Countrey but rather to yeeld themselues vnto the yoake of the Inquisition In the moneth of Ianuary the subiects of Iohn Frederick were absolued by the Imperiall authoritie of their oath fidelitie due to their Lord and were coÌ„strained to promise their obedience vnto Iohn William brother of the said Frederick This done the siege of Gothe continued About the ende of the moneth troubles began to arise in the lowe Countrey Valencienne was besieged beaten taken and rudely handled by the Sieur de Moircarmes because of Religion The Ministers of the word of God and certaine of the chiefe of the Towne were imprisoned and after put to death The 25. of Feebruary Henry de Bredenrode a Lord of great authoritie in the lowe Countries and very affectionate vnto Religion seeing the peoples heartie desires to haue publike exercise thereof presented a request vnto the Gouernesse in the name of him and his Associates that she might quickly puruey for the affaires as they presented themselues She made such answere as they might perceiue well that things tooke a way vnto troubles and confusions Indeed after certaine goings and commings from words they fell vnto Armes In so much that in the moneth of March there hapned encounters and combats betwixt them of the one and the other party The Towne of Antwerpe sawe it selfe in a maruellous diuision and vpon the point of her ruine but by the prudence of the Prince of Orange who yet was not departed the affaires it remained peaceable for certaine monethes In the meane while the king of Spaine aduertised of those chaunges gaue commission to the Duke of Alâ—a an olde and subtill Captaine to tame the Flemmings and chastice their heads and principall rulers that therby he might bridle the lowe Countries appointing for him a strong Army of Spaniards which about this time departed by sea and so came into Italy obtaining there a further strength of people which attended them with a good minde to gather booties in the lowe Contries The last day of March Phillip Lantgraue of Hesse a Christian Prince sage valiant and endowed with all the goodly parts required in a great Lord hauing in his life time executed many valiant and memorable exployts and especially for Religion died at Cassel of the age about 63. yeares leauing foure sonnes William Lewis Phillip and George and foure daughters Agnes first married to Maurice Elector and Duke of Saxonie after in her second marriage to Iohn Frederick Anne married to Wolfgang Count Palatin de Rhene Barbara to George Count de Montheliard and Christine to Adolpe Duke of Holsac Two daies after Ernest Duke of Brunswick a Prince fearing God wise couragious and constant and who bore himselfe well in the Protestants warre dyed in his Castle of Hertaberge The fourth of Aprill they of Gothe beeing besieged by the Elector of Saxonie laid hold of the proscripts banished men and the 13. of the said moneth yeelded the towne the Citadell Iohn Frederick was deliuered prisoner vnto the Emperours deputies which hapned the same day and 20. yeares after that his father Elector of the Empire was taken prisoner in battaile nigh Mulberge by the Emperour Charles the fift The Citadell of Gothe was destroyed Grombach and certaine of his complices executed to death and the Elect or Augustus being deliuered from great trouble caused to coine Dollers of siluer with this inscription on the one side Tandem bona causa triumphat At the beginning of May the Duke of Alua arriuing from Barcelone at Genes to goe into Flaunders began to giue order for the passage of his Army About the same time Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy the Bernois to yeeld him certaine lands by them conquered vpon the dead Duke Charles his father after certaine conferences betwixt them they yeelded him three Bailiwickes namely Gez Ternier and Chablais which enuiron Geneua with certaine conditions whereof the chiefe was that the said Bailiwicke should remain in the state they then were in namely with profession and publike exercise of the only Religion reformed certaine moneths after the Duke was put in reall possession of the said Bailiwickes About the beginning of Iuly the Duke of Alua departed Italy with a good armie of foote men Spaniards Piemontois Being entred Sauoy he made a countenance to stay before Geneua but fearing to receiue some shame he entred into le Franche Comte where he ioyned himselfe with certain new troupes conducted by the Court de Lodron and straight marched right vnto Bruxelles in Brabant At his arriual he published the Edict of the Inquisition established the bloodie Councell cut off-infinit heads confiscated the goods of all sorts of people about the end of the moneth of August And in September he sent prisoners into the Castle of Gaunt the Countes of Aigremont and of Horne and to found his bloudie executioÌ„s that request presented by the principall of the Country to the Duchesse of Parma was declared to be but a coniuration against the Kings maiestie The Prince of Orange the Count Ludouic le Countes de Berge de Hochstrate de Culembourge le fieur de Bredeâ—â—â—â— many other Lordes Gentlemen guests and marchants which had signed or assisted the preachings or carried armes were adiourned to appeare in person before the Duke of Alua within sixe weeks and their goods noted The moneth of September following they were improied in taking prisoners the best they could lay handes on And then began confusion on all sides in the lowe Country About the end of October he begunne the Citadell of Antwerpe In the said time the second ciuil warre for matters of Religion lighted in France and a battaile was giuen betwixt Paris and S. Denis the tenth day of Nouember wherein the Constable was wounded to death and deceased soone after Many Lords Gentlemen and valiant souldiers remained in the field The armie of the Religion drew into Lorraine to gather the succours which the Duke Cassimere led A great deluges of waters was at Verone the two last dayes of October where there were 200 persons drowned and infinite goods wasted and destroyed Likewise certaine other places of Italie were in like maner so destroyed About the end of the yeare the Duke Cassimere with his Armie of 7500. horses and 3000. footemen ioyned himselfe vnto the troupes of the Prince of Conde at Pontamonsson in Lorraine and there was some conference about a peace which succeeded not In the month of Ianuary the Duke Cassimere made many remonstrances in writing to the King and his Councell for the pacifications of troubles in the kingdome of France This seruing for nothing his army set forward whilest the warre waxed hotte in diuers prouinces On the other side Iohn Guillaume Duke of Saxonie brought 4000. Reisters to the succors of the Catholicke Romanes in France The 18. day of the said moneth Phillip king of Spaine caused the Prince Charles his only sonne to be kept in a Chamber as
preserued in the middest of the fiercest waues As is said in Esay 60. Thou shalt haue no more the Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vnto thee For the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glory and thy Sunne shall neuer goe downe neither shall thy Moone be hid for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and the dayes of thy sorrow shall be ended The assurance then of the Church ought not to be considered according nor in regard of things present because it is established in God and feareth no chaunges For God is her light so that she hath no need to borrow any brightnesse from either Sunne or Moone And although the faithfull be not depriued of the commodities of this present life but rather there is nothing either in heauen or earth which God hath not created for the loue of them seeing he hath a particular care of them yet is there one thing much more excellent which the children of God do enioy namely the heauenly light which from all times hath bene cast on it We must then lift vp our spirits vnto God who gouerneth all both aboue and below and not attribute any thing to Fortune as prophane men doo heereunto men pretend to bring all the faithfull Therefore hither men come not to feede the spirit of foolish curiositie or here to learne any thing to babble with vaine ostentation or to take pleasure to heare a well adorned language and assoone as the eyes are taken from off the booke all fruite of that reading is lost but there is neither fact nor chance nor issue which euery man oght not to borrow for himselfe If he finde that some vertuous and well liuing man hath bene well beloued of God and honoured of men that vertue ought to be vnto him as a flame to lighten his heart that following such a man he may come to a like felicitie If contrary he encounter and light on one who for his vices fell into some greeuous inconueniences it is an example to serue him for a bridle that hee do not precipitate and throw himselfe headlong into the same ditch and aboue all such as haue great dignities and are called to doo great things so much more as their ruine is daungerous so much more also ought they to be carefull to looke how faithfully they acquite themselues in their charge committed vnto them But well hath one said that The Historie is a treasure which should neuer depart from the hands wherwith men being aided may more commodiously handle their affaires like to such as they finde registred in histories seeing that almost alwaies alike causes happen and come to passe This small aduertisement may profit if it light not vpon crooked and brutish spirits vnto whom this labour will not be profitable but onely vnto such as with an honest pleasure will ioyne a good desire to carry an humble reuerence to all the workes of God But then O Church of God seeing all things come and are done for the loue of thee it is good reason that thy litle estate or rather glasse of thy condition of that thou hast endured since the comming of thy espouse be dedicated and consecrated vnto thee On the one side thou shalt know the heretikes schismatikes mockers contemners with the tyrants and violent oppressors which haue done vnto thee a thousand euils but on the other side thou shalt see Iesus Christ the stronger who hath not declared himselfe thy head for a world or two but for euer a protector of thine And now is there any vnderstanding that can cōprehend lesse tongue to expresse what he hath done for thee in these last dayes when from thy renting and treading vnder foote we see so many children each where of so fruitfull a mother O admirable bountie O indicible ioy and consolation to see the meruailes of the Lord in these last times Let vs pray that hee will continue that hee hath begun and aduanced to his glory and honour So be it Thine in the Lord Iohn Crispin The order of the Bishops and Pope of Rome after this Booke SAint Peter vpon false tokens called the first in number of the Bishops of Rome Linus Cletus Clement Anacletus Euaristus Alexander Sixtus or Xistus Telesphorus Higinus Pius 1. Auicetus Soter Eleutherius Victor Zephirin or Seuerin Calistus Vrbain Pontian Antherus Fabian Cornelius Lucius Stephanus Zistus 2. Denis Felix Eutichien Caius Marcellin Marcel Eusebius Melchiades Siluester Marcus Iulius Liberius Felix Damasus Siricius Anastasius 1. Innocentius 1. Zozimus Boniface 1. Celestinus 1. Sixtus 3. Leo 1. Hilarius Simplicius Felix 3. Gelatius Anastasius 2. Simmachus Hormisda Iohn 1. Felix 4. Boniface 2. Iohn 2. Agapetus Siluerius Vigilins Pelagius 1. Iohn 3. Benit 1. Pelagius 2. Gregorie 1. Sauian or Sabinian Boniface 3. Boniface 4 Deus dedit Boniface 5 Honorius Seuerin Iohn 4 Theodorus 1 Martin 1 Eugenius 1 Vitalian Adeodatus Donus Agathon Leo 2 Benit 2 Iohn 5 Conon Sergius Iohn 6 Iohn 7 Sisinius Constantine 1 Gregorie 2 Gregorie 3 Zacharie Stephen 2 Paulus 1 Constantine 2 Stephen 3 Adrian 1 Leo 3 Stephen 4 Paschal Eugenius 2 Valentine 2 Gregorie 4 Sergius 2 Leo 4 Iohn 8 Benit 3 Nicholas 1 Adrian 2 Iohn 9 Martin 2 Adrian 3 Stephen 5 Formosus Boniface 6 Stephen 6 Romaine Theodorus 2 Iohn 10 Benit 4 Leo 5 Christopher Sergius 3 Anastasius 3 Lando Iohn 11 Leo 6 Stephen 7 Iohn 12 Leo 7 Stephen 8 Martin 3 Agapetus 2 Iohn 13 Benit 5 Leo 8 Iohn 14 Benit 6 Donus 2 Boniface 7. Benit 7 Iohn 16 Iohn 17 Gregorie 5 Iohn 18 Siluester 2 Iohn 19 Iohn 20 Sergius 4 Benit 8 Iohn 21 Benit 9 Siluester 3 Gregorie 6 Clement 2 Damasus 2 Leo 9 Victor 2 Stephen 9 Benit 10 Nicholas 2 Alexander 2 Gregory 7 Victor 3 Vrbaine 2 Pascall 2 Gelasius 2 Calixtus 2 Honorius 2 Innocent 2 Celestine 2 Lucius 2 Eugenius 3 Anastasius 4 Adrian 4 Alexander 3 Lucius 3 Vrbain 3 Gregorie 8 Clement 3 Celestine 3 Innocent 3 Honorius 3 Gregorie 9 Celestine 4 Innocent 4 Alexander 4 Vrbain 4 Clement 4 Gregorie 10 Innocent 5 Adrian 5 Iohn 22 Nicholas 3 Martin 4 Honorius 4 Nicholas 4 Celestine 5 Boniface 8 Benit 11 Clement 5 Iohn 23 Benit 12 Clement 6 Innocent 6 Vrbain 5 Gregorie 11 Vrbain 6 Clement 7 Boniface 9 Benit 13 Innocent 7 Gregory 12 Alexander 5 Iohn 24. Martin 5. Eugenius 4. Felix 5. Nicholas 5. Calixtus 3. Pius 2. Paul 2. Sixtus 4. Innocent 8. Alexander 6. Pius 3. Iulius 2. Leo 10. Adrian 6. Clement 7. Paul 3. Iulius 3. Marcel 2. Paul 4. Pius 5. Gregorie 13. FINIS A Table of the Romaine Emperours with the declaration of the yeares which euery one raigned AVgustus raigned 56. yeares that is to say 12. with Antonius and Lepidus and 44. alone The yeare 42. of his Empire was our Sauiour Iesus borne  yeares moneths
of the Lorde and was consumed with vermine and died miserably because hee yeelded no glorie vnto God and so the persecution ceased Heere is a second mirrour of Gods iudgement against such as oppresse the Church Saint Paul after his conuersion returned fiue times to Ierusalem At his last beeing there hee recited the Historie of his Ministerie in the assembly of the Elders of the Church His preachings were greatly spread abroad neither ceased hee to plant the Gospell wheresoeuer he went as it appeareth in the Acts. He preached at Rome by the space of two yeares although he was a prisoner Where before there was an assembly of the faithfull as the Epistle to the Romanes witnesseth Philippe the Apostle preached in Samaria where there was a Church which retired thither after the death of Saint Steuen In Azote the Church assembled from thence it went into the Maritine Townes Peter the Apostle also preached the Gospell in many Townes as is at large seene in the Historie of the Acts. Origine in his Tome vpon Genesis saith it seemeth that Peter preached in Pontus Galatia Asia Bithinia and Cappadocia to the dispearced Iewes There was also a Church in Babilon as he himselfe witnesseth in the fist of his first Epistle In Phinicia and Siria in Tyre Sidon Serentia Silicia Pamphilia Pisidia Attalia Lycaonia Also in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithinia Misia and Phrigia Vnto these did S. Peter write The seuen Churches of Asia are named in the Apocalips namely Ephesus Smirna Pergamus Thyatirus Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia Aboue all the Church of Antioche was most famous where the Disciples were first called Christians Some say this was the thirtie and eight yeare after Christ others fortie Paul and Barnabas remained there one whole yeare Acts. 11. and 13. Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist after hee had preached the Gospell through all Asia he finally retired into the Towne of Ephesus where he remained many yeares From thence the Church might easily spread it selfe into Europe which was nigh therevnto Now we see the beginning of the Kingdome of Christ and as it were a renewment of the world About the yeare 42. the vengeance of God fell vpon Pilate For after the Iewes had accused him of too great crueltie Lord Vitellius then Gouernour of Siria commaunded him to goe to Rome to answere the accusations that were to bee laid against him But as hee was in the way hee died Tiberius as Iosephus reciteth in the eighteenth of Antiquities Chapter fiue Eutropius in his seuenth booke saith that Pilate was nipped and pinched with so great anguishes because Caligula troubled him that striking and beating himselfe with his owne hands he sought to destroy himselfe See Eusebius in his 2. booke Chap. 7. This same yeare it is held that Saint Mathew writte his Gospell in Iudea The same yeare the Tetrach ship of Herodes was deliuered to Agrippa and a great discomfiture now the second time was made of the Iewes in Babilon See Iosephus in the last Chapter of his Antiquities Claudius the fift Emperour was chosen to the Imperial dignitie the aforesaid yeare and raigned fourteen yeares and nine moneths Herodes Agrippa the yeare 15. and the third of Claudius held the Kingdome of Iudea of the gift of Caligula and Claudius Beeing departed from Rome to come to Ierusalem hee thought good to make a shew to the Iewes that he loued their Religion and after to gratifie the high Priests he put to death certaine of the faithfull At this time Churches were gouerned by the Apostles which were instructed in the schoole of the sonne of God and therefore there is no gouernment to be compared to this Yet in this time the dwell had his instruments in Churches gouernment that is to say false Apostles and false bretheren Euen alreadie wrought he the secret of Iniquitie by his Antichrist 2. Thessa 2. and 1. Iohn 2. and 4. There were Heretickes Titus 3. Dogges Philip. 3. Wolues and men speaking peruerse things Acts 20. People which were neither hotte nor colde Apoca. 3. If at this time Sathan had such license how bolde thinke we will he be now that they are gone Amongst them which now gouerned the Church some were giuen Apostles to visit Churches Their charge was to sowe the Gospell throughout the world They had no place assigned Besides the twelue Paul and Barnabas are called Apostles Acts 14. Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Philippians 2. Andronicus and Iunia are called notable amongst the Apostle Romanes sixteene Prophets are they which had the gift not onely to Interpret scripture but also to apply it to the true vse S. Paul preferreth Prophecie before all other gifts Euangelistes hadde an office which came nigh vnto the Apostleship The difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this estate was Timothie and his like which succoured the Apostles 2. Timoth. 4.5 Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21. b. 8. Doctors were for the conseruation of the puritie of Religion that the holy doctrine might bee kept and published Saint Luke ioyneth Prophets with Doctors Acts. 13. a. 1. Priest signifieth Auncient not for that they were of an age but because age commonly hath with it more wisedome experience and grauitie Vnder this name are comprehended as well Pastors as such as were ordeined for the Regiment of the Church S. Peter calles himselfe Priest shewing thereby that it was a common name Deacons is a general name of seruice but is taken for such as had the charge to dispence the Almesses Actes 19. a. 22. Ministers or seruants are called Adioints or such as accompanied the Apostles in their viands Timothie and Erastus ministred to S. Paul Act. 19. a. 22. Bishop and Priest was then one same name and office Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Euagoras witnesseth it But afterward whilest Schismes endured one was chosen from amongest the Priests and set in the most principall place and called Bishoppe or Superintendent And therefore the office of Bishoppe was after helde to bee higher then the Priests Saint Paul commaunded Titus to place in euerie Towne Priests or Bishoppes Titus 1. a. 5.6.7 See Acts 20. f. 28. With the good seede which was all ouer as is said dispersed there beganne also heresies to be cast into the Lords field The first and most pernitious were the Simoniaques The originall whereof was Simon Magus borne in a Towne of Samaria which Iustin calleth Triton and Eusebius Gitton a man exercised in Letters who by his Arts enchaunted many in Samaria before Philip had conuerted them As is recited in the Acts. Chap. 8. After S. Peter had discouered his wicked Hipocrisie hee went away in such despite that making a mingle-mangle of the dreames of Philosophers and Painims with the religions of the Iewes and that which he learned of the Gospell he corrupted and transferred to his owne person that which was spoken of Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost and of the saluation of man
he liued for a great Priest Montanus was of Phrygia of a Towne called Ardaba Hee called himselfe the Paraclet Hee forbadde marriage and inuented and instituted Fastes Against those Heretickes writte Apollinaris Hierapolitaine and before him Milciades and Apollonius Appelles the Disciple of Marcian whome Theodotius called the great Hereticke put a beginning to God Also that Christ appeared in a fantasticke bodie Tatianus and his followers Encratites and Seuerians in this time These abstained from all kindes of flesh and drunke no wine They blamed Marriage as well as fornication They cast off the Epistles both of S. Paul and S. Peter The Doctrine of Christian libertie beganne at this time to bee greatly obscured and by little and little the errour tooke encrease For although yet there was no forbidding to vse the good thinges or God yet the Historie of Alcibiades recited in Eusebius Booke 5. Chap. 3. sheweth that by little and little men beganne to place a certaine Religion in seruices forged at pleasure This Alcibiades was one of the Martyres which suffered death in Gaul vnder Marcus Antonius Verus the Emperour Hee vsed to liue so austerely as hee did eate onely bread and drunke water In so much that beeing in prison hee would vse no other diet Attalus a Romane a man renowned amongst the Martyrs being also imprisoned shewed Alcibiades a better way and brought him to this point that after hee vsed indifferently the creatures of God without scruple and with thankesgiuing Eleutherius borne in Greece at Nicopolis ruled at Rome 15. yeares and more Hee made a commaundement against the heresie of the Seuerans which then raigned that no Christian for any ceremonie should reiect any sort of meates whereof there is an accustomed vse Also that none should be dismissed of his Office vnlesse first hee be accused and conuinced of crime That Bishops should finish nothing in an accusation intended against a Bishop without knowledge of the Pope but they might determine by Sentences the causes of other Church people That a Clarke may not be drawne into any cause but before his Bishop from whom if there were cause of suspition he might appeale Christian Religion then greatly augmented and came into farre greater suertie then before Lucius King of England and his Countrey receiued the Faith Many Nobles of Rome with their wiues and children were conuerted and Baptized The said Lucius left his Kingdome and went to preach the Faith first in France after in Almaine where hee was martyred Smyrna in Asia whereof Policarpus was Bishop was ouerthrowne by Earthquake and for the repaire of it tributes and tallages were laid Commodus the 18. Emperour raigned 13. yeares cruel luxurious incestuous of his owne Neeses hee held in his Pallaice three hundreth Concubines and three hundreth buggering boyes In a wicked rage he slew Lucilla his sister Being at the hot houses and but pricked with a Flea he cast the maister of the house into the Furnace Ireneus Bishop of Lions flourished The Temple of Serapis burnt in Alexandria The Capitoll at Rome and the Librarie burnt by lightning Apollonius a Senator of Rome accused to be a Christian presented to the Senate a booke conteining a defence of the Christians He was beheaded because the Imperiall lawe had so ordeined it Heereby appeares that Popes or Bishops of Rome were not as at this present they are Apollonius a man of authoritie could not shunne the sentence of death onely because he was a Christian hauing so many friends at Rome The Imperiall Lawe then was that such as were in Iudgement conuicted to be Christians should be punished with death Commodus made die many Noble persons It is recited in the History of the Martyrs of Gaule that the Painims sollicited and by torments constrained the seruants of Christians to confesse of their maisters things impossible once to be imagined Namely that they did eate the flesh of litle children that they committed paldiardizes and whoredomes such as is vnlawfull to name In so much as they which before had vsed some moderation in Christians causes gaue themselues greater licence to exercise crueltie against them This happened at Lions and at Vienne Eusebius reciteth it in his Epistle of the faithfull of Lions and of Vienne in Chap. 1. of the 5. booke At Rome the Pallace and the Temple of Vesta and of Peace and the greatest part of the Towne was consumed by fire Commodus the 13. yeare of his Empire was strangled of the age of 32. yeares by the counsell of Martia his chiefe Concubine who fauoured the Christians and other her friends which he had condemned to death because they shewed him certain his insolencies but they by this meanes preuented him and little there wanted that the bodie of this Tyrant was not drawne into Tyber by the common people Aelius Pertmax the ninteenth Emperour held the Empire by the space of sixe moneths His couetousnesse caused his death for retaining his souldiers wages He was of the age of seuentie yeares Didius Inhanus of Millaine 20. Emperour raigned foure or seuen or two moneths as some say Hauing slaine his predecessor hee was slaine of his Successor of the age of 56. yeares For his auarice he was hated of all Some say he was slaine by a souldier of little estimation within his Pallaice Victor Bishop of Rome borne in Affricke ruled tenne yeares He ordeined that such as would not reconcile themselues should be depriued of the Table of the Lord. Hee instituted that vnlesse it were in cases of necessitie Catholicke Baptisme should be celebrated in the time of the feast of Easter As we may see in the first Decretall Epistle attributed vnto him It were incredible if all Historians did not witnesse it that for the day of celebratiō of the feast of Easter so great a schisme should happen in the Church that of a dissention and question thereof so terrible a warre should come and all by this Victors meanes who would needs haue the feast of Easter celebrated on the Sunday because of the mysterie of the resurrection and would not haue the Fastes broken but on that day Victor writ to Policrates who was a Ruler amongst the Bishops of Asia and gaue commaundement in his Letters whereat all the Bishops of Asia were greatly offended Septimus Seuerus Pertinax borne in Affrica 21. Emperour raigned 18. yeares and dyed of the age of 70. yeares in England Many Sinodes were held in diuers Prouinces touching the Feast of Easter vpon what day it should be celebrated and by common accord it was agreed that the saide Feast of Easter should be celebrated vpon the Lordes day on which was his Resurrection and on no other day But the Bishops of the Countrey of Asia were of a contrary opinion saying that they should keepe the customes of of their Auncestors touching that Which Victor seeing would needs haue depriued generally all the Churches of Asia and
Deacons and other Ministers of the Aultar ought to bee chosen such as they can keepe themselues without marrying and that no Clarke should frequent the company of women There is attributed vnto him an Epistle written to the Bishops of Spaine and Fraunce wherein is proposed a kinde of gouernment which seemes not to agree with the time of Lucius Therein is ordeined that in all places there should be two Priests and three Deacons with a Bishop to keepe him company wheresoeuer he went as witnesses of his life As if then there had bene so great tranquilitie as a Bishop might goe take his pleasure or shewe himselfe with great companies The yeare 257. the heresie of Noetus and Sabellius after Theodoret got a passage although before it had beene debated in Affrike by Praxeas and Hermogenes They said that God the Father suffered and therefore S. Augustine saith they were called Patripassians Many Histories make mention of an horrible pestilence in the time of Gallus the infection whereof came into Aethiope and after it had consumed the Southerne people it came into the East and there laid holde on the other parts of the world so that many places were left desolate And this wound endured so long time that scant it finished before the end of tenne yeares Of this so terrible and extraordinary an euill S. Ciprian tooke an argument to make his booke Intituled Of the crueltie Emilian succeeded Gallus and Volusian after he had slaine them Hee was a man of base condition issuing from Mauritaine and was Emperour but three moneths Valerian Licinius Valerianus chosen Emperour a man of noble race excellent in knowledge and honestie an examplarie of a true Censor and Senator in all his life But in him all these vertues were defaced First for that he ioyned with him in the Empire his sonne Galien who was a monster in all abhominarion Item by the persecution that he stirred against the Christians Of all the Emperours there was not one before him which at the beginning hadde beene so soft and milde towards Christians yea familiar in so much as his Court was full of them But after he gaue himselfe to Deuines and Aegyptian Enchaunters hee was perswaded to put to death the seruants of GOD as they which hindered those wicked Enchaunters to kill poore children and to offer vppe the sonnes and daughters of theyr miserable parents A litle after hee had begunne to persecute the Christians hee went to make warre vppon the Persians and in a battaile hee was taken aliue Sapor King of the Persians vsed such crueltie towards Valerian who was of the age of seuentie yeares that when hee mounted on horsebacke hee serued himselfe with Valerians backe to get vp Eutropius Pollio Aurelius Victor Sabellicus and Laetus doo recite this and say hee vsed his age in this miserable seruitude Eusebius in the Oration which hee made heereof to the whole congregation of the faithfull saith that Sapor commaunded that Valerian should bee scorched and salted Gallienus raigned then alone and gaue himself to Idlenesse dissolution and whoordome In his time there was no place in all the Romane Iurisdiction except Italie alone wherein there were not seditions and rebellions Trebellius an Historiographer accounteth thirtie all which at one time were named Emperours some in one Region and some in others Cilicia Cappadocia and Syria were pilled and wasted by the Persians vnder Sapor The Almaines after they had tormented the Gaules entred by force into Italie The Gothes pilled Pontus Asia Macedonia and Greece See the Romane Histories Vnder his rule monstrous things came to passe horrible ouertures and Earthquakes whereof many there were which died of excessiue feare Rome was shaken Libia trembled Aurelius Victor saith that Gallien was slaine with his sonne at Millaine or with his brother Valerian as Eutropius saith They which haue set downe in writing the Romane affaires were of opinion that these mischiefes happening to the Romane Empire came by the wicked gouernment of the Princes But we thinke that the iudgement and vengeance of God prouoked by the former persecutions as well of others as of himselfe fell vpon them S. Ciprian hauing bene sent into exile vnder Valerian and Gallien by Paternus gouernour of Affrike and vnder Maximus who succeeded him in the gouernment was finally beheaded in the time of Lucius after Sabellicus Marianus Scotus saith that Lucius Bishop of Rome was banished for the confession of Christ in the persecution of Valerian and Gallien and that afterward he was permitted to return vnto his Ministerie and that finally he was beheaded and so might he be Bishop the space of three yeares and more Theodorus and Athenodorus Bishops of Pontus in this time Theodorus was after called Gregorie as Eusebius saith Lib. 6. Cap. 30. These two hearing the great renowne of the learning of Origine came to Cesaria where Origine read publikely hauing forsaken Alexandria and were perswaded by Origen to let goe their Philosophie and to apply themselues vnto the holy scriptures Basile the great said that the heresie of Sabellius was extinguished by this Gregorie the great If Nicephorus deserue credit Theodorus or Gregorie liued very long namely vnto the time of Dioclesian Yet Basile in his 62. Epistle which is to the Neocesarians writeth that hee was not very olde when he died Paul called Samosatenus of the Towne of Samosate which is in Mesopotania of Siria vpon the floud Enphrates was ordeined Bishop of Antioch after Demetrius the thirteenth yeare of Galien The Bishops which assisted the Councell of Antioch to refute his wicked doctrine and blasphemies against God and the Lord Iesus haue sufficiently witnessed of him We may not here let passe the Historie of Origines end that is that after the yeare wherein Demetrius ordeined him in the office of Catechist vntil the time he died it seemeth he trauelled fiftie two yeares and more and the most part of that time hee employed in teaching writing busie in the affaires of the Church and refuting of heresies In so much that Athanasius saith of him that hee was admirable of great labour Finally after he had constantly endured many greeuous torments he was led before an Aultar vnto which they had brought a wicked Aethiopian and there was proposed vnto him two things the one either to offer vp sacrifice vnto the Idoll or else abandon his body to the villainous Aethiopian Origen made a signe that hee had rather offer sacrifice Then they thrust a Sensor into his hand For which Impietie he was after excommunicated out of the Church of Alexandria from whence hee retyred into Iudea and being come to Ierusalem the Priests and Elders requested and after constrained him to speake in the congregation of the faithfull because he was a Priest Origen rose vp as if he should make a Sermon but hee only recited his Theame of the 50. Psalme And God said to the Preacher
Wherefore preachest thou my Iustifications And wherefore takest thou my Testament in thy mouth c. And incōtinently shut the booke then sat he downe sheading teares and lamenting with great cry being not able to speake and all that were present wept with him Suidas addeth that hee was buried in the Towne of Tyre Euse Lib. 7. cap. 1. saith it was vnder the Emperour Gallus 255. or thereabouts and then was it betwixt the yeare 50. of his age or 69. after Nicephorus And as it may be thought he dyed in great pouertie and miserie if not in dispaire S. Ierome although he sometimes handled him rudely yet he admireth him and praiseth him because of his great knowledge in the Epistle to Pammathus and Ocean He praiseth his spirit but not his faith This should make vs walke in feare and care in our vocation Stephen borne at Rome was Bishop of Rome and the successor of Lucius The greatest paine that he had in his gouernmēt was that he opposed himselfe forcibly against S. Cyprian and all the Councell of Affricke touching the difference that then was moued to rebaptise heretikes as it is recited by Eusebius Lib. 7. ca. 2. 3. The contents of the two Decretall Epistles attributed vnto him deserue no credite The one to Hilarie Bishop and the other to all the Bishops of the Prouinces touching accusations made against Priests For it seemes not that the Romane Church was in such prosperitie then that Stephen Bishoppe thereof had no other thing to do and ordaine but with what reuerence a man must handle the Chalice and holy garments or as Isidore and Polydore witnesse of him that he was the first Inuentor of the Couerings of the Aultar Damasus attributes vnto him two ordinances in which sixe Priests fiue Deacons and sixe Bishops were ordeined and saith that after he had gouerned seuen yeares and fiue moneths he was martyred But Euseb Lib. 7. cap. 5. sheweth that hee was but two yeares in his office S. Cyprian writ vnto him certaine Epistles which are in his workes Denis Bishop of Alexandria excellent in doctrine although he suffered not martyrdome but watched in the midst of the Church therfore God preserued him from Martyrdom as Niceph. speaketh Li. 15. ca. 28. Notwithstanding he endured terrible afflictions diuers banishments in two violent persecutions vnder Decius and after vnder Valerian He died very olde and it hapned at what time the two Councells were held against Paul Samosaten An. 12. of Gallien and of Christ 288. hauing gouerned the state of Alexandria 16. yeares and the Church 17. About this time many Nations cast themselues vpon the marches of the Romanes The Countrey of Denmarke was taken out of their hands Likewise the Almaines came euē to Rauenna putting all to fire and blood This was the first waining and decreasing of the Romaine Empire For the Countrey was neuer after recouered Egipt reuolted France was lost Macedonia Pontus Asia wasted by the Gothes Pannonia by the Sarmates Zenobia Queene of the Persians ruled in the East To vnderstand all this diminution and fall of this Empire See Trebellio Pollia a Romane Historiographer Phillip Bishop of Alexandria martyred and his daughter Eugenia at Rome The great Temple of Diana in Ephesus was pilled and burnt by the Gothes A second Cerinthus hereticke promised in the kingdome to come great store of meates and women and that after a thousand yeares should bee the resurrection and the kingdome of Christ should be on earth Xistus or Sixtus the second of that name succeeded Stephen he was of Athens He was ordeined Bishop of Rome by the election of the Cleargie comming from Spaine where he was preaching There are attributed vnto him two Decretals the one to Gayus Bishop the other to the brothers of Spaine the which containe nothing but the forme of the common gouernment which they make vs beleeue was thē Item touching the vowes of Priests But we may easily see that all is forged at pleasure Damasus after his maner reciteth that hee made orders twise ordeining Priests Deacons and Bishops Bergomensis Sabellicus recite that Xistus trauelled much to take away the heresies of the Sabellians Cerinthians and Nepotians Finally that he was accused by them before Gallien and vpon his commaundement beheaded and with him 6. Deacons S. Ambrose in his Offices li. 1. cap. 41. reciteth that as he wēt to death it is said that one Laurence a Deacon spoke to him in this sort Father wilt thou goe without thy sonne And Xistus answered him My sonne I shall not leaue thee There are greacombattes for the Faith prepared for thee thou shalt follow me three dayes after In the meane while if thou hast any thing in thy treasure distribute it to the poore This Laurence was the chiefe of the seuen Deacons of the Church of Rome which had the handling of the goods deputed for almes The Gouernour of Rome being hungry of siluer and perswaded that the Church had gold siluer moueables as Candlesticks Chalices and such like things would needs haue forced Laurence to haue tolde him where those treasures were Laurence to do this hauing taken the terme of three dayes distributed it all to the poore whatsoeuer he had Then hauing gathered together on an heape all the poore lame and diseased which were maintained of almes At the day assigned hee prayed the Gouernour to goe with him to that place and shewing him al those poore and diseased people he said Behold the vessels of siluer yea the Talents in order receiue them and thou shalt adorne the Citie of Rome and enrich the Reuenewe of the Emperour and thine owne The Gouernour seeing himselfe mocked commaunded hee should be stretched on an Iron grate red hotte and soone after the tormentors laid him on it who with great courage endured that cruell and long torment and finally prayed and inuocated the Lord and so yeelded his happie soule Prudencius a Christian Poet in his booke of Crownes describeth this martirdome Denis succeeded Xistus and as Damasus saith of a Monke was made Bishop But it appeareth rather by that which Eusebius Lib. 7. Ca. 7. and S. Hierome say that he was a Priest of the Church of Rome the yeare of our Lord 266. and the 10. yeare of Gallien Two Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him In the first he exhorteth Vrbain to follow the true Religion The second distributeth and makes partitions of Churches into Parishes and Diocesses Item that two seuerall times he held orders But Eusebius saith Lib. 7. Cap. 30. that Denis died without martyrdome hauing gouerned 9. yeares Others say sixe yeares and sixe moneths The Councell of Antioche against Paul Samosetaine was celebrated in his time wherein the said Paul was condemned and cast out of the communion of the vniuersall Church and Donus a man accomplished with vertues was ordeined in his place He was the sonne of Demetrian who had ruled in that Church without
he writ to many But finally being tormented by the filthinesse and stench of the place in the end he yeelded his spirit to God the yeare 308. Eusebius a Gretian by Nation a Phisitians sonne after Damasus succeeded in the gouernment of the Romane Church in the great persecutions in the time of Maxentius the horrible Tyrant The Authours of the Ecclesiasticall history make no mention of this Eusebius The booke of Councells attribute to him three Decretall Epistles The first to the Bishoppes of Gaul The second to the Egiptians The third to the Bishoppes of Tuscane and Campania His ordinances contained in those Epistles are these in effect That sheepe shall not draw their Shepheard or Bishop into Lawe vnlesse he denie the Faith That a mayd which shall be espowsed only by words of the present time may enter into Religion That the Sacrifice of the Aultar be consecrated not in cloath of silke but in linnen cloth and such like bables which the infamous fauourers of the seate of Popes haue not beene ashamed to assigne to those good and faithfull Ministers of the Lorde to disfigure and defile with their orders this honest face of the primitiue Church which follow his head Iesus Christ in continuall persecutions to establish their seate of perdition and to pollute the bloud of those holy Martyrs But contrary Eusebius trauailed much in the haruest of the Lords word as well at Rome as other where in the time of persecutions vnder Maxentius vntill that as Christianus Mattoens saith hee finished his life by martyrdome the yeare of the Lord 309. But amongst Histogoriographers there is great diuersitie for the number of yeares Licinius born in Dare was made Augustus companiō of the Empire with Maximin Galari after the death of Seuerus the yeare of our Lord 308. He was a warlike man and Slauonia was first giuen him to gouerne after the East he was noble although he came of a pesant he shewed himselfe cruel towards the children of Galerius his ally He was an enemy vnto letters as hauing no knowledge no not to write his owne name And he called the liberall Arts a publike poyson and pestilence Euseb lib. 4. ca. 13. He deserued praise in that he repressed abuses the boldnesse insolencies of the brauest of his Court which he called the Moathes and Rattes of his Pallace He raigned 14 yeares liued 60. See Pomp. Laet. Constantine the great sonne of the Emperour Constantius and Helena S. Ambrose in his funerall Oration of Theodosius saith that hee was a seruant in a stable and was borne in England Hee was instructed in the Militarie Art vnder Galerius He tamed the Sermates a fearce Nation barbarous brought their Duke captiue to Galerius who cōceiued enuy at the glory of this yong Prince whereof being aduertised he retired from Rome towards his Father into England who dyed soone after By the fauour of Princes he was declared Emperour the yeare 309. The Senate writ vnto him Letters to aduertise him of the euil gouernment Maxentius for the great cruelties hee exercised at Rome wherevpon he marched towards Rome and pursued Maxentius who retiring into the Towne made couer Tyber with Boats nye the bridge Miluius which by subtil deceit as hee thought he made ioyne together to deceiue Constantine and to haue drown'd him whē he followed him But he himself as furious first comming out to flie not remembring his owne stratageme that hee practised for an other entred on horsebacke with a fewe people vpon the bridge where he was drowned in Tyber the 6. yeare of his Empire For this happie deliuerance honors were giuen to Constantius so he acquited Italie and Affrike For his Father had only left him the Gaulois and Spaine and would so haue contented himselfe had it not bene for the warre that Licinius raised making himselfe Cesar and was established in the East Maximian as we haue said with his great griefe had forsakē the Empire being greeued so long to lead a priuate life did his best by the meanes of Maxentius his sonne chosen Emperour to returne to the Empire but because hee succeeded therein not well he retired towards his sonne in lawe Constantine vnto whom he had giuen his daughter Fausta and sought by ambushes to cast him out of the Empire Which Fausta perceiuing well reuealed to her husband preferring him before her father Wherefore the sonne in lawe besieged him at Marcellis tooke him aliue and bad him choose whatsoeuer kind of death he would He strangled himselfe with a cord or girdle And so this wicked and bloudie man which had shead so much Christian bloud vnluckily finished his life of his age sixtie Licinius at the first had some great familiaritie with Constantine and to please him made a shew to loue the Christians in so much that he married Constance the sister of Constantine and by a mutuall consent together caused to publish lawes for the Christians but afterward comming againe to his nature and forgetting the honour that Constantine had done him began to conspire against him because Constantine so fauoured Christians whose enemie he declared himselfe alleadging this cause that in their assemblies they prayed for Constantine and not for him Licinius then beganne the persecution by his owne house after he stretched it farre by Lawes and Edicts into the Prouinces of the East forbidding especially Bishoppes to make assemblies and Sinodes Secondly that men and women to auoyd scandalles and offence not to assemble at prayers Thirdly that such as were appointed prisoners as transgressors of Edicts should not be visited nor succoured in paine to incurre the like condemnation c. He then set himselfe against the Bishops not openly for feare of Constantine but made them die secretly by his Committees Euseb Lib. 10. Chap. 8. In the Towne of Sebasta Losias killed in a poole fortie souldiers whose Martirdome Basile the great described and other Martirs which were cruelly murdered Licinius increased more and more his crueltie but the Lord sent Constantine to represse him who experimented against him the Forces of the Gaules and Italie hauing ouerthrowne him in Hungarie and pursued him into Macedonia where he repaired his forces He was chased into Asia and in the end yeelded himselfe seeing he was vanquished by sea and by land and was sent into Thessalonica to liue priuately yet could he not so escape the true vengeance of his boldnesse crueltie and infidelitie For hee was slaine by Constantines souldiers about the yeare of our Lord three hundred twentie and foure after some writers Melchiades the thirtith Bishop succeeded in the Church of Rome and was of Affrike after Damasus A man of great pietie and a true seruant in the holy Ministerie of the Gospell and in the affaires of the truth of God vntill hee was put to death vnder Maximin Galerius the yeare of the Lord 314. Read herevpon the Ecclesiasticall History of Eusebius where he reciteth diuers cruell kindes of death wherewith the
Saints of that time were persecuted Carsulan Platina Stella and other of the Popes flatterers attribute wrongfully to these holy Martyrs of the Lord Iesu whole Chariots full of lying decrees to the ende the diuellish ordinances of their ceremonies or rather blasphemies might be approued by their authoritie They attribute vnto him the forbidding of Fastes on the Sundayes or Thursdayes because on them the Painims celebrated the solemnities of their God Saturne Item a decretall touching Baptisme and the Confirmation De consecratione distinct 5. cap. Spirit sanct cap. De his c. Note this for the Bishops of the Romaine Church vntill Siluester the first But what man would thinke that poore and simple Ministers of the word and Pastors of the Church such as then were the Bishops of Rome inhabiting in ditches and caues attending nothing vnder those Tyrants from day to day but only death could haue thought vpon this pride arrogancy which after those Popes vsed in buildings and other ordinances seeing they had neither Temples nor houses whether they might retire Peace was not yet giuen to the Church They yet enioyed not that vnprofitable Idlenesse nor the soueraigne delights of this world nor that whoore which by litle and litle rose vp had not yet her bedde ready yet such haue bene the inuentions of false Prophets to set out the whoores body and so is the Popes Sinagogue founded vpon so euident lies as nothing more Assuredly it were great folly to giue faith to such ridiculous dreames of Sathan forged for the gaine and profits of Priests Better therefore it is in this case to prooue the spirits namely whether they be of God or not as it is said 1. Iohn Chapter 4. seeing many false Prophets are come into this world Vntill this time Pastors were as Starres in the Firmament of the Church shining as well in doctrine as in good example they were also garded by the right hand of him that walked in the middest of the seuen Candlestickes Hitherto men esteemed them as Angels preaching the word of the Almightie God without fiction yea that more is hitherto they were figured by the white horse because in the ministerie they carried the victorious Iesus Christ as well in their hearts as in their bodies and as well in mouth as worke Ceremonies in the celebration of the Supper The memorie of the Lords Supper was not performed but in publike assemblies and therefore the Synode of Gangre vnder the Emperour Constans condemned Eustace Bishop of Seluste in Armenia because contrary to the order of the vse of the Church he permitted some which disdained to come into the Church to Communicate in particular houses Socrat. Lib. 2. Cap. 43. Neither was it lawful to celebrate the Supper in a prophane place as appeareth by Athanasius in the Epistle to them of Antioche Hierome against Iouinian reprehendeth the maner of doing in other Christians at Rome which Communicated in houses Wherfore said he entred they not into Churches c. Deacons distributed the Supper of the Lorde Priestes beeing present with one diuiding the Eucharist and this was after the Canon of the Councell of Nice The Priests distributed the Cup of the bloud of the Lord Doctors of this time often call it Cup or Mistike vessell S. Hierome writing of vessells to distribute the Lords Supper in saith of a Bishop of Tholouze called Exuperius There was nothing so rich as that which carried the body of our Lord in an Osier basket and the bloud in a Glasse By the first booke of Euseb of the Euang. 92. Demonst Chap. 10. One may easily knowe that Christians daily celebrated the memorie of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ And S. Ambrose in his fift booke of Sacraments Chapter 4. reprehendeth the Easterne Churches because they communicated but once a yeare In the Churches of Affrike they which should communicate passed the night in watchings prayers As Athanasius reciteth in the Apologie of his flight adding that all mutually ought before to be reconciled together And in the Westerne Churches al communicated except the Catechumenistes and such as did penance as appeareth by Hierome vpon the 7. Chapter of the 2. to the Corinthians About this time water was giuen with wine as appeareth by S. Ambrose first Chapter of his fist booke of Sacraments They put saith he into the Cup wine then water c. which being mingled was consecrated with the wine The maner of the Churches was to giue the Eucharist in the hand of him that tooke it as appeareth by the words of S. Ambrose to the Emperour Theodosius Reachest thou out thy hands which yet are bloudie and which yet distill the bloud by thee shead to take the holy body of the Lord Darest thou apply to thy mouth the precious bloud of the Lord c. The Priest as he distributed the bread said Take the body of the Lord and in distributing the wine Take the bloud of Christ and at both the Communicant answered Amen Ambrose in the 4. booke of Sacraments Chap. 5. To such as were nigh their deaths they brought the Eucharist Horatius a Priest of the Church of Verseil carried it to Ambrose nigh his death Paulinus in the life of S. Ambrose reciteth it May abuses began in this time to arise Such as made any great voyage either by sea or land carried the Eucharist as appeareth in the Oration of Saint Ambrose vpon the death of Satyrius Touching the ceremonies vsed in administring the Sacrament Denis hath left by writing that which followeth The Bishop hauing ended the prayers before the Aultar began to perfume and compasse all the place after returning to the Aultar he began to sing Psalmes and all followed This done the Ministers in order read something of the holy scripture That read they caused the Catechumenistes with the Enenguinians to goe out and such as were admitted to penance One part of the Ministers kept themselues before the portall of the Temple shut the others did such things as belonged to their charge Such as are elected to minister with the Priests presented the bread before the Aultar and the Cup of blessing Whilest all the Churchmen sung praises and Himnes to the Lord the Bishop which said the praiers pronounced peace to all And after euery one had saluted one an other the Priests and the Bishop washed their hands with water After the Bishoppe in the middest of the Aultar enuironed with Priests and Ministers began to praise and magnifie the workes of the world and propose to the people the signes of the Supper and to declare them vnto them and inuite them to the participation thereof which finally ended in thankes-giuing c. The word Messe was not found amongst the writers of this time And as for the two preparatiue prayers of the Priest meaning to say Masse which are shufled into the workes of Ambros Erasmus himselfelfe iudgeth them not to be S. Ambroses They
saith that the Towne was dedicated by him the yeare of his Empire 28. and as he had taken the Empire diuided and vnited it in his person so he diuided it againe as a paternall heritage and made a partition thereof amongst his children whom whilest he liued he created Cesars one after an other that is to say Constantine his eldest sonne Anno. 10. Constantius the second Anno. 20. and Constans the youngger Anno. 30. Whose Empires were very turbulent and endured but 24. yeares 5. moneths 12. dayes according to the Chronicle of Hierome Constantine the Father died at Nicomicha after he had liued 66. yeares and raigned 31. yeares Pompon Laet. Licinius the sonne of Constantia sister of Constantine the great and Crispus sonne of the said Constantine the great with his said son Constantine the eldest were created Caesars the yeare of the Lord 316. But the wickednes of Fausta the wife of Constantine the great caused the death of Licinius and Crispus and many other noble personages See Aure. Victor and Pompo Laet. Crispus was instructed by Lactantius Constantine the eldest sonne of Constantine the great was Emperour with his two brethren after the father the yeare of our Lord 338. The Empire was thus parted namely that Constantine should enioy Gaul Spaine and England Constance should haue Italie with Slauonia and Greece And Constantius should holde Constantinople with the East This partition contented not Consantine hee raised warre against his brother Constance being proud of his Army of Gaul but warring more couetously then warily was ouerthrowne by an ambush nigh to Aquilea and being wounded in diuers places dyed there hauing raigned but three whole yeares and liued 25. See Bapt. Egnat and Pomp. Laet. Constance after he had vanquished his elder brother passing the Alpes came to make warre in Gaul and in two yeares with great difficultie conquered the Countrey which his brother had in partition He at the beginning gouerned well but after gaue himselfe to pleasures and at last became odious to all men So that in the end they conspired against him as he was at hunting and was slaine by the deuice and treason of Magnentius who vsurped his Empire yet he had saued this Magnentius his life Constance liued thirtie yeares and raigned fourteene See Pomp. Laet. Constantius had for his part the Empire of Constantinople with the East Hee vanquished Vetranio who made himselfe Emperour in Hungarie after the death of Cōstance Moreouer to reuenge the death of his said brother Constance hee made great warre against Magnentius In the first battaile there were slaine of one part and the other 53000. fighting men Magnentius had the worst And againe making head was ouercome nigh Lions Constantius was suspected vpon enuie and ambition to haue made away Dalmatius his Cousin-germain a vertuous man who better resembled Constantine the great then his owne father and who was appointed for a copartner with the said Constantius when he had his partition But Constantius liued not long after For as he was going the second time against the Persians vnderstanding that Iulian had made himselfe Augustus he tooke a Feuer and dyed the yeare of his age 40. and of his Kingdome 24. See Eutrop. Aurel. Vict. Pompon Laet. and Bapt. Egn. The Sinode of Sardis in her Sinodall Letters calleth Iulius their friend and companion Theodoret. lib. 2. chap. 8. It followeth that the Bishop or Archbishop of Rome had not the pretended superioritie It seemeth that Iulius was dead when Constantius hauing tamed the tyrannie of Magnentius and Syluanus hee was in Italie to appease the discordes of Athanasius his cause Liberius borne in Rome his father being called Augustus succeeded Iulius the yeare of Christ after S. Hierome 352. about the 12. yeare of Constance Empire his confession was agreeing vnto the Catholique faith and writ to Athanasius very Christianly of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost as may be seene in his Epistle which is affixed to the workes of Athanasius Athanasius in the Epistle to them which leade solitary liues rehearseth how Liberius was subuerted The Emperour Constans sent to Rome one named Eusebius an Eunuke with Letters wherby he threatned him exile and on the other side tempted him with presents to induce him to cōsent with Arrius and to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius Liberius despised both his menaces and gifts as a sacrifice of blasphemie Whereat the Emperour being exceedingly grieued found meanes to get him out of Rome and being come to him threatned him with death But Liberius manfully answered I am ready to endure all rather then of Christians we should be accounted Arrians Why what art thou said the Emperour that with one wicked man troublest all the world The word of Faith said Liberius dependeth not vpon multitude He was then banished by this Emperour Constans into Berrea which is a Towne in Thrace Where after hee had bene two yeares he was called home as saith Theodoret his restitution after some was accorded by the Emperour at the request of many Romanes and of the Westerne Bishops The same saith Athanasius in the before alleadged Epistle Also that Liberius after his two yeares exile feared with threatnings and apprehension of death sealed to the condemnation of Athanasius Ruffin saith the same and Hierome as Baleus saith writeth that by ambition Liberius fell into the heresie of Arrius being once fallen from the integritie of faith We finde some constitutions of Liberius namely not to make noises in fasting time that times of fasting and Lent bee not polluted by the act of marriage that in time of famine and pestilence men should appease the Lords anger by fasting almes and prayers An aduertisement The principall felicitie and ornament of the Church of this time was the multitude of excellent Doctors which by their doctrine sought so farre as in them lay to conserue multiply the puritie of doctrine But this felicitie was greatly obscured partly by the multitude of heretickes and partly by the rage of seditious people and schismatickes In so much that since the time of the Apostles there was no Church that hath endured more dissentions combats and diuisions within it then that of this world Wherevpon by good right Basile the great in a certaine poeme writing of the iudgement of God complaineth saying I haue liued the age of a man and I haue seene great concord amongst the Arts and Sciences But in the Church of God alone for which Iesus Christ dyed I haue obserued so many dissentions that it is altogether dissipated and wasted And comming to the cause As I searched saith he the cause I remembred the place of the booke of Iudges where it is written That then euery one did whatsoeuer hee thought good in his owne eyes Great persecutions were vnder Constantius after the death of Constans against the Catholike Doctors and Bishops by the Arrians Many were put to death euen within the Temples others
was ready to depart from his body had more care of the state of the Church then of the dolours of his death This care for Religion is a singular vertue worthy of a Christian Prince Archadius and Honorius the children of Theodosius and of Placille his wife a vertuous Ladie raigned after their mother the yeare 397. Arcadius was Emperour of the East and Honorius of the West Their father ordained them Tutors before hee died to Arcadius Rufin and to Honorius Stillico and Gildo was also Instituted Gouernour of Affrike Honorius then ruled the Empire at Rome his brother gouerning that of Constantinople Three yeares after this Gildo Gouernor of Affrike carried himselfe as Maister and Lord but afterward he was ouercome by Mascezel his brother whose children he had slaine The Westerne Church about this time receiued the fashion to sing Augustine in his Confessions the 9. booke saith it was by the meanes of Ambrose For in the time of the Arrian fury this holy person being constrained by the people to remaine in the Temple yea euen in the night time fearing it should haue bene deliuered to the Arrians accustomed the people to sing Psalmes and Hymnes to put off griefes and passe away the time The East Church from the beginning receiued singing as appeares by Plinie to the Emperour Traian who was at the time that Iohn the Euangelist liued But Augustine in the same booke confesseth he failed therein in that hee gaue more attention to the Song then to the words that in it are passed and accused that sinne for that the voyce and the Song are made for the word but not the word for the Sōg In that place likewise he reciteth the maner of the Church of Alexandria vnder Athanasius See also Hierome vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians Whensoeuer you assemble as S. Paul saith if each one sing Psalmes or Doctrine or Reuelation or Language or interpretation let all be done to aedification 1. Cor. 14. f. 26. The appellation of the Masse The communion of the Eucharist at this time to be called Missa It is twise found in S. Augustine namely in his Sermon of Time 237 wherein hauing exhorted men to pardon iniuries done to one another saith You must come to the Masse of the Catechumenes There we pray Pardon vs our offences as wee pardon them which wee haue offended c. And in an other Sermon 91. he saith In the historie which is read at Masses c. Many doubt whether these Sermons bee S. Augustines But Peter Martir a Diuine of Zurike saith the stile and sentences seeme to bee S. Augustines I am of opinion saith he that in that time of S. Augustine it beganne onely to bee vsurped For if it had beene vsuall S. Augustine would haue oftner made mention of it seeing hee vsed to applye his Sermons after the common manner of speech Iohn Cassian liued in this time vnder the Emperour Honorius The heretikes chased him from the Church of Ierusalem hee came to Marcellis and liued there a Monastike life The word Masse is found in his writings Lib. 3. Chap. 7. and 8. but in an other signification then for the holy Communion that is for the accomplishment and the ende of the congregation of the faithfull For speaking of the sleepe of Monkes he saith Being contented with the time that is permitted to them to sleepe that is from the Masse of the Vigiles vntill the light of the day c. vnderstanding by these words the time wherein they ended the Vigiles As for the deriuation of the name euen as the Latine Doctors which were before this age vsed the word Remissa for remission Tertullian Lib. 4. against Martion in the leafe 24. and Ciprian in his booke of the good of patience so it seeemeth afterward they said Missa for Missio or Demissio that is sending away when the Catechumenes went out of the Temple For after the holy scripture was read in the assembly and that the Sermon was done the Deacon with a loude voyce pronounced Goe or goe out Cathechumenes After this the Cathechumenes went out with the Euergumenes that is to say they which were handled with euil spirits and thirdly such as did penance Dionisius in his Hierarchie makes mention of these orders and so the Latine Church called the celebration of the Eucharist Messe because it was done after the dimission or sending away of the Catechumenes and such as were not capable to bee admitted therevnto And in this signification Ambrose saith Missas facere for sending or letting goe This is the opinion of Peter Martir in his Commentaries vpon the Iudges Some haue said that the word Missa was deriued of the Hebrew word Mas because the gifts which the faithfull offered were said to be presents and sent And the occasion hereof came of the oblations which the Iewes offered at their feast of Pentecost If it were so the Papists abused the word Masse for they will not name it of the almes and gifts which are giuen there but of the oblation they make of the body and bloud of Christ for the quick and dead P. Martyr Catechumenes signified such as were instructed in the faith and were not yet baptized The word is deriued from the Greeke word which signifieth to teach especially by liuely voyce Tertullian calleth them sometimes Hearers or Auditors Augustine calleth them Competitors For before they were admitted to be baptised at Easter they gaue vp their names 40. dayes before During which time the Pastors not onely got information of their faith and doctrine but also of theyr life P. Martir The Papistes Apes of antiquitie had it in custome to send their children to schoole in Lent Rufin before named French by Nation tempted with pride sent presents and siluer to Alarike King of Gothes and stirred him to raise vp warre against Archadius perswading him that that young Prince affrighted would leaue him the Empire His practise was dicouered and Stilico pursued him The souldiers cut off his head and his right hand and after carried them into Constantinople for a shewe See Pomp. Laet. Deuastation of the fourth Monarchie The yeare of the Lord 405. the Gothes entred into Italie with a great and fearfull company But because there is often mention of them we will briefly touch the history of their originall The appellation of Gothes doth not only comprehend one people but many that is to say Gothes Vandales Rugians Hunnes c but the Gothes properly were they which from the I le of Gothland occupied a great part of Lifsland Procopius an Historiographer saith they were Cymmerians and Greekes Being come into Thrace and Hungarie the Romane Emperours sought to driue them backe but could not The first greatest battaile of the Romanes against them was vnder the Emperour Decius wherein he was slain But after the Vandales and Huns comming from Scithia did driue away the Gothes and placed their seates in Hungaria The
added to the Masse Vere dignum iustum est The Canons then was made at diuers times in diuers times It is then no maruell if it be euil sowed and patched with rags and tatters without any certaine Authour He made 5. bookes against Nestorius Eutiches Item two against the Arrians and a Treatise of excommunicatiō He restored Messenus Bishop after the knowledge of his penance He excommunicated the Emperour Anastatius because hee fauoured Acarius and other heretikes He excōmunicated the king of Vandals all his people which thē in Affrike afflicted the true faithfull in fauour of the Arrias He commanded Priests that they should not communicate but in both kindes and not vnder one alone The Cleargie greatly loued waxed rich in this time and increased Gelatius in full Councell at Rome declared that in the Eucharist neither the substance of the bread and wine nor their natures are chaunged but that in them as in an Image the flesh and bloud of the Lord are represented and that in the Sacrament both are exhibited to the faithfull Hee also declared them to be excommunicated which gaue not nor tooke the Sacrament of the Eucharist whole In the first volume of the Councels Gennaduis at this time was Bishop of Marceil Anastatius a Romane second of that name Pope gouerned the Church of Rome two yeares This is the second Pope noted of heresie whose beginning was reasonably good and excommunicated the Emperor Anastatitius an Eutechian heretike but afterward he himselfe did all he could to reuoke Acetius from exile and stucke vnto him He prooued also very fauourable vnto the Nestorians and communicated with Photin a Deacon of Thessalonica wherfore many Clarks Priests and Bishops refused to communicate with him See the Chap. Anastatius distinct 9. In the moneth of September he created 12. Priests and 16. Bishops Hee died very miserably as it is saide beeing vpon the priuie where he voyded all his bowels as did Arrius Naucler Acatius Bishop of Constantinople an heretike was at this time murthered Sigeb Simmachus borne in the I le of Sardiue ruled in Rome 16. yeares The first schisme in the Romane Church The election of Popes consecrated with bloud When Simmachus was chosen an other likewise called Lawrence was ordained Simmachus in the Temple of S. Iohn de Latran and Lawrence in the Church of S. Mary the greater for which election there was great diuision in the Church In so much as the people and the Romane Senate were diuided Wherefore a Councell was held at Rauenna the King Theodoric being present wherin the election of Symmachus was confirmed Laurence was recompenced with the Bishopricke of Nycerre by Symmachus but by some of the Cleargie of Rome this same sedition began againe about foure yeares after In so much that Theodoric being grieued thereat sent to Rome one Peter Altin Bishop of Rauenna to be Pope the other two reiected But Symmachus assembled the Councell and there in the presence of all 102. Bishops made his Oration and therin so purged himselfe of all vices and crimes laid against him that he was againe elected and approoued of all and Laurence and Peter Altin were reiected yet the noise at Rome was greater and the sedition more enflamed then before For at euery faction there was bloud-shead As well Priests as Lay-men slew one an other in the streetes Finally Faustin the Consul appeased the sedition laying hand to Armes against such as were chiefe Captaines of so many euils See the fruites of the riches of the Romane Church Symmachus ordained that on Sundayes and solemne daies of Martirs they should sing Gloria in excelsis Deo adding to the Cantic the rest which are more then the words of the Angell Item that whilest the Pope liueth none should holde talke of chusing a new Pope vpon paine of excommunication He caused certaine houses to be builded nigh the Church of S. Peter for the ease of the poore and prouided them of all things necessary for liuing Vnder Trasimundus King of Vandals many Bishops of Affrike were put to exile and sent into the I le of Sardine to the number of 202. Amongst the which was Fulgentius which this Symmachus helped with siluer and redeemed many Captiues Olimpius Bishop of Carthage an Arrian beeing at the Bathes and blaspheming the Trinitie was suddenly burnt Naucler Boetius a Poet of this time whose wife was named Elphe was sent into exile by Theodorice King of the Ostrogothes and after sent to prison where he made his bookes De Consolatione Philosophiae In this time Abbies and Temples began to be founded in Fraunce and to be dedicated to the honour of Saints and called by their names The King Clouis vowed to build a Church if he obtained victorie against Allaricus King of Visegothes Hee caused to bee builded the Church of S. Geneurefue at Paris then called Saint Peter and Pauls where hee was buried He founded the great Temple of Strasbourge Gerard Bishop of Laon was married and of his wife had a sonne who succeeded him in the Bishoppricke Symmachus cast out of Rome the Manecheans and caused publikely their bookes to be burnt And made a booke Intituled The excesse of Clarkes He created 92. Priests and 107. Bishops Many Sinodes were held at Rome and one Councell at Valence in Spaine whereby they sought to force Ecclesiasticall persons to leaue their wiues Childebert the sixt King of France a cruell man raigned 45. yeares He founded the Abbay of S. Germain des prees nigh Paris where he was buried and the Abbay Du Mont at S. Michaels the Church of S. Germain del Auxerrois at Paris But the booke called Le mer des histoires sayth otherwise Hormisda Pope borne at Fresselon a Citie of Campania gouerned the Romane Church 9. yeares Hee ordained that Priests should addresse no Aultars without the licence of their Bishop That marriages should be made publikely and solemnly Suppl Chron. That no Lay-man should be chosen to be Bishop A Councell was at Rome against the Eutechians wherein it was ordained that he that had done his penance and made an honourable amends should not be admitted into any Ecclesiasticall estate Supp Chro. Many Monkes corrupted with the Nestorian heresie not leauing it by the exhortations of Hormisda but rather sowing diffametory speeches against him were banished from Rome against the hipocrisie also of which he writ He sollicited by Letters and messengers Iohn Bishop of Constantinople companion of Acarius and euen the Emperour himselfe to leaue the Eutechian heresie but not onely Anastatius despised his admonitions but iniuried his foure Embassadors saying that it belonged to an Emperour to command and not to a Pope Paulus Diaconus addeth that the Emperour Anastatius besides all this caused them to mount on the Sea to goe into Italy in a light and worne ship forbidding them to take no land in Greece but quickly passe away without taking any Porte
it was ordained in the 2. Chapter that in Churches the Apostles Creed should be recited euery Sunday with an high voyce that the people might be better disposed to the Cōmunion after they had made a confession of their faith The Visegothes conuerted to the Catholique faith left the Arrian heresie by the means of their king Recaredus or Richandus and Leander Bishop of Siuile The confession of their faith was sent to the said Councell of Toledo The Councell of Mascon first and second wherein the oblations and offerings of bread and wine are commaunded for remission of sinnes This ordinance is wholly against the word of God and the merite of Iesus Christ by whom alone comes remission of sinnes And this is the beginning of the establishment of merites Great abundance of waters were in Italie and principally at Rome wherewith many were drowned and of the corruption of the dead bodies came a great pestilence Pelagius died of the plague at Rome Pretextatus Bishop of Rouan was called from exile Fredegonde was slaine in the Church on Easter day at the sollicitation of whom this Bishop was exiled Gregorie Pope first of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 14. yeares or after some 13. yeares tenne moneths and sixe dayes This man was called one of the foure Doctors of the Church with S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Ambrose His Father was a Senator of Rome and of the estate of Seneshall or Captaine The said Gregorie was a Monke after a Deacon and finally the Romane Bishop In this time the Emperors cōfirmed the election of Popes and Churches There arose in this time a great contention for the premacie of the Church For Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was in a full Sinode of the Grecians published and declared the vniuersall Patriarke and the Emperour Maurice commaunded the said Gregorie to obey that Patriarke of Constantinople But Gregorie could not endure that any Bishoppe should be vniuersall ouer all others whervpon it came that he called himselfe Seruant of the Seruants of God See Gregorie in the 32. Epistle to Maurice and 38. to Iohn Patriarke See Iohn Caluin in the Institution of Christian Religion Note here Reader that after the persecutions before Siluester and the heresies before Gregorie now the Church lifteth it self vp by ambition of preheminence which engendred such a combat betwixt the East Church and the West that since that time that schisme is not yet ended The Emperour Maurice was sharply reprehended by Gregorie for that he constrained Ecclesiastical persons to go to the warres the which Gregorie resisted greatly Gregorie sent into England after Naucler or Ireland certaine great persons to preach the Faith and amongst others one called Augustine and Melitus and other Monkes Instituted in the rule of S. Benet to plant that order there and their labour prooued so well that from thence came great troupes of Monkes into France and Almaine Of the number of these Irish Monkes was Colomban and his Disciple Gallus who after preached in diuers places of Almaine and finally hee retyred into a sollitarie place which at this day is called S. Gaul in Suisse Great libertie and immunitie was graunted vnto Blacke Monkes by the Pope Gregorie at the Councell of Lateran by the consent of the assembly In this time raigned Seuerus Bishop of Marseil who caused the Images of Saints and of Christ to be broken seeing the people worshipped them Gregorie reprehended him for breaking them but praised him that hee forbad the worshipping of them See the Register or the booke of his Epistle the 10. part Epistle 4. And Pollidorus Virgil. lib. 6. chap. 13. The building of the Masse The greatest part of the ceremonies thereof came from this Gregorie For he brought the office of the Church as they call it into a forme So that at this day it is called the Gregorian Office He brought all the Masse into certaine lawes and almost such as it is at this day And therefore many say he was the Authour thereof And although he constrained none to follow the Romane forme as hee testifieth to Augustine Bishop of Canterbury yet all Churches followed the manner to celebrate their Masses after the Romane Church the English men by the said Augustine the Spaniards France and after Almaine by Boniface Bishop of Magunce who was of great renowne He made the Antiphones and Introite of the Masse of some verse of the Psalmes Item the Kyrieleison should be sung nine times the Alleluia in the end of the Offertorie of the Communion At the beginnig of the Canonicall houres Deus in adiutorium and in the end of euery Psalme Gloria patri filio c. Item that the Pater Noster should be sung with an hie voyce ouer the consecrate hoste He added to the Canon of the Masse Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas c. And made the Supper with his people in the language of his Country which was Latin common and intelligible to all as he witnesseth in the preface vpon Ezechiel In the Register of his Epistles in the 8. part and 7. Epistle he saith the Canon that is to say the prayer which the Priest saith in secret ouer the Eucharist was made by one called Scolasticus This word Masse was inuented in his time although as aboue the Supper of our Lord be called Messe of the writers who called it with a common name of their time as is said But you must heere note that so oft and wheresoeuer the Church was assembled the Bishops preached to the people and principally at Masse And this custome endured yet in Gregories time but after it was omitted by ignorant Bishops a multitude of ceremonies were brought in in the place of preaching Henry Bullinger He instituted it Rome the great Letanies on S. Markes day against the pestilence which was then with the Procession of order The first conteined all the Cleargie The 2. the Abbots and Monkes The 3. the Nunnes The 4. the Children The 5. Laie-men The 6. Widowes The 7. married women And caused there to be carried the Image of the virgin Marie The people died neezing whereof comes yet at this day that when one neezeth they say God blesse you He instituted a great part of the stations at Rome chiefly such as are made to S. Peter He ordeined for the great multitude of people which resorted to Rome to the said stations and patrons certaine Priests to keepe the Sepulchres of the Apostles and called Chamberlaines which afterward were deputed to keep the Popes Chamber And Leo the tenth made a Colledge of them Briefly this Pope Gregorie vpon deuotion which was not according to knowledge brought into the church a great masse of superstition which by little and little suffocated and choked the true Religion which remained In his time in a certaine Sinode of twentie foure Bishops assembled at Rome the foure generall Councells were approued to be
augmented when the Romane Empire in the East diminished So the Lord giueth vicissitude courses and chaunges to the things of this world The Histories of France say that the bodies of S. Denis S. Rhut and S. Pleutherius were found at this time by the meanes of an Hart hunted by Dagobert It is no great maruell if the Kings of France be giuen to superstitions seeing sauadge Beasts teach them where holie bodies are Honorius Pope born in Campania ruled in Rome 13. yeares He caused the Tēple of S. Peter to be adorned withal precious things enriched it with goodly Tables couering them richly He ordeined processions on the Saterday with Letanies Pyrrhus Patriarche of Constantinople a Monothelite heretike was sent into exile into the Country of Affrike The Emperour Heraclius was seduced by him and so gaue himselfe to beleeue diuinations and enchauntments and tooke his Niece to wife his brothers daughter making a lawe that it should be so lawfull for all persons Yet euen in this time was the Church greatly diuided by the Artian Sect In such sort that almost each Towne had two Bishops the one an Arrian the other a Catholike and during those dissipations came Mahomet in the Easterne parts Mahomet an Arrabian of a Marchant became a false Prophet and finally a Captaine of Theeues and Robbers with a Monke called Sergius who was an Arrian Nestorian with one Iohn of Antioch an hereticke and a Necromantian Iewe he compiled the Alcoran vnto which the Sarrasins and Turkes shewe obedience The Sect of the Mahometists In the said Alcoran is conteined that they of his Sect shall bee circumcised that they shall abstaine from Swines flesh that they shall drinke no wine and that certaine whole months they shall fast They take as many wiues as they can maintaine and if they keepe company with others they die for it Friday is their Sunday No woman goeth in publike vnlesse she haue her face couered They hold Christ for a true great Prophet and make Moses and Mahomet Christs companions Vadianus The Alcoran promiseth to his followers a Paradice where there are sweet waters and of all sorts of fruites and goodly and fine women also flouds of wine and honey yea briefly all that sensualitie can wish and there they shall enioy all good things eternally Azoara 2. and Naucler They confesse the Resurrection of the dead By Testament they leaue and do great Almes The Alcoran forbiddeth to take siluer or victuals for aduocating or pleading in Iudgement They like to take no wiues of an other Religion then their owne neither to giue their daughters to men of diuers Religions vnles they conuert vnto theirs Azoara 3. And although by their Alcoran they be commanded to roote out all such as contradict their lawe yet they constrain no man to renie his Religion Women must nourish and giue sucke to their owne children and that by the space of 2. yeares They are also commaunded to defend their religion by Armes and strong hand Azoara 5. chap. 5. And by force of Armes to force the Christians and Iewes to agree Azoara 18. Euery one may take sley him whom he knoweth to be incredulous and an heretike in their lawe Azoara 10. They reproach Christians because they worship others then one onely God as the virgin Mary Images of Saints Azoara 13. In the 18. cha he bringeth in God speaking to his prophet Mahomet promising him y e 20. of their mē shal resist against 200. y e 100. of theirs shall ouerthrow a 1000. of others They are also cōmanded to wash thēselues yea the priuie places after they haue done their naturall necessities and after they haue lyen with their wiues and this must they euer do before they pray vnto God Vpon commaundement they goe on pilgrimage into certaine places Azoa 2. They haue Saintes vnto whome they commend themselues and their beasts See their Alcoran which reciteth great miracles They haue Priests and Religious men Some Recluses and contemplatiues which do nothing but pray meditate and these are most esteemed According to their foure Sects they haue also foure opinions touching the saluation of soules 1. Their Priests are of opinion that none are saued but in the lawe of Mahomet 2. Some of their Religious are of opinion that the lawe profiteth nothing but that euery man shall be saued by the grace of God which alone is sufficient to saluation without the lawe and merites 3. The Spiritualls and Speculatiues are of opinion that euery one shall be saued by his owne workes and merites with grace and the lawe 4. There are others amongst them which say that euery one shall be saued in his owne lawe Where Iesus Christ is not knowne all Religion is vaine vncertaine Touching Iesus Christ they hold him to be the sonne of a virgin In the 5. Chap. There they make mention of the virgin Marie and of her parents Of S. Iohn Baptist and of his Father Zacharie In the 3. chap. at the beginning God is brought in speaking and calling Iesus Christ his soule conferring his force and vertue vpon him In the 11. chap. he calleth him Sent of God the Spirit of God and the word diuinely sent to Mary c. They fast euery yeare one whole moneth and one weeke very straitly without eating or drinking in the day time but after the Sun set they eate drinke euen till the day following On the Friday they assemble all together and obserue it as carefully as the Iewes do the Saterday or others the Sunday and in each Towne there is a principal Temple which they called Meschat into which they come that day after noone as well Kings Princes as the common people and attentiuely pray vnto God They which come not to this Church or pray not when they come are condemned in a certaine summe of siluer when they are accused by the Guardes which they commit for that businesse See the Alcoran As they pray they torment themselues pitiously in the continuall agitation of their bodies and cries without ceasing The Pope and Mahomet Antichrist his two hornes are there set vp one after an other namely that of the Pope of Mahomet It were easie to conferre one of them with an other both in doctrine and domination Heraclius had victorie against the Persians and brought againe Zacharias Patriarke of Ierusalem and the holie Crosse first to Ierusalem and then to Constantinople wherevpon the feast of the exaltatiō of the crosse was ordeined celebrated Councells were about this time at Siuil and Toledo 4.5 and 6. At the Councell of Toledo 4. it was ordeined that all the Churches of Spaine should followe the forme of the Romane Church touching praier the Sacraments and Masse One manner of singing Masse all ouer after the manner of Rome See Bullenger of the spring of errours Lib. 2. chap. 8. In the 16. chap. of the
for Monkes that for necessitie they might not be withdrawne from holy things There was also graunted Franches and libertie to Monkes Clarkes and Priests that they should not be subiect vnto temporall Lords c. The body of S. Marke was transported from Alexandria to Venice Naucl. After this Councell there were ambushes laid for the Emperor Lewis euen his owne children angry at the second marriage of their father with one called Iudith an audatious woman He sent them farre from him namely Lotharie into Italie Pippin into Aquitane and Lewis into Bauiere Notwithstanding he was imprisoned in the Monasterie of S. Modard at Soissons Iohn le Maire declareth this Historie as followeth In the time of Gregorie the fourth saith he was held a Councell at Campaigne which was detestable and pernitious by the disordinate Prelates of France who grieued that at the former Councell the Emperour had corrected their pompes and disordered superfluities hauing caused them to leaue their Rings they conspired against him and caused the children to take Armes against their father and to take him and hold him in straight guard at Soissons the Pope Gregorie aiding in this exploit Moreouer at the said Councell or rather conuenticle and monopole the said Bishops and Prelates coniured condemned their soueraigne Prince and Lord to lay away Armes and his militarie Girlde and to dispoile himselfe of his Imperiall dignitie and in the place therof to take the Monkes Coole or Frocke O false wicked and Pharasaicall Priestly hypocrisie saith he This is not the first time that thou hast conspired in great disdaine against such as reprehend and correct thee For thou begannest at the head that is at our Lord Iesus Christ But afterward this said Emperour was againe established into his Kingdome by an other better Councell of Bishops and Prelates of France and by the conduct of certaine good Barrons and loyall Captaines of his kingdome being nigh touched with his troubles and griefes His sonnes which had imprisoned him demanded pardon for their fault and villainous enterprise and obtained it See Iohn le Maire Ebdo Archbishop of Rhemes and many other Prelates which had conspired against the king were deposed from their dignities condemned and banished out of France Chron. Sigeb Gregorie the fourth instituted the Feast of All-saints vpon the first day of Nouember Rabanus first Monke of S. Benet and Abbot of Fulden after Bishop of Magunce flourished at this time He expounded all the Bible as well the olde as the new Testament and made many other bookes Strabus a Monke of Fulden a Disciple of Rabanus was the first which made the ordinarie Close which after was augmented Tritem Bertramus Priest a learned man and well instructed in true pietie made a booke of Predestination and an other of the body and bloud of the Lord wherein he speaketh very properly of the Lords Supper He serued for a light to illuminate others in this darke time Turpin Archbishop of Rhemes wrote two bookes of the actes of Charlemaigne Abb. Trit Lewis Debonaire died of the age of 64. yeares hauing raigned 26. and was buried at Mets in the Sepulchre of his mother Hildegarde After his death rose vp a cruell time for whilst his children Lotharie Charles and Lewis were in debates and warres the Sarrasins on the other side lifted vp themselues as also the Saxons with others At a battle giuen at Fountenay a Towne of Auxerrois Lotharie fled to Aixle Chapelle and and from thence to Vienne Lotharie or Lother obtained the Empire 15. yeares The felicitie of that Kingdome acquired by Charlemaigne soone finished in this man whose Empire was diuided He had such debates with his bretheren that one day at an Easter Feast almost all the Nobilitie of France perished at a combat wherein Charles had the victorie Finally there was meanes found of agreement namely that Charles surnamed Le Chaune should be King of France Lewis King of Germanie and Lotharie who was then the eldest should haue Gaul Belgique Prouince and that portion of the Countrey which of his owne name was called Lotharinge that is to say Lorraine He already possessed Italie Lothaire left three sonnes Lewis Lotharie and Charles vnto which he made a partition to Lewis the Empire with Italie to Lothaire Austrasia and Lorraine and to Charles the youngest the Kingdome of Prouince This partition was during his life in the presence of the greatest of his Kingdome After he tooke him to a Monasterie Sergius Pope the second of that name a Romane ruled three yeares His election was confirmed by Lewis the Emperour Lothaires sonne who sent to Rome for that purpose and the said Lewis was crowned King of Italie by Sergius Nauclerus This Sergius was before called Swines Snowte and therefore chaunged his name and so gaue first occasion to his successors to chaunge their names in their election He then and they which followed esteemed more of the name which they receiue at their cursed vnction then that they receiue at their baptisme wherein there is an apparant marke of Antichrist Some there are which by reason of certaine misteries and secrets which were then reuealed count the number of the Beast from this change of the name vntill the 7. yeare of Iulius the second of that name who casting S. Peters keyes into Tiber tooke Saint Pauls Sword whereof wee shall speake in his place This Pope had a brother called Benet who outragiously vsursped to himselfe the Church goods and there was so great couetousnesse at Rome by the carelesnesse of Sergius that Bishopprickes were publikely solde to him that would giue most and no man in authoritie sought any remedie for such an enormitie which they said came because of the Sarrasins comming into Italie Yet hee was very diligent to adorne and repaire Churches and to place many holy bodies in them Supp Chron. He builded a Monasterie nigh the Church of S. Siluester Supp Chron. He added to the priuate Masse the breaking of bread into three peeces Leo Pope 4. of that name a Romane ruled 8. or 9. yeares Hee was presently chosen euen before his predecessor was buried Hee repaired many Temples which the Sarrasins had destroyed He ordained that no Lay-man should presume to enter into the Quier of the Church nor to come nigh the Priest when he sung Masse vnlesse it were to the offering For that place is ordained for them which doo diuine seruice Chron. Euseb Hee also made many Collects and Orisons as Deus cuius dextra beatuÌ„ PetruÌ„ ambulantem in fluctibus c. Item Deus quibeato Petro collatis c. Item Deus quiab ipso huis mundi principio c. Item Presta quaesumus omnipotens misericors Deus c. against the assaultes of the Sarrasins and Earthquakes He builded the Castle of S. Angelo at Rome repaired the walles and gates and builded fifteene Bulâ—arkes for the defence of the Towne And he himsefle went to warre against the
all madnesse that whilest they of the Cleargie be compelled to relinquish the company of their owne lawfull wiues they become afterward fornicators and adulterers with other women and wicked ministers of other sinfull filthinesse These be they which bring vnto the Church of God this Heresie as blinde guides leading the blinde that it might be fulfilled which the Psalmist speaketh of as foreseeing the errours of such men and accursing them after this manner Let their eyes be blinded that they see not and bowe downe alwaies their back For as much then ô Apostolicall Sir as no man which knoweth you is ignorant that if you through the light of your discretion had vnderstood and seene what poysoned pestilence might haue come vnto the Church through the sentence of your decrees they would neuer haue consented to the suggestions of certaine wicked persons Wherefore we counsell you by the fidelitie of our due subiection that with all diligence you would put away so great slaunder from the Church of God and through your discreet discipline you would remooue the Pharasicall doctrine from the Flocke of God So that this only Sunamite of the Lordes vsing no more adulterous husbands doo not seperate the holie people and the kingly Priesthood from her Spowse Christ Iesus through an irreconciliable diuorcement seeing that no man without chastitie not only in the virgins state but also in the state of Matrimonie shall see our Lorde Iesu who with the Father and the holy Ghost liueth and raigneth for euer Amen This Epistle sheweth vs as it were with a finger that in all times the truth of the Lord hath found a passage through the middest of the Furies of this world raising vp faithfull Ministers to oppose themselues against the horrible discipations of the aduersaries The Sarrasins came from Affricke into Italie vnto the Territorie of Beneuent before whome went the Emperour Lewis the second being ayded by his brother Lotharie who dyed in the way at Plaisans Pal. Floren. The King of Bulgaria receiued the Faith made himselfe a Monke and left the kingdome to his sonne who reiected the Faith In so much as his Father came out of the Monasterie and went against him in battaile and hauing obtained victorie put out his sonnes eyes and held him in prison giuing his kingdome to his younger sonne and after returned to his Monastery Naucler and Sigeb The body of Saint Innocent Pope was transported from Rome into Saxonie by the Duke of Saxe Chron. Sigeb Michael Emperour of Constantinople made a fellowe and companion of his Empire one called Basile a Macedonian a puissant man by whom afterward hee was slaine Nauclerus Lewis sonne of Lewis de Bonaire king of Germanie Vncle of Lewis 2. Emperour obtained a victorie against the Cleuois and caused their Dukes eies called Rastrix to be put out because he had falsified his faith Naucler After the death of Nicholas Pope the seate was emptie eight yeares seuen moneths and nine or ten daies as some say Abb. Vrsp. The Britons were vanquished of the French vnder Charles le Chauue king of France Naucler The Normains being ouercome receiued the faith Naucl. The Countrey of Holland was erected into an Earledome or Countie and Flaunders likewise whereof Baudwin was the first Count. Adrian Pope second of that name the sonne of Talarus Bishop ruled at Rome fiue yeares The Emperour hauing sent his Embassadors for the Popes election the Cleargie and Romane people attended not their comming but vsurping the authoritie of choosing proceeded to the election The Embassadors mal-contented the subtil Romanists laid the fault vpon the common people as hard to represse and appease being stirred They satisfied with this excuse saluted Adrian with the name of Pope Platina R. Barns Soone after came Letters from the Emperour signifying that the election pleased him and because strangers could not know the qualitie of him which should be elected he graunted the election to the Citizens Naucler and Cor. Abb. Adrian then ordained that no Lay-man should thrust himselfe into the election of the Pope Naucler 63. Dict. Cap. Nullus He sent three Legates to the Bulgarians who were newly conuerted namely Siluester Leopard and Dominic to ordaine the affaires of that Church after the Romane fashion but after perswaded of the Grecians they cast off the Latine Priests and receiued the Greekes which afterward engendred great hatred betwixt the Latine and Greeke Church and all the diuision of the aforesaid Churches came onely for the Primacie and for the diuersitie of Ceremonies Robert Barns and Nauclerus Edmond the last King of the East Angles was slaine by the Painims of Denmarke Anno. 871. and was Canonized a Martyr Alfredus or Aluredus the 7. English king was crowned by the Pope Adrian Polydore Lib. 5. The Greciās vsed bels by the benefit of the Venetiās Sabell About this time a Councel was held at Constantinople which was called the eight generall Councell Adrian sent thither his Legates Donatus Bishop of Ostia Stephen Nephesin and Marinus a Deacon of the Romane Church R. Barns Ignatius who vniustly was depriued of his Patriarchall dignitie was restored and Photin some call him Phocas was reiected and excommunicated Sabellicus in his 9. booke 1. cap. It was there ordained that they of Bulgaria should be subiect to the Romane church the Emperour Basilius contradicting it Here it was also ordained that no Lay-man should be admitted to the election of a Pope an Archbishop a Patriarke or Bishop but that the Bishop should be chosen by the Cleargie of the Chapter R. Barns Adrian excommunicated Lotharius King of Lorraine brother vnto the Emperour Lewis for his adulterie but comming to Rome as he returned from the warre against the Sarrasins as some say Nauclerus alleadgeth to excuse himselfe receiued the Communion with his Princes but they all died within the yeare And the King Lotharius himselfe died in the way in the Towne of Plaisance Fascic Temp. Chron. Vrsperg and Sigeb In Lombardie nigh Brize it raigned bloud three dayes and three nights after Nauclerus and the Chron. Sigeb And in Fraunce there was a great multitude of Graffe-hoppers with sixe winges fiue feete and two teeth which destroyed all grasse hearbes and Trees They were driuen into the English Seas by the force of exceeding great windes and againe by an other winde they were returned vpon the Sea sandes vpon the putrifaction wherof came such a pestilence that great multitudes of men dyed saith Sigeb Naucler saith that the third part of men died Iohn Scotus a learned man was called from France into to England by Alfredus King there who founded the Schoole at Oxenford where the said Scotus gouerned but after making himselfe a Monke he was slaine by the Monkes of that couent as he was teaching he was cunning in the Greeke tongue and translated into Latin the Hierarchie of S. Denis Naucler Iohn Pope 9. of that name a Romane ruled at Rome ten yeares Suppl Chron. being a
was inuented by him Hugues raigned in Italie tenne yeares whom Lotharie his sonne succeeded King Charles the Simple was by treason taken of Hubert Earle of Vermandois and poysoned in the Castle of Peronne where he died and was buried in the Church of S. Foursi See the Sea of Histories Rodolphe Bourgongne 31. King of France raigned two yeares Before this time there were not so many degrees amongst Gentlemen and Noblemen nor so great diuersitie as there are at this Dukes Marquesses Counts or Clarkes simple Counts and Knights were rather names of offices then hereditarie Seigniories For Dukes Marquesses Earles or Counts were Gouernours of Countries and Lands wherevpon they were committed by Emperours and Kings Duke was a soueraigne chiefe or head of souldiers as may be seene by auncient Letters Count or Earle was a Iudge and Goueruernour ordained in a certaine Towne or Region and so Germanie was full of Countes amongst which some were called Lantgraues that is to say Countes of Regions or Countries Some Maruegraues or Marquis that is Countes of certaine Marshes or Countries Some Countes de Palatin which were Gouernors of some Kingdome subiugated or conquered This may bee seene in the second booke of the Lawes of the Lombards Some were gouernors of Bourgages and so were named Bourgraues The most auncientest name of dignitie after Kings and Princes is the name of Baron which signifieth Lord whose sonnes were called young Lords And this say some was the estate of the Nobilitie before the Othons raigned After their time all things chaunged For then Counts were made hereditarie and were lifted vp aboue Barons Marquesses Lantgraues and Palatins and that more is Bishops haue bene made Princes yea many Counts Abbots Abbesses haue obtained the title of Prince Lewis 4. of that name surnamed Vltramarin 32. King of France the sonne of Charles le Simple after his fathers imprisonment got with his mother Ogine towards his Vncle King of England but as soone as he retutned he was in strife for the Kingdome with Rodulphe of Burgongne who died about eight yeares after at Auxerre Anno. 937. and so Lewis raigned alone Leo Pope sixt of that name ruled at Rome 7. moneths and 15. dayes The Danes at this time were conuerted to the faith Stephen Pope 7. of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 2. yeares and 12. dayes Supp Chron. The Duke of Bohemia Spireneus receiued the Christian faith at the perswasion of the Emperour Henry Suppl Chron. Iohn Pope 12. of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 4. yeares 10. moneths and 15. dayes Supp Chron. He did nothing worthy of memorie a coward and is not numbred in the Catalogue of Popes after some Historiographers Lotharie the sonne of Hugues raigned in Italie two yeares The Sarrasins in Italie tooke the towne of Geans and spoiled it Naucler Berenger third the Nephewe of Berenger the first raigned in Italie 11. yeares with his sonne Adelbert In this place Histories are very confused The Emperour Henry the first dyed of the Palsey the yeare of his age 60. and of his Empire seuenteene hauing ordained Otho the great his sonne successor of the Empire by the consent of all the great and Noble men who after was consecrated by the Arch-bishop of Magunce Hildebert Hee had three Competitors which would needs hinder him to bee Emperour that is to say Henry his elder brother Giselbert Duke of Lorraine his brother in lawe and Eberhard Earle of Franconia but he droue them all away and reduced all vnder his obedience Wencelaus Prince of Bohemia was slaine by his brother Boislans vppon ambition to raigne But Otho reuenged the death of the said Wencelaus making warre vpon Boislans which endured fourteene yeares and finally hauing vanquished him he brought the Countrey into his obedience Chron. Sigeb and Supp Chron. Leo Pope 7. of that name a Romane ruled at Rome three yeares 6. monethes and 10. dayes Supp Chron. The heresie of Anthropomorphites which say that God hath a corporall forme was at this time renued Rotherius Bishop of Verone writ against them Stephen Pope eight of that name an Almaine or a Romane after some ruled at Rome three yeares foure moneths and 12. dayes R. Barns Some say he was murthered by certaine Romanes in a sedition In so much as he was neuer publikely seene Chron. Abb. France was afflicted by an horrible pestilence and by inward contentions The faction and puissance of Hugues of Paris troubled King Lewis exceedingly Martin Pope 3. of that name a Romane ruled 3. yeares 6. moneths and 14. dayes He was peaceable and gaue himself to repaire Temples and nourish the poore saith Supp Chron. Agapetus Pope second of that name a Romane a magnanimous man ruled at Rome 9. yeares 7. moneths and 10. daies Supp Chron. He called againe the Emperour Otho to Rome against Berenger Berenger 4. the 7. Emperour of the Lombards raigned 13. yeares The Sea of Histories The Hungarians againe in Italie Chron. Abb. Vrsp Iohn Pope 13. of that name a Romane ruled 9. yeares and three monethes His father called Alberic seeing himselfe one of the greatest power at Rome caused all the noblest and principallest rulers of the Citie of Rome to promise and sweare that after the death of Pope Agapetus they should elect his sonne Octauian Which promise was kept and he was called Iohn This Pope was so excessiuely giuen to lecherie that he maintained a publike stewes for the shame wherof some Cardinals writ to the Emperour Otho that he would remedie the publike scandall and infamie which the Church then suffered and that it was needfull he should in haste come to Rome As soone as the Pope heard of this newes he caused the nose of a Cardinall a Deacon called Iohn to be cut off beeing the principall councellor herein hee commaunded also that the hand of an other Cardinall a Subdeacon called also Iohn to be cut off because hee writ the Letters When the Emperour vnderstood that for no admonition the Pope would amend he caused him to be deposed with note of infamie Otho was crowned by him after he hauing sworne that hee would exalt the Romane Church and the Pope and that in nothing hee would hurt him as more at large is contained Dist 63.100 Tibi domino Otho remained a certain time at Rome after his coronation and admonished this Pope to change and amend his wicked life whereof hee was blamed Otho departing came against Berenger his enemie Albert the sonne of Berenger who with his father retired at Otho his comming seeing Otho departed came to Rome and with the Pope complotted against the Emperour Two Cardinalls aduertised Otho of this conspiracie and of the Popes wickednesse Otho then returned to Rome and the Pope fled after he had reuenged himselfe of the two Cardinalls Otho beeing at Rome caused the Pope to be thrice called commanding him to returne and feare
the Popedome of Benet R. Barnes There was great trouble in Hungarie vnder the King Andrewe and after vnder his brother Vela against such as demaunded againe to returne vnto their Paganisme and auncient superstition Naucler Clement Pope second of that name before called Werdigerus or Singerus or Sindegerus Bishop of Bamberge was Canonically elected in full Councel after that the foure others aboue named were deposed He crowned the Emperour Henry the third and his wife Agnes on a day of the Natiuitie of Christ Naucler Henry before he departed from Rome constrained the Romanes by oath to renounce their right of election without any more medling therein thereafter to auoyd Schismes and scandales which commonly rise of such election Others say the poore gaue them that commaundement and defence Naucler The Romanes after the Emperours departure forgetting their oath impoysoned this Pope after he had gouerned nine moneths Some say that Stephen his successour who was called Damasus was authour thereof Benno saith it was Gerard Brazure a friend of Theophilact and of Hildebrand a man expert in poysoning In this time men forged Visions and miracles to establish the Sacrament of the Masse which then was called of the Aulter Many durst not speake what they thought therein for feare of Popes The wickednesse of Popes merited that the power of election should be taken from Ecclesiasticall persons by the iust iudgement of God saith Nauclerus This Pope was poysoned soone after the Emperours departure Damasus Pope second of that name otherwise called S. Stephanus Baguiarius borne in Bauiere Bishop of Brixe ruled by force the seate 23. dayes as Histo and Chron. say For he occupied the Popedome without election either suffrage of people or Cleargie R. Barnes Leo Pope 9. of that name an Almaine of the Countrey of Alsac the Earles of Ausperge and being Count or Earle of Etisheim called Bruno Bishop of Tulles a man of good nature was sent to Rome by the Emperour at the request of the Romanes and being chosen Pope gouerned fiue yeares two moneths sixe dayes after Suppl Chron. Some say that as he came to Rome Hugo Abbot of Clugny and Hildebrand the Monke encountred and met him in his pontificall attire they perswaded him to take off that habite and to enter into Rome in his vsuall and priuate attire vpon this reason that the Emperour had not giuen him the right to chuse the Pope but only the people and Cleargie of Rome Bruno agreeing to their speech confessed his fault and accused himselfe that he had rather obey the Emperour then God At Hildebrandes perswasion the Cleargie elected him for this that hee confessed that the election ought to appertaine to the Cleargie and not to the Emperour Leo then to recompence Hildebrand created him Cardinall and committed vnto him the Church of S. Paul The yeare of Christ one thousand fiftie one Leo assembled a Councell at Verseil where was first handled the opinion of Transubstantiation although that word was not inuented of long time after and there was condemned the opinion of Iohn Scotus of Bertramus and Berengarius Doctor borne at Tours Arch-deacon of Angiers who maintained the opinion of Scotus and of Bertramus touching the Eucharist In the said Councell Berengarius appeared not but sent thither two Clarkes and as they would haue excused Berengarius and haue told the reason they were laid hold on and put inprison Behold how they disputed O Ecolampadius These be the pooceedings of the aduersaries of the truth to ioyne tyrannie with ignorance Berengarius had Lanfrancus for his aduersary who maintained the opinion of Pascasius the first author of this doctrine against Scotus and Bertramus Hubert Cardinall Rogerius Guimondus maintained Lanfancus his part which mingled subtilties with outrages against Berengarius who shewed himselfe litle constant For although he had the truth on his side yet had he a certaine hatred against Lanfrancus Rogerius mingled with glory hope of victorie which made him loose the desire he had to maintaine the puritie of the doctrine For he mingled withal certain speeches of marriage the Baptisme of litle children and therfore they stifled amongst some errours by his fault So commeth it to passe whē without the feare of the Lord we wil maintaine the cause of the Gospell O Ecolamp At this time the Emperour caused a Sinode to be held of an hundreth and thirtie Bishops at Magunce Some write that Leo was there and there it was ordeined that the Clarks should nourish no dogges for hunting nor hawkes That Clarkes should deale with no secular nor prophane affaires That none should be admitted or receiued into a Monasterie for a Monke vnlesse hee were of a lawfull age and that hee should come in of his owne good will without constraint Simony and marriage was forbidden Priests That the houses of Clarkes should be builded nigh vnto Temples and Churches 12. quest 2. cha Necessaria Henry the third gaue to Leo the Towne and Countrey of Beneuent to redeeme the yearly rent of an hundred marks paid as is aboue said yearely out of the Cathedrall Church of Bamberge and Leo confirmed the priuiledges graunted to the said church accorded to the said Archbishop the Mantle which they call Palilium to vse three times in the yeare At Easter at the Feast af S. Peter and S. Paul and vpon S. George his day the Patrone of that Church Naucler Vpon the aforesaid Sinode Nicholas a Monke of Constantinople writ a Booke against the Latines Intituled De nuptijs Sacerdotum Of the marriage of Priests which was condemnemned by Hubert the said Popes Legate and sent to Constantinople Trit Abb. This Pope being at Ratisbone the Legates of Paris being present approued the Relickes of S. Denis whereof there had bene a long doubt whether they were Saint Denis his Relickes or no. Chron. Abb. Vrsp. Vnder Henry the third the Hungarians returned vnto Paganisme and hauing reiected the Faith put to death all their Bishops and Cleargie Naucler Vpon a Christmas day Leo the ninth and Henry the third being at a great Masse in the Towne of Wormes after the Subdeacon had sung the Epistle in the accustomed maner and Tune the Pope presently deiected depriued him of his office because he sung the Epistle in the Popes presence in an other Song and Tune then the Romane Church did The Arch-bishop of Wormes who saide Masse that day greeued that his Subdeacon should be so handled after the Gospell was sung retyred into his Episcopall seate leauing his office vnperfected saying he would make no ende if the Pope would not restore his Subdeacon to his former state The Pope because hee would not hinder that the seruice should not be ended restored his Subdeacon R. Barn Albert. Crane lib. 4. Saxo. ca. 45. Anne Queene of France wife of Henry the first founded in the Towne of Senlis a Church of S. Vincent where are Regular Chanons and an other in the suburbs where were
as he should be at his prayers The Cardinall Benno rehearseth thus the Historie The Emperour saith he had a custome often to goe make his prayers in the Church of S. Marke in the Mount Auentine As then Hildebrand enquired diligently by certaine spies of all that he did hee gaue charge to marke the place wherein the Emperour prayed oftnest either standing or on his knees and suborned one promising him a great summe of money to lay great stones on the beames or vpper lofts of the Church see the holy councell of this Pope and that he should lay thē so wel that when the Emperour should make his prayers he might let them fall on his head to dash out his braines But as he which had enterprised such a villanie was at hand to accomplish it and went about to handle and remoue a stone the heauie for him the stone by the waight deceiued him and the scaffold which was on the beames being broken the stone and the poore miserable man by a iust iudgement of God fell vpon the pauement of the Temple was all burst with the same stone After the Romanes vnderstood how all things was past they bound the feet of that wicked villaine and by the space of 3. daies trailed him through the streets of the towne But vsing their accustomed humanitie commaunded he should be buried The sonne of Benno saith here yet further that Iohn Bishop of Port who was Hildebrands Secretarie and great familiar comming into the Pulpit which was in S. Peters Church said amongst many other things in the hearing of the people and Cleargie Hildebrand hath done such a thing and we also as deseruers should all bee burned aliue meaning to giue to vnderstand that which hee had done of the Sacrament of the body of our Lord. Whereof Hildebrand demaunding Councell of a certaine thing as of old the Painims did of their Idols cast it into the fire because it gaue him do answere although the Cardinalls which were then present spake against his deed This is a beginning of the fruite of that cursed decree of Transubstantiation applied vnto Charmes and Inchauntments He excommunicated also the said Emperour Henry without lawfull accusation without Canonicall appellation without forme of iustice yea euen for that he was but too obedient vnto him Hee diuided also from him the Princes of the Empire and sought by secret treasons to destroy him but God preserued him O straunge treason proceeding from the sanctuarie or rather frō him who seemed to be the high Priest to gouerne the Church to haue superintendancie ouer Iudges and Elders By menaces also he constrained Bishops to sweare that they should not defend his cause neither should they fauour or helpe him in any thing drawing violently the scripture to make them serue his false dealing Notwithstanding saith Benno so soone as hee arose vp from his seate to excommunicate the Emperour the seate which had lately bene made of new and strong wood by the will of God of it selfe brake in many peeces in a terrible maner In such sort as it gaue to know that he that did sit vpō it would sowe terrible schismes against the Church by so arrogant and presumptuous a maner of excommunication This saith Benno But when he sawe that all his Ambushes could serue him for nothing he beganne to vse open force and emnities and after he had excommunicated Henry declaring all his subiects acquited of their oath of fidelitie which they had deliuered him he sent the Crowne of the Empire vnto Rodolphe Sauoic with this Latine verse such as it is Petra dedit Petro Petrus dià dema Rodolpho That is to say the Rocke hath giuen the Diademe vnto Peter and Peter giueth it vnto Rodolphe Henry then being for this cause sore troubled laid downe his royall apparell and came towards him into the Towne of Canuse with his wife and litle sonne in the time of a strong and sharpe winter through a very daungerous way Being before the gate of the Citie sayth Benno from morning till night without hauing eyther meate or drinke in apparell of cloath and barefooted beeing made a spectacle for Angels and men hee required pardon in all humilitie He endured three whole dayes in a very lamentable affliction In so much that Hildebrand who tooke his pleasure the meane while with his whores and Monkes mocked him He desired sore that he might haue entry into the Citie but it was refused him And as with great instance he demaunded it by the space of three dayes he was answered that the Pope had no leisure to speake with him Henry taking not in euill part that they would not suffer him to come into the Citie remained in the suburbes not without great grieuance For the winter was sharper then of custome Yet to the end he would offend no person he kept 3. whole dayes there without departing Finally the fourth day at the request of the Countesse Matilde who as Histories say loued a litle too much the Pope and of the Abbot of Clugny and of the Earle of Sauoy called Adelrans he was permitted to enter of the Pope But when he demaunded pardon of the Pope setting his Crowne betwixt his hands and in his power he would neither pardon nor absolue him of excommunication vnlesse first he promised to purge himselfe in a ful Sinode of his fault with other vnlawful and vnreasonable conditions All which things he promised and confirmed them by estate yet would they not remit him into his Kingdome Can any body haue haue a more liuely portraite of the Image of Antichrist The Princes of Italy after they knew this were exceedingly offended that the Emperour had so made his agreement with Hildebrand and that so dishonestly and vilely he had submitted himselfe to him who had inuaded the Papacie by wicked practises and who had polluted and defiled all with murders and adulteries c. After this the Pope with his Cardinalls glorying that he had brought the Emperour into seruitude durst now aduenture to enterprise greater things But the Emperour afterward tooke courage and straightway dispatched all that by taking Armes And after many sharp and hard warres he vanquished Rodolphe in battaile Who hauing his right hand cut off made call all the Bishops and Priests on his side Which being come after one had brought him his hand he spake in this sort I confesse that this is worthily come vnto me and wel bestowed vpon me Behold the hand wherewith I haue deliuered the oath of fidelitie to my Lord Henry but at the sollicitation of you I haue so many times vnluckily fought against him and also falsified my faith vnto him and therefore I haue receiued a reward such as my periurie meriteth See if you haue guided mee in a right way So then and now keepe to your Prince the fidelitie which you haue promised vnto him As for me I goe to my Fathers and incontinently after Rodolphe
France He commanded to assemble an vniuersal Councel of all the church in the Citie of Cleremont in Anuegue and made an Oration of great efficacie For straight there crossed themselues to the combat at least three hundreth thousand men all readie to goe vnto Ierusalem of the number of which there were many valiant Princes who to make mony solde their owne landes and signeories as Hughe the great the King of Fraunce his brother Robert brother of the Duke of Normandie Robert or Rambert Count of Flaunders Raimond Count of S. Giles Stephen Count of Blois Brunamon or Bayamond Prince of Pouille and Godphrey de Bullon who was the chiefe with his two brethren Eustace and Baudwin Also Ansele of Ribemont and many others He excommunicated the King of Galatia because he had put a Bishop in prison and exacted this oath of such as he would promote to orders So God helpe me and these holy Euangelists of God Hee made also certaine their statutes namely Clarkes should euery day say the houres of the Virgine Mary a verie Idolatrous thing and vnto her to dedicate the Saterday with a Masse He ordeined that no person should come into Popish orders vnles he were a virgin that is to say vnmarried whoremonger or buggerer as their acts shewed As for Priests they must needs be without wiues althogh they passed not for whordomes He forbad that Bishops should be ordeined without titles that faith shuld be kept vnto such as Popes had excommunicated He held himselfe close for the space of two yeares in the house of one Peter Leon for the feare he had of one Iohn Paien a Romane Citizen where also he died the yeare of the Lord 1099. and his body was buried secretly beyond Tiber for feare of enemies The same yeare died also Guibert which was called Clement the 3. after he had seene three Popes dead in his time Theodorus Bibliander writeth in this sort of that Hildebrand aforesaid and this Vrbane speaking to the Princes of al estates Hildebrand saith he in inciting the Emperour of Greece against the Turks sowed the seed of the war of Gog and Magog against which crieth the bloud of the Church shead with a miserable ruine and losse by the sword of his tongue O how much blood hath beene shead at the sollicitation of Vrbane the second to the end that vnder the colour of making warre to amplifie the Christian religion and recouer the sepulchre of the Lord he might be put againe in the Romane seate after hauing oppressed such as were of the faction of Guibert Fredericke Barbarossa did so the yeare of the Lord 1188. Frederic 1228. The King of France Lewis 9. who was a Saint after his death did as much the yeare 1288. Sigismond did it twise Anno. 1409. Vladislaus King of Hungarie Anno. 1420. who dyed nigh Varne And at this day what shall we iudge of such as bring the Turke into Christendome to auenge their particular iniuries This Pope Vrbane by excommunications constrained Philip King of France to take againe Berthe his first wife which he caused to be detained prisoner in the Castle of Monstrell vpon the sea and to leaue his second Bertrande who was wife of the Count de Angiou Nice in Bithinie is taken and after the Towne of Ierusalem by the Christians whereof Godfrey of Bulloine was constituted King Naucler Antioche was taken by Boemondus a Norman sonne of Robert Duke of Pouille Supp Chron. The reward that those noble Combatants and fighters for Christendome got was the carrying away of Relickes The Speare which pearced the side of Iesus Christ was found in the said Towne in the Church of Saint Andrewe Supp Chron. Robert Count of Flaunders brought away the Arme of Saint George which he sent into the Abbey of Anchin Sigeb Godfrey was the first King of Ierusalem Baudwin his brother is called the second Naucler Paschall second of that name borne of Italie called before Rainer a Monke and lately created Cardinall of the title of S. Clement by Hildebrand his maister succeeded Vrbane the second in the Papacie When this proud Squire knew hee was chosen he would not mount into the Papall seate vntill first the people had cryed thrice Saint Peter hath chosen Rainer After this beeing apparrelled in a Scarlet Roabe and a Theatre or Crowne vppon his head mounted vpon a white steed hee was ledde to the place of Laterane where the Papall Scepter was giuen him and he was girt with a Baudrier or large Girdle at which hung seuen kayes and as many seales as Ensignes or tokens of the Papall power so much did this great Antichrist and aduersary of God magnifie himselfe by which things signified that according to the graces of the holy Ghost which they distinguished into seuen he had the power to open and shut Churches By this meanes this harlot mounted on horsbacke being come vnto a perfect age in such sort encreased that she got vpō the Beast with ten hornes which she had gouerned vntil our time in great pride arrogancie as had bin foretold Apo. 13.17 This soueraigne Vicar of Sathan on earth imployed all his time in warres and seditions whilest Godfrey de Bulloine and other Christian Princes fought against the Sarrasins in Siria And to the end he might not be esteemed lesse thē Hildebrand he sought all the meanes that might serue to the greatnes of his Romane seate Hee furiously deposed from their dignities all the Bishops and Abbots which had bene ordeined by the Emperour He sent into exile one Albert Theodoricke and Maginulphe who aspired vnto the Papacie He assembled at Rome a Councell of the Bishops of Italie and France Anno. 1101. because of an opinion of a Bishop of Fluence touching Antichrist alreadie borne as Sabellicus rehearseth For seeing so many mischiefes committed in the Church he said Antichrist was alreadie manifested but he was repressed by many iniuries done vnto him He againe prohibited Ministers to marry as all his Prelate predecessors had done and called that marriage the heresie of the Nicholaits He pronounced that they were great heresies to make no account of yeelding obedience to the Roman church and to despise censures and also to receiue Inuesture of Benefices at the hand of a prophane man He renewed the statute of paying tenths to Priests that said Masse and would needes it should be a sinne against the holy Ghost to sell tenths In this Sinode he renewed the excommunication of Gregorie the seuenth and of Vrbane the second against the Emperour Henry the fourth and published it againe And which is more the rage of this cruell tyrant was so inflamed against him that he stirred the sonne of the said Emperour called Henry the fift to take armes against his Father an horrible thing to speak There was neuer inhumanitie nor cruell act if this were not The Sonne yea that onely Sonne not angred or stirred vp by any publike or particular iniurie despised not onely his Parent
depriued both of his wife and of his Principalitie and dyed without children Naucler and Corno Abb. Calixtus prepared an Armie against Roger but the Popes death came betwixt and Innocent the second pursued the enterprise One called Iohn a Patriarke of the Indians came vnto Rome and rehearsed to the Pope and Cardinalls in a Councell that by a myracle S. Thomas the Apostle came euery yeare to giue the Eucharist vnto the good and refused the wicked Naucler Miracles and apparitions are on all sides forged The Emperour Henry the fift bearing a long time an hatred vnto the King of France assembled a great Armie to runne vpon him taking occasion that hee was at the Councell which the Pope Calixt held at Rheimes wherein he was excommunicated and vaunted that he would destroy the Citie of Rheims where the said Councell was held but when he perceiued the Kings power which met him with the precious standard called the Auriflame he desisted from his enterprise and returned into his Country Iohn le Maire Pomerania receiued the Christian Faith Nancler Honorius Pope second of that name borne at Imola in Italie a man of base condition yet learned gouerned the Romane Church 5. yeares 2. moneths Before he was called Lambert Bishop of Ostia and was promoted rather by the ambition of some then by the consent of the good Supp Chron. He inuested Roger of the Duchy of Pouille after the said Roger had done vnto him homage who also was King of Sicilie The same Robert author of the order of Premonstre went to Rome vnto the Pope obteined what he desired cōcerning y e order Nauc Arnulphe Arch-bishop of Lion had at this time a singular grace in preaching who after he had preached in Fraunce and Italie came vnto Rome But because in his Sermons he rebuked too sharply the vices the delights and pompes of Church-men he was slaine Honorius feined to be grieued therat yet he made no search for the murderers Plat. and Sabel Bonifa Simo. say that hee did this in fauour both of the Nobilitie and of the common people The yeare of Christ 1125. Henry the 5. died in the Citie of Vtreict without heire male Lothaire in the Almaine tongue Luder the sonne of Count Gebhard who was slaine in the warre by Henry the fourth as hath bene said being created Duke of Saxonie was chosen Emperour a man of great industry and prudence and persecuted the race of the Emperour Henry whereof arose many troubles For Frederic and Conrade Dukes of Souanbie were a long time Rebels vnto him Finally S. Barnard Abbot of Cleruax reconciled these two brethren with Lothaire Hugo a Saxon by Nation and surnamed of Victor a Theologian of Paris was at this time in Paris Amongst his writings are found many complaints against the disordinate life of Clarkes in this time It is he whom some say that at Masse as he lifted vp the body of our Lord there appeared a litle childe which said vnto him Eate me And he abhorring it said hee could not eate him vnlesse he hid himselfe againe vnder the bread and straight it came so to passe and he eate him Who sees not that this is a fable inuented to proue the new doctrine of Pascasius and Lanfrancus And yet this is against their doctrine and especially against that of Thomas Aquine in the third part question 76. Charles Count of Flaunders Nephew of Lewis King of France was traiterously murthered as hee was on his knees in the Church of S. Donatus in Brugis in Flaunders The murtherers were certaine villaines of the Countrey which were grieuously punished in sundry maners Sigeb Baudwin the second who was the third King of Ierusalem died in a Monkes habit whom Fulco succeeded Naucl. Chron. Sigeb Innocent Pope 2. of that name a Roman gouerned 14. yeares After his coronation he attempted mortall warre against Roger the Norman Who first named himselfe King of Naples but in the end Innocent was ouerthrowne in battaile and ledde away prisoner Whilest he was in prison the Romanes elected Peter Leon the sonne of a puissant Romane Citizen But Innocent after he had agreed with the said Roger was constrained to goe into France for succour towards King Lewis le Gros of whom hee was honourably receiued Being come into France he held two Councells one at Auerne and an other at Rhemes in Campaigne From France he retired towards the Countrey of Liege where he found the Emperour Lothaire who also promised all the assistance he could by meanes of which hee returned into Italie Anacletus the Antepope stole away all the treasures and Reliques of the Church to wage them which were of his band he died with griefe and his Cardinals craued pardon In the Councell held at Rheimes Subdeacons were commaunded to liue without marriage vnder paine to loose theyr Benefices There became a contention betwixt the Pope the king of France because that after the death of Alberic Archbishop of Bourges the Pope sent one called Peter by him consecrated Archbishop of the said place to reside and rule there but the King reiected him neither was be receiued into the Towne because he was created without his knowledge Sigeb Innocent agreed set a peace betwixt the towne of Pise and the towne of Genues and raised them vp vnto Archbishops A Sinode at Rome at this time ordained that no Lay-man should presume to lay hand vpon a Clarke vnder paine of excommunication from which none could absolue him but the Pope vnlesse he were at the poynt of death for then his Bishop might absolue him 17. Quest 4. Chap. Si quis suadente diabolo In this time was Richardus de sancto victore and Hugo a Monke of Corbie in Saxonie who wrote the booke de clanstro animae Peter de Balard an hereticke of this time said that the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ was onely giuen vs for an example of patience of vertue and of loue he shewed vnto vs. Wherefore he was condemned with all his writings by the Pope Innocent S. Barnard writ against him Writers say that one called Iohn of Time if it be a thing worthy the credite liued 361. yeares that is to say from the time of Charlemaigne whose Councellor he was and died in this time Naucler and Suppl Chron. The Emperour Lothaire went to Rome to restore Innocnt according to his promise The faction of the Guelphes for the Pope and of the Gibellins for the Emperour began in this time Naucler Lothaire returning from Italie the second time after hee had deiected Roger of Pouille and Calabria died of the pestilence nigh Trent amongst the Mountaines in a poore lodging saith Naucler But Palin saith that he died at Verona the 13. yeare of his Kingdome and the 7. of his Empire leauing one daughter called Gertrude Conrade 3. of that name Duke of Souabe sonne of Frederike of Haulte Staufen and of Agnes daughter of Henry the fourth obtained the Empire
any priuiledge it comes of especiall grace and by the liberalitie of Kings and Princes Also that Iesus Christ hath taught vs to yeeld to euery one that which belongs vnto him to Caesar that which belongeth vnto him Wherefore he iustly redemaundeth the inuestures and homage of Bishops Touching Cardinals and Legates that iustly he reiected thē out of his Country For said he they come not to preach but to pill and spoile not to cōfirme peace but to heape vp siluer Wherefore he prayed the Pope and his not to mooue so many schismes scandalls but that that they would studie for peace and humilitie Naucler R. Barns The yeare 1158. Frederic tooke the Towne of Millaine and made it subiect to the Empire Sigeb After this the Pope ceased not to sollicite the Italians to withdraw their alleageance from the Emperor and therfore he sent his Legates to Millaine to perswade them to reuolt But the Millanois sought no other thing but a quarell for that purpose and that was that the Emperour was excōmunicate The Pope then wrought a cōspiracie against the Emperor with the aide of William king of Sicilie of them of Millaine and other Nobles of Italie which gaue a great sum of siluer to the Pope to excommunicate the Emperour The coniuration was confirmed by oath vpon condition that none of thē should euer returne into grace with the Emperour vnlesse all were consenting therevnto And if by fortune the Pope died that they should then elect a Cardinall of their owne faction and band After the former defence of the Emperor that none should appeale to Rome the Bishop of Laude going to Rome by appellation was encountred by certaine of the Emperours people and after they had beate him they put him in prison The Pope Adrian sent towards the Emperour two Legates with very sharpe Letters In which amongst other words there were these Although thou hast not answered vs as thou oughtest yet do we not repent if thou hadst receiued greater benefites at our hands then thou hast receiued Which words so angred the Emperor and all the Princes that with much adoo did they abstaine from violating the League Of which one of them answering for the Pope said foolishly If the Emperour saith he hold not his Empire of the Pope of whom holdeth he it By which words Otho Pallatin Wittilispach before the Emperour drew his sword and ran against the said Legate and hardly was retained from sleying him Naucler For store of siluer then the Pope Adrian being at Anagnia thundred forth the sentence of excōmunicatiō against Frederic But God Iohn de Cremona saith who by the mouth of the Prophet speaketh They shal curse you and I will blesse you ouerthrew their enterprise For it fell out that the Pope after hee had denounced the excommunication came out of Anagnia to take ayre nigh a Fountaine of which he dranke but soone after a Flie entred into his mouth and kept so in his throate that he left his breath and so died Naucler Vrsperg The yeare 1160. Frederic laid siege before the Towne of Millaine which was reuolted Pauie Plaisance and as it were all Lombardie yeelded themselues subiect vnto him Chron. Sigeb Crema is pilled and spoiled Behold what they gaine to beleeue the Pope and rebell against their naturall Lord. The poore men of Lyons otherwise called Vandrois were in this time After the death of Pope Adrian yet ceased not the former conspiration against Frederic for the coniurators sent a strong man of body who was a good Musitian but counterfeited a Ieaster to the end to take occasion to sley the Emperour but he was surprised and put to death Againe they sent him an Arrabian Ehchaunter who carried Mearcery ware and drugs impoisoned But the Emperour finding out his treason caused the Enchaunter to be strangled The Duchie of Bohemia was erected to a Kingdome vnder Frederic Naucler The Prince of Austriche was made a Duke The body of S. Bartholomew and the body of Paulin Bishop of Nole were found in an old Church saith Sigeb The bodies of the three kings as they call thē were found nigh Millaine and carried into the said Citie Fasci temp Helinandus rehearseth that the Pope Adrian was wont to say That there is nothing in the world more miserable nor condition or estate more vnluckie then the Popedome And that hee found such tribulation in the Apostolike seate that he wished he had neuer departed from England And that he was neuer so much at ease as when he was but a simple Cloyster-Monke Adolphe Count of Nole d' Albigeois was slaine by the Slauons Apostates of the faith his death was reuenged by the Duke of Saxonie Henry Leon. This Henry founded three Abbeyes at Lubec Racebourg and Souerum He visited the sepulchre and builded the church of S. Bloise at Brunswic Amongst many reliques he gaue to the said Church of the bloud of Iesus Christ which he brought from the holy Land saith The Sea of Histories Alexander Pope third of that name of Sienne in Tuscane ruled 22. yeares or thereabouts The Sea of Histories He was before called Rowland and was an enemie of the Empire and therefore was he chosen by 22. Cardinalls Some elected one called Octauian a Romane Citizen Priest Cardinall of S. Clement called after Victor the third who came towards Frederic So was there a great schisme which continued 17. yeares Alexāder sent his Legates towards Frederic who thē besieged Cremona to the end by his authoritie to take away the schisme The Emperor commanded that the two elected Popes should come vnto him vnto Pauie and there hee would assemble a Councel to take order for that schisme Alexander sent him the olde answere that the Pope might not be iudged of any liuing man c. and would not assist or appeare but retired himselfe vnto Anagnia Victor appeared and was approoued Pope and the Emperour sent him into Almaine and commanded that euery one should obey him whereat Alexander being greatly mooued sent sentence of excommunication against both the Emperour and the said Victor at Cleremont in France We haue seene that after Charlemaigne many pettie Kings rose vp in Italie whereof some were called Berengarij which brought into subiection the kingdome of the Lombards Otho the great got Lombardie out of their hands But after Millaine as it encreased in riches so the Citizens withdrew themselues from the obedience of the Romane Empire Frederic hauing raised a great Armie constrained them with others to yeelde to the yoake But the common people bearing euill will vnto the Emperour minding againe to reuoult discouered their wicked intent with a maruellous insolencie The Empresse Frederic his wife hauing a desire to see the Towne entered into it with effeminate assurance without feare to suffer iniurie of such as obeyed the Empire But the common people forgetting all honour being exceedingly inraged set the said Princesse vpon a she Asse causing her to turne her face towards
the taile the which they gaue her for a bridle in her hand and in a mockerie sent her out at one of their gates The Emperour taking iust indignation against this iniury besieged them seuen yeares before they could enter but at the last constraining them to yeeld hee ruinated and sacked the Towne with great effusion of bloud He receiued some to mercie but it was vpon this cōditiō that if they would saue their liues they shuld draw out with their teeth a Figge from behind of the she Asse Many chose rather to die then to suffer that ignominy Others desiring to liue did whatsoeuer was commanded them Frō hence comes a iust mockerie amongst the Italians to shewe the thumbe betwixt two fingers and say Ecco la fico beholde the Figge Crantes reciteth this Story in his 6. booke of Saxonia Frederic sent Embassadors vnto the King of France to take away that schisme from Rome they agreed to meete in a certaine place very conuenient for France and Almaine and that was at Dijon Thither came Henry king of England the king of Scotland the king of Bohemia Alexander would not bee there saying he was not ordained by his authoritie The King of France was not there in fauour of Alexander Frederic not well content that he and so many Princes had thus lost their paines commaunded Victor to drawe into Italie but Victor died in the way at Luques and in his place Guido Bishop of Cremone was chosen who afterward was called Paschall the third vnto whom the Emperour Frederic the Duke of Bauiere the Count Palatin in Rhene the Lantgraue of Turinge the Bishops of Magdeburg of Breme of Treuers of Colongne and of Banberge promised him obedience R. Barns Amaricus the brother of Baudwin was the sixt King of Ierusalem Sigeb Alexander in the meane while held a Councell at Tours But at Rome the Vicegerent of the Pope Alexander the Bishop of Prenestine died and in his place was substituted Iohn Cardinall of the Church of S. Peter He by siluer and other meanes drewe to Alexander the most part of the Romane Citizens and did so much as they created new Consuls such as fauoured the said Alexander They recalled Alexander out of France and he was well receiued at Rome the Bishop of Pauie was put out for that he held on the Emperours side Frederic the third time went into Italie against certaine that rebelled and came to Rome to knowe the cause of those Popes Alexander would not appeare but drewe backe as before The Townes of Italie rebelled against the Emperor at the perswasion of Alexander and they conspired together The Millainois reedified their Towne in fauour of this Alexander and called it Alexandria Frederic the fourth time returned into Italie with a great Armie against the rebells but Henry Leon Duke of Saxonie corrupted by siluer as is thought left the Emperour and returned into Saxonie with his company The Emperour required him not to faile him in that great need but he lost time therefore was hee constrained to withdrawe from Italie and returne into Almaine in a seruants apparell and that with great difficultie Behold how by Popes the world hath euer beene troubled The yeare of Christ 1173. Saladin slew his Lord the Calyphe and raigned in his place Chron. Euseb The yeare of Christ 1175. Frederic the fift time returned into Italie but at the perswasion of his Confessor he conuerted his Armes against the Turkes and passing through Hungarie came vnto Constantinople occupied many Townes and places of the Turkes as Philomenia and Iconium after he came into Armenia the lesse finally euen to Ierusalem Whilest Frederic was thus busied with the Turke the Pope Alexander with his confederates ceased not to thinke how they might destroy him To the end then that hee should not returne victorious the Pope sent to the Souldan the Image of the Emperour which he caused to be drawne very liuely by an excellent Painter with Letters by which he gaue aduertisement vnto the Souldan to sley or destroy the said Emperour by treason if euer hee pretended to liue in peace The Souldan hauing receiued the said Popes Letters with the Emperours figure sought by all meanes to come to his purpose but occasion fell not out so soone But finally as the Emperour returned from the conquest of Ierasalem being in Armenia one day as it was very hotte hee withdrew into a wood with a fewe of his people and with his Chaplaine and not thinking of any daunger there made his people goe aside and hee and his Chaplaine lighted off their horses vnapparelled themselues and so refreshed them in a running streame of water There was hee surprised by the ambushes which the Souldane had laid and were carried through the wood vnto the Souldan His people knowing nothing of his taking sought him all the next morning The brute came vnto the Campe the Emperor was drowned and by the space of an whole moneth they sought him in the floud where he washed The Emperour being brought before the Souldane feigned himselfe to be the Emperors Chaplaine but the Souldan knowing him by the Image the Pope sent him maintained that he was the Emperour of the Christians and indeed commanded that straight some should bring him the said Image and that the Popes Letters should be read The Emperour astonished at this treason confessed the truth and demaunded fauour Certaine time after the Souldan sent him away vnder certain couenants agreed betwixt them The Emperour returning assigned a day at Noremberg and assembling his Court declared the Pope Alexander his treason shewing his Letters and the Image Briefly euery one promised him helpe to pay his ransome and to doo iustice of the said Alexander In this time of darknesse and horrible tempests after the Grashoppers and vermine of begging Friers which deuoured the title graine of the world here gaue the Lord again a light as it were the breake of day The beginning of the Waldois Peter Waldo a Citizen of Lions beganne by litle and litle in this time to cleare the thicke darknesse therof and this was as a first and litle beginning of the Instauration of the Christian doctrine and religion The Historie is this In the Towne of Lions as many of the chief of the Towne in Sommer time to recreate themselues and talke together one amongst them suddenly fell downe dead in the presence of others amongst which was this Waldo a rich man who more then all other men was mooued and surprised with feare and an apprehension of the humane frailtie and began to think the spirit of God drawing him more nearly to repencance and to meditate true pietie more then euer hee had done before He began then to giue much more almes to open his house to all and to speake of penance and true pietie to such as for any cause came vnto him This feare was of God the fruite and the ende sheweth it in this person But the feare that
moued Bruno to seeke remedie and comfort to his fancie without the word of the Lord was of the diuel and proceeded of his illusions This liberalitie drew many poore and needfull people vnto him that they came by troupes and he alwaies expounded some place of holy scripture in the vulgar tongue for hee was a man learned as the writings of that time witnesse and the Catalogue of the witnesses of the truth the Bishop of the place and the Prelates which carried the keyes as they say and would neither enter nor let others enter beganne to murmure that a Laie man or secular man as they call them should handle or declare in the vulgar tongue the scripture and make assemblies in his house admonishing to cease to do so vnder the paine of excommunication But for all this the zeale that Waldo had to aduance the glory of God and the desire the little ones had to learne was nothing diminished but contrary the resistance and tyrannie of the Prelates gaue occasion to discouer the errours and superstitions of the Romane seate which then were as it were hid in darknesse The like happened in our time for whē the Pope his Priests could not endure that Martin Luther should reprehend their Indulgences they were the cause that a further search was made into their errours and so discouered their abhominable blasphemies Waldo now gathered in the vulgar tongue many places out of the auncient Fathers to cōfirme and strengthen such as were of his side not only by the authoritie of holy scriptures but also by witnesse of Doctors against the aduersaries It is likely to be true by Historiographers yea euen by the writings of the aduersaries that this assembly endured certaine time it may be foure or fiue yeares that Waldo taught in the Towne of Lyons before he was driuen to exile banishment For because he was mightie and had friends he was not so soone exposed to daungers which afterward were laide for him And thus came the appellation of the Pope of Lions Some called them Waldois some Lyonists and some Insabbatati that is such as obserued neither Sabboth nor Feast and many other like names to make them odious and detestable as shall be shewed in the discourse of this Historie Alexander vnderstanding the Emperor marched to come to Rome perceiuing himselfe culpable of the treason he had done him the 7. yeare of his Popedome fled from Rome in the habit of his Coole came vnto Venice remained in a Monasterie where finally being knowne he was led by the Duke the Senate with great solemnitie into S. Markes Church The Emperor vnderstanding y t Alexander was at Venice sent Embassadors to demaund Alexander The Venetians maintained the Pope which the Emperor seeing sent thither his son Otho with an Army yet commanding him not to fight against the Venetians before his comming But Otho led with youth gaue battell lost the victory was prisoner Which the Pope seeing wold not agree with the Emperor vnlesse fist he came to Venice receiued the meanes that he wold offer Frederic to help his son came to Venice the Pope would not absolue him of y e bond of excommunicatiō vntill he presented himselfe at the doore of S. Mark his Church Whē he was come thither the Pope cōmanded him in the presence of all the people to cast himself vpon the ground and to demand pardon of him The Emperor prostrating himselfe vpon the earth at the Popes feete hee set his foote vpon the Emperors neck pressing it downe said It is written Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis Leonem draconem that is to say Thou shalt goe vpon the Aspe Basilike and tread vnder thy feet the Lyon the Dragō The Emperor taking in ill part the contumely answered This was not said vnto thee but vnto Peter But the Pope stepping againe vpon his neck answered Both to me to Peter The Emperour fearing the peril or an hid danger held his peace so was absolued and an accord was made betwixt them vpō condition that the Emperour should hold Alexander for the true legitimate Pope that he should restore to the Romane church all that he had vsurped takē during the war These things ended the Emperor his son departed frō Venice so ceased y e schisme This Pope gaue many priuiledges to the order of Chartreux and Canonized S. Barnard The bodies of three Kings as they call them were transported from Millaine to Colongne by the Bishop of the said place Sabell Eun. 9. lib. 5. The order of the Carmalites began in this time and the order of Willelmins Hermirs Fasc Temp. About this time Henry the second King of England seeing the power of Bishops Cleargie too great in England and that they by oathes made to the Pope did alienate themselues and the Forces of the Realme by such means weakned renewed the auncient rights called the Dignities of the Kingdome And aboue all that which saith That Bishops and Prelates shal sweare to be loyall and faithful vnto the king and the publike vtilitie of the kingdome Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cāterburie gaue that oath to the King but after repented himselfe thereof as of an vnlawfull oath and demanded therfore the Popes absolution The King grieued at such periurie banished him and about fiue yeares he was in France The questiō was long debated at Rome cost much mony vpō Embassadors going betweene the one partie the other Gratian cōpiler of the Decrees was sent on the Popes side Petrus Lombardus on Becket his side The king fearing apparent daungers on the side of France was glad to be quiet but Becket being restored and stil remaining contrary to the king and vnwilling to absolue such as before he had excommunicated he was slain by certaine Nobles of the Realme The 48. yeare after his death there was a disputation in Paris amongst the Doctors whether he were damned or saued There was one Roger a Normane who maintained that he deserued death being a Rebell against the King who is the Minister of God Others contrary maintained that by good right he ought to be held in the number of Martirs because he died for the Clergie and so the Pope Alexander canonized him This Historie sheweth vs what difference there is betwixt the Popes Martyrs and them of Iesus Christ The punishment makes not the Martyr but the cause Many haue written against this Archbishop Becket and condemning him haue maintained the Kings cause Baleus rehearseth it So doth Iohn Eliot and Iohn Bishop of Poitiers Our Ladies Church of Paris is now builded by the Bishop there called Maurice who also founded besides three Monasteries that is Negranx Hermeries and Yeres The Sea of Histories About this time were there seene in the West Countries three Sunnes in September the yeare after three Moones Chro. Euseb Baudwin fourth of that name the seuenth King of
things to this passe that Wencelaus son of Ottocaire should take to wife Gertrude the Emperors daughter on the other side Rodolphe the Emperour his sonne should espowse Agnes the daughter of Ottocaire Austrich also came vnto the Emperours sonne Albert. The Tartarians Till this time the Tartarians were vnknowne in Europe Now they shewed themselues and finally entred into Hungarie with fiue hundreth thousand men from thence into Polonia Schlesia Morauia See Monstre lib. 4. Some recite that in this time Haalon King of the Tartarians ouercame the Countries of Persia and tooke Babilon then called Baldaca with the great Caliphe who in the Mahumetist lawe is to bee compared vnto the Pope of Rome in authoritie and treasure This Haalon hauing the Caalipho prisoner as is said inuented and ordained in a great mockerie his death in this sort It is conuenient saith hee that that man speake of the Caliphe which loued so much gaine should be nourished with precious viands go then and place him in the middest of heaps of gold and precious stones and let him vse such meates As then he had certaine time bene kept in great affluence of gold and siluer and in the middest of these riches he died with hunger See Paralip Vrsp. Innocent Pope fift of that name borne at Burgongne after Supp Chron. and Cor. Abb. Or in Lombardie after Fasci Temp. before called Peter de Tarentaise Prior Prouinciall of the Iacobins in France Maister and Doctor in Theologie Archbishop of Lyons Cardinall d' Ostia and great Penitenciary of the Pope See how these Grashoppers Mendicants enter alreadie into power to appoint ouer them the King Abadon as is spoken Apocalips 19. Whilest this man was Bishop of Ostia and Cardinall whose office it is to consecrate the Pope Bonauenture Friar was also Cardinall and Bishop of Albe This Peter or Innocent beeing chosen Pope came soone after to Rome Where hauing bene crowned in the Church of S. Peter that hee might rest at his pleasure he sent Embassadors men of great authoritie which commaund them of Tuscane which had conspired to destroy the Pisans and the Geneuois and Venetians beeing at deadly foode to lay downe their Armes vpon paine of excommunication The Embassadors of Charles King of Sicilie were also there present by meanes of whose authoritie hee hoped things should more easily haue such issue as they desired The Tuscanes straight did what was commaunded them And aboue all the Florentines which also for that cause he declared and absolued of the Interdict which Gregorie his predecessor had published against them But the Geneuois Venetian whose hearts had of long time beene inueterated consumed one an other by losses and mutuall victories which notwithstanding Innocent would haue made consent vnto that he pretended if he had longer liued he tooke the matter so much to heart But he dyed sixe moneths and two daies after he was chosen Pope the same yeare of his predecessour Gregorie and was buried in the Church of Laterane This saith Carsulanus although he had determined to do many things yet did nothing worthie of memorie because he was preuented by death This Pope as Platina saith displeased much the secular Priests because that being at Viterbe after he had heard the processe that was betwixt them and the Iacobins touching the sepulcure of Clement the fourth hee ordeined by sentence that his bodie should be buried by the said Iacobins Rodolphe Adrian Pope fift of that name borne at Genes of the house of Tolisques before called Othobonus was created Pope at Rome in the Pallace of Lateran after the death of Innocent his vncle hauing bene ordeined by him Cardinall Deacon of Saint Adrian and sent into England with large power to leuie a great summe of money But as hee sought to appease certaine discordes betwixt the King and his Barons that hee might dispatche his businesse the more easilie hee was clapt vp in prison by the Londiners but finally deliuered againe The yeare of our Lorde 1266. hee helde a Sinode in Northumberland and an other at London whether resorted a great number of Bishoppes and Priests There after they had brought to such estate as he thought good the things appertaining to the Popedome hee published certaine lawes which in time to come England should vse in such things as concerned Popery He declared wicked all such Bishops as had rashly followed the Princes part against King Henry the third which yet were absolued by him partly by gifts presents and partly because he was constrained vnto a quicke transportation to the Pope of Rome Being then created Pope of Rome he tooke incontinently his way towardes Viterbe and sought to bring into Italie the Emperor Rodolphe to diminish the power of Charles King of Sicilie this was hee which a little before they had lifted vp into that roome against all iustice and equitie who at that time did his pleasure and as he would at Rome But Rodolphe being wrapped in warre against the Bohemians could not satisfie Adrians request As for Charles meaning to flie the enuie against him transported into Achaia all his forces which he had prepapared to make warre to the end by that meane to make a way to be Emperour of Constantinople Adrian had a will saith Platina to cause that all Seignories belonging vnto the Church should come into great assurance against such as oppressed them and to reduce into an other forme the constitution of his predecessour Gregorie touching the shutting vp of Cardinalls at the Popes election But death hindered his enterprises and opposed it selfe against the greatnes of his courage What could he do saith Wicelius Apostate of the truth that was a Pope but of fortie dayes For be deceased at Viterbe the yeare 1276. before he could be consecrated and was enterred in the Couent of Friars the fourth day of his Popedome and the seat was vacant about 28. dayes Many debates and contentions happened amongst the Bishops and Pastors against the Mendicant Monkes which troubled Churches because whether Bishops Priests would or no they would ascend into Pulpits to preach Amongst such as complained of them besides Guilliam d'Amour of whom we spake before there was Bernard the Glossator of the Decretalls Godfrey des Fountaines Henry de Gaud and many others Laurent an English man Doctour of Paris in this time maintained the opinion of Guilliam de Saint Amour and writ against the Monkes a Booke conteining an admonition against false Prophets and an other by which he defendeth the said de Saint Amour The Booke that the bogging Friars set out Of the eternall and spirituall Gospell to eâ—â—â—â—ct the true Gospell of our Lord was publikely burnt and to couer their filthinesse and impudencie they saide that a certaine Monke which long time before was dead had made it Iohn 22. of that name of Portugal borne in the Towne of Lisbone making profession of Phisicke called before Peter of Portugall of a Cardinall and
happened by the dissention of the Christians and rashnesse of such as were Crossed saith Fascic tempo There was mortall warre betwixt the Geneuois and they of Pise for the I le of Corsike but finally the Pisans were vanquished vpon the sea and more then twelue or sixteene thousand men slaine with a losse of fortie eight Gallies Fasci Temp. And other ships besides them were sunke and drowned Suppl Chron. The Tartarians got hold of the kingdome of Constantinople and a great part of that Empire The same Nicholas Pope dyed of griefe that all things happened not after his wish seeing so manifold calamities all ouer and especially at Rome The Cardinals after his death retired to Peruse that their election might be more sure but in two yeares and three moneths they could not accord Suppl Chron. Rodolphe the Emperour dyed also the yeare of his age 73. of our saluation 1291. of his Empire 18. He had for his wife Anne Countesse of Hohemberg which was buried at Basle with her sonne Herman who was drowned in Rhene Adolphe Count of Nassau was chosen Emperour by certaine of the Electors and Albert Duke of Astrishe by other yet Adolphe was crowned at Aix the Chappell His brother who was Archbishop of Magunce helped him much He raigned sixe yeares and after was deposed by the Electors For besides that he was not puissaunt enough in domestical faculties to sustaine that Imperiall dignitie he also despised the Princes of the Empire and dignified diuer without merite He committed adulterers violated Virgines Nunnes and Widowes he enterprised warre against Fraunce because of the kingdome of Arles but he executed no memorable thing sauing that he ledde an Armie into Thuringe and Misne to pacifie contentions betwixt Albert Lantgraue of Thuringe and his sonne Dietere and others Celestine fift of that name an Esermen by Nation which is a place nigh the Towne of Sulme by profession an Heremite and before called Peter Moron after that briberies of the Cardinalls which had endured the space of two yeares had taken ende by the fauour of Charles the second of that name King of Naples and of the Cardinall Latin was declared Pope Incontinently after his election he went to Aigle and caused to come before him all the Cardinalls and created new to the number of twelue amongst which there were two Hermites Ptolomie and Laques haue written that at his installing were two hundreth thousand men In the first Consistory he held saith Christian Masseus as he went about to reforme the Romane church to the ende the Cleargy therof might serue for an example to others he incurred so the maleuolence indignation of many that grinding their teeth against him they called him sot and dotard One of these companions called Benet suborned an other who making a crany or hole in his Chamber many nights cried as it had bin an Angel from heauen Celestine Celestine renounce thy Papacie For that charge exceedeth thy Forces Some also in the day time counselled him to giue ouer his Popedome and prouide for his saluation The king Charles was aduertised of these things getting their Pope to come to him he praied him as much as was possible that he would not reiect such a dignity which was giue him from heauen wherevnto he answered I wil do what God will As hee returned from Naples it may bee hauing no rest in his conscience on the Vigile of Saint Luce he dismissed himselfe of that charge and hasted to returne into his Hermitage All this rehearseth Masseus yet first he made a constitution by the consent of all that it should be lawfull for a Pope to giue ouer such a charge Which constitution Boniface 8. his successor a man subtill and malicious confirmed and placed if in the 6 booke of his Decretalls Moreouer the said Boniface his successor fearing that the people despising him would cleaue vnto Celestine he caused him to be put in close prison where he kept him euen till his death He died then in prison the yeare of our Lord 1295. the 10. day of May two yeares and fiue moneths after he had bene chosen Pope The Sect of Monkes called Celestines had their name and originall of him Arlot general of the order of Friars who made the Concordances vpon the Bible liued in this time Abb. Trit Boniface 8. of that name borne in Campania in the Towne of Anagnia called before Benet de Gauete one of the chiefe Councellors of Celestine his predecessor beeing at Naples was thrust into his place by a maruellous treason Being Cardinall Priest of S. Martin in the Mountaines he desired so to come vnto the Papall dignitie that he left nothing behind either of ambition or fraud that he thought might bring his purpose to passe Againe hee was so arrogant that he despised almost all men in respect of himselfe This is he of whom it is commonly spoken That he entred as a Foxe raigned as a Lyon and died as a dogge For it was he that sollicited Celestine to depose himselfe and so hee entered like a Foxe he gouerned like a Lyon in so much that hee was so arrogant and cruell to the end so that he called himselfe Lord of all the world but he died like a dogge For his end was miserable and all his deeds were reprooued as may be seene by his Historie He said as Marius witnesseth that he shut Celestine in prison not for any enmitie towards him but for feare the authors of sedition by his conduction should do him and the Romane Church any domage But who will not say that this Boniface was an horrible monster and an ignorant person hauing circumuented despoiled and finally murdred in prison a simple man which was his father After that the Princes of Almaine had chosen Albert Duke of Austrich Adolphe hauing on his side Otho Duke of Bauiers Raoul Count Palatin and certaine Imperiall Cities gaue battaile against Albert nigh Spire which was sharpe and cruell wherein Adolphus was slaine the yeare of his Empire 6. or 8. after some Albert Duke of Austrich sonne of Rodolphe the Emperor was againe chosen by the Electors and crowned at Aix the Chapple the yeare 1298. Hee gaue the gouernment of the Duchie of Austrich to his sonne Rodolphe and gaue him in marriage Blanch the sister of Phillip king of France He made many warres That against the Bishop of Salisburie was for certaine Salt-wells For this Bishop being prouoked by Albert caused to be destroyed the place where the Salt was made The Emperor who could not be ouercome was impoysoned but the Phisitians gaue him such remedies that the venome came out at his mouth and nosthrills The force thereof was so great that it wasted one of his eyes and hee was called Borgne Hee was a magnanimous and valiant Prince He demaunded of Boniface to be crowned but he refused him saying hee was vnworthy of the Empire because hee
to keepe all the aforesaid things And if any had not inough each day to spend eight pence and if he promised not to be confessed and to haue good contrition and to forgiue all iniuries his enemies had done vnto him Moreouer his wife must consent vnto him Finally the Emperour forced them to leaue off these toyes and bables and the Pope forbad them vpon paine of excōmunication from thenceforth not to whip themselues Yet in repentant maner they might whip themselues secretly Imbert Daulphin of Vienne renouncing the glory of the world as they speake tooke the habit of a Iacobin in the Couent of Lyons vppon Rhosne solde the Countrey of Dolphine to the king of France vnder conditiō that the kings of France should not aliene it and that their eldest children should beare the title thereof And this did he in despight of such as should haue bin his heires which had done a thing contrary to his will See the French Histories Bartholus the Legist or Lawyer was in this time and Petrus Bercorij who translated Titus Liutus into French at the King Iohn his commaundement and made the Breuiarie vpon the Bible and the Morall Reportorie Phillip de Valois 49. king of France the Coozin-germain of the three former kings hauing raigned 22. yeares died at Noogent le Roy of the age of 57. yeares Iohn his sonne Duke of Normandie was crowned at Reims the fiftieth king of France and raigned 14. yeares The brotherhood of the order of the starre began in the house of S. Oyon nigh Paris at the instance of King Iohn The knights of this order carried a starre in theyr hattes or on their coates About this time the Iewes were sent out of Almaine because they had infected and poysoned the Fountaines and Pits of water Fasci Temp. Clement the sixt died suddenly being stroken with an Aposteme the yeare 1353. Innocent Pope sixt of that name succeeded borne of Limoges first called Stephen Aubert hee was an aduocate Doctor in the Lawes and the Decrees after he was Bishop of Cleremont and Cardinall of Ostia After he had taken possession of the Popedome looking prudently for his profit in time to come he suspended certaine reseruations made by Clement his predecessor and straight ordained that all Prelates and beneficed men should retire vnto their Churches not to the end to preach the Gospell but to magnifie and maintaine all abuses and Papish rights And that they might gather the fruites thereof to liue in all Idlenesse and dissolution He said well that Sheepe ought to be kept by their owne Sheepheard and not by an hireling This Pope would needs gather a tenthe of all the rents and reuenewes of the Cleargie but the Prelates of France would not consent therevnto therefore it was not leuied yet hee did what he could in Almaine in the Dioces of Spice See Nauclerus The dearenes of victualls was extreame in France for the warres of the Englishmen the quarter of good wheat was at eighteene pounds at Paris He diminished his ordinarie expences which was great in reducing his familie to a certaine number yet not very honest as may be seene in Petrarke He would haue no person in his house but such as should serue either his profit or affections and he very straightly by Edict enioyned all his Cardinalls that they should do the like And said that his life and that of all Ecclesiasticall persons ought to serue for an example to others so that all Christian people may take heed to follow our examples Moreouer hee ordained a certaine sallary or stipend for the Auditors of his Pallace to the end they should steale nothing He was sparing in his diet and liuing say some authors but in expences of warre very large The Vniuersitie of Prage in Bohemia is instituted and endowed with priuiledges by Innocent at the request of the Emperour Charles the 4. Naucler Charles the 4. going to Rome to be crowned his wife was taken at Pise and carried with her Damzels into a Stewes to despite the Emperour but shee escaped from thence in great danger and then appeared the vertue of the Almaines Nauclerus The yeare 1355. Charles the 4. was crowned at Millaine and after at Rome on Easter day vpon condition straight to depart out of Italie Naucler What pride was this to commaund the Romane Emperour to retire out of his owne countrey Franc. Petrarke The Iourney of Poitiers was to the great dammage and confusion of all France and victorie of the English There were slaine the Duke of Bourbon and the Constable of Fraunce the Marshall and others to the number of eight hundreth knights The King of France was a prisoner Phillip his fourth sonne and others as well Counts as knights and men of armes at least 17. hundreth See the Histories of France The yeare of Christ 1359. was held an Imperiall Iourney at Magunce whether the Pope Innocent sent his Legate for the subsidies of the Apostolike Chamber and the said Legate had power to dispence with all Ecclesiasticall persons touching Benefices which they had obtained otherwise then the holy Canons permitted In this assembly were the Archbishop of Magunce Treuers and of Colongne the Dukes of Saxe Bauiere and others The Emperor then called the Legate vnto him said The Pope hath sent you into Almaine to exact a great summe of siluer without reforming the Cleargie After hee said to a Canon of Magunce deliuer mee your hatte and gaue him his which was much worse Then said he to the Princes which were there Locke not I with this hatte more like a warriour then a man of the Church Then turned hee againe to the Archbishop of Magunce and said Wee commaund that you reforme your Cleargie and take away the superfluitie in their garments shooes hattes and other things The Popes Legate hearing this went away all confounded and as it were flying tooke a boate and got him to Cologne Naucler This Pope a true Tyrant of Babilon commaunded that Iohn de Roquetaillaid should be burnt in Auignon because he said something against the Cleargie This man saith Peter de Premonstre prophecied many things should come to passe touching Antichrist and the Popes and therefore was he held suspected of heresie For he began to prophecie the yeare of our Lord 1345. in the time of Clement the sixt and many things were seene come to passe of that he had foretold This Pope ordained the Feast of Iesus Christs Launce and nailes to the end those dead Idolls might bee adored by the Christians Hee Inuironed Auignon with walles and ditches and without the towne founded the Monasterie of Chartreux Before this Popes death there was a great Ecclips of the Sunne such as was neuer seene the like to shewe that that very time was so full of darknesse that scant was there any remainder of the light of truth in the Church There was also seene in his time a a flame after the
I that am Pope But although it displeased the others which were there present yet they must needs dissemble it so furious terrible and enuironed with souldiers was hee After his election he remained a certaine time at Bolongne then went he to Rome it beeing the chiefe of his enterprise There he assembled a Sinode to the end to giue the Imperiall Crowne to Sigismond In the first Session of this Sinode as the aforesaid Iohn was sitting on an high seate after the Masse of the holy Ghost was sung there came an Owle who placing her self vpon one of the balkes of the Temple and looking directly vpon the Pope saluted him in a straunge maner with his fearefull song Such as were there present began to wonder looking one at an other and also casting their view vpon the Pope they could scant keepe themselues from laughing As for Iohn hee began to bee much ashamed to sweate and to bee sore anguished and tormented in himselfe Finally finding no other meane whereby hee might remedie his so great confusion after hee had giuen leaue to such as were there assembled he rose vp and retired There was an other Session after this wherein came the like For this Owle could not bee chased away neyther for any cryes no nor yet for stones and staues which were cast at him There were then many which by this spectacle were induced to beleeue that such spirituall pillers haue long time gouerned the Church of Rome Nicholas Clemengis Archdeacon of Baieux reciteth this Historie in his Epistles A Councell assembled at Constance To put end to the aforesaid discords and slaunders they were forced to assemble a general Councel for which the place was assigned at Constance This was against the Pope Iohns wil who desired it might be held in such a place wherein hee had more powre then the Emperour See Naucler Leonard Aretin who were in this time In the said Councell finally appeared Pope Iohn the 24. of that name and arriued at Constance vpon S. Simon and Iudes euen Anno. 1414. Likewise the Emperour Sigismond came thither on Christmas euen after midnight with the Empresse his wife and many other Princes Counts Barons and Nobles which were in number about 30940. persons Courtiers saith the Sea of Histories With the Pope Iohn arriued foure Patriarkes twentie and nine Cardinalls 47. Archbishops and 160. Bishops See Naucler On Christmas day the Pope sung three Masses one at midnight one in the morning and one at noone and Sigismond attired Deacon like sung the Gospell Exijt edictum a Cesare c. Naucler This Councell endured three yeares and seuen weekes after some or about foure yeares after Naucler and there was 46. Sessions See the 2. volume of Councells The yeare 1414. the king of France laid siege before Champaine and it was taken by composition Hee tooke Soissons and after laid siege before Arras but a peace was made by the Duchesse of Holland sister of the Duke of Burgongne The Sea of Hist The Friday after Candlemas day as they call it there arriued at the Councell sixe Cardinalls of Pope Gregories the 12. which approoued the Councell by the authoritie of the said Gregorie Naucler The yeare 1415. was the battaile of Blangy betwixt the English and French wherein the chiefe bloud of Fraunce was shead and it was commonly called La male Iournee The Sea of Histo. In this time Wencelaus king of Boheme was required by the Councell to send Iohn Hus who went thither with the Emperours safe conduct There went with him also Ierome of Prage with one onely Clarke They were admonished and greatly sollicited to desist from their opinions but they were constant They maintained that they were true in their propositions and reasons being founded on the truth of the holy Gospell And contrary that the Romane Church had withdrawne it selfe from the truth and the Apostles doctrine c. See a more ample declaration of this Historie in the first part of the booke of Martyrs They were both condemned to be burned Iohn Hus was first executed about the fourth day of the moneth of Iuly the yeare 1415. and a good while after Ierome of Prage was also burnt in the moneth of September They endured death constantly and merily went to the fire glorifying the Lord euen in the middest of the flame Their Ashes were cast into the Lake of Constance The Bohemians vnderstanding what was done at Constance against their Doctors sacked and spoiled all the Couents and Monasteries of the Countrey and fired them and from that time withdrew themselues from the subiection of the Romane Pope as is said In the said Councell Iohn Wickliffe an English man was condemned an heretike and although dead yet his bones were condemned to be vnburied Also Lay-people were inhibited to communicate the Sacrament vnder both kindes There was also a Decree that the Councell was aboue the Pope and not contrarie That the Councell hath full power to correct iudge and depose the Pope yea to ordaine of all things and not the Pope to Iudge correct or chaunge Decrees and Statutes of the Councell Iohn 24. Pope seeing that in the said Councell many crimes were obiected against him fled away in a disguised habit by the helpe of the Duke of Austrich Frederic and by the Councell of the Archbishop of Magunce although the Emperour did all he could to hinder it Naucler He fledde first to Shaffufe and from thence to Lusemberge and after to Fribourge to take his way towards the Duke of Bourgongne if hee could get thither Naucler The Duke Frederic was cyted in full Councell by the Emperour and that many times And for that hee appeared not the Emperour absolued his subiects of the oath of disobedience which they ought vnto the Duke Also hee depriued him of all his riches and goods and gaue his goods to such as could take and occupie them This gaue many occasion to assaile his person and his goods whereof yet at this day the Cantons and the Valesans hold many places as Bade Melingen Prenigarten Wallestat Diossenhosen which they got by force of Armes Others occupied other Townes and places See Naucler Iohn was taken and brought to Constance and there deteined prisoner at Richman After they prooued against him 40. criminall Articles He was deposed by all the Councell the Wednesday of Trinitie 14. and 15. and hee himselfe approoued his deposition In the second Volume of Councels there is mention made that more then 54. Articles were proposed and proued against him to euery of which he answering cryed Ah I haue yet committed a greater crime namely I haue passed the Alpes and am come into Almaine After his condemnation hee was giuen vnto the Count Palatin who kept him three yeares in Menhen he was not suffered to haue any Italian with him no not his Chamberlaine his Gard were all Almaines and he spake vnto them by signes onely Naucler After the deposition of Pope
imposed vpon him lawes of extreame rigour Amongst others that hee should subiect himselfe to that which the Pope would ordaine vpon him touching Religion The Duke wished rather to die whereat the Emperor maruelling remitted that condition but yet he tooke from him all his goods sauing 50000. Crownes which the Duke Maurice vnto whom that spoyle came should giue him yearely The 21. of May Wittemberge yeelded it selfe by that Dukes commaundement after hee had acquited to his sonne and his subiects the oath of fidelitie they ought him and Maurice tooke season thereof An example of magnanimitie and constancie more then Heroicke that is Christiā which God giueth to his in the middest of the greatest afflictions of this world The estates of the Empire assembled at Vlme There the Emperours Embassadors purposed to make a league frō thenceforward to appease all troubles if any such arise like this last But the pestilence dissipated this conspiration against the Gospell and the estates retired to Ausbourge The Lantgraue of Hesse to obey the conditions of peace proposed vnto him came vnto the Emperour at Hale and after supper as he would haue departed he was stayed He complained that hee was betrayed and promises not performed vnto him The Emperour before the estates at Ausbourge declared the cause wherefore he set him not at libertie to be this That hee exhibited not the Letters and secrets of the League of Smalcalde And taketh witnesse vnto Maurice and Brandebourge that he neuer meant him lesse then a perpetuall prisoner The doctrine of the Papists dispenseth herein namly that vnto Heretickes men should keepe no faith Peter Lewis the Popes sonne was shine at Plaisance in his Castle by a Band of 36. which had cōspired against him They hanged his body in a chaine on the toppe of the Castle walls a thing much pleasing the people He was slaine the 10. of September on the same day wherevpon his Father Pope Paul being cunning in Negromancie had warned him to take heed The end of tyrants are miserable and horrible and should put vs in mind of Gods iudgement Certaine time after he had beene cast into the graues the Plaisantines themselues massacred him with the stabs of Daggers After Dom Ferdinand de Gonsague strengthned the towne with a Garrison The Masse was abolished in England by a decree iudgement of the publike Councell of all the Realme The Venetians after the Emperours fashion made a very rigorous Edict against such as are called Lutherans One called Francis Spiera of the Citadelle a Towne of the Territories of Venice for that in the said Venice before Iohn Cuse the Popes Legate he had renounced the truth of the Gospell which hee knew fell into dispaire and of a vehement and great apprehension thereof got a great malladie and sicknesse wherein hee could no way be comforted and whatsoeuer any alleadged of Gods promises of his mercie he would still answere that they nothing appertained vnto him because he said hee had sinned against the holy Ghost And in that dispaire finished he pitiously his dayes This is a great good example worthy to be earnestly thought on Maximilian the eldest sonne of Ferdinand from Trent arriued in Spaine and in great magnificence espowsed Mary the Emperours eldest daughter his Cousin-germaine Iane the onely daughter of the king of Nauarre who before was promised vnto the Duke of Cleues was giuen in marriage vnto the Duke of Vendosme The Emperour giueth charge to certaine traytors of the truth namely Iulles Pflug Michael Sidonius and Iohn Islebe Agricula with a Secretarie of Grauiele to build a booke of Religion and called it Interim This booke shooke Almaine more then all the grieuous persecutions that had bin before It was called the Emperours booke Ellenor the dead king Francis widowe left France and retired into her brothers lowe Countries The Bourdelois in Guienne mutined against the King because of a subsidie or taxation and slew the kings Lieftenant there whereof they were by the Constable chastised He constrained themselues to make the fire and to burne all their priuiledges He caused a great number of the chiefe of the towne to be put to death They were constrained to follow the Funeralls of the said Lieftenant slaine in the habit of Criminalls carrying Torches in their hands and demaunding mercie Ambrose Blaurer Minister of Constance and with him a great number of the Bourgesses left the Towne because of Religion The Princes and Townes of Almain are sollicited and forced by the Emperour to giue answere vnto the approbation of his booke The Emperor also caused to be set out a forme of Ecclesiasticall reformation for an outward shew which after they had heard recited they approoued and promised to cause them to be obserued in their Churches with the Popes good pleasure The Duke of Wirtemberge at the alone commandement of the Emperour straightway caused the booke to be read vnto the people forbidding them to do any thing to the contrary The Duke of Saxonie being prisoner was much sollicited to receiue the Emperours booke of reformation but he still remained constant without bowing or yeelding either by threatnings or promises which was cause that his gardes began to handle him more roughly and rudely The Preacher which he alwaies till then had with him fearing danger found meanes to escape A great diuersitie of courage betwixt the two Dukes The Duke Maurice returning into his Countrey proposed the Emperours decree caused the Diuines of Leipsic and of Wirtemberge to assemble and determine therevpon Which after they had two or three times assembled they ordained of things indifferent commonly called Adiaphores In the end they set out in writing at Leipsic a forme of Religion which all Duke Maurice subiects should follow The Bishop of Strasbourge summoned the Ministers and Regents of the schoole which held the Colledge of S. Thomas to receiue the Emperours decree Bucer and Phagius with the Senates leaue departed the first day of April to goe into England whither they were called by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Thus the Lord prouideth for his After he hath taken his truth from one place he sendeth them into an other to doe his worke there The King of Fesse in Affricke being chased by a certaine Zepziphe king his neighbour who from low estate was growne vnto that greatnesse implored helpe of the Emperour at Auspourge Whilst Religion was thus troubled in Almaine the Pope thought it good to make his profit thereof Therefore he sent their Legates into Almaine with an Indult by which power was giuen vnto them to receiue all such as they would into the bosome of the Church and to permit by the Popes authoritie to communicate the Supper of the Lord vnder both kinds and to eate all kinde of meates at all times The Ministers of the Lantgraues Country refused the Indult Phillip of Austrich made his entry into Bruxelles where his Father was and is receiued in great magnificence and pompe the
the consent of all the Cardinalls This man being in Venice in his hypocrisie inuented a new Sect of Monkes called Iesuites as if our Sauiour Iesus had ingendred such Popish Idolaters After this beeing made Cardinall as he departed from Venice to Rome he said vnto his Monkes which asked him whither he went Whither I go you cannot come now Abusing the scripture and prophaning the Lords words hee meant hereby that he left them shut vp in a Cloister in pouertie and miserie that he went vnto Rome to come vnto an high and mightie estate and dignitie wherevnto they could not come He writ a booke sometimes vnto Paul the third touching reformation of the Church but being become Pope he cared neither for Iesus Christ nor his Church In that booke he confirmeth almost all the poynts that we vse to reprehend in the Papists namely that the Church is so ruinated in Poperie that it is no more the Church of Iesus Christ but of the diuell For saith he Popes heape vp Doctors after their owne fancies and desires That Cardinalls and Bishops are cause that the name of Christ is blasphemed amongst people which vnder the colour of keyes gather great summes of money That wicked people are prouided for That Symoniacke Marchandices are greatly practised That Prelates burne with ambition and couetousnesse That horrible sinnes and iniquities are committed in Monasteries That the Towne of Rome is full of whoredomes and many such like More enormious and wicked things are committed at Rome then that which Theatin rehearseth in that booke for hee there only toucheth the vices abuses that are found in their common maner of liuing without making any mention of the contempt of the doctrine there vsed On Thursday the 16. day of May of this yeare there hapned a tumult at Geneua about 10. of the clocke in the night by the conspiracie of some which had for their stirrers Captaines certaine of the petit Councell of the Towne which not being able to beare so happie a prosperitie of the Gospell determined to chase away such as into that Towne had come from France to shun persecutions And as in the night time they ranne too and fro they cryed as for a false ensigne and token that the French were in Armes and the Towne betrayed but the French men stirred not out of their houses The commotion was bridled and stayed by certaine Lords of the Towne As for the seditious people some amongst them were executed others saued themselues by flight But the cause wherefore they would haue driuen away the French amongst others was because lately there were many of them receiued for Burgesses by meanes whereof their faction was weakened and the other part strengthned by the number of the new Burgesses which had bene added therevnto The French at this time raced many Castles by the Count Montferrat that they might haue victuals in greater assurance For if the enemie had occupied them Casal had bene brought into great necessitie In these parts was there a Towne called Vlpian which is of great importance The Spaniards held it then and it was revictualled at the comming of the Duke of Albe who had gathered together a great number of people Mariembourge also which the yeare before had beene taken in the lowe Countries from the Emperour was at the same time againe victualled by the French In the Countrie of Grisons there is a Towne nigh Italie called Lucarne which appertaineth vnto the whole communaltie of the Swisses The Citizens thereof required that they might be permitted to liue according vnto the reformation of the Gospell But because their Superiours and they were not of one Religion there was vpon deliberation diuers opinions Some agreed vnto their demaund others sought to hinder it So that there appeared towards some intestine and ciuill dissention yet in the end they of the Towne preuailed which wished that they should remaine in the Religion of their Auncestors and that they amongst them which accorded not therevnto might goe dwell otherwhere So were there found a great number which forsooke their naturall Countrey and withdrew vnto Zurich where they were receiued ioyfully and much relieued in their pouertie A great number of Vessels laden with all kindes of Marchandize came by Sea from Spaine towards Flaunders but vpon the coast of Normandie they were assailed with all force by the French which had espied them The combat amongst them was horrible many ships both of the one part and of the other were burnt and many sunke many a valiant man died there as wel by the sword as by burning and drowning The French in the end carried away some number of ships which they tooke into Diepe Hauen from whence they departed This happened in the moneth of August in the end of which moneth Phillip of Austrich repassed from England into Flaunders accompanied with a great number of English Gentlemen to finde the Emperour his father at Bruxels In September George Count de Montbellard the Duke of Wittemberge his Vncle tooke to wife Barbe the Lantgraues daughter The dissention of the Lords Supper and the presence of Christs body which had continued the space of thirtie whole yeares amongst the learned renewed againe in this time and there were published by certaine Ministers of Hambourge and Breme certaine litle bookes namely against Caluin and Iohn Alasco Caluin after answered them in earnest so did also Bullinger and Alasco who dedicating his booke to the King of Polongne greatly complained that without knowledge of the cause that without any disputation or amiable talke but onely vpon a certaine preiudice their doctrine was condemned after the maner of the Papists who in lieu of arguments from holy scripture proceed not but by force and commaundement The Marquesse of Marignan dying at Millaine the Cardinall of Trent was sent into Lombardie by the Emperour and King Phillip to bee there Gouernour At Naples the Duke of Albe was constituted About Christmas day the Pope according to his custome created new Cardinalls and amongst others Iohn Gropper the Archbishop of Cologne his Councellor Then also the Cardinall Poole being made Deacon Cardinall prest as they say began to say Masse For by the Popes lawe Deacons haue not yet that power In the beginning of Ianuarie happened great stormes and tempests in Saxonie Misne and Boheme Thunders and Lightnings which endaungered many places especially Churches In the same moneth at Vitodur in Suetia a litle Towne within two leagues of Zurich appeared in the night in one of the towers of the Church there a sparkling fire making such a noise as the Burgesses on all sides ran to put it out being come thither they found no flame yet it twise appeared that is to say the 4. 14. of the said moneth After this certaine of the Cantons of Suetia sollicited by the Pope got them to Rome whereas many maruelled King Phillip after he had receiued of his father the gouernment
of Flaunders the 18. of Ianuary he made a solemne entry into Antwerpe In the moneth of February Henry Duke of Brunswic espowsed the sister of Sigismond king of Pologne The 26. of the same moneth died at Aitsem Frederick Count Palatin Elector now very old and there succeeded him Otto Henry his brothers sonne who long time before had receiued the Gospell and for that cause was in daunger to haue lost all his goods Shortly after he had receiued his peoples oath of fidelitie he made an Edict that no person shuld sing any Masse or exercise any other ceremonies any where in his countries Mary Queen of EnglaÌ„d did what she could that church goods and lands might be restored because Pope greatly vrged her thervnto But many Princes great Lords held them therfore it could not be done During this Parliament many Innectiue and biting bookes were dispersed in London amongst which some were sufficient to haue stirred the common people to sedition against the Spaniards and to haue with drawne the Queenes loue froÌ„ King Phillip Search was made for the authors of these libels but it was not possible to finde them out Before the Assembly was departed affaires dispatched the Bishop of Winchester the Chauncelor died of a dropsie Thomas Heth Archbishop of Yorke who had sometimes bene in Almaine with him before of Canterbury and once had knowledge of the true Religion was come into his place About the fift of Nouember died the wife of Duke Iohn Frederic of Saxonie the Lantgraues daughter The Duke of Venice Francisco Venerio was deposed from his estate for ill dealing in the charge of victualls and hauing much more regard vnto his particular profit then to the publike weale About the end of February of this yeare the Moâ—râ—aâ—â—e called Dupetit S. Bernard on the valley side of Aouste which is in the subiection of the Duke of Sauoy was seene couered with red snowe and certaine white snowe fell but the whitenesse vanished away and the rednesse remained This was notoriously knowne and seene and the red snowe touched by many inhabitants of the said Countrey These prodiges and maruels admonish vs to beseech the Lord to turne away the tribulations and calamities which the poore world ceaseth not to draw vpon it selfe by his rebellion A frost of three weekes was so sharp in December that Seine was frozen wherevpon followed great mischiefes Oziander with his new doctrine of Iustification had long time stirred trobles in Pruse but after as it were al learned people had condemned him by their writings the Duke of Pruse Albert declared by a publike writing that therein hee would follow the doctrine of the confession of Ausbourge and so enioyned the Ministers of the Churches to teach accordingly and gaue them full licence And to the end the thing might be so fully and surely accorded that the wound might no more renew and be worse Iohn Albert Duke de Megelbourge the Duke of Pruse his sonne in lawe a Prince very well instructed in Letters went into the said Countrey of Prusia and by the meanes of certaine learned people whose labour he vsed hee did so much with Iohn Functius which was hee that chiefly maintained the opinion of Ozeander that publikely he confessed his fault and withall protested that he would neuer teach but according to the tenor of the confession of Ausbourge Others did the like So the Theologians were receiued into fauour and the estate of the Church pacified The 4. day of March began to appeare a Comet which was seene by the space of 12 dayes There is a litle Towne in Aulsâ—iâ— three leagues from Strasbourge called Oberene in that Towne a certaine Gardiner the tenth of Aprill in the absence of his wife was the murderer of his owne children of a girle of the age of 7. yeares of a boy of the age of 4. yeares and of an other yet in the cradle not past sixe moneths old The 10. of may the Duke d' Arscot who was a prisoner in the wood de Vincennes nigh Paris escape and came safe into his Countrey The Bauarois sollicited their Prince Albert to haue libertie of their religion as well as they of Austrich and almost at one time the Prince seeing that Ferdinand his father in law had permitted to his people the same thing was content to doo the like And because there was then some question for siluer he suffered his subiects for a time to receiue the Lords Supper whole and to eate flesh on dayes prohibited when necessitie driues them therevnto Yet he made great protestations that he would not diuide himselfe from the religion of his Auncestors and that this should onely be till by publike authoritie it were otherwise ordained About this time certaine great Lords of Transiluania reuolted from Ferdinand There became also great mutinies in England where diuers Nobles were imprisoned others beheaded and some saued themselues in other Countries As for such as died for the truth of the Gospell we haue amply deducted their estate and extracted their confessions in our bookes of Martyrs Albert de Bauieres began the Imperiall iourney at Ratisbone in the name of king Ferdinand who then was busied in holding the estates in Bohemeâ— and Austrich The Emperor hauing attend 〈…〉 of Septembeâ— and from 〈◊〉 Countries accompanied 〈…〉 â—â—â—ior Dowary of France and Mary Queâ—â—â— of Hungary 〈…〉 cauing al the rule of the lowe Countries to king Phillip his sonne and the administration of Almaine vnto his brother King Ferdinand Dauid George who after called himselfe Iohn de Bruck borne at Delphes in Holland a very pernitious seducer author and Prince of the vilest Sect that euer was making himselfe king and immortall Christ died this yeare 1556. the 24. day of August his wife being dead a litle before He retired with his family which was very great into Basill the yeare 1544. making himselfe a fugitiue from his owne countrey for the cause of the Gospell He bought houses in the Towne and a Castle nigh the Towne called Binningen with possessions of a great reuenew It was easie for this man being very cautelous and subtill and hauing his eyes looking on all sides to gaine the hearts of many and to procure outward reputation who was greatly sustained and augmented by that he had great summes of money and very pretious moueables daily brought him from base Almaine and Flaunders There hapned certaine prodigious signes before his death One of his houses he had two in Basill was burned with fire of lightning and the other which he had sumptuously builded in the Medowes was also consumed by fire and all his pretious moueables which were therin soone after the chamber floores of his house where he made his residence fell downe suddenly yet they say nothing hapned vnto him more intollerable to beare before his death then this that one of authoritie in base Almaine came to the Towne of Basill and
Dauid George knew well that by litle and litle hee should be discouered His Secretaries and disciples were maruellously astonished at his death because they were of opinion he should neuer haue died Although their hope was something maintained by that he had said as after was reported he would againe take life by the space of three yeares and bring to passe excellent things Hee held in his house a state almost royall And for the gouernment of his house and Castle it was well ruled euery one had his estate and office in that family and the labours were so distributed that he had no need in any thing to employ others then his owne In the gouernment of their common good they very strictly obserued three things to the end they might more and more conceale their so pernitious a Sect. First that none amongst them should publish the name of Dauid George Secondly that none should reueale of what state and condition hee had bene wherevpon many thought hee came of some great nobilitie others that he was some great Marchant hauing many factors both by sea and land Thirdly that they should not discouer any one article of their doctrine to any of Basill no not to any Switzer neither should they seeke to drawe any to their doctrine The summe of his accursed doctrine was That whatsoeuer had hitherto bene giuen of God by Moyses by the Prophets by Iesus Chirst himselfe by his Apostles and Disciples is imperfect and vnprofitable to make vs obtaine the true and perfect felicitie and was onely giuen to this vse that hitherto their doctrine might represse men and keepe them vnder as young men and children and so containe them in their offices But the Religion of Dauid George is perfect and hath in it sufficient efficacie and strength to make happie him that receiueth it he being the true Christ and Messias the we beloued of the Father in whom the Father taketh great pleasure borne not of the flesh but of the holy spirit of the spirit of Iesus Christ hauing hitherto beene kept in an vnknowne place for all his Saints to restore in spirit the house of Israel not by the Crosse or tribulations or death as the other Christ but for the loue and grace of the holy spirit of Christ O execrable monster or horrible efficacie of error deception or plasphemies drawne out of the deepe pit of hell In the yeare 1557. many good men mooued with affection to amplifie the kingdome of the Lord through many trauels and perills hauing passed the torride Zone and long time soiourned in the way they fell to inhabit in a Region on the South coast vnknowne vnto our fore elders full of Brasill which before in the yeare 1500. had bene discouered by the Portugales and it was called America of the name of their Captaine and cōducter Americ Vespucius The Inhabitants the eare very sauage and wilde without any forme of Religion or ciuilitie There it pleased the Lord in this time to erect a Church of certaine French men which one Villegagnon had sollicited and gathered together He receiued thē also at the beginning with good countenance and outward ioy seeing his enterprise commended by many notable persons But in the yeare 1557. and 1558. the said Villegagnon gaue sufficiently to know that he was neuer touched with any true zeale or feare of God For after he had persecuted both the Ministers and poore flocke of that Church by many tyrannies and impudent writings with seditious practises he hindred as much as in him lay the aduancement of the Lords glory who after raised vp the Portugales to take the Fortresse which he had builded in the I le by him called Collignyen Valois finding no resistance within because the said Villegagnon being retired into France taken with an apprehensiō that the sauage people would eate him had ordained no such company of people as were necessary for the defence of such a place And although in that number there were some valiant and wel experimented in Armes yet for as much as they were accompanied with such as had no knowledge therein and were ill maintained yea pined away with famine and diseases before they would abide the enemies furie they withdrew themselues with the sauage people Therefore was it easie for the enemies to enioy that Castle which had beene builded at the charges of the king of France and with the sweat and trauel of many good people and the Artillery marked with the Armes of France with certaine munitions of warre transported to Lisbone the principall Towne of Portugall in a trophee and triumph of the victorie The French retiring to land receiued the cruel yoake of that sauage people liuing without any forme of Religion a sad and lamentable thing to rehearse By all Histories as well auncient as moderne we my be instructed that Hypocrites and Apostates haue in all times hindred the course of the Gospell Charles the 5. Emperour after he had resigned by expresse Embassage into the hāds of the Princes Electors the Romane Empire hauing held it about 37. yeares died in his Country of Spaine the 21. of Septēber 1558. in a Monastery of S. Iust of the order of the Hieronymies nigh to Plascencia a Towne scituated betwixt the kingdomes of Castile and Andalonsia Ferdinand 1. of that name succeeded him was cōsecrated Emperor in the towne of Francfort vpon Mein by the Electors and Princes of Almiane with the accustomed solemnities After great and continuall warres by the space of 9. yeares at the instigation and by the practises and meanes of Popes Iohn Maria de Monte surnamed Iulius the third and his successors and adherents as well in Italie Piemont Almaine and France as in the lowe Countries of Flaunders Artois and Lorraine by the Spaniards and French Finally there happening great victories and prises one vpon an other to the ouerthrow and totall oppression of people and subects the third of Aprill 1559. after Easter at a Castle in Cambresis there was a peace concluded betwixt Henry the second of that name King of France and Phillip King of Spaine wherein they promised to yeeld one to an other the landes that were lately conquered They also compounded and agreed of all other controuersies and differances in regard of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie and of the Duchie of Millaine vpon condition of the marriage of the said Phillip with the eldest daughter of Henry which lands should appertaine to the children comming of that marriage By the same treatie of peace there was yeelded vnto Emanuel Philibert Duchie of Sauoy and the principalitie of Piemont which the French had held from his father him more then 24. yeares by the meanes of a marriage betwixt him and Dame Margarite daughter of king Francis the first of that name and the alone sister of Henry reseruing certaine strong places in the said Piemont for a certaine time The yeare 1559. the fift of March the sonnes the sonnes in lawe and
and the Prince vnto the court after stared them prisoners and handled the prince very rigorously On the other side their forces assembled on all sides to ouerrun the realme The king of Spain should enter into Bearne to ruinate destroy the queen of Nauarre and to solemnise the entry of the Estates the prince should haue bene publikely beheaded afterward straigt vpon the conclusion of the Estates the Armies marched to sacke and spoyle such as were suspected and the people were suffered and countenanced to runne vpon all such as were religious to dispatch them with out other Inquisition And to the end to leaue none aliue the King should cause all the Princes Lords and Knights of the order to sweare and seale all the articles of Sorbone sending to the fire without longer proces all such as denied it The Chancelor did the like with such as were of the order d'la longe robe about the court The Parliaments Prelates had charge to do the like with such as belonged to Iustice and to the Cleargie Likewise Ladies honorable womē were not forgotten This being done the Inquisition of Spain entred into France to begin new tragidies But as all things were vpon the point to be executed God cut the strings thereof striking the king Francis with an Apostume in his eare wherewith after he had languished certain dayes he was finally stifled and dyed the fift day of December 1560. hauing only raigned 17. moneths This death ouerthrew the disseines and purposes of the Duke of Guise and constrained the aduersaries of the reformed Church to yeeld some reliefe vnto the faithfull who had that yeare giuen them in mockery the Huguenots because of their night assemblies to muse deuise new subtilties and persecutions whereof we will God willing speake briefly in the years following but yet the Churches in that yeare prospered in all Prouinces with infinite witnesses of God his fauour towards his and of his iudgements vpon his enemies of all estates Some of the Religion were publikely executed in diuers places but for one which died there came a thousand to the doctrine of the Gospell In so much that it was incredible the great number of persons which this yeare and that following forsooke the Romane Religion to come vnto the Christian This yeare Scotland was troubled with a ciuill war by the practises of some which would needs commaund all ouer vnder the colour of maintaining the Romane Religion but they frustrated of their hope and the reformed religion began then to set foote in that kingdome by the fauour and assistance of Elizabeth Queene of England The Queene widowe of Iames the fift died in the moneth of Iune Martin Bucer and Paul Phagius whose bodies had bene buried and burned foure yeares before in England by the sollicitations of Cardinal Poole were established in their first honor and their memorie publikely celebrated the 30. of Iuly The 10. day of Aprill before died that very learned and modest person Phillip Melancton an excellent ornament of all Almaine after whose decease many wicked spirits troubled the Almain Churches which during his life they durst not haue enterprised Ioachim Camerarius a man very learned and his great friend hath described his life The moneth of Ianuary before tooke also from this world Iohn Alasco a Gentleman of Polonia one very affectionate to the aduancement of the kingdome of Chist whose memory is precious in all Churches About the end of the same yeare Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy warred vpon them of the vale of Angrogne and their neighbours professing the doctrine of the Gospell which after assaying all meanes of peace to conserue it offering their Prince all that good subiects should do defended themselues though fewe in number so couragiously and were assisted of God that after many combats they were left in peace which at this present they enioy the fauour of Margarite of France Duchesse of Sauoy amongst other humane meanes seruing them greatly both then and afterwards In the same Countrey of Piemont were seene many prodigious wonders the like in France Austrich Pologne Almain At the begginning and vntill the end of this yeare 1561. the French Churches encreased openly shewed themselues Katherine de Medices Queene mother hauing all affaires in her hand was counselled by the Princes of the house of Bourbon by the Admirall and other great Lords of the Religion by meanes whereof the greatest of the Romane Religion entred into league with them and so made priuie preparation for great troubles and vexations after hapning In the moneth of Ianuary the Princes and great Lords being assembled at S. Germaine in Laye an Edict was made the seuenteenth of the said moneth which on the one side gaue some release and libertie vnto them of the Religion and on an other side curbed and brideled them After the Councell assigned on the ninth day of September following was a conference and disputation at Poissy betwixt the Doctors of the Romane and reformed Churches In that same moneth the Electors and Princes of Almaine being assembled at Neubourge in Turinge to take Councell for maintaining the confession of Ausbourge by them presented vnto the Emperour Charles the 5. Anno 1530. gaue audience about the beginning of February the Popes Embassadors which commaunded them to send their Embassadors vnto the Councel assigned at Trent to effect which they offred for the Pope their M. such safe conduct as was possible to desire The 7. of February the Electors and Princes made answer that they found it strange that the Pope being the cause of all the cōfusions then in the Church should go about to assemble a Councel to assigne it vnto them whom he had nothing to doo to command that they did not neither euer would acknowledge any soueraigntie to belong vnto the Romane seate yea they were assured that it appertained not vnto the Pope to conuocate or call a Councell And after they had shewed the orders and filthinesse of the Romane Church and that it were good to regard and looke vnto the meanes to procure a generall and free Councel they sent away their Embassadors and after they writ vnto the Emperour Ferdinand that they all with a commō aduise agreed vnto the confessiō of Ausbourge afterward they published in an Imprinted writing their causes of reculation against the Councell of Trent These Embassadors went into diuers other places to the same effect but they receiued no good answere o any King Prince or great Lord making profession of the Gospell but especially the Queene of England would not giue leaue to the Abbot Martinengue who was sent by the Pope vnto her to passe the sea to come into England The 5. day of March the Pope caused to bee strangled in the night time in the S. Angelo the Cardinall Charles Caraffe he beheaded also in an other prison the Counte of Palliane and certaine other Cardinalls the next day shewing all their bodies
prisoner The Flemings in a certaine request presented vnto the Emperour and the states of Almaine assembled at Spire declared that that imprisonment was practised by the Inquisitors of Spaine because the Prince condemned the dealings of the Duke of Alua and the rigor of the Inquisition and bore great amitie vnto them of the low Countries against which they proceeded with a straunge violence which coÌ„tinued more more In the month of February the Elector Palatin stayed in his hands a great sum of money descried in the country of the Empire which was going vnto the Duke of Alua into Flaunders by reason whereof there was great notice threatnings but in the end the marchants were faine to pacifie and content him The sixt day of March the Prince of Conde Cassimere besieged and assaulted the town of Chartres so that their troupes made ready to goe to the breach the king sent to offer a peace which was incontinently accepted and the second Edict of pacification published in the Campe the 30. day of the same moneth of the same tenor as the first But this accord endured not for so soone as the Duke Cassimere was retired they of the ReligioÌ„ were assailed as they went homeward and in their houses and people were dispatched on all sides to seaze and take dead or a liue the Prince of Conde the Admirall the Lords Gentlemen and Captaines professing the Religion so that in a moment appeared the third ciuill warre on all sides what remonstrances soeuer the Prince could make to cause the contentions against the Edict to cease The 20. day of March died Albert Marquesse of Brandebourge Duke of Pruse of the age of 78. yeares a Prince right noble vertuous learned wise and fearing God He repurged his Countrey of the errors of Andrew Osiander Anne Mary of Brouswic his wife by his second marriage deceased the same day and left a sonne called Albert Frederick then of the age of 15. yeares The 25. day of Aprill William de Nassau Prince of Orange and Anthony de Ludain Count Hochstrate published their defences and iustification against the personall adiornament decreed vpon them by the Duke of Alua at the instance of the Proctor generall and shewed in their writings vnto whom the cause of all the troubles of the lowe Countries ought to be imputed and that they were nothing culpable of these stirres In the moneth of May certaine people being chased from diuers Prouinces gathered themselues together attending the Count de Hochstrate and other Captaines but they were ouerthrowne and the most part cut in peeces by the troupes of the Duke of Alua. In the same time the Count Lodowick tooke Armes and seazed vpon many places in Frise The Duke of Alua sent incontinently an Army of Spaniards vnder the conduct of the Count d' Aremberge They encountred the 24. of May where the Spaniards were ouerthrowne their Captaine slaine in the field the Count Adolphe Lodowicks brother was also slaine as hee pursued the victorie But because the Prince of Orange and others that were adiourned appeared not at the day assigned they were declared criminalls of treason The first of Iune the Duke of Alua greatly stirred with the death of the Count d' Aremberge caused to bee beheaded at Bruxells many Gentlemen amongst others the two Barons of Battembourge and foure daies after the Counts d' Aigment and de Horne which had done great seruice vnto the Emperor Charles and King Phillip The same day the house of the Count de Curembourge where the Lords of the League assembled when they made their request was sacked and destroyed and a piller placed in the middest thereof with a writing that it was raced for the execrable coniuration made therein against the Catholicke Romane Religion the Kings maiestie nor the estate of the Countrey At the same time the Count de Bure the onely sonne of the first marriage of the Prince of Orange a Student at Louaine was taken carried into Spaine against the priuiledges oâ— Brabant and of the Vniuersitie of Louaine After there was an Edict published forbidding â—â—pon conâ—â—â—â—â—cie 〈…〉 any way or 〈◊〉 doe with 〈…〉 the Count Lodowick was alwaies in the field the Duke of 〈◊〉 â—â—nt an Army to ouerthroâ—â—â— him who attended 〈◊〉 resolutely But at the ioyning his souldiers refused to fight so that hee was constrained to saue himselfe by swimming ouâ—â— a Riuer nigh vnto that place had leauing many of his people there the 21. day of Iuly The Prince of Orange seeing that the Duke of Alua continued in his strange and bloudie actions after diuers sorrowful coÌ„plaints vnto the king of Spaine wherof there was no account made published his iustifications and tooke Armes and conducted his Army with such speed that quickly he passed Meuse resolued to giue battaile to his enemie But vpon the point to fight his souldiers demaunded siluer which the Prince not able to do ledde a part of his troupes through Brabant and Hainaut and entred France where the Princes and Lords of the Religion called him to their succours Then the Churches of France and the lowe Countries were very desolate As for the lowe Countries the Duke of Alua and the bloudie Councell sought by all meanes to roote out Religion to plant the Inquisition and to ruinate all the Countrey killing publikely and secretly an infinit number of innocent persons The affaires of France were in no better case For from the peace made vntill the ende of August there were slaine in diuers fortes more people of the Religion in Townes and the fieldes without any distinction of Sexe age or estates then there died in all the second warre The 23. of Iuly died in prison Charles Prince of Spaine hauing attained the age of 23. yeares Certaine daies after deceased Elizabeth Queene of Spaine The 28. of the same moneth Iohn Duke of Einland was chosen king of Snede in the place of his brother Henry who for his demerites was deposed Three Moones were seene at one instant in heauen in egall and sufficient distance one from an other especially in 〈◊〉 the ninth day of August The Towne of Treuers long 〈◊〉 before besieged 〈◊〉 Archbishop thereof 〈◊〉 â—â—â—bgâ—t to 〈…〉 by the mediation of the Emperour and 〈…〉 In the same mâ—â—â—th the Empâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 many times bene desired at last permitted the Lords 〈◊〉 Gentlemen of Austrich professâ—â—â— the Gospell to 〈…〉 in their Castles 〈◊〉 and hoâ—sâ—s 〈…〉 doctrine contained in the confession of Ausbourge The 23. of the said moneth the Prince of Conde being vpon the point to fall into the power of his enemies saued himselfe with his wife and children and departing from Noyers in Bourgongne accompanied with the Admirall of Sieur d' Andelot and of their traine passed the Riuer of Loire at a Forde and were constrained to saue themselues at Rochell Then began the third ciuill warre in France wherevnto both parties prepared
to the Princes Army arriued vpon the marches of Limosin where an hotte feauer tooke him and carried him out of the world the 11. day of Iune leauing for Commander of his troupes Wolrad Count de Masfeld who brought his Army nigh to the Princes foure daies after this accident and performed greatly his due with the other Lords that accompanied him in all the rest of this warre hereof is a witnesse that which happened in the encounter which was the 25. of that moneth at what time if a great ruine had not come the Army of the Catholicke Romanes had bene ouerthrowne yet they loft a great number of their auantgard and afterward the Princes got many places in Poictou Although the Princes were strong yet they neuer ceased to demaund peace but their Herauld was not suffred to carrie their request vnto the king so warre was continued and the Princes besieged Poiters where they lost time and many people by diseases happening in their Campe. Whilest things were thus confused in Fraunce and Flaunders the Emperour Maximilian the 18. day of August suffered the Lords and Gentlemen of the Archduche of Austrich to enioy a free exercise of Religion in their Townes Villages and Castles after the doctrine of the confession of Ausbourge The 27. of the same moneth Cosme de Medices Duke of Florence was created and after solemnly proclaimed at Rome great Duke of Thuscane by the declaration of the Pope Pius the fift The Parliament of Paris condemned the Admirall as guiltie of treason who notwithstanding was of great authoritie in the Princes Army couragiously acquiting himselfe of the charge he carried without any apprehension of the daungers wherevnto he was still subiect by murderers and poisoners which were daily sent to sley him One of which who had once bene his chamberlaine was put to death for the like attempt by the sentence of the Princes Lords and Captains of the Army the 21. of September After the one Army had long time sought the other finally they encountred in the plaine of Montcontour the third of October and there was a generall battaile wherein after great losse of both sides but more of the Princes especially of their Lansquenets and a part of their French footemen the field remained vnto the Catholicke Romanes which made great triumphes thereof through Europe But in lieu of following their victory they stayed vpon the siege of the Towne of S. Iohn d' Angeli which was yeelded to them by composition at the end of certaine weekes during which time the besieged occupied themselues so well that the Catholickes lost many thousands of men and that of the most resolute of their troupes by meanes whereof the Princes had meanes to reassure theyr people to gather in their forces and to prouide for the affaires of warre so that the Catholickes found themselues againe to begin The sixteenth of Nouember the Duke of Alua caused to bee published in the lowe Countries certaine Letters of absolution and pardon of the king of Spaine for such as were absent and would returne into their houses but this deceit serued for nothing but to bring in birdes too much alreadie tamed with the too much violence of so bloudie a Fowler The 24. there was discouered in England a coniuration or rebellion of certaine Earles which would haue planted Poperie in that Kingdome But the Queene prouided there so well for all things that their forces remained wholy vnprofitable The third of December S. Iohn d' Angeli was yeelded by composition Sansac other Catholick Romanes were shamefully chased from before the Towne of Vezelay in Bourgongne after great losse of his brauest souldiers to the number of 150. The rest of the yeare passed in diuers exployts of warre heere and there to the great hurt of both parts and to the ruine of the kingdome In the beginning of the yeare 1570. the Princes and Lords of the Religiō of the kingdome of France desiring peace had diuers negotiations about it but at that time nothing was concluded but warre continued the Churches then being very desolate The Theologians of the Countrey of Saxony being then in great contention for the intelligence of certaine Articles of Christian doctrine namely of Iustification of free will of good workes of things indifferent and of the presence of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper By occasion whereof they assembled themselues in a Towne of the Duchie d' Aumale called Zeruest where by the stepping in of a certaine Doctor of Tubingue called Iames Andrew a man then very renowmed in all Almaine through the Prouinces whereof hee had not ceased certain yeares to runne to cause that monstrous opinion of the vbiquitie of Christs body to be receiued by the meanes whereof the errors of Nestorius and of Eutiches auntient heretikes and their complices are againe renewed there was made a certaine agreement which after was reiected and controwled by diuers Theologians Heerevpon afterward happened greater troubles which euen at this day doo endure by the practises and slaunders of that vbiquitarie Doctor Whilest the Christians contended with their voyces with their writings and blowes of sworde in diuers places of Europe and that the Westerne Antichrist sought by all meanes to maintaine his tyrannie the Antichrist of the East did what hee could by meanes of Selim Soliman his successor the Turke to encrease his domination For Selim sent his Embassador who arriued the 27. of March at Venice and denounced warre against the Venetians if they refused to yeeld him the I le of Cyprus Which they refusing there was preparation for warre on both sides The 4. of Aprill the Ministers of the Churches of Lithuania and Sathogitia comprehended in the kingdome of Polongne held a Sinode in the Towne of Sendomire where they agreed vpon certaine Articles touching the Mediatorship of Iesus Christ and the holy Supper to the end they might all agree in one concordance of doctrine During this time the troubles of France continued The Electors Palatin and of Saxonie assembled at Heidelberge with certaine Princes and great Lords of Almaine for to honour the marriage of Duke Cassimere who espowsed Elizabeth daughter of the Duke of Saxonie sent large Letters to the king to exhort and induce him to enter into a pacification About the end of Iune the king of Polongne and the Muscouite made a truce for three yeares The Muscouite was then sore troubled with extreame famine In the moneth of Iuly the estates of the Empire were assembled at Spire to prouide for the affaires quietnesse of Almaine The Emperor was there in person with his two daughters Marie and Elizabeth which were affianced vnto the kings of Spaine and France vnto which they were sent In the moneth of August the Duke of Alua put to death in the Towne of Antwerpe a great number of souldiers of the garrison of Valenciennes for a mutinie against
enclose them abandoned their Forts left their siege and retired away shamefully Selym Emperour of the Turkes dyed about the 15. of December after hee had ended the warre against the Walaques wherin he lost an infinit number of men and tooke peace with the Venetians His sonne and successor Amurath at his comming in caused fiue of his bretheren to be put to death and two wiues of Selym the one of which who was great with childe seeing the death of her children threw her selfe to the ground out of an high windowe Hauing thus prouided for his estate hee prepared to make warre vpon the Polonians some of which called Kosaques had succoured the Vayuoda of Watachia The 12. of Ianuary 1575. they of the Religion found meanes to get Arguesmortes a strong Towne and of great importance in Languedoc especially for Salt that comes from thence and greatly furnisheth the Prouinces The same day the Marshall d' Danuile made a league with them of the Religion and a publike and large declaration containing the causes of his doings The Duke de Montpensier tooke Fontenay in Poictou and Lusignen yeelded vpon composition This notwithstanding the Churches of that Prouince and other nigh vnto it in some sort maintained themselues euen in the middest of Armes The Duke d' Vzes sometimes affectioned vnto Religion tooke Armes against it but hee prospered not much therein The Churches of Languedoc and Dauphine redressed themselues after the King was retyred from Auignon but their vnion with the Politikes or Malcontents destroyed them within by the wicked liues of many of those Politikes badly aduised King Henry the third was sacred at Reimes the fifteenth day of February and espowsed soone after Louyse the daughter of Nicholas Count de Vandemont in Lorraine So that then and after there was nothing in the Court of France but pastimes such as there is lesse euil to conceale then profit to describe In the mean while warre continued in Languedoc well for the aduantage of them of the Religiō being assisted of the Marshall de Danuille their confederate vnto which part many enclined and ioyned themselues daily In the moneth of April a negotiation and parley was made at Paris betwixt the Kings Councell and the Deputies of Churches the Politikes without any conclusion But contrary the warre waxed hot in Dauphine Languedoc with losse on both sides but they of the religion were the stronger And since we are vpon that point we will set downe in this present Article that which was done in France during this yeare 1575. worthy of note in few words About the end of April the Duke d'Vzes besieged Bais a litle Towne vpon Rhosne and got the Towne but they of the Religion which held the two Castles constrained him to forsake it after he had lost many of his people To reuenge himselfe he burnt a part of the Towne and continued after such sackings and destructions that he became very odious In the month of May sell a tumult at Marseillis and in certaine other places of Prouince against gatherers Farmers of the kings demeasnes which were chased away And therevpon arose a band of Politike malcontents which they called les Raises shauen because they caused their beards to be shauen or some part of them to be knowne by that signe and in Prouence they of the Religion held certaine places as Riez Lourmarin Siena and others some of which soone after were taken out of their hands The 17. day of Iune le Sieur de Monbrun a Daulphenois Gentleman a wife and valiant Captaine of warre ouerthrew le Sieur de Gordes Gouernour of Daulphine who saued himselfe by flight within Gap and left 22. companies of Swisses in the field which were broken and nine hundred cut in peeces straight with Frenlich their Colonell and sixteen Captaines with 18. Ensignes carried away by Monbrun and his people which had a great bootie of Armes especially and lost on their part but sixe men Le Sieur de Gordes after that gathered great Forces and againe meeting in the field he ouerthrew Monbrun who meaning to leape a ditch to obtaine a meet passage for his retrait his horse fell and he vnder him whereby his thigh was broken and so remained prisoner hauing only lost twentie two men and thirtie eight were taken prisoners This happened the ninth of Iuly and soone after by decree of a Parliament at Grenople Monbrun had his head cut off On the other side the Duke of Vzes destroyed and burnt all the flat Countrey of Languedoc with the losse of infinite Corne. Le sieur de Lodignieres ordained Chieftain of the troupes of Dauphine in the place of Monbrun gaue order for the affaires at the beginning of August and tooke many places Vpon these actions and the sixteenth day of September Francis Duke d' Alencon and brother vnto the King conueyed himselfe secretly in the night from the Court then at Paris wherevpon came brutes and discourses maruellous straunge and diuers Two dayes after his retraite hee published by writing the causes thereof declaring that hee meant to procure a good peace and reformation in France Hee writ vnto the Princes and Lordes of the Religion to the Churches to the Marshall Danuile and to the Politikes vnto the same end Insomuch that each one assured himselfe soone to see goodly things and there remained but verie fewe which feared any hid euill as discourses after published doo shewe In the meane time the Prince of Conde tooke order Almaine to leuie an Army to enter into Fraunce and by Armes to obtaine some rest for them of the Religion and for the whole estate hee dealt fully with Duke Cassimere of all things requisite for such a good The King the Queene mother and their Councell were greatly troubled as if all had beene lost by the retrait of the Duke d' Alenson writing to all places calling as they say tag and rag they made leuies and brought troupes into the field and yet without any exployt of warre They made flie a report of souldiers from Almaine and Sueuia yet none entred France during that fourth warre to do seruice vnto the King who in the meane while demaunded siluer of his Townes and for the rest hee bore himselfe as if there had beene no appearance of warre His mother in the meane time got her towards the Duke d' Alenson as some said to make peace betwixt the two brethren and for the quiet of the kingdome In the meane while the King forbad all the nobilitie to come nigh the Duke of Alenson hee sent also certaine troupes to hinder not onely that but the comming of certaine Almaines which le Sieurs de Thore and de Cleruant ledde which were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Guise and Cleruant was taken prisoner with certaine others the tenth of October Soone after was there a truce made betwixt the Queene mother and the Duke of Alenson for sixe moneths wherewith each one was miscontented but the
be a body wounded to death sent their Embassadors to the K. desiring him to open his eyes to the teares his eares to the complaints of his poore subiects to heare the requests of his neighbours for his owne good the quietnes and honor of his faith his name and reputation The K. answered that he knew what was necessary for himselfe and his subiects that according to the cause and for their good and tranquillitie he had made and changed his ordinances as all Princes in Christendome vse to do and that for his part hauing the feare of God the loue of his subiects liuely ingrauen in his heart hee would do nothing against the honour of his conscience nor the fatherly care he had of his people With which answere they returned not well pleased This yeare Augustus Duke of Saxonie one of the Princes Electors new come from hunting suddenly died being of the age of 60. yeares and was buried at Friberge Genebrardus There died likewise at the same time Margarite of Austria the base daughter of Charles the fift and mother of Alexander Duke of Parma and Gouernour of Belgia Charles Count Palatine married Dorithie the daughter of William Duke of Brunswick at Cella D. Chytraeus On the fourth day of Iune L. Edward Earle of Rutland went Embassador into Scotland for a ratificatiō of a firme bond of peace betweene Elizabeth Queene of England Iames the sixt K. of Scots vpon certain causes necessary and important which was confirmed at Barwicke the 19. of Iune where the Embassadors of Scotland were likewise present I. Vowell The 16. of Iuly not farre from Barwick the borderers of both the Nations of England and Scotland assembled to determine for recompence of all such iniuries as each people offered to other at what time the Lord of Fernhurst Warden of the Scottish borders Iames Steward Earle of Arrane then Chauncelor and Syr 〈◊〉 Russell Knight Lord Russell and Syr I. Forster Knight Warden of their middle Marshes came with their company When the Wardens were set vpon the bench there did suddenly arise amongst the people a contention whereby followed at the first some small fray which beeing perceiued by the Lord Russell hee arose from the bench and called for his horse who meaning to appease the matter went amongst the prease at what time a certaine number of shot comming on him he was suddenly but most vniustly slaine with a peece amongst the rest discharged against him by a Scot borne about that place suspected by the most to be the Lord of Fernhursts brother The losse of which noble Gentleman being of so great a hope was much lamented and that especially for his vntimely death so iniuriously by the Earle of Arrane as the common report went procured and so suddenly performed hee in the 35. yeare of his age did bereaue the Realme of England of a goodly young person well stayed in gouernment bountiful wise and vertuous whose death happened the day before that his honourable father the Earle of Bedford departed this world I. Hooker Fourteene thousand Heluetians who were Catholickes and commaunded to appeare by the King of Nauarre went to the aide of the holy League but before they tooke their iourney they all receiued the Sacrament and swore that they did beare Armes onely for the defence of the Catholicke faith but if the king shuld be found to do any fauour to the Heluetians they promised to lay downe their weapons and returne Anth. Cicarella A Parliament was held in Nouember both for the continuing of the defence of the lowe Countries against the King of Spaine and as for the determining of the treacherous practises of the Queene of Scot shee was forthwith conueyed to Foderinghay Castle in Northampton Shire which sometimes belonged to the Dukes of Lancaster where being tried by the Nobles of the Realme shee was found guiltie and afterward beheaded She was crowned Queene of Scots when she was but 18. moneths old and after in the sixt yeare of her raigne called into France where at 15. yeares she was married to Frances the second then the Dolphin of France being 14. yeares of age with whom she liued three yeares After whose decease she returned into Scotland and was married to Henry Arlye at the age of 22. by whom she had one onely sonne Ieames the sixt now king This husband dead she was married the third time to the Earle of Bothuell who died in prison after this she liued 18. yeares in England Genebrardus Gulielmus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua departed this life whom his onely sonne Vincentius succeeded being of the age of 25. yeares Idem Syr F. Drake returned out of America came into Zeland the other fleete went towards India who tooke two ships out of S. Thomas I le and the Gouernour thereof The one of them perished the other was brought home a rich prize This yeare at Zutphen in Gilderland S. Phillip Sidney Englands Mars and Muse was shot in the thigh with a Musket whereof he died His body was conueyed into England and honourably buried in Powles I. Vowell Frederick king of Denmarke sollicited by the king of Nauarre for aide against Guise sent his Embassadors to Henry king of France who should entreate that the peace of the reformed Religion graunted before by the king and confirmed by oath might bee kept with the king of Nauarre and his followers D. Chytraeus At Augusta after the superintendent was cast out the estate of the Ministers of the Church waxed euery day worse For after that the Gregorian Calendar was receiued of them the pontificall Magistrate assured to himselfe authoritie and right of choosing and calling the Ministers of the Church which priuiledge the Elders and Gouernours of the Church had before with the Ministery held it by the authority of the Emperor who sent Commissioners to that end into the Citie But when the Ministers of the Church would not agree to them they were all commanded to depart the Citie before Sunne set and others of the same confession were called from Noriberga and other places and substituted in their places Whom when the people could not heare nor vse their seruice the pontificall Magistrate besides the garrison that was alreadie in the towne brought more souldiers thereby to terrifie them and bring them to obedience D. Chytraeus Iulius Bishop of Wurtzeburg began to vse great crueltie towards them of the confession of Augusta in his Diocesses banishing many of them and constraining them to sell their goods in so short a space that they left the third part to him William Lantsgraue of Hesse his neighbour disswaded him from this crueltie but following the example of Balthasar Abbot of Fulden who greatly persecuted his subiects vnder the praetext of Religion hee not only incurred the hatred of all men but was depriued of all titles and dignities Idem This yeare vpon the 27. of September Stephen Bathorus King of Poland Prince of Transiluania
which shee did with vsing diuers other ceremonies and in the deliuerie thereof to the Duke of Medina Sidonia who was appointed the chiefe Generall shee did pronounce openly good successe and victorie to the Duke in saying hee should returne a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Dan Francisco de Gordoua who was a Spaniard and the tallest Gentleman that could bee founde hee beeing on horse-backe to the ende it might bee better seene At the solemnizing whereof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished in the thrōg There was present the Arch-duke Albertus Cardinall and Gouernour of the kingdome of Portugall the Popes Nuncio the Arch-bishop who was head Inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates and Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and his holie Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broath which was for her owne diet to bee brought who presented it to him which hee accepted most willingly comming from the hand of so holy a Nunne but the next yeare all her holinesse false myracles and great dissimulations was then found out and shee condemned and punished for the same M. Cyp. Val. The Nauie of the King of Spaine three whole yeares in furnishing was 125. great shippes with 20000. choyse souldiers out of Spaine and Italie 10000. souldiers 2000. peeces of Ordinance with all manner of furniture and prouision for sixe moneths at the ende of May set out from the hauen of Tagus and slowly proceeding to the Westerne coast of Spaine the 30. of Iune it came to Coronis a Port of Spaine towards the farthest North in the bounds of Gallicia and Asturia which Ptoloney calleth the hauen of the Artabrians The chiefe Generall of the Nauie was Alphonsus Peresius Duke of Medina Sidonia The Admirall by sea was Iohannes Marsinus Recaldeus of Cantabria But when hey had hoisted their sailes scarce out of the sight of the Spanish coast a tempest suddenly rising they were diuided and scattered and with contrary windes driuen into the same and the neighbouring hauens of Asturia and Biscay The King when hee vnderstood that the whole Nauy met together at Coronis commaunded that forthwith it should goe for England ioyning with the Duke of Parmaes shippes in Belgia and to set the souldiers vpon the continent S. F. Drake Vice-admirall followed them close and tooke the hindermost that slowly sailed after and in her Petrus Valdesius The Nauy of the Duke of Parma partly by aduerse windes hindered and partly by a Nauy of Zeland that lay before Dunkerke in vaine any longer expected of the Spaniards the Duke of Sidonia cast Anchor neare vnto Callaice Syr Frances Drake the next night filled eight old ships with pitch brimstone and other matter for fire a great winde blowing on their backes draue them vpon the Spanish Nauie Who fearing least their ships likewise had beene burnt cut their Anchors and departed Whom S. Frances by this stratagem so dispersed and put to flight pursued with his balls of fire and by reason of the greatnesse and height of the Spanish ships feawe of them missed Of this great Fleete 32. were sunke and taken by the English and in them 10000. souldiers the rest of the Nauie were thus scattered two were driuen to Flissingam all to beaten and wrackt the other after long sayling returned into Spaine The D. of Parma dismissed his fleet cashiered his Marriners and sent some of the souldiers to the siege of Bergam Vpsome D. Chytraeus M. Gall. Anth. Ciccarella This yeare the Duke of Bullen died at Geneua of the age of 25. yeares The most Christian Prince of Conde whom Sixtus the fift excommunicated and cursed died of poison In the same yeare H. of Lotharing D. of Guise by the commaundement of the K. of France was slaine at Blois where the Parliament was held and the day after the Cardinal his brother The Duke was 42. yeares of age and was slaine in his Clymactetic yeare If Plutarch had liued in these times hee would haue compared him to C. Iulius Caesar Genebrardus This is that wonderfull yeare of the which Iohannes Rhegiomontanus the great Mathematician wrote a Prognostication or Prophecie almost after that of Sibilla Post mille expletos Idem The like Iohannes Stofflaus a famous Astrologian and in our time that noble Gentleman Iohannes Rantzoutus foretold in his booke of Climacterike yeares and the fall of Empires Whose Prophecies haue sorted to trie euents which we haue seene this yeare First the kingdom of Poland was most miserably troubled by ciuil intestine warres by reason of foure Kings they had at once in this yeare Sigismond of Suecia Maximilian of Austrich Henry Valois and Stephen Bathor as then vnburied So likewise Suecia was vexed by sundry tumults Fredericke the second being dead foure Protectors gouerned the kingdom during his sonnes minoritie The Queene of Scots was beheaded England obteined a wonderful victorie at sea ouer the Spaniards The Sophie of Persia dyed The Turke had ill successe in Hungarie against the Christians The Hungarians likewise suffered great losses Maximilian taken captiue by the Polanders was committed to prison Italie was sore molested by the Bandetti Fraunce was incombred with ciuil broyles Germanie brought to sleep by her old religion imbraceth now that face of religion And to be briefe from the rising of the Sunne to the setting thereof there was no place in the which somewhat happened that was not worthie to be wondred at See Genebrardus The death of the Duke of Guise and of his brother caused many and the most principall Cities of France as Paris Roan Lyons Tholous and others to rebell against the King M. Cyprian Val After that the King of France had commanded the D. of Guise to be slaine and his brother Cardinall to be strangled he committed likewise to prison Charles Cardinall Burbon Legate Apostolike Peter Arch-bishop of Lions and heire of the Duke of Guise which when the Pope vnderstood he tooke it greeuously and in the highest Consistory made an oration thereof to his Cardinalls About this matter not long after hee sent an Embassador to H. of France to intreat for the deliuery of the Cardinall of Bourbon and the Archbishop of Lyons to whom was answered that for the Cardinall he might by no meanes be deliuered for that his enlargement would stirre sedition and as touching the Archbishop that it was not in him to doo whē that Guastius who had charge of the Castle of Ambois and the prisoners now being treated Lord therof no prisoner could be dismissed without paying his raunsome Whē the Pope had often in vaine sollicited the K. and was denied he thus decreed that if at a certaine time the King did not deliuer them and thirtie daies after their enlargement certifie it to the Apostolicke Sea by his Letters vnder his owne hand and seale that forthwith he was excommunicated and did incurre
were now exposed to the spoiles slaughter of all Sigismond Prince of Transiluania repented him of his change of life and that he had giuen vp his gouernment wherfore he came out of Silesia through Poland into Transiluania and desired of his subiects that their oath of alleageance to him might be renewed and perswaded Maximilian Arch-duke whom the Emperour had made Gouernour of Transiluania that hee would lead his forces against the Turkes towards the recouerie of Agnia then against Transiluania Vpon the fourth of August Syr William Cecill knight of the Order Lord Burghley Maister of the Wards and Liueries high Treasurer of England a famous Counsellor to y e Queenes Maiestie all her raigne and likewise had bene to Edward the sixt who for his singular wisedome was renowned throughout all Europe departed this mortall life at his house by the Strand his body was conueyed to Westminster with solemne Funerall and from thence secretly to Stamford in Lincolnshyre and there buried I. Stowe The second of October George Earle of Comberland returned from the Seas hauing made spoile of the strong Towne and Castle of S. Iohn de Portanoico in Spaine This yeare died Phillip the 2. king of Spaine being of the age of 72. yeares Pope Clement the 8. created 13. Cardinals amongst whom was Robert Bellarmine Iesuite Phillip the 3. the sonne of Phillip the 2. succeeded his father in the kingdome of Spaine Hee tooke to wife Margarite of Austria And Albert Arch-duke of Austria married the Infant of Spaine the kings sister Both these marrriages were celebrated by the Pope Clement the 8. at Ferrara The 7. of February the right honourable Charles Blunt Lord Mountioy hauing taken his leaue at the Court departed towards Ireland as Lieftenant there Souldiers out of diuers Shyres were sent before him and also after him in this moneth of February This yeare Richard Lord Bishow of London with two other Commissioners to wit Doctor Perkins Doctor Swale were sent in Embassage to Emden there to treat with the Commissaries from the King of Denmarke and returned the eight of Iuly following On Tuesday the 5. of August Charles Iames king of Scots in Scotland escaped a straunge and strong conspiracie practised by the Earle Gowrye and his brother About the 8. of August arriued at Doner certaine Embassadors and assistants 16. in number sent from the king of Marocco in Barbaria I. Stowe The 18. of September certaine Embassadors came from Moschouie or Russia and the 14. of October the said Embassadors rode to the Court and had audience before her Maiestie FINIS A briefe Discourse of the Churches estate from the death of Iesus Christ vntill this present ALl which hath bene succinctly said in this booke touching the estate of the Church should remember the Reader of three diuers times in the consideration of the gouernment of the house of God the better to marke things as they came and to haue thereof a certaine abridgement in his memorie We take the first time of the Christian Church from the beginning of the Apostles preaching vntil the Empire of Phocas which is ordinarily distinguished into three periodes 1. The first of about 70. yeares from the Lords Ascention vntill the death of the Apostles and of their first Disciples 2. The second began at the Empire of Traian and stretched by the space of 200. yeares vntill Constantine which time also was honoured with the presence of certain of the Apostles Disciples other excellent Pastors of the Church and faithfull Martyrs of Iesus Christ 3. The third frō Cōstantine vntil Phocas which is the last periode of the first time of the Church about 300. years during which the Church had many great Doctors Greeks Latins As for the first periode of the first time it is very certaine that neuer Christian Church was more happie thē during that time whether we consider the doctrine taught by the Apostles and their first successors or wee contemplate all the parts of the Ministerie and of the Ecclesiasticall discipline Now for the doctrine we haue by a singular grace of God the Apostles Epistles whereby it is easie to gather a body and summary of all that which euery Christiā ought to know touching his saluation And that which is more if they which came after the Apostles had continued to build vpon the foundation which they had laid the Church had remained in his first spirituall splendor and brightnesse the simplicitie then being such and so great in doctrine in the maner of teaching and in ceremonies that the sheepheards and sheepe were altogether eliuated vnto the heauenly Father through Iesus Christ liuing moreouer in such charitie concord as truly this world might be well called the golden world For although that in the Apostles time and their next successors there rose vp certaine mutinous persons to trouble the happie rest of the Church this hurt not much the maiestie of the spirit of God discouering it selfe in such sort in the preaching of the Gospell that all the world was constrained to acknowledge in this infirmitie of the seruants of God an admirable efficacie to biing all wisedome and humane power captiue vnder the obedience of Iesus Christ True it is that alreadie Sathan thought vpō his affaires and brought forth his practises with greater force then euer before building his Sinagogue nigh vnto the Church For euen when the Apostles themselues liued certaine Iewes and Gentiles making the same profession of Christianisme fought against Iesus Christ in diuers maners as S. Paul his Epistles doo witnesse And what diligence soeuer the seruants of God vsed to eradicate and root out the tares which the enemie did sowe yet remained there the seedes thereof in the bosome of the Church during the periodes following God meaning to humble his and to shewe them that truly they had and would alwaies haue cause to fight in this life but that the triumph therof was reserued for the other world For as for the strength of the persecutors since the Apostles time it hath alwaies shewed it true that the bloud of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church But let this be said in a word onely to awake the Reader and to prepare him to a diligent meditation of the Ecclesiasticall historie Now something is to be said of the second periode of the first time The Apostolike men armed with the vertue and power of y e Lord maintained constantly the truth amongst all the tempests and stormes of persecution and in despite of Gentilisme of diuers heresies which boldly began to left vp their heads In so much that great maruel it was that so soone after so great light men should see the East in many places couered with so deep darknes many goodly Churches ruinated and the doctrine of saluatiō transported otherwhere Yet the greatest euil was in the bowels of the Church it selfe many Pastors wherof not being so attentiue as of reason they shuld
haue bin to conserue and keepe the puritie of the Euangelicall doctrine but suffering to take roote I know not how that which tasted of carnall wisedome in so much that in the place of the true end marke which the Gospell proposeth vnto vs men began to establish vnto vs all the perfection of Christianitie in sufferings and afflictions for the Gospell and in arresting abiding a litle too subtilly vpon the stay of certaine fantastike persons springing from the schoole of Philosophers so fell by litle and litle to that vnhappinesse as to transforme the holy scripture into allegorike interpretations a maruellous baite for the curiositie of humane vnderstanding and a fountaine of infinite mischiefes in the Church True it is that the first inuentors of such things thought nothing lesse then that which came after So much then did the Lord humble his people But about the end of this periode euil was seene to aduance and ceremonies encrease in such sort that men enclined vnto Indaisme and Paganisme the loue of solitude and Munkery the abstinence from marriage and from certaine viands and meates on particular dayes many Feasts and other seeds of superstition after succeeding tooke a maruellous roote So the commencement of praiers for the dead and of the sacrifice of the Masse did then discouer themselues not that the intent of such as made mention of the dead to encourage the liuing constantly to serue God and which brought of their goods into the company of the faithfull for the comfort of the poore after the celebration of the Supper was to bring in the execrable Idolatrie which long time after sprung vp There were also introducted and brought into Baptisme certaine ceremonies yet not such as the ridiculous superstitions which since haue bin forged Finally the good intent began to shewe it selfe and from thenceforth to lift vp the head vntill at the last vpon the ende of the second time of the Church it rose vp aboue the word of God As for the third periode of the first time heerein it was happie in that God during that time raised vp diuers learned persons Greekes and Latines to oppose themselues with liuely voyce at Sinodes as also by their bookes whereof wee haue some number at this day against the impietie of infinite heretikes Amongst other S. Augustine was an excellent Doctor of the Church who notwithstanding is not alwaies so cleare as is to be desired Amongst the Latines this time also brought forth other great persons yet men also which yet is more seene in the Greeke Doctors lesse pure then the Latines especially in the right knowledge of the merite of Iesus Christ and all was the want of a pure and natiue intelligence of the Lords language in the Prophetike and Apostolike bookes Their allegorike interpretations had as it were gotten the vpper hand ceremonies maruellously encreased Monkeries began to take footing the true meanes to diuide the Church and to forge a new seruice of God afterward the veneration of the Martyrs Sepulchres paintings and after Images glistered in Churches The pure doctrine of the Lords Supper began to bee falsified for want of right vnderstanding the manner of Sacramentall speeches and the vertue of the alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Bishops especially that of Rome thrust into the world and the misterie of iniquitie formed it selfe as it afterward should come into the light For Arrianisme hauing serued for a seed to Mahumatisme and the dispising of the celestall veritie with corruption of manners maintaining the audacitie and boldnesse of the Bishops of Rome this periode finishing gaue entry vnto straunge euils wherewith the Church was ouerthrowne a litle space after Let vs now say something of the second time of the Church which we diuide into two periodes The first from Phocas about the yeare 600. vntill Charlamaine by the space of 300. yeares The second from Charlamaine vnto Charles the fift of that name Emperour about 700. yeares In the first periode of this second time of the Church as the Antichrist of the East thrust himselfe well forward that of the West established his Throne and then was the doore open to all errours which notwithstanding entred not at once but came by litle and litle into the Church Aboue all the opinion of purgatorie fire and of the sacrifice for the dead were the foundation of the Papaltie and of all that vermine of their Cleargie and infinite Sects of Monkes which like Grashoppers from the deepe pit came to spread themselues through Europe But it was in the second periode of the second time that Idolatrie and superstitions obtained the vpper hand Insomuch that the poore Church as it were buried had no more any spring neither appeared there any token wherevpon to cast her eye but onely the inuocation of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost in Baptisme And although from time to time the Lord made shine some flames and torches in the bowells of that darkenesse to redargue and weaken such as rotted in so heauie and palpable ignorance yet was their blindness so lamentable and their sleepe so deepe that for one which lifted vp the head and to whom Antichrist gaue no release nor leaue to approach witnesse all such as during this periode opposed themselues neuer so litle against his tyrannie an infinite remained liuelesse and altogether dead The Lord making himselfe admirable in the mercie which he shewed vpon some and renowned in horrible and iust punishment of their ingratitude which loued better lyes then truth Who can heere recyte the superstitions Idolatries of Antichrist his crafts and subtilties to establish his kingdome and tirannie vpon bodies and soule He had his seruants and instruments of all sorts to leane fasten encrease and multiply his Throne in the Temple of GOD carrying in his browe the name of miserie sitting in the Temple of God calling himselfe God yet vnknown of such as called themselues Christians which he put off vntill the end of the world and to I know not what fancie and dreame of an Antichrist which should be borne but a litle before the second comming of the sonne of God Briefly the great spiritual Babilon the murdresse of soules had her kingdome during this period tyrannizing the Israell of God hid and dispearced in a litle number and by her impostures blasphemies and impieties mocked the true God Father of Iesus Christ whose name auowed with the mouth shee trode vnder her feet by her abhominable errour But the Lord willing to make his worke admirable which was to ruinate Babilon to destroy the man of sin by the breath of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming presented himselfe in the third time and by the ministerie of people feeble and of small appearance yet driuen and drawne on with the zeale of his glory first brought in y e knowledge of tongues then the celestial truth maugre all the strengthes of the world and in
and that this Tobias did take vp the said childe for that purpose called Simon and hauing offered him in the full assemblie of the Iewes in the house of the saide Samuel they clasped his necke with pinsons to keepe him from crying then stretched his armes on a Crosse cut off his priuities after his right eye-lid then each one pricked him with sharpe Instruments euen to death and lastly cast him into the floud After information made of this execrable murder all they were executed which were attainted about this deed doing in the said Towne of Trent The Common-wealth of Florence Although in the time of the Emperor Henry the seuenth the Florentines receiued Robert King of Naples to bee their Protector to resist the Gibellins or Imperialistes so much hated they the Emperours of Almaine yet about this time Cosme by surname Medices flourished in that Towne in great preheminence prudence and authoritie and was held as a Prince and chiefe of the Towne He led the Senate at his pleasure inriched the poore Citizens builded many places for more and more to maintaine his authoritie But after that Cosme was dead in the yeare 1464. hee left a sonne called Peter who also was mightie in the Towne Vnto whom succeeded in the administration of the Common-wealth Lawrence de Medices his son who with his brother Iulian augmented the Seignorie of Florence And because this greatly displeased certaine Bishops Cardinalls and other Lords they made a conspiracie together and came to Florence the yeare 1478. which with one of the noblest of the Towne called Francisquinus de pactis dissembling their hatred entred into the Tmple and as they lifted vp the Host they slewe Iulian and wounded Lawrence who escaped their hands But the Malefactors thought they had done an act greatly pleasing to the Citizens to recouer libertie but they were deceiued for they were all taken and neither Priest nor Bishop pardoned Frodesque Saluiat Archbishop of Pise who said the Masse was giuen to the slaughter-man and hanged at an high window in his habit for hee had sung Masse in his coate of Male. The Pope being grieued at these dooings excommunicated Lawrence de Medices and stird vp Ferdinand king of Sicilie Alphonsus Duke of Calabria and Frederic Duke of Vrbin against the Florentines to be reuenged of them But Lawrence seeing he was not puissant enough to sustaine such enemies by the consent of the Citizens got him to a shippe and secretly came into Sicilie to the King Ferdinand himselfe and promised him tribute if he and his would leaue that enterprise begunne at the Popes instance Which was done the towne with all the countrie by that meanes was deliuered from the destruction of the enemies The Pope heereat was more inflamed then before but the Venetians gaue aide vnto the Florentines against the Pope after they had made peace with the Turke who during these stirres besieged Rhodes and got it the yeare 5488. In this time began the superstition to toll a Bell at noone as a pardon called the Aue Maria pacis which the King had entreated of the Pope The yeare of Christ 1475. the great Iubile alreadie ordained and commaunded by Paul the second was confirmed by Sixtus and obserued at Rome this yeare Charles the sonne of Phillip Duke of Bourgongne agrreed with King Lewis the 11. Frederic the Emperour refused to erect Bourgongne for a Kingdome whereat Charles was mooued therefore he besieged Nisse which is a Towne placed in the territories of Colongne and held it during a yeare besieged Hee did it to gaine vpon the Empire the Diocesse of Colongne but the Emperour prepared a great power to meete him and to leuie the siege In the ende they accorded so that Maximilian the sonne of Frederic should take in marriage Marie the onely daughter of the saide Duke of Bourgongne After these things the said Charles fought twise against the Swisses vnluckily enough for this cause About the years 1460. Sigismond Duke of Austrich engaged to Charles Duke of Bourgongne his lands which he had as well on this side as beyond Rhene namely Sungaw Brisgaw the blacke Forrest and the Townes scituate vpon Rhene for 7000. Florents Great mischiefes came herevpon For the Duke of Bourgongne appointed ouer those Lands as Gouernor general Peter de Hagenbach who exceedingly tormented them of Mulhuse and Swisses About this time Charles Duke of Lorraine died of the pestilence at Nancy which gaue occasion to Charles Duke of Bourgogne to see if hee could conquer Lorraine by force taking the cause against Rhene the successor of Lorraine that Charles his predecessor was bound vnto him in a certaine sum of money and by the same meanes though also to vsurpe the royall title of Sicilie and Ierusalem Peter de Hagenbach Count of Thiersteine greatly molested the subiects of Sigismond Duke of Austrich who had lately after long warres made peace with the Swisses Wherevnto they of Strasbourge Sicistad Colmar and Basill had sealed And the money due vnto the Duke of Bourgongne was committed into the hands of a Changer or Banquer of Basill and the paiment signified to the Duke of Bourgongne by an Herauld After they proceeded against Peter de Hagembach who being taken prisoner was solemnly disgraded of his order of knighthood and publikely beheaded after he had gouerned the said lands engaged three yeares and an halfe The Duke of Bourgongne hearing hereof determined to reuenge the death of his Gouernour and assembled an Armie being also aided of the Duke of Millaine and the Duchesse of Sauoy and tooke Lansanua a confederate of the Swisses From thence hee besieged the Towne and Castle of Granson solliciting them to yeeld when they had yeelded the Duke caused to hang 80. and to drowne in a lake nigh the Towne 200. Such an act greatly stirred the Swisses and not only them but also whole high Germanie which with the Armie of the Duke of Austrich of which the conducter was Herman d' Extingen chased from Granson the Duke and slew one part of his Armie lost his Artillerie and his furniture for warre which was very magnificall After they tooke downe their companions which the Duke had hung vp and hanged in their places as many Bourguignons Gelatius Maria Duke of Millaine on S. Stephens day in the Church of S. Stephen being at Masse was slaine by a Citizen of Millaine called Andrew de Lupagnano who making a shewe to speake vnto him stabbed him in the stomacke He said the cause was for that the Duke deteined from him vniustly certaine possessions that he kept his wife and further hindred that iustice could not be done him touching an Abbey for which he had paid at Rome during vacation and the Duke would haue had an other to haue had it Sixtus cast the Manfrois Lords of the Towne of Imola namely the father and the sonne out of the Seignorie and gaue it to one of his houshold Likewise he deiected the Gouernours of Forliue and
constituted there a familiar friend of his Charles Duke of Bourgongne returned the second time against the Swisses Before he had taken from the Duke Rene of Lorraine Nancy wherefore the Duke of Lorraine ioyned with the Swisses And when the Duke of Bourgongne was before Morat they of the Towne came out and altogether inuaded the the Armie of the Bourguignons and put them vnto flight In so much that 17. thousand Bourguignons or 20000. after Fasci Temp. or 22000. after the Sea of Hist were there slaine The spoile was there left to the Duke of Lorraine for recompence who also after recouered Nancy See Nauclerus The third time the Duke of Bourgongne being greeued to haue beene vanquished by so weake a Prince as the Duke of Lorraine was returned and againe besieged Nancy Hee had 14000 combattants and still looked for other Bands of souldiers Vpon this the Duke of Lorraine and the Swisses came vpon them parted in two Bandes The Bourguignons were discomfited and put to flight some slaine in the woods and others drowned There was also slaine the Duke of Bourgongne hauing receiued three mortall woundes one on the head an other in the thigh and the last in the fundament See Naucler The Bourguignons would not beleeue he was slaine but that being escaped hee retired into Almaine and hee had vowed to make his penance there seuen yeares There were amongst the Bourguignons which solde precious stones horses and other such like things to be paid at his returne Yea euen in Bruchel in the Diocesse of Spine there was an olde man which men thought to bee the Duke of Bourgongne making there his penance whom euery one desired to see and therby got he good almes Nauclerus saith hee sawe the said poore man in the said place The king of France vnderstanding of the death of the Duke of Bourgongne tooke Monididier Roy Peronne Abbenille Monstraeul Arras an Hesdin See the Hist. of France Maximilian sonne of the Emperour Frederic the third affianced Mary the onely daughter of Charles Duke of Bourgongne with whom he had Bourgongne Brabant Flaunders Luxembourge Hainaut Zeland Artois Guelders with other Sergnories and lands The said Maximilian had of his said wife one sonne called Phillip and a daughter called Margarite They had two other children Francis and George which died in their youth Phillip espowsed Iane Queene of Chastile of whom hee had Charles the fift Emperour and Ferdinand and foure daughters Leonor Isabeal Mary and Katherine The Iacobins Inquisitors deputed against heretikes as they call them in diuers sorts molested certaine Theologians of the order of Carmes in certaine causes of the faith Amongst which they said one was called Iulian de Bresse an excellent Preacher of the word of God and an other Peter de Neuolaite for whom Mantuan writ an Apologie conteining three bookes But all this was pacified by the Pope Sixtus at the pursuite of Christopher Martignon which Sextus as tutor and defender of Monkes as Stella witnesseth in the Popes liues that he might take away all occasion of enuie and riots amongst them ordained that all Mendicant and begging Friars should bee equall in such priuiledges as all Popes had graunted vnto them The Vniuersitie of Tubinge in the Diocesse of Constance by Apostolicke authoritie was instituted at the instance of the Count of Wittemberge Naucler The Swisses beganne now to receiue wages of the king of Fraunce Lewis the 11. casheering the French Archers because they pilled and spoyled and did many other mischiefes Naucler Platina composed the Popes liues in Latin and dedicated them vnto Sixtus the 4. Wessalus of Frise in this time writ against the Pope his doctrine and traditions Mahomet the second died of poison as was suspected Naucler or else of a Collicke passion of the age of 50. yeares after Naucler of 53. Baiazetes his son succeeded him Paul Iou. Margarite the daughter of Maximilian was brought into France and espowsed vnto the Dolphin Charles the 8. in the moneth of Iuly at Ambroise who afterward was sent backe againe Naucler Mary Duchesse of Bourgongne Maximilians wife Madam Margarites mother being on hunting fell from her horse and died Chron. Euseb and Naucler The Pope Sixtus Canonized S. Bonauenture The last of August died Lewis King of France a very superstitious man He pilled the people to inrich Churches Hee worshipped and kissed bones and relickes of Saints to obtaine health For hee maruellously feared death In so much that in the end of his dayes hee gaue excessiue gifts to his Phisitian each moneth if at the least they might but prolong his life Sixtus made many warres wrongfully against Ferdinand King of Pouille because hee gaue ayde vnwillingly to his sonne in lawe Hercules d'st Duke of Ferrara which was besieged of the Venetians against the Venetians which he excommunicated Also against the Florentines as is said although that the matter better vnderstood hee absolued them and restored them to their honour and Lawrence de Medices likewise Sixtus being deteined sicke in his bed of a Feauer vnderstanding that a peace was made betwixt the Venetians and other Potentates suddenly yeelded the spirit Naucler Innocent 8. of that name borne at Genes the sonne of one called Aaron called before Iohn Baptist Cibo of a Cardinall Priest of the title of S. Cicilie was created Pope of Priests and Monkes after of Sixtus Volaterane saith he was once a poore childe yet faire and was nourished amongst the seruants of Ferdinand king of Sicilie where he learned all the fashions of the Court life Comming from thence to Rome he remained long time in the house of Phillip Cardinall of Boulongne After this he was made Bishop of Sauonne and thirdly of Melphe by the Pope Xistus and also Dataire finally Cardinall after Pope as hath bin said He was of a great stature a white man and of faire representation but of an heauie and dull spirit and far from all studie of good Letters In so much that sometimes when he was Idle from publike affaires hee seemed as though he slept Almost frō the beginning of his Popedome he conspired against Ferdinand king of Sicilie with the Princes of the kingdome See how Popes vse to recompence the amitie of such as nourish and educate them Hee called one named Robert d' S. Seuerin to be chiefe and Captaine of the Armie which he sent against Ferdinand This holy man said that for the Churches dignitie and the defence of Saints it was lawful to take Armes that peace might follow of it Yet seeing himself deceiued he was forced to make peace vpon this condition that his yearely tribute should be paid him and that such as rebelled should not be in daunger But the king Ferdinand kept neither the one nor the other condition although hee sent one named Peter de Vincence an hardie and bold man who was Auditor of the Chamber with his Secretarie to sollicite his causes After these things Innocent wearie of