haue a respecte vnto a godly life let that at al times take place which our Sauiour Christe hath willed vs to search out the trueth of them by the Scriptures Iohn 5. For in the fifth Chapter of the Gospell after saint Iohn when hee had rebuked the Iewes because they woulde not beleeue his doctrine which he brought them from God his Father he saide vnto them Verbum ejus non habetis manens in vobis quia quem misit ille huic vos non creditis Scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam aeternam habere illae sunt quae testimonium perhibent de me You haue not gods word saith Christ remaining in you for you doe not beleeue him whome the father hath sent Search you the scriptures for in them you think to haue eternal life and they beare witnes of me Which wordes of our Sauiour Christ haue enforced me the more boldly to search out by his holy scriptures the bishop of Rome his suspect authority I meane his supremacie and vniuersall iurisdiction most vniustly clamed and vsurped by him for these eight or nine hundred years cleane contrarie to Christ his word and commaundement For it is forbidden by him as the stories of the Euangelistes do shewe in the holy scriptures And as it doth appeare by storyes ecclesiasticall the Byshoppes of Rome haue chalenged and vsed it onely sith Boniface the thirde obtayned it of the Emperour Phocas of whom he was proclamed vniuersall Byshoppe to the ouerthrowe of true religion in the Church of Christ of vertue godlinesse humilitie and obedience amonge all the cleargie of the imperiall estate and maiestie of the noble Emperours and kinges from whome they had their first authoritie and not from our Sauiour Iesus Christ The which I will endeuour to shewe in this litle worke specially by the two cōmissions that he gaue the one before his death and passion the other after his resurrection to all his Apostles in like and equall manner that not one of them might thereby challenge any iote of authoritie or power ouer or aboue the other as by the commissions themselues the whole world easily may see Nowe as no subiecte can haue any higher or larger authoritie then is limited and expressed by plaine wordes in his commission by his emperours or prince whosoeuer it be that graunteth it and as euery one of the commissioners to whom it is directed haue that authoritie which in their commission is mentioned and no other euen so in the commission that our Sauiour Christ gaue to his Apostles euerie one of them ought obediently to obserue their maisters commaundemente with his authority giuen to them and not to breake it and goe beyonde the bondes and lemitation of it Yea much lesse shold they dare to breake it then any subiecte dare the commaundement and commission giuen him by his Prince a Prince of this worlde whose commission no subiect will be so bolde to breake in any one point because he knoweth the daunger of it As for the Bishoppes of Rome howe they haue brokē their master Christes commission you shal find by their doings most cōtrary to his two special cōmissions before mētioned specially in taking vpon thē higher power greter authoritie then any other Bishoppe hath or euer had from our sauiour Christ to wit that they are and ought to be soueraigne heades and rulers not onely ouer all other bishopes in this worlde but also aboue all Emperours Kinges and Princes Which being cleane contrarie to their Maister Christes commaundement commission thereby they haue manifested themselues to be of those very Antichristes of whom the scriptures do make mention 1 Iohn 2. Chap. 2. That the first commission of Christ to his Apostles when he sent them to preach the Gospell did giue no authoritie to Peter aboue the rest but like and equall vnto them all THE first message and commission giuen by our sauiour Christe to his Apostles is declared by the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew in the 10. Chapter of his Gospell Matt. 10. Where he sheweth that the twelue Apostles being called together they had power giuen them ouer all vncleane spirites that they might cast them out and also cure heale all manner sicknesse and diseases Whervpon hauing recited the names of Christes Apostles he saith these wordes Hos duodecim misit Iesus praecipiens eis dicens in viam gentium ne abieritis in ciuitates Samaritanorum ne intraueritis sed potius ite ad oues quae perierunt domus Israel Euntes autem praedicate dicentes appropinquauit regnum coelorum Infirmos curate mortuos suscitate leprosos mundate daemones eijcite gratis accepistis gratis date These twelue his Apostles Iesus sēt forth cōmāding saying to thē You shal not go into the way of the gētiles you shall not enter into the cities of the Samaritās but rather go you to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and as you go preach saying the kingdome of heauen is at hand heale the sicke raise the dead cleanse the leopers and cast out diuels freely you haue receiued these things of me freely giue thē In this first message and commission of Christ giuen to his twelue Apostles you may plainely vnderstande that he gaue equall and like authority vnto them al without any preferring of any one of them before all his fellowes he gaue the very lowest if any were lowest as greate and large power as he gaue vnto the highest no exception being made of any one as higher in authority then they all So that neither Peter nor any supposed successour of Peter can claime any superiority by this ordinaunce and commission of our sauiour Christ And therefore if they enter into any higher authority it must be otherwise then by Christ belike by that way which Christ himself doth mention in the gospel of Saint Iohn where he sayth Ego sum ostium Iohn 10. qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sed ascendit aliunde ille fur est latro I am the dore he that entreth not by the dore into the Shepehouse but climeth vp some other way he is a theefe and a robber Whereof it followeth that if the Byshops of Rome haue challenged suche authority which our sauiour Christ hath not giuē them but they haue obteined it otherwise by worldly pollicies then they deserue to be called by the names that Christe hath appointed for them euen théeues and robbers Now this wil easily and clearely be proued that the Bishop of Rome hath had no such vniuersal authority from our sauiour Christ Then what names what titles of dignity ought we to attribute to the Byshops of Rome which so haue abused Christes Church sith the time of the good byshop Gregory the first who did vtterly withstād the decrée of the Emperour Mauricius by the which he would haue made Iohn the patriarch of Cōstātinople vniuersall bishop ouer all the byshops of Christs catholike Church
vos debetis alter alterius lauare pedes Exemplum enim dedi vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita vos faciatis AmeÌ„ Amen dico vobis noÌ„ est servus maior domino suo neque Apostolus maior est eo qui misit â—llum Si haec scitis beati eritis sifeceritis ea So after that he had washed their feete and had taken his clothes wheÌ„ he was set down againe he saide vnto them know you what I haue done vnto you you call me maister and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lorde and maister haue washed your feete you also ought to wash one an others feet For I haue giuen you an example that you should doe euen as I haue done vnto you Verily verily I say vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his maister nor the Ambassadour greater then he that sent him If you know these thinges happie shall you be if you doe them Thus we sée that Christ did giue expresse commaundement to all his Apostles that they shoulde flie ambition of hauing rule one ouer an other that none of them should chalenge superioritie dominion ouer their brethren whereto hee did giue them a moste notable example of his owne humilitie whch he willed them to followe acounting them happie if they did as hee willed them And these wordes of Christ a man would thinke were to be heard credited and obeyed if they were recited but by some one of the Euangelistes but now to the intent they might the better bée obserued and kept most carefully of al the Apostles so of all the ministers of the Church of Christ the holy ghost hath prouided that all the fower Euangelistes should recite and repeate them in diuerse wordes and sundrie times all to one effect to beate in hatred of ambition into the mindes of his disciples and keepe them at vnity in that equall authoritie which hee had giuen to theÌ„ Which the auncient Doctours also of the Church do teach in like sort to the same intent as Saint Cyprian saying of the Apostles Cyprian de simplicitate praelatorum Hoc erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus Pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis The rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was all endued with like felowshippe both of honour and power And why shoulde not Paul be chiefe as well as Peter for Ambrose vpoÌ„ 2. Cor. 12. hath this saying Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incertum est Betwene Peter and Paul whether ought to be preferred before other it is vncertaine Hieronymus in epistola ad Euagrium As saint Ierom saying of all Bishoppes Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue CoÌ„stantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanis eiusdem est meriti ejusdem sacerdotij Wheresoeuer there is a Bishoppe at Rome or at Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexandria or at Tanis he is of the same worthines of the same office and function in the ministerie As many others to be shorte speaking against such ambition do say the same in substance that one of them in words hath vttered Chrysost in opere imperfecto in Mat. Homil. 36. Quicunque desiderat primatuÌ„ in terra inueniet confusionem in Coelo Whosoeuer desireth primacy in earth he shall finde confusion in heauen But howsoeuer the fathers haue spoken it the Pope of Rome is not moued with it What merueile sith the wordes of Christ doe not moue him Nay verily I thinke that if Christe him selfe shoulde haue come downe from heauen and haue shewed him selfe to some that haue beene Bishops of Rome within these certaine hundred yeares they woulde haue vsed him I feare me as euill as euer the Iewes did so far are they froÌ„ yelding vnto any thing that makes againste their ambition Chap. 9. That after Christes ascention Peter did not exercise a supremacie ouer his brethren neither did the Apostles yeeld any such vnto him I Haue shewed hitherto that Peter the Apostle on whom the Popes of Rome do grouÌ„d their supremacie had not by Christs commission any greater power and authority giuen him then had the rest of his Apostles Nay he was forbidden as were the rest also to exercise dominion and supremacie ouer others Now I will go forwarde and shewe that as Peter had no suche authoritie committed to him of Christ so he neuer chalenged nor vsed any such as may appéere by those things which the Apostles did after Christes ascension set down in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles Wherin we do reade that the Apostles and Disciples gathered together Actes 1. first they did choose Matthias an Apostle in the place of Iudas Iscarioth not by saint Peters appointment but by lot Afterward the multitude of the Disciples chose seuen deacons whom they set before the Apostles Actes 6. and they prayed and laide their handes vpon them When the Gospel of Christ was receiued in Samaria Actes 8. the Apostles who heard of it at Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn vnto hem to instructe them farther confirme them in the faith with the giftes of the holie Ghost When Peter had preached the Gospell to the Gentiles and was accused of the brethren because he went in to men vncircumcised and did eate with them he giueth an account of his fact vnto the brethren Actes 11. and so is acquited as it were of them All the which thinges done by Peter and the Apostles doe shewe that Peter vsed not any supremacy ouer them but did behaue himselfe as their equal rather taking no more vpon him in elections then they did going wheÌ„ they sent him to preach where they thought good content to giue to them an account of his doeinges Nowe we must remember it appeareth by the scriptures that Peter was of greater boldenesse and audacitie then any of the twelue Apostles When Christ asked of them Matth. 16. who do you say that I am Peter answered for them all When Christe did shewe vnto them that he must go to Ierusalem there be put to death Matth. 26. Peter tooke him aside and did rebuke him for it When there came a great company with clubbes and swordes in the night to take Christ and carrie him to the high priests Peter nothing fearing the number of the men did stretche out his hand and drawe his sworde and stroke the seruaunt of the highe prieste and cut off his eare By whiche and many suche tokens saint Peter shewed himselfe to haue suche stoutnes and courage that we may well coniecture if he had had any supremacie and authoritie aboue the rest of the Apostles such as the Papistes giue vnto him his stomache was better then that hee woulde haue lost it and neuer haue taken any part of it vpoÌ„ him Haec ratio reperitur in quaestionibus tubingensibus in titulo de primatu
now within these three yeares pleased God to giue me his grace to read his holy scriptures and other good authours and Doctours of his Church to my great comfort and consolation Whereby I was stirred vppe to gather in this little treatise these thinges which moued me to see and know the trueth that if it were Gods will they might doe some good to the instruction of others also to the only glorie of his sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who haue your honour alwayes in his gratious protection May. 1580. Your good Lordships most humble at Commaundement William Chauncy To the Christian Reader THe moste excellent thing that Almightie God hath giuen to mankinde is the knowledge of the trueth the treasure of his wisdom expressed in his holy scriptures For without it we can neither know God nor Iesus Christ his sonne our Sauiour and Redeemer who saith of him selfe Ego sum via Iohn 14. veritas Vita I am the way the trueth and the life and no man commeth to my father but by me and he that knoweth me knoweth also my father But the knowledge of this truth which lightneth our mindes with the faith of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ by his holy word deliuered in the Scriptures hath bene many hundred yeres couered and hidden from the most part of all temporall men as they are called yea from mightie Emperours Kings Princes and Magistrates of this world through the craftie practises of the Bishoppes of Rome Who to extoll themselues and their Cleargie aboue all Emperours and princes haue by wicked pollicie hidden and withdrawen from them and from all Christians the sacred Scriptures conteined in the old and in the newe Testamentes that thereby the detestable pride of the Bishops of Rome and their Cleargie might not be knowen to men least they should perceiue how farre they did varie frō the example of Christ and the humble godly liues of his Apostles and disciples of Bishops and ministers for the space of vj. hundred yeares after the church was planted by our sauiour Christ So that it came to passe that the Bishops of Rome raged and raigned like Gods vpon the earth and no temporal prince durst as much as looke vpon the worde of God nor haue any bookes of the holie scriptures least they should haue bene excommunicated for heretikes An vngodly pollicie deuised of them to the intent that their deuelish pride intollerable ambition might not be reformed by the doctrine of Christ which is most cōtrarie to their vsurped authoritie supremacie which they haue chalenged and vsed sith the time that the Emperour Phocas more then sixe hundred yeres after Christ did grant vnto Boniface the third of that name the title and authoritie of vniuersal Bishop ouer all other Bishoppes a thing most contrarie to our Sauiour Christes institution and commandements Wherefore gentle Reader to the intent that good Christian people should be no longer abused deceiued through the crafty practises of the Bishop of Romes decrees and counterfet gloses whereby he hath vsurped his most vniust authoritie and title of supremacy with which he hath almost blinded all Christian people kingdoms I haue in this treatise briefely declared the truth of our Sauiour Christs two cōmissiōs giuen ioyntly to all his Apostles in suche manner that they should be in like authoritie and power not one aboue the other in any degree I haue also shewed how earnestly and straightly Christe did forbid all superioritie and dominion to be amongest thē which I haue approued both by the holie Scriptures and by Godly auncient writers I haue noted farther what account was made of the Bishop of Rome in the foure first generall Councels euen the same which was made of other Bishops of the chiefe Sees in Aegypt in Asia in Greece and other prouinces I haue declared when this vsurped supremacie did first begin and by whome moreouer how greatly the Bishops of Rome did fall from true Godlinesse from the faith of Christe after they had obtained of the Emperours that proude vngodly title of vniuersall Bishoppe Wherein I haue touched the wicked behauiour of a fewe of them to giue as it were a taste of the fruites of their supremacie Lastly I haue opened the dealinges of good princes againste their wickednesse and tyrannie in our owne countrie making thereby manifest that King Henrie the eight was not the first king of this realme who did expell that vsurped authoritie but that almost ful two hundreth yeares before King Henrie the eight it was spurned at and diuers lawes and statutes were made by diuers Kinges of this Realme against it So that by reading ouer of this little worke they that desire to see the truth of this matter shal wander I trust no longer in the doubtes of darkenesse for lacke of knowledge of the trueth whiche is reuealed to vs by the worde of God that CHRISTE our Sauiour teacheth vs euen hee who doeth say Ioh. 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi I am the light of the werlde Doubtlesse he that walketh in this light shall knowe the trueth and shall not wander in darkenesse of any Popish traditions and superstitions which is the most daungerous and deadly kinde of darkenesse Now it is saide of Christe Ioh. 12.35 Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quò vadit He that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whether hee goeth Let vs therefore heare our Sauiour Iesus Christe Ambulate dum lucem habetis ne vos tenebrae comprehendant Whilest ye haue the light of Gods worde walke in it least the darkenesse come vpon you and you returne againe vnto it 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 ut canis ad vomitum sus ad volutabrum As a dogge to his vomit as a sow to her wallowing in the filthie mire of Popishe superstitions To the which entent my trust is in God that this little booke shall somewhat helpe you forward by satisfying the consciences of good people who will reade it with desire to learne the trueth GOD graunt that we may all both learne it and followe it that we neuer flie from it vnto errours of vaine deuises of men but onely put our whole hope our confidence and trust in the death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Christ and leade a holie life according to his worde to the glorie of God to whome be all honour Dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen ¶ The rooting out of the Romishe supremacie wherein is declared that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doeth challenge to himselfe ouer all Christian Bishops and Churches is vnlawfully vsurped Chap. 1. That in controuersies of religion the truth must be tried by the holy Scriptures That by the Scriptures no apostle nor Bishop hath a supremacie ouer others IN al maner of doubts controuersies which may arise in our Christian religion the trueth therof must be tried with the touche of Gods word as well in matters that concerne godly instruction as
euident by Christes words Chap. 4. That the second commission which Christ gaue out to his Apostles was giuen in like sort as the first not with any greater authoritie to Peter then to any of the rest THe second commission whiche our sauiour gaue to all his Apostles was giuen to them after that he had suffered death vpon the crosse for al mankinde and hauing redéemed them with his precious bloude was raised vp againe from death vnto life This commission is declared by the Euāgelist saint Mark in these wordes Mark 16. Nouissimè autem recumbentibus illis vndecim apparuit et exprobrauit incredulitatem illorum duritiem cordis quia his qui viderant eum resurrexisse non crediderunt Et dixit eis euntes in mundum vniuersum praedicate euangelium omni creaturae qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit qui verò non crediderit condemnabitur Last of all he appeared to the eleuen Apostles sitting at the table and rebuked them for their vnbeleefe and hardnes of their heartes because they did not beleeue them which had seene him being risen from death And he sayde vnto them Go you into all the world and preach the gospell to euery creature He that shal beleeue and be baptised shal be saued But who so will not beleeue shall be damned vnto which commission he added further promises what signes should followe thē who beléeued to wit that in his name they should cast out diuels they should speake new languages they shoulde take away serpentes yea if they did drinke poyson it should not hurt them they shoulde lay their hands vpon diseased persons they should recouer The meaning and manner of this commission that Christe did giue them is declared farther by the Euangelist saint Iohn in that he doth say Cùm ergo serò esset die illo Iohn 20. vna sabbatorum fores essent clausae vbi erant discipuli congregati propter metum Iudaeorum venit Iesus stetit in medio dixt eis pax vobis Et cū haec dixisset ostendit eis manus latus Gauisi sunt ergo discipuli viso domino Dixit ergo eis iterum pax vobis sicut misit me pater ego mitto vos Hoc cùm dixisset insufflauit dixit eis Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis peccata retenta sunt The same day then at nighte which was the first daye of the weeke and when the dores were shut where the disciples were assēbled for feare of the Iewes Iesus came stood in the middest of thē and said vnto thē peace be vnto you And when he had sayd that he shewed vnto them his hands and his side then were the disciples glad when they had seene the Lord. Then saide Iesus againe vnto them peace be vnto you as my father sent me so I also send you And when he had saide this he breathed vpon them and sayde vnto thē receiue you the holy ghost Whosoeuers sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whosoeuers ye retein they are reteined By this later commission our sauiour Christ gaue to all his Apostles like power and equal authority to go through the whole world to prech the gospell of saluation to all creatures of whome he said in general He that shal beleeue and be baptised shall be saued he that will not beleeue shall be damned He gaue them equall authority and power to remit and reteine the sinnes of all both Iewes and Gentiles which by their first commission they could not because they had not authority to preach vnto any but to the lost shéepe of the house of Israel I say this authority nowe giuen the Apostles was giuen in equall and like manner to them all and not to one more then to all the rest Wherfore vnlesse that Satan had mightily puffed vp the bishops of Rome naming them selues Peters successours whome Christe once called Satan and I know not in what they be his successours vnlesse it be in that it might séeme strange that any man pretending the name and faith of a Christian shoulde so farre abuse Christes worde and commission as to claim such authority so far greater then his worde and commission doth extend vnto But it is a true saying who is so blind as he that wil not see Verily if the Papistes woulde read and sée with an humble spirit and obedient hart to the almighty God that which is written in his worde as I beséeche the Lorde they may then out of doubt they shoulde finde that Peter had no greater or larger authority then other the Apostles had Neither did he euer chalenge such authority aboue other the Apostles as the Byshops of Rome haue done aboue all other bishops vnder the false pretence that they are Peters successours because for sooth they are Byshops of Rome therein as they say doe succéede Saint Peter Chap. 5. That Peter was neuer at Rome as farre as may be gatherd by the scriptures Therefore the Popes supremacie may not be laide on that foundation BVT to touch this by the way for so much as they make so much a do about it by the scriptures they can not proue that Peter was euer at Rome much lesse that he was Byshop of Rome But this we can proue that he was at Ierusalem and in many other places gouerning and instructinge the congregation of Christe Yea aboue three yeares after saint Paules conuersion Galat. 1. we read that he went to Ierusalem to see Peter and hauing bene in sundry countries after other fouretéene yeares he went vp to Ierusalem againe talked with him Peter afterward came to Antioche where saint Paul also mette with him as his words doe witnes to the Galatians Galat. 2. Cùm autem venisset Petrus Antiochiam in faciem ei restui quia reprehensibilis erat Prius enim quà m venirent quidā 〈◊〉 Iacobo cū gentibus edebat quū autē venissent subtrahebat segregabat se c sed cū vidissem quòd non rectè ambularent ad veritatē euangelij dixi Cephae corā omnibus si tu cū Iudaeus sis gentiliter viuis non Iudaicè quomodo gentes cogis Iudaizare Therefore when Peter did come to Antioche saith saint Paul I withstood him to his face because he was to bee rebuked For before that some came from Iames he did eate with the gentiles when they were come he did withdrawe him selfe c. But when I sawe that they went not the right way to the truth of the Gospel I saide to Cephas that is Peter before them all if thou being a Iewe liuest as a gentile and not like a Iewe why doest thou cause the gentiles to liue after the manner of Iewes Nowe this rebuke of Paul for that is worth the notinge also Peter did patiently beare and suffer at Paules handes Whereby it is manifest that Peter did not claime the Popish
subiect and obedient to all ordinaunce of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto the gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euil doers and for the praise of them that doe well Rom. 13. As saint Paul did warne the Romanes and in the Romanes all Christians Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeined of God Who so euer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement These lessons of Christe of Peter of Paul the ancient bishops of Rome did shewe by their example they thought them to pertaine not only to the laitie but also to the cleargie not only to the poorest but also to the richest Bishops They thought the same which Chrysostome doth write vpon Saint Paul that obedience to Princes is commanded to all estates Omnis anima potestatibus supereminentibus sit subdita Chrisostom in Epist ad Roma homilia 23. etiamsi Apostolus sis si Euangelista si propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris Neque enim pietatē subuertit ista subiectio Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers though thou be an Apostle saith Chrisostome though an Euangelist though a prophet for godlines is not empaired by this obedience and subiection They thought that Constantine did the duetie of a godly Emperour who when a councel of Bishops assembled at Tyrus had wrongfully and vniustly condemned Athanasius he commanded them all to come to him spéedily at Constantinople that you may proue saith he Historia tripartit lib. 3. Cap. 7. the soundnesse and vprightnes of your sentence and iudgement Coram me quem proprium esse Dei ministrum neque vos negabitis Before me whome your selues can not denie to be the true and right seruant of God But after that the successors of Boniface had felt the sauour of the supremacie neither our sauiour Christes example nor his Apostles authoritie nor the iudgement of the fathers nor the practise of the godly bishops coulde kepe the Pope within his boundes in subiection to the Emperour but he exempted first himself from his power afterward al the cleargie and lastly brought the Emperour in subiection to him self taking the two swordes vpon him the spirituall and the temporall Then ceased the Popes to call the Emperours their Lords Greg. Episto lib. 4. cap. 76. passim as Gregorie the first did call them after his godly predecessors and they beganne to call them their sonnes and their children as nowe they vse to write vnto them Then did they make decrees that the ciuil magistrate should haue nought to deale with any of the cleargie Nouell constitut Iustinian where as before Iustinian the Emperour did gouerne and rule the highest of them as his lawes do shew the which are yet extant Then did they count them selues the onely Vicars of God on earth not acknowledging that in Princes which Eleutherius did in Lucius the auncient kinge of Englande whome he willed as Gods Vicar within his own kingdome to drawe him lawes out of the scriptures there by to rule his owne subiectes Then did they forbid that bishoprickes and spirituall liuinges shoulde be taken at the handes of lay mē no not of Emperours they made them selues Lords of them and therefore did condemne both such as gaue them otherwise and such as receiued them To be short they grewe to such outrage of presumption of rebelliō of ryot of tyrannie of extortiō of lust and all enormities that a man might knowe the trée by the fruites and the wise must néede abhorre that supremacie out of the which such villanies and abhominations did springe into the worlde Chap. 13. What fruites did springe out of the supremacie wherein the wicked mischiefes and abominatiōs of the Popes liues and dealinges are touched by their owne writers THese fruites of the supremacy of the Romane Byshoppes woulde be considered further in their liues and doings which if I shoulde endeuor to runne them ouer all such as pertaine vnto this purpose I shoulde neuer make an ende Wherefore I will touch but onely certaine of the chiefest as it were for a tast noting out of them as neere as I can the very naturall fruites of the Romish supremacie Amongest the which first there commeth in place their contention and ambition in procuring of the Popedome for the which there hath ben cōmonly such corruption such bribery such debate such imprisoning murthering poysoning all euill meanes vsed betwixt them that in Platina their owne secretarie and writer of their liues it is a common note in verie many of them that they were made Popes some by Mars some by monie some by fauour of friendes some by power of noble men some by sorcerie and magike some by like pollicies of the Deuill Platina in Iohanne 10. Pontifices ipsi a Petri vestigijs discesserant saith Platina The Byshoppes of Rome were now departed from Peters steppes Which complainte he doth make vppon occasion of their hatred conceyued by one of them against another through their ambition For Iohn the ix was vexed by Martine the seconde so that being imprisoned he was faine to escape by flight Martine the seconde made Pope through euill meanes did restore Formosus whome Iohn had depryued Afterwarde Formosus getting the rome by bryberie came in by periurie vnto it and liued in it accordingly Steuen the sixt that succéeded him did abrogate and repeale al the actes of Formosus whose body he digged also out of his graue cut off his two fingers wherewith he hallowed Priestes and cast them into the riuer After Steuen came Romanus Theodorus and Iohn the tenth who did repeale the actes of Steuen and restored Formosus actes to full authoritie againe Which villanous dealing of them one against an other enforceth Platina him selfe Platina in Formos 1. Stephan 6. Romano 1. Benedicto 4. Christophero 1. c. though otherwise fauouring the Popes to breake out into these complaintes that the vertue and honestie of the Bishops of Rome nowe was decayed that they did aspire and attaine vnto the office by ambition and briberie that hereof did spring their hatred one against an other when they were put beside it that of this hatred there a rose a cōmon custome which was almost kept alwayes afterward that what the former Bishops had done decréed their successors would either wholy or in part take away that these petie Popes for so he doeth call them did thinke of nothinge else but how they mighte deface the name and dignitie of their predecessors by repealing of their actes that when the Church did waxe wanton with honor and wealth there being no prince in Rome to represse mens wickednesse the loose licentiousnesse of sinne did bring foorth these beasts who through ambition and briberie did inuade the sée of