A LETTER WRITTEN BY A TRVE CHRISTIAN Catholike to a Romaine pretended Catholike Wherein vppon occasion of controuersie touching the Catholike Church the 12.13 and 14. Chap. of the Reuelations are breifly and trulie expounded Which conteine the true estate thereof from the birth of Christ to the end of the world REVEL CAP. 6. 7 Veni vide Lege perlege intellige crede viue Veni vt videas Vide vt legas Lege vt perlegas perlege vt intelligat Jntellige vt credas Crede vt viuas IESVS CHRISTVS ERO MOâ—SVS INFERNI TVVS OSE 13 CONFINTE VICI MVÌ„DVÌ„ IOA. 1â— VEâ—Tâ—â—â—ORS VICTORIA 1 COR. â—â— Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet dwelling in Adling streete at the signe of the white Beare neere Baynards Castle 1586 FORTITVDINE ET PRVDENTIA A LETTER WRITten by a true Christian Catholicke to a Romane pretended Catholike AS it hath pleased Almightie God in these latter daies with the spirite of his mouthe to waste and consume the Kingdome of Antichrist and to erect and reestablishe the Church and Kingdome of Christ deliuering both to the Magistracie the sworde and to the Ministery the worde for that purpose so hath the Diuell and his adhaerents in no age beene more forward or furious either to sustaine the tottring towers of the one or to hinder and suppresse the increase and augmentation of the other to which end he now most carefullie armeth as it were for the last conflict with malice fraude and force his Liuetenant generall the Bishop of Rome with his freindes and confederates the fauorites of that Babilonian strumpet who seing her self forsaken her painted shewes her deceitfull toyes and trash both desciphered and despised by al sounde iudgements stormeth like another Iuno enraged with malice and madnesse carying alta mente repostum Iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuriae formae Layd vp in deepest thought The doome of Paris and the wrong of bewty set at nought This her malice that she may the more furiouslye execute against this realme of England sometime her darling but now her infest she putteth all meanes in proofe practise that either fraude or force may minister vnto her She frameth vnto her selfe instruments of our owne nation to wreak her wrath vppon their natiue countrie she bewitcheth them with the sleights and sorceries of error and superstition and so sendeth them to allure seduce others she maketh them brokers of her bewtie extollers of her power publishers of her praises and ministers of her practises They tearme her the Sea of holines the Catholike Church the spouse of Christ the mother of the faithfull Quisquis amat ranam ranam putat esse Dianam Who so a frog doth loue loe he That frog Diana thinks to be Whereas in truth shee is the chaire of pestilence the seate of Antichrist the forge of treasons the receptacle of traitors the cage of euery filthie and vncleane bird the hell of the liuing and a seconde Babylon as it was well noted by Petrarch comparing her with the former in an epistle writteÌ„ vnto a frend Fuit illa omnium pessima eaque tempestate foedissima haec vero iam non ciuitas sed laruarum a clemurum domus est vt breuiter dicam scelerum atque omnium dedecorum sentina Viuentium etiam infernus tanto ante dauidico ore notatus quam fundalus aut cognitus Quicquid de Assiria vel Aegiptia Babilone quicquid de quatuor Labyrinthis quicquid de Averno limine deque Tartareis siluis sulphureisque paludibus legisti huic Tartaro admodum fabula est Hic Turrificus simul terrificus Nimrhod hic pharetrata Semiramis hic inexorabilis Minos hic Rhadaman thus hic Cerberus vniuersa consumens hic Tauro suppositae Pasiphae mixtumque genus quod Maro ait prolesque biformis Minotaurus inest Veneris monimenta nephandae Hic postremo quicquid confusum quicquid atrum quicquid horribile vsquam est aut fingitur aspicias c. That was of al other the worse and in that age the most filthy This nowe is not a cittie but the house of terrefiing spirits and deuils and that I may speake breiflie the sinke of all wickednesse and shameful dishonesty the hell of the liuing noted by the mouthe of Dauid so long before it was either knowne or the foundations thereof were laid Whatsoeuer thou hast reade of the Assirian or Egiptian Babylon whatsoeuer of the foure Laberinths whatsoeuer of the fal of Auernus of the hellie woods and Brimstonie marishes is vnto this Hell but as it were a fable Heere that toureformer and terrifier Nimrhod Here is the warlike harlot Semiramis Here is the vntreatable Minos here is Rhadamanthus here is Cerberus deuouring all things here is the beastlie bullouer Pasiphae and the mixed kinde that Maro speaketh of and the biformed issue Minotaurus the moniment of a wicked lust finally here thou maist behold what thing soeuer is lothsome and what horrible thing soeuer is either found or feyned But this will they not see that blinded with affection and banded into faction labor and indeuour to blinde and bewitche others seducing the ambitious with promises of honor the simple and ignorant with ostentation of learning who conceaue their hipocrisie to be pietie their superstition to bee religion their falsehoode to be faithfulnesse their reconcilement to the Romain Church and Prelat to be neither treacherie to their prince nor treason to their countrie but a safetie to their soules quietnes to their consciences and an vniting of themselues to the misticall bodie of Christ But in this Viridi latet anguis in herba Within the grasse that showes so greene An adder lurks that is not seene For in truth this their reconciliation which they perceaue not cutteth them off from the Church of Christ and maketh them the limmes and members of Antichrist vnfaithfull to God disloyall to theyr prince treacherous to their countrie as hauing vowed their obedience to the mortall enimie of all three It is a misterie replenished with mischiefe a clowd couering many cruell intentes a Troian horse full of Greekish or rather Romish Reamish wiles and wickednesse a diuelish and Popish practise a Massesecreate prouided for the Massacring of England By these meanes treasons are conspired forces are prepared monies collected euill minds vnited fires kindled within our owne bowels to the whiche forraine flames will soone bee added to coÌ„sume vs the ministers of these mischiefes are crept vnto our Dioces they haue peruerted manye they haue reconciled many and now of late in this countrie they haue trauelled much I knowe they are not vnknowne to you and that either their woordes or writings or both haue very much preuailed with you As a gentleman I do fauour you as a seduced man I doe pitty you as a reconciled man if suche a one you be I must detest you sith thereby you haue abandoned the misticall body of Christe and haue ioyned your selfe to the mischieuous body of Antichrist In
that you came of curtesie to see me I must thanke you and am right sorye my leisure did not serue me to haue further speches with you You deliuered vnto me two Propositions as the grounde-worke of your opinion the one that the principles of your doctrine are grounded firmelie vpon the catholike Church which antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent doe plainelie make manifest vnto you The other that the signes giuen of a true Church by theÌ„ of the reformed religion which are the sincere preaching of the worde the right administration of the sacraments religious prayers holesome discipline are no true signes of a true Church but so to affirme them is an error in Logique for that the Church is a signe of them and not they of the Church For your first proposition that the errors thereof may better appeare I will brieflie handle these 3. points First that neither the Catholike Church nor the doctrine antiquity vniuersality or consent thereof can otherwise be knowne then by the scriptures Secondly that sundry principles of your religion are not at all grounded vpon the catholike Church Thirdly that the Romaine Church vpon the which your principles are grounded is neither the Catholike Church nor a sounde member of the catholike church For your 2. proposition that the errors thereof may likewise be seene I will in few words deale with â—â—â—se three points First that of a particuler Church no better iudgement can be giuen whether it be sounde or vnsound or of two particuler Churches which is the sounder then by the worde and doctrine that they preach by the sacraments that they minister by the praiers that they vse and by the discipline that they exercise for where these are moste pureliest and perfectliest done that Church is to be thought the purest and perfectest member of the Catholike Church Where these are impurest and corruptest that Church is to be iudged the impurest and corruptest member where these are not at all there is to bee accompted no visible Church to be at all Thus to affirme is an error in Logike but a truth in diuinitie Secondly that of the truth of the doctrine of the right administration of the sacraments of the sinceritie and puritie of the praiers of the godly exercise of the discipline in any Church the onelye perfecte absolute and true touchstone is the holy scripture which ought diligently to be read of all men Thirdlie that for the true vnderstanding of the Scripture in those things that are necessarie the circumstance of the place the conference of other places the proportion of the doctrine the summary of our faith and the holy Ghost working in our harts doe sufficiently enable and enlighten vs. The holy Catholike Church wee define to bee the congregation companie and societie of all those that haue beleeued in Christ from the beginning of the world to this present time all that nowe beleeue in him and all that from henceforth shall beleue in him to the end of the world It is called Sancta holy because it is sanctified hallowed by the holy ghost it is called Catholica catholike or vniuersall because it conteyneth all ages all places al persons that beleeue it is called Ecclesia because it is a calling out or euocation of people out of ignorance and error vnto the faith and knowledge of God This Church is the misticall body of Christ who is the true and onely heade of it which gouerneth it in omnipoteÌ„cie and is ioyned vnto it in charitie Saint Augustine vpon the 56. psalme confirmeth this our definition of the Church Corpus Christi est Ecclesia non autem ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa nec ea quae nunc est in hominibus qui praesentem vitam agunt sed ad eam pertinentibus etiam ijs qui fuerunt ante nos ijs qui futuri sunt post nos vsque in finem soeculi tota enim Ecclesia constans ex omnibus fidelibus quia fideles omnes sunt membra Christi habet illud caput positum in coelestibus quod gubernat corpus suum si seperatum est a visione annectitur Charitate The body of Christ is the church yet not this church or that but that whiche is dispersed throughout the whole world neither yet that alone which is in men that liue at this present but that vnto which they likewise appertayned that haue bene before vs and that are to come after vs vnto the worlds end For the whole church consisteth of all the faithfull for all the faithfull are members of Christ hauing that head placed in the heauenly places which gouerneth his bodye though it be separate from the sight it is adioyned in charitie It is deuided into two parts the militant and triumphant the triumphant already in blisse and glory ineffable the militant hoping for the like happinesse and in the meane time vnder the banner of Christ Iesus warfaring heere on earth against the world the flesh and the Diuell This church for antiquitie so auncient for number so great for estate so diuers for situation so vniuersall no mans age coulde serue to knowe no mans knowledge were able to conceiue no mans conceit were of sufficieÌ„cy to comprehend if the holy Scriptures wherein the spirit of God hath deliuered these thinges for our instruction were not extant amongst vs. In them we are taught that the churche began in Adam that the first Martyr was Abel the first persecutor Cain that by the Breach of Gods commaundement mankinde fell into that miserable and corrupt estate that it was not able to performe that Law of perfect obedience and righteousnesse that GOD had giuen and grauen in the hartes and mindes of men by the accomplishment whereof they were to haue life and by the impeachment whereof they were to haue death eternall and that then GOD in his infinite goodnesse and mercie graunted a remedie for vs in the promised seed which should restore mankinde and treade down the serpents head which was the first preaching of the Gospell published by God himselfe apprehended by faithe beleeued by Adam Afterward of God reiterated to the holye Patriarches by them imbraced and taught to their children and families preached and foretolde by the Prophetes shadowed out in the Lawe written in the Leuitical ceremonies performed in Christ testified and published by the Apostles confirmed with signes and miracles beleeued of al nations maligned by the Deuill persecuted by the wicked in all ages and yet continued to the end of the worlde by Gods especiall grace prouidence These things wee plainely see conteyned from the first of Genesis to the last of the Reuelation which otherwise coulde neuer haue come to our knowledge In them wee may see the beginning increasing continuance and perpetuation of the church the estate and condition of it in tyme past at this present in time to come the doctrine deliuered by the holy Ghost to the Patriarches to the Prophets to
good Lord more and more to consume her and shortlye to abolish her with thy moste glorious comming and in the meane tyme O Lord thunder into the innermoste eare of the deafe papistes the threatninges of thy thirde Aungell that if any man worship Antichrist his romish church made to the Image and representation of the olde Romayne Empire and receaue his Character or doctrine in his forehead and in his hande that is in his fayth and practise in his conceite and conuersation to be both beleeued and boulstered with his counsel and execution the same shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the Cup of his wrath and shal bee tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before thee and the smoke of their tormentes shall ascende for euermore That with the consideration hereof they may be strooken in conscience harken vnto thy voyce go out of her my people that you be not partakers in her sinnes that you receaue not of her plagues and for that O Lorde a tyme and space is required for the vtter consuming of this hideous body of antichrist during the which he and his adherentes repining at thy trueth and iudgementes with all rage and rancor maligne and persecute thy chosen and faythfull Indue vs O Lord with patience in all troubles and afflictions giue vs grace to keepe thy Commaundementes and make vs feruent and fruitefull in thy fayth and what so euer euent thou shalte giue vnto our troubles in this worlde yea though it bee thy will that the force or furie of Antichrist preuayle agaynst the mortall bodyes and worldelye estate of our selues or of our brethren yet let that thy heauenlye voyce styll recomforte our soules Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lorde euen so sayth the Spirite for they reste from theyr laboures and theyr workes followe them Wee knowe and acknowledge O Lambe of eternall light that with thee is true rest voyde of labour true life voyde of death true felicitie voyde of all trouble and miserie Wee knowe also that our workes which thorow thy grace we do according to thy wil go not before vs to make our way and passage into heauen which thy bloud and merites only haue done but that thither by thy great goodnes and fauour they followe vs to receiue reward at thy bounteous and liberall hand Lastlye for that the tyme of thy fynall iudgement doth approach and thy Aungels are shortly to be sent to reape the haruest of the earth and to cut downe the vynes of the vyneyarde thereof endue vs O Lorde with thy grace instruct vs in thy trueth that as pure Corne wee maye bee gathered into the Barnes of thy euerlasting blisse and neither as tares or wicked weedes bee throwne into the furnace of eternall fyre nor as the vngratious grapes full of vylenesse and vanytye bee cast into the Wnepresse of thy wrath which shal be trode without the citie that is executed without thy kingdome for without shalbe doggs and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes the bloud shall come euen to the horse bridles the tortures and tormentes shall reach from the meanest man to the mightiest monarch that for the space of a 1600 furlonges which is for euer and euer for rightlye may that square number of foure times foure intimate vnto vs eternitie And syth O thou second Adam and restorer of mankind thy church hath since thy natiuitie walked here on earth nowe neere sixtene hundred yeres as it were 1600 furlongs which is in hundreds of yeres proportionable to the time that was betweene the first Adam and the floud of Noe strike into our heartes with thy remembring spirite a deepe impression of thy comming that it be not with vs as in the days before the floud wherin they did eate and drinke and marrie and gaue in marriage and knewe nothing till the flould came and tooke them all away but that casting away all carelesnes and securitie we may like wise and faithfull seruantes be founde watchfull readie and diligent in fulfilling of thy will and doing of our duties earnestly praying and dayly expecting for thy comming that thou our Lorde and master so finding vs being the author and fountaine of all blessednesse mayst truely make vs blessed Come Lord Iesus Let thy mightie hande and out stretched arme O Lorde be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnes in Iesus Christ the deare sonne our saluatiō thy true and holy worde our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the ende and in the end Annotations WHereas in the tenth verse of the xiij Chapter mention is made of a beast rysing vppe out of the earth hauing two hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon wee expounded the earth to be the Church militant so taking it in the better part as conferred and layde opposite to the sea from whence the former beast did proceede taking the sea for gentilisme and the earth for Christianisme Jf it shall better please any to take the earth in that place in the worser part then doth it signifie corruption superstition terrestriall appetites and earthly conceiptes of heauenly matters and in whether soeuer part the worde be interpreted the designation of the person there expressed is the same and receiueth no alteration Whereas in the thirde verse of the xiij Chapter there beeing mention made that one of the seauen heades of the Romaine Empire was as it were wounded to death but the deadly wounde thereof was healed we there expounde that heade to be Rome and Jtalie and the wounde to bee ciuill warres which interpretation is iustified by truth of historie yet considering the course of this prophesie and the exposition of the Angell in the xvij chapter in these wordes the seauen heades are seauen hilles whereon the woman sitteth they are also seauen Kinges fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when hee commeth he shall continue but a short time and the beast that was and is not is the eight and one of the seauen We incline rather to this interpretation that followeth and one of his heades was as it were wounded to death and his deadlie wounde was healed The seauen heades signified seauen Kinges or soueraigne gouernours that haue ruled and borne chiefe authoritie within the citie of Rome The first were Kinges the seconde Consulles the thirde Dictators the fourth decem viri the fift were Tribunes Militare the sixt Romaine Emperours the seuenth French Emperours the head that had the deadly wound but was healed was the sixt which receiued that wounde in the death of Iulius Caesar and which wounde was twelue yeares after cured by Augustus for in Iulius Caesar the Emperours beganne and in him that heade had like to haue ended but that the deadly wounde thereof was cured by Augustus as for the triumuirate it
cheefe instrument in persecuting the members of the church those that haue the testimony of Iesus And to that end aduanceth his power throne and authoritie in this wicked world 3 And I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death and his deadly wounde was healed and all the world wondred at the beast These heades seeme vnto me to haue three significations two of them are laide downe by the Angell in the seauentienth chapter where they are expounded to bee mountaynes or hilles as heretofore we haue taken them and also kings or gouernors as hereafter we shall shewe them But in this place it semeth to bee taken neither for the one nor for the other but for a chiefe and principal parte of the estat euen for Roome and Italy it selfe Which aswell by the ciuill warres of Caesar and Pompey Augustus and Anthony as by the loose and execrable gouernments of Claudius Tiberius Caius Caligula Claudius the brother of Germanicus Nero the sonne of Domitius and Aulus Vitellius was as it were wounded and that most greeuously Which in the time of Flauius Vespasianus Titus Nerua Traiane and the Emperours succeding it recouered whereby the deadlye wound was healed And all the world wondred at the beast Such was the might and maiestie the force and fortune of the Romaine Empire that all men wondred and maruailed at it had it in admiration regarde and reuerence as an estate most happye sacred and in a manner diuine 4 And they worshipped the Dragon which gaue power vnto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying VVho is like vnto the beaste VVho is able to make warre with him By reason of the false religions and Idolatries of the Romaine Empire the Dragon that is to saye the Deuill was worshipped And by reason of the might and puissance of the forsaid estate it was of al nations feared and honored insomuch as they thought that none other was like vnto it nor any able to make warre against it 5 And there was giuen vnto him a mouthe that spake great things and blasphemies and power was giuen vnto him to doe 42. moneths The pride and blasphemye of the Romaine Emperors wee haue somewhat declared before The time of their persecuting power heere expressed by two and forty months is the same that in the former chapter is resolued and a thousand two hundred threescore daies which gathered into sabbaoths of yeares after the account of Daniell contayneth the whole time of the primitiue persecution from the first of Herod to the last of Licinius the particularities of their pride and blasphemies as to be called Gods to haue their images placed in temples and to haue diuine rites ceremonies done there in their honor The histories of their times doe disclose the sundry persecutions in great crueltye by them and their authority executed against the professors of the truth the Ecclesiasticall histories doe mention at large Whereby the interpretation of this place and of the verses following is very cleare and manifest 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen The blasphemous speeches and actions of the Romaine Empire being corrupted with all kinde of Idolatry and impietie was bent first against the name of God secondly against his tabernacle thirdly against them that dwell in heauen Against the name of God that is to say against the essence maiestye worde and wisedome of God Whereas in steade of the creator they honored creatures in steade of one true God they serued many false Idols and adored them in corporall rites and ceremonies in steade of him that was to be worshipped in spirit and truth against his tabernacle that is to say his church for of the church it is spoken beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them and they shalle his people and God himself shalbe their God with them Against them that dwell in heauen that is to say against the members of the Church for that wee are no more forrenners and strangers but citizens wtih the Saintes and of the houshould of God And therefore may be well termed dwellers in heauen For that as the Apostle saieth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes In that we are members of the misticall bodie of Christ we are come to the mount Sion and to the Citie of the liuing God the caelestiall Hierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all and to the Spirites of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better thinges then that of Abel Wherefore as in the former chapter the Dragon that is to saye the Diuell persecuted first the man childe that is Christ Iesus Then the woman clothed with the Sunne which is the Church And lastlie the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus that is to saye the members of the church So this principall instrument of the Deuill the Romaine Idolatrous Empire blasphemeth gainsayeth and persecuteth first the name of God that is his worde and wisedome Christ Iesus Secondlie his tabernacle that is his church Thirdly those that dwell in heauen that is to say the faithfull that are the members and seede of the church 7 And it was giuē vnto him to make war with the saints and to ouercome them and power was giuen him ouer euerie kindred and tongue and nation They that before were tearmed dwellers in heauen are heere tearmed sainctes against whome this Romaine Empire hath made warre raysed persecution and preuailed in all cruell tormentes and rigorous kindes of death that not in one contrie or prouince alone but throughout all the worlde for the authoritie therof and power did reach in effect ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation 8 Therefore all that dwell vppon the earth shall woorshippe him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Such therefore as are not the elect of God whose eyes are not illumined with his heauenly light and whose mindes are not sanctified with his holy spirit whereby they may discerne trueth from falsehoode but are whollie led with earthly conceites worldly considerations and terrestriall appetites and therin doe as it were dwel and inhabite vnwilling any way to be weaned from it They shall worshippe obey reuerence and followe in all Idolatrie and naughtinesse this Romaine Empire iudging it to bee the best way for their saftie benefit and aduauncement although in truth it worke their ruyne ouerthrowe and euerlasting destruction 9 If any man haue an eare let him heare if any leade into captiuitie he shall goe into captiuitie if any kill with a sworde he must be killed by a sworde Here is the patience and
the faith of the Saintes With good reason it is here required that men should be attentiue for here is declared the course of the iudgementes of God whose diuine maiestie not vnlike to the lawe of Talion punisheth men by that by the which they doe offende 10 For if anie leade into captiuitie he shall goe to captiuitie If anie kill with a sworde he must be killed by a sworde Sith therefore this Romaine Empire by force and fraude by power and pollicie hath wrought the ruyne and ouerthrowe of manie it is the iudgement of God that by force and fraude by power and pollicie manie shall worke the ruyne and ouerthrowe of it how inseparable and insuperable soeuer it seeme Here is the patience and the faith of the Sainctes That is that in the expectation heereof there is matter giuen for the Sainctes to exercise their faith and patience For it was not a matter so probable but that faith was needefull nor yet so quickely accomplished but that patience was requisite seeing that by little and little it was wasted and consumed For as the Popedome which here next is described did by degrees increase so did the Empire decay by the same meanes that the dignitie of the one was aduanced the authoritie of the other was diminished 11 And I behelde an other beast comming vppe out of the earth which had two hornes like the lambe but he spake like the Dragon The former beast rose out of the sea that is out of the waues of worldlie gouernementes out of tumultes and tempests of people and nations out of the which in time was produced and brought foorth the Romaine Empire And Saint Iohn when he sawe that vision stoode vpon the sea sande that is entered into consideration of worldlie gouernementes estates and dominions whose foundations are like vnto the sande of the sea vppon the which there may be no sure building for that they are subiect to the variable tumultes of people and nations as the sand is to the raging waues and surges of the sea But this other beast commeth vp out of the earth a place of more constancie of greater stabilitie a place of fruitfulnesse and fertility which ought to yeelde a plentifull croppe to the Lorde of the haruest who hath prepared for the pure wheate of his elect the barnes of euerlasting blysse The earth heere therefore signifieth the church out of the which the seconde beast commeth which is the Popedome Which had two hornes like the lambe but he spake like the Dragon That the Popes pretende the hornes of the lambe that is the power and authoritie of Christe aswell touching his priesthoode as his principalitie all christendome can witnesse who knowe right well that as Christe is in trueth the chiefe Prince and chiefe Priest of the faithfull so for these manie yeares the Byshoppes of Rome haue applyed these two hornes of the Lambe vnto themselues As concerning the Popes priesthoode Durandus one of his fauourites thus writeth This is Melchisedeth whose Priesthoode is not comparable Vnto others hee is the heade of all Byshoppes from whome they all growe as members growe from the heade and of whose fulnesse they all receaue as touching his Princehoode thus writeth Pope Adrian to the Emperour Fredericke My seate is in the citie Rome the Emperours seate is in Acon in Arden a forest of France what soeuer the Emperour hath hee hath it of vs as Pope Zacharias translated the Empire from Greece into Germanie so may we againe translate the same frō the Germaines to the Greeks Beholde it is in our power to bestowe the same vpon whō we list Therefore are we appointed of God ouer nations and kingdoms to pull downe to roote vp to buylde and to plant againe in respect of both these authorities Pope Boniface the eight at Rome in a great Iubilie as it were in the face of the worlde went in publicke procession one day in his priestly pontificalibus and the next day in the robes Imperiall with a naked sword carried before him causing this sentence to be proclaimed ecce hic duo gladij beholde here are the two swordes Thus this seconde beast hath two hornes that is to say priesthood and princehood like the lambe that is like Christ but he speaketh like the Dragon that is like the Deuill falselye and corruptlye subtillye and maliciouslye proudely and prophanely such is the speach and doctrine wherein he resembleth the Dragon who is a murtherer and a lyer from the beginning and the father of lyes 12 And he did all that the firste beast coulde do before him and he caused the earth and them that dwell therin to worship that first beast whose deadly wound was healed The might poysons and authoritie of the Popedome grewe to be such that it was equall altogether if not superiour in power and dignitie to the olde Romaine Empire in so much that it could do in commanding and gouerning the prouinces potentates of the world as much and as throughlye as euer the old Romaine Empire in his greatest dignity and authority could do and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conspectu eius euen in the sight and presence of the Emperours who were brought to that weakenes feeblenes of estate that they became rather beholders of the Popes greatnes then exercisers of their owne Yea and beheld it with feare and trembling for when the Popes were growen to that greatnesse and authoritie that they could depose Emperours as appeared in the lamentable fall of that most noble Emperour Henry the third and that their practice therein by the condemnation of Vecilo Archebishop of Ments of heresie for holding the contrarye was by the iudgement and decree of a counsel as a sounde point of doctrine established in the myndes of men no maruaile if the tallest Ceaders of Libanus did shake for feare of the bramble least fyre should come out from him and consume them From this point of doctrine that it was in the power of the Pope to depose the Emperour another was inferred of no lesse moment that it was likewise in his power to make the Emperour for that the ceremonie of imposing the crowne vpon the Emperours head belonged to the Pope When they had attained their greatnes they altered this peece of seruice to a point of soueraignety interpreting the imposing of the crowne to bee the disposing of the crowne Therefore Innocentius the second vpon the coronation of Lotharius the Emperour the yeare of our Lord 1133. caused the whole solemnity therof to be drawen in picture within his Pallace of Lateran with these verses subscribed Rex venit ante fores iurans prius vrbis honores Post homo fit Papae sumit quo dante coronam The king doth come before the gate And sweares first to the Cities state Him then the Pope his vassall makes And so to him the crowne betakes If hereunto be added the letter of Pope Adrian to Fredericke the emperour with the practise of