the aucthoritie of the doctors ought to extend The blemishes and errours of doctors noted Origene Policarpus Ignatius Irenaeus Tertuliâ—nus Iustinus Cyprian Contention betweene Cyprian and Stephanus Byshop of Rome Cyprians diuers of that name Dist. 10. Quoniam Glosa Ibid. A blinde glâ—le chalenging both the swordes to the Popes hand A distinction of Gracian disproued Xistus the second Byshop of Rome Martyr Sixe Deacons with Xistus Martyrs The story and Martyrdome of Laurence Ex Ambros. lib. 1 offic cap. 41. Ex Prudentio Lib. Peristeph The wordes of Laurence to Xistus The answere of Xistus to Laurence Some say that this tyraunt was Decius the Emperour but that cannot be except Galienus or some other iudge now was called by the name of Decius The true treasure of Christ hys Church Laurence tormented on the â—iery gridiâ—on The singular patience of Laurence in his paynes The Martyrdome and end of blessed Laurence A Romayne souldiour conuerted by Laurence and Martyred Dionysius Byshop of Alexandria with hys fellowes banished Maximus Faustus Cheremon a certayne Romayne banished The examination of Dionysius before the President The constant confession of Dionysius and hys Deacons Dionysius banished to Cephro Infidels coÌ„uerted by Dionysius in hys banishment Ex Dionysio contra GermanuÌ„ Eus. lib. 7. Ex Dionysio ad Domitium Didimum Eus. ibidem Martyrs of all sortes and ages Commendation of Eusebius the Deacon Eusebius the Deacon made Byshop of Laodicia Maximus Byshop of Alexandria Faustus long presented at last a marityr The end death of Dionysius Priscus Malchus Alexander A woeman Martyrs Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 12. Three hundreth Martyrs in Carthage Ex specul Vincent lib. 11. cap. 83. Maxima Donatilla Secunda virgines martirs Pontius Martyr Ex Vincet Lib. 12. cap. 77. Ex. Bergomen lib. 8. Erford lib. 6. Cap. 17. Zenon Martyr Bergomensis reproued Ex Antoni part 1. ca. 6. The story of Philippus and Eugenia Eugenia Prothus Hiacynthus conuerted Eugenia leauing her parentes chaungeth her selfe into mans apparell Helenus Bishop of Hieâ—â—polis Eugenia accused of Melancia Eugenia knowne of her parentes False accusation conuicted Philippus by hys daughter conuerted vnto Christ. Philippus Martyr Basilla Eugenia Martyrs Corrections in the story aboue touched Euseb. lib. 7. Cap. 5. Helena Byshop of Tarsus Anno. 262. Victor Victorinus Claudianus Bossa Martyrs Fructuosus Byshop of Tarracona in Spayne with hys 2. Deacons Augurius Eulogius Martyrs Ex Pruden Peristeph Fructuosus and hys Deacons strengthned in the fire The fauour of God toward hys martirs openly declared The modesty of Fructuosus The noâ—â—ble plaâ—â— of God aâ—gaynst Valerian the peâ—â—tor Gods iust punishâ—â—â—â— to be noâ— Ex Euseb. in Sermiâ— ad Conuâ—â—tum Sanctoruâ— Valerian the persâ—â—â—ting Emperour extoriate of the Persians The punishmentâ— Cod vpon Claudius presidentâ— the Empeâ—rour Galienus plagued 〈◊〉 hys persecâ—tion Peace graâ—ted to the Church Euseb. lib. â— Cap. 13. An other graunt of Galienus vnto the Christen Byshops An. 263. Marinus Martyr Ex Euseb. lib. 7. ca. 15. Thâ—otechnus Byshop of Cesarea Marinus animated by the Byshop to dye Euseb. ibid. Asyrius a rich Senatour and coÌ„fessour Euse. lib. 7. Cap. 16. The worke of Satan disapoynted by the prayer of Asirius Euseb. lib. 7. Cap. 17. A miracle noted in Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 18. A miraculous operation of an herbe touching the hemme of Christes picture to heale diseases No vertue to be ascribed to pictures Dionysius Byshop of Rome An. 266. Felix Byshop of Rome and Martyr Eutichianus Byshop of Rome and Martyr Gaius Byshop of Rome and Martyr Claudius Emperour Anno. 272. Quintillianus Emperour The ninth persecution Aurelianus Emperour A prouerbe A good Phisition but he geueth to bitter medicines Abstinence the best phisicke The councell of Antioche The good beginning of Aurelian The Emperour altered by wicked counsell A notable example of Gods hand stopping persecution Ex. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 30. No power agaynst the people of God except God geue leaue The death of Aurelianus Anno. 276. Ex Eutropio Tacitus Emperour Florianus Emperour Eusebius Deacon of Alexandria Anatholius rector of the Vniuersitie of Alexandria The piety of Anatholius and Eusebius to their countrey Euseb. Lib. 7. Cap. 32. The Prelates of Rome are cleane contrary to these good Prelates Marcus Aurelius Probus Emperour Peace in the Church The saying of Marcus Aurelius Souldiours brought vp in idlenes can abide no labour Marcus Aurelius slayne An. 284. Carus with hys two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus Emperour Carus Emperour slayn with lightning Correction of a certaine place of Eutropius ex editione Frobeniana Cirillus resisteth the Emperour Cyrillus Byshop of Antioche Martyr Ex Chroni Vrspergen Carinus Emperour sleyne Adultery punished An. 289. The peace of the Churche from Valerian to the tenth persecution lasted 44. yeares Euseb. lib. â— cap. 1. Dorotheus Gorgonius Christians of great reputation in the Emperours court The peceable state of the Church described Corruption through much peace and prosperitie crept into the Church Hatred and disdayne among the Churche men Christians persecuting one an other The wrath of God toward hys people The tenth persecution Dioclesian Emperour Eup. vopis Aper slayne which slew Numerianus Anno. 290. Maximianus Herculius fellow Emperour with Dioclesian Galerius Constantius Caesars vner Dioclesian and Maximinian Helena daughter of Coil marryed to Constantius Pryde in Dioclesian Cruelty followeth pride Anno. 308. Persecution agaynst the châ—â—stians Christian temples destroyed Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 2. Bookes of the scriptures burned Christian Magistrates displased Christian subiectes imprisoned Euseb. lib. 8. c. 3. Nicepho lib. 7. cap. 4. Zonoras tom 2. Byshops and Elders constrayned with tormentes to sacrifice The noble courage and constancie of a Christian Martyr Euseb Lib. 8. Cap. 3.4 Persecution first beginning in the Emperours Campe. Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 4. A notable religion and fayth in souldiours Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 7. Martyrs of Tyre in Phoenicia Pamphilius Byshop of Cesarea martyr Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 12. Martyrs of Syria Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 6. Tirannion Martyr Zenobius a Phisition Martyr Two Virgines with their mother martyrs Two other maydens sisters martyrs Syluanus Byshop of Emissa martyr Martyrs of Mesopotamia Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 12. Martyrs of Capodocia Martyrs of Tarsus Tharatus Probus Andronicus martyrs Martyrs of Pontus Martyrs of Nichomedia Persecution in Nichomedia exceding Peter a most valiant and constaÌ„t martyr Dorotheus Gorgonius Martyrs Anthimus Byshop of Nicomedia with a great multitude of martyrs headed Lucianus the elder of Antioche martyr Serena wife of Dioclesian Emperour Martyr Niceph. lib. 7. cap. 14. Eulampius Eulampia Agape Irene Chionia Anastacia Martyrs Twenty thousand Martyrs burnt together in one Church Martyrs of Arabia Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 12. Martyrs in a certayne Ciâ—tie of Phrigia brent with the whole Cittie Euseb. lib. 8. ca. 11.6 Martyrs of Melitina in Armenia Eustratius of a persecutor made a Martyr Ex Nicephoro lib. 7. cap. 14. Niceph. lib. 7. c. 14. Orestes Martyr Eugenius Auxentius Mardarius Peleus Nilus Byshops and Martyrs
folow the true church of Christ. Wherefore as it is false that we haue renounced the fayth of our Godfathers wherin we were first baptised so is it not true that we are remoued from the church of Rome But rather say and by the leaue of Christ will proue that the Church of Rome hath vtterly departed frō the church of Rome accordyng to my distinctiō afore touched Which thyng the more euidently to declare I will here compare the church of Rome with the churche of Rome And in a generall description set forth by Godsgrace the difference of both the churches that is of both the tymes of the church of Rome to the intent it may besene whether we or the churche of Rome haue more Apostated from the church of Rome And here first I diuide the churche of Rome in a double consideration of tyme first of those first .600 yeares which were immediatly after Christ and secōdly of the other .600 yeares which now haue bene in these our latter dayes And so in cōparyng these two together will search out what discrepance is betwene them both Of the which two age and states of the Romane church the first I call the primitiue church of Rome The other I call the latter churche of Rome countyng this latter churche from the thousand yeares expired after the binding vp of Sathā to the time of his lousing agayne accordyng to the Prophesie of the xx chap. of S. Iohns Reuelation countyng these .1000 yeares from the ceasing of persecution vnder Constantinus Magnus to the beginnyng of persecution of the churche agayne vnder Innocentius 3. and Ottomannus the first Turcian Emperour And thus haue ye the churche of Rome parted into two churches in double respect and cōsideration of two sondry states and tymes Now in settyng and matchyng the one state with the other let vs see whether the churche of Rome hath swarued from the church of Rome more then we or no. ANd to begyn first with the order and qualities of life I aske here of this Romane Clergie where was this Church of theirs which now is in the old auncient tyme of the primitiue Church of Rome with this pompe and pride with this riches superfluitie with this gloria mundi and name of Cardinals with this praunsing dissolutenes and hooryng of the Curtisans with this extortiō bribyng bying and sellyng of spirituall dignities these Annates reformations procurations exactions and other practises for money this auarice insatiable ambition intollerable fleshly filthynes most detestable barbarousnes and negligence in preachyng promise breaking saythlesse poysoning and supplantyng one another with such schismes diuisions which neuer were more seen then in the elections and Court of Rome these 700. yeares with such extreme crueltie malice and tyranny in burnyng and persecutyng their poorebrethren to death It were to long and a thing infinite to stand particularly vpō these aboue rehearsed And if a man should prosecute at large all the schismes that haue bene in the Church of Rome since the time of Damasus the first which are coūted to the number of xviij schismes What a volume would it require Or if here should be recorded all that this Sea hath burned and put to death since loosing out of Sathan who were able to number them Or if all their sleightes to get money should be described as processe of matter would require who were able to recite them all Of which all notwithstandyng the most principall groundes are reckoned at least to xiiij or xv sleights First for Annates or vacanties of Archbyshoprikes Byshoprikes Abbaties Priories conuentuall and other benefices electiue Secondly for the holdyng and reteinyng of all other spirituall liuyng whatsoeuer besides this which now the incumbent payeth for or which he may hold hereafter Thirdly new annates for all the same are required agayne toties quoties any one of all his spirituall liuynges be or are fayned to be not orderly come by whereby it hath chaunced diuers tymes three or foure Annates to be payed for one benefice Fourthly for geuing out preuētiōs of benefites before they fall and many tymes some one preuention to be geuē to diuers and sundry persons by the office for money sake Fiftly for resignations vpon fauour whiche in many cases the Pope chalengeth to be reserued to him selfe Sixtly for commendams Seuently for compoūdyng with such as be absent frō their charge and geue attendaunce about the Court. Eightly for infinite dispensations as to dispence with age with order with benefices incompatible as if the nūber be full if the house be of such or such an order Item dispensation for irregularitie for whoredome aduoutry for times of mariage for marying in degrees forbidden or in affinitie canonicall for Gossips to mary for the which it hath bene sene in Fraūce a thousand crownes to be payd to Rome at one tyme for dispensing with this canonicall affinite of Gossippes as we call it the same beyng yet not true but fayned Item dispensing for caryng meates in tymes prohibited Ninthly for innumerable priuilegies exēptiōs graces for not visityng or visityng by a Proctor for cōfirmations of priuileges for transactiōs made vpon speciall fauour of the Pope for permutations of benefices with dispensation annexed or makyng of pensiōs with such like Tenthly for mandates graunted by the Pope to Ordinaries wherof euery Ordinary if he haue the collation or presētatiō of x. may receaue one mādate if he haue fifty he may receaue ij mandates for euery mandate cōmeth to the Pope about xx ducates And yet notwithstādyng so many are sold as will come buyers to pay for them Eleuenthly for the Popes penitētiarie for absolutiō of cases reserued to the Pope for breaking chāging of vowes for translation frō one monastery to another also from one order to an other for licēce to enter into certaine Monasteries to cary about altars with many other things of like deuise pertainyng to the office of the Popes penitentiary Twelfly for geuyng graūtyng of innumerable Pardons and Indulgences to be read not onely in publicque tēples but also to be bought in priuate houses and of priuate persons in diuers and sundry respectes Thirtenthly for makyng Notaries and Protonotories and other offices of the Court of Rome Fourtenthly for grauntyng out Buls and Commissions of new foundatiōs or for chaungyng of the old for reducyng regular Monasteries to a secular state or for restoryng agayne into the old for other infinite rescriptes writes about matters dependyng in controuersie otherwise might and ought by the Ordinary to be decided Fiftenthly for geuing the palle to Archbyshops newly elected by reason of all whiche deuises besides the first of the Annates it hath bene accounted out of the kynges recordes in Fraunce in the tyme of Ludouike the ix as testifieth Molineus to the number of CC. thousand crownes onely out of Fraunce payd transported to Rome Which summe since that time hath bene doubled
same time in battail Of Gallus and Volusianus his sōne Emperours after Decius both slaine by conspiracie of Aemilianus who rose against them both in warre and within three monthes after was slaine himselfe Next to Aemilianus succeded Valerianus and Galianus his sonne of whome Valerianus who was a persecuter of the Christians was taken prisoner of the Persians and there made a ridyng foole of Sapores their king who vsed him for a stoole to leap vp vpon his horse while his sonne Galienus sleepyng at Rome either would not or could not once proferre to reuenge his fathers ignominie For after the taking of Valerian so many Emperors rose vp as were prouinces in the Romaine Monarch At length Galienus also was killed by Aureolus which warred against him It were too long here to speake of Aurelianus an other persecuter slain of his Secretarie Of Tacitus and Florinus his brother of whom the first raigned 6. months and was slaine at Pontus the other raigned two months and was murdred at Tarsis Of Probus who although a good ciuill Emperour yet was he destroied by his souldiers After whom Carus the next emperour was slaine by lightning Next to Carus followed the impious and wicked persecuter Dioclesian with his fellowes Maximian Galerius Maximinus Maxentius and Licinius vnder whom all at one time during the life of Dioclesian the greatest and most grieuous persecution was mooued against the Christians x. yeares together Of which Dioclesian and Maximinian deposed themselues frō the Empire Galerius the chiefest minister of the persecution after his terrible persecutions fell into a wonderfull sicknesse hauing such a sore risen in the neather part of his belly which consumed his priuie members and so did swarme with wormes that being not curable neither by Surgerie nor Phisike he confessed that it happened for his crueltie toward the Christians and so called in his proclamations against them Notwithstanding he not able to sustain as some say the stench of his sore slue himselfe Maximinus in his warre being tormented with payne in his guttes there died Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine and drouned in Tiber. Licinius likewise beyng ouercome by the said Constantine the great was deposed from his Empire and afterward slaine of his souldiours But on the other side after the tyme of Constantine when as the fayth of Christ was receiued into Imperiall seate we read of no Emperour ofter the like sort destroied or molested except it were Iulianus or Basilius which expelled one Zeno was afterward expelled himselfe or Valende besides these we read of no Emperour to come to ruine as the other before mentioned Ex lib hist. tripart And thus haue we in a briefe summe collected out of the Chronicles the vnquiet and miserable state of the Emperours of Rome vntill the tyme of Christian Constantine with the examples no lesse terrible then manifest of Gods seuere iustice vpon them for their contemptuous refusing and persecuting the faith and name of Christ their Lord. Moreouer in much like sort and condition if leisure of tyme or haste of matter would suffer me a little to digresse vnto more lower tymes and to come more nere home the like examples I could also inferre of this our countrey of England concerning the terrible plagues of God against the churlish and vnthankfull refusing or abusing the benefite of his truth First we read how that God stirred vp Gildas to preach to the old Britains and to exhort thē vnto repentance and amendment of life and afore to warne thē of plagues to come if they repented not What auayled it Gildas was laughed to scorne and taken for a false prophet and a malicious preacher the Britains with lusty courages whorish faces and vnrepentant hartes went forth to sinne and to offend the Lord their God What followed God sent in their enemies on euery side destroied them and gaue the land to other nations Not many yeres past God seing idolatry superstition hipocrisie and wicked liuing vsed in this Realme raysed vp that godly learned man Iohn Wickliffe to preach vnto our fathers repentance and to exhort them to amend their liues to forsake their Papistry Idolatry their hypocrisy superstition and to walke in the feare of God His exhortations were not regarded He with his Sermons was despised His bookes and he himself after his death were burnt what followed they slue their right king and set vp three wrong kings on a rowe vnder whom all the noble bloud was slaine vp halfe the commons thereto what in Fraunce with their own sword in fighting among themselues for the crowne and the Cities and townes decayed and the land brought halfe to a wildernes in respect of that it was before O extreme plagues of Gods vengeance Since that tyme euen of late yeares God once againe hauing pitie of this realm of England raised vp his prophets namely William Tindall Thomas Bilney Iohn Frith Doctor Barnes Ierome Garret Anthonie Person with diuers other which both with their writings and sermons earnestly laboured to call vs vnto repentaunce that by this meanes the fierce wrath of God might be turned away from vs. But how were they intreated how were their painfull labours regarded they themselues were condemned and burnt as heretikes and their bookes condemned and burnt as heretical The time shall come saith Christ that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God hie good seruice Whether any thing since that tyme hath so chaunced this Realme worthy the name of a plague let the godly wise iudge If God hath deferred his punishment or forgeuē vs these our wicked deedes as I trust he hath let vs not therfore be proud and hie minded but most humbly thanke him for his tender mercies and beware of the like vngodly enterprises hereafter Neither is it here any neede to speake of these our lower and latter tymes which haue ben in king Henry and king Edwards dayes seeing the memory thereof is yet fresh and cannot be forgotten But let this passe of this I am sure that God yet once againe is come on visitation to this church of England yea and that more louingly beneficially then euer he did afore For in this his visitation he hath redressed many abuses and cleansed his church of much vngodlines and superstition and made it a glorious Church if it be compared to the olde forme and state And now how gratefull receiuers we be with what hart study and reuerence we embrace that which he hath giuen that I referre either to thē that see our fruits or to the sequele which peraduenture will declare But this by the way of digression Now to regresse againe to the state of the first former tymes It remaineth that as I haue set foorth the iustice of God vpon these Romain persecutors so now we declare their persecutions raised vp against the people and seruauntes of Christ within the space of 300. yeares after Christ. Which persecutions in
desired of her father to marry with her Whereunto the king her father would not agree vnles he promised to be a Christian. Notwithstanding the other being strōger in power and threatning to get her by warre the king at length was forced to agree In conclusion it happened that the childe being borne betwixt them was ouergrowen all rough with hayre like the skin of a Beare Which childe being brought to the father he commaunded it to be thrown in the fire burned But the mother desiring first to haue the childe baptised caused all things therunto to be prepared The infant being 3. times in water plunged after the Sacrament of holy baptisme receiued incontinent was altered and turned from all his hairy roughnes and sene as fayre and smooth skinned as any other The which thing after the Father saw and beheld was Christened himselfe and all hys house c. In the raigne of this king Walter Merton Bishop of Rochester builded Merton colledge in Oxford In whose raigne also liued Henricus de Gaudano Arnoldus de villa noua Dante 's and other mo And Scotus called Duns Who in his 4. booke of Sent Dist. 18. complayneth of the abuse of excommunication of the Popes keies Where as before excommunication was not vsed but vpon great and iust causes therefore was feared now sayth he it is brought forth for euery trifling matter as for not paying y◠Priestes wages c. therefore sayth he it groweth in contēpt Under the same king about the beginning of hys raygn was the yeare so hoat and so drye that from the month of May vntill the month nere of Septēber fell no rayn in so much that many dyed for heat the vulgar people in their reckning of yeares did count the time from the sayd dry yeare long after After P. Benedictus aboue mentioned succeded Pope Clement the 5. who translated the Popes court to Auinion in Fraunce where it remayned the terme of 74. yeares after At the coronation of this Clemēt was present Philip king of Fraunce Charles his sonne and Duke Iohn Duke of Britany with a great number of other men of state and Nobility At which coronation they being in the middle of the pompe or processiō a great wall brake down and fell vpon thē by the fall wherof Duke Iohn with 12. other were slayne king Philip hurt wounded the Pope stroken from his horse lost out from his mitre vpon his head a Carbuncle esteemed to the value of 6000. florence Plat. de vit Pont. By this Clemēt was ordeined that the Emperor though he might be called king of the Romains before yet he might not enioy the title right of the Emperor before he was by him confirmed And that the Emperors seat being vacant the Pope should raigne as Emperor till a new Emperor was chosē By him the orders of the Tēplaries who at that time were too abhominable was put downe at the Counsell of Uienne as hereafter Christ willing shal be declared He also ordeined and cōfirmed the feast of Corpus Christi assigning indulgences to such as heard the seruice therof And as pope Bonifacius afore heaped vp the book of Decretals called Sextus Decretalium so this Clement compiled the 7. booke of the decretals called of the same Clement the Clementines In the time of this Pope Hēricus the 6. of that name Emperor was poysoned in receiuing the Sacrament by a false dissembling Monke called Bernard that feined himselfe to be his familiar frend which was thought to be done not without the consent of the Popes legate The Emperour perceiuing himselfe poysoned warned him to flee escape away for els the Germaines would sure haue slaine him who although he escaped himselfe yet diuers of his order after that with fire and sword were slayne As this Pope Clement the 5. had well prouided now as he haue heard agaynst the Empire of Rome to bring it vnder his girdle insomuch that without the Popes benediction no Emperor might take the state vpon him c. Now he procedeth farther to intermeddle with the Empire of Constantinople Where he first exerciseth his tyranny power of excommunicatiō agaynst Andronicus Palcologus Emperor of Constantinople an 1327. declaring him as a schismaticke and hereticke because he neither would nor durst suffer the Greciās to make their appeale from the Greeke Church to the Pope neither would acknowledge him for his superior c. Whereby it may appeare that the Greek Church did not admitte the Popes superiority as yet nor at any time before Saue onely about the tyme of Pope Innocent the 3. an 1202. at what time the Frenche men with their Captain Baldwinus Earle of Flaūders ioyned together with the Uenecians were set against the Grecians to place Alexius to the right of the Empire of Constantinople vpō conditiō as writeth Platina to subdue the Greeke church vnder the church of Rome Which Alexius being restored and shortly after slayne the empire came to the Frenchmē with whom it remained the space of 58. yeares till the comming of Michael Paleologus in the dayes of Pope Gregory the 9. Who restored the Empire frō the Frenchmen vnto his pristine state again During all which time of the French Emperors the Greeke church was subiect to Rome as by the decretals of Pope Gregory the 9. may appere Then folowed after this that the foresayd Michael Emperor of Constantinople beyng called vp to a councell at Lions by Pope Gregory the 10. about the controuersy of proceeding of the holy Ghost as is aboue specified and obedience to the Church of Rome there because the sayd Michael the Emperor did submitte himselfe the Grecians to the subiection of Rome as testifieth Baptist Egnat He thereby procured to himselfe such grudge and hatred among the Greeke Monkes and Priestes that after his death they denyed him the due honor place of buriall The sonne of this Andronicus was Michael Paleologus aboue mentioned who as ye haue heard before because he was constrayned by the Grecians not to admit any apellation to the Bishop of Rome was accursed by the popes cēsures for an heretick Wherby appereth that the Grecians recouering their state agayn refused all subiection at this time vnto the church of Rome which was the yeare of our Lord. 1327. c. After this Clemēt the 5. folowed Pope Iohn the 22. with whom Ludouike the Emperour had much trouble After whom next in course succeded Pope Benedict the 12. Which Benedict vpō a time being desired to make certayn new Cardinals to this answereth agayne that he would gladly so do if he also could make a new world For this world sayd he is for these Cardinals that be made already Ex scripto Engethusensis And thus much of the Popes now to returne alitle backe to the kinges story agayne In the yeare of our Lord 1307. Which was 34. of the reigne of this king in the
as your spirituall pastour we also desire you so to esteeme and thinke of them which also make like report of other that haue bene with your grace beyonde the seas that they haue naughtely falsely serued you wherby you haue lost the towne of Tourney much honor els which you might haue wonne gotten there May it please your grace to call before you the Prelates and Pieres of your Realme in some conuenient place where wee and other moe may safely come and resorte and there also to make search and enquirie in whose hands after the beginning of your warres the money and what thing els so euer which was graunted vnto you in aide of the same your warres vntill thys present day doeth remaine and is not laide out againe as also by whose default you were so enforced to leaue the sayde siege of Tourney and those which shal be founde in any poynt faultie and guiltie therin against you as a good Iusticer your grace wil cause to be punished according to the lawe and in so much as appertaineth vnto vs therein we aske iudgement of our Peeres the state alwayes of holy Church of vs of our order reserued inuiolate according as we haue wrytten vnto you heerein And for Gods sake Syr beleeue not either of vs or any other your true subiectes els more then that you shall vnderstand the veritie of for if men should be punished without making answere to that which is obiected against them there should be then no difference in iudgement betwixt the good doer and the bad And Syr may it please you well to consider of the great enterprise you haue in hande the great good will which you haue neede of for this cause and of your great ennemies the Scots and the great ieoperdie of your realme besides For if your Prelates your nobles al the wisemen of your realme were of one minde and will without any discorde or diuision amongst them to dispose and set in order those things which are needeful in so great affaires and businesse they shoulde haue all inough to beate their heads about for the maintenance of your great enterprise begon the honour of you and sauegarde of your Realme And Syr may it please your grace not to be displeased that so rudely and grosely we declare vnto you the veritie for why the great loue affection which we beare vnto you alwayes haue done the same the preseruation of your honour and sauegard of your realme as also for that we are although vnworthy the primat of the whole realme of England which thing appertaining vnto vs by our office being your spirituall father doth incite vs the rather both to say and coÌ„maund that which may turne to the benefite of your soule and profite of your realme and kingly estate Thus the holy spirite saue you both body and soule and giue your grace both to heare and beleeue good counsaile and further giue you victorie ouer all your enemies Written at Cant. the 1. day of Ianuary By your graces chaplen the Archbishop of the same And thus node the case betweene the king the Archbishop of Caunterbury who comming thus as is said in secret wise into Englande from the siege of Tourney hys army in the meane while by ships was conueyed to little Britaine Of whome a great number through vnseasonable and inconuenient meats and drinks was there consumed To whom also no lesse danger happened by the seas comming out of Britain into England by tempest thunder and lightening stirred vp as is thought by the Necromaucers of the French king About whych season approchyng to the yeare of oure Lorde 1341. were sent from the Pope two other Cardinals to entreat wyth Kyng Edwarde for thre yeres truce to be concluded more wyth the Frenche Kyng beside the former truce taken before for one yere and all by the popes meanes For heere is to be vnderstanded that as it was not for the Popes purpose to haue the Kyng of England to raigne ouer so many couÌ„treis so his priuy supportation lacked not by all meanes possible both by Archbyshops Cardinals and also by the Emperor to maintain the state of the French king and to stablish him in his possession Ex Tho. Walsing ex chron Albanens In the said histories where these things be mentioned it is also noted that the same yeare such plentye there was here in the realme of victuals that a quarter of wheat was solde for ii s a fat oxe for a noble and as some say a sheepe for iiii d. And thus farre endureth the hystorie of Ranulphus Cestrensis called Polychronicon The next yere following which was 1342 Ludouicus Bauarus the Emperor who before had shewed great curtesie to king Edward as in his first viage ouer in so much that he made him his Uicar or Uicegerent general and offered hym also aide against the French king Now â—yther turned by inconstancie or seduced by the pope wryteth to him contrary letters wherein hee reuoketh agayne the Uicegerentship graunted to hym and seeketh all meanes in the fauour of the French king against king Edwarde as by his letters heere vnder written may better appeare The letter of the Emperour vnto the king of England LVdouicus by the grace of God Emperor of the Romaines alwaies Augustus c. To Edward king of England his beloued brother greeting and vnfained loue Although great and vrgent busines of our owne do oppresse vs about the same our waighty affaires are daily incombred yet with the discord variaunce betwene your kingly dignity and the renowmed Phillip the king of Fraunce our cosine for your sake wee are not a little troubled And the rather the great charges which may heereafter growe both to you and to your kingdome thereby considered bothe of men and money vnlesse the same be taken vp doth more earnestly prouoke vs to geue our selfe to the carefull studie of your affaires Wherefore wee geue you to vnderstande that the foresayde Philip at our request hath geuen vnto vs by his letters authoritie and power to intreat and conclude a peace betwene you touching the variance begon which peace al the state diligently coÌ„sidered both of your selfe your kingdome and subiects wee take and beleeue to be right expedient for you moouing there withall your charity and earnestly desiring you that to this also you will geue your consent wherby we may bring you both to concord and vnitie and establish betweene you a firme peace to endure whereunto with willing minde we would apply our selfe and bestow our painfull labour in prosecuting of the same And heerein if you will condescend and agree vnto our counsaile as we trust you wil. It may please you by your letters to geue vnto vs the like autoritie as is aboue sayd to entreat peace or ordering of a truce for one yeare or two at least to continue Neither let it moue you that betwene vs and the sayde
summoned by the Emperour Sigismund and Pope Iohn 23. about the natiuity of our Lord Iesus an 1414. began the same yeare to be assembled about the latter end of the yere Which first beginning as the maner is with a Masâ—e of the holy Ghost as they were singing according to their custoÌ„e the Himne Veni sancte spiritus there was at the same time a certayne Bill set vp in the Church by some well disposed man as it seemed wherein was conteyned these wordes folowing Alijs rebus occupati nunc adesse vobis noÌ„ possumus That is to say We are otherwise occupyed at this tyme we can not intend to come to you Here is also to be remeÌ„bred the worthye saying of the Emperour Sigismund when talke was ministred as touching the reformation of the spiritualtye and some sayde quod oporteat in cipere a minoritis that is that reformation ought first to beginne at the Minorites The Emperour aunswering againe Non a minoritis sed a maioritis that is not with the Minorites sayth he but with the Maiorites Meaning the reformation ought first to begin with the Pope Cardinals Byshops and other superior states of the church and so to discend after to the inferiors This much by the way now to the purpose and order of the Sessions as we promised The which counsell continued as is aforesayd by the space of iiij yeares and had in it 45. Sessions wherein many things were concluded the which altogether were to long to be recited in this place as the deposition of three seueral Popes whiche were before spoken of the hearing of certaine Legates Yet I minde to make some briefe recapitulation of the most principall matters there done in the sessions orderly ensuing 1. In the first Session chiefly was coÌ„cluded first that this Councell was lawfully congregate 2. Item that the going away of the pope should be no let or stay but the Councell might proceed ¶ Wherein note gentle Reader that the authority of the generall Councell is aboue the Pope contrary to their owne doctrine 3. Item this Councell should not be dissolued before the Church were reformed as well in the superiours as inferiours In the 4. Session amongest other thinges this was first concluded That a Synode congregate in the holy Ghost making a generall councel representing the whole Catholicke Church here militant hath power of Christ immediately to the which power euery person of what state or dignity so euer he be yea being the pope himselfe ought to be obedient in all such things as concerne the generall reformation of the Church aswell in the heades as in the subiectes Item the sayd Pope should not translate the Court of Rome and the officers of the same from the Citty of Constance And that all his censures doinges and workinges after the time of his departure whatsoeuer he shoulde enterprise to do to the preiudice of this Councell should be of no effect In the 5. Session the same Articles were repeated and concluded agayne In the 6. Session procuration and citation was sent out agaynst the Pope Item commissioners were appointed out of the foure nations for the hearing of Iohn Hus which shal be hereafter mentioned in his story folowing Item the memory of Iohn Wickliffe was condemned and the sentence geuen in the Councel holden at Rome vpon the condemnation and burning of Wickliffes bookes was there confirmed Item in the same Session Citation was sent out agaynst Ierome of Prage The tenor whereof foloweth after in the story of the sayd Ierome Item in this Session was decreed agaynst libelles of infamy In the 7. Session nothing was handled but that the tenour of the citation agaynst Pope Iohn was recited In the 8. Session the sentence and condemnation of Iohn Wickliffe and his 45. Articles was recited and sentence geueÌ„ against his memory bones to be burned The tenor wherof is rehearsed in the history of Iohn Wickliâ—fes before passed fol. 449. In the 9. Session The matter cause of Pope Iohn was agayn intreated and commissioners appoynted to enquire vpon his cause and iudges for the same In the 10. Session Suspension was geuen out reade agaynst the sayd Pope In the 11. and 12. Sessions Notaries were assigned definitiue sentence geuen agaynst the said Pope where also was decreed that none of them that contended before for the Papacy should be chosen Pope In the 13. Session was decreed Quod nullus praes biter sub pena excommunicationis comunicet populo sub vtraque specie panis vini This is that no Priest vnder payne of excommunication shall communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes of bread and wine In the 14. Session came in that resignation of pope Gregory the 12. which was one of the 3. before mentioned striuing for the Papacy with certayne other Articles concerning the election of the Bishop of Rome and the ratification of their resigning which gaue ouer the Papacy Then ensueth the 15. Session in the which silence was commanded on all partes vnder pain of excommunicatioÌ„ and the great curse that no persoÌ„ or persons high or low of what estate or degree so euer he were Emperour Kyng Cardinall or other should disturbe the sayd Session wyth any maner of noise either by hand foot or voyce This being done the sentence condemnation against Iohn Hus was read and pulished whiche after in the story of Iohn Hus foloweth to be sene more at large In the 16. Session Ambassadors were assigned by the Councell to go into Arragon to Benedictus the 13. to entreat with him for the resignation of his Papacy as the other two had done before Item power was geuen to iudges to cite vnder pain of depriuation all such as priuily departed away from the Councell in the whiche Session also the sentence agaynst Iohn Hus was confirmed and ratified In the 17. Session the Emperour tooke vpon him a iourney to the king of Arragon to entreat with pope Benedictus An excommunication denounced agaynst al such as should go about to empeche the Emperours iourney about that matter c. Item prayâ—rs and processions were determined to be made by the Councell euery Sonday for the same cause with an hundred dayes of pardon geuen to theÌ„ that would be present thereat and that all Prelats should be present at euery of these sayd Masses and processions in theyr Pontificalibus Graunting besides to euery Priest that sayd one Masse for the same a 100. dayes of pardon And to all other that once a day should say one Pater noster and one Aue for the safety of the Emperour xl dayes of pardon In the 18. Session certayne iudges were assigned for the hearing of matters which the Councell had no leasure to heare It was there also decreed that suche letters and Buls as were written in the name of that councell should be receiued with no lesse credite and authority then the
proceding in his Prophesies shall the K. of Romanes after he hath reigned in IerusaleÌ„ a sabbate of times a half that is saith Mer. x. yeres a halfe take the crown froÌ„ his hed and yeld it vp to the Crosse in Golgotha where Christ was crucified and shall die And the Crosse with the crowne shal be taken into heauen which shal not appeare againe before the comming of the Lord. Fourthly it foloweth then moreouer in the Prophesies of Method Whych declareth that when the weeke or sabbate half weke of times shal end and wheÌ„ the K. of Romanes shall geue vp his crowne in Ierusalem die Then immediatly shal Antichrist the son of perdition begin to appeare be borne in Iewry of the tribe of Dan wherof also came Iudas Iscarioth he shal be borne saith Methodius in Chorosaim shal be bred in Bethsaida shal raign in CapernauÌ„ to the which 3. cities Christ the Lord gaue his 3. Vae And wheÌ„ great tribulatioÌ„ shal increase multiply in the daies of this Antichrist al lordship dominion shal be destroied the Lord shall sende his 2. faithful deare seruants Enoch and Hely to reproue and detect the false seducing lying forgeries of this Antichrist openly before all meÌ„ so that the people seing theÌ„selues falsly beguiled seduced by this son of perditioÌ„ coÌ„ming out of the teÌ„ple diseÌ„blingly to the destructioÌ„ of many shal leaue flie froÌ„ him ioyn theÌ„ selues to the said 2. holy prophets Which son of perdition Antichrist seing his procedings so to be reproued brought into coÌ„teÌ„pt in his fury anger shal kil the 2. Prophets of God And then shal appeare saith Methodius the signe of the comming of the sonne of man and he shall come in the clouds of heauenly glory and shall destroy the enemie with the spirite of his mouth c. Interpretation TO these prophesies testimonies of Methodius what credite it is to be geuen I leaue it to the Reader But if the meaning of his Prophesies goe by such order of times as is set disposed in his booke he semeth to describe vnto vs 4. principall states and alterations of times to come The first state and alteration is by Mahumete and the Saracens which be the ofsprings and sonnes of Ismael comming out of Arabie in the time of Heraclius Emperour of Constantinople An. 630. which rebelling against Heraclius increased preuailed still more more against the Christians both in Asia and Africa and also in many places in Europe especially in Spayne and Italy The seconde state alteration he Prophesieth to come by the Turke which first comming out of the farre partes of Seythia the is out of the North first ouercame the Saracenes subdued the Persians and afterward ioyning together w e the Saracens conquered the kingdome of Hierusalem about the yeare of our Lorde 1187 then subdued Syria and moste part of Asia c. And these be they whych Methodius seemeth to meane of speaking of the vile and miserable people closed vp of the Lord God at the intercession of Alexander the great captaine in the North betwene 2. mountaines the deepâ—â—nosse of 12. cubites wast that filthy corrupt nation shuld pollute the early with their wickednes Wherby are ment those Turkes which comming out froÌ„ the vttermost partes of the North that is out of Scythia and the mountaines of Caucasus or els Ismaels were withholden kept backe of Almighty God for Christes cause that they myght not harme his Church alongspace during the time of xii C. yeares yea and then the sinnes of the Christians so deseruing they were permitted of almighty God to breake out and to inuade the church who nowe ioyning together with the Saracens haue wrought and daily do woorke all these greuances against our Christian brethren as we se this day is come to passe and more is like to folow except the haÌ„d of the Lord which let them out do plucke them in againe Moreouer in the meane space betwene the reigne of the Saracens and the Turks where Methodius speaketh of the R. of Romaines which should restore quietnes to the church should raigne in Hierusalem a sabbate of tunes and halfe a sabbate thereby seemeth to be vnderstand the viage of Christian Princes out of the west partes of Europe vnder Gotfridus Duke of Lotharing his 2. brethren and many other christen Princes with 300. M. footmen and 100. M. horsemen who fighting against the Saracens recouered againe from them the Citie of Hierusalem in the yeare of our Lorde 1099. Which citie before had bene in their possession the terme of 490. yeres After which victory got first Gotfridus then Baldwinus his brother and other after them to the number of 9. Christen kings reigned in Hierusalem the space of 88. yeres and after that through the discord of the Christians not agreeing amoÌ„gst themselues both Hierusalem and Syria with other parts of Asia besides were subdued and wonne of the Turkes whych to this day they keepe yet still And this was in the yeare of our Lord. 1187. About which yeare and time as foloweth in Methodius when the Citie of Hierusalem shall be wonne of the Turkes then shall Antichrist begin to be borne of the tribe of Dan of whom came Iudas Iscarioth and shal be borne in Chorosaim and bredde in Bethsaida and reigne in Capernaum Meaning that this Antichrist or sonne of perdition shal be full of Gods malediction noted by Iudas Iscariothe and these 3. Cities against whome were spoken thrise Vae of the Lord. And heere is moreouer to be noted that Methodius sayth not that Antichrist shall be borne among the Saracens or Turkes but among the people of God and of the tribe of Israel Whereby is to be collected that Antichriste shal not come of the SaraceÌ„s nor Turks but shall spring vs among the Christians and sayeth Methodius shall seeme to come out of the Temple to deceiue many c. whereby the Pope may seeme rather then the Saracene or the Turk to be described for so much as the Pope being elected norished and raigning in the middest of Gods people at Rome sitteth in the temple and very place of Christ and no doubt deceiueth many c. And nowe to come to the time assigned of Methodius here is to be added also that which we read in Antoninus Par. 3. that about this said present time a certaine Bishop of Florence preached that Antichriste was then comming But the pope commanded him to keepe silence to speake no more therof Now why the pope so did why he could not abide the preaching of Antichriste I referre it to them which list to muse more vpon the matter This is certain that about this time heere assigned by Methodius came Petrus Lombardus Gratianus and Pope Innocent the thirde the first authors patrons of traÌ„substantiation At which time also began
the Turkes The tyme of Antichrist examined by prophesies One Antichrist prefigureth an other Apoc. cap. 20. Machab. lib. cap. 1. The furious crueltie of Antiochus agaynst Gods people 1. Machab. cap. 1. Daniel 9. Antiochus a figure of the Turke Ex Lyra in Glosa ordin cap. 1. Machab The name of Antichrist what it conteyneth Dan. cap. 11. Dani. cap. 7. Vide Rodulphum Gualt de Antichristo The first note The second note Helpes of the Christians against the Pope The third note The fourth note The fift note Mauzzim the popes God The sixte note The 7. and 11. chapt of Dan. meaneth the great Antichrist the turke Ezech. cap. 38.39 Gog Magog The prophesies of the new Testament concerning the 〈◊〉 * 2. Thessal 2. The defection in time of Antichrist declared Vide supra pag. 903. The place of S. Paule 1 Thess. 2. applyed 〈◊〉 the Pope Ex Bonifacio Extrauag Apoc. 20. The 7. trumpets of the 7. Angels in the Apoc. expounded The sixt trumpet Loosing of the angels vpon the ryuer Euphrates Apoc. 19. Apoc. cap. 16. The 4. beastes in the Apoc. mean the 4. Monarchies The kings of the East Drying vp of Euphrates Ibid. Ibid. An exhortation of the holy ghost to the faithfull Apoc. cap. 13. The prophesie of the Apo. cap. 13. discussed The beast hauing hornes like the lambe must needes meane the Pope The first reason Ex Boni 8. Extr. de Maiorit obed The second reason Anno. 1553. Vid. supra pag. 649. The Pope hath the hornes of a Lambe but the mouth of a Dragon The third reason The two beastes in the 13. cap. of the Apoc. expounded A description of the Citie and Monarchy of Rome The description of the beast with the two hornes of the Lambe Apoc. 13. The Pope hauing all the rule and power of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 13. The fourth reason The fift reason Rome almost dead Roma called Odacria To geue life to the image of the beast The Image of Rome speaketh again as cruelly as euer it did Et faciet eos occidi qui non adorauerint imaginem beitiae Apoc. 13. The sixt reaâ—â—â— The number of the name of the beast discussed 666. The number of these letters in greeke maketh the full number of 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicol. de Lyra and other popish writers deceaued in the 13. chap. of the Apoc. Apoc. cap. 20. The bynding and loosing out of Sathan examined Three things to be noted in thys prophesie What is meant by bynding vp of Sathan The tyme of bynding vp of Sathan Apoc. 11.13.42 monethes in the Apoc. declared Supputation of yeares betwene the beginning ceasing the persecutions in the primitiue Church Vide supra pag. 385. The pope proued to be the seconde beast mentioned in the Apoc. ca. 13. Et hic bibet de vino irae dei Apoc 14. The 3. part of the prophesie for the loosing out of Satan The beginning of the Turkes progenie The tyme of Transubstantiation The tyme of the Turkes Ex Laonico Chalcondyla lib. 1. The prophesie of Ezech. ca. 38. Methodius prophesies The booke of Methodius mistaken The prophesies of Methodius concerning the turkes Viij weekes of yeares counting euery weeke for a Sabbate of yeres that is euery day for a yeare commeth to 56. yeares The first state or alteration of tymes concerning the comming of the Saracens Christians plagued by the Saraces The seconde state or alteration of the Christians relieued of theyr plagues and tribulations Christians abusing Gods benefites The third alteratioÌ„ by the coÌ„ming of the turks The reigne of Christian kinges in Hierusalem lasted 88. yeares ' an 1187. By this resigning vp the crowne to the crucifixe in Golgotha is signified the ceasing of the reigne of the christiaÌ„s in HierusaieÌ„ tyll the coÌ„ming of Christ. By this tribe of DaÌ„ and the citie Chorosaim Bethsaida CapernauÌ„ is signified Gods great malediction vpon Antichrist The destruction of Antichrist The interpretation The comming of the Saracens The coming of the turks Seythia iux ta Câ—ueassi Victory of the Christians gotte against the Saracens Ex Paulo Ionio The citie of HierusaleÌ„ recouered by the Christias froÌ„ the Saracens Hierusalem possessed of the christians 88. yeares HierusaleÌ„ woÌ„ne froÌ„ the ChristiaÌ„s by the turkes an 1187. The coÌ„ming markes of Antichrist described The time of Antichrist Petrus Lombardus Gratianus Innocentius 3. TraÌ„substaÌ„tiatioÌ„ The first persecution by the church of Rome Dominicke Frier Fraunces Ex antonino part 3. tit 19. c 1. The orders of Fryers beganne The pope exalting himselfe aboue kings and Emperours Notes of Antichrist Enoch Hely Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage Vid. in primo Tom. operuÌ„ IohaÌ„ Hus. De Anatomia Hierome of Prage a prophet and Martir The nearnes of the Lordes iudgement The prophesy of Hildegardis and Brigiete of the Turkes Ex Auentino lib. 3. Annalium A caneat to England Ex Brigitta lib. 4. cap. 57. Prophesies of Brigitte against Rome The Prophesies of Erithrea Sybilla named Eriphila Ex Erithrea Sybilla in suo Nazilographo i. imperiali scripto Prophesies of Sybilla of christ By his feete is supposed to be ment the yeares of his age * The lambe lying c. that is the Church without trauell shall be mainteyned with some liuing or possessions of chiefe rulers By these foure beasts is ment the 4. Monarchies of the worlde that is the multitude of all the kingdoÌ„s of the Gentiles as is in the Apocal. By the citye of Aeneas is ment Rome The prophesies of Sybilla of Antichrist The 663. feet do meane the yeares of his reigne These two starres seme to meane Iohn Hus Hierome who being put to death by the pope their doctrine rose agayne more strongly then before Ex libro cui titulus onne Ecclesiae By the prince of the Gentiles the turkes do here meane the kingdomes and dominions of the Christians whom they call Gentiles becuse they are not circumcised after their maner The exposition of the turkes prophesie Ex Barthol Georgienitz An other â—â—â—â—sition Gen. 25. The SaraceÌ„s beginne their reigne The Egiptian Saracens or Sultans The SaraceÌ„s kingdome ceaseth The turkes kingdome beginneth Transubstantiation Vide supra pag. 312. Tartarians Portae Caspiae Saladinus stocke in Aegipt ceaseth Mamaluchi in Aegipt Vide supra pag. 747. Why the pope cannot preuaile against the Turkes God offended with Idolatrie and wrong faith of the Christians A prayer against the Turkes Psal. 119. Galat. 4. Sapien. 5. Elai 55. Genes 6. Iudic. 14. Ioa. 22. Luke 6. Colosl 2. Anno. 1500. A question whether is the greater Antichrist the turke or the Pope Babram and an olde man Martirs Vide supra pag. 737. Diuers kentishin â—n bearing fagots Will Tilsworth Martir The daughter compelled to set fire to her father Tho Barnard Iames Mordon Martirs Father Roberts Martir Father Reuer
preached After theyr death and Martyrdom it pleased the Lord to prouide a generall quietnes to his Church wherby the number of hys flocke began more to encrease In this age then followed here in the sayd land of Britayne Fastidius Niuianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubricius Congellus Kentigernus Helmotus Dauid Daniell Sampson Elnodugue Asaphus Cildas Heulanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuell Niuius and a great sort moe whiche gouerned the Churche of Britayne by Christen doctrine a long season albeit the ciuil gouernours for the tyme were then dissolute careles as Gildas very sharply doth lay to theyr charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons All this while about the space of foure hundred yeares Religion remayned in Britayne vncorrupt and the word of Christ truely preached till about the comming of Austen and of hys companions from Rome many of the sayd Britayne preachers were slayne by the Saxons After that began Christen fayth to enter spring among the Saxons after a certayne romish sort yet notwithstanding some what more tollerable thē were the times which after folowed through the dilligent industry of some godly teachers which then liued amongest them as Aidanus Finianus Coleman Archbishop of Yorke Beda Iohn of Beuerlay Alcuinus Noetus Hucharius Serlo Achardus Ealredus Alexander Neckam Negellus Fenallus Alfricus Sygeferthus such other who though they erred in some few thinges yet neither so grossely nor so greatly to be complayned of in respect of the abuses that followed For as yet all thys while the error of Transubstantiation and leuation with auriculer confession was not crept in for a publicke doctrine in Christes Church as by theyr owne Saxon Sermon made by Aelfricus set out in the second Volume of this present history may appeare pag. 1114. During the which meane time although the Bishops of Rome wer had here in some reuerēce with the Clergy yet had they nothing as yet to do in setting lawes touching matters of the Church of England but that only appertayned to the kings and gouernours of the land as is in this story to be seene pag. 754. And thus the Church of Rome albeit it began then to decline a pace frō God yet during all this while it remayned hitherto in some reasonable order till at length after that the sayd Bishops began to shout vp in the world through the liberalitie of good Princes and especially by Mathilda a noble Duches of Italy Who at her death made the Pope heyre of all her landes and indued his sea with great reuenewes Then riches begot ambition Ambition destroyed Religion so that all came to ruine Out of this corruption sprang forth here in Englād as did in other places more an other romish kind of Monkery worse then the other before being much more drowned in superstition and ceremonies which was about the yeare of our Lord. 980. Of this swarme was Egbertus Aigelbert Egwine Boniface Wilfrede Agathon Iames Romayne Cedda Dunstane Oswold Athelwold Athelwine Duke of Eastangles Lanfrancke Anselme and such other And yet in this tyme also through Gods prouidence the Churche lacked not some of better knowledge and iudgement to weigh with the darcknes of those dayes For although king Edgar with Edward his base sonne being seduced by Dunstane Oswold and other Monkish Clerkes was thē a great author and fautor of much superstition erecting as many Monasteries as were Sondayes in the yeare yet notwithstanding this continued not long For eftsoones after the death of Edgar came king Ethelrede and Queene Elfthred his mother with Alferus Duke of merceland and other peeres and nobles of the Realme who displaced the Monkes againe and restored the maryed Priests to their old possessions and liuings Moreouer after that followed also the Danes whiche ouerthrew those Monkish foundations as fast as king Edgar had set them vp before And thus hetherto stode the condition of the true Church of Christ albeit not without some repugnance and difficultie yet in some meane state of the truth veritie till time of pope Hildebrand called Gregory 7. which was nere about the yeare 1080. And of Pope Innocentius 3. in the yeare 1215. By whome altogether was turned vpside downe all order broken dissipline dissolued true doctrine defaced Christian faith extinguished Instead whereof was set vp preaching of mens decrees dreames and idle traditions And whereas before truth was free to be disputed amongest learned men now libertie was turned into law Argument into Authoritie Whatsoeuer the Byshoppe of Rome denounced that stode for an oracle of all men to be receaued without opposition or contradiction whatsoeuer was contrary ibso facto it was heresie to be punished with fagot and flaming fire Then began the sincere fayth of this English Church which held out so long to quayle Then was the clerre sunne shine of Gods word ouershadowed with mistes and darcknes appearing like sacke-cloth to the people which neither could vnderstand that they read nor yet permitted to read that they could vnderstand In these miserable dayes as the true visible Church beganne now to shrinke and keep in for feare so vpstart a new sort of players to furnish the stage as schole Doctours Canonistes and foure orders of Friers Besides other Monasticall sectes and fraternities of infinite variety Which euer since haue kept such a stirre in the Church that none for them almost durst rout neyther Caesar king nor subiect What they defined stode What they approued was Catholicke What they condemned was heresie whom soeuer they accused none almost could saue And thus haue these hetherto continued or raigned rather in the Church the space now of foure hundreth yeares and odde During which space the true Church of Christ although it durst not openly appeare in the face of the world oppressed by tyranny yet neyther was it so inuisible or vnknown but by the prouidence of the Lord some remnaunt alwayes remayned from tyme to time which not onely shewed secret good affection to sincere doctrine but also stode in open defence of truth agaynst the disordered Churche of Rome In which Catalogue first to pretermit Barthramus and Barengarius which were before Pope Innocent 3. a learned multitude of sufficient witnesses here might be produced whose names neyther are obscure nor doctrine vnknowne as Ioachim Abbot of Calabria Almericus a learned Byshop who was iudged an hereticke for holding agaynst Images in the time of the sayd Innocentius Besides the Martirs of Alsatia of whome we read an hundred to be burned by the sayd Innocentius in one day as writeth Hermanus Mutius Adde likewise to these Waldenses or Albigenses which to a great number segregated themselues from the Church of Rome To this number also belonged Reymundus Earle of Tholose Marsilius Patiuius Gulielmus de S. Amore Simon Tornacensis Arnoldus de noua villa Ioannes Semeca besides diuers other preachers in Sueuia standing agaynst the Pope Anno. 1240. Ex Cranz Laurentius Anglicus a Mayster of
occupat ire polo. Hoc pater ipse toâ—ans flagranti distulit axe Imperia vertit Regna superba solo Saeua Silex quià nam flammantibus incita fundis Vrbium elatis peruiciosaminis Coctilibus muris Romana Semiramis audax Prospice iam Bobylon iam ruit illatua Saxeaiam rupes quantas dabit acta ruinas Quas strages miseris horrida Romulidis Vltimus hic labor est montis rapientis auari Puppicolasque papas papicolasque popas At vos foelices animae quibus aurea cordi Saecla pias puro funditis ore preces Aligeraeque acâ—es ciues stellantis Olympi Plaudite Roma fuit Babela papa fuit In sanguisugas Papistas Philippus Stubbes QVi sacrum Christi satagit conuellere verbum Vulnificum contrà calcitrat hic stimulum Florida quae nimio compressa est pondere palma Fortius exurgit viribus aucta suis. Auricomansque crocus quo calcatur magis exâ—â— Hoc magis excrescit floret eoque magis Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quantumuis turba papalis Conspuat exurat crescit vbique tamen FINIS Actes and Monumentes of Christian Martyrs and matters Ecclesiasticall passed in the Church of Christ from the Primitiue beginning to these our dayes as well in other Countreys as namely in this Realme of England and also of Scotland discoursed at large CHRIST our Sauiour in the Gospell of S. Mathew Cap. 16. hearing the confessioÌ„ of Simon Peter who first of all other openlye acknowledged him to be the sonne of God and perceauing the secret had of his father therin aunswered agayne and alludyng to his name called him a Rocke vpon which Rocke hee would buylde his Church so stroÌ„g that the gates of Hell should not preuaile against it c. In which wordes three things are to be noted First that Christ will haue a Churche in this world Secondly that the same Church should mightely be impugned not onely by the world but also by the vttermost strength powers of all hell And thirdly that the same Church notwithstaÌ„dyng the vttermost of the deuill all his malice should continue Which Prophesie of Christ we see woÌ„derfully to be verified In somuch that the whole course of the Churche to this day may seeme nothyng els but a verifying of the sayd Prophesie First that Christ hath set vp a Church needeth no declaration Secondly what force what sides and sortes of men of Princes Kynges Monarches Gouernours and rulers of this world with their subiectes publikely priuately with all their strength cunnyng haue bent them selues against this Church And thirdly how the sayd Church all this notwithstandyng hath yet endured holden his owne What stormes tempestes it hath ouerpast wonderous it is to behold For the more euident declaration wherof I haue addressed this present history entendyng by the fauorable ayde of Christ our Lord not so much to delight the eares of my countrey in readyng of newes as most especially to profite the harts of the godly in perusing antiquities of auncient times to the ende that the wonderfull workes of God first in his Church might appeare to his glory Also that the continuaunce and proceedings of the Church from tyme to tyme beyng set forth in these Actes and Monumentes more knowledge and experience may redound therby to the profite of the Reader and edification of Christian faith For the better accoÌ„plishyng wherof so to prosecute the matter as may best serue to the profite of the Reader I haue thought good first begynnyng from the tyme of the primitiue Church so continuyng by the Lordes grace to these latter yeares to runne ouer the whole state and course of the Church in generall in such order as digesting the whole tractation of this history into fiue sundry diuersities of tymes First I will entreat of the suffring tyme of the Church which continued from the Apostles age about .300 yeres Secondly of the florishyng time of the Church which lasted other 300. yeares Thirdly of the declinyng or backeslidyng tyme of the Church which comprehendeth other 300. yeares vntill the loosing out of Sathan which was about the thousand yeare after the ceasing of persecution During which space of tyme the Church although in ambition pride it was much altered from the simple sinceritie of the Primitiue tyme yet in outward profession of doctrine and religion it was somethyng tollerable had some face of a Church notwithstanding some corruption of doctrine with superstition and hypocrisie was then also crept in And yet in comparison of that as followed after it might seeme as I sayd somethyng sufferable Fourthly foloweth the tyme of Antichrist and loosing of Sathan or desolation of the Church whose full swyng conteineth the space of 400. yeares In which tyme both doctrine and sinceritie of life was vtterly almost extinguished namely in the chiefe heades and rulers of this West church through the meanes of the Romaine Byshops especially countyng from Gregory the vij called Hildebrand Innocentius the iij. and Friers which with him crept in til the tyme of Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Husse duryng 400. yeres Fiftly and lastly after this tyme of Antichrist raigning in the Church of God by violence and tyranny followeth the reformation purgyng of the church of God wherein Antichrist begynneth to be reuealed and to appeare in his coulors and his Antichristian doctrine to be detected the number of his Church decreasing and the number of the true Church increasing The durance of which tyme hath continued hetherto about the space of 280. yeres and how long shall continue more the Lord and gouernour of all tymes he onely knoweth For in these fiue diuersities alterations of tymes I suppose the whole course of the Church may well be comprised The which Church because it is vniuersall and sparsedly through all countreys dilated therfore in this history standing vpon such a generall argument I shall not be bouÌ„d to any one certaine nation more then an other yet notwithstandyng keepyng mine argument aforesayd I haue purposed principally to tary vpon such historicall actes and recordes as most appertaine to this my country of England and Scotland And for somuch as the Church of Rome in all these ages aboue specified hath chalenged to it selfe the supreme title and ringleadyng of the whole vniuersall Church on earth by whose direction all other Churches haue bene gouerned in writyng therfore of the Church of Christ I can not but partly also intermedle with the actes and proceedynges of the same Church for somuch as the doynges orderyngs of all other Churches from tyme to tyme as well here in England as in other nations haue this long season chiefly depended vpon the same Wherfore as it is much needefull and requisite to haue the doynges orderyngs of the sayd Church to be made manifest to all Christen congregations so haue I framed this history accordyng to the same purpose First in a generall description briefly to
with like grieuous torments At the sight wherof one Calocerius seeing their so great pacience in so great torments cried out with these wordes Verè Magnus Deus Christianorum That is verily great is the God of the Christians Which woordes being heard forthwith he was apprehended and being brought to the place of their executioÌ„ was made partaker of their Martyrdome Ex Ant. Equilin The history of Nicephorus maketh mention of Anthia a godly woman who committed her sonne Eleutherius to Anicetus bishop of Rome to be brought vp in the doctrine of Christian faith who afterward beyng Bishop in Apulia was there beheaded with his foresayd mother Anthia Onomast Iustus also and Pastor two brethen with like Martyrdome ended their liues in a citie of Spaine called Gomplutum vnder the said Hadrian the Emperour Likewise Symphorissa the wife of Geâ—ulus the Martyr with her vij children is said about the same time to suffer who first was much and oft beaten scourged afterward was hanged vp by the haire of her head At last hauing an huge stone fastened vnto her was throwne headlong into the riuer after that her seuen childreÌ„ in like maner with sundry diuers kindes of punishment diuersly were martyred by the tirants The story of M. Hermannus and Antoninus and other report of Sophia with her three children also also of Serapia and Sabina to suffer vnder the said Emperour about the yeare of our Lord 130. As concerning Alexander bishop of Rome with his ij Deacons also with Hermes Quirinus Saphyra and Sabina Some writers as Bede and Marianus Scotus recorde that they suffred vnder Traianus Others againe as Otto Frisingensis with like mo report that they suffred in the iiij yeare of this Emperour Hadrian but of these Martyrs sufficiently hath bene sayd before While Hadrian the Emperour was at Athens he purposed to visite the countrey of Eleusina and so did where he sacrifising to the Gentiles Gods after the maner of the Grecians had geuen free leaue libertie whosoeuer would to persecute the Christians Whereupon Quadratus a man of no lesse zeale excellent as of famous learning being theÌ„ Bishop of Athens and Disciple of the Apostles or at least succeding incontinent the age of the Apostles and following after Publius who a litle before was martyred for the testimony of Christ did offer vp and exhibite vnto Hadrian the Emperour a learned and excellent Apologie in the defence of the Christian Religion Wherein he declared the Christians without all iust cause or desert to be so cruelly entreated and persecuted c. The like also did Aristides an other no lesse excelleÌ„t Philosopher in Athens who for his singular learning and eloquence being notified to the emperor and comming to his presence there made before him an eloquent Oration Moreouer did exhibite vnto the said Emperour a memorable Apologie for the christians so ful of learning and eloquence that as Hierome sayth it was a spectacle and admiration to men in his tyme that loued to see wit and learning Ouer and besides these there was also an other named Serenus Granius a man of great nobility who likewise did write very pithy graue letters to Hadrian the Emperour shewing and declaring therein to be consonant with no right nor reason for the bloud of innocents so to be geuen to the rage and fury of the people and so to be condemned for no fault onely for the name and sect that they followed Thus the goodnes of God being mooued with the prayers and constant labour of these so excellent men so turned the hart of the Emperour that he beyng better informed concerning the order profession of the christians became more fauorable vnto them And immediatly vpoÌ„ the same directed his letters to Minutius Fundanus as is partly before mencioned Proconsul of Asia willing him froÌ„ henceforth to exercise no more such extremitie against the Christians as to condemne any of them hauing no other crime obiected against them but onely their name The copy of which his letter because that Iustine in his Apologie doth alleage it I thought therefore to expresse the same in his owne wordes as followeth The letter of Hadrian the Emperour to Minutius Fundanus I Haue receiued an Epistle writen vnto me from Serennius Granianus our right worthy and welbeloued whose office you do now execute Therefore I thinke it not good to leaue this matter without further aduisement and circumspection to passe least our subiects be molested and malicious sycophants boldned and supported in their euill Wherefore if the subiects of our prouinces doe bring forth any accusation before the iudge agaynst the Christians and can prooue the thing they obiect against them let them doe the same and no more and otherwise for the name onely not to impeach them nor to cry out against them For so more conuenient it is that if any man will be an accuser you to take the accusation quietly and iudge vpon the same Therfore if any shall accuse the Christians and complaine of them as malefactors doing contrary to the law then geue you iudgement according to the qualitie of the crime But notwithstanding who so euer vpoÌ„ spite and maliciousnes shal commence or cauil against them see you correct and punish that man for his vnordinate and malicious dealing Thus by the mercifull prouidence of God some more quiet and rest was geuen to the Church although Hermannus thinketh these Alcione dayes did not very long continue but that the Emperour changing his Edict began to renue agayne persecution against gods people albeit this soundeth not to be so by the wordes of Melito in his Apologic to Antoninus hereafter ensuing In the meane tyme this is certain that in the dayes of this Hadrian the Iewes rebelled agayne spoyled the country of Palestina Against whom the Emperour sent Iulius Seuerus who ouerthrew in Iurie 50. castels and burnt and destroyed 980. villages and Tounes and slue of the Iewes 50. thousand so that with famine sickenes sword and fire Iuda was almost desolate But at length Hadrian the Emperour which otherwise was named Aelius repaired and enlarged the Citie agayn of Hierusalem which was called after his name Aeliopolis or Aelia Capitolina the inhabitaunce whereof he graunted only to the Gentiles and to the Christians forbidding the Iewes vtterly not to enter into the Citie After the death of Hadrian who died by bleeding at the nose succeded Antoninus Pius about the yeare of our Lord 140. and raigned 23. yeres Who for his clemency and modest behauiour had the name of Pius and is for the same in histories commended His saying was that he had rather saue one Citizen then destroy a thousand of his aduersaries At the beginning of his raigne such was the state of the Church as Hadrian his predecessour had left it as in which although there was no Edict set forth to persecute the Christians yet the tumultuous rage of the Heathen
thus was their false periurie punished Narcissus after long absence returning home agayne was by this meanes both cleared of the facte and receiued into his bishoprike agayne To whom as is said for impotencie of his age Alexander was ioined with him in execution of the function Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. cap. 10. Of this Alexander is recorded in the sayd Ecclesiasticall history that after his agonies and constancie of his confessiō shewed in the persecution of Seuerus he was admonished by a vision in the night season to make his iourney vp to Hierusalem Palestina for that place remained free from this persecution to see there the congregation to pray Thus he taking his iourney and drawing nere to the city a vision with playne wordes was geuen to certaine chiefe heads of Hierusalem to go out of the gate of the city there to receiue the Bishop appointed to them of God And so was Alexander met and receiued and ioyned partner with aged Narcissus as is before expressed in the Citie of Hierusalem where he continued bishop aboue 40. yeares vntill the persecution of Decius and there crected a famous Libraric where Eusebius had his chiefest helpe in writing his Ecclesiasticall history He wrote also diuers Epistles to diuers churches and licensed Origene openly to teach in his Church At length beyng very aged was brought frō Ierusalem to Cesaria before the Iudge vnder Decius where after his constant confession the second tyme he was committed to prison and there died Besides these that suffred in this persecution of Seuerus recited of Eusebius Vincentius also Lib. 11. cap. 6. Ex Martyrol speaketh of one Andoclus whom Polycarpus before had sent into Fraunce which Andoclus because he spread there the doctrine of Christ was apprehended of Seuerus and first beaten with staues and battes after was beheaded To these aboue named may also be added Asclepiades who although was not put to death in this persecution of Seuerus yet constantly he did abide the trial of his confessiō suffered much for the same as Alexander did before mentioned Wherefore afterward he was ordained bishop of Antioch where he continued the space of vij yeares of whom Alexander writeth to the Church of Antioche out of prison much reioysing and geuing thankes to God to heare that he was their Bishop About the same tyme during the raigne of Seuerus died Irenaeus Henr. de Erfordia Ado and other Martyr writers do hold that he was martyred with a great multitude of other moe for the confession and doctrine of Christ about the fourth or fift yeare of Seuerus This Irenaeus as he was a great writer so was he greatly commended of Tertullian for his learning whom he calleth omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum exploratorem a great searcher of all kynde of learning He was first scholer and hearer of Polycarpus frō thence either was sent or came to Fraunce and there by Photinus and the rest of the Martyrs was instituted into the ministery commended by their letter vnto Eleutherius as is before premonished At length after the Martyrdom of Photinus he was appointed bishop of Lions where he cōtinued about the space of 23. yeres In the tyme of this Irenaeus the state of the Church was much troubled not only for the outward persecution of the foraine enemy but also for diuers sectes and errours then stirring against which he diligently laboured and wrote much although but few of his bookes be now remayning The nature of this man well agreeyng with his name was such that he euer loued peace and sought to set agreement when any controuersie role in the Church And therfore when the question of keeping the Easter day was renued to the Church bebetwene Victor bishop of Rome and the churches of Asia and when Victor would haue excommunicated them as schisinatikes for disagreeyng from him therein Irenaeus with other brethren of the French Church sory to see such a contention among brethren for such a trifle conuented themselues together in a common Councell and directing their letter with their common consent subscribed sent vnto Victor intreating him to stay his purpose not to proceed in excommunicating his brethren for that matter Although they themselues agreed with him in obseruing the Sonday Easter as he did yet with great reasons and arguments exhorted him not to deale so rigorously with his other brethren following the ancient custome of their coūtrey maner in that behalf And beside this he wrote diuers other letters abroad concerning the same contentiō declaring the excommunication of Victor to be of no force Not long after Irenaeus followed also Tertullian about the tyme of this Seuerus and Antoninus Carcalla his sonne a man both in Greeke and Latin wel expert hauing great gifts in disputing and in writing eloquent as his bookes declare as the commendation of al learned men doth testifie no lesse To whom Vincentius Lirinensis geueth such prayse that he calleth him the floure of all Latine writers and of the eloquence of his stile so he writeth that with the force of his reasons he saith whom he could not persuade them he cōpelled to consent vnto him How many words so many sentences and how many sentences so many victories he had Such men of doing and writing God raiseth vp from tyme to tyme as pillers and stayes for his poore Church as he did this Tertullian in these dangerous dayes of persecution For whē the christians were vexed with wrongs falsly accused of the Gentils Tertullian taking their cause in hand defendeth them against the persecutors against their slaunderous accusations First that they neuer minded any styre or rebellion either against the Empire or Emperors of Rome forsomuch as the vse of Christians was to pray for the state of their Emperours and gouernours And where as they were accused falsly to bee enemies to all mankind how could that be saith Tertullian to Scapula seyng the proper office of the Christians is by their profession to pray for all men to loue their enemies neuer requiting euil for euil when as all other do loue but onely their friends and scarcely them As touching the horrible slaunder of murdering infants how can that be true in the Christians saith he whose order is to abstayne from all bloud strangled in so much that it is not lawful for thē to touch the bloud of any beast at their tables when they feede From filthy copulation no sort more free then they which are and euer hath ben the greatest obseruers of chastitie of whom such as may liue in perpetuall Uirginitie all their life such as cannot contract matrimony for auoyding all whoredom and fornication Neither can it be proued of the christians to worship the sunne which false surmise Tertulliā declareth to rise hereof for that the maner of the Christians was to pray toward the East Much lesse was there any of them so mad as to worship an Asses head
with the rest of the multitude and perswading them what they should do and what had bene obteined for theÌ„ caused them to void the citie and not onlie them but also a great number of other mo who perswaded by him vnder that preâ—ence changing themselues in womens apparell or faming some impotencie so escapeh out of the citie At whose comming out Eusebius on the other side was readie to receiue them and refreshed their hungrye and pined bodies whereby not onelye they but the whole Citye of Alexandria was preserued from destruction Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 32. By this little historie of Eusebius and Anatholius described in the vij booke of Eusebius cap. 32. and briefly here set foorth to thee gentle Reader thou mayest partly vnderstande the practise of the Prelates what it was in those daies in the church which was then onlie imploied in sauing of life and succouring the common weales wherein they liued as by these two godly persons Eusebius and Anatholius may wel appeare Unto the which practise if we compare the practise of our latter prelates of the church of Rome I suppose no little difference will appeare The next Emperour to Florianus as is said was Marcus Aurelius Probus a Prince both wise and vertuous and no lesse valiant in martial affaires as fortunate in the successe of the same During his time we reade of no persecution greatly stiring in the church but much quietnes as well in matters of religion as also in the common wealth In so much that after his great and manye victories such peace ensued that his saying was there needed no more souldiers seing there were no moe enimies to the coÌ„mon wealth to fight against It was his saying also that hys souldiers nede not to spend corne and victuale except they laboured to serue the common wealth And for the same cause he caused his souldiers to be set a worke about certayne mountaynes in Syrinia in Messia to be planted with vines and not so much as in winter suffered them to be at rest therfore by them at length he was slayne after he had reigned the space of vj. yeres and 4. moneths an 284 Eutrop. Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus succeeded next after Probus in the Empire the raygne of which Emperors continued in all but iij. yeares Of the which three first Carus warring agaynst the Persians was slayne with lightning Of Numerianus his sonne beyng with his father in his warres against the Persians we finde much commendation in Eutropius Vopiscus and other writers which testified to him to be a valiaunt warriour an eloquent orator as appeared by his declamatioÌ„s and writinges sent to the Senate Thirdly to be an excellent Poet. This Numerianus sorrowing lamentyng for the death of hys father through immoderate weeping fell into a great sorenes of his eyes by reason whereof he keping close was slaine not long after of his father in lawe named Aper who traiterously aspiring to the Empire dissnnuled his death with a false excuse to the people asking for him saying for the payne of his eyes he kept in from the wind and weather til at length by the stinch of his body being caried about his death was vttered In the life of this Emperor Carus aforesaide written by Eutropius in the later edition set forth by Frobenius I finde whiche in other editions of Eutropius doth not appeare that Numerianus the sonne of this Carus was he that slewe Babylas the holye Martyr whose history before wee haue comprehended But that seemeth not to be like both by the narration of Chrysostome and also for that Vrspergensis declaryng the same hystorie and in the same wordes as it is in Eutropius saith that it was Cyrillus whome Numerianus killed the story whereof is this what time Carus the Emperour in his iourney going toward the Persians remayned at Antioche Numerianus his sonne would enter into the church of the christians to view and behold their misteries But Cyrillus their bishop would in no wise suffer him to enter into the church saying that it was not lawfull for him to see the misteries of God who was polluted with sacrifices of Idoles Numerianus full of indignation at the hearing of these words not suffering that repulse at the hands of Cyrillus in his fury did slay the godlye Martyr And therefore iustly as it seemed was he himselfe slayne afterward by the hands of Aper Thus Carus with his sonne Numerianus being slaine in the East partes as is declared Carinus the other sonne raigned alone in Italye where he ouercame Sabinus striuyng for the Empire and raigned there with much wyckednes till they returning home of the army againe from the Persians who then set vp Dioclesian to be Emperor by whome the foresayde Carinus for the wickednes of hys life being forsaken of his host was ouercome at length slayne with the hande of the Tribune whose wyfe before he had defloured Thus Carus with his two sonnes Numerianus and Carinus ended their liues whose raigne continued not aboue three yeares All this meane space we reade of no great persecution stirring in the Church of Christ but was in meane quiete state and tranquilitie vnto the xix yeare of the raigne of Dioclesian So that in counting the time from the latter ende of Ualerian vnto this foresaid yeare of Dioclesian the peace of the church which God gaue to his people semeth to continue aboue 44. yeares During the which tyme of peace and tranquilitie the church of the Lord did mightely increase and florish so that the more bodies it lost by persecution the more honor and reuerence it wan daily among the Gentiles in al quarters both Grekes and barbarous in so much that as Eusebius in his vij booke describeth amongst the Emperours themselues diuers there were which not onely bare singular good will and fauor to them of our profession but also did commit vnto them offices regiments ouer countries and nations so well were they affected to our doctrine that they priuileged the same with liberty and indemnitie What needeth to speake of them which not only liued vnder the Emperors in libertie but also were familiar in the court with the Princes themselues entertained with great honour and speciall fauour beyond the other seruitures of the court as was Dorotheus with his wife children and whole family highly accepted aduaunced in the palace of the Emperour Also Gorgonius in like maner with diuers other mo who for theyr doctrine learning which they professed were with theyr Princes in great estimation In like reuerence also were the bishops of cities and Diocesse with the Presidentes and rulers where they liued who not onely suffered theÌ„ to liue in peace but also had them in great price and regarde so long as they kept themselues vpright and continued in God his fauour Who is able to number at that time the mighty
After him followed Pope Benedictus the sixt who in like maner was apprehended by Cynthius a Captayne of Rome cast in prison where he was straÌ„gled or as some say famished to death Then came Pope Donus the ij After whom Bonifacius the vij was Pope who likewise seeing the Citizens of Rome to conspire agaynst him was constrained to hide himselfe And seeing no place there for hym to tary tooke the treasure of S. Peters Churche and so priuily stale to Constantinople In whose stead the Romaines sâ—t vp P. Iohn the xv Not long after Boniface returning agayne from Constantinople by hys money treasure procured a garrisoÌ„ or company to take his part By whose meanes the foresayd Pope Iohn was taken his eyes put out and so throwne in prison where he was as some say famished some say he was slayne by Ferrucius Neither did Boniface raigne many dayes after but sodenly dyed whose carkase after hys death was drawne by the feete through the streetes of Rome after the most despitefull maner of the people shriking and exclayming against him an 976. Next pope after him was Benedictus the vii by the consent of the Emperour Otho the 2. and raigned xix yeares In the tyme of this pope Hugh Cappet the French king tooke Charles the right heyre to the crowne by the treason of the Bishop of Laou and when hee had imprisoned him he also committed to prison Arnoldus Archbishop of Raynes and placed in hys rowme Gilbartus a monke of Florsake a Nicromanser who was schoolemaister to D. Robert the kinges sonne But this pope Benedictus calling a Councell at Remis restored the sayd Arnoldus agayne and displaced Gilbertus which after by the help of Otho was made Archbishop of Reuenna and at length was Pope as in processe hereafter Christ graunting shal be declared After Benedictus succeeded in the sea of Rome Pope Iohn the xvi dyed the viij month of hys Papacy Next to whom came Iohn the xvii And after him Gregory the .v. in the yeare of our Lord. 995. This Gregory called before Bruno was a Germane borne and therefore the more malaced of the Clergy people of Rome WherupoÌ„ CresceÌ„tus with the people and Clergy conuenting agaynst the sayd Gregory set vp Pope Iohn the xviij Gregory vpon the same sped himselfe in all conuenient hast to the Emperor Otho the iij. in Germany Who hearing the complaint of Gregory and vnderstanding his wrongs set forward with his army well appointed to Italy gate the Citie there tooke both Crescentius the Consull and Iohn the Pope Which Iohn first hauing his eyes put out was depriued after of his life Crescentius the Consul was set vpon a vile horse hauing his nose and eares cut off and so was led through the Citie his face beyng turned to the horsetayle afterward hauyng his members cut off was hanged vpon a gibbet Pope Gregory thus being restored to his former state raigned iiij yeares in his Papacie although Marianus Scotus and Martinus say that he sate but ij yeares c. During the which time he assembled a councell in Rome where he to stablish the Empire in his owne country by the consent and counsail of Otho ordeined vij Princes of Germany to be electors of the Emperor which order yet to this day remaineth What be the names of these vij electors and what is their office thus I finde in these verses expressed Maguntinensis Treuerensis Coloniensis Quilibet Imperij fit cancellarius horum Et Palatinus Dapifer Dux portitor ensis Marchio praepositus camerae Pincerna Bohemus These vij he ordained to be electors 3. bishops 3. princes to wit the Palatine the duke of Saxonie the Marques Brandenburgh To whom was added also the king of Boheme to geue the odde voice if the euen voices could not agree This constitution being first begon an 997. was after established in Germany by Otho the Emperour the yeare of the Lord 1002. And thus much by the way or rather digression concerning the rages and tumultes of the Romish church Now to our matter agayne King Egelred or Elred KIng Edward thus being murthered as is aforesayd the crowne fell next to Egelrede his yonger brother sonne to king Edgar by the foresayd Queene Alfrith as we haue declared This Egelred had a long raigne geuen of God which dured the terme of 38. yeares but very vnfortunate and full of great miseries And he himself by the histories seemeth to be a Prince not of the greatest courage to gouerne a common wealth Our English stories writing of him thus report of his raigne That in the beginning it was vngracious wretched in the middle and hatefull in the latter end Of this Egelred it is read when Dunstane the Archbishop should christen him as hee dyd hold him ouer the Fonte something there happened that pleased not Dunstan whereupon he sware per sanctaÌ„ Mariam iste ignauus homo erit i. By the mother of Christ he wil be a Prince vntoward and cowardlike Chron. de CroulaÌ„d I finde in William of Malmesbury Lib. 2. de Regi That this Egelred beyng of the age of x. yeares when he heard hys brother Edward to be slayne made suche sorow weping for him that his mother falling therewith in a rage tooke waxe candles hauing nothing els at hand wherwith she scourged him so sore well neare till he swounded that after the same he could neuer abide any waxe candles to burne before him After this about the yeare of our Lord 981. the day of his coronation beyng appoynted by the Queene the mother and the nobles Dunstan the Archb. of Cant. who first refused so to doe with Oswald Archb. of Yorke were enforced to crowne the king And so they did at RingstoÌ„ In doing wherof the report of stories go that the said Dunstane should say thus prophesieng vnto the king that for so much as he came to the kingdome by the death of his brother and through the conspiracie of the wicked conspirators and other Englishmen they should not be without bloudsheding and sword till there came a people of an vnknown tongue and should bring them into thraldome neither should that trespasse be clensed with out long vengeaunce c. In the Chronicles of Crouland I finde these wordes Quoniam ascendisti ad thronum tuum per mortem fratris tui quem occidit mater tua propterea audi verbum Domini hoc dicit Dominus NoÌ„ deficiet gladius de domo tua saeuiens in te omnibus diebus vitae tuae interficiens de semine tuo de gente tua vsque dum regnum tuum transferatur in regnum alienum Cuius ritum linguam gens tua non nouit nec expiabitur nisi longa vindicta multa saÌ„guinis effusione peccatum matris tuae peccatum virorum pessimorum qui consenserunt consilio eius nequam vt mitterent manum in
Emperour Henricus vnderstanding the false feare of the Pope of his retire to Canusium incontinent commyng out of Spires with his wife and his young sonne in the deepe sharp of Winter resorteth to Canossus All his pieres and nobles had left him for feare of the Popes curse neyther did any accompany him Wherfore the Emperour beyng not a little troubled laying apart hys regall ornamentes came barefooted with hys wyfe and childe to the gate of Canossus where he from morning to night all the day fasting most humbly desireth absolution crauing to be let in to the speech of the Bishop But no ingresse might be geuen him once within the gates Thus he continuing 3. dayes together in hys petition and sute at length answer came that the Popes maiesty had yet no leysure to talke with him The Emperour nothing moued therwith that he was not let into the Citty patient and with an humble minde abideth without the walles with no litle greuance and paynefull labour for it was a sharpe winter and all frosen with cold Notwithstanding yet through his importunate sute at length it was graunted through the intreating of Matilda the Popes paramour and of Arelaus Erle of Sebaudia and the Abbot of Cluniake that hee should be admitted to the Popes speach On the 4. day beyng let in for a token of his true repentance he yeldeth to the Popes handes his crowne with all other ornaments Imperiall and confessed himselfe vnworthy of the Empire if euer he doe against the Pope hereafter as he hath done tofore desiring for that tyme to be absolued and forgeuen Henricus the Emperour with his wife and chyld barefoote and barelegd waiting on Pope Hildebrand three dayes and three nightes at the gates of Canusium before he could be suffred to come in The Pope answereth he will neither forgeue hym nor release the bande of his excommunication but vpon conditions First to promise that he shall be content to stand to his arbitrement in the councell and to take such penance as he shall enioyne him also that he shall be prest and redy to appeare in what place or tyme the Pope shall appoint him Moreouer that he beyng content to take the Pope iudge of his cause shall aunswer in the sayd councel to all obiections and accusations layd against him that he shall neuer seeke any reuengement herein Item that he though he be quit and cleared therin shall stand to the Popes mynd and pleasure whether to haue his kingdom restored or to loose it Finally that before the triall of hys cause he shall neither vse his kingly ornaments scepters or crowne nor to vsurpe the authoritie to gouerne nor to exact any othe of allegeaunce vpon his subiects c. These things beyng promised to the bishop by an oth and put in writing the Emperour is onely released of excommunication The tenour of the writing is this The forme and tenour of the othe which Heniicus made to the Pope I Henricus King after peace and agreement made to the mynde and sentence of our Lord Gregorius the 7. promise to keepe all couenants and bandes betwixt vs and to prouide that the Pope go safely wheresoeuer he will without any daunger eyther to him or to his retinue Especially in all such places as be subiect to our Impery Nor that I shall at any tyme stay or hinder him but that he may doe that belongeth to his function where whensoeuer his pleasure shal be And these things I bynd my selfe with an othe to keepe Actum Canos 5. Calend. Februarij indic 15. Thus the matter beyng decided betwixt them after the Popes owne prescribement the Emperour taketh hys iourney to Papia The Pope with his Cardinals dyd vaunce and triumph with no little pryde that they had so quailed the Emperor brought him on his knees to aske them forgeuenes Yet notwithstanding mistrusting themselues misdoubting tyme what might befall them hereafter if fortune should turne God geue the Emperour to enioy a more quiete kingdome therfore to preuent such dangers betime they study and consult priuily with them selues how to displace Henry clean frō his kingdom And how that deuise might safely be conueyed they conclude and determine to deriue the Empire vnto Rodolphus a man of great nobilitie amongst the chiefest states of Germany and also to incite and stirre vp all other princes and subiects beyng yet free and discharged from their othes against Henry so by force of armes to expulse the emperour out of his kingdom To bring this purpose the better to passe legates were sent downe from the Pope Sigehardus Patriarch of Aquilia and Altimanus Byshop of Padway which should perswade through all Fraunce that Henry the Emperor was rightfully excommunicate and that they should geue to the bishop of Rome their consents in chusing Rodolphus to be Emperor This beyng done there was sēt to the said Rodolphus duke of Swenia a crowne from the Pope with this verse Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodolpho The rocke gaue the crowne to Peter Peter geueth it to Rodolph Here by the way of digression to make a litle glose vpon this barbarous verse two notable lyes are to be noted One where he lyeth vpon Christ the other where he lyeth vpon S. Peter First that Christ gaue any temporal diademe to Peter it is a most manifest lye and against the scriptures when as he would not take it beyng geuen to himselfe and sayth his kingdome is not of this world Agayne where he saith that Peter geueth it to Rodulph Here he playeth the Poet for neither had Peter any suche thing to geue and if he had yet he would not haue geuen it to Rodulph from the right heyre neither is it true that Peter did geue it because Hildebrand gaue it For it is no good argument Hildebrand did geue it Ergo Peter dyd geue it except ye will say Hildebrand stirred vp great warres bloudshed in Germany Ergo Peter stirred vp great warres in Germany So Peter neyther could nor would nor did geue it to Rodolphus but only Hildebrād the Pope who after he had so done he gaue in commaundement to the Archbishop of Mentz and of Collen to elect this Rodulphus for Emperour and to annoynt hym kyng and also to defend him with all force strength they might While this conspiracy was in hand Henricus the emperor was absent and the Popes ambassadors with hym also In the meane space Rodulphus was elected Emperor vnknowing to Henry Upō this commeth the bishop of Strausborough vnto the emperor certifiyng him what was done He suspecting seing the stomack and doyngs of the Saxōs so bent against hym mustreth his men with expedition marcheth forward to defend his right But first sendeth to Rome trusting vpon the league betwixt hym and the Pope and requireth the bishop to proceede with his sentence agaynst Rodulphus for the rebellious inuasiō of his
was brought vpon a white palsray into Laterane where a scepter was geuen him and a girdle put about him hauing vii keyes with vii scales hanging there vpon for a recognisance or token of his vii fold power according to the vii folde grace of the holy Ghost of binding loosing shutting opening sealing resigning iudging c. After this Paschalis was elected Pope Henricus 4. the foresaid Emperour of courage most valiant if the time had serued thereto thought to come vp to Italic to salute the newe Pope But vnderstanding the Popes minde bent against him he chaunged his purpose In the meane time Paschalis to shew himselfe inferior to Hildebrand in no poynt began first to depose all such Abbates byshops whome the Emperour had set vp Also banished Albertus Theodoricus and Maginulphus striuing the same time for the papacie I spake before of Guibert whō Henricus the Emperour had made Pope against Hildebrād Against this Guibert Paschalis made out an armie who being put to flight not long after departed About the same time An. M. Li. the bishop of Fluence began to teach and to preach of Antichrist then to be borne to be manifest as Sabellicus restifieth wherupon Paschalis assembling a coūcell put to silence the sayde bishop and condemned his bookes In this councell at Trecas priestes that were maryed were condemned for Nicolaitanes Item according to the decree of Hildebrand al such of what degree or estate soeuer they were being lay men that gaue any ecclesiasticall dignities were cōdemned of Symonie Furthermore the statute of priestes tithes there he renued coūting the selling away therof as a sinne against the holy ghost Concerning the excommunicatiō and other troubles that Hildebrand wrought against Henricus the 4. Emperour it is declared sufficiently before This excommunication Paschalis the Pope renued a fresh against the saide Henry And not onely that but also conuenting the Princes of Germanie into a generall assemble set vp his owne sonne against him causing the bishop of Mentz of Colen and of wormes to depriue him of hys Imperiall crowne and to place his sonne Henricus the fift in his fathers kingdome and so they did Comming to the place at Hilgeshem first they required his Diademe hys purple his ring and other ornaments pertaining to the crowne from him The Emperor demandeth the cause being ther excommunicate and voide of frendes They pretending againe I cannot tell what for selling of Bishopricks Abbases and other ecclesiasticall dignities for money also alledging the popes pleasure and of other princes Then required he first of the Bishop of Mentz and likewise of the other two whom he had preferred to their bishopricks before asking them in order if he had receiued of them anye peny for his promoting thē to their dignities This when they could not deny to be so wel saith he doe you require me againe with this With diuers other wordes of exhortation admonishing them to remember their othe alleageaunce to their Prince But the periured Prelates neyther reuerencing his maiestie nor mooued with his benefites nor regarding their fidelitie ceased not for this but first plucked from him sitting in throne his crowne unperiall then disuestured him taking from him his purple his scepter The good Emperour being left desolate and in confusion sayeth to them Videat deus iudicet that is let God see and iudge Thus leauing him they went to his sonne to confirme him in his kingdom and caused him to driue his father out who then being chased of his owne sonne hauing but 9. persones about him did flee by the Dukedome of Limbrugh where the Duke being then in hunting perceauing and bearing of him made after to folow hym The Emperor fearing no other but presēt death for he had displaced that same Duke before out of his Dukedome submitted himselfe crauing of him pardon and not reuengement The Duke full of compassion pitiyng his state not onely remitted all hys displeasure but also receiued him to his castle Moreouer collecting his souldiours and men of warre brought him to Colen and there was well receaued His sonne hearing this besieged the city of Colen But the father by night escaping came to Leodium where resorted to hym all such as were men of compassion and of a constant heart In so much that hys power being strōg enough he was now able to pitch a field against his ennemies and so did desiring his friends that if he had the victorie they woulde spare hys sonne In fine the battail ioyned the father had the victorie the sonne was put to flight many being slaine on both sides But shortly after the battell renued againe the sonne preuailed the father was ouercome and takē who then being vtterly dispossessed of his kingdome was brought to that exigent that comming to Spire was same to craue of the bishop there whom he had done much for before to haue a prebende in the Church and for that he had some 〈◊〉 of his Booke he desired to serue in our Ladies quire Yet coulde he not obtaine so much at his hande who swore by our Ladie hee should haue none there Thus the wofull emperour most vnkindly hādled and repulsed on euery side came to Leodium and there for sorrowe died after he had raigned 50. yeares whose body Paschalis after his funerall caused to be taken vp againe and to be brought to Shires where it remained 5. yeres vnburied Haec ex Helmoldo After the decease of this Emperor Henricus the 4. his sonne Henricus the 5. raigned the space of 20. yeares Who comming to Rome to be crowned of the Pope coulde not obtaine before he would fully assent to haue this ratified that no Emperour should haue any thing to doe with the election of the Romaine Byshop or with other byshopprickes Besides that about the same time suche a sturre was made in Rome by the sayd Byshop that if the Emperour had not defended himselfe with his owne hands he had bene slaine But as it happened the Emperour hauing the victorie amongest many other Romaines which were partly slaine partly taken in the same skirmishe he taketh also the Pope and leadeth him out of the Citie where he indenteth with him vpō diuers conditions both of his coronation and of recouering againe his right and title in the election of the Pope of other byshops wherunto the Pope assenting agreed to all So the Emperour being crowned of Paschalis returned againe with the Pope to Rome All the conditions betwene the Emperour the Pope so long as the Emperour remained at Rome stoode sirine and ratified But asseone as the Emperour was returned againe to Germanie forth with the Pope calling a Synode not only reuoked all that he had agreed to before but also excommunicated Henricus the Emperor as he had done his father before reproouing the former priuilegium for prauilegium The Emperor returning frō Rome to Franice there
desired the pope it might be abolished for that it should be no cause of any dissention hereafter The Pope vnderstanding the intent of the Emperor how loth he was to come vnder subiectiō to his see deuised by all crafty wayes to bring it to passe And first taking his occasion by the bishop of Laodicea beyng thē detained in custody I cannot tell by whom sent diuers and sharpe letters vnto him And yet not so sharpe as proud disdainfull Wherin the first saluration by his legates was this in Latine Salutat vos beatissimus pater noster Papa vniuersitas Cardinalium ille vt pater hij vt fratres That is our most blessed father the Pope greeteth you and the vniuersall company of the Cardinals he as your father they as your brethren Meaning therby that he should vnderstād himselfe to be subiect and vnderlyng to the Pope no lesse then the Cardinals were Moreouer in his letters obiecting diuers things against him reciteth how many and great benefites he had receiued of the church of Rome by the which church he had obteyned the fulnesse of his honor and dignity c. The Emperour with his princes perceiuing whereunto the Pope by his Legates did shoot beyng a prince of courage could not abide such intollerable presumption of a proud message whereupon much contention fell betwene the Legates and the Princes And of whom then say the Legates receyueth Cesar the Emperie if he take it not of the Pope with the which word the Germaine princes were so much offended that had not the Emperour stayed them with much ado they would haue vsed violence against the Legates But the Emperour not permitting that commaūded the Legates away straightly charging them to make no turne by the way to any person or persons but straight to depart home And he to certifie the whole state of the Empire of the truth of the matter direcreth forth these letters that follow The tenour of the Emperours letter sent through all his Empire FOrasmuch as the prouidence of God whereof dependeth all power both in heauen and earth hath committed to vs hys annointed this our regiment and Impery to be gouerned and the peace of his Churches by our Imperiall armes to bee protected we cannot but lament and complaine to you with great sorrow of heart seyng such causes of dissention the roote and fountaine of euils and the infection of pestiferous corruption thus to rise from the holy church imprinted with the seale of peace and loue of Christ. By reason wherof except God turne it away we feare the whole body of the church is like to be polluted the vnitie thereof to be broken and a schisme and deuision to be betwixt the spirituall and temporall regiment For we beyng a late at Bisunze there intreating busily of matters pertaining as well to the honor of our Empire as to the wealth of churches there came Embassadors of the see Apostolicall declaring they brought a legacie to our maiestie of great importaunce redounding to no small commoditie of our honour and Empire Who then the first day of their comming beyng brought to our presence and receyued of vs as the maner is with honour accordingly audience was geuen them to heare what they had to say They forthwith brusting out of the Mammon of iniquitie hautie pride stoutnesse and arrogancie out of the execrable presumption of their swelling hart did their message with letters Apostolicall whereof the tenor was this That we should alwayes haue before our eyes how that our soueraign lord the Pope gaue vs the Imperiall crowne and that it doth not repent him if so be it we haue receiued greater benefites at his hand And this was the effect of that so sweete and fatherly legation which should nourish peace both of the church and of the Empire to vnite thē fast together in the band of loue At the hearing of this so false vntrue and most vaine glorious presumption of so proud a message not only the Emperors maiestie conceiued indignation but also all the Princes there present were mooued with such anger and rage the reat that if our presence and request had not stayed them they could not haue held their hands from these wicked priests or els to haue proceeded with sentence of death against them Furthermore because a great number of other letters partly written already partly with seales ready signed for letters to be written according as they should thinke good to the Churches of Germany were found about them whereby to worke their conceiued intent of iniquitie here in our churches to spoile the aultars to cary away the iewels of the church and to fley the limmes and plates of golden crosses c. To the intent their auaricious meaning should haue no further power to raigne we gaue them commaundement to depart the same way they came And now seyng our raigne and Empery standeth vpon the election of Princes from God alone who in the passion of his sonne subdued the world to be gouerned with two swords necessary And againe seyng Peter the Apostle hath so informed the world with this doctrine Deum timete Regem honorificte that is Feare God honour your king Therfore who so sayth that we haue possesse our imperiall kingdom by the benefite of the Lord Pope is contrary both to the ordinance of God and to the doctrine of Peter and also shal be reproued for a lyer Therfore as our endeuour hath bene heretofore to helpe and to deliuer the seruile captiuitie of churches out of the hand and from the yoke of the Egyptians and to maintayne the right of their liberties and dignities we desire you all with your compassion to lament with vs this slaundrous and ignominie inferred to vs and our kingdome trusting that your faithfull good wil which hath bene euer trusty to the honour of this Empire neuer yet blemished from the first beginning of this citie and of religion will prouide that it shall haue no hurt through the strange noueltie and presumptuous pride of such Which thing rather than it should come to passe know you this for certaine I had rather incurre the danger of death then to suffer such confusion to happen in our dayes This letter of Cesar fretted the Pope not a little who wrote again to the bishops of Germany accusing the emperor and willing them to worke against him what they could they answer againe with all obedience to the Pope submitting themselues and yet excusing the emperor and blaming him rather And exhorted him henceforth to temper his letters and legacies with more gentlenes and modestie the which counsaile he also followed perceiuing otherwise that he could not preuayle Much trouble had good Fridericus with this Pope but much more with the other that followed For this Pope continued not very long the space only of 4. yeres odde months About whose tyme rose vp the order of the Hermites by one William once duke of
resisting their king in like sort if hys cause were maintained so contrariwise if it quailed it shoulde be an example to all other heereafter none to resist his Prince in the like case And so might it redounde not onely to the weakening of the state of the Catholike Churche but also to the derogation of the Popes authoritie Briefly this sentence at length preuailed and so Becket receaueth hys pastorall office of the Popes hand againe with commendation and much fauour But for somuch as he coulde not be well placed in England in the meane while the Pope sendeth him with a monkes habite into the abbay Pontiniak in Fraunce where he remained 2. yeres from thence he remoued to Senon where he abode 5. yeares So the time of his exile continued a 7. yeares in all c. Uppon this the King being certified by his Ambassadours of the Popes aunswere howe his fauoure enclined more to Becket then to him was mooued and woorthely with wrathful displeasure Who vpon the same sailing frō England vnto Normandy directed ouer certain Inunctions against the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterburie as were recited aboue Fol. 207. The contents wherof were declared to be these If any person shal be found to bring from the Pope or from the Archbishop of Canterburie c. Of these and suche other iniunctions Becket specifieth partly in a certaine letter writing to a frend of his in this maner THomas Archbishop of Canterburie to his welbeloued frend c. Be it knowen to your brotherly goodnes that we with al ours heere by Gods grace are safe and in good health Hauing a good hope and trust to your faithfull amitie I charge you and require you that either by the bringer heereof or by some other whome ye know faithfull and trusty to our church of Canterburie and to vs you write with al spede what is done As touching the kings decrees here set out these they be that all hauens and portes shoulde be diligently kept that no letters of the Popes interdict or curse be brought in And if religious men bring them in they shall haue their feete cut off if he be a priest or clearke he shall lose his priuie members If he be a lay man let him be hanged If he be a leper let him be burned And if any bishoppe for feare of the Popes interdict will depart besides his staffe onely in his hand let him haue nothing els Also the kings will is that all scholers and students beyonde the seas shall repaire home or else lose their benefices And if they yet shall remaine still they shall lose the libertie of all returning Further if any such Priests shal be found that for the Popes suspense or interdict wil refuse to sing they shall lose their priuie members In summe all such Priests as shew themselues rebels to the king let them be depriued of their benefices c. Besides these and such like iniunctions it was also set forth by the Kings proclamation An. 1166. that all maner of persons both men and wemen who soeuer were foūd of the kindred of Thomas Becket should be exiled wythout taking any part of their goodes with them and sent to him where he was which was no litle vexatiō to Becket to behold them Moreouer for so much as he then was lying with Gwarine Abbot of Pontiniacke to whome the pope as is aforesaid had cōmended him therefore the king wryting to the same Abbote required him not to retaine the Archbishop of Canterbury in his house for if he did he would driue out of his realme all the monks of his order Whereupon Becket was enforced to remoue from thence and went to Lewes the French King by whome he was placed at Senon and there founde of him the space of fiue yeares as is aboue mentioned In the meane time messengers went daily with letters betwene the king and the pope betwene the Pope againe and him and so betwene the Archbishop and other whereof if the Reader peraduenture shal be desirous to see the copies I thought here to expresse certaine of them to satisfie his desire first beginning w e the Epistle of Becket complaining of his prince to the Pope in maner and forme as foloweth The copie of an Epistle sent of Thomas Becket to Pope Alexander TO your presence and audience I flee moste holy father that you who hath bought the libertie of the Churche with your so great daunger might the rather attend to the same either being the onely or chiefest cause of my persecution vsing and following therein the example of you It grieueth me that the state of the Church should fall to any decay and that the liberties therof should be infringed thorough the auarice of princes For the which cause I thought to resist betime that inconueniencie beginning so to grow And the more I thought my selfe obliged to the same my Prince vnto whome next vnder God I am moste chiefly bound the more boldnesse I tooke to me to withstand his vnrightfull attempts till such that were on the contrary part my aduersaries preuailed working my disquietnesse and incensing him against me Whereupon as the maner is amongst Princes they raised vp against me citations and slaunders to the occasion of my persecution but I had rather to be proscribed then to subscribe Besides this I was also called to iudgement and cited before the king to make answere there as a lay person to secular accomptes where as they whome I most trusted did most forsake me For I saw my fellow brethren the Bishops through the instigation of some ready to my condemnation Wherupon all being set against me I thus oppressed on euery side tooke my refuge to appeale to your goodnesse which casteth off none in their extremities being ready to make my declaration before you that I ought neither to be iudged there in that place nor yet of them For what were that father but to vsurpe to thēselues your right and to bring the spiritualtie vnder the temporaltie Which thing once begon may breede an example to many And therefore so much the more stouter I thought to be in withstanding this matter how much more prone and procliue I saw the way to hurt if they once might see vs to be faint and weake in the same But they will say to me here againe geue to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar. c. But to answere againe therunto albeit we are boūd to obey our king in most things yet not in such maner of things whereby he is made to be no king neither were they then things belonging to Cesar but to a tyrāt Concerning the which points these Bishops should not for me onely but for themselues haue resisted the king For if the extreme iudgemēt be reserued to him which is able to iudge both body and soul is it not then extreme pride for men there to iudge which iudge but by themselues If the cause of
wrote a sharpe and thundering letter to the Archb. bishops and prelates of England commanding them by his authority Apostolical that for so much as the iniuries done to his Legate did redounde to the contumelie of the whole mother church of Rome they should not faile therfore but with seuere censures of the Church that is wyth booke bell and candle procede as wel against the foresayd Iohn Erle of Morton as also all other who so euer had or should attempt any violence or iniury against the sayd his legate B. of Ely with no lesse seuerity then if the sayd iniury should be offred to the person of the Pope himselfe or any other of his brethren the Cardinals c. The bishop of Ely the popes Legate bearing himselfe bold vpon the fauour and letters of the Pope which tooke his part writeth to Henry B. of Lincolne charging requiring that he in vertue of obedience shoulde execute the Popes sentence mandate in excommunicating all such as were offenders in that behalfe there reciteth the names of diuers against whome he should procede as the Archb. of Roan yâ— B. of Wint. W. Mareschal Geffrey Peterson Bruer and Bardoâ—f the Earle of Salisbury the Earle of Mellent Gilbert Basset the Archdeacon oâ— Oxforde and especially Hugh B. of Couentry Also M. Benet Steuen Ridle Chancelor to Erle Iohn the kings brother to the which Earle he reserued a further day of respite before he should be excommunicate with a number of other moe beside these Howbeit the saide B. of Ely could finde none to execute this commandement of the Pope Then they with a generall consent wrote againe to K. Richard complaining of the intollerable abuses of the sayd B. his Chauncellor In like sort the sayd Chancelor also complaining of them wrote his letters to the king signifying how Earle Iohn his brother went about to vsurpe his kingdome woulde also shortly set the crowne vpon his owne heade vnles he made the more spede homeward The king then was busie in repulsing the Saladine and prepared to lay siege against Hierusalem and got Sclauonia with diuers other townes from the Saracens which was in the yere of our Lord 1192. hauing diuers conflicts in yâ— meane space with the Saladine and euer put him to the worse As the king thus was preparing to lay his siege against Ierusalem the Saladine glad to fall to some composition with the king sent vnto him that if he would restore to him againe Sclauonia in as good state as it was when he tooke it hee would graunt to him and to all Christians in the lande of Ierusalem truce for 3. yeres and offred himselfe thereunto to be sworn The king seeing the Duke of Burgundy and the frenchmen to shrinke from him and his owne men to decay and also his mony health to diminish but especially for that he vnderstode by the B. of Ely his Chancelor the French king to set vp Iohn hys brother to possesse his kingdome being counsailed thereto by the Templaries tooke the truce offred of the Saracens so began to draw homeward In this meane while much grudge and strife increased more and more betwene the B. of Ely and the archbishop of Roan aboue specified in so much that the Archb. being excommunicate sent vp his Clerkes to Pope Celestine to complaine of the Bishop But the Pope euer stoode in his purgatioÌ„ At last he sent two of his Cardinals to wit Ottomannus Bishop of Hostia and Iordanus de fossa noua to breake the strife betwene the B. of Ely and the Archbishop of Roan After this king Richard being taken and in the custody of Henry the Emperor the B. of Ely resorting to him was sent by him into England to Alinor his mother and other nobles Who then returning into England againe not as Chauncelour nor as Legate as he sayde but as â— simple plaine Bishop so by that meanes was receiued Ex Matt. Paris Et ex alijs incerti nominis manuscriptis codicibus But of this vaine glorious prelate inough too much Nowe to returne againe to Richarde concerning whose worthy actes done abroad in getting of Cyprus Achon Ptolemaida in pacifying Ioppe c. partly is spoken of before Many other valiant famous actes were by him and the French king atchieued and mo should haue bene had not those two kings falling into discord disseuered theÌ„ selues by reason whereof Philip the French king returned home againe wythin short space Who being retourned againe eftsones inuaded the couÌ„try of Normandy exciting also Iohn the brother of king Richard to take on him the kingdome of England in his brothers absence Who then made league vpon the same with the French king and did homage vnto him which was about the fourth yere of king Richard Who then being in Syria hearing thereof made peace with the Turkes for 3. yeres And not long after king Richard the next spring following returned also Who in hys returne driuen by distresse of weather about the parties of Histria in a towne called Synaca was there taken by Limpold duke of the same country and so sold to the Emperor for 60000. markes Who for no small ioy thereof writeth to Phillip the French king these letters here following The letter of the Emperour to Phillip the French king concerning the taking of king Richard HEnricus dei gratia Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus dilecto speciali amico suo Philippo illustri FrancoruÌ„ Regi salutem sincerae dilectionis affectum Quoniam Imperatoria celsitudo non dubitat regalem magnificentiam tuam laetiorem effici de vniuersis quibus omnipotentia creatoris nostri nos ipsos Rom. imperiuÌ„ honorauerit exaltauerit nobilitati tuae tenore praesentium declarare duximus quòd inimicus imperij nostri turbator regni tui Rex Angliae quum esset in transeundo mare ad partes suas reuersurus accidit vt ventus rupta naui sua in qua ipse erat induceret eum in partes Histriae ad locum qui est inter Aquileiam Venetias Vbi Rex Dei permissione passus naufragium cum paucis euasit Quidam itaque fidelis noster comes Maynardus de Gooxce populus regionis illius audito quòd in terra erat considerato diligentiùs qualem nominatus Rex in terra promissionis proditionem traditionem perditionis suae cumulum exercuerat insecuti sunt intendentes eum captiuare Ipso autem rege in fugam conuerso ceperunt de suis octo milites Postmodum processit Rex ad Burgum in Archiepiscopatu Salseburgensi qui vocatur Frisorum vbi Fridericus de Betesow rege cum tribus tantùm versus Austriam properante noctu sex milites de suis cepit Delectus autem consanguineus noster Limpoldus Dux Austriae obseruata strata saepe dictum Regem iuxta Denam in villa vicinori in domo despecta captiuauit
thing if he refused to do that then the same were in great danger to be subiect to the Tartarians to the no litle peril of the whole Empire And said further that the cause wherfore he wyth more instance required the same was That so many christian men and countreis made such pitiful lamentation in this their great calamitie miserie that there was none able to helpe them which sayeth he is as great shame as may be to the whole Christian common state and Empire And also sayde that if the malice of this barbarous people were not suppressed that then he thought they wold make inuasion vpon the Empire and prouinces of the same The Emperor although he thought it very requisite that with all conuenient speede this mifchiefe should be remedied and preuēted yet notwithstanding his great enemie the Pope with hys confederates was the only let and hinderance therof For when he saw and perceiued that he himselfe could doe no good and onely laboured in vaine in seeking peace with the Pope he gaue commaundement to Boiemus and Boius to intreat and persuade wyth him And considering the imminent perill like to ensue by reason of such ciuile dissention to the whole state of Christendom that he would take vp and conclude a peace and mitigate some what his fierce and wrathful moode Wherfore when he saw furder that nether by that means of intreaty nor any other the Pope would desist from his stubburne and malicious froward purpose He writeth againe to the king of Hungarie the he was right sory and greatly lamented their miserable state that hee much desired to relieue the neede and necessity he and all the rest stood in But why that he coulde not redresse the same nor stande him then in any stead he blamed greatly the bishop of Rome who refusing all intreatie of peace could not wythout great perill to himselfe depart out of Italie least that when he shoulde come to the aide of hym by the Popes mischieuous imaginations he shuld be in perill of losing all at home Notwtstanding hee sent Conradus Celar king of Bohemia other princes more of Germany to resist and withstād the enemie as much as in them lay to do The great army and nomber of such soldiours as ware the crosse by the Popes assignement deferred their iourney against the Tartarians and had commaundement giuen them by that Albertus the Popes procurator to tary and abide at home till they should be called for in battaile to fight against the Emperour This was the louing zeale and affection of the Pope and hys adherentes to conclude in this time of calamitie towards the Christian state and common wealth That he had rather bend his force and reuenge his malice vpon the christian good Emperour then either he himself to withstande or suffer and permit by conclusion of any profitable peace that this most bloudy and cruell Tartarian should be let and restrained from so great hauock spoil slaughter of the Christen men And yet forsooth these mē wil seme to haue the greatest regard of al other to the Christian preseruation and thinke to haue the supremacie geuen therin what thing els is this then manifest mockerie and deceiuing of the people But notwithstanding euē in the midst of this spoile and hauocke of Polonia Bohemia and Hūgaria was it determined that at Libussa the princes confederate shuld be assembled about the deposing of the Emperour and creation of another But nowe notwtstanding the prouident foresight and wise pollicie of the Emperour as you heard before in restraining the passages both by the sea land who had speciall regard thereunto and gaue most straight charge that none should passe without priuie searche and examination as one hauing sufficient triall as well in hys owne person as by the example of his predecessours what great mischiefe dissention by their Legates euery way sent out they had procured both to the Imperial state and dignity and to the whole coūtrey of Germanie yet found they such meanes and wrought such pollicies that they had not only secrete passage and repassage with their letters and spials into all places of Christendome where they listed but also so laboured the matter and handled the same that the long continued league of amitie betwene the French king and the Emperour whose predecessors as also they themselues had many yeares reuerently obserued in Christian concord vnitie was by this seditious prelate arrogant vicar of sathan now either vtterly infringed or els in variable suspence as by their letters eche to other and heere vnder ensuing are to be red and seene which for the more probability of this history of Fredericke not being long or greatly tedious I thought mete here to intext and place The Epistle of the French King to Fredericke the Emperour touching the imprisoning of certaine Cardinals of Fraunce HEtherto noble Emperour hath the good opinion and great confidence many yeeres in mutuall loue established betwixt vs lasted and continued wel hoping that no such cause shuld rise betwixt vs to hatch either hatred or other occasion offensiue betwene your highnes empire our kingdō Especially seeing that al our predecessors Kings of France late of most worthy memory til these our daies haue ben so zelously affected to the most high and regall state of your Empire As that also we after whom God hath placed successiuely to raigne as king haue ben none otherwise minded nor affected towardes the same None otherwise also on their behalfe haue the auncient and renoumed Emperours of Rome our neighbours and your predecessours shewed themselues towards vs eche other esteming the Empire and kingdom of Fraunce as one and faithfully conseruing together the vnitie of peace and concord In somuch that there hath not chaunced betwene them these many yeares so much as one sparke of discorde and dissention But this notwithstanding we for our parte cannot but greatly maruell not without good cause are troubled and vexed That without desert or any offence you haue taken the Prelates of our realme vpon the sea making their repaire to the see Apostolicall to the which as well by their faith as their obedience they stande bounde and are obedient neither coulde they withstand the Pope his commandement these haue you imprisoned and so still deteine the same Whereat we do your maiestie to were we are not wel pleased neither yet take it in so good part as you peraduenture thinke we do For by their owne letters we vnderstande they had excogitate nothing preiudicial to your imperiall estate and celsitude although the Pope had prosecuted therein more then became him to doe Wherefore seeing that there is no cause why ye should detaine them it is meete and becommeth no lesse your magnificence but that you restore vnto vs and set at libertie the saide Prelates of our Realme wherein also you shall appease our grudge and kepe vs your friend which accompt
and consumed he was in great debt neither was able to satisfie the prouision of his owne house but driuen to taâ—e for his owne cates to no small dishonour to his owne state And nowe therfore said they pleaseth your highnes to be informed by our aduise and to commit your house to the guiding and gouernment of your owne faithfull and naturall subiects And we will take vppon vs to discharge your whole debt within one yere of our owne proper goods and reuenues so that we within 5. yeares may cleare our selues againe Neither wil we diminish your familie but rather increase it with a much greater retinue prouiding â—o for the safety and seeing to the custodie of your royall person as your highnes shal finde and vnderstand our diligence most trusty and faithfull vnto you in the ende To these woordes so louingly declared so humbly pretensed so heartely and freely offered the king as willingly condescended assigning to them both day and place where to conferre to deliberate farther vpon the matter which shoulde be at Oxforde the 15. day after Easter At which day and place all the states and Lordes wyth the bishops of the realme were summoned to appeare at the sayd town of Oxford for the behalfe of the king and the Realme conuented together Where first of the King himselfe then of the Lordes an oth was taken that what decrees or lawes in the said assembly should be prouided to the profite of the king and of the realme the same vniuersally shuld be kept and obserued to the honor of God vtilitie of his church and wealth of the Realme Besides these Lordes and the King were also 9. Bishops which swearing to the same did excommunicate all such as should gainstand the sayde prouisions there made the King holding a burning taper in his hand and the Lordes openly protesting to rise with all their force against all them that shall stande against the same There were at that present in the Realme foure brethren of the kings most part of them by the mothers side which would in no case agree heereunto but in anger departed priuely vnto wint The nobles hearing thereof in all spedy wise pursued them fearing least they should take the Citie of Wint. and forceably keepe the same Wherfore the Lordes preuenting their purpose and seeing them stiffely to persist in their stubburne sentence wrought no other violence against them but returning to Oxforde againe prescribed to them these coÌ„ditions that they departing the realme should repaire to their owne lands possessions which they had beyoÌ„d the sea And that foorthwith they should put this iniunction in execution Notwtstanding that the King made for them great intercession yet it tooke no place And because this should seeme to procede of no speciall displeasure against theÌ„ they enacted moreouer that all strangers and aliens of what state or condition soeuer should forthwith auoid the realme in paine of death Diuers other prouisions the same time were ordeined and stablished that if any did holde of the king in whole or in part and should chance him to depart his heire being vnder age the wardship of him should belong to the king as hath partly before bene specified Moreouer it was there decreed that the wooll of England should be wrought onely wythin the realme neither should it be transported out to straungers Item that no man should weare any cloth but which was wrought and made onely within the realme Item that garments too sumptuous shoulde not be brought in nor worne Item that all excessiue and prodigall expenses wasted vpon pleasure and superfluity should be eâ—â—hued of al persons Many other lawes decrees sayth the author in this assemble were ordeined wherein they continued the space of 15. daies and many of them were impoysoned of whom was the Abbot of Westminster a man in that order much commended Also William brother to the Earle of Glocester Also the Earle himself being â—mpoisoned hardly escaped with life his heare and nailes falling of his body wherof the author not long after was taken and duely executed at Wintchester In the mean time the nobles considering those dangers and ieoperdies were constrained to breake off for that time appoynting the 14. day of Octob. next folowing to conuent together at London with weapon and harnes to prosecute finish the residue that was in the said counsaile to be concluded All which at the time place appointed was fully accomplished and the actes thereof in order of wryting promulged and so committed to execution After the promulgation whereof many things therein displeased the king and it began to repent him of hys othe But because he coulde not at that present otherwise chuse he dissimuled for a season Thus time passing on wythin a yeare following which was 1261. the king seeing himselfe more more to grow in debt and not to be relieued according to promise made but especially being egged as may be thought by his brethren taking it to stomacke sent vp the Pope both for him and his sonne Edwarde to be released of their othe made before at Oxford The benefite of which absolution being casely obtained or rather bought at the Popes hande the king stepping backe from all that was before concluded calleth an other parliament at Oxford Where he before the Lords and nobles declared how in the late counsel of Oxford they had agreed among them selues for the coÌ„mon vtilitie of the Realme and of the king as they pretended for the increasing of his treasure his debt to be diminished And therupon bound themselues with an othe causing also himselfe and his sonne Edward to be bound to the same But now by experience prouing trying the matter to be otherwise then their promise was and that they contrary to their couenaunt made sought not so much the profâ—te of him of the Realme as their owne taking him not as their Lord but going about to bring him vnder their subiecâ—ion as an vnderling and for that moreouer his treasure greatly decreasing his debtes encreased and hys princely liberalitie was cut short and trodeÌ„ vnder foote They should not maruell therefore if he hencefoorth would be no more ruled by their counsail but would prouide himselfe of some other remedy such as he might And moreouer as touching the othe wherewith he his sonne stode bound vnto them he had sent already vnto Rome had obtained absolution and dispeÌ„sation of the same both for him and his sonne Edwarde also and for all other that would take his part And therefore he required of them to be restored againe to that state condition he had enioyed in times past To this againe gaue aunswere the state of nobilitie on the other side being in the same place present In the number of whome was Simon MouÌ„tfort Earle of Leycester Richard Clare Earle of Glocester Humfry Ronne Earle Ferrence with a great number of
vawward of the Barons battell In the meane tyme the mayne battayle of the Barons set vpon the kinges mayne battayle of the which the kyng of Almaine the brother of king Henry had the leading which being soone discomforted and he with hys sonne Henry Robert de Brus Iohn Couen with diuers other Captayne 's taken prisoners the reareward wherein the Kyng himselfe fought being immediately so hardly beset seyng his knightes and souldiours on euery side about him beaten down and slayne and diuers other of hys souldiours to forsake the field and shift for themselues thought good to take agayne the town and so retired into the Abbay frō whence he came shutting and rampering vp the gates caused the same to be strongly warded with souldiours To be briefe the Barons thus getting the field after long fight and many men on either side slayne entred also the town of Lewes pursuing in chase such souldiours as thether fled for succour In the meane tyme Prince Edward returning from the chase of the Lōdiners as ye heard who desired to geue the first onset and first espying the chariot of the Earle Simon which he caused purposely to be made for him the horses in the same without eyther waggener or any other to gouerne the same fell immediately vpon the chariote brake it al in peeces slew two Burgeses that were within the same But when he came nearer to the place where the bloudy battel had bene fought saw the great discomforture and ouerthrow which in his absence with great mortalitie and slaughter had happened hys hart was muche dismayd and hys countenaunce altered Yet notwithstanding comforting couraging his knightes souldiors of whom he had a valiant company in battell aray marched toward the towne Agaynst whome came the Barons agayne with all theyr power And this was begon betwixt them a fresh field and new battaile many men slayne on either side But at length the Earle de Warenia with the kinges two brethren forsooke the field and fled after whō went more then seuen hundred chosen souldiours whiche were of their house and family who the same day came to Penensie and there took shipping ouer the sea Also Hugh Bigot with diuers other fled and left the valiaunt Prince fighting in the field which thing he also perceauing tooke the towne And when he found not the King his father at the Castle he went frō thence to the Abbey where he was In the meane season the town was deuided in parts some fighting some spoyling some getting of booties neyther could scarcely one of them know discerne an other whether he were his friend or enemy But when win a whyle the Barōs had assembled some company they gaue an assault vpon the Castel thinking to haue rescued Iohn Bifford and others whom the kings souldiours had takē prisoners and put therein But the souldiours win defended manfully the same add in throwing out balles of wyld fire as for the defence thereof they had they also fired part of the towne Then the Barons retired and left the Castell and purposed to haue set vpon the Abbey where the King and prince Edward hys sonne was which also was set on fire by the assault geuen to the Castell But yet it was shortly recouered quenched Then Edward the kinges son perceiuing the bold enterprise of the Barons prepared with couragious knightes and souldiours as were yet remayning within the Abbey to haue issued out to haue geuē a new charge vpon thē But that perceiuing the Barons sent vnto the king Messengers to intreat a truce for that day on the morow to talk and cōclude of a further peace betweene them This battaile was fought vpō the 19. day of May being the yeare of our Lord. 1264. The next day whiche was Thursday there were sent on eyther side two preaching Friers betweene the king the Barons with certaine articles demaunds of peace so that with certeine others these conditions were agreed on that on the morow beyng Friday the prince should geue himselfe in hostage for the king hys father and other of his partes And Henry the Kinges sonne of Almayne also shoulde geue himselfe the like for hys father That those thinges which should be concluded vppon for the benefite and commoditie of the Realme and peaceable quietnes thereof might be performed and that all such prisoners as were taken on either side shoulde be freely raunsomed and sent home The next day which was Saterday the king discharged al his souldiours and other that were with him in the Abbey licensing them to depart whether they listed And furthermore by the aduise of his sonne and the Barons he gaue commandement to those which he had appoynted to the keeping of Tunbridge that they shold make no attēpt to the preiudice or hurt of the Barons but in hope of the peace which was now at the poynt to be concluded they should also depart euery man to theyr houses and habitations But they geuing no credite thereunto went with theyr furniture to Bristow where they kept themselues in garrison vntill the escaping of Edward the kinges sonne out of prison But first before that when they heard at Tunbridge that the king was vanquished in battaile that the Lōdiners in the forward were put to flight by Prince Edward by a messenger that escaped from the same and that also the same Londiners were at Crowdown they set vpon them in the euening tide and taking from them much spoyle slew also many of them But when Roger Mortimers part began to decrease Simon the Earles part on the other side to increase he bare himselfe more stoughter for that both the king and all that was his did depend vpon the good will and fauour of the Earle and led with him the kinges sonne to such holds Castles as he thought to be most strōgest As though all were in hys handes to doe as hym liked and kept the hostages more straightly thē he was wont to do In so much that when it was blown abroad that the kings sonne was kept as a prisoner diuers couusailed him that were hys frendes that he should desire to disport himselfe at the barriers that the people might haue a sight of him but he being narrowly garded as hee knewe and fearing some tumult to arise thought good to refuse their counsell and so did In this troublesome yeare whiche was 1264. as the Londiners with the nobles were thus occupyed in warre and dissention the malignaunt Iewes thinking to take vauntage of that tyme with priuy treason conspired agaynst the whole Citty and state of the Nobles Who being taken with the maner were almost all slayne that dwelt in the city of London In this yeare after the death of Pope Urbane succeeded the sayd yeare of our Lord. an 1264. Pope Clement the 4. Whiche Clement as affirmeth Nich Triuet was first a maryed man
the city by the Barons and Citizens for the space of 40. dayes And Octobonus the Legate who for feare was fled into the Tower they narowly layd for that he shoulde not escape At length by the intreaty of the Earle of Gloucester and other Earles that were his friendes both the Barons and Cittizens were pardoned and admitted to the kinges fauour And 4. Byshops and 8. other noble men were chosen such as were at Couentry first nominated that they should order and dispose all matters betweene the King and suche as had lost theyr inheritaunce as also the forme of theyr peace and raunsome And proclamation was made vppon the feast of all Sainctes of perfect peace and record throughout al the Realme The 52. yeare of this king Henries raigue 8. daies after the feast of S. Martin he held a parliament at Marlberge in the yeare of our Lord aboue recited where by the aduise of wise and discrete men with all the consentes of the nobles he ordeined and enacted diuers good and profitable statutes for the reformation and bettering of the state of the realme execution of common iustice which are called the statutes of Marleberge The same yeare vpon S. Gregoryes day Octobonus the Legate called a Councell at London where were fine Archbishops and a great number of Byshops Abbots other Prelates which Councell also within three dayes brake vp agayne The same yeare vpon S. Iohns day the Baptist Edward the kinges sonne diuers other noble men of England took vpon thē the crosse by the legates hands at Northhampton to the reliefe of the holy land and the subuersion of the enemies of the crosse of Christ which done the legate that same yeare wēt out of England not purposing after that to returne agayne This holy Legate sayth mine author whiche might well bee resembled to Lynx the monstrous beast whose quicke sight penetrateth euery thing enrolled to perpetuall memorye the valuation of all the churches in the realme of England so narowly as by any meanes possible be might enquire the certainty thereof The same was he that made all the Cathedral Conuentuall Churches to pay pencions so that those Churches whiche gaue not the vacancie of their benefices to their Clerkes and straungers should pay vnto them a certein yearly pencion during the vacācy of the benefices which they should haue The same yeare died Pope Clement 4. after whose death the Church of Rome was two yeares vacant then was chosen an archdeacon Cardinall whose name was Theardus as hee was taking hys iourny into the holy lande and called hym Gregory the 10. Then also dyd Edmunde Earle of Lancaster and Leicester and seconde sonne of king Henry take to wife the Earle of Albemark his daughter and the Niece of y◠Earle of Gloucester at whiche maryage was the king and the Queene and all the Nobilitie of England The same yeare was the body of S. Edward the king Confessour by Walter Gifford Archbishop of Yorke and other Bishops intombed in a new rich Schrine of golde and siluer beset with precious stones in the presēce of Hēry the king of Englād In which yeare also fel great rayne and inundation of waters suche as hath not lightly bene seene which increased and continued the space of 40. dayes and more The same yeare died Walter de Lawile Bishop of Sarum the third day before the nones of Ianuary After whō succeeded Robert of Northampton the Deane of the same Church And because the see of Cant. was then vacant he was confirmed by the Chapter of Canterbury whiche Chapter had alwayes the iurisdiction in spirituall causes during the vacancy of that see in as ample maner as the Byshop hymselfe had beyng aliue After thys the Byshop elect comming thither thinking to haue had hys consecration was notwithstanding put backe for two causes one was for that there was present then no more but one Byshop the other was for that all the other Bishops had appealed that he might not be consecrated to their preiudice that is by the authoritie of the Chapter of Cant. saying that they would not be vnder the obedience of the monks After this solempne Messengers were for this cause sent to the Cardinals of Rome for that then that see of Rome was vacant who receiued aunswere that during the vacation of that see the confirmation and consecration of the Byshop elect pertayned to the foresayd Chapter of Caunterbury The same yeare also was the Lord Henry the sonne heyre of the Lord Richard king of Almayne and brother to king Henry 2. slayne at Uiterbium in a certayne Chappel hearing Masse by the Lord Simō and Buido the sonnes of the Lord Simon Mountfort Earle of Leister During this kinges raigne there was made a great generall expedition of diuers and sondry Christian princes to Ierusalem taking vpon them the Lords character that is the Crosse among whome was also Edward the kings sonne one to the which expeditiō was graunted him a subsidie throughout al the realme And the month of May the yeare of our Lord. 1270. or as sayth Florilogus an 1269. he set forward on his iourny About the time when Prince Edward was preparing his iourny toward Asia Boniface the Archbishop of Canterbury ended his life in the country of Sebaudia goyng belike to Rome or comming thence After whose death the Monks of Canterbury proceeding to a new election grāted by the king agreed vppon the Prior of their house named Adam Chelendene But the king his sonne Prince Edward consenting and speaking in the behalfe of Robert Burnell theyr Chauncellour did sollicite the matter with the Monkes partly intreating partly threatning them to chuse the said Robert to be Archbishop Notwithstanding the Monkes being stoute woulde neyther relent to their curteous request nor yet bow to theyr boystrous threates but constantly persisting in their former election appealed from the king and prince to the Pope Prince Edward being now on his iourny and seing himselfe thus frustrated of the Monkes writeth backe to the king his father deuoutly praying and beseching in no wise to admit the election of the foresayd Monks And so passing to Douer with Hēry the sonne of Rich. his vncle king of Romanes with their wiues tooke their passage in the month of August After this the Prior thus elected as is foretold but not admitted by the king to be Archbishop went vp to Rome In the meane tyme the Monkes in the absence of their elect ordayned one Geoffrey Pomenall to be theyr Official who seing himself aduaunced to that dignity bearing belike some old grudge agaynst the Prior of Douer caused him to be cited vp to appeare in the Chapter house of Canterbury The Prior of Douer seing this citation to be preiudiciall to him and to the Church of Douer whereas the Monkes of Cant. haue no such iurisdiction the see of
CaÌ„terbury being vacant but that all things appertayning to that Church ought to be reserued whole to the consecratioÌ„ of the new Archb. therefore for the state both of hym and of hys Church he appealed vp also vnto Rome But to returne to the archbishop agayne The second yeare after Adam Chelindon the foresayde Archb. elect remayning all this while at Rome at last resigned vp hys election to the popes hand beyng Breg 10. who then gaue the same to Rob. Kilwarby Who then coÌ„ming to Douer restored agayn the Prior of that house being before excluded vpon certain causes By these coutentions iudge good reader of the religion of these men and of these tunes And now to returne to our former story About whiche tyme came out the great concordaunces by an Englishe Frier called Iohn Dernington Ex Eulogio It was aboue declared how a generall voyage beyng proclaymed to warre agaynst the Turkes and a subsidie beyng collected in EnglaÌ„d vpon the same prince Edward with other was appoynted to take theyr voyage nowe were onward in theyr iourny Who at Michelmas following with hys company came to Egermorth whiche is from Marsilius 8. leagues westward there taking ship agayne hauing a mery winde and prosperous within x. dayes ariued at Sunes at Tunicium where he was wyth great ioy welcommed entertayned of the Christian princes that there were to this purpose assembled as of Philip the French king whose father Ludouicus died a little before of Carolus the king of Sicilia and the two kinges of Nauarre and AragoÌ„ And as the Lord Edward came thither for hys father the king of England thither came also Henry the sonne of the king of Almaine for his father who at hys returne from the voyage was slayne in a chappell at Uiterbium hearing masse by the Lord SimoÌ„ and Buido the sonnes of the Lord Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester When Prince Edward demaunded of these kings and Princes what was to be done they answered him agayne and sayd The Prince of this Cittie sayd they and the prouince adioyning to the same hath bene accustomed to pay tribute vnto the king of Sicile euery yeare And nowe for that the same hath bene for the space of vii yeares vnpayed and more therefore we thought good to make inuasion vpon hym But the king knowing the same tribute to be but iustly demaunded hath now according to our owne desires satisfied for the tyme past and also payed his tribute before hand Then sayde he My Lordes what is this to the purpose Are we not here all assembled and haue taken vpon vs the Lordes Character to fight against the Infidels and enemies of Christ what meane you then to conclude a peace with them God forbid we should do so for nowe the land is playne and hard so that we may approch the holy Citty Ierusalem then sayd they nowe haue we made a league with them neither is it lawfull for vs to breake the same But let vs returne agayne to Sicilia and when the wynter is past we may well take shipping to Acra But this counsaile nothing at al liked him neither did he shew himselfe wel pleased therwith But after that he had made them a princely banquet he went into hys closet or priny chamber from amongst them neither woulde be partake â— of any of that wicked mony which they had taken They notwithstanding continuing their purpose at the next mery wynd took shipping and for want of ships left CC. of theyr men a shore crying out piteously lamenting for the perill hazard of death they were in wherewith Prince Edward being somewhat moued with compassion came backe agayne to the land and receiued and stowed them in his own shippes being the last that went aborde within 7. dayes after they arriued in the kingdome of Scicilia ouer agaynst the Citty Trapes casting theyr anchors a league from thence within the sea for that their ships were of great burden throughly fraught And fâ—oÌ„ the hauen of the Cittie they sent out varges and boates to receiue and bring such of the Nobilitie to land as would but for theyr horses for the most part and all their armour they kept stil within bourd At length towardes the euening the sea began to be rough encreased to a great tempest a mighty In so much that their ships were beaten one against an others sides and drowned there was of them at that reÌ„pest lying at anchor more then 120. with all their armour and munition with innumerable soules besides and that wicked mony also which they had taken before likewise perished and was drowned But the tempest hurt not so much as one ship of Prince Edwardes who had in number 13. nor yet had one man lost thereby for that as it may be presupposed he consented not to the wicked counsaile of yâ— rest When in the morning the Princes and kinges came to the sea side and saw al theyr shyps drowned and saw their men and horses in great number cast vpon the land drowned they had full heauy heartes as well they might For of all theyr shyps and mariners whiche were in number a 1500. besides the common souldiours there was no more saued then the Mariners of one onely Shyp and they in this wise There was in that ship a good and wise Matrone a Countesse or an Earles wife perceiuing the tempest to grow and fearing her self called to her the Maister of the ship asked whether in attempting to the shore it were not possible to saue themselues who answered that to saue the ship it was impossible howbeit the men that were therein by Gods help he doubted not Then sayd the Countesse for the ship force no whit saue the soules therein and haue to the double the valure of thy ship who immediately hoysing the sayles with all force ran the ship a groundso neare the shore as possible was Thus with the vehemency of the weather and force he came withall brast the ship and saued all that was within the same as the matter had shewed and sayd before Then the kinges and princes altering theyr purpose after this so great a shypwrack returned home again eueuery one vnto their own lands Onely Edward the kings sonne remayned behinde with his men and ships which yâ— Lord had saued and preserued Then Prince Edward renouating hys purpose tooke shipping agayn and within 15. dayes after Easter arriued he at Acra and went a land taking with hym a thousand of the best souldiours most expert taryed there a whole month refreshing both hys men and horses and that in this space he might learne and know the secretes of the land After this he took with hym 6. or 7. thousand souldiours and marched forward twenty myles from Acra and tooke Nazareth and those he there found he slew and afterward returned again to Acra But their enemies following after them thinking to haue set vpon
subiect vnder one Adding furthermore that the kingdome of Scotland first was conuerted by the reliques of the blessed Apostle S. Peter through the deuine operation of God to the vnity of the Catholicke fayth Wherefore vpon these causes and reasons Pope Boniface in hys letters to the king required him to geue ouer hys clayme and cease his warres agaynst the Scottish nation And to release all such both of the spiritualtie and laytie as he had of them prisoners Also to call home agayne his officers and deputies whiche he had there placed and ordained to the greauance of that nation to the sclaunder of all faythfull people and no lesse preiudice to the Church of Rome And if he would clayme any right or title to the said Realme or any part therof he should send vp his procuratours specially to the same appoynted with all that he could for himselfe alleadge vnto the sea Apostolicke there to receaue what reason and right would require The king after he had receaued these letters of the Pope assembled a councell or Parliament at Lincolne by the aduise of which counsell Parliament he addressed other letters responsall to the Pope agaynes wherein first in al reuerend maner he desireth him not to geue light care to the sinister suggestions of false reportes and imaginers of mischiefe Then he declareth out of old recordes histories frō the first time of the Brittaynes that the realm of Scotland hath alwayes from time to time bene all one to England beginning first with Brutus in the tyme of Dely and Samuell the Prophet which Brutus comming frō Troy to his I le called then Albion after called by hym Britannia had three sonnes Locrinus to whome he gaue the part of the land called then of hym Loegria now Auglia Albanactus his second sonne to whom he gaue Albania nowe called Scotia and hys thyrd sonne Lamber to whome he gaue Cambria now called Wales c. And thus much concerning the first deuision of this I le as in auncient histories is found recorded In whiche matter passing ouer the death of king Humber the actes of Dunwald king of this Realme the deuision of Belyn and Brene the victories of king Arthur we will resort sayth the king to more nearer tymes testified and witnessed by sufficient authors as Marianus Scotus William Malmesbury Roger Abyndon Henry Huntington Radulph de Bizoto and other All which make special declaration geue manifest euidence of the execution of this our right sayth he title of Superioritie euer continued preseued hetherto And first to begin with Edward the Seniour before the conquest sonne to Alurede kyng of England about the yeare of our Lord. 900. it is playne and manifest that he had vnder hys dominion and obedience the king of Scots And here is to be noted that this matter was so notorious and manifest as Maryan the Scot writing that story in those dayes graunteth confesseth and testifieth the same and this dominion continued in that state 23. yeare At whiche tyme Athelstane succeeded in the crowne of England and hauing by battaile cōquered Scotland he made one Constantine king of that party to rule gouerne the country of Scotland vnder him adding this princely word That it was more honour to him to make a king then to be a king 24. yeares after that whiche was the yeare of our Lord 947. Eldred king our progenitour Athelstanus brother took homage of Irise then king of Scots 30. yeares after that whiche was the yeare of our Lorde 977. kyng Edgar our predecessour tooke homage of Kynalde king of Scots Here was a little trouble in England by the death of S Edward kyng and martyr destroyed by the deceite of hys mother in law but yet within memory 40. yeares after the homage done by Kynald to King Edgar that is to say in the yeare of our Lord. 1017. Malcoline the king of Scots did homage to Knute our predecessour After this homage done The Scots vttered some peece of theyr naturall disposition whereupon by warre made by our progenitour S. Edward the confessour 39. yeare after that homage done that is to saye the yeare of our Lord. 1056 Malcoline king of Scots was vanquished and the realme of Scotland geuen to Malcoline his sonne by our sayd progenitour S. Edward vnto whom the sayd Malcoline made homage and fealty Within 40. yeares after that William Conquerour entred this realme whereof he accompted no perfect conquest vntill he had likewise subdued the Scots and therfore in the sayd yeare which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1068 the sayde Malcoline King of Scots did homage to the sayd William Conquerour as hys superiour by Conquest king of England 25. yeares after that which was the yeare of our Lord. 1093. the sayd Malcoline did homage fealty to William Rufus sonne to the sayd William Conquerour and yet after that was for his offences and demerites deposed and hys sonne substitute in hys place who likewise fayled in his duety and therfore was ordained in that estate by the sayd William Rufus Edgar brother to the last Malcoline and sonne to the first who did hys homage and fealty accordingly 7. yeares after that which was in the yeare of our Lorde 1100. the sayd Edgar king of the Scots did homage to Henry the first our progenitour 37 yeare after that Dauid king of Scots did homage to Matilde the Emperatrice as daughter and heyre to Henry the first Wherefore being after required by Stephen then obtayning possession of the Realme to make his homage he refused so to doe because he had before made it to the sayd Matilde and thereupon forbare After whiche Dauids death whiche ensued shortly after the sonne of the sayde Dauid made homage to the sayde Kyng Stephen 14. yeares after that whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 1150. William king of Scots and Dauid hys brother with all the nobles of Scotland made homage to Henry the second sonne with a reseruation of their duetye to Henry the second hys Father 25 yeares after that which was in the yeare of our Lorde 1175. William kyng of Scotland after much rebellion and resistaunce according to their naturall inclination King Henry the second then beyng in Normandy knowledged finally his errour and made hys peace and composition confimed with hys great Seale and the Seales of the nobilitie of Scotland making therewith his homage and fealtie Within 15. yeares after that which wat the yeare of our Lorde 1190 the sayd William king of Scots came to our Citty of Caunterbury and there dyd homage to our noble progenitour Kyng Richard the first 1124. yeares after that the said William did Homage to our progenitour king Iohn vpon a hill besides Lincolne making his othe vpon the Crosse of Hubert then Archbishop of Canterbury being there present and a merueilous multitude assembled for that purpose 26. yeare after that whiche was in the yeare of our Lorde 1230. Alexander king of Scots maryed
gouernement of both the states as well secular as also ecclesiasticall The king therfore not suffering the excessiue proceedinges of Pope Clement the 5. aboue specified directeth his letters mandatory to the Prelates and Barons of the realme of Fraūce to connēt assemble themselues together at Paris about the beginning of December the yeare aboue prefixed The tenor of which letters of the king directed to the Prelates followeth in this forme and maner ¶ The Sommons of a Parliament by Philip the French king PHilip by the grace of God king of Fraunce to our welbeloued Bishop of Eduens greeting and salutation Reuerend Father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greete you well The more sight and knowledge you haue in diuinitye and the holye Scriptures of God with the practise and experience of other good qualityes and vertues you know the better a great deale how that the Clergy and layty of this our Realme as members of one body ought to cleaue and sticke together and how by theyr helping hand vnity and peace should bee maynetayned of all and the contrary eschued and auoyded euery state contēting it selfe not incroching one vpon another And because we are aduertised how that our Barons and officers as well in time past as of late haue diuersly in diuers poyntes iniuried you as semblably you and yours in many causes haue wrongfullye damaged them by occasion wherof the knot of vnitie and concord which ought to haue florished among you is quite loosed and vndone To the end therefore by Gods grace some good reformation and redresse may be had herein We most studious of vnity and concord requere you and by these our letters commaūd you to appeare personally before vs at Paris the 15. day of Decēber next ensuing the dare hereof and there before vs to make relation of such wrong as ye haue receiued at the laities hāds And wee likewise straightly charge and commaund you our Barons Bailiffes and officers not to fayle but to make your personall appearaunces before vs the day and place aboue written there to exhibite before vs a bill of such complayntes wherewith you burden our Prelats and Clergy with their officials that we with our counsell consulting thereupon with due regard may see redresse therin wherby perpetuall loue and charity may euer hereafter raigne and remayne among them for euer Geuen at Paris the first day of September an 1329. At the day in the letters aboue specified the Prelates and Clergy assembled themselues before the King at hys palace in Paris that is to witte The L. Baturicen the L. of Auxitan the L. Turonen the L. Rothom and the L. Senon all Archbishops The L. Beluaren the L. Cathalan the L. Laudun the L. of Paris the L. Nousonon the L. Carnoten the L. Constan the L. Andegauen the L. Pictauen the L. Melden the L. of Cameracen the L. of S. Feri the L. Brioce the L. of Cabition the L. of Eduen all Byshops Where after due reuerence done vnto the Kinges grace there sitting in his owne person wyth his Barons and counsell about him a certayne noble and wise person Lord Peter de Cugnerijs being one of the kinges counsell rose vp and openly in the Parliament house spake in the kinges behalfe on this wise taking for hys Theame Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari quae sunt Dei Deo which is to say geue and render vnto Cesar whiche is his and vnto God which is Gods which he uery artificially prosecuted and applyed deuiding it into 2. partes First that obedience and reuerence is due vnto the king Secondly that there ought to be a difference betweene the iurisdiction of the clergy and laity so that spirituall matters should be defined and ordered by the Prelats and spirituall men and temporall causes ruled and determined by the king his Barons and temporall men Which all he proued by many reasōs both of fact and law as more fully appeareth beneath in the answere of the Byshop of Eduen finally he concluded that the Clergy ought onely to deale and haue to doe with spirituall matters in defence whereof the kings highnes would stand their good Lord and maintayner His Oration being ended he repeated certayn wordes in the French toung which imported that the kinges will and pleasure was in some poyntes to renew the temporall state and iurisdiction therewith exhibited a certaine bill in French whereof also he gaue a copy to the Prelates contayning certaine pointes and articles vnder writtē the contentes wherof he affirmed not to appertaine to the order iurisdiction of the spiritualty but onely to the temporalty complayning that the Clergy had wrōgfully proceeded in y◠same But notwithstanding the premisses for all this his complaint he sayd that y◠Prelates should haue time to consult and deliberate thereupō with the king The copy of which articles with answers ensuing vpon the same and the grieuaunces of the kingdome of Fraunce wrought by the clergy and exhibited to the king hereafter foloweth 1. First the cognition of causes reall whether they touch possession or their propriety or not by commō law apperteineth to y◠iurisdicion temporall But the Prelates wyth their officials to y◠end to infringe the tēporall iurisdiction take vpon them the determination of such causes reall especially concerning possession and all other interdictes 2. Item when a temporall man is sued by any Clerke or spirituall man for the possession of his land obtayning an adiornament of the secular power in the cause of nouite or otherwise The prelates officials stopping hereby the tēporall iurisdiction at the instaunce of the Clerke calleth by proces before them both the secular iudge and the party inhibiting them to proceed any farther in the cause vnder payne of excommunication and forfeiture of a certayne summe 3. Item although the secular iudge haue the cognition of all lay mens matters except in spirituall causes yet wil y◠Bishops Officials at the instaunce of any partye call such before them And if the tēporall mē do except against their iurisdiction alleadging the incompitency of the iudge or els if they require the cause to be remitted to them vnder whom they are as the right iudges yet doth the Officials refuse this to do yea and by excommunication compell the parties to proceed before them 4. Item the Byshoppes Officials at the instaunce of the clerks alledging that they are iniuried in matters of inheritance by a lay man call by proces the laity And if it be alledged that those causes stand vpō reality being so indeed for that consideration the cause to be remitted to the tēporall law This notwithstanding the Officials prohibit them vnder payne of excommunication or some great forfeit not to proceed but before them 5. Item the Bishops Officials take vpon them to heare the plea of such contractes as either be conceiued in writings or made by word of mouth in the temporall law
and Emperor especially constituted the said lawe And likewise to speake of custome it hath bene known frō time out of mind the same to haue belonged to the church of Fraunce He therefore which shal go about to violate this lawe committeth sacrilege 11. q. 1. ca. 1. 2. And let not the kings maiestie maruell if that in this most noble Realme of Fraunce thys prerogatiue be due vnto the Churche As when hereby his power and nobilitie is beutified Anth. vt iud sine quoquo suffra fi in principio Col 2. Besides this our soueraigne Lorde and King at what time hee was crowned was sworne by the Euangelists to keepe and obserue thys Canonicall priuiledge of the Churche Further the Barons who in a manner are all sworne to the Churche swore fidelity to the same by which oth of fidelity they are bound to keepe these liberties and rights of the Churche When therfore euery oth which tendeth not to the perdition of the soule is to be kept a fortiori that oth which is taken in the fauor of the church is much more to be obserued c. Si vero extra de iure iurando 22. quaest 4. c vlt. Besides thys blessed Ludouicke Phillip of Arragon Phillip the faire Ludouicke Carolus the great Phillip confirmed these priuiledges customes and liberties of the Church which all were sworne at their coronations as before c. These things considered who can aduise the kings maiesty with out damning of his owne soule contrary to these liberties graunted and so confirmed to the Church To whom belōgeth great reward whosoeuer bestoweth any thing vpon the Churche Antho. de non alie at permut re ecc § si minis col 3. neyther maketh it against vs where it is sayde that there are two swordes c. Neyther yet the distinction betwene the Byshoppricke and kingdome Because it is true that there are two swordes the power wherof is left to the churches hand although the execution of the material sword is committed to the temporal and secular men Matth. 26. where Christ saith to Peter conuert and put vp thy sword into the place But as touching the distinction betwixt the Byshopricke and kingdom in deede it is true asmuch as appertaineth to the end to the execution of bloud but not concerning the beginning subiect for that in one subiect both the powers are may be and ought to be as is before prooued To that poynt where it is said that Christ payed tribute it is answered that not therfore he payd it because he ought or was bounde thereunto because it is certainly true that the sonnes of the king as hee was ought not to pay but this he did to auoide offence yea also the Clergy is not boūd hereunto Esdrae 1. vlt. Wherfore such things do not inferre a consequence Neither yet maketh that against vs where it is sayd that the king our soueraigne Lord maister can not abdicate from himselfe this right especially for that he was sworne thereunto at the time of his coronation c. for it is aunswered that he may wel abdicate the same And howe doth he abdicate the same from hymselfe which be geueth and bestoweth to God the Church The land is the Lords And doubtles to geue is nothing els but to tender to God and the church their owne for then by that reason the gift giuē to the church by Cōstantine is naught and nothing woorth which is false and this is proued xvi dist ca. Const. Wherby it appeareth that an Emperour and king may alienate things of the empire ff de legatis i. l. apud Iulianum § vlt. nor yet heereby the Empire or kingdome is damaged for that the thing returneth to the pristinat state ff de pactis l. vnus § pactus 35. dist ab exordio Furthermore by this reason propounded all the kings of France which euer were and especially blessed Ludouike shuld be spotted for if that were true as God forbid then al they were persured and died in mortal sinne which is to too absurde Last of all it hurteth not where it is sayd that such things are inprescriptible It is true in deede they cannot of subiects or otherwise then of the Church be prescribed but in this cause we talke not of subiects Also seeing they may be alieuated they may be prescribed especially the kinges thus consenting who confirmed the same so long a time which excludeth all right both fiscal and ecclesiastical The prelates therefore al with one consent agreeth affirmeth to the same as a verity to be maintained and defended Beseeching the kings maiestie their Lorde both for hys soule health and peace of the Church to maintaine the same and keeping the liberties of the Church Desiring hym to consider what commoditie daily he receiueth by the Churche and that hys Churche neuer failed him yet when hee had neede of the laitie shewing the daungers and examples of them who did to the contrary Further hee beseeched hys highnesse to way howe entierly hys Lord the Pope doeth and hath loued his person and realme Affirming that neuer any placed in the seat of Peter loued better his realme then he doth Alledging the text of Eccl. 6. where it is sayd Stande in the multitude of the Priests and beleeue them with thy heart After this in the sayd Session The foresayde Byshop of Eduen prolocutour inferred many things beside answered particularly to the articles aboue specified and exhibited by the Lord Peter in wryting to the king and parliament Which because they touch more the subtiltie of the law and stiles of the courtes then are necessary to this our history and because we would not burdē the volume with all conteining no great profite in them we haue heere of purpose for breuities sake omitted them passing to the next sitting which was the next friday next after following the same as ensueth The next Friday after thys the Prelates assembled at Uicenas before the Kyng to heare theyr answere where the foresaid Lorde Peter of Lugner being prolocutour for the king spake on this wise taking for hys theame I am peace vnto you do not feare c. which he prosecuted monished that they shoulde not be troubled in any thyng that there had bene spoken For that the intent and minde of the soueraigne Lorde their king was to keepe the rites of the Church and Prelates which they had by law and by good and reasonable custome Where betweene the first and second conclusion he went about to prooue that the cognition of ciuill causes ought not to appertaine to the Church For that such things were temporal and ought to pertaine to the temporaltie as spirituall things to the spiritualtie And besides his other reasons hee alleaged the 86 dist declaring for a truth that for this intent first the clarks crowns were shauen in signe that they shuld be free frō all worldlinesse and forsake
theyned vp all this while for the space of a thousand yeares beginneth about this time to be losed and to come abroad according to the forewarning of S. Iohns Reuelation Therefore to conclude the fourth Booke wherein sufficiently hath bene described the excessiue pride and pompe of Antechrist florishing in his ruffe and securitye from the time of William Conquerour hitherto now Christ willing assisting vs thereunto we minde in these latter Books hereafter following in order of history to expresse the latter persecutions and horrible troubles of the Church raysed vp by Satan as in his minister Antechrist with the resistaunce agayne of Christes Church agaynst him And so to prosecute by the mercifull grace of Christ the proceeding and course of times till we come at length to the fall and ruine of the sayd Antechrist To the intent that if any be in such errour to thinke that Antechrist is yet to come let him consider and ponder well the tragicall rages the miserable and most sorrowfull persecutions murders and vexations of these latter 300. yeares now following and I doubt not but he will be put out of all doubt to know that not onely Antechrist is already come but also to know where he sitteth how he is now falling apace the Lord Christ be thāked for euer to his decay and confusion THE FIFT BOOKE CONTEYning the last 300. yeares from the loosing out of Satan THVS hauing discoursed in these former Bookes the order and course of yeares from the first tying vp of Sathan vnto the yeare of our Lorde 1360. I haue a little ouerpassed the stint of time in the Scriptures appoynted for the loosing out of hym againe For so it is wrytten by S. Iohn Apocal. 20. that after a thousande yeares Satanas the olde Dragon shal be let loose againe for a season c. For the better explanation of the whych mysterie let vs first consider the context of the scripture afterward let vs examine by history and course of times the meaning of the same And first to recite the wordes of the Apocal. the text of the Prophecy is this cap. 23. And I saw an Aungell descending from heauen hauing a kay of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hande And hee tooke the Dragon the olde Serpente whych is the deuill and Satanas and bounde hym for a thousand yeares and put hym in the bottomlesse dungeon and shutte him vp and signed him with hys seale that he should no more seduce the Gentiles till a thousande yeares were expired And after that he must be loosed againe for a little space of time And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and the soules I sawe of them which were beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus c. By these wordes of the Reuelation heere recited three speciall times are to be noted 1. First the being abroade of Sathan to deceyue the world 2. The binding vp of him 3. Thirdly the losing out of him againe after a thousand yeares consummate for a time Concerning the interpretation of whych times I see the common opinion of many to be deceiued by ignorance of hystories and state of things done in the church supposing that the chaining vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares spoken of in the Reuelation was meant from the birthe of Christe our Lorde Wherein I graunt that spiritually the strength and dominion of Sathan in accusing condemning vs for sinne was cast downe at the passion and by the passion of Christ our sauiour and locked vp not onely for a thousande yeares but for euer and euer Albeit as touching the malitious hatred and furie of that Serpent against the outward bodies of Christes poore saints which is the heele of Christ to afflicte and torment the Churche outwardly That I iudge to be meant in the Reuelation of S. Iohn not to be restrained til the ceasing of those terrible persecutions of the primitiue Church At what time it pleased God to pity the sorrowfull affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of three hundred yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments Which is meant by binding vp of Sathan worker of all those mischiefes vnderstanding thereby that for so much as the Deuill prince of thys worlde had now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost al his power and interest against the soule of man shoulde turne his furyous rage malice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ which is meant by the heele of the seede Genes 3. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet shuld not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it shoulde please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and geue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time being expired the sayd serpent should be suffred loose againe for a certaine or a small time Apoc. 20. And thus to expound this Propheticall place of scripture I am led by three reasons The first is for that the binding vp of Sathan and closing hym in the bottomles pit by the Angell importeth as much that hee was at libertye raging and doyng mischiefe before And certesse those so terrible and so horrible persecutiōs of the primitiue time vniuersally through the whole world during the space of three hundreth yeares of the Church do declare no lesse Wherein it is to be thought and supposed that Sathan all that time was not fastened and closed vp The second reason moouing me to thinke that the closing vp of Sathan was after the ten persecutions of the primitiue Church is taken out of the twelft chapter of the Apocalips Where we read that after the woman meaning the Church had trauailed foorth her man childe the olde Dragon the Deuill the same time being cast downe from heauen drawing the thirde part of the starres wyth him stoode before the woman with great anger and persecuted her that is the Church of God with a whole floude of water that is wyth aboundance of all kindes of torments and from thence went moreouer to fight agaynst the residue of her side and stoode vpon the sands of the sea wherby it appeareth that he was not as yet locked vp The thirde reason I collect out of the Apocalyps thirteenth Chapter where is wrytten of the beast signifying the Emperiall Monarchie of Rome that hee had power to make warre fourtie and two monethes By the whych monethes is meant no doubt the tyme that the Dragon and the persecuting Emperours should haue in afflicting the Saintes of the primitiue Church The computation of which fortie two monethes counting euery moneth for a Sabboth of yeares that is for seuen yeares after the order of Scripture riseth to the summe counting from the passion of the Lord Christ three hundred yeares lacking sixe at what time Maxentius the last
statute of prouision and premunire made in the 25. yeare of thys kynges dayes And let hym read in the statutes made in the parliamentes holden the 27 yeare and 38. yeare of hys raigne And vnder the same title of prouision and premunire shall finde the popes primacie and iurisdiction wythin this Realme more nearely touched and much of hys papall power restrayned In so much that who soeuer for any cause or controuersy in law either spirituall or temporal the same being determinable in any of the kyngs courts as all matters were whether they were personall or reall citations or other or should eyther appeale or consent to any appellation to be made out of the realme to the pope or see of Rome should incurve the sayd penaltie and daunger of premunire Diuers other matters wherein the Pope is restrained of his vsurped power authoritie iurisdiction within this realme of England are in the sayd titles and statutes expressed at large set forth who euer list to peruse the same which for breuities sake I omitte hastening to other matters About this tyme being the yeare of our Lorde 1370. lyued holy Brigit whom the Church of Rome hath canonised not onely for a saint but also for a Prophetesse who notwithstanding in her booke of reuelations which hath bene oft times imprinted was a great rebuker of the pope and of the filth of his clergie callyng him a murtherer of soules a spiller and a pyller of the flocke of Christ more abhominable then Iewes more crueller thē Iudas more vniust then Pilate worse then Lucifer hymselfe The see of the Pope she prophesieth shal be throwne down into the deepe lyke a mylstone And that his assister shall burne with brimstone Affirmyng that the prelates byshops priests are the cause why the doctrine of Christ is neglected and almost extincted And that the clergie haue turned the ten commaundementes of God into two wordes to wyt Da pecuniam that is Geue money It were long and tedious to declare all that she against them writeth Among the rest which I omytte let this suffice for all where as the sayde Briget affirmeth in her reuelations that when the holy Uirgine should say to her sonne howe Rome was a fruitfull and fertile field yea sayd hee but of weedes onely and cockle c. To thys Briget I will ioyne also Catherina Senensis an holy virgin which lyued much about the same tyme ann 1379. Of whome writeth Antoninus part historiae 3. Thys Katherine hauyng the spirite of prophesie was wōt much to complaine of the corrupt state of the church namely of the prelates of the court of Rome of the pope prophesying before of the great schisme which then folowed in the Church of Rome and dured to the Councell of Constance the space of xxxix yeares Also of the great warres ano tribulation which ensued vpon the same And moreouer declared before and foretold of this so excellēt reformation of religion in the Church now present The words of Antoninus be these After this Uirgine in her going to Rome had tolde her brother of the warres and tumultes that should rise in the coūtries about Rome after y◠schisme of the two Popes I then curious to know of thinges to come knowing that she vnderstood by reuelation what should happen demaunded of her I pray you good mother sayd I and what shall befall after these troubles in the Church of God And she sayd By these tribulations and afflictions after a secret maner vnknowne vnto man God shall purge his holy Church and stirre vp the spirit of his elect And after these thinges shall follow suche a reformation of the holy Churche of God and suche a renouation of holye Pastors that the onelye cogitation and remembraunce thereof maketh my spirit to reioyce in the Lord And as I haue oftentimes tolde you heretofore the spouse which now is all deformed and ragged shall be adorned and deckt with most rich and precious ouches and brouches And all the faythfull shall be glad and reioyce to see themselues so beautified with so holy shepheards Yea and also the Infidels then allured by the sweet sauour of Christ shall returne to the catholicke folde and be conuerted to the true Bishop and shepheard of their soules Geue thankes therefore to God for after this storme he will geue to his a great calme And after she had thus spoken she stayd and sayd no more Beside these aforenamed the Lord which neuer ceaseth to worke in his Church styrred vp agaynst the malignant church of Rome the spirites of diuers other good godly teachers as Matthias Parisiensis a Bohemian borne who about the yeare of our Lord 1370. wrote a large book of Antechrist and proueth him already come and noteth the Pope to be the same Which booke one Illiricus a writer in these our dayes hath promiseth to put it in print In this booke he doth greatly inuey against the wickednesse and filthines of the Clergy and agaynst the neglecting of theyr duety in gouerning the church The Locustes mentioned in the Apocalips he sayth be the hypocrites raigning in the church The workes of Antechrist he sayth be these the fables and inuentions of men raigning in the Church the Images fained reliques that are worshipped euery where Itē that men do worship euery one his proper Saint and Sauior beside Christ so that euery mā and City almost hath his diuers and peculiar Christ. He taught and affirmed moreouer that godlines true worship of God are not boūd to place persons or times to be heard more in this place thē in an other at this time more thē at an other c. He argueth also agaynst the cloisterers which leauing the onely and true Sauior set vp to them selues theyr Franciscanes theyr Dominickes and suche other and haue them for theyr Sauiors glorying and triumphing in them and fayning many forged lyes vpon them He was greatly and much offended with Monks friers for neglecting or rather burying the word of Christ and in stead of him for celebrating setting vp theyr own rules and canons affirming it to be much hurtfull to true godlines for that Priestes Monkes and Nunnes do account themselues onely spirituall and all other to be lay secular attributing onely to themselues the opinion of holynes contemning other men with al theyr politick administration the office as prophane in cōparison of theyr owne He further writeth that Antechrist hath seduced all Uniuersities Colleges of learned men so that they teach no sincere doctrine neither geue any light to the Christiās with theyr teaching Finally he forewarneth that it will come to passe that God yet once againe will raise vp godly teachers who being feruent in the spirite and zeale of Helias shall disclose and refute the errors of Antechrist and Antechrist himselfe openly to the whole world This Mathias in the sayd booke of
Antechrist alledgeth the sayinges and writinges of the Uniuersity of Paris also the writings of Guilielmus de sacto amore and of Militzius afore noted About the same time or shortly after an 1384. we read also of Ioannes of Mountziger Rector of the Uniuersity of Ulme who opēly in the scholes in his Oratiō propoūded that the body of Christ was not God and therfore not to be worshipped as God with that kinde of worship called Latria as the Sophister termeth it meaning thereby the Sacrament not to be adored which afterward he also defended by writing affirming also that Christ in his resurrection tooke to him agayne all his bloud which in hys passion he had shed Meaning thereby to inferre that the bloud of Christ which in many places is worshipped neither can be called the bloud of Christ neither ought to be worshipped But by and by he was resisted and withstood by the Monks and friers who by this kinde of Idolatry were greatly enriched till at length the Senate councell of the city was fayne to take vp the matter betwene them Nilus was Archbishop of Thessalonica liued much about this time He wrote a long worke agaynst the Latins that is agaynst such as tooke part and held with the Church of Rome His first book being written in Greeke was after translated into latin lately now into english in this our time In the first chap. of his book he layeth all the blame and fault of the dissention schisme betwene the East and the West Church vpon the Pope He affirmed that the Pope onely would commaund what him listed were it neuer so contrary to all the olde auncient canōs That he would heare and folow no mans aduise that he would not permit any free coūcels to be assēbled c. And that therfore it was not possible that the cōtrouersies betwene the Greeke Church and Latine Church should be decided and determined In the second chap. of his book he purposedly maketh a very learned disputation For first he declareth that he no whit at all by Gods commaūdement but onely by humain law hath any dignity more thē hath other bishops which dignity the Councels the fathers the Emperors haue graunted vnto him Neither did they graūt the same for any other consideration more or greater ordinaunce then for that the same City then had the Impery of all the whole world and not at all for that that Peter euer was there or not there Secondarily he declareth that the same premacy or prerogatiue is not such and so great as he and his Sicophāts do vsurpe vnto thēselues Also he refuteth the chiefest propositions of the Papistes one after an other He declareth that the Pope hath no dominion more thē other Patriarches haue and that he himselfe may erre as well as other mortall men and that he is subiect both to lawes councels as well as other Bishops That it belonged not to him but to the Emperor to call generall councels that in Ecclesiasticall causes he could establish and ordeine no more then all other Bishops might And lastly that he getteth no more by Peters succession then that he is a Byshop as all other Bishops after the Apostles be c. I can not among other folowing here the occasion of this matter offered leaue out the memory of Iacobus Misnensis who also wrote of the comming of Antechrist In y◠same he maketh mentiō of a certayn learned man whose name was Militzius which Militzius sayth he was a famous and worthy preacher in Parga He liued about the yere 1366. long before Husse and before Wickliffe also In the same his writings he declareth how y◠same good man Militzius was by the holy spirit of God incited and vehemently moued to search out of the holy Scriptures the maner and comming of Antechrist and found that now in his time he was all ready come And the same Iacobus sayth that the sayd Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to go vp to Rome there publickely to preach And that afterward before the Inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mighty and great Antechrist the which the Scriptures made mention of was already comen He affirmed also that the Church by the negligence of the Pastors should become desolate and that iniquitye should abound that is by reason of Mammon master of iniquitie Also he sayde that there were in the Church of Christ idols which shoulde destroy Ierusalem and make the tēple desolate but were cloked by hypocrisy Further that there be many whych deny Christ for that they keepe silence neither do they heare Christ whome all the world should know and cōfesse his verity before men which also wittingly do detaine the verity and iustice of God There is also a certaine Bull of Pope Gregory 11. to the Archbishop of Praga wherin he is commanded to excommunicate and persecute Militzius and his auditours The same Bull declareth that he was once a Chanon of Praga but afterward he renounced his Canonship began to preache who also for that he so manifestly preached of Antichrist to be already come was of Iohn Archbishop of Praga put in prison declaring what hys errour was To wit howe he had his company or cōgregation to whō he preached and that amongst the same were certain conuerted harlots which had forsaken their euill life and did liue godly and well whych harlots he accustomed in hys sermons to preferre before all the blessed virgins that neuer offended He taught also openly that in the Pope cardinals Bishops prelates priests other religious men was no truth neither that they taught the way of truth but that onely he such as held with him taught the true way of saluation His Postill in some places is yet to be sene They alledge vnto him certaine other inconuenient articles which notwtstanding I thinke the aduersaries to depraue him with all haue slanderously inuented against hym He had as appeared by the foresaid Bull very many of euery state and condition as wel rich as pore that cleaued vnto him About the yeare of our Lord. 1371. liued Henricus de Iota whom Gerson doth much commend and also his companiō Henricus de Hassia an excellent learned and famous man An Epistle of this Henricus de Hassia which he wrote to the Bishoppe of Normacia Iacobus Cartsiensis inserted in his booke De erroribus Christianorum In the same Epistle the author doth greatly accuse the spirituall men of euery order yea and the most holyest of all other the Pope himselfe of many and great vices He sayd that the Ecclesiasticall gouernors in the primitiue Church were compared to the sunne shining in the day time and the politicall gouernors to the Moone shyning in the night But the spirituall men he said that now are do neuer shine in the day time nor yet in the night time but rather with theyr darcknes do obscure both the day
of the kings protection whereunto was aunswered by the kyng that the statutes and ordinaunces therefore made should be obserued In these rolles and recordes of such Parliamentes as was in thys kings time continued diuers other thynges are to be noted muche worthy to be marked and not to be suppressed in silence Wherein the Reader may learne and vnderstand the state of the kings iurisdiction here wythin this realme not to be straightned in those daies although the Pope then seemed to be in his chief ruffe as afterward since in other kings dayes was seene As may appeare in the parliament of the 15. yeare of thys king Edward the 3. and in the 24. article of the sayde Parliament where it is to be read that the kings officers and temporall Iustices did then both punish vsurers an◠impeached the officers of the Church for bribery and for taking mony for temporall paine probate of willes solemnitie of Mariage c. al the pretensed liberties of the popish church to the contrary notwythstanding Furthermore in the Parliament of the 25. yeare appeareth that the liberties of the clergie and their exemptions in claiming the deliuerance of men by their booke vnder th◠name of Clerks stode then in litle force as appeared by one Hauketyne Honby knight who for imprisonning one of the kings subiectes till hee made fine of 20. li. was therefore executed notwithstanding the liberty of the Clergie whych by his booke would haue saued hym but could not The like also appeared by iudgement geuen agaynst a priest at Notingham for killing of hys maister And likewise by hanging certaine monks of Combe Ex Parliam An. 23. Ed. 3. Item in the Parliament of the 15. yeare by apprehending of I. Stratford Archbishop of Canterbury and hys arrainment concerning which his arrainment all things were committed to sir William of Kildisby Besides these truthes and notes of the kings Parliaments wherin may appeare y◠toward procedings of this king of all his commons against the pretensed church of Rome Thys is moreouer to be added to the commendation of the king how in the volumes of the actes rolles of the king appeareth That the sayd king Edward the 3. sent also Iohn Wickleffe reader then of the Diuinitie lector in Oxford wyth certaine other Lords Ambassadors ouer into the parts of Italy to treat wyth the Popes Legates concerning affaires betwixt the King and the Pope with ful cōmission the tenor whereof here foloweth expressed REX vniuersis ad quorum notitiam presentes literae peruenerint c. In English thus The King to all and singuler to whome these presentes shall come greeting Know ye that we reposing assured confidence in the fidelitie and wisdome of the reuerend father Iohn Bishoppe of Bangor and other our louing and faithful subiects M. Iohn Wickliffe reader of the diuinitie lecture M. Iohn Gunter Deane of Segobyen and M. Symon Moulton doctor of the lawe Syr William Burton Knight M Iohn Belknappe M. Iohn Honnington haue directed them as our Ambassadors and special Commissioners to the partes beyond the seas Geuing to the sayde our Ambassadors and Commissioners to sixe or fiue of them of whome I will that the sayde Bishop shal be one full power and aucthoritie wyth commaundement speciall to treat and consult mildely and charitably with the Legates and Ambassadors of the L. Pope touching certaine affaires Where upon of late we sent heretofore the sayd Bishop and M. William Vghtred monke of Duresme and M. Iohn Shepie to the see Apostolicall And hereof to make ful relation of all things done and past in the sayd assembly that all such things which may tend to the honor of holy Church and the aduauncement of our crowne and this our realme may by the assistaunce of God and the wisedome of the see Apostolicall bee brought to good effect and accomplished accordingly Witnes our selues c. at London dated the 26. day of Iuly in the 48. yeare of our raigne By the which it is to be noted what good wil the king then bare to the sayd Wickleffe and what smal regarde he had to the sinfull sea of Rome Of the whych Iohn wickleff because we are now approched to his time remaineth consequently for our story to entreat of so as we haue heere to fore done of other lyke valiant souldiours of Christes Church before him ¶ Iohn Wickliffe AFter all these heretofore recited by whome as ye haue heard it pleased the Lord something to worke against the Byshop of Rome to weaken the pernitious superstition of the Friers Nowe remayneth consequently following the course of yeares orderly to enter into the story and tractation of Iohn Wickleffe our countreyman and other moe of his time and same countrey whom the Lord wyth the like zeale and power of spirit raysed vp here in England to detect more fully and amply the poison of the Popes doctrine false religion set vp by the Fryers In whose opinions and assertiōs albeit some blemishes perhaps may be noted yet such blemishes they be whych rather declare him to be a mā that might erre then which directly did fight against Christ our Sauiour as the Popes procedings and the friers did And what doctor or learned man hath ben from the prime age of the church so perfect so absolutely sure in whome no opinyon hath sometyme swarued awry And yet be the sayd articles of hys neither in number so many nor yet so grosse in themselues and so cardinall as those Cardinal ennemies of Christ perchance doe geue them out to be if his bookes whō they abolished were remaining to be conferred with those blemishes which they haue wrasted to the worste as euill will neuer sayde the best This is certaine and can not be denied but that he being the publike Reader of Diuinitie in the Universitie of Oxford was for the rude time wherein he liued famously reputed for a great clerke a deepe scholeman no lesse expert in all kinde of philosophie The which doth not onely appeare by his owne most famous and learned wrytings and monuments but also by the confession of Walden hys most cruel bitter enemy Who in a certain Epistle wrytten vnto pope Martin the fift sayth that he was wonderfully astonyshed at his most strong arguments wyth the places of authority whych hee had gathered wyth the vehemency and force of hys reasons c. And thus much out of Walden It appeareth by such as haue obserued the order and course of tunes that this wickleffe florished about the yeare of our Lord. 1371. Edward the third raigning in England for thus we doe finde in the Chronicles of Caxton In the yere of our Lord 1371. sayeth he Edward the third king of England in his Parliamēt was against the Popes clergy He willingly harkned and gaue eare to the voices and tales of heretickes wyth certaine of his counsel conceiuing and folowing sinister opinions against the Clergy
Iohn Asheton what his iudgement opinion was touching the foresaid conclusions prefixed and assigned vnto the said Thomas for that time demaunding the same deliberation and day 8. dayes after that is to say the 28. of the said month that he appeare before the Bishop of Cant. wheresoeuer within his said prouince of Canterbury he should then happen to be to declare playnely and fully what his iudgement and opinion was touching the foresaid conclusions Ex Regist W. Courtney The names of Friers and Doctors assistent at the examination aforesaid Friers Obseruantes Botlesham B. of Nauaton frier Iohn Langley William Suard Friers of Dominickes order Iohn Kyngham Iohn Louey Peter Stokes Walter Dish Friers Carmelites Thomas Ashburn Baukine Robert Walbey Doctors and Fryers Augustines M. Iohn Barnet M. Thomas Backton M. Iohn Blanchard M. Iohn Shillingford M. Lydford M. Thomas Southam The Friday next following that is to say the 28. day of Iune the foresaid M. Nicholas Phillip and Thom. Hilman appeared before the said Archb. and lord Inquisitour of Canterbury in the chappell of his manor of Otfurd in the Dioces of Canterbury there sitting in his Tribunall seat To whom the sayd bishop of Canterbury saying that for because at that time he had not the presence assistence of the doctors in diuinitie and of the Canon and ciuil law He continued the sayd busines touching the sayd Nicholas Phillip and Thomas in the same state wherin theÌ„ it was till Tewesday next immediately ensuing that is to say the first day of Iuly the yeare of the Lord abouesayd and prefixed vnto the said Nicholas Phillip and Thomas Hilman the same day to appeare before him wheresoeuer within his prouince of Caunterb he should then chaunce to be to do that whiche vppon the sayd 28. day they were purposed to doe together or a part Which Tuesday being come the foresaid Archb. in the chiefe house of his Churche at Canterbury before the houre of 9. with the doctours whose names are vnder conteined and other Clerkes a great multitude Expected the foresaid Nicholas Phillip and Thomas longâ—ime by the bedle calling them and looking after them who neuerthelesse appeared not before two of the clocke after dinner the same day continuing the foresayd busines in the pristine state til the same houre At which houre the foresaid Archbishop of Cant. hauing assistentes the doctors clerkes vnder recited examined the foresayd maister Thomas Hilman theÌ„ and there iudicially appearing what his opinioÌ„ was touching the foresayd conclusions who at them and the meaning of them somewhat stammering at last to all and singuler the same conclusions then to him red and expounded thus aunswered I suppose and iudge all singuler those conclusions lately condemned by my Lord of Canterbury that now is together with the couÌ„saile and consent of hys clerkes to be hereticall and erroneous eueÌ„ as the same my Lord of Caunterbury and other doctours of Diuinitie of the Canon and ciuill law by common consent counsaile haue supposed and thought And that the same being for hereesies and errours as before is sayd condemned doe as much as in me is condemne protesting that I will holde and affirme the contrary of those coÌ„clusions in the same sayth liue and dye Then sayd the archbishop of Caunterbury then there sitting as Tribunall or iudge pronouncing the said maisters Nicholas and Phillip long in court called before and taried for and yet not appearing guilty of contumacy and disobedience excommunicated them for the penaltie of this their coÌ„tumacie in tenor of these words following We William by the grace of God archbishop of Caunterbury Primate of Englande Legate of the Apostolicall see and thorough all our prouince of Canterbury of al hereticall prauitie chiefe Inquisitour Do pronounce maister Nicholas Herford and maister Phillip Repingdon professours of diuinitie hauing this day and place by our prefiction appoynted to heart decree in this busines of hereticall prauitie being in Court by our Bedle long called taried for and yet not appearing to be stubburne and disobedient persons and for the penalty of this their contumacie we do excommunicate them and either of them by these presentes * The denouncing of the excommunication agaynst Nicholas Herford and Phillip Reppington WIlliam by Gods permission Archb. of Caunterb c. To our beloued sonne in Christ whosoeuer he be that this instaunt sonday shall preach at Paules crosse in London SalutatioÌ„ grace and blessing For asmuch as we prefixed a certaine competent day and place to maister Nicholes Herford and maister Phillip ReppingtoÌ„ Canon Regular of the Monastery of our Lady of Leicester beyng Doctours of Diuinitie and of heretical prauitie vehemeÌ„tly suspected After certayne aunsweres not fully made but impertinently and nothing to the purpose as also hereticall and erroneous In diuers places of our said prouince commonly generally and publikely taught and preached and therfore that they should iudicially appeare before vs to doe to receaue peremtorily in that behalfe what thing soeuer the quallitie of that busines shoulde moue vnto vs and that we haue for their contumacie in not appearing before vs at that day and place iudicially appoynted as right therein required We by these presentes commaund commit vnto you firmely enioyning you that when all the multitude of people shal be gathered together to heare your sermoÌ„ that in the day and place appoynted you publikely and solemnly denouÌ„ce the foresaid Nicholas Phillip holding vp a crosse and lighting vp a candle and then throwing downe the same vpon the ground to haue bene so and in such maner excommunicated and still be Fare ye well In our Manour house at Lambeth the 13. day of Iuly the yeare of our Lord. 1382. and first yeare of our translation * The Citation agaynst the sayd Nicholas and Phillip WIlliam by the grace of God c. To our welbeloued sonne M. Robbert Rigge chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford salutation c. For as muche as we haue prefixed a competent day and place to M Nicholas Heerford and M. Phillip Reppington c. as before We straightly charge and commaund you that you publiquely and solemnly denounce in the church of our Lady and in the scholes of the Vniuersity the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip to haue bene by vs excommunicated and still is And that you further cite or cause to be cited peremptorily the foresayd Nicholas and Phillip that they and euery of them appeare before vs within 15. dayes after the date of this citation wheresoeuer it shall fortune vs within our sayd prouince of Caunterbury then to be To heare and see how we meane to proceed against them and euery of them concerning the foresayd hereticall and erroneous conclusions according to the forme of retroactions and quallitie of the busines in this behalfe had and vsed And that both of the day of the receipt of this present citation of the maner and forme thereof or
this despight and reproofe Christ suffered most meekely in his owne person for to geue example of all meekenesse and pacience to all his faythfull folowers Certayne this world is now so full of proud beggers which are named Priestes but the very office of working of Priesthood which Christ approueth true and accepteth is farre from the multitude of Priests that now reigne in this world For from the highest Priest to the lowest all as who say study that is they imagine and trauell busilye how they may please this world and theyr flesh This sentence and many such other dependeth vpon them if it be well considered other God the father of heauen hath deceiued all mankinde by the liuing specially and teaching of Iesu Christ and by the liuing and teaching of his Apostles and Prophetes or els all the Popes that haue bene since I had any knowledge or discretion with all the Colledge of Cardinals Archbishops and Bishops Monks Canons and Friers with all the contagious flock of the communalty of Priesthood which haue all my life time and mikle lenger reigned and yet reigne increase damnably from sinne into sinne haue bene and yet bee proud obstinate heretickes couetous simoners and defouled adulterers in the ministering of the Sacramentes and specially in the ministring of the Sacrament of the aultar For as their workes sheweth whereto Christ biddeth vs take heed the highest Priestes and Prelates of this Priesthood chalenge and occupy vnlefull tēporall Lordships And for temporall fauour and meed they sell geue benefices to vnworthy and vnable persons yea these simoners sell sinne suffering men and women in euery degree and estate to lye and continue from yeare to yere in diuers vices slaūderously And thus by euil example of high priests in the church lower Priestes vnder them are not onely suffered but they are mayntayned to sell full deare to the people for temporall meed all the Sacraments And thus all this foresayd Priesthoode is blowne so high and borne vp in pride and vaine glory of their estate and dignity so blinded with worldly couetousnes That they disdayne to follow Christ in very meekenesse and wilfull pouerty liuing holylye and preaching Gods word truely freely and continually taking theyr liuelihood at the free will of the people of their pure almes where and when they suffice not for theyr true and busy preaching to get their sustenaunce with their handes To this true sentence grounded on Christes owne liuing and teaching of his Apostles these foresaid worldly fleshly Priests wil not consent effectually But as theyr workes and also their wordes shew boldly and vnshamefastly these forenamed Priestes and Prelates couet and enforce them mightely and busily that all holy scripture were expounded and drawne accordingly to their maners and to theyr vngrounded vsages and findinges For they will not since they hold it but folly and madnesse conforme their maners to the pure and simple liuing of Christ and his Apostles nor they will not followe freely their learning Wherefore all the Emperours and Kinges and all other Lordes and Ladyes and all the common people in euery degree and state which haue before time knowne or might haue knowne and also all they that now yet know or might know this foresayde witnes of Priesthood and would not nor yet will enforce them after theyr cunning and power to withstand charitably the foresayd enemies and traytors of Christ and of his churche all these striue with Antichrist agaynst Iesu. And they shall heare the indignation of God almighty without end if in conuenient time they amend them not and repent them verelye doing therefore due mourning and sorow after their cunning power For through presumtuousnesse and negligence of Priestes Prelates not of the Churche of Christ but occupying theyr prelacye vnduely in the Church and also flattering and false couetousnes of other diuers named Priestes Lousengers and lounderers are wrōgfully made and named Heremites and haue leaue to defraud poore and needy creatures of their liuelode and to liue by theyr false winning and begging in slouth and in other diuers vices And also of these Prelates these coker noses are suffered to liue in pride and hipocrisy and to defoule themselues both bodelye and ghostly Also by the suffering and counsell of these foresayde Prelates and of other Priestes are made both vayne brotherhoodes and sisterhoodes full of pride and enuye which are full contrary to the brotherhood of Christ since they are cause of mickle dissetion and they multiply and susteyne it vncharitably for in lustye eating and drinking vnmeasurably and out of time they exercise themselues Also this vaine confederacy of brotherhoodes is permitted to be of one clothing and to hold together And in all these vngrounded and vnlefull doinges priests are parteners and great medlers and counsellers And ouer this viciousnesse Heremites and Pardoners Ankers and straūge beggers are licensed and admitted of Prelates and Priestes for to beguile the people with flatteringes and leasinges slaunderously agaynst all good reason and true beleue and so to encrease diuers vyces in themselues and also among all them that accept them or consent to them And thus the viciousnesse of these foresayd named Priestes Prelates haue bene long time and yet is and shal be cause of wars both within the Realme and without And in the same wise these vnable Priestes haue bene and yet are and shal be chiefe cause of pestilence of men and morein of beastes and of barrennesse of the earth and of all other mischiefes to the tyme that Lordes and cōmons able them through grace for to know and to keepe the cōmaundements of God inforcing them than faythfully and charitably by one assent for to redresse and make one this foresayde Priesthood to the wilfull poore meeke and innocent liuing and teaching specially of Christ and his Apostles Therefore all they that know or might know the viciousnes that raigneth now cursedly in these Priests and in theyr learning if they suffice not to vnderstand this contagious viciousnesse let them pray to the Lord hartily for the health of his Church absteining them prudently from these indurate enemyes of Christ and of his people and from all their Sacraments since to them all that know them or may know they are but fleshly deedes and false as S. Cyprian witnesseth in the first question of decrees and in the first cause Ca. Si quis inquit For as this Saynt and great Doctour witnesseth there that not onely vicious Priestes but also all they that fauour them or consent to them in their viciousnesse shall together perish with them if they amend them not duely as all they perished that cōsented to Dathan and Abiron For nothing were more confusion to these foresayd vicious Priestes than to eschew them prudently in all theyr vnlefull Sacramentes while they cōtinue in their sinnefull liuing slaunderously as they haue lōg time done and yet do And no
and maken them to leaue the trust that they hadden in the olde law and to beleeue in Iesus Christe and shewen hys teachynge And they wenten out to ouercome the Paynemes shewyng to them that theyr Images were no Gods but mens woorkes vnmighty to saue them selfe or any other drawyng them to the beliefe of Iesus Chryst God and man In the opening of the second seale there cryed the second beast that is a calfe that was a beast wonted to be slayne and offered to God in the old law Thys sheweth the state of the Churche in the time of Martyrs that for their stedfast preachyng of Gods true law shed theyr bloud that is signifyed by the red hors that went out at thys seale opening and thys estate began at Nero the cursed Emperour and dured into the time of Constantine the great that endowed the Church For in thys tyme many of Christes seruaunts and namely the leaders of Gods flocke were slayne For of xxij Byshops of Rome that were betwene Peter and Siluester the first I reade but of foure but that they weren Martys for the lawe of Christ. And also in the tyme of Dioclesian the Emperour the persecution of the Christen men was so great that in xxx dayes weren slayne xxij thousand men and women in diuers counties for the law of God The opening of the third seale telleth the state of the Church in time of Heretikis that beth figured by the blacke hors for false vnder standing of holy write for than cryed the third beest that is a man for at that time was it neede to preache the mistery of Christes incarnation and his passion ayenst these erretikis that feliden mis of these pointis how Christ tooke verreyly mans kynde of our Lady hym beyng God as hee was bifore and hys moder beeyng mayden byfore and after The opening of the fourth scale telleth the state of the Church in tyme of ypocritis that beth signified by the pale hors that beth signes of penaunce with outfoorth to blinde the people And he that sate vpon thys hors his name was death for they shulle flee gostly them that they leden and teacheth to trust vpon other thing than God and helle foloweth him for helle receiueth thilke that these disteineth At that time shall it neede that the fourth beast that is the Egle make hys cry that flyeth highest of foules to reare vp Gods Gospell and to preise that law aboue other least mens wit and their traditions ouergone and treden downe the law of God by enforming of these ypocritis and this is the last state that is other shall be in the Church bifore the comming of the great Antichrist The opening of the fift seale telleth the state of the Church that than shall folow and the desire that louers of Goddis law shulleth haue after the end of this world to be deliuered of thys wo. The opening of the sixt seale telleth the state of the Church in time of Antichristis times the which state yee may know to be in the Church whan ye seth fulfilled that Saint Iohn Prophecieth to fall on the opening of thys where hee sayth thus After thys I saw foure Angels stonding vpon foure corners of the earth holdyng the foure windes of the earth that they blowen nought vpon the earth ne vpon the sea ne vpon eny tree These foure Angels beth the number of all the Deuils ministers that on that tyme shulleth in the pleasance of their Lord Antichrist stoppe the four windis that beth the foure Gospels to be preached and so let the breath of the grace of the holie Ghost to fall vpon men morning for sinne and calling them to amendement and to other that wolden encrease in vertues other vpon perfit men What is there after thys to fall but that the mystery of the seauenth seale be shewed that he come in hys owne person That Iesu Chrst shall slee with the spirite of hys mouth whan the fiend shall shew the vtmost persecution that he and hys seruauntis may doo to Christis limmes and that shall be the third warning that the world shall haue to come to thys dreadfull dome In all thys matter haue I nought seid of my selfe but of other Doctours that beth proued I seyd also in my second principall part that it were to wete tofore what Iudge we shull reken Wherefore we shulleth wite that God him selfe shall heere thys rekening he that seeth all our dedis and all our thoughtes fro the beginning of our lyfe to the end and he shall shew there the hid thingis of our hert opening to all the world the rightfulnes of hys dome So that with the myght of God euery mans dedis to all the world shall be shewed and so it semeth by the wordes of Seint Iohn in the booke of preuites there he seith thus I saw dede men litel and great stondyng in the sight of the throne and bookes weren opened and an other booke was opened that was of lyfe and dede men weren iudged after the thyngs that weren written in the bokes after their worchings These bokes beth mens consciences that now beth closed But than they shulleth be opened to all the world to reden therein both dedis and thoughtes But the booke of life is Christs liuing and doctrine that is now hid to men that shulleth be damned thrugh theyr owne malice that demeth men to serue the world rather than God In the first booke shall be writ all that we haueth doo in that other booke shall be write that we shulden haue doo and than shulle dede men be demyd of thilke thingis that ben written in the bokis For if the dedis that we hauen do the which ben written in the bookis of our conscience bee accordyng to the booke of Christes teachyng and hys liuing the whych is the booke of lyfe we shulle be saued and els we shulle be damned for the dome shall be geuen after our workis Looke therefore now what thing is written in the booke of thy conscience while thou art here and if thou findest ought contrary to Christis life other to hys teaching with the knite of penaunce and repentaunce scrape it awaie and write it better euermore hertly thynkyng that thou shalt yelde rekening of thy bayly Also I said principally that it were to witen what reward shal be geue on that doome to wise seruauntes and good and what to false seruauntes and wicked For the which it is to wite that our Lord Iesu Christ shall come to the dome here into this world in the same body that he tooke of our Lady hauyng thereon the wound is that he suffred for our agayne bieng And all that euer shullen be saued taking agayne their bodies clyuing to their head Christ shull be rauished metyng him in the ayre as Paul sayth They that shall be damned lyen vpon the earth as in a tonne of wyne the
the time thus passed the people and Cardinals were in great expectation waiting when the Pope according to his othe would geue ouer wyth the other pope also And not long after the matter began in deede betwene the two Popes to be attempted by letters from one to another assigning both day and place where and whē they should meete together but yet no effect did folow This so passing on great murmuring was among the Cardinals to see their holy periured father so to neglecte his othe and vow aforenamed In so much that at length diuers of them did forsake the Pope as being periured as no lesse he was sending moreouer to kings and princes of other lands for their counsell and assistance therein to appease the schisme Amongest the rest Cardinall Bituriensis was sent to the king of Englande who publishing diuers propositions and cōclusions remaining in the registers of Thomas Arundell disputeth that the pope ought to be subiect to lawes and councels Then K. Henry moued to write to Gregory the pope directeth his letter here vnder ensuing which was the yeare of our Lorde 1409. The contents of the letter be these The letter of king Henry the fourth to Pope Gregory 12. MOst blessed father if the discrete prouidence of the Apostolike sea would call to mind with what great pearils the vniuersall world hath ben damnified hetherto vnder pretēce of thys present schisme and especially would consider what slaughter of Christen people to the number of two hūdreth thousand as they say hath bene throughe the occasion of warre raised vp in diuers quarters of the world and now of late to the number of thirty M. souldiours which haue bene slaine through the dissention moued about the Bishopricke of Leodium betwene two set vp one by the authoritie of one Pope the other by the authoritie of the other Pope fighting in campe for the title of that Bishoprike Certes yee would lament in spirite be fore greeued in minde for the same So that with good conscience you wold relinquish rather the honour of the sea Apostolike then to suffer such horrible bloudshed heereafter to ensue vnder the cloake of dissimulation followinge herein the example of the true mother in the booke of kings who pleading before Salomon for the right of her childe rather would depart from the childe then the childe shoulde bee parted by the sword And although it may be vehemently suspected by the new creation of 9. Cardinals by you last made contrary to your othe as other men do say that you do but little heede or care for ceasing the schisme Yet farre be it from the hearing and noting of the world that your circumspect seat shoulde euer be noted distained with such an inconstancie of minde whereby the last errour may be worse then the first Ex Chron. D. Albani part 2. ¶ King Henry the 4. to the Cardinals ANd to the Cardinalles likewise the sayde King directeth an other letter wyth these contentes heere following Wee desiring to shewe what zeale wee haue had and haue to the reformation of peace of the Churche by the consent of the states of the Realme haue directed to the Byshop of Rome our letters after the tenoure of the copie herewith in these presentes enclosed to bee executed effectually Wherefore we seriously beseeche your reuerende colledge that if it chaunce the sayde Gregory to be present at the councell of Pise and to render vp hys Popedome according to your desire and hys owne othe you then so ordaine for hys state totally that chiefly God may be pleased therby and that both the sayde Gregory and also wee which loue intierly hys honor and commodity may haue cause to geue you worthely condigne thankes for the same Ibid. This being done in the yere of our Lorde 1409. afterward in the yere next folowing an 1410. the Cardinals of both the Popes to witte of Gregorius and Benedictus By common aduise assembled together at the citie of Pise for the reformation of vnity and peace in the Churche To the which assembly a great multitude of Prelates and bishops being conuented a newe Pope was chosen named Alexander 5. But to thys election neither Gregorius nor Benedictus did fully agree Whereby there were 3. Popes together in the Romaine churche that is to vnderstande not 3. crownes vpon one Popes head but 3. heads in one Popish churche together This Alexander being newly made pope scarcely had well warmed his triple crowne but straight geueth out full remission not of a fewe but of all maner of sinnes whatsoeuer to all them that conferred any thing to the monastery of◠Bartlemew by Smithfeld resorting to the saide church any of these dayes following to wit on Maundy thursday good Friday Easter euen the feast of the Annunciation from the first euēsong to the latter But thys Pope which was so liberall in geuing remission of many yeares to other was not able to geue one yere of life to himselfe for within the same yere he died In whose stead stept vp Pope Iohn 23. In the time of this Alexander great stirre began in the country of Bohemia by the occasion of the bokes of Iohn Wickliffe which then comming to the hands of I. Husse and of other both men women especially of the lay sort and artificers began there to doe much good In so much that diuers of them not onely men but women also partly by reading of those bookes translated into their tounge partly by the setting forwarde of Iohn Husse a notable learned man and a singulare preacher at that time in the vniuersitye of Prage were in short time so ripe in iudgement and prompt in the scriptures that they began to moue questions yea and to reason wyth the Priestes touchyng matters of the Scriptures By reason whereof complaint was brought to the sayd Pope Alexander the fifte who caused eftsoones the forenamed Iohn Husse to bee cyted vp to Rome But when hee came not at the Popes citation then the sayde Pope Alexander addressed hys letters to the Archbyshop of Suinco Wherein he straightly charged him to prohibit and forbid by the authority Apostolicall all manner of preachings or sermons to be made to the people but onely in Cathedrall Churches or Colledges or Parish churches or in Monasteries or els in theyr Churchyardes And that the articles of Wickliffe shoulde in no case of any person of what state condition or degree so euer be suffered to be holdē taught or defended eyther priuily or apertlye Commaunding moreouer and charging the sayde Archbyshop that wyth foure Bachelers of Diuinitie and two Doctours of the Canon lawe ioyned vnto hym would proceede vpon the same and so prouide that no person in churches schooles or any other place should teach defend or approoue any of the foresayd Articles So that who so euer should attempt the contrary should be accounted an hereticke And vnles he
xxiiii Article Euery man which is admitted vnto the ministery of the Church receiueth also by speciall coÌ„maundement the office of a preacher and ought to execute and fulfil that commaundement notwithstanding any excommunication pretendeth to the contrary The aunswere My wordes are these For so muche as it doth appeare by that which is aforesayd that whosoeuer commeth or is admitted vnto the ministery receiueth also by especiall commaundement the office of preaching he ought to fulfill that commaundement any excommunication to the contrary pretended notwithstanding Also no Christian ought to doubte but that a man sufficientlye instructed in learning is more bound to counsel and instruct the ignoraunt to teach those which are in doubt to chastise those which are vnruly and to remitte and forgeue those that do him iniury then for to to any other works of mercy For so much then as he that is rich and hath sufficient is bounden vnder the payne of damnation to minister and geue comporall and bodely almes as appeareth in the 25. chapter of Mathew how much more is he bound to doe spirituall almes The 25. Article The Ecclesiasticall censures are Antichristian such as the clergy hath inuented for theyr owne preferment and for the bondage and seuitude of the common people whereby if the Laity be not obedient vnto the Clergy at theyr will and pleasure it doth multiplye theyr couetousnesse defendeth theyr malice and prepareth a way for Antichrist whereby it is an euident signe and token that such censures proceede from Antichrist the which censures in theyr processes they do call Fulminations or lightninges whereby the Clergy doth chiefly proceede agaynst such as doe manifest and open the wickednesse of Antichrist which thrust themselues into the office of the Clergye These thinges are conteined in the last chapter of his treatise of the Church I aunswere and I deny that it is in that forme But the matter thereof is largely handled in the 23. chapter And in the examination of the audience they haue gathered certayne clauses most contrary thereunto The which when they had reade the Cardinall of Cambray renewed his old song saying truly these are much more greeuous and offensiue then the Articles which are gathered The 26. Article There ought no interditement to be appoynted vnto the people for so much as Christ the high Byshoppe neither for Iohn Baptist neither for any iniury that was done vnto him did make any interditement My wordes are these when as I complayned that for one Ministers sake an Interditement was geuen out and thereby all good men ceased from the laude and prayse of God And Christ the high Byshoppe notwithstanding that the Prophette was taken and kept in prison then whome there was no greater amongest the children of men did not geue out any curse or interditement no not when as Decode beheaded him neither when he himselfe was spoyled beaten and blasphemed of the Souldiours Scribes and Pharisies he did not then curse them but prayed for them and taught his Disciples to doe the same as it appeareth in the fift chapter of Saynt Mathew And Christes first Uicare folowing the same doctrine and learning sayth in his first Epistie of Saynt Peter and the second chapter Hereunto are ye called For Christ hath suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his footsteppes who when he was cursed and euill spoken of did not curse agayne And Saynt Paule following the same order and way in the xij chapter of the Romaynes sayth blesse them that persecute you There were besides these many other places of scripture recited in that booke but they being omitted these were onely rehearsed whiche did helpe or preuayle to styrre vppe or mooue the iudges mindes And these are the Articles which were alledged out of I. Hus his booke intituled Of the Church Other Articles moreouer out of other his bookes were collected forced agaynst him first out of his treatise written agaynst Steuen Paletz to the number of 7. Articles Also 6. other Articles strayned out of his treatise agaynste Stanislaus Znoyma whereunto his aunsweres likewise be adioyned not vnfruitfull to be read ¶ Here followeth seuen Articles which are sayde to be drawen out of hys Treatise which he wrote agaynst Stephen Pallets The first Article If the Pope Byshop or Prelate be in deadly sinne he is then no Pope Byshoppe nor Prelate The aunswere I graunt thereunto and I send you vnto Saynt Augustine Ierome Chrisostome Gregory Cyprian and Bernarde the which doe say moreouer that whosoeuer is in deadly sinne is no true Christian howe much lesse then is he Pope or Byshop of whom it is spoken by the Prophet Amos in his 8. chapter They haue raigned and ruled and not through me they became Princes and I knew them not c. But afterward I doe grauÌ„t that a wicked Pope Byshop or Priest is an vnworthye minister of the Sacrament by whom God doth baptise consecrate or otherwise worke to the profit of his Church and this is largely handled in the text of the booke by the authorityes of the holy Doctours for euen he which is in deadly sinne is not worthely a kyng before God as it appeareth in the first booke of kynges 15. chapter where as God sayth vnto Saule by the Prophet Samuel sayinge for so muche as thou hast refused and cast of my worde I will also refuse and cast thee off that thou shalt be no more King whiles these thinges were thus intrâ—ating the Emperour looking out at a certayne window of the cloyster accompanyed with the Countye Palentine and the Burgraue of Norenberg conferring and talking much of Iohn Hus. At leÌ„gth he sayd that there was neuer a worse or more pernitious hereticke then he In the meane while when Iohn Hus had spoken these wordes as touchinge the vnworthy king by and by the Emperour was called and he was commaunded to repeat those wordes agayne which after that he had done his duety therein being considered the Emperour aunswered no man sayth he doth liue without faulte then the Cardinall of Cambray being in a great fury sayd is it not enough for thee that thou doest contemne and despise the Ecclesiastical state and goest about by the writinges and doctrine to perturbe and trouble the same but that now also thou wilt attempte to throw kinges out of theyr state and dignity TheÌ„ Paletz began to alleadge the lawes whereby he would proue that Saule was king euen when those words were spoken by Samuel and therefore that Dauid did forbidde that Saul should not be slayne not for the holynesse of his life the which there was none in him but for the holynesse of hys annoynting And when as Iohn Hus repeated out of S. Cyprian that he did take vpon him the name of Christianity in vayne which did not followe Christ in his liuing Paletz aunswered beholde and see what a folly is in thys man which alleadgeth those thinges which
my deedes that in this busines of election wherunto now by the will of the Coūcell we are sent I wil seeke nothing els then the onely saluation of the Christen people and the profit of the vniuersall Church This shall be my whole care and studye that the authority of the generall Councels be not contemned that the Catholick fayth be not impugned and that the fathers which remayne in the coūcell be not oppressed This will I seek for this shall be my care vnto this withall my whole force and power will I bend my selfe neyther will I respect any thing in this poynt eyther for mine owne cause or for any frend but onely God and the profite of the Church With this minde and intent and with this hart will I take mine othe before the Councell His wordes were liuely and fearefull After him al the other Electours in theyr order did sweare and take theyr othe Then they went with great solemnity vnto the Cōclaue where they remayned 7. dayes The maner of their election was in this sort Before the Cardinals seate was set a Deske wherupon there stood a basen of siluer into the which basen all the Electors did cast their scheduls which the Cardinall receiuing read one by one and foure other of the Electors wrote as he read them The tenour of the Schedules was in this maner I George Bishop of Uicene doe chuse such a man or suche a man for bishop of Rome and peraduenture named one or two euery one of the electors subscribed his name vnto the Schedule that he might thereby know his owne and say nay if it were cōtrary to that which was spokē wherby all deceit was vtterly excluded The first scrutiny thus ended it was found that there were many named to the papacy Yet none had sufficiēt voices for that day there were xvii of diuers natiōs nominate Notwithstanding Amedeus duke of Sauoy a man of singuler vertue surmoūted them all for in the first scrutiny he had the voyce of xvi Electors which iudged him worthy to gouerne the church After this there was diligent inquisition had in the Councell touching those whiche were named of the Electors and as euery mans opinion serued him he did either prayse or discommēd those which were nominate Notwtstanding there was suche reporte made of Amedeus that in the next Scrutiny which was holden in the Nonas of Nouember the sayd Amedeus had 21. voices and likewise in the 3. and 4. Scrutinye 21. voyces And for so muche as there was none found in all the scrutiny to haue 2. partes all the other schedules were burnt And forsomuch as there lacked but onely one voyce to the elecion of the high bishop they fell vnto prayer desiring God that he would vouchsafe to direct theyr mindes to an vnity and concorde worthely to elect and chuse him which shoulde take the charge ouer the flocke of God Forsomuch as Amedeus seemed to be nearer vnto the papacy then all other there was greate cōmunication had amongst them touching his life and disposition Some said that a lay man ought not so sodenly to be chosen for it would seeme a straunge thing for a secular prince to be called vnto the Byshopricke of Rome which would also to much derogate frō the ecclesiasticall state as though there were none therein meete or worthy for that dignity Other some sayde that a man which was maryed and had children was vnmeete for such a charge Other some agayn affirmed that the bishop of Rome ought to be a Doctor of law and an excellent learned man When these words were spoken other some rising vp spake farre otherwise that albeit Amedeus was no Doctour yet was he learned and wise for so muche as all his whole youth he had bestowed in learning studye had sought not the name but euen the groūd of learning Thē sayd another if ye be desirous to be instructed further of this princes life I pray you geue eare vnto me which doe know him throwly Truely this man from his youth vpward and euen from his yong and tender yeares hath lyued more religiously then secularly being alwaies obediēt to his parentes and maysters and being alwayes indued with the feare of God neuer geuen to any vanity or wantōnes neither hath there at any time bene any childe of the house of Sauoy in whom hath appeared greater wytte to towardnes whereby al those which did behold and know this man iudged and foresaw some great matter in him neyther were they deceiued For if ye desire to know his rule gouernance what and how noble it hath bene First know ye this that this man hath raigned since his fathers decease about xl yeares During whose time iustice the Lady and Queene of all other vertues hath alwayes florished For he hearing his subiectes himselfe woulde neuer suffer the poore to be oppressed or the weake to be deceiued He was the defender of the fatherles the aduocate of the widowes and protector of the poore There was no rapine or robbery in all his territory The poore and rich liued all vnder one lawe neither was he burthenous vnto his subiectes or importune against straungers throughout all his country there was no greuous exactions of mony throughout all his dominion He thought himselfe rich enough if the inhabitāts of his dominions did aboūd and were rich knowing that it was the poynt of a good shepheard to sheare his sheepe and not to deuour them In this also was his chiefe study and care that his subiectes might liue in peace and suche as bordered vpon him might haue no occasion of grudge By which pollicies he did not onely quietly gouern his Fathers dominion but also augmēted the same by others which willingly submitted themselues vnto him He neuer made warre vpon any but resisting agaynst such as made war vpon him he studied rather to make peace then to seeke any reuenge desiring rather to ouercome his enemies with benefites then with the sword He maried onely one wife which was a noble virgin of singuler beauty and chastity He would haue all his family to keep their handes and eyes chaste and continent and throughout all his house honesty and integrity of maners was obserued When as his wife had chaūged her life and that he perceiued his Duchy to be established that it should come with out any controuersye vnto his posteritye he declared hys mind which was alwayes religious dedicate vnto god shewed what will and affectiō he had long borne in hys hart For he contēning the pompe and state of this world calling vnto him his deare frends departed and went into a wildernes where as building a goodly Abbey he addicted himselfe wholy to the seruice of God and taking his crosse vpon him folowed Christ. In which place he being cōuersant by the space of many yeares shewed forth great examples of holynesse wearing no other garmentes then such as could withstand the
Arelatensis published vnto thē the name of the elect bishop After this al the prelats in their robes pōtificalibus and miters and all the clergye of the city cōming vnto the conclaue the electours being likewise adourned they brought thē vnto the great church where as after great thankes geuen vnto God and the electiō agayne declared vnto the people a Hymne being song for ioy the cōgregation was dissolued This Amedeus aforesayd was a man of reuerent age of comely stature of graue and discreet behauiour also before maried Who thus being elect for Pope about Nouember was called Felix the v. and was crowned in the city of Basill in the month of Iuly There were present at his coronation Lewes Duke of Sauoy Philip Earle Gebenēs Lewes Marques of Salutze The Marques of Rotelen Cōrade of Winsperghey Chāberlain of the Empire The Earle of Dierstein The Ambassadours of the Cittyes of Strasbrough Berne Friburge Solatorne with a great multitude of other beside to the vew of 50000. persons At this coronatiou the Popes two sonnes did serue and minister to theyr father Lewes Cardinal of Hostia did set on his head the pontificall Diademe which was estemed at 30. thousand crownes It were long here to recite the whole order and solemnity of the procession or the Popes ryding about the City First proceeded the Pope vnder his Canaby of cloth of gold hauing on his head a triple crown and blessing the people as he went By him wēt the Marques of Rotelen and Conrade of Winsperge leading his horse by the bridle The procession finished they went to dinner which lasted foure full houres being excessiuely sumptuous where the Popes two sonnes were butlers to his cup. The Marques of Salutze was the stuard c. Of this Foelix thus writeth Uolaterane in his 3. booke that he being desired of certayne of the Ambassadours if he had any dogges or houndes to shew them he willed them the next day to repayre to him and he woulde shew vnto them such as he had When the Ambassadours according to the appoyntment were come he sheweth vnto them a great number of poore people and beggers sitting at his tables at meat declaring that those were hys hoūdes which he euery day vsed to feede hunting with them he trusted for the glory of heauen to come And thus you haue heard the state of this Councell hetherto which Councell endured a long season the space of 17. yeares About the 6. yeare of the Coūcell Sigismund the Emperour dyed leauing but one daughter to succeede hym in his kingdomes whom he had maryed to Albert 2. Duke of Austricke which first succeeded in the kingdome of Hūgary and Boheme being a sore aduersary to the Bohemians and afterward was made Emperour an 1438. and raigned Emperour but 2. yeares leauing his wyfe which was Sigismūd his daughter great with childe After which Albert succeeded his brother Frederick the third Duke of Austrich in the Empire c. wherof more Christ willing hereafter In the meane time Eugenius hearing of the death of Sigismund aboue recited began to worke the dissolutiō of the Councel of Basill and to transferre it to Ferraria pretending the comming of the Grecians Notwithstanding the Councel of Basill through the disposition of God and the worthines of Cardinall Arelatensis constantly endured Albeit in the said Councell were many stops and practises to empeach the same beside the sore plague of pestilence which fell in the Citie during the sayd Councell In the which plague time besides the death of many worthy men Aeneas Syluius also himselfe the writer compiler of the whole history of that Councell sitting at the feete of the Bishops of Tournon and of Lubecke lay sicke iij. dayes of the same sore as is aboue touched and neuer thought to escape They that died departed with this exhortation desiring mē to pray to God that he would conuert the harts of them that stooke to Eugenius as Pope against that Councell as partly is afore noted and now repeated againe for the better marking Arelatensis being most instantly exhorted by his frends to flie that danger could by no meanes be intreated to auoide fearing more the daunger of the Church then of his owne life Beside these so great difficulties obstacles to stay and hinder this Councell strange it was to behold the mutation of mens minds Of whom such as first seemed to fauour the Councell after did impugne it and such as before were against it in the end shewed themselues most frends vnto the same The chiefe Cardinals prelates the more they had to loose the sooner they slipt away or els lurked in houses or townes neare and absented thēselues for feare so that the stay of the Councell most rested vpō their Proctours Doctours Archdeacōs Deanes Prouostes Priours and such other of the inferiour sort Wherof Aeneas Syluius in his 183. Epistle maketh this relation where one Caspar Schlicke the Emperours Chauncelour writeth to the Cardinal Iulian in these words Those Cardinals saith he which so long time magnified so highly the authoritie of the Church and of generall Councels seeming as though they were ready to spend their liues for the same now at the sight of one letter from their king wherin yet no death was threatned but onely losse of their promotions slipt away frō Basil. And in the same Epistle deridingly commendeth thē as wise men that had rather lose their faith then their flocke Albeit saith he they departed not farre away but remained about Solotorne waiting for other commandements from their Prince Wherby it may appeare how they did shrinke away not willingly but the Burse quoth he bindeth faster then true honour Quid enim saluis infamia nummis That is to say what matter maketh the name of a man so his money be safe Haec Aeneas Moreouer in one of the Sessions of the said Councell the worthy Cardinall Arelatensis is sayde thus to haue reported that Christ was sold for xxx pence but I saide he was solde much more deare For Gabriell otherwise called Eugenius Pope offered 60. thousand crownes who so would take me present me vnto him And they that tooke the said Cardinall afterward excused their fact by another coulour pretending the cause for that the Cardinals brother what time the Armiakes wasted Alsatia had wrought great dammage to the inhabitants there and therfore they thought said they that they might lawfully lay handes vpon a Frenchman wheresoeuer they might take him At length by the Bishop of Strasbrough Rupert and the said City the matter was taken vp and he rescued Wherein no doubt appeared the hand of God in defending his life from the pestilent danger of the Pope his aduersary Ex Paralip Abbat Vrsper And thus farre hauing proceeded in the matters of this foresayd Councell vntill the election of Amadeus called Pope Foelix v. before we prosecute the rest that remaineth thereof to be
dyed of no naturall pang but of some violent hand Some suspected him to be strangled some that a whole spytt was priuily forced into his body some affirme that he was styfeled betweene to fether beds After the death of this Duke and hys body being enterred at S. Albons after he had politikely by the space of 25. yeares gouerned this realme 5. of his housholde to wit one knight 3. Esquiers and a Yeoman were arreigned conuict to be hanged drawn quartered Who being hanged and cut downe halfe aliue the Marques of Suffolke there present shewed the charter of the kinges pardon and so they were deliuered Notwithstanding all this could not appease the grudge of the people saying that the sauing of the seruauntes was no amends for the murdering of the mayster In this cruell facte of these persons which did so conspire and consent to the death of this noble man whiche thought thereby to worke their owne safety the meruailous work of gods iudgement appeareth herein to be noted who as in all other like cruell pollices of maÌ„ so in this also turned al theyr pollices clean contrary So that where yâ— Queene thought most to preserue her husband in honor and her selfe in state thereby both she lost her husband her husband lost his realm the realm lost Angeow NormaÌ„dy the Duchy of Aquitane with all her partes beyond that sea Calice only except as in sequele of the matter who so will read the storyes shall right well vnderstand The next yeare following it followed also that that Cardinall who was the principall artificer and ringleader of all this mischiefe was suffered of God no loÌ„ger to liue Of whose wicked conditions being more largely set foorth in Edward Halle I omitte here to speake What he himselfe spake in his deathbed for example to other I thought not best to pretermit Who hearing that he shuld dy that ther was no remedy murmured grudged wherfore he shuld dye hauing so much riches saying that if the whole realm would saue hys life he was able either by pollicy to get it or by riches to buy it adding saying moreouer fit quod he will not death be hyred nor will money doe nothing wheÌ„ my nephew of Bedford dyed I thought my selfe halfe vp the wheele but wheÌ„ I saw mine other nephew of Glocester deceassed then I thought my selfe able to be equal with kinges and so ought to encrease my treasure in hope to haue worne the triple crown t. Ex Edou Hallo And thus is the rich byshop of Winchester with all his pompe and riches gone with the which riches he was able not onely to build scholes colledges and Uniuersities but also was able to susteine the kinges armies in warre as is specified in storyes without any taxing of the commons In whose seate next succeeded William Wanflet preferred to the byshopricke of Winchester who though he had lesse substaunce yet hauing a minde more godly disposed did found and erecte the Colledge of Mary Magdalen in Oxford For the which foundation as there haue ben and be yet many studentes bound to yeld gratefull thanks vnto God so I must needes confesse my selfe to be one except I will be vnkinde Among that other mischieuous aduersaries which sought and wrought the death of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester next to the Cardinall of Winchester who as is sayd dyed that next yere following was William de la Pole Marques of Suffolk who also liued not long after nor long escaped vnpunished For although he was highly exalted by the meanes of the Queene whose maryage he onely procured vnto the fauour of the king was made Duke of Suffolke magnified of the people and bare the whole sway in the realme whose actes and facts his vayne glorious head caused also by the assent of the commons to be recorded substantially to be registred in the rolles of the Parliament for a perpetuall renowne to him and all his posteritie for euer yet notwtstanding the hand of Gods iudgement still hanging ouer hym he enioyed not long this his triuÌ„phant victory For within 3. yeares after the death and ruine of the Cardinall the voyces of the whole commons of England were vtterly turned against him accusing him in the Parliament at the blacke Fryers for deliuery of the Duchye of Angeow and Barledome of Maine also for the death of yâ— noble Prince Humfry Duke of Glocester They unputed moreouer to hym the losse of all Normandye saying vnto him that he was a swallower vp and consumer of yâ— kings treasure the expâ—iler of al good and vertuous counsaylers from the king and aduancer of vicious persons apparant aduersaryes to the publicke wealth so that he was called in euery mouth a traytour a murderer and a robber of the kinges treasure The Queene albeit she tenderly loued the Duke yet to appease the exclamation of the commons was forced to committee hym to the tower where he with as much pleasure and liberty as could be remayned for a month whiche being expired he was deliuered and restored agayne into his old place former fauour with the kyng where at the people more grudged then before It happened by the occasion of a commotion then beginning amongest the rude people by one whom they called Blewbeard that the parliament was for that tyme adiourned to Leycester thinking to the Queene by force and rigour of lawe to repâ—esse there the malice and euill will conceiued against the duke But at that place few of yâ— nobilitie would appeare Wherfore it was againe reiourned vnto LondoÌ„ kept at Westminster where was a whole company a ful appearance with the king and Queene with them the duke of Suffolke as chiefe counsailour The commons not forgetting their old grudge renewed agayn their former articles and accusations agaynst the sayde duke agaynst the byshop of Salisb. syr Iames Fynics Lord Say and other When the kyng perceaued yâ— no glosing nor dissimulation would serue to appease the continual clamour of the importunate coÌ„mons to make some quiet pacificatioÌ„ first he sequestred from hym the Lord say treasurer of Englande other the Dukes adherentes from theyr offices Then he put in exile the Duke of Suffolke for the terme of 5. yeares supposing by that space the furious rage of yâ— people would asswage But the hand of God woulde not suffer that giltles bloud of Humfrey Duke of Glocester to be vnreuenged or that flagitious person further to continue For wheÌ„ he shipped in Suffolke intending to be transported into Fraunce he was encountred with a shippe of warre belonging to the tower whereby he was taken and brought into Douer rode and there on the side of a ship boat one strake of his head which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1450. And thus haue ye heard the full storye and discourse of Duke Humfrey and of all hys aduersaries also of Gods condigne
receyued Moreouer the Lord so prospered hys sonnes Uictorinus and Henricus that they subdued their ennemies and kept their estate In so much that when Fredericke the Emperor at Uienna was in custody enclosed by the Citizens Uictorinus did restore and deliuer him out of their hands wherefore the Emperour afterward aduaunced them to be Dukes Also God gaue them sometimes prosperous victory against Mathias as at the City of Glogonia c. After the decease of Georgius Pogiebracius King of Boheme Friderike the Emperor assigned that kingdom not to Mathias vppon whome the Pope had bestowed it before but vppon Uladislaus sonne of Casunirus king of Polonye and of Elizabeth daughter of the Emperor Albert and sister to Ladislaus For the which Mathias being discontented and for that the Emperor had denied him his daughter Runegunda went about to exclude Uladislaus out of Boheme and also proclaimed warre agaynst Fridericke But before he accomplished his purposed preparation death preuented him who wythout issue departed Anno 1490. After the death of Mathias departing wythout issue Uladislaus sonne of Casimirus king of Polonie and of Elizabeth daughter to Albert Emperour and sister to K. Ladislaus maried his wife Beatrix whom Mathias left a widow and with her was elected king of Hungary with this condition made betwene him and Friderike the Emperour that if he died without lawfull issue then the kingdomes of Hungary and of Boheme shoulde retourne to Maximilian sonne to Fridericus But Uladislaus not long after did repudiate his wife Beatrix and depriuing her of her kingdome caused the said Beatrix to swear and to consent to the marying of an other woman whych was the daughter of the French king named Anne procuryng from Pope Alexander a dispensation for the same as is before signified By this Anne Uladislaus had Lewys Anne which Anne afterwarde was maried to Ferdinandus Lewys succeeding after hys father had both the sayde kingdomes of Boheme and Hungarie An. 1492. and maried Mary sister to Charles the 5. Emperour Anne as is sayd was coupled to Ferdinandus c. Of Charles Duke of Burgoine somewhat was before touched who had maryed king Edwardes sister and what troubles by him were stirred vp in Fraunce partly was before notified Thys Charles after hee had besieged the Citie Nussia or Nouasium the space of a whole yere went about to alienate the territorie of Colen from the Empire to hys owne dominion wherefore warre began to be mooued betweene him and Fredericke the Emperor At length through communication had peace was concluded and a marriage appoynted betweene Mary the only daughter of Charles and Maximilian the Emperours sonne Anno 1475. Then from Nouasium Charls leadeth hys armie towarde Heluetia against Renatus or Reinhardus Duke of Lotharing then against the Heluetians Where hee being thrise ouercome first at Granson then at Moratum or Murta in the hier parte of Heluetia at last at the towne of Nanse was ouerthrowne and slain Anno 1477. The procurer of which warres was chiefly Lewys the 11. the French king to the entent hee might compasse the dominion of Burgundie vnder hys subiection whych afterwarde by open wrong and priuie fraude hee brought about defrauding Mary the daughter of Charles of her rightfull inheritance For the whych cause the Burgundians were the more willing to ioyne her in marriage wyth Maximilian sonne of Friderike the Emperour by reason whereof the title of Burgundie was firste ioyned to the house of Austria And thus haue you the miserable vexations and contentions among our Christian Princes heere in Europe described vnder the raigne of thys Fredericke the thyrde Emperour so that almost no angle nor portion of al Christendome whether we consider the state of the Churche or ciuill gouernement was free from discorde tumults and dissentions Thys cankerde worme of ambition so myghtely creepeth and euery where preuaileth in these latter endes of the worlde that it suffereth neither rest in common weales nor peace in the Churche nor any sparckle of charitie almost to remaine in the life of men And what maruaile then if the Lorde seeing vs so farre to degenerate not onely from hys preceptes and counsailes but almoste from the sense and bounde of nature that brother wyth brother vncle wyth nephewe bloude wyth bloude cannot agree in striuing killing and fighting for worldly dominions do send therfore these cruell Turkes vpon vs so to scourge and deuoure vs Of whose bloudy tiranny daily spilling of Christian bloude heereafter by the grace of Christ we will discourse more at large when wee come to the peculiar consideration of the Turkishe storyes In the meane time thys shal be for vs to note and obserue not so much the scourge howe greeuous it is but rather to beholde the causes which being the whippe vpon vs whych is our owne miserable ambition and wretched warres among our selues And yet if this Christian peace and loue left and commended so heartely vnto vs by the mouth of the sonne of God being nowe banished out of Christian realmes and ciuile gouernaunce myght at least finde some refuge in the Church or take Sanctuarie among menne professing nothyng but Religion lesse cause we had to mourne Nowe so it is that as we see little peace and amitie amonge ciuil Potentates so lesse we finde in the spiritual sorte of them which chiefly take vpon them the administration of Christes Churche So that it may well be doubted whether the scourge of the Turke or the ciuill sworde of Prynces haue slaine moe in the fieldes or the Popes keyes haue burnt moe in Townes and Cities And all be it such as be professed to the Churche do not fight wyth sword and targate for dominions and reuenewes as warlike Princes doe yet thys ambition pride and auarice appeareth in them nothyng inferiour to other worldly potestates especially if wee beholde and aduise the doings and insatiable desires of the court of Rome Great argument and proofe hereof neither is hard to be found nor farre to be soughte What realme almost through all christendom hath not only seene with their eyes but haue felt in their pursses the ambitiō intollerable and auarice insatiable of that deuouring church and also haue complained vpon the greuance thereof but neuer coulde be redressed What exactions and extortions haue bene here in England out of bishopricks monasteries benefices deanries Archdeaconries and all other offices of the Churche to fill the Popes coffers and when they had all done yet euery yeare brought almoste some newe inuention from Rome to fetch in our English money and if all the floudes in Englande yea in all Europe did runne into the sea of Rome yet were that Ocean neuer able to be satisfied In Fraunce lykewise what floudes of money were swalowed vp in this sea of Rome it was openly complained of in the councel of Basil as is testified by Henry Token Canon and Ambassadour of the Archbishop of Maidenburge
written in his boke intituled Rapularium where as hee wryteth that in the Councell of Basill An. 1536. the Archbyshop of Lions did declare that in the time of Pope Martine there came out of France to the court of Rome 9. millions of golde which was gathered of the Byshops and Prelates besides those whych could not be counted of the poore clergy which daily without number runne vnto the court of Rome carying with them all their whole substance The archbishop of Turonne sayde also at Basil in the yeare of our Lord 1439. that three millions of gold came vnto Rome in his time within the space of 14. yeres from the prelates prelacies wherof no accompt could be made beside the poore cleargy which daily run to that court Let the man which feareth God iudge what a deuouring gulf this is A million containeth x. C.M. And what made Pope Pius the 2. to labor so earnestly to Lewes the 11. the French Kinge who as is aforesayde was a great enemy to the house of Burgoin that he wold according to his former promise abolishe vtterly extinct the constitution established before at the Counsell of Bitures by king Charles the 7. his predecessour called Pragmatica Sanctio but onely the ambition of that sea which had no measure and their auarice which had no ende the storie is this King Charles 7. the French king willing to obey and folow the councel of Basil did sommon a Parliament at Bitures Where by the full consent of all the states in Fraunce both spiritual and temporal a certain constitution was decreed and published called Pragmatica Sanctio wherein was comprehended briefly the pith and effect of all the Canons and decrees cōcluded in the councel of Basil The which constitution the saide king Charles willed and commaunded through all his realme inuiolably to be obserued and ratified for the honor and increase of Christian religion for euer This was An. 1438. It followed that after the decease of thys foresayde Charles the 7. succeded king Lewys 11. who had promised before being Dolphine to Pope Pius that if he euer came to the crowne the foresayd Sanctio Pragmatica should be abolished Wherupon Pope Pius hearing him to be crowned did send vnto him Iohn Balueus a Cardinall wyth hys great letterg patent willing him to be mindful of hys promise made The king eyther willing or els pretending a will to performe and accomplish what he had promised directed the Popes letters patēt wyth the sayd Cardinal to the counsaile of Paris requiring them to consult vpon the cause Thus the matter beyng brought and proposed in the Parliament house the kings Atturney named Ioannes Romanus a man wel spoken singularly witted and wel reasoned stepping foorth with great eloquence and no les boldnes prooued the sayd Sanction to be profitable holy and necessary for the wealth of the realme and in no case to be abolished Unto whose sentence the Uniuersity of Paris adioyning their consent did appeal from the attempts of the Pope to the next generall Councell The Cardinall vnderstanding this toke no litle indignation thereat fretting and fuming and threatning many terrible things against them but al his minatory words notwithstanding he returned againe to the king hys purpose not obtained An. 1438. Ex Ioan. Mario Thus the Popes purpose in France was disappoynted which also in Germanie had come to the like effect if Fredericke the Emperor had there done his part lykewise toward the Germaines Who at the same time bewailing their miserable estate wēt about wyth humble sute to perswade the Emperor that he should no longer be vnder the subiection of the Popes of Rome except they had first obtained certaine things of them as touching the Charter of Appeales declaring their estate to be far worse although vndeserued then the Frenchmen or Italians whose seruants and especially of the Italians they are worthely to be called except that their estate were altered The nobles comminalty of Germanie did instantly intreate with most waighty reasons examples both for the vtilitie and profite of the Empire to haue the Emperours aide and helpe therin for that which he was bound vnto them by an oth alledging also the great dishonor ignominie in that they alone had not the vse of their owne lawes declaring how the French natiō had not made their sute vnto their king in vaine against the exactions of Popes by whom they were defended whych also prouided decrees and ordinances for the liberty of his people caused the same to be obserued the which thing the Emperor ought to foresee within hys Empire to prouide for hys people and states of his empire as well as other Kings doe For what shall come to passe therby if that forreine nations hauing recourse vnto their kings being relieued and defended by them from the said exactions and the Germains states of the Empyre flying vnto theyr Emperour be by him forsaken or rather betraied depriued of their owne lawes and decrees The Emperor being mooued partly ouercome by theyr perswasions promised that he wold prouide no lesse for them then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen and to make decrees in that behalfe but the graue authoritie of Aeneas Syluius as Platina wryteth in the history of Pius the second brake of the matter who by his subtile and pestiserous perswasions did so bewitche the Emperour that hee contemning the equall iust and necessary requestes of hys subiects chose the sayd Aeneas to be hys Ambassadour vnto Calixtus then newly chosen Pope to sweare vnto hym in his name to promise the absolute obedience of al Germany as the only coūtry as they call it of obedience neglecting the ordinances decrees of their country as before he had done vnto Eugenius the 4. being Ambassadour for the sayd Fredcrike promising that he all the Germaines would be obedient vnto him from hēceforth in al matters as well spirituall as temporall Thus twise Friderike of Austrich contemned and derided the Germaines frustrating them of their natiue decrees and ordinances brought them vnder subiection and bondage of the Pope whych partly was the cause that 7. yeres before his death he caused his sonne Maximiliā not only to be chosen but also crowned king of Romains and did associate hym to the ministration of the Empire least after hys death as it came to passe the Empire shoulde bee transported into an other family suspecting the Germains whom he had twise cōtrary to his lawes made subiect and in bondage vnto the Popes exactions first be fore he was crowned in the time of Eugenius the 4. and again the second time after hys coronation and death of Pope Nicholas the 5. denying their requests Wherupon Germany being in this miserable pouerty and greuous subiection vnder the Popes tiranny and polling with teares and sighs lamenting their estate continued so almost vnto Luthers time as the hystories
good Fortune irriding and mocking the mindes and iudgemeÌ„ts of men which beleue that God by his prouidence gouerneth and regardeth the state of humaine things on earth After that this Mahumete heard of the victories and conquests of other his predecessours and had vnderstanding how Baiazetes lay eight yeares about Constantinople and could not winne it he dispraising Baiazetes and disdaining that so long time should be spent aboute the siege thereof and yet no victory gotten bent all hys studie and deuice how to subdue the same But first hauing a priuie hatred against the Citie of Athens and hauing his hands lately embrued with the bloud of his brethren this murthering Mahumete first of all taketh his vâ—age to subuert and destroy the Citie aforesaid being a famous Schoole of all good learning and discipline Against the which Citie he did so furiously rage for the hatred of good letters that he thought he ought not to suffer the foundation thereof to stand because that Citie was a good nursse and fosterer of good Artes and Sciences wherefore he commaunded the Citie to be rased and vtterly subuerted and wheresoeuer any monuments or bookes could be found he caused them to be cast into durty sinkes and the filthiest places of the Citie or put to the most vile vses that could be deuised for extirping and abolishing of all good literature and if he vnderstood any to lament the case and ruine of that noble place those he greeuously punished and put to death Thus the famous and auncient Schoole of Athens being destroied and ouerthrowne he returned his army power into Thracia where in all haste he gathering hys power together both by sea by laÌ„d with a mighty multitude compassed the Citie of Constantinople about and began to lay his siege against it in the yeare of our Lord 1453. and in the 54. day of the said siege it was taken sacked and the Emperour CoÌ„stantinus slaine As touching the cruelty and fearcenes of the Turkes in getting of this City and what slaughter there was of men women and children what calamitie and misery was there to be sene for somuch as sufficient relation with a full description thereof hath bene made before pag. 708. it shall be superfluous now to repeate the same This only is not to be omitted touching three principall causes of the ouerthrow of this City whereof was the first the filthy auarice of those Citizens which hiding their treasures in the grouÌ„d would not imploy the same to the necessary defence of their City For so I finde it in story expressed that when the Turke after the taking of the City had found not so much treasure as he looked for suspecting with himselfe as the truth was the treasures and riches to be hidden vnder the ground commaunded the earth to be digged vp and the foundations of the houses to be searched where when he had found treasures incredible what quoth he how could it be that this place could euer lacke inunition and fortification which did flow and abound with such great riches as heere is and plenty of all things The second cause was the absence of the Nauy of the UenetiaÌ„s which if they had bene ready in time might haue bene a safegard against the inuasion of the enemies A third cause also may be gathered vpon occasion incident in stories either for that the City of Constantinople fifteene yeares before did yeeld to the Bishop of Rome as is before to be seene pag. 76. or else because as in some writers it is euident that Images were there receaued mainteined in their Churches and by the Turkes the same time destroyed Ioannes Ramus writing of the destructioÌ„ of this Citie amongst other matters maketh relation of the Image of the Crucifixe being there in the high temple of Sophia which Image the Turke tooke and writing this superscription vpon the head of it Hic est Christianorum Deus 1. This is the God of the Christians gaue it to his souldiours to be scorned and commaunding the sayde Image with a trumpet to be carried through all his army made euery man to spit at it most contumeliously Wherein thou hast good Reader by the way to note what occasion of selaunder and offence we Christians geue vnto the barbarous Infidels by this our vngodly superstition in hauing Images in our temples contrary vnto the expresse commandement of God in his word For if Saint Paule writing to the Corinthians faith we knowe Christ now no more after the flesh how much lesse then is Christ to be knowne of vs in blind stockes and Images set vp in our Temples seruing for none other purpose but for the Infidels to laugh both vs our God to scorne and to prouoke Gods vengeance which by the like example I feare may also fall vpon other Cities where such Images and Idolatrous superstition is mainteined whereof God graunt Uienna to take heede betime which hath bene so long and yet is in such great danger of the Turke and polluted with so many Images and plaine Idolatric In summa to make the story short such was the cruelty of these Turkes in winning the Citie that when Mahumete had geuen licence to the souldiours three dayes together to spoile to kill and to do whatsoeuer they listed there was no corner in all Constantinople which did not either flow with Christian bloud or else was polluted with abhominable abusing of maids wiues matrones without al reuereÌ„ce of nature Of the which CitizeÌ„s some they murthered some they rosted vpon spits of some they fleyed off their skin hanging theÌ„ vp to consume with famine of othersome they put salt into their wouÌ„ds the more terribly to torment them insomuch that one of them contended with another who could deuise most strange kinds of new torments and punishments exercising such crueltie vpon them that the place where the Citie was before seemed now to be no citie but a slaughter house or shambles of Christian mens bodies AmoÌ„g the dead bodies the body also of Constantine the Emperour was found whose head being brought to Mahun 〈◊〉 he commaunded to be caried vpon a speare through the whole City for a publike spectacle decision to all the Turkish army And because he would diminish the number of the captiues which seemed to him to be very great he neuer rose from his table but he put euery day some of the nobles to death no lesse to fill his cruell minde with bloud then his body was filled with wine which he vsed so long to do as any of the nobles of that Citie was left aliue And of the other sorte also as the stories do credibly report there passed no day in the which he did not orderly slay more then three hundreth persons the residue he gaue to his rascal souldiours to kill and to do with them what they would Where is to be noted that as
they handes they could not beare that but incoÌ„tinent they put him besides the cushin The like also fell vp on Otho the 4. that folowed after Philip who was suffered no longer then foure yeares to raigne about the yeare of our Lord. 1209. Emperours kissing the Popes feete K. Iohns supplication to the Pope After this Friderick folowed his sonne CoÌ„radus whoÌ„ the foresayd Bishops for his disobedience soone dispatched exciting agaynst him in mortall warre the Lantgraue of Thuring wherby he was at length driuen into his kingdome of Naples and there deceased This Conradus had a sonne called Conradinus duke and prince of Suenia When this Conradinus after the decease of his father came to enioy his kingdome of Naples the sayd Bishops styrred vp against him Charles the french kings brother in such sort that through crafty conueyance both Couradinus which descended of the bloud of so many Emperours also Fridericke Duke of Austria were both takeÌ„ and after much wretched handling in theyr miserable induraunce vnseeming to theyr state at length were both brought vnder the axe by the Popes procurement and so both beheaded And thus ended the imperiall stock of Fridericke the first surnamed Barbarossa The like as happened to Fridericke the Emperor had almost also fallen vpon Philip the French king by Pope Boniface the 8. who because he could not haue his commodityes and reuenewes out of Fraunce after his will sent out his Bulles and letters patents to displace king Philip aforesayd and to possesse Albertus king of Romanes in his rowme And thus hitherto of forreigne storyes Now touching our countrey Princes here in Englande to speake somewhat likewise of them did not Pope Alexander the 3. presumptuously taking vpoÌ„ him where he had nothing to do to intermeddle with the kinges subiectes for the death of Becket the rebell albeit the king sufficiently cleared hym selfe thereof yet notwithstanding did he not wrongfullye bring the sayd king Henry 2. to such penaunce as it pleased him to enioyne also violently constrayne him to sweare obedience to the Sea of Rome pag. 227. The lyke also was shewed before in this story to happen to K. Iohn hys sonne For when the sayd king like a valiaunt Prince had held out the tyranny of those Bishops 7. yeares together were not all the Churches in England barred vp and hys inheritaunce with all his dominions geuen away by pope Innocent 3. to Ludouicus the French king and he afterward compelled to submitt both himselfe and to make hys whole Realme sedotary to the Byshops of Rome moreouer the king himselfe driuen also to surreÌ„der his crowne to Pandulphus the Popes Legate and so continued as a priuate person 5. dayes standing at the popes curtesy whether to receiue it agayne at his handes or no And when the nobles of the realme rose afterwarde agaynst the king for the same was not he then fayne to seeke and sue to the foresayd Pope for succour as by this his owne letter takeÌ„ out of the publicke roles may appeare Kyng Iohns Supplication to Pope Innocent the third REuerendis Domino suo Patri sanctis Innocentio Dei gratia Ioan. eadem gratia R. Angliae c. Cum Comites Barones Angliae nobis deuoti essent antequam nos nostram terram Domino vestro subia cere curassemus ex tunc in nos specialiter ob hoc sicut publice dicunt violenter insurguÌ„t Nos verò praeter Deum vos specialem dominum patronum habentes defensioneÌ„ nostram totius Regni quod vestrum esse credimus vestrae paternitati commissam nos quantum in nobis est curam solicitudinem istam vestrae resignamus dominationi deuotius supplicaÌ„tes quatenus in negotijs nostris quae vestra sunt coÌ„silium auxilium efficax apponatis prout melius videritis expedire latores praesentium c. Teste meipso apud Dour 18. Septemb. 6. Pope Coelestinus 4. crowning the Emperour Henricus 6. with his feete Besides this king Henry 2. and king Iohn his sonne what kinges haue here reigned in Englande since theyr time vntill the raign of king Henry 8. who although they were prudent princes did what they could in prouiding agaynst the proude domination of these Bishoppes were forced at length sore agaynst theyr wils for feare to subiect themselues together with theyr subiects vnder theyr vsurped authority in so much as some of them as Math. Paris writeth by king Henry ye. 3. were sayne to stoupe and kisse their Legates knee ¶ The Image of Antichrist exalting himselfe in the Temple of God aboue all that is named God out of his owne Decrees Decretals Extrauagantes Pontificals c. word for worde as it is out of the sayde bookes here alleaged and quoted Henricus 4. Emperour Waiting 3. dayes vpon Pope Gregory 7. Image of Antichrist Henricus 4. Emperour surrendering his crowne to the Pope Image of Antichrist King Iohn offering his Crowne to Pandulphus Legate K. Henry 2. kissing the knee of the PopÌ„es Legat comming into England Fridericus i. Emperour shent for holding Pope Adrians styrrup on the wrong side The order of the Popes riding the Emperour holding his bridle and kinges going before him Ex Lib. Sacrar Ceremon lib. 1. The P. caried on mens shoulders the Emp. K. going before him Ex li. Sacrar Cer. lib. 1. And to the intent I would all men to see and vnderstaÌ„d that I lacke not witnesses moe besides these if I list to bring them out you shal heare the whole queare of my diuine clergy brought out with a full voyce testifying in my behalfe in their bookes tractations distinctions Titles Gloses and Summaryes as by their owne wordes here followeth Doctors agree in Purgatory A. Antoninus in Summulis Augustinus de Ancho in Decret A stefanus Midorita B. Baptista de Salum sua Baptistiniana Bonauentura C. Campensis lib. Controuersiarum Coclaeus D. Durandus in Speculo Dreido de eccles Scripturis Dogmat. E. Eduardus Peuellus Anglus contra Luthe Ecchius in Enchirid. F. Franciscus Fulgo G. Gabriel Biel. Spica Gaspar Gratianus in Decretis Gerson doctor Illuminatistimus ecclesiastica potestate H. Hugo Cardinalis in postilla Hostiensis Holkot Hosius I. Ioannes Andrea Innocentius Ioan. de Turie Cremata de ecclesia summa L. Lanfrancus contra Wiclef Lilius Historicum Anglus Lapus Laurentius M. Magister Sententiarum N. Nicolaus O. Ockam in Dialogo parte 1. lib. 5. Oytanus P. Petrus de Palude Petrus de Tuaram Petrus de Aliaco Panoâ—â—â—taâ—â—s Alexander de Alec R. Raymundus in SuÌ„ma de Calibus Richardus Rabanus super Math. cap. 16. Rupertus Tuitiensis S. Scotus Doctor Subtilis T. Thomas Aquin. V. Vlricus W. Waldenss … De Sacramentis The Pope say they being the vicare of Iesu Christ throughout the whole worlde in the stead of the liuing God hath that dominion and Lordship which christ here in earth would not haue although he had it in habitu but
confirmation of the Emperour Pope Clemens the. 2. Pope Damasus the 2. Pope Leo the 9. Concilium Moguntinum Nauclerus Crantz Alb. Cranz Saxo. lib. 4. Cap. 45. Pope victor the 2. Concilium Florentinum Pope Stephan the ix The Church of Millan first brought vnder the Church of Rome The Emperour accused of heresie Hildebrand sent in commission for simonie Hildebâ—â—â—â— beginneâ—â— to stune Pope Benedictus 10. Pope Nicolaus the 2. Two Popes together at Rome Pope Benâ— vnpopeth himselfe The glose of the popes decrees â—â—futed Concilium LateranuÌ„ Anno 1059. Dist. 23. cap. In no. A terrible curse of Pope Nicolaus Berengarius driuen to recantation Transubstantiation brought into the Church Nauclerus Platina Eneas Sil. Potentia papa Coactina standeth not with the Gospell Anno. 1062. Henricus 4. Emperour The Popes curse compared to Domicianus thunder Aldredus Archbishop of Yorke Tostius how he perswaded the Pope Cadolus a Lombard made Pope by the Emperour Pope Alexander the .2 Two battayles betwixt two Popes for S. Peters seate Concilium MantuanuÌ„ Alleluya suspended in the time of Lent A decree that no secular man should geue a spirituall promotion Benno Cardinalis Pope Alexander knockt about the paâ—e by Hildebrand Psal. 43. Gene â—4 Exod. 32. Nume 25. Actes 5.8 Deut. 33. The ignoraâ—nce and superstition of the tyme of K. Edgar noted The doctrine of iustification vnknowne Iustification by fayth in Christ. S. Dunstanes harpe vpon the wall fast by a pinne did hang â— Without mans helpe with lye and all and by it self did twangâ— William Conquerour Anno. 1067. A blasing staire Tribute Rebellion Erle Marcarus and Eerle Edwyne Edgar Atheling with hys mother ij sisters Margaret and Christian fled into Scotland New king new lawes King William forsworne in abolishing King Edwardes lawes Yorke with the minster of S. Peter brent The north countrey wasted Horrible famine in the north partes Slaughter of Northumbland men Scots subdued to K. William The continuall affliction and disquietnes of this Realme of England Fiue conquestes which haue bene in this Realme Romaines Scots and pictes Saxons Danes Normandes Ex Henr. Huntington Lib. 6. Ex histor lornalens England afflicted and scourged for iniquitie The vision of K. Edward Englishmen scourged for their vniust oppression of the Britaines Englishmen iustly scourged for their vniust cruelty against the Normands Three thinges in this conquest to be noted Gods iust iudgement Lacke of succession Foreine mariage Anno. 1070. A councell holden at Winchester Might ouercommeth right Diuers Bishops Abbots and priours deposed in England Stigandus Archb. of Cant. depriued and the causes why Faire countenaunce not to be trusted A couetous Byshop Thomas made Archb. of York Lanfrancus an Italian Archb. of Canterb. The minster of Yorke builded The geuing of the palle Dist. 100 Cap. Prisca Dist. 100. cap. Nouit Ex Lib. grauaminum nationis Germanicae Iacobus Archb. of Mentz Eneas Siluius writeth to be 50. Bishoprickes n Germany Lucius the first king 〈◊〉 Britanie christened Theonus first Archb. of London Ex Chronâ— Sigeberâ—â— Douer the head citie Kent This was about 150. yeares after the comming of the Saxons Lancfrancus replyeth Thomas argueth Lancfrancus replyeth The dignitie of Cant. confirmed by priuileges Well replyed of an Italian If this similitude were formed into a silogisme neyther were the Maior true And specially the minor were vtterly false Order 〈◊〉 betwâ—n◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 Canterbury 〈◊〉 Thomas 〈◊〉 of Yorke A letter of Lanfrancus sent to Pope Alexander Byshops seates translated into England Dorobernia and Canterbury takeÌ„ both for one A councell holden at London and what were the actes thereof Bishops of England about to driue out Monkes and to place priestes agayne in their steede Opus Scintillarum Lanfranci Anno. 1074. Hildebrandus seu Gregor 7. Hildebrand the cause of all this stoutnes and pride in prelates The obedience of Bishops in auncient tyme to Emperours What Popes haue done Popes 〈◊〉 then Princes Fridericus primus shent for holding the Popes left stirrup Ex 〈◊〉 no alâ—s Gregory 7. Ex 〈◊〉 The state and maner of the olde Church in tymes past Reuerend and obedience in old time geuen to princes The maners and vertue of the forefathers described The ambitious presumption of Hildebrand Ex Auentino qui inuenit in instrumentis donationuÌ„ Priestes wiues called praesbiterissae in old chapter seales Hildebrand a mortall enemy agaynst Priestes mariage Priestes maryage made heresie Ottho Bishop of CoÌ„stance Ottho cited to appeare for suffering priestes with their lawfull wyues The Pope dispenseth for disobedience Three thinges enacted by Hildebrand Here commeth in the vow of chastitie The Clergy of Fraunce repugning for deuorcing from thâ—â— wyues Byâ—hop of Mentz Ex Lambeyto Scafâ—abut gensi in Histo. Germanorum The Priestes of Germany stout agaynst the popes vnlawfull proceedinges Single priesthoode how it began Eâ—emples of 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 Ex Benno Cardinali Pope Hildebrand forsaken of diuers of 〈◊〉 Cardinals Pope Hildebrand compelleâ—â— the Bishopâ— and priestes of Rome to sweare vnto him Pope Hildebrand vnorderly made Pope The Emperour wroÌ„gfully excommunicated The Popes chaire brake vnder him as he rose to excommunicate the Empeperour The Pope deuideth the vnitie of the Church Of this miracle we read in no approued history The pope hyreth one to slay the Emperour Hildebrand casteth the sacrament of the Lordes body in the fire because it woulde geue him no answere The Pope a false prophet The Pope seeketh agayne to murther the Emperour The Pope by hys own mouth condemned for an heretick The Emperour preserued by the power of God froÌ„ the Pope A suttle shift of Hildebrand to saue hys lying prophesie Three persons before they were conuict put to execution by Hildebrand agaynst all law Centius taken by the Pope and put into a barrell of nayles The Pope taken of Centius Centius executed by the pope contrary to pâ—omise and fayth The villany of the pope in killing a widowes sonne whiche before had done hys penance Another letter of Benno A deuilish practise of Hildebrand in setting the Bishops agaynst the Emperour The Emperour caused by Hildebrand to accuse himselfe The great patience of the godly Emperour MeÌ„daciuÌ„ quid Pope Hildebrand a worker of sorcery and coniuring Much 〈◊〉 made of Peters throne 〈◊〉 his life they let alonâ— Hermaâ—â—â— excommunicate of HildebraÌ„d Centius Hildebraâ—â— cast in the tower Guibertâ—â— Archbishop of Rauennâ— The counsell of Wormes agaynst the Pope The counsel of Rome against the councell of Wormes Henricus the Emperour excommunicated by Hildebrand Ex Platiâ—â— Maâ—ke this 〈◊〉 papistes that â—ay the Pope cannot erre The pope threatneth kindenes of S. Peter Quis tulerit gracchos de seditione querentes luuen The Saxons take the popes part agaynst the Emperour Peace disturbed through wicked counsell A wonderous submission of a valiaunt Emperour to a vile Pope Notable patience in a noble Emperour Proud conditions of the Pope Pope both accuser and iudge Here the beast of the Apocalips appeareth in his colors The
honour of him and the realme and sayde that hee was certaine that it was knowen to the whole worlde and that hee did maintaine in this matter a iust cause as hee had learned by the agreeable sentence of doctours in Diuinitie and maisters of both Lawes that were borne within his Realme and others which among the Doctors and cunning men of the world were counted of the learned sort and more famous Therefore he required vs all and euery one both Prelates and Barons and other earnestly as our Lord he prayed and gently begged as a friend to consult and take diligent paine that he might ordeine wholsome things both for the keeping of their olde libertie the honour and state of the realme and of the inhabitants therof for the easing of the griefes aforesaid for redressing of the realme and the French Church by our counsaile and his Barons to the praise of Gods name the encrease of the Catholike faith the honour of the vniuersall church and promoting of Gods religion specially seing such griefs were done by his officers others of the Realme to the Churches and churchmen for the which hee purposed a remedy of wholesome correction afore the comming of the foresaid Cardinall would nowe haue put it in execution effectually but that hee might be thought to haue done that for feare or at your commandement which thing ye cannot ascribe to your self Furthermore he wold spend not onely his goodes but also his realme yea his children if the case required and therfore we should regard to be ready with counsell and helpe in season as we are bounde by the duety of fidelitie in these things wherein it is manifest that as all and euery mannes case is handled generally and particularly their cause is promoted and euery mannes owne interest is touched And then hee demaunded by and by to be answered plainely and finally in these things of all and euery one Then the Barons sitting aside with the officers and Proctors aforesaid at the length after they had taken counsell comming to our foresaid Lord the king and praising greatly and hartely thanking him for his laudable purpose and good will answered wyth one voice that for those things they were ready not only to spēd their goods but offered the same goods riches also their persons to death and not to flee any kinde of torment And sayd further with one voice that if our foresaid Lord the king woulde as God forbid suffer or els willingly passe ouer those they thēselues would in no case suffer it Then when answere was asked of vs afterward although we desired longer respite of deliberatiō of the king himself our Lord and of the greatest of the forsayd Barons and that for this intent that in the meane while the Popes letters might haue comen to our Lord the king we answered that we would not offend against the libertie of the realme or by some meanes to innouate thinges contrary to the kings honour in this behalfe We went about also to informe him with many godly words with earnest persuasions and with many kindes of helpe and by sundry wayes to bring him to keepe the speciall bande of vnitie which is knowen to haue continued to these present dayes betwixt the holy Romish church and his predecessours But when we were denied any longer delay and it was plainely and openly tolde to all men that if any man were of a contrary minde from thenceforth he should be manifestly counted for an enemie of the king the realme We considering warely seeing plainely that except our lord the king and the Barons aforesaide were content with our aunswere beside other dangers great offences wherof there could neither be number nor end and that the deuotion both of the Romish and French church and also the whole obedience of the laitie and all the people from thence foorth should be taken away without recouerie not without great feare doubt we thought good to aunswer thus That we would helpe our Lorde the king with due counsaile and conuenient helpe for the preseruing of his person and of his earthly honour and the liberty and lawes of the sayd realme like as we were certaine of vs by the duetie of allegiaunce bound to him which hold of him Dukedomes Earledomes Baronies fees and other noble partes of the saide Realme by the fourme of the othe as all other doe yet wee made humble sute to the same our Lord the king that seeing we were bound to obey the Popes holinesse and your holy feete he would suffer vs to go according to the tenour of your foresaid calling Then on the Kings and Barons behalfe followeth aunswere that in no case they would suffer vs to go out of the Realme and that by no meanes they woulde beare to be handled so daungerously yea rather to be altogether wasted Then we considering so great an anger trouble so ieopardous so great that none could be greater both of the King the Barons other lay people of the realme now knowing plainely that the olde enemie of peace which goeth about from the beginning of his fall with sowing of Darnel to breake the vnitie of the Church by troubling of peace would breake charitie and infect the sweetnesse of good workes with the poyson of bitter enuie and would ouerthrow mankinde vtterly and woulde trouble with wickednesse the band of louely vnitie singular frendship which hitherto haue had a happie encrease betwixt the Romish Church and our Lorde the King and his predecessours and the realme to the praise of the highest God the encrease of Christian faith and the setting foorth the honour of the Church of the king and the realme But nowe alas a dore was open to the lamentable breaking and pitifull separating of great offences to rise on euery side dangers are attempted against Churches and Church-men to spoyle their goods and richesse with ieoperdie of life seeing that the laitie nowe doe abhorre and vtterly flee the obedience of clearkes vtterly banishing them from their counsails and doings and haue taken courage to condemne the Ecclesiasticall censure and processe All which ieoperdies with other sundry and diuers daungers which neither toung is able to tell nor wryting can declare wee seeing at hand◠thought good in this poynt of greatest necessity to run with weping voyce lamentable sighes to the circumspect wisdome of your holinesse Beseeching your fatherly mildenes and humbly praying you that some wholesome remedy may be prouided in the premisses By which the sounde profitable agreement and mutuall loue which hath continued so long time betwixt the church the king and the realme myght be maintained in that olde sweete concord the state of the Frenche church might continue in godly and quiet peace that ye woulde vouchsafe to foresee how to withstand the daungers and offences aforesaid that we and our states may be prouided for by the foresaid commaundement of your calling by the studie of your Apostolicall
wisdome and fatherly loue The almighty preserue your holinesse to his holy church a long time These things thus discoursed and done then followed the yeare of our Lord 1304. In the which yeare about the natiuity of our lady came a garison of harnessed soldiours wel appointed sent partly by the French king partly by the Cardinals of Columpua whom the Pope before had deposed vnto the gates of Anragū where the Pope did hide himself because he was borne in the towne The captains of which armie was one Shaira brother to the foresayde Cardinalles And an other William de Longarero high steward to the French king Who inuading the popes towne and finding the gates open gaue assault to the popes frontire where the Pope with his nephew a Marques and 3. other Cardinals were immured The townes men seeing all their intent strength to be bent against the Pope caused the common bel to be rong so assembling themselues in a cōmon counsaile ordeined Adulphus one of the chiefest rulers of the towne for their captaine who vnknowing to them was a great aduersary to the Pope This Adulphus bringing with him Reginaldus de Supine a great lord in Campania the 2. sonnes of Iohn Chitan a noble mā whose father the pope had then in prison at length ioyned him with the French company against the Pope and so beset his palace on euery side And first setting vpō the palacies of the 3. Cardinals which were then chiefe about the pope rifled spoiled all their goods The Cardinals by a backe-doore hardly auoided their handes but the Popes palace through munition strength of the Marques was something better defended At length the Pope perceiuing him selfe not able to make his partie good desired truce wyth Schaira his company which was to him graūted from one til nine During which time of truce the Pope priuily sendeth to the townesmen of Aruagium desiring them to saue his life which if they would doe he promised so to enrich them that they should all haue cause neuer to forget or repent their benefite bestowed To this they made answer againe excusing themselues y◠it lay not in their hability to do him any good for that the whole power of the towne was with the captaine Then the Pope all destitute desolate sendeth vnto Schaira beseeching him to draw out in articles wherin he had wronged him and he wold make hym amends to the vttermost Shaira to this maketh a playne answer signifying to him againe that he should in no wise escape with his life except vppon these 3. conditions First to restore againe the 2. Cardinals of Columpna his brethren whom he had before depriued with al other of their stocke and kinred secondly that after their restitution he should renounce his papacie thirdly his body to remaine in hys power custody These articles seemed to the pope so hard that in no case he woulde agree vnto them wherefore the time of truce expired the captaines soldiors in all forceable meanes bending themselues against the bishop first fired the gates of the pallace wherby the army hauing a full entrance fel to rifle spoile the house The Marques vpon hope to haue his life the life of his children yealdeth him to the hands of Schaira the other captaine which when the Pope heard he wept and made great lamentation After this through windowes and doores at length with much a doe they brast into the pope whome they intreated wyth words threats accordingly Vpō this he was put to his choise whether hee woulde presently leaue his life or geue ouer his Papacie But that he denied stifly to doe to die for it saying to them in his vulgar tōgue Eccle col eccle cape That is lo here my necke lo here my head protesting that he would neuer while he liued renounce hys Popedome Then Schaira went about and was redy to slay him but by certaine that were about him he was staide whereby it hapned that the pope receiued no harme although diuers of his ministers and seruants were slaine The souldiors which ranged in the meane time through all the corners of the Popes house did lade themselues with such treasure of golde siluer plate and ornaments that the wordes of my autor whom I follow do thus expresse it Quod omnes reges mundi non possent tantum de thesauro reddere infia vnum annum quantum fuit de papali palatio asportatum de palatijs trium Cardinalium Marchionis That is that all the kings of the earth together were not able to disburse so much out of their treasury in a whole yeare as then was taken caried out of the popes pallace and of the pallace of the three Cardinals and the Marques Thus Boniface bereued of all his goodes remained in their custodie 3. daies Duryng the which space they had set him on a wilde and vnbroken colte his fate turned to the horse taile causing the horse to runne and course while the Pope was almost breathlesse Moreouer they kept him so wythout meate that hee was thereby neare famished to death After the 3. day the Aruagians and people of the town mustering themselues together to the number of x. M. secretely brast into the house where the Pope was kept and so slaying the kepers deliuered the Pope by strong hand Who then being brought into the middle of the towne gaue thankes with weeping teares to the people for his life saued promising moreouer that for so much as hee was out of all hys goodes hauyng neither bread nor drink to put in his mouth gods blessing and his to al them that now would relieue him wyth any thing either to eate or drinke And heere nowe to see what pouertie and affliction can worke in a man The Pope before in all his pompe most ruffling wealth was neuer so proud but nowe was as humble lowly that euery poore simple man as mine author testifieth might haue a bolde and free accesse to his person To make the story shorte the Pope in that great distresse of famine was not so greedy of their vitails as they were gredy of his blessing Whereupon the women people of the towne came so thicke some with bread some with wine some with water some with meat some with one thing some with an other that the Popes chamber was too litle to receiue the offring in so much that when there lacked cups to receiue the wine they poured it downe on that chamber flore not regarding the losse of wine to win the popes holy blessing Thus Pope Boniface being refreshed by the towne of Aruagum tooke his iourney from thence accompanied with a great multitude of harnessed soldiors to Rome where he shortly vpon the same partly for feare which he was in partly for famine partly for sorrow of so inestimable treasure lost died After whom succeded Benedictus the 11. of
should not want a ruler At the same time also Ericius king of Denmarke Peter Instant brother to the king of Portingal and father of Iames Cardinall of S. Eustachius came vnto y◠Emperour being both very expert men in the affaires of warre which did augment the Emperours host with their aid and power Wherupon they straightway pitched their camp before Lutemperge a towne of Morauia and continued the siege by the space of ii moneths There was at that time a certaine Knight at Prage surnamed Aqua which was very rich and of great authority This mā forsomuch as he had no child of his owne adopted vnto him his sisters sonne named Procopius whom when he was of meane stature and age he caried with him into France Spayne and Italy and vnto Ierusalem and at his returne caused hym to be made Priest This man when the Gospell began to flourish in Boheme tooke part with Zisca and for somuch as he was strong and valiant and also painefull he was greatly esteemed This Procopius for his valiaunt actes was afterward called Procopius Magnus and had committed vnto him the whole charge of the prouince of Morauia and the defence of the Lutemperges who receiuing a great power by force maugre all the whole power which lay in the siege carried vittailes into the towne which was besieged and so did frustrate the Emperours siege The Emperour before this had deliuered vnto the Marquesses of Misnia the bridge and towne of Ausca vpon the riuer of Albis that they should fortifie them with their garrisons Wherupon Zisca besieged Ausca and Fridericke the Marquesse of Misnia with his brother the Lantzgraue of Turyng gathering together a greate army out of Saxonia Turing Misnia and both the Lusaces determined to rescue and ayde those which were besieged There was a great battaile fought before the Citie and the victory depēded long vncertaine but at last it fel on the Protestantes part There were slaine in that battaile the Burgraues of Misnia or Chyrpogenses the Barons of Glychen and many other nobles beside ix thousand cōmon souldiours and the Towne of Ausca was taken and vtterly rased At the last dissention rising betweene Zisca and them of Prage they of Prage prepared an army against him wher with he perceiuing himselfe ouermatched fled vnto the Riuer of Albis and was almost takē but that he had passage through the town of Poggiebras but they of Prage pursuing the taile of y◠battaile slue many of his Thaborites At the length they came vnto certaine hils whereas Zisca going into the valley knowing the straights of the place that his enimies could not spread their army he commanded his standerd to stand still and exhorting and encouraging his souldiours he gaue them battaile This battaile was very fierce and cruell but Zisca hauing the vpper hande slue 3000. of them of Prage and put the rest to flight and straightwaies tooke the Citie of Cuthna by force which they of Prage had repaired and set it on fire then withall speed he went with his army to besiege Prage and incamped within a bowe shoote of the towne There wer many both in the City and also in his host which grudged sore at y◠siege some accusing Zisca othersome them of Prage There was great tumultes in the campe the souldiours saieng that it was not reasonable that the City should be suppressed which was both the head of the kingdome and did not dissent frō them in opinion saieng that the Bohemians power would soone decay if their enimies should know that they were deuided within themselues also that they had sufficient warres agaynst the Emperour and that it was but a foolish deuise to moue warres amongst themselues This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca who calling together his armie standyng vpon a place to be heard spake these words BRethren be yee not agreeued against me neither accuse hym which hath sought your health and sauegard The victories which ye haue obteined vnder my conduict are yet fresh in memorie neither haue I broughte you at anye time vnto any place from whence you haue not come victours You are become famous and rich and I for your sake haue lost my sight and dwell in darkenesse Nothing haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes but only a vaine name For you haue I fought and for you haue I vanquished neither do I repente me of my trauailes neyther is my blindnesse greeuous vnto me but onely that I can not prouide for you according to my accustomed manner Neither do I persecute them of Prage for mine owne cause for it is your bloud that they thirst and seeke for and not mine It were but small pleasure for them to destroy me being now an old man and blind it is your valiantnesse and stoute stomackes which they feare Either must you or they perish who whilest they seeme to lye in wait for me do seeke after your liues You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoided We will subdue Prage and banish the seditious Citizens before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition And then hauing but a few of his faction left we may wyth the lesse feare looke for it better then if these doubtfull Citizens of Prage were still in our campe But because ye shall accuse me no more I geue you free libertie to do what you will If it please you to suffer them of prage to liue in quietnesse I will not be against it so that there be no treason wrought If you determine to haue warre I am also readie Looke which part you will decline vnto Zisca will be your ayde and helper When he had spoken these words the souldiours minds were changed and wholly determined to make wars so that they ran by and by to take vp their armour and weapon to run vnto the walles to prouoke their enemies to fight for the gates of the citie Zisca in the meane time prepared all things ready for the assault There is a little from Pelsina acertain vilage named Rochezana In this place there was a child borne of poore and base parētage whose name was Iohn he came vnto Prage and got his liuing there by begging and learned Grammer Logick When he came to mās state he became y◠Scholemaster of a noble mans child and for so much as he was of an excellent wit and ready toung he was receiued into the Colledge of the poore and last of all being made Priest he began to preach the word of God to the Citizēs of Prage and was named Iohannes de Rochezana by the name of the Towne where he was borne This mā grew to be of great name and authoritie in the towne of Prage Wherupon when as Zisca besieged Prage he by the consent of the Citizēs went out into the camp and reconciled Zisca againe vnto the Citie When as the Emperour perceiued that all things came
to passe according vnto Zisca his will and minde and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depend he sought priuie meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernance of the whole kingdom the guiding of all his hostes armies and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto him Upō which cōditions whē as Zisca for the performance of the couenants went vnto the Emperour being on his iourney at the Castle of Priscouia he was stricken with sicknesse and died It is reported that when he was demaunded beyng sicke in what place he would be buried he commaunded the skinne to be pulled off from his dead carkase and the flesh to bee cast vnto the foules and beastes and that a drumme should be made of his skinne which they should vse in their battailes affirming that as soone as their enimies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight The Thaborites despising all other Images yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie ¶ The Epitaphe of Iohn Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians I Iohn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captain in warlike policie a seueare punisher of the pride and auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my countrey do lie heere That which Appius Claudius by geuing good counsell and M. Furius Camillus by valiantnesse did for the Romaines the same I being blinde haue done for my Bohemians I neuer slacked oportunitie of battaile neither did fortune at any time faile me I being blinde did foresee all oportunitie of well ordering or doing my businesse Eleuen times in ioining battaile I went victour out of the field I seemed to haue worthely defended the cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fatte and glotonous Priests and for that cause to haue receiued help at the hande of God If their enuy had not let it without doubt I had deserued to be numbred amongst the most famous men Notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this halowed place euen in despite of the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Iohn Zisca a Bohemian enemy to all wicked and couetous Priestes but with a godly zeale And thus haue you the actes and doings of this worthy Zisca and other Bohemians which for the more credite we haue drawne out of Aeneas Syluius onely his rayling tearmes excepted which we haue heere suppressed All this while the Emperour with the whole power of the Germaines were not so busie on the one side but Martin the Pope was as much occupied on the other side who about the same time directed downe a terrible Bull full of all poison to all Byshops and Archbyshops agaynst all such as tooke any part or side with Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hierome or with their doctrine and opinions The copie of which Bull which I found in an olde written monument I wish the reader throughly to peruse wherein he shall see the Pope to poure out at once all his poison The Bull of Pope Martine directed foorth against the followers of Iohn Wickliffe of England of Iohn Husse of Boheme and Hierome of Prage MArtine Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to our reuerend brethren the Archbishops of Salzeburgen Gueznen and Pragē to the Bishops of Dlumcen Luthomuslen Bambergen Misnen Patauiē Uratislauien Ratisponen Cra. ouien Poznamen and Nitrien also to our beloued children the Inquisitours appointed of the Prelates aboue recited or where else soeuer vnto whome these present letters shall come greeting and Apostolicall benediction Amongst all other pastorall cares where with we are oppressed this chefly and specially doth inforce vs that heretikes with their false doctrine and errours being vtterly expulsed from amōgst the cōpany of Christen mē and rooted out so farre forth as God will make vs able to do the right and Catholike faith may remaine sound and vndefiled and that all Christian people immoueable and iuiolate may stande and abide in the sinceritie of the same fayth the whole vayle of obscuritie being remoued But lately in diuers places of the world but especially in Bohemia and the Dukedome of Morauia and in the straights adioining thereunto certaine Archheretickes haue risen and sprong vp not against one only but against diuers sundry documēts of the Catholike faith being landlopers schismatikes and seditious persons fraught with diuelish pride Woluish madnes deceiued by the subtlety of Sathan and frō one euill vanity brought to a worse Who although they rose vp sprang in diuers parts of the world yet agreed they all in one hauing their tailes as it were knit together to wit Iohn Wickliffe of England I. Hus of Bohemia Hierome of Prage of dammable memorie who drew with thē no small nūber to miserable ruine and infidelitie For when as those such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse false opinions the prelates who had the regiment execution of the iudiciall power like dumme dogs not able to barke neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle all such disobediēce nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house as they were enioined by the canons those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes and their Woluish fury and cruelty with all expedition but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly by their ouerlong delaies to growe and waxe strōg a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things which they did lōg falsly pernitiously and damnably sow among them and geuing credite vnto them fell from the right faith and are intangled the more pitie in the foule errors of Paganisme In so much that those Archheretickes and suche as spring of them haue infected the Catholicke flock of Christ in diuers climates of the world and parts bordering vpon the same and haue caused them to putrifie in the filthie dunghill of their lies Wherefore the generall Synode of Constance was compelled with Sainct Augustine to exclaime against so great and ruinous a plague of faythfull men and of the sound and true faith it selfe saieng what shall the Soueraigne medicine of the Church do wyth motherly loue seeking the health of hir sheepe chasing as it were amongst a companie of men franticke and hauing the disease of the Lethargie What shall she desist and leaue off hir good purpose No not so But rather let hir if there be no remedie be sharpe to both these sorts which are the greenous enemies of her wombe For the Phisition is sharpe vnto the man bestraught and raging in his frensie and yet is he a father to his owne rude and vnmanerly sonne in binding the one in beating the other by shewing therein his great loue vnto them both But if they be negligent and suffer them to perish sayth Augustine this mansuetude is rather to be supposed