him and carryed away many captiues and prisoners In redeeming of the captives Mauritius was too niggardly whereby it came to passe that Chaianus slew 12. thousand prisoners which might haue beene ransomed for a small summe of money This oversight of the Emperour not onely stayned other his noble vertues but also purchased the hatred of the souldiers against him wherby it came to passe that they set vp Phocas to bee Emperour in his stead Of this calamity it is thought that Mauritius was foreseene in his dreame and that hee chose rather to bee punished in this world for his faults then in the world to come Afterward he was brought in bands to Phocas his wife and fiue children were cruelly slaine in his owne presence and finally bloody Phocas slew himselfe of whom it is reported that when he saw his wife and children put to death he gaue glory to God in his greatest calamity and said Iust art thou O Lord and righteous in all thy Iudgements CENTVRIE VII Phocas THe heresie of Eutyches continued in this Centurie from the beginning to the end thereof countenanced by the Emperours such as Heraclius and Constans Neverthelesse I haue cut off the Eutychian Persecution at the end of the sixt Centurie because Heraclius albeit hee favoured the error of the Monothelites a branch of Eutyches heresie notwithstanding hee was so employed with warres against the Avares in the West and the Persians and Saracens in the East that hee had not a vacant time to persecute them who professed another faith And Constans began to persecute but was quickly interrupted by new occasion of Sea-warfare against the Saracens wherein also hee was overcome For this cause I haue referred the Eutychian persecution rather to the former Centurie then to this Moreover in this Centurie the vniversall Bishop and the Antichrist beginneth to spring vp so that all the rest of the History must be spent in three heads First in declaring The growth of the Antichrist in the seventh eight and ninth Centuries Secondly in declaring his tyranny and prevailing power over the Romane Emperours and Monarches of the world in the tenth eleventh and twelfth Centuries And finally in declaring his discovery and his battell against the Saints especially against those who discovered him and this shall be done God willing from the thirteenth Century vnto our time In the History I am compelled to be short because it may be read in many Authors Chronologies and Compends whereby it may beâ— sufficiently knowne Phocas after the cruell slaughter of his master Mauritius was proclaimed to be Emperour by the Romaine souldiours in the yeere of our Lord 604. and he raigned 8 yeeres in crueltie drunkennesse lecherie hee surpassed beyond all men justlie was called The calamity of the Romane Empire nothing succeeded prosperouslie with this parricide Cosroes on the East-side the Auares on the West the Slauonians on the North-side inuading Dalmatia and Agilulphus king of Lumbardis in Italie adding vnto his dominion Mantua Cremona and Vulturnia all these at one time weakened the Romane Empire so farre that it could neuer attaine againe to the former strength and splendor that it was wont to haue Great strife had beene betwixt the chaires of Rome and Constantinople for supremacy The Patriarch of Constantinople thought it due to him be cause Constantinople was the seate of the Empire The Patriarch of Rome on the other part said that Constantinople was but a Colonie of Rome and that the Grecians themselues in their Letters called the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this controuersie Phocas put an end and ordained Bonifacius the third to be called Vniuersall Bishop and the Church of Rome to bee head of all other Churches This dignitie the Romane Church begged as Platina granteth and not without great conâ—ention obtained it at the handes of Phocas This is that stile which Gregorius the first counted Antichristian in the person of Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch of Constantinople In the end Priscus his owne sonne in law Heraclianus the father of Heraclius the Emperour and Phocius whose wife Phocas had vnhonestly abused conspired against him and ouer-came him and brought him to Heraclius who commanded his head feete and secret members to be cut off and the stampe of his bodie was giuen to the souldiers to be burnt with fire Heraclius AFter Phocas raigned Heraclius thirtie yeeres Cosroes king of Persia had mightilie preuailed and had conquered Syria Phenicia and Palestina and had taken Ierusalem and Zacharias the Bishop thereof and the Holie Crosse and had giuen many thousands of Christians to the Iewes to bee slaine Neither would he accept any conditions of peace with Heraclius except hee would condiscend to forsake the worshipping of Christ and worship the Sunne as the Persians did For this cause Heraclius was compelled to make peace with the Auares on his West side and to lead his Army to Asia against the Persians which indured the space of sixe yeares wherein he preuayled against Cosroes and recouered all the Prouinces which Cosroes had taken from the Romane Empire Finallie Cosroes was taken cast in prison and cruellie slaine by his owne son Siroes because he had preferred Medarses his younger sonne to Siroes his elder brother This Siroes made a couenant of peace with Heraclius and deliuered vnto him Zacharias Bishop of Ierusalem with the Holie Crosse and the prisoners whom his father had carried Captiue And so Heraclius in the seuenth yeere returned backe againe to Constantinople with great triumph After this the Emperour being circumuened by Pyrrhus Bishop of Constantinople and Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria fell into the Heresie of the Monothelites And to this fault hee added other faults such as incest for he married his owne sisters daughter and hee was giuen to curious Artes and to seeke out the euent of thinges by judiciall Astrologie and was admonished by the Astrologians to beware of the circumcised people Heraclius onely deemed that the Iewes should trouble him but it was the Saracenes in whom this prophesie had performance for in his time beganne the Monarchie of the Saracenes and the blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet The Saracenes were people dwelling in Arabia the posteritie of Hagar and not of Sara These fought vnder the banner of Heraclius in his sixt yeere warrefare against the Persians when they craued the wages of their seruice in stead of money they receiued contumelious words and were called Arabik dogs by the Emperours treasurer This contumely did so irritatate them that they choosed Mahomet to be their captaine Anno 623. inuaded Damascus and tooke it and within few yeeres conquered Syria Phaenicia Palestina and Aegypt And not content with this they inuaded the kingdome of the Persians and subdued it and cut off the kings seed The blasphemous Alcaron and alfurca of Mahomet which hee said hee receiued from heauen was a doctrine of lies containing a mixture of the religion of the Iewes Pagans and
THE HISTORIE OF THE CHVRCH SINCE THE DAYES OF Our Saviour IESVS CHRIST vntill this present Age. Devided into foure Bookes 1. The first containeth the whole proceedings and practises of the Emperours both of the West and East for or against the Church as also the wonderfull loue of God towards it by whom it was so preserved that neither by Tyranny it could be subdued nor by policie circumvented 2. The second containeth a breefe Catalogue of the beginnings and proceedings of all the Bishops Popes Patriarchs Doctors Pastors and other learned men in Europe Asia and Affrica with or against the Church together with their deaths 3. The third containeth a short summe of all the Heretiques which haue beene in the Church the time when and the place where they lived as also the persons by whom they were subdued 4. The fourth containeth a short compend of all the Councels Generall Nationall and Provinciall together with their severall Canons which haue beene established either with or against the Church Devided into 16. Centuries By all which is clearely shevved and proved the Antiquitie Visibilitie and Perpetuitie of our Church euer since Christs dayes vntill this present Age. Collected out of sundry Authors both ancient and moderne by the famous and worthy Preacher of Gods vvord Master PATRICK SYMSON late Minister at Striueling in Scotland LONDON Printed by I.D. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Golden Lions in Corne-hill neere the Royall Exchange and for William Sheffard at the entering in of Popes-head Alley out of Lumbard streete 1624. TO THE RIGHT GRATIOVS PRINCE LODOWICK Duke of Richmond and Lenox Baron of Settrington Darnley Teâ—banten and Methuen Lord great Chamberlane and Admirall of Scotland Lord Steward of the Kings household Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most honorable privie Councell ALthough it may seeme both to your Grace and others great presumption in me a stranger to trouble your Grace either with the view of these vnpolished lines or this ensuing Historie yet I hope the latter shal be a sufficient excuse for the former For having received it from your Noble Sister the Countesse of Marre at her Ladiships commaundement and especiall direction I revised it put it to the Presse hastened the Printing and now also craue your Graces Patronage thereto not so much respecting the greatnesse of your authoritie as the goodnes of your nature and disposition whereof much might be sayd but that I hold it needlesse to shew the Sunne with a candle Thus humbly commending it to your Graces favourable acceptation and heartily committing you to the Almighties gracious protection I humbly take my leaue resting Your Graces humble servant A. Symson TO THE RIGHT NOBLE VERTVOVS and elect Ladie Marie Countesse of Marre P.S. wisheth grace mercie and eternall felicitie THE estate of the Church of Christ NOBLE LADIE whereof wee reioyce to be accounted feeling members hath beene subject vnto manifold afflictions even from the beginning of the world not like vnto the estate of Moab setled vpon her dregs and not poured out from vessell to vessell yet the more afflicted the more beloved of God whose face watred with teares is faire and whose mourning voyce is pleasant in the sight of God and as doing of good willingly hath a great recompence of reward from God even so patient suffering of evill for righteousnesse sake as it is highly commended in Scripture so it shall be richly rewarded in heaven yea the very heathnick Philosopher Plato to whom the glory of the sufferings for Christ was vnknowne affirmeth that men who suffer scourging binding tormenting boring out of eyes and finally strangling of their breath for righteousnesse sake are exceeding happy are as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth thrice happy although the superlatiue degree of suffering which can be found amongst the heathnicks could never equall the glorie of the sufferings of Christians They who were initiated in the mysteries of Mittera which word in the Persian language signifieth the Sunne could not bee admitted to that honour before they had beene tried by suffering fourscore divers sorts of punishments such as long abstinence from meate and drinke solitarie living in the wildernes a long time tryall of suffering the fervent heate of fire and the coldnes of water and many other torments vntill the number of fourescore had beene completed These voluntarie sufferings like as in the beginning they wanted the warrant of Gods calling so likewise in the end they wanted the hope of Gods reward but the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth Christians to be blessed who die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them The manifold persecutions of the Church may be devided into three rankes some were fierce and bloodie some were craftie the third was and is both craftie and cruell The ten heathnicke Emperours Nero Domitian Traian c. were so prodigall of the blood of the Lords Saints that they poured it out like water vpon the ground The Arrian Emperors were subdolous and craftie but the persecution of Antichrist which is the third goeth beyond the rest both in crueltie and craft yea the experience which we haue had in our owne dayes of the cruelty of Antichrists supposts and their craftie convey of their malicious enterprises intended against our Soveraigne Lord His Royall race and Noble Counsellers doth cleerely proue that the malice and craft of Antichrist goeth as farre beyond the craft and malice of all Emperours as the flood of Noah exceedeth the inundation of Nilus In the first second and third Centuries the faith and patience of Christians was tried by the yoake of ten bloody persecutions For first the Apostles who had heard with their eares the words of the great shepheard of our soules and seene with their eyes God manifested in the flesh were chosen to be faithfull to the world of the doings sufferings and doctrine of Iesus Christ and next to the Apostles their Disciples and true successours sealed vp with rivers of blood that faith which they receiued from the Apostles The fire wherewith they were burnt the water wherein they were drowned the ayre wherein their bodies were hanged the mountaines and wildernesses through which they wandered the darke prisons wherein they were enclosed as people vnworthy of libertie yea all the elements the very light of heauen from whence by most vnrighteous violence they the righteous heires thereof were excluded all these I say were witnesses of their glorious sufferings In the fourth fift and sixt Centuries the knowledge of the Church was tryed by Heretiques who by the mistie clowds of error endeavoured to blindfold the eyes of men and to leade them captiue from the simplicity of the truth of God at which time also the power of the light of God was manifested in discipating the darknesse of errours as the Sun-rising doth the darknesse
very first words of it proue it to be false forged Pontianus sanctâ— uniuersalâ—s Ecclesia Episcopus c. that is Pontianus B. of the holy vniuersal Church to al them who feare loue God wisheth welfare Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse when they crept into the Church afterward they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singular and rare men such as Cyprian and Athanasius and Eusebius but no man did vsurpe such proud arrogant ti tles of dignitie in his owne writings directed to other Christians and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellow After Pontianus succeeded Anterus the 18. B. of Rome to whom Eusebius assigned but one month of continuance in his ministrie Damasus assigneth to him 12. yeeres Platina 11. yeeres 1. month 12. dayes and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled Next to Anterus succeeded Fabianus the 19. B. of Rome vpon whose head a doue lighted when the people were consulting concerning the election of a B. therefore with full consent of the whole coÌ„gregation he was declared to be their B. The people at this time were so farre from being secluded froÌ„ giuing their consent to the election of him who should be ordained their Pastour that the consent of the people had the sway in the election of Pastours Func Chron Commentar He suffered martyrdom vnder the raigne of Decius the 7. great persecuter after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres 11. months 11. daies Many constitutions made by him are cited by Gratianus and inserted Tom 1. Concil One of them I cannot passe by We constitute that vpon euery Lords day the oblation of the altar shall be made by euery man woman both of bread wine to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuered froÌ„ the heapes of their sinnes First marke in this constitution that the bread and wine which the people brought with them vpon the Lords day for the ministration of the holy communion is called the oblation of the altar the table whereupon the bread and wine were laide was called the alter the bread and the wine are called the offering or the sacrifice because part of it was distributed in the holy communion to keepe a memoriall of the Lords death and the rest was giuen to the sustentation of the poore and in that respect also it was called a sacrifice as â—he scripture speaketh To do good to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased The last part of the decreet is blasphemous and falsly attributed to Fabian because the sinnes of men and women who beleeue and repent are forgiuen onely for the merite of that bloodie sacrifice which the Lord Iesus offered vpon the Crosse for our sins But our furnishing of elements to the coÌ„munion sustentation of the poore cannot merite forgiuenes of sins The successour of Fabianus was Cornelius the 20. Bishop of Rome He had a great strife against Nouatus and his complices He assembled a Councell at Rome of 60. Bishops besides Elders and Deacons by whom the heresie of Nouatus was condemned and the Nouatians were separated from the fellowship of the Church Cornelius was baÌ„ished from Rome by the Emperour Decius and sent to a towne in Hetruria called Centum-cellae where hee had great comfort by the mutuall letters that passed betweene him and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage When the Emperour got knowledge of this he sent for Cornelius and accused him as a man who not onely despised the worshipping of the gods was disobedient to the Emperours commandement but also that he was a trafficker against the estate of the empire by receiuing and sending letters beyond sea Cornelius answered that he wrote matters pertaining to Christ the saluation of mens soules and not of matters belonging to the estate of the empire Notwithstanding the Emperour Decius commanded that hee should be scourged with plumbats this was a sort of grieuous whip and afterward that hee should be led to the Temple of Mars with commandement to put him to death if he refused to worship the image of Mars Thus was Cornelius beheaded for the name of Christ after hee had gouerned 2. yeeres 3. daies Or as Eusebius writeth 3. yeares Lucius the 21. Bishop of Rome was successour to Cornelius continued in the gouernement of the Church of Rome 3. yeeres 3. months 3. daies Platin. Euseb. 8. months lib. 7. cap. 2. One decretall epistle is assigned vnto him written vnto the Bishoppes of France and Spaine wherein hee braggeth that the Bishops of Rome cannot erre in matter of faith but the ineptitude of a barbarous Latine stile wherein the Epistle is dited declareth it hath beene written by an vnlearned Asse and not by Lucius Bishop of Rome Stephanus 22. Bishop of Rome ruled that Church 2 yeeres Platin. 7. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes He was greatly commoued against Cyprian B. of Carthage because that by his opinion of rebaptizing those who were baptized by Heretikes the vnitie of the Church of Christ was perturbed and rent Platina writeth that Cyprian before his martyrdome forsooke his opinion of rebaptizing and was content by imposition of hands according to the custome of the Romane Church to receiue such as had beene baptized by Heretikes The constitution concerning consecrated garments that men in spirituall offices should weare in the Church and no where else lest they incurre the like punishment with Baltasar who abused the holy vessels of the house of God in my opinion is not judiciously attributed by Platina vnto this B. Stephanus because the ordinance smelleth rather of Iudaisme then of Christian religion and the reason subioyned to the constitution is altogether impertinent It was sacriledge indeed and a proud contempt of God in the person of Baltasar to drinke common wine with his harlots in the vessels of gold dedicated to the holy seruice of God but an holy preacher to walke in the same apparell in the streete wherein he preached and ministred the communion in the Church this is no sinne nor a thing forbidden by any Apostolike precept But Platina is dreaming when he ascribeth such sriuolous constitutions to a Bishop preparing himselfe for death for Platina supposeth that he was martyred in the dayes of Galliexus Let the reader marke vpon what sandy ground of friuolous constitutions and falsely alledged Popish faith is grounded The decree of Stephanus concerning marriage bearing that the Priests Deacons Subdeacons of the Oriental Church were coupled in matrimonie but in the Roman Church no person in a spiritual office from the Bishop to the Subdeacon had libertie to marrie if it were true as it is assuredly false the Orientall Church hath a great commendation because they would not be wiser then God and they would not lay the yoke of the ordinances of men vpon the
of the night In the seventh eighth and ninth Centuries the Romane Church resembling the Harlots of Heliopolis in Phoenitia who having liberty to prostitute themselues to the lust of strangers teach their children procreated by this libidinous copulation to depend only vpon them whom they know not vpon their fathers whom they know not disadvantageth her children with the voyce of God sounding in holy Scripture teaching that it is sufficient to beleeue as the Church of Rome the mother of al Churches beleeveth which in matters of faith cannot erre But wee must depend vpon the voyce of God our heavenly Father Who hath begotten vs by the incorruptible seed of his Word fed vs with the sincere milke of the same and anoynted vs with the balme of Gilead making glad his owne Citie even with the waters of his owne Sancturay The lowd sounding trumpets of vaine and idle words we leaue to the adversaries of the truth for that is their armour wherewith they fight against the Gospell of Iesus Christ. In the tenth eleventh and twelfth Centuries the tyranny of Antichrist was accompanied with a wonderfull growth of lyes falshood and ridiculous fables of which the absurdity of one striving with the absurditie of anotheâ— derogateth in the end credite from them all and as the souldiers of Cadmus who were bred of Dragons teeth kill one another Vincentius is not ashamed to write that they who regarded more their play game dancing then they did the reverend hearing of the masse were plagued with a continuance in dancing without intermission for the space of a twelue-moneth thereafter If penne could blush if hand could tremble if paper could bee ashamed such ridiculous fables had not beene written At this time learning was not to bee found in Pastors sincerity in Councels humility in Prelates and true religion in the multitude of people and Nations For in stead of these there was abundance of Liturgies Processions and Pilgrimages Masses superstitious vowes multiplication of vnprofitable ceremonies confidence in externall service as if it could saue ex opere operato Fastings tyed to dayes and moneths not vnlike to the fasts of the Donatists At this time the vines of Sodome and Gomorrah abounded with grapes of gall and bitter clusters At this time the key of the kingdome of God seemed almost lost the preaching of the kindome of Christ ceased for the most part The authority and preheminence of the Pope over Princes and all men in spirituall offices like the axes and hammers of the Assyrians cutting downe the carved worke of the house of the Lord sounded so lowd in all Churches that the sound of the Gospell could scarcely be heard And although at this time there were some Romane Bishops who spoke against the kingdome of the Divell yet their hearts were so filled by him with ambition avarice vncleannesse contempt of the lawfull authority of Princes superstition and horrible idolatry that hee led them head-long to hell as men may leade dogs though barking aloud whither they please In the thirteenth fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth Centuries even to these our times there is nothing to bee expected but a discoverie of Antichrists hypocrisie a decay of his vsurped authority an abrogation of his tyrannous lawes and finally an vtter ruine and destruction of his kingdome notwithstanding of all the maintainers and vpholders of the same And surely it is a great encouragement to vs when we see false teachers dayly renuing their forces to fight against the truth as the Philistims did who fought against David in the valley of Rephaim after they had beene often discomfited by him The last period of their reluctation against the Lords annoynted was losse and hurt to themselues and dishonour to their gods whom they were forced to leaue behinde them which David tooke and burnt with fire calling the place Baalperatzim that is the rupture of Baal The adversaries of the Gospell in Christendom by renuing their forces againe are procuring a new name vnto their Idols They cannot bee content with the name of Baal-peor Baal-meon Baal-thamar Baal-chatsor Baal-gad but they will spread out their banners in the valley of Rephaim against the Lord longing for the last name Baal-peperatzim confusion to themselves That this hath beene the estate of the Church euer since the dayes of Christ vntill this present doth evidently appeare out of the ensuing History wherein besides the antiquity and visibility of this our Church your Ladiship may also as in a mirrour behold her wonderful constancie opposed to her enemies cruelty Let the Papists to cover the turpitude of their new found doctrine pretend antiquity as much as they will yet they will never bee able to proue it So did the Hagarens boldly vsurp the name of Saracens although they were only the brood that sprang from the wombe of Hagar the hand-maide of Sarah And the Priests boy in the dayes of Eli came to the Caldron while the flesh of the peace-offering was seething and thrust in his flesh-hooke all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke for himselfe which thing was done by violence the Priest having no right thereto The Roman Church in our dayes having borrowed the flesh-hooke of the Priests boy and violently arrogated vnto themselues the faithfull keeping of ancient Apostolique traditions when wee demand where the Charter containing their title and right wee see nothing but the flesh-hooke with these three teeth in their hand 1. The Church cannot erre 2. Wee are the true Church 3. Cursed be hee that saith in matters of faith our generall Councels can erre Madam accept vnder your Ladiships favourable protection these my travailes in weaknesse not vnlike the writer whose life it hath pleased the Lord to prolong these many yeeres by-past vnder many infirmities of a dayly decaying tabernacle containing a faithfull testimony of my humble endeavour to confirme the branches of your noble houshould in the true faith of Christ. Though there be many that forsake Christ and are as reprobate silver from whom the drosse cannot bee separated yet let the Noble house of Marre follow Christ. And as Helene Queen of Adiabani when she left her Countrey and came to dwell at Ierusalem filled the bellies of the poore with the corne of Egypt and the fruites of Cyprus for it was a yeere of vniversall famine and spared for no cost to doe good to the Saints who were at Ierusalem so I beseech the Lord to raise vp many honourable Ladies such as your Ladiship is to refresh the barren soules of ignorant people in this Land with examples of humilitie modestie godlinesse and all other vertues Now the mercies of the Lord Iesus The Author and finisher of our faith attend vpon my Lord your husband vpon your Ladiship and all your Noble house and The great Mediator of the covenant of God stablish all your hearts in the certainty of his vndoubted truth vnto the end and in
foretold by the Prophet Zacharie Then sayd I I will not feed you that that dieth let it die and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant every one eate the flesh of his neighbour Like as the intollerable cruelty of Flerus had irritat the Nation of the Iewes even so on the other side the vnsupportable obstinacy of the Iewes had incensed the wrath of the Romanes against them They were now become so head-strong that they reiected the sacrifice that was wont to be offered for Caesar. The calamity of the Iewes who dwelt in Alexandria and in Damascus was but the beginning of sorrowes fifty thousand Iewes were slaine in Alexandria ten thousand in Damascus Besides this many signes and wonders both in heauen and earth did proclaime their future desolation and destruction A Comet was seene in heauen hanging ouer the towne of Ierusalem for the space of a yeare and having the similitude of a sword in the Temple at the mid time of the night a cleare light was seene shining round about the Altar in brightnes not vnlike vnto the light of the day and the great brasen port of the Temple opened of it owne accord about the sixt houre of the night chariots of fire were seene compassing townes and a voyce was heard in the Sanctuary warning to flit and to transport with many other fearfull signes and wonders But a people senslesse whose eyes were dimme whose eares were dull of hearing whose heart was fatte and locked vp by Satan in infidelity they could take no warning of the wrath to come because the Lord was minded to destroy them Flavius Vespatian and his sonne Titus Vespatian leading an army of threescore thousand armed men from Ptolemaida besieged the townes of Galilee and Trachonitis so many as would not willingly bee subiect to the Romanes the townes of Gadara Tiberias Iotopata Tarithea Gamala all these were brought vnder the reverence of Vespatian and Iosephus who had beene lurking in a caue after the towne of Iotopata was conquered was taken aliue and kept in bands by the Romans hee foretold that Vespatian should be Emperour and saluted him Caesar and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while Nero was yet aliue When this prophecie came to passe indeed and hee was chosen to bee Emperour hee sent for Iosephus and commanded that he should be loosed from bands but Titus his sonne thought more expedient that his bands should bee cut off from him rather then loosed to the end he might be counted a worthy man who never deserved captivity nor bands Flavius Vespatian returned to Rome and left behinde him his sonne Titus to subdue the Iewes and to besiege the towne of Ierusalem but the Christians who dwelt at Ierusalem were warned by God to depart out of the towne of Ierusalem so they left it and dwelt beyond Iordan in a towne of Decapolis called Pela Separation of the corne from the chaffe goeth before the vnquenchable fire wherewith the chaffe shall bee burnt Titus beganne to besiege Ierusalem in the first yeare of the reigne of his father at the time when the people were gathered to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer The terror of the sword of the Romanes without the feare of mercilesse brigands within the bowels of the towne prevailing the shewer of the dead wanting the honour of buriall infecting the aire and devouring the living with contagious sicknesse the violent plague of famine breaking assunder the bands of nature and constraining women to eate the birth of their owne bellies All these calamities seased vpon them at once in the iust iudgement of God They despised the Father of eternity and the Prince of peace and sayd to Pilate Wee haue no King but Caesar. Now they finde that the mercies of Caesar were cruell and his sonne Titus who was commended in all mens mouthes as meeke mercifull liberall and eloquent and was called Amor delitiae humani generis that is The loue and most dainty thing of all mankinde yet God made him a terrible scourge to the Nation of the Iewes who forsooke the Lord Iesus and preferred Caesar vnto him In Scripture wee reade of many great viols of the wrath of God powred downe vpon vnrighteous men but these are greatest that resemble by most liuely representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last day such as the flood of Noe the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem The flood of Noe was vniuersall and sudden so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day The overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha was a destruction vnsupportable and the more meet to bee an example of the vengeance of eternall fire The destruction of Ierusalem and the forerunning tokens thereof are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation of the great day that it may bee clearely perceiued that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other So oft as we call to remembrance the flood of Noe the overthrow of Sodom and the destruction of Ierusalem let vs feare stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men because all the terrors of these iudgements concurre and are massed together in the iudgement of the last day What are the deepe wells of water what are the shoures of fire and brimstone what is famine pest and sword both intestine and forraine in comparison of that worme that never dieth and that fire that shall never be quenched and the blacknesse of darknes with weeping and gnashing of teeth c It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God Concerning the number of them that were slaine in Galilee Trachonitis Samaria and Iudea chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem over and besides those that were sold to be slaues and those that were deuoured by wild beasts in the triumph of Flavius and Titus at Rome reade Iosephus de bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 45. Titus AFter Flavius raigned Titus Vespatian his sonne two yeares two months twenty dayes The Nation of the Iewes being now subdued there was great peace in all parts of the Romane dominions both by sea and land and the Temple of Ianus in Rome was closed and locked vp againe Domitian FFlavius Domitian was associate to his brother Titus in government during his life time and after his death was his successor Hee raigned 15. yeares Hee was proud like Nero and persecuted innocent Christians as hee did so prone and bent is our corrupt nature to sinne and to follow evill examples Now againe the Church of Christ militant vpon the earth must learne obedience by suffering and must giue a proofe before the world that the Covenant of God is written in the tables of her heart and so deeply ingraved by the finger of God that no tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse nor death itselfe can separate her from the loue of Christ. The members of the
thirteene yeares Hee delighted to haue about him wife and learned Counsellers such as Fabius Sabinus Domitius Vlpianus c. This renowned Lawyer Vlpianus was not a friend to Christians but by collecting together a number of lawes made against Christians in times past hee animated the hearts of Iudges against them And this is a piece of the rebuke of Christ that Christians haue borne continually to be hated of the wise men of the world Hereof it came to passe that in this Emperours time albeit hee was not so bloody as many others had beene before him and therefore his Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbloody yet not a few suffered martyrdom even in the daies of Alexander such as Agapetus a young man of fifteene yeares old at Praeneste a towne of Italie hee was assayed with many torments and finally with the sword he was beheaded The Iudge who gaue out sentence of death against him fell out of his iudiciall seat and suddenly dyed The martyrdome of Cecilia if by her trauells Valerian her espoused husband and Tiburtius his brother and 400. moe had beene converted to Christ and secretly baptized by Vrbanus Bishop of Rome immediatly before her death I marvell that no mention should bee made by Eusebius of such a rare and miraculous worke Senators and noble men at Rome such as Pammachius Simplicius and Quiritius with their wiues and children died for the faith of Christ with many others The favour that this Emperour shewed to Christians against whom the very stubbering cookes did contend challenging vnto themselues the right of a place wherein Christians were accustomed to conveene for exercise of divine seruice this favour I say seemeth to haue proceeded from the councell of Mammea his Christian mother rather then from the counsell of Vlpianus that renowned lawyer an hatefull aduersarie to Christians But Mammea his mother hearing the report of the learning of Origen sent for him and by him was instructed in the groundes of Christian faith The learned doctour who wrote the booke of the martyrs very judiciously obserueth the iniquitie of this time whereinto no Christian Churches were erected when as yet notwithstanding of the fauour of the Emperour at some times no publicke house could quietly be obtained for the Christians so that by reason hereof may appeare the decretall epistle of Pope Hyginus concerning the dedication of Churches is forged and fained because the raigne of Alexander is a long time posterior to the dayes of Hyginus who liued vnder the raigne of Antoninus Pius and in the raigne of A lexander as yet there was great difficultie to obteine a place whereinto Christians might assemble together The just deserued punishment of Turinus whom the Emperour caused to bee fastened to a stake in the open market place and thereto be killed with smoke the Herald standing by and crying to the people Smoke he sold and with smoke hee is punished This punishment I say declareth that this Emperour counted flatterers worthy of great punishment Alexander and his mother Mammea were both slaine by his owne souldiers Maximinus AFter Alexander Seuerus Maximinus was Emperour and raigned 3. yeeres A man of base parentage of an huge stature promoted to honours by Alexander who nourished a serpent in his owne bosome as the prouerbe speaketh when he aduanced Maximinus an ingrate foster to great dignities and honours For by his meanes the armie killed Alexander and his mother Mammea and saluted him and his sonne Emperours without aduise of the Romane Senate a man hated of all good men beloued of euill men more grieuous to the citizens of Rome then to their enemies who for hatred of the house of Alexander as Eusebius recordeth raised vp the sixt persecution against Christians specially against the teachers and leaders of the Church thinking the sooner to vanquish the rest if the Captaines and guiders of them were made out of the way Origen at this time wrote a booke de martyrie and dedicated it to Ambrosius and Protectetus pastors of the Church of Caesarca because these two vnder this persecution had susteined great afflictions and constantly perseuered in the true faith No persecution was more violent no persecution endured shorter time In no persecution are the names of suffering martyrs so obscured and couered with silence possibly because the booke of Origen de martyrio through injurie of time is not to be found therefore some learned men doe referre the martyrdome of such as we haue spoken of in the dayes of Alexander to this time or to the persecution of Decius I will not dispute of such doubtsome things Three other things that are more necessarie to the edification of the Church I will touch First the malice of the deuill who hateth the welfare of the sheepfold of Christ and laboureth either to spoyle it of true Pastors or to send in among them poore sheepe hyrelings and men not regarding the wellfare of the flock but their own gaine or else if they haue true Pastors to mooue the flocke to be disobedient to faithfull and vigilant Pastors The stocke that can eschew all these three snares of the deuill and all these three wofull calamities so oft seasing vpon the poore sheepefolde they are in good estate Reade Chrysostome writing vpon the 13. chap. Heb. ver 17. Another thing is worthie to be marked that in three great persecutions in the fift sixt and seuenth Origen a man more renowmed in his life time then after his death God vouchsafed vpon him two great honours but not the third whereof he was most of all desirous He encouraged his father Leonides and his disciples Plutarchus two Sâ—reni Heron and Heraclides patiently to suffer martyrdome in the dayes of Seuerus Next hee wrote a booke de martyrio in the daies of Maximinus the sixt persecuter whereby doubtlesse many were incouraged patiently to suffer euill for Christs sake What remaineth now but the third and principall honour of martyrdome it selfe wherevnto he had a bent desire in the dayes of Decius the 7. persecuter but then he fainted as shall be declared hereafter God willing When we call to minde this weakenes of Origen let all the cogitations of our heartes stoope and thinke that we are not meete for great things but if the Lord call vs to suffer great things for his Names sake the Lord perfite his strength in our infirmitie and weakenesse Thirdly let vs marke the great difference that is betweene the volume of the booke of holy canonicke and sacred Scripture and all other bookes whatsoeuer In Scripture the ouerpassing of matters of great importance and moment is not for ignorance misknowledge or doubting of those things that are ouerslidden but for mysterie and representation of things more necessarie to be knowne as namely when Moses a most accurat writer of the life death and genealogies of holy Patriarches ouerpasseth the description of the genealogie
death beginning of the life of Melchisedecke this was done of purpose to bring in Melchssedeck as a type and figure of the true king of peace Christ Iesus as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7. but among ecclesiasticall writers I finde a preterition of the names of these worthy Pastors who were martyred for the cause of Christ in the sixt persecution and this ouerpassing with silence so weightie a matter is a secret confession of ignorance in this part of the historie together with a doubting whether Vrbanus the first Valerianus Tiburtius Cecilia and Martina suffered vnder Alexander or vnder Maximinus or vnder Decius Yea Platina writeth it was the opinion of some men that Vrbanus 1. was martyred in the persecution of Dioclesian I haue insisted at greater length in this purpose to the end that euery man may giue vnto sacred scripture that reuerence that is due vnto it but other writings let vs reade them with judgement for assuredly there is palpable weaknes in them In the ende this wicked persecuter Maximinus and his sonne were slaine by his owne souldiers at the siege of Aquileia Gordianus THe tyrannie of Maximinus enforced both the Senate of Rome and likewise their oppressed confederates in Africke to aduise by what meanes the distressed estate of the Commonweale might be supported And first Gordianus a man of noble birth in Rome and at that time Praconsul in Africke with his sonne bearing the name of Gordianus with his father these two were declared to be Emperours to resist the tyrannie of Maximinus but they were both cut off by Capellianus Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused Maximus Pupienus and Balbinus to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of Maximinus But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat Gordianus a yong man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This Gordianus was the nephew of him who was Proconsull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way Max. Pupienus and Balbinus So Gordianus raigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Philippus PHilippus a man borne in Arabia and his sonne raigned fiue yeeres Eusebius saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by Fabianus B. of Rome He was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reprooueable in somethings before his conuersion especially in slaying of Gordianus an Emperour inclined to peace Decius one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slew him and his sonne raigned in his stead Decius DEcius and his sonne obteined the Empire 2. yeeres Whether for hatred of Philip his master whom he had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of Philip left in the custodie of Fabian B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem died in prison at Caesarea Babylas Bishop of Antiochia died likewise in prison Fabian Bishop of Rome suffered martyrdome Dionisius Alexandrinus by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies Ciprian Bishop of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of Valerian the eight persecuter Origen who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyrdome in this persecution of Decius he fainted and his heart was so ouerset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idol then to be so filthily abused For this cause he was excommunicated by the Church of Alexandria and for very shame fled to Iudea where he was not only gladly receiued but also requested publickly to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching he watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wicked man saith God What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that he closed the booke and fate downe and wept and all the congregation wept with him No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution Apollonia a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyr whose teeth the Romane Church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by Henry the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of Apollonia as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supposed to be the t eeth of Apollonia that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones The death of Quinia Ammonarion Mercuria Dionisia clearely declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women Iulianus an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men Dioscorus a yong man not exceeding 15. yeeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments and was a glorious Confessor with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome Nemesion was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne Ammon Zenon Ptolemeus Ingenuus Theophilus warri ours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that he should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished terrified the Iudges Ischirion was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whom Dionysius in this Epistle written to Fabius Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babilon were particularly set downe together with the names of others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominiof the Roman Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to doe it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer
Maximian retained to themselues These two Augusties raigned 20. yeeres Constantius Chlorus Caesar continued fifteene Galerius Caesar 21. yeeres Dioclesian and Maximianus Herculeus abstained from persecuting of Christians vntill the nineteene yeere of their raigne Before I touch the History of the tenth persecution three things are to be premitted First that after the persecution of Valerian the eight Persecuter the Church enioyed great peace which albeit it was like to bee cut off by the altered minde of Aurelian yet the wise dispensation of the wisdome of God provided that all his cruell enterprises were disappointed The righteous Lord cutted the cords of the wicked Secondly Christians were in great favour and credit with Emperours and to them was committed the gouernment of Provinces and Nations as cleerly appeared in the preferment of Dorotheus and Gorgonius Thirdly they had libertie to build Oratories and Temples large and ample in every Citie All this came to passe in the forty yeeres peace that intervened betweene the raigne of Valerian and the nineteenth yeere of the raigne of Dioclesian Yet the Church of Christ in this short time began to be festred with the corrupt manners of carnall and fleshly people so that contentions abounded but charity waxed cold in the Church of God What wonder was it then that the Lord permitted this tenth and most horrible persecution of Dioclesian to stirre and to waken drowsie Christians who were beginning to be fashioned according to the likenesse of the world In the nineteenth yeere of his Imperiall authority and in the moneth of March this horrible persecution began to arise Dioclesian in the East and Maximianus in the West bending all their forces to roote out the profession of Christians out of the world Dioclesian was pufft vp in pride for his manifold victories and triumphes and would bee counted a God and adorned his shooes with gold and precious stones and commanded the people to kisse his feete This Persecution continued ten yeeres even vntill the seventh yeere of the raigne of Constantine the great So that whatsoever cruelty was practised by Maximinianus Maximinus Maxentius and Licinius all goeth vnder the name of Dioclesian the author of this tenth persecution Cruell edicts and proclamations were set forth in the beginning of this persecution cōmanding to overthrow cast to the ground the Temples of Christians to burne the bookes of holy Scripture to displace all such as were magistrates and were in office and to cast Christian Bishops into prison and to compell them with sundry kinds of punishments to offer vnto Idols Also common people who would not renounce the profession of Christianity to be spoyled of their liberty These edicts were hastily put in execution Many Christians were scourged racked and cruciated with intolerable torments Some were violently drawne to impure sacrifice and as though they had sacrificed when indeede they did not were let goe some were downe vpon the ground and drawne by the legges a great space and the people was made to beleeue that they had sacrificed some stoutly withstood them and denyed with a lowd voyce that they had not bin or ever would be partakers of Idolatry Notwithstanding of the weake sort many for feare and infirmity gaue over even at the first assault When the foresaid edicts were proclaimed both the Emperours happened to be in the towne of Nicomedia notwithstanding a certaine Christian being a noble man borne whose name was Iohn ranne and tooke downe the proclamation and openly tare and rent it peeces For which fact he was put to a most bitter death which hee patiently endured vntill his last gaspe The generall Captaine of the army of Dioclesian gaue choyce to the souldiers whether they would obey the Emperours commandement in offering sacrifices and keeps still their offices or else lay away their armour and be depriued of their offices but the Christian souldiers were not onely content to lay away their armour bu also to offer themselues vnto the death rather then to obey such vnlawfull commandements In Nicomedia the Emperour refraind not from the slaughter and death of the children of Emperours neither yet from the slaughter of the chiefest princes of his court such as Peter whose body being beaten with whips and torne that a man might see the bare bones and after they had mingled vineger and salt they powred it vpon the most tender partes of his body and lastly rosted him at a soft fire as a man would rost flesh to eare and so this victorious martyr ended his life Dorotheus and Gorgonius being in great authoritie and office vnder the Emperour after diuerse torments were strangled with an halter The torments that Peter suffered encouraged them to giue a worthy confession that they were of that same faith and religion that Peter was of This persecution raged most vehemently in Nicomedia where the Emperours palace through some occasion being set on fire the Christians were blamed as authors of that fact Therefore so many as could be found out were burned with fire or drowned in water or beheaded with the sword amongst whom was Anthimus Bishop of Antiochia who was beheaded The bodies of the sonnes of Emperours that were buried they digged out of their graues and sent them in boates to bee buried in the bottome of the sea lest Christians should haue worshipped them as gods if their sepulchres had beene knowne such opinion they had of Christians The number of twentie thousand burned in one temple of Nicomedia by Maximinus smelleth of the libertie that Nicephorus taketh in adding many things to the veritie of the historie The martyrdome of Serena the Emperour Dioclesians wife is rejected by learned men as a fable albeit recorded by Hermannus Gigas The number of Christians cast into prison and appointed for death was so great that scarcely a voide place could be found in a prison to thrust in a murtherer or an opener of graues such heapes of Christians were inclosed in darke prisons The martyrs of Palestina of Tyrus in Phenicia of Tarsus of Antiochia of Alexandria of Miletina in Armenia and of Pontus Cappadocia and Arabia they could not easily bee numbred In Thebaida horrible and vnnaturall crueltie was vsed against christian women whom they hanged vpon gibbets with their heades down-ward toward the ground and fastened one of their legges onely to the gibbet the other being free thus their naked bodies hanging vpon trees in maner aforesaid presenced to the beholders a spectacle of most vile and horrible inhumanitie In like maner the branches of trees were artificially bowed downe to the earth and the feete and legges of Christians tied to them so that by their hastie returning againe vnto their naturall places the bodies of Christians were rent in pieces This was not a crueltie finished in a short space of time but of long continuance some dayes 20. some dayes 60. and at sometimes an hundred were with sundrie kindes of torments
excruciated vnto the death And these torments they suffered with joy and gladnesse and singing of Psalmes vntill the last breath In Phrygia a towne was set on fire by the Emperours commandement the name whereof Eusebius passeth ouer with silence and the whole inhabitants being Christians men women and children were burned with fire Tirannion Bishop of Tyrus Zenobius Presoyter of Sidon Siluanu's Bishop of Gaza and Pamphilus a worthy Presbyter in Caesarea whose life and death Eusebius hath described in a seuerall treatise all these I say were crowned with martyrdome Maximinus Emperour of the West whose persecution Eusebius describeth not at such length as tho persecution of Dioclesian in the East hee was like vnto a wilde Boare trampling vnder his feete the vine-yarde of God He slew Maximinus a noble Captaine with a legion of Christian and Thebane souldiers because they would not consent to offer sacrifice vnto idoles This was done beside the riuer of Rhonne The martyres of France Italy and Germanie specially at Colen and Triers where the blood of Christians was shed in such abundance that it ranne like small brookes and it coloured great and mightie riuers the multitude I say of these holy martyrs and the diuersitie of torments dayly excogitated against them what memorie is able to comprehend or what tongue is able sufficiently to expresse In the ende when these two Emperours were drunken with the blood of the Saints of God and saw that the numbers of Christians daily increased they beganne to relent their furie and madnesse a little beeing at last content that the punishment of Christians should be the thrusting out of their right eyes and the maiming of their left legges with condemning them to the mines of Mettalles The mercies of the wicked are cruell saith Salomon Before two yeeres were fully compleate after the beginning of this tenth persecution these two furious persecuters for what cause God knoweth gaue ouer their imperiall function and remained not Emperours any more but as priuate persons Dioclesian after hee had denuded himselfe of the imperiall dignitie liued almost 9. yeeres Maximian within foure yeeres after was slaine by the commandement of Constantine The imperiall dominion then remained with Constantius Chlorus and Galerius Maximinus these two diuided the whole monarchie betweene them Constantius contented himselfe with France Spaine and Brittaine Galerius Maximinus had the rest Constantius tooke Constantinus his sonne to bee Caesar vnder him and Galerius Maximinus chused his two sonnes Maximinus and Sonerus to be Caesars vnder him The Romane souldiers also set vp Maxentius the son of Maximianus Herculeus to be their Emperour against whom Galerius sent his sonne Seuerus who being slaine he chused Licinius in his stoad Of these fiue who raigned at one time the like whereof came not to passe at any time before two Emperours and three Caesars three of them viz. Galerius and Maximinus his sonne and Licinius prosecuted the persecution begun by Dioclesian neere the space of 7. or 8. yeares which was to the yeere of our Lord 318. The other two Constantius and his sonne Constantine were fauourable to Christians Constantius and Galerius Maximinus COnstantius Chlorus raigned as Emperour 13. yeeres Others say 16. some say 11. yeeres He ended his life in peace at Yorke Hee was not onely friendly to Christians but also hee counted them the onely faithfull subjects to Emperours And such as he perceiued that for loue of honour gaine or any worldly commoditie would make shipwracke of a good conscience and sacrifice to idoles albeit they had allowance by his owne fained commandement giuen out for exploration of the religion of his Captaines and souldiers rather then seriouslly and from his heart allowing the worshipping of idoles these I say who made no conscience to worship idoles for conquessing fauour at the Emperours hands he disauthorized them remoued them from offices and counted them men who were false to God and would neuer be true to him Maximinus elder and yonger in the East part of the world were cruell persecuters Because ecclesiasticall writers doe not clearely distinguish the crueltie of the father from the crueltie of the sonne I shall comprise all vnder the name of Galerius Maximinus the father of the other Maximinus He was not vnlike vnto Pharaoh for when the correcting hand of God was vpon him then he relented his furie but when the plague ceased he returned againe to his wonted malice First God smote him with a wonderful vncouth disease so that his flesh began to putrifie and innumerable multitude of vermine swarmed out of his inward parts then hee commanded that the persecution should cease and that Christians should pray for him and hee published edicts of peace in their fauours throughout all his dominions But scarce continued hee in this good resolution 6. months when as he sent out contrarie edicts and caused them to be engraued in brasse which thing was not done at any time before and to be set vp in euery Citie whereupon ensued a grieuous persecution of Siluanus Bishop of Emisa Lucianus Bishop of Antiochia who suffered martyrdome at Nicomedia after he had giuen in his apologie to the Emperour and Peter Bishop of Alexandria The martyrdome of king Antheas and 37. thousand moe martyrs with him I passe by as a thing vncertaine because Eusebius could not haue ouerpassed with silence such a rare and wonderfull crueltie committed in his owne time if it had beene of veritie done as some alledge Other thirtie thousand are said to haue beene martyred in sundrie places and this is very probable because the martyrs who suffered in this tenth persecution were innumerable Quirinus Bishop of Scescania a towne of vpper Pannonia was throwne into the flood hauing an hand-mill hanged about his necke and so was drowned I leaue a recitall of the names of all the rest of the martyrs of whom I reade to haue suffered martyrdome at this time like as I haue done in all the preceding persecutions Now to speake somewhat of the cruell edict of this Emperour ingraued in brasse and hanged vp in all principall cities specially in Tyrus In it he gloried that peace wealth prosperitie and plentie of all good things were in his time and he attributed the glory of all this aboundance to the deuote worshipping of the heathen gods At this time saith Eusebius was that fulfilled which the Lord Iesus fortold that the tribulation of those dayes should be so great that except those dayes had beene shortened no flesh could haue beene saued but for the Electes sake those dayes should be shortened yea and if it were possible the very Elect should be deceiued But the Lord pitying the infirmitie of his Saints and to stop the blasphemous mouthes of heathen people turned suddenly all their joy into mourning and lamentation with famine pestilence warfare and vncouth diseases whereby the eyes of men and women were blinded by which the Lord tamed
the insolent pride of this bloody Tyrant It is to be noted that in time of this publicke calamitie Christians and no others but they onely were found to be fraughted with loue and full of charitie euen toward their hatefull enemies The second time whereinto Maximinus seemed to change his minde toward Christians was after the victorie obtained by Constantine and Licinius against Maxentius The said two Emperours set foorth edictes in fauour of the Christians and Maximinus rather fearing Constantine then louing God began in his bounds also to stay the rage of cruell persecution as the letter written to his Deputie Sabinus clearely declareth But after a small time he altered his minde and set foorth new commandements to persecute Christians Yet the Lord pitying the grieuous afflictions of his persecuted Church brought this Tyrant to an ende For hee made warre against Licinius being counselled thereto by his sorcerers and charmers who promised vnto him good successe in his battell against Licinius but the contrarie fell out for hee was discomfited and cast off his imperiall ornaments fledde feeble and naked and mixing himselfe with the effeminat multitude wandering through townes and lurking in villages hardly escaped the hands of his enemies After this he killed and put to death those enchanters and deceiuers who had bewitched him all his dayes and had put him in esperance of victorie in his battell foughten against Licinius and shortly after oppressed with a certaine disease glorified the God of the Christians and made a most absolute law for the safetie and preseruation of them And so the Tyrant of Tyrants by the vehemencie of his sicknesse ended his life After wee haue spoken a litle of Maxentius who was chosen Emperour by the Praetorian souldiers resteth nothing but to conclude this short summe of the historie of the ten persecutions with the ende and death of that notable hypocrite Licinius Maxentius was so villanous in his behauiour that hee abstined not from abusing of the wiues of noble senatours whom he caught violently from their husbands and contumeliously abused them and sent them backe againe The like villanie also hee intended to haue done to a certaine Christian gentlewoman at Rome called Sophronia whose husband neither could nor durst make resistance to the vile appetite of the proud Emperour but this noble woman desiring libertie to goe to her chamber to adorne and decke her selfe a short while and after shee would goe with the messengers to the Emperour shee chused rather to put her selfe to death in her chamber then to be abused by him Which lamentable fact being reported to him he was nothing moued therewith neither abstained he any white from his wonted sinnes The people of Rome being wearie of his villanie sent to Constantine for aide who gathered an armie in France and Brittaine to represse this Tyrant to whom when hee approched he feared Maxentius charmes wherewith hee was supposed to haue vanquished Seuerus whom Galerius Maximinus had sent against him before and stood in doubt what to doe and as hee was doubting hee cast his eyes often to heauen and sawe about the going downe of the sunne a brightnesse in the heauen in the similitude of a Crosse with certaine starres of equall bignesse giuing this inscription like Latin letters In hoc vince that is in this ouercome After this vision his banner was made in the similitude of a Crosse and caried before him in his warres Maxentius was compelled to issue out of the towne against Constantine whose force when hee was not able to sustaine hee fled and retired in hope to get the citie but was ouerthrowne off his horse about the bridge called Pons Miluius and drowned in the flood Dioclesian hearing tell of the prosperous successe of Constantine and what edicts he had set foorth for the peace of Christians for very griefe hee died Others alledge that he poysoned himselfe Ann. 317. Licinius was made Caesar by Maximinus as is said Hee was very familiar with Constantine and was his colleg in the gouernement 7. yeeres and married Constantina the sister of Constantine Likewise hee concurred with him to subdue the tyrant Maxentius Also he ouercame Maximinus in battell He purposed likewise to haue circumucened and slaine the good Emperour Constantine to whom hee was many wayes greatly addebted but the Lord disappointed his counsells and preserued Constantine to the great benefit and good of his Church But Licinius failing of his purpose conuerted his rage against the Christians notwithstanding he had set out edicts before to procure their peace Hee pretended this quarrell against them that they prayed for the welfare of Constantine and not for his welfare He set foorth against the Christians three cruell edicts 1. Inhibiting assemblies and conuentions of Bishops to consult in matters belonging to their religion 2. He discharged women to resort to the assemblies where men were to pray or to be instructed in matters to religion 3. Hee commanded that no man should visit imprisoned Christians or succour them with any reliefe threatning against those who would disobey such punishment as the imprisoned persons were to suffer After these edicts the mountaines woods and wildernesses began to be the habitation of the Lords saints The Bishops about Libya and Egypt were taken cut in pieces and their flesh cast into the sea to be meat for the fishes And this was done by the flatterers of Licinius supposing to gratifie him by the cruell handling of the Lords seruants In his time were put to death these 40. martyrs of whom Basilius writeth who were set in a pond of water all night lying open to the blasts of cold Northen winds and in the morning they being frozen and almost senslesse with the extremitie of the cold yet were caried vpon carts to be burned with fire to the ende their poore carkeses might feele by experience whether the extremitie of cold or heate were the greater torment Of these 40. noble souldiers of Christ one being stronger then the rest endured the vehemency of the cold better to whom his mother came not to desire him to embrace this present life by a filthy denyall of Christ nor to weepe for the paines of the tormented body of her sonne but rather to exhort her sonne to persevere constantly in the faith of Christ to the end for shee craved licence to lift vp her sonne with her owne hands into the cart admonishing him to accomplish that happy iourney he had begun But whether these were the 40. Martyrs who suffered the like punishment in Sebastia a towne of Armenia or not is not certaine in respect that some circumstances set downe by Basil doe agree to those of Sebastia Likewise in this persecution suffered Barlan a noble man mentioned in a Sermon of Basilius who after many torments was in the end layd vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to Idols and while there was some strength in
suppresse those who proudly despised the councell of Chalcedon and obstinatly maintained the heresie of Eutyches Notwithstanding the madnes and rage of Eutychian heretiques began in his time immediately after the report of the death of Martianus Procerius Bishop of Alexandria was cruelly slaine by them in the Church haled through the streets and with beastly cruelty they chewed the intrals of his body hauing before ordained Timotheus to bee their Bishop The Emperour banished Timotheus beeing first foreseene that not only Leo bishop of Rome but also all other bishops of chiefe account damned the ordination of Timotheus The terrible earthquake which destroyed a part of Antiochia the more terrible fire which wasted a great part of Constantinople were fore running tokens of the great desolation that should ensue by the detestable heresie of Eutyches Zeno. THe Emperour Leo left his Kingdome to his nephew the sonne of Zeno called Leo but hee fell sicke and died when he had scarce reigned 1. yeere So his father Zeno had the Emperiall soueraigntie 17. yeeres hee was of a bad religion dissolute in manners intemperate effeminate and hated of all men Therefore Basiliscus conspired against him and Zeno fled Basiliscus was a persecuter of the true faith damned by his encyclicke letters the Councell of Chalcedon restored Euthychian bishops to their places againe such as Timotheus Arideus to Alexandria Petrus Cnapheus to Antiochia Paulus to Ephesus fiue hundreth preachers were found who subscribed Basiliscus letters and cursed the councell of Chalcedon So great a plague it is either to haue ignorant Pastors who know not the trueth of God or cowardly teachers who will suffer no rebuke for the knowne truth of God Zeno returned to his Kingdome againe within 2. yeeres hee banished Basiliscus to Cappadocia where he was slaine with his wife and children Hee abolished the encyclicke letters of Basiliscus and eicted Petrus Cnapheus out of Antiochia and Paulus out of Ephesus Timotheus of Alexandria was old infirme and neere to the last period of his life els also he had bin eiected out of Alexandria for Zeno not for loue of the true faith but for hatred of the name of Basiliscus endeuoured to doe all that he had done Vnder the raigne of Zeno came Odoacer assisted with people of Pannonia called Rugi Turcilingi and Heruli and inuaded Italie and slew Orestes at Pagia and compelled his sonne Augustulus to denude himselfe of emperiall honours so that the Romane empire as it began in the person of Augustus Caesar so likewise it ended in the person of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes Odoacer would not vsurpe the glorious title of an Emperour but called himselfe King of Italie and raigned 14. yeeres Zeno on the other part stirred vp Theodoricus King of Gothes to expell Odoacer out of Italie Theodoricus encountred with him diuerse times and preuailed In the end he besieged him in Ravenna vntill a couenant of peace was bound vp betwixt them but it lasted a short time for Theodoricus vnder pretence of friendship called Odoacer and his sonnes to a banket and caused them cruelly to bee slaine Afterward he raigned himselfe alone in Italie 33. yeeres hee reedified the townes in Italie which by violence of warres had beene wasted made desolate and was well beloued of the people and albeit in religion he was an Arrian yet he abstained from persecution of those who professed the true faith The Eutychian persecution is already begun but the Arrian persecution is not yet ended Hunnericus sonne of Gensericus king of Vandales was an Arrian persecuter so vnmercifull that in Africke where his dominion was he had neither compassion on sexe or age he banished at one time fiue thousand professors of the true faith And such as were infirme and weake and could neither trauell by foote nor horse he commanded cords to be knit to their legges and to traile them through the rough places of the wildernes and by such merciles dealing the death of many innocent people was procured but the Lord suffered not this crueltie to be vnpunished for the Lord plagued the Vandales with famine and pest and Hunnericus was so long tormented with venemous biles that in the end he was consumed with vermine and in great miserie ended his most wretched life In this Centurie studying for brevitie I haue ouerpassed some remarkable thinges such as the deceitfull practises of the wise men of Persia to diuert the affection of their King Isdigerdes from the loue he had caried to Maruthas Bishop in Mesopotamia and Embassadour of Theodosius 2. This historie is set downe at length by Socrates In like maner the calamitie of the Iewes who dwelt in the Isle of Candie and were piteously abused by a deceiuing fellow who called himselfe Moses and promised to lead them through the Mediterran sea to their owne lande as Moses led the people of Israel through the read sea this calamitie read in the 7. booke of the ecclesiastical historie of Socrates chap. 38. The Iewes were commanded to cast themselues into the sea and to swim vnto a rocke but they were drowned in the sea and dashed vpon the hard rocke and by the meanes of Christian fishers some few escaped This historie is referred vnto the 434. yeere of our Lord so that it fell foorth vnder the raigne of Theodosius 2. The miraculous conuersion of the Burgundians to the faith of Christ about the same time I haue of purpose ouerpassed willing to be short and to giue a viewe of the historie to those who are desirous to read CENTVRIE VI. Anastatius AFter Zeno succeeded Anastatius and gouerned 27. yeeres He was a patrone of the heresie of Eutyches He banished Euphemius Bishop of Constantinople because hee would not redeliuer vnto him that letter which he had subscribed before his Coronation wherein he was bound to attempt nothing against the true faith and namely against the councel of Chalâ—edon In like manner hee banished Macedonius the successour of Euphemius for the same cause for he had the custodie of the hand-writing of Anastatius and the Emperour gaue secret Commandement to make him out of the way at Gangra the place of his banishment Xenoeas Bishop of Hierapolis a firebrand of Sathan stirred vp the Emperours minde to great rage partly by gathering a Councell at Sidon wherein they damned the actes of the councel of Chalcedon and partly by stirring vp the Emperor to wrath against good men such as were principall defenders of the true faith namely Flauianus Bishop of Antiochia and Helias Bishop of Ierusalem The people of Antiochia were very friendly to their Pastor and finding that a great number of Monkes sauouring Eutyches errour had assembled in the towne of Antiochia to compell Flauianus their Bishop to accurse and abiure the councell of Chalcedon they set vpon the Monkes and slewe a number of them others leaped into the riuer of Orontes where they found a meet buriall for
seditious Monkes On the other part a great number of Syria Caua came to support the troubled estate of Flauianus For these things as if he had beene a contentious man he was banished and Senerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saraceus deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias Bishop of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that hee would not subscribe the Synodicke letter of Seuerus and damne the councel of Chalcedon and by the Emperours commandement Olympius the captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Seuerus and was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for he openly auouched the foure generall councels and anathematifed the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Seuerus Bishop of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them and slew 300. of them and gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas Bishop of Epiphania and Severianus bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus Bishop of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenicia that hee should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as eiuil controversies at sometimes are settled namely by a law of oblivion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknesse and light but darknesse must yeeld vnto the light of God In Africke moe then 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the raigne of Anastatius as Magd history recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writeth that he was slaine with thunder Iustinus the elder AFter Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and governed nine yeeres and three dayes Hee restored the Bshops whom Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian Bishops who were found within his Dominions Severus Bishop of Antiochia a vile Eutychian Heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out of his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of the Gothes obtaining domion in Italy persecuted true Christians with great hostility and sent Ambassadors to the Emperour Iustinus to restore the Arrian Bishops whom hee had banished else he would pursue the Bishops who were in Italy with all kinde of rigour And because the Ambassadors returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boetius Likewise when the Ambassadors were returned hee cast in prison Iohannes Tuscus Bishoppe of Rome and his companions whom hee had before imployed to goe on message to the Emperour Iustinus The Bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the Lord suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the Lord strake him with madnesse of minde so when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him hee imagined it was the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine and was so stupified with feare that anon after hee died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not beene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken and vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming and resolving into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast down In this calamity Euphrasius Bishop of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Antiochia and put on sackcloth on his body and was in great heavinesse whereof it is supposed that hee contracted that disease whereof hee dyed When he found his disease daily encreasing he made choyce of Iustinian his sisters sonne to be his colleague who governed foure moneths in equall authority with his vncle and then Iustinus ended his course Iustinianus A After the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne governed 38. yeares Hee would suffer no faith to be openly professed except the faith allowed in the foure generall Councells Notwithstanding the Empresse Theodora his wife was a favourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recover all that was lost by his predecessors in Asia Africke and Europe and hee had good successe through the vertue and valour of his Captaines especially Belisarius and Narses Belisarius first fought against the Persians who had overcome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena and Cava Hee overcame them in battell and compelled them to goe back beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Vandales in Africke who possessed great bounds of the Romane dominions ever since the dayes of Gensericus King of the Vandales And it is to be marked that the time was now come wherein the Lord wil declare that the blood of his Saints is precious in his eyes For since the dayes of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted Gods Saints with so barbarous cruelty as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their Bishoppes to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some favour to Christians and reduced their Bishoppes from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him and gaue his kingdome to Gillimer Now the Lord remembred the grones of his owne prisoners and would not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lie vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recovered Carthage and all the boūds pertaining to the Roman Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King and carried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of gold which the Emperour Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem
of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who raigned eight yeeres after her banishment CENTVRIE IX Carolus Magnus IN the yeere of our Lord 801. Charles the Great King of France was declared Emperour by Leo the third Bishop of Rome and hee raigned sixteene yeeres in his Imperiall dignity for hee continued King of France forty and six yeeres The Empire of the West had beene cut off since the dayes of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes whom Odoacer King of Rugiheruli c. had compelled to denude himselfe of the Imperiall dignity Now after the issue of 300. yeeres and after the Hunnes the Gothes the Lombards and other Nations had obtained dominion in the West all abstaining notwithstanding of their prevailing power from the name dignity and stile of Emperours Now at length I say Charles the Great is anoynted and crowned Emperor by Leo the third in the towne of Rome And this was the beginning of that evill custome which after followed to wit That Emperours should receiue their coronation from the Bishops of Rome At this time the Empire of the East was in the hands of the Empresse Irene and in the hands of the Emperour Nicephorus who had banished Irene and raigned in her stead The Empire of the East was also weake at this time as appeareth by a covenant of peace which they concluded with Charles Emperour of the West in the which no mention is made of Exarchatus Ravennae to be rendred againe vnto them onely that the Isle of Sicile and the townes and lands which lie from Naples Eastward on the right hand and from Manfredonia sometimes called Syponto on the left hand compassed about with the Seas called Superum Inferum these should remaine in the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople ' Charles a prudent and godly Emperour more sound and vpright in sundry heads of Christian doctrine then many others for hee detested the worshipping of Images as vile Idolatry as appeareth by his bookes written against the second Councell of Nice Charles was very friendly to Christians and defended them against the violence and tyranny of their persecuting enemies namely against Godfridus King of Denmarke a fierce adversary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxony Likewise hee subdued the Slavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was iustly called Magnus for his great exploits and valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of the Emperour Charles was declared King of Italy who died before his father and after his death hee appointed Bernard his nephew to raigne in Italy with expresse commandement That hee should bee obedient to his sonne Ludovicke whome hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Imperiall office So the Emperor Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in Aken Ludovicus Pius AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludovicus Pius and raigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behaviour he was called Pius He received the Imperiall Diadem from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludovicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other Bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife behaued themselues very vndutifully towards their father Neverthelesse he freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into favour Also Fredericke Bishop of Vtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if hee did noâ— forsake the company of Iudith his welbeloved wife and daughter to the Duke of Bavaria because shee was his neere kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinity for bidden in the Popish lawe The Empresse willing to bee revenged of the Bishop shee hired two Gentlemen who set vpon him after Church service and slew him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracens in huge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Egypt and Africke and invaded the Isle of Sicile By cutting downe all fruitfull trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing Bishops Priests and Monkes they brought the I le to an vtter desolation Gregory the fourth at that time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicile They answered That albeit that matter duly belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neverthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the Countrey Now whilest these things were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arrived with a Navie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountred with the Saracens foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicile like as of old the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne country So Bonifacius returned back againe with an army victorious and richly lodened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprovidently done by the good Emperour Lodovicus Pius then the giving ouer of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This foresaid right Ludovicus gaue over to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendshippe should send an Ambassadour to the King of France declaring whom they had elected to bee Pope Hereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperours and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperours raigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michael Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armemenius raigned seven yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michael Balbus slew Leo his predecessor whilst he was praising God in the Church and raigned in his stead nine yeeres In his time the Saracens mightily prevailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another company comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicile Theophilus raigned ten yeeres and fought against the Saracens who did oppresse the countrey of Asia but he had no good successe Lotharius LOtharius the sonne of Ludovicus Pius was declared King of Italy and Augustus before his fathers death He was anoynted by Pope Paschalis in the Church of Saint Peter and he raigned 15. yeeres Great hostility and bloody warres fell out amongst the children of Ludovicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewis Charles and Pipinus fordividing of their fathers Lands In this civill dissention the Nobility of France was so miserably weakened that the Normans and Danes tooke boldnesse to invade the countrey of France which they vexed for the space of twenty yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded
Sultan of Aegypt who fained as though hee had beene flying from place to place vntill hee found the Christian armie Camping in a low place beside the riuer Nilus and then opening the sluâ—es of the water the most part of all the Christians were drowned and Damiata againe recouered The second armie was led by Fredericus the second into Asia at what time Ierusalem was recouered againe and all that Baldwine the fourth had of old in his possession was rendered to the Christians and a couenant of peace was bound vp for 10. yeeres to come as hath beene declared in the treatise of the life of Fredericke The third armie was raised vp by Theobald King of Nauarre Americus Count of Montfort Henry Count of Campanie Peter Count of Britan and Anselmus de Insula Theobald hauing the chiefe regiment of the armie which set foreward by the intisement of Gregorie the 9. before the time of the 10. yeeres peace concluded by Fredericke had taken an ende For the which cause it is not to be doubted but this voyage had the more vnprosperous successe for they had lost the third part of the armie before they came to Antiochia from thence they went to Ptolemais and from thence to Gaza The Barbarians perceiuing that this armie was set forth without the Emperours aduice because his Souldiers that were in Asia keeped the bond of peace and assisted not this armie of Theobald they laid there Ambushments in secret places wayting for advantage of the Christian armie and set vpon them when they were wearie returning from their spoiling with great prey but the Christians made strong resistance and put the aliens to flight The day next following the Barbarians renewed their forces and prevailed against the Christians Americus Count of Montfort and Henry Count of Campanie being slaine And Theobald king of Navarre with great difficultie escaped and returned home accompanied with a very few number of men who remained vndestroyed in that vnprosperous voiage The fourth armie was led by Richard Count of Cornwall whom the Pope had put in hope to be made Emperour but when hee came to Ierusalem and vnderstood by Rainoldus the Emperours deputie there of the peace which had beene concluded by a solemne couenant hee enterprised nothing against the Barbarians but subscribed the bond of peace concluded before by the Emperour Fredericke and left he should seeme to haue made all his trauels in vaine hee receiued some dropps of the Lords blood from the Patriarch of Ierusalem so blind was this seduced age that a vaine shew of counterset reliques was counted a worthie price to recompence the ieopardous trauels of Princes leading great armies from one end of the world to another After the death of Rainald the Templaries without all regard of the peace bound vp denounce warre to the Saracens and compelled the Christians in Asiato put themselues in armes But the Soldan of Aegypt sent for support of the Babylonians who sent vnto him a companie of sauadge men called Grossouij who pitched their campe at Gaza and tooke it and destroied all the Templaries that dwelt therein The like did they to the inhabitants of Askelon also the people that came to support the Templaries were vtterly cut off and finallie they set vpon Ierusalem which was easily conquered and all the inhabitants thereof were put to the sword without regard of sexe or age and the towne it selfe was subuerted neither was any building spared though neuer so ample pleasant also they subverted the Sepulchre of the Lord. The first voiage was vndertaken by Lewis King of Fraunce sonne to the Queene Blanch who being diseased and almost at the point of death vowed to God that in case hee recouered health hee would be crossed or marked with the crosse to visit the Lords Sepulchre and there solemnly to render thankes which vow also hee endeuored to performe and in the yeere of our Lord 1248. after he had receiued the Popes blessing at Lyons set forward with a mightie armie hauing in companie with him the Earle Atrabacensis his brother the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Brabant the Countesse of Flanders with her two sonnes the Earle of Britanie with his sonne the Earle of Barrensis the Earle of Swesson the Earle of S. Paul the Earle of Druise the Earle Retel with many other noble Persons In the beginning of this enterprise they seemed to prosper well for they tooke the Towne of Damiata at their first arriuall into Aegypt which was the chiefe seat and hold of the Saracens in all Aegypt At the losse whereof the Soldan of Aegypt with the Saracens in those parts were so astonished that they offered the Christians the possession of Ierusalem and the holy Land which the Christians so much contended for prouiding they would render vnto them againe the Towne of Damiata But the Earle of Artoys the kings brother puft vp with insolent pride would in no waies suffer the offers of the Saracens to be accepted but required also Alexandria the chiefe Metropolitan towne of Aegypt to be deliuered vnto them But soone after the Soldan of Aegypt beset them so stronglie both by Sea and Land that they were glad to craue againe the peace which was offered and could not obtaine it In the ende they were purposed to leaue a Garrison to keepe Damiata and to march out in battell themselues The Earle of Artoys through his insolent pride thinking all was his owne whensoeuer he gat any small aduantage of the enemie brought himselfe and all the armie to confusion for he passed ouer a shallow foord of Nilus which a certaine Saracen lately converted to Christ had made knowne and hauing in company with him the Master of the Temple and William Longspath with his companie of English souldiers and diuers others euen the third part of the armie set vpon the Saracens when they were not aware and did them great harme This victorie obtained he would needs goe forward deuiding himselfe from the maine Hoast and besieged the Castle and Village of Mansor But the Saracens finding him separated from the rest of the army compassed him about and destroyed him and all his company in so much that scarce one man escaped aliue except two Templars one Hospitular and one poore Souldier to bring newes thereof to the King After this the Souldan suddenly appeared with multitude of innumerable thousands against the King himselfe In this miserable conflict the King with his two brethren and a few that claue vnto him were taken captiues all the residue were put to the sword or else stood to the mercy of the Saracens whether to bee slaine or remaine in wofull captivity The Souldan after the captivity of the King fraudulently suborned an army of Saracens to the number of the French army with the armes and ensignes of them that were slaine and sent them toward Damiata where the Duke of Burgundie with the French Queene and Odo the Popes Legat and other Bishops and
could be partakers of so foule a treacherie But when they saw the Heluetian souldiers making hast by boates and shippes to crosse the water and to come ouer to the Fobers of S. Germane to cut them off they made hast and fled The Duke of Guise with Duke De Aumald and the Count of Angolesme pursued them to Montfort which is eight leagues distant from Paris but could not ouertake them and so returned backe againe to Paris In this Massacre were slaine many noble men such as the Admirall Telignius Rupefocald Renelius and many learned men amongst whom were Petrus Ramus and Lambinus and of others moe than 10000. persons whose bodyes were layed on heapes vpon cartes and cast into the riuer of Seane which was coulered red with the blood of the slaine The like crueltie was practised in Lions and the bodyes of the slaine were cast into the riuer of Rhene and the heapes of the slaine were carried downe to the sight of those of Delphin Provance and Languedok that dwelt nigh vnto the riuer whose harts were compelled to detest the spectacle of so Barbarous crueltie the like wherof was scarcely to be found amongst the Turkes and Infidels Likewise in many other townes the rage of the like crueltie was felt so that within the space of a moneth moe then 30000. persons were reckoned to be slaine To all this Tragedie was added the defection of Rozarius a Preacher at Orleance who by his vilde Apostasie so brangled the King of Navarre and Prince of Condie that they were induced by his example and perswasions to fall away from their religion for a time yet afterward this same Rozarius being grauely admonished of the vildnesse of his Apostasie departed out of France to Germanie and writ letters to the Prince of Condie wherein hee acknowledged his errour and begged mercie of God for that he had beene a snare and stumbling blocke to him The report of the Massacre was so detestable in the eares of all men that heard it that they were forced to beare out that matter with forged lies which they had begun with crueltie to the end this Massacre should be the lesse odious in the eares of strangers they alleadged that the Admirall his complices were purposed to cut off the king all the blood royal yea and the king of Navarre himselfe although he was of the same religion to set vp the Prince of Condie in the throne of the kingdome to the end the Admiral might haue the gouernment administration of al himself And for this cause they tortured two noble men of the Protestants whom they had takeÌ„ to wit Canagnius Briquemald to drawe out of them by torturing a coÌ„fession of the fore alledged coÌ„spiracie But the noblemen died constant in the true faith w ithout confession of any such treason as was alleadged NotwithstaÌ„ding they were not ashamed after their death to publish in their names a coÌ„fession of horrible treason which they neuer confessed while they were aliue After this pitifull disaster it seemed that the religion in France was vtterlie quenched for the noble men were slaine some had made defection and others for feare had left the land Only a few towns were in the Protestants hands such as Rochell Montalban Nines Sauserr and some others of small account Yet the Lord so wrought by those small beginnings that the force of the aduersaries was more wonderfullie resisted by this small handfull then it was by forces of so many noble men with concurrance of strangers in the former warre The towne of Rotchell was the towne of greatest importance of all the rest and the king thought meete to besiege it both by sea and land with a mightie armie which siege began in the moneth of December Anno 1573. and indured vntill the moneth of Iune next following The maruelous prouidence of God was felt in this siege for God sent a number of fishes called Surdonnes to the support of the poore during the time of the siege and when the siege was loosed the fishes departed away and were found no more in that coast In the moneth of Iune the Ambassadour of Poland came vnto the Kings Campe to the Duke of Aniou the Kings brother whom the Polonians had chosen to be their king and immediately after conditions of peace were offered to the towne libertie to exercise their religion within their own bounds and in this peace were contained their associats of Montalban and Nimes The Rotchellanes had required that those of Sanfarre and all others of their Religion should bee comprehended in this bond of pacification but no speciall mention was made of the towne of Sansarre onely a generall clause of their associats was cast in The towne of Sansarre likewise was besieged but it was so strongly fortified and the Protestants within the towne so couragiouslie repulsed the enemies that they were compelled to retire backe from battring of the walles and to beset them round about on all quarters that they might by long famine compell them to render whom they could not ouercome otherwise This siege indured from the moneth of Ianuary vntill the moneth of August so that the famine within the towne was so great that the famine of Samaria and Saguntum seemeth not to haue bin greater In the end conditions of peace were granted and the towne was rendered to Castrius the kings Lieutenant in those parts The townes of Montalban and Nimes was not besieged as yet to whom and to all the rest of the Protestants dwelling in Lauguedok Delphine Provance was offered those same conditions which the Rotchellanes had embraced But they craued of the king his brother liberty first to assemble theÌ„selues together before they should giue their answere which being granted the assemblie conveened at Miliald it was thought meete with common consent to craue more ample coÌ„ditions liberties then were contained in the peace of the Rotchellans namely that in euery Province of Fraunce two townes might be granted to the Protestants for their further securitie those townes to be kept by the guardes of their own souldiers to haue their pay out of the kings treasury and that libertie should be granted to al that were of their religion to exercise the same freelie without any exception of places Also that all those that should be found guiltie of the horrible murther coÌ„mitted at Paris the 24. of August might be seuerely punished Many other conditions were required very amply freely Order was taken in like manner in this assemblie how the warre might be maintained in case those conditions of peace were not granted The Queene mother when shee had read the conditions that were required said with great indignation that if the Prince of Condie had beene in the midst of Fraunce with 20000. horsemen and 50000 â—footmen yet would hee not haue required the halfe of those conditions This great boldnesse of
Charitie they entred in the way of Beauce drawing towards Montargis From this time forth a great mutinie began in the army of the strangers being mooved with impatience because they could neither haue money nor sight of the King of Navarre whereof the King being then at Bonevall had intelligence and thereupon vsed all the meanes hee could to sound the hearts of the Switzers and perswaded them to separate themselues from the rest of the army and retyre home whereunto the Switzers condiscended and vpon agreement of 400000. crownes payed to them in ready money they returned backe againe to their owne countrey The Duke of Guise perceiving the army of the Rutters to be as a body dispersed hauing nothing left but the armes and legges tooke boldnesse to set vpon them as they camped at Aunew and entred with his footmen into the streets about the time that the carts and baggage were ready in the morning to issue out and so couragiously surprised the Rutters at their breakefast when the trumpets began to sound a chivall having no meanes to issue out they were constrained to retyre into their lodgings at the pleasure of the assaylants The booty was great being 800. chariots iewels and chaines of gold and two thousand horse both for the field and waggons The gates being seazed vpon and the streets chained there was no meanes to saue themselues but by the walles which the Generall leaped ouer Notwithstanding of this surprise the army of the Rutters was in such estate that by reason of some small assurance they had of the King of Navarres arrivall it was likely to haue overcome the Duke of Guise forces And as it was at point to retyre backe againe the Prince of Condie the Duke of Bulloigne and the Lords of Chastillion and Cleruant promised to pay them all their wages if they would march forward The hope of their pay made them to march in a time not very convenient towards the Forrest of Orleance The King perceived that the longer the armie kept the fields the greater would be the ruine of his Countrey and that being ioyned with the king of Navarre would doe great hurt caused the Sienrs of the Isle of Cormont to certifie the Coronels that if they would yeeld vp their colours and sweare to beare no armes in Fraunce without the expresse commandement of his Maiestie hee would giue them assurance to retire in safetie They on the other part perceauing themselues to be farre from the king of Navarre hardlie handled by the Frenchmen beaten by the league pursued by the king and forsaken of the Switzers assembled themselues together at Marsigni and accepted his Maiesties offers sent by Monsieur D' Esperno and retired out of France toward Geneua The Marques Du pont eldest sonne to the Duke of Loraine and the Duke of Guise against their faith giuen followed the miserable troupe of the Rutters to the mountaine at Saint Clande where they gaue thankes for the good successe of their companie and from thence to please their hungrie troupes they trauersed the Countrie of Bourgoundie entering into the Countries of Mombeliard and Hericourt where his men vsed diuers great cruelties and spared not the lands of the Bishop of Basile After the bloodie ceasing of so lamentable vengeance vpon a poore innocent people which as yet doe feele the losse and destruction of two hundred villages the violence vsed to a number of women and maids the Massacre of so many old men and the furious and beastlie inhumanitie of the League they beare the signes of their spoyles into Loraine Neuerthelesse after this exploite of the Duke of Guise so full of crueltie falshood inhumanitie the Roman Church extolled him aboue all measure The Pope sent vnto the D. of Guise a sword engraued with burning flames in token of his valiantnes accompanied with burning zeale towards the Roman religiō The Preachers of France advāced him aboue the king saying that Saul had slaine his thousand but Dauid ten thousand and so the Duke of Guise puft vp with winds of popular praise seeing also that the greatnesse of the Soueraigne maiestie was embraced and that the Protestants were retired vnto the Rotchell also that England had a proud Spaniard embarked on her backe meaning the great Spanish Nauie by Sea hee assured himselfe to take the king without danger and to this effect aduertised the Cardinall of Burbone not to neglect so good an occasion but to gather his principall friends at Nancie there to aduise the meanes to passe forward and to constraine the king as it were to make his will and so that assemblie concluded that the King should be summoned to ioyne his forces to the league to refuse the Counsell amitie of such as should be named vnto him to establish the inquisition in euerie towne to publish the Councell of Trent euen touching the things that derogated the priuiledge of the French Church to consent to the restitution of the goodes that had bin alienated and sold for the charges of the warres to giue them townes wherein they might place men of warre to make such fortifications as the necessity of the time would require ordaine the sale and confiscation of Hugonits goodes also the disabling of their persons entertaine an armie vpon the Fronteris of Loraine against the returne of the Germans that would come to haue some recompence for the cruelties by the league committed in the countie of Montbeliard The Duke of Guise came to the King at Soissons to constraine the King either to bow or breake and to confirme the articles drawne and deuised at Nancie and Dyion The King on the other part by Mousieur de Bellieure gaue the Duke to vnderstand that he should doe him a pleasure if he would abstaine from comming to Paris in so troublesome a time wherein so many factions raigned and if hee came thither against his will hee would lay the cause of all the troubles that might arise by his presence vpon him But the Duke of Guises heart as it were attainted with a burning feauer could find neither appetite nor pleasure but in that which liked his stomach would needes for the loouer or die by the way and therefore mounted on horsebacke with eight Gentlemen about nine of the clocke at night leauing the Prince de Iumueille his sonne at Soissons and desiring the Archbishop of Lyons to follow him in the morning and so arriued at Paris This maner of arriuall together with the peoples fauour vttered by their ioyfull acclamations at the Duke of Guises lighting increased the distrust of the kings heart so that hee resolued to preuent the enterprises intended against him and commanded the Marescall Biron to cause foure thousand Switzers to enter into the Towne and to lodge them in diuers quarters thereof who seased incontinent vpon the bridges of Nostredame and Saint Michael But the Parisians being abashed at the sight shut vp their shoppes
In the beginning of March the Duke de Maine with all his forces passed over the bridge of Maule which is about eight miles from Dreux whereof the King being advertised provided for his affaires and the twelfth of the same moneth set himselfe on the way to goe against his enemies On the thirtith day the King after hee had ordered his army made an earnest prayer to God and looked for battell but there were nothing but skirmishes wherein the Leaguers had the worst The next day the battels ioyned neere to the towne of Dreux wherein the King obtained a great victory and overthrew all the footmen of the Leaguers which were counted to the number of twelue thousand men Onely the Switzers who cast downe their weapons and yeelded to the King together with the Frenchmen who were mingled amongst them had their liues spared also fifteene hundred horsemen of the Leaguers were slaine and drowned and foure hundred taken prisoners The Duke de Maine fled towards Dreux and when he was entred the towne broke vp the bridge before his owne people were all come which was the cause of the death of a great number of his army especially of the Rutters of whom a great sort were drowned In this battell the army had their ioy mixed with sorrow at the first for they saw not the King returne but within a while after they espyed him comming all stained with the blood of his enemies not having shed one droppe of his owne whom they discryed onely by the great plume of white fethers which hee had in his creast and that which his palfrey had on his head all the army gaue hearty thankes to God for his safetie crying with one voyce God saue the King The Duke de Maine and other Captaines of the league being frustrate of their hope and seeing their army thus spoyled betooke themselues to their ordinarie shifts which was to feed the Parisians with fable and lyes publishing that in the battell they had almost eqâ—all losse and that the King if hee was not already dead hee was neare vnto it But the people being every day more and more ascertained of the truth began to grudge and to be desirous of peace so that the Duke of Maine tooke his iourney towards the Duke of Parma to obtaine support from him The King drew nigh to Paris and shut vp the passages of the river of Seane being master of Mance and Poyssie on the one side and Corbell Melum and Monterean on the other side of Paris so that neither from aboue nor from below could any provision bee carryed to Paris by the river of Seane likewise by taking of Lagnay and the fort of Gonrey hee stopped the passage of the river of Merue and by taking Compienge Creil and Beaumont hee stopped the passage of the river of Oisso or Ayne In that populous towne the famine was soone felt and within the space of three moneths moe then an hundred thousand dyed in the towne yet the most part of them stirred vp by the seditious Preachers were content rather to endure an hundred deathes then to acknowledge their owne soveraigne King whom they called an Heretique and a favourer of them The Duke de Maine having obtained promise of support from the Duke of Parma returned from Beuxellis whom the King pursued from Laon to Meux where hee inclosed himselfe betweene two rivers waiting for the comming of the Duke of Parma The King hoped for battell so soone as the Duke of Parma was ioyned with the Duke de Maine but the Duke of Parma got vp to an hill to view his enemies army and after hee had throughly noted it hee tooke resolution not to fight but to fortifie and entrench his army within a great marrash and so by meanes of his intrenchments hee eschewed the hazard of battell and came to Paris and named himselfe the deliverer of it But after he had stayed a while in Paris the principall Captaines of the league began to giue the Duke of Parma thankes for his good will and entreated him to goe with his people to Breuxelis againe This request or secret command fell out very well for the Duke For on the one part his army was seene by all men dayly to waste and himselfe did plainely behold that hee stood in the midst of an inconstant multitude Therefore hee dressed himselfe homeward with all possible speed and the king pursued him to the very frontiers of Artoys The Duke of Parmaes comming serued to none other purpose but to fill their purses with the gold of Peru and to entangle and bring their affaires vnto a remedilesse end for in the beginning of the yeere 1591. the King continued his siege and the Parisians were fallen into their wonted distresses as before But we leaue for a while and marke the estate of the rest of the countrey In the countrey of Dauphein Francis de Bonne Lord of Diguireres chased the Leaguers out of that part and became master of Grenoble In Normandy the Duke of Montpensier wonne Honfleur and forced the Leaguers to forsake field In Poictou the Vicount dela Guerche commanding over certaine regiments of footmen and horsemen and finding about a thousand of naturall borne Spaniards newly come from Brittaine to doe some great exployt they were all charged by the Baron de la Rotche Pose and others of the Kings chiefe servitors In this conflict la Guerche was compelled to see 300. Gentlemen of his most assured favourers slaine and lying on the ground at the which sight hee was so abashed that hee fled to the next river where finding the boat and thinking to goe over easily the throng was so great that the boate and all the passengers sunke to the bottome La Guerche was there drowned with a great number of others There perished in the water and in the fight moe then seven hundred Spainards some supposed this losse of the Leaguers to be little lesse then that of Coutras by reason of the great number of the Nobility that dyed therein Likewise the Lord Digners overthrew in the plaine of Portcharre the Duke Savoyes army commanded by Amedio the Dukes bastard sonne and Don Pleneres a Spanish Captaine and the Marquis of Treuic and others There were slaine vpon that plaine 2000. and 500. of the Dukes army and a great number were taken prisoners being for the most part Gentlemen of command The booty which was gotten amounted to the summe of two hundred thousand crownes The next day two thousand Romanes and souldiers of Millaine who with their Commander the Earle of Galcot of Belioyense were saved within the Castle of d' Analon at length yeelded themselues to the Kings mercy but the fury of the souldiers could not bee quenched till they had slaine sixe or seven hundred of them The rest having white roddes in their hands given them in stead of pasports were sent home to Italy In the meane time the King handled his affaires so
to slay the King as he was returning from Picardie to Paris Thus vpon the 27. day of December Anno 1584 â—as the King was readie booted and spurred to returne from Picardie to Paris within a chamber at Lououre this stripling went into the chamber amongst the presse and as the King was busily occupied in receiuing his Nobles and in a princely manner kissing them for his farewell suddenly he would haue stricken the King in the bodie with a knife he had in his hand But by reason his Maiesty was very readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping he strucke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable caitiue was taken and after examination vnderstanding that he was a scholler of the Iesuites the King said And must it needs be that the Iesuits must be confounded by my mouth This parricide being brought to prison freely declared all the circumstances of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuits secret practises Amongst many other things he remembred he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the King that he was excommunicated out of the Church that he was not to be obeyed nor taken for their King vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament condemning this Castile of Treason in the highest degree caused him to be brought naked in his shirt before the principall part of the Cathedrall Church in Paris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted there to confesse his haynous sinne asking forgiuenesse of God the King and the lawes which done he was conveyed to the place of execution carrying in his hand the murthering knife wherewith he intended to murther the King the which was there first cut off his flesh pulled off with hot burning Pincers both from his armes and thighs after that his bodie was drawne in peeces with foure horses and cast into the fire and consumed to ashes and the ashes scattered in the winde Likewise the said Court of Parliament ordeined that all the Priests and Schollers of Clermont colledge and all other of the same societie of Iesus to be holdeâ— and reputed as corrupters of youth disturbers of the publique peace enemies to the King and State and to avoyde within three dayes after the Proclamation of this edict out of Paris and all other townes and places where their Colledges are and within 15. dayes after out of the kingdome on paine if being found after the time prefixed to be punished as guiltie of the said crime of treason Besides these horrible troubles that were in France in the dayes of this Emperour Rodulph the King of Spaine prepared a great armie to invade the Realme of England This armie was counted invincible and of most admirable preparation it conteined an hundreth and thirtie Ships wherein were as many Regiments having an hundreth seuentie two Ensignes and 20000. fighting men besides the number of 1000. moe that had nothing to doe with armes also their furniture and provision was exceeding great for they had 11000. Quintals of Biscat 14170. Pipes of Wine 6500. Quintals of Bacon 3433. Quintals of Cheese 8000. Quintals of dried fish of all sorts 6320 Bushels of Beanes and Pease 11398. Roues and Measures of oyle 23870. Roues of Vineger And 11850. Pipes of fresh Water besides the victuals and necessaries of houshold that were in great number and of all sorts The armes reserued for store were 7000. Caleeuers their furnitures a 1000. Muskets a 1000. Lances a 1000. Partisants and Halbards 6000. Pikes More Pickaxes Payles and other instruments then would serue for 700. Pioners With this number and in this manner being prepared the armie departed out of Lisbone vnder the conduct of the Duke de Medina Gidonia assisted with 22. Lords of estate councell and experience But it had searce entred into the sea sailing toward the Gnongnes in Gallicia but there arose a storme with so great force that the Navie was constrained to put to land and there to stay till winde and weather serued hauing lost in that storme three Gallies of Portugalls and many of them so scattered and bruised that they were not seruiceable for that Voyage The storme being calmed and the weather good about the 22. of Iulie the Generall caused them to set saile so fortunately that in lesse then fiue dayes after they descryed the point or end of Cornwall and at the same time they were seene from Plimmouth by the Admirall of England and Sr Francis Drake Vice admirall who made them turne their faces and gaue them such a skirmish and that so neere that the Ships were in disorder and a great Gallion lost wherein was found a part of the treasures that the Armie brought with it and all the instructions which the Duke de Medina had and what he should doe having Conquered England At the last the Navie got as farre as Callis where it should haue ioyned with the Duke of Parma but the Armie of England that fought to impeach it followed it and that so nie that it was forced to leaue her Anchor-hold confusedly to flie away Their principall Gallias among other Vessels was by the streames cast vpon the sands hard by the hauen of Callis there with his Ordnance was left for the governor of Callis After this it made toward the North seas passing betweene Norway and Scotland and so toward Ireland where those northerne seas being as then risen according to the time of yeare were very tempestuous and vsed the rest of the armie very hardly for it drowned and sunke 17. great Vessels vpon the coast of Ireland and spoyled broke and ouerthrew diuers others in such manner that of 130. Shippes there were scarcely 30. that returned to SPAINE Here endeth the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the Church Containing a briefe Catalogue of the beginnings proceedings and deaths of all the Bishops Popes Patriarches Doctors Pastors and other learned men in Europe Asia and Africa since Christs dayes vntill this present CENTVRIE I. Of Apostles AFter the Lords resurrection his twelue Apostles were indued with grace from aboue and sent forth to convert all people to the obedience of Christ whose travels the Lord so wonderfully blessed that within a short time many thousands of all Nations Languages whom God had appointed to eternall life were converted to the faith of Christ. This conquest that Christ made by the Ministrie of twelue poore and contemptible men is more worthie to be called a Conquest then all the valiant exployts of Cyrus Alexander Caesar and other Conquerours For he made this conquest by a small handfull of poore and infirme Disciples also he conquered not onely the bodies of men but also their hearts to his obedience and finally he made this conquest not by shedding of peoples blood but by
with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the raigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our Lord 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secret to presbyter Poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter Poeniteâ—tiarius and she confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the Father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secret confession because the Church was like to be slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that Christ when he talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his Disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secret sinnes in the bosome of Christ who knew all things that were done in secret It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an history I am writing but a short Compend of an history he taketh libertie to declare his iudgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secret sinnes to presbyter Poenitentiarius No man can blame me to write my iudgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle wherewith Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the Deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secret by the children of the Deuill against Christian Magistrates Now is auricular confession for greater causes to be abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Ierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius Anno 318. about the seauenth yeere of the raigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine found the Crosse of Christ but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had been Gentiliâ— error vanitas impiorum that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree whereupon our Lord suffered What necessitie had Helena to be so earnest to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the bodie of IESVS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon Christ was crucified which with little adoe might haue beene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to be found and easie to haue beene discerned from other Crosses How could the blessed Virgine the mother of the Lord and holy Apostles haue committed such an overâ—sight in not keeping that precious treasure if so be in the keeping of it there be so great deuotion as the Romane Church now talkes of Thirdly what is the cause that the Romane Church brags so much of antiquitie when as the worshipping of the crosse one of the maine points of their Religion was vnknowne to the first three hundred yeeres of our Lord and now in the fourth Centurie the crosse is found but not worshipped yea and the adoration of it is detested and abhorred as an errour of the Pagans To Macarius succeeded Maximus who had beene his fellow-labourer as of olde Alexander was to Narcissus Macarius gouerned the Church of Ierusalem in the peaceable dayes of Constantine but Maximus gouerned that same Church himselfe alone in the dayes of Constantius He was present at the Councell of Tyrus but Paphnutius a Bishop and confessor in Thebaida pittied the simplicitie of Maximus whom the Arrians with deceitfull speeches had almost circumueened and he stepped to him and suffered him not to sit in the assembly of vngodly people whereupon followed a bond of indissoluble coniunction not onely with Paphnutius but also with Athanasius who was charged with many false accusations in that wicked Councell of Tyrus This warning made him circumspect and wise in time to come so that he was not present at the Arrian Councell of Antiochia gathered vnder pretence of dedication of the Temple which Constantine began to build but his sonne Constantius perfected the building of it To Maximus succeeded Cyrillus a man greatly hated by the Arrians in so much that Acacius Bishop of Caesarea Palestinae deposed him no doubt by some power granted to him by the Emperour Constantius with aduise of Arrian Bishops Notwithstanding Silvanus Bishop of Tarsus receiued him and he taught in that Congregation with great liking and contentment of the people The strife of Acacius against him in the Councell of Seleucia I remit vnto its owne place In time of famine he had a great regard to poore indigent people and sold the precious vessels and garments of the Church for their support This was a ground of his accusation afterward because of a costly garment bestowed by the Emp. Constantine to the church of Ierusalem which Cyrillus sold to a Marchant in time of famine and againe the Marchant sold it vnto a lasciuious woman and such friuolous things were aggregated by the Arrians who hated the men of GOD. Of other Pastors and Doctors in Asia Africa and Europe BEsides the Patriarchs of principall places God raised vp in this Centurie a great number of learned Preachers who were like vnto the Ibides of Aegypt a remedy prepared by God against the multiplied number of venemous flying Serpents Euen so learned Fathers of whom I am to speak were instruments of God to vndoe the heresies which abounded in this age aboue all other ages Did not Nazianzenus vndoe the Heresie of Apollinaris Basilius the Heresie of Eunomius Hilarius like vnto a second Deucalion saw the ouer-flowing flood of Arrianisme abated in France Ambrosius Epiphanius and Ierom set their hearts against all Heresies either in their time or preceding their dayes It were an infinite labour to write of them all who in this age like vâ—â—â— glistering starres with the shining light of celestiall doctrine illuminated the darknesse of the blind world but the names of some principall Teachers God willing I shall remember Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine liued vnder the Emperour Constantine with whom he was familiarly acquainted He was desired to supply the place of Eustatius Bishop of Antiochia whose deposition the Arrians without all forme of order had procured most vnrighteously but he would not consent to accept that charge so that the chaire of Antiochia wanted a Bishop eight yeeres Some expecting the restitution of Eustatius others feeding themselues vpon vaine hopes that Eusebius
relieued Rome from the siege of the Lombardes but also bestowed vppon the chaire of Rome the dominions of Rauenna and Penta-polis appertaining to the Emperour of the East and which they enjoyed since the death of Narses 170. yeeres In so doing there was such bargaining betwixt the kinges of France and the Popes as was of olde betwixt Herod and the Iewes he gratified them with the blood of Christes Apostles and they gratified him on the other part by giuing to him the glory of God Euen so Zacharias bishop of Rome bestowed vpon Pipinus the kingdome of France which duly appertained to another and Pipinus againe bestowed vpon the chaire of Rome the dominion of Rauenna Pentapolis which duely appertained to the Emp. of the East It shall not be amisse to make a particular rehearsall of the townes territories bestowed vpon the church of Rome by the donatioÌ„ of Pipinus but not of Constantine as they haue rumored most fabulously many yeares agoe In primis Rauenna Bononia Imola Fauentia Commaclum Hadria Pompilii Forum Leuii Forum Cesena Bobium Ferraria Ficoclas and Gabellum all these townes were vnder the dominion of Rauenna And in Pentapolis Ariminum Pisaurum Concha Fanum Senogallia Ancona Auximum Hummanam Aesium Sempronij Forum Mons Feretri Vrbium Balmense territorium Callas Luceolos Engubium together with the Castles and lands appertaining to these townes to wit the Prouinces called in our time Romandiola Marca Anconitana and of olde Aemilia Flaminea PicenuÌ„ Thus we see what a rich reward the chaire of Rome obtained for their defection froÌ„ the Emp. of the East and their fauour towards the kings of France Also for further confirmatioÌ„ of friendship betwixt the bishops of Rome and the kings of France Pope Stephanus the 2. procured that he should be inuited to be witnes at the baptisme of the king of Fraunce his yong son at which time as a man couetous of vaine glorie he suffered Pipinus Charles his son to kisse his feet to hold his stirrope to lead his horse by the brible and finally he was content to be mounted vp and carried vpon the shoulders of men leauing behind him an example of stinking pride to the posterity after following After Stephanus the secoÌ„d succeeded his brother Paulus the first who continued 10. yeeres and one month In antichristian pride he was nothing inferiour to his predecessours for he sent Ambassadours to the Emperour of the East Constantinus Copronymus to exhort him to restore againe the images of the Saints which hee had demolished with intermination of cursing if hee refused to bee obedient to the popes counsell In his time Aâ—stulphus King of Lombardes dyed and Desidâ—rius the last King of Lombards raigned in his stead Constantine the brother of Desiderius King of Lombardis succeeded to Paulus the first a man admitted to the Popedome before he received Ecclesiasticall orders therefore hee was hated of the people of Rome and denuded of his Papall dignity after hee had continued one yeere and one moneth Some writers affirme that his eyes were thrust out and that hee was sent to a Monasterie others affirme that hee was burnt with fire by the hatefull malice of the Romanes To him succeeded Stephanus the third who ruled foure yeeres fiue moneths and twenty seven dayes Hee gathered a Councell at Rome in the which twelue Bishops of France sent thither by Charles de Maine were present with the Bishoppes of Italy who disauthorized Constantine his predecessor and annulled all his decrees Likewise they damned the seventh generall Councell convened in Constantinople by Constantinus Copronymus wherein the worshipping of Images was disallowed But in this Laterane Councel assembled by Stephanus the third the worshipping of Images got allowance And it was thought that God and the Saints were in worser case then mortall Princes in case that Images might be made to represent mortall Princes but not to represent God and his Saints It was rumored in this Popes time that Charles King of France was of intention to marrie Bertha the daughter of Desiderius King of Lombards Stephanus fearing left this marriage should vndoe the friendship lately tracted betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the King of France disswaded Charles from the marriage aforesayd as if the marriage of a woman of the kindred of the Lombards were a mixing of darkenesse with light and of Belial with Christ. And the menacing letter of Stephanus the third prevailed so farre at the hands of Charles the Great that he repudiated Bertha the daughter of Desiderius his lawfull maried wife after he had cohabited with her one yeere and hee married another woman named Hildegarde of the Dukerie of Sweue These are the fruits of Antichristian pride to threaten the torments of hell against the Princes of the world for marriage if so be they fore-see any damage may redound to the chaire of Rome by the marriage of Princes After Stephanus the third succeeded Adrian the first and governed twenty three yeares ten moneths and seventeene dayes In his dayes Charles the Great came into Italy with an army and Desiderius King of Lombards his wife and children to Lions in France and vtterly subdued the kingdome of the Lombards which had continued in Italy 204. yeeres Now in the yeere of our Lord 776. this kingdome was abolished and vndone by Charles the Great king of France for the fauour he carried towardes the chaire of Rome Likewise hee augmented the donation of his father Pipinus and he bestowed vpon the Church of Rome the Isle of Corsica and the places lying betwixt Luca and Parma with the Dukedomes Spoleto and Benevento This being done Charles returned back againe to France carying with him Bertha his brothers wife and her children who came to Adrian Bishop of Rome hoping for favour at his hands and that he should haue anoynted her sonnes to bee Kings of France seeing Carolamannus their father was now dead but he delivered them into the hands of Charles and so Charles the Great raigned without exception as absolute Commander of France Irene the Empresse of the East during his Popedome assembled a great Councell at Nice in Bythinia where the adoration of Images was allowed In this Councell the Popes Ambassadors were present and his owne letter was read in the Councell no man gaue greater allowance to the worshipping of Images then Pope Adrian did as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels It is to be marked that Platina writing of the death of Constantinus Copronymus is compelled to beare witnesse to the truth and testifie that the opinion of the leprosie of Constantine the Great was a notable fable and that it sprung vp by occasion of the disease of Constantinus Copronymus the father in law of the Empresse Irene To Adrian succeeded Leo the third and governed one and twenty yeeres He was hated by Pascalis and Campalus who lay in wait for him at the Church
was Pope For this cause hee called the marriage of the Priests the heresie of the Nicholaitans and the acceptation of Prelacies from the hands of secular Princes Simony And vnder colour of extirpating two heresies hee most craftily travelled to bring vnder his soveraigntie all men who were clothed with civill or spirituall offices And first for the abolishing of the marriage of Priests hee sent strict commandement to the Bishops of France and Germany and other places that they should depose married Priests from their offices vnder paine of cursing and that they should accept no persons in their places but those who would binde themselues by a solemne oath to perpetuall continencie The Priests made greater reluctation to the Popes commandement then the Bishops did in so much that in the Councell of Mentz convocated by the Archbishop for obeying of the Popes commandement the Archbishop accompanied with the Popes Ambassadour could finde no other meanes to saue their liues but onely by flying from the incensed wrath of marryed Priests As concerning his other enterprise in extirping the heresie of Simony as hee called it that no Prelat should receiue investment from Emperours and Princes but onely from the Bishop of Rome This could not bee brought to passe without the thunder-bolts of excommunication whereby he so subdued the noble Emperour Henry the fourth that hee was compelled in sharpe winter weather to iourney to Italy and to seeke absolution from the Popes cursing It were too long to discourse of his sorceries lying prophecies and treasonable attempts against the noble Emperour And the weake apologie of Onuphrius will never be an vmbrage to couer the craft malice and divellish pride of this seditious Pope To Gregorie the seventh succeeded Victor the third who onely continued in his Popedome one yeere and an halfe After Victor the third succeeded Pope Vrbanus the second and ruled twelue yeeres foure moneths and eighteen dayes Hee assembled a Councell at Clermont in France and incited Christian Princes to vndertake a dangerous warfare against the Turkes and Saracens for recovering of the holy Land and for supporting of distressed Christians in those parts A certaine Monke called Peter who had gone on pilgrimage to Ierusalem deplored to the Councell in most lamentable manner the pitifull estate of Christians in Ierusalem And many Christian Princes were moued to vndertake an hazardous warre against the Turkes and Saracens vnder the conduct of Godfrey Duke of Loraine Robert Duke of Normandy Robert Count of Flanders and diverse other noble Princes an army of three hundred thousand Christian people set forward toward Ierusalem which they conquered out of the hands of Infidels with great effusion of blood and Godfrey was crowned King of Ierusalem with a crowne of thornes An. 1099. as Functius recordeth Patriarchs of Constantinople BEcause I reade of no memorable thing done by the Patriarches of Constantinople it shall suffice shortly to point out their names onely and to set forward In this Centurie we finde the names of these Patriarchs following to wit Antonius Nicolaus Sisinnius Sergius Eustachius Alexius Michael Constantinus Lithudes Iohannes Xiphilinus Cosmas Eustratius and Nicolaus Of other Pastors and Doctors PEtrus Damianus was brought vp in the Monasterie of Cassinates and was made a Cardinall and Bishoppe of Ostia by Pope Stephanus the ninth Hee was deposed by Benedict the tenth and deprived of his living because hee disapproved his entry to the Popedome Hee was cast into prison and bonds and when he was set at liberty he sought not restitution to his Bishopricke againe but hee lived an heremiticall life And when Pope Nicolaus the second and Hildebrand an Archdeacon obiected this fact against him opprobriously he writ an apologie and defended himselfe by the example of 36. Fathers who had done the like He was very superstitious and approved the custome of Monks who began to scourge themselues very impertinently cyting the examples of Christ who was scourged by Pontius Pilat and of the Apostle Saint Paul who was thrice beaten with roddes and fiue times received thirty nine stripes as if it were all one thing to scourge our selues and to bee scourged by others He was present at the Councel of Millan as substitute of Pope Nicholaus the second Ino Bishoppe of Charters in France was counted learned in his time nothing is more commendable in all his life then this when hee was cast in prison for disprooving the marriage of Philip King of France the Noblemen dwelling about Charters would haue by force delivered him but hee disswaded them from any such attempts onely willed them to pray to God for him His bookes are miserably spotted with the errours of his time such as Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Intercession and merits of Saints in prayer and diverse other errors Lanfrancus was borne in Papia a towne of Italy and became Archbishop of Canterburie hee was much reverenced for his learning Hee writ against Berengarius and defended the opinion of Transubstantiation He was in great credite with William the Conquerour King of England in so much that all spirituall and civill affaires seemed to bee ordered according to his appetite and pleasure This great credite procured against him the hatred of many Noblemen notwithstanding they could not prevaile against him all the dayes of King William Rufus the sonne of King William was of a more sterne and angry nature and albeit Lanfrancus had taken paines vpon his education notwithstanding his emulous competitours alienated the Kings heart somewhat from him whereby hee fell into a sharpe fever and dyed Ranulphus writeth of him that he wished to conclude his life either by fever or dysenterie because in these sicknesses the vse of a mans tongue continues oftentimes to the last breath Hee continued in his Prelacie nineteene yeeres and dyed in the third yeare of King Rufus Anselmus succeeded to Lanfrancus both in place and learning for hee was Bishop of Canterbury and a singular learned man Hee was borne in a towne called Augusta in the confines of Burgundie Hee was the disciple of Lanfrancus hee was first a Monke and afterward an Abbot in a Monastery of Normandie called Bettense and foure yeeres after the death of Lanfrancus the King of England promoted him to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury Anselmus in his admonitions to the King who at that time converted to his owne vse the rents of defunct Bishops and Abbots was free and plaine and for his freedome incurred great indignation in so much that hee compared himselfe vnto an Owle For saith he like as shee hath pleasure when shee remaineth in her owne nest and with her owne brood but when shee flyeth abroad shee is miserably misused and beaten with ravens crowes and other soules that forgather with her Even so saith hee when I am in company of you my familiar friends I liue in pleasure but when I goe to Court and am
was no head of doctrine howbeit plaine in it selfe which they did not obscure and darken with the mist of vaine Philosophie curious disputation And that which was more lamentable the pure foundations of the word of God were vtterlie forsaken Theologues began to reuerence Aristotle his writings as if hee had bin a Prophet of God the Apostle of Iesus Christ. Yea things coÌ„tained in the holy scripture were counted vulgar common base of little importance but they who were deeply learned in Aristotles Philosophie and in the volumes of the ancient doctors were counted excellent teachers Angelicall and Geraphicall Doctors Then were set out prolixe commentaries vpon the master of SenteÌ„ces by Albertus Aquinae Alexander and Scotus and all the schooles were filled with contentious disputations This Albertus was a Dominik frier who for his great learning was called Magnus was made B. of Ratisbon by Pope Alexander 4. but he being wearied with the painefull trauels of that calling returned home again to Colen to speÌ„d his time more quietly in reading and writing of bookes Where hee writ those commentaries vpon the Master of Sentences vpon Aristotle with many other volumes Also hee defended his owne order of friers against Guil. de S. Amore who impugned the same as shal be hereafter declared God willing before he died he pointed out a place for his owne burial and dailie visited it Et vigâ—lias pro se ac si vita sâ—nctus esset legit Thomas de Aquino otherwaies called Angelicus Doctor was disciple to Albertus Magnus and profited in Theologie and Philosophie beyond others while he was yong at the schoole he was quiet stil more inclined to heare al men then to speake was called by his condisciples Bos that is a kow because hee was so silent Neuerthelesse afterward by his penne this kow lowed louder then all his coÌ„disciples filled al nations with the sound of his Doctrine He was of the order of the Dominike or preaching Friers defended his order against William de S. Amore as Albertus his Master had done before He died in the way as he was iourneying to the couÌ„cel at Lyons was canonised by Pope Ioannes 22. and was supposed to haue wrought miracles after his death because this age was full of lying miracles Alexander Neckam was learned in Philosophie Poetrie Oratrie and Theologie obtained a glorious name to be called Ingenij MiraculuÌ„ hee was made Abbot of Excester in England vpon whose Sepulchre when hee died were written these Barbarous verses Eclipsin patitur sapientia Sol sepelitur Cui si par vnus minus esset flebile funus Vir bene discretus in omni more facetus Dictus erat Nequam vitam duxit tamen aequam Ioannes Duns otherwise called Scotus Subtilis was a man borne in Dunce a towne of Scotland who departed from his natiue countrie and ioyned himselfe to the companie of the gray friers in Oxford from thence he passed to Paris from thence to Colen where hee died being yet yong in yeeres Hee was called Subtilis from the subtilitie of his wit In his commentaries vpon the Master of Sentences hee entreateth largely of the head of the Sacrament of the supper where it may be seene that hee would neuer haue condiscended to the opinion of Transubstantiation if hee had not beene induced thereto by the authoritie of the church of Rome Likewise in this age liued Alexander de Ales an English man brought vp in Paris and expert in Philosophie Theologie who amplified the doctrine of Petrus Lombardus with many subtile arguments and was called Doctor irrefragabilis In the end hee tooke vpon him the habit and order of the Graye Friers vpon this Occasion Hee had vowed that hee should doe all things which he was required to do in the name of the blessed Virgin if so be they were possible to be done and vpon a time hee forgathered with a begging Frier seeking almes who besought him for the Loue of our Lady to ioyne himselfe to their order because they had no Master to gouerne and rule them Thus Alexander de Ales without delay tooke vpon him the habit of a graye frier and became their doctour He died at Paris and was buried in one of the Abbacees of the graye friers Now in this time of most palpable darkenesse the Lord lacked not witnesses of his truth but stirred vp many who damned the grosse ignorance and superstition of those times Of this number was Arnoldus de Nova Villa a Spainard a man famously learned and a great writer whom the Pope with his Clergie condemned among Heretikes for holding writing against the corrupt errours of the Popish Church His teaching was that Sathan had seduced all the world from the truth of Christ Iesus First That the faith which then Christian men were commonly taught was such a faith as the Deuils had Secondly That Christian people were led by the Pope to hell Thirdly That all Cloysters are voyde of Charitie and that they doe all falsifie the doctrine of Christ. Fourthly That the Diuines doe euill in mixing Philosophie with Diuinitie Fiftly That the Masses are not to be celebrated and that they ought not to sacrifice for the dead Certaine other opinions there be which the slaunderous sects of Monkes and Friers doe attribute to him as is their custome rather of envious taking then of any iust cause giuen In this number also was the worthy and valiant Champion of Christ and aduersary of Antichrist Guilielmus de S. Amore a Master of Paris and a chiefe ruler then of that Vniuersitie He in his time had no small adoe writing against the Friers and their Hypocrisie but especiallie against the begging Friers both condemning their whole Order and also accusing them as those that did disturbe and trouble all the churches of Christ by their preaching in churches against the will of the Ordinarie Pastors by their hearing of confessions and executing the charge of ordinarie preachings in their churches All the testimonies of Scripture that make against the Antichrist hee applied them against the Clergie of Prelats and the Popes spirituallie The same Guilelmus is thought to be the author of the booke which is attributed to the schoole of Paris and intituled De Periculis ecclesiae where hee prooueth by 39. arguments that Friers be false Prophets Moreouer he doth wel expound this saying of Christ. If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast and come follow mee declaring there pouertie to be inioyned vs of Christ non actualem sed habitualem not in such sort as standeth in outward action when no neede requireth but in inward affection of heart when neede requireth as though the meaning and precept of our Lord were not that wee should cast away actuallie all that wee haue but that when the confession of the name of Christ and his glorie shall so require
except a litle circle In the yeere of the Lord 198. Of this Religion was that great Clarke S. Bernard Pope Innocentius the third confirmed and allowed the Order of Humiliats first of all deuised by certaine persons exiled by Fredericus Barbarossa who when they were restored to their countrie apparelled themselues all in white and promised to goe in lowlie and simple cloathing The men and women to be separated each from other and to labour euerie one in that wherein hee was most skilfill They had one commune purse amongst them They professed S. Bennets rule This Order in processe of time hath increased so both in goodes and persons that it was confirmed and endewed with many priuiledges of diuers Bishopps of Rome in the yeeres of our Lord 1166. Pope Celestinus the fift willinglie gaue ouer his Bishoprike and returned againe to his solitarie life wherein he quietly liued before his Papacie Certaine superstitious persons counterfeited this Bishop taking vpon them an order of S. Bennet in a wildernesse and called themselues Celestines after Celestine The garment which they weare cloakes coule and cape are blew in the yeere 1297. Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule S. Gilbert in England at Sirington and Semphring hame began an order of Monkes called after him Gilbertines in the yeere 1148. Pope Eugenius the fourth confirmed the religion of the Iustinians adorning the same with manie liberties and priuiledges It was first of all invented by Lewes Barbus a counsellors of Venice and practised in the parts of Treuisa in the Cloyster of S. Iustine by the citie of Padua They professe Monke Bennets rule but in habit and apparrell they differ Pope Gregorie the seuenth being Bishop of Rome Bruno of Colen that Philosopher and diuine whom Bernard calleth a faire pillar of the church did institute the Order of charterhouse Monkes in the Diocesse of Gratianopolis at a place named Curtusia Their life was outwardly full of painted holinesse in forbearing flesh in fasting with bread and water euery Friday in wearing hairie cloathes next to their body solitarie much silent neuer going out refusing all womens companie c. Pope Gelasius the second bearing rule the order of the Templars begun in Ierusalem and continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus Templars begun in Ierusalem continued almost 200. yeeres whose beginning was thus After that Godfrey Duke of Loraine had conquered Ierusalem certaine Knights perceiuing that such Pilgrimes as came to them of their devotion were robbed and murthered by the way made a band among themselues to serue God in chiualrie At the beginning they were but few and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertie and their chiefe master was the keeper of the Temple doore whence they were called Templary They dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre lodging the Pilgrimes keeping them from mischiefe and shewing them much kindnesse bringing them from one holy citie to another The badge of their order was a white cloake with a red Crosse. S. Bernard made them a rule according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues Afterward they became verie rich through the gifts of noble men and Pilgrimes But Pope Clement the fift put them downe and destroied them all in one day partly because as they writ they renounced the faith of Christ and conspired with the Turke and partly for other notable crimes Notwithstanding some say that this rooting out of them was more because of envie of their prosperitie and royaltie then for their faults For when their grandmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with many of his brethren he affirmed that hee was neuer guiltie of the accusation laied against him Thus perished this order of Templars all in one day their lands and possessions being distributed and giuen to others in the yeere of our Lord 1110. Pope Calixtus the second allowed and approued the monkish order of premonstratenses which was first of all deuised by a certaine man borne at Colen called Notorobertus a Priest they be vnder the rule of Bennet the Monke they be clothed all ouer in white to declare their vnstained virginitie Anno 1119. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning the Monkes of Mount Oliuet sprung vp through the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus Their cloathing is all white their rule is Bennets with some additions vnto it In the yeere of our Lord 1406. Pope Gregorie the 12. raigning confirmed and established also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice which was begun by a spirituall man the Patriarch Laurence Iustinian a man of an incredible strictnesse of life These Monkes are vnder S. Peters rule and the first order with certaine ordinances ioyned thereto In the yeere 1407. Pope Vrban the second bearing rule the order of white Monkes begun first deuised by one Stephen Harding and afterward in the yeere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Waiter Especk who built an Abbey of the same order called Meriuale Pope Honorius bearing rule Raymound a man of Nobilitie first of all invented the Order of S. Iohn Baptist at Ierusalem about the yeere 1130. Pope Clement the sixt being Bishop of Rome a certaine Pestilent sect of false religious persones sprang vp in high Almaine who called themselues Penitentes Cruciferi seu flagellatores that is patient crosse-bearers or scourgers of themselues Their maner was to goe from place to place hauing a banner vpon the Crucifixe borne before them and neuer to tarrie in one place but vpon the Sabboth euery day also they did pennance both morning and euening by scourging themselues before the people with a great whippe of three coards full of knotts vpon their bare bodies affirming that it was reveiled vnto them by an Angel from heauen that they thus scourging themselues should within thirtie dayes and twelue houres thorow the suffering of those paines be made so cleane and free from sinne as they were when they were Baptized Anno. 133. CENTVRIE XIIII Of Popes AFter Bonifacius the eight succeeded Benedictus the eleuenth and ruled eight months and seuenteene dayes To him succeeded Clemens the fift and ruled eight yeeres ten months and fifteene dayes who translated the Popes Court from Rometo Aviniogue in France where it remained 74 yeeres At the Coronation of this Clement Philip king of France Charles his sonne and Iohn Duke of Britaine were present who being in the middle of their Pompe and Procession a great wall brake and fell vpon them by which Duke Iohn and 12. others were slaine king Philip hurt the Pope striken from his horse hauing lost out of the miter on his head a carbuncle esteemed to the value of 6000. florence By him also the order of the Templars were put downe at the counsell of Vienne who for better collowring of so cruell an act was not ashamed to say these words in the councell Etiamsi non licet per viamiustitiae tamen licet
then the traditions of Bishopps and therefore by his Cardinall de Columna Iohn Husse was cited to appeare at Rome where hee appearing by his procurators was notwithstanding excommunicated as an obstinate Heretike because hee appeared not personallie at the appointed day The Bohemians notwithstanding cared litle for all this but grew in knowledge daylie In the meane time it hapned by the occasion of Ladislaus king of Naples who had besieged the Popes townes and territories that Pope Iohn raising vp warre against the said Ladislaus gaue full remission of sinnes to all them who would warre on his side to defend the Church When this Bull of the Popes indulgences was come to Prague Iohn Husse and his fellowes not able to abide the impietie of those pardons began manifestly to speake against them And albeit Winceslaus king of Bohemia who then fauoured the Pope gaue out strict commaundement that no man should speake against those indulgences yet of Iohn Husses companie were found three Artificers who hearing the Priest speaking of the forsaid indulgences did openly speake against them calling the Pope the Antichrist wherefore they were brought before the Senate and committed to prison But the people ioyning themselues in armes required them to be let loose The magistrates one the other part albeit they satisfied the people with gentle wordes and faire promises for a time yet when the tumult was asswaged they sent to the prison and secretlie beheaded the three foresaid artificers whose names were Iohn Martine and Staston The people hearing of this tooke their dead bodies and with great solemnitie buried them in the Church of Bethleem at whose funerall diuers Priests fauouring that side did sing thus These be the Saincts which for the testimonie of God gaue their bodies c. Thus the citie of Prague was divided The Prelats and greatest part of the Clergie and most of the Barons who had any thing to lose did hold with the Pope especially Steuen Pallats being chiefest doer of that side On the contrarie part the communes with part of the clergie and students of the vniuersitie went with Iohn Husse Winceslaus the king fearing lest this should grow to a tumult being moued by the Doctors and Prelats and Counsell of his Barons thought best to remoue Iohn Husse out of the citie who had beene excommunicated before by the Pope The people on the other part began mightilie to grudge and to cry out against the Prelats and Priests who were the workers hereof accusing them to be Simonits couetous whoremasters adulterers proud not sparing also to lay opē their vices to their great ignominie shame wherevpon it came to passe that the king seeing the inclination of the people being also not ignorant of the wickednesse of the Clergie vnder pretence to reforme the Church began to require great exactions from such Priests men of the clergie as were accused knowne to be wicked liuers And thus the Popish clergie while they went about to persecute Iohn Husse were intrapped themselues in great tribulation brought in contempt and hated of all men At this time were three Popes raigning together by reason whereof a generall Councell was ordained and holden at Constance in the yeere of our Lord 1413. And this councell being called by Sigismund the Emperour for the taking away of the schismaticall dissention of so many Popes ruling at one time to the great disturbance of all Christian nations it pleased the said Emperour to send vnto Iohn Husse Bacheler of Diuinitie in the countrie of Bohemia his safe conduct and letters of protection inviting him to come to the Councell and promising him a libertie of safe returning vnto his owne country without any maner of empeachment trouble or vexation Notwithstanding as soone as he came to Constance he was cast into prison before he was heard And when he was brought forth to the Councell there befell a strange and shamefull matter for his aduersaries had scarsly read one article and brought forth a few witnesses of the same against him but as he was about to open his mouth to answere all that were about him began so to cry out that he had no leasure to speake a word The noise and trouble was so great and vehement that a man might well haue called it a noyse of wilde beastes not of men much lesse was it like a congregation of men gathered together to iudge and determine so graue and weightie matters The next time he was brought foorh to the convent of the Franciscans where the Emperour himselfe was present and exhorted Iohn Husse to submit himselfe to the generall councell otherwise said he my safe conduct cannot nor should not be a protection to any who maintaine hereticall doctrin The day after which was the eight of Iune he was brought out againe to the same place and in his presence there were read thirtie nine Articles the which they said were drawne out of his bookes which were iudged by the councell to be hereticall and hee of new againe was required by the Emperour to submit himselfe to the councell Iohn Husse answered that hee would not maintaine any opinion with obstinate minde but if the Councell would instruct him clearlie that any of his Articles were repugnant to the holy scriptures of God he would renounce and forsake the same affirming also most constantlie that the most part of all those thinges that were alledged against him were falsly forged and neuer thought nor vttered by him when they saw that by no exhortation Iohn Husse could be moued to acknowledge his doctrine to be errōeous to recant the same vpon the sixt day of Iulie he was brought to the head church of the citie of Constance there in presence of the Emperour and councell was degraded of all Priestly orders and dignities and a definitiue sentence was giuen out against him wherein hee was condemned as an heretike for that hee preached and openly defended the articles of Iohn Wickliffe which were condemned by the Church of Rome and likewise had appealed to the Lord Iesus Christ as the most high Iudge which appellation they counted a great contempt of the Apostolique Sea and the Ecclesiasticall Censures and Keyes After this hee was put into the Secular Iudges hands to be burnt as an Heretique having vpon his head a crowne of paper with vgly pictures of divels painted thereupon Which rebuke as also the torment of fire hee most patiently sustained with Psalmes and spirituall Songs lauding God vntill the winde droue the fire vpon his face and choaked his breath And after his bodie was consumed with fire they cast the ashes of the burnt body into the river of Rhene Thus died Iohn Hus the faithfull Martyr of God the sixt of Iuly 1516. Now while as Iohn Hus had beene lying in prison and so hardly handled his faithfull companion Ierom of Prague came to Constance the fourth day of Aprill anno 1415. who there
perceiving that Iohn Hus was denyed to be heard and that watch was layed for him on every side hee departed to Iberling a Citie of the Empire a mile distant from Constance and from thence caused a letter to be directed to the Councell and to bee affixed vpon the doores of the chiefe Churches Cloysters and Cardinalls houses in Constance bearing in effect that hee was ready to come to the Councell and to answer vnto any of his accusers who would stand vp to accuse him of erroneous and hereticall doctrine providing alwayes that hee might haue sure and safe accesse But when hee saw that through such intimations being set vp as is before sayd hee could haue no safe conduct hee thought meete to returne backe againe to Bohemia taking with him the letters patents of the Lords of Bohemia that were at Constanâ—e for a testimonie and witnesse of the premises As hee was in his iourney by treason and conspiracie of his enemies hee was taken in Hirsaw by the officers of Duke Iohn and sent backe to the Councell bound with chaines where hee was cast into prison and so hardly vsed that hee fell sore sicke almost to the death But after he was recovered and Iohn Hus was already put to death they brought forth Master Ierome whom they had long kept in chaines in the Church of Saint Paul and threatning him with death being instant vpon him they forced him to abiure and recant and consent vnto the death of Master Iohn Hus that hee was iustly condemned and put to death by them Neverthelesse his enemies perceiving that this abiuration was not made sincerely from his heart but onely for feare to escape their hands they gaue in new accusations against him And in the yeere of our Lord 1416. the 25. day of May the sayd Master Iereme was brought forth vnto open audience before the whole generall Councell vnto the great cathedrall Church of Constance Where many things were layd to his charge that day as likewise the third day after which was another Diet assigned to him for answering where hee refuted his adversaries with such eloquence and wisdome that the hearts of all the Fathers of the councell were marvelously bent and mooved to mercy toward him But in the end hee entered to the praise of Iohn Hus and affirmed that whatsoever Iohn Hus and Wickliffe had holden and written specially against the pompe and pride of the Clergie hee would affirme even to the death And likewise hee added that of all the sinnes that ever hee had committed the sinne of his recantation did most grievously gnaw and trouble his conscience especially in consenting to the wicked condemnation of that good and holy man Iohn Hus which fault as hee did it through weakenesse of faith and feare of death so did hee vtterly deny and revoke that wicked recantation After this hee was led away againe to prison and the Saturday before the ascention day hee was brought to the Cathedral Church before the Congregation where the sentence of his condemnation was given out against him and a paper with pictures of red divels was brought to bee put vpon his head which hee himselfe receiving put it thereupon saying Our Lord Iesus Christ when hee suffered death for me most wretched sinner did weare a crowne of thornes vpon his head and I for his sake will willingly weare this miter and cap. Afterward hee was layd hold on by the secular power and carried to the place of execution where his body was burnt with fire which paine he suffered with a lowd voyce praising God in the midst of the fire and commending his soule to the gracious custodie of the Lord Iesus And finally his ashes were diligently collected and throwne into the river of Rhene In this age also was Hieronimus Savonarola a man no lesse godly in heart then constant in profession who being a Monke in Italy and very learned preached against the evill life of the Spiritualty and specially of his owne order Which thing the Pope perceiving and fearing that the said Hierom who was already in great reputation amongst all men should diminish and overthrow his authority he ordained his Vicar or Provinciall to see reformation in those matters who with great superstition began to reforme them But the sayd Hierom did alwaies withstand him whereupon hee was complained of to the Pope and cursed by him Notwithstanding hee continued preaching in the towne of Florence And albeit hee was cited to appeare before the Pope he made his excuse and came not Then was hee againe forbidden to preach and his doctrine pronounced and condemned as pernicious false and seditious Thus Hieronimus forseeing the perils dangers that might come for feare left off preaching But when the people which sore hungred for the word of God were instant vpon him that hee would preach againe hee began againe to preach in the yeere 1496. and albeit many counselled him that he should not so doe without the Popes commandement yet did he not regard them but constantly went forward of his owne good will When the Pope and his shavelings heard newes of this they were grievously inflamed and incensed against him and now againe cursed him as an obstinate and stifnecked heretique Notwithstanding all this Hierom proceeded in preaching and instructing the people saying men ought not to regard such curses as are against the true and common profit of the people In all his teaching he desired to teach none other thing but the onely pure and simple word of God making often protestation that all men should certifie him if they had heard him teach or preach any thing contrary thereunto For in his owne conscience he knew that he had not taught any thing but the pure Word of God What his doctrine was all men may iudge by his bookes which hee hath written After this in the yeere of our Lord 1498. hee was taken and brought to Saint Markes Cloyster and and two other Fryers with him named Dominicke and Sylvester who favoured his learning and were carryed to prison and from thence were brought forth by the chiefe Councellors of Florence and the Popes Commissioners who had gathered out certain articles against them whereupon they should be condemned to death which were these 1. The first article was as touching our free iustification through faith in Christ. 2. That the Communion ought to bee ministred vnder both kinds 3. That the Indulgences and Pardons of the Pope were of none effect 4. For preaching against the filthy and wicked living of the Cardinals and Spiritualty 5. For denying the Popes supremacy 6. And that hee had affirmed that the Keyes were not given to Peter alone but vnto the vniversall Church 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor the doctrine of Christ for that hee did attribute more to his owne pardons and traditions then to Christs merits and therfore he was Antichrist 8. That the
their silence had professed continencie if afterward they married they should bee remoued from their Ministrie Also it was ordained that Chorepiscopi these were Countrie Bishops in the Latine language called Vicarii-Episcoporum These I say were commanded to abstaine from ordination of Elders and Deacons and from vsurping of doÌ„inion ouer the preaching Elders who were in Cities Likewise it was ordained that whosoeuer did abstaine from eating of flesh as from a creature in it selfe vncleane he should be depriued of his dignity This Councell was subscribed by â—8 Bishops IN the yeere of our Lord 330. and in the 20. yeere of the raigne of Constantine as Eusebius reckoneth others referre it to the 333. yeere of our Lord for there is great diuersitie in this counting The Councell of Nice in Bithynia was gathered not by Silvester nor by Iulius but by the authority of the Emperour The name of the towne answered to the successe of the Councell for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke language signifieth victorie and when the veritie encountered with the lie in this Councell the veritie preuailed and got the victorie The matter entreated in the Councell was concerning the opinion of Arrius a presbyter in Alexandria who denied that the Sonne of God was consubstantiall with the Father but affirmed there was a time wherein the sonne was not and that he was created of things not existent This opinion was so vnquoth and abominable to the Fathers conueened in the Councell of Nice that they vtterly damned and anathematized the opinion of Arrius Onely 17 Bishops adhered to his blasphemous opinion The Emperour liked well the determination of the Conncell and threatned to punish them with banishment who did refuse to subscribe the determination of the Councell for they had concluded that the sonne of God was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall with the Faith Of the number of feuenteene who were fauourers of Arrius only two to wit Secundus a B. of Ptolemaida in Aegypt and Thomas Bishop of Marmarica adhered to Arrius vntil the end of the Councell with a a few moe whom the Fathers conueened at Nice deliuered vnto Sathan and the Emperour banished them the rest for feare of punishment subscribed to the deposition of Arrius with their handes but not with their hearts such as Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Theogonius of Nice Menophantus of Ephesus Patrophilus of Scythopoâ—is Narcissus of Neronias otherwise called Irenopolis of Cilicia these I say and some others subscribed the summe of Faith set downe by the Nicene Councell and the deposition of Arrius About the controuersie of keeping the festiuitie of Easter day a conclusion was taken that it should be kept vpon the Lords day and not vpon the fourteene day of the first month of the Iewes called Nisan And this was done for keeping of vnitie and peace in the Church for it was expedient that that thing which was vniuersally done should also bee vniformely done for auoiding of schismes in the Church Neuerthelesse Socrates granteth that it is but an ancient custome not authorized by any Apostolike commandement About Marriage many were in the opinion that Bishops Elders and Deacons who were married before their ordination should in time to come abstaine from the companie of their wiues But Paphnutius a Bishop in a towne of Thebaida a chaste man who neuer companied with a woman entreated the Councell that they should abstaine from making such an ordinance because Marriage is honorable and the cohabitation of a man with his married wife is chastity Likewise it was a diffiicult matter to be performed and it opened a doore to vnchast liuing Yet Paphnutius inclined too much to this opinion That Bishops Elders and Deacons who were vnmarried should abstaine from marriage The Councel would make no constitution about such matters but remitted marriage as a thing indifferent to euery mans free arbitriment The Canons of the Nicene Councell pertaining to matters of discipline in number 22. reade them in the history of Russin The appointing of three Partiarches one in Rome another in Alexandria the third in Antiochia with power to conuocate within their owne boundes particular Councels for timous suppressing of heretikes It was like vnto a faire morning presenting vnto the world the countenance of a faire day but at Euen the face of the Heauen is couered with blacke cloudes troubling the earth with the tempest of changed weather Euen so these Patriarches for the most part became in the end chiefe propagators of notable heresies as the historie following God willing shall declare THe Nationall Councell of Tyrus was gathered by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine in the thirtieth yeere of his raigne Eusebius by ouer-passing with silence a due commemoration of the malice and falsehood of the Arrians against Athanasius giueth occasion to Socrates to suspect that Eusebius Pamphili was not a sound follower of the Nicene Councell To this Nationall Councel conueened threescore Bishops from Aegypt Lybia Asia Europe The most part of them were Arrians who had solde themselues to iniquity of purpose with false accusations to oppresse the innocent seruant of Christ Athanasius The crimes laide vnto his charge were fornication the slaughter of Arsenius and cutting off of his hand the ouerthrowing of the holy Table the breaking of the holy Cup and burning of the holy volumes No assembly was so full of partialitie confusion clamour and vnrighteous dealing as this assembly at Tyrus in so much that Paphnutius a Bishop in Thebaida arose and left the Councell of vngodly men and drew with him Maximus Bishop of Ierusalem fearing lest his simplicitie should haue beene circumueened by the subtiltie of deceitfull Arrians How Athanasius fled to the Emp. and declared the vnrighteous proceedings of the Councell of Tyrus it hath bin declared already In this assembly PotaÌ„ion Bishop of Heraclea a man full of spirituall libertie finding Eusebius Pamphili sitting as a Iudge Athanasius standing outbraided Eusebius as a man who in the persecution of Dioclesian was enclosed in that same prison with himselfe but Eusebius escaped out of prison without the markes of the rebuke of Christ which Potamion and other faithfull Confessors could not get done In like manner Athanasius refused to compeare in Caesarea Palestinae where Eusebius was Bishop as a place suspect for fauour carried to Arrians All these things brought the name of Euseb. Pamphili in some disliking The issue of the Councell of Tyrus was this the Arrians in his absence deposed him and amongst the rest Arsenius was one of them who subscribed the deposition of Athanasius with that same hand that the Arrians had alleadged was cut off by Athanasius so effronted are Heretikes defenders of false and lying doctrine The Emperour Constantine commanded the bishops assembled at Tyrus to addresse to Constantinople but when they came thither they durst make no mention of the
Arrians to imprint into the vlcerate mind of Constantius an hatred against Athanasius In this Councell they set downe diuers summes of Faith first secretly couering the venome of their heresie but afterward as it were repenting they manifested themslues more clearly in their owne colours After this Councell followed terrible earth-quakes in the East wherewith many townes were shakeÌ„ especially the towne of Antiochia with continuall earth-quakes was shaken for the space of a whole yeere The principall designe of the Councell was to eject Athanasius out of his chaire to alter the sum of Faith set downe in the Nicene Councell as euidently appeared by sending of Syrianus to destroy Athanasius and to place Gregorius in his roome but Athanasius escaped the danger by the great prouidence of God and fled to Iulius Bishop of Rome and the Arrians displaced againe Gregorius and appointed Georgius a man of Cappadocia and more fit for their purpose to be bishop of Alexandria THe fauour that Iulius Bishop of Rome shewed to Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Asclepas Bishop of Gaza and Lacius Bishop of Adrionopolis was the cause mouing the Arrians to haue so frequent meetings in Antiochia Very sharpe letters passed betwixt Iulius and the Orientall Bishops Iulius blamed them because they had both rashly and vnrighteously deposed the fore-named bishops They on the other part expostulated with Iulius because he had receiued to his fellowship men deposed by theÌ„ whereas none of the East Church had admitted Novatus to their communion whom the Bishop of Rome had excommunicated After the issue of three yeere another Councell was conueened in Antiochia about the yeere of our Lord 348. wherein the Arrians set foorth a newe summe of their Faith in very ample and prolix manner and different from all other formes set downe before the copie whereof they sent to the Bishops of Italy by Endoxius Bishop of Germanicia and Martyrius and Macedonius but the Bishops of Italy would not receiue it contenting themselues with the summe of Faith set downe in the Nicene Councell IN the yeere of our Lord 351. by the commandement of Constantius and his brother Constans a great nationall Councell was gathered in Sardica a towne of Illyricum of Dacia Many Bishops of the West to the number of three hundred resorted to this assembly but from the East only seventy six They who came from the Easterne parts would not vouchsafe to be present in the Councell except Protogenes Bishop of Sardica and Osius Bishop of Corduba had separated from their fellowship Paulus Bishop of Constantinople and Athanasius Bishoppe of Alexandria But the cause of their absenting themselues from the Councell indeed was this as Theodoretus prudently recordeth because the forgers of salse accusations against the men of God whose cause was appointed to be iudged in this Councell durst not abide the tryall of honest Iudges and men of vnsuspected credit The Councell finding that the Arrians couvicted in conscience durst not compeare to accuse Paulus and Athanasius whom notwithstanding they had deposed in the Councels of Tyrus and Antiochia proceeded to the tryall of their cause and findeth all the accusations of the Arrians against Panlus Athanasius Asclepas and the rest to bee but a masse of forged calumnies and lyes Arsenius was found to be aliue whom the Arrians had alledged Athanasius had slaine As concerning the overthrowing of the holy Table and breaking of the holy Cup by Macarius whom Athanasius had imployed and therefore the blame was layd vpon him it was found to be a notable lye because when Macarius entred into the Church of Mareota where this fact was alledged to bee done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were present in the Church And such kinde of persons were not permitted to be present at the celebration of divine mysteries Ishyras also who was the principall forger of all the afore-mentioned calumnies was found to haue beene tyed to the bed by infirmity at that time when Macarius was alledged to haue done all these things And finally it was found that Ishyras had received a Bishopricke as the wages oâ— iniquity from the Arrians before hee had beene admitted Presbyter in any Church Also the supplicant bils of Paulus Asclâ—pas Marcellus c. were read tryed and examined and they were all found honest and vpright men and they were all recommended by the letters of the Councell of Sardica to their owne flocks On the other part the Bishops whom the Arrians had intruded in the places of the fore-mentioned brethren they deposed them and abhorred their memorie such as Gregorius in Alexandria Basilius in Ancyra and Quintianus in Gaza of whom they discerned that they were not worthy the name of common Christians much lesse to bee called Bishops commanding all people to forsake their fellowshippe and neither to send letters to them nor to receiue letters from them The like sentence they pronounced against Theodorus of Heraclea Narcissus of Neronias Acacius of Caesarea Palestinae Stephanus of Antiochia Vrsatius of Sigidun in Mysia Valens of Myrsa in Panonia Menophantus of Ephesus and Georgius of Laodicea principall patrons of the Arrian heresie The Arrians on the other part assembled themselues in Philippopolis a towne of Thracia and there they damned of new againe Paulus and Athanasius Likewise they damned Iulius Bishop of Rome Osius Bishop of Corduba Protogenes Bishop of Sardica Maximinus Bishop of Triere and many others whom they cursed also because they had admitted to their fellowship those Bishops whom they had deposed Sozomenus is in that opinion that the Councell of Philippolis succeeded the Councell of Sardica From 35. Provinces did Bishoppes resort vnto the Councell of Sardica From this time forward there was added diversitie of affection vnto diversity of opinion and those who dwelt in the East did not communicate with them who dwelt in the West Some Arrian Bishoppes dwelt in the West such as Auxentius Bishop of Millan and Vrsatius and Valens But by the vigilant travels of the Bishoppe of Rome and other godly Bishops of the West it came to passe that these Seminaries of errors did not prevaile much in the Westerne parts This is that Councell wherein Iulius Bishop of Rome for his good carriage and good deservings was appointed to be Iudge of Appellations when the like case fell out that righteous men were oppressed with the vnrighteous dealing of Heretiques But remember that this is a constitution of the Councell of Sardica and not of the Nicene Councel And this was a priviledge both personall and temporall for extraordinary causes conferred to Iulius but not to bee extended to all his successours nor yet to continue at all times IN the yeere of our Lord 356. and fiue yeeres after the Councell of Sardica by the commandement of the Emperour Constantius a Councell was gathered in Sirmium a towne of Illyria Bullenger calleth it a towne of Pannonia Photinus Bishop of Sirmium
had renued the heresies of Sabellius and Samosatenus A disputation was instituted betwixt Basilius Bishop of Ancyra an Arrian Heretique and Photinus a Sabellian Heretique in which disputation Photinus was thought to be overcome and was damned by the Councell as an Heretique and banished by the Emperour In this Councell they set downe summes of Faith one in Greeke and two in Latine wherein albeit they abstained from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neverthelesse they gave great glorie to the Sonne of God But in the end they repented and by the Emperours authority would haue recalled backe againe the copies of the summes of Faith set forth at Sirmium but the mandates of the Emperour commanding in most rigorous forme to deliver backe againe the copies that were past abroad could not bring to passe that that thing which was once divulgated should be againe suppressed The weaknesse of Osius Bishop of Corduba kythed in this Councell hath been touched in the history of his life AFter that the Emperour Constans was slaine by Magnentius the whole Soveraignty both of the East and West was in the hands of Constantius alone The Arrians moved him to assemble a Councell at Millan partly for ratification of the sentence pronounced against Athanasius in Tyrus amd partly for the subversion of the Nicene Faith The Occidentall Bishops to the number of three hundreth at the Emperors commandement assembled at Millan But neither would they ratifie the deposition of Athanaesius nor yet alter the summe of faith And some of them with libertie and freedome accused the Emperour of vnrighteous dealing For this cause many worthie Bishops were banished such as Liberius Bishop of Rome Paulinus B. of Triere Dionysius B. of Alba Lucifer B. of Calaris in Sardinia Eusebius B. of Vercellis in Liguria If in this Councell Osius B. of Corduba was banished as Theâ—doretus recordeth it would appeare that the Councell of Millan preceded the Councell of Sirmium because that Osius immediatly after he was reduced from banishment was compelled to addresse to the Councell of Sirmium But I haue followed the order of Ecclesiasticall writers IN the yeere of our Lord 363. and in the two and twentith yeere of the raigne of Constantius the Arrians having a great vantage of the flexible minde of Constantius mooved him to appoint a place wherein a generall Councell should be gathered for confirmation of their Faith Whether this place was the towne of Nicomedia or Nice alwaies it was shaken with earth-quake and the God of heaven hindered the purposes of their mindes The next course was that two nationall Councels should be convened one at Ariminum in Italy as a meet place for for the Bishops of the West to convene at and another in Sâ—lâ—â—cia of Isauria as a meet place for assembling of the Orientall Bishops To the Councell of Ariminum more then foure hundred Bishops did resort In this nationall Councell compeared Vrsatius and Valens with Germanus Auxentius and Caius and Demophilus desiring that the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as words not found in Scripture and grounds of vnsupportable contention in the Church should bee cancelled and razed out of the summe of Faith and that the Sonne of God should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of like substance with his Father The Fathers convened at Ariâ—ninum altogether disliked this proposition of Vrsatius and Valens and adhered for the most part of them closely to the Nicene Faith and excluded from the fellowship of the Church Vrsatius and Valens with their complices aboue menâ—ioned as the letter of the Councell written to the Emperour cleerely beares With the letter the Councell sent twenty Ambassadors chosen and selected men who should giue further instruction to the Emperor concerning the matter of Faith But Vrsatius and Valens prevened the Ambassadours of the Councell and by sinistrous informations hindered them from accesse to the Emperour onely their letter was read whereunto the Emperour turned a differing answer bearing that for the present hee was busied with weighty affaires of the kingdome but when hee should finde any breathing time hee would hearken vnto them The Councell sent the second time to the Emperour desiring they might haue libertie before the winter season to returne to their owne flocks and herewithall they assured the Emperour that in the matter of Faith they would adhere to that which was comprehended in the former letter To this second message no answer was returned Therefore the Bishops wearied with long attendance returned every man to his owne flock the Emperor counted this dissolution of the Councell without warrant of his anthority to bee a contempt of his Soveraignty Therefore he gaue charge to Valens to publish the summe of the Arrian Faith read in Ariminum albeit it was both disapproued and reiected with power also to Vrsatius and Valens to eiect those bishops out of their places who would not subscribe to the Arrian Faith and to ordaine others in their roome Vrsatius and Valens being strengthned with the Emperours commandement not onely troubled the Churches of the West but also went to Nica a towne in Thracia where they gathered a number of Bishops of their owne faction and approved the summe of Faith read by Arrians in Ariminum being first translated into the Greeke language and this they called the Nicene Faith deceiving themselues with vaine hopes as if men had beene so senselesse as to be altogether deceived by the similitude of words Nica in Thracia and Nice in Bithinia Moreouer Athanasius was as yet aliue who could haue discovered both the blasphemie of the Arrians at Sirmium and the falshood of the Arrians at Nica for at Sirmium in the first Session of the Councell it was written by the Clerke of the Councell Presente Constantio sempiterno Magna Augusto Consulibus Eusebio Hypatio Loe saith Athanasius writing to his friends the Arrians will not call the Sonne of God everlasting but they say there was a time wherein hee was not but they call the Emperor Constantius being a mortall man everlasting Emperour SElucia is a towne of Isauria or Cilicia from whence Paul and Barnabas sayled to Cyprus Isauria lyeth betwixt Lycaonia and Cilicia and in an ample signification it comprehendeth Cilica In this towne convened 160. Bishops of the East in the moneth of December of that same yeere of our Lord wherein the Councell of Ariminum was assembled Leonas one of the Princes of the Emperours court and Lucius otherwise called Lauritius Captaine of the bands of souldiers in Isauria were appointed to attend the peace of the assembly and that all things should bee done decently and in order The Emperour gaue commandement that the matter of faith should bee first intreated but afterward hee gaue commandement that the liues of them who were to bee accused should first bee examined Whereupon arose contention in the assemblie some vrging the
of Christ. And the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture which are to be read in time of holy Conuocations of people are particularly reckoned out both of olde new Testament And in this Catalogue of canonicke bookes no mention is made of the bookes of the Machabees of Ecclesiasticus and other Apocreeph bookes VNder the raigne of the Emperours Valentinian and Valens and about the yeere of our Lord 370. With aduice of both the Emperours a Councell was gathered in Illyricum wherein the Nicene Faith had confirmation and allowance The Emperour Valens was not as yet infected with the poison of the Arrian heresie LAmpsacum is a towne situated about the narrow passages of Hellespontus The Macedoniā heretikes sought liberty from the Emp. Valens to meete in this towne who granted their petition the more willingly because he supposed that they had accorded in opinion with Acacius Eudoxius but they ratified the Coūcel set foorth at Seleucia damned the Councel holden at Constantinople by the Acacians The Emp. Valens being deceiued of his expectation commanded them to be banished and their Churches to be giuen to the fauourers of the opinion of Eudoxius This dash constrained the Macedonians to take a new course and to aggree with Laberius Bishop of Rome But these Camelions when they had changed many colours they could neuer be white that is sincere and vpright in Religion VNder the Emperour Valentinian in the West Damasus bishop of Rome gathered a Councel in Rome wherein he confirmed the Nicene Faith and damned Auxentius Bishop of Millan with Vrsatius Valens and Caius Likewise hee damned Apollinaris and his disciple Timotheus IN the yeere of our Lord 38.3 or as Bullinger reckoneth 385 in the third yeere of the raigne of Theodosius a Generall Councell was gathered at Constantinople consisting of 150. Bishops of whom 36. were entangled with the heresie of Macedonius who called the Holy Spirit a creature a minister seruant but not consubstantiall with the Father and the Son In this Councel the Macedoniā heretikes were louingly admonished to forsake their errour to embrace the true faith and that so much the more because they had once already sent messengers to Liberius and professed the true Faith But they continued obstinately in their errour departed from the Councell The heresie of Macedonius was dāned the Nicen faith confirmed with amplification of that part of the Symbole which concerned the holy Spirit in this manner I beleeue in the holy Spirit our Lord giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped glorified They ordained Nectarius B. of Cōstantinople that Constātinople shuld haue the prerogatiue of honour next to Rome Great care was had of Prouinces that they should not of new againe be infected with Heresies For this cause the name of Patriarches in the Councell of Nice appropriated to a few in this Generall Councell is communicated to manie To Nectarius Megapolis and Thracia was allotted Pontus to Hellodius Cappadocia to Gregorius Nyssenus Meletina and Armenia to Otreius Amphilochius attended vpon Iconium and Lycaonia Optimus vpon Antiochia and Pisidia Timotheus vpon the Churches of Aegypt Laodicea was recommended to Pelagius Tarsus to Diodorus and Antiochia to Meletius who was present at the Councell and ended his life in Constantinople To other Bishops a care and sollicitude of their owne boundes was committed with this caueat that no man should inuade the bounds belonging to another but if necessitie so required Synods should be assembled and euery one being desired should mutuallie assist his neighbour THe great affaires of the Church the care of their brethren in the West compelled them to meete againe in Constantinople where they wrote a Synodicke letter to Damasus B. of Rome to Ambrose Britto Valeriāus Acholius Anemius Basilius to the rest of the Bishops cōueened at Rome Wherin they declare the māifold troubles they had sustained by heretikes now albeit in the mercie of God they were ejected out of the sheepe-folds yet like vnto rauening wolues they were lurking in woods seeking oportūity to deuour the sheepe of Christ. They excuse their absence because the infirmitie of their Churches newly recouered from the hands of heretikes could not permit many of their number to journey to Rome Alwayes they sent their beloued brethren Cyriacus Eusebius Priscianus to countenance the assembly at Rome In matters of Discipline they recommended vnto them the Canons of the Councell of Nice namely that Ecclesiasticall honours should be conferred to persons worthy that with the speciall aduice and consent of the Bishops of that same Prouince with assistance of their confining neighbours if neede required After this manner was Nectarius B. of Constantinople Flauianus B. of Antiochia Cyrillus B. of Ierusalem ordained Heere marke that the consent of the Bishop of Rome was not necessarie to the ordination of the Bishops of the East And the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome smelleth of Noueltie and not of Antiquitie This Synodicke letter sent from Constantinople would seeme to import that the Councell which Damasus gathered at Rome was assembled in the dayes of Theodosius or els that hee had gathered two assemblies in Rome at diuers times and yet for owne purpose GOdly Emperours and Kings such as Constantine Theodosius and Dauid were very carefull of the vnitie of the Church that it might be like vnto a compact Citie as Ierusalem was when the tower of Iebus was conquised then the people worshipped one God were obedient to one Law and subject onely to one Soueraigne Theodosius in the fifth yeere of his raigne caring for the peace of the Church conueened a great Nationáll Councell at Constantinople not onely of Homousians but also of Arrians Eunomians and Macedonians hoping that by mutuall conference possibly they might in end accord The good Emperour consulted with Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople Nectarius with Agelius a Bishop of the Novatians Agelius with Sisinius an eloquent man and a mightie Teacher and a Reader in his Church This man considering that by contentious disputations Schismes were increased but not quenched gaue this aduice to Nectarius that hee should counsell the Emperour to demande of Heretikes in what account they had the holy Fathers who preceeded their time The Heretikes at the first spake reuerently of the Fathers but when they were demaunded if in matters of Faith they would giue credit to the testimonie of the Fathers the Heretikes were diuided amongst themselues Therefore the Emperour rent in pieces the summes of the Arrian Eunomian and Macedonian faith and ordained the Homousian Faith onely to haue place THe second Councell of Carthage was assēbled vnder the raigne of Theodosius neere vnto the time of the Generall Councell holden in Constantinople In it first the summe of the Nicene Faith is confirmed The continencie of
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
of holy Scripture onely that it is to be wished that other Councels had followed the example of this Councell wherein Augustine was President The other cause of the meeting of this Councell was to constitute canons concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne Bishop to Bishops beyond Sea but in case his owne Bishop did him wrong then hee should appeale vnto an assembly of African Bishops but hee who would needes appeare to Bishoppes beyond Sea meaning chiefly of the Bishop of Rome let him be secluded from the communion of all African Bishops The cause of Apiarius and his Bishop Vrbanus Siccensis seemed already to bee wakened and the Fathers of this Councell fore-smelled that he was to appeale to the Bishop of Rome like as he did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius and therefore like wise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius received the Councels letter from a brother named Iulius and approoved the condemnatory sentence pronunced against Pelagius and Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coepiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestraeliteras quas ex Milevitano cura fideâ— propensiore misistâ—s mihiâ—nopinanter suggessiâ— that is to say Our brother and fellowship Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which ye sent vnto me from the Councell MilevitanuÌ„ with a care very bent for the Faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee received their letter before hee knew that any such Councell was gathered for the Bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authority to bee the onely appointers of generall and nationall Councels Pelagius after this Councell compeared before a Councell in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errors but hee spake deceitfully as Heretiques are accustomed to doe but hee set forth nothing in writing to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safety of them whom hee had intangled with the snares of deceitfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Evodius and Possidius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Covncels I haue not overpassed with silence and do minde God willing to keep the like order in time to come IN the yeere of our Lord 402. and vnder the raignes of Honorius and Theodosius the second a great nationall Councell was assembled in Carthage two hundred and seventeene bishops were present at this Councell and it continued for the space of six yeeres Aurelius Bishop of Carthage was Moderator Three Bishops of Rome to wit Zosymus Bonifacius the first and Coelestinus endevoured with all their might to perswade the African Bishops that they were vnder the soueraignty and iurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councell will proue The ground of the great controversie betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the sixt Councell of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter Siccencis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne Bishoppe Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching Bishops Hee appealed to Zosymus Bishop of Rome a Citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before hee had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius hee absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreover vnderstanding that a Councell was to be convened in Carthage hee sent thither Ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunication of Vrbanus and in case this succeeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane Bishop as vndoubted Iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councell of Nice The Fathers of the Councell of Carthage answered with great modesty that they knew no such act to haue beene made in the Councell of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the Bishop of Rome to prooue that such right belongeth to him by an act of the Councell of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for hee ended his course within the space of one yeere and few moneths Bonifacius the successor of Zosymus seriously vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councell of Nice When all the acts were read both in the Latine and Greeke exemplars and no such act was found the Ambassadors of Bonifacius returned to him with this answer that the principall Registers ought to bee searched which were to bee found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should bee challenged for appealing to the Bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by viewing of the authentique Registers Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent to the Councell of Carthage the iust copies of the acts of the Councell of Nice but no such act was found as was alledged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee sate not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the sixt Councell of Carthage declaring that they found the act aforesayd alledged by the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome to bee supposititious and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing hee had ended his life it came into the hands of Coelestinus the successor of Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a Bishop and Philippus and Asellus two Presbyters to haue Apâ—arius received into fauour and the African Bishops to bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome but their travels were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controversie was this that Apâ—arius despairing of helpe from the Bishops of Rome confessed his faults and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councell of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answer that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over the Bishops of Africa but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councell and if the nationall Councel also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councell but no appellation to be made in time to come from Africa to the Bishop of Rome VNder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius and about the yeere of our Lord 433. The Donatists assembled themselues in a towne of Africa called Bagaia in frequent number for they are counted 310. who were present at this Councell The principall purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus Bishop of Bagara who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappy Councell for two causes First to declare the vncessant diligence of Heretiques in advancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present
children and that they shall be accursed who dare presume to seeke the kingly authority without the consent of the whole countrey of Spaine and the Nobility of the nation of the Gothes and that no man shal raile vpon the King or lie in waite for his life IN the yeere of our Lord 652. or as others reckon 650. Pope Martinus gathered a Councell at Rome of moe then an hundred Bishops The errour of the Monothelites obstinately defended by Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was the occasion of this Councell together with the impious edict of the Emperour Constans set out in favour of the heresie of the Monothelites In this Councell over and besides an ample confession of Faith many decrees and constitutions were made all tending to damne those who denyed the Trinity or the divine vnity in the divine nature or the manifestation of the second person of the Trinitie and his suffering in the flesh or the perpetuall virginity of the Lords mother or the two nativities of Christ one before all times and another in time by the operation of the holy spirit or the distinction of the two natures after the ineffable vnity or the distinction of wils and operations in Christ. In like manner all were damned who made opposition to the fiue preceding generall Councels In particular Theodorus of Pharatrita Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople were condemned as patrons and obstinate defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites There is more frequent mention of Fathers than of Scriptures in this Councell a perilous example to the posterity IN the yeere of our Lord 653. and in the third yeere of Chintilla King of the Gothes in Spaine the sixt Councell of Toledo was assembled of 52. Bishops Eugenius Bishop of Toledo being President The occasion seemeth to haue beene the renovation of old heresies and contradiction to preceding Councels After a confession of the Faith Letanies are ordained to be said as was appointed yeerly for preservation of the King It was ordained by the advice of the Councell with consent of the King and his Nobles that no man should be tolerated to dwell in the kingdome of Spaine who did not professe the Catholike Faith and that Kings in all time to come before they were placed in their royall seate should be bound by the obligation of a solemne oath to interpose their authority that this act might bee obeyed Otherwise let the King refusing to put this act in execution be counted accursed and be a faggot of the flames of everlasting fire What Ferdinandus King of Spaine did in driving out of his dominions the Iewes and the Saracens some alledge that it was done vpon the ground of this act but now it is not a fit time to examine that question No man shall presume by Simony or largition of mony to attaine to Ecclesiasticall offices If any of the Clergie obtaine a pension out of the Church-rents let him possesse it vnder the title of Praecaria lest by long possession the Church rents be diminished If any person be cloathed with a religious habite which hee hath voluntarily accepted if afterward hee forsake it let him be excommunicated if hee returne not againe vnto his order The seuenth Canon is a renewing of the foure and fifty Canon of the fourth Councell of Toledo A married man who voweth chastitie in time of sicknesse if he recouer health and haue not the gift of continencie let him cohabite againe with his wife but if shee die he is debarred from the second marriage which notwithstanding is permitted to the wife if shee haue not vowed This Canon is not set downe by precept and commandement but permissiuely through indulgence and a consideration of humane infirmitie Seruants whom the Church hath set at libertie when one Prelate dieth and another succeedeth they are bound to renew the charters of their land which they possesse else their charters shall be voyde and of none effect if they be not renewed within the space of a yeere next after the election of the new Prelate The children of them whom the Church hath set at libertie if their parents bring them vp in learning they shall be brought vp in that same Church from which their libertie did arise and shall serue the Bishop of that Church alwayes without prejudice of their libertie Let no man vpon occasion of an accusation be punished vnlesse his accuser be presented and in case he be a vile and infamous person let no sentence be giuen out vpon the ground of such accusation except in an action of treason against the life of the King He who hath committed hainous offences and fearing punishment fleeth to the enemies of his countrey for refuge let him be excommunicated Let young men honour them who are in great credite and fauour with Princes And let Seniors louingly cherish the younger sort and present vnto them profitable examples of a good conuersation The 14. and 15. Canon intreate of the reward due to them who are found faithfull seruants to the King in whatsoeuer estate especially in the Church and that rentes and landes bestowed vpon the Church shall abide firmely in their possession without reuocation In the 16.17.18 and 19. Canons there is a commemoration of the bountiful kindnesse of king Chintilla toward the Church a prouision that no Church-men should be allured by no deceitfull perswasion to take a course against the king A protestation before God his Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs and whole Church That no man should enterprise any attempt against the King his Noble estate And they who shall presume to doe to the contrarie are appointed to eternall damnation In the end prayers are made to God to giue a good successe to their meeting and thankes are giuen to the King by whose authoritie they were assembled So it is manifest that by the authoritie of Princes Nationall Assemblies were conueened at this time IN the yeere of our Lord 662. as Functius reckoneth and in the 6. yeere of Chindasuvindus king of Spaine the 7. Coūcel of Toledo was assembled consisting of 4. Archbishops 30. Bishops and a great number of presbyters and messengers from them who could not be present The occasion of this meeting was Theodisclus Bishop of Hispalis a Graeciā borne He had corrupted the bookes of Isidorus and dispersed many errours in his Church he contended for supermacie with the Bishop of Toledo In this Councell Theodisclus was remooued from his office The prioritie of dignitie was conferred to the Bishop of Toledo In the second Tome of Councels six Canons are referred to this meeting First Laickes and men also in spirituall office are forbidden to attempt any thing against the estate of their countrie either by sedition or treason Secondlie it is appointed and ordained That in case any man ministring the Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper be hindred by
any superuenient sicknesse that another shall bee readie to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Thirdly That the Presbyters and the whole Clergie shal be present at the funerall of a bishop Fourthly It is forbidden that Bishops in their visitation should extort or oppresse the Churches which they visite Fiftly That men inclosed into a Monasterie should first receiue instruction in their Monasteries before they presume to teach others Sixtly A commandement is giuen That the Bishops in neare adjacent places should bee obedient to the Bishop of Toledo and at his commaundement they should appeare in the towne of Toledo CAbillonum vulgarlie called Chalon is a towne in Burgunnie not farre distant from Matiscone In this towne by the commandement of Clodoneus king of France conueened 44. Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Laudilenus Bishop of Vienne Theodorus Bishop of Arls because hee refused to appeare before the Councell was suspended from his office vntill the next Councell In this Synode the Canons of the Councell of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be ordained in one towne That no man should sel a Christian seruant to a Iew And that two Abbots should not be chosen to gouerne one Monasterie That no labouring of the ground or other secular worke should be done on the Lords day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councels IN the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and vnder the Popedome of Agatho a Councell was gathered at Rome about the question of the willes and operations of Christ wherein it was decerned by the suffrages of 125. Bishops of Italy France Lombardy of the nation of the Gothes of Britanes and Sclauonians That two willes and two operations were to bee acknowledged in Christ And the opinions of Theodorus Cyrus Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites was damned The vaunting words of the letter of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell wherein he braggeth that the Bishops of Rome neuer erred in matters of Faith I lay them aside at this time for they are false and vntrue as I haue alreadie prooued and shall prooue hereafter if it please the Lord. IN the yeere of our Lord 671. and in the fift yeere of Recesuvindus King of Gothes the eight Councell of Toledo was conueened To this Assemblie resorted two and fiftie Bishops Great disputation was in this Councell concerning perjurie In end it was resolued That no necessitie bindeth a man to performe an vnlawfull oath For Herod and Iephthah sinned in making vnlawfull oathes but they sinned more grieuouslie in performing vnlawfull oathes Marriage is vtterlie forbidden to Bishops and places of Scripture are miserablie abused to confirme this interdiction of marriage Be yee holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And in another place Mortifie your members which are on the earth Coloss. 3.5 Miserable ignorance in this age counteth marriage to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vncleanenesse a member of the bodie of sin which the Apostle commandeth to mortifie Yea and the sub-deacons who pleaded for retaining of their wiues in regard that in their admission no such condition was required of them are in most seuere manner interdited from the companie of their wiues or else to be thrust into a Monastery to suffer penance vntill the last period of their liues Vnlearned men are not to be admitted to the celebration of diuine misteries especially such as are not well acquainted with the Psalter Eating of flesh is forbidden in Lent for three principall causes First Because the fourtie dayes of Lent are the tithes of all the dayes of the yeeres and the tithes should be consecrated to God Secondlie because that Christ by fasting fourtie dayes expiated the sinnes of mankinde Thirdly because it is conuenient that a man made of the 4. elementes for breaking the ten precepts of the decalogue should afflict his bodie foure times ten dayes In the 10. Canon the vertues where with the king shall be indewed who shall be chosen to raigne in Spaine are rehearsed In the last Canon the ordinances of preceding Councels are to be obeyed and the Iewes are to bee deale with according to the actes of the 4. Councell of Toledo Can. 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. c. IN the yeere of our Lord 673. and in the 7. yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes by the commandement of the King 16. Bishops conueened in Toledo and made these ordinances following First That founders of Churches and bestowers of rentes vpon the Church and their posteritie should haue a sollicitous care that Church-rents be not abused with misorder if it shall happen to fall out let complaint be made to the Bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestow any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause be clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voide Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church-affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a Bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow aboue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and in case he build a paroch Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestow aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the Bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that third part to the Church it selfe out of which it is raised or to any other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because he is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct Bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitan and in case the Metropolitan depart this life let no intermeddling with his goods bee made without the foreknowledge of is successour lest by fraud and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church-rents the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death and not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commodity which a Bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another Bishop Children procreated by Bishops Presbyters Deacons c. shall not onely be deprived of the heritage some time belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall service of those Churches wherein their fathers served Let the reader marke that there is a greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one Antichristian
Fathers who had been present at this Councell and were pictured in the Temple of Sophia and that on the other part Pope Constantine the first not onely caused the same effigÃes to bee pictured in the porch of the Church of Saint Peter at Rome but also procured that the Emperours name should be razed out of charters and that his effigie should not bee ingraved in any kinde of coyned mettall Also it is cleere that Philippicus remooued Cyrus from his office and placed in his roome Iohn who fore-told him that he should be Emperour IN the yeere of our Lord 714. Pope Gregorie the second assembled a Councell in the which two Bishops of Brittaine to wit Sedulius and Fergustus were present It was ordained that masses should bee celebrated publiquely in Temples which custome was not in vse before In the second Tome of Councels this Synod is referred to Gregorie the third A great number of the Canons of this Councell doe concerne marriage That no man should take in marriage a woman who was a relict of a Presbvter or Deacon or a Nunne or his spirituall sister or his brothers wife or his neece or his mother in law or daughter in law or his neare cousens or a woman whom by these or ravishing hee hath led away And that no man should consult with Iuchanters and Sorcerers And that no man should violate the mandates of the Apostolicke Chaire no not in a matter of an haire GRegorie the third after he had received a mandate from the Emperour Leo concerning abolishing of Images hee assembled a great Councell at Rome of 903. Bishops in the which the Emperour Leo was excommunicated and deprived of his Imperiall dignity Here marke the tyranny and fiercenesse of Antichrist Who gaue such authority to a Roman Preacher to dismount the Monarches of the world from their royall thrones Yet Gregorie the third attempted such high matters because the Emperor Leo had disallowed the worshipping of Images Likewise by his instigation the whole countrey of Italy refused to pay tribute to the Emperour Now is the banner of Antichrist displayed against the Emperour and this is a fore-running token of the hatefull enmity which is to ensue betwixt the Popes and the Emperours which God willing shall bee declared in its owne time Likewise Anastatius Patriarch of Constantinople was condemned and excommunicated in this Councell To favour the Emperour and to dislike the worshipping of Images were two irremissable sinnes and meriting the great Anathems of the Bishop of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 742. and in time of the raigne of Charles the Great and vnder the Popedome of Zacharias the first Bonifaoius Archbishop of Mentz assembled a Councell of the Bishops Presbyters and Clergy of France for reformation of abuses in that countrey or rather as the truth is to bring the countrey of France as hee had already brought many parts of Germany to a conformity with the superstitious rites of the Romane Church It is to bee marked that this nationall Councel was assembled by the mandate of King Charles howsoeuer Bonifacius ordered the affaires of the Councell It was ordained that Synodes should be kept yeerly and that Clergie men should not put on armour and goe to warre-fare except one or two Bishops with their Presbyters Chaplens to prescribe penance to them who should happen to confesse their sinnes And that hunting and hauking and such idle pastimes should not be vsed by the Clergie That every Presbyter shall be ready to giue account of his ministery to his owne Bishop in time of Lent especially concerning his ministration of Baptisme the summe of his Catholicke Faith the forme of his prayers and the order of his saying of masses That no vncouth Bishop or Presbyter be admitted without the tryall and allowance of a Synode That Presbyters and Deacons be not cloathed as secular men with short cloakes but with the habit of men who are in spirituall offices And that no woman cohabite in the house with them That every Bishop haue a care within his owne bounds to abolish all heathenish superstitions IN the yeere of our Lord 755. and in the thirteenth yeere of the Empire of Constantinus Copronymus a general CouÌ„cell of 338. Bishops was assembled at Constantinople by the commandement of the Emperour In this Councell the worshipping of Images was damned and the placing of them in Oratories and Temples where the divine Maiesty is worshipped was forbidden as a custome borrowed from Pagans who had no hope of the resurrection and therefore solaced theÌ„selues with pictured similitudes of their friends as if they had beene bodily present with them Yea for three principall causes they damned the worshipping of Images First because the worshipping of them is repugnant vnto holy Scripture Secondly because the divine and humane nature being vnseparably vnited in Christ and the divine nature cannot be presented by an Image therefore it is not meete to represent his humane nature by an Image left we should seeme to separate the two natures in Christ. And thirdly because the writings of ancient Fathers doe vtterlie condemne the worshipping of Images such as Epiphanius Eusebius Gregorius Theologus Athanasius Amphilochius Chrysostomus and Theodorus Bishop of Ancyra It were a prolixt thing to make a rehearsall of the sentences of all the forenamed Fathers therefore for breuities cause I will heere onely make choise of one place which is this Eusebius Pamphili writing to Constantia the Empresse who was desirous that the image of Christ should be sent her hee returneth vnto hir this answere Because yee haue written vnto mee to send vnto you the Image of Christ I would gladly vnderstand what image of Christ yee are inquiring for whether it bee that true and vnchangeable nature bearing the character and ingrauen similitude of the person of the Father or if it bee the image of the shape of a seruant which Christ tooke vpon him for our sakes As concerning His diuine nature I hope yee are not sollicitous to seeke the image thereof beeing sufficientlie instructed that no man knoweth the Father except the Sonne and on the other part no man knoweth the Sonne except the Father But if yee desire the similitude of mans nature wherewith He clad Himselfe for our sakes vnderstand that the splender and shining brightnesse of his glorie cannot be represented with dead coloures and shaddowed pictures For euen his Disciples in the mountaine were not able to abide the brightnesse of His shining face Mat. Chap. 17. vers 1. Mark Chap. 9. vers 2. Luk. Chap. 9. vers 28. how much lesse are we now able to abide the celestiall splender of his glorified bodie In this Councell Germanus Bishop of Constantinople Georgius Cyprius and Damascene a Monke who were principall defenders of the worshipping of images were excommunicated In the Canons of this Councel which were 19. in number inuocation of Saints hath allowance in the 15. 17. Canon
So that in this Councell also is presented vnto vs a viue paterne of the weakenesse of Councels Like as in euery sacrifice there was dungue so likewise in euery Councell there is found some note of infirmitie and weakenesse And it is a foolishe thing to adhere to all the ordinances of Councels except they doe agree in all pointes with the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 788. and in the eight yeere of the raigne of Irene and her sonne Constantine a Councell was assembled at Nice in Bythania of three hundreth and fiftie Bishops The Ambassadours of Adrian the first Bishop of Rome were present in this Assemblie Basilius Bishop of Ancyra Theodorus Bishop of Myra and Theodosius Bishop of Amorium offered to the Councell their supplicant letters confessing that they had sinned in condemning the worshipping of images in the Synode assembled by Constantinus Copronymus These reedes shaken with the winde and vnconstant fooles were accepted in fauour as a preamble vnto this malignant Councell The Epistle of Adrian Bishop of Rome was openly read in the Councell approuing the worshipping of images His letter was full of fables and lies such as the fable of the leprosie of Constantine and of the shedding of the blood of innocent babes to procure remedie against his sicknesse and baptisme of Constantine by Syluester the miraculous restoring of the Emperour to health after his Baptisme and of the images of Peter and Paul produced to Constantine before his baptisme Such a Legend of lyes no Councell could haue heard read in their audience if it had not bin a time in the which the mistery of iniquity was effectually working For the history of the life of Cōstantine written by Eusebius expressely prooueth the contrary to wit that Constantine was not leprous but rather a man of a cleane and vnspotted body and that hee was not baptized by Syluester in Rome but by Eusebius in Nicomedia Notwithstanding the letter of Pope Adrian was accepted and allowed by the Councell And it was ordained That the image of Christ of the blessed Virgine Mary and of the Saints should not onely bee receiued into places of Adoration but also should bee adored and worshipped And the honour done to the image is thought to redound to him or her who is present by the image according to the words of Basilius Magnus But Basilius Magnus is writing in that place of Christ the image of the inuisible God and not of images made with mens hands THe Fathers of this Councell as it were bewitched by the delusions of the Deuill were not ashamed to confirme the adoration of images by lying miracles and by a foolish confabulation betwixt the Deuill and a Monke whom Sathan ceased not to tempt continuallie to the lust of vncleannesse and would make none end of tempting him except he would promise to desist from worshipping the image of the Virgin Mary But argumentes taken from the fables of Monkes and delusions of the Deuill are not to be hearkened vnto in a matter expressely repugnant to the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 794. Charles the Great King of France assembled a great Councell at Frankford partlie in regard of the heretike Foelix who called Christ the adoptiue Sonne of God in his humane nature and was condemned in a Councell assembled at Ratisbona Anno. 742. but hee was returned to his vomite againe and therefore was of new againe condemned as a notable heretike in the Councell of Frankford partly also in respect of the great disputation that arose euerie where concerning the worshipping of images disallowed in the councell of Constantinople and allowed in the second Councell of Nice Not onely the Bishops of France but also of Germanie Lombardie as Prouinces subdued to the King of France were present at this Councell Likewise Pope Adrian sent his Ambassadours Theophilactus Stephanus to the Councel And Charles himselfe King of France was present in the Councel of Frankford The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian produced the actes of the second Councell of Nice hoping that the Councell of Frankford should haue giuen consent and allowance vnto the same But the Fathers of this Councell collationed the actes of the Councell of Constantinople with the actes of the second Councell of Nice And they disallowed in the Councell of Constantinople the strict prohibition to picture images either in Temples of other places And in the second Councell of Nice they disallowed the Act of worshipping of images and of honouring them with garments incense candles and kneeling vnto them counting the afore-saide Act to be so impious that the Councell in the which it was concluded was neither worthy to be called Catholicke nor Oecumenicke The arguments whereby the second Councell of Nice endeuoured to approue the adoration of images are all refuted in the Councell of Frankford as I haue declared alreadie in a treatise concerning worshipping of Images Concerning the argument taken from the authoritie of Epiphanius who in his book called Panarium reckoneth not the worshippers of images in the roll of Heretikes it is answered by the Councel of Frankford that in case Epiphanius had counted the haters of the worshippers of images Heretikes hee had likewise inserted their names in the catalogue of Heretikes but seeing he hath not so done the Councell of Nice had no just cause to triumph so much in this friuolous argument which maketh more against them than it maketh for them More-ouer in the Councell of Frankford the Epistle of Epiphanius written to Ihonne Bishop of Ierusalem was read wherein hee disalloweth the verie bringing in of images into Churches and this Epistle was translated out of the Greeke into Latine language by Ierom. The Epistle is worthie to be read Reade it in the Magdeburg Historie Cent. 8. Chap. 9. CENTVRIE IX IN the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Carolus Magnus in the Towne of Mentz were assembled 30. Bishops 25. Abbots with a great number of Priests Monkes Countes and Iudges about reformation of the dissolute manners of Ecclesiasticke and Laicke persons After three dayes abstinence and fasting joyned with Litanies publicke Prayers and imploring the helpe of God they diuided themselues into three companies In the first company were the Bishops with some Noters reading the history of the Euangell and the Epistles and the Actes of the Apostles together with the Canons and workes of ancient Fathers and the Pastorals booke of Gregorie to the ende that by the Preceptes contained in these bookes the enormitie of mens liues might be corrected In the second companie were Abbots and Monkes reading the rules of S. Benedict for the reformation of the liues of Monkes In the third company were Lords and Iudges pondering the causes of all men who came to complaine that wrong was done vnto them The 1.2 and 3. Canons of this Councell intreat concerning Faith Hope and Charitie 4. Concerning the Sacraments to be ministred chiefly at Easter and
Whitsonday except necessitie feare of death require preuening of these times 5. That vnitie and concord should bee kept in the Church because we haue one common Father in heauen one Mother to wit the Church in earth one Faith one Baptisme and one Celestiall inheritance prepared for vs Yea and God is not the God of dissention but of peace according as it is said Blessed be the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God The sixt and seuenth Canons intreat of Orphanes and poore people whose weaknesse is to be supported but no man should take vantage of their poore and desolate estate The eight Canon recommendeth vnitie to be kept betwixt men in spirituall offices and ciuill Iudges a Canon indeede if it had beene obserued verie necessarie for the estate of this time The ninth tenth Canon prescribeth to the Clergie Preceptes of a modest and sober life with abstinence from the delicate pleasures of the world and from Theatricall Spectacles from pompes and vnhonest banquets and to bee more readie to goe to the house of mourning to comfort them who are heauie hearted than to the house of banquetting Vsurie auarice ambition and taking of rewardes for the benefites of God such as vse to be taken for medicinall cures is forbidden To beware of deceit and conjurations to flee hatred emulation backe-biting and enuying wandering eyes and an vnbridled tongue a petulant and proude gesture are forbidden filthie words and workes are altogether abhorred chastitie is recommended the frequent visitations of the houses of Widowes and Virgines is prohibited due obedience is to bee giuen to Seniors to take heede to doctrine reading and spirituall songes as it becommeth men who haue addicted themselues vnto diuine seruice Precepts concerning the behauiour of Monkes Nunnes and the fabricke of their dwelling places I ouer-passe with silence left I should ouercharge a short Compend with an heape of vnnecessarie thinges In the 32. Canon the difference betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is set downe 33. The great Litanie or Rogations to bee obserued three dayes by all Christians with fasting fackecloath ashes walking barefooted and all kinde of humble carriage 34.35 and 36. Publicke Fastings and keeping of Festiuall dayes is commanded 37. The Sabboth day is to be kept holy In it no Merchant Wares to be sold and no criminall cause to be judged 38. and 39. Tythes are precisely to be payed And men fleeing to Churches for safeguard are not to be violentlie drawne out of their refuge 40. In Churches and the portches thereof let no secular judgements be exercised 41. Let no ancient Church be spoyled of tythes and possessions for the building of new Oratories 42. Concerning Church-rentes bestowed for reparation and vpholding of Churches 43. and 44. That no Priest say Masse himselfe alone for if hee haue no person present except himselfe how can hee say Dominus vobiscum or Sursum corda or such other passages Also frequent offering of the Sacrifice of the Masse and presenting of the Paxe is recommended to Christian people 45. That euery person bee acquainted with the Lords Prayer and the Beliefe and they who can no otherwise comprehend these things let them learne them in their owne vulgar language 46. Drunkennesse is detested and they who continue in this sinne without amendement are ordained to be excommunicated 57. God-fathers shall attend that their spirituall children bee brought vp in the true Faith 48. Filthie libidinous songes are not to bee sung about Churches 49. The cohabitation with women is forbidden to all the members of the Clergie 50. Let all Bishops Abbots and Church men haue such Aduocates and Agentes in their affaires who are men that feare God and are haters of all vnrighteous dealing 51. Let not the dead bodies of the Saincts be transported from place to place without the aduice of the Princes of the countrey or the Bishop and Synode 52. No dead bodie shall bee buried within the Church except the bodie of a Bishop or of an Abbot or of a worthie Presbyter or of a faithfull Laicke person 53. Incestuous persons are to bee searched out and separated from the fellowship of the Church except they bee penitent 54.55 and 56. Marriage in the fourth degree of consanguinitie is forbidden and that no man shall marrie his spirituall daughter or sister neither the woman whose sonne or daughter hee hath led to the Sacrament of Confirmation and in case they be found to be married they shall be separated againe And no man shall take in marriage his wiues sister neither shall a woman marrie her husbands brother IN the yeere of our Lord 813. a Councell was assembled at Rhemes by the cōmandement of Charles the great for it is to be remarked that he not only assēbled that famous Coūcell of Frankford Anno. 794. in the which adoration of Images was condemned but also when he was now aged saw many abuses in the Church hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to procure reformation of the lewd manners of Church-men Therefore he appointed at one time to wit Anno 813. fiue National Coūcels to be conueened in diuers places for reformatiō of the Clergie people One was conueened at Mentz as hath bin declared Another at Rhemes the third at Towrs the fourth at Cabilone or Chalons the fift at Arles In all these Councels no opposition is made to the Councell of Frankford neither was the adoration of Images auowed in any of these Councels So much auaileth the authority of a Prince for suppressing of false doctrin and heresie In this Councell at Rhemes Wulfarius Archbishop was president 44. canons are rehearsed in the 2. Tome of Councels made in this Councell In the 1. Can. it was cōcluded That euery man should diligētly acquaint himself with the Articles of his faith 2. That euery man shuld learn the Lords Praier cōprehēd the meaning thereof 3. That euery man promoted to Ecclesiasticall orders shal walke worthily cōforme to his calling 4. The Epistles of Paul were read to giue instructiōs to sub-deacons how they shuld behaue thēselues Yet is there not one word in all the Epistles of Paul of a sub-deacon 5. The Gospell was read to giue instructiō to Deacons to minister condingly in their office 6. Ignorant Priests are instructed to celebrate the Seruice with great vnderstanding 7. In like manner they are instructed how to prepare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sacramēt of Baptisme 8. The holy Canons were read out of the Decretall of Innocentius for ordering the life of Chanons 9. The rule of Saint Benedict was read to reduce Abbots and their Conuents to a remembrance of their order 10. The Pastorall booke of Gregorius was read to admonish Pastors of their dutie 11. Sentences of diuers ancient Fathers were read to admonish men of all rankes both Prelates and subiects to bring forth the fruit of a good conversation 12. These things being done they set downe
a forme of receiuing of confessions and prescribing of penance according to the Canonicall institutions 13. They reasoned about the eight principall vices to the end their diuersitie being distinguished every man might know what vices he should eschew and teach others to beware of the same 14. That Bishops should take heed of the reading of the bookes of the Canonicke Scripture and the bookes of Fathers and should attend vpon the preaching of the Word of God 15. That Bishops should preach the Sermons and Homilies of holy Fathers in such sort as all the people might vnderstand them The 16. Canon is coincident with the 12. 17. That Bishops and Abbots permit no man to solace the company with filthy gesting in their presence but let poore and indigent people be refreshed at their tables with lectures of divine Scripture and praising of God according to the Precept of the Apostle that whether wee eate or drinke let all things be done to the glory of God 18. Gluttony and Drunkennesse forbidden to Bishops and the Ministers of God 19. Let not Bishops bee rash to iudge in things secret which are to bee referred to the iudgement of God who can manifest things hid vp in darknesse and discouer the secrets of the heart 20. Presbyters shall not transport themselues from a low place to a greater 21. Whosoever by paying money procureth a preferment in the Church shall be deposed 22. No Church-man shall cohabite with a woman except it be with his mother or sister or such like persons by whose company no suspition of vncleannesse can arise Precepts given to Monkes and Nunnes I passe by as I did in the former Councell Canon 35. The Sabbath day shall be kept holy and in it no servile worke shall bee done according to the Lords commandement 36. Let no man bestow vpon the Church that thing which by vnlawfull meanes hee hath fraudulently with-drawne from others 37. Nor yet by lies and deceitfull meanes with-draw any thing duly belonging to the Church 38. Let tythes be precisely payed 39. Let no man presume to receiue rewards for his decreet and sentence 40. Let prayers and oblations be made for the Emperour and his noble race that it would please God to preserue them in all happines in this present life and vouchsafe vnto them celestiall ioyes in company of the Angels in the life to come In the 41. Canon mention is made of a certaine rent left by King Pipinus of Good memory which they wish the Emperour Charles Pipinus sonne should not alter nor transferre into another summe in respect that by so doing many periuries and false testimonies might ensue 42. And that no man should be remoued from his mansion to whom the Emperours almes is distributed 43. And that the statute may bee confirmed by his Highnesse allowance whereby all contentions and strifes are ordained to haue a decision and end 44. And that the statute made in Bononia concerning false witnesses may be ratified and confirmed with augmentation if neede require for eschewing of periuries false testimonies and many other inconueniences IN the yeere of our Lord 813. and at the commandement of the Emperour Carolus Magnus a Councell of many Bishops and Abbots was assembled about establishing of Ecclesiasticall discipline in the towne of Towers In the first Canon all men are admonished to be obedient to the Emperour Charles the Great and to keepe the oath of allegeance made vnto him and to make prayers and supplications for his prosperity and wel-fare 2. All Bishoppes shall diligently reade and frequently peruse the bookes of holy Scripture the histories of the Euangels and the Epistles of Paul together with the bookes of ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawfull for any Bishop to bee ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastorall booke of Gregorius in the which every man as in a liuely mirrour might see himselfe 4. Let every Bishop feede the flocke committed vnto him not onely with doctrine but also with examples of good conversation 5. A Bishop must not be giuen to sumptuous banquets but be content with a moderate diet lest hee should seeme to abuse the counsell of our Lord saying Take heed that your hearts be not surfeited with gluttony or drunkennesse but let holy lecture be at his table rather then the idle wordes of flattering fellowes 6. Let strangers and indigent people bee at Bishops tables whom they may refresh both with corporall and spirituall repast 7. The delicate pleasure of the eare and eyes are to bee eschewed left by such pleasures the minde be effeminate and inchanted 8. Let not the Lords servants delight in vaine gesting nor in hunting nor hawking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons follow the foot-steps of their Bishops assuring themselues that the good conuersation enioyned vnto their Bishops is also enioyned vnto them 10. Let Bishops haue a great sollicitude and care towards the poore and be faithfull dispensators of Ecclesiasticall goods as the Ministers of God and not as hunters after filthy lucre 11. It is lawfull for Bishops with consent of Presbyters and Deacons to bestow out of the Church treasure to support indigent people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to be ordained vntill hee bee thirtie yeere old 13. Let the Bishop make diligent inquisition in his owne parish Church that no Presbyter comming from any other parts make seruice in his Church without letters of recommendation 14. Let a Presbyter leaving a low place and presuming to an higher incurre that same punishment which a Bishop deprehended in the like fault should incurre 15. A Presbyter who attaineth to a Church by giving money for it let him bee deposed 16. Let tythes bestowed vpon Churches by advice of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poore by the Presbyters 17. The families of Bishops shall be instructed in the summe of the true faith In the knowledge of the retribution to be given to good men and the condemnation of people and of the resurrection and last iudgement and by what kinde of workes eternall life may be promerited and that the Homilies containing these instructions shall bee translated into Rusticke-Latine-language to the end that every person may vnderstand them Marke in what estimation the Latine language hath beene at this time that instructions in Rusticke and barbarous Latine are counted better then instructions in good French language 18. It is the dutie of the Bishop to instruct his Presbyter concerning the Sacrament of Baptisme what it is that they should desire the people baptized to renounce namely that they should renounce the divell and all his workes and his pomps Now the workes of the Diuell are murther fornication adulterie drunkennesse and other such like faults But the pompes of the Divell are pride ostentation swelling conceits vaine-glory loftinesse and such other faults as spring vp from such grounds 19. Presbyters are precisely to be admonished that when they say the masse and do communicate they doe
not distribute the Lords bodie indiscreetly to children and to all persons who happen to be present who if they be entangled with great sinnes they procure vnto themselues rather damnation then any remedie to their soules according to the saying of the Apostle Whosoeuer eateth this Bread and drinketh this Cup unworthily hee shall be guilty of the bodie and blood of the Lord Let a man therefore try himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup. By this let the iudicious Reader marke that even in the dayes of Carolus Magnus priuate masses had no place but they who were duly prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrisme to be touched by every man 21. Presbyters shall not resort to Tavernes to eate or drinke 22. Bishops and Presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who haue confessed their sinnes penance discreetly according to the waightinesse of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in Cities let them eate in one Cloyster and sleepe vnder one roofe to the end they may bee ready to celebrate their Canonicall houres From the 24. Canon vnto the 32. are contained constitutions concerning Monkes and Nunnes which I ouer-passe with silence fearing to be prolix Canon 32. All men should studie to peace and concord but especially Christians forsaking hatred discord and envie 33. Lords and Iudges should be obedient to the wholsome admonitions of their Bishops and Bishops on the other part should reverently regard them to the end they may be mutually supported every one with the consolations one of another 34. Lords and Iudges are to bee admonished that they admit not vile and naughty persons to beare witnesse in their iudicatories because there are many who for a contemptible price are ready to make shipwracke of a good conscience 35. Let no man for his decreet receiue a reward For divine Scripture in many places forbiddeth this as a thing that blindeth the eyes of the blind 36. Let euery man be carefull to support indigent persons of his owne family and kindred for it is an impious and abominable thing in the sight of God that men abounding in riches should neglect their owne 37. Christians when they make supplications to God let them in humble manner bow downe their knees following the example of the Martyr Steven and of the Apostle Paul Except vpon the Lords day and other solemne dayes on the which the vniversall Church keepeth a memoriall of the Lords resurrection and at such times they are accustomed to stand and pray 38. Faithfull people must be admonished not to enter into the Church with tumult and noyse and in time of prayer and celebration of the masse not to be occupied in vaine confabulations and idle speeches but even to abstain from wicked cogitations 39. Let not the Consistories and Iudgement-seates of secular Iudges be in the Church or portches thereof in any time to come because the house of God should bee an house of Prayer as our Lord Iesus Christ saith 40. Let it be forbidden that Merchandize be vsed vpon the Lords day or Iustice-Courts because all men should abstaine from servile labours to the end this day may be spent in praising and thanking God from morning till evening 41. Incestuous persons parracides and murtherers are found who will not hearken to the wholsome admonitions of Church-men but persevere in their vitious conversation who must be reduced to order by the discipline of the secular power 42. Let the people be admonished to abstaine from Magicall Arts which can bring no support and helpe to the infirmities of men and beasts but they are the deceitfull snares of the Divell whereby he deceiveth man-kinde 43. A frequent custome of swearing is forbidden wherein men vpon euery light occasion willing to purchase credit to that which they speake they take God to be witnesse of the verity of their speeches 44. Many free subiects by the oppression of their Masters are redacted to extreame pouerty whose causes if our element Soveraigne please to examine hee shall finde that they are vniustly redacted to extreame indigence 45. A false measure and a false ballance is an abomination vnto the Lord as Salomon recordeth The 46. Canon containeth a regrate that tythes were not duly payed to the Church notwithstanding that the Church had giuen in their complaint to the civil Magistrate whereby it came to passe that not only lights in the Church and stipends to the Clergie began to inlacke but also the very parish Churches became ruinous 47. When generall Fastings are appointed for any impendent calamity let man neglect the fellowship of the humble Church for desire to feed his belly with delicate foode 48. Drunkennes and surfeiting are forbidden as offensiue both to soule and bodie and the ground of many other sinnes 49. Lords and Masters are to be admonished not to deale cruelly and vnmercifully with their subiects yea and not to seeke that which is due vnto themselues with excessiue rigour 50. Let Laicke people communicate at least thrise in a yeere vnlesse they be hindred by some grivous sinnes committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were dis-inherited by thâ— donation of lands which their Fathers and friends had bestowed vpon the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complaine Alwaies in that matter if any thing was done amisse they humbly submitted themselues to be corrected by their Soveraigne Lord and King THe Councell of Chalons was the fourth Councell convened in the yeere of our Lord 813. by the commandement of Charles the Great for the reformation of the Ecclesiasticall Estate Many of the Canons of this Councell are coincident with the Canons of the former therefore I shall be the shorter in the commemoration thereof 1. That Bishops acquaint themselues diligently with reading the bookes of holy Scripture and the Bookes of ancient Fathers together with the Pastorall bookes of Gregorius 2. Let Bishops practice in their workes the knowledge which they haue attained vnto by by reading 3. Let them also constitute Schooles wherein learning may be increased and men brought vp in them that may be like to the salt of the earth to season the corrupt manners of the people and to stop the mouthes of Heretiques according as it is said to the commendation of the Church A thousand Targes are hung vp in it even all the Armour of the strong Cant. chap. 4 vers 4. â— 4. Let Church-men shew humility in word deed countenance and habite 5. Let Priests bee vnreproueable adorned with good manners and not given to filthy lucre 6. The blame of filthy lucre wherewith many Church-men were charged for this that they allured secular men to renounce the world and to bring their goods to the Church they endeuour with multiplyed number of words to remoue 7. Bishops and Abbots who with deceitfull speeches haue circumvened
purpose to the ende hee may abolishe his sinnes by Almes-deedes for that is all one as if a man should hyre God to grant vnto him a libertie to sinne 37. Seeing all Canons of Councels are to be diligently read in speciall such as appertaine vnto faith and reformation of manners should bee most frequently perused 38. Bookes called Libelli Poenitentiales are to abolished because the erroures of these Bookes are certaine howbeit the authors of them be vncertaine and they prepare pillowes to lay vnder the heads of them who are sleeping in sinne 39. In the solemnities of the Masse Prayers are to bee made for the soules of them who are departed as well as for them who are aliue 40. Presbyters who are degraded liue like seculare men neglecting repentance whereby they might procure restitution to their office let them be excommunicated 41. A Presbyter who transporteth himselfe from his owne place shall not be receiued in any other Church except hee prooue both with witnesses and letters sealed with lead containing the name of the Bishop and of the Citie which he liued in that he hath liued innocently in his own Church and had a just cause of transportation 42. Let no Church bee committed to a Presbyter without consent of the Bishop 43. In some places are found Scots-men who call themselues Bishops they ordaine Presbyters Deacons whose ordination we altogether disallowe 44. Presbyters must not drinke in Tavernes wander in Markets nor goe to visite Cities without aduise of their Bishop 45. Many both of the Clergie Laickes goâ— to holy places such as Rome Turon imagining that by the sight of these places their sins are remitted and not attending to the sentence of Ierome It is a more commendable thing to liue well in Hierusalem than to haue seene Hierusalem 46. In receiuing the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ great discretion is to be vsed Neither let the taking of it be long differred because Christ saith Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Neither let vs come without due preparation because the Apostle saith He who eateth and driâ—keth vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 47. The Sacrament of the body blood of Christ which in one day is accustomed to be receiued of all Christians let no man neglect to receiue it except some grieuous crime doe hinder him from receiuing of it 48. According to the precept of the Apostle Iames Weake persons should be annointed with oyle by the Elders which oyle is blessed by the Bishop these words inclosed in a parenthesis are added to the Text for he saith Is any man sicke amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the Name of the Lord And the prayer of faith shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp And if he haue committed sin it shal be forgiuen him I am cap. 5. vers 14.15 Such a medicine as cureth both bodily spirituall maledies is not to be neglected 49. In the Councell of Laodicea it was forbidden that Masses should bee said and Oblations offered by Bishops or Presbyters in priuate houses This question also was disputed in this Councell 50. The authoritie of the Emperour is to be interponed for reuerent keeping of the Lords day 51. Because the Church is constituted of persons of diuerse conditions some are Noble others are ignoble some are seruants vassalles strangers c. It becommeth them who are in eminent rowmes to deale mercifully with their inferiours knowing that they are their brethren because God is one common Father to both and the Church is one common mother to both From the 52. Canon vnto the 66. are contained precepts of chaste and honest liuing prescribed to Prioresses and Nunnes which I ouer-passe as I haue done in the preceeding Councels 66. It is ordained that prayers and supplications shall be made for the Emperour and his children and for their well-fare both in soule and bodie 67. These things haue we touched shortly to be exhibited to our Soueraigne Lord the Emperour Hee who desireth a more ample declaration of all vertues to be followed and vices to be eschewed let him read the volume of the holy Scriptures of God IN the same yeere of our Lord wherein the preceding foure Councels were conueened by the mandate of the Emperour Charles the Great another Councell was conneened at Arles The Canons of this Councell were in number 25. 1. They set downe a Confession of their Faith 2. They ordaine That Prayers shall bee made for the Emperour and his children 3. They admonish Bishops and Pastors diligently to reade the bookes of holy Scripture To teach the Lords people in all truth and To administrate the Sacraments rightly 4. Laick people are admonished not to remooue their Presbyters from their Churches without consent of their Bishops 5. That Presbyters be not admitted for rewards 6. It is ordained That Bishops shall attend that euery person liue ordinately that is according to a prescribed rule The 7. and 8. Canons belong to the ordering of Monkes and Nunnes The 9. Canon pertaineth to the payment of Tythes and first fruits 10. It is ordained That Presbyters shall preach the word of God not only in Cities but also in euery Parochin 11. Incestuous copulations are to be vâ—terly abhorâ—ed 12. Peace is to bleeâ— kepâ— with all men according to the words of the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without theâ— which no man shall see God Heb. cap. 12. vers 14 1â— Let Lords Iudges and the rest of the people be obedient to their Bishop let 〈…〉 judgâ—ment be vsed and no bribes receiued nor false testimonie be admitted 14. In time of Famine let euery man support the necessitie of his owne 15. Let all weightes and measures be equall and just 16. Let the Sabboth day be kept holy without Markets Iustice Courtes and seruile labour 17. Let euery Bishop visite his boundes once in the yeere if he finde the poore to be oppressed by the violence of the mightie then let the Bishop with wholesome admonitions exhort them to desist from such oppression and in case they will not desist from their violence then let the Bishop bring the cause to the eares of the Prince 18. Let Presbyters keepe the Chrisme and giue it to no man vnder pretence of Medicine 19. Parentes and Witnesses shall bring vp baptized children in the knowledge of God because God hath giuen them vnto Parents and Witnesses haue pawned their word for their faith 20. Ancient Churches shall not be depriued of Tythes nor of none other possession 21. That the constitution of ancient Fathers shal be kept concerning Buriall in Churches 22. Ciuill Iudgment-seates shall not bee in Churches 23. The goods belonging vnto the poore if they bee bought let it bee done openly in sight of the Nobles
and Iudges of the Citie 24. Let fugitiue Presbyters and Church-men bee inquired and sent backe againe vnto their Bishop 25. He who hath a benefice bestowed vpon him for helping the fabricke of Churches let him support the building of them 26. They who sinne publickely let them make their publicke repentance according to the Canons These things haue wee shortly touched to bee presented vnto our Lord the Emperour and to be corrected by his Highnesse wisedome IN the yeere of our Lord â—â—â— and in the third yeere of the raigne of Basilius Emperour of the East and vnder the raigne of Lewis the second Emperour of the Westâ— the Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second came to Constantinople Basilius the Emperour gathered a Councell against Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople In this Councell great policie was vsed to haue all things framed to the contentment of Adrian Bishop of Rome Foâ— no man was admitted to the Councell except only they who had subscribed the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Bishops They who refused to subscribe the fore-saide supremacie were contemptuously rejectâ—d and not admitted to the Councell So did the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome proceede to further grouth by flattering of Basilius who slew his associate Michael as it was founded in the flatterie of Bonifacius the third who flattered that vile murtherer Phocas who slew his master Mauritius In this Councell Photius was deposed and excommunicated his bookes which he wrote against the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome were commanded to be burnt Photius was accused for this that he had accepted the office of a Bishop before hee he receiued other Ecclesiasticall orders Photius alleadgâ—d that this was no sufficient cause of deposition in respect that Ambrose Bishop of Millan Nectarius bishop of Constantinople and of late dayes Tarasius with consent of the Bishop of Rome of Laickes were made Bishops The Ambassadours of Pope Adrian the second answered that Ambrose was endewed with extraordinarie giftes Nectarius was called at an extraordinarie time to wit when heresie was so ouerspred that it was an harde thing to finde out a man who was not spotted with heresie and concerning the aduancement of Tarasius to be Bishop of Constantinople to whose admission Adrian the first gaue consent they answered That it was done for a speciall cause in regard hee was a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images This answer declareth that in case Photius also had beene a zealous maintainer of the adoration of Images the Roman Bishop and his Ambassadours could haue dispensed with the want of Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding his admission to his Bishopricke as they did in the person of Tarasius In this Councel also the Ambassadoures of Adrian magnifying the authoritie of the Pope affirmed that the Bishop of Rome might judge of the actions of all other Bishops but no man might judge of him And albeit the Orientall Bishops in the sixt Generall Councell cursed Pope Honorius after his death yet it is to be marked say they that hee was accused of heresie And in this case onely it is lawfull for inferiours to resist their superiours and to disclaime their peruerse opinions In this point also they said That none of the Patriarches and Bishops proceeded against the defunct Bishop of Rome without the consent of the Roman Chaire going before them Now obserue good Reader with what fidelitie Onuphrius defendeth the name of Honorius the first as free of all suspition of heresie when as the Ambassadours of Adrian the second for verie shame durst not presume to doe it More-ouer the worshipping of Images in this Councell got a new allowance againe and it was commanded That the image of Christ should be holden in no lesse reuerence than the bookes of the Gospell The Bulgarians also were made subject to the Romane Bishop And Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople in regarde he was restored to his place againe by the meanes of the Bishop of Rome hee made no opposition to the contrarie Neuerthelesse this alteration continued but short time for the Bulgarians droue out of their bounds the Latine Priests and were serued with Greeke Priests againe Diuers Canons were constituted in this CouÌ„cell but so coincident with the Canons of other Councels that it is a superfluous thing to make a rehearsall of them In the subscription of the Actes of the Councel great controuersie fell out for the Grecians could not abide the name of Ludouicke Emp. of the Weâ— because they thought that the honourable name of an Emp. only belonged to their owne Soueraigne Lord who was Emp. of CoÌ„stantinople More ouer a number of them came to the Emp. Basilius and requested him that their subscriptions might be redeliuered vnto them againe wherein they had subscribed to the supremacie of the Romane Bishop or else the Church of Constantinople would be in perpetuall subiection to the chaire of Rome These subscriptions afore-sayd were restored againe but with great difficulty CAarolus Caluus convocated a Councell in France at Acciniacum consisting of ten Bishops The Bishops of Lions Vason and Trier were chiefe Presidents in the Councell Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes accused in this convention his owne nephew Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitan and a man who for private iniuries had excommunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying masse baptizing Infants absolving of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus Bishoppe of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which he desired to be read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the Bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitan hee was also deprived of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Iohn the ninth vnder the raigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe being the more affectioned vnto him because hee had appealed from his owne Bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be iudged by the chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twenty and two Bishops of Germany were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to over-passe with silence lest he should make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell that excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not bee deposed before his cause bee iudged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishoppes and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church-man who committeth slaughter shall bee deposed albeit hee hath beene enforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not bee ministred except at Easter and Whitsunday without necessity require 13. Tythes are to be paid for
multitude of simple and ignorant Priestes that they thought it to bee the Oracle of God but in their next meeting Falthodus whom others call Ethelredus a learned man of Scotland so evidently by testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers prooved that marriage was a thing lawfull to men in spirituall offices that the answer which came from the Crucifix was counted the answer of the Divell whom Dunstanus served because Christ would speake nothing repugnant to his owne Word VNder the raigne of Nicephorus Phocas Emperor of Constantinople and when Polyeuchus was Patriarch the Emperour assembled a Councell at Constantinople The question disputed in the Councell was this Nicephorus having obtained the dominion of the East tooke to wife Theophania the relict of Romanus his predecessor This matter so displeased the Patriarch Polyeuchus that hee debarred the Emperour Nicephorus from holy things pretending these two causes First because the Emperour had celebrated the second marriage Secondly because Nicephorus had beene witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania This question being discussed in the Councell in presence both of Prelats and Counsellers the Emperours marriage was allowed and the acts alledged by Polyeuchus was counted impious made by Capronimus and that they had no force to hinder the marriage The proud Patriarch when he was overthrowne by reason armed himselfe with obstinacie and stiffe neckednesse vntill Bardas the Emperours father came to him and affirmed by an oath that Nicephorus the Emperour was not witnesse in Baptisme to the children of Theophania Thus were the Patriarches of the East serious in observing the traditions of men but remisse and negligent in observing the ordinances of God And this is a sure testimony that defection from the faith had now prevayled both in the west and East IN the yeere of our Lord 992. in the ninth yeere of the Emperour Otto and in the fourth yeere of Hugo Capeto King of France a Councel was gathered at Rhemes against Arnulphus Bishop of Rhemes His hand-writing was produced wherein hee did binde himselfe to bee obedient to Hugo Capeto King of France and never to come in the contrary vnder paine of infamy and perpetuall malediction Notwithstanding he had countenanced Duke Charles who claimed the right of the kingdome as nearest heire thereto being the brother of Lotharius To Duke Charles Arnulphus had opened the ports of the towne of Rhemes and made him Commander of the citie Great disputation was in the Councell concerning Arnulphus His friends would haue had this cause remitted to the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome But many of the Bishops of France mightily opponed to the contrary The discourse is very prolix but the paines of reading is well recompenced with the fruitfulnesse of the disputation This Councell toke this end Arnulphus confessed his fault denuded himselfe of his Episcopall honour and Gilbertus who had beene instructor of Robert the Kings sonne was placed in his roome Likewise Arnulphus was sent to Orlience to be imprisoned there together with Siguinus Archbishop of Senon because hee consented not freely to the deposition of Arnulphus but thought that this matter was overswayed by the tyranny of Courtiers and vsurpers of the kingdome vnlawfully VVHen the deposition of Arnulphus was reported at Rome Iohn the thirteenth was mooued with great wrath and incontinent excommunicated all those Bishops of France who had consented to the deposition of Arnulphus In so doing Pope Iohn kept the accustomed order of the Romane Church to wit to pronounce a sentence before a lawfull cognition and tryall of the cause Also hee sent an Abbot called Leo furnished with the authority of the Romane chaire to appoint a new Councell at Rhemes Hugo King of France was somewhat terrified with the cursing of the Bishop of Rome and feared to oppose himselfe to so many bishops agreeing in one minde and therefore he suffered the councell to hold forward The conclusion of this Councell was that Arnulphus was restored to his former dignitie And left that either the Emperour Otto or Hugo Capeto should be offended Gilbertus was promoted to be Bishop of Ravenna CENTVRIE XI IN the yeere of our Lord 1026. and vnder the raigne of the Emp. Henry the second a Councell was assembled at Aken by the authority of the Emperour who seeing the wrath of God kindled against the word manifold tokens of the anger of God manifested in the Calamities hanging vpon the head of all people and nations he gathered this Councel By the authoritie whereof Priests were commanded to pacifie the wrath of God by frequent saying of masse the people by fasting abstinence Princes by distributing of almes to reconcile themselues to God The Doctrine of repetance and amendement of life was forgotten in this time of horrible ignorance and all religion was turned into outward exercises of fasting of distributing of almes and of saying of Masses Also new fasting daies were inioyned to be kept in most solemne manner to the honour of Iohn the Baptist S. Laurence so that by a multitude of human traditions daily increased the ordinance of God as Christ witnesseth was made null and of no effect IN the yeere of our Lord 1023. and in the 21. yeere of the raigne of the Emp. Henry 2. a Councell was assembled at Halignustat wherein Harido Bishop of Mentz was moderator great pains were taken to make a conformitie vnitie in obseruation of superstitious rites in Germanie such as statut times of fasting and abstinence from marriage at certaine times of the yeere and not casting of the corporall into the fire to quench the fire kindled in a towne which was the custome of foolish Priests at that time that no sword shuld be brought into the Church except the Kings sword and no meetings or confabulations should be in the Church or the poarch thereof and that women should not bee addicted to particular and select Masses such as the Masse of the Trinitie and Saint Michael but let them heare common Masses for the safetie of the quicke and the dead Also Lawes were made in this Councell concerning the reckoning of the degrees of consanguinitie and that no man should iourney to Rome for obtaining pardon for great sinnes before hee had first confessed himselfe to his owne Priest and fulfilled the penance prescribed by him with many other constitutions full of new invented superstition IN the yeere of our Lord 1030. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Conrad the second a Councell was assembled at Triburia The Emperour was present at the Councell After some constitutions about fasting one arose and said that certaine Epistles were come from heauen concerning peace to be renued on earth he was commanded to write a coppie of these Epistles to be communicat to other Bishops to the ende that nations and people might obserue these new lawes following 1. That no man should weare armoure 2. That no man should seeke restitution of things
taken from him 3. That no man should reuenge the wrongs done to his blood and kindred 4. That men should be compelled to pardon them who smote them 5. That euery Friday a fasting shall bee kept with bread and water 6. That on Saturday there should be an abstinence from flesh and fat things 7. That men should content themselues with this kinde of fasting for remission of all their sinnes so that they neede none other kind of repentance That all men should be bound by an oath to obserue these new lawes they who refused to sweare obedience to these ordinances should be separated from the Church and they should neither be visited when they were sicke nor buried when they were dead These new lawes which came not from heauen but from the instinct of an euill spirit many were content to receaue Others who were of more sound iudgement specially the B. of Cambry reiected them as repugnaÌ„t most part to the word of God to the coÌ„stitutions of the Church to the peace of wel-ordered common-wealths to charitie Alwayes consider that this was a time of horrible darknesse and ignorance wherein any durst affirme in face of a Councell that such lawes came from heauen as were flatlie repugnant to the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 1046. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Henry the third an assemblie was gathered by the Emperour at Sutrium a towne of Italie for pacefying an horrible schisme in the Roman Church for three Popes contended for the Popedome to wit Benedict the ninth Silvester the third and Gregorie the sixt when the fathers had conueened at Sutrium and the Emperour had considered the causes of the scisme and the ambition of Prelats striuing for superioritie they thought expedient to remoue all these three monsters and to choose one Sindigerus Bishop of Bamberg to be Pope whom they called Clemens the second Moreouer the Emperour did bind the Romans with an oath that they shuld in time to come abstaine from the electioÌ„ of the Pope ABout the yeere of our Lord 1050. Leo the ninth assembled a Councell at Rome against Berengarius Deacon at Angiers vpon this occasion was the Councell gathered Berengarius saw that the opinion of Transubstantiation was ouerspred in his time to wit that after the words of coÌ„secration the substance of bread evanished and the substance of the body and blood of Christ was in the Sacrament vnder the accidents of bread and wine which opinion he disaproued and followed rather the opinion of Augustine Ioannes Scotus about the Sacrament of the supper He writ also letters to Lanfrancus B. of Canterbury about this question The Messenger who carried the letters did not find Lanfrancus in Normandie whether he was directed Therefore he deliuethe letters to some of the Clergie who opened the letters of Berengarius and sent them to Pope Leo the ninth After the sight whereof he assembled a Councell at Rome and read the letters of Berengarius and condemned him though absent as an heretike LEo the ninth assembled another Councell at Vercellis against Berengarius in the moneth of September of the yeere of our Lord 1050 so that both these Councels were holden in one yeere against Berengarius Berengarius was warned to bee present at the Councell Lanfrancus Bishop of Canterbury was also present In Berengarius name compeared two of the Clergie who were taken and cast into prison The issue of the Councell was this The Bookes of Ioannes Melrosius Scotus de eucharistia were read in the Councell and condemned Leo likewise appointed in many Prouinces Synods to be assembled against Berengarius notwithstanding he persisted constantly in his opinion vntill the dayes of Pope Nicolaus the second IN the yeere of our Lord 1055. Pope Victor the second assembled a Councell at Towrs against Berengarius The Popes Ambassadours were present at the Councel and Berengarius answered that hee adhered to no particular opinion of his owne but he followed the Common doctrine of the vniversall Church and that hee would not be contentious This gentle answere mitigated the kindled affections of his Adversaries yet he persisted in his own opinion for this cause Lanfrancus obiected against him that he deluded the Councel of Towrs with general doubtsome words IN the yeere of our Lord 1059. Pope Nicolaus 2. assembled a great Councel at Rome of 100. 13. B. Berengarius was present at the Councel Berengarius through infirmitie submitted himselfe to be corrected by Pope Nicolaus 2. and the Councel They prescribed to him a forme of renounciatioÌ„ of his error as they called it which Berengarius accepted recaÌ„ted Notwithstanding afterward he published in writing a refutatioÌ„ of the doctrine of Transubstantiation damned his owne recantation Manie other constitutions were made in this Councel such as that the election of the Pope should belong to the Colledge of Cardinals that no man should heare a Masse sayd by a married Priest that no Laick person should be iudge to a man in a spirituall office that no person should marrie any of his owne consanguinitie vntill the seventh generation with many other foolish constitutions IN the yeere of our Lord 1060. as appeareth Pope Nicholaus the second sent Petrus Damianus to hold a Councell in his name at Millan The questions disputed in the Councell were two chiefly to wit about Simonie and the errour of the Nicolaitans It was accounted Simonie to receiue investment by staffe and ringe from a secular man It was counted the errour of the Nicolaitans when Priests married wiues And Damianus to bring such mariages vnder the Compasse of Heresie hee said that faults in manners if they were obstinatlie deâ—â—nded they became Heresies But suppose this was true as it is a false definition how can it bee called the heresie of the Nicolaitans seeing that Nicolaitans were not called Heretikes in respect they had wiues but in respect they made their wiues common as I haue declared in the first Centurie The issue of this Councell was that the whole Towne of Millan both Clergie and people was in an vprore complaining that the Towne wherein Ambrose was Bishop should be brought in subiection to the Ordinances of any other Church Damianus was in great feare to bee rent in pieces albeit the Archbishop of Millan was sitting at his one side and the Bishoppe of Luca at his other After that the tumult was pacified Damianus did speake vnto the Clergie and people manie things concerning the prerogatiue of the Chaire of Rome and the Bishop of Millan standing before the Altar did sweare that hee should bee obedient to the ordinances of the Roman Church in extirping the heresie of Simonie and of the Nicolaitans and many of the Clergie following his example did the like and were content like inconstant fooles to receaue penance for cohabitation with their owne lawfull wifes IN the yeere of our Lord 1066.
of our Lord 1081. the Emperor irritate with the incessant attempts of the Pope against his life and estate thought meet once to put an end to this labour and to the distresses of the Empire Therefore hee besieged the towne of Rome and tooke it Hildebrand with the rest of the Wolfes who had troubled the sheepfold of God they fled The Emperour with the advice of the Roman Senate appointed a Councell to be assembled at Rome wherein fugitiue Hildebrand should appeare and render an account of his adminstration but hee would not appeare Therefore he was deposed as a profane and wicked man a louer of discord a bloody man and an invader of the Apostolick chaire by Sorcery And Gilbertus by some called Wigbertus was placed in his roome AFter the death of Gregory the 7. the Romans had no regard to Gilbertus whom the Emperor had made Pope but they chose another who was Abbot in Cassinates named Desiderius He was not chosen by the Cardinalls nor by the Pope of Rome but by Mathildis and the Normans Commanders of Apulia as Functius recordeth all these were enemies to the Emperour After his election to the Popedome he was called Victor the third He assembled a Councell at Beneventum which was his natiue soyle There hee cursed Gilbertus Bishop of Ravenna as an vsurper of the Chaire belonging to Gregory the seventh his predecessor Likewise he cursed Hugo Archbishop of Lions and Richard Abbot of Marseil because as it seemeth they had been his competitors This man walked closely in the footsteps of Hildebrand but his time was short for hee died before hee could execute the proud conceits of his minde after he had ruled one yeere and six months Platina attributeth vnto him onely the continuance of one yeere and foure moneths IN the yeere of our Lord 1095. Vrbanus the second gathered a great assembly at Clermont in Overnie of France The lessons of Hildebrand were forgot by his successours Therefore in this Councell and the Councell of Placentia and other Councels which I haue ouerpassed studying to shortnesse It was ordayned that no spirituall office nor rent annexed thereto should be received from the hand of a secular man in this Councell it was ordayned with advice of many Christian Princes that an army should bee raised vp and march toward Ierusalem for support of distressed Christians and recovery of the holy Land out of the hands of Infidels as hath beene declared in the History of the life of Vrbanus the second CENTVRIE XII THe multitude of Councels assembled in this Centurie if they should all be particularly rehearsed I doubt not but the Reader would bee wearied in reading them for they exceede the number of an hundred and fifteene Councels So that I am compelled to reduce them vnto certaine principall heads and to produce examples of every head so shall the intention and designe of them who assembled Councels in this time be cleerly knowne Some Councels were assembled for prohibition of Priests marriages others for excommunication of the Emperour some for the question of investment of Bishops being most willing to extort this priviledge out of the hands of the Emperour and to conferre it to the Bishops of Rome Some were gathered for deciding the question which arose by plurality of Popes contending hotly one against another for the Popedome Many Councels also were assembled for advancing of the warre called Bellum sacrum and setting forward Christians to fight against the Saracens for conquering the holy Land out of their hands Some few were assembled against men whom they supposed to bee Heretiques such as Abelardus and his disciple Gilbertus and Vualdenses When a few examples of every one of these heads shall be commemorated the luxriant superfluity of the Councels of this Centurie shall not be found inconvenienly abridged ALexius Emperour of Constantinople sent letters to Vrbanus the second wherein he declared the rage of the Turkes and implored support from the West Vrbanus assembled a Councell of all Nations at Paris and was present himselfe at the Councell incitating the hearts of all men to driue out the barbarous Turkes from the place wherein the redeemer of the world did suffer In this Councell were appointed an hundred thousand men out of Aquitania Normandie England Scotland Ireland Brittannia Galitia Wastemia France Flanders Lorane and other Nations toward the holy Land with Hademarus a Bishop who had power of binding and losing in the Popes name IN the yeere of our Lord 1110. the Bishop of Florence openly preached that Antichrist was already come which hee cleerely perceived by that horrible change of the spirituall Kingdome of Christ into an earthly Monarchie for the Bishops of Rome were rather Warriours then Preachers of the Word of God They opposed themselues to Emperours and most contemptuously abused them they depraued the articles of Faith prophaned the Sacraments instituted by Christ. Idolatry dayly increased hypocriticall discipline through propagation of Monastique orders and humane constitutions were out of measure extolled Moe were advanced to the Popedome by deceit weapons and slaughter then by free election Matrimoniall chastitie was banished from the order of Clergie-men who count themselues holy And finally the Bishop of Rome was like vnto a gulfe devouring and exhausting the substance of the world and administrating his turnes rather by force then reason These abuses and others like to these presented to the Bishop of Florence a notice that Antichrist was come alreadie and openly domineered in the Church Pascalis the second who was Pope at this time thought it was no time to slumber or sleepe in such a matter Therefore hee convened a Councell at Florence and called the Bishop of Florence to his accounts The arguments by which hee prooued that Antichrist was already come are buried in silence Onely hee was sharply rebuked and commanded that in time to come he should vtter no such doctrine IN the yeere of our Lord 1102. and in the third yeere of the raigne of Henry the first King of England Anselmus Archbishop of Canterburie a man much addicted to Pope Paschalis assembled a Councell at London for prohibition of the marriages of Priests This was an vncouth thing in England and some counted it an holy designe others a matter perilous as it was indeed lest men attempting things that were aboue their strength should fall into the snare of the Deuill and into horrible Lusts of vncleannesse which thing came to passe For horrible Sodomie had place among the Clergie and the yeere following Anselmus was compelled to conuene another Councell at S. Pauls in London and to make constitutions for punishment of those who were found to bee polluted with that vild lust of vncleannesse Neuerthelesse Anselmus was one of the number of the Antichristian Clergie who would be wiser than God and finde out better remedies than marriage to stay the intemperat lust of men who had not the gift of Continencie IN the yeere of our
Lord 1106. a great Councell was assembled at Mentz against the Emperour Henry the fourth who attended at Ingelheme looking to haue beene sent for to the Councell But the Ambassadours of Pope Paschalis and the Bishops who were present at the Councell could not delay vntill the Emperour was sent for But the venemous vlcer of their cankered hearts being ripe behoued presently to break forth before the Emp. was heard to speake for himselfe Therfore they proceed against the noble Emp. being absent and condemned him of heresie excōmunicated him Now his heresie was Simony because he wold not resigne the right of investmēt of Bishops into the Popes hands And not content with this they for the Bishops of Mentz Cosen Worms to Iugelheime where the E.H. 4. was deuested him of his imperial ornamēts The E. could not resist the violence of those headstrong Prelats because his armie and friends were not about him But he demaunded the three Bishops in the sight of the eternall God to declare if hee had taken any reward for admitting them to their Bishopriks The Bishops of Mentz Colen and Wormes all affirmed that he had receiued no reward from their hands How then sayth the Emperour am I condemned of Simonie I pray you fathers doe not so wickedly sayth he violate your oath of alledgance Dishonour not mine estate and horehead And incase I should resigne mine Emperiall Ornaments to my son let all the estates of Germanie bee assembled that I may doe it willingly in a lawfull assembly But the Prelats forementioned stirring vp one another put hands to worke and pulled the Crowne from his head and denuded him of the rest of his Imperiall Ornaments The Emperour with sighes and sobbs committed his cause to God who hateth iniquitie and in his own time can render a condigne recompence vnto it Moreouer the Noble Emperour humblie craued at the Popes Ambassadours and the rest of the Bishops to bee absolued from excommunication with promise to satisfie them whom hee should bee found after due triall to haue offended But these Romane Vulturs answered him proudly that matter pertained to the Pope he must dresse himselfe to Rome to bee absolued by the Pope after sight of his condigne satisfaction Now let the iudicious reader marke if these Councels had bin like vnto the starre which led the wise men of the East to Christ then it were good reason that we should follow them But since they leade frō Christ from al due reverence toward the annointed of the Lord and from all kinde of gentlenesse meaknesse and humane behauiour toward our superiours it is time to remember the words of our Lord. If the blinde leade the blind both shall fall in the ditch IN the yeere of our Lord 1107. Pope Paschalis the second gathered a Councell at Troyes in France willing to finish and perfit in France the worke begun in Germanie And to throw out of the hands of Henry the fift the right of investment of Bishops as hee had done out of his fathers hands The Emperour Henry the fift approched neere to the place wherein the Councell was gathered but was not present thereat The subiect intreated in the Councell was about the investment of Bishops by all meanes possible they endevored to spoile all Laicke persons of this priuiledge affirming that the election of Pastors should be free and that the presumption of Laicke persons in conferring of Ecclesiasticall dignities must be cut off Therefore hee promulgated the like mandars as his Predecessours had done before him adding also against the cōtraveners of his mandats the like cursings as his Predecessours had done before him The Emperour Henry the fift with aduise of the Nobles and Bishops who were about him sent Ambassadours to the Pope and the Councell calling to their remembrance that the right of investment of the Bishops was conferred to the Emperour Charles the Great and that his successors had continued in possession of that right vntill his time Therefore he requested that the Pope and Councell would doe nothing preiudiciall to his right This Message perturbed the cogitations of the Pope and the fathers of the Councell but this means was found out that this question should rest for the space of a yeere after the issue whereof it should be reasoned at Rome And in the meane time no investment should bee receiued from any Laicke person This interim together with the place appointed for determination of the question are manifest presages of the euent to wit that the Pope would not be at rest vntil hee had trampled vnder foote all ciuill domination vntill he had remoued out of the way that authoritie which was a let to his vsurped preheminence as the Apostle speaketh when the yeere was exspyred the Emperour addressed himselfe to Rome with an army and tooke the Pope and his Cardinals prisoners And albeit the Pope at that time condiscended that the right of investment should consist in the Emperours hand yet afterward hee revoked the same and in the Councell of Rome assembled Anno 1112. yeeres hee vtterly renounced that priuiledge conferred to the Emperour as hath beene declared in the Historie of his life THe question and controversie about investment of Bishops was not like to take an ende The Romane Chaire like vnto a raging Sea continually swelled frothed and stirred vp sedition against the Emperour Henry the fift because hee would not ouer-giue the right of investment of Bishops into the Popes hands The Bishops of Germanie the Popes footegroomes conueened at Triburia Anno 1119. with exasperat minds consulting how they might vndoe the estate of the Emperour as they had alreadie vndone the estate of his father The Emperour made hast to returne out of Italie to Germanie and finding none other way to establish his owne estate but either by great effusion of blood or by yeelding to the Popes desire The Emperour after consultation with his Princes and friends found no outgate except to render to Pope Calixtus the second the right of investment of Bishops Also hee was compelled to ratifie the election of Pope Calixtus albeit Gregorie the eight to whose election the Emperour had consented was yet aliue so mightily prevailed the power of the Roman Antichrist PEtrus Abelardus was counted an Heretike in the Councell of Soysson and was compelled to burne his owne bookes Yet because hee continued in his errour and many followed him another Councell was conueened at Senon against Abelardus Lewes king of France the son of old Lewis was present at the Councell and Theobald Count Palatine and Bernard Abbot of Clarauall and innumerable people desiring to heare disputation Abelardus fearing popular sedition declined their iudgement and was willing to be iudged by Innocentius the second who was Pope at that time Pope Innocentius after hee had read the letters sent from the councell damned Abe lardus and ordained his followers to be excommunicat Abelardus destitute of Patrons
Protectors entered into the Monasterie of Cluniake Concerning his opinions I haue spoken of them in the head of Heretikes IN the yeere of our Lord 1160. The schisme that fell out betwixt two Popes striuing for the Popedome after the death of Adrian the fourth to wit Alexander the third and Victor the fourth gaue occasion to the Emperour Fredericke the first being at that time in Italie to appoint a Councel to be assembled at Papia For remouing of the scisme and for deciding the controversie by declaring to which of the contending Popes the Popedome should belong Both the Popes were warned to appeare before the Councell The Emperour was present the first day of the meeting of the Councell and declared to the Bishoppes that hee was not ignorant that to the Emperour belonged power to convocate Councels like as Constantinus Theodosius Iustinianus had done before him and of latter time Carolus Magnus and the Emperour Otto Notwithstanding since that matters pertaining to diuine worship ought to be iudged by Bishops hee remitted the iudgement of this present controuersie to the fathers met together in the assemblie And he so departed out of the Councell Pope Alexander the third refused to appeare before the Councel of Papia for hee would be iudged by no man Pope Victor the fourth appeared and was content that his cause should be examined and iudged by the Councell The Councell tooke this effect that Victor the fourth was declared to bee Pope Alexander the third on the other part beeing full of indignation cursed the Emp. and Pope Victor and their adherents and gathered a Councell of his fauourers at Clermount wherein hee openly deliuered to Sathan the Emp. Fredericke and Pope Victor and Count Palatine and all other principall fauourers of Victor so great patience was in Pope Alexander when his papall dignitie was called in question Hee mixed as it were Heauen and Eartth together not for zeale to the glorie of God but for zeale to keepe his papall preheminence For beside the Councell which he assembled at Clermont hee gathered another at Towrs Anno 1164. and was no lesse prodigall in his cursings then hee had beene before in the Councell of Clermont against the Emperour and his Competitor Victor yea and hee sent an Ambassadour to Ierusalem and Antiochia and to the Princes and Patriarchs of the East for propagation of his owne authoritie IN the yeere of our Lord 1180. and in the twentieth yeere of the gouernment of Pope Alexander the third a great assemblie was conveened at Rome by the Popes authoritie an hundreth and fourescore Bishops were assembled together in the Church called Constantiniana Their consultation was about the forme of election of the Pope in time to come And first it was appointed and ordained that in case the Colledge of Cardinals did not with vniforme consent agree who should be elected Pope if the two part of them did consent to the election of any person the dissenting of the third part should be no sufficient cause to reiect him who was elected Secondly it was ordained that all Ecclesiasticall dignities conferred by Octavianus and Guido who now are accounted schismatikes shall be null and of none effect And that no man be admitted to the office of a Bishop before hee be 30. yeeres old neither shall any man bee admitted to be a Deacon or Arch-deacon or to haue the gouernment of a parish before hee be twentie fiue yeeres of age That Bishops and Archbishops in their Visitations doe not overcharge the Church of their boūds with vnnecessary charges expenses speciallie the Churches that are poore If a Bishop admit any man to bee a Presbyter or Deacon without the title of a place that may affoorde vnto him things necessarie for the maintenance of his life let the Bishop himselfe sustaine him vntill he prouide a liuing for him except he be able of his owne patrimonie to sustaine himselfe That no man shall be excomunicat or suspended from his office before hee be lawfully warned to appeare and answere for himselfe except in such causes as deserue summar excommunication That no reward be taken for admitting men to spirituall offices and that no money be taken for blessing them that are married or for ministration of any other Sacrment For at this time marriage was counted a Sacrament of the Roman Church That no Ecclesiastical office be prōised to any man before it be vacāt by the decease of the possessor For it is an vnrighteous thing to put any man in expectation of another mans liuing whereby hee may wish his brothers death And when any place shall happen to be vacant let it be planted againe within six months or else hee who hath the right of plantation shall loose it at that time and the Chapitar or Metrapolitan Bishop shall haue power to prouide the vacant place That the Brethren called Templarij or hospitales shall not abuse the priuiledges granted by them to the Chaire of Rome by receiuing Churches out of the hands of Laicke people by admitting to the Sacraments in their Churches and to buriall persons excommunicated nor by admitting deposing Presbyters without the fore-knowledge of their Bishops and by occasion of their fraternities which they haue multiplied in many places they shall not weaken the authoritie of Bishops but they shal doe al things with aduice of their Bishops and they who shall be found to haue disobeyed this ordinance shall vndergoe the discipline their actions in the contrary shall be declared to be of none effect That Monkes shall not be receiued into a Monasterie for gaine and that they shall possesse no goods as properlie belonging onely to themselues Men admitted to holy orders let them either liue continently without the companie of women or otherwise let them be depriued of their offices and liuings Subdeacons and others in Law offices who are sustained in the Church let them not appeare as procurators and advocates before secular iudges except a matter belonging to himselfe or to the Church or to the poore be questioned Like as it is written no man that goeth to warre entangleth himselfe with worldlie businesse c. Let such men bee preferred to Ecclesiasticall dignities who will be actuallie resident with their people and vndertake the cure of their soules by doing the worke of the ministerie in their owne persons otherwise let them depriue them of the office and benefice conferred to Rome and hee who doth conferre them without these conditions let him lose the right of conferring offices and benefices Pluralitie of benefices is forbidden as a vice smelling of auarice and ambition and is perilous to the people whose soules are neglected by Pastours attentiue to the world heaping vp riches and not carefull to feed the flocke of God By this also many worthy men are ouer-seene whose trauels might bee worthily bestowed in feeding the flocke of God Moreouer some Laickes
the tenth part of all Ecclesiasticall rents for the space of six yeeres should be payed to furnish out an army to fight against the Infidels for recovering of the holy Land and a full remission of sinnes was promised to all them who would vndertake a part of this war-fare CENTVRIE XIIII IN the yeere of our Lord 1311. Pope Clement the fift bearing rule a generall Councell was assembled at Vienna wherein he set forth a booke of Papall decrees called Liber Clementiarū which was received allowed and ratified by the Councell And albeit as Nauclerus witnesseth Clemens himselfe before his death repented the setting out of this booke and commanded it to be burnt yet the Popes succeeding him and namely Iohannes the two and twentith confirmed and authorized the sayde booke againe together with the Decretals of Gregorius and Bonifacius because these bookes most highly advanced the seat of Rome exeeming the Bishop of Rome from subiection to generall Councels and attributing power to him to receiue or to reiect the Emperour after hee is chosen comparing the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone finally counting it a thing necessary vnto eternall life that every person bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome In this Councell it was ordayned that the feast of Corpus Christi should be kept with many indulgences granted vnto them who should celebrate this feast Likewise it was Decreed that the way to reduce Infidels to the true faith was not by armour and shedding of blood as the preceeding Popes had done for the space of three hundred yeeres though in vaine but by preaching of the Word of God to gaine their soules to the Lords Kingdome And for this cause it was ordained that Schooles should bee erected and forraine tongues should bee learned namely the Hebrew Chaldaicke and Arabique languages Finally it was ordained that the name and remembrance of the order of Templaries should be rooted out and this Decree was put in execution by all Christian Princes who in one day vtterly rooted out the sayd order of Monkes as formerly hath beene declared CENTVRIE XV. IN the yeere of our Lord 1414. the Emperour Sigismund and pope Iohn the 23. gathered a generall Councell at Constance for pacifying of a Schisme which was between three Popes striving for the Popedome to wit Pope Iohn whom the Italians set vp Pope Gregorie whom the French-men set vp and Benedict whom the Spaniards placed In this schismaticall ambitious conflict every one defended his owne Pope to the great disturbance of Christian Nations This Councell endured foure yeeres space The first beginning of it as the manner was is with a masse of the holy Spirit As they were singing according to their custome the Hymne Veni sancte spiritus there was at the same time a certaine paper set vp in the Church by some well disposed persons as it seemed wherein was contained these words following Alys rebus occupatinunc adesse vobis non possumus that is wee are otherwise occupied at this time wee cannot intend to come to you In this Councell was not onely Pope Iohn the 23. deposed for many grievous and haynous crimes obiected and prooved against him but also Gregory and Benedict sustayned the like censure and Pope Martin was chosen as hath beene declared Many wicked things were decreed and done in this Councell as namely in the eight Session thereof a sentence of condemnation was given out against the doctrine of Iohn Wickliffe and for the hatred of his memorie his bones ordained to be raysed out of his sepulchre and to be burnt In the thirteenth Session it was ordayned that no Priest vnder paine of excommunication should communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes of bread and wine In the 15. Session the Sentence of Iohn Husse his condemnation was read and published and he was deliuered to the secular power to be burned In the 19. Session it was decreed that notwithstanding the safe conduct giuen by the Emperour and kings inquirie may be made against a man for heresie by a sufficient iudge and processe to be made according to Law In the 21. Session a sentence of condemnation was pronounced against Ierom of Prague and hee was deliuered to the secular power to be burned And finallie nothing was decreed in this Councell or enacted worthy of memorie but this only that the Popes authoritie is vnder the Councell that the Councell ought to iudge the Pope yet albeit Articles were giuen in to the Councell crauing reformation of the Corrupt life of the Clergie and namely of the Court of Rome and Ioannes Gerson Chaunceller of the vniuersitie of Paris himselfe gaue in 75. abuses which hee willed to bee corrected and amended no reformatiō was obtained because the chiefe gouernors of the Councell themselues being men of corrupt and filthie conversation hated aboue all things the Articles of reformation But on the other part this new Pope Martine although hee could not finde time and leasure to reforme the abuses of the clergie yet found he time to deuise a cruell bloody inquisition against the true professours of the Gospel whom hee called Heretikes and for repressing of the Hussites hee deuised a strict inquisitiō which afterward followed in many Countries and namely in the countrie of Spaine IN the yeere of our Lord was gathered a generall Councell at Basil which as it indured longer then any other Councell before celebrat and holden in the Church for this continued almost 17. yeeres so likewise was it most troublesome in respect that Iulian Cardinall and Deacon of S. Angel being appointed president of the Councel by Pope Martin the fift and after his death being also approued by his successor Eugenius the fourth This Iulian I say suffered a certaine question to be reasoned freely in the Councell touching the authoritie of generall Councells after which reasoning it was concluded that the generall Councell is aboue the Pope and that all persons ought to be subiect to the generall councells as children are subiect to authoritie of their mother This conclusion grieued the Pope the more that this matter being once concluded in the Councell of Constants alreadie was now againe ratified and more amply discoursed in the Councell of Basil for this cause he would haue transported the Councell to Bononie But the Emperour Sigismund who was a great fauourer and protector of the Councell with aduice of the fathers of the Councel admonished Eugenius that hee should not onely leaue off his intended purpose of transferring the place of the Councell but also by his owne appearance before the Councell of Basil ratifie his subiection to the same which if he refused to doe they would proceede against him as a person contumacious obstinatly rebelling against the voyce of the Church The Pope was so dashed with this admonition that he was constrained to dissemble for a time and to confirme the
relikes of his dissolued body as the woman came to the sepulchre with precious oyntments to haue honoured his dead body Thirdly saith he Apelles speaketh of Christes body after his resurrection that which neither Christ nor his Apostles euer spake of that blessed body This is the right way to vndoe heresies to bring them to the right balance of the mouth of Christ and writings of his holy Apostles and then heresies cannot consist and stand In the dayes of Antoninus and L. Verus the authors of the fourth persecution Tatianus a Syrian came to Rome and was conuerted to the true faith by Iustinus Martyr during whose lifetime hee maintained no errour openly but after the death of Iustinus hee became the authour of the sect Encratitae who were so called because they abstained from wine eating of flesh and creatures quickned with a sensitiue life They damned marriage and blasphemed the Epistle of PAVL This they did no doubt because Paul in his Epistles calleth the prohibition of marriage and the prohibition of meates appointed by God for the vse of men with thankesgiuing to be a doctrine of Deuils Montanus a man of Phrygia seduced two women Priscilla and Maximilla to leaue the companie of their husbands and to be his prophetesses He called himselfe the holy Spirit whom Christ sent to instruct his disciples in all truth He instituted lawes concerning fasting and damned the second marriage and affirmed that Paul gaue libertie to widowes to marrie because hee knew the will of God but onely in a part I purposely passe ouer the rable of obscure Heretikes such as Ophitae Caiani Sothiani and such like of whom notwithstanding Epiphanius vouchsafeth to write at length no doubt to manifest the corruption of mans nature stouping sometimes so basely that not onely they hearken to the counsel of the old serpent the deuill but also they worship the very instrument of the Deuill viz. the serpent as these Ophitae did Againe some Heretikes magnified Cain and called him their father And others gaue to Seth the honour due to Christ. So it commeth to pasle that men destitute of the grace of God that commeth from aboue are like vnto drunkards staggering on the right hand and on the left hand and falling on their faces and beating out their owne braines Sometimes they extoll wicked men like vnto Cain and fall at the left hand at other times they praise good men like vnto Seth with excessiue prayses and with derogation of the glorie of Christ and fall at the right hand And at sometimes are so benummed that they spare not to set the verie deuill his instruments in the chaire of God and fall like drunken fooles on their faces and knocke out their owne braines Let no man maruell wherefore the name of Aquila a man of Pontus and Theodosion of Ephesus are not reckoned in the roll of Heretikes in this age True it is that they once professed the faith of Christ and made defection againe but this defection made not a diuision into the Church which is the body of Christ because they ioyned themselues to the vnbeleeuing Iewes who vtterly denied the diuinity of Christ and therefore of Christians became infidels rather then heretikes Like as no man calleth the Emperour Iulian an heretike but an apostate so Aquila and Theodosian were notable apostates from the faith of Christ. How they laboured to peruert by sinistrous translations of places of Scripture giuing cleare testimony of Christ who was borne of a virgin Eusebius declareth The translation of the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Behold a virgin shall conceiue Isa. 7. was translated by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold a young woman shall conceiue But this bad translation of Apostat christians and Proselites of the Iewes so well liked of the Iewish nation could neuer take place in the Church of Christ because the Propher Isaiah in that chapter is speaking of a miraculous signe which God will giue vnto his people to confirme their faith such as is the birth of a virgin which indeede is a miraculous worke but the birth of a yong woman that hath an husband is no miracle CENTVRIE III. IVstly did Epiphanius compare an heretike to a Moul a beast in quantitie litle hâ—rking in subterraneall holes and yet working great harme to wel labored ground neverthelesse when it hapeneth that this noysome and blind beast creepeth out of her hole and runneth vpon the superfice of the earth she is a ridiculous wandering feeble beast she cannot see the hole out of which she hath crept forth and she is easilie taken and slaine Euen so heretikes so long as they luâ—ke in secret they peruert the hearts of many simple and ignorant people but when they set out their heads and their doctrine is examined by the light of Gods euerlasting word they are found to be ridiculous feeble beasts In the former Centuries by way of preterition I passed by many obscure heresies the like order I intend God willing to keepe in this Centurie also The heretikes called Artotiritae who added vnto the administration of their SacraÌ„ent cheese vnto the bread Alogi who reiected the writings of the holy Apostle Iohn and said they were written by Cerinthus although the Euangelist Iohn of purpose wrot the Historie of his Gospell against Ebion and Cerinthus Adamiani who had their conventicles in subterraneal places called Hypocausta because that vnder the place of their meetings a fornace of fire was kindled to warme the place of their conventions for they vnclothed themselues when they entered into it and stood naked both men and women according to the similitude of Adam Eua before their fall Theodosâ—â—â— who denied the diuinitie of Christ taking the name of their sect from a miserable man in Constantinople called Theodatus who in time of persecutioÌ„ for loue of temporall life denyed the king of glory Iesus Christ and when this filthie denyall was obiected to him as a reproach of a cowardly hart he answered that he denied not God but man by this answere signifying that Christ was man only and not God maÌ„ifested in our nature Melchisedeciani magnified Melchisedecke aboue Christ. Bardesianistae were but a branch of the heresie of the Valentinians Gnostici who denied the resurrectioÌ„ as is already declared in the second Centurie Valesii who gelded themselues Angelici whose name was better knowne to Epiphanius then the original of their sect Apstolici who would haue possessions but reioyced in voluntarie pouertie detected marriage giuing out a sentence against themselues that they were vncleane because they were procreated by marriage Origeniani Turpes These were vile filthy beastes not abhorring from whordome but from procreation of children to the end they might seeme to bee chaste They were like to Onan the sonne of Iudah whom the Lord destroyed Al these heresies mentioned by
Epiphan I passe by almost with silence because they were like vnto abortiue birthes continued not long to perturbe the peace of the Church Now concerning other Heretickes by whose venemous doctrine the Church of Christ had great strife and perturbation Artemon and Beryllus Bishops of Bostra in Arabia denied the diuinitie of Christ and affirmed that he was not existent before hee tooke flesh of the Virgin With Beryllus Origen conferred and reduced him backe againe to the true faith and therefore I set not his name in the Catalogue of Heretikes because he added not vnto the fault of his bad opinion an obstinate defending of the same The heresie of Helcesaitae otherwise called Sampsei because of the short continuance of it is scarce worthy to be reckoned They mixed the religion of the Iewes Gentiles and Christians together but were more addicted to the supperstition of the Iewes then to any one of the other two They reiected the writings of the Apostle Paul and affirmed that a man who denyed the Lord with his mouth in the time of persecution if so be hee adhered to the faith in his heart hee had committed no sinne They carryed about with them a singular book which they sayd was sent downe from heaven and they promised remission of sinnes to every man who would hearken to the words of that booke Novatus a Presbyter at Rome was a man of a contentious spirit and men that are humorous high-minded and contentious they are wise to doe evill but they can do no good Such a man was Novatus who disquieted with schisme and heresie two of the most notable Churches in the world at that time viz. Carthage and Rome by giving out a rigorous sentence against those who in the time of persecution had fallen albeit they had repented after their fall and all outward tokens of vnfained repentance had beene seene in them yet his opinion was that they should not be admitted againe to the fellowship of the Church This opinion was not onely repugnant to the wordes of Isai Ezech. 18. Mat. 11. and to innumerable moe places of sacred Scripture but also it was a foolish opinion advancing the kingdome of the divell and not the kingdome of God For the two great wheels of the cart of the divell whereby he carryeth men headlong to hell are presumption and desperation and mercâ—lesse Novatus teaching a doctrine that strengthened not the knees of the weake hee did what in him lay to moue sinners to despaire There Cyprian Bishop of Carthage who excommunicated him and Cornelius Bishop of Rome who did the like with the advice of a graue and worthy Councell gathered at Rome are to bee counted wise men because they endevoured timely to suppresse those errours that weakened the hearts of the children of God I reade of no heresie preceding the heresie of Arrius and Eutiches that continued longer time in the Church of God then the heresie of Novatus partly because it crept in vnder pretence of zeale to the glory of God and vnder pretence of a detestation of sinne partly also because the Novatian Heretiques in the question concerning the divinity of Christ were conformable to the opinion of the true Church Thirdly because in the time of the Arrian persecâ—â—ion the Novatians were banished and troubled with no lesse hatâ—full malice and despite then the members of the Church were yea and the true Catholiques and Novatians being companions of one and the selfe-same suffering were content also to giue their liues one for another And the foresayd author saith Parúmque abfuit quin coadunarentur that is They were neere-by vnited and agreed together to wit the true Catholiques and Novatians But what was the impediment that hindred their vnion Reade the Historie and it shall not be found in the true Catholiques but in the obstinacy and wilfulnesse of the Novatians And so it falleth out at all times that men who are the authors of heresies and schismes are also the principall hinderers of the redintegration of the vnion of the Church The razing and demolishing of the Temple of the Novatians in Cyzicum a famous towne of Bithynia together with the calamity of the people of Mantinium a towne of Paphlagonia cleerely prooveth that the Novatian heresie continued vntill the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine an Arrian Emperour and a persecuter of the true faith The favour that they obtained in the dayes of Iulian I passe over with silence But in the dayes of the raigne of Theodosius the Novatians by the Emperours edict were permitted to haue publique conventions in Constantinople to enioy such priviledges as other Christians had and to possesse the Oratories and Temples wherein they were accustomed to serâ—e God All this toleration and liberty was granted to them by the good Emperour Theodosius because in the head of Doctrine concerning the divinity of Christ they damned the Arrians agreed with the Homousians The Magdeburg historie saith that this heresie continued in Constantinople to the time that it was conquered by the Turkes I haue written of this heresie at great length to admonish all true Christians that it is not enough to adhere to some points of the true faith and to suffer persecuion for righteousnes at sometimes and to loue brotherly fellowship at some times so that we are content to sacrifice our life for our brethren all these things did the Novatians and were favoured by the Emperour Theodosius as is sayd yet they were both Schismaticks Heretiques because they would be wiser then God and debarre them from the bosome of Christs compassions whom Christ inviteth to come vnto him saying Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you Let the example of the Novatians admonish men who studie to singularity and to bring in new customes or opinions in the Church of God to take heed that their opinions bee not repugnant vnto the written Word left after they haue continved a long time in the end they bee reiected as opinions foolish vaine hereticall and not agreeing with the Scriptures of God His followers were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Puritans Let this name rest in the bosome of Hereticks And men who are not guilty of the faults that were in the Novatians if they be vndeservedly charged with this name given of old to Heretiques let them say with humble hearts that in one sense they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are purged from sinne in the fountaine of the blood of Christ. But in no other sense and meaning can true Christians bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except onely in this because their sinnes are freely forgiven in Christ and God hath begun the worke of sanctification in them to bee a testimony that they are planted in the stocke of Christ In this sense speaketh the Evangelist Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is