same should be longer wanting so many learned men not only of Germany but also of foreine nations instantly requiringe me that I wold gratify them herein There be comming doubtlesse moste greuous commotions and wonderful alterations Which thing also the holy Scripture dothe nether doubtfullye nor daroklye Prognosticate and the present state of thinges doth plainly signify so that such as will applye theyr minde here vnto shall not want matter to wryte of but the same cause that moued me to wryte that is publicke vtility the self same perswadeth me nowe also that some thinges as I haue written and be comprised in these xxvi bookes I shoulde suffer to come abrode into others mens handes And this my labor and all my pains taken I wil dedicate whole vnto you moosie excelient Prince whiche are descended of that noble house and familie whiche fyrsto gaue harborow and refuge to thys Religion whose father did earnestly imbrace the same whose brother for the education of youth in true Religion and learning imploied a wonderful substaunce whose father in law for the self same cause hath a famous name among kinges And for so much as you also walke in these theyr fotesteps to your great commendation this worke which I hope wil profite many I trust will be to you also not vnpleasaunt The liuing God preserue your highnes safe and healthful Geuen the .x. Kalends of April in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. The first Boke ⧠The firste Booke of Sleidans Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common wale during the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fyfte The argument of the fyrst Booke THe Pardon 's graunted by Byshop Leo Luther reproueth by preachyng and wryting of proposicions and Letters sent to Tharchbishoppe of Ments the which are fyrst unpugned by Frete Tckell and Eckins and after by Siluester Prier as Hogestrate Upō this the Pope sendeth Cardinal Caietane taduertise Thēperour Maximilian to cite Luther to Rome but Fridericke Duke of Saxon founde the meanes that Luther aunswered Caietane at Auspurge The Cardinal what with threatenynges and what with thalligations of decrees mainteyneth thauthoritie and supremacie of the Pope Luther at his depertynge thence set by an Appellation Caietane solliciteth by letters the Duke of Saxon but in vaine whiche the Pope perceyuing publisheth a new remission of synnes by pardons And to wynne Duke Fridericke sendeth him a goldē Rose In the meane tyme dieth Maximilian and great suite and meane was made taspire vnto thempire whiche in fine Charles of Austriche atchieued and word was sent him into Spaine The golden bulle lawes of Thempire are here recited Erasmus commendeth Luther And at the same time that the disputacion was at Lipsia Zwinglius preached at Zuricke and as Luther had don resisteth a perdoner there one Samson agraye Frere THE Bishoppe of Rome Leo the tenth of that name a Florentine borne after the vsurped auethoritie of his predecessours which he pretēded to haue ouer all Churches had sent forth into al realmes vnder his Bulles of Lead indulgēces pardōs wherein he promysed cleane remissyon of synnes and euerlastynge saluation to all suche as would gyue money for the same for the leuiyng wherof he sent his Collectours into all Prouinces who gathered together and heaped vp great treasures in all places but speciallye in in Germanie And affirmed their doynges to be good bothe in wordes and writyng which pardons the Papistes call by an olde accustomed terme indulgences Grauntyng moreouer for money licences to eate whitmeat and fleshe on daies prohibited The same time was Martin Luther an Augustine Frere and professed diuinitie in the Uniuersitie of Wittemberge who beynge not a little tickled with the preachinges fonde bokes of these collectours for that he sawe howe the simple people beleued the thinges to be true that they bragged of began to admonishe men to be more ware and circumspecte and not to bie their marchaundise so dere For that the same which they bestowed vpon such trifles might be much better emploied This was in the yeare of our lorde a thousande fiue hondreth and seuentene And to thintent he might woorke the thynge to more effect he wrote also to the Archebyshop of Mentz the firste of Nouembre signifying both what they taught and also lamenting that the ignoraunt people should be so far abused as to put the whole trust of their saluation in pardons and to thinke that what wickednes so euer they had committed it should by them be forgeuen And that the soules of them that were tormented in Purgatory so soone as the mony were cast into their boxe should straight wayes flie vp into heauen and fele no more payne he sheweth him how Christ cōmaunded that the Gospell should be taught and that it is the propre office of a Byshop to see that the people be rightly instructed Wherfore he putteth him in remēbraunce of his dutie and prayeth him that for the authoritie whiche he beareth he would eyther put those prattelinge pardoners to silence or els prescribe them a better order in teachinge lest a further inconuenience might growe vpon the same as doubtles there wil doo vnlesse they be inhibited The cause why he wrote vnto him was that for so muche as he was also Byshop of Maydenburg the care of al such matters belonged vnto him And with these letters he sent certen questiōs whiche he had lately set vp at Wittenberg there to be disputed to the nombre of foure score and fiftene In the whiche he reasoneth muche of purgatory of true penaunce of the dutie of charitie and of their indulgences and pardōs at large and inueigheth against their out rageouse preachinges only of a certen desyre to boulte trie out the truth For he prouoked all men to come to that disputation that hadde anye thinge to saye and such as could not be there present he desyred to send their myndes in wrytinge protesting that he would affirme nothing but submitte him selfe and the whole matter to the iudgement of holy churche Neuerthelesse he sayd how he woulde not admitte Thomas of Aquine and suche other lyke writers but so farre foorth as they be consonaunt to holy Scripture and decrees of the auncient fathers To this the byshop aunswered not a woords But shortly after Iohn Tecela Frere Dominick set vp other conclusions at Franckford quite contrary to those of Luthers wherin he extolleth the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome with the frute of his pardōs and other lyke thinges in so muche as he compareth him with Peter the Apostle the crosse whiche he commaundeth to be set vp in churches with the crosse that Christ suffered vpon But where as no man of the cōtrary parte wold repeare to the disputacion at Wittenberge the questions were suche as many were destrous to reade Luther wrote a longe exposition of the same and sent them first to Hierome byshop of Braundenburge and to one Stupice Prouinciall of
the Emperor Than will he amongs other thinges treat with him also of these matters presently and that also with his diuines should come Moreouer the ambassadors and diuines of certain Princes and Cities amonges the which he named the Duke of Pomeranes cosins the copy of the which letters th one of thambassadors for that his felowe was not yet retourned from his iourney sendeth to the Cardinall of Trent at Brixna which was lately gon thither For he because he was both most seruiceable to the Emperor and also loued Duke Moris by reason of muche familiarity dearely well and chiefly wished that the counsel might procede toke very heauely this dissention growing wherof ther was much talk And that was the cause that thambassador sent these letters wherwith he knew he should be comforted And he verely after he had receiued those letters where before he doubted now at the length he began to take more comforte and to hope well and wrote againe to thambassador that so sone as Duke Moris shall come to Insprucke he will go thither immediatly to him or a great way further For by reason of the amity and frendship that was betwene them he thoughte he could perswade him to peaceable waies And these letters were subscribed wyth Duke Moris own hand and to them was also annexed letters of theyr commission to exhibite if nede required for the same was before neglected Not long after tharchbishop of Treuers to refresh him self departeth from Trent homeward the xvi day of February For that they said how themperor had geuen him leaue that so sone as he might recouer his health he should come thither again yet left he the Frier Pelarge ther that he might be present at al actions Tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon brought him goinge a mile or two on his way And he tourned on the lefthande and toke not his iourny by Insprucke wher themperor lay Shortly after many began to mutter how the counsell shoulde be proroged and that Duke Moris making league with the frēch king prepared to warre vpon themperor This rumour was not great at the first but it increased daily and secreatly was one sent from Trent to themperor to vnderstād his pleasure After also came one thither from themperor but all thinges were kept very close The seconde daye of Marche whiche was than Ashewedensday the Bishop of Romes Legate settinge vp papers on the churche walles whiche they call indulgences or pardones graunteth remission of sinnes to al men in generall but specially to Bishops Ambassadoures and deuines whiche either haue or will confesse their sinnes by a time prescribed will go to certaine Churches in Trent on daies appoynted And there saying fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries other praiers will pray to God for the concord of Princes for the consent and vnity of the church and for the lucky successe of the counsell and how this so great a benefit is geuen by the high bishop Iuly the third who is careful for the health of soules that men may as wel enioy the same at Trent as at Rome Wherfore many ran daily to the churches both Bishops others especially Spaniardes obseruing the difference of daies For they attributed to this religion one while les time an other while more In this great taciturnitye as before is saide the ambassadoure of Strasburge inquired of themperors ambassador Pictaue of the state of thinges who said how the brute that went that the counsel shoulde be proroged was vntrue and that themperor would haue them in any wise to proceade and continue their action where also ther hath nothing bene done of late that is for theyr cause whiche haue put the fathers in hope of the comming of the diuines This was in the beginning of Marche whan Duke Moris had aboute th end of February called backe the deuines from Norinberge who after the brute was raised that he should come to themperor whē he had passed a certain way of his iourny retourneth home and beginneth to take munsters as in the nexte boke shal be recited When these things wer knowen and sondry messagers came daily one after another and that the matter was now out of doubt the Archbishops of Mentz and Colon vnto whome came lately great plenty of vitaile out of the nether partes of Germany prepared thē selues to horsbacke with great expedition and the eleuenth day of March they depart in the dawning of the day wheras ouer nighte the bishops of Romes Legate accompanied with the residue of the Bishops of Italy and Spaine came vnto them to bid them farewel The same day came thither new ambassadours from the duke of Wirtemberge Werner Munchinge and Hierome Gerarde a ciuilian They go the next day to themperors ambassadoures and shewing their commission in wryting desyre to haue an answer of theyr Princes demaunds exhibited to the fathers the .xxiiii. of Ianuary And say moreouer how the deuines wil be ther within these few dais to declare more at large the confession of doctrine that was lately put vp the whole assembly Wherat they meruailed greatly I know not for what cause except it wer that one of thē had made all things ready to take his iourny and was purposed to go home which than of necessity must tary ther ful sore against his will It was answered them how they must deuise and haue conference of the matter with the fathers and loke what they shall hear of them they will let them vnderstand In the meane tune duke Moris ambassadors were in great distres and carefulnes For they wer supposed both to haue handled the matter craftely and to haue bene priuy to their princes doings and to haue plaid all together the dissemblers where they againe affirmed that neither they knew any thing that was don at home nor yet receiued any letters from thence and knew not which way to retourne home out of daunger And for so muche as they sawe that the longer they taried the more daunger it were for them the xiii day of March they depart as priuely as they coulde assone as the day apeared and speding them hastly to Brirna axe thaduise of the Cardinall of Trent what is best to be done At the last th one of thambassadors which before he came to Trent had made longe abode at Iuspruck and in his princes name had with the rest made intercession to themperor for the Lātzgraue hauing first receiued except I be disceiued a safe conduit came to Insprucke made his purgation to themperors counsel proueth that he was not made priuy to this war in such sort as they did credit him From thēce he goeth straight home and thother taking his iourny through Carnia returneth into Saxonie When tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon approched nere vnto Inspruck they were honorably receiued of such as themperor sent to mete them Amonges whom was the bishop of Arras After they both talking long much with the Emperor alone spede
that there be no fraude vsed towardes the preuileges and liberties of thempire that he impose no custome or droicte with out the assent of thelectours neither that through his letters he diminish the custome of thelectors that dwell by the Rhine If he haue any action agaynst any man that he shall trye the lawe and vse no force to suche as will aunswere to the lawe but stande to the ordre of lawe The goodes of the Empire whiche shall chaunce to be vacant he shall geue away to no man but a lotte them to the publicke Patrimonye If he shall wynne any foreine countrey throughe the aide of the states of Germany he shal annexe it to thempire if he shal recouer any publike thinge by his owne force and power he shall restore the same to the common welth that he shall ratifie that which was done in the vacation of thempire by the countie Palatine and the Duke of Saronie That he take no counsel to vnite Thempire to his house and posteritie as his propre inheritaunce but that he leaue to the seuen Princes fre Election according vnto the lawe of Charles the fourth prescript of the Canon lawe if he do any thinge otherwise to be frustrate and of none effect That so shortly as may be he repaire into Germany to be inuested What time the Ambassadours had approued these thinges with an othe in his name they deliuered vnto eche of the electors writinges therof sealed That whiche is here spoken of the Cannon lawe is conteined in the Epistle decretall of Innocentius the thyrde which testifieth that the seuen Princes electours haue fre authoritye to create themperor And that thempire goeth not by succession but by election Which Innocētius liued about the yere of our Lord M.ii. C. Nowe let vs retourne to Luther About this same time Erasmus of Roterdam wrote letters from Andwarp to Frederick Duke of Saxonie wherein amonges other thinges he maketh mention of Luther saying that his bokes are ioyfullye receiued and red of good and well learned men and moreouer that his life is of no man reprehended for that it is farre from all suspicion of auarice or ambition But that the deuines of Louain hearinge that he is greatly oppressed with thaucthoritie of the Cardinall Caietan do nowe triumphe And in all theyr sermons and bankettes raile vpon him callynge him Heretike and Antichrist declaringe with mo wordes the same to be much contrary to theyr profession so to slaunder any man before he be comiicte of Heresye He wryteth also in a maner with the same woordes to the Archebishop of Mentz and to Cardinall Campegius tauntyng these sophisticall Diuines and Monkes whiche can not abide the studye of tonges and of eloquens nor of any good learnynge He writeth also to Luther very frendly from Louain and sayth howe he hath receyued receiued his epistle whiche declareth both the excellencie of his witte and also his christian hert shewinge him what a Tragedie his bokes haue styrred vp their and what hatred and suspicion he ronneth into of the Diuines and that he can preuaile nothinge by excusynge the the matter And howe there be many in Englande of great Estimation whiche thinke rightwell of his workes And that he himselfe hath tasted of his Cōmentaries vpō the Psalmes trusteth that they shall profit many for they like him very well but of one thing he would admonishe him that a man shall more preuaile with a certeine ciuile modestie then if he be to vehement And that he muste rather thunder against them which abuse the bishop of Romes authoritie then against the Bishoppes themselues with certeine other good counsels whiche he gaue him exhorting him to procede as he hath begonne Luther hauing thus manye aduersaries there was a disputation appoynted at Lypsia a towne of Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxonie Uncle to duke Friderike Thither came Luther Melanthon which read the Greeke Lecture at Wittenberge Thither came also Iohn Eccius a Diuine bothe stoute and bolde who the fourth day of Iulye began the disputation with Luther touching the supremacie of the bishop of Rome affirming that they which said that the church of Rome was not the fyrst and chiefest of all others euen before the time of Ciluester did erre for he that hathe the Seate and faith of Peter was euer taken for his successour and Christes Uicar in earthe For Luther had setforth one contrary to the same that suche as dyd attribute the supremacie to the Churche of Rome did ground themselues onely vpō the Bishoppes decrees whiche were made foure hundreth yeres syns Which decrees are cōtrary to all Histories written a thousande yeres past contrary to the holy scripture and to the counsell of Nice most famous of all others But Eccius mainteyneth the supremacie of the Bishoppe of Rome and called Luther which dissented from the same a Bohemer because Iohn Husse was in times past of the same opinion Luther aunswereth that the Churche of Christe was spreade abroade farre and nere twentie yeres before Peter came to Rome to establishe the Churche there therfore is it not the fyrst nor the chiefest by the law of God as he saieth then they disputed of Purgatory of Indulgēces of Penaunce of Remission of synne and of the authoritie of Priestes And ended their disputation the fourteneth day of Iuly whiche was not appointed for Luther but for Andrewe Carolostadius Eccius But Luther comming onely for the company of Carolostadius and to here was drawen forth by Eccius which had got him a saufe cōduict of Duke of George so that he muste nedes dispute For Eccius was of a lustie courage by reason of the matter it selfe Wherein he thoughte him selfe assured of the victorye At the whiche disputation Luther set forth afterwardes And of the wordes wrytinges of his aduersaries throughe his wittye obseruation he collected diuerse articles of doctrine altogether as he termeth them hereticall to thintent he mighte playnely declare howe they whilest they speake and write all thinges in the fauor of the Bishop of Rome and of a desyre to maynteine theyr cause straiynge farre a broade do confounde most thinges which beynge nerer looked to conteyne ofte tymes great errours wickednes At the same tyme Ulrichus Zwinglius taught at Zuricke and shortly after the Byshop of Rome sent thither a Pardoner one Sampson a Graye Frere of Millan to gather vp money whom Zwinglius stoutly resisteth declarynge him to be a disceyuour of the people ¶ The seconde Booke of Sleidans Commentaries ⧠The argument of the seconde Booke AT the motion of Charles Miltice Luther wryteth to the Pope and dedicateth vnto him a Boke of the Christian Libertie Themperour hauynge passed throughe Englande came into his lowe countreyes Luther writeth a Boke of Fouretene Images of consolation of confession of Uowes prouyng that the Lordes Supper ought to be permitted to all mē vnder both kyndes There was obiected the Counsell of Laterane vnder Iuly the .ii.
Rome he woulde haue hys owne oppinion to take place against the iudgement of mē Wherfore it is wittely done of him to haue no familiarytie with so pestilent a fellowe nor to alowe hys errour In the whiche thinge all graue and wise men do muche commende his vertue And chieflye he giueth God hertie thankes that he hath giuen him suche a mynde affirming moreouer that he hath suffered and borne with his rashenes a while to see if he woulde amende but now for asmuche as he hathe nothinge preuailed with gentle admonishmentes he is compelled to vse an extreme remedy fearyng lest throughe his contagion he shoulde infecte many Wherfore callyng a counsel of Cardinalles and learned men to debate the matter he hath made a decree by the instinction of that holy spirite whiche neuer faileth the Churche of Rome the copie wherof he hath sent vnto him to the intent he might see what monstrouse errours that minister of Sathan defendeth he wilieth him therfore that vnlesse he do openly and solemnely recant with in the daye prescribed he should commit him toward for so shall he put away all shame from his house and from Germany wynne muche honor and do God highe seruice The decree is ouerlonge but the summe is this Fyrst the Byshoppe Leo callynge vpon Christe Peter and Paule and other sainctes to tourne awaye the daunger hangynge ouer the Church most lamentably complayneth that now there should spring vp a doctrine conteinyng bothe the Heresies already condemned and also newe errours and great wickednes And that in Germany that was wont to do so muche for the Churche of Rome bothe longe sins and of late dayes concernyng Husse and thē of Boheme But because the numbre of Christians throughout the vniuersall worlde are committed vnto his charge by Christ he can no lenger wyncke at so great a matter After reciting Luthers opinions saieth that they be against Christian charitie and the reuerens that all men owe of duetie to the Churche of Rome and agaynste the counsell of the aunciente fathers Wherfore by the consent of his Cardinalles he condemneth both him and his works to be brought forth and burned and by the aucthoritie whiche he saieth he hath he commaundeth all Magestrates namelye in Germany to se the thing executed accordingely Then commeth he to Luther shewyng with howe fatherly a loue he sought to refourme him howe he cited him to Rome and promised him to beare his charges And howe in contempte therof he appealed from him to the coūsell contrary to the decrees of Pius and Iulius And all be it he had hereby deserued the punishement condigne for Heretikes yet did he of his clementie gyue him a longer time if happely as the prodigal child amended through his owne misery he would retourne to the bosome of the churche And to be yet also of this minde yea and moste hertely besecheth him and his adherentes to trouble the church no more promysing them great good will if they wyll cease from theyr errours Notwithstandynge he commaundeth Luther to teache no more prescribynge him .lx. dayes wythin the whiche time he shoulde amende burne his owne bokes and recante his doctrine openlye if he did not he condemneth him as an Heritike to suffer accordynge to that lawes he suspendeth him out of the Church commaunding al men to eschew his talke and his company vnder the lyke penaltie and this decree to be red in all Churches assemblies of people at certen dayes appointed Touching Pius and Iulius thus it standeth This Pius hilde a Counsell at Mantua in the yeare of our Lord M. CCCC.lix chiefely because of the Turkisshe warre And there amonges other he made a decree that no man should appeale from the Byshoppe to the Counsell for that vnder the Coope of heauen he said there coulde nothinge be founde better then Christes Uicar And not longe after he suspended Sigismunde duke of Austriche for takinge the Cardinall of Cusane prisoner The duke appealed from him to the counsell Wherfore the Byshoppe did excommunicate George Heimburge the worker herof commaunding the Senate of Norinburge to banishe him the Citie and to spoile him of his goodes Whiche decree was after renewed by Iuly to maynteyne him selfe agaynst the Cardinalles that swarued from him agaynst kynges and princes and the vniuersitie of Paris whiche vsed ofte suche refuge This Bishop Pius called before Aeneas Siluius was at the Counsell of Basill wrot euery thing praysing the decrees that there were made exceadyngly But when he was auaunced to this highe degree of dignitie he chaūged his opinion and would haue the counsell subiecte to the Byshop When Luther hearde that he was condemned at Rome he goeth to his former appellation wherin he appealed from the Bishoppe to the counsell And nowe forsomuche as the Byshoppe perseuerynge in hys wicked tyrrannye hath proceded so farre to condemne him nether called nor heard nor yet conuicte of Heresye he saieth howe he appealeth from him againe to the counsel chiefly for foure causes for that he hath condemned him at his pleasure not hearyng the controuersie for that he cōmaundeth him to denie faith to be in sacramentes necessary that he preferreth his owne decrees and dotages of men before the Scriptures and for that he leaueth no place to anye Counsell Wherefore he calleth him Tyrran a proude contemner of the Churche and fynallye Antichriste affirmynge that he will shewe and proue al these thinges whensoeuer it shall please his superiours And therfore prayeth themperour and other Magistrates to accepte this his appellation for the defence of Gods glory and the libertie of the counsell that they would bridell his tyrranny and thynke that the decree made concerned nothynge nor that they would styrre nothinge tyll the cause were lawfully decided Before he had thus appealed about the .xvij. day of Nouembre he had written a boke of the Captiuitie of Babilon in the preface wherof he saieth howe he profiteth dayely more and more in the knowledge of holy Scripture And howe a fewe yeares paste he set forth a booke of the Byshoppes pardons and that tyme wrote renerently because he stoode than in great feare of the Romisshe tyrranny and had it in great estimation but now his iudgement is farre otherwise and beynge styrred vp by the prouocation of his aduersaries he hath lerned that the See of Rome is nothynge els but the kyngdome of Babilon and the power of the stronge Hunter Niutroth Afterwardes he disputeth of the Sacramentes of the Churche and holdeth that there be but three onelye Baptisme Penaunce and the Lordes Supper and then treateth also of the other foure confirmation order Matrimonye and Unction But these he calleth no Sacramentes because they haue no sygnes annexed to the promesse other sacramentes which haue no promise to thē ioyned he saith are but vare signes therfore thinketh that Penaunce can not be coūted in the numbre of thē if we wil properly exactly
eschewe the present daunger that hangeth ouer their owne heades Furthermore if there be any that say howe Luther was condemned before his matter was heard or that it were reason the thing shold be debated before he were executed they thinke not well for Christ hath taught vs the rule of faith Religion whose authoritie we must folowe and not reason of the articles of our faith nor inquire the cause of this or that precept He is in dede to be hearde when he is examined whether he spake this thinge or that in hys sermon whether he setforth this boke or that but touching faith and the Sacramentes we may not permit him to reason or defend those thinges whiche he hathe written thereof for in this we muste folowe the vse and custome of the Church and in no wise swarue from the same Againe sith hys doctrine is suche as hath bene heretofore condemned by generall counsels there is none accompt to be made therof Moreouer there should be no ende of cōtention if it might be lawfull for euery priuate man to call in question those thinges which wittie and great learned men haue with muche deliberation established wheresoeuer is any assēblie or felowship of mē there be certein lawes which all they are bounden to obserue howe muche more oughte the same to be done what time anye thynge is openlye establisshed in the churche But seyng these men do not onely contempne the lawes and decrees of counsels and auncient fathers but also burne them they ought suerly to be punished as breakers of the common peace quietnes Neuertheles he confesseth howe that God which is the reuenger of all wronge doeth thus plage his churche for the synnes of the ministers therof as the Scripture saieth The iniquitie of the people procedeth from the priestes and elders for certenlye saieth he they haue synned at Rome these many yeres full greuously by sundry wayes euen from the highe Bishoppe to the lowest Ecclestasticall parson and not one to be excused for the which cause callynge mekely to God for pardon He wyll endeuour to redresse the thing and see that the court of Rome which perchaunce hath bene the occasion of all this mischief be fyrst sharpely refourmed And that as it hathe bene the example of vice so it may be the begynning of amendement and Patron of vertu which he saieth he must do by lytell and litell for that al sodayne mutations be daungerous and as the common prouerbe is He that bloweth his nose ouermuche shall wringe out bloude This writing dyd Luther translate in to the vulgare toungue and set to his notes in the margente and where he sayeth by lytell and lytell Luther affyrmeth that to be the space of many mens liues But in that he so frankely bewrayed the vicious lyuyng of the court at Rome he gote no great loue of the Cardinals as it is reported Neuertheles this they say is euer the bishop of romes policie when he wil deferre the coūsel or delay the hearynge of the matter he will promise largely that whilest men trust vpon his promyse he maye fynde the meanes what by the fauoure of Princes and what by force of Armes to mainteine hys power dignitie which is like to fall in some daunger by fyre and generall counsels Whilest the Byshoppes Ambassador declared thus the Princes complained that the leagues which they had made in times past with Byshoppes of Rome were broken there diuerse wayes Whereof the Byshoppe beyng certifyed by the letters of his Ambassadour answereth them by the same that suche thynges as his predecessours dyd it lieth not in him to helpe but he misliked the handelyng of the matters at Rome when he was but a priuate man and purposed no lesse but to refourme the same thoughe no man had spoken therin and to suffer no man to susteine any wronge muche lesse them whom for the common countrey sake he coueteth chiefly to gratifie And where they desyre that their actions commenced might be retourned in to Germany so soone as the Iudges and aduocates whiche are fled oute of Rome for the Plage shall retourne he will inquire of the case and do therin that which shall seme resonable He commaunded moreouer his Ambassadour to require an aunswere of the Princes what in theyr opinion were the best way to destroy this pestiferous secte that he maye vnderstande in time what shall be his part to do therin These thinges beyng declared to the counsel the Princes and other states make aunswere Fyrste in recityng briefly his demaundes they say they are ryght glad that it hath pleased God to place him in the gouernement of the church which in this perilous time had nede of such a Pastour who beareth suche a zeale to the common wealthe and taketh suche paynes to set kynges at quietnes and emploieth hys treasure to the repressing of the Turkes violence whiche thynges they reioyse to heare of for by these ciuill warres thempire is decaied and the Turkes power increased where no man prepareth any Armye to resist him Here be the Ambassadours of the kyng and Princes of Hungary which not without great lamentation haue recited what cruell thinges they haue suffered and what daunger they stande in dayely Wherfore they desyre him which is the father Pastour of all others that he will perseuer in this most holy purpose and trauaile that eyther a suer peace or els a long treuce may be taken that in the meane time they may make preparation to withstande the Turkes violence and recouer the countreis of the Empire which are loste Whereunto they promise their aide bothe of men and money As concernyng Luther if any displeasure be growen in Germany by the meanes of his doctrine they are right hartely sory therefore as it becommeth them no lesse and desyre also to remedy the euyll knowyng it to be theyr duetie to obey both him and themperour nother wil they degenerat from their progenitours herein where he complaineth that he is not already punished according to the Emperours decree it is vpon no lyght consyderation omitted for all degrees do complayne most heinously of the courte of Rome And in maner al men are so wel instructed by the preachinges and bokes of Luther that in case the decree should be put in execution it would doubtles styre vp great sedition and many would so coustre it to be done for this intent that the trueth should be oppressed and the lyght of the Ghospell extinguisshed for the mayntenaunce of suche open crymes as were not to be borne withall which perswasion most certeinly would styrre vp a rebellion of the people against the Magistrates for it tan not be denied and he himselfe graunteth also that they lyue dissolutely vitiously at Rome to the great decay of Religion Wherefore in that he dyssembleth nothing nor clooketh the disorder of the court at Rome but promyseth a reformation it deseruith muche praise especially if he performe
wel as they do for the laste yere what tyme another Ambassador was here they wrote vnto him theyr mindes howe the daunger of this alteration should be foreseen and remedied And also what they required of him to be done for his parte Wherof if he haue brought any aunswer they desyre him to vtter it to the intent they may the better procede in the cause And as touching Turkishe matters they confesse to be as he hath sayd notwithstandyng that great warre doth not only concerne The Empire but all together kynges and princes of Christendome in like maner For vnlesse that they be at peace amonges them selfes and giue their aide ther can nothing be done to continew But for asmuch as the Turke nowe maketh great preparation vnto warres both by sea and Lande they would also knowe his opinion herin The Legate said againe that whether there were any such way by them deuised to appease the strife aboute Religion or whether it were deliuered to the Bishoppe and Cardinalles or no he can not certeinly tell but the Bishoppes good wyll is muche who hathe gyuen him full aucthoritie in all suche matters but they whiche knowe the men the maner and custome of the countrey must fynd out that way that may lead them to the ende wished for In the counsell at Wormes the Emperor by theyr common assent made a decree to haue bene executed thorowout all Germany which some obeied and some not Wherefore this great diuersitie should be in the Empire he knoweth not But he thinketh good before any thynge be determined to consulte howe it maye be executed he is not comen thither to styrre vp fyre and dissention as some reporte but all his desyre and the Bishoppes in like case is to make peace and concorde to th entent that suche as haue erred and straied may be reduced into the waie that the decrees of the counsels Themperors and Princes proclamations might be obserued concernynge their requestes whether they were made to be sent to Rome he knoweth not But three copies were brought thither to priuate men whetof he had one but the Byshoppe and the Colledge of Cardinalles coulde not be perswaded that they should be made by the Princes but thought rather that some priuate men had deuised for hatred and malice that they bare to the citie of Rome Wherin be diuerse thinges that deny the Byshoppes authoritie smell of Heresye and be suche as he can not meddle withall But for others that are not against the Bishop such as are grounded vpon equitie and reason he will not refuse to treate of Howe be it it semeth vnto him that the demaundes should haue bene propounded with more modestie if they had ought to say to the highe Bishop For so dyd lately the Spaniardes which sendyng an Ambassade to Rome declared gētely what theyr request was But wheras they be printed and publisshed abrode he thinketh that ouer muche And yet there is no doubte but that the Bishoppe of Rome wyll do for Germany what he can Moreouer what power the Turke hath and what preparatiō he maketh the bishop hath good intelligence And hath alredy great treasure in a readines and will haue more And for so muche as the concorde of Christen Princes is very requisite he hath done what he can that the Emperor the Frenche kynge and the king of England hauyng peace together might set vpon the Turke on all handes and he will employ therupon all his treasure This doeth the Bishoppe as a good sheperde foresee and care for peace and quietnes But in case the shepe wyll not folowe the voyce of the Sheperde he can do no more but take it paciently and commit the whole matter vnto God Amonges the Suyces encreased dayly cōtention for Religion And the rest of townes sendynge theyr Ambassadors to them of Zurycke shewed theyr grief How that in tymes past all thinges were at a godly quiet and no contention of Doctrine at all But nowe through the meanes of Luther that fyrst began and Zuinglins and Leo Iude that preached amonges them interpretinge Godes worde after theyr owne iuste and appetite that godly peace and quietues of the churche and the common weale is nowe tourned into trouble and dissention And besydes that these incommodities do ensew vpon fastyng dayes they eate bothe Egges and Flesshe Religious folkes aswell men as women forsaking theyr profession and orders do marrie Gods seruice is laide downe they singe no more in the Churche they neglect confession and penaunce the Masse is railed on our Lady and the sainctes dishonoured theyr Images pulled downe and broken the sacramentes had in contepte in so muche that nowe a daies the sacred holy host that representeth Christes body can skarsely be safe in the Priestes haides These are thinges to be lamēted and to be auenged also with the losse of life and goods Wherfore they desyre them to leaue their newe doctrine and perseuer in the olde religion of their fathers for they can beare this gere no longer But in case there be any thinge wherin they fynde them selues offended with the Bishop of Rome Cardinals Byshoppes and suche others whan they entre into benefices choppe and chaunge them and gather vp all the money in the countrey vsurping and taking ouer muche vpon them if these and suche other like things do molest and greue them they will not refuse to helpe to reforme the same for they do mislyke them very muche them selues The Senate of Zuricke aunswered the .xxi. daye of Marche that their ministers of their church had preached there fyue yeares Whose doctrine at the begynnynge semed vnto them newe because they had not heard the like before but after that they vnderstode how the ende therof was to shewe Iesus Christ the aucthor of saluation who dyed for the sinnes of the world who a loue deliuered vs wretches frō death euerlasting being the onely aduocate of mankinde to God the father they could not but wyth feruent desyre embrace so ioyful newes there was great agrement and concorde in times past betwixt the Apostles and those which after theyr time embraced Christes doctrine the same they trust shall be nowe also amonges such as giue their minds hereunto And if Luther or any other do so teache it is well done neyther ought Gods word to be called his doctrine And although they do honor Christ only yet do they no iniurie therfore to the virgin Marye or other saints For al they being here in earth loked for eternall saluatiō by the onely name of Christ and nowe is there such a light giuen that in maner all men within their citie do reade the Bible diligently so that the ministers can not wrast a wrye that is so continuallye in all mens handes wherefore there can be no secte obiected vnto them but that name accordeth to them which to mainteine their lucre and dignitie wraste Gods worde whither they list They are said to be in an error
but no man can shewe it they haue often times required herin the Bishoppe of Constaunce of Basill and of Courtes certeine Uniuersities and them also but vnto this day ther is nothing done Therfore their Ministers gyue none occasion of diffention in the commō wealth but the Bishoppes and suche as for their owne profit teache that which is contrary to Godes worde For they deceiue the people offende God greuously which feare to lose any of theyr commodities and wer loth to forsake theyr pride and auarice As touchyng the eatyng of Egges and Fleshe Albeit it be free and not forbidden by Christ yet haue they made a lawe to auoide offence and rashenes God is the Aucthour of Matrimony and hath ordeined it for almen S. Paule also commaūdeth that the minister of the church should be the husband of one wife And sins that Bishoppes do permit priestes for money to kepe Concubines and Harlots by a filthy example And they neither can nor wyll be without women they thinke it not good to resist God who ordeyned holy wedlocke sufferyng them that haue not the gifte of Chastitie to marrie rather than in singlenes to lyue a fylthy lyfe Colledges and such other places were fyrst founded for the pore but now for the most part they possesse them which haue enough besides And often times it is sene that one hath as much as wold find many Wherfore they think it reasonable that suche goods were againe conuerted to the vse of the poore wherin notwithstandyng to vse this moderation that suche as be in possession already be permitted to enioye the rente during theyr liues leste any man shoulde haue cause to complaine That the Iewels of the Churche apperteine not to the trewe worshipping of God But this to be more acceptable vnto God what time the pore and nedye are releued The order of Priesthode is not of them dispised but muche set by in case they do their dewtie and teach syncerely But as for the rest of the rabble that doeth no good but harme If it be by litell and litel diminished without offence and theyr possessions put to some godly vse there is no doubte but the same woulde be vnto God most acceptable For whether that God do accept their singing and seruice in Latin it is muche to be doubted of For many of them vnderstande not what they say and yet are they hired to do the same The order of Monkes is the inuention of man and not the ordinaunce of God Howe muche Auricular confession is of valewe that numbreth the sinnes they wil leaue vndiscussed but that wherby trewe penitentes haue accesse vnto Christe theyr mediator they iudge not onely profitable but also necessary for consciences troubled and pressed down with the burthen of sinne And this to be trewly to repent when a mā doeth amende his life The Sacraments which were instituted of God are not of them contemned but had in great reuerence notwithstandyng they must be vsed accordyng vnto Gods worde and the Lordes supper not to so applied as if it were an oblation or a sacrifice And if the Clergie that thus complaineth can fynde out any error amonges thē or prone that they be hindred or empeched by thē they will make them amendes if not it were reason that they should be commaunded to do theyr dewtie that is to teache the treuth and to abstaine from sklaūdering of others Where as they desyre to be deliuered from the pillage and vsurped aucthoritie of the Bishoppe of Rome and his clientes they are exceadyng glad to heare it whiche thinge can be done by no meanes better than if Godes worde may be throughly receiued for so longe as theyr lawes and decrees shall take place let vs looke for no deliueraūce For it is onely the preaching of Gods word that shaketh theyr power and dignitie For the force of the Gospell and veritie is suche that they distrusting theyr owne strength seeke forthe aide of kynges Wherefore if they should in this case vse the helpe of Scripture it is requisite that the same be done lyke wise in all other thinges that all that God is offended with may be abolished for the reformation whereof they wyll be glad to bestowe not onely theyr trauaile counsel but their goods also for this would haue bene done longe syns Wherefore they desyre them to accept this in good part and to weighe it diligently They conet nothing more than peace and quiotnesse and will do nothing contrary to theyr league But in this case which concerneth theyr euerlastyng saluation they can not otherwise do vnlesse theyr errour can be detected they desyre them therfore that if they thinke theyr doctrine to be against the Scriptures it maye be shewed them before the ende of Maye For so longe will they tary for an answere from them and frō the Byshoppes and also from the Universitie of Basill In the meane while the Bishoppe of Constaunce calling a conuotion made a boke to answere them of Zuricke the ende wherof was to declare that where the Scripture speaketh againste Images it is to be vnderstand onely of the Idoles that were amonges the Iewes and Gentiles And that the Images receyued of the churche are to be kept styll Then treateth he of the Masse the which he proueth by many testimonies of Bishoppes of Rome and theyr coūsels to be an oblation and a sacrifice This boke sendeth he to Zuricke the fyrst daye of Iune exhortynge the Senate with many weightie wordes that they neither take downe theyr Images nor abrogate the Masse nor suffer the people to be taught otherwise The Senate make the answere the eighteneth day of Auguste howe that they are glad that he hathe setforth this booke for now it shall appere whether partie defendeth the iuster quarell After they declared the mindes of theyr learned menne teaching the contrary by the Scriptures But before they wrote an aunswer the Senate had commaunded throughout theyr incisdiction all Images to betaken downe brent Yet without any trouble this was in the moneth of Iune and within a fewe monethes after the Canons of Zuricke make a compact with the Senate and order was taken how the landes and goods of their Colledge should be imploied The Emperor sent to the Counsel at Norinberge Iohn Hawnart and complainyng that the decree made at Worines by their common assent and counsell was broken to the great losse of Germany he commaunded that from hence forth it should be diligentlye obserued The Princes answer that they wyll do herein what they can Finally the .xviij. of Aprill it was there decreed that by the assent of the Emperour the Bishop of Rome so shortly as might be shoulde all a free counsel in Germanye in some place conueniente That the estates of the Empire do assemble at Spires the xi of Nouember there to consult what they shall folowe vntill the begynninge of the counsell That the Princes shall assigne
of the Gospel who being apprehended by the cōmaundemēt of the byshop of Passauie defendeth these opinions that faythe onlye doth iustifie that there be only two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Lordes supper the Masse to be no sacrifice not to profite the quicke nor the dead The confession of Syns to depende of counsell and not of commaundement that Christe only hath made satisfaction for synnes That the vowe of chastitie byndeth not That the scripture maketh no mention of Purgatory That there is no difference of dayes That the dead be not intercessours for vs That in diuine thinges mā hath not free wyll When he was examined he woulde haue declared these thynges to the people more at large but he coulde not be suffered Emonges other there was Eckius who reasoned altogether in Latin that the people should not vnderstand but the other answered him in the vulgare tongue neither yet coulde he cause him to doe the lyke In fyne being condempned by the byshops owne mouthe for an heretyke he was burnt the .xvj. of August by the commaundement of William Duke of Bauar vnto whose iurisdiction he was cōmitted after his condempnation for the byshop lest he shoulde in deede defile the sacred thynges and become prophane and irregular gyueth not sentence of lyfe and death What tyme Ferdinando who was the Emperours depute in Germany was after the death of kyng Lewis created kyng of Boheme and contended with Uaynode of transiluania for the kyngdome of Hongary Philip of Baden substituted in his place appointed a counsell of the Empyre in Cesars name cōmaunding them to be at Regēsburg at the beginning of Marche in the yeare followyng to consulte of Religion and the Turkyshe warre The senate and people of Bernes whiche are of moste fame and power emōges the Swycers cōsydering howe the dissention about religion encreased daily and that the Ministers of the churche not at all one doctrine doe assigne an other disputation within their Citie at the .xvij. of Decembre And settyng it forth in wryting called vnto the same all the byshops nere about them as the byshoppes of Constance Basyll Sedune and Losanna Warnyng them to come them selues and brynge their diuines with them or els to lose all their possessions that they haue with in the precincte of their lymites After this they nombre the clergie with in their iurisdiction appoyntyng that the Scripture onely of the olde and newe Testament shoulde be of force and authoritie To all that wyll come thether they graunt saufe conduicte And make this lawe that all thynge be done quietlye wythout chydynge and brawlynge that euery man shoulde speake his mynde frelye and pronounce it in suche sorte as euerye mans sayinges myght be written And what so euer shold there be agreed vpō that the same shold be ratified obserued through out al their domions And to thintent men myght know what thynges shoulde be decided and comme thether all prepared they propounded ten conclusiōs which the ministers of their church Fraunces Colbe and Bertholde Haller dyd professe and sayde they would proue by the Scriptures Whiche are these that the trewe churche wherof Christe is the only head procedeth of Gods word perseuereth in the same and heareth none other mans voyce that this self same church maketh no lawes without Gods worde therfore are we not otherwyse bounden to mens traditions bearyng the name of the churche but in as muche as they be consonant to Gods worde that Christe only hath made satisfactiō for the synnes of the whole worlde Therfore if any man say that there is any other waye of saluation or meane to put away synne the same dothe denye Christe howe it can not be proued by the testimonie of Scripture that the body and bloud of Christ is really and corporally receiued that the vse of Masse wherin Christ is presented and offered to his heauenly father for the quicke and the dead is against the Scripture and a contumelie to the sacrifice which Christ offered vp for vs that only Christ is to be called vpō as the mediatour and aduocate of mankynde to God the father that there should be any place after this lyfe wherin soules should be pourged is not to be founde in the Scriptures wherfore all those prayers and ceremonies yearely Diriges and Obites whiche are bestowed vpon the dead also Lampes Tapers and suche other thynges profite nothyng at all That any image or lykenes should be set vp to be worshypped is against the holy Scriptures therfore if they be errected in churches for that intent they ought to be taken downe That matrimony is to no kynde of men prohybited but for to auoyde fornication is commaunded and permitted vnto all men by holy wrytte Where as euery whoremonger is euen by the testimony of Scripture sequestred from the communiō of the churche That the syngle life vnchast and fylthy is moste vnsemely for the order of priesthode What tyme the men of Bernes had wrytten their letters concernynge these matters vnto all the Heluetians exhortyng them both to sende their learned men and to suffer all others to passe saufelye through their countreis the Lucernates Uranites Unterualdians Engianes Glareōs Soloturnians and they of Friburg exhorte them with long letters to leaue their enterpryse sayinge that it is not lawfull for any nation or prouince to alter the state of religion but the same to belonge to a generall counsell wherfore they desyre them that they wold attempte no suche wycked acte but contine we in the religion whiche their parentes and elders haue obserued Fynally they saye that neyther they wyll sende nor suffer any of their men to come nor graunt saufecōduit to any others to passe through their countrey All this not with standyng the men of Bernesse procede in this matter and at the daye prescribed whiche was the .vij. of Ianuary begynne their disputation There came none of the byshops before named They of Basyll Zuricke Abbecell also the Shafusiās Sangallians Mullusiās their neighbours of Rhetia sent theirs moreouer thei of Strausborough Ulmes Auspurg Lindaue Constance and Isne dyd lykewyse The doctours of the same citie before named began the disputation their conclusions defended Zwynglius Oecolampadius Bucer Capito Blanrer and diuers others And there impugned them emonges others Conrade treger an Austen freer of great fame who at the laste what tyme he sought for helpe besydes the Scriptures and the maisters of the disputation would not permitte hym so to doe for that it was forbydden by the lawe he departed out of the place The disputation ended the .xxvj. of Ianuary and the forsayde conclusions approued by the common assente of the moste parte were ratified and obserued not only at Bernes but also proclaimed by the magistrates in sondry places there aboutes Masses Aultars Images abolyshed in all places They of Constance had chaunged certen thynges before And when they had made a lawe against whoredome adultrye and dishonest or
haue bene denyed them seing that he is content to heare others that be their inferiours muche in matters of lesse importaunce But when he would alter nothyng of his purpose they requyre him to leaue them their boke tyll suche tyme as it hath bene read opēly which graunted they came the next daye and in the audience of all the Prynces and states the Emperour hym selfe being present recite it ouer Afterwardes they delyuer it vnto hym wrytten bothe in Latin and Dutche and if they shall doubte in any thyng they offer a further declaration and in case the matter can not be determined at this present they do not refuse to abyde the counseell so often tymes promysed and looked for The Emperour whiche had layne all the wynter from Nouembretyl March at Bononie in the same place with the bishop of Rome endeuoured as muche as he myght to appease this controuersie in Religion without a counsel For by this meanes he knewe he should please Clement best whose intent was that in case the matter could not be quieted by gētle meanes it shuld be oppressed by force of armes Therfore the .xxvj. of June he calleth before him in his owne hous the Ambassadours of al cities declareth vnto them by Frederick the Palsgraue howe in the assemblye at Spires a decree was made wherunto the moste parte did consent where he was right glad but that certen others contemned the same for the which he was as sory Wherfore he requyred thē not to swarue away from the rest orels to shewe the reason why they should not obey Hereunto aunswered the Ambassadours of the cities of Protestauntes that they had done nothing contrary to their dutie For they haue no lesse desyre than their elders haue had to perfourme their fayth and obedience but where as he woulde knowe the cause why they dyd not admytte the decre they desyre some tyme to make aunswer and after the seuenth of Iuly they put vp their aunswere in wrytyng in effecte lyke vnto that whiche they sent the yeare before by their Ambassadours into Italy Two dayes after that the Emperour causeth one to demaunde of the Duke of Saxō and his felowes whether they wyll exhibite any thynge more They saye nothing els but a brief somme of the same confession whiche they haue delyuered already After he commaundeth the Ambassadours of the Cities that where they saye how they can not for conscience sake kepe the decree of Spyres they should drawe articles briefly of the thynges where with they founde them selues greued And he delyuereth the confessiō of Saxonie to the resydue of the Prynces to be skanned And they agayne to their diuines amonges whome Faber Eckius were pryucipall Who wrote a confutation against it whiche after the Prynces had heard red many iudged it to be much extreme and thought mete that certen should be chosen to reade ouer both their wrytynges and to qualyfie them but their opinion preuayled whiche sayde it shoulde thus be exhibyted to the Emperour and the whole matter be referred vnto hym In the meane tyme they of Strausborough Constance Memming and Lindaue present the Emperour with a confession of their doctryne For touchyng the Lordes supper they beleued otherwyse than did the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes The Emperour debatyng the matter with the byshoppes Legate framed an aunswer to the doctrine of Saxon and sheweth it vnto the Prynces the fyrste daye of August The wyndyng vp of it was vehement and harde cōmaunding them to obserue it vnder paine of outlawing But through the coūsel the of Prynces this thing was mitigated Wherfore the third daye of Auguste he sendeth for al states and declareth to them by Frederick Palsgraue how he hath long and much consulted vpon the cōfession of the Saxons doctryne how he hath also commaundeth certen honest and well learned men to examyne it and to iudge what is Godly therin and what is against the consent of the churche whiche they haue done accordingly and haue declared their myndes in an other wrytynge whiche also he alloweth After this was the confutation of the confession rehearsed in this ordre They had deuided the Saxons bookes in two partes The first part conteined .xxj. chapters of doctrine of these some they receiued and some they reiected certen thinges were partely admitted and partly refused alledginge manye testimonies out of the fathers and counsell They forsoke these good workes deserue nothing Iustification to be ascribed to faith only and not vnto workes also that the churche is the congregatiō of the godly that we can not make satisfaction for sinnes that sainctes be not intercessours for vs other thinges they admitte after a sorte as ceremonies moreouer that the true body and bloud of Christe was in the sacrament so as Christ should be vnder both the kyndes and the wyne and the bread cleane chaunged they allowed their articles of confession so that the people were bound to confesse them euery yere at Easter tellyng all their synnes diligently and receiue the Lordes supper and beleue that there be seuen sacramentes of the church prouided alwayes that no man were appointed to instructe the people but by the byshoppes leaue and consent Moreouer that all lawes and decrees of the churche should be obserued and in suche places as they be abolyshed be restored The seconde parte comprehendeth fyue thynges chiefly the communion of the Lordes supper vnder bothe kyndes as they terme it is reiected and the Emperour desyred that herein they would followe the consent and custome of all Christendome For the marriage of Priestes he sayeth it is to hym maruell they wyll requyre it syns it was neuer vsed from the Apostles tyme vnto this day wherfore it may in no wyse be graunted Their Masse is admitted so that it be consonant to the vse of the Romane churche But in case it be altered it is reiected and also affirmed that the Masse is a sacryfice for the quicke and the dead neyther that the priuate Masse oughte to be abolyshed For Daniell had prophecied long before that when Antichriste shoulde come the dayly offeryng shoulde cease whiche thyng is not yet come to passe saue only in such places where the Masse is layd downe and the Aulters destroyed the Images brent in the whyche churches nothyng is songe nor read nor no lyghtes burne any longer there in deede is the saying of the Prophet represented and verified Wherfore all men must take dilygent hede that they geue none occasion of the comyng of Antichriste the monasticall vowes to be grounded aswell vpon the authoritie of the newe Testament as of the olde wherfore they deserue punyshement whiche contrary to their profession haue forsaken their ordre That the bishop haue authoritie not only to teache but also to gouerne the common wealth therfore ought not to be abridged of their ryght and priuilege whiche they haue obteyned through the liberalitie of their elders Not to abstayne
haue no suche councell as hathe bene promysed what sorowe and grief that thynge wyll be to mens hartes it is easy to coniecture Agayne if the byshop shall refuse the dewe examination triall of the matter it is to be feared lest the cōmon welth and state of the churche shall be tourmoyled with sorer tempestes thā it hath bene hitherto But where as the states of the Empyre haue in all theyr assemblies cōdescended vpon an vpright counsel they distrust not but they will perseuer also in the same vtterly refusing the snares and bondes wherwith the bishop intendeth craftly to catche thē trusting that other kynges Princes wyl do the like For the bonde that he goeth about is full of craft deceitfulnes neyther can there be true iudgement vnlesse the myndes of all men be franke free so that if he procede thus hold the counsel after his owne pleasure they wyll cōmitte the whole matter vnto God whiche doubtles will defende his owne cause doctrine Howe be it in case the matter should so come to passe that the byshop should be permitted so to do they wold take further aduisement what were thā nedeful to be done And if perchaunce they shal be sūmoneth se that they shal be able to do any thing for the glory of Gods holy name they wil come thither by saufe cōduict whā they are made wel assured or send their Ambassadours to propounde what soeuer the necessitie of the cause shall requyre neuerthelesse vnder that condition that they wyll in no wyse admytte those requestes of the byshop nor acconsente to any counsell that is contrarye to the decrees of the Empire For they can not see howe this interprise of the byshop can make for the contynuall peace of the churche and the common wealth Neyther is it also semelye for hym so to doe in case he would execute the office of a true Pastour whiche is to haue a care for all men and to feede them with the true doctrine of Christ Whiche thynges standing thus they desyre them to cary this theyr aunswere to the Emperour and the bishops and that the Emperour whom thei do reuerently acknowledge to be their chief souereigne appointed of God do not take the same in euyll parte but that he woulde fynde the meanes that the counsell myght be had according to the decrees of the Empyre and that the whole controuesie may be decided by vertuous men and nothyng suspected For certenly this appertayneth to his cōmendation and vertue to employe al his power and aucthoritie to the aduauncement of true doctrine and not to the establyshynge of theyr crueltie whiche nowe these many yeares haue persecuted innocent persones only for the profession of the Gospell and holsome doctryne For the residue they committe all that euer they haue vnto the Emperour neyther is there any other thyng whiche they wyll not be glad to doe for his sake At the same tyme with kyng Ferdinando was the byshoppes Ambassadour Peter Paule Uerger whome I spoke of in the former booke And because the byshop of Rhezo was an aged man and sickly Clement commaunded Uerger that in case any impedimēt happened vnto him he should supplie his rowme but he geueth hym an especiall charge that he beare alwayes in memory what his mynd and wyll is touchyng the counsell Let hym loke therfore that in no wyse he doe passe the boundes of his commission no not one fynger breadth nor that he dryue not hym to suche an exigent that he must of necessitie kepe a counsel though king Ferdinādo would neuer so fayne haue it so and vrged hym streightly therunto ✚ The nynth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the nynth Booke GEorge Duke of Saxon marketh suche as fauoured the Gospel and accuseth Luther to the Electour of Saxony his cosyn Pope Element meting the Frenche kyng at Marseilles geueth his Niece in marriage to Henry Duke of Orleaunce The Dake of Wirtenberge dryuen out of his countrey Henry the eight kyng of Englande putteth away Quene Katherine his wyfe and forsaketh the Pope The Pageaunt of the spirite of the graye freers of Orleaunce is recited The Lantgraue recouereth the Duke dome of Wittemberge The agrement betwene kyng Ferdinando and the Duke of Saxon and the articles of peace betwixt Ferdinando and 〈…〉 ich Duke of Wirtemberge are rehersed Clement dieth Paule of the house of Fernese succedeth persecutiō at Paris by reason of certen placardes the kyng pourgeth him selfe to the Germaynes therfore The Emperour taketh the citie of Tunnes Moore and the byshop of Rochester are beheaded Pope Paule by his legate Uergerius sommoneth the counsell of Mantua wherfore the Protestauntes metyng at Smalcalde sende their aduyse in wrytinge The Lorde Langey being sent thether by the kyng of Fraunce solliciteth them to a league and debated diuers matters wher vnto the Protestauntes made aunswere The kyng of Englande also sent thether to declare what woulde be the ende to attende for suche a counsell The league of Smalcalde is renewed into whiche are newly admitted sondry Prynces and Cities WHan they had made this aunswer they appoynted diuines and lawyers to delyberate vpon the action for the counsell to come and determined to set forth the byshops aunswere in prynte and communicate the same to forein kynges and nations Also to sende Ambassadours to the Iudges of the chamber who contrary to the Emperours proclamatiō graunted out proces against certen in causes of Religion whose iudgement vnles they surceased they would refuse Moreouer to sende an Ambassade to the Archebyshop of Mentz and to the Palsgraue which were intercessours And last of all to reporte vnto the Emperour the whole matter in wryting I haue tolde you oftener than ones howe Duke George of Saxony bare malice to Luther priuely and hated his doctrine openly And where as he vnderstode that diuers of his subiectes did holde opinion that they ought to receyue the Lordes supper after the commaundemēt of Christe he charged the Ministers of his churches to geue vnto all suche as after the olde custome at Easter confessed their synnes and receiue the Sacrament after the byshop of Romes lawe certen tokens whiche they should afterwardes deliuer vnto the Senate to the intent it myght be knowē who were of the Romyshe and who were of Luthers opinion So were there founde in Lipsia whiche is the head Towne of that countrey to the numbre of lxx without tokens They had consulted with Luther before what was nedefull to be done Who wrote vnto them that suche as beleued certenly howe they ought to receiue the whole supper should doe nothing against their owne conscience but rather suffer death Wherfore being thus encouraged they sticke vnto it and whan the Prince called them before hym geuing them two monethes respite to deliberate and they woulde
offices of Cardinals and Bishoppes be distinct and diuerse and agree not in one person for the Cardinalles were ordeined for thys cause onely that they should remayne about you most holy father and neuer departe from your syde and should gouerne the vniuersall Churche together with you But vnto Bishoppes it belongeth to fede theyr flocke committed to them of God which in dede can not be done vnlesse they be present with them as we see the Shepardes be with their Shepe Moreouer the thynge it selfe doeth harme by that example For with what face or audacitie shall we redresse the faultes of others which are most apparent and best sene in our fellowshyppe For they may not thinke that because they are placed in dignitie they may therfore take more libertie no but let them vnderstande that they oughte rather to vse more temperauncie for because they ought to shine before others in life and maners neyther must we folow the Phariseis whiche made lawes and themselues kept them not but Christ who florished in word and worke This libertie also is a great let to good Counsels whan the minde is before possessed with lust and Auarice Besydes this diuerse cardinals frequent the courtes of kynges to obteyne of them Bishoprikes and for this cause are so addicte vnto them that they dare vtter nothynge frankely And woulde God this waye were inhibited And the Cardinals otherwise prouided for that they might honestly fynde them selues and theyr families and that Equalitie were obserued herin that the yerely reuenewes of all were egall Which thinge semeth vnto vs not harde to be broughte to passe if we could forsaking all couetousnes folowe the fotesteppes of Christ Whan these faultes are redressed and mete ministers in the Churche appointed it is chiefly to be loked to that the Bishoppes do inhabite amonges theyr owne people for they be the husbandes of the Church But what more heuie or sorowefull sighte can be shewed than euerye where to se congregations forsaken and flockes destitute of Pastors deteyned in the handes of Hirelinges Therfore oughte they to be extremely punisshed whiche leade their flockes to deserte and to be excommunicated or outlawed onely but also to lose theyr liuinges for euer vnlesse they craue pardon of you within a short tyme. For by auncient lawes it was decreed that a Bishoppe might not be aboue three wekes absent from his congregation We se also that very many Cardinals are absent from Rome and do nothynge that properlye belongeth to their office We graunt it to be expedient that certeine of them be resident in theyr owne prouinces For by them as by certein brauÌ„ches and rotes of trees stretched out farre and wide in the Christiane worlde men are kept in theyr dewtie and dewe obeidience of this our common wealth but yet were it requisite that the most parte of them were by you called againe to Rome For so shoulde they bothe execute theyr office and also theyr presence shoulde be there bothe honourable and profitable to the courte of Rome Moreouer in punyshynge of crimes and vices there wanteth a greate seueritie of discipline For suche as haue offended and deserued punishment fynde a meane wherby to conuey themselues out of the iurisdiction of their Bishoppe or iudge ordinary or in case they cannot do this than go they to the master of the Pentionaries and fyne with him for a pece of money And that do they chiefly that are of the clergie which thing doeth offende many Wherfore we beseche you in the bloud of Christ wherewith he redemed washed and sanctified his churche that this licentious libertie may vtterly be abolished For seyng that no common wealth maye longe endure wherein synne is vnpunished howe muche more ought the same to be looked to in the Churche Emonges the Monckes also are many abhominable Actes committed wherefore we thinke good that their Colledges and Couentes be dissolued not sodeÌ„ly or through violence but so that no maÌ„ from henceforth be admitted into that order For so shall they by litle and litle decay And afterwardes may honester men be placed in theyr houses Neuerthelesse we thinke mete that all yong Nouices which haue not yet professed religion by a vow solempnely made be presently remoued from thence There muste also be diligent hede taken that they be mete persons which are set to here confession And herin ought the Bishoppe to haue a vigilante eye but chiefly that there be nothinge done for money For the same free gyfte which we spake of before concerneth not you onelye but all others in like maner Moreouer in the houses of Nunnes and sacred Uirgins namely â–ª where they be gouerned of Monkes are many and that open crimes committed after a most filthy and detestable example therfore must the ouersight of suche be takeÌ„ from the Monkes coÌ„mitted vnto others of whom no perill or suspicion can be had Now wheras in many places and chiefly in Italie certen wicked opinions are disputed not onely in vniuersities but also in churches it deserueth muche dispraise Therfore the Bishoppes muste be charged that in suche places wheras vniuersities or Scholes be they admonish the teachers that they propounde no suche thynge herafter but instructe and bringe vp youth in vertue and feare of God nor that they haue any open disputations of matter of diuinitie but within theyr priuate houses Likewise muste Princes and Magistrates be admonished to giue commaundement to the Printers that they set not forthe all sortes of bokes but suche onely as be permitted There is commonly read in al scooles a boke of Colloquies compiled by Erasmus of RoterdaÌ„ wherin be many thynges whiche may beate in to younge and tender myndes vngodlynes and infecte the frayle and bryckel age Therfore this and suche other lyke bookes must be bannyshed the Scooles Further more where it is permitted to Monkes that haue professed Religion by a vowe to put of theyr owne wede and putte on other apparell we thinke it not well done for the garment is as a badge of the monasticall vowe Therfore if they ones forsake theyr cootes let them be depriued of theyr lyuinges and all ecclesiasticall function Also suche as cary about the relyques of saincte Anthony and other lyke are in our iudgementes worthy to be vtterly abolyshed for through innumerable superstitions they brynge the ignoraunt people in to erroure and playnly abuse them Oftentymes also they aâ—e permytted to marrye whiche haue taken holy orders but this ought to be graunted to no man but for vrgent causes as whan the whole stocke and defence of a Realme is brought to one man And because the Lutherians permitte all men to marry without respecte therfore must we more stifly resyste the same Nother may they be suffered to mary together which are at the seconde degree of bloud or affinitie vnlesse it be vpon moste weyghtie considerations but suche as are further of maye haue more lybertie graunted them and that to be done without
confirmyng of the lordes supper of penaunce absolution matrimony vnction of the bond of charitie of the dignitie of the churche and of the authoritie to establishe the weale publicke of images masse and ministration of the sacramentes of the discipline of the churche bothe for the ministers and the people In the moneth of May the Protestantes wryting their letters frō Regenspurg to the Frenche kynge entreate for such as at the same tyme in Fraunce for the profession of the gospell wer partly in prison partly in exile partly hyd in corners and led a miserable lyfe And because many were receyued into fauour incase they woulde abiure they require that he woulde release them from that condicyon declarynge howe heynous a matrer it is to wounde the conscience The cause of thys persecution was by a sentence geuen agaynst the Merindolans in the prouince by the president Bartholomew Chassanie a lawyer which beyng terrible and cruell beyonde measure put the poore men in a wonderful feare not withstanding the full execution therof was differred tyll an other tyme and the persecution of thys yere was but a balle playe in comparison of that whiche followed foure yeares after as shal be recited in hys place Whylest these thynges were done at Regenspurge the Duke of Cleaue hauing themperour hys heuye Lorde for the possession of Gelderlande goeth priuely into Fraunce appoynting such as he would haue with hym a day and a place wher they going an other way should mete hym what tyme therfore he arryued at Paris aboute th ende of Aprill being receiued of the kynges officers and conducted throughe Orleans the sixte daye of Maye he came to the kyng at Ambose a towne in Turin by the Riuer of Loire who imbracing him none otherwise than the father would his owne sonne sent word immediatly to the kyng of Nauarre and hys syster that they shoulde repayre vnto hym with all expedition and brynge theyr Daughter with them for they wer the same time in Gascoigne And after they wer coommen the kyng by and by began to entreate of the maryage And albeit the parentes than did not greatly lyke it and the yonge mayde also was somewhat vnwyllyng not somoch of her owne iudgement or contempte of hym as by the whispering and perswasyon of sertayne whych dispysed Germanye as rude and barren in comparison of the delycacye and pleasauntenes of Fraunce yet vanquished by the kynges authoritye whiche iudged the same affinitie very fit for hys pourpose at the last they gaue place Wherfore at the Ides of Iune the maryage was solemnised the kynge hymselfe leadyng the bryde hys nece to the churche and the Cardinall of Turnon played the prest The kynge gaue them a goodly dyner And ther were thambassadours of Roome Englande Portugall Uenise and Saxonye For themperours had made an excuse After a fewe dayes the Duke retourned homewarde leauing his yong spouse in Fraunce whom her mother woulde haue to remayne with her tyll she wer of rype yeares for a man Before the Dukeof of Cleaue came into Fraunce the kyng had enlarged the Admirall that we spake of before and sent hym home to hys owne house and after in the moneth of May commaunded hym to come vnto hym whom receiued most gently he restored to hys former dignitie and called as it wer out of hel into light agayne and after a straung example and seldome heard of made the sentence geuen agaynst hym by all the princypal iudges of hys realm cleane frustrate partlye for hatred of the constable as it is thoughte and partly at the requeste of madame Destamps whych was allyed to the Admirall by a new affinitie Therfore Memorancie the Counstable which loued not thadmirall his egall and was oute of the kynges fauoure for themperours passage as before is sayed beyng had in contempt gotte hym home and led a priuate lyfe where before he had ruled the Kynge wholye hymselfe alone ✚ The fourtenth Boke of Sleidanes Commentaryes concernyng the state of relygion and the common Weale duryng the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the fourtenth Booke IN the processe of the communication they treated of an order to be establyshed in the churche sondry aduyses and aunswers bee there gathered Eckius dispray syng the booke there presented accuseth hys fellow collocutours Themperoure hauing intellygence of the Turkes commyng remitreth thys colloquie to the counsel Fregose Rincon thambassadours of the French kynge to the greate Turke at taken and slayne Wherupon the Bastarde of Maximilyan is arested The Turke taketh possession in the cytie of Buda Thēperoure arryueth at Argiers The plage is in Germany and great calamities in Austriche A supplication of the princes of Austriche to kynge Ferdinando that they myght haue the Gospell Wherunto he aunswereth After the ouerthrowe in Hongary an assemblye was holden at Spires where Oliuier beeing for the French kynge made a longe Oration Cardinall Maron the Popes Ambassadour offereth a counsell at Trcent Luther Wryteth a booke intitled the sermon of Soldiours comparyng papistry with the Turkes Alcorane The warre beyng proclaymed betwene the Frenche kyng and the Emperour Marten van Rossem inuadeth Brabante decrces are made in Fraunce agaynste the Lutheranes Farell preacheth at Mentz ABoute the ende of Aprill the disputation began as I shewed yon before but Eckius was vnpatient and froward for both he abhorred the booke and mislyked hys fellowes and a lyttell after fell into an agewe so that he coulde not bee there yet went his fellowes to him and conferred with hym of al thynges And certen places of the boke exhibited were throughe conference amended by common assent but of some other they coulde not agree of the churche and authoritie therof of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Chryst of the recytall of synnes of satisfaction of the vnitie order of thecclesiastical ministers of sainctes of masse of the vse of the whole sacramente of the single lyfe So was the booke deliuered vp to themperoure as it was corrected and the Diuines of the Protestantes had written theyr mindes vpon these forsayd opinions which were leafte in controuersy this was the last of Maye Themperoure commendeth theyr good endeuour and lyketh it well And incase the matter herafter do so require he exhorteth thē to shew the like good-will and dilygence Than in the eyght day of Iune in the consistorie before the Princes and other states he maketh relation what hathe ben done and howe farre they haue proceded howe the collocutours haue handled the matter dilygentely and haue reconcyled dyuerse weyghty articles of doctryne And touching the rest that are not yet agreed vpon the diuines of the Protestantes haue opened they re myndes After he exibiteth vnto ether of them boothe the wrytinges requiring them that so shortly as may bee they woulde consulte thervpon and vtter theyr mindes in either of them And moreouer would consyder howe the state of the weale publike
haue his good will and fauoure they offer all that they haue to maynteine hys prosperous estate and dignitie After they lament the vnfortunate state of the comune weale and theyr owne condition whiche haue so nere vnto them the Turke a most cruell enemie and also of late a conquerour wherfore they saye howe they muste looke for remedies chiefly that the wrath of God may be appeased who offended with mens synfullnes sendeth this great calamitie For in the whole body of the common welth is no parte cleane nor sounde al honeste discipline is cast a syde aswell priuate as common which is the welsprynge of all enilles but yet is the contempte of gods worde the chiefe cause why God doeth so scourg and plage vs. For it is to be seene they saye and proueâ—â—othe by sacred and prophane histories that God hathe often times greuously plaged great and most florisshing kingdoms not for these lighter sinnes that be graffed in vs naturally but for idolatrie contempt of hys word The people of Iewes wer led awaye captiue into Assiria and Babilon for contemnyng the prophetes for a newe Religion and worsshipping which they themselues had deuysed and at the length was vtterly distroyed Hierusalem quite ouerthrowne for crucifying the sonne of God The most triumphante Empires of the world in time past of Babilon Persia and Grece being now subdewed by the Turkes haue so cleane lost theyr religion lawes comoÌ„welth and all theyr dignitie for the selfe same causes that there is at this day in maner no tokeÌ„ of christianitie there remayning and wher partly they forsoke and partlilothed gods benefites they fel into horrible darknes and most filthy bondage Whether was this any sodeÌ„ alteration for the Turkes maintened warre sixe hondreth yeres and aboue beefore they conquered Grece Whiche happened than at the lengthe what tyme they beyng so ofte prouoked and warned wolde neuer amend but heaped vp sinne vpon synne Now yf a man should compare those kingdomes that wer of such power dignitie wherein florisshed so many excellente wittes with this very rude and beastly common welth of the Turkes he shall fynde that syns Noes floud there neuer chaunced a greater calamitie And yf they so stronge and mightye nations were not able to resiste so weake a people as the Turkes wer at the beginnyng god thus auengyng the synnes of the people what maye we looke for which in dede are gyltye of the same fault but in so much the worse case for that we be matched with anenemie that is strong out of measure we see how God doeth plage vs chiefly in these parties wyth warre famyne and pestilence The most cruell enemie hathe taken of late Offen the chiefe citie of the Realme he hathe brent spoyled the land of Bohema And what miserie haue we not suffered these sixtene yeres howe moche blod hathe bene spilte how many thousand peopele led a waye in to most miserable captyuitie for certenly now is the Turkes power so increased that he is far exalted aboue all other kinges And for by cause he obteyneth at oure handes in a maner contynuall victories he perceyueth him self to bee the scourge of God and that no man is able to escape his vengeaunce Seing therfore that our synnes be so great and many what haue we to truste vnto or howe shall we defende our selues agaynste him Assuredly there is but one only remedy All thinges are in the handes of god it is god that geueth and taketh awaye empires whiche woundeth and healeth who prouoketh vs to repeÌ„taunce by offering vs the knowledg of his word which thing in dede he doth euer before he plageth So sent he Ionas the prophet to the Niniuites and forgaue theÌ„ for that they repeÌ„ted So loked he mercyfully vpon Nabuchodonosor the kyng of Assirians followyng the counsell of Daniel And certenly moste myghty kyng we knowe none other meane or remedye than that Gods worde may be purely taught and the people exhorted to amendement of life to the entent that being ful of confidence they may boldely withstande the Turkishe violence for herein consisteth oure saluation that we serue God ryghtly Wherfore seing that manye errours are crept into the churche whiche in this our tyme are disclosed and that lately in the counsel of the Empyre diverse opinioÌ„s wer agreed vpon and for a certen tyme peace graunted for Religion and the Byshop commaunded to refonrme their churches We beseche your hyghnes to geue commaundement that the Gospell be preached sincerely especially that article of iustification whiche teacheth that our synnes are forgeuen through Christ only Agayne that men be excited vnto loue and charitable workes whiche are the true fruictes tokens of fayth Moreouer let them be made afrayd to synne and accustome them selues to geue God thaÌ„kes that of his mere mercy we are delyuered through Christ from synne death and hell and made inheritours of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome that such as desyre may receiue the Lordes supper after the maner of the primatiue church And that also the Byshoppes be coÌ„maunded according to the decree of the Empyre newly made to redresse that is amisse in the churche that they appoincte mete ministers to instructe the people and reiecte not the true preachers as they haue euer done heretofore And let not your grace thinke that we make this sute vnto you for that we either seke for any more libertie or intende at any tyme to disobey for we coÌ„fesse that our whole saluation consisteth in Christe only and that the knoweledge of the Gospell must be adourned with godly liuing acknowledge it our bounden dutie to shewe vnto you all obedience as farre forth as our goodes and lyfe wyll extende And seing it is so we doe humbly beseche you to suffer vs to enioye the benefite of this last decree and that suche as shall followe the fourme of Religion of vs before rehearsed be not indaungered therfore For so shal you haue faith full ministers of your churches whiche are nowe many vacant and boyde of any and men shall with more hardines warre against that moste terrible ennemy vnto whome for our ingratitude and wickednes God hath geuen so many victories and conquestes hitherto The nobles and states of Austriche that put vp this supplication were foure and tweÌ„ty men of honour and ten cities wherof Uienne was one and their next neighbours the Stirians Carnites Ferdinando hetherto aunswered that for calamities by them mentioned he is ryght hartely sory and doubteth not but these are plages sent for the synnes of the people and therfore hath oftener than once admonished the ministers of the churche that they should exhorte the people to amendement of lyfe Moreouer sayeth howe he was neuer against that Gods worde should be ryghtly taught according to the traditioÌ„ and settyng forth of the Apostles and such other interpretours as the churche hath receiued and allowed neuerthelesse he chargeth them that in
citie The kinge hym selfe maketh warre on an other syde and marchinge foreward with a strong Armie besegeth Parpignan a Towne of Ruscinon in the mountaynes of Pyrene Moreouer he moueth warre in Piedmount by the conduicte of William Langey and also in the borders of Flaunders by the gouernment of the Duke of Uandome So that he assayled his enemies in fyue sondry places wherby the iudgement of many it had ben better for him to haue set vpon some one prouince with his whole power as th ende also declared for both he attempted Parpignan in vayne and also whan the Duke of Orleans was retourned home the Imperialles recouered all agayne except it were Iuey By this occasion they began to fortifie Andwarpe where before it was easy to bee wonne When the kinge pourposed to haue warres he sente agayne Poline to the Turke to entreate hym that he wolde sende him a uanie into Fraunce but where it was longe or Poline came there Solyman differred the thyng vntil the next yere Duryng this warre the king setteth forth proclamations against the Lutherians Moreouer the parlament of Paris chargeth the Printers vnder a great penaltie that they shoulde neyther prynte nor sell any bookes condempned or suspected namely the booke of Caluine whiche is intituled the Institution of Christiane Religion Further more at the request of the Inquilitour as they terme hym the seuenth daye of Iuly he maketh a decree that the preachers shall admonyshe the people to doe their duty to the churche and if they know any Lutheriane or one that thinketh amisse in Religion to present hym for this is a worke to God moste acceptable And the Ministers of the churche had an order prescribed whiche they should followe in that inquirie For they were coÌ„maunded to inquyre of the promoters whether they knewe any man that would saye how there was no purgatory whan a man is dead to be eyther saued or dampned or that a maÌ„ is not iustified by obseruing of Gods commaundementes that God only must be called vpon not Sainctes that the worshipping of images is idolatry that sainctes worke not miracles that the ceremonies of the churche profite nothing that the lawes of the churche doe bynde no man that the knowledge of the Gospell is necessarye for all men without exception or that it is a fonde parte of the common people to pray to God in Latin how the priest caÌ„ not forgeue sinnes through the Sacrament of penauuce but to be only a minister to pronounce the benefite of God whiche forgeueth our synnes that the church can bynde no man to mortall synne or that it is lawfull to eate fleshe at al tymes This fourme of inquisition was geuen priuately to priestes but openly was set forth a proclamation wherin they were coÌ„maunded to be presented and accused whiche doe neglecte the Rites and lawes of the churche or suche as haue bookes contrary to the christiaÌ„ fayth and eyther geue them others to reade or purposely let them fall in the wayes as they goe that thei may be founde those that assemble in priuate houses and gardens and forge diuises against the lawes of the chruche and they that receyue suche kynde of men into their houses or gardens They that are priuie to any suche thyng are commauÌ„ded to presente them within syxe dayes to the doctours of Diuinitie chosen by the Inquisitour or els to stande accursed The Stacioners were also charged that if they had any thyng eyther prynted or wrytten that were in any point suspected or that swarued froÌ„ the custome of the churche that within syxe dayes they should bryng it before theÌ„ after none excuse to be taken The same daye that this acte was proclaymed they had a generall procession for the preseruation of the realme and of Religion And saynt Genefeua their trusty Goddes was borne about with suche solemnitie as I haue before declared in the nynth booke And in these dayes were certen brent in place Moberte for Religion At the same tyme Fraunces Landrâ—e Uicar of S. Crois in Paris taught the people syncerely and sayde no Masse for that he branke no wyne whether he did it of nature or of purpose I knowe not Against whome the Diuines had conceaued a great hatred And after thei had noted certe in thinges in his preaching they propounde vnto hym these articles The sacrifice of the Masse to be instituted of Christe and is vayleable for the quicke and dead that we must praye to sainctes that they maye be mediatours and aduocates for vs vnto Christe howe the substaunce of bread and wyne is chaunged in the consecration that only preastes may consecrate bread and wyne and that the whole supper of the Lorde apperteineth to them only Monasticall vowes must be kept that by the Sacramentes of confirmation and vnction is receiued the holy ghost by prayer fasting good workes soules are delyuered out of purgatory that the lawes of the churche concerning fastyng and choyse of meates doe bynde the conscience that there is one hygh Prelate and Byshop of the Churche whome al are bounde to obeye by the lawe of God how many thinges must be beleued and of necessitie receyued that are not expressed in the scriptures that the Byshop of Romes pardons doe release the paynes of purgatory that priestes beyng neuer so synfull and vicious doe consecrate the Lordes body that all deadly synne must be confessed to the priest and than to receyue of hym the sacramentall absolution howe man hath free wyll wherby he may doe good or euyll and ryse from synne through repentaunce howe not by fayth only but by charitie and true penaunce is obteyned the remission of synnes how the churche and counsell beyng lawfully assembled can not erre and therfore must be obeyed howe the iudgement and interpretation of Scripture apperteyneth to the churche if any thyng be in controuersye These thynges would they haue him to subscribe to and confirme with his Seale He a fewe dayes after aunswereth generally that it is good and Godly what so euer the holy catholyque churche hathe taught in these matters but they not content with this aunswere attempted greater thinges against him as afterwarde you shall heare In this tyme also one or two Freers of saint Dominickes order preached the Gospell at Metz. But whan the priestes shewed them selues sore offended diuerse citezens made petition to the Senate that they would not forbidde theÌ„ promysing al dewe obedience The ther came also William Farell who taught first priuatly in the citie and afterwardes in a certein Castell without But what tyme the Emperours letters were brought wherin he commaunded that they should alter nothyng in Religion but punyshe the offendours the people were forbodeÌ„ to heare any more sermons vnles the preacher werlicenced by the Byshop and the Senate This sommer an infinite nombre of grassehoppers came flieng into Germany and the hither parte of Italy They were of a wonderfull bignes and where
bounden ar not to be receyued To haue Images in the churches is a thing full of daunger for Idolatrie Baptisme is a signe of the league that god hath made with vs wherby he testifieth that he forgeueth our sīnes It is a signe also of cōtinuall mortifying and of a new lyfe which ought to folow Baptisme That thys Sacrament ought to be receiued of al men and not somuche as little chyldren to be kept frō the same which are also partakers of the godly promission There ought no vow to be made that is eyther besides Goddes worde or els cannot bee perfourmed by man Howe euerye man ought daily to confesse hys sinnes vnto God and craue his mercy moreouer yf any scrupulositie trouble hys conscience to axe counsell of the minister of the church for hys comfort and consolation But that Auricular confessinge of Synnes hathe neyther testimonye of Scripture nor yet can bee perfourmed but is a tormentynge of the mynde ryghte peryllous Of the perpetuall virgynitye of our Ladie he nothynge doubteth Concernynge all these thynges a fewe dayes before he stode foorthe he wrote vnto hys wyfe and to others of hys frendes that requyred thys of him vsing the seruyce of hys syster And whan he was condemned to dye he aduertiseth hys wyfe in an other letter with what kynd of punnishmenthe should end his life the next daye and also comforteth her shewyng her that the condicyō of a disciple ought not to be better than hys masters and geueth her certen instructions preceptes of lyuing The diuines of Paris had made decrees of relygion two yeares past as before is recyted And now by the kinges cōmaundement they mete at Mellon which is a Towne in an Iland of Seine ten myles aboue Paris The kyng was therby in the Castell of Fountayne blewe and had commaunded them to assemble that forasmoche as peace was concluded and the counsell shoulde shortely ensewe they myghte after consultatyon had resolue vpon suche artycles for the Churche expediente as myght be thought mete to bee defended in the counsel and publycke Showe place of al Chrystendome The ende of whyche consultatyon was thys that allbeit the altercation amonges them was greate yet wolde they alter no iote of those thynges whyche they had before setfoorth at Parys After the example of the Parisiās the Diuines of Louaine also draw out articles and after by Themperoures permission set them foorth to the nomber of .xxxii. of the same secte for all the worlde as bee the Parysyans before rehearsed Those doeth the Emperour by hys proclamatyon confyrme and ratyfye publyshynge hys letters therof the day beefore the Ides of Marche The Diuines wrytte howe they tooke thys payne the more wyllyngly for that they knewe the same shoulde be well accepted of Themperour who had hertofore requyred of thē a moche lyke thynge In the composytion of the pease it was agreed that Themperour and the Frenche Kynge shoulde to the vttermoste of theyr power restore the olde Relygyon as they terme it And those thynges that wee haue nowe recyted seme to tende to the same ende And the Cardinall of Tournon which went with the Duke of Orleans into Flaūders is thought to haue furthered much that matter But Luther aunswereth them of Louain with cōtrary theames and calleth them heretickes and bludsuckers who teaching wicked thynges that can neyther be defended by reason nor scripture doe ad to vyolence and persecute with fyre and sworde For bothe they and also the Parysians propounde onlye bare propositions and prescribe what they wyll haue followed but alledge no place of Scripture to proue it and incense the magistrate to persecution The assemblie of Thempire was than at Woormes Themperoure beynge diseased of the goute was longe or euer he came He had they re hys deputes the Cardinall of Auspurge and Fridericke Countē of Furstemberg The xxiiii day of Marche kyng Fernando in Themperours absence propoundeth Wherfore thys conuention is called verely for the establyshyng of relygion the lawe and peace and for the Turkisshe warre He sheweth howe Themperoure wysshed to haue ben here in person but hathe ben letted hitherto by reason of syckenes and yet intendeth to come so soone as he hathe recouered healthe And because he wyll not longer hynder the common consultation therfore hathe he requyred hym to commence the thynge chieflye concernynge the Turkishe warre for the which cause Themperoure made peace with the Frēch kynge to thentente that all thynges beyng pacyfyed relygyon maye be quyeted and refourmed and after all force and power bee prepared agaynste the Turke And after he hathe declared what trauell Themperour hathe euer taken to procure a counsell fyrste wyth Clement the .vii. at Bononie after with Paule the. iii at Roome Genes Nice Luke and now lately at Busset And because it is now brought to passe and already in hande at Trente Themperours aduise is not to treate of Relygyon in thys Conuention but to attende vpon the procedynge of the counsell or yf there shal be none than before th ende of thys assemblye to appoynt an other conuocatyon of Th empyre for the same pourpos But now requyreth them especially to cōsult of the Turkishe warre For he is aduertysed by sondry letters messengers that the Turke is comming into Hongary with a greater power thā euer he did to thentente he may after inuade Germany Let them cōsulte therfore whether they thynke it mete to mooue warre agaynste hym or defende onlye and what they shall determyne to signifye the same to themperoure who hath perswaded the bisshop of Rome the French king to the Societie of this war trusteth also the others will not be behynd Wherunto the protestantes with them also the archbishop of Collon the Palsgraue electour the third day of April make this aunswer How this cōuentiō was appoynted chiefly for religiō and how that in fourmer conuētions an entrie accesse hath bē made to come vnto an agrement And therfore is there more hope now that they should wholy accord Wherfore they wolde right gladly begin first with that matter the state of Germany doeth require it should be so who yf the feare of God be before theyr eies they doubte not to haue good successe Howbeit if either the weightines of the thing or the shortnes of tyme or els the presēt daunger of the Turke wil not permit it yet shall it be nedefull that the decree concerning peace be further declared For peace is in dede graunted to religion vntill the counsell but they do not acknowledg this counsell of Trent for a lawful counsell such as hath ben promised in the coūselles of thempire And why they doe not accept it they haue oft times heretofore declared Therefore haue they nede of peace who doe not depende of the popishe counsell which may take place til the matter be godly christiāly determined And because a firme peace can not bee had except the execution of
there be commaunded to remain till thei receiue further aduertisemēt The same was thought to be done for this intēt that through their meanes the Byshop might be wholy inclined to the kynges frendship and if he should fortune to dye for he was already foure score yeare olde an other myght be chosen that fauoured the kyng of Fraunce Howbeit some saide this was wrought thorowe the policie of the Conestable to get them out of the way that he might rule the king alone for they all in a maner wold be at the kinges heles whethersoeuer he went The Byshop had a litle before sent his legate into Fraunce Hierome Romane with a moste large commission to graūt many thynges whiche are forbidden also by the lawes and decrees of the counsell He created also Cardinall at the same tyme Charles of Guise the sonne of Duke Claudie Archebyshop of Rains in whom he knew the kyng delighted much Again the Frēche king to purchase further amitie offreth in mariage his bastarde doughter about .ix. yeres of age to Orace Farnese the Bishops granchilde by his sonne The Emperour remouing from Hale cometh to Bamberge that being so nere he might be a greater terrour to the Bohemers and a strengthe vnto his brother Whilest he was here the third daye of Iuly he calleth an assemblie of the Empire and cōmaundeth that all mete at Auspurg the first day of Septembre the Princes them selues in persone the residues Ambassadours with full authoritie And saieth he was letted by the warres that he helde not a cōuention at the kalendes of February last past as he had determined at Regenspurge But now that he hath the authours of trouble in his custody he would no longer differ but that the corrupt members of the commō wealth may be healed And the consultaciō shal be of suche matters as should haue bene treated vpon at Wormes and a yeare synce at Regenspurge This conuention should haue bene at Ulme but for the infectiō of the plage the place was chaunged as before is also mentioned After from Bamberge he goeth to Norinberge As he there was he receiueth into fauour certen cities of Saxony and the .xvi. daye of Iuly he publisheth a wryting wherin he declareth what hath bene done with the Lantgraue and vpon what conditions he hath pardoned him And because that he is carefull leste that many should haply through ignoraunce worke violence to his landes and subiectes therfore at his request doth he straightly charge and commaunde all men to absteyne and if they haue any matter against him to trie it by the lawe In this self same tyme Duke Maurice sendeth for Melanchthon Pomerane Cruciger diuines of Wittemberge and receiueth them ryght gently at Lipsia and speaking muche of his zeale towardes religion committeth vnto them the order both of the church and Scoole also requiring them to procede after their wonted maner he appointeth them stipendes as they them selues wryte sendeth thē away not without great rewardes For Pomerane in a litle boke that he set forth after commendeth highly his liberalitie and gentlenes The Frenche kyng that succeded his father at the kalendys of Aprill the .xxv. day of Iuly cometh to Rains to be crowned And being receiued before the cathedral churche with thr 〈…〉 Cardinalles he is led to the hyghe aultar and after he had kissed there the relickes of saintes enclosed in gold said his prayers he goeth to supper After supper retourning and making his prayers againe whan he had confessed his synnes to a priest he departeth and goeth to bedde The next day he sendeth certe◠of the nobilitie to intreate the Abbot of saint Remige that he would bring the boxe of holy oyle whiche they say came down from heauen After resorte to the churche those that are called the Douzeperes of Fraunce which are twelue in nomber The Byshop of Rains Landune Langres Beauuois Noion and Challon Than the kyng of Nauarre the Dukes of Uandome Guise Niuerne Mompenser and Anmalle These represented the Dukes of Burgundie Normandie and Guienne moreouer the Erles of Tolouse Flaunders and Champaine Of the Byshoppes were chosen two Langres and Beauuois also two Cardinalles to go fetche the kyng to the churche Whan they came into his chamber after certen prayers sayde they lift vp the kyng liyng on his bedde as the ceremony is and accompanied with a multitude of priestes leade him to the church and the Conestable beareth before him the sworde drawen The king what tyme he had prayed before the aultar was led by the Byshoppes to his seate And in the meane whyle tyl that boxe cometh the Archebyshop of Rains After he had finished the prayers conteyned in the boke of ceremonies sprinkleth with holy water the kyng and all the reste And whan worde was brought that the boxe was coming whiche in the absence of the Abbot the Prior of the monkes brought sitting vpon a white hambling palfrey and accompanied with the Monkes of hys order and the Noble mē that the king had sent for it as before is sayd the Archebyshop with the other byshops goeth to mete him at the churche dore with the crosse borne before him ther receiued of him the boxe deliuering hym a gage to restore it againe And whan he came agayn to the aultar the king rysing out of his seate doeth him reuerence After the Archebyshop goeth into the reuestrie and there being solemnely decked in his pontificalibus cometh forth and taketh his othe and fidelitie of him by the whiche after an auncient custome kynges are bounde to the churche Than is the king led to the aultar by two Byshops There putting on other garmētes he kneleth downe and is girded with a sworde which he as thei terme it hath consecrated with many prayers After this the Archebyshop prepareth the oyle in a redines whylest the other priests synge their seruice prayeth softly with the kyng lying both grusselyng on the groūd Than he annointeth the kinges head breste and both shoulders and the elbowes of either arme in saying that accustomed prayers That done the kyng hath put on him new garmentes like a minister of the church and is annointed in the palmes of his handes After he layeth both his handes on his breste and putteth on hallowed gloues as they call them But the Archebishop putteth a rynge vpon his fynger and deliuereth him the Sceptre in his ryght hande And in the selfe same moment the Chauncelour calleth forth the Douzeperes In their presence the Archebyshop taketh frō the aultar the crown of Charles the great and whan the Peres haue touched it setteth it on the kinges head and bringeth the king into a roiall throne whiche is made in an higher place the whole company of Nobles followyng And there hauing ended his prayers kisseth him Likewyse do the Peres and Nobles making a great shoute and acclamation pray all God saue the kyng and to reioyce mens hartes the Trompettes blowe After is gold
out of the house where he lodged did so wtout fail for it was in the same market place Bucer who was sēt for to Auspurge came at the last to thelector of Brādēburge And now was the boke finished which I shewed you before was cōpiled of religiō which the marques deliuereth to Bucer desireth him to subscribe Whē he had red it ouer for that he saw the bishop of Romes doctrine therein established he said he could not allow the same Thelector toke this displesātly was much of fēded with him iudged the wryting moderat for so had Islebie perswaded hī Granuellā also vrged Bucer by messēgers if he wold subscribe promised hī ample rewards whē he might not preuail by large promises he begā to threatē him so he returned home not wtout dāger sor throughout al the lād of Wirtemberge were bāds of Spaniardes as before is said In the month of Aprill tharchbishop of Collō lately made priest sāg his first masse as they term it Wherat were themperor king Ferdinādo and of other Princes a great nōbre After he maketh them a moste sumpteous dinner About this time also came to Auspurge Muleasses king of Tūnes whome the Emperour .xiii. yeres paste had restored to his kingedome and expulsed barbarous as I shewed you in the ninth boke Now had his eldest son put out both his eies vsurped the crown wherfore like a miserable exile he came hither to themperor out of Barbarie And not lōg after came thither also his secōd sōne The boke cōpiled of religiō treateth first of the state of mā before after his fal of our redēptiō by Christ of charity good works of the cōfidēce in the remissi◠of sinnes of the church of vowes of authoriti of the ministers of the church of the high bishop of the sacramēts of the sacrifice of the masse of the memorial inuocatiō intercessiō of saintes of the memorial of such as haue died godly of the cōmunion to be annexed to the sacrifice of ceremonies vse of sacraments And these things amongs others are taught that those workes which besides the cōmaūdemēt of god are godly honestly wrought which are cōmōly called the works of superogatiō are to be cōmēded y◠mā cānot wtout distrust of his imbecillity beleue that his sins be forgeuē how the church hath autority to interprete the scriptures oute of the same together setforth doctrins power to minister the law to iudge of doutful matters by a general coūsel to make lawes and that ther is one high bishop which is aboue al y◠residue for the prerogatiue graūted to Peter vnto whō the gouernment of the vniuersall church was committed of Christ yet so as other bishops also haue part of the cure euery mā in his own church that by cōfirmatiō chrisme is receiued y◠holy gost so that they may resist the deceits of the deuil the flesh the world that the bishop only is minister of this sacramēt how the sins must be rehersed to the priest such as come to memory That by satisfactiō which cōsisteth in the frutes of repētāce especially through fasting praying almosgeuing are cut of the causes of sinnes temporal punishment ether taken away or mitigated that holy vnctiō hath bene in the church since the time of the Apostles that ether it might help the body or the mind it self against the firy darts of the deuil wherfor it must be vsed what time the hour of death apeareth to draw nere how mariage contracted wtout the cōsēt of the parēts ought to be ratified but yet are the childrē to be admonished in sermons that they folow thaduise of their parēts how christ at his last supper did institute the sacramēt of his body blud first that the same might be receiued of the faithful as the holsom meat of the soul secondli that it might be offred vp in memorial of his death For ther be in al .ii. sacrifices of christ the one blody vpō the crosse thother wherin vnder the form of bread and wine he him self offred vp vnto his father his body blud after deliuered y◠same to his apostles successers to be don in the memorial of him vnto the worlds end by the first was mākind reconciled to god the father but through this same that is not blody Christ is represēted to his father not that we shuld agaī deserue that remissiō of sins but that we might apply vnto our selues y◠recōcilemēt prepared by the death of Christ and that in this sacrifice wherin we celebrate the death of Christ the morial of saints must be renued that they may make intercessiō for vs to god the father help vs by their merits we must also remēber the dead cōmend thē to almightye God After this is prescribed that the old ceremonies accustomably vsed in baptisme be stil obserued the xorsisme renouncing cōfession of the faith Chrisme Moreouer that in the ceremonies of the masse ther be nothing chaūged that in al towns great churches ther be saide daily .ii. Masses at the least in the country villages one especially on holy daies and that in the canō of the inasse nothing at all be altered and that al the rest be obserued after thold vsage yet if any thing be crept in that may geue occasiō to superstitiō let it be takē away Let vestments ornaments vessels crosses altars cādels images be kept stil as certein monumēts let not those ordinari praiers godly singing of Psalmes be abrogated wher they be takē away let thē be restored let the obits for the dead be kept after the maner of thold church also sainctes holy daies yea let thē be worshipped also vnto whō it is decreed that supplicatiō shuld be made The day before Easter Witsontide let the water in the fōtstone be hallowed after a solēne maner let riot be refrained to thintent to stir vp the mind to godly exercises certen daie◠let mē fast abstain frō flesh finally though it wer to be wished that ther be diuers many ministers of the church foūd that would liue chast yet for that many haue wiues euery wher whiche they will not forsake nether can this now be altred without a great tumult therfore must we tary herein for a decre of a generall counsel likewise are we cōtēted to bear with thē that receiue the Lords supper vnder both kindes yet so as they shal not reproue others that do the contrary For vnder ether kind the body bloud of Christ is conteined wholy After this sort was the boke setforth at the last as after you shal heare but not so pēned at the beginninge For it was oft corrected the copy that Bucer saw was somwhat purer Wherfore after it had ben tost lōg much among the states of thempire it was sēt also to Rome
him most humblye by theyr letters and alledginge manye teasons that they might he permitted to receiue the whole Supper of the Lorde according to the commaundement and institution of Christe and custome of the primatiue Churche Unto these letters of theyrs the xxiii of Iune the king ausweringe from Uienne I had full little thought saith he that you would haue called in question that proclamation of mine and haue found cauillations therin For I mēt only that my subiectes should perseuer in thauncient and true Religion and obedience of the Catholicke church without the which no man can obtain saluation and that they should receiue this sacrament the chiefest of all others after the law and custome of the church and neither through the corrupt opinions of certain or for curiosity and pride also should swarue from that duty which they both owe to the church and also to the Magistrate This is verely the mind and effect of the same proclamation nether is it any new thing that I commaunded but an old ordinaunce which hath ben brought as it wer by hād vnto my progenitors Emperors kings and Dukes of Austrich and to me also whan I began to gouerne the common wealth was deduced and vnto this time by me diligently as becommeth a Christen Prince obserued and at sondrye times to my people also inioyned that they shoulde remayne in the same Wherfore I supposed that you would not haue attempted any thyng against this my proclamacion which in all other thinges do contende that there should be no alteraciō and that your lawes and liberties myght remaine vnto you whole For certenly that you do is a new deuise and lately of you conceaued by a certayne opinion and now also reasoned at large as though it were lawful for you to iudge of my commaundementes whiche am your chiefe and supreme magistrate or as though the same ought of ryght to be permitted you which certen yeres now diuers of you of your own accord contrary to the lawes of the church and my will haue taken vpon you priuately to vsurpe But because the question is harde ful of difficulty as you also affirme I will doubtles thincke more therupon and whan time is make such answer that it may be well perceiued that I do not tender a little the saluation of my people but in the meane time I loke for al obediēce of you and trust that you wil do nothing against my proclamation Unto this the states afterward answer again by wryting And the same say they that we haue oft times spoken before of our sauiour Christes commaūdement most puissant king we now repete again For he did institute his supper with plain and manifest words that after the same sort that he him self prescribeth it might be receiued of al men nether is it lawfull for any man mortall to alter hys institution It may be proued also that this was the manner of thauncient Churche and the same that is vsed now a daies to haue crept in by little and little For euen the counsel of Constance graunteth that the same was so instituted of Christ Wher therfore thys cōcerneth our saluation certainly neither curiosity nor pride hath moued vs here vnto Wherby we truste the rather that you will refer your consultation to the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles and consent of the primatiue Church and will not that our consciēce shuld be burthened which thing that it might please you to do we besech you for the honor of God and the glorye of his name and for oure own saluation We do acknowledge you and that moste gladlye to be our high Magistrate geuen vs of God and there is nothing in this world but that you both may ought to loke for at our hāds if it lie in vs to do But in this one matter we desire you to be fauorable to vs. In the byshop of Wirciburges dominion ther is an Abbay of Mōkes called Newstat The Abbot therof Ihon Frise after he came in suspition of Lutheranisme the fift day of May he is cited to come the vi day to Wirciburge and to answer vnto certain interrogatories And the questions were these Whether it be lawful to sweare whether anye man be bounden by his othe whether it be lawful to make a vow of Chastity pouerty and obediēce whether such manner of vowes do binde whether becometh better the ministers of the church mariage or singlenesse whether ther be one true and Apostolical church whether the same as the spouse of Christ be continually gouerned by the holy ghost whether she can alwaies discern true and holsom thyngs whether the same by reason of her head Christes vicar be called rightly the church of Rome whether all the bokes of both Testaments that be in the Cannon be lawful and true whether the holy scripture ought to be expounded after the mind of the holy fathers the doctors of the Church counsels and not after thopinion of Luther and others of the lyke sort whether that besides the Scriptures ther is nede also of other traditions as be those of the Apostles and such other like whether the same faith aucthority and obedience oughte to be geuen to the same traditiōs as to the holy scripture whether we ought to obay the ciuill magistrate in politick matters in holy things thecclesiasticall ordinary whether ther be vii sacraments of the Churche whether children oughte to be Christened whether they oughte to Christen in the Latin tounge with Salt Oile Water Charactes and exorcismes whether that by baptisme be cleane putte awaye Originall sinne in such sort that concupiscence which remaineth loseth the name of the same sinne whether the breade be chaunged and consecrated into the body and the wine into the blud of Christ by the vertue of the wordes which the Priest pronounceth whether it do so remaine althoughe it be not by and by receiued whether the Sacrament being after this sort consecrated is to be worshipped whan either it is borne aboute for the honor of Christe or caried vnto sickfolkes or also be reserued in the pix whether Christ is to be worshipped vnder the forme of bread and wine whether Christ be wholly vnderneath either kinde whether the confession of sinnes do prepare a man to the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament whether Masse be a true and continuall sacrifice whether that the Cannon of the masse is to be reteined whether the Sacramēt of confirming is to be vsed whether ther be iii. parts of penaunce contrition confession and satisfaction whether the priest may forgeue his sinnes which hath not before confessed the same whether Priestes onlye haue authoritye of the keyes whether the soules of good men do loue vs whether they pray to God for vs whether we ought to pray vnto Sainctes whether sainets Holy daies oughte to be obserued whether the relikes of Sainctes oughte to be worshipped whether the soules of the godly not yet repurged be relieued
permit euery man in generall that he maye chuse him a priest whom he list vnto whom he may confesse his sinnes rightly And geue to the same priest authority that he may forgeue al manner of sinnes be they neuer so greuous euen those whiche are reserued to my power alone and are wonte to be excepted by name that he may remit not only the trespasse but the paine also for sinnes due that he may impose such satisfaction as behoueth and may release all vowes except chastity and Religion so yet that they be recompensed by an other worke yea trusting vpon Gods mercye and the intercession of sainctes Peter and Paule I graunt full remission of all sinnes which is wont only to be geuen but euery fifty yeare to all those that with an humble hart do conuert to God and wholy confessing their sinnes whan they shall vnderstande this indulgence to be setforth by vs will twise or thrise a weke fast and geue Almose and vse other godly exercises and after receiue the Sacrament with thanckes geuing and praiers vnto God that he with the light of his countenance would illumine those that walke in darknesse that he would geue peace and moue the heartes of kinges to concord And this so great a benefite I graunt to them also which are hindred either by reason of age or sicknesse so that they can not performe the thinges before said And to the intent that these oure wrytinges may be euery where knowne I charge and commaund all Patriarches Archbishops and suche other like that so sone as they shall haue receiued a copy of the same by and by they cause it to be published euery man through out his Prouince and since the gift is fre that they set it forth without any gain In the last boke I shewed you how Blassenburge the head castell of Marques Albert wherin the hope of the whole country cōsisted by surrendry was taken And at this time least being recouered it mighte geue an occasion of further displeasure his aduersaries do subuert and rase it to the ground not without the greate displeasure of the house of Brandenburge and the Marques kinred Ferdinando king of Romaines both before he came frō home and than also when he was commen to Auspurge to the assemble by messagers and letters exhorted the Princes to make haste and come thither in parson as in the last boke hath ben said And chiefly he had sollicited the Prince elector of Saxony to come to Auspurge who had both excused him selfe before that he could not come namely for the state of Saxony not very quiet and now sending ambassadours thither excuseth the matter againe by occasion falling into the mention of the Turk sheweth in what pearill Germany standeth which in times past being mightye and feared of others is now almost destitute and void of strength hauing receiued so many displeasures and plagues And that this euill is so much the worse that there is amonge the states so greate an alienation of mindes and distrust amonges them selues And how the Emperour him self to remeadye this disease had omitted no kind of diligence but yet that al labour hitherto hath ben taken in vain For the minds of men to be so bitterly exasperated alwais so set open to displeasure that vnneth any hope of reconcilement is to be had how a few yeares past his brother Moris had ordained that certain Ceremonies and things indifferēt should be kept still in Churches of his dominion but that the same commaundement was of so little force that it was also taunted with the libels and bitter raylings of many In so much that it was not in his power to confirm it vnles he would bring him self in daunger And therfore are many afraid for attempted any thingin this behalf Now on thother side they that be on the contrary part and impugn the doctrin professed at Auspurge how little they thincke to establish any godly and lawfull reformation it is known wel inough by the doings of former time when the matter was attempted ether by talk and conference or els by counsels Consideringe therefore that after so much labour taken and counsels holden the waye of concorde can not be found God peranenture so willinge and reuenginge oure sinnes he besecheth him earnestlye that the same Booke that conteineth the some of the Christen doctrin and was in times past exhibited at Auspurge he would not take for an euill or wicked boke But know it for a certenty to be a pure and a godlye wrytinge which can shewe vnto vs the sonne of God authoure of saluation whiche in Doctrine dothe plainly agree with thauncient churche and with those foure chiefe Counsels whiche teacheth and fetteth forthe true Christen worckes and exhorteth the people to shew obedience to the Magistrate Wherefore in case a sure peace in that assemble maye be established there is no doubte but that the Emperoure and he maye haue greate aide in Germanye againste the Turke where as elsse they that are of the Protestauntes Religion and manye of theim in dede borne and broughte vp therein will perseuer constantlye in the same Religion For vnlesse such a peace may be had that may comprise bothe Religion and also the Churche goodes and if the matter as manye times it hathe bene shoulde be differred to an other assemble and delaied from daye to daye and the people be lefte in this doutfull state of thinges to be vncertaine howe pacientlye all menne woulde take it For though he and other Princes should be quiet and do their duety and shewe all obedience yet that it maye be that menne of the meaner and baser sort may raise some tumulte and maye pretende this vncertaintye of state and feare of pearill for Religion Especiallye in those places whiche geue oportunitye to attempte suche thinges Since therefore the case of the Empire is suche he earnestlye requireth him to prouide for the common tranquillity for so muche as he hathe full authoritye of the Emperoure to determine But of late yeares this condition was propounded of his brother Moris at Passawe that in case the controuersy of Religion mighte not be reconciled that yet neuerthelesse an assured peace might be had til the thing might be throughli appeased and although the Emperor would not than admit the same condition for that he saide it apperteined to all thestates of the Empire yet in as muche as at the same time he reproued it not and with expresse woordes added to the Composition that he woulde see that in the Counsell the matter shoulde bee handeled indifferentlye neyther that there shoulde be anye crafte vsed in the voices concerning Religiō he trusteth for the same cause that he will moue in this behalfe not only those whiche were that tyme at Passawe but other states also so sone as the counsel be ginneth and perswade them to peace When thambassadours had spoken to this effect the fourth daye of February the nexte daye after king Ferdinando propoundeth
and wil saye they doe it of dutie to the end that they may haue the gouernment and also the possession of the goods But wher these men saye they are bounde to admitte fellowes of their Religiō and to exclude no man out of the kyngdome of heauen It doth not excuse them for there is one only fayth whiche all that are christians ought to professe and obserue This faith in tymes past both Emperours and kynges and all Princes and Rulers of the Empire and the people also confirmed by an othe Uerely this catholique faith is the selfe same which we of Germany from the beginning vnto this time haue followed those excepted that haue reuolted from the same Wherfore there is nothing to be made newe but all thynges ought to be referred to this fayth and the mynde is to be subdued that it may obeye the catholique churche He that doeth otherwise and taketh to him selfe any priuate Religion he vnlesse he obeye admonishementes ought of his Byshop to be excommunicated and to be remoued from all function His goodes also ought by the ciuile Magistrate to be published neither is he to be suffered within the limites of the Empire For that same libertie or licenciousnes of Religion the fathers haue alwayes reiected as a certen confusion of the faith made this lawe that what thinges so euer were once determined of coūsels in matters of faith shuld no more be reasoned nor called in doubt so that it is lawful for none to ordeine or propounde any thing to the cōtrary For histories teache vs what time Ualentinian themperour admitted all kinde of sectes what trouble arose of the same Again if this shuld be receiued that whosoeuer dissenteth frō the catholique faith shuld be excused by his conscience Than should the Anabaptistes Zwinglians a Schuuenchfeldians suche other like also be excused in this peace cōprised They saye how the promesses of God wherby he promiseth vs euerlasting life apperteine to all men in generall neither ought they of thē to be restreined As though those promesses apperteined to thē only whiche be of their profession But the thing is far otherwyse For what tyme they shall swarue from the communion of the churche they are excluded from the kingdom of heauē euen by their own iudgement And where there is no saluation out of the churche howe should the kyngdome of heauen belonge to them whiche reiecte the Sacramentes of the churche and contemne the ordeining of priestes vnto whome Christe hathe geuen power to binde and lose And if there be no priestes consecrated amonges them howe obteyne they remission of their synnes And except their sinnes be forgeuen how shall they be made partakers of the heauenly kingdome Therfore those promises apperteine not to them only But rather they are to be thought to be of that nomber whome Christe sayeth he knoweth not They bragge that they are able to proue howe the Catholiques by sondry abuse both religion the churche goodes But let vs see what thing is herein to be blamed After the holy Scripture and the lawes of the fathers and counselles the churche goodes ought to be distributed to Byshops and ministers of the churche to be imployed vpon the poore vpon reparations and if the thing require so vpon the raunsomyng of them that are kept prysoners of the Turkes and Barbarians Uerely this custome hath continued a thousand and thre hondreth yeares since that the same goodes shoulde bee imployed to Godly ministers and vses Of the whiche sorte be to saye Masse to shewe Gods worde to repare and builde churches to fynde pore men also Monkes Freers and Nunnes But what do they putting out certen Byshops they make newe as they were prophane and ciuile officers vnto whome they geue as small a portion as they can possible They ioyne to them other ministers whiche bring the sely people into errour whilest both they contemne the sound doctrine and minister to the people the Sacrament whole and the bread in dede not consecrated to witte a creature in place of the creatour and vnder the colour of true worshipping committe Idolatrie They saye that from henceforth they wyll imploye the churche goodes aboute none other matters but to the vse of scholes nor wyll conuert no part therof to them selues well let it be so but by this vse the catholique religion should be polluted and vtterly oppressed And this vse shall be a great deale worse than if the same goodes were bestowed about prophane matters For these causes therfore it is not lawefull for the Catholiques to allowe this condition as it is wrytten This wryting as I sayed was extraordinary and priuatly made The Protestaūtes being aduertised hereof write against it and first shewe what is the true doctrine the same verely whiche is conteined in the wrytinges of the Prophetes Apostles Secondly they declare how muche the doctrine of the Papistes differeth from the same whiche haue so many wayes polluted the Lordes supper whiche haue brought in so filthie errours of purgatory of praying to the dead whiche take awaye and denie the remission of sinnes whilest they saye we must alwayes doubte of the grace of God whiche so muche dishonour matrimonie instituted of God which with detestable and horrible crimes are defiled in this their senglenes of lyfe euē with the same vices that Saint Paule rehearseth Of these thinges it may clerely appeare who haue forsaken the true Religion And seing it is so suche ecclesiasticall persones as either haue nowe already or els hereafter shall imbrace the pure doctrine can not be of them neglected As touching the churche goodes all thinges be maruelously defiled also Truthe it is that a benefice is geuen for dutie but it is to be considered diligently of what sorte is the office of a priest or byshop And that a consideration of scholes must also be had For euen from the tyme of the Prophetes this maner hath euer remayned And nowe the prelates of churches seke chiefly that suche thinges as are due to ministrs of the churche to teachers schollers and scholes to almouse houses and hospitalles they imploye to their own vses that they may liue in al voluptuousnes The same do thei with Abbeies Colledges Doeth not the Byshop represent a great Prince who taking first the possessiō of his byshoprike entreth the citie with two thousand horsemen And these thinges in dede they do where there is none of them all that can doe his dutie What mynde or conscience is there Can these obiecte sacrilege and extortion to others Their doctrine is in dede condemned of Freers But through their wickednes that perswade them not to reade their wrytings And that the Pope and that the rabble do condemne and despise it to be no maruell For after the same maner was Christe and his doctrine intreated of Anna Caiphas and all the sorte of Phariseis and Byshoppes They make oft mention of counselles and of the churche But it lieth not in