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power_n	end_n	spiritual_a	temporal_a	6,697	5	9.5296	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11771	Aphorismes of state or Certaine secret articles for the re-edifying of the Romish Church agreed vpon, and approued in councell, by the Colledge of Cardinalls in Rome, shewed and deliuered vnto Pope Gregory the 15. a little before his death. Whereunto is annexed a censure vpon the chiefe points of that which the cardinalls had concluded. By Tho. Scott. Very needfull and profitable for all those, who are desirous to vnderstand the euent of the restitution of the Palatinate: and of the state of the Prince-Electors, of Saxon and Brandenburgh, in the behalfe of the clergie in Rome. Fit for the Brittish nation, especially to take notice of, that they may euidently see, the issue of all our treaties, ambassages, and promises, with other hopes depending: wherein we haue beene long held in suspence, and are still like to be, to our vnrecouerable losse. Faithfully translated according to the Latine, and Netherlandish Dutch, into English.; Nieuwe, ongehoorde, vreemde en secrete artijckelen, tot herbouwinge vande Roomsche Kercke-standt, by het Collegie der Cardinalen binnen Romen. English	Scott, Thomas, 1580?-1626.; Catholic Church. Collegium Cardinalium.	1624 (1624)	STC 22065; ESTC S100964	18,484	32

vnto others for euer whereupon they presently assembled and elected Henry Emperour From all this very plainely appeareth that the French assuredly knew that it was in the Popes power to establish the Emperiall command in their Kingdome and to transport from the Germanes the Empire and the right of the Election and therefore may the Pope according to the plenitude of his power no longer vse conniuence when as these Arch-Hereticks the Saxon and the Brandenburgher would throw downe into hell the antiquity and order of the Empire The 12. Article IT is in the Popes hands as in all Histories appeareth to renew the Emperour in their Empire to transport the authority of one Nation vnto another and vtterly to abolish the right of Election how wickedly and vngodly then doth the Saxon in labouring to plucke the sayd power from the Chaire of Rome and to vnite the same vnto the Colledge of the Prince Electors By this meanes the Pope of Rome and the Emperour may expect that from this permission the rest of the Arch-Hereticks the Saxon and the Brandenburgher may change the Essence of the holy Church and of the Empire into an abhominable and cursed monster The 13. Article SInce that Wenceslaus by reason of his follies by the Prince-Electors was deposed from the Emperiall seat and contrarily Robert Palsgraue of the Rhine by the commaund and authority of Pope Boniface the 9. ascended to that high dignity In like manner also is the Palsgraue that Arch-hereticke because he had committed high treason and had disturbed the Common-peace of the Emperour and the Empire detruded from his Prince-Electorship And contrarily for the recouering of the Antiquity the Emperour with the sacred and true Prince-Electors as sonne obedient to the Church and diligent in maintaining Antiquity by Commission from the Pope hath promoted Maximilian Duke of Bauaria in all right vnto that high degree of Prince-Electorship The 14. Article SO that by the Authority of the Apostelicall seate the power of Electing an Emperour and a Prince Elector is drawne into the number of seauen Princes yet whereas according to the Concession of Gregory the 5. it appertained vnto all the Princes of Germany also by the same plenitude of power it is lawfull for the Pope to cut off the Dignity of the Prince-electorshippe from the Palsgraue and his heires and to transport the same vnto the Duke of Bauaria The 15. Article THe plenitude of the power of the Apostolicall seate is prooued by the publique documents as is the Election of Rudolph of Habsburgh Adolph Henry the 7 Charles the 4. Wenceslaus and Rupertus who had no other stability but from the grant and consent of Nicholas the third Boniface the 8. Clemens the 5. Clemens the 6. Gregory the 11. and Boniface the 9. which publique documents are kept with the Writings of the Apostolicall seate The 16. Article TO the end that the Antiquity of the Empire may the better bee manifested that the Pope and the Church hath onely the power to take notice discerne and to dispose of the affaires of the Empire Therefore the Emperour is Crowned with the Crowne by the Pope who therein hath the highest authority and this worke effected then is he establisht in the Emperiall seate Therefore all Doctors doe agree herein that hee that is Crowned by the Pope hath the power onely to beare the title of Emperour and Augustus To signe with the signe of the golden Bull and to take vpon him the administration of the Empire and when the Prince is not crowned by the Pope he is rightly forbidden to vse the same The 17. Article AT what time a great contention was risen betweene Charles the balde King of the Francks and his brother Lodowicke in the behalfe of the Empire Then presently Charles posted vnto Rome and so with gifts and entreaties obtained the Crowne And therefore Carelus Calvin according to the forme of Antiquity the Pope onely hath the power to take notice of matters of the Empire and therefore the Germane Hereticks doe very ill in saying That the same belongeth to the Colledge of the Prince Electors The 18. Article SInce that Fredericke the first by the Bishop of Bamberghen required the Crowne of the Empire from Pope Adrian the 4. where the words vnder-written are vsed and placed to expresse the same sence from whence very plainely appeareth that hee that receiueth not the Crowne out of the Popes hand is in very deede no Emperour Therefore most holy Father fulfill without any longer delay that which Maximilion the Duke of Bauaria wanteth in the plenitude of the Dignity of his Prince-Electorship that the same may be accomplished by your Holinesses liberality to the end the Empire may bee reduced and brought into its olde fashion againe The 19. Article SInce that in the disposing and ordering of the affaires of the Empire the Popes respect onely extendeth so farre that it now and then hath beene vexed supprest nay hath beene wholy and totally circumuented and defrauded like as many Histories doe testifie what hath passed betweene Pope Gregory the 7. and the Emperour Henry the 4. betweene Pope Alexander and the Emperour Fredericke the first between Pope Innocent the third and the Emperour Ottaman the fourth betweene Pope Innocent the fourth and the Emperour Fredericke betweene Pope Iohn the 21. and the Emperour Lodowick the 4. betweene Pope Boniface the 9. and the Emperour Wenceslaus By the same respect hath the Pope that vndoubted right to take notice of the affaires of the Emperour and to discerne thereof and not the Colledge of the prince Electors The 20. Article SInce that the power of the Electing the Emperour was not purchased for money by the prince Electors nor obtained by force of Armes nor enioyed by right of Inheritance nor befalne vnto them by the hands of the Emperors but is descended from the authority of the Apostolicall seat Therefore it is not lawfull for the Germane Arch-hereticks now at this present to beleeue any otherwise thereby to molest the Antiquity and Sanctity of the Empire The 21. Article WHen as for a long time the custome of Electing the Emperour had beene in vse according to the constitution of Pope Gregory the 5. by the Intercession of all the Chiefest and princes of Germany and that many troubles and deuisions arose by the great diuersity of voyces in their Election The Empire is at last become to nought So that the Chiefes and Princes with one accord according to the decree and approbation of the apostolicall seat were agreed that all the power which was graunted vnto them all of pope Gregory the 5. should descend vnto sixe Princes onely viz. to three spirituall and three temporall vnto whom afterwards the seauenth was adioyned and solemnly concluded that of these alone without admitting any other thereunto from henceforth the Emperour should be chosen although they were of the like faculty power and authority The 22. Article LIke as in former time the Election was performed

people of Italy by processe of time and the Inuasion of many Nations and pillagings as being subiect to the Gothes Vice-Gothes Humes and Longbardes and being not able with their owne forces to defend themselues and the Grecians taking no care at all of them for the performance therof nay that which is more they themselues heaping euill vpon euill and vsing all diligence to suppresse and spoile them vsing to great auariciousnesse and desire of authoritie ouer them they marking the excessiue couetousnesse of the Grecians and also their carelesnesse obseruing also the worthinesse capacitie and equitie of the Germanes they transported the Empire from the Grecians vnto the Germanes and recommended the same to Carolus Magnus This transport of the Empire being effected by the Romans and other people of Italy and that with the common consent and authoritie of them all out of all doubt had full power and hath remained firme Hence appeareth plaine enough that they are either fooles or else are much deceiued which thinke that the Empire was transported to the Francks for heresie This also is worthy consideration that although the Easterne Empire was transported by Pope Leo to the Westerne that the Pope hath now the same right to remoue the Empire according to his will In olde time it was otherwise then it is now Let vs grant that the Pope of Rome had some right as the best qualified citizen of the citie nay that the City which neuer yet was done had transported all her power vnto him what doth that concerne these our present times since that the Pope hath driuen the Emperour out of the dominion of the Citie After what manner say I hereafter shall either Rome it selfe or the Pope of Rome pretend any right in the electing of an Emperour since they doe not acknowledge the Emperour for their Lord yea since it is acknowledged that the prince Electors are to be ordained by the consent and voices of the States and this is by the approbation of Gregory the 5 hath not the Pope lost his right when he consented hereunto so that hereby that authoritie which the Pope ascribeth to himselfe is quite ouerthrowne What a number of proofes might be produced against this power of the Pope yea also the testimonie of principall personages who by reason of their learning are exceeding famous Here followeth the third part which falleth very grieuously both with tooth and naile vpon the bodies of all those that dislike the sentence of the Pope and that consisteth in the three last Articles And first that is touched which concerneth the election that is the right of voice is taken from the Prince Elector the Duke of Saxon vnder this pretext because forsooth the Pope of Rome hath not confirmed that dignitie wherwith that family for these many yeares hath been invested nor is it confirmed by the Pope as if that illustrious Family had not been so wise as neuer to haue required the same of the Pope It is but too well knowne vnto them that they whom the Hope glorieth to haue honoured with the name of Empire or Authoritie that hee taketh away from them the maiestie of authoritie so that his investing may well be called disrobing and his crowning a dethroning or deposing For I pray you of what consequence is the confirmation of the Pope vnto those whom he driues into a bodily feare if he had no temporall power It is such as Origen long ago vnderstood to be which he taught as appeareth by his writings vpon Mathew on his twelfth Homily Among you which are mine these things shall not be to the end that those which haue any power in the Church doe not seeme to domineere ouer their brethren nor to vse any authoritie For like as a necessitie is imposed vpon temporall matters and not left to the will and spirituall matters in will and not in necessity so shall the dominion of spirituall Princes be confirmed in loue and not in bodily feare If therefore the power of the prince Electors be from the Pope because that the Emperiall power is from him as our adversaries affirme how can they proue that the dignitie of the prince Elector must proceed from the Pope if it be not needfull that the Emperour be confirmed by the Pope There is a text that saith The Army maketh an Emperour The Glosse saith thereby He is a right Emperour before he be confirmed by the Pope This they of Basil vnderstood very well who after the death of Lodowicke where the Lord of Bambergher chiefe President made this answer That Emperour which the prince Electors shall ordaine for vs him will we accept of although he haue no respect vnto the Pope This appeareth in supplemento Vrspergensi Nay that which is more the Pope himselfe confesseth that not the Empire it selfe but the Emperiall title rested onely in him Pope Adrian the fourth in his Epistle to the Archbishop of Ments Tryer and Cullen saith The name of the Emperour is from the Pope but the Empire and Authoritie cometh from the prince Electors Hence then is confuted that which is said in the 27. Article since that the Pope hath confirmed the Duke of Bavaria in the dignitie of prince Elector that then not onely the King of Spaine who is there mentioned but also the Emperour is bereaued of the power to restore againe vnto the Palsgraue his hereditary possessions and the dignitie of the prince electorship For if the Pope hath no power in the affaires of the Empire then shall the Emperour by his doings not lose his right much lesse any other Prince if he before the Popes deed had any right of suffrage I am forced to stop my eares by the reason of that extreame proud and ambitious affront which is set downe in the 28 Article That although the two most puissant Kings of Great Brittaine and Denmarke or the two illustrous prince Electors of Saxon and Brandenburgh should require of the Emperour that the Palsgraue of the Rhine might be restored againe vnto his hereditary possessions and dignitie of prince Elector that they then robbed the Seate of Rome of the right of its maiestie and did attribute the power of the prince Electors dignitie vnto the Emperour The Pope of Rome doth very falsly attribute that Maiesty vnto himselfe which appertaineth to the Emperour and to the Princes of the Empire and the States Very falsly is the Pope of Rome called here the Fountaine and Sourse of the prince Electors dignities because that power is sprung out of the Councell of the Germaine Princes Like as Naucleius saith Generat 34. The writer Theodoricus Niemus vseth these words The Princes of Germanie haue ordained it so The very same also do other writers affirme Neither do I deny that it was with the approbatiō of Pope Gregory the 5. Therefore the temporall dignitie is not chiefely from the Pope for not the Pope but the princes of the Empire doe represent the whole body and people of the

for as much as he is Pope hath no Iurisdiction at all but for as much as he is enriched by the liberality of Princes he hath also his owne lands and hath a certaine Iurisdiction which is well to be vnderstoode in his owne lands But in the Empire where he hath no place amongst the Princes of the Empire no Iurisdiction may be allowed him without deminishing of the Emperiall Maiestie Let no man suffer himselfe once to be moued for that which hath bin so long said that the Pope of Rome is in the place of Christ here vpon earth Christ himselfe denied that his Kingdome was of this world The Disciple is not mightier then his Master nor the seruant greater then his Lord. What is more euident and plaine then that which Christ himselfe saith Let the Kings of the Nations beare rule but with you it must not be so neither is that firmer that they hope for the victory from the triumph and other proofes wherewith they haue alwayes defended their cause that Christ said All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth Maldonatus refuteth this with these words Christ speaketh not here of all power but of that which he gaue to the Apostles that is of the power to obtaine and gather together his spirituall Kingdome for which businesse hee sent out the Apostles like as temporall Princes are carefull of their temporall goods so are they also of their Iurisdictions Here auaileth that which the olde Father Bernard wrote to Pope Eugenius in his first booke of Obseruations Your power is ouer offences or sinnes and not ouer possessions These base and earthly things haue their Iudges Kings and Princes of the earth wherefore doest thou enter vpon other mens iurisdictions Wherefore doest thou thrust thy Sickle or Sythe into another mans Haruest Moreouer he saith in his eleuenth booke Dominion was forbiden the Apostles darest thou then vse it A Lord the Apostleship or an Apostolicall person dominion verily both these are forbiden you if you will enioy both these at once Therefore asketh Hostiensis what shall we say of that which concerneth the Pope in worldly or temporall affaires whereunto he maketh answere with his Lord Innocentius that vnto him viz. the Pope it concerned nothing at all The same also may de read by Iohn Pariensis in the tenth Chapter of the power of Kings and Popes This is long agoe tolde vnto them but they giue it no audience from hence ariseth the English complaint by Mathew Paris where hee treateth of Henry the third That it is sufficiently knowne and found that the wrath of God is falne vpon the Romish Church because their Magistrate and Regent doe not diligently apply themselues for the denotion of the people nor for the gaining of soules but to purchase Reuenues and to scrape money together Other Nations vsed very grieuously to complaine thereof and that with good reason especially Germany whose Princes long agoe seeking remedy hereof were not very acceptable who could neuer satisfie the Romish Clergie with riches and dignities from this vnsatiable gulfe also ariseth that they in the third Article desire to cut off the conditions for their aduantage which for the common peace sake were receiued aboue seauenty yeares since at Passow But it is not in the Popes power not in the Clergie to breake that which was concluded by a generall Councell of the States where the Authority of Charles entertained Heere followeth the Censure vppon the second part which extendeth it selfe farre larger then the first in regard that it not onely sheweth the Cardinalish Prince but that which lyeth next vnder This afore-said part containeth 20. Articles in which they with the like proofes doe proceede as yet seemeth yet their obiect indeede is something else more then in the former In which it seemeth to be sufficient to Michael Lonigus That if the Duke of Bauaria could but be perswaded that hee would seeke for the consent of the Pope in those dignities where he was honoured In such manner the chiefest Cardinals doe take the reynes of good reason too too long into their hands Nay as Phacton vpon the Waggon of their Auarice to the great danger of the world and more especially of Germany doe ride out of the common rout of the Popes like as if it were a matter of no moment to pronounce such an horrible sentence of the Transport of the Electorship of the Palsgraue and the occasion thereof whereof we will not now dispute and so they fall aboord the Prince-Electors of Saxon and Brandenburgh in the behalfe of the Rights of the Election what is it else but with the like thunderbolt to dash the heads of the sacred Empire they say they are Heretickes It is now no time to enquire after heresie but rather soundly to dispute whether that a Bishop like as hee hath right to excommunicate a man for heresie Whether therefore hee hath the power also to rob and spoile a man of his dignities and meanes verily therein is great difference Christ commaunded that the excommunicated should be counted as an Heathen or Publican but in no place willeth hee that men should rob the Heathens or Publicans of their Authority or should spoile them of their goods Christ himselfe paid Tole vnto the publicanes and by his example hath shewed vs the way what we should doe The Apostles liued vnder Heathenish Emperours and were obedient to their lawes in like manner also were all their Successors nay the Apostles being obedient vsed to pray to God for them There saith Tertullian in his Analogie in the thirtieth Chapter wee inuoke the eternall God for the prosperity of the Emperour praying that he may haue a long life a peacefull gouernment an establisht habitation strong Armies faithfull Councellours and a peacefull world When Iulian left Christianity and betooke himselfe to Heathenisme did the Christians then detrude him forth of his Empire When they heare of this then will they contend with later examples saying Wherefore then may not the Pope by the same right for heresie transport the dignity of the Prince-Electorship vnto another since that Pope Leo the third for the same occasion transported Empire from the Grecians vpon the Francks This is that Achilles which so boasts in the Colledge of the Cardinalls but yet he is not strong enough to take in our Citie of Elium They abuse themselues exceedingly with this example first from the Act of the Pope they conclude the iustnesse of the Act if we may so driue our Arguments there is no Act of any man but it may be found fault withall they erre also herein that they affirme that to be done which was neuer done We know it all of vs that the Empire was transported but withall that it was done by the councell of Rome as also all Italy consented thereunto either priuatly or publikely Of the westerne people I will passe ouer in silence They say againe that we haue many Writers which make repetition of that which

Empire in whom immediatly as in the subiect the temporall power consisteth Nicholas Cusanus in his third booke of the catholicke concordance in the 4. Chap. In my iudgement iudgeth very well thereof writing in this maner saith The prince Electors who elected in the place of others were in the time of Pope Gregory the 5 being a Germaine ordained of the naturall kindred of Otho and therefore it is not tollerable that the prince Electors should haue their power of electing from the Pope of Rome so that now vnlesse he consented these should not haue it or if he would that he would take it from them I aske who hath giuen the people of Rome power to elect an Emperour but the Law of God and nature for by way of a voluntary subiection and consent in predecedencie all sorts of gouernments are well and holy instituted and afterwards there he setteth downe yet something else the prince Electors that were constituted by the generall vniformitie of voices of all Germaines and others belonging to the Empire in the time of Henry the 2. had their fundamentall power from the generall consent of voices of all who by the law of nature might chuse themselues an Emperour not from the Pope of Rome himselfe in whose power it is not to giue to euery prouince a King or an Emperour when it pleaseth him and when it doth not please him Lastly the Articles were sealed vp with this Oath That the Pope himselfe without preiudice to his seate may not reuoke the Electorship from the Duke of Bauaria since that he hath confirmed him in that dignitie nay that all the Prelates of the Romish Church are bound with force of Armes to maintaine the Duke of Bauaria and yet more that all those that are of the Romish Church are bound to bring all their force together to maintaine the same So that the Romish Clergie disdaining the prerogatiue of Kings and Princes doth very boldly determine and decide these controuersies which arise in the Empire and threatneth to force them by warre who are not content with the Popes sentence How ilsauourly these things doe sute and agree with Pope and Clergie of Rome is shewed vnto vs in that famous place of Peter Damianus who liued in the yeare 1060 his words in his Letter vnto the Bishop Firminus are these Like as the Sonne of God himselfe did ouercome all the obstacles of this raging world not by any proofe of vengeance but by constant patience and inuinceable Maiestie so sitteth it best that we rather suffer and patiently endure the worlds raging with humilitie then either by taking Armes in hand or requiting wounds with wounds especiall since that betweene the Empire and the Priest-hood the offices are seuerall The King shall vse the temporall Armes the Priest shall put on a spirituall sword which is the word of God Paul saith of the princes of this world that he beareth not the sword in vaine being a Minister of God and his reuenger in wrath vpon him that doth euill King Azarias because he tooke vpon him the Priests office was stricken with Leprosie so that Priests which shall take vp Armes which is the worke of the Laitie what deserueth he If now any man would obiect that Pope Leo oftentimes thrust himselfe into warres and yet for all that was a iust Pope I tell you mine opinion Peter neuer obtained the Apostle-ship because he forsooke his Master Nor Dauid the gift of prophesing because he defiled anothers mans bed Here is not to be considered of good and euill things according to the desert of the possessors but they are to be iudged according to their owne qualities Doe we reade any where that Pope Gregory who endured so many roberies and pillages of the Longebeards either did or wrot the like Doe we reade any where that any of the holy and worthy Popes did euer take vp Armes to make a warre no neuer in no place grant then that the Lawes of the ciuill Magistrate may narrowly fift pry and determine any certaine question which ariseth in the Church or else determine and iudge of that which concernes not the Iudgement seate of the ciuill Magistrate by an Edict of the Councell or an assembly of Diuines to the end that either by the iudgement of the Magistrate or the Iudicate of the Pope there arise no warre which might be accounted to our shame The Clergie men of Rome are altogether of another oppinion practising and endeauouring almost nothing else but warre not onely with their Armes but also threatening others and whilst they are doing this they are not ashamed to affirme that they are bound thereunto by the Lawes of God Let them obserue what Christ commanded the Apostle Peter to put vp the sword into the sheath Where hath euer God commanded the Clergie that they should intermeddle in matters of temporall dignities or should vndertake warres much lesse that they should blow the Trumpet or beate Allarmes as they do now haue I the desire of Dominion their God Obserue diligently I pray you that bloody Oath intended by all the Prelates to the end the fashion of the ancient and holy Church might be maintained intire like as if the fashion of their Church now were as it was wont to be in former times Let vs reade that which Tertullian Ambrose Augustine and other Writers who subiect the Clergie vnder the power of the Temporall Pope Gregorius Magnus writeth himselfe vnto the Emperour Mauritius these words I the vnworthy seruant of your pietie and a little after he saith yet farther To this end authoritie is giuen to me from heauen aboue all men that belong to my Lords the Emperours for pietie cause When as the said Mauritius would haue that Pope Gregory should publish a law which he had made and this Pope adiudging the same to be vnreasonable and opposing the liberty of the Church he therefore did not blaspheme against the Empire but was obedient vnto the command of the Emperour his Master not dissembling to speak his minde and opinion of the Emperours Law these are the Popes owne wordes I being subiect to authoritie haue sent these Lawes into seuerall quarters of the world and because they are not agreeable to almightie God I haue communicated the same vnto the Illustrouse Lords by amissiue of my owne oppinion so that I haue fully discharged my dutie on both sides shewing as I am bound obedience to the Emperour and not concealing my opinion in that which concerneth God Here ought we to obserue how cunningly and craftily the Colledge of Cardinalls obserue and aime at the example of the ancient holy Church chiefly in the time of Pope Gregory the 7 vnder which this lurketh that this Pope Gregory was the very first who durst ascribe take vnto himselfe the right of the Empire At what time I pray you liued this Pope about the yeare 1100. is the antiquitie whereof they boast I may affirme with Tertullian that this is noueltie what

holinesse was there in those dayes when all maner of fractious cussennings frauds deceites and villanies had their full swinge and to write much thereof would be to dangerous and be no honour to Christendome Like as the Writer of those times affirmeth in the dayes of the Emperor Henry the 4. It is very well knowne vnto all men what Cardinall Benno hath written and translated of that Pope although Cardinall Bellarmine iudgeth that the same was wrtten by a Lutheran In like manner it is also but to well knowne by other Writers who haue painted out in liuely colours this Pope Gregory euen to the life A certaine man named Orthamus Gracious very much adicted to the Romish Church was the first publisher thereof in a booke wherein are contained very many remarkeable obseruations out of the actions of this Pope Gregory the Colledge of Cardinals in the 19. Articles do conclude the Popes authoritie and not out of these actiones onely but also of other Popes who haue delt most tirannically with the Empire One could also hit the Cardinalls in the teeth with that which Cardinall Bellarmine in his second Booke of the Popes of Rome saith in the 29. Chap. vpon the 4. Argument viz. That the Christian Emperours haue oftentimes beene Iudges of the Popes whereunto very subtilly he inferreth or answereth That these things haue beene done but how well they haue done the same and by what right that they themselues shall answer It is indeed much to be wondred at that the Clergie men are grown to that passe that they so stoutly attempt that which all the world hath in abomination and with such polluted hands to lay hold vpon the most famous state of the Empire We obserue also how shamelesse the Colledge of Cardinalls are willing that we from the euill liues and wicked actions of deceased Popes should conclude how great the authoritie of the Pope is at least they neede not to be so contumelious and arrogant against those Emperours which in former times the Popes haue acknowledged to be themselues seruants of the Emperours The Pope also ought to haue in consideration that he by meanes of the Empire hath obtained so great riches and now by the greatnesse of his power and all maner of sensuallities blindeth the eyes of many temporall princes How blind are the men of this age when the Sunne shineth so bright how little do they know or think what will fall out in the end he hath got so great treasures from those of the Empire to the end that he wanting nothing might giue the better luster vnto his religion now abuseth he these gifts by driuing the Empire into a great feare He is enriched with earthly countries to the end he should enrich vs with the heauenly and now they serue him to take away our earthly He is enriched to the end that by his religious care we might liue in greater securitie in the Empire now he careth not for that although there be trouble raised in the Empire so he may liue brauely and laciuiously This is the reward of peruerted liberalty so that for many ages it hath been very truely said Religion brought forth riches and the Daughter hath deuoured the Mother You props and pillers of the Empire most Illustrious Emperour Princes Electors Princes and States tollerate no longer this triumph and pride of the Romish Clergie you see how boldly they violate the lawes of the Empire they limite your established law and preferre vnto you that which they do but thinke and inuent leauing vnto you the bare name of the empire but haue drawne the maiestie thereof long agoe to themselues What will this worke in the end if you be content any longer with patience to behold or looke vpon the same neuer thinke that they will omit to increase theirs and decrease yours You haue heard how they threaten you and what they intend as enemies to prosecute and you know that the abominable deeds which the Popes haue performed against the Emperours doe serue them now for very faire examples Since then it is not yet to late take councell prouidently that the Romish Cardinalls in the end may be glad to leaue their affronts and their proud courage may quaile vndertake firme and substantiall courses that their dissolute and insolent desire of dominion may be restrained and bridled then shall the Maiestie of the empire be preserued whereunto Almighty God giue you his blessing in all your consultations from whom you haue receiued the possession and gouernment of the Empire FINIS