other articles Of the kingdome of Fraunce Thomas Readon of the order of Carmelites who hauing knowledge of the trueth was by occasion at Rome whereas hée perceiued to be naught els but filthines al maner hypocrisie in steede of perfect holynesse proud paradises in stead of heauenly graces in stead of the feare of God execrable dissolutenes in steade of doctrine idlenesse horrible superstitions in steade of Apopostolicall simplicitie worse then barbarous tyrannie Moreouer it is saide that this good man amongst other thinges was greatly gréeued at the pride and intollerable ambition that hee sawe in them who ought to shew themselues more humble then others séeing in Rome such abhominable thinges as are horrible to be named So that this good man coulde not refraine from speaking against such villanous corruptions albeit that hee knewe well that his admonitions and counsell would not profite much For it perswasions could haue taken place the books of Wicliefe of many others like might haue sufficed The bloude of Iohn Hus and of Hierome of of Prague did still boyle speaking boldly against all those abhominations Then to be briefe nothing could hinder this good man from pursuing that which he had entreprysed but if néede required he was readie to spende his life He gate hatred by his preaching sparing none shewing euery bodie their faults and especially the horrible misdemeanour of the Cardinals Eugenius who was then Pope caused him to be shut vp in prison where hee abode much sorrowe and euils and after great and cruell tortures hee was condemned disgraded and burned quick That was in the yeare 1439. In the Realme of Englande Roger Dule gentleman was hanged and strangled for mainteining the trueth anno 1441. Of the countrey of Ferraria Hierome Sauanarola a monke of the order of Iacobins an excellent man in life and doctrine with certeine of his companions was burned at Florence at the instaunce and by the commaundent of Pope Alexander the sixt in the yeare 1491. The accusations by proces of Sauanarola bee these that hee mainteined the communion vnder both kinds in the supper that he condemned indulgences and vsed to accuse very sharpely the dishonest and infamous life of the Pope and Cardinals That he denyed the primacie of the Pope he taught that the power of the Keyes was not giuen to S. Peter alone Furthermore that the Pope did neither followe the life nor doctrine of Iesus Christ forsomuch as he attributed more to his pardons indulgences and to his owne traditions then hee did to the merite of Iesus Christ and that therefore he was very Antichrist He affirmed also that the excommunications of the Pope were not to be feared Look in the booke of martyrs Some also doe holde opinion that hee composed certaine meditations vpon the fifty Psalme some others It will scarce be possible to gather to a heape all the histories of so many doctours and martyrs of euery estate order condition which the Lord hath raised vp through all regions of the worlde for to teach and preach his holy trueth and which haue béene readie when néede required to shed their bloud rather then to accept the tyrannicall traditions and constitutions of men And considering also that you may haue recourse to diuerse bookes of martyrs c. I will not make any long mention of them In the meane while I haue thought good to note certaine for to shewe a continuall order of good and faithfull doctours and martyrs whome God hath raysed vp in time for to crie out against the horrible misdéeds of men and against their abhominable traditions repugning against his holy will Iohn Goose an Englishman which in this time was vniustly condemned and burnt at the Tower hill 1473. in the moneth of August this wee finde recorded that the saide Iohn being deliuered to Robert Belisoon on of the Shriefes to seacute e him burnt in the after noone the Shriefe like a charitable mā had him home to his house and there exhorted him to denie saith the storie his errours But the godly man after long exhortation hearde desired the Shriefe to be content for he was satissied in his cōscience Notwithstanding he desired the Shriefe for Gods sake to giue him some meate saying that hee was verie sore a hungered Then the shrieffe commaunded him meate whereof he tooke and did eate as he had beene towardes no daunger and saide to such as stoode about him I eate nowe a good competent dinner for I shall passe a little sharpe shower ere I goe to supper And when he had dined he gaue thankes and required that he might shortly be led to the place where he should yeeld vp his spirite to God Ex Polychron Iohannes de Wessalia who florished in the yeare 1476. was complained vppon vnto Dietherus the Archhishop of Mentz by the Thomistes vppon certaine Ariicles and opinions gathered out of his bookes which are as followeth That all men bee saued fréely and through méere grace by faith in Christ frée will to be nothing Only that we should beléeue the worde of God and not the glose of any man or fathers That the worde of God is to bee expounded by the collations of one place with an other That mens traditions as fastinges pardons feastes long prayers peregrinations and such like are to be reiected Extreme vnction and confirmation to be reproued confession and satisfaction to be reprehended The primacie of the Pope also he affirmed to be nothing Certaine other articles also were gathered out of him by his aduersaries but in such sort that they may séeme to follow their owne malicious gathering rather then any true intelligence of his minde Ex Munstero Weselus Groningensis who was in the yeare of our Lord 1480. a famous and learned man borne in Phrisia he was so notable and so worthie a man that of the people he was called Lux mundi that is the light of the worlde Concerning his doctrine first he reprehended the opinion of the Papistes as touching repentance which they deuided in three partes of the which thrée partes satisfaction and confession he did disalowe Like wise purgatorie and supererogation of works pardons he did disproue both at Rome and at Paris He speake against the Popes indulgences by the occasion whereof diuers of the Popes Court persuaded by him beganne to speake more fréely against the same matter then he himselfe had done The abuses of Masses and praying for the deade he disalowed and likewise the supremacie of the Pope he vtterly reiected Item that the precepts and commandements of the Pope and prelates be no otherwise but as the Councels precepts of Phisitions binding no further then they are founde to be holesome and standing with the truth of the worde of God Item that the Pope can commaunde no man vnder payne of deadly sinne except God commaund him before he saith that the keyes of the Pope and the Prelates be not such wherewith they open the kingdome of heauen but
A TESTIMONIE OF THE TRVE Church of God CONFJRMED AS WELL BY THE DOCTRINE AS LIVES OF SVNDRY HOLY MEN BOTH PATRIARKES AND PROPHETES AND ALSO BY THE APOSTLES AND THEIR TRVE SVCCESSOVRS WHEREIN IS MANIFESTLY SHEWED HOW THAT GOD hath in all ages raysed vp some yea euen in most horrible darkenesse which haue beene faithfull Stewards and true dispencers of his will with a Catalogue of their names TRANSLATED OVT OF French by William Phiston AT LONDON Printed by H.M. for Thomas Charde at the signe of the Helmet in Pauls Church yarde TO THE WORTHIE AND RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. A. Nowell Deane of Paules William Phiston wisheth the enioying of all true felicitie IF that Philosophie which is but an obscure and vnperfect knowledge of things naturall and morall hath beene so highly esteemed amongest the Paganes not onely with those nations which were holden for ciuil and best gouerned but also with those of the barbarous sorte like as witnesseth Diogenes Laertius writing of the liues and sentences of Philosophers that the Persians had their Magi the Babylonians Assyrians their Chaldaei the Indians their Gymnosophistae the Gaules their Druidae whiche were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whome these nations honoured and held for their knowledge in great price why shoulde not we much rather who liue not onely vnder a verie temperate Climate and are a nation not onely accounted amongest those which are called ciuill but whereas Philosophie I meane not that of thinges naturall or morall such as was vsed and esteemed among the heathen but whereas the Christian and verie true Philosophie is professed all abroade and of some I doubt not imbraced reuerently esteeme the memorie of such as bee or haue beene wise philosophers and profounde expositours and instructers of the true deuine and right spirituall and heauenly knowledge which doctrine we ought withall earnest diligence to seke and with most ioyfull heartes to imbrace chiefely for the excellencie there of which is exceeding all humane science as far as the heauen is distant from the earth and also in respecte of our owne benefite because it maketh vs partakers of the verie diuine and spirituall knowledge of Gods omnipotent goodnesse shewing vs the way to eternall felicitie for which doctrine spiritual philosophie our profit receiued thereby although we ought to attribute the whole and chiefest glorie and thankes vnto God alone the onely author thereof yet it will be profitable to register imperpetuall memorie the names of some godly setters foorth of the saide trueth whose memoriall may serue to incite others to follow the like zeale godly vertues not that they shuld be estemed Gods to haue won heauen with their merites after the iudgement of heathen infidels nor yet to be prayed vnto for as Caluin truely reporteth God alone will haue the seignieure and will be exalted in his people as indeed of right he is most worthie in asmuch as he is the Lorde of all and our onely benefactor and patrone In consideration whereof I haue demed it not amisse right worthie and worshipfull to be cause of publishing this present discourse partly to the end that such as haue not either monie at wil to buy it or not sufficient laysure to reade ouer M. Foxe his booke of Martyres would willingly seek for the antiquitie of the same faith and religion that true Christians nowe holde and imbrace may haue for a small price wherein to find the same somewhat effectually and partly for that men may see howe that in other realmes whereas great persecution and tyrannies haue beene begonne and cruelly executed and especially in the countries of Allemaigne France yet vnto this day many do resist against as their forefathers haue some in all ages done withstand the rage of Antichrist and his hirelings that notwithstanding the vprors caused in France of late yeares with the great effusion of bloud moued by Sathan against the flocke of Christ besids the innumerable multitude of other valiant souldiars and professours of Christes trueth some haue maugre the heard of Gods enemies published the worthie gestes of Gods true seruants through al ages to the encouraging of their godly successours to the opprobrie condemnation of the wicked as may appeare by Iohn Crespin others mētroned in this present discours Which discourse I haue thought good to offer vnto your worship as to a true patron of godlines vertue beseching you to accept herein of my simple good will Tui obseruantiss W. Ph. SIMON DE VOYON TO ALL THOSE THAT DESIRE TO BE OF THE SAME CHVRCH AND TRVE RELIGION OF GOD THE which hath beene from the beginning of the world and shall be for euermore health and peace through our Lord Iesus Christ ALbeit that many good and learned men haue made mention in their books of the doctors of the Church of God yet I haue ben of this opinion that it will not be a thing vnprofitable at this present to publish vp̄o the like matter this present discourse being collected out of diuerse authours and compiled in one after the manner and fashion that you see deeming that it will be profitable to many who haue not leasure at wil to read much to see hereby vnderstand of a continuall order of good doctors wh̄o God hath raysed vp from the beginning of the world vntil this present time how God hath euerlastingly collected for himselfe a perpetuall Church through the word of the gospell from this masse of sinne that is to say of men amongest wh̄o the gospel which we heare at this present hath at all times shinned in the middest of most thicke darkenesse And hereby we may see and vnderstand that there neuer hath ben any maner of religon neither can be which hath continued so long and hath had such efficacie and vertue so continuall an order such and so wonderful a doctrine conteined in the holy scriptures as hath the Church of God had the which like as shall be shewed in the discourse following God himself hath minded euer since the beginning of the worlde to teach declare by the voice of his own son after that he hath sēt his doctrin before by the ministerie of the holy fathers Patriarches Prophetes Gouernours Priestes and Apostles and lastly hath conserued the same by a singular grace and goodnesse vntil this present time through faithfull Bishops and good pastours and doctours of the Church of God being sent frō time to time and still placed in the roumes of others their predecessours the which same shal be conserued also defended by a singular grace and goodnes of God euen vnto the glorious comming of his sonne our lord Iesus Christ And thus seing that God himselfe hath established blished and ordeined the ministery of his word which we at this present do follow we nede not to dout but that he doth and will alwaies mainteine the same as may easily be vnderstoode by the effectes of all tymes For
the office vppon him and then the Emperour gaue thankes vnto God for that he had called this man from the gouernement of bodies vnto gouerning of soules Such was the election of the Bishoppes by the people Then within a while after Iustine hauing drawen his sonne Valentinian into his errour assayed to haue allured Ambrose also thereto but it was in vaine And albeit that one day a bande of soldiars did beset the temple for to make Ambrose come out he not withstanding was constant and made them a Bishoplike aunswere saying vnto thē that hee woulde not not so easily depart from that place neither that he would leaue the flocke vnto the power of Wolues nor yet the Temple vnto blasphemers That and if they were purposed to kill him they should doe it within the Temple and that hee woulde bee content to dye Looke Theodor. lib. 5. Chap. 3. 93 Vigilantius Bishop of Barcelon in Spaine was in the raigne of Theodosius the Emperour he stoode in defence against the idolatrie and worshipping of the bodies of Martyrs like as S. Hierome writing to Riparius maketh sufficient demonstration and saith that whilest we liue we should pray one for another but after that wee be deade our prayers cannot be hearde Moreouer he saide The commaundement of continencie or to abstaine from mariage is heresie and the séede of whooredome 94 In the yeare 380. was Appollinaire of Laodicia Bishop of Syria who wrote thirtie bookes against the madnesse of Porphirie and as Suidas saith hee translated into Heroick verses the most parte of the Hebrewe writings Some doe hold opinion that he did the like also with the Psalmes 95 In the yeare after the natinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ 390. was sainct Hierome the sonne of one named Eusebius of the citie of Stridon who made many bookes homilyes and commentaries vpon the holy Byble whose translation thereuppon we haue vntill this present time He dyed when he was 91. yeares olde The debate that was then betwixt Hierome and the aforenamed Vigilantius bishop of Barcelon in Spaine sheweth the superstition began long before Of which matter we may sée ynough how Vigilantius and other good Doctours of that time auouched that the adoration of the Saincts was drawne from the superstition of the Paganes In that time were also Seuerien who aboue all other things is praysed vnto the people because of his eloquence and worthie sermons made vnto the people also Theodorus a Moncke Lucian a Priest of Ierusalem Martin bishop of Tours and Seuerus Sulpitius 96 About the yeare 402. after the natiuity of our Lorde Iesus and in the reigne of Arcadus and Honorus Emperours was Chrisostome borne at Antioche the disciple of Libanus the Philosopher he was an Auditor of Andragatius the Philosopher who forsooke the estate of an aduocate and followed Euagrius with his other two companions Theodosius and Maximius who were afterwarde bishops after that they had profited well in the holy scriptures in the Monasteries For in those dayes the Monasteries were common schooles and the Abbots or Priours that were presidents there did teach publyckely the holy scriptures Chrisostome was bolde and free in rebuking sinnes especially in his publicke sermons and for that cause was he hated of the Cleargie He withstoode Gainas who requested of the Emperour that he might obtaine a Temple at Constantinople for his people Looke Hist tripar lib. 10. Chapt. 6 Whoso list to sée the life of Chrisostome Palladius hath composed it 97 S. Augustine was Bishoppe of Hippo and was raysed vp by the power of God for to refute the errours aswell of the Manichees as of the Pelagians who saide that Adam hurt onely but himselfe in sinning nothing his successours Then Sathan by this subtility made them thorow cloaking their disease to be incurable But heretikes being vanquished by manifest testimonies of the holy scripture that sinne was descended from the first man into all his posteritie they cauelled that it was descended by imitation and not by generation Wherefore the holy men of that time and amongst the rest S. Auguistine was forced to shewe howe that we are not corrupted by the wickednes which we drawe from others by example but that we bring our peruersitie euen from our mothers wombe Furthermore whereas they sayed that we are not iustified by the mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ without our owne merites and that by our owne workes and naturall vertues wee doe purchase true and entyre iustice before God It doeth appeare howe Saint Augustine shewed that by faith alone we bee iustified forasmuch as faith doth imbrace him that iustifieth to wit CHRIST our LORD with whome it vniteth and conioyneth vs in such sort that we be made partakers of him and of all the goods that hee hath and that all good workes ought to come thereof that is to say of Iesus dwelling in vs by the frée force and efficacie whereof we begin to will that which is good and to apply our selues thereto Nowe in what price and estimation we shoulde holde the bookes of Saint Augustine the reader may sufficiently discerne He dyed being 76. yeres of age in the time whē the citie of which he was bishop that is to say Hippo was besieged by the Vandales He gouerned the said Church 40 yeares Whoso will sée his life Possidonius hath written it 98 Vnder the Emperour Theodosius the yonger about the yeare 430. after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus there were gouernours in the Church these good men Possidonius of Affrica Bishoppe of Calme Celestine Bishop of Rome who sent Palladius a Grecian and Patricius into Scotland Ireland for to preach the faith He sent also into England Saint Germaine Bishoppe of Auxerre againste the heresie of the Pelagians He ordeined that no shoulde not medle in the parish of an other Also that no Bishop shoulde be elected contrarie to the will of the people but that the consent both of the cleargie and of the people should be required The Church in that time was gretly troubled specially in Affrica the chiefest men of the church were sent to exile martyred by Gensericus king of Vandales Moreouer in that time was holden the councell at Ephesus in the which was Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria chiefe Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople was condempned by two hundred Bishops who forged two persons in Iesus Christ the one of man and the other of God and he coulde not abyde that men should call the Virgin Marie the Mother of God by communication of properties This councell was holden in the tenth yeare of Theodosius the yonger and in the yeare after the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus 437. 99 Sedulius Possidonius Sozenus Socrates and Theodoritus were also in the time aboue named who set downe in writing the Churche matters Cassiodor us also made a briefe collection of their bookes and of the bookes of Theodorite the whiche haue bene chaunged by Epiphanius a schooler and he of these thrée hath made one
of Bohemia bishop of Prague went to Pannonia for to preach the faith and baptised the king of Hungaria From whence he went to Prusia whereas he was martyred 119 In the raigne of Henrie the seconde of that name Duke of Bauiere who obtained the Empire by election in the yeare 1005. Burchardus firste a Monke of Lob disciple of Albert afore mentioned was bishop of Wormes he compiled the old canons which afterward were abridged by Gratian or rather corrupted as it may easily be iudged in conferring the one with the other Rhenanus in his annotations vpon Tertullian 120 In the raigne of Henrie the thirde of that name and in the yeare 1039. lyued Berengarius a Doctour borne at Tours Archedeacon of Angres who maintained the opinion of the foresaid Iohannes Scotus and Bertran concerning the Eucharistie And in the yeare of Christ 1051. Pope Leo assēbled a councell at Verseill whereas was first handled the opinion of Transubstantiation albeit that this worde had beene inuented not long afore and there was condemned the opinion of Iohannes Scotus and Bertran Berengarius appeared not at the saide councel but sent thither two clearkes and as they went about to excuse Berengarius and to shewe reasons therefore they were beaten with fistes and put in prison Looke howe Decolampadius reasoneth therabout Arnulphus Archbishop of Lugdune Liued in the time of Honorius the seconde 1127. as writeth Hugo Platina Sabellicus He was a man learned zealous and of great deuotion and a worthie preacher he came to Rome in his preaching he rebuked the dissolute and Lasciuious losenes incontinencie auarice and immoderate prid of the cleargie procuring all to followe Christe and his Apostles in pouertie rather and purenes of life By reason whereof this man was well accepted and highly liked of the nobilitie of Rome for a true disciple of Christe but of the Cardinals and the cleargie no lesse hated then fauoured of the other In so much that proudly in the night season they tooke him and destroyed him This his Martyrdome sayth he was reuealed to him before from God by an Angell he béeing in the desert when hée was sent foorth to preach wherevppon he saide to them publikely with these wordes I knowe sayth he ye séeke my life and knowe ye will make me a way priuely But why because I preach to you the trueth and blame your pride stoutnes auarice incontinencie with your vnmeasurable gréedines in getting and heaping vp riches Therefore be you displeased with me I take héere heauen and earth to witnesse that I haue preached to you that I was cōmanded of the Lord. but you contemne me your creatour who by his onely sonne hath redéemed you and no maruell if ye séeke my death being a sinfull person preaching to you the trueth when as if S. Peter were here this day and rebuked your vices which doe so multiply aboue all measure you woulde not spare him neyther And as he was expressing this with a loude voyce he saide moreouer for my part I am not afraide of death for the truths sake but this I say to you that God will looke vppon your iniquities and will be reuenged you being full of all impuritie play the blinde guides to the people committed to you leading them the way to hell A God hee is of reuengeance Thus the hatred of the cleargie being incensed against him for preaching the trueth conspired against him and laying priuie waite for him tooke him and drowned him Sabellicus and Platina saith they hanged him Diuerse and sundry articles he held which are set downe in the two volumes of the generall Councels 121 About the yeare of our Lorde 1110. Sigebert florished who as it may well appeare was a verie expert man like as his Chronicle yeeldeth testimonie In the yeare 1126. Hugo of the Saxon nation and surnamed of saint Victor the diuine of Paris was in that time at Paris Amongest his writings are founde many complaintes against the disorders of the Clearkes in his time 122 Bernard first Abbot of Claireuaux a Burgonion borne flourished about the yeare 1140. By the writings of S. Bernard we may knowe how that in that time miserably corrupted he stroue against the impietie of the Pops and Churchmen Look his sermon 67. he calleth them the ministers of Antichrist in the sermon 57. to Pope Eugenius and in the sermon 33. vpon the Canticles he saith oftentimes how that the prelates are become Pilates He reproued Eugenius because he letting alone the word of God aduanced mans traditions Hugo a Cardinall in his postille vppon Saint Iohn alleageth that S. Bernarde saith in a certain place thus It séemeth O good Iesus that all the vniuersitie of Christians professed haue conspired against thee and that those be chiefest of the conspiration which do obtaine the prymacy in thy church About the end of his days he declared sufficiently that he knewe perfectly the true doctrine of iustification through Iesus Christ whom alone he had for his refuge casting aside all other holynes and righteousnes His writing do yéeld certeine testimony of him he died being 63. yeares olde Nauel 123 Iohn of Saresburie Bishoppe of Chartres was in the yeare 1157. Who sharply withstoode the wickednes of the Popes and of the Cleargie He wrote a booke intytuled Obiurgatorium Cleric In his booke intituled Policraticus he saith thus In the Romishe Churche be set the Scribes and Pharisées lading the shoulders of men with importable burthens The highe prieste is heauy to all men yea wholly importable and past the strength of man to beare His legates doe so disperse themselues abroade as if sathan were come out frō the presence of the Lord for to torment the Churche Iudgment against the people none other thinge but a verie marchandise They tustifie the wicked for golde and siluer and delight in matters that are vngodly They eate the sinnes of the people they be therwith clothed norished in all excesse whereas the true worshippers do worshippe the Lorde in spirite He that sticketh not vnto their doctrine is eyther iudged an heritike or a schysmatike c. There haue béen oftentimes good doctors in the Churche but they durst not say nor write all that which was néedefull In a booke intituled Speculum it is saide that this good Bishop Iohn amongst other complaintes hath somtimes ben heard say vnto Pope Adrian the fourth with whome he was very familiar on this wise That the Pope hath beene truely called a sernaunt of seruauntes because hee serued the Romaines that were seruantes to auarice The saide Pope Adrian sometimes woulde say vnto the saide Bishop Iohn That many Popes did succede rather Romulus in murthers and parricides then saint Peter in feading the flockes 124 In the yeare 1127. and in the raigne of Friderike Barberosse the Emperour Arnolde bishoppe of Bixta stode in contention against the administration of ciuill matters of the temporall sword which the cleargie had vsurped And therefore R. Barns saith that
this vice was most daungerous of all others wherewithal the Church was wholly infected He stoode against the orders of monkes and especially the begging sort accusing and blaming them for because they troubled the Churches he alleaged testimonies out the scriptures which made mention of Antichrist and of his adherents and applying it vnto the time present he proued by thirtie nine tokens that the begging Fryers were false Apostles Hee expounded this place of the holy Gospell If thou wilt be perfect go and sell all that thou hast c. Matt. 19. Chap. vers 11. Whereupon the begging fryers doe founde their order and hee gaue to note that this place is not vnderstoode of actuall pouerty as the sophisters doe argue but in habituall that is to say that Iesus Christ demaundeth of vs not that we should cast away and rid off that we haue but that we shoulde be readie whensoeuer the confession of the name of God and the glorie of Iesus Christ shall require to abandon not onely that which we possesse but our owne soule and not onely as it is declared in S. Luke Chap. 14. vers 26. to forsake father and mother yea to hate both them and our owne liues in respect thereof To conclude Iesus Christ wolde that we should forsake all when the confession of the trueth do require Mathew Paris an english historiographer wryteth that in the same time there was greate contention in the vniuersitie of Paris againste the monkes who by multitudes woulde oppugne and beate downe all that they lusted hauing forged a new booke full of errours and blasphemies the which they had renued and intituled Euangelium Aeternum that is to say the euerlasting Gospell which booke they woulde haue published abroade Then for to appease this tumult there were sixe appoynted out of the schole who were at that time the most famous in al the vniuersity amongst whom was Guil. de sanct Amour for to sende vnto Rome to the Pope and to shewe the insolencie and blasphemy of the monkes The monks sent also on their partes and after great contention their errours touching their eternall Gospell was condemned But the Pope with certaine Cardinals and Monkes did not represse the tyranny of these begging monks writing that it was greatly néedefull that such souldiars shoulde become most mightie all abroade These bee the very wordes of Matthew Paris who was in the same time There is also a booke founde to haue bene written in the same time intituled de periculis mundi that is to say of the daungers of the world which the papists attributed to Guillame de sainct Amour making him onely of this opinion but it appeareth to haue béene written by many and conteineth the complaints against this new vermin of monks with an aduertisement to the Church that great euils will come thereby The saide sainct Amour was condemned for an heretike wherevpon rose great adoe betwéene the scholars of Paris but for fulfilling of the Popes commaundement M. William was banished out of Fraunce Some holde opinion that certaine of his bookes are vntill this present day in the lybrarie of Sorbona and many other Doctours haue written the like To conclude we sée that albeit the trueth is dayly reiected and banished yet notwithstanding it groweth vp euery day more and more in time and place For what though it be reiected and banished neuerthelesse for al the great bulwarks that can be deuised against it they can in no wise hinder but that the trueth will shine yea in the middest of the most profounde and thicke darkenesse in the tempests and outrages of our time Wherevppon wee must acknowledge that it is no humaine worke for that it seemeth feble but that it is of God who in his time will bestowe on vs so singular a grace benefite 129 Laurence an Englishe man a doctour of Paris in the yeare 1275. mainteined the opinion of M. Guillam de saint Amour and wrote agaist the Monks one booke containing an admonition to beware of false prophetes and one other booke by which he defendeth the foresaide saint Amour The booke that these Monkes had set foorth afore of the eternall and spirituall Gospell was burned openly and for to couer their filthines and impudencie they made the people beléeue that a certaine monke who was deade long afore had composed the same Petrus Iohannes was about the yeare of our Lorde 1290. which taught and maintained manie thinges against the Pope prouing that he was Antichrist and that the sinagogue of Rome was great Babylon He wrote vppon Mathew vppon the Epistles and vpon the Apocalyps Mention of this Petrus Iohannes is made in Nicho. Emericus in lib. Inquisitionum c. And because the Pope coulde not burne him aliue afore his death he caused his bones to be taken vp and burned Robertus Gillus who being borne of a right noble parentage for deuotion sake was made a Dominicke frier about the same yeare of our Lorde 1290. This man as appeareth by his visions and the prophetie of Hildegardis his visiōs all tend against the spiritualtie of Rome Where in the fift chapter he calleth plainly the Pope an Idole which hauing eyes seeth not neither lusteth to sée the abhominations of his people nor the excessiue enormitie of their voluptuosnes But onely to sée to heaping vp of his treasure and hauing a mouth speaketh not but saith I haue set good men ouer them whiche is sufficient for me to doe them good either by my selfe or by some other And it followeth in the same Chapter woe be to that Idole woe be to the mightie and proude who shall be equall in earth to that Idole He hath exalted vp his name in earth saying who shall bring me vnder Is not my house compared with mightie potentates of the land I am higher then Emperours kings or princes knightes on their horse backe do seruice vnto me That which my fathers had not before me that haue I done to me c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certaine chronicle is declared how God would punish the simonie and auarice of the cleargie with such plague that riuers shoulde runne with bloud c. It is said that there is remaining a gret volume of his visions which are not yet abroade for those which are extant are but a briefe extract out of his visions and reuelations Dante 's an Italian writer a Florentin liued in the time of Lodouicus the Emperour in the yeare 1300. and tooke parte with Marsilius Patauinus against thrée sortes of men which he said were enemies to the trueth That is the Pope Secondly the order of religious men which count themselues the children of the Church when they are children of the diuell their father Thirdly the doctors of decrées and decretals Certaine of his writinges be extant abroade wherein hee proueth the Pope not to be aboue the Emperor nor to haue any right or iurisdiction in the empire He refused the donation of Constantine to be
of the supper the accidents be not without the subiect that is to say that the whitenesse and roundnesse of the breade be not without the bread to wit that contrary to transubstantion which the priests haue forged the breade abideth bread and the wine contynueth in the proper substance Moreouer the conclusions proposed by him at the towne of Lambeth be these If that any Princes or Lordes or any others haue made any donations vnto the mynisters of the Church there is therin a secreate condition to wit that God shoulde be honoured and that the faithfull should be edified And if this condition ceasse then they may take away from wicked pastours that which they had giuen them any excommunication or other whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding That if these dealinges of men were let alone the cleargie which were of couetous persons will bring all the world into their hands Also that the Pope may lawfully be reproued by those whom he kéepeth in obedience vnder him and that for the vtilitie of the Church he may be accused both of the clearks and lay people That the Pope as great a Lord as he reporteth himselfe to be must thinke that he is a brother vnto others and that if he sinne he ought to be brotherly corrected and heare corrections brotherly And when as by the holy scripture his heresie or errour is shewed him he ought not to be obstinate And by many other conclusions he shewed euidently the abuse of the Pope and of the cleargy and how that their possessions of so great reuenewes be vniust To conclude he was assaulted by many and amongest others the begging monkes who rose against him by greate flockes But the Lorde gaue him for a protectour the Kinge Edwarde vnder whose raigne he had some lybertie to speake the truth Richarde the successour of the said Edwarde persecuted and banished him Within a while after he was called again from banishment and returned vnto the parrishe of whiche he was pastour and there like a lustie champion of the Lorde he aboade alwayes constant euen vntill the death he died in the yeare of our Lorde 1388. fortie and one yeares after his death he was digged vp againe by the commandement of the Pope and his bones were burned and the ashes thereof cast into the water but Iesus Christ dieth not in his faithful ones vse the tyrants what cruelty they can He composed many bookes the which were burned in the citie of Oxenford in the yere 1410. there be certaine notwithstanding reserued still for to declare that God hath alwayes some faithfull seruantes who doe resist the errours of the world Amongest his writinges there is an Epistle which he sent to Pope Vrbane He that woulde sée more at large of him and of his historie let him looke in the booke of Martyrs 134 In the persecution raysed vp against Wiclief and in the yere 1400. Sautree a priest imbraced with zeale of true pure religion craued and requested in the ful Parliament the audience might be granted him for the cōmon profit of all the Realme Then albeit that his request was honest and ciuill and that he gaue to vnderstande that he coulde bring great profite yet he was not hearde for the bishops perceiuing that he came caused him to be attached of heresie and for the seauen articles condemned disgraded and burned him Looke Fabius in his Chronicles and Iohn Crespin in the booke of martyrs William Thorpe an Englishman was also a valiant martyre of our Lorde Iesus Christ He sustayned great assaultes of many prelats of of the Church of Rome without forsaking his vocation which was to instruct the people according to the pure word of God And therefore he woulde not agrée to preach the superstitions and humaine inuentions which he declared to be contrarie to the institution of the holy scriptures he was condemned hauing yeelded a testimonie of his faith Nowe of many pointes well worth the noting vpon the interrogations propounded to him I will recite for to auoyde great prolixitie one onely that is that he being demaunded of the Archbishop of Canterburie primate of Englande and Chauncelour of the whole Realme what the Church did signifie he answered that it is Iesus Christe and the companie of saincts Which thing the said Archbishop confessed to be true in respect of heauen but he demaunded further what the Church was here below on earth It is deuided into two partes answered the said Williā Thorp the one of the two parts which is the better hath obtained victorie ouer the enemies and triumpheth nowe with Christe in great ioy the other part fighteth here still on earth by the sworde of faith against the continuall bulwarkes of Sathan of the fleshe and of the worlde There is no strength so violent no pompe so proud no fire of afflictions and persecutions so burning no tyrannie so cruel no reasons of Doctours so discording nor opinions so diuerse which can withdrawe them from the right rule of faith and of the holy scriptures For they be fortyfied by the worde of God in Christ and firmely stablished as vppon a sure rocke that can not be remoued Looke Iohn Crespin in his booke of martyrs Within a while after the death of Iohn Wiclief there arose greate persecution in Englande against the faithfull for the truth of the Gospell which then began to take déepe rooting The worthiest men in the Realme were not then spared the lord Cobham a knight of the order one of the peeres of England was there apprehended but he was executed after these that we nowe speake off And therefore according to the order of time we will hereafter speake of him more at large for he was an excellent martyr of our Lorde Iesus Christ King Henrie then by publike ordinaunce made an edicte and set foorth through the persuasions of the bishoppes and prelates terrible punishmentes for all them that should follow the doctrine of Wicliefe vsing so great seueritie against them that he helde them not onely for heretikes but also as guiltie of treason And for this cause it was ordeined that they should be punished with two sortes of punishmentes that is that they should be both hanged and burned and there was neither fréedome nor any priuiledge whereby they coulde enioye profite so maliciously were they bente againste the faithfull séeking all meanes againste them and in that time they called al them Wicleffians who read the scriptures in the vulgar tongue and which made their assemblies in secrete places in the darke preaching in woodes and bushes Then the Bishops being armed with this edicte of the king exercised great tyrannie against manie good people and many poore innocentes and amongest other against Roger Acton a knight of the order and a true nobleman adorned with great vertues he abhorred the wicked traditions of the Pope had his affections withdrawen from him and from all his assistants For that cause it is reported that he was hated amongest the