and killed them with an universal slaughter there were slain in one day three hundred seventy and five thousand and of the French fifteen hundred among which were many of the Nobility and men of Note And having recovered Burgundy and Lions in the year following Eudo dying he invaded Aquitain and overthrew the Saracens in great numbers invading France in the year 731 and regained Avignon taken by them and forceth them to abandon Narbon and the whole Country to his mercy At that time divers devout Monks lived in France viz. Vandegrisil of Fontinel a builder of Monasteries of whom Sigebert makes mention Vrsmar of Lobia a Founder of a Monastery Bertine Abbot of Sithiena and holy Aegidius Childeric was King in shew nine years Anno 744. Pepin in the time of King Childeric called a Council at Soissons where he assisted in person together with the greatest Peers of the Land five under the Authority of Charles Martel and four under Pepin the Son of Charles who dispossessed him Charles Martel having governed the Kingdom five and twenty years dieth He had four Sons Carloman Pepin Giles and Grypho Giles was made Bishop of Rhotomagum and left his Government assigned him by his Father unto Carloman and Pepin and they two divide the Kingdom and Govern each one his own part under the Title of their Father as is apparent by the first words of the Council under Carloman In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of the French in the year from the incarnation of Christ 742. on the 11th of the Kalends of March by the advice of the servants of God and of my Nobes I have Assembled the Bishops in my Kingdom c. Within seven years after this Synod he laid aside his Princely Authority saith Bellarmine and entred into a Cloyster becomes a Monk and so dieth at Vienna and then all the Authority was in Pepin alone Grypho had rebelled against Carloman but at last Pepin took him in Italy and caused him to be beheaded Anno 753. Pepin having the Government alone aimed at an higher Title Blondus and others who have written the Acts of the French Blond dec 14. Lib. 10. say that the Nobility and Commonalty of that Nation duly considering the worthiness of Pepin and sottishness of Childeric consulted with Zachary Bishop of Rome whether they should tolerate so foolish a King any longer and defraud Pepin of his deserved Princely honour And when the Pope answered That he was most worthy to be a King who could best discharge the Office of a King Petrie's Church-Hist Cent. 8. the French with the publick consent of the whole Nation did pronounce Pepin for their King and Childerick was shaven and made a Monk Then the Pope wrote unto Boniface Bishop of Mentz to Anoint Pepin King of France and declare all his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance unto their lazy Soveraign The Pope was chiefly moved hereunto with hope to draw help from Pepin against the Lumbards Concil apud Palat Vernes his mortal enemies Pepin Anno 755. called almost all the Gallican Bishops to meet at the Council of Vernes the Palace About this time Aponius a French man wrote several Books In the Council called by Carloman of which I hinted before he beginneth thus I Carloman c. have Assembled the Bishops which are in my Kingdom with the Priests into a Council and Synod These are Boniface Arch-Bishop of Mentz Burchard of Wirtzburg Reginfrid Guntharius with the rest of the Bishops and their Priests That they should give me Counsel how the Law of God and Religion of the Church may be restored which in the dayes of former Princes hath been shattered and fallen and how Christian People may attain the salvation of their souls and not perish being deceived by false Priests And by the advice of my Priests and Nobles We have Ordained Bishops through Cities and set over them the Arch-Bishop Boniface who is the Legate of St. Peter And we have Ordained that Synods should be called every year Concil Tom. 2. Edit Crab. that in our presence the Decrees of Canons Rites and Laws of the Church may be restored And we restore unto the Churches the Monies that have been taken from them We have also discharged all the Servants of God from hunting and wandring in woods with Dogs and that they have no Hawks nor Faulcons We have also Decreed according to the Holy Canons That each Presbyter dwelling in a Parish be subject unto the Bishop where he dwelleth and that alwayes in Lent he give an account of his Ministry whether of Baptism or Catholick Faith and prayers and order of Masses Then he forbiddeth sacrifice to the dead and other profane Rites of the Heathen He appointeth punishments against the Fornications and Adulteries of Monks It was also decreed that Monks and Nuns should live within their Abbies and Cloysters according to the Rule of their Father Benedict Pope Stephen confirmed Pepin and his Heirs for Kings of France and of him asked aid to withstand the Power of Aistulphus then King of Lombardy who then had exacted Tribute from certain Lands belonging to the Bishop of Rome and because it was refused took up Arms. The Pope wrote a Letter directed to the Kings of France and to all Bishops Abbots Priests and Monks and to the Glorious Dukes and Counts and unto the whole Army of the Kingdom of France Stephen Pope and all the Bishops Priests and Deacons Dukes Counts People and Army of the Romans all being in anguish with how doleful and bitter grief we are encompassed on every side with how great perplexity and doubtfulness we are distressed and how many tears our eyes do shed because of the continual troubles which are multiplyed upon us we think that the smallest part of all the elements do declare for who beholding our
Learning and learned men Paul of Pisa instructed him in the Greek and Latin Tongues and Aimon in Philosophy and the Mathematickes He delighted in Poetry but especially in History in which he was well read The University of Paris built or enriched by him doth witness the love and honour he bare to learning A valiant man none commanded with more obedience nor performed any thing with greater fortune nor used his Victories with more mildness and judgement Never did King reign with more Authority nor was more reverently obeyed than Charlemagne About the Year 786 Charles King of France made a league with Archaius King of Scots Archaius sent unto him Albinus or Alcuinus John Melrose so named from the Abby Melrose Claudius Clemens and Anthony all very devout and learned men John Melrose became Abbot of the Augustinians at Ticino Bale in Cent. 14. and Claudius was Bishop of Auxerre They wrote several works as John Bale sheweth Alcuinus had good knowledge of the Latin and Greek Languages Biblioth de la Bigne Tom. 3. Charles calleth him his Master in an Epistle written unto him De Septuages Sexages He hath many excellent things in divers of his Books and Writings Desiderius began to make War first against the City of Ravenna and the Marches thereof and took the Cities of Ferrara Faventia and other Towns The Pope sent to Charles the Great for aid who came into Italy with great Forces Desiderius fled to Pavia and was there besieged Charles leaving an Unkle of his at the siege of Pavia went against Verona which he took without any great difficulty From thence he went to Rome to kiss the Pope's Foot and to hold the Feast of Easter where he was received with great Solemnity After this his coming thither he confirmed to the Church and Popes of Rome the Donation which his Father Pepin had made of Ravenna and other Lands and made another of many other places among which is reckoned the Isle of Corsica and all the Coast of Genoua with the Cities of Parma Ancona Vrbin and many other Towns besides Rome and the Territories thereof which the Popes had already in possession so as to the Emperours remained only that part of Italy which is part of Calabria and of Puglia and a great part of that which now is the Kingdom of Naples Charles having been only eight dayes in Rome returned against Desiderius who after six moneths besieging in Pavia yielded upon composition and Charles carried him with him and banished both him and his Sons into a certain Island and then took Milan and all the other Cities in Lombardy which is the Ancient Gallia Cisalpina where he placed French men for Dukes and Governours So Italy remained in his Obedience excepting those Lands and Provinces which were left to the Church of Rome so ended the Kingdom of the Lombards which had continued 204 years in Italy Rhegno Sub. Annum 787. In the Year 787 Charles being departed from Rome to come into France as soon as he was arrived at Wormes saith Rhegno he called a Synod and declared the Reasons of his journey to the Clergy and Princes of his Realm We find the French Synods in those dayes oftentimes to have consisted both of Lay-men and Clergy-men joyntly to determine of matters as well Ecclesiastical as Civil Charles the Great did the like in the Council of Franckford where he discoursed points of Faith and made them deliver their Opinions upon such as himself proposed The Canons and Decrees also run in his Name the Emperour saith he hath Ordained with the consent of the Synod c. Vide Acta Concil Francf in libello sacro Tom. 3. Concil pag. 635. In the Year 794 Charles Assembled this Council at Franckford partly in regard of the Heretick Foelix who called Christ The Adoptive Son of God in humane nature and was condemned in a Council Assembled at Ratisbon But he was returned to his vomit again and therefore was now again condemned as a notable Heretick in the Council of Franckford partly also in respect of the great contention which arose every where concerning the worshipping of Images disallowed in the Council of Constantinople and allowed in the second Council of Nice Not only the Bishops of France but also of Germany and Lombardy as Provinces subject to the King of France were present at this Council The Pope sent his Ambassadors Theophilact and Stephanus to the Council King Charles himself also was present thereat Alcuinus wrote against the Heresie of Foelix Alcuin contr Foelic Lib. 2. and Elipandrus Bishop of Toledo and in his second Book saith Shew us any Nation Town or Church either Roman or Constantinopolitan or of Jerusalem which was Dedicated by the presence of the Lord himself or of Antioch where first the Name of Christianity is read to have been or of Alexandria or of any other Church either in Italy or Germany or in France or in Aquitain or in Britain which agreeth with you in your assertion Here he acknowledgeth all these to be true Churches at that time and distinguisheth them one from another Foelix continued in his errour till Alcuinus wrote against him and then he became Zealous of the Truth and wrote a Recantation unto the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church That as he had been a scandal unto them so by his means they may be brought again from Errour unto the Truth as he himself writeth And this Recantation is printed among the Works of Alcuinus But Elipant Arch-Bishop of Toledo having read the seven Books of Alcuinus wrote very sharply for maintaining the same Errour R. Hoveden writeth R. Hoveden in continuat Bedae that Charles the Great sent over into England the Acts of a Synod sent him from Constantinople for the Adoration of Images Against this Adoration saith he Alcuinus wrote an Epistle well-grounded on Divine Scriptures and carried it with some Synodical Acts in the names of the English Princes and Bishops to the King of France All Italy being now in peace under the protection of King Charles two Cardinal Priests of great account called Pascal and Capulus conspired against Pope Leo who with their complices apprehended him on a day as he was going in Procession Some say they put out his eyes and cut out his tongue committing him prisoner to the Monastery of St. Erasmus publishing abroad that they did it for the crimes by him committed and the Errours by him maintained Some Authors affirm that he was miraculously restored to his sight and speech Hereupon King Charles cometh to Rome accompanied with many great Dukes and other Princes his Subjects To him came out of Italy and from many other parts many Bishops and Prelates After eight dayes abode there he commanded all the Princes and Prelates which then were in the City to be Assembled and the Pope himself and all the rest being together there were some that accused the Pope to the Emperour Then the Emperour
of Emperour unto Lewes Bavaria and unto Chrarles France Pepin enjoyed Aquitain without contradiction Lewes not content with Bavaria levies an Army and passeth the Rhine The miserable Father prepares an Army to go against him but he falls sick and dieth Anno 840. There was a Council held at Paris by the Command of Lewes and his Son Lotharius Anno 829 and three others at the same time in other places as is collected from the Preface It was Ordained that Synods should then be Assembled in four several places of their Empire In his Reign in France was used of Priests and Church-men precious and shining Vestures and golden and rich staring Girdles with Rings and other Ornaments of Gold Fabian's Chron. Wherefore the said Lewes procured of the Pope a correction for all such as used such strange apparel causing them to wear brown and sad colours After the death of the Emperour Lewes Lotharius his eldest Son and Emperour by his Fathers Testament would force his Brethren to a new division He quarrelleth with Charles King of France and Lewes Duke of Bavaria but the two Brethren unite together and joyn their Forces to oppose Lotharius Lotharius finding himself the stronger refuseth the Conditions of Peace offered by his Brethren Then Lewes and Charles charging the Army of Lotharius overthrew it with a notable slaughter Lotharius after this defeat changeth his humour with his estate he enjoyed the titulary mask of the Empire with Austrasia yet much curtailed and divided to his three Sons Lewes Charles and Lotharius Then Lotharius having remorse of Conscience for attempting against his Father and Brethren professeth himself a Monk in the Abby of Pluviers and dies a Monk in the Year 855. Charles and Lewes after the Victory call the Bishops to take their Advice upon Occurrents who being solemnly Assembled exhort them to Concord They hearken to them make an Alliance and come to the dividing of their parts Charles remains the sole King of France Daulphine and Provence were left to Lewes in his partage for the commodity of Italy which was given him notwithstanding the pretensions of Bernard's Children But he died soon after without any Issue-male leaving one only Daughter called Hermingrade Heir of all his great Estates Charles married his Neece Hermingrade to Boson Earl of Ardennes Concil Meldens Cap. 78. Tom. 3. brother to his Wife Richilde who called himself King of Arles At the Council at Meaux held about this time it was Decreed that the Capitular Laws concerning the Church made by Charlemagne and his Son Lewes should be strictly observed The same Council entreats King Charles the Younger to grant the Bishops a freer liberty for the execution of their Ministeries in their Parishes Charles called the Bald began his Reign Anno 841. King Charles was present at the Council holden at Pistis upon Sein Anno 963. He is named first the Decrees are conceived in his name He caused himself to be proclaimed Emperour after the death of Lewes who survived Lotharius without contradiction He went to Rome and was Crowned Emperour by the Pope with the Imperial Diadem then raising his Spirit very high after the custom of the Grecians he walketh with a Surplice This King Charles the Bald relying on the Popes help favoured the Pope with all his Power and brought the French Clergy to the subjection of the Roman See as much as he could Then began the Popes Legates to come to the Councils of France and there to preside Then also the French Kings began to tremble under the thunderbolts of the Vatican and to fear the Excommunications of the Pope The first Pope that made tryal of his Excommunications against them was Pope Nicholas the first who threatned Lothary to Excommunicate him unless he recalled Tietberga his Wife whom he had put away to take Waldrada whom he loved which also this Pope did Excommunicate Whereupon there was great murmuring of the Prelates and People of France against the Pope being displeased both at the Pope's Usurpations and the pusillanimity of their Kings These things happened from the Year 863 to 866. After that Nicholas came Adrian the second who favouring Lewes Du Moulin cont Perron lib. 3. c. 9. Grand-child to Lewes the Gentle against Charles the Bald his Unckle sent peremptory Letters into France whereby he declared That if any presumed to make an enterprize upon the Kingdom of Lewes not only he would make void by his Authority all that he should do but also that such a man being bound with the bonds of Anathema and deprived of the name of Christian should be lodged altogether with the Devil * Pope John the 8. having excommunicated Count Lambert and Count Adalbert and some others which had ill entreated him in Italy came into France Anno 870 where he called a Synod at Troyes consisting of the Bishops of that Kingdom to desire their Consent to that Excommunication which they accordingly granted him This is seen in the Epistle which Hinomarus Arch-Bishop of Rhemes writes to the said Adrian upon the said subject where he saith That both Ecclesiastical and Secular men being Assembled at Rhemes would say in a reproachful way That never any such Mandate was sent from that See to any of the Kings Predecessors Adding That the Bishops of Rome had never withdrawn themselves from the obedience of Heretical Emperours Wherefore said they we will not believe that we cannot otherwise attain to the Kingdom of Heaven but by receiving him for a Temporal King whom this Apostolical Lord recommendeth to us It was in this ninth Age that the Decretals were forged by Riculphus Bishop of Mentz as is supposed who published them under a false Title And at that time and a long time after the Arch-Bishops of Mentz were the first promoters of Papal Authority in Germany And nothing hath helped more to the establishment of the Papal Empire than these Epistles which have for a long time been held for Oracles in the West by them the Father of lies hath wrought very powerfully These Decretals were forged under the Reign of Charlemagne and of his Son Lewes the Gentle being unknown before and never mentioned in all Antiquity bearing on the front the name of Isidorus Peccator and in some Copies Isidorus Mercator a man unknown and a name forged at will That Collection of Decretals began to go about in France in the beginning of the Reign of Charles the Bald. The first that used them was Hinckmar Bishop of Laon upon this occasion Hinckmar Arch-Bishop of Rhemes had promoted to the Bishoprick of Laon another Hinckmar his Nephew who having excommunicated his Clergy and hindered the Divine Service and the Baptism of Children in his own Bishoprick and committed divers crimes and excesses was cited to appear before his Unckle who was his Metropolitan But he would not obey nor appear Upon that Hinckmar of Rhemes disanulled all the Acts of Hinckmar of Laon and would synodically proceed against him
Bishops of France unto a Synod first at Rome then at Aken The Bishops answered They were not obliged to go out of their own Country At last he named Munson on the borders of France where only Gerebert appeared and boldly maintained the cause of the French Church so that the Legate Leo could do nothing without new instructions from the Pope save only that he appointed another Synod at Rhemes and in the mean time he suspends Gerebert who wrote the Apology of the French Church as his Epistle unto Wilderodon Bishop of Argentine testifieth Gerebert excelled in Learning and came afterward to the Roman Chair and called by the name of Silvester the second he was promoted to that dignity by the Emperour Otho Hugh Capet having reigned peaceably nine years died Novemb. 22. 996. leaving his Son Robert his successour a Prince wise resolute peaceable and continent he is said to have been Learned a lover of Divinity and humanity They sing Hymns of his Invention the which thus beginneth O Constantia Martyrum mirabilis the which bearing resemblance with the name of his Wife Constance he was wonderfully pleased with the humour she had to be honoured with his writings being then greatly esteemed throughout the World He preferred virtue before the prerogative of primogeniture and caused Henry his younger Son to be Crowned in his life time decreeing by his Will that his eldest Son Robert should content himself with the Dutchy of Burgundy doing homage for it to the Crown of France Century XI IN the beginning of this Century Arnold Earl of Sens Fabian's Chronic. used great Tyranny among the Bishops and Ministers of the Church Hereupon Leofricus Bishop of that See through the advice and aid of Reginald Bishop of Paris put out the said Arnold and delivered the City unto King Robert But the Brother of the said Arnold with divers of his Knights fled to the Castle and held it by force Then the King besieged the said Castle and took both it and Fromond the Brother of Arnold and sent him to Orleans where being imprisoned he dyed shortly after This Robert builded the Castle of Mountfort He founded also divers Monasteries and Temples at Orleans the Temple of St. Avian at Stamps a Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and many other in divers places of his Realm And he endowed the Church of St. Denis with many great priviledges and had special devotion to St. Hypolite above all other Saints At this time flourished Fulbert Bishop of Chartres a very learned Man Sundry Sermons and Treatises that are amongst the works of St. Austin are said to be his He wrote an Epistle to Adeodatus wherein he first reproveth a gross opinion of some Men who held that Baptism and the Eucharist were naked signs Then he proveth that these should not be considered as meer and outward signs but by Faith according to the invisible vertue of Mysteries The Mystery of Faith it is called saith he because it should be esteemed by Faith and not by sight to be looked into spiritually not corporally the sight of Faith only beholdeth this powerful Mystery c. Then he illustrates the same by comparison of a baptized Man who albeit outwardly he be the same he was before yet inwardly he is another being made greater than himself by encrease of invisible quantity that is of saving grace c. Here is no word of substantial change of the Elements the Bread is still Bread But we find two other changes the Faithful are transposed into the body of Christ and Christ is infused into the habitation of a faithful Soul yet so that Christ 's body remaineth in the Heavens and by the Revelation of the Spirit faith beholdeth Christ present Biblioth part de e bigne Tom. 3. or lying in his Mother 's bosom and dying rising and ascending and he entreth into the gratious habitation of a faithful Communicant and many waies refresheth him Here also we see that the substance of Bread remaineih as the substance of him who is Baptized remaineth albeit inwardly he be another Some say that Fulbert composed many Songs in praise of the Virgin Mary and that he built a Temple and dedicated it unto her Historians also do feign that Fulbert being sick was visited by the Virgin Mary Hist Magdeb. Cent. 11. and that she cherished him with her own Milk O impudent forgers of lies O foolish Mortals who gave credit to such palpable lies King Robert dyed Anno 1031. His Son Henry succeeded him and reigned 33 years In his time the Realm of Burgundy had an end in the posterity of Boson and the Emperours of Germany challenged the right and title of it Robert Duke of Normandy had maintained the Hereditary love of his Father with King Henry greatly relying upon his friendship Having resolved upon a long and dangerous Voyage to the Holy-land he intreated him to take the protection of William his Bastard Son whom he had made his Heir excluding his lawful Children Robert settled his Estate before his departure appointing him good Governours and putting the strongest holds and treasure into their hands Robert dyed in this long Voyage beyond the Seas at the City of Bythinia having before his departure commanded the Lords of Normandy and sworn them and Robert Arch-Bishop of Rovan to perform their Allegiance unto his Son William and to take him for their Lord and Duke if he return not again When King Henry had settled his Land in quietness he then builded the Monastery of St. Martin called Des Champs besides Paris and set therein secular Priests King Henry after he had reigned 31 years dyed and was buried at St. Denis Anno 1046. Gregory VI. created Odilo Abbot of Cluny Arch-Bishop of Lyons sending him the Pall and the Ring which he received yet without accepting the dignity saying he would reserve it for him that should be chosen Arch-Bishop Berengarius a French-man Deacon of St. Maurice in Anjou was the Disciple of Fulbert He was the first that was accounted an Heretick for denying of Transubstantiation and troubled for the same In his days it was broached that the Bread of the Eucharist was the very body of Christ and the Wine his Blood substantially or properly Berengarius on the contrary taught that the Body of Christ is only in the Heavens and these Elements are the Sacraments of his Body and Blood Adelman Bishop of Brixia wrote unto him In the beginning he saluteth him as his holy and beloved Brother and Con-disciple under Fulbert Bishop of Chartres Then he sheweth he heard it reported that Berengarius did teach that the Body and Blood of Christ which are offered upon the Altar throughout the Earth are not the very Body and Blood of Christ but only a figure or certain similitude howbeit indeed Berengarius had said nothing so To the intent Adelman may bring his Brother from this opinion he entreateth him not to depart from the Doctrine of their Master Fulbert and of
the Catholick Church Then he appealeth to the testimony of Ambrose Augustine and Hierome who never taught the Doctrine of Transubstantiation He writeth also that the very Flesh and Blood of Christ was given unto the Apostles at the first Institution and are still given unto faithful Communicants Adelman enlarged much on this subject What answer Berengarius did return to him we find not But he wrote an Epistle to Lanfrank declaring the abuses of the Sacrament and commending the Book of John Scotus upon that question Occolampad Epist l. 3. And he wrote expresly that the Body of Christ is not in the Sacrament but as in a sign figure or mystery He spake also in his Preachings against the Romish Church in the Doctrine of Marriage and necessity of Baptism And Bellarmine witnesseth that Berengarius called the Church of Rome the malignant Church the Council of vanity and the seat of Satan and he called the Pope not Pontificem vel Episcopum sed pompificem Pulpificem It happened that Lanfrank was not at home and the Convent opened the Letter of Berengarius and sent it with a Clerk of Rhemes unto Pope Leo IX The Pope summoned a Synod at Verceles Berengarius was advised not to go himself to the Synod but send some Clerks in his name to answer for him The two Clerks were clapt in Prison Scotus was condemned 200 years after his death and the Doctrine of Berengarius was condemned yet nothing done against his Person at that time because many favoured him Lanfrank pleaded for him but he was commanded by the Pope to answer him under no less pain than to be reputed as great an Heretick as he Petries Ch. Hist Cent. 11. Lanfrank following the sway of the World for afterwards he was made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by Willliam the Conquerour performed the charge Guitmund Bishop of Aversa wrote more bitterly and less truly against Berengarius Nevertheless Berengarius abode constant and was in great esteem both with the Nobility and People And therefore Pope Victor the second gave direction to the Bishops of France to take order with him The Pope's Ambassadours were present at the Council and Berengarius answered that he adhered to no particular opinion of his own but he followed the common Doctrine of the Universal Church that is saith he as the Fathers Primitive Church and Scriptures have taught This gentle answer mitigated the fury of his Adversaries yet he persisted in his own opinion and for this cause Lanfrank objected against him that he deluded the Council of Tours with general and doubtful words Du. Moul. Contr Perron li. 1. Afterwards Pope Nicholas the second hearing that he was honoured of many assembled a great Council against him at Rome of 113 Bishops where it was declared and pronounced That the Bread and Wine which is put upon the Altar after the Consecration is not only the Sacrament but also the true Body of our Lord Jesus Christ And that not only the Sacrament but the Body of the Lord is * It seems they meant sensibly sensually and in truth handled by the hands of the Priest broken and bruised by the teeth of the faithful When Berengarius with many Arguments defended that the Sacrament to speak properly was the figure of Christ 's body and Cardinal Albericus who was nominated to dispute against him could not by voice resist him Sigon de reg Ital li. 9. and neither of the two would yield unto the other Alhericus sought the space of seven days to answer in writing And at last when disputation could not prevail against him he was commanded to recant or else he must expect to be burnt They prescribed to him a form of Recantation of his errour as they called it Gratian de consecrat dist 2. The Recantation was penned by Cardinal Humbert and is registred by Gratian. Nevertheless the words of the Recantation are far from Transubstantiation These are the words so far as they concern our present purpose Massons Annal. Franc. li. 3. faithfully translated I Berengarius do consent to the Apostolick and Roman See and with my Mouth and Heart confess that the Bread and Wine laid on the Altar after the Consecration are not only the Sacrament but the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus and sensibly not only in Sacrament but in truth are handled with the hands of the Priest broken and chewed with the hands and Teeth of the faithful John Semeca the Glossator of the Decrees expresly condemneth the words of this Recantation and saith If thou understandest not the words of Berengarius soundly thou shalt fall into a greater Heresie than he did for we break not Christ 's body into pieces nisi in speciebus Usser de success Eccles Berengarius returning home returned also to his former Doctrine and wrote in defence of it Some have written that Berengarius denyed the Baptism of Infants But Arch-Bishop Vsher saith that in so many Synods held against him we never find any such thing laid to his charge Illyricus gives this Character of him Tempore Leonis noni circa 1049. Berengarius Vir pietate eruditione Clarus Andegavensis Ecclesiae Diaconus quum videret Pontificios Doctores quam plurimos ingenti fastu Transubstantiationis fundamenta sternere quod mentem Augustini aliorum Veterum non intelligerent Vid. Thevet vies des hommes Illustres li. 3. sed Sacramentales Hyperbolicas nonnullas locutiones ad novum sensum inducendum detorquerent veram sententiam ex Orthodoxo consensu repetitam his corruptelis opposuit verbo Dei Testimoniisque Veterum Theologorum refellere conatus est scriptis etiam evulgatis libris ut pii in vera Doctrinâ confirmarentur Catal. Test Verit. lib. 22. Berengarius dyed holding his first Doctrine at Tours in the Isle of St. Cosina and was buried at St. Martins where his Tomb was reared and Hildebert Bishop of Caenoman and then of Tours and made his Epitaph which William of Malmesbury hath set down And this is a part of it Quem modò miratur semper mirabitur orbis Ille Berengarius non obiturus obit Guil. Malmsb. de Gest Anglor li. 3. Quem sacrae fidei vestigia summa tenentem Huic jam quinta dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies perfida mundo Quâ dolor rerum summa ruina fuit Quâ Status Ecclesiae quâ spes quâ gloria Cleri Quâ cultor juris jure ruente ruit Post obitum secum vivam precor ac requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte suâ Platina calleth Berengarius famous for learning and holiness He was a great friend to learning Platin. in vit Joann 15. and bred many Students of Divinity at his proper charge and by means of them his Doctrine was sowed through all France and the Countries adjacent This was matter unto his adversaries to envy him the more Albeit he did waver as
Peter did and although his Doctrine was so often condemned by the Popes yet it could not be rooted out of the minds of men for Matthew Paris writeth Math. Paris Hist Anglor Math. Westm that all France was affected with this Doctrine and Matthew of Westminster at the same time saith That the Doctrine of Berengarius had corrupted all the English Italian and French Nations So that the Berengarians that is the Preachers of the true Faith which the Romanists call Heresie against the rising errours did not lurk in a Corner Sigeb Gemblac Chroni And Sigebert in his Chronicle saith that there mere many disputations among divers persons both for him and against him both by word and by writing Thuan. Hist in Epist Dedicat. Thuanus also hath noted that in Germany were many of the same Doctrine and that Bruno Bishop of Trevers banished them all out of his Diocess but sparing their Blood And John Tossington a Franciscan in his confession set forth Anno 1380. saith thus The Heretical sentence which is raised of the dreams of Berengarius affirmeth openly that all the Fathers of the Church and Doctors of the second thousand years as they speak that is who have been within 380 years have been after the loosing of Satan and the Doctrine which we saith he hold to be the Faith of the Church Usher ca. 3. concerning the blessed Eucharist they say it is not right but an errour and heresie and the tares of Satan being let loose To defend the words of the former Recantation which was given in the Synod at Lateran unto Berengarius these flatterers of the Romish Idol have devised a new distinction of oral manducation viz. That oral eating is either visible or invisible And they called the opinion of eating Christ 's flesh visibly the errour of the Capernaites and they said the eating of Christ 's flesh with the mouth invisibly was the explication of Christ But the Fathers of higher antiquity condemned all oral eating as Capernaitism neither were the Capernaites so subtle as to make such distinctions yea surely Christ would have made his correction according to their errour Mark what St. Augustine saith August Tract 27 in Johan who abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without all doubt he neither spiritually eateth Christ 's flesh nor drinketh his blood albeit carnally and visibly he with his teeth do press the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ And Tract 28. What is it They are Spirit and Life they are spiritually to be understood Understandest thou them spiritually they are Spirit and Life Understandest thou them carnally so also they are Spirit and Life but not to thee They understanding spiritual things carnally were scandalized Here St. Augustine opposeth carnal eating unto spiritual eating and he saith that carnally men eat not the flesh of Christ but the Sacrament of his flesh Philip the first succeeded his Father Henry This Henry had caused his Son Philip to be crowned King being but seven years old and gave him Baldwin Earl of Flanders for Tutor and Regent of the Realm He lived but a little time after his Son 's Coronation The King 's Minority passed quietly by the wise government of Baldwin who having accompanied his Pupil to the Age of 15 years dyeth and leaveth him his Realm in peace Baldwin left two Sons Baldwin and Robert with their Mother Richilde Then their Unckle Robert the Frison pretended the Inheritance to belong to him and supplanting his Nephews seizeth on the Earldom of Flanders and King Philip forsakes Baldwin's Children at their need forgetting the good Offices he had received from their Father Now William Duke of Normandy is received King of England and Crowned in a solemn Assembly of the English and homage is done unto him as their lawful Lord Anno 1066. He had encountred King Harold and overcome his Host in that place where afterward was builded the Abbey of Battle in Sussex The day after the Battle very early in the morning Odo Bishop of Baieux sung Mass for those that were departed being slain in the Battle Before this time Priests were forbidden to marry but could not be restrained from their liberty In the Year 1074. Pope Gregory VII otherwise Hildebrand in a Synod at Rome condemned all married Priests as Nicolaitans He directed his Bulls as they called them to Bishops Dukes and other Powers declaring every one to be no Priest that had a Wife His Bull was sent into Italy and Germany This Decree being proclaimed through all Italy he sent many Letters unto the French Bishops commanding that they should upon pain of an everlasting curse put away all the Women from the Houses of Priests But the residue of the Clergy stoutly withstood the Pope 's decree and would not agree thereunto Then there arose such a Schism in the Church that the people would not send their Priests unto the Bishops but did elect them among themselves and put them in Office without the knowledge of the Bishops And Nauclerus saith that both Priests and people did oppose the Pope 's decree and that not only in Germany but in France also Yea Gebuiler a late Papist testifieth that in those times 24 Bishops in Germany and France with their Clergy did constantly maintain the liberty of Priests marriage If other Nations had followed the like concord and constancy of these German and French Ministers the devilish decree of this Hildebrand had been avoided About this time at Nantes a Letter was presented unto a Clerk as directed from Hell in it Satan and all that fry gave thanks unto all the Popish Clergy Math. Paris Hist because they were not wanting to do their wills and pleasures and because by negligence of preaching they had sent so many souls to Hell as no Age preceding had seen so many After the death of Hildebrand Victor the third Abbot of Cassa was made Pope not by the Election of the Romans or Cardinals but was thrust in by the aid of his Harlot Mathilda and the Normans that were of his faction He being established began to defend Gregorie's pranks against the Emperour and others But the hastiness of his death shortned his malice When Gregory and Victor were dead the Bishops of Germany and France considering the calamities of the Church by that unhappy schism Avent Annal. li. 5. met at Gurstung to end the controversie There Conrade Bishop of Vtrecht made a long Oration in the Assembly The Papal party had chosen Gebhard Bishop of Salisburgh to speak in their name but when he heard the Oration of Conrade he would not open his mouth to speak on the contrary At length a Synod was convocated at Mentz whither came the Emperour the Electors and many Dukes Peter Bishop of Portua and Legate of Clemens and many Bishops of Germany and France There the faction of Hildebrand by common suffrage was condemned as contrary unto Christian piety and a decree was published
that all Christians should shun the company of those accursed persons Hildebert Arch-Bishop of Tours lived under Philip the first King of France At that time the Kings of France furnished the Churches with Pastors after the death of the Incumbent Then Hildebert approved the presentation made by the King to a certain Bishoprick of his Realm commending him in this manner I congratulate with vertue Review of the Counc of Trent p 295. that hath her reward under our King He hath found that the power of a King shines more bright by gifts and liberality than by the Scepter and that it is not sufficient for a Prince to stir up his Subjects to well-doing by Examples unless they be also provoked by rewards Hence it is that your good manners were honoured by a great Priesthood The disposition of the King was sound and prudent considering it could not better provide for the Church than by placing you in it At this time Ivo Arch-Bishop of Chartres in France after he was elected by the Clergy was presented to the same King Philip the first and received his Investiture and pastoral staff from him upon the refusal of the Arch-Bishop of Sens he was consecrated by the Pope whereat the said Arch-Bishop was highly offended insomuch that He with other Bishops at the Synod of Estampes were upon the point of revoking the said consecration made by the Pope as prejudicial to the King 's Authority See here what the same Bishop saith of it in a Letter unto Pope Vrban Moreover I give your Holiness to wit Ivo Epist 12. that the Arch-Bishop of Sens being infatuated by the Counsel of the Bishop of Paris having summoned the said Bishop of Paris and two others of the same humour viz. he of Meaux and He of Troyes did very indiscreetly accuse me this present Year because of the consecration which I had received from you saying that I had offended against the King's Majesty by attempting to receive my consecration from the See Apostolick This Vrban the second Ivo Epist 134. forbade the Bishops of France to Crown King Philip whom he had excommunicated but they were readier to obey their King 's commands than his prohibition In the Council of Clermont in France saith Matthew Paris held Anno 1094. Math. Paris in Will 2. Pope Vrban excommunicated Philip King of France And another English Authour saith Will. Malmsb. li. 4. In this Council the Pope excommunicated King Philip of France and all such as should call him their King or their Lord and which should obey him or speak unto him In like manner Ivo Bishop of Chartres speaks of them both By reason of this accusation King Philip was excommunicated by Pope Vrban at the Council of Clermont and having resumed the same Wife after he was divorsed from her he was afterwards excommunicated at the Council of Poictiers by the two Cardinals John and Bennet Notwithstanding which Excommunication he was Crowned by the Arch-Bishop of Tours in a full Assembly of other Bishops Know you therefore saith the same Bishop of Chartres in a Letter of his to Pope Vrban that contrary to the prohibition of your Legate Ivo Epist 28. ad Urban secund the Arch-Bishop of Tours hath set the Crown upon the Head of the King He speaks afterwards of the Election of a Bishop made at the same time by those who were assembled with the said Arch-Bishop In another Epistle written to the same Vrban he sheweth him how Philip had sent Ambassadours unto him with prayers in one hand and threats in the other such as these That the King and Kingdom would relinquish their obedience to him unless he did restore the King unto his Crown and absolve him from the sentence of Excommunication And afterwards he advertiseth him How the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes Sens and Tours had by injunction from the King appointed their suffragan Bishops to meet at Troyes the first Sunday after All-Saints day after he should have returned his Answer Whence we collect two things 1. That the Bishops of France did not cease to acknowledge their King nor to obey him and communicate with him notwithstanding the prohibition from the Council of Clermont 2. That they were very ready to put in Execution those threats which the Ambassadours went to make unto the Pope in case he did not condescend unto the King's pleasure The same Ivo complains of the Pope's Legate because he had chosen the City of Bloyes there to decide the cause of the Clergy of Chartres who could not repair thither with safety by reason of the populousness of that City The same Bishop having a controversie with some of his Clergy depending before the Arch-Bishop of Sens his Metropolitan intreats him to appoint a place for Judgement whither they might go and come in safety The Legate fore-mentioned having appointed a Council consisting of French Bishops to meet at Sens for the absolution of King Philip the first from the Excommunication which was darted out against him by the Pope by reason of his unlawful marriage he gives him notice that he might have done better to have proceeded to that absolution in another place than Sens Ivo Epist 166. that so every one might have had means to speak his opinion freely Idem Epist 116. The same Bishop of Chartres continuing his devotion to Pope Vrban upon the Election of an Arch-Bishop of Rhemes assureth the Pope that one was chosen who was very zealous for the See Apostolick adding afterwards No whow necessary is it for the Church of Rome to place in that See a Minister which is devout and affectionate unto her it is not for me to inform your Wisdom which knows very well that this See wears the Royal Diadem and serves for a pattern to all other Churches of France either of Ruine or Resurrection This Ivo of Chartres although he had received his Investiture from King Philip yet inasmuch as he had gotten his confirmation from Pope Vrban he was always affectionate to him and the Roman See even to the prejudice of the King and Kingdom as may be collected from some of his Epistles Lup. Epist 40. On the contrary because Lupus had gotten the Abbey of St. Peter de Ferriers in the Diocess of Sens by the donation of Charles the bald he was always loyal and even brags of it in one of his Epistles It happened that there came a French Pilgrim to Jerusalem called Peter an Hermit Tho. Fuller Hist of the holy War lib. 1. ca. 8. born at Amiens in France one of a contemptible person yet a man of a quick apprehension and eloquent Tongue and one that was counted very Religious With him Simon the Patriarch of Jerusalem often treated concerning the present miseries of the Christians under the Turks what hope of amendment and how the matter might be secretly contrived that the Princes in Europe might assist and relieve them Peter moved with the Patriarch 's perswasions the
Engine had his Head parted from his body Some conceived they saw God's finger in the Womans hand that because the greater part of his cruelty lighted on the weaker Sex for he had buried the Lady La Vaur alive respecting neither her Sex nor Nobility a Woman was chosen out to be his Executioner He dyed even then when the Pope and three Councils of Vaur Lateran and Montpelier had pronounced him Son Servant favourite of the Faith the invincible defender thereof Among other of his stiles he was Earl of Leicester in England and Father to Simon Montfort the Cataline of this Kingdom See Camden in Leicester-shire also in Worcester-shire who under pretence of curing this Land of some grievances had killed it with his Physick had he not been killed himself in the battle of Evesham in the Reign of King Henry the third Here ended the storm of open War against the Albigenses though some great drops fell afterward And the Pope grew sensible of many mischiefs in prosecuting this people with the Holy War Perin de Albigensib li. 2. ca. 4. Three hundred thousand of these croised Pilgrims lost their lives in this expedition within the space of fifteen years so that there was neither City nor Village in France but by reason hereof had Widows and Orphans cursing this expedition The Pope therefore now resolves upon a privater way namely to prosecute them by way of Inquisition The chief promoter of that War was Dominick the Authour of the Order of the Dominicans His Mother being with child of him dreamed that she had a dog vomiting fire in her Womb. Du. Moul. Contr Perron l. 7. This ignivomus Cur as one calleth him did bark at and deeply bite the poor Albigenses who put above two hundred thousand of them to death Almerick for his laziness was deposed by the Pope and John Bren was made King of Jerusalem In the beginning of his Reign this accident fell out In France a Boy for his years went about singing in his own Tongue Jesus Lord repair our loss Restore to us thy Holy Cross Numberless Children ran after him and followed the same tune their Captain and chanter did set them No bolts no bars no fear of Fathers nor love of Mothers could hold them back but they would to the Holy Land to work wonders there but this merry musick had a sad close all either perishing on Land Math. Paris p. 324. or being drown'd by Sea Mathew Paris saith it was done by the instinct of the Devil King Lewes VIII having compounded with Almery the Son of Simon Earl of Montfort for Languedoc resolves to unite this rich Province to the Crown To this end he levies a great Army fortified with cruel Edicts against the Albigenses as Hereticks and Rebels Count Reymund submits himself to Pope Honorius and yieldeth to Lewes and perswades the Earl of Cominges to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people and go to Rome leaving the poor Albigenses to the mercy of Lewes who presently subdues all Languedoc and Provence The House of Montlor one of the greatest in the County of Vivaret having followed the Albigenses party makes his peace by means of the Town of Argentiere given to the Bishop of Viviers who enjoyeth it to this day Many Families were made desolate These poor miserable people were dispersed here and there and such as remained in the Country were forced to acknowledge the Pope's Authority Lewes ordered the Marshal Foy of the house of Mirepois to command his Forces leaving the Lord of Beaujeu for Governour and Lieutenant-General of Languedoc All this mischief was contrived by the Pope who had sent his Legat into France Fox Act. monum Vol. 1. to summon a Council at Biture whither the King with six Arch-Bishops and the Bishops and Suffragans of nine Provinces repaired to the number of an hundred besides the Abbots Priors and Proctors of all the Covents of France Having dispatch'd the business of Earl Reymund and the Albigenses the event whereof hath been before declared Romanus the Pope's Legate gave leave to all Proctors of Covents and Chapters to return home only retaining with him the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots to whom he opened another part of his Commission which was to obtain of every Cathedral Church two Prebend-ships one for the Bishop the other for the Chapter And in Monasteries also after the like sort where the Abbot and Covent had divers and several portions to require two Churches one for the Abbot the other for the Covent keeping this proportion that how much should suffice for the living of one Monk so much the whole Covent should find for their part and as much the Abbot for his likewise The Clergy of France answered that the thing he enterprized could not be brought to effect without great offence taken and inestimable damage to the Church of France In conclusion when the matter came to debating with the Legat the objections of the inferiour Clergy were these following 1. They alledged the great damages and expences Math. Paris which they were like to sustain thereby by reason of the continual procurators of the Pope which in every Diocess must live not of their own but must be sustained upon the charges of the Cathredral Churches and other Churches also and many times they being but procurators will be found as Legats 2. By that means they said great perturbations might ensue to the Covents and Chapters of Cathedral Churches in their elections Forasmuch as the Pope's Agents and Factors being in every Cathedral Church and Chapter-house perchance the Pope would command him in his person to be present at their elections and so might trouble the same by delaying and deferring till it might fall to the Court of Rome to give and so should be placed more of the Pope's Clientele in the Churches of France than of the proper Inhabitants of the Land 3. By this means they affirmed that all they in the Court of Rome should be richer and receive more for their proportion than the King of the Realm by means whereof the Court of Rome would delay and drive off great suits and would scarce take any pains with small causes Thus would Justice be turned aside and poor suitors should dye at the gates of Rome and for the better speeding of their causes they thought seeing it was meet they should have friends in the Court of Rome by keeping them needy their gifts might be the sweeter and their causes sooner dispatched 4. Seeing it is impossible that the Fountain of greedy desires should be stopped it was to be feared that either they would do that by others which they were wont to do by themselves or else they should be enforced to give greater rewards than before for small gifts with great Rich Men are little regarded 5. Whereas the removing away the slander was alledged which goeth on the Court of Rome by this means rather the contrary were to be
that are absent but that it be not permitted to the Cardinals to chuse any but one out of their own Order and of those that are present in the conclave 6. If the Election be made in Rome the place the Gates and Doors of the conclave shall be well guarded The first Guards are to be kept by the Souldiers of the Pope's ordinary guards After them by the Barons of Rome and the Ambassadours of Princes who are all to be sworn in the conclave it self before it be shut up That they will keep the said guards faithfully and diligently and last of all in the nearest places to the door of the conclave by the Bishops and Conservators of the City If the Election be made out of Rome the guard of the conclave is to be made by the Temporal Lords of that place with the same formality and Oath as in Rome The Guards are to prevent any violence shall be offered to the freedom of the Cardinals Votes to observe what provisions come in that there be no Letters conveyed in them and if any such be found let them be consign'd to the Marshal to be kept till the conclave be finished That they take care that the Cardinals be not incommoded that they be all ready at their beck and in case of delay that they force them first with entreaties and afterwards with threats to hasten the Election Those who are appointed to guard the conclave are to preserve it from all violence and disturbance 7. That the Cardinals may not go out of the conclave or adjourn their Assembly to any other place for any person whatsoever the Election being ended then they may go forth if otherwise they should go out let them be forced back again by the guards of the conclave 8. That those Cardinals who come after the conclave is shut and before the Election of the Pope may enter and give their Voices as the rest And that no Cardinal can upon any occasion or pretence whatsoever although he be excommunicated avoid being present at the Election and giving his vote But all this is to be done by the consent of the whole Colledge and not of the Governour of the conclave only 9. That three days being past after their entrance into the conclave if in that time the Pope be not chosen the Prelates and Barons of Rome and such others as are deputed guards to the conclave may require an account of the Cardinals transactions within and restrain them of their variety of dishes reducing and lessening them by degrees according as they find the Election delayed 10. That in the time of the Election no person whatsoever whether Secular or Ecclesiastick is to give promise or entreat thereby to encline the hearts of the Cardinals to their private desires under pain of the Pope's Excommunication c. 11. That no person be declared or elected Pope if he hath not first two whole parts in three of the Voices of the Cardinals which are present in the conclave which Votes are to be given in secret and afterwards read publickly that all persons may take notice who is chosen 12. That after the death of the Pope all Magistrates and Ecclesiastical Offices are to cease except such as are in the persons of the Cardinals which are perpetual Which Offices are to remain unexecuted all but the Office of the chief Penitentiary and the Chamberlain 13. That there be a Governour of the conclave that he be a worthy person and of good qualifications that he be chosen by the body of the Cardinals before they enter into the conclave whose Office it shall be to give seasonable orders that things may go within as they ought to do and that the Cardinals may not want any thing convenient 14. That an Oath be given to the Cardinals to keep secret all the transactions and argumentations of the conclave relating to the Election that it be not permitted to any body to bear Arms in so sacred a place nor to revenge any injury whatsoever either with words or deeds but that they bear all things patiently and endeavour to avoid that mischief Thus Gregory being pleased with the Introduction of this form into the conclave dismissed the Council of Lyons Then he began his journey in order to his journey into Italy and refusing to pass by Florence lest he should be obliged to take off the interdiction he took his way towards Arezzo in which place he arrived fell sick and dyed Anno 1276. Afterwards when the Emperour Paleologus dyed the Grecian Priests would not that he should be buried in any consecrated place because he had consented in the Council of Lyons to an Union of the Greek and Latin Churches Papon titre de la jurisdiction temporelle art 1. Er titre de Dismes art 9. We read in an ordinance made by King Philip the third Anno 1274. that if one Lay-man sell unto another Lay-man the Tythes which he hath bought of a Clerk and there arise a suit about the price the cognisance thereof doth not belong to the Ecclesiastical Judge And it is one of the priviledges of the Gallican Church that the Pope cannot by any Proviso's about Benefices or otherwise derogate from or prejudice Lay foundations and the Rights of the Lay-patrons of the Realm There is also a decree of this King Philip dated Anno 1274. which prohibits a Bishop the granting the seizure of the moveable goods of a certain Clerk condemn'd in a personal Action considering that those Goods were not within his Episcopal Jurisdiction There is also a prohibition to Ecclesiastical Judges to cause any execution to be made of the immoveable goods of any Clerk condemn'd in a personal Action because the immoveable goods are out of his Episcopal jurisdiction According hereunto a certain Bishop of Paris was declared not to be admitted into the Court in a pretendure which he made of the power of arresting certain Moneys belonging to a Clerk inhabiting in certain Lands subject to the jurisdiction Royal and he was cast for attempting it by an Arrest of Paris Lewes the eldest Son of King Philip dyeth with apparent signs of poyson Queen Mary his Mother-in-Law and Peter de la Broche chief Chamberlain to the King and his Treasurer being the Queens favourite is accused for this Fact and being imprisoned he confesseth the crime and accuseth the Queen as having poisoned Lewes by her command La Broche also is found guilty of Treason by his Letters having given Intelligence to the King of Castile of the Estate of France being then no friend to the Crown for which he was hanged Mary denies the Fact by Oath The King for want of proof sends a Bishop and an Abbot to a Witch in Holland They at their return absolve the Queen by her report but they free her not from the jealousie of the French nor in the King's conceit Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure two learned School-men dyed Anno 1274. Lewes Bishop of Tholouse Son to
Charles the second King of Sicily and Apulia dyed also After the death of Pope Gregory X. the first conclave was in Arezzo where the Pope dyed The Guards lasted but one night for the same night the Cardinals entred they agreed to chuse Pietro Farantasio a Burgundian and Dominican Fryar Pope who took upon him the name of Innocent V. Innocent was crown'd in Rome forty days after his Election After the death of Innocent which happened in the year 1276. six months exactly after his Election Alexander V. who succeeded him being created in Rome with all the formalites of the conclave revoked the order established by Gregory concerning the affairs of the conclave though in due form it had the approbation of a general Council Divers other succeeding Popes were all created according to the order observed before the time of Gregory X. King Philip the third dyeth having reigned fifteen years and lived forty of his first Wife Isabel he had Philip and Charles remaining Philip his eldest Son was King of France after him Charles was Earl of Valois of Alanson and of Perche Father to that Philip of Valois who in his course shall succeed to the Crown Fryar John of Paris a Doctor in Divinity of the Order of predicants wrote about the year 1280. Joann Paris in Tract de potest Regia Papal in pro. In his Tract of the Royal and Papal power he saith I am of opininion that truth it self hath made a medium here namely that it is not utterly impossible that Clergy-men have Dominion and Jurisdiction in Temporal matters but yet it belongs not unto them by reason of their profession and as Christ's Vicars and the Apostles successors but is convenient for them to have it by the grant and permission of Princes if so be they have bestowed it upon them out of devotion or if they have got it by other means And in the eighth Chapter he sets down this conclusion Whence it appears that seeing Christ as Man had no power nor jurisdiction in Temporal matters the Priest be what he will hath not received any power over them from Christ inasmuch as he did not give unto them what he had not in himself Philip the fair now King of France was advised by the Princes and French Barons not to suffer the Pope to make any Ordinances belonging unto his Kingdom Du. Tillet en Padvis sur les libertez del eglise Gallicane p. 5. without the Council of him and his nor any new and unwonted thing to be brought in thither So saith Mr. John du Tillet in his advice concerning the Liberties of the Gallican Church And it is the very counsel which Eudeas Duke of Burgundy gave him which is yet to be seen in the Treasury of Chartres This King loved Justice and Learning wherein he was well instructed for that Age. His Wife Joan builded in her name that goodly Colledge of Navarr Peter Morone an Hermit was chosen Pope and assumed the name of Celestine V. a Pope little practised in politick or Ecclesiastick affairs The Cardinals in short time by reason of the many errours that he fell into by his insufficiency for the Popedom made several Instances to him that he would spontaneously be pleased to renounce the Papacy and not expose the Church to so many perils Hereunto they were stirred up by the instigation of Benedetto Gaetano who was afterwards Boniface VIII Who was a Cardinal of great Learning and Experience but so extreamly ambitious of the Papacy that he left no Stone unturn'd to compass his designs And because he saw he might easily bring it about if Celestine would renounce he perswaded Celestine to resign laying it to him as a scruple of conscience telling him that at the day of Judgement it would be imputed to him if any ill did happen to the Church Gaetano likewise suborned some of Celestine's friends to make an hole corresponding with that part of the chamber in which the Pope's bed stood from whence they cryed all night long with a most dismal voice as if it had been the Judgement of Heaven Celestine Celestine lay down the Popedom for it is a charge too great for your abilities Celestine hereupon resigneth the Papacy in the sixth Month after his creation and returned to the Cell from whence he came The same day in which Celestine renounced the Cardinals without the form of the conclave chose the said Gaetan with open Votes He being declared Pope and having assumed the name of Boniface VIII began his Reign with so much insolence and Tyranny that in a short time he gain'd the Title of Nero II. A great Assembly meet in the City of Gramont Anno 1296. Where Adolph the Emperour Edward King of England the Duke of Austria John Duke of Brabant the Earl of Juliers and his Son John Earl of Holland and Henuault Robert Earl of Nevers William Henry and Guy of Flanders unanimously resolve to make War against King Philip. The colour was to maintain Guy Earl of Flanders unjustly afflicted by Philip who had violently taken and stoll'n away his Daughter and detained her against the right of Nations refusing to restore her to her Father It was decreed that Guy should begin by force and be well seconded by the Emperour and the English But before they come to Arms Pope Boniface should make the first point by the lustre of his Authority This Pope commandeth Philip by his Nuncio to restore to the English and Flemmings what they demanded and for not obeying he cites him to appear at Rome upon pain of Excommunication Philip sends an honourable Embassage to Rome by the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and the Earl of St. Paul to lay open his right against the Deputies of the King of England and the Earl of Flanders who were then at Rome to complain as being wronged All parties being heard Boniface decreeth that Philip should yield unto Edward and to Guy all they demanded both in Guienne and Flanders charging the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes to signifie this Bull unto the King upon pain of Excommunication for not obeying Philip being undaunted prepares to defend himself invades Flanders and defeats the Flemmings seizeth upon all Flanders and the Earl of Flanders is forsaken by his confederates Guy with his children and followers are imprisoned in sundry places in France under sure guards Philip getting Flanders and uniting it to the Crown of France He comes to Gaunt where he is received as their Soveraign appointing James of Chastillon Lord of Leuse and Condè for Governour and Lieutenant-General and so returneth to Paris The people of Flanders being oppressed revolt from Philip. All the Cities Gaunt excepted make an offensive and defensive League against King Philip and for their Earl's delivery At Bruges the French are slain by their Hosts The Nobility joyn with the people Philip prepares an Army of 40000 Men but even at his entry into Flanders returns again His sudden retreat incensed this mutinous people more
and gave courage to their Commanders Philip seeing his Errour raiseth another Army of 40000 men and puts them under the command of Robert Earl of Artois accompanied with the Constable of France and many other great Personages Century XIV THe Armies forementioned meet near unto the Town of Courtray in a place called Groeming The French were defeated Of this great Army there hardly escaped three hundred not one Commander escaped and very few Noble-men There were taken Robert Earl of Artois General of the Army the Constable of France James of Chastillon Governour of Flanders John King of Majorca Godfrey of Brabant and his Son the Lord of Viezon the Earls of Ewe la March Damartin Aumale Auge Tankerville and many other great Personages Twelve hundred Gentlemen were slain by this enraged Multitude All Flanders now revolted from the French This happened in the Year 1302. on July 11. John of Namour is their Governour in the absence of their imprisoned Earl All the threats of the King of England and the Emperour now vanished away only Pope Boniface had Excommunicated King Philip and interdicted his Realm in the hottest of these Flemmish affairs upon this occasion The Christians Estate was lamentable in the East the Tartarians encreased daily The Pope Anno 1301. sent Boniface Bishop of Apamea unto King Philip requiring him to go into the Holy Land When the Bishop saw no appearance of obedience he threatned the King that the Pope would deprive him of his Kingdom Whereupon the Bishop being charged of Arrogancy and Treason and cast into Prison the Pope sends to him again one Peter a Roman born Arch-Bishop of Narbon commanding him to set the Bishop at liberty and to take a Voyage against the Infidels and not to meddle with the Tenths of the Clergy Philip answered his troubles at home hindred him from going into the East and constrained him to impose a Subsidy upon the Clergy and he was willing to dismiss the Bishop The Arch-Bishop replyed that he was ignorant of the Pope's Authority who was not only the Father of Christian Souls but also Soveraign Lord in Temporal things And therefore by that Authority he did excommunicate him declaring him unworthy to reign and his Realm forfeited to the Pope to invest whom he pleased Moreover he brought another Bull directed to the Prelates and Noblemen of France whereby he acquitted all French-men and dispensed with them as to their Oath of Allegiance to Philip. And cited all the Prelates and Divines of the French Church to appear before him at Rome disanulling all indulgences and priviledges granted to the French by any Popes his predecessours The Earl of Artois disdaining this affront takes the Bull and casts it into the fire Philip was so born out by the Peers of France that when he demanded their advice how he should demean himself and whether he should put up that wrong they answered That they were ready not only to spend their goods which they there wholly offered unto him for that end but also to expose their persons even to death for him not refusing any torments Adding further and that more plainly by word of mouth That if the King which God forbid would suffer it or connive at it yet for their parts they would never endure it Mr. John Tillet Bishop of Paris speaking of this Fact in his French Chronicle The impudence of this man saith he of Boniface was wonderful who durst affirm that the Realm of France was a Benefice of the Papal Majesty But I think them saith he the greater fools who dispute the point whether the Pope hath this power or no he put our France under an Interdict for the time but the Bishops took the King's part King Philip appealed from the usurpations and insolencies of Boniface VIII to the See Apostolick then vacant as he said and to a future Council as Platina saith in his Life Platina in Bonifac 8. The States of France disanulled Boniface's excommunication Boniface by a glosing Letter of his written unto the Bishops endeavoureth to make them approve his unjust proceedings against King Philip where he saith among other things Those who hold that Temporal matters are not subject to spiritual do not they go about to make two Princes He complains also of the Parliament holden at Paris where it was enacted saith he by under-hand and begged voices that none should appear before him upon the summons of the See Apostolick Math. Westm li. 2. sub Ann. 301. He complains also of the Report which was made to that Assembly by Mr. Peter Flotte whom he calleth Belial half blind in body and quite in understanding This was the man who being sent in Embassage to him by King Philip to that saying of his we have both the one power and the other made this reply in behalf of his Master yours is verbal but ours is real This Pope will have it necessary to salvation to believe that all the faithful people of Christ are subject to the Pope of Rome and that he hath both the swords and that he judgeth all men and is judged of none This Boniface was the Authour of the sixth book of the Decretals King Philip sends back the Pope's two Nuncio's to Rome and forbids the Prelates of France to go or send any Money to Rome This being done Philip raiseth new forces to return into Flanders and subdueth the Flemmings but by the instance of John Duke of Brabant he makes peace with them upon strict conditions During this Treaty Guy Earl of Flanders and his Daughter do both dye Robert William and Guy Brethren the Sons of the Earl Guy of Flanders were freed with all the Prisoners Isabel the Daughter of Philip is married to Edward the second King of England This War of Flanders had wasted above three hundred thousand French-men in eleven years during the which it continued Adolph was deposed from the Empire by a Decree of the Electors and Albert of Austria was seated in his place who pursuing him with War slew him with his own hand in an encounter near unto Spire Albert being chosen and installed Emperour Boniface presently seeks to win him against King Philip. He proclaims him Emperour and invests him King of the Realm of France giving him both the Title and Arms and taking occasion to sow division in the heart of the Realm by means of the Clergy who by reason of their Revenues had great power in the State He also wrote Letters to Philip in this manner Boniface Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to Philip King of French-men Fear God and observe his Commandmens We Will thee to understand that thou art subject unto us both in Spiritual things and in Temporal and that it belongeth not to Thee to give any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserve the profits of them to the Successours If Thou hast given any we judge thy gift to be void and do revoke
France being gathered together do offer most devout kissings of your blessed Feet We are compelled with sorrow to signifie unto your Holiness that our most dear Lord Philip by the Grace of God the noble King of France Fox Act Monum Tom. 1. p. 453. 454. when we saw the Letters sealed and sent to him of late on your behalf by the Cardinal of Narbo your Notary and by him were presented to him and certain others of his Barons upon the perusing of these bloody Letters being read unto them sitting by him both our Lord the King and the Barons were highly incensed Then the King commanded to be called before him the other Barons then absent and us also to appear personally c. Being all thus called and come together we stood before the King this Wednesday being the tenth of this present April in St. Mary's Church in Paris There our Lord the King told us that it was signified to him among other things by the aforesaid Cardinal and Letters that for his Kingdom which he and his Ancestors hitherto do acknowledge they hold of God only now ought in Temporal things to be subject unto you and hold of you And ye have called to appear before you the Prelates and Clergy of the said Realm for the correcting of such wrongs as ye pretend to be done to Ecclesiastical persons both Regular and Secular abiding within the Realm and elsewhere c. Ye are charged also for reserving and wilful ordering of Arch-Bishopricks Bishopricks and bestowing of great Benefices of the Realm upon Strangers whereby the decay of God's Worship hath ensued the pious wills of the godly Founders are defrauded of their godly purpose the poor of this Realm are without their accustomed Alms the Realm is impoverished and the Church is in danger of Ruine the Churches being unserved whilst the Prophets are taken away the fruits of those that serve them being given unto strangers Also He complained of new Taxes laid upon the Churches with unmeasurable exactions by which the general State of the Church is changed c. Therefore he required us all both Prelates and Barons to ordain wholesome things for the easing of the aforesaid grievances and for redressing the Realm and the French Church and therefore we should regard to be ready with counsel to help in season as we are bound by the duty of fidelity in these things Then the Barons having debated together on these matters coming to our Lord the King and thanking him for his laudable purpose answered with one voice that for those things they were not only ready to offer to spend their goods but also to yield their persons unto death adding that if the King would suffer these things yet they would not Then our answer being demanded we said that we would not offend against the liberty of the Realm nor by any means innovate things contrary to the King's honour in that behalf We exhorted him to keep the bond of Vnity which hath continued until now betwixt the Holy Romish Church and his predecessours but when we were told that if any Man were of a contrary mind from thenceforth he should be manifestly counted an Enemy of the King and the Realm we answered that we would help our Lord the King with due counsel and Aid for the preserving of his person and of the Laws and Liberties of the said Realm like as we are certain of us by the duty of Allegiance bound to him which hold of him Dukedoms Earldoms Baronies Fees c. by the form of the Oath as all others do Yet we requested the King that seeing we were bound to obey your Holiness he would suffer us to go according to the Tenour of your aforesaid calling Then it was answered on the behalf of the King and Barons that in no case they would suffer us to go out of the Realm Then we considering of so great an anger and trouble so jeopardous and also what things are attempted against Churches and Church-men to spoil their Goods and Riches with jeopardy of life seeing that the Laity do now abhor the obedience of Clerks and have taken courage to condemn the Ecclesiastical censure and process c. We thought good in this point of greatest necessity to run with sighs and tears to the Wisdom of your Holiness beseeching your Fatherly mildness that some wholesome remedy may be provided in the premisses by which the sound profitable agreement and mutual love which hath continued so long a time betwixt the Church the King and the Realm may be maintained in that old sweet Concord the State of the French Church may continue in godly and quiet peace and that ye would vouchsafe to foresee how to withstand the dangers and offences aforesaid that we and our States may be provided for by the aforesaid Commandement of your calling by the study of your Apostolical Wisdom and Fatherly Live The Almighty preserve your Holiness to his Holy Church a long time In the next year viz. 1304. about the Nativity of our Lady came a number of Harnessed Souldiers well appointed sent partly by the French King partly by the Cardinals of Columna whom the Pope before had deposed unto the Gates of Arvagium or Anagni where the Pope had hid himself There Sciarra Colonna Brother to the aforesaid Cardinals after many affronts done to his person and those that were about him and the plundering him of all his Wealth and Riches carryed him to Rome where at the end of 35 days he dyed of Anger in the ninth year of his Pontificate so that some took occasion to say he entred like a Fox governed like a Lyon and dyed like a Dog he dyed October 11. The Cardinals went into the conclave the 21 of the same Month and the next morning they elected the Cardinal d'Ostia called Fra. Nicholas di Treviso of the order of the preachers who took upon him the name of Benedict II. but he dyed in Perugia in the eighth month of his Pontificate in which City the whole Court being at that time it was resolved a new Pope should be chosen but they trifled away their time in disputes and clamours for two months The reason was the Cardinals were divided into three factions one stuck close to Charles King of Naples who would have a Pope according to his way another was for the principal Barons of Rome and a third stood firm to the interest of Philip King of France who had sent no small sums of Money and other presents to Cardinal Pietro Colonna to the end that with James his Uncle a Cardinal of the same name they might keep up the interest of France At length Cardinal Peter corrupted such with his gold as he knew were covetous of it feeding them on with promises besides so that part of the Cardinals being fast in those Chains and part of them intimidated with the threats of the Perugians now in Arms Cardinal Colonna proposing the Bishop of Burdeaux who
was a great lover of the King of France he was chosen by common consent and a Courier sent post to him who was then at his Bishoprick to know what name he would carry he replyed he would not change the name he was baptized with which was Clement and so he was published accordingly to the people and called Clement the fifth After publication in the usual place the Cardinals dispatched several messengers to the new Pope to entreat him to hasten his Journey into Italy Il. Cardinalismo p. 234. But the Pope being instructed by the King of France made answer that the Flock was to follow the Shepherd and not the Shepherd the Flock commanding the Cardinals immediately to repair to him in France and particularly in the City of Poictiers as they also did This Clement was the first of seven French Popes which held the See one after another unto Vrban VI. under whom the Italians recovered it again with much trouble These seven Popes were Clement V. John XXII Benedict XII Clement VI. Innocent VI. Vrban V. Gregory XI Clement V. being chosen Pope he came to Lyons where King Philip received him accompanied with the Kings of England and Arragon in great pomp The Pope was on Horseback and the King with his two Brethren on Foot holding the Reigns of his Horse He was crowned in the Temple of St. Justus where they had built a great Theatre for so goodly a spectacle But the press of people was so great that the Scaffold brake so that the multitude sell one upon another The Pope King Princes and Noble-men were all on an heap and the Scaffold fastned to an old Wall pulled it down The King was hurt in the Head the Pope in the Foot and the Duke of Britain slain with many Noble-men and multitudes of the common people that were smothered under these ruines The Pope's Crown fell from his Head into the press where he lost a Carbuncle valued at six thousand florins of Gold Thus this feast gave no cause of joy but was famous to posterity by this notable accident and by the translation of the Pope's seat from Rome to Avignon Anno 1305. unto the year 1379. under Vrban VI. viz. the space of seventy four years This unlucky pomp being ended Clement created many French Cardinals and not one Italian and removed the Court presently to Avignon He avouched openly to keep a Concubine the Daughter of Count de Fuxa he sent three Cardinals with Senatorial power to govern Rome and Italy He ordained that none should use the Title or exercise the power of Emperour until he were confirmed by the Pope In the year 1307. a Parliament was summoned against Pope Clement by King Philip touching temporal jurisdiction belonging to Princes and Ecclesiastical belonging to the Church Forasmuch as Pope Clement V. extolled himself above all Princes as in other Countries so also in France he extended his usurped jurisdiction above the Princely Authority of the King claiming to himself full government of both the States as well Secular as Ecclesiastical the King therefore directeth his Letters mandatory to the Prelates and Barons of the Realm of France to assemble themselves together at Paris in the Year afore-mentioned in the beginning of December At the day specified in those Letters the Prelates and Clergy assembled themselves before the King at his palace in Paris Fox Act Monum li. 2. p. 461. 462. where after due reverence done unto the King there sitting in his own person with his Barons and Council about him a certain wise and noble Lord Peter de Cugneriis one of the King's Council stands up and makes an Oration before the Parliament in the King's behalf His Oration is divided into two parts 1. He sheweth that obedience and reverence is due unto the King 2. That there ought to be a difference betwixt the jurisdiction of the Clergy and Laity so that spiritual matters should be defined and ordered by the Prelates and spiritual men and Temporal causes ruled and determined by the King his Barons and Temporal men All which he proved by many reasons both of Fact and Law Articles against the Clergy of France His Oration being ended he repeated certain words in the French Tongue which imported that the King's Will and pleasure was in some points to renew the Temporal State and jurisdiction and therewith he exhibited a certain Bill in French whereof also he gave a Copy to the Prelates containing sixty five Articles which may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 462. 463. 464. 465. After he had spoken the Prelates required to have time to answer thereunto whereupon the Friday next ensuing was appointed for the same on the which day the Bishop Edven and the Arch-Bishop of Senon Elect in the name of the whole Clergy answered for them all be-before the King holding his Parliament on that day at Vicenas They endeavour to prove that both the Temporal and Spiritual jurisdictions are compatible notwithstanding the distinction of them one from the other Then they proâ—â—â—d to prove that a person Ecclesiastical which hath Jurisdiction Spiritual may also have Temporal jurisdiction and that the Jurisdictioâ— Temporal may be in an Ecclesiastical person they alledge for this the example of Melchisedeck who was both King and Priest and of Samuel who was both Priest and Prophet and for a long time appointed Judge over the people in Temporal matters They assert also that Christ by his humane nature had both powers shewing that he was a Priest after the order of Melchisedeck and that he had both in his vesture and on his Thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Many other places they cite out of the new Testament Then they offer to prove it by the Civil Law and by reason and many places in the Canon Law they shew what priviledges of this nature had been granted to the Clergy by Charles the Great King of France by Lewes the second and by other Kings of France which priviledges they offered to shew Moreover they assert that whatsoever things be offered up to the Church and are converted to the dominion and property of the same be God's and appertain unto him forasmuch as they be said to be dedicated and sanctified by him But this jurisdiction which is diversly converted to the Dominion and property of the French Church is God's and therefore to be reserved to and for him They urge the King to consider that at what time he was crowned he sware only these things following 1. That he would defend and maintain the Canonical Law priviledge and Justice granted to the Bishops and the Church and as much as in him lay to enlarge and amplifie the same 2. Also that by his Arbitriment all Christian people at all times should keep the true peace of God and his Church 3. That he should forbid to all Nations all kinds of sacriledges spoilings and iniquities and that in
third was that the Pope could not give general licence to hear confessions so but that the Parishoner so confessed was bound to reiterate the same confession made unto his own Curate Which he proved by divers places of the Canon Law The fourth opinion was that the Fryars by the Licence of the Pope and of the Bishops might lawfully hear confessions and the people might be of them confessed and absolved But yet notwithstanding it was just honest and profitable that once in the year they should be confessed to the Curates although confessed before to the Fryars because of the admininistration of the Sacraments especially at Easter of which opinion was William de monte Landuno The fifth opinion was that albeit the Fryars might at all times and at Easter also hear confessions as the Curates did yet it was safer at the time of Easter to confess to the Curates than to the Fryars And of this opinion was Richard of Armagh Arch-Bishop and Primate of Ireland In the time of Pope Clement VI. John King of France invented the Sect and Order of those Monks Sympson Eccles Hist p. 391. which are called Stellati whose manner is always to wear a star upon their Breast signifying thereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the clear shining of good works yea that they themselves are the light of the World Item That they shall rise again at the last day all shining and glistering as the most clear and pleasant stars according as it is written Dan. 12.3 They that turn many unto Righteousness shall be as the stars for ever and ever After the death of Pope Clement VI. succeeded Innocent VI. before whom the aforesaid Richard of Armagh published nine Articles against the begging Fryars This Pope builded Walls about Avignon and founded an house of Carthusian Monks without the City Pope Vrban V. succeeded him Anno 1364. Nicholas Orem made a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinals on Christmas-even in which he rebuketh the Prelates and Priests of his time declaring their destruction not to be far off by certain signs taken of their wicked and corrupt life He proveth the Popish Clergy to be so much worse than the old Synagogue of the Jews by how much it is worse to sell the Church and Sacraments than to suffer Doves to be sold in the Church In the year 1370. Peter Belfort of Lemousin who took the name of Gregory XI was created likewise at Avignon who thought good to transfer the Apostolical Chair from Avignon back again to Rome a thing almost incredible for so many French Popes succeeding one another they had so weakned the Italian party that there were scarce any Italian Cardinals among them all and of the French there were more than twenty Several reasons are alledged to have moved Gregory to this resolution but particularly these following The first was that he saw all Italy in Arms not only by the Wars betwixt Venice and Genoa but by a resolution several Cities had taken to shake off the yoke of their servitude and re-establish themselves in a state of Liberty which he believing to be occasioned by the absence of the pilot from the Vessel of Rome he began to think of resettling his pontifical residence in Italy The second was That one day reprehending a certain Bishop his familiar that he left the Bishoprick to follow the Court the Bishop confidently replyed And you who are Pope of Rome why are you in France Hist of Cardin. part 3. lib. 1. Why are you so long from the place where your Church doth lye Others will have it that a Letter from St. Bridget whom the Pope lookt upon as a true Saint contributed much in which she advised him as from God to return to Rome He gave order for twenty Galleys to be ready in the Rhone pretending to go somewhither else with them because he suspected that the French who had so much advantage by the residence of his Court in France would obstruct it if they had the least notice of his removing the See to Rome But indeed they took not the least Alarum at all the preparations which were made as not imagining that a French Pope would put such an affront upon his Nation So that they had no notice of it till the Pope was at Sea being passed as far as Genoa and from Genoa to Cornetto where being weary of his Galleys he made the rest of his Voyage by Land and being arrived at Rome he began to apply fit Medicines and specifical to the maladies of Italy But he dyed Anno 1280. of a great distemper in his Bladder after he had sate six years in France and five in Italy It is reported that at the hour of this Pope's Death the palace of the Pope at Avignon was set on fire and could not be quenched Bale's Pageant of Pope's till the greatest part thereof was burnt Afterwards ensued the greatest schism and division that ever hapned in the Popedom King John dyed Anno 1364. to whom succeeded his Son Charles the fifth of that name King John dyed in England for the French King had an earnest desire to see the King of England again because he had so honourably entertained him whilst he was his prisoner So he went and was entertained very Royally But shortly after he fell sick and dyed at London His Body was conveyed over into France and buried in the Town of St. Denis the King of Cyprus being present at his Funerals Charles V. called the Wise was crowned at Rhemes together with his Wife the Daughter of Peter Duke of Bourbon He made his younger Brother Philip Duke of Burgundy who had been prisoner with his Father in England Many Lords in Gascoign revolted from Prince Edward unto the French King Prince Edward after his great victories had carried himself roughly toward the Noble-men his Subjects But the French King besides his excellent Wisdom was also gentle and courteous insinuating himself into the affections of all men The Duke of Anjou marching with his forces from Tholouse easily recovered all the Towns and holds that were pertaining to the English in those quarters The King of England lost all his whole Seignory of Gascoign the people partly rebelling and partly yielding themselves willingly to his enemy Poictiers also yieldeth to the French The men of Rochel yield also unto the French King Charles dyed of poison taken long before He was a Prince so wise and politick Frossard's chronic in Charl. V. Anno 1380. that fitting in his Gown at Paris in ease and quietness he recovered many things by counsel and policy which his predecessours had lost in the field to their Enemies And among other vexations which hapned to King Edward at his last Voyage that he intended into Britain for the rescue of his men besieged when he was forced back by the extremity of Weather this one thing troubled him above the rest that he must make war
with such an enemy as never bare Arms nor came into the field it is reported that he said he never dealt with any enemy which used so little armour and put him to so much trouble For King Charles after he came to the Crown never put on Armour himself but managing all his affairs by Wisdom and policy committed the execution thereof to his Brothers In the time of Charles V. a Book was written in France called The Vergers Dream Review of the Counc of Trent lib. 6. ca. 6. first in Latin then translated in French by his command In the seventh and eighth Chapter whereof the Clergy-man and the Knight confer together on this wise I call saith the Clerk and account the Decrees and Decretals of the Holy Fathers of Rome to be good Law which oblige every true Christian as a Subject and Son of a Holy Church our Mother To whom the Knight replyeth If the terms of Rome be Decrees or Decretals Ordinals or Constitutions touching the Temporal affairs of Kings Princes or other Secular Lords you Clerks among your selves shall call and account them Law if you please But the truth is That no Man can establish or ordain any thing where he hath no power nor Authority So as the King of France hath no power to make a Law or Ordinance to bind or tye the Empire so neither can the Laws of the Emperour bind the King of France and his Subjects And a little after I hold it therefore a frivolous thing and very ridiculous that the Holy Father should make any Decree Decretal or constitution about Temporal matters In the thirteenth years of the aforesaid Charles V. Charles IV. Emperour of Germany came into France by Cambray to do certain pilgrimages at St. Denis and elsewhere and so was conveyed with honourable men unto St. Quintin and from thence to Paris Mathias a Bohemian abode a long time in Paris and was called Pariensis he wrote a large Treatise of Antichrist in which he proveth that the Pope is the Antichrist He inveigheth against the Clergy for negligence in their callings and calleth them the Locusts mentioned in the Revelation He complains that every City and almost each man had his proper Saint or Saviour besides Christ the Images and Reliques that are set up in Churches to be adored he calleth the Invention of Antichrist He saith the worship of God is not tyed to persons places nor times he rebuketh the Cloysterers for contemning the Lay-men and calling themselves the only Religious he refuteth the merit of works and calleth them the cause of salvation sine quâ non In the end he prophesied Catal. Test Verit That God will once again send Godly preachers who in the zeal of Elias will openly disclose Antichrist unto the eyes of all the world After the death of Pope Gregory the Church began to be miserably torn with new schismes which began to arise betwixt the French and Italian Cardinals each Nation choosing it's own Pope and in it's own manner The French not able to digest the affront they received from Gregory in transporting the See from France into Italy departing privately from Rome they removed to Fondi and being arrived there they used many invectives and Satyrs against Vrban VI. whom they had already with the Italian Cardinals elected in Rome They pretended that they were forced to it by the people of Rome otherwise it was never their intention to make an Italian Pope For these reasons the Chair in their Judgements being vacant by the favour of Joan Queen of Sicily who was their friend Il. Cardinalismo part 3. lib. 1. they chose another Pope one Roberto a Cardinal with the Title of the Holy Apostles He was of Geneva and particularly of the Antient Family of the Conti in that City he took upon him the name of Clement VII From Fondi Clement removed with his Cardinals to Avignon where he was obeyed by the French and Spaniard These disputes lasted long the Legitimate Pope at Rome and and the Anti-Pope at Avignon firing their Bulls upon one another and sending them forth into all parts of the World The adherents of both sides set forth several defamatory Libels calling one another Schismatick Heretick Tyrant Thief Traytor Wicked Sower of Sedition Son of Belial and such like Stuff of which there are two Treatises extant at this day one of them written by Dr. John de Ligni in favour of Vrban against Clement and the other by the Abbot of St. Vast in favour of Clement against Vrban Whilst Clement was contriving which way to remove the Pope who resided in Rome he dyed Anno 1392. and was buried in Avignon He being dead Boniface IX who was Pope at that time in Rome writ a Fatherly Letter to the French Cardinals exhorting them to desist from their Schism and return to their obedience to the Holy Mother the Church of which he was he said the lawful Head But the French laughing as it were at such perswasions chose a successour to Clement which was Pietro della Luna who took the name of Benedict XIII who had argued very much in Clement's justification and that was the principal point upon which he was chosen by the Cardinals who concluded that he who defended another's cause with such ardour would doubtless more vehemently defend his own Whilst this Anti-Pope had his residence in Catalonia in the Castle of Paniscola administring the Sacramentss and conferring of dignities He was condemned together with the Cardinals which elected him by the Authority of a general Council Afterwards he assembled a Council at Perpignan where he created several Cardinals and commanded them after his death to follow his orders which were to choose another Pope without losing of time which they did For this Anti-Pope being dead at Paniscola the Cardinals chose one Giles Mungot a Chanon of Barcelona in his place calling him Clement IX who at the Instance of King Alphonso created Cardinals forthwith and began to Act in every thing as the true Popes use to do But afterwards upon Pope Martin the fifth's accomodation with King Alphonso Giles being commanded renounced the rights of the Papacy and was declared Bishop of Majorca and the Cardinals which he had created were likewise forced to renounce their Cardinalitial dignity Charles VI. succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of France at the Age of 12 years he was crowned in the year 1380. married in 1384. he falls into a Phrensie Anno 1393. and dyes Anno 1422. Charles the Wise left two Sons viz. this Charles VI. and Lewes Duke of Orleans And Charles VI. had three Sons Lewes John and Charles and one Daughter named Katherine These three Sons were Daulphins one after another in their Father's Life And Katherine was married to Henry V. afterwards King of England a mournful gage of an horrible confusion for this Realm Century XV. CHarles VI. having called a Council at Paris to consult about the schism which then was in the Popedom
wont to be in Battles with the sound of Trumpets and noise of Horsemen When two Armies joyn some cursing that which Panormitan went about others allowing the same Then Nicholas Amici a Divine of Paris said Panormitan I appeal from this your conclusion to the judgement of the Council here present neither do I affirm any thing to be ratified which you have done as I am ready to prove if it shall seem good Many grave and Antient men exhorted Panormitan to give over his conclusion But neither the Fathers of the Council were determined to depart without a conclusion neither was Panormitan minded to alter his intent and purpose Then Thomas Rhedon a French Carmelite was a famous Preacher he preached in England France and Italy and in his Sermons said Rome is the mother of Abominations the Church hath great need of reformation Prelates should leave their pride and luxury and follow the example of Christ and his Apostles For such preaching he was burnt at Rome by the command of Pope Eugenius Mantuan de vit beat ca. ult Baptista Mantuan speaking of this man's Death saith Ah mad envy what doest thou Thou hast not killed him for his Soul cannot dye but by hurting his Earthy body he is the sooner partaker of Eternal Life Stephen Brulifer a Doctor of Sorbon and a Franciscan taught in his Lectures and maintained in disputes that neither the Pope nor Council can make any Statute or Article to bind the Conscience of a Christian Fascicul rerum expet fol. 164. that all their Authority consists in urging of obedience unto God's word in preaching it and administring the Sacraments which he hath instituted so that they bring nothing without his command He called justification by merits a devilish Doctrine since the Lamb of God was sacrificed and hath satisfied God's Justice for us The Doctors of Sorbon would not suffer him among them But he went to Diether Bishop of Mentz which had been deposed for speaking against the Avarice of Rome and was restored Antonius de Rosellis was a famous Reader of the Laws at that time and writ several Treatises against the Pope About this time lived also Wesselus Gantsfort a Master in the University of Paris Petries Church Hist Cent. 15. who for his free speaking and writing was forced to return to Groning his Native Countrey Then he lived in the Monastery of St. Agnes Hill near Swol where he taught many young men and had correspondence with sundry Learned men Charles VII dyed July 22. Anno 1461. Lewes XI his eldest Son succeedeth him in the Kingdom The late King Charles willing to follow the Council of Basil had summoned a Parliament at Bitures where by the full consent of all the States in France both Spiritual and Temporal a certain constitution was decreed and published called the Pragmatick Sanction wherein was comprehended briefly the pith of all the Canons and Decrees concluded in the Council of Basil of which constitution I hinted before The same the said King Charles commanded to be observed and ratified inviolably throughout all his Realm for the Honour and increase of Christian Religion for ever Now King Lewes XI successour to Charles had promised before being Daulphin unto Pope Pius the second called before Aeneas Sylvius that if ever he came to the Crown the aforesaid Pragmatick Sanction should be abolished Pope Pius hearing him to be crowned sent unto him John Balveus a Cardinal with his Letters Patent willing him to be mindful of his former promise The King hereupon directed the Pope's Letters Patent with the said Cardinal to the Council of Paris requiring them to consult upon the cause The matter being proposed in the Parliament-house the King's Attorney named Joannes Romanus a learned and eloquent Man proved the said Sanction to be profitable good and necessary for the wealth of the Realm and in no case to be abolished Unto whose sentence the University of Paris adjoyning their consent Du. Tillet en son advis sur les libertez de l'Eglise Gallic did appeal from the attempts of the Pope to the next general Council The Cardinal fretting thereat returned to the King his purpose being not obtained And the same King Lewes Anno 1463. to secure himself from the censures of the said Pope with the advice of his Parliament ordained an Arrest that the Cardinal of Constance should be punished because he had resisted the Rights and Authorities of the King saith Mr. John du Tillet King Lewes XI caused a Council of the Gallican Church and all the Universities to be assembled in the City of Orleans to be more fully informed in the business of the Pragmatick Sanction at which Peter Duke of Burbon Lord of Beaview presided instead of the King And the Court of Parliament in those Remonstrances which they made unto King Lewes among other inconveniences which they urged would follow upon the abrogation of the Pragmatick Sanction say By this means Strangers would be preferred by the Pope and not the Natives of the Countrey wherein the Benefices lye not of the same qualities and conditions with the Countrey Whereupon would ensue questions and controversies betwixt the Church-men or Seculars to the great hinderance of salvation of Souls and irreverence of the blessed Sacraments The Parliament of Paris in the Remonstrance made by Lewes XI touching the defence of the Pragmatick Sanction hath inserted this Article Item It belongeth to our Soveraign Lord the King who is the principal Founder Guardian Protector of the Liberties of the Gallican Church when she suffers in her Liberties Remonstr de la cour de Parlem de Paris Art 3. to assemble and call together the Prelates and other Clergy-men as well within this Realm as of Daulphinè and in the same Assembly and Congregation of the Gallican Church so called together there to preside and provide a remedy against such attempts as may be prejudicial to the said Liberties We find an Ordinance made relating to Abbeys Bishopricks and Benefices by the same King Anno 1464. which runs in this strain Howbeit that by Priviledges Express and Ordinances Royal no Man can have any Elective Benefice within our said Kingdom and Daulphinè it concerns us much that the Bishopricks Abbeys and other Dignities and elective benefices be furnished with able and known Men such as will comply with us and be firm and sure for us especially such as hold the said Benefices and by reason of them divers places and Fortresses for which divers duties and services belong unto us from them Yet notwithstanding our late pious Father granted the said favour and Patents so plentifully and to all manner of Persons of what Nation Kingdom or Religion soever they were without distinction that many under shadow and pretence of these Licences and Patents have insinuated and intruded themselves into the said Dignities and elective Benefices of our said Kingdom and do hold them Howbeit many of them are Strangers unknown and not to be
this our Request which it most just and reasonable but will obey it especially considering that our said Chancellour Presidents Masters of Requests c. are employed daily and in continual trouble about the maintenance and defence of the Rights and priviledges of the Churches of our said Realm and the administration of Justice to our said Subjects signifying unto you that you shall herein do us such an acceptable favour as nothing more by means whereof we take you and your affairs into special recommendation Given at Mascon August 18. in the sixth year of our Reign thus subscribed By the King In the presence of my Lord Cardinal D' Amboise Legat in France and others Robertet Sealed with yellow Wax with the King 's broad Seal There is in the same Book an exemplification of the privy Letters which the Court of Parliament writ to the Prelates about these nominations the Tenour whereof is this Reverend Father in God We send greeting to you It hath pleased the King to grant unto the Presidents Counsellours and other Officers of this Court his Letters and nomination to some Benefices which are in the hands of some Collatours and Patrons of this Realm and among others to our Brother such a Counsellour of our said Soveraign in this Court to the Benefices which are in your gift and disposal Wherefore we earnestly beseech you that in obedience to the said Letters and in consideration of the deserts of our said Brother you would bestow upon him the first Benefice that falls in your gift being by him required thereunto And in so doing you shall do us a most acceptable courtesie for which we shall take your affairs into special Recommendation Reverend Father in God we beseech the blessed Son of God to grant you your desire Written at Paris in the Parliament under the Seal thereof Septemb. 7. The Men celebrating the Parliament And this Annotation is written in the Margin Antiquitùs fiebant alitèr Voyez le recueil Du Fontan les grand ordonnances Tom. 4. Tit. ◠cap. 1. The said King Lewes XI in an Ordinance of January 8. 1475. makes this Narration When any Questions or differences come upon us as well concerning the state of the Church of our Kingdom as other our affairs we that ought to have recourse to them cannot be assisted aided or advised therein by reason of their absence where we and the Common-wealth are oftentimes much interessed Then after this he ordains in this manner We Will Ordain and declare by these Presents that all Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Prelates and others that hold any Dignities within our Kingdom and do reside out of the bounds thereof and out of our Obedience Do Return and Repair within five months after the publication of these Presents unto their Benefices within our sald Realm or unto some one of them if they have any more and there make continual Residence there to celebrate and continue divine Service as belongs unto them and as they are bound to do As also to the end that they may serve and assist us in our Councils and otherwise to the behoof of us and the Common-wealth of our said Kingdom when need shall be And this upon pain of being deprived of the Temporals of their said Benefices Fabian's chroni King Lewes falling into a long and and grievous sickness gave much Alms and in the Church of St. John Baptist in Paris he founded certain Priests to sing Masses for him perpetually for whose maintenance he gave of yearly Rent a thousand pounds of Paris Money So he remained in a languishing condition three years before he dyed He dyed August 30. 1483. and his Son Charles VIII succeeded him in the Kingdom Charles being crowned at Rhemes was from thence with pomp brought to Paris A general Parliament was held at Tours where the Pragmatick Sanction was restored to use it as they had accustomed In the year 1494. this King Charles VIII carried an Army of fifty thousand of Foot and Horse out of France into Italy and in two months space he became Lord of the whole Kingdom of Naples except some little Towns on the Sea-side which held for King Ferdinand The Pope seeing the success of King Charles makes a League with the Emperour Maximilian and the Venetians Into this League also entred Lewes Duke of Milan notwithstanding that by his procurement King Charles took occasion to come into Italy King Charles having Intelligence of this League resolves to leave such forces in the Kingdom of Naples as might be sufficient for the defence thereof and with the rest of his Army to return into France and marching toward Rome he gave the Pope to understand that he came to do his duty to his Holiness Pope Alexander not daring to abide his coming departed from Rome wherein and in other of the Pope's Towns the King's Troops did much harm The French King departing from Rome continueth his journey toward France Coming near to Parma passing the River Tarro he met a great Army of his Enemies whereof Francis Gonzaga Marquess of Mantua was General with whom they came to a Battle in which there dyed a thousand Men of both sides Anno 1495. But after some Treaties between the two Armies the French in a night went toward Astè where the King remained certain days and a Peace was concluded between him and the Duke of Milan and Lewes Duke of Orleans rendring Novarra King Charles returned into France and Ferdinand King of Naples recovered that Kingdom Concerning the abuses of the Court of Rome among the Statutes of this King Charles VIII I find in a Statute of February 18. 1496. this complaint Some years ago the Popes of Rome in despight and contempt of the Decrees of Antient Fathers and General Councils have brought all Ecclesiastical Dignities Cathedral and Collegiate under their disposal and all other of greatest value next after Bishopricks Review of the Counc Trident. li. 2. ca. 6. they have granted Livings in reversions upon the Vacancy to any that would sue for them which hath been the occasion for one to thirst after the death of another They have invented abundance of tricks whereby they have utterly annihilated the power and Authority of the Bishops Chapters and Colledges insomuch that there is none now that hath the power to present to a living In the Year 1498. King Charles VIII dyed of an Apoplexy at Amboise In him failed the direct Line of the Kings of France descended from Philip of Valois and the Crown fell to the collateral Line of the which the nearest Prince of the Blood was Lewes Duke of Orleans and Valois who succeeded in the Kingdom of France He was an excellent Prince of a liberal Nature affable temperate and of great moderation and was happy in his Reign Who subdued under his obedience Milan with Lombardy and Genoa with her two Rivers East and West together with the Islands of Corsica and Chio reconquered and divided the Realm of
the Queen intended to continue with the same power till her Son came of Age they thought it more easie to gain the King of Navarre who was already much averse to the Protestants Religion by reason of the different opinions he found among them about the Points in Controversie And now the King of Navarre joyns himself with the Duke of Guise and the Constable These three the Hugonots called the Triumvirate Queen Joan was highly displeased at this so unexpected deliberation of her Husband and leaving the Court carrieth with her Prince Henry and the Princess Katherine her Children whom she brought up in Calvinism into Bearn being determined to separate her self from the Counsels and conversation of her Husband The Queen Regent was also terrified herewith and in opposition to the Triumvirate joyns with the Prince of Conde and the Admiral The Prince of Conde takes upon him openly to Head the Hugonots who ardently desire to revenge his past affronts upon those that were his chief persecutours His power and boldness was moderated by the wise Counsel of the Admiral of Chastillon Their Authority led after them being of the same Faith the Prince of Porcien the Count de la Roch-fou-caut Messieurs de Genlis de Grammont and Duras the Count of Montgomery the Baron des Adrets Messieurs de Bouchavane and Soubize and many other the Principal in the Kingdom Thus upon a sudden the King of Navarre went over to the Popish party and Queen Katherine though dissemblingly took upon her the Protection of the Protestants The King of Navarre staying in Paris laboureth to hinder the Assemblies of the Protestants to diminish their force and credit and finally to take away their liberty of Religion The Prince of Conde being likewise in Paris Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 3. on the contrary encourageth the Preachers and as he could enlargeth their licence and liberty The King of Navarre deliberating to drive the Prince of Conde out of Paris for this purpose sends for the other Popish Lords to Court The Duke of Guise makes a journey thither and passing through Vassy his Servants heard a noise of Bells and having askt what was the reason of it answer was made That it was the hour wherein the Hugonots used to Assemble at their Sermons The Pages and Lacquies of the Duke that went before the rest of the Company moved with the Novelty of the thing and a curiosity to see for then those Congregations began first to be kept in Publick with jesting speeches and a tumult went towards the place where the Hugonots were Assembled at their Devotion Who understanding that the Duke of Guise their great Persecutour was there and seeing a great Troop come directly toward them inconsiderately fell presently to gather up stones and began to drive back those that advanced first to the place of their Assembly By which injury the Popish party rashly betook themselves to Arms. The Duke putting himself in the midst of them was hit with a blow of a stone upon the left cheek which bled much which caused him to withdraw from the hurly-burly His followers impatient of such an affront done to their Lord with their fire-arms presently assaulted the house whither the Hugonots retired to secure themselves killed above sixty of them and grievously wounded the Minister who climbing over the Tyles saved himself in some of the adjoyning houses The tumult being ended the Duke of Guise called for the Officer of the place sharply reproving him for suffering such a pernicious Licence to the prejudice of Passengers He excusing himself as unable to hinder it by reason of the Edict of January which tolerated the publick Assemblies of the Hugonots the Duke no less offended at his answer than at the thing it self laying his hand upon his Sword replyed in choler This shall soon cut the Bond of that Edict though never so binding From which words many afterwards concluded that he was the Authour of the ensuing War But the Hugonots incensed by this Chance now full of rage stirred up such horrible tumults and bloody Seditions that besides the slaughter of men in many places the Monasteries were spoiled Images thrown down the Altars broken and the Churches defiled The people in all places ran headlong to take Arms and the Heads of the Factions went about gathering Forces preparing themselves for a manifest War And now each Faction desired to draw the King to their party and to possess the Persons of the King and Queen But the Catholicks prevent the Hugonots and lead them both to Paris from Fountainbleau The Prince of Conde therefore possesseth Orleans and prepareth for the War The Popish Lords under the King's name likewise raise an Army Many writings are published on each side and both Armies go into the Field The Queen-Mother labours for a Peace To this end she comes to a parley with the Prince but without success notwithstanding she continues to Treat of an Agreement which at length is concluded But the Prince by the perswasion of the rest again takes Arms purposeth to assail the King's Camp by night but misseth of his design Forces come to the King's aid out of Germany and many thousands of Swisses whereupon the Prince is forced to retire unto the Walls of Orleans where being unable to keep the Army together he divides it He sendeth for succour from Germany and England consents to give Havre de Grace to the English and to receive their Garrisons into Deipe and Roven to obtain aid from them The King's Army takes Blois Poictiers Tours and Bourges besieges Roven and takes it and sacks it where Anthony King of Navarre received a Musket shot in the left shoulder which breaking the bone and tearing the Nerves he presently fell down on the place as dead and died shortly after Succours come to the Prince of Conde out of Germany with which being re-inforced he makes haste to assault Paris The King and the Queen arrive there with the Army and the Prince after many attempts is necessitated to depart Both Armies go into Normandy and there follows the Battel of Dreux in which the Prince of Conde is taken Prisoner on the one side and the Constable on the other The Duke of Guise being Victorious layes siege to Orleans and is ready to take it and is treacherously slain by Poltrot Sieur de Mereborn of a Noble Family near Angoulesme He feigns to forsake the Protestant party leaves Orleans insinuates himself into the Duke of Guises Court and whilst the Duke gives order for an assault shoots him in the shoulder whereof he dieth Poltrot aided by the swiftness of his horse saved himself in the neighbouring Woods and the Duke being carried to his Lodging died three dayes after of his hurt Poltrot was taken and being taken was by sentence of Parliament publickly quartered After the death of the Duke of Guise an accommodation followed Conditions of Peace were conluded at Orleans March 18. 1563. viz.
which she received from an Italian the King 's Unguentary But the Marriage was celebrated notwithstanding on August 18. Anno 1572. Soon after viz. August 22. the Admiral as he went from the Louvre to his house was shot with two or three bullets in his arm This was taken in ill part by the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde desiring liberty to depart from Paris But the King with so many attestations protested his dislike in that matter and that he would diligently search out and severely punish the Authours of that deed that in some part he quieted the minds of the complainers The King likewise came to visit the Admiral pitifully lamenting the chance that was fallen out affirming the dishonour to be done to him although the Admiral had received the hurt He would also have had the Admiral transported to the Louvre for his better security to which the Admiral seemed unwilling Therefore the King appointed some of his own Guard to attend upon the Admiral 's house and the Protestants were required to prepare their Lodgings near to the Admiral 's house to be a Guard unto him in case any commotion should happen in the Town The Massacre of Paris August 24. Anno 1572. All this was done under deep dissimulation to put the Protestants in security that they should not once imagine of the Tragedy that was to come The night after was the appointed time for the horrible Massacre of the Protestants that were in Paris THe Duke of Guise went from Court with order from the King to find President Charron Provost des Merchans the chief Head of the people of Paris giving him direction to provide 2000. Armed men who should wear every one a shirt-sleeve upon their left arm and white Crosses in their hats which upon notice given were presently to execute the Kings commands That he should cause to be in readiness the Sheriffs Echevius they call them of the several Wards and that upon ringing of the Bell of the Palace-clock lights should be put in every window through the Town which things were all presently performed the Dukes of Montpensier and Nevers with many other Lords of the Court took Arms all the Guards being in Arms at the Gate and in the Court of the Louvre At the prefixed hour the Duke of Guise the Duke of Aumale and Monsieur d'Angolesme Grand-Prior of France the King's Bastard-Brother with other Commanders and Souldiers to the number of 300. going to the Admiral 's house forcibly entred the gate of the Court kept by a few of the King of Navarre's Halberdiers and the servants of the house which were all killed without mercy The Lords stayed below in the Court and one Besme a Lorainer and Achille Petrucci a Gentleman of Siena one of those Strangers which he maintained with Colonel Sarlabous and the other Souldiers went up to the Admiral 's chamber He hearing the noise got up and kneeling down leaned against his Bed when seeing Cornason one of his servants come frighted in he asked him what noise it was who answered My Lord God calls us to him and ran out hastily at another door They presently entring Besme ran him into the Breast and the rest when they had made an end of killing him with their Daggers threw his body out of the window into the Court and presently it was dragged into a stable In the same Palace were slain Teligny the Admiral 's Son-in-Law and Guerchy his Lieutenant who wrapping his Cloak about him died fighting manfully Colonel Montaumar and Raura Son to the Baron des Adrets with all the rest that had relation to him Then the Colonel of the King's Guards called the Principal Hugonots that were in the Louvre one by one who being come in the Court were all killed by the Souldiers that stood in two long Ranks with their Arms ready for that purpose There died the Count de la Roch-fou-caut the Marquess de Renel Piles who had gallantly defended Saint Jean de Angeli Pontbreton Pulviault Bandine Francourt Chancellour to the King of Navarre Pardillan Lavardin and others to the number of 200. Then at the ringing the Bell of the Palace-Clock they fell a killing the Hugonots throughout all the Lodgings and houses where they were dispersed making an infinite slaughter of them without any distinction of Age Sex or Condition The King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde were kept in the King's Chamber during the Massacre and after are kept Prisoners They are threatened except they will renounce that Religion which they professed they shall surely die The King of Navarre requested the King to regard that new bond of friendship that was bound up between them and not to urge him so strictly to forsake that Religion wherein he had been trained up from his youth The Prince of Conde added that his life was in the King's hands to dispose of it as it pleased him But as for his Religion he had received the knowledge of it from God and he would not renounce it for any fear or danger of this present life Some of the Protestants then lodged in the Fobers of S. German as Count Montgomery and the Vidame of Chartres for intercepting of whom the King had given command to the Dean of Gild of Paris to have in readiness 1000. Armed Souldiers But these Souldiers were not in readiness so they escaped The Duke of Guise the Count of Angolesme and others pursued them to Montfort which is eight leagues distant from Paris but could not overtake them and so returned back again to Paris Besides the Nobility more than ten thousand persons were slain whose bodies were laid on heaps upon carts and cast into the River Seine which was coloured red with the blood of the slain Peter Ramus was slain at this time he was the King's Professour of Eloquence and Philosophy at Paris in the 36. year of his age In the 21. year of his age he published a Logick with animadversions upon Aristotle Being murthered his body was reproachfully dragged up and down the streets and many of his works unperfected there perished Jacobus Pascharius hath these Verses of him Fertilior quavis cùm sit sacer arbore Ramus Arboris hic dignus nomine Ramus erit Dionysius Lambinus a very learned man was also slain in this Massacre John Mercer a learned Protestant a man well skilled in the Hebrew tongue and Hebrew writers succeeded Vatablus in the Profession of the Hebrew tongue at Paris He escaped at the cruel Massacre at Paris being thrown into the River and after put forth his learned Commentary on Genesis Peter Merlin a godly and learned French Divine who was Beza's Scholar was miraculously preserved in that Massacre In many other Towns there was a general slaughter of Protestants So that within the space of a month more than thirty thousand were reckoned to be slain To all this Tragedy was added the defection of Rozarius a Preacher at Orleans by whose Apostasie
had lately taken Geneva into his Protection shewing clearly to all the world how little he esteemed the Catholick Religion and how much he was inclined to the enemies of the Bishop and See of Rome That therefore he had excluded all the Catholick Lords from any access to the Court or administration in the Government particularly those who had spilt so much blood for the preservation of the Kingdom and Religion and had brought in a new people that were privy to his designs and friends to the House of Bourbon That therefore he deprived all the old Servants of the Crown of all their Offices and Honours of the most Principal Governments and most suspected Fortresses to put them into the hands of men that were Catholicks in shew but really partial to Hereticks and inwardly adherents to the King of Navarre He added that notwithstanding the King 's publick shews of Devotion yet in his private Lodgings he gave himself over to the unbridled lusts of the flesh and to the perverse satisfying of his loose depraved appetite From which things set forth with many specious reasons he concluded it was time to unite themselves for their own defence and to destroy those designs before they were brought unto perfection Now the Duke of Guise by means of the Preachers and Friers in Pulpits and other places of Devotion labours to insinuate the Catholick League into the People Among these the chief were Guilliaume de la Rose a man of great eloquence who came afterward to be Bishop of Senlis Jean Prevost chief Priest of S. Severin an eloquent and learned man Jehan Boucher by birth a Parisian and Curate of S. Benet's Parish in the same City one Poncet a Frier in the Abby of S. Patrick at Melun Don Christin of Nizza in Provence and Jehan Vincestre all famous Preachers And finally most part of the Jesuites And as these prosecuted the business of the League in Paris the same was done at Lions by Claude Mattei a Priest of the same Society at Soissons by Mathew de Launoy Canon of that Cathedral at Roven by Father Egide Blovin of the Order of the Minims at Orleans by Bourlate a very noted Divine at Thoul by Francois de Rosier Arch-Deacon of that Church and an infinite number of others dispersed through the several places of France who by their Credit and Eloquence sometimes in their Pulpits sometimes in the Congregations of the Penitents sometimes in their secret conferences at Confessions did allure the people and entice them to enter into that Combination which it is likely very many did out of a respect to Religion believing that thereby the Calvinists would utterly be rooted out and the Authority of the Church be restored to its pristine greatness But many entred into that League invited by other ends and drawn to it by different hopes or else necessitated by their particular interests though all shrouded themselves under the same cloak of the preservation and maintenance of Religion Charles Cardinal of Bourbon the third Brother of Anthony King of Navarre and Louys Prince of Conde deceased and Unkle to Henry the present King of Navarre is desired for the Head of the League a man alwaies most observant of the Romish Religion and an open enemy to the Hugonots Then the Preachers did publickly in all places term the King a Tyrant and favourer of Hereticks the people did applaud them and from this deadly hatred which they had conceived against the King his Council and favourites sprung that fury which soon after was dispersed over all the body of France On July 15. 1582. Renauld of Beaune Archbishop of Bourges and Primate of Aquitain had then spoken at Fountainbleau in this sort The whole Church Christian and Catholick assisted by the Legates and Ambassadours of the Emperour of this your Kingdom and of all other Christian Princes Did call assemble and celebrate the Council of Trent where many good and wholesome Constitutions useful for the Government of the Church were ordained To which Council all the Legates and Ambassadours did solemnly swear in the behalf of their Masters to observe and keep and cause it to be inviolably kept by all their Subjects yea even the Ambassadours of this your Kingdom solemnly took that Oath Now it is received and observed by all Christian Catholick Kings and Potentates this Kingdom only excepted which hath hitherto deferred the publication and receiving of it to the great scandal of the French Nation and of the Title MOST CHRISTIAN wherewith your Majesty and your Predecessours have been honoured so that under colour of some Articles touching the liberty of the Gallican Church the stain of Schism resteth upon your Kingdom among other Countries Wherefore the Clergy doth now most humbly beseech your Majesty that you would be pleased to hearken to this publication and make an end of all to the glory of God and the union of his Church There was a Nuncio from the Pope who arrived in France in the beginning of the year 1583. who prosecuted this matter with great vehemency yet for all this he could not move King Henry III. at all the King of Navarre having written to King Henry III. concerning it the King of France made him this answer Brother Those that told you that I would cause the Council of Trent to be published were not well-informed of my intentions for I never so much as thought it Nay I kiow well how such publication would be prejudicial to my affairs and I am not a little jealous of the preservation of my Authority the priviledges of the Church of France and also of the observation of my Edict of Peace But it was only proposed unto me to cull out some certain Articles about Ecclesiastical Discipline for the Reforming of such abuses as reign in that State to the glory of God the edifying of my Subjects and withal the discharge of my conscience A thing which never toucheth in those Rules which I have set down in my Edicts for the Peace and tranquillity of my Kingdom which I will have inviolably kept on both sides On October 14. 1585. the Bishop and Earl of Noyon in the name of the Clergy assembled in the Abbey of St. German near Paris presented to the King a Book written by the advice of the Prelates of the Council of Trent They told him They brought unto him the Book of the Law of God which they humbly entreated him to receive The Provincial Synod held at Roven made this instance to the same Prince After that a good number of Bishops and Proxies for those that were absent together with Ecclesiastical Personâ— from all quarters of our Province of Normandy were met in our Metropolitan Church at Roan they tendered nothing more than earnestly to sollicite the publishing and promulgation of the Council of Trent within this Realm Wherefore this our Assembly by common consent have resolved to present their humble Petition to our most Christian King in like manner as was
formerly done by the States of Bloys and the Clergy convâ—â—â—â—â— at Melun that he would be pleased for proof of his true Piety and Religion to enjoyn the publication of the said Council whereby the maintenance of the Church is well-provided for which is observed to be daily impaired and abated And the Provincial Council of Aix in Provence Anno 1585. Petition the King at the beginning of the Acts That he out of his singular Piety would command the Council of Trent to be published which had so exactly provided against all dangers wherein the Christian Common-wealth was then impugned We must not think that these earnest solicitations which the French Ecclesiasticks here made did proceed so much from them as from the Pope One argument hereof which may be alledged is this that they were not now interessed herein for most of the Decrees which concerned them were admitted and there was no default in the observation of them unless it were on their part and one company of them were inserted in the Edict of Bloys the rest in divers other Provincial Councils holden afterwards in France the Canons whereof are to be seen in Print at Roven 1581. at Bourges 1584. at Tours 1585. and at Aix in Provence the same year The better to countenance the League forementioned it is presented to Pope Gregory XIII that he might bless it The Pope was well-pleased they should attempt any thing against the Protestants but he did not approve those Popular Rebellions which were made against a most Christian King neither would he be the fire-brand of a War which he could not quench and so he sent the Deputies back without any answer The King of Navarre causeth the Deputies of the Protestants to assemble at Montauban to resolve of the means to maintain themselves if the League abusing the King's name and authority should seek to offend them The Duke of Espernon goeth also to the King of Navarre to confer with him privately in the King's name The chief of the League presume That the King means to Arm and to employ the King of Navarre's Forces against them They send forth many Commissions in the King's name that what they did might be thought as done for his Majestie 's service The King in the end of March disavows them and forbids all Leavies of men of War The King made no War but by writing seeking first by gentle means to pacifie them Hedâ—clares the Zeal he hath alwaies born to the Catholick Religion and the necessity that forced him to a Peace Then having promised to restore the Church to her beauty to content the Nobility to ease the people he entreats conjures exhorts and commands all Clergy-men Gentlemen Parliaments and Towns Corporate to abandon all Leagues and Associations and to unite themselves under his obedience The King of Navarre likewise sets forth a Declaration and whereas he was accused of Heresy he answereth That he was born under the toleration of two Religions in France That he will leave that wherein he was bred when by a Lawful Council they shall shew him another truth than that which he believeth He saith he is not relapsed seeing he was not fallen from his first Opinion That he is no enemy to the Catholicks for that when the Edicts had granted Liberty of Conscience he presently laid down Arms. That in all places he maintains his Subjects in the same Liberty as he found them after the decease of his Mother That he hath requested of the King a prolongation of the Towns which he holds for assurance of the last Edict and will deliver them before the time so as the League lay aside Arms and yield unto the King the places they had seized That whereas they declare him uncapable of the Crown it toucheth him very near yet doth he think least of it hoping that God by his bounty will long preserve the King for the good of his Realm and will give him issue to the grief of all his enemies The Queen-Mother accustomed to fish in troubled waters winkt at the Duke of Guise She was contented the Duke should terrifie the King to make him abandon the Protestants and to force him to banish his new Minions from Court who had brought her in disgrace with the King her Son Her ambition moved her hereunto rather than any desire she had to advance the Duke and to bring disorder and confusion into the State and to stand alone in the midst of these furious tempests The Heads of the League march with an Army of 12000. men to Verdun a City upon the Confines of the Duke of Lorain which they take And the Duke of Guise being entred the City drove out the Governour with all his adherents and placed Guittald in his place The City of Thoul drave out the King's Officers and freely gave up it self into the hands of the League The City of Marseilles riseth in favour of the League but the Conspirators are suppressed by the rest of the Citizens They call the Grand-Prior of France Governour of that Province who was then at Aix at whose coming though with but 200 Horse the Fort de la Garde was taken and in it the Consul Daries and Captain Chabanes who the next morning were executed by which severity the City was kept under the King's obedience The same happens at the City of Burdeaux Lions Bourges and many other places in the Kingdom side with the League The King laboureth to disunite the League by drawing many particular men from that party as also the City of Lions but seeing his design succeedeth not to his mind he resolves to Treat an agreement with the Confederates The Queen-Mother goes into Champagne to confer about it with the Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Bourbon And after many Negotiations the Peace is concluded The King by his Edict of July 18. revokes all other Edicts in favour of the Protestants he commands their Ministers to depart the Realm and all his Subjects within six Months to make profession of the Romish Religion or to avoid the Country He approves the Leaguers Arms as Levied for his Service allows of their pretexts and by secret Articles concluded at Nemours contents them in all matters only with this condition to leave the League and instantly to lay down Arms. Yet would they have in their power the Towns of Chalon Verdun Thoul S. Disier Reims Soissons the Castle of Dijon Beawne Rue in Picardy Dinan and Coneq in Britain They caused the King to pay one thousand two hundred and six crowns and two third parts for the Strangers which they had Levied They had a discharge for vast summes which they had taken upon the General Receipts They obtained an hundred thousand crowns to build a Citadel at Verdun and entertainment for Guards on horseback for all the Lords of the League This Peace had made a great breach in the King's Authority The King of Navarre seeing this Cloud ready to break upon his party complains that
should be sentenced or condemned without being summoned or without hearing his defence it was not good to Decree so heavy a sentence without giving him warning to answer for himself and without hearing his reasons whatsoever they were The King seeing the obstinacy of the States and their resolution against the King of Navarre procures an absolution at Rome for the Prince of Conti and Count Soissons of the House of Bourbon which much troubleth the Duke of Guise The King being no longer able to bear the insolencies of the Duke of Guise resolves upon his destruction and to bring the matter the better to pass seeming as it were to be stirred by devotion determined to remove to a Cell meaning there to be confessed and receive the Sacrament He called into his Chamber four of his Council such as he best trusted to whom he discovered the injuries and indignities he had received of the Duke of Guise his extreme ambition the danger himself stood in by the Treasons continually practised by the said Duke and his Confederates against his Person He told them he was determined to have the Duke slain as a Traytour which was consented to The evening of the 22. day of December being come the King commanded Monsieur de Larchant one of the Captains of his Guard to double them the next morning and to keep the Hall door after the Lords of the Council were gone in but that he should do it in such a manner as the Duke of Guise might not suspect any thing which was done In the morning the King made himself ready before day Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France l. 9. under colour of going Personally to the Council and pretending he should stay there many hours dismissed all his Servants and in his closet there only remained Revol Secretary of State Colonel Alfonso Corso and Monsieur de la Bastide a Gascon who were all commanded by him to stay there In his Chamber was St. Pris one of his old Gentlemen-waiters in the Wardrobe the Count de Termes Great Chamberlain and in the Anti-chamber two Pages an Usher that waited at the Council-chamber-door and Lognac with eight of the five and fourty to whom the King had with very great Promises signified his pleasure and found them most ready to obey his command At break of day the Counsellours met and went into the Great Hall The Duke being come into the Council sitting near the fire fell into a little swound but quickly recovered Secretary Revol came into the Council out of the Anti-chamber and told him the King would have him to come unto him in the Closet The Duke arose and entred into the Anti-chamber which presently being locked after him he saw there only eight Gentlemen of the King's Guard which were well known unto him and as he went from thence into the Closet he stretcht forth his hand to lift up the hanging of the door but at that instand S. Malin one of the eight stabbed him into the neck with a Dagger The Duke of Guise Slain and the rest presently fell upon him on every side and after many wounds given him in the head being at last struck by Lognac upon whom he had most violently thrown hlmself he fell down at the door of the Wardrobe and there expired The Cardinal of Guise and Archbishop of Lions are made Prisoners as also all the Lords and other chief adherents of the Duke of Guise with Anne d'Este Duchess of Nemours and Mother to the Guises Pelicart the Duke of Guise's Secretary was likewise taken with all the writings which belonged to his Lord among which they found many Letters containing divers practices within and without the Kingdom the accounts of money which he had received from Spain to the summ of two millions of Ducats Many whom the King desired to get into his hands escaped the fury of that present revenge The body of the dead Duke being laid up in a green cloth was carried by the door-keepers into the great room beyond the King's Closet and there laid till further order Then the King sent Revol to the Cardinal-Legate to give him notice of all that had passed and to entreat him to meet him at Mass shewing how great a desire he had to be excused to the Pope Then having caused the doors to be opened and every one to be admitted into his Chamber he said with a loud voice That from thence-forward he would have his Subjects learn to know and obey him that every one therefore from that time should forget stubbornness and Rebellion for he would be a King not only in words but in deeds also So with an angry look and sowr countenance he went down the stairs into his Mothers Lodgings The Queen having been ill lay in her bed when the King came unto her to whom the King said This morning I have made my self King of France having put to death the King of Paris The Queen replyed You have made the Duke of Guise to be slain but God grant you be not now made King of nothing Have you foreseen the mischiefs that are like to follow Two things are necessary Speed and Resolution So being much afflicted in mind and with the Gout she held her peace And the King went to meet the Legate that they might go to Mass together and before Mass the King discourseth long with the Cardinal of Moresini about the Duke of Guises death The King seeing that the Legate shewed no trouble at the imprisonment of the Cardinals Commandeth that Lewes of Lorain Cardinal of Guise be also put to death And Du-Gast Captain of the King's Guard causeth the Cardinal of Guise to be slain by four Souldiers Armed with Partezans His body was carried to the same place where the body of the Duke his Brother lay The King doubted that if their bodies were seen they might occasion some tumult and therefore having by the Counsel of his Physitian caused them to be buried in quick-lime within a few hours all their flesh was consumed and afterwards the bones were secretly interred in an unknown place The Duke of Nemours escaped out of Prison on the fourth day And Anne d'Este Mother to him and the dead Princes of Lorain was also voluntarily freed by the King and divers others were set at liberty The Cardinal of Bourbon the Prince of Janville now Duke of Guise the Archbishop of Lions and the Duke of Elbeuf are all put into the Castle of Amboyse The Archbishop of Lions being often examined would never answer alledging that as Primate of all France he had no other Superiour but the Apostolick See Charles Duke of Mayenne third Brother to the Guises being advertised of the death of his Brothers flees from Lions unto Dijon a place under his Government In his valour and wisdom all the foundations and hopes of the League were now reduced The Queen-Mother died on January 5. 1589. in the seventieth year of her age After the death of
the Duke and Cardinal of Guise the City of Orleans took Arms suppressed the King's Magistrates and assaulted the Fortress The Citizens of Chartres did the same though in the late commotions it had been of the King's party At Paris the Council of the League being come together in the midst of the City full of tumults resolved to send for Charles Duke of Aumale who flying from the States at Bloys out of a certain presaging fear had stayed in Paris and that very day was retired to his devotions to the Covent of Carthusians hard by the City at whose arrival all the multitude ran to his house though late at night spending the time only in lamentations The next day the whole City being in grief they dispatched divine service quickly and from the Churches being come to the Town-house the same Council met again there at which were present the most noted Citizens and many also of the Magistrates some drawn by an anxious curiosity some driven by the fear of being torn in pieces by the fury of the multitude and some came to find remedy against the unbridled rashness of the common people But it was all in vain Charles of Lorain Duke of Aumaele being made Governour of Paris by the City Arms the people and orders them regularly under Commanders The Preacher from their Pulpits trumpet out the praises of the Duke of Guises Martyrdom and detestations of that slaughter committed by the King Upon December 28. the Council of Sixteen caused a writing to be presenâ—ed to the Colledge of Divines called the Sorbonne in the name of the Provost and Eschuins of the City wherein relating how much the Lords of Guise deserved of the Catholique Church and their being murdered by the King as Protectors of the Faith They demanded whether he might not Lawfully be said to have forfeited his Crown and whether it were not Lawful for his Subjects notwithstanding their Oath of Allegiance to withdraw their obedience from him as a Persecutor of the holy Church who had embrued his hands in the blood of a Sacred Cardinal The Colledge of Sorbonne declares Henry III. to have forfeited his Right to the Crown and his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance The Kings Arms and Statues are thrown down the Navarrists and Politicks are slain many quiet men left their houses in those tumults to save their lives All the Streets were full of Arms noises and confusions and the meanest people raging against the marks of Royalty committed intolerable insolencies The Preachers aggravated the Parricide committed by the King and all places were full of Libels both in Verse and Prose which contained and amplified the same things several waies By the advice of the Council of Sixteen all the Counsellours of Parliament and Officers who adhered to the King are imprisoned in the Bastille And the Parliament being afterward assembled to the number of 160. they with a Publick Declaration assented to the deposing of the King and to the freeing of the City and substituted new men in the places of those whom they had put out and imprisoned They also made a Decree to unite and combine themselves for the defence of Religion calling that League the Holy union At the insurrection of the Parliament and City of Paris the greatest Cities and most Warlike People of France took Arms likewise and made a General Commotion so that the party of the League was not only grown very great by the conjunction of the principal Cities but was also strengthened by the abetting of the Nobility in whom for the most part the Forces of that Crown consist All the Provinces of the Kingdom were divided and dismembred Cities were against Cities Castles against Castles Lords Gentlemen and meaner persons against one another the Laws were trodden down the bond of common Charity broken the Magistrates driven away from all places and a most cruel Civil War with fire slaughter blood and rapine was begun so that all commerce being broken off the waies beset the Gentry and Commons Armed and even the very Clergy incompassed with Guards and weapons sometimes under the names of Hugonots and Catholicks â—andes Blanâ—hes sometimes of Royalists and Leaguers sometimes of the holy union and White Forces sometimes of Navarrists and Lorains they were as with a fatal general Frenzy bent upon the destruction of their common Countrey The King dissolved the Assembly at Bloys but many of the Lords as soon as they were departed from Bloys joyned again to the party of the League Pope Sixtus V. being told of the Cardinal of Guise's death is highly offended and answereth the King's Ambassadours very sharply who come to excuse it to him and chuseth a Congregation of Cardinals who were to consult about the affairs of France The King writes kind Letters to the Duke of Mayenne promising him very great things but the said Duke notwithstanding the King's promises being perswaded by Madam de Montpensier his Sister makes himself Head of the holy union and gave order to the Sieurs de Rhosne de S. Paul Chamois and d'Eschavoles to recruit their Regiments of French foot and began to summon the Nobility and Gentry his dependents and to win the hearts of the people in every place On February 15. the Duke came to Paris with 4000. Souldiers and 500. Gentlemen there he is declared Lieutenant General of the Crown of France On February 22. the Duke took possession in the Parliament of his extraordinary dignity having taken a publick Oath for the defence of the Romish Religion against every one to preserve entire the State belonging to the Crown of France to defend the priviledges of the three Orders the Clergy Nobility and Commons and to cause the Laws and Constitutions of the Kingdom to be observed as also the authority and power of the Parliaments After which Oath many Prayers and Processions having been made he chose and appointed the Council of the Union consisting of forty of the most eminent persons of the League which with his assistance was to treat of and to conclude all the most weighty affairs the Council of Sixteen being nevertheless left and particularly appointed for the special Government of Paris Now the Duke of his Forces began to form an Army and in every Province he allotted both Forces and Commanders to order the affairs of the League and to make war against those who were of the King's party He dispatcheth Ministers to Rome to confirm the Pope's inclination who afterward publisheth a Monitory against the King of France and foments the League exceedingly The King being necessitated to make War agreeth with the King of Navarre and concludes a Truce with him The Spanish Ambassadour leaveth the Court and goeth to reside in Paris with the Heads of the League The Pope's Legate departeth also and not having been able to perswade the Duke of Mayenne to consent to Peace goes out of the Kingdom The War begins furiously in every place The King of Navarre
mean Parents in a Village called Sorbone in the Territory of the City of Sens a young man about twenty two years of age and alwaies thought by his fellow-Friers and others that knew him to be an half-witted fellow and rather a subject of sport than to be feared This fellow resolves to hazard his life to kill the King whom he called by the name of Tyrant and to free that holy City as he said from Sennacheribs violence with which resolution he went to Doctor Burgoine Prior of his Covent and imparted this damnable project to him to Father Commolet to other Jesuites and to the Heads of the League all of them encouraging him to this devilish design with promise of Abbeys and Bishopricks if he escaped and if he died in the action to be made a Martyr and have place in heaven above the Apostles To that end he goes from Paris having gotten a letter of credit from the Count of Brienne who having been taken at S. Ovyn was still Prisoner in the City assuring him that he was to speak with the King about a business of infinite importance Upon the first of August in the morning the Frier being brought in to the King gives him the letter from the Count de Brienne which the King read and having bid him proceed to tell his business he feigned to feel for another paper to present it and whilst the King stood intentively expecting it he having drawn his knife out of his sleeve struck him on the left side of the navel and left all the blade buried in the wound The King feeling the blow King Henry III. is killed by James Clement a Frier drew forth the knife and in drawing of it made the wound wider and presently struck it himself up to the haft in the Frier's forehead who at the same time la Guesle running him thorow with his sword fell down dead and was no sooner fallen but Momperat Lognac and the Marquess de Mirepoix Gentlemen of the King's Chamber who were present at the fact threw him out of the window where by the common Souldiers he was torn in pieces burnt and his ashes thrown into the River The King was carried to his bed and sending for the King of Navarre he committed to him the care of the Army He told him it custom of killing Kings should grow in use neither should he be long secure He exhorted the Nobility to acknowledge the King of Navarre to whom the Kingdom of right belonged His Confessour absolved him and gave him the Sacrament the same night And having embraced the King of Navarre having called his Chaplain he in the presence of them all rehearsed the Creed after the use of the Roman Church and having crossed himself began the Miserere but his speech failing him in these words Redde mihi laetitiam salutis tuae he died having lived 36. years and Reigned 15. and just 2. Months In his death ended the Line of Kings of the house of Valois and the posterity of Philip III. Sirnamed the Hardy and by vertue of the Salique Law the Crown devolved to the Family of Bourbon nearest of the blood and descended from Robert Count of Clermont the second Son of St. Lewes Here let the Reader be advertised that when the Jesuites have made choice of an Instrument for that King-killing service that they intend to set him about they do not put him upon it till they have first raised and fitted his spirit for the service by this means First they bring him to a very private place in a Chappel or Oratory where the knife lies wrapt up in a cloth with an Ivory sheath with divers Characters and Agnus Dei's upon it They draw the knife and bedew it with holy water and hang upon the haft of it some Beads consecrated with this Indulgence that so many blows as he gives in killing the King so many souls shall he deliver out of Purgatory Then they give the knife to him commending it to him in these words O thou chosen Son of God take to thee the Sword of Jephte Sampson David Gideon Judith of Macchabees of Julius the second who defended himself from the Princes by his sword Go and be wisely couragious and God strengthen thy hand Then they all fall upon their knees with this prayer Be present O ye Cherubims and Seraphims be present ye Thrones Powers holy Angels fill this Vessel with glory give him the Crown of all the holy Martyrs he is no longer ours but your companion And thou O God strengthen his arm that he may do thy will give him thy helmet and wings to flie from his enemies give him thy comforting beams which may joy him in the midst of his sorrows Then they bring him to the Altar where is the Picture of Jaques Clement who killed King Henry III. the Angels protecting him and then they shew him a Crown of glory and say Lord respect this thy arm and Executioner of thy justice Then four Jesuites are appointed privately to talk with him they tell him that they see a Divine lustre in his face which moves them to fall down and kiss his feet and now say they he is no more a mortal man They envy his happiness every one sighing and saying Would God I were in your room that they might escape Purgatory and go immediately into Paradise But if they perceive him to shrink and to be troubled after all this they will sometimes affright him with terrible apparitions in the night and sometimes have the Virgin Mary and the Angels appear c. After the King's death the Image and Portraicture of the traiterous Monk who killed the King by the commandment of the chief of the League was most artificially framed in brass and other paintingâ— wherewith they garnished both their houses and their Churches Then was he Canonized and among the Superstitious prayed unto us as a Martyr whom they called by the name of St. James Clement Henry King of Navarre succeeded Henry III. in the Kingdom of France The Duke of Mayenne not daring to take upon him the title of King caused it by publick Proclamation to be given to Charles Cardinal of Bourbon then a Prisoner and coined both Gold and Silver with the Picture of King Charles X. And disguising the usurpation of his authority he accepted the title which the General Council of the union gave him of Lieutenant General of the State and Crown of France The Duke of Luxemburg told the new King that the Princes Lords and Officers of the Crown together with the Catholick Nobility that was in the Army were ready to acknowledge him King of France to serve him against every one since God and nature had called him to the Crown by a lawful succession but withal they besought him he would be pleased to turn to the Catholick Religion to take away the pretences of his enemies and the scruples of his servants The King gives them thanks telling them how ready he was to
my most secret thoughts If it be best for this People that I should attain the Crown which belongs to me by right do thou favour and Protect the justice of my Arms. But if thy will hath determined the contrary if thou takest away my Kingdom take away my life also at the same time that I may shed my blood fighting at the Head of those who put themselves in danger for my sake At the end of which words there arose in the Front of the Battel a loud acclamation from those that heard him with an unanimous cry of vive le Roy which being taken and redoubled from Squadron to Squadron through the whole Army gave an happy beginning to the Battel The Cavalry of the League being defeated save themselves by flight The Swisses laying down their Colours and Arms upon the ground had quarter given them by Mareschal de Biron The Germans who having been raised by the King's money had revolted to the Duke of Lorain were all put to the sword The French Infantry that yielded had their lives given them The Duke de Mayenne fled towards Dreux and having entred the Town broke up the Bridge before his own people were all come which was the reason that multitudes of them the King's Army pursuing them were miserably drowned The Reiters of the League fight till they are all destroyed There died that day above six thousand of the League among which were the Duke of Brunswick the Sieur de la Chastaigneray and the Count d'Egmont who was cut in pieces with all his Lanciers Divers Lords with 204. Ensigns and Cornets were taken by the King with all their Canon and Baggage On the King's side there were but 500. slain This Battel was fought on March 14. 1590. The news of this defeat came the next day to Paris whereat every one was afraid But on March 16. Father Christino de Nizza took an occasion to discourse on those words Whom I love I rebuke and chasten And in the Pulpit tells the Parisians of the defeat and by his Eloquence prevails so on them that they resolve to endure any thing for the Catholick Religion without fearing the heavy tryal of a future siege or Famine The same did William Rose Boucher Prevost and all the other Preachers and last of all Francesco Panigarola who though he Preached in the Italian Tongue was much followed by reason of the same of his Eloquence After the yielding of other places Melun is taken by the King's Army a little Town but well Fortified seven Leagues distant from Paris through which run two Currents of the River Seine and therefore is divided into three parts by the stream and only joyned together by Bridges The Sieur de Villeroy being come to Melun to treat an agreement with the King perswades him by many reasons to turn Catholick and propounds a Cessation of Arms. He was sent by the Duke of Mayenne unto the King To which the King gave a large answer And as to the point of Religion he said he had already contented those Catholicks that followed him who were many of great wisdom and strength and very great extraction to whose determination he thought all the rest might accommodate themselves Mâ—rc Antonio Mocenigo Bishop of Ceneda treats with the Mareschal de Biron and propounds a Cessation of Arms but it is rejected All hope of Truce failing the Parisians prepared for a strict siege from the King's Army The people was already disposed by the long exhortations of their Preachers and sollicitations of those that Governed to endure the siege being wrought upon by the frequent Decrees of the Sorbon and by the Declarations and Protestations of the Cardinal Legate that an agreement could not be treated with the Hereticks without damnation Hereby mens minds were so confirmed that some were put to death for saying it was better to make peace with the King than starve with hunger The Duke of Mayenne by many Letters assured them that he would relieve the City within a few weeks To encrease this inclination in the people a solemn Procession was made by Order from the Cardinal Legate to implore Gods assistance in those necessities in which Procession the Prelates Priests and Monks of the several Religious Orders walked all in their accustomed habits but besides them they were Armed also openly with Corslets Guns Swords Partezans and all kind of Arms offensive and defensive making at once both a shew of devotion and constancy of heart prepared to defend their lives which heightened the courage of the common people After this Procession they made another of all the Magistrates of the City and among the Ceremonies of it the Duke of Nemours their Governour and other Commanders of the Souldiers and Magistrates of the people swore publickly in the great Church to defend the City to the last man and never make an agreement with an Heretick Prince for any danger or calamity whatsoever should befall them The King drew nigh to Paris and shuts up the passages of the River of Seine on every side and the City is in great scarcity for want of Victuals Cardinal Gondy Bishop of Paris gives way that the Church Plate should be turned into money for the relief of the poor and the Cardinal Legate distributed among the poor 30000. crowns extorted from the Pope with much ado The Ambassadour Mendoza promised sixscore crowns a day in Bread The Dutchesses and the richest Lords sold their houshold stuff jewels and Ornaments to relieve the urgent necessities of the common people During this siege the Cardinal of Bourbon dies at Fontenay which produceth no alteration at all only the Duke of Mayenne invites the Deputies of the Provinces to Meaux to chuse another King The Duke of Mayenne having met the Duke of Parma at Conde obtains of him 1500. Spanish Foot towards the relief of Paris In that populous City the Famine was so sore that within the space of three Months moe than an hundred thousand died in it The Duke of Parma cometh with an Army to relieve Paris at his arrival at Meaux he joyns with the Duke of Mayenne The Abbot del Bené dies a man of great abilitie in State affairs at which the King is troubled Upon August 30. the King riseth from the siege of Paris While the two Armies lie still observing one another the Parisians furnish themselves with some Provisions The King sends a Trumpet to the Duke of Mayenne to challenge him to fight The Duke of Parma drawes his Army into Battalia as if he would give Battel goes away suddenly to Lagny and deceives the King The Duke of Parma takes Lagny before the face of the King's Army whereby the passage of the River Marne being freed upon Septemb. 6. great store of victuals enter into Paris The King withdraws his Army and marcheth towards St. Dennis He gives a Scalado to the City which proveth ineffectual The Duke of Parma takes Corbeil and so absolutely frees Paris from want
of Provisions The Duke of Parma marcheth away into Flanders in good order The King assaulteth Clermont takes it and sacks it The Duke of Parma departing leaves aid of men and promiseth supply of money to the League The King marcheth toward Picardy Grenoble in Dauphiné after a long siege returns to the King's obedience The King assaulteth Corby and takes it The Parliament of Burdeaux who with much ado had been brought to the King's obedience make complaints for the King 's persevering in Calvinism The King studieth how to conserve the affections of those of his party and to keep them in obedience He recalls the Duke of Espernon to the Army and other Popish Lords to reconcile them unto him The Viscount of Turenne obtains of Queen Elizabeth of England that she should send the King one hundred thousand crowns That she should send 6000. Foot into Bretagne for the relief of the Prince of Dombes That along with him she should send Horatio Palavicino a Genovese who for Religion was fled into that Island to perswade the States of Holland and the Princes of Germany to assist the King with men and money on their Part. She promised likewise that if the Duke of Parma should return again into France she would assist Grave Maurice and the Hollanders to make a strong diversion by entring into Brabant and Flanders Now the party of the League make a disgust against the Duke of Mayenne which is fomented by the Spaniards And the Lords of the house of Lorain grow jealous one of another and the Duke of Nemours lays aside the Government of Paris The Duke of Mayenne dispatcheth President Jeannin to the King of Spain and the Sieur des Portes to the Pope to solicite aid The Chevalier d'Aumale goes to surprize S. Dennis and without resistance enters with all his men but the Governour with only thirty Horse chargeth and routs the Enemy and d'Aumale being thrust through the throat falleth down dead Those that were curious observed that he fell dead before the door of an Inn whose sign was the Espeè Royale a Sword embroidâ—red with golden Flower-de-luces and that his Body being laid upon the Bier in the Church of the Friers of St. Dennis his carkass the night following was all gnawed and mangled with Rats Pope Gregory XIV assigneth fifteen thousand crowns by the Month for the service of the League and Marsilio Landriano a Milanese is chosen Legate for the Kingdom of France Chartres is besieged and surrendered to the Baron de Biron The Duke of Mayenne receives Chasteau Thierry with the composition of twenty thousand crowns Then the Popish Princes and Noblemen following the King did solicite his Majesty to turn to the Romish Religion Anno 1591. The Petitions made to the King to provide for his dutiful Subjects of both Religions to prevent the new attempts of the Pope and his adherents to the prejudice of the Crown of France were the cause of two Edicts made at Mante in the beginning of July The one confirmed the Edicts of Pacification made by the deceased King upon the troubles of the Realm and dissannulled all that passed in July 1585. and 1588. in favour of the League The oâ—her shewed the King's intent to maintain the Catholick Religion in France with the Ancient Rights and Priviledges of the French Church The Court of Parliament of Paris resident at Chalons and Tours having verified these Edicts had dissannulled all the Bulls of Cardinal Gaetan's Legation and other Bulls that came from Rome on March 1. the Proceedings Excommunications and Fulminations made by Landriano terming himself the Pope's Nuncio as abusive scandalous seditious full of impostures made against the holy Decrees Canonical Constitutions approved Councils and against the Rights and Liberties of the French Church They Decree that if any had been Excommunicate by vertue of the said proceedings they should be absolved and the said Bulls and all proceedings by vertue thereof burnt in the Market-place by the Hang-man That Landriano the pretended Nuncio come privily into the Realm without the King's leave or liking should be apprehended and put in the King's Prison And in case he should not be taken he should be summoned at three short daies according to the accustomed manner and ten thousand Franks given in reward to him that should deliver him to the Magistrate Prohibitions being made to all men to receive retain or lodge the said pretended Nuncio upon pain of death And to all Clergy-men not to receive publish or cause to be published any sentences or proceedings coming from him upon pain to be punished as Traytors They declared the Cardinals being at Rome the Archbishops Bishops and other Clergy-men which had signed and ratified the said Bull of Excommunication and approved the most barbarous and detestable Parricide traiterously committed upon the Person of the late deceased King Henry III. to be deprived of such Spiritual Livings as they held within the Realm causing the King's Proctor General to seise thereon and to put them into his Majesties hand forbidding all persons either to carry or send Gold to Rome and to provide for the disposition of Benefices until the King should otherwise Decree Du recueil de l'Histoire de la ligne That of Tours added this clause to the Decree They declared Gregory calling himself Pope the fourteenth of that name an enemy to peace to the union of the Roman Catholick Church to the King and to his Estate adhering to the Conspiracy of Spain and a favourer of Rebels culpable of the most inhumane and most detestable Parricide committed on the Person of the most Christian and Catholick King Henry III. of famous memory The Parliament of the League did afterwards condemn and cause those Decrees to be burnt at Paris which were made against the Bulls and Ministers of the Romish See So one pulled down what another built up The Cardinal of Vendosme begins to raise a third party of Catholicks to make himself Head of them and thereby to bring himself to the Crown Scipio Balbani is sent to Rome by the Cardinal of Vendosme to treat with the Pope and to communicate his design unto him The Cardinal of Lenoncourt gives the King notice of the designs of the Cardinal of Vendosme The High Chancellour thereupon perswades him to turn to the Romish Religion Charles Duke of Guise having been long kept Prisoner at Tours escapes at noon-day and fleeth to Bourges and then meets with the Duke of Mayenne The Council of Sixteen falls into an emulation with the Parliament of Paris and with the Council of State chosen by the Duke of Mayenne Brigard who had been imprisoned upon suspicion of Plots against the League being escaped the Judges that made his Process are by the people in Arms tumultuously put in Prison and by the Council of Sixteen are caused to be strangled in the close Prison and the next day their bodies are hanged at the Greve with infamous writings on their Breasts The Duke
time flourished Jacobus Sirmondus a Learned French Jesuite he was Confessour to King Lewes XIII Dallaeus saith he was a most Learned and most diligent man Natione Gallus Biblioth societ Jesu A Philip. Alegamb edit Rector olim Collegii Parisiensis vir totius antiquitatis curiosus investigator Latine Graecéque impensè doctus in omni penè literarum genere excultissimus qui humaniores literas theologicas admodum decore conjunxit As for his Works there are his Eucharisticon pro Adventoria de Regionibus Ecclesiis suburbicariis Censura conjecturae Anon. Scriptoris de suburbicariis Regionibus Ecclesiis Propempticum Cl. Salmasio adversum ejus Eucharisticon and other Works of his We owe unto him saith Dr. Du Moulin the Works of Facundus an African Bishop who lived in the time of the Emperour Justinian Claudius Salmasius was a Learned French Critick Vir incomparabilis maximus Salmasius de primatu Papae post quem Homerum siquis Iliada conscribere velit inutilem laborem suscipiet Rivet Grot. Discus Dial. Sect. 5. Vir nunquam satis laudatus nec temerè sine laude nominandus Claud. Salmasius Voss de Orig. progress idol li. 4. ca. 91. Nostri seculi miraculum antiquitatis promus condus Gul. Rivet Praefat. ad vindic Evang. Non Galliae suae duntaxat sed jam hujus Bataviae ingens decus atque adeo totius Reipublicae literariae praesidium Voss de anal li. 3. ca. 46. Clariss Salmasius notis ad Vopiscum ubi post Guilandinum Dalecampium in Plinium ac Scaligeri Diatribam adversus Guilandinum pulchrè indictaque aliis de hoc disserit argumento Voss de art Gram. li. 1. ca. 38. Vir alioquin ad literas summo honore tractandas illustrandas natus si modestiam adhibere arroâ—â—â—ti de se persuasione ac erga alios mdlignitate excussa mentem animi in iis sedulo occupare potuisset Herald animadvers in Salmas observat Ad jus Att. Rom. li. 2. ca. 7. Desiderius Heraldus a Learned French man hath written a Comment on Martial and the other Books forecited and other Learned Works Franciscus Vieta was a Learned French Mathematician There are his Opera Mathematica Vol. 2. Relatio Calendarii vere Gregoriani cum aliis opusc Vniversalium inspectionum ad Canonem Mathematicum lib. singularis De Aequatione recognitione emendatione Thuanus thus saith of him Vir ingeniosa profunda meditatione cujus vi nihil illi inaccessum in abstnusioribus scientiis nihil quod acumine mentis possit confici difficile confectus fuit Thuan. Hist Tom. 5. part 2. li. 129. Nicholas Vignerius was a Learned French Historiographer There are To. 3. de la bibliotheq Hist and other works of his vid. Thuan. Hist Tom. 5. li. 117. part 1. His Son Nicholas Vignerius was a Learned Divine He hath published an excellent Treatise in French styled Theatre de l'Antichrist and a Dissertation in Latine of the Excommunication of the Venetians against Cardinal Baronius And Theses of the satisfaction of Christ which Rivet highly commendeth and annexeth unto his own Disputations Benedict Turretine was also a Learned French man These Books of his are published in French Defense de la fidelité des traductions de la S. bible faictes a Geneve Recheute du Jesuite Plaigiaire Profit des Chastiments Quod adversus Petri Cottoni Jesuitae plagiariam Genevam manifestum fecit vir dum viveret doctissimus accuratissimus Benedictus Turretinus Andr. Rivet Apologet. pro vera pace Ecclesiae The Works of Cardinal David Du Perron are in four Volumes in Folio in French Replique A la Response du Serenissime Roy de la Grand Bretagne Les Diverses Oevres c. Du sainct sacrement de l'Eucharistie Les Ambassades Negotiations He is well answered by Du Moulin Rivet and Blondel The Jesuites seek to be incorporate in the University of Paris whom the University opposed by all means presenting a Petition unto the Queen Regent against them therein laying down at large their damnable Doctrine and strange Equivocations Hereupon Factions began in Paris some standing for others siding against the Jesuites But these Clouds were quickly dispersed and the State preserved for the continuance whereof Monsieuer Pasquier one of the Masters of Requests a man of great Learning and Judgement wrote unto her a Discourse of advice The Abbot of Bois in his Sermons treating of the Question Whether it be Lawful to kill a Tyrant and refuting Mariana's Book and others he made an exhortation to the Jesuites that they should hereafter have a great care that no Book should be published to the prejudice of France under the name of their Society nor with the approbation of their Superiour if they would not willingly expose themselves to those dangers which all their wisdoms fortified with the Authority of their confident friends could not avoid For this did the Jesuites complain and informed against him who answered for himself both wisely and discreetly October 17. the young King was Crowned at Rhemes by Cardinal Joyeuze On November 26. the Great Chamber the Turnelle and the Chamber of the Edict being assembled by a motion made by Monsieur Servin the King's first Advocate against Bellarmines Book touching the Pope's Temporal Power made a Decree against the same whereat the Pope's Nuncio did mightily storm On May 27. 1611. began the Assembly of the Reformed Churches at Saumur whereat many Dukes and Noblemen of the Reformed Religion were present where Du Plessis was chosen President Which Assembly was dissolved September 29. Monsieur de Bullion letting them understand that their Majesties had given him in charge to say that all their just requests should be favourably answered and whatsoever had been promised should be paid The Duke of Espernon to manifest his gratitude to King Henry III. his Master and Benefactor begged of the Queen Regent to give him leave to perform his Funeral Rites he having formerly after the death of the said King attended his Body to Compeigne where the misfortunes of War and the confusions of the times permitted not at that time the performance thereof The Queen readily consented to his request so that the Duke with a great company of Lords and Gentlemen went to fetch the body from Compeigne from whence he conveyed it to St. Dennis where it was deposited in the ancient Sepulchre of the Kings of France A little before his death the Duke caused a Marble Pillar one of the most excellent pieces of Architecture of these late times to be carried and set up in the Church of S. Clou wherein he was so curious as to make it to be wrought in his own house and almost in his own sight his design being to found a Revenue of a thousand Liuvres yearly for the service of the Chappel where it was erected which was also adorned with Pictures and paved with Marble at his own charge But some difficulties arising about the settlement of that foundation which
entitled La confusion des Disputes Papistes Par Daniel Chamier And another in answer to some questions of Cotton the Jesuite He was killed at Montaubon with a Canon Bullet which had a C. on it on the Lords day Being asked by one before whether he Preached on that day he said it was his day of repose or rest and so it proved though he meant it in another sense In the year 1618. the Lords States and the Curators of the University of Leyden renewed a former demand of theirs concerning Dr. Du Moulin to be their Divinity Reader The Learned Erpenius was sent twice into France on that errand And when he could not be obtained from the Church of Paris they demanded by the same Erpenius the famous Rivet and had him The Queen-Mother makes an escape from the place of her confinement and is received by the Duke of Espernon Anno 1619. And being arrived at Loches she endeavours to justifie her escape Cardinal Du Perron died Anno 1618. charging his friends upon his death-bed then about him to send a solemn Farewel by him to Monsieur Du Plessis and to manifest his sorrow for not having made a stricter League of friendship with him having so high an esteem of his Conscience and integrity The Queens affairs having ill success all those who had engaged in her party were abandoned to the King's mercy but as for her self she was permitted to come to Court The Duke of Espernon layes down his Arms and the Marquess de Valette by the Command of the Duke his Father The Duke of Mayenne refuseth to accept the Peace and endeavours to engage the Duke of Espernon in his discontents but he refuseth to stir In the year 1620. a National Synod of the Protestants being called at Alais in Languedoc Dr. Du Moulin was sent Deputy to it and he made account in his return to go out of the way to see Rochel A little before he took that journey the Lord Herbert of Cherbury then Ambassadour of England in France urged him to write to the King his Master to exhort him to undertake vigorously the defence of his Son in Law the King of Bohemia So the Doctor writ to the King and delivâ—red his Letters to the Lord Ambassadour's Secretary then immediately he went to Alais where he was chosen President of the Synod In the mean while his Letters to King James were delivered to the Council of State in France how or by whom the Doctor could never learn Scarce was he in Languedoc when it was concluded at Paris in the ouncil of State that he should be apprehended and committed Prisoner for exhorting a foreign King to take Arms for the defence of the Protestant Churches And because the Council was informed that the Doctor would return by Rochel a place which then gave great jealousies to the Court they wouid not take him before he had been there the informers against him intending to make his going to Rochel an Article of his indictment The affairs of Bearn were now of such a nature as that the King's presence seemed to be very necessary there therefore he determines to move that way and goes to Xantonge and from thence passeth over into Guienne He is magnificently entertained by the Duke of Espernon two daies at Cadillac and departs from thence to go into Bearn He was made believe that the Council of this little Country would submit to his Royal pleasure without obliging him to perform that voyage but the King must undergo that trouble He went thither where his presence produced the same effect it had done in other places He over-ran all this little Province seizing as he passed on Navarrens the strongest place in it as he did also of Ortez and Olleron Principal Cities of that Country He subverted all their antient Customes restor'd the Bishop and other Ecclesiasticks to their Estates and Dignities took away the Administration of affairs of the Country from those of the Reformed Religion and re-established his own Authority but he left the Government of the Province in the hands of the Marquess de la Force since Mareschal of France who impatient to see his Authority cut so short by these alterations could hardly forbear till the King was got back to Paris from reducing things again to the same posture they were in before He therefore laboured all the Winter to drive out the Garrisons of Ortez and Olleron so that excepting Navarrens which was kept by the Marquess of Poianne whom the King had left Governour there he overthrew whatever his Majesty had done shuffling all things again into their former confusion During the Reign of Henry IV. who would not see it and the troublesom minority of Lewes XIII who could not molest them the Protestants had made themselves Masters of Ninety nine Towns well fortified and enabled for a siege In the opinion of their Potency they call Assemblies Parliaments as it were when and as often as they pleased There they consulted of the Common affairs of Religion made new Laws of Government removed and exchanged their general Officers the King's leave all this while never so much as formally asked In this licentious calling of Assemblies they abused their Power into a neglect and in not dissolving them at his Majesties commandment they encreased their neglect into a disobedience The Assembly which principally caused the War and their ruine was that of Rochel called by the Protestants presently upon the King's journey into Bearn This general meeting the King prohibited by his special Edicts declaring all them to be guilty of Treason which notwithstanding they would not hearken unto but resolutely went on in their purposes Being Assembled they sent the King a Remonstrance of their grievances to which the Duke L' Esdeguiers in a Letter to them written gives them a very fair and plausible answer wherein also he entreats them to obey the King's Edict and break off the Assembly Upon the receipt of this Letter those of the Assembly published a Declaration wherein they verified the meeting to be Lawful and their purpose not to dismiss themselves till their desires were granted This affront done to the King made him gather together his Forces yet at the Duke of Lesdiguier's request he allowed them twenty four daies respite before his Army should march towards them He offered them also very fair and reasonable Conditions such almost as their Deputies had solicited but far better than those which they were glad to accept when all the Towns were taken from them In their Assembly they made Laws and Orders that no peace should be made without the consent of the general Convocation about paying of the Souldiers wages for the detaining of the Revenues of the King and the Clergy and the like The Synod at Alais being ended Doctor Du Moulin hearing how the the Protestants would keep a Politick Assembly at Rochel against the King's will judged that it was an ill conjuncture of time for him to go to
another little Town near to Saint Aubin and put all the Souldiers in it to the sword Then they marched against certain places which the Duke of Rohan had resolved to defend but the fear which the Inhabitants and Souldiers apprehended on sight of the Army made them open their Gates so they entred without resistance Then they became Masters of Corconne and Aubenas Montmorency pursued the Duke of Rohan and constrained him to flight he maintained the fight about two hours and saw about an hundred of his Souldiers killed fifteen of his Guard seven or eight Captains slain and divers others wounded In fine he saw at the years end that he had very little advanced his design The Rochellers now send to the King of England to demand succour Order was given for the Rigging out a Fleet in behalf of the Rochellers and the Command to be given to the Earl of Denbigh The King goes from Rochel to Paris to dissipate those Factions which began to rise thereabouts by the Hugonots in Picardy Champagnie and Brie Richlieu Commandeth the Army in his Majestie 's absence The English Fleet being now ready to hoise sail for Rochel the King resolveth to return thither The Rochellers are summoned by an Herauld to surrender to the King but their minds and answers were full of insolency so that the King bent all his thoughts to prepare for the fighting with the English Fleet at their first coming About the eleventh of May they were descried two Leagues off the point of Coreille An order was resolved on by the King assisted with his Generals and Sea Captains and so delivered to the Commander of Valencay who distributed it among the Officers The English attempt to relieve Rochel but in vain and when the Rochellers were embarqued after the exhortations of their Ministers and their Captains had solemnly sworn to pass the Bank in spite of all opposition or die in the attempt they were struck with such faint-heartedness that not a man durst stir his hand and Vincent their Minister could no longer speak unto them as himself confessed in a Letter to a friend of His. The English Fleet now departeth whereupon great dissentions arise among the Rochellers Then the King sent another summons to them to yield Breton Herauld at Arms was commanded to do it in form with his Coat of Arms who went into the City required them to lay down their Arms assured them of Pardon for their past Crime and threatning them with the contrary in case they should now refuse it But they being animated by their Preachers the Town continued obstinate in their insolencies After a feigned Treaty between the King and the Rochellers the Town was reduced by Famine to extream miseries The Cardinal perswaded his Majesty to settle divers Catholick Preachers in the Hugonot Provinces and wrought upon the Duke of Tremoville to forsake the Protestant Religion The Rochellers when they saw there was no hopes of succour from the English and that they died by thousands of the Famine made divers proposals of accommodation Since the last six months there had died about ten thousand of the Famine The Cardinal declared to them they must not think of any other condition than absolutely to submit to his Master's will At last they chose twelve of the principal among them most of which could hardly creep to beg his Majestie 's pardon to assure him that they would live and die in the obedience which they owed to him without demanding any other conditions than what his Majesty should please to give them The King granted them the pardon which they desired and the Sieur of Herbaut Secretary of State read the Patent to them by which his Majesty pardoned their Rebellion discharged them of all Acts of Hostility ordained that they should be restored to their goods granted them the Exercise of their Religion in the City and commanded that all the Souldiers in the City should enjoy the same Grace and that the chiâ—f Captains and Gentlemen should go out with their swords by their sides and the Souldiers with Cudgels in their hands but first they were to swear never to bear Arms against his Majestie 's service Rochel yielded up to the King Upon October 30. the Duke of Angolesm the Marshal de Scomberg the Sieurs de la Curce Vignolle Hallier St. Chaumont and divers other Lords fourteen Companies of the Regiments des Guardes and six of Swisses began about six in the morning to enter into Rochel The King placed himself upon the Fort de Beaulieu to see the Forces march into the Town They who Commanded these Forces seized on all the Gates of the Town the Ramparts Cannon and Munition and sent away the Souldiers the English by Sea and the French by Land who looked more like ghosts than men There were as many Citadels as Gates and as many Castles as Towers and this was it that made the City be esteemed impregnable especially seeing it had an outlet by Sea which could never have been broken up but by his Majestie 's extraordinary power and prudence yet all served but as Trophies raised to his Majestie 's glory On November 1. the King made his entrance into the City Those poor Creatures of the City prostrated themselves as he rode by them that they might the more acknowledge the mercy he had shewed them He had his Arms on and rode in on Horse-back without any Ceremony only four Companies of his Guards two of Swisses his two Troops of Light Horse Armed Cap-a-pe his Dragoons and the Life-guard marched before him all the Nobility following him without any order to avoid the disputes of Precedency Administrat of Card. Richliâ—u The Inhabitants cast themselves on their knees as his Majesty passed along the Streets crying God save the King who hath been so gracious unto us And he frequently saluted those who seemed to be of the better sort among them But those submissions and acknowledgements were much more increased when they received the ten thousand Loaves of Bread which the King distributed among them the same day together with divers other Alms. But when they saw that there came three thousand Carts laden with Wheat and other Provisions into the Town with a proportionate number of Beasts and Cattle which his Majesty commanded to be brought and sold at the usual rates of the Army they then confessed that he knew how to pardon as well as to vanquish The King alighted at S. Margarite's Church which had been Consecrated by the Bishop of Burdeaux and where the Cardinal had with divers Ecclesiasticks that morning celebrated Mass by way of doxology for that happy Victory He was received by the Archbishop assisted by the Clergy and divers other Religious who sung the Te Deum and the King himself also sang it with great devotion About two daies after the King caused the Hoast to be carried in Procession which was performed with a pompous Devotion He also wrote to the Archbishop
Arms to suppress the King's Authority that of their Court with the publick liberty And to that effect had caused the City of Paris to be invested and the King to be conveyed from thence at two of the clock in the morning Upon the news of these combustions in Paris at Rome Monsieur Mazarine wrote to his Son the Cardinal telling him of his faults and giving his Fatherly advice The Court now between Paris and Roven the two most powerful Cities of the Kingdom was distressed with the want of all things especially of money the Aids coming in but slowly from all parts The City Militia grew every day more unwilling to submit to Orders and all people were full of murmuring complaints Thereupon the Archbishop of Corinth gets up into the Pulpit at St. Pauls and saith I would have had you in safety I would have had you Victorious and the goodness of the cause had acquitted you unless your repentance and tameness did plead guilty Then having inveighed much against the Government and Mazarine he cometh down out of the Pulpit and having put off his Mitre and Surplice he putteth on his Armour Often he sallied out of the Town to charge the Enemy without any regard to his Function Great uproars and tumults followed but at St. Germans the principal Lords of the King's Council did earnestly treat of Peace with the Parliaments Commissioners Mazarine being excluded as already pre-condemned by publick Acts some Courtiers driving that way that they might engross to themselves the honour of having procured the quiet of the State The Queen opposed it strongly and at length when he was taken in March 11. 1649. the Articles were agreed to the great joy of the Common people That an Act of Oblivion for past miscarriages be made That all things be restored to their former estate That the King be brought home again to Paris Taxes to be diminished A Treaty of Peace with the Spaniard consented to and some Worshipful Member of the House for Age and Experience be joyned in the transaction to see it concluded upon good and firm terms The Sedition at Paris was scarce quiet but the Faction works in new Plots There is a Rising in Provence and especially in Guienne against their Governours which Conde underhand abetteth Conde Conti and Longueville are imprisoned Thrice they alter their Prison in thirteen months Various transactions passed in the mean time in Normandy Burgundy and Guienne Great contests there were either about releasing or detaining the Prisoners The Cardinal and the Slingers fell at odds so as to betray one another and treat with the Prisoners about Marriages and in a manner sharing the whole Kingdom At length a Peace is concluded and published on August 2. 1650. and all things are setled in Guienne The King enters the City of Bourdeaux with a Guard of four thousand choice men The Cardinal had Lodgings with the King in the Archbishop's Palace Espernon the cause of the Insurrection was excluded who might by his single vertue purchase a Government The Life-Guards were dismissed and the King trusted himself to the Guard of his Subjects Which took much with their Ambitious temper The Court parted from thence The King stayed at Fountainbleau all being in an uproar in Paris at his success in Guienne the Faction were enraged On November 15. 1650. Conde Conti and Longueville were conveyed in eleven daies journey through the midst of Normandy to Havre de Grace where they were kept in close custody Harcourt secured the conveyance with four hundred Horse and the like number of Foot On February 6. 1651. in a dark night the Cardinal Incognito in a disguised habit guarded by about 200. Horse riding himself on horseback retired to St. Germans Harcourt beating the way He pursues his journey through the midst of Normandy to Havre de Grace with a pompous train gazed at by all the people as he passed along Mazarine having disposed his Cavalry into the neighbouring Villages enters into Havre de Grace with his retinue of menial servants He goes into the Castle alone with only two others he delivers the Queens Letters to the Governour for the releasing of the Princes which was done accordingly Longueville went out first then Conti and both of them leaped into Grammont's Coach Conde staid a little while after with the Cardinal in the Prison Chamber where they had Conference together The enlarged Princes return to Paris where the Souldiery at the sight of Conde weep for joy Great was the concourse of the City and so great was the joy as though the Pillars were restored to the Kingdom Mazarine withdraws from France and comes in safety to Brovel the Palace of the Elector of Cologn Thence he writes to the Queen and the Count de Brienne his Majestie 's Secretary This Letter being read with an audible voice in the Privy Council brought some to relent but exasperated more Mazarine is Voted in a full house guilty of High Treason the disturber of the publick peace and enemy of France Strict prohibitions are made that no French man should hold correspendence with him imposing a severe penalty on all that should presume to transgress Mazarine was in ill condition against whose return were strict Ordinances to which the Queen Regent gave her assent nay by Act of Parliament not only foreign but home-born Cardinals and Ecclesiasticks in what degree soever dignified are rendred uncapable of being admitted Members of the King's Council No man can pay a divided Allegiance to his natural Sovereign and the Bishop of Rome For Cardinals if the account be rightly cast up are but Curates in Purple They should attend the Consistories and over-see their Flock the charge whereof cannot be neglected without the hazard of souls Corinth drew against the Bill that only foreigners should be excluded from the Government lest his expected Hat not being lined with that Ministry to which he aspired might be depressed by his meaner contemplations Obusson Archbishop of Yverdon in behalf of the Clergy made an eloquent Oration for the priviledges of the Church but without success Yet the reputation of Obusson grew by this means higher and paved him a path to future preferments The main scope of his Oration lay in amplifying the obligations that Cardinals had laid upon France whose good services were conspicuous all over the World The Parliament answered that the same Cardinals were insatiable in Ambition and Covetousness This said they is incident to Ecclesiastical dignities a slighting of heavenly matters and an affectation of domineering on earth and eminency over great Princes in all which they write after the Copy and come as near as they can to the Roman Court overcoming all the world in pride They added that they turn the greatness they have received against their very benefactors and aim at nothing less by their Canonists and Emissaries than the total suppression of the Secular power That if their immoderate advance proceed the Authority of Church-men will become
Mary Medices only Brother of King Lewis XIII having laid down the Civil Arms would pass off the discontents that were rifsn in his mind for the ill success of his design by retiring to Blois On a sudden he turns Antiquary and Herbalist he delighted in Dogs and hunting and ranging the Woods He heareth Masses frequently sets all the City of Bloys into a Religious humour openly professeth himself a devout Votary Among these and the like courses he fell sick and having Antimony unduly administred within a Week dieth of a Lethargy The Corpse of Gaston is deposited at St. Denis among the Tombs of his Ancestors with a private burial The Kings of Spain and France meet and the French King is married to Maria Teresa daughter to the King of Spain The Gospels were laid on Stands on both sides with a Crucifix The Kings kneeling swore upon them that they would religiously observe the Articles of the peace concluded which were at the same moment read by the Secretaries These Kings having left the Island where they met they were thus parted never more to return to the sight of one another At St. John de Luz next day a solemn Wedding was kept with unusual splendor Then without any stay that barren coast and unhospitable quarters are abandoned The King and Queen stay a while at Fontainbleau thereby giving the Parisians respite to provide for the pompous solemnity The King with the Queen Confort hastens his entry into Paris The entry was next to a triumph In a Domo set up in the Suburb of St. Anthony both their Majesties were congratulated by the several Orders coming forth decently marshalled First came the Ecclesiasticks carrying Images with them and Antique Gods of rude workmanship The Tradesmen followed in their several Companies Then proceeded the Magistrates and afterwards the Parliament in their Robes Next the Chancellor laid over with Gold the Masters of the Requests guarding the Royal Seal charged upon an Horse laden with trappings The Soldiers and the Heralds in rich Coats All had spotted Plumes in their Hats The Captains marched in the Head of their Companies with the Ensigns All sorts of riches are displayed and the ornaments of the City are brought forth to grace the publick joy A Coach embellished with all the badges of Mâ—jesty is brought to the Queen she is set in it alone The King would not go in a Coach but mounted on a gallant Steed rode before The Princes on Horseback followed immediately after In the way all along as they came were Quires of excellent Musitians resounding cheerful Airs in Consorts of Instrumental and Vocal Melody The new married Couple came amidst this Pomp to the City-Gate At the entrance was set up aloft an Image of Peace holding forth divers Verses in its right hand They proceeded from the Port through the High-Streets of the City unto the Louver even tired with joy Scarce were six months expired after the Entry of the King when Mazarine was taken desperately with all the symptoms of extreamest pain His Liver and Lungs distempered caused a general feebleness in all his limbs The Physitians discovering there was no hope of his recovery he retireth to Vincennes there to dye The King commanded he should be left to his rest and disturbed with no business He is reported to have suggested many things of the various Schemes of Policy to the King who commonly sate by his bed side Many secrets he instilled into the King and wisely admonished him That himself would undertake the Government of his State and not create a publick jealousie by ill-chosen Favourites That he should have the same Genius and the same Divine assistance of his counsel as he had to obtain his Victories As they were thus discoursing together many times he fainted away All hope being past the King departed The same setled look which the Cardinal had when he was well accompanyed him at his departure He adopted Du Port the only Son of Meillcray into the Priviledges of his blood to whom he gave his Niece in marriage and conveyed to him his Name and Arms being for his merits taken into equal dearness as if he had been his own Son He advanced his Nephew Mancini in Lordships Riches and Governments These were to share equally Of his Attendants and Menial Servants scarce was any left without a Legacy He ordered the building of a Colledge for the training up the youth of the gained Provinces to have this Motto A Monument of the Empire enlarged He particularly recommended John Baptista Colbert whom he loved for his many good qualities unto the King Having a vast quantity of Jewels he distributed them among divers persons To the Prince of Conde in testimony of injuries forgotten he gave a Diamond of no mean price To the King he left eighteen that were inestimable styled Mazarines to propagate his Name and Renown to posterity He dyed on March 15. in the year of his life 59. of his power 18. He was observant of the Romish Religion as to the Externals of it Being near his end he solemnly received the Eucharist and with a devout Litany received Extream Unction and further requested that Masses might be said for him All was diligently performed in the Temples and the Hoast exposed upon the Altars Supplications were made before all the Saints Zealous he was for the See of Rome beyond measure and at his earnest request the Pope's Nuntio blest him After the death of Mazarine the King's Cabinet Counsellers were Michael Tellier Hugh Lyonne both Secretaries of State and John Baptista Colbert Lord Treasurer men of great fame and vertue At the end of the month of July 1661. Nicholas Fouquet was arrested as he returned from the Kings Council He was carried into the Castle of Anger 's from thence to Vincennes and at last to the Bastile His penalty at last was banishment The French and Spaniard having sent their Ministers into England there arose a contention in London between Estrade the French and Batteville the Spanish Ambassador whose Coach should take place in the proceeding Batteville with his company falls violently upon the Attendants of Estrade and wounds his Coachman and Horses and some of his Servants The French King dischargeth his indignation upon Batteville and banisheth Count Fuelsaldagne from the Verge of the Court not respecting his integrity and that he had been Conductor of the Queen who was the Pledge of Peace He also denyed Caracene that was discharged of the Government of the Low Countreys a passage through France moreover he orders the Archbishop of Yverdon who was then at Madrid upon the Kings account not only to demand of King Philip himself that Batteville might be punished according to the hainousness of the offence but to cut off all contention about precedency for the future that the Spanish Renunciation of all Priority might be established by a publick Act. The Marquess Fuentes is now sent to Paris with a great Train The King causeth the
and banished should appear with such ardour in the defence of that interest that was the cause of his troubles and which is worse resolved never to re-admit him to the Dignities he had lost The King of France unwilling to let the constancy or generosit of de Retz with which he maintained the just priviledges of his Crown to go unrewarded he admitted him again into his favour which he enjoyes to this day if he be yet living but with some conditional limitations as retaining still in his mind the prejudice he did formerly to the Crown though he often declared that all his designs were against Mazarine Afterwards Carlo Roberti a Roman was created Nuntio and sent into France And though the gross of the quarrel forementioned was composed by the Treaty at Pisa yet there were certain reliques remaining that without good managing might have unravelled all again Therefore above all the Pope gave Roberti in charge that he should as much as in him lay redintegrate into the favour of his Majesty and the principal Officers in his Court the opinion that Chigi had lost in France and that he should endeavour to make them appear innocent and full of affection for that Crown Pope Alexander VII in his last promotion made him a Cardinal with the rest of the Nuntio's and sent him his Cap to Paris Before his Nuntiature into France this Prelate was much inclined to the Interest of Spain but when he began to be acquainted with the French Kings entertainment and the civility of the French Court he changed his mind and followed the humour of the French Afterwards certain Jesuites disobliged by some check which they had received in Paris about the Jesuite Anthony Sancterelli's Book de Haeresi Schismate Apostasia in which he spake to the disparagement of the power of Princes but magnified and exalted the power and Authority of the Pope fell publickly to maintain before the Kings face the question of the Infallibility and inpeccability of the Pope The French Divines thought themselves concern'd for the honour of the Crown and conservation of the antient priviledges of their Church to answer them with a most just and well-grounded Censure wherewith they rigorously condemned the doctrine of the Jesuites as too remote from the general opinion and of great prejudice to the Soveraignty of Princes Pope Alexander VII having notice of what passed testified to King Lewes his dislike of this proceeding The King recommending the examination of the matter to the wisdom of the Parliament of Paris they upon mature deliberation concluded that the Popes Infallibility was not to be admitted in France as being an innovation and inconsistent with the antient priviledge of the Gallican Church and therefore they saw no reason to admit a new opinion known only to such as depended on the Court of Rome and reject that which was of greater antiquity and had been owned by so many Popes Which determination so netled his Holiness that he fell immediately to his Bulls and with great threatning and curses forbad the Printing or reading of the abovesaid Censures Among other expressions in his Bull there were these Praefatas censuras uti praesumptuosas temerarias atque scandalosas It was very well known that those Censures were made by the Sorbonists Il Cardinalissimo the King 's principal Divines by the Parliament it self which is as much as to say by the King himself Notwithstanding the Pope spares not any revilings but throws forth peals of invectives indiscriminately as if from a Pope nothing is injurious This is the respect the Popes bear to the most Christian King and to such a State as France Lewes Duke of Vendosme a French man is descended from a Natural Son of King Henry IV. who Marrying with Frances of Lorrain Dutchess of Mercoeur had this Lewes by her He had no great enclination to the Ecclesiastical habit his mind running more after Matrimony and the affairs of the world Accordingly when he arrived at a competent Age he Married a Niece of Cardinal Mazarine's hoping by means of his favour to open a way to some honourable employment This Lady lived not many years with the Duke her Husband to whom she left two hopeful Sons This Lord being a Widdower changeth his mind being now altogether for the Ecclesiastical habit not in any penitential way but only to capacitate him for the Cardinalship which he alwaies aim'd at Finally the French King according to the Prerogative of his Crown being to nominate a person in the last promotion of Pope Alexander presented this as a person of great Merit and fit to be an Ornament both to the Cap and Colledge and the rather because in his Viceroyship in Catalonia and in his Government of Provence he had shewed great diligence in his Majesties service A few daies after he had received his Cap the tidings of the Popes languishing condition arrived so that with directions from the King he parted immediately for Rome to be present at the new Conclave where he met exactly with all the rest of the French Cardinals In the year 1667. Pope Alexander VII dieth and Clement IX succeedeth him The Election being made the Cardinal of Vendosm who in this Conclave had behaved himself with great prudence and perhaps more than was expected by the elder Cardinals that had been a long time acquainted with the Intrigues of the Conclaves prepared for his return into France but first he recommended to his Holiness the Interests of his Master particularly in the business of the discameration of Castro according to the Treaty at Pisa in which it was Articled that Castro should be delivered The Pope sent a Bull to Cardinal Vendosme declaring him Legate à Latere and thereby qualifying him for that Function Here followeth a Relation of the Present Estate of the Reformed Churches in France translated out of French and published Anno 1668. I Shall only in brief relate the proceedings of the Adverse party against them The first and most considerable Mean used against them by the Popish Clergy is that of Commissions For under pretext of executing the Edict of Nantes and the Decrees made in consequence thereof and providing against the breaches of the same they have engaged the King to send Commissioners into all Provinces For clearing whereof we must remember that Henry IV. of happy memory having found it convenient for the quiet of his Subjctes to make this Edict as a particular and irrevocable Law did send Commissioners into all the Provinces to execute the same and after those Commissioners had established all things in due form they returned their Executions into the hands of the King to serve as a Rule in all future debates which could arise on that subject These Commissioners although the Hugonots have usurped nothing since the first execution of the Edict but on the contrary have sustained innumerable losses have now altogether perverted the business for concealing the first execution of the Edict they have