houre shal be within a litle while after put out extinguished but thou knowest not the fire of the iudgement that is to come and of euerlasting punishment which is reserued for the wicked vngodly But why make you all these delayes giue me what death soeuer ye lift These many other such like thinges being by him spoken he was so replenished with ioy and boldnes and his countenaunce appeared so full of grace fauour that not onely he was not troubled with those things which yâ— Proconsul spake vnto him but contrarily the Proconsul himselfe began to be amased and sent for the crier which in the middle of the stage was commaunded to cry 3. times Policarpus hath confessed himself to be a Christian which wordes of the cryer were no sooner spoken but that all the whole multitude both of the Gentiles and Iewes inhabiting at Smyrna with a vehement rage and loude voice cried This is that Doctour or teacher of Asia the father of the Christianes and the destroyer of our gods which hath instructed a great nuÌ„ber that our Gods are not to be worshipped after this they crid vnto Philip the gouernour of Asia and required him that he would let loose the Lion to Policarpus To whom he made aunswere that he might not so doe because he had already his praye Then they cried againe altogither with one voice that he woulde burne Policarpus a liue For it was requisite that that vision which he saw as concerning his pillow or bolster should be fulfilled which when he had seene burnt as he was in his prayer he turned himselfe vnto the faithful sort which were with him saying by the way of prophecie it will so come that I shall be burned a liue And the Proconsul had no sooner spoken but it was out of hande performed For why the multitude by and by brought out of their shops workehouses and baynes woode and other dry matter for that purpose and especially the Iewes were most seruiceable for that matter after their woÌ„ted maner And thus the pile being layd and that now hee had put of his garments vndone his girdel and was about to pul of his shooes which he had not done before for that all the faithfull sort amongst themselues striued as it were who should first touch his body at their farewell bicause for the good conuersation of his life yea from his yonger age he was had in great estimation of al men Therfore straightway those instruments which are requisite to such a bonfire were brought vnto him when the would haue nayled him to the stake with yron hoopes he said let me alone as I am for he that hath giuen me strength to suffer and abide the fire shal also giue power that without this your prouision of nayles I shall abide stirre not in the middest of this fire or pyle of woode Which thing when they heard they did not nayle him but bounde him Therefore when his handes were bounde behinde him euen as the chiefest Ramme taken out of the flocke he was sacrificed as an acceptable burnt offring to God saying O father of thy wel beloued and blessed sonne Iesus Christ by whom we haue attained the knowledge of thee the God of aungels and powers and of euery creature and of al iust men which liue before thee I giue thee thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to grauÌ„t me this day that I may haue my part amongest the number of the Martyrs in the cup of Christ vnto the resurrection of eternall life both of body soule through the operation of the holy spirit among whome I shal be this day receaued into thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice as thou hast prepared and reueled the same before this time so thou hast accomplished the same Which canst not lye O thou most true God Wherefore Im lyke case for all things prayse thee blesse thee and glorifie thee by our euerlasting Bishop Iesus Christ to whom be glory euermore Amen And assoone as he had ended this word Amen and finished his prayer the tormentors began to kindle the fire as the flame flashed out vehemently we to whom it was giue to discerne the same saw a marueilous matter which were also to this purpose preserued that we might shewe the same to other For the fier being made like to arâ—â—fe or vaute of a house and after the maner of a shipmans â—â—yle filled with wind compassed about the body of the Martir as with a certaine wall and he in the middle of the same not as flesh that burned but as gold and siluer wheâ— it is tried in the fier And surely we smelt a sauour so swete as if Myrre or some other precious balme had giuen a sent At the last when those wicked persons sawe the hys body could not be consumed by fire they commaunded one of the tormentors to come vnto him thrust him through with his sworde Which being done so great a quantitie of bloude ran out of his body that the fire was quenched therewith the whole multitude marueyled that there was so much diuersitie betwene the infidels and the elect of whom this Policarpus was one being a Disciple of the Apostles and a propheticall instructour of our times and Bishop of the Catholique Church of Smyrna for what worde soeuer he spake both it was and shal be accomplished But the subtil and enuious aduersary when he saw the worthines of his martirdome that his conuersation euen from his youÌ„ger yeares could not be reproued and that he was adourned with the crowne of martirdome and had now obtained that incomparable benefite gaue in charge that we should not take deuide his body For feare least the remnaunts of the dead corps should be taken away so worshipped of the people Whervpon diuers whispered Niceta the father of Herode and his brother Dalces in the eare to admonish the Proconsul that in no case he should deliuer his body least saith he they leaue Christ begin to worship him And this spake they because the Iewes had gyuen them secret warning prouoked them thervnto who also watched vs that we shoulde not take him out of the fire not being ignoraunt how that we ment at no time to forsake Christ which gaue his life for the saluation of the whole world as many I meane as are elected to saluatioÌ„ by him neither yet that we could worship any other For why him we worship as the sonne of God but the Martirs do we loue as disciples of the Lord that worthely for their aboundaunt loue towardes their king and maister of whom we also desire and wish to be companions to be made his disciples WheÌ„ therfore the Centurion saw perceaued the labour of the Iewes the corps being layd abroad they burnt the same as was their maner to doe Thus good Policarpus with xij other that came from
that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke that he doth God great good seruice TheÌ„ suffered the Martirs of God such bitter persecution as is passing to be tolde Sathan still shooting at this marke to make them to vtter some blasphemy by all meanes possible Marueilous therefore was the rage both of the people Prince specially against one Sanctus which was Deacon of the congregation of Uienna and agaynst Maturus being but a litle before baptised but yet a worthy souldiour of Christ and also against Attalus being borne in Pergama which was the foundation and pyller of that congregation and also against Blandina by whome Christ sheweth that those things which the world esteemed vyle and abiect to be glorious in Gods sight for the very loue which in hart and deede they beare vnto him not in outward face onely For when all we were afrayd specially her mistres in flesh who also was her selfe one of the nuÌ„ber of the foresayd martirs least happely for the weakenes of body she woulde not stande strongly to her confession the foresaid Blandina was so replenished with strength boldnes that they which had the tormenting of her by course from morning to night for very werines gaue ouer fell downe were themselues ouercome confessing that they could do no more against her marueiled that yet she liued hauing her body so torne and rent And testified that any one of those torments alone without any moe had ben inough to haue plucke the life from her body But that blessed woman fighting this worthy battell became stroÌ„ger stronger as often as she spake these words I am a Christian neither haue we committed any euill it was to her a marueilous comfort and bolding to abide the torments Sanctus also another of the Martyrs who in the middest of his tormentes induring more paines then the nature of a man might away with also at what time the wicked supposed to haue heard him vtter some blasphemous words for the greatnes intollerablenes of his torments paines that he was in abode notwithstanding in such constancy of mind that neither he told them his name nor what countryman he was nor in what Citie brought vp neither whether he was a free man or a seruaunt but vnto euery question that was asked him he aunswered in the Latine toung I am a Christian and this was al that he confessed both of his name citie kinred and all other thinges in the place of execution neither yet could the Gentils get any more of him whereupon both the Gouernour tormentours were the more vehemently bent against him And when they had nothing to vexe him with all they clapped plates of Brasse red hote to the most tenderest parts of his body wherewith his body indede being schorched yet he neuer shronke for the matter but was bold and constant in his confession being strengthened and moystened with the fountaine of liuely water flowing out of Christs side Truely his body was a sufficient witnes what torments he suffered for it was all drawne together and most pitifully wounded and scoarched so that it had therwith lost the proper shape of a man in whose suffering Christ obtained inspeakeable glory for that he ouercame his aduersaâ—y and to the instruction of other declared that nothing els is terrible or ought to be feared where the loue of God is nor nothing greeuous wherein the glory of Christ is manifested And when those wicked men began after a certayne time againe to torment the Martyr hoped well to bring it to passe that either they should ouercome him in causing him to recant by reiâ—erating his torments now wheÌ„ his body was so sore swollen that he might not suffer a man to touch him with his hande or els that if hee died vnder their handes yet that thereby they should strike such feare into the harts of the rest to cause them to deny Christ. But they were not only disappointed here in but also contrary to the expectation of men his bodye was in the latter punishment torments soupled restored and toke the fyrst shape and vse of the members of the same so that the same his second torment was by the grace of Christ in steede of punishment a safe medecine Also Sathan now thinking to haue setteled himselfe in the hart of one Byblides being one of them which had denied Christ and thinking to haue caused her beyng a weake and feable woman in faith to haue damned her soule in blaspheming the name of God brought her to the place of execution inforcing to wrest some wicked thing out of the mouth of the Christians But she in midle of her torments returning to her selfe and waked as it were out of her dead slepe by that temporall paine called to her remembraunce the paynes of hell fire and against all mens expectations reuiled the tormentors saying How should we Christians eate young infants as ye reported of vs for whom it is not lawfull to eate the bloud of any beast Upon that so soone as she had confessed her selfe to bee a Christian she was Martyred with the rest Thus when Christ had ended those tyrannicall torments by the patience sufferaunce of our Saintes the diuell yet inuented other engynes and instruments For when the Christians were cast into prison they were shut vp in darke and ougly dongeons and were drawne by the feete in a racke or ingine made for that purpose euen vnto the fift hole And many other such punishmentes suffered they which the furious ministers stirred vp with deuilish furye are wont to put men vnto so that very manye of them were strangled killed in the prisons whom the Lorde in thys maner would haue to enioy euerlasting life set forth his glory And surely these good men were so pittifully tormented that and if they had had all the helpe medicines in the world it was thought impossible for them to lyue to be restored And thus they remaining in prison destitute of al humaine helpe were so strengthened of the Lord and both in body and minde confirmed that they comforted stirred vp the myndes of the rest the yonger sorâ—e of them whiche were latter apprehended put in prison whose bodies had not yet felt the lash of yâ— whip were not able to indure the sharpness of their imprisonment but died of the same The blessed Photinus who was a Deacon to the bishop of Lyons about 90. yeares old and a very feeble or weake man could scarsely draw breath for the imbecilitie of his body yet was he of a liuely courage spirit For the great desire he had of martyrdome when he was brought vnto the iudgement seate although his bodye was feeble and weake both because of his old age and also through sicknes yet was his soule or life preserued to this purpose that by the same Christ might triumph be glorified He being
thinkest to possesse the gift of God by thy money therefore thy part nor lot is not in this worde Neither ought we to bee shauen on the crowne onely because Saint Peter was so shauen but because Peter was so shauen in the remebraunce of the Lords Passion therfore we that desire by the same Passion to be saued must weare the signe of the same passion with him vpon the top of our head which is the highest part of our body For as euery Church that is made a Church by the death of the Sauiour doth vse to beare the signe of the holy crosse in the front that it maye the better by the defence of that banner bee kept from the inuasions of euill spirits by the often admonition therof is taught to crucifie the flesh with the concupiscence of the same In like maner it behoueth such as haue the vowes of Monkes and degres of the Clergy to bind them selues with a straiter bit of continencie for the Lords sake And as the Lord bare a crowne of thorne on his head in his passion wherby he tooke caried away from vs the thornes and prickes of our sinnes so must euery one of vs by shauing our heads patiently beare and willinglye suffer the mockes and scorners of the worlde for his sake That wee may receaue the crowne of eternall life which God hath promised to all that loue him shall by shauing their corporal crownes beare the aduersity contemne the prosperity of this worlde But the shauing which Symon Magus vsed what faithful man doth not detest together with his magicall arte The which at the first apparance hath a shew of a shauen crowne but if you marke his necke you shal finde it curtailed in such wise as you will say it is rather meete to be vsed of the Symonistes then of the Christians And such of foolishe men be thought worthye of the glory of the eternall crowne whereas indede for their yll liuing they are worthy not only to be depriued of the same but also of eternall saluation I speak not this against thē that vse this kinde of shauing liue Catholikely in fayth and good workes but surely I beleeue there be diuers of them be very holy and godly men Amongst the which is Adamnan the Abbot and worthy Priest of the Columbians who when he came Embassadour from his country vnto king Alfride desired greatly to see our Monastery where be declared a wonderful wisedowe humilitie and Religiō both in his maners and wordes Amongest other talke I asked him why he that did beleue to come to the crown of life that should neuer haue end did vse contrary to his belief a definite Image of a crowne on his head And if you seke quoth I the felowship of S. Peter why doe you vse the fashion of his crowne whom S. Peter did accurse and not of his rather with whom you desire to liue eternally Adānā answered saying you know right well brother though I vse Symons maner of shauing after the custome of my country yet doe I detest with all my heart abhorre hys infidelitie I desire notwithstanding to imitate the footesteps of the holy Apostle as far forth as my power wil extend Then said I I beleeue it is so But then is it apparaunt you imitate those thinges which the Apostle Peter did frō the bottom of your hart if you vse the same vpon your face that you know he did For I suppose your wisedome vnderstandeth that it is right decent to differ in the triming your face or shauing frō his whom in your hart you abhorre And cōtrariwise as you desire to imitate the doings of him whom you desire to haue a mediator betweene God you so it is meete you imitate the maner of his apparell and shauing Thus much saide I to Adamnan who seemed then well to like our Churches in so much that he returning into Scotland reformed many of his churches there after our celebratiō albeit he could not do so amongst the Monks with whom he had special authority He endeuoured also to haue reformed their maner of shauing if he had bene able And nowe O King I exhort your maiestie to labor together with your people ouer whom the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes hath made you gouernor to imitate likewise in all these points the Catholicke and Apostolical churches So shall it come to passe that in the end of this your temporall kingdome the most blessed prince of the Apostles shall opē you the gates of the heauenly kingdome together with the other elect of god The grace of the eternal king preserue you most derely beloued sonne in Christ long time to reigne ouer vs to the great tranquility of vs all When this letter was read before king Nayton wyth other of his learned men and diligentlye translated into his proper language he semed to reioyce very much at the exhortation therof insomuch as rising vp from among his noble men he kneled on the ground and gaue God thankes that he had deserued to receaue so worthye a presente out of England so caused it forthwith by publike proclamation to be writen out learned obserued throught out all the prouinces of the Pictes defacing the errours that had bene vsed there by the space of 700. and 4. yeares For all the ministers of the altar all Monkes were shauen on the crowne And al the people reioiced for the new dyscipline of the most blessed Prince of the Apostles S. Peter which they had receaued ¶ By this monkish letter aboue prefixed voide of all Scripture of all probation truth of history thou maiest note gentle Reader howe this vaine tradition of shauen crownes hath come vp vpon how light and trifling occasion which in very deede was none other but the dreaming phantasies of Monkes of that time falsely grounding vpon the example of Peter when by no olde monument of any aūtient record they can euer proue either Peter or Symon Magus to haue bene shauen Moreouer in the said leter also is to be noted how the Scottish Clergy at that season did weare no such Priestly crownes as our English Churchmen then did But to cut of this matter of shauing more worthy to be laught at thē to be storied let vs now againe returne where as we left at king Iue of whom W. Malmesbery and Fabian in his chronicle do record that whē the foresaide Iue had ruled the west saxons by the tearme of 37. yeares by the importunate perswasion and subtile policie of his wife Ethelburga was allured to go to Rome there to be made a Monke Which Ethelburga after she had a long tyme laboured him to leaue the world and could not bring about her purpose vpon a season when the king and she had rested them in a faire pallace richly behanged were vpon the morow thence departed she by her commaundement caused the pallace to
had read with me this which so happened I thinke they would not be so rash in their doing and iudging fearyng at least the Lordes commaundement Doe not iudge that ye be not iudged And S Paule sayth Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant Either he standeth or falleth to his owne maister but he shall stand for the Lord is mighty and able to make him stand Therfore let your holynes cease to compell and enforce those whom onely ye ought to admonish least through your owne priuate commaundement which God forbid you be found contrary as well to the olde Testament as to the new For as S. Augustine sayth to Donatus this is onely that we do feare in your iustice lest not for the consideration of christian lenitie but for the grieuousnes and greatnesse of transgressions committed you be thought to vse violence in executyng punishment of that which onely we do desire you by Christ not to do For transgressions are so to be punished that the lyfe of the transgressours may repent Also an other saying of Augustine we would you to remember which is this Nil nocends fiat cupiditate omnia consulendi charitate nihil fiat immanâ—ter nihil inhumaniter That is Let nothing be done through the greedines of hurting but all things through the charitie of profiting Neither let any thing be done cruelly nothing vngently Item of the same Augustine it is written In the feare and name of Christ I exhort you which of you soeuer haue not the goods of this world be not greedy to haue them Such as haue them presume not to much vpon them For I say to haue them is no damnation but if ye presume vpon them that is damnation if for the hauing of theÌ„ ye shal seeme great in your owne fight or if ye do forget the coÌ„mon condition of man through the excellencie of any thing you haue Vse therfore therin due discretion tempered with moderation the which cup of discretion is drawen out of that fountaine of the Apostolike preaching which sayth Art thou loose froÌ„ thy wife Do not seeke for thy wife Art thou bound to thy wife Seke not to be loosed from her Where also it followeth Such as haue wiues let them be as though they had them not and they that vse the world let them be as not vsing it Item concerning the widow he sayth Let her marry to whoÌ„ she wil only in the Lord. To marry in the Lord is nothing els but to attempt nothing in coÌ„tracting of matrimony which the Lord doth forbid Ieremy also saith Trust not in the words of lies saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. The which saying of Ieremy Hierome expounding saith thus this may agree also be applied vnto such virgins which brag vaunt their virginitie with an impudent face pretending chastitie when they haue an other thing in their conscience and know not how the Apostle defineth the virgin that she should be holy in body and also in spirit For what auayleth the chastitie of the body if the mind inwardly be defloured Or if it haue not the other vertues which the prophetical Sermon doth describe The which vertues for as much as we see partly to be in you and because we are not ignorant that this discretioÌ„ although neglected in this part yet in the other actioÌ„s of your life to be kept honestly of you do not dispaire but you dispaire but you wil also soone amend the little lacke which is behind And therfore with as much grauitie as we can we cease not to call vpoÌ„ you to correct and amend this your negligeÌ„ce For although according to our common calling a bishop is greater then a Priest yet Austen being lesse then Hierome notwithstaÌ„ding the good correctioÌ„ proceeding froÌ„ the lesser to the greater was not to be refused or disdained especially when he which is corrected is found to striue against the truth to please meÌ„ For as S. Austen faith writing to Boniface the disputatioÌ„s of all meÌ„ be they neuer so Catholick or approued persoÌ„s ought not to bee had in stead of the Canonicall Scriptures So that we may disprooue or refuse sauing the honor reuerence which is due vnto theÌ„ any thing that is in their writings if any thing there be found contrary to trueth and what can be found more contrary to the trueth then this When as the trueth him selfe speaking of continency not of one onely but of all men together the number onely excepted of them which haue professed continencye sayth He that can take let him take the which saying these men mooued I cannot tell by what occasion doe turne and say he that cannot take let him be accursed And what can bee more foolishe amongest men then when anye Byshoppe or Archdeacon runne themselues headlong into all kinde of lust to adultery and incest and also Sodomitry yet shame not to say that the chaste mariage of Priestes doe stincke before them And as voyde of all compassion of true righteousnesse doe not desire or admonish their Clerkes as their fellow seruauntes to abstayne but commaund them and enforce them as seruauntes violentlye to abstayne Vnto the whiche imperious commaundement of theirs or counsell whether you will call it they adde also thys foolishe and filthy suggestion saying that it is more honest priuily to haue to doe with many women then apertly in the sight and consciences of many men to bee bounde to one wife The whiche truely they would not say if they were eyther of hym or in him which saith wo to you Phariseis which do all thinges before men And by the Psalmist because they please men they are confounded for the Lord hath despised them These be the men who rather ought to perswade vs that we should shame to sinne priuily in the sight of him to wheÌ„ all things be open theÌ„ to seeme in the sight of men for to be cleane These men therfore although through their sinful wickednes deserue no counsell of godlines to be giuen theÌ„ yet we not forgetting our humanitie cease not to giue them counsell by the authoritie of Gods word which seketh al mens saluation desiring theÌ„ by the bowels of charitie saying with the wordes of Scripture Cast out thou hypocrite first the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see to cast out the mote of the eye of thy brother Moreouer this also we desire them to attend what the Lord saith of the aduouterous woman which of you that is without sinne let hym cast the first stone against her As though hee would say if Moses bid you I also bid you But yet I require you that be the competent ministers and executors of the law Take heede what yee adde thereunto take heede also I pray you what you are your selues for if as the Scripture saith thou shalt well consider thy selfe thou wilt neuer defame
both of great payne to fall vpon theÌ„ for so we read that Iesus cast out buiers and sellers out of hys temple Also Peter sayd vnto Symon the first author of this heresy Thy mony sayd he with thee be destroyed for that thou hast thought the gift of God to be possessed for mony Moreouer whereas Christ sayth frely you haue receiued frely geue and whereas contrary the Pope doth sell that thing which he hath taken what doubt is there but that he doth greuously deserue to be punished both he that selleth he that buyeth for the crime of simonye which they commit Ouer and besides by many reasons and authorities of the Scripture it may be proued that he doth not absolue a man contrite for his sinne although he doe absolue him from the guilt But this marueileth me that he in his indulgeÌ„ces promiseth to absolue men from all maner of deadly sinnes yet cannot absolue a man from debt forasmuch as the debt which we owe to god is of much more greater importaÌ„ce then is the debt of our brother Wherfore if he be able to remitte the debt due to God much more it should seme that he is able to forgeue the debt of our brother An other thing there is that I maruell at for that the pope sheweth himselfe more strait in absoluing a priest for not saying or negligently saying his mattens theÌ„ for traÌ„sgressing the commaundemeÌ„t of God considering that the transgression of the coÌ„maundement of God is much more greuous then the breach of mans commaundement For these and many other errours concurring and in this matter of the Popes absolutioÌ„s blessed be God honor be vnto him for the remission of our sinnes And let vs firmely beleue and know that he doth and wil absolue vs from our sinnes if we be sory froÌ„ the bottome of our harts that we haue offended him hauing a good purpose and will to offend him no more And let vs be bolde to resorte vnto good and discreet Priests who with wholesome discretion and sound counsell can instruct vs how to auoad the corruption of sinne hereafter And which because they are better then we may pray to God for vs whereby we may both obtayne more sooner the remission of our sinnes past and also may learne better how to auoyd the daunger of sinne to come Ex Registro Latino Episc. Hereford ¶ And thus much concerning the iudgement and doctrine of this Walter for Christian patience charity and mercy which as they be true and infallible notes and markes of true Christianity so the sayde Walter Brute making comparison herein betweene Christ and the Pope goeth about purposely to declare and manifest whereby all men may see what contrariety there is betweene the rule of Christes teaching and the proceedinges of the Pope betweene the examples and life of the one and the examples of the other Of which two as one is altogether geuen to peace so is the other on the contrary side as much disposed to wars murder and bloudshed as is easy to be sene who so looking not vpon the outward shewes and pretensed wordes of these Romishe Popes but aduising and considering the inward practises and secret works of them shall easely espye vnder their visour of peace what discord and debate they work Who bearing outwardly the meek hornes of the Lambe mentioned in the Apocalippes within doe beare the bowels of a Wolfe full of crueltye murder and bloudshed which if any doe thinke to be spoken of me contumeliously would God that man could proue as well the same to be spoken of me not truely But trueth it is I speake it sincerely without affection of blinde partiality according to the trueth of historyes both olde and new Thus vnder in Dei nomine Amen how vnmercifully doeth the Pope condemne his brother And while he pretendeth not to be lawfull for him to kill any man what thousandes hath he killed of men And likewise in this sentence preteÌ„ding in visceribus Iesu Christi as though he woulde be a mediatour to the magistrate for the party yet in deed will he be sure to excommunicate the Magistrate if he execute not the sentence geuen Who be true heretiques the Lord when he commeth shall iudge but geue them â—o be heretiques whom he condemneth for heretiques Yet what bowels of mercy is here where is nothing but burning faggoting drowning prisoning chayning famishing racking hanging tormenting threatning reuiling cursing and oppressing and no instructing nor yet indifferent hearing of theÌ„ what they can say The like cruelty also may in theyr warres appeare if we consider how Pope Vrbane 5. beside the racking and murdering of 7. or 8. Cardinals set vp Henry Spencer Bishoppe of Norwich to fight agaynst the French Pope Innocentius 4. was in warre himselfe agaynst the Apulians Likewise Alexander 4. his sucessour stirred vp the sonne of king Henry 3. to fight agaynst the sonne of Fredericke 2. Emperour for Apulia Boniface 8. moued Albertus which stood to be Emperour to driue Philip the freÌ„ch King out of his Realm Gregorius 9 excited Ludouike the French king 3. sundry times to mortall warre agaynst the Earle Raimundus and City of of Tholouse and Auinion where Lewes the sayd Frence king dyed Honorius 3. by strength of warre many wayes resisted Fredericke 2. and sent out 35. Gallyes agaynst the coastes of the Emperours dominions The same Pope also besieged Ferraria to passe ouer the warre at Ticinum with many other battayles and conflictes of Popes agaynst the Romanes Venetians and diuers other nations Innocentius 3. set vp Philip the French king to warre agaynst king Iohn What stirre Pope Gregorye the 7. otherwise named Hildebrand kept agaynst the Emperour Henricus 4. it is not vnknowne And who is able to recite all the warres battayles and fieldes fought by the stirring vp of the Pope These with many other like examples considered did cause this Walter Brute to write in this matter so as he did making yet thereof no vniuersall proposition but that Christian Magistrates in case of necessity might make resistaunce in defence of publique right Now he procedeth further to other matter of the Sacrament Touching the matter sayth he of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ diuers men haue diuers opinions as the learned do know As concerning my iudgemeÌ„t vpon the same I firmely beleue whatsoeuer the lord Christ Iesus taught implicitely or expresly to his Disciples and faythfull people to be beleued for he is as I beleue and know the true bread of God whiche descended from heauen and geueth life to the world Of which bread whosoeuer eateth shall liue for euer as it is in the 6. of S. Iohn declared Before the comming of christ in the flesh although men did liue in body yet in spirit they did not liue because all men were then vnder sinne whose soules therby were dead from the which death no man by law nor with
stoupe and should tread vpon the necke of Emperors and make them to kisse his feet Moreouer where the Apostle sayth that he shall sit in the temple of God thereby is ment not the personall sitting of the Pope in the Citty onely of Rome but the authority and iurisdiction of his sea exalted in the whol vniuersall Church equall with God himselfe For let men geue to the Pope that which he in his lawes decrees and in his pontificall requireth and what difference is there betweene God and the Pope If God sette lawes and ordinaunces so doth he If God haue his creatures so hath he if God require obedience so doth he If the breach of Gods commaundementes be punished much more be his God hath his Religion the Pope also hath his yea for Gods one Religion he hath an hundreth God hath set vppe one Aduocate he hath an hundreth God hath instituted but a few holydayes for Gods one he hath instituted xl And if the holy day that God hath appoynted be simplex the feaste that the Pope appoynteth is duplex triplex Christ is the head of the Church so is the Pope Christ geueth influence to his body so doth the Pope Christ forgeueth sinne the Pope doth no lesse Christ expelleth euil spirites by his power so pretendeth the Pope by his holy water Furthermore where Christ went barefoote vpon the bare ground he with his golden shoes is caried on mennes shoulders And where Christ was called Sanctus Sanctorum he is called Sanctorum Sanctissimus Christ neuer practised but onely the spirituall sworde he claymeth both spirituall and temporal Christ bought the Church he both buieth and selleth the Church And if it be necessary to beleue Christ to be the Sauiour of the world so is it necessary to beleue the Pope to be the head of the Church Christ payd tribute to Cesar he maketh Cesar to pay tribute vnto him Finally the crowne of Christ was of sharp thorne the Pope hath three crownes of golde vpon his head so farre exceeding Christ the sonne of God in glory of this world as Christ excedeth him in the glory of heauen The Image and Paterne of whose intollerable pride and exaltation according as S. Paule doth describe him in his epistle aforesayde we haue here set forth not onely in these Tables to be seene and by hys owne factes to be noted but also his owne wordes and Registers Clementines Extrauagantes and Pontificals expressed as in order the Lord willing shall folow Byshops of Rome aduanced by Emperours Constantinus Theodosius c. ¶ The exaltation of popes aboue Kinges and Emperours out of historyes FIrst after that Italy and the Citty of Rome were ouerrunne by the Gothes and Vandales so that the seate of the Empire was remoued to Constantinople then began Ioannes Patriarch of Constantinople to put forth hymselfe and would needes be called vniuersall Bishop of the world but the Bishoppe of Rome in no case would suffer that and stopped it After this came the Emperours deputy and Exarch of Rauenna to rule Italy but the Byshop of Rome through ayde of the King of Lombardes soone quayled him Not long after about the yeare of our Lord 500. came Phocas the murderer who slue the Emperor of Constantinople his maister Mauritius and his children By which Phocas the bishops of old Rome aspired first to their preheminēce to be coūted the headbishops ouer the whole church and so together with the Lombardes began to rule the city of Rome Afterward when the Lombardes would not yeld vnto him in accomplishing his ambitious desire but would needs requyre of the Bishop the said city of Rome he styrred vppe Pipinus but first deposed Childiricus the king of Fraunce and so thrusting him into an Abbay sette vp in his place Pipinus and his sonne Carolus Magnus to put downe the sayde king of Lombardes called Aistulphus And so translated the Empyre from Constantinople into Fraunce deuiding the spoyle betwene him and them so that the kinges of Fraunce had all the possessions and landes which before belonged to the Empyre and he to receiue of them the quiet possession of the city of Rome with such donations and Lordships which now they challenge vnto thē vnder the name of S. Peters patrimony which they falsly ascribe to the donatiō of Constantinus the great It foloweth then in proces of tyme after the dayes of Pipinus Carolus and Ludouicus who had indued these Bishops of Rome called now Popes with large possessions when the kinges of Fraunce were not so applyable to theyr becke to aide and maynteine thē agaynst the Princes of Italy who began then to pynch the sayde Byshops for theyr wrongful vsurped goodes they practised with the Germanes to reduce the Empyre to Otho first of that name Duke of spayne referring the election thereof to 7. Princes Electours of Germany which was aboute ann 1002. notwithstanding reseruing still in his handes the negatiue voyce thinking thereby to enioy that they had in quietnes and security and so did for a good space At length when some of these Germane Emperours also after Otho began a litle to spurne agaynst the sayd bishops and Popes of Rome some of thē they accursed some they subdued and brought to the kissing of theyr feet some they deposed and placed other in theyr possessions So was Henricus 4. by these Byshoppes accursed the Emperour himselfe forced with his wife and child to wait attendaunce vppon the Popes pleasure three dayes and three nightes in winter at the gates of Canossus Reade before pag. 179. Besides all this the sayd Pope raysed vp Rodulphus to be Emperor against him who being slaine in warre then the sayde Pope Gregorye vij not restyng thus styrred vppe his owne sonne Henricus 5. to fight agaynst his owne naturall father and to depose him whiche Henricus the 5. was also himselfe afterwarde accursed and excommunicated and the Saxons at last set vp by the Byshops to fight agaynst him After this the Emperours began to be somewhat calmed and more quyet suffering the Byshops to reigne as they listed till Fridericke the first called Barbarossa came and began to styrre coales agaynst thē Howbeit they hampered both him and his sonne Henry in such sort that they brought first the necke of Fridericke in the Church of Venice vnder theyr feet to tread vpon and after that the sayde bishops crowning Henricus his sonne in the church of S. Peter set his crown on his head with theyr feet and with theyr feet spurned it of agayne to make him know that the Popes of Rome had power both to crowne Emperours and to depose them agayne Whereof read before pag. 784. Then folowed Philippus brother to Henry aforesaid whome also the Popes accursed aboute the yeare of our Lord. 1198. and set vp Otho Duke of Saxonye But when the sayd Otho beganne to be so laucy to dispossesse the Byshops of theyr Cittyes and landes whiche they had encroched into
ye gaue me to drinke I was harborles and ye lodged me And againe Looke what ye haue done to the least of these the same haue ye done to me What greater riches can christ our maister posses then the poore people in whoÌ„ he loueth to be sene Oh what toung is able to expresse the fury and madnes of the tirants hart Now he staÌ„ped he stared he raÌ„ped he fared as one out of his wit his eies like fier glowed his mouth like a bore fomed his teeth like an helhouÌ„d grinded Now not a reasonable man but a roaryng lion he might be called Kindle the fire he cried of wood make no spare Hath this vyllaine deluded the Emperour away with him away with him Whip him with scourges iercke him with rods buffet him with fistes braine him with clubs iesteth the traitour with the Emperour Pinche him with fyrie tonges gyrde him with burning plates bring out the strongest chaines and the fireforkes and the grated bedde of yron On the firewith it bind the rebell hande and foote when the bed is fire hot on with him rost him broyle him tosse him turne him On paine of our highe displeasure do euery man his office O ye tormentors The worde was no soner spoken but all was done After many cruell handlings this meeke lambe was layd I will not say on his firye bed of yron but on his soft bed of downe So mightily God wrought with his Martyr Laurence so miraculously God tempered his element the fire not a bed of consuming paine but a pallet of nourishing rest was it vnto Laurence Not Laurence but the Emperour might seeme to be tormented the one broiling in the fleshe the other burning in the hart When this tryumphant Martir had beene pressed downe with firepikes for a great space in the mightie spirite of God he spake to the vanquished tyraunt This side is now rosted inough turne vp O tyraunt great Assay whether rosted or raw thou thinkest the better meate O rare and vnaccustomed patience O faith inuincible that not onely not burnest but by meanes vnspeakable doest recreate refresh stablish strengthen those that are burned afflicted and troubled And why so mightilye comfortest thou the persecuted Because through thee they beleeue in gods promises infallible By thee this glorious Martir ouercommeth his torments vanquisheth this tyraunt confoundeth his enimies confirmeth the ChristiaÌ„s slepeth in peace raigneth in glory The God of might and mercy graunt vs grace by the life of Laurence to learne in Christ to liue and by his death to learne for Christ to dye Amen Such is the wisdome and prouidence of God that the bloud of his deare Saints like good seede neuer falleth in vaine to the grounde but it bringeth some increase so it pleased the Lord to worke at the Martirdome of this holy Laurence that by the constant confession of this worthy valiaunt Deacon a certaine souldiour of Rome beyng therwith compuncted and conuerted to the same faith desired forthwith to be Baptised of him for the which he being called for of the iudge was scourged and afterwarde beheaded Henr. de Erford Under the same Valerianus suffered also Dionysius byshop of Alexandria much affliction and banishment with certaine other brethren Of the which he writeth himselfe is alledged in the Ecclesiasticall story of Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 11. the wordes whereof tend to this effect Dionysius wyth three of his Deacons to wit Maximus Faustus and Cheremon also with a certaine brother of Rome came to Emilianus then President who there declared vnto them in circumstance of words how he had signified vnto them the clemencie of his Lords and Emperours who had graunted them pardon of life so that they would returne to them worship the Gods and keepers as he called them of their Emperie asking them what aunswere they would gyue him there vnto trusting as he saide that they woulde not shew themselues ingrateful to the clemency of them which so gently did exhort them To this Dionysius aunsweryng said Al men worship not al Gods but diuers men diuers gods so as euery one hath in himselfe a mind or phantasie to worship But we worship not many nor diuers Gods but onely that one God who is the creator of all things hath committed to our Lords Valerianus and Galienus the gouernmeÌ„t of their Empery making to him our prayers â—â—cessauntly for their prosperous health and continuance Then the President sayde And what hurt is it but that you may both worship your God what God soeuer he be and these our Gods also For you are coÌ„maunded worship such Gods as al men know to be gods Dionysius answered we worship none other but as we haue sayd Emilianus the President said I see you are ingratfull men and consider not the benignitie of the Emperous wherfore you shal remaine no longer in this City but shal be sent out to the parts of Libya vnto a towne called Cephro For that place by the commaundement of the Emperour I haue chosen for you Neither shal it be lawful for you to coÌ„uent your assemblies or to resort as ye are wont to your burial places And if any of you shal be found out of your places wherunto you are apointed at your peril be it And think not contrary but ye shal be watched well inough Depart therfore to the place as is coÌ„maunded you and it foloweth more in the said Dionysius speaking of himselfe And as for me sayth he although I was sicke yet hee vrged mee so straightly to depart that he would not giue me one dayes respite And how saith he writing to Germanus coulde I congregate or not congregate any assemblies And after a few lines it followeth And yet neyther am I altogether absent from the corporall societie of the Lordes flocke but I haue collected them togither which were in the Citye being absent as though I had bene present absent in body yet present in spirit And in the same Cephro a great congregation remayned with mee as well of those brethren which followed me out of the City as also of them which were remayning there out of Egypt And there the Lorde opened to me the doore of his word although at the first entraunce I was persecuted and stoned among them yet afterward a great number of them fel from their Idoles and were coÌ„uerted vnto the Lord. And so by vs the word was preached to them which before were infidels which ministery after that we had accomplished there the lord remoued vs to an other place For Aemilianus translated vs froÌ„ thence to more sharpe and straighter places of Libya commaunding vs to meete altogether at a city Mareota thinking there to separate vs seuerallye into sundrye villages or thinking rather to take and preuent vs by the way After we were come thether it was assigned to me saith Dionysius to go to Colluthion which place I neuer hearde of before which was the
more griefe to me yet some solace it was to me that the brethren told me it was neare to a Citie named Paraetonium For as my being at CephroÌ„ got me the acquaintaunce of manye brethren of Egypt so my hope was that the vicinitie of that place where I shoulde be to the Citie might procure the familiaritie and concourse of certaine louing brethren which would resort and assemble with vs and so it came to passe c. Moreouer the said Dionysius in his Epistle ad Domiâ—ium DydymuÌ„ making mention of them whiche were afflicted in this persecution of Valerian recordeth in these wordes saying it were superflous saith he here to recite the names peculiarly of all our brethren slaine in this persecution which both were manye and to me vnknowne But this is certaine that there were men wemen younge men maydens olde wiues souldiers simple innocentes and of all sortes and ages of men Of whome some with â—courginges and fire some with sworde obtained victorye and got the crowne Some continued a great time and yet haue bene reserued In the whiche number am I reserued hetherto to some other oportune tyme knowen vnto the Lord which sayth In the time accepted I haue heâ—rde thee and in the daye of saluation I haue helped thee c. Nowe as concerning my selfe in what state I am if thou desire to know first howe I and Caius and Faustus Petrus and Paulus being apprehended by the Centurion were taken away by certayne of the towne of Mareote I haue declared to you before Now I and Caius and Petrus alone are left here included in a west place of Libya distant the space of thre daies iouâ—ney from Paraetonium c. And in processe farther he addeth In the Citie saith he were certaine priuily which visite the brethren of Priestes Maximus Dioscorus Demetrius and Lucius For they which were more notable in the world Faustinus and Aquilla do wander abroade in Egipt Of the Deacons besides them whoÌ„ sicknes hath consumed Faustus Eusebius Cheremon are yet alyue Eusebius hath God raised and stirred vp to minister to the confessours lying in bandes and to burye the bodies of the blessed Martirs not without great perill Neither doth the President cease yet to this day cruellye murderyng such as be brought afore him some tearynge with torments some imprisoning and keeping in custody commaunding that no man should come to them inquyring also who resorted vnto them Yet notwithstanding God with chearefulnes and dailye resorte of the brethren doth comfort the afficted Haec Dionysius Concerning these deacons aboue recited here is to be noted that Eusebius afterward was made Bishop of Laodicia in Syria Maximus the Priest aforesaide had the mynistration of the Church of Alexandria after Dionysius Faustus long after continued in great age vnto the latter persecution where he being a very old man at length was beheaded and died Martyr As touching Dionysius him selfe thus the stories report that he suruiuing all these troubles and persecutioÌ„s by the prouidence of God continued after the death of Valerian vnto the xij yeare of the raigne of Galienus whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 268. and so departed in peace in great age after that he had gouerned the Church of Alexandria the space of xvij yeares before that had taught the schole of the sayd Citie of Alexandria the terme of xvj yeares After whom succeeded Maximus as is aboue specified And thus much touching the full storie of Dionysius Alexandrinus and of other also Martyrs and Confessours of Alexandria In Caesaria Palestine suffered also the same time Priscus Malchus and Alexander the which three dwelling in the countrey and good men seing the valiaunt courage of the Christians so boldly to venter constantly to stand and patiently to suffer in this persecutioÌ„ as men being greued with them selues began to repent accuse their so great sluggishnes and cowardly negligence to see other so zealous valiant themselues so colde faint harted in laboring for the crowne of Christian martyrdome first consulting and agreing within themselues came to Cesarea there stepping to the Iudge declared theÌ„selues what they were obtained the end they came for being giuen to the wilde beasts After which like maner also and in the same Citye of Cesarea a certaine woman whose name Eusebius expresseth not who had beene before of the secte of Marcion was brought before the President and likewise obtayned the same Martyrdome Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 12. Neither was the citie of Carthage all this while free from the stroke of this persecution if credit should be giueÌ„ to the speculatiue glasse of Vincentius who cyting out of Hugo recordeth of 300. Martyrs of which 300. Martyrs the history saith thus that the President setting before the cooles and incense to doe sacryfice by a lyme kilne which was there neere at hand offred vnto them this condition either to set incense to the coales for sacrifice to Iupiter or els to go into the fornace of lyme wherupon they altogether with a generall motion sodenly rushed into the kilne and ther with the dusty smoke of the lime were smothered Vincent Erford In Aphrica also in the City of Tuburba the sayd VinceÌ„tius out of the Martyrologe inferreth mention of thre constaunt virgins Maxima Donatilla and Secunda who in the persecution of this Valerian and Galienus first had giuen for their drinke vinager and gaule then with scourges were tried after that vpon the gibbet were tormented rubbed with lime then were scorched vpon the fiery gridiroÌ„ at last were cast to the wilde beastes who being not touched of them finally with the sword were beheaded Vincent Erfor In Symela a City in Italy vnder the Alpes one Pontius beyng there apprehended by the commaundement of Claudius the President was hanged first vppon the racke then was cast to the wilde beastes of whom he being nothing hurt was after coÌ„mitted to the fire And finally neither touched therwith if the storye of Vincentius be true was headed by the ryuers side his body throwne into the floude where immediatlye the same houre the foresayde Claudius with his assistant Anabius were taken with wicked spirits by whom they were so miserablye vexed that they byt of their tongues and died Zenon also Byshop of Verona is saide also in the same persecution to sustayne Martyrdome Moreouer in the same Citie of Alexandria aforesayde Bergomensis in his 8. booke writing of the story of Valerianus Emperour maketh mention of Philippus bishoppe of the said sea of Alexandria who as he saith was vnder the sayd Valerian beheaded But that is not to be founde in any approued story nor staÌ„deth with the truth of time that any such Philip then was bishop of Alexandria or any other except onely Dionysius After whom next succeeded Maximus who remained xviij yeares and after him Theonas c. So that by the auncient recordes of
griefes waxe great what gronest thou now Sayd some of them againe In schoole aduised well art thou Whom there thou puâ—st to payne 35 Behold we pay and now make good as many thousande stripes As when with weeping eyes we stoode In daunger of thy gripes 36 Art thou now angry at thy bande that alwayes cried writâ— write And neuer wouldst that our right hand Should rest in quiet plyte 37 We had forgot our playing times Thou churle deniedst vs of We now but pricke and point our lines And thus they grinne and scof 38 Correct good sir your viewed verse If ought amisse there be Now vse thy power and then rehearse that haue not marked thee 39 Christ pittying this groaning man With tormments torne and tyred Commaundes his hart to breake euen then And life that was then hyered 40 He yeeldes againe to him that gaue And thus he makes exchaunge Immortall for mortall to haue That in such payne did â—aunge 41 This is saith he that this plesure Thou so beholdst Oh gâ—â—t Of Cassianus Martir pure Doth preach I doe protest 42 If thou Prudence haue ought in store In pietie to deale In hope of iust reward therefore Now shew thy louing zeale 43 I could not but consent I weepe Hys tombe I doe embrace Home I returne and after sleepe This pittifull preface 44 I write as a memoriall For euer to endure Of Cassianus scolemaster All others to allure 45 To constancy vnder the crosse Of their profession Accompting gaine what euer losse For Christ they take vpon No lesse admirable then wonderfull was the constancy also of woemen and maidens who in the same persecution gaue their bodyes to the tormentes their liues for the testimony of Christ with no lesse boldnes of spirite theÌ„ did the men themselues aboue specified to whome howe much more inferiour they were in bodely streÌ„gth so much more worthy of prayse they be for their constant standing Of whom some examples here we minde Christ willing to inferre such as in our stories and Chronicles seem most notable first beginning with Eulalia whose story we haue taken out of the foresayd Prudentius as followeth In the West part of Spaine called Portingall is a City great and popâ—lous named Emerita wherein dwelt and was brought vp a virgine borne of noble parentage whose name was Eulalia which Emerita although for the apte situation therof was both rich famous yet more adourned and famous was the renowne therof by the martyrdome bloud and sepulture of this blessed virgine Eulalia Twelue yeares of age was shee and not much aboue when she refused great and honourable offers in mariage as one not skilfull nor yet delighting in courtly daliaunce neyther yet taking pleasure in purple and gorgeous apparell or els in precious balmes or costly ornamentes and iuels But forsaking and despising all these and such lyke pompeous allurements then shewed she her self most busie in preparing her iourney to her hoped inheritance and heauenly patronage Which Eulalia as she was modest and descrete in behauiour sage and sober in conditions so was she also witty and sharp in aunswering her enemies But when the 〈◊〉 rage of persecution inforced her to ioyne her self amongest Gods Children in the houshold of faith and when the Christians were commaunded to offer incense and sacrifice to deuils or dead Gods Then began the blessed spirite of Eulalia to kindle and being of a proâ—tipt ready wit thought forthwith as a couragious captayne to geue a charge vpon this so great and disordered a battayle and so she silly woeman pouring out the bowels of her innocent hart before God more prouoketh therby the â—orce and rage of her enemies agaynst her But the godly care of her parentes fearing least the willing minde of the Damsel so ready to dye for Christes cause might make her gilty of her owne death hid her and kept her close at their house in the countrey being a great way out of the Citty She yet misliking that quiet life as also detesting to make such delay softly stealeth out of the doores no man knowing therof in the night and in great hast leauing the common waye openeth the hedge gappes and with werye feete god knoweth passed through the thorny bryery places accompanied yet with spirituall garde although darke dreadfull was the silent night yet had shee with her the Lord guider of light And as the children of Israel comming out of Egipt had by the mightye power of God a cloudy piller for their guide in the day a flame of fire in the night so had this godly virgine traueling in this darke night when she fleing forsaking the place where al filthy idolatry abounded hastened her heauenly iourney was not oppressed with the dreadfull darknes of the night But yet she before the day appeared in this her speedy iourney with her selfe considered mused on a thousand matters more In the morning betime with a bould courage she goeth vnto the tribunall or iudgement seat in the midst of them all with a loud voice crying out sayde I praye you what a shame is it for you thus rashely and without aduisement to destroy and kill mens soules and to throwe their bodies aliue against the rocks and cause them to deny the omnipotent god Would you know O you vnfortunate who I am behold I am one of the Christians an enimie to your deuilish sacrifices I spurne your idols vnder my feete I confesse God omnipotent with my hart and mouth Isis Apollo and Uenus what are they Maximinus himselfe what is he The one a thing of naught for that they be the workes of mens hands the other but a cast away bicause he worshippeth the same worke Therfore friuolous are they both and both not worthy to be set by Maximinus is a Lorde of substaunce and yet he himselfe falleth downe before a stone and voweth the honor of hys dignitie vnto those that are much inferior to his vassals Why then doth he oppresse so tirannically more worthye stomacks and courages then himselfe He must neds be a good guid and an vpright iudge which fedeth vpon innocent bloud and breathing in the bodies of godly men doth rent and teare their bowels and that more is hath his delight in destroying and subuerting the faith Go to therfore thou hangman burne cut and mangle thou these earthly meÌ„bers It is an easie matter to breake a britle substance but the inward mind shalt not thou hurt for any thing thou canst do The pretor theÌ„ or iudge wyth these words of hers set in a great rage saith hangmaÌ„ take her and pull her out by the heare of her head torment her to the vttermost Let her feele the power of our countrey gods and let her know what the Imperiall gouernement of a Prince is But yet O thou sturdy girle faine woulde I haue thee if it were possible before thou dye to
last through the operation of Sathan was exalted to the Papacy of Rome vpon this condition that after his death he should geue himselfe to the deuil by whose procuremeÌ„t he came to that promotion UpoÌ„ a certaine time he demanded an answer of the deuill how long he should enioy his Popedome to whom he answered againe vntill thou say Masse in Ierusalem thou shalt liue At length the iiij yeare of his Popedome saying Masse at Lent time in the temple of the holy crosse being called then Ierusalem there he knewe the time was come when hee should die Wherupon being stroke with repentance confessed his fault openly before the people desiring al men to cut his body al in peeces being so seduced by deceits of the deuil so being hewen in peeces they woulde lay it vpon a cart and bury it there where soeuer the horses wold cary it of their accorde And so the saying is to be that by the prouidence of God whereby the wicked may learne yet hope of remission with God so that they will repent them in their life the horses of their own accord staid at the church of Laterane and there he was buried wheras commonly by the ratling of his bones within the tomb is portended the death of Popes as the common reporte goeth Thus much out of Ioannes Stella concerning Siluester By whoÌ„ our sorcerers and inchanters or magicians may learne to beware of the deceitfull operation of Sathan who at the ende deceiueth and frustateth al them that haue to do with him as the ende of all such doth declare commonly which vse the like art or trade The Lorde and God of al mercye through the spirite of Iesus our redemer dissolue the works of Sathan and preserue the hartes of our nobles and of al other Englishmen from such infection Amen After Siluester succeeded Ioannes .xix. by whom was brought in as Volateran sayth the feast of all soules an 1004. through the meanes and instigation of one Odilo Abbot of Cluniake to be celebrate next after the feast of all Saintes This Monke Odilo thinking that Purgatory as he heard should be in the mount Aetna dreamed vpoÌ„ a time in the countrey of Sicile that he by his Masses had deliuered diuers soules from theÌ„ce saying moreouer that he did heare the voyces and lameÌ„tations of deuils crying out for that the soules were taken froÌ„ them by the Masses Dirges funerall Ex Bakenthorpo in prolo 4. Lib. Sentent And not loÌ„g after him came Iohn the xx and Sergius the iiij After whom succeeded Benedictus the viij then Iohn the 21. who being promoted by art magike of Theoyhilact his nephew Gratianus Brazutus and other Sorcerers brought in first the fast of the eueÌ„ of Iohn Baptist and S. LaureÌ„ce After him followed pope Benedictus the 9. likewise aspiring to his Papacy by like magike practising inchauntmentes and coniuration in woodes after horrible maner Who resisting the Emperor Henricus 3. sonne to Conradus and placing in his rowme Petrus the king of Hungarie wyth this verse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam Afterward for feare of Henricus preuailing in battaile hee was faine to sell his seate to his successoure Gratianus called Gregorius vi for 1500. poundes At which time were 3. Popes together in Rome raigning raging one against an other Benedictus ix Siluester 3. Gregorius vi For the whych cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour comming to Rome displaced these 3. monsters at one time placing for them Clemens 2. and thereupon inacting that there should no bishop of Rome henceforth be chosen but by the consent and confirmation of the Emperour Which constitution though it was both agreable also necessary for publike traÌ„quilitie of that citie yet the Cardinals would not suffer it long to stand but did impugne it afterward by subtile practise and open violence as in processe the Lord permitting shal appeare in the time of Henricus the 4. and 5. In the time of this Clement the Romanes made an othe to the Emperour concerning the election of the Byshops themselues to entermeddle no farther therein but as the assent of the Emperour should goe with all Howbeit the Emperour departing thence into Germanie againe by and by they forgote their othe and within 9. monethes after poysoned the Bishop Which fact some impute to Stephen his successour called Damasus 2. Some impute it to Brazutus who as histories record within 13. yeares poysoned 6. popes that is Clemens 2. Damasus 2. Leo. 9. Uictor 2. Stephanus 9. Nicolaus the 2. Thus Clement being poysoned after him succeeded Damasus 2. neither by consent of the people nor of the emperour elected but by force and inuasion who aâ—so within 23. daies being poisoned An. 1049. much contention and striuing began in Rome about the Papal seat Wherupon the Romans through the counsel of the Cardinals sent to the foresaid Emperor desiring to geue them a bishop and so he did whose name was Bruno an Almain and bishop of Colleâ— afterwarde called Leo 9. This Bruno being a simple man and easie to be led with euil counsel comming from the Emperour towards Rome in his pontificall apparell like a Pope meeteth him by the way the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrand a monke Who seing him so in his pontificalibus begaÌ„ to rate him laying to his charge that he would so take his authoritie of the Emperour and not rather of the Clergy of Rome the people thereof as other his predecessors were wont to doe and so counselled him to lay downe that apparel and to enter in with his own habite till he had hys election by them Bruno following their counsel and confessing his fault before the Clergie of Rome obtained their fauor and so was nominate Leo 9. wherby Hildebrand was made a Cardinall put in high rowme Under this Pope Leo were two Councels one kept at Uercellis where the doctrine of Berengarius against the reall substance in the Sacrament was first condemned although Berengarius yet recanted not whych neuerthelesse was done after in the Councel of Lateranâ— vnder Nicolas 2. An. M.lx. The other was kept at Moguntia where amongst many other decrees was enacted priests to be excluded and debarred vtterly from mariage Item that no lay men might geue benefice or bishoprick or any spirituall promotion c. This Leo being at Wormes with the Emperour vpon Christmas day did excommunicate the subdeacon because in reading the Epistle he did it not in the Romane tune he being there present The Archbishop moued therewith departed from the altare being then at Masse saying he woulde not proceede no farther in his seruice vnlesse hys subdeacon were restored Wherupon the Pope commaÌ„ded him to be released so they went forward in their seruice After the death of Leo whom Brazutus poysoned the first yere of his popedome Theophilactus did striue to be Pope but Hildebrand to defeat him went to the emperor partly
Constantinus an 340. Syricus to Theodosius Anno. 388. Gregorius to Mauritius An. 600. Hilarius to Iustinian An. 528. Adrianus and Leo to Carolus Magnus An. 801. Paschalis and Ualentius to Ludouicus Pius an 830. Sergius 29. vnto Lotharius An. 840. Benedictus the 3. and Ioannes the 9. vnto Ludouicus sonne of Lotharius an 856. But against this obedience and subiection Hildebrād first began to spurne and by his example taught all other Bishops to do the like In somuch that at length they wrought and brought to passe to be lawful for a fewe curtisans Cardinals cōtrary to auncient ordinance and statutes decretal to chuse what Pope they list without any consent of the Emperor at all And where as before it stoode in the Emperors gift to geue and graunt Byshoprikes Archbishoprikes benefices and other Ecclesiasticall prefermentes within theyr owne limites to whom they lift now the Popes through much wrastling warres and contention haue extorted al that into their owne hāds and to their assignes yea haue pluckt in all the riches power of the whole worlde And not cōtent with that haue vsurped and preuailed so much aboue Emperors that as before no Pope might be chosen wtout the cōfirmation of the Emperor so now no Emperor may be elected wtout the confirmation of the Pope taking vpon them more then Princes to place or displace Emperours at their pleasure for euery light cause to put downe or to set vp when whom they lifted as Fridericus Primus for holding the left stirrup of the popes sadel was persecuted almoste to excommunication The which cause moueth me to straine more diligence here in setting out the history actes and doings of this Hildebrand from whom as the first patron and founder sprang al this ambition contention about the liberties dominion of the Romane church to the intent that such as cānot read the Latine histories may vnderstand in English the original of euils howe and by what occasion they first began and how long they haue continued And first howe this Hildebrand hetherto had behaued himselfe before he was Pope I haue partly declared For though he was not yet Pope in name yet he was there Pope in deede ruled the Pope and all their doinges as him listed Item what waies and fetches he had attempted euer since his first comming to the Courte of Rome to magnifie and maintaine false libertie against true authoritie what practise he wrought by Coūcels what factions and conspiracies he made in stirring vp Popes against Emperours striuing for superioritie and what warres followed therof I haue also expressed Now let vs see further by the helpe of Christe the worthy vertues of this princely prelate after he came to be Pope as they remaine in histories of diuers and sondry writers described The tragicall historie of Gregorie the vij otherwise named Hildebrand THe words of the latine historie be these Hactenus pontifices Rom. comitijs curiatis calatis a sacerdotibus equitatu plebe Senatu c. In English Hetherto the Byshoppes of Rome haue bene elected by voyces and suffrages of all sortes and degrees as well of the Priests and the Clergy as of the nobilitie people and Senate all conuenting and assembling together And this election so I finde to stande in force if so be it were ratified and confirmed by the consent of Romane Emperors who had authoritie to call and to assemble all these as well as Byshops together vnto councels as case required Under the authoritie and iurisdiction of these Emperours were contained both in Germany Fraunce Italy and through the whole dominion of Rome all Patriarches Bishops masters of Churches and Monasteries by the decree of Councels according to the olde custome of our aunceters as is declared in a certaine storie in the life of Carolus Magnus The holy and auncient fathers like as Christ our Lorde with his disciples and Apostles both taught and did honoured and esteemed their Emperours as the supreame potestate next vnder God in earth set vp ordained elected and crowned of God aboue all other mortall men and so counted them and called them their Lords To them they yelded tribute and paide their subsidies Also prayed euery day for their life Such as rebelled against them they tooke as rebelles and resisters against God his ordinance and christian pietie The name of the Emperor then was of great maiestie and receiued as geuen from God Then these fathers of the Church neuer intermedled nor intangled themselues with politike affaires of the common weale muche lesse they occupied Martiall armes and matters of cheualrie Onely in pouertie and modestie was all their contention with other Christians who shoulde be poorest and most modest amōgst them And the more humblenes appeared in any the higher opiniō they cōceiued of him The sharpe and two edged sworde they tooke geuen to the Churche of Christ to saue and not to kill to quicken not to destroy and called it the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God the life and light of men and reuoketh from death to life making of men Gods of mortall immortall Farre were they from that to thrust out any Prince or Kyng though he were neuer so farre out of the way yea an Arrian from his kingdome or to curse him to release hys subiects from their oth and their allegeance to change and translate kingdoms to subuert empires to pollute themselues with Christen bloude or to warre with their Christian brethren for rule principalitie This was not their spirite maner then but rather they loued obeyed their Princes Again Princes loued them also like fathers and fellow princes with them of the soules of men Now this Gregorius the seuenth otherwise named Hildebrandus trusting vpon the Normains which then rufled about Apusia Calabria and Campania trusting also vpon the power of Machtilda a stout woman thereabout Rome partly again bearing himself bold for the discord among the Germains first of all other contrary to the maner of elders contemning the authoritie of the emperour inuaded the Cathedrall sea of Rome vauncing himselfe as hauing both the ecclesiastical and temporal sword committed to him by Christ that fulnes of power was in his hande to bind and loose what so he listed Wherupon thus he presumed to occupy both the regiments to chalenge all the whole dominion both of the East West church yea and all power to himself alone abiding none to be equal much lesse superior to him derogating from other and arrogating to himselfe their due right and honor setting at light Cesars kings and Emperours and who raigned but by his owne godamercy Bishops and Prelates as his vnderlings he kept in awe suspending and cursing chopping of their heads stirring vp strife and warres sowyng of discord making factions releasing othes defeating fidelitie and due allegeance of subiects to their princes Yea and if he had offended or iniured
and here againe I take his regall gouernment from him charging and forbidding all christen men that haue bene sworne vnto him whom I discharge here of their oth that hereafter they obey him in nothing but to take Rodolphus to their king who is elected by many princes of the Prouince For so right it is and conuenient that as Henry for his pride stubburnes is depriued of his dignitie and possession so Rodolphus being gratefull to all men for his vertue and deuotion be exalted to the Imperiall throne domination Therfore O you blessed prince of the Apostles graunt to this and confirme with your authoritie that I haue sayd so that all meÌ„ may vnderstand if you haue power to bynd and loose in heauen you haue also power in earth to geue take away Empires kingdoms principallities and whatsoeuer here in earth belongeth to mortall men For if yov haue power to iudge in such matters as appertain to God what then should we thinke you haue of these inferior prophane things And if it be in your power to iudge the angels ruling ouer proud princes what then shall it be seen â—â—â— you to do vpon their seruants Therfore let the kings vnderstand by this example all other princes of the world what you be able to do in heauen what you are with God that thereby they may feare to contemn the commaundement of holy church And now doe you exercise this iudgement quickely vpon Henricus whereby all men may see this sonne of iniquitie to fall from hys kingdome not by any chaunce but by your prouision and onely worke Notwithstanding this I would craue of you that he being brought to repentance through your intercession yet in the day of iudgement may finde fauour and grace with the Lord. Actum Romae Nonis Martij indictione 3. Furthermore Pridebrand Driveur and not yet content with this interditeth deposeth also Guibertus Archb. of RaueÌ„na for taking the Emperors part commaunding all priestes to geue no maner obedience to him and sendeth thether to Rauenna an other Archb. with full authoritie After vpon this Henricus Rodulphus to try the matter by the sword coped together in battaile not without bloudshed where Henricus by the fauour of God against the iudgement of Hildebrand had the victory Rodulphus there greatly wounded in the conflict was had out of the army and caried to Hyperbolis where he commaunded the bishops chief doers of his conspiracy to be brought before him when they came he listed vp his right hand in which he had taken his deadly wound and sayd This is the hand which gaue the oth and sacrament vnto Henricus my Prince and which through your instigatioÌ„ so oft hath fought against him in vaine Now go and performe your first othe allegeance to your king for I must to my fathers and so dyed Thus the Pope gaue battaile but God gaue the victory Henricus after his enemy beyng thus subdued and warres being ceased in Germany forgate not the old iniuries receiued of Hildebrand by whom he was twise excommunicate expulsed from his kingdom and iii. daies making humble sute yea that in sharpe winter coulde find no fauour with him Besides that he incited moreouer aided his enemy against him wherfore calleth together a councell or assembly of diuers bishops of Italy LoÌ„bardy and Germany at Brixia an 1083. where he purged himself accused the bishop Hildebrand of diuers crimes to be an usurper periured a Necromanser Sorcerer a lower of discord complaining moreouer of wrongs iniuries done by the bishop and church of Rome in that the church of Rome preferred the bishop before him wheÌ„ that his father being emperor before him had inthronised set in diuers sundry bishops there by his assignment with out all other electioÌ„ And now this bishop contrary to his oth promise made thrust in himself without the wil and knowlege of him being their king and magistrate For in the time of his father Henricus 3. This Hildebrand wyth other bound themselues with a corporall oth that so long as the Emperour and his sonne now beyng kyng should liue they should neither themselues presume nor suffer any other to aspire to the Papal seat without the assent and approbation of the foresayd Emperours which now this Hildebrand contrary to his corporal oth had done wherfore the foresaid councel with one agrement condeÌ„ned this Gregory that he should be deposed The tenor of which condemnation is thus expressed in Abbate Vrspergensi The Sentence of the Councell of Brixia against Hildebrand BEcause it is not vnknown this bishop not to be elected of God but to haue intruded himselfe by fraud and money who hath subuerted all Ecclesiasticall order who hath disturbed the gouernment of the Christian Empery manasing death of body and soule against our catholike peaceable king who hath set vp maintayned aperiured kyng sowyng discorde where concorde was causing debate amongst friends slaÌ„ders offences amongest brethrenne diuorcementes and separation amongest the maried for he tooke away the mariage of priests as Henricus Mutius witnesseth and finally disquieting the peaceable state of all quiet lyfe therefore we here in the name authoritie of God congregate together with the Legates handes of 19. Bishops the day of Pentecost at Mentz doe proceed in Canonicall iudgement against Hildebrand a man most wicked preaching sacriledge and burning maintaining periury and murthers callyng in question the Catholike fayth of the body and bloud of the Lord a follower of diuination and dreames a manifest Necromancer a Sorcerer and infected with a Pythonicall spirite and therefore departed from the true fayth we iudge hym to be deposed expelled And vnlesse he hearyng this shall yelde and depart the seate to be perpetually condemned Inacted vij Calend. Iulij feria 5. indictione 3. This being enacted sent to Rome they elected Guibertus Archbishop of Rauena in the place of Hildebrand to gouerne the Church of Rome named Clemens 3. But when Hildebrand neither would geue ouer his hold nor geue place to Clement the Emperour gathering an army to send to Italy came to Rome to depose Gregory and to place Clement But Hildebrand sendyng to Matilda the Countesse before in eÌ„tioned required in remission of al hee sinnes to withstand Henry the Emperor and so she did Notwithstanding Henricus preuailyng came to Rome where he besieged the Citie all the Lent and after Easter got it the Romaines being compelled to open the gates vnto him so he comming to the temple of S. Peter there placeth ClemeÌ„t in his Papacy Hildebrand straight flieth into Adrians tower with his adherents where he beyng beset round about at length sendeth for Robert Guiscardus his frend a Norman in the mean time while Robertus collecteth his power the Abbot of Chiniake couferryng with Gregory exhorteth him to crowne Henricus emperor in Lateran which
both by an old chronicle called Chronica gestorum as also by auncient Origen vpon the third booke of Moses bringing in his wordes which be these prouing that this sacramental bread ought not to be reserued Quicunque hunc panem coenae Christi secunda vel tertia die sumpserit non benedicitur anima eius sed inquinabitur Propterea Gabaonitae quia antiquos panes portaueruÌ„t ad filios Israel oportuit eos ligna ac aquam portare c. That is whosoeuer receiueth this bread of the Supper of Christ vpon the second or iii. day after his soule shall not be blessed but polluted Therfore the Babaonites because they brought olde bread to the children of Israel it was enioyned them to cary wood and water c. D. Austen of whom meÌ„tion is made before disputing agaynst them about this matter of the holy Eucharist vrgeth them with this interrogation whether it be the same Christ present in the Sacrament which is present at the right hand of the father If it be not the same Christ how is it true in the Scripture Vna fides vnus Dominus nostet Iesus Christus One fayth one Lord Iesus Christ If it be the same Christ theÌ„ how is he not to be honored and worshipped here as well as there To this the Ualdenses aunswere againe and graunt that Christ is one and the same with his naturall body in the sacrament which he is at the right hand of his Father but not after the same existence of his body For yâ— existence of his body in heauen is not personall and locall to be apprehended by the fayth and spirit of men In the sacrameÌ„t the existence of his body is not personall or locall to be appreheÌ„ded or receiued of our bodies after a personal or corporall maner but after a sacrameÌ„tal maner that is where our bodies receiue the signe our spirit the thing insignified Moreouer in heauen the existence of his body is dimensiue and complete with the full proportion and quaÌ„tity of the same body where with he asceÌ„ded here the existeÌ„ce of his complete body with the full proportion measure stature thereof doth not neither can stand in the sacrameÌ„t Briefly the existence of his body in heauen is naturall not sacramentall that is to be sene and not remembred here it is sacramentall not naturall that is to be remembred not to be sene That aunswere being made to the captious propositioÌ„ of D. Augustine The Ualdenses retorting the like interrogation to him againe demaund of him to answere them in the like obiection whether it be all on christ substaÌ„tially naturally which sitteth in heauen which is vnder the formes of bread and wine and in the receiuers of the Sacrament If he graunt to be Then they did him say seing Christ is as well in the sacrament as in heauen as well in the receiuer as in the sacrament all one Christ in substance nature why then is not the same Christ as well in the brest of the receiuer to be worshipped as vnder the formes of bread and wine in the sacrameÌ„t seing he is there after a more perfect maner in man then in the sacrament for in the sacrament he is but for a tâ—â—e and not for the sacraments sake but for the mans cause In man he is not for the sacraments cause but for his owne and that not for a season but for euer as it is written Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum that is he that eateth this breade shall liue for euer c. Moreouer and besides seing traÌ„substantiation is the going of one substance into an other they question againe with him whether the formes of bread and wine remayning the substauÌ„ce thereof be chauÌ„ged into the whole person of our Lord Christ Iesus that is both into his body soule and diuinitye or not into the whole Christ If he graunt the whole Then say they that is impossible concerning the diuinity both to nature and to our fayth that any creature can be chauÌ„ged into the creator If he say the bread is chaunged into the body and soule of Christ not to his diuinity then he seperateth the natures in Christ. If he say into the body alone and not the soule then he separateth the natures of the true manhood c. And so cannot be the same Christ that was betrayed for vs for that he had both body soule To conclude to what part soeuer he would aunswere this doctrine of transubstantiation cannot be defended without great incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce of al sides Ouer and besides Eneas Syluius writing of theyr doctrine and assertions perchaunce as he fouÌ„d them perchaunce making worse of them then they taught or ment reporteth them after this maner which I thought here to set out as it is in the Latin ROmanum praesulem reliquis episcopis parem esse Inter sacerdotes nullum discrimen Praes byterum non dignitatem fed vitae meritum efficere potiorem In English The byshop of Rome to be equall with other bishops Amongst priestes to be no difference of degree No Priest to be reputed for any dignity of his order but for the worthinesse of his life The soules of men departed either to enter into paine euerlasting or euerlasting ioy No fire of Purgatory to be found To pray for the dead to be vaynâ— and a thing onely found out for the lucre of Priestes The images of God as of the Trinity and of saintes to be abolished The halowing of water palmes to be a mere ridicle The religion of begging Fryars to be found out by the deuill That priestes should not incroch riches in this world but rather follow pouerty being content with their tythes and mens deuotion The preaching of the word to be free to all men called thereunto That no deadly sinne is to be tollerate for whatsoeuer respect of a greater commodity to insuâ— therupon The coÌ„firmation which bishops exercise with oyle and extreme vnction are not to be counted amongst the sacraments of the Churche Auriculare confession to be but a toy to suffice for euery man to confesse himselfe in his chamber to God Baptisme ought to be ministred ouely with pure water without any mixture of halowed oyle The temple of the Lord to be the wide world The maiesty of God not to be restrayned more within the walles of temples monastaries and chappelles so that his grace is rather to be found in one place then in an other Priestes apparell ornaments of the high aulter vestimentes corporaces chalices patines and other Churche plate to serue in no stead For the difference and respect of the very place to make no matter where the priest doth consecrate or doth minister to them which do require To be sufficient to vse onely the sacramentall words without all other superfluous ceremonies The suffrages of saintes reigning with Christ in heauen to be craued in vayne being not
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
his assistaunts here assembled alledging the first Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter where he sayth Feare God honour the king By which wordes the holy Apostle S. Peter teacheth vs 2. things First that loue feare obedience is due vnto God for the mightinesse and puissaunce of his Maiesty saying Feare God Secondly how speciall honor reuerence is due to the King for the excellency of his dignity saying Honor the King But note you by the way how the Apostle placeth his woordes First he sayth that feare is due vnto God because principally and in chiefe we ought to feare GOD For if the King or any other should commaund things contrary to God we ought to haue no regard ther of but to contemne the King feare God For it is written in the 5. of the Actes of the Apostles we ought rather to obey God then men and also in the 7. chap. of Machabes the 2. booke where it is sayd I will not obey the commaundements of the king but the law The reason whereof S. Augustine geueth both in the glose vpon the Romaines also in the 11. quaest 1. He that resisteth the superiour power resisteth the will and ordinaunce of God But put case thou art commaunded to do that which thou maist not do or to do not that which thou oughtest to do Doubtlesse thou must neglect the lesser power and feare the higher learning the degrees of worldly thinges As for example be it so that a Proctour commaundeth thee any thing which if the same be agaynst the Proconsull thou oughtest not to follow it Yea and further put case the Proconsull commaundeth one thing the Emperour an other and God willeth the third Thou must not care for thē but obey God for God is the greater power For they may threaten thee with prison but GOD may threaten thee with hell fire they may slay and kill thy body but God may send thee body and soule to perpetuall hell fire And therfore worthely it is put first Feare God And here the place in the last of Ecclesiasticus is to be adioyned where it is written Feare God and keep his commaundements And me thinketh that man is boūd to feare God chiefly in three sorts That is to say First in the bountifull bestowing of his giftes and benefites Secondly in the euident promoting of his seruauntes And lastly in the full rendring and restoring vnto man that is his First I say in the bountifull c. and for this cause the Emperour Iustinian writeth although there is nothing to be accompted good which doth exceede and is to great yet for a prince to be stow accordingly vpō the church it is very good For why the king and Emperour is bound to bestow so much the more substaunce how much the more God hath geuen to him to bestow the same both franckly and especially to famous Churches wherein the best greatest measure is of the Lordes giftes that is a great gift And to this end Gregory enacteth a law cap. i. extra de donationibus that nobility ought in maner to prescribe this law to himselfe to thinke himselfe bound to geue whē he geueth freely vnlesse he increase in geuing still to think that he hath geuen nothing Wherfore Abell as appeareth in the 4. chapter of Genesis who offered of the best to the Lord was blessed of God And therefore other Kinges the more they offred to God the more they were both spiritually and temporally blessed of him As we read of Iosua Dauid Salomon other in the booke of the Kings and therefore it is so written in the 18. of Numbers And ye shall separate vnto the Lordes treasury thinges that be chiefest and most principall As likewise Dauid sayth in the first of Paralipomenon last chapter I haue geuen all this with a glad hart euen with a good will and now haue I had ioy to see thy people which here are present offer with a free will vnto thee And no maruell for Dauid sayth in that place For of thy hand we haue receiued all and to thee we geue And therefore it seemeth to me that because the Kynges of Fraunce and Barons of the same more then anye other hath geuen to GOD and his Church therefore they were happy and blessed aboue all other kinges and the more they did geue to God the more they receiued at hys handes Examples wherof we haue of Clodoue Charles and S. Lewes the more one geueth to God the more he receiueth of him For he in the 6. of Luke hath promised geue and it shal be geuen vnto you wherfore a gift that a Prince bestoweth vpon the Church is rendered agayne with triple encrease and that no lesse in time of warr then in time of peace I say in warre time because victory proceedeth of no other but onely of God for it is writtē in the 1. Machabecs the 3. Chapter The victorye of the battayle standeth not in the multitude of the boast but the strength commeth from heauen And likewise in the 17. Chapter of Exodus it is declared that when Moyses held vp hys handes Israell had the victory but when he let down his handes Amalec had the victory To this end also serueth the last chapter Machabes 2. where Iudas being at the poynt to haue the victory thought he saw Amon and Ieremy which had bene high Priestes and very vertuous men holding vp their handes toward heauē and praying for theyr people and all the whole Citye c. Likewise in peace time now the long dayes of the king and of hys sonnes their peace prosperity obedience by the prayer of the Church is mayntayned supported in the realme For as long as Salomon was bent and geuē in building the house of God so long he had peace who thus in the 16. chap. of the Prouerbes teacheth vs. when a mans wayes pleaseth the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be hys frendes And also in 1. Esdras 6. chapter where it is read how the Priestes were commaunded to offer sweet fauors to the God of heauen and pray for the kinges life and hys children And well therefore may it be called a gift both fauorable irreuocable wherby victory is geuen life graūted and peace with security conserued To serue therefore God liberally to geue toward the worshipping of him is the chiefest signe and token of diuine feare loue Eccl. cap. 2. O ye that feare the Lord beleue him your reward shall not be empty Secondly cōcerning the feare of God I do you to vnderstand that among the precepts of the Lord the first and chiefest commaundement of the second table is To honor thy father which precept is very well expoūded to y◠Hebrues in the 12. chapter where it is not onely ment of the fathers of our bodies but also of the father of spirites For as spirituall
as your spirituall pastour we also desire you so to esteeme and thinke of them which also make like report of other that haue bene with your grace beyonde the seas that they haue naughtely falsely serued you wherby you haue lost the towne of Tourney much honor els which you might haue wonne gotten there May it please your grace to call before you the Prelates and Pieres of your Realme in some conuenient place where wee and other moe may safely come and resorte and there also to make search and enquirie in whose hands after the beginning of your warres the money and what thing els so euer which was graunted vnto you in aide of the same your warres vntill thys present day doeth remaine and is not laide out againe as also by whose default you were so enforced to leaue the sayde siege of Tourney and those which shal be founde in any poynt faultie and guiltie therin against you as a good Iusticer your grace wil cause to be punished according to the lawe and in so much as appertaineth vnto vs therein we aske iudgement of our Peeres the state alwayes of holy Church of vs of our order reserued inuiolate according as we haue wrytten vnto you heerein And for Gods sake Syr beleeue not either of vs or any other your true subiectes els more then that you shall vnderstand the veritie of for if men should be punished without making answere to that which is obiected against them there should be then no difference in iudgement betwixt the good doer and the bad And Syr may it please you well to consider of the great enterprise you haue in hande the great good will which you haue neede of for this cause and of your great ennemies the Scots and the great ieoperdie of your realme besides For if your Prelates your nobles al the wisemen of your realme were of one minde and will without any discorde or diuision amongst them to dispose and set in order those things which are needeful in so great affaires and businesse they shoulde haue all inough to beate their heads about for the maintenance of your great enterprise begon the honour of you and sauegarde of your Realme And Syr may it please your grace not to be displeased that so rudely and grosely we declare vnto you the veritie for why the great loue affection which we beare vnto you alwayes haue done the same the preseruation of your honour and sauegard of your realme as also for that we are although vnworthy the primat of the whole realme of England which thing appertaining vnto vs by our office being your spirituall father doth incite vs the rather both to say and coÌ„maund that which may turne to the benefite of your soule and profite of your realme and kingly estate Thus the holy spirite saue you both body and soule and giue your grace both to heare and beleeue good counsaile and further giue you victorie ouer all your enemies Written at Cant. the 1. day of Ianuary By your graces chaplen the Archbishop of the same And thus node the case betweene the king the Archbishop of Caunterbury who comming thus as is said in secret wise into Englande from the siege of Tourney hys army in the meane while by ships was conueyed to little Britaine Of whome a great number through vnseasonable and inconuenient meats and drinks was there consumed To whom also no lesse danger happened by the seas comming out of Britain into England by tempest thunder and lightening stirred vp as is thought by the Necromaucers of the French king About whych season approchyng to the yeare of oure Lorde 1341. were sent from the Pope two other Cardinals to entreat wyth Kyng Edwarde for thre yeres truce to be concluded more wyth the Frenche Kyng beside the former truce taken before for one yere and all by the popes meanes For heere is to be vnderstanded that as it was not for the Popes purpose to haue the Kyng of England to raigne ouer so many couÌ„treis so his priuy supportation lacked not by all meanes possible both by Archbyshops Cardinals and also by the Emperor to maintain the state of the French king and to stablish him in his possession Ex Tho. Walsing ex chron Albanens In the said histories where these things be mentioned it is also noted that the same yeare such plentye there was here in the realme of victuals that a quarter of wheat was solde for ii s a fat oxe for a noble and as some say a sheepe for iiii d. And thus farre endureth the hystorie of Ranulphus Cestrensis called Polychronicon The next yere following which was 1342 Ludouicus Bauarus the Emperor who before had shewed great curtesie to king Edward as in his first viage ouer in so much that he made him his Uicar or Uicegerent general and offered hym also aide against the French king Now â—yther turned by inconstancie or seduced by the pope wryteth to him contrary letters wherein hee reuoketh agayne the Uicegerentship graunted to hym and seeketh all meanes in the fauour of the French king against king Edwarde as by his letters heere vnder written may better appeare The letter of the Emperour vnto the king of England LVdouicus by the grace of God Emperor of the Romaines alwaies Augustus c. To Edward king of England his beloued brother greeting and vnfained loue Although great and vrgent busines of our owne do oppresse vs about the same our waighty affaires are daily incombred yet with the discord variaunce betwene your kingly dignity and the renowmed Phillip the king of Fraunce our cosine for your sake wee are not a little troubled And the rather the great charges which may heereafter growe both to you and to your kingdome thereby considered bothe of men and money vnlesse the same be taken vp doth more earnestly prouoke vs to geue our selfe to the carefull studie of your affaires Wherefore wee geue you to vnderstande that the foresayde Philip at our request hath geuen vnto vs by his letters authoritie and power to intreat and conclude a peace betwene you touching the variance begon which peace al the state diligently coÌ„sidered both of your selfe your kingdome and subiects wee take and beleeue to be right expedient for you moouing there withall your charity and earnestly desiring you that to this also you will geue your consent wherby we may bring you both to concord and vnitie and establish betweene you a firme peace to endure whereunto with willing minde we would apply our selfe and bestow our painfull labour in prosecuting of the same And heerein if you will condescend and agree vnto our counsaile as we trust you wil. It may please you by your letters to geue vnto vs the like autoritie as is aboue sayd to entreat peace or ordering of a truce for one yeare or two at least to continue Neither let it moue you that betwene vs and the sayde
ordeined that priests should haue a part of the sacrifices that were offred in the tabernacle and the first begotten beastes both of men and beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And the other children of Leuy that serued in the tabernacle should haue tythings of the people to their liueloode of the which tythings they should geuen the priestes the tenth partie in forme of offering The children of Leuy both priestes and other shoulde haue houses and croftes and lesewes for their beasts in the land of behest none other heritage so God gaue theÌ„ their land of behest and bade them that they ne shoulde worship no other God then him Also he bade that they should kepe his coÌ„mandâ—ments and gift they did so all their enemies about them shuld drede theÌ„ and be their seruaunts And giue they worshipped false gods and so forsaken his lawes he bihight them that he woulde bring them out of that land make them serue their enemies but yet he said he would not benemen his mercy away from them if they would cry mercy and amende their defautes and all thys was done on Gods side And heere is much loue showed of God to man And who so looketh the Bible hee shall finde that man showed him little loue againeward for when they were come into their heritage they forgetten their God and worshipped false gods And God sent to them the Prophetes and his seruaunts * fele times to bidde them withdrawen them from their sinnes and other they haue slowen them or they beaten them or they ledde them in prison and oft times God tooke vpon them great vengeance for their sinnes when they cried after helpen to God he sent them helpe and succour This is the generall processe of the old Testament that God gaue to his people by Moses his seruaunt And al this Testament and this doing ne was but a shadow and a figure of a newe Testament that was geuen by Christ. And it was byhoten by Ieremie the Prophet as S. Paul beareth witnes in the Epistle that he wryteth to the Iewes And Ieremy sayeth in this wise Loe dayes shall come God sayth and I will make a new band to the house of Israel and to the house of Iuda not like the forward that I made with their fathers in that day that I tooke their hand to leade them out of the lande of Egypt the which forward they maden veyne and I had Lordship ouer them But this shal be the forward that I wold make with them after those daies I wil geue my lawes with them in their inwardnes and I will wryten them in their hearts and I wil be their God and they should be my people and after that a man shall not teach his neighbour ne his brother For all God sayeth from the least to the most should knowe me for I will forgeuen them their sinnes and I wil no more thinke on their sinnes Thys is the newe Testament that Christe both God and man borne of the maid Marye he taught here in this worlde to bryng man our of sinne and out of the deuils thraldome and seruice to heauen that is land of blisse and heritage to all tho that beleeuen on him and kepen hys commaundements and for his teaching he was done to the death But the third day arose againe from death to life and fette Adam and Eue and many other folke out of hell and afterward he came to his disciples and comforted them After he stied vp to heauen to his father and tho hee sent the holy Ghost amonges his disciples and in time comming he wol come and demen all mankinde after their werkes and after the wordes he spake vpon earth some to blisse with in body and in soul euer withouten end and some to paine withouten end both in body and in soule This is our beloue and all christen mennes and this beleue is the first poynt of the newe Testament that yche Christen man is holde stedfastly to beleue and rather to suffe the death thair forsaken this beleue and so this beleue is the bread of spirituall life in forsaking sinne that Christ brought vs to life But for asmuch as mans liuing ne stondeth not all onlych by bread he hath ygilten vs a draught of water of life to drink And who that drinketh of that water he ne shall neuer afterward ben a thurst For this water is the cleare teaching of the gospel that encloseth seuen commaundements The first is this thou shalt loue thy GOD ouer all other things and thy brother as thy selfe both enemy and frend The second commaundement is of meekenes in the whych Christ chardgeth vs to forsake Lordship vppon our brethren and other wordly worships and so he did himselfe The third commandement is in stonding stedfastlich in truth and forsaking all falsenes The fourth commaundement is to suffer in this world diseases and wrongs withouten ageinstondings The fifth commandement is mercy to forgeuen our brethren their trespasse as often time as they gilteth without asking of vengeaunce The sixth commaundement is poorenes in spirite but not to ben a begger The seuenth commaundement is chastity that is a forsaking of fleshlich likings displeasing to God These commaundements enclosen the ten commaundements of the old law and somwhat more Thys water is a blessed drinke for christen mennes soule But more harme is much folke would drinke of thys water but they mowe not come thereto for God sayth by Ezechiel the prophet when iche geue to you the most cleane water to drinke ye troubled that water with your feete and that water so defouled yee geue my shepe to drink But the clene water is yhid fro the shepe and but gif God cleare this it is dread least the sheepe dyen for thurst And Christ that is the wisdome of the father of heauen well of thys wisdome that come from heauen to earth to teache man this wisdome thorow the which man should ouercome the sleights of the deuill that is principall enemy of mankinde haue mercy and pity of his people and shew if it be his will howe thys water is troubled and by whom and sith clere thys water that his sheepe mowne drinken hereof and kele the thurst of theyr soules Blessed more our Lord bene for he hath itaught vs in the Gospell that ere then hee woulde come to the vniuersall dome then should come many in his name and sayen that they weren Christ and they shoulden done many wonders and begilen many men And many false prophets shoulden arisen and begylen much folke A Lorde yblessed more thou ben of euerich creature which ben they that haue ysayd that they weren Christ haue thus begiled thus thy people Trulich Lord I trowe thilke that sayen that they ben in thy steede and binemen thy worship and maken thy people worshippen them as God haue hid thy lawes from the people Lorde who durst sit in thy
and be lyke the highest c. For that I say if the Pope holde men of armes in maintayning of his temporal Lordship to venge him on them that gilten and offenden him geueth remission to fight and to slay them that contraricn him as men sayden he did by the Byshop of Norwich not putting his sword in his sheath as God commaunded to Peter he is Antichrist For he doth the contrary of the commaundement of Iesus Christ that had Peter forgeuen to his brother 70. sithe 7. sithe wel I finde in the Gospel that when Christ sent his Disciples to Samarye the Samaritanes would not receiuen them And some of them bidden Chryst that he should make a fire come down from heauen to destroy the City And he blamed them and said Nescitis cuius spiritus estis Filius hominis non venitanimas perdere sed saluare That is ye know not of what spirit ye are The sonne of man is not come downe to destroy but to saue the lyues and soules of mē c. If Christ then come to saue men and not to slea them who that doth the reuers hereof is against Christ and then he is Antichrist Christ bad Peter put his sworde in his sheath and sayd Omnes qui gladium acceperunt gladio peribunt That is All which take the sword shall perish with the sworde And I cannot fynde that Peter drew out his sword after that time but suffered as Christ sayd Cum senueris alius cinget te ducet quò tu non vis That is when thou shalt waxe old an other shall gird thee and lead thee whether thou wilt not And therefore sayd Peter Christ suffered for vs leauing vs example that we shoulde followe his steps And Paule sayth Not defending your selues but geue place to anger leaue reuenging to mee and I shall rewarde them c. And therfore it seemeth to me that it is much against Christes lore that his Uicar should bee a fighter sithen that hee mote be a shephearde that shoulde go before his sheepe and let them come after him and not with swordes to driue them away from him For as Christ sayth a good shepheard shall put his lyfe for his sheepe And zif al that Christ had two swordes when that hee was taken of the Iewes he sayd himselfe it was for that the Scriptures moten zit be fulfilled Quoniam cum iniquis deputatus est that is he was reputed among the wicked and not to figure two swordes that men sayen the Pope hath to gouerne with the church And when I see such doinges of the Pope many other that accorden not with Christs lore ne his liuing And when I reade diuers Scriptures of holye writte I am foule astenied whether they shoulder be vnderstanded of him or of any other And I pray you for Gods loue tell mee the sooth Chryst sayth Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall seduce many c. Christ I wot well is as muche to say as he that is anointed two annointinges there weren in the lawe one of Kinges an other of Priestes And Christ was both King and Priest and so the Pope sayth that he is And if all that haue bene Emperours of Rome and other heathen kinges haue bene Antichrists they come not in Christes name But who so commeth in Christes name and fayneth him Christes frend and he be priuely his enemy he may lightly beguile many S. Paul saith before there commeth a defection first and the sonne of perditiō shal be reuealed which is the aduersary and is extolled aboue al that is named God or which is worshipped so y◠he shal sit in the temple of God shewing himself as God And it followeth in the same place And now ye knowe what holdeth till he be reuealed in his time for he worketh already the mistery of iniquitie Onely he y◠holdeth let him holde till he come abroad then that wicked one shall be reuealed whom the Lord Iesus shal slay with the spirite of his mouth c. And S. Iohn saith in the Apocalips I saw an other beast ascending out of the erth and two hornes like to the lambe He spake like the Dragō had the power of the first beast Many such authorities astonicth me oft sithes and therfore I pray you for the loue of God to tell me what they meane ¶ The sentence THe which schedule afore mencioned with the cōtentes thereof diligently of vs perused we considering y◠diseases which be not easely cured with gētle remedy must haue harder playsters Cōsidering moreouer these his articles with his aunswers to the same to other articles also lastly against him produced first mature deliberatiō had before vpon the whole matter with the foresaid masters Doctors as wel secular as regular to a great number obseruing in the same al thinges to be obserued in this behalfe haue geuē sentēce against the said w. in forme as foloweth The name of Christ being inuocated we Iohn by the permission of God Bishop of Hereford sitting in tribunal seate hauing God before our eyes weying cōsidering the articles by the foresaid faithfull Christians put vp against y◠said Swinderby pretēding himselfe to be priest with his aunswers vpō the same Actis Actitatis before vs in the cause of hereticall peruersitie with mature deliberation had before in this behalfe with masters doctours of diuinitie and also of other faculties with their counsel and cōsent Do pronounce decree and declare the sayd w. to haue bene and to be an hereticke scismaticke and a false informer of the people such as is to be auoided of faithfull Christians wherefore we admonish vnder y◠paine of the law all singular Christians of what sex state condition or preeminence soeuer that neither they nor any of thē wtin our dioces or any other do beleue receaue defend or fauor the said w. til he shal deserue fully to be reconciled to the bosome againe of holy Church ¶ The appeale of W. Swynderby from this sentence of the Bishop prefixed vnto the king and his counsaile IN nomine patris et filij et spiritus sancti Amen I. W. Swynderby priest knowledge openly to al men that I was before the Bishop of Hereford the thirde day of October and before many other good clerkes to aunswer to certaine conclusions of the faith that I was accused of And mine aunswere was this that if the Bishop or any man couthe shew me by Gods law y◠my conclusions or mine aunsweres were errour or heresie I would be amended and openly reuoke them before al the people Knowes in any of my conclusions but sayden singly with word that there was errours in them and bidden me subiect me to the Bishop put me into his grace reuoke mine errour and shewed me nought by Gods law ne reasō ne proued which they weren And for I would not
not knoweth not God for God is loue In thys thing hath the loue of God apeared in vs that God hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world that we shuld liue by him Herein is loue not that we haue loued God but that he hath first loued vs and hath sent hys sonne an attonement for oure sinnes Most dearly beloued if God haue loued us we so ought to loue together No mā hath sene God at any time if we loue together God abideth in vs hys loue is perfect in vs. And againe let vs loue God for he hath first loued vs. If a man shall say I loue God do hate hys brother he is a lyar For he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth how cā he loue God whom he seeth not And this commaundement haue we of God that who so loueth God should loue his brother also Paule the Apostle in his epistle to the Rom. 13. chapter O we ye nothing to no body sauing that ye should loue together for he that loueth hys brother hath fulfilled the lawe For thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not murther thou shalt not steal thou shalt not beare fall witnes thou shalt not couet thy neighbors good and if there be any other commaundement it is plētifully fulfilled in this word thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Wherfore the fulfilling of the law is loue Paule to the Corinthes 5. sayeth If I shoulde speake with the tonges of men and angels and yet haue not charitie I am become as it were a peece of sounding mettal or rinkling cimball And if I shall haue all prophecie know all misteries and all knowledge and shall haue all faith so that I might remooue mountaines and yet shall not haue charitie I am nothing And if I shall geue abroade all my goodes to feede the poore and shall geue vp my body to be burned and yet haue not charitie it profites mee nothing To the Galathians 5. sayeth Paule For you my brethren are called into liberty doe ye not geue your liberty for an occasion of the flesh but by charity of the spirit serue ye one an other For all the law is fulfilled in one saying thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thine owne self To the Eph. 4. chap. he saith I therfore that suffer bonds in the Lord do beseech you that you would walke worthy of the calling where with ye are called with all humblenes and mildnes with patience forbearing one another in loue being carefull to kepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace that you be one body and one spirite euen as you be called in one hope of your calling And againe in the 5. chap. Be ye followers of me as most deare children and walke ye in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath deliuered vp hymselfe for vs an offring and sacrifice to God of a sweete fauour To the Phil. thus hee speaketh in the 1. chap. Onely let your conuersation be worthy of the Gospell of Christ that eyther when I shall come and see you or els in mine absence I may heare of you that you stand stedfast in one spirit laboring together with one accorde for the faith of the Gospell And in nothing be ye afraide of the aduersaries whych is to them a cause of damnation but to you of saluation and that of God For to you it is geuen not onely that you should beleue in him but also that you shuld suffer wyth him you hauing the lyke fight and battaile that both you haue seene in me and also now do heare of me If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of charitie if any felowship of the spirite if any bowels of compassion fulfill you my ioy that you may be of one iudgement hauing one and the self same charitie being of one accord of one maner of iudgement doing nothing of contention nor of vaine glory but in humblenes accompting other amongst you euery one better then your selues not euery body looking vppon the things that be hys owne but those that belong vnto others And to the Coloss. 3. chapter thus he writeth You therefore as the electe of God holy and beloued put vpon you the bowels of mercy gentlenesse humblenesse lowlinesse modestie pacience bearing one wyth an other geuing place to your selues if any haue a quarel against any body euen as the Lord forgaue you so do you also Aboue all things haue ye charitie which is the bonde of perfection and let the peace of Christ triumph in your hearts in whych peace you also are called in one body And be yee kinde thankefull And to the Thessalonians thus Paule writeth in the 4. chapter As concerning brotherly charity we haue no neede to wryte vnto you for you yourselues haue learned of God that you shoulde loue one an other And the same thing ye do towards all the brethren throughout all Macedonia Out of all these many other places of the holy scripture it sufficiently appeareth that the law of Christ is charitie neither is there any vertues commaunded of Christ or any of hys Apostles to be obserued of the faithfull people but that it commeth out of charitie or els doeth nourish charitie The lawe is geuen by Moses and the truth by Christ. Christ came not to vnlose the lawe and the Prophetes but to fulfill them But yet many things were lawful might haue bene obserued in the time of the law whych in y◠tyme of grace must not be obserued And many things wer vnlawful to them that were vnder the law which in the time of grace are lawful inough After what sort then he did not loose the lawe but did fulfill it it is necessary to declare for those thyngs which hereafter must be sayd For amongest Christians many things are iudged to be lawfull because in the former testament in the law they were lawfull and yet they be expresly contrary to Christes Gospell But the authors of such thinges doe argue and reason thus Christ came not to loose the law of the prophets Now after what sort he did not vnlose them it is manifest by the holy scripture that the law geuen by Moses was written in tables of stone to declare the hardnes of y◠peoples hart towards the loue of God or of Christ. But Christ hath wrytten his law in the harts and in the minds of his that is to say the law of perfect loue of God of Christ. Which law whosoeuer obserueth he doth obserue the law of Moyses doth much greater works of perfection then were the works of y◠law Thus therefore were the morals of the old law fulfilled in the law of the charitie of Christ and not vnloosed because they are much more perfectly obserued then of the Iewes This I say if the Christians doe obserue the commandements of Christ in such sorte as he commanded the same to be
the light of perfection It was not said vnto them All people that shal take the sword shal perish with the sworde What if Iohn the Baptist disallowed corporal fightings and corporall warfare at such time as the souldiours asked him saying And what shall we do Who sayth to them See that you strike no man neither picke ye quarels against any and be yee contented with your wages Thys saying of Iohn alloweth not corporal warfare amongest Christians For Iohn was of the Priests of the olde Testament and vnder the law neyther to hym it appertayneth to follow the lawe but to warne the people to the perfect obseruation of the lawe For he being like wyse demaunded of the publicanes what they should doe sayde vnto them Doe no other thyng then is appoynted vnto you But Christ the author of the newe Testament and of greater perfection then waâ— the perfection of the old law which gaue newe things as it plainly appeareth by the Gospel So that Christians ought to receiue information of Christ not of Iohn For of Iohn also doth Christ speak Uerely I say vnto you there hath not risen amongest the children of women a greater then Iohn Baptist but hee that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he In which saying Christ sheweth that those that be least in the kingdome of heauen in the tyme of grace are placed in greater perfection theÌ„ was Iohn which was one of them that were the elders he liued also in that time of the law in greater perfection And wheÌ„ as certain of Iohns disciples sayd vnto him maister he that was beyoÌ„d Iordan to whoÌ„ thou gauest witnesse beholde hee baptiseth and all people come vnto him Iohn answered and sayde A man cannot take any thing vppon him vnlesse it shall bee geuen him from aboue You your selues doe beare me recorde that I sayde I am not Christ but that I was sent before hym He that hath the bride is the bridegrome as for the bridegromes frende who standeth and heareth him reioyceth wyth greate ioy to heare the voyce of the bridegrome Thys therefore my ioy is fulfilled he must increase and I must bee diminished Hee that commeth from an hie is aboue all Hee that is of the earthe is earthy and speaketh of the earthe Hee that commeth from heauen is aboue all folkes that which hee hath seene and heard the same doth he witnesse and yet his witnessing doth no body receiue But he that receiueth his witnessing hath put to his Seale that God is true For he whome God hath sent speaketh the wordes of God By whych things it plainely appeareth that credence is to be geuen neither to Iohn nor yet to angell if he teach any thing that is not agreeable to Christes doctrine For Christ is aboue the Aungels because that God infinitely passeth them in wisdome Nowe if Moses the seruaunt of God a minister of the old testament was so much to be beleued that nothing could be added nor yet any thing diminished from the commandements that were geuen by hym for so Moses had sayd the thyng that I commaund thee that do thou onely to the Lorde neither adde thou any thing nor diminish How much more ought we not to adde nor to take away from the commandements geuen by God himselfe and also the sonne of God In the primitiue Churche because the Christians had seruent loue and charity they obserued these precepts as they were geueÌ„ but their feruent charitie afterward waxing luke warme they inuented gloses by drawing the commaundementes of God backe to their own deedes which they purposed to iustifie and mayntayn that is to say warres against the infidels But that they by warres should be conuerted to the fayth is a fact faithlesse inough because that by violence or vnwillingly no body can beleue in Christ nor be made a christian neither did he come to destroy them by battaile that beleued not in him for he said to his disciples you knowe not what spirite you are of The sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then to graunt pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes to those that kill the infidels is to much an infidels fact seducing many people For what greater seducing can there be then to promise to a man forgeuenes of sinnes and afterwarde the ioye of heauen for setting himselfe against Christes commaundementes in the killing of the Infidels that would not be conuerted to the fayth where as Christ doth say not euery one that sayth to me Lord Lord shal enter into the gidgdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen this person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the will of the father is that we should beleue in his onely sonne Iesus Christ and that we would obey him by obseruing of those thinges which he himselfe hath commaunded Wherefore Christes preceptes of pacience must be fulfilled Warres fightinges and contentions must be left because they are contrary to charitie But peraduenture some man wil thus reason against Christ The saintes by whome God hath wrought myracles do allow warres as well against the faithfull people as also against the infidels And the holy kings were warriours for whose sakes also miracles haue bene shewed as well in theyr death as also in their life yea in the very time wherin they were a warfare Wherfore it semeth that their factes were good and lawfull For otherwise God would not haue done miracles for them To â—â—is agayne I say that we for no miracles must do contrary to the doctrine of Christ. For in it can there be no errour but in myracles there oftentimes chaunceth error as it is plaine as well by the old as by the new testament God forbid then that a Christian should for deceiuable miracles depart from the infallible doctrine of Christ. In Exodus the 7. chapter it is manifest howe that the wicked wise men of the Egiptians through the inchauntments of Egipt and certayne secret workinges threw theyr wands vpon the earth which were turned into Dragons eueÌ„ as Aaron before time in the prefeÌ„ce of Pharao threw his wand vpon the earth which by the power of God was turned into a serpent In the third of the kinges the 22. chap. Micheas did see the Lord sitting vpon his throne and all the hoste of heauen standing about him on the right hand and on the left And the Lord sayd who shall deceaue Achab the king of Israel that he may go vp and be slayn in Ramoth Gilaad And one sayd this way and an other otherwise now there went forth a spirit and stood before the Lord said I will deceiue him To whoÌ„ the Lord spake by what meanes And he sayd I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophetes And the Lord sayd thou shall deceiue him and preuaile go thy wayes forth and do euen so Thus also is it
parable of Christ saying The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man whiche sowed good seede in hys field but when men were on sleepe the enemy came and sowed Tares in the midst of the wheate went his way But when the herbe was growne and brought forth fruite then appeareth the Tares And the seruauntes came vnto the good man of the house and sayd vnto him Lorde didst not thou sowe good seede in thy field From whence then come these Tares And he sayd vnto them The enemy hath done this And the seruauntes sayd vnto him wilt thou that we goe and gather them vp And he sayd no least peraduenture gathering vp the Tares ye plucke vp the wheate by the rootes Suffer them both to grow vntill the haruest and in the time of the haruest I will saye vnto the haruest men gather first the Tares and binde them in the bundels that they may be burnt but gather the wheate into my barne Christ himselfe onely expoundeth this parable in the selfe same chapter saying He whiche soweth the good seede is the sonne of man but the field is the world and the good seede those are the children of the kingdome But the Tares are the naughty children And the enemy which soweth them is the Deuill And the haruest is the end of the world and the haruest men are the Aungels Euen as therfore the Tares are gathered and burnt with fire so shall it be in the end of the world The sonne of man shall send hys Aungels and they shal gather out of his kingdome al offendoures and those which commit iniquitie and shall put them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teethe By whiche playne doctrine it is manifest that Christ will haue mercy shewed vnto sinners euen vnto the ende of the world and will haue them to remayn mingled with the good Least peraduenture when a man thinketh that he doth right well to take away the tares he taketh away the wheat For how great a sinner soeuer a mā be we know not whether his end shal be good and whether in the end he shall obtayne mercy of God Neither are we certayn of the time wherein God will by grace iudge him whom we abhorre as a sinner And peraduenture suche a one shall more profit after his conuersion in the Church then he who we think to be iust as it came to passe in Paul And if god iustifieth a man by grace although at his ende why darest thou be so bold to be his iudge and to condemne him Yea rather although a man seeme to be obstinate and hardened in his euill so that he is not corrected by a secret correction correct him before one alone if he doe not receaue open correction being done before two or three witnesses neyther passeth vpon a manifest correction when his sinne is made known vnto the Church Christ doth not teach to punish such a one with the punishment of death Yea rather he sayth if he harken not vnto the churche let him be vnto thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane And Paule following this doctrin in the 1. Corin. 5. chapter saith There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you such fornication as is not once named among the gentiles that one shold haue hys fathers wife And ye are pufted vp and haue not rather sorrowed that he whiche hath done this deed might be put from among you For I verily as absent in body but present in spirite haue already determined as though I were present that he whiche hath done this thing whē ye are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that such one by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ be deliuered vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus Paule teacheth not to kill this man as some gather by this text but to separate him from the other faithfull and so frō Christ which is the head of the Church of the faithfull and so is he deliuered vnto Sathan which is separated from Christ that the flesh may be killed that is that that carnall concupyscence whereby he luxuriously lusted after the wife of his father may be destroyed in him by such a separation that the spirite may be saued not that his body should be killed as some say as it is most manifest in the selfe same chapiter where he sayth I wrote vnto you in an Epile that ye shoulde not keepe company with fornicatours and I ment not of all the fornicators of this world eyther of the couetous or extorcioners or Idolaters for then must yee nedes haue gone out of the world But now I haue written vnto you that ye keepe not company together if anye that is called a brother be a fonicatour or couetous persō or a worshipper of Images eyther a cursed speaker or dronkard or an extorcioner with him that is such see that ye care not By whych it is manyfest that Paule woulde haue the foresayd fornicatour separated from the fellowship of the faithful that his carnall concupiscence might be mortifyed for the health of the spirit and not that the body should be killed Wherefore they do ill vnderstand Paule which by this saying do cōfirme the killing of mē And forasmuch as heresie is one of the most greuous sinnes for an heretike leadeth men in errours wherby they are made to stray frō fayth without which they cannot bee saued it doth most great hurt in the Church Further as concerning such a wicked man Paul thus speaketh flye from the man that is an heretike after the first and second correction knowing that such a one is subuerted and sinneth forasmuch as he is by his owne iudgemēt condemned Behold Paule teacheth not to kill thys man but with Christ to separate him frō the fellowship of the faythfull But some say that Peter in the primitiue Church slewe Ananias and Saphyra for their sinnes wherefore they say it is lawful for them to condemne wicked men to death We wil declare in shewing the whole processe how falsly they speake in alleaging of Peter for to iustify their errour In the 4. chap. of the Actes it is written that as many as were possessours of landes or houses they solde them offred the prices of that whych they solde and layed it before the feete of the Apostles it was deuided vnto euery one as he had neede thereof But a certaine man Ananias with Saphira his wife solde a piece of land and kept back a part of the price of the field his wife being priuy vnto it and bringing a certaine part therof he laid it at the feete of the Apostles But Peter saide vnto Ananias Ananias why hath Satan tempted thy hart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost to keepe backe a part of the price of the land Did it not whilest it remayned remayne vnto
Sacramentally or memorially to be his body And this seemeth vnto me most nearest to agree to the meaning of Christ forasmuch as he said do this in the remembraunce of me Then for as much as in the supper it is manifest that Christ gaue vnto his Disciples the bread of his body which he brake to that intent to eat with theyr mouthes in which bread he gaue himselfe also vnto them as one in whō they should beleue as to be the food of the soule and by that fayth they should beleue him to be theyr sauior which tooke his body wherein also he would it to be manifest that he woulde redeeme them from death So was the bread eaten with the Disciples mouthes that he being the true breade of the soule might be in spirite receiued and eaten spiritually by theyr fayth which beleued in him The bread which in the disciples mouthes was chewed from the mouth passed to the stomacke For as Christ saith whatsoeuer cōmeth to the mouth goeth into the belly from thence into the priuy Mathew chap. 15. But that true and very bread of the soule was eaten of the spirite of the Disciples and by fayth entred theyr minds and abode in their intralles through loue And so the bread broken semeth vnto me to be really the meat of the body the bread which it was before but Sacramentally to be the body of Christ as Paule 1. Cor. 10. The breade which we breake is it not the participation of the body of the Lord So the bread which we breake is the participation of the Lordes body And it is manifest that the heauēly bread is not broken neither yet is subiect to such breaking Therfore Paul calleth the materiall bread which is broken the body of Christ which the faythfull are partakers of The breade therfore chaungeth not his essence but is bread really and is the body of Christ sacramentally Euen as Christ is the very vine abiding really and figuratiuely the vine So the temple of Ierusalem was really the materiall temple figuratiuely it was the body of Christ Because he sayde destroy you this temple and in three dayes I will repayre the same agayne And this spake he of the temple of his body whereas others vnderstood it to be the materiall temple as appeared by theyr answere For sayd they 47. yeres hath this temple bene in building and wilt thou build it vp in three dayes Euen so may the consecrated bread be really bread as it was before and yet figuratiuely the body of Christ. And if therfore Christ would this bread to be only sacramentally his body and would not haue the same bread really to be transubstantiated into his body so ordeined his Priestes to make this Sacrament as a memoriall of his passion Thē do the Priestes greuously offend which besech Christ in their holy Masse that the bread which lyeth vpon the aultar may be made really the body of Christ if he woulde not haue the same to be but a Sacrament of his body And then both be they greatly deceiued themselues and also do greatly deceiue others But whether the bread be really transubstantiated into the body of Christ or is onely the body of Christ sacramentally No doubt but that the people are maruellously deceiued For the people beleue that they see the body of Christ nay rather Christ himselfe betwene the handes of the Priestes for so is the common othe they sweare By him whō I saw this day betwene the priestes hands And the people beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but at Easter or els when they lie vpon theyr death bed and receiue with their bodely mouth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. But the body of Christ admitte the bread be transubstantiated really into the body is in the Sacrament indiuisibiliter that is not able to be deuided and so immensurabiliter that is not able to be measured Ergo inuisibiliter that is not able to be sene To beleue therfore that he may be sene corporally in the Sacrament is erroneous And forasmuch as the body of Christ is the souls food and not the food of the body in this world for that whosoeuer beleueth doth eat spiritually and really at any time when he so beleueth It is manifest that they doe greatlye erre which beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but when they eat with theyr teeth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. And although it should be to the great honor of priests that the bread really were chaūged into the body of christ by the vertue of the Sacramentall words pronounced yet if Christ would not haue it to be so then they desiring to do this contrary to the will of Christ and informing the people that is to be done so contrary to the will of Christ are in great peril most daūgerously seducing both themselues and the people And then although that hereby they get a litle worldly and transitory honour for a short time It is to be feared least perpetual shame finally shall follow and insue vpon the same For Christ sayth euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let them therfore take heed least they extolling themselues for this Sacrament aboue the company of Angels which neuer sinned for the errour which they be in for euermore be placed with the sinnefull angels vnder the earth Let euery man therfore think lowly of himself in what state or degree soeuer he be neither let him presume to doe that which he is not able to do Neither desire to haue that thing done which God would not haue done I greatlye maruell at those which were the makers of the Canons how variably contrary one to another they write of this Sacrament of the body of Christ. In the last part of the decrees where this matter is touched not only in the text but also in the proces of the matter diuers do diuersly write and one contrary to another For in the chapter that thus beginneth Prima inquit haeresis it is thus written You shall not eate this bodye which you see nor shall drinke this bloud which they shall shed which shall crucify me I will commend vnto you a certayne Sacrament spiritually vnderstood that quickneth you for the flesh profiteth you nothing at all And in the end of the same chapter it is thus written Till the world shall haue an end the Lords place is in heauen yet notwithstanding the verity of the Lord is here abiding with vs. For the body wherwith he rose ought to be in one place but his verity is in euerye place diffused spread abroad And in the chapter folowing which thus beginneth Omnia quaecunque voluit c. it is written Although the figure of the bread wine seeme to be nothing yet notwithstanding they must after y◠wordes of consecration be beleued to be none other thing then the very
and laye men whether in defect of the other they may exercise the action of praier and administration of Sacraments belonging to Priests wherein he declareth the vse receiued in the Popes Churche for women to Raptise which sayth he cannot be without remission of sinnes wherefore seeing that women haue power by the Pope to remit sinne and to baptise why may they not aswell be admitted to minister the Lordes Supper in like case of necessity Wherin also he maketh relation of Pope Iohn 8. a woman Pope mouing certayne Questions of her All whiche for breuitye I pretermitte proceeding to the ministration of prayer and blessing or sanctification appropriate to the office of Priestes as followeth Furthermore as touching the fūction office of praying and blessing whereunto Priestes seme to be ordeined to omitte here the question whether women may pray in Churches in lacke of other meete persons it remayneth now also to prosecute Christ being desired of his Disciples to teach them to pray gaue them the common prayer both to men and women to the which prayer in my estimation no other is to be compared For in that first the whole honor due vnto the deity is comprehended Secondly whatsoeuer is necessary for vs both for the time present or past or for time to come is there desired praid for He informeth vs besides to pray secretly and also briefly secretly to enter into our close chāber and there in secrecy he willeth vs to pray vnto his father And sayth moreouer when ye pray vse not much babling or many words as doth the heathen For they thinke in their long and prolixe praying to be heard Therfore be you not like to thē By the which doctrine he calleth vs away frō the errors of the healthē Gentils frō whom proceed these superstitious maner of actes or rather of ignoraunces as Necromancy the art of diuinatiō other spises of coniuratiō not vnknown to them that be learned for these Necromansers beleue one place to be of greater vertue then an other there to be heard sooner then in an other Like as Balaam being hyred to curse the people of God by his arte of southsaying or cherming when he could not accomplish his purpose in one place he remoued to an other but he in the end was deceiued of hys desire For he intending first to curse them was not able to accurse thē whom the Lord blessed so that his curse coulde not hurt any of all that people After like sort the Nicromancers turne theyr face to the East as to a place more apt for theyr prayers Also the Necromāsers beleue that the vertue of the words of the prayer the curiosity therof causeth thē to bring to the effect which they seek after which is also another poynt of infidelity vsed much of Charmers Sorcerers Inchaūters Southsayers such like Out of the same arte I feare proceedeth the practise of exorcising wherby deuils spirits be coniured to do that wherunto they are inforced by the Exorcist Also wherby other creatures likewise are exorcised or coniured so that by the vertue of their exorcisme they may haue theyr power and strength exceeding all naturall operation In the Church of Rome many such exorcismes coniurations be practised are called of them benedictions or halowings But here I aske of these Exorcisers whether they beleue the thinges and creatures so exorcised and halowed haue that operation and efficacy geuē them which they pretēd If they so beleue euery child may see that they are farre beguiled For holy water being of them exorcised or cōiured hath no such power in it neither cā haue which they in theyr exorcisme do cōmaund For there they inioyn and commaund that whersoeuer that water is sprinckled all vexatiō or infestatiō of the vnclean spirit should auoid and that no pestilēt spirit there should abide c. But most playn it is that no water be it neuer so holy can haue any such power so to do as it is commaunded to wit to be an vniuersall remedy to expell all diseases This I woulde aske of these Exorcistes whether in theyr commaunding they do coniure or adiure the thinges conuired to be of an higher vertue and operation thē their own nature doth geue Or els whether they in their prayers desire of God that he wil infude into them that vertue which they require If they in theyr commaunding doe so beleue thē do they beleue that they haue that power in thē to the which the inferior power of the thing exorcised must obey in receiuing that which is commaunded And so doing are much more deceiued forasmuch as they see themselues that they which are so authorised to the office of exorcising say to the deuill being coniured Go he goeth not And to an other come and he cōmeth not many thinges els they commaūd the inferior spirite their subiect to do he doth not So in like case when they pray to God to make the water to be of such vertue that it may be to them health of mind and body and that it may be able to expulse euery vncleane spirit to chase away all maner of distemperature and pestilence of the ayre being an vnreasonable petition asked sore displeasing to God it is to be feared least theyr benediction their halowing blessing is chaūged into cursing according to that saying that followeth And now O you priests I haue a message to say vnto you If you will not heare and beare well away in your mindes to geue the glory vnto my name sayth the Lord God of hostes I will send scarcety amongest you and I wyll curse your blessings What things and how many are blessed or halowed in the Churche that in halowing thereof displease God and are accursed And therfore according to the saying of S. Iames they aske are not heard because the aske not as they should that they in theyr owne dsires may perish Let a man beholde the blessing or halowing of their fire water incense waxe bread wine the church the aultar the Churchyard ashes belies copes pallmes oile candles salt the hallowing of the ring the bed the staffe of many such like things I beleue that a man shall find out many errors of the hethē Magicians Witches southsayers and charmers And notwithstanding the auncient and old Magicians in their bookes commaund those that be coniurers that they in any wise liue deuoutly for otherwise as they say the spirites will not obey their cōmaūdements and coniuratiōs yet the Romane cōiurers do impute it to the vertue of the holy wordes because they be they which worke and not the holynes of the coniurers How commeth it to passe that they say the thinges consecrated of a cursed and vicious Iauell should haue so great vertue in pronouncing as they say the holy and misticall words as if they were pronoūced of a Priest neuer so
God deuysed ordayned for the best vnto the elect Christians The fourth Like as the mystical body of Christ is the congregation of al the Electiso Antichrist mistically is the church of the wicked of al the reprobates The fift The conclusions of Swinderby be agreable to the fayth in euery part ¶ This letter was thus subscribed By the spirite of God sometime visityng you ☞ Besides this epistle aboue prefixed there is also fouÌ„d annexed with the same a deuise of an other certayne letter couÌ„terfeited vnder the name of Lucifer prince of darknes writing to the Pope and al popishe Prelates persecuting the true and right Church with all might and mayne to maintayn their pride and domination in this earth vnder a coulourable pretence visor of the catholique church succession Apostolical Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Dekam aboue mentioned yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford coÌ„teyned inserted amoÌ„g yâ— tractations of Walter Brute and deuised as yâ— Register said by that Lollards I thought no meeter place then here to annexe the same the tenour wherof thus proceedeth in words as follow ¶ The deuise or counterfayt of a certayne letter fayned vnder the name of Lucifer Prince of darknesse wryting to the persecuting prelates of the popish clergy I Lucifer prince of darknes and profound heauinesse Emperour of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont Captaine of the dungeon Erebus kyng of hell and comptroller of the infernall fire To all our children of pryde and companions of our kyngdome and especially to our Prynces of the Church of this latter age and tyme of which our aduersary Iesus Christ accordyng to the Prophet saieth I hate the church or congregation of the wicked send greeting wish prosperitie to all that obey our commaundementes as also to those that be obedient to the lawes of Sathan already enacted that are diligent obseruers of our behestes and the precepts of our decree Know ye that in times past certaine vicars or vicegerents of Christ following hys steppes in miracles and vertues liuing and continuyng in a beggerly lyfe conuerted in a maner the whole world from the yoke of our tiranny vnto their doctrine maner of lyfe To the great derision and contempte of our prison house and kyngdome and also to the no little preiudice and hurt of our iurisdiction and authorytie nor fearing to hurt our fortified power ond to offend the maiestie of our estate For then receiued we no tribute of the world neyther dyd the myserable sort of common people rushe at the gates of our deepe dungeon as they were wont to do with continuall pealyng and rappyng but then the easie pleasant broad way which leadeth to death lay still without great noyce of traÌ„pelyng trauaylers neyther yet was trode with the feete of myserable men And when all our courtes were without sutets Hell then began to houle And thus continuyng in great heauines anguish was robbed and spoyled Which thing considered the impacient rage of our stomacke coulde no longer suffer neyther the ougle retchelous neglygence of our great Captayne generall could any longer indure it But we seeking remedy for the time that should come after haue prouyded vs of a verye trimme shift For in stead of these Apostles and other their adherentes whyche draw by the same lyne of theirs as wel in maners as doctrine are odious enemis vnto vs We haue caused you to be their successors put you in their place which be Prelates of the church in these latter times by our great might and subtletie as Chryst hath sayd of you they haue raigned but not by me Once we promised vnto him al the kingdom of the world if he would fal down and worships vs but he would not saying my kingdome is not of this would and went his way when the multitude would haue made him a temporall kinge But to you truely which are fallen from the state of grace and that serue vs in the earth is that my promise fulfilled and all terrene thyngs be our meanes which we haue bestowed vpon you are vnder gouernment For he hath said of vs as ye know The prince of the world coÌ„meth c. and hath made vs to raigne ouer al children of vnbeliefe Therfore our aduersaryes before recited dyd pacientlye submit themselues vnto the Princes of the worlde and did teache that men shoulde do so saying Be ye subiect to euery creature for Gods cause whether it be to the Kyng as moste chiefest And agayne Obey ye them that are made rulers ouer you c. For so their maister commauÌ„ded them saying The kinges of the heathen haue dominion ouer them c. But I think it long til we haue powred our poyson vpoÌ„ the earth and therefore fill your selues full And now bee yee not onely vnlyke those fathers but also contrary vnto them in your lyfe and conditions and extoll your selues aboue all other men Neyther do ye geue to God that which belongeth to him nor yet to Caesar that which is his But exercise you the power of both the swordes according to our decrees makinge your selues doers in worldlye matters fighting in our quarell intangled with secular labours and busines And clyme ye by litle little from the myserable state of pouerty vnto the highest seates of all honours the most princely places of dignitie by your deuised practices false and deceitfull wyles and subtlety that is by hypocrisy flattery lying periurie treasons deceits simonye and other greater wickednes then which our infernal furies may deuise For after that ye haue by vs bene aduaunced thither where ye would be yet that doth not suffice you but as gready staruelings more huÌ„gry then ye were before ye suppresse the poore scratch and rack together all that comes to hand peruerting and turninge euerie thing topsie toruey so swollen that redy ye are to burst for pride liuing like Lechers in all corporal delicatenes and by fraude dyrecting all your doinges You challenge to your selues names of honour in the earth callyng your selues Lordes holye yea and most holy persons Thus eyther by violence ye rauen or els by ambition subtilly ye pilfer away and wrongfully wraft and by false title possesse those goodes whych for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ whom froÌ„ our first fall we haue hated were bestowed and geuen consuming them as ye your selues lyst therewith ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whoores strumpets and bawdes with whom ye ride pompously like mightie Prynces farre otherwise goinge then those poore beggerly priestes of the primatiue Church For I would ye shoulde buylde your selues ryche and gorgeous palacies yee fare lyke Prynces eating and drinking the most daintiest meates and pleasauntest wiâ—es that may be gotten ye hoord and heepe together an infynite deale of treasure not like to him
grace to perform his purpose the same vow or othe is vnreasonable and vndiscreet neither can any Prelate compell him to keep the same except he will do contrary vnto Gods ordinaunce But he ought to commit him vnto the gouernance of the holy ghost of his owne conscience for so much as euery man which will not fulfill his vow or othe can not do it for that cause 6. Whosoeuer taketh vpon him the office of priesthood although he haue not the charge of soules cōmitted vnto him according to the custome of the Churche Not onely they may but ought to preach the Gospel frely vnto the people otherwise he is a thief excommunicated of God and of the holy Church 7. That Innocentius the third Pope and 600. bishops and a thousand other Prelates with all the rest of the clergy which together with the same Pope agreed and determined that in the sacrament of the aultar after the couersion of the bread and wine into the body bloud of Christ that the acesdentes of the sayd bread and wine do remayne there without any proper subiect of the same the whiche also ordeyned that all Christians ought to confesse theyr sinnes once a yeare vnto a proper priest to receiue the reuerent Sacrament at Easter made certaine other lawes at the same time All they sayth he in so doing were fooles and Blockeheades Heretickes Blasphemers and Seducers of Christian people Wherfore we ought not to beleue their determinations or of their successours neither ought we to obey theyr lawes or ordinances except they be plainly grounded vpon the holy Scripture or vpon some reasō which can not be impugned ¶ Other Articles drawne out of Purueyes bookes more at large by Ry. Lauingham AS touching the Sacramēt of thanks geuing he sayth That that chap. of repentance and remission Omnis vtriusque sexus wherin it is ordeined that euery faithfull mā ought once euery yeare at the least that is to say at Easter to receiue the Sacrament of Eucharist is a beastly thing hereticall and blasphemous Item that Innocenius the 3. Pope was the head of Antichrist who after the letting loose of Sathan inuented a new article of our sayth and a certayn fayned verity touching the Sacrament of the aultar That is to say that the Sacramēt of the aultar is an accidēt without a substance or els an heape of accidences without a substaunce But Christ and his Apostles doe teach manifestly that the Sacrament of the aultar is bread and the body of Christ together after the maner that he spake And in that he calleth it bread he woulde haue the people to vnderstande as they ought with reason that it is very and substaunciall bread and no false nor sayned bread And although Innocētius that Antichrist doth allege that in the councell at Lions where this matter was decided were 600. Bishops with him and 1000. Prelates which were in one opiniō of this determination Al those notwithstanding he talleth fooles according to that saying of Eccl. Of footes there are an infinite number And so in like maner he calleth them false Christes false prophets of whom Christ speaketh the 24. of Mathew Many false Christes and false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many And therfore euery Christian man ought to beleue firmly that the sacrament of the aultar is very bread in deed and no false nor sayned bread And although it be very bread in deed yet notwithstāding it is the very body of Christ in the sort he spake and called it his body and so it is very bread and the very body of Christ. And as Christ concerning hys humanity was both visible and passible and by his Diuinity was inuisible and unpassible So likewise this sacrament in that it is very bread may be sene with the corporal eie and may also abide corruption But although a man may see that Sacrament yet notwithstanding cannot the body of Christ in that Sacrament be seene with the corporall eye although it be the body of Christ in that maner he spake it For that notwithstanding the body of Christ is now incorruptible in heauē So the Sacrament of the cup is very wine the very bloud of Christ according as hys maner of speaking was Also Innocentius 3 with a great multitude of his secular Clerkes made a certayne new determination that the Sacrament of the aultar is an accidence without a substance whereas neither Iesus Christ nor any of his Apostles taught this sayth but openly and manifestly to the contrary neither yet the holy Doctours for the space of a thousand yeares more taught this faith openly Therefore when Antichrist or any of his shauelinges doth aske of thee that art a simple Christian whether that this Sacrament be the very body of Christ or not affirme thou it manifestly so to be And if he aske of thee whether it be materiall bread or what other bread els say thou that it is such bread as Christ vnderstood and ment by his proper word and such bread as the holy ghost ment in S. Paule when he called that to be very breade whiche he brake and wade thou no further herin If he aske thee how this bread is the body of Christ Say thou as Christ vnderstoode the same to be his body which is both omnipotent and true in whom is no vntrueth Say thou also as the holy Doctors do say that the terrestriall matter or substaunce may be conuerted into Christ as the Pagan or infidell may bee Baptised and herby spiritually to be conuerted and to be a member of Christ and so after a certayne maner to become Christ and yet the same man to remayne still in his proper nature For so doth S. Augustine graunt that a sinner forsaking his sinne and being made one spirite with God by fayth grace and charity may be cōuerted into God and to be after a maner God as both Dauid and S. Iohn do testifye and yet to be the same person in substaunce and nature and in soule and vertue to be altered chaūged But yet men of more knowledge and reasō may more plainely conuince the falsity of Antichrist both in this matter and in others by the gift of the holy Ghost working in thē Notwithstanding if those that be simple men will hūbly holde and keepe the manifest and apparaunt wordes of the holy scripture the playn sense and meaning of the holy ghost and proceed no farther but humbly to commit that vnto the spirite of God which passeth theyr vnderstanding Then may they safely offer themselues to death as true Martyrs of Iesus Christ. As touching the Sacrament of penaunce That chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus by which a certayne newe founde auricular confession was ordeined is full of hipocrisye heresy couetousnes pride blasphemy he sayth and reproueth the same chapter verbatim and that by the sentences of the same proces Also that the
vnto vs nations both neare at hand and farre off Likewise our happy estate all the time that wee haue passed since the beginning of our liues may be well attributed onely to the helpe of her medicine to whom also we may worthely ascribe nowe of late in these our times vnder the mighty gouernment of our most Christian king our deliuerāce from the rauening wolues and the mouthes of cruell beasts which had prepared against our bankets a messe of meat mingled full of gall and hated vs vniustly secretly lying in wait for vs in recompence of the good wil that we shewed to them Wherfore that shee being on high sitting before the throne of the heauenly maiestie the defendresse patronesse of vs all being magnified with al mens praises may more plentifully exhibite to vs the sonnes of adoption the teates of her grace in all those things that we shall haue to do At the request of the speciall deuotion of our Lord the king himself we commād your brotherhode straightly enioyning you that you commaund the subiects of your citie and diocesse and of al other suffraganes to worship our Lady Mary the mother of God and our patronesse and protectresse euermore in all aduersity with such like kinde of prayer and accustomed maner of ringing as the deuotiō of Christes faithful people is wont to worship her at the ringing of coure le feu And when before day in the morning ye shall cause them to ring that with like maner of praier ringing she be euery where honored deuoutly by the aforesaid our and your suffraganes and their subiects as wel religious as secular in your and their monasteries and collegiate churches That wee so humbly calling vpon the mercy of the heauenly father the right hande of the heauenly piety may mercifully come to the helpe the protection defence of the same our Lord the king who for the happy remedy of quietnesse and for our succour from tempestuous flouds is ready to apply his hands to worke and his eyes with all his whole desire to watching We therefore coueting more earnestly to stirre vp the mindes of all faithfull people to so deuout an exercise of God c. Wee graunt by these presents to all and euery man c. that shall say the Lordes prayer and the saluation of the Angell fiue times at the morning peale with a deuout mind totiens quotiens how oft so euer 40 dayes of pardon by these presents Geuen vnder our seale in our manor of Lambeth the 10. day of February Anno nostrae trans 9. Ex. Regist. Thom. Arundel By this friuolous and barbarous constitution with many other of like sort heaped into the church by the papists appeareth the proper nature and cōdition of this catholick generation Who being thēselues not greatly exercised nor experienced in any serious cogitation of spirituall matter as semeth take vpon them to gouern the spiritual church of Christ wherof in deede they haue no skill or very little And therefore according to their vnskilfull handling they lead and rule the church after such outward sights and ceremonies seemely perhaps to their owne grosse affection but not agreeing nay rather cleane contrary to the ryght nature condition of the spiritual house and kingdome of the Lord. And like as in their inuentions they swarue vtterly from the right handling of all spiritual gouernment so in their maners forme of life likewise they do resemble little or no part almost of such as are and ought to be true pastors and ministers of the mysticall body of Christ. Examples heereof are plenty and plaine in these Romaine Prelates to be noted who so well considering the humble state and lowly spirite which ought to be in pastorall leaders of the church will compare the same wyth the vsuall pompe of these glorious potestates As for example what can be more conuenient for a true pastor ecclesiasticall then humility of hart and spirit according to the example of the head bishop himselfe So what greater shew of arrogācy and pride could there be then in this whom I haue oft named before Th. Arundel archb of Cant. who passing by the high streat of London did not only looke and waite for the ringing of the belles for a triumph of his comming but tooke great snuffe and did suspende all suche Churches in London not onely wyth the steeple and bels but also with the organes so many as did not receiue his comming with the noyse of bels according as out of his own registers may appeare the wordes wherof written to his owne Somner I haue hereto annexed in his owne forme as followeth ¶ A Commission directed to the Somner to suspende certaine churches of London because they rong not their bels at the presence of my Lord the Archb. of Canterbury THomas by the permission of God c. To oure well beloued Thom. Wilton our Somner sworn health grace and blessing The comelinesse of our holy Church of Canterb. ouer whych wee beare rule deserueth and requireth that while wee passe throughe the prouince of the same our Churche hauing our crosse caryed before vs euery parish church in their turnes ought are bounden in token of speciall reuerence that they beare to vs to rynge theyr bels Which notwithstanding ye on Tuesday last past when wee betwixt 8. and 9. of the clocke before dinner passed openly on foote as it were through the middest of the citie of London with our crosse caried before vs Diuers churches whose names are heere beneath noted shewed towardes vs willingly though they certainly knewe of our comming vnreuerence rather then reuerence and the duety that they owe to our church of Canterb. ringing not at all at our comming Wherefore wee being willing to reuenge this iniurie for the honor of our spouse as we are boūden commaunde you that by our authoritie you put all those churches vnder our interditement suspēding Gods holy organes and instruments in the same Which we also suspend by the tenor of these presentes till the ministers of the aforesayde Churches be able hereafter to attaine of vs the benefit of more plentifull grace Geuen c. What great reason was in this why this Archb. either should thus looke for the ringing of the belles or why hee should be so displeased with not ringing I do not see Belike his minde in the meane time was greatly occupied with some great muse as feling of Gods feare with repentance and remembrance of hys sinnes with zelous care and sollicitude for his flocke wyth the earnest meditation of the passion life of our sauiour who in this world was so despised or else was set vppon some graue studie while hee so waited for the ringing of the bels which are wont to be so noisome to all students And why were not the trūpetters also shent as well because they did not soūd before his person But and though the bels did
the holy communion And I warne you that you enter into no tauernes with ghestes be not a cōmon cōpany keper For the more a preacher keepeth him frō the company of men the more he is regarded All be it deny not yet your helpe and diligence where soeuer you may profite other Against fleshlye lust preache continuallye all that euer you can For that is the raging beast which deuoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer Wherfore my heartily beloued I beseech you to flie fornication for where as a man woulde most profite and doe good there this vice vseth most to lurke In any case flie the company of yong women and beleeue not their deuotion For S. Austen sayth the more deuout she is the more procliue to wantonnesse and vnder the pretence of religion the snare and venome of fornication lurketh And this knowe my welbeloued that the conuersation with them subuerteth many whome the conuersation of this worlde coulde neuer blemish nor beguile Admit no womē into your house for what cause so euer it be and haue not much talke with them otherwise for auoiding of offence Finally howsoeuer you do feare God and keepe his precepts so shall you walke wisely and shall not pearish so shall you subdue the flesh contemne the world and ouercome the deuill so shall you put on God finde life and confirme other and shall crowne your selfe wyth the crowne of glory the which the iust iudge shall geue you Amen ¶ This letter of Iohn Hus conteineth a confession of the infirmitie of mans flesh Howe weake it is and repugnant against the spirite Wherein he also exhorteth to perseuere constantly in the truth HEalth be to you from Iesus Christ. c. My deare frend knowe that Palletz came to me to perswade me that I shuld not feare the shame of abiuration but to consider the good which thereof will come To whome I sayd that the shame of condemnation and burning is greater then to abiure and why shuld I feare then that shame But I pray you tel me plainly your minde Presuppose that such articles were laid to you which you knewe your selfe not to be true what would you do in that case Would you abiure Who aunswered The case is sore began to weepe Many other things wee spake which I did reprehende Michael de Causis was some times before the prison with the deputies And when I was wyth the deputies thus I heard him speake vnto the keepers Wee by the grace of God wil burne this hereticke shortly for whose cause I haue spent many Florenes But yet vnderstand that I wryte not this to the intent to reuenge mee of him for that I haue committed to God and pray to God for him with all my heart Yet I exhort you again to be circumspect about our letters for Michael hath taken suche order that none shall be suffered to come into the prisone no not yet the keepers wrues are permitted to come to me O holy God howe largely doth Antichrist extend his power and crueltie But I trust that hys power shall be shortned and his iniquitie shal be detected more more amongst the faithfull people Almighty God shal confirme the hearts of his faithful whom he hath chosen before the costitution of the world that they may receiue the eminall crowne of glory And let Antichrist rage as much as he wil yet he shal not preuaile against Christ which shal destroy him with the spirite of his mouth as the Apostle sayeth And 〈◊〉 shall the creature be deliuered out of seruitude or corruptions into the libertie of the glorye of the sonnes of God as sayeth the Apostle in the wordes following we also wythin oure selues doe grone waiting for the adoption of the sonnes of God the redemption of our body I am greatly comforted in those wordes of our Sauiour◠happy be you when men shall hate you and shall seperate you and shall rebuke you and shall cast out your name as execrable for the sonne of man Reioyce and be glad for beholde great is your rewarde in heauen Luke 6. O worthy yea O most worthy consolation which not to vnderstande but to practise in time of tribulation is a hard lesson This rule sainct Iames with the other Apostles did well vnderstand which saieth count it exceeding ioy my brethren when yee shall fall into diuers tentations knowing that the probation of your faith woorketh patience let patience haue her perfecte worke For certainely it is a great matter for a man to reioyce in trouble and to take it for ioy to be in diuers temptations A light matter it is to speake it and to expounde it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiaunt champion him selfe knowing that hee shoulde rise againe the thirde day ouercomming his ennemies by his death and redeeming from damnation his electe after his last Supper was troubled in spirite and sayde My soule is heauie vnto death Of whom also the Gospell sayeth that hee began to feare to be sadde and heauie Who being then in an agonie was confirmed of the Aungell and his sweat was like the droppes of bloud falling vpon the ground And yet he notwithstanding being so troubled sayde to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled neither feare the crueltie of them that persecute you for you shall haue me with you alwaies that you may ouercome the tyranny of your persecutours Whereupon those his souldiours looking vppon the Prince and king of glory sustained great conflictes They passed throughe fire and water and were saued and receiued the crowne of the Lord God of the which S. Iames in his canonicall Epistle sayeth Blessed is the man that suffereth temptation for when he shall be proued he shall receaue the crowne of life which God hathe promised to them that loue him Of this crowne I trust stedfastly the Lord wil make mee partaker also with you which be the feruent sealers of the trueth and with all them which stedfastly and constantly doe loue the Lord Iesus Christ which suffred for vs leauing to vs example that we should follow his steppes It behooued him to suffer as hee sayeth and vs also it behooued to suffer that the members may suffer together with the head For he sayeth If any man will come after mee let him denie himselfe and take vp hys crosse and followe me O most mercyfull Christ draw vs weake creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw vs we are not able to follow thee Geue vs a strong spirite that it may be ready and although the flesh be feeble yet let thy grace goe before vs goe with vs and follow vs for without thee we can do nothyng and much lesse enter into the cruell death for thy sake Geue vs that prompt and ready spirite a bold hart an vpright fayth a firme hope and perfect charitie that we may geue our lyues paciently and ioyfully for
declare vnto them hys minde neyther would he by any meanes consent vnto those priuate iudges Wherupon the Presidents of the Councell thinking that the sayd M. Hierome woulde renue hys recantation before the sayd audieuce and confirme the same did graunt him open audieÌ„ce In the yeare of our Lord. 1416. the 25. day of May which was the Saterday before the Ascenâ—ion of our Lord the sayd M. Hierom was brought vnto open audience before the whole Councell to the great Cathedrall church of Constance whereas by the Commissioners of the Councell in the behalfe of hys foresayd enemies there was laid agaynst him of new C. and vii Articles to the intent that he should not scape the snare of death which they prouided and layd for him in so much as the iudges had before declared that by the saying of the witnesses it was already concluded in the same audience The day aforesayd from morning vntill noone he aunswered vnto more then 40. Articles most subtletie obiected agaynst him denying that he held or mayntayned any such articles as were either hurtfull or false affirming the those witnesses had deposed theÌ„ agaynst him falsly and slaunderously as his most cruel and mortall enemies In the same Session they had not yet proceeded vnto death because that the noone time drew so fast on that he could not answere vnto the Articles Wherfore for lacke of time sufficient to aunswere vnto the residue of the Articles there was an other time appoynted which was the third day after the foresaid Saterday before the Ascention of our Lord at whiche time againe early in the morning hee was brought vnto the sayde Cathedrall Church to answere vnto all the residue the Articles In all which articles as well those which he had aunswered vnto the Saterday before as in the residue he cleared himselfe very learnedly refelling his aduersaries who had no cause but onely of malice displeasure were set agaynst him did him great wrong in suche sort that they were themselues astonyed at his oration and refutation of their testimonies brought agaynst him and with shame enough were put to silence As when one of them had demanded of him what he thought by the sacrament of the aultar He answered before consecration sayd he it is bread wine after the consecration it is the true body and bloud of Christ adding withall moe wordes according to theyr catholicke fayth Then an other rising vp Hierome sayde he there goeth a great rumor of thee that thou shouldest hold bread to remain vpon the aultar To whom he pleasantly answered saying that he beleued bread to be at the Bakers At which wordes being spoken one of the Dominicke Friers fumishly tooke on and sayd what doest thou deny that no man doubteth of Whose peuishe sausines Hierome with these words did well represse holde thy peace said he thou monke thou hipocrite And thus the monke being nipped in the head sate downe dumme After whom started vp an other who with a loude voyce cryed out I sweare sayd he by my conscience that to be true that thou doest deny To whom sayd Hierome agayne speaking in latine Heus inquit sic iurare per conscientiam tutissima fallendi via est That is thus to sweare by your conscience is the next way to deceiue An other there was a spitefull and a bitter enemy of his whom he called by no other name then dogge or asse After he had thus refuted them one after an other that they could finde no crime against him neyther in this matter nor in anye other they were all driuen to keepe silence This done then were the witnesses called for who coÌ„ming in presence gaue testimony vnto the Articles before produced By reason wherof the innocent cause of Hierome was oppressed and began in the councell to be concluded Then Hierome rising vp begaÌ„ to speak forsomuch sayth he as you haue heard mine aduersaries so diligeÌ„tly hether to conuenient it is that you should also nowe heare me to speake for my selfe Whereupon with much difficultie at last audience was geueÌ„ in the Councell for hym to say his mind Which being granted he from morning to noon continuyng entreated of diuers and sondry matters with great learning and eloqueÌ„ce Who first beginning with his praier to God be sought him to geue him spirite habilitie and vtterance which might most tend to the profite saluation of his own soule And so entring into hys Oration I Know sayth he reuerend Lords that there haue bene many excelleÌ„t men which haue suffered much otherwise theÌ„ they haue deserued being oppressed with false witnesses condemned with wrong iudgementes And so beginning with Socrates he declared howe hee was vniustly condemned of hys countrimen neither woulde he escape when hee might taking from vs the feare of two thinges whiche seeme most bitter to men to wit of prisonment and death Then he inferred the captiuitie of Plato the banishment of Anaxagoras and the tormentes of Zeno. Moreouer he brought in the wrongfull condemnation of many gentiles as the banishment of Rupilius reciting also the vnworthy death of Boetius and of others whom Boetius himselfe doth write of From thence he came to the examples of the Hebrues and first began with Moyses the deliuerer of the people the law geuer how he was oftentimes slaundered of hys people as being a seducer and contemner of the people Ioseph also sayth he for enuy was sold of hys brethren and for false suspicion of whoredome was cast into bandes Besides these he reciteth Esayas Daniell and almost all the Prophetes who as contemners of god and seditious persons were oppressed with wrongfull condemnation FroÌ„ thence he proceeded to the iudgement of Susanna and of diuers other besides who being good and holy men yet were they vniustly cast away with wrongfull sentence At the length he came to Iohn Baptist and so in long processe he descended vnto our sauiour declaring how it was euident to all men by what false witnesses both he and Iohn Baptist were condemned Moreouer how Stephen was slayne by the Colledge of the priestes and how all the Apostles were condemned to death not as good men but as seditious styrrers vp of the people and contemners of the Gods and euil doers It is vniust sayth he vniustly to be condemned one priest of an other and yet he proued that the same hath so happened most vniustly in that Councell of Priestes These thinges did he discourse at large with marueilous eloqueÌ„ce and with singuler admiration of all that heard hym And forasmuch as all the whol summe of the cause dyd rest only in the witnesses by many reasons he proued that no credite was to be geuen vnto them especially seing they spake all thinges of no truth but onely of hatred malice enuy And so prosecuting the matter so liuely and expressely he opened vnto them the causes of their hatred
religion not by sworde but by argument and disputation that the Bishop of Rome could neuer yet to this day remooue the Thaborites and Citie of Prage from the communion of both the kindes nor coulde euer cause them to keepe the conditions which in the beginning of the Councell was enioyned their priests to obserue as testifieth Cochleus lib. 8. hist. Huss With whom also recordeth Antoninus who in 3 part hist. saith that the doctrine of the Bohemians which he termeth by the name of Zizania did take so deepe roote wyth them and grewe so fast that afterwarde neyther by fire nor sword it could be extinct An. 3. part hist. tit 22. cap. 10 Concerning the which Bohemians briefly in a generall summe to recapitulate their whole actes doings here is to be noted that they in their owne defence in the quarel of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage prouoked by their catholike aduersaries to warre fighting vnder Zisca their Captaine had eleuen battailes with the Popes side and euer went away victours Ex paral Abb. Vrsp. in Epitaphio Ioan. Zisc. Moreouer in the history of Peucer it is testified that pope Martin 5. sending for the B. of Wint. then Cardinal had leuied 3. maine armies intending to ouerrunne al the Bohemians one army of the Saxons vnder the prince Elector the seconde of the Francones vnder the Marques of Brandeburge the thirde of Renates Bauarians and Suechers vnder Octo archb of Treuers With these Sigismund also the Emperor and Cardinal Iulian the popes Legate who at last was slain in war and being spoiled of all his attire was left naked in the fielde ioyned al their force Who ioyning together 5. times sayth the story which 5. sondry battailes assailed and inuaded the Bohemians at euery which battail 5. times the sayd aduersaries stroken and daunted with a sodain feare ranne away out of the field leauing their tents w e all their implements and furniture behind them before any stroke was geuen Ex Casp. Peuc lib. 5. Whereby it may appeare the holy aungels of God to fight for them which embraced the syncere doctrine of Christes gospell Thus the Bohemians through the mighty protection of almighty God cōtinued a long time inuincible during all that life of Zisca also of Procopius til at length through discord growing betwene them theyr captains Procopius Mainardus they were subdued vnto their enemies And heere by the way is not to be omitted the wicked and cruel facte of Mainardus who after the death of Procopius thinking to purge the realme of Boheme of those chiefe and principal soldiours which had bene long expert and trained vp in warres found meanes by a proclamation made as though he woulde warre against other countreis of their eunemies bordering about them craftily to traine all them which were disposed to take wages into certaine barnes or houels prepared for the same purpose and so shutting the dores vppon them the wicked dissembler set fire vpon them brent of them diuers thousands and so brought the rest by that meanes vnder subiection to the Emperor during his lyfe time which after that continued not long Ex Aene. Syl. The which soldiours if they had fought so much for the catholike liberties of the Pope and his churche as they had fought against him it is martyrs But they that kill with the sword sayeth Christ shall perish with the sword Notwithstanding the cruell deceit of Mainardus is worthy of all men to be detested During this businesse among the bishops beyonde the sea in the meane time our bishops here also in Englande were not vnoccupied Whether it be the nature of the countrey that so geueth or whether the great liuings and welthy promotions of the clergy do draw w e them a more insensible vnto wardnesse in Gods religion hard it is to say this is manifest to all them which will read and marke our stories from time to time that in Englande is more burning and slaying for Religion and for all other matters more bloudshed among vs then in any other lande or nation in Christendome besides After the burning of Rich. Houeden of Nicho. Canon and of Thom. Bagley priest aboue recorded pag. 666. Whom the bishops condemned to death An. 1431. not long after about the yere of our Lorde 1439. which was the 18. of the raign of king Henr 6. they had another poore man by the backe named Riche Wicke Priest mentioned both in Rob. Fabian and also in another olde english chronicle borowed of one Perminger What his opinions were they do not expresse This they recorde that this Rich wich first was degraded then burned at the tower hil for heresy Some do a arm that he before his death reuolted but that seemeth by his burning not to be Rex vicecomitibus London Midd. salutem Albeit Richard Wyche late clearke who heretofore long sithence heretically did hold teach publikely preache certaine heresies and erroneous opinions in many places within our realme of England And for the same many yeares nowe past being iudicially conuicted did before a iudge in that behalfe sufficient abiure all heresy generally and afterward as a dogge returning to his vomit did presume to maintain teach publikely preach his former errors and heresies so that hee was worthely adiudged a Relapse And againe being impeached for the same before the reuerend father in God Robert B of London his lawfull Ordinarie was called foorth to iudgement and being before him did iudicially confesse hys errors and heresies For the which cause the saide reuerende father vppon mature deliberation by hym the sayde Reuerende father first had with the aduise of the learned in the lawe his assistantes lawfully proceeding against the saide Richard did by his sentēce defintiue pronounce and adiudge him to bee a Relapse and did disgrade him from the order and dignitie of Priesthoode tooke from him all priestly ornaments and depriued him of all priestly function and Priuiledge according to iustice and last of all turned him ouer to the secular power as the manner is And afterwards you by our Princely commandement and warrant did according to the lawe of oure realme for his last punishment consume the body of the sayd Richard to ashes being a Relapse conuict and disgraded as a notorious traitour not only against God but also against vs and our crowne and dignity All which notwithstanding certaine our subiects as we haue ben sundry times enformed being pricked foreward with a Diabolical spirite practising of all likelihode not only sedition but also Idolatry within our Realme are not afraide publikely to affirme that the sayde Richard was altogether innocent of heretical prauity Nay rather they do moste shainefully with their vaine deuises and wickedly conceiued imaginatiōs blase abroad that he was died a good iust and an holy man and that he doeth many myracles whereas in deede no suche myracles be done by him Which