sute and petition herein At Dominus Papa sayth Pariens qui rebellem Imperatorem super omnia aestuabat deijcere tantis promissionibus exhileratus trahitur ad consensum That is But the pope sayeth the author which boyled with desire aboue all measure to haue the Emperour his ennemie cast downe being cheared wyth so great promises graunted his consent to them who sitting then in his consistorie had these wordes as here followe There hath come a late to our intelligence the election of a certaine Monke named Walter to be Archb. of Cant. whereupon after that we hard and aduised as wel those things which the said Monke hath saide for himselfe and for his election as also on the contrary side the obiections exceptions of the bishops of England alleaging against him and against his election Namely of the bishop of Chester the bishop of Rochester and Iohn Archdeacon of Bedforde We vpon the same committed the examination touching the person of the man vnto our reuerende brethren Lorde Cardinall Albany L. Cardinall Thomas de Sabina and master Peter And when the foresaid elect comming before them was asked of them first concerning the Lordes descending into hel whether he descended in flesh or without his flesh he aunswered not well Item being asked touching the making of the body of Christ on the aultar he answered likewise not soundly Being asked moreouer howe Rachell wept for her children shee being deade before hee aunswered not well Item being asked concerning the sentence of excommunication denounced against the order of law he answered not well Againe being required of matrimonie if one of the maried parties be an infidel and do depart he answered therto not well Vpon these articles he was as is sayd diligently examined of the Cardinals to the which we say he aunswered not only not well but also very ill For so much therefore as the Church of Cant. is a noble churche and requireth a noble prelate a man discrete and modest and such as ought to be taken out of the bosome of the church of Rome and forasmuch as this new elect whom not onely here we pronounce to be vnworthy but also should say more of him if we would proceede with hym by the rigour of the law is so insufficient that he ought not to be admitted to such a roume we do vtterly infringe annihilate and euacuate his election alwaies referuing to our selues the prouision of the sayd church Haec ex Math. Paris ad verbum Thus the election of Walter being frustrate and dissolued the kings procurators bringing forth the letters of the king and of the suffraganes of the Church of Cant. presented the same vnto the pope for the ratification of Richarde Chancellor of Lincolne to be appoynted Archb. of Cant. whome they with great commendation of woordes did set forth to be a man of profound learning and knowledge of an honest coÌ„uersation which was greatest of al that he was a man much for the profite of the church of Rome as also for the realme of England And thus the saide Richard being commended to the Pope by the letters procuratorie of the king and of the bishops had the consent of the pope and of the Cardinals and so was made Bishop of Cant. before he was elected Whereupon the said pope Gregory in his behalfe directeth downe his letters to all and singular suffraganes of the church of Cant. declaring thus and beginning first with a lie that for so much as by the fulnes of ecclesiastical power the charge of pastorall office is committed to him in general vpon al churches he therefore for the sollicitude he beareth as wel to all other churches in generall as in speciall to the Metropolitan church of Cant. repudiating and disanulling the former election of Walter the Monke vpon iust causes hath prouided for that See a man as in all other good giftes perfect and excellent by the report of them that know him so for that function very fit and commodious and willeth and commaÌ„deth them and all other by his authority Apostolicall with all deuout reuerence to receiue him and humbly to obey him c. which was An. 1229. Ex Paris These things thus finished at Rome the pope not forgetting the sweete promises made of the English siluer which he so greedily gaped for omitting neither time nor diligence in all spedy wise sendeth to the king of England M. Stephen his own chaplein trusty Legate to require collect the foresaide tithes of all the moueable goods both of England Ireland and Wales which were promised to him before therew t to maintaine his warre against Fredericke the Emperor And to the intent he might inflame all christeÌ„ realmes wyth the like hatred which he bare against Frederike the Emperor sendeth also with the sayde Stephen special letters ful of manifold complaints and greuous accusations against the said Emperor whereof more Christ graunting shall be shewed hereafter Upon the comming of this Stephen the legate the king assembled all his erles and barons wyth the Archbishops byshops abbots priors templaries hospitalers parsons vicares and other such as held of him in capite to appear before him at Westminster to heare and to common of the matter In the assembly of whome the Popes patent letters were brought forth and red wherin he required the tenths of all the moueables in England Wales and Ireland as wel of the clergy as of the laitie to maintaine his expedition against the foresaid Frederike the Emperor The which expedition as he pretended to atchieue to take in hande for the cause of the vniuersall Church and happely had begon the matter already and for so much as the richesse of the Apostolicke See did not suffice for the accomplishing of so great an enterprise he therfore enforced by mere necessity did implore the aide and helpe of all the true obedient and natural chickens of the church of Rome least the members thereof together with the head should be subuerted These letters of the Pope to this effect being openly recited and explaned by the Popes chaplaine which hee with much more allegation and perswasion of words did amplifie to his vttermost the king sayth mine author in whoÌ„ al men did hope an helpe to their defence became then as a staffe of reede For as much as he had obliged himselfe to the same before for the election of his archb now could say nothing against it but held his peace The Earles Barons all the laitie vtterly refused so to bind their Baronies to the Church of Rome but the Bishoppes Abbots Priors wyth other Prelates of the Church first requiring space and respite to deliberate for 3. or 4. dayes at length for feare of the popes cursse although they durst not vtterly wythstande had brought to passe to haue concluded for a summe of money much lesse had not Stephen Segraue one of the kings counsailers â—raftily conuented
adultery for feare of excommunication of men are already excommunicated of God Ergo the first part of the Article is true The Antecedent is proued for our sauior in the 8. of Marke sayth thus He that acknowledgeth me and my wordes in this wicked and adulterous generation the sonne of man shall also acknowledge and confesse him when he shall come in the glorye of his Father with his Aungels Therefore he that shall coÌ„fesse Christ and these wordes of Christ Math. 5. you haue heard that it was sayd to them in olde time thou shalt not commit adulterye But I say vnto you that euery one which shall beholde a woman to lust after her he hath already committed adultery with her in his heart Hee I say that shall confesse these thinges before an adoulterous Bishop with his chiefe Prelates the which perchaunce are the wicked and adoulterous generation the sonne of man shall also acknowledge him when he shall come in the glory of his Father and so consequently is he blessed CoÌ„trary wise he which for the feare of excoÌ„munication of men will not confesse Christ and his words before the sinneful and adoulterous generation is accursed The consequent holdeth by the wordes of Christ. Luk. 9. He that is ashamed of me and my wordes him shall the sonne of man be ashamed of when he shall come in his maiesty and in the glory of his Father and his holy Aungels pronouncing that which is spoken Math. 25. Verely I say vnto you I know you not go you cursed into euerlasting fire Also our Sauiour Iesu Christ did not omitt or leaue of the preaching of the kingdome of God for any pretended excommunication of the Bishops Scribes and Pharisies So likewise his true and humble Priestes ought not to omit theyr preaching for any pretensed excommunication of men the consequent holdeth by the saying of Christ. Iohn 15. be ye mindfull of the words which I haue spoken vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his master If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also The Antecedent is apparant by the saying of Saynt Iohn in his 9. chapter Euen now the Iewes had conspired that whosoeuer did confesse him to be Christ shoulde be excommunicate And likewise Iohn 7. Whether did any of the Princes or rulers or any of the Phareseis beleue in him But this people which knoweth not the law are accursed Also the humble and iust ministers of God ought not vnder payne of sinne to cease from the fruitfull preaching of the law of God for any vniust excommunicatioÌ„ or vnlawfull commaundement and it is proued thus the humble and iust ministers of Christ ought to obey theyr Prelates in such thinges as are not contrary to God as all the holy Doctors and such as are learned in the Lawe of God do wholy with one consent affirme And forsomuch as an vniust excommunication and vnlawfull commauÌ„dement are agaynst God therefore the iust and true ministers of God ought not to obey such vnlawfull excommunication and commaundements and consequently ought not to cease for them from the fruitefull preaching of the Gospell of our Lord Iesu Christ. But ought boldely and gladly to preach the same For so muche as the Lord doth comfort them in the 5. of Mathew saying thus blessed and happye are ye when as men doe curse you and persecute you and speake all kinde of euill against you making lies and slaunders vpon you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Also euery Minister hauing power geuen him from aboue to preach the Gospell he hath the same geuen vnto him for the edefying of the Church and not for the destruction of the same As the Apostle saith 2. Corinth 10. But euery one leauing of the preaching of the Gospell for feare of any pretensed excommunication of men he shoulde frustrate the power geueÌ„ him for the edefying of the Church And therfore in so doing should sinne agaynst God and his church And consequently ought rather to chuse not to cease from preaching for â—eare of any such excommunicatioÌ„ least that he be excommunicate of our Lord Iesu Christ. Item set case that the Pope doth commauÌ„d that there shall be no preachinge in any place then the Ministers of Christ leauing of theyr preaching for feare of the Popes curse are already excommunicated of God It is euident for so much as they haue neglected the commaundement of God for the commaundement of men And this case is possible For by what reason the Pope may commaunde vnder payne of excoÌ„munication that there shal be no preaching in any place neither in the parish Churches by the same reason he may command that no man should preach in any place The first part is euident by the prohibition of Pope Alexander who in his bull did prohibite to preach the word of God vnto the people in Chappels although the sayde Chappels were confirmed by the priuiledge of the Sea apostolicke The which Bull the Lord Subincon Archbyshop of Prage with his Canons obteyned By these aforesayd the first part of the Article is euideÌ„t which is this that all Priestes omitting the preaching of the woorde of God for feare of the excommunication of men are already excommunicate The seconde part of the Article is this that all they which doe omitte the hearing of the woorde of God for feare of the excommunication of men are alreadye excommunicate And it is proued thus all such as neglect the coÌ„maundementes of God are excommunicate But they whiche neglect the hearing of the word of God for the excommunication of men are they which neglect the commaundementes of God Therfore they which omit the hearing of the word of God for the excommunication of men are already excommunicate The Maior is apparant by the 118. Psalme Cursed be they which decline from thy commaundementes And the Minor is euident by the second supposition which sayth that the hearing of the word of God is commaunded vnto the people This is confirmed al such as omit the necessary mean vnto saluation are excommunicate but such as omitte the hearing of the woorde of God for the excommunication by men be such as do omit the necessary mean vnto saluation Therefore in so doing they are excommunicate The consequent is playne The Maior is made euideÌ„t by this That all suche as do omit the necessary meane vnto saluation doe also neglect theyr saluation and so are out of the way of saluation and be excommunicated of God The Minor appeareth hereby that to heare the word of God is the meane more necessary vnto saluation as the apostle doth proue in his 10. chapter to the Romains How sayth he shall they beleue on him whoÌ„ they neuer heard of And how shal they heare without a preacher And by by after the Apostle inferreth vnto the purpose That sayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Item what so euer is done contrary
and graunts to that I say that this safeconduct stood not only vpon the Emperour but also vpon the consent of the Pope himselfe vide infr page And admit that to be true that the councell had power to make this decree to breake promise wyth hereticks yet this can not be denied but that Iohn Hus was condemned and iudged before that decree in the xix Session was made Finally when Cope hath prooued by what scripture the councels haue power to defeat the authoritie of their Emperours in such secular causes touching safeconductes and outward safetie then will I answere him more fully heerein But to the purpose againe of the story Iohn Hus seeing so many faire promises and the assurance which the Emperour had geuen vnto him sent answere vnto the Emperour that he would come vnto the Councell But before hee departed out of the Realme of Boheme and specially out of the towne of Prage he did write certaine billes long inough afore as well in Latine as in the Bohemian language and Almaine and caused them to be set and fastened vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Churches and parish Churches Cloysters and Abbayes signifieng vnto them all that he would go to the generall Councell at Constance wherof if any man haue any suspition of his doctrine that he should declare it before the Lord Conrade or Bishop of Prage or if he had rather at the generall Councell for there he would render and giue vp vnto euery one and before them all an accompt and reason of his fayth The example of his letters and intimations set vp were these the copie where of here followeth ¶ The Letters of Iohn Hus set vp in common places of the Citie of Prage MAister Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie will appeare before the most reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage and Legate of the Apostolicke seate in the next conuocation of all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kyngdome of Boheme being ready alwayes to satisfie all men which shall require him to giue a reason of hys fayth and hope that he holdeth And to heare and see all such as will lay vnto his charge either any stubburnes of errour or heresie that they should write in their names there as is required both by Gods law and mans And if so be that they could not lawfully prooue any stubbornes of errour or heresie against him that then they should suffer the like punishmentes that he should haue had vnto whome altogether he will aunswer at the next generall Councell at Constance before the Archbyshop and the Prelates and according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers shew foorth his innocencie in the name of Christ. Dated the Sonday next after the feast of Sainct Bartholomew ¶ The Intimations folowing were drawne out of the Bohemian tongue I Maister Iohn Husnerz do signifie vnto all men that I am ready to come and stand before the face of my Lorde the Archbishop and to aunswere to all things whereof I am falsely accused in the next conuocation of Bachelers and chefly to this point that in many places they doo report me an hereticke not hauing respect vnto iustice or to law neither yet to my merits or deserts Therefore since that you which do neuer cease to selaunder and backebite me with your words doo vnderstand and knowe these things come foorth openly before the face and presence of the Lord Archbyshop and with an open mouth declare and shew foorth what false doctrine or other things you haue heard me teach contrary to Catholicke fayth and if that I shall be found faultie in neuer so small a matter contrary or against the faith of Christ or in any false doctrine and that I do choose that or other things contrary to the faith of Christ then I will hold my peace and suffer punishment as an hereticke And if there be no man that will resist against me or accuse me in this point once againe I say vnto you that I am ready to appeare at Constance in the famous congregation to the end that I may stand in the company of the Diuines euen before the face of the Pope Therefore whosoeuer knoweth any false doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ in me let him come thether and shew it forth boldly if he haue any thing to lay against me and for my part I will not be slacke if I may vnderstand or knowe it to answere as well to small as great as touching the truth which I haue receiued of God and desire to be defended All you good men therefore which loue the truth say now whether by these my words I do thinke or go about any thing either contrary to the law of God or man If I be not admitted then to be heard be it knowne and manfest vnto all men that it hapneth not thorough my fault the same day This Epistle which followeth was set vpon the gates of the Kings Palace translated into Latin out of the Bohemian tongue VNto the Kings maiestie the Queene and to all such as are of his Councell and to all other Rulers and Magistrates which now are in the Kings Court I Iohn Hus doo signifie and publish that I haue vnderstand not by any vayne rumor or tale that there be letters brought from the Pope to the Kings Maiestie the contents whereof is this That the Kyngs Maiestie shoulde bring to passe that the heretickes which were now lately sprong vp in hys kyngdome and dominions should not take any firme or strong roote For so much as without any desert as I trust by Gods grace the fame or noise is sproong and blowne abroade it shall bee our part to foresee and take heed that neyther the Kyngs Maiestie neyther the noble Kyngdome of Boheme should bee driuen to beare or suffer anye reproche on slaunder for mee Wherefore now of late I haue sent my letters too and fro whych I haue with great labour and diligence caused to be openly set vp to thys intent that I myght thereby cause the Archbyshop to be carefull and diligent about the matter signifyeng openly that if there were any man in all Boheme which did knowe mee to be a follower of anye false or corrupt doctrine that he should professe hys name in the Archbyshop hys Court and there to shew foorth and declare what he thought And for asmuch as there would none be found or come foorth which would accuse me the Archbyshop commaunded me and my procurers to depart in peace Wherefore I require and desire the Kings Maiestie which is the defender of the truth also the Queene and theyr Counsellers and all other Rulers and Magistrates that they woud geue me a faithfull testimoniall of this matter For somuch as I haue oftentimes willed and attempted this and no man hath eyther accused mee or troubled mee I doo it moreouer to bee knowne vnto all Boheme and to all nations that I wil bee present euen at the
first time before the Councell of Constance in the most famous place in the presence of the Pope the Pope beeyng president And finally in the presence of all others which will come to that most famous place and that whosoeuer hath any suspition of me that I haue eyther taught or defended anye thyng contrarye vnto the fayth of Christ let hym come thether also let hym declare there before or in the presence of the Pope and all the Doctors of Diuinitie what erroneous or false doctrine I haue at any tyme followed or holden More if hee shall conuince me of any errour or prooue that I haue taught anye thing contrarie vnto the Christian fayth I will not refuse to suffer whatsoeuer punishment shall be due for an hereticke But I hope and trust euen from the bottome of my hart that God wyll not geue the victory to vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing men the which do willingly kicke and spurne against the truth The same time Iohn Hus sente his procurers to the Lorde Byshop of Nazareth ordeyned by the Apostolicke Sea Inquisitour of heresie of the Citie and Dioces of Prage requiring hym that if he had found any errour in him he would declare it openly But the sayd Bishop before the sayd procurour and the publike Notary wyth many other credible witnesses aunswered that he had often talked with Iohn Hus and that he neuer knew anye thing in him but as becommeth a godly and faithful man and this his testimonie of Iohn Hus he approoued by his letters the copie whereof is heere vnder written The Byshop of Nazareth hys testimoniall WE Nicholas by the grace of God Byshop of Nazareth and Inquisitor specially deputed by the Apostolicke seate for heresies both of the Citie and Dioces of Prage by these presents we do it to be knowne vnto all men that wee in times past haue often communed and talked with that honorable man mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie of the famous vniuersitie of Prage and haue had diuers and sondry conferences with hym both of the Scriptures and diuers other matters and in all hys sayings doyngs and behauiour we haue prooued and found him to be a faithfull and a Catholicke man finding no maner of euill sinister or by any meanes erroneous doings in him vnto thys present We doo witnesse and protest moreouer how the sayd Iohn Hus of late in the Cathedrall Church of Prage and in other both Collegiate and Parish Churches and in the Colledges of the Vniuersitie of Prage and in the gates and porches of the most noble Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus King of Romaines and of Boheme Also in the gates of the reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage Legate of the Apostolicke Sea and Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Prage and of other Princes and Barons then being in the Citie of Prage hath set vp his letters written both in Latine and in the Bohemian tongue containing sententially in effect how the foresayd Mayster Iohn Hus would appeare before the reuerend father the Lord Conrade the foresayd Archbyshop of Prage and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme that shall bee congregated and called together by the sayd Archbyshop at the day appoynted in the sayd Citie of Prage readie alwayes to satisfie euery man that shall desire and require him to shew a reason of his fayth and hope that he holdeth and to see and heare all and euery one which could prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie lawfully against him vnder the payne to receyue the like punishment vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe aunswere in the Councell of Constance which was now at hand before the sayd Lord Archbyshop and vs with all other Prelates and there in Christes name according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers to declare and shew foorth his innocencie After the which letters as is aforesayd by the sayd maister Iohn Hus openly set vp there did no man appeare before vs the which would accuse the sayd Maister Iohn Hus of any errour eyther of any heresie For the euident witnesse of all whyche things we haue commaunded these present letters to be made and confirmed the same with the setting too of our seale Dated in Prage xxx of August an M. iiij C. xiiij Vpon which matter also a publicke instrument was drawne testified with the hand and seale of the publicke Notary named Michel Pruthatietz The copie of whych instrument heere vnder followeth ¶ An Instrument of Recognition or protestation of the Lord inquisitor of Heresies IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of hys natiuitie 1414. the thirtith of August in the fift yeare of the Byshoprike of the most holy Father in Christ Iohn by the grace of GOD Pope the three and twentith of that name in the vppermost parlor of the house of the famous man the Lord Peter of Zwogsta called Znirglits maister of the mynte of the most famous Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus Kyng of Romaines and of Boheme in the greater Citie of Prage about the Abbey of Sainct Iames the Apostle in the presence of me the publique Notary heere vnder written and certayne witnesses heere within written specially called for that purpose There was personally present Mayster Iohn Iessenitz mayster of Art procuror in the name of the honourable man Mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler formed in Diuinitie of the Vniuersitie of Prage He most humblie and earnestly requyred the reuerende father in Christ and Lord Nicholas Byshop of Nazareth Inquisitour of Heresies for the Citie and diocese of Prage specially appoynted by the Apostolike Sea beeing there also present sayeng Reuerend father doe you knowe any error or heresie in Mayster Iohn Husnetz otherwise called Hus. The which sayd Lord Nicholas not compelled or constrained but of his owne will and accord freely and openly did there recognise sayeng these or the like words in the Bohemian tongue I haue often and many times bene conuersant with Mayster Iohn Hus and haue eaten and dronke with him also I haue bene often present at his Sermons and diuers of his collations which he hath made vpon diuers places of the scripture and I neuer found or perceiued in him any errour or heresie but in all his words and deedes I haue found him alwaies a true and a Catholike man neither haue I found any thing that doth sauour of any errour or heresie Againe the said maister Iohn his procurer in the behalfe as aboue required and asked the said Lord Nicholas Byshop and inquisitour whether any man haue accused the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him being inquisitour for heresie and hath conuicted him of heresie He aunswered that since the time he knew Iohn Hus and that he was made inquisitour for heresie in the Citie and diocese of Prage as is afore saide neuer anie man accused either conuinced the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him vnto this present time Adding moreouer that he the
said maister Iohn Hus did openly set vp his letters patents this present yeare afore said in the said moneth of August vpon the porches of the Cathedrall Church of Prage and other Collegiate and parish Churches of the Citie of Prage and vpon the gates of our saide Lord our Lord the King and the Archbyshop of Prage conteining in them this effect how that he would appeare before Conrade Archbishop of Prage and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme which should be congregated and called together at a certaine day of the moneth aforesaid ready alwaies to satisfie all men as touching the faith and hope which he helde and to see and heare all and singuler that woulde laye anye obstinacie of error or heresie vnto him that they should determine themselues there to suffer the like punishment according to the extremitie both of Gods lawe and mans lawe vnto whome altogether he would answere in his owne right before the saide Archbishop of Prage and the sayd Lord Nicholas Bishop and inquisitour aforesaide and the Prelates euen in the next generall Councell of Constance and there according vnto the Canons and decrees of the holy Fathers declare and shewe foorth his vprightnes and innocencie vpon all and singuler which proceedings maister Iohn de Iesenitz procurer and in the procurours name or behalfe as afore required and desired that he might haue one or many publique instruments made vnto him by me the publique Notary heere vnder written These things were done the yeare indiction day monthe houre place and byshopricke as is afore saide in the presence of these noble and famous men the Lords William de Zwirgelitz Baron of the Kingdome of Boheme Peter his sonne the Lord Hlawaczion de Renow likewise Barron Wenceslaus de Lunarx Vnssone de Miekoniz Burgraue of the Castell of Liechetenburg Cztiborius de Bodanetz Esquier and William de Dupore Knight of the saide diocese of Prage with manye other woorthy and credible witnesses which were specially desired and required vnto the premisses And I Michaell sometimes the sonne of Nicholas de Prachatitz of the diocese of Prage and by the Imperiall authoritie publique Notary was present with the witnesses afore named at the affaires afore said at the request demaund aunswere and petition and all and singuler the dooings within written and did see and heare all these things to be done in foresayd maner and fourme But being busied with other matters I haue caused this to be faithfully drawne and written and subscribing the same with mine owne hand haue published and reduced it into this forme and haue signed it with my seale and name accustomed being called and required to beare witnes of all and singuler the premisses After this as all the Barons of Boheme were assembled in the Abbay of Sainct Iames about the affayres of the Realme where as the Archbyshop of Prage was also present There the sayde Iohn Hus presented supplications by the whiche he most humbly desired the Barons that they woulde shewe hym thys fauour towards the sayde Archbyshop that if the sayd Archbyshop did suspect him of any errour or heresie that he woulde declare it openly and that he was ready to endure and suffer correction for the same at hys hands And if that he had founde or perceiued no such thing in hym that hee would then gyue hym a testimoniall thereof through the which he being as it were armed he might the more freely go vnto Constance The sayde Archbishop confessed openly before all the assembly of Barons that he knew not that the sayd Iohn Hus was culpable or faulty in anye crime or offence and thys was hys onely counsell that the sayd Iohn Hus should purge himselfe of the excommunication he had incurred this report which the Archbishop had giuen of Iohn Hus doth appeare by the letters which the Barons of Boheme sent vnto the Emperour Sigismund by the said Hus in the towne of Constance Finally all the Prelates and Cleargie assembled together in the Towne of Prage in the Archbishop hys Court where as appeared personally the worshipfull maister Iohn Iesenitz Doctour of decretals and procurer in the name and behalfe of the honourable man maister Iohn Hus requiring that either the sayde mayster Iohn Hus or that hee in the name and behalfe of hym might bee suffered to come into the sayde Archbishops Court to the presence of the Archbishop and the Prelates which were there congregated together for so much as maister Iohn Hus is readye to satisfie all men which shall require hym to shew any reason of his faith or hope which he holdeth and to see and heare all and singular whych were there gathered together that is to saye the Lord Archbyshop and Prelates or any of them whych would lay any maner of obstinacie or errour or heresie vnto hym that they should there write in their names and according both vnto Gods lawe and mans and the Canon law prepare themselues to suffer lyke punishment if they could not lawfully prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie against him vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe aunswere before the sayd Archbyshop and the Prelates in the next generall Councell holden at Constance and stand vnto the law and according to the Canons and Decretals of the holy Fathers shewe foorth and declare hys innocencie in the name of Christ Vnto the which maister Iohn of Iessenetz Doctour one called Ulricus Swabe of Swabenitz Marshall of the sayde Archbyshop comming foorth of the sayd Court did vtterly deny vnto the sayd maister Doctour and his partie all manner of ingresse and entrance into the Court and to the presence of the Archbishop aforesayd and of the Prelates there gathered together Pretending that the Archbyshop with the Prelates aforesayd were occupied about the Kings affaires requiring the sayde maister Doctour that hee woulde tary in some place without the sayd Court that when the Archbyshop and the Prelates had finished the Kings affaires hee might then returne and haue libertie to come into the Court there The said maister Iohn Hus and the Doctour of lawe tarried a while intreating to bee admitted into the Archbyshops Courte But seeing hee coulde preuayle nothyng he made there a solemne protestation of hys request that both hee and also maister Iohn Hus and his part could not be suffered to come into the Archbyshops Court to the presence of the Archbyshop and the Prelates Requiring of the foresayde Notarie publicke instruments to be made of the same which also was done And these were the things which were done before Iohn Hus tooke hys iourney to the generall Councell of Constance the which I minded briefly to rebarse whereunto I will also annexe somewhat as touching his iourney thetherwards About the Ides of October 14.14 Iohn Hus being accompanied with two noble Gentlemen that is to wit Wencelat of Duba and Iohn of Clum he parted from Prage and tooke hys iourney towardes Constance And in euery place as hee passed
friends the Cardinals which through the instigation and motion of Palletz and Michael de Causis sent two Bishops to wit the Bishop of Augusta and of Trident and with them the Borowmaister of the towne of Constance and a certaine knight to the place where Iohn Hus lodged about dinner time which should make report vnto him that they were sent by the Pope and his Cardinals to aduertise him that hee should come to render some knowledge or witnes of hys doctrine before them as he had oftentimes desired and that they were readie for to heare him Unto whome Iohn Husse aunswered I am not come for no such intent as to defend my cause particularly before the Pope his Cardinals protesting that I neuer desired no such thing but that I would willingly appeare before the whole assemble of the Councell and there answer for my defence openly without any feare or doubt vnto all such things as should be demanded or required of me Notwithstanding said he forasmuch as you require me so to do I will not refuse to go with you before the Cardinals And if it happen that they euill entreate or handle me yet neuertheles I trust in my Lord Iesus that he wil so comfort and strengthen me that I shall desire much rather to die for his glory sake then to denie the veritie and truth which I haue learned by his holy scriptures Wherfore it came to passe that the Bishops being instant vpon him and not shewing any outward semblance that they bare any malice or hatred against him in their harts albeit they had priuily laid garrisons both in the house where they were assembled and also in other houses Iohn Hus tooke his horse which he had at his lodging and went vnto the Court of the Pope and the Cardinals When he was come thither and had saluted the Cardinals they began to speake to him in this sorte we haue heard many reports of you the which if they be true are in no case to be suffered For mē say that you haue taught great and manifest errours and contrary and against the doctrine of the true Church and that you haue sowed your errours abrode through all the Realme of Boheme by a long space or time wherefore we haue caused you to bee called hether before vs that we might vnderstande and know how the matter standeth Unto whom Iohn Hus answered in few words Reuerend fathers you shall vnderstand that I am thus minded and affectioned that I would rather choose to die then I should be found culpable of one only errour much lesse of many great errours for this cause I am the more willingly come vnto the generall Councell which is here appointed to shewe my selfe ready euen with all my hart to receiue correctiō if any man can proue any errours in me The Cardinals aunswered him againe that his sayengs pleased them very well and vpon that they went theyr way leauing the said Iohn Hus with maister Iohn de Clum vnder the gard and keeping of the armed men In the meane season they did suborne and furnish out a certaine diuine a Frier Franciscane a subtile and craftie man and a malicious hypocrite for to question with the said Iohn Hus which was compassed round about with armed men This man drawing neare in his monkishe gesture sayd Reuerend maister I a simple and rude ideot am come vnto you for to learne for I haue hard many strange and contrary things against the catholike fayth to be ascribed vnto you the which doo diuersly mooue my mind being wholy inclined to the truth Wherefore I do desire you euen for the loue which you heare vnto the truth and to all good and godly men that you woulde teache me most simple and miserable mā some certaintie and truth And first men say that you hold opinion after the cōsecration and pronuntiation of the words in the Sacrament of the altar there remaineth only materiall bread I. Husse aunswered that it was falsly attributed and imputed to him Then said he I pray you is not this your opinion No verely said Iohn Hus I do not so thinke of it When the Monke asked this question the thirde time Maister Iohn de Clum being somewhat mooued with him sayde why art thou so importunate vpon him Uerely if anye man had affirmed or denied any thing vnto me but once I woulde haue beleeued him And thou albeit hee hath shewed thee his mind so often yet ceasest not to trouble him Then saide the Monke gentle maister I pray you pardon me a poore idiot and simple Frier surely I did it of a good mind intēt being willing desirous to learne This Frier put forth another question vnto him protesting his simplicitie and ignorance what maner of vnitie of the Godhead manhood was in the person of Christ When I. Husse had heard this questiō he turned himselfe vnto Maister Iohn de Clum in the Bohemian language said truly this Frier is not simple as he doth pretend for he hath propoūded vnto me a very hard question And afterward turning himselfe to the frier he said vnto him brother you say that you are simple but as I haue heard of you I perceiue very well that you are double and craftie not simple It is not so verely said the frier Well sayde Iohn Hus I will cause you well to vnderstand that it is so For as touching the simplicitie of a man it is required in things that concerne ciulitie maners that the spirite the vnderstāding the hart the words the mouth should agree together and I do not perceiue that this is in you There is in your mouth a certaine semblance of simplicitie the which would very well declare you to be an ideot and simple but your deedes shew plainely and euidently a great subtiltie and craft in you with a great quicknes and liuelines of wit in that you haue proponed vnto me so hard and difficult a question Notwithstanding I will not feare to shew you my mind in this question And when he had made an end the Monke gaue him great thanks for his gentlenes and so departed After that the Popes garrison which were about the said Iohn Hus told him that this frier was called Maister Didace who was esteemed and counted the greatest and most subtile diuine in all Lumbardy Oh said Hus that I had knowne that afore I would haue handled him after another sort and fashion but I would to God they were all such then through the help and aide of the holy Scriptures I would feare none of them In this maner the said Hus and maister Iohn de Clum were left vnder the keeping of these men of Armes vntill foure of the clocke at after noone After which time the Cardinals assembled againe in the Popes Court to deuise and take counsaile what they should do with Iohn Hus. Then Steuen Palletz Michaell de Causis with
reuerences that you will decree most graciously consent that this our petition and supplication may be drawen out againe by your Notarie and reduced into a publicke forme and order After this supplication was read before the deputies of the 4. nations the Patriarche of Antioch answered in the name of them all vnto euery article of the sayd supplication but it was done in few wordes First as touching the protestation of Iohn Hus whether it be true or false it shal be made euident in the processe of his cause Moreouer wheras they say that the aduersaries of Iohn Hus hath peruersly drawen certaine thinges out of his bookes that also the matter it selfe shall declare in the end Where as if it shal be found decreed that Iohn Hus is vniustly vntruly accused that thē it shal come to passe that his aduersaries shall incurre perpetuall ignominy and slaunder But as touching sureties albeit there might be a thousand put in or boūd yet can it not by any meanes be that the deputies of the Councell with a safe conscience may receiue or take them in this mans cause vnto whome there is no faith or credite to be geuē Howbeit thus much they wil do vpon the 5. day of Iune next Iohn Hus shall be brought againe vnto Constance and there haue free libertie to speake his minde before the Councell that they wold louingly and gently heare him but the matter in the ende fell out farre contrary to thys promise The same day the saide Barons and Lordes presented a supplication of thys tenour vnto the Emperor Vnto the most highe and mighty Prince the Lorde Sigismund king of the Romaines alwaies Augustus king of Hungarie Croatia and Dalmatia our most gracious Lord faithful true seruice in al things and at all times Most noble Prince and gracious Lord we signifie vnto your worthinesse that we all together with one minde consent and accord haue deliuered vp vnto the reuerend fathers and Lordes the deputies of the 4 nations and to the whole sacred Councel of Constance this our supplication here vnder wrytten as reasonable iust and worthy of consideration the tenour wherof here followeth word by word and is this ¶ The copie of the supplication which was presented vnto the deputies of the councel is before written whereunto this which followeth was annexed WHerefore we most humbly require and desire your princely maiestie that both for the loue of iustice and also of the fame and renowme of that moste famous kingdome of Boheme whereof wee acknowledge you vndoubtedly the true Lorde and heire successour and also foreseeing vnto the liberty of your safe-conduct that you wil with your fauourable countenance beholding these most reasonable and iust supplications which we haue put vp to the Lordes aforesayd put to your helping hand toward the sayd most reuerend fathers and Lordes that they will effectually heare vs in this our most iust petition which we haue offered vp to them as is aforesaide least that the enemie of the renowme and honour of the famous kingdome of Boheme and such as oure slaunderers also hereafter may detracte and sclaunder vs that wee should make vnreasonable and vnlawfull requests vnto the sayde reuerend fathers and Lordes and therefore we required and desired of them that it would please them to decre by setting to their publicke hand seale to authorise our said supplication Likewise we do most hartily require your highnes that you would vouchsafe in like maner to geue vs your testimonie of the premises But what answere the Emperor made heereunto we could neuer vnderstand or know but by the processe of the matter a man may easily iudge that thys good Emperour was brought and lead euen vnto thys poynt through the obstinate mischiefe of the cardinals and bishops to breake and falsify his promise and faith whych hee had made and promised and this was their reason whereby he was driuenthereunto that no defence coulde or might be geuen either by safe conducte or by any other meane vnto hym whych was suspected or iudged to be an hereticke But by the Epistles and letters of Iohn Hus a man may easily iudge what the kings minde was Now we will procede in the historie The 5. day of Iune the Cardinals Byshops and the rest of the priests al that were almost in Constance assembled to a great number at the Couent of the Franciscanes in Constance and there it was commaunded that before Iohn Hus shoulde be brought foorth in hys absence they should rehearse the witnesses and articles which they had slaunderously gathered out of his bookes the whych articles with Iohn Husses answer we will hereafter repeate By chance there was then present a certaine Notary named Peter Mladoniewitz the whych bare great loue and amity vnto the said Hus who assoone as he perceiued that the Bishops and cardinals were already determined and appoynted to condemne the sayde articles in the absence of Iohn Hus hee went withall speede vnto maister Wencelate de Duba and Iohn of Clum tolde them al the matter who incontinent made report therof to the Emperour Who vnderstanding their intent sent Lewes the Countie Palantine of Heydelberge and the Lord Frederick Burgraue of Nuremberge to signify vnto them whych ruled the councel that nothing should be resolued or done in the case of Iohn Hus before that it wer first heard with equity and that they should send him all such articles as were said against the sayd Hus which were either false or hereticall he would do so much that the said articles shoulde be examined by good and learned men Then according to the Emperors will the iudgement of the principals of the Councell was suspended vntill suche time as Iohn Hus were present In the meane season these gentlemen master of Dube and of Clum did geue vnto the two Princes whych the Emperor had sent certaine smal treatises which the sayde Hus had made out of the which they had drawn certain articles to present vnto them which ruled the councel vnder this condition that they would render them againe when they should demand them The intent meaning of these Barons was that by thys meanes the aduersaries of Iohn Hus might the more easily be reproued the which of a naughty and corrupt conscience had picked out corrupt sentēces out of the said bookes of Iohn Hus. The bookes were deliuered vnto the Cardinals and Byshops and that done Iohn Hus was brought forth and the Princes whiche were sent by the Emperour departed backe agayne After they shewed the bookes vnto Iohn Hus and he cōfessed openly before the whole assembly that hee had made them that he was ready if there were any fault in thē to amend the same Now harken a litle to the holy proceedynges of these reuerēd fathers for here happened a straunge shamefull matter With much a do they had scarsly read one article brought forth a
by that meanes was it that he said those in were ready to suffer death for the truth And this sedition was hardly appeased by any benefite or help that the king could do Then the EnglishmeÌ„ exhibited the copy of a certaine Epistle which they saide was falsely conueyed vnto Prage vnder that title of the Uniuersitie of Oxford that Iohn Hus did reade the same out of the Pulpit vnto the people that he might coÌ„mend and praise Iohn Wickleffe vnto the Citizens of Prage When they had read the same before the Councell the Englishmen demaunded of Iohn Hus whether he had read the same openly or no. Which wheÌ„ he had confessed because it was brought thether by two scholers vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie they also inquired of him what scholers they were He aunswered this my frend meaning Stephen Palletz knoweth the one of them as well as I the other I know not what he was Then they first enquired of him as touching the last man where he was Iohn Hus aunswered I heard say said he that in his returne into England he died by the way As touching the first Palletz said that he was a Bohemian and no Englishman and that he brought out of England a certaine small peece of the stone of Wickleffes sepulchre which they that are the followers of his doctrine at this present do reuerence and worship as a thing most holy Hereby it appeareth for what intent all these things were done and that Iohn Hus was the author of theÌ„ all Then the Englishmen exhibited another Epistle contrary to the first vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie the effect and argument whereof was this The Senate of the vniuersitie not without great sorrow and griefe hath experimented found that the errours of Wickleffe are scattered spread out of yâ— Uniuersitie throughout all England And to the intent that through their helpe labour meanes may be found to remedy this mischiefe they haue appointed for that purpose twelue Doctours men of singuler learning and other maisters which should sit in iudgement vpon the bookes of Wicklesse These men haue noted out aboue thâ—â—umâ—â—er of CC. articles the which the whole universitie haue iudged worthy to be burnt but for the reuerence of the said sacred Councell the said Uniuersitie hath sent them vnto Constance referring and remitting the whole authoritie of the iudgement vnto this Councell Heere was great silence kept for a while Then Palletz rising vp as though he had finished now his accusation said I take God to my witnes before the Emperours maiestie here present the most reuerend fathers Cardinals and Bishops that in this accusation of Iohn Hus I haue not vsed any hatred or euill will but that I might satisfie the othe which I tooke when I was made Doctour that I would be a most cruell and sharpe enemie of all maner of errours for the profite and commoditie of the holy Catholike Church Michaell de Causis did also the like And I said Iohn Hus do commit all these things vnto the heauenly Iudge which shall iustly iudge the cause or quarell of both parties Then saide the Cardinall of Cambray I cannot a little commend and praise the humanitie and gentlenes of Maister Palletz which he hath vsed in drawing out the articles against maister Iohn Hus. For as we haue heard there are many things conteined in his booke much worse and detestable When he had spoken these words the Byshop of Rygen vnto whom Iohn Hus was committed commanded that the said Iohn Hus should be carried againe safely vnto prison Then Iohn de Clum folowing him did not a little incourage and comfort him No toung can expresse what a courage and stomacke he receiued by the shorte talke which he had with him when as in so great a broile and greuous hatred he saw himselfe in a maner forsaken of all men After that Iohn Hus was caried away the Emperour began to exhort the presidents of the Councell in this maner saieng YOu haue heard the manifold and greuous crimes which are layd against Iohn Hus which are not onely prooued by manifest and strong witnesses but also confessed by him of the which euery one of them by my iudgement and aduise haue deserued and are worthy of death Therefore except he do recant them all I iudge and thinke meete that he be punished with fire and albeit he doo that which hee is willed and commanded to do notwithstanding I do counsell you that he be forbid the office of preaching and teaching and also that he returne no more into the kingdome of Boheme For if he bee admitted againe to teach and preach and specially in the kingdome of Boheme hee will not obserue and keepe that which he is commaunded but hoping vpon the fauour and good will of such as be his adherents and fautours there he will returne againe vnto his former purpose and intent and then besides these errours he will also sow new errours amongst the people so the last errour shall be worse than the first Moreouer I iudge and thinke it good that his articles which are condemned should be sent vnto my brother the king of Boheme and afterward into Pole and other prouinces whereas mens minds are replenished with his doctrine with this commandement that whosoeuer do proceed to hold or keepe the same they should by the common ayde both of the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill power be punished So at the length shall remedy bee founde for this mischiefe if the boughes together with the roote be vtterly rooted and pulled vp and if the Byshops and other Prelates which heere in this place haue laboured and trauelled for the extirpating of this heresie be commended by the whole voices of the Councell vnto the Kings and Princes vnder whose dominion they are Last of all if there be any founde heere at Constance which are familiars vnto Iohn Hus they also ought to be punished with such seueritie and punishment as is due vnto them and specially his scholer Hierome of Prage Then saide the rest when the maister is once punished we hope wee shall finde the Scholer much more tractable and gentle After they had spoken these wordes they departed out of the Cloystev where they were assembled and gathered together The day before his condemnation which was the sixt of Iuly the Emperour Sigismond sent vnto him foure Bishops accompanied with maister Wencelate de Duba and Iohn de Clum that they should learne and vnderstand of him what he did intend to do When as hee was brought out of prison vnto them Iohn de Clum began first to speake vnto him saieng MAister Iohn Hus I am a man vnlearned neither am I able to counsell or aduertise you being a man of learning and vnderstanding notwithstanding I do require you if you know your selfe giltie of any of those errours which are obiected and laid against you before the Councell that
destroyed This most holy and godly labour O most noble Prince was reserued only for thee vpon thee it doth only lye vnto whome the whole rule and ministration of iustice is giuen Wherfore thou hast established thy praise renowne euen by the mouthes of infants sucking babes for thy praises shall be celebrate for euermore that thou hast destroied ouerthrowne such and so great enimies of the faith The which that thou maist prosperously happely perfourme bring to passe our Lord Iesu Christ may vouchsafe to grant thee his grace help who is blessed for euer euer Amen When this Sermon was thus ended the Procurer of the Councell rising vp named Henricus de Piro required that the processe of the cause against Iohn Hus might be continued and proceed vnto the difinitiue sentence Then a certaine Byshop whych was appointed one of the Iudges declared the processe of the cause which was pleaded long since in the Court of Rome and elsewhere betweene Iohn Hus and the Prelates of Prage At the last he repeated those articles which we haue before remembred amongst the which he rehearsed also one article that I. Hus shoulde teach the two natures of the Godhead and manhead to be one Christ. Iohn Hus went about briefly with a word or two to aunswer vnto euerie one of them but as often as he was about to speake the Cardinall of Cambray coÌ„manded him to hold his peace saieng heereafter you shall answere to all together if you will Then said Iohn Hus how can I at once aunswere vnto all those things which are alledged against me wheÌ„ as I cannot remember them all Then sayde the Cardinall of Florence we haue heard thee sufficiently But wheÌ„ as I. Hus for all that would not hold his peace they sent the officers which should force him therunto Then began he to intreate pray and beseech therâ—â—hat they woulde heare him that such as were present â—ight not credite or beleeue those things to be true which were reported of him But when all this would nothing preuaile he kneeling downe vpon his knees committed the whole matter vnto God and the Lord Iesus Christ for at their handes he beleeued easely to obtaine that which he desired When the articles abouesaid were ended last of all there was added a notable blasphemy which they all imputed vnto Iohn Hus. That is that he saide there shoulde be a fourth person in diuinitie and that a certaine Doctour did heare him speake of the same When Iohn Hus desired that the Doctour might be named the Bishop which had alledged the article said that it was not needefull to name him Then said Iohn Hus O miserable and wretched man that I am which am forced and compelled to beare such blasphemy and slaunder Afterward the Article was repeated how he appealed vnto Christ and that by name was called hereticall whereunto Iohn Hus answered O Lord Iesu Christ whose word is openly condemned heere in this Councell vnto thee againe I do appeale which when thou wast euill intreated of thine enimies diddest appeale vnto God thy father committing thy cause vnto a most iust Iudge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifest wrongs and iniuries should flee vnto thee Last of all the Article was rehearsed as touching the contempt of the excommunication by Iohn Hus. Whereunto he answered as before that he was excused by his aduocates in the court of Rome wherefore he did not appeare when he was cited and also that it may be proued by the actes that the excommunication was not ratified and finally to the intent he might cleare himselfe of obstinacie he was for that cause come vnto Constance vnder the Emperours safeconduct When he had spoken these words one of them which was appointed Iudge reade the definitiue sentence against him which followeth thus word for word The sentence or iudgement of the Councell of Constance geuen against Iohn Husse THe most holy and sacred generall Councell of Constance being congregate and gathered together representing the Catholike Church for a perpetuall memory of the thing as the veritie truth doth witnes an euill tree bringeth forth euill seuite hereupon it commeth that the man of most damnable memory Iohn Wickleffe through his pestiferous doctrine not through Iesu Christ by the Gospell as the holy Fathers in times past haue gotteÌ„ faithfull children but coÌ„trary vnto the holesome faith of Iesus Christ as a most venemous roote hath begotten many pestilent wicked children whome he hath left behind him successours and folowers of his peruerse and wicked doctrine against whome this sacred Synode of Constance is forced to rise vp as against bastards and vnlawfull children and with diligent care with the sharpe knife of the Ecclesiasticall authoritie to cut vp their errours out of the Lords field as most hurtfull brambles and briers least they should growe to the hurt and detriment of others For somuch then as in the holy generall Councell lately celebrated and holden at Rome it was decreed that the docrine of I. Wickleffe of most damnable memory should be condemned that his bookes which coÌ„teined the same doctrine should be burned as hereticall this decree was approued confirmed by the sacred authoritie of that whole CouÌ„cell neuertheles one Iohn Hus here personally present in this sacred Councell not the Disciple of Christ but of Iohn Wickliffe an Archheretike after and contrary or against the coÌ„demnation and decree hath taught preached affirmed the Articles of Wickleffe which were condemned by the Church of God and in times past by certaine most reuerend fathers in Christ Lords Archbishops and Byshops of diuers kingdomes Realmes Maisters of diuinitie of diuers Uniuersities especially resisting in his open Sermons and also with his adherents and complices in the scholes the condemnation of the said Articles of Wickleffes oftentimes published in the said Uniuersitie of Prage and hath declared him the said Wickleffe for the fauour and commendation of his doctrine before the whole multitude of the Cleargy and people to be a Catholicke man and a true Euangelical Doctour He hath also published and affirmed certaine many of his Articles worthely condemned to be Catholicke the which are notoriously conteined in the bookes of the said Iohn Hus. Wherfore after diligent deliberation full information first had vpon the premisses by the reuerend fathers and Lords in Christ of the holy Church of Rome Cardinals Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates Doctours of â—â—â—nitie and of both lawes in great number assembled and gathered together this most sacred holie Councell of Constance declareth determineth the articles aboue said the which after due conference had are found in his bookes written with his owne hand the which also the said Iohn Hus in opeÌ„ audience before this holy Councell hath confessed to be in his bookes not to be Catholicke neither worthy to be taught but that many of
thinges which he most eloquently profoundly Philosophically had spoken in the sayd audience neither can anye tongue sufficiently declare the same wheerfore I haue but onely touched here the superficiall matter of his talke partly not wholly noting the same Finaly when as by no meanes he might be perswaded to recant the premisses immediately euen in his presence the sentence iudgement of hys concondemnation was geuen against him read before him ¶ The burning of maister Hierome of Prage The which sentence so geuen before his face ended A great lōg miter of paper was brought vnto him painted about with red deuils the whiche when he beheld and saw throwing away his hood vpon the ground amongest the Prelates he tooke the miter and put it vpon his head saying Our Lorde Iesu Christ when as he shoulde suffer death for me most wretched sinner did weare a crowne of thorne vpon his head and I for his sake in stede of that crowne will willingly weare this miter and cappe Afterward he was layd hold of by the secular power After that he was ledde out of the sayde Church to the place of execution when he was going out of the Churche with a cherefull coūtenance a loud voyce lifting his eyes vp into heauen he began to sing Credo in vnum Deum as it is accustomed to be song in the church Afterward as he passed a long he did sing some Canticles of the Church The which being ended in the entring out of the gate of the city as men go vnto Gothlehem he did sing this himne faelix namque And that respond being ended after he came to the place of execution where as Maister Iohn Hus before had suffred death innocently kneeling downe before an image which was like vnto the picture of M. Iohn Hus which was there prepared to burne M. Hierom he made a certayne deuout prayer While he was thus praying the tormentors tooke him vp and lifting him vp from the ground spoyled him of all his garmentes and left him naked and afterward girded him about the loynes with a linnen cloth and bound him fast with cordes and chaynes of Iron to the sayde Image whiche was made fast vnto the earth and so standinge vpon the ground when as they beganne to lay the woode about him he songe Salue festa dies And when the himne was ended he songe agayne with a loude voyce Credo in vnum Deum vnto the end That being ended he sayde vnto the people in the Germaine toung in effect as foloweth Dearely beloued children euen as I haue now song so do I beleue and none otherwise And this Creede is my whole fayth notwithstanding nowe I dye for this cause because I would not consent and agree to the councel and with them affirme and hold that maister Iohn Hus was by thē holily and iustly condemned For I did know well enough that he was a true preacher of the Gospell of Iesu Christ. After that he was compassed in with the wood vp to the crowne of the head they cast all his garments vpō the wood also and with a firebrand they set it on fire The which being once fired he began to sing with a loud voyce In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum when that was ended and that he began vehemently to burne he sayd in the vulgar Bohemian tongue O Lord God father almighty haue mercy vpon me and be mercifull vnto mine offēces for thou knowest how the sincerely I haue loued thy trueth Then his voyce by the vehemency of the fire was choked stopped that it was no longer heard but he moued continually his mouth and lips as though he had still prayed or spoken within himselfe When as in a maner his whole body with his beard was burned round about and that there appeared through the great burning vpon his body certayne great bladders as big as an egge yet he continually very strongly stoutlye moued shaked his head mouth by the space almost of one quarter of an houre So burning in the fire he liued with great paine Martyrdome whiles one might easily haue gone from S. Clementes ouer the bridge vnto our Lady Church he was of suche a stout and strong nature After that he was thus deade in the fire by and by they brought his bedding his strawbed his bootes his hood all other thinges that he had in the prison and burned them all to ashes in the same fire The which ashes after that the fire was out they did diligently gather together and cary thē in a cart and cast them into the riuer of Rheine which ran hard by the City That man whiche was the true reporter hereof and which testified vnto vs the actes and doinges about the condemnation Maister Hierome and sent the same vnto vs to Prage in writinge doth thus conclude All these thinges sayth he I did beholde see and heare to be done in this forme maner And if any man do tell you the contrary do not credite him for al those things which happened vnto him when he came toward Constance and also at his first comming vnto Constance of his own free well and afterward when he was brought bounde vnto Constance as is aforesay I my selfe did see and perfectly beholde and for a perpetuall memory thereof to be had for euer I haue directed the same vnto you not lying or falsifying any poynte thereof as he which is the searcher of all mennes hartes can beare me witnesse willing rather to sustaine the note of ignoraunce rudenesse of stile to beare witnesse vnto the trueth then I would by any meanes bee compelled by tickling or flattring the cares of the hearers with fayned and cloked speach to swerue or goe aside from the truth Thus end the tragicall histories of M. Iohn Hus and M. Hierom of Prage faythfully gathered and collected by a certain Bohemian being a present witnes and beholder of the same written and compiled first in Latine so sene by the said Bohemian into his country of Boheme and agayne translated out of the Latine with like fidelitye into our English toung In the meane time while Maister Hierome was in this trouble and before the Councell the nobles and Lordes of Boheme and of Morauia but not a little agreeued thereat directed theyr letters vnto this barbarous Councell of popishe murderers in tenour and forme of wordes as followeth ¶ The letter of the 54. Nobles of Morauia written vnto the Councell of Constaunce in the defence of Mayster Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage ☞ To the right reuerend Fathers and Lordes in Christ the Lordes Cardinals Patriarkes Primates Archbishops Bishops Ambassadours Doctors Maysters and to the whole Councell Constaunce We the Nobles Lordes Knightes and Esquyres of the famous Marquesdome of Morauia wishe the desyre of al goodnes and the obseruation of the commaundementes of our Lord Iesu
Ann. 1371. The tyme of I. Wickliffe Anno. 1372. Ex Caxtono A description of Wickliffes timâ— All good things defled spotted with superstition The captaines of the church seduced as well as the inferior sort Palestina denied holy for Christes walkyng there Richard K. of England Fredericke the Emperor of Rome Philip kyng of Fraunce Pope Vrbano Lambert Pope The knowledge of the Gospell grosely expounded by the Romapistes The rysing vp of Wickliffe in a troublous tyme. Wickliffe a Deuine in Oxford Wickliffe depriued of his benefice at Oxford by S. Sudbery Ex Chron. D. Albani Duke of Lancaster Lord H Percy great maintayners of I. Wickliffe Alice Perris the kings concubine The K. bewitched by a woman thorough the helpe of a Fryer The propertie of an whore 12. Gouernours assigned about the kyng Ex Chron. Monastery Albani A practise of the prelates against the Duke of Lancaster W. Wickham B. of Wint. depriued Byshops holde together Liberties of the Church a great matter B of Winâ— sent for to the conuocation I. Wickliffe sent for by the Duke of Lancaster Example â—â— W. Rufus Ex hosie Monastery D. Albani The slaunderous pene of Polydore Wickliffe falsly charged with ambition by Polydore Wickliffe beginneth to touch the matter of the sacrameÌ„t The latter writers of the Church to be misdoubted The accideÌ„ces not to be in the sacrament without the substance Ex host Monarchs D. Albans ex accommodato â— Math. Archsepis â—ant Striuing for the Lordes to passe by the people W. Courtney Bishop of London The wordes of the B. of London to the L. Percy I. Wickliffe bid to sitte downe before the Byshops Wickliffe denied by the Byshop of London to sit downe Strife betweene the L. Marshall and Byshop of London The people set in a stiâ—re Strife betweene the Duke of I aÌ„caâ—er B. of London The B. ouergoeth the Duke in â—coulding This B. of London was W. Courtney sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire The Duke â—â—â—eateneth to draw out their B. by the heare out of the Church Londiners take part with their Byshop Petitions put vp in the Parliament against the Citie of LoÌ„don Hasty counsaile of the LoÌ„diners The Oration of Lord Fiâ—walter to the Londiners The Citizens of LoÌ„don breake vp the L. Peters house at Sauoy Gods prouision in sauing his seruantes The house of the Duke of â—aÌ„caster searched of the Londiners The Duke and L. Percy fiye to the Prince A priest in the Duke of Lancasters house cruelly killed The villany of the Londiners against the Duke The message of the princesse to the Londiners The Duke reuenged of the Londiners The Londiners caused to beare a Taper of waxe in procession in honour of the Duke A story of the Byshop of Norwich Example of pride in the popes clergie The courtesie of the townesmen toward the Byshop The stoâ—â— answere 〈◊〉 the Byshop to the township The towne of Lennam riseth against the Bishop Pride will haue a fall Power vsurped will neuer stand The vsurped power of the pope would haue a bridle Anno. 1377. The death of K. Edw. The commeÌ„dation of K. Edward Anno. 48. Edward tertij Couentrie and Lychfield Norwytch Surren Ebor. Sarisbu The Deanry of Salisbury Treasorer of the Church of Sar. Canterbury Bath Welles An. 2. Rich. 2. The Archdeaconry of Stowe The Archdeaconry of Northampt In the Archdeaconry of Oxen. In the Archdeaconry of Brick In the diocesse Norwitch In the diocesse of Sar. In the diocesse of Canterbury In the diocesse of Yorke In the diocesse of Durham K. Richard 2. The bishops take â—atage of tyme. The first article colâ—â—ccted out of Wickliffeâ— sermons The articles of Iohn Wickliffe sent to the pope Pope Gregory theâ—â— Wickliffe called before the Archbishop of Cant. Anno. 1378. Edmunde Stafforde bringer of the Popes Bull. The masters of Oxford doubt whether to reâ—â—â—ue or reâ—â—t the Popes Bull. The Popes mad Bull sent to Oxford The Pope coplayning of Iohn Wickliffe Marsilius â—atauinus Ioan de Ganduno outed 〈…〉 Here the wilde Bull striketh Simon Sudburle Archb. of Cant. W. Courtney bishop of London Three sundry letters of the pope to one person about one matter The Popes letter to King Richard agaynst I. Wickliffe Here is prisoning but no teaching Certayne conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe The story brags of the Byshops ouerthrowne Wickliffe againe called before the Byshops Lewes Clifford Iohn Wickliffe againe deliuered from the Byshops The protestation of Iohn Wickliffe Exposition of Iohn Wickliffe vpon his coÌ„clusions Exposition of the secoÌ„d conclusion Ingratia gratisicante finaliter Note here he speaketh onely of the right of things in the country 〈◊〉 come and aâ—t in this exile The power of all priestes toward God equall Ordo sacerdotaelis non susciâ—it maius minus Potestas ordinis Potestasregiminis 16. q. 7. filijs The death of Pope Gregorie 11. Vâ—banus 6. Pope A schisme in Rome Was not here a ioly agreement Theodo 〈◊〉 a Niem dâ— schismaâ—â— Rebellion in England by Iacke Strawe Simon the Archb. beheaded W. Courtney Archb. of Cant. Barton Chauncelour of Oxford Anno. 1380. An edict against the Wicliuistes Anno. 1382. The mandate of the Archb. Ex Registro Archb. W. Courtney â—This article eyther is slanderously reported or els can hardly be defended * He meaneth church goods not to be so peculiar to ministers but that they may be taken away if they so deserue ¶ This article peraduenture was not so straightly ment of him as it waâ— gathered of theÌ„ as is aforesayd * This article expoundeâ—â— the ix article aboue A letter of the Archb. of Cant. against Wickliffe Had ye tryed them by the truth you shuld haue found theÌ„ otherwise Druta Fulmina He that killeth you shal thinke he doth God good seruice Yea rather for the honour of your pope and destruction of Christian fayth An earthquake what time Wickliffe was examined Ex chron mon. Albanensii Determiâ—â—tion vpon the aâ—ticles of Wicklâ—â—â—e A letter of the Archb. of Cant. to the Chauncelour of Oxford Make sure worke Another letter of the Archb. to the Commissary of Oxford M. Iohn Asâ—eton examined The answere of Iohn Asheton M. Asheton monished again to appeare xx of Iune Hertford Repington appear The protestation of Hereford and Asheton exhibited to the Archb. Articles with the answeres Farther examinationâ— against the sayd Nic. Phil. and Iohn Nic. Herford Phil. Repington Iohn Asheton examined 20. Iunij an 2382. The iudgement of the â—â—toâ—s vpâ—â— these 〈◊〉 Admonition and citaon of the Archb. against the â—â—minates An other day assigned for the examinates to â—ppeare Prâ—cesse â—ade by the Archb. agaâ—nst Iohn Asheton I. Asheton seuerally examined The Archb. and his Friers dâ—e flee the English tongue for the people Whether materiall bread remaineth the sacrament M. Tho. Hilman suspected to be a fauourer of I. Asheton The 20. day of Iune Dayes geuen to Tho. Hilman to answere 28. day of Iune an 1312. The 1. day of Iuly an 1312. The answere of Tho.
saide to be byshop of Alexandria so lykewise vntrue it is that Helenus was bishop of Hierapolis For by Eusebius it appeareth Lib. 7. cap. 5. alleadging the words of Dionysius that he was bishop of Tarus in Cilicia and had there ouersight of that Church from the tyme of our Lorde 254. to the yeare 274. The vj. yeare of Valerianus and Galienus we read in the story of Herfordiensis cited out of Isuardus of Victor and Victorinus who lying in prison the space of three yeares with Claudianus and Bossa his wife are sayde to haue sustayneâ— great tormentes and Martyrdome for the testimony and name of Christ. Ex. luardo Aurelius Prudentius in his booke intituled Peristephanon inferreth mention of Fructuosus Byshop of Tarracona in Spaine who with his two Deacons Augurius and Eulogius suffered also Martyrdome being burned after syxe daies imprisonment vnder the foresaid Emperours in this persecution The cause of their punishment was for the profession of Christs name Their Iudge and condemner was Emilianus Their imprisonment indured sixe dayes The kinde of death ministred vnto them was fire wherin they being altogether cast with their armes bound behind them their bandes as Prudentius writeth were dissolued their hands vntouched with the fire and their bodies remayning whole The charge of this Iudge vnto the Byshop was this that he would worship the Gods whome the Emperour Galienus worshipped To whom Fructuosus the byshop aunswering nay sayde he I worship no dombe God of stockes and blockes whom Galienus doth worship but I worship the Lord and maister of Galienus the Father and creator of all times and his onely Sonne sent downe to vs of whose flock I am here the Pastor and shepeherd At this worde Emilianus aunswering agayne Nay saith he say not thou art but say thou wast And forthwith commaunded them to be committed to the fyre where as is sayd their bandes and manicles being loosed by the fire they lifted vp their hands to heauen praysyng the liuing God to the great admiration of them that stode by praying also that the element which seemed to fle from them might worke his full force vpon them spedely dispatche them which was after their request obtained In the meane space as they were in the fire there was a certayne Souldier in the house of Emilianus who did see the heauens aboue to open and these foresayd Martyrs to enter in the same which souldiour likewise shewed the sight the same time vnto the daughter of Emilianus the president who beholding the same sight with the souldiour was a present witnesse of the blessednesse of them whom her cruell father had condemned As thys godly Byshop was preparyng to his death sayth Prudentius the brethren approching to him brought him drinke desiring him with much weeping to receaue drinke with them but that he refused to do requiring theÌ„ moreouer to refrayne their teares With like readines the brethen also were diligent about him to pluck of his shoes hose as he was addressing himselfe to the fire But neyther would he suffer any seruaunts helpe in that wherein he was no lesse willing as able to helpe himself And thus this blessed and fruitefull byshop Fructuosus with his twoo Deacons Augurius and Eulogius beyng brought to the fire witnessed the constant confession of the name of christ with the shedding of their bloude Aurel. Prudentius Ado. Equilinus And thus farre continued wicked Valerian in his tyranny against the Saintes of Christ. But as all the Tyrauntes before and oppressors of the Christians had theyr deserued reward at the iust hand of God which rendreth to euery man according to his workes so this cruel Valerian after he had reigned with his sonne Galienus the terme of vj. or vij yeares and about two yeares had afflicted the Church of Christ felt the iust stroke of his hande whose indignation before he had prouoked whereof we haue to witnes Eutropius Pollio Sabellicus Volateranus For making hys expedition agaynst the Persians whether by the fraude and treason of some about him or whether by his owne rashnes it is doubtfull But this is certayne that he fell into the handes of hys enemies being about the age of lxx yeares where he led hys wretâ—hed age in a more wretched captiuitie In so much that Sapores the king of the Persians vsed him and well worthy not for his ryding foole but for hys riding blocke For whensouer the king should light vpon hys horse openly in the sight of the people Valerian Emperour quondam was brought forth in steede of a blocke for the king to tread vpon hys backe in goyng to hys horsebacke And so continued this blockishe butcherly Emperour with shame and sport inough vnto his finall end as witnesseth Laetus and Aurelius Victor And albeit Eusebius in a certaine Sermon to the Congregation declareth a more cruell handling of him affirming that he was slaine writing in these wordes Sed tu Valeriane quoniam eandem homicidiorum saeuitiam erga subditos Dei exercuisti iustum Dei iudicium declarasti dum captiuus ac vinctus vna cum ipsa purpura ac reliquo imparatorio ornatu abductus ac tandem a Sapore Persarum Rege excoriari iussus saleque conditus perpetuum infaelicitatis tuae trophaeum erexisti c. That is and thou Valerian for so much as thou hast exercised the same crudelitie in murdering the subiects of God therfore hast proued vnto vs the rightuous iudgement of God in that thy selfe hast bene bound in chaynes and caryed away for a captiue slaue with thy gorgeous purple and thy imperiall attire and at length also beyng commaunded of Sapores king of the Persians to be slayne and poudred with sault hast set vp vnto al men a perpetuall monument of thine owne wretchednes c. Euseb. The like seueritie of God his terrible iudgement is also to be noted in Claudius his PresideÌ„t and minister of his persecutions Of which Claudius Henricus de Erfordia thus writeth that he was possessed and vexed of the deuill in such sort that he byting of his owne tongue in many small peeces so ended hys life Erford Neither did Galienus the sonne of Valerian after the captiuitie of hys father vtterly escape the righteous hand of God For beside the miserable captiuitie of hys father whom he could not rescue such portentes straunge out of the course of nature such Earthquakes did happen also such tumultes commotions and rebellions did followe that Trebellio doth recken vp to the number of 30. together which in sundry places all at one time tooke vpon them to be tyrantes and Emperours ouer the Monarchie of Rome by the meanes whereof he was not able to succour hys father though he would Notwithstanding the sayd Galienus beyng as is thought terrified by the exaÌ„ple of his father did remoue at least did moderate the persecutioÌ„ stirred vp by the Edictes of Valerian hys father directing forth hys
not we created of the same matter that meÌ„ are Yea after Gods Image and similitude are we made as liuely as they Not flesh only God vsed in the creation of the woman in signe and tokeÌ„ of her infirmitie weaknes but bone of bones is she in token that shee must be strong in the true and liuing God all false Gods forsaken Constant in faith al infidelity renounced patient in aduersity all worldly ease refused Waxe wery my dere sisters of your liues lead in darkenes be in loue with my christ my God my redeemer my comforter which is the true light of the worlde Perswade your selues or rather the spirite of the liuing God perswade you that there is a world to come wherin the worshippers of idoles and deuils shal be tormented perpetually the seruauntes of the high god shal be crowned eternally With these words she embraced the fire and swetely slept in the Lord. There haue bene moreouer beside these aboue recited diuers godly women and faithfull Martirs as Barbara a noble woman in Thuscia who after miserable prisonmeÌ„t sharpe cordes burning flames put to her sides was at last beheaded Also Fausta the virgin which suffered vnder Maximinus by whome Euelasius a ruler of the Emperours palace and Maximinus the President were both conuerted and also suffered martirdome as witnesseth Metaphrastes Item Iuliana a virgine of singular beautie in Nicomedia who after diuers agonies suffered likewise vnder Maximinus Item Anysia a mayd of Thessalonica who vnder the said Maximinus suffred Metaphr ibid. Iustina which suffered with Cyprianus bishop of Antioche not to omit also Tecla although most writers doe accorde that she suffered vnder Nero. Platina in vita Caij maketh also mentioÌ„ of Lucia Agatha All which holy maides and virgins glorified the Lord Christ with their constant martirdome in this tenth last persecution of Dioclesian During the time of which persecution these bishops of Rome succeded on after another Caius who succeded next after Xistê° meÌ„tioned pag. 71. Marcellinus Marcellus of whoÌ„ Eusebius in his story maketh no mention Eusebius then Miltiades al which died martirs in the tempest of this persecution First Marcellinus after the Martirdome of Caius was ordeined Bishoppe he being brought by Dioclesian to the Idoles first yeelded to their Idolatry was seene to sacrifice wherfore being excommunicated by the Christians fell in such repentaunce that he returned agayne to Dioclesian where he standing to his former confession and publikely condemning the idolatry of the heathen recouered the crowne of martirdome suffering with Claudius Cyrinus and Antoninus Marcellus likewise was vrged of Maxentius to renounce his bishoprick religion to sacrifice with them to idols which when he constantly refused was beaten with cudgels and so expelled the city Then he entring into the house of Lucina a widow assembled there the coÌ„gregation which when it came to the eares of Maxentius the tiraunt he turned the house of Lucina into a stable and made Marcellus the keeper of the beasts and so with the stinch thereof and miserable handling was put to death Eusebius late byshop of Rome as Euseb. in Chron. saith 7. monethes Marianus Scotus saith 8. months Damasus affirmeth 6. yeares Sabellicus alledgeth certaine authors that say that he was slayne by Maximinianus but correcteth that himselfe affirming that Maximinianus died before him Miltiades by the testimony of Platina and other that follow him sat 3. yeares 7. moneths suffred vnder Maximinianus But that semeth not to be true as both Sabellicus doth rightly note affirming that the same cannot stand by the supputation of time Forasmuch as the saide Galerius Maximinus raigned but 2. yeares and died before Miltiades Also Eusebius manifestly expresseth the example of a letter of Constantine written to this Miltiades Byshop of Rome playnely conuicting that to bee false which Platina affirmeth In the booke collected of general councels among the decretal epistles there is a long tractation about the iudgement and condemnation of Marcellinus wherof the Maysters Patrones of popery in these our daies take great hold to proue the supremacy of the pope to be aboue al generall councels and that he ought not to be subiect to the condemnation of any person or persons for that there is written Nemo vnquam iudicauit Pontificem nec Praesul sacerdotem suum quoniam prima sedes non iudicabitur a quoquaÌ„ c. Although this sentence of Miltiades seemeth apparantly to be patched in rather by some Heldibrandus then by Miltiades both for that it hangeth with little order of sense vpon that which goeth before againe bicause that prima sedes here mentioned was not yet ordained nor attributed to the sea of Rome before the councell of Nice where the order and placing of byshops was first established But to let this sentence passe yet notwithstanding the circuÌ„stance proceding of this iudgement if it be rightly weyed maketh very little to the purpose of these men Neither is it true that the bishops of this councell of Sinuesse did not condemne Marcellinus for the wordes of the councell bee plaine Subscripserunt igitur in eius damnationem damnauerunt eum extra ciuitatem That is They subscribed therfore to his comdemnation and condemned him to be expelled out of the citie Moreouer by the said councell were brought in the 42. witnesses against Marcellinus In the saide councell the verdit of the same witnesses was demaunded and also receiued Furthermore Quirinus there one of the Byshops openly protested that he would not depart the councell before the malice of the bishops were reuealed what doth al this declare but that the bishop of Rome was called there and did appeare before the iudgement seat of the Councell and there stoode subiecte to their sentence authoritie by the which he was expelled out of the City As for the wordes of the councell whereupon our Papistes stand so much Non enim nostro sed tuo ipsius iudicio coÌ„demnaberis c. Item Tuo ore iudica causam tuaÌ„ c. These words import not here the authority of the Romane bishop to be aboue the councel neither do they declare what the councell could not do but what they would and wished rather to be done that is that he should rather acknowledge his crime before God them with a voluntary yelding of his hart then that the confession of such an hainous fact should be extorted from him through their condemnatioÌ„ for that they saw to be expedient for hys soules health Otherwise their coÌ„demnation should serue him to smal purpose And so it came to passe For he being vrged of theÌ„ to condemne himselfe so did prostrating himselfe and weeping before them Wherupon immediatly they proceded to the senteÌ„ce against him condemning pronouncing him to be expelled the city Now whether by this may be gathered that the Byshop of Rome ought not to be cited accused
vs with their praiers preachings they persecute vs. Whervpon after that Brocmayl being ouercome did flee awaye the king commaunded his men to turne their wepons against the sely vnarmed Monkes of whome he slewe the same time or rather Martired .1100 onely fiftie persons of that number did flee and escape awaye with Brocmayl the rest were all slaine The authors that write of this lamentable murder declare saye howe the forespeaking of Austen was here verefied vpon the Britanes which because they would not ioine peace with their frends he said should be destroied of their enimis Of both these parties the reader may iudge what he pleaseth I can not see but both together were to be blamed And as I cannot but accuse the one so I cannot defend the other First Austen in this matter can in no wise be excused who being a monke before therfore a scholer professor of humilitie shewed so litle humilitie in this assembly to seuen Byshops an Archbishop coÌ„ming at his coÌ„maundement to the Councell that he thought scorne once to stirre at their comming in Much lesse would his Pharisaicall solemnity haue girded himselfe washed his brethrens feete after their trauaile as Christ our great maister did to his Disciples seyng his Lordship was so hie or rather so heauy or rather so proude that coulde not finde in his hart to giue them a little moouing of his body to declare a brotherly humble hart Againe the Britaynes were much or more to blame who so much neglected their spirituall duety in reuenging their temporal iniury that they denyed to ioyne vnto their helping labour to turne the Idolatrous Saxons to the way of lyfe and saluatioÌ„ In which respect all priuate cases ought to geue place and to be forgotten For the whiche cause although lamentable to vs yet no great meruaile in them if the stroke of gods punishment did light upon theÌ„ according to the wordes of Austen as is before declared But especially the cruell king in this fact was most of all to blame so furiously to flee vpon them which had neither weapoÌ„ to resist him nor yet any will to harme him And so likewise the same or like happened to himselfe afterward For so was he also slayne in the field by Christian Edwine who succeeded him as he had slayne the Christians before whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 610. But to returne to Austen agayne who by report of authors was departed before this cruelty was done after he had baptised and christened x. thousand Saxons or Angles in the West riuer that is called Swale beside Yorke on a ChristeÌ„masse day perceauing hys end to draw neare he ordayned a successor named Laurentius to rule after him the Archbishops sea of Dorobernia Where note by the way Christian Reader that wheras Austen baptised then in riuers it followeth there was then no vse of fontes Agayne if it be true that Fabian sayth he baptised x. thousaÌ„d in one day the rite theÌ„ of Baptising at Rome was not so ceremoniall neither had so manye trinkets at that tyme as it hath had since or els it could not be that he coulde baptise so many in one daye In the meane season about this time departed Gregory Byshop of Rome of whom it is sayd that of the number of al the first Bishops before him in the primitiue time he was the basest of all them that came after him hee was the best About whiche tyme also dyed in Wales Dauid Archbishop first of Kayrleion who then translated the sea from thence to Meneuia and therefore is called Dauid of Wales Not long after this also deceased the foresayd Austen in England after he had set there xv or xvi yeares by the which count we may note it not to be true that Henry Huntington and other doe witnesse that Austen was dead before that battaile of Ethelfride agaynst the MoÌ„kes of BaÌ„gor For if it be true that Polycronicon testifieth of this murder to be done about the yeare of our Lorde 609. and the comming of Austen first into the Realme to be an 596. then Austen enduring xvi yeares could not be dead at thys battell Moreouer Galfridus Monumetensis declareth concerning the same battell that Ethelbert the king of Kent beyng as is sayd conuerted by Austen to Christes fayth after he saw the Britaynes to disdayne and deny their subiection vnto Austen neyther would assist him with preaching to the English nation therefore stirred vp he the foresayd Ethelfride to warre agaynst the Britaynes But that seemeth rather suspicious then true that he being a Christen king eyther could so much preuayle with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so farre to commit such a cruell deede But of vncertayne things I haue nothing certainly to say lesse to iudge About this present tyme aboue prefixed which is 610. I read in the story of Ranulphus Cestrensis the writer of Polychronicon of Iohn the Patriarche of Alexandria who for his rare example of hospitality and bountifulnes to the poore I thought no lesse worthy to haue place amongest good men then I see the same now to be followed of few This Iohn beyng before belike a hard and sparing man as he was at hys prayer vpon a tyme it is sayd there appeared to him a comely virgine hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe mercy saying to him and promising that if he would take her to wiâ—e he should prosper well This whether it were true or not or els inuented for a moralitie I would wish this florishing damsell so to be maryed to moe then to this Iohn that shee should not liue so long a virgine now as she doth because no man will marry her But to returne to his Patriarch who after that day as the story recordeth was so merciful and so beneficiall especially to the poore and needy that he counted them as hys maysters and himself as a seruaunt and steward vnto them This Patriarch was wont commonly twise a weeke to sit at hys doore all the day long to take vp matters and to set vnitie where was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all the day before hys gate and saw no man come lamented that all that day hee had done no good To whome his Deacon standing by aunswered agayne that hee had more cause to reioyse seeing he had brought the Cittie in that order and in such peace that there needed no reconcilement amongest them An other time as the sayd Iohn the Patriarche was at the Seruice and reading the Gospell in the church the people as their vsed maner is went out of the church to talke and iangle he perceauing that went out likewise and sat amongst them wherat they marueyling to see him do so My children said he where the flocke is there ought the shepherd to be wherefore either come you in that I may also
come in with you or els if you tary out I will likewise tary out together with you c. As touching the actes and deedes of Gregory aboue mentioned how he withstood the ambitious pryd of Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople which woulde be the vnyuersall Priest and onely chiefe Byshop of all other declaring him to be no lesse then the forerunner of Antichrist that woulde take that name vppon him howe and wyth what reasons he aunswered againe the letters of the Emperor Mauritius in that behalfe sufficient relation is made thereof in the first entry and beginning of this booke This Gregory among manye other thinges induced into the Churche the specialties whereof hereafter shall followe Christ willing more at large fyrst beganne and brought in thys title among the Romaine Bishoppes to be called Seruus seruorum Dei putting them in remembraunce therby both of their humblenes and also of their duetie in the Churche of Chryst. Moreouer as concerning his acte for the sole lyfe of Pryestes fyrst begonne and then broken againe Also concerning the order of Gregoryes Masse boke to be receaued in all churches hereof who so lifteth to read more shall fynde the same in other places hereafter namelye when wee come to the tyme of Pope Adrian the first After the death of Gregory aboue mentioned first came Sabinianus who as he was a malicious detractor of Gregory of his works so he continued not long scarse the space of two yeares After whom succeded next Bonifacius the 3. which albeit he reigned but one yeare yet in the one yeare he did more hurt then Gregory with so great labours and in so many yeres could do good before for that which Gregorye kept out he brought in obtaining of Phocas the wicked Emperour for him and his successours after him that the sea of Rome aboue al other churches should haue the preeminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the vniuersall head through all Churches of Christ in Christedome alleadging for him this friuolous reason that S Peter had and left to his successours in Rome the keyes of byndyng and loosing c. And thus began first Rome to take an head aboue all other Churches by the meanes of Boniface the 3. who as he lacked no boldnes nor ambitioÌ„ to seeke it so neither lacked he an Emperour fit and meete to gyue such a gift Thys Emperours name was Phocas a man of such wickednes and ambitioÌ„ most like to his owne Bishop Boniface that to aspire to the Empire he murthered his owne maister and Emperour Mauritius his children Thus Phocas coming vp to be Emperour after this detestable vilanie done thinking to establish his Empire with friendship and fauour of his people especially with the byshop of Rome quickly condescended to al hys petitions so graunted him as it is sayd to be that he would the vniuersall and heade Bishop ouer all Christen Churches But as bloud commonly requireth bloud againe so it came to passe on the said Phocas For as he had crueltye slayne the Lorde and Emperour Mauritius before so he in lyke maner of Heraclius the Emperour succeedyng hym had his hands and seete cut of so was cast into the Sea And this wicked Phocas which gaue the first supremacy to Rome lost his owne But Rome would not so soone loose his supremacy once giuen as the gyner lost his life for euer since froÌ„ that day it hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by al force policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whoÌ„ by the words of Gregory we may well call the runner before Antichryst For as Gregory brought into their stile Seruus seruorum Dei so this Boniface brought into theyr heades first Volumus ac mandamus Statuimus ac praecipimus That is We will and commaunde we enioyne and charg you c. Mention was made a little before of Ethelbert kyng of Kent and also of Ethelfride king of Northsaxone or Northumbria This Ethelbert hauing vnder his subiection al the other Saxon kinges vnto Number after he had fyrst receaued himselfe and caused to be receaued of other the Christian faith by the preaching of Austen being coÌ„firmed afterward in the same faith amoÌ„g other costly dedes with the helpe of Sigebert kyng of Essex his nephew then reigning vnder him began the foundation of Paules Church within the Citie of London ordained it for the Bishops sea of LondoÌ„ For the Archbishops sea which before tyme had bene at London was by Austen and this Ethelbert at the praier of the Citizens of Dorobernia translated to the said Citie MalmesberieÌ„sis Lib. de pontific Wherfore such authors as say that Paules was diuided by Sigebert say not amisse which Sigebert was the king oâ— Essex â—n which prouince standeth the Citie of London This Ethelbert also founded the Church of Saint Andrewe in the Citie of Dorubres in Kent nowe called Rochester of one Rot distaunt from Dorobernia 24. miles Of this citie Iustus was bishop ordained before by Austen Moreouer the â—orenamed Ethelbert styrred vp a dweller or Citizen of London to make a Chappell or church of Saint Peter in the west end of LoÌ„don then called Thorny nowe the Towne of Westminster which Church or Chappell was after by Edward the confessour inlarged or newe builded lastly of Henry the 3. it was newly agayne reedified and made as it is nowe a large Monasterye c. After these Christian and worthye actes this Ethelbert when he had reigned the course of lvj yeares chaunged thys mortall life about the yeare of our Lorde 616. whome some stories say to be slaine in a fyghte betweene him and Ethelfride king of Northsaxons In the meane time the foresaid Ethelfride king of Northumberland after the cruell murther of the Monkes of Bangor escaped not long vnpaied his hire for after he had raigned 24. yeares he was slaine in the fielde of Edwine who succeded in Northumberland after him This Edwyne being the sonne not of Ethelfride as Galfridus Monumetensis saith but rather of Alla as Giraldus Gambrensis 〈◊〉 to witnes more truely was first a Panim or 〈◊〉 afterward by Paulinus was Christned and the first 〈◊〉 king in NorthoÌ„berland The occasion of which his calling or conuersion as is in sundry stories contained was this Edwine being yet a Pagane maryed the daughter of Ethelbert king of kent called Edelburge a Christian womaÌ„ otherwise called Tace But before this mariage Edwyne beyng yet young Ethelfride the king conceyuing enuy agaynst him persecuted him so sore that he was forced to flee to Redwaldus king of Eastangles as in the table of the kings is expressed The which Redwaldus what for feare what with bribes being corrupted of Ethelfride at length priuily had inteÌ„ded to haue betrayed Edwyne But as gods will was Edwyne hauing warning thereof by a secrete frynde of his was mooued to flee and
the second vpon his workmen and builders of his new works whereof he had great delight cunning the third vpon strangers Likewise the other second halfe vpon spirituall vses he did thus diuide in foure portions One to the releuing of the poore An other to monasteries The iij. portion to the schooles of Oxforde for the mainteining of good letters The iiij he sent to foreine Churches without the Realme This also is left in stories written to his commendation for his great tolerance and sufferance that when he had builded the new Monastery at Winchester and afterward hys sonne Edward had purchased of the Byshop and the Chapter a sufficient peece of grounde for certaine offices to be adioyned vnto the same had geuen for euery foote of ground mancam auri pleni ponderis which was as I thynke a marke of golde or more yet Alfrede therwithal was not greatly discontented to see his coffers so wasted Ouer and besides how sparing and frugall hee was of time as of a thing in this earth most pretious and howe farre from al vain pastimes and idlenes he was this doth well declare which in the storie of William de Reg. other wryters is tolde of hym That hee so deuided the day and night in three parts if he were not let by warres or other great busines that eight houres hee spent in studie learning and other eight houres he spent in praier and almes dedes and other eight houres he spent in his natural rest sustenance of his body and the needes of the realme The which order he kept duely by the burning of waxen tapers kept in his closet by certaine persons for the same purpose Guliel How studious he was carefull of the commō wealth and maintenance of publike tranquillitie his lawes most godly set forth and diuised by him may declare Wherein especially by him was prouided for the extirping and abolishing all theft and theeues out of the Realme Wherby the Realme through his vigilant care was brought into such trāquillitie or rather perfection that in euery crosse or turning way he made be set vp a golden brouch at least of siluer gilded through his dominiōs and none so hardy neither by day nor night to take it downe for the more credit wherof the wordes of the Latin story be these Armillas aureas iuberet suspendi quae viantium auiditatem irritarent dum non essent qui eas abriperent c. Guliel Lib. de Regibus Angl. And no great maruel therein if the Realme in those dayes was brought in such an order and that iustice then was so well ministred when the king him selfe was so vigilant in ouerseeing the doings of his iudges and officers Whereof thus also we read in the saide author testified Iudiciorum a suis hominibus factorum inquisitor perperam actorum asperrimus corrector 1. he was sayeth mine author speaking of the king a vigilant inquisitor of the doings of his iudges and a strict punisher of theyr misdoinges Iornalensis also wryting vpon the same thus sayth Facta ministrorum suorum potissimè iudicum diligenter inuestigauit adeo vt quos ex auaritia aut imperitia errare cognosceret ab officio remouebat that is he did diligently search out the doings of his officers especially of his iudges so that if he knewe any of them to erre eyther through couetousnes or vnskilfulnes them he remooued from their office And thus much concerning the valiant actes and noble vertues of this worthy Prince whereunto although there were no other ornamēts adioyning besides yet sufficient were they alone to set foorth a Prince worthy excellent commendation Nowe besides these other qualities gifts of Gods grace in him aboue mentioned remayneth an other part of his no litle praise commendation which is his learning and knowledge of good letters wherof he not onely was excellently expert hym selfe but also a worthy mainteiner of the same through al his dominiōs where before no vse of Grammer or other sciences was practised in this Realme especially about the Westparts of the lād there through the industrie of this king schooles began to be erected and studyes to florish Although amōg the Britaynes in the towne of Chester in Southwales lōg before that in kyng Arthurs tyme as Galfridus writeth both Grammer and Philosophy with other tongues was thē taught After that some writers record that in the tyme of Egbert kyng of Kent this Ilande began to florishe with Philosophy About which tyme some also thinke that the Uniuersitie of Graūtechester neare to that which nowe is called Cambrige began to be founded by Bede following this coniecture therein for that Alcuinus before mētioned which after went to Rome from thence to Fraunce in the tyme of Charles the great where he first began the Uniuersitie of Paris was first traded vp in the exercise of studies at the same schoole of Graūtechester Beda Lib. 111. cap. 18. writing also of Sigebert king of Eastangles declareth how the sayd Sigebert returning out of Fraunce into England according to the examples whiche hee did there see ordered and disposed schooles of learning through the meanes of Felix then Bishop and placed in them maisters and teachers after the vse and maner of the Cantuarites And yet before these times moreouer is thought to be two schooles or vniuersities within the realme the one Grek at the town of Greglade which afterward was called Kyrklade The other for Latine whiche place was then called Latinelade afterward Letthelade neare to Oxford But howsoeuer it chāced that the knowledge and study of good letters being once planted in this realme afterwarde went to decay yet King Alfrede deserueth no little praise for restoring or rather increasing the same After whose time they haue euersince continued albeit not continually through euery age in like perfection But this we may see what it is to haue a Prince learned him selfe who feeling and tasting the price and value of science knowledge is thereby not only the more apt to rule but also to instruct frame his subiectes from a rude barbaritie to a more ciuile congruencie of life to a better vnderstanding of thinges as we see in this famous Prince to happen Cōcerning whose first education bringing vp although it was somewhat late before he entred any letter yet suche was the apt towardnesse docilitie of his nature that being a childe he had the Saxon Poemes such as were vsed then in his owne toung by hart and memory Who afterward with yeares and time grewe vp in such perfection of learning and knowledge in so much that as mine author sayeth Nullus Anglorum fuerit vel intelligendo acutior vel in interpretando elegantior The which thing in him the more was to be marueiled for that he was xij yeares of age before he knew any letter Then his mother careful and tender ouer him hauing by chance
Constantinus an 340. Syricus to Theodosius Anno. 388. Gregorius to Mauritius An. 600. Hilarius to Iustinian An. 528. Adrianus and Leo to Carolus Magnus An. 801. Paschalis and Ualentius to Ludouicus Pius an 830. Sergius 29. vnto Lotharius An. 840. Benedictus the 3. and Ioannes the 9. vnto Ludouicus sonne of Lotharius an 856. But against this obedience and subiection Hildebrād first began to spurne and by his example taught all other Bishops to do the like In somuch that at length they wrought and brought to passe to be lawful for a fewe curtisans Cardinals cōtrary to auncient ordinance and statutes decretal to chuse what Pope they list without any consent of the Emperor at all And where as before it stoode in the Emperors gift to geue and graunt Byshoprikes Archbishoprikes benefices and other Ecclesiasticall prefermentes within theyr owne limites to whom they lift now the Popes through much wrastling warres and contention haue extorted al that into their owne hāds and to their assignes yea haue pluckt in all the riches power of the whole worlde And not cōtent with that haue vsurped and preuailed so much aboue Emperors that as before no Pope might be chosen wtout the cōfirmation of the Emperor so now no Emperor may be elected wtout the confirmation of the Pope taking vpon them more then Princes to place or displace Emperours at their pleasure for euery light cause to put downe or to set vp when whom they lifted as Fridericus Primus for holding the left stirrup of the popes sadel was persecuted almoste to excommunication The which cause moueth me to straine more diligence here in setting out the history actes and doings of this Hildebrand from whom as the first patron and founder sprang al this ambition contention about the liberties dominion of the Romane church to the intent that such as cānot read the Latine histories may vnderstand in English the original of euils howe and by what occasion they first began and how long they haue continued And first howe this Hildebrand hetherto had behaued himselfe before he was Pope I haue partly declared For though he was not yet Pope in name yet he was there Pope in deede ruled the Pope and all their doinges as him listed Item what waies and fetches he had attempted euer since his first comming to the Courte of Rome to magnifie and maintaine false libertie against true authoritie what practise he wrought by Coūcels what factions and conspiracies he made in stirring vp Popes against Emperours striuing for superioritie and what warres followed therof I haue also expressed Now let vs see further by the helpe of Christe the worthy vertues of this princely prelate after he came to be Pope as they remaine in histories of diuers and sondry writers described The tragicall historie of Gregorie the vij otherwise named Hildebrand THe words of the latine historie be these Hactenus pontifices Rom. comitijs curiatis calatis a sacerdotibus equitatu plebe Senatu c. In English Hetherto the Byshoppes of Rome haue bene elected by voyces and suffrages of all sortes and degrees as well of the Priests and the Clergy as of the nobilitie people and Senate all conuenting and assembling together And this election so I finde to stande in force if so be it were ratified and confirmed by the consent of Romane Emperors who had authoritie to call and to assemble all these as well as Byshops together vnto councels as case required Under the authoritie and iurisdiction of these Emperours were contained both in Germany Fraunce Italy and through the whole dominion of Rome all Patriarches Bishops masters of Churches and Monasteries by the decree of Councels according to the olde custome of our aunceters as is declared in a certaine storie in the life of Carolus Magnus The holy and auncient fathers like as Christ our Lorde with his disciples and Apostles both taught and did honoured and esteemed their Emperours as the supreame potestate next vnder God in earth set vp ordained elected and crowned of God aboue all other mortall men and so counted them and called them their Lords To them they yelded tribute and paide their subsidies Also prayed euery day for their life Such as rebelled against them they tooke as rebelles and resisters against God his ordinance and christian pietie The name of the Emperor then was of great maiestie and receiued as geuen from God Then these fathers of the Church neuer intermedled nor intangled themselues with politike affaires of the common weale muche lesse they occupied Martiall armes and matters of cheualrie Onely in pouertie and modestie was all their contention with other Christians who shoulde be poorest and most modest amōgst them And the more humblenes appeared in any the higher opiniō they cōceiued of him The sharpe and two edged sworde they tooke geuen to the Churche of Christ to saue and not to kill to quicken not to destroy and called it the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God the life and light of men and reuoketh from death to life making of men Gods of mortall immortall Farre were they from that to thrust out any Prince or Kyng though he were neuer so farre out of the way yea an Arrian from his kingdome or to curse him to release hys subiects from their oth and their allegeance to change and translate kingdoms to subuert empires to pollute themselues with Christen bloude or to warre with their Christian brethren for rule principalitie This was not their spirite maner then but rather they loued obeyed their Princes Again Princes loued them also like fathers and fellow princes with them of the soules of men Now this Gregorius the seuenth otherwise named Hildebrandus trusting vpon the Normains which then rufled about Apusia Calabria and Campania trusting also vpon the power of Machtilda a stout woman thereabout Rome partly again bearing himself bold for the discord among the Germains first of all other contrary to the maner of elders contemning the authoritie of the emperour inuaded the Cathedrall sea of Rome vauncing himselfe as hauing both the ecclesiastical and temporal sword committed to him by Christ that fulnes of power was in his hande to bind and loose what so he listed Wherupon thus he presumed to occupy both the regiments to chalenge all the whole dominion both of the East West church yea and all power to himself alone abiding none to be equal much lesse superior to him derogating from other and arrogating to himselfe their due right and honor setting at light Cesars kings and Emperours and who raigned but by his owne godamercy Bishops and Prelates as his vnderlings he kept in awe suspending and cursing chopping of their heads stirring vp strife and warres sowyng of discord making factions releasing othes defeating fidelitie and due allegeance of subiects to their princes Yea and if he had offended or iniured
the Emperour himselfe yet notwithstanding he ought to be feared as he himselfe glorieth in a certain epistle as one that could not erre and had receiued of Christ our sauiour and of Peter authoritie to bynd and vnbind at his will and pleasure Priestes thē in those daies had wiues openly and lawfully no law forbidding to the contrary as appeareth by the deede and writings of their chapter seales donations which were geuen to temples and monasteries wherein their wyues also be cited with them for witnes and were called praesbiterissae Also for Bishops Prelates Persons of Churches gouernors of the Clergy maisters of monasteries religious houses all these were then in those times in the emperors ordination to assigne by voice or consent to whom he would Now these two things Gregorius this Pope could not abide For the which two causes onely was all his striuing and driuing from his first beginning to abolish the mariage of Priests and to translate the authoritie Imperiall to the Clergy For to this scope only tended all his labour practises and deuises as appeared before in the councell of Lateran vnder Pope Nicolas and also in the councell of Mantua vnder Alexander making their mariage heresie and the other to be simonie And that which before he went about by other now he practiseth by hymself to condemne ministers that were maried for Nicolaitans and to receiue any spirituall regiment of secular persons for simonie Directing forth his letters vpō the same to Henricus the Emperour to Dukes Princes Potestates Tetrarkes namely to Berchtoldus to Rodulphus of Sweuia to Whelpho Adalberon their wines Item to bishops Archbishops to Priests and to all the people in the which letters he denounceth them to bee no priests so many as were maried forbidding men to salute them to talke to eate to company with them to pay them tithes or to obey thē if they would not be obedient to him Amongst all other he directed special letters to Ottho bishop of Constance concerning this matter But Ottho perceinyng the vngodlye and vnreasonable pretence of Hildebrand would neyther seperate them that were maried from their wyues nor yet forbid thē to marrie which were vnmaried c. The copy of the letter of Hildebrand sent to the bishop of Constance against priests mariages GRegorius bishop seruaunt of seruants of God to the Clergie and laitie both more and lesse within the Dioces of Constancie salutation and benediction We haue directed to our brother Ottho your bishop our letters exhortatory wherin we enioined him according to the necessitie of our duetie by the authoritie Apostolicall that he should vtterly abolish out of his Church the heresie of simonie and also should cause with all diligence to bee preached the chastitie of priests But he neither moued with reuerence of S. Peters precept nor yet with the regard of his duty neglected to do these things whereunto we so fatherly haue exhorted him incurring thereby a double offence not onely of disobedience but also of rebellion in that he hath gone and done cleane contrary to our commaundement yea rather the commaundement of blessed S Peter so that he hath permitted his clergy not onely such as had wiues not to put them away but also such as had none to take vnto them Whereupon we beyng truely informed thereof and agrieued therewith haue directed to him an other letter declaring the motion of our displeasure and indignation In which letters also we haue cited him vp to our Councell at Rome there to appeare and geue account of his disobedience in the audience of the whole Synode And nowe therefore we thought it best to signifie this to you our deare children whereby in this behalfe we might the better prouide for your health saluation For if your bishop shall continue so obstinately to repugne aud resist against our commaundement he is not meete to sit ouer you c. Wherfore these shall be to commaund you all them that be obedient to God and to blessed S. Peter by our Apostolicall authoritie that if this your Bishop shall persist in his obstinacie you that be his subiects hereafter geue to him no seruice nor obediēce For the which thing doyng we here discharge you before God and your soules For if your bishop shall seeme contrary to the decreements iniunctions Apostolicall We through the Apostolicall authoritie of S. Peter discharge and absolue you frō the band of your allegeāce to him So that if you be sworne to him so long as he is a rebell against God and the Apostolike seat we lose you from the peril of your othe that you shall not need to feare therein no daunger c. Ottho bishop of Constance thus being cited whether he did appeare personally himselfe I doe not reade This I read and find that in the sayd councel holden at Rome Hildebrand with other bishops of Rome did then enacte amongst many other these three things most special First that no Priest hereafter should marrie wiues Secondly that all such as were married should be diuorst Thirdly that none hereafter should be admitted to the order of priesthood but should sweare perpetual chastitie c. This coūcell of Rome beyng ended forthwith the act of Hildebrād concerning the single life of Priests was proclaymed and published in all places and straight commaundement geuen to bishops to execute the same The Copy of his Bull sent into Italie and Germanie was this GRegory the Pope otherwise Hildebrand the seruaunt of the seruaunts of God sendeth the Apostles blessing to all them within the kingdoms of Italy and Germany that shew their true obedience to S. Peter If there be any Priests Deacons and Subdeacons that still will remayne in the sinne of fornication We forbid them the Churches entrance by the omnipotent power of God and by the aucthoritie of S. Peter till tyme they amend and repent But if they perseuere in their sinne we charge that none of you presume to heare their seruice For their blessing is turned into cursing and their prayer into sinne as the Lord doth testifie to vs by his Prophets I will turne your blessing c. The bishops of France being called vpon daily with the popes letters were compelled to obey the decree of the councel but the residue of the clergy manfully and stoutly withstanding the Popes decree and inforcement of theyr bishops would not agree but repined thereat sayd that the councell did manifestly repugne agaynst the worde of God that the Pope did take from Priestes that whiche both God and nature had geuen them and therefore that person to be an heretike and Author of a wicked doctrine which ruled and gouerned not by the spirit of God but by Sathan The decree and act set forth to tende directly against the word of God and the saying of Christ Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc all men haue not the gift and capacitie of the word
the Pope did hold a councell at London In the which councel first began new found appellatiōs from councels to the Pope found out by Henry Bishop of wint For as the wordes of myne author doe recorde In Anglla namq̄ appellationes in vsu non erant donec eas Henricus Wint. Episcopus dum legatus esset malo suo crudeliter intrusit In eodem namq̄ concilio ad Rom. pontificis audientiam ter appellatū est c. That is For appellations before were not in vse in England till Henry Bishop of Winchester being thē the Popes Legate brought them cruelty in to his own hurt For in that Councell thrise appeale was made to the Bishop of Rome In the tyme of king Stephen died Gracianus a mōke of Bononie who compiled the booke called the Popes decrees Also his brother Petrus Lambardus bishop of Paris which is called the maister of Sentences compiled his foure bookes of the sentence These two brethren were the greatest doers in finding out and stablishing this blynde opinion of the sacrament that the only simnitude of bread and wyne remayned but not the substaunce of them and this they call the spirituall vnderstandyng of the mysterie And therefore no meruail if the sunne in those dayes were seene blacke and dimme Some also affirme that Petrus Comestor writer of the Scholasticall history was the third brother to these aboue named In the same tyme and raigne of the said king Stephen was also Hugo surnamed De sancto victore About the which tyme as Polychronicon reciteth liued and died Bernardus Clareuallensis The author of the history called Iornalensis maketh also mention of Hildegare the Nūne and propheresse in Almaine to liue in the same age Concerning whose prophesie agaynst the Friers hereafter by the grace of Christ more shal be said when we come to recite the order and nūber of Friers and religious men crept into the Church of Christ. We read moreouer of one named Ioannes de temporibus which by the affirmaunce of most of our olde histories lyued 361. yeares seruaunt once to Carolus Magnus and in the raigne of Stephen king of England dyed Polychron lib 7. Continuator Henr. Hunt Iornalens in vita Steph. Nicol. Triuet c. In the dayes also of this king and by him was builded the Abbey of Feuersham where his sonne he were buried He builded the monastery of Finerneys of Fomitance the castle of Walingford with a number of other Castles mo During the tyme of the sayd kyng Stephen the yeare of our Lord 1144. the miserable Iewes crucified a child in the Citie of Norwich N. Triuet alij Much about the same tyme came vp the order of the Gilbertines by one Gilbert sonne to Jacoline a knight of Lincolnshire c. Mention hath bene made before of certayne English Councels holden in the tyme of this kyng where it was in one of them vnder Theolbald the Archbishop of Canterbury decreed that bishops should lyue more discretely should reach their flocke more diligently that readyng of scriptures should be frequented more vsually in Abbeys that Priests should not be rulers of worldly matters and that they should learne and teach the Lordes prayer and Creede in English Malmesb. Matth. Parisiensis writeth how Stephen king of England in these dayes reserued to himselfe the right and authoritie of bestowyng of spirituall liuyngs and inuestyng Prelates an 1133. At which tyme also Lotharius the Emperour began to do the lyke in recouering agayne the right priuiledge taken away from Henricus his predecessor had not Bernardus geuen him contrary counsaile Here came into the Church the maner of cursing with booke bell and candle deuised in the Councell of London holden by William bishop of Winchester vnder Pope Celestinus which succeeded after Innocentius an 1144. Also Lotharius succeeded in the Imperiall crowne Conradus the nephew of Henricus the v. afore mentioned an 1138. which only amongst many Emperors is not found to receiue the crowne at the Popes hand In the dayes of this Emperor who raigned 15. yeres were diuers Popes as Celestinus 2. Lucius the 2. Eugenius the 3. at which time the Romaines went about to recouer agayne their former olde maner of chusing theyr Consuls and Senators But the Popes thē being in their ruffe in no case would abide it wherupon rose many commotions with much ciuile warre amongest them In so much that Pope Lucius sending for ayde to the Emperour and he otherwise letted at that tyme could not come armed his souldiours thinking to inuade them or els to destroy them in their Senate house But this comming to their knowledge before the people was all in aray and so much add was amongst them Pope Lucius beyng also amongst thē in the fight wel pelted with stones blowes liued not long after Likewise Pope Eugenius after him an 1145. pursuing the Romains for the same matter first did curse them with excommunicatiō After when he saw that would not serue he came with his host and so compelled them at length to seeke his peace and to take his cōditions which were these That they should abolish theyr Consuls and take such Senators as he by his Papall authoritie should assigne them Then followed Anastacius the 4. after him Hadrianus 4. an Englishman by his name called Breakespere belonging once to S. Albōs This Hadrianus kept great stirre in like sort with the citizens of Rome for abolishyng their consuls and Senate cursing excommunicating and warring agaynst them with all power he could make to the tyme he remooued the Consuls out of their office and brought them all vnder his subiection The lyke businesse and cage he also styrred vp against Apulia and especially against the Empire blustering and thundering agaynst Friderieus the Emperour as the Lord graunting you shall heare anone after we haue prosecuted such matter as necessarily appertayneth first to the continuation of our English story King Henry the second HEnry the secōd of that name the sonne of Jeffrey Plantagenet and of Maude the Empresse and daughter of king Henry the first beganne his raigne after king Stephen and continued 35. yeares The first yeare of his raign he subdued Ireland and not long after Thomas Becket was made by him Lord Chauncellour of England This king cast downe diuers Castles which were erected in the time of king Stephen He went into the North partes where he subdued William king of Scotland who at that tyme held a great part of Northumberland vnto new Castell vpon Tyne and ioyned Scotland to his owne kingdome from the South Ocenm to the North Iles of Orchades Also he put vnder his dominion the kingdome of Wales and there let to fall downe many great wooodes and made the wayes playne So that by his great manhood and policie the seignorie of England was much augmēted with the addition of Scotland Ireland the Iles Orchades
some lawfull canonicall â—â—peehment The palace of the Apostles onery thied yeare I shall visiâ—e either by myselfe or my messenger except other wise being licensed by the sea Apostolicke All such possessioâ—s as beloÌ„g to the table and dyet of my Bishopricke I shall neither sell nor geue nor lay to morgage nor lesse out or â—â—â—due away by any maner of meanes without that consent knowledge of the Byshop of Rome so God help me and the holie Gospels of God A note vpon the same ¶ Hereby thou hast by the way gentle Reader to note and consider among other thinges which here may be vnderstand that since the time the othe began to be layd and must vpoÌ„ Byshops all generall CouÌ„cels began to loose they robery For how could any freedome remayn for men to speake theyr knowledge in redresse of things being by their othe so bound to the Pope to speake nothing but on his side to maintayne the Papacy and the church of Rome in all times and places Coniecture by thy selfe Christen Reader what is more hereby to be considered BEsides this it was also decreed in the sayd Councell at Rome of 310. Byshops by pope Alexander that no maÌ„ should haue any spirituall promotion except he were of lawful age and born in wedlock That no parish Church should be voyd aboue 6. moneths That none within orders should meddle with temporall busines That priests should haue but one benefice And that the Bishop should be charged to finde the priest a liuing till he be promoted That open vsurers should not coÌ„municate at Easter â—or be buried within the Churchyard That nothing should be taken for ministring Sacraments or burying Item that euery cathedrall church should haue a master to teach children freely without taking any thing for the same In this councell the vow of chastitye was obstruded layd vpon Priestes Thomas Becket also and Bernard were canonised for Saintes During the raigne and time of this king Henry the second the City of Norwich was destroyd and burnt by the men of Flaunders Also the town of Lecester Notingham wasted and the Burgeses slayne by the Earle of Ferers The towne of Barwick destroyd by the Scots The king of Scottes was taken in warre by Englishmen an 1174. The towne of Huntington taken and burned The towne of Canterbury by casualty of fire burnt with all the Churches specially with the Trinity church where Becket was worshipped an eod The yeare of our Lord. 1170 Willia king of Scots with Dauid his brother and all the Barons of the realm did homage to the king of England Ireland made subiect to England Decreed in a councell in Normandy that no boyes or childreÌ„ should posses any benefice A couÌ„cell of Lateran was holdeÌ„ at Rome where were 33. articles coÌ„cluded an 1179. The French king came in pilgriâ—nage to Thomas Becket the king of England meeting him by the way an 1184. After the death of Richard Archbishoppe of Caunterbury who followed after Thomas Becket succeeded Baldwinus who of a Cistercian monk being made a byshop is sayd neuer to eat flesh in his life To whom a certein poore woman bare lean meeting him in the street desired to know of him whether it were true that was sayd of him that he neuer eat flesh Which thing when he had affirmed to be true Nay sayth she that is false for ye haue eaten my flesh vnto the bone For I had but one cow wherewith I was sustayned and that hath your Deanes taken from me True true sayd the Bishop and thou shalt haue an other Cow as good as that c. Iornalens Moreouer in the raigne of the sayd king Henry about the yeare of our Lord. 1178. I find in the story of Rog. Noueden and other that in the city of Tholouse was a great multitude of men and womeÌ„ whom the popes Commissioners to wit Peter Cardinal of S. Crisogoim and the Popes Legate with the Archbishops of Narbone Byturiensis Reginald Bishop of Bathe Iohn Bishoppe of Pictauia Henry Abbot ClareualleÌ„sis c. did persecute condeÌ„ne for hereticks Of whom some were scourged naked some chased away some compelled to abiure Concerning whose articles opinions I haue no firme grouÌ„d to make any certain relation for so much as I see the Papistes many times so false in their quareling accusatioÌ„s vntruly collecting mens sayinges not as they ment meanings not as they sayd but wresting and deprauing simple meÌ„s assertions after such a subtle sort as they iust themselues to take them But this I finde how one of the sayd commissioners or Inquisitors Henry the Abbot in a certaine letter of his writ thus of them Nam panem sanctum vitae aeternae sacerdotis ministerio in verbo Domini consecratum non esse corpus Domini nouo dogmate contendebat asserere That is After a new 〈◊〉 he affirmed that the holy bread of eternall life 〈◊〉 by the ministery of the Priest was not the body of the 〈◊〉 In the time of this Alexander Sprung vp the doctrine and name of them which were then 〈◊〉 Pauperes de Lugduno which of one waldus a chiefe Seâ—â—tour in Lyons were named Wilden â—item Leonishae Infabbatati about the yeare of our Lord 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 us writeth an 1170. Not long before this time as is exprest aboue rose â—â— Gratianus maister of the decrees Petrus Lombardus maiâ—â—er of the sentence both archâ—ilers of all papistry After whom followed also two as cuill â— worse then they Franciâ—eus and Domiâ—cus maintayning blinde hypocrisie no lesse theÌ„ the other maintayned proud prelacy As these labored one way by superstition and worldly aduauÌ„ cement to corrupt the sincerity of Religion So it pleased Christ the contrary way laboring against these to cause vp therfore the sayd MaldeÌ„sians against he pride and hypocrisy of the other Thus we neuer see any great corruptioÌ„ in the church but that some sparkle yet of the true light of the Gospell by Gods prouidence doth remayne Whatsoeuer Doctor Augustinus Remerius Siluius Cranzius with other in their popish histories do write of them defaming them through misreport and accusing them to Magistrates as disobedient to orders rebels to the Catholick church and contemners of the virgin Mary yee they that cary iudgement indifferent rather trusting trueth then wauerâ—ng with times in weying their Articles shall finde it otherwise that they mayntayned nothing els but the same doctrine which is now defended in the Church And yet I suppose not contrary but as they did with the Articles of Wickliffe and Hus so the Papists did in like maner with their articles also in gathering and wrasting them otherwise then they were ment The history of the Valdenses concerning their originall and doctrine with their persecutions THe first originall of these Valdenses came of one Waldus a man both of great substance and no lesse calling in the City of Lyons the occasion whereof is declared of diuers writers
you the Church the king and the kingdome from that miserable yoke of seruitude that you doe not intermedle or take any part concerning such exactions or rentes to be required or geuen to the sayd Romaynes Letting you to vnderstand for trueth that in case you shall which God forbid be found culpable herein not onely your goodes and possessions shall be in daunger of burning but also in your persons shall incurre the same perill and punishmēt as shall the sayd Romish oppressors themselues Thus fare ye well ¶ Thus much I thought here to insert and notifie cōcerning this matter for that not onely the greedy and auaritious gredines of the Romish church might the more euidently vnto al Englishmen appeare but that they may learne by this example how worthy they be so to be serued plagued with their owne rod which before would take no part with their naturall king agaynst forreine power of whom now they are scourged To make the story more playne In the raygne of thys Henry the third who succeding as is said after king Iohn his father raygned sixe and fifty yeares came diuers Legates from Rome to Englande First Cardinall Otho sent from the Pope with letters to the king lyke as other letters also were sent to other places for exactions of money The king opening the letters and perceiuing the contentes aunswered that he alone coulde say nothing in the matter which concerned all the clergye and commons of the whole Realme Not long after a Councell was called at Westminster where the letters beyng opened the forme was this Petimus imprimis ab omnibus Ecclesijs Cathedralibus duas nobis praebendas exhiberi vnam de portione Episcopi alteram de capitulo Et similiter de Coenobijs vbi diuersae sunt portiones Abbatis conuentus a conuentibus quantum pertinet ad vnum Monachum aequali facta distributione honorum suorum ab Abbate tantundem That is We require to be geuen vnto vs first of all Cathedrall Churches two Prebendes one for the Byshops part one other for the Chapter And likewise of Monasteryes where be diuers portions one for the Abbot an other for the Couent Of y◠Couent so much as appertayneth to one Monke y◠portion of the goods beyng proportionly deuided Of the Abbot likewise as muche The cause why he required these prehendes was this It hath bene sayth he an old slaunder and a great complaynt agaynst the Church of Rome to be noted of insatiable couetousnes which as ye knowe is the roote of all mischiefe and al by reason that causes be wont commonly not to be handeled nor to proceed in the Church of Rome without great giftes and expense of mony Wherof seyng the pouerty of the Churche is the cause and why it is so slaundered and ill spoken of it is therefore conuenient that you as naturall children should succour your mother For vnlesse we should receaue of you and of other good men as you are we shoulde then lacke necessaryes for our lyfe whiche were a great dishonour to our dignitie c. When those petitions and causes of the Legate were propounded in the foresayde assembly at Westminster on the Popes behalfe the Bishops Prelates of the realme beyng present aunswere was made by the mouth of maister Iohn Bedford on this wise that the matter there proponed by the Lord Legate in especiall concerning the kyng of England but in generall it touched all the archbishops with their Suffraganes the Byshops and al the prelates of the realm Wherfore seing both the king by reason of his sickenes is absent and the Archbishop of Caunterbury with diuers other Bishops also were not there therefore in the absence of them they had nothing to say in the matter neyther could they so doe without preiudice of thē which were lacking And so the assembly for that tyme brake vp Not long after the sayd Otho Cardinall De carcere Tulliano comming agayne from Rome cum autentico plenariae potestatis indicted an other Councell at London caused all Prelates Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and other of the clergy to be warned vnto the same Councell to be had in the Church of S. Paules at London about the feast of S. Martin the pretence of whiche Councell was for redresse of matters concerning benefices and religion but the chiefe principal was to hunt for money For putting them in feare and in hope some to lose some to obtein spirituall promotiōs at hys hand he thought gayn would rise thereby and so it did For in the meane time as Parisiensis in vita Henrici 3. writeth diuers pretious rewardes were offered him in Palfreis in rich plate and iewels in costly and sumptuous garments richly furred in coyne in vitals c. In so much that onely the bishop of Wintchester as the story reporteth hearing that he woulde winter at London sent him L. fat Oxen an C. come of pure wheat 8. tunne of chosen wine toward hys house keeping Likewise other byshops also for their part offred vnto the Cardinals boxe after their habilitie The time of the Councell drawing nye the Cardinall commanded at the West end of Paules Churche an high solēne throne to be prepared rising vp with a glorious scaffold vpon mighty and substantiall stages strongly builded and of a great height Thus agaynst y◠day assigned came the sayd archbishops Bishops Abbotes and other of the prelacy both farre and neare throughout al England weried and vexed with the winters iorny bringing their letters procuratory Who being together assembled the Cardinall beginneth his sermon But before we come to y◠sermon there happened a great discord betweene the 2. archbishops of Caunterbury and of Yorke for sitting at the right hand and left hand of the glorious Cardinal for the which the one appealed agaynst the other The Cardinall to pacifie the strife betwene thē both so that he would not derogate from eyther of them brought forth a certayne Bull of the Pope in the middest of which Bull was pictured the figure of the crosse On the right side of the crosse stoode the image of S. Paule and on the left side S. Peter Loe saith the Cardinall holding open the Bull with the crosse here you see S. Peter on the left hand of the crosse and S. Paul on the right side and yet is there betwene these two no cōtention For both are of equall glory And yet S. Peter for the prerogatiue of his keyes for the preheminence of his Apostleship and Cathedral dignitie seemeth most worthy to be placed on the right side But yet because S. Paul beleued on Christ when he saw him not therfore hath he the right hand of the Crosse for blessed be they sayth Christ which beleue and see not c. And from that tyme forth the Archbishop of Canterbury inioyed the right hand the archbishop of Yorke the left Wherein yet this Cardinall is more to be
valiauntly that they chased him to Perusium Then hauing no other remedie wherewith to reuenge his persecutors fiersly did excommunicate them Ex Mat. Paris pag. 69. ¶ Heere by the way is to be obserued and considered Christian reader not only by this sedition but by so many other schismes diuisions tumults fightings braules and contentions in the Church of Rome from the first beginning of the popes vsurped power that not only within the Citie of Rome but vniuersally almost in all Popish Monasteries Collegies Churches and Couents vnder the Pope subiected continually raigning amongst them what is to be thought of their religion holines hauing so litle peace so great disquietnes dissentions and wrangling amongst them as in stories both manifest it is to behold and wonderous to consider And for as much I haue eutred here into the mention of this schisinatical commotion betwene the none and his citizens it followeth moreouer in the history of Parisiensis who maketh relation of a like brawling matter which befell the same yeare time An. 1228. betwene the prior and couent of Durham and this king Henry the â— vpon this occasion After the death of Richard Bishop of Durham the Prior and Chapter of the said church came to the king to obteine license for the electing of their bishop The king offered to them one Lucas a Chaplaine of hys requiring them instauntly to elect him for their Bishop To this the Monkes answered that they would receaue no man but by their order of Canonicall election Meaning belike by their Canonical election that is when as they elect either some Monke out of their own company or els some monkish priest after their owne liking Contrary the king againe sendeth word vnto them and bound it with an oth that they should tary 7. yeares without a Byshop vnlesse they would admit the foresayd Lucas to that place of that dignitie All which notwtstanding the monkes proceding in their election refused the sayde Lucas and preferred an other clerk of theirs named William archdeacon of Worcester and him they presented to the king But the King bringing in exceptions and causes against the party would not admit him Then the monkes in al hasty â—pede sent vp to Rome certain of their Couent to haue their electioÌ„ ratified by the authoritie Apostolicall On the other side the king likewise hearing sendeth also to Rome against the Monkes the Bishop of Chester and the Prior of Lentonie on his behalfe to withstande the purpose of the monks And so the matter being trauised with great alteration on both sides did hang in suspense sayeth mine author till at length thus it was coucluded betwene both that neither master William nor yet Lucas shoulde be taken but that Richard Byshop of Sarum should be translated to Durham and be Byshop there An. 1228. ex Mat. Parisiens The like stirre also happened both the same yeare and for the like matter betwene the monkes of Couentry and the Canons of Lichfield about chusing of theyr Byshop which of them should haue the superior voyce in the election of their Prelate Aftermuch a doe the cause at length being hosted vp to Rome had this determination that the monks of Couentry and the Church of Lichfield shoulde chuse their Bishop by course eche part keeping his turne the one after the other prouided notwithstadyng that the Prior of Couentry should alwaies haue the first voyce in euery election where as the old custome was sayth mine author that the Couent wyth the Prior of Couentry was wont to haue the whole election of the bishop without the Canons This was An. 1228. Ex Parisiens pag. 68. In the which yeare died Stephen Langton Archb. of Cant. by whome as is recorded by Nic. Triuet the Chapters of the Bible in that order and number as we nowe vse them were first distincted The sayde Langthon aâ—so made Postiles vpon the whole Bible The same moreouer builded the new hall in the palace of Canterbury After the death of thys Langthon insued an other variance about the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury betwene the monkes of Canterbury and the kâ—ng The purturbation whereof as it was no lesse seditious so the determination of the same was much more costly After the death of Stephen Langthon the monkes of Canterbury obtaining licence of the king to procede in the election of a new archbishop did chuse one of their own society named master Walter Demesham Whom when the monks had presented to the King he after long deliberation began to obiect against that election saying first that the monkes had elected such one as neyther was profitable to hym nor to his kingdom Secondly he obiected against the party elect that his father was conuict of felony hanged for yâ— same Thirdly that he stode in causes against his father k. Iohn in the time of the interdict Moreouer the bishops his suffraganes charged the partie elect that hee had lien wyth a certaine Nunne and had children by her adding farther that the election of the archbishop was without their presence which ought not to be c. But the archbishop againe stoutly standing to his electioÌ„ appealed vp to Rome and estsoones taking with him certaine monks presented him selfe to the popes owne proper person there to sue his appeale instantly intreating that hys election might stande confirmed by his authority pontificall But the pope vnderstanding that the said election was resisted by the king the bishops differred the matter till he did heare farther of the certeinty therof The king the bishops hauing intelligence that the Archb. with hys monkes were gone to Rome thought good to articulate the foresayd obiections aboue alledged or wryting and sealing the same wyth the seales both of the king and of the bishops to exhibite them to the Bishop of Rome The messengers of these letters were the Byshop of Rochester of Chester and the Archdeacon of Bedforde maister Iohn c. who comming to Rome and exhibiting their message with their letters vnto the Pope consideration being had vppon the same were commanded to wait attendance against the next day after Ash wednesday then to haue a resolute answer coÌ„cerning the cause which was the 2. day of March the yere next folowing videlic An. 1229. In the meane season the kings proctors ceased not with all instance to labour the Pope and his Cardinals to be fauorable to the kings side But fineding them somewhat hard straite in the matter as is the guise of that Court they began to misdout their speeding Wherfore consulting together with themselues vpon the premisses they came 〈◊〉 the Pope promising in the kings behalf to be geuen and granted to him out of the realmes both of England and Scotland the rith or tenth part of al the goods within the sayd Realmes mooueable to susteine his warres against the Emperor so that he would incline fauorably to the kings
that did so cease but the same yeare about Easter next folowing al the barnes in England which were in the hands of any Roman or Italian were likewise wasted and the corne solde to the best commodity of the poore commons Of the which great almose was distributed and many times money also wyth corne together was sparsed for the needy people to gather vppe Neither was there any that would or durst stand against them As for the Romaines Italians themselues were stricken in suche feare that they hid themselues in Monasteries and celles not daring to complaine of their iniuries receiued but helde it better to lose rather their goods then to loose their liues The authors and workers of thys feate were to the nomber of 80. armed soldiours of whom the principall captaine was one naming himselfe W. Wytherse surnamed Twing This comming to the Popes knowledge he was not a little stirred therewith sendeth his letters immediatly to the king vppon the same with sharpe threatnings and imperious commaundements charging him for suffering of such villany within his realme straitly enioyning hym vnder paine of excommunication to searche out the doers hereof with all diligence so to punish them that all other by them may take example Likewise hee sendeth the same charge to Peter bishop of Winchester and to the Abbot of S. Edmunde to inquire in the South partes Also to the Archb. of Yorke and to the bishop of Durham and to master Iohn Chanon of Yorke a Romaine to inquire in the North partes for the sayde malefactors and after diligent inquisition made to send vp y◠same to Rome there needes to appeare before him c. Thus after earnestly inquisition made of all parties witnesses sworne and examined many were foūd culpable in the matter some that were factours some that were consenters of whom some were Bishops and Chaplaines to the King some Archdeacons Deanes with other souldiours and lay men Among whom certaine sheriffes and vndersheriffs with their seruitures vnder them were apprehended and cast into prison by the king Many for feare fled and escaped away who being sought for coulde not be founde but the principall of this number as is aforesaid was supposed to be Hubertus Lord chief iustice who both with the kings letters his own fortified the doers therof that no man durst interrupt them Moreouer in that same society of them which were noted in these doings was the same Robert Twing aboue mentioned a comely young man and a talle souldiour who of his own voluntary accorde with 5. other seruitures whome hee tooke wyth him abroad to worke that feat came to the king openly protesting himselfe to be the author of that deede doing and said he did it for hatred of the pope and the Romaines because that by the sentence of the bishop of Rome and fraudulent circumuention of the Italians he was bereeued of the patronage of his benefice hauing no more to geue but that one Wherefore to be reuenged of that iniurie he enterprised that which was done preferring rather vniustly to be excommunicate for a season then to be spoiled of his benefice for euer Then the King and other executours of the Popes commandement gaue him counsaile that seeing he had so incurred the danger of the Popes sentence shoulde offer himselfe to the pope to be absolued of him againe and there to make his declaration vnto him that he iustly and canonically was possessed in that church The king moreouer with him sent his letters testimoniall vnto the pope witnessing with the saide souldiour and instantly desiring the Pope in his behalf that he might with fauor be heard At the request wherof Pope Gregory afterward both released him of the sentence and restored him to his patronage wryting to the Archb. of York that he might againe inioy the right of his benefice in as ample maner as he did before it was taken from him Hubert de Burgo Lorde chiefe Iustice being one of them which helde against the Romish Priestes as is afore signified was therfore not a litle noted of the bishops who to require him with like despite againe after their accustomed maner of practise went about by subtile working to shake him out of the kings fauour And first commeth Peter Bishop of Winchester to the king greuously complaining of certaine about the King but especially of the foresaide Hubert the kings iustice in so much that he caused him to be remoued from his office notwythstāding he had the kings seale and wryting for the perpetuity of the same procured Steuen Segraue to be placed in his function And after a few daies the king more and more incensed against hym called him to a counte of all the treasure which he was countable for by his excheker office also of all suche debts by him due frō the time of his father vnto hys time Also of all the Lordships whych were in the possession of William Earle of Pēbroke chief iustice before him Item of the liberties which he did holde at that time in forestes warrens shires and other places how they were kept or howe they were made away Of Prices likewise Also of losses committed through hys negligence And of wastes made contrary to the kings profite of his liberties howe he did vse them Item of iniuries and damages wrought against the clearkes of Rome and other Italians and the Popes Legates for the redresse whereof he woulde neuer adioyne his coūsail according as appertained to his office being then chief iustice of England Also of scutagies gifts presents scapes of prisonners Item of maritagies which king Iohn cōmitted to his keeping at the day of his death and which were also in his time committed vnto him To these Hubert answered that he had king Iohns owne hand to shewe for his discharge who so approoued his fidelitie that he neuer called him to any but clerely discharged him from all such counts Wherunto answered againe the Bishop of Winchester saying the Charter of king Iohn hath no force after the death of him but that ye may now be called to a reckoning of this king for the same Ouer and besides these other greater obiections were laid to his charge by the King as for sending and wryting to the duke of Austria that he might marry hys daughter to the preiudice of the King and of the Realme dissuading that she myght not be geuen to him Item for counsailing the king not to enter into Normandie with his armie which he had prepared for the recouerie of lands there belonging to his right wherby great treasure was there consumed in vaine Item for corrupting the daughter of the King of Scottes whome king Iohn his father committed to his custody for him to mary Item for stealing frō him a pretious stone which had a vertue to make him victorious in warre for sending the same to Leoline Prince of Wales And that by his letters
But the hartes of kinges sayth the wise man are in the handes of the Lord to be ruled not after mans will but as it pleaseth God to direct them And so this king hauing now his will fill vpon poore Hubert somwhat cōming more vnto himselfe answered againe in this wise that there was no such need to deale so straitly with him who from the time of his youth first serued mine vncle King Richard then my father king Iohn in whose seruice as I heard say beyond the Seas he was driuen to eat his horse Parisies pag. 81. and in my time hath stand so constantly in defence of the Realme agaynst forreine nations who kept the castle of Douer agaynst king Lewes and vanquished the Frenchmen vpon the Seas also at Bedford and at Lincolne hath done suche seruice And though agaynst me he hath dealt any thing vntruely which yet is not euidentlye proued yet he shall neuer be put by me to so villanous death I had rather be counted a king foolish and simple then to be iudged a tyraunt or a seeker of bloude especiallye of such as haue serued me and mine auncesters in many perils so daūgerously weying more the few euilles which yet be not proued then so many good desertes of his euident manifest seruice done both to me and to the whole realm c. And thus the king somewhat relenting to poore Hubert his olde seruaunt graunted vnto him all such landes as he had geuen by K. Iohn his father and whatsoeuer els he had by his owne purchase Thus Hubert after long trouble a little chered wyth some peece of comfort set Laurence his trustye friend that neuer left him one that belonged to S. Albons to be hys Stuard and ouerseer of those possessions graunted to him by the king And shorely vpon the same after the kinges minde was seene thus something to relent the enuy also of the nobles being now partly satisfied began to turne to mercy In so much that 4. Earles to witt Earle Richard the kinges brother William Earle of Warrtine Richard Earle Marshall and William Earle of Ferrys became sureties to the king for him Upon whose surety he was transferred to the Castle of Deuizis where he was vnder the keeping of 4. souldiours by them appoynted hauing the liberty of the Castle But the Byshopp of Winchester who alwayes hunted after the life of Hubert craftely cōmeth to the king and desireth the custodye of that Castle making no mention of Hubert to the intent that by the keeping thereof he might the sooner dispatch him Hubert hauing therof some inkling breaketh the matter to two of his seruants who with compassion tendering his misery watched their time the kepers being a sleep and conueied by might vpon theyr backes fettered as he was into the parish Church of the Towne and there remayned wyth him The keepers when they mist theyr prisoner were in great perplexity and after diligent searche finding hym at length where he was in the Churche with violent force drew him from thence to the Castle againe For the which iniury to the Church the Bishop of Sarum vnderstanding the order of the matter commeth to the Castle where the keepers were and required that Hubert shoulde be brought againe into the Church from whence he was taken Which whē the keepers denied to do saying that they would rather he should hang then they then the Byshop gaue sentence agaynst them of excommunication Which done he with the Bishop of London and other Byshops goeth immediately to the king complayning of the iniury done to Hubert and especially of the contiunely agaynst holye Churche neither woulde they leaue the King before they had obtayned that hee shoulde bee reduced agayne into the Churche and so he was It was not long after but the king in great displeasure sendeth to the Sheriffe of the shyre to keepe him well watched in the Churche till either he came forth or there perished wyth famine It befel in the meane season that great dissention rose betwene the king and the nobles of the Realme by reason whereof Hubert was taken and caried away by Richard Earle Marshall into Wales and there remayned till the king at length was reconciled with his nobles and so receiued with the rest the sayd Hubert agayne into hys fauour Ex Math. Parisiens Ex Flor. Historiarum Of the which dissention more shall be shewed Christ willing hereafter As the beginning of this trouble of Hubert first sprang of vexing the Hopes barnes so likewise Roger bishop of London suspected for the same cause was enforced to trauell vp to Rome there to purge himselfe before the Pope Where after much money consumed robbed also by the way he gat nothing els but lost his labour and so came home agayne Who then doing the part of a good Bishop after his returne from Rome attempted to expell and exclude out of his Dioces all these Italian vsurers called as is before sayd Caursini These Caursinites comming with the Popes Legats into England and lending their money to Religious houses to Colleges and Churches had their debters to them boūd in such sort as was much vntageable to them much iniurious vnto the other as in the forme of theyr obligations in the storyes of Mathew Parisiens is largely expressed fol. 65. Against these Caursinites the Bishoppe of London being worthely inflamed with zeale of iustice first with louing admonition went about to reclayme them for the wealth of theyr soules afterward with sharpe wordes began to charge them But they neither regarding Christian councell and despising the Bishops threatnings would not leaue the sweetnesse of their occupation Wherfore the Bishop proceding to the sentence of excommunication precisely and districtly charged them to depart his Dioces But they agayne being confident emboldned vpon the popes defence not onely set at light his excommunication but also wrought such wayes with the Pope that they caused the sayd B. of Lōdon being both aged and sickely to be cited peremptoryly to appeare beyond the Seas there to answere to such obiections as they should inferre agaynst him And thus the Byshop minding rather to couer then to open the faults of the Church and partly being let with infirmitye age was compelled to let the cause fall And thus much of the popes marchants here in England which were not so busye here for theyr part but the Pope the great maister of these marchaunt vsurers was as busy for hys And although his barnes here in England were destroyed and his banke something decayed yet he thought to winne it vp an other way for he proclaimed the same yere a generall visitation through all the religious houses exempt or not exempt vniuersally perteyning to his iurisdiction where by the cruell dealing of the visitours many were compelled to appeale and to trauell vp to Rome to the great expenses of their mony and
preuailing agaynst hâ—m ouerthrew diuers of his houses in the city For the which he did excommunicate theÌ„ The Romanes then flying to the Emperour desired his ayd succour but he be like to pleasure the Pope gathering an army went rather agaynst the Romanes TheÌ„ the popes army whose Captaynes were the Earle of Tholouse to purchase the Popes fauour and Peter the foresayd Byshop of Winchester whom the Pope for the same had sent for froÌ„ england partly for his treasure partly for his practise and skill in feates of warre and the Emperours host ioyued together and bordering about the Citty of Rome cast downe the castelies or mansions belonging to the citizens round about the Suburbes to the number of 18. and destroyed all theyr vines and vineyardes about the City Wherat the Romanes being not a litle offended brast out of the Cittye with more heat then order to the number of 100000. as the frorye reporteth to destroy Uiterbium the Popes City with sword and fire But the multitude being vnordered and out of battaile ray aud vnprouided for ieoperdies which by the way might happen fell into the handes of theyr enemies who were in wayt for them and of them destroid a great nuÌ„ber so that on both parts were slayne to the vew of 30000 but the most part was of the Citizens And this dissention thus begun was not soone ended but continued long after By these and such other storyes who seeth not how farre the church of Rome hath degenerated from the true Image of the right Church of Christ which by the rule example of the Gospell ought to be a daughter of peace not a mother of debate not a reuenger of her selfe nor seeker of warres but a forgeuer of iniuries humbly and patiently referring all reuenge to the Lord not a raker for riches but a winner of soules not contending for worldly maistership but humbling themselues as seruantes and not Uicars of the Lorde but ioyntly like brethren seruing together Bishops with Bishops Ministers with Ministers Deacons with Deacons and not as Masters separating themselues by superiority one from an other and briefly communicating together in doctrine and couÌ„sell one particular church with an other not as a mother one ouer an other but rather as a sister Church one with an other seking together the glory of Christ and not their owne And such was the Church of Rome first in the olde auncieÌ„t beginning of her primitive state especially while the crosse of persecution yet kept the Bishops and Ministers vnder in humility of hart and feruent calling vpon the Lord for helpe so that happy was that Christian then which with liberty of conscience onely might holde hys life how barely soeuer he liued And as for the pride and pompe of the world striuing for patrimonyes buying of Bishoprickes gaping for benefices so far was this off froÌ„ them that then they had litle leisure and lesse list yea once to thinke vpon them Neither did the Bishoppes then of Rome fight to be Consuls of the City but sought how to bring the Consuls vnto Christ being glad if the Consuls would permit them to dwell by them in the city Neither did they theÌ„ presume so hye to bring the Emperors necks vnder theyr gyrdles but were glad to saue theyr necks in any corner from the sword of Emperors TheÌ„ lacked they outward peace but abounded with inward consolation Gods holy spirit mightely working in their harts Then was one catholicke vnity of truth and doctrine amongest all churches agaynst errors and secres Neither did yâ— east and west nor distance of place deuide the church but both the eastchurch and westchurch the Greekes and Latynes made all one church And albeit there were then 5. Patriarchall Seas appoynted for order sake differing in regions peraduenture also in some rites one from another yet all these consenting together in one vnity of catholicke doctrine hauing one God one Christ one fayth one baptisme one spirit one head and lincked together in one boÌ„d of charity and in one equality of honor they made altogether one body one church one communion called one catholicke vniuersall and Apostolicall church And so long as this knot of charity and equality did ioyne them in one vnity together so long the church of Christ florished and encreased one redy to helpe and harbour another in time of distresse as Agapitus and Uigilius flying to Constantinople were there ayded by the Patriarch c. so that all this while neither forrein enemye neither Saracen nor Souldane nor Sultane nor Calipha nor Corasmine nor Turke had any power greatly to harme it But through the malice of the enemy this Catholicke vnity did not loÌ„g continue and all by reason of the bishop of Rome who not contented to be like his brethren begaÌ„ to extend himselfe to claime superiority aboue the other 4. Patriarchall Seas all other Churches in the world And thus as equality amongst christian byshops was by pride and singularity oppressed so vnity began by little litle to be dissolued and the Lordes coat which the souldiors left whole to be deuided Which coat of christian vnity albeit of long time it had bene now seamcript before by the occasion aforesayd yet notwithstanding in some peece it held together in some meane agrement vnder subiectioÌ„ to the sea of Rome till the tune of this pope Gregory the 9. an 1230. at which tyme thys rupture and schisme of the church brake out into a playn deuisioÌ„ vtterly disseuering the Eastchurch from the westchurch vpon this occasion There was a certayn archbyshop elected to an Archbishoprick among the Grecians who comming to Rome to be coÌ„firmed could not be admitted vules he promised a very great summe of mony Which when he refused to do and detested the exectable simony of the court of Rome he made his repayre home agayn to his country vncoÌ„firmed declaring there to the whole nobility of that land the case how it stood For yâ— more confirmation whereof there were other also which comming lately from Rome there had proued the same or worse came in and gaue testimony to his saying Whereupon all the church of the Grecians the same time hearing this departed vtterly away from the Church of Rome which was in the dayes of this Pope Gregory the 9. In so much that the Archbishop of Constantinople comming afterward to the generall Councell at Lyons there opeÌ„ly declared that where as before time he had vnder him aboue thirty Bishopricks and Suffraganes now he had not three adding moreouer that all yâ— Grecians certayne other with Antioche and the whole Empyre of Romania cueÌ„ to the gates almost of Constantinople were goue from the obedience of the Church of Rome c. Math. Paris fol. 112. c fol. 186. By the occasion of which separation aforesayd of the Grecians from pope Gregory it happened shortly after being the yeare of our
gathered out of good probable authors But as touching the haynous artes and flagirious verdes which the Pope burdeneth him withall and in his sentence agaynst hym maketh mention of Fredericus not onely purgeth himselfe therof but also diuers historicians as well Germain writers as Italiās affirme the same to be false and of the Popes owne braynes to do him skare teene withall inuēted Of which matter those things which Pandolphus touching the commendation or disprayse of Fredericus writeth I thought good out of Italian to translate whose wordes be these Albeit the Emperor Fredericus was indued with many goodly giftes and vertues yet notwithstanding was he accounted an enemy of the church and a persecutor of the same of which both Innocentius the 4. in his sentence hath pronoūced him guilty the same sentence haue other Popes registred in theyr sixe books of Decretals and stablished the same for a lawe howe that hee ought to be taken for no lesse Therefore peraduenture it should not become me to falsifye or call in question that whiche other haue confirmed or els to dispute and argue much of that matter Yet notwithstanding as much as his actes dedes in writing declare the books of the chiefest authors affirme as also his own Epistles do testify I cannot precisely say whether the bishops of Rome so call him and iudge him therfore Or els for that he was somewhat to bold in speaking and telling them but the truth and reprouing the ecclesiasticall order of their great abuses Or els whether for that he would haue had them gone somewhat more neare the conditions liues of the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church and disciples of Christ Or whether for that he defēded and stood with them for the prerogatiue and dignities belōging to the empire or not Or els whether they stood in feare awe of the great power he was of in Italy which thing in deede Gregory the 9 in a certain Epistle of his confesseth But of these things let them iudge and discerne that shall read the monumēts and histories of Frederick Truely sayth he when I consider with my selfe that Christ whose vicar the Romaine Bishops boast thēselues to be sayd vnto his disciples that they should follow him and also intimate his example as of their maister and teacher and commaunded them farthermore how they should not draw the sword but put vp the same into the skaberd and farther gaue thē in precept that they should not onely forgeue iniuries seuē times but 70. times seuen times to those that offended them And when I now compare the liues of the Bishops of Rome how neare they follow him whose vicar they say they be And consider so manye and greet conspiracies treasons rebellions disloyaltyes lyinges in wayt and treacherous deuises So many Legates of the Popes being Ecclesiasticall persons which will needes be called the shepheardes of Christes flocke to be suche warriours and Captaynes of Souldiours in all the partes of Italy Campania Apulia Calabria being the Emperours dominions in Picenum Aemilia Flamminia and Lumbardy to be sent out against him And also when with my selfe I meditate the destruction of so many great and famous Cities the subuersion of such common weales the slaughter of so many men and the effusion of so much Christian bloud And lastly when I beholde so victorious prosperous and fortunate Emperours to be and so many miserable vnfortunate and vanquished Popes put to flight Am perswaded with my selfe to thinke and beleue that the iudgements of God are secret and maruellous and that to be true which Aeneas Siluius in his history of Austria writeth That there is no great and maruellous slaughter no notorious and special calamity that hath happened either to the publick weale or els to the church of God of the which the Bishops of Rome haue not bene the authors Nicolaus Machiauellus also sayth that all the ruinous calamities and miserable chaunces that the whole christian common weale and also Italy hath suffered hath bene brought in by the Popes and bishops of Rome Many Epistles of Fredericus there be which he wrote vnto the Bishops of Rome to the Cardinals and to diuers other Christian Princes all which I haue read and in them is to be seene nothing contrary vnto Christian doctrine nothing wicked and vngodly nothing iniurious to the Church of God nothing contumelious or arrogantly written of Frederick But in deede I denye not the same to be fraught and full of pitifull complayntes and lamētatiōs touching the auaritious ambitiō of the Ecclesiastical persōs and pertinacy of the Bishops of Rome and that he would receiue and take no satifactiō nor yet excuse in the defence of the right and priuiledge of the Empire which he maintained also of their manifold and infinite cōspiracies which they practised both secretly and openly agaynst him And of the often admonitions which he gaue to the whole multitude and order Ecclesiasticall to attend vpon and discharge their functions and charges And who that farther is desirous to know and vnderstand the trueth and coueteth to search out the renowmed vertues of magnificēt Princes let them read the Epistle of Fredericke dated to all Christian Princes which thus beginneth Collegerunt principes pontifices Pharisaei concilium and an other wherin he perswadeth the Colledge of Cardinalles to take vp the dissention betweene the Emperor and the pope which beginneth In exordio nascentis mundi and also an other which thus beginneth Infallibilis veritatis testem besides yet an other Ad Reges principes orbis Christiani with diuers other moe wherein may well be seene the princely vertues of this so worthy a piere all which Epistles collected together in the Latin tongue the lerned sort I wish to read whereout they may picke no litle benefit and commodity to thēselues In his Epistle last recited these are his wordes Non existimetis id me a vobis ideò contendere ac si ex sententia pontificia priuationis maiestas nostra sit perculsa Cum enim nobis sit rectae voluntatis conscientia cumquedeum nobiscum habeamus eundē testem inuocamus id nos spectasse cum totum ordinem Ecclesiasticum tum praesertim primores neruis potētiae dominationisque eorum succisis extirpatisque tyrannidis radicibus ad primitiue Ecclesie conditionem statum reuocaremus That is Thinke ye not that we so earnestly desire or craue this peace at your hand as though our maiesty were terrified with the Popes sentence of depriuation When as God vpon whom we trust and inuocate is our witnesse and iudge of our conscience that when we went about to reforme the Ecclesiasticall state but especially the ringleaders of the same and should restrayne theyr power and extirpate theyr great tiranny and reduce the same to the state and cōdition of the primatiue Church we looked for no lesse at theyr handes For these causes peraduenture those which had the gouernement
perisheth in the Church of God for want of preachers all that shal be demaunded of them at the day of iudgement As Iacob confesseth to Laâ—an whose sheep he fedde Genesis 31 I did restore all thy losse and that which was stolne I made aunswere for I will demaund his bloud at thy handes Ezechiell 3. This is sayd to the Pastor or Prelate But if the other thinges which we haue spoken of before could not mooue the Prelates and Cardinals this at the least should mooue them Because that then the spirituall power which doth consist for the most part in the exercise of preaching in hearing confessions enioyning of penaunce shall be taken away froÌ„ them by litle little For by piece mele doth the wolfe dâ—nour the poore needy man 3. q. cap 1. when the authority Ecclesiasticall therfore shall be quite taken from them and disposed to other such as either by their order or Apostolicall grauÌ„t do challenge to haue the same Then doubtles shall neither the iurisdictioÌ„ of ciuile causes and pleadings nor any authority that such Prelates haue yet remaining neither yet the possessions of the temporall goodes of the Church any longer remayne amongest them Shall suche haue the temporall goods of the church which minister not the spirituall treasure thereof 1. Cor. 9. Know ye not that they which kill the sacrifice ought to eate of the sacrifice they that serue at the aultar are partakers of the aultar For as the body without the soule cannot stand so corporall thinges without spirituall things cannot continue 1. q. 1. if any shall take away the same Thus haue you had the 39 arguments for the which both he was coÌ„demned and his bookes burned In the dayes of this Guilielmus there was a most detestable and blasphemous booke set forth by the Friers mentioned also in Math. Parisiens which they called Euangelium aeternum or Euangelium spiritus sancti That is the euerlasting Gospell or the Gospell of the holy Ghost In which book many abhominable errors of the Friers were conteyned so that the Gospell of Iesus Christ was vtterly defaced which this booke sayd was not to be compared with this euerlasting Gospel no more then the shell is to be coÌ„pared with the carnell then darknes to light c. More ouer that the Gospell of Christ shal be preached no longer but fifty yeares and then this euerlasting Gospell should rule the Church c. Item yâ— whatsoeuer was in the whole Bible was in the saide Gospell contayned At length this Friers Gospell was accused to the Pope and so 6. persons chosen of the whole vniuersitye to peruse and iudge of the booke as Christianus Canonicus Baluacensis Odo de Doaco Nicholaus de Baro Ioannes de Sicca Vella Anglus Ioannes Belim Gallus Among whom this Guilielmus was one who mightely impugned this pestiferous and deuillish booke These 6. after the perusing of the booke were sent vp to Rome The Friers likewise sent their messengers withall where they were refuted and yâ— errors of the booke condemned but so that the Pope with the Cardinals commaunded the sayd booke to be abolished and condemned not publickly tendering the estimation of the religious orders as of his own most chiefe champions but that they should be burned in secret wise and the books of the foresayd â—uilielmus to be burnt with all Besides other his bookes 2. Sermons we haue of his yet remayning one vpon the Gospell of S. Luke of the Pharisy and the Publicane the other vpon the Epistle redde in the Church on May day where in the first he resembleth the Phariseis to our Monkes and that he proueth by all the properties of the Phariseis described in the Gospell The Publicane he resembleth to the Laity such as for because the sooner they are reduced to acknowledge their sinnes the more hope they haue of mercy The other because they stand confident in their own righteousnesse are therefore farther from their instification In the latter sermoÌ„ he setteth forth and declareth what perils and dauÌ„ders be like to fall vpon the Church by these religious orders of Monkes and Friers Among the other besides of that age which withstood the bishops of Rome his Antechristian errors was one LaureÌ„ce an Englishman and maister of Paris An other was Petrus Ioannes a Minorite Of whome the foresayde Laurence was about the yeare of our Lord. 1260. who in his teaching preaching writing did stoutly defeÌ„d yâ— part of the forsayd Guilielmus the rest of his side agaynst the Friers Against the which Friers he wrote 2. bookes One in the defence of William afore meÌ„tioned the other vpoÌ„ this argument and title To beware of false prophets c. Certayn other things also he wrote wherin by diuers proofes and testimonies he argued proued that Antichrist was not farre of to come The other Petrus Ioannes was about the yeare of our Lord. 1290. which taught and maintained many things agaynst the Pope prouing that he was Antichrist and that the sinagogue of Rome was great Babilon He wrot vpon Mathew vpon the Epistles and vpon the Apocalips Mention of this Petrus Ioannes is made in Nicholaus Emericus in Lib. Inquisitionum c. And sayth moreouer that Miâ—hael Cesenas of whoÌ„ Christ willing shall followe hereafter took of him a great part of his opinioÌ„s And because the pope could not burne him aliue after his death he caused his bones to be taken vp and burned To these and with these aboue specified is to be added Robertus Gallus who being borne of a right noble parentage for deuotion sake was made a Dominicke Frier about the same yeare of our Lord aboue touched an 1290 This man as appeareth by his writing had diuers and sundry visions whereof part is annexed with the visions and prophecy of Hildegardis His visions al tend against the spiritualty of Rome where in the fift chapter he calleth playnely the Pope an Idoll which hauing eyes seeth not neither lusteth to see the abhominatioÌ„s of his people nor the excessiue enormity of ther voluptuousnes But only to see to the heaping vp of his own treasure hauing a mouth speaketh not but sayth I hane set good men ouer them which is sufficieÌ„t for me to do them good either by my selfe or by some other And foloweth in the same chapter wo to that Idoll woe to the mighty and proud who shall be equall in all the earth to that Idoll He that exalted vp his name in earth saying who shall bring me vnder Is not my house compared with the mighty Potentates of the land I am higher then Dukes Knightes on their horsebacke do seruice vnto me That which my Fathers had not before me yâ— haue I done to me My house is strowed with siluer gold and pearle are the pauement of my palace c. Agayn in the 12. chapter and also in the first vnder the name of a SerpeÌ„t he paynteth out the Pope whom he
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
1255. in the month of August Ex Gualt Gisburn At length the childe being sought found by the mother being cast in a pit 32. of those abhominable Iewes were put to executioÌ„ wherof Mathew Paris reciteth a long storie The same or like fact was also intended by the like Iewes at Norwich 20. yeres before vpon a certaine childe whom they had first circumcised deteined a whole yere in custodie intending to crucifie him for the which the Iewes were sent vp to the tower of LoÌ„don of whom 18. were hanged the rest remained long in prison Ex Cestrens lib. 7. Of this wicked Iewish people I find also in the boke of Flor. hist. that about this yere of our Lord 1255. they began first to be expelled out of Fraunce by the commaundement of the French king being then in Palestina warring against the Turkes By the occasion that it was obiected then by the Turke against him and other Christian princes for the reteining the Iewes amoÌ„gst theÌ„ which did crucify our sauiour and warring agaynst them which did not crucifye him Ex Flor. Hist Of these Iewes moreouer king Henry the same yere 1255. exacted to be geuen vnto him 8000. markes in paine of hanging Who being much agreued therwith complayning that the king went about their destruction desired leaue to be geuen theÌ„ of the king that they might depart the realm neuer to returne agayne But the king committed the doing of that matter vnto Earle Richard his brother to enforce them to pay the mony whether they would or no. Moreouer of the same Iewes mention is made in the story intituled EulogiuÌ„ Of the Iewes in Northhampton who had amoÌ„g theÌ„selues prepared wilde fire to burn the city of LondoÌ„ For the which diuers of theÌ„ were takeÌ„ burned in the time of Lent in the said city of NorthhamptoÌ„ which was 2. yeres before about the yere of our Lord. 1253. Ex Eulogio And for so much as mention here is made of the Iewes I cannot omit what some English storyes write of a certaine Iew who not long after this time about the yeare of our Lord. 1257. fell into a priuy at â—uekesbury vpon a Sabboth day which for the great reuerence he had to his holy Sabboth would not suffer himselfe to be plucked out And so Lord Richarde Earle of Glocester hearing thereof would not suffer him to be drawne out on sonday for reuerence of the holy day And thus the wretched superstitious Iew remaining there till Monday was found dead in the dong And to note the blinde superstitioÌ„ of that time not only among the Iewes but also among the christians to omit diuers other storyes as of Walter Gray Archbish. of Yorke who comming vp to the ParliameÌ„t at LondoÌ„ an 1255. with vnordinate fasting did so ouercharge nature pyned himselfe as the story meÌ„tioneth did so drye vp hys braine that he losing therby all appetite of stomack going to Fulham there within 3. dayes died as in the compiler of Flor. Hist. is both storyed and reprehended Let this also be adioyned which the forenamed author and in the same yere is recorded of one named Peter Chaceporce who diyng in FrauÌ„ce an 1255. left in bequest of his testameÌ„t 600. marks for lands to be purchased to the house of MertoÌ„ for God to be serued there perpetually pro anima eius omnium fideliuÌ„ i for his soules health and all faythfull soules As who would say Christian fayth were not the ordinary meanes sufficient to saluation of faythfull soules without the quire seruice of the Monkes of Merton Ye haue heard it often complained before how the vsurped power of the Pope hath violeÌ„tly and presumptuously encroched vpon the Church of England in geuing conferring benefices and prebends to his Italians and strangers to the great damage and ruine of Christes flock manifold waies This violent iniury oppression of the Pope as by no lawfull and gentle meanes could be reformed so by occasion meanes inordinate about this time it began somwhat to be brideled The matter whereof was this as it is in the collector of Flor. Hist. recited In the dayes of the raigne of this king 44. The Byshop of London named Fulco had geuen a certaine prebende in the Church of S. Paul to one master Rustandus the Popes messenger heere in Englande Who entring into the profession of the graâ—e friers shortly after dying on the other side of the sea the Pope immediatly conferred the sayd prebend to one of his specials a like straunger as the other was before About the same instant it befel that the bishop also of London deceased wherby the byshoprick now vacant fell into the kings handes Who hearing of the death of the forenamed Rustandus gaue the sayd prebendship geuen of the Pope before to one Iohn Crakehale his vnder treasurer Who with all solemnitie tooke his installation vnknowing as yet that it was bestowed of the Pope before It was not loÌ„g after as time grew but this being noised at Rome forthwith commeth downe a certaine Proctor named Iohn Gras wyth the Popes embulled letters to receaue the collation of the benefice by his commission procuratory geuen by the Pope wherin Iohn Crakehale had bene already installed as is aforesaide by the kings donation This matter comming in trauise before Boniface Archbishop of Cant. hee inquiring and searching which donation was the first finding the popes graunt to be the former gaue sentence with him against the king so that in conclusion the Romane clearke had the aduauntage of the benefice although the other had long enioyed the possession therof before Thus the popes man being preferred and the Englishman excluded after the partie had bene inuested stalled after the vse and maner hee as thinking to be in sure possession of his place attempted with the rest to enter the Chapter house but was not permitted so to do wherupon the popes clerke geuing place to force and number went toward the archbishop to complaine This being knowne certaine recluses pursued him and so being compassed about one in the thicknesse of the throng being neuer after knowne sodenly rushing vpon him a â—itle aboue his eies so pareth of his head yâ— he fell downe dead The same also was done to an other of his felowes in fleing away This hainous murder being famed abroad strait inquirie therof was made but the deede doer could not be knowen Although great suspition was laide vpon Crakhale the kings Chaplein yet no proofe could be brought But moste men thought yâ— bloudy fact to be done by certaine ruffians or other light persons about the City or the Court disdaining belike that the Romanes were so enriched wyth Englishmens liuings by whome neyther came relief to any Englishman nor any godly instruction to the flocke of Christ. And therefore because they sawe the Church and realme of England in such subiection and
cōdemned by the Byshop of Paris and reproued by the maisters of diuinitie and burned openly by Boniface himself and in the full consistorie of Cardinals being likewise reprooued condemned and burned yet hee allowed it being wrytten againe and containing the same fault 6. Item that he might make the most damnable remembraunce of him perpetuall he caused his Images of siluer to be set in the Churche by this meanes bringing men to Idolatrie 7. Item he hath a priuate deuill whose counsell he vseth in all things and through all things 8. Item he said once that if all men were on one side and he on another they coulde not deceiue him neither in lawe nor in deede which thing could not be done except he vsed a deuilish ar◠and of this he is openly thus reported 9. Item he is a witch asking counsell at soothsayers both men and women and thus he is commonly iudged 10. Item he sayd openly that the Romish pope could not commit simonie which is hereticall to say This is a sinne reprooued aswell in the old Testament as in the new and generally in the holy Councels Also hee is wont to make marchaundise of prelates liuings dignities superiorities and benefices to the which holy orders be necessarely ioyned and of absolutions and dispensations like as vsurers and merchaunts vse to buy and sell common things in the market and of this the common bruit reportes him 11. Item hee letteth with all his might among Christian men the speciall Embassade of Christ made to hys owne sonnes saying Peace I leaue to you soweth discord and warres Wherefore ones it was sayde afore him that certaine parties would freindly agree after a good sort but he letted the peace and when the other parte did humbly beseech him that he would geue licence to agree he sayde he woulde not Yea if the sonne of God or Peter the Apostle would come downe into the earth and commaund him he would say I will not beleeue thee 12. Item because the French nation being manifestly a most Christian nation followeth not hys errours in the faith he reckeneth and openly calleth al and euery of them Paterniani 13. Item he is infect with sodomiticall sinne keping with him boyes for cōcubines and of this fault he is most commonly and openly reported 14. Item he hath caused many murthers of Clearkes to be done in his presence commending it reioysing at their death and if they were not deadly wounded at the first by his seruant◠as oft as he law them smiting he saide smite smite by which example many were slaine 15. Item when he had condemned a certaine noble man he forbad the Sacrament to be geuen him at the poynt of death desiring it and being penitent saying that the Sacrament of penaunce was not necessary to saluation 16. Item he cōpelled certaine Priestes to shew vnto him the confessions of men and hee published them openly afterwarde contrary to the will of them that were confessed to their shame confusion and compelled them to redeme their sinnes In so much that ones hee deposed a certaine bishop of Spayne for the faultes that he confessed to a certaine Cardinal confessing vnto him a certaine priuy horrible fault vnder Benedicite and compelled the Cardinall against his will to declare his confession and yet afterward he restored the same Bishop againe to his place for a little money Wherfore he is thought to play the hereticke in the Sacrament of penance 15. Item he fasteth not on the fasting dayes nor Lent but eateth flesh indifferently without cause suffreth his houshold and frends to eat saying it is no sinne Doing in this thing against the generall state of the holy church 16. Item he oppressed the order of the Cardinals and hath oppressed the order of blacke white monks of gray Friers preachers and said oft that the world was destroyed by them that they were false hypocrites and that neuer good could chance to any that would be confessed to them or would be familiar with them or would keepe them in their house and he neuer sayde good worde of any prelate religious man or clark but euer rebuketh and slaūdereth them taking away their good name and to compel them to redeeme their faultes he is glad of their accusations and this is the common voyce and report of him 17. Item of olde time he going about to destroy the faith conceiued a hate against the French king euen to the abhorring of the faith because of the light of faith which is there and because of the great witnes and example of christianitie is hath ben there And before he had this seat he is proued to haue sayd that if he were Pope he would rather ouerthrow all christendom but he would ouerthrow and destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of French 18. Also hee is reported that when the Embassadours of the king of England in the name of the sayde king did require and entreat for the tenth of the realme of England to be geuen him he aunswered that he would not geue them the tenth but on this cōdition that he would make warre with them against the French king And beside this he is reported to haue geuen great sommes of mony to certaine persons to hinder that peace shuld not be betwixt the sayd kings He himselfe also withall his might hath letted it by messengers letters and otherwaies that he coulde yea by geuing bribes 19. Item he is reported also to haue commaunded Fridericke which kepeth the I le of Cicil that if he would betray Charles the king and breake the peace which he made and sweare that he would keepe with him and would stirre against the king and kil the Frenchmen that then he would geue him aide helpe and counsaile for so doing he would geue and graunt him the said kingdoms 20. He confirmed also the king of Almaine to be Emperor and saide openly that he did it to destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of the French men which say that they are subiect to none in temporal things Wherein sayeth he they lied on their heds declaring moreouer that whosoeuer yea if it were an Angell from heauen would say that all kings of the world were not subiect to the same king of Almaine he were accursed 21. Further he brake the agreements of peace betwixt the king of Alamine and the French king in which eyther of them shuld haue their owne saued And what encrochings so euer had bene on either side should be brought to a due state and vnder an othe orderly geuen and taken he is reported to haue commanded the same king of Almaine that he should not kepe these conditions of peace but be an enemie and go about to sow debate among christen men 22. Itē he is openly reported that the holy land was betraied through his fault and came to the enemies of God and of faith and that he suffred this for the
violent shedding of bloud in any churchyard wherby the interdict taketh place the Clergy causeth a certain impositiō to be leuied of the parishioners there for the salary towards the restoring therof Although some of the parishioners be of an exempt iurisdictiō yea although he which shed the bloud be able to pay the whole taxe which they leuyed and more to 55. Item certaine Chaplaines affirme to haue certayn Apostolicall priuileges by vertue wherof they may appoint what Iudges they will yea and oftentimes of their own house so be iudges in their owne cause which is playne against the law wherby often times it happeneth that after great proces expenses had made in any great cause of inquest more often about reality then otherwise when they haue notice by the Proctors and Aduocates that they shall haue the foyle therin they reuoke forthwith those named Iudges and so the kings subiectes are damaged and can haue no iustice nor redresse at their handes 56. Itē if any temporall man call a Clerke before a secular iudge in a case of inheritance the ecclesiastical iudge procureth a stopp to be made therein attributing to themselues the cognitiō therof and so by adiourning remouing the lay man is constrayned to make satisfaction 57. Item the clergy chalengeth the cognition of such causes as maried Clerkes being marchauntes and artificers do commence when by law it doth appertaine to the temralty especially about the trade of Marchaundise 58. Item they oftentimes make interdictions in many of the kings townes and holdes and cause the diuine seruice to cease agaynst the priuiledges graunted by many of the high Bishops of Rome to our soueraigne Lord and maister the King 59. Item to and for the maintaynance keeping of theyr temporalties they appoynt Baylifs other officers who if they do offēd may not condignly be punished according to law and iustice 60. Item the Ecclesiasticall Iudges haue promoters belonging vnto them who whē any man is excommunicated be it right or be it wrong they cause to be made that no man shall work or do anything for him that is excommunicate whereby the landes and vines are often times vnlooked to and vntilled to the no small preiudice of the king and his common people 61. Item the foresayd Promoters cause Citation to be made out by vertue wherof they call in one citatiō 20.30 40. persons to appeare for participating with such Interdicted persons taking of some 10. of other some 20. s. as much as they be able to make wherby the commō people are much oppressed 62. Item the Ecclesiasticall Iudges cause all the Aduocates of their courtes to be sworne that none shall retayne them of their Counsell agaynst any of them without their licence whereby oftentimes the poore man quite leeseth his right and the Kinges cause is delayed Because hys Solliciters cannot freely retayne counsell without speciall licence 63. Item they will make Inuentories of theyr gooddes which dye intestate or without making of will And will haue the possession of thēir goods as wel moueable as vnmoueable in theyr owne hands to distribute to the hetres or to whom they list 64. Item the execution also of Testamentes they take to their own hands taking inuentories of dead mens goods and keeping and disposing them to the heires after their pleasure And haue officials properly deputed for the execution therof 65. Item they will not geue credite sometimes to testamentes made before witnesse vnlesse they be first by theyr owne Officials approued After he had thus spoken the prelats required to haue time to answere therunto wherupon was appoynted for the same the Friday next ensuing On the which day the Bishop Eduen Archbishop or Senon elect in the name of the whole clergy answered for them all before the king holding his Parliament as that day at Uicenas and thus he there proposided For somuch as the Lord Peter Cugner of late propounding against the Church of Fraunce took to his Theame that is written in the 22. of Mathew Render vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto God that which is Gods by which words he sayd two points were to be noted First the reuerence and subiection of the Prelates that they ought to haue to the king their soueraigne Secondly the deuision of the temporall iurisdictiō from the spirituall The which first part he proued out of the first Epistle of Peter in the second Chapter where it is written Submit your selues vnto euery creature for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superior or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well The second poynt he proued by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ in the 22. Chap. of Luke where the Apostle sayth Lord behold here are 2. swords And he said vnto them it is enough signifying by the two swordes the two iurisdictions And in likewise out of the 17. of Math. where Christ would pay tribute for him and Peter Geuing hereby an example how that Ecclesiasticall persons were bound to pay and yeld to the temporall power the tēporalities which also is proued in the 11. quest prim cap Si tributum cap magnum And further because this is proued by mans law where it is sayd 2. great gifts are bestowed Priesthood and Empire The priesthood to rule ouer matters diuine the Empire to beare domination ouer humaine matters wherby he cōcluded that when these iurisdictions are distincted of God The one being geuen and limited to the church and the other to the temporalty That in no wise the Church ought to intermeddle or to haue any thing to do with the temporall iurisdiction For it is written in the 22. of the Prouerb You ought not to passe the old limits bounds which the forefathers haue set And well by the way be bringeth in this word olde auncient Because customes brought in to the contrary be of no force but rather are coūted abuses corruptions Neither can prescriptiō take place for that ius fisci is inprescriptible neither cā the king abrogate frō himselfe such law nor renoūce his right prouing the same by many chapters contained in the 10. Dift Wherefore seeing the king at what time he was crowned sware not onely not to alienate or infringe the lawes of his realme but also to call in such lawes as were alienated vsurped either by the Church or by any other the king was bound by his oath to reuoke the same abuses In especiall he did exhibite many articles in writing wherin as he sayd the Church did vsurpe vpon the iurisdictiō temporall To answere these premisses which conciling of the places vnder protestatiō whatsoeuer I say or shall say it is not to ground or make any finall iudgemēt or determinatiō herein but onely to informe the consciēce of our soueraigne Lord the king and
if that you shall apprehend by personall citation the sayd Nicholas and Phillip or either of them or whither they shall be absent and hide themselues as of euery thing els which in this behalfe you shall thinke meete to be done that betweene this and the feast of S Laurence you clerely certifie vs by your letters patentes contayning the effect of these thinges Fare ye well At our Manour of Lambeth the 13. day of Iuly the yeare of our Lord. 1382. and first yeare of our translation * The names of the Doctours and Fryers assistentes at this sitting Seculars M. William Blankpayne M. Wil. Barton Friers Carmelits Robert Euery prior Iohn Reningham prior and Iohn Lunne Friors Minors William Barnwel Iohn Ryddin and William Brunscombe Friers Augustines Iohn Court Patrington Tomson and Reepes Against this blind excommunication of the said archb the parties excommunicate commēced and exhibited their appeale vnto the bishop of Rome Which appeale of theirs as insufficient or rather to him vnpleasaunt the said archbishop vtterly reiected as might oftētimes ouercommeth right proceeding in his preconceaued excommunication against thē and writing moreouer his letters to hym that should preach next at Paules crosse as is aforesaid to denounce and to publishe openly the said Nicholas Herford and Phillip Repington to be excommunicate for that not appearing and theyr terme assigned Which was in the 13. day of the month of Iuly Which archbishop moreouer the said yeare month and day aforesaid sent also an other letter to M. Rigge Commissary of Oxford straightly enioyning and charging him not onely to denounce the sayd sentence of excommunication and to geue out publique citation against them but also to make dilligent search and inquisition through all Oxford for them to haue them apprehended and sent vp to him personally before him to appeare at a certain day prescribed for the same Wherby may appeare howe busie this Bish. was in disquieting persecuting these poremē whō rather he should haue nourished and cherished vs his brethren But as his labour is past so his reward will follow at what day the great Archbishop of our soules shall iudicially appeare in his tribunall seat to iudge both the quick and the dead The archb yet not contented with this doth moreouer by all meanes possible sollicite the king to ioyne withall the power of his temporall sword for that he well perceaued that hitherto as yet the popishe Clergy had no authoritie sufficient by any publique law or Statute of thys land to proceede vnto death against anye person whatsoeuer in case of Religion but onely by the vsurped tyranny and example of the court of Rome Where note gentle reader for thy better vnderstanding the practise of the romish prelates in seeking the kinges help to further their bloudy purpose against the good saintes of God Which king being but young and vnder yeares of ripe iudgement partly enduced or rather seduced by importune suite of the foresayd Archbishop partly also eyther for feare of the Bishoppes for kings cannot alwayes doe in their realmes what they will or els perhaps entised by some hope of subsidie to be gathered by the Clergy was contented to adioyne his priuate assent such as it was to the setting downe of an ordinaunce which was in deede the very first lawe that is to be found made against Religion and the professors thereof bearing the name of an Acre made in the Parliament holden at Westminster Anno. 5. Rich. 2. where among sundry other Statutes then published and yet remayning in the printed bookes of Statutes this supposed Statute is to be found Cap. 5. vltimo as followeth Item forasmuch as it is openly knowne that there be diuerse euill persons within the realme going from county to countie and from Towne to Towne in certayne habites vnder dissimulation of great holinesse and without the licence of the ordinaries of the places or other sufficient authoritie preaching dayly not onely in Churches churchyardes but also in markets fayres and other open places where a great congregation of people is diuers sermons contayning heresies and notorious errours to the great emblemishing of Christen fayth and destruction of the lawes and of the estate of holy Churche to the great perill of the soules of the people and of all the realme of England as more plainly is found and sufficiently proued before the reuerend father in God the Archbishop of Caunterbury and the bishops and other prelates maisters of Diuinitie and doctors of Canon of ciuil law and a great part of the clergy of the said Realme specially assembled for this great cause which persons do also preach diuers matters of slander to engender discorde and discention betwixt diuers estates of the said realme as well spirituall as temporall in exciting of the people to the great perill of all the Realme which preachers cited or summoned before the ordinaries of the places thereto aunswere of that whereof they be impeached they will not obey to their sommons commandementes nor care not for their monitions nor censures of the holy Church but expressely despise them And moreouer by their subtile and ingenious wordes doe drawe the people to heare theire Sermons and doe mayntayne them in their errours by strong hand and by great rowtes It is ordayned assented in this present parliament that the kinges commissions be made and directed to the Sheriffes and other ministers of our soueraigne Lord the king or other sufficiēt persons learned and according to the certifications of the prelates therof to be made in the Chauncery from time to time to arest all such preachers and also their fautours mayntaynours and abbertours and doe hold them in arrest and strong prison till they wil iustify to them according to the law and reason of holy Church And the king will and commaund that the Chauncellour make such commissions at all times that he by the Prelates or any of them shal bee certified and thereof required as is aforesaid An examination of the foresayd supposed Statute and of the inualiditie therof WHich supposed statute for as muche as it was the principall ground whereuppon proceeded all the persecution of that time it is therefore not impertinent to examine the same more perticularly wherby shall appeare that as the same was fraudulently and vnduly deuised by the Prelates onely so was it in like maner most iniuriously and vnorderly executed by them For immediately vpon the publishing of this lawe without further warrant eyther from the king or his councell commissions vnder the great seale of England were made in this forme Richard by the grace of God c. vt patet act pag. 541. Witnesse my self at Westminster the 26. day of Iune in the sixt yeare of our raigne Without more wordes of warrant vnder written such as in like cases are both vsuall and requisite Viz. per ipsum Regem per Regem Concilium or per breue de priuato
drue neare vppon which day it was looked for that Repington should preach This man was a Canon of Leicester had before taken his first degree vnto Doctorship who preaching the same time at Bradgate for the same Sermon he became first suspected and hated of the Pharisaicall broode of the Fryers But through the great amd notable dexteritie of his wit which all men did behold and see in him accompanied with like modesty and honesty he did so ouercome or at the least asswage thys cruelty and persecution whiche was towardes him that shortly after by the consent of the whole fellowship he was admitted doctour Who as soone as he had taken it vpon him by and by he stepped forth in the schooles and began immediately to shewe forth and vtter that whiche he had long hidden and dissembled Protesting opeÌ„ly that in all morall matters he would defend Wickliffe But as touching the sacrament he woulde as yet hold his peace vntill suche time as the Lorde shall otherwise illuminate the hartes and mindes of the clergye Nowe the day of Corpus Christi aforesayd approching neare when the Fryers vnderstood that this man should preach shortly fearing least that he would rub the galles of their religion they conuented with the Archb. of Cant. that the same day a little before that Phillip shold preach Wickliffes conclusions which were priuately condemned should be openly diffamed in the presence of the whole vniuersitie The doing of which matter was committed to Peter Stokes Fryer stonderd bearer and chiefe champion of that side against Wickliffe There were also letters sent vnto the commissary that he shoulde helpe and ayde him in publishing of the same conclusions as is before declared These thinges thus done and finished Repingdon at the houre appointed proceeded to his sermon In the which sermon among many other thinges he was reported to haue vttered these sayinges or to this effect That the Popes or Byshops ought not to be recommended aboue temporall Lordes Also that in morall matters he woulde defend maister Wickliffe as a true Catholicke doctor Moreouer that the Duke of Lancaster was very earnestly affected and minded in this matter and would that all such should be receaued vnder hys protection Besides many thinges moe which touched the prayse and defence of Wickliffe And finally in concluding his sermon he dimissed the people with this sentence I will sayd he in the speculatiue doctrine as appertayning to the matter of the sacrament of the auâ—ter keep silence and hold my peace vntill such time as God otherwise shall instruct and illuminate the hartes of the Clergie When the sermon was done Repington entred into Saint Frideswides Church accompanied with many of his friendes who as the enemies surmised were priuilye weaponed vnder their garmentes if need had bene Frier Stokes the Carmelite aforesayd suspecting all this to be against him and being afrayd of hurt kept to himself wtin the sanctuary of the church not daring as then to put out his hed The Vicechauncellor and Repington friendly saluting one an other in the church porch sent away the people and so departed euery man home to his owne house There was not a little ioy thorough the whole vniuersitie for that sermon but in the meanetime the vnquiet busie Carmelite slept not his matter For first by his letters he declared the whole order of the matter vnto the archbishop exaggerating the perils and daungers that he was in requiring and desiring his helpe and ayd pretermitting nothing wherby to moue stirre vp the archbishops minde which of his owne nature was as hote as a toste as they say and ready inough to prosecute the matter of his owne accord though no man had prickt him forward thereunto Besides all this 3. dayes after with a fierce and bold courage the sayd Fryer breathing out threatninges and heresies agaynst them tooke the way vnto the schooles mynding there to proue that the Pope and the Bishops ought to be prayed for before the Lordes temporall Whiles thys Frier was thus occupyed in the schooles he was mocked and derided of all men and shortly after he was sent for by the Archbishop to London whom immediately after the Vicechauncellor Brightwell followed vp to purge and cleare themselues and their adherentes from the accusations of this Frier Peter At the length they being examined vpon Wickliffes conclusions that were condemned they did all consent that they were worthily condemned The Vicechauncelor being afterward accused for the contempt of the Archbishops letters when as he perceaued sawe that no excuse would preuayle to auoyd that daunger huÌ„bling himselfe vpon his knees he desired pardon The which when he had now againe as is aforesaid albeit very hardly obtayned By the help of the Bishop of Winchester he was sent away agayn with certayne commandementes and suspencions of heretickes Then began the hatred on eyther part somewat to appeare and shew and specially all men were offended and in the toppes of these Friers and religious men vpoÌ„ whom whatsoeuer trouble or mischiefe was raysed vp they did impute it as to the authors and causers of the same Amongest whome there was one Henry Crompe a monke Cistertion a well learned deuine which afterward was accused by the Byshops of heresie He at that time was openly suspected by the Commissary because in his lectures he called the heretickes Lolardes from his actes as they terme them in the schoole Then he comming by and by vp to London made his complaynt vnto the Archbish. and to the kinges councell Whereupon he obtayning the letters of the king and of his counsaile by the vertue therof returning againe to the vniuersity was released restored again to his former state the wordes of whiche letter here followeth vnder written * The copy of the kinges letter THe king to the Vicechauncellour and procuratoure of the Vniuersitie of Oxforde greeting Where as we of late vnderstanding by the grieuous complaynt of Henry Crompe monke and regent in deuinitie within the sayd vniuersitie howe that he being assisted by the reuerend father in God the Archb. of Cant. and by other clerkes and deuines in the Citty of London to proceede in thee condemnation of certayne conclusions erroneous and hereticall hath bene therfore molested by you And that you through sinister suggestion of some aduersaryes pretending the peace of the sayd vniuersitie to haue bene broken by the sayde Henry in his last lecture did therefore call him before you to appeare and answere and for his not appearing did therefore pronounce him as obstinate and conuicte of peace breaking also haue suspended the sayd Henry from his lectures and all scholasticall actes And whereas we by our writte did call you vp for the same to appeare and aunswere before our counsayle vnto the premisses so that all thinges being well tryed and examined by the sayd counsayle it was found and determined that all your processe agaynst the
ought as neare as I can to chuse the best part Wherfore I surely trust that M. I. Wickliffe is one of the number of theÌ„ which are saued The words of Christ moneth me therunto saying Math. 7. Doe ye not iudge that ye be not iudged Luke the 6. Do not condemn ye shal not be condemned and the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 Do ye not iudge before the Lord himselfe do come the which shall opeÌ„ those things that are hid in darknes to manifest the priuities of all hartes Secondly the loue and charity which I ought to bear vnto my neighbor louing him as my selfe doth moue me thereunto Luk. 10. Thirdly his good fame report moneth me the which he hath of the good Priests of the vniuersity of Oxford not of the wicked commoÌ„ly of the vulgar sort although not of the couetous proud and luxurious Prelates Fourthly his owne workes writings doe stirre me therunto by the which he goeth about with his whole indeuor to reduce all men vnto the law of Christ specially yâ— clergy that they shoulde forsake the pompe dominion of this world and with the Apostles lead the life of Christ. Fiftly his owne protestations which he doth oftentimes vse in his sentences often repeating the same doth not a litle moue me Sixtlye his earnest desire and affection which he had vnto the law of Christ doth not a litle allure me therunto disputing of the verity therof the which cannot fayle in any one iote or title Whereupon he made a booke of the verity of the holy Scripture approuing euen vnto the vtter most the trueth of Gods law Wherfore it were too foolish a consequeÌ„t to say that because the number of the Prelates and clergy in England Fraunce and Boheme do couÌ„t Iohn Wickeliffe for an hereticke that therfore he is an heretick c. Like as the reason for burning of the bookes for it is written in the first booke of Machabees first chapter that they did burne the books of the Lord tearing them in peeces and whosoeuer was founde to haue kept any bookes of the Testament or will of the Lord or the which obserued and kept the lawe of the Lord they were by the kinges commaundemen put to death If then the burning of these bookes by wicked men did argue or proue the euilnesse of the books theÌ„ was the law of God euill and nought So likewise the burning of S. Gregories bookes and diuers other sayntes and good men should argue proue that they were euill naughty men Wherupon as it doth not folow that because the Bishops Scribes and Phariseis with the elders of the people condemned Christ Iesus as an heretick that therfore he is an heretick So likewise doth it not follow of any other man The Byshops maisters of diuity monkes and prelates condemned thys man as an hereticke Ergo he is an hereticke For this consequeÌ„t is reproued by Iohn Chrisostom which was twise condemned as an hereticke by the Bishops and the whole clergy Likewise S. Gregory in his bookes was condemned by the Cardinals By like proofe also as they affirme M. Iohn Wickliffe to be an hereticke Iohn Duke of LaÌ„caster a man of worthy memory and progenitor of Henry king of Englande should also be an hereticke For the sayd Duke defeÌ„ded fauored and greatly loued M. Iohn Wickliffe Ergo the sayd Duke is or was an hereticke the consequent is good The Minor is well knowne vnto the Englishmen The Maior appeareth in the Canon where it is sayd he which defendeth an hereticke c. But these thinges set apart I demaund of the aduersary whether M. Iohn Wickliffe be damned for euer or no If he say that he is damned because he is an hereticke I propounde this vnto him whether M. Iohn Wickeliffe whiles he liued held any false doctrine coÌ„trary to the holy Scripture If he do affirme it let him then shew what doctrine it is and afterward declare that he held it obstinatly And he shall finde that in his bookes he alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse And by and by after M. Iohn Stokes in his intimation sayth that M. Iohn Wickliffe in EnglaÌ„d is counted for an hereticke This seemeth also false by the letter testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxforde vnto the which there is more credit to be geueÌ„ then vnto him And this shall suffise for this present Now as we haue declared the testimony of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Hus concerning the praise of Iohn Wickliffe It followeth likewise that we set forth and expresse the contrary censure and iudgementes of his enemies blinded with malicious hatred and corrupt affections against him especially of the Popes Councel gathered at Constance proceeding first in condemning hys bookes then of his articles and afterward burning of his bones The copy of which theyr senteÌ„ce geuen against him by that counsell here foloweth * The sentence geuen by the Councell of Constance in condemning the doctrine and 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe THe most holy and sacred councell of CoÌ„stance making and representing the catholick Church for the extirpation of this present schisme and of all other errors and heresies springing and growing vnder the shadow and pretence of the same and for the reformation and amendment of the Church being lawfully congregate and gathered together in the holy Ghost for the perpetuall memory of the time to come We are taught by the acts and historyes of the holy fathers that the catholicke fayth without the which as the holy Apostle S. Paule saith it is vnpossible to please God hath bene alwayes defeÌ„ded by the faythfull and spirituall souldiors of the Church by the shield of fayth agaynst the false worshippers of the same fayth or rather peruerse impugners which through their proud curiosity will seeme to know more and to be wiser then they ought to be for the desire of yâ— glory of the world haue gone about oft times to ouerthrow the same These kindes of warres and battelles haue bene prefigured to vs before in those carnall warres of the Israelites agaynst the Idolatrous people For in those spirituall warres the holy catholick Church through the vertue power of fayth being illustrateâ—â—â— the beames of the heauenly light by the prouideÌ„ce of God and being holpen by the helpe and defence of the Saints holy men hath alway continued immaculate the darcknes of errours as her most cruell enemyes being put to flight â—he hath most gloriously triumphed ouer all But in these our daies the old and vnclean enemy hath raysed vp new coÌ„teÌ„tions strifes that the elect of this world might be knowne whose Prince and captayne in time past was one Iohn Wickliffe a false Christian. Who during his life time taught and sowed very obstinatly many articles coÌ„trary and agaynst the Christian Religion and the Catholicke fayth And the same
Iohn Wickliffe wrote certayne bookes which he called a Dialogue a Trialogue besides many other treatises and works the which he both wrot and taught in the which he wrot the aforesayd and many other damnable execrable articles The which his books for the publication and aduauncement of his peruers doctrine he did set forth opeÌ„ly for euery man to read Wherby beside many offeÌ„ces great hurt damages of soules hath ensued in diuers regions countryes but specially in the kingdomes of England and Boheme Against whom the maisters and Doctors of the Vniuersities of Oxforde and Prage rising vp in the truth and verity of God according to the order of schooles within a while after did reprooue and condemne the sayd Arcicles Moreouer the most reuerent fathers the archbishops and bishops for that time present of CaÌ„terbury Yorke and Prage Legats of the Apostolick sea in the kingdome of England and Boheme did condemne the bookes of the sayd Wickliffe to be burnt And the sayd Archbishoppe of Prage commissarye of the Apostolicke sea did likewise in this behalf determin iudge And moreouer he did forbid that any of those bookes whiche did remayne vnburned should not be hereafter any more reade And agayne these things being brought to the knowledge vnderstanding of the Apostolicke sea aud the generall councell The Bishop of Rome in his last Councell condemned the sayde bookes treatises and volumes commaunding them to be openly burned Most straightly forbidding that any men which should beare the name of Christ should be so hardy either to keep read or expound any of the sayde bookes or treatises volumes or workes or by any meanes to vse or occupy them either els to alledge theÌ„ opeÌ„ly or priuely but to their reproofe infamy And to the intent that this most dauÌ„gerous and filthy doctrine should be vtterly wiped away out of the Church he gaue commaundemeÌ„t through out al places that the Ordinaries should diligeÌ„tly enquire and seeke out by the Apostolick authority and Ecclesiasticall censure for all such bookes treatises volumes workes And the same so being found to burne consume theÌ„ with fire prouiding withall that if there be any such fouÌ„d which will not obey the same processe to be made agaynst them as agaynst the fauourers and mayntayners of heresies And this most holy Synode hath caused the sayd 45. Articles to be examined and oft times perused by manye most reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome Cardinals Bishops Abbots maisters of diuinitye and Doctours of both lawes besides a great number of other learned men the which Articles being so examined it was found as in truth it was no lesse that many yea a great number of theÌ„ to be notoriously for heretical reproued and condemned by the holy fathers other some not to be Catholick but erroneous some full of offence and blasphemy Certayn of theÌ„ offensiue vnto godlye eares and many of theÌ„ to be rashfull and seditious It is found also that his bookes do contain many Articles of like effect and quality and that they doe induce and bring into the Church vnâ—ouÌ„d and vnwholesome doctrine contrary vnto the fayth and ordinance of the Church Wherefore in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ this sacred Synode ratefying and approuing the senteÌ„ces and iudgements of the Archbishops counsell of Rome do by this theyr decree and ordinance perpetually for euer more condemne and reproue the sayd Articles and euery one of them his bookes which he intituled his Dialogue and Trialogue all other bookes of the same author volumes treatises workes by what name so euer they bee entituled or called the which we wil here to be sufficiently expressed and named Also we forbid the reading learning exposition or alledging of any of the sayd bookes vnto all faythfull Christians but so farreforth as shall tend to the reproofe of the same forbidding all and singular Catholick persons vnder the payn of curse that from henceforth they be not so hardy openly to preach teach or holde or by any meanes to alledge the sayd Articles or any of them except as is aforesayd that it do tend vnto the reproofe of them commaunding all those bookes treatises works and volumes aforesayd to be openly burned as it was decreed in the Synode at Rome as is afore expressed For the execution wherof duely to be obserued and done the sayd sacred Synode doth straitly charge commaund the ordinaries of the places diligently to attend looke vnto the matter according as it appertayneth vnto euery maÌ„s duty by the Canonicall lawes and ordinaunces What were these articles here condemned by this couÌ„cell collected out of all his workes and exhibited to yâ— sayd CouÌ„cell to the number of 45. The copy of them foloweth vnder written * Certaine other Articles gathered out of Wickeliffes bookes by his aduersaries to the number of 45. exhibited vp to the Councell of Constance after his death and in the same councell condemned BEsides the 24. Articles aboue mentioned there were other also gathered out of his books to the number of 45. in all which his malicious aduersaryes peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibite vp to the CouÌ„cel of Constance which to repeat all though it be not here needfull yet to recite certayn of them as they stand in that Councell it shall not be superfluous 25. All such as be hyred for temporall liuing to pray for other offend and sinne of simony 26. The prayer of the reprobate preuayleth for no man 27. Halowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders be reserued to the Pope Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre 28. Graduations and Doctorships in Vniuersities and Colledges as they be vsed coÌ„duce nothing to the church 29. The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antechrist 30. Such as fouÌ„d build Monasteries do offend sinne and all such as enter into the same be meÌ„bers of the deuil 31. To enrich the Clergy is agaynst the rule of Christ. 32. Siluester the Pope Constantine the Emperor were deceiued in geuing taking possessions into the Church 33. A Deacon or Priest my preach the word of God with out the authority of the Apostolick sea 34. Such as enter into order or religion monasticall are therby vnable to keep Gods commaundements and also to atteine to the kingdome of heauen except they reurne from the same 35. The Pope with all his Clergye hauing those great possessions as they haue be heretiques in so hauing the secular powers in so suffering them do not well 36. The Church of Rome is the sinagoge of Sathan neither is the Pope immediately the vicare of Christ nor of yâ— Apostles 37. The Decretals of the Pope be Apochripha and seduce from the sayth of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles 38. The Emperor and secular Lordes be seduced which so enrich
stand to the very death Other aunswere woulde he not geue that day wherwith the Bishops and Prelates were in a maner amased and wonderfully disquieted At the last the archbishop councelled agayne with hys other Bishops and Doctours and in the end therof declared vnto him what the holy Church of Rome following the saying of S. Augustine S. Hicrome S. Ambrose and of other holy Doctours had determined in these matters no maner of mention once made of Christ. Whiche determination sayth he ought all Christen men both to beleue and to follow Then sayd the Lord Cobham vnto him that he would gladly both beleue and obserue whatsoeuer holy church of Christes institution â—ad determined or yet whatsoeuer God had willed him either to beleue or to do But that the pope of Rome with his Cardinals Archbishops bishops and other prelates of that Churche had lawfull power to determine such matter as stoode not with his worde throughly that would he not he sayd at the time affirme With this that archbish had him to take good aduisement til the monday next following which was the 25. day of September and then iustly to aunswere specially vnto thys poynt whether there remayned materiall breade in the sacrament of the aulter after the wordes of consecration or not He promised him also to send vnto hym in writing those matters clearely determined that he might then be the more perfect in his answere making And all this was nought els but to blinde the multitude with somewhat The next day following according to his promise the Archbishop sent vnto hym into the Tower this foolishe and blasphemous writing made by him and by hys vnlearned Clergy * The determination of the Archbyshop and Clergy THe faith and determination of the holy Church touching the blisfull sacrament of the aultar is this that after the Sacramentall wordes be once spoken by a Priest in hys Masse the material bread that was before bread is turned into Christes very body And the materiall wine that was before wine is turned into Christes very bloud And so there remayneth in the sacrament of the aulter from thenceforth no materiall bread nor materiall wine which were there before the Sacramentall wordes were spoken Now beleue ye this article Holy church hath determined that euery Christen man liuing here bodely vpon the erth ought to be shriuen to a priest ordeined by the Church if he may come to him Now feele ye this article Christ ordayned S. Peter the Apoistle to be his vicare here in earth whose sea is the holy churche of Rome And he graunted that the same power which he gaue vnto Peter should succeed to all Peters successours which we call now Popes of Rome By whose power in Churches particuler be ordayned Prelates as Archbishops Byshops Parsons Curates and other degrees more Unto whom Christen men ought to obey after the laws of the church of Rome This is the determination of holy Church Howe feele ye this article Holy churche hath determined that it is meritorious to a christen man to go on pilgrimage to holy places And there specially to worship holy reliques and Images of Saintes Apostles and Martyrs Confessours all other Saintes besides approued by the church of Rome Howe feele ye this article And as the Lorde Cobham had reade ouer this most wretched writing he maruailed greatly of their mad ignorance But that he considered agayne that God had geuen them ouer for their vnbeliefes sake into most deepe errors blindnes of soule Agayne he perceiued hereby that their vttermost mallice was purposed agaynst him howsoeuer he should answere And therefore he put hys life into the handes of God desiring hys onely spirite to assiste hym in his next answere When the sayd xxv day of September was come whiche was also the Monday before Michaelmas in the sayd yeare of our Lord 1413. Thomas Arundell the Archbishop of Caunterbury commaunded his indiciall seate to be remoued from that chapter house of Paules to the Dominicke Friers within Ludgate at LondoÌ„ And as he was there set with Richard Byshop of London HeÌ„nry the Byshop of Winchester and Bennet the Byshop of Bangor He called in vnto him his counsell his officers with diuers other Doctours and Fryers of whome these are the names here following maister Henry ware the Officiall of Caunterbury Phillip Morgan Doctour of both lawes Howell Kiffin Doctor of the Canon lawe Iohn Kempe Doctor of the Canon lawe WilliaÌ„ Carleton Doctour of the Canon law Iohn WitnaÌ„ of the new College in Oxford Iohn Wighthead Doctor in Oxford also Rob. WoÌ„bewel Vicare of S. Laurence in the Iewry Thomas Palmer the Warden of Minors Robert Chamberlayne Prior of the Dominickes Richard Dodington Prior of the Augustines Thomas Walden Priour of the Carmelites all Doctours of Diuinitie Iohn Stephens also and Iames Cole both Notaryes appoynted there purposely to write all that shoulde be eyther sayd or done All these with a great sorte more of Priestes Monkes Chanons Friers Parishe Clerkes belryngers Pardoners disdayned him with innumerable mockes scornes reconing him to be an horrible hereticke and a man accussed afore God Anone the Archbishop called for a masse booke caused all those Prelates and Doctors to sweare there vpon that euery man should faythfully doe his office and duety that day And that neyther for fauour nor feare loue nor hate of the one party nor the other any thing should there be witnessed spoken or done but according to the truth as they wold answer before God all the world at the day of dome Then were the two foresayd Notaryes sworne also to wryte and to witnesse the processe that there shoulde be vttered on both parties and to say their mindes if they otherwise knew before they should register it And al this dissimulation was but to colour their mischiefes before the ignoraunt multitude Consider herein gentle reader what this wicked generation is and how far wide from the iust feare of God for as they were then so are they yet to this day After that came forth before them Syr Robert Morley Knight and lieftenant of the Tower and he brought with him yâ— good Lorde CobhaÌ„ there leauing him among them as a Lambe among wolues to his examination and aunswere * An other examination of the Lorde Cobham THen saide the archbishop vnto him Lord Cobham ye be aduised I am sure of the wordes processe which we had vnto you vpon Saterday last past in the chapterhouse of Paules which processe were nowe to long to be rehearsed agayne I said vnto you then that ye were accursed for your contumacie disobedience to holy Church thinking that ye should with meekenes haue desired your absolution Then spake the Lord Cobham with a chearful countenaunce and sayde God sayde by his holy Prophet Maledicam benedictionibus vestris whiche is as much
Wherunto by the cōtentes of this scedule it is not fully answered and therfore you must answere therunto more plainely expresse declare your fayth opinions as touching those poynts in the same bill That is to say whither you hold beleue and affirme that in the sacrament of the aultar after the cōsecration rightly done there remayneth materiall bread or not Item whether you hold beleue and affirme that it is necessary in the sacrament of penaunce for a man to cōfesse his sinnes vnto a priest appoynted by the church The which articles in this maner deliuered vnto him amongst many other thinges he answered plainly that he would make no other declaration or answere therunto thē was conteyned in the sayd Scedule Wherupon we fauoring the sayd sir Iohn with benigne gentle meanes we spake vnto him in this manner Sir Iohn take heed for if you do not playnly answere to these things which are obiected agaynst you within a lawful time now graūted you by the Iudges we may declare you to be an hereticke but the said sir Iohn perseuered as before and would make no other answere Consequently notwithstanding we together with our sayd felow brethren and others of our counsell took aduise and by their counsell declared vnto the said sir Iohn Oldcastle that the sayd holy Church of Rome in this matter following the saying of blessed S. Augustine Ierome Ambrose and other holy men hath determined the which determinations euery catholicke ought to obserue Wherupon the said sir Iohn answered that he would beleue and obserue whatsoeuer the holy Church determined and whatsoeuer god would he should obserue and beleue But that he would in no case affirme that our Lord the Pope the cardinals Archbishops and Bishops or other prelates of the church haue any power to determine any such matters Wherunto we yet fauoring him vnderhope of better aduisement promised the sayd sir Iohn that we would geue him in writing certaine determinatiōs vpon the matter aforesaid Wherunto he should more plainly answere writtē in latin and for his better vnderstanding translated into English wherupon we commaunded and hartily desired him that agaynst monday next folowing he should geue a playne full answere the which determinations we caused to be trāslated the same day to be deliuered vnto him the sonday next folowing The tenor of which determinations here folow in this maner The fayth and determination of that holy Churche vpon the holy Sacrament of the aultar is this That after the consecration done in the masse by that priest that material bread shall be chaunged into the materiall bodye of Christ the materiall wine into the materiall bloud of Christ. Therfore after the consecratiō there remayneth no more any substāce of bread and wine which was there before What doe you answere to this article Also the holy church hath determined that euery christian dwelling vpon earth ought to confesse his sinnes vnto a priest ordeined by the Church if he may come vnto hym How thinke you by this article Christ ordeined S. Peter his Vicare in earth whose seat is in the Church of Rome geuing and graunting the same authority whiche he gaue vnto Peter also to his successours which are now called Hopes of Rome in whose power it is to ordeine and institute prelates in particulare churches As Archbishops bishops curates and other ecclesiastical orders vnto whom the Christian people ought obedience according to the traditiō of the church of Rome This is the determination of the holy church What thinke you by this article Besides this the holy Church hath determined that it is necessary for euery christian to go on pilgrimage to holy places there specially to worship the holy reliques of the Apostles Martirs confessors all sayntes whosoeuer the church of Rome hath allowed What thinke you of this article Upon which monday being the 25. day of the sayd moneth of September before vs and our felow brethrē aforesayd hauing also takē vnto vs our reuerēd brother Benedict by the grace of God Bishop of Bangor by our cōmaundement our counsellers and ministers Master Henry ware officiall of our court of Cant. Philip Morgan D. of both lawes Dowell Kissin Doctor of the decretals Iohn Kempe and William Carlton Doctors of law Ioh Witnā Thomas Palmer Rob. Wombewell Iohn Withe and Robert Chamberlayne Richard Dotington Thomas Walden professors of diuinity Also Iames Cole I. Steuens our notaries appointed on this behalf They all and euery one being sworne vpon that holy gospell of god laying their handes vpon the booke that they shoulde geue theyr faythfull counsell in and vpō the maner aforesayde and in euery such cause and to the whole world By and by appered sir Robert Morley Knight Lieuetenant of the Tower of London and brought with him the foresayde Syr I Oldcastle setting him before vs. Unto whom we gentlye and familiarly rehearsed the actes of the day before passed And as before we tolde him that he both is and was excōmunicate requiring and intreating him that he would desire and receiue in due forme the absolution of the Church Unto whom the said Syr Iohn then and there plainly answered that in this behalfe he would require no absolutiō at our handes but onely of God Then afterward by gentle and soft meanes we desires and required him to make playne answere vnto the articles which were laid against him And first of al as touching the Sacrament of the aultar To the which article besides other thinges he answered and sayd thus That as Christ being here in earth had in him both Godhead manhoode Notwithstanding the Godhead was couered and inuisible vnder the humanity the which was manifest and visible in him so likewise in the sacrament of the aultar there is the very body and very bread bread which we do see the body of Christ hidden vnder the same which we do not see And playnly denyed that the fayth as touching the said Sacrament determined by the Romish church and holy doctors and sent vnto him by vs in the sayd Schedule to be the determination of the holy Church But if it be the determination of the Church he sayd that it was done contrary vnto the scriptures after the church was endowed and that poyson was poured into the Churche and not afore Also as touching the Sacrament of penance and confession he playnly sayd and affirmed thē and there that if any man were in any greuous sinne out of the which he knew not how to rise it were expedient and good for him to go vnto some holy and discreet priest to take counsell of him But that he shoulde confesse his sinne to any proper Priest or to any other although he might haue the vse of him it is not necessary to saluation for so much as by only contrition such sinne can be wiped a way the sinner himselfe purged As concerning the worshipping of
nor you can take any great aduantage to proue any treason in the Lord Cobham or in his felowes as hath bene hetherto aboundantly declared in the premisses It remaineth further that for asmuch as you in your fixt Dialogue with your author Edward Halle do alledge the records Et publica iudicij Acta to dissame these men for traytours although what records they be you bring forth neuer a word I therefore in their defence do answere for them whiche can not now aunswere for themselues And because you to accuse them do mention a certaine recorde and yet do not shew vs what record it is and peradueÌ„ture can not if ye would I haue taken the paines therfore for the loue of them whom you so hate to search out such Recordes whereby any occasion can be raised against them And first will declare the commission granted then the inditement commensed against them The which commission and inditement albeit in countenance of words will seeme to minister much suspition against them to the simple Reader before he be better acquainted with these subtile dealings and practises of Prelates yet trusting vpon the goodnesse of the cause which I see here so falsely and sleightly to be handled I nothing feare nor doubt to produce the same out of the Records in Latine as they stand to the intent that when the craftie handling of the aduersaries shall be disclosed the true simplicitie of the innocent to the true harted Reader shall the more better appeare The words first of the Commission here folow vnder written which when thou shalt heare let theÌ„ not trouble thy minde gentle reader I besech thee before thou vnderstand further what packing and subtile conueyance lieth couered and hid vnder the same ¶ In Rotulo patent de anno primo Henrici quinti. R. Dilectis fidelibus suis Willielmo Roos de Hamlak Henrico le Scrop Willielmo Croiomere maiori Ciuitatis suae London Hugoni Huls Iohanni Preston Ioanni Mertin salutem Sciatis quòd cum nos plenius A informemur ac notorie manifeste dinoscatur quôd quam plures subditi nostri Lollardi vulgarie nuncupati ac alij mortem nostram contra ligeanciae suae debitum proditorie imaginauerunt ac quam plura alia tam in fidei catholicae quà m status dominorum magnatum regni nostri Angl. tam spiritualium quam temporalium destructionem proposuerunt ac diuersas congregationes alia conuenticula illicita pro nephando proposito suo in hac parte per implend secerunt in nostri exheredationem ac Regni nostri destructionem manifestam Nos huiusmodi Lollardos ac alios praedictos iuxta eorum demerita in hac parte castigari puniri volentes ac de fidelitate circumspectione vestris plenius confidentes assignauimus vos quinque quatuor tres vestrum quorum vos praefati maior Hugo duos esse volumus Iustic nostros ad inquirend per sacrum proborum legal hominum de ciuitate praedicta suburbijs eiusdem ac de Com. Midd. tam infr libertates quam extr per quos rei veritas melius sciri poterit de omnibus singulis proditionibus insurrectionibus per huius modi Lollardos in ciuitate suburbijs com predictis factis perpetratis nec non de omnimodo proditionibus insurrectionibns rebellionibus felonijs in ciuitate suburbijs com praedictis per quoscunque qualitercunque factis siue perpetratis ad easdem proditiones insurrectiones rebelliones felonias audiend terminand secundum legem consuetudinem Regni nostri Angl. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ad certos c. quos c. quorum c. ad hoc prouideritis diligentes super premissis fac inquisitiones premissa omnia singula audiatis terminetis in forma praedicta facturi c. Saluis c. Mandauimus enim vicecomitibus nostris Lond. Midd. quod ad certos c. quos c. quorum c. eius seire fac venire facietis coram vobis c. quorum c. tot c. de Balliua sua tam infr libertates quam extra per quos c. inquiri In cuius c. T.R. apud Westm. B x. die Ianuarij Peripsum Regem By these high and tragicall wordes in this commission sent downe against the Lord Cobham Sir Roger Acton and their felowes It may peraduenture seeme to the ignorant and simple reader some hainous crime of treason to rest in them for conspiring against God the Churche the kyng their countrey But what cannot the fetchyng practise oâ— the Romish Prelates bring about where they haue once conceiued a malice Wherfore maruel not good trader at this nor iudge thou accordinge to the woordes which thou hearest But suspeÌ„d thy iudgemeÌ„t a while till the matter be more opened vnto thee ExaÌ„ples of like hâ—Ì„dling be not so rare but thou maist soone iudge by other tymes the like also of these George Egle of whom meÌ„tion was made before did but preach in time of Queene Mary anâ— yet coÌ„missioÌ„ was directed against him as in case of raising vp a coÌ„motion against the Queene AdaÌ„ Damlip in Cahce did but preach the receiuing of one poore crowne 2. yeares before at Rome was inough to make him a traitor In the time of K Henry the 8 onâ— Singleton chaplein to Queene Anne the Queenes maiesties mother that now is did but preach 〈◊〉 Gospel moued by zeale as I haue credible witnes of his owne scholer that heard him speake it being with him yeâ— by vertue of coÌ„mission it was obiected to hym for raysing vp commotion agaynst the kyng yea and also for killing of Pakington suffered for the same as a traytor So here what matter or maruell is it if the kyng â—â—censed or rather circumuented by the wrong information of the Prelates whom he beleued gaue out his coÌ„mission agaynst thynges neuer wrought nor thought Wherfore I exhort thee Christian Reader as I sayd before iudge not by and by the truth by the wordes of the CommissioÌ„ but iudge the wordes rather of the Commission by the truth Neither measure thou the lyne by the stone But the stone rather by the line At least yet differ thy sentence till both the Commission and the InditemeÌ„t beyng layd together thou mayest afterward see and perceiue more what is to be iudged in the case In the meane season marke well these wordes of the kyng in this Commission A Cum nos plenius informeâ—ur c. By the which wordes it is easie to be vnderstand that the kyng himselfe had no certaine knowledge thereof but onely by information of others of Byshops no doubt Prelates thereupon gaue forth his Commission aforesayd And then how will this stand with our Chroniclers other Epitomes and Summaries whoÌ„ Maister Cope doth alledge For if it be certaine that Robert FabiaÌ„ sayth that the kyng himselfe beyng in the field tooke
Lords depart in peace whereunto the standers by answered Amen Thus the councell being dissolued Frier Iohn Bishop of Catthan by the consent and commandement of the Pope and the Councell went vp into the Pulpit to make a Sermon taking for his theame Vos autem tristitiam habetis iterum autem videbo vos gaudebit cor vestruÌ„ You are now in sadnes I will see you againe and then your harts shall reioice The which collation being ended an other Cardinall named Anthony was sent vp by the Pope and the Councell with this proclamation first to dismisse the Synode and to geue euery man leaue to depart home Also to declare the Popes indulgence vnto them who by the authoritie of God almighty had granted to them all and euery one preâ—ent at that Councell full absolution once in their life so that euery one within two moneths after the hearing of this indulgence should procure the same in forme of writing Also another indulgence was graunted in like maner of plenary remission at the hour of death and that was vnderstand as well of the houshold as of the maisters themselues But vnder this condition that from the time of notification of the same they should fast by the space of one whole yeare euery Friday for the absolution in their life time And for the absolution at the houre of death to fast the same Friday another yeare except they had some lawfull impediment to the contrary so that after the second yeare they should fast vnto their liues end or else to do some other good worke The which beeing in this maner proclaimed the Synode brake vp and euery man departed home The number of the foriners resorting to this Counsell both spirituall and temporall was 60500. whereof the number of Archbishops and Bishops was 346. Abbots and Doctours 564. Secular men Princes Dukes Earles Knightes Esquiers 16000. Besides common women belonging to the same Councell 450. Barbers 600. Minstrels Cookes and Iesters 320. So that the whole multitude which were vewed to be in the Towne of Constance betweene Easter and Whitsontide were numbred to be 60500. strangers and forreners at that Councell Here is to be noted that in this Councell of Constance nothing was decreed or enacted worthy of memorie but this only that the Popes authoritie is vnder the Councell and that the Councell ought to iudge the Pope And as touching the Communion in both kindes although the Councell did not denie but that it was vsed by Christ and his Apostles yet notwithstanding by the same Councell it was decreed to the contrary Hetherto wee haue comprehended the order and discourse of this Councell with the actes and Sessions concerning the same which Councell although it was principally thought to be assembled for quieting of the schisme betweene the three Popes yet notwithstanding a great part thereof was for the cause of the Bohemians and especially for Iohn Hus As appeared by their preparation before the Councell For before the Councell began the Emperour Sigismund aforesaid sent certain Gentlemen Bohemians which were of his owne houshold giuing them in charge to bring Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie vnto the saide Councell and that vnder his safe conduict the meaning and intent thereof was that Iohn Hus should purge and cleare himselfe of the blame which they had laid against him and for the more better assurance the Emperour did not only promise him safe conduict that he might come freely vnto Constance but also to returne againe into Boheme without fraud or interruption he promised also to receiue him vnder his protection and vnder sauegard of the whole Empire For the same onely cause the Emperour sent him afterwards the said safeconduicts double written both in Latine and Almaine the forme whereof doth heereafter ensue ¶ Sigismund by the grace of God King of the Romaines of Hungary and Denmarke Croatia c. To all Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as Seculer Dukes Marquesses and Earles Barrons Captaynes Borovvmaisters Iudges and Gouernours officers of townes burgages and villages and vnto all rulers of the comminalty and generally to all the subiects of our Empire to whome these letters shall come grace and all goodnes Wee charge and commaund you all that you haue respect vnto Iohn Hus the which is departed out of Boheme to come vnto the generall Councell the which shall be celebrate and holden very shortly at the towne of Constance The which Iohn Hus we haue receiued vnder our protection and safegard of the whole Empire desiring you that you will chearefully receyue hym when he shall come towards you and that you intreat and handle hym gently shewing hym fauour and good will and shew hym pleasure in all thyngs as touchyng the forwardnes ease and assurance of hys iourney as well by land as by water Moreouer we will that he and all his company with hys carriage and necessaries shall passe throughout all places passages portes bridges lands gouernances Lordships liberties cities townes bourgages castels and villages and all other your dominions wythout payeng of anye manner of imposition or dane money peage tribute or anye other manner of tolle whatsoeuer it be we will also that you suffer hym to passe rest tarie and to soiourne at libertie without dooing vnto hym anye maner of impeachment or vexation or trouble and that if neede shall so require you do prouide a faythfull company to conduct hym withall for the honour and reuerence which you owe vnto our imperiall maiesty Yeuen at Spire the xviij of October in the yeare of our Lord GOD 1414. ¶ By this it may appeare that this safe conduct was graunted not in the time of the Councell by the Bishops but before the Councell by the Emperour who was or ought to be the principall ordeiner and directer of the Councell vnder God Now whether the Bishops in breaking and adnulling this promise of the Emperour against the Emperours mind because the discussion therof belongeth Ad materiam iuris non facti being a matter rather or lawe then of story I will differ to reason this case with maister Cope to such time as may be more conuenient to the full tractation thereof Notwithstanding briefly to touch and passe let vs consider part of the reasons of the saide Cope how friuolous and false they be and easie to be refelled What saith he if he preached by the way comming vp First that is false vide infra page What saith he if he stood obstinate in his heresie What if he sought to escape away after hys comming vp To this the Lords of Boheme doo aunswere that his safeconduct was broken and he imprisoned not onely before he attempted to escape or before hee was condemned for an hereticke but also before he was heard of the Councell what he was Vide infr page Further where Cope sayth that the generall Councell was aboue the Emperour and hath power in case of heresie to breake publique leagues
the presence of the Duke In the meane time such as were the setters forward of the Councell agaynst M. Iohn Hus and M. Ierome that is to say Michael de Causis and M. Palletz and other their accomplices required that the sayde mayster Hierome should be cited by reason of hys intimations certayne dayes after the citation hereunder written was set vpon the gates and porches of the citty and Churches which followeth here in this maner This most sacred and holy Synode and general councell of Constance faithfully congregated and gathered together in the holy Ghost representing the vniuersall militant Church vnto Hierome of Prage which writeth himselfe to be a mayster of Arte of so many Uniuersities and pretendeth those things which are onely pertayning vnto sobriety and modesty and that he knoweth no more then he ought c. Know thou that there is a certayne writinge come vnto our vnderstanding and knowledge the whiche was set vp as it were by thine owne person vpon that gates of the Churches and Citty of Constance vppon the Sonday when there was song in the Church of God Quasi mo do geniti Wherein thou doest affirme that thou wilt openly answere vnto thy accusers and slaunderers which shall obiect any crime errour or heresie agaynst thee whereof thou art meruailously infamed and accused before vs and specially touching the doctrine of Wickleff and other doctrines contrary vnto the catholicke fayth so that thou mightest haue graunted vnto thee a safe conduct to come But for so much as it is our part principally and chiefly to foresee and looke vnto these crafty Foxes which goe about to destroy the vyneyarde of the Lord of hostes therefore we do cite and call forth by the tenour of these presentes thy person manifoldly defamed and suspected for the temerarious affirming and teaching of manifold erroures so that within the term of 15. dayes to be accompted from the date of these presentes wherof 5. dayes are appoynted for the first term fiue for the second and other fiue for the third we do ordein and appoynt by Canonicall admonition and warninge that thou do appeare in the publique Session of the sacred Councell if there be any holden the same day or els y◠first day immediately following when as any Session shal be according to the tenour of thy sayd writing to answere to those thinges which any person or persons shall obiect or lay agaynst thee in any cause of thy fayth and to receiue haue as iustice shall require Wherupon so much as in vs lyeth as catholike faith shall require we offer assigne to thee by the tenour hereof our safe cōduct frō all violence iustice alwayes being saued certifying thee that whether thou doest appeare or not the sayd terme or tyme appoynted notwithstanding processe shall goe forward agaynst thee by the sayd sacred Councell or by their Cōmissary or Cōmissaries for the time aforesayd not obserued and kept thy contuinacie or stubburnes in any thing notwithstanding Geuen in the 6. Session of the generall Councell the 17. day of Aprill vnder the seale of the presidentes of the foure nations ¶ Grumpert Faber Notary of the Germaynes AFter that Sigismund king of Hungary with the rest of the Councell vnderstood by the foresaid Duke Ioh. that M. Hierome was taken they were earnestly in hand requiring that M. Hierome shold be brought before them vnto the Councell The whiche Duke Iohn after hee had receiued letters of the kyng and the Councell brought M. Hierom bound vnto Constance whom his brother Duke Ludouicus lead through the Cittie to the Cloyster of the Friers Minors in Constance whereas the chiefe Priestes and Elders of the people Scribes Phariseis were gathered together attending and wayting for hys comming He the sayd mayster Hierome caryed a great handbolte of iron with a long chayne in hys hand and as he passed the chayne made a great ratlyng and noyse and for the more confusion and despite towardes hym they led him by the same chayne after Duke Ludouicus aforesaid holding and stretching out the chayne a great way from him with the whiche chayne they also kept him bounde in the Cloyster When he was brought into the Cloyster they reade before hym the letter of Duke Iohn which was sent with that sayd mayster Hierome vnto the Councell contayning in effect how that the sayd Duke Iohn had sent mayster Hierome vnto the councell who by chance was fallen into his handes because he heard an euill report of hym that he was suspected of the heresies of Wickleffe that the Councell might take order for him whose part it was to correct punish such as did erre and stray from the truth besides many other flattering tales which were written in the sayd letter for the prayse of the Councell After this they read the citation which was geuen out by the councell agaynst maister Hierome wherof we haue spoken before Then certayne of the Byshops sayd vnto hym Hierom why diddest thou flye runne awaye and diddest not appeare when thou wast cited He answered because I could not haue any safecōduict neither from you neither from the king as it appeareth by these letters patentes of the Barons whiche you haue neither by my open intimations could I obtain any safe conduict Wherfore I perceauing many of my greuous heauy frendes to be here present in the Councell would not my selfe be the occasion of my perils and daungers but if I had known or had any vnderstanding of this citation wtout al doubt albeit I had bene in Boheme I would haue returned agayne Then all the whole rabble rising vp alledged diuers and sondry accusations and testimonies agaynst him with a great noyse and tumulte When the rest held their peace then spake maister Gerson the Chauncellour of Paris Hierome when thou wast at Paris thou thoughtest thy selfe by meanes of thy eloquence to be an Angell diddest trouble the whole Uniuersitie alledging openly in the schooles many erroneous conclusions with their correlaria and specially in the question de vniuersalibus de Idaeis with many other very offensiue questiōs Unto whom Mayster Hierome sayd I answere to you mayster Gerson Those matters which I did put forth there in the Schooles at Paris in the whiche also I aunswered to the argumentes of the Maysters I did put them forth Philosophically and as a Philosopher and mayster of the Uniuersitie and if I haue put foorth anye questions whiche I ought not to haue put forth teache me that they be erroneous and I will most humbly be informed and amend the same Whiles he was yet speaking an other as I suppose the mayster of the Uniuersity of Colleyne vpon the Riuer of Rheine rising vp sayd when thou wast also at Coleyn in thy position whiche thou diddest there determine thou diddest propound many erroneous matters Then sayd M. Hierome vnto hym shew me first one errour whiche I propounded Wherwithall he being
such comfort as no man can vnderstand in that they say that they wil geue you forgeuenes of all your sinnes and great grace pardon to this end that you should warre vpon vs destroy vs wheras their graces and pardons are none other then great lies and a great seducing of the body and soule of all them that beleue them and put their trust in them Thys we would proue vnto them ouercome them by the holy scripture and we wold suffer that whosoeuer is desirous to heare the same shoulde heare it For the Pope and all hys priestes herein deale with you as the deuill woulde haue done wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ. Of whome Luke writeth in hys 4. chap. that be brought him vpon an high hill shewed vnto hym in the twinckling of an eye al the kyngdomes that are in the compasse of the earth said vnto him I wil geue thee c. So the deuill deceiueth the pope and all the priestes with the riches of the worlde and worldly power And they thinke they can geue grace and pardon when they wyll and they themselues shall neuer finde fauour before almighty God except they repent and make amendes because of theyr great deceauing of Christēdom And how can they geue that to others which they themselues haue not So dyd the Deuill who was rich in promising and poore in geuing And like as the Deuill is not ashamed to tell a lye so all they are not ashamed to speake that which shall neuer be found true nor be proued by the holy scriptures because for no cause they stirre vp kinges Princes Lordes and Citties to make warre agaynst vs not to the end that the Christian fayth shoulde therby be defended but because they feare that theyr secret vices and heresies shal be disclosed and made manifest For if they had a true cause a godly loue to the Christiā faith they would then take the books of the holy scripture and would come vnto vs and ouercome vs with the weapōs of Gods word and that is our chiefe desire For so dyd the apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ who came to the Paganes and Iewes and brought them from their infidelitie to the true fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ and this they dyd in the spirite of meckenes as the Apostle Paule writeth in the 6. chap. to the Galat. Brethren if anye man be agreeued c. So ought they also to doe if they perceiued that they were iust and we vniust And if we woulde not abide instruction then they might take to them kinges Princes Lordes and imperiall citties and resist vs according to the commaundementes of the holy scripture But this is the subtile defence of all the Byshops and Priestes that they say that mayster Hus and Hierome which were burnt at Constance were ouercome of the holy father the Pope and of the whole Councell For ye must vnderstand that they were not ouercome by the holy Ghost but vniustly with wrongfull violence which God may yet hereafter greeuously punishe in all them that gaue their counsel and ayd thereto and they saye it ought not to be suffered tha we should be heard in confessing our fayth How may that be proued by the holy scripture since christ heard the deuilt as it is written in the fourth chap. of Mathewe And they l are not better then Christ nor we worsse then the Deuill If they be iust and haue the truth with them as they saye they haue and we be vnrighteous why do they feare sinc the truth ought not to be afeard of falshod as Esdras writeth in hys second booke the third chapiter Zorobabell declared that truth is of all thinges the most mightye and ouercommeth all thinges For Christ is the trueth Iohn 14. I am the way the trueth c. And the deuill is the father of lies Iohn 8. He is a lyerfrom the beginning and neuer abode in the truth there is no truth in him Therfore if the pope and hys priestes haue the truth let them ouercome vs with the word of God But if they haue lyes then they cannot long abide in al their presumptiō Wherfore we exhort and beseech al the imperiall Cities al kings Princes noble men rich and poore for Gods sake and for hys righteousnes that one of them write hereof to an other and that there may be some meanes made howe we may cōmune with you safely and friendly at some such place as shal be fit both for you and vs and bring with you your Byshops and teachers and let them our teachers fight together with the word of God and let vs heare them and and let not one ouercome the other by violence or false subtiltie but onely by the word of God And if your Bishops and teachers haue better proofes of theyr fayth out of the holy scripture then we and our fayth be found vntrue we will receiue penaunce and satisfaction according to Gospell But if your Byshops and teachers be ouercome of ours by the holy Scripture then doe ye repent and harken to vs and hold with vs. And if your Byshops teachers will cease from their spirituall pride and repent and make satisfaction then wil we helpe you according to our power and will compell them eyther to ioyne with vs or els we will expell them out of Christendome And if your Byshops and teachers will say that it is not lawfull for lay men to heare such reasoning or to be presēt at it that may you vnderstand to tend to no other end but that they feare they should be ouercome and put to shame in the sight of you For if they knew that they should ouercome therein out of doubt they would desire that euery mā should heare it thereby their glory should become the greater their fame and prayses should be encreased vpon the earth And if your Bishops and teachers coūsell you to come to no hearing with vs thē do it whether they will or no suffer not your selues at any time to be so folishly seduced with their folish pardons but tary at home in your houses with your wiues and children And let the pope of Rome come to vs with all his Cardinals and byshops and with all hys priestes with his owne person power to warre with vs let themselues deserue the absolution of sinnes grace and pardon which they preach to you for they haue great nede of forgeuenes of sinnes grace pardō by the grace of god we will geue them pardō enough as they shall neede But their subtile excuse is this they say that it belōgeth not to priestes to fight with bodily weapons true it is that belongeth not to them but it belongeth as little to them to stirre vp to counsaile to fortifie others thereto For Paule saith in the the 1. to the Rom. in the fift to the Galath that all that do such
make the Pope subiect vnto the Church for it is conuenient that the lesse perfect be subiect vnto the more perfect There be also many other testimonies reasons wherof we will now somewhat more entreate If authoritie be sought for sayth S. Hierome for I willingly occupie my selfe in his senteÌ„ces as in a most fertile field the world is greater then a Citie What then I pray you Hierome Is the Pope mighty because he is head of the Church of Rome His authoritie is great notwithstanding the vniuersall Church is greater which doth not onely coÌ„preheÌ„d one Citie but also the whole world Hereupon it followeth that if the Churche be the mother of all faithfull then she hath the Bishop of Rome for her sonne Otherwise as S. Augustine saith he can neuer haue God for his father which will not acknowledge the Church for his mother The which thing Anacletus vnderstandyng called the vniuersal Church his mother as the writers of the Canons do know And Calixtus sayth as a sonne he came to doe the will of his father so we do the will of our mother which is the Church Whereby it appeareth that how much the sonne is inferiour to the mother so much the Church is superiour or aboue the Bishop of Rome Also we haue sayd before that the Churche was the spouse of Christ the Pope we know to be a Vicare but no maÌ„ doth so ordaine a Vicar that he maketh his spouse subiect vnto him but that the spouse is alwayes thought to be of more authoritie then the Vicar for somuch as she is one body with her husbaÌ„d but the Vicar is not so Neither will I here passe ouer the wordes of S. Paule vnto the Romaines Let euery soule sayth he be subiect vnto the higher powers Neither doth he herein except the pope For albeit that he be aboue all other meÌ„ yet it seemeth necessary the he should be subiect to the Church Neither let him thinke himselfe hereby exeÌ„pt because it was said vnto Peter by Christ whatsoeuer thou bindest c. In this place as we wil hereafter declare he represeÌ„ted the person of the Church for we finde it spoken afterward vnto theÌ„ Quaecunque ligaueritis super terraÌ„ ligata eruÌ„t in coelis i. Whatsoeuer ye shal binde vpoÌ„ earth shall be also bounde in heaueÌ„ And furthermore if all power be geueÌ„ of Christ as the Apostle writeth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s it is geuen for the edifiyng of the Church not for the destruction therof why then may not the Church correct the Pope if he abuse the keyes and bring all thinges vnto ruine Adde hereunto also an other argument A man in this life is lesser then the aungels for we read in Mathew of Iohn Baptist that he whiche is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he Notwithstanding Christ sayth in an other place that amongest the children of women there was not a greater then Iohn Baptist. But to proceede meÌ„ are forced by the exaÌ„pâ—e of Zacharias to geue credite vnto auÌ„gels least through their misbelief they be striken blind as he was What more The Bishop of Rome is a maÌ„ Ergo he is lesse then the aungels and is bound to geue credite to the aungels But the aungels learne of the Church and do reuereÌ„tly accorde vnto her doctrine as the Apostle writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s Ergo the pope is bouÌ„d to do the same who is lesse then the aungels and lesse then the Churche whose authoritye is suche that worthely it is compared by S. Augustine vnto the Sunne that lyke as the Sunne by his light doth surmount all other lightes so the church is aboue all other authority and power Wherupon S. Augustine writeth thus I would not beleue the Gospel saith he if the authority of the church did not more me thereunto the which is not in any place souÌ„d to be spoken of the bishop of Rome who representing the Church and being minister thereof is not to be thought greater or equall to hys Lorde and maister Notwythstanding the wordes of our Sauiour Christ do specially proue the Byshop of Rome to be subiect to the church as we will hereafter declare For he sending Peter to preach vnto the church sayd go and say vnto the Church To the confirmation of whole authoritye these wordes do also pertaine hee that heareth you heareth me The which wordes are not onely spoken vnto the Apostles but also vnto their succesaurs and vnto the whole Church Wherupon it foloweth that if the Pope do not harken geue eare vnto the Church he doeth not geue eare vnto Christ consequently he is to be counted as an Ethnicke Publicane For as S. Augustine affirmeth when as the Church doth excommunicate he which is so excommunicate is bounde in heauen and when the Church looseth he is loosed Likewise if he be an heretike which taketh away the supremacie of the Churche of Rome as the Decrees of the councel of Coustance doth determine how much more is he to be counted an hereticke which taketh away the authoritye from the uniuersall Church wherein the Church of Rome and all other are conteined Wherefore it is now euident that it is the opinion of al men before our daies if it may be called an opinion which is confirmed by graue authors the the Pope is subiecte vnto the vniuersall church But this is called into question whether he ought also to be iudged of the general Councel For there are some which whether it be for desire of vaine glory or that thorough their flattery they looke for some great reward haue begon to teach new and strange doctrines and to exempt the byshop of Rome from the iurisdiction of the generall Councel AmbitioÌ„ hath blinded them wherof not only this present Schisme but also all other Schismes euen vnto thys day haue had their originall For as in times past the gredy desire ambition of the papacy brought in that pesriferous beast which through Arrius then first crept into the church euen so they do specially norish and mainteine this present heresie whych are not ashamed to begge Of the which number some cry out say the workes of the subiects ought to be iudged by the Pope but the Pope to be reserued only vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of God Others said that no man ought to iudge the high and principall Seate and that it can not be iudged either by the Emperour either by the Clergy either by any king or people Other affirme that the Lord hath reserued vnto himselfe the depositions of the chiefe Bishop Others are not ashamed to affirme that the Byshop of Rome although hee cary soules in neuer so great number vnto hell yet hee is not subiect vnto any correction or rebuke And because these their words are easily resolued they runne straight waies vnto the Gospell and interprete the wordes of Christ not according to the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost
the Bishops handling and of his Articles in his history maketh no memoriall Belike it made but little for the honestye of his great maister the Pope From persecution burning in England now out of the way to digresse a little to speake of forraine matters of the church of Rome you remēber before in the latter end of the Councell of Basill howe Eugenius was deposed Of whose conditiōs and martiall affayres how he made war agaynst Sfortia a famous Captaine of Italy and what other warres he raised beside not onely in Italy but also in Germany agaynst the City and Councell of Basill I shal not need to make any long rehearsall After his depositiō ye heard also how Foelix duke of Sauoy was elected pope Wherupō another great schisme folowed in the church during all the life of Eugenius After his death his next successor was pope Nicholas the fift who as you before haue heard brought so to passe with the Emperour Fredericke the third that Foelix was contented to renounce and resigne his papacy to Nicolas and was therfore of him afterward receiued to the rowme of a Cardinall for his submission Friderick for his working was confirmed at Rome to be full Emperor there crowned an 1451. For Emperors before they be cōfirmed crowned by the pope are no Emperors but onely called kinges of Romaynes This Pope Nicholas here mentioned for to get gather great sūmes of mony appoynted a Iubile in the yeare of our Lorde 1450. at whiche time there resorted a greater number of people vnto Rome thē hath at any time before bene seene At which time we reade in the story of Platina to haue happened that I thought here not vnworthy to be noted for the example of the thing As there was a great concourse of people resorting vp to the mount Uaticane to behold the Image of our Sauior which there they had to shew to Pilgrimes the people being thicke going to fro betwene the mount the City by chaunce a certayn Mule of the Cardinals of saynt Marke came by the way by reason whereof the people not being able to auoyde the way one or two falling vpon the Mule there was such a prease and throng vpon that occasion on the bridge that to the nūder of two hundred bodyes of men and three horses were there strangled and on each side of the bridge many besides fell ouer into the water and were drowned By meanes of which occasiō the Pope afterward caused the smal houses to be plucked downe to make the way broder And this is the fruite that commeth by Idolatrye Ex Platin. In the time of this Pope one Mat. Palmerius wrote a booke De Angelis in defending whereof he was condemned by the Pope and burned at Corna an 1448 Ex Tritemio After him succeeded Calixtus the thyrd who amongest diuers other things ordeined both at noone and at euening the bell to tole the Aues as it was vsed in the popish time to helpe the souldiours that fought agaynst the Turkes for which cause also he ordeined the feast of the transfiguration of the Lord solemnising it with like pardons and indulges as was Corpus Christi day Also this Pope proceding contrary to the Councels of Constance and Basill decreed that no man should appeale from the Pope to any Councell By whome also Sayncte Edmunde of Caunterbury with diuers other were made Sayntes Next after this Calixtus succeeded Pius secundus otherwise called Aeneas Syluius who wrote the two bookes of Commentaries vpon the Councell of Basill before mētioned This Aeneas at the time of the writing of those hys bookes seemed to be a man of an indifferent and tollerable iudgement and doctrine from the which he afterward being Pope seemed to decline and swarue seeking by all meanes possible how to deface abolish the bookes which heretofore he had written ¶ Sentences attributed vnto this Pius THe diuine nature of God may rather be comprehended by fayth then by disputation Christian fayth is to be considered not by what reason it is proued but from whom it proceedeth Neyther can a couetous man be satisfied with money nor a learned man with knowledge Learning ought to be to poore men in stead of siluer to noble men in stead of golde and to Princes in stead of precious stones An artificiall oratiō moueth fooles but not wise men Suters in the Lawe bee as Byrdes the Courte is the bayte the Iudges be the nettes and the Lawyers be the Foulers Men are to bee geuen to dignityes and not dignityes to men The office of a Byshoppe is heauy but it is blessed to him that doth wel beare it A Bishop without learning may be likened to an Asse An euill Phisition destroyth bodies but an vnlearned Priest destroyeth soules Mariage was taken from Priestes not without great reason but with muche greater reason it ought to be restored agayne The like sentence to this he vttereth in his second book of the Councell of Basil before specified saying peraduenture it were not the worst that the most part of priestes had theyr wiues for many shoulde be saued in Priestly mariage whiche nowe in vnmaryed Priesthoode are damned The same Pius also as Celius reporteth dissolued certayne orders of Nunnes of the order of S. Briget and S. Clare bidding them to depart out that they should burne no more nor couer a Harlotte vnder the vesture of Religion This Pius if he had brought so much piety and godlinesse as he brought learning vnto his Popedome had excelled many Popes that went before him It shall not be impertinent here to touch what the said Eneas called Pius the Pope writeth touchinge the peace of the church vnto Gaspee Schlick the Emperors Chaūcellor in his 54. Epistle All men do abhorre and detest schisme The way to remedye this euill Charles the French king hath shewed vs both safe and briefe which is that princes or their Oratours should conuent c assemble together in some cōmon place where they may cōclude vpon matters amongest themselues To bring this to passe it were needfull writinges to be sent agayne to all Kynges and Princes to send theyr Oratours to Strawes borow or to Constance with theyr full authority there to entreate of matters appertayning to the peace of the Church Neyther woulde it require so great expenses Forasmuch as we see the yeare before 300. gildernes to be sufficient Constantine the Emperour bestowed not muche more in the congregation of the Councell of Nice And this way could not be stopped neyther could the Pope or the Councell withstād it or make excuse as though this might not easily be done without them For why the secular princes may conuent and assemble together will they nill they and yet notwithstanding vnity may there be concluded For he should be an vndoubted Pope whom all Princes would obey Neyther do I see any
with the Sherifte and that the one shall teach them Gods law and the other mans law as ye heard in King Edgars lawes before Many other lawes both Ecclesiasticall and temporall besides these were enacted by these and other Kings heere in England before the Conquest but these be sufficient to geue the vnderstanding Reader to consider how the authority of the Bishops of Rome all this while extended not so farre to prescribe lawes for gouernement of the Church but that Kings and Princes of the Realme as they be now so were then full gouernours heere vnder Christ as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall both in directing orders instituting lawes in calling of Synodes and also in conferring Byshoprickes and benefices without any leaue of the Romish Bishops Thus Odo Dunstane Oswold Ethelwold Aldelinus and Lancfrancus although they fet their palles afterwarde from Rome yet were they made Bishops and Archbishops by Kings only not by Popes And thus stoode the gouernement of this Realme of England all the time before the Conquest till Pope Hildebrand through the setting on of the Saxons began first to bring the Emperour which was Henry 4. vnder foote Then followed the subduing of other Emperours Kings and subiects after that as namely heere in England when Lancfrancus Anselmus and Becket went to complayne of their Kings and gouernours then brought they the Popes iudiciall authority first from Rome ouer this land both ouer Kings and subiects which euer since hath continued till these latter yeares Albeit the sayd Kings of this Realme of England being prudent Princes and seeing right well the ambitious presumption of those Romish Byshops did what they could to shake off the yoke of their supremacie as appeareth by the lawes and Actes of their Parliaments both in king Edward the thirds time King Richard the 2. and King Henry the 4. aboue in their Parliament notes specified yet for feare of other foreine Princes and the blind opinion of their subiectes such was then the calamitie of that time that neither they could nor durst compasse that which faine they would till at last the time of their iniquitie being complete through the Lords wonderfull working theyr pride had a fall as in the next Volume ensuing the Lord so graunting shall by proces of hystorie be declared The Image of the true Catholicke Church of Christ. ¶ The proude primacie of Popes paynted out in Tables in order of their rising vp by little and little from faythfull Byshops and Martyrs to become Lords and gouernours ouer King and kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of God aboue all that is called God c. 2. Thessalonians 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Churche aboue described hath bene gentle Reader set forth and exhibited before thine eies the greeuous afflictions and sorowfull tormentes which thorough Gods secret sufferance fell vpon the true Saints and members of Christes Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whome some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burned some had their eies put out some one way some another miserably consumed which daies of wofull calamitie cōtinued as is foreshewed neare the space of CCC yeares During which time the deare spouse and elect Church of God being sharply assaulted on euery side had small rest no ioy nor outward safetie in this present world but in much bitternes of hart in continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed ouer their daies being spoiled imprisoned contemned reuiled famished tormented and martired euerywhere who neither durst well tarie at home for feare and dread and much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and Hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the ioyes of this lyfe the more present was the Lorde wyth them wyth grace and fortitude to confirme and reioyce theyr soules And though theyr possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they enriched wyth heauenly giftes and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold Then was true Religion truely felt in hart Then was Christianitie not in outwarde appearance shewed but in inward affection receaued and the true image of the Churche not in outwarde shew pretensed but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of God true in hart not in lippes alone dwellyng Fayth then was feruent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lippes but groned out to God from the bottome of the spirite Then was no pride in the Church nor laysure to seeke riches nor tyme to keepe them Contention for trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together agaynst the Deuill authour of all dissention Briefly the whole Churche of Christ Iesus wyth all the members thereof the farther it was from the type and shape of this worlde the nearer it was to the blessed respect of Gods fauour and supportation ¶ The first rising of the Byshops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the Lord at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saints and seruauntes of his sonne to release their captiuitie to release their miserie and to binde vp the old Dragon the Deuill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspire to some more libertie and the Bishops which before were as abiects vtterly contemned of Emperours through the prouidence of God which disposeth all things in his time after his owne willy began now of Emperours to be esteemed and had in price Furthermore as Emperours grew more in deuotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not only in fauour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter maisters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours Constantinus the Emperour embrasing Christen Byshops By which words of S. Paul we haue diuers things to vnderstand First that the day of the Lordes cōming was not thē nere at hand Secōdly the Apostle geuing vs a tokē before to know whē that day shall approch biddeth vs looke for an aduersary first to be reuealed Thirdly to shew what aduersary this shal be he expresseth him not to be as a common aduersary suche as were then in his time For although Herode Annas and Cayphas the high Priestes and Pharasyes Tertullus Alexander the Coppersmith Elymas Symō Magus Nero the Emperor in Paules time were great aduersaryes yet here he meaneth another besides these greater thē all the rest not such a one as should be like to Priest King or Emperor but such as farre exceding the estate of all kinges priests and Emperors should be the prince of priests should make kings to
stoupe and should tread vpon the necke of Emperors and make them to kisse his feet Moreouer where the Apostle sayth that he shall sit in the temple of God thereby is ment not the personall sitting of the Pope in the Citty onely of Rome but the authority and iurisdiction of his sea exalted in the whol vniuersall Church equall with God himselfe For let men geue to the Pope that which he in his lawes decrees and in his pontificall requireth and what difference is there betweene God and the Pope If God sette lawes and ordinaunces so doth he If God haue his creatures so hath he if God require obedience so doth he If the breach of Gods commaundementes be punished much more be his God hath his Religion the Pope also hath his yea for Gods one Religion he hath an hundreth God hath set vppe one Aduocate he hath an hundreth God hath instituted but a few holydayes for Gods one he hath instituted xl And if the holy day that God hath appoynted be simplex the feaste that the Pope appoynteth is duplex triplex Christ is the head of the Church so is the Pope Christ geueth influence to his body so doth the Pope Christ forgeueth sinne the Pope doth no lesse Christ expelleth euil spirites by his power so pretendeth the Pope by his holy water Furthermore where Christ went barefoote vpon the bare ground he with his golden shoes is caried on mennes shoulders And where Christ was called Sanctus Sanctorum he is called Sanctorum Sanctissimus Christ neuer practised but onely the spirituall sworde he claymeth both spirituall and temporal Christ bought the Church he both buieth and selleth the Church And if it be necessary to beleue Christ to be the Sauiour of the world so is it necessary to beleue the Pope to be the head of the Church Christ payd tribute to Cesar he maketh Cesar to pay tribute vnto him Finally the crowne of Christ was of sharp thorne the Pope hath three crownes of golde vpon his head so farre exceeding Christ the sonne of God in glory of this world as Christ excedeth him in the glory of heauen The Image and Paterne of whose intollerable pride and exaltation according as S. Paule doth describe him in his epistle aforesayde we haue here set forth not onely in these Tables to be seene and by hys owne factes to be noted but also his owne wordes and Registers Clementines Extrauagantes and Pontificals expressed as in order the Lord willing shall folow Byshops of Rome aduanced by Emperours Constantinus Theodosius c. ¶ The exaltation of popes aboue Kinges and Emperours out of historyes FIrst after that Italy and the Citty of Rome were ouerrunne by the Gothes and Vandales so that the seate of the Empire was remoued to Constantinople then began Ioannes Patriarch of Constantinople to put forth hymselfe and would needes be called vniuersall Bishop of the world but the Bishoppe of Rome in no case would suffer that and stopped it After this came the Emperours deputy and Exarch of Rauenna to rule Italy but the Byshop of Rome through ayde of the King of Lombardes soone quayled him Not long after about the yeare of our Lord 500. came Phocas the murderer who slue the Emperor of Constantinople his maister Mauritius and his children By which Phocas the bishops of old Rome aspired first to their preheminēce to be coūted the headbishops ouer the whole church and so together with the Lombardes began to rule the city of Rome Afterward when the Lombardes would not yeld vnto him in accomplishing his ambitious desire but would needs requyre of the Bishop the said city of Rome he styrred vppe Pipinus but first deposed Childiricus the king of Fraunce and so thrusting him into an Abbay sette vp in his place Pipinus and his sonne Carolus Magnus to put downe the sayde king of Lombardes called Aistulphus And so translated the Empyre from Constantinople into Fraunce deuiding the spoyle betwene him and them so that the kinges of Fraunce had all the possessions and landes which before belonged to the Empyre and he to receiue of them the quiet possession of the city of Rome with such donations and Lordships which now they challenge vnto thē vnder the name of S. Peters patrimony which they falsly ascribe to the donatiō of Constantinus the great It foloweth then in proces of tyme after the dayes of Pipinus Carolus and Ludouicus who had indued these Bishops of Rome called now Popes with large possessions when the kinges of Fraunce were not so applyable to theyr becke to aide and maynteine thē agaynst the Princes of Italy who began then to pynch the sayde Byshops for theyr wrongful vsurped goodes they practised with the Germanes to reduce the Empyre to Otho first of that name Duke of spayne referring the election thereof to 7. Princes Electours of Germany which was aboute ann 1002. notwithstanding reseruing still in his handes the negatiue voyce thinking thereby to enioy that they had in quietnes and security and so did for a good space At length when some of these Germane Emperours also after Otho began a litle to spurne agaynst the sayd bishops and Popes of Rome some of thē they accursed some they subdued and brought to the kissing of theyr feet some they deposed and placed other in theyr possessions So was Henricus 4. by these Byshoppes accursed the Emperour himselfe forced with his wife and child to wait attendaunce vppon the Popes pleasure three dayes and three nightes in winter at the gates of Canossus Reade before pag. 179. Besides all this the sayd Pope raysed vp Rodulphus to be Emperor against him who being slaine in warre then the sayde Pope Gregorye vij not restyng thus styrred vppe his owne sonne Henricus 5. to fight agaynst his owne naturall father and to depose him whiche Henricus the 5. was also himselfe afterwarde accursed and excommunicated and the Saxons at last set vp by the Byshops to fight agaynst him After this the Emperours began to be somewhat calmed and more quyet suffering the Byshops to reigne as they listed till Fridericke the first called Barbarossa came and began to styrre coales agaynst thē Howbeit they hampered both him and his sonne Henry in such sort that they brought first the necke of Fridericke in the Church of Venice vnder theyr feet to tread vpon and after that the sayde bishops crowning Henricus his sonne in the church of S. Peter set his crown on his head with theyr feet and with theyr feet spurned it of agayne to make him know that the Popes of Rome had power both to crowne Emperours and to depose them agayne Whereof read before pag. 784. Then folowed Philippus brother to Henry aforesaid whome also the Popes accursed aboute the yeare of our Lord. 1198. and set vp Otho Duke of Saxonye But when the sayd Otho beganne to be so laucy to dispossesse the Byshops of theyr Cittyes and landes whiche they had encroched into
5. compassed by ciuile dissention for the prerogatiue of election as his father was Henry the 5. resigneth his prerogatiue of election The electioÌ„ gotteâ— to the Byshops of Rome Gratianus fouÌ„d a forger of the Canons Sergius 2. Iohn 6. and Adrian 3. The secoÌ„d fault founde with Gratianus The third fault founde with Gratianus Howe shameles and impudent Gratianus is in forging the decrees The corrupting of many good workes to be feared The election wrasted froÌ„ the Emperour What Rome once catcheth that she keepeth Not without good cause desired they to noâ—el the people in ignoraunce Euery kyng and prince in their seuerall kingdome had also till that time the prerogatiue of election Hispane had the same Fraunce had the same England had the election Germanie had the election Sicilia had the election The death of Constantia the wife of Fredericke A great ouerthrow of the Christians in Egypt Fredericke and the pope made friendes Honâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 eth 〈◊〉 he put â— practise â— vre agaâ—â— Fredeâ—â—â— Gregoriâ—â— as great an enemy to Fred as Honorius Frederike seth to â—â—e into Asia the popeâ— bidding in pope is angry The caused the slay of the Emperours iourney into Asia The Pope dissembled his grudge The preâ—ration ciâ—â—riage of Fredericke â—â— Ierusalâ—â— and staye thereof The preparation of the Emperours war against the Turke 〈◊〉 slicknes in the Emperours army The Emperour himselfe sicke The Pope excommunicateth the Emperour for staying â—is viage He layeth â—alse accusation to his â—harge The Empeâ—our putâ—eth himâ—â—lfe of those â—imes the â—ope layde â—gainst him â—y his letters â—edicated to â—l Christen â—â—inces The effect of â—he Empeâ—â—urs letters The Empeâ—ours purgaâ—â—on The Empeâ—ours epistle â—eginning â—hus In adâ—irationem â—â— iusticiaÌ„ â—nd agayne â—enate ocuâ—â—s A letter of the Emperour to the king of England abstracted by Mat. Paris Many kingdomes haue experience of the popes practises The Church of Rome the mother of mischief King Iohns submission to the pope blamed by the Emperour Who be the rauening Wolues in sheepes clothing The treasure of the Church belongeth to the pope Christes church was builded in humilitie The popes Church is all sâ—periluitie Ergo the popes Church is not Christes Church An other iourney of the Emperour to Ierusalem The Emperour oppressed by famine and by prayer myraculously relieued A conclusion of a profitable peâ—ce during x. yeares betwene the Turkes and the Christians The articles of the peace agreed vpon The letters of Fredericke to the princes and pope of his successe The Emperour crowned king of Ierusalem The first and secret practise of Pope Gregory â— The Emperour withstandeth the secret 〈◊〉 which the pope had wrought against him â— Ierusalem The second and manâ—â—d treason of the Pope against Fredericke Brennus PaÌ„dolphus Iohannes Columna â— Thomas â— traytor the Popes generalles and leaders of his hoste What meaâ—ing the P. â—â—d to sende â—redericke â— fight aâ—ainst the â—urke â—owe the â—ope chaâ—th fretâ—eth at the â—rosperous â—uccesse of â—he Empeâ—our â—londus reâ—toued that â—ote so â—reatly in â—he Popes â—auour The third practise of P Gregory against the Emperour The P. setteth the sonne against the father as a good father of peace Henry Cesar at the popes intisement putâ—eth from him hâ—s truthe counsailer Ludonicus The Emperour hearing of the popes practises returneth secretly out of Asia Iohn Brennus remoued froÌ„ the siege of Calatia God prospereth Fredericke in all his affaires Fredericke entreateth for the Popes fauour although â—ee haue no nâ—â—de The Pope refuseth a peace with the Emperour The price of the Emperours absolution Vnshamefull Blondus Cuspinianus prâ—tely gudeth the Pope What beneficence the Emperour vseth to haue the Popes friendship which he shall neuer gette A well recempenced good tuâ—ne of the Pope to the Emperour Blondus taken with vntruth The Emperours sonnes no loÌ„ger suborned make manifest rebellion against their father A wicked murtherâ— Henry Cesar for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 seruice The outraâ—â— of H. Cesar against the Emperour his father The Emperour 14. yeares 〈◊〉 Germany The Pope fearethâ—â— his treason should be spied by the Emperour going into Germanâ—â— Henry Cesar condemned of treason and â—eth in pâ—â—â— Fredericke Austricus proclaymed an open 〈◊〉 my to his father and disherited The Emperour maryeth kyng Iohns daughter of Englande The pope againe beginneth to play his part The Popes embassage to the Emperour The Emperour againe vnto the Pope A secret coÌ„spiracie of the pope against the Emperour The Emperour marcheth into Italie notwitstanding the popes forbidding The Emperour loth to breake the peace of late concluded The pope refuseth to speake with the Emperours Legates The new sentence of proscription against the Emperour The Pope wageth and hyrâ—th 35. Galleyes to spoile the coasts of the Emperor The popes edict against the Emperour Ascendit de mari â—â—tlica bestâ—â— Albertus Behauus the popes one hand The P. threateneth to curse all those that wiâ—h well to the Emperour Otho with diuers other princes of Germany by the popes meane doe forsake the Emperour What great good the oration of Peter de Vineis did in the themperors behalfe The Emperours letter to all prelates to bridle the pope and restraine him of his will MaÌ„ being made of two partes hath two seuâ—rall regiments Gods word and the materiall sworde The Apologie of the Emperor to the popes edict Ascendit de mars c. Antechrist long agone descried to the world by the Emperour The confesion of the Emperours fayth wherof he was accused by the pope The pope vnder pretence of his holines deceiueth simple soules and ignoraÌ„t men The imperiall dignitie spurned at alwayes by the pope The answer of Symonides applyed The Emperor prophesieth of the popes fall The Emperour vtterly reiecteth and the pope and Church of Rome The Emperour calleth a parliament or councell to expresse the popes malice The godly Byshops of Germany are obedient to the kyng and prince The bishops of Germanie excommunicate the popes legate and Cardinall Iouanensis the Byshop a true subiect to his prince The passage of the pope to maintaine the warre against his Lord and maister The pope besiegeth Ferraria The fidelitie of papistes learned by this example The Emperours Gallies chased and one of his ships taken by the pope The Gibellines and Gwelpes from whence they came The pope afraid of the Emperors comming into Italy The Emperour hangeth all the crossed souldiours The Emperour retayneth the Saracens in his warres against the Pope The effect of a letter sent by the Emperour to the princes of Germany No enemy more hurtfull to the Church of God then is the pope The Emperour voweth to remoue the pope and put another more carefull shepheard into the church of God Boiemus relenteth at the Emperours letter The practise of Otho with the pope against the Emperour The Pope rescript â—â—sheth 〈◊〉 matter 〈◊〉 By what meanes Otho attained so great possessions by the Empire his Ancestors The governour of Agrippina reuolteth to the Pope The Emperours great lenitie
Hilman Nic. Hereford and Phil. Repington for not appearing excommunicated Excommunication pronounced by the Archbishop The 12. day of Iuly an 1382. Excommunication to be denounced at Paules crosse The excommunication of Herforde Repington denouÌ„ced at Pauls crosse Xiij day of Iuly anno 1382. Other letters of the Archb. sent to the Châ—â—cellour of Oxford Hitherto no lawe to burne any man for religion The K. circumuented by the archbyshop The first law to be â—â—and practised by the clergy for burning the professours of religion An. 5. R. secâ—ndâ— This statute was made by the clergie without consent or knowledge of the commons Note that this statute was repealed afterwardes at the instance of the commons No vsuall wordes of warrant affixed to thiâ— coÌ„mission The petition of the 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 the fâ—râ—sayd statute The statute repealed The K. ratifieth the repeale The kings letter against the sauorers of Wicklisse The 16. day of Iune and 1302. An other letter of the K. to the Uicechancellor The 13. day of Iuly an 1382. An other sharp letter of K. Rich. sent to Oxford agaynst Wicklirfe and his fellowes The effect of the kings letter briefly comprehended The persons with their bookes to be arested The 14. day of Iuly an 1382. Rob. Rigs Uicechauncellour of Oxford Ni. Herford preaching on the Ascension day defended Wickliffe Repington first ChanoÌ„ of Leicester after B. of Lincolne Repington commensed Doctor Peter Stokes standerd bearer to the papists Notes of the Sermon of Repington The vniuerâ—â—e reioyâ—â—th Whether the Lordes temporall were to be prayed for before the P. and Byshops The Fryer derided and mocked in the scholes Religious â—en first causers of this trouble H. Crompe first an accuser of other after accused himselfe for heresie The kynges letter to the Vicechauncelor and proctors of Oxford Henry Crompe complayneth to the kings counsell of the most secular maisters of Oxford Henry Crompe Peter Stokes Carm. Steuen Packington Carm. restored by the King to their scholasticall actes Herford Repington fled to the Duke of Lancaster Letters of the Archb. to the Vicechancelor Letters of the Archb. to the B. of London Rob. Braybroke B. of London The 14. day of Iuly an 1382. The letter of Rob. Rigges Vicechauncelor to the Archb. The 25. day of Iuly an 1382. Herford Repington repulsed from the Duke of Lancaster The 23. day of October Repington released by the Archb. I. Aisheton reconciled by the Archbishop A parliament summoned The 15. of October 1382. The conuocation of S. Frideâ—â—â—de in Oxford The 18. day of Nouemb. The 19 day of Nouemb. anno 1382. Rob. Rigge displaced from Vicechauncellorship InquisitioÌ„ made at Oxford The 24. day of NoueÌ„b an 1382 The abiuration of Philip Repington Philip â—â—pington aâ—ter hiâ—â—â— iuration â—â—caâ—â— a tâ—â—rible perâ—â—cutor A short time my Lord â—â—â— a maÌ„ in oâ—e for enâ—oâ—e to learne a faith agaâ—â—â— his coÌ„science The abiuâ—ation of Iâ—hâ— Aisheton Ex chron Monast. D. Albans I. Aâ—â—heton The Londiners open the dore where the Archb. â—ate against Ioh. Aisheton Ni. Herford would not appeare N. Herforde appealed from the Archb. Ni. Herford cast in prison Herford escapeth out of prison The cruell letter of the Archb. against Nic. Herford to the kyng This â—s not to seeke againe that which is lost by the rule of Ezechiel Prosopopoia What the kyng might haue aunswered agayne Bishops of Cant appeared not before theyr kyngs and yet they were not persecuted The Epistle of I. Wickliffe to pope Vrbane The true disciples of Christ seeke no honor The Pope occupied so in schismaticall warres that he had no leysure to other matters Difference betweene the Apostles and the Popes in striuing for preeminence Ann. 1383. The Pope set to warre The very fruites of Antichrist Christes passion hath here no place O bloâ—â—ines of Antichrist Ex Chron. Mon. D. Albani in vita Ruâ— â— Waldenus â— tomo de Sacramentis The number of Wicliffes bokes came to 200. volumes Eneas Sylâ—ius The bookes of Wicliffe The Popes riches is but the almes of good meÌ„ Necessitie taketh away thâ— Popes almes Note well the saying here of Bernard The pope must leaue his lordship or els Apostleship let him chuse whether The maner of the Apostles How the pope ought to occupy the Church goods The way to obtaine the kingdome of Christ. I. Cleâ—bon Lewes Clifford Rich. Sturius Tho. Latimer W. Neuell Ioh. Mountegew The Earle of Salisbury The penance of the Earle of Salisbury Tâ—e fruites of gâ—od and true doctrine Ex Chron. Monast. D. Albani Ex tomo operuÌ„ Ioan. Husse fol. vâ—t Great learning ioyned with good life and godlines The bones of Wickliffe were not yet commaÌ„ded by the couÌ„cel of Const. to be burned Ex â— tomo operum I. Hussi fol. vit The testimony and iudgement of M. Iohn Hus concâ—â—ning Iohn Wickliffe Lib. de senâ— su veritate scriptura per l. WickleuuÌ„ True iudgement standeth not vpon number and multitude Burning of bookes proueth not by and by an hereticke A false consequent reproued by I. Chrisostome Iohn Duke of Lancaster defender of I. Wickliffe I. Wickliffe proued no heretick The councell of CoÌ„staÌ„ce against I. Wickliffe The senteÌ„ce of the councell of ConstaÌ„ce against I. Wickliffe The dialoge and trialoge of I. Wickkliffe The bookes of Wickliffe coÌ„demned to be burned Words of authoritie without due probation Aske my fellow if I be a theefe So we hear you say Vnholsome because they teach against the pompe of the pope So thought the souldiours perpetually to keep downe Christ from rising O merueilous sacred Synode Rub a galde horse on the backe and he will winse At Rome c. neither barrell better hearing Though the sepulchre be watched Christ will rise Other articles of Wickliffe to the number of 45. condemned by the councell of Const. W. Wodford Tho. Walden TyssingtoÌ„ writers against I. Wickliffe Articles against Wickliffe by W. Woodford Traâ—â—atus frat W. Wâ—dford conti a trialoguÌ„ Wickleus The whole Vniuersitie is against the iudgement of the doctours which condemned the 45. articles August lib. de doct châ—â— lib. 2. Grego moral lib. 23. Tâ—e 14. article of I. Wickliffe The defeÌ„ce of this 14. Article The preaching of the Gospel coÌ„maunded of God Gregorius Disâ— 44. cap. Siâ— rector The hearing of the word commaunded by God Excommuâ—ication Excommunication double The probation of the first part The Apostles did not obey no wicked inhibition Anacletus Dist. xliiij Hieronimâ—â— ad Râ—sticum If the pope be an heretike the godly Bishops may preach against him Albeit the chief priests be adulterers yet ought the ministers to preach against adultery The example of Christ. The obedience of christian priests towarde their Prelates The power of preaching to edification ought not to ceâ—se The preaching of the Gospell is not to bee left of for al the popeâ— prohibition The second part of the article Meanes necessary vnto saluation are not to be omitted A maÌ„ ought to doe nothing against his conscience The