The like crueltie the Arrians practised in Constantinople Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was banished to Cuculus a little towne in Cappadocia where he was strangled by the Arrians Macedonius was placed in his roome a notable Heretique who vsed no lesse crueltie in compelling the Christians of Constantinople to communicate with him then was vsed of olde to compell Christians to sacrifice to the Idoles of the Gentiles The exquisite diligence of the Arrians in procuring Councels to bee gathered for establishing of their errour shall be declared in the right place God willing Now to returne to the ciuill estate of Constantius After that Magnentius had made an end of his owne life in most desperate manner as is said and his associate Britannio had humbly submitted himselfe to Constantius and obtained pardon yet was not the Emperours estate quiet and free of trouble for there arose another Tyrant called Siluanus whom the Captaines of Constantius armie in France did hastily cut off and make out of the way Also the Iewes of Diocaesaria a towne of Palestina rebelled against him who were ouerthrowne by Gallus the Emperours coosen and the Citie of Diocaesaria was leuelled with the ground This good successe made Gallus somewhat insolent and he slew Domitianus the Emperours great Treasurer in the East therefore the Emperour gaue commandement to cut him off Finally the Germans who had assisted him in his warres against Magnentius they rebelled against him And hee sent against them his coosen Iulian the brother of Gallus who subdewed the Germans and hee likewise waxed insolent and suffered the souldiours to salute him with the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Emperour This was not vnknowne to Constantius who made hast to preuent all further vsurpation But by the way as hee was leading his armie through Cilicia hee concluded his life sorowing for this as Theodoretus writes that he had changed the forme of the Nicene faith Iulianus IN the yeere of our Lord 365. Iulian began to raigne and he raigned 3 yeeres Ruffinus assignes vnto him one 8. monethes only he was Constantius neere kinsman who made him Caesar and gaue vnto him in marriage Helena his sister He was brought vp in Christian Religion but was peruerted by Maximus an Ephesian Philosopher whom Valentinian the Emperour afterward punished vnto the death as a practiser of Magicall artes In the beginning of his raigne he restored those Bishops to their places againe whom Constantius had banished not for loue of Religion but to impare the fame of Constantius yet immediately after hee manifested his affection toward Heathnicke superstition and opened the doores of the Temples of the gods of the Heathen which Constantine had locked vp and incouraged others by his owne example to offer sacrifices to the gods of the Gentiles Iulian absteined for a time from crueltie and shedding of blood not for pitie and compassion of Christians but rather for enuie For he enuyed the glory of Christian Martyrs whose magnanimitie courage and constant perseuerance in the faith of Christ vnto the death was commended in the mouthes of all men But he indeuoured by subtile and craftie meanes to vndoe Christian Religion He debarred the children of Christians from Schooles and from the vse of Learning Also hee debarred them from warre fare from offices of gouerment of Romane Prouinces and from offices of heauie taxations which taxations also the auarice of the Deputies of Prouinces increased and made them more grieuous and intollerable Neuerthelesse when Christians complained of the vnrighteous dealing of the Deputies the Emperour mocked them and said their happinesse was increased according to the speech of Christ their Lord and Master Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Likewise in the market places of Cities he set vp his own Image with the Effigies of the gods of the Heathen pictured round about it to the ende that whosoeuer should doe ciuil reuerence to the Emperours Image might also seeme to worship the gods of the Gentiles And by the contrarie they who would not bow to the gods of the Gentiles might seem also to refuse all due reuerence to the Emperour When he distributed gold to his Captaines and Warriours as the custome was he vsed a forme of distributing not accustomed before to haue an altar neere vnto his Princely throne and coales burning vpon it and incense vpon a table neere vnto the altar whereby it came to passe that no man receiued gold before he cast incense vpon the coales of the altar by this subtile artifice circumuenting many who knew not that it was Iulians purpose to intangle them with the rites of ido latrous seruice In Antiochia in the Region round about he dedicated all the Fountaines to the Goddesses of the Gentiles and caused all the victuall that was to be solde in market places to be sprinckled with Heathenicke holy water Neuerthelesse Christians without scruple of conscience dranke of the water that was in the Welles and ate of the meate which they bought in the market beeing fully perswaded that to the cleane all thinges are cleane and againe it is written Whatsoeuer is solde in the shambles eat ye and aske no question for conscience sake The libertie that Iunentius and Maxentius two worthie Warriours vsed in reprouing the Emperour to his face for his Heathnike superstition moued Iulian to such wrath that hee punished them vnto the death And so by degrees the policie and wisedome of Iulian in the end breakes foorth into the fruites of crueltie and shedding of blo od Albeit no publicke mandate of Iulian was set foorth commanding to persecute Christians yet by many euident testimonies it was knowne to the people that the Emperour hated them and that no man would incur punishment for outrage and violence vsed against them Therefore in the towne of Sebaste the Sepulchre of Iohn the Baptist was opened his bones were burnt and the ashes scattered abroad Likewise the wicked men of Gaza and Ascalon killed Preachers and holy Virgins ripped their bellies filled them with barlie and cast their bodies to the swine to be eaten Cyrillus also a Deacon in Hierapolis a towne of Phoenicia at the foote of Mount Libanus who in time of the raigne of Constantine had broke in pieces the images of the Gentiles was taken by them his bellie was ript his liuer was drawne out of his bodie which with Barbarous inhumanitie they chawed with their teeth But the Lord suffered not such vnkouth crueltie to escape vnpunished for the teeth of those who commited this fact of vnnaturall inhumanitie fell out of their jaw bones their tongues rotted within their mouthes and their eyes were darkned and blinded a just and deserued punishment of brutish Sauages practised by men Marcus Arthusius had his body ouerlaid with hony and it was hung vp in hot summer weather to be molested with wasps and flies In
brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Egypt In the ende he was ordained Bishop of Salamina the Metropolitane towne of the Isle of Cyprus He refuted the Heresies preceding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regard to the poore in so much that he was called Oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Egypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and he distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him he was circumveened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and tooke a dealing against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the Books of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the hearts of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion and ordained a Deacon in Constantinople without the foreknowledge and consent of Chrysostome and contrary to the Church order Chrysostome on the other part sent him aduertisement that in case he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fury of popular commotions he should blame himselfe who by his own inordinate doings was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when he entered into the ship he said he left three great things behinde him to wit a great towne a great pallace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a Compend to write of all the worthie men of God in the Easterne parts who did fight a good fight runne a good race and kept the Faith Asclepas in Gaza Luciâ—â— in Adrianopolis Basilius presbyter in Ancyra a mightie adversarie to the Arrians vnder the raigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the raigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius Bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus Bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became Bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councell of Nice Iames Bishop of Nisibis in Mesopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores King of Persia was miraculously disappointed Paulus Bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euprates and Paphnutius Bishop in Thebaida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councell of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptioÌ„s of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to be Bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour threatned to cut off his right hand in case he deliuered not the subscriptions aforesaid yet he constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emperour both admired and commended his constancie Barses Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the raigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose travailes God wonderfully blessed to the conversion of many soules to the kingdome of God Theodulus Bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he married a young woman and the first night after her marriage he perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sonne of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposiâ—on of the hands of an Arrian Bishop Letoius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia who burnt the Monasteries or rather as Theodoretus writes the dennes of theeues wherein the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syrian Language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in company with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because he married a young woman procreated three children with her and in the end left her and entered into a Monasterie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebeâ—nius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine revelation the places were manifested wherein the bodies of the Prophets Habacuk and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers alreadie become that the searching out of things nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascribed to divine revelations The judicious Reader will pardon me that I write not in particular of the liues of all the fore mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short Compend cannot permit it to be done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde he became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all things the exact knowledge of divine Scriptures made him a terrour to the Arrians Many doe write that the very last period of time wherein Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was revealed to Didymus in a dreame and that he againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the raigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward he became a Christian and craued to be baptized Christian Bishops lingered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had beene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet Arnob. freed himself from all suspition of Paganisme by writing Bookes wherein he confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our Lord 330. About the suffering of our Lord he writes very judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne-beames cannot be cutted Euen so in the suffering of Christ the diuine Nature suffered no paine Lactantius Fâ—rmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Master yet it is thought that he impugned errours with greater dexteritie then he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his Pen against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurd assertion he clearely refutes First Whereas the Donatists affirmed that the Church of Christ was onely to be found in a corner of Africke He refutes it by Scripture
weaknesse was found in him At the councell of Syrmium he was compelled to be present in that assembly of Arrian Bishops to whose wicked constitutions fearing torture and banishment from which he was lately reduced he subscribed Ierom was borne in a towne of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in the Rudiments of Learning at Rome From Rome he went to France of purpose to increase his knowledge and to diuerse other places and he returned againe to Rome where he acquainted himselfe with honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture for he was admitted presbyter He was counted worthie to succeed Damasus B. of Rome his gifts were enuied at Rome therefore he left Rome and tooke his voiage toward Palestina By the way he acquainted himselfe with Epiphanius B. of Cyprus with Nazianzenus B. in Constantinople with Didymus Doctor in the Schoole of Alexandria and sundry other men of Note and Marke In the end he came to Iudea and made choise of the place of the Lords Natiuitie to be the place of his death At Bethlehem Paula a Noble woman who accompanied Ierom and his brother Paulinianus from Rome vpon her owne charges builded foure Monasteries Ierom guided one Monasterie wherein were a number of Monkes The other three wherein there were companies of holy Virgines she guided her selfe Ierom was a man of sterne disposition and more inclinable to a solitary and Monkish life then to fellowship and societie Neither Heliodorus in the Wildernesse nor Ruffinus out of the Wildernesse could keepe inuiolable friendship with him The Letters that passed betwixt August and Ierom declare that Ierom knew not how great a victory it was in loue in humilitie and friendship to ouer-come them who seemed to contend against him Ierom wanted not his owne grosse errours Concerning the creation hee thought that Angels Thrones Dominations were existent before the world was created In his Bookes written against Iouinian he writeth not reuerently of Mariage and he seemeth to condemne the second Mariage He ended his life about the twelfth yeere of the raigne of Honorius in the yeere of his age 91. Ecclesiasticall Writers haue filled their Bookes with excessiue commendations of Heremites and Monks of whom God willing I shall write in a particular Treatise of Monasticall life CENTVRIE V. Patriarches of Rome AFter Stricius succeeded Anastatius and gouerned the Church of Rome three yeeres About the yeere of our Lord 401. hee entred into his office vnder the raigne of Honorius Hee made a constitution that men should not sit but stand when the Gospell was read After him succeeded Innocentius and continued in his office fifteene yeeres hee was an aduersarie to the Novatians and Pelagians and was friendly to Iohn Chrysostome whose deposition Eudoxia the Emperours wife had procured Innocentius sent to Honorius and Arcadius fiue Bishops and two Presbiters to procure the appointment of a Councell wherein the cause of Chrysostome might be examined for hee counted the gathering of an Ae cumenicke Councell the only remedy whereby the vehement tempest of so great commotions as followed the deposition and banishment of Chrysostome could be settled but the aduersaries of Chrysostome procured the messengers of Innocentius to be ignominiously entreated and sent backe againe Heere let the iudicious Reader marke that the power of conuocating generall Councells appertained to the Emperour and not vnto the Bishop of Rome In this mans time according to mine opinion the Roman Church began to swell in pride and to vsurpe iurisdiction ouer other Churches hauing no better ground than a personall and temporall act of the councel of Sardica Zosimus the successor of Innocentius continued not aboue the space of a yeere and 5. months in office or 2. yeeres as Socrates writeth To him Platina ascribeth this constitution that no seruant should be assumed into the clergie but he lamenteth that not onely seruants but also the sons of strange women and flagitious persons were admitted to spirituall offices to great detriment of the Church He sent Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell of Carthage with 2. Presbyters of the Romane Church to craue that no matter of moment and importance should be done without aduise of the Roman Bishop He pretended an act of the councell of Nice allotting this dignitie to the Romane chaire but after diligent search of the principall register no such act was found I expected that Onuphrius now should haue compeared in so maine a point said something to the cause which with tooth naile he defendeth but in his annotations I see nothing except a diuersity of couÌ„ting of yeres for in his reckoning Zosimus continued 3. yeeres 4-months To Zosimus succeeded Bonifacius 1. and gouerned 3. yeeres At his election there was a schisme in Rome Some elected Bonifacius others Eulalius to be their bishop The Emperour Honorius baÌ„ished them both from Rome but after 7 months Bonifacius was restored and was Bishop of Rome at this time they were bishops of Rome to whom the Emperour gaue allowance but they were not Emperours to whom the Bishop of Rome gaue allowance After Bonifacius Coelestinus gouerned the Church of Rome eight yeeres ten months and seuenteene dayes He was an aduersary to the Novatians Pelagians and to Nestorius and his adherents Socrates taketh him vp right that hee was bitter against the Novatians for desire of preheminence In Constantinople they who professed the true faith had libertie to meete together â—albeit in matters of discipline their opinion was not found but Coelestinus silenced Rusticola the Bishop of the Novatians For desire to haue all Bishoppes stouping vnder his soueraignitie Marke the words of Socrates in the Latine translation bearing these words Romano Episcopatus iam â—dim periâ—de atque Alexandrinâ— ultra sacredâ—â—â— luâ—â—tes aâ—d exterum dominatum progrâ—ssâ— that is the bishoprick of Rome euen of old hauing stepped beyond the limites of Priesthood to an externall domination as the Bishopricke of Alexandria had done before Pelagius had propagated his heresie in the Isle of Britaine But Coelestinus hindred the propagation of a wicked heresie by sending Germanus to the Brittaines and Palladius to the Scots Coelestinus more impudently than his predecessours Innocentius Zosimus and Bonifacius vrged a submission of the Churches of Carthage vnto the Romane chaire and that they should accept in fauour Appiarius whom they excommunicated for his appellation from his owne Bishop to the Bishop of Rome but the fathers of the sixt Councell of Carthage would neither absolue Appiarius before his repentance were knowne neither would they stoup vnder the iurisdiction of the Roman Church To Coelestinus succeeded Sixtus the third and continued in office eight yeeres ninteene dayes Hee was accused of the crime of Adultery by Bassus but Sixtus was found innocent and Bassus was found a calumniator and a false accuser
with the Deuill that hee enquired of him as Platina writeth how long hee should continue in his Popedome and the Deuill answered euen vntill the time hee should say Masse at Ierusalem Now there was in Rome a Chappel called S. Crucis and vulgarlie it was called Ierusalem In this Chappel in time of Lent the Bishop of Rome was accustomed to say Masse and when Sylvester the second who before was called Gilbertus was saying Masse in that place hee found himselfe attainted with a vehement feuer and remembering that the place was called Ierusalem hee knew that hee was deceiued and put in vaine hope of long liuing by the deuill Hee called for the Cardinals and confessed his fault and desired them to cut his bodie in pieces as it iustlie deserued and to lay it open vpon a Coach to bee buried in that place wherein the horses of their owne accord should draw the Coach So the horses carried the Coach to the Church of Lateran where hee was buried Onuphrius is weake in this that neither can hee be silent neither can hee defend the name of Pope Sylvester with reason but sayes hee was a learned man well acquainted with mathematicall sciences and therefore vnlearned people counted him a Sorcerer By such frivolous excuses all the Necromancers and Sorcerers in Europe might bee excused against the testimonie of wise and learned Historiographers who giue to cuerie man such prayse as their doings deserue Patriarches of Constantinople AFter Nicholaus and Euthymius succeeded Stephanus Amasenus who continued aboue three yeeres To whom succeeded Tryphon admitted vpon this condition that when Theophilactus the youngest sonne of the Emperour Romanus should come to perfect age hee should giue place to him But when the Emperours sonne was 16. yeeres old Tryphon would not giue place vnto him vntill he was circomuened by the craft of the Bishop of Cesarea who pretending to be his friend said to him in this manner Seeing that the Courteours are in hope to haue you displaced in respect of your want of learning I will giue you faith he my counsel to write your owne name together with all the titles and dignities of your calling in presence of many witnesses and send this letter aforesaid to the Emperour to let him vnderstand that yee are not so voide of learning as they talke of To this Counsell Tryphon agreed not foresmelling the subtilitie of the Bishop who gaue vnto him this Counsell But the Courteours so soone as the letter came in their hands subioyned to the words Tryphon Archbishop of new Rome and Vniversall Patriarch the words following that he voluntarily ouergaue his Patriarchship in fauour of Theophilactus the Emperours youngest sonne So was Tryphon by his owne handwritting displaced and Theophilactus seated in his roome He was a young man of 16. yeeres old when he was made Patriarch and ruled 23. yeeres Hee was riotous and full of youthly conceits and in hunting his horse so brused his body that he vomited blood and ended his life To Theophilactus succeeded Polyenctus in the dayes of Nicephorus and Zimisces of whom God willing more shall be spoken in the head of Councels and to him a Monke Basilius who ruled 4 yeeres and after him Antonius Studites Of other Pastors and Doctors LVitprandus a famous Historiographer liued in the dayes of Hugo and Berengarius kings of Italie and in the daies of Otto the first Emperour of the west and Constantine Emperour of the East His learning and skill in Musicke brought him in credit with Hugo King of Italie Also Berengarius king of Italie found no man so meet to be employed Ambassador to Constantine Emperour of Constantinople as Luitprandus who did his message faithfully vpon the charges of his owne father in law But Berengarius rendered vnto him euill for good for hee banished him In time of his banishment he writ his historie of things done in Europe from the yeere of our Lord 858. vntill the 30. yeere of Otto Magnus and dedicated it to Reginomundus a Bishop of Spain It is not certaine in what age Theophilactus liued alwaies his name is inrolled in this Centurie Hee was Bishop of Bulgaria and writ in the Greeke Language fruitefull Commentaries vpon the foure Evangelists and vpon all the Epistles of Paul and vpon some of the small Prophets such as Habacuk Ionas and Nahum Hee followed Chrysostome in his writings so that his bookes are thought to be a short abridgement of the writings of Chrysostome He sharpely refuteth old Heretikes but the defection of his owne time hee doth not so neerely touch Of the Antichrist hee thinketh that hee should spring vp in the decay of the Romane Empire and of marriage that it was honorable and a step to the chaire of a Bishop The names of other men who were more famous then others either for good or evill will be found in the head of Councels CENTVRIE XI Popes of Rome AFter Silvester ruled Pope Iohn nineteene yeeres foure months and twentie dayes of whom no memorable thing is written To him succeeded Pope Iohn 20. and continued foure yeeres foure months Platina for lacke of some remarkable thing in the historie of his life is compelled to remarke the wisdome magnamitie learning and deuotion of Robert King of France who was worthie to gouerne others because his owne heart was gouerned and ruled with reason but of Pope Iohn hee read nothing worthie of commendation To him succeeded Sergius the fourth who gouerned 2. yeeres and 15. dayes To Sergius succeeded Benedict the eight and continued a eleuen yeeres one month and thirteene dayes in his dayes the pestilence so mightilie abounded that the number of them who died in the plague surpassed the number of them who were aliue Which calamitie was signified by a fountaine of wholesome water in Loraine converted into blood The factious Romans remoued him from his Popedome and seated another in his place but afterward they were reconciled to him and receiued him with great Pompe honor to his Popedome againe These are the people who call the B. of Rome the vicar of Christ the successor of Peter the vniuersall Bishoppe the ministericall head of the Church yet will they make insurrection against him when they please and they call others schismaticks when they fall from the obedience of the Bishop of Rome But the Towne of Rome is the mother of scismes no lesse is shee the mother of all spirituall whoredomes Iohn 21. succeeded to Benedict the 8. in the dayes of the Emperour Conrad the second and ruled eleuen yeeres nine dayes Platina commendeth his life but without any particular commendation of his commendable vertues Benedict the ninth succeeded to Pope Iohn and gouerned ten yeeres and foure months and nine dayes a man vnlearned and vitious in his conversation who allured women to his lust by Magicall arts therefore hee was thrust out of his Popedome
perceiving that Iohn Hus was denyed to be heard and that watch was layed for him on every side hee departed to Iberling a Citie of the Empire a mile distant from Constance and from thence caused a letter to be directed to the Councell and to bee affixed vpon the doores of the chiefe Churches Cloysters and Cardinalls houses in Constance bearing in effect that hee was ready to come to the Councell and to answer vnto any of his accusers who would stand vp to accuse him of erroneous and hereticall doctrine providing alwayes that hee might haue sure and safe accesse But when hee saw that through such intimations being set vp as is before sayd hee could haue no safe conduct hee thought meete to returne backe againe to Bohemia taking with him the letters patents of the Lords of Bohemia that were at Constanâ—e for a testimonie and witnesse of the premises As hee was in his iourney by treason and conspiracie of his enemies hee was taken in Hirsaw by the officers of Duke Iohn and sent backe to the Councell bound with chaines where hee was cast into prison and so hardly vsed that hee fell sore sicke almost to the death But after he was recovered and Iohn Hus was already put to death they brought forth Master Ierome whom they had long kept in chaines in the Church of Saint Paul and threatning him with death being instant vpon him they forced him to abiure and recant and consent vnto the death of Master Iohn Hus that hee was iustly condemned and put to death by them Neverthelesse his enemies perceiving that this abiuration was not made sincerely from his heart but onely for feare to escape their hands they gaue in new accusations against him And in the yeere of our Lord 1416. the 25. day of May the sayd Master Iereme was brought forth vnto open audience before the whole generall Councell vnto the great cathedrall Church of Constance Where many things were layd to his charge that day as likewise the third day after which was another Diet assigned to him for answering where hee refuted his adversaries with such eloquence and wisdome that the hearts of all the Fathers of the councell were marvelously bent and mooved to mercy toward him But in the end hee entered to the praise of Iohn Hus and affirmed that whatsoever Iohn Hus and Wickliffe had holden and written specially against the pompe and pride of the Clergie hee would affirme even to the death And likewise hee added that of all the sinnes that ever hee had committed the sinne of his recantation did most grievously gnaw and trouble his conscience especially in consenting to the wicked condemnation of that good and holy man Iohn Hus which fault as hee did it through weakenesse of faith and feare of death so did hee vtterly deny and revoke that wicked recantation After this hee was led away againe to prison and the Saturday before the ascention day hee was brought to the Cathedral Church before the Congregation where the sentence of his condemnation was given out against him and a paper with pictures of red divels was brought to bee put vpon his head which hee himselfe receiving put it thereupon saying Our Lord Iesus Christ when hee suffered death for me most wretched sinner did weare a crowne of thornes vpon his head and I for his sake will willingly weare this miter and cap. Afterward hee was layd hold on by the secular power and carried to the place of execution where his body was burnt with fire which paine he suffered with a lowd voyce praising God in the midst of the fire and commending his soule to the gracious custodie of the Lord Iesus And finally his ashes were diligently collected and throwne into the river of Rhene In this age also was Hieronimus Savonarola a man no lesse godly in heart then constant in profession who being a Monke in Italy and very learned preached against the evill life of the Spiritualty and specially of his owne order Which thing the Pope perceiving and fearing that the said Hierom who was already in great reputation amongst all men should diminish and overthrow his authority he ordained his Vicar or Provinciall to see reformation in those matters who with great superstition began to reforme them But the sayd Hierom did alwaies withstand him whereupon hee was complained of to the Pope and cursed by him Notwithstanding hee continued preaching in the towne of Florence And albeit hee was cited to appeare before the Pope he made his excuse and came not Then was hee againe forbidden to preach and his doctrine pronounced and condemned as pernicious false and seditious Thus Hieronimus forseeing the perils dangers that might come for feare left off preaching But when the people which sore hungred for the word of God were instant vpon him that hee would preach againe hee began againe to preach in the yeere 1496. and albeit many counselled him that he should not so doe without the Popes commandement yet did he not regard them but constantly went forward of his owne good will When the Pope and his shavelings heard newes of this they were grievously inflamed and incensed against him and now againe cursed him as an obstinate and stifnecked heretique Notwithstanding all this Hierom proceeded in preaching and instructing the people saying men ought not to regard such curses as are against the true and common profit of the people In all his teaching he desired to teach none other thing but the onely pure and simple word of God making often protestation that all men should certifie him if they had heard him teach or preach any thing contrary thereunto For in his owne conscience he knew that he had not taught any thing but the pure Word of God What his doctrine was all men may iudge by his bookes which hee hath written After this in the yeere of our Lord 1498. hee was taken and brought to Saint Markes Cloyster and and two other Fryers with him named Dominicke and Sylvester who favoured his learning and were carryed to prison and from thence were brought forth by the chiefe Councellors of Florence and the Popes Commissioners who had gathered out certain articles against them whereupon they should be condemned to death which were these 1. The first article was as touching our free iustification through faith in Christ. 2. That the Communion ought to bee ministred vnder both kinds 3. That the Indulgences and Pardons of the Pope were of none effect 4. For preaching against the filthy and wicked living of the Cardinals and Spiritualty 5. For denying the Popes supremacy 6. And that hee had affirmed that the Keyes were not given to Peter alone but vnto the vniversall Church 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor the doctrine of Christ for that hee did attribute more to his owne pardons and traditions then to Christs merits and therfore he was Antichrist 8. That the
of holy Scripture onely that it is to be wished that other Councels had followed the example of this Councell wherein Augustine was President The other cause of the meeting of this Councell was to constitute canons concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline specially that no man should make appellation from his owne Bishop to Bishops beyond Sea but in case his owne Bishop did him wrong then hee should appeale vnto an assembly of African Bishops but hee who would needes appeare to Bishoppes beyond Sea meaning chiefly of the Bishop of Rome let him be secluded from the communion of all African Bishops The cause of Apiarius and his Bishop Vrbanus Siccensis seemed already to bee wakened and the Fathers of this Councell fore-smelled that he was to appeale to the Bishop of Rome like as he did indeed to Zosymus the successor of Innocentius and therefore like wise men in due time they made this constitution Innocentius received the Councels letter from a brother named Iulius and approoved the condemnatory sentence pronunced against Pelagius and Coelestius but marke the words of Innocentius letter Frater Coepiscopus noster Iulius dilectionis vestraeliteras quas ex Milevitano cura fideâ— propensiore misistâ—s mihiâ—nopinanter suggessiâ— that is to say Our brother and fellowship Iulius brought vnto mee vnawares your brotherly letters which ye sent vnto me from the Councell MilevitanuÌ„ with a care very bent for the Faith The word inopinanter declareth that hee received their letter before hee knew that any such Councell was gathered for the Bishops of Rome as yet tooke not vpon them that authority to bee the onely appointers of generall and nationall Councels Pelagius after this Councell compeared before a Councell in Palestina and seemed to renounce his errors but hee spake deceitfully as Heretiques are accustomed to doe but hee set forth nothing in writing to destroy the errour hee had builded and to procure the safety of them whom hee had intangled with the snares of deceitfull errours as the Epistle of Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Evodius and Possidius written to Innocentius doth declare Obscure Covncels I haue not overpassed with silence and do minde God willing to keep the like order in time to come IN the yeere of our Lord 402. and vnder the raignes of Honorius and Theodosius the second a great nationall Councell was assembled in Carthage two hundred and seventeene bishops were present at this Councell and it continued for the space of six yeeres Aurelius Bishop of Carthage was Moderator Three Bishops of Rome to wit Zosymus Bonifacius the first and Coelestinus endevoured with all their might to perswade the African Bishops that they were vnder the soueraignty and iurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome but all in vaine as the issue of this Councell will proue The ground of the great controversie betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the sixt Councell of Carthage was Apiarius Presbyter Siccencis a wicked man and iustly excommunicate not onely by his owne Bishoppe Vrbanus but also by a Synode of other neere approaching Bishops Hee appealed to Zosymus Bishop of Rome a Citie of refuge to all villanous men as appeared by the insolent forme of his cariage toward his brethren in Africke for before hee had heard the causes wherefore they had excommunicated this wicked man Apiarius hee absolued him and admitted him to his communion Moreover vnderstanding that a Councell was to be convened in Carthage hee sent thither Ambassadours to plead the cause of Apiarius to procure the excommunication of Vrbanus and in case this succeeded not to desire that this question might be remitted to the determination of the Romane Bishop as vndoubted Iudge of appellations according to an act of the Councell of Nice The Fathers of the Councell of Carthage answered with great modesty that they knew no such act to haue beene made in the Councell of Nice Alwayes time is granted to the Bishop of Rome to prooue that such right belongeth to him by an act of the Councell of Nice Zosymus the first alleadger of this false act continued short time in office for hee ended his course within the space of one yeere and few moneths Bonifacius the successor of Zosymus seriously vrging the same prerogatiue to be iudges in all causes of appellation according to the act of the Councell of Nice When all the acts were read both in the Latine and Greeke exemplars and no such act was found the Ambassadors of Bonifacius returned to him with this answer that the principall Registers ought to bee searched which were to bee found in Constantinople Alexandria and Antiochia and in the meane time no man should bee challenged for appealing to the Bishoppe of Rome vntill this question had an end by viewing of the authentique Registers Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople sent to the Councell of Carthage the iust copies of the acts of the Councell of Nice but no such act was found as was alledged by Zosymus and Bonifacius and by this time Bonifacius also ended his life for hee sate not aboue three yeeres The Epistle sent from the sixt Councell of Carthage declaring that they found the act aforesayd alledged by the ambassadours of the Bishop of Rome to bee supposititious and false this Epistle I say was directed to Bonifacius but seeing hee had ended his life it came into the hands of Coelestinus the successor of Bonifacius who insisted by the same ambassadours who were employed before to wit Faustinus a Bishop and Philippus and Asellus two Presbyters to haue Apâ—arius received into fauour and the African Bishops to bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome but their travels were bestowed in vaine The last period of this controversie was this that Apâ—arius despairing of helpe from the Bishops of Rome confessed his faults and humbly submitted himselfe to the Councell of Carthage And the Ambassadours of Coelestinus returned with this answer that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie over the Bishops of Africa but hee who thought himselfe to bee wronged let him complaine to a nationall Councell and if the nationall Councel also did him wrong then let him complaine to the generall Councell but no appellation to be made in time to come from Africa to the Bishop of Rome VNder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius and about the yeere of our Lord 433. The Donatists assembled themselues in a towne of Africa called Bagaia in frequent number for they are counted 310. who were present at this Councell The principall purpose of their meeting was for deposition of Maximianus Bishop of Bagara who fell from their societie and drew many others from their heresie him they deposed and accursed I haue made mention of this vnhappy Councell for two causes First to declare the vncessant diligence of Heretiques in advancing a doctrine of lies for it was a strange thing that for the deposition of one man so many should assemble themselues in one towne seldome were so many present
any superuenient sicknesse that another shall bee readie to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Thirdly That the Presbyters and the whole Clergie shal be present at the funerall of a bishop Fourthly It is forbidden that Bishops in their visitation should extort or oppresse the Churches which they visite Fiftly That men inclosed into a Monasterie should first receiue instruction in their Monasteries before they presume to teach others Sixtly A commandement is giuen That the Bishops in neare adjacent places should bee obedient to the Bishop of Toledo and at his commaundement they should appeare in the towne of Toledo CAbillonum vulgarlie called Chalon is a towne in Burgunnie not farre distant from Matiscone In this towne by the commandement of Clodoneus king of France conueened 44. Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Laudilenus Bishop of Vienne Theodorus Bishop of Arls because hee refused to appeare before the Councell was suspended from his office vntill the next Councell In this Synode the Canons of the Councell of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be ordained in one towne That no man should sel a Christian seruant to a Iew And that two Abbots should not be chosen to gouerne one Monasterie That no labouring of the ground or other secular worke should be done on the Lords day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councels IN the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogonatus and vnder the Popedome of Agatho a Councell was gathered at Rome about the question of the willes and operations of Christ wherein it was decerned by the suffrages of 125. Bishops of Italy France Lombardy of the nation of the Gothes of Britanes and Sclauonians That two willes and two operations were to bee acknowledged in Christ And the opinions of Theodorus Cyrus Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites was damned The vaunting words of the letter of Agatho written to the sixt generall Councell wherein he braggeth that the Bishops of Rome neuer erred in matters of Faith I lay them aside at this time for they are false and vntrue as I haue alreadie prooued and shall prooue hereafter if it please the Lord. IN the yeere of our Lord 671. and in the fift yeere of Recesuvindus King of Gothes the eight Councell of Toledo was conueened To this Assemblie resorted two and fiftie Bishops Great disputation was in this Councell concerning perjurie In end it was resolued That no necessitie bindeth a man to performe an vnlawfull oath For Herod and Iephthah sinned in making vnlawfull oathes but they sinned more grieuouslie in performing vnlawfull oathes Marriage is vtterlie forbidden to Bishops and places of Scripture are miserablie abused to confirme this interdiction of marriage Be yee holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.16 And in another place Mortifie your members which are on the earth Coloss. 3.5 Miserable ignorance in this age counteth marriage to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vncleanenesse a member of the bodie of sin which the Apostle commandeth to mortifie Yea and the sub-deacons who pleaded for retaining of their wiues in regard that in their admission no such condition was required of them are in most seuere manner interdited from the companie of their wiues or else to be thrust into a Monastery to suffer penance vntill the last period of their liues Vnlearned men are not to be admitted to the celebration of diuine misteries especially such as are not well acquainted with the Psalter Eating of flesh is forbidden in Lent for three principall causes First Because the fourtie dayes of Lent are the tithes of all the dayes of the yeeres and the tithes should be consecrated to God Secondlie because that Christ by fasting fourtie dayes expiated the sinnes of mankinde Thirdly because it is conuenient that a man made of the 4. elementes for breaking the ten precepts of the decalogue should afflict his bodie foure times ten dayes In the 10. Canon the vertues where with the king shall be indewed who shall be chosen to raigne in Spaine are rehearsed In the last Canon the ordinances of preceding Councels are to be obeyed and the Iewes are to bee deale with according to the actes of the 4. Councell of Toledo Can. 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. c. IN the yeere of our Lord 673. and in the 7. yeere of the raigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes by the commandement of the King 16. Bishops conueened in Toledo and made these ordinances following First That founders of Churches and bestowers of rentes vpon the Church and their posteritie should haue a sollicitous care that Church-rents be not abused with misorder if it shall happen to fall out let complaint be made to the Bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestow any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause be clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voide Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church-affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a Bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow aboue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and in case he build a paroch Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestow aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the Bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that third part to the Church it selfe out of which it is raised or to any other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because he is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct Bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitan and in case the Metropolitan depart this life let no intermeddling with his goods bee made without the foreknowledge of is successour lest by fraud and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church-rents the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death and not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commodity which a Bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another Bishop Children procreated by Bishops Presbyters Deacons c. shall not onely be deprived of the heritage some time belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall service of those Churches wherein their fathers served Let the reader marke that there is a greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one Antichristian
how mens traditions are equalled to the commandements of God 6. Presbyters Abbots and Levites for the dignity of their calling shall not bee punished with stripes by the Bishoppe lest in dispersoning the principall members of his owne body hee bring himselfe into contempt of his subiectes 7. Let no honour be sold for promise of rewards 8. Let governours of Churches haue a greater regard to the weale of the Church then to their owne particular affaires In the end thankes is given to God and the King for their meeting they subscribe the fore named ordinances Here marke that in the country of Spain the King still keepeth in his owne hand power of convocating Councels IN the yeere of our Lord 681. and in the 12. yeare of the raigne of Constantius Pogonatus a general Councell was assembled at Constantinople by the authority of the Emperour and not by the commandement of Pope Donus nor Agatho his successor nor of Leo the 2. the successor of Agatho as the Divall letter of Constantine directed to Pope Donus and received and obeyed by Pope Agatho cleerly testifies As for the number of Bishops convened there is an infinite discrepance betwixt the authors who make rehearsall of their number the least number reckoned is 150. The question discussed in this Assembly was about the wils and actions of Christ. Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia and Stephanus his disciple pertinaciously defended the errour of the Monothelites confirming also their opinion by the testimony of Honorius sometime Bishop of Rome whose letters written to Sergius sometime Bishop of Constantinople being read in the open audience of the Councell made it cleerly knowne that he also was infected with the erour of the Monothelites For this cause Honorius Bishop of Rome Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria and Macarius Bishop of Antiochia were all excommunicated likewise Polychronius a ridiculous Monke and his complices were excōmunicated and with great shame and ignominy reiected from the fellowship of the Church For he offered to proue the opinion of the Monothelites to bee the truth of God by writing the summe of that opinion in a paper and over spreading it vpon a beere wherein a dead man was laid hee put the Councell in hope that hee would raise the dead man to life againe but after tryall hee was found to be a lying and a deceitfull fellow and he likewise was excommunicated This Councell made no Canons and Constitutions concerning Church-discipline as other Councels had done before For this cause Iustinian the 2. the son of Pogenatus gathered these same Fathers who had beene in the preceding Councel to perfect the worke which they had begun They made many Constitutions but two in special which displeased the Romane Church First they annulled the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices Secondly they ordained the Patriarch of Constantinople to bee in equall authority with the Pope of Rome These Constitutions and Canons Pope Sergius refused to subscribe albeit his ambassadors in his name had subscribed them in Constantinople BAmbas King of the Goths resigned the title of his royall authority to Euringius and he was content to be shaven and enter into a Monastery In the first yeere of the raigne of Euringius 33. Bishops with some Abbots and 13. Noblemen of the Court convened at Toledo The King amongst many other things protested that he was content that whatsoeuer thing in his lawes seemed repugnant to reason it should be corrected by the prudent advice of this Councel The Fathers of this Councell for confession of Faith adhered vnto the Councell of Nice After this the hand-writings and seales of Bambas and the Nobles of his Court and the testimony of Iulianus ArchBishop of Toledo are presented whereby it is knowne that Bambas had resigned his government in favour of Euringius willing them to chuse him to be his successor So it came to passe that Euringius was solemnly proclaimed to be King and the people were assoyled from the oath of allegeance made to Bambas and were astricted to the obedience of King Euringius In this Councell it was forbidden that new Bishoprickes should be erected in villages and the Bishop of Emerita begged pardon for this that he had ordayned a Bishop in a certaine village being compelled so to doe by the commandement of King Bambas They who stand at the Altar and sacrificeth are commanded to eate of the sacrifice as often as they offer it The acts made in preceding Councels against the Iewes were renewed and amplified in this Councell and thankes was given to God and the King for their meeting Other Councels of Toledo vnder the raignes of Euringius and Egita seeing there is little written of them worthy of Commemoration I over-passe with silence CENTVRIE VIII IN the yeere of our Lord 712. a Councell was assembled at London where Bonifacius was present and Brithuvaldus the chiefe Prelate of England and the Kings of Saxons ruling in England were commanded vnder pain of cursing to be present at this Councell The purposes intreated in this Councell were two to wit concerning the adoration of Images and prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices About worshipping of Images no disputation was heard whether that service did agree with the written word of God or not This was counted a sufficient wartant for bringing Images into places of adoration and for worshipping them especially the Image of the Virgin Mary that Eguvinus a superstitious Monke in England of the order of Saint Benet who afterwards was made a Bishoppe affirmed that the Virgine Marie appeared vnto him in a dreame and declared that it was her will that her Image should bee set vp in the Churches and worshipped These dreames once confirmed by the oath of Eguvinus and approoved by Constantine Bishop of Rome and obtruded by Bonifacius the Popes Legate they were embraced in England with little contradiction in such a corrupt time The other purpose entreated in this Councell was prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices This doctrine of the Romane Church was not received without reluctation of the Clergie Onely a ground was laid whereupon followed a building of the doctrine of Divels ABout the same time that is about the yeere of our Lord 712. it is supposed that the Emperour Philippicus gathered a Councell at Constantinople for vndoing of the sixt generall Councell in the which the errour of the Monothelites was condemned and that hee did this according to a promise made to a Monke named Iohn who fore-told him that hee would bee made Emperour and craved this promise of him that when hee should bee advanced to the Imperiall dignity he should vndoe the sixt generall Councell But the writers of this History doe not make particular mention of the Fathers who were present at this Councell The rest of the History is cleere that Philippicus razed the pictures of the
viuely by the Euangelist Luke whereat were present the Apostles Peter and Paul and Iames and Barnabas a reuerent man of God in whom Apostolike giftes were not lacking with other worthie men Iudas surnamed Barsabas and Silas notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia and Elders of Ierusalem with many others who were beleeuers What was concluded in this Councell I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist Luke Alwayes if votes be pondered rather then numbred this is the Councell of Councels more worthie to bee called O Ecomenicke then the Councels of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon In the Councell of Nice were worthy Bishops who came from all quarters of the world but in this Councill were holy Apostles who could not erre in matters of faith O Ecomenicke Bishops indeede and any one of the holy Apostles was illuminated with more aboundance of cleare light in things pertaining to the worship of God then al the 300 18. bishops coÌ„ueened at Nice in Bithynea Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of Claudius to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines such as Marsus Longinus Cuspius Phadus Tiberius Alexander Cumanus and Felix I leaue Marsus and Longinus for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe When Cuspius Phadus was deputie there arose a deceitfull man named Theudas to whom resorted a number of men aboue 400. who were slaine and all who followed him were scattered Iosephus writeth that Phadus sent forth a trope of horsemen who suddenly charged the people that followed Theudas and slew them and tooke Theudas aliue and cut off his head and brought it to Ierusalem After this man arose one Iudas of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people after him he also perished and all that obeyed him were scattered If Gamaliel in that narration keepe the order of time as these words After him would import of necessitie the words of the history of the Actes must be vnderstood of another Theudas then that man of whom Iosephus writeth in the place aboue mentioned For Iudas of Galile liued in the dayes of Augustus and when Cyrenius was Deputie of Syria and Iudea But I am not certaine whether or no the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe absolutely import that Iudas of Galile was posterior in time to Theudas When Cumanus was Deputie who succeded to Tiberius Alexander the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twentie thousand innocent people he discouered the secret parts of his body vpon a solemne feast day neere vnto the Temple and in the sight of the Iewes they counted this a contempt done to God in the porch of his owne house Cumanus drew the Romane souldiers to the Castle called Antonia verie neere the temple and set them in order and the people of the Iewes fearing the inuasion of the souldiers sled and in the narrow passages ouertrode one another and a great multitude of people were slaine After this the people of the Iewes came to Caesarea where Cumanus was for the time and complained of a Romane souldier who had cast a booke of holy Scripture into the fire whom Cumanus beheaded and so pacified the Iewes In end Cumanus through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour Claudius he fauoured the wicked cause of the Samaritanes who had stopped the passages of the Galileans and slaine a great number of them They were accustomed yeerely to goe vp to Ierusalem to holy feaâ—tes and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes Cumanus rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes therefore he was remoued from his place and Felix was sent to be Deputie of Iudea Whether Claudius was impoisoned by Agrippina his wife to prepare an easie passage to Nero her sonne to be Emperour or not I leaue that to be read in authors who haue entreated the liues of Emperours politikly It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time Nero. DOmitius Nero succeeded to Claudius he reigned thirteene yeeres and eight months His mother Agrippina after the death of Cneus Domitius Aenobarbus was joyned in mariage with the Emperour Claudius In the first fiue yeeres of his gouernement he abandoned the insolencie of his wicked disposition so that it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of men Neronis quinquennium in regard of his good cariage for the space of fiue yeeres But a fire long couered in end breaketh out into a mightie flame that no water can slake it His cruelitie against his mother his wife 's Octaâ—ia and Poppea his master Seneca the Poet Lucan and the vile abuse of his body with persons of his neerest consanguinitie I remit to the reading of learned authors who haue written exactly the historie of the Romane Emperours and I hast to that which is the principall purpose of this compend how wicked Nero kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of Tiberius our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified in the dayes of Caligula and Claudius the hands of that cruell persecuter Herod was mightily strengthened by the fauour countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours so that he layd hands vpon the pillars of the house of God and so I deny not but the Church of God before the dayes of Nero was in the fornace of trouble but now ' come the dayes whereinto the Roman Emperours like vnto Nebuchadnezar were full of rage and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be This historie henceforth conteineth on the one part the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God not like to the wrestling of Iacob with God The place of Iacobs wrestling was Penâ—el where he saw God the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications the end was that the Angel should not hastly depart from him leauing him comfortlesse the successe was the obtaining of a blessing which was the armour of God to saue him against the hatefull malice of Esau but by the contrary Nero Domitian Traian Antonius and the rest set their faces against the heauen commanded the holy One of Israel to depart out of the world endeuoured to quench the sauing light of his Gospell and by so doing brought downe vpon themselues in stead of a blessing that wrath that is reueiled from heauen vpon all them who detaine the truth of God into vnrighteousnes On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saints who hated not the burning bush because it was set on fire but they loued it because in it they were refreshed with the comfortable presence of the great Angel
Church were the good Merchants of whom Christ speaketh who having found a pearle of vnspeakeable value were content to sell all they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with ful contentment In this second great persecution the beloved disciple of Christ the Apostle Iohn was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the word of God Flavia Domicilla a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italy Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millain concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God willing wee shall speake in the third Century and in the Treatise of Reliques Chytraus writeth that Timothie was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of Diana and that Dionysius Areopagita was slaine by the sword at Pareis Domitian had heard some rumors of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as Herod the great had beene after the Nativity of our Lord but when two of Christ kinsmen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle Iude were presented before him and hee perceived them to be poore men who gained their living by handy labour and when hee had heard of them that Christs Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that hee would come at the latter day to iudge the quick and the dead he despised them as simple and contemptible persons and did them no harme In the end as the life of Domitian was like vnto the life of Nero so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was carried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senate of Rome also decreed that his name should bee rased and all his acts should bee rescinded Sueton. in Dom. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COccius Nerua after Domitian raigned one yeare foure moneths And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italy from henceforth strangers doe rule for Traian the adoptiue sonne of Nerva his successor was borne in Spaine Nerva redressed many things that were done amisse by Domitian and in his time the Apostle Iohn was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where he died CENTVRIE II. Traianus TRaian the adopted sonne of Nerva was the first stranger who obtained that honour to bee King of the Romanes Hee raigned 19. yeares 6. moneths A man so exceeding well beloved of the Senate and of the people of Rome that after his dayes whensoever a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of Augustus and the vprightnesse of Traianus Notwithstanding of this hee was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is iustly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to bee hated of Nero and Domitian wicked men and haters of righteousnes but to bee hated and persecuted by Traian a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the author and finisher of their faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true Disciples must resolue to be a gazing stocke to all the world and to bee counted the off-scourings of the earth as the holy men of God did in the dayes of the Emperour Traian These were Citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpon the earth but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world In doing great things by faith they surpassed mighty Monarches In patient suffering of evill they over-went admired Plilosophers In this persecution Simon the sonne of Cleopas an holy Apostle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twenty yeares old hee was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the name of Christ. Of Ignatius martyrdome wee haue spoke in the first Century the time of his suffering was in the time of Traianus Plinie the second Deputy in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to death In the end he was commoued and troubled in his owne mind cosidering both the number patient suffring of christians that were put to death he wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conversation and detested murther adultery and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conventions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here marke the portrait of the Ancient Apostolike Church and what conformity the Romane Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of Plinius mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue hee no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but onely that the Iudges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to bee presented before them then let them bee punished What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by Tertullian the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly hee declareth their innocency but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to bee guilty This is that Emperour for whose soule Gregory the first made supplications to God 400. yeares after his death and was heard of God as Damacen writeth This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if he supposed Gregory to be so full of charity that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the end that they being all delivered from the condemnation of hell heaven might be counted a mansion both for Christs true Disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter Traian AElius Adrianus raigned 21. yeares In his time Aristides and Quadratus the one a Bishoppe the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperours minde that in his time no new commandement was set forth to persecute Christians Barcochebas at this time perverted the Nation of the Iewes and called himselfe the promised Messias whom the foolish Iewes followed to their owne overthrow and destruction Tynius Rufus Deputy in Iudea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Ierusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole Nation of the Iewes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Ierusalem was taken from the Iewes and delivered to other Nations
the insolent pride of this bloody Tyrant It is to be noted that in time of this publicke calamitie Christians and no others but they onely were found to be fraughted with loue and full of charitie euen toward their hatefull enemies The second time whereinto Maximinus seemed to change his minde toward Christians was after the victorie obtained by Constantine and Licinius against Maxentius The said two Emperours set foorth edictes in fauour of the Christians and Maximinus rather fearing Constantine then louing God began in his bounds also to stay the rage of cruell persecution as the letter written to his Deputie Sabinus clearely declareth But after a small time he altered his minde and set foorth new commandements to persecute Christians Yet the Lord pitying the grieuous afflictions of his persecuted Church brought this Tyrant to an ende For hee made warre against Licinius being counselled thereto by his sorcerers and charmers who promised vnto him good successe in his battell against Licinius but the contrarie fell out for hee was discomfited and cast off his imperiall ornaments fledde feeble and naked and mixing himselfe with the effeminat multitude wandering through townes and lurking in villages hardly escaped the hands of his enemies After this he killed and put to death those enchanters and deceiuers who had bewitched him all his dayes and had put him in esperance of victorie in his battell foughten against Licinius and shortly after oppressed with a certaine disease glorified the God of the Christians and made a most absolute law for the safetie and preseruation of them And so the Tyrant of Tyrants by the vehemencie of his sicknesse ended his life After wee haue spoken a litle of Maxentius who was chosen Emperour by the Praetorian souldiers resteth nothing but to conclude this short summe of the historie of the ten persecutions with the ende and death of that notable hypocrite Licinius Maxentius was so villanous in his behauiour that hee abstined not from abusing of the wiues of noble senatours whom he caught violently from their husbands and contumeliously abused them and sent them backe againe The like villanie also hee intended to haue done to a certaine Christian gentlewoman at Rome called Sophronia whose husband neither could nor durst make resistance to the vile appetite of the proud Emperour but this noble woman desiring libertie to goe to her chamber to adorne and decke her selfe a short while and after shee would goe with the messengers to the Emperour shee chused rather to put her selfe to death in her chamber then to be abused by him Which lamentable fact being reported to him he was nothing moued therewith neither abstained he any white from his wonted sinnes The people of Rome being wearie of his villanie sent to Constantine for aide who gathered an armie in France and Brittaine to represse this Tyrant to whom when hee approched he feared Maxentius charmes wherewith hee was supposed to haue vanquished Seuerus whom Galerius Maximinus had sent against him before and stood in doubt what to doe and as hee was doubting hee cast his eyes often to heauen and sawe about the going downe of the sunne a brightnesse in the heauen in the similitude of a Crosse with certaine starres of equall bignesse giuing this inscription like Latin letters In hoc vince that is in this ouercome After this vision his banner was made in the similitude of a Crosse and caried before him in his warres Maxentius was compelled to issue out of the towne against Constantine whose force when hee was not able to sustaine hee fled and retired in hope to get the citie but was ouerthrowne off his horse about the bridge called Pons Miluius and drowned in the flood Dioclesian hearing tell of the prosperous successe of Constantine and what edicts he had set foorth for the peace of Christians for very griefe hee died Others alledge that he poysoned himselfe Ann. 317. Licinius was made Caesar by Maximinus as is said Hee was very familiar with Constantine and was his colleg in the gouernement 7. yeeres and married Constantina the sister of Constantine Likewise hee concurred with him to subdue the tyrant Maxentius Also he ouercame Maximinus in battell He purposed likewise to haue circumucened and slaine the good Emperour Constantine to whom hee was many wayes greatly addebted but the Lord disappointed his counsells and preserued Constantine to the great benefit and good of his Church But Licinius failing of his purpose conuerted his rage against the Christians notwithstanding he had set out edicts before to procure their peace Hee pretended this quarrell against them that they prayed for the welfare of Constantine and not for his welfare He set foorth against the Christians three cruell edicts 1. Inhibiting assemblies and conuentions of Bishops to consult in matters belonging to their religion 2. He discharged women to resort to the assemblies where men were to pray or to be instructed in matters to religion 3. Hee commanded that no man should visit imprisoned Christians or succour them with any reliefe threatning against those who would disobey such punishment as the imprisoned persons were to suffer After these edicts the mountaines woods and wildernesses began to be the habitation of the Lords saints The Bishops about Libya and Egypt were taken cut in pieces and their flesh cast into the sea to be meat for the fishes And this was done by the flatterers of Licinius supposing to gratifie him by the cruell handling of the Lords seruants In his time were put to death these 40. martyrs of whom Basilius writeth who were set in a pond of water all night lying open to the blasts of cold Northen winds and in the morning they being frozen and almost senslesse with the extremitie of the cold yet were caried vpon carts to be burned with fire to the ende their poore carkeses might feele by experience whether the extremitie of cold or heate were the greater torment Of these 40. noble souldiers of Christ one being stronger then the rest endured the vehemency of the cold better to whom his mother came not to desire him to embrace this present life by a filthy denyall of Christ nor to weepe for the paines of the tormented body of her sonne but rather to exhort her sonne to persevere constantly in the faith of Christ to the end for shee craved licence to lift vp her sonne with her owne hands into the cart admonishing him to accomplish that happy iourney he had begun But whether these were the 40. Martyrs who suffered the like punishment in Sebastia a towne of Armenia or not is not certaine in respect that some circumstances set downe by Basil doe agree to those of Sebastia Likewise in this persecution suffered Barlan a noble man mentioned in a Sermon of Basilius who after many torments was in the end layd vpon the altar whereupon they vsed to offer sacrifice to Idols and while there was some strength in
and there incontinent killed Vlrick the Earle wounding him and cutting him in peeces The king hearing thereof although hee was not a litle discontented thereat in his mind yet seeing there was none other remedie hee dissembled his griefe for a time But afterward in his Progresse when hee came to Buda accompanied with the two sonnes of Huniades hee caused them both to be taken and cast into prison and Ladislaus forthwith was beheaded Mathias was carried Captiue to Austria to suffer the like punishment if the Lord had not prevented Ladislaus the king by suddē death who departed this life about the verie time appointed for the celebration of his marriage in Prague with Magdalen daughter to the King of Fraunce Thus the young king who hated the race of Huniades and more hated the light of the Gospell that shined in Bohemia and was of purpose as is supposed at his marriage to root out the sect of the Hussits as hee called it was timously in the mercie of God cut off himselfe to the great benefit of the true Church of God In this Emperours time suite was made by the Germanes to the Emperour that hee would prouide remedie against the actions of the insatiat Popes and that hee would not suffer his subiects in Germanie to bee exhausted and empourished by them The Emperour being moued and ouercome by their perswasion promised that hee would prouide no lesse for them then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen But the subtle perswasions of Aeneas Syluius did so bewitch the Emperour that he contemning the equall iust and necessarie requests of his subiects chosed the said Aeneas to be his Ambassadour to Calixtus newly chosen Pope to sweare vnto him in his name and to promise the absolut obedience of all Germanie Thus the Germans were derided and frustrate by Fredericke and the Emperour on the other part fearing least the Germanes after his death should transport the Empire to another familie caused his son Maximilian 7. yeeres before his death to be chosen and also crowned king of Romans and did associate him to the ministration of the Empire In this Emperours time likewise flourished a valiant man sonne of Iohn Castriotus Prince of Epirus and Albania called George who was giuen in hostage to the Turke with other two brethren But this George excelling all the rest of his equalls in strength of body vigour of minde and actiuitie in warfare was named by the Turkes Scanderbeius which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus Hee was sent out by the Turkes to fight against Caramannus of Cilicia the Turkes enemie in which expedition hee behaued himselfe so manfully that hee wanne great renowne with the Turke insomuch that hee trusting to the Turkes fauour when hee heard of the death of his father durst aske of the Turke the grant of his fathers dominion to be giuen vnto him The which request although Amurathes did not deny vnto him yet notwithstanding hee perceiuing that the matter was dallied out with faire words by subtle meanes and policie slipt out of the Turkes Court and came to Epirus his owne inheritance where first by counterfeite letters hee recouered Croia The other cities of their owne voluntarie minde yeelded to him and hee so manfullie behaued himselfe that against all the force both of Amurathes and Mahomet he maintained his owne repulsed their violence and put to flight their armies many yeeres together In this Emperours time Mahomet the second tooke the Isle of Euboia and destroyed the towne of Calcis afterward hee commanded the Cittie of Athens to be razed and vtterly subverted and from thence returning his armie to Thracia with a mightie multitude compassed the towne of Constantinople both by sea and land in the yeere of our Lord. 1453. and in the 54. day of the sayd siege it was taken and sacked and the Emperour Constantinus slaine such terrible crueltie did they vse as the like is not often read of in any historie There was no corners in Constantinople which was not defiled with floodes of Christian blood so that in this one towne are reckoned to the number of fortie thousand persons that were slaine amongst whose dead bodyes the body of Constantine the Emperour was found whose head being brought to Mahomet he commaunded it to be carried vpon a speare through the whole Citie for a publike spectacle and derision to all the Turkish armie Also he tooke the Image of the Crucifixe being there in the high Temple of Sophia and writing this superscription vpon the head of it Hic est Christianorum Deus this is the God of the Christians caused it to be carried thorow all his armie and made every man to spit at it most contumeliously Thus was the noble citie of Constantinople sacked 1139. yeers after it was first built by Constantine the great now is made the Imperiall seat of the Turkish dominion Notwithstanding the proud heart of Mahomet which was so highly lift vp by the conquest of Constantinople was by the providence of God somewhat abated soone after For at the siege of Belgradum in Hungarie in the yeere 1436. hee was so manfully resisted by that worthie Governour Iohannes Huniades that hee was compelled after the losse of a great part of his army to the number of 40000. souldiers his owne person also being sore wounded to raise his siege and for feare and shame ready to kill himselfe In the East after Emanuel raigned Iohannes his sonne who was present at the Councell of Florence with Eugenius 4. Pope of Rome but lived not long after his returning And after his death because hee had no children his brother Constantine succeeded in whose time the town of Constantinople was pitifully destroyed and the Emperour himselfe slaine as hath beene declared And here is the end of the Empire of Christians in the East CENTVRIE XVI Maximilianus IN the yeare of our Lord 1486. Fredericus waxing aged and partly also mistrusting the hearts of the Germaines did in his life-time associate his sonne Maximilian to be ioyned Emperor with him with whom he reigned for the space of 7. yeers till the death of Fredericke his father after whose departure he reigned 25. yeers This Maximilian as he was a valiant Emperor prudent and singularly learned so was his raigne intangled in many vnquiet and difficult warres First in the lower Countries of Flanders and Brabant where he was taken captiue but worthily againe relieved by his father Hee had to wife Mary the onely daughter to the Duke of Burgundie by whom hee had two children Philip the father of Charles the fift and Margaret this Mary by a fall from her horse fell into an ague and died So happy was the education of the Emperor in good letters so expert hee was in tongues and sciences but especially such was his dexteritie and promptnesse in the Latine tongue that hee imitating the example of
with affection then reason Nectarius continued in that office vntill the third yeere of the raigne of Arcadius that is vntill the yeere of our Lord 401. In his time the confession of sinnes done in secret to presbyter Poenitentiarius was abrogated in the Church of Constantinople vpon this occasion as Socrates writeth A certaine noble woman was confessing in secret her sinnes to presbyter Poeniteâ—tiarius and she confessed adultery committed with one of the Church Deacons Eudaemon this was the name of the Father confessor gaue counsell to Nectarius to abrogate this custome of auricular and secret confession because the Church was like to be slandered and euill spoken of by these meanes Socrates can scarse giue allowance to this fact of Nectarius in respect that by abrogation of this custome the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse were lesse coargued and reproued But Socrates considered not that Christ when he talked with the Samaritane woman at the Well sent away his Disciples to buy bread to the ende the poore Samaritane sinner might more freely poure out her secret sinnes in the bosome of Christ who knew all things that were done in secret It is not my purpose to contend with Socrates he is writing an history I am writing but a short Compend of an history he taketh libertie to declare his iudgement concerning this fact of Nectarius in abrogating confession of secret sinnes to presbyter Poenitentiarius No man can blame me to write my iudgement concerning auricular confession It is in our dayes not like vnto the mantle wherewith Sem and Iapheth couered the nakednesse of their Father Noe but it is in very deed a lap of the mantle of the Deuill couering the nakednesse of his children that is the horrible treasons that are plotted in secret by the children of the Deuill against Christian Magistrates Now is auricular confession for greater causes to be abrogated then of olde presbyter poenitentiarius was discharged by Nectarius Bishops of Ierusalem TO Thermon succeeded Macarius Anno 318. about the seauenth yeere of the raigne of Constantine In his time it is thought that Helena the mother of Constantine found the Crosse of Christ but Ambrose writes that shee worshipped it not for that saith he had been Gentiliâ— error vanitas impiorum that is an errour of Pagans and vanitie of vngodly people But now to lay aside the inexcusable fault of adoration of the tree whereupon our Lord suffered What necessitie had Helena to be so earnest to seeke out this tree and to commit it to the custodie of all posterities seeing that Ioseph of Arimathea who sought the bodie of IESVS at the hands of Pilate to the end he might burie it honourably yet sought he not the tree whereon Christ was crucified which with little adoe might haue beene obtained Secondly during the time that the Crosse was easie to be found and easie to haue beene discerned from other Crosses How could the blessed Virgine the mother of the Lord and holy Apostles haue committed such an overâ—sight in not keeping that precious treasure if so be in the keeping of it there be so great deuotion as the Romane Church now talkes of Thirdly what is the cause that the Romane Church brags so much of antiquitie when as the worshipping of the crosse one of the maine points of their Religion was vnknowne to the first three hundred yeeres of our Lord and now in the fourth Centurie the crosse is found but not worshipped yea and the adoration of it is detested and abhorred as an errour of the Pagans To Macarius succeeded Maximus who had beene his fellow-labourer as of olde Alexander was to Narcissus Macarius gouerned the Church of Ierusalem in the peaceable dayes of Constantine but Maximus gouerned that same Church himselfe alone in the dayes of Constantius He was present at the Councell of Tyrus but Paphnutius a Bishop and confessor in Thebaida pittied the simplicitie of Maximus whom the Arrians with deceitfull speeches had almost circumueened and he stepped to him and suffered him not to sit in the assembly of vngodly people whereupon followed a bond of indissoluble coniunction not onely with Paphnutius but also with Athanasius who was charged with many false accusations in that wicked Councell of Tyrus This warning made him circumspect and wise in time to come so that he was not present at the Arrian Councell of Antiochia gathered vnder pretence of dedication of the Temple which Constantine began to build but his sonne Constantius perfected the building of it To Maximus succeeded Cyrillus a man greatly hated by the Arrians in so much that Acacius Bishop of Caesarea Palestinae deposed him no doubt by some power granted to him by the Emperour Constantius with aduise of Arrian Bishops Notwithstanding Silvanus Bishop of Tarsus receiued him and he taught in that Congregation with great liking and contentment of the people The strife of Acacius against him in the Councell of Seleucia I remit vnto its owne place In time of famine he had a great regard to poore indigent people and sold the precious vessels and garments of the Church for their support This was a ground of his accusation afterward because of a costly garment bestowed by the Emp. Constantine to the church of Ierusalem which Cyrillus sold to a Marchant in time of famine and againe the Marchant sold it vnto a lasciuious woman and such friuolous things were aggregated by the Arrians who hated the men of GOD. Of other Pastors and Doctors in Asia Africa and Europe BEsides the Patriarchs of principall places God raised vp in this Centurie a great number of learned Preachers who were like vnto the Ibides of Aegypt a remedy prepared by God against the multiplied number of venemous flying Serpents Euen so learned Fathers of whom I am to speak were instruments of God to vndoe the heresies which abounded in this age aboue all other ages Did not Nazianzenus vndoe the Heresie of Apollinaris Basilius the Heresie of Eunomius Hilarius like vnto a second Deucalion saw the ouer-flowing flood of Arrianisme abated in France Ambrosius Epiphanius and Ierom set their hearts against all Heresies either in their time or preceding their dayes It were an infinite labour to write of them all who in this age like vâ—â—â— glistering starres with the shining light of celestiall doctrine illuminated the darknesse of the blind world but the names of some principall Teachers God willing I shall remember Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine liued vnder the Emperour Constantine with whom he was familiarly acquainted He was desired to supply the place of Eustatius Bishop of Antiochia whose deposition the Arrians without all forme of order had procured most vnrighteously but he would not consent to accept that charge so that the chaire of Antiochia wanted a Bishop eight yeeres Some expecting the restitution of Eustatius others feeding themselues vpon vaine hopes that Eusebius
father Ludouicus Pius Hee augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the second succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled 8. yeares 3. months He was a man of many trades a builder a warriour and a Bishop He compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the towne He was a warriour fought against the Saracenes against whom also he preuailed And finally at some time he was a Bishop and he gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous lying writings In this Popes dayes Edelwulphus King of England came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made He was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause hee ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in England that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo the fourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credit to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384 yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ioane the eight an English woman borne in the towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and she profited in learning beyond her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue months and foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854 being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this villanie of the Roman church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole world For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the church of Laterā she trauelled in birth died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but he bringeth an argument from the authority of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credit of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth he maketh no mētion of Ioane the eight but of Benedictus the third as successor of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for he bringeth in the testimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Misterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six months and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence ready at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop should bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the third succeeded Nicolas the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine months and thirteene dayes He subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obediēce He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the second to light from his horse to leade his bridle vntil he came to the Campo which was the space of a mile He permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of parties And that persons in spirituall offices should not be subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates Hee ordained also that no man should receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith should bee intreated Likewise hee ordained That the seruice of God in all countries should be celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Solauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of God in their owne Vulgar Language He added vnto the Liturgie of the Masse Gloria in Excelsis Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolas the first and ruled 5. yeeres nine months and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of France whom hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolike seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of France had euer beene Soueraigne Lordes in their owne countrie and not vice-gerentes vassales to Bishops and That hee would not permit any man who had beene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne country to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall councell was assembled whereof I shal speake in its owne time God willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the second and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is he who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to be Emperour and was cast into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of France than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fled to Ludouicke king of France whom also hee crowned to be Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Iohn the ninth must seeke new acquaintance because his olde friends were gone therfore he crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the second ruled one yeere and fiue months Hadrianus the third succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernment was also short for he continued not aboue one yeere and two months yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time He perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they should freely choose whom they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke
of excommunication giuen out against Peter king of Arragon for invading the kingdome of Sicilie After him followed Nicolaus the fourth and ruled foure yeeres one month after whom the Chaire of Rome was vacant for the space of two yeeres and three months because of the intestine discord of the Cardinals who could not condiscend among themselues who should be chosen to succeede In the end Caelestinus the fift is chosen and ruled one yeere and fiue months hee was an Heremit had liued such a solitarie life that he was altogether vnmeet for gouernment in great and weightie affaires Neuerthelesse he was a notable Hypocrite and pretended a reformation of the abuses of the court of Rome and namely in this that the Cardinalls Bishops should ride not vpon horses mules with Pompous traines but vpō Asses following the example of Christ who did ride to Ierusalem vpon one of them But the Cardinals were so farre from yeelding to this ordinance howbeit the Pope in his owne person gaue them example so to doe that they counted him an old doting foole and finding him to be a verie simple man so abused his simplicitie that they caused him voluntarily resigne and giue ouer his office For Caietanus a certaine Cardinall digged a hole thorow the Popes chamber and sounded in a voyce admonishing him to resigne his office to another who was more fit to gouerne then hee was which the Pope supposing to be an Angelicall voyce an heauenly admonition willingly resigned his office desiring the Cardinals to choose another man more fit for the Popedome then himselfe was who choosed thereafter this same Cardinall Caietanus and named him Bonifacius 8. who ruled 8. yeeres 9. months 17. daies Besides the subtile policie wherby he attained the Popedome he ioyned Barbarous crueltie for his predecessor Caelestinus hauing dimitted his Popedome he returned againe to the wildernesse to liue a solitarie life as before But Bonifacius brought him by force backe from the wildernesse emprisoned him where he died for heart-griefe This Pope renewed the old factiōs of the Gibelines Guelses hated the Gibelines to the death in so farre that he deposed the Cardinals that were found to be of the families of the Gibelines and disposed their dignities rents castles and heritages to others and proceeded in hatred and crueltie against them that he could abide no man that was of the stocke of the Gibelines Insomuch that Porthecus Archbishop of Geneua comming vnto him falling downe at his feete Die cinerum hee would not lay the Ashes vpon his head nor say to him Memento homo quod cinis es in cinerem reuerteris as the custome was but hee threw the ashes in his eyes and said Memento homo quod Gibellinus es cum Gibellinis in cinerem redigeris that is remember O man that thou art one of the Gibelines and with them thou shalt be turned to ashes He instituted the first Iubily that was kept at Rome promising a full remission of all their sins to so many as would take paines to visit the Apostolike Sea In solemnising whereof the first day he shewed himselfe to the people in his Pontificall garments with S. Peters keies caried about him but the second hee shewed himselfe vnto them in royall apparell with a naked sword carried before him and an Harold proclaiming Ecce potestas vtrinsque gladij that is beholde the power of both the swords to wit both ciuil and spiritual claiming to himself a soueraigne authoritie in al things both ciuil ecclesiasticall He excommuincated Philip king of France and his posteritie to the fourth generation because he made an ordinance that no mony nor revennue should bee caried out of his countrie to Rome But Philip assembled a Councel at Paris and appealed from the Bishop of Rome to the first generall Councell to be holden And sent William Nogaretius steward of his house together with Scarra Columnensis one of the noble men of Rome whom the Pope persecuted because he was a Gibeline These two I say he sent to Rome to publish his appellation against the Pope but they had another purpose in hand as the euent declared For Scarra disguised himselfe entered in Italy with a seruants habite and secretlie gathered a number of his friends Gibelines and set vpon the Pope by night as hee was lying at Anagnia the towne of his natiuity Nogaretius also cōcurred with 200. horsmen who brake in vpon him by night and spoiled al his rich treasures and put himselfe vpon a wanton Colt with his face towards the taile and made him a ridiculous spectacle to all the people Soone after he went to Rome and died for displeasure that he had loosed his riches and sustained so great shame This is he of whom it was truly said that he entered in as a Foxe liued as a Lyon and died as a Dogge Patriarchs of Constantinople AFter Georgius Xiphilinus succeeded Ioannes Cametarus after him Thomas Maurocenus who being made Patriarch tooke his iourney to Rome receiued confirmatiō of the Roman B. Innocentius 3. He was also present at the coūcel of Lateran holden at Rome in the yeere of our Lord 1215. Next to him succeeded Pantoleo Iustinianus after him Germanus and Arsenius to whose tutorie the Emp. Theodorus cōmitted his yong sonne Ioannes but Michael Paleologus being chosen Emp. plucked out the eyes of the yong Emp. for the which he was excōmunicated by Arsenius Paleologus on the other part gathered a Councel of Bishops against him accused him for suffering of Azetines the Sultan to be present at the holy seruice for conferring with him in the temple In this councell Arsenius was deposed because he appeared not to answere to the foresaid accusation immediatly after was bāished by the Emp. Nicephorus placed in his roome After whom succeeded Germanus and after him Iosephus to whom the Emperour confessed his sinnes of periurie and crueltie in plucking out the eyes of Ioannes the son of Theodorus Lascaris and receiued absolution from him But when he perceiued how the Emperour was purposed to make an agreement with the Bishop of Rome hee would not consent thereto but voluntarily dimitted his office and entered into a monasterie where hee ended his life After him followed Becus whom the Emp. traueled to perswade to giue his consent to the foresaid agreement with the B. of Rome but all in vaine for which cause the Emp. imprisoned him there giuing him many books to reade confirming the opinions of the Latine church which made Becus change his opinion and both by word and writ defend the doctrine of the Latin church To whom succeded Hugolinus Of other Doctors IN this age many were found who taking example of Petrus Lombardus invented subtile and intricat disputations questionin̄g reasoning and calling all things in doubt after the maner of the Academik Philosophers insomuch that there
Now are yee cleane through the word that I haue spoken vnto you The heresie of Sabellius began to shew it selfe vnto the world about the yeere of our Lord 257. vnder the raigne of Gallus It was set forth by Nortus in Ptolemaida afterward by Hermogenes and Prazeas and last it was propagated by Sabellius the disciple of Noetus Alwaies the heresie rather taketh the name from the disciple then from the master They confessed that there was but one God onely but they denyed that there were three distinct persons in this one Godhead viz. the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By this their opinion they confounded the two Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were no difference betwene them No man dare presume to say that in God there are three distinct substances therefore Sabellius and his adherents sayd that there were not three distinct substances or persons in the Godhead but the three names of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost were given to one person only but pointed not out distinction of persons or substances in the Godhead By this opinion they were compelled to grant that it was the Father who cloathed himselfe with our nature and dyed for our sinnes and they were called Patrispassâ—ani because their opinion imported that the Father suffered In the raigne of Gallienus and about the yeere of our Lord 264. a certaine Bishop in Egypt called Nepos began to affirme that at the later day the godly should rise before the wicked and should liue with Christ heere in the earth a thousand yeeres in abundance of all kinde of delicate earthly pleasures The ground of this errour was the misvnderstanding of the words of the Revelation of Iohn chap. 20. vers 5.6 In refuting of this heresie Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria bestowed his travels with good successe for hee disputed against Coracion a man professing this errour in Arsenoitis a place of Egypt whom hee refuted in presence of many brethren who were auditors of that disputation for the space of three dayes from morning till evening So that in the end Coracion yeelded and promised that hee should not maintaine any such opinion in time to come About that same time that is in the time of the raigne of Gallienus Claudius and Aurelianus Paulus Samosatenus Bishop of Antiochia a pestilent fellow denyed the divinity of the Sonne of God and affirmed that Christ obtained the name of the Sonne of God through his vertuous behaviour and patient suffering but he was not naturally and truely the Sonne of God begotten of the substance of the Father His life correspondent to his doctrine was wicked and prophane He was so covetous of vaine-glory that he built vnto himselfe in the Church a glorious seat according to the similitude of a princely throne and from this seat hee spake vnto the people whom he was accustomed to reproue with sharpe words if they had not received his words with cheerfull acclamations and shoutings such as were wont to bee vsed in Stage-playes The Psalmes also that were sung in Church to the praise of God hee abrogated and was not ashamed to hire women to sing his owne praises in the Congregation of the Lords people For this his damnable doctrine and lewd life he was most iustly deposed by the Councell convened at Antiochia and excommunicated by all Christian Churches in the whole world and was so detested by all good men that Fâ—rmilius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Dionysius Alexandrinus who for his olde age might not travell and be present at the Councell of Antiochia yet they both damned the Heretique Samosatenus by their letters sent to the Congregation of Antiochia but not to the Bishop thereof because hee was not worthy that any man should salute him either by word or writ Manes a Persian otherwise called Manicheus a man furious and mad answering well vnto his name set forth the venome of his heresie in the time of the raigne of Diclesian a man both in speech and manners rude and barbarous in inclination divelish yet hee durst to call himselfe the holy spirit as Montanus had done before and to represent Christs actions in chusig vnto him twelue disciples whom hee sent forth to propagate his errors into diverse parts of the world His heresie contained a masse or venomous composition of old extinguished errors which hee renued and massed together such as the error of Cerdon and Marcion concerning two beginnings The error of Encratitae in prohibition of meates which God hath appointed for the vse of man with thanksgiving specially flesh and wine Hee vtterly reiected the old Testament as many other Heretiques had done before him Hee ascribed not sinne to the free will of man and his voluntary defection from the estate of his first creation but to necessity because mans bodie was made of the substance of the Prince of darknes This was that heresie wherewith Augustine was infected before his conversion but the Lord who brought forth light out of darknesse and made Paul sometime a Persecuter to be a Preacher of his Gospell and Cyprian a Sorcerer to be a worthy Preacher and Martyr this same gracious Lord I say in the multitude of his vnspeakeable compassions drew Augustine out of this filthy myre of abhominable heresie and made him liste vnto a bright starre sending forth the beames of light to comfort Gods house The opinion of Manes concerning the creation of the world and the creation of man the manifestation of Christ in our nature rather in shew and appearance then in verity and the horrible abhomination of their vile Eucharist no man can be ignorant of these things who hath read but a little of the bookes of Augustine written against the Maniâ—heans In the end like as Manes exceeded all the rest of the Heretiques in madnesse of foolish opinions even so the Lord pointed him out among all the rest to be a spectacle of his wrath and vengeance For the King of Persia hearing of the fame of Manes sent for him to cure his sonne who was deadly diseased but when hee saw that his sonne died in his hands hee cast him into prison and was purposed to put him to death but he escaped out of prison and fled to Mesopotamia Neverthelesse the King of Persia vnderstanding in what place Manes did lurke sent men who pursued him tooke him and excoriated his body and stopped his skin full of chaffe and set it vp before the entry of a certaine Citie of Mesopotamia If any man bee desirous to haue greater knowledge of this remarkeable Heretique both in respect of his life and death hee may reade the fore-mentioned chapter of the Ecclesiasticall history of Socrates and he shall finde that the first man called Manicheus who renued the error of two beginnings was a man of Scythia He had a disciple first called Buddas afterward Terebynthus who dwelt in Babylon This man