Chryste was not the gouernour of y e emperour of Rome Bonyface y â— maker of decretalles A good artycle of our fayth worthye for sucha bysshop The abuse of excoÌ„munycacyon No man can make the people to byleue this abhomynable pÌ„sumpcyon pryde The bysshoppes of Rome with theyr desyrynge of domynyoÌ„ hath ben y e causers of dyscorde warres Coactyue iurysdiccion apperteyneth to no spyrytual mynystre of the church as concernynge he is a spyrytual mynistre Howe to oppresse y e vsurped powre of the man of Rome They which dothe not resyste cuyl meÌ„ are iniuste ê‘sones Of the fyrste aduersarye agaynst the truthe The charytable desyre of marsilius Of y e seconde aduersary to truthe Custome to here lyes The thyrde aduersarye to truthe Enuye Enuye The ordre of procedynge in this dyccyon or parte The bysshop of Rome hath no iurysdiccyon ouer preestes Note this Churche Iudge Spyrytuall Temporall This worde church what it betokeneth The proper sygnyficacioÌ„ of this word churche All true chrysten people ben men of y e churche For whome chryste suffered his passyon The sponsesse of chryste Temporall Spyrytuall Paule went neuer to y e canon law and therfore he knewe not y e nature of this worde Spyrytuall The mynystres of the churche maye synne why the dectetalles were made Iudge Iudgement Aduocate The first auctorite of scripture which semeth to make for the popes powre Wherof y e pope hath taken to hymselfe auctoryte to reygne rule The seconde auctoryte The thyrde auctoryte The fourth auctoryte The. v. auctoryte The. vi auctoryte The. vii auctoryte The. viii auctoryte The fyrst naturall reason The seconde The thyrde The. iiii The. v. The. vi That y e pope is not aiudge nor gouernour seculare what maner powre y e pope hathe That chryste cam not to be a lord or ruler Chryste dyd exclude hym selfe and the apostles from worldly kiÌ„gdome or gouernaunce IohnÌ„ xviii The kyngdoÌ„ of chryste Chryste dyd speake of spyrytuall kyngdome or gouernaunce Chryste fled eschewed y e dygnyte of a kynge The kyngdome of heuens Chryst wold not be iudge or vmpyre Note this Iherome Orygen Ambrose Bernarde Of payenge trybute Augustyne Bernarde Orygen Let men of y e churche loue not playe y e lordes Chrysostome Ecclesiastical ê‘sons ought to be seruauntê not to be lordê rulers Iherome Orygen Basilius magnus Bernard Ambrose This texte is but eueÌ„ nakedly alleged of y e authour Ambrose Augustyne Gregorius Bernardus Bernardus Bernardus Bernarde rayleth agaynst y e spyrytualte Euyll rulers are to be obeyed as reuereÌ„tly as good rulers The soule is put for y e maÌ„ Bernardus Bernardus Of this worde power Marke this well I counceyll you That we are bounde to do as the Decretals coÌ„maundeth The power is profytable whether it be good or euyll That all meÌ„ oughte to be subiect to priÌ„ces and gouernours Ambrosius Bablynge lyeng Decretals the decretals prestê ar to be obeyed in those thingê whiche are accordynge to the gospell Ambrosius Chrisostomê° There is not your auctoryte gyuen preestes to be iudges Augustinus To absolue the subiecte from the bonde and othe of his allegeauÌ„ce is manyfest heresye That saynte Paule was subiecte to Cesar That preestê be subiectê to seculer pryncê or gouernours The offyce of preestes Penaunce Iherome Hierome Augustyne The power of the keyes Penaunce what god worketh before coÌ„fessyon in a synner That god only forgyueth synnes Ambrose Augustyne It is sooner sayde than proued Then he wrytheth them Howe preestê haue powre to bynde and lose Ierome Marke this well This geare muste be iudged by higher iudges whether there be a purgatory after this lyfe oâ— no. To whome penytencyall satysfaccyon is to be moyued The pope for gyueth nomore the synne than any other preeste then yf the preeste do his dutie as he is bounde who gothe to purgatorie and theÌ„ wherfore shuld we beleue that there is one This man rayleth Chrysostome Ierome God regardeth y e lyfe of men not the iudgement of the preestes when excommunycacyon ought to be done Note this The forme maner of doyng excoÌ„munycacyon what y â— apostles vnderstode or meaned by this wrode church Augustinus Augustinus ExcoÌ„munycacyon is not coÌ„mytted onely to preestes The character of holy ordre This is but a sely sorye glose A corollaryâ— What thyngê god alone worketh in man what thyngê are done by y e preeste we be not agreed as yet of any purgatorye aft this lyfe The keye of dyscrecyon Ambrose The symylytude betwene y e preeste and y e iudges saruanÌ„t oriayler The worde of god bideth and loseth Marke this my maystres The preeste sheweth and declareth the synner to be absolued but dothe not assoyle y e sinner and then farewell the fetchynge of meÌ„nes soulê out of purgatory Nota. Iacob iiii The physicyon of y e soule is lyke to the phisycion of the body The preeste hath auctorytie to tech but not to coÌ„pelle this forget not for the pope leseth here his sharp swerdes and his goÌ„nes his moryspykes his hauldebardes The dyuysyon dyfference of manner actes Sodayne konwledges affeccyons Knowleges affeccyons appetytê abdyng and permanent Dedes procedynge of delyberacion ben called the preceptes of the mynde He meneth y â— man hath fre wyll in actes delyberate yf he be iudged with the spyryte of god A dystynccyon of actê coÌ„maunded or done with good aduysement Inward actê outward actê A dystynccyon of outward actes Profytable Unprofytable harmefull Artê and scyences A dystiÌ„ccyon of coactiue rules lawes MaÌ„nes lawe Goddes law Secte is here well taken The lawe of Chryste Cause motyue is y e kyng which is heed of the churche correctoure in this lyfe of all crymes enormyties y t issue forth What a kyng is Yea euen a bysshoppe Bysshoppes are subiectes as well as bochers The traÌ„sgressoure is the stuffe matter the kynge is the cause effectyue apte to worke vpon the stuffe To be a preeste is but an accedeÌ„tall thynge The preeste hode taketh not awaye y e man nor chaÌ„geth hym in to an aungell Preestes oughte to be punysshed by the secular iudge and yet Thomas of CauÌ„turbery wolde not haue it so The obiectyon of the sprytualtie is answered vnto The Pope of Rome is not exempte froÌ„ the iurysdyccyon offeculare prynces It maye be graunted to preestê to haue wyues Fratres gaudeÌ„tes Begini Relygyous men receyue men that be not lerned in to theyr orders Lawyers There is but one lawe maker Chryste A iudge here is taken but for a preacher This iudge hath no coactyue powre The clargy many a yere hath done all by coÌ„pulsyon as with swerde and fyre Ambrose Fayth is voluntarye Yf men seme to be punysshed for breakynge of goddes lawe in this world as for coÌ„mittiÌ„ge aduoutry for nycacioÌ„ theft heresy and so forth it is because the malyce of theyr hertê breketh forth and disq â—eteth theyr neyghbours therby offeÌ„deth y e kyngê lawe not
Chryste in to whether parte she please other approuynge or dysprouyng but there ben also certayne whiche affyrme that it had ben beste the gospell neuer to haue be made or wryten And than ergo it shulde be best that thyng not to haue ben wryten at all whiche no man excepte he be to tomoche wycked dothe denye to haue be wryten by the inspyracyon of the holy ghost to the erudycyon and consolacyon of the churche And ergo the euangelystes were then bothe pernycyouse noysome hurtefull to the churche And ergo the apostles whiche fyrste taught the worlde this gospell so hurtefull were no teachers to y e churche but destroyers of the truthe And ergo chryste hymselfe whiche gaue them in charge coÌ„mauÌ„dement to preache it dyd not coÌ„mauÌ„de that which was best but whiche to haue forbydden had ben best O good god what a monstruouse thyng is this to say that it had ben expedyent for the vtilyte profyte of the churche that no gospels had euer ben wryten And I pray you for Chrystes sake what maner a church shuld it haue ben of chrysten men without the worde of chryste vpon whiche worde alone as vpon a sure stone it is grounded and buylded Shulde we thynke that it shuld haue ben a churche or els rather some synagoge of Satan without the gospell of Chryste why hath the churche selfe instytuted and ordeyned no Masse to be celebrated no sermon to be made without the gospell why do we ryse vp reuerently accordynge to the manour and custome whan the gospell is redde or songe yf there be no profyte therof at all in the churche Beholde what maner tragicall troubles and great busynes or stryfe is raysed and styrred vp nowe a dayes and all for the entent that we myght make one wretched man egall and pete to Chryste in power and auctoryte whiche we do not hope that it may be brought any other wayes to passe excepte we vnder the pretence of the name of the churche doo chalenge and ascrybe to hym auctoryte also to forsake or put downe the gospell yf he lysted But Chryste sayth he that is of god hereth the wordes of god therfore you here not because you are not of god yf this sayeng be true than who soeuer dothe not here y e gospell that was shewed by the inspyracyon of god whiche thynge no man woll denye but the deuyll hym self as I haue sayd heretofore who soeuer affyrmeth or sayth that it is pernycyous and hurtefull to the churche he is not of god but of the deuyl his father whose desyres he coueteth to performe and fulfyl yf you shal abyde and contynue in my worde sayth the same Chryst our sauyoure you shall truely be my dyscyples and shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall delyuer you who soeuer therfore shall not contynue abyde stedfastly in his gospell shall not be the true dyscyple of Chryste of whom than of Antechryste Neyther he shall knowe the truthe what shall folowe than he shall worke the lesynges or lyenges of his father the deuyll neyther shall he be deleuered by the truthe what shall he suffre than he shall be set on the lefte hande with the kyddes that is to saye with wycked men But nowe not forgettynge our begynnynge to retorne agayne to the pryncypall and chyef poynte of our matyer or purpose Seynge that the truthe that is to saye the belefe of the worde of god onely dothe delyuer from dethe and incredulyte or lacke of belefe dothe destroye why do we doubte yet but that we do sustayne and suffre thyse present euylles and that we shal dayly suffre more greuous calamyties for that we haue on euery syde caste out and bannysshed this truthe Oure lorde sayde by the mouthe of Ieremye the prophet I haue planted the a chosen vyneyarde all true sede howe fortuneth it than that thou arte tourned to me in to a croked and euyll one thou vyneyarde of a strauÌ„ge kynde Beholde he hathe planted all true sede in his chosen vyneyarde But we haue torned the true sede in to euyll and noughtye therfore also we be not the chosen vyneyarde of the lorde but a straunge one and of an other kynde why so strauÌ„ge and of an other kynde because we do adulterate and corrupte his worde he sayd you shall not put any thyng to the worde which I speake to you neyther shall you take awaye any thynge from it But we nothynge dredynge or ferynge this his threatenynge in the stede of his holy worde we compell his churche beynge oppressed to receyue our sense and Iugement affyrmyng with asseueracyon that whiche we speake to be the worde of the lorde nothynge remeÌ„brynge that fearefull saynge of the prophete woo be to you whiche are wyse in your owne iyes whiche are prudent in the syght of your selues woo be to you whiche call euyll good and good euyll makynge darkenes lyght and lyght darkenes But what other thyng do we applyeng the scripture to our owne wyll and luste or appetyte than make our owne wordes lyghte and the wordes of god darkenes Therfore Ieremye worthely vpbreydyng and rebukynge vs sayth thyse wordes the prophete the preest be polluted and in my howse I haue founde the wyckednes of synne of them sayth the lord Therfore the way of them shall be as a slypper grouÌ„de or place in darkenes for they shall be dryuen and shall fall in hit for I shall brynge euylles vpon them the yere of theyr vysytacyon sayth the lorde Peter also hathe gyuen vs warnynge of the same sayng these wordes it is tyme nowe that the Iudgemente begyn at the howse of god and yf it shall begyn fyrste at vs what shall be ende of them whiche hath not gyuen credence to the gospell of god But they speake these thynges to vs all in vayne and no more fruyte coÌ„meth therof as touchynge our parte than shulde come yf one tolde a tale as it is coÌ„menly sayde to deafe men for we are vtterly hardened and styffe mynded agaynst the truthe and as it were y e deeffe serpentê called Astoides we obstynatly stoppe our eares to speke out the voyce or sounde of scrypture enchauntynge and charmynge vs to our porfyte Farewell crysten reader and sorowe thou syghe with me seynge that in a maner there remayneth nothyng els that we may do for the decaye of the ecclesiastycall discyplyne and good ordre whiche dayly appereth and waxeth worse and worse The yere of our Lorde M. CCCCC xxii ¶ To god onely be honoure and glorye AGaynst the vsurped iurisdiccyon of y e bysshop of Rome y e boke of Marsilius of Padua treatynge of the Emperours the popes power whiche boke is entitled Defensor pacis is deuyded in to iii. partes whiche the Author therof calleth diccyons And this sayd boke was wrytten dedycated to the moste valyaunt emperour Lodowyke of Bauaria which had ben handled after vngoodly maner suffered many iniuryes done to hym by thre
folowynge Also it hathe pleased vs that besyde the canonicall scryptures nothynge be red in the churche vnder y e name of the deuyne scrypturê And the canonycall scryptures be Geneses the other in the volume of y e byble whiche are rekened vp there neyther that whiche Augustyne sayth agaynst the Manicheis in the epystle of the foundacyon is any whyt agaynst these thynges aforesayd for there saynt Augustyne sayth but I wolde not beleue the gospel excepte the auctoryte of the catholyke churche dyd moue or styre me in whiche sayenge he semeth to preferre the auctoryte of man before the auctoryte of the scrypture For alwayes that wherfore an other thynge is regarded is more regarded it owne selfe But let vs answere y t it is not all one thynge to beleue a worke boke or treatyse to be made wryten by some doctor or man to beleue that that same worke that it is true profytable or hurtfull to be obserued or to be refused For a man may receyue or take the one of these two thyngê by the testymonie of men without the secoÌ„de coÌ„trary wyse the secoÌ„de without the fyrst he may receyue bothe of them lykewyse otherwhyles by the testymonye of men as for example some man shall beleue that same scrypture which is offered layde afore hym to be the lawe of the couÌ„tree by the coÌ„mune testimonye of the inhabytantê or dwellers there whiche sayd lawe for all y t to be true or to be obserued not transgressed or broken he may lerne by some sensible sygile as by y e payne or punysshemeÌ„t whiche he hathe seen to be done to the traÌ„sgressours therof by ryght reason of his owne mynde without any perswasyon or sayenge of any men So also backewarde agayne he whiche sethe any man make a boke or buylde a house or to do anyother thynge shall beleue of his owne selfe without the testymony of men y t the boke was made or the house was buylded of the same man but that the contentê in that boke be true or false ê“fytable or noysome to be folowed or exchued he may beleue this by y e testymony of men namely of credable persons Agayne a man may take or receyue bothe otherwhyles of or by the testymony of men as he which neuer sawe Hyppocrates shal beleue y t this is y â— boke doctryne of Hippocrates by the testymonye of men and that the contentê thyngê wryten in it be true or false to be obserued or to be refused for the coÌ„seruacyon of helthe the auoydynge of syckenes this the same man shal receyue or beleue of y e testymony of lerned men And after the same or very lyke maner to beleue y t any scrypture coÌ„tayned in the byble is the tradycion of god this thynge a man may take of the coÌ„mune testymonye of chrysten men or of the catholyke churche which yet for al that neuer sawe nor herde chryste neyther hath had any perceyuynge of chryste by any other exteryor sence But yet that this scrypture is true he shall beleue by fayth as for exaÌ„ple by myracle without the testymonye of any man euen lyke wyse as Paule beleued before his coÌ„uersyon y t the lawe which he dyd then ê‘ceyue was the doctryne of chryste by the testymonye of the preachers whom he persecuted and yet for all that he dyd not therfore beleue the sayde lawe to contayne the truthe But afterwardes he beleued it to be true fyrste by a sencyble myracle and coÌ„sequeÌ„tly by the fayth which he had lykewyse also both these thyngê is taken otherwhyles by the testymony of man as y t the scryture is a law made and gyuen by chryste and that the contentes in it are true and to be obserued and to get eternall lyfe saluacyon and to auoyde eternall myserye is beleued and hath ben beleued of many men which neuer sawe chryste nor haue knowen hym by any exteryor sence neyther euer hathe perceyued any myracle or sencyble sygne therof ¶ Therfore this sayenge of saynt Augustyne I wolde not beleue the gospell yf the auctoryte of the churche dyd not moue me maye accordynge to the thynges aforesayd be vnderstanded two maner wayes and haue two sences The one is this that he beleued the scrypture to be the gospell that is to saye the ioyfull message of chryste by the testymonye of the churche albeit y t he dyd beleue this scrypture or gospell to contayne truthe more pryncypally peraduenture by some myracle or by some reuelacion or elles by the faythe by whiche he dyd beleue y t chryste was very god and so consequentlye that al his tradycion doctryne was trewe and to be obserued and kepte The other sence whiche the sayde wordes of Augustyne may haue is this that he dyd fyrste and at the begynnynge receyue and beleue bothe these aforesayde thynges by the testymonye of the churche albeit the fyrste sence of these two semeth to agree more vnto the sayenge of the apostle in the fyrst chapytre to the Galathians For the wordes and sayenges of chryste or of god ar not therfore trewe because the churche doth so wytnesse to them by true testymonye but therfore is the wytnes or testymonye of the churche true when she alledgeth for her the true sayenge of chryste whiche make her sayengê true because they are true wherfore the apostle to the GalathiaÌ„s afore alledged sayth thus But thoughe we or an auÌ„gel from heuen do preache vnto you any thynge otherwyse than we haue preached vnto you cursed be he And lykewyse it is to be vnderstanded that althoughe the holy churche had preached any other gospell that is to say a contrary gospell it shulde not haue ben true And the cause why Paule thus sayd was for that that was sure and out of doubte that the sayde gospell was the sayenge or reuelacyon of chryste in whiche coulde be no falsytie And therfore after what soeuer sence the aforesayd wordes of saynt Augustyne be expounded they ar not contrarye or agaynst the senteÌ„ce which we haue sayd And saynt Augustyne dothe for so moche saye that he beleueth the gospell for the auctoryte of the churche because he toke the begynnynge of his beleue of the churche For fayth otherwhyles begynneth of hearynge And agayne because he was moued with the good lyuynge and holy conuersacyon of the churche and with the pacyent sufferaunce of trybulacyon whiche he perceyued in the churche in tyme of persecucyon ¶ The. xx xxi and. xxii chapytres be lefte out as not of moche value and to auoyde the offence of some spyrytuall persons that beare peper in theyr noses y t iudge euery truth to be spoken of malyce ¶ Of the dyuerse maners or sygnyfycacioÌ„s after which fulnes of powre maye be taken and after what maner and ordre the bysshop of Rome hath taken these vnto hym and breyfly generallye after what maner and fascyon he hathe vsed dothe vse them The
coÌ„trarye and to be agaynst this truthe do confesse or graunte that this auctorite and after a larger maner than is aforesayde hathe afterwardes ben graunted to Charlemayne and to Otto the fyrst kynge of Almayne emperour of Rome by all y e people of Rome as by the bysshop the clargye and other seculer persons wherfore it is red in approued hystoryes and it is true also that this decree folowynge came forthe by the coÌ„mune consente of the people of Rome Leo pope in the synodye whiche was congregated at rome in the church of saynt sauyoure accordynge to the example of blyssed Adryane bysshop of the apostolyke see whiche grauÌ„ted vnto lorde Charles the most vyctoryous kynge of FrauÌ„ce Lombardy the dygnyte of a senatour and the ordynacyon and the inuestyture of the apostolyke see I also Leo the seruaunte of the seruauntes of god bysshop with all the clargye the people of Rome do constytute confyrme and roborate by our apostolyke auctoryte do graunte gyue to Otto the fyrste kynge of Almayne to his successours of this realme or empyre of Italye foreuer as well powre to chose a successoure vnto them selfe as also to ordayne and assygne the bysshop of the apostolyke see by this also to ordayne arche bysshops or bysshoppes so that they shall take theyr inuestiture of hym and theyr consecracion of them of whom they ought to take it Onely these excepted whome the emperour hathe graunted to the pope and to archebysshops And that no man from hensforth of what so euer dygnytie relygyon or holynes he be shall haue powre to electe outher senatoure or bysshop of the hyghest apostolyke see or to ordayne any other bysshop who soeuer he be without the consente of the sayd emperoure whiche for all that shall be made without any money and that he shall be senatour and also kynge And yf it so chaunce that any bysshop be elected by the clargye excepte he be lauded alowed of the aforesayde kynge haue his inuestyture of hym let hym not be coÌ„secrated yf any man do enterpryse or go aboute any thynge agynst this auctoryte we haue decreed hym to be vnder excoÌ„munycacion accursed and except he shall repent to be punysshed with perpetuall exyle or banysshement or els to be punysshed with the extreme punysshementê or deathe This decree also SteueÌ„ the pope successour vnto the aforesayd Leo hath confyrmed also one Nicholas the successour of Steuen coÌ„mauÌ„dynge it to be obserued kepte vnder the payne of the terryble curse that is to wyt that the transgressours brekers of it oughte to be accompted amonge the wycked men whiche shall not ryse agayne in iudge ment as the profyte sayth in the fyrste psalme And of this decree it is specyallye to be noted y t this auctoryte concernynge the inuestytures whiche the bysshop of Rome with the whole people dyd translate vnto the emperour as touchynge on the popes partye was a certayne renuÌ„cyacion For the fyrst and pryncypall auctoryte hereof was and is appertaynynge to the emperour whiche had than grauÌ„ted to the pope this auctoryte of gyuynge y e inuestyture vnto bysshops and arche bysshops For because all teÌ„porall thynges by whome soeuer they shall haue ben translated in to any maner churche as touchynge to this thynge were are subiecte to the prynce of the prouynce in whiche the sayde temporalles are sytuate or lyenge And this is sygnyfyed by the aforesayde decree where it is sayde excepte those whome the emperoure hathe graunted to the pope and archebysshoppe So also to instytute the bysshop of the apostolyke see appertayneth to the powre and auctoryte of the emperour This notwithstandynge certayne bysshops of Rome vsurpynge the iurysdyccyon of the peoples and prynces aswell in the makynge or gyuynge as in the lawes gyuen haue enterprysed to make promulgate or publysshe these lawes thoughe vnduely and wrongfully and by lytle and lytle haue proceded and gone forwarde in them namely the emperyall see beynge vacante wherupon coÌ„menly and for the most part for the occupacion of certayne teÌ„poralles so far as may be perceyued by the Cronycles or approued hystoryes stryfes haue ben raysed vp betwene the emperours and the popes of Rome Howbeit the sayd bysshops in this haue done agaynst the councell or precepte of chryst and of the apostles whiche in that they ought to succede the apostles in the offyce of preesthode or apostleshyp they ought also to obserue and kepe moste hyghe pouertie and humylytie but they turnynge out in to a certayne other waye contrarye to it through ignorauÌ„ce or malyce or throughe bothe as we haue shewed here tofore haue begon this iÌ„mortall and perpetuall contencion or stryfe agaynst the sayd emperours whiche same contencyon most of all amonge all other a certayne bysshop of Rome called Paschalis began agaynst Henry the. iiii kynge of Almayne For as the hystoryes do recorde the sayde bysshop dyd prohybyte the sayd Henry to come vp vnto the emperyall dygnyte reysynge vp agaynst hym the people of Rome vntyll such tyme as the aforesayd Henry beynge in Tusky by embassadours and letters dyd grauÌ„te in a maner by coÌ„pulsyon vnto y e same bysshop the inuestitures and instytucioÌ„s of all bysshops abbottes and all other clarkes Of whiche Henry agayne the aforesayd pope requyrynge an othe after he was entred in to the cytie concernynge the thynges whiche he had extorted gotten of hym by coÌ„pulsyon was taken and al his colledge of Cardynalles and in coÌ„clusyon beynge delyuered had peace with the aforesayd emperour Agaynst whom he raysynge agayne the olde stryfe had moche to do to ende it at the laste with great laboures and paynes ¶ But as Martyne telleth the aforesayde emperour repentynge to vse the wordes of the same Martyne waxynge wyse agayne frelye resygned by the staffe and the rynge to one Calyxte the successoure of Pascall the inuestyture of bysshoppes and of other prelates and graunted that canonycall eleccyon shulde be made in all churches throughout the whole empyre and all the possessyones and regalles of saynt Peter which throughe his discorde or any other stryfe or debate with the churche had ben alienated he restored to the churche of Rome and dysposed and ordred that all other possessyons aswell of clarkes as of laye men which by the occasyon of warre had ben taken awaye shulde be faythfullye and trulye restored agayne whiche sayd grauntes or pryuyleges Otto the. iiii and Frederyke the seconde emperours of Rome afterwardes wyllynge for a laufull cause peraduenture to reuoke or reuokynge vtterlye or els in parte suffered very many dysceyptes persecucyons and impedymentes or vexacyons of the bysshoppes and of the clargye of Rome And some of theyr predecessours haue not ben holpen by the people subiectes vnto them by the reason that the rule and regyment of the bysshppes of Rome or of theyr offycers and mynystres hath otherwhyles tasted peraduenture of tyrannye This than as we haue sayde
inuyncyble reason Hugo de sctoÌ„ victore Canon or scrypture S. Paule was a chosen vessell The chrysten fayth was fre vntyll CoÌ„stantynes tyme. Why Alyen bysshoppe sought couÌ„sel before the reygne of CoÌ„stantyne the emperour of at the bysshops of rome Howe bysshoppes came fyrste from Rome which I beseche the good reder to marke with all dylygence for it is worth moche worldly treasure Howe lawes ordynauÌ„cê were fyrst receyued from Rome aft what maner and wolde to god it had neuer ben worse Isodore The churche of Rome receyued ordynauÌ„ces of the churche of Grece Se how vertue is peruerted to mysche fe by to moch sufferaunce CoÌ„stantyne y e emperour If thou wylt se y e truthe of this gyfte rede the boke entytled y e gyft of CoÌ„staÌ„tyne the emperour thou shalt there se many festly that it was but forged of the bysshoppes of Rome Who gathered y e first couÌ„sell called CoÌ„cilium Necenum To what scrypture sure credence is to be gyuen Augustyne Saynt Augustyne iudgement of bokes Augustyne The counsell of Carthage Non credereÌ„ euaÌ„gelio nisi me catholice ecclesie coÌ„moueret aucthoritas Howe saynt Augustynes sayenge is to be vnderstanded Non crederem euaÌ„gelio nisi me catholice ecclesie aucthoritas coÌ„moueret Why y e iudgement of the churche is trewe Howe many maner wayes fulnes of powre maye be taken Howe and wherfore fastynges from certayne kyndes of meates at certayne dayes cam fyrste vp and was fyrst receyued Under the colour of religyon hath sproÌ„ge moch myschefe After ignoraunce foloweth folysshe feare after that fonde obieccyons as is this were there not as wyse men before our days as there ben nowe Exempcion of clarkes The deuyll is latten lose to blowe his trompettes Cursynges for money S. Paule The cause of the vndoyng Italye Treason O shameles chyldren The coÌ„meÌ„dacion of Henry the. viii emperour of Rome the cause of his most cruel deposycyon The tytle of Iure iuraÌ„do why the spyrytual lawes were named Iura canonica that is to saye the canon lawes hereby note the crafte of the deuyll The churche that can not erre A bysshoppe ought to be able to teache Lawyers lawyers al lawyers Nota. A similitude The interpre tacyon of the Image whiche Danyell descrybeth what chryste taught Orbane was the fyrste bysshop of Rome that possessed landes Note this agayne Howe excoÌ„munycacyoÌ„s cam fyrste from Rome Howe councelles were fyrst congregated and gathered Offices seê‘able and inseperable The canony call lawes were fyrst made agaynst preestes and not agaynste laye men As it is falsely fayned The pryuyleges of prestê And nowe they be many vndeuoute Ambrose of the armure of preestes But nowe y e contrary nedeth Marke this ye prynces lese not your hono â— regall Vitellianus papa CoÌ„staÌ„tyne pope To this poynt they wold be broughte agayne IohnÌ„ the xii pope is deposed by Otto I pray god that I mayese such thyngê agayne both in this laÌ„de otherwhere Simplicius Tibertinus was one of y e fyrste traytours bisshoppes of Rome Inuestiture This good honest man gaue y e emperour a pygge of his owne so we Adriane y e. iii pope was a worshypfull pÌ„late I warraunt you Here ye mayese y t no writer of histories is to be trusted at all tymes that a man may soone be deceyued in them excepte he haue a ryghte iudgement fyrst in scrypture Martin was a freer begger This he meaneth of bysshops within y e emperours dominion for els the emperour hathe nought to do in the leccyon of bisshops in Englande This punysmeÌ„t wolde be put in vre Steuen Nicholas The bisshops of rome haue caused moche stryfe debate and blode shedynge Pope Pascal a good man but small Calixte pope He durst non other do then but I thynke y t freer Martyne lyeth Otto the. iiii emperoure Frederyke y e seconde Be not angry The bisshops of Rome ben thefes and robbers Tyranny vsurpacyon Oh shame of all shames Obstynacye As agaynst Englande Fulnes of powre is an execrable tytle Folnes of powre full ynoughe I trowe and yf the deuyll be not in it DeseÌ„teÌ„cia et re iudicata Marsilius of padway the herolde of truthe Here al kingê take hede yf ye wyll not haue your crownes pulled of your hedes or the successyon of your bodyes betrayed for in y â— decretallê is manyfeste treason coÌ„ceyuyd agaynst you all eke the succession of your bodyes The bysshop of Rome is bothe false presuÌ„ptuous Asymylitude The frutê of o â— holy herdesmen or bysshoppes The spouse of chryst and y e church must be a cloke to couer alwyckednes The spouses of chryste Barnarde The popes haue succeded not Peter but Constantine or rather NiÌ„roth y t cruel thefe tyraÌ„t Treason towarde y e emperour of Rome in the decretalles The coronacyon of y e emperoure Let al kyngê by this take hede how they suffce the bysshops to exercyse any ceremonyes about or vpon them yea or bisshop vpon bisshop vndre what coloure of holynes so euer it be for in conclusion an other daye yf they maye come a lofte they wyl chaleÌ„ge therby a certayne powre and make therof a certayne refygyon necessary holynes and a lawe of god The vnlaufull othes of y e emperours to y e bysshop of Rome Pardons Absolucions An obieccion Answere No nor yet to any other creature or creaturê lyuyng The fruytes that haue coÌ„med and proceded these many huÌ„dred yeres from y e seat of Rome from our holy fathers there mayntayned by o â— holy fathers here Of true obedyence towarde kyngê and prynces whiche y e bysshop of rome with his churche yet neuer taughte The vertue of the popysshe pardons The pharysyes were a figure of our sophistical DuÌ„sers Thomatistes Who soeuer resysteth y e power of a kynge or hed prynce is of y e deuyll yea though he were an aungell of heuen yf it were possyble moche more then a bysshop or a preeste a popysshe pylled freer monke or chanon or a peuysshe nunne Disobedient The emperours ar vexed of the bysshop of rome so be all other kynges of theyr bysshops clargye For what day the bysshops clargy do wayte A cunnynge poynte of practicasyon He studyeth to brynge the same to passe in Almayne Who ben the sones of the churche as y e bysshoppe of Rome calleth them Who ben heretykê as y e bysshop of rome calleth them The bysshop of Rome deuoureth the shepe Absolucion from synne payne to all that wyll be traytours to theyr prynces Let chrysten men be a shamed of theyr madnes Champions of the deuyl not of chryste He calleth hiÌ„ selfe the vicar of chryste he ought more truely be called the vycar of the deuyll A captayne Cardynall An abbot of cheualrye The eÌ„perour is called of my lorde abbot a fauourer of heretykes It is not onely not semely but also forbeden by the lawe of god for preestes to be men of warre The bisshops ben
the doctryne of whiche trouthe is this folowyng Blyssed are the poore men in spyryte for theyres is the kyngdome of heuens Blyssed are the meke persones for they shall possesse the erthe Blyssed are they whiche waylen and mornen for they shall be comforted Blyssed are they whiche hungren and thyrsten after ryghtwysnes for they shall be fylled Blyssed are the mercyfull persones for they shall obteyne mercy Blyssed are they whiche are clene in herte for they shall se god Blyssed are the peaceable persones for they shall be called the sones of god Blyssed are they whiche suffren persecucyon for ryghtwysnes sake for to them belongeth the kyngdom of heuens What of all these thynges do not seme to vs vtterly vnsauery or els playne folysshenes no we a dayes To be pore in spyryte meke mercyfull peaceable to be innocent and harmeles to mowrne to hungre and thyrste after ryghtwysnes and to suffre persecucyon for the loue of it what is more out of vse then these termes or wordes what more straunge or vnwonte nowe a dayes Who dothe not nowe a dayeshysse out who dothe not stampe out these thynges as it were the dreames of madde men and starke folysshe tryfles say these wordê to Latomus saye them to Egmondamus saye them to Hochstratus whiche be but freres onely because I wyll not name the moste holy Fathers goddes vycars and these moste reuerende Fathers hatted and mytrede they shall by and by caste the forth as beynge a certayne superstycyous persone and an heretyke turnynge this sayinge of Chryste as it were an horne agaynst the. Go behynde vs thou aduersarye for thou arte a sclaundre to vs. I beseche the for the loue of that truthe Chrysten reader in whom dothe that trewe pouertye of spyryte breathe nowe a dayes who sheweth it forthe in his lyuynge who be they of vs now a dayes whiche be not rather swolne and puffed vp with the spyryte of our owne wytte and iudgement condempnynge other in comparyson of our selues as thoughe we our selues were more holy then they who be they amonge vs whiche yf they be neuer so lytle offended or hurte but the mountenaunce of one heare are not euen starke woode and madde angry and wrothe with our neyghboure who of vs dothe not thyrste and greatly desyre ryches honours pleasures euen to the contumely and reproche of ryghtwysnes A man shall not lyghtly fynde mercy or pyte now any where amonge vs more then a good smell and swete sauoure in a soyle of durte and myre I praye you who of vs now I do not saye are cleane in herte But who dothe not abhorre and hate this clennes of herte more then the gentyles or hethen people in the olde tyme dyd hate any vnlucky or abhomynable augury y t is to say the flyeng or syngynge of byrdes wherby was betokened euyll happe or myschaunce to folowe them where is nowe any place lefte any lenger for peace here in erthe Is she not vtterly exyled and banysshed who of vs nowe dothe susteyne or suffre euen the leaste dyspleasure or euyl wyll of any man whiche is of power or myghte for the ryghtwysnes of god but rather whiche of oureselues do not trede vnder the fote dothe not suppresse dothe not as moche as in vs lyeth to quenche and destroye this ryghtwysenes of god that we myghte auaunce and tere vp our owne ryghtwysenes and that we myghte not be subiected as the apostle Paule sayth to the Iustyce of god yf those afore rehersed thynges were taughte of Chryste whiche is the lyghte of the worlde it is no doubte but that the nyght and hylles darkenes hathe taughte these thynges whiche are diamerterly or cleane contrarye to those other It is therfore no meruayle it is no noueltye or straunge thynge yf we suffre punysshement worthely for our despysynge of the lyght of the Gospell yf we be daylye tossed more and more and my serably suffre shypwrake in the moste thycke darkenes of meÌ„nes superstycyous as it were in moste greuous tempestes or stormes yf we be empouerysshed oppressed and consumed with warres yf we be obsessed and besette or compassed aboute on euery syde with roberyes yf we be vexed with newe straunge fylthye and abhomynable syckenesses and dyseases suche as hathe not ben herde heretofore yf we suffre great famyne or hungre yf we be oppressed of tyrauntes yf we be greatly troubled and vexed with monsters and wonders yf we be noyed with the sodayne incursyons and assautes of the wylde and cruell beastes yf we be destroyed with the breakynge forthe of floodes and waters yf we be swalowed in and consumed with the gapynges and openynges of the earthe Fynally and to conclude whiche waye soeuer we tourne our iyes and our mynde we shall se or perceyue nothynge but all cruell all noysom and hurtefull all vengeable all myserable and wretchedfull The chylde wrangleth troubleth and stryueth agaynst the aged man the man of lowe degree agaynst the noble man or of hygh estate and degree all thynges are dysparpled and scatered all thynges are lose and out of theyr place all thynges troubled and out of ordre all thynges are lyke and semen to decay and falle And the thynges whiche are to come hereafter are feared and not without cause to be more greuous and dreadefull then these whiche be present For suche paynes suche punysshementes suche vengeaunce dothe the trouthe despysed requyre to be done to vs suche plages requyren the dyscyplyne and learnynge of lyghte refused and sette at noughte Because we do mocke and scorne the pouertye of spyryte we haue also nowe caste awaye and loste the hope and promesse of the kyngdome of heuens settynge all our herte and desyre vpon earthly thyngê Because we haue ceassed to be meke we do also nowe worthely not so moche possesse the earthe as we do fyghte for it with murthers and cruell blody bataylles Because we thyrste after vnryghtwysenes nowe euery where doo oppresse the ryghtuouse persone Therfore worthely and throughe our owne deseruynge we doo in a maner no where fynde any token or prynte of Iustyce remaynynge And we do eche ouertourne and destroye other with doynge iniuryes wronges one of vs to an other Because we refuse and forsake doynge mercye to other we our selues also somtyme worthely do mysse and lacke the same towarde vs. Because we nowe embrace and loue in our herte nothynge that is pure and cleane accordynge to our deseruynge we also do not attayne or gette the moste pure beame of trouthe but beynge cyrcuÌ„uented and begyled with falshed and lyes we are fallen awaye vtterly from the faythe and the Gospell For what other thynge is it I beseche the good Chrysten reader to fall awaye from the Gospell then to vse as it is done dayly in the stede of the leuite softnes or gentylnes of Chryste arrogancye and presumptuous pryde in stede of vertue and good lyuynge to vse wantonnes hatrede in the stede of charyte warre in the stede of peace domynacyon rule or
in deuocyon or holynes in all vertues to be vsed other in peace or in warre to coÌ„clude in all qualyties or propertyes whiche are coÌ„mendable in any emperour whose defencyon we haue put to here folowyng for the whiche we wolde that he shuld be beholden to a germayne borne rather than to an other of an out nacyon was so proudely presumptuously handled and entreated and also so dyspytefully and coÌ„tumelyously Fyrste of IohnÌ„ the. xxii of that name and after that of Benedicte the. xii last of all of Clement the syxte beyng al thre bysshops of Rome that it is not possyble to haue hanled any man in more prowde or dyspytefull maner And that for no greuous offence as baptista Egnatius hymselfe also doth confesse albeit in other thynges he is wel nere to to great a fauourer of the bysshoppes of Rome but for this onely that he durste be bolde to take vpon hym the name of an Emperour without the assent and agremeÌ„t of IohnÌ„ This semed to the holynes of that bysshop of Rome a reasonable cause and suffycyent Wherfore he shuld not onely interdicte so excellent and so noble a prynce from the Sacramentes alldyuyne seruyce â–ª â—ut also denounce publysshe hym thoughe he were fautles to be an heretyke by preachers sent forth a brode by hym in to al places for the same purpose And moreouer for the entent and purpose to rayse styrre vp rebellyon of his subgettê agaynst hym he dyd absolue al y t were sworne to hym by any maner of othe whatsoeuer it were from theyr sayd othes theyr allegeaunce And besyde this vexed hym with warre bataylle chosynge Cardynalles and Abbottes for to be the chyefe pryncypall capytaynes in the same warre And Clement also dyd procure Charles kynge of Boheme aduersarye to the sayd Lodowyke to be named and made Emperour of the prynces electours to the ende that so moch the more dyscorde and murther myght be kendled amonge the Chrysten prynces whiche is the onely crafte and subtyle practyse wherby they haue alwayes hytherto maynteyned thus theyr power auctoryte whiche hath caused so moche blode to be shedde so many lose theyr lyues in the worlde Yf any vycar of Chryste maye be of suche maners and condycyons truely I can not se why any maner tyraunte of the worlde may not also be the vycar of chryste But yf he ought not to take vengeauÌ„ce yf he ought to praye euyn for his persecutoures and to do good also to them whiche hate hym yf he ought to refuse and exchewe erthely kyngdom yf he ought to absteyne from all maner couetousnes yf he oughte to walke after the spyryte and not after the flesshe than I can not se but that there is excedynge moche dyfference and dyuersyte betwene the aforesayd maners and the ordynaunce of Chryst Neyther it is vnknowen to me what dyspleasure here I purchase to myself whyles I styrre and trouble in this pompe of theyr abusyon and abhomynacyons But in the meane season farewel they I saye farewell they who soeuer they be ye thoughe they be preestes whose fauoure I can not retayne excepte that I woll renounce and forsake the truthe whiche truthe itselfe hath sayd and tolde before this that the worlde shulde come when the one brother shulde delyuer the other brother vnto deathe and the father the sone and when moreouer the sones shulde ryse vp agaynst theyr fathers and put them to deathe So farre it is awaye that other I may or ought to be frende to any man whiche is not hymselfe frende to the truthe that I ought not to beleue any man or to gyue place to hym be he neuer so nere of naturall kynne vnto me no neyther yet to any angell of heuen yf he preched any thyng coÌ„trary to the gospell Seynge than that this truthe whiche onely gyueth true peace and charyte to men do the fearefully warne her scolers awaye euery where in so many places and by so many maner of wayes from worldy kyngdom rehersynge and iteratynge so ofte My kyngdom is not of this world and ye be not of this worlde And except a man renounce al that he possesse Item it is more easy for a Camell to entre in through a nedles iye than a ryche man to entre iÌ„ to the kyngdom of heueÌ„s Moreouer you can not bothe serue god and Mammon all at ones Also the perable of the ryche gloton buryed in helle of that other ryche man dreamynge of the enlargynge of his barnes Also that moste sharpe and sore coÌ„myncacyon or thretenyng agaynst ryche men woo be to you ryche men whiche haue here your consolacyon and comforte Woo be to you whiche be full fedde for you shall be hungry woo be to you whiche do laughe nowe for you shal wayle and wepe Are not thyse so many sayingê of Chryste y e sone of god euydent tokens ynough Howe he wolde haue his dyscyples and seruauntes mynded to warde thyse erthely thyngê And yet this notwithstandynge Benedicte the. xii whan at Mylane at Verona at VicentiuÌ„ at Mantua at RhegiuÌ„ at CarariuÌ„ at Padway at Ferrarye at Mutine at Argent he dyd instytute and make the Mayres and gouernours of the sayd places in the Emperours Lodowykes absence his owne vicars or deputyes coÌ„maundynge a certayne trybute to be payde yerely of them by his craftefull apostolyke spoylynge Lodowyke of the possessyon of Italye he sayd that all the power rule of the Empyre was his owne for asmoche as who soeuer is the successoure of Peter is the onely vycar or deputie in erthe of Ihesu chryste the kynge of heuen Is this I praye you to walke after the spyryte or is this not to entangle them selues in secular and worldly busynes accordynge to the coÌ„maundement of Paule wrytynge thyse wordes to Tymothe Let no man that warreth no goddes parte entangle hym selfe with seculate busynes that he may please hym c. But here is redy at hande for vs two solucyons or answeres the one that the bysshop of Rome is not bounden to the wordes of Paule for as moche as the inferyor persone hath no power or auctorytie ouer or vpon the superyour the other that to hym selfe alone belongeth bothe the swerdes to whiche solucyon the thyrde is put vnto in the stede of an Auctarye to make heaped measure and it is this that all thynges is the sayd bysshops because that Chryste dyd saye thyse wordes All power and auctoryte is gyuen to me bothe in heuen and in erthe Of thyse wordes we haue goten forthe to our selues absolute and perfyte power hereof haue we taken to our selfes bothe the swerdes hereof we do attrybute to our selues auctoryte aboue all the councels ye and also aboue the veray gospels hereof haue we chalenged empyre and we haue caught and snatched to our selues domynacyon and rule neuer to haue ende or reste vpon the kynges and emperours albeit that Chryste hath taught vs clene contrary
thynges that is to wyt that we shulde not gather treasure here in erthe but in heuen that we shulde beare our crosse not to beare a threfolde cowne on our hed of golde garnysshed with precyous stones that we shulde mynystie and serue not be fordes and rulers This is the maner and fasshyon of our lyuynge nowe a dayes thus the scrypture is expounded after our mynde and pleasure Thus nowe we learne and rcceyue take the sense or meanynge imagyned by men in the steade of the true sense and meanynge of the scrypture and the spyryte of men in the stede of the spyryte of god we herken to man we beleue man we do obey man But as for Chrystes wordes who of vs nowe any where doth herken or who doth beleue And yet he sayd my shepe knoweth my voyce and I agayne of my parte do knowe them A straunger they do not here but ronne awaye yf than the shepe of Chryste here the voyce of hym onely and fleeth or ronneth awaye from a straunger howe can we I praye you proue ourselues to be his shepe whiche in this moste wretched tyme not onely do not here his gospell but moreouer do hate it and wolde haue it cleane destroyed and tydde out of the worlde sayenge that the churche shulde be better oh abhomynable impyetye without the worde or gospell of Chryst whiche in euery place teacheth vs so oft that his wordes onely his coÌ„maundementes alone are to be obserued and kepte sayinge he that hathe my coÌ„maundementes and keapeth them he it is that loneth me contrarywyse what other thynge dothe he more sharply lay to the Iewes charge and rebuketh them for more greuously than for this y t they regarded not his wordes nor wold do after theym whan he sayth yf you shall abyde in my wordes you shal be truely my dyscyples and you shall knowe the truthe and the truth shall delyuer you agayne a lytle after he y t is of god hereth y e words of god but therfore you do not here because you are not of god yf thou seche dylygently ransake the holy scryture good crysten reader from the begynnyng that man was created thou shalt fynde that all those whiche are therin rehersed to haue pleased god dyd alwayes teache men the worde of god and not theyr owne When I praye the dydde euer Moyses whan Heliseus whan Helias and so forthe in ordre vnto the laste prophette say after this maner These thynges do I Moyses say these thynges do I Helias say and not rather at all tymes These thynges sayth your lorde god whan dyd euer Peter whan dyd Paule preache other theyr owne gospell or els of any man and not the gospel of Ihesu chryste doth not Paule playnly openly wytnesse and recorde that y e gospel which he dyd teache was not of man but of Chryste he boldely curseth hym who euer he be ye although it were an aungell from heuen whiche wolde presume to teache any other gospell than that of Chryste Besyde this these foure golpelles whiche the churche dothe onely alowe Ezechiell dyd se before the spyryte of god shewyng them vnto hym about vi C. yeres before chryste was incarnate expressyng perfytefy y e Prophesye of the. iiii gospelles by the symylytude or lykenes of iiii sensyble creatures of y e whiche the fyrste was of a man the seconde of a lyon the thyrde of an oxe the fourthe of an Egle in eche one of the whiche iiii lykenesses is fygured one mystery of Chryst In y e lykenes of man was fygured y e bodely natyuyte of hym in the shape of a lyon was sygnyfyed the rorynge or great sounde of the preachyng of the gospell or y e mysterye of his resurreccyon In y e fygure of an oxe was betokened his euer lastyng presthode in the symylytude of an Egle was fygured the mysterye of his dyuynyte and godhed to be vttered shewed to the churche whiche shulde be sprede abrode through out all the worlde Shall the churche lacke or wante y e gospels of theym whom the holy ghoste selfe gaue euangelystes gospellers to his owne churche Mathew whan he was a publycane and called to his offyce of Chryste selfe who can doubte hereof wrote sette forthe fyrste the gospell in the Hebrew language for the Iewes whiche were conuerted to Chryste Marcus gospell is the gospel of Peter to whom specially chryst dyd say fede my shepe And so lyke wyse the gospell whiche Luke wrote is the gospell of Paule the doctour of the gentyles whiche attayned vnderstode the secresies and pryuyties of god whiche is not lawfull to any man to speke of the whiche paule prayse is gyuen to the same Luke in the gospell throughe out all congregacyons IohnÌ„ whiche deserued to here of Chryste hangynge on the crosse these wordes Beholde thy mother at the contynuall and feruent request and instant desyre of all the bysshops of Asye theyr Ambassadours wrote the gospell last of all iiii And yet he durste not enterpryse or take that worke in haÌ„de afore suche tyme that they had purchased the mercy and fauoure of god by fastynge openlye bydden or coÌ„maunded to the people and by prayers also Shall we thynke perauenture that the churche yf it had pleased them myght haue forsaken and left this gospell whiche to be wryten they obteyned with so many intreatynges and desyres with so many ambassages moreouer with processyons fastyngê openly coÌ„mauÌ„ded wherfore let hym who soeuer he be the more scasely more seldome obiecte agaynst vs y t these gospelles were receyued of the churche as though it had ben in theyr choyse or lybertie also not to haue receyued them to haue reiected refused the worde of truthe Therfore that the churche hath approued and allowe these gospelles is not thus moche to say as the churche hath gyuen auctoryte to theym whiche auctoryte yf it had pleased them y e same churche myght also haue taken from them as the workers of Plato and Aristotyle hathe ben hytherto approued and allowed by the consent of all learned men and yet no man lyghtlye wolde be bolde to dye for the truthe of the same workes But to saye that the churche hathe approued and allowed the gospels is nothynge els but y t the churche hathe inseperablye cleued to the vndoutable truthe of the sayde gospelles as it were to the worde of Chryste speakynge presentlye afore our face for the whiche truthe she ought also to dye yf that she woll be saued Shulde the churche presume be bolde to take vnto herselfe suche auctoryte and censure ouer the worde of hym by whose mercye she is saued as that she myghte dyssent dysagree from any euen the leste tytle therof and not rather ought to honour and worshyp it all maner wayes But it is not thought suffycyent nowe a dayes to ascrybe this ouermoche lybertie to the churche that she maye iudge and gyue sentence of the gospell of
included but the hole multytude of all these gathered togyther myght and wolde better dycerne the coÌ„mune vtylyte or profyte and the coÌ„mune iustyce than any of these partes taken seuerallye by them selues yea thoughe it were of neuer so great wyse men wherfore they say not trewe who soeuer sayth that the vnlerned multytude doth hynder or let the eleccyon and the apporbacyon of the truth and coÌ„mune profyte or good for rather they are a great helpe in this thynge whan they are ioyned to them that are more cuÌ„nynge and whiche hathe more experyence for albeit that they can not by them selues and of theyr owne wyttes inuente and fynde out the true thynges and the profytable thynges whiche are to be instytuted and ordayned yet for all that they maye dyscerne and iudge the sayd thynges beynge inuented by other men and purposed or moued vnto them whether yf any thynge do seme for to be added or mynysshed or vtterlye chaunged or dyspysed and refused in the sayd thynges put for the and moued to them for a man perceyueth many thynges and also may do or helpe to the fynysshynge or makynge perfyte of many thynges after he hathe harde an other man speake to the begynnynge or inueÌ„cyon of the whiche thynges he coulde not haue come by hym selfe or by his owne wyt alone for the inuencyon or fyrste fyndynge out of thynges is very harde wherfore Arystotle saythe in the seconde boke of Eleuches and the last chapytre it is a very harde thynge to fynde out the fyrst begynnynge of the trouth in any maner dyscyplyne or scyeÌ„ce but y e begynniÌ„ge beyng ones fouÌ„de out it is an easy thynge to adde or put to the resydue wherfore to fynde out the begynnynges or pryncyples of scyences and of artes of other tradycyons it appertayneth not but vnto men of best and moste sharpe wyttes but to those thynges whiche are inuented all redy men of more course or grosse wyt may adde more which for all that are not to be called herfore vndyscrete or fooles because they can not inueÌ„te or fynde out suche thynges by them selues of theyr owne wyttes but rather they ought to be accompted in the nombre of good men as sayde Arystotle in the fyrst of the etykes and the. iiii chapytre That man is best whiche knoweth all thynges of hym selfe and nedeth no teachynge and he agayne is a good man which dothe obeye hym that sayth well and gyueth hym good counsayle that is to say whiche harkeneth to hym and dothe not saye agaynst hym without reason or a cause And therfore it is conuenyent and very profytable that it be coÌ„mytted to wyse experte men by the hole multytude of cytezens to serche or to fynde out and to examyne the rules of the coÌ„mune cyuyle iustyce and vtylytes or dysprofytes and of suche other lyke thynges whiche rules are to be made lawes or statutes so and after suche maner that outher of euery one of the pryncypall partes of the cyuyle coÌ„munyte which were reakened vp in the. v. chapytre of this dyccyon and the fyrste parte therof be certayne elected or chosen but yet accordynge to the proporcyon of euery one of those partes or elles that of all the cytezens gathered togyther all the aforesayd experte or wyse men be elected And this shal be a conuenyent and a profytable maner of assemblynge or coÌ„mynge togyther for the inuentynge or deuysynge of lawes without the noyaunce or harme of the other multytude that is to wyt of vnlearned or lesse wyse men whiche shulde do but lytle helpe or furtheraunce in the serchynge out of suche maner rules or lawes shulde be troubled and letted from theyr owne workes and necessarye occupacyons whiche thynge shulde be chargeable and paynefull bothe to eche one seuerally and also to all in coÌ„mune but suche rules beynge inuented and dylygently examyned which are to be made lawes ought to be put forth for to be approued or reproued alowed or dysalowed amonge the hole multytude of the cyuyle coÌ„munyte beynge congregated or assembled togyther that yf to any of the coÌ„munes it shall seme that any thynge ought to be added to them or to be mynysshed and taken awaye from them or to be chaunged or to be vtterly despysed or refused that he maye tell it and shewe his mynde for by the reason hereof the lawe maye be the more profytably instytuted or made for as we haue aforesayde the cytezens whiche are lesse learned or wyse maye otherwhyles perceyue somwhat that is to be amended aboute the lawe purposed whiche for all that coulde not haue inuented or founde out that lawe And because the lawes to gyuen by the iudgment and consente of the hole and vnyuersall multytude shall be better obserued and kepte neyther any man shall haue any cause to speake or els to grudge agaynst them and after that the sayde rules whiche are to be made lawes are publysshed and openly declared amonge the hole and vnyuersall coÌ„gregacyon of the cytezens and after that they whiche wolde speake or saye any thynge reasonably concernynge the sayd rules haue ben harde speake and saye theyr myndes than ought there agayne to be chosen suche maner men after the maner which we haue aforesayde or elles the aforesayde men to be confyrmed whiche representynge y e stede auctoryte of y e hole multytude of cytezeÌ„s shal apê“ue or dysalowe y e aforesayde rules sought forth purposed in the hole or in y e parte of them or els y e hole multitude of the cytezeÌ„s togyther or y e bygger parte of it shal do y e same yf they lyst After whiche approbacyon made than the sayde rules are lawes and are worthy so to be called and not before And these also onely of all humayne preceptes after the publycacion or proclamacyon of them do oblygate and bynde the transgressours of them to cyuyle offence or blame and to cyuyle paine So than that the auctoryte of the makynge or instytucyon of lawes and to gyue a coactyue precepte of the obseruacyon of them dothe appertayne or belonge onely to the hole multytude of cytezeÌ„s or to the bygger parte therof as to the effectyue cause or to hym or to them to whiche or to whome the sayde generall multytude shall graunt this auctoryte I thynke that we haue suffycyently declared shewed it by the thynges nowe aforesayd ¶ Of the qualytes and dysposycyons or properties belongynge to a perfyte gouernour to y â— ende y t it maye be knowen what maner of persone a prynce or gouernour ought to be and of what qualyte wherof also it appereth what is the conuenyent mater or subiecte as they call it of the lawes of man The xiiii chapytre HOw after the premysses we entende breyfelie to declare what maner of persone he ought to be whiche shulde beare the offyce of a gouernour There are ii intrinsecall habytes or qualytes and propertyes belongynge to hym that shall be a perfyte gouernoure whiche ii qualytes
preestes which otherwyse then they ought to do feruently desyre domynyon and lordshyp whome I speake to in these wrytynges for as moche as the maker of the psalmes saythe The lorde is my helper and I wyl not feare what man can do vnto me Neyther I wyll leue of for the obloquyes of enuyouse detractours to expresse that thynge whiche beynge declared opened may as moche profyte and do good to all men as it myght do hurte to all men yf it were neglected and not regarded and taken heade of And as for these foresayde enuyoue persons shall also with theyr enuye freatynge and vexynge or tourmeÌ„tynge theyr myndes do most harme vnto them selues For enuye as saythe Vgutio very well descrybynge it â–ª is a thynge retournynge to the auctoure therof in that it is the tormentynge of a mynde consumynge wastynge awaye because of an other mannes welthe or good and as for the custome which afore we sayd to be enemye to vs shall suffycyentlye be resysted by the euydence of the verytes whiche hereafter shall be sayde and spoken ¶ And this shall be the maner of my processe in the seconde dyccyon or parte of this boke Fyrste I shall brynge in auctorytes of the holy Canon with certayne fayned and straunge or vnmete interpretacyons of certayne men by the whiche peraduenture it myght seme and appere that it myght be proued the hyghest of all iurysdyccyon coactyue and cheyfest rule and domynyon to be dewe of ryght to the bysshop of Rome namely in the lawe of chrysten men as well aboue the prynce emperour of the Romaynes as vpon al other kyngdomes lordshyppes coÌ„munyties companyes or feloshyppes and syngulare persones euen seculers so moche the more ouer preestes or bysshoppes deacons and the collegyes or feloshyppes of them and syngulare persones of what estate soeuer they be For yf by any necessyte this iurysdyccyon maye be concluded by the vertue and strength of the wordes of scrypture ouer any one of these outher seculers or clarkes by the same it maye in comparyson of all the resydewe Consequentlye after these auctorytes I shall brynge in certayne as it were polytyke reasons very apparant to the confyrmacyon and fortefyenge of this sayde purpose grounded vpon certayne verytes of the holy scrypture whiche also euery one of them to be trewe agreable all men wolde peraueÌ„ture suppose These reasons I say I wyll bryng in to the inteÌ„te y t I may so openly dyssolue them make answere to them that no man from hensforthe may by them or other lyke be deceyued or begyled and that by the solucyon of them the infyrmyte weakenes or feblenes of the aforesayde opynyon may the more appere to y e whiche of longe season hytherto they haue gyuen the coloure face of probalyte lykelyhod After these thynges done than shall I of the contrary parte brynge in certayne verytes of the holy canon with the exposycyons of the holy interpretours therof not fayned not strauÌ„ge or false but agreable mete and properly belongynge to the same which sayde verytes doth shewe openly playnly y t the bysshop of Rome called the pope or any other preest or bysshop or spyrytuall mynystre ioyntlie or sonderly in that they be suche mynystres neyther hathe neyther ought to haue any iurysdyccyon coactyue of any man reall or personall ouer any preest or bysshop or deacon or any college or feloshyp of them therfore so moche y e lesse he or any of them coÌ„munely or seuerally hathe any such maner iurisdyccyon vpoÌ„ any kiÌ„ge or priÌ„ce or vpoÌ„ any realme coÌ„munalte coÌ„pany or feloshyp or any syngulare persone seculer except onely y t suche maner iurysdyccyon by some man maker of the lawe in y t prouynce shall be graunted to some preest or bysshop or to some college or feloshyp of them To the demoÌ„stracyon confyrmacyon wherof there may ought to be brought in whan any man shall se oportunyte certayne cyuyle or polityke demoÌ„stracyons or reasons whose propre prynciples or begynnynges are coÌ„teyned in y â— xii chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon the. xv xvii for I am not dysposed to reherse them agayne because of shortenynge of our speche coÌ„sequently aft these thyngê I shall shewe what howe great is the powre auctoryte of preesthod of the keyes gyuen by chryst to the bysshop of Rome to euery preest for of the manyfestacyon declaracyon of these thynges haÌ„geth the solucyon of many doubtes whiche solucyon gyueth entraunce coÌ„mynge in to the verytie ende which we seche labour to brynge forthe afterwardes it shall be very profytable to say somwhat and make answere to certayne questyons rysynge of the aforesayde thynges with the whiche we shall also saye somwhat of the pryuyleges of the emperours of Rome whiche hathe ben graunted to the sayd bysshoppes of Rome whiche thynge shall be very expedyent profytable to our busynes purposed entended For of these pryuylegyes the vsurpacyons occupacyons or withholdynges of iurysdyccyons coactyue which nowe they ascrybe properly to the auctorytie of the bysshop of Rome accasyonally toke theyr begynniÌ„ge by customeor rather abuse afterwardes hathe taken strength namely the emperyall seate beynge vacaÌ„te For by these pryuylegyes at the begynnynge by nothynge els the bysshopes of Rome hath ben vpholden in the purchasynge or gettynge coactyue iurysdyccyons in the coÌ„seruacyon kepynge of the same But afterwardê outher because throughe theyr demerytes they haue ben depryued of the same pryuylegies or elles left the debylytye and weakenes of the occasyons the trouthe of this iurysdyccyon vndewely wrongfully taken vnto them myght appere to couer hyde theyr vnkyndnes or els perauenture as we shewed it to be very lyke to be true in the last chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon because they intende and purpose the occupacyon of y â— coactyue iurysdyccyon of all realmes to the which the afore rehersed pryuylegyes coulde nothynge helpe them or make with them therfore they do not vse the same pryuylegies but an other vnyuersall tytle afore rehersed to make all prynces or rulers all men y t lyueth cyuyllye subiectes to them selues that is to wyt the fulnesse of powre auctoryte by the which fulnes of powre gyuen as they say by chryste to saynt Peter as to his vycate debyte nowe euery bysshop of Rome in that he is the successoure of Peter saythe that his selfe hathe the hyghest coactyue iurysdyccyon of al men all prouynces The resydewe remenauÌ„te of this dyccyon shall be to shewe that the auctorytes of y e holy Canon agaynst that sentence of the trouth and of the scrypture which we haue sayd before dothe nothynge make for the aforesayd errour but rather dothe make agaynst the same as it shall manyfestly appere by the exposycyons of certayne sayntes and also of other approued doctours of the chrysten faythe by the whiche also it shall playnly appere that the exposycyons nay
vndoubtedlie of certayne accyons or workes and dedes of preestes bysshoppes and deacons For not all theyr workes are spyrytuall neyther ought so to be called but rather many of theyr deades are cyuyle contencyons and carnall or temporall For they maye lende borowe delyuer to kepe bye selle stryke kylle and sâ—e steale coÌ„ymtte fornycacyon and adoultrie be extorcyoners brybers be traytours beare false wytnes backebyte flouÌ„dre fallin to heresy and coÌ„mytte other synnes crymes and coÌ„tencyons as sooneas lay men and suche as be no preestes wherfore it is to be axed demaunded coÌ„uenyently of them whether suche maner workes or deades whiche we haue be foresayde and rehersed maye possyble be done of them be spyrytuall workes or elles ought so to be called of any man which is in his tyght mynde And it is euydente playne that no but rather that they ought to be called carnal workê and temporall Wherfore the apostle Paule in y e thyrde chapytre of the fyrst epystle to the CorynthyaÌ„s speakynge of suche maner accyons or workes indyffereÌ„tlye to all men saythe whan there raygneth amonge you enuy contencyon are you not carnall walke after man seynge than y t sure and vndoubted experyence dothe shewe amonge the preestes selues one of them to an other and also bytwene them seculers angers enuyes contencions to chauÌ„ce of the aforesayd other lyke actes it is manyfest and open that suche maner dedes of preestes or bysshoppes are carnall or temporall accordynge to the trouthe that neyther they be neyther ought to be called spyrytuall actes A sygne and a token that this is trewe whiche we haue sayde euen accordynge to the sentence mynde of preestes also is this that to the takynge awaye of suche maner contencyons and stryues many ordynauÌ„ces of man which they call Decretalles hathe ben made by the bysshoppes of Rome and afore them the lawes of the emperours concernynge the same coÌ„tencyons And in dede many voluntarye accyons goynge or tournynge to the profyte or dysprofyte the good or harme of an other man for y e state of this present lyfe be done may be done by deacoÌ„s preestes or bysshoppes and therfore suche maner accyons ought to be measured by the lawe of man as it was sayde in the. xv chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon or parte shall be sayde agayne more to the purpose in the. viii chapytre of this dyccyon or parte ¶ Nowe there remayneth and is behynde to deuyde this worde Iudge and this worde Iudgement whiche betokeneth the accyon worke of a iudge in to theyr dyuerse sygnyfycacyons for these wordes are of the nombre of them which hath manyfolde sygnyfycacyoÌ„s which by reason therof myght cause great ambygnyte or doubtefulnes also do great lettynge in the determynynge of our pryncypall questyons This worde Iudge in one sygnyfycacyon is sayde of euery man whiche dyscerneth or hathe knowlege cheyfly accordynge to any qualytie whiche is called an habyte or scyence speculatyue or operatyue practyue And this nowne Iudgemente is sayde of the knowlege or dyscernynge whiche suche men haue after whiche maner speakynge y e geometrycyon is a iudge iudgeth of fygures and of the accydentes or thynges belongynge to them and the physycyon also is a iudge and iudgeth of hole men sycke men and the wyse man is a iudge iudgynge of thynges to be done thyngê to be auoyded or eschewed the carpenter iudgeth of howses howe and in what maner they are to be buylded in this maner also euery man whiche hathe any knowlege or is experte in any thynge is called a iudge and iudgeth of the thynges pertaynynge to his scyence speculacyon or els pertaynynge to his operacyon or practyse in this signyfycacyon Arystotle vsed these names in the fyrst chapytre of the fyrste boke of his ethykes or moralles whan he sayd euery man iudgeth wel those thynges which he knoweth is a good iudge of those thynges Agayne this nowne iudge in an other sygnyfycacyon is sayde of hym whiche hathe knowlege of the polytyke or cyuyle lawe which by the coÌ„mune and accustomed appellacyon or namynge is called an Aduocate thoughe in many prouynces and namely of Italy he is called a iudge Agayne also this name iudge is sayde of the gouernoure or ruler this nowne iudgemente is sayde of the sentence gyuen by suche prynce or ruler whose auctoryte is to iudge of iuste and ryghtfull thynges and thynges profytable accordynge to the lawes customes and sentences gyuen by hym selfe to coÌ„mauÌ„de by powre coactyne after which maner of speakynge a certayne boke is called y e boke of iudgê which is one pte of y e Bible iÌ„ this significacyoÌ„ Aristotle speakynge of a iudge or ruler in the fyrste chapytre of his fyrst boke of rethoryke sayde The gouernoure and iudge nowe iudgeth of thynges presente and determynate And meanynge styll after the same maner of the iudgemente of the gouernoure ruler he saythe shortly after To whome that is to wyt to the gouernour or iudge is annexed oftentymes bothe loue and hatred with propre syngulare auauÌ„tage so that they can not yet suffycyentlye perceyue se the trouth but attende onely and take heade to that thynge whiche is delectable and pleasaunt or elles bytter and dyspleasaunt to theyr owne selues And perauenture there be other sygnyfycacyons of the nownes aforesayde but I thynke and suppose we haue shewed and marked forthe the moste famouse and coÌ„munelye vsed sygnyfycacyons and those whiche be most necessarye to the inquysycyon purposed here of vs. ¶ Of the oracles and auctorytes of y e holy scrypture and certayne other argumentacyons by whiche it semeth that it may be proued that bysshoppes or preestes in that they be such maner persons ought of dewtye to haue powre iurysdyccyon coactyue yea without the grauÌ„te of any temporall prynce or maker of lawes y t the hyghest of all such iurysdiccioÌ„s is dewe to y e bysshop of Rome called the pope The iii chapytre NOwe than y e dyuerse inteÌ„cyons or sygnysycacioÌ„s of those nownes or wordes aboute which the most parte of our inquysycyon shall be occupyed thus suffycyeÌ„tly declared shewed we coÌ„miÌ„ge nere more boldely to our purpose pryncypally intended shal fyrst of al brynge forthe y e auctorytes of holy scrypture by the whiche it myght appere to some men that the bysshop of Rome called the pope is the hyghest iudge accordynge to the thyrde sygnyfycacyon of this worde iudge or iudgement ouer and vpon all the bysshoppes or preestes other ecclesyastical mynystres of y e worlde also ouer all priÌ„ces gouernours of this wolde all coÌ„munyties coÌ„panyes or feloshyppes all synguler persons of what soeuer estate they be ¶ And of al these auctoryties let vs fyrst put the ordre of wordes whiche are had in the. xvi chapytre of Mathewe where chryste speakynge to Peter saythe To the I wyll gyue the keyes
the. xviii dystyncyon and the. viii chapytre whan he sayd After these maners or wayes of byndynge or losynge that sayenge of Chryste is true what soeuer you shall lose vpon erth it shall be losed also in heuens and what soeuer you shall bynde vpon erth it shall be bounde also in heuen Somtyme the preestes do shewe or declare certayne men to be bounde or losed whiche are not so afore god and otherwhyles they do lose or bynde with the payne of Satysfaccyon persones therof vnworthy and do admytte or receyue vnworthy persones to the parte takynge of the sacramentes and do shytte out such as are worthy to be receyued But this is to be vnderstanded in theym whose merytes or deseruynges requyre to be losed or to be bouÌ„de whome soeuer therfore they do lose or bynde vsynge the keye of dyscrecyon Iudgynge the merytes or deseruynges of the synners or persones accused the same persones are losed or bounde also in heuens that is to saye afore god for the sentence or Iudgement of the preeste whiche hath so proceded or gon forth is approued and confyrmed by the Iudgement of god And by and by after the mayster of the sentens sayde after the maner of an epylogation Beholde what maner one and howe great is the vse and profyte of the apostolyke keyes ¶ But for the further euydence hereof to be had I shall brynge the example or comparyson made by the sayd mayster whiche is famyi yare or playne ynoughe and semeth to be very moche agreynge to the wordes and mynde of Chryste and of sayntes whose auctoryties we haue heretofore alleged and namely of Ambrose for he saythe that the worde of god forgyueth synnes And the preeste also verely dothe his offyce but exercyseth not the offyce of any power But let vs saye that the preeste whiche is as it were the iayloure of the heuenlye iudge delyuereth the synner moche lyke as doth the Iayler of the worldlye iudge For lykewyse as by the worde or sentence of the seculare Iudge that is to wytte of the souerayne or gouernour the persone accused is other dampned or elles quyte and delyuered from the cyuyle trespasse or blame from the cyuyle payne euen so by the worde of god any man is vtterly bounde or losed from synne and from the dette of euerlastynge dampnacyon for the state of the worlde to come And as by y e workynge of the iayler belongynge to the worldly prynce no man is daÌ„pned or losed from the worldly offence or blame and from y e worldly punysshemeÌ„t but onely by his mynystery wherby he shytteth or openeth y â— pryson the persone accused is shewed declared outher to be deliuered or els daÌ„pned so in lyke maner no man is bouÌ„de or losed from synne from y e dette of euerlastynge daÌ„pnacyon by the operacyon or workynge of the preeste but it is shewed in y e face of y e church who is counted bounde or losed of god whyles he taketh the preestê benedyccyon and is receyued to the coÌ„munyon of the sacramentes in suche maner as we haue shewed aboute the ende of the chapytre laste afore gone And therfore as the iayler of the worldly iudge by openynge or shyttynge the pryson sheweth and dothe his offyce and yet he exercyseth not the ryght or offyce of any iudycyarye powre outher of absoluynge delyuerynge or els of coÌ„dempnynge for althoughe in very dede he wolde open the pryson to any ê‘sone beynge accused but not delyuered or quytte by y e iudge dyd also declare to y e people by his wordes y t suche persone were quytte yet shuld not the prysoner therfore be losed quytte from y â— cyuyle offence punysshemeÌ„t contrary wyse yf he wold refuse to open y â— pryson to hym whome y e iudge had verely delyuered by his seÌ„teÌ„ce moreouer by his wordê wold saye and declare that suche persone were not delyuered but dampned yet shulde not the prysoner or persone accused therfore be detter of the cyuyle blame or punysshement So lykewyse the preeste which is the iayler of the heuenly iudge sheweth and fulfylleth his offyce by the vocall or verballe pronuncyacion of absolucyon or els of byndynge maledyccion but in case that y â— preeste hym selfe through ygnorauÌ„ce or through surrepcyon or els through both dyd ê“nouÌ„ce y t they shal be hereaft absolued or els ar alredy absolued which in very dede of trouthe outher shal be hereafter condempned or els at alredy condeÌ„pned by y e hyghe iudge aboue or elles contrary wyse dyd pronounce them outher to be alredy condempned or elles hereafter to be condempned whiche are in very dede and of trouthe outher alredy assoyled and losed or els hereafter to be assoyled yet for all that the persones shulde not therfore in very dede be assoyled and lose neyther the seconde sorte daÌ„pned because the preeste had not applyed the keye or keyes with dyscrecyon to the merytes of the sayde persones And therfore as saynt Ambrose sayth the preeste exhibiteth his offyce but yet he exercyseth not the lybertyes of any powre For otherwhyles the preestes pronounce in the face of the churche them to be alredy bounde or elles hereafter to be bounde for the state of the worlde to come whiche are in very dede and of trouthe outher alredy lose or elles hereafter to be lose in the syght of god and contrary wyse as we haue sayde afore by the auctorytie of sayntes and of the mayster in the. iiii boke the. xviii dystynccyon and the. viii chapytre and therfore the preeste exercyseth not the ryght offyce of any powre for yf it were so other whyles than the iustyce of god and his promyse shulde perysshe and be voyde It is god therfore onely and none elles that exercyseth the ryght and offyce of powre vpon synners and whiche is iudge hauynge coactyue pewre he I saye whiche alone can not be dysceyued nor ignoraunte of the cogitacyons and thoughtes neyther of the operacyons dedes of men For as Paule sayth in the. iiii chapytre to the hebrewes all thynges are naked and open to his syght and which onely can not haue any peruerse wyll or wronge affeccyon for thou O lorde arte ryghtuouse and all thy iudgementes are ryghtuouse and all thy wayes mercy trouthe and iudgement in the thyrd of Thobye and therfore he onely is suche maner iudge wherfore it is redde in the. iiii chapytre of Iames. There is but one lawe maker and iudge whiche may dystroye delyuer whiche wordes Iames spake not meanynge of hym selfe or of any of the apostles not withstaÌ„dynge that he was one of those iii. which semed to be pyllers of the church as the apostle sayd in the seconde chapytre to the Galathyans But chryst wolde that suche sentences and iudgementes outher alredy gyuen or els hereafter to be gyuen by hym in an other worlde shulde be pronounced and publysshed of the preestes by a certayne
necessyte or lacke of men as it was in the olde tymes For there were in Englande men more excellent of good lyfe and more cōnynge in holy doctryne than he whiche beynge vnskylled of the language and also beynge no doctoure of dyuynyte but onely beynge a lawyer pleader of causes was made gouernoure ouerseer vnto them And so lykewyse in Denmarke and in other prouynces of which many open testymonyes myght be brought in in lyke errour but I passe ouer them because of spede shortnes For who wyll not meruayle or wondre to se yonge men ignoraūte of the scryptures of god lackynge also conuenyent grauyte of maners men without experyence and learnynge and otherwhyles openlye dyffamed persons to be made bysshops and to be promoted to the hyghest dygnytyes offyces in the churche throughe Symonye or the request and prayer of great men I do not saye otherwhyles throughe feare of great men or for seruyce done or for cause of cōsanguynyte or affynyte y e doctours of dyuynyte teachers of the holy scrypture men approued for y e honestye of theyr lyfe cōuersacyon beynge put bye or not regarded whether these be fayned or false thynges that I do speake he shall easyly perceyue whiche wyll reken vp the bysshoppes or archebysshops of prouynces the patriatches and other inferyour prelates for he shal not fynde one amonge x. of them whiche is a doctoure of dygynyte or y t is suffycyentlye learned in the holye scrypture and whiche thynge I am a shamed to speake althoughe it dothe not greue me to speake it because it is true The bysshops of these dayes neyther haue cōnynge to preache to the people the worde of god neyther to saye agaynst the erronyous doctrynes of heretykes yf any shall happen to ryse but in the aforesayd chaūces they do shamefully begge and craue the doctryne of other men notwithstandynge that the doctoure of the gentyles Paule doth saye in the thyrde chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe that a bysshop ought to be a teacher embrasynge that faythfull worde whiche is accordynge to doctryne that he maye be able to exhorte in holsome doctryne and to reproue them whiche speake agaynst it As the same Paule wrote in the fyrste chapytre to Tite And as touchynge the other inferyour prelates abbottes and pryores and other persones and curates of churches I take god whiche is īmortall truthe to recorde that a great multytude nōbre of them are without bothe suffyciēt vertue of lyfe also learnynge yea in so moche that many of them can not speake one sentence congrulye accordynge to the rules of grāmer But they to whome of the fulnes of powre for of it I wyll no we speke agayne the greatter dygnyties of the churche are graunted for the moste parte and they whiche are supposed to be suffycyent and able to gouerne them are lawyers and pleders of causes These the pope of Rome promoteth to dygnyties as beynge profytable persones and defenders of the churche whiche can contende and stryue for the conseruacyon large vsurpacyon of temporall thynges and the doctours of holy dyuynyte he doth reiecte as beynge vnprofytable persones For they are symple men as he with his colledge of cardynalles doth saye wolde suffre the churche to decaye and go to waste Notwithstandynge that in very dede the churche is not the temporalles but the faythfull people of chryste for which the bysshop ought to contende and stryue and not for the temporalles accordynge to the counceyle of chryste of the apostles as it appereth in the. x. of Iohn̄ and by the apostles wordes in the place afore alledged and by very many other places of the scrypture whiche I leaue out here because it is euydent ynoughe and also for the abbreuacion of our proces for the tēporals are not inherytaunce of the apostles whiche they lefte to the bysshops theyr successours for to be saued and kepte Neyther are emperyall dygnyties seculer domynyons the ryght or lybertyes of the spouses of chryste which ryghte c. the bysshop of Rome that nowe is to defende or rather to offende toke a doubtfull intricate sentence and after a crafty sophysticall fascyon moste vniustlye hath anaūced hym selfe agaynst noble Ludouyke cōmynge of y e dukes of Bauarye kynge of the Romaynes wherfore Barnarde in the. iiii chapytre of y e secōde boke wryten to Eugenius De consideratione whan he had spoken of the dylygent cure charge of soules or churches which the apostles lefte to theyr successours sayth in this wyse what other thynge hath the apostles lefte he sayde that I haue I do gyue to the what thynge is that one thynge I knowe it is not golde nor syluer And within a lytle after the same Bernarde sayth Be it so that thou mayste chalenge these thynges that is to wyt the tēporalles vnto thy selfe by whatsoeuer other waye or tytle one thynge I am assured of that not by the ryght or tytle of an apostle And agayne afterwardes that whiche he had saythe Bernarde he gaue that is to wyt the dylygent cure charge as I haue sayde vpon the churches But concernynge domynyon or lordshyppe here what the sayde Barnarde sayth afterwardes hathe he gyuen domynyon or lordshyppe here what he sayde hym selfe Not beynge lordes or hauynge domynyon of the clargye but beynge made the example of the flocke And because thou shalte not thynke this to haue ben spoken onely of humylyte and not also of truth these are the wordes of chryst hym selfe in the gospell The rulers of the Gentyles hath domynyon vpon them and they whiche haue powre ouer them are called benefycyall and it foloweth afterwardes But it shall not be so with you it is playne here and euydent that domynyon and lordshyp is vtterly forbydden the apostles And y e thynge whiche is worthye of moste meruaylynge and moste to be marked and regardyd of all men and to be redressed and broughte agayne to a dewe forme and maner by the prynces as beynge the mynystres of god is the instytucyon of the bysshoppe of Rome with other bysshoppes for seldome is a dyuyne chosen to be bysshoppe of Rome But for the moste parte one is taken of the companye of lawyers and pleders of causes whiche thynge is vtterlye contrarye to the scryptures of god and dysagreynge from ryght reason and most shameful of all thynges in the face of all churches So also conuenyently and no lesse in a maner it is to be marked concernynge the company of cardynalles that vnto this dygnyte at taken wanten yonge men and very many of them not learned or skylled in the holy scryptures notwithstandynge that this bysshop of Rome and his churche or colledge ought to be an example vnto all other But of these thynges thus farforth beit spoken and now retournynge to our purpose wherof we spake before let vs say y t the bysshop of Rome of the fulnes of powre doth gyue the greatter multytude of
of preestes toke of the same prynces and of the people the gyftes the confyrmacioÌ„s and the inuestytures of theyr offyces as of the prelacyes cures and of other lyke or elles of smaller offyces and also powre to dystrybute and bestowe the temporalles or benefyces Neyther dyd the bysshops of Rome in the olde tyme stryue agaynst the emperours of Rome for cause of suche maner subieccyons neyther agaynst the people or ê‘tyculer persons beynge patrones of the churches For they knewe that they were bounde to this subieccyon by the lawe of god and also by the lawe of man as we haue shewed suffycyentlye by scrypture and polityke reasons in the. iiii v. viii and. xvii of this dyccyon For so we reade of Symachus beynge a man of Sarde by byrthe and nacion that he beynge coelected with one Lawrence through dyscorde was confyrmed pope of Rome by the iudgement whiche Theodorichus kynge made or dyd gyue So also wryteth Martyne of saynt Gregorye This Gregorye saythe Martyne is chosen pope and Mauricius y e emperour confyrmeth hym by his letters emperyall So also the bysshops of Rome were wonte to desyre the confyrmacyon of theyr pryuylegies humbly of the emperours as it is red of Vitelliane whiche was a Syguen borne and of Constantyne whiche was a Syryane borne and of very many other bysshops of Rome yea moreouer they were wonte to go personallye vnto the emperoures by places farre dystauÌ„te for these and other supplycacyons and theyr confyrmacyons to be obtayned as it is red of very many of them in Cronycles and approued hystoryes And also whiche is a greatter thynge IohnÌ„ the. xii was deposed from the popeshyp his demerytes so requyrynge by Otto the fyrste beynge emperour all the people consentynge therunto both the clargy also the laye men So also in the cronycle of Martyne where he speaketh of Benedicte the. ix it is red of two that were elected contenciouslye and deposed by the emperyal censure and iudgement of Henry whiche than was emperour of Rome For to the same pryncypall or cheyfe auctoryte it appertayneth to depose destytute any thynge yf it shall be expedyent to whiche it belongeth to instytute it For asmoche than as euery bysshop ought to be elected by the prynce by the auctoryte of the same he may be destytuted or deposed as it hath ben certyfyed in the. xvii of this dyccion ¶ The bysshops of Rome therfore and of other prouynces and the preestes and all the colledge or companye of clarkes lyued after the example of chryste and of his apostles vnder the coactyue iurysdyccyon and gouernaunce of them whiche were prynces and rulers But throughe the entysement and pryckynge on of the prynce of this worlde the fyrste father of pryde and ambycyon the suggesture and putter in mynde of all other vyces the deuyll certayne of the bysshoppes of Rome were deduced nay rather seduced and brought out from the way of chryst and of the apostles in to an other clene contrary way For auaryce and couetousnes inuadynge and coÌ„mynge in to the myndes of them dyd thruste out from thense y e hyghest merytoryouse or ê‘fyte pouertie which chryste had plaÌ„ted set in the churche And agayne pryde and ambycyon or desyre of honoure and of seculare domynyon inuadynge and coÌ„mynge vpon the same hath dryuen out from thense moste hyghe and perfyte humylyte whiche chryste had coÌ„maunded charged to be obserued and kepte of the same clergy or vnyuersall coÌ„panye of preestê Amonge whiche bysshoppes one Simplicius Tibertinus bysshoppe of Rome is red to haue ben the fyrste that suffered this thynge for this Simplicius takynge to hym auctoryte I wotte neuer from whense albeit that I knowe certaynely excepte he be excused by ignoraunce wherof he toke this rasshe and mysauysed presumpcyon ordayned and decreed that no clarke ought to take his inuestiture of a lay man vnderstaÌ„dynge and meanynge the inuestiture of benefyces offyces of which we haue spoken here tofore albeit yet that by his statute and decree it is euydently sygnyfyed that his predecessours wyllynge to gyue dewe humylyte and reuereÌ„ce to the prynces and emperours were wonte to receyue the aforesayd inuestytures of laye men Agayne an other successoure of his thoughe not nexte after hym Pelagius the fyrste of that name ordayned decreed that heretykes shuld be punysshed by the seculer powres or offycers of which statute or decree it is also to be marueyled for asmoche as he knewe well ynoughe that suche a lawe was made agaynst heretykes in the tyme of Iustiniane emperoure of Rome And because it belongeth not to his auctorytye to make suche maner of lawes in that he was a bysshop vnlesse peraduenture this thynge had ben grauÌ„ted to hym by the auctoryte of the temporall prynce Therfore lykewyse as Simplicius aforesayd dyd so also dyd Pelagius put in his syeth in an other mannes corne by vsurpynge the auctoryte vnto hym selfe whiche appertayned vnto an other man To whome agayne Adryane the thyrde succeded though not imedyatlye in the sayd vsurpacyon for he ordayned and decreed that none emperoure shulde intromytte or medle concernynge the eleccyon of the Pope that we maye vse the wordes of the sayde Martyne whiche statute or decree beynge vtterlye of no strengthe for asmoche as it was made by hym that lacked auctoryte to make suche maner lawes dyd contayne also an open inconuenyence as it hathe benshewed in the. xviii chapitre of this dyccyon besyde that that the contrarye of it had ben roborated and establysshed by longe and laudable custome For albeit that Martyne doth say where he maketh mencion of Leo the. x. y t the Romayns of a lewde and wronge custome desyred a bysshop to be gyuen vnto them by the emperour in that he confesseth it to haue ben a custome we graunte that the sayd truthe but in that of his owne auctoryte he calleth it a lewde or croked custome intendynge therby to iustyfye the aforesayd vsurpacioÌ„s of the bysshops of Rome and to deface the auctoryte lawes of the emperours in this he goynge aboute to please man rather than to please god and the truth sayth falsely and vntruly but he sheweth playnelye the begynnynge and mysterye of this thynge to haue ben shyt vp and closed from hym selfe Neyther credence is to be gyuen vnto Martyne in this behalfe for he with his ordre were partakers of suche maner vsurpacyon For the ordres whiche they do call beggynge freets haue optayned or beleue that they haue optayned of the bysshops of Rome an exempcyon that is to wyt that they are in no poynte subiectes vnder the iurysdyccyon of theyr owne pastores the bysshops or other superyoure prelates ¶ But nowe to retourne to that wherof we spake before it was no lewde nor vnlaudable custome that the bysshops of the churche of Rome were instytuted by the emperours as we haue sayd For we do rede and they also whiche laboure with the sayd Martyne to