than to the coÌ„mune profyte And this verelye is a kynde of Regall monarchie yea and suche a kynde that as concernynge the successoure there can be none better but yet it is somwhat Tyrannycall because the sawes of it are not made vtterly or onely to the coÌ„mune profyte but all togyther to the profyte of the kynge or gouernour The thyrde maner of Regall gouernaunce or power is whan one man is made gouernour by eleccyon not by successcyon of hynted or because his fathers or auncytries were gouernours afore hym but yet gouernynge accordynge to the lawe whiche is not made to the coÌ„mune profyte onely but more to the profyte of the gouernour and is in a maner a tyraÌ„nycall lawe For whiche cause Arystotle in the aforesayd place calleth it electam tiraÌ„nidem i. Tyrannye made by eleccyon he calleth it tyrannye because of y e domynacion of the lawe he calleth it electam because it is not agaynst the wyll of the subiectê The fourth maner is whan any man is made prynce or gouernour by eleccyon with all y t succede of his kynred or blode according to y e lawes which ar made vtterly to y e coÌ„mon profyte And this maner of instytutynge gouernours they vsed aboute the heroycall tymes or tymes of the noble men whiche were called heroesas he sayth in the same chapytre And those tymes were called heroycall other because than y e coÌ„stellacyon brought forth such maner men whiche were beleued to be heroes that is to say diuyne or godly persons for theyr excedyng vertue or els because such maner men were made prynces or rulers none other for theyr excedynge vertues benefytê as bycause they gathered the multytude whiche lyued sparpled one from another in to ciuyle coÌ„munytie or els bycause by manlynes boldnes or strength in fyght and batayle they dyd dylyuer theyr regyon or countre from the oppressours of it or els bycause peraduenture they bought the regyon or els gat it by some other conuenyent maner and dyuyded it amonge the subiectes and to speake all at one worde for theyr excellence aboue the other multytude in vertue or els for the greater benefytes done or gyuen of them than of any other they were instytuted or made prynces or gouernoures with all theyr posterytie or successours of blode as Arystotle sayde in the. v. boke of his Polytykes and the. x. chapytre and vnder the kynde of monarchie peraduenture Arystotle comprehendeth that kynde vnto whiche any man is elected or chosen onely for his owne hole lyfe or for parte of his lyfe or elles he causeth vs to vnderstande that by this and by that whiche is called electe tyrannye for it taketh parte of eyther of them The. v. maner is and hath ben that by whiche the prynce or gouernoure is made lorde of all those thynges which are in the coÌ„munytie dysposynge and orderynge all maner persons and thynges so after his owne wyll as the stewarde or orderer of a house dysposeth and ordereth all thynges whiche are in his owne house as he fyste hym selfe But yet that these saynges of Arystotle maye be made more euydent open also y t all the other maners of instytutynge other gouernours may be reduced to a chapytre or to a general suÌ„me we shal say y t all maner power or gouernaunce eyther it is ouer them that wyllyngly are subiectes or els ouer them that are subiectes agaynst theyr wyll the fyrste of these ii is generall to all well tempered powers or gouernaunces the seconde to all viciate or intemperate and vnryghtfull gouernaunces And eche one of these ii generall kyndes is deuyded in to iii. speciall kyndes or maners as it hath ben sayd in the. viii chapytre of this dyccyon And bycause regall monarchie is one of the specyall kyndes of well tempered gouernaunces and peraduenture the most perfyte of them all therfore now makynge recolleccion of y e premysses let vs begyn our speche or processe at the maners of it saynge that Rex or Monarcha that is to saye a kynge other is instytuted by the eleccyon of the inhabytauÌ„tes or cytyzens or elles he hath the powre and auctorytie of gouernynge ryghtfully and duely without theyr eleccyon yf he be prynce or gouernoure without theyr eleccyon other it is because eyther he dyd fyrste enhabyte the regyon or els his predecessoures of whose lynage he descendeth or els because he bought the lande and Iurysdyccyon or els wan it by ryghtfull batayle or els gatte it by some other lawfull maner or waye as for example by a gyfte made therof to hym for his good seruyce done And yf it be so that the kyng or prynce that gouerneth hath ben instytuted by the eleccyon of the inhabytauntes it is conuenyent that it be done by some of these maners folowynge for eyther he is instytuted gouernoure with all the posterytie successours of blode or els not yf he be instytuted gouernour but not with all his posterytie this maye be done many maner wayes for eyther he is made gouernour for all the lyfe tyme of one man onely or els for the lyfe tyme of one man and also of some one or els mo than of one of his successours or els he is not instytuted for the hole lyfe tyme of any man neyther of hym that is fyrste neyther of any of his successoures but onely for some determynate parte of tyme as for the space of one yere or of ii or for lenger or for shorter space agayne he is instytuted eyther to exercyse all maner Iudycyall offyce or els to exercyse but onely one Iudycyall offyce as to be the guyde or capytayne of the hoste and so forthe ¶ Of the dystynctyon or dyuersyte and the assygnacyon of the sygnyfycacyons of this nowne lex and of the moste propre sygnyfycacyon of this worde whiche is intended ment in this boke The x Chapytre FOr as moche as we haue sayde that election is the most ê‘fecte and the beste forme or maner of instytutynge gouernoures and rulers it shall doo very well to serache forthe the effectyue cause of it that is to saye who oughte to be the electoures or doers of this election or of whom it ought to be made as touchynge the complement of the goodnes therof that is to saye yf it shulde be a perfecte good election for of this it shall also appere whiche is the factyue or effectyue cause of the elected gouernoure and lykewyse of the other partes or offyces of the Lyuyle CoÌ„mynalte But for as moche as the Prynce or gouernoure ought to measure and rule the Lyuyle actes of men as we haue shewed in the. v. chapytre of this dictyon and that by or accordynge to a rule whiche is and oughte to be the forme or formall cause of the Prynce of Gouernoure in that he is gouernoure it is necessarye fyrste to serache out whether there be any suche maner rule then afterwardes what it is and wherfore or to
and iudgynge ryght or well it is the more sure waye and lesse ieopardouse that such iudgementes be done accordynge to the lawe than accordynge to the arbrytrement or wyll and pleasure of the iudge And for this cause it is necessarie that a lawe be made and set yf cōmune weales shulde be very well ordred as touchynge to the cyuyle ryghtes and vtylytyes of them for by the lawe the cyuyle iudgementes are preserued from the ignoraunce and from the peruerse or croked affeccyon whiche elles myght be in the iudges And this was the seconde proposycyon and the minor as they call it of our demonstratiue sillogisme by whiche from the begynnynge of this chapytre we haue gone a boute to proue that it is necessarie that lawes be had in a cōmune weale but howe and in what maner a stryfe or cyuyle cause and controuersie rysen whiche is not determyned by the lawe ought to be defyned and determyned or iudged it shall be shewed in the. xiiii chapitre of this diccyon To conclude than lawes are necessarie for the excludynge of the malyce and erroure or ignoraunce of the iudges from cyuyle iudgementes or sentences And for these consyderacyons Arystotle counsayled that to no iudge or gouernour shuld be graunted arbrytrement or fre lybertie to iudge or cōmaunde of cyuyle maters without a lawe in suche thynges wherin the law myght haue determyned wherfore in the. v. boke of the Etikes and the syxte chapytre Arystotle treatynge of iustyce and iniurye saythe in this wyse for this cause we do not suffre a man to gouerne and rule but acordyng to reason that is to wyt accordynge to the lawe And he assygneth the cause here afore alledged that is to wyt the peruerse and croked affeccyon whiche maye happen or chaunce to be in hym Also in the thyrde boke of the politikes and the. vii chapytre he saythe thus By the answere to the fyrste doubte or questyon it is euydent open that none other thynge ought so moche to gouerne and rule as the lawes whiche are well made that is to say as they whiche gouerneth ruleth accordynge to the lawes The same also he sayth in the same iii. boke and the. xii chapytre in this wyse who soeuer therfore byddeth or wylleth the lawe to gouerne and rule he semeth to byd or wyll god and the lawes to gouerne but he that byddeth or wylleth a man to gouerne vnderstande without a lawe after his owne pleasure he ioyneth or putteth to also a beeste and he sheweth the cause why he so sayth a lytle after sayenge Propter quod sine appetitu intellectus lex est as who shulde saye that the lawe is vnderstandynge and knowledge or reason without appetite or luste that is to saye without any affeccyon and this same sentence he repeteth also in his fyrst boke of retorykes and the fyrst chapytre where he saythe thus it is most conuenyent therfore that the well made lawes do determyne all thynges what soeuer doth happen or chaunce and to cōmytte very fewe thynges to the arbrytrement of y e iudges and he assygneth there the afore alledged causes that is to wyt the exclusyon or auoydynge of the malyce or ignoraunce of the iudges from the cyuyle iudgementes which sayd malyce or erroure and ignoraunce can not chaūce to be in the lawe lykewyse as they maye in the iudges as it hathe ben shewed here before And Arystotle speaketh more largelye than thus openlye in the. iiii boke of his politikes and the. iiii chapytre sayenge in this wyse where the lawes do not gouerne and rule that is to saye where the prynces and rulers do not gouerne accordynge to the lawes there is no cōmune weale vnderstande thou temperate or well ordred for the lawe ought to be gouernoure and ruler ouer all Nowe it resteth or remayneth to shewe that all prynces and gouernoures ought to gouerne accordynge to the lawe and not without or besyde it and namelye moste of all other these prynces or kynges whiche are made gouernours with al theyr yssue or ofsprynge that theyr kyngdome or powre maye be more sure from all maner ieopardye or peryll and also may endure and cōtynue the longer whiche was the secondarie fynall cause of the necessyre of lawes to be had assygned of Hus in the begynnynge of his chapitre and fyrste it may be proued by this because to gouerne and rule accordynge to the lawes preserueth the iudgmentes of the sayde gouernoures from the defaulte whiche myght happen by the reason of the ignoraunce or peruerse affeccyon in them by whiche lawes they beynge guyded and well ordred in theyr owne selues and towarde theyr cōmunes or subiectes do lesse suffre sedycyons and so consequentlye do lesse suffre solucyons or destruccyons of theyr kyngdomes whiche myght happen or chaunce to them doynge lewdlie accordynge to theyr wyll and pleasure as Arystotle sayth openlye in the. v. boke of his polytykes and the. x. chapytre Regnum sayth he that is to saye a kyngdome is very seldome or lytle destroyed of those thynges whiche are extrynsecall without it selfe but of it selfe and of intrynsecall causes it chaunceth very ofte to be corrupted and destroyed and that ii maner wayes the one is whan sedicyon ryseth betwene them which are partyners of the kyngdome The seconde waye is whan they begyn to rule and gouerne tyrannously desyrynge and wyffynge to be fordes of many and contrarye to the lawe But perauenture some man wyll obiecte agaynst me and saye that the best man or a very good man is without ignoraunce peruerse or croked affeccyon But let Hus make answere and saye that this cōmeth to passe very seldome and thoughe it chaunce one very good man to be without passyons yet is he not so moche without them as y e lawes is as we haue shewed heretofore by the auctoryte of Arystotle by reason and sensyble experyence that euery mānes soule or mynde hath other whyles some synystre affeccyon whiche thynge we maye byleue by y t whiche is red in the. iiii chapytre of Danyel where mēcyon is made y t there came ii preestes of a wycked mynde purpose agaynst Susāna y t they myght put her to deth they were olde men preestes the iudges of the people y t yere which al this notwithstādynge yet gaue false testymony wytnesse agaynst her because she wold not cōsent applye her selfe to theyr wycked fylthie cōcupyscēce lust Nowe therfore yf they that were preestes aged men of whom a man wolde lytle thynke it were corrupted throughe catnall concupyscence and howe moche more than through couetousnes and other vyces what is to be thought of other men doubtles that no man ▪ be he neuer so vertuous can be without peruerse or corrupte affeccyon and ignoraunce so as the lawe is And therfore it is most sure way that the cyuyle iudgementes be dyrected by the lawe than to be cōmytted to the arbytrement or wyll of the
vnderstanded or meaned that whiche by it owne selfe can not inuent or deuyse a lawe and ought not therfore as touchynge to the mo partes or particuler and synguler persons in it ought not to instytute a lawe than that proposycyon were to be denyed as which is euydentlie false as wytnesseth both sensyble experyence and also Arystotle in the thyrde boke of his politykes and the. vii chapytre Fyrst I saye induccyon or sensyble experyence beareth wytnesse for many men do iuge well of the qualyte of a pycture or house or of a shyppe and of other thynges made by crafte which yet of them selues for all that coulde not inuent or fynde out deuyse suche thynges And Arystotle also beareth wytnesse to the same in the place afore alleged makynge answere to this present obieccyon by these wordes folowynge For in certayne thynges sayth Aristotle not onely he shall iuge neyther yet iuge best which hathe made or wrought them but also other men and he declareth this by example in many kyndes of handycraftes doynge to vnderstande the same also of other thynges Neyther it maketh any thynge agaynst vs where it is sayd that wyse men whiche are but a fewe in nombre maye rather or better dyscerne the agyble or operable thynges whiche are to be instytuted and ordayned than the other multytude for thoughe we do graūte this to be true yet for all that it foloweth not hereof that wyse men can better dyscerne the thynges whiche are to be instytuted and ordayned than can the hole multytude in whiche bothe they also the other lesse learned or lesse wyse are comprehended for euery hole thynge is greatter than is the parte of it both in workynge and also in dyscernynge or iudgynge And this was vndoubtedlie the sentence and mynde of Arystotle in the. iii. boke of his polytykes and the. vii chapitre whan he sayd Quare iuste dominās maiorum multitudo that is to saye the hole multytude or vnyuersyte of cytezens or the greatter parte therof whiche he meaneth by this worde multitudo ought of ryght to rule cōcernyng the greatest thynges whiche are in a cōmune weale he sheweth the cause why for of the hole multytude the cōmentie the learned counsayle and the worshypfulles or headde offycers are but eche of them a parte of a cōmume weale and the substance rychesse worshyp wyt wysdome iudgemēt discrecyon of all them to gyther is greatter than it is of any one of them by hymselfe or of any fewe of them whiche do receyue or take vpon them the mynystracyon of the greatest offyces or dygnytes his entent is this to saye that the multytude of all companyes and orders of the cōmune weale beynge taken togyther so consequentlie that the iudgement of them togyther is more sure without ieopardie than is the iudgement of any parte by it selfe whether that parte be the rascal or poore cōmons whiche he sygnyfyed hereby this worde cōcilium as husbondmen artyfycers suche other or els whether it be pretorium that is to saye they whiche in iudgement are offycers helpynge the prynce or gouernour as aduocates men of lawe and notaryes or scrybes and regestres or whether it be honorabilitas that is to saye the ordre or companye of the best and most worshypfull men whiche are but very fewe in nombre and whiche onely are conuenyently elected and chosen to bere the greatest offyces or dignytyes in y e cyuyle cōmunyties what soeuer parte it be taken seuerallye by it selfe Agayne thoughe we do graunte as it is trewe in very deade that some vnlerned men can not so wel iudge of the lawe or of any other agyble thynge whiche is to be instytuted or ordayned as can so many learned men yet for all that the nōbre of vnlerned men myght be made so great that they beynge so great a multytude myght iudge euen as well of these thynges ye or elles better than the lerned men beynge but a fewe in nombre And Arystotle sayd this same in the place afore alledged wyllynge to confyrme and strength or fortyfye this sentence yf the multytude say the Arystotle be not ouer dull ygnorante and seruyle albeit that eche one of them by hym selfe can not iudge so well as they that ben lerned or wyse and hathe knowledge yet for all that all they togyther shall iudge better or at the least wyse not worse And to that auctoryte taken of the fyrste chapytre of ecclesiastes that the nombre of fooles is infynyte we ought to saye that by this worde stultorum in englisshe fooles is to be vnderstanded vnlearned men or which gyueth not theyr mynde to lyberal workes whiche for all that hath vnderstandynge and iudgement of thynges to be done thoughe not so moche as they whiche gyue theyr mynde to suche thynges or elles perauenture by fooles in that place the whiche man sygnyfyed or meaned infydels as saynt Iherome vpon that place whiche infydels or myscreantes ye haue they neuer so moche cūnynge and knowlege in worldely scyences yet are they very starke fooles accordynge to that sayenge of saynt Paule in the thyrde chapytre of y e fyrst epystle to y e Coryntheans y e wysdome of this world is foolysshnes afore god the secōde obieccyon is of smal strēgth for albeit y t it is more easy for a fewe men to agre in one sentence or mynde than many yet is it not hereof concluded that the sentence of a fewe or of parte is better than the sentence of the hoole multitude wherof y e sayd fewe are a porcyon or parte for these fewe coulde not ne wolde so well dyscerne and iudge the cōmune profyte as coulde wolde the hole multytude of cytezens ye moreouer it were ieopardouse as it hath appered of the thynges aforesayde to cōmytte the makynge of the lawe to the arbytrement or iudgement of a fewe men for perauenture they in makynge of the lawe wolde haue more respecte to the partyculer profyte of some persones or of some company than to the cōmune profyte which thynge appereth euydently in them whiche were makers of the decretalles of clerkes or the clergye as we shall shewe also suffycyentlye in the. viii chapytre of the seconde dyccyon for hereof shulde begyuen certayne occasyon and a waye opened to the regyment called Olygarchia lykewyse as whan the powre of makynge lawes is graunted to one man alone an occasyon is gyuen to tyranny as we haue brought in and alledged heretofore in the. xi chapytre of Arystotle in the. v. of the Etykes in his treatyse de iusticia The thyrde obieccyon maye easely be put by and answered vnto by those thynges whiche hath ben sayd all redye for albeit that by wyse men lawes may be better made than by vnlerned men yet for all that it is not concluded hereof that lawes be better made by onely wyse men than by the hole multytude of cytezens in the whiche multytude the aforesayde wyse men are also
the lawes but some thynges must nedes be cōmytted to the arbytrement and wyll of the prynce and gouernoure in whiche thynge he maye hurte the cōmune weale yf he be a man of peruerse affeccyon And this was the sentence and mynde of Arystotle in the seconde boke of the politikes and the. viii chapytre whan he sayde thus For they that are set in great powre and auctoryte yf they be vyle and of no valure that is to saye yf they be croked or nought in theyr maners they do moche hurte and hathe done moche hurte as haue some done allredy to the cytie of the Chalcedomianes and because prynces are preserued from doynge of hurte by morall vertue and namely iustyce therfore it is conuenyent yf we maye call that conuenyent which is necessarye y t noman which shal be a prynce or gouernour do wante morall vertue and namely iustyce amonge all other vertues To the whiche vertue of iustyce it is conuenyent in hym that shal be a gouernoure that a certayne vertue be assocyated called Epicikeia by which vertue the iudge is dyrected to equyte mekenes gentylnes and from extremytie cruelnes specyallye and cheyfly in those thynges wherin the lawe is insuffycyent and vnperfyte and getteth no playne determynacyon wherfore Arystotle in the. v. boke of his etykes and the. x. chapytre sayth thus this is y e nature and offyce of the vertue Epicikeia which as I esteme the lawers wyll call Equite to amende the lawe in that parte or be halfe wherin it is vnperfyte and maketh no expresse mencyon suffycyently as touchynge to any partyculer thynge because it speaketh onely generally for this Epicikeia or equyte is a certayne fauourable interpretacyō or moderacyon of the lawe in some case whiche the lawe comprehendeth vnder the generalyte of rygoure in whiche thynge the lawe is sayde for so moche to be vnsuffycyent or vnperfyte because it hathe not excepted the sayde case from the rule whiche for all that it wolde haue excepted from the generalyte of the rule other with some moderacyon or elles vtterlye yf it had consydered that suche case shulde haue so fortuned or chaunced and agayne besyde the aforesayd thynges there is requyred in hym that shal be a prynce or gouernoure a certayne synguler loue or beneuolence towardes the cōmune weale and the cytezens For by the reason of this loue or beneuolence the accyons or deades of the prynce or gouernoure are intented or done the more dylygentlye and the better to the cōmune profyte of the hole multytude togyther and also to the pertyculer profyte of eche one by hym selfe ¶ And besyde these sayde habytes and dysposycyons as they call them or qualytes there is necessarye to a prynce or gouernoure a certayne extrynsecall instrument that is to wytte a certayne nombre of men of armes by whiche he maye execute his cyuyle sentences or iudgementes vpon rebelles and dysobedyent persones by coactyue powre wherfore Arystotle in the. vii boke of the polytykes and the. viii chapytre sayth thus They that lyue togyther in a cyuyle cōmunyte it is necessarye for them to haue arma that is to saye a multytude of men of armes to compelle those that are rebellons and dysobedyent persones to obeye the heed offycers or gouernours for elles the lawes and cyuyle sentences shulde be ydle and serue for nought yf execucyon of them myght not be done and performed And this armed powre of prynce or gouernour had nede to be so great that it do excede the powre of any one subiecte vnder hym or of a great many of them and yet he ought not by the reason of so great armed powre to vyolate or breke the lawes and to rule imperyouslye or lordely besyde or contrarye to the lawes And Arystotle in the thyrde of the polytykes and the. xi chapytre saythe in this wyse A kynge or gouernoure ought to haue so great powre that he may be greatter and more of myghte and strength than eche one of the cōmunes by hym selfe or than many of them togyther Wherfore I saye there ben thre thynges whiche they ought to haue that shall take vpon them the pryncypall and moste hyghe offyces The fyrst is that they do loue the presente state of the cōmune weale The seconde is that they haue great powre to execute those thynges whiche theyr offyce requyreth The thyrde is that they haue vertue and Iustyce by vertue here he vnderstandeth Prudence which is the bonde and the maystres and teacher of all vertues wherfore Arystotle in the. vi boke of the Etykes and the laste chapytre sayth thus In whome soeuer Prudence is whiche is but one vertue in hym is also with the sayde prudence all vertues and Arystotle in the sayd sentēce dyd set Prudence and moral vertue both vnder one in the same parte of the sayde deuysyon because they are not separated or dysseuered at any tyme the one from the other of the whiche mynde and sentence it semeth that he is in the same boke and the same chapytre whan he saythe thus It is manyfeste therfore and euydent of the premysses that it is not possyble a man to be properly or pryncypallye good without Prudence Neyther a man to be prudent without morall vertue And Arystotle in the. v. koke of the polytykes and the. ix chapytre wryteth the thynges whiche we haue here entreated of to be conuenyent and necessarye to hym that shall be a prynce or gouernoure perauenture in contrarye ordre as they ben necessarelye requyred to be declared Of the premysses than it appereth what is the propre subiecte or matere materyall cause of the lawes of men Truly a prynce or gouernour which shal be suffycyently prepared with wisdome or prudence morall vertue namely Iustyce Than what maner persone a prynce or gouernoure ought to be and what thynges are conuenyent and necessarye to hym let it be determyned in this wyse ¶ How y t prynce in a cōmunyte kyngdome is as the herte in a sensyble creature y e without a kynge or prynce no cōmunytie or kyngdome can stande partly of a prynces duetye The xv chapytre THe herte of a sensyble creature which is fyrst fourmed is more noble more perfyte in his qualytes dysposycions than al the other partes of the sensyble creature for in it natura generās hath set ordayned a powre and an instrument by which the resydue of the partes of a sensyble creature are fourmed of cōuenyēt matere or substaūce are also seperated and dysseuered ordred eche in cōparyson to other are kepte in theyr dysposycyons qualytes and are also by it preserued from noyaunce or hurte as moch as nature doth suffre hym to be preserued And whan they are fallen from theyr owne nature by the reason of sycknes or any other impedyment they are repayred restored to theyr owne nature agayne by the vertue powre of this parte ¶ Proporcyonatly moche lyke vnto these thynges
causes of dyuyne lawes The Imagê or fygures of sterres or constellacions The soules of men to entre in to y e bodyes of vrute beastes The fable of Tantalus Tartara hell The preestes of y e gentyles what maner men were instytuted to be preestes amoÌ„ge y e gentyls Of wat maner men god is to be worshypped The lawes or sectê of the gentyles had not right opynyon of god Adam was created to the image of god what maner was the falle or offence of Adam and what maner one the punisshemeÌ„t therof Originall synne Chryste was free from orygynall synne MaÌ„ was made sycke in soule by orygynall synÌ„e Ritus holocastorum CircuÌ„sycion The lawe of Moyses Sacerdotes acleuite The vtilitie of the lawe of Moyses The lawe of grace why our workes are called merytoryous Vntyll the coÌ„myng of chryste y e fathers remayned in Limbo why man was not restored forthwith after his fall The offyce of preestes deacons The ende or fynall cause of the offyce of preestes The fynall causes Lybertie is y e fynall cause of warre Of what maner men iudges ought to be made The ê‘tes of a cytie at meÌ„ profytable to the commen weale Regimen teÌ„peratum Aegimen vitiatum Monarchye Regall Tyrannye Aristocratia Oligarchia Politia Democratia The wyll of god is the cause of Regall preesthode Monarchie 1 2 The maners of gouernoures in Asia 3 4 Heroycall tymes Who were heroes 5 There are ii sortes of prynces or gouernours the one ouer voludtarie subiectes the other ouer inuoluntarie subiectes This worde lex hathe many signyfycacyons Lex is put for an inclynacyon Lex is put for a secte Lawe maye be taken two manÌ„ of wayes Howe y e lawes is acoactiue precept The necessytie of makynge lawes is declared Iudgê be corrupted throughe euyll affeccyon Derye fewe thynges be to be coÌ„myted to the pleasur of the Iudges MaÌ„nes mynde is not without synyster affeccyons No thynge is to be iudged without a lawe Iugementes are geuen after dyuers maners The lawe whiche at the begynnynge is vnperfyte is finysshed made perfyte by the addicyons of them y t come after Long delyberacyon is to be taken before that any sentence or lawe be pronounced Prudence requyreth long experyence what maketh an experte man Artes ar not made perfyte by one man alone How or wher of craftes hathe takeÌ„ theyr perfeccyon Who were the fyrste inuentours of musyke Arystotle bosteth hym self alone to haue ben the fyrste inuenter of logyke The lawe was signyfyed of the olde wyse men by the iye Why wherfore lawes at necessarie Let the iudge determine nothynge without a lawe A goodly sentence What thynge destroyeth kyngdomes The hystorye of Susanne TheopoÌ„pue The example of Theopompus It is not lawefull for a prynce to greue his subiectes with any eyaccyon contrary or besyde and without the lawe The dyscrypcyon of the lawe He meaneth here of those lawes which do passe by acte of parlyament Howe the promulgacyon of lawes is to be made The dyscrypcyon of a cytezen c. The auctoryte of makige or gyuynge lawes The best law is that which helpeth to the coÌ„mune profyte Howe and of whom y e law is to be gyueÌ„ In all this longe tale he speaketh not of the rascall multytude but of the parlyament A cytie is a coÌ„mune societie of fre meÌ„ Not onely wyse men caÌ„discern what thynges are to be done Euen vnlerned men also may dyscerne of lawes to be made Howe this auctorite stultorum infinitus est munerus is to be taken and vnderstanded The makers of y e decretals had respecte all togyther to their owne synguser profyte Oligarchia is declared be fore in y e. viii chapytre The begynniÌ„ges of thynges are very harde to be founde out That maÌ„ is best which of hym selfe koweth what thynges are to be done The maner of inuentyng or fyndynge out lawes Whan lawes dothe bynde What qualyties he that shal be a price or gouernour ought to haue in hym The propre worke of a prynce or gouernoure Catifine with his complices were ponysshed of Cicero Place tyme ordre in execucyon may at some seasoÌ„ vpon good polycye be altered The wysdome of Cicero Tullianum The descrypcyon of Prudence The prynce or gouernour ought to folowe y e lawe Prudence is necessary to a prynce A prynce ought to be iuste or ryght tuouse what Epicikeiais and of his nature There is req â—red in a price loue to warde the coÌ„mune weale Howe many what maner men of armes ought to be aboute a prynce for what cause The propre subiecte of maÌ„s lawes without a prynce or gouernour a realme or coÌ„mune weale cannot contynue A prynce ought to surmount all other in vertue prudence The coactiue powre of a prynce or gouernoure is lyke to y e heate or spyryte iÌ„ maÌ„ or beast Men of wysdome are to be appoynted of the prynce to be offycers and not hare brayned felowes men of smal coÌ„scyeÌ„ce lesse descrecyon A good law lytle kepte in some place It belongeth vnto prynces or gouernours to ordayne and appoynt what arte or scyeÌ„ce eche one of y e yonge men ought to lerne for y e coÌ„mune vtylyte He meaneth of suche offyces as y e prynce or kynge wyll haue in stytuted by acte of perlyament els all other officers degres it lyeth iÌ„ y t kyngê absolute power to appoiÌ„te at all tymes Where soeuer he speaketh of such multytude he meneth when it is assembled in y e perlyamente remeÌ„bre this to auoyde captyousnes Let y e prynce restrayne the excessiue multytude of preestes and of poore folke Preestes and poore men Let a prynce or gouernour coÌ„maunde honest ryghtfull thynges both by his worke also by his wordê The prynce or gouernour helpeth the other partes of the cyuyle coÌ„munyte The prynce or gouernour ought neuer to cease from his offyce or dutie doynge Letthe lawes alwayes and contynually endure 1 2 Men lately made tyche so lykewyse that they be newe elected to be kynges or gouernoures at proude for the moste parte 4 5 Theodectus poete 6 It is necessarye but very harde to fynd electours to a good eleccyoÌ„ 7 8 9 10 11 Let there be but one kyng or heed gouernoure Many men maye be heed gouernours beynge al as one in offyce Many prynces or heed gouernours are pernycyous to a cyuyle coÌ„munyte or realme Why a cytie or realme is called one It is called but one worlde because of one god A kyngdom is called one because of one kynge or hed gouernour The descrypcyon of a quiete a peaceable cytie we ought to pray for heed offycers that we may lyue in peace Iesu chryste The apostles of chryste The lawe of the gospell The sacrameÌ„tes of y e churche The sacrament of the aulter The powre of the keyes The karact of holy order The primate shyp of y â— spyrytuall commeth of man Peter the bysshop of Anteoche The donacyon or gyfte of CoÌ„stantyne 8 Clement y e. v
THe defence of peace lately translated out of laten in to englysshe ¶ with the kynges moste gracyous priuilege AN excellent and a noble warke whiche the Author therof hath entytled the defender maynteyner of peace because it doth moste perfectlye treate and clearely dyscusse that questyon where aboute great controuersy and contencyon hath ben nowe longe tyme aswell of the iuste power and auctoryte of the Emperour as of the vsurped power of the bysshop of Rome otherwyse called the Pope a worke very profytable to dyuynes laweyers and generally to all those whiche louen and exercysen the studye of good letters or learnynge whiche sayde worke was wryten or made more then two hondred yeres ago vnto Lodo wyke Cesar whiche came by lynage of the most noble famyly and kynred of the dukes of Bauary but nowe fyrste Imprynted and publysshed or sent forth abrode in the englysshe tonge by Wyllyam Marshall ¶ The louer of trouthe speketh to the boke GO forth boke all good men gladly shall the reteyne With louynge embrasynges and tourne the ofte in hande Whose mynde is fyxed ryght and trouthe to maynteyne And wronge and falsehod styfly to withstande Those persones I waraunt aswell pleased shall be all As wood Rome shall grunte at the rubbynge on the gall ¶ The translatour to the reader Good and gentle reader There hast thou the boke intytled in latyne Defensorium pacis in englysshe the defence tuicyon or mayntenaunce of peace vndoubtedly full worthy so to be called as y e thynge selfe in the vse therof shall full well and manyfestly declare and shewe Aboue two hondred yeres passed there was a varyaunce stryfe and controuersy betwyxte the proude bysshoppes of Rome that then were the most gentle prynce Emperour Lewes of Bauary The bysshoppes of Rome as auncyent hystoryes do make meÌ„cyon were coÌ„menly for the more parte before that tyme yea euer syns haue ben stoute stubbourne proude presumptuous vsurpers murtherers traytours rebellyons coÌ„trary to theyr allegyaunces not onely agaynst theyr owne naturall soueraygnes lordes pryncê kyngê Emperours but also agaynst all other prynces peraduenture not without the aydes consentê mocyons couÌ„saylles of other foreyn straunge bysshoppes Nowe because this good Emperour Lewes moued no lesse with pyte towardes his louyng subiectê then with a true loue zele towardes the worde of god his moste godly honour wolde not permyt suffre the sayd bysshops of Rome to consume wast deuoure after y e accustomed maner of theyr wycked vngracyous predecessours therfore I saye arose betwyxte the sayd Emperoure and the sayd bysshops a greuous an intollerable tragedy For in the defence of the moste iuste cause of whose imperyall maiesty it lyked the noble and vertuous clerke Marsilius of Padway to compyle and endyte this same defence of peace Nowe as touchynge y e translacyon of Marsilius out of laten in teachynge hym to speake englysshe beynge an Italyan whether it be done so well as it myght or shulde haue ben I woll not saye but I hertely pray the gentle reader to take it in good parte and to correcte and amende it where nede is To dysprayse the doyng of it I iugde it no hygh poynt of learnynge And to translate it but meanely I thynke it some learnynge This dare I be bolde to say that from the iniust and lyenge carpours and pryuy detractours there coÌ„meth nothynge in to lyght neyther by preachyng ne yet by wrytyng y t sauoureth or hath any taste of vertue or learnynge I wolde gladly that suche whysperers and blowers in meÌ„nes eares wolde preache wryte and sette forth sermons and bokes of vertue and good learnynge and in the same aswell without makynge of fayned and vntrue escuses as without theyr olde accustomed crafty iugglynges truly declare and publysshe the worde of god shewe themselues to be suche in theyr hertes as of ryght and duety by the worde of god they shulde euer haue ben as with theyr mouthes by theyr wrytinges and by theyr Seales they haue professed and sworne not as the olde prouerbe is to goldsmythes of theyr owne occupacyons iniustly falsely and secretly in corners to slaunder and bely men Nowe good gentle reader I do aduyse and counceyll the to do as I woll my self that is to say in nothynge to beleue theym what soeuer they say before suche tyme vntyll they haue done as aboue is sayd also vntyl they haue openly and suffycyently improued and confuted vs. But to make fewe wordes I woll promyse and assure the of one thyng good reader and admonysshe and warne the of another and so fare well In this boke I dare saye thou shalte fynde wherwith to make iuste and inuynsyble answeres yea wherwith vtterly to confute all and euery the obieccyons fantastycall argumentes reasons perswasyons that by the papystycall sorte can be made for the settynge forthe and extollynge of the vsurped power auctoryte of the bysshop of Rome ben they neuer so false crafty subtyle And of this I do warne the that in the translacyon of this boke dyuerse thynges ben omytted and lefte out as maters not so moche profytable as longe and tedyous as in the laten boke at large more pleynly apperyth the resydue I coÌ„mytte to thyne owne dylygence whiche in readyng this boke may in nowyse lacke And thus farewell pray for the longe lyue prosperous preseruacyon of our most gracyous soueraygne lorde kynge Henry y e eyght of his most vertuous Lady quene Anne and of the Lady prynces Elyzabeth doughter and heyre to theym bothe ¶ Thus endyth the preface of the translator to the reader THe preface of Licentius Euangelus prest vâ—â—o the Apologye or answere made by Marsilius of Padway for the defence of Lodowyke whiche descended of the moste noble lynage of the dukes of Bauary Emperour of the Romaynes agaynst the false vntrue Hystoryes of certayne persones WHan I do consydre dylygently and closely in my mynde Chrysten reader the moste greuouse and ieoperdous or daungerful troubles of those tymes in whiche is so muche synne and myschefe as maye be and synne taken or accompted for no synne me thynketh a man maye reasonably without any offence apply this prophecye of Dseas say cursynge or euyll spekynge lyeng man slaughter thefte and adultery do flowe as ryuers and blode hath touched blode there is no trouth there is no mercy or pytie there is no knowledge of god any lenger in the erthe We all be bocled and made redy to wyckednes as a horse to ronnynge or a lyon to his pray Who nowe hath pytie or compassyon of the pore man who is moued or styrred any thynge with the Iniury of the wydowe or orphan beyng through false gyse and deceyte depryued of theyr ryght goodes where is nowe any place of Iugement without corrupcyon or in whiche true vpryght Iustyce is mynystred what lawes be not nowe more applyed to gettynge of
the earthe let them fal downe on theyr knees and with great veneracyon kysse the fete adorned garnysshed with precyouse stones of the and thy successours syttynge solemply in a seate or chayre of astate more gorgyouse then any kynges seate Moreouer that sayeng he that woll be cheiffest amonge you shall be your seruaunt and he that wylleth to be greater than other amonge you lette hym be your mynystre sygnyfeyth or betokeneth nothynge els but this we onely haue power and auctorytie to coÌ„maunde and all the resydue of the churche muste nedely obey O Peter yf thy mayster meaned this by his wordes why than dydest thou whan thou was made the chyefe capytayne hed of thy bretherne saye thyse wordes thyne owne selfe Be you subgettes to euery man for the loue of god whether it be to the kynge as to a more excellent persone or to dukes as persones sent by hym But here a certayne one of our moste holy fathers greuously rebuketh sayth with lowde voyce that thou Peter dydest not speke thyse wordes to thy self but onely to thy subgettes O howe conuenyently and metely hath he founde this startynge hole to helpe hym selfe with all As who shulde saye that what soeuer Peter taughte he dyd reache it onely in wordes as we do no we a dayes and not rather moche more dyd teache it by his workes or deades by contynuell example folowyng in this poynte also the custome and maner of his mayster Chryste of whom the euangelyste Luke sayth Ihesus began to do and teache Lykewyse Paule also sayth Be you the folowers of me as I am the folower of Chryste for whiche cause the same Paule also coÌ„maundeth the doer or worker of the worde not hym whiche is onely the hearer or teacher of it excepte y t peradueÌ„ture it besemed Peter to teache onely and not to do and so by a custome begon and brought vp by hym it becoÌ„meth other his successours to do the same I knowledge playnely suche is the dulnes of my wytte that I do not perceyue or vnderstande this theologye or dyuynyte Besyde this why dyd than y e same Peter go to Samarye with IohnÌ„ whan he was bydden so to do of the other apostels or why were not than the apostels asshamed to abuse the prerogatyue and prehemynence of theyr hedde and ruler to this mynysterie or seruyce or why I pray you doth he hym selfe not shewe forthe nor take vpon hym any suche maner pretogatyue and auctoryte and dygnyte at all aboue other in his epystles sayinge I one of the felowe bysshops my selfe and equall with them beseche the bysshoppes whiche are amonge you I praye the good reader canst thou perceyue any where in these wordes any tutle or poynte belongynge to prymacye what coulde be spoken more mekely or in more lowlywyse what more symplye or playnly Fyrste in callyng hym selfe felowe bysshyp he chalengeth to hym selfe or taketh vpon hym none excellence or prehemynence aboue other but maketh hym selfe felowe lyke with theym Whan he besecheth them in so doynge he chalengeth to hym self no rule no domynyon no prymacye no power or auctoryte vpon them And forsoth yf we woll herken and gyue credence vnto Peter to Paule hym selfe and to other whiche speake to vs in the holy scrypture of god both profyttes and apostels rather than to our owne dreames and fantasyes certaynly we shall perceyue and fynde that they do call them selues no thynge els but mynysters theyr power noughte els but a mynysterye hauynge theyr myndes farre awaye from all kynde ye apparaunce of honoure not onely from the ambycyons desyre of prymacye superyoryte Dothe not our lorde and mayster hym selfe for this is often tymes to be rehersed say I am not coÌ„men to be serued but to mynystre and serue And shall it not be suffycyent to the seruaunt to be as his lorde and maystre is but doth he desyre to be greatter than his mayster what nedeth it to make any more wordes With our scholyes gloses coÌ„mentes and interpretacyons we haue taken away destroyed well nere all the whole scrypture of god Srypture is not peraueuture ouertourned and destroyed but beynge as it were dombe in a maner speaketh no more neyther may do any more vnder vs tyrauntes then may the chylde whiche is vnder the rodde or correccyon of his gouernour or mayster that is to say nothynge but onely that whiche shalbe veray lykynge and pleasaunt to vs as domynyons prymacyes chyefe rulers kyngdomes Notwithstandynge that in the meane season our tryflynge and vayne ymagynacyons and fantasyes taken awaye she doth put vs in mynde and remembraunce of nothynge more chyefly in euery place than that we shulde dyspyse and set at nought all thyse thyngê cryeng out playnly and openly that empyres ryches and golde are vyle stayle and transytorye thynges Peter sayd to Symon magus the enchauntour offerynge golde to hym kepe thy golde to thy selfe to perdycyon The wyse man sayth in his boke entyled Ecclesiasticus Golde is the wood or tree of offensyon wo be to them whiche coueteth foloweth it And yet we good lorde what hokes what wyles what nettes do we not make contyuually now a dayes to catche this so euyll or myscheuous a thynge what do we not enterpryse or take in hande boldely and swyftly for the loue of money power and auctoryte what place of the scrypture do we not adulterate counterfeyte and cortupte By these fewe wordes lohere be ii swerdes we haue wrythen and wrested the swerde and empyre of the worlde out of the Emperours hande and stoutely manfully god saue vs chalenged it to the churche Albeit y t Chryste hym selfe doth say affyrme that his kyngdom is not of this worlde and Paule also his sworne oratour and Ambassadoure cryeth out sayeng Our wepons armour are not carnall but stronge and myghty in god And because that no poynte of boldnes and presumptuous pryde shulde be wantynge in vs we haue our selues made a foundament and hed of the vnyuersall churche Hereof came vp those straunge names whiche in olde tyme were not knowen any thynge at all of the holy men generall vycar greatest bysshop and many suche other yet farre more straunge then these of whiche we do not rede in al Peters epystles that euer he vsurped or toke any one to hymselfe Paule knoweth no hed of the churche but onely Chryste But we make ourselues a hed bothe of the churche and also of the empyre howe great tragedyes troubles we haue for this cause raysed vp hetherto to the churche howe many of vs haue stryuen after a lay maner with Emperours aboute this name and tytle It were to longe an hystorye to reherse amonge whiche emperours Lodowyke of Bauarye that noble and renoÌ„med emperour the beautye and worshyp of the moste honourable stocke of the dukes of bauarye and whiche was inferyour to none of the prynces in his tyme in gentle courage of mynde in mercye and pytie
in deuocyon or holynes in all vertues to be vsed other in peace or in warre to coÌ„clude in all qualyties or propertyes whiche are coÌ„mendable in any emperour whose defencyon we haue put to here folowyng for the whiche we wolde that he shuld be beholden to a germayne borne rather than to an other of an out nacyon was so proudely presumptuously handled and entreated and also so dyspytefully and coÌ„tumelyously Fyrste of IohnÌ„ the. xxii of that name and after that of Benedicte the. xii last of all of Clement the syxte beyng al thre bysshops of Rome that it is not possyble to haue hanled any man in more prowde or dyspytefull maner And that for no greuous offence as baptista Egnatius hymselfe also doth confesse albeit in other thynges he is wel nere to to great a fauourer of the bysshoppes of Rome but for this onely that he durste be bolde to take vpon hym the name of an Emperour without the assent and agremeÌ„t of IohnÌ„ This semed to the holynes of that bysshop of Rome a reasonable cause and suffycyent Wherfore he shuld not onely interdicte so excellent and so noble a prynce from the Sacramentes alldyuyne seruyce â–ª â—ut also denounce publysshe hym thoughe he were fautles to be an heretyke by preachers sent forth a brode by hym in to al places for the same purpose And moreouer for the entent and purpose to rayse styrre vp rebellyon of his subgettê agaynst hym he dyd absolue al y t were sworne to hym by any maner of othe whatsoeuer it were from theyr sayd othes theyr allegeaunce And besyde this vexed hym with warre bataylle chosynge Cardynalles and Abbottes for to be the chyefe pryncypall capytaynes in the same warre And Clement also dyd procure Charles kynge of Boheme aduersarye to the sayd Lodowyke to be named and made Emperour of the prynces electours to the ende that so moch the more dyscorde and murther myght be kendled amonge the Chrysten prynces whiche is the onely crafte and subtyle practyse wherby they haue alwayes hytherto maynteyned thus theyr power auctoryte whiche hath caused so moche blode to be shedde so many lose theyr lyues in the worlde Yf any vycar of Chryste maye be of suche maners and condycyons truely I can not se why any maner tyraunte of the worlde may not also be the vycar of chryste But yf he ought not to take vengeauÌ„ce yf he ought to praye euyn for his persecutoures and to do good also to them whiche hate hym yf he ought to refuse and exchewe erthely kyngdom yf he ought to absteyne from all maner couetousnes yf he oughte to walke after the spyryte and not after the flesshe than I can not se but that there is excedynge moche dyfference and dyuersyte betwene the aforesayd maners and the ordynaunce of Chryst Neyther it is vnknowen to me what dyspleasure here I purchase to myself whyles I styrre and trouble in this pompe of theyr abusyon and abhomynacyons But in the meane season farewel they I saye farewell they who soeuer they be ye thoughe they be preestes whose fauoure I can not retayne excepte that I woll renounce and forsake the truthe whiche truthe itselfe hath sayd and tolde before this that the worlde shulde come when the one brother shulde delyuer the other brother vnto deathe and the father the sone and when moreouer the sones shulde ryse vp agaynst theyr fathers and put them to deathe So farre it is awaye that other I may or ought to be frende to any man whiche is not hymselfe frende to the truthe that I ought not to beleue any man or to gyue place to hym be he neuer so nere of naturall kynne vnto me no neyther yet to any angell of heuen yf he preched any thyng coÌ„trary to the gospell Seynge than that this truthe whiche onely gyueth true peace and charyte to men do the fearefully warne her scolers awaye euery where in so many places and by so many maner of wayes from worldy kyngdom rehersynge and iteratynge so ofte My kyngdom is not of this world and ye be not of this worlde And except a man renounce al that he possesse Item it is more easy for a Camell to entre in through a nedles iye than a ryche man to entre iÌ„ to the kyngdom of heueÌ„s Moreouer you can not bothe serue god and Mammon all at ones Also the perable of the ryche gloton buryed in helle of that other ryche man dreamynge of the enlargynge of his barnes Also that moste sharpe and sore coÌ„myncacyon or thretenyng agaynst ryche men woo be to you ryche men whiche haue here your consolacyon and comforte Woo be to you whiche be full fedde for you shall be hungry woo be to you whiche do laughe nowe for you shal wayle and wepe Are not thyse so many sayingê of Chryste y e sone of god euydent tokens ynough Howe he wolde haue his dyscyples and seruauntes mynded to warde thyse erthely thyngê And yet this notwithstandynge Benedicte the. xii whan at Mylane at Verona at VicentiuÌ„ at Mantua at RhegiuÌ„ at CarariuÌ„ at Padway at Ferrarye at Mutine at Argent he dyd instytute and make the Mayres and gouernours of the sayd places in the Emperours Lodowykes absence his owne vicars or deputyes coÌ„maundynge a certayne trybute to be payde yerely of them by his craftefull apostolyke spoylynge Lodowyke of the possessyon of Italye he sayd that all the power rule of the Empyre was his owne for asmoche as who soeuer is the successoure of Peter is the onely vycar or deputie in erthe of Ihesu chryste the kynge of heuen Is this I praye you to walke after the spyryte or is this not to entangle them selues in secular and worldly busynes accordynge to the coÌ„maundement of Paule wrytynge thyse wordes to Tymothe Let no man that warreth no goddes parte entangle hym selfe with seculate busynes that he may please hym c. But here is redy at hande for vs two solucyons or answeres the one that the bysshop of Rome is not bounden to the wordes of Paule for as moche as the inferyor persone hath no power or auctorytie ouer or vpon the superyour the other that to hym selfe alone belongeth bothe the swerdes to whiche solucyon the thyrde is put vnto in the stede of an Auctarye to make heaped measure and it is this that all thynges is the sayd bysshops because that Chryste dyd saye thyse wordes All power and auctoryte is gyuen to me bothe in heuen and in erthe Of thyse wordes we haue goten forthe to our selues absolute and perfyte power hereof haue we taken to our selfes bothe the swerdes hereof we do attrybute to our selues auctoryte aboue all the councels ye and also aboue the veray gospels hereof haue we chalenged empyre and we haue caught and snatched to our selues domynacyon and rule neuer to haue ende or reste vpon the kynges and emperours albeit that Chryste hath taught vs clene contrary
iudge be he neuer so vertuouse a man But to the case put and admytted whiche for all that is a very seldome thynge and in a maner impossyble that there were a prynce or gouernoure so heroycall and passynge vertuous that there coulde be neyther passyon neyther ignoraunce in hym yet may it be that his sones shall be subiecte to some synystre and euyll affeccyon wherof the rulynge accordynge to theyr wylfull affeccyon without any certayne lawe or ordre may ensue moche inconuenyence to the whiche yf ye wyll replye saynge y t theyr father beynge so good a man as is before supposed peraduenture wyl not delyuer his powre or auctoryte to them I answere that suche sayenge is not to be beleaued or regarded partlye because it lyeth not in hym to depryue them of his successyon or inherytaunce of his kyngdome for as moche as it is due and belongeth to the successours or yssue of that kynred partelye because althoughe it were in his powre to translate the regall powre vnto whom soeuer he lyst yet wolde he not dysheryte his owne sones were they neuer so lewde and vngracyous as the thynge wherof coÌ„menlye he hathe no knowledge wherfore Arystotle in his thyrde boke of politikes and the xi chapytre answerynge to this obieccyon sayth in this wyse it is not easye to beleue this that is to wyt that the father wyll dysheryte his owne sones of his kyngdome and powre for it is an harde thynge and of greatter vertue than belongeth to the nature of man wherfore it is expedyent to the prynces or gouernours to be rather ruled and determyned by the lawe than to gyue cyuyle iudgementes after theyr owne wyll and pleasure for in doynge accordynge to y â— lawe they shal do nothyng that shal be otherwyse than well or worthy reproue by the reason wherof theyr kyngdome and powre shall be made the more sure from all daunger and also more contynuall and durable And this was the cause the counsayle of the most excellent phylosopher Arystotle vnto all prynces and gouernours wherof for all that they take lytell heade in his fyfthe boke of y e politikes and the. xi chapytre whan he sayde thus The fewer thyngê that they haue powre ouer vnderstaÌ„de thou without a lawe so moche the longer tyme euery kyngdome or powre muste nedes contynue for they that is to wyt the prynces and gouernours selues are the lesse lordely and are made more demure in theyr maners and also are the lesse enuyed at of theyr subiectes and by and by after he bryngeth in the testymonye of a certayne wyse kynge or gouernoure called Theopompus whiche gaue from hym parte of the powre and auctoryte graunted vnto hym wherfore we haue iudged it conuenyent to brynge in here the texte and very wordes of Arystotle because of the syngularyte and excellent vertue of this prynce suche as neuer in a maner hath ben herde by the space of many hendreth yeres to haue ben in any other prynce The wordes of Arystotle are these And afterwardes TheopoÌ„pus measur â—â—ge that is to saye mynysshynge or bryngynge more to a meane his powre whiche peraduenture semyd to excede measure added the offyce or auctoryte of them whiche were called Ephory in dede mynysshynge the powre that is to wytte his owne powre but yet makynge the regall powre more and increasynge it in tyme that is to saye makynge it more durable wherfore after a certayne maner he made it not lesse but more so as men saye that he answered to his wyfe whan she asked the questyon of hym whether he were not ashamed to leaue the regall powre lesse to his sones than his father had lefte hym no verely saythe he for I leaue it nowe to them moch more durable O heroycallvoyce of Theopompus procedynge of his metuaylous great wysdome and greatly to be noted of them whiche without the lawes wyll vse fulnes of powre ouer theyr subiectes whiche sentence many prynces and gouernoures nothynge markynge or takynge hede of it haue had a fall and haue ben destroyed And we our selues haue sene nowe in our tyme for lacke of takynge hede hereof not the leaste kyngdome of all in a maner hole lyke to be destroyed whyles a certayne prynce or gouernoure therof wolde haue charged his subiectes and layde vpon theyr neckes a certayne vnwonte exaccyon and contrarye to the lawe So than of these thynges whiche we haue sayd it is euydent open that lawes are necessarye in coÌ„mune weales yf they ought vtterly to be well ordered the kyngdomes or regall powers to coÌ„tynue longe and endure ¶ Of the effectyue cause of the lawes of man both of that cause whiche maye be proued by demonstratyue sillogysme and also that cause whiche can not be proued by demonstracyon whiche thyng is nought elles but to serche out the lawe maker The xii chapytre HOwe it foloweth consequentlye to speke of the effectyue cause of lawes whiche cause may be shewed by demonstracyon for of that instytucyon of lawes whiche is possyble to be made or hathe ben made imedyatly by the worke or reuelacyon oracle of god without mannes arbytrement or wyll after whiche maner we sayde a fore the lawe of Moyses to haue ben instytuted euen also as touchynge to those preceptes of cyuyse actes whiche are in it for the state of this presente worlde I entende not here to make assygnacyon but onely of that instytucyon of lawes and of prynces or gouernours which is made or brought forthe and caused iÌ„medyatly of the wyll and arbytrement of the mynde of man vnto whiche assygnacyon we no we begynnynge to entre in let Hus saye that to fynde out the lawe taken as it were materyallie and accordynge to this thyrde sygnyfycacyon that is to wytte the knowledge of the thynges ryghtuouse and the thynges profytable in a coÌ„mune weale or cyuyle coÌ„munyte may belonge and appertayne to any maner cytezen or persone of the cyuyle coÌ„munyte albeit that this inquysycyon maye be more conuenyentlie done by the obscruacyon of them that may intende to suche inquysycyon as of the moste aged men and hauynge moste experyence of cyuyle actes whome they do call predent or worldlye wyse men than by the consyderacyon of artyfycers or handycraftes men whiche must intende and dylygently applye them selues to theyr workes and occupacyons for to gette the thynges necessarye to the sustentacyon of theyr lyfe But because the true knowledge or inuencyon of the thynges ryghtuouse and of the thynges profytable in a cyuyle coÌ„munyte and of theyr contraryes is not a lawe accordynge to the last and the moste propre sygnyfycacyon of this worde by whiche it is made the measure of the cyuyle actes of men vnlesse it be whan a coactyue precepte shall haue ben gyuen of the obseruacyon therof or elles that it hathe ben gyuen by the maner of suche precepte by hym by whose auctoryte the trangressoures ought and maye be ponysshed therfore it is conuenyent and accordynge to tell or
coÌ„meth to the kyngdome or crowne by enherytaunce successyon of blode shal be more dylygent and carefull to se vnto the coÌ„mune weale as beynge in a maner propre and heredytarie to hym selfe and whiche he shall leaue to his heyres after hym than shall that prynce or gouernour which is not sure out of doubte that his owne heyre shall gouerne after hym wherfore in the seconde boke of the polytykes and the seconde chapytre aboute the myddes of it Arystotle sayth in this wyse Very lytle hede or dylygence is gyuen to that thynge which is coÌ„mune and belongeth to many for men do care most for theyr owne propre seuerall thyngê as for coÌ„mune thynges they do care moche lesse for them than they do for those thynges whiche belongeth seuerally to eche one by hym selfe And agayne in the same chapytre aboute the ende he sayth thus There are ii thynges whiche induceth and moueth men to take care for any thynge and to loue it the one is proprâ—um that is to saye yf the thynge be propre and seuerally belongeth to theyr owne selfe The seconde thynge is affeccyon that is to saye affeccyon towarde the sayd thynge Agayne in the thyrde chapitre of the same boke he saythe in this wyse it can not be expressed or spoken lyghtly how moche it forceth or skylleth to delectacyon or pleasure that a man do thynke or coÌ„sydre any thynge to be properlie his owne ¶ An other reason why it is most expedyeÌ„t for y e coÌ„mune weale to haue a gouernour by enherytaunce or successyon of blode is this for they that come to y â— crowne by enherytauÌ„ce as it semeth shall not rule so imperyouslie and lordlie ouer theyr subiectes as shall they that be nowe elected by the reason that they are wonte to gouerne and rule and are acquaynted ther with And because they shal not thynke that any newe thynge is chaunced to them wherfore they ought to be more hyghe in mynde to despyse theyr subiectes but it is sene moste coÌ„monlie that they whiche are newe elected do waxe prowde euen lykewyse as they do whiche are newely made tyche wherfore in the seconde boke of rethorykes the xxiiii chapitre Arystotle sayth thus All men maye easely or lyghtly se the maners whiche foloweth of ryches for they y t do possesse ryches are made contume lyouse or prowde hyghe mynded and dysdaynefull as yf they possessyd all good thynges ¶ An other reason is this to the pryncypall purpose for the multytude of subiectes dothe more obeye the Prynces or gouernours that come to the crowne by inherytaunce or successyon of blode by the reason that they are wonte and accustomed to obaye the predecessours of the sayde prynces or gouernours wherfore in the laste chapytre of the seconde boke philosophie prima it is wryten thus as we be customed so we be affectionate And in the seconde of the polytykes and the. vi chapitre nere vnto the ende it is wryten in this wyse he that shall go aboute to amende and to chaunge euery faughtes of the lawmakers and of the hede offycers shall not do so moch good to y e coÌ„mune weale as the accustomynge or wontynge of men to rebelle and to be dysobedyent agaynst theyr prynces and superyours shall do hurte with other thynges whiche shal be sayde concernynge customes and vsage in the. xviii chapytre of this dyccyon and the syxte parte therof ¶ An other reason maye be put to the same purpose is this for that it happeneth otherwhyles some kynred or stocke to haue gyuen or done some maner or so great a benefyte to the other multytude or so greatly to excelle and surmounte the other coÌ„munes in vertue that for the one of these ii causes or elles for bothe to gyther they y t be of that kynred or stocke are worthy alwayes to be gouernours or rulets and neuer to be subiectes wherfore in the thyrde boke of polytykes and the. x. chapytre Arystotle saythe in this wyse The. iiii kynde of monarchie or regall powre is suche as those was in the heroycall tymes that is to wyt voluntarie and accordynge to the maner and custome of the countre accordynge to the lawe for because of the benefytes done by the fyrste of that kynred to the people outher by artes or by batayle or for the congregatynge of the people togyther in to a cyuyle socyete or for bycause they purchased or gate y e regyon y e regall powre and the auctoryte of rulynge and gouernynge was offred or gyuen to them by the people of theyr owne fre wyll and accorde and to theyr successours whiche thynge also the sayde Arystotle more expressely dothe saye in the. xii chapytre of the tame boke in this wyse Therfore whan it chaunceth or coÌ„meth so to passe y t he be one kynred or stocke or els some one persone dothe so excelle and surmouÌ„te the other in vertue that the vertue of that one kynred or persone alone is greatter than the vertue of all the other than it is ryght that this kynred by the regallor stocke and do gouerne and that this one persone be kynge and all the successours of this sayd kynred or persone whiche same thynge he repetynge also in y â— v. of the polytykes and the. x. chapytre he saythe in this wyse The regall powre or auctoryte of a kynge was made instytuted and begonne for the defence and ayde of excellent and good men and the persone that is instytuted or made kyng is one of the excellent ryghtuouse good men by or for the excellencye of his vertue or of his actes procedynge of vertue or for the excellencye of the kynred or stocke that he coÌ„meth of ¶ Agayne the prynce or gouernour that coÌ„meth to the crowne by inherytaunce is best because suche maner men are more inclyned to vertue for so moch as they coÌ„men of more noble vertuous parentes wherfore Arystotle in the fyrste boke of his polytykes and the. iiii chapytre bryngynge in the wordes of a certayne poete called Theodectus sayth in this wyse shall any man suppose that men worthy to be called a bondman or seruaunt which coÌ„meth of a goodly stocke on both sydes c. and a lytle afterwardes he saythe For they do suppose that lykewyse as of a man coÌ„meth a man of a beast is brought for the a beast euen so of good and honest pareÌ„tes is geÌ„dered and brought forth good and honest chyldren And also because the prynce or gouernour by successyon is for the moste parte guyded and led by better custome wherfore Arystotle in the fyrst boke of his rethorykes and the. xiii chapytre sayth thus it is lyke to be very true that he whiche coÌ„meth of good and honest pareÌ„tes shall be a good man and that he whiche is norysshed and brought vp amonge good folke shall proue lyke vnto them ¶ Agayne it appereth that the best prynce is had by successyon of blode because
Maystre saye to my brother that he deuyde the inherytaunce with me But he that is to wytte chryste sayde to hym Thou man who hathe ordayned or made me iudge or deuyder ouer you as who shulde saye I am not come to exercyse this offyce nor yet sente for these purposes That is to wytte for to departe or ende cyuyle sutes or stryues by iudgement whiche thynge for al that no man doubteth to be the worke moste properlye appertaynynge to the gouernoures or iudges of this worlde And albeit in very deade that the texte of the gospell more euydentlye dothe contayue and shewe our purpose than the gloses of holy men whiche our aduersaryes knowynge that as we haue sayd they make ryght manyfestlye agaynst them euery where dyd tourne them selues more to the allegorycall or mystycall sence yet that notwithstandynge we haue broughte in those gloses also to the greatter confyrmacyon fortefyenge of our purpose and leste it myght be sayde of our aduersaryes that we do expounde the scrypture folysshelye and presumptuouslye after our owne brayne Thus than saythe saynt Ambrose expouÌ„dynge these wordê of chryste Therfore he doth well sayth saynt Ambrose auoyde and eschewe erthlye thynges whiche came downe for godlye thynges sake neyther he vouchsaueth to be iudge of worldly stryues or sutes or vmpyere of suche goodes and substaunce whiche hathe the iudgemente of men bothe quycke and deed and the arbytrement of theyr deades And a lytle after he saythe also wherfore not without cause sayth he this brother is rebuked whiche coueted to busye the ordre of heuenly thynges aboute earthly thynges and corruptyble Lo here what saynt Ambrose mynde is of the offyce of chryste in this worlde For he saythe that chryste dothe well auoyde and refuse earthly thynges that is to wytte to be iudge of contentyouse persones whiche came downe for heuenly thynges sake that is to teache and to mynystre spyrytuall thynges in the whiche thynge he marked forthe and assygned the offyce of hym and his successours that is to wytte to dyspence heuenly or spyrytuall thynges I saye spyrytuall thynges yea and those spyrytuall thynges of the whiche the same Ambrose spake in the. ix chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans and the whiche we broughte in before in the seconde chapytre of this dyccyon in y e thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this nowne spyrytuall Nowe consequentlye it resteth and remayneth to shewe that chryste hymselfe not onely dyd refuse the domynyon of this worlde or coactyue iurysdyccyon or iudgemente in this worlde wherin he gaue example to his apostles and dyscyples and the successours of them to do lykewyse but also that he taughte by his preachynge and shewed by his example y t al preestes laye men ought to be vnderneth the coactyue iudgement or iurysdyccyon of the prynces of this worlde bothe reallye and personallye that is to saye bothe in theyr owne personages and in all theyr goodes appertaynynge to them Fyrste than chryste shewed this by his wordes example of his owne selfe as concernynge his goodes and substaunce in the. xxii of Mathewe where it is redde that whan the Iewes asked of hym sayenge Tell vs howe thynkest thou is it lawful to gyue trybute to Cesar or not Chryst after he had loked on the money or quoyne and the scrypture therof made answere and sayd gyue than to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to Cesar and to god those thynges whiche appertayneth to god where the glose interlyneare sayth that is to wytte trybute and money And saynt Ambrose vpon that texte whose is this ymage and this superscrypcyon sayth in this wyse As Cesar exacteth and requyreth the money hauynge his ymage imprynted in it so god also requyreth the soule marked with the lyghte of his owne face Take hede than what thynge chryste came to exacte in this worlde And Chrysostome sayth thus But thou when thou hearest these wordes gyue to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to hym knowe thou that chryste meaneth onelye those thynges whiche in no poynte are contrarye to vertue and the coÌ„maundement of god for yf there be any suche thynge it is not the trybute of Cesar but the trybute of the deuyll Beholde that in all thynges we oughte to be subiectes to Cesar so that they be not contrarye to pytye that is to wytte the worshyppynge of god or his coÌ„maundement Chryste than wolde be subiecte to the seculer prynces in reall or temporall substaunce This also was openlye the sentence or mynde of saynt Ambrose grounded vpon this sentence of chryste for he sayde in the epystle agaynst Valentynyan whiche is intytled to the people we paye to Cesar those thynges whiche belongeth to Cesar and those thynges which belongeth to god we paye to god trybute belongeth to Cesar it is not denyed hym The same thynge is shewed agayne by the. xvii chapytre of Mathewe where it is this wryten they whiche receyued the Dydrachme came to Peter and sayde dothe not your mayster paye the Dydrachme and consequentlye after a certayne wordes betwene it foloweth that chryste sayde to Peter That we do not offende them go to the see and throwe in thyne hoke and that fysshe whiche shall come vp fyrste take it vp and whan thou haste opened the mouth of it thou shalte fynde a stotere or a doble Dydrachme take it and gyue it to them for the me and the lorde sayde not onelye gyue it them but sayde gyue it to them for me and the and saynt Iherome saythe here our lorde bothe as consernynge his bodye and also his spyryte was the sone of a worldlye or lyuynge kynge by two maner wayes Fyrste in that he was gendred of the stocke of Dauid or in that that he was the worde or sone of the almyghtye father Therfore he oughte by ryght no trybute to paye but to be fre from all coactyue powers or bondage as beynge the sone of kynges And afterwarde it foloweth in the same sayenge of saynt Iherome Therfore althoughe he were free yet because he had taken vpon hym the humylytye or mekenesse of the nature of man he ought to fulfyll all iustyce And Orygen vpon that sayenge of chryste saythe in this maner wyse But that we do not offeÌ„de them speketh in this wyse more to the purpose and to the mynde of the euangelyste whiche after this maner saythe as foloweth Consequentlye we maye well perceyue saythe Origen vnderstande by these wordes of Chryste that as ofte as certayne men ryseth vp which wrongfully taketh away our earthly thyngê or temporal substauÌ„ce the kynges and gouernours of this earthe doth sende them to requyre of vs that whiche belongeth to them and by his owne example our lorde forbyddeth any occasyon of synnynge or greyfe to be gyuen euen to suche maner men outher leste they myght synne the more or elles that they maye be saued The sone of god whiche neuer dyd any seruyle worke or dede as hauynge y e forme or shape of a
bonde man or seruaunt which he toke vpon hym for mannes sake gaue trybute and payde money whiche waye than are the bysshoppes and preestes exempte from this by the vertue and strengthe of the wordes of the euangelycall scrypture no nor yet otherwyse from the iurysdyccion of prynces but by the gracyous fauerable graunte of them seynge that chryste Peter gyuynge example to other dyd paye trybute and thoughe chryste whiche was by bodelye generacyon coÌ„men of the stocke of kynges perauenture dyd not owe of dutye to pay it yet Peter beynge not coÌ„men of the stocke of kynges neyther had any such cause of exeÌ„pcion neyther yet was wyllynge to haue but yf chryst had thought it conuenyent thoughe those whiche shulde be successours to hym in the offyce of preesthode shulde paye trybutes and that theyr temporalles shuld be vnderneth y e powre of the prynces and gouernours of this world he myght without gyuynge of euyll example that is to wyt of makynge preesthode subiecte to the iurysdyccyon of worldly prynces haue ordred and dyspached or ryd those exactours or gatherers of dydrachyn that is to wyt by remouynge or puttynge away the intencyon or purpose of askynge suche thynges or elles by some other coÌ„uenyent way or meane But chryste dyd not repute or thynke it conuenyent to do so but rather he was wyllynge to paye assocyatynge or ioynynge to hym Peter syngulerly amonge y e apostles notwithstandynge that this Peter as we shall shewe in the. xvi chapitre of this dyccyon shulde be afterwarde cheyfest doctoure and hearde of the churche that by suche example no man of the other shulde refuse to do the same Saynt Ambrose vnderstandynge this texte of scrypture taken of the. xvii chapytre of Mathewe in such wyse as we haue sayd before in the epystle whose tytle is of y e delyueriÌ„ge of churches sayth The emperour asketh trybute truly it is not denyed hym the landes of y e churche payeth trybute after certayn wordê beynge put betwene he saythe more to the purpose we pay to Cesar those thyngê whiche belongeth to Cesar to god those thynges which belongeth to god Trybute belongeth to Cesar it is not denyed hym saynt Bernarde also more playnly expressynge this to be the meanynge of y e afore rehersed scrypture in a certayne epystle to the archebysshop of Senon saythe in this wyse thus saye they whiche counsayle theyr subiectes to rebelle agaynst theyr superyour But chryste sayth Barnarde bothe coÌ„maunded and dyd hym selfe otherwyse Gyue you sayth he to Cesar such thynges as apperteyneth vnto Cesar and to god suche thynges as belongeth to god This that he spake with his mouthe anone after he gaue hede to performe and fulfyl in his worke and dede he which was the creature maker of Cesar was not greued neyther dyd put of to paye trybute for he gaue example to you that you shulde do lykewyse whan wolde he haue denyed dewe reuerence to the preestê of god which gaue dylygence to do this reuerence euen to the heathen powers or offycers of the worlde and here we ought to marke and take good hede of this which Bernarde sayth that chryste in that he cared to gyue trybute to the seculer powers dyd gyue also dewe reuerence This reuerence was not coacte nor of compulsyon for euery man oweth of duetye who soeuer he be to pay such maner taxe or trybute to prynces as we shall shewe in y e chapytre nexte folowenge by the auctorytie of the apostles in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes by the gloses of sayntes and doctours in the same place moreouer chryste shewed not onely that hym selfe is vnder the coactyue iurysdyccyon of y e seculer price as touchyng reall or teÌ„porall substauÌ„ce but also he sheweth y e same in hym selfe as touchynge his ê‘son bodye than y e which personal iurysdyccion it is not possyble for any prynce to haue greatter iurysdyccyon outher vpon hym or any other man for the whiche cause this iurysdyccyon is called also in the lawe of the Romaynes mere empyre This maye be shewed euydently by the. xxvii chapytre of Mathewe for as it is red and appereth there chryste suffered hym selfe to be taken and to be led to the house of Pylate whiche was the deputie of the emperoure of Rome and by hym as iudge of coactyue powre and auctorytie he suffered hym selfe to be iudged and delyuered to extreme punysshement and dethe Neyther dyd he crye agaynst Pylate as agaynst one that oughte not to be his iudge albeit perauenture he gaue knowlege that he suffered not ryght wyse iudgement And it is vndoubtedlye knowen that he myght haue suffered suche iudgement and punysshement by preestes yf he had wolde or yf he had iudged it inconuenyent that his successours in tyme afterwarde to come shulde be subiectes to seculer prynces and be iudged by them And because this sentence is more seryously and ernestly wrytten in the. xix of IohnÌ„ I wyll also brynge in here that whiche is had in the sayde place whan chryste was brought to Pylate the emperours deputie and was also accused for that he sayde hym selfe to be kynge of the Iewes and the sone of god whan Pylate had asked Iesu wheÌ„se art thou And Iesus had gyuen therto none answere at all Pylate than sayde to hym these wordes folowynge which appertayneth to our purpose wylt thou not speake to me knowest thou not that I haue powre and auctorytie to crucyfie the and let the go at lybertie Iesus answered Thou shuldest not haue any powre at all agaynst me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue Beholde here that Iesus dyd not denye that Pylate had auctorytie to iudge hym and to execute iudgement vpon hym neyther sayde he of ryght it belongeth not to the but in dede thus thou doste But chryste added this also that Pylate had his auctorytye from aboue howe from aboue Augustyne maketh answere sayenge let vs learne then that whiche chryste sayde and whiche he taughte the apostle that is to wyt Paule in the. xiii to the Romayns what then dyd chryste saye what taught he the apostle that there was no powre that is to saye auctorytie of iurysdyccyon but of god howe soeuer it be of the acte of them which mysse vse this powre And that he semeth more which throughe enuye delyuereth an innocent to the powre or offycer for to be slayne than dothe the powre or offycer selfe yf he dothe kyll or slee hym for feare or dreade of an other hygher or greatter powre for such powre had god gyuen to Pylate that he was also vnder the powre of Cesar Then that iudyciall coactyue powre which Pylate had ouer the person of chryst was of god as chryste selfe onely opeÌ„ly coÌ„fessed saynt Augustyne playnly expressed And saynt Bernarde sayde openlye to the archebysshop of Senon in a certayne epystle sayenge that chryste graunteth that the powre of Pylate euen ouer hym selfe also is ordayned of
god These be Bernardes wordes speakynge of the powre of Pylate and vpon this place of scrypture Than yf the iudiciarie coactyue powre of Pylate ouer or vpon chryste selfe was of god howe moche more than vpon his teÌ„porall or carnal goodes yf chryst had possessed or had any further than yf ouer the persone of chryste and his temporall goodes he hadde suche auctorytie in howe moche more ouer vpon the personages the teÌ„porall goodes of all y â— apostles theyr successours al bysshops or preestê this thynge was not onely shewed by the wordes of chryste but also confyrmed by the performynge or fulfyllynge of the worke for by the same Pylate syttynge in the place of iudgement sentence of dethe was gyuen agaynst chryste and by the auctorytie and coÌ„maundement of hym execucyon was done of the same sentence for these wordes in ordre are red in the same chapytre of IohnÌ„ whan Pylate than had herde these wordes he brought Iesus forthe and satte hym selfe in the place of iudgemente and after a lytle space it foloweth Therfore he delyuered Iesu vnto them that he shulde be crucyfyed and euen suche was the sentence and opynyon or mynde of the apostle Paule concernynge chryste whan he sayde in the thyrde chapytre to the Galathians But whan the fulnes of tyme was coÌ„men god sente his sone made of a woman made vnder the lawe It foloweth consequently than that he was made vnder a iudge also to whome it dyd appertayne to iudge and coÌ„maunde accordynge to the lawe whiche iudge for all this was not a bysshop or preest And chryste dyd not onely wyl to exclude the seculare gouernaunce or iudycyall coactyue powre from hym selfe but also he dyd exclude it from his apostles aswell of one of them ouer an other amonge them selfe as in comparyson to other men wherfore this texte is had in the. xx chapytre of Mathewe the. xxii of Luke there was made a contencyon or shewynge amonge them that is to wyt the apostles whiche of them shulde be greatter But chryste sayd to them kynges and rulers of the gentyles haue domynyon ouer them and they whiche hathe powre ouer them are called benefycyall and well doers But in Mathewe this clause is red in this wyse and they whiche be greatter exercyse powre vpon them but you shall not do so but he whiche is greatter amoÌ„ge you staÌ„de as yonger and he that is forgoer or mayster is as a mynystre for whether of the two is greatter he that sytteth at the table or he that mynystreth or serueth Is not he which sytteth But I am in the myddes amonge you as he y â— mynystreth but who soeuer wyll be greatter amoÌ„ge you let hym be your mynystre And who soeuer wyll be cheyfe amonge you shall be your seruaunte euen lykewyse as the sone of man came not to be serued but to mynystre that is to serue in temporall thynges and not to be lorde and ruler or to be egall or felowe for in spyrytual mynysterye or offyce he was cheyfest and not a seruaunt in the myddes of the apostles wherupon Orygen saythe you knowe that the prynces or gouernours of the gentyles are lordes and hathe domynyon ouer them that is to saye are not contente onely to gouerne theyr subiectê but also laboureth vyolently to be lordes of them that is by powre coactyue yf they must nedes but amoÌ„ge you whiche are my dyscyples there shall be no suche thynges for as carnal thynges are put in necessytie or compulcyon and spyrytuall thynges in the wyll so they also whiche be spyrytuall that is to saye prelates theyr auctorytie or gouernaunce ought to stande in loue and not in feare and Chrysostome amonge other thynges saythe these wordê makynge for this our purpose Prynces of the world be made therfore that they shulde be lordes and haue domynyon ouer theyr inferyours and to caste them vnderseruytude and bondage and to spoyle them vnderstande thou yf theyr trespasses or euyll deades shal deserue it and to vse them euen to deathe to theyr owne profyte and glorye But rulers and gouernours of the churche that is to wyt prelates are made therfore that they shulde serue theyr inferyours and mynystre to them what soeuer thynges they haue receyuyd of Chryste and that they shulde dyspyse theyr owne profyte and procure the profyte of them And that they shulde not refuse to dye for the helthe and saluacyon of theyr inferyours and subiectes therfore to desyre prymacye or soueraygnetye of the churche is neyther ryght neyther profytable for what wyse man wyll of his accorde wyllyngly bynde hym selfe to suche seruytude and suche ieopardie as to gyue accompte for the hole churche excepte perauentare he be such one whiche dredeth not the iudgement of god abusynge his ecclesyasticall prymacye after a seculer and worldely fascyon so that he dothe tourne it in to seculer soueraynetie what hath preestes than to do with medlynge of seculer coactyue iudgementes for they ought not to be lordes temporally but to be seruauntê and to mynystre after the example and precepte of chryste wherfore saynt Ierome saythe Fynally chryste setteth forthe afore his dyscyples the example of his owne selfe that yf the apostles wolde lytle sette by or regarde his wordes and sayenges yet at the leaste wyse at the syght of his workes and dedes they shulde be ashamed to be lordes and to vse domynyon temporally wherfore Orygen vpon this texte and to gyue his lyfe redempcyon for many c. sayth in this wyse therfore the rulers and gouernours of the churche ought to folowe chryste in that he was not proude or daungerouse for to be coÌ„med vnto but redy for who soeuer wold come vnto hym and in that he spake to women and layde his handes vpon chyldren and wasshed the fete of his dyscyples y t theyr selues may do lykewyse to theyr bretherne But we are suche maner men saythe he meanynge by the prelates of his tyme that we seme to excede and passe euen the worldely prynces in pryde outher because we do not vnderstande and perceyue the coÌ„maundement of chryste or elles because we do dyspyse and sette at nought the same coÌ„maundement and as yf we were kynges we desyre and seche for armed hostes to go before vs and those terryble and dredefull For asmoche than as to do these thynges is to despyse or elles to be ygnoraunte of the coÌ„maundement of chryste fyrste prelates are to be monysshed and warned hereof whiche thynge we shall do by this treatyse shewynge and declarynge what auctorytie is conuenyent and accordynge or mete for them after this done yf than they shall not regarde to amende them selues they ought to be constrayned and compelled therunto by the seculer laye prynces least they myght corrupte and infecte the maners of men These thyngê than hytherto rehersed hath ben sayd vpon Mathewe but vpon Luke Basilius sayth in this wyse But it besemeth them which be spyrytuall rulers and
gouernours to offre also bodely obsequye and seruyce after the example of chryste our lorde whiche wasshed the fete of his dyscyples Therfore chryste sayde The prynces of the gentyles be lordes ouer them but you that is to wytte the apostles shall not be so Chryste than the kynge of kynges lorde of lordes dyd not gyue to them powre and auctoryte to exercyse the seculare iudgementes of prynces neyther coactyue powre or iurysdyccyon ouer any man but openly and euydently he forbad it them whan he sayde but you not so And the same is consequently to be holden of all the successours of all the apostles bysshoppes or preestes This is it also whiche saynt Bernarde sayde openly to Eugenius in the seconde boke of consyderacyon the fourth chapytre treatynge vpon those wordes of chryst afore rehersed the kynge and prynces of the gentyles c. for amonge other these are the wordes of Bernarde that whiche the apostle Petre had that same he gaue that is to wytte busy care and dylygent ouerseynge of the congregacyons dyd he gyue domynacyon or lordshyp harken what he saythe Not hauynge saythe he domynyon or lordeshyp ouer the clargye but beynge made the example of the flocke And least thou myght wene or suppose that this was spoken onely of humylytie and lowlynes and not to be exequyted in very truthe the saynge of our lorde in the gospell is the kynges and prynces of the Gentyles haue domynyon and lordshyp ouer them and they whiche haue powre ouer them are called well-doers or benefycyall he inferreth or concludeth but you not so It is playne y ◠domynyon is forbydden the apostles so that they may not be lordes Darest thou then outher beynge a lord vsurpe y ◠offyce of an apostledor beynge an apostolyke persone vsurpe domynion or lordshyps forsoth thou art playnly phybyted from bothe yf thou art wyllynge to haue bothe of them togyther thou shalte lose both or elles thynke not thy selfe to be excepted from the nōbre of them of whome god cōplayned in this wyse They haue reygned and not by me they haue ben prynces and rulers and I knewe them not Thus than by the veryties or treue textes of the gospell whiche we haue brought in and alleged and by the interpretacyōs or declaracyōs of the same textes made by sayntes and other approued doctours It ought to appere euydentlye to all men that chryste dyd exclude or was wyllynge to exclude hym selfe aswell by his deades as by his wordes from all soueraynte or gouernaunce and iudgement coactyue or worldely powre and auctorytie and that he wolde hym selfe be subiecte and vnderneth the coactyue iurysdyccyon of seculare gouernours prynces or other hyghe powers ¶ Of the canonycall oracles or textes of the apostles and the exposycyons of sayntes and holy doctours by whiche the same thynge is openly proued whiche was proued by the chapytre laste afore gone The v chapytre HOwe there resteth remayneth behynde to shewe that this same was also the sentence and doctryne of the cheyfe apostles of chryst And fyrst of Paule whiche in the seconde chapytre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe admonyssheth and aduertyseth the same Timothe whome he had ordayned and made bysshop or preeste that he shulde not wrappe hym selfe in worldly busynes for these are his wordes let no man that warreth to god entangle hym selfe with worldly busynes where the glose after Ambrose mynde saythe that no man that warreth to god in spyrytuall thynges whiche god can not be parted or deuyded to two contrarye seruauntes euen lykewyse as no man can do seruyce to two maysters or lordes entangeleth hym selfe in any maner worldly busynesses And he sayth in any maner busynesses exceptynge none at all for asmoche then as domynyon or iudgement coactyue of contentiouse and debatefull actes or deades is the most seculer and worldly of all busynes for that it dothe ordre and rule all seculer busynes or all seculer cyuyle actes of men as it hathe ben shewed in the. xv chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon the apostle cōmaundeth it pryncypally moste of all to be eschewed of hym which ought to be the souldyour or seruaūte to god in mynystringe spyrytuall thynges so as euery maner bysshop or preeste ought to be And that this whiche we haue rehersed was the very meanynge and mynde of the apostle it is openly and euydently declared by the texte whiche is red in the syxte chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans where he sayde in this wyse Therfore yf you haue seculer iudgementes ordayne you or make you them iudges whiche are contemptyble and of least reputacyon in the churche for there the apostle speake vnto all faythfull or chrysten men and to the churche in his moste propre and laste sygnyfycacyon whiche sayde texte of the apostle the glose expoundeth thus accordynge to the mynde of Ambrose and Augustyne Contemptyble persones that is to wyt some wyse men but yet whiche be of lesse meryte than the preestes and teachers of the gospell ordayne them to be iudges and the cause is shewed why the mynystres of the gospell shulde not be made iudges in suche matyers For the apostles goynge aboute from place to place had not laysure or space to gyue theyr mynde to suche busynes than his wyll was that wyse and holy chrysten men whiche restyd were abydynge in places and not they which can aboute hyther and thyther from place to place for to sprede abrode the gospel shulde be the examyners and iudges of suche busynesse And an other cause hereof the glose assygneth accordynge to the mynde of Gregory in his moralles and that very well in my iudgement accordynge to the mynde and intencyon of the apostle for why sayth Gregory ought contemptyble persones and not bysshoppes or preestes be ordayned set to exercyse seculer offyces doubtles to the ende that suche shulde examyne earthly and worldly causes whiche haue gotten the wysdom or knowlege of exteryor and outwarde thynges that is to wyt of seculer or cyuyle actes or workes But they that are enryched with spyrytuall gyftes ought not to be entangled or encombred with earthly matyers or busynes that whyles they are not compelled to dyspose and ordre the inferyoure goodes of the worlde they maye be able to do seruyce to the superyour or spyrytuall good thynges lo than this is moste euydently the mynde of the apostle and of the holy exposytours which we haue sayde of the offyce that was vtterly forbydden to preestes by the apostle Paule whiche thynge also saynt Bernarde expressynge to Eugenius in the. v. chapytre of the fyrste boke De consideratione sayth in this wyse dyrectynge his speche to the bysshops of Rome and of other places Therfore your powre and auctorytie sayth he is in crymes or synnes not in possessyons For it was for synnes and not for possessyons that the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens was gyuen to you that you myght exclude transgressours or
shewed to be true that no man beynge of ryght mynde after he hath seen and red them ought to doubte any lenger The apostle sayd euery soule exceptynge none where the glose after Augustynes mynde fyrste and otherwhyles after the mynde of Ambrose sayth thus And here he prouoketh and exhorteth men to humblenes For certayne men thought that euyll Lordes and rulers and namely suche as were infydels ought not to haue domynyon and rule ouer chrysten men And yf they were good and also chrysten that then they were but peetes and egall to other good and chrysten men Whiche pryde also the apostle here putteth awaye euen from the superyour parte of man that is to wytte the soule by it betokenynge the hole man For what is it to saye euery soule but euery man as yf he shulde saye All the foresayde thynges are to be done and thoughe you be so perfyte in the bodye of Chryste yet that notwithstandynge let euery soule be subiecte that is to saye lette euery man be subiecte whiche man I do sygnyfye therfore by the name of the soule that you shulde serue and be obeyssaunte not onely in bodye but also in wyll and mynde Therfore let euery soule be so subiecte and obedyent that is euen also in wyll he do serue the seculer powers bothe good and euyll that is to wytte kynges and prynces or gouernours hygh capytaynes vnder capytaynes such other Lo than what the apostle vnderstode and meaned by the hygher powers nothynge elles but seculer prynces gouernours Than it foloweth in the glose for yf he be a good man whiche is ruler and gouernoure ouer the he is thy nouryssher yf he be an euyll man he is a temptoure to proue and assaye the. Bothe receyue and take nourysshementes or cherysshynges gladlye and with good wyll And in thy temptacyon be thou approued Be thou therfore golde and marke and take hede that this worlde is as it were the fornayce of the golde fyner So than lette euery soule be subiecte to the hygher powers that is to wyt in this that they are hyghe that is in worldlye thyngê Or elles in this worde hygher is signyfyed the cause wherfore they ought to be obeyed that is because they are hygher by the ordenaunce of god ¶ For there is no power but of god he proueth that they oughte to be subiectes obeyssaunte this maner waye because all power is of god but those thynges whiche be of god are ordeyned of god than it foloweth that power and auctorytie is ordeyned of god that is to saye who soeuer hathe power or auctorytie hath the ordynaunce of god Therfore who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynaunce of god And this is it that he saythe as yf he oughte therfore to be subiecte because there is neyther any good man neyther euyll that hathe any power excepte it be gyuen vnto hym of god wherfore oure Lorde sayde to Pylate Thou shuldest not haue power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue whiche thyng Bernarde also repeting to the Archebysshop of Senon sayth There was no man more seculare than Pylate afore whom our lorde stode to be iudged yet he sayde thou shuldest not haue any power ouer me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue At that tyme Chryst spake for hym selfe and had experyence of that thynge in hym selfe whiche thynge after he caused to be publysshed and proclaymed throughout all the churches by his apostles that is to wytte that there is no power but of god and that who soeuer resysteth the power resysteth the ordynauÌ„ce of god And within a lytle after in the same place Bernarde saythe Chryste graunteth and confesseth that the power and auctoryte of the Emperours deputie in Rome euen ouer his owne self was ordeyned from aboue And it foloweth in the glose but those that be are ordeyned of god that is to saye are resonablye dysposed and ordeyned of god Therfore who soeuer other by vyolence or by dyscorde or gyle resysteth the power that is to wyt the man hauynge power in those thynges whiche belonge to the power as in trybute and suche other thynges he resysteth the ordynacyon of god that is to saye he resysteth hym that hath power by the ordynacyon of god and therfore he dothe not accordynge to the ordynacyon of god Of the good power it is euydent that god hath made hym ruler reasonably and not without good cause And of the euyll power it maye also appere that he is made ruler reasonably whyles both good men are purged by hym and euyll men are coÌ„dempned hym selfe is caste downe hedlonge worse and worse And marke take hede that somtyme by this worde power is vnderstande the power it selfe or auctorytie whiche is gyuen of god somtyme by the same worde is vnderstande the man selfe that hathe the power whiche ii Sygnyfycacyons let the dylygent reader marke the one of them from the other he that resysteth the power resysteth the ordynacyon of god And this is so greuous an offence that who soeuer resysteth the power they do purchase and gette to them selfes euerlastynge dampnacyon And therfore no man oughte to resyste but to be subiecte and obeysaunte to hym But yet yf he coÌ„maunde the to do that thynge whiche thou oughte not to doo by the lawe of god here truely thou mayste not execute his coÌ„maundemente fearynge the greatter power that is to wytte god marke and take hede of the degrees of wordly thynges yf the Emperour of Rome shall bydde or coÌ„maunde any thynge to his subiects it is to be done albeit he do coÌ„mauÌ„de contrary to the proconsull Agayne yf the proconsul whiche is the emperours subiecte and offycer vnder hym byddeth one thynge and the Emperour coÌ„maundeth an other thynge is it any doute but that despysynge the proconsuls coÌ„mauÌ„deth the subiecte ought to obey the Emperour or pryncipall capytayne Therfore yf the Emperour coÌ„mauÌ„de one thynge god doth coÌ„maunde an other thyng the subiecte ought to obey god before the emperour But yet saynt Augustyne sayd not yf the Emperour do coÌ„maunde one thynge and the Pope or bysshop do coÌ„mauÌ„de an other thyng whiche thyng he ought to haue sayd yf the pope had ben superyour to the emperour in degree of Iurysdyccyon but yet saynt Augustyne wolde that yf the emperour hathe coÌ„maunded any thynge to be due agaynst the lawe of euerlastynge helthe whiche is immedyate coÌ„maundement of god in this the emperour ought not to be obeyed in whiche case the pope coÌ„maundynge accordynge to this lawe that is to wyt the lawe of god is rather to be obeyed than the Emperours coÌ„maundynge any thynge to be done whiche is contrary to the lawe of god But yf the pope coÌ„maundeth any thynge accordynge to his Decretalles in that they are but his owne decrees he is nothynge to be obeyed agaynst the coÌ„maundement of the Emperour or his lawes and that appereth openly and euydentlye here and shall
lordes to whom we ar bounden so to obey myght be infydels or myscreantes as the glose sayth aboute the begynnynge but bysshops neyther ar neyther may be suche maner men And therfore it is open and euydent to all men that the apostle spake not of preestes or bysshops but of kynges prynces gouernours as saynt Augustyne sayd From this subiection also the apostle excepteth no man whan he sayd euery soule Yf than it be so that they whiche resyst suche powers yea beynge infydels euyllmen do purchase to them selues eternall daÌ„pnacion how moche more do they purchase to them selues the indignacion wrathe of almyghty god of his apostle Paule also of Peter whiche despysynge this doctryne of god these apostles haue of late troubled contynually do trouble Chrysten kynges prynces most of all without any maner excuse the Emperoure of Rome For prynces and gouernours ar the mynisters of god as the apostle sayd And he sayd not they ar our mynisters or the mynisters of Peter or of any other apostle And therfore they ar not subiectê in iudgement coactyue to any bysshop or preest but rather contrary wyse the bysshops preestê at subiectê to them whiche thyng also the glose after saynt Augustynes mynde declared whan it sayd Than yf the emperour coÌ„maundeth one thyng god coÌ„mauÌ„deth the coÌ„trary c. namynge there no bysshop or archebysshop or patryarche in suche iurysdyctions whiche thyng yet he wolde haue done or ought to haue done yf Chryste whiche is the kyng of kynges and lorde of lordes had graunted suche power and auctorytie to hym ouer the Emperour as they do bable lye in theyr Decretals which accordyng to truth in very dede ar nothyng els but certayn ordynauÌ„cê CoÌ„stytucions or Decrees appertaynynge to the EstablysshemeÌ„t of theyr owne gouernauÌ„ce rule or domynyon beyng but a fewe ê‘sons in noÌ„bre to the which ordynacions in y t they ar but of theyr own braynes chrysten men ar not bounde in any thyng to obey as it hath ben shewed proued of the. xii chapitre of the fyrst dyccion as it shal appere more espcially in those thigê which hereafter shal folowe ¶ Yet of thyse thynges afore gone we woll not say but the reuerence and obedyence is due to be gyuen to suche Ecclesiastycall or spyrytuall teacher or pastor in those thyngê whiche he coÌ„maundeth or teacheth to be obserued kept accordynge to the lawe of the gospell but not otherwyse or to the coÌ„trary as it appereth suffycyently in the. xxiii of Mathewe by the exposycion of saynt Ierome in the same place Howbeit yet he neyther ought neyther may compell any man to the obseruynge of suche thyngê in this worlde by any payne or punysshemeÌ„t Reall or personall for we do not rede y t any suche power of punysshynge vsynge domynyon ouer any man in this world is graunted to them but rather forbydden them by counsayll or coÌ„maundement as it appereth euydently of this chapytre and of the last aforegone For suche power in this worlde is gyuen by the lawes or by the humayne lawe maker whiche although it were gyuen to a bysshop or preest to compell men in those thyngê whiche apperteyne to goddes lawe it shuld be vnprofytable For to them that shuld be compelled no suche thyng shuld auayle or do good to euerlastyng helthe saluacion And this was playnly the mynde of the apostle in the fyrste chapytre of the seconde epystle to the Corynthyans whan he sayd And I do call vpon god to wytnesse that I sparynge you haue not coÌ„men yet to Corynthe not because we ar lordes ouer your fayth but we ar helpers of your ioye for you do stande contynue in fayth Where the glose after Ambrose mynde sayth I call god to wytnesse not onely agaynst any body but also agaynst my soule yf I do lye in that thynge wherof I speke That I haue not coÌ„men to Corinthe agayne syns I departed from you and I haue done this sparyng you that is to wyt lest I shuld haue made many of you sad sorowful by sharpe rebukyng of many of you in which thing he spared them lest he beyng very sharpe they myght be tourned in to sedicion Therfore he wylleth them to be fyrst mytigated afore his coÌ„myng And therfore it was not loÌ„ge of incoÌ„stancie lyghtnes or els of any carnall coÌ„sideracion y t he dyd not fulfyl those thyngê whiche he had purposed For a spyritualman doth not fulfyl his purpose than whan he hath deuysed any thyng more prouydently apperteynyng to helth saluacion And lest they myght be angry as yf he had spoken of domynyon because he had sayd it was for sparing of you y t I haue not come he saith afterwardê I do not therfore say sparyng you because I haue any domynyon ouer your faith y t is to say because your fayth doth suffre any domynion or coÌ„pulsion which is a thyng free not of necessytie but I say it therfore because we ar helpers yf you worke with vs of yourioy eternal or els of the ioy of your ameÌ„demeÌ„t for they which ar ameÌ„ded doth ioy ar glad I said very well ouer your faith for by faith whiche worketh through loue you do staÌ„de not by dominion This same sentence meanig dyd sait IohnÌ„ Chrisostome gather of the afore reherced wordes of the apostle hath expressed it to al meÌ„ euydeÌ„tly in his boke of Dialoges which is entytled the Dignite of presthod in y â— iii. chap. of the. ii boke for therafter he hath brought in y t sayng of y â— apostle not because we ar lordê ouer yo â— faith but we ar helê‘s c. he saith thus They whiche ar outwarde iudges y t is to wyt seculer iudgê whan they haue subdued euyll persones they do shewe very moche power auctorytie vpon them whether they wylor not wyl they restreyne them kepe them spyte of theyr teth froÌ„ theyr olde lewde vngracious maners but in the church no maÌ„ by compulsyon but well contented and condescendynge ought to be conuerted to better maners and conuersacyon for neyther there is any suche power gyuen to vs by the lawes that by the auctorytye of sentence or Iudgement we maye restrayne and withholde men from synnes And here Chrysostome speaketh in the person of all preestes assygnyng the fyrst cause nowe rehersed wherfore they ought to compell no man because they haue not coactyue auctorytye or iurysdyccyon of any man in this worlde for asmoche as it was not gyuen by the lawes or lawe makers at those tymes or in those places or prouynces Than afterwardes he assygned and sheweth an other cause sayeng neyther yf suche power and auctorytie were gyuen we preestes or bysshops shuld haue wheron we myght exercyse suche maner power auctorytie seynge that our god that is to wyt Chryste shall rewarde not suche as be brought awaye from synne by necessytie
that is to saye by vyolence or compulsyon but suche as abstayne from synne of theyr owne towardnes And yet woll we not by thyse thynges say that it is vnconuenyent that heretykes or otherwyse infydels or mysbeleuers shuld be punysshed but this auctorytie to punysshe suche persones belongeth onely to the humayne lawe maker Than coactyue power or iurysdyccyon dothe not agree or belonge to any bysshop or preest but as well they as other oughte to be vndre the seculare iudges in this power as it hath ben sayd wherfore agayne the apostle sayde in the secoÌ„de chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Tymothe Therfore fyrst I beseche that obsecracyons prayers requestes and gyuynge of thankes be made for all men for kynges all men whiche are in hyghe auctorytie that we may lede a quyete and a peaceable lyfe Wherfore the glose sayth Paule dyrectynge thyse wordes to Tymothe in hym teacheth and sheweth a forme and maner to all the whole churche And afterwardes after y e mynde of saynt Augustyne it foloweth in y e same glose vpon these wordes for all men that is to say for men of all sortes and especyally and moste of all for kynges although they be euyll and for all whiche are set in hyghe auctorytie as dukê erles althoughe they be euyll men And yet amoÌ„ge all those that are set in hygh auctorytie or in suche iudycyarie power neyther the apostle neyther Augustyne maketh any where meÌ„cyon of bysshop or preest but onely of seculare prynces But wherfore the apostle wylleth sayth Augustyne prayers to be made for kynges and those whiche are in hyghe auctorytie yea althoughe they be euyll men he sheweth the cause sayeng iÌ„medyatlye after For this shall be profytable to vs that we maye lyue a quyete lyfe from persecution And a peaceable that is to saye without any dysquyetnes or trouble Lo here is testymonye and wytnesse of that thynge whiche we sayd in the last chapytre of the fyrste dyccyon that is to wyt that the cause effectyue and also conseruatyue of tranquylytie and peace is the dewe actyon or operacyon of the soueraygne or chyefe gouernoure beynge not letted Than Augustyne putteth by and by after a thyng whiche is greatly to the purpose sayeng Therfore the apostle admonysshed counseyled the church to pray for kyngs and all persons set in hygh auctorytie beynge inspyred with the same holy ghoste wherwith Ieremye the prophete also was inspyred whiche sent an epystle or letter to the Iewes y t were in Babylon that they shuld pray for the lyfe of kynge Nabugodonozor his sones for the peace of y e cytie sayeng for the peace of them shal be your peace By this fyguratyuely he sygnyfyed y t the churche militant in erthe in all the sayntê beloÌ„gynge to her the which at the Cytyzens by adoption of the heueÌ„ly Iherusalem shuld be seruaunte subiecte vnder the kynges and gouernoures of this worlde And therfore y e apostle monyssheth y e churche to praye for them that they myght lede a quyete peaceable lyfe Loo here vndoutedly y t the sentence mynde of the apostle and of Augustyne is that the churche or elles all true Chrystyans oughte to be vnderneth the seculer prynces or gouernoures namely the chrysten gouernoures and to obeye the coÌ„maundementê of them whiche be not cantrary to the lawe of euerlastynge helthe But yf the apostle had vnderstande or meaned that byssops or preestes ought to be soueraygnes and prynces and to iudge men really or personally by coactyue iudgement in the state and for the state of this present lyfe he wolde haue sayd to Timothe whom he had ordeyned and made bysshop I be seche the that obsecracyons c. be made for all kynges and bysshops whiche are in hyghe auctoryte Moreouer in the thyrde chapytre to Titus the apostle sayde admonysshe and warne them to whom thou preachest to be subiectes obeysaunte to prynces and powers the apostle sayd not admonysshe the seculare persons onely neyther he sayd Admonysshe them to be subiectes to vs and prynces for the Apostle knewe ryght well y t neyther he neyther other bysshops or prestes ought to be prynces or to iudge other men by lytygyouse Iudgement or Iudgement of seculare actes or deades yea moreouer he had reuoked and called them backe from all maner seculare busynes not onely from lordshype or soueraygntye and Iudgement of seculare matyers whan he sayd in the seconde chapitre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe no man warrynge to god entangleth hym selfe with seculare busynes wherfore Ambrose sayth admonysshe and warne thou c. As yf he had sayde albeit that thou haste spyrytuall Empyre and rule that is to wytte to coÌ„maunde them in spyrytuall thyngê yet that notwithstandyng warne them to be subiectes and obeysaunt to prynces that is to kynges dukes and to lesse or inferyour powers and offycers for the Christyan relygyon depryueth no man of his ryght whiche thynge saynt Ambrose sayth so moche because the apostles wyll mynde and also his doctryne was that also Chrysten men shuld be subiectes and obeysaunte to theyr Lordes or maysters and also to prynces and gouernours although they be infydels and no Chrysten men as he sayth hym selfe in the laste chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe in the begynnyng who soeuer are bonde men vndre yoke c. where the glose after saynte Augustynes mynde sayth thus It is to be knowen that certayne meÌ„ had preached that lybertie was coÌ„mune to all men in Chryste whiche is verylye true concernynge spyrytuall lybertie but not as touchynge carnall lybertie so as they vnderstode it Therfore the apostle speaketh here agaynst theym byddynge the bonde men to be subiectes and obedyent to theyr lordes and maysters therfore lette not the Chrysten bonde men requyre that whiche is sayde of the Hebrues that is to serue syxe yeres and than for nought to be made free for that is mystycall And wherfore the apostle doth coÌ„maunde this he sheweth by and by after sayeng lest both the name of the lorde myght be blasphemed as of one whiche dyd inuade and vsurpe thynges be longynge to other men And also the Chrystyan doctryne as beynge vniuste preachynge agaynst the lawes Cyuyle Howe than or by what meanes with what conscyence towarde god wyll any preest who soeuer he be absolue subiectes from the othe by whiche they are bounden to theyr christen lordes and Soueraygnes for this is an open heresy as it shal appere more largely hereafter The postle than sayde admonysshe them to be subiectes and obeysaunt to soueraygnes and gouernours he dyd not saye admonysshe laye men onely but he sayd admysshe them indyfferently For after his mynde euery soule is subiecte to them in coactyue or contencyous Iudgemente and yf it be not so than tell thou me In what thynge he meaned that euery soule shulde be subiecte to the poâ—oers c. For yf euery soule hadde oughte to be subiecte to Timotheus
and Titus In suche maner iudgemente he shulde in vayne haue sayde admonysshe them c. Agayne yf his mynde and wyll was that certayne men shulde be admonysshed to be subiectes to seculer prynces or gouernours and certayne not than shulde he haue spoken insuffycyentlye in that he dyd make no suche dyfference in his speakynge whiche dyfference without doubte no man shall fynde made any where in all Paules epystles but rather alwayes the contrarye for he sayde lette euery soule be subiecte c. in whiche sayeng the apostle shulde haue spoken vnaccordyngely and also falsely whiche god forbyd that any man shulde saye yf any maner persons had ben exempted from subiectyon to suche seculer prynces This also coÌ„formably was the sentence and doctryne of blyssed Peter in the seconde chapytre of his fyrste Canonycall epystle whan he sayde Be you subiectes to euery humayne creatures for god By euery humayne creature vnderstande thou euery man beynge constytute sette in hyghe power or gouernaunce For that he meaned of suche men it appereth by the examples whiche he brought in immedyatly folowynge whan he sayde whether it be to kynge as beynge the moste excellent or to dukes beynge sent by the kynge to the punysshement of malefactours but to the prayse of good men for so it is the wyll of god I haue not brought in here the gloses of sayntes vpon this place For what soeuer they do saye here it is conteyned in the glose whiche we haue broughte in heretofore vpon the wordes of the apostle in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes Beholde than that bothe saynt Peter and also saynt Paule conformablye and agreably the one to the other do saye that kynges and dukes are sent by god to the punysshynge of malefactours that is to wytte to take vengeaunce vpon them by coactyue power in this worlde but neyther they them selfes neyther the holy exposytoures of theyr sayenges euer sayde in any place that bysshops or preestê are sent to do the same But rather alwayes the contrarye as it hathe euydently appered cheyfly by the worde of Chrysostome afore alleged for as moche than as preestes may be malefactours euen aswell as they whiche are not preestes concernynge all kyndes sortes of transgressyons or trespasses named and rekened vp in the seconde chapytre of this dyccyon It foloweth necessaryly that they also ought to be vnderneth the coactyue iudgemente of kynges dukes or other seculer gouernoures And Peter sayth that you do obey them sayth he is the wyll of god This same thynge agayne is confyrmed by the sayenge and also by the manyfest example of saynt Paule the apostle for it is red of hym in the. xxv chapytre of the Actes that he refusynge the coactyue Iudgement of preestes sayde openly I appele to Cesar and agayne he sayde I stande in the courte of Cesar the emperour where I ought to be iudged The glose interlineare sayth because here is y e place of iudmente Then Paule refusynge the iudgement of preestes knowleged and confessessed hym to be subiecte to the coactyue iurisdyccion of Cesar But is it to be supposed that the apostle spake thyse wordê faynedly when he sayd There I ought to be iudged that is to wytte in Cesars courte whiche had chosen than and determyned in his mynde to dye for the truthe as it appereth in the xxi chapytre of the Actes whan he sayde I am redye not onely to be bounde but also to dye in Ierusalem for the name of the lorde Ihesu chryste for who is so madde to iudge that the apostle for cause of prolongynge of his owne lyfe wolde by his wordes haue coÌ„mytted so great a cryme and offence as to make al preestes subiectê to the Iurysdyccyon of seculer gouernours by his doctryne example wrongfullye and otherwyse than he ought to haue done yf he had reputed this thyng to be vndue vncoÌ„uenyent for it had ben better for hym not to haue gone vp to Ierusalem seynge y t no man coÌ„pelled hym therto than to go vp thyther to make a lye both agaynst hym self also agaynst his neybour therfore for asmoche as it is vnlawfull and great synne to haue any suche opynyon of Paule it appereth euydently that Paule thoughte euen the same in his mynde whiche he vtteryd forthe with his mouthe and in this thynge he dyd folowe hym whome he wolde not be superyoure vnto that is to wyt chryste whiche not onely knowleged Cesar to be his worldly iudge but also Pylate the deputye of Cesar whan he sayde in the. xix chapytre of IohnÌ„ Thou shuldest not haue any powre agaynst me yf it were not gyuen to the from aboue c. that is to saye excepte it were gyuen to the by the ordynacyon of god aboue as saynt Augustyne sayde afore in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes because there is no powre neyther to any good man neyther yet to euyll man but it is gyuen of god whiche thynge also Bernarde dyd more largely declare to the archebysshop of Senon it was brought in before in the. iiii parte of this chapytre Seynge then that to no bysshop any iurysdyccyon or coactyue powre ouer any man is graunted by the lawe of god but rather suche powre is forbydden to them by counsel or precepte as it hath ben euydently and openly shewed in this chapytre and in the nexte before gone Neyther also suche powre is agreynge or appertaynynge to bysshoppes or preestes in that they be bysshoppes or preestes by inherytaunce or successyon of theyr fathers it foloweth necessaryly that in suche powre or iurysdyccyon they be subiectes to y e seculer prynces or gouernours as it hathe euydently apperyd by the sayenges of saynt Peter and saynt Paule apostles and of other holy doctours and by reason or demonstratyue syllogysme it maye be proued of those thynges whiche haue ben sayde in the. xv and the. xvii chapytres of the fyrste dyccyon that neyther bysshop ne Pope haue any coactyue iurysdyccyon in this worlde neyther vpon any preeste neyther vpon any other persone beynge no preeste onles suche iurysdyccyon be graunted to hym by the humayne powre In whose powre it is alwayes to reuoke and call agayne the same auctoryte from them for any reasonable cause chaunsynge The full determynacyon wherof is knowen also to belonge and appertayne to the same powre Thus then that chryste hym selfe refused and dyd forsake domynyon or coactyue iurysdyccyon of any man who soeuer he were in this worlde and that he hath forbydden the same to his apostles and to theyr successours preestes or bysshoppes by his counsayle or precepte and that his wyll and mynde was bothe hym selfe and the sayde apostles to be subiectes to the coactyue iurysdyccyon of seculer prynces or gouernours and that he taughte the same to be obserued and also that his cheyfe apostles Peter and Paule taughte the same bothe by theyr wordes or speache and also by the example of theyr workes and dedes I suppose we
c. that is to saye y t it be done by you of coÌ„mune assente or elles by the superyour therunto apoynted by the hygher powre of the laytie whiche is allone thynge therfore the apostle dyd not coÌ„maunde all the whole tragedie of this thynge to be done by any preest neyther dyd he wryte to any bysshop or preeste that this thynge shuld be done by hym yet euen at the same tyme he dyd sende Tymothe vnto them whiche was a bysshop as it is euydent in the. iiii chapytre of the same epystle whiche thynge doubtles he wolde haue done yf he had knowen this iudgement to appertayne onely to the auctorytie of a preeste euen lykewyse as he had done in other thyngê as we haue declared here to fore in the laste chapytre of this dyccyon afore gone by the auctorytie of the thyrde chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Tâ—mothe of the fyrste chapytre of the epystle to Titus this sentence proueable sayd which we do hold myghtie also be confyrmed and fortyfyed by reason agreably to the scrypture for suche maner of iudgement is done more certaynelye and more without suspycion by the hygher nowres or theyr deputies than yf it were done by wyll of one preest alone or elles of any colledge or company of preestê onely for his or theyr iudgemeÌ„t myght sooner be peruerted through loue fauour or els through hatred and euyll wyll or els for respecte and regarde of theyr owne pryuate and syngular profyte and aduauntage than the iudgement of the superyours aforesayde to whome it chaunceth alwayes men to appeale albeit as I haue sayde the pronouncyacion of such maner sentence ought to be done by the preest for asmoche as by it the powre of god is called on in this worlde to do some punysshement to the criminouse and synfull persone euen in this worlde whiche payne or punysshement coulde not be done to hym by the powre of man that is to wytte the vexacyon of the deuyll And also because he is lykewyse iudged to payne for the state of the world to come and because he is berefte the suffrâ—ges of y â— church which thynge peraduenture god hath ordayned to be done by the operacyon onely of a preest Moreouer because yf any maner bysshop or preest alone or els with y â— colledge or coÌ„pany onely of his clarkes shuld haue this auctorite to excoÌ„munycate any maner man without the consente of the hygher powres or theyr deputies it dothe folowe therof that preestes myght take away al kyngdomes lordshyppes from the kynges or prynces whiche haue them For so any prynce or gouernoure beynge excoÌ„munycated the multytude of his subiectes shall be also excoÌ„munycated yf they wolde obeye the prynce or gouernour beynge so excoÌ„munycated and so the powre of euery maner prynce or gouernoure shall be voyde and of no strength whiche thynge shulde be contrary to the wyland mynde of Paule the teacher of the Gentyles in the. xiii chapytre to the Romaynes and in the. vi chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Tymothe and also agaynst the mynde of saynt Augustyne in the glose vpon the same place as we haue declared in the. vii and. viii partes of the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon and the obieccyons whiche apparently myght be brought in agaynst this determynacyon shal easely be answered vnto and auoyded by those thynges which shall be sayd hereafter in the. ix the. x. y e. xiiii and the. xviii chapitres of this present dyccyon ¶ There is agayne an other certayne auctoryte belongynge to preestes that is that wherby breade and wyne is transubstancyated or turned in to the substaunce of chrystes blyssed body at the oration of the preeste after the pronounsynge of certayne wordê by hym And this auctorytie is a character of the soule euery lykewyse as that auctorytie of keyes is And this auctorytye or powre is called the powre of makynge the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare and certayne dyuynes sayth that this powre is euen the same character of the whiche the powre of the keyes is wherof we haue spoken here to fore And certayne other dyuynes saye this powre is by a dyuers and sondrye character gyuen to the apostles at an other tyme and also by other wordes of chryste than was the powre of the keyes For this powre was gyuen as they of this opynyon do say to the apostles whan he sayd to them these wordes wrytten in the. xxvi chapytre of Mathewe the. xiiii of Marke and the. xxii of Luke This is my body which is gyuen for you do this in the remembraunce of me do this that is to say haue or take you powre to do this thynge But how soeuer the trouth is in this so great dyuersytie of opynyons it skylleth not greatly to this our consyderacyon for we thynke that we haue rehersed as moche as is suffycyent for vs to our purpose concernynge the maners of auctorytie or powre gyuen by chryste to preestê or bysshoppes which may be proued by the holy scrypture But nowe gatherynge togyther agayne and makynge as it were a suÌ„me of those thynges whiche haue ben sayde of vs concernynge the powre or auctorytie of the keyes whiche was gyuen by chryste to the apostles and to preestes the successours of them Let vs saye that in a synner truely penytent that is to say beynge sorowfull for his synne coÌ„mytted god alone worketh some thynges euen without any mynystery of the preeste goynge before that is to wyt the illumynatynge of the mynde the purgacyon or clensynge of the faulte sporte or synne and the remyssyon of the euerlastynge dampnacyon And other some thynges therbe whiche god worketh in the same synner not by hym selfe alone but by the mynysterye of the preeste as this folowynge to shewe and declare in the face of the churche who is accompted bounde or losed from synnes in this world so that he shall be bounde or losed in an other world y t is to say whose synnes god hathe retayned or els forgyuen Agayne there is an other thynge which god worketh aboute a synner by y e mynystery of the preest y t is to wyt the chaungynge of the payne of purgatorye whiche is dewe to the synner for the state of the worlde to come in to some temporall satysfaccyon in this worlde for he dothe releasse the sayd payne outher in parte or in the hole accordynge to the satysfaccyons inioyned after the coÌ„dycyon or state of the penytent which thyngê euery one of them ought to be done by the preeste with the keye of powre accordynge to dyscrecion after this maner also dysobedyeÌ„t ê‘sons at excluded from y e coÌ„munyon or partetakynge of the sacramentes by the preeste And persons repentaunte amendyng theyr conuersacyon are receyued to the sayde coÌ„munyon by the preeste as we haue sayde aboute the ende of the Chapytoure laste afore gone And this was the sentence and mynde of the mayster in the. iiii boke in
preeste a deacon doth dyffer sayth thus Presbiter Episcopus the one is a name of age the other of dygnyte wherfore also to Titus to Timotheus mencyon is made of the ordynacion of a bysshop or ouerseer of a deacon but of senyours or preestê no worde at all is spoken for in this worde Episcopus presbiter is coÌ„tayned This also appereth manyfestly by the apostle in the fyrst chapitre to the Philippianes whan he sayd To al y e sayntê or holy men in chryste Iesu which are in Philippe with the bysshops deacons To here that he nameth the preestê none otherwyse than bysshops or ouerseers for this is vndoubted there was not otherwyse many bysshops in one cytie but because there were many preestê The same thynge agayn is euydentlye shewed by the same Paule in the fyrst chapytre to Titus whan he sayd For this cause I lefte the behynde me at Creta that thou shuldest furnysshe vp suche thyngê as are lackynge or wantynge that thou shuldest ordayne and make preestê or senyours by the cyties so as I haue ordayned appoynted to the. Yf any man be fautles c. and by by after appoyntynge shewynge the qualytes beloÌ„gyng to them that shulde be made preestê he sayth for a bysshop ought to be without faulte as beynge the dispeÌ„satour or mynystre of god c. Lo here that he called hym which was to be made preeste nothynge els but a bysshop The same Paule in the. xx chapytre of the actes speakynge to the preestê of one churche that is to say of Ephesus sayth in this wyse Take hede to your selfe to y e hole flocke in whiche the holy ghost hath set you bysshops or ouerseers to gouerne the churche of god whiche he hath redemed with his owne blode Lo here that in the churche of one cytie that is to wyt of Ephesus the apostle spake to many as to bysshoppes or ouerlokers which was not but for that there were many preestes whiche all were called bysshops or ouerlokers because they ought to ouerloke the people How beit afterwardes in the churche folowynge he onely was called bysshop or ouerseer which by the other preestes the people was instytuted made cheyfe or hyghest of all y â— preestê of that cytie or place And the apostle called them rather bysshops or ouerseers than preestê or senyours because he wolde call vnto theyr remeÌ„brauÌ„ce the care busynes or dylygent ouerlokynge which they ought to haue of the other chrysten people He called hymselfe a preeste or senyour not a bysshop or ouerloker because of humilite mekenes as it appereth of the texte afore brought in of y e. iiii chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Timothe whan he sayd Do not despyse or set lyght of the grace or gyfte whiche is in the. c. So also Peter IohnÌ„ called them selues senyours for this name was gyuen of age wherfore in y e. v. chapytre of the fyrst epystle of Peter it is wryten Therfore I beseche the senyours whiche are amonge you beynge my selfe a senyour with them and a wytnesser of the passyons afflyccyoÌ„s of chryste c. And in the fyrste chapytre of the seconde epystle of IohnÌ„ it is wryten The senyour to the chosen lady to hersones c. And in the fyrst chapytre of the thyrd epystle of the same IohnÌ„ The senyour to the most derely beloued Caius c. But where the coÌ„mune texte of the canone or holy scrypture hath these wordes senior or coÌ„senior saynt Iherome in the epystle aforesayd hath euery where presbiter or conpresbiter For the apostles vsed these wordes as beynge all of one sygnyfycacyon But after the tymes of the apostles the nombre of preestes beynge notablye augmented and increased to auoyde sclaundre and occasyon of offendynge any man and to auoyde scisme and dyuysyon the preestes chose one amonge them selues whiche shulde dyrecte and ordre the other as touchynge to thee xercysynge of the ecclesiasticall offyce or seruyce and the dystrybutynge of the oblacyons the dysposynge orderynge of other thyngê in the most conuenyent maner lyste yf euery man myght do this thynge after his owne pleasure and as he left hym selfe the good ordre seruyce of the churches myght be troubled by the reason of the dyuerse affeccions of men This preeste whiche was so elected and chosen to ordre and rule the other preestê by the custome vsed maner of speakynge of them that came afterwardes was onely called a bysshop or ouerseer because not onely he was ouer loker of the chrysten people for whiche cause all other preestê also were called ouerseers in the prymatyue church but also be cause he had the ouersyght of y t other preestê for which cause such maner a preeste of Antioche retayned to hymselfe alone the name of a bysshop or ouerseer all they afterwardê retaynynge to them selues onely the name of a preest ¶ But this sayd eleccyon or instytucyon made by man gyueth or addeth to the person so elected and chosen no whyt of more large meryte essencial or of the auctoryte of preesthode or of the powre aforesayde but onely gyueth to hym a certayne powre of a canonycall ordynacyon in the house of god or temple to ordre dyrecte or rule other preestê and deacons and other offycers and mynystres Lyke as nowe a dayes vnto the pryour of a relygyouse house powre auctoryte is gyuen vpon the couent Powre I say not coactyue of any man but onely so farforth as shalbe graunted concernynge this poynt by the auctoryte of the kynge to the person so elected as it hath ben proued in y e. iiii the. viii chapytres of this dyccyon shal appere more largely in the chapytre nexte folowynge Neyther yet any other intrinsecall dygnyte or powre is gyuen to hym so elected by suche eleccyon After this maner the soldyars in warre chose to them selues a capytayne whome they were wonte in the olde tyme to cala mayster or emperour albeit that this worde Imperator in Englysshe emperour is nowe translated to betoken a certayne maner or kynde of regale powre hyghest ouer all so it is vsed nowe adayes So also the deacons amonge them selues choseth an archedeacon to whome suche eleccyon doth not gyue or adde any essencyal meryte or any holy ordre aboue deaconshyppe but onely it gyueth to hym a certayne humayne powre or auctoryte as we haue sayde to ordre rule the other deacons wherfore the bysshop of Rome hath no whyt more of the essencyall auctoryte of preesthode than hath any other preest who euer he be Euen lykewyse as saynt Peter had no whyt more of this essenciall powre than the other apostles for all they receyued this same auctoryte of chryste iÌ„medyatly egally as it was sayde before by the auctoryte of Iherome vpon that texte in the. xvi of Mathewe And to the I shal gyue the
playne y t it nedeth no glose whiche thynge also we haue proued here before by the epystle of saynt Iherome to Euander the preeste where he sayth y t all bysshoppes whether it were of Rome or of any other place are all of one the same preesthode meryte or of one powre and auctorytie gyuen by chryste But yet yf any where it be founde in the wrytyngê of certayne holy fathers that Peter is called Princeps a postolorum y t is to say the cheyfe or pryncipall of the apostles it is sayd takynge this word princeps largely vnproperly albeit that it is openly agaynst the sentence sayenge of chryste in the. xx of Mathewe the. xxii of Luke where he sayth The prynces of the gentyles haue domynion of them but you not so And therfore it is to be sayd y t the holy fathers spake not so meanynge y t Peter had any powre or auctoryte gyuen to hym by chryste ouer or vpon the other apostles but peraduenture because he was elder in age or because he fyrste of all the apostles dyd confesse that chryste was the very consubstancyal sone of god or els because peradueÌ„ture he was more seruent coÌ„stante or bolde in the sayth or els because he was more often tymes coÌ„uersauÌ„t with christ more often called i secrete busynes counseyles wherfore the apostle in the seconde chapytre to y e Galatyans sayth thus Iames Peter IohnÌ„ whiche semed to be y â— pyllers c. where y â— glose after y â— mynde of Ambrose sayth because they were more worshypful for that they were alwayes with our lorde in secrete busynesses A coÌ„uenyeÌ„t example of the whiche thynge may be taken of the worldly prynces For one of them is not aboue an other of them by hauynge any powre one ouer an other as the erles of one realine of whom one is not vndre an other of them in iurysdyccion or auctoryte but they be all iÌ„medyatly vnder the kynge yet for all that one or mo then one of them is otherwhyles accoÌ„pted more honorable then the other because they be elder or more auÌ„cient or els because they be more excelleÌ„t in one or mo vertues or because they be more obsequyouse obedyeÌ„t or do more pleasure or seruyce to the kynge or to the realme For whiche cause they be more loued of the kynge or the people had in more reuereÌ„ce then the other after this same maner we ought to iudge of the apostles in coÌ„paryson of them one to an other vnto chryst for all they were vnder the powre auctoryte of chryste iÌ„medyatly receyued of hym theyr instytucion in the offyce of preesthode of apostleshyp not one of them of an other as the scrypture wytnesseth openly euery where the sayntê folowynge the scrypture albeit yet y t amonge them saynt Petre was the most worshypfull for the causes aforesayde but not for any powre or auctoryte gyuen to hym by chryste ouer or vpon the other apostles for this powre or auctoryte chryste forbad them to haue one ouer an other as we shewed afore by the. xxiii of Mathewe when he sayde dyrectly to the present purpose vnto them these wordes Be you not in wyl to becalled Rabbi y t is to say mayster for you haue but one mayster chryste all you be brethren lykewyse neyther had he any coactyue iurysdyccion vpon the other apostles more then they had ouer hym so consequently neyther his successours vpon the successours of the other apostles for this chryste vtterly forbad them in the. xx of Mathewe the. xxii of Luke when he sayd dyrectly for y e present purposes vnto them when there was a coÌ„teÌ„cion made amongê them whiche of them shuld be the greatest these wordes folowynge The kyngê pryncê of the gentyles are lordes ouer them they whiche are greatter don exercyse powre auctoryte vpon them but do not you so Chryst coulde nomore openly playnly haue denyed it them why then shall any man beleue the tradycyon of man concernynge this mater whether he be saynt or no saynt more then y e most playne open speche or sayenge of chryste for agaynst suche maner persone or persones chryste speketh in the. vii of Marke when he sayd dyrectly to our present purpose But they honouren me in vayne teachynge the doctrynes preceptes of men for you leaue the coÌ„maundement of god do holde or kepe the tradycioÌ„s of men a lytle after it foloweth you do wel refuse or make the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of god voyde or of none effecte y t you may kepe your owne tradycioÌ„s And this thynge do all they which teachen the Decretalles made by men which sayen that to the bysshop of Rome beloÌ„geth powre domynyon of the teÌ„poral goodes not onely of men of y e churche that is to say ecclesiastical persons but also of the teÌ„poralles beloÌ„gynge to kyngê emperours makiÌ„ge the precepte of god voyde and of none effecte as it was shewed in the. xiiii chapytre as it appereth euydeÌ„tly of this present chapytre that they may kepe theyr owne tradycyon or constytucyon coÌ„cernynge the temporall goodes for theyr owne profyte aduauÌ„tage But yet yf the apostles had elected chosen saynt Peter as ouerseer to them or more pryncypall because of his age more excelleÌ„t holynes as it is had of a certayne decre of Anacletus pope which is coÌ„tayned in the Code or boke of Isydore y e texte of which decre is in this forme folowynge But the other apostles with the same Peter receyued honour powre by egall felowshyp they wylled hym to be cheyfe pryncypall of them yet for all y t it shuld not folowe hereof that his successours in the see of Rome or in any other see yf he were bysshop any where els hath the same priorite or prehemyneÌ„ce aboue the successours of the other apostles except his successours were chosen ther unto by the successours of the other apostles for some successours of the other apostles were of more vertue then certayne of the successours of Peter Howbeit properly euery bysshop is indyfferently the successour of euery one of the apostles as touchynge to offyce thoughe not as touchynge to place Agayne why shuld this superiorite or prerogatyue belonge more to the successours of Peter in the see of Rome then to his successours in the see of Antioche or of Ierusalem or in any other see yf he had ben bysshop in many sees c. Moreouer euery bysshoppe as touchynge to the intrynsecall dygnyte y t is to say the inseperable dygnyte is indyfferently the successour of eche one of the apostles of the same meryte or perfeccyon as touchynge to the dygnyte aforesayd or offyce for all they haue this powre all one of one the same cause effycyeÌ„t or gyuer iÌ„medyatly y t is to wyt of chryste not of hym that put on his haÌ„des vpon them
subiectes and obedyent and taketh also hereof vnto them selues to other occasyon lybertie to syn more at large To this adde a newe sprynge or braunche of the sayd rote y t the bysshop of Rome of his fulnes of powre hath forbydden them whiche haue any ecclesiasticall benefyce where euer it be without his lycence to make any testamentes hath decreed that the goodes of them that dyeth intestate are to be coÌ„uayed brought iÌ„medyatlye vnto his see And adde this also which is a greatter thynge and more of the deuyll for it is most large symonye althoughe it be fulfylled after the deade that by the same powre he reserueth the rentes and profytes or frutes of all the benefyces in whatsoeuer places they be the fyrste yere that they ar vacante gatheryng after this maner vnto hymselfe all the treasures of the worlde and robbynge all kyngdoms and prouynces of the same in whiche prouynces they ought to be dystrybuted to the mynystres of the gospell and to myserable persons or elles to be turned in to the subsydie succour of the coÌ„mune wealthe wherof they are taken yf nede shall requyre for herefore they haue ben ordayned and assygned This agayne is a more iÌ„tollerable thynge that he sayth that the legacyes or bequestê in the testamentes of chrysten laye men for the passage beyonde the see or for other causes accordynge to the dysposycion of certayne determynate persones whome they call coÌ„myssaryes dothe appertayne to his ordrynge by the same fulnes of powre And no meruayle hereof seynge y t a certayne bysshop amonge them hath sayd that he hymselfe hath domynyon of all kynges prynces realmes coÌ„munyties notwithstandynge y t in very dede none of all the aforesayd thynges doth appertayne vnto his powre and of the same rote mo greuouser thynges than these shall chaunce to sprynge vp whiche can not all be tolde for the so dyuers nature of them For one inconuenyent graunted namely suche one in whiche all other incoÌ„uenyencê that may be thought or ymagyned aboute cyuyle actes are coÌ„tayned it is no harde thynge for any other inconuenyences whatsoeuer they be to chauÌ„ce accordynge to the gentyle phylosopher Arystotle for this full powre beynge due vnto hym it foloweth that he may do whatsoeuer helyste wherfore he doth suspende dysanulle reuoke all y e ordynacioÌ„s lawes of men at his owne pleasure which thynge as beynge the extreme vttermoste incoÌ„uenyent y t may be in the worldly regyment gouernaunce as well sayntê as phylosophers hath hated refused as it was proued by demoÌ„stracyon in the. xi chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon also was more largely confyrmed in the. v. of this dyccion by the auctoryte of saynt Augustyne in y e. vi chapytre of the fyrst epystle to Timothe So than by the fulnes of powre permytted vnto hym y t whole body of y e churche is infectyd the ordre of all the ecclesiastycall iconomie is broken cyuyle regyment gouernaunce is letted vtterly or troubled in parte Vpon the whiche bysshop yf chrysten men wyll caste theyr iyes as I beseche them to do whiche hath ben dusked bleared many adaye to the most parte of them by a certayne couer or cloke coloure of sophistycall honesty they shallse clerely them selues who soeuer hath visyted the courte of Rome or to saye more truely the house of marchaundyse or the horryble denne of theues to vse chrystes wordes or whosoeuer hath not visyted it shal learne by the reporte of a great many of credyble persons y t it is made in a maner the receptacle sanctuarye of all myscheuous men and of marchauntes bothe spyrytuall and temporall for what other thynge is there than the concourse of symonyacall persons from all countrees what other thynge than the bablynge noyse of proctours pleaders of causes the assaulte of quarelers and false accusers the vexacion of iuste men There the iustyce of innoceÌ„t persons is in ioperdy or at the least wyse it is so greatly dyfferred put of yf they be notable to bye it with money that at the laste they beynge clene beggarde theyr money all consumed and themselues weryed with innumerable labours are compelled to gyue ouer theyr ryghtful and myserable causes There the lawes of men thundre and sounde lowde but the lawe and doctryne of god outher kepeth scylence or elles soundeth very seldome there are treatyses rolles and rentalles preuy castes deuysed how to inuade the prouynces of chrysten men by violence powre of armes to get to take away the sayd prouynces from them to whose custody they haue ben lawfully coÌ„mytted But howe to get or wyn soules there is no thought nor care no counsayles at all Moreouer there is none ordre but coÌ„tynuall horroure inhabyteth and dwelleth there And I whiche haue ben present there and seen the maner do thynke in my mynde that I do se that terryble and dredefull Image whiche Nabugodonozor dyd se in his dreame as it is recyted in the seconde chapytre of Danyell hauynge his heed of golde his armes breste of syluer his bely and his thyghes of brasse and his legges of yerne and the one parte of his fete yerne the other of erthe for what other thynge betokeneth this great Image than the state of the courte of Rome or of the pope whiche in olde tyme was terrible to lewde euyll men nowe is horryble to beholde vnto good and vertuous men For the superyoure meÌ„bres of this Image the heed y â— breste and the armes what other thynge are they in syght in affeccyon and loue than golde and syluer and the workes of mans handes And the bely and the thyghes of it what other thynge are they than the great noyse and sounde of seculare stryfes or causes or of false accusacyons and quarelles and of symonyacall byenges and sellynges for I wyll not nowe speake of the thundres lyghtnynges of curses excoÌ„munycacions both wryten gyuen forth by mouthe agaynst chrysten men whiche do refuse thoughe ryghtuouslye to be seculerlye subiected vnto the bysshop of Rome and to his churche to gyue temporal goodes vnto them And I beseche the tell me what other thyngis at the thyghes of brasse than the pompouse proude ordynauÌ„cê of pleasures ryote wel nere of alvanyties yea such as are vnsemelye for laye men which pompous ordynaunce they do imprynte in the sences of men whiche ought to be the example of chastyte and honestye vnto all other And the legges of yerne the fete and the toes wherupon the Image standeth and is made fast beynge partlye of erthe towardes what other thynge go they than the vsurpacyon inuasyon and occupacion of seculare domynyons kyngdoms and prouynces by the vyolent powre of armed men or men harnaysed with yerne bryngynge with them for this purpose the superyoure membres that is to wyt the geuynge of golde and syluer whiche prouoketh the armed men here
vnto and also bryngynge with them the brasen bely and thyghes by theyr lewde promyse of suche thynges and by vocale absolucyon thoughe dysceytful of synnes and paynes and by the iniuste condempnacyon cursynge thoughe throughe godes defence it doth no hurte of them whiche defendeth theyr owne lybertye and are wyllynge to obserue theyr faythe and allegyaunce dewe to theyr prynces and gouernours But the soles of the fete the toes beynge of molde or erthe and by reason therof brytle and easy to breke what other thynge do they represente than the vnconstancye and vnstablenes of the courte of Rome what other thynge do they sygnyfye or betoken than the feblenes of y e occasyoÌ„s because I wyll not saye the falsytie and iniquyte of them euydently knowen of all men vpon which occasyons the pope of Rome groundeth hymselfe and wherunto he leaneth agaynst the faythfull people of chryste for to oppresse them But as the same prophet doth wytnesse and recorde vpon this Image shall fall a stone cut out of an hyll without handes that is to say a kynge whome god shall rayse vp elected by his grace of the vnyuersyte of men that is to wyt by gyuynge to hym powre and whose kyngdom shall not be gyuen to an other This kynge I saye more by the vertue or grace of the trynyte than by the worke or powre of y t haÌ„des of men shal fyrst of all crusshe breke y e earthy part of this terryble and horryble monstruouse Image that is to wyt his fete where vpon he standeth vnconuenyently that is to wyt causynge the false and vniuste causes and baulde occasyons as I may call them more truely with the poetet to be knowen vnto all prynces and peoples the sopheme and dysceyte of them beynge opened and dysclosed and impungned by humayne demonstracyons and dystroyed and anulled by the veryties of holy scrypture and afterwarde shall breake the yerne partê of the same by puttynge awaye his cruell and wycked powre and consequently shall cause the brasen partes that is to wyt the auctoryte of cursynge whiche he hath presumptuously taken vpon hym vpon peoples and prynces and the troublous noyse and stryfe of seculare iurysdyccyons vsurped and consequentlye of causes and vexacyons to kepe sylence and to be dombe And the excesses and superfluyties of voluptuous pleasures and the pompes and vanyties to cease last of all he shall subdue and dystroye the golde and syluer of the same Image that is to wyt the couytousnes the robberye of the bysshop of Rome And so accordynge to the mynde of the aforesayd profyte the yerne the earth the brasse the golde and y e syluer of the sayd Image shall be broken al togyther that is to say all the vyces and excesses of the abouesayde courte shal be quenched and dystroyed as it were strawes brente vnto asshes and caryed awaye with the wynde for that thynge whiche is bothe agaynst nature and agaynst the lawe bothe of god and man contrary to al reason that thynge can not longe abyde or coÌ„tynewe ¶ Howe and after what maner the bysshop of Rome hathe vsed the aforesayd maners of fulnes of powre inespecyall without the ecclesiastical lymytes towardes laye men and towardes cyuyle or temporall thynges The xxv chapytre NOwe it remayneth vnto vs to searche out after what maner and facyon and in what thynges the bysshops of Rome haue vsed hytherto and do vse the fulnes of powre whiche they haue taken vnto them selues without the ecclesiasticall lymytes but yet we wyl fyrst make rehersall and call to remembraunce the vsage and customes of the prymatyue churche and the procedynge of the same euen from the begynner and heed therof whiche is chryste and from the fyrste promoters and setters forwarde therof the holy apostles For he that is to wytte chryste cam in to the worlde to teache and also to exercyse the offyce of a preeste or of a pastor and feder of soules For he beynge the interpretoure and expounder of the lawe of eternall helth declared breyfly the same law wherin was comprehended the forme and exercyse of the sacramentes the preceptes also and counsayles of the thyngê to be beleued of the thynges to be done of the thynges which are to be despysed and eschewed to the inherytynge or deseruynge of eternall felycyte or beatitude whiche we call eternall lyfe But as for the iudgement of cyuyle or temporall actes the offyce of a seculer prynce or gouernour he refused it expresly renounced it and coÌ„maunded or counseyled all the apostles and the successours of hym them in the offyce aforesayde to renounce the same lykewyse and expressed hym selfe by y e ordynacion of god to be subiecte to the iudgemeÌ„t or coactyue powre of pricê of this world with al his apostles they also expressed theÌ„ selues to be subiectê to y e sayd seculer pricê both by theyr dedes also by theyr wordê doctryne doctryne as it hathe ben euydently shewed by the scrypture the exposycyons auctoryties of sayntes doctours in the. iiii v. chapytres of this dyccion and hath also ben somwhat declared by polytyke reasons in the. viii ix chapytres of the same And he exercysed also those powres and graunted the same to be exercysed of the apostles and to theyr successoures in the persone of them and obserued also moste hyghe and perfyte pouertie hym selfe and taught coÌ„maunded or councelled them and the successours of them to obserue and kepe the same accordynge to the maner before rehersed and declared ¶ This forme and maner of lyuynge and of exercysynge the sayd offyce accordynge to the aforesayd powre the apostles dyd obserue and kepe as beynge y â— chyldren of obedyence The same also the bysshops of Rome and other successours of the apostles hathe obserued many of them thoughe not all well neare vntyll the tyme of CoÌ„stantyne the fyrst emperoure of the Romaynes For certayne of them dyd possesse landes or lordshyppes amonge whome Orbane the fyrste bysshop of Rome is red to haue ben the fyrst for vntyll his tyme the churche and colledge of preestê lyued after the maner of chrystes lyfe and of his apostles that is to wyt obseruynge meretor yous most hyghe or perfyte pouertie And albeit peraduenture that the aforesayd Orbane dyd this thynge pryncypally that we may iudge his intent as cherytably as we maye to the beste for pytie for the succurrynge and releuynge of poore people for mercye yet for all that yf he toke vnto hym selfe the powre to chalenge suche maner landes or the prouentê or rentes therof afore a coactyue iudge or yf he had powre and auctoryte to sell the sayde landê and to dystrybute the pryce of them vnto poore folke and dyd not sell and dystrybute them whether he dyd it wyllyngly or through ignoraunce doubteles he declyned swarued from the most hyghe pouertie aforesayd or from the state of perfeccion whiche maner also very many Bysshops
coÌ„trarye and to be agaynst this truthe do confesse or graunte that this auctorite and after a larger maner than is aforesayde hathe afterwardes ben graunted to Charlemayne and to Otto the fyrst kynge of Almayne emperour of Rome by all y e people of Rome as by the bysshop the clargye and other seculer persons wherfore it is red in approued hystoryes and it is true also that this decree folowynge came forthe by the coÌ„mune consente of the people of Rome Leo pope in the synodye whiche was congregated at rome in the church of saynt sauyoure accordynge to the example of blyssed Adryane bysshop of the apostolyke see whiche grauÌ„ted vnto lorde Charles the most vyctoryous kynge of FrauÌ„ce Lombardy the dygnyte of a senatour and the ordynacyon and the inuestyture of the apostolyke see I also Leo the seruaunte of the seruauntes of god bysshop with all the clargye the people of Rome do constytute confyrme and roborate by our apostolyke auctoryte do graunte gyue to Otto the fyrste kynge of Almayne to his successours of this realme or empyre of Italye foreuer as well powre to chose a successoure vnto them selfe as also to ordayne and assygne the bysshop of the apostolyke see by this also to ordayne arche bysshops or bysshoppes so that they shall take theyr inuestiture of hym and theyr consecracion of them of whom they ought to take it Onely these excepted whome the emperour hathe graunted to the pope and to archebysshops And that no man from hensforth of what so euer dygnytie relygyon or holynes he be shall haue powre to electe outher senatoure or bysshop of the hyghest apostolyke see or to ordayne any other bysshop who soeuer he be without the consente of the sayd emperoure whiche for all that shall be made without any money and that he shall be senatour and also kynge And yf it so chaunce that any bysshop be elected by the clargye excepte he be lauded alowed of the aforesayde kynge haue his inuestyture of hym let hym not be coÌ„secrated yf any man do enterpryse or go aboute any thynge agynst this auctoryte we haue decreed hym to be vnder excoÌ„munycacion accursed and except he shall repent to be punysshed with perpetuall exyle or banysshement or els to be punysshed with the extreme punysshementê or deathe This decree also SteueÌ„ the pope successour vnto the aforesayd Leo hath confyrmed also one Nicholas the successour of Steuen coÌ„mauÌ„dynge it to be obserued kepte vnder the payne of the terryble curse that is to wyt that the transgressours brekers of it oughte to be accompted amonge the wycked men whiche shall not ryse agayne in iudge ment as the profyte sayth in the fyrste psalme And of this decree it is specyallye to be noted y t this auctoryte concernynge the inuestytures whiche the bysshop of Rome with the whole people dyd translate vnto the emperour as touchynge on the popes partye was a certayne renuÌ„cyacion For the fyrst and pryncypall auctoryte hereof was and is appertaynynge to the emperour whiche had than grauÌ„ted to the pope this auctoryte of gyuynge y e inuestyture vnto bysshops and arche bysshops For because all teÌ„porall thynges by whome soeuer they shall haue ben translated in to any maner churche as touchynge to this thynge were are subiecte to the prynce of the prouynce in whiche the sayde temporalles are sytuate or lyenge And this is sygnyfyed by the aforesayde decree where it is sayde excepte those whome the emperoure hathe graunted to the pope and archebysshoppe So also to instytute the bysshop of the apostolyke see appertayneth to the powre and auctoryte of the emperour This notwithstandynge certayne bysshops of Rome vsurpynge the iurysdyccyon of the peoples and prynces aswell in the makynge or gyuynge as in the lawes gyuen haue enterprysed to make promulgate or publysshe these lawes thoughe vnduely and wrongfully and by lytle and lytle haue proceded and gone forwarde in them namely the emperyall see beynge vacante wherupon coÌ„menly and for the most part for the occupacion of certayne teÌ„poralles so far as may be perceyued by the Cronycles or approued hystoryes stryfes haue ben raysed vp betwene the emperours and the popes of Rome Howbeit the sayd bysshops in this haue done agaynst the councell or precepte of chryst and of the apostles whiche in that they ought to succede the apostles in the offyce of preesthode or apostleshyp they ought also to obserue and kepe moste hyghe pouertie and humylytie but they turnynge out in to a certayne other waye contrarye to it through ignorauÌ„ce or malyce or throughe bothe as we haue shewed here tofore haue begon this iÌ„mortall and perpetuall contencion or stryfe agaynst the sayd emperours whiche same contencyon most of all amonge all other a certayne bysshop of Rome called Paschalis began agaynst Henry the. iiii kynge of Almayne For as the hystoryes do recorde the sayde bysshop dyd prohybyte the sayd Henry to come vp vnto the emperyall dygnyte reysynge vp agaynst hym the people of Rome vntyll such tyme as the aforesayd Henry beynge in Tusky by embassadours and letters dyd grauÌ„te in a maner by coÌ„pulsyon vnto y e same bysshop the inuestitures and instytucioÌ„s of all bysshops abbottes and all other clarkes Of whiche Henry agayne the aforesayd pope requyrynge an othe after he was entred in to the cytie concernynge the thynges whiche he had extorted gotten of hym by coÌ„pulsyon was taken and al his colledge of Cardynalles and in coÌ„clusyon beynge delyuered had peace with the aforesayd emperour Agaynst whom he raysynge agayne the olde stryfe had moche to do to ende it at the laste with great laboures and paynes ¶ But as Martyne telleth the aforesayde emperour repentynge to vse the wordes of the same Martyne waxynge wyse agayne frelye resygned by the staffe and the rynge to one Calyxte the successoure of Pascall the inuestyture of bysshoppes and of other prelates and graunted that canonycall eleccyon shulde be made in all churches throughout the whole empyre and all the possessyones and regalles of saynt Peter which throughe his discorde or any other stryfe or debate with the churche had ben alienated he restored to the churche of Rome and dysposed and ordred that all other possessyons aswell of clarkes as of laye men which by the occasyon of warre had ben taken awaye shulde be faythfullye and trulye restored agayne whiche sayd grauntes or pryuyleges Otto the. iiii and Frederyke the seconde emperours of Rome afterwardes wyllynge for a laufull cause peraduenture to reuoke or reuokynge vtterlye or els in parte suffered very many dysceyptes persecucyons and impedymentes or vexacyons of the bysshoppes and of the clargye of Rome And some of theyr predecessours haue not ben holpen by the people subiectes vnto them by the reason that the rule and regyment of the bysshppes of Rome or of theyr offycers and mynystres hath otherwhyles tasted peraduenture of tyrannye This than as we haue sayde
owne domynyons they haue therfore I saye soughte and gone aboute to entre vnto these thynges by a certayne other crafte subtel medytacion and deuyse For they haue taken vpon them the tytle whiche they preache openlye of them selues and whiche they go aboute to make the instrument of this wyckednes and myschefe that is to wyt the fulnes of powre whiche they do saye to be graunted syngulerlye vnto them selues by chryste in the persone of saynt Peter the apostle whose successours they saye them selues to be By whiche cursed tytle and sophysticall oracyon because it may be taken dyuerse wayes as beynge false in al sences alwayes at al tymes to be denyed of all chrysten men they haue hetherto disceyued doth newe dysceyue gothe aboute more more to begyle and dysceyue to brynge vnder theyr seruytude and bondage all the prynces and peoples collegyes and syngulare persones of the worlde For after the bysshops of Rome had taken this sayde tytle of full powre vnto them selues fyrste of all in that sence after whiche fulnes of powre semeth to betoken for the vnynersall cure of all soules or the offyce of generall pastor or herdes man and agayne in the sence after whiche it betokeneth powre to absolue all men seuerallye from all synnes and paynes vnder the coloure and apperaunce of pytie charyte and mercye from these by lytle and lytle and secretlye as we haue declared in the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccyon they haue gone further and at the last haue taken vnto them selues this tytle in and after that sygnyfycacyon by whiche they do vnderstande by fulnes of powre vnyuersall auctoryte and hyghest iurysdyccion or coactyue gouernaunce and domynyon of all prynces and peoples and all temporall thynges takynge the begynnynge and grounde of suche fulnes by the metaphorycall and allegorycall exposycyons wherof we haue spoken in the. v. parte of the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccyon And this is an euydent and manyfest sygne to all men that the bysshops of Rome dothe accordynge to this sence ascrybe vnto them selues and bragge them selues to haue fulnes of powre that is to wytte that they wyll haue the auctoryte of hyghest iurysdyccyon or coactyue domynacyon ouer all prynces peoples partyculer persons to be agreynge and appertaynynge vnto them selues by this fulnes of powre For in the. vii boke of theyr narracyons whiche they do call Decretalles in the tytle Desentencia et re iudicata Clement the. v. pope of Rome whiche is intytled the maker therof and he whiche afterwardes publysshed the same beynge called the successoure of the same ClemeÌ„t asmoche as in them was reuokynge a certayne sentence of the moste honourable Henry the. vii emperoure of the Romaynes amonge other thynges after very many wordes of contumelye rebuke and irreuerence there promysed after theyr wonte and accustomed maner bothe by worde of mouthe and also in wrytyngê agaynst the sayd Henry at the last I saye they brynge for y â— this sentence folowynge We as well by the superyoryte whiche it is vndoubted that we haue in comparyson to the empyre as by the powre and auctoryte in which we do succede the emperoure the empyre beynge vacante and also by the fulnes of that powre whiche chryste the kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes hathe graunted to vs thoughe vnworthye in the persone of saynt Peter do declare by the councell of our brethren the sentence and processes aforesayde and what soeuer hathe folowed of them or by the occasyon of them to haue ben and also to be vtterlye voyde and of no strengthe And because the dysceypte and gyle of these bysshops shall not from hensforthe be hyd and vnknowen I as the coÌ„mune proclaymour and cryere of trouthe do crye stronglye and saye vnto you kynges prynces peoples and men of all nacyons and languages that the popes of Rome with the companye of theyr clarkes by this theyr decretalles beynge moste openlye false as touchynge to euerye supposycyon of it do the moste hyghe preiudyce that may be vnto you all for they do go aboute to brynge you in to theyr subieccion yf you shall suffre that Decretall to remayne and namelye to haue the vertue and strengthe of a lawe For marke well this it foloweth of necessyte that he whiche hathe pryncypall auctoryte to reuoke the sentence of any maner prynce or iudge hathe also iurysdyccyon and coactyue domynyon vpon the same prynce or iudge and hathe auctoryte and powre to instytute and to depose hym from kyngdome rule and gouernaunce But the pope of Rome ascrybeth this auctoryte vnto hym selfe ouer all prynces and kyngdomes of the worlde indyfferentlye for by that full powre and auctorytye whiche he saythe that Chryste hathe graunted to hym in the persone of saynt Peter he hathe reuoked the cyuyle sentence of the aforesayde Emperoure of Rome Henry whiche powre it foloweth of necessyte to haue ben graunted to hym no lesse vpon other kynges and gouernours of the worlde than vpon the emperoure of the Romaynes For chryste no lesse hath ben is or shalbe kynge and lorde of other kynges and prynces or gouernours than of the kynge gouernoure of the Romaynes whiche thynge also theyr owne speche or scrypture wytnesseth openlye whan they do saye or wryte kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes For yf theyr sayenge or writynge were vnder this forme syngulerlye that of the fulnes of powre graunted vnto them by chryste kynge and lorde of the kynge or emperour of Rome c. By this peraduenture myght the excepcyon of other kynges and kyngdomes be somwhat perceyued and comprehended But nowe for asmoche as they pronounce this sentence plurallye absolutelye and indyfferentlye euen as it is wryten of the euangelyste thoughe not to that sentence or purpose whiche the bysshops of Rome do intende by it there can be made none excepcion of any kynge or gouernour no more then they themselues do vnderstande or meane any prynce to be excepted from it but euery one to be contayned in it as in an other place theyr predecessoure Boniface the. viii dyd playnely and dystynctely expresse and we haue broughte in his sayenge here tofore To whome yet let no man contynue enuyous mynded for theyr sayenge or wrytynge And albeit that the euangelyst sayd trewe whan he called chryste the kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes yea yf he had sayd also of all creatures yet for all that he sayd and wrote a false and an open lye and contrary to the many fest and euydent sentence of chryste and of the apostles Peter and Paule Iames whiche sayd and affyrmed the foresayd full powre of domynyon or of coactyue iurysdyccion or any suche powre at all to be gyuen in the persone of saynt Peter or of any other apostle to the bysshop of Rome or elles to any other bysshop But suche maner of powre is hathe ben and shall be vtterlye for bydden to the bysshop of Rome and to all other bysshops
to gouerne theyr empyre And in the same maner or moch lyke certayne emperours of Rome for a solempnyte and sygne of theyr intronizacion or coronacion and for the more large grace of god to be optayned haue caused the emperyal diademe to be put vpon theyr hedes by the bysshops of Rome whiche settynge on of the diademe who wyll saye y t it gyueth to the bysshop of Rome more auctoryte vpon the emperour than it doth to y e arche bysshop of Rhone ouer the kynge of Fraunce For suche maner solempnytâ—es do not gyue auctorite but they do sygnifie that auctorite hath ben had or gyuen Of this reuerence than so gyuen by the emperours of theyr owne free wylles the bysshops of rome oftentymes sechynge those thynges which ar not theyr owne haue brought in a custome to saye more truely an abuse by reason of the symplycite because I wolde not saye the cowardenes and dastardnes of the prynces emperours to call the approbacion of the persone elected and the benediccion which they sent vpon the same persone by worde of mouth or in wrytynge the coÌ„fyrmacyon of the eleccion aforesayd And whyles the emperours of rome in y e olde tyme dyd nothynge regarde nor take hede what preiudyciall intent and purpose was hyd vnder this maner of so callynge it the popes of rome haue so secretlye and pryuely brought it in from tyme to tyme yea nowe doth it openlye that no man be he neuer so coÌ„uenyently elected kynge of the Romaynes may be called kynge neyther yet maye haue or exercyse the auctoryte of the kynge of the Romaynes excepte he shall haue ben approbated before by the bysshoppe of rome whiche approbacyon resteth onelye in the wyll and pleasure of the bysshop of rome as he hym selfe sayth because he recognyseth or knowledgeth no man here in earth to be superyour or equal to hym selfe in such maner iudgemeÌ„t Neyther he is bounde as he sayth to folowe the couÌ„sayle of his brethren whom he calleth cardynalles in this thynge or in other thynges albeit that he doth vse theyr counsell but that he may do contrarye to theyr counsayle in what soeuer thynges yf he lyste of the fulnes of his powre ¶ But in this the bysshop of Rome after his owne wonte and maner coÌ„cludeth false of trewe thynges and euyl of good thynges for it doth not folowe because the emperoure throughe deuocyon of his owne free wyll gaue this reuerence to y e bysshop of Rome that he gaue hym knowledge of his eleccyon and desyred his benedyccion and intercessyon vnto god that therfore the eleccion of the emperour of Rome hangeth of his wyll and pleasure For this shulde be none other thynge than to lose or dystroye the empyre of Rome perpetually to prohybyte or let the creacion of the emperour or gouernour For yf the auctoryte of y e kynge or prynce elected shuld hange onely of the wyll and pleasure of the bysshop of Rome than is the offyce of the electours vtterly voyde and of no strength for as moche as he that is elected by them neyther is emperoure neyther may be called kynge or emperoure afore that he be confyrmed by his wyll or auctoryte who is sayde to syt in the see apostolyke neyther maye he that is so elected exercyse any regall auctotytie Yea and moreouer which is a very paynfull thynge not onely to suffre but also to heare it shall not be lawfull to any man so elected to take vnto hym selfe so moche as his cotidiane and dayly charges of the prouentes of the empyre with out the lycence of this sayde bysshop what other auctoryte than doth the eleccyon of the prynces gyue vnto the emperours than onely the name sayenge that the determynacyon of them hangeth vpon the wyll and pleasure of one man alone that is to wyt the bysshop of Rome For seuen barbours or seuen blere iyed men myght gyue as moche auctoryte vnto the kynge or emperoure of Rome as dothe the. vii electours but yet let no man thynke y t we do speke thus to the contempte of the electours but to the mockynge and derysyon of hym that wolde depryue them of the auctoryte dewe vnto them for he is ignoraunte what is the vertue nature of an eleccyon and for what cause the powre and auctoryte of the sayde eleccyon dothe consyste and reste in the bygger parte of them that ought to electe those the emperoure and that the effecte therof neyther ought neyther maye depende or hange vpon the wyll of any one man alone yf it shall be reasonably instytuted but onely it shall hange vpon the wyll of the electours So than the bysshoppe of rome euydentlye is wyllynge to destroye the offyce of the electours all thoughe he gothe aboute by meruaylouse crafte and subteltye to blynde circumuent or begyle them For he sayth in certayne of his scryptures that no man beynge elected to be kynge of the romaynes is kynge or ought to be called kynge afore his conformacion the auctoryte wherof he sayth to belonge to his owne fre powre And he meaneth also that the instytucyon of the electours also dothe belonge to the same auctoryte For the same bysshop as he sayth hath translated the empyre from the Grekes in to the persone of great Charles otherwyse called Charles mayne And agayne in other certayne decrees where he sayth playnlye that a certayne emperoure whiche was elected by them was by chryste and his apostolyke see depryued of all the auctoryte which the electours myght gyue vnto hym he putteth afterwardes craftelye and gylefullye these wordes And yet we wyll not that by this any preiudyce be gendred to the electours or to theyr offyce And yet he dothe manyfestlye preiudyce vnto them naye rather to speake more truely he dothe anulle theyr offyce vtterlye in that he sayde before that by theyr auctoryte the regale auctoryte of the romaynes is gyuen vnto no man and agayne in that that without theyr consente and determynacion he dothe depryue hym that was elected by them of the ryght and the auctoryte of the eleccyon gyuen to hym by them and so mockynge and begylynge them he dothe none otherwyse preiudyce vnto them than he dothe hurte one that pulleth out hisiye althoughe he do saye that he wyll not hurte hym whan he doth so ¶ Agayne to ascrybe this confyrmacyon of the emperour elected vnto hym selfe and to saye that without the sayd confyrmacion no man is emperour nor ought to be called kynge or emperoure nor ought to mynystre the thynges appertaynynge to the emperoure that is none other thynge than to prohybyte perpetually the creacyon and promocyon of the sayd prynce or emperoure or elles to bryng the sayd empyre holly in to the seruytude and bondage of the bysshop of Rome for the bysshop of Rome yf he lyste not wyl neuer approue or confyrme any man that is elected kynge or emperour of the Romaynes for asmoch as he affyrmeth hym selfe to be superyoure vnto all men and in
this thynge to be vnder no colledge or syngulare persone nowe shall he neuer lyste or be wyllynge to approue or confyrme any man elected because that afore he doth approue hym whiche is elected kynge or emperoure he wyll requyre of hym promyses and othes And amonge other he wyll requyre y e othe wherby the emperour shall saye and expresse hym selfe to be subiecte vnto the sayd bysshop in fealtye or temporall and coactyue iurysdyccyon And he wyll requyre also the vnlawfull and vniuste occupacyons of certayne prouynces to be kepte and mayntayned vnto hym selfe by the sayd elected emperoure and this thynge he wyll requyre to be promysed and confyrmed by the othe of the sayd elected emperoure which vnlawfull promyses and othes beynge not possyble to be made neyther to be holden and kepte after they are made sauynge the conscience of the emperours maiestie and the lawfull othe gyuen or made in his creacyon to coÌ„serue and mayntayne the lyberties of the empyre Neuer any man beynge elected emperour wyll gyue or make to the bysshop of Rome or to any other bysshop excepte he be more softe and cowardlye than a woman and also manyfestlye periured in swerynge and promysynge suche maner thynges wherfore none of the emperours elected shall euer be created emperour of the Romaynes or shall deserue the name of the emperoure yf the regall or emperyall auctoryte of the persones elected doth hange of the bysshop of Rome For as longe as the sayde bysshoppe maye lette and prohybyte them thoughe he doth this vniustlye and sekynge those thynges whiche appertayne not to hym no questyon but he wyll let them bothe by his wordes and also by his workes dedes so longe as he may And yet there foloweth also a more greuous preiudyce more vntollerable hurte than these aforesayde y t all prynces coÌ„munytes synguler ê‘sons which ben subiectê to y e emperour ben by this reason also subiectê to y e empyre domynyon of y e bysshop of Rome For seynge y t the sayd bysshop doth say affyrme hym selfe to succede the aforesayd emperour in offyce the emperyal seate beynge vacaunte it foloweth of necessyte that it belongeth to the auctoryte of the sayd bysshop to exacte and requyre othes of fidelite of all pryncê and other that oweth fealtie to the emperour and to compell them to make or gyue the aforesayd othes and also to demaunde of the same trybutes and other seruycê whiche hathe ben wonte to be done by the same vnto the emperours of Rome with other thynges whiche the sayd bysshop shall lyste to fayne to be dewe vnto hym selfe beyonde the custome of his fulnes of powre whiche he sayth openlye to belonge vnto hym selfe And it foloweth also that the collacyon or gyuynge of pryncedomes of fees and of other lybertyes whiche the emperour of Rome may gyue for defaulte of hayres male or for any other reason or cause dothe lykewyse appertayne to the auctoryte of this sayde bysshop the emperyall seate beynge vacaunte Yea it foloweth moreouer whiche is moste preiudycyall and moste greuouse thynge of all that whan the emperyall see is vacaunte whiche after the powre and dylygence of the bysshops of Rome shall perpetually be vacaunte the prynces colledgies coÌ„munyties and syngulare persones whiche are subiectes to the empyre of Rome contendynge and stryuynge cyuyly one with an other by the reason of appellacyons coÌ„mynge betwene or throughe complayntes made of them brought vnto the courte of the bysshop of Rome as well reall as personall shall be compelled to come to the courte of the sayd bysshop by his cytacyons and there to abyde cyuyle and teÌ„poral iudgement And no prynce coÌ„munyte or iudge beynge subiecte to the emperour of Rome shall be able to put any senteÌ„ce by the reason that the persons condempned shall alwayes to stoppe suche execucyon appele from the temporall sentences of them vnto the courte of Rome And yf they that be subiecte to the empyre of Rome wyll not obeye the sayde bysshop or be vnder hym in the aforesayde thynges as they are not bounde than the sayde bysshoppe shal contynuallye without ceasynge and with all malycious and frowarde enforcemeÌ„t persue them by senteÌ„cê as they are called of cursynges of blasphemyes of excoÌ„munycacyons of heresyes of interdyccyons and laste of all of beynge depryued and losynge of theyr temporall goodes makynge suche maner temporalles coÌ„mune and grauntynge them to who soeuer shall be able by any maner waye to plucke them awaye and by grauntynge to them that dothe pursue suche persones with all theyr subiectes and adherentes and whiche also by whatsoeuer meane can kyll or slee them false and dysceyptfull pardon of all maner synne and payne and also by absoluynge thoughe heretycally the subiectes of them from theyr othes outher afore gyuen or afterwardes to be gyuen vnto the sayd prynces And yf the bysshop of Rome preteÌ„dynge after his wonted maner the cure and loue of the people shall saye that therfore it appertayneth vnto hym selfe to confyrme or alowe the eleccyon of the emperoure of Rome leste peraduenture an heretyke myght clyme vp vnto the emperyall dygnyte Whiche by the reason therof wolde do verye moche hurte to the coÌ„munyte of chrysten people verely answere is to be made vnto hym conuenyentlye that the sayd eleccion nedeth not therfore to be alowed of hym for asmoche as the same eleccyon is celebrated and made by iii. solempne archebysshops of chrystendom whiche eche one of them hath taken as great auctoryte of preesthode or epyscopall powre of chryste as hathe the bysshop of Rome And also by iiii seculare chrysten prynces with whome whan the aforesayde relygyous pastours or prelates do agree togyther than the eleccyon of the aforesayde emperoure is made perfyte And it is not lyke to be trewe that these vii wyll so erre or be moued by peruerse intencyon or corrupte affeccyon as dothe the wyll of the bysshoppe of Rome alone by hym selfe whiche thynketh supposeth that he maye of ryght leaue vnto his owne iudgement alone by y e reason of that fulnes of powre which vnaccordyngely he dothe ascrybe vnto hym selfe For so he myghte at his pleasure iudge whome soeuer he lyste to be an heretyke and so depryue hym of the ryght of his eleccyon by reason wherof the offyce of the prynces electours shulde be made voyde and the creacion and promotynge of hym that is elected shulde be alwayes prohybyted and letted for the causes aforesayde But yet the case put that accordynge to the mynde of our aduersarye the emperoure of Rome outher afore or after his eleccyon hathe falen or doth fall in to heresye and that the prynces electours had no knowledge therof yet it is to be sayde that the iudgement or correccyon of hym dothe in no wyse therfore appertayne to the bysshop of Rome Moreouer it is to be demaunded why the ablynge of other kynges dothe not belonge also to theyr sayd iudgemente and powre of approbacyon For I