Tyber which Getulus with Cerealis Amantius and Primitiuus by the commaundement of Adria were condemned to the fire wherein they were Martyred and put to death The names moreour of the seuen sonnes of this Symphorosa I finde to be Crescens Iulianus Nemesius Primitiuus Iustinus Statteus and Eugenius whom the Chronicle of Ado declareth to be put to death at the commaundement of Hadrian being fastened to vij stakes and so racked vp wyth a pulley and at last were thrust through Crescens in the necke Iulianus in the brest Nemesius in the hart Primitiuus about the nauell Iustinus cut in euery ioynte of his bodye Stateus run through with speares Eugenius cut a sonder frō the brest to the lower partes and then cast into a deepe pyt hauyng the name by the Idolatrous Priestes intituled Ad septem Biothanatos After the martirdome of whō also Symphorosa the mother did likewise suffer as is before declared Under the sayd Antoninus Verus and in the same persecution which raged not in Rome and Asia onely but in other countryes also suffered the glorious most cōstant Martirs of Lyons and Uienna two Cities in Fraunce gyuing to Christ a glorious testimony to all Christian men a spectacle or example of singular constancie and fortitude in Christ our sauiour The history of whom because it is written and set forth by their owne Churches where they did suffer mentioned in Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 2. I thought here to expresse the same in the forme and effecte of their owne wordes as there is to be seene The title of which their Epistle written to the brethren of Asia and Phrigia thus beginneth * The seruauntes of Christ inhabiting the Cities of Vienna and Lyons to the brethren in Asia and Phrigia hauing the same faith and hope of redemption with vs peace and grace and glory from God the father and from Iesus Christ our Lorde THe greatnes of this our tribulation the furious rage of the Gentiles against vs the tormentes which the blessed martyrs suffered neither can we in wordes nor yet in writing exactly as they deserue set forth For the aduersary with all his force gaue his endeuor to the working of such preparatiues as he himselfe listed against his tyrannous comming in euery place practised he and instructed his ministers how in most spitefull maner to set them against the seruauntes of God so that not onely in our houses shoppes and markets we were restrained but also were vniuersally cōmaunded that none so hardy should be sene in any place But God hath alwaies mercy in store and tooke out of their hands such as were weake amongst them and other some did he set vp as firme and immoueable pillers which by sufferance were able to abide all violent force and valiantly to withstand the enimie induring all their opprobrious punishment they could deuise to cōclude they fought this battell for that intent to come vnto Christ esteming their great troubles but as light therby shewing that al that may be suffered in this present life is not able to counteruayle the great glorye which shall be shewed vpō vs after this life And first they patiently suffered whatsouer the multitude of frantike people running vpon head did vnto them as railings scourgings drawynges and hailings flynging of stones imprisoninges what other thing soeuer the rage of the multitude are wōt to vse and practise against their professed enimies Then afterwarde they being led into the marked place and there iudged of the Captayne and rest of the Potentates of the Citie after their confession made openly before the multitude were commaunded againe to prisō vntil the returne of their chiefe gouernor After this they being brought before him and he vsing all extremity that possibly he might against them One Vetius Epagathus one of the brethren replenished with feruent zeale both towards god and his brethren whose conuersation although he were a young man was counted as perfect as was the life of Zachary the Priest for he walked diligently in al the commaundements and iustifications of the Lord and in all obedience towards his brethren blamles he hauing within him the feruent zeale of loue and spirit of god could not suffer that wicked iudgement which was giuen vpon the Christians but being vehemently displeased desired that the Iudge woulde heare the excuse which he was minded to make in the behalfe of the christians in whom saith he is no impietie founde But the people cryed againe to those that were assistentes with the chiefe Iustice that it might not be so for indede he was a noble man borne neither did the Iustice graunt him his lawfull request but onely asked him whether he himselfe were a Christian or not And he immediatly with a loude and boulde voice aunswered and sayde I am a Christian. And thus was he receiued into the felowship of the martirs and called the aduocate of the Christians And he hauing the spirite of God more plentifully in time then had Zachary the abundaunce thereof he declared in that he gaue his life in the defence of his brethren being a true disciple of Christ following the Lamb whersoeuer he goeth By this mans example the rest of the Martirs were the more animated to martirdome and made more ioious with al courage of mind to accomplish the same Some other there were vnready and not so well prepared and as yet weak not well able to beare the vehemency of so great conflict of whom x. there were in number that faynted ministring to vs much heauines lamentation Who by their example caused the rest which were not yet apprehēded to be lesse willing thereunto Then were we all for the variablenes of confession not a litle astonied not that we feared the punishment intended against vs but rather as hauing respect to the ende and fearing least any shoulde fal Euery day there were apprehended such as were worthy to fulful the number of them which were fallen In so much that of two churches such as were chiefest which were the principall gouernors of our Churches were apprehended With these also certeine of the Ethnicks being our men seruaunts were apprehended for so the gouernour commaunded that all of vs ingenerall without any respect should be taken which seruants being ouercome by Sathan and fearing the torments which they saw the Saintes doe suffer being also compelled thereunto by the meanes of the souldiers fained against vs that we kept the feastinges of Thiestes and incest of Oedipus and many such other crimes which are neither to be remembred nor named of vs nor yet to bee thought that euer any man would commit the like These things being now bruted abroad euery man began to shewe crueltie against vs insomuch that those which before for familiarities sake were more gentle toward vs now vehemently disdained vs and waxed mad against vs. And thus was now fulfilled that which was spoken by Christ saying the time will come
multitude for the causes aboue specified did not cease to disquiete and afflict the quiet people of God impuâ—ing and ascribing to the Christians whatsoeuer misfortune happened contrary to their desires Moreouer inuentyng agaynst them all false crimes and contumelies wherein to accuse them By reason whereof diuers there were in sundry places much molested and some put to death albeit as it is to be supposed not by the consent of the Emperour who of nature was so mylde and gentle that either he raysed vp no persecution agaynst the Christians or els he soone stayed the same beyng mooued As well may appeare by his letter sent doune to the countreys of Asia the tenor whereof here insueth The Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the Common of Asia EMperour and Caesar Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus Tribune eleuen tymes Consull thrise vnto the commons of Asia greeting I am very certayne that the Gods haue a care of this that they which be such shall be knowen and not lye hid For they doe punish them that will not worship them more then you which so vexe and trouble them confirming thereby the opinion which they haue conceaued and doe conceaue of you that is to bee wicked men For this is their ioy and desire that when they are accused rather they couet to dye for their God then to lyue Whereby they are Victorers and doe ouercome you geuing rather their lyues then to bee obedient to you in doyng that which you require of them And here it shall not be inconuenient to aduertise you of the Earthquakes which haue and doe happen among vs that when at the sight of them you tremble and are afraide then conferre your case with them For they vpon a sure confidence of their God are bolde and fearelesse much more then you who in all the tyme of this your ignoraunce both doe worship other Gods and neglect the Religion of immortalitie and such Christians as worship him them you doe driue out and persecute them vnto death Of these and such like matters many Presidents of our Prouinces did write to our father of famous memorie heretofore To whome he directed his aunswere agayne willing them in no case to molest the Christians except they were found in some trespasse preiudiciall against the Empire of Rome And to me also many there be which write signifiyng their mind in like maner To whome I haue aunswered againe to the same effect and maner as my father did Wherefore if any hereafter shall offer any vexatioÌ„ or trouble to such hauing no other cause but onely for that they are such let him that is appeached be released and discharged free yea although he be founde to bee such that is a Christian and let the accuser sustaine the punishment c. This godly Edict of the Emperour was proclaymed at Ephesus in the publique asseÌ„bly of all Asia wherof Melito also Byshop of Sardis who florished in the same tyme maketh mention in his Apologie written in defence of our doctrine to M. Antoninus Verus as hereafter Christ willing shall appeare By this meanes then the tempest of persecution in those daies began to be appeased through the mercifull prouidence of God which woulde not haue hys Church vtterly to be ouerthrowne though hardly yet to growe * The fourth Persecution AFter the decease of the foresayd quiet and milde Prince Aurelius Antonius Pius who among all other Emperours of that tyme made the most quiet end followed his sonne M. Antoninus Verus with Lucius his brother about the yeare of our Lord .162 a man of nature more sterne and seuere And although in study of Philosophy in ciuile gouernement no lesse commendable yet to ward the Christians sharpe and fierce by whome was moued the fourth persecution after Nero. In whose tyme a great number of them which truely professed Christ suffered most cruel tormentes and punishments both in Asia and in Fraunce In the number of whome was Policarpus the worthy Bishop of Smyrna Who in the great rage of this persecution in Asia among many other most constant Saintes was also Martyred Of whose end and Martyrdome I thought it here not vnexpedient to coÌ„mit to history so much as Eusebius declareth to be taken out of a certaine letter or Epistle written by them of hys owne Churche to the brethren of Pontus the tenor of which Epistle here followeth The congregation which is at Smyrna to the congregation which is at Philomilium and to all the congregations throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God our father and of our Lord Iesu Christ be multiplied Amen We haue written vnto you brethren of those men which haue suffred Martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus which hath ended and appeased this persecutioÌ„ as it were by the shedding of his own bloud And in the same epistle before they enter into farther matter of Polycarpus they discourse of other Martyrs describing what patience they abode and shewed in suffring their torments which was so great and admirable saith the Epistle that the lookers on were amased seeing and beholding how they were so scourged and whipped that the inward vaynes arteries appeared yea euen so much that the very intrailes of their bodies their bowels and members were seen after that were set vpon sharp shels taken out of the sea edged and sharpe and certaine nailes and thornes for the Martyrs to go vpon which were sharpned and pointed called Obelisci Thus suffred they all kind of punishment and torment that might be deuised and lastly were throwne vnto the wild beasts to be deuoured But especially in the foresayd Epistle mention is made of one Germanicus how he most woorthily perseuered and ouercame by the grace of God that feare of death which is ingraffed in the common nature of all men whose notable patience sufferaunce was so notable that the whole multitude wondring at this beloued Martyr of God for this his so bold constancie and also for the singular strength and vertue proceeding of the whole multitude of the Christians began sodenly to cry with a loud voyce saying destroy the wicked men let Polycarpus be sought for And whilest a great vprore and tumult began thus to be raised vpon those cries A certaine Phrigian named Quintus lately come out of Phrigia who seyng and abhorring the wilde beasts and the fierce rage of them of an ouer light mynd betrayed his own safetie For so the same letter of him doth report that he not reuerently but more malipertly then requisite was together with others rushed into the iudgement place and so being takeÌ„ was made a manifest example to all the beholders that no man ought rashly and vnreuerently with such boldnesse to thrust in himself to entermeddle in matters wherwith he hath not to do But now we will surcease to speake more of them and returne to Polycarpus of whome the foresayd letter consequently declareth
Emperour out of the Church importeth as much as that Emperour to have bene a Christian. For otherwise if he had come in as an Heathen and as a persecutor it was not then the maner of christian bishops violently to withstand the Emperours or to stop them out Ouer beside the testimony of Eusebius Zonaras doth witnesse contrary in his vj. booke that this Babylas which was then Bishop of Antioch after Zebinus was not put to death by the tormentors but died in prison Wherfore it is not vnpossible but this Babylas and this Emperour which Chrysostome speaketh off may be an other Babylas then that which suffered vnder Decius Nicephorus in his v. booke maketh mention of an other Babylas beside this that suffered vnder Decius which was bishop of Nicomedia In the forenamed Citie of Antioche Vincentius Lib. 11. speaketh of 40. virgines Martyrs which suffered in this persecution of Decius In the country of Phrigia and in the toune of Lampsar the same Vincentius also speaketh of one Peter which there was apprehended and suffered bitter tormentes for Christes name vnder Optimus the Proconsul And in Troada likewise of other Martyrs that there suffered whose names were Andrew Paule Nicomachus and Dionisia a virgin Lib. 11 cap. 46. Also in Babylon sayth he diuers christian Confessours were found of Decius which were led away into Spayne there to be executed Lib. eodem cap. 43. In the countrey of Cappadocea at the Citie of Cesarea in like maner of the sayde author is testified of Germanus Theophilus Cesarius and Vitalis to suffer Martyrdom for Christ eodeÌ„ cap 52. And in the same Booke meÌ„tion also is made of Polychronius Byshop of Babylon cap. 89. And in Pamphilia of Nestor there Bishop that dyed Martyr cap. 52. At Perside in the Toune of Cardala Olympiades and Maximus In Tyrus also Anatolia Uirgin and Audax gaue theyr lyues likewyse to death for the testimonie of Christes name Eusebius moreouer in his sixt booke reciteth out of the Epistles of Dionysius Alexandrinus diuers that suffred diuersly at Alexandria the which places of Dionysius as they be cited in Eusebius I thought here good for the auncientnes of the author to insert and notifie in his own wordes and in our language as he wrote them to Fabius bishop of Antioch as followeth This persecution saith he began not with the proclamation set forth by the Emperor but began a whole yeare before by the occasion and meanes of a wicked person a Southsayer and a follower of wicked Artes who comming to our Citie here stirred vp the multitude of the Heathen agaynst vs and incited them to maintaine their own olde superstition and gentilitie of their countrey whereby they beyng set a gog and obtayning full power to prosecute their wicked purpose so thought no lesse declared all their pietie religioÌ„ to consist only in the idolatrous worship of deuils and in our destruction And first flying vpon a certaine priest of ours named Metra apprehended him brought him forth to make him speake after theyr wicked blasphemy which wheÌ„ he would not do they layd vpon him with slaues and clubs and with sharp reedes pricked his face and eyes and afterward bringing him out into the suburbes there they stoned him to death Then they tooke a faithfull woman called Quinta and brought her to the temple of their Idols to compell her to worship with them which wheÌ„ she refused to do and abhorred their Idols they bound her fecte and drew her through the whole streete of the citie vpon the hard stones so dashyng her against milstones scourging her with whippes brought her to the same place of the suburbes as they did the other before where she likewise ended her lyfe This done in a great outrage with a multitude running together they brust into houses of the religious godly christians spoiling sacking and carying away all that they could finde of any price The rest of things such as were of lesse value of wood they brought into the open market set them on fire In the meane time the brethren voyded aside withdrew themselues taking patiently and no lesse ioyfully the spoyling of their goods then did they of whome S. Paule doth testifie Neither do I know any of them all one only excepted apprehended of them which reuoltyng from his profession denied the Lord yet to this present day Among the rest that were taken there was a certayne virgin wel striken in yeres named Apollonia whome they brought forth dashing out all her teeth out of her iawes made a great fire before the citie threatning to cast her into the same vnlesse she would blaspheme with them and deny Christ. Whereat she staying a litle with herselfe as one that would take a pause sodenly leaped into the midst of the fire and there was burned There was one also Serapion whom they tooke in his owne house and after they had assayled him with sundrye kyndes of torments and had broken almost all the iointes of his body they cast him downe from an vpper lost so did he complete his Martirdom Thus was there no way neither priuie nor publike nor corner nor alley left for vs neither by day nor by night to escape al the people making an outcry against vs that vnlesse we vttred words of blasphemy we should be drawn to the fire burned And this outragious tumult endured a certaine space but at length as the Lord would the miserable wretches fell at dissentioÌ„ among themselues which turned the crueltie they exercised against vs vpon their own heads And so had we a litle breathyng tyme for a season while the fury of the Heathen people by this occasion aswaged Shortly then after this word was brought vnto vs of the state of the Empire which before was somthing fauorable to vs to be altered and changed agaynst vs putting vs in great feare And consequently vpon the same folowed the Edict of the Emperor so terrible cruell that according to the forewarning of the lord the elect if it had bene posâ—ibâ—e might haue bene therby subuerted Upon that Edict such feare came ouer vs al that many there were especially of the richer sort of whoÌ„ some for feare came ruÌ„ning some were led by the occasion of time some were drawne by their neighbours beyng cited by name to those vnpure and idolatrous sacrifices Other some came trembling shaking as men not which should do sacrifice but which should be sacrificed themselues the multitude laughyng them to scorne Some agayne came boldly to the aultars declaring themselues neuer to haue bene of that professioÌ„ of whom it is said that hardly they shal be saued Of the residue some followed one part some an other some ran away some were taken Of whome certaine continued to bands torments constant Other agayne after long imprisonment before they should come before the Iudge renounced their faith Some also
the house together men of one accord c. And so by the occasion hereof he writeth vnto them in the foresayd Epistle and moueth them to prayer and mutuall agreement For sayth he if it be promised in the Gospell to be graunted whatsoeuer any two consenting together shall aske what shall then the whole Churche do agreeing together or what if this vnanimitie were among the whole fraternitie which vnanimitie sayeth Cyprian if it had bene then among the brethren non venissent fraetribus haec mala si in vnum fraternitas fuisset animata that is these euiles had not happened to the brethren if the brethren had ioyned together in brotherly vnanimitie c. After the causes thus declared of this or other persecutions the sayd S. Cyprian moreouer in the forenamed Epistle worthy to be read of al men describeth likewise a certayne vision wherin was shewed vnto them by the Lord before the persecutiō came what should happen The vision was this There was a certayne aged father sitting at whose right hand set a young man very sad and pensiue as one with an indignation sorrowfull holding hys hand vpon hys brest hys countenaunce heauy and vnchearefull On the left hand sate an other person hauing in hys hand a net whiche he threatned to lay to catch the people that stode about And as he was marueiling that saw the sight thereof it was sayd vnto him The young man whō thou seest sit on the tight hand is sad and sory that hys preceptes be not obserued But he on the left hand daunceth and is merry for that occasion is geuen him to haue power of the aged Father geuen him to afflict men And this vision was seene long before this tempest of persecution happened Wherein is declared the same that before is sayd the sinnes of the people to be the cause why Sathan in this persecution and all other hath had and hath still such power with hys net of destruction to rage agaynst the bloud of Christen men and all because sayth Cyprian we forslacke our praying or be not so vigilant therein as wee shoulde wherefore the Lord because he loueth vs correcteth vs correcteth vs to amend vs amendeth vs to saue vs. c. Cyprian Furthermore the same Cyprian and in the same Epistle wrtting of his own reuelation or message sent to him thus sayth And to hys least seruaunt both sinfull and vnworthy meaning by himselfe God of his tender goodnes hath vouched safe to direct this word Tell him sayth he that hee be quiet and of good comfort for peace will come Albeit a litle stay there is for a while for that some remain yet to be proued and tryed c. And sheweth also in the same place of an other reuelation of his wherein he was admonished to be spare in hys feeding and sober in hys drinke least hys minde geuen to heauenly meditation might be caryed away with worldly allurements or oppressed with to much surfet of meates and drinkes should be lesse apt or able to prayer and spirituall exercise Finally in the latter end of the foresayd Epistle mention also followeth of other reuelations or shewinges wherein the Lord sayth Cyprian doth vouchsafe in many of hys seruantes to foreshew to come the restauring of hys Church the stable quiet of our health and safegard after rayne fayre weather after darcknes light after stormy tempest peaceable calme the fatherly helpe of his loue the wont old glory of hys diuine maiesty whereby both the blasphemy of the persecutors shall be repressed and the repentance of such as haue fallen be reformed and the strong and stable confidence of them that stand shall reioyce and glory Thus much hath S. Cyprian writing of these thinges to the Clergy Lib. 4. Epist. 4. As touching now the crymes and accusations in this persecution layd to the charge of the Christians thys was the principall first because they refused to doe worship to their Idols and to the Emperours then for that they professed the name of Christ. Besides all the calamities and euils that happened in the world as warres famine and pestilence were onely imputed to the Christians Agaynst all which quarreling accusations Cyprian doth eloquently defend the Christians in his booke Contra Demetrianum Like as Tertulian had done before writing Contra Scapulam page 55. And first touching the obiection for not worshipping Idoles he cleareth the Christians both in his booke Contra Demeir also De vanitate idol prouing those Idols to be no true Gods but Images of certayne dead kinges which neyther could saue themselues from death nor such as worship them The true God to be but one and that by the testimony of Sosthenes Plato and Trismegistus the which God the Christians doe truely worship And as concerning that the Christians were thought to be causes of publique calamities because they worshipped not the Gentiles Idoles he purgeth the Christians thereof prouing that if there be any defect in increase of thinges it is not to be ascribed to them but rather to the decrease of nature languishing now toward her age and latter end Agayne for that it hath bene so foresayd and prophecied that toward the end of the worlde should come warres famine and pestilence Moreouer if there be anye cause therof more proper then other it is most like to be imputed to their vaine Idolatry and to the contempt of the true God Also that such euils be increased by the wickednes of the people so that to speake in his owne words famem maiorem facia◠rapacites quam siccitas i. famine cometh more by auarice of men then by drought of the aire but especially the cause therof to procede of the cruell shedding of the innocent bloud of the Christians c. Thus with many other mo probations doth Cyprian defend the Christians against the barbarous exclamatiōs of the heathē Gentiles Of which Cyprian forsomuch as he suffered in the time of his persecution I mynde Christ wylling to recapitulate here in ample discourse the ful summe first of his life and bringing vp then of his death Martyrdome as the worthines of that man deserueth to be remembred Of this Cyprian therfore otherwise named Statius thus writeth Nicephorus Nazianzenns Iacobus de Voragine Henricus de Erfordia Volateranus Hieronymus and other that he being an Aphrican and borne in Carthage first was an Idolater and Gentill altogether giuen to the study and practise of the Magicall Artes of whose parentage and education in letters from his youth no mention is made but that he was a worthy Rethorician in Aphrica Of whose conuersion and baptisme he himselfe in his first booke second Epistle writeth a florishing and eloquent Hystory Which his conuersion vnto the christian fayth as Hieronimus affirmeth in his commentary vpon Ionas was through the grace of God and the meanes of Cecilius a Priest whose name after he bare and through the occasion of
ye gaue me to drinke I was harborles and ye lodged me And againe Looke what ye haue done to the least of these the same haue ye done to me What greater riches can christ our maister posses then the poore people in whoÌ„ he loueth to be sene Oh what toung is able to expresse the fury and madnes of the tirants hart Now he staÌ„ped he stared he raÌ„ped he fared as one out of his wit his eies like fier glowed his mouth like a bore fomed his teeth like an helhouÌ„d grinded Now not a reasonable man but a roaryng lion he might be called Kindle the fire he cried of wood make no spare Hath this vyllaine deluded the Emperour away with him away with him Whip him with scourges iercke him with rods buffet him with fistes braine him with clubs iesteth the traitour with the Emperour Pinche him with fyrie tonges gyrde him with burning plates bring out the strongest chaines and the fireforkes and the grated bedde of yron On the firewith it bind the rebell hande and foote when the bed is fire hot on with him rost him broyle him tosse him turne him On paine of our highe displeasure do euery man his office O ye tormentors The worde was no soner spoken but all was done After many cruell handlings this meeke lambe was layd I will not say on his firye bed of yron but on his soft bed of downe So mightily God wrought with his Martyr Laurence so miraculously God tempered his element the fire not a bed of consuming paine but a pallet of nourishing rest was it vnto Laurence Not Laurence but the Emperour might seeme to be tormented the one broiling in the fleshe the other burning in the hart When this tryumphant Martir had beene pressed downe with firepikes for a great space in the mightie spirite of God he spake to the vanquished tyraunt This side is now rosted inough turne vp O tyraunt great Assay whether rosted or raw thou thinkest the better meate O rare and vnaccustomed patience O faith inuincible that not onely not burnest but by meanes vnspeakable doest recreate refresh stablish strengthen those that are burned afflicted and troubled And why so mightilye comfortest thou the persecuted Because through thee they beleeue in gods promises infallible By thee this glorious Martir ouercommeth his torments vanquisheth this tyraunt confoundeth his enimies confirmeth the ChristiaÌ„s slepeth in peace raigneth in glory The God of might and mercy graunt vs grace by the life of Laurence to learne in Christ to liue and by his death to learne for Christ to dye Amen Such is the wisdome and prouidence of God that the bloud of his deare Saints like good seede neuer falleth in vaine to the grounde but it bringeth some increase so it pleased the Lord to worke at the Martirdome of this holy Laurence that by the constant confession of this worthy valiaunt Deacon a certaine souldiour of Rome beyng therwith compuncted and conuerted to the same faith desired forthwith to be Baptised of him for the which he being called for of the iudge was scourged and afterwarde beheaded Henr. de Erford Under the same Valerianus suffered also Dionysius byshop of Alexandria much affliction and banishment with certaine other brethren Of the which he writeth himselfe is alledged in the Ecclesiasticall story of Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 11. the wordes whereof tend to this effect Dionysius wyth three of his Deacons to wit Maximus Faustus and Cheremon also with a certaine brother of Rome came to Emilianus then President who there declared vnto them in circumstance of words how he had signified vnto them the clemencie of his Lords and Emperours who had graunted them pardon of life so that they would returne to them worship the Gods and keepers as he called them of their Emperie asking them what aunswere they would gyue him there vnto trusting as he saide that they woulde not shew themselues ingrateful to the clemency of them which so gently did exhort them To this Dionysius aunsweryng said Al men worship not al Gods but diuers men diuers gods so as euery one hath in himselfe a mind or phantasie to worship But we worship not many nor diuers Gods but onely that one God who is the creator of all things hath committed to our Lords Valerianus and Galienus the gouernmeÌ„t of their Empery making to him our prayers â—â—cessauntly for their prosperous health and continuance Then the President sayde And what hurt is it but that you may both worship your God what God soeuer he be and these our Gods also For you are coÌ„maunded worship such Gods as al men know to be gods Dionysius answered we worship none other but as we haue sayd Emilianus the President said I see you are ingratfull men and consider not the benignitie of the Emperous wherfore you shal remaine no longer in this City but shal be sent out to the parts of Libya vnto a towne called Cephro For that place by the commaundement of the Emperour I haue chosen for you Neither shal it be lawful for you to coÌ„uent your assemblies or to resort as ye are wont to your burial places And if any of you shal be found out of your places wherunto you are apointed at your peril be it And think not contrary but ye shal be watched well inough Depart therfore to the place as is coÌ„maunded you and it foloweth more in the said Dionysius speaking of himselfe And as for me sayth he although I was sicke yet hee vrged mee so straightly to depart that he would not giue me one dayes respite And how saith he writing to Germanus coulde I congregate or not congregate any assemblies And after a few lines it followeth And yet neyther am I altogether absent from the corporall societie of the Lordes flocke but I haue collected them togither which were in the Citye being absent as though I had bene present absent in body yet present in spirit And in the same Cephro a great congregation remayned with mee as well of those brethren which followed me out of the City as also of them which were remayning there out of Egypt And there the Lorde opened to me the doore of his word although at the first entraunce I was persecuted and stoned among them yet afterward a great number of them fel from their Idoles and were coÌ„uerted vnto the Lord. And so by vs the word was preached to them which before were infidels which ministery after that we had accomplished there the lord remoued vs to an other place For Aemilianus translated vs froÌ„ thence to more sharpe and straighter places of Libya commaunding vs to meete altogether at a city Mareota thinking there to separate vs seuerallye into sundrye villages or thinking rather to take and preuent vs by the way After we were come thether it was assigned to me saith Dionysius to go to Colluthion which place I neuer hearde of before which was the
in this persecution by the names of Martyrs within the space of 30. days 17. thousand persons beside an other great number and multitude that were condemned to the mettall mines and quaries with like crueltie At Alexandria with Peter the Bishop of whom I haue made mention before were slayne with axes 300. aboue as Sabellicus declareth Gereon was beheaded at Colonia Agrippina with 300. of his fellowes as saith Henricus de Erfordia Mauritius the Captaine of Christian religion with his fellowes 6666. Victor in the citie of Troy now called Xanthus with his fellowes 360. were slayne as sayth Otto Phrinsigensis Lib. 2. cap 45. Reginus reciteth the names of many other Martyrs to the number of 120. And for as much as mention here hath bene made of Mauritius and Victor the perticular description of the same history I thought here to insert taken out of Ado other story writers as insueth Mauritius came out of Syria into Fraunce and Italy beyng Captaine of the bande of the Theban souldiours to the number of 6660. beyng sent for of Maximianus to goe agaynst the rebellious Bangandes but rather as it should seeme by the treason of the â—irant which thought he might better in these quarters vse his tiranny vpon the Christians then in the East part These Thebans with Mauritius the Captaine after that they had entred into Rome who were there of Marcellus the blessed bishop confirmed in the fayth promising by othe that they would rather be slayne of their enemies then forsake that faith which they had receaued who followed the Emperours hoste through the Alpes euen into Fraunce At that tyme the Caesarians were incamped not farre from the towne called Ottodor where Maximianus offred sacrifice to his deuils and called all the souldiours both of the East and West to the same straightly charging them by the aultars of his Gods that they would fight against those rebels the Bangandes and persecute the christian enemies of the Emperors Gods which his commaundement was shewed to the Thebanes hoste which were also incamped about the riuer of Rode and in a place that was named Agawne but to Ottodor they wold in no wise come for that euery man did certainly appointe and perswade with themselues rather in that place to dye then either to sacrifice to the gods or beare armour against the Christians Which thing in deede very stoutly and valiantly they affirmed vpon their othe befor taken to Maximianus when he sent for them Wherwith the tyrant beyng wrathfull and all mooued commaunded euery tenth man of that whole band to be put to the sworde whereto striuingly and with great reioysing they committed theyr neckes To which notable thing and great force of fayth Mauritius himselfe was a great incourager who by by with a most graue Oration exhorted animated his souldiours both to fortitude coÌ„stancie Which beyng again called of the Emperor answered in this wise saying We are O Emperour your souldiours but yet also to speake freely the seruants of god We owe to thee seruice of war to him innoceÌ„cie of thee we receaue for our trauell wages of hym the beginning of lyfe But in this we may in no wayes obey thee O Emperour to deny God our author and Lord and not onely ours but your Lord likewise will ye nill ye If we be not so extreemely enforced that we offend him doubtles as we haue hitherto before we will yet obey you but otherwise we will rather obey hym then you We offer here our handes agaynst any other enemies but to defile our handes with the bloud of innocentes that we may not doe These right hands of ours haue skill to fight agaynst the wicked and true enemies but to spoyle and murder the godly and Citizens they haue no skill at all We haue in remembraunce how we tooke armour in hand for the defence of the Citizens and not agaynst them We fought alwayes for iustice sake pietie and for the health of innocentes These haue bene alwayes the rewardes of our perils and trauell We haue fought in the quarrell of fayth whiche in no wife we can keepe to you if we doe not shewe the same to our God We first sware vpon the Sacramentes of our God then afterward to the king and doe you thinke the second will aduaile vs if we breake the first By vs you would plague the Christians to doe which feate we are onely commaunded by you We are here ready to confesse God the author of all thinges and beleue in hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. We see before our eyes our fellowes and partakers of our labours and trauailes to be put to the sword and we sprinkled with their bloud of which our most blessed companions and brethreÌ„ their end and death we haue not bewayled nor mourned but rather haue bene glad and haue reioyced thereat for that they haue bene counted worthy to suffer for the Lord their God The extreeme necessitie of death cannot moue vs agaynst your maiesty neyther yet any despiratioÌ„ O Emperour which is wont in ventrous affayres to do much shal 〈◊〉 vs agaynst you Behold here we cast downe our weapons and resist not for that we had rather to be killed then kill and guiltles to dye then gilty to liue What soeuer more ye will commauÌ„d appoynt and inioyne vs we are here ready to suffer yea both fire sword and whatsoeuer other tormentes We confesse our selues to be Christians we cannot persecute Christians nor will do sacrifice to your deuilish Idols With which their aunswer the kyng beyng altogether incensed and mooued commaunded the second tyme the tenth man of them that were left to be in like case murdered That crueltie also beyng accomplished at length wheÌ„ the christian souldiours would in no wise condescend vnto his mynde he set vpon them with his whole host both footemen and also horsemen and charged them to kil them all Who with all force set vpon them they making no resistance but throwyng downe their armour yelded theyr lyues to the persecutors and offered to them theyr naked bodies Victor at the same tyme was not of that bande nor yet then any souldiour but one beyng an old souldior and dismissed for his age At which tyme he comming sodainly vpon them as they were haketting and making mery with the spoyles of the holy Martyrs was bidden to sit downe with them and first asking the cause of that their so great reioysing and vnderstanding the truth therof detested the guestes and refused to eate with them And then being demaunded of them whether happily he were a Christian or no openly confessed and denied not but that he was â— christian and euer would be And therupon they rushing vpoÌ„ him killed him and made him partner of the like Martyrdome and honour Beda in his history writeth that this persecution beyng vnder Dioclesian endured vnto the seuenth yere of Constantinus and Euseb Lib 8. cap. 6 sayth that is lasted vntill the
in the desert of Scythia who sent ij of hys Nouices with figs vnto one that was sicke in the wildernes 18. miles off from the Church It chaunced these two yong Nouices missing the way wandered so long in the wild forest or wildernes and could not find the Celie that for emptines and wearines they waxed faint tired And yet rather would they die then tast the figs committed to them to cary and so dyd for shortly after they were found dead their figges lying whole by them An other story he also reciteth of two Monasticall brethren who making their progresse in the desert of Thebaide purposed with theÌ„selues to take no sustenance but such as the Lord should minister himselfe vnto them It happened as they were wandering desolate in the desert and faynting almost for penury certayne Mazices a kinde of people by nature fearce and cruel notwithstanding being sodenly altered into a new nature of humanitye came forth and of their owne accord offered bread vnto them Which bread the one thankfully receaued as sent of God The other as counting it sent of man and not of God refused it and so for lacke perished Hereunto might I also annexe the story of Mucius who to declare his obedience did not sticke at the commaundement of his Abbot to cast his sonne into the water not knowing whether any were appointed there ready to rescue him from drouning so far were the Monkes in those dayes drouned in superstition What is this but for mans traditions and commaundements to transgresse the commaundement of God which saith Thou shalt do no murther Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God What man is so blynd that seeth not by these infinite examples mo what pernitious superstition hath begun by reason of this Monkery almost from the beginnyng to creepe into the Church Wherfore I cannot maruell inough seeyng that age of the Church had in it so many learned and famous Doctors who not onely did approue and allow these monasticall sectes of life but also certaine themselues were the authors and institutors of the same yea and of mens traditions made the seruice of God In number of whome may be reckoned Basilius Magnus Nazianzenus who with immoderate austeritie did so plucke downe themselues that when they were called to the office of Bishops they were not able to sustaine the labour therof After these foresayd monkes of that time aboue recited followed other Monkes of the middle age of the Church who as in multitude so also in superstition increasing began by little and little from their desolate dens in the vaste wildernes to approch more neare to great towns where they had solemne Monasteries founded by Kinges and Queenes and kings daughters and other rich Consuls as is partly before touched And the causes also touched withall for the which they were first founded as these pro remedio animae meae pro remissione peccatorum meorum pro redemptione peccatoruÌ„ meorum pro salute regnorum quique meo subiacent regimini populorum In honorem glorlosae virginis c. For all these impious and erroneous titles and causes we finde alleaged in storyes as in Malmes beriensis Iornalensis Henricus and other moe In which histories I also note that the most part of these foresayd monasteries were erected first vpon some great murther either by war in the field or priuately committed at home as shall well appeare to them which read the bookes whom I haue alledged But to returne to our Monks agayn who as is sayd first began to creepe from the cold field into warme townes and cloysters from townes then into citties and at length from their close cellors and citties vnto Cathedrall Churches as here appeareth by this storye of King Edgar where not onely they did abound in wealth and riches especially these Monkes of our latter tyme but much more did swimme in superstition and Pharisaicall hipocrisie beyng yoked and tied in all their doings to certaine prescript rules and formal obseruances in watching in sleeping in eating in rising in praying in walkyng in talking in looking in tasting in touching in handling in their gestures in their vestures euery maÌ„ apparailed not as the proper condition of other would require nor as the season of the yeare did serue but as the coacted rules order of euery sect did inforce them The number of which sectes was infinitely diuers some after Basilius rule went in white some after Benets rule in blacke some CluniaceÌ„sis first set vp by Otho in the tyme of this king Edgar wearing after the rule of Benets order some after Hieroms rule leather girdled and coped aboue their white coate some Gregorians copper coloureâ— Some de valle vmbrosa graye Monkes Some Grandâ—montenses wearing a coate of mailes vpon theyr bare bodyes with a black cloake therevpon Some Cistercianes who had white rochets on a blacke coate Some Celestines all in blew both cloake coule and cap Some Charter Monkes wearing hearecloth next their bodyes Some Flagellants going barefoot in long white linnen shirtes with an open place in the backe where they beat themselues with scourges on the bare skinne euery day before the peoples eyes till the bloud ranne downe saying that it was reuealed to them by an Angell that in so scourging themselues within 30. dayes and 12. houres they should bee made so pure from sinne as they were wheÌ„ they first receiued baptisme some starred Monkes Some Iesuites with a white girdle a russet coule Briefely who can recken vp the innumerable sectes and disguised orders of their fraternities Some holding of S. Benet some of S. Hierome Some of S. Basill Some of S. Barnard Some of S. Bridget Some of S. Bruno Some of S. Lewes as though it were not enough for Christen men to holde of Christ onely so subiect were they to seruile rules that no part of Christen liberty remayned among them So drowned and sunck in superstition that not onely they had lost Christes religion but also almost the sense and nature of men For where men naturally are and ought to be ruled by the descrete gouernment of reasoÌ„ in all outward doynges wherein no one rule can serue for all men the circumstaunce of tyme place person and busines being so sundry and diuers Contrary among these not reason but onely the knock of a bell ruled all their doinges their rising their sleeping theyr praying their eating their comming in their going out their talking their sileÌ„ce altogether like insensible people either not hauing reason to rule themselues or els as persons vngrateful to God neyther enioyning the benefite of reason created in them nor yet vsing the grace of Christes libertie wherunto he redemed them Thus thou seest gentle Reader sufficiently declared what the monkes were in the primitiue time of the Church what were the Monkes of the middle age and of these our latter dayes of the church Wherunto ioyne
brethren Soone after a Sonne of wicked Edricus by the minde as appeared afterward of his father espied when king Edmond was at the draught with a speare some say with a long knife thrust him into the fundameÌ„t wherof the sayd Edmond shortlye after dyed after that he had raigned two yeres He left behinde him two sonnes Edmond and Edward whom Edricke the wicked Duke after the death of their father tooke from theyr mother not knowing yet of the death of Edmond her husband preseÌ„ted them to king Canutus saluting him in these words Aue Rex solus Thus Canutus after the death of Edmond Irenside was king alone of the whole realme of englaÌ„d And afterward by the aduise of his counsayle he sent the foresayd sonnes of Edmond IroÌ„side to his brother Suanus king of Sueueland to be slayne who abhorring that deed sent them to Salomon king of HuÌ„gary where Edmond being maried to the kings daughter dyed Edward was maried to Agatha daughter of his brother Henry the 4. Emperour When Canutus was stablished in the kingdom he called a parliamentat London where among other things there debated it was propounded to the bishops BaroÌ„s and Lordes of the parliament there present whether that in the compositioÌ„ made betwene Edmund and Canutus any speciall remembraunce was made for the children or brethren of Edmund for any partition of any part of the land Wherunto the english Lordes falsly â—latteryng with the foraine kyng and speaking against their own mynds as also against their natiue countrey aunswered and sayd nay Affirming moreouer with an oth for the kings pleasure that they to the vttermost of their powers would put of the bloud of Edmund in all that they might By reason of which answer and promise they thought many of theÌ„ to haue purchased with the king great fauour But by the iust retribution of God it chaunced farre otherwise For many of them or the most part such especially as Canutus did perceiue to be sworne before tyme to Edmund his heyres and also considering that they were natiue englishmen he mistrusted and disdained euer after In so much that some he exiled a great sort he beheaded some by Gods punishment died sodainly Among whom wicked Edricke also the traytour although with hys sugred wordes he continued a while in the kings fauour at leÌ„gth escaped not condigne reward for his deceiuable dealyng For as the history of IornaleÌ„sis recordeth as the king was in his palace beyond Thames this Edricke beyng belike accused or els suspected of the king before comming vnto him began to reckon vp his benefites labours bestowed for his sake First in forsaking and betraying Egelred then in slaying king Edmund his sonne with many such other deedes moe which all for his sake he had done Well saith the king thou hast here rightly iudged thy selfe and worthily thou shalt dye for slaying thy naturall Prince my sworne brother And so commaunded him to be bound immediately hand and foote to be thrown into Thames Some stories say that when he had saluted the king with Aue rex solus and shewed him the slaying of Edmund Canutus promising that he would make him therfore higher then all the lordes of the realme commaunded his head to be striken off to be set vpon London bridge and hys body to be cast in the towne ditche And thus with shame ended he his wretched life as al they commonly do which with like dissimulatioÌ„ seeke the destruction of their Prince and of their countrey This Canutus shortlye after the death of king Edmond by the counsayle of Edricke exiled Edmond being brother to King Edmund called Rex rusticorum the king of Choorâ—es But afterward he was reconciled agayne to the kinges fauour and lastly slayne by certayne of the Kinges Secretaryes or Seruauntes Also through the counsayle of the sayd Edricke and of Emma his wife he sent the two Sonnes of Edmond Ironside Edmond and Edward to his brother Suanus king of Denmark to be slaine as is aboue sayd In this meane time Suanus king of Denmarke brother to Canutus died Wherfore that land fel to Canutus which anon after sailed thether and tooke thereof possession And after he had set it in an order he retourned into England and maried Emma late wife before of Egelred and by her had a soÌ„ne called Herdeknight or Hardeknoutus Moreouer this Canutus assembled a Parliament at Oxford where it was agreed that Englishmen Danes should holde the lawes made by king Edgar because they were thought so good resonable aboue any other lawes Thus the Danes being in England began by little little to be Christen men And Canutus went to Rome so returning againe to England gouerned that lande the space of 20. yeares leauing after him two sonnes Harold Hardeknoutus which Hardeknoutus was made king of Denmarke in his fathers time Harold called Harefoote for his deliuernes and swiftnes sonne to Canutus by Elgina his first wife began his raigne ouer England an 1039. Of him is little left in memory for he raigned but 4. yeres saue that he banished his stepmother Emma tooke her goods iewels from her Hardeknoutus being king of Denmarke and second sonne to Canutus by his last wife Emma was next King of England In the time of these Danish kings there was one Godwyn an earle in England which had bene before in great fauour with Canutus for his actes done in Denmarke against the Northwegians and afterward maryed yâ— sister some say the daughter of Canutus This Godwyn was of a cruell and subtill wit as he declared no lesse by the two sonnes of king Egelred For when these two aforesaid whose names were Alfride and Edward came from NormaÌ„die into England to visit their mother Emma and brought with them a great company of Normands this Godwine hauing a daughter called Godith whome he thought to marry to Edward set him vp to be King to bring his purpose about vsed this practise that is to perswade king Hardeknoue the Lordes not to suffer those Normandes to be within the realme for ieoperdie but rather to punish them for example By which meanes he gat authoritie to order the matter himselfe wherefore he 〈◊〉 them on Guild downe and there most wretchedly murthered or rather Martyred the most number of the Normandes and that innocently For as Swanus before had tithed the Monkes of Canterburie so heâ— with the cruell coÌ„pany of english soldiors slew ix of the saide Normands and saued the x. And yet passing the furie of Swanus as not contented with that tiranny he tithed againe the sayde tithe and slew euery x. knight and that by cruel tormeÌ„t as winding their guts out of their bodies as writeth Ranulphus And among other put out the eyes of the elder brother Alfridus and sent him to an Abbey of Elie where he being fed wyth breade and water endured not
vnto him an army and so landed at Hampton to the intent to haue expulsed his brother from the kyngdom But William Rufus hearing thereof sent to him sayre and gentle wordes promising him deditiō and subiection as to the more worthy and elder brother this thing onely requiring that seeyng he was now in place and possession he might enioy it during his life paying to him yerely iii. thousand markes with condition that which of them ouerlyued the other should enioy the kingdome The occasion of this variance betwene these brethren wrought a great dissentiō among the Normaine Lordes and Bishops both in England in Normandy In so much that all the Normain bishops within the realm almost rebelled against the king takyng part with Duke Robert except onely Lanfrancus and Wolstane Bishop of Worcester aboue mentioned an English man who for his vertue and constancie was so wel liked and fauoured of his citizens that emboldned wyth his presence prayer they stoutly maintained the City of Worcester agaynst the siege of their enemies at last vanquished them wyth vtter ruine But Duke Robert at length by the aduise of his counsaile hearing the wordes sent vnto him and wagging his dead thereat as one conceiuing some matter of doubt or doublenes was yet content to assent to all that was desired so returned shortly after into Normandy leauing the bishops and such other in the briers which were in England taking his part against the kyng This Rufus was so ill liked of the Normaines that betwene him and his Lords was oft dissention Wherfore well nere all the Normains tooke part agaynst him so that he was forced of necessitie to drawe to hym the Englishe men Agayne so couetous he was and so unmeasurable in his taskes and takings in selling benefites Abbeys and Bishoprickes that he was hated of all English men In the third yere of this king died Lancfrancus Archbishop of Cant. from whose commendation and worthines as I list not to detract any thing being so greatly magnified of Polidorus his countreyman so neyther doe I see any great cause why to adde any thing therunto This I thinke vnlesse that man had brought with him lesse superstition and more sincere science into Christes Church he might haue kept him in his countrey still haue confuted Berengarius at home After the decease of Lanfranke the sea of Cant. stoode emptie iiii yeares After the counsaile of Lancfrancus aboue mentioned wherin was concluded for translating of Bishops seas from villages into head cities Remigius bishop of Dorchester who as ye heard accompanied Lancfrancus vnto Rome remooued his Bishops sea from Dorchester vnto Lincolne where he builded the minster there situate vpon an hill within the sayd citie of Lincoln The dedication of which church Robert Archbishop of Yorke did resist saying that it was builded within the ground of his precinct But after it had his Romish dedication by Robert Blocet next bishop that followed By the same Remigius also was sounded the cloister or monastery of Stow c. In the iiii yeare of this king great tempest fell in sondry places of England specially at Winchcombe where the steeple was burned with lightning the Church walle brast through the head and right leg of the Crucifixe with the Image of our Lady on the right side of the Crucifixe throwen downe and such a stench left in the Church that none might abide it At London the force of the weather tempest ouerturned vi hundreth houses In which tempest the roofe of Bowe church was whurled vp in the wind and by the vehemence thereof was pitched downe a great deepenes into the ground King William as ye heard an exceding piller or rauener rather of Church goods after he had geuen the Bishoprike of Lincolne to his Chauncellor Robert Bleuet aboue minded began to cauil auouching the sea of Lincoln to belong to the sea of Yorke till the Bishop of Lincolne had pleased him with a great summe of money of v. thousand markes c. And as nothing could come in those dayes without mony from the king so Herbert Lolinga paying to the kyng a peece of money was made bishop of Thetford as he had payd a little before to be Abbot of Ramesey who likewise the same time remouing his sea from Thetford to the Citie of Norwich there erected the Cathedrall Church with the cloister in the said citie of Norwith where he furnished the Monkes with sufficient liuing and rentes of his owne charges besides the Bishops landes Afterward repentyng of his open and manifest simonie he went to Rome where he resigned vnto the Popes hands his bishoprike but so that incontinēt he receiued it againe This Herbert was the sonne of an Abbot called Robert for whō he purchased of the king to be bishop of Winchester wherof runneth these verses Filius est praeful pater Abba Simon vterque Quid non speremus si nummos possideamus Omnia nummus habet quod vultfacit addit aufert Res nimis iniusta nummus fit praeful Abba c. Ye heard a little before of the death of Pope Hildebrād after the tyme of which Hildebrand the Germain Emperors began to loose their authoritie and right in the Popes electiō and in geuing of benefices For next after this Hildebrand came Pope Victor by the setting vp of Matilda and the Duke of Normandy with the faction and retinue of Hildebrand who likewise shewed himselfe stout against the emperor But God gaue the shrewd Low short hornes For Victor beyng poysoned as some say in his chalice late but one yeare and a halfe Notwithstanding the same imitation and example of Hildebrand continued still in thē that followed after And like as the kings of Israel folowed most part the steps of Ieroboam till the tyme of theyr desolation so for the greatest sort all Popes followed the steps and proceedings of this Hildebrand their spirituall Ieroboam in maintaining fals worship and chiefly in vpholding the dignitie of the sea against all rightfull authoritie and the lawful kingdom of Sion In the time of this Victor began the order of the Monkes of Charterhouse through the meanes of one Hugo bishop of Gracionople and of Bruno bishop of Colen Next to Victor sate Urbanus the ii by whom the acts of Hildebrand were confirmed also new decrees enacted against Henricus the Emperour In this time were two Popes at Rome Urbanus and Clemens iii. whome the Emperor set vp Under Pope Urbane came in the white Monkes of Cistercian order by one Stephen Harding a monke of Shireborne an Englishman by whom this order had his beginning in the wildernes of Cistery within the prouince of Burgoyne as witnesseth Cestrensis Other write that this Harding was the ij Abbot of that place that it was first founded by the meanes of one Robert Abbot of Molisine in Cistercium a Forest in Burgundy an 1098.
that which our aduersaries take out of their owne treasurie And because I will not refuse the order of lawe in this behalfe let it be the ende of the strife that either I may be openly shamed before the people either els the victory falling on my side we may winne you to the obedience of our soueraigne Lord the Emperour Also take you hede to this saying If any man do preach otherwise then that which is preached let him be of you accursed This curse I say doeth not proceede from any newe prophane authoritie but is thundered downe from the third heauen And of them which knowe not the righteousnes of God but goe about to stablish their owne righteousnes and therfore be not subiect to the righteousnes of God I may boldly say let such be accursed So may you well say confounded be al they that proudly rise vp against the Lorde but thy seruant oh Lord shall reioyce for as thou hast wel saide without me you can doe nothing so in iudging of the wicked thou doest not condemne the iust Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant to his owne Lord whether he doth stand or fall The answere of the Earle Lewes to Bishop Waltram THe Earle Lewys to the Lord Waltram howsoeuer vnworthy or vnmeete he be for the name Like as a good man from the good treasure of the hart bringeth forth good fruit so doeth the euil man from the euil treasure of the heart bring forth euil fruit What arrogācie hath so possessed you to prouoke my displeasure with such iniurious contumelies for in dede those my good lords and spirituall fathers which strengthen me in the way of righteousnes you railingly call them bloudy men like vnto Sathan and the wholesome lessons which they teache you say they are but dreames of the common people amongest foolish women Hath God any nede of your iudgement that you should speake leasings for him Iniquity hath taught your mouth to folow blasphemous tonges so that wel may the Prophet say of you he would not vnderstand to do wel he hath deuised wickednesse vpon his bed Although therfore you being altogether froward haue only spoken frowarde things yet we haue determined to set a watche before your mouth like as if a shameles person shoulde stande vp before vs and the worde of GOD dothe prouoke vs saying Answere a foole according to his owne foolishnesse least hee shoulde seeme wise in his owne opinion Shall folly speake and wisedome holde his peace Shall lies be freely vttered and trueth compelled to kepe silence Shall darkenes couer the earth shall not the Lorde arise and shine yea rather the light hath lightened the darknes and darknes hath not comprehended it In consideration hereof our harts haue melted and our zealous meditation hath set vs on fire We therefore speake and crie and the little foxes which vndermine the Lords vineyards as much as in vs is we driue away fearing the threatning prophecie You haue not withstanded our aduersaries neither haue you made a bulwarke for the defence of the house of Israel that you might be able to stand in battaile in the day of the Lorde Let them heare I speake not to you which haue cares and heare not eyes see not which haue made darke the light that is in you but let them heare I say that be wel disposed and haue eares to heare withall As for you you haue no vnderstanding and if you haue you cloke it Neither haue you any thing to say or to proue by what reason we should be subiect to the Lord Henry whome you call Emperour And yet as it is giuen vs to vnderstand you goe about to perswade that of necessity we ought to be subiect to him that by the argumēt of S. Paule Let euery soule be subdued to the higher powers for there is no power but of God he therefore that doth withstande power doth resist Gods ordinance The which sentence of the Apostle we say that you do euil conceiue and therefore euil interprete for if euery power be of God as you vnderstande what is meant by that that the Lord doth speake of some by the Prophet They did raigne and were not made Princes by me and I knewe them not If euery power be of God as you take it what is to be thought of that that the Lorde doth say If thine eye offende thee pluck it out and cast it from thee For what is power but the eie Certainly Augustine in the exposition of this sentence of the Apostle let euery soule c. doth say that if the powers do commād any thing against God then haue them in contempt but yet neuertheles feare thē Is there any iniquitie with God Is Christ the minister of sinne God forbid What shal we therfore say doth the Apostle preach contrary to the truth Augustinus sayeth no one winde filleth many pipes of diuers tunes Therfore let vs hear the Apostle agreeing and expounding himselfe and destroying his enemie and auenger There is sayeth he no power but of God What followeth He therfore sayth he that doth resist the power c. God forbid doeth nothing followe But what doeth followe Those powers which be ordeined of god truely that is it we look for O craftie tongue O heart imagining mischiefe O consuming breath that shall not returne why hast thou lied to the holy ghost Thine owne conscience shall accuse thee Behold the wicked fleeth and no man doth pursue him Why woulde you suppresse the truth to the intēt to deceiue Why haue you stolne away the pith and effect of this sentence For if these wordes should be taken away from the midst of the sentence it shuld lie contrary to it selfe inconuenient and halfe dead The worde of the Lord is herein fulfilled He that diggeth a pit for his neighbour shal fall therein him selfe Verely you can neither excuse you of theft neither auoid the punishment due for the same What O vnhappy man what shall you answer to the iudge when he shall require an accompt of his seruaunts whome he putteth in trust seeing you shal be set before him in the midst and prooued a picker of your maisters treasure Wherefore did you not feare the iudgement executiō whē as the giltines of offence doth require condigne punishment The Apostle through the holy Ghost did foresee that you and such heretikes as you are should spring in the Church which should call good euil and euil good and that should put darknes in place of light and light in place of darknes which also should take occasion by the sentences of truth to bring in error When as he did set this before there is no power but of God to the intent that hee might take away the coniecture of false vnderstanding for sayeth he those powers that be are ordeined of God Geue therefore an ordinarie power and we doe not resist yea we will forthwith doe
our homage But I do maruell if at the least there remaine in you any one drop of bloud that you are not ashawed to call the Lord Henry a king or to allow him any ordinarie place Is this a seemely order thinke you to geue place to wickednes and to make a generall confusion in mixing good and euill Gods and mans deuises together Either do you thinke this good order for man to sinne against his owne body as Oh shamefull wickednes to make his owne wife a common harlot a mischiefe not heard of at any time since the beginning of the world before now or do you alow this for good order when as the Lord sayth defend the widowes especially such as require equitie of Iustice and then them to send away most filthely defiled Madde Orestes doth protest him to be out of his wit that will say these things to be orderly or well done Vntill this most miserable time nature hath euer loued secrecie but your king geueÌ„ vp into a reprobate sense hath vncouered the priuities of nature who hath not let to lay abroade all shamefastnesse we wil not speake of other thinges which cannot be numbred that is to say burning of Churches robberies fiering of houses manslaughters murders such like the number whereof he knoweth and not we for let vs speake chiefly of those things which most greue the Church of God Harken therfore to true not fained things Hearken I say to matters of earnest and to no trifles Euery one that doth tell spirituall dignities is an hereticke But the Lord Harry whom they cal a king doth sell both Byshoprikes and Abbathies for truely he solde for money the Byshoprikes of Constance Babemberge Mens many others The Byshopprikes of Ratisbone Augusta and Strafebrough he sold for a sword and the Abbey of Fulda for adulterie And for filthy sodomitry he sold the byshopprike of Mon. A wickednes it is to speake or heare of such a fact The which things if without shame ye wil deny he is to be condemned by the witnes of heauen and earth yea and of the selie poore idiotes that come from the smithes forge Wherfore the Lord Harry is an hereticke For the which most wicked euils he is excommunicate from the sea Apostolike so that he may not exercise either kingdome or power ouer vs which be Catholicke And whereas you burden vs with hatred of our brethren knowe you that we purpose not to hate any of affection but of a godly zeale God forbidde that we should thinke Harry worthy to be accompted amongst our christian brethren who in deede is reputed for an Ethnike and Publicane in that he refused to heare the Church which so oft hath reproued him The hatred of whome we offer vnto God for a great sacrifice saying with the Psalmist Lord shall not I hate them that hate thee and shall not I triumph ouer thine enemies I hate them with an inward hatred that be ennemies to me for thy sake The truth it selfe commending the worthines of this hatred doth say If any do not hate father and mother brethren and sisters for my sake he cannot be my disciple We are not therefore iustly to be reproued of hatred which doe geue ouer our owne soule to be in the way of God who in deede are commanded to hate father and mother and euery affection which doth withstaÌ„d vs for walking in the path of God Hereof it commeth that we labor withall our studie and endeuour to beware of the enemies of the church and them to hate Not for that they be our enemies but gods Father where you doe perswade peace to be had with all men you must remember what the Apostle doth put before if it may be But if it can be that we can haue peace with them who can be contrary to God who doth not know the Lord our Sauiour to commend not onely peace when as he sayth my peâ—ce I geue vnto you my peace I leaue vnto you but that he is the peace as sayeth the Apostle he is the peace which made of both one For he calleth him our peace speaking in commendation of the peace Thincke not sayeth hee that I came to sende peace For I came not to send peace but the sworde What is meant by this Why is peace called a sword Or doth peace bid battel Yea truely to destroy the peace of the deuill For the deuil hath his peace whereof the Lord speaketh When as the strong man keepeth his house he doth possesse all his substance in peace Oh howe mightely doeth the deuil kepe his souldiours and his house in this time who with the shield of falshood and the helmet of vntruth so doth defend him that he will not suffer either arrow or dart of truth to pearse him Neuertheles our Lord being more strongly armed fiercely comming vpon your Giaunt is able to ouercome him and to take away his weapons wherein he putteth his trust We are not therfore to be blamed if we do detest that peace more cruel then any warre The which the truth it selfe did reproue weeping ouer Hierusalem and saying Truely it grieueth me this day to see sinners in peace being like vnto that peace wherat the Psalmist was offended Whereas you condemne Pope Gregory king Rodolphus and Marques Eggerbertus as men that haue died of an vnhappy death do magnifie your Lord because he doth ouerliue them it doth plainly forsoth appeare that you remaine voide of all spiritual consideration Is it not better to die well then to liue ill They be truely happy who suffer persecution for righteousnes sake by the same reason may you esteme Nero Herod and Pilate happy in that they ouerliued Peter Paul Iames Apostles Iesus Christ. What can be said more foolish and wicked then this opinion Wherfore refraine your babling toung from this blasphemie least that you place your selfe in the number of them which seeing the end of the iust to be glorious themselues doing late vnfruitfull penance bewailing in the anguish of the spirite shall say These be they whom sometime we had in derision laughed to scorne we being out of our wits thought their liues madnes and their end to be without honor Behold howe they be allowed to be amongst the children of God and their portion is amongst the Saints Wherfore we haue erred from the way of truth the brightnes of righteousnesse did not shine vpon vs. What did out pride auaile vs And what profit did the boasting of our richesse bring vnto vs They are all vanished away like a shadowe The which wordes we haue registred vp into perpetual memorie we do despise euery atteÌ„pt that shal lift vp it self against the truth of God And reioycing in troubles we may be reprooued put to shame and rebuked yea and finally be slaine and killed but we wil neither yeeld nor be ouercome And with great triumph will we reioyce in our fathers
them also that willingly assist them or be wicked doers with them in the sauie till such time as they may deserue absolution by penance and confession So that whatsoeuer he be that is noised or prooued to be of this wickednesse if he be a religious person he shall from thence foorth be promoted to no degree of honor and that which he hath shal be taken from him If he be a lay person he shal be depriued of all his freedome within the land and be no better then a foreiner And because it shal be known the absolution of such as be secular to belong onely to byshops it was therefore enacted that on euery sonday in euery parish church of England the said excommunication should be published c. But marke in this great matter what followed For as Ranulphus Lestrensis witnesseth this grieuous general curse was soone called backe againe by the sute of certaine which persuaded Anselme that the publication or opening of that vice gaue kindlings to the same in the heartes of lewde persons ministring occasion of more boldnes to thē to do the like And so to stop the occasiō of filthie Sodomitry the publication thereof was takē away but the forbidding and restreinement of Priestes vnlawfull mariage which chiefly was the cause thereof remained still And thus euer since horrible Sodomitry remained in the clergic both for lacke of mariage more vsed and for lack of publication lesse punished Besides all these Synodall acts aboue comprehended and geuen out by Anselmus in his Councels before heeralso in this present Coūcell at Westminster and in the yere of this king aforesaid he also directed other newe Iniuncetions to the Priests First that they and their wiues shoulde neuer more meete in one house neither yet haue dwelling in their territories Item that the Priests deacons and subdeacons shuld keepe no women in their house vnlesse they were of their next kinne Item for suche as had disseuered themselues from the societie of their wiues yet for some honest cause they had to common with them they might so it were without doore and with ij or iij. lawfull witnesses Item if any of them should be accused by ij or iij. witnesses and could not purge himselfe againe by sixe able mē of his owne order if he be a Priest or if he be a Deacon by iiij or if he be a Subdeacon by ij then he should be iudged a transgressor of the statutes depriued of his benefice be made infamous or be put to open reproche of all men Item he that rebelled as in contempt of this new statute held still his wife and presumed to say masse vpon the viij day after if he made not due satisfaction should be solemnly excommunicated Item all Archdeacons and Deacons to be straightly sworne not to wink or dissemble at their meetings nor to beare with them for money And if they would not be sworne to this then to loose their offices without recouery Item such priests as forsaking their wiues were willing to serue still and remaine in their holy order first must cease 40. dayes from their ministration setting Uitars for them in the meane time to serue and taking such penaunce vpon them as by their Bishop should be enioyned them Thus haue ye heard the tedious treatise of the life and doings of Anselmus how superstitious in his Religion how stubburne against his Prince he was what occasion of warre and discorde he ministred by his complaintes if they had ben taken what zeale without right knowledge what feruencie without cause he pretended what paines without profite he tooke Who if he had bestowed that time and trauel in preaching Christ at home to his flock which he tooke in gadding to Rome to complaine of his countrey in my minde he had bene better occupied Moreouer what violent and tyrannical iniunctions he set forth of inuesting and other thinges ye haue heard but specially against the lawfull and godly mariage of Priests Wherin what a vehement aduersary he was here may appeare by these minutes or peeces extracted out of his letters which we haue here annexed in forme and effect as followeth A letter of Anselme Anselme archbishop to his brethren and dearest sonnes the Lord prior and other at Canterburie AS concerning Priests of whom the king cōmanded that they should haue both their Churches their women as they had in the time of his father and of Lanfrancus Archbishop both because the king hath reuested reseazed of the whole Archbishopricke and because so cursed a mariage was forbidden in a Coūcel in the time of his father and of the saide Archbishop Boldely I command by the authoritie which I haue by my Archbishoprike not onely within my Archbishoprike but also throughout England that all Priests which keepe women shal be depriued of their Churches and Ecclesiastical benefices A letter of Pope Paschalis to Anselme Paschal Bishop Seruaunt of Gods Seruants to his reuerend brother Anselme Archb. of Cant. greeting and Apostolical blessing WE beleue your brotherhode is not ignorāt what is decreed in the Romish Church concerning Priests children But because there is so great multitude of such within the Realme of England that almost the greater and better part of the Clerks are reckened to be on this side therfore we commit this dispensation to your care For we graunt these to be promoted to holy offices by reason of the need at this time and for the profit of the church such as learning and life shal commēd among you that yet notwithstanding the preiudice of the Ecclesiasticall decree be taken heede to hereafter c. An other letter of Anselme for Inuesting To the reuerend Lord and louing father Paschal high bishop Anselme seruant of Canterbury church due subiection and continual prayers AFter that I returned to my bishopricke in Englande I shewed the Apostolicall decree which I being present heard in the romish Councel 1. That no man should receiue inuesting of churches of the kinges hand or any lay person or shoulde become his man for it and that no man shoulde presume to consecrate him that did offend herein when the K. and his nobles and the bishops themselues and other of the lower degree hearde these things they tooke them so grieuously that they sayde they woulde in no case agree to the thing and that they woulde driue me out of the kingdome and forsake the Romish Churche rather than keepe this thing wherefore reuerende father I desire your counsell by your letter c. An other letter of Anselme Anselme Archbishop to the reuerend Gudulphus Bishop and to Ernulphus Prior and to William Archdeacon of Canterburie and to all in his Dioces greeting WIlliam our Archdeacon hath writtē to me that some priests that be vnder his custodie taking againe their women that were forbidden haue fallen vnto the vnclennesse from the which they were drawne by wholesome counsel and commaundement
Church Brethren seeke not to confound your selues and the church of God so much as in you is but turne to me you shal be safe For the Lord sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather he should conuert and liue Stand with me manfully in the warre take your armour and your shield to defend me Take the sword of the word of the mighty God that we altogether may withstand more valiauntly the malignant enemies such as goe about to take away the soule of the church which is her liberty without which liberty she hath no power agaynst them that seeke to incroche to their inheritaunce the possession of Gods sanctuary If ye will heare and follow me know ye that the Lord will be with you and with vs all in the defence of the libertye of his church Otherwise if ye will not the Lord iudge betwixt me and you and require the confusion of his Church at your handes Which church whether the world will or no standeth firmely in the word of the Lord whereupon she is builded and euer shall till the houre come that she shall passe from this world to the Father For the Lord euer doth support her with his hand Wherefore to returne to the matter brethren remember well with your selues which thing ye ought not to forget what daunger I was brought vnto and the Church of God also while I was in England at my departing out of England and after my departure from thence also in what daunger it standeth at thys present day But especially at that time when as at Northampton Christ was iudged agayne in my person before the iudgement seat of the high president Who euer heard the Archb. of Canterbury being troubled for iniuries done to him and to his church and appealing to the Pope of Rome to be iudged condemned appealed and put to his sureties and that of his owne suffraganes Where is this law seene or the authority nay rather peruersity of this Canon heard of And why yet shame ye not at this your enormity Why are ye not confounded Or why doth not this confusion worke in you repentaunce and repentance driue you to due satisfaction before God and men For these and suche other iniuries done to God and to his church and to me for gods cause which with a good conscience I ought to suffer because that without daunger of soule I ought not to dissemble them I choose rather to absent my selfe for a season and to dwell quietly in the house of my Lord then in the tabernacle of sinners vntill the time that their iniquity be complete the hartes of the wicked and the congitations of the same shal be opened And these iniuries were the cause both of my appeale from the king and of my departure from thence which ye terme to be sodaine But if ye will speake the truth which ye know it ought no lesse then to be sodaine least being foreknowne it might haue bene preuented and stopped And as God turned the matter it happened for the best both for the honor of the king ard better safety of them which seeking my harme should haue brought slaunder to the king If such troubles followed vpon my departing as ye say let them be imputed to him which gaue cause the fault is in the worker not in the departer in him that pursueth not in him that auoydeth iniuries what would ye more I presented my selfe to the court declaring both the causes of my comming and of my appeale declaring also the wronges and iniuries done to me to my Church and yet could haue no auÌ„swere neither was there any that layd any thing agaynst me before we came to the king Thus while we stood wayting in the court whether any would come agaynst me or not they sent to my officials charging them not to obey me in my temporalities nor to owe any seruice to me or to any of mine After my appellation made in the Court my Church was spoyled we and they about vs depriued of our goods outâ—awed both of the Clergy and of the layty men women and infantes the goods of the Church that is the patrimony of the crucifix confiscate and part of the mony turned to the kinges vse part to your owne cofers Brother Byshop of London if this be true that we here of you and that to the vse of your owne Churche ye conuert this money we charge you and require you forthwith by vertue of obedience that within fourtye dayes after the sight of these letters all delaye and excuse set aâ—ide ye restore agayne within the time aforesayd all suche gooddes and percelles as you haue taken away For it is vnmeete and contrarye to all lawe one Churche to be enriched with the spoil of an other church If ye stand vpon the authoritie that set you a worke you must vnderstand that in matters concerning the church goods he can geue no lawfull autoritie which committeth violent iniurie c. What authoritie and what scripture geueth this prerogatiue to PrinceÌ„s vpon Church goodes which you would attribute to them What will they lay for them the remedie of appeale God forbid It were euill with the Church of God if when the sacrilegious extorcioner hath violently inuaded other mennes goodes especially the goods of the church he shoulde after defend him with the title of appeale c. Doe not brethren so confounde altogether the right of the Church and of the temporall regiment For these two are muche differeÌ„t one borowing his authority of the other Read the scriptures and ye shall finde what and how many kings haue perished for taking vpon them the priestly office Therefore let your discretion prouide least for this your doing Gods punishmeÌ„t light vpon you which if it come it will be hard for you very easely to escape Prouide also and see to your king whose fauour ye prefer before the wealth profit of the Church least if it happen which God forbid that he doth perish with all his house after the example of them which for the like crime were plagued And if yee cease not off from that ye begin with what conscience can I dissemble or forbeare but must nedes punish you let him dissemble with you who list hauing authoritie so to doe truely I will not there shal be no dissimulation found in me And where you write in your letters coÌ„cerning my promotion that it was against the voice of the whole realme that the church did reclaime against it What should I say to you but that ye knowe right well the lie which the mouth doeth willingly speake killeth the soule but especially the wordes of a Priestes mouth ought euer to goe with verity As touching this matter I appeale to your own coÌ„scieÌ„ce whether the forme of my election stoode not fully with the consent of them all to whome the election belonged hauing also the assent of the prince by his
vp of your letter where ye bring in for your appellation against me a safegarde for you which rather in deede is an hinderance to you that we shoulde not proceede against the inuaders of the Churche goodes nor against the King in like censure as we haue done against the bishoppe of Salisburie as yee say and hys Deane To this I aunswere God forbidde that we haue or els shoulde heereafter proceede or do any thing against the king or his lande or against you or your Churches inordinately or otherwise then is conuenient But what if you shall exceede in the same or like transgression as the Byshoppe of Salesburie hath done thinke yee then your appellation shall helpe you from the discipline of our seueritie that ye shall not be suspended Marke yee diligently whether this be a lawful appeale and what is the forme thereof We knowe that euery one that appealeth eyther doeth it in his owne name or in the name of an other if in hys owne name either it is for some greeuance inferred alreadie or els for that he feareth after to be inferred against him Concerning the first I am sure there is no greuance that you can complaine of as yet God be thanked that you haue receiued at my hand for the which you should appeale frō me neither haue you I trust any cause speciall against me so to doe If ye doe it for feare that is to come least I shoulde trouble you and your Churches consider whether this be the appeale which ought to suspende or stay our power and authoritie that we haue vppon you and your Churches It is thought therefore of wise men and we also iudge no lesse your appeale to be of no force First for that it hath not the right forme of a perfect appellation and also because it is not consonante to reason and lacketh order and helpe of the lawe Furthermore if your appellation be in an other mans name either it is for the King as moste like it is or for some other If it be for the king than ye ought first to vnderstande that appellations are woont to be made to repell and not to inferre iniurie or to release such as be oppressed that they shoulde not be oppressed any more Wherefore if any man shall enter any appellation not trusting to the suretie of his cause but to delay the time that sentence be not geuen vpon him that appellation is not to be receaued For what state will there be of the Church if the libertie therof being taken away the goods of the Church spoyled the bishops driuen from their places or at least not receiued with full restitution of their goodes the inuaders and spoylers therof may defend themselues by appealing thereby to saue themselues from the penalty of their desert What a ruine of the Church will this be See what ye haue done and what ye say Be you no◠the vicares of Christ representing him in earth Is it not your office to correcte and bridle ill doers whereby they may cease to persecute the Church And is it not inough for them to be fierce to rage against the church but that you should take their part setting your selues against vs to the destruction of the church Who euer heard of so monstrous doings Thus it shall be heard and sayde of all nations and countries that the Suffraganes of the Church of Caunterburie which ought to stande with their Metropolitane vnto death in defence of the Churche nowe goe about by the kings commaundement so much as in them doth lie to suspend his autoritie least he shuld exercise his Discipline of correction vppon them that rebell against the Church This one thing I knowe that you cannot sustaine two sortes of persons at once both to be the appeale makers and to be appealed vp your selues You be they which haue made the appellation and you be they against whome the appellation is made Is there any more churches then one and the body of the same And howe meete were it than that you being the members of the Churche shoulde holde together with the heade therof I am afraide brethren least it may be sayde of vs These be the Priestes which haue sayde where is the Lorde and hauing the lawe doe not knowe the law Furthermore this I suppose you being discrete men are not ignoraunt of that such as enter any appellation there are not wont to be hearde vnlesse the matter of their appellation either belongeth to themselues or except speciall commaundement force them thereunto or else vnlesse they take an other mannes cause vpon them First that it belongeth nothing vnto you it is plaine for so muche as the contrary rather pertaineth to your duetie that is to punish and to correct all such as rebell against the Church And if he which subuerteth the libertie of the Churche and inuadeth the goodes therof conuerting them to his owne vse be not heard appealing for hys owne defence much lesse is an other to be heard appealing for him Wherefore as in this case neither he can appeale for himself not yet commaund you so to do so neither may you receiue the commaundement to appeale for him Thirdly as touching the taking of an other mannes cause or businesse vpon you to this I say and affirme that yee ought in no maner of wise so to doe specially seeing the matter pertaineth to the oppression of the Church and whereupon ensueth great damage to the same Wherefore seeing it neither appertaineth to you neither ought yee to receiue any such commaundement nor yet to take vppon you any such cause as that is your appeale is neither to be hard nor standeth with any lawe Is this the deuotion and consolation of brotherly loue which you exhibite to your Metropolitane being for you in exile God forgeue you this clemencie And how nowe will ye looke for your letters and messengers to be gently receiued heere of vs Neither doe I speake this as though there were any thing in hande betwixt your part and oures or that we haue done any thing inordinately against the person of the king or against his lande or against the persones of the Church or intende by Gods mercie so to doe And therefore we say briefly affirme constantly that our Lorde the king can not complaine of any wrong or iniurie to be done vnto him if he being often called vpon by letters and messengers to acknowledge his fault neither will confesse his trespasse nor yet come to any satisfaction for the same haue the censure of seueritie by the Pope and vs laide vpon him For no man can say that he vniustly is entreated whome the lawe doeth iustly punish And briefly to conclude knowe you this for certaine that extortioners inuaders detailners of the Church goodes and subuerters of the liberties therof neither haue any authoritie of the lawe to maintaine them neyther doth their appealing defend them c. ¶ A briefe Censure vpon the
Minimi other of the Gospell other de Caputio They all differ in many things but accord in superstitiō hipocrisie And for somuch as we haue here entered into the matter of these 2. orders of Friers by the occasion hereof I thought a little by the waye to digresse from our story in reciting the whole catologue or rablement of Monkes Fryers and Nunnes of al sectes rules and orders set vp and confirmed by the Pope The names of whome here in order of the Alphabet followe vnder written The rablement of religious orders AVstinians the first order  Ambrosians two sortes 490 Antonies heremites 324 Austines heremetes 498. Austines obseruauntes 490 Armenians sect  Ammonites and Moabites  Basilius order 384 Benets order 524 Bernardus order 1120 Barefooted Friers 1222 Brigits order 1370 Beghartes or white spirites 1399 Brethren of Ierusalem 1103 Brethren of S. Iohn De Ciuitate blacke Frier 1220 Brethren of wilfull pouertie  Cluniacensis order 913 Canons of S. Augustine 1080 Charterhouse order 1086 Cisterciensis order 1098 Cros bearers or crossed Friers 1216 Carmelites or white Friers 1212 Clares order 1225 Celestines order 1297 Camaldulensis order 950 Crosse starred brethren  Constantino politanish order  Crosse bearers  Chapter monkes  Dutch order 2216 Dominicke blacke Friers 1220 Franciscanes 1224 Graundmontensis order 1076 Gregorian order 594 Georges order 1407 Guilhelmites 1246 Gerundinensish order  Galilei or Galileans  Heremites  Helenes brethren Humiliati 1166 Hospitall brethren  Holy Ghost order  Ieromes orders two sortes 1412. Iohns Hermites  Iustines order 1432. Iohns order Ioannites 380 otherwise knightes of the Rodes 1308 Iniesuati 1365 Ieromes heremites 490 Iosephes order  Iacobites sect  Iames brethrens order  Iames brethren with the sword  Indians order  Katherine of Senes order 1455 Keyed Monkes knightes of rhodes  Lazarites or Mary Magdalens our Lady brethren 1034 Lordes of Vngary Minorites which be deuided into Conuentuales Obseruauntes Reformate Collectane De Caputio De Euangelio Amedes Clarini and other  Minors or Minorites 1224 Maries seruaunts 1304 Monkes of mount Oliuete 1046 Marouinies sect  Moronites sect  Monachie and Monache  Morbonei and Merestei  Menelaysh and Iasonish sect  New Chanons of S. Austen 1430 Nestorini  Nalharte brethren  New order of our Lady  Nazarei  Paules Hermites 345 Premonstratensis order 1119 Preacher order or blacke Friers  Peter the Apostles order 1409 Purgatory bethren  Rechabites  Sarrabaites  Sambonites 1199 Scourgers the first sect 1266 Souldiours of Iesus Christ. 1323 Scopenites or Sainct Saluators order 1367 Specularij or the glasse order  Sepulchers order  Sheere order  Swerdes order  Starred Monkes  Starred Fryers  Sclauony order  Scourgers the second sect called Niniuites  Stoole brethren  Scotland brethren order  Sicarij  Sainct Sophis order  Templar Lordes 1110 Templar knightes 1120 The vale of Iosophat hys order  Vallis vmbrose 1400 Waldensis sect  Wentzelaus order  Wilhelmer order  White Monks of mount Oliuet 1406 Zelotes order  Thus hast thou if thou please gentle reader to know what orders and what sectes of religion haue bene set vp by the pope the catalogue and number of them all so far as we could search them out not onely in bookes printed of late in Germany namely by the reuerend father Martine Luther but also conferred with an other english book which came to our handes containing the same like notes of auncient antiquitie the number of whiche rablement of religious persons came to 101. Now as I haue reckoned vp the names and varieties of these prodigious sectes it commeth to minde consequently to inferre the prophecie of Hildegardis as well agaynst the whole route of Romish prelates and the fall of that Church as especially agaynst the begging Fryers and suche other vnprofitable bellyes of the Church Thus Hildegardis is holden of the papistes themselues to be a great Prophetisse whose prophecie proceedeth in this maner first agaynst the Priestes and prelates of the Romishe Church as followeth The prophecie of Hildegardis of the ruine of Rome and agaynst the begging Friers HIldegardis a Nonne and as many iudged a prophetisse liued in the yeare 1146. In her prophecies she doth most greeuously reprehend not only the wicked and abhominable lyfe of the spirituall papistes but also the cōtempt of ecclesiasticall office also the horrible destruction of the church of Rome In a certayne place shee hath these wordes And now is the law neglected among the spirituall people which neglecte to teach and doe good things The mayster lykewise and the prelates do sleep despising iustice laying it aside In a certayne vision the Churche appeared to her in the shape of a woman complayning that the priestes had berayed her face with dust rent her coat c. and that they did not shyne ouer the people neyther in doctrine neyther in exāple of lyfe but rather contrariwise that they haue driuen the innocent lambe from them She sayd moreouer that all ecclesiasticall order did euery daye become worse and worse and that priestes did not teache but destroy the law of God And for these horrible crimes and impieties she threatneth and prophecieth vnto them Gods most heauy wrath and displeasure and dolefull punishmentes There is no cause why the spirituall papists should flatter themselues vpon this that she promised agayne to the ministers of the Church those good things to follow lyke as Ioannes de Rupe scissa doth and other suche like prophetes for they say it will come to passe that they must repent before the tymes be amēded By which thing vndoubtedly they meane the godly ministers in the reformed Churches which for the most part were of the spirituall nūber and yet did forsake the dishonest lyfe those wicked idolatries Now where as the priestes monks that is the whole rable and spiritualtie doe account Hildegard for a true prophetisse howe they ought to consider that by her they are more seuerely accused not as by a woman but as by God hymself And I pray you what abhomination impiety and idolatry hath bene committed since that tyme by the spiritualitie I wil note heare a certaine prophecy of hers taken out of the common places of Henry Token because we see it manifestly fulfilled in our time She prophecieth of the reformation of religion and sayth that it shall be most godly Then shall the crowne of Apostolicall honour be deuided because there shal be found no religion among the Apostolicall order for that cause shall they despise the dignitie of that name and shal set ouer them other men and other Archbish. In so much that the Apostolike sea of that tyme by the diminution of hys honour shall haue scarse Rome and a fewe other Countryes thereabout vnder hys crowne And these thinges shall partly come to passe by incursion of warres and
beggers against one yeâ—â— Why procurest thou men to yeue thee their almes and sayest it is so needefull and thou wilt not thy selfe wynne thee that mede 22. Why wilt not thou beg for poore bedred men that benâ— poorer then any of youe sect that liggen and mow not goe about to helpe himselfes sith we be all brethren in God that bretherhed passeth any other that ye or any maÌ„ coulde make and where most neede were there were most perfection either els ye hold them not your pure brethren but worse but then ye be vnperfite in your begging Why make ye so many maysters among you sithe it is agaynst the teaching of Christ and his Apostle 23. Whos 's bene all your rich courtes that ye han and all your rich inells sith ye seyne that ye han nought ne in properue in common If ye sayne they bene the popes why gether ye then of poore men and Lords so much out of the kinges hand to make your pope riche And sithe ye sayne that it is great perfection to haue nought in proper ne in commen why be ye so fast about to make the Pope that is your father rich and put on him imperfection sithen ye sayne that your goodes bene all hys and he should by reason be the most perfite man it seemeth openlich that ye ben cursed children so to sclaunder your father and make hym imperfect And if ye sayne that the goodes be yours then do ye ayenst your rule and if it be not ayenst your rule theÌ„ might ye haue both plough and cart and labour as other good men done and not so to beg by losengery and idle as ye done If ye say that it is more perfection to beg them to trauell or worch with your hand why preach ye not openly and teach all men to doe so sithe it is the best most perfite life to the helpe of their soules as ye make children to beg that might haue bene riche heyres 23. Why make ye not your festes to poore men and yeueth hem yeftes as ye done to the rich sith poore men han more nede then the rich What betokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne together If ye be out of charitie ye accord not in soule Why beg ye and take salaries thereto more then other priestes sith he that most taketh most charge hath 24. Why hold ye not S. Frauncis rule and his testameÌ„t sith Frauncis sayth that God shewed him this liuing and this rule and certes if it were Gods will the Pope might not fordoe it or els Frauncis was a lyer that sayd on this wise And but this testament that he made accorde with Gods will or els erred he is a lyer that were out of charitie and as the law sayth he is cursed that letteth the rightfull last will of a dead man And this testament is the last will of Frances that is a dead man it seemeth therefore that all his Freres bene cursed 25. Why will ye not touch no coyned mony with the crosse ne with the kings hed as ye done other iuels both of gold and siluer Certes if ye despise the Crosse or the kinges hâ—d then ye be worthy to be despised of God and the king and sith ye will receiue mony in your harts and not with your handes and it seemeth that ye holde more holines in your hands than in your hartes and then be false to God 26. Why haue ye exempt you from our kinges lawes and visiting of our byshops more then other Christen men that liuen in this realm if ye be not gilty of traitory to our realme or trespassors to our Bishops But ye will haue the kinges lawes for the trespasse do to you and ye wyll haue power of other Byshops more then other priestes and also haue leaue to prison your brethren as Lordes in your courtes more then other folkes hauâ— that bene the kinges liege men 27. Why shall some sect of you Freres pay eche a yeare a certayne to her generall prouinciall or minister or els to her souereignes but if he steale a certayne number of children as some men sayne and certayne if this bene sothe then ye be constreâ—â—ed vpon certayne payne to do theft agaynst Gods commaundement Non furtum facies 28. Why be ye so hardy to graunt by letters of fraternitie to men and women that they shall haue part and merite of all your good dedes and ye witen neuer whether God be apayd with your dedes because of your sinne Also ye witten neuer whether that man or woman be in state to be saued or damned then shall he haue no merite in heuyn for hys owne dedes ne for none other mans And all were it so that he should haue part of your good dedes yet shuld he haue no more then God woulde geue him after that he were worthy and so mich shal ech man haue of Gods yeft without your limitation But if ye will say that ye bene Gods fellowes and that he may not doe without your assent then be ye blasphemers to God 29. What betokeneth that ye haue ordeyned that wheÌ„ such one as ye haue made your brother or sister and hath a letter of your scale that letter mought be brought in your holy chapter and there be rad or els ye will not praye for him And but ye willen pray especially for all other that were not made your brethren or sistren then were ye not in right charitie for that ought to be commen and namely in Ghostly thinges 30. Frere what charitie is this to ouercharge the people by mighty begging vnder color of preaching or praying or masses singing sith holy write biddeth not thus but euen the contrary for all such ghostly dedes shuld be done freely as God yeueth them freely 31. Frere what charitie is this to beguile children or they commen to discretion and bynde hym to your orders that byn not grounded in Gods law against her frendes will sithen by this folly bent many Apostataes both in wil and dede and many bene Apostataes in her will during al her lyfe that would gladly be discharged if they wist how and so many bene Apostataes that shoulden in other states haue byn true men 32. Frere what charitie is this to make so many Freres in euery country to the charge of the people sith persons vicares alone ye secular priests alone ye monkes Chanons alone with bishops aboue them were inough to the church to doe priestes office And to adde moe then inough is a foule error and great charge to the people and this openly agaynst Gods will that ordayned all thinges to be done in weight number and measure and Christ himselfe was apayd with 12. Apostles and a few disciples to preach and doe priestes office to all the whole worlde then was it better do then is now at this tyme by a thousand dele and right so as foure fingers with
sute and petition herein At Dominus Papa sayth Pariens qui rebellem Imperatorem super omnia aestuabat deijcere tantis promissionibus exhileratus trahitur ad consensum That is But the pope sayeth the author which boyled with desire aboue all measure to haue the Emperour his ennemie cast downe being cheared wyth so great promises graunted his consent to them who sitting then in his consistorie had these wordes as here followe There hath come a late to our intelligence the election of a certaine Monke named Walter to be Archb. of Cant. whereupon after that we hard and aduised as wel those things which the said Monke hath saide for himselfe and for his election as also on the contrary side the obiections exceptions of the bishops of England alleaging against him and against his election Namely of the bishop of Chester the bishop of Rochester and Iohn Archdeacon of Bedforde We vpon the same committed the examination touching the person of the man vnto our reuerende brethren Lorde Cardinall Albany L. Cardinall Thomas de Sabina and master Peter And when the foresaid elect comming before them was asked of them first concerning the Lordes descending into hel whether he descended in flesh or without his flesh he aunswered not well Item being asked touching the making of the body of Christ on the aultar he answered likewise not soundly Being asked moreouer howe Rachell wept for her children shee being deade before hee aunswered not well Item being asked concerning the sentence of excommunication denounced against the order of law he answered not well Againe being required of matrimonie if one of the maried parties be an infidel and do depart he answered therto not well Vpon these articles he was as is sayd diligently examined of the Cardinals to the which we say he aunswered not only not well but also very ill For so much therefore as the Church of Cant. is a noble churche and requireth a noble prelate a man discrete and modest and such as ought to be taken out of the bosome of the church of Rome and forasmuch as this new elect whom not onely here we pronounce to be vnworthy but also should say more of him if we would proceede with hym by the rigour of the law is so insufficient that he ought not to be admitted to such a roume we do vtterly infringe annihilate and euacuate his election alwaies referuing to our selues the prouision of the sayd church Haec ex Math. Paris ad verbum Thus the election of Walter being frustrate and dissolued the kings procurators bringing forth the letters of the king and of the suffraganes of the Church of Cant. presented the same vnto the pope for the ratification of Richarde Chancellor of Lincolne to be appoynted Archb. of Cant. whome they with great commendation of woordes did set forth to be a man of profound learning and knowledge of an honest coÌ„uersation which was greatest of al that he was a man much for the profite of the church of Rome as also for the realme of England And thus the saide Richard being commended to the Pope by the letters procuratorie of the king and of the bishops had the consent of the pope and of the Cardinals and so was made Bishop of Cant. before he was elected Whereupon the said pope Gregory in his behalfe directeth downe his letters to all and singular suffraganes of the church of Cant. declaring thus and beginning first with a lie that for so much as by the fulnes of ecclesiastical power the charge of pastorall office is committed to him in general vpon al churches he therefore for the sollicitude he beareth as wel to all other churches in generall as in speciall to the Metropolitan church of Cant. repudiating and disanulling the former election of Walter the Monke vpon iust causes hath prouided for that See a man as in all other good giftes perfect and excellent by the report of them that know him so for that function very fit and commodious and willeth and commaÌ„deth them and all other by his authority Apostolicall with all deuout reuerence to receiue him and humbly to obey him c. which was An. 1229. Ex Paris These things thus finished at Rome the pope not forgetting the sweete promises made of the English siluer which he so greedily gaped for omitting neither time nor diligence in all spedy wise sendeth to the king of England M. Stephen his own chaplein trusty Legate to require collect the foresaide tithes of all the moueable goods both of England Ireland and Wales which were promised to him before therew t to maintaine his warre against Fredericke the Emperor And to the intent he might inflame all christeÌ„ realmes wyth the like hatred which he bare against Frederike the Emperor sendeth also with the sayde Stephen special letters ful of manifold complaints and greuous accusations against the said Emperor whereof more Christ graunting shall be shewed hereafter Upon the comming of this Stephen the legate the king assembled all his erles and barons wyth the Archbishops byshops abbots priors templaries hospitalers parsons vicares and other such as held of him in capite to appear before him at Westminster to heare and to common of the matter In the assembly of whome the Popes patent letters were brought forth and red wherin he required the tenths of all the moueables in England Wales and Ireland as wel of the clergy as of the laitie to maintaine his expedition against the foresaid Frederike the Emperor The which expedition as he pretended to atchieue to take in hande for the cause of the vniuersall Church and happely had begon the matter already and for so much as the richesse of the Apostolicke See did not suffice for the accomplishing of so great an enterprise he therfore enforced by mere necessity did implore the aide and helpe of all the true obedient and natural chickens of the church of Rome least the members thereof together with the head should be subuerted These letters of the Pope to this effect being openly recited and explaned by the Popes chaplaine which hee with much more allegation and perswasion of words did amplifie to his vttermost the king sayth mine author in whoÌ„ al men did hope an helpe to their defence became then as a staffe of reede For as much as he had obliged himselfe to the same before for the election of his archb now could say nothing against it but held his peace The Earles Barons all the laitie vtterly refused so to bind their Baronies to the Church of Rome but the Bishoppes Abbots Priors wyth other Prelates of the Church first requiring space and respite to deliberate for 3. or 4. dayes at length for feare of the popes cursse although they durst not vtterly wythstande had brought to passe to haue concluded for a summe of money much lesse had not Stephen Segraue one of the kings counsailers â—raftily conuented
preuailing agaynst hâ—m ouerthrew diuers of his houses in the city For the which he did excommunicate theÌ„ The Romanes then flying to the Emperour desired his ayd succour but he be like to pleasure the Pope gathering an army went rather agaynst the Romanes TheÌ„ the popes army whose Captaynes were the Earle of Tholouse to purchase the Popes fauour and Peter the foresayd Byshop of Winchester whom the Pope for the same had sent for froÌ„ england partly for his treasure partly for his practise and skill in feates of warre and the Emperours host ioyued together and bordering about the Citty of Rome cast downe the castelies or mansions belonging to the citizens round about the Suburbes to the number of 18. and destroyed all theyr vines and vineyardes about the City Wherat the Romanes being not a litle offended brast out of the Cittye with more heat then order to the number of 100000. as the frorye reporteth to destroy Uiterbium the Popes City with sword and fire But the multitude being vnordered and out of battaile ray aud vnprouided for ieoperdies which by the way might happen fell into the handes of theyr enemies who were in wayt for them and of them destroid a great nuÌ„ber so that on both parts were slayne to the vew of 30000 but the most part was of the Citizens And this dissention thus begun was not soone ended but continued long after By these and such other storyes who seeth not how farre the church of Rome hath degenerated from the true Image of the right Church of Christ which by the rule example of the Gospell ought to be a daughter of peace not a mother of debate not a reuenger of her selfe nor seeker of warres but a forgeuer of iniuries humbly and patiently referring all reuenge to the Lord not a raker for riches but a winner of soules not contending for worldly maistership but humbling themselues as seruantes and not Uicars of the Lorde but ioyntly like brethren seruing together Bishops with Bishops Ministers with Ministers Deacons with Deacons and not as Masters separating themselues by superiority one from an other and briefly communicating together in doctrine and couÌ„sell one particular church with an other not as a mother one ouer an other but rather as a sister Church one with an other seking together the glory of Christ and not their owne And such was the Church of Rome first in the olde auncieÌ„t beginning of her primitive state especially while the crosse of persecution yet kept the Bishops and Ministers vnder in humility of hart and feruent calling vpon the Lord for helpe so that happy was that Christian then which with liberty of conscience onely might holde hys life how barely soeuer he liued And as for the pride and pompe of the world striuing for patrimonyes buying of Bishoprickes gaping for benefices so far was this off froÌ„ them that then they had litle leisure and lesse list yea once to thinke vpon them Neither did the Bishoppes then of Rome fight to be Consuls of the City but sought how to bring the Consuls vnto Christ being glad if the Consuls would permit them to dwell by them in the city Neither did they theÌ„ presume so hye to bring the Emperors necks vnder theyr gyrdles but were glad to saue theyr necks in any corner from the sword of Emperors TheÌ„ lacked they outward peace but abounded with inward consolation Gods holy spirit mightely working in their harts Then was one catholicke vnity of truth and doctrine amongest all churches agaynst errors and secres Neither did yâ— east and west nor distance of place deuide the church but both the eastchurch and westchurch the Greekes and Latynes made all one church And albeit there were then 5. Patriarchall Seas appoynted for order sake differing in regions peraduenture also in some rites one from another yet all these consenting together in one vnity of catholicke doctrine hauing one God one Christ one fayth one baptisme one spirit one head and lincked together in one boÌ„d of charity and in one equality of honor they made altogether one body one church one communion called one catholicke vniuersall and Apostolicall church And so long as this knot of charity and equality did ioyne them in one vnity together so long the church of Christ florished and encreased one redy to helpe and harbour another in time of distresse as Agapitus and Uigilius flying to Constantinople were there ayded by the Patriarch c. so that all this while neither forrein enemye neither Saracen nor Souldane nor Sultane nor Calipha nor Corasmine nor Turke had any power greatly to harme it But through the malice of the enemy this Catholicke vnity did not loÌ„g continue and all by reason of the bishop of Rome who not contented to be like his brethren begaÌ„ to extend himselfe to claime superiority aboue the other 4. Patriarchall Seas all other Churches in the world And thus as equality amongst christian byshops was by pride and singularity oppressed so vnity began by little litle to be dissolued and the Lordes coat which the souldiors left whole to be deuided Which coat of christian vnity albeit of long time it had bene now seamcript before by the occasion aforesayd yet notwithstanding in some peece it held together in some meane agrement vnder subiectioÌ„ to the sea of Rome till the tune of this pope Gregory the 9. an 1230. at which tyme thys rupture and schisme of the church brake out into a playn deuisioÌ„ vtterly disseuering the Eastchurch from the westchurch vpon this occasion There was a certayn archbyshop elected to an Archbishoprick among the Grecians who comming to Rome to be coÌ„firmed could not be admitted vules he promised a very great summe of mony Which when he refused to do and detested the exectable simony of the court of Rome he made his repayre home agayn to his country vncoÌ„firmed declaring there to the whole nobility of that land the case how it stood For yâ— more confirmation whereof there were other also which comming lately from Rome there had proued the same or worse came in and gaue testimony to his saying Whereupon all the church of the Grecians the same time hearing this departed vtterly away from the Church of Rome which was in the dayes of this Pope Gregory the 9. In so much that the Archbishop of Constantinople comming afterward to the generall Councell at Lyons there opeÌ„ly declared that where as before time he had vnder him aboue thirty Bishopricks and Suffraganes now he had not three adding moreouer that all yâ— Grecians certayne other with Antioche and the whole Empyre of Romania cueÌ„ to the gates almost of Constantinople were goue from the obedience of the Church of Rome c. Math. Paris fol. 112. c fol. 186. By the occasion of which separation aforesayd of the Grecians from pope Gregory it happened shortly after being the yeare of our
so returned they frustrate of their intent The purpose of the Soldan was if he might haue gotten Damiata to send the French king hyer vp in the East countries to Calipha the chiefe Pope of Damascus to encrease the tytles of Mahomet and to be a spectacle or gasing stocke to all those quarters of the worlde The maner of which Calipha was neuer left to any Christen prisoner come out whosoeuer came once in his handes But for somuch as the Soldan missed hys purpose he thought by aduise of counsell to vse the kinges lyfe for hys owne aduauntage in recouering the city of Damiata as in the end it came to passe For although the king at the first was greatly vnwilling and had rather die then surrender Damiata againe to the Saracens yet the conclusion so fel out that the king was put to hys raunsome and the Citty of Damiata was also resigned which citty being twise won and twise lost by the Christians the Soldan or Saladine afterward caused vtterly to be rased downe to the ground The raunsome of the king vppon condition that the Soldan should see himselfe conducted to Achon which I take to be Cesaria came to 60000. markes The number of Frenchmen and others which miscaryed in that warre by water and by land came to 80000 persons tHaec Mat. Parisi fol. 237.238 And thus haue ye the briefe narration of this lamentable peregrination of Lewes the French kyng In whiche when the French men beyng once or twise well offered by the Soldan to haue all the kingdome of Ierusalem and much more in free possession they not contented with that which was reasonable and sufficient for greedines to haue all lost all hauing at length no more then ther naked bodies could couer lying dead vpoÌ„ the ground al through the originall cause of the Pope and Ddo hys Legate By whole sinister meanes and pestilent pride not only the liues of so many Christians were then lost but also to the sayd Pope is to be imputed all the losse of other citties Christian regions bordering in the same quarters for aâ—muche as by the occasion hereof the hartes of the Saracens on yâ— one side were so encouraged the courage of the christias on the other side so much discomfited that in short space after both the dominion of Antioch and of Achon with all other possessions belonging to the Christians were lost to the great diminishing of Christes Church During the tyme of this good king lying at Achonâ—or Celaria almighty God sent such discorde betwene that Soldan of Halapia and the SoldaÌ„ of Babilon for letting the king so escape that the sayd Soldan or Salidin of Babilon to winne the king vnto hys syde entred league with him whome both hys brethren and all his nobles almost at home had forsaken and remitted hys raunsome and also restored vnto hym such prisoners as were in the sayde battayle fouÌ„d to be aliue Thus the Lord worketh where man commonly forsaketh Math Paris fol. 261. An other cause moreouer why the ruine of this French army may worthely be impured to the Pope is this for that wheÌ„ Lewes the French king perceauing what a necessary frend and helper Fredericke the Emperour might be to hym in these his affayres agaynst the Saracens and therfore was an earnest suter for him to the Pope to haue hym released yet neyther he nor the king of Englande by any meanes could obtayne it And although the Emperor himselfe offred to pope Innocent with all humble submission to make satisfaction in the Councell of Lyons promising also to expugne all the dominions of the Saracens and neuer to returne into Europe agayn and there to recouer whatsoeuer the Christians had lost so that the pope would onely grauÌ„t his sonne Henry to be Emperoure after him yet the proud pope woulde not be mollified but would needes proceede agaynst hym with both swordes that is first with the spirituall sword to accurse hym and then with the temporall sword to depose him froÌ„ his Emperial throne Through the occasion wherof not onely the French kinges power went to wracke but also such a fire of mischiefe was kindled agaynst all Christendome as yet to this day cannot be quenched For after this ouerthrowe of the French king and his army the Christians of Antioch and of other Christen regions theraboutes being vtterly discouraged gaue ouer there holdes and Citties Whereby the Saracens and after them the Turkes got such an hand ouer ChristeÌ„dome as to this day we al haue great cause to rue and lament Besides this where diuers Christians were crossed to go ouer and helpe the Frenche king the pope for mony dispensed with them to tary still at home But as I sayd the greatest cause was that the Emperour whiche coulde haue done most was deposed by the Popes tyranny whereby all those Churches in Asia were left desolate As touching the whiche Emperour Fredericke because we haue diuers and sundry tymes made meÌ„tion of him before and for that his story is straunge hys actes wonderous and his conflictes tragicall whiche he sustayned agaynst iiii or v. Popes one after an other I thought not out of story in a whole narration to set forth the same for the reader to consider what is to be iudged of this Cathedrall Sea of Rome which had wrought such abhominable mischiefe in the world as in the sequele of the story following faythfully translated out of Latiue into English is to be seene The whole tragicall history of Fredericke 2. Emperor translated out of the Latine booke of Nich. Cisnerus FRedericke the second came out of the auncient house of the Beblines or Gibillines which Gibillines came of the most famous stocke of the Frenche king and Emperours He had Fredericke Barbarossa to hys Graundfather whose sonne Henricus the 6. was Emperoure after hym who of ConstaÌ„tia the daughter or as some write the neece of Roger the first king of Sicile begate this Fredericke the second This Constantia was 50. yeares of age before she was conceaued with him whom the Emperour Henry 6. to auoyde all doubt and surmise that of her conception childing might be thought and to the peril of the Empeir ensue caused hys regall tent to be pitched abroade in place where euery man might resort And when the tyme of his Queenes trauaile approched Constantia in presence of diuers Ladyes and Matrons and other Gentle women of the Empire a great number was brought a bed and deliuered of this Fredericke the vii day before the Calendes of January in the yeare of Christes incarnation 1193. who by inheritaunce was king of Naples Apuha Calabria and Sicilia Henricus his father shortly after he was borne obtayned of the princes electors that by their oth to hun geuen they would chuse his sonne Fredericke for their Emperor after his discease and so did and immediately called hym Cesar being yet but in his cradle This Henry when he
be seen after For he sayd that the warres in Fraunce shoulde not be ended till the Realme were vtterly wasted exiled in euery part The which saying was well sene after for the noble realme of Fraunce was sore wasted and exiled specially in the terme that the sayd Fryer had set The which was in the yeares of our Lord. 1356. 57. 58. 59. He sayd in those yeares the Princes and Gentlemen of the Realme should not for feare shew themselues agaynst the people of low estate assembled of all countries without head or captayne and they shoulde doe as they list in the Realme of Fraunce the which fell after as ye haue heard how the coÌ„panions assembled them together and by reason of theyr robbery and pillage waxed rich became great captains About the same time happened in Fraunce a certayne contention betwene the French Prelates and the Fryers of Paris testified and recorded by Godfridus de Fontanis the briefe effect of which story is this The Prelates of France conuenting and assembling together in the Citty of Paris after a long deliberation among themselues caused by the Bedels to be called together all the Studentes maisters Bachelers of euery facultie with the chiefe heads also of al the Religious houses and Friers in the vniuersitie of Paris who being al there congregated together in the bishop of paris his house where there were preseÌ„t 4. archbishops and 20 Bishops first stood vp the Bishop of Biturecense who there making his Sermon tooke for his theame the place of S. Paule to the Ephesians Fratres vt sciatis quae sit longitudo latitudo altitudo profunditas charitatis c. and concluded therupon first that true charity would compell them to see and prouide for their flockes Secondly that the vigore of charity would arme them to withstand errors Thirdly he concluded that by duety of charity they were bound to geue theyr liues for the soules of theyr flock committed to their charge Fourthly that by the same charity euery man to holde himselfe content with that which was his owne and not to intevineddle or busye himselfe further then to him appertayned or belonged to his office For there sayth he all order ecclesiasticall is dissolued where as men not concerning themselues in their owne precincts presume in othermes charges where they haue nothing to doe But this charity sayth he now a dayes waxeth colde and all Ecclesiasticall order is confounded and vtterly out of order For many there be which nowe a dayes presume to thrust in themselues where they haue nothing to do so that now the Church may seeme a monster For as in a natural body appeareth a monster where one meÌ„ber doth the office of an other so in the spirituall body which is the church may be thought likewise As wheÌ„ our learned and prudent brethren to wit the Friers maiors and minors do take vpon them to vsurpe and occupye the office to vs specially apperteining namely where as the scripture warneth vs all none to take vpoÌ„ him any office except he be called thereunto of the Lord as Aaron was Wherfore we haue heretofore oftentimes caused the sayd Friers both by the king himselfe in his owne person also by other nobles to be spoken to and desired to furcease from doing and intermedling in our office yet they would not but haue preached agaynst our willes through all our diocesses haue heard confessioÌ„s saying that they haue the Popes priuiledge to beare them out therein For the which cause we come to you and not we here present onely but also we haue the handwriting and the full consent of all other our fellow Bishops throughout the kingdome of Fraunce to complaâ—ne to you of this so great insolency and presumptioÌ„ of the Friers For that as we are you shall be Neither do I thinke to be any of vs prelates here now which haue not sometime bene taken out of this vniuersity of yours We haue desired moreouer and caused to be desired the foresayd Friers to send their priuilegies to the Apostolicke see to be interpreted and expounded more playnely by the Lord Pope which they refused also to do Wherefore to the intent you may the better vnderstand and see what their priuiledges be and how farre they do extend we haue appoynted the said priuilege here openly to be read vnto you Then stood vp an other in the publicke place and there read the priuileges of both the orders and afterward read also the constitution of Pope Innocent 3. written in the 5 of the decretals and beginneth Omnis vtriusque sexus c. which constitution was repugnant and contrary to the foresayd priuilegies as he there manifestly proued declaring how both the said priuiliges were derogatory to that constitution This done then rose vp the Bishop Ambianensis a great Lawyer who discoursing froÌ„ article to article there proued by good law that the sayd constitution stood in hys full force and vigore and ought not to be infringed by the friers priuilegies in no part And therfore by the vertue of that constitution that the Friers ought not so misorderly to intrude themselues in hearing confessioÌ„s in inioyning of penaunce and in preaching in Churches and Diocesses without speciall licence of the Bishop of the Dioces curate of the parish vnto whose words neuer a Frier at that time replyed againe And so the Bishop proceeding to his conclusion desired the vniuersity to assist them in that case wherin they were all determined saith he to stand firmely to the shedding of theyr bloud in resisting that misorder and iniuries of the Friers This happened the 6. day of December which they dedicate to S. Nicholas The next day being sonday one of the order of the minorites or Franciscanes went to the Church of the maiorites or preaching Friers where he made a sermon whiche was neuer sene before the one order to come and resort with the other beginning in the forsayd matter to reply to expound in order through euery article as well as he could adding moreouer and saying that they went not so farre in their priuilegies as they lawfully might And said moreouer that what time the sayd priuileges were in obteining in Rome the Bishop Ambianensis was there present himselfe resisting the same with all his power yea all the Prelates also of Fraunce sent and wrote vp to the Court agaynst the same and yet did not preuaile For wheÌ„ the Friers there presently declared opened to the Pope in what maner and how farr they had vsed priuileges the Pope the same time sayd Placet That is agreed vnto the same And now sayth he the Prelates require demaund of vs to send vp our priuiledges to the Court which were great folly in vs For in so doing what should we els but geue place occasioÌ„ to reuoke agayn the authority which is geuen in our handes already Furthermore our wardeÌ„ and maister
leue not his sinne amend him before witnes and gif he ne amendeth not men should tel to the church and gif he ne amendeth not than men shuld shone his company as a publicane or a man that is misbeleued and this lawe was yfigured in the law of lepre who that readeth it he may see the sooth But Lord God he that sitteth in thy stede hath vndo thy lawe of mercy and of loue Lord thou biddest loue enemies as our self as thou shewest in the gospell there as the Samaritane had mercy on the Iewe. And thou biddest vs also prayen for them that cursen vs and that defamen vs pursuen vs to death And so Lorde thou didst thine apostles also But he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar on earth and head of thy church he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercy For gif we speaken of louing our ennemies hâ— teacheth vs to fight with our enemies that Christ hath forboden He curseth and desireth vengeance to them that so doth to hym Gif any man pursueth him hee curseth him that it is a sorowe a Christen man to hearen the cursinges that they maken and blasphemies in such cursing Of what thing that I know I may beare true witnes But gif we speake of louing of our brethren this is vndone by him that sayth he is Godsvicar in earth For Christ in the gospell biddeth vs that we shoulden clepen vs no father vpon earth But clepen God our father to maken vs loue perfitlich together And he clepeth himself father of fathers maketh many religions to euerich a father But whether is loue and charity encreased by these fathers and by their religions or els ymade lesse For a Friar ne loueth not a monke ne a secular man neither nor yet one frier a nother that is not of the order and it is againward A Lord me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions For Lorde what charity hauen such men of religion that knowen how they mown against and sin and fleen away froÌ„ their brethren that ben more vncuÌ„ning then they ben suffren them to trauelen in the world withouten their couÌ„cell as beastes Trulich Lorde me thinketh that there is but litle charity and then is there litle perfection Lorde God when thou were on earth thou were among sinful men to drawen them from sin thy disciples also And Lord I trow thou ne grauÌ„test not one maÌ„ more kuÌ„ning then an other al for himself and I wote wel that lewd meÌ„ that ben laborers ne trauel not alonlich for himself Lord our belief is that thou ne wer not of the world ne thy teaching neither ne thy seruantes that liueden after thy teaching But all they forsaken the world and so euery christen man must But Lorde whether thou taughtest menne forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the worlde to liuen in ease and in rest and out of trouble and anger of the worlde by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world A Lord thou ne taughtest not a maÌ„ to forsaken a pore estate and trauel to ben afterward a Lord of his brethren or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with Lords as doth men of these new religions Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world to liuen in perfection by them selfe in ease and by other mens trauell But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise and seruen thee both night and day in singing their prayers both for themselfe and for other men that done them good both quicke and dead and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure A Lord gif they ben thy seruauntes whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done And when thou were heere on earth for our nede thou taughtest thy seruauntes to preyen thy father priuilich and shortlich And gif there had beene a better maner of praying I trowe thou wouldest haue taught it in helpe of thy peâ—ple And Lorde thou reprouest hypocrites that preyen in long preyer and in open places to ben yholden holy men And thou seyst in the gospel wo to you Pharisees hypocrits And lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice But thou seest in the gospel that the Pharises worshopeÌ„ thee with their lippes and their hart is farre from thee For they chargen more mens traditions than thy commaundements And Lord we lewed men han a beleefe that thy goodnesse is endles and gif we keepen thine hestes than ben we thy true seruauntes And though we preyen thee but a litle shortlich thou wilt thinken on vs and grauÌ„ten vs that vs nedeth for so thou behighted vs somtime And Lord I trowe that pray a man neuer so many quaint prayers gif he ne kepe not thine hests he is not thy good seruaunt But gif he keepe thine hestes than he is thy good seruaunt and so me thinketh Lorde that praying of long prayers ne is not the seruice that thou desirest but keping of thine heftes and than a lewd man may serue God as wel as a man of religion though that the Plowman ne may not haue so muche siluer for his prayer as men of religion For they kunnen not so wel preisen their prayers as these other chapmen But Lorde our hope is that our prayers be neuer the worse though it be not so wel solde as other mens prayers Lorde Ezechiel the Prophet sayth that whan he spake to the people thy words they turned thy words into songs into tales And so Lord men done now they singin merilich thy words and that singing they clepen thy seruice But Lord I trow that the best singers he herieth thee not most But he that fulfilleth thy wordes he herieth thee full well though he wepe more then sing And I trow that weping for breaking of thy commandements be more pleasing seruice to thee than the singing of thy words And wold God that men would serue him in sorow for their sinnes and that they shoulden afterward seruen thee in mirth For Christ sayth yblessed ben they that maken sorow for they shoulden ben yconforted And woe to them that ben merry and haue theyr comfort in this world And Christ sayd that the world should ioyen hys seruaÌ„ts shulden be sory but their sorow shuld be turned into ioy A Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth hath y ordained an order of priestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens euensong masse And therfore hee chargeth lewde men in paine of cursing to bryng to hys priests tithyngs and offerings to finden his priests and he clepeth that Gods part due to priests that seruen him in church But Lord in the olde law the tithings of the lewde people ne were not due to priestes but to that other childer of Leuie that ferueden thee in the temple and the
in other good colours And Lorde I see thine image gone in colde and in here in clothes all to broken without shone and hosen an hungred and a thâ—ust Lorde what heryenge is it to teende tapers and torches before blinde mawmets that mowen not I seyen And hide thee that art our light and our lanterne towarde heauen and put thee vnder a bushell that for darkenes we ne may not seene our way towarde blisse Lorde what heryenge is it to kneele tofore mawmetes that mowe not yheren and worshepen them with preyers and maken thine quicke images knele before them and asken of them absolutions and blessings and worshupen them as gods and putten thy quicke images in thraldom and in traueil euermore as bestes in colde and in heate and in feeble fare to finden them in liking of the world Lord what herieng is it to fetch deed mennes bones out of the ground there as they shulden kindelich roten and shrinen them in golde and in siluer And suffren thy quicke bones of thine images to rot in prison for default of clothingh And suffren also thy quicke images to perish for default of sustenaunce and rooten in the hoore house in abhominable lecherie Some become theeues and robbers and manquellers that mighten ben y holpen with the golde and siluer that hongeth about deed mens bones and other blind mawmetes of stockes and stones ¶ Lorde here ben great abhominations that thou shewdist to Ezechiel thy Prophet that priests done in thy temple yet they clepen that thine heryenge But leue Lorde me thinketh that thâ—y louen thee litle that thus defoulen thy quick images worshippen blinde mawmetes And Lord an other great mischiefe there is now in the world an hunger that Amos thy Prophet speaketh of that there shal comen an honger in the earth not of bread ne thrust of drinke but of hearing of Gods worde And thy sheepe woulden be refreshed but their shepheards taken of thy shepe their liuelode as tythings c. and liuen them selfe thereby where them liketh Of such shepheardes thou speaketh by Ezechiel thy Prophet and seist wo to the shepheards of Israel that feden them selfe for the flockes of sheepe shoulden ben yfed of their shepheardes but yee eaten the milke and clothen you with their wolfe and the fat sheepe ye slow and my flocke ye ne fede not the sicke shepe ye ne healed not thilke that weren to broken yee ne knit not together thilke that perished ye ne brought not againe but ye ratled them with sternship and with power And so the shepe be sprad abroad in deuouring of all the beasts of the feelde And Ieremie the Prophet sayeth wo to the shepehards that disparseâ—h abroad and â—eareth the flocke of my lesewe ¶ A Lorde thou were a good shepheard for thou puttest thy soul for thy sheep but lord thou teldest that thilke that comé not in by the dore ben night theues day theues and a these as thou seest coÌ„meth not but for to steale to sleine to destroy And Zachary the prophet sayth that thou wouldest reren vp a shepherde vnkunning that ne wol not hele thy shepe that beth sick ne seek thilke that beth lost Apon his arme is a swerd and vpon his right eye his arme shall waxe dry and his right eye shall lese his light O Lorde helpe for thy shepe beth at great mischiefe in the shepheards defaute But Lord ther commeth hired men they ne fedden not thy shede in thy plenteous lesew but feeden thy sheep with sweueÌ„s and false miracles tales But at thy trewth they ne comen not For Lord I trowe thou sendest them neuer For haue they hire of thy sheep they ne careth but little of the feding and the keping of thy shepe Lord of these hired men speaketh Ieremy the Prophet and thou seyst that woorde by him I ne sende them not and they ronne bliue I ne speake vnto them and they propheciden For if they hadden stonden in my couÌ„sel and they had made my words knoweÌ„ to the puple ich wold haue turned them away from their yuell way and from their wicked thoughtes For Lorde thou seyst that thy woordes ben as fire and as an hammer breaking stones And Lord thou saist Lo I to these Prophetes meeting sweuens of lesing that haue ytolde her sweuens and haue begyled my puple in their lesing in their fals miracles when I neither sent ne bede them And these haue profitet nothing to my puple And as Ieremie sayth from the lest to the mest all they studien couetise and from the Prophet to the priest all they done gyle A Lord here is mych mischief matere of sorow yet there is more For gif a lewed man wold teach thy people trewth of thy words as he is y holde by the commaundement of charite he shal be forboden and put in prison gif he do it And so Lord thilk that haue the key of conning haue y lockt the trewth of thy teaching vnder many wardes yhid it from thy children But Lorde sith thy teaching is y come from heauen aboue our hope is that with thy grace it shall breaken these wardes and showe hym to thy puple to kele both the hunger and the thrust of the soule And then shal no shepheard ner no fals hiridman begile thy puple no more For by thy law I wryte as thou hightest some time that from the left to the mest all they shullen knowen thy wil and weten howe they shullen please thee euer more in certaine And leue Lord gif it be thy will helpe at thys nede for there is none helpe but in thee Thus Lord by him that maketh himselfe thy viker in earth is thy commaundement of loue to thee our brethren ybroken both to him and to thy puple But Lorde God mercy and pacience that beth tweyne of thy commandements beth destroyed and thy puple hath forsake mercy For Lord Dauid in the Sauter sayth Blessed beth they that done dome and rightfulnes in euerich time O Lord thou hast itaught vs as rightfulnes of heauen hast ybeden vs forgeuen our brethren as oft as they trespassen against vs. And Lord thine olde lawe of iustice was that such harme as a man did his brother such he should suffer by the law as eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth But Christ made an end of this law that one brother should not desire wracke of an other but not that he would that sinne shoulde ben vnpunished for thereto hath he ordained Kinges and Dukes and other lewde officers vnder them whilke as S. Paule sayth ne carien not the swerd in vaine for they ben the ministers of God and wrakers to wrath to them that euil done And thus hath Christ ymade an ende of this olde lawe that one brother may not suen an other himselfe for that to wreken without sinne for breaking
of charity But this charity Lord hath thy vicar ybroke and says that we sinnen but gif we suen for our right And we se I wote that thou taughtest vs sometime to geue our mantell also euer that we shoulden suen for our coate And so Lord beleueÌ„ we that we ben ybounden to don by thy law that is all charitye officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we coÌ„plainen not But lord thy law is turned vpsedown A Lord what dome is it to sleane a theefe that take a maÌ„s cattell away from hym and suffren a spousebreaker to liue and a lecherour that killeth a womans soule And yet thy lawe stoned the â—pousebreakers and leachours and let the theeues liuen and haue other punishment A Lord what dome is it to sleane a these for stealing of a hors and to let him liue vnpunished to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their liuelod and the soule of his foodeâ— Lorde it was neuer thy dome to sayen that a man is an heretike and cursed for breaking of mans lawe and demen hym for a good man for breaking thine hestes Lord what dome is it to curse a lewd man if he smite a priest and not curse a priest that smiteth a lewed man and leeseth hys charitie Lord what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings and not curse the parson that robbeth the people of tythings and teacheth them not Gods lawe but feedeth them with painting of stone walles and songs of Latin that the people knowen not Lord what dome is it to punish the poore maÌ„ for his trespas and suffer the rich to continue in his sin for a quantity of mony Lord what dome is it to slaine an vncunning lewed man for his sinne and suffer a priest other a clerke that doth the same sin scape a liue Lord the sinne of the priest or of the cleark is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man and greater ensample of wickednes to the common people Lord what maner people be we that neither keep thy domes and thy rightfulnes of the old testament that was a law of drede nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy but haue an other law and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs and remnaunt of heathen mennes lawes and Lord this is a great mischiefe O Lord thou sayest in thy law deme ye not and ye should not be demed for the same mesure that ye meten to other men men shall meten to you againeward And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them And by what we knowe that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts nor their workes that were not agaynst thy law expresly And yet Lord he that saith he is thy vicar will demen our thoughtes and aske vs what we thinke not of the Lord of thy hestes for they caren little for them but of him and of his whilke they sate aboue thine and maken vs accusen our selfe or els they willen accursen vs for our accusers mowen we not knowne And Lord thou sayest in thyne olde law that vnder two witnes at the least or three shoulde stand euery matter And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden helpe to kill them And when the schribes and the Pharises some tymes brought before thee a woman that was itake in spouse breaking and exeden of the a dome thou didst write on the earth and then thou gaue this dom He that is without sinne throw first at her a stone and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman thou forgaue the woman her trespasse and bad her go forth and sinne no more Sweete Lord if the priestes tooke keepe to thy dome they would be agast to demen men as they done O Lord if one of them breake a commaundement of thy law he will axe mercy of thee and not a peine that is due for the sinne for peyne of death were to little O Lord how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of theyr lawes other assent to such law for breaking of thy law they will set penaunce or pardon them and mayntayne them as oft as they trespassen But Lorde if a man ones breake theyr lawes or speake agaynst them he may done penaunce but ones and after be burnt Trulych Lord thou sayst but if euery of vs forgeue other his trespasse thy father will not forgeuen vs our sinnes And Lord when thou honge on the crosse thou prayedâ—t to thy father to haue mercy on thine enemies And yet the sain Lord that they demen no man to the death for the sain they ne mowen by their law demen any man to the death A leeue Lord euen so saden theyr forefathers the phariseis that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill any man And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death agaynst his owne conscience for he wold gladly haue iquitte thee but for that they threatened him with the Emperour and broughten agaynst thee false witnesse also And he was an heathen man ¶ O Lord how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice then in our kinges and iustices that woulden demen to the death and berne in the fire him that the Priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe For Pilate ne would not demen thee for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne had dest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee for to they broughten in theyr false witnesse agaynst thee But Lord as thou saydest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and Gomorra than to the cities where thou wrought wonders and miracles so I dred it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome then to our kinges and domes men that so demen without witnesse and prefe For Lord to demen thy folke for heretickes is to holden thee an hereticke and to brenneÌ„ them is to brennen thee for thou saydest to Paule when he persecuted thy people Saule Saule wherefore persecutest thou me in the dome thou shalt say that ye haue done to the left of mine ye haue done to me Thus Lord is thy mercy iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth for he neither keepeth it himselfe nor nill not suffer other to do it ¶ The third commaundement that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar Lord thou biddest sufferen both wroÌ„ges and strokes withouten againstanding and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs ensample to sufferen of our brethren For suffering nourisheth loue and agaynstandeth debate All thy lawes is loue or els the thing that draweth to loue ¶ But Lord men teachen that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore and els they seyn men ben in perill
is a mannour of worshipping of false Gods to breake thy hestes For who that loueth thee ouer all thinges and dreadeth thee also he nole for nothing breake thyne hestes O Lord gif breaking of thine hestes be heryeng of false gods I trow that he maketh the people breake thyne hestes and commaundeth that his hestes ben kept of the people maketh himselfe a false GOD on earth as Nabuchodonosor did some tyme that was king of Babilon But Lord we forsaken such false Gods and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo Gods then thou And though thou suffer vs a while to bene in disease for knowledging of thee we thanken thee wyth our hart for it is a token that thou louest vs to â—â—uen vs in thys world some penaunce for our trespas Lord in the old law thy true seruauntes tooke the death for they would not eaten swynes fleshe that thou haddest forbid them to eat O Lord what truth is in vs to eaten vncleene mete of the soule that thou hast forbid Lord thou sayst he that doth sinne is seruaunt of sinne and then he that lyeth in forswearing hymselfe is seruaunt of lesing and then he is seruaunt to the deuill that is a lyer and father of lesinges And Lord thou sayst no man may serue two Lordes at ones O Lord then euery lyer for the tyme that he lyeth other forsweareth himselfe and forsaketh thy seruice for drede of hys bodyly death and becommeth the deuils seruaunte O Lord what truth is in him that clepeth himselfe seruaunt of thy seruantes in his doing he maketh him a Lord of thy seruauntes Lord thou were both Lord and maister and so thou sayd thy selfe but yet in thy warkes thou were as a seruaunt Lord this was a great truth and a great meeknes but Lord bid thou thy seruaunts that they should not haue Lordship ouer theyr brethren Lord thou saydst kings of the heatheÌ„ men han Lordship ouer their subiectes and they that vse their power be cleped well doers But Lord thou saydst it shoulde not be so amongest thy seruantes But he that were most should be as a seruaunt Thou Lorde thou taughtest thy disciples to be meeke Lord in the old law thy seruauntes durst haue no Lordship of theyr brethren but if that thou bid them And yet they should not doe to theyr brethren as they did to thrailes that serued them But they should doe to theyr brethren that were theyr seruauntes as to theyr owne brethren For all they were Abrahams Children And at a certaine tyme they should let theyr brethren passe from them in all freedome but if they would wilfullich abiden still in seruice O Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue is token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother And to make vs perfect in loue thou bid that we shoulde clepe to vs no father vpon earth but thy father of heauen we should cleape our father Alas Lord how violently our brethren and thy childreÌ„ ben now put in bodily thraldome and in despite as beastes euermore in greeuous trauell to finde proude men in ease But Lord if we take this defoule and this disease in pacience and in meeknes and kepe thine hests we hope to be free And Lord geue our brethren grace to come out of thraldome of sinne that they fal in through the desiring and vsage of Lordship vpon theyr brethren And Lord thie priestes in the old law had no Lordships among theyr brethren but houses and pastures for theyr beastes but Lord our priestes nowe haue great Lordship and put theyr brethren in greater thraldome then lewed men that be Lordes Thus is meekenesse forsaken Lord thou biddest in the Gospell that when a man is bid to the feast he should sit in the lowest place and then he may be set hyer with worship when the Lord of the feast beholdeth how his gestes fitteth Lord it is drede that they that sit now in the hyest place should be bidd in tyme comming fit beneath And that will be shame and vileny for them And it is they saying those that hyeth himselfe shuld be lowed and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed O Lord thou biddest in thy Gospell to beware of the Pharaseis for it is a poynt of pryde contrary to meekenesse And Lord thou sayst that they loue the first sittinges at supper and also the principall chaires in churches and greetings in cheeping and to be cleped maysters of men And Lord thou sayest be ye not cleped maisters for one is your maister and that is Christ and all ye be brethren And clepe ye to you no father vpon earth for one is your father that is in heauen O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke But Lord he that clepeth himself thy vicar on earth he clepeth himselfe father of fathers agaynst thy forbidding And all those worships thou hast forbad He approueth them and maketh them maisters to many that teach thy people their owne teaching and leaue thy teaching that is nedefull and hiden it by quainte gloses from thy lewd people and feede thy people with sweuens that they mete and tales that doth little profit but much harme to the people But Lorde these glosers obiecte that they desire not the state of mastry to be worshipped therby but to profit the more to thy people wheÌ„ they preach thy word For as they seggeÌ„ the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole then the preaching of an other man that hath not take the state of maistry ¶ Lorde whether it bee any neede that maysters beren witnes to thy teaching that it is true and good O Lord whether may any maister mowe by his estate of maisterie that thou hast forboden drawe any man from his sinne rather then an other man that is not a maister ne wole bee none for it is forboden him in thy Gospell Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people and thou knowledgist in the Gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men and shewed it to litle Children And Lord maisters of the law hylden thy teaching foly and seiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching Trulich Lord so these maisters seggeth now for they haue written many bookes agaynst thy teaching that is truth so the prophecie of Ieremy is fulfilled when he sayth Truelich the false points maisters of the law hath wrought leasing And now is the time come that S. Paul speaketh of where he sayth time shal come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching But they shullen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing and turnen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistry and their wisedome ¶ And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then hys words the dede sheweth well of these
maisters that they desiren more maistrie for their own worship than for profit of the people For when they be maisters they ne preachen not so oft as they did before And gif they preachen commonlich it is before riche men there as they mowen beare worship and also profite of their preaching But before poore men they preachen but seldem when they ben maisters and so by theyr woorkes wee may seene that they ben false glosers And Lord me thinketh that who so wole keepen thine hestes him needeth no gloses but thilke that clepen them selfe Christen men and lyuen agaynst thy teaching and thine hestes needelich they mote glose thine hestes after their liuing other els men shulden openlich yknow their hipocrisie and their falshod But Lord thou sayst that there ys nothing yhid that shall not be shewed some time And Lord yblessed more thou be For somewhat thou shewest vs now of our mischiefes that wee bene fallen in through the wisedomes of maysters that haue by sleightes ylad vs away from thee and thy teaching that thou that were thy maister of heauen taught vs for loue when thou were here some time to heale of our soules withouten error or heresie But maisters of worldes wisedome and their founder haue ydamned it for heresie and for errour O Lord me thinketh it is a great pride thus to reproue thy wisedome and thy teaching And Lord me thinketh that this Nabugodonosor king of Babilon that thus hath reproued thy teaching and thine hestes and commandeth on all wyse to kepen his hests maken thy people hearen him as a God on earth and maketh thē his thrales and his seruauntes But Lord we lewd men knowen no God but thee we with thine help and thy grace forsaken Nabugodonosor and his lawes For he is in his proud estate wole haue all men vnder him and he nele be vnder no man He ondoth thy lawes that thou ordeynest to ben kept and maketh his owne lawes as him liketh and so he maketh him king aboue all other kinges of the earth and maketh men to worshippen him as a God and thy great sacrifice he hath ydone away O Lord here is thy commaundement of meekenes mischiflich to broke And thy blessed commaundement of poorenes is also to broken and yhid from thy people Lord Zacharie thy prophet sayth that thou that shouldest be our king shouldest bene a poore man and so thou were for thou saydest thy selfe Foxes haue dens and birdes of heauen nestes and mans sonne hath not where to legge his head on And thou saydest yblessed ben poore men in spirite for thy kingdome of heauen is therein And woe to riche men for they han theyr comfort in this world And thou bad thy disciples to ben ware of all couetise for thou saydest in the aboūdance of a mans hauing ne is not his lyfelode And so thou teachest that thilke that han more then them needeth to theyr liuing lyuen in couetise Also thou sayst but gif a man forsake all things that he oweth he ne may not bene thy disciple Lord thou sayest also that thy worde that is sowne in riche mens hartes bringeth forth no fruite for riches and the busines of this world maken it withouten fruit O Lord here bene many blessed teachinges to teach men to bene poore and loue porenes But Lord harme is poore men and poorenes ben yhated and ryche men ben yloued and honoured And gif a man be a poore man men holden him a man without grace and if a man desireth poorenes men holden him but a foole And if a man be a rich man men clepen him a gratious man and thilke that ben busy in getting of riches ben yhold wyse men and ready but Lord these rich men sayen that it is both leful and needefull to them to gather riches together For they ne gathereth it for themselfe but for other men that ben needy and Lord their woorkes shewen the truth For if a poore needy man woulde borowen of theyr riches he nele leane him none of his good but gif he mow be seker to haue it againe by a certayne day But Lord thou bede that a man should send and not hoping yelding againe of him that he lendeth to and thy father of heauen wol quite him his mede And gif a pore aske a rich man any good the rich man will geue him but a little and yet it shall be little worth And Lord me thinketh that here is little loue and charitie both to God and to our brethren For Lord thou teachest in thy Gospell that what men doe to thy seruauntes they done to thee A Lord gif a poore man axe good for thy loue men geueth him a little of the wurst For these rich men ordeinen both bread and ale for Gods men of the wurst that they haue O Lord sith all good that men hath commeth of thee how dare any man geue thee of the wurst and kepe to himselfe the best How may suche men say that they gatheren riches for others need as well as himselfe sith their workes ben contratrary to their words And that is no great truth And be ye seker these goods that rich mē han they ben gods goods ytake to your keeping to loke how he wolen be setten them to the worshipping of God And Lord thou sayest in the Gospell that who so is true in litle he is true in that thing that is more And who that is false in a litle thing who wole taken him toward things of a greater value And therfore be ye ware that han gods goods to keep Spend ye thilke truelich to the worship of God least ye leesen the blysse of heauen for the vntrue despending of Gods goods in this world O Lord these rich men seggen that they done much for thy loue For many poore labourers ben yfound by them that shoulden fare febelich ne were not they and their readines Forsooth me thinketh that poore labourers geueth to these rich men more then they geuen them agaynward For the poore men mote gone to his labour in cold and in heate in wete and dry and spend hys flesh and his bloud in the richmens works vpon Gods gound to finde the rich man in ease and in liking and in good fare of meate of drink and of clothing Here is a great gift of the poore man for he geueth his owne body But what geueth the richman hym agayneward Certes feeble meat and feeble drinke and feeble clothing What euer they seggen suche be their workes and here is little loue And whosoeuer looketh well about all the worlde fareth as we seggē And all mē studieth on euery side how they may wexe rich men And euerich man almost is ashamed to ben holden a poore man And Lord I trow for thou were a poore man men token litle regarde to thee and to thy teaching But Lord thou came to geue vs a new testament of loue therefore
it was semelich that thou came in poorenes to prooue who wold loue thee and kepen thine hestes For gif thou haddest ycome in forme of a rich man and of a Lord men wold rather for they dread then for thy loue haue ykept thyne hestes And so Lord now thou might wel ysee which louen thee as they should in keeping thyne hestes For who that loueth thee in thy poorenes and in thy lownes needes he more loue thee in thy Lordship and highnesse But Lord the world is turned vpse downe men loue poore men but a litlene porenes neither But men be ashamed of poorenes and therefore Lord I trow that thou art a poore king And therefore I trow that he that clepeth himselfe thy vicare on earth hath forsaken poorenes as he hath do the remnaunt of thy lawe and is become a rich man and a Lord maketh his treasure vpon the earth that thou forbiddest in the Gospell And for his right and riches he will plete and fight curse And yet Lord he will segge that he forsaketh all thinges that he oweth as thy true disciple mete done after thy teaching in the Gospell But Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsaken his goodes and plete for them and fight and curse And Lord he taketh on him power to asloyle a man of all maner things but if it be of det Truely Lord me thinketh he knoweth litle of charitie For who that beth in charitie possesseth thy goodes in common and not in proper at his neighbours nede And then shall there none of them segge this is mine but it is Gods that God granteth to vs to spenden it to his worship And so if any of them boroweth a porcion of those goodes and dispendeth them to Gods worship God is apayed of this spending and alloweth him this true doyng And if God is payed of that dispeÌ„ding that is the principal Lord of those goods how dare anye of his seruauntes axen there of accountes other challenge it for dette Serten of one thing I am incerteine that these that charge so much det of worldly cattell they knowe little of Christes lawe of charitie For if Ich am a bayly of Gods goodes in the world If I see my brother in nede I am holde by charitie to part with him of these goodes to his nede and if he spendeth them well to the worshop of God I mote be well apayd as though I my selfe had spended them to the worship of GOD. And if the principall Lord is well payed of my brothers doyng and the despending of his goodes howe may I segge for shame that my brother is dettour to me of the goodes that I tooke hym to spend in Gods worship at his nede And if my brother spendeth amisse the goodes that I take him I am discharged of my deliueraunce of the goodes If I take him in charitie thilke goods at his nede And I am hold to be sory of his euill dispending ne I may not axen the goodes that I tooke him to his nede in forme of dette for at his neede they were his as well as myne And thus is my brother yholde to done to me gif he see me in nede and gif we bene in charitie little should we chargen of dette And ne we shold not axen so dertes as men that knowen not God And than we be poore in forsaking all thinges that we own For gif we ben in charitie we wollen nother fight nor curse ne plete for our goodes with our brethren O Lord thus thou taughtest thy seruauntes to lyuen And so they lyueden while they hadden good shepheards that fedden thy sheepe and robbed them nat of their lifelode as Peter thy good shepheard and thy other Apostles But Lord he that clepeth hym selfe thy vicar vpon earth and successour to Peter he robbeth thy puple of their bodylich lyfelode for he ordeneth proud shepherds to lyuen in ese by thâ—itenth party of poore mens trauell And he geueth them leue to lyuen where them lyketh And gif men no wolen wilfullich geuen them the tithinges they wolen han them agaynst their will by maysterye by cursing to maken theÌ„ riche ¶ Lord how may any man segge that such shepherdes that louen more the wolle then the sheepe and feden not thy sheepe in body ne in soul ne ben such rauenours theeues And who may segge that the mayntaynour of such shepherdes ne is not a maintenour of theeues and robbers How wole he assoyle shepherdes of their robbing without restitution of theyr goodes that they robben thy sheep of against their will Lord of all shepherdes blessed mote thou be For thou louedst more the sheepe then theeir wole For thou feedest thy sheepe both in body and soule And for loue of thy sheepe thou tooke thy death to bring thy sheepe ouâ— of Wolues mouthes And the most charge that thou gone to Peter was to feede thy sheepe And so he did truelich and took the death for thee and for thy sheepe For he came into the fold of shepe by the that were the dore And so I trowe a fewe other did as he did though they clepen himselfe successors to Peter for theyr workes showen what they ben For they robben and sleen and destroyen they robben thy sheepe of the tenth part of their trauel and feden themselfe in ease They sleen thy sheepe for they pyenen them for hunger of theyr soule to the death They destroyen the sheepe for with might and with sternship they rulen thy sheepe that for dred they beene disparsed abroade in mountaynes and there the wilde beasts of the field destroyeth theÌ„ for default of a good shepeheard ¶ O Lord gif it be thy will deliuer thy sheepe out of such sheepherdes ward that retcheth not of thy sheepe they han their wolle to make them selfe rich For thy shepe ben in great mischiefe and foule accombred with their shepheardes ¶ But for thy shepheardes wolden ben excused they haue ygeten them hyred men to feede thy people and these comen in sheepes clothing But dredles their workes shewen that with in forth they ben but Wolfes For han they theyr hyre they ne retcheth but a little howe sorilich thy sheepe ben kept For as they seggen themselfe they ben but hyred men that han no charge of thy sheepe And when the shulden feden thy sheepe in the plentuous lesewe of thy teaching they stonden betweene them theyr lesewe so that the sheepe ne han but a sight of thy lesewe but eaté they shall not therof But they fedeÌ„ them in a sorry sowre lesewe of lesinges of tales And so thy sheepe fallen into greeuous sicknes through this euill lesewe And gif any shepe breake ouer into thy lesewe to tasten the sweetnes therof anon these hyred men driue him out with hounds And thus thy shepe by these hyred men ben ykept out of their kindlich lesewe and
ben yfed with soure grasse sory baren lesewe And yet they feden but seldome and when they han sorilych fed them they taken great hyre and gone away from thy sheepe and letten them a worth And for drede least thy sheepe wolden in theyr absence goe to thy sweet lesewe they han enclosed it all about so stronglich and so high that there may no sheepe comen there with in but gif it be a walisch leper of the mouÌ„tayns that may with his long legs lepen ouer the wallys For the hirid men ben ful certayn that gif thy sheepe had ones ytasted the sweetnes of thy lesewe They ne would no more bene yfed of these hyred men in their foure leweses therfore these hyred meÌ„ kepen theÌ„ out of that lesewe For hadden the sheepe once ytasted well of thy lesewe they wouldeÌ„ without a leder go thider to their mete and then mote these hired men sechen them another labour to liue by than keping of shepe And they bene sel and ware ynowe thereof and therefore they feden thy sheepe with soure meate that naught is hiden from thy shepe the swetenes of thy lesew And so though these hyred men gone in shepes clothing in their works they ben wolues that much harme done to thy sheeps as we haue ytold ¶ O Lord they comeÌ„ as shepe for the seggeÌ„ that they ben poore and haue forsaken the world to liuen parsetlich as thou taughtest in the gospell Lord this is shepes clothing But Lord thoâ—â— ne taughtest not a man to forsaken the trauelous liuing in porenesse in the world to liuen in ese with riches by other mens trauell haue Lordship on their brethreÌ„ For lord this is more to forsakeÌ„ thee go to the world ¶ O Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsake the world to liuen in poorenes of begging by other mens trauell that bene as feble as they ben Ne Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to liuen in poorenes of begging that were strong inough to trauell for his lifelode Ne Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to ben a begger to beg of meÌ„ more then him nedeth to build great castles and make great â—uasts to thilke that han no need ¶ O Lord thou ne taughtest not men this poorenes for it is out of charitye But thy poorenes that thou taughtest nourisheth charitye Lord sith Paul sayth that he that forsaketh the charge of thilke that ben homelich with him hath forsaken his fayth and is worse then a misbeleued man How then now these men seggen that they beleueÌ„ in Christ that han forsake their poore feeble frendes let them liue in trauell and in disese that trauelled full sore for theÌ„ when the weren young and vnmighty to helpen themselfe And they woleÌ„ liue in ese by other mens trauell euermore begging withouten shame ¶ Lord thou ne taughtest not this maner poorenes for it is out of charite And all the law is charity and thing that nourisheth charite And these shepheards send about to kepe thy shepe to feden theÌ„ other whiles bareyne lewsewes Lord thoune madest none such shepheardes ne kepers of the sheepe that â—â—â—desory lich thy shepe and for so litle trauell taken a great â—â—â— and sitheÌ„ al the yeare afterward do what them liketh and let thy shepe perish for defaut of keping But thy shepherdes abiden still with their sheepe and feden theÌ„ in thy plenteou lesewe of thy teaching and gone byfore thy shepe and teachen them the way into the plenteous and swete 〈◊〉 we and kepen thy flocke from rauening of the wilde beastes of the field O Lord deliuer the sheepe out of the ward of those shepheardes and these hyred meÌ„ that stonden more to kepe their riches that they robben of thy shepe than they stonden in keping of thy sheepe O Lord when thou come to Ierusalem some time thou droue out of the temple sellers of bestes and of other chaffre and saydest Mine house shoulde ben cleped an house of prayers but they maden a deÌ„ of theues of it O Lord thou art the temple in whom we shoulden prayen thy father of heauen And Salomons temple that was ybelded at Ierusalem was figure of this temple But Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth and sayth that he occupyeth thy place here on earth is become a chapman in the temple and hath his chapmen walking in diuers countreys to sellen hys chaffare and to maken him rich And he sayth thou gaue him so great a power abouen all other men that what euer he bindeth other vnbindeth in earth thou bindest other vnbindest the same in heauen And so of great power he selleth other men forgeuenes of their sinne And for much money he will assoylen a man so cleane of his sinne that he behoteth men the blesse of heauen withouten any payne after that they be dead that geuen him much mony Bishopriches cherches such other chaffares he selleth also for mony and maketh himselfe rich And thus he beguiled the puple O Lord Iesu here is much vntruth and mischiefe and matter of sorow Lord thou saydest sometime that thou wouldest be with thy seruantes into the end of the world And thou saydest also there as tweyne of three ben ygadred to gedder in thy name that thou art in the midle of theÌ„ A Lord then it was no need to thee to maken lietetenaunt sith thou wolte be euermore amongest thy seruauntes Lorde thou axedst of thy disciples who they trowed that thou were And Peter aunswered and sayd that thou art Christ Gods sonne And thou saydest to Peter Thou art I blessed Symon Bariona for flesh and bloud ne showed not this to thee but my Father that is in heauen And I say to thee that thou art Peter and vpon this stone ych wole byld my Churche and the gates of hell he shullen not auaâ—len agens it And to the ych wole geue the keyes of heauen and what euer thou byndest vppon earth shall be bound in heauen what euer thou vnbyndest on earth shal be vnbounden in heauen This power also was graunten vnto the other disciples as well as to Peter as the Gospell openlich telleth In this place men seggen that thou graunted to Peters successors the selue power that thou gaue to Peter And therefore the Bishop of Rome that sayth he is Peters succcessour taketh this power to him to binden and vnbynden in earth what him liketh But Lord ych haue much wonder how he may for shame clepen himselfe Peters successour For Peter knowledged that thou were Christ and God and kept the hestes of thy law but these han forsaken the hestes of thy law and hath y maked a law contrary to thyne hestes of thy law And so he maked himself a false Christ and a false God in earth And It row thou gaue hym no power to vndoe thy law And so in taking this power vpon
was Dominicke the first author and founder of the preaching Fryers who laboured to the said Pope Innocent for the confirmation of his order but did not obteyne in his life tune The next yeare after this Laterane councell dyed pope Innocent an 1216. after whome came Honorius 3. who in the first yeare of his Popedome confirmed the order of the frier Dominicke and gaue to him and his fryers authority to preach and to beare confessions with diuers other priuilegies more And vnder this Pope whiche gouerned 10. yeares liued Dominick fiue yeares after y◠confirmatiō of his order and dyed an 1221. About which yeare the order of the Franciscane Friers began also to bread to spread in the world through preaching and hearing confessions After this Honorius next followed Pope Gregory the 9. about the yeare of our Lord 1228. who for the promoting of the forsayd order of Dominickes gaue out this Bull in tenour as followeth Gregorius bishop seruaunt of Gods seruauntes to his reuerende brethren Archbishops Bishoppes and to his welbeloued Children Abbots Priors and to All Prelates of churches to whom soeuer these presentes shall come greting and Apostolical blessing Because iniquitie hath abounded the charity of man hath waxt cold Behold the Lord hath raysed vp the order of our weibeloued children the preaching Friers who not seking things of their owne but pertayning to Iesus Christ to the extirping as wel of heresies as to the roting out also of other pernitious pestilenciés haue dedicate themselues to the preaching of the word of God We therfore minding to aduaunce their sacred purpose c. and followeth commaunding you to see the sayd persons gently to be receaued among you And that your flockes committed to your charge do receaue deuoutly the seede of Gods word out of their mouth and doe confesse their sinnes vnto them all suche as list whome wee haue authorised to the same to heare confessions and to enioyne penaunce c. Dat. Perusij an Pont. nostri 8. This pope Honorius dyed about the yeare of our Lord 1241. after whom came Celestinus the fourth and sat but 18. daies then came Innocentius the fourth and sat 11. yeares and 6. monethes who although he began first to fauour the friers yet afterward being altered by certayn Diuines of Uniuersities Prelates of Churches and Curates and debarred them of their liberties and priueledges gaue out agayne preceptes and excommunications as well agaynst the Friers as all other religious persons And not long after the same he was dispatched Innocentius being thus remoued out of the way about the yeare of our Lord 1353. Then succeeded Pope Alexander the fourth a great mayntainer of the Friers and sat 7. yeares He reuoked and repeated the Actes and writinges of Pope Innocent his predecessour geuen forth agaynst the Friers wherwith the Diuines and Students of Paris benig not wel contented stirred vp foure principall Doctours The first and chiefe captayne was Guliel de sancto Amore mentioned before pag. 322. against whom wrote Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquine And at last he was condemned by this foresayd Pope Alexander the 4. in the Extrau Non sine multa The second was Simon Iornalensis the third Godfridus de Fontibus the iiii Henricus de Gandauo These foure with other their complices compiled a certaiene booke against the begging order of Friers both Dominicans and Franciscās intituled Depericulis Ecclesiae cōreiningxim chapters wherof the 14. which is the last with 39. articles agaynst the Friers we haue already trāslated and expressed pag. 317. Beside these 39. articles be other vii articles moreouer to the said booke annexed vnder the name of the students of Paris against the Friers prouing why the sayd Friers ought not to be admitted into their societie which vii articles because they are but short I thought here better to place then to omit them Certaine articles geuen out by the Studentes of Paris agaynst the Fryers why they should not be admitted to theyr societie FIrst we say they are not to be admitted to the societie of our schole but vpon our will and licence For our company or fellowship ought not to be coactiue but voluntary and free Secondly we say they are not to be admitted for somuch as we oft proued their community manifold wayes to be hurtfull and incommodious Thirdly seeing they be of a diuers prosession from vs for they are called regular and not schollasticall we therfore ought not to bee ioyned and associate together in one scholasticall office For asmuch as the Councell of Spayne doth say thou shalt not plough with the Oxe and with the Asse together which is to say Men of diuers professions ought not together to be matched in one kinde of calling or standing for theyr studies and conditions be disagreeing and disseuered from ours and cannot frame or couple together in one communion Fourthly we affirme by the Apostle that they are not to be admitted because they worke dissensions and offēces For so sayth the Apostle Rom vlt. we desire you brethren that ye obserue and take heede of such as make dissentions and offēdicles about the doctrine which you haue learned by the Apostles and auoyd them For such serue not the Lord but their own belly Glose Some they flatter some they backbyte whereby they might feede their belly That through their sweete and pleasaunt wordes and by their benedictions they may deceaue the hartes of the simple Glose That is with their fine sugered and trimme couched wordes they set forth their own traditions wherewith they beguile the hartes of the simple innocentes Fiftly we say they are not to be admitted For that we feare least they be in the number of them which goe about and deuoure mens houses For they thrust in themselues into euery mans house searching and sacking the consciences and states of all persons And whom they finde easie to be seduced as women such they doe circumuent lead them away from the counsailes of their Prelates bynding them either in acte or oth from such we are warned by the Apostle to auoyd Sixtly wee say they are to bee auoyded because wee feare they are false Prophetes Whiche being neither Byshops ner parish priests nor yet their Uicares nor sent by them yet they preach not sent against the minde of the Apostle Rom. 10. saying How shall they preach except they be sent For els there appeareth in them no such great vertue for the whiche they ought to be admitted to preach vncalled Seing therefore that such are so daungerous to the Church they ought to be auoyded Seuenthly we say they are not to be admitted because they be a people so curious in searching inquiring of oother mens doings and spirituall demaynour And yet be they neyther Apostles nor yet successours of the Apostles as bishops nor of the number of the 72. Diciples of the Lord nor their successors that
is parish Priestes nor their helpers nor yet Uicares wherefore seing they liue so in no order by the sentence of the Apostle we are commaunded to auoyd them 2. Thess. vlt. where he saith we admonish and denounce vnto you O brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that is as the Glose sayth we commaund you by the authoritie of Christ that you withdrawe your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not after the tradition which you haue receaued of vs. c. Looke vpon the common glose of this place and you shall finde that such are to be auoyded till time they amend from so doing c. Besides these articles aboue rehearsed certaine propositions or conclusions were also propounded in the scholes of Paris the same time solemnly to be disputed and defended agaynst the Fryers which in a briefe some of wordes to collect were these First that the begging Friers were not in the state of saluation Secondly that they were bound to labour with theyr handes that could and not to begge Thirdly that they ought not to exercise the office of preaching or to heare the confessiōs of them that wil come to them although being licensed thereunto by the Byshop of Rome or by the Diocesane for somuch as the same is preiudiciall to the ministers and Priestes of the Parishes All these foresayd articles conclusions with the booke set forth by these Paris men This Pope Alexander the 4. condemned to be abolished and burned writing his preceptes to the French K. and also the Vniuersitie of Paris in the fauour of the Friers willing and commaunding the sayd Fryers to be restored to all their priueledges and libertyes in as ample maner as in Pope Gregories tyme before Not long after Pope Alexander the 4. followed Clement the 4. an 1263. and sate 3. yeares Who also gaue the priuiledge to the Friers beginning Quidam temerè c. In which priueledge he condemneth them that say that no mā without licence of his Curate or minister ought to confesse him to the Friers or that a subiect ought to aske licence of theyr ministers so to doe whiche was agaynst the Canon Omnis vtriusque sexus c. made by the Pope Innocent the 3. before recited After this Clement agayn came Pope Martine the 4. an 1281. who renued again the Canon Omnis vtriusque sexus in the behalfe of the Curates against the Friers Then Pope Boniface the 8. began to sit an 1294 viii yeares ix monethes Who taking side with the Fryers gaue to them an other priuiledge beginning Super Cathedram c. In the whiche priuiledge he licensed the Fryers that without licence of Uicares of Churches they shal first present themselues to the Prelates to be admitted by whō if they be refused the second time then they vppon speciall authoritie of this Pope shall be priueledged without eyther Byshop or Curate to preach to bury and to heare cōfessions who soeuer will come to them reuoking all that was decreed by his predecessours before to the contrary notwithstanding By this Pope Boniface a certayne Dominick Frier was made Cardinall named Nicholaus de Teruisio and after the death of Boniface was made also Pope an 1303. surnamed Pope Benedictus 11. Who seing the constituciō of Boniface his predecessor to gender dissension betweene the Prists and Friers made an other constitution beginning Inter cunctas c. reuoking the constitution of Boniface his predecessour Upon which constitution of Pope Benedict Ioannes Monachus make a Glose reuoked also his other Glose made vpon the constitution of Boniface before Again after this Benedictus the 11. folowed pope Clement the 5. an 1335. and sat 9. yeeres who in his generall Councell holden at Uienna reuoked the constitution of Benedictus his predecessor and renewed agayne the former decree of Boniface by a new constitution of his beginning Dudum a Bonifacio 8. c. whiche constitution moreouer was confirmed afterwarde by Pope Iohn the 22. an 1316. which Pope also caused Ioannes de Poliaco to recant Upon this variable diuersity of the Popes one dissēting and repugning from an other rose among the Diuines scholemen in Uniuersities great matter of cōtention as well in the Uniuersity of Paris as the Uniuersity of Oxford about the begging Friers some holding one way some an other way But especially 5. principal opinions to be noted of learned men who thē disputing against the friers were condemned for heretickes and their assertions reproued The first was the opinion of thē which defended that the friers might not by the licence of the Byshop of Rome and of the Prelats preach in Parishes and heare confessions And of this opinion was Guliel de Sācto Amore with his felowes who as is sayd were condemned The second opiniō was this that friers although not by theyr own authority yet by priuiledge of the Pope and of the Bishop might preach and heare confessions in Parishes but yet not without licence of the Parish Priestes Of this opinion was Bernardus glosing vpon the canō Omnis vtriusque sexus afore mentioned The third opinion was that friers might preach and heare confessions without licence of the Parish Priestes but yet the sayd parishners notwithstanding were boūd by the Canon Omnis vtriusque sexus to repeate the same sinnes again if they had no other to theyr own proper curate and of this opinion were many as Godfridus de Fontibus Henricus de Gandauo Ioannes Monachus Cardin Ioannes de Poliaco Which Ioannes de Poliaco Pope Iohn the 22 caused openly in Paris to recant and retract This Ioannes de Poliaco Doctor of diuinity in Paris being complayned of by the friers for certaine articles or assertions was sent for to the Pope where time and place being to him assigned he in the audience of the Pope and of Frierly Cardinals other doctors was straitly examined of his articles To make the story short he at length submitting himselfe to the authority of the terrible see of Rome was caused to recant his assertions openly at Paris His assertions which he did hold were these ¶ The three assertions of Ioannes de Poliaco which he was caused by the Pope to recant at Paris His three assertions Whereof the first was they which were confessed to friers although hauing a generall licence to heare confessions were bounde to confesse agayne their sinnes to their own Parish Priest by the constitutiō Omnis vtriusque sexus c. The second was that the sayd cōstitution Omnis vtriusque sexus standing in his force the Pope coulde not make but parishners wer boūd once a yere to confesse theyr sinnes to their Priest For the doing otherwise importeth a contradiction in it selfe The 3. was that the Pope coulde not geue geuerall licēce to heare confessiōs so but y◠the parishners so confessed were bound to reiterate the same confession made vnto his owne Curate Which be proued by these
theÌ„ If Christian perfection by the friers Philosophy stadeth in wilfull beggery 12. Item if Christ the high priest had begged wilfully theÌ„ did holy Church erre wittingly which ordeined that none without sufficient title of liuing clothing should be admitted to holy orders And moreouer when it is seyd in the canonicall decrees that the bishop or clerke that beggeth bringeth shame vpon the whole order of the clergy 13. Item if Christ had wilfully begged then the example of wilful pouerty had perteyned to the perfection of Christian life which is contrary to the old law which commauÌ„deth the Priestes which liued then after the perfection of the law to haue possessions and tithes to keep them from beggory 14. Item if Christ did wilfully begge then beggery were a poynt of christian perfection And so the Church of God should erre in admitting such patrimonies and donatioÌ„s geuen to the Church and so in taking from the Prelates their perfection 15. Agayne what will these friers which put their perfection in begging say to Melchisedech who without begging or wilfull pouerty was the high Priest of God and King of Salem and prefigured the order and Priesthoode of Christ 16. And if beggery be such a perfection of the Gospell as the friers say how coÌ„meth it that the holy Ghost geuen to the Apostles which should lead them into all trueth tolde them no word of this beggerly perfection neither is there any word mentioned therof through the whole TestameÌ„t of God 17. Moreouer where the Prophet sayth I neuer did see the lust man forsaken nor his seed go begging their bread How standeth this with the iustice of Christ which was most perfectly iust if he should be forsaken or his seede goe begge their bread And theÌ„ how agreeth this with the abhominable doctrine of friers Franciscan which put theyr perfection in wilfull begging 18. Finally doc wee not read that Christ sent his disciples to preach without scripp or wallet and bid them salute no man by the way Meaning that they should begge nothing of no man Did not the same Christ also labor with his handes vnder Ioseph S. Paule likewise did he not labour with his handes rather then he would burden the Church of the Corinthians And where now is the doctrine of the friers which putteth state of perfectioÌ„ in wilfull begging The fift conclusion of Armachanus agaynst the friers was this that Christ neuer taught any man wilfully to begge which he proued thus It is written Actes 1. Christ began to do and to teach If Christ therfore which did neuer wilfully beg himselfe as hath bene proued had taught men otherwise to do then his doing and teaching had not agreed together Item if Christ which neuer begged himselfe wilfully had taught men this doctrine of wilfull begging contrary to his owne doing he had geuen suspition of his doctrine and ministred slaunder of the same as hath bene proued â—t the fourth conclusion before Moreouer in so reaching he had taught coÌ„trary to the Emperors iust law which â—xpresly forbiddeth the same The sixt conclusion of Armachanus agaynst the Friers was that our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs that we should not beg wilfully which he proueth by seueÌ„ or eight reasons First where it is written Luke 14. when thou makest a feast call the poore weake lame and blind and thou shalt be blessed for they haue not wherewith to reward thee agayne To this also perteineth that decree of that apostle 1. Thes. 3. He that will not worke let him not eat Furthermore the same Apostle addeth in the same place For you haue vs for exaÌ„ple how we were burdenous to nomaÌ„ neither did we eat our bread freely but with labor and wearines toiling both day and night and all because we would not burtheÌ„ you c. 4. Item where we read in the scripture the slouthful in aÌ„ reprehended Pro. 6. why slepest thou O sluggard thy pouerty and beggery is comming vpon thee like an armed man c. And agayne in the same booke of Prouerbs The slouthfull man sayth the scripture for colde would not go to the plough therfore he shal beg in sommer and no man shall geue bun c. Also in the sayd booke of Prouerb last chapter The diligent labouring woman is commended whose fingers are exercised about the rocke spindle And all these places make agaynst the wilfull begging of sturdy Friers 5. Item Frier Frances their owne founder in his owne testament sayth And I haue laboured with mine owne hands and will labor and will that all my frierlings shall labor and litle of theyr labor wherby they may support theÌ„ selues in an honest meane And they that cannot worke let them learne to worke not for any couetousnesse to receiue for theyr labor but for example of good workes and to auoyd idlenesse And when the price of theyr labor is not geuen them let them resort to the Lords table aske their almes from dore to dore c. Thus much in his TestameÌ„t And in his rule he sayth Such brethren to whom the Lord hath geuen the gift to labor let them labour faithfully and deuoutly c. wherfore it is to be maruelled how those friers with their wilfull begging dare transgresse the rule obedience of Frier Frauncis their great graundfathers testament 6. Item if Christ at any time did beg or did lacke it was more because he would vse a miracle in his own persoÌ„ theÌ„ because he would beg wilfully as when he sent Peter to that sea to finde a groat in the fishes mouth which thing yee he thought rather to do theÌ„ to beg the groat of the people which he might soone haue obteined 7. Item by diuers other his examples he seineth to teach the same as where he sayth The workmaÌ„ is worthy of his hier Also the workeman is worthy of his meate Math. 10. Luke 10. And wheÌ„ he spake to Zache that he would turne into his house And so likewise in Bethany and all other places he euer vsed rather to burden his frends theÌ„ to beg of other vnacquaynted 8. Item with playn precept thus he sendeth forth his disciples willing them not to go from house to house Luke 10. so as Friers vse now to goe Many other Scriptures there be which reproue begging as where it is sayd The foot of a foole is swift to the house of his neighbor Eccl. 29. And in an other place My childe sayth he see thou want not is the tune of thy life for better it is to die then to lack Eccl. 21. 9. IteÌ„ where Christ counselling the young man had him go and sel that he had and geue to the poore and folow him if he would be perfect doth not there cal him to wilful begging but calleth him to folow him which did not beg wilfully The seuenth conclusion of Armachanus is that no wise nor true holy man can take vpon him wilfull pouerty to be obserued alwayes which
Vrbanus 6. 11. 8. Clement 11 Bonifacius 9. 14. 9. Benedictus 13. 26. Innocentius 8. 2. 0.   Gregorius 12. 2. 7   Alexander 5. 0. 11.   Iohannes 13. 5. 10   As touching thys pestilent most miserable schisme it would require heere an other Ileade to comprehend in order all the circumstaunces and tragicall partes thereof what trouble in the whole Church what partes taking in euery Countrey what apprehending and imprysoning of priests prelates takē by land and sea what sheddyng of bloud did folow therof How Ottho duke of Brunsewyke Prince of Tarentum was taken and murthered Howe Ioane Queene of Hierusalem and Sicilia his wife who before had sent to Pope Urbane beside other gifts at hys coronation xl M. Duckets in pure gold after by the sayd Urbane was committed to prison and in the same pryson strangled What Cardinalles were racked and miserably wythout all mercy tormented on gibbettes to death what slaughter of men what battails were fought betwene the two Popes whereof 5000. on the one side were slaine beside the number of them which were taken prisoners Of the beheading of 5. cardinals together after long tormēts and how the bishop Aquilonensis being suspected of pope Urbane for not riding faster with the Pope his horse being not good was there slaine by the Popes commaundement sending his soldiours vnto him to slay him and cut hym in peeces All whych things with other diuers moe acts of horrible cruelty happening in the time of thys abhominable schisme because they are aboundantly discoursed at full by Theodorike Niem who was neare to the sayde Pope Urbane and present at all his doings therefore as a thing needlesse I here pretermit referring them who couet to be certified more amply herein vnto the 3. bookes of the sayd Theodorike aboue mentioned About the same time also about 3. yeres after there fel a cruell dissention in England betwene the common people and the nobilitie the which did not a little disturbe and trouble the common wealth In thys tumult Symon of Sudbury Archbyshop of Canterbury was taken by the rustical rude people and was beheaded In whose place after succeeded William Courtney which was no lesse diligent then his predecessor had ben before him in doing his diligence to roote out heretickes Notwithstanding in the meane season Wickleffes secte increased priuely and daily grewe to greater force vntill the time that William Barton Uicechancellor of Oxford about the yeare of our Lord 1380. had the whole rule of that vniuersitie who callyng together 8. monastical doctors and 4. other with the consent of the rest of hys affinitie putting the common seale of the vniuersitie vnto certaine wrytings he set foorth an Edict declaring vnto euery man and threatning them vnder a greeuous penaltie that no men should be so hardie hereafter to associate thēselues wyth any of Wickliffs fautors or fauourers and vnto Wickliffe himselfe he threatned the greater excommunication and farther imprisonment and to all his fautors vnles that they after 3. dayes canonical admonitiō or warning or as they cal it peremptory did repent amend The which thing whē Wickliffe vnderstood forsaking the pope all the clergy he thought to appeale vnto the kings maiestie but the Duke of Lancaster comming betweene forbad hym that he shoulde not heereafter attempt or begin any such matters but rather submit himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of his ordinary Whereby Wickliffe being beset wyth troubles and vexations as it were in the middest of the waues he was forced once againe to make cōfession of his doctrine in the whych his confession to auoid the rigor of things he aunswered as is aforesaide making his declaration and qualifying his assertions after such a sorte that he did mitigate and asswage the rigor of hys enemies The next yere after whych was 1382. by the commandement of William Arch. of Cant. there was a conuocation holden at London where as Iohn Wickliffe was also commanded to be present But whether he there appeared personally or not I find it not in story certainly affirmed The mandate of the Archb. Wil. Courtney sent abrode for the conuenting together of this councell heere followeth vnder wrytten truely copied out of his owne registers Memorandum that where as well amongest the nobles as commons of this realme of England there hath a certain brute ben spread of diuers cōclusions both erroneous also repugnant to the determination of the Church which tend to the subuersion of the whole Church and to our prouince of Canterburie and also to the subuersion of the whole realme being preached in diuers sundry places of our sayd prouince generally commonly publikely We William by Gods permission Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Legate of the sea Apostolicall beeing minded to execute our office and duetie heerein haue conuocated or called together certaine our fellow brethren others a great many as well Doctours and Bachelers of diuinitie as doctours of the Canon and ciuil law and those whome we thought to be the most famous men skilfullest men and men of soundest iudgemēt in religion that were in all the realme whose names here vnder ensue And the same being the 17. day of the month of May in the yere of our Lord 1382. in a certaine chamber within the territories of the priory of the friers preachers of London before vs and our foresayd fellow brethren assembled then and there personally present After that the sayd conclusions the tenour whereof here vnder ensueth were opēly proponed and distinctly and plainly read We burdened our foresayd fellow brethren doctours and bachelers in the faith wherin they stode bound to our Lorde Iesus Christ and as they would aunswer before the hygh iudge in the day of iudgement that they shuld speake their opinions touching the sayde conclusions and what euery of them thinketh therein And at length after good deliberation had vppon the premisses the foresaid our brethren the bishops doctours Bachelers reassembled before vs the 21. day of the same moneth in the foresayd chamber the foresayde conclusions being againe and againe repeated and plainly read by vs and by the common consents of vs all it remaineth published and declared that some of the said conclusions are hereticall and other some erroneous and contrary to the determination of the Church as heereafter most manifestly shall appeare And for as much as by sufficient information we finde perceiue that the sayd conclusions in many places of our sayde prouince haue bene as is sayde bothe taught preached and that diuers other persons do hold and maintaine the same and be of heresie vehemently and notoriously suspected haue thought good as wel generally as specially to send out thys processe vnder wrytten ¶ The names of the Iurers were these IN primis viij Bishops Canterbury Winchester Durram Exeter Herforde Sarum Rochester and Fryer Botlesham B. Item 3.
Testament forsooke worldly Lordship and was here in fourme of a seruaunt and forbad his Priestes such Lordships and sayd Reges gentium dominantur eorum c. vos autem non sic That is The kinges of the heathen beare dominion and rule c. But you shall not do so And as Saynt Peter sayeth Neque dominantes in clero c. Not bearing rule and dominion ouer the Clergy c. So it seemeth me that it is agaynst both lawes of God that they haue such Lordships and that theyr title to such lordships is not ful good And so it seemeth me that zif they bene thereto of euill lining it is no great perill to take away from them suche Lordships but rather medefull if the taking away were in charity and not for singular couetousnesse ne wrath And I suppose that if friers that be bounden to theyr fouÌ„ders to liue in pouerty would break theyr rule and take worldly Lordships might not men lawfully take from theÌ„ suche Lordships and make them to liue in pouerty as theyr rule would And forsooth it seemeth me that Priestes oughten also well to keepe Christes rule as Friers owne to keepe the rule of theyr founder Ieremy witnesseth how God coÌ„mended Rachabs children for they would not break theyr faders bidding in drinking of wine And yet Ieremy profered theÌ„ wine to drinke And so I trow that God would commend his Priestes if they woulden forsake worldlye Lordships and holden them a payd with lifelot and with clothing and busy them fast about theyr heritage of heaueÌ„ And God sayth Numeri 18. In terra eorum nihil possidebitis nec tenebitis parteÌ„ inter eos Ego pars haereditas vestra in me dio filiorum Israel c. Et Deut. 18. Non habebitis sacerdotes Leuitae omnes qui de eadem tribu estis partem haereditatem cum reliquo Israel quia Sacrificia Domini oblationes eius coÌ„â—dent nihil accipient de possessione fratrum suorum Dominus enim â—ipse hereditas ipsorum sicut locutus est illis Et Lucae 14. Sic ergo omnis ex vobis qui non renunciauerit omnibus quae possidet non potest meus esse discipulus Et Ieronimus in Epistola 34. Et Bernardus libro 20. ad Eugeneum Papam Et Hugo de Sacramentis parte 2. libri Secundi cap. 7. Et 12. q. pri cap duo sunt Et ca. clericus Et Bernardus in Sermone de Apostolis super illud Ecce nos reliquimus omnia Et Chrisost super Math. vetus Testamentum That is You shall haue no inheritaunce in theyr laÌ„d nor haue no part amoÌ„gst them I wil be your part and inheritaunce amongest the children of Israell c. Deut. 18. The Priestes and Leuites and all that be of the same tribe shall haue no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israell because they shall eate the sacrifices of the Lord and his oblatioÌ„s and they shall take nothing of the possession of theyr brethren The Lord himselfe is their possessioÌ„ as he spake vnto them And the 14. chap. of Luke Euen so euery one of you which forsaketh not all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple And Ierome in his 14. Epistle hath the like wordes And Bernard in his 20 booke to Eugenius the Pope And also Hugo in his booke De Sacramentis the second part of his secoÌ„d booke the 7. chap. Also in the 12. q. first chap Duo sunt and in the chap. Clericus And agayn Bernard in his booke De sermone de Apostolis vpon thys place Ecce nos reliquimus omnia Behold we leaue all c. Chrisostome vpon the Gospell of S. Math. c. ☞ The third conclusion toucheth the matter of preaching of Priestes withouten leaue of Bishops and is this that such true Priestes may counsel sinnefull men that shewen to them their sinnes after the wit and cunning that God hath geuen to turne hem from sinne to vertuous life as touching preaching of the Gospell I say that no Bishop oweth to let a true Priest that God hath giffen grace wit and cunning to do that office For both Priestes and Deacons that God hath ordeyned Deacons or Priests bene holden by power geuen to them of God to preach to the people the Gospell and namely souereÌ„ly Popes Bishops Prelates and Curates for this is due to the people and the parishners to haue it and aske it And hereto seemeth me that Christ said generally to his Disciples Ite praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae Goe and preach the Gospell to all creatures as well as he sayd Ite baptizate omnes gentes Goe and baptise all nations that also as well longeth preaching to Priestes without leaue of a Bishop as doth baptising and then why may he not preach Gods word withouten a Bishops leaue And sithen Christ bod his Priestes preach who should forbidden them preaching The Apostles were forbidden of a bishop at Ierusalem to speake more of the name of Iesus but Peter sayd Si iustum est in conspectu Dei vos potiùs audire quà m Dominum iudicate That is Whether it be iust in the sight of God to heare and obey you before the Lord be your selues Iudges A Bishop may not let a Priest of geuing bodily almes in his Dioces much more may he not let the doing of spiritual almes in his dioces by gods law A Priest may say his Mattines withouten the Byshops leaue for the Pope that is aboue the Bishop hath charged Priestes therewith And me thinketh that Christes bidding should be all so much of charge as the Popes Math. 10 Euntes autem praedicate Ite ecce ego mitto vos Et Mar. 16. Euntes in mundum vniuersum c. Lucae 10. Ft Anacletus pap dis 21 cap. In nouo TestameÌ„to Et Beda super illud Messis quidem multa Et Isydorus de summo bono ca. 44. Et Gregorius in canone dis 43. Preconis quippe officium suscipit c. Chrisostom distinct 43. Nolite timere Et Aug. dis 34. cap. quisquis Gregorius in suo pastorali ca. 38. qui enim est Et Chrisost. om 31. in Tollitano concilio Ignorantia Aug. in Prologo sermonum suorum Ieronimus dis 9. Ecce ego Et Aug. super id Homo quidam peregrinus That is Go you forth and preach And agayn Behold I send you c. Mar. 16. Go you into all the world c. and Luk. 10. cap. in nouo Testamento And Beda vpon this place Messis quidem multa the haruest is great Also Isidorus De summo bono cap. 44. And Gregorius in the Canon dist 43. Preconis quippe officium suscipit c. and Chrisostome in hys 34. distinction Nolite timere And Augustine in the 34. dystinction cap. quisquis And Gregorius in his Pastorall cap. 38. Qui enim est And Chrisostome in his 31. Homelye Et in Tollitano concilio ignorantia And Augustine
Hereford sendeth greeting cōtinual chartitie in the Lord. We would y◠you al should know that of late by many faithfull christian people specially zealous followers of the catholicke faith it was lamētably done vs to vnderstand by way of complaine that a certain sonne of ours going out of kind named Walter Brute lay person learned of our dioces hath vnder a cloked shew of holynes dānably seduced the people setting behind him y◠feare of God doth seduce thē as much as he cā frō day to day informing teaching openly and priuely as well the nobles as the commōs in certaine conclusiōs hereticall schismatical and erroueous also heretofore condēned And they haue also probably exhibited against the same Walter articles vnder writtē u◠maner and forme as followeth ¶ Articles exhibited and denounced to the bishop against Walter Brute REuerend father and Lorde we the faythfull people of Christ we the faythfull people of Christ zelous louers of the catholicke faith and also your humble and deuout children do minister exhibite to your reuerend fatherhood the articles vnder written touching the catholicke faith cōtrary and against malicious persons detractours of the same faith the determinations of holy mother church namely agaynst the childe of Belial one Walter Brute a false teacher and seducer amongst the people Hūbly beseeching y◠you would vouchsafe to haue regard to the correction of the enormities vnder written according vnto the Canonicall constitutions euen as to your office pastorall doth lye and belong In primis we do geue and exhibite and entēd to proue that the same Walter Brute being vnmindfull of his saluation hath bene by many and diuers faythfull Christian people sundry times accused of the cursednes of heresy As by the swift report slaūder and rumour of the people proceding before the most reuerend father Lord Lord William Archb. of Caunterbury and also before the reuerend father Lord Lord Iohu late B. of Herford your predecessor and now Bishop of S. Asse hath bene testified and also hath bene many diuers times cited to answere vnto articles by him agaynst the Catholicke fayth auouched openly and publiquely taught But he in this matter of hereticall cursednes so greeuously and shamefully spoken of hath neuer regarded to purge his innocency but luckingly and running into corners hath many and sundrye yeres labored to aduance things erroneous schismaticall and also heresyes to emprint them in the harts of faythfull people Item the foresayd Walter Brute hath opēly publickly and notoriously auouched and commōly sayd taught and stubbernly affirmed that euery Christen man yea woman being without sinne may make the body of christ so well as the priest Item the same Walter hath notoriously opēly publickely auouched and taught that in the Sacrament of the alter there is not the very body but a signe and a memoriall onely Item the foresayd Walter hath sayd commonly and auouched and also hath labored to informe mē and companyes that no man is bound to geue tithes nor oblations and if any man will needes geue he may geue his tithes and oblations to whom he wil excluding therby theyr curates Itē that such as do preach and prefer croised matters and pardons graunted by the high bishop to them y◠helpe the purpose of the reuerēd father Lord Henry by the grace of God Bishop of Norwich when as he tooke his iourny vpō him to fight for the holy father the Pope are schismatickes and heretickes and that the Pope cannot graunt such maner of pardons Item the sayd Walter hath oftentimes sayd and commonly aduouched that the Pope is Antichrist and a seducer of the people and vtterly agaynst the lawe and life of Christ. Item wheras of late your reuerence did at the instāce of faithfull christen people proceed in forme of law against William Swinderby and that the sayd Williā Swinderby had vnto the said articles obiected against him geuē vp his answeres in writing cōteining in thē errors schismes heresies euen as you with the mature counsel of maisters doctors in diuinity other faculties haue determined geuen sentence and haue pronounced the same William Swinderby to be an heretick a schismatick and an erroneous teacher of the people Neuertheles the forenamed Walter hath openly publickly notoriously said aduouched stubbernly affirmed that the sayd Williams aunsweres whereof notice hath bene geuen before are good righteous and not able to be conuinced in that they conteyne none error and that your sentence beforesayd geuen agaynst the same William is euill false vniust And that your assistants haue wickedly naughtely peruersly vniustly condemned the answeres aforesayd Now therupon immediately those same faythful christian people haue instantly required that we would vouch safe that other articles geuen by the same faythfull christiās against the sayd William Swinderby together with the writings and answeres of the same William therunto should be admitted agaynst Walter Brute mentioned of in this matter of cursed heresy of which Articles and aunswers the tenors do folow in these wordes In primis that one William Swinderby pretending himself priest was of certayne articles and cōclussions erroneous false schismaticall heretical by him preached at diuers places times before a great multitude of faithful Christians iudicially cōuinced and the same articles and conclusiōs did he inforced by necessity of law reuoke and abiure some as hereticall and other as erroneous false and for such did he aduouch thē euer afterward promising so to take and beleue them that frō thenceforth he would opēly or priuily preach teach or affirme none of them nor that he should make sermon or preach within your dioces without licence demaunded and obteined And in case he should to the cōtrary presume by preaching or auouching that then he should be subiect to the seueritye of the Canōs euen as he iudicially sware accordingly as the law inforced Also the conclusions abiured by the sayd William doe folow and are such 1. In primis that men by the rule of charity may demaund debts but by no meanes imprison any man for debts and that the party so imprisoning a body is excommunicated before pag. 466. 2. Item that if the parishioners shall knowe theyr Curate to be incontinent and naughty they ought to withdraw from him theyr tythes c. pag. 467. 3. Item that tithes are mere almosies and in case that the Curates shal be ill that they may be lawfully bestowed vpon others by the temporall owners c. pag. 467. 4 Item that an euill Curate to excommunicate any vnder his iurisdiction for withholding of tithes is nought els c. pag. 467. 5. Item that no mā may excōmunicate any body except that first he know him excōmunicate of God Neither doe those that communicate with such a one incur the sentence of excommunication by any maner of meanes ibid.
the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the
flesh of Christ and his bloud Whereupon the veritye himself said vnto his Disciples This is sayth he my flesh which is geuen for the life of the world and to speake yet more maruellously this is none other flesh thē that which was borne of the virgin Mary suffered vpon the crosse and rose out of the sepulchre See how far this chapter differeth from the first And in the chapter which beginneth Ego Berengarius c. This is the confession which Berengarius himselfe cōfessed touching this Sacrament and his confession is of the church allowed I confesse sayth Berengarius that the bread and wine which is layd vpon the aultar after the consecration is not onely a Sacrament but also that it is the very body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And the same not onely sensually to be a Sacrament but also verely to be handled with the Priestes hands and to be broken and chewed with the teeth of faythfull men This confession doubtlesse is hereticall for why if the body of Christ be in the Sacrament as of the Church it is so determined it is there then Multiplicatiuè and so indiuisibiliter wherfore not sensualiter And if it be there indiuisibiliter that is in such sort as it cannot be deuided or separated then can it not be touched felt broken nor with the teeth of men chewed The writers of this time and age do affirme that if by the negligence of the Priest the Sacrament be so negligētly left that a Mouse or any other beast or vermine eate the same then they say that the Sacrament returneth agayne into the nature and substaūce of bread Wherby they must nedes confesse that a miracle is as wel wrought by the negligence of the Priest as first there was made by the consecration of the Priest in making the Sacrament For either by the eating of the Mouse the body of Christ is transubstantiated into the nature of bread which is a transubstantiatiō supernaturall Or els of nothing by creation is this bread produced And therfore either of these operations is miraculous to be maruelled at Now cōsidering the disagreing opinions of the Doctors and for the absurdities which follow I beleue with Paule that the bread which we break is the participation of the body of Christ and as Christ sayth that the bread is made the body of Christ for a memorial and remembraunce of him And in such sort as Christ willed the same to be his body in the same maner sort do I beleue it to be his body But whether women may make the body of Christ minister vnto the people or whether that Priests be deuided frō the lay people for their knowledge preeminence sanctity of life or els by externall signes onely Also whether the signe of consure and other externall signes of holines in Priestes be signes of Antichrist and his charecters or els introduced taught by our Lord Iesus Christ consequently it remayneth next to speake of vnto the faythfull sort according to the proces of the holy Scripture first of the three kindes of the Priestes I remember that I haue read the first of them to be Aaronicall legall temporall The second to be eternall and regall according to the order of Melchisedech The third to be a Christian. The first of these ceased at the comming of Christ for that as S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth The Priesthood of Aaron was trāslated to the Priesthood of the order of Melchisedech The legall sort of Priestes of Aaron were separate from the rest of the people by kinred office and inheritance By kinred for that the children of Aaron onely were Priestes By office for that it onely pertayned to them to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the people and to instruct the people in the precepts and ceremonies of the law By inheritaunce because the Lord was their portiō of inheritaūce neither had they any other inheritaunce amongest theyr brethren but those thinges which were offered vnto the Lord as the first fruits parts of the sacrifices and vowes except places for their mansion houses for them and theirs as appeareth by the processe of Moyses law The Priesthood of Christ did much differre from this Priesthood as Paule doth witnes to the Hebrues chapter 1.8.9.10 First in kinred because that our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ came of the stocke and tribe of Iuda of whiche tribe none had to do with the aultar and in which tribe nothing at all was spoken of the Priestes of Moses The second for that other were made Priestes without their othe taken but he by an othe by him which sayd The Lord swore and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Thirdly by durability for that many of thē were made Priests but during the terme of their liues but he for that he remaineth for euer hath an eternall Priesthood Wherfore he is able to saue vs for euer hauing by himself accesse vnto God which euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The law made also such men Priestes as had infirmities but Sermo that is the word which according to the law is the eternall sonne and perfect by an othe The Priesthood of Christ also did differ frō the Priesthood of Aaron and the law in the matter of the sacrifice in the place of sacrificing In the matter of the sacrifice because they did vse in theyr sacrifices straunge bodyes of the matter of their sacrifices and did shed straūge bloud for the expiation of sinnes But he offering himself vnto God his father for vs shed his owne bloud for the remission of our sinnes In the place of sacrificing because that they did offer theyr sacrifice in the tabernacle or temple But Christ suffering death without the gates of the City offered himselfe vpon the aultar of the crosse to God his father there shed his precious bloud In his supping chamber also hee blessed the bread and cōsecrated the same for his body the wine which was in the cup he also cōsecrated for his bloud deliuering the same to his Apostles to be done for a commemoration and remembraunce of his incarnation passion Neither did Iesus enter into the sāctuary made with mans hands which be examples figures of true things but entred into heauē it selfe that he might appeare before the maiesty of God for vs. Neither doth he offer himself oftētimes as the chief priest in the sanctuary did euery yeare with straunge bloud for then should he often times haue suffered from the beginning but now once for all in the latter end of the world to destroy sinne by his peace offering hath he entred And euen as it is decreed that mā once shal dye and then commeth the iudgement so Christ hath bene once offered to take away the sinnes of many The second time he shall appeare without sinne to them
the obedience of Christs true vicare yet peraduentuâ—e if euery man were left to his owne libertie he would doubt of the preferring of your dignity or that is worse woulde vtterly refuse it by such doubtfull euidence alleaged on both sides and thys is the subtil craft of the croked Serpent that is to say vnder the pretense of vnitie to procure schismes as the spider of a wholesome flower gathers poyson and Iudas lerned of peace to make warre Wherefore it is liuely beleeued of wise men that except this pestilent schisme be withstand by and by the keyes of the Churche will be despised and they shall binde the consciences but of a few and when either none dare be bolde to correct this fault or to reforme things contrary to Gods lawe so by this meanes at length temporall Lordes will take away the liberties of the Church and peraduenture the Romanes will come and take away their place people and landes they wil spoile their possessions and bring the men of the Churche into bondage and they shall be contemned reuiled and despised because the obedience of the people and deuotions towardes them will almoste bee taken away when the greater part of the Church left to their owne libertye shall waxe prouder than they be wont leauing a wicked example to them that doe see it For when they see the Prelates studie more for couetousnesse than they were wont to pursse vp money to oppresse the subiectes in their punishings to seeke for gaine to confounde lawes to stirre vp strife to suppresse truth to vexe poore subiects with wrong corrections in meat and drinke intemperate in feastings past shame what maruell is it if the people despise them as the foulest forsakers of Gods lawe but all these things doe folowe if the Church shoulde be left long in this doubtfulnesse of a schisme and than shoulde that olde sâ—ying be verified in those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery one did that that seemed right and straighte to himselfe Micheas did see the people of the Lord scattered in the mountaines as they had bene shepe without a shephearde for when the shepheard is smitten the sheepe of the flocke shal be scattered the great stroke of the shepheard is the minishing of his iurisdiction by which the subiects are drawen from his obedience When Iason had the office of the highest Priest hee chaÌ„ged the ordinance of God and brought in the customes of the heathen the priests leauing the seruice of the holy altar applying themselues to wrasting other exercises of the Grecians despising those things that beloÌ„ged to the priests did labor with all their might to learne suche thinges of the Grecians and by that meanes the place people and holy oynting of Priestes whych in time past were hadde in greate reuerence of kynges were troden vnder foote of all men and robbed by the kinges power and was prophaned by thrusting in for money Therefore let the hyghest vicare of Christe looke vnto this with a diligent eye and let hym be the follower of him by whom he hath gotten authoritie aboue others If you mark well most holy father you shal find that Christ rebuked sharpely two brethren coueting the fease of honour hee taught them not to play the Lordes ouer the people but the more grace they were preueÌ„ted with to be so much more humble then other and more lowly to serue their brethren To hym that asked hys coate to geue the cloake to him that smote him on the one cheeke to tourne the other to him For the sheepe that are geuen to hys keeping hee must forsake all earthly thyngs and to shedde his owne bloud yea and if neede required to die These things I say be those that adorne the highest Byshop if they be in him not purple not hys white horse nor his Imperiall crowne because hee among all men is most bounde to all the sheepe of Christ. For the feare of GOD therefore and for the loue of the flocke which yee guide consider these things diligently and doe them wisely and suffer vs no longer to wauer betwixte two although not for your owne cause to whom peraduenture the fulnes of your owne power is knowen yet in pitying our weakenes if thou be he tell vs openly and shew thy self to the world that al we may follow one Be not to vs a bloudy bishop least by your occasion mans bloud be shed least hel swalow such a nomber of soules least the name of Christ be euill spoken of by Infidels thorough suche a worthy personage But peraduenture yee will say for our righteousnes it is manifest inough and we will not put it to other mens disputations If this bald aunswer should be admitted the schisme should continue still seeing neither part is willing to agree to the other and where the world is as it were equally deuided betwixt them neither part can be compelled to geue place to the other without much bloudshed The incarnation of Christ and his resurrection was well inough knowen to himselfe and his disciples yet hee asked of his father to be made knowen to the world Hee made also the Gospel to be wrytten and the doctrine of the Apostles sent his Apostles into all the world to do the office of preaching that the same thing might be knowen to all men The foresayde reason is the subtelty of Mahomet the which knowing himselfe guilty of his sect vtterly forbad disputations If ye haue so ful trust of your righteousnesse put it to the examination of worthy persones in a generall councel to the which it beloÌ„geth by right to define such doubts or els commit it vnto able persons and geue them ful power to determine all things concerning that matter or at the lest by forsaking the office on both parties leaue the Churche of God free speedily to prouide for a new shepheard We finde kings haue forsaken their temporal kingdomes vpon onely respect of deuotion and haue taken the apparel of Monkes profession Therefore let Christes Vicar being a professour of most high holinesse be ashamed to continue in his seat of honor to the offence of all people and the preiudice and hurt of the Romish church and the deuotion of it and cutting away kingdomes from it But if you say it is not requisite that the cause of Goddes church should he called in controuersie and therefore we cannot so easily goe from it seeing our conscience gainesayeth it To the which we answer if it be the cause of God and the church let the general councel iudge of it but if it be a personal cause as almost all the world probably thinketh if ye were the follower of Christ ye would rather chose a temporall death then to suffer such a wauering I say not to the hurt of so many but the endles destruction of soules to the offence of the whole world and to an euerlasting shame of the Apostolical dignitie Did
to the relation of these foresayd coÌ„stitutious of that clergy meÌ„ here coÌ„meth in more to be said and noted touching yâ— foresayd Statute ex Officio to proue the same not onely to be cruell and impious but also to be of it selfe of no force and validitie for the burning of anye person for cause of Religion for the disprofe of whiche statute we haue sufficient authoritie remayning as yet in the parliament Rolles to be seene in her maiesties Courte of Recordes which here were to be debated at large but that vpon speciall occasioÌ„ we haue differed the ampâ—e discourse therof to the cruell persecution of the Lord Cobhame hereafter ensuing as may appeare in the defence of the sayd lord Cobham agaynst Nicholas Happeffield vnder the title and name of Alanus Copus And thus referring them for the examination of this statute to the place aforesaid let vs now returne to Thomas Arundel and his bloudy constitutions aboue mentioned The stile and tenour wherof to the intent the rigour of the same may appeare to all men I thought hereunder to adioyne in wordes as followeth * The constitution of Thomas Arundell agaynst the followers of Gods truth Thomas by the permission of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all Englande and Legate of the see Apostolicke To all and singuler our reuerend brethren fellow Bishops and our Suffraganes And to Abbots Priours Deanes of Cathedrall Churches Archdeacons Prouostes and Canons also to all persons vicares chaplaynes Clerkes in Parish Churches and to all lay meÌ„ whome and where so euer dwelling win our prouince of Canterbury greeting grace to stand firmely in the doctrine of the holy mother Church It is a manifest playne case that he doth wrong and iniury to the most reuerend councell who so reuolteth from the thinges being in the sayd Councell once discussed and decided And whosoeuer dare presume to dispute of the supreme or principall iudgment here in earth in so doing incurreth the payne of sacrilege according to the authoritie of ciuill wisedome and and manifest tradition of humayne law Much more then they who trusting to theyr own wittes are so bold to violate and with contrary doctrine to resist and in word and deede to contemne the preceptes of lawes and Canons rightly made and proceeding from the kaybearer and porter of eternall life and death bearing the rowme and person not of pure man but of true God here in earth which also haue bene abserued hitherto and of yâ— holy father 's our predecessoures vnto the glorious effusion of theyr bloud voluntary sprinkling out of theyr braynes Are worthy of greater punishmeÌ„t deseruing quickly to be cut off as rotten members from the body of the Church militent For such ought to consider what is in the old testament written Moses and Aaron among hys Priestes that is were chiefe heads amongst them And in the new Testament among the Apostles there was a certayne difference And though they were all Apostles yet was it graunted of the Lord to Peter that he should beare preeminence aboue the other Apostles And also the Apostles themselues woulde the same that he shoulde be the chiefetayn ouer all the rest And being called Cephas that is head shold be as Prince ouer the Apostles Unto whome it was sayd Thou beyng once conuerted confirme thy brethren as though he wold say If there happen any doubt among them or if anye of them chaunce to erre and stray out of the way of fayth of iust liuing or right conuersation Doe thou confirme and reduce him in the right way againe Which thing no doubt the Lord would neuer haue sayd vnto him if he had not so minded that the rest should be obedient vnto him And yet al this notwithstanding we know and dayly proue that we are sory to speake howe the olde Sophister the enemy of mankinde foreseeing and fearing left that sound doctrine of the church determined from ancient times by the holy forefathers should withstand his malices if it might keep the people of god in vnitie of faith vnder one head of yâ— church doth therfore endeuour by al meanes possible to extirp the sayd doctrine feyning vices to be vertues And so vnder false pretences of veritie dissimuled soweth discorde in catholike people to the intent that some goyng one way some an other He in the meane time may gather to himselfe a Church of the malignant differing wickedly from the vniuersall mother holy church In the which Satan transforming hymselfe into an Angell of light bearing a lying and deceitfull ballaunce in hys haÌ„d pretendeth great righteousnes in contrarying the ancient doctrine of the holye mother church and refusing the traditions of the same determined and appoynted by holy fathers perswading meÌ„ by fayned forgeries the same to be nought and so inducing other new kindes of doctrine leading to more goodnes as he by his lying perswasions pretendeth although he in very truth neither willeth nor mindeth any goodnes but rather that he may sow schismes wherby diuers opinions contrary to themselues being raysed in that Church fayth thereby may be diminished and also the reuerend holy misteries through the same contention of words may be prophaned with Paganes Iewes and other infidels and wicked miscreantes And so that figure in the Apos 6. is well verified speaking of him that sate on the blacke horse bearing a payre of balaunce in hys hand by that which heretiques are vnderstand Who at the first appearaunce lyke to weightes or ballance make as though they would set forth right and iust thinges to allure the hartes of the hearers But afterward appeareth the blacke horse that is to say their intention full of cursed speaking For they vnder a diuers shew and colour of a iust ballance with the tayle of a blacke horse sprinkling abroad heresies and erroures do strike And beyng poysoned themselues vnder colour of good rayse vp infinite slaunders and by certayn persons fitte to doe mischiefe do publish abroad as it were the sugred tast of hony mixt with poyson therby the sooner to be taken working and causing through their slight and subtiltyes that errour shoulde be taken for veritye wickednes for holines and for the true will of Christ. Yea and moreouer the foresayd persons thus picked out do preach before they be sent and presume to sow the seede before the seede discreetely be seperate from the chaffe Who not pondering the constitutions and decrees of the Canons prouided for the same purpose agaynst suche pestilent sowers do preferre sacrifice Diabolicall so to terme it before obedience be geuen to the holy Church militant We therfore considering and weying that error which is not resisted seemeth to be allowed and hee that openeth hys bosome to wyde whiche resisteth not the viper thinking there to thrust out her venome And willing moreouer to shake off the dust from our feete and to see to the honor of our holy mother Church whereby one
hand vpon a booke and heare hys charge and if his charge to his vnderstanding were vnlefull he would hastely withdraw his hand vpō the booke taking there onely God to witnes that he would fulfil that lefull charge after his power And the maister of diuinitie sayde then to him thus Certaine he that layeth his hand vpō a booke in this wise and maketh there a promise to do that thing that he is commaunded Is obliged therby by boke othe then to fulfil his charge For no doubt hee that chargeth him to lay his hand thus vpon a booke touching the booke swearing by it and kissing it promisinge in this forme to do this thing or that wil say and witnes that he that toucheth thus a booke and kisseth it hath sworne vpon that booke And al other mē that see that man thus do and also all those that heare hereof in the same wise wyll say and witnes that this man hath sworne vpon a booke Wherefore the maister of diuinitie sayde it was not lefull neyther to geue nor to take any such charge vpon a booke for euery booke is nothing els but diuers creatures of which it is made of Therefore to sweare vpon a booke is to sweare by creatures and this swearinge is euer vnlefull This sentence witnesseth Chrisostome playnely blaming them greatly that bring forth a booke for to sweare vpon charging Clarkes that in no wise they constrayne any body to sweare whether they thinke a man to sweare true or false ¶ And the Archbishop and his Clarkes scorned mee and blamed me greatly for this saying And the Archb. manassed me with great punishment sharpe except I left thys opinion of swearing ☞ And I said Sir this is not myne opinion but it is the opinion of Christ our sauiour of S. Iames of Chrysostome other diuers saints and doctours ¶ Than the Archb. had a clarke read this homely of Chrisostom which homely this clerke held in his hand writtē in a roule which roule the Archb. caused to be taken from my fellow at Caūterbury And so then this clark read this role til he came to a clause where Chrisostome sayth that it is sinne to sweare well And then a clark Malueren as I gesse said to the Archb. Sir I pray you were of him how he vnderstādeth Chrysostome here saying it to be sin to sweare well And so the Archbish. asked me how I vnderstode here Chrisostome And certaine I was somwhat afraid to aunswer hereto For I had not busied me to study about the sense therof but lifting vp my minde to God I praied him of grace And as fast as I thought how Christ said to his apostles When for my name ye shall be brought before Iudges I shall geue into your mouth wisedome that your aduersaries shal not against say And trusting faithfully in the word of God I said Sir I know wel that many men women haue nowe swearing so in custome that they knowe not nor wil not know that they do euil for to sweare as they do But they thinke and say that they do wel for to sweare as they do though they know wel that they sweare vntruely For they say they may by their swearing though it be false voide blame or temporal harme which they shoulde haue if they sweare not thus And sir many men and women maintaine strongly that they sweare well when that thing is sooth that they sweare for Also full many men women say nowe that it is well done to sweare by creatures when they may not as the say otherwise be beleeued And also ful many men and women now say that it is wel done to sweare by God and by our Ladye and by other saints for to haue them in minde But since al these sayings are but excusatious and sinne mee thinketh sir that this sense of Chrisostom may be alleaged wel against all such swearers witnessing that al these sinne greuously though they thinke themselues for to sweare in thys foresayd wise well For it is euil done and great sinne for to sweare truth when in any maner a man may excuse himselfe without othe ¶ And the Archbishop sayd that Chrysostome might bee thus vnderstand And then a clerke sayd to me wilt thou tarye my Lorde no lenger but submit thee here mekely to the ordinance of holy Church and lay thy hand vpon a booke touching the holy Gospell of GOD promising not onelye wyth thy mouth but also with thine hart to stand to my Lords ordinaunce ☞ And I sayd Sir haue I not told you here how that I heard a maister of diuinity say that in such case it is al one to touch a booke and to sweare by a booke ¶ And the Archb. sayd There is no maister of diuinitie in England so great y◠if he hold this opinion before me but I shall punish him as I shal do thee except thou sweare as I shall charge thee ☞ And I sayd Sir is not Chrisostome an ententife Doctour ¶ And the Archb. sayd yea ☞ And I sayd if Chrisostome proueth him worthye great blame that bringeth forth a booke to sweare vpon it must nedes followe that he is more to blame that sweareth on that booke ¶ And the Archb. said if Chrisostome ment accordingly to the ordinance of holy church we wil accept him ☞ And then said a clerke to me Is not the word of God God himselfe equipolient that is of one authoritie ¶ And I sayd yea ☞ Then he said to me why wilt thou not sweare then by the Gospell of God that is gods word since it is al one to sweare by the word of God by God himselfe ¶ And I said Sir since I may not now otherwise be beleued but by swearing I perceiue as Austen saith that it is not spedeful that ye y◠should be my brethren should not beleue me therfore I am redy by the word of God as the lord commaunded me by his word to sweare ☞ Then the Clarke sayd to me Lay then thine hand vpon the booke touchinge the holy Gospell of God and take thy charge ¶ And I said Sir I vnderstand that the holy Gospell of God may not be touched with mans hand ☞ And the Clearke sayde I fonded and that I sayde not truth ¶ And I asked this clerk whether it were more to reade y◠Gospel to touch the Gospell ☞ And he said it was more to read the Gospell ¶ Then I said Sir by authority of S. Hierome the gospel is not the gospel for reading of the letter but for the belief that men haue in the word of God That it is the gospel that we beleue and not the letter that we read for because the letter that is touched with mans hand is not the Gospel but the sentence that is verily beleued in mās hart is the Gospel For so Hierome saith The Gospel that is the vertue of Gods word is not
much as we haue found by diuers actes done brought forth and exhibited by sundry euidences signes and tokens and also by many most manifest proues the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and L. Cobham not onely to be an euident hereticke in his owne person but also a mighty maintainer of other heretickes agaynst the fayth and religion of the holy and vniuersall church of Rome namely about the two sacramentes of the aultar and of penaunce besides the popes power and pilgrimages And that he as the childe of iniquitie and darcknes hath so hardened his hart that he will in no case attend vnto the voyce of his pastor Neyther will he be allured by straight admonishmentes not yet be brought in by fauourable wordes The worthines of the cause first wayed on the one side and his vnworthines agayn cōsidered on the other side his faults also aggrauated or made double through his damnable obstinacie we being loth that he which is nought shoulde be worse and so with his contagiousnes infecte the multitude by the sage counsel and assent of the very discrete fathers our honourable brethren and Lordes Byshops here present Richard of London Henry of Winchester and Bennet of Bangor and of other great learned and wise men here both doctours of diuinitie and of the lawes canon and ciuill seculers and religious with diuers other expert men assisting vs we sententially and diffinitiuely by this present writing iudge declare condemne the sayd syr Iohn Oldcastle Knight and Lord Cobham for a most pernitious and detestable hereticke conuicted vpon the same and refusing vtterly to obey the Church agayne committing him here from hencefoorth as a condemned hereticke to the secular iurisdiction power iudgement to doe him thereupon to death Furthermore we excommunicate and denounce accursed not onely this hereticke here present but so many els besides as shall hereafter in fauoure of his errour either receaue him or defend him counsell him or help hym or any other way mayntayne hym as very fautours receauers defenders counsaylers ayders and mayntayners of condemned heretickes And that these premisses may be the better knowne al faithfull Christen men we commit it here vnto your charges geue you straight commandement therupon by this writing also That ye cause this condemnation and diffinitiue sentence of excommunication cōcerning both this heretick and his fautours to be published throughout all diocesses in Cities towns villages by your curates and parish priests at such time as they shal haue most recourse of people And see that it be done after this sorte As the people are thus gathered deuoutly together let the curate euery where goe into the pulpit and there open declare and expound this excesse in the mother tongue in an audible and intelligible voyce that it may be perceiued of all men and that vpon the feare of this declaration also the people may fall from theyr euill opinions conceiued nowe of late by seditious preachers Moreouer we will that after we haue deliuered vnto each one of you bishops which are here present a copy hereof that ye cause the same to be written out agayne into diuers copies and so be sent vnto the other byshops and Prelates of our whole Prouince that they may also see the contentes thereof solemnly published within theyr diocesses and cures Finally we will that both you and they signifie agayne vnto vs seriously and distinctly by your writinges as the matter is without fayned colour in euery poynt performed the day wheron ye receaued this processe the time when it was of vs executed and after what sort it was done in euery condition according to the tenour hereof that we may knowe it to be iustly the same A copy of this writing sent Thomas Arundel the archbishop of Caunterbury afterward from Mydstone the x. day of Octobr within the same yeare of our Lord 1413. vnto Richard Clifford the bishop of London which thus beginneth Thomas permissione diuina c. The said Richard Clifford sent an other copy thereof enclosed within his owne letters vnto Robert Maschall a Carmelite frier which was then bishop of Herforde in Wales written from Haddam the 23. day of October in the same yeare and the beginning thereof is this Reuerende in Christo pater c. This Robert Mascall directed an other copye thereof from London the 27. day of Nouember in the same yeare enclosed in his owne commission also vnto his archdeacon and and Deanes in Hareforde and Shrewsbury And this is therof the beginning Venerabilibus discretis vitis c. In like maner did the other bishops within their diocesses After that the archbishop had thus read the bill of hys condemnation with most extremitie before the whol multitude The Lorde Cobham sayd with a moste cheerefull countenaunce Though ye iudge my body whiche is but a wretched thing yet am I certayne and sure that ye can do no harme to my soule no more then could Sathan vppon the soule of Iob. He that created that will of his infinite mercy and promise saue it I haue therein no manner of doubt And as concerning these articles before rehearsed I will stand to them euen to the very death by the grace of my eternall God And therwith he turned him vnto the people castyng hys handes abroad and saying with a very loude voyce Good Christen people for Gods loue be well ware of these men For they will els beguile you and leade you blindling into hell with thēselues For Christ sayth plainly vnto you If one blinde man leadeth an other they are like both to fall into the ditche After this he fell downe there vpon his knees thus before thē all prayed for his enemies holding vp both hys handes and his eyes towardes heauen and saying Lorde God eternall I beseeche thee of thy great mercies sake to forgeue my pursuers if it be they blessed will And then hee was deliuered to syr Robert Morly and so led forth again to the tower of London And thus was there an ende of that dayes worke Whyle the Lord Cobham was thus in the Tower he sent out priuely vnto his friendes And they at his request wrote this little bill here following causing it to be set vp in diuers quarters of London that the people should not beleeue the slaunders and lyes that his enemies the Byshops seruauntes and priestes had made on him abroade And thus was the letter FOr as much as Syr Iohn Oldcastle knight and Lorde Cobham is vntruely conuicted and emprisoned falsly reported and slandered among the common people by his aduersaries that he should otherwise both thinke speak of the sacramentes of the churche and specially of the blessed sacrament of the aultar then was written in the confession of his beliefe which was indended and taken to the clergy and so set vp in diuers open places in the cittye of London Knowne
whome I shall hereafter know suspected of heresye or errors I shall effectually present or cause to be presented vnto my sayde reuerend father Lord Archbishop or to them which haue his authority so soone as I can conneniently do it and see that they be corrected to my vttermost power This abiuration neuer came to the hands of the Lord Cobham neither was it compiled of them for that purpose but onely therewith to bleare the eyes of the vnlearned multitude for a time After the whiche like fetch and subtle practise was also deuised the recantatioÌ„ of the Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to stop for a time the peoples mouthes Which subtlely in like manner was also practised with the false recantatioÌ„ of Bishop â—oper and diuers other as in their places hereafter Christ graunting shal be shewed And thus much hitherto concerning the first trouble of sir Iohn Oldcastle Lorde Cobham with all the circumstances of the true time place occasion causes and order belonging to the same Wherin I trust I haue sufficiently satisfied all the parties requisite to a faythfull history with out corruption For the confirmation wherof to the intent the mind also of the wrangling cauiller may be satisfied to stop the mouth of the aduersary which I see in all places to be ready to barke I haue therfore of purpose anexed with all my ground foundation taken out of the Archines and Registers of the Archb. of Cant Ex epist. Thom. Arund ad Rich. Lond. Wherby may appeare the manifest error both of Polydorus and of Edward Hall who being deceiued in the right distinction of the times assigne this citation and examination of the Lord Cobham to be after the councell of CoÌ„stance when as Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury at the councell of Constance was not aliue The copy and testimony of his owne letter shall declare the same written and sent to the bishop of London in forme as foloweth * The copy of the Epistle of the Archbishop of Caunterbury written to the Bishop of London whereupon dependeth the grounde and certaynety of this foresayd history of the Lord Cobham aboue premised TO the reuerend father in Christ and Lord the Lord Robert by the grace of God Bishop of Hereford Richard by the permission of God bishop of London health and continuall increase of sincere loue We haue of late receiued the letters of the reuerend father in Christ and Lord the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archb. of Cant. primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke see vnto our reuerend brother the Lord Richard Bishop of London health and brotherly loue in the Lord. It was lately concluded before vs in the conuocation of Prelates and Clergye of our prouince of Caunterb last celebrate in our church of S. Paul intreating amongest other thinges with the sayd prelates clergy vpon the vnion and reformation of the Church of England by vs and the sayd prelates and Clergy that it was almost impossible to amende the hole of our Lordes coate whiche was without seame but that first of all certayne nobles of the realme which are authors fauourers protectors defenders and receiuers of these heretickes called Lollardes were sharpely rebuked and if neede were by the censures of the Churche and the helpe of the secular power they be reuoked from their errours And afterward hauing made diligent inquisition in the conuocation amongest the proctors of the Clergy and others which were there in great number out of euery dioces of our prouince It was found out amongest others that sir Iohn Oldcastle knight was and is the principall receiuer fauourer protector and defender of them and that specially in the Diocesse of London Rochester and Hereforde he hath sent the sayd Lollardes to preach not being licenced by the ordinaryes and Bishoppes of the Dioces or places contrary to the prouinciall constitutions in that behalfe made and hath bene present at theyr wicked SermoÌ„s greuously punishing with threatnings terrors and the power of the secular sword suche as did withstand him alledging and affirming amongest others that we and our felow brethren Suffragans of out prouinces had not neither haue any power to make any such constitutions Also he hath holden and doth holde opinion and teach as touching the sacramentest of the aultar of penaunce of pilgrimage of the worshiping of Sayntes and of the keyes contrary to that which the vniuersall church of Rome doth teach ond affirme Wherefore on the behalfe of the sayd prelates and clergy we were then required that we would vouchsafe to proceed agaynst the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle vpon the premisses Notwithstanding for the rouerance of our Lord the king in whose fauour the sayde sir Iohn at that preseÌ„t was no lesse also for honor of his knighthood we with our fellow brethren and Suffraganes then present with a great part of the Clergy of our prouince comming personally before the presence of our Lord the king being then at hys Manor of Kenington put vp against the said sir Iohn a complaint and partly reciting the defaultes of the sayd sir Iohn But at the request of our Lord the king we desiring to reduce the sayd sir Iohn to the vnity of the church without any reproche we deferred all the execution of the premisses for a great time But at the last for so much as our sayd Lord the king after his great trauelles taken about the conuersion of him did nothing at all profite as our said Lord the king vouchsafed to certify vs both by word writing We immediatly decreed to call forth the sayd sir Iohn personally to aunswere before vs at a certayne time already passed in and vpon the premisses and sent our messengers with these our letters of citation to the sayde sir Iohn then being at his castle of Cowling vnto the which messenger we gaue commaundement that he should in no case go into the Castle except he were licensed But by the meane of one Iohn Butler porter of the kings chaÌ„ber he should require the sayd sir Iohn that he would either liceÌ„se the sayd messenger to come into the Castle or that he would cite him or on the least that he would suffer himselfe to be cited without his Castle The whiche sir Iohn openly aunswered vnto the sayd Iohn Butler declaring the premisses vnto him on the behalfe of our Lord the king that he woulde by no meanes be cited neither in any case suffer his citation Then we being certified of the premisses lawfully proceeded further First hauing faythfull report made unto vs that he could not be apprehended by personall citation we decreed to cite him by an edict to be openly set vppe in the porches of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester next vnto him litle more then three English miles distant from the sayd castle of Cowling As we had thus caused him to be cited and our edict aforesayde to be publickely openly set vpon the porches of the said
Church that he should personally appeare before vs the 11. day of September last past to aunswere vnto the premisses and certayne other thinges concerning heresye The which day being come we sitting in the tribunall seat in our greater chappell within the Castle of Leedes of our dioces the which we then inhabited and where as we then kept residence with our court and hauing taken an othe whiche is requisite in the premisses and the information by vs heard and receiued as the common report goeth In the partes whereas the sayd sir Iohn dwelleth fortifying himselfe in his sayd castle defending his opinions manifoldly contemning the keâ—es of the churche and the Arbishops power We therefore caused the sayde Syr Iohn cited as is aforesayd to be openly with a loude voyce called by the cryer and so being called long looked for and by no meanes appearing we iudged him as he was no lesse worthy obstinate and for punishment of his sayd obstinacye we did then and there excommunicate him And for so much as by the order of the premisses and other euident tokens of hys doinges we vnderstand that the sayde sir Iohn for the defence of his errour doth fortify himselfe as is aforesayd against the keyes of the Church by pretence whereof a vehement suspition of heresy and schisme riseth agaynst him We haue decreed if he may be apprehended agayne personallye to cite him or els as before by an edict that he should appeare before vs the Saterday next after the feast of Saint Mathew the Apostle and Euangelist next comming to shew some reasonable cause if he can why we shoulde not proceede agaynst him to more greuous punishment as an open hereticke schismaticke and open enemy of the vniuersall church And personally to declare why he should not be pronounced such a one or that the ayde of the secular power shoulde not be solemnely required agaynst him And further to aunswere do and receiue as touching the premisses whatsoeuer iustice shal require The which time being come that is to say the Saterday next after the feast of S. Mathew being the 24. day of September sir Rob. Morley knight Lieftenant of the tower of London appeared personally before vs sitting in the chapter house of the Churche of S. Paule at London with our reuerent fellowe brethren and Lordes Richard by the grace of God Bishop of London and Henry Byshop of Winchester and brought with him sir Iohn Oldecastle Knight and set him before vs for a little before he was taken by the kinges seruauntes and cast into the tower vnto which sir Iohn Oldcastle so personally present we rehearsed all the order of the proces as it is contayned in the actes of the of the daye before passed with good and modest wordes and gentle meanes That is to say howe he the said sir Iohn was detected and accused in the conuocation of the prelates and clergy of our sayd prouince as is aforesayd vpon the articles before rehearsed and how he was cited for hys contumacy excommunicate And when we were come to that poynt we offered our selues ready to absolue him Notwithstanding the sayd sir Iohn not regarding our offer sayd that he would willingly rehearse before vs and my sayde fellowe brethren the fayth which he held affirmed So he hauing his desire obteining licence tooke out of his bosome a certayne Scedule indented and there openly reade the contentes of the same and deliuered the same Scedule vnto vs and the Schedule of the articles wherupon he was examined which was as in forme folowing * The catholicke fayth and confession of the Lord Cobham I Iohn Oldcastle knight Lord of Cobham desire to made manifest vnto all Christians God to be taken to witnesse that I neuer thought otherwise or would thinke otherwise by Gods helpe then with a stedfast vndoubted fayth to imbrace all those his Sacramentes whiche be hath instituted for the vse of his Church Furthermore that I may the more playnly declare my mynde in these iiii pointes of my fayth First of all I beleue the SacrameÌ„t of the aulter to be the body of Christ vn der the forme of bread the very same body which was borne of his mother Mary crucified for vs dead and buried rose againe the third day sitteth on the right haÌ„d of his immortall father now being a triumphant partaker with him of his eternall glory Then as touchyng the Sacrament of penaunce this is my belief that I doe thinke the correction of a sinnefull lyfe to be most necessary for all such as desire to be saued and that they ought to take vpoÌ„ them such repentaunce of their former lyfe by true confession vnfayned contrition and lawfull satisfaction as the worde of God doth prescribe vnto vs. Otherwise there will be no hope of saluation Thirdly as touchyng images this is my opinioÌ„ that I do iudge them no poynt of fayth but brought into the worlde after the fayth of Christ by the sufferaunce of the Church so growen in vse that they might serue for a kalender for the lay people and ignorauÌ„t By the beholdyng wherof they might the better call to remeÌ„braunce the godly examples martyrdome of Christ and other holy men but if any man do otherwise abuse this representatioÌ„ and geue the reuerence vnto those Images which is due vnto the holy men whom they represent or rather vnto him whom the holy â—en themselues owe all theyr honour setting all theyr trust and hope in them which ought to be referred vnto God or if they be so affected toward the domb Images that they do in any behalfe addict vnto them eyther be more addicted vnto one Saint then another in my minde they doe little differ from Idolatrye grieuouslye offending agaynst God the author of all honor Last of all I am thus perswaded that there be no inhabitants here in earth but that we shall passe straight either to life or punishment for whosoeuer doth so order his lyfe that he stumble at the commaundementes of God whiche either he knoweth not or he will not be taught them it is but in vayne for him to look for saluation although he ran ouer all the corners of the world Contrarywise he which obserueth his commaundements cannot perish although in all his life time he walked no pilgrimage neither to Rome Caunterbury nor Compostella or to any other place whither as the common people are accustomed to walke This Scedule with the articles therin conteined being read as is aforesaid by the sayd sir Iohn we with our felow brethren aforesaid many other doctors learned meÌ„ had conference vpon the same And at the last by the counsell and consent of them we spake these wordes folowing vnto the sayd sir Iohn there present Behold sir Ioh. there are many good and catholicke things conteined in this scedule But you haue this time to answere vnto other matters which sauor of errors heresies
the crosse he sayd and affirmed that that only body of Christ which did hange vpon the crosse is to be worshipped For so much as that body alone was is y◠crosse which is to be worshipped And being demaunded what honor he would do vnto the Image of the crosse He aunswered by expresse wordes that he would only do it that honor that he would make it clean and lay it vp safe As touching the power and authority of the keyes the Archbishops Bishop and other prelates he sayde that the Pope is very Antichrist that is the head the Archbishops Bishops and other prelates to be his members and the Friers to be his tayle The whiche Pope Archbishops and bishops a man ought not to obey but so far forth as they be followers of Christ of Peter in their life maners conuersation and that he is the successor of Peter whiche is best and purest in life maners Furthermore the said sir Iohn spreading his handes wyth a loude voyce sayd thus to those whiche stoode about hym These men which iudge and would condemne me wil seduce you all themselues and wil lead you vnto hell therfore take heed of them When he had spoken those wordes we agayne as oftentimes before with lamentable countenaunce spake vnto the said sir Iohn exhorting him wyth as gentle wordes as we might that he would returne to that vnity of the church to beleue hold that which the church of Rome doth beleue hold Who expresly aunswered that he would not beleue or holde otherwise then he had before declared Wherefore we perceiuing as it appeared by hym that we coulde not preuayle at the last wyth bitternesse of hart we proceeded to the pronouncing of a definitiue sentence in this maner ¶ In the name of God Amen We Thom. by the permission of God Archb. and humble minister of the holy Church of Cant. primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke see in a certayne cause or matter of heresy vpon certeine articles wherupon sir Iohn Oldcastle knight Lord Cobham before vs in the last cōuocation of our Clergy of our prouince of Caunterbury holden in the Church of S. Paul in London after diligēt inquisition thervpon made was detected accused by our said prouince notoriously and openly defamed At the request of the whole Clergy aforesayd therupon made vnto vs in the said conuocatiō with all fauour possible that we might God we take to witnes lawfully proceding agaynst him following the footsteps and example of Christ which woulde not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue we haue endeuoured by all wayes and meanes we might or could to reforme him and rather reduce him to the vnity of the church declaring vnto him what the holy vniuersall Church of Rome doth teach hold and determine in this behalfe And albeit that we founde him wandring astraye from the Catholicke fayth and so stubberne and stiffenecked that he would not confesse his error or cleare himselfe thereof to detest the same Notwithstanding we fauouring him with a fatherly affection and hartily wishing and desiring his preferuation prefixed him a certayne competent time to deliberate with himself and if he would to repent and reforme himselfe And last of all for so much as we perceiued him to be vnreasonable obseruing chiefly those thinges whiche by the lawe are required in this behalfe with great sorow and bitternes of hart we proceeded to the pronouncing of the definitiue sentence in this maner The name of Christ being called vpon setting him onely before our eyes For so much as by actes enacted signes exhibited euidences and diuers tokens besides sundry kinde of proofes we find the said Sir Iohn to be haue ben an heretick and a folower of heretickes in the fayth and obseruation of the sacred vniuersall Church of Rome and specially as touching the sacraments of the Eucharist and of penaunce And that as the sonne of iniquitye and darckenesse he hath so hardened his hart that he will not vnderstand the voyce of his shepheard neither will be allured with his monitions or conuerted with any fayre speech Hauing first of al searched and sought out and diligently considering the merites of the cause aforesayd and of the sayd Sir Iohn his desertes and faultes aggrauated through his damnable obstinacy Not willing that he that is wicked should become more wicked infect other with his contagion by the counsell and consent of the reuerent men of profound wisedome and discretion our brethren the Lordes Richard bishop of London Henry Byshop of Winchester and Benedict Bishop of Bangor and also of many other doctours of Deuinity the decretals and ciuill law and of many other religious and learned persons our assistantes we haue iudged declared sententiallye and definitiuely condemned the sayde Syr Iohn Oldecastle knight Lord Cobham being conuict in and vpon that most detestable guilt not willing penitently to returne vnto the vnity of the Church and in those things which the sacred vniuersall Church of Rome doth holde teach determine shew forth And specially as one erring in the articles aboue written leauing him from henceforth as an heretick vnto the secular iudgement Moreouer we haue excommunicated and by these writinges do pronounce and excommunicate him as an hereticke and all other which from henceforth in fauour of his errour shall receiue defend or geue him counsell or fauour or helpe him in this behalfe as fauourers defenders and receiuers of heretickes And to the intent that these premises may be knowne vnto all faythfull Christians we charge and commaund you that by your sentence definitiue you do cause the Curates which are vnder you with a loud and audible voyce in their Churches when as moste people is present in theyr mother tongue through all your Cittyes and dioces to publish and declare the sayd Sir Iohn Oldcastle as is before sayd to be by vs condemned as an hereticke schimaticke one erring in the articles aboue sayde and all other which from henceforth in fauour of his errours shall receiue or defend hym geuing him any counsell comfort or fauour in this behalfe to be excommunicate as receiuers fauorers and defenders of heretiks As is more effectually cōteined in the proces That by such meanes the erroneous opinions of the people which peraduenture hath otherwise conceiued the matter by those declarations of the trueth how the matter is may be cut of The which thing also we will and commaund to be written and signified by you word for word vnto all our fellow brethren that they all may manifest publish and declare throughout all theyr cittyes and dioces the maner and forme of this our proces and also the sentence by vs geuen and all other singular the contentes in the same And likewise cause it to be published by their Curates whiche are vnder them as touching the day of the receipt of these
eius deuotionem pertinet timorem passus sit quicquid pati potuit who had as much as to deuotion and feare apperteined suffered already what he might or could suffer as Cyprian said by Cornelius That he I say which a little before in the moneth of September stoode so constant in defence of Christes faith would now in the moneth of Ianuary rise to destroy adnull subuert Christes faith and the law of God and holy Church within the Realme of England How can it be not like only but possible to be true that he which neuer denied the faith which euer confessed the faith so constantly which was for the same faith condemned yea and at last also burned for the faith would euer fight against the faith and law of God to adnull and to subuert it Let vs proceed yet further and see when that he should haue to destroied and adnulled the Christian faith and law of God in England what faith or law then could he or did he entend to bring into the realme of England The Turks faith or the Iewes faith or the Popes faith or what faith else I pray you For he that will be an enemie to the faith of Christ and will shew himselfe frend to no other faith beside I accompt him not out of his right faith but out of his right wits And therfore euen as it is true that sir Iohn Oldcastle with his coÌ„federates abertours were vp in armes to subuert and extinguish the faith of Christ and law of God in the realme of England so by the like truth it may be estemed that the same persons rose also to destroy their soueraigne Lord the king and his brethren First thanks be to God that neither the king nor any of his brethren had any hurt by him But his intent saith the preface was to destroy his soueraigne Lord the king Whereunto I aunswere with this interrogatorie whether his intent was priuily to haue destroied him or by opeÌ„ force of armes If priuily what needeth then such a great army of xx thousand men to atcheue the secret feate Rather I would think that he needed more the help of such as were neare about the king as some of the kinges priuie chamber or some of his secret counsaile whereof neither Chronicle nor record doth insinuate any mention If his intent was openly to inuade the kyng You must vnderstand M. Cope that to withstand a king in his owne Realme many thinges are required long time great preparation many frendes great assistance and ayd of kindred money horse men armour and all other things apperteining for the same Earle Godwin of Westfaxe who had maried Canutus daughter being a man both ambitious and as false a traitour for al his sixe sonnes and great alliance yet durst not set vpon king Edward to inuade him within his Realme although he sought manye occasions so to do yet neuer durst enterprise openly that which his ambition so greedely presumed vnto page 163. In the time of King Henry the third Symon Montford Earle of Glocester Gilbert Clare Earle of Leicester Humfrey Rone Earle of Ferrence with a great number of Lords and Barons thought themselues to haue great right on their sides yet durst not for all their power openly assaile the King in his Realme before great debatemeÌ„t and talke first had betweene page 330. Likewise what murmuring and grudging was in the realme against king Edward the second among the peres and nobles and also prelates only Walter Bishop of Couentry except first for Gaueston then for the Spensers at what time Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guido Earle of Warwike with the most part of al other Earles and Barons concordly consenting together to the displacing first of Gaueston then of the Spensers yet neither rashly nor without great feare durst stirre vp warre in the land or disquiet or vexe the king but first by all meanes of moderate counsaile and humble petition thought rather to perswade then to inuade the king page 308. In like maner and with like grudging mindes in the reigne of King Richard 2. Thomas Wodstocke Duke of Glocester the kings vncle with the Earles of Arundell of Warwike and Darby with the power almost of the whole commons stood vp in armes against the king And yet notwithstanding all their power ioined together being so great and their cause seming to them so reasonable yet were they not so hardy straightwayes to flee vpon the king but by way of Parliament thought to accomplishe that which their purpose had conceiued and so did without any warre striking against the king page 513. After King Richard 2. was deposed and was in prison yet liuing diuers noble men were greatly inflamed against K. Henry the fourth as Sir Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington Thomas Spenser Earle of Glocester the Earles likewise of Kent and of Salisbury with sir Iohn Cheney other mo wherof diuers had beene Dukes before now deposed by King Henry 4. although they had conceiued in their harts great grudge and malice against the said King Henry yet had they neither hart nor power openly with mans force to assaile the king but secretly were coÌ„pelled to atchieue their conceiued inteÌ„t which notwithstanding they could not accomplish Ex hist. D. Alban Thus you see Maister Cope or els maister Harpsfield or whatsoeuer ye be to gainstand a king and with open force to encounter with him in his owne land and in his owne chamber of London where he is so sure and strong what a matter of how great cheuance it is wherin so many and so great difficulties do lye the attempt so dangerous the chances so vncertaine the furniture of so manie things required that fearce in any kings daies heretofore any peeres or nobles of the Realme were they neuer so strongly assisted with power wit or counsaile yet either were able or els well durst euer enterprise vpon the case so dangerous notwithstanding were they neuer of themselues so far from all feare of God and true obedience And shal we then thinke or caÌ„ we imagine maister Cope that Syr Iohn Oldcastle a man so well instructed in the knowledge of Gods word beyng but a poore Knight by his degree hauing none of all the peeres and nobles in all the world to ioyne with him being prisoner in the Tower of London a litle before in the moneth of December could now in the moneth of Ianuary so sodenly in such an hoat season of the yeare start vp an army of xx thousand fightyng men to inuade the kyng to kill two Dukes his brethren to adnulle Christen fayth to destroy Gods law and to subuert holy Church 〈◊〉 why doth not he adde moreouer to set also all London on fire and to turne all England into a fishe poole Beliue these men which geue out these â—igmentes of Syr Iohn Oldcastle dyd thinke him to be one of Deucations stocke who castyng of stones ouer his shoulder
could by and by make men at his pleasure or els that he had Cadmus teeth to sowe to make so many harnest men to start vp at once But let vs consider yet further of these xx M. souldiours so sodenly without wages without vitall or other prouision coÌ„gregated together what they were froÌ„ wheÌ„ce out of what quarter countrey or couÌ„treys they came In an other kyngs dayes whensoeuer any rebellioÌ„ is against the king moued by the commons as when Iacke Straw and wat Tyler of Kent Essex rose in the tyme of kyng Richard 2. When William Mandeuill of Abingdon Iack Cade of Kent in the tyme of kyng Henry the 6. In the tyme of kyng Henry the 8. when the coÌ„motion was of rebels in Lyncolnshyre then in Yorkeshyre When in kyng Edward the 6. tyme Humfrey Arundell in Deuonshyre Captaine Kyte in Northfolke made styre against the king the couÌ„trey partes from whence these rebels did spring were both noted and also diffaimed In this so trayterous coÌ„motion therfore let vs now learne what meÌ„ these were and from what couÌ„trey or countreys in all England they came If they came out of any let the Chroniclers declare what countreys they were If they came out of none as none is named then let them come out of Outopia where belike this â—igment was first forged and inuented Wherfore seyng neither the countreys from whence they came nor yet the names of any of all these xx M. doe appeare what they were either in Chronicle or in recorde but remaine altogether vnknowen I leaue it gentle reader to thy iudgement to thinke thereupoÌ„ as thy wisedome shall lead thee It foloweth more in the foresaid preface And to destroy all other maner of estates of the same Realme of England as well spirituall as temporall c. By the course of this preamble it appeareth that the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle was a wonderfull cruell tirant and murderer who being not yet satisfied with the bloud of the king nor of the two Dukes his brethren would also make hauoke and swepestake of all maner of estates in the Realme of England What leaue no maner of estate aliue No neither Lord spiritual nor temporall but altogether should be destroied And what had all these estates done thus so miserably to be destroied Although percase the moode of this maÌ„ might haue bene incensed kindled against the king and the Lords spiritual by whom he had bene coÌ„demned as is aforesaid yet why should all other maner of other estates both spiritual and temporal be killed If none of all the estates in EnglaÌ„d neither Duke Earle Baron Lord Knight or other gentleman had bene his frend but all his enemies how then is it like that he hauing all the estates peeres nobles and gentlemen of the Realme against him and none to stand with him either could or durst attempt any commotioÌ„ against the whole power of the land he being but one gentleman onely with sir Roger Acton and maister Browne left alone At least good reasoÌ„ yet would that those hundreth Knightes should haue bin spared out of this bloudy slaughter whom he offred to produce vnto the king before for his purgation page 159. And finally if this was his purpose that all these estates both spiritual temporall should haue bin cut down what needed then that he should haue made himselfe a Regent when hee might as well haue made himselfe a king or what else he would being left then Prince alone The preamble as it began with vntruth and continued in the same figure heaping one vntruth vpon another so now endeth with another misreport as vntrue as the rest shewing declaring the intent of sir Iohn Oldcastle was also to destroy all maner of policie finally the lawes of the land c. We read of William CoÌ„querer otherwise named William Bastard who being a puisant Duke in his countrey wheÌ„ that the crown of EnglaÌ„d was alotted to him and he coÌ„ming ouer with all his peres nobles barons of his whole land into this Realme had with great difficulty obteined victorie against king Harold yet to alter and destroy the policy and the lawes of the land it passed his power Insomuch that it had not bin permitted vnto him to haue proceded so far as he did vnlesse he had first sworne to the nobles of this lande to retaine still the lawes of King Edward as he found them And albeit he afterward forsware himselfe breaking his othe in altering and changing many of the foresaid lawes yet wild he nild he could not so destroy them all for the which much war and great commotioÌ„s endured long after in the Realme but that he was constrained and also contented to allow and admit a great part of the said lawes of king Edward page 167. And if he being king and Conquerour with all his strength of Normands and Englishmen about him was too weake and insufficient to destroy all maner of policie and lawes of this land which he had conquered how much lesse then is it to be supposed that Sir Iohn Oldcastle being put a priuate subiect and a poore Knight and a condemned prisoner destitute and forsaken of al Lords Earles and Barons who to saue his owne life had more to do then he could well compasse would either take in hand or conceiue in his head anye such exployt after the subuersion of Christian faith and law of God after the slaughter of the king and of all maner of estates as well spirituall as temporall in the Realme of England after the desolation of holy Church to destroy also all maner of policie and finally the lawes of the land Which monstruous and incredible figment how true it may seeme to M. Cope or to some other late Chroniclers of the like credulitie I can not tell Certaine to me and as I thinke to all indifferent readers it appeareth as true as is the Uerse of the Satyre wherewith it may well be compared Nil intra est oleam nil extra est in nuce duri But heere will be sayd again perhaps that the matter of such preambles and prefaces being but pursuantes of statutes and containing but words of course to aggreuate and to geue a shew of a thing which they would to seeme more odible to the people is not so precisely to bee scande or exquisitely to be stand vpon as for the ground of a necessary case of trouth This is it M. Cope that I saide before and now doo well grant admit the same that such preambles or forefaces lyned with a non sequitur containyng in them matter but of surmise and wordes of course and rather monsters out of course and many tymes rising vpon false informatioÌ„ are not alwayes in themselues materiall or necessary probatioÌ„s in all pointes to be followed as appeareth both by this statute also by the statute of this kynges father an 2. Heur 4. chap. 15. beginnyng
to haue had diuers prophetical reuelations shewed to him of God Certaine of which his letters and predictions I thought here vnderneath to insert in such sort as neither in reciting all I will ouercharge the volume too much nor yet in reciting of none I wil be so brief but that the reader may haue some taste and take some profit of the Christian wrytings and doings of this blessed man Firste beginning with the letter of the Lorde Clum concerning the safeconduct of Iohn Hus. A letter of the Lorde Iohn de Clum concerning the safeconduict of Iohn Hus. TO all and singulare that shall see and heare these presentes I Iohn de Clum doe it to vnderstande howe maister Iohn Hus Bacheler of diuinitie vnder the safeconduicte and protection of the renowned prince and Lorde Sigismund of Romaines semper Augustus and king of Hungarie c. My gracious Lorde and vnder the protection defence and safegarde of the holy Empire of Rome hauing the letters patent of the said my Lorde king of Romaines c. came vnto Constance to render a full counte of hys faith in publicke audience to al that would require the same This the saide M. Iohn Hus in this Imperiall Citie of Constance vnder the safeconduict of the said my Lord king of Romaines hath bene and yet is deteined And although the Pope with the Cardinalles haue bene seriously required by solemne Ambassadours of the sayd my Lord king of Romaines c. in the kings name behalfe that the said maister Iohn Hus should be set at libertye and be restored vnto me yet notwythstanding they haue and yet do refuse hitherto to set him at liberty to the great coÌ„tempt derogation of the safeconduct of the king of the safegard and protection of the Empire or Emperial maiestie Wherefore I Iohn aforesaide in the name of the king do here publish and make it known that the apprehending and deteining of the sayde M. Iohn Hus was done wholy against the wil of the fornamed king of Romains my Lord seeing it is done in the contempt of the safeconducte of hys subiects and of the protection of the Empire because that the sayde my Lord was then absent farre from Constance and if he had ben there present woulde neuer haue permitted the same And when hee shall come it is to be doubted of no man but that hee for this great iniury and contempt of this safeconducte done to him to the Empire wil greuously be molested for the same Geuen at CoÌ„stance in the day of the natiuitie of the Lord 1414. ¶ In this instrument aboue prefixed note gentle reader 3. things First the goodnes of this gentle Lord Iohn de Clum being so feruent and zelous in the cause of Iohn Husse or rather in the cause of Christ. Secondly the safeconduct graunted vnto the sayde I. Hus vnder the faith and protection of the Emperor and of the Empire Thirdly here is to be sene the contempt and rebellion of these proud prelates in disobeying the authority of their high Magistrate who contrary to his safeconduct geuen and the mind of the Emperor did arest and imprison this good man before the comming of the sayd Emperor before that Iohn Hus was heard Let vs nowe as we haue promised adioyne some of the epistles of this godly man An Epistle of Iohn Hus vnto the people of Prage in his owne vulgare speeche GRace and peace from our Lorde Iesus Christ that you being deliuered from sinne may walke in his grace and may growe in all modesty and vertue and after this may enioy eternall life Derely beloued I beseeche you which walke after the law of God that you cast not away the care of the saluatioÌ„ of your soules wheÌ„ as you hearing the word of God are premonished wisely to vnderstand that you be not deceiued by fals apostles which do not reprehend the sinnes of men but rather doe extenuate and diminish them which flatter the priests and doe not shewe to the people their offences which magnify themselues boast their own workes and maruelously extol their owne worthines but follow not Christ in his humility in pouerty in the crosse and other manifold afflictions Of whome our merciful sauiour did premonish vs before saying false Christes and fals Prophets shal rise and shall deceiue many And when he had forewarned his welbeloued disciples he said vnto them beware and take hede of false Prophets which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues ye shal know them by their fruits And truth it is that the faithful of Christ haue much neede diligently to beware and take hede vnto themselues For as our sauiour himselfe doth say the elect also if it were possible shal be brought into error Wherefore my welbeloued be circumspect and watchful that ye be not circumuented with the crafty trains of the deuil And the more circumspect ye ought to be for that antichrist laboureth the more to trouble you The last iudgement is nere at hande death shal swallow vp many but to the electe children of God the kingdome of God draweth nere because for them he gaue his own body Feare not death loue together one an other perseuere in vnderstanding the good wil of God without ceasing Let the terrible horrible day of iudgement be alwaies before your eies that you sinne not and also the ioy of eternal life wherunto you must endeuor Furthermore let the passion of our sauioure be neuer out of youre minds that you may bear with him for him gladly whatsoeuer shal be laid vpon you For if you shal consider well in your mindes his crosse afflictions nothing shal be greuous vnto you patiently you shal geue place to tribulations cursings rebukes stripes and prisonment and shal not dout to geue your liues moreouer for his holy truth if nede require Knowe ye welbeloued that antichrist being stirred vp against you deuiseth diuers persecutions And many he hath not hurte no not the least heire of their heads as by mine owne example I can testify although hee hathe ben vehemently incensed against me Wherefore I desire you all with your praiers to make intercessioÌ„ for me to the lord to geue me intelligence sufferance patâ—ence and constancie that I neuer swarue from his diuine verity He hath brought me now to Constance In all my iourney openly and manifestly I haue not feared to vtter my name as becommeth the seruant of God In no place I kept my selfe secrete nor vsed any dissimulation But neuer did I finde in any place more pestilent and manifest ennemies then at Constance Which enemies neither should I haue had there had it not ben for certain of our owne Bohemians hypocrites deceiuers who for benefits receiued and stirred vp with couetousnes with boasting and bragging haue perswaded the people that I weÌ„t about to seduce them out of the right way But I am in good hope that through the mercy of our God and
sought to by pilgrimages neither is it lawfull for Christians to bow theyr knees to them neither to kisse them nor to geue them any maner of reuerence For the which Articles the Archbishoppe with other Bishops and diuers learned commoning together first condemned the bookes as hereticall and burned them in fire and then because they thought the said Iohn Claydon to be forsworne and fallen into heresy the Archbishop did proceed to his definitiue sentence against the said Iohn personally appearing before him in iudgement his coÌ„fessions being read and deposed against him after this maner IN the name of God Amen We Henry by the grace of GOD Archbishop of Caunterbury primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea in a certayne cause of hereticall prauity of relapse into the same wherupon I. Claidon lay man of the prouince of Caunterbury was detected accused and denounced in the sayd our prouince of Caunterbury publickely defamed as by publick fame and common report notoriously to vs hath bene known first sitting in iudgement seat obseruing all things lawfully required in this behalfe do proceed to the pronouncing of the sentence definitiue in forme as followeth The name of Christ being inuocated onely set before our eies forasmuch as by the actes and thinges enacted producted exhibited and confessed before vs also by diuers signes euidences we haue found the said Iohn Claydon to haue bene and to be publickly and notoriously relapsed agayne into his former heresye heretofore by him abiured according to the merites and desertes of the sayd cause being of vs diligently searched weyed and pondered before to the inteÌ„t that the sayd I. Claidon shall not infect other with his scab by the consent and assent of our reuerend brethreÌ„ Richard Bishop of LoÌ„don Iohn Bishop of Couentry and Liechfield Steuen Bishop of S. Dauids and of other Doctors as well of diuinity as of both lawes and also of other discreet and learned men assisting vs in this behalfe do iudge pronounce and declare the sayd I. Claydon to be relapsed agayne into his heresy which he before did abiure finally and definitiuely appoynting him to be left vnto the secular iudgement and so do leaue him by these presentes Thus Iohn Claidon receiuing his iudgement condemnation of the Archbishop was committed to the secular power and by them vniustly vnlawfully was coÌ„mitted to the fire for that the teÌ„porall magistrate had no such law sufficient for them to burne any suche man for religion condeÌ„ned of the prelats as is aboue sufficiently proued declared pag. 523. But to be short Quo iurè quaque iniuria Iohn Cleydon notwithstanding by the temporall magystrats not loÌ„g aâ—ter was had to smithfield where meekely he was made a burnt offering vnto the Lord. an 1415. The burning of Iohn Claydon and Richard Turming Robert Fabian and other Chronologers which folow him adde also that Richard Turming Baker of whome mention is made before in the examination of Iohn Claydon was likewise the same time burned with him in smithfield Albeit in the Register I finde no sentence of condemnation geuen against the sayd Turming neither yet in the story of S. Albons is there any such metioÌ„ of his burning made but only of the burning of Iohn Claydon aforesaid wherfore the iudgement hereof I leaue free to the reader Notwithstanding concerning the sayd Turming thys is certaine that he was accused vnto the bishops no doubt was in their handes bands What afterward was done with him I refer it vnto the authors The next yeare after the burning of these two aforesaid and also of Iohn Hus being burnt at Constaunce whiche was an 1416. the Prelates of England seing the dayly increase of the Gospell and fearing the ruine of theyr papall kingdome were busily occupied with all theyr counsel and diligence to mayntayne the same Wherefore to make their state and kingdome sure by statutes lawes constitutions and terrour of punishment as Thomas Arundell and other Prelates had done before so the forenamed Henrye Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury in his conuocation holden at London maketh another constitutioÌ„ as though there had not enough bene made before agaynst the poore Lollardes the coppy and tenor wherof he sendeth abroad to the bishop of London and to other his Suffraganes by them to be put in straight execution conteyning in words as foloweth HEnry by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Legate of the chiefest seat to our reuereÌ„d brother in the Lord Richard by the grace of God bishop of London health brotherly loue with continuall increase Lately in our last conuocation in Sayncte Paules Church in London being kept by you and other our brethren and clergy of our prouince we do remember to haue made this order vnderwritten by your consentes When as among many other our cares this ought to be chiefe that by some meanes we take those heretickes whiche like foxes lurke hide theÌ„selues in the Lordes vineyard that the dust of negligeÌ„ce may be vtterly shakeÌ„ from our feete and from the feete of our fellow brethren In thys the sayd conuocation of the Prelats and clergy we haue ordeined and that our fellowe brethren our Suffraganes and Archdeacons of our prouince of Canterbury by theÌ„selues their Officials or Commissaryes in all their iurisdictioÌ„s euery of their charges in theyr country twise euery yere at the least do diligeÌ„tly enquire of such persons as are suspect of heresy And that in euery suche their Archdeaconries in euery parish wherin is reported any hereticks to inhabit they cause three or more of the honestest meÌ„ and best reported of to take their othe vpon the holy Euangelist that if they shall knowe or vnderstand any frequenting either in priuy conueÌ„ticles or els deferring in life or maners froÌ„ the common conuersation of other Catholick men or els that holde any either heresyes or errors or els that haue any suspected bookes in the English tong or that do receiue any such persons suspect of heresyes and errours into theyr houses or that be fauorers of them that are inhabitants in any such place or conuersant with them or els haue any recourse vnto them they make certificats of those persons in writing with all the circumstances wherewith they are suspect vnto the said our Suffraganes or Archdeacons or to theyr Commissaryes so soone with as much speede as possibly they can And that the sayd Archdeacon and euery of their Commissaryes aforesayd do declare the names of all such persons denounced together with all the circuÌ„staÌ„ces of theÌ„ the dioces places secretly vnder theyr seales do send ouer vnto vs the same And that the same diocessans effectually direct forth lawfull proces agaynst them as the quality of the cause requireth that with all diligence they discerne define and execute the same And if perhaps they leaue not such persons
such comfort as no man can vnderstand in that they say that they wil geue you forgeuenes of all your sinnes and great grace pardon to this end that you should warre vpon vs destroy vs wheras their graces and pardons are none other then great lies and a great seducing of the body and soule of all them that beleue them and put their trust in them Thys we would proue vnto them ouercome them by the holy scripture and we wold suffer that whosoeuer is desirous to heare the same shoulde heare it For the Pope and all hys priestes herein deale with you as the deuill woulde haue done wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ. Of whome Luke writeth in hys 4. chap. that be brought him vpon an high hill shewed vnto hym in the twinckling of an eye al the kyngdomes that are in the compasse of the earth said vnto him I wil geue thee c. So the deuill deceiueth the pope and all the priestes with the riches of the worlde and worldly power And they thinke they can geue grace and pardon when they wyll and they themselues shall neuer finde fauour before almighty God except they repent and make amendes because of theyr great deceauing of Christēdom And how can they geue that to others which they themselues haue not So dyd the Deuill who was rich in promising and poore in geuing And like as the Deuill is not ashamed to tell a lye so all they are not ashamed to speake that which shall neuer be found true nor be proued by the holy scriptures because for no cause they stirre vp kinges Princes Lordes and Citties to make warre agaynst vs not to the end that the Christian fayth shoulde therby be defended but because they feare that theyr secret vices and heresies shal be disclosed and made manifest For if they had a true cause a godly loue to the Christiā faith they would then take the books of the holy scripture and would come vnto vs and ouercome vs with the weapōs of Gods word and that is our chiefe desire For so dyd the apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ who came to the Paganes and Iewes and brought them from their infidelitie to the true fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ and this they dyd in the spirite of meckenes as the Apostle Paule writeth in the 6. chap. to the Galat. Brethren if anye man be agreeued c. So ought they also to doe if they perceiued that they were iust and we vniust And if we woulde not abide instruction then they might take to them kinges Princes Lordes and imperiall citties and resist vs according to the commaundementes of the holy scripture But this is the subtile defence of all the Byshops and Priestes that they say that mayster Hus and Hierome which were burnt at Constance were ouercome of the holy father the Pope and of the whole Councell For ye must vnderstand that they were not ouercome by the holy Ghost but vniustly with wrongfull violence which God may yet hereafter greeuously punishe in all them that gaue their counsel and ayd thereto and they saye it ought not to be suffered tha we should be heard in confessing our fayth How may that be proued by the holy scripture since christ heard the deuilt as it is written in the fourth chap. of Mathewe And they l are not better then Christ nor we worsse then the Deuill If they be iust and haue the truth with them as they saye they haue and we be vnrighteous why do they feare sinc the truth ought not to be afeard of falshod as Esdras writeth in hys second booke the third chapiter Zorobabell declared that truth is of all thinges the most mightye and ouercommeth all thinges For Christ is the trueth Iohn 14. I am the way the trueth c. And the deuill is the father of lies Iohn 8. He is a lyerfrom the beginning and neuer abode in the truth there is no truth in him Therfore if the pope and hys priestes haue the truth let them ouercome vs with the word of God But if they haue lyes then they cannot long abide in al their presumptiō Wherfore we exhort and beseech al the imperiall Cities al kings Princes noble men rich and poore for Gods sake and for hys righteousnes that one of them write hereof to an other and that there may be some meanes made howe we may cōmune with you safely and friendly at some such place as shal be fit both for you and vs and bring with you your Byshops and teachers and let them our teachers fight together with the word of God and let vs heare them and and let not one ouercome the other by violence or false subtiltie but onely by the word of God And if your Bishops and teachers haue better proofes of theyr fayth out of the holy scripture then we and our fayth be found vntrue we will receiue penaunce and satisfaction according to Gospell But if your Byshops and teachers be ouercome of ours by the holy Scripture then doe ye repent and harken to vs and hold with vs. And if your Byshops teachers will cease from their spirituall pride and repent and make satisfaction then wil we helpe you according to our power and will compell them eyther to ioyne with vs or els we will expell them out of Christendome And if your Byshops and teachers will say that it is not lawfull for lay men to heare such reasoning or to be presēt at it that may you vnderstand to tend to no other end but that they feare they should be ouercome and put to shame in the sight of you For if they knew that they should ouercome therein out of doubt they would desire that euery mā should heare it thereby their glory should become the greater their fame and prayses should be encreased vpon the earth And if your Bishops and teachers coūsell you to come to no hearing with vs thē do it whether they will or no suffer not your selues at any time to be so folishly seduced with their folish pardons but tary at home in your houses with your wiues and children And let the pope of Rome come to vs with all his Cardinals and byshops and with all hys priestes with his owne person power to warre with vs let themselues deserue the absolution of sinnes grace and pardon which they preach to you for they haue great nede of forgeuenes of sinnes grace pardō by the grace of god we will geue them pardō enough as they shall neede But their subtile excuse is this they say that it belōgeth not to priestes to fight with bodily weapons true it is that belongeth not to them but it belongeth as little to them to stirre vp to counsaile to fortifie others thereto For Paule saith in the the 1. to the Rom. in the fift to the Galath that all that do such
theÌ„ to circumcise and to take them away being yong from the sight of theyr pareÌ„ts to far places to be brought vp for the Turkes wars so that they may not returne to them agayne but first are taught to forget Christ then theyr parents so that if they come agayne amongst theÌ„ yet are they not able to know theyr kinsfolkes and parents This misery passing all other miseries no man is able w e toung to vtter or with words to expresse What weping teares what sorow and lamentatioÌ„ what groning sighes and deep dolor doth teare rent a sonder the woefull harts of the sely parents at the plucking away of their babes and children to see theyr sonnes theyr own childreÌ„ whoÌ„ they haue borne and bred vp to the seruice of Christ Iesus the sonne of God now to be drawn away violeÌ„tly froÌ„ theÌ„ to the warfare of Satan and to fight agaynst Christ to see theyr babes borne of christiaÌ„ bloud of christiaÌ„s to be made turks and so to be pluckt out of their armes and out of their sight without hope euer to returne to them agayne to liue perpetually with aliens barbarous blasphemous Turkes and so to become of the number of them which are called fatherles and motherles Albeit the same childreÌ„ afterward do greatly degenerate from the fayth of Christ yet very many of them haue priuily about them the gospell written of S. Iohn In principioÌ„ erat verbum c. Which for a token of remembraunce of theyr christian fayth they cary vnder theyr arme hole writen in greek and araby Who greatly desire and long looke for the reuenging sword of the Christians to come deliuer them out of theyr dolorous thraldome and captiuity according as the Turkes themselues haue a prophecy greatly stand in feare of the same Wherof more shal be said Christ willing in the chapter folowing ¶ And thus haue ye heard the lameÌ„table afflictioÌ„s of our christian brethren vnder the cruell tyranny captiuity of the turks passing all other captiuityes that euer haue bene to Gods people either vnder Pharao in Egipt or vnder Nabuchodonoser in BabiloÌ„ or vnder Antiochus in the tyme of the Machabees Vnder the which captiuity if it so please the Lord to haue his spouse the church to be nurtered hys good will be done and obeyed But if this misery come by the negligence discorde of one christian guides leaders then haue we to pray and cry to our Lord God â—yther to geue better harts to out guiders and rulers or els better guides and rulers to his flocke And these reoubles and afflictions of our Christen brethren suffered by the Turkes I thought good and profitable for our countrey people here of Englande to knowe for so much as by the ignoraunce of these and such like hystoryes worthy of consideration I see much inconneneÌ„ce doth folow Whereby it commeth to passe that because we English men being far of from these countryes and little knowing what misery is a broad are the lesse moued with zeale compassion to tender theyr greuaunces and to pray for them whose troubles we know not WhereupoÌ„ also foloweth that we not coÌ„sidering the miserable state of other are the les gratefull to God when any tranquility by hym to vs is graunted And if any-title cloud of pertâ—rhation arise vpon vs be it neuer so â—ile as pouerty lesse of liuing or a litle banishment out of our countrey for the Lordes cause we make a great matter the reat and all because wee going no further then onâ— own country and onely feeling our own crosse do not compare that which we fâ—ele with the great crosses where unto the Churches of Christ commonly in other places abroad are subiect Which if we dyd rightly vnderstand earnestly consider and poÌ„der in our mindes neither would we so excessiuely forgette our selues in time of our prosperity geuen vs of God nor yet so impatieÌ„tly be troubled as we are in time of our aduersity and all because either we heare not or els we poÌ„der not the terrible crosses which the Lord layeth vpon our other brethren abroad in other nations as by this present story here prefixed may appeare NOw consequently remayneth as I haue shewed hitherto what tyranny hath bene vsed of the Turkes agaynst Christes people so to declare likewise how far this tyranny of the Turkes hath extended and spread it selfe describing as in a table to the ChristeÌ„ Reader what landes countryes and kingdomes the Turkes haue wonne and got from Christendome to the intent that when Christen princes shal behold the greatnes of the Turks dominions spread almost through al the world and how litle a part of Christianity remayneth behinde they may thereby vnderstand the better howe it is time now for them to bestyrre them if euer they thinke to do any good in Gods Church And therefore to make a coÌ„pendious draught as in a briefe table of such countryes kingdomes and dominions gott from vs by the Turkes we will first beginne with Asia describing what tractes countryes cityes and Churches the Turke hath surprised and violently pluckt away from the society of Christian dominions taking onely suche as be most principall and chiefely them that be in Scripture conteyned for that it were to long to discourse all and singular such places by name as the Turke hath vnder hys subiection The world being deuided commonly into three parts Asia Africa and Europa Asia is counted to be the greatest in compas conteining as much as both the other and is deuided into 2. portions the one called Asia Maior the other called Asia minor And although the Empery of the Turke extendeth vnto them both yet especially his dominion standeth in the other Asia which is called Asia Minor which reacheth from the coastes of Europa vnto Armenia Maior beyond the riuer Euphrates and comprehendeth these regions and Cityes vnder written ¶ The deuision of Asia Minor called Cheronesus with the particular Countryes and Cityes belonging to the same Countryes Cityes Pontus Act. 2. Nicea Chalcedon Heraclea Prursa or Bursa Bithinia Act. 16. Nicomedia Apamea ¶ Natolia or Anatolia conteyneth diuers countryes with theyr Cities as foloweth Countryes Cityes Mysia Minor Act. 16 Cyzicus Parium Lampsacus Dardanum Callipolis Phrygia Minor Act. 2 Abydus Alexandria or Troias Act. 16 Toras Act. 20 Ilium Assus Act. 20 Mysia Maior Act. 16 Scepsis Adramitium Act. 27 Phrygia Maior Act. 2 Hierapolis Col. 4 Pitane Apollonia Myrina Lydia Esay 66 Phocoea Smyrna Apoc. 2 Erythrae Aeolis Laodicea Apoc. 3 Carura Thatyra Apoc 2 Ionia Philadelphia Apoc. 3 Pergamus Apoc. 2 Cuma Caria 1. Mac. 15 Ephesus Apoc. 2 Sardis Apoc. 3. Halicarnassus Mach. 15 Doris Miletus Act. 20 ¶ Thus farre reacheth the compasse of Natolia Countryes Cityes Lycia Act 27 Colossae Col. 1 Patara Act. 21 Pinara Zanthus Andriaco Myra Act. 13 Galactavel Gellogrâ—cia Act. 16 Ancyra Gordium Tharma Pessenus Paphlagonia Amisus Sinope
declareth to vs the affliction of Christes Church for sinne and yet that God will not vtterly reiect his people for his sonnes sake as by manifold examples of y◠Church hetherto may well appeare Againe the continuance of the law first geuen by Moses vnto the destruction of the sayde people by Titus amounteth to 1564. yeares So we counting the age of the new Testament and reckening from the day of our redemption vnto this present be come now to the yeare 1534. lacking but only 33. yeares of the full number Likewise in counting the yeares from their deliuerāce out of captiuitie to the ende of their dissolution we finde 564. yeares during which yeares as the Churche of the Iewes was not gouerned vnder the authoritie of kings but the high Priests tooke all the power and authoritie to themselues so we Christians for the space especially of these later 564. yeares what haue we seene and felt but only the iurisdiction and domination of the Pope and his high Priests plaieng the Rex in all countreys and ruling the whole whereby by the count of these yeares it is to be thought the daye of the Lordes comming not to bee farre off Furthermore in those latter yeares of the Iewes kingdome what troubles and afflictions that people susteined three hundreth yeares together but chiefly the last 166. yeares before the comming of Christ by Antiochus and his felowes the history of the Machabees cā report Wherin we haue also notoriously to vnderstād the miserable vexations and persecutions of Christian Churches in these latter ends of the world by Antichrist For by Antiochus Antichrist no doubt is figured and represented Thys Antiochus surnamed Magnus and Antiochus Epiphanes his sonne came of the stocke of Seleucus Nicanor much like as the Mahumetes the Turke and Solymannus came of the stocke of Ottomannus Wherein this is to be noted and pondered that like as of the sayd Seleucus issued xij Syrian Kings one after another of that generation which reigned ouer the Israelites with much seueritie and tiranny so of this diuelish generatiō of Ottomannus haue come xij Turkish tyraunts whereof thys Solyman is now the twelfe God grant he may be the last And as the ij last Antiochi being sonnes of the ij brethrē did fight together for the kingdome and in fighting were both slaine and shortly after the kingdome fell to the Romaines so the Lorde graunt for Christes sake that the bloudy broode of this old Solyman which had reigned now 46. yeares may so fight together and perish in their owne bloud that the bloudy tyranny of theirs may come to a finall end for euer Amen And that the truth heereof may the better appeare to such as be disposed to meditate more vpon the matter I thought good and profitable for the reader to set before his eies in tablewise the catalogue of both these Antichristian families with the names and succession of the persons first of the twelue Syrian Kings then of the twelue Ottomans in like number and order A comparison betweene the Syrians and the Turkes ¶ The Syrians 1 Seleucus 32 2 Antiochus Soter 19 3 Antiochus Theos who killed Bernice his mother in law and his yong brother 15 4 Seleucus Callinicus with Antiochus Hierax his brother which two breethren warred one against the other 20 5 Antiochus Magnus 36 6 Seleuchus Philopator 12 7 Antiochus Epiphanes or rather Epimanes 8 Antiochus Eupator 2 9 Demetrius brother of Epiphanes who killed Eupator his cosin 10 Demetrius Nicanor whome Antiochus Sedetes his brother repulsed from his kingdome 11 Antiochus sedetes These two last being brethren had two sonnes 12 Antiochus Grypus Antiochus Cyriconus These two striuing together for the kingdome were both slaine and so not lōg after the kingdome of Syria came to the hands of Cigranes King of Armenia and so being taken from him came to the Romaines in the time of Pompeius ¶ The Turkes 1 Ottomannus 28 2 Orchanes He slue his two brethren 22 3 Amurathes He put out the eyes of Sauces his owne sonne 23 4 Baiazetes He slew Solymannus his brother 5 Calepinus The Greeke stories make no mention of this Calepinus the Latin stories say that Calepinus and Orchanes were both one and that hee was slayne by Mahumetes hys brother 6 6 Orchanes whome Moses his vncle did slay 7 Mahumetes 1. He slue Mustaphas his brother 14 8 Amurathes 2. Hee siue Mustaphas his brother 34 9 Mahumetes 2. He slue his two brethren Turcinus an infant and Calepinus 73 10 Baiazetes 2. He warred against his brother Demes which Demes was afterward poisoned by Pope Alexander 6. 33 11 Zelymus He poisoned Baiazetes his father his two brethren Acomates and Corcutus wyth all their children his owne cosines 7 12 Solymannus He slue Mustaphas his owne sonne and was the death or Gianger his seconde sonne 46 These two pestilent families and generations rising out doubtles from the bottomles pit to plague the people of God as in number of succession they do not much differ so in maner of their doings and wicked abhominations they be as neere agreeing being both enemies alyke to the people and Church of Christ both murtherers and paricides of their owne breethren and kindred both blasphemers of God and troublers of the whole worlde Wherein we haue all to learne and note by the way the terrible anger of almighty God against sinne and wickednes of men Furthermore who so is desposed to consider and cast the course of times and to marke how things be disposed by the maruelous operation of Gods prouidēce shal finde the times also of these two aduersaries in much like sorte to concurre and agree For in considering with our selues both the Testaments and Churches of God the first of the Iewes the second of the Christians looke what time had the Syrian Kings to rage then in Hierusalem the same proportion of time hath now the tiranny of the Turks to murther the Christians so that the one Antichrist may well represent and prefigure the other For as by the booke of Machabees may appeare Antiochus Epiphanes was about the 191. yeares before the passion of our Sauiour and day of our redemption so now casting the same number from this present yeare backward we shall finde it to be about the same yeare and time when Baiazetes the fourth Turke after Ottoman began to remoue his Imperiall seate from Bursa in Bithynia to Adrianople in Europe which is a City of Thracia In which yeare time began all the mischiefe in Europe as is to be seene before pag. 738. and this was the yeare of our Lord 1375. Unto the which yeare if we adde 691. it maketh 1566. according to the prophesie of the Apocal. chap. 20. where it is prophesied of Gog and Magog that they shall compasse about the tents of the Saincts and the well beloued Citie by the which welbeloued Citie is meant no doubt Europa and this was in
teeth it deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his feete and it was vnlike the other beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes As I considered the hornes behold there came vp among them another little horne before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away And behold in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things and seemed more stoute then the other Which horne also wheÌ„ I looked on made battaile with the saints preuailed against theÌ„ vntill the old aged came iudgement was giuen to the Saintes of the highest and till the appointed time was come that the Saints shuld haue the kingdoÌ„e Thus haue ye heard the plaine words of Daniell In the which as he doth manifestly describe the comming of Antiochus the great aduersary toward the latter ende of the Iewes so by the same Antiochus is figured also to vs the great aduersary of Christ which is the Turke Although some there be notwithstanding which wyth great learning iudgement do apply this place of Daniel aboue recited not to the Turke but rather to the Pope that for vj. or vij speciall causes herein touched and noted The first is this that the wicked transgressours of the couenaunt shall ioine with him deceitfully and hypocritically which shall pollute the tabernacle of strength take away the perpetuall sacrifice and bring in the abhomination of desolation The second note is that the Prophet declareth how the learned among the people shall reach many that they shall fall into the sword into fire and captiuitie and shall be banished whereby they shall be tried chosen made bright and pure c. All which say they is not amoÌ„g the Turkes to be seene but only in the Popes Church where the faithfull preachers teachers of the people are slaine and burned and go to wracke c. Where likewise it foloweth that they shall be holpen against Antichrist and that many false brethren shall ioine vnto them dissemblingly c. To thys they alledge that the Christians haue no such help against the Turke whereunto such false brethreÌ„ should ioine theÌ„seâ—ues as is and hath bene commonly seene amoÌ„g the Christians against the Pope from time to time almost in all Countreys as in Germany by the Protestants free Cities In EnglaÌ„d in King Henries time by the Lord Cromwell and afterward by King Edward now by Queene Elizabeth In Scotland by the godly nobilitie In France by the Queene of Nauarre and her sonne and also by the Prince of Condy and the worthy Admirall and his two breethren and many others In Flaunders by theÌ„ whom the Regent calleth Beggers So as was in the time of the Machabees against Antiochus Thirdly that the King shall exalt himselfe aboue all that hath the name of God and shal lift vp his mouth to speake presumptuously against God Fourthly that he careth not for the desires of women which may seeme to note how the Popes doctrine shall forbid the honest and lawfull mariage in Churchmen The fift specialtie which they apply to the Pope is that foloweth in the Prophet saieng Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers nor any God but in steade of him shall set vp his God Mauzzim shall worship him with siluer gold pretious stone c. which they do apply to the Pope setting vp his God of bread worshipping him with glistering golden ornameÌ„ts most solemne seruice Sixtly it foloweth he shall encrease them with much glory and riches and shall diuide vnto them lands possessions c. meaning that the Pope hauing dominioÌ„ ouer treasures of gold and siluer and all precious things of the land shall indue his Cardinals Prelats his flatring doctours with Friers and Monkes Priestes and all such as shal take his part with great priuilegies liberties reuenues possessions And thus I say some there be which apply this prophesie of the xij and xi chapter of Daniell vnto the Bishop of Rome whom although I take to be an extreme persecutour of Christs Church yet I iudge rather those two chapters of Daniel concerning the litle horne in the middle of the x. hornes and the great destroier of the pleasant land and glorious holy mountaine to meane first Antiochus and by him secondly to meane the great Antichrist the Turke who hath now set already the tabernacles of his palace betwene the Seas accordyng to the Prophecies of Daniell as is abouesayd Ouer besides these Prophecies aboue alledged may be added also the Prophecie of Ezechiel chap. 39. speakyng of Gog Magog which as it may be applied to the oppressioÌ„ of the Iewes vnder the Heathen multitude which stopped the buildyng of the Citie and vnder the Syrian kynges c. yet in the same also is expressed the calamities and afflictions of Christes Churche in these latter tymes vnder the Saracens and the Turkes c. Proceeding further in this matter let vs come now to the Prophecies of the new Testament marke the wordes of S. Paule writyng to the Thessalonians which then were Christened now either are Turkish or vnder the Turke which wordes be these Be ye not sodenly moued in your mynde nor troubled neither by spirite not by word nor by letter as sent froÌ„ vs as though the day of Christ were at hand let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes for the Lord will not come before there come a defection or a departing first and that wicked maÌ„ be reueled the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and is extolled aboue all power and that which is called God so that he shall sit in the teÌ„ple of God boasting himselfe to be God c. Although this defection departing may haue a double vnderstandyng as well of the popes sect which is gone departed froÌ„ the free iustificatioÌ„ by fayth onely in Christ through the promise of grace as of the Turkes yet learning a while to speake of the Pope because it appeareth more notoriously in the Turke we will chiefly apply it to him in whoÌ„ so aptly it doth agree that vnles this great defection froÌ„ faith in so many Churches had hapned by the Turke it had bene hard to vnderstaÌ„d the Apostles mynde which now by the history of these Turkes is easie and euident to be knowen coÌ„sidering what a ruine hath happened to the Church of Christ by these miserable Turks what Emperies nations kyngdomes countreys townes and Cities be remoued from the name professioÌ„ of Christ how many thousands infinite multitudes of Christen men and children in Asia in Afrike in Europe are caried away from Christes Church to Mahumetes Religion some to serue for the Turkes gard among the Ianizarites some for souldiours some for miners some for gunners to fight warre agaynst the Christians so that the most part
proceding in his Prophesies shall the K. of Romanes after he hath reigned in IerusaleÌ„ a sabbate of times a half that is saith Mer. x. yeres a halfe take the crown froÌ„ his hed and yeld it vp to the Crosse in Golgotha where Christ was crucified and shall die And the Crosse with the crowne shal be taken into heauen which shal not appeare againe before the comming of the Lord. Fourthly it foloweth then moreouer in the Prophesies of Method Whych declareth that when the weeke or sabbate half weke of times shal end and wheÌ„ the K. of Romanes shall geue vp his crowne in Ierusalem die Then immediatly shal Antichrist the son of perdition begin to appeare be borne in Iewry of the tribe of Dan wherof also came Iudas Iscarioth he shal be borne saith Methodius in Chorosaim shal be bred in Bethsaida shal raign in CapernauÌ„ to the which 3. cities Christ the Lord gaue his 3. Vae And wheÌ„ great tribulatioÌ„ shal increase multiply in the daies of this Antichrist al lordship dominion shal be destroied the Lord shall sende his 2. faithful deare seruants Enoch and Hely to reproue and detect the false seducing lying forgeries of this Antichrist openly before all meÌ„ so that the people seing theÌ„selues falsly beguiled seduced by this son of perditioÌ„ coÌ„ming out of the teÌ„ple diseÌ„blingly to the destructioÌ„ of many shal leaue flie froÌ„ him ioyn theÌ„ selues to the said 2. holy prophets Which son of perdition Antichrist seing his procedings so to be reproued brought into coÌ„teÌ„pt in his fury anger shal kil the 2. Prophets of God And then shal appeare saith Methodius the signe of the comming of the sonne of man and he shall come in the clouds of heauenly glory and shall destroy the enemie with the spirite of his mouth c. Interpretation TO these prophesies testimonies of Methodius what credite it is to be geuen I leaue it to the Reader But if the meaning of his Prophesies goe by such order of times as is set disposed in his booke he semeth to describe vnto vs 4. principall states and alterations of times to come The first state and alteration is by Mahumete and the Saracens which be the ofsprings and sonnes of Ismael comming out of Arabie in the time of Heraclius Emperour of Constantinople An. 630. which rebelling against Heraclius increased preuailed still more more against the Christians both in Asia and Africa and also in many places in Europe especially in Spayne and Italy The seconde state alteration he Prophesieth to come by the Turke which first comming out of the farre partes of Seythia the is out of the North first ouercame the Saracenes subdued the Persians and afterward ioyning together w e the Saracens conquered the kingdome of Hierusalem about the yeare of our Lorde 1187 then subdued Syria and moste part of Asia c. And these be they whych Methodius seemeth to meane of speaking of the vile and miserable people closed vp of the Lord God at the intercession of Alexander the great captaine in the North betwene 2. mountaines the deepâ—â—nosse of 12. cubites wast that filthy corrupt nation shuld pollute the early with their wickednes Wherby are ment those Turkes which comming out froÌ„ the vttermost partes of the North that is out of Scythia and the mountaines of Caucasus or els Ismaels were withholden kept backe of Almighty God for Christes cause that they myght not harme his Church alongspace during the time of xii C. yeares yea and then the sinnes of the Christians so deseruing they were permitted of almighty God to breake out and to inuade the church who nowe ioyning together with the Saracens haue wrought and daily do woorke all these greuances against our Christian brethren as we se this day is come to passe and more is like to folow except the haÌ„d of the Lord which let them out do plucke them in againe Moreouer in the meane space betwene the reigne of the Saracens and the Turks where Methodius speaketh of the R. of Romaines which should restore quietnes to the church should raigne in Hierusalem a sabbate of tunes and halfe a sabbate thereby seemeth to be vnderstand the viage of Christian Princes out of the west partes of Europe vnder Gotfridus Duke of Lotharing his 2. brethren and many other christen Princes with 300. M. footmen and 100. M. horsemen who fighting against the Saracens recouered againe from them the Citie of Hierusalem in the yeare of our Lorde 1099. Which citie before had bene in their possession the terme of 490. yeres After which victory got first Gotfridus then Baldwinus his brother and other after them to the number of 9. Christen kings reigned in Hierusalem the space of 88. yeres and after that through the discord of the Christians not agreeing amoÌ„gst themselues both Hierusalem and Syria with other parts of Asia besides were subdued and wonne of the Turkes whych to this day they keepe yet still And this was in the yeare of our Lord. 1187. About which yeare and time as foloweth in Methodius when the Citie of Hierusalem shall be wonne of the Turkes then shall Antichrist begin to be borne of the tribe of Dan of whom came Iudas Iscarioth and shal be borne in Chorosaim and bredde in Bethsaida and reigne in Capernaum Meaning that this Antichrist or sonne of perdition shal be full of Gods malediction noted by Iudas Iscariothe and these 3. Cities against whome were spoken thrise Vae of the Lord. And heere is moreouer to be noted that Methodius sayth not that Antichrist shall be borne among the Saracens or Turkes but among the people of God and of the tribe of Israel Whereby is to be collected that Antichriste shal not come of the SaraceÌ„s nor Turks but shall spring vs among the Christians and sayeth Methodius shall seeme to come out of the Temple to deceiue many c. whereby the Pope may seeme rather then the Saracene or the Turk to be described for so much as the Pope being elected norished and raigning in the middest of Gods people at Rome sitteth in the temple and very place of Christ and no doubt deceiueth many c. And nowe to come to the time assigned of Methodius here is to be added also that which we read in Antoninus Par. 3. that about this said present time a certaine Bishop of Florence preached that Antichriste was then comming But the pope commanded him to keepe silence to speake no more therof Now why the pope so did why he could not abide the preaching of Antichriste I referre it to them which list to muse more vpon the matter This is certain that about this time heere assigned by Methodius came Petrus Lombardus Gratianus and Pope Innocent the thirde the first authors patrons of traÌ„substantiation At which time also began