to be taught by the Scripture at least that the matter might be brought into open disputation in some free place of Germanye where y e truth might be discussed and iudged of learned men The Cardinall not pleased w t this in great anger cast out of many manacing words neither would admit hym any more to hys presence or speache whereas yet notwithstanding persisting in his obedience to the church of Rome gaue attendaunce wayting vpon the Cardinals pleasure a sufficient tyme. At last when no aunswere woulde come after hee had wayted y e space of v. or .vi. dayes to his great detriment greater daunger by the perswasion of hys friendes he departed Whereat if the Cardinall were displeased he had most cause to blame hymselfe And now whereas the Cardinall threatneth me sayth he not to let the action fall but y t the proces thereof shal be pursued at Rome vnlesse I eyther come and present my selfe or els be banished your dominions I am not somuch greeued for myne owne cause as y t you should susteyne for my matter any daunger or perill And therefore seeyng there is no place nor countrey Luther readie to be exiled which can keep me froÌ„ the malice of mine aduersaryes I am willing to depart hence and to forsake my couÌ„try whether soeuer it shall please the Lorde to leade me thanking God which hath counted me worthy to suffer thus muche for the glory of Christes name Here no doubt was the cause of Luther in great danger beyng nowe brought to this strayte The cause of Luther in great daunger that both Luther was ready to flye the countrey and the Duke agayne was as much afrayd to keepe hym had not the maruelous prouidence of God who had this matter in guiding here prouided a remedy where the power of man did fayle Gods prouidence by styrring vp the whole vniuersitie of Wittingberg who seeyng the cause of truth thus to declyne The Vniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth to the Duke for Luther with a full and a general consent addressed theyr letters vnto y e Prince in defence of Luther of his cause making their huÌ„ble suit vnto hym y t he of hys princely honour would not suffer innocency and the simplicity of trueth so cleare as is the Scripture to be foyled and oppressed by mere violence of certayne malignant flatterers about the Pope but that the errour first may be shewed and conuicted before the partye be pronounced gylty By the occasion of these letters the Duke began more seriously in hys minde to consider the cause of Luther and to read hys workes and also to harken to hys Sermons Wherby through Gods holy working he grew to knowledge and strength perceauing in Luthers quarrell more then he did before This was about the beginning of December an 1518. New indulgences set forth by Pope Leo. As this past on Pope Leo playing the Lyon at Rome in the meane time in the month of Nouember to stablishe his seate against this defection whiche he â—eared to come had sent forth new indulgences into Germany al quarters abroad The doctrine of the church of Rome w t a new Edict wherein he declared this to be the catholicke doctrine of the holy mother church of Rome Prince of al other churches that Bishops of Rome which are successours of Peter and vicares of Christ haue thys power and authoritie geuen to release and dispense also to graunt indulgences auaylable both for the liuing and for the dead lyeng in the paynes of purgatory And thys dotrine he charged to be receiued of all faythfull Christen men vnder payne of the great curse and vtter separation from all holy Church This Popishe decree and indulgence as a new Marchandise The Popes Alestake to picke mens purses or Alestake to get money being â—et vp in al quarters of Christendome for y e holy fathers aduauntage came also to be receiued in Germanye about the moneth of December Luther in the meane time hearing how they were about in Rome to proceede and pronounce agaynst him prouideth a certayne appeallation conceiued in due forme of law Luther appealeth froÌ„ the Pope to a general councell Miltitius the popes chamberlaine sent to duke Fridericke wherein he appealeth from the pope to the general Councell When Pope Leo percoaued that neyther his pardons would prosper to his minde nor that Luther coulde be brought to Rome to assay how to come to his purpose by crafty allurementes he sent his Chamberlayne Carolus Miltitius aboue mentioned which was a Germaine into Saxony to Duke Fridericke with a golden rose after y e vsuall ceremony accustomed euery yeare to be presented to him with secret letters also to certayne Noble men of the Dukes counsaile to sollicite y e popes cause and to remoue the Dukes minde if it might be from Luther But before Miltitius approched into Germany Maximilian the Emperour deceased in the month of Ianuary an 1519. At what tyme two there were which stoode for the election The death of Maximilian the Emperour Charles the 5. elected Emperour by the meanes of Duke Fridericke to wyt Fraunces the Frenche king and Charles king of Spayne which was also Duke of Austriche and Duke of Burgundy To make this matter short through the meanes of Fredericke Prince Elector who hauing the offer of the preferment refused the same the election fell to Carolus called Carolus the v. surnamed Prudence which was about the end of August In the month of Iune before there was a publike disputation ordeined at Lypsia The disputation at Lypsia which is a Cittie in Misnia vnder the dominion of George Duke of Saxonie vncle to Duke Fredericke This disputation first began thorough the occasion of Ioannes Eckius a Fryer and Andraeas Carolostadius Doctour of Wittenberge This Eckius had impugned certayne propsitions or conclusions of Martine Luther which he had written the yeare before touching y e popes pardons Agaynst him Carolostadius wrote in defence of Luther Eckius against Carolostadius Eckius agayne to aunswere Carolostadius set forth an Apology Whiche Apology Carolostadius agayn confuted by writing Upon this began the disputation with safe conduct graunted by Duke George to al singular Luther commeth to the disputation Melancthon newlye come to WitteÌ„berge persons that would resort to the same To thys disputation came also Martine Luther with Philip MelancthoÌ„ who not past a yeare before was newly come to Wittenberge Luther not thinking then to dispute in anye matter because of his appellation aboue mentioned but onely to heare what there was sayd and done First before the entry into the disputation it was agreed that the Actes should be penned by Notaryes and after to be diuulged abroad But Eckius afterward went backe from that pretending that the penning of the Notaries should be an hinderaunce a stay vnto them wherby the heate of them in their reasoning shuld the more languish and theyr
reproue any thing in them for feare to be called hereticke and then they would make him smoke or beare a Fagot And the Cardinall himselfe was so elated that he thought himselfe equall with the King and when he had sayd Masse he made Dukes Earles to serue him of wine with a say taken and to hold the bason at the Lauatories Furthermore as he was Ambassadour sent to the Emperour at Bruxels he had ouer with him the great Seale of England and was serued with his seruitours kneeling on their knees and many noble men of England wayting vpon him to the great admiration of all the Germaines that beheld it such was his monstrous pompe and pride Ex Parâ—lip Abb. Vrspur This glorious Cardinall in his tragicall doyngs dyd exceede so farre all measure of a good subiect that he became more like a Prince then a Priest for although y e King bare the sword yet he bare the stroke makyng in a maner the whole Realme to bend at his becke to daunce after hys pipe Such practises and fetches he had that when he had well stored his own cofers first he fetched the greatest part of the Kings treasure out of the realme in xij great barels ful of gold siluer to serue the Popes warres And as his auaritious mind was neuer satisfied in getting so his restles head was so busie ruffling in publicke matters that he neuer ceassed before he had let both England Fraunce Flaunders Spayne and Italy together by the cares Thus this Legate well following the steppes of hys maister the Pope and both of them well declaring the nature of their religion vnder the pretence of y e Church practised great hipocrisie and vnder the authoritie of y e King he vsed great extortion with excessiue taxes and lones and valuation of euery mans substance The pilling 〈…〉 Cardinall so pilling the commoÌ„s and Marchaunts that euery man complayned but no redresse was had Neither yet were the Churchmen altogether free from the pillax and pollax from the pilling polling I meane of this Cardinall who vnder his power Legantine gaue by preueÌ„tions all benefices belonging to spirituall persons by which hard it is to say whether he purchased to himselfe more riches then hatred of the spiritualty So farre his licence stretched that he had power to suppresse diuers Abbeyes Priories and Monasteries and so did taking from them all their goodes moueables and not moueables except it were a little pension left onely to the heads of certayne houses By the saide power Legantine he kept also generall visitations through y e Realme sending Doctor Iohn Alein his Chaplein riding in hys gowne of veluet The Fryers obseruaunts 〈◊〉 of the Cardiâ—â—ll with a great traine to visit all religious houses whereat the Friers obseruants much grudged would in no wise coÌ„descend thereunto wherfore they were openly accursed at Paules crosse by frier Forest one of the same order so that the Cardinall at length preuayled both against them Of Fryer 〈◊〉 Vid. 〈…〉 Reg. Henriâ— 8. and all other Against whom great disdayne arose among the people perceauing how he by visitatioÌ„s making of Abbots probates of testamentes graunting of faculties licences and other pollings in his courtes Legantine had made his treasure equall with the Kings and yet euery yeare he sent great summes to Rome And thys was their dayly talke against the Cardinall Beside many other matters and greeuances which stirred the harts of the commons against the Cardinall thys was one which much pinched them for that the sayd Cardinall had sent out certain strait commissions in the Kings name that euery man should pay the vj. part of his goods Wherupon there folowed great muttering amongst y e coÌ„mons 〈…〉 19. Reg. Henriâ— 8. in such sort y t it had almost growen to some riotous commotion or tumult especially in the partes of Suffolke had not the Dukes of Northfolke and Suffolke with wisedome and gentlenes stept in and appeased the same Another thing that rubbed the stomackes of many or rather which moued them to laugh at the Cardinall was this to see his insolent presumption so highly to take vpon him as the Kings chiefe counsailer to set a reformation in the order of the Kings houshold making and establishing new ordinances in the same He likewise made new officers in y e house of the Duke of Richmond which was then newly begon In like maner he ordeined a Counsell established another houshold for y e Lady Mary then being princes so that all thing was done by his coÌ„sent by none other All this with much more tooke he vpoÌ„ him making the King beleeue y t all should be to his honour and y t he needed not to take any paine insomuch that the charge of all things was committed vnto him whereat many men smiled to see his great folly and presumption At this tyme the Cardinall gaue the King the lease of the Manour of Hampton Court which he had of the Lord of S. Iohns and on which he had done great coste Therfore y e King again of his geÌ„tle nature licenced him to lie in his Manour of Richmond so he lay there certain times But when the common people and specially such as were King Henry the vij seruantes sawe the Cardinall keepe house in the royall Manour of Richmond which K. Henry the vij so much esteemed it was a maruaile to here how they grudged saieng See a butchers dogge lie in the Manour of Richmond These with many other opprobrious wordes were spoken agaynst the Cardinall whose pride was so hygh that he regarded nothyng yet was he hated of all men And now to expresse some part of the 〈◊〉 practises and busie intermedlynges of this Cardinall in Princes warres first here is to be noted The Cardinall ruffling in matters and warres of Princes that after loÌ„g warres betwene England Fraunce 1524. in the which warres kyng Henry takyng the Emperours part agaynst FrauÌ„ces the French kyng had waged with his money y e Duke of Bourbon and a great part of the Emperours army to inuade and disturbe certaine partes of Fraunce it happened that the French kyng commyng with his armye toward Millan at the siege of Pauia was there takeÌ„ by the Duke of Bourbon Uiceroy of Neaples Fraunces 〈◊〉 French king taken prisoner and so led prisoner into Spayne Here note by the way that all this while the Cardinall held with the Emperour hopyng by hym to be made Pope but when that would not be he went cleane from the Emperour to the French kyng as the Lord willyng ye shall heare After this victory gotten and the French kyng beyng taken prisoner who remayned in custody about a yeare halfe at leÌ„gth through great labour solicitation as well of other as namely of the Cardinall and kyng Henry an order was taken The French king prisoner a yeare and a halfe and conditions propouÌ„ded
and priuie coūsailors with the king at that time then adiudged our mariage lawful and honest and nowe to say it is detestable and abhominable I thinke it great maruel and in especiall when I consider what a wise prince the kings father was also the loue natural affectiō that K. Ferdinādo my father bare vnto me I think in my self that neither of our fathers were so vncircumspect so vnwise of so small imagination but they foresaw what might folowe of oure Mariage and in especiall the king my father sent to the Courte of Rome and there after long sute with great cost and charge obteined a licence and dispēsation that I being the one brothers wife and peraduenture carnally known might without scruple of cōscience mary with the other brother lawfully which licēce vnder lead I haue yet to shewe which things make me to say and surely beleue that our mariage was both lawful good and godly But of this trouble I only may thanke you my L. Cardinal of Yorke For because I haue wondered at your high pride and vaineglory and abhorred your voluptuous life and abhominable lecherie litle regarded your presumptuous power and tyrānie therfore of malice you haue kindled this fire set this matter abroache The Cardinall cause of this diuorce and why and in especiall for the great malice that you beare to my nephewe the Emperor whom I perfectly know you hate worse then a Scorpion because he woulde not satisfie your ambition and make you Pope by force therfore you haue said more then once that you wold trouble him and his frends you haue kept him true promise for of all his warres vexations he onely may thanke you And as for me his poore Aunt and kinswoman what trouble you haue put me too by this newe found dout God knoweth to whō I commit my cause according to the truth The Cardinal of Yorke excused himself saying that he was not the beginner nor the mouer of the doubt and that it was sore against his wil that euer the mariage shuld come in question but he sayd that by his superiour the B. of Rome he was deputed as a iudge to hear the cause which he sware on his profession to heare indifferently But whatsoeuer was said she beleeued him not so the Legates tooke their leaue of her departed These words were spoken in French wrytten by Cardinal Campeius Secretarie which was present and afterward by Edward Hall translated into English In the next yeare ensuing an 1530. at the blacke Fryers of London was prepared a solemne place for two Legates who comming with their crosses pillers axes The vaine pompe of the Romish Legates and all other Romish ceremonies accordingly were set in two chayres couered with cloth of gold and cushiōs of y e same When all things were ready then the king the Qeuene were ascited by Doct. Sampson to appeare before the said Legates the 28. day of May The king Queene ascited before the Legates where the commission of the Cardinals first being read wherein it was appoynted by the Court of Rome that they should be the hearers iudges in the cause betweene them both the king was called by name who appeared by two Proctors * These 4. byshops were Warhā of Canterbury West of Ely Fysher of Rochester Standishe of S. Assaph The Quene appealeth from the Cardinal to the Pope Then the Queene was called who being accompanied with 4. Byshops and other of her counsayle and a great company of Ladyes came personally her selfe before the Legates who there after her obeysance with a sadde grauitie of countenaunce hauing not many wordes with them appealed frō the Legates as iudges not competent to y e court of Rome and so departed Notwithstanding this appeale the Cardinals sate weekely euery day arguments on both sides were brought but nothing definitiuely was determined As the tyme passed on in the month of Iune the king being desirous to see an ende came to the Courte and the Queene also where he standing vnder his cloth of estate vttered these or like wordes in effect as followeth MY Lordes Legates of the Sea Apostolicke whiche be deputed iudges in this great and waighty matter The kinges oration to the Legates I most hartely beseech you to ponder my mynde and intent whiche onely is to haue a finall ende for the discharge of my conscience for euerye good Christen man knoweth what payne and what vnquietnesse he suffereth which hath hys conscience greeued For I assure you on mine honour that this matter hath so vexed my minde and troubled my spirites that I can scantly study any thinge whiche should be profitable for my realme and people and for to haue a quietnes of body and soule is my desire and request and not for any grudge that I beare to her that I haue maryed for I dare say that for her womanhoode wisedome nobilitie and gentlenes neuer Prince had such an other and therefore if I woulde willinglye chaunge I were not wise Wherefore my suite is to my Lordes at this time to haue a speedie ende according to right for the quietnesse of my minde and conscience onely and for no other cause as God knoweth When the king had said the Queene departed without any thing saying Then she was called to know whether she would abide by her appeale The Quene abideth by her appeale or answer there before the Legates Her Proctor aunswered that she would abide by her appeale That notwythstanding the Counsaillers on both sides euery day almost met and debated this matter substātially so y t at the last the diuines were all of opinion that the mariage was against the lawe of God if she were carnally known by the first brother which thing she clearly denied But to that was answeared that prince Arthur her husband confessed the act done by certaine words spoken which beinge recorded in other Chronicles I had rather should there be red then by me here vttered Furthermore at the time of the death of prince Arthur she thought and iudged that she was with childe and for that cause the king was deferred from the title creation of the Prince of Wales almoste halfe a yeare whych thing coulde not haue bene iudged if she had not bene carnally knowen Also she her self caused a bul to be purchased in y t which were these words Vel forsan cognitam which is as much to say as peraduenture carnally known which words were not in the first Bull graunted by Iuly at her second mariage to the kinge which seconde Bull with that clause was onely purchased to dispence wyth the second matrimonie although there were carnal copulation before which Bul needed not to haue bene purchased if there had ben no carnall copulation for then the first Bull had bene sufficient Moreouer for the more cleare euidence of thys matter that Prince Arthur had carnal knowledge of the sayd Lady
the cause why he did it not And if he had sayd neuer a word yet thou knowest well what a witty part it is for a man to suspend his iudgemente and not to be too rash in geuing of sentence It is an olde sayd sawe Mary Magdalene profited vs lesse in her quicke beliefe that Christ was risen Wint. wryteth againâ—t the pope with aduised iudgement then Thomas that was longer in doubt A man may rightly call him Fabius that with his aduised taking of leasure restored the matter Albeit I speake not this as though Winchester had not boulted out this matter secretly with hymselfe before hand for he without doubt tried it out long ago but that running faire and softly he woulde firste with his paynefull study plucke the matter out of the darke although of it selfe it was cleare enough but by reason of sondry opinions it was lapped vp in darkenes and then did he debate it wittely too and fro and so at last after long and great deliberation had in the matter because there is no better counseller then leasure anâ— time he would resolutely with his learned and coÌ„summate iudgement confirme it Thou shouldest gentle Reader esteeme his censure and authoritie to be of more weighty credence No newe matter 〈◊〉 write againâ— the Byshop of Rome in as much as the matter was not rashly and at all aduentures but with iudgemente as thou seest and with wisedome examined and discussed And this is no new example to be against the tyrany of the Byshop of Rome seeing that not only this man but many men often times yea and right great learned men afore now haue done the same euen in writing whereby they both painted him out in his right colours and made his sleightes falshoode fraudes and deceiptfull wyles openly knowne to the world Therefore if thou at any time heeretofore haue doubted either of true obedience or of the Kinges Maiesties mariage or title either else of the Bishop of Romes false pretensed supremacy as if thou haddest a good smelling nose and a sound iudgemente I thinke thou diddest not yet hauing read this Oration which if thou fauour the truth and hate the tyranny of the Byshop of Rome and his Sathanicall fraudulente falshode shall doubtles wonderfully content thee forsake thyne errour and acknowledge the truth now freely offered thee at length considering with thy selfe that it is better late so to doo then neuer to repent Fare thou hartily well most gentle Reader Note and not only loue this most valiant King of England of France who vndoubtedly was by the prouideÌ„ce of God borne to defend the Gospell but also honor him and serue him most obediently As for this Winchester who was long ago without doubt reputed among the greatest learned men geue him thy good word wyth highest commendation The end of Byshop Boners Prologue What man reading and aduising this booke of Winchester De vera obedientia The inconstant mutabilitye of Wint. and Boner with Boners Preface before the same would euer haue thought any alteration coulde so worke in mans hart to make these men thus to turne the catte as they say in the panne and to start so sodenly from the truth so manifestly knowne so pithâ—ly proued so vehemently defended and as it seemed so faithfully subscribed If they dissembled all this that they wrote subscribed and sware vnto what periury most execrable was it before God and man If they meant good fayth and spake then as they thought what pestilent blindnes is this so sodenly fallen vpon them to make that false nowe whiche was true before or that to be now true which before was false Thus to say vnsay then to say againe to doe and vndo as a maÌ„ would say to play fast or loose with truth truly a man may say is not the doing of a man whiche is in any case to be trusted whatsoeuer he doth or saith But heere a man may see what man is of himselfe when Gods good humble spirit lacked to be his guide Furthermore to adde vnto them the iudgement also and argumentes of Tonstall Bishop of Duresme let vs see how he agreeth with them or rather much exceedeth The sermon of Tonstall before the king made on Palme Sonday them in his Sermon made before King Henry vpon Palmesonday remayning yet in print In the whiche Sermon disputing against the wrongfull supremacie of the Bishop of Rome he proueth by manifest groundes most effectuously both out of the Scripture auncient Doctors and of Councels not only that the Bishop of Rome hath no such authoritie by the worde of God committed to him as hee doth chalenge but also in requiring chaleÌ„ging the same he reproueth condemneth him with great zeale ardent spirit to be a proude Lucifer disobediente to the ordinarie Powers of God set ouer him contrary to Christ and Peter and finally in raising vp warre against vs for y e same he therefore rebuketh and defieth him as a most detestable sower of discord and murtherer of Christian men FIrst by the scripture he reasoneth thus proueth That popes and Byshops ought to be subiecte to theer soueraigns 1. Pet. 2. that all good meÌ„ ought to obey the potestates Gouernors of y e world as Emperours Kings Princes of all sortes what name soeuer the sayde supreme powers do beare or vse for theyr countreys in whiche they be for so S. Peter doth playnely teach vs 1. Pet. 2. sayeng Be yee subiect to euerye humane creature for Gods cause whether it be Kyng as chiefe head or Dukes or Gouernours c. So that S. Peter in his Epistle commaundeth all worldly Princes in their office to be obeyed as the Ministers of God by all Christian men And according vnto the same S. Paule Ro. 13. saith Let euery liuing man be subiect to the high powers Whosoeuer resisteth the high powers resisteth God The Pope resisteth the highe powers Ergo the Pope resisteth God for the high powers bee of God and who soeuer resisteth the high powers resisteth the ordinaunce of God and purchaseth thereby to himselfe damnation c. And in the same place of Tonstall it foloweth and least men should forget their duetie of obedience to their Princes it is thrise repeated that they be the ministers of God whose place in their gouernance they represent so that vnto them all men must obey Apostles Patriarches Primates Archbyshops Bishops Priestes and all of the Clergy c. And therefore saith he the Bishop of Rome oweth to his seueraigne and superior like subiection by the word of God taught vnto vs by Peter and Paule as other Bishops do to theyr princes vnder whom they be c. Also an other expresse commaundement wee haue of Christ. Luk. 22. who vpon the occasion of his disciples striuing for superiority discusseth the matter saying on thys 〈◊〉 The kinges of the people and nations haue dominion ouer them and those that haue
he which is our accuser should also be our iudge The Popes honor first gotten by superstytion borne by ignorance nourished by ambition increased by violence defended by false vnderstanding wrasting of scriptures His pretended honor first gotten by superstition after encreased by violence other waies as euill as that his power set vp by pretence of religion in deed both against religion and also contrary to the word of God his primacie borne by the ignorancie of the world nourished by the ambition of Bishops of Rome defended by places of Scripture falsely vnderstande these three things wee say which are fallen with vs and are like to fall in other Realmes shortly shall they not be established agayne if he may decide our cause as him lusteth if he may at his pleasure oppresse a cause most righteous and set vp his most against truth Certainely he is very blinde that seeth not what ende we may looke for of our controuersies if suche our enemie may geue the sentence We desire if it were in any wise possible a Councell where some hope may be that those things shall be restored which now being deprauate are like if they be not amended to be the vtter ruine of Christian Religion And as we do desire suche a Councell and thinke it meete that all men in all their praiers should desire craue it of God euen so we thinke it perteineth vnto our office to prouide both that these Popishe subtilties hurte none of oure subiects and also to admonishe other Christian Princes Prouision to be made agaynst popishe â—â—â—tyltieâ— that the Bishop of Rome may not by their consente abuse the authoritie of kings either by the extinguishing of the true preaching of Scripture that nowe beginneth to spryng to growe and spreade abroade eyther to the troubling of Princes liberties to the diminishing of Kings authorities and to the great blemish of their princely maiestie We doubt nothing but a Reader not parciall wyll soone approue such things as we heere write not so muche for our excuse as that the worlde may perceiue both the sundrye deceites craftes and subtleties of the papistes also how much we desire that controuersies in religion may once be taken away All that we sayde there of Mantua may here well be spoken of Uincence This Councell of Manâ—us which the pope 〈◊〉 he afterward transferred to Vincence This was the yeare 1537. They do almost agree in al poyntes Neither is it like that there will be any more at this couÌ„cell at Uincence then were the last yere at Mantua Truely he is worthy to be deceiued y t being twise mocked wyll not beware the third time If any this last yeare made forth toward Mantua and being halfe on theyr way then perceiued that they had taken vpon them that iourney in vayne we do not think them so foolish that they will here after ride farre out of towne to be mocked The time also and the state of thinges is such that matters of Religion may rather now be brought further in trouble as other things are theÌ„ be commodiously intreated of and decided For whereas in maner the whole world is after such sorte troubled with warres This time 〈◊〉 for a generall Councell and why so incombred with the great preparations that the Turke maketh can there be any man so against the setling of religion that he will thinke this time meet for a generall Councell Undoubtedly it is meer that such controuersies as we haue with the Bishop of Rome be taken as they are that is much greater then that they may either be discussed in this so troublesome a time or els be committed vnto proctors without our great ieopardy albeit the time were neuer so quiet What other princes will doe we can not tell but we will neither leaue our realme at this time Neyther the iudge nor the place conuenient for a general Councell neither wil we trust any Proctor with our cause wherein the whole stay and wealth of our Realme standeth but rather we will be at the handling thereof our selfe For except both an other Iudge be agreed vpon for those matters and also a place more commodious be prouided for the debating of our causes albeit all other thinges were as we would haue them yet may we lawfully refuse to come or send any to this pretended Councel We will in no case make him our arbeter which not many yeres past our cause not heard gaue sentence agaynst vs. We will that such doctrine as we folowing y e Scripture do professe be rightly examined discussed and brought to the Scripture as to the onely touchstone of true learning We will not suffer them to be abolished ere euer they be dicussed Spoken like a king ne to be oppressed before they be known much lesse we will suffer them to be troden down being so clearly true No as there is no iote in Scripture but we will defend it though it were with ieopardy of our life and peril of this our Realme so is there nothing that doth oppresse this doctrine or obscure it but we will be at continuall warre therew t. As we haue abrogated al old popish traditions in this our Realme which eyther did help his tyranny or encrease his pride so if the grace of God forsake vs not Would God the king here had kept promise when he made the 6. articles we will well foresee that no new naughty traditions be made with our consent to blinde vs or our Realme If meÌ„ will not be willingly blind they shall easily see euen by a due and euident proofe in reason though grace doth not yet by the word of Christ enter into them how small the authority of the Bishop of Rome is by the lawfull deniall of the Duke of Mantua for the place For if the Bishop of Rome did earnestly intend to keepe a CouÌ„cell at Mantua and hath power by the law of God to call Princes to what place him liketh why hath he not also authority to chuse what him listeth The Bishop chose Mantua the Duke kept him out of it If Paule the Bishop of Romes authority be so great as he pretendeth The Duke of Mantua deniethe the Pope his Citie fâ—r his Councell why could he not compell Fridericus the Duke of Mantua that the Councell might be kept there The Duke would not suffer it No he forbad him his towne How chaunceth it that here excommunications flee not abroade Why doth he not punish this Duke Why is his power that was woont to be more then full here empty wont to be more then all here nothing Doth he not call men in vayn to a Councell if they that come at his calling be excluded the place to the which he calleth them May not kinges iustly refuse to come at his call when the Duke of Mantua may deny him the place that he chooseth If other Princes order him as the Duke of Mantua hath done If
the Popes authority may be stopped by a Duke what authority then hath he ouer kinges and Emperours what place shal be left him where he may keepe hys generall Councell Agayne if Princes haue geuen him this authoritye to call a councell is it not necessary that they geue him also al those thinges without the which he can not exercise that his power Shall he call men and will ye let him to finde no place to call them vnto Truely he is not woont to appoynt one of his owne cityes a place to keep the Councell in No the good man is so faythfull and frendly toward other that seldome he desireth Princes to be his gestes And admitte he shoulde call vs to one of his Cittyes shoulde we safely walke within the walles of such our enemies towne Were it meete for vs there to discusse controuersies of Religion or to keepe vs out of our enemies trappes meete to study for the defence of such doctrine as we professe Example that the Pope hath no power vpon places in other mens dominioÌ„s or rather how we might in such a throng of perilles be in safegard of our life Well in this one arte the Bishop of Rome hath declared that he hath none authority vpon places in other mens dominions and therefore if he promise a CouÌ„sel in any of those he promiseth that that is in an other man to performe and so may he deceiue vs agayne Now if he cal vs to one of his owne townes DileÌ„ma against the Pope we be afrayd to be at such an hostes table We say better to ryse an hungred then to go thence with our bellye 's full But they say the place is found we need no more to seek where the CouÌ„cell shal be kept As who sayth Vincence a citye vnder the dominion of the Venetians that that chaunced at Mantua may not also chaunce at Uincence and as though it were very like that the Uenecians men of suche wisedome should not both foresee and feare also that the wise Duke of Mantua semed to feare Certes when we thinke vppon the state that the Uenecians be in now it seemeth no very likely thing that they will eyther leaue Uincence theyr Cittye to so many Nations wythout some great garrison of souldiours or els that they beyng els where so sore charged already wil now nourish an army there And if they would doâ—h not Paule himselfe grauÌ„t that it should be an euill President an euill example to haue an armed Councell Howe so euer it shall be we most hartily desire you that ye will vouchsafe to read those thinges that we wrote this last yeare touching the Mantuan Councell For we nothing doubt but you of your equity will stand on our side agaynst theyr subtlety and fraudes and iudge except we be deceiued that we in this busines neither gaue so much to our affectioÌ„s neither without great and most iust causes refused theyr Councelles theyr Censures and Decrees Whether these our writinges please all men or no we thinke we ought not to passe much No if that which indifferently is written of vs may please indiffereÌ„t readers our desire is accomplished The false and mistaking of thinges by men parciall shall moue vs nothing or els very litle If we haue sayd ought agaynst the deceites of the Byshop of Rome that may seeme spoken too sharpely we pray you impute it to the hatred we beare vnto vices and not to any euill will that we beare him No that he and all his may perceiue that we are rather at strife with his vices then with him and his our prayer is that it may please God at the last to open theyr eies to make soft their hard hartes and that they once may with vs theyr owne glory set apart study to set forth the euerlasting glory of the euerlasting God Thus mighty Emperour fare you most hartily well and ye Christen Princes the pillers and stay of Christendome fare ye hartily well Also all ye what people so euer ye are which do desire that the gospell and glory of Christ may florish fare ye hartily well As the Lorde of his goodnes hath raised vp Thomas Cromwel to be a frend and patrone to the Gospell so on the contrary side Sathan which is aduersary and enemy to all good thinges had his organe also which was Steuen Gardiner by all wyles and subtile means to impeach and to put backe the same Who after he had brought his purpose to passe in burning good Iohn Lambert as ye haue hearde proceeding still in his craftes and wyles and thinking vnder the name of heresies sectes Anabaptistes sacramentaris to exterminate al good bookes and faithful professours of Gods word out of England so wrought with the king that the next yeare following which was of our Lord. 1539. he gaue out these Iniunctions y e copy and contentes wherof I though here also not to be pretermitted and are these * Certayne other Iniunctions set forth by the authority of the King agaynst English bookes sectes and Sacramentaries also with putting downe the day of Thomas Becket FIrst that none without special licence of y e king transporte or bring from outward parties into England Anno. 1539. any manner of Englishe bookes neither yet sell geue vtter or publishe any suche vpon payne to forfeyte all their goode and cattelles and their bodies to be imprisoned so long as it shal please the kinges maiestie Item that none shal print or bring ouer any English bookes with annotations or Prologues vnles such books before he examined by the kings priuy Counsell or others appoynted by his highnesse and yet not to put therto these wordes Cum priuilegio Regali w tout adding Ad imprimendum solum neither yet to print it without the kinges priuiledge be printed therewith in the English tongue No bookes to be translated without the name of the translator that all men may read it Neyther shall they print any translated booke without the playne name of the translator be in it or els the printer to be made the translatour and to suffer the fine and punishment therof at the kinges pleasure Item that none of the occupation of Printing shall within the Realme print vtter sell or cause to be published any Englishe bookes of Scripture Englishe bokes of scripture forbidden to be printed vnlesse the same be first viewed examined and admitted by the kings highnesse or one of his priuy Counsell or one Byshop withâ—â— the Realme whose name shall therin be expressed vpon payne of the kinges most high displeasure the losse of their goods and cattels and prisonment so loÌ„g as it shall please the king Item those that be in any errours as Sacramentaries Agaynst Sacramentaryes Anabaptistes or any other or any that sell books hauing such opinions in them being once knowne both the bookes and such persons shal be detected and disclosed immediately vnto the kinges Maiesty or one of hys priuye
late mariage of the Ladie Anne of Cleue who in the beginning of the yere of our Lord. 1540. was maried to the king as also greued partly at the dissolution of the Monasteries The mariage of Queene Anne Cleue and fearing the growing of the Gospell sought al occasions how to interrupt these happy beginnings and to traine the king to their owne purpose Now what occasion this wilye Winchester found out to worke vpon ye shall heare in order as followeth It happened the same time that the Lorde Cromwell for the better establishing of sincere religion in this realm deuised a mariage for y e king to be concluded betwene him the Lady Anne of Cleue The occasiâ—â— which Winchester did worke by This Lady Anne of Cleue was maryed to the king 〈◊〉 1540. whose other sister was already maried vnto the duke of Saxony By this mariage it was supposed that a perpetual league amitie and ally shold be nourished between this realm and the princes of Germany so therby godly religion might be made more strong on both parts against the bishop of Rome and his tyrannical religion But the diuel euer enuying the prosperity of the gospell layd a stumbling blocke in that cleare way for the king to stumble at For when the parentes of the noble lady were commoned withall for the furtherance of y e sayd mariage among others of her frends whose good wil was required y e duke of Saxony her brother in law misliked y e mariage partly for that he wold haue had her bestowed vpon some prince of Germany more nigh vnto her sister partly for other causes which he thoght reasonable Wherupon it followeth that the slacknes of the Duke in that behalfe being espyed crafty Winchester taking good holdfast theron so alienated the kinges mind from the amity that semed now to begin and grow betwene the Duke and the king that by the occasion thereof he brought the king at length cleane out of credit with that religioÌ„ and doctrine which the duke had then mayntained many yeares before Thus wily Winchester with his crafty fetches partly vpon this occasion aforesayd partly also by other pestilent perswations creping into the kinges eares ceased not to seeke all meanes how to worke his feat to ouerthrow Religion first bringing him in hatred with the Germane Princes The king brought out of credite with the doctrine of the Germaynâ— Princes then putting him in feare of the Emperor of the French king of the Pope of the king of Scottes and other forraigne powers to rise agaynst him but especially of Ciuil tumultes commotions here within this realme which aboue all thinges he most dreaded by reason of innouation of religioÌ„ and dissoluing of Abbies and for abolishing of rites and other customes of the Church sticking so fast in the mindes of the people that it was to be feared least theyr hartes were or woulde be shortly styrred vp agaynst him The wicked councell of Steph. Gardiner and other about the king vnlesse some spedy remedy were to the contrary prouided declaring moreouer what a dauÌ„gerous matter in a common wealth it is to attempt new alterations of any thing but especially of Religion Which being so he exhorted the king for his owne safegard and publicke quiet and tranquility of his realme to see betime how and by what pollicy these so manifold mischiefes might be preueÌ„ted Agaynst which no other way nor shift could better be deuised then if he would shew himself sharp and seuere agaynst these new Sectaryes Anabaptistes SacrameÌ„taries as they called them would also set forth such Articles confirming the auncient Catholick fayth as wherby he might recouer agayne his credence with Christen Princes and whereby all the world besides might see and iudge him to be a right and perfite Catholicke By these such like crafty suggestions The king abused by wicked couÌ„cell the king being to much seduced and abused began to withdraw his defeÌ„ce from the reformation of true Religion supposing thereby to procure to himselfe more safety both in his owne realme and also to auoide such daungers which otherwise might happen by other Princes especially seing of late he had refused to come to the generall Councell at Uincence being thereto inuited both by the Emperor other forraigne poteÌ„tates as ye haue heard before And therfore although he had reiected the Pope out of this Realme yet because he woulde declare himselfe neuerthelesse to be a good Catholicke sonne of the mother Church and a withstander of new innouations and heresies as the blinde opinion of the world did then esteme them first he stretched out his hand to the condemning and burning of Lambert Anno. 1540. then after he gaue out those Iniunctions aboue prefixed now further to encrease this opinion with all men The Popes crafty factorâ— in England in the yeare next folowing which was of the Lorde 540. through the deuise and practise of certayne of the Popes factors about him he suÌ„moned a solemne ParliameÌ„t to be holden at Westminster the 28. day of Aprill of all the states and Burgeses of the Realme Also a Synode or conuocation of all the Archbishops Bishops and other learned of the Clergy of thys Realme to be in like maner assembled The Acte of the vi Articles In which ParliameÌ„t Synode or conuocation certein Articles maters and questions touching religioÌ„ were decreed by certein prelates The 6. Articles to the nuÌ„ber especially of 6. commonly called the 6. Articles or the whip with 6. stringes to be had receiued among the kings subiects in pretence of vnity But what vnity therof folowed y e groning harts of a great number and also the cruell death of diuers both in the dayes of K. Henry of Queene Mary can so well declare as I pray God neuer the lyke be felt hereafter The doctrine of these wicked articles in the bloudy act conteined although it be worthy of no memory amongest christen men but rather deserueth to be buried in perpetuall obliuion yet for that the office of history compelleth vs therunto for the more light of posterity to come faythfully and truly to comprise thinges done in the church as well one as another this shal be briefely to recapitulate y e suÌ„me effect of the foresayd 6. articles in order as they were geuen out and hereunder do folow The first Article THe first Article in this present Parliament accorded and agreed vpon was this that in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aultar by the strength and efficacy of Christes mighty worde it being spoken by the priest is present really vnder the forme of bread and wine the naturall body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ conceiued of the virgine Mary and that after the coÌ„secration there remayneth no substaunce of bread or Wyne or any other substance but the substance of Christ God and man The 2. Article Secondly that the communion in both
tooke away the sinns of the world euen so Luther shining in the church of a bright starre after a long cloudy and obscure skye Luther taught Iesus Christ. expresly shewed that sinnes are freely remitted for the loue of the sonne of God and that we ought faythfully to embrace this bountifull gift These happy beginninges of so good matters got him great authoritie especially seeing his lyfe also was correspondent to his profession The consideration whereof allured to him meruailously the hartes of his auditors and also many notable personages All this while Luther yet altered nothing in the ceremonyes Erasmus openeth the way before Luther but precisely obserued his rule amoÌ„g his felowes he medled in no doubtfull opinions but taught this onely doctrine as most principall of al other to all men opening declaring the doctrine of repentance of remission of sins of fayth of true comfort in times of aduersitie Euery man receaued good taste of this sweet doctrine and the learned conceiued high pleasure to behold Iesus Christ the Prophets Apostles to come forth into light out of darcknes wherby they began to vnderstand the difference betwixt y e law and the Gospell betwixt the promises of the law and the promise of the Gospell betwixt spiritual iustice ciuil things which certainly could not haue bene fouÌ„d in Thomas Aquine Scotus nor such like schoole clerkes It happened moreouer about this time that manye were prouoked by Erasmus learned workes to study the Greek Latine tongues who perceiuing a more gentle ready order of teaching then before began to haue in contempt the Monkes barbarous and sophisticall doctrine specially such as were of liberall nature and good disposition Luther began to study the Greeke and Hebrue tonge to this end that after he had learned the phrase and proprietic of the tongues and drawne the doctrine of the very fountaynes he might geue more sound iudgement As Luther was thus occupyed in Germany whiche was the yeare of our Lord 1516. â—x Christia Massaeo Lib. 20. Chronic. Leo y e x. of that name succeeding after Iulius 2. was Pope of Rome Who vnder pretence of warre against the Turke sent a Iubile wyth his pardons abroad through all Christen Realmes dominions whereby he gathered together innumerable riches and treasure The gatherers and collecters whereof perswaded the people that whosoeuer would geue x. shillings shuld at his pleasure deliuer one soule from y e payns of Purgatory For this they held as a generall rule that God would do 10 shilling pardons whatsoeuer they woulde haue him according to the saying Quicquid solueritis super terram erit solutum in coelis c. Whatsoeuer you loose vpon earth the same shal be loosed in heauen But if it were but one iotte lesse then x. shillinges they preached that it would profite theÌ„ nothing Ex Christia Messeo lib. 20. Chro. This filthy kind of the popes marchandise as it spread through all quarters of Christian regions Cecollus preacher of the popes pardons so it came also to Germany through the meanes of certayne Dominicke Fryers named Tecellius who most impudently caused y e Popes indulgences or pardons to be caryed sold about the country Whereupon Luther muche moued with the blasphemous sermoÌ„s of this shameles Fryer and hauing his hart earnestly bent with ardent desire to mayntayne true religion published certayne propositions concerning indulgences which are to be read in the first Tome of hys works Luthers propositions of pardons and set them openly on the temple that ioyneth to the Castle of Wittenberge the morrow after the feastes of all Saintes the yeare .1517 This beggerly Fryer hoping to obtaine y e popes blessing The first occasion why Luther wrote against pardons assembled certayne Monkes sophisticall diuines of his couent fortwith commanded theÌ„ to write something against Luther And whilest he would not himselfe seeme to be dumme he began not onely to enuey in his sermons but to thunder against Luther crying Luther is an hereticke The slaunder of Tecellus the Fryer and worthy to be persecuted with fire and besides this he burned openly Luthers propositions and the sermon whiche he wrote of indulgences This rage and fumish fury of this Frier enforced Luther to treat more amply of the cause and to mayntayne his matter And thus rose the beginninges of this controuersie wherein Luther neyther suspecting ne dreaming of anye chaunge that might happen in the ceremonies did not vtterly reiect the indulgences but required a moderation in them and therfore they falsely accuse him which blase that he began w t plausible matter wherby he might get prayse to the end that in processe of time he might change the state of the common weale and purchase authoritie eyther for himselfe or other And certes he was not suborned or styrred vp by them of the courte as the Duke of Brumwike wrote The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Duke of Saxonie in so much that the Duke Frederick was sore offended that such contention and controuersie should arise hauing regarde to the sequele thereof And as this good Duke Frederick was one of al y e princes of our time that loued best quietnes and common tranquilitie neither was auaricious but willingly bent to referre al his counsels to the common vtilitie of all the world as it is easy to be coniectured diuers waies so he neither encouraged nor supported Luther but often represented semblaunce of heauines and sorrow which he bare in hys hart fearing greater dissentions But being a wise prince and following the Counsaile of Gods rule and well deliberating therupon he thought with himselfe that the glory of God was to be preferred aboue all thinges Neyther was he ignoraunt what blasphemy it was horribly condemned of God obstinately to repugne y e truth Wherfore he did as a godly Prince should do he obeyed God coÌ„mitting himselfe to his holy grace and omnipotent protectioÌ„ And although Maximilianus the Emperor Carolus K. of Spaine Pope Iulius had geuen commmaundement to the sayd Duke Fridericke that he should inhibite Luther from all place and libertie of preaching yet the Duke considering with himselfe the preaching and writing of Luther and weighing dilligently the testimonies and places of the Scripture by him alledged would not withstaÌ„d the thing which he iudged sincere And yet neyther did he this trusting to his own iudgemeÌ„t but was very anxious inquisitiue to heare y e iudgements of other whiche were both aged learned In the number of whom was Erasmus whoÌ„ the Duke desired to declare to him his opinion touching y e matter of Martine Luther saying protesting that he would rather the ground shuld open and swallow him then he would beare w t any opinions which he knew to be coÌ„trary to manifest truth therfore he desired him to declare his iudgement in y e matter to him freely frendly Erasmus thus being entreated of the Duke began thus
auoyded al thinges After this Luther being commaunded to come no more in the presence of the Legate excepte he would recant notwithstanding abode there still woulde not depart Then the Cardinall sent for Ioannes Stupitius vicare of the Augustines moued him earnestly to bryng Luther to recant of his own accord Luther taried the next day also and nothing was sayd vnto him The thyrd daye moreouer he taryed and deliuered vp his minde in writing in whiche Luthers aunswere to the Cardinall first he thanked him for his curtesie and great kyndenes which he perceaued by the words of Stupitius toward him and therefore was the more ready to gratifie him in whatsoeuer kinde of office he could do him seruice confessing moreouer that where he had bene somewhat sharpe and eger agaynst the popes dignitie that was not so much of his own minde as it was to be ascribed to the importunitie of certaine which gaue him occasion Notw tstanding as he acknowledged his excesse therin so he was ready to shew more moderation in that behalf hereafter also promised to make amendes for y e same vnto the bish that in the pulpit if he pleased And as touching the matter of pardons he promised also to proceede no further in any mention therof so y t his aduersaries likewise were bound to keep silence But where as he was prest to retracte hys sentence before defended forasmuch as he had said nothing but with a good conscience and whiche was agreable to y e firme testimonies of the scripture therefore he humbly desired the determination therof to be referred to the bishop of Rome for nothing could be more gratefull to hym then to heare the voyce of the Church speaking c. ¶ Who doth not see by this so humble and honest submission of Luther but that if the Bishop of Rome woulde haue bene aunswered with any reason or contented wyth sufficient meane he had neuer bene touched any further of Luther But the secret purpose of GOD had a farther worke herein to do for the tyme nowe was come when God thought good that pride shoulde haue a fall Thus while the vnmeasurable desire of that B. sought more then inough Pride wil haue a fall Aesopes dogge All couet all loose and like to Aesopes dogge coueting both to haue y e fleshe and shadowe not onely he missed that he gaped for but also lost that which he had But to the purpose of our matter agayne this writing Luther deliuered to the Cardinall the third daye after he was commanded out of his sight Which letter or writing the Cardinall did little regard When Luther sawe that he woulde geue no aunswere nor countenaunce to the letter yet notw tstanding he remayned after that the fourth daye and nothing was aunswered the fift day likewise was passed with like silence and nothing done At the length by the counsell of hys frendes and specially because the Cardinall had sayde before that he had a commaundement to imprison Luther and Iohn Stupitius the vicare after y t he had made and set vp hys appeale where it might be seen and read he departed thinking that he had shewed suche daungerous obedience long enough Luther a beholder a doer of these things recordeth the same and sheweth the cause why he submitted himselfe to the church of Rome declaring also that euen those thinges which are most truely spoken yet ought to be mayntayned and defended with humilitie and feare Some thinges he suppresseth and conceileth whiche he supposeth the reader to vnderstand not without griefe and sorrow At length he protesteth that he reuerenceth and followeth the church of Rome in al thinges Luther obedient to the Sea of Rome and that he setteth himselfe onely agaynst those which vnder the name of the churche of Rome goe about to set forth and commend Babylon vnto vs. Thus you haue heard how that Luther being reiected from the speache and sight of Caietanus the Cardinall after sixe dayes wayting An other letter of Luther to the Legate departed by the aduise of his friendes returned vnto Wittēberg leauing a letter in writing to be geuen to the Cardinall wherein hee declared sufficiently first his obedience in hys comming the reasons of hys doctrine his submission reasonable to the Sea of Rome hys long wayting after he was repelled from the Cardinals speache the charges of the Duke and finally the cause of his departing Besides this letter to the Cardinall he left also an Appellation to the Byshop of Rome from the Cardinall Luther appealeth frō the Cardinall to the Pope The letters of Caietanus to 〈◊〉 Fridericke which he caused openly to be affixed before his departure After that Luther was thus departed and returned agayn into hys country Caietanus writeth to Duke Fridericke a sharpe and a byting letter in which first he signifieth to him hys gentle intertaynment good will shewed to reduce Luther from hys errour Secondly he complayneth of y e sodayn departing of him of Stupicius Thirdly he declareth y e pernicious daunger of Luthers doctrine against the Churche of Rome Fourthly hee exhorteth the Duke that as he tendereth hys own honour and safetye regardeth the fauour of the hye byshop he will send him vp to Rome or expell hym out of hys dominiō forsomuch as such a pestilence breeding as that was coulde not neyther ought by any meanes long so to be suffered To this letter of the Cardinall The Dukes aunswere to the Cardinall for Luther the Duke aunswereth agayne at large purging both Luther and himselfe Luther in that he following hys conscience grounded vppon y e word of god would not reuoke that for an errour which could be proued no errour himselfe he excuseth thus that where is required of hym to banish hym hys countrey or to send him vp to Rome it would be little honesty for him so to do and lesse conscience vnles he knew iust cause why he should so do Which if the Cardinall would or could declare vnto him there should lacke nothing in hym whiche were the part of a Christian Prince to doe and therfore he desireth hym to be a meanes vnto the Byshop of Rome that innocency and truth be not oppressed before y e cryme or errour be lawfully conuicted This done the Duke sendeth the letter of the Cardinall vnto Martin Luther Luthers letters to duke Fridericke Who aunswered agayne to the Prince shewing first how he came obediently vnto Caietanus with the Emperours warrant what talke there was betweene them how Caietanus pressed hym against his conscience and manifest truth to reuoke these errours First that the merites of Christes Passion were not y e treasure of the popes pardons Secondly that fayth was necessary in receauing the Sacramentes Albeit in the first he was content to yeeld to the Cardinall In the second because it touched a great part of our saluation he coulde not with a safe conscience relent but desired
they haue power ouer the other 2 Where any place of Scripture being in controuersie is to be decided they say No man may expound y e scripture or be iudged thereof but onely the Pope 3 When any Councell is brought against them they say that no man hath authoritie to call a Councell but onely the Pope Moreouer in the foresayd book diuers other matters he handleth and discourseth The booke of Luther to the Nobilitie with the matter therto conteyned That y e Pope can stop no free Councell Also what things ought to be handled in CouÌ„cels That the pryde of the pope is not to be suffered What money goeth out of Germany yearly to the pope mounting to the summe of 3000000. Florences The true meaning of this verse he expoundeth Tu supplex ora tu protege tuque labora Wherein the three estates with their offices and dueties are described to wyt the minister the magistrate the subiectes Furthermore in the sayd booke he prooueth and discusseth that the Emperour is not vnder the Pope but contrariwise that the donation of Constantine is not true but forged that priestes may haue wiues that y e voyces of the people ought not to be seperate from the election of ecclesiasticall persons that interdicting and suspending of matrimony at certayne times is brought in of auarice what is the right vse of excommunicatioÌ„ that there ought to be fewer holy daies that liberty ought not to be restrained in meates that wilfull pouerty and begging ought to be abolished what damage and inconuenience haue growen by the Councell of Constance and what misfortunes Sigismund the Emperour susteined for not keeping faith and promise with Iohn Hus and Hierom that hereticks should be conuinced not by fire and fagot but by euidence of Scripture and Gods word how schooles and vniuersities ought to be reformed what is to be sayd and iudged of the popes Decretals that y e first teaching of children ought to begin with the Gospell Item he writeth in the same booke agaynst excessiue apparell among the Germaines Also against their excesse in spyces c. In this yeare moreouer followed not long after Charles the Emperour crowned the coronation of the new Emperour Carolus quintus whiche was in the month of Octob. at Aquisgraue After whiche coronation being solemnised about the month of nouemb Pope Leo sent againe to Duke Fridericke two Cardinals hys Legates of whom the one was Hieronymus Aleander who after a few wordes of high coÌ„mendation first premised to the Duke touching his noble progenie and other his famous vertues they made two requestes vnto him in the Popes name First that he would cause all bookes of Luther to be burned Secondly that he woulde eyther see the said Luther there to be executed or els would make him sure and send him vp to Rome vnto the popes presence These two requestes seemed very strange vnto y e duke who answering again to the Cardinals said that he being long absent from thence Duke Friderickes answere to the Popes Legateâ— for Luther about other publique affayres could not tell what there was done neither did hee communicate with the doinges of Luther Notwithstandyng this he heard y e â—â—kius was a great perturber not only of Luther but of other diuers learned and good men of hys vniuersitie As for himselfe he was alwayes ready to doe his duety first in sending Luther to Châ—â—etanus the Cardinall at the cittie of Auguste and afterward at y e Popes commaundement would haue sent him away out of hys dominion had not Meltituis the popes owne Chamberlayne geuen contrary shewed 〈◊〉 him still in hys owne country fearing least y t in other countryes he might do more harme where he was lesse knowne and so nowe also was as ready to doe his duety where soeuer ryght 〈◊〉 did so require But for so much a◠〈◊〉 this cause he seeth muche hatred and violence 〈…〉 the one part and no errour yee conuicted on the other 〈◊〉 but that it had rather the approbation of diuers weâ— learned found men of iudgement and for so much as also the cause of Luther was not yet heard before the Emperour therefore he desired the sayd Legâ—tes to be a meane to the Popes holines that certaine learned persons of grauitie and vpright iudgement might be assigned to haue the hearing and determination of this matter that his errrour first might be known before he were made an heretique or his books burned Which being done when he should see his errour by manifest and sound testimonies of scriptures reâ—â—â—ced Luther should find no fauour at hys handes Otherwise he trusted that y e popes holines would exact no such thyng of him which he might not with equitie and honour of his place and estate reasonably performe c. Then the cardinals declaring to the duke agayn that they could no otherwise do but accordyng to the forme of theyr prescript commission The Popes Legates burne the bookes of Luther they must proceede tooke the books of Luther and shortly after set fire vpon them and openly burnt them Luther hearing this in like manner called all the multitude of studentes and learned men in Wittenberge and there taking the popes decrees and the Bull lately sent downe agaynst him Luther burneth the Popes decrees and Bulles at WitteÌ„berg openly and solemnly accompanied with a great number of people followyng him set them likewise on fire and burnt them which was the tenth of December A little before these thinges thus passed betweene the Pope and M. Luther the Emperour had commaunded ordayned a sitting or assemble of the states of al y e Empyre to be holden at the City of Wormes agaynst the sixt day of Ianuary next ensuing In the whiche assemble through y e meanes of Duke Fredericke the Emperor gaue forth that he woulde haue the cause of Luther there brought before him and so it was For at what tyme the assemble was commenced in the city of Wormes the daye and moneth aforesayd which was the 6. of Ianuary afterward vpon y e sixt day of marche following the Emperour through the instigation of Duke Fredericke The Emperours letter with his safe coÌ„duict sent to M. Luther directed hys letters vnto Luther signifying that for so muche as he had set abrod certayne bookes he therfore by the aduise of his pieres princes about him had ordayned to haue y e cause brought befor him in hys owne hearing and therefore he graunted hym licence to come and returne home agayne And that he might safely and quietly so doe and be therof assured he promised vnto him by publicke fayth and credite in the name of the whole Empyre his Pasport and safeconduite as by the instrument whiche he sent vnto hym he might more fully be ascertayned Wherefore without all doubte or distrust he willed him eftsoones to make hys repayre vnto him and to be there present the 21. day after the receit thereof
it to renue disputation of thinges so long time past condemned by y e church and Councels vnlesse it should be necessary to geue a reason to euery man of euery thing that is concluded Nowe were it so that this should be permitted to euery one that gaynestandeth the determination of the Church and councels that he may once get his aduauntage The Papistes stande onely vpon their church and councels to be conuinced by the Scriptures we shall haue nothing certayne and established in Christendome And this is the cause wherefore the Emperours maiesty requireth of thee a simple aunswere either negatiue or affirmitiue whether thou mindest to defend all thy works as Christian or no Then Luther turning to the Emperour and the nobles besought them not to compell him to yeelde agaynst his conscience confirmed with the holy Scriptures wythout manifest argumentes alledged to the contrary by hys aduersaryes I haue declared and rendred sayd he myne aunswere simply and directly neyther haue I any more to saye vnlesse mine aduersaryes with true and sufficient probations grounded vpon the Scripture can reduce and resolue my minde and refelle mine errours which they lay to my charge I am tyed as I sayde by the Scriptures neither may I or canne with a safe conscience assent vnto them For as touching general Councels Generall councels haue erred and haue bene coÌ„trary to them selues with whose authority onely they presse me I am able to proue that they haue both erred and haue defined many times things contrary to themselues and therefore the authority of them he sayd not to be sufficient for the which he should call back those thinges the verity wherof standeth so firme and manifest in the holy Scripture that neyther of him it ought to be required neither could he so do without impiety Wherunto the Official agayne answered denying that any man could proue the CouÌ„cels to haue erred But Luther alledged that he coulde and promised to proue it and now night approching the Lordes rose and departed And after Luther had taken his leaue of the Emperour diuers Spaniardes scorned and scoffed the good man in the way going toward his lodging halowing and whoping after him a long while Upon the friday folowing when the Princes electors Dukes and other estates were assembled the Emperour sent to the whole body of the councell a certaine letter conteining in effect as foloweth ¶ The Emperours letter OVr predecessours who truely were Christian princes The Emperours aunswere against Luther were obedient to the Romish Churche which Martin Luther presently impugneth And therfore in as much as he is not determined to call backe his errors in any one poynt we cannot without great infamy and stayn of honor degenerate from the examples of our elders but will mayntayne the auncient fayth and geue ayde to the see of Rome And further we be resolued to pursue Martin Luther and his adherentes by excommunications and by other meanes that may be deuised to extinguish his doctrine Neuerthelesse we will not violate our fayth which we haue promised him but meane to geue order for safe returne to the place whence he came THe Princes electors Dukes Consultation vpon the Emperours letter and other estates of the Empire sate and consulted vpon this sentence on fryday al the after noone and saterday the whole daye so that Luther yet had no aunswere of the Emperour During this time diuers Princes Earles Barons Knightes of the Order Gentlemen Priestes Monkes with other the laitie and common sort visited him Al these were present at al houres in the Emperours Courte and could not be satisfied with the sight of him Also there were bylles set vp some against Luther and some as it seemed with him Notwithstanding many supposed and especially such as wel conceiued the matter that this was subtilly done by his enemies that therby occasion might be offered to infringe the safe conduct giuen him the which the Romane Ambassadours with all diligence endeuoured to bring to passe The Monday following before supper the Archebyshoppe of Triers aduertised Luther Great resort to Martyn Luther that on Wednesdaye nexte hee shoulde appeare before hym at nine of the clocke before dynner and assigned hym the place On Sainte Georges daye a certaine Chapleine of the Archebishop of Triers about supper tyme came to Luther by the commaundement of the Byshop signifying that at that houre and place prescribed he must the morowe after haue accesse to his maister The morow after saynt Georges day Luther obeying the Archbishops commaundement Luther appeareth before the Archb. of Tryers entred his palace being accompanyed thither with his sayd chaplayne and one of the Emperours Heraldes and such as came in his company out of Saxony to Wormes with other his chiefe frendes where as Doctour Voeus the Marques of Bades chaplein began to declare and protest in the presence of the Archbishop of Triors Doct. Veus his oration to Martin Luther Ioachime Marques of Brandeburge George Duke of Saxonye the bishops of Ausburge and Brandeburge the Earle George Iohn Boâ—ke of Strasburge Uerdcheymer and Peutinger Doctours that Luther was not called to be conferred with or to disputation but onely that the princes had procured licence of the Emperors maiesty through Christian charity to haue liberty graunted vnto them to exhort Luther beningly brotherly He sayd further that albeit the Councels had ordeyned diuers thinges For the authoriti of Councells yet they had not determined contrary matters And albeit they had greatly erred yet theyr authority was not therefore abased or at the least not so erred that it was lawful for euery man to impugne theyr opinions inferring moreouer many thinges of Zacheus and the Centurion Also of the constitutions and traditions and of Ceremonies ordeyned of men affirming that all these were established to represse vices according to the qualitye of tymes and that the Church could not be destitute of human constitutions It is true sayde he that by the fruites the tree may be known yet of these lawes and decrees of men many good fruites haue proceeded This he spake of Luthers words who denied any good fruites to come of their lawes and sainct Martin saint Nicholas and many other Sayntes haue bene present at the Councels Moreouer that Luthers bookes would breede a great tumult and incredible troubles and that he abused the coÌ„mon sort wich his booke of Christian liberty encouraging them to shake of theyr yoke and to confirme in them a disobedience that the world nowe was at another stay then when the beleuers were all of one hart and soule and therfore it was requisite and behouefull to haue lawes It was to be considered sayde he albeit he had writteÌ„ many good thinges and no doubt of a good mind as De Triplice iustitia and other matters yet howe the deuill now by craftye meanes goeth about to bring to passe that all his workes for euer should be condemned for by
vpholding of iustice wythin it selfe much lesse then to minister aid and succor to the kingdom of Hungary to the Croatians against the Turke And wheras al the states of the sacred Romane Empire doe not doubte but the Popes holines doth right well vnderstād how the Germane princes did graunt condescend for the money of Annates to be leaued to the see of Rome for terme of certen yeres Annates falsely pretended of the Pope to maintaine warre against the turke vpon condition that the said mony shuld be conuerted to maintain warre against the turkish infidels and for defence of the catholike faith wheras the terme of these yeres is now expired long since when as the said Annates should be gathered and yet that mony hath not ben so bestowed to that vse whereto it was first graunted therefore if any such necessitie should nowe come that any publike helpes or contributions against the Turke should be demanded of the Germane people they would aunswer againe why is not that money of Annates reserued many yeares before to that vse nowe to bee bestowed and applied and so woulde they refuse to receiue anye more such burdens for that cause to be laid vpon them Wherefore the said Lord Lieutenant and other Princes degrees of the Empire make earnest petition that the Popes holines wil with a fatherly consideration expend the premisses and surcease hereafter to require such Annates Annates is a certaine portion of money wont to be paide to the court of Rome one of the one yeares fruites at the vacation of an ecclesiasticall lyuing which are accustomed after the death of bishops and other prelats or ecclesiasticall persons to be payd to the court of Rome and suffer them to remaine to the chamber of the Empire whereby iustice peace may be more cōmodiously administred the tranquilitie of the publike state of Germanie mainteined and also by the same due helpes may be ordeined and disposed to other Christen potentates in Germanie agaynst the Turke which otherwise without the same is not to be hoped for Item wheras the Popes holines desireth to be informed what way were best to take in resisting these errors of the Lutherians to this the Lord Lieutenant with other Princes add nobles do answere that whatsoeuer helpe or counsell they can deuise with willing harts they will be ready therevnto Seeing therefore the state aswell ecclesiasticall as temporall is farre out of frame and haue so much corrupted their wayes and seeing not onely of Luthers part and of his sect but also by diuers other occasions besides so many errors abuses corruptions haue crept in much requisite and necessary it is that some effectuall remedie be prouided as well for redresse of the church as also for repressing of the Turks tyrannie Now what more present or effectuall remedy can be had the Lord Lieutenant with other estates and princes do not see then this that the Popes holines Remedye of reformatyō by the consent of the Emperors maiestie do summon a free Christen Councell in some conuenient place of Germanie as at Strausburgh or at Mentz or at Colen or at Metz and that with as much speede as conueniently may be so that the congregating of the said Councel be not deferred aboue one yere A generall Councell in Germany required in the which Councel it may be lawfull for euery person that there shall haue interest either temporal or ecclesiastical freely to speake consult to the glory of God and health of soules and the publike wealth of Christendome without impeachment or restraynt whatsoeuer oth or other bond to the contrary notwithstanding yea and it shal be euery good mans part there to speake not onely freely but to speake that which is true to the purpose and to edifying not to pleasing or flattering but simply and vprightly to declare his iudgemsnt without all fraud or guile And as touching by what waies these errors tumultes of the Germane people may best be staid and pacified in the meane time vntil the councell be set the foresaid L. Lieutenant An interim before the Councell with the other princes therupon haue cōsulted deliberated that for as much as Luth. and certaine of his fellowes be within the territorye and dominion of the noble duke Friderike the saide L. Lieutenant and other states of the Empire shall so labour the matter wyth the aforenamed Prince duke of Saxonie Wryting Printing for a time suspended that Luther and his followers shall not wryte sette foorth or print any thing during the sayde meane space neither doe they doubte but that the sayde noble prince of Saxonie for his Christian pietie and obedience to the Romane Empire as becōmeth a Prince of such excellent vertue will effectually condescend to the same Item the said L. Lieutenant and princes shal labour so with the preachers of Germany that they shall not in their sermōs teach or blow into the peoples eares such matters whereby the multitude may be moued to rebelliō or vpror or be induced into error and that they shall preach teach nothing but the true pure sincere The office of preaching tempered holy gospell aproued scripture godly mildly christianly according to the doctrine and exposition of the Scripture being approued and receiued of Christes Churche abstaining from all suche thynges whych are better vnknowen then learned of the people and which to be subtilly searched or deepely discussed it is not expedient Also that they shall mooue no contention of disputation among the vulgare sorte but what so euer hangeth in controuersie the same they shall reserue to the determination of the Councell to come Item the Archbishops Bishops and other prelates wythin their diocesse shall assigne godly and learned men hauing good iudgement in the scripture which shall diligently and faithfully attende vppon such preachers Preachers limited within certaine bōdes and if they shall perceiue the sayde preachers either to haue erred or to haue vttered any thing vnconueniently they shall godly mildely and modestly aduertise and informe them thereof in such sort as no man shall iustly complaine the trueth of the Gospell to be impeached But if the preachers continuing still in their stubbernesse shall refuse to be admonished and will not desist from their lewdnesse then shall they be restrained and punished by the Ordinaries of the place wyth punishment for the same conuenient Furthermore the sayde Princes and nobles shall prouide and vndertake so much as shall be possible that from hencefoorth during the foresaide time Against selling and printing of famous libells no new booke shal be imprinted especially none of these famous libels neither shall they priuily or apertly be sold. Also order shal be taken amongst al potestates that if any shall set out sell or imprint any newe worke it shall first be seene and perused of certaine godly learned and discrete men appoynted for the same Famouse
together as they did But thus almightie God of his secret wisdome disposeth times occasions to serue his wil purpose in al things All be it Ferdinandus the Emperours brother deputie in Germanie remitted no time nor diligence to do what he could in resisting the procedings of the protestants as appeared both by the decree set foorth at Ratisâ—one and also at Spires In the whych Councel of Spires Ferdinandus at the same time whych was the yeare of our Lorde 1529. had decreed agaynste the protestants in effect as followeth The decree made at Spyres by Ferdinandus First that the edict of the Emperour made at Wormes should stand in force through all Germanie till the time of the general councel which should shortly folow Also that they whiche alredy had altered their religion now could not reuoke the same again for feare of sedition should stay themselues and attempt no more innouations heereafter till time of the generall Councell Item that the doctrine of them which hold the Lordes Supper otherwise then the Church doth teach should not be receiued nor the masse shuld be altered and there where as the doctrine of religion was altered shuld be no impediment to the contrary but that they which were disposed to come to Masse might safely therein vse their deuotion against Anabaptists likewise and that all ministers of the Church should be enioyned to vse no other interpretation of holy Scripture but accordyng to the exposition of the Church doctors other matters that were disputable not to be touched Moreouer that all persons and states shuld keepe peace so that for Religion neither the one part shuld inferre molestation to the other nor receiue anye confederates vnder theyr protection and safegarde All whych decrees they which shoulde transgresse to be outlawed and exiled Unto this sitting at Spires first the Ambassadours of Strausburgh were not admitted but repelled by Ferdinandus because they had reiected the masse and therefore the sayd citie of Strausburgh denied to pay any contribution against the Turk except they wyth other Germanes might be likewise admitted into their counsels The other princes which were receiued and not repelled The decree of Spires resisted by the Protestantes as the duke of Saxonie George of Brandeburgh Ernestus Franciscus Earles of Luneburgh Lantgraue Anhaldius did vtterly gainstand the decre shewed their cause in a large protestation written why they so did which done all such cities which subscribed and consented to the sayd protestation of the princes eftsones conioyned them selues in a coÌ„mon league with them whereuppon they had their name called thereof Protestants The names of the Cities were these The name of Protestantes how it first beganne Sancto gallum Argentina or Strausburgh Noriberge Vlmes Constance Rutelinge Winssemium Meminge Lindauia Campodunum Hailbrunum Isna Wisseburgum Norlinge Sangallum Furthermore as touching the Heluetians from wheÌ„ce we haue somewhat digressed howe the Citie of Berne and Zurick had consented and ioyned together in reformation of true religion ye hard before Wherfore the other Pages in Heluetia Quinque pag. The popish Pages in Heluetia coÌ„federate with Ferdinandus which were of contrary profession in like maner confederated them selues in league with FerdinaÌ„dus the number and names of which Pages especially were 5. to witte Lucernates Vraui Suitenses Vnterualdij and Tugiani whych was in the yeare aboue sayd to the intent that they conioyning their power together might ouerrunne the religion of Christ and the professours of the same Who also for hatred despite hanged vp the Armes of the foresaide cities of Zuricke and of Berne vppon the gallowes beside many other iniuries and greeuaunces whych they wrought against them For the which cause the said Cities of Berne and Zuricke raised their power intending to set vpon the foresaid Suitzers as vpoÌ„ their capital enemies But as they were in the field ready to encouÌ„ter one army against y e other through the meanes of the citie of Strausburgh and other intercessours they were parted for that time and so returned As touching the Councell of Auspurge The Couâ—â—cell of Aâ—â—â—purge The confessioÌ„ of 〈◊〉 Protestaâ—â— at Auspuâ—â—â— which followed the next yeare after the assemble of Spires An. 1530. howe the Princes and Protestantes of Germanie in the same Councell exhibited their confession and what labour was sought to confute it and how constantly Duke Fridericke persisted in defence of his conscience against the threatning woordes and replications of the Emperour also in what danger the said princes had ben in had not the Lantgraue priuily by night slipt out of the citie parteineth not to thys place presently to discourse To returne therefore vnto Zuinglius and the Heluetians of whome we haue heere presently to intreate you heard before howe the tumulte and commotion betweene the two Cities of Zuricke and Berne and the other v. Cities of the Cantons was pacified by the meanes of intercession which peace so continued the space of two yeares After that the olde wound waxing rawe againe began to burst out gather to an head which was by reason of certaine iniuries and opprobrious words and contumelies which the reformed cities had receiued of the other wherfore the Tigurines and the Bernates stopping al passages and streits would permit no corne nor victual to passe vnto them This was in the yeare of our Lord. 1531 And when great trouble was like to kindle therby the Frenche king with certaine other towneships of Suitzerland as the Glarians Friburgians Soloturnians Warres betweene the Gospelleâ—â— and the 〈◊〉 Popishe townes of SuitzerlaÌ„d and other comming betweene them laboured to set them at agrement drawing out certain coÌ„ditions of peace betwene them Whyche conditions were these that all contumelies iniuries past should be forgotten That hereafter neither parte shoulde molest the other That they which were banished for religion should againe be restored That the v. Pages might remaine without disturbaunce in their religion so that none should be restrained amongst them from the reading of the olde and new Testament Condition of peace drawen 〈◊〉 not kepte That no kind of disquietnesse should be procured against them of Berne and Zuricke and that either part should conferre mutuall helpes together one to succour the other as in times past But the fiue Pagemen wold not obserue those couenants made The Tygurines prouoked and â—â—pelled to warre against their enemies neither would their malicious hearts be brought to any conformitie Wherfore the Bernates and Tigurines shewing declaring first theyr cause in publicke wryting to purge and excuse the necessity of their warre being pressed wyth so many wrongs and in manner constrained to take the sword in hande did as before beset the hye wayes and passages that no furniture of victuall or other forage could come to the other Pages By reason whereof when they of the fiue towns began to be pinched with want and penurie they armed themselues secretly and set forewarde
The next yere folowing which was anno 1532. in the moneth of August died also the woorthy and memorable prince Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie who for testimonie of Christe and of his Gospel susteined such trials so many bruntes The death of Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxonie and so vehement conflicts with the Emperour and that especially at the Councell assembled at Auspurge that vnlesse the almighty hand of the Lorde had susteined him it had not bene possible for him or any prince to haue endured so constaÌ„t and vnremoueable against so many perswasions and assaults as hee did to the ende After him succeeded Iohn Fridericke his sonne c. And thus haue ye the historie of Zuinglius and of the church of Suitzerlande with their proceedings and troubles from the first beginning of their reformation of religion set forth and described Whereunto we will adde one certaine Epistle of y e said Zuinglius taken out of his other Epistles and so therewith close vp hys storie Which Epistle I thought here to record especially for that in the same among other maters profitably is expounded y e true meaning of the Apostle wryting to the Corrinthians concerning how to iudge the Lordes body to the entent that the simple thereby may the better be informed The words of his letter be these as folowe Huldricus Zuinglius N. fratri in Domino GRatiam pacem in Domino Accipe igitur chariss frater c. In English thus Vnto your questions propounded to me in your former letters well be loued brother A letter of Vldricus Zuinglius I haue sent you heere mine aunswere First I am also in the same minde with you that the Lordes supper is a verye thankes geuing for so the Apostle him selfe meaneth saying Yee shall shewe foorth the Lordes death 2. Cor. 10. Where the woorde of shewing foorth signifieth as much as praising or thankes geeuynge Wherefore seeinge it is an Euchariste or a thankes geuing in my iudgement no other thing ought to bee obtruded to mens consciences but onely with due reuerence to geue thankes Neuerthelesse yet this is not tâ— be neglected that euery man doe prooue and examine him selfe for so wee oughte to search and aske our owne consciences what faith wee haue in Christ Iesus which if it be sounde and sincere we may approche without stay to this thankes geuing For he that hath no faith yet faineth or pretendeth to haue eateth his owne iudgement for he lieth to the holy Ghost And whereas you suppose that Paul in this place doth not reprooue them which sit at the table eating of meates offered to Idols I dissent from you therein For Paule a litle before wryteth vehemently against those arrogante persones which bragging vpon their knowledge thought they might lawfully eate of such meates offered to Idols sitting and eating at the Lordes table You can not sayeth he be partakers bothe of the Lordes table and the table of deuils c. Wherefore Saint Paules meaning is that euery one should trie and examine hymselfe what faith he hath Whereuppon it foloweth that he which hath a right faith must haue no parte nor fellowship wyth those things which be geuen to Idols for he is nowe a member of another body that is of Christe The place of S. Paule of iudging the Lords body expounded so that hee can not ioyne him selfe nowe to be one body with Idolaters And therefore those be they which doe not iudge or discerne the Lordes body that make no difference betwene the Church of Christ and the Church of Idolaters For they which sit at the Lordes table eating of Idolmeates do make no difference at all betweene the Lordes supper Who be they that iudge not the Lords body and the supper of the deuill which be they whom Paul sayth not to iudge the bodye of the Lorde that is which make no discrepance nor geue any more regard to Christes Church then to the church of deuils Whereas if we would iudge our selues that is if we would thorowly search and examine our own consciences as we shuld in comming to the table of the Lorde we finding any faith in vs would neuer goe to the table or make therof the feast of deuilles Wherefore your iudgement heerein is not amisse in expounding the word of iudging in S. Paule to signifie as much as coÌ„sidering Iesus tooke bread perpending and inquiring To your seconde question I aunswere that Iesus tooke bread and brake c. Also he tooke the cuppe c. Ista verba sunt peculiariter agentis non hospitaliter inuitantis that is these woordes declare the action of one which properly doeth a thing and not the hospitalitie of one which inuiteth another to eate Touching your third question out of the 6. chap. of Iohn The word Easter Doeth this offende you herein I doe full agree with you As for this word Ostren which is your fourth question I vnderstaÌ„d therby the time of the great feast or solemnitie which we kepe in remembrance of the great deliueraunce of Gods people from the thraldome nowe of Satan before from the thraldome of Pharao Neither is it greatly materiall with what woorde we expresse the thing so the thing it selfe be one and the analogie and consonancie of the Scripture be kept For the Scripture calleth Christ bothe the Lambe and S. Paule calleth him our Easter or Passeouer Now your worde wanderfest well pleaseth me The descending of Christ into hell expoundâ—d for the Passeouer or Paesah To your fifth interrogation of Christ descending into Hell I suppose this particle was inserted into the Creede by the sentence of the Fathers to declare how the fathers were redemed by the death of Christ which died in the faith For Christ ledde away captiuitie wherewith they were holden with him vp into heauen CircuÌ„scriptiuè PoteÌ„tionaliter Vt mors illius eos qui erant apud inferos redimeret so that hys going downe into Hell non sic intelligatur quasi circumscriptiuè sed potentionaliter that is be not so vnderstanded as circumscriptiuely which is when a thynge is present by circumscription of any one place but by power which is by the operation of his spirit which is not coÌ„preheÌ„ded in any certenty of place but without prescription of certain place is diffused euery so that the article of Christes descending into hell importeth as much as that his death redemed them which were in hell Wherunto S. Peter also seemeth to haue respect where he sayeth * * 1. Pet. 3. The Gospell also was preached to them which were deade that is that they also did feele the good tidings of the Gospell their redemption by the sonne of God and that they which rose againe wyth Christ in spirite be nowe with him in heauen who neuerthelesse in flesh shal be iudged what time the sonne of God and of man shal come to iudge both the quicke dead Returne to the places
to be theyr Pastor labored by all meanes how to extirp out of the harts of the people Idolatry and Superstition Whiche through the grace of Christ working with him he in short time had brought prosperously to passe according to his desire In so muche that the obseruation of Lent Images and all Idols with the abhominatiō also of the Masse in the same towne was vtterly abolished So reformable God made the hartes of the people there such affection had they to theyr minister It was not long but the rumour thereof came to the hearing of Duke Antony prince of Loraine vnder whose dominion they were through the swift report of the aduersaries False and pernitious tongues falsly belying these Hippolitans to y e duke as though they in relinquishing the doctrine and faction of the Pope went about to reiect and shake of all authority power of princes all superior gouernors By the meanes of which sinister report they incensed the Prince to such displeasure and indignation The Duke of Loraine threateneth the town of S. Hypolitus that he threatned to subuert and vtterly to destroy the Towne with swoord and fire Wolfgangus hauing word of this wrote vnto the Duke his Epistle in most humble obedient wise in defence both of his ministery of his doctrine which he taught of the whole cause of the Gospell In which Epistle first he excused the people to be innocent blamelesse The letter of Wolfgāgus to the Duke rather those slaunderous reporters to be both worthy to be blamed and also punished for theyr false rumors forged sclaunders raysed vp agaynst them After that he opened and explaned the cause and state of the Gospell and of our saluation cōsisting only in the free grace of God through fayth in Christ his sonne cōparing also the same doctrine of the Gospell with the confused doctrine of the Church of Rome That done thirdly he proceeded to our obedience honor and worship which first we owe to God to Christ next vnder him to Princes here and Potestates whom God hath placed in his roome and endued with authoritye here in earth vnto whom they offered themselues nowe at all times prest and most ready to obey with all seruice duety c. But with this Epistle Wolfgangus did nothing preuayle eyther for that it was intercepted by the way or els for that the false accusations wicked tongues of the aduersarye parte tooke more effect to winne credite wyth the Duke then could the simple defence of verity Whereupon Wolfgangus when he saw no other remedy rather then the towne should come in any daūger for his cause y e good man of his owne accord came to the city of Nancey which is the head towne of Loraine there to render a confession of his doctrine and also to deliuer the towne of S. Hippolite out of perill deriuyng all the daunger vppon hymselfe As soone as he was come thyther The Constancie of Wolfgangus vnremoueable incontinent handes were layd vpon him and he laid fast in a straight and stinking prison where he was sharpely and bitterly handled vnder the custody of the churlish and cruell kepers All this notwithstanding Wolfgangus cōtinuing in that prisō the space of a whole yeare yet would not be moued from hys cōstancy neither with the straitnes of the prison nor wyth the hardnesse of his kepers nor yet with the compassion of his wife children which he had about sixe or seuen Wolfgangus had to the Gray Fryers Then was he had to the house of the Gray fryers to professe there his fayth where he both wittyly and learnedly confuted all them that stood agaynst him ¶ The Martyrdome of Wolfgangus As he was led to the place of execution passing by the house of the Gray Friers Bonauenture the greate Cyclops sitting at the doore cryed out to him thou heretique do thy reuerence here to God and to our Lady and to his holy Sayntes shewing to him the Idols standing at the Friers gate To whom Wolfgangus aunswered agayne thou hypocrite thou paynted Wall the Lord shall destroy thee and bring all thy false dissimulation vnto light When they were come to the place of his Martyrdome fyrst hys bookes before him were throwne in the fire Then they asked him whether he woulde haue his payne mynished or shortned to whom he sayd no bidding thē to do theyr will for sayd he as God hath bene with me hitherto so I trust now he will not leaue me when I shall haue most need of him concluding his wordes thus that they should put the sentence in execution Note the quiet and ioyful death of this blessed Martyr so beginning to sing the 51. Psalme he entred into the place heaped vp with fagots and wood continuing in his Psalme and singing till the smoke the flame tooke from hym both voyce and life The singuler vertue constancye and learning of thys blessed man as it refreshed and greatly edified the harts of many good men The iust punishment of God vpon persecutors so it astonyed as much the mindes of hys aduersaryes and wrought to theyr confusion For shortlye after his death the Commēdator of S. Antony of Uienna who sate as spirituall iudge ouer him and gaue sentence of his condemnation fell sodenly down and dyed Also his felow which was Abbot of Clarilocus and suffragan to to the Bishop of Metz sodenly at the comming of the Duches of Denmarke into the city of Nancy strokē with soden feare at the cracke of gunnes fell downe and dyed as they which were presēt and saw it haue made faythfull relation of the same an 1525. Ex Ludou Rabo Pantal. ¶ Iohn Huglein Martyr OF Iohn Huglein Priest mention is made in the Commentaryes of Iohn Sled in Lib. 6. who the next yeare folowing Iohn Huglein Martyr Ex Comment Sled lib. 6. an 1526. was burned at Merspurge by the bishop of Constance for that he did not holde with the Byshop of Romes doctrine in all poyntes Moreouer besides other matters in this yeare occurrent Promise of maryage broken with Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxony here is also a Memorandum to be made to all posterity that in this present yeare .1526 vnto Iohn Friderick sonne and heyre to the Prince and Electour of Saxony was promised the Lady Katherine the Emperours younger sister in Mariage and writinges made of the same But when the alteration of religion was sent by Gods prouidence in to Saxonye The Popes church keepeth no promise with heretickes they swarued from theyr couenauntes and Hawnart which was then the Emperours Ambassadour in Germany sayde playnely that there was no promise to be kept with heretickes wherin they seemed to folow well the footsteppes of the Councell of Constance as before you haue partly heard in the story of Iohn Hus of the Emperour Sigismund pag. 593.587 ¶ George Carpenter of Emeryng Martyr burned in the towne of
they passed by the waye and kept them prisoners within their abbey And hauing assembled a company of Ruffians they sent them to spoyle those of the said churches and to take prisoners men women children and some they so tormented that they wer coÌ„pelled to sweare to returne to the masse other some also they sent to the galleis and other some they burnt cruelly They whyche escaped were afterwards so sicke that they seemed to haue bene poysoned Martirs The same yeare there were two great earthquakes in Piemonte and also many great tempests and horrible thunders The Gentlemen of the valley of S. Martin intreated theyr tennauntes very cruelly threatning them and commaunding them to returne vnto the Masse also spoyling them of thâ—yr goodes imprisoning them and vexing them by all the meanes they could Charles Trutchet and Boniface his brother two cruel persecuters But aboue all the other two especially y t is to say Charles Truchet and Boniface hys brother the whiche the 2. day of Aprill before day wyth a company of Ruffians spoyled a village of their owne subiectes named Renclaret the whiche assoone as the inhabitants of the said village perceiued they fled into the mountaine couered with snow A minister of Calabria burnt naked and without victuall and there remayned vntill the thirde night after In the morning certaine of his retinue toke a minister of the said valley prisonner which was come out of Calabria was going to visite the poore people of Renclaret and ledde hym prisonner to the Abbey where soone after hee was burnt with one other of the valley of S. Martin The third night after they of Pragela hauing pity vpon the poore people of Renclaret Gods people rescued sente aboute iiij C. to discomfite the company of the Truchets and to restore those which were fled to their houses They were furiously assaulted by the shot of their enemies who notwithstanding in the end were put to flight and but one of the foure hundred hurt About a yeare before the said Truchet being accoÌ„panied with a company of ruffians arrested prisoner the minister of Renclaret as he was at his Sermon But the people was so moued by this outragious dealing specially the women that they had almost strangled the saide Truchet and the rest of them were so canuased that they had no liste to come there agayne any more By reason whereof hee so vexed them by processe that they were compelled to agree with him and to pay him xvi C. crownes Soone after the lordes of the sayde valley tooke another minister of the same valley A minister of the Valley of Renclaret taken and wounded as he was going to preach in a parish a mile froÌ„ his house but the people perceiuing that speedily pursued him and tooke him The enemies seeyng that they were not able to leade hym away wounded hym so sore that they left him for dead Whereupon they so persecuted the poore people that they were almost destroyed Heere is not to be forgotten that the same nyght in the whiche the companye of Truchet was discomfited was so stormie and terrible and the Gentlemen of that Countrey were so terrified that they thought they should haue bene al destroied Wherfore they vsed more gentlenes towardes the people then before except Charles Truchet hys brother False coÌ„plaintes brought to the Duke against the Waldoys the whych wente to the Duke and made greeuous complaintes against the Waldoys not only for that which was done and past but also perswaded the duke that they went about to builde three Fortresses in the mountaines and also intended to maintaine certaine garrisons of straÌ„gers charging them further with diuers other crimes of the whych they were in no poynt guiltie The Duke being mooued by these false surmises gaue in charge to the sayde accusers and the Fortresse of the valley of S. Martine the whych about twentie yere before was rased by the French men shoulde be builte againe and that therein shoulde be placed a perpetuall garrison and that the people shoulde make so plaine and wide the rugged wayes that horsemen myght easely passe with diuers such other thyngs and all this to be done at the costes charges of those that woulde not submit them selues to the abedience of the Romaine Churche What cruell reportâ—râ— doe This commission being sealed the Gentlemen caused the Fortresse to be built againe and put therin a garrison and proclaimed the commission The poore people being thereat amased withstoode the Commissioners and sente certaine to the Duke and immediatly after the Commissioners retourned to the Dukes Courte being at Nice to inflame his anger more against them But God soone preuented this mischiefe For the Truchets being at Nice went to the Sea with diuers noble men and immediately they were taken prisoners by the Turkes put into the Galleys sore beaten wyth ropes and so cruelly handled that it was commonly reported that they were deade and loÌ„g time after denying their nobilitie were sent home The iuste iudgement of God vpoÌ„ the Truchets so cruelly vering spoyling and accusing of these poore Waldoys hauing paid 400. crownes for their ransome Some say that the Duke himselfe was almost taken but it is sure that hee fell sicke soone after In the moneth of April next folowing the Lorde of Raconis was present at a Sermon in a place neare vnto Angrongne The sermon being ended he talked with the ministers and hauing discoursed as well of the Dukes sickenesse as also of his clemencie and gentlenes he declared to them that the persecution proceded not of him and that he meant not that the coÌ„mission shuld haue bene so rigorously executed After that he demaunded of them what way they thought best to appease the Dukes wrath They answeared that the people ought not to be mooued to seeke by any meanes howe to please appease the Duke which mighte displease God But y e best way they knewe was the same wherwith the auncient seruaunts of God vsed to appease the Pagane Princes and Emperours By what meanes the Chrystians in tymes past haue appeased the fury of Pagane princes in the time of the great persecutions of the church that is to say to geue out and present vnto them in wryting the confession of theyr faith and defence of the religion which they professed trusting that for as muche as the fury of diuers prophane and Ethnike Emperors and princes haue bene heretofore appeased by such meanes the Duke being endued wyth such singular vertues as they said he was would also be pacified by the like meanes And for that cause the poore people had before sent a supplication wyth a Confession of theyr faith vnto the Duke but they were not certaine whether he had receiued it or no. Wherfore they desired him to present the same vnto the sayd Duke him selfe Whereunto he agreed promised so to do Wherupon they sent three supplications one to the Duke
the second to the Duches The Angronians send forth three supplication and the third to y e dukes counsell wherein they briefly declared what their religion was and the poyntes thereof whych they and their aunciters had of a long time obserued being wholy grounded vpon the pure word of God and if by the same worde it should be proued that they were in errour they would not be obstinate but gladly be refourmed and embrace the trueth After this the persecution seemed to be somewhat asswaged for a litle while In the ende of Iune next following the Lorde of Raconis and the Lorde of Trinitie came to Angrogne there to quallifie as they sayde the sore persecution and caused the chiefe rulers and ministers to assemble together propoundinge diuers poyntes of Religion concernyng Doctrine the callyng of Ministers the Masse and obedience towardes Princes and Rulers and furthermore declared vnto them that their confession was sent to Rome by the Duke and daily they looked for aunsweare The confession of the Angronians sent to the Pope To all these poynts the Ministers answered After this they demaunded of the chiefe rulers if that the Duke would cause Masse to be song in their parishes whether they woulde withstand the same or no. They answered simply that they would not Then they demanded of them if that the Duke would appoynt them Preachers whether they would receiue them They answered Demaundes put to the Angronians that if they preached the word of God purely they would heare them Thirdly if y t they were content that in the meane time their ministers shuld cease and if they whiche shoulde be sent preached not the worde of God sincerely then theyr ministers to preache againe If they would agree to thys they were promysed that the persecution should cease and the prisoners should be â—estored againe To thys question after they had conferred with the people they aunswered that they could by no meanes suffer that theyr Ministers shoulde forbeare preaching The two Lordes not contented with thys aunswere commaunded in the Dukes name that all the Minysters whyche were straungers shoulde oute of hande be banished the countrey saying that the Duke woulde not suffer them to dwell wythin his dominion for that they were his enemies demaunding also whether they would foster and maintaine the Princes ennemies wythin hys owne lande againste his owne decree and expresse commaundement To the whyche answeare was made by the chiefe Rulers that they coulde by no meanes banish them vnlesse they were afore conuicted of some heresie or other crime for their part The Angronians deny to put away their ministers they had alwaies founde them to be men of pure and sound doctrine and also of godly life and conuersation Thus done immediatly Proclamations were made and the persecution began on euery syde to be more furious then it was afore Amongest others the Monkes of Pignerol at that tyme were most cruell for they sent out a company of hyred Ruffians The Monks of Pignerol cruel against the Angronians which dayly spoyled and ransackt houses and all that they could lay hands of tooke men women and children and led them captiues to the Abbey where they were most spitefully afflicted and tormented At the same time they sent also a band of the sayde ruffians by night to the Ministers house of S. Germain in the valley of Perouse The minister of S. Germain betrayed taken being led thither by a traytour which knew the house and had vsed to haunt thether secretly who knocking at the dore the Minister knowing his voyce came foorth immediately and perceiuing hymselfe to be betrayed fledde but he was soone taken and sore wounded and yet notwithstandyng they pricked him behynde wyth theyr halbards to make hym hasten hys pace At that tyme also many they slue many they hurt and many also they brought to the Abbey and there kepte them in prison and cruelly handled them The good Minister endured sore imprisonment Barbarous cruelty shewed against the good minister of S. Germain and after that a most terrible kind of death with a wonderfull constancie For they rosted him by a small fire and when halfe his body was burnt he confessed and called vpon the Lorde Iesus with a loude voice The Inquisitour Iacomel with his Monkes and the Collaterall Corbis amongest other shewed one practise of most barbarous crueltie against thys poore man Who when he should be burnt Two womeÌ„ compelâ—ed to 〈◊〉 fagots to burne their pastor caused two poore women of S. Germain which they kept in prison to cary fagots to the fire and to speake these wordes to their Pastour take thys thou wicked hereticke in recompence of thy naughty doctrine which thou hast taught vs. To whome the good Minister aunswered Ah good women I haue taught you well but you haue learned ill To be briefe they so afflicted and tormented those poore people of Saint Germain and the places thereabout that after they were spoyled of their goodes and driuen from theyr houses they were coÌ„pelled to flie into y e mountaine to saue their liues So great was the spoyle of this poore people that many which before had bene men of much wâ—alth and with their riches had ministred great succour and comfort to others were now brought to such miserie that they were compelled to craue succour and reliefe of other Now for as much as the sayde Monkes with theyr troupes of ruffians which were counted to be in number about three hundred made such spoyle and hauocke in all the countrey Whether it be lawfull for the persecuted people of christ to stand to their owne defence that no man could there liue in safetie it was demaunded of the Ministers whether it was lawfull to defend themselues against the insolencie and furious rage of the sayde Ruffians The Ministers aunswered that it was lawfull warning them in any case to take heede of bloudshed This question being once dissolued they of the valley of Luserne and of Angrongne sent certayne men to them of S. Germain to ayde them against the supporters of these Monkes In the moneth of Iune the haruest being then in Piemont diuers of the Waldoys were gone into y e countrey to reape and make prouision for corne for very litle groweth vpon their mountaines the which were all taken prisoners at sundry times and places not one knowing of another Mirabilia Dei but yet God so wrought that they all escaped out of prison as it were by a myracle Whereat the aduersaries were maruelously astonished At the same time there were certayne other also which had susteyned long imprisonment looking for nothing else but death and yet they after a wonderfull sort by Gods mercifull prouidence were likewise deliuered In the moneth of Iuly they of Angrongne beeyng in a morning at haruest vpon the hill syde of S. Germain perceyued a company of souldiours spoylyng them of S. Germaine doubting least they would go
they which kept the straites perceiuing that their enemies prepared themselues to fight fell down vpon their knees and made their praiers vnto God that it woulde please hym to take pitie vpon them The prayer of the Angronian and not to looke vpon their sinnes but to the cause which they mainteyned to turne the harts of their enemies and so to worke that there might be no effusion of bloud and if it were his wyll to take them with their wiues infantes out of this world that he would then mercifully receiue them into his kingdome In this sort most feruent prayers were made of all those that kept the passages with exhortation that they should altogether cry vnto God and craue hys succour and assistance in thys great distresse All this the Lord of Trinitie and the army did well perceiue Their prayers thus ended sodenly they perceyued their enemies comming towards them through the vines to wynne the top of the mountayne of Angrongne In the meane tyme the Prior of Saint Iohn and Iacomel were within the temple of Angrongne and communed wyth the Rulers touching an agreement These were sent thyther by the Lord of Trinitie to keepe the people occupyed To be short the combat began in diuers places and endured for a long space in the passages of Angrongne The poore Waldoys being but few in number and some of them hauing but slings and crossebowes were sore pressed with the multitude of their enemies A combatâ— betweene the Lorde of trinity the Waldoys At length they retired to the toppe of the mountaine where they defended themselues vntill night When they had found a place where they might wythstande their enemies still pursuing them they turned themselues and slue diuers of them and hurt many When the euening came the enemies rested and were about to encampe themselues there to suppe and lodge all night Which thing when the Angrongnians perceiued they fell to prayer desiring God to assist and succour them but the enemies flouted them and laughed them to scorne Then y e poore people deuised to send a drumme into a litle valley hard by And as they were makyng their prayers vnto God the drumme sounded in y e valley the Lord of Trinitie caused his souldiers whiche were about Beholde the polecye of this pore people to encampe themselues to remoue thence which was a great vauntage to the poore people whiche now were sore weeried with trauaile al wet with sweating and very thyrstie and in great perill if God had not geuen them some litle breathing time Many of the enemies that day were slayne and many hurt of the which very few escaped In so much that they reported that the shot was poysoned which this poore simple people neuer vsed to do in all these warres Of the Angrongnians that daye there were but three slayne and one hurt which afterwardes was well healed agayne This combate gaue greate courage to the Waldoys and sore astonished the aduersaries The same tyme the army retyring burnt many houses and made greate spoyle as they went destroyeng also the wines which were in the presses The sayd Lord of Trinitie with his army camped in a village beyond Tour in the valley of Luserne at the foote of the hill betweene Angrongne and y e other townes of y e valley of Luserne Gods secret in â—â—ement in helping his and punishing his enemies which professed y e Gospell They of the sayd village were alwayes sore against y e Waldoys haters of true religion and were glad of this outrage and violence done against the professours therof but they had their iust plague for they were all destroied After this the sayde Lorde of Trinitie caused the Fortresse to be built agayne which the Frenchmen had rased and placed there a garrison and after sent another to the Forte of Uillars which is of the valley of Luserne and an other he sente to the Fortresse of Perouse and a fourth garrison he placed in the Castle of S. Martin They of Angrongne seeyng themselues to be now as it were in a sea of troubles after they had recommended themselues vnto God by prayer and committed their cause vnto him sent to them of Perouse of S. Martin and of Pragela for ayde and succour which sent them all the helpe that they were able The nexte daye folowing there came letters to Angrongne from the Lord of Trinitie The effect whereof was this A crafty mesâ—aâ—e of the Lord of Trinitie to the Angronians that he was sorye for that whiche was done the day before and that he came not thyther to make warre against them but onely to view if it were a place conuenient to build a Fort therein to serue the Duke Furthermore that his souldiers seeing the people assembled as it were to defie them vpon that occasion onely were stirred vp to geue assault and to set vpon them Also that he was sory that suche spoyle was made of their goodes and suche hurt done by fire But if they would shew themselues obedient to y e Duke he had good hope that al should be wel and trusted that some good agreement shoulde be made The Angrongnians answeared that they were marueylously agreeued to be so assaulted The Angronians aunswere to the message spoyled and tormented by the subiectes of their liege and naturall prince and as they had oftentymes before offered themselues to be more faythful and obedient to their soueraigne prince the Duke then any of all his subiects besides so yet still they offered the same obedience Also they most humbly besought hym not to thinke it strange if they being constrayned by such extreame necessitie defended themselues Finally as touching their Religion they affirmed that it was the pure word of God euen as it was preached by the Prophetes and Apostles and the same which their predecessours had obserued for certayne hundreth yeares past Moreouer that the cause was not coÌ„cerning the goodes of the world but the honour and glory of God the saluation or destruction of the soules both of them and theirs and therefore it were much better for them to dye all together then to forsake their religion and yet if it might be proued vnto them by good demonstration out of the word of God that they were in errour not by force of armes by bloud and fire they would then yeeld themselues with all obedience most humbly beseeching him and all other the Lordes of the Countrey of Piemont to be their intercessours and aduocates to the Duke in this behalfe The towne of Vellers assaulted Upon Monday being the fourth day of Nouember the Lord of Trinitie sent his army to Uillars and Tailleret The lesser company ascended toward Uillers The people seeing their enemies aproching after they had called vppon God with feruent prayer The towne of Tailleret assaulted strongly defended themselues and slue many many also were hurt and the rest fled The other companye ascended
towardes Tailleret And although they of that place were but few in number and that parte of the army the greater yet making theyr prayers vnto God and coÌ„mending their cause vnto him they defended themselues likewise valiantly In the meane season they of Uillars being emboldened by their late victorie came to assist their neighbours and beyng assembled together they couragiously pursued their enemies and put them to â—light In this pursute it chaunced which here is not to be forgotten that this poore people God geueth victory to his seruants by an ambush of their enemies which came an other way were sodeÌ„ly enclosed on euery side and like to be destroyed but yet they all escaped and not one of them was slayne onely iij. were hurt which were soone cured agayn On the enemies side there were so many slayne that they were layd together by whole cart loades This was the reward of those which were so desirous to shed innocent bloud The iust reward vpon the Lords enemies The same day the inhabitauntes of Sanson neare to Roccapiata assembled in great number together and went to a riche mans house of Roccapiata and spoyled all that hee had Certaine of Roccapiata in number not past xvij vnderstanding this set vpon them soone put them to flight tooke away their drumme forced them to leaue their bootie behynde them After that the Lord of Trinitâ—e had receiued the letters of the Angrongnians he sent vnto them his Secretary Gastaut a false brother named Christopher Gastaut which said him selfe that he fauoured the veritie of the Gospell accompanyed with a Gentleman of the sayd valley Whose charge was to cause the chief rulers to send certaine to common with the sayd Lord of Trinitie Deepe dissimulation in a crafty Papist saying that he had good tydinges to declare vnto them moreouer that he would deliuer them a safe conduct to come and go Wherupon they sent foure vnto him whom he entreated very courteously rehearsed vnto them how the Duke at his departure from the Court told him that although the Pope the Princes and Cities of Italie yea his own counsell were fully resolued that of necessitie they of the sayd Religion should bee destroyed yet notw tstaÌ„dyng God otherwise put in his mind and that he had taken counsell of God what he should do in this matter that is that he would vse them geÌ„tly Furthermore he declared vnto them that the Duches bare them good affection and fauoured them very much The Dutches a fauourer of the Angronians that she had commended their cause vnto the Duke perswadyng with him to haue regard to that poore people that their Religion was auncient old with many such other thynges Moreouer they had sayd he great frendes in the Dukes Court not doubtyng but if they would send certaine to the Court with a Supplication they should obteine more then they themselues would require and he for his part would employ himselfe in their affaires to the vttermost of his power and so hee promised that he would retire him selfe with his army This hee seemed to speake vnfaynedly The people desiring but to liue peaceably in their Religion and vnder the obedience of their Prince were content to folow his counsell About this season they of Angrongne perceiued that a part of the army ascended the hill of Tailleret which is the halfe way betwene Angrongne and those of the valley of Luserne the other part had already gotten a way whiche led to the Medow of Tour by the whiche they of AngroÌ„gne might easily haue bene enclosed Therfore they sent certaine immediately to keepe the way who soone after encountered with their enemies and obteined the victorie pursuyng and chasing them to their camp not without great losse of their men The number of their enemies slayne was not knowen for their custome was A combate betweene the Angronians the persecutors immediately to carry away those which were slayne Not one of Angrongne perished that day nor yet was hurt It was feared that this combate would haue hyndred the agreement But the Lord of Trinitie could well dissemble this matter and excused that dayes iourney The crafty dissimulation of the Lord of Trinity puttyng the fault vpon them of Tailleret whom he charged to haue slayne certaine of his men in the hygh way but amongest other his Barber On Saterday folowyng beyng the ix of Nouember the said Lord of Trinitie sent agayne for them of Angrongne to consult with him touchyng the agreement vsing the like communication as before and added thereunto that in token of true obedience they should cary their armour into two of the houses of the chief Rulers not fearyng but it should be safe for it should remayne in their owne keeping and if neede were they should receyue it agayne Also that he vppon Sonday which was the next day would cause a Masse to be song within the temple of S. Laurence in Angrongne accoÌ„panyed with a very few and thereby the Dukes wrath would be asswaged The next mornyng he went in the temple whereat they were sore agreeued albeit they could not withstaÌ„d him his army marchyng afore him and hauyng caused a Masse to be song he desired to see the Medow of Tour so much spokeÌ„ of that therof he might make a true report vnto the Duke and thether the Rulers with a great troupe of his owne men went the residue of his company remayne behynde the which spoyled certaine houses and seased the armour which they had deliuered vp before but they fouÌ„d no great store for the people had taken away the greatest part therof The sayd Lord being entred into the Medow of Tour the people began to make a commotion Whereof he hauing intelligence returned immediately All that daye he shewed himselfe very courteous to all whome he met The people in this meane time perceiued themselues to be in great daunger and were sore moued at the sight of the army the spoyle of the souldiours the taking away of their armour but especially because the sayd Lord of Trinitie had viewed the Medow of Tour foreseeing his trayterous meaning and purpose A few dayes after the sayde Lord of Trinitie sent his Secretary Gastaut to Angrongne Beholde the double dealing and dissimulatioÌ„ of the Papistes to bring their wiâ—kâ—d purpose to passe to talke with them concerning the agreement and to make a full resolution thereof which was read in the assemble by the Secretarie the summe whereof was this That the people of Angrongne submitted themselues to render all honour and reuerence to God according to his holy word and all due obedience to the Duke their soueraigne Prince to whome they shoulde send certaine men to demaund pardon of him concerning theyr bearing of armour in their extreme necessitie and humbly to beseech him that he would suffer them to liue peaceably in their religion whiche was according to the worde of God not compelling them
to do any thyng agaynste their conscience as it appeareth more amply in the supplication which after this the Angrongnians made and caused to be read before the Secretary in the open assemble the which heere ensueth ¶ To the most excellent and worthy prince The Duke of Sauoy c. our soueraigne Lord and naturall Prince The supplicatioÌ„ of the Angronians to their Duke MOst noble and renowmed prince we haue sente certayne of our men vnto your highnes to geue testimonie of our humble hartie and vnfayned obedience vnto the same and with all submission desire pardon touching the bearing of armour by certayne of our people in their extreme necessitie and for all other our trespasses for the which your soueraigne grace might conceiue any offence against vs. Secondly to desire in most humble wise your sayd hyghnes in the name of our Lord Iesus A lawfull request of the Angronians to lyue after Gods word that it would please the same to suffer vs to liue with freedome of conscience in our religion which also is the religion of our auncitours obserued for certayne hundreth yeares past And we are perswaded that it is the pure Gospell of our Lord Iesus the only veritie the word of life and saluation which we professe Also that it may please your most gratious clemencie not to take in yll part if we fearing to offende and displease God can not consent vnto certaine traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome and heerein to haue pitie vpon our poore soules and the soules of our children to the end that your highnes be not in any wise charged in the iust iudgement of God for the same where all men must appeare to answere for their doyngs On our part we protest that we will seeke nothing but to be the true seruants of God to serue hym according to hys holy word and also to be true and loyall subiectes to your highnes and more obedient then any other being alwayes ready to geue our goodes our bodies our lyues and the liues of our children for your noble grace as also our religion teacheth vs to do only we desire that our soules may be left at libertie to serue God accordyng to hys holy word And we your poore humble subiectes shall most hartily pray our God and father for the good and long prosperitie of youre hyghnes for the most vertuous Lady your wife and for the noble house of Sauoy To this supplication they of S. Iohn of Roccapiata of S. Bartholomewe and of Perouse with those of the valley of Luserne did agree For it was concluded that the agreement made The wretched dealing of the Lord of Trinity against them of Tailleret should extend to all the confederates of the same religion Whiles they were treating of this agreement the Lorde of Trinitie vexed cruelly them of Tailleret vnder this pretence because they had not presented themselues to treate of this agreemeÌ„t He tormented them after this sort First he commanded that all theyr armour shoulde be brought before hym and then they on their knees should aske him pardon because they came not to treate of the agreement with the rest whiche notwithstandyng the most parte of them did Then he commaunded them to attend vpon hym to enrolle all the names of those which woulde be of the foresayde agreement Wherupon the next morning the chiefe of the housholders went to the village named Bouuets the place apointed thereunto and when they had heard the Sermon and called vpon God they beganne to write their names The enrolling of their names not being fully ended word was brought that the souldiers had gotten the top of the mountayne and taken all the passages whereat they of Tailleret were sore amazed and ranne with all speede to defende their wiues and children Some they saued the most part with their goodes were in their enemies hands already At this time wich sacking spoiling and burning they did much mischiefe After this the Lord of Trinitie sent word to them which were fledde that if they would returne The Papisâ—â— false breakers of promise made he woulde receiue them to mercy The poore people for the most parte trusting on his promise returned to Bouuets and yet the next morning the souldiers came thyther to apprehende them and their ministers and beset y e place one euery side Suche as were swift of foote and could shift best escaped but very hardly The rest were all hurte or taken and yet they all escaped by a marueilous meanes For it hapned that there was an old man which could not runne fast to whome one of the souldiers came with a naked sword in hys hand to haue slayne him Example of Gods maruelous protection for hys seruantâ— in tyme of neede The olde man seeing the imminent daunger caught the souldier by the legs ouerthrewe hym and drew hym by the heeles downe the hyll The souldier cryed out helpe helpe this villaine wyll kill me His felowes hearing him cry made hast to rescue him but in the meane time the old man escaped The rest seing what the olde man had done tooke hart of grace and albeit their armour and weapons were taken from them yet with stones and slings they so beat and discomfited their enemies that at that time they caryed no prisoners awaye The day folowing y e souldiers returning to the sayd Tailleret robbed spoyled and caried away all that they coulde finde and so continued three dayes together which was very easie for them to do because the poore men fearyng least they shoulde be charged with violating the agreement made no resistance but retyred toward Uillars The fourth day the sayde Lord of Trinitie to torment the poore Taillerets yet more cruelly sente his armye againe before day to y e mountaine and into the same place And because the people of the sayde village were retyred towards Uillars and scattered about the borders therof in the hygh mountaynes the souldyers not yet satisfied with spoyling and sacking the rest that they founde in the sayd Tailleret raunging about the confines thereof rauened and made hauocke on euery side The Village of Taâ—â—leret sacked and spoyled of what soeuer they could laye handes on taking prisoners both men and women which were loden with carriage The poore prisoners were cruelly handled Amongest other there was one whose care a souldier of Montdeuis in a raging fury The crueltie of Papisteâ— bit cleaue off with these wordes I wyll carry sayde he y e flesh of these wretched heretikes with me into my countrey They of Uillars also complayned of the great cruelty that was shewed vnto them during the time of the agreement The which when the Lord of Trinitie vnderstoode to make a shewe that he was offended therewith he came to his souldiers whiche were so weary that they coulde scantly goe not with fighting but because they were so heauily loden with the spoyle that they were not able to cary it and preteÌ„ding to
limites dwell not oute of them and they which be of the townes villages of the said valleis dwel not out of them nor of their borders The liberty of Trafficke graunted and in so doing they shall not be molested by any meanes and shall not be offended nor troubled in body or goods but shall remaine vnder the protection and sauegarde of his highnesse Furthermore his highnes shal set order to stay al troubles inconueniences secret cōspiracies of wicked persons after such sort The elders of the Valleys of Pyemont that they shall remaine quietly in theyr religion For obseruation whereof George Monastier one of the elders of Angrongne Constantion Dialestini otherwise called Rembaldo one of the Elders of Uillars Pirrone Arduino sent frō the comminaltie of Boby Michael Ramondet sent from the comminaltie of Tailleret and of la Rua de Bonet bordering vpon Tour Iohn Malenote sent from certaine persons of S. Iohn Peter Paschal sent from the comminaltie of the valley of S. Martin Thom. Roman of S. Germain sent from the comminaltie of the same place and of all the Ualley of Perouse promise for thē and their comminalties seuerally that the cōtents of these conclusions aforesayd shall be inuiolately kepte and for breach thereof do submit themselues to such punishment as shall please his hignes promising likewise to cause the chiefe of the families of the comminalties to allow and confirme the sayd promise The honourable Lorde of Raconis doth promise that the Dukes highnes shall confirme and allow the foresayde conclusions to them both generally and perticularly The Lord of Raconnis at the intercession and especiall fauour of the noble Lady the Princesse The Lady Princes intercessour for the Waldoys In testimonie whereof the foresayde Lord of Raconis hath confirmed these present conclusions wyth hys owne hand and the Ministers haue lykewise subscribed in the name of all the sayd Ualleys and they which can write in the name of all theyr comminalties At Cauor the v. of Iune 1561. Phillip of Sauoy Fraunces Valla Minister of Villars Claudius Bergius Minister of Taillaret Georgius Monasterius Michael Raymundet THis accord being thus made and passed by the meanes of the Duchesse of Sauoy the poore Waldoys haue ben in quiet vntill this present and God of his infinite goodnes hauyng deliuered them out of so many troubles and conflicts hath set them at libertie to serue him purely and with quietnes of conscience Wherfore there is none at this present except he be altogether blind or senceles but he seeth and well perceiueth that God would make it knowen by experience to these poore Waldoys All thinges turne to the best to thē that loue the Lord. and al other faithful people that al things turne to the best to them which loue and feare hym For by all these afflictions which they suffered as is before rehearsed this good heauenly father hath brought them to repentance and amendement of life He hath effectuously taught them to haue recourse to his fatherly mercy and to embrace Iesus Christ for their onely Sauiour and redeemer Furthermore he hath taught them to tame the desires and lustes of the flesh to withdrawe their harts from the world and lift them vp to heauen and to be alwayes in a readines to come to him as vnto their most louing and pitifull father To be short hee hath set them to the schoole of hys children to the end they should profite in patience and hope to make them to mourne weepe and cry vnto hym And aboue all he hath made them so oft to proue his succours at time of need to see them before their eyes to feele and touch them with their handes as a man would say after such sort that they haue had good occasion and all the faithfull with them neuer to distrust so good a father and so carefull for the health of his children but to assure themselues neuer to be confounded what thing soeuer happen And yet to see thys more manifestly and that euery man may take profite therof it shal be good to vnderstand what this poore people did whiles they were in these combates and conflictes The behauiour of these good men in their persecutiōs So soone as they sawe the armye of theyr enemies approch they cryed altogether for ayde and succour to the Lord and before they begā to defend thēselues they fell to prayer and in fighting lifted vp their hartes and sighed to the Lorde As long as the enemyes were at rest euery one of these poore people on their knees called vpon God When the combate was ended they gaue him thankes for the comfort and succour which they had felte In the meane time the rest of the people with the Ministers made their harty prayer vnto God with sighes and teares and that from the morning vntill the euening When night was come they assembled agayne together They which had fought rehearsed the woonderfull ayde and succour which God had sent them and so altogether rendred thankes vnto hym for hys fatherly goodnes Alwayes he chaunged their sorrow into ioye In the morning trouble and affliction appeared before them wyth great terrour on all sides but by the euening they were deliuered and had great cause of reioysing and comfort Warre and famine two enemies against these men This poore people had two terrible enemies warre and famine which kepte them vnder in such sort that a man would haue thought they had bene vtterly lost destroyed But God of his endles mercy deliuered thē from such dangers and restored them to their houses where they remained afterwards in peace and quietnes al they which had declared themselues to be their open enemyes were brought to confusion as well those whiche fought to get their goodes as those whiche onely desired to shedde their bloud For proofe wherof the onely exāple of two Gentlemen of the Ualley of Luserne shall suffice These not onely moued cruell warre agaynst their poore tenauntes and others but most shamefully spoyled them and tooke vntollerable fines of all those that disobeyed their Edictes to keepe a good conscience Besides this Example of Gods fauour toward his seruantes cōfusion toward their persecutors they went about to sease all their goodes as forfaite waytyng to haue the whole forfayture thereof themselues And for this cause they did not onely incense the Duke with false reportes and with greeuous complayntes and accusations agaynst these poore Waldoys but also pursued the same so long and with such charges that they were fayne to sell their inheritaunce in hope to bring their purpose to passe and to enioy that goodly pray which they thought could not escape their handes But in the ende for their rewarde they got nothyng but shame and confusion And as for the Monkes and Priestes whiche by such meanes thought to aduaunce themselues to bryng their trumpery to estimation they haue lost the litle rule which they had ouer
their wiues we following the auncient Canon of the diligent Apostles and constitutions of holy men enact that suche lawfull mariage from henceforth shall stande in force in no case dissoluing theyr coniunction with their wiues neither depriuing them of their mutuall societie and familiaritie together in suche time as they shall thinke conuenient c. Hetherto ye haue heard the decree heare now the penaltie in the same decree and distinction conteined Si quis igitur praesumpserit contra Apostolicos canones aliquos Praesbyterorum Diaconorum priuare à contactu communione legalis vxoris suae deponatur c. That is If any therefore shal presume against the Canons of the Apostles Ibidem 6. thinges in this Councell to be noted to depriue either priest or Deacon from the touching and companye of his lawfull wife let him be depriued And likewise this Priest and Deacon whosoeuer for religion sake shall put away his wife let him be excommunicate c. And the Councell of Gangren sayth let him be accursed By these wordes of the Councell recited sixe things are to be noted 1. First how this Councell calleth y e Mariage of priestes lawfull contrary to these vj. articles and to a certeyne late Englishe writer of our countrey entituling his booke against the vnlawfull mariage of Priests 2. In that this Councell so followeth the Canons of the Apostles and constitutions of holy men we haue to vnderstand what the censure both of the Apostles and determination of other holy men were therein 3. If the Iniunction of this Councell agreeyng thus with the Apostles and holy men stoode with truth the contrary Canon of the Romaines and also of these sixe English articles must needes be condemned of errour 4. By this Councell appeareth that so long time almost 700. yeares after Christ this prohibition of Priestes mariage was not yet entred into the Orient Churche but stoutely was holden out 5. By the Romane Canon heere mentioned which began with Gregorius 600. yeares after Christ a little before this Councell it can not be denied but the Churche of Rome began then to disceuer not onely from the veritie but also from the vnitie of all other Churches following the Apostolicke doctrine Albeit the said Romane Canon at that time stode not long but was shortly disanulled by the sayd Gregorius agayne by the occasion of infants heads found in his fish pond whereof Christ willing more shal be spoken heereafter The crafty packing of the Romanes in suppressing and counter 〈◊〉 the Canon◠of Councels 6. Sixtly heere is to be noted remēbred the craftie false packing and fraude of the Romaines which in the Latine booke of Councels in diuers new impressions haue suppressed this Canon because be like it maketh little w t their purpose plaieng much like with this as Pope Zosimus Bonifacius and Celestinus played with y e sixt councel of Carthage which for their supremacy would haue forged a false Canon of Nice had not the Councell sent to Cōstantinople for the true exemplar therof so proued them open lyers to their faces So likewise this Canō aboue mētioned although it be omitted in some bookes yet beyng found in the auncient true written copies beyng alledged of Nilus a Greeke Byshop of Thessalonica Dist. 31. CC. yeare tofore and moreouer beyng found alledged in the Popes own booke of Decrees Distin. 31. must needes conuince them of manifest theft falsehoode Thus it may stand sufficiently proued that y e deprauation of Priestes lawfull mariage all this space was not entred into the church neither Greeke nor Latin Hildebrand and Calixtus first extorters of Priestes lawfull mariage at least tooke no ful possession before Pope Hildebrandus tyme. Anno Domini 1070 and especially Pope Calixtus time Anno Domini 1120. which were the first open extortors of Priestes mariage Auentinus a faythfulll writer of his tyme writyng of the Councell of Hildebrand hath these wordes Auentinus in histor Bonorum Sacerdotes illa tempestate publicè vxores sicut caeteri Christiani habebant filios procreabant sicuti instrumentis donationū quae illi templis Mystis Monachis fecere vbi hae nominatim cum coniugibus testes citantur honesto vocabulo Praesbiterissae nūcupantur inuenio Caesar tum c. That is In those dayes Priestes commonly had wiues as other Christē men had and had children also as may appeare by auncient instrumentes deedes of gift which were then giuen to Churches to the Clergy and to religious houses in the whiche instrumentes both the Priestes and their wiues also with them which there be called Praesbyterissae I finde to be alledged for witnesses It happened moreouer y e same tyme sayth Auentine that the Emperour had the inuestyng of diuers Archbyshoprickes Byshoprickes Abbayes and Nunries within his dominions Pope Hildebrand disdaynyng agaynst both these sortes aforesayd that is both against them that were inuested by the Emperour and also agaynst all those Priestes that had wiues prouided so in his Coūcell at Rome that they which were promoted by the Emperour into liuyngs of the Church were counted to come in by Symony the other which were maryed Priestes were counted for Nicolaitanes Wherupon pope Hildebrād writyng his letters to y e Emperour to Dukes Princes and other great Prelates and Potētates namely to Bertholdus Zaringer to Rodolphus of Sueuia to Welphon of Bauaria to Adalberon and to their Ladyes and to diuers other to whom he thought good also to Byshops namely to Otto Byshop of Constance with other Priestes and lay people willeth them in his letters to refuse and to keepe no company with those Symoniake and those Nicolaitane Priestes for so were they termed then which had either any Ecclesiasticall liuyng by the Emperour or els which had wiues to auoyd their Masses Simoiacke Priestes Nicolaitan Priestes neither talke neither to eate nor drinke with them nor once to speake to them nor to salute them but vtterly to shunne them as men execrable and wicked no otherwise thē they would eschue the plague or pestilence By reason whereof ensued a mighty schisme and affliction among the flocke of Christ Ex Auentino Annal. Bonor◠lib. 5. such as lightly the lyke hath not bene seene For the Priestes went agaynst their Byshops the people agaynst the Priest the laytie agaynst the Clergy briefly all ranne together in heapes in confusion Men and women as euery one was set vpon mischief wickednesse contention and auarice tooke thereby occasion vpon euery light suspition to resiste their Minister to spoyle the goodes of the Church The vulgare people contemned the Priestes which had maryed wiues despised their Religion and all thynges that they dyd yea and in many places would purge the place where they had bene with holy water and brent their Tithes Also such was the mischief of them that they would take the holy mysteries whiche those maryed Priestes had consecrated and cast them in the dyrt
to reuoke one sillable of these Articles which they haue condemned And now as they doe curse and excommunicate me for their damnable heresie so I againe likewise doe curse and excommunicate them for the holy veritie of God Christ which is only the Iudge of all iudge and determine this matter betwene vs whether of these two excommunications hys or mine shall stande and preuaile before him Amen In storying the life of Luther Rea◠〈◊〉 pag. 849. before pag. 849. it was declared how the sayd Luther in the beginning first being reiected of the Cardinall Caietanus appealed from y e cardinall vnto the Pope When that would not serue neither could not any tollerable submission of Luther to y e pope be receiued but that the P. with his Cardinals contrary to all equity and conscience wold nedes procede against him and against the expresse truth of Gods word thinking by meere authoritie to beare downe the veritie as he had vsed before to do Luther folowing the iustnes of his cause Read afoâ—â— pag. 812. was then compelled to appeale from the Pope to the next generall councell and so did as before you may read pag. 812. Which was 2. yeares before the Popes Bull agaynst Luther came out The tenour of which appellation before omitted I thought here to exhibite wherby the reader considering the great change of religion and state of the church which since hath ensued may also perceiue y e true originall cause and occasion howe it first began by what order degrees it after encreased what humility and submission first on Luthers part was shewed and again what insolencie wrong and violence on the Popes part was declared And further where Pope Leo in his Bull aboue prefixed seemeth to pretend certaine conditions of fauour charity and money offred to Luther in the beginning how false vain that is by this present appeale may appeare The copie wherof as it was drawen by the publike notarie and exhibited is this as in forme here followeth The tenour and forme of the Appeale of Martine Luther from Pope Leo to the next generall Councell IN nomine Domini Amen The appeale of 〈◊〉 Luther 〈◊〉 the pope 〈◊〉 the next â—â—â—nerall coâ—â—â—cell Anno a natiuitate eiusdem .1518 indictione sexta die vero solis vigesima octaua mensis Nouemb. Pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo patris Domini nostri Domini Leonis diuina prouidentia Papae decimi anno sexto in mea Notarij publici testiumque infra scriptorum ad hoc specialiter vocatorum rogatorum praesentia constitutus c. The effect of the sayd Appeale of Luther in English THe effect of the appeale aforesayde is this Luthers aâ—â—peale from the pope English That for somuche as the libertie of appealing is prouided for a remedie to relieue the oppressed from iniurie and violence of the superiour it was therefore lawful for Martine Luther so to do especially being manifold waies iniuried and molested by the See of Rome and other the Popes confederates as hee in the sayde appeale declareth For at firste whereas he modestly disputing of the errors and abuses of the Popes pardons did somwhat withstand the impudeÌ„t rauen and blasphemies of them that come about with the Popes pardons to poll and rob the people he was therefore openly railed vpon and defamed by them in their publike sermones to be an heretike and consequently vppon the same accused to Pope Leo for an heretike by Marius the Popes Proctor and others Then was obteined of the Pope a commission to cite vp the sayde Luther to appeare at Rome before the Cardinalles by Hieronymus and Syluester Prieras hys mortall ennemies where as he could by no way appeare wythout manifest danger of his life both by the way and also in the citie of Rome For the consideration whereof Duke Ih. Fridericke Prince Electour and the Lantgraue entreated for hym to haue his cause indifferently to be heard and to be committed to two parties that were equall and not partiall yet notwithstanding the sute of these princes and the contrary labour of the Cardinals whiche were his capitall aduersaries so preuailed at Rome that the cause of Luther was still detained in their owne handes and contrary to all indifferencie was committed to the hearing of the Popes Legate then in Germanie called Cardinalis Sancti Sixti Who being no lesse enemie against Luther then the other and notwithstanding that Luther obediently appeared at his call and with humble protestation submitted himselfe to be aunswered by the Scriptures and referred himselfe to the iudgement of the Sea of Rome and of four Uniuersities to witte Basill Friburge Louane and Paris yet contrary to all equitie shewing forth no Scripture nor reason reiecting his gentle protestation submission and honest offer with all other his requests and sutes he would needes forthwith haue him to reuoke his errours threatning and menasing him most cruelly and commanded him no more to come in his sight Whereupon Luther being thus proudely reiected of the Cardinall Luther appeal 〈◊〉 the Câ—â—dinall to the pope made his appeale from the sayde Cardinall to Pope Leo being better informed This appellation also being contemned of the Pope who would neither come to any agreement nor take any reasonable condition nor shew Luther his errours by the scripture nor yet referre the matter by learning to be decided but would needes perforce proceede against him by meere authoritie and oppression at Rome Luther then seeing there was no other refuge or remedie for his owne defence and seeing moreouer the truth of Gods worde to lie vnder foote by might and authoritie oppressed so that none durst almost confesse the same M. Luther appealeth from the pope to the next generall Councell and that the poore flock was so misled in errours and vaine opinions to the seduction of their soules for these and other such causes he being necessarily thereunto compelled commensed thys Appeale from the Pope misinformed to the nexte generall Councell that should be calling for the helpe of the publick notarie and testimonie also of sufficient witnesses requisite in that behalfe accordingly ¶ The death of K. Henry the viij with the maner thereof ANd thus closing vp this eight booke with the death of King Henry the 8. I will now the Lorde Christ assisting me with his grace proceede next to the time reigne of King Edward his sonne The 〈◊〉 and maner of the kings death after that first I shall intermitte a few wordes touching the death of the sayde Kyng Henry his father and the maner of the same Who after long languishing infirmitie growing more and more vppon him lay from S. Steuens day as is aboue mentioned to the latter end of Ianuary His Phisicians at length perceiuing that he would away Of the Act that â—one shoulde speake of the kinges death Vid. Stat. 〈◊〉 Henr. 8. and yet not daring to discourage him with death for feare of the Act past before
quiet and to be contented with my death which I am most willing to suffer and let vs now ioyne in praier vnto the Lord for the preseruation of the Kings Maiestie vnto whome hitherto I haue alwaies shewed my selfe a most faithfull and true subiecte I haue alwayes bene most diligent about his Maiestie in his affayres both at home and abroade and no lesse diligent in seeking the common commoditie of the whole Realme At whyche words all the people cried out and said it was most true Then the Duke proceeding said Unto whose Maiestie I wish continuall health with all felicitie all prosperous successe Whereunto the people againe cryed out Amen Moreouer I do wishe vnto all his Counsaylours the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule in all things vprightly with iustice Unto whome I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient as it is your bounden duety vnder the payne of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation and safegarde of the Kings Maiestie Moreouer for so much as heeretofore I haue had oftentimes affaires with diuers men The confession of the Duke of Somerset hard it is to please euery man therfore if there be any that hath ben offended iniuried by me I most humbly require aske him forgeuenes but especially almighty God whome throughout all my life I haue most greeuously offended and all other whatsoeuer they be that haue offended me I do with my whole hart forgeue them Now I once againe require you dearly beloued in the Lord that you wil keepe your selues quiete and still least through your tumult you might trouble me For albeit the spirite be willing and ready the flesh is fraile and wauering and through your quietnesse I shall be much more quieter The Duke â—f Someâ—set 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of Ieâ—â—â— Christ. Moreouer I desire you all to beare me witnes that I dye heere in the fayth of Iesus Christ desiring you to helpe me with your prayers that I may perseuere constant in the same vnto my liues end After this hee turning himselfe agayne aboute like a meeke lambe â— Coxe 〈◊〉 ghostly 〈◊〉 kneeled down vpon his knees Then doctor Coxe which was there present to counsell and aduertise him deliuered a certaine scroll into his hand wherin was conteined a briefe confession vnto God Which being read he stoode vp againe vpon his feete without any trouble of mind as it appeared and first bad the Sheriffes farewel then the Lieutenant of the Tower and other taking them all by the handes which were vpon the scaffold with hym Then he gaue the Hangman certaine money Which done he put off his gowne and kneeling downe againe in the straw vntied his shyrt strings After that the hangman comming vnto him turned downe his coller round about his necke and al other things which did let or hinder him Then lifting vp his eyes to heauen where his only hope remained and couering his face with his owne handkercher he layd himselfe downe along shewing no maner of token of trouble or feare neyther did his countenaunce chaunge but that before his eyes were couered there began to appeare a red colour in the middest of his cheekes Thus this most meeke and gentle Duke lying along and looking for the stroke because his doublet couered his necke he was coÌ„maunded to rise vp and put it off and then laying himselfe downe againe vpon the blocke The godly 〈◊〉 of the Duke of Soâ—erset and calling thrise vpon the name of Iesus saying Lord Iesu saue mee as he was the thyrd tyme repeating the same euen as the name of Iesu was in vttering in a moment he was bereft both of head life slept in the Lord Iesus being taken away from all the daungers and euils of this life and resting now in the peace of God in the preferment of whose truth and Gospell he alwaies shewed himselfe an excellent instrument and member and therefore hath receyued the reward of his labours Thus gentle Reader thou hast the true history of this worthy and noble Duke and if any man report it otherwise let it be counted as a lye As touching the maners disposition life and conuersation of the said Duke and the Kings vncle what shall we neede to speake when as he can not be sufficiently commeÌ„ded according to the dignitie of his vertues There was alwaies in him great humanitie and suche meekenes and gentlenes as is rare to be found in so high estate He was prone and ready to geue care vnto the coÌ„plaints and supplicatioÌ„s of the poore The vertues of the Duke of Somerset declared no lesse attentiue vnto the affaires of the coÌ„mon wealth Which if he had liued together wyth king Edward was like to do much good in reforming many misorders within this realme He was vtterly ignoraÌ„t of al craft and deceit and as farre void of all pride and ambition as he was froÌ„ doing of iniury being indeede vtterly voyd of both He was of a gentle dispositioÌ„ not coueting to be reuenged more apt ready to be deceiued then to deceiue His auncient loue zeale of the Gospell of religion he brought with him to the state of this his dignitie The proofe whereof sufficiently was seene in his constant standing to gods truth and zealous defence therof The zealous standing of the Duke of Somerset in defence of the truth against the Bishops at Winsore against the Bishops of Chichester Norwich Lincolne London and others moe in the Consultation had at Windsore the first yeare of the kinges raigne Briefly considering the nature and vertues of this Duke I may as seemeth not vnaptly compare and resemble him vnto Duke Humfrey the good Duke of Glocester Who likewise being vncle vnto king Henry 6. and Protector of the Realme as this was also to king Edw. the 6. yet he wanted not his enemies and priuy enueyers especially Henry Beauford Cardinal Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellour of England A comparison betweene Duke Humfrey Vncle to K. Henry 6. and the Duke of Somerset Vncle to K. Edward 6. who at that time disdayning and enuying the rule and authoritie of thys Duke procured much trouble agaynst him and great deuision in the whole realme in so muche that all the Shops within the Cittie of London were shutte in for feare of the fauourers of these two great personages For ech part had assembled no small number of people For pacifying wherof the Archbishop of Caunterbury and the Duke of Quimber called the Prince of Portugale rode eight times in one day betwene the two aduersaries Such were then the troubles of these tumultuous diuision within the realme betweene these two Touching the trouble of the Duke of Glocester read before pag. 67â— as is before expressed pag. 679. not much vnlike to y e troublesome discord betwixt parties in this Protectors dayes And as in their afflictions and troubles these two Dukes seemed not
garland of our Lady compiled by the said S. Bonauenture wherein these words are to be red as followeth O Mediatrix betweene God and man the Lorde hath worthily magnified thee Blasphemye The Rosary or Garland of our Lady called Corenâ— beatae Mariae Mary made a commaunder of Christ. that thou onely shouldst conceyue hys sonne c. Wherefore O good Mary our mediatrix mother of Grace and mother of Mercy c. And moreouer within fewe lynes it followeth in these woordes Therefore O our Empresse and Lady most bountifull by the authoritie of a Mother commaund commaund I say thy welbeloued sonne that he wil stirre vp our myndes from the loue of worldly thyngs to heuenly desires c. Item O the Aduocate of the miserable the eyes of thy seruants be directed to thee c. To these premisses I might also adioyne the horrible and most blasphemous wordes of the said Bonauenture in the said booke Fol. 100. pag. 2. col 1. which I besech thee to read and note Quae maior bonitas quam quod Christus i. What greater goodnes can be then that Christ is content to be captiue vpon the aultar Whereupon he speaketh in the person of Ieremy saying Behold I am in your hands do with me as you see good c. Where note sayth he that when any Duke or prince â—s taken prisoner for hys subiectes he is not let goe before he paye some great summe of mony for hys ransome Christ made a captiue and a prisoner in the Popes Church Euen so neither we ought to let Christ go out of our hands beyng our prisoner and captiue except he graunt vnto vs remission of our sinnes and his heauenly kingdome The priest therfore lifteth vp the body of Christ vpon the aultar as though he sayd thus behold hym whome the whole world is not able to comprehend he is holden here our captiue wherfore let vs hold hym fast and not let hym go before we obtayne of hym our requests c. Notes The Church of Rome examined Is not here good Catholike stuffe christen Readers trow you Conferre I beseech you this doctrine wyth the doctrine of the Apostles which teach vs that we are fullye complet in Christ and I wil referre me to no better iudge then to your own conscience And now therfore if any maÌ„ haue bene in doubt in tymes past of the doctrine and proceedings of the church of Rome The Church of Rome connâ—ct of manifest idolatry whether it be rightly charged with blynd errors with blasphemy intollerable Idolatry abominable or not here now may he be fully certified resolued For where was euer idolatry or blasphemy to be found if it be not here in this Mattins Psalter of our Lady Our Lady made equall with God in the Church Rome If Idolatry be to make an idoll to bee worshipped as God which is no God what doe we here but make an idoll of our Lady as we call her to be worshipped with no lesse dignity glory authority reuerence and seruice then is the Lord God himselfe As he is called our Lord so she is called our lady And if he be kyng yet she is the queene of heaueÌ„ The doctrine of the Romish Church directly against the first commaundemeÌ„t of God And though he haue the name of god yet she bereth so the title of the mother of God that as mothers haue authority ouer their children so she is willed to shew her selfe to be his mother to cause him to graÌ„t our petitions Finally if he be our patron yet is she our patronesse The commandement saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and hym only shalt thou serue And what worship or seruice can we geue to God more then we doe ascribe vnto her Or what benefit is to be asked at y e hands of Christ our Sauiour which is not equally asked of her To saue our soules to geue vs peace to graunt grace to comfort the desperate to loose our captiuity to release our sinnes To trust and beleeue in our Lady to deliuer from the fiend to bryng to heauen c. to her we pray we cry we creepe we sigh we grone wee knock and kneele to her we trust and if we beleue not also in our Lady Our Lady hath her Church as well as Christ. we be heretikes ipso facto Furthermore as Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour hath his Church and Congregation which professeth hys name of whom we are called Christians so neither is she likewise without her chapels her cloisters her Chapters fraternities and brotherhoods which professing her name in like sort are called our Ladies brethren or white friers besides an innumerable sort of other patrons of churches of whom euery one hath his peculiar church and religion by himselfe yet all these together be included vnder the generall deuotion of our Lady their supreme patronesse and gouernesse Now to proceed further to the other prrt of the commaundement which sayeth Him onely shalt thou serue What seruice hath the Lord in all the church but our Lady also iointly with him hath the lyke Her Masse her Mattins her Euensong her Houres and Complin her Rosaries her Anthems her Collects her Primer her Psalter her holydaies likewyse yea fiue to one Finally as y e Lord hath his prayer called the Lordes prayer so hath shee her Aue Maries yea x. Aues to one Pater noster yea read further in the said Bonauenture 10. 〈◊〉 to one Pâ—â—ter nosteâ— and ye shal see her also to haue her Te Deum her Benedictus her Magnificat and also her Quicunque vult If the Lorde our God had not expressed vnto vs hys own will by playne worde limiting vnto vs by expresse iniunction what to beleue what to folow how to worship and serue him how to receiue from him our saluation but had left vs to the imagination of our owne inueÌ„tions euery man to shift for himself after his own pollicy then peraduenture this way taken by the Popes Church to make frends mediators betwene God and vs for reconciliation remission saluation might haue some ryme or reason but now gods word doth bynde vs doth prescribe and limite vs precisely in euery point touching saluation what to beleue what to do shewing vs plainly that we cannot be saued but by the bloud of hys sonne only neither caÌ„ be iustified but by faith only in y e same Christ his sonne Wherfore not to beleue that which he hath promised is infidelitie and to follow any other beliefe then he hath set vs is plaine idolatry Infidelity Idolatrye The which ij special errors most commonly doe followe the doctrine of the Romish church as not only in this primer and psalter of our Lady aforesaid but also in all their proceedings teachings and preachings besides may well appeare The 〈◊〉 of Rome charged with Infidelitye 〈◊〉 Idolatryâ— The church of Rome neyther taketh 〈◊〉