of the number of such excellent persons as the Lord giueth to repaire and restore things throwne vnder feete He I say redressed the Romane Empire and pacified Europe By his succours Italie and Germanie were guarded and warranted hauing tamed the Hungarians and French Briefly during his life the Empire tooke again a brightnesse and face of maiestie He founded the siluer Mines in Misua and exercised great munificence towards many Bishoppes which held the chiefe place in the Religion which then was Many Ciuile Lawes were made by him Amongst which that of the succession of Nephues in hereditarie goods in the place of their Fathers is greatly commended After then in this sort hee had delated the Empire being made stoope with great age finally he was surprised with a suddaine maladie and dyed the yeare 973. and of his raigne thirtie seuen of his Empire thirteene and was buried at Magdeberge in Saint Martins Church which he had caused to be builded Otho 2. of that name sonne of Otho the great and of Adetheide Queene of Burgogne during the life of his Father was declared at Aix le chappelle King of the Romanes he appeased the mutinies which were in Lorraine and gaue the Duchy of Lorraine to Charles brother of Lotharie King of France and made him vassall of the Empire but the limits were cut off For one good part was adiudged on the one side to the Church of Colongne and the other to the Church of Liege Hee espowsed the sister of the Emperour of Constantinople Donus Pope second of that name a Romane ruled at Rome a yeare and fiue moneths It was said of him that he was of great modestie and integritie and that no iniurie was done him Supp Chron. Many holy bodies as of Patroclus Priauatus and Gregorie With S. Peters Staffe were transported from Rome to Colongne by Bruno Bishop of the said place and by the Bishop of Canterburie called Odo Fasci temp Aldebert of Bohemia Bishop of Prague went into Pannonia to preach the faith and baptised the King of Hungaria From thence hee came into Brusse where hee was Martyred Boniface Pope 7. of that name gouerned at Rome 7. moneths by vnlawfull meanes he entred the Popedome and by the same meanes fell out thereof The greatest of Rome conspired against him But seeing himselfe in daunger he secretly pilled the most precious treasures of the Church of S. Peter and so fled vnto Constantinople where when he had remained 8. monethes he solde and turned all into siluer and after returned vnto Rome In his absence they lifted vp one of Pauie called Iohn the 15. He ruled 8. moneths Boniface then being returned drew the Citizens vnto him and with siluer corrupted the vilest and wickedest persons of Rome This done hee tooke the Pope Iohn and hauing put out his eies made him die with hunger in the Castle of S. Angelo Againe then he occupied and vsurped the seate but incontinently after he dyed of a sudden death his corpes was drawne with a corde by his feete through the streetes and pierced with pikes by the Romanes but finally the Clarkes buried him Naucler Robert Barns Cor. Abb. Benet Pope 7. of that name gouerned 8. yeares and sixe moneths Suppl Chron. or 10. yeares and 6. monethes after Fasci temp This Pope at the Emperours desire imprisoned many seditious Romanes The Sea of Hist. Otho the 2. enterprised a war against the Greekes which held Calabria and Pouille but he sought to reduce them to the Romane Empire pretending a right by reason of a dowrie for Theophaine his wife who was the Greeke Empresse but his enterprise was vnluckie For he was taken by Pirates and brought vnto Sicilia vnknowne Afterward being ordeined by a Slauonian Marchant which knew him he gathered together the rest of his Armie and returned against the Grecians and Sarrasins and pursued them very vndiscreetly In so much that hee was strooken with an inuenomed arrow so returning vnto Rome he dyed a litle after the tenth yeare of his Empire leauing Otho the third and other his children and amongst them Frederic and Valderic Dukes of Saxonie of whom after discended the Countesse and Princes of Sauoy Otho third of that name after the death of his Father was very young when he was designed the Emperour but of such quicknesse and moderation of spirite that for his excellent gifts he was named The Maruell of the world Lotharie King of France dyed at Rheimes being impoysoned as some say by his adulterous wife leauing his sonne Lewis fift of that name King of France last of the line of Charlemaigne who raigned a yeare and litle more and dyed also of poyson and was buried at Campaigne leauing onely the memorie of his name A third sort of Kings beganne to raigne in France From Pharamond a Painim vnto Hughe Capet are accounted 587. yeares From Clouis the first Christian 487. From Pippin the Father of Charlemaigne 237. yeares Hughe Capet 35. in number and the first King of France raigned nine yeares and began the third sort of Kings which yet endureth in the kingdome of France Dante 's a Florentine Poet in his Purgatorie saith that Hughe Capets Grandfather was a Butcher Of a Counte of Paris by the fauour of souldiers he was first saluted king in the Towne of Noion Raigning then newly in France he caused a Councel of Prelates of the French Church to be assembled at Rheimes in Campaigne And because he feared the posteritie of Charlemaigne vpon which hee had vsurped the kingdome he caused in the said Councell to be deposed the Arch-bishop of Rheimes called Arnulphe or Arnoul bastard brother of the king Lotharie set in his place a Monk a Philosopher and Magician called Gilbert or Gerbert vnto this deposition consented all the Prelates of France except Sergius Arch-bishop of Sens who was sent prisoner vnto Orleans with Arnulphe but three yeares after they were deliuered See Iohn le Maire in the 2. part and others Against the said Councell Pope Benet made an other be held in the same Cittie of Rheimes wherein the said Arnulphe was restored and Sergius or Serinus and Gerbert or Gilbert was deposed who notwithstanding was after Archbishop of Rauenna at last Pope of Rome by diuellish meanes whose end was miserable Iohn le Maire Many holy bodies S. Landoul S. Adrian S. Amand of Hasban were transported into the Towne of Gaunt Chron. Sigeb The Abbey of S. Magloire at Paris was founded by y e king Iohn Pope 16. of that name ruled at Rome 4. moneths his Father was called Leo a Priest He distributed the goods of the Church to his parents friends and Allies Therefore he was hated of all the Cleargie and people and was enclosed in the Castle S. Angelo where he dyed of hunger Supp Chron. and R. Barns This custome was afterward much vsed in the Romane Church Iohn Pope 17. of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 9.
ambitiously and wickedly he came to be Pope He demaunded of the Ecclesiasticall Lords vpon whom they had the foundations and reuenewes of their Churches and Benefices After he turned him towards the Princes Barons and Knights and said vnto them And you Nobles and Vassalls what hold you for your King All they which were there answered with one voyce that they held their lands and their goods vnder the kings hand Then the king replied and said Yet you see what force and tirannie Boniface practiseth as if you and all the Realme of France were subiect vnto the Romane Church as now he vsurpeth the title of the Emperour of Almaine and hauing three times the said Duke Albert of Austrich saith himselfe is Emperour and Lord of all the world and in token thereof hee hath newly giuen the Empire to the Duke Albert yea euen the title of the Crowne of France These things thus proposed and brought to deliberation the king interiected an appellation from the Pope to the generall Councell and ordained by publike Edict vpon great pains that none should bee so hardie to drawe or transport any gold or siluer out of his kingdome for the affaires of the Romane Court and caused to guard all the Bridges Portes and passages On the other side Boniface the eight sought by Ecclesiasticall censors enmitie betwixt the Emperour and the King Yet notwithstanding they accorded meeting together in the plaines of Vuancoulers But the end was this that to tame the arrogancie and malice of this Pope the king secretly dispatched two hundreth men of Armes vnder the conduction of one named Sarra Colonnois a Romane and of an other Captain called Nogaret which secretly passed from Marceille and by night tooke the Pope in his house which was in Anagnia in the kingdome of Naples and carried him prisoner with the aide of the Gibelins to Rome where he died 24. dayes after or 35. dayes after Chron. Abb. of griefe and age and all his goods and treasures went to pillage Iohn le Maire Iohn the Monke Cardinall the founder of the Colledge of Picars at Paris came into France at the Popes commandement The Sea of Histories The memorable battaile of Courtray in Flaunders which the French lost and wherin a great part of the Nobilitie of France perished The Sea of Histories Benet 11. of that name a Lombard by Nation borne at Treuis called before Nicholas of the order of Iacobius borne of parents of base condition his father was a sheepheard after he was made Cardinall of Ostia he was chosen Pope a man of a cautellous and subtill spirit and therefore pleased Boniface exceedingly Incontinently after he was come vnto the Papaltie hee sought to pacifie Italie and therefore went to Peruse but hee fell sicke there and deceased and was buried in the Iacobins A certaine Abbesse presented vnto him poysoned figges whereof he died This was after prooued And Leander affirmeth that he died of poyson The seate was emptie about a yeare The yeare of Christ 1304. Phillip le bel King of France founded in the honour of S. Lewis the Abbey of Poisy where hee placed Nunnes of the order of the Friars preachers and after his death his heart was carried thither and buried The Sea of Histories The first Emperor of the Turkes The wickednesse of men being come to the fulnesse of all impietie Ottomanus a Turk began to raigne about this time and raigned 28. yeares He began by litle and litle to vsurpe vpon Europe The occasion was for that the Emperours of Greece demanded helpe of the said Turkes against the Bulgarians But they seeing the Countrey fit for them vsurped vpon the Emperour first in Thrace and after in Misia superiour and inferiour Macedonia Achaia Peloponesus Epirus Dalmacia and a great part of Illyria and Pannonia and finally into Hungaria The yeare of Christ 1306. the first League of Swissers was made of three Cantons namely Suits Vry and Vnderuald Naucler Peter Casiodore an Italian a Noble man and well instructed in pietie was in this time Hee writ vnto the Enghsh men not to carrie the importable yoake of the Romane Antechrist shewing the extortions and extreame seruitude of England which the Popes of that time had multiplied The Epistle beginneth Cui comparabo te c. which I haue here inserted transcribed and translated out of an old booke found in the church of S. Albans in England To the noble Church of England which serueth in bondage Peter the sonne of Cassiodore a Catholique souldier and deuout Champion of Iesus Christ desireth saluation and deliuerance from the yoake of captiuitie and to receiue the price and reward of libertie The Scribes and Pharisies placed themselues in Moyses Chaire c. It followeth after To whom shal I compare thee or to whom shal I say thou art like thou daughter of Ierusalem to whom shall I equall thee thou virgin daughter of Sion For thy ruine is great as the Sea thou art become sollitarie and without any sollace being all the day ouerwhelmed wilh heauinesse Thou art deliuered into the hands of him from whence thou canst not relieue thy selfe without the aide of some one which will lift theee vp For the Scribes and Pharisies beeing set vpon Moyses Chaire that is to say the Romane Princes being thy enemies are vpon thy head and enlarging their Philacteries and desiring to inrich themselues with the marrowe of thy bones impose heauie and insupportable burthens vpon the shoulders of thee and thy Ministers and bring thee vnmeasurably vnder the charge of paying tribure thou which euer hast bene free Let all occasion and matter of maruelling cease For thy mother which had rule ouer the people hauing espowsed her subiect hath appointed thee for a Father and before all others hath eleuated thee Bishop of Rome who in no paternall act sheweth himselfe to be such an one Very true is is that hee spreadeth out his skirtes and sheweth by experience that he is thy mothers husband For often he bringeth to memorie in his heart this sentence of the Prophet Take thee a great volume and write therein as with a touchstone after the maner of men Hastâ— thee to the spoile dispatch thee of pilling and spoiling When the Apostle said Euery high Priest beeing taken of men is constituted for men in things which are concerning God Doth not this shewe that men must not occupie themselues with spoiles and rapines to impose censors and annuall rents nor to destroy men but to the end he might offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes and that he might haue compassion of the ignorant and sinners And also we read of Peter who was a Fisher whose successor he saith he is that after the resurrection of Iesus Christ he returned to his fishing againe with the other Apostles who when he could take nothing on the left side of the ship by the commaundement of Iesus Christ he turned himselfe towards the right hand and drew the Nets to ground
Others that they would not pay it and so was there a schisme in the Churches of Almaigne Naucler Petrarke dyed about this time So did Boccace of the age of 62. yeares Abb. Trit Simon de Cassia was in this time and S. Bonauenture whom Gregorie 2. made Cardinall and Bishop of Albe Abb. Trit Amurathes was slaine with the blowe of a Dagger by the seruant of a Christian called Seruianus For that the said Amurathes had slaine his maister Peter de Premonstre hath left by writing that in this Popes time there was a kinde or new Sect of diuellish people as well men as women which without any shame daunced hardely And he said that in the yeare of the Lord 1375. they came frō Aix in Almain into Henaut and from thence into France Some said this signified the returne of Pope Gregorie his Cardinals to Rome These thought they daunced in a flood of blood although such as were present with them saw no such thing The common people iudged that these people were ill baptized by Priests which keep whores and harlots and therefore they determined to haue risen vp against the Cleargy to slay them and pill their goods but that God remedied it by the meanes of certaine coniurations that which followeth in the said author The yeare of Christ 1375. the English men and Brytons with other people to the number of fortie thousand and more fell vpon the Countries of Alsarce and Sangania and tooke Cities and Castles and raced them to the ground violated virgins and wiues burned Churches and Monasteries and after many other tyrannies they attempted also vpon the Bernois but a great multitude of them and their Duke were slaine and discomfited by the said Bernois at Frowenbrun the rest were assailed by other Swisses and were ouerthrowne and so they all perished miserably Fascic temp The Emperour Charles sought to stretch out the limits of his kingdome of Boheme partly by siluer and partly by warres and other meanes which was cause that he gaue to Iohn Henry his brother the Countrey of Morauia to the end he might renounce the right he had in the kingdome of Boheme Long time after he also caused the Princes Electors to elect Wencelaus his sonne King of the Romanes Finally after many requests hee obtained that he demaunded the yeare of grace 1376. and gained the Princes which elected Wencelaus King of Romanes being but 15. yeares of age After his coronation he espoused Ihehanne or Iane daughter of Albert Counte of Holland and Duke of Bauiere But the yeare following Charles dyed which was the yeare of grace 1378. and of his Empire 33. Hee was an Emperour worthie of praise sauing that he regarded more his kingdome of Boheme then the publike weale of his Empire For knowing his Sonne should succeede him in the Empire hee corrupted the Electors by great and faire promises the which being not able to accomplish hee gaged vnto them the publike taxes and tributes and brought the Romane Empire into that calamitie wherein it is at this day For the Electors retaine that vnto themselues which should be the Emperours A great number of the poore of Lyon were burnt at Paris in the place de Greue The Sea of Histories The Colledge of Benuais was founded at Paris the yeare 1372. otherwise called the Colledge des Dormans because it was founded by three brethren called Dormans the one was Bishop of Beauuais the other Archbishop of Angiers and the other Chauncellour of France Wencelaus sonne of Charles fourth of that name was chosen king of the Romans beeing but 15. yeares of age at the pursuite of his Father and crowned at Aix la Chappelle with his wife the daughter of Albert Duke of Bauiere and Counte of Holland But this Wencelaus was euil made of bodie and spirit his bodie crooked and of an effeminate courage He was borne at Nuremberge and his mother dyed at his byrth Assoone as hee was made king of Boheme and of the Romanes incontinently he gaue himselfe to all Idlenes and dissolution following his pleasures caring for nothing but to make good cheare And because he vsed great tyrannie in the end the Barons of the kingdom tooke him kept him in prison the space of 4. moneths til he was brought forth by his brother the Marquesse called Iohn but he became no better His subiects then seeing that all the Country was infected with his orders tyrannies whoredomes dissolutions they complained to his brother Sigismond king of Hungarie and he was againe taken and imprisoned in Austriche but escaping out of prison he returned into his kingdome and returned to his first manners The Electors of the Empire often admonished him but hee cared not therefore he was depriued of his Empire at Bopard Baiazet fourth King or Emperour of the Turks the sonne of Amurathes after the death of his Father slewe his brother Soliman traiterously and so alone enioyed the Empire of the Turkes the yeare of the world 5335. after Christes Natiuitie 1373. To reuenge the death of his father he made war against Marke Lord of Bulgaria ouercame and slewe him and so subiected a great part of his Country A little after he ouerranne Hungarie Albania and Walachie and did great hurt tooke many Christians and led them into Thracia prisoners In his enterprises and affaires he was so hotte and so suddaine that he was called Baiazet Hildrin that is to say thunder from heauen He brought vnder as it were all Greece being aided with the goods and graces of nature both in body and spirit He besieged Constantinople by the space of eight yeares Wherevpon the Emperour sailed into France requiring succours which was graunted him yet got Baiazet victorie of the French Hungarians Almaines Syrians and Misians in one assembly against him after hee returned to Constantinople and there was no other meane to conserue the Empire of Constantinople but that Tamberlan who was Lord of a certaine Countrie of East Scythia towards Parthia hauing as it were an infinit number of people put to the sworde in one onely battaile on the Mount Stella where Pompey fought with Mithridates 2. hundreth thousand Turkes and ouercame Baiazet and bound him with chaines of Gold and put him into a Cage of Iron and so ledde him through all the Countreys of Asia and Syria In the which miserable estate the said Baiazet died He raigned twentie and sixe yeares Edward King of England who had so many victories in France died of the age of 74. yeares the yeare 52. of his raigne Charles the 4. and Wencelaus his sonne came into France to accord the French and the English but they returned without doing any thing because of the death of the Queene and her daughter Isabel The Pope Gregorie after he had done all that belonged to a good Pope as Platina saith being tormented with an intollerable paine of the blather deceased the yeare of the Lord 1378. Some say that
constituted there a familiar friend of his Charles Duke of Bourgongne returned the second time against the Swisses Before he had taken from the Duke Rene of Lorraine Nancy wherefore the Duke of Lorraine ioyned with the Swisses And when the Duke of Bourgongne was before Morat they of the Towne came out and altogether inuaded the the Armie of the Bourguignons and put them vnto flight In so much that 17. thousand Bourguignons or 20000. after Fasci Temp. or 22000. after the Sea of Hist were there slaine The spoile was there left to the Duke of Lorraine for recompence who also after recouered Nancy See Nauclerus The third time the Duke of Bourgongne being greeued to haue beene vanquished by so weake a Prince as the Duke of Lorraine was returned and againe besieged Nancy Hee had 14000 combattants and still looked for other Bands of souldiers Vpon this the Duke of Lorraine and the Swisses came vpon them parted in two Bandes The Bourguignons were discomfited and put to flight some slaine in the woods and others drowned There was also slaine the Duke of Bourgongne hauing receiued three mortall woundes one on the head an other in the thigh and the last in the fundament See Naucler The Bourguignons would not beleeue he was slaine but that being escaped hee retired into Almaine and hee had vowed to make his penance there seuen yeares There were amongst the Bourguignons which solde precious stones horses and other such like things to be paid at his returne Yea euen in Bruchel in the Diocesse of Spine there was an olde man which men thought to bee the Duke of Bourgongne making there his penance whom euery one desired to see and therby got he good almes Nauclerus saith hee sawe the said poore man in the said place The king of France vnderstanding of the death of the Duke of Bourgongne tooke Monididier Roy Peronne Abbenille Monstraeul Arras an Hesdin See the Hist. of France Maximilian sonne of the Emperour Frederic the third affianced Mary the onely daughter of Charles Duke of Bourgongne with whom he had Bourgongne Brabant Flaunders Luxembourge Hainaut Zeland Artois Guelders with other Sergnories and lands The said Maximilian had of his said wife one sonne called Phillip and a daughter called Margarite They had two other children Francis and George which died in their youth Phillip espowsed Iane Queene of Chastile of whom hee had Charles the fift Emperour and Ferdinand and foure daughters Leonor Isabeal Mary and Katherine The Iacobins Inquisitors deputed against heretikes as they call them in diuers sorts molested certaine Theologians of the order of Carmes in certaine causes of the faith Amongst which they said one was called Iulian de Bresse an excellent Preacher of the word of God and an other Peter de Neuolaite for whom Mantuan writ an Apologie conteining three bookes But all this was pacified by the Pope Sixtus at the pursuite of Christopher Martignon which Sextus as tutor and defender of Monkes as Stella witnesseth in the Popes liues that he might take away all occasion of enuie and riots amongst them ordained that all Mendicant and begging Friars should bee equall in such priuiledges as all Popes had graunted vnto them The Vniuersitie of Tubinge in the Diocesse of Constance by Apostolicke authoritie was instituted at the instance of the Count of Wittemberge Naucler The Swisses beganne now to receiue wages of the king of Fraunce Lewis the 11. casheering the French Archers because they pilled and spoyled and did many other mischiefes Naucler Platina composed the Popes liues in Latin and dedicated them vnto Sixtus the 4. Wessalus of Frise in this time writ against the Pope his doctrine and traditions Mahomet the second died of poison as was suspected Naucler or else of a Collicke passion of the age of 50. yeares after Naucler of 53. Baiazetes his son succeeded him Paul Iou. Margarite the daughter of Maximilian was brought into France and espowsed vnto the Dolphin Charles the 8. in the moneth of Iuly at Ambroise who afterward was sent backe againe Naucler Mary Duchesse of Bourgongne Maximilians wife Madam Margarites mother being on hunting fell from her horse and died Chron. Euseb and Naucler The Pope Sixtus Canonized S. Bonauenture The last of August died Lewis King of France a very superstitious man He pilled the people to inrich Churches Hee worshipped and kissed bones and relickes of Saints to obtaine health For hee maruellously feared death In so much that in the end of his dayes hee gaue excessiue gifts to his Phisitian each moneth if at the least they might but prolong his life Sixtus made many warres wrongfully against Ferdinand King of Pouille because hee gaue ayde vnwillingly to his sonne in lawe Hercules d'st Duke of Ferrara which was besieged of the Venetians against the Venetians which he excommunicated Also against the Florentines as is said although that the matter better vnderstood hee absolued them and restored them to their honour and Lawrence de Medices likewise Sixtus being deteined sicke in his bed of a Feauer vnderstanding that a peace was made betwixt the Venetians and other Potentates suddenly yeelded the spirit Naucler Innocent 8. of that name borne at Genes the sonne of one called Aaron called before Iohn Baptist Cibo of a Cardinall Priest of the title of S. Cicilie was created Pope of Priests and Monkes after of Sixtus Volaterane saith he was once a poore childe yet faire and was nourished amongst the seruants of Ferdinand king of Sicilie where he learned all the fashions of the Court life Comming from thence to Rome he remained long time in the house of Phillip Cardinall of Boulongne After this he was made Bishop of Sauonne and thirdly of Melphe by the Pope Xistus and also Dataire finally Cardinall after Pope as hath bin said He was of a great stature a white man and of faire representation but of an heauie and dull spirit and far from all studie of good Letters In so much that sometimes when he was Idle from publike affaires hee seemed as though he slept Almost frō the beginning of his Popedome he conspired against Ferdinand king of Sicilie with the Princes of the kingdome See how Popes vse to recompence the amitie of such as nourish and educate them Hee called one named Robert d' S. Seuerin to be chiefe and Captaine of the Armie which he sent against Ferdinand This holy man said that for the Churches dignitie and the defence of Saints it was lawful to take Armes that peace might follow of it Yet seeing himself deceiued he was forced to make peace vpon this condition that his yearely tribute should be paid him and that such as rebelled should not be in daunger But the king Ferdinand kept neither the one nor the other condition although hee sent one named Peter de Vincence an hardie and bold man who was Auditor of the Chamber with his Secretarie to sollicite his causes After these things Innocent wearie of
he writ to many But finally being tormented by the filthinesse and stench of the place in the end he yeelded his spirit to God the yeare 308. Eusebius a Gretian by Nation a Phisitians sonne after Damasus succeeded in the gouernment of the Romane Church in the great persecutions in the time of Maxentius the horrible Tyrant The Authours of the Ecclesiasticall history make no mention of this Eusebius The booke of Councells attribute to him three Decretall Epistles The first to the Bishoppes of Gaul The second to the Egiptians The third to the Bishoppes of Tuscane and Campania His ordinances contained in those Epistles are these in effect That sheepe shall not draw their Shepheard or Bishop into Lawe vnlesse he denie the Faith That a mayd which shall be espowsed only by words of the present time may enter into Religion That the Sacrifice of the Aultar be consecrated not in cloath of silke but in linnen cloth and such like bables which the infamous fauourers of the seate of Popes haue not beene ashamed to assigne to those good and faithfull Ministers of the Lorde to disfigure and defile with their orders this honest face of the primitiue Church which follow his head Iesus Christ in continuall persecutions to establish their seate of perdition and to pollute the bloud of those holy Martyrs But contrary Eusebius trauailed much in the haruest of the Lords word as well at Rome as other where in the time of persecutions vnder Maxentius vntill that as Christianus Mattoens saith hee finished his life by martyrdome the yeare of the Lord 309. But amongst Histogoriographers there is great diuersitie for the number of yeares Licinius born in Dare was made Augustus companiō of the Empire with Maximin Galari after the death of Seuerus the yeare of our Lord 308. He was a warlike man and Slauonia was first giuen him to gouerne after the East he was noble although he came of a pesant he shewed himselfe cruel towards the children of Galerius his ally He was an enemy vnto letters as hauing no knowledge no not to write his owne name And he called the liberall Arts a publike poyson and pestilence Euseb lib. 4. ca. 13. He deserued praise in that he repressed abuses the boldnesse insolencies of the brauest of his Court which he called the Moathes and Rattes of his Pallace He raigned 14 yeares liued 60. See Pomp. Laet. Constantine the great sonne of the Emperour Constantius and Helena S. Ambrose in his funerall Oration of Theodosius saith that hee was a seruant in a stable and was borne in England Hee was instructed in the Militarie Art vnder Galerius He tamed the Sermates a fearce Nation barbarous brought their Duke captiue to Galerius who cōceiued enuy at the glory of this yong Prince whereof being aduertised he retired from Rome towards his Father into England who dyed soone after By the fauour of Princes he was declared Emperour the yeare 309. The Senate writ vnto him Letters to aduertise him of the euil gouernment Maxentius for the great cruelties hee exercised at Rome wherevpon he marched towards Rome and pursued Maxentius who retiring into the Towne made couer Tyber with Boats nye the bridge Miluius which by subtil deceit as hee thought he made ioyne together to deceiue Constantine and to haue drown'd him whē he followed him But he himself as furious first comming out to flie not remembring his owne stratageme that hee practised for an other entred on horsebacke with a fewe people vpon the bridge where he was drowned in Tyber the 6. yeare of his Empire For this happie deliuerance honors were giuen to Constantius so he acquited Italie and Affrike For his Father had only left him the Gaulois and Spaine and would so haue contented himselfe had it not bene for the warre that Licinius raised making himselfe Cesar and was established in the East Maximian as we haue said with his great griefe had forsakē the Empire being greeued so long to lead a priuate life did his best by the meanes of Maxentius his sonne chosen Emperour to returne to the Empire but because hee succeeded therein not well he retired towards his sonne in lawe Constantine vnto whom he had giuen his daughter Fausta and sought by ambushes to cast him out of the Empire Which Fausta perceiuing well reuealed to her husband preferring him before her father Wherefore the sonne in lawe besieged him at Marcellis tooke him aliue and bad him choose whatsoeuer kind of death he would He strangled himselfe with a cord or girdle And so this wicked and bloudie man which had shead so much Christian bloud vnluckily finished his life of his age sixtie Licinius at the first had some great familiaritie with Constantine and to please him made a shew to loue the Christians in so much that he married Constance the sister of Constantine and by a mutuall consent together caused to publish lawes for the Christians but afterward comming againe to his nature and forgetting the honour that Constantine had done him began to conspire against him because Constantine so fauoured Christians whose enemie he declared himselfe alleadging this cause that in their assemblies they prayed for Constantine and not for him Licinius then beganne the persecution by his owne house after he stretched it farre by Lawes and Edicts into the Prouinces of the East forbidding especially Bishoppes to make assemblies and Sinodes Secondly that men and women to auoyd scandalles and offence not to assemble at prayers Thirdly that such as were appointed prisoners as transgressors of Edicts should not be visited nor succoured in paine to incurre the like condemnation c. He then set himselfe against the Bishops not openly for feare of Constantine but made them die secretly by his Committees Euseb Lib. 10. Chap. 8. In the Towne of Sebasta Losias killed in a poole fortie souldiers whose Martirdome Basile the great described and other Martirs which were cruelly murdered Licinius increased more and more his crueltie but the Lord sent Constantine to represse him who experimented against him the Forces of the Gaules and Italie hauing ouerthrowne him in Hungarie and pursued him into Macedonia where he repaired his forces He was chased into Asia and in the end yeelded himselfe seeing he was vanquished by sea and by land and was sent into Thessalonica to liue priuately yet could he not so escape the true vengeance of his boldnesse crueltie and infidelitie For hee was slaine by Constantines souldiers about the yeare of our Lord three hundred twentie and foure after some writers Melchiades the thirtith Bishop succeeded in the Church of Rome and was of Affrike after Damasus A man of great pietie and a true seruant in the holy Ministerie of the Gospell and in the affaires of the truth of God vntill hee was put to death vnder Maximin Galerius the yeare of the Lord 314. Read herevpon the Ecclesiasticall History of Eusebius where he reciteth diuers cruell kindes of death wherewith the
against Arrius was Macarius Bishop of Hierusalem Eustachius Bishop of Antioche Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spaine Pathuntius of Egipt and Maximus these two had their eyes put out for the Faith and many other persons which had suffered persecution vnder the aforesaid Titants There was also Spiridian Bishop of Tremythe in Cyprus and Nicholas Bishop of Mirme in Licia a very graue man Also Athanasius then a Deacon of the Church of Alexandria Theophilus Bishop of the Gothes and Alexander Bishop of Alexandria c. Spiridian was he that in Lent presented flesh to a Pilgrim as he passed by and did eate himselfe and caused him also to eate saying that to pure Christians all things are pure Hist tripart lib. 1. Chap. 10. After that license was graunted to the two parties Eusebius Bishop of Nichomedia the Patrone of Arrius presented a Libell full of blasphemies conteining briefly that which hath bene before said That God who is for euer was not alwaies the Father And seeing all things were created of God the sonne also must be a worke made and many other blaspemies This Libell was recited and read with great sorrowe of most part of them which were there because of the blasphemies conteined therein and was torne in peeces to the great confusion of the Author There followed a very sharpe contention of both parts which the Emperour harkened vnto with great patience But finally Eusebius and his consorts fearing to be banished made a countenance to renounce their errours and to subscribe to the determination of the Fathers except Secundus and Theon as Athanasius reciteth in the decrees of the Sinode of Nice But the Bishops after they knew their fraude and how they disguised the truth with words began to vse the word Essence and Homousios that is to say of one same substance Then the Eusebians abhorred these words Homousios and Essentiall as straunge vnvsed in the holy scripture The Fathers declared that necessarily they were constrained to vse these words to signifie that the Sonne was engendered of the substance of the Father according to which bee was consubstantiall to the Father that is to say of one same substance and essence A Philosopher who by no Arguments could be surmounted was finally conuerted by a simple Bishop who said vnto him Harken Philosopher there is one God which made all things in the power of his word and by the sanctification of his holy spirite confirmed them This word which we call the Sonne of God hath redeemed mankinde which was in the bottomelesse pit of hell by his death and resurrection Torment nor trouble thy selfe too much with thine owne arguments and demonstrations in this matter which must be apprehended by faith and that Iesus Christ himselfe and his Apostles hath taught vs. Answere mee doost thou beleeue it is so The Philosopher astonished said vnto him I beleeue and confesse to be vanquished after exhorted others of his profession with him to beleeue the doctrine At the said Councell Constantine hauing receiued diffamatorie Libels accusations debates and particular quarells of Bishops one against an other caused them all to be cast into the fire that none might vnderstand their debates or errours God hath ordeined you Bishops saith he and hath giuen you power to iudge of your selues by meanes whereof we yeelde our selues to your iudgement Men may not iudge you but God alone vnto whom we referre the deciding and determination of your controuersies This humilitie of Constantine afterward brought great damage to his Successors The said Councell would haue forbidden Priests and Deacons to dwell with their wiues but Pathuntius whome Constantine had in such reuerence that hee often caused him to come into his Pallace and imbraced yea kissed the place frō whence his eye was plucked out rising vp confessed that marriage was honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled and said that the company of the husband with the wife was chastitie and perswaded the Councell not to set out such Lawes which might giue occasion of fornicatiō both to them their wiues The Councell approued his opinion and so dealt nothing vpō that matter but left to euery one liberty to marry or not according as to euery one should seeme expedient wherefore as before so now also was it lawful for Priests to retain their wiues and to marry But after Siritius Gregorie the seuenth forbad such marriage and commaunded continency which notwithstanding the Easterne Priests neuer receiued It is not then true which some write that Calixus who was before this Councell commanded continencie For then there would haue bene some mention of him in the said Councell and of his decree Eusebius Extract out of the Acts of the Councell of Nice We beleeue in God the Father Almightie Creator of all things as well visible as inuisible and in our Lord Iesus Christ the onely sonne of God borne engendered of him that is to say of his proper substance and therefore God of God borne and not made of the same substance of the Father by which sonne all things were made as well in heauen as in earth who also for the loue of vs men and for our saluatiō discended from heauen tooke our humaine flesh was made man He suffered death passion and after rose again the third day then he ascended into heauen and finally must come to iudge the quicke and the dead We also beleeue in the holy Ghost All such as say that there was a time that the sonne was not and that before be was borne in the earth he was not and that he was created of nothing or of other substance then of the father or that he is the sonne of God but cōuertible mutable the holy Catholicke and Apostolicke Church excommunicateth and anematizeth them It was also amongst other things ordeined in this Councell that no Bishop ought to receiue any of them which an other Bishop hath excommunicated or thrust frō his Church were he Clarke or Laie man But if we vniustly for hatred or anger were excommunicated or chased away It was ordained that in each Prouince the Prelates there should assemble euery yeare twise to holde their prouinciall Councell to knowe and iudge of such matters to the end that if any man had done any thing vniustly it might be retracted by others and that if he had done well it might be approued That in Alexandria and Rome the auncient custome should be kept namely that the Bishoppe of Alexandria should haue care of the Churches of Egipt and that of Rome of such Churches as are about Rome That if two or three Bishops striue or do not agree to consecrate one elected for some dissention In this case they must hold themselues to the determinatiō of others of the prouince and especially of the Metropolitane That the prerogatiue which before times hath bene giuen to the Bishop of Ierusalem shal be kept for him without preiudice notwithstanding of
augmented when the Romane Empire in the East diminished So the Lord giueth vicissitude courses and chaunges to the things of this world The Histories of France say that the bodies of S. Denis S. Rhut and S. Pleutherius were found at this time by the meanes of an Hart hunted by Dagobert It is no great maruell if the Kings of France be giuen to superstitions seeing sauadge Beasts teach them where holie bodies are Honorius Pope born in Campania ruled in Rome 13. yeares He caused the Tēple of S. Peter to be adorned withal precious things enriched it with goodly Tables couering them richly He ordeined processions on the Saterday with Letanies Pyrrhus Patriarche of Constantinople a Monothelite heretike was sent into exile into the Country of Affrike The Emperour Heraclius was seduced by him and so gaue himselfe to beleeue diuinations and enchauntments and tooke his Niece to wife his brothers daughter making a lawe that it should be so lawfull for all persons Yet euen in this time was the Church greatly diuided by the Artian Sect In such sort that almost each Towne had two Bishops the one an Arrian the other a Catholike and during those dissipations came Mahomet in the Easterne parts Mahomet an Arrabian of a Marchant became a false Prophet and finally a Captaine of Theeues and Robbers with a Monke called Sergius who was an Arrian Nestorian with one Iohn of Antioch an hereticke and a Necromantian Iewe he compiled the Alcoran vnto which the Sarrasins and Turkes shewe obedience The Sect of the Mahometists In the said Alcoran is conteined that they of his Sect shall bee circumcised that they shall abstaine from Swines flesh that they shall drinke no wine and that certaine whole months they shall fast They take as many wiues as they can maintaine and if they keepe company with others they die for it Friday is their Sunday No woman goeth in publike vnlesse she haue her face couered They hold Christ for a true great Prophet and make Moses and Mahomet Christs companions Vadianus The Alcoran promiseth to his followers a Paradice where there are sweet waters and of all sorts of fruites and goodly and fine women also flouds of wine and honey yea briefly all that sensualitie can wish and there they shall enioy all good things eternally Azoara 2. and Naucler They confesse the Resurrection of the dead By Testament they leaue and do great Almes The Alcoran forbiddeth to take siluer or victuals for aduocating or pleading in Iudgement They like to take no wiues of an other Religion then their owne neither to giue their daughters to men of diuers Religions vnles they conuert vnto theirs Azoara 3. And although by their Alcoran they be commanded to roote out all such as contradict their lawe yet they constrain no man to renie his Religion Women must nourish and giue sucke to their owne children and that by the space of 2. yeares They are also commaunded to defend their religion by Armes and strong hand Azoara 5. chap. 5. And by force of Armes to force the Christians and Iewes to agree Azoara 18. Euery one may take sley him whom he knoweth to be incredulous and an heretike in their lawe Azoara 10. They reproach Christians because they worship others then one onely God as the virgin Mary Images of Saints Azoara 13. In the 18. cha he bringeth in God speaking to his prophet Mahomet promising him y e 20. of their mē shal resist against 200. y e 100. of theirs shall ouerthrow a 1000. of others They are also cōmanded to wash thēselues yea the priuie places after they haue done their naturall necessities and after they haue lyen with their wiues and this must they euer do before they pray vnto God Vpon commaundement they goe on pilgrimage into certaine places Azoa 2. They haue Saintes vnto whome they commend themselues and their beasts See their Alcoran which reciteth great miracles They haue Priests and Religious men Some Recluses and contemplatiues which do nothing but pray meditate and these are most esteemed According to their foure Sects they haue also foure opinions touching the saluation of soules 1. Their Priests are of opinion that none are saued but in the lawe of Mahomet 2. Some of their Religious are of opinion that the lawe profiteth nothing but that euery man shall be saued by the grace of God which alone is sufficient to saluation without the lawe and merites 3. The Spiritualls and Speculatiues are of opinion that euery one shall be saued by his owne workes and merites with grace and the lawe 4. There are others amongst them which say that euery one shall be saued in his owne lawe Where Iesus Christ is not knowne all Religion is vaine vncertaine Touching Iesus Christ they hold him to be the sonne of a virgin In the 5. Chap. There they make mention of the virgin Marie and of her parents Of S. Iohn Baptist and of his Father Zacharie In the 3. chap. at the beginning God is brought in speaking and calling Iesus Christ his soule conferring his force and vertue vpon him In the 11. chap. he calleth him Sent of God the Spirit of God and the word diuinely sent to Mary c. They fast euery yeare one whole moneth and one weeke very straitly without eating or drinking in the day time but after the Sun set they eate drinke euen till the day following On the Friday they assemble all together and obserue it as carefully as the Iewes do the Saterday or others the Sunday and in each Towne there is a principal Temple which they called Meschat into which they come that day after noone as well Kings Princes as the common people and attentiuely pray vnto God They which come not to this Church or pray not when they come are condemned in a certaine summe of siluer when they are accused by the Guardes which they commit for that businesse See the Alcoran As they pray they torment themselues pitiously in the continuall agitation of their bodies and cries without ceasing The Pope and Mahomet Antichrist his two hornes are there set vp one after an other namely that of the Pope of Mahomet It were easie to conferre one of them with an other both in doctrine and domination Heraclius had victorie against the Persians and brought againe Zacharias Patriarke of Ierusalem and the holie Crosse first to Ierusalem and then to Constantinople wherevpon the feast of the exaltatiō of the crosse was ordeined celebrated Councells were about this time at Siuil and Toledo 4.5 and 6. At the Councell of Toledo 4. it was ordeined that all the Churches of Spaine should followe the forme of the Romane Church touching praier the Sacraments and Masse One manner of singing Masse all ouer after the manner of Rome See Bullenger of the spring of errours Lib. 2. chap. 8. In the 16. chap. of the
sunne-setting as Masseus witnesseth which endured a long time and shewed what a great fire should after come Moreouer there was great numbers of Grashoppers which after they had destroyed the corne euen all trees were burned As the said Pope was preparing an Armie by sea against the Turkes because the Romanes were in troubles and seditions he was so vexed in his minde that he died with griefe the yeare 1362. and was buried in the said Monasterie of Chartreux without the Towne of Auignon Vrbain fift of Limosin called before Grinnald Grisant the sonne of an English Phisitian called William Monke of S. Benet first Abbot of Auxerre and after of S. Victor nigh to Marseillis being absent in a certaine Embassage was created Pope He was a great Doctor of the Canon Lawe and an exceeding arrogant Maister He straight applied himselfe to defend the libertie of the Papall Church by couetousnesse dissolutions and pompes and chiefly serued himselfe therein with such as affectioned him most in such affaires But aboue all he sent one called Gilles a Spaniard Cardinall of S. Sabin as a Legate into Italie with full power Who as a true Executor of all his bloudie commaundements rode through all Italie and so repressed the Vicounts and other gouernours of Townes bringing vppon them great losses and hurts if they would not submit themselues vnder the obedience of the Romane Church Yues a Brittaine Priest solde his goods and gaue them to the poore and was Canonized after his death Sabell Armacan some call him Richard and qualifie him an Archbishop a learned man published conclusions against Friars teaching that it was a villainous thing for a Christian to begge without constraint Volater Baldus a Lawyer of Peruse was renowned in this time The Monasticke order of Iesuites began by Iohn Colomban and Francis Vincent of Bourgongne Volat. and Sabell They were afterward by the Popes priuiledge called the Apostolike Clarkes Brigide Princesse of Sauabe had foure sonnes and foure daughters a litle before Pope Vrbain died she went to Rome to erect the order which after she instituted Valat lib. 21. She then to accomplish her vow procured that the order of Monkes named with her name as well men as women might be confirmed The Emperour Charles merited great praise by the Bull of gold wherein he gathered many things very necessarie to maintaine publike peace Iohn king of France went into England for the deliuerance of his brother Duke of Orleance and of his sonne Iohn Duke of Berry and of many others which he left in hostage and being there died in London after was carried to S. Denis in France See Emili. lib. 8. 9. Charles fift of that name 51. king of France was surnamed le Sage Hee caused many Latin bookes to be translated into French yea bookes of holy scripture Amurathes the third Emperour of the Turkes raigned 23. yeares and was the first that entred into Europe For hee aided the Emperour of Constantinople and sent him 12. thousand men which passed into Greece This was after cause of the taking of the Couuntrey of Asia the yeare of Christ 1363. Wickliffe beganne as a breake of day the preaching of the Gospell Iohn Wickliffe an English man a man of great spirit flourished in this time and began as from a deepe night to draw out the truth of the doctrine of the sonne of God He studied in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and came to such degree of erudition that hee was thought the most excellenrest amongst the Theologians In his readings with the puritie of the doctrine which hee taught hee also liuely touched the abuses of the Popedome In so much that the Locusts that is to say the begging Monkes lifted themselues vp against him But the Lord gaue him for a Protector the King Edward during whose raigne he had great libertie in his profession Richard the said Edwards successour persecuted and banished him but as a true Champion of the Lord he remained alwaies constant euen to his death His conclusions his bookes and his doctrine shew sufficiently the gifts and graces which God had bestowed vpon him Whosoeuer will more largely know those things let him looke in the booke of Martyrs brought by vs into light since the said Wickliffe Vrbane went to Rome to pacifie Italie where hee builded many things at Viterbe and at Montlacon minding to returne into Italie And as he returned into France in hope to bring againe the Court to Rome he deceased at Marcellis not without great suspition of poysoning Sabel An Vniuersitie founded at Vienna in Austriche by Albert Duke of Austriche Planudes a Greeke Monke liued in this time hee translated Cato and other bookes out of Greeke into Latin Charles King of France often held his seate of Iustice and was altogether a man of peace neither was euer Armed Only walking nigh Paris he made his warres and other his affaires of importance by his brothers and other Committees by whom he recouered as it were all that which the English men had taken from his Father To helpe the charges of the warre he laid a Taxe vpon Salt Wine that men sold He had fiue Armies at once against the English men Gregorie Pope 11. of that name of Limosin ruled in Auignon 7. yeares 5. moneths before he was called Rogier sonne of the Earle of Benfort and Nephew of Pope Clement the sixt hee was the Disciple of Baldus the Legist who then read at Peruse Returne of the Papaltie to Rome Most of the Townes of Italie withdrawing themselues from his obedience as Volateranus saith at the perswasion of Caterine de Siene a Nunne of the order of Iacobins of Baldus his late maister parting frō France with 12. Gallies with 3. ranks of Ores returned to Rome the yeare of the Lord 1376. He pronounced sentence of Interdict against the Florentines which were the first authors of the reuolt and had seized all the Popes Townes which were about them Vpon whom finally he made strong and sharpe warre because they made no account of the thunder of his excommunications which the Legists said were of no validitie because they proceeded of hatred and enmitie Naucler Some set downe certaine causes of his returne into Italie A woman called Brigide saith Masseus returning from Ierusalem writ to Gregorie that the Lord would that the Romane Court should be turned into her house Cranzius addeth that as he reprehended a Bishop that he left his Church and followed the Court he answered him And thou saith he which art Pope of Rome and which ought to giue example to others why goest not thou to thy Bishoppricke Then transported he his seate to Rome at the perswasion of two women and of a Bishop the seuenth yeare after he was departed This Pope demaunded a tenth of all Church goods in Almaigne to gather it sent his Legate But many resisted formed appellations against the Pope saying that they could not pay it
placed in the number of Virgins Katherine de Sienes a Iacobin Because he was a very curious builder as the Papists giue him that praise he repaired the Courts of Vatican and had sooner atchieued a Castle in the Towne of Tiuoli then was thought he had begunne At Sienes where hee was borne hee builded a goodly Porch of wrought stone At a place called Corfinium he founded a Citie and named it Pientia of his owne name and builded there a vaulted Temple very sumptuous and a pleasant house and besides this a Sepulchre of Marble for his father and mothers bones See what Platina sayth thereof The Kingdome of Bosne The kingdome of Bosne stretched euen vnto Macedonia It was made tributary vnto the kingdome of Hungarie the yeare 1415. After it reuoulted from the kings obedience and made alliance with the Turke Sigismond King of Hungarie sought to chase away such as occupied it but the Turke was the stronger and reteined the Countrey of Bosne After the Hungarians got together a great Armie came into Bosne and slew the king Itrarch who was a Turke and subiected to their power all that Region and constituted a king there namely the first Christian which had yet bene There was a Prince in Ruscia called George Despot who had giuen his daughter in marriage to the Turke Hee had three sonnes Stephen George and Lazarus Lazarus succeeded his father and had but one daughter who espowsed Stephen king of Bosne who soone after his enioying the principalitie of Ruscia gouerned with a Turkish spirit full of great impietie and wicked religion But it hapned that about the yeare of saluation 1463. as hee had a great land in the higher Misia Mahomet the Turke by flatteries drew him out of the Castle where hee was and calling him to him to talke vnder the shadow of amitie laid hold on him and caused him to be scorched aliue so lost he both his life and kingdome which he had by his father By this mans temeritie and wickednesse together Ruscia and Bosne with the greatest part of Seruia fell into the Turkes obedience As the Pope Pius was at Ancone vpon his departing to goe to warre he was surprised with a slowe feauer the yeare of the Lord 1464. whereof hee died From thence he was carried to Rome and buried in the Church of S Peter One vice of Ambition saith Volaterane contaminated and defiled all the vertues of this person as he that alwaies greatly desired great estates and honours And for that cause endured hee great trauells and alwaies maintained himselfe in the fauour of Princes The warre called The publike Weale was begunne the yeare 1464. by the conspiration of the Princes of France meaning to reforme the kings affaires who tooke offices and dignities from such as had long time faithfully exercised them He greatly also vexed the Nobles and puissant of the Kingdome by demaunds The Duke of Britaine and the Count de Chaelois the Duke of Bourgongnes sonne perswaded Charles Duke of Berry to bee the chiefe Captaine and Prince of that warre and conspiration which Phillip de Commines handleth at large and truly therefore see his historie The aforesaid Pope Pius as Platina and Sabellicus recyte amongst other sentences which he vsed commonly left this in writing With great reason was marriage taken from Priests but yet there is a farre greater reason wherefore it ought to haue bene yeelded them againe He inserted also this sentence in his second booke of Councells It may be saith hee that it were not the worse if a many Priests were married For many being married Priests should be saued which in their barren singlenesse are damned He himselfe would needs abolish certaine Monasteries of S. Brigide and S. Claire commaunding them out that they might burne no more and vnder the habit of religion they should not hide whoredome saith Caelius Secundus About this time there was no small debate in Italie betwixt the Friars Minors and such as they called Bullists which of those should guard and gouerne the Nunnes there As for the discords which were betwixt the Obseruantins and the Non Obseruantins Baptista Mantuanus accordeth them in his Bucoliques in the tenth Eglogue Paul the second of that name borne at Venice the sonne of Nicholas and of Polixene called before Peter Barbe or Balbe and Nephewe of Eugenius the fourth on his sisters side beeing Cardinall of the title of S. Marke was chosen in the place of Pius and occupied the seate of Antichrist Before he was made Bope he meant to traffique as a Marchant but hearing that his Vncle Gabriel was chosen Pope he gaue his minde vnto Letters and comming to Rome he was first created Archdeacon of Bolongne after that Bishop of Ceruio consequently Cardinall and as hath bene said finally Pope and Romane Antichrist It was he who first vaunted that hee held enclosed in his breast all Lawes both diuine and humane He was a goodly man and of faire representation but of a proud spirit and very couetous to gather riches and yet more to distribute Ecclesiasticall Benefices for his owne gaine and profit As for his Popish apparell saith Platina you neede not doubt but he surpassed all his predecessors and especially in his Mitre which he maruellously inriched buying from all Countries Diamonds Saphyrs Emeraudes Chrysolites Iaspers Pearles and other precious stones of great price Thus adorned and shining he would come publikely abroad with an exceeding magnificall apparence Then would he be seene and adored of each one for that cause would he often stay Pilgrims in the towne deferring the accustomed day to shew the Snaire that at once he might be seene of more people And that hee alone might not differ from others in habits and garments he commanded by publike Edict vpon greeuous paines that none should weare redde Bonnets but Cardinalls vnto which also the first yeare of his Popedome he gaue them a cloath of the same colour for footcloathes for their Horses and Mules when they rode Platina He fought to encrease his maiestie as well by authoritie as by force of Armes All the time of his raigne he stirred great warres in Italie by his deuices and practises Hee assailed the Towne of Ariminum and others and miserably destroyed and wasted not onely the suburbes but euen the Townes themselues with Gun-shot He greatly hated the decrees and acts of Pius his predecessor and depriued also of their goods and authorities such as for their knowledge and doctrine hee should haue sought through the world and haue drawne them vnto him by gifts and promises He declared such to be heretikes as from thenceforth should but onely name an Academie or Vniuersitie eyther in sport or earnest He was of an heauie and grosse spirit and therefore loued neither Letters nor vertues As one that was giuen altogether vnto ambition dissolution and voluptuousnesse He employed all the day either in gourmandizing or waighing peeces of Gold or
I say not Father Take to thy selfe now the treasures the Tapistries and the Prouince of Mustapha and gouerne it at thy pleasure Is it possible I should fall into thy spirit infamous man without all humanitie against all right to put to death so valiant a person as neuer was nor shal be the like in the house of Ottomās Ha ha I will take good order that thou shalt not impudenly vaunt glory that thou hast done the like to me And straight drew his dagger and strooke it so farre into his owne bodie that he fell downe dead vpon the earth Which so soone as his Father knew he made a maruellous mourning and yet left not to seize vpon all his goods which caused a tumult in the Campe of Mustapha but it was nothing in regard of that they did after they knew of his death In such sort that Solyman to the great danger of his life was constrained to chase away Rostan and to dispoile him of all his honours and dignities This death came wel for the Christians whose great enemy Mustapha was who tooke great delight in sheading their blood It brought also such great displeasure vnto the Turkes that therevpon followed amongst them this prouerbe Gietti Soltan Mustaphat That is all we thought on is ended in Musthapha For they thought that he would haue enlarged their Empire which they looked for at no other hand The French tooke Verceil in the Countrey of Turin but seeing they could not keepe it they spoyled pilled it and retyred Edward King of England being in his mortall bed in the moneth of May Northumberland caused one of his sonnes to espowse Iane Suffolke the Kings cousin This King of the age of 16. yeares dyed the 6. of Iuly to the great damage of Christian Religion So soone as Mary was peacibly Queene of Englande at her arriuall at London she caused to be tooke out of prison the Duke of Norfolke and the Bishop of Winchester a pernicious man and made him Chauncellor The Emperours Hoast after it had raced Terouane marched into Artois and there in the moneth of Iuly forced Hesden which the king of France had a litle before taken There was slaine Horace Fernese the husband of the kings bastard daughter and a great number of Gentlemen prisoners A battaile in Saxonie vppon the Riuer of Visurge betwixt the Duke Maurice and the Marquesse Albert wherein Albert was vanquished and Maurice victorious strooken with a bullet whereof he dyed two dayes after A deare victorie bought with death Michael Seruet de Ville-neuisue a Spaniard a pernicious hereticke hauing of long time written execrable things against the Trinitie proudly maintained them at Geneua after long detention the participation of the Councell of the Churches and faithfull Common-wealths of Suecia finally in the ende of October was condemned by the Lordes of the said Towne to be burned aliue The hardnesse of his heart was such that being vpon the wood hee would neuer confesse Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of God but only the sonne of Dauid and the sonne of the eternall God In England by the decree of all the Bishops of the kingdome then assembled the Edicts and statutes of the deceased King Edward concerning Religion were defaced and made voide and the Popish doctrine approued and allowed Albert agreed with Augustus the brother of Maurice by meanes of the King of Denmarke and of the Elector of Brandebourge Iane Suffolke Queene of England as is said by King Edwards testament and the three sonnes of the Duke of Northumberland were declared culpaple and condemned of Treason Iohn Alasco a Polonian Gentleman with a great number of the French and Flemish Churches flying from England did wander and stray a certaine space of time into Denmarke and Saxonie seeking a place to dwel in But they were euery where refused not only of a place of habitation but also they were commaunded to get them out yea in winter time not suffering them to remaine in their hauens The cause of this inhumanitie and inhospitalitie was their difference for the doctrine of the Supper of the Lorde whereof we haue before touched Finally a place was allowed them in East Friseland in the Towne Emden where a Church was open for them and granted by the Countesse of the said Emden a true Christian Princes Ferdinand being at Vienna reiected the supplication of the Estates of his Countrey which demaunded to permit the administration of the Supper of Iesus Christ whole vnder both kindes Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie after his deliuerance from captiuitie agreed with the Duke Augustus and he acquited to him and his heire Males the Electorship the Country of Misne and the Townes where the Mines be yet he held vnto himselfe the name and Armes of the Elector The 20. of February Sibille of Cleues wife of the said Iohn Frederic dyed at Vinaine Eleuen dayes after the said Frederic also deceased happily in his Country amongst his children and other friends and the same day that he dyed was borne vnto the Elector Augustus a sonne named Alexander Thomas Wiat an Englishman conspired and rose vp against the Queene of England because of the straunge marriage she enterprised with Phillip the Emperours sonne On an other part of the kingdome Henry of Suffolke gathered people against her The one and the other were declared enemies of the Commonwealth taken and at diuers times beheaded The 12. of February Iane Suffolke King Edwards cousin germaine instituted heire of the kingdome by his testament was with her husband beheaded After them was made a great butchery of heads at London and Westminster where the Queene then was Elizabeth also her sister was imprisoned vpon her suspition Sienna was besieged by the Pope and the Duke of Florence Peter Stosze which defended it made a sallie vpon them and ouercame a great number of their people Charles Duke of Sauoy spoyled of the greatest best part of his Countrey dyed leauing Emanuell Philebert his sonne heire King Henry about the end of Iune tooke Bouuines Dinan Marienbourge Bius and wasted all the Country besieged Renty vpon the Marches of Artois but the Emperour comming and skirmishing together the king departed in the moneth of August remouing his siege from thence The Kings Armie in Tuscane which Strosze conducted was surprised by the Imperialists and for the most part ouerthrowne Phillip the Emperours sonne arruied the 19. of Iuly in England the 24. following the marriage was made betweene him and the Queene at Winchester The Marquis Albert chased from his Country withdrew into Lorraine and after to the king of France The Emperour caused a Fort to be builded nigh the place where Hesden was Cardinall Poole in a full assembly of all the Estates of the kingdome of England commenced the 12. of Nouember was restored into his dignities goods and honours of which he was depriued by King Henry the eight
Dauid George knew well that by litle and litle hee should be discouered His Secretaries and disciples were maruellously astonished at his death because they were of opinion he should neuer haue died Although their hope was something maintained by that he had said as after was reported he would againe take life by the space of three yeares and bring to passe excellent things Hee held in his house a state almost royall And for the gouernment of his house and Castle it was well ruled euery one had his estate and office in that family and the labours were so distributed that he had no need in any thing to employ others then his owne In the gouernment of their common good they very strictly obserued three things to the end they might more and more conceale their so pernitious a Sect. First that none amongst them should publish the name of Dauid George Secondly that none should reueale of what state and condition hee had bene wherevpon many thought hee came of some great nobilitie others that he was some great Marchant hauing many factors both by sea and land Thirdly that they should not discouer any one article of their doctrine to any of Basill no not to any Switzer neither should they seeke to drawe any to their doctrine The summe of his accursed doctrine was That whatsoeuer had hitherto bene giuen of God by Moyses by the Prophets by Iesus Chirst himselfe by his Apostles and Disciples is imperfect and vnprofitable to make vs obtaine the true and perfect felicitie and was onely giuen to this vse that hitherto their doctrine might represse men and keepe them vnder as young men and children and so containe them in their offices But the Religion of Dauid George is perfect and hath in it sufficient efficacie and strength to make happie him that receiueth it he being the true Christ and Messias the we beloued of the Father in whom the Father taketh great pleasure borne not of the flesh but of the holy spirit of the spirit of Iesus Christ hauing hitherto beene kept in an vnknowne place for all his Saints to restore in spirit the house of Israel not by the Crosse or tribulations or death as the other Christ but for the loue and grace of the holy spirit of Christ O execrable monster or horrible efficacie of error deception or plasphemies drawne out of the deepe pit of hell In the yeare 1557. many good men mooued with affection to amplifie the kingdome of the Lord through many trauels and perills hauing passed the torride Zone and long time soiourned in the way they fell to inhabit in a Region on the South coast vnknowne vnto our fore elders full of Brasill which before in the yeare 1500. had bene discouered by the Portugales and it was called America of the name of their Captaine and cōducter Americ Vespucius The Inhabitants the eare very sauage and wilde without any forme of Religion or ciuilitie There it pleased the Lord in this time to erect a Church of certaine French men which one Villegagnon had sollicited and gathered together He receiued thē also at the beginning with good countenance and outward ioy seeing his enterprise commended by many notable persons But in the yeare 1557. and 1558. the said Villegagnon gaue sufficiently to know that he was neuer touched with any true zeale or feare of God For after he had persecuted both the Ministers and poore flocke of that Church by many tyrannies and impudent writings with seditious practises he hindred as much as in him lay the aduancement of the Lords glory who after raised vp the Portugales to take the Fortresse which he had builded in the I le by him called Collignyen Valois finding no resistance within because the said Villegagnon being retired into France taken with an apprehensiō that the sauage people would eate him had ordained no such company of people as were necessary for the defence of such a place And although in that number there were some valiant and wel experimented in Armes yet for as much as they were accompanied with such as had no knowledge therein and were ill maintained yea pined away with famine and diseases before they would abide the enemies furie they withdrew themselues with the sauage people Therefore was it easie for the enemies to enioy that Castle which had beene builded at the charges of the king of France and with the sweat and trauel of many good people and the Artillery marked with the Armes of France with certaine munitions of warre transported to Lisbone the principall Towne of Portugall in a trophee and triumph of the victorie The French retiring to land receiued the cruel yoake of that sauage people liuing without any forme of Religion a sad and lamentable thing to rehearse By all Histories as well auncient as moderne we my be instructed that Hypocrites and Apostates haue in all times hindred the course of the Gospell Charles the 5. Emperour after he had resigned by expresse Embassage into the hāds of the Princes Electors the Romane Empire hauing held it about 37. yeares died in his Country of Spaine the 21. of Septēber 1558. in a Monastery of S. Iust of the order of the Hieronymies nigh to Plascencia a Towne scituated betwixt the kingdomes of Castile and Andalonsia Ferdinand 1. of that name succeeded him was cōsecrated Emperor in the towne of Francfort vpon Mein by the Electors and Princes of Almiane with the accustomed solemnities After great and continuall warres by the space of 9. yeares at the instigation and by the practises and meanes of Popes Iohn Maria de Monte surnamed Iulius the third and his successors and adherents as well in Italie Piemont Almaine and France as in the lowe Countries of Flaunders Artois and Lorraine by the Spaniards and French Finally there happening great victories and prises one vpon an other to the ouerthrow and totall oppression of people and subects the third of Aprill 1559. after Easter at a Castle in Cambresis there was a peace concluded betwixt Henry the second of that name King of France and Phillip King of Spaine wherein they promised to yeeld one to an other the landes that were lately conquered They also compounded and agreed of all other controuersies and differances in regard of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie and of the Duchie of Millaine vpon condition of the marriage of the said Phillip with the eldest daughter of Henry which lands should appertaine to the children comming of that marriage By the same treatie of peace there was yeelded vnto Emanuel Philibert Duchie of Sauoy and the principalitie of Piemont which the French had held from his father him more then 24. yeares by the meanes of a marriage betwixt him and Dame Margarite daughter of king Francis the first of that name and the alone sister of Henry reseruing certaine strong places in the said Piemont for a certaine time The yeare 1559. the fift of March the sonnes the sonnes in lawe and
all that yeare passed in doubtfulnesse in regard of the Churches and the estate of France Warre began in Flaunders in Brabant betwixt Iohn de Austria and the Estates he gained a battaile the last day of Ianuary and after he got Giblon Louaine Arcscod Tiltmond Diest and Sichem and in this last handled most discourteously the officers of the place The 8. of February the Towne of Amsterdem by capitulation with the Prince the estates of Holland revnited themselues with the other Townes of the Countrie vnder the Princes gouernment The estates at the same time sent their Embassador to the Imperiall iourney where they shewed the iustice of their cause and demaunded succours The Duke Cassimire prepared himselfe with an Army the Queene of England also promised to furnish them with men and money Cassamire by the counsell of Imbysa Consull of Gaunt and Borhutus was requested by those of Flaunders to take the Earldome vpon him came to Gaunt where he found Petrus Dathenus and others the chiefe of the congregation by whom the Citizens being stirred vp thrust out all the Masse Priests and Monkes out of the Citie and put their goods into their treasurie to serue afterwards for the necessary vse of the Common-wealth and by a booke set forth by them they drew others to the free libertie not onely ciuill but also to a libertie of conscience and religion From thence Cassamire in the beginning of the next yeare came to the Queene of England for money to pay his souldiers Alexander Farnese Prince of Parma the sonne of Octauius the Nephewe of Peter and Pope Paulus the 3. his Nephewes sonne was created Duke of Parma by the King of Spaine D. Chytraeus The Iesuites and certaine Friars were thrust out of Antwerpe in the moneth of May as then Phillits a Towne yeelded it selfe by composition to the Spaniard Kempens was besieged taken by the estates A noble encounter hapned betwixt thē and Iohn de Austria who had the worst the first of August In the moneth of August a free exercise of the reformed Religion was permitted in Antwerpe by Mathias Arch-duke chiefe Generall and Lieftenant of the Prince of Orange and the authoritie of the estates So the libertie of Religion was proclaimed vpon these conditions that the reformed should not hinder or trouble either by themselues or others the rights and exercises of the olde Religion nor should offer any iniurie reproach or violence to any one for the diuersitie in Religion that they should obey the political Magistrates beare the like taxes impositiōs with other Citizens that they shuld haue no Sermons but in such places as the Magistrates appointed that the Ministers should swear to preach nothing scandalous or seditious in their Sermons that no man shuld spoile any holy place or breake any Images nor should sell any ballads or libels reproachful to the other religiō c. These the Gouernor the Deputie of Brabant the Praetor Senate of Antwerpe promised to receiue into their charge and patronage This libertie of religion they of Gaunt with the Hollanders and Zelanders embraced To the which a litle after the States of Geldria condiscended But the Hannonians Artesians taking in very ill part that the Catholick Roman religion which they professed at Bruxelles they would constantly retaine before the Emperror the King of Spaine and other Princes should now be left and abolished of thē of Gaunt in whose Citie their protestation was made seperated themselues frō the other estates who had changed their religion by bookes published accused them of their inconstancie and periurie And therein protest that they wil be faithful maintainers defenders of the Catholick Romane faith and true liegemen to the king if he would conserue their priuiledges These were presently called Malcontents who forthwith made war vpon them of Gaunt deadly hating them for this change They of the reformed religion at Antwerpe desired to haue their religious exercise which they obtained with fewe Churches namely the Chappell of the Castle the Temple of the Iesuits of the Iacobins S. Andrewes and halfe of the Friars Certain daies after the Protestants of Ausbourge obtained also certain tēples The Emperor the King of France sought to make some agreement betwixt the parties but it came to nothing On the other side Cassimere hauing soiourned in the Countrey of Zutphen certaine time for the muster of his people being in number 4000. footmen 6000. horsmen came into Brabant and ioyned with the Estates the 26. of August Iohn de Austria died of the pestilence in his campe nigh Nance the 21. of Octob. Alexander Prince of Parma succeeded him in his charge The Malcontents made war vpō the Gauntois vnder the conduct of Sieur de Montignie the Cardinall of Granuell his brother This league did after maruellously hinder the proceedings of States affaires and vnder that ouerture the Spaniards who could not long haue stood do hitherto maintaine themselues The 20. of Nouember the Towne of Deuentry yeelded it selfe by composition vnto the Estates Mathew Hamond by his trade a ploughwright three miles frō Norwich was conuented before the Bishop therof for that he denied Christ to be our Sauiour For this and many other heresies he was condemned in the Consistorie and burned in the Castle ditch of Norwiche About the end of the yeare they of Alenson forsooke the Estates to draw into France The Prince of Orange appeased the troubles which hapned at Gaunt Almaine was then in quiet in regard of ciuill affaires but greatly troubled by the practises and factions of certaine Disciples of Brencius the father of the Vbiquitaries whereof after followed many disputations without any conclusion of the mater They which desired a truce of peace in the Church attended no other thing by the sollicitation of so many wandering spirits but some great troubles in both the politicke and Ecclesiasticall estates if God be times remedie not the same by the wisedome of the Princes and States of the Empire At this time the Irish men rebelled in diuers parts of that kingdome pretending the libertie of Religion and complained to the Pope taking for their leader the Earle of Desmond Onrake and some other of the sauage Irish affirming that if they were aided they would easily drawe the whole Countrey from the Queenes obedience The Pope did communicate this with the Catholicke King exhorting him to vndertake this action as most godly and to succour this people the which they resolued to do But for as much as the Queene of England did seeme in words friend vnto the King and did as the Spaniards supposed couertly vnderhand assist the Prince of Orange in Flaunders against him the King would likewise walke in the same path and make a couert warre against her They concluded to assist this people in the Popes name but secretly at the Kings charge To this effect they leuied certaine footemen in
as he should be at his prayers The Cardinall Benno rehearseth thus the Historie The Emperour saith he had a custome often to goe make his prayers in the Church of S. Marke in the Mount Auentine As then Hildebrand enquired diligently by certaine spies of all that he did hee gaue charge to marke the place wherein the Emperour prayed oftnest either standing or on his knees and suborned one promising him a great summe of money to lay great stones on the beames or vpper lofts of the Church see the holy councell of this Pope and that he should lay thē so wel that when the Emperour should make his prayers he might let them fall on his head to dash out his braines But as he which had enterprised such a villanie was at hand to accomplish it and went about to handle and remoue a stone the heauie for him the stone by the waight deceiued him and the scaffold which was on the beames being broken the stone and the poore miserable man by a iust iudgement of God fell vpon the pauement of the Temple was all burst with the same stone After the Romanes vnderstood how all things was past they bound the feet of that wicked villaine and by the space of 3. daies trailed him through the streets of the towne But vsing their accustomed humanitie commaunded he should be buried The sonne of Benno saith here yet further that Iohn Bishop of Port who was Hildebrands Secretarie and great familiar comming into the Pulpit which was in S. Peters Church said amongst many other things in the hearing of the people and Cleargie Hildebrand hath done such a thing and we also as deseruers should all bee burned aliue meaning to giue to vnderstand that which hee had done of the Sacrament of the body of our Lord. Whereof Hildebrand demaunding Councell of a certaine thing as of old the Painims did of their Idols cast it into the fire because it gaue him do answere although the Cardinalls which were then present spake against his deed This is a beginning of the fruite of that cursed decree of Transubstantiation applied vnto Charmes and Inchauntments He excommunicated also the said Emperour Henry without lawfull accusation without Canonicall appellation without forme of iustice yea euen for that he was but too obedient vnto him Hee diuided also from him the Princes of the Empire and sought by secret treasons to destroy him but God preserued him O straunge treason proceeding from the sanctuarie or rather frō him who seemed to be the high Priest to gouerne the Church to haue superintendancie ouer Iudges and Elders By menaces also he constrained Bishops to sweare that they should not defend his cause neither should they fauour or helpe him in any thing drawing violently the scripture to make them serue his false dealing Notwithstanding saith Benno so soone as hee arose vp from his seate to excommunicate the Emperour the seate which had lately bene made of new and strong wood by the will of God of it selfe brake in many peeces in a terrible maner In such sort as it gaue to know that he that did sit vpō it would sowe terrible schismes against the Church by so arrogant and presumptuous a maner of excommunication This saith Benno But when he sawe that all his Ambushes could serue him for nothing he beganne to vse open force and emnities and after he had excommunicated Henry declaring all his subiects acquited of their oath of fidelitie which they had deliuered him he sent the Crowne of the Empire vnto Rodolphe Sauoic with this Latine verse such as it is Petra dedit Petro Petrus dià dema Rodolpho That is to say the Rocke hath giuen the Diademe vnto Peter and Peter giueth it vnto Rodolphe Henry then being for this cause sore troubled laid downe his royall apparell and came towards him into the Towne of Canuse with his wife and litle sonne in the time of a strong and sharpe winter through a very daungerous way Being before the gate of the Citie sayth Benno from morning till night without hauing eyther meate or drinke in apparell of cloath and barefooted beeing made a spectacle for Angels and men hee required pardon in all humilitie He endured three whole dayes in a very lamentable affliction In so much that Hildebrand who tooke his pleasure the meane while with his whores and Monkes mocked him He desired sore that he might haue entry into the Citie but it was refused him And as with great instance he demaunded it by the space of three dayes he was answered that the Pope had no leisure to speake with him Henry taking not in euill part that they would not suffer him to come into the Citie remained in the suburbes not without great grieuance For the winter was sharper then of custome Yet to the end he would offend no person he kept 3. whole dayes there without departing Finally the fourth day at the request of the Countesse Matilde who as Histories say loued a litle too much the Pope and of the Abbot of Clugny and of the Earle of Sauoy called Adelrans he was permitted to enter of the Pope But when he demaunded pardon of the Pope setting his Crowne betwixt his hands and in his power he would neither pardon nor absolue him of excommunication vnlesse first he promised to purge himselfe in a ful Sinode of his fault with other vnlawful and vnreasonable conditions All which things he promised and confirmed them by estate yet would they not remit him into his Kingdome Can any body haue haue a more liuely portraite of the Image of Antichrist The Princes of Italy after they knew this were exceedingly offended that the Emperour had so made his agreement with Hildebrand and that so dishonestly and vilely he had submitted himselfe to him who had inuaded the Papacie by wicked practises and who had polluted and defiled all with murders and adulteries c. After this the Pope with his Cardinalls glorying that he had brought the Emperour into seruitude durst now aduenture to enterprise greater things But the Emperour afterward tooke courage and straightway dispatched all that by taking Armes And after many sharp and hard warres he vanquished Rodolphe in battaile Who hauing his right hand cut off made call all the Bishops and Priests on his side Which being come after one had brought him his hand he spake in this sort I confesse that this is worthily come vnto me and wel bestowed vpon me Behold the hand wherewith I haue deliuered the oath of fidelitie to my Lord Henry but at the sollicitation of you I haue so many times vnluckily fought against him and also falsified my faith vnto him and therefore I haue receiued a reward such as my periurie meriteth See if you haue guided mee in a right way So then and now keepe to your Prince the fidelitie which you haue promised vnto him As for me I goe to my Fathers and incontinently after Rodolphe
yeelded vp the spirit After this man was dead they elected an other by the commandement of the Pope namely Herman of Saxonie Count or Earle of Lucenbourg who not without the Lords will was slaine by a woman who let fall a great stone vpon his head as he assailed a Castle in Almaine And the malice of this cruel tirant could not be repressed but it stirred vp a third Competitor to this good Prince namely one Egbert Earle of Misue his parent but being surprised by the Emperors people he was miserably put to death What man would not bee mooued by such iudgements of God to obey his Magistrate and abhorre all rebellion and sedition yet this Romane seate was neuer stirred therewith but finally wrought the Emperours sonne Henry to rebell against his father The writings of Henry the 4. sent to the King of France by which he complaineth of his sonnes iniuries and of such as drew him on to do them do at large declare this tragedie and at this day are to be seene Matilde Countesse kept ordinarie company with the Pope and neuer departed from him as his harlot despising Aron her husband Marquesse of Est. In so much that shee was commonly called S. Peter his daughter Shee was diuorced by the Romane seate for some affinitie that was pretended to be betwixt them From thence came it as Lambert Hirsueldensis hath left in writing that all people accused them that there was a villainous and dishonest loue betwixt them and euerie one said she lay with the Pope and had vnlawfull company of him which had taken frō Priests holy honest marriage The Abbot of Vrsperge called Conrade de Lihtenaw addeth this in his Chronicle Certaine it is that Hildebrand was not chosen of God but brought in of himselfe by fraud and force of siluer who ouerthrew the Ecclesiasticall order troubled the Kingdome of the Christian Empire procured the death of a peaceable King maintained periuries entertained noyses and dissentions sowed disorders stirred scandalles made diuorces and shooke and ouerthrewe all which seemed well ordained amongst them which liued holily c. First he was a great hypocrite who with force of excommunications depriued Ministers of the Church of their wiues and filled the world with an infinit number of buggeries In such sort that that great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Egipt that is to say the Romane Church was made after this time a true Sodome and Egipt his buggeries and Idolatries In the meane time he mooued maruellous tragedies in Italie France Almaine and England which would be too long to rehearse in this place and such dealing displeased many persons and wise men which were in that time For to speake neither of England nor Italie as well in Almaine as in France there was 24. Bishops and more which together with their Cleargie were married and defended and constantly maintained their marriage He commaunded Clarkes to vow singlenes that is to say not to marry briefly the most tiranically that could be he forbad Priests marriages commanding them to leaue theyr wiues or otherwise to be depriued of their offices prebēds He willed that from henceforth none be admitted to Ecclesiasticall orders vnlesse he first promise and vowe chastitie Also he ordained that none should heare Masse of a Priest that had a concubine He forbad Monkes to eate flesh at any time De consec dist 5. c. Carinum He commanded that no Christian should eat flesh on the Saterday De consec dist 5. Carinum 36. Why doo not Monkes obserue that commaundement as well as they pretend to obserue their vow of chastitie For they are for like power He ordained the offering of the Masse He Canonized one named Liberius an Arrian and commaunded his Feast should be celebrated as Benno witnesseth He commanded tenthes should be paid to Priests And tooke from the King of Poloigne his Crowne interdicting his Kingdome Hee condemned the opinion of Berengarius touching the Sacrament was the first they say that preached Transubstantiation He condemned as sacriledge a Lay-man possessing Tithes Him that gaue Inuestures of Benefices as an heretike and he that receiued them of a Lay-man as an Idolater So by this meanes made he the Popes leaden dagger so strong as her power was able to driue backe the Iron force of the Empire The Emperour Henry opposed himselfe against the force and enterprises of the said Hildebrand and the yeare of our Lord 1083. in a Sinode that he caused to assemble at Bresse after all crimes were laid against him before the assēbly by good right he was deposed from his Papall seate and so appointed in his place an other Pope which they named Clement the third He sent straight his Army to Rome driue out Gregorie and to bring in Clement The towne was by him brought vnto such pouertie that the Inhabitants were constrained to purchase peace But Hildebrand not thinking to be in presence of the Emperor being abandoned reiected of the Romanes fled vnto Salerne the yeare of the Lord 1086. where hee finished his life in exile which had caused so many to die by the sworde by famine by poysons and other sorts of deaths Yet the Papists made a brute runne that after his death he wrought many miracles yea euen after a Priest of Saxony as Sigebert witnesseth as he died had seene him tormented in hell Antonine and Vincent rehearse that this Hildebrand being at the article and point of death readie to yeeld vp his soule called to him a Cardinall his familiar vnto whom hee confessed both to God and S. Peter and to all the Church that he had greeuously sinned and had not done his office and dutie in the Apostolicke state and that by the perswasion of the diuel he stirred hatreds enmities and warres amongst many through the world Hee commaunded the said Cardinall to transport him towards the Emperour Henry the fourth and to crie him mercy for the faults he had committed against him and that he should deliuer him from the excommunication and likewise all his as well aliue as dead Anto. and R. Barnes Multiplication of the orders of Munkerie In this time the order of the Templers beganne and the order of Regular Chanons in a difference from secular Chanons Volateran The order of the Monkes of Grandmont of the rule of S. Benet tooke his beginning of one named Stephen of Fraunce which carried haire vpon his flesh Volaterane The order of Charterux began Bruno borne at Coloigne a Schoolemaister and after a Chanon of Rheimes hauing heard the voyce of a Doctor renowmed in his life when he made his obsequies saying I am cōdemned by a iust iudgement of God was afraid and for suertie entered into an Hermitage with certaine Disciples and founded the Charter house in the Country of Dalphine in the Diocesse of Grenople by the meanes help of Hugues Bishop of Grenople who also receiued the habite of Chartreux And so beganne
that the Princes marched right to the Alpes to gaine the straights incontinently left all and tooke them to their feete Take counsell and it shall be dissipated speake the word and it shall not be established saith the Lord. Esay 8. Martin de Rossem conductor of the Emperours Armie in the lowe Countries pilleth and burneth Picardie Campagne and tooke Astenay The King Henry of France published in writing the causes of the said voyage and of the warre that he enterprised in Almaine namely to withdraw the Princes out of prison to bridle the Emperours ambition and to remit that Countrey into his first libertie He sendeth to them of Mets in Lorraine to prouide victualls for his armie which if they did he promised them fauour amitie but after he had takeÌ„ Toul Verdun Townes of the Empire hee drew right into Lorraine and the third of May came to Sauernes Strasbourge sent him victualls The Prince of Salerne about some dissention betweene him and the Viceroy of Naples withdrewe himselfe from the Emperours seruice and turned directly vnto the King of France King Henry his Armie entred Lorraine they conducted into France the Prince of the Country The 10 of Aprill the Constable entred Metz vnder the colour of amitie and so laid hold of the Towne The King arriued there certaine time after and constrained that people to take of him an oath The King comming againe into France in May burnt the Country of Luxembourge tooke againe Astenay got also Iouy and Danuilâ—iers The Sennois chased away the Garrison of the Spaniards and by the helpe of the King of France destroyed the Castle which the Emperour built there and set themselues at libertie Metz besieged by the Emperour the 2. of October Albert not agreeing with the king of France for his estate nor for his companies pay turned on the Emperours side The Duke d' Aumaile beeing come into Lorraine with a great company of people assayling the Marquesse Albert was vanquished wounded and taken prisoner by the said Marquesse In December the Emperor was constrained by euill weather to remoue his Campe from Metz and to withdraw himselfe into the lowe Country where the third part of his Armie dyed In this time the great Turke Sultan Solyman committed a cruell act on the person of Soltan Mustapha his eldest sonne which he had of a Slaue This man hauing bene sent with his mother from his first youth into the Prouince of Amasia which had bene giuen him was so well and carefully nourished that he acquired and got with his yeares great estimation not only in the said Countrey but through all other his Fathers Regions This his mother beeing absent Solyman called to him an other Slaue named Roze which was endowed with admirable beautie accompanied with all delicacies and entisements possibly to be in a woman He had of her foure other sonnes Mahomet Baiazeth Solim Grangier with the Wenne and one daughter which was married vnto Bassa Rostan The said Roze could so well play her part with Soliman that hee was exceedingly rauished with her that with helpe of Muchly that is the high Priest of Mahomets lawe and vnder shadowe of Religion shee was not onely made of free condition but the legitimate and espowsed wife of Soliman vnto which no other euer came Beeing lifted vp into such honour and seeing herselfe entierly beloued and fauoured shee had no greater care then to drawe the Empire vnto one of her children after their Fathers decease For shee knowing that the singular vertues of Mustapha were so contrary vnto her and that as long as hee liued shee should neuer haue rest for that hee had obtained the loue of the people of warre and that all mens eyes were vppon him for the great hope they had of his excellent courage and singular dexteritie therefore sought shee to make him odious vnto Soliman Wherevnto her sonne in lawe greatly aided her because he gouerned all affaires Her reason was that Mustapha trusted so much in the loue and fauour which he had obtained of all men by a great liberalitie hardinesse and valiancie that he burnt with such lust and desire to raigne that euery one feared that in affecting the Empire hee would aduance the dayes of Soliman as Selim had before done to his Father Therefore shee incited Soliman and besought him with teares and lamentations to take order and prouide for his safetie And although that from the beginning she had profited little and that Mustapha had discouered her impoisonments and ambushes which she laid for him ordinarily yet left she not to continue it with the helpe of a Iew a renowmed Enchantresse who hauing giuen her certaine drugges shee caused the loue of Soliman towards Roze to redouble Insomuch that she assured her selfe to end her purposes though it were long first Finally after many practises she found meanes to suborne Mustapha his gouernor and caused him to write though falsly vnto Soliman that his said sonne would marry the daughter of the King of Persia This old man stirred yea tyred with the continuall complaints of Roze and Rostan easily beleeued these newes and aduertisements Wherfore in the yeare 1552. after hee had spred a brute fame of the dissent and comming downe of the Persians into Siria he sent thither Rostan with a puissant Armie for vnder the shadow to goe meet his enemies to seaze vpon Mustapha and to bring him prisoner to Constantinople with expresse commaundement to sley him if hee could not take him otherwise But Mustapha who was aduertised of all and knewe also that the Persians were not at all in the fielde met him with seuen thousand of his most experienced Souldiers which made Rostan returne without dooing any thing Soliman being more angred the yeare following made such an other brute of the Persians and hauing leuied a great Army as if he would haue gone against theÌ„ beeing arriued in Siria he sent to his son to will him come to his Camp Mustapha knowing certainly that it was he alone they would haue although he was praied and sollicited to withdrawe some other where and to shunne the furie of his Father yet hee trusting in his innocencie and thinking it a thing more commendable and worthie of his greatnesse to dye in obeying his Father then liuing to incurre the note of infamie and Treason yea though hee might haue had the Empire of the whole worlde thinking also that without hauing made any refusall by his presence hee might haue appeased his Fathers wrath he aduentured to goe thither to him and beeing arriued in Solimans Campe hee was suddenly taken and strangled in his presence And at the same instant the head of Bassa of the Prouince of Amasia was taken from his bodie This crueltie assoone as it came to the eares of Grangier one of the foure brethren hee manfully reiected the gift and spoyle that his Father gaue him and greatly lamented the death of his brother saying A cruell Traytor