Dominic was caried by the neighbors into the church in his tender yeeres to be put in a diuine office there was he left 5. From that time vntill the time of his youth we finde nothing authentically of the Lord saue onely that he increased in age as being true man in wisedome and fauor with God and men but this outwardly But Dominic did not onely increase in bodie but also in mind effectually 6. When the Lord was baptised by Iohn in Iordan the holie Ghost came downe in a doue vpon him to betoken the fulnes of grace and he went into the wildernes When Dominic saw the famine increase in all parts of Spaine and saw also that there were many that were in necessitie and that they had no comforter in feruencie of spirit he sold his bookes and stuffe and dispersed and gaue the price thereof to the poore and newly and apparently replenished as it were with the holie Ghost he did streightway betake himselfe to the rule vnder Didacus the bishop as another baptisme and spiritual desert sequestred from pleasures and worldly vanities 7. The Lord doth afterward gather togither a few disciples and in a short space multiplieth them sending them two and two to preach the kingdome of God Dominic taking with him but a few to lead a religious life had afterward a great number whom he appointed to preach the Gospell and to heale the sick 8. The Lord chose pouertie in himselfe and in his Apostles but he had bags to keepe those things that the faithfull did giue and these did Iudas carie but Dominic was a true louer of pouertie and exhorted his brethren to the same 9. The Lord when he led his disciples they were so hungrie that passing through the fields they plucked the eares of the corne they rubbed them in their hands to eate them and when it was now noone being wearie of his iournie he sent them into Sychar to buy meate and they eate therof by chance sometimes with vnwashen hands Touching the qualitie of the meate it is verily beleeued that they did eate no flesh but the Paschal lamb for the keeping of the law The patriarke Dominic who spent sometimes the whole Lent not onelie without meate but also without bread and water did moderate this sharpnes in his disciples giuing them leaue to drink wine and to eate white meates 10. Peraduenture some man will saie that it agreeth not with the similitude that the Lord said to his disciples Neither shall you haue shooes on your feete whereas notwithstanding Dominic and his go shod when they go abroad But we must know that that was a commandement during but for a time for which he granted a dispensation at his last supper For we may see that both the Lord did weare shooes in that which the Baptist saith whose shoo latchet I am not worthy to loose and also it was said to Peter in the Acts Take thine hose vnlesse some man say that he did weare hose but no shooes which was not commonly used And Marke a good imitator of him gaue a cobler his shoo to mende when it was broken So that the Lorde and his disciples went sometimes shod sometimes barefoote And so Dominic was shod when he was in cities but in his iourney he was oftentimes barefoote 11. When the Lorde was borne none other person but his owne mother Marie the virgin did wrap him in swadling clouts and when he was growne vp his mother hir-selfe with hir owne hands woue him his coate without seame and his other garments but of what colour it was we finde not namely least if it were knowne false prophets should weare the like and so should not be knowne to be rauening woolues The most blessed virgine Marie shewed Dominic and his order what apparell they should weare and also the colour thereof For she appeered to S. Raynold when he was sore sicke and healed him shewing him the garment which S. Dominic and his sonnes should weare namelie a great cope and a coat with a cowle al white 12. The Lord and Dominic being both virgins in mind and bodie and verie humble as the scripture doth witnes so Dominic was a most pure virgin and verie humble 13. Dominic as also Christ did not possesse his owne bed scarce resting his bodie on the grounde after his flood of teares 14. The Lords praier was alwaies heard when he would for which cause he said to the father I knewe that thou hearest me alwaies for though he were not heard in the garden when he praied that the cup might be taken from him this came to passe therefore bicause in asmuch he asked according to sensualitie he would not be heard according to reason But Dominic tolde a certaine religious man in the Lords words who was verie familiar with him that he did neuer ask any thing of God but he did obtaine it according to his desire 15. The Lord by his owne example did dedicate his Apostles to a mixed life that is a contemplatiue and actiue in preaching the virgin his mother and Magdalene to a contemplatiue For Marie stood at the feet of the Lord and heard his word Lu. 10. But Martha and the other women to an actiue So the Patriark Dominic like to another Noe made the arke of his religion which was made of wood glued togither with the morter of charitie hauing three roofes or loftes Placing his brethren togither with him in one to beholde heauenly things and to preach the mysteries of saluation taking to him the nunnes that were shut vp to contemplation in the second applying both men and women to the actiue life and in the thirde mansion bestowing the brethren and sisters which were called of the repentance of Iesus or the warrefare of Iesus Christ. 16. There departed 72. disciples from Christ being offended at the doctrine of Christ which they vnderstood not who when they departed Christ asked those that remained with him will you also depart But Peter answered in the name of them all Lord to whom shal we go And S. Dominic when he had with him some disciples being one day tempted they departed from him onely there staied three behinde to which Dominic also said will you also depart To whom one made answere God forbid father that forsaking the head we follow the feet At length as the disciples of Christ which went away returned to him againe so also the disciples of Dominic returned to him through his praier 17. The Lord did valiantly beare euen vntill death many mockes slanders and persecutions of those that sought to intrap him in his words sometimes to stone him somtimes to breake his necke Dominic did not regard scoffings reproches speakings against so that one did bind stubble vpon his back in mockerie others did cast dirt and other vile things at him 18. The Lord loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood And Dominic being not void of the perfection of charitie did bestow the
sentence Giuen at Rome the fift of the Ides of Septemb. Anno 1585. Psalm 109. O Lord they shall curse and thou wilt blesse those which shall rise against me shall bee confounded but thy seruant shall reioice THE BRVTISH THVNDERBOLT of Pope SIXTVS the fift against HENRIE the most noble King of Nauarre and the most excellent HENRIE BORBON Prince of Condie Togither with the protestation and declaration of the manifold nullitie or inualiditie of the same WHeras of late there was a declaration pronoūced by Pope SIXTVS the fift of that name being a Franciscan Frier and it was shortly after published and printed that Henrie the most noble King of Nauarre and also Henrie Borbon the most excellent Prince of Condie should first be excommunicate as notorious heretiks from among Christians and also that they should be put from their empires honors and al dignities and principally from hope of succéeding in the kingdome of France secondly that their subiects and vassals should be absolued from the oth of alleageance wherewith they were bound to them last of al that they shuld be set vpon by force sword arms and camps by the most mightie king of France the most excellent and noble Princes aforesaid haue thus protested touching that matter that with the good leaue of all Catholikes and without anie hurt of the cōcord of both religions which the same princes do greatly desire to be kept intire in France that proscription or declaration of the pope being a Franciscan Frier was pronounced published diuulgate against all lawes diuine and humane and that for that cause it is in law none and to be accounted for none that all that furious curse is nothing but a brutish thunderbolt of the Romane papacie whose force is friuolous vain and of none account that principally for fower causes namely for the incompetencie of the rash iudge the falsenes of the allegation the want of iudiciall order and for the foolishnes of the forme wherein it is written wherof we wil héerafter intreat in the same order wherein they are set downe Of the incompetencie or insufficiencie of the iudge THerefore the first cause of Nullitie is the incompetencie of a rash iudge which appéereth therby bicause the papacie of Rome which hath taken this iudgement vpon it against so great princes hath long ago béene condemned for seuen most grieuous crimes by the most part of Christendome namely England Scotland Denmarke Sweueland the most part of Germanie and also the most part of Heluetia namely for impietie for exercising tyrannie in the Church for corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie And it is certaine that although the popedome had not béene condemned for so great crimes but had béene onelie found guiltie yet notwithstanding I do not saie that it is not lawful for it to be a iudge but not so much as to accuse the basest or simplest man of anie crime of offence vntill it haue fitly purged it selfe of all crimes so far off is it that in this so great a state of matters the pope can condemne so great and so famous and mightie princes of so great wickednes especially being vnheard and before their cause is tried a l. neganda 19. c. de publ iudic Which the Canonists themselues doe teach b 4. quaest 1. c. 1. 25. q. 1. c. omnes 24. q. 1. ca. ait duobus cap. seqq And which more is séeing in this cause of the foresaid princes the matter and state of the paparie it selfe is handled none either ciuill or natural reason doth suffer the pope to sit as iudge in his owne matter and to giue sentence for himselfe in his owne cause c l. qui iurisdictioni D. de iurisd l. 1. c. ne quis in sua causa iud l. Julianus 17. de iud But and if the pope be not a fit iudge in this matter but an vncompetent and vnfit iudge as it shall plainly appéere by those things which we shall héerafter speake it followeth that the sentence pronounced by him is none in law that of it selfe and without any appeale it falleth to the ground And we cannot doubt but that l. 1. pass ca. si a non compe iud l. 6. § quod si quis D. de iniust rupt test the iudgement and authoritie of the most part of Christendome aforesaid shall be of great importance with magistrates and orders and principally with the Parleament of France séeing it is euident that this is the law of all nations that in deliberations especially being hard weighty iudgement be alwaies giuen according l. item si vnus 17. § vlt. l. seq D. de recep arbit to the sentence and opinion of the most part especially where the more part is iudged not onelie by the number of persons but also by the maner and quantitie of the vniuersall order as when of thrée parts of iudges two make a departure suppose eight of twelue but that England l. 3. de decret ab ordin fac l. 3. l. 4. D. quod cuiusque vniuer l. nominationum 46. c. de decurio l. quod maior 19. D. ad municip Scotland Denmark Sweueland the most part of Heluetia and part of high and low Germanie are two parts of thrée of Christendome and that therfore they shal haue great weight and authoritie with the orders and Parleament of France we neither can nor ought to doubt for our singular iudgement of their wisedome Moreouer it séemeth that we ought not to let slip euen that that the pope is reiected for an vnméete and incompetent iudge not onely of the most part of Europe but also of those Churches and nations which in Africa Egypt Syria the East Asia and Grecia do professe their name among Christian Churches The manifold crime of impietie and first for arrogating to himselfe the Godhead THerefore the first crime wherof the papacie is conuict and condemned of the most part of Europe we saie is impietie and that thréefold the first bicause the pope doth get to himselfe a certaine Godhead secondly he derideth and mocketh Christian religion last of all he bringeth in into the Church false and forged religions The testimonies of the first impietie are these The pope doth both reioice and boast that he is called God * where it is written thus It is sufficiently declared dist 96. satis that the pope cannot at all be either bound or loosed by the secular power who as it appeereth euidently was called of the most godlie prince Constantine God seeing that it is manifest that God cannot bee iudged of men Which place Augustine Steuche a most earnest defender of the pope and the kéeper of his librarie in the booke of the donations of Constantine pag. 141. praising and reciting addeth this Doest thou heare that the highest bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God This was done when he adorned him with that excellent edict He
and blasphemous verse in the beginning of the same booke Francisce Iesu typice dux normáque minorum Sedes nobis perpetuè da regni coelorum Francis whom Typicall Iesus we call The captaine and rule of Minorites all Grant vs in heauen places perpetuall And now that euery one may vnderstand what maner marking that was which the church of Rome setteth downe to be beléeued of all the faithfull it is woorth the pains to marke the very words of the writer or rather of our Frier pope Sixtus which hath decréed that that writer be beléeued and reuerenced commonly For he saith * Not onelie his hands and feet were bored Fol. 228. but also nailed so that the nailes might be seene in them Againe the heads of the nailes were blacke whereas notwithstanding they should haue beene like to the flesh or sinewes whereof they were made thirdly the heads of the nailes were very long and turned backe againe wheras notwithstanding there was neither hammer nor stroke fourthly the marks were imprinted in a bonie place and not in any soft place fiftly though the nailes were fleshie or sinowie yet were they hard as iron strong solid sixtlie the nailes themselues were not short hauing onely tops or heads but they were long and went through seauentlie the nailes did not sticke out on the other side but they turned backe so that you might thrust your finger in vnder the crooke and bent thereof eightlie though the nailes were made of flesh or nerues and were bent on both sides of his feet and hands and were longer than they were thicke truely neither his handes nor his feete were disfigured or drawen togither ninthlie the nailes were on euery side seperate from the other flesh so that there were tents put in on euerie side to stay the blood tenthlie the nailes did wag and yet they could not be remooued from his handes or feete though S. Clare and others had assaied to do this eleuently the markes of the nailes and of his side during this long time were not putrified namely for the space of two yeeres and vpward tweltfthlie the wound of his side was like the wound of Christs side Moreouer it was a woonder how S. Francis seeing his paine was so great by reason of the opening of his bodie in fiue places namelie in his hands feet and side and the blood issued thence continually could liue so long to wit aboue two yeeres all which time he liued after he had gotten his markes Our cowled frier hearest thou this who séeing thou hast so manie yéeres béene a generall chiefetane of the Franciscane order and a great maister hast taught these fables in thy schooles being now the chiefe stay and top of the same order and being become the pastour of the vniuersall church as thou saiest thou goest about to deliuer vnto vs these same monsters in stéed of diuine oracles What If there were in thée and thy Franciscanes any shame or shamefastnes should there remaine continue at Blese a noble citie in France that wicked superscription written openlie vppon the church doores touching Francis Bernardo His sinne shall be sought And it shall not be founde But it delighteth vs a little to declare whence these oracles haue their authoritie For a few lines after he writeth thus The deuill saide that when Christ sawe that Francis was giuen him to be the standerd-bearer of so great an order he imprinted in him the markes of his wounds and the nailes in his hands and feet and the wound in his right side Thus saith the deuill And why it was done the deuill being coniured by a certaine priest to tell the troth after more things by the mouth of a woman abiding at Rauenna called Santese saith thus There be two in heauen that are marked namelie Christ stout Francis Therfore when Christ knew that he would giue stout Francis the bull of his markes he did not suffer him to receiue a bull from the pope made with mans hands Thus said the deuill These Fol. 230. col 4. fol. 231. col 1. words are written in as many letters out of the same book of Conformities Wherby we may vnderstand what authoritie is due to these oracles and to this woorthy testimonie of theirs vttered by sathan although neither Christ neither yet his apostles could abide that he should beare anie witnes of them Now let the noble and famous Counsellors of France consider according to their singular wisedome séeing that Sixtus the fourth and Sixtus the fift being both Franciscanes and presidentes of the Franciscanes many other popes haue brought in these forged and blasphemous fables into the church and haue confirmed them so long by their authoritie and do so greatly confirm them at this day whether they be iustly or vniustlie condemned by the most part of Christendome of impietie and wickednesse Whereof that they may the more commodiouslie consider we wil also adde another place out of the same booke where it is thus written Francis was bodilie lifted Fol. 231. up in the holie mountaine of Aluerne as frier Leo his fellow saw him For somtimes he found him in the aire lifted vp so high that he could scarse touch his feete and then he did imbrace them with teares sometimes he found him lifted vp from the earth halfe as high as beeches sometimes he founde him lifted vp so high that he could scarce see him And frier Leo did oftentimes finde him speaking with Christ. O good Iesu Who is he that doth not shake euerie iointe when he heareth these monsters of words For what other thing is it to deliuer these things to the people in sermons than to make Francis a bodied God and to set him foorth to be worshipped of the people of Christ And yet there followe more cruell and filthy things For Francis himselfe is brought in speaking thus After these things Christ Iesus crucified laid his hands to my bodie and Fol. 232. first to mine hands and secondlie to my feete thirdlie I felt the marke of his side with great paine and he did imprint them euery time when I cried out sore and he told me certaine secret words which I neuer told any as yet Doth our cowled Sixtus thinke that there is any so void of vnderstanding in this our age that he doth beléeue these blasphemous and wicked fables Doth he thinke that the Counsellers of the king of France and the Senators of the Parleament are so dull and sottish that they do not detest these wicked inuentions togither with their author the sonne of Peter Bernardo Vnlesse peraduenture some man will say these things are shut vp in the selfe-same cloisters and prisons of Munks and are kept in as mysteries of Ceres there where they first tooke their beginning and that no man is at this day so void of wit that he doth not know that these are old wiues fables and dreams of doterels But on the other side behold we haue in
was more than Iohn the Baptist Fol. 18. bicause Iohn Baptist was onelie a preacher of repentance Francis was both a preacher and also an ordainer of the order of Repentance He was a fore-runner of Christ Francis was a preacher and standerd-bearer of Christ wherin he surmounteth Iohn Baptist. Also Francis went before Iohn bicause he conuerted more vnto the Lord and in more places namely in the whole world Iohn preached but two yeeres and a little more but Francis preached eighteene yeeres Iohn receiued the word of repentance from the Lord Francis receiued it both from the Lord and the pope that 's more It was told by an Angel to Iohn Baptists father it was declared by the holie Ghost and the prophets what a one he should be But S. Francis was declared to his mother and the seruants in the shape of a stranger by the prophets the Lord Iesus Christ and also by an Angell S. Iohn prophesied in and without his mothers wombe S. Francis foretold with ioy in the wombe that is being prisoner at Perusius that he should bee some great man S. Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome S. Francis was like the Lord Iesus Christ. Iohn was the most singular in the world for holines Francis was the most excellent of all other with Christ for the conformitie of his marks S. Iohn was aduanced in the Seraphicall order S. Francis was placed in the verie same order in the place of Lucifer What is it to mocke Christian religion and to deride the sacred historie of S. Iohn Baptist if this be not O God thou Lord of vengeāce how long wilt thou suffer these monsters of popes to mocke thy most holie maiestie so reprochfully How long wilt thou suffer them to rage in thine holie temple But surely there is another place in that same storehouse of blasphemies almost more detestable For * he saith Francis Fol. 39. is better than the Apostles bicause they forsooke onely their ship and other things but yet not their garments which they had on their backe But S. Francis did not onely forsake all earthly things but he did also cast from him his clothes and breeches and offered himselfe being cleane both in bodie and mind to the arms of the crucified which we read not of any other Saint Wherefore he might well saie to Christ I haue forsaken all and followed thee Where be those Pharaos and the woorser champions of the Pharaos which count the iuggling casts of the magitians better than the miracles of Moses and make semblance that they take delight in these munkish monsters that they may remoue the vnskilfull people from reading the holie scripture and from studieng the same and that they may abuse their subiects as beasts And yet these things were beléeued in former ages and no maruell sith Paul foretold so plainely that Antichrist should come with the effectuall working of satan with all power and signes and lieng woonders and with all fraud of vnrighteousnes in those that perish bicause they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Therfore God shall send vnto them the efficacie of deceit 2. Thes 2. that they may beléeue a lie that all that haue not beléeued the truth may be condemned The inuention of the religion of Dominic BUt let these things hitherto be spoken of the feined religions in the person of Francis Bernardo let vs héereafter sée somwhat of the inuentions of another frier called Dominic Wherin we must giue the first place to that wicked comparison wherin Dominic God the father of mercie pardon vs which are compelled to recite these blasphemies is matched with Christ being God For in Antonie bishop of Florence it is thus written The Lord In hist. par 3. tit 23. ti 24. Christ saith he is Lord absolutely and auctoratiuely Dominic possessiuely He had manie diuine visions he saw Christ once purposed to iudge and make an end of the world but the virgin Marie besought him that he would staie and send Dominic and Francis to preach And againe when he saw the heauen open and friers of all sorts in glorie and he saw not his Dominicans but it was told him by the sonne of God that they were vnder the garment of the virgin Marie whom he saw there and a certaine master of the order of the Minors which made a very great masterly booke of S. Dominic saith that in the said vision it might be said that Dominic did then see God in his essence as Paul when he was caught vp But it shall appeere that he was very like to Christ by the discourse of his life and works Therfore he was most fitly named Dominic being most like to the Lord Christ The Lord saith I am the light of the world the church singeth of Dominic You are the light of the world All the prophets beare witnes of the Lord of Dominic and his Act. 10. Zach. 11. order Zacharie said in the person of God I haue taken to my selfe two rods I haue called the one Decorem or beautie the other Funiculum or a little cord Beautie or comlines is the order of predicants the little cord is the order of the Minors bicause they are girt with a plaine rope Before Dominic was borne in the world there appeered the images of two painted at Venece in the church of S. Mark the one whereof was like a religious man in the apparell of the order of the predicants with a lilie in his hand The other was like vnto the Apostle Paul as he was woont to be painted ouer which was written Agios Paulus S. Paul and vnder the feete of the picture Per istum itur ad Christum by him men go to Christ vnder the other picture was written Agios Dominicus S. Dominic and vnder him Faciliùs itur per istum men go more easily by him And woonder not at this writing bicause the doctrine of Paul as of the other Apostles was a doctrine leading vnto faith The doctrine of Dominic a doctrine leading to the obseruations of Counsels and therefore men go more easily by him vnto Christ. 2. The Lord was borne vpon the bare ground but least the colde should hurt him too much he is placed in a manger by his mother the virgin When Dominic was borne being but a little one and committed to the keeping of his nurse he was often found gone out of his bed and lieng naked vpon the ground as if he did alreadie abhor the pleasures of the flesh 3. When the Lord was borne there appeered a bright star which guided the wise men vnto him insinuating that the whole world should be illuminate by him Dominic arose and vpon him when he was to be baptised his spirituall mother saw a star in his forehead foreshewing a new sunne beame of the world 4. The Lord being twelue yeere old was brought by his parents into the temple and there he remained alone being but a boy
Another being not so gainefull but notwithstanding filthy detestable is that which is called the tax of the Apostolike penance when as impunitie of all sin and wickednes is so manifestly sold euery sin hauing a certaine sum of money set vppon it that euen some canonists do detest that vnsatiable couetousnes and robbery As in the glosse * where Iohn the munke c. fundamenta de elect in 6. saith that Rome being builteby Pirates doth as yet retaine of his first beginning And surely so it is that yéerely an incredible weight of gold is caried to Rome out of the most wealthy treasuries in the world which the popes and cardinals and other epicures of the same order doe spend vpon the most insatiable and bottomlesse gulfe of their lustes with great infamie of the name of Christians The names and titles of the former are infinite but of so great store these are chiefely reckoned The tribute of first fruites or vacances which is the name of the reuenues of the first yéere which the popes gather into their treasurie but these are for the most part doubled and tripled Also the tribute of preuentions resignations for fauour commendations dispensations for age order irregularitie corporall faultes Also of expectatiue graces deuolutions benefices that are like to be void priuileges exemptions for not visiting or to visit by a deputie of confessions of those that are agréed of transactions made vnder the popes good pleasure of changinges of benefices with dispensation of mandates of bishops of expeditions in form by reason of congruitie for making notories and protonotories apostolike with their coadiutors for letters of greater or lesser iustice for secular dignities for dignities ecclesiasticall for new foundations or changing the old or for reduction of regular monasteries into secular state or for restoring them againe for receiuing fruites during absence for legitimations portable altars for non obstances for indulgences of secular clerks for reuocations and reductions for Toleramus or tollerances of concubines and for rescriptions to suites Time should faile vs if we should go about to reckon vp all sorts of their vnlawfull scrapings and robberies Neither is it greatlie néedfull For there is a booke of the popes extant concerning these matters markets hauing this title The taxes of the Apostolike chancery with the Notables as they write them at this day of the church of Rome in which booke there is a woorthy saieng expressed in these words in a certaine place And note diligently that such graces and dispensations are not granted to poore men bicause they are not therefore they cannot be comforted Who is he that is so secure a contemner of God who is he altogither so voide of conscience amongst the kings counsailers whom these monsters of robberies sacrileges simonies do not mooue Who is so hard harted and such an enimie to his countrie which is not throughly touched with so great spoile of the wealth of France and with the ruin of the poore people out of whose marrowes and bowels this money is fet which the déepe lustes of the popes cardinals haue deuoured That which we are now about to say will séem a thing incredible but yet it is certaine and tried to be true When as in times past the Romane empire stoode there was such abundance of wealth and riches so great store of gold and siluer caried thither out of all partes and places of the world of the tributes and taxes of all people and nations in a maner that that citie was commonly called by the Gréeke word The little Epitomie Athenaeus li. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole world What if we now shew that the pope of Rome doth draw to Rome yéerely by his shifts cosenage and wicked policies out of Europe onelie which is counted but the third part of the world no lesse store of gold and siluer than the emperors of Rome did exact of all coastes of the earth for so many legions that lay euerie-where in garison Let vs heare Flauius Blondus his testimonie being a man that was an Italian a great flatterer of the popes out of his booke of Rome restored 3. Now saith he the princes of the world do adore and worship the perpetuall dictator not of Caesar but the successor of Peter the fisherman and the vicar of the foresaid emperour the chiefe and high bishop Now the whole world doth worship the senate of cardinals in Rome next to the pope What That almost all Europe sendeth to Rome tributes being greater then at least equall with the tributes of ancient times when euery citie receiueth from the pope of Rome benefices for priestes Thus writeth Blondus But we must a little more diligently frame the reason of this cruel sacrilege For Suetonius in the life of Iulius Caesar writeth thus He brought all France into the forme of a prouince and he laid vpon the same yeerely foure hundred sesterties by the name of a stipende Eutropius left this same written in a maner in as many words in the sixt booke of his breuiarie If we folow William Budeus his account we shal find that this number of sesterties is in our coin ten hundred thousand crownes or as they commonly cal it a million as the Germanes vse it ten tuns of gold This was a great tribute for France which it did yéerely pay to the emperours in such sort that yet notwithstanding there was paide out of the same to some legions that lay in garison a stipende What if we now prooue that the pope of Rome doth with his iuglings and shifts gather to Rome yéerly no lesse sum without paieng any thing out of the same Peraduenture it wil séeme to som a thing incredible and altogither monsterous as I saide before but yet notwithstanding we shall prooue by a most sure testimonie that it is most true Who is then a witnes of that so great robberie or rather sacrilege The senate of Paris that beareth chiefe rule in France which about an hundred yéeres ago presented to Ludouicus the eleuenth certaine requests for the churches of France which Francis Duarene a lawyer translated into Latine and published with the kings priuilege twise at Paris and also twise at Lyons toward the end of the booke concerning benefices For in the 72. article of the same requests it is thus written That we may speciallie and particularly shew how greatly the money of the realme is wasted within those three yeeres we must marke that in the holie bishops time there haue bin void in this realme more than twentie archbishoprikes and bishoprikes and it is not to be doubted but that as well for the yeerely tribute which we call the first fruits as for other extraordinarie costes vpon euerie bull there haue bin paide downe sixe thousand crownes which sum amounteth to an hundred and twentie thousand crownes The 68. article followeth There haue bin voide in this realme threescore abbots places whereof euerie one cost two thousand crownes
most part of Christendome but also conuict and condemned We call the same rebellion that is factions procured with an enuious mind to ouerthrow the state of al common wealths that are in Christendome But bicause this our disputation was principally appointed for our country of France it séemeth to be sufficient for this present if from it alone and so from the fresh remembrance of those factions we fet testimonies of that crime It is now thrée and twentie yéeres during which our France hath béen pitifully vexed in a maner with continual ciuil wars do I say with wars Yea with butcheries and furious and cruell slaughters They that haue diligently numbred those which were slaine in those wars doe finde them to be no lesse than twelue hundred thousande French men borne Is there any in the Parleament of France either president or Senator that dare from his hart sweare that the pope of Rome was not the Alastor * of or prouoker so great euils that he was not the principall brand of so great a fire That he did not continually send cardinals or bishops and others of his crue and retinue as messengers to the court of France that they might inflame the minds of the kings like euill angels to these deadlie and bloodie wars to these butcheries and to lay waste the realme of France When as in the meane season he like a bloodie maister of fence hauing set these swashbucklers by the eares togither did behold these bloodie plaies from the top of his castell of Saint-angell or like another Nero did from his tower looke vpon the citie which he himselfe had fired and did féede his eies with these doleful spectacles and did couet to satisfie his cruell mind But if we will record those things which haue happened in this our realme in the remembrance of our fathers we shall first finde this that Lodwik the 12. alas what king Which obtained the name of the father of the countrie with the great consent of all good men did make subiect to pope Iulius the second some cities of Italie which he tooke in war That the pope after a few moneths did repay this thanks to the king for the benefit receiued that he did not onely pronounce him to be a schismatike and heretike he proscribed him he procéeded against him with the fearfull thunderbolts of excommunications but also he caused all the French men to be tormented like enimies and to be slaine he did also promise reward to the murtherers forgiuenes of all their sins and fréedome from punishment if any man could murder euen but some one French man any maner of way What is it to be a rebell or rather to surpasse rebels in all crueltie and wickednes if not this But it is woorth the labor to set downe somewhat more plainly all that whole tragedie That pope was of a cruell nature and so fierce furious and turbulent that his companions in robberie and murder the bishops and cardinals could not abide him but to the kings and princes he séemed altogither intollerable Therfore with the full consent of al there was a Councell called at Pisa a citie of Italie that by common councel they might preuent those euils that did hang ouer the Church of Christ by reason of him And how wisely and lawfully and solemnely that Councell was called appéereth by the hundred fiftie one Councell of Philip Decius a most famous lawier in those daies which he wrote and published against that pope at Mediolanum The furious pope did foorthwith disturbe that assemblie with war and weapon Wherefore it was translated by the authoritie of our king first to Mediolanum and then to Lyons where after the matter was heard and examined pope Iulius was suspended from his popedome that is he was for a time put from the administration of the papacie Wherof when Iulius heard he was so incensed with sorrow and anger that he did not only forbid all French men fire and water but also he commanded that euery of them that was met should be murdered also he prouoked cut-throtes and murderers with rewards as I haue alreadie said Which madnes or rather furie of his bicause William Budeus of Paris a man no lesse louing to his countrie than learned and skilfull hath couragiously and sharply prosecuted in his bookes De Asse it séemeth to me most fit to set downe all that whole complaint of that couragious man and good subiect to be read not onely of the Senators of our Parleament but also of all men of all sorts and orders especially séeing that all historiographers in generall do woonderfully agrée with him in setting downe that complaint For this is Iulius the second concerning whom both Arnoldus Ferronus a man very learned and an historiographer of our country of France and Burdegalensis sometimes a Senator of the Parleament and many other haue written that as he came out of Rome against France hauing gathered an armie hauing his minde inflamed against our king as he led his armed bands out of the citie ouer the bridge of Tiber being himselfe armed in the hearing of many thousand men he vttered these words Séeing Peters keies helpe vs nothing go to let vs draw Pauls sword foorthwith he threw the keies which he brought with him into Tiber and he drew his sword Touching which we know that old verse in English thus Pope Iulie as the fame doth go Gainst France did cruell wars prepare His armed band then foorth he brought And in his hands the keyes he bare A sword hang by his side which out Couragiouslie foorthwith he drew And Peters keyes into the deepe Of Tiber flood withall he threw Then blustering out these words he said If Peters keyes cannot preuaile Then with the sword of Paul we will Our cruell enimies assaile But now let vs come to Budeus his complaint which he setteth down at large in his fift booke De Asse The bloudie master of the cleargie casting off all feare of God sent cruell nations against the Lords people accursing those that tooke part with the french and their fautors he raised with more than tragicall wickednes almost the whole world being loosed from religion against those that were accursed Do we not remember that time when Peter and Paul and their followers the principall builders of the church were not giuen to fight battels being infected with the cōfidence of glistering weapons but trusting to bloud and innocencie and being otherwise vnarmed they were stirred vp with the trumpet of most hot loue to defend the tents of Christ in the tumult Now they are made onely bare names after so long time though the holie principall orders of the priests do shadow and cloake their pride with the people onely with their maiesty O harde and monstrous blockishnes of most holie power For who did euer in minde conceiue so great wickednes that the Top of priests the master of the cleargie that the principall worker of holie things should abide to
or to sing and say their masses furnished and armed with brest-plates helmets tergats swords with other weapons Onely so Yea saith he as the emperor his power is adorned with diuers offices of chamberlaines door-keepers and garders so we wil haue the holie church of Rome garded and adorned and that they ride vpon horses most white and that like as our senate vseth shooes with latchets * so let them be clad in most white linnen Is there any of so great a number of the Senators of the king of France who when he remembreth the humilitie and modestie of Christ and his apostles doth not with all praiers detest this pride and hautines of the popes Moreouer he saith that if the pope will choose any of Constantines senators into the order of the clergie let them not proudly refuse that honor With a mischiefe what tyrannous barbarisme is this that it is lawful for any college of clerks to choose at their pleasure any one of the order of the senators whom they will also make a clerke or munke against his will He procéedeth and that the lawiers may remember that a doubled spéech hath greater force he saith again that he giueth both his pallace and citie of Rome and the prouinces places and cities of all Italie and of the west countries to all the popes of Rome vntil the end of the world Moreouer he adioineth the forme of his grant and deliuery that he may afterward translate himselfe vnto the East countries hauing left the empire of the West in the popes possession and that he may place the sea of his empire in Bizantia adding moreouer a very fit cause Bicause saith he it is an vnmeet thing that an earthly king should beare rule in that countrie where the head of Christian religion and the principalitie of priests is placed by the king of heauen He did excellently make himselfe the beginning of this sentence for in the time of Constantine that is two hundred yéeres before Iustinian the deliuerance of the emptie possession was requisite to make a donation but there be many other things that do disturbe the matter First bicause if Constantine gaue to Syluester the emptie possession of that countrie he could not afterward in his will leaue it to his sonne Constantius séeing the alienation of any thing made among those that are aliue doth leaue no place for making anie will l. 6. c. de test l. sequens 52. D. de leg 2. thereof * But if the donation were made after that diuision made among his sons it was plainly void and of none effect bicause the diuision that a father maketh among his sonnes hath the force of a testament l pen. l. vlt. C. fam excisc cum similibus and therefore of a last will Secondly with what godlines could Constantine who had thrée sonnes and two daughters do so great iniurie to his children as to depriue them of halfe their inheritance and to giue the same to a stranger especially to a wretch and vile person For that is a pretie saieng of Augustine Whosoeuer he be that will disinherit his sonne and make the church his heire let him seek another to take it than Augustine Where also the fact of that 17. q. vlt. c. vlt. bishop is cōmended who restored al again to a certaine testator who hauing no children left his goods to the church then afterward had children contrarie to his hope and expectation Which selfe same thing is set downe 13. q. 2. c. si quis irascitur But nothing is so ridiculous as is that reason of his purpose which the counterfet Constantine addeth That it is vnmeet that in the same citie wherein a priest sitteth as chiefe the emperor should haue the sea of his empire Wo to thy head most holie hangman For what shall we say of Salomon of Aza of Iozia and other godlie kings of the Israelites who placed the sea of their kingdome at Ierusalem What of Theodosius who had his at Mediolanum But that we may not go far for examples what shall we say of Constantius sonne to Constantinus who according to his fathers testament did not onely exercise his empire and iurisdiction at Rome but also he put from the popedome and thrust out of Rome pope Liberius for taking vpon him the defence of Anastasius a bishop a certaine magician sacrilegious person as Theodoricus Zozomenus and Ammian Marcellin lib. 15 haue left it written But now let vs returne to our purpose for last of all there is a fearfull decrée set downe If any saith he of our successors shall be a violater or contemner let him be subiect to eternall damnation being insnarled and let him burne in the neathermost hell with the diuell and the wicked But Constantine brought this curse first vpon himselfe who as we said euen now in his last wil gaue the empire of the West to his eldest son finally he was bound with the same curse whosoeuer possessed as his owne either the West or any part of the West either by the name of king or duke or by any other name And by this reason there hath béene none that hath béene king either of France or Spain héertofore that burneth not in the neathermost hel with the diuell and all the wicked And now can we find any so ignorant of the Latin toong that séeth not that the maner of spéech which the writer of the same instrument vseth is far vnlike to the custome of that age Which part of reprehension Platina did not omit in that Syluester But Laurentius Valla a man of most sharpe iudgement in this kinde did more at large prosecute it Whereto we will adioine this one thing if anie man consider the maner of phrase wherein the lawes of Constantine are written in the booke of Theodosianus and Iustinian he shal soone perceiue without any great ado that this instrument came out of the same shop which we shewed before out of the Conformities of Francis or out of the life of Dominick And we must not passe ouer with silence another cosoning knacke of a certain latter pope of Leo the 10. as it séemeth who to the end he might with some color couer that corruptiō of spéech basenes of stile he heaped falsehood vpon falsehood For he suborned a certaine hungrie Grecian called Bartholomew Picernus and afterward Augustine Steuchus the maister of his librarie to saie that they found in I cannot tell what librarie of the popes that instrument written in the Gréeke toong and that then they translated it somwhat more fitly into the Latine toong Which inuention Gregorie the 13. hath now of late confirmed in the last edition of the decrée of Gratian. But all the lawes of Constantine are extant in the foresaid bookes of Theodosianus and Iustinian written in the Latin toong though they were published both at Constantinople and in a citie of the Grecians and among the Grecians Furthermore Eusebius in his thirde booke
vnder the garment of the virgin Marie touching more and greater miracles done by Dominic and Francis than either by Christ or his Apostles which are such wicked hainous and vngodlie blasphemies that the minds of al the godly do abhor the rehearsal therof Secondly bicause hauing taken to himselfe lordship and princely power ouer the whol church and vsing ministers and officers dukes and purpled cardinals to defend him and furnish him he professed himselfe to be the captaine and prince of a new faction and synagog Last of all bicause being about fower hundred whole yéers ago requested by the praiers of al Christian princes and admonished to admit some amendement and reformation he did prowdlie reiect their request and precepts Of which not to fet testimonies far surely the memorie of our fathers and grandfathers may be a witnes out of the councell of Constance Basil Florence and Trent in which last false and erronious doctrines were not only not taken away but also more and more confirmed so that no man can now doubt but that these thrée markes whereby we said a little before an heritike is discerned from one whose iudgement is sound do most euidently appéere in the pope of Rome Which things séeing they are so we thinke that it is now euident enough of what importance this accusation of pope Sixtus ought to be with the counsellers of the French king whereto the most part of Europe hath subscribed it selfe also we vnderstand of what authoritie this accusation by him made against the king of Nauarre and prince of Condie ought to be with them For to cut his throat as they saie with his owne sword lo in his owne decrées 24. distinct 1. it is euerie where in manie testimonies set downe that he that is fallen into heresie cannot depriue any man of his office or insnarle him in any sentence as in c. acasius If therefore a bishop saith he be fallen into an heresie alreadie condemned being condemned by an ancient excommunication he cannot condemn others For he that is excōmunicate cannot excommunicate others Which self-same thing is confirmed in that which followeth by this reason being added thereto For the power to binde or loose was giuen by the Lord to true not to false priests And in the chapter following Peters priuilege remaineth wheresoeuer sentence is giuen according to his equitie Hereto belongeth that which Iason writeth in his 145. councell requisitus num 3. vol. 2. That the pope cannot depose any man placed in dignitie without cause bicause the power granted to Peter to feed the sheepe of Christ is not extended to kill them c. in nouo 21. dist for Peters power continueth so long as he iudgeth truely and doth not erre with the keies * The self-same writeth d. c. manet c. Abba * Also Iason writeth more plain in in c. vlt. col pe vlt. de confi vtil vel inut in c. constitutus col 3. de relig dom in c. vlt. de postul praelat in c. de multa de praebend his 95. councell requisitus vol. 4. When as saith he the pope is guiltie of heresie seeing he may for this crime be deposed c. si papa 40. dist by this he ceaseth to be pope seeing he is without the catholike church according to the notes by Innocentius in c. ex parte de verb. sig in like sort when the pope shal be a notorious criminal person intangled in greeuous crimes so that he doth offend the church c. Also col 3. But the old glosse held more strōgly than the whole world alleageth in d. c. si papa that the pope may be accused for another fault as symonie or adulterie which is notorius and the pope being admonished cannot be reformed so that he offendeth the church of God seeing he is counted as an heretike and so the pope may be accused and punished not onely for the cause of heresie but also for anie other crime wherein the pope committeth excesse offending the church if it be notorious and the pope cannot be reformed bicause notable disobedience is counted heresie wherefore as the pope may be accused for heresie and condemned so likewise for any notorious crime wherein he is incorrigible Moreouer Felinus saith * The pope which is not canonicallie in c. Ego N. de iureiur elect is a deuill not hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen but of hell The third Nullitie by reason of the want of iudiciall order LEt vs now come to the third cause of nullitie which we said to be the want of forme iudiciall order For as in times past the great orator saide what is more vnséemely than that iudgement should be giuen of his life and of all his goods who was neither commanded to be present nor yet cited nor accused We shewed before that this forme and order of ecclesiasticall iudgement was appointed by Christ and his Apostles in iudging heretikes first that they should be sometimes conuict of their error then if they would not obey not one but many and often admonitions of the church but would as saith Augustine stubburnely resist and perseuere in their error then they should be counted as enimies and profane persons Therefore admonitions are necessarie and a solemne and lawful hearing of the cause God was not ignorant what Adam and Eua had committed against his commandement or inhibition Yet he called both of them foorth and made as it were a question and hearing of the cause and then at length he gaue sentence against them after they were conuict The same God being a most seuere punisher of wickednes was not ignorant with how great and how vile wickednes the Sodomites and Gomorrheans had defiled themselues But yet notwithstanding that he might shew an example of equitie to mortall men that are iudges he tooke vpon him to heare the cause and he said that he would descend and know Which thing likewise the canonists haue in many words euery where deliuered in 1. q. 2. but specially in c. Deus omnipotens But moreouer the same scripture doth in another place testifie that the elders of the people of the Iewes who iudged matters at the foote of the mount Sinay gaue not sentence before they had heard both parties and vntill both parties had laied downe their matter Moreouer the Iewes though they did malitiously séeke to put Christ to death and to destroie him yet they kept the vsual order of iudgements so that they accused him before Caiphas the highest priest and a competent iudge and then they did bring him before the iudgement seat of the same high priest after they had caught him and also they did bring foorth witnesses for their accusation Therefore both sides laid downe their cause and the opinions of those that sat with the highest priest were asked and then at length iudiciall order being kept the condemnation was pronounced But what néed more testimonies When the woman was taken in adulterie as
cōmitted to him It followeth Casting down from their throne those that are mightier he throweth them downe euen to the ground as ministers of proud Lucifer How madlie the drunken frier inuadeth the place of Isaias * which doth properlie Ch. 14. concerne the popes of Rome and the vniuersall priests of the church For Gregorie the great doth plainly testifie that vnder the person of Nabuchadnosor the vniuersal pope is described For in hel there are brought in the damned kings princes comming out as it were to méete the pope and to welcome him comming vnto them after his death and mocking him thus Hell was afraide bicause of thee against the meeting of thy comming al the princes of the earth that are dead arise to thee All the kings of the nations rise out of their throns and they speak vnto thee on this wise Art thou also become weake as one of vs and art thou become like to vs Thy pride is drawne vnto the hell O Lucifer when didst thou fall from heauen thou sonne of the morning and art cut downe to the earth that didst terrifie the nations But thou saidst in thine hart I will clime vp into heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the stars of heauen I will clime vp aboue the height of the cloud and will become like to the most highest Those that see thee shall saie Is this he that troubled the earth and did shake kingdoms Now let vs heare Gregorie out of his fourth booke of Epistles ch 82. where he applieth that place of Isaias vnto him that did professe himselfe to be pope and vniuersall bishop I will clime vp saith he aboue the height of the clowdes I will be like to the most highest For what are all thy brethren the bishops of the vniuersall church but stars of heauen Before whom whiles thou couetest to set thy selfe by a worde of pride and to tread their name vnder foote in comparison of thee what else dost thou say but I will clime vp into heauen I will exalt my seat aboue the stars of heauen Whom whiles your brotherhood despising them doth go about to tread vnder foote what other thing saith it but this which the old enimie saith I will clime vp aboue the height of the clowds Al which things when I behold weeping c. By which words it is vnderstood that the place of Isaias concerning Lucifer cast downe into the neather most part of the earth and of his crueltie thrust downe into hell doth not belong to the most noble king of Nauarre than whom the sunne beholdeth nothing more méeke more gentle but vnto our Polyphemus Sixtus the fift and vnto his pride in treading vnder-foote the maiestie of kings But if we must cut the throat of this gyant with his owne sword lo we haue a plaine text in his owne decrée * where it is thus written Lucifer de poeniten dist 2. §. qui vero reprobi whiles that he presumed of himselfe in pride he was cast downe from paradyse into hell Also * Whiles Nabuchadnosor waxing proud in 23. q. 5. §. hinc notandum his hart said Is not this Babylon which I haue built c. God did foorthwith change his reasonable mind and he changed him into the forme of beastlines so that flieng from men he liued with beasts Which words he reciteth referring them vnto the pope which we wil haue especially noted and he commendeth Ludouike of Rome * But now let vs procéed in cons vlt. num 2. to the rest after we haue added that one thing out of the 38. leafe of the booke of the Conformities bicause mention is made of the seat of Lucifer The peace making Frier being caught vp into heauen whether in the bodie or without the bodie God knoweth let the readers consider how wickedly the vile munk doth mock the words of Paul and he saw in heauen manie seates amongst which he saw one higher than his fellowes bedeckt with pretious stone And he heard a voice saieng to him This was Lucifers seate and in his place shall humble Francis sit And this surely is that which we said before that Francis Bernardo togither with the rest of his stage plaiers and comicall mates shall haue a place in Lucifers kingdome so that we néed not greatly dispute whether Francis or pope Sixtus the fift a bishop of the order of Francis is worthie the seate It followeth in the bull According to the care for all chruches people and nations that lieth vpon vs. Good Lord What a burden hath our great cowled Frier taken vpon him séeing he hath taken vp vpon his shoulders the care both for all churches and people nations We will héerafter cease to woonder what is the cause that painters haue in his image painted the form of one that stoupeth Scarce Atlas who they say held vp heauen did beare a heauier burden What shall then become of vs if the pope begin to faint and faile vnder that so great a burden which he complaineth to lie vpon his shoulders alone They say that the cause of a certain melancholy persons gréefe was bicause he was afraid least Atlas who had so long borne so great a burden should at length sinke vnder it But we thinke it good to set downe in this place a certaine pleasant narration of William Budeus a man as I said before that loued his countrie and was very learned touching these Atlasses out of his fift booke De Asse A certain pleasant and merie preacher saith he was woont not long ago to cauill at them and to say that they seemed to him to be such as are those corbat images in churches which are set vpon posts or pillers For as we see some of these images as it were yeelding vnder their burden which are either in stead of corbats or else they reach without the mortesses of the corbats and they seeme to one that beholdeth them as if they tooke great paines and swet with bearing the worke whereas indeed they are without feeling and they help the strength of the stones nothing howsoeuer they seeme to take great paines so we see these Atlasses set and placed vpon the very tops of the pillers in the temple of the Lord hauing indeed that false honor and maiestie of titles like reuerend old men and their custome is to pretend holines and to beare a faire shew of reuerend old men that vnderprop the Lords sanctuarie but when we behold their blockish ignorance or dissolute carelesnes it is euident that they do no more good than images of stone But it séemeth that we ought not to omit that which Antoninus archbishop of Florence whom we haue sundry times before mentioned hath taught vs that when as long ago the pope began to faint vnder so great a burden there were some found that did vnderprop him with their shoulders namely Dominican Friers For he writeth thus * Dominic Histor. part 3. tit 23. §. 3. fol. 191. went
out of Denmarke Sueueland England Scotland Germanie and Heluetia But the noble man whom in this place he touched saith that he was neuer so mad as now when he is like to loose the realme of France and that he doth the same which the asses that are fed with hemlocke are said to do in Thuscia of whom Matheolus writeth that the fall so fast asléepe that they séeme as dead so that the countrimen come oftentimes to flea them and haue almost taken off halfe the skin before they are awaked But when they come to the backe then at a sudden they start vpon their féet and hauing the one halfe of their skin hanging about their héeles they make an euill fauored braieng so that somtimes the countrimen are sore afraid The howling of pope Sixtus séemeth to be like this at this time being spoiled almost of half his kingdoms and being out of hope of the rest and being now readie to put his necke in the halter to hang himselfe vnles most mightie kings and princes for restoring his power do fill poore France with murders and burnings But let these things hitherto be spoken concerning the protestation of the king of Nauarre And as for those things that are spoken properly and apart by themselues against the dignitie of the prince of Condie we take them to be sufficiently refuted with this common answer The pope chargeth him that he came of parents which were both of them heretiks As it is an excellent thing to be commended but of a man commendable so it is an excellent thing to be discommended if it be of a discommended and discommendable knaue such as it is euident that both this cowled baud is and I cannot tel what other slaues of his the cardinals who haue so hammered and wrought that thunderbolt at Rome as the Cyclops did sometimes forge thunderbolts for Iupiter in the mountaine Etna For who doth not vnderstand to what end this wicked reproch touching the hauing of two heretiks for his parents vttered properly against the prince of Condie doth tend For there is a rule among the canonists that no ecclesiasticall dignitie be granted to the sonnes of heretiks vnto the second generation * Therefore no doubt our Sixtus C. quicunque §. Haeretici c. statu De H. erit in 6. gloss in c. 1. in verb regnum Extr. de praeb doth prepare this way by the counsell of certain poyoners to take from the most noble prince Charles brother to the prince of Condie and comming of the same hereticall parents his cardinalship and benefices which we hope he will easily marke such is his wisedome But let vs now procéed to the rest of the sentences of Sixtus his bull For a few lines after the pope hitteth the same prince of Condie in the téeth with his dispensation that it might be lawfull for him to marrie his most noble kinswoman What blindnes of mind appéereth in such an impudent lie The prince had contracted that matrimony certaine moneths before that dispensation was brought from Rome He neuer asked any dispensation but being hedged in with armed men which did command him that he should with his hand subscribe an epistle by them written and desiring a dispensation he obeied against his will euen in like sort as we noted before in the king of Nauarre cosin to the same prince But it is woorth the paines to consider what maner liberalitie this was in the pope that he should grant leaue to the prince to marrie his cosin-german which matrimonie is not forbidden either by the law of God or by the ciuill law for in that book before mentioned the title wherof is The Taxes of the apostolike penance the popes absolution for him that hath contracted in the fourth degrée is taxed onely at seuentéene grosses For in the 37. page it is thus written A dispensation for the fourth degree of consanguinity for marriage to be made or made ignorantly gross 17. For the third and fourth degree gross 27. For the fourth and fift gross 27. and he must agree with the popes treasurie But if they haue contracted themselues wittingly and haue dispatched it gross 21. and in like sort for affinitie gross 29. What hath not the pope now somtimes dispensed contrarie to the manifest inhibition of the lawes of God that it might be lawfull for the vncle by the father or mother to coÌ„tract matrimony with the brother or sisters daughter Which notwithstanding ought to séeme so much the lesse strange bicause pope Martin the fift entring into consultation with his doctors and diuines as saith the historiographer dispensed with a certain person that he should take his owne naturall sister to wife For Antoninus of Florence hath committed to writing this sacrilege * in l si tibi filius l. si paterfamilias §. in arrogationibus D de adopt of In sua sum 3. par tit 1. ca 11 §. quod papa whom Angel de claua maketh mention and followeth in his summe in the word Papa and Nicolas Boetius in his 20. counsell vtrum papa num 26. And bicause the pope hath begun to speake of dispensations we must not passe ouer euen that other famous dispensation that it may be lawfull for a frier laieng aside his cowle for a time to marrie a wife for a certaine time namely vntil his wife be with child least the noble stocke do die without issue vpon that condition that so soon as he hath a child then the father letting downe his eares do returne to his cowle Touching which thing we may sée Baldus his testimonie * Iohan. Andr. in c. actus legitimi in c. semel Deo de reiur in 6. Innocent in c. cum ad monast in verb. lic Iohn Andreas * ibi Panormitanus de stat monach Petr. Ancha in con 339 parum du bitationis Marian cons 13. praesens consultatio con 28. circa priâ—â—â—n Panormitanus * who doth also cite others more ancient * William Benedict * in c. Raynutius in ver qui cum alia num 26. part 3. who noteth that the popes power is to dispense that a marriage may be made to last onely for a time Therefore such was the popes liberalitie in permitting to the munks to be married onely for a time bicause he had learned out of the apostle Paul that it was honorable amongst men of all orders But on the other side sée either woonderfull great nigardlines or seueritie of the same man For pope Callistus 3. saith Boerius refused to dispense for a deacons marriage who alledged that he had not the gift of continencie and that he could not resist the law of the flesh ne yet want a wife though cardinall Senensis did at that time make intreatie for him who did afterward succeed Callistus being called Pius the second as he witnesseth in his epistles made in the time of his cardinalship writing to that his friend that he must wait for another
this was the cause that Ferdinando did cast out the king his neighbor though he did also pretend another bicause both the king of France and those that did aid him were pronounced accursed by the popes edict and their kingdoms were made common Thus writeth Ferronus whereby we may coniecture what great danger hangeth ouer the most noble princes of Germanie and so consequently ouer all the kings of Europe by reason of that so néere a conspiracie of the popes and the Spanish inquisition For by this short cut any munke so he be of a craftie and subtill nature hauing taried some time in Spain as this our Sixtus and hauing béene conuersant with the inquisitors of Spaine may make such a bargain and league with them that if through their fauor and commendation he may obtaine the popedome then he may pronounce what king or prince soeuer he will a schismatike or heretike taking to him any occasion he may adiudge to them his kingdom opened and committed as a fée to the sea of Rome Therefore we are to wish that we may once haue some king giuen vs that may be of a valiant courage that he may thrust this whoore of Babylon out of hir seat and may at length rid the Church of Christ from so long and miserable seruitude and restore hir to hir former libertie and dignitie which courage that king of ours Ludouike the twelfth who was called the parent of the countrie being wearie of that bondage tooke vpon him when after that furious curse of pope Iulius he commanded French crownes to be coined in France with this inscription Ludouike 12. by the grace of God king of France duke of Mediolanum And then on the other side the armes of France and Mediolanum ioined togither with this inscription I will destroy Babylon Of which name if happily any man be ignorant let him read the Reuelation of Iohn ch 17. and Hierom in his catalog where he maketh mention of Mark and writeth plainly that Peter did figuratiuely vnderstand Rome by Babylon in his former epistle * Ch. 5. Also in the prolog of his booke touching the holie Ghost where he doth plainly call Rome Babylon and that purple whoore which is described in the Reuelation Which thing he doth likewise confirme vpon Esay c. 14. and againe c. 47. and vnto Aglasia in the 11. question For which cause Paula also and Eustochium in that epistle which they wrote vnto Marcellus do in like sort call Rome Babylon and no whit more obscurely Hierom in his epistle When I was at Babylon saith he a citizen of the purple whoore c. The conclusion of the former protestation THese things therefore being thus set down it remaineth that we conclude this reason Séeing pope Sixtus the fift hath béen condemned by the most part of Christendome of seauen most gréeuous crimes namely of impietie of vsing tyrannie in the Church of corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie and séeing that hauing followed the insolencie boldnes and crueltie of those that went before him he hath published this most mad decrée contrarie to all lawes diuine and humane vsing false allegations and that without any iudiciall order yea foolishly blockishly impudently against the most excellent king of Nauarre and most noble prince of Condie and hath burdened them with filthie and geason reproches of words forasmuch as he called them sonnes of wrath obstinate heretiks notorious relapsed such as lie tumbling in filth rebels against the most Christian king persecutors of the Church a detestable issue traitors against God and man and did for these causes depriue them of their principalities dukedoms lordships fées and all honors and of the right of lawfull succession in the realme of France and forasmuch as this his old and outragious boldnes of abiudging and adiudging of kingdoms doth plainly appertaine vnto all kings princes and potentates of Europe and it is to be feared least those that shall be desirous of other mens kingdoms will lay wait for peaceable and quiet princes héerafter by this policie of excommunications or proscriptions for these causes the foresaid princes protest that the same pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted a wicked periured sacrilegious person a tyrant an author of feigned religions a cruell and bloodie murderer of the Church of Christ an importunate and wicked enimie of religion and to be most assuredly Antichrist and that al monarchs of Christendome kings princes potentates and those that haue any gouernment or lawful power are to be requested and earnestly intreated that they will helpe these most roiall princes to suppresse the furie of this fierce tyrant and to breake in péeces his cruell and furious assaults and that they will lay their heads togither and ioine togither their forces to extinguish that plague of mankind and to deliuer the Christian commonwealth from that monstrous and deadly monster In the meane season that the foresaid pope Sixtus the fift ought for his intollerable reprochfull words which he hath powred out against our foresaid princes with a beastly mind to be accounted and called of al Christians a most hidious monster a most filthy monster and a monster not woorthie to be bestowed euen in the farthest parts of the world but such a one as ought to be banished out of the coasts and borders of mans nature as a most certaine notorious and manifest Antichrist to whose accursed head all Christians ought to wish an euill plague ruine and destruction that so long as any breth shall remaine in his accursed bodie so long he may be to all the godlie Anathema Maranata as saith the holie Ghost And least happily any of vs do thinke this to be a new and vnwoonted kind of curse we will desire the readers that they will first of all remember those places which we cited before specially out of the books of Saint Bernard where the papacie of Rome is flatly plainly by name called Antichrist the sonne of perdition the man of sinne a diuell not onely of the day but also of the noone day who is not onely transfigured into an angell of light but is extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped Now Hierom calleth Rome Babylon and the purpled whoore Secondly that they read and attentiuely consider the most holie sanction of the popes decrée * where it is ordained In c. 2. dist 23. c. si quis pecunia dist 79. that He which by monie or fauor of men such as it is manifest this frier had in the west parts or by tumult of the people or by anie pollicie that is by ambition and euill arts shall attaine to the papacie let him be accounted not apostolicall but apostaticall and let him togither with his fautors and followers be cast out of the bounds of the holie Church of God being thence separated as Antichrist and as an inuader and destroier of all Christendome Whereto the canonists durst with great consent subscribe and openly professe thus
the cause of faith as in the same gloss And if it so fall out that these men defend themselues by their temporall power they may be bridled for the fact euen by secular power * Thus saith Zabarella But Baldus * writeth more bréefly thus Against the pope abvsing his authoritie we must first vse words that is admonitions then herbs that is threatenings thirdly stones and that where the nature of vertue is not sufficient the aid of armes must be of force there And to the like effect writeth Iason in his 95. councell requisitus col 4. It is lawfull saith he to resist the pope when he offendeth the church and he is not to be borne with * c. etsi illa 1. q. 7. c. sunt quidam 25. q. 1. Also Innocentius * in c. inquisitionis de sent excom in c. quanto de consuetud And the Abbat * in c. cum teneamur de appellat Also Hierom speaking of the pope * in c. non omnes episcopi 2. q. saith that Vnsauerie salt is good for nothing but to be cast out at doors to be troden vnder foot of hogs Thus writeth Iason with as good corage it séemeth as either Ludouike of Rome or Zabarella though notwithstanding they wrote these things in Italie and in so great darknes of the church of Christ And to the same effect speaketh Philip Decius in his councell 151. maximi ponderis num 4. vol. 1. When saith he the pope is incorrigible in any notorious crime by reason whereof the church is offended glo in terminis in c. si papa 40. dist he holdeth that the pope may be accused and out of that glosse there was a great foundation laid against Eugenius the fourth in the councell of Basil and that glosse is commonly holden by all as the abbot saith in c. significasti * de elect in disput episcopus quidam rector where he saith that the whole world approueth that glosse and Ludouicus of Rome approoueth that glosse by many reasons * in concil 523 First bicause the pope that persisteth in a notorious crime and will not be reformed falleth into suspicion of heresie * 38. dist c. fin 86. dist c. si qui sunt c. fin de poenit But the pope may be accused for heresie * d. c. si papa Therfore for such a crime Secondlie bicause a bishop is remooued from a particular church that the offence may be taken away as Innocentius noteth * in c. cum pridem de renun it seemeth we may saie the same of the stronger in the highest bishop in whom the vniuersal church is in danger Thirdlie by the authoritie of the Gospell If thine eie or thy foote offende thee Whereupon the text saith finelie in c. illud sanè 24. q. 3. For it is expedient that one man die for the people and that all the people do not perish Therefore let that pope that cannot be reformed die ciuilly that all the church do not perish bicause the pope being set to gouerne the people ought not to be their fal as the text saith * 11. q. 3. in c. ta corporis For he is woorthy as manie deaths as he sendeth examples of perdition to those that are his * 11. q. 3. Which things séeing they are so we conclude againe without delay that not onely the excommunication of the foresaid pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted as nothing by reason of the insufficiencie of the rash iudge the allegation of a false cause the want of iudiciall order and the follie of the sencence conceiued but also to the end the curses of the same pope Sixtus may turn vpon his own pate he is conuict of seauen most heinous faults and that by most assured testimonies and therefore ought to be héerafter accounted of all Christians an execrable and detestable Anathema Maranata Amen THE DECLARATION OF OVR MOST HOLIE LORD POPE SIXTVS Against HENRIE BORBON the supposed King of NAVARRE and also HENRIE BORBON the pretensed Prince of Condie being heretiks and also against their successors And the deliuerance of their subiects from all dutie of fidelitie and alleageance For the perpetuall memorie of the thing THe authoritie granted to Saint Peter and his successors by the infinite power of the eternall king surpasseth all the powers of earthlie kings and princes and standing vpon a firme rock and being not turned aside from the right course with anie contrarie or prosperous blasts it vttereth such iudgement against al men as cannot be shaken doth diligently prouide especially that Gods lawes may not be broken and if it finde any resisting Gods ordinance it doth sharply punish them casting downe from the kinglie seat euen those that are more mighty it throweth them downe euen to the lowest part of the earth as ministers of proud Lucifer Wherfore according to that care for all churches and people and nations that lieth vpon our shoulders that the saluation of their soules may especially be prouided for and that not onelie the times of our seruice but also all times to come being purged from wicked and detestable monsters may bring peace and rest to all parts of Christendome and especially to the most ample realme of France wherein Christian religion hath so florished alwaies and so great hath beene the godlines faith and deuotion of the kings thereof so many haue bin their deserts toward the church of Rome that they by full good right had from the same the most glorious sirname of Most Christian and also that we may neuer be accused before God for neglecting the care of our office we are at this time compelled to exercise the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mightie through God to throw downe strong holds against two sons of wrath especially Henrie Borbon somtimes king of Nauarre and Henrie Borbon somtimes prince of Condie For that king quondam hath followed from his verie youth the errors and heresies of Caluin and hath so long shewed himselfe a stubborne patrone thereof vntill being conuerted as it was thought vnto the catholike and apostolike faith of Rome by the godlie and often exhortations of Charles the ninth of famous memorie king of France of our most deerely beloued daughter in Christ Queene Katherine his most godlie mother and also of our welbeloued sonne Charles of the title of S. Chrysogonus cardinall priest of Borbon his vnkle and of Ludouike duke of Mompenser and by most manifest exhortations of diuines of excellent learning and vertue he did openly in the church at Paris condemne all hereticall opinions contrarie to the catholike faith he accursed them and abiured them did openly professe the catholike faith and hauing sent sundrie times his letters to pope Gregorie the thirteenth our predecessor of blessed memorie wherin he now acknowleging the same our predecessor to be supreme hed of the church humbly besought him that he would