East from his authoritie not caring in the meane time what became of our Churches of the West But this one thing is euident that Gratian long since entred this Canon in his collection of decrees in the same sence which we alledge it and in more forcible tearmes than we doe cite them namely thus Distinct 65. Can. 6. Nichola in Ep. ad Michael Imperator Let the old custome continue in Egypt Lybia and Pentapolis since the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome For to interprete this Canon after Nicholas the first who liued fiue hundred yeares since that Councell as Gregorie the thirteenth and Bellarmine doe saying That the Councell of Nice knew well ynough that our Lord had giuen all to the Church of Rome and therefore could haue no meaning to order her but others by her example were first to make him judge in his owne cause and secondly to presuppose the thing in question which is an apparant fallax But Bellarmine hath yet one crochet farther of his owne braine he telleth vs That in the vulgar copies there are wanting in the beginning of this Canon these words The Church of Rome hath euer had the Primacie yet let the old custome stand c. But I wonder which are those which he calleth the vulgar copies or whence is it that he would haue these Canons taken if not out of the Greeke Councels out of Ruffin Balsamon Patriarch of Antioch out of Gratians decrees canonized by themselues or out of Cyzicenus who tooke them out of their owne Librarie and lastly if not out of the old Romane Code it selfe Codex canonem vetus ecclesiae Roman edit Paris An. 1609. where this Canon beginneth with these words Antiquae consuetudines seruentur c. Let old customes be kept hauing this summarie ouer head Of priuiledges belonging to certaine Cities joyning Rome as you see with other cities What copie can Bellarmine produce vnto vs more authenticall than these Concil Chalced. Can. 16. Peraduenture he will say the Councell of Chalcedon where it is so read as he alledgeth Action 16. But what if we reply that the Greeke copie of this Councell hath no such matter That Balsamon neuer heard thereof What will he rejoyne especially seeing that this Councell was held in the Greeke Church And put case it were not must we seeke the Canons of the Nicene Councell among those of Chalcedon rather than in the Nicene Councell it selfe Moreouer seeing that Bellarmine sticketh not to tell vs that it was Paschasin Legate of Pope Leo which proposed it in this manner in the Councell of Chalcedon what securitie will he giue vs that this Paschasin dealt more honestly now than did he which afterwards falsified this verie Canon in the open face of the Councell of Carthage But this is not all for Bellarmine himselfe corrupteth Paschasin for whereas he proposeth those words Quod ecclesia Romana c. as a title onely or summarie to the Canon Bellarmine alledgeth them as part of the text and decision it selfe saying Ecclesia Romana semper habuit Principatum inuerting quite the sence and meaning of the Fathers Moreouer true it is that Paschasin alledged those words in manner as we haue said but Bellarmine concealeth that when Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople had deliuered the booke of Canons to Constantine Secretarie to the Synode Constantine read the sayd sixt Canon as we now doe beginning with those words Antiquae consuetudines seruentur Can. 3. and not with those other Quod ecclesia Romana c. And the decree of the Councell thereupon followed Can. 28. That the Bishop of Constantinople should hold the first place or primacie after the Bishop of Rome because she was new Rome Neither is it the quarrell betweene vs which of these two hath the prioritie but we say that it was so decreed Propter principalitatem vrbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by ordinance from Christ not by anie authoritie deriued from S. Peter neither yet by anie graunt from Constantine or act of the Nicene Councell but that it was here so ordered Propter primatum vrbis i. because Rome was the chiefe citie and so as that Constantinople which had none of these fond claimes to make ijsdem primatibus honoris ijsdem priuilegijs vtatur should enjoy the same primacie of honour and equall priuiledges for no other reason but because she was Nona Roma new Rome Now if those pretended priuiledges of the Church of Rome came from the Gospell or from the prerogatiue of S. Peter how could these be made equall with them And if these be equall then is it euident that those other came not from the Gospell or prerogatiue of S. Peter and why then should these men so abuse the name of the Gospell Truth it is that the morrow after Lucentius the Popes Legate protested against this decree requiring it to be retracted and an Act to be made of such his Protestation But his Protestation was rejected by the Emperours Delegates themselues who pronounced in this manner as is there expressed The honourable Iudges said what we haue pronounced all the Synod hath approued namely touching the Canon against which they protested So farre was it from that which Bellarmine would haue Bellarm. de Roman Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 13. That the Fathers of that Councell held themselues satisfied with the remonstrations of Paschasin and this is the truth and sinceritie which they euer vse in alledging Councels As for his finall answere to which he holds himselfe it is more than ridiculous The true exposition and meaning of that Canon sayth he is that the Bishop of Alexandria should gouerne those Prouinces because the Bishop of Rome was so wont to doe that is was wont before anie definition of the Councels to suffer the Bishop of Alexandria to gouerne them But let him tell me in conscience can these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Quia Romanus Episcopus ita consueuit alias Quia Romano Episcopo pardis mos est that is Because this is the manner or custome of the Bishop of Rome can I say these words be thus vnderstood without violencing and wresting all sort of languages Or can this exposition anie wayes suit with the opinion of Ruffinus Or can Bellarmine but blush at the remembrance of this euen in his secret chamber Adde we hereunto that in that celebrious and renowmed Councell of Nice the deputies of the Bishop of Rome presided not but contented themselues with the fourth roome So that Cardinall Cusanus hauing expounded this sixt Canon as we now doe had reason to say as he doth De concordant Cathol lib. 2. cap. 12. Hence we may see saith he how much the Bishop of Rome hath at this time gotten onely by vse and custome of subiectionall obedience beyond that which the old customes of the Church afforded him This then is the naked truth according to that which we find in Histories which yet Baronius would
of his mouth water after the woman like a floud that shee might be carried away of the floud But there were then giuen to the woman two wings of a great Eagle that shee might flie into the wildernesse And of a flight in the ayre there remaines no trace In such sort that we are not bound to search after it much lesse to shew it accounting it sufficient that we beleeue the Scriptues That God knoweth who are his That the Church is knowne vnto God as in the time of Eliah though vnknowne to the Prophet whereof after so many ages past there is no reason why any account should be demaunded of vs. But I will not deale so rigorously with you will you know where and what manner of Church ours was in all your time Our Church was that Primitiue Apostolike Church inspired with the holie Ghost grounded vpon the word of God which hath left vnto vs the Canon of the holie Scriptures the rule of our faith and life the Symboll of the Apostles the badge of our Christian warfare To vs therefore that embrace all these and to hold and defend them reject all humane inuentions stoppe our eares against the voice of a stranger the societie of this Church spread farre and wide through the world and as our Sauiour saith continuing to the last day of the world cannot be denied But on the other side against you is that curse threatened by S. Paule who besides and against this preach another Gospell If we or any angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise let him be accursed Our Church is that which hath continued with this Gal. 1. v. 7.8.9 yea hath been euer ioyned vnto it shining with so manie and so great miracles made red with so many and glorious martyres For these are the miracles that witnesse the truth of this Gospell Martyrdomes that gaue testimonie to Christ the onely begotten sonne of God the onely redeemer of mankind Mediator Sauiour the only true Priest of the new Couenant which we onely vrge refusing all other and are readie to seale it with our bloud Ours therefore are these miracles and these Martyrdomes since we are incorporated with them by one and the same faith into one and the same Church Now tell me I pray haue your traditions beene confirmed by these miracles Can you or dare you affirme that any of your martyres haue suffered for the Papacie for the Popish doctrine for the adoration of Images the worship of Saints the traffike of Purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation By what right then doe you arrogate vnto your selues the miracles and martyrdomes of that Church by what right nay rather what wrong doe you take them from vs the true heires of their faith I would to God wee could as truely say of their constancie Againe our Church is that that heretofore confuted and confounded Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Pyrrhus yea Pope Honorius himselfe who called into question the diuinitie of the onely begotten sonne of God and of the holie ghost and the two natures and two wils in one Christ Ours are those generall Councells of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and others In which they with theirs were condemned and ouerthrowne Forasmuch therefore as we approue and embrace all these and consequently the Catholike Church represented in them as we neuer wandred in any thing from their doctrine so are we not to be seperated from their bodies Tell me againe whether you dare to say as much And if for shame you will seeme to dare See ye not that your Pope is to be brought into order that he is presently to fall to the ground Find you any where in any of those approued and auncient Councells any place for those your inuentions And yet these bring vs to the six hundreth yeare after the natiuitie of our blessed Sauiour In all which time if those points of doctrine which we affirme are confirmed by the holie Scriptures Symboles Myracles Martyres decrees of Councels and contrarily those things we denie doe no where appeare nay are not so much as affirmed may we not by good right and reason professe that Church to be ours And with better reason aske you where your Church was for those six hundred yeares together Vbinam Gentium for to say the truth there shee was there shee fed Not vpon the hill of Sion but the little hils and groues of Garisim the mountaines of Seyre the pastures of Paganisme From whence ye haue gathered whatsoeuer either the proud schoole of the Pharisies brought into the Sinagogue or the vaine superstition of the Greeke Philosophers into their Academy From thence-forward the authoritie of one man by the contempt of the word of God gathering strength in the Church of Rome the Princes likewise according as it was foretold striuing to giue their assistance he made and vnmade lawes at his owne pleasure preferring humane inuentions before the diuine oracles his decrees before the Canons of Councells Nouelties before antiquities things profane before holie borrowed from elsewhere before his owne adulterat before lawfull superstition before religion and all this furniture of Paganisme before Christian simplicitie by which meanes the Church by degrees fell into this corruption and languishing consumption In such sort neuerthelesse that in the middest of this corruption this confusion a part of our selues did still remaine and that in a twofold manner This Church was a part of our selues though corrupt cloked and couered with wood and hay and stubble yea in a manner ouerwhelmed 1. Corinth 3. so long as shee stood vpon her onely true foundation Christ Iesus so long as the saluation of man depended vpon him onely his merit the bloud of his crosse Not vpon our owne or other mens workes not vpon Popish absolutions and indulgences and other blasphemous toyes of that nature And as it falleth out that the wind changing the wether altereth so for a time the matter hung in an equal ballance vntill impietie ouer-weighing the mind of man by a kind of selfe-loue being prone to human inuentions true pietie was taken away Againe this Church was a part of our selues and the purer part inasmuch as many excellent men famous for their pietie and learning sprung vp therein almost in euerie Nation lifting vp their heads in the middest of this darkenesse Assemblies of Bishops and whole vniuersities striuing with all their force against that swift and violent streame shewed thereby the newnesse of the doctrine But striuing in vaine broke out into mournings and clamours and complaints calling heauen and earth to witnesse against the Popes and their followers who speaking with so cleere and audible a voice being so manie in number and in so manie places and that not out of any compact or agreement but a common sence of that publike calamitie is it not to be presumed that manie held their peace for feare possessing their pure soules in silence Such of whom the Lord speaketh by Eliah I haue
to impeach or oppose against it And who now can haue any good opinion of the decrees of Gratian reformed in our dayes since Gregorie the thirteenth which vndertooke to reforme them was not ashamed to let stand for good I will not say this Palea or chaffe but this vnsauorie and filthie ordure And wee haue just cause to wonder at the impudencie of Baronius who trippeth ouer this matter as one would doe ouer fire lightly for feare of burning leauing it as a judged case no longer to be questioned Baron to 3. an 324. art 117. We saith he say nothing hereof because we can say nothing but what hath beene often said alreadie and it were bootlesse and troublesome to repeat it Whereas poore soule how many matters of farre lesse importance handled by infinit numbers of Authors doth he there repeat And the whole volumes of his Annales what are they else but heapes of idle and needlesse repetitions Well I wot that things were not at this time come vnto that height neither could they climbe so high but by degrees which we purpose to deduce euerie one of them in their order in the meane time this is cleere that together with their plentie came in corruption not onely in life and manners but also in religion which then began to degenerate by admistion of Heathenish superstitions Baron an 44. to 1. art 86. sequent Idem passim and this is that which Baronius meaneth where he saith That men at that time hallowed Heathenish rites and ceremonies by bringing them into the Christian Churches OPPOSITION This great aboundance and plenty of wealth falling by heaps vpon the Church caused many deuout and well disposed persons to forecast cruell things The Legend of Syluester saith Legenda B. Syluest That there was at that time a voice heard from heauen saying Hodiè effusum est venenum in Ecclesiā i. This day is there a poison powred forth vpon the Church But what euer the wealth of the Roman Church was this one thing is cleere as touching their authoritie That when there was question about Donatus who stood an heretike condemned by the Churches of Afrike Constantine left him not to be judged by Miltiades Bishop of Rome but appointed Delegats for the hearing of his cause namely Maternus Rheticus Marinus Bishops of Collen Optat. cont Parmen li. 1. August Epist 162. 166. Authun and Arles as Optatus Augustine report with whom he joyned afterwards in commission for the same cause the said Miltiades And when Donatus refused to stand vnto their judgement he assigned him the Councel of Arles which himselfe had formerly assembled to judge of his appeale and at last gaue sentence vpon him himselfe in person at Milan so that the Bishops of Rome of Authun and the rest were all equall in this commission without any colour of prioritie Neither needed Constantine any great intreatie vpon the difference and controuersie of Arrius himselfe to call the Nicene Councell Theodor. lib. 1. Histor Eccles cap. 7. and there to preside in person witnesse Eusebius Socrates Theodoret Sozomene Gelasius and the whole companie of Fathers assembled in that Councell by their Synodall Epistles which Fathers tooke vpon them to order the Bishop of Rome and did order him by speciall Canon which Canon because it is cauilled and contradicted by some deserueth more narrowly to be scanned and more particularly to be considered The sixt Canon therefore of the first Nicene Councell about the yeare 325 An. 325. concerning the ranking and ordering of Bishops euerie one in his place Canones Graec. Concil Nicen. 1. can 6. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read in these words Let the auncient customes be obserued which are in Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis so that the Bishop which is in Alexandria haue authoritie ouer all these because such also is the manner or custome of the Bishop of Rome where the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing vsed by custome by which appeareth that it was a matter onely of custome not of law much lesse an ordinance or decree of God Likewise in Antioch and in other Prouinces let euerie Church retaine her due honour And in the seuenth Canon is like prouision made for the Church of Hierusalem and the same reason added Because such hath beene the custome and the ancient tradition to honour the Church of Aelia for so was Hierusalem called after that Adrian had rebuilt it in another place let her also haue her honour next after the other with reseruation alwayes of due honour to the Metropolitane Church And so is this Canon read in Gelasius Cyzicenus in the Acts of this Councell taken out of the Vatican Gelas Cyzicen in Act. Syno Nice 1. pag. 61. where we may obserue that this Councell foundeth them all alike vpon custome which it calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manner wont or custome placing the Bishop of Rome betweene those of Alexandria and of Antioch vnto whom it assigneth their proper portions in euerie respect equall to him of Rome Of this custome we read in Epiphanius in expresse tearmes The custome sayth he is such Epiphan her 68. in princi that the Bishop of Alexandria hath ecclesiasticall cure and charge ouer all Aegypt Thebaida Mareotis Lybia Ammonia Mareotida and Pentapolis And Ruffinus Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 6. who liued in the same time with S. Ierome about 60. yeares after this Councell citeth the Canons thereof and among the rest this sixt Canon to the effect of the Canon before rehearsed In Alexandria sayth he and in the Citie of Rome let the ancient custome be obserued to wit that the one should take care of the Churches of Aegypt and the other suburbicariarum that is of the Churches neere vnto the Citie meaning Rome And the truth is that at this time doe he what he could he could not extend the limits of his jurisdiction so farre as vnto Milan or Rauenna whereof there is a type and figure remaining at this day at Rome which witnesseth as much wherein the Church of Lateran is expressed to be a Patriarchall Church vnto which there are seuen Bishops assigned to celebrate before the Pope vpon high daies or to assist the Pope if he pleased to celebrate himselfe Onuphri de Episcop titulis Diacon Cardinal to wit the Bishops as saith Onuphrius of the adioyning Cities namely Ostia Porto Sylua candida Sabini Praeneste Tusculum and Alba which Ruffin here seemeth to call Suburbicarias which yet perhaps comprised somewhat more as the countries of Marca and Tuscanie as we may collect out of the Theodosian Code True it is that Balsamon expounding the Greeke Canon extendeth the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer all the West because that in his time which was about the yeare 800 he had stretched his wings a little farther Balsamon in Ca. Nice Synod cap. 6. 7. and Balsamon thought it ynough to exempt the
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
pleasure is Cassio lib. 9. variar epist ep 16. that this our Ordinance be intimated to the Senat and people by the gouernour of the Citie to the end that all may know that we are desirous to find out those who run a course so contrarie and repugnant to the Maiestie of God and you also saith he shall intimate the same to all Bishops which by the grace of God are vnder your commaund and gouernment Which words are plainely directed to the person of Iohn but in that which he wrote to the gouernour of the Citie he addeth farther and sayth To the end that this benefit of ours may continue firme and stedfast in time to come we ordaine That as well this our Ordinance as the said Decree of the Senat be deepely grauen in tables of Marble and set vp as a publike testimonie before the Porch of S. Peters Church A great honour no doubt vnto the Prince himselfe but an euerlasting blemish and reproach to the Clergie of tha◠time L. 8. Co. de summa Trinit But in the vsages of Iustinian the Emperour towards Iohn the second Baronius imagineth that he findeth much for the Popes aduantage It is certaine and we haue often said as much that the Emperours being now retyred into the East had need to hold intelligence with the Popes of Rome by their meanes to find alwaies a dore open into Italie Wherefore this Emperour being newly come vnto his Crowne sent an honourable embassage vnto him to assure him of his true faith and Orthodox religion And Baronius obserueth in his Epistle that he sayth in this manner We are all carefull to aduertise your Holinesse of all such things as concerne the estate of the Church with those other words following To submit and to vnite to your Holinesse all the Bishops of the East c. Your Holinesse which is the Head of all the holie Churches And thence he concludeth that the Emperour acknowledged this full and absolute authoritie of the Pope and consequently that all the Churches of the East did the like not caring how manie pages he filleth with this argument But to let passe that the most learned Ciuilians of our time hold this Constitution as neither lawfull nor legitimate it would trouble his conscience to haue all this Epistle construed according to the letter For first the inscription is onely this To the holie Iohn Archbishop of Rome and Patriarch as the Emperour Iustin his predecessor had stiled him before Doth this title I would know import an vniuersall charge and authoritie ouer all But what then shall we say when we see this verie Emperour writing to Epiphanius Bishops of Constantinople to vse these tearmes following L. 7. 8. Co. de summ Trinit To the most holie Archbishop of this royall Citie and Oecumenicall that is to say Vniuersall Patriarch What would Baronius haue said had the Emperour so written to the Bishop of Rome And farther doth he not vse the same tearmes vnto him which he doth vnto the other We will sayth he that your Holinesse know all matters which belong to the State Ecclesiasticall and we haue written to the same effect to the Pope of old Rome And all this we read in an Epistle which Baronius himselfe acknowledgeth to haue passed in nature of a publike Edict Wherefore Baronius hath nothing to stand vpon but this that the Emperour saith We endeuour to submit and to vnite vnto your Holinesse all the Bishops of the East Which words Pope Iohn layed hold on with both his hands in his answer to this letter where he telleth him that among other his vertues this was most eminent that he subiected all things to the See of Rome And tell me I pray you when he expoundeth this word subijcere by that other word vnire doth he not sufficiently explaine his meaning which was to reduce them not vnder the same dioces but vnder the vnion of the same faith and true doctrine which the Church of Rome had kept and such is the drift of this whole Epistle Yea but he calleth it the Head of all the holie Churches true but so doth he likewise and that not by letter onely but by an expresse law pronounce the Church of Constantinople the Head of all other Churches and Zeno the Emperour doth the like Caput l. 16. Co. de sacros eccles l. 24. ibid. Baron vol. 7. an 534. art 36. But had either of these therefore anie purpose to subject the Church of Rome to that of Constantinople And if Baronius replie that their meaning was of all the Churches of the East Why may not I as well say that the other was likewise meant of all the Churches in the West And because he will needs interpret this place by the 131 Nouell I would know what he can thence gather more than this Nouel 131. that the Bishop of old Rome should hold the first place and he of Constantinople the second which we denie not but it followeth not that therefore the one is subject to the other But both of them stand vpon equall ground by the Canons of Constantinople and of Chalcedon to the which the Emperour from the beginning promised to hold himselfe For whereas he farther alledgeth the ninth Nouell directed to Iohn the second wherein he graunteth this priuiledge to the Church of Rome that she shall not be prescribed but by an hundred yeares calling that Citie the Foundation of Lawes and Fountaine of the Priesthood not to say Nouel 10. in ed. Holoan that this Nouell is not found in the Greeke he should rather haue obserued that he is there called onely The Patriarch of the Citie of Rome that he distinguisheth in expresse tearmes betweene the Churches of the East and of the West and graunteth the same priuiledge to them both and had graunted into the Church of Constantinople seuen yeares before the other Likewise that which he enforceth out of the 42 Nouell directed to Mennas Patriarch of Constantinople Nouel 42. which he here alledgeth before the time That Pope Agapete had deposed the Patriarch Antymus because he agreed not with the Church of Rome is not truly alledged and therefore it is that he doth not alledge the text it selfe The truth is that Agapete being then at Constantinople presided in the Councell wherein Antymus was deposed And this is that which the Emperour meaneth when he saith That he was put from his See by Agapete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who then held the first See in the old Rome But how was he deposed it is there said By the common suffrage of him and of the Synod there assembled And the reason is also added for that he vsurped the place contrarie to the holie Canon and had departed away from the sound doctrines of the holie Councels And this deposition of him was also authorized by the Emperour in his 42 Nouell directed to the said Mennas who is there againe qualified with the name
they teach that which they neuer learned And so examining all the Canons and Decrees alledged by the defendants he sheweth them That nothing hath bin done in prejudice of them setting before their eyes many examples of the same case of one Aegidius Archbishop of Reimes deposed in the citie of Metz by the Bishops of France and being confined to Strasbourge Romulph was made his successor because contrary to his faith giuen to king Childebert he had joyned in friendship with Chilperie And yet neuerthelesse saith he Gregorie the Great an earnest defender of the priuiledges of the Roman Church neuer spake word for or against these The same he affirmeth of Hebbo Archbishop of Reimes deposed for treason by the BB. of France at Thionuille c. What then saith he if our passage to Rome should by the swords of Barbarians be intercepted or that Rome it selfe seruing a Barbarian his couetousnesse and ambition mouing him thereunto in aliquod regnum efferatur note efferatur should be raised against any Realme shall there be in the meane time either no Councels or shall the Bishops of the whole world to the hurt or ouerthrow of their owne kings seeke for counsell and the calling of generall Councels at the hands of their enemies especially seeing the Nicene Canon which the Church of Rome acknowledgeth to be aboue all Councels and Decrees hath ordained That two Councels must be held euerie yeare and withall forbiddeth any respect to be had to the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome And to proue that the Churches were now in that state that they needed not any more to haue recourse to Rome To speake more plainely saith he and to confesse openly the truth After the fall of the Empire this citie hath vndone the Church of Alexandria and lost that of Antioch and to say nothing of Africa and Asia Europe it selfe is departed discedit For the Church of Constantinople is retired and the inward parts of Spaine know not her iudgements There is made therefore a departure as the Apostle speaketh not onely of nations but of Churches because the ministers of Antichrist who is now at hand haue alreadie possessed France and with all their force begin to presse vs too And as the same Apostle saith now the Mysterie of Iniquitie worketh onely that he that now holdeth may stil hold vntill he be taken away to the end that the sonne of perdition might be reuealed the man of sinne who opposeth himselfe and is exalted aboue the name of God and his seruice which now begins to be discouered in that the Roman powers are shaken religion ouerthrowne the name of God with oathes and blasphemies troden vnder foot and that without punishment and religion it selfe and the seruice of God contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe By this his speech giuing them plainly to vnderstand That then there was no respect had nor is now to be had of the Church of Rome but as it shall be seene to flourish with men of worth and learning at whose hands they were to seeke for counsell and if such be wanting then to seeke it elsewhere in Flanders Germanie or the vtmost parts of the world being tied to no particular place in the world A matter formerly concluded by many other Churches and therefore to be the rather executed by them because they felt more neerely the tyrannie of Rome now no more the seat of Peter whose memorie they did honour but of Antichrist himselfe Intreating them for a conclusion That since Rome had beene consulted by them but yet no forme of iudgement from thence had beene pronounced Cap. 29. 30. that they would aske counsell of the Canons By how many Bishops a Bishop conuicted of a crime may be heard and what sentence he is to receiue who refuseth to appeare to defend his owne cause Hereupon were read the tenth and seuenth Canons of the Councell of Carthage to which the defendants of the partie accused yeelding themselues the Bishop is sent for and commaunded by the Synod to take his place he presently either denying all or endeuouring to couer it Arnulph Bishop of Orleans made him presently to blush conuicteth him with his owne words confronted him with his owne domesticall seruants who were readie to go through fire water to make good their testimonie It was requested by some of the Abbots That he might haue libertie giuen him by the Synod to make choyce of whomsoeuer he liked best to be aduised by which was granted Whereupon he maketh choice of Siguin Bishop of Sens Arnulph of Orleans Cap. 30. 31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49 Bruno of Langres Godzman of Amiens in whose absence many Canons were read that concerned this question In the end being pressed after many tergiuersations partly by the force of such proofes as were brought against him partly by the pricke of his owne conscience Arnulph of Reimes breaketh out into an open confession of his sinnes with teares and gronings confessing much more than they knew and acknowledging himselfe vnworthie of his Priesthood Whereupon the Bishops of the Synod were sent for that being his owne witnesse and his owne judge he might before the multitude relate his owne cause Wherefore by his owne consent nay himselfe desiring it he was depriued of his Bishopricke Cap. 49. 50. onely there was a question of the forme for which they searched the auncient Councels And whilest diuers thought diuersly thereof some pitying him for his race some for his youth and the Bishops themselues moued with the ruine of their brother and that scandall that hereby fell vpon the Priestly dignitie in came the Kings and Peeres of France who putting themselues into that holy assemblie thanked the Bishops for their justice and that zeale and care they had shewed in this their Councell for the good and safetie of their Princes and withall desired to be further satisfied touching the whole course of their proceedings which presently was performed by Arnulph Bishop of Orleans And then the better to discharge the Synod of enuie and partialitie the partie accused was brought in to pronounce his owne condemnation with his owne mouth which he did in expresse words requiring neuerthelesse Arnulph of Orleans because shame stopped his owne mouth to relate the whole matter at large which hauing performed he asked him Whether he would confesse that which he had hitherto spoken of him which he affirming to be true the Bishop of Orleans willed him to cast himselfe downe before his Lords and Kings whom he had so hainously offended and confessing his fault to beg his life at their hands who being bent to mercie Let him liue say they for the loue of you and remaine vnder your custodie fearing neither yrons nor bands vpon condition that he offer not to saue himselfe by flight Whereupon that heigth of honours that by degrees he had attained vnto
Court of Rome Secondly I will confute the writings and sayings thereof as erronious and lesse Catholike Thirdly I will declare out of most true grounds that the Court of Rome is wholly erronious and sick in the state of damnation c. And he handleth each of these in order At last after many complaints despairing that it would suffer reformation and much lesse that from it selfe any were to be expected The onely sonne of God saith Paul vouchsafe to reforme his Church himselfe And to shew that it was not his opinion alone he plainely saith in his Preface All men truely doe inwardly murmure but none crie out And the Doctors themselues that sat nere Boniface the ninth seeing this so manifest corruption partly could not dissemble it and partly were diuided in opinions concerning the remedie thereof Theodorick à Niem saith Many also skilfull in the Law Theodor. à Niem l. 2. c. 32. by reason of the continuation of Simonie in the Church of Rome in the time of the sayd Boniface would publiquely argue and hold That the Pope could not commit Symonie yea in benefices and goods Ecclesiasticall by interuention of gaine or couenant of money What will they not say as that harlot in the Apocalyps I sit as Queene neither can be a widow I cannot erre And what readier way is there vnto all mischiefe The Authour addeth Which seemed vnto me verie vniust seeing that at least it is vnciuile and against good manners if that which ought to be giuen gratis to persons worthie be gaunted for vile gaine of money to the vnworthie and that the Pope who is ouer all and from whom others ought to take example of life should be so defiled with such a crime not being able to punish another for that wherein himselfe offendeth for it is a shame for the Doctor that the fault should rebuke himselfe For this cause euen among the common sort the Popes authoritie is abased blamed and defamed namely in this saith he that dispensations which should bee done with great deliberation of his brethren he did them in his Chamber after the maner of Merchants being himselfe Bullator scriptor forsan numerator the maker of the Bulls the writer and teller of mony But he also addeth In his life time some Doctors in Diuinitie and others learned in the sciences grieuing that Symonie was so commonly and openly committed in the Court and that many Iurists and others obstinatly affirmed that it might be so done arguing to the contrarie determined conclusions which they reduced into volumes yet with great feare That the Pope in selling Ecclesiasticall benefices by bargaine made was a Simmoniack that is the successour of Simon Magus not of Simon Peter because he is not established for to sell them but to bestow them freely on persons worthie But in all Nations there arose vp some that passed further Vincent at Venice about the yeare 1400 An. 1400. a great Preacher and famous for holinesse who freely condemned all the Roman Hierarchie Prophetiae editae Parisijs in 8. ex varijs authoribus collectae ibi Epist S. V incentij affirming That religious persons that ought to be the way of lyfe vnto soules are throughout the world become vnto them the way of perdition That Priests fish for honours but not for maners That the bishops none excepted haue no care of the soules of their Diocesse That they sell the Sacraments for money yea he passeth so farre as to pronounce the Pope to be Antichrist himselfe In a certaine Epistle also printed at Paris entituled The Epistle of S. Vincent he saith That Antichrist is alreadie in the world whom he expected not to come from the Iewes or from auntient Babylon but alreadie beheld him raigning at Rome In Bohemia Mathius Parisiensis wrote a great volume de Antichristo where he proueth that he is come by this That fables and humane inuentions beare sway in the Church That images are worshipped Saints are adored in Christs stead euerie Citie and each person choseth out some one of them for to worship as their Sauiour whom by consequent they place in Christs seat That our Lord himselfe had fortold Loe here is Christ loe there That the Monkes themselues haue left him and haue sought vnto themselues other sauiours in whom they boast as Frauncis Dominick and others The word of God being neglected they bring in their Monkish rules That such like hypocrites raigning in the Church are those Locusts of which the Apocalyps speaketh Neither is it to be doubted but that Antichrist is come who hath seduced all the Vniuersities and all the Colledges of learned men so that they now teach nothing sound neither can they any more giue light to Christians by their doctrine But God hitherto as seed raised vp godly Doctors who inflamed with the spirit and zeale of Elias both refuted the errours of Antichrist and discouer him to the world And he inferteth in this Booke the opinions of many famous men nere to those times concerning this matter amongst whom he extolleth the Diuines of Paris who perceiuing the tares of the begging Friers to grow brought to light againe and published the booke of William de S. Amour Of the perils of the last times which before time Alexander the fourth had laboured to abolish These Doctors saith he in his Preface faithfull in Christ c. Whose multitude was then the health of the world acknowledging partly that most wicked Antichrist and his members and his â—â—â—re and parly prophesying for the time to come haue openly and nakedly reuealed these things for the holie Church and her gouernours to take heedof In England Iohn Puruey Disciple of Wickliff wrote many bookes in defence of his doctrine but among others a Commentarie vpon the Apocalyps the Title whereof was Ante centum annos There he openly saith Seuen yeares are passed since generally the Pope of Rome was published to be that great Antichrist by the Preachers of the Gospell namely from the yeare 1382. And behold how God worketh in our infirmities his owne glorie I neuer had written such like things against Antichrist and his if they had not imprisoned me for to make me hold my peace And then it was God infused his spirit into him so much the more that beeing deliuered he might speake so much the more boldly although by force of torments he had beene constrained by the Archbishop of Canterburie to abiure This booke was since set forth in Germanie in the yeare 1528 where he applieth that famous prophesie in the Apocalyps from point to point to the Church of Rome and out of the 10 and 11 chapters it is manifest that he wrot the same lying fettered with yrons in prison Lastly the Waldenses in this time euery where for the testimonie of the truth submitted themselues to the fire for in Saxonie and Pomerania in the yeare 1490 An. 1490. there were taken of them foure hundred and more and examined
Rome in the new And that Whore there spoken of what is she but the Pope in whom all that abhomination is comprised and as it were incorporated who holdeth the cup in his hand presenting it to Kings and vnto Peoples and making them drunke therewith And as S. Paule describeth that Man of sinne 2. Thess cap. 2. vers 4. Apocal. 17. vers 3. by saying that it is he which opposeth and lifteth himselfe vp aboue all that is called God so that Whore in S. Iohn is described sitting vpon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemies and her cup full of abhominations filthinesse and whoredome Now what greater blasphemie than to call himselfe God and to make himselfe aboue his Word or what greater whoredome than Idolatrie stiled by this verie name in the holie Scriptures All which yet must passe vnder a colour of pietie and religion and couered with a maske of the worship of the liuing God And so farre forth must this hypocrisie preuaile that as S. Paule sayth This man of sinne shall sit as God in the Temple of God 2. Thess cap. 2. and shall haue as S. Iohn speaketh two hornes like a Lambe thereby to make at least some shew and apparance of the doctrine of Christ Apocal. 13. vers 11. yet speaking sayth he like a Dragon and teaching the doctrine of the deuill as doe the Pope and Papacie at this day Thus then you see what the person of Antichrist is As touching the place where he shall haue his Seat for that is the terme which they properly vse the case is cleere 2. Thess cap. 2. vers 4. S. Paule telleth vs That he shall sit in the Temple of God that is in the most eminent place of this visible Church and S. Iohn more plainely Vpon seuen Hils Apocal. 17. vers 9. vers 1. vers 15. i. at Rome aunciently surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a Citie built vpon seuen hils by vertue of which Seat he shall beare rule ouer manie nations for the great whore sayth he sitteth vpon manie Waters and the Angell expoundeth these words in this manner The Waters which thou hast seene on which the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues As for the Time which is the maine doubt of all S. Paule telleth vs And now sayth he you know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which withholdeth him to the end he may be reuealed in his due time to wit the Romane Empire whose place Antichrist was to possesse which also was of necessitie first to be dissolued before that other could openly appeare wherefore also it is said in the verse next following 2. Thess cap. 2. vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely vntill he which now withholdeth be taken out of the way or abolished because that the one must build and raise it selfe vpon the ruines of the other in which place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which withholdeth or hindereth is meant the Romane State and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he which withholdeth or hindereth their forme of gouernment which was Monarchicall as before by the Apostasie was signified the Romane Church by that man of sinne the head and gouernour thereof was prefigured And S. Iohn speaketh yet more plainely as one that saw Antichrist at a lesser distance and sayth Apocal. 13. vers 3. 12. 15. That this second Beast exerciseth the power of the first Beast in his presence that is that he arrogateth this power to himselfe in the face of the Empire and setleth it in himselfe in such sort that the deadlie wound of the first Beast seemed to be healed to whom also he giueth life and speech making the old estate of Rome to quicken againe and to reuiue in the new All which could not possibly be done by one man not yet in the life of one man certaine ages sometimes passing betweene the first decline and the finall ruine of great Empires but in long continuance of time and succession of manie yeres as the manner of one State is in long time to raise it selfe out of the corruption and ashes of another And so much appeareth by that which followeth in S. Paule for sayth he that mysterie of iniquitie now worketh this thred of Sathan is alreadie set into the loome not by open force but as it is there added According to the effectuall working of Sathan in all power 2. Thess ca. 2. 7 vers 9. 10. Apocal. 13.14 and cap. 14. vers 8. in signes and miracles of lies and in all deceitfulnesse of iniquitie and as S. Iohn sayth seducing the inhabitants of the earth by her signes and wonders which she had power giuen her to doe before the Beast and making all nations to drinke of the wine of her fornications and ensorceling them with idolatrous superstitions And indeed this pestilent Estate and Empire enemie to God and to his Christ is not now as in some measure we see alreadie come to passe begun to be destroyed by force of armes but as S. Paule sayth By the spirit of the Lords mouth 2. Thess cap. 2. vers 8. and by the brightnesse of his comming by the preaching of his Word and cleare light of his doctrine which is to shine in these later dayes which are opposed to the darknesse and mists of Sathan as the comming of Christ in brightnesse i. in truth is opposed to the comming of that man of sinne in all power of lying the Lord proclaiming by his Angell euen by the ministerie of his true seruants with a loud voice vnto all the world If anie one adore the Beast and his Image Apocal. 14. vers 9. 10. and take his marke vpon his forehead and vpon his hand he also shall drinke of the pure wine poured out of the cup of his wrath and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holie Angels and before the Lambe But sayth S. Iohn Here is the patience of the Saints as also S. Paule sayth in the verie beginning of that second chapter to the Thessalonians Be not yee troubled neither by spirit neither yet by word neither by Epistle as if that day were neere at hand his meaning is that this mysterie alreadie set on foot must run on and hold his course and that in the meane time the Saints of God haue much to suffer euen betweene that day wherein that Whore glorying in her wantonnesse should say I sit a Queene and cannot be a widow and that day Apocal. 18. vers 7. 8. cap. 2. vers 10. euen that instant of time when her wounds shall come vpon her that she shall be burned in the fire that the Angell shall crie out saying She is fallen She is fallen Wherefore againe I say that this cannot be meant of one man or of one age but of manie of the waxing and waining of some temporall Monarchie of the infancie youth perfect age decline and finall destruction
the Churches Editio Parisien Epist 18. Pa. mel 55. but Cyprian complained thereof vnto Cornelius as of a wrong and in barre of such proceedings pleaded the lawes and constitutions of holie Church These fellowes saith he after all this presume to passe the sea c. For seeing sayth he that by vs all it hath beene alreadie ordained according to rules of equitie and iustice That euerie ones cause should be heard in the place of the fact committed and that to euerie Pastor should be allotted his proper portion of the flocke which he was to ouersee and for which he should stand answerable vnto God it is not fit that those ouer whom we are set should run from place to place to make the Bishops who are at vnitie among themselues to square and fall foule one of another for example Cornelius and Cyprian but that euerie one answere for himselfe in the place where the defendant may haue both accusers and witnesses face to face vnlesse perhaps these few desperate companions thinke the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa who haue condemned them to be lesse meaning lesse than that of Cornelius to whom they fled By all which it euidently appeares that it was the least part of Cyprians thought to acknowledge anie right of appeale to the See of Rome Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 33. Wherefore when Bellarmine sayth that the constitution alledged by S. Cyprian That euerie cause should be heard in the place of the fact committed is to be vnderstood onely of the first instance the words themselues and those which follow are too too cleere against him The cause sayth Cyprian hath beene heard sentence is passed it is not fit that a censure of Priests or Bishops should be retracted as rash and vnaduised And as friuolous is that which he sayth that the word lesse is not spoken in comparison of the Pope but of the cause for those words vnlesse they thinke the authoritie of the Bishops of Afrike to be Lesse must necessarily be vnderstood in comparison of them with other Bishops of those against whom they complained with him to whom they sayled that is vnto Cornelius And all this suiteth with the veine of Cyprian as also doth that in his Treatise of the vnitie of the Church The other Apostles sayth he were the same that S. Peter was of like honour of equall authoritie and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie to shew that the Church is one where yet to bolster out this pretended Primacie one or other hath corrupted the text in sundrie places contrarie to the truth of manuscripts acknowledged in the Paris edition by the learned Turnebus For betweene these words Pasce oues meas and Et quamuis either Pamelius or some other before him hath inserted these Super vnum illum aedificat ecclesiam suam illi pascendas mandat oues suas that is He hath built his Church vpon him alone i. S. Peter and him hath he commaunded to feed his sheepe And whereas Turnebus readeth Tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem originem ab vno incipientem sua authoritate disposuit i. yet that he meaning Christ might declare this vnitie he hath declared by his authoritie that this vnitie should take her beginning from one alone Pamelius with like honestie as before betweene these words manifestaret and vnius hath thrust in these Vnam Cathedram constituit i. he hath established one Chaire Likewise after those words before mentioned The Apostles were all the same that Peter was c. after the word proficiscite he addeth Primatus Petro datur The Primacie is giuen vnto Peter And againe vnto these words vt vna Christi ecclesia monstretur he addeth Cathedra vna i. and one Chaire And to conclude where S. Cyprian sayth Qui ecclesiae renititur resistit in ecclesia se esse confidit i. He which resisteth the Church can he hope that he is in the Church Pamelius betweene these words resistit and in ecclesia foisteth in these Qui Cathedram Petri super quam ecclesia fundata est deserit i. he which forsaketh the Chaire of Peter vpon which the Church is builded And the like doth he in manie other places of this Treatise which additions how incompatible are they with the sence and scope of the text it selfe where it is said The Lord hath giuen after his resurrection equall power to his Apostles and againe They were all the same that Peter was as also with that Nullitie pronounced elsewhere against appeales made ouer the sea Cyprian in Concil Carthagin siue de sentent Episcop 73. editio Parisiens Cyprian de Alâ—ator and diuers other places of the same Author None of vs sayth he hath made himselfe a Bishop of Bishops through feare and tyrannie to force his Collegues to his obedience The heauenlie goodnesse hath bestowed vpon vs the ordering of the Apostleship and hath by his heauenlie fauour dignified the Vicars seat of the Lord Christ said to all the Apostles and in them to all Bishops which should succeed them in their Vicariall ordination He which heareth you heareth me Idem ad Puppien Epist 66. editio Parisien so that sayth he one of vs may not iudge another but we attend he excepteth none the iudgement of our Lord Iesus who alone hath power Vnus solus to ordaine vs to the gouernment of his Church and to iudge our doings Thus farre Cyprian immediately vpon whose death the Church of Afrike to cut off all claime of this pretended jurisdiction decreed That the Bishop of the first See should not be called Prince of Priests or chiefe Bishop Idem in Concil Carthag siue de sentent Episcop epist 73. Concil Afric art 6. Capitu. Carol. Magn. li 7. c. 17. Bochell Decret Ecclesiae Gallic li. 5. tit 5. cap. 1. or by any other like name Which decree our French Church heretofore vnderstood expressely of the See of Rome And now let the indifferent Reader judge which edition that of Pamelius or this of Turnebus sorteth and suiteth better with these sayings of Cyprian and consequently whether these are not Harpyes clawes which thus defile the pure foord of the Fathers writings to our hands and what they haue done in this Epistle who can warrant vs that they haue not done in the other writings of the same Father and of all other Fathers But here may we see as in a glasse the audaciousnesse of Baronius Baron to 1. an 33. art 21 an 34. art 203. passim who would make vs beleeue that the meaning of S. Cyprian was cleane contrarie for first he sayth That S. Cyprian acknowledged S. Peters Chaire as supreme Iudge ouer all Churches in the world grounding himselfe vpon the Epistle before rehearsed and so notoriously corrupted which yet he is not ashamed so often to repeat as if it were as true as Gospell and who cannot make his owne cause seeme good if he may be
bee so muzled by these excommunications for first Cyprian in his Epistle to Pompeius Cypria in Epist ad Pomp. 74. Among other things saith he which our brother Stephen hath written vnto vs either insolently or vnfittingly or contrarie to himselfe hee hath also added this If any man come to vs for what heresie soeuer making no difference betweene heresie and heresie which yet the Councell of Nice afterward thought fit to make let him receiue imposition of hands in penance nay farther saith he his obduratnesse of heart and obstinacie is such as to presume to maintaine That by the baptisme of Marcion Valentin and Appelles children may be borne vnto God Thus he spake and this he maintained in heat of contention contrarie to what the Church afterward defined because these retained not the forme of baptisme But saith he a Bishop should not onely teach but also learne and he is the best teacher of others who is himselfe euerie day a learner As if he had said That Stephen should doe well to learne religion by conferring with his Collegues not to lay his authoritie vpon them vnder a pretence of custome which not grounded vpon truth saith he Cyprian Epist 71 is nought else but an aged errour Saint Peter saith he the first chosen of our Lord vpon whom also hee built his Church when Saint Paul disputed with him vpon the poynt of circumcision carried not himselfe in this manner neither boasted he that the Primacie was giuen vnto him hee told him not that he was an after commer and that foremost must take vp hinder most or disdained him for that he had beene a persecutor of the Church but submitted himselfe with all willingnesse to truth and reason giuing vs thereby an example of patience not to be selfe-willed in louing that which proceedeth from our selues but rather to account all that as our own which our brethren shal teach vs for our good saluation of our soules And vpon these and the like tearmes he euer holdeth him But Stephen staied not here for he had alreadie written to the Easterne Bishops Euseb l. 7. c. 4. who held opinion with Cyprian declaring vnto them That hee could no longer hold communion with them if they persisted in that opinion as appeareth by that Epistle which Dionysius Alexandrinus wrot vnto Xystus who succeeded vnto Stephen and yet more plainly by that which he wrot to Firmilianus Helenus and others to whom also Cyprian had alreadie dispatched Rogatian his Deacon And the Easterne Bishops vpon the intimation giuen them from Cyprian grew much offended with the insolencie and pride of Stephen and therefore in their answer vnto Cyprian We say they haue cause indeed to thanke him for that his inhumanitie hath giuen vs large testimonie of your faith and wisedome yet deserueth not Stephen any thankes for the good he hath done vnto vs no more than did Iudas for that by his treason he became an instrument of saluation vnto all the world But let this fact of Stephen passe least the remembrance of his pride and insolencie put vs farther in mind of his greater impietie And a little after comming to the fact it selfe Although say they in diuers Prouinces many things are diuersly obserued yet no man by occasion thereof euer departed from the vnitie of the Catholike Church which yet Stephen now presumeth to doe breaking that league of peace with vs which his predecessours so inuiolably obserued He markes not what a flaw he makes in this precious gemme of Christian veritie when he betrayeth and forsaketh vnitie And yet say they Stephen all this while vaunteth himselfe to haue Saint Peters chaire by succession And this no doubt was that which animated him to presume so farre vpon the Churches But made they any whit the more reckoning of his excommunications therefore or did they not rather tell him That thereby he had excommunicated himselfe Surely say they a man full of stomacke breedeth strifes and he that is angrie encreaseth sinnes How many quarels hast thou O Stephen set on foot throughout the Churches and how much sinne hast thou heaped vp vnto thy selfe in cutting thy selfe off from so many flockes For so hast thou done seeing he is a right scismatike which departeth voluntarily from the vnitie of the Church Cyprian Ep. 4. And thou whilest thou wentest about to seperat others from thee hast seperated thy selfe from all other Churches c. Walke saith the Apostle in your vocation in all humilitie of mind in meekenesse and patience supporting one another in loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the band of peace c. And hath not Stephen well obserued this precept thinke you when hee breakes off now with all the Churches of the East and anone with those of the South Or hath not he with great patience and meekenesse receiued their embassadours who vouchsafed not to admit them to ordinarie talke giuing order with great humilitie that no man should receiue them vnder his roofe and was so farre from giuing them the Pax that he forbad any man to affoord them lodging Can such a man be of one bodie or of one spirit who is scarcely of one soule in himselfe And see whither this grew in the end He is not say they ashamed to call Cyprian false Christ and false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman For finding his owne conscience surcharged with all these imputations he wisely began to obiect that to another which others might farre more iustly haue laid vpon himselfe Thus then wrot the Churches of the East vnto Saint Cyprian as much offended with the insolencie which Stephen had vsed vpon this occasion so that Pamelius had reason I confesse to say as he did That he would willingly haue left out this Epistle as Manutius had done before him but that Morelius i. Turnebus himselfe had printed it in his edition How farre is all this short of that mild and temperat humour of Saint Cyprian Cyprian Epist ad Inbaianum Edit Paris 70. in Edit Pamelij 73. We saith he will not fall at variance with our Collegues and fellow Bishops for the Heretikes sakes We maintaine in patience and meekenesse the loue of heart the honour of our societie the band of faith and Priestlie vnitie And for this cause at this present by the inspiration of God haue we written a treatise of the Benefits of Patience And at the same time for a lenitife of this sharpe humour he wrot another booke of Zeale and Enuie Such were the essayes of the Bishops of Rome euen in the heat of persecution and such were the wiles of Satan to serue his owne turne and to set forward his worke by their ambition and bad carriage of a good cause But Constantine comming shortly after to restore peace vnto the Churches and as it were to shed forth the sweet influence of his liberalitie and fauour vpon them these sparkes of ambition fostered by his bountie and no waies restrained by
come to visit vs And yet thirteene yeres long do we continue in this war So dead a sleepe was Damasus layed in being drowned in that wealth and luxury wherof we speake Yet Baronius would persuade vs That these Epistles were all written joyntly to Damasus and the other Bishops but the inscriptions are too cleere against him To the Italian and French to the Westerne men and to the Bishops beyond the sea and the stile it selfe sheweth the contrary And Marcelline telleth vs That the Bishop of Rome was rich with the oblations and offerings of Gentlewomen and Ladies And Saint Hierosme taxeth the Clergie of Rome in worse tearmes than he The Clerks Hierom. ad Eustoch Epist 22. Ad Nepotian 2. saith he who in duetie should serue for an ensample and he an awe vnto them kisse the Ladies heads and reaching out their hands as if they would blesse receiue the reward of their salutation And the women finding that the Priests expect maintenance from them wax proud thereupon and hauing once tried what it is to be subiect to a husband chuse rather to continue in free widowhood and others there are who spend their whole liues in learning the names the houses and qualities of these Ladies and thereupon nameth some of them as Anthimus and Sophronius and some others and describeth the trickes which they vsed to draw oblations and offerings from the Ladies which came vnto them And in another place he reproueth them in this manner Ierem. 12. In this spirituall warfare of Christ saith hee seeke not the riches of the world neither craue to possesse more now than when thou first camest into the Clergie that it may not be sayd vnto thee Cleri eorum non proderuntijs For there are Monkes richer now than they were when they liued in the world and Clerks which possesse more vnder poore Christ than erst they did vnder the rich diuell so that the Church now sigheth to see them rich whom the world before saw poore and beggarly And it plainely appeareth to what a loossenesse and lewdnesse about women their wealth had carried them by those reproofes which he giueth them in this Epistle Hieron ad Nepotian 2. as also in that other which he wrot vnto Nepotian wherein he sheweth by what infamous seruices they lay at catch for legacies and inheritances from oldfolkes both men and women which I had rather the reader should looke in Hierosme Idem ad Helio Epist 2. Baron vol. 4. an 385. art 8. Paulin. Ep. 2. because I am ashamed to repeat them And Baronius denieth not that for his free speaking and writing the Clergie of Rome tooke him for their enemie insomuch that hee was thereby forced to returne vnto Ierusalem and Paulinus Bishop of Nola was for the same cause serued with the same sauce as appeareth by his first Epistle where hee sheweth That he could by no other meanes be safe and free from the contagions of that citie but by getting himselfe away farre off from it Neither doth he spare the Bishop of Rome himselfe Thou knowest saith he what losse we suffer of the grace of God by the proud discretion and wisedome of the Bishop of that citie meaning Syricius successour vnto Damasus And this contagion spread it selfe so farre that the Christian Emperours Valentinian Valens and Gratian were faine to take order by expresse law against it which law was directed and sent to Damasus L. 20. de Episc Cler. in Cod. Theodos and therein were all Clergie men and such as made profession of chastitie and continencie prohibited once to set foot within widowes doores or orphanes or to receiue any gift by testament or other deuise whatsoeuer of any woman with whom vnder pretence and colour of religion they had acquaintance or familiaritie confiscating whatsoeuer had beene so giuen or should from thence forward be so deuised granted and made ouer to them This ordinance saith the text published and read in the Church of Rome And this is that which Saint Hierosme saith in one of his Epistles before alledged I am ashamed saith he to speake it But the Priests of Idols common Stage Players Carremen and Whores are capable of legacies and of inheritances onely Clergie men and Monkes are forbidden to receiue legacies or to inherit and that not by persecuting Tyrans but by Christian Princes neither doe I complaine of the law but grieue to see that we should deserue it This cautere is good but why would we be so wounded as to stand in need thereof The disposition of the law is wise and prouident and yet is not our auarice restrained Wee may not any longer admit of legacies in our owne persons therefore we take a course to circumuent the law by procuring legacies and inheritances to be made ouer in trust to others to our vses And as if the lawes of the Emperour were greater than the lawes of Christ we feare them and neglect the precepts of the Gospell And much after this manner speaketh also Saint Ambrose in his thirteenth Epistle Baron vol. 4. an 370. art 123. But Baronius would here persuade vs That the Emperours made this law at the motion of Damasus himselfe as also that Constantine long before that time passed another Edict at the instance of Pope Syluester and of the Bishops by which he inhibited the gentrie of the Empire to make themselues of the Clergie because that by reason of the large priuiledges and immunities belonging to that Order the richer sort put themselues into the ministrie and so left the Commonwealth vnserued And this he saith to no other end but that Princes and States in these dayes should not offer by their examples out of their owne regall authoritie to order and reforme the Churches But the truth is that those Emperours ordered and limited the jurisdiction of the Clergie which euen in those dayes began to encroach vpon the temporall Courts by an expresse law and ordinance directed vnto them L. 23. de Episc Cler. in Cod. Theodos If there happen say they any small contentions or offences to arise touching questions of religion let them be heard in the place where they arise and by the Synods of the Diccesse Where note that they say small offences and about religion excepting alwayes all sorts of crimes which belong to the audience of the Iudges ordinarie or extraordinarie or gouernours of the place Adde wee hereunto That about the yeare 390 vnder Syricius Bishop of Rome this disorder of the Clergie still continued and that the Emperors Valentinian Theodosius and Arcadius renewed this law in more strict tearmes than before ordaining That no widow might giue to any Church or Church-man Lib. 27. de Episc Cler. in Cod. Theodos vnder what title or colour soeuer either mouables or immouables in preiudice of children or of other lawfull heires no not to make so much as either Church or Church-man or the poore his heire and successor by
seat of the Exarchat or Lieutenantship of Italie planted at Rauenna the Citie of Rome besieged by the Lumbards and consequently the Bishop of that Citie brought to a low ebbe insomuch that Pelagius the second who was elected during the siege after the death of Benedict the first could not send to the Emperor for his approbation and when the siege afterward broke vp by reason of the wet Gregorie who was at that time but a simple Deacon was faine to take a journey to Constantinople to pacifie the Emperor Plat. in Pelag 2. because saith Platina his election made by the Clergie was of no validitie and force without the good liking of the Emperour first had and obtained thereunto And this attempt of the Bishop of Constantinople we haue thought fit to reckon among the proceedings of the Papall Tyrannie because the succeeding Popes of Rome vsed this vsurpation of the other and made it serue to their owne aduantage and furtherance of their long intended Tyrannie OPPOSITION This Pelagius therefore so soone as the siege was broken vp tooke heart and wrote his letters 2. To. Concil in decret Pelag. 2. directed To all the Bishops who by the vnlawfull calling of Iohn the Patriarch for so he speaketh of him were assembled in Synod at Constantinople wherein hauing flourished a while with his Tu es Petrus at length he telleth them That they ought not to assemble themselues without the authoritie of this See That their present assemblie without him was no Councell but a verie Conuenticle That therefore they should presently breake vp that meeting vnlesse they would be excommunicated by the See Apostolike to conclude That they ought not to acknowledge Iohn as Vniuersall Bishop vnlesse they purposed to depart away from the Communion of all other Bishops And let no Patriarch saith he vse so prophane a title for if the chiefe Patriarch meaning himselfe should be called Vniuersall the name of a Patriarch should thereby be taken from all others But God forbid that it should euer fall into the heart of a Christian to assume anie thing vnto himselfe whereby the honour of his brethren may be debased For this cause I in my Epistles neuer call anie by that name for feare least by giuing him more than is his due I might seeme to take away euen that which of right belongeth to him Which clause is word for word inserted by Gratian into his Decrees saue only that in stead of Sâ—â—inus Patriarcha that is Chiefe Patriarch as it is in the Epistle he hath Vnus D. 99. c. Nullin 4. And yet the summarie of that verie chapter euen in the late edition of Gregorie the thirteenth is this That the Bishop of Rome himselfe may not be called Vniuersall But Pelagius goeth on and giueth the reason of that his saying For saith he the diuell our aduersarie goeth about like a roaring Lion exercising his rage vpon the humble and meeke hearted and seeking to deuoure not now the Sheepcoats but the verie principall members of the Church c. And Consider my brethren what is like to ensue c. For he commeth neere vnto him of whom it is written This is he which is King ouer all the children of pride which words I spake with griefe of mind seeing our brother and fellow Bishop Iohn in despight of the commaundement of our Sauior the precepts of the Apostles and Canons of the Church by this haughtie name to make himselfe his forerunner that is of Antichrist alluding manifestly to that place of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Thessalonians where he calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Lifted vp or which lifteth himselfe vp aboue all that is called God or Deitie And farther he addeth a second reason which our best disguisers cannot put off which is Vniuersa omnia quae soli vni capiti cohaerent videlicet Christo That hereby Iohn went about to attribute to himselfe all those things which belong properly to the Head himselfe that is Christ and by the vsurpation of this pompous title to bring vnder his subiection all the members of Christ which as he saith proceeded from the Tempter who tempted our first father by casting vnto him the like bait of pride And now tell me whether all that which the Bishops of Rome haue since that time attempted in like manner can proceed from anie other spirit But he goeth on willing them to take heed least the poyson of this word proue fatall in the end to the poore members of Christ for that if this title be once graunted to him there are no longer anie Patriarchs left in the Church and so it might come to passe that if Iohn himselfe should happen to die in this his error there should not be left a Bishop in the Church persisting in state of truth c. That they must beware that this tentation of Sathan preuaile not ouer them to conclude that they neither giue nor take his title of Vniuersall Bishop And yet euer by the way he putteth them in mind of the Canons of Nice in fauour of the Primacie of his owne See to which all matters of importance saith he ought to be referred and yet as we haue alreadie declared no such matter And Gregorie at that time his Deacon Gregor li. 4. ep 38. l. 7. ep 69. and afterwards his successor in the Popedome in his Epistle which he wrote to Iohn vpon this verie argument Thou saith he which acknowledgest thy selfe vnworthie to haue beene made a Bishop doest thou in disdaine of thy brethren make thy selfe sale Bishop in the Church Intimating thereby that there is no difference whether we call him Sole or else Vniuersall Bishop And concerning the Councell held at Constantinople in the case of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch Propter nefandum elationis vocabulum Pelagius saith he disannulled the Acts of that Synod because of this execrable name of pride and forbad the Archdeacon which according to the custome he sent Ad vestigia Dominorum i. to the feet of the Lords i. the Emperours let the Reader obserue these words to celebrate the solemne seruice of Masses with thee And in like manner wrote he also to the Bishop of Thessalonica And this is that which passed in those daies betweene the two Bishops of Rome and of Constantinople Where we obserue that Pelagius absolutely condemneth both the name and office of an Vniuersall Bishop which none offereth to vsurpe and take vnto himselfe but onely he which is the forerunner of Antichrist as being an honour due to Christ to whom onely and properly it doth appertaine An. 580. Moreouer we may obserue that about this time when Chilperic King of France had assembled a Synod of Bishops at Paris to judge of the cause of Praetextatus Bishop of Rouen whom he had formerly exiled vntill the next Synod which should be called he declared openly vnto them that he had cause ynough to condemne him
fift booke they proue nothing but this That Iohn vpon the wrong which was done vnto him had recourse to Gregorie who made his cause to be reuiewed in a Synod and his confession being there found Orthodox Gregorie requested the Patriarch of Constantinople to receiue him againe with fauour as one which had beene abused and wronged by such as he had put in trust with the examination of his cause and intreated the Emperour to assist him therein all which sauoureth not of the nature of an Appeale but onely of that ancient recourse which the oppressed vsed to make to the chiefe Sees and which the Bishop of Rome vsed commonly to draw to a consequence of Soueraigntie and Dominion The like is to be said of the case of Adrian Bishop of Thebes whose processe as hee saith Gregorie read ouer for the Appeale there spoken of vpon the accusation which was mixt and partly Ciuile partly Ecclesiasticall belonged properly to the Ciuile Court in the point for which the Emperour in the first instance committed it to Iohn Bishop of Iustineana Prima and secondarily to the Ecclesiasticall Court in that which concerned his deposition And Gregorie there speaketh in verie proper tearmes when he saith That Adrian being wronged by his brethren and fellow Bishop as by his enemies fled to the citie of Rome And againe He is saith he Confugit come to Rome to complaine with teares And in like sort doth Baronius abuse the other examples which he alledgeth Fiftly he saith That Gregorie dealt about his Palls amongst the Archbishops of the East also making vs beleeue that this custome is as ancient as Christianitie is old And wheresoeuer the Bishop of Rome writing to any Bishop saith vnto him Vices tibi meas committo i. I make you my Vicar he inferreth presently That he sent him the Mantle or Pall withall which he bringeth in as if it had now suddenly sprung out of the ground it being a thing which former ages neuer heard of But let vs see vpon what credit though wee now come to enter into an age which was wholly set vpon new fangles and deuises For proofe hereof therefore hee citeth the 55 Epistle of Gregorie lib. 4. whence he collecteth That he bestowed this Mantle or Pall vpon Iohn Bishop of Corinth whereas yet his words are onely these You know saith he that heretofore this Pall was giuen for money but we haue taken a strict order in a Synod Pallium pro Commodo that neither this or any other order shall hereafter be disposed of either by money or by fauour And I see no reason but that by the same argument he might haue said That hee sent him his Orders also True it is that the two Bishops of Rome and of Constantinople pulled who could pull hardest to get all jurisdiction into their hands as if the Church had beene a prey betweene them two and this was the cause that Gregories letters slew so thicke as they did into Greece And so much bee said of the power which he chalenged ouer the Church As for the Emperour Maurice Baronius taketh pepper in nose against him a man otherwise well reported of and much commended by Historians His grieuance is onely this That according to the law of his predecessors he tooke vpon him to confirme Gregorie in his Popedome and is scarce friends with Gregorie himselfe for suffering it In the end he saith That the Emperour was a Tyran Baron vol. 8. an 590. art 2 3 4 sequent and Gregorie forced to doe what he did and that it was of this Maurice that he meant when vpon the fift Penitentiall Psalme he vsed these words That he is no King who maketh the Church a Chamber-maid whom God appointed to be free and Mistresse of the house if so then was Gregorie a notorious hypocrite neither is there any trusting of him seeing that he said one thing and meant another in all the dealings which he had with Maurice For doe but read the Epistle which he wrot vnto Maurice concerning that law which he had made to this effect That no souldier vntill he were dismissed no accomptant without his discharge first had and obtained should take the Frocke vpon him and enter into religion and then tell me whether it be possible for a man to vse greater submission than he there vseth He is answerable saith he for it before Almightie God whosoeuer is either in word or deed found faultie against his gracious Lords And so were I your most vnworthie seruant if in this case I should hold my peace c. Greg. li. 2. Epist 62. 65. Thou wert my good Lord before such time as thou wert Lord of all c. And when I thus presume to speake vnto my Lords what am I but dust and a verie worme of the earth c. Power is giuen from heauen vnto my Lords ouer all men c. and Christ shall one day speake vnto thee saying To thee haue I committed my Priests or Bishops c. And in the end I haue saith hee Meos Sacerdotes now in euerie poynt fulfilled my duetie seeing that I haue yeelded my obedience to the Emperour and haue not kept silence in that which was of my knowledge Who can read this and thinke him a Pope which wrot it And in like manner speaketh he to Theodore the Emperors Physitian My tongue saith he is vnable to expresse the good which I haue receiued of the Almightie and of my Lord the Emperour and what shall I giue againe for all this good but onely this Vestigia pure amare i. To loue the ground he goeth on in the same sence in which he elsewhere often saith Greg. li. 2. Epist 64. ad Dominorum vestigia transmisi i. I haue sent it to the feet of my Lords And at the foot of that Epistle he saith God hath not giuen him power to rule ouer souldiers onely Idem Epist 52. but also ouer Bishops where hee vseth the word Sacerdotibus meaning thereby All men of the Church And shall then Baronius his plea be admitted Baron an 593. art 15. when he saith That Gregorie spake as one which liued vnder a Nero or a Dioclesian especially when he maketh such open protestation That he speaketh the truth wholly without all reseruation and thereupon is so bold in the same Epistle as to say vnto him What wilt thou answer before the iudgement seat of God when he shall say vnto thee at that day Of Notarie I made thee Captaine of the gard of the Captaine of the gard Caesar of Caesar Emperour Was it feare or duetie which drew these words from him But if you will take a true view of the judgement which this man had of the Emperour then read the Epistle which he wrot without all passion to Anastasius Bishop of Antioch Whereas saith he men which are Orthodox in the faith are daily preferred to holie Orders wee haue great cause to render
little he got by his Excommunication bolted out against the Archbishop of Rauenna The Iniunction also which he laid vpon him to come once in euerie two yeares to Rome turned to his losse for he saw indeed the Archbishop at Rome oftner than he was willing because he was euer borne out and maintained by the Emperour But aboue all it troubled the Popes conscience to see so great an authoritie so neere at hand ouershadowing his own as lesse offensiue when it was farther off For saith the same Author whose verie simplicitie is warrant ynough for his truth and honestie this Emperour because hee resided still in Italie made himselfe alwayes a neere neighbour to Rome and exercised his authoritie to the full being assisted by the chiefe of the citie who knew themselues and gaue also the Emperour to vnderstand the ancient customes of the Empire persuading him to resume into his owne hands the Soueraigntie and commaund which in alder times belonged to the Emperours Which no doubt he would haue done but for the reuerence which he bore to the holie Apostles which reuerence yet was such as that it pleased not the Popes For saith he whiles these matters so passed the Bishops of Rome sent embassadors with letters to Charles the Bauld king of France requesting him vnder hand to make a iourney into Italie and because he was in some sort a Philosopher they requested him to lend a helping hand to S. Peter and to deliuer his Church from bondage as if it had beene oppressed by some forreine enemie As for his proceedings against Lotharius we will not here enter into the merits of the cause it selfe but you shall see the letters which Gontier Archbishop of Collen and Thietgaud of Treuers wrot to this Nicholas wherin they complaine of his tyrannicall behauiours The Bishops our Fathers and our Brethren and fellow Bishops sent vs vnto thee and we of our owne accord went willingly to Rome and presented thee with the Acts of the whole processe requesting thee as a good Father to reforme what thou foundest amisse in them c. And thou madest vs dance attendance twentie dayes before euer we could heare one word from thee much lesse be admitted to thy presence After a whole monethes attendance thou sentest for vs we came in all hast without feare of harme and thou causedst vs to bee vsed like a companie of theeues for so soone as we were entred within thy gates they were presently shut vpon vs and we beset with a companie of rascals there saw we our selues destitute of all helpe Paganorum and thou causedst vs to be debarred the vse of all things both holy and humane There contrarie to all law contrarie to the decrees and customes of our ancestors without calling any assemblie of Ecclesiastikes no Bishop no Archbishop there present not so much as thy selfe discoursing vpon our errour either by way of argument or by testimonie of witnesse or out of any writing hauing no bodie to sit by thee but onely the Monke Anastasius a man long since conuicted and condemned for a common wrangler thou diddest abruptly read out of thy paper against vs an vniust a rash and a wicked sentence repugnant to all Christian religion and diddest insolently in thy words taunt and reuile thy brethren fellow seruants The euer-liuing Emperour of all hath set an incorruptible border of gold about the head of his Spouse the Church he hath honoured her with an euerlasting dowrie with a diademe and scepter of immortalitie hath giuen her authoritie to consecrate Saints to assure them of heauen to make them of mortall immortall creatures All which prerogatiues Robber as thou art thou hast violently reft and taken from the Church to appropriat them vnto thy selfe Thou art a Wolfe vnto the Sheepe a murderer of the liuing and one which thrustest men into hell couering thy sword all ouer with honie so farre is it that by thy helpe the dead may liue againe Thou bearest the shew of a Pontife but art a verie Tyran thou art in habit a Pastor in heart a Wolfe Thy Title promiseth vs a Father Et tu te factis Iouem ostentas but in thy deeds thou carriest thy selfe as a god thou callest thy selfe a Seruant of Seruants and seekest by all means to become a Lord of Lords and consequently according to the doctrine of our Sauiour thou art the least of all the Ministers of Gods Church who yet in thy ambition runnest headlong to perdition thinking euerie thing lawfull to be done which it lusteth thee to doe Fucusque factus es Christianis and art become a Wâ—spe vnto the Christians What could these men haue said more vnlesse in plaine tearmes they should haue called him Antichrist seeing that they plainely allude to that place in the Epistle to the Thessalonians Shewing himselfe as if he were God But for conclusion of all they adde yet farther For these causes say they we and our Collegues set not by thy commaunds we care not for thy words we feare not thy Bulls nor yet thy thunders Thou damnest all men as impious which obey not thy Decrees and forbiddest them to sacrifice But wee returne thy sword into thy owne throat thou which spittest in the face of our Lord Gods commaundement and decree thou which breakest the vnitie and peace of our Christian societie the verie badge and cognisance of the Prince of Heauen After this they come to his pretended Primacie The Holie Ghost say they is the author of all Churches in euerie corner of the world The Citie of our God of which we are free denizens reaching to euerie point of heauen and is greater than that Babylon foretold by the Prophets which vsurpeth vpon the Truth maketh it selfe equall with heauen boasteth it selfe to be eternall as if she were God falsely glorying that she neuer erred nor can erre This Epistle related by an Annalist of these dayes in the same sence though somewhat different in words with this conclusion in expresse tearmes We care not for thy sentence as being a curse vnaduisedly pronounced we will not communicate with thee who doest communicate with the excommunicate sufficeth it vs to communicate with the whole Church which thou despisest Annal. incerti Author per Pet. Pythaeum in vulgus editi whilest thou exaltest thy selfe about it Et elationis tumore the verie word long before vsed by S. Gregorie and by thy swelling pride and insolencie hast made thy selfe vnworthie of her and hast distracted thy selfe from her Communion c. And know farther that we are not thy Clerks as thou braggest ouer vs but thou shouldest take and account of vs as of thy brethren and fellow Bishops Si elatio permitteret if thy pride would giue thee leaue They should haue said Thy pride which is vnseparable from the person of him whom thou representest at this day in the Church And for the matter it selfe we may not omit that this Nicholas in his letter which we
hauing sworne That he would neuer seeke after the Bishopricke of Rome notwithstanding he wanted not sufficient colour to doe it because he was discharged of that oath by Pope Marinus Guido in the meane time tooke part with Sergius notwithstanding that Formosus possest the See Sergius being by force expeld This whole Papacie therefore was spent in nothing but laying of plots and continuall rapines sometimes the one getting the vpper hand sometimes the other vntill Formosus wearied with those molestations that were brought vpon him by Sergius who was supported by Guido and his sonne Lambert resolued with himselfe to bring Arnulphus the king duke of Bauier sonne to Charlemaigne and nephew to Charles the Grosse out of Germanie who with his armie entred by force into the citie of Rome and was by Formosus annointed and crowned Emperour and as Sigonius reporteth enforst the people of Rome to take this oath I protest before God and all the Saints Sigon de regno Ital. li. 6. and sweare by the holie Sacraments so long as I liue to be subiect to the power of the Emperour Arnulphus and neuer to fauour the part of Lambert or Engultrude his mother and to doe my best endeuour that they neuer obtaine any dignitie or oppresse the citie by any seruitude And by this meanes chased Sergius out of Rome But not long after when he besieged Engultrude the mother of Lambert she a woman not equall in strength betooke her selfe to subtilties and secretly by one of his seruants whom she corrupted with money gaue vnto him a stupifying potion which when he had taken he was suddenly ouercome with sleepe and after three dayes awaking when hee neither vnderstood nor could fitly expresse what he vnderstood and rather lowing like an oxe than speaking like a man leauing the warre he retired himselfe into Lombardie About the end of December died Formosus after whom succeeded Boniface the sixt and fifteene dayes after Stephen the seuenth succeeded him being aduanced thereunto by the faction of Sergius hauing taken heart by the departure of Arnulphus Then was it easie to discerne with what spirit they were ledd for he was no sooner setled in his See but hee thought of nothing so much as to deface and blot out the memorie of Formosus whereupon he commaunded his bodie to be digged out of his sepulchre and his carkasse to be placed in the Popes chaire adorned with his Priestlie garments and there in the midst of a Synod assembled himselfe and his Acts to be condemned The writers of that age affirme a thing horrible to be spoken that this wicked man ignorant of all good learning Luitprand li. 1. cap. 8. vsed this taunting speech to the poore dead corps When thou wert Bishop of Port saith he why with a spirit of ambition didst thou vsurpe the Roman Catholike seat And thereupon disrobing him of his vestments he commaunded three of his fingers to be cut off wherewith he was wont to blesse the people and the bodie to be cast into Tiber and he degraded all those that had taken Orders of him himself gaue them new Hereupon Luitprand a Deacon of the Church of Pauia who then liued was exceedingly moued with this execrable deed Platina in Formoso Et ib. Onuphrius Leo Ostiensis l. 1. cap. 48. Onuphrius calls into question the truth of this storie which is to ouerthrow all antiquitie as in the case of Pope Ioue The author of the Annales of the Abbie of Fulden saith thus Next Boniface succeeded Stephen in name Apostolicall but in truth a most infamous man who after a strange maner caused Formosus his predecessor to be taken out of his graue and assigning an Aduocat to answer for him deposed him and commaunded him to be cast out of the place that was appointed for the buriall of the Popes And it is a Monke that speaketh it Sigonius is of more credit who describeth all the circumstances of this fact and reports the Acts of the Councell of Rauenna published by Iohn the tenth in these words The Synod celebrated by our predecessor Stephen the sixt Sigon de regno Ital. li. 6. in which the carkasse of Formosus the Pope is drawne out of the sepulchre and as it were brought to triall a thing neuer heard of before we vtterly abrogat and by the sentence of the holie Ghost wee forbid any such thing to be done hereafter He addeth That he denounced the coronation of Arnulphus to be void and that he annointed Lambert for Emperour in his place because he tooke his part And Baronius himselfe acknowledgeth the same onely as we doe he attributeth that to Stephen the seuenth that others doe to Sergius Baron an 897. art 2. This man saith he being frantike did not that which was lawfull to doe but what his owne furie carried him vnto for it was not an errour in faith but a violent tyrannie in fact An. 897. These are his owne words In the meane time in the yeare 897 Romanus succeeded Stephen who presently calling a Councell condemned the condemnation of Formosus and the Acts of Stephen against him The like doth Theodorus the second and Iohn the ninth or according to others the tenth who succeeded one another But this man more solemnely in a Synod of seuentie foure Bishops which he held at Rauenna where demaunding euerie mans opinion seuerally he cancelled the Acts of Stephen and his Synod pardoned the Bishops and Priests that gaue assistance therein who excused themselues That what they did they did by compulsion forbidding that Sergius and his followers who had digged Formosus out of his graue should be restored and condemning both them and Stephen himselfe as violaters of sepulchres He pronounced Formosus the lawful Pope although he were first chosen saith Onuphrius without the Roman Clergie and those Bishops that Stephen deposed he restored and declared the coronation of Arnulphus the Emperour to be void and ratified that of Lambert as being done by Stephen for the good of the Church This he did in fauour of Lambert whose power he feared both in Italie and in Rome by meanes whereof that law was renewed That from thence forward the Pope should not be consecrated but in the presence of the Embassadours or Lieutenants of the Emperour contrarie to that which Adrian the third thought he had established The Acts of this Councell are to be found among the Canons of the Church of Modene saith Sigonius This ordinance neuerthelesse was shortly after broken for Iohn being dead and Benedict the fourth chosen in his roome he was consecrated without the authoritie of the Emperour by the faction of the Tusculans And these things reach to the yeare 900. An. 900. OPPOSITION The verie impietie thereof had beene sufficient to restraine this fatall Progression if the Christian Church had not beene sencelesse so as no other Opposition should haue needed but what the spirit of God foretold in the Scriptures cannot be preuented for euen
especially Leo the eight neither doe we greatly labour therein for whether of them are to be preferred it matters not greatly Iohn whom he tearmeth a monster is the onely lawfull Pope But he could in no wise dissemble the cause for that constitution of Leo in fauour of Otho and his successors Dist 63. which we haue formerly alledged D. 63 vext him euen at the heart whereof he fretteth and fumeth against Gratian These things saith he he handled too vnaduisedly this Synod was a counterfeit Synod and this Leo the eight a false adulterous Pope And to speake a truth where shall we find a true and a lawfull one Besides what necessitie was it in him saith he to pronounce him King and Patricius when Iohn the twelfth had consecrated him Emperour Verily because he did not thinke he could be well consecrated by such a monster And who did euer see saith he that the constitutions of Popes had commination of punishment and yet what more frequent Baron an 964. art 23. Was it not decreed in that worthie Councell of Constance that the execution should be left to the politike Magistrat but he should haue rested himselfe vpon Gregorie the thirteenth who approued this Constitution in a reformed decree by his silence with notes added thereunto But see what he elsewhere sayth as a thing verie authentike to proue the right that the Emperors haue by the Popes permission to chuse a successor Baron an 996. art 41. To great Otho saith he this right was first graunted by the Bishop of Rome These are his owne words how then without shame dares he call it into doubt 38. PROGRESSION Of the troubles that arose in Fraunce through the faction of Hugh surnamed Capet and Charles Duke of Lorraine with the treason and treacheries of Arnulphus Canon of Laon. HEre let vs now recite what past in these times in our France which vpon the declination of the race of Charles the Great was diuersly vexed vntill the progenie of Capet either through others negligence or their owne policie had gotten the vpper hand whereupon the kingdome of Fraunce by the consent of all the States was translated to Hugh surnamed Capet whose posteritie by the prouidence of God doth yet flourish In the meane time Charles Duke of Lorraine entred into Fraunce to dispute his right by force of armes and first worketh with Arnulphus Canon of Laon base sonne of King Lothaire father of the last Lewis by whose meanes he possessed the Citie and taketh Adalbero Bishop thereof and putteth him into prison who soone after escaped and came to King Hugh Gerbert in ep ad Othonem ad Wilderodonem Episcop Argentinensem Synod Rhemens c. 26. which was not done without slaughter and spoyle as appeareth by an Epistle of Gerbert to the Emperor Otho He tooke prisoner saith he his owne Bishop circumuented by fraud and with him the Citie of Laon after much bloudshed and manie outrages committed And writing to the Synod at Rheims He became saith he a famous Apostate and held a long time the place of the traitor Iudas in the Church c. Neuerthelesse Hugh sought all meanes to draw him into his faction hoping to benefit himselfe thereby and Adalbero Archbishop of Rheims chauncing to die appointing for his successor Gerbert who was afterward Pope Syluester the second he made him Archbishop taking of him an authentike promise of fidelitie written with his hand sworne with his mouth and subscribed of all the people and nobilitie of that diocesse Synod Rhemens c. 25. Gerbert in epistola ad Othonem ad Wilderodonem Ep. Argentinens Acceptis ab eo saith the Synod terribilibus sacramentis which the same Gerbert witnesseth His intelligence neuerthelesse for all that continued with Charles of Lorraine so that six moneths after he marching with his armie before Rhemes was receiued into the Citie through the treason of the said Arnulph who neuerthelesse played his part by a Priest of his named Adalgare and the better to hide his villanie was carried prisoner to Laon with other French Lords that were then within the Citie And of this second periurie saith Gerbert He betrayed the Citie he polluted the Sanctuarie of God ransackt all and caused the people to be carried away captiue And presently after saith he excommunicated his owne proper thefts and commaunded the Bishops of France to doe the same In the meane time so farre forth did he persist in his dissimulation that for the space of eighteene monethes being carefully admonished by the Bishops of France to purge himselfe of so great a crime at length being forsaken of his chiefest consorts was not ashamed to submit himselfe to the Kings fauour and tooke a new oath more strict than the former and so was admitted to his table and notwithstanding returned soone after to the part of the said Charles Hugh therefore as yet scarce seated in the kingdome thinking to deale mildly with him repaireth to Iohn the sixteenth and both by letters and embassages complaineth of the injuries done vnto him and at the first was gently accepted But the Synod sayth Synod Rhemens c. 27. As the Legats of the Countie Herbert arriued and had deliuered their presents vnto him this man as Platina tels vs who prodigally bestowed vpon his kindred all things both diuine and humane that belonged to the seruice of God altered his mind insomuch that being wearied in waiting at the gates of his palace the space of three dayes they returned not doing anie thing not onely not admitted but forced to depart But Hugh who in the meane time had taken in the Cities of Rheims and Laon and by the same meane got Arnulph into his power caused a Nationall Councell to be held at Rheims in the yeare 991 An. 991. Wherein Arnulph by his owne proper confession being found guiltie was in a solemne manner deposed and Gerbert who was afterward Syluester the second put by the King in his place who had the charge to put in writing the Acts of this Councell which also are now read by vs. The Pope then being inwardly moued not so much for the judgement of Arnulphus as offended at the lawfull libertie of the French Fathers excommunicated those that had subscribed to the conclusion of this Councell and straitly forbad Gerbert his Archiepiscopall function in a Synod held at Moson and threatened the Kings themselues with curses and excommunications Insomuch that it is a wonder that these men infamous in Italie for so much wickednesse should so impudently abuse our patience and so boldly mocke vs with their Bulls in Fraunce vnder the confidence without doubt of this our new and yet but feeble Empire But Gregorie the fift proceeded in the same course insomuch that Gerbert was constrained to forsake that part and to liue vnder the protection of the Emperour Otho the third But with what constancie neuerthelesse the French Bishops did entertaine the arrogancie of the Popes it is now time
the rod of a Pastor of which the Apostle saith What will yee shall I come vnto you with the rod or in the spirit of meekenesse And what say I she hath a rod yea she hath a sword also according to the same Take vnto you the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God c. And yet by that which followeth it is apparent that against some which had troubled him he would not haue refused the helpe of another sword I let passe the Satyres of Bernard a Monk of Clugni vnder this Peter his venerable Abbot wherein he wonderfully disciphereth the Pope and the Court of Rome not to wearie the Reader I wil quote onely some few verses to this purpose although the rest be of the same nature O mala secula venditur insula pontificalis Infula venditur haud reprehenditur emptio talis Venditur annulus Hinc lucra Romulus auget vrget Est modò mortua Roma superflua quando resurget Si tibi det sua non repleat tua guttura Craesus Marca vel aureus à modo non Deus est tibi Iesus O wicked times wherein the Crowne and See is sold And yet the merchandise thereof is vncontrold The Ring is also sold But Romulus doth gaine Superfluous Rome now dies when shall it rise againe Not Craesus could suffice if Rome should giue he his Nor any gold for now no God or Christ there is Also Peter Deacon continuer of the Chronicle of Mont Cassin sheweth Chron. Cassinens Petri Diac. l. 4. c. 116. 117. that when the Emperour of Greece had sent his embassadours to Lotharius when hee assisted Innocent in the warre against the Monkes of Mont Cassin there was among others a Greeke Philosopher who disputed against him Peter Deacon that Pope Innocent was excommunicated his words are these In the Westerne climat we see that prophesie fulfilled As the people is so shall the Priest he Whilest Bishops goe out to warre as your Pope Innocent doth He distributeth money presteth souldiers for the warres and is clothed in purple No doubt but hee alledged other reasons which he telleth not But besides them that in the midst of the Roman Church we haue heard thunder it out so lowd against Popes and the Court of Rome and their actions there are found some in these times which openly fell away from it assailing their doctrine it selfe and in our France by their preaching drew many Prouinces from it and from thence as hereafter we shall see spred themselues into neighbour nations These were Peter Bruis in the yeare 1126 and after him his disciple Henrie about the yeare 1147 the first being a Priest and the other a Monke who first in the Diocesses of Arles of Ambrum and of Gap then after throughout all Auuergne Languedoc and Guienne preached against Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse Masses Suffrages and Oblations for the dead Purgatorie worshipping of Images inuocation of Saints single life of Priests Pilgrimages superfluous holydayes consecrations of water oyle Frankinsence and other Romish trash but especially they inueyed against the pride and excesse of Popes and of his Prelats whom they called Princes of Sodome and the Church of Rome they tearmed Babylon the mother of fornication and confusion Which we learne from that venerable Peter Petrus Abbas Cluniacen l. 1. Epist 1. 2. Abbot of Clugni in some of his Epistles where he taketh vpon him to confute them And it is great pitie that their bookes are with so great diligence abolished that we are constrained to vse the writings of our aduersaries for to picke out their doctrine whose testimonie by reason of their hatred and calumnie may justly be suspected For it is imputed vnto them That they beleeued onely the foure Euangelists and reiected all the other bookes of the Bible And here Peter truely skirmisheth with his owne shadow seeing that they verily affirme following the auncient Fathers That the rule of religion is to be sought onely out of the Canonicall Scripture And the Abbot himselfe seemeth to haue perceiued that he had done them iniurie when he saith of these things and the like But because I am not yet fully assured that they thinke and preach so I will deferre my answer vntill I haue vndoubted certaintie of that they say Also I ought not easily giue assent to that deceiuing monster rumour or common report c. I will not blame you of things vncertaine So Saint Bernard more credulous than reason required reproueth them That like the Maniches they condemned the vse of matrimonie and of flesh and denied also baptisme to infants But especially against Henrie he obiecteth the keeping of a concubine and playing at dice. In like manner we read in Tertullian That monstrous opinions and crimes were imputed to the first Christians Bernard in Cantic serm 66. Yet Bernard in the meane time saith They are sheepe in habit Foxes in craft Wolues in crueltie These are they that would seeme good and yet are not wicked and yet would not seeme so It must needes be then that their outward conuersation was good It is also confessed that their disciples went cheerefully to the fire and constantly suffered all extremities for the doctrine of their faith Can that agree with a dissolute life doctrine And they were in the meane time followed with such a multitude Epist 240. 241. in vita Bernard l. 2. c. 5. that the Temples saith Bernard remained without people the people without Priests Priests without their due reuerence Christians without Christ the Churches to wit the Romish were reputed Sinagogues The argument brought against them was as in these dayes Haue our Fathers then so long a time erred are so many men deceiued Yet were they defended by notable persons both of the Clergie and Laitie and by some also of the Bishops and nobles of the realme namely by Hildefonsus Earle of S. Giles vnder whose protection they preached in his countries The people of Tholouse also where Peter preached the word of God the space of twentie yeares with great commendation and in the end was burned Henrie also his disciple some few yeares after being betrayed to Albericus Cardinall of Ostia was carried bound to in chaines into Italie and neuer afterward seene notwithstanding the persecution was hot all that time against the poore people without any difference of age or sex Now as we haue noted that the corruption of doctrine euer accompanied the iniquitie of this Mysterie there arose in this time Peter Abayllard a man of most subtile wit who brought in againe the opinions of Pelagius and others following who destroyed as we haue elsewhere shewed the free justification in the faith of Christ Iesus that is to say tooke the Christian Church by the throat against whom Saint Benard writeth diuers treatises and maintaineth the aunceint truth taught by S. Augustine S. Hierome Prosper and Fulgentius in the Church sweepeth
as a mother but as a stepdame The Scribes and Pharases sit in the same lading mens shoulders with burthens heauie to be borne which they themselues touch not with a finger They haue dominion ouer the Clergie and yet are not an example to the flocke leading the right way to life They heape vp pretious moueables load their Tables with gold and siluer beeing sparing to themselues through ouermuch couetousnesse For the poore they are neuer or verie seldome receiued and then not so much for the loue of Christ as for vayne glorie By force of terrour they wrest from the Churches the stir vp contentions incite the Clergie and people the one against the other haue no compassion of the paynes miseries of the afflicted they delight in the spoyles of Churches and doe all account gayne for godlinesse They do iustice not for the truths sake but for gaine All things to day are done for money but tomorrow thou shalt obtayne nothing without reward They often hurt wherein they imitate Diuels and they are thought then to doe good when they cease from hurting some few excepted who fulfill the name and office of Pastour Yea the Pope of Rome himselfe is burthenous to all and almost intollerable Moreouer we see that although the Churches which the deuotition of our Fathers haue builded goe to ruine and altars to be without ornament yet in the meane time he buildeth for himselfe Palaces and goeth not onely in purple but all couered ouer with gold The Palaces of Churchmen glitter in beautie but in their hands the Church of Christ is foule and without furniture They take by violence the spoyles of Prouinces as if they purposed to repaire the treasuries of Craesus But the most high handleth them well giuing them as a prey vnto others and often vnto most vile persons and as I thinke whiles they wander out of the way the scourge of God will not depart from them for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it that with what iudgement they iudge they shall be iudged and their owne measure shall be measured to them againe This is it say I ô Father which the people say seeing you will haue me shew you their opinions And surely he sufficiently also declared thereby his owne opinion when he sayd as I thinke But Adrian putteth him vpon the racke And thou saith he what is thine opinion I am in a strait euerie way sayd I for I feare I shall incurre the blame of lying and flatterie if I alone doe contradict the people and if otherwise I feare to be accused of high treason and be thought to deserue the gibbet for opening my mouth against heauen Yet seeing that Guido Clemens Priest Cardinall of S. Potenciana witnesteth vnto the people I presume not in any sort to contradict him for he saith that in the Church of Rome there is a certaine root duplicitatis of doublenesse which is contrarie to the simplicitie of a Doue which is so much commended to Christians A nourishing also of all couetousnesse which is the head and root of all euils And this he publiquely protested not in a corner but to the Cardinalls his brethren sitting in Consistorie before Eugenius when the Ferentines were hot against my innocencie Yet I boldly say my conscience bearing me witnesse that I haue now here seene more honest Clergie men than in the Church of Rome And here he nameth vnto him Bernard of Redon Cardinall Deacon and the Bishop of Prenest without doubt that he might prepare a way to that which he had to say Because therefore that you instantly vrge and commaund me and that it is not lawfull to lye vnto the holie Ghost I confesse what you command must be done and yet all are not to imitate you in all workes for he which dissenteth from the true doctrine is either an heretike or a schismatike but through Gods mercie there bee some which imitate not the workes of all of vs c. But I feare least in continuing to enquire of me what you will you heare of an imprudent friend that which you would not What is this Father that thou examinest the life of others and doest in no wise search into thy selfe All men applaud thee all men call thee Lord and Father and the whole oyle of a sinner is poured on thy head If then thou art a Father why doest thou expect gifts and retributions from thy children If a Lord why strikest thou not a feare in thy Romans and repressing their temeritie why doest thou not call them backe to the faith For he had said a little before That God tooke away godlie men from Rome because being corrupt it was found with God vnworthie of such men But thou wilt preserue the Citie to the Church by thy gifts did Siluester obtaine it by gifts In inuio Pater es non in via Father thou art out of the way and not in the way It is to be preserued by the same gifts whereby it was gotten That which you haue receiued freely giue freely Iustice is the Queene of all vertues and blusheth to be changed for any price whatsoeuer for to be gracious it must be freely bestowed Let not her by any meanes be prostituted to price of money which cannot be corrupted Iustice is entire and euer vncorrupt In oppressing others thou shalt be more grieuously oppressed The Pope saith he laugheth at it and congratulateth my libertie But what saith the Pope to this surely he telleth him that fable of Aesop of the members of one that sometime mutined against the stomacke for it receiued all and did nothing and when they had determined to send no more any thing into it after some few dayes the whole bodie pined away thereupon concluding that euen so would it be with all Christendome if from all parts they sent not riches to Rome But whence would he haue proued vnto him that Rome as the stomacke holdeth little or nothing to it selfe but digesteth and distributeth whatsoeuer is put into it for the good of the whole bodie of euerie part thereof Thus spake this good Bishop to the Pope hauing doubtlesse more in his mind than hee durst expresse for he purposely set forth a treatise the title whereof was Obiurgatorium Cleri Idem l. 7. c. 17.18.19 wherein he grieuously reprehended the whole Clergie and likewise in many places of his Polycraticon more stoutly and in another place saith One hoping in the multitude of his riches entreth into the Church Simon leading him by the hand that is to say Magus and findeth not there any to say vnto him Thy money perish with thee Another feareth to come neere S. Peter with gifts and neuerthelesse priuily as sometime Iupiter did into the lap of Dance so this incestuous suitor by a golden showre slideth himselfe into the lap of the Church c. Alreadie all things are openly bought vnlesse the modestie of the seller hinder it A prophane heat of couetousnesse doth so houer
deliuered him to the men of Pisa that mortally hated him through despaire he dashed his head against the pillar to which he was tied and killed himselfe Thus much reciteth the Monke Paris and Sigonius after him who addeth That the enemies of the Church sayd that the Pope had inclined the heart of this Peter to this fact by great gifts and promises And seeing the foregoing practises who can doubt of it Meane time this vnhappie Prince began to loath his life What wee saith he is fallen vpon me that mine owne bowels arme themselues against me That this Peter whom I esteemed the one halfe of my soule hath prepared my death That the Pope whom my predecessors haue created and inriched of nothing laboureth both to ruinate the Empire and by death to destroy me Et obsorduit domini Papae fama per hoc non mediocriter And the Popes reputation was thereby not a little defamed Yet God the infallible searcher of secrets knoweth the truth thereof Of which truth we may yet giue judgement out of that which Krantzius writeth in the same yeare 1249 An. 1249. Krantzius in Metropol l. 8. c. 14. That Pope Innocent the fourth was transported with so great enuie against Frederic eximperatorem deposed from the Empire That not only he opposed against him the Christian Princes but also sent an Embassador to the Souldan of Egypt to diuert him from his friendship And it is great pitie we haue not his letters but at least he representeth the Souldans letters to Innocent translated out of Greeke into Latine and by the answer we may gather what the demaund was The summe is this after the accustomed complements which deserue to be read in the Author That God would make him of the number of them that affect and doe good and that earnestly seeke peace and perseuer in the causes thereof and that God would assist him in things that are conuenient both towards them of his owne Religion and towards others That he vnderstood that which he had declared concerning Christ to whom be praise And of Christ saith he we know more than yee know and doe magnifie him more than yee doe But as touching the Emperour that there was friendship betweene them euen from the time of the Souldan his father And betweene you saith he and your Emperour it is as your selfe doth know Therfore that it was not lawfull for him to treat with the Christians without the aduice and consent of the Emperour And surely it is a maruaile that so many and so great troubles especially now in his old age did not ouerwhelme him Adde to these that his base sonne Hencius was taken prisoner by the men of Bouonia and himselfe suddenly taken with a grieuous sicknesse called ignem sacrum At length being tost with so many aduersities saith the Author hee resolued by all meanes to seeke peace and offered to the Pope an honest forme of peace but the Pope reioycing at his aduersities would not accept of it whereby he incurred the indignation of many and namely of the French Lords who began to comfort Frederic and to adhere vnto him and to detest the pride of the seruant of the seruants of God And thus the affaires of Frederic prospered so well that Innocent entreated the king of England that he might make his abode at Burdeaux vnder pretence of making a generall peace But in the meane season died the greatest of Princes saith the Author Stupor quoque mundi and the astonishment and wonder of the world hauing made a most noble testament recited by Mathew in his additions Collenucius also telleth vs Collenucius l. 4. Hist. Neapol out of the report of Mainardine bishop of Imola That his penitencie was so great in the confession of his sinnes that thereby alone it might be coniectured he had beene a singular vessell of Gods election And as touching the course of his life after he had exalted the great and rare vertues as well naturall as acquired wherewith he was endued the excellent and profitable lawes he had made both Ecclesiasticall and ciuile comming to speake of the debate he continually had with the Popes for which he had beene excommunicat by Innocent the 4 he doubteth much that it was without just cause All these actions considered saith he such as diuerse authors haue described vnto vs weighing also his Epistles and writings I know not verily whether they declared him enemie of the Church because he spake too truely de Pontificijs of the Papists and found many things worthie reproofe in their manners and in all that Apostolicall life or because he ouer stoutly defended the rights of the Empire or for that he was in Italie more powerfull than was to their liking I leaue the iudgement hereof to the indifferent Reader of the gests of Frederick but in the meane time when I consider that Christ whom Popes as his Vicars ought to imitate and obey commaundeth vs to put vp the sword into his place and to pardon a sinner seuentie times seuen times not seuen times onely and that on the other side I see so many ambushes treasons proiected against Frederick so many Ecclesiasticall Legats which are called Pastors sent against him into the kingdome into the Marca de Ancona Lombardie and Romania so many cities and Provinces for the same cause laid wast so much Christian bloudshed and Frederick neuerthelesse alwayes victorious and the Popes side that ioyned themselues against him euer to be vnfortunat and carrie away the worst I cannot but approue that which Pope Pius writeth in his Australl historie That nothing excellently euill is committed in the Catholike Church the first originall whereof proceedeth not from Church-men it may be by some secret counsell of God I haue truely seene and read many Epistles of Frederick which are extant written to Popes and Cardinalls and to other Christian Princes and priuat persons but I perceiued in them nothing against the rule of our faith nothing hereticall nothing that sauoureth of contumacie or oppression of the Church There are indeed in the same many complaints lamentations and admonitions of the couetousnesse and ambition of Priests of the Popes obstinacie who would not heare his excuses the defence of the Empire and of snares and treasons wrought against him He that would see the truth of these things let him read among others an Epistle of his written to all Christian Princes which beginneth The chiefe Priests and the Pharisies gathered a Councell against the Prince Gods annoynted and another also which he wrot to the Colledge of Cardinals That they should dissuade the Pope from maintaining discords between them and the Empire which beginneth In exordio In the beginning of the birth of the world and that also which beginneth Infallibilis veritatis testem We take to witnesse the infallible Iudge of truth and Iustice Out of one among others written to the Christian Princes he produceth these words Petrus de Vineis lib. 1.
one of Philip king of Fraunce sonne of S. Lewis writen to the Cardinals of the Church of Rome the Sea vacant who by reason of the ambition of parts in chusing the Pope could not agree out of which may easily be gathered what judgemēt the French church had then of the Roman though otherwise not verie fauourable to the Emperor Frederic or his cause Behold saith he the noble Citie of Rome liueth without an head Epist 35. l. 1. which hath bin the head of others But what hath prouoked them to discord the couetousnes of gold and ambition of dignities For they consider not what is expedient but what is their own will They prefer their own particular profit before the general vnduely prefer profit before honestie How then will they gouerne others that cannot gouerne themselues who doe good to their enemies and hurt themselues and doe nothing profitable for themselues The Court of Rome was wont in times past to shine in honestie knowledge good manners and vertue and was not moued with the treats of fortune because they placed their refuge more firmely in vertue than in chaunce But now they are beaten downe in aduersitie and exalted in prosperitie and it may be called non curia sed cura marcam desiderans plus quam Marcum more desirous of a marke of siluer than of Saint Marke of the Gospell or of taking a Salmon than of reading Salomon Then declaring vnto them how great wisedome was necessarie in this election But saith he we may not forget that wisedome is for euill when they which desire honour doe shun the burthen of it desire to be chiefe rulers and neglect the profit of their subiects flie care and labour and giue themselues to sleepe and lust and are delighted with playes and bankets Such Pastors truely are not Pastours but may be called most impious Wolues by whose perfidious dealing our holie mother Church is trodden vnder foot faith consumed hope taken away and charitie rooted out Wherefore he concludeth Keepe the truth feare God resisting naughtinesse manfully whereunto yee ouer much submit your necks vltra and more yet but we will not say it least perhaps we arrogantly seeme to set our mouth against heauen c. Thus spake our Philip. In the same Authour is also read an Epistle in which the Sacerdotal Order complaineth of the Friers Preachers who were in that time crept in We are constrained to lay open by a lamentable complaint the disordered Order which hath beene brought in in contempt of vs and to the scandall of all whereby in making beleeue that the force of faith groweth errour ariseth and matter of dissention is propagated Then he declareth How the Predicant Friers and Minorites hauing conceiued a hatred and rancour against them haue depraued their life and wicked conuersation by preaching and haue diminished their rights in so much that they are alreadie brought to nothing and they which in times past haue gouerned kings in regard of their office are now in opprobrie and derision and their most famouss praise is turned into a fable to all flesh Then by what meanes the said Friers thrusting their hands by little and little into other mens haruest haue supplanted the Clergie in euerie dignitie and haue tyed to themselues all the force and authoritie of Clericall ministerie so that these cannot liue being depriued of their due tythes and offerings vnlesse they betake themselues to some worke or to mechanick arts or else to vnlawfull gaines What remaineth but that their Churches builded to the honour of God and the Saints vtterly go to ruine in which resteth nothing for seruice or ornament but some little bell and old Image soiled ouer with dust But these Preachers and Minorites saith he yea rather our Prelats and betters began with cottages but since haue erected Princelie Palaces of curious workemanship the expences whereof should haue beene imployed for the poore And they which in their first rising and beginning of their religion hauing laid aside pride seemed to tread vnder feet the glorie of the world now take againe Pride and embrace the glorie they had formerly troden on These men whiles they haue nothing possesse all things and wanting riches are richer than the rich and we which are said to haue something are beggers And they conclude with this supplication to the Emperour That hee would remedie the same the soonest that might be least say they the streame of hatred increasing betweene vs and the said Friers faith suffer thereby shipwracke whence it is thought to take growth Neither wanted there of all nations diuers excellent persons which obserued the same things William Bishop of Paris in his booke of the Collation of benefices speaking of the Clergie of his time In them saith he appeareth neither piety nor learning but rather diuellish vncleannesse monstrousnesse of all filthinesse vices their sinnes are not simply sinnes but most horrible monsters of sins They are not the Church but Babylon Aegypt and Sodome Prelats that build not the Church but destroy it and mocke God and with other Priests they prophane and pollute the bodie of Christ Prelats that honour with Ecclesiasticall dignities the members of the diuell and enemies of God they restore Lucifer into the heauen of the Church of Christ. He often particularly noteth That among the Papists that is the Popes parasites are some such industrious fowlers of benefices that one man hath caught to himselfe to the number of an hundred either Prebends or Canonries and there was found one that had seuen hundred Caesaris in Dialogr distinct 10. Caesarius also telleth vs of another William surnamed Goldsmith who in that same time made a treatise wherein he proued the Pope to bee Antichrist the Prelats to be his members and Rome to be Babylon And in England Robert Bishop of Lincolne is commended for a man of great pietie and learning famous also for his knowledge of the tongues Matth. Paris in Compend Historiae Angl. An. 1250. Hee went to Rome for to bring the Monkes of his diocesse to a better discipline To that Court saith Mathew which as a gulfe hath power and custome to swallow vp the reuenues and almost all things whatsoeuer the Bishops and Abbots possesse for they obtaine of the Pope whatsoeeuer they will for money This Bishop therefore complaineth to the Pope of it I thought my Lord saith he by your counsell and helpe to chastise all them that I haue complained of and to bring them backe from their errour but they proh dolor for money haue redeemed themselues The Pope answereth Brother thou hast deliuered thy soule what is my grace to thee We haue giuen them grace And so being returned into England he opposeth himselfe against the Popes extortions in England for which he is excommunicated and dyeth in excommunication disputing euen to his last gaspe That the Pope straying from justice and truth is worse than Lucifer and Antichrist and appealeth from the Popes
excommunication to the judgement of Christ There is read a certaine sermon of his de Pace of Peace which he made before the Pope where after he hath described and bewayled the wicked Pastors that haue no care of their sheepe authors of schismes heresies and infidelities he stoutly maintaineth That seeing the principall worke of Christ for which he came into the world is the quickening of soules and Sathans proper worke inuented by him as being a murderer from the beginning is the killing and mortification of soules those Pastors which put on the person of Christ and preach not the word of God although they adde thereto none other wickednesse are Antichrists and Sathans transformed into Angels of light theeues and robbers killers and destroyers of the sheepe making the house of prayers a denne of theeues But they also adde all kind of preuarication Their pride doth euer most manifestly shew it selfe and their greedie couetousnesse so that now is fulfilled the voyce of the Prophet which saith Euerie man declineth after his couetousnesse following the gaine of auarice and cannot be satisfied c. And here he largely discourseth of them But saith he what is the first cause and original of this great euil I most vehemently tremble and feare to say it yet I dare not hold my peace least I should fall into that Vae of the Prophet Woe to me because I haue held my peace because I am a man of polluted lips The cause spring and originall hereof is this Court not onely because it purgeth not these abhominations forth of it when it alone may and is bound to doe it but further in that by prouisions dispensations and collations it ordaineth to pastorall charge such Pastors as wee haue before touched which are rather betrayers of the world and that in sight of this Sunne But of this we are to speake more hereafter in following the historie of Innocent the fourth There is read an Epistle published in England about the same time bearing this title De extrema expilatione Angliae per Papam effects Of the extreame pillage made by the Pope in England wherein the Authour hauing particularly reckoned vp all his extortions at length bursteth forth into these words Shall wee compare him to king Nabuchadnezzar who destroyed the Temple of the Lord and carried away the gold and siluer vessells For what he had done this man doth also and hee spoyled the ministers of the house of God and made it destitute of due ayd the same doth this man also Surely better is the condition of them that dye by the sword than of them which are killed with hunger because the first dye presently but these are consumed by the barrennesse of the earth And euer and anon he vseth this versicle Let all that passe by daughter haue pitie on thee for there is no sorrow like vnto thine For alreadie through too much sorrow and ouer much shedding of teares thy face is made blacker than coles so that thou art no more knowne in the streets Thy foresaid superiour meaning the Pope hath set thee in darkenesse he hath made thee drunke with gall and wormewood Heare O Lord the affliction of thy people and their groues behold and come downe for the heart of this man is hardened more than the heart of Pharoah he will not let thy people goe free but by the strength of thy arme For he doth not onely exact miserably aboue the earth but after death because what Christians soeuer dye intestat he deuoureth their goods after their departure c. Least therefore thy daughter be brought to longer miserie it is expedient that the mightie men of the kingdome resist the imaginations conspiracies pride and arrogancie of this man who not for the contemplation of God but for the foresaid respects and for to enrich his kinsmen and feather his owne neast extorteth by a kind of new principalitie all the money of England And thou speaking to the Pope take heed to the words of the Lord and prophesie of Ieremie to beat downe such proceedings which say Thou Pastor which hast dispersed my people and cast them forth of their habitations behold I will visit vpon thee the malice of thy designes neither shall there be a man of thy seed to sit vpon the throne of Dauid or haue further power in Iuda let thy neast be made desart and ouerthrowne as Sodome and Gomorra And if terrified with these sayings he giue not ouer his enterprises and make not restitution then his heart being wickedly hardened let them sing for him the hundred and eighth Psalme This is that Psalme of Dauid full of all sorts of imprecations against a most desperat and reprobat enemie of God and Christ and is interpreted by S. Peter to be a figure of Iudas This is with the Hebrewes the hundred and ninth Neither is it needfull we should adde any thing here of Mathew Paris a Monke of S. Albans a notable English Historiographer seeing it is ynough manifest out of diuers places aboue cited what was his judgement of the Church of Rome it is ordinarie with him to say That the couetousnesse thereof is growne so insatiable confounding diuine and humane things that hauing laid aside all shame as a common and shamelesse strumpet set to sale to all men she deemeth vsurie a small fault and simonie none at all All this time the Waldenses or Albigenses continued in Dauphinie Languedoc and Guienne and in all those mountaines which reach from the Alpes to the Pyrenean These had some release and respite of breathing vnder S. Lewis who molested them not but in as much as they were subiects of Raymund Earle of Thoulouse who had warre with the Earle of Prouence his father in law whom he was bound to succour but the warre being ended they maintained their religion principally in those mountaines But they had spred themselues verie much in other places for in Germanie were a great number of their Preachers who at the sound of a bell hauing called the Barons preached in publica statione in a publike place That the Pope was an heretike his Prelats tainted with simonie and seducers That they had no power to bind and loosse neither yet to interdict the diuine seruice or the vse of the Sacraments That those their Friers Preachers and Minorites by their false sermons peruerted the Church That the truth was held and preached onely among them And that although they had not come God would haue raised vp others euen of the verie stones for to enlighten the Church by their preaching rather than he would haue suffered faith vtterly to perish Our Preachers say they haue till this time preached Krantzius l. 8. c. 18. in Metropol Saxon. l. 8. c. 16. and haue buried the trueth and published falshood We on the contrarie preach the trueth and burie falshood and in the end giue vnto you not a fained or inuented remission from the Pope or Bishops but from God alone and
a greater and more diuine power granted vnto them from aboue for further edification and not for destruction they were the deepelier engaged to exclude and extirpate such bloud-suckers out of the Church of God And so inferring that his commaundements were of this nature and therefore not Apostolicall For this saith he would be but either a manifest defect corruption or abuse of his sacred and absolute power or an absolute recession from the glorious throne of our Lord Iesus Christ and a present accession to the pestilentiall chaire of infernall torments intimated in the two forementioned Princes of darkenesse Neither can any subiect or faithfull one vnto that seat in immaculat and incontaminat obedience and no wayes by schisme disseuered nor rent from the same bodie of Christ and the same holie seat obey the same precepts commaundements or iniunctions from whence soeuer they come yea though it were from the highest order of Angels but of necessitie he must needs with his whole power contradict oppose them For the sanctitie of the See Apostolicall can enioyne nothing but that which tends to edification and not destruction for herein consists the fulnesse of power That all things may be done to edification and these things which are tearmed Prouisions tend no way to edification but to manifest destruction Wherefore the blessed seat Apostolicall may no wayes entertaine them because flesh and bloud which shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen hath reuealed these things and not the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is in heauen Vpon the receit of these letters Innocent so stormed as he vowed by Peter and Paul That if a certaine naturall clemencie did not dissuade me I would bring him to such a confusion that he should be an example terrour prodigie and a verie fable to all the world Is not the king of England our vassall nay and to say more our bondchild who at a becke of our finger can imprison and impose vpon him any reproach or shame And the Cardinals could hardly assuage his furie by saying How it was not conuenient to denounce any hard Decree against the Bishop for to confesse but truth said they these things are most true which he inferreth Condemne him we cannot he is a Catholike nay and a most holie one more holy more religious and more excellent than our selues and of a farre better life so as it may hardly be beleeued that amongst all the Prelats there is any one better or equall to him This the whole French and English Clergie know and therefore our contradictions would but little auaile and so the truth of this Epistle which peraduenture is well knowne to many may excite and stirre vp many against vs For he is reputed a great Phylosopher absolutely learned in the Geeeke and Latine tongues a louer of iustice a publike Reader in Diuinitie Scholes a Preacher to the people a louer of chastitie and a persecutor of Symoniacks This was vttered by the Lord Aegidius a Spanish Cardinall and others who seemed to be touched euen in their owne consciences And so they aduised our Lord the Pope conniuently with dissimulation to passe ouer all these matters not raising any stirre or tumult thereupon But obserue the reason which he annexed to all the former allegations Especially saith he because it is knowne that a departure must one day happen That departure foretold by the Apostle in the second to the Thessalonians cap. 2. Antichrist himselfe being to be the author hereof whom they expected and looked for not as they would haue it beleeued from Babylon but euen out of the heart of the Church from Rome it selfe And hereupon grew Innocents mortall hatred to Lincolne But this verie yeare he fell sicke in his house at Buckdon where speaking to Frier Iohn of S. Giles one of the Predicant Order he both sharply reprehended him others of his institution vowing pouertie That they did not reprehend the sinnes of great men with whom they were familiar yea though it were of the Pope himselfe who committed the care of soules to his owne vnworthie kinsmen that were both ignorant and greene in yeares this being a true heresie contrarie to sacred Scripture which commaunds vs to ordaine fit and conuenient Pastors and therefore the Pope was an heretike in doing so and they in conniuing thereat being both worthie of eternall punishment Then calling about him his Clergie and mourning for those soules which perished through the auarice of the Court of Rome Christ said he came into the world that he might gaine soules and therefore whosoeuer feares not to loose soules he may not worthily be tearmed an Antichrist God in six dayes created the whole world but for mans redemption he trauelled and suffered therein more than thirtie yeares may not therefore a destroyer of soules be thought to be the enemie of God and Antichrist The Pope impudently annihilates the priuiledges of the holie Roman Bishops his predecessors with this Prouiso Non obstante c. Grant that any of those Popes were saued and God forbid the contrarie doth not our Sauiour say He that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater than Iohn Baptist a greater than whom there was neuer any amongst the sonnes of women Is not then such a Pope who was a giuer and confirmer of priuiledges greater than this man liuing Wherefore doe they then that follow root vp the foundations laid by their predecessors Many Apostolicall persons confirmed diuers priuiledges which had formerly in pietie beene granted Are not many alreadie saued through diuine grace of farre greater authoritie than one who yet hangs in danger From whence then proceeds this iniurious temeritie to frustrat the priuiledges of so many auncient Saints And here hee spake liberally against the rapines and simonies of the Roman Church which enioyned the Friers Mendicants to be alwayes neere at hand to those who were departing the world to the end to persuade them to bequeath a part of their goods by Will and Testament for the aid of the Holie Land or if they recouered health to vow a journey thither They sold the Croisado to lay persons euen as they were woont to sell oxen and sheepe in the Temple they sold many things and these peraduenture to be appropriated to their owne vses And we also viewed the Popes letter wherin we found written That they which made such Testaments tooke vpon them the crosse or affoorded any aid or succour to the Holie Land the more money they bestowed the more plenarie Indulgence they should receiue In briefe Eius auariciae totus non sufficit orbis Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis The whole world not suffic'd his auarice to content Nor harlots all his lust so ill his mind was bent And it was in this that he did manifest by what meanes the Roman Court like as Behemoth in Iob promised to swallow vp all Iordan in his throat might vsurpe vnto her selfe the goods of all intestates and
distinct legacies and for the more licentious performance hereof how she might draw the king to be a pertaker and consort with her in her rapines For said he the Church shall neuer be freed from her Aegyptian seruitude till she embrue her sword in bloud But towards the end of this prophesie being much pressed with sobs and teares this same holie Bishop of Lincolne Robert the second left the banishment of this world which he neuer loued who was a seuere reprehender of our lord the Pope and the king a reformer of Prelats a corrector of Monkes the director of Priests an instructer of Clerks a supporter of schollers a preacher to the people a persecutor of incontinent men a carefull searcher of diuers Scriptures and the verie mallet and beater downe of the Romans Innocent notwithstanding out of an obstinat will against all his Cardinals consent caused his bones to be throwne out of the Church and that hee should be proclaymed ouer all the world for an Ethnick disobedient and rebellious and such a letter he caused to be written and sent ouer to the king of England in that he knew the king would willingly assume any occasion of rigour towards him and to prey vpon the Church But the night following the Bishop of Lincolne appeared to him in his Pontificall roabes and so with a seuere countenaunce and ghastly aspect he approached and spake to the Pope in a lamentable and mournefull voyce as he lay in his bed taking no rest and giuing him a forcible push on the side with the point of the Pastorall staffe he carried on his shoulder saying vnto him Senebald thou miserable Pope from whence proceeds it that thou determinest to cast my bones out of the Church both to mine and the reproch of my Church of Lincolne It were more fit that thy selfe being exalted and honoured by God thou shouldest likewise respect and esteeme Gods louers though dead and buried God will suffer thee in no wise to haue any power ouer me I writ vnto thee in the spirit of humilitie and loue that thou wouldest correct and amend thy frequent errors but thou with an obdurat heart and proud looke didst contemne my healthfull admonishions Woe be to thee that contemnest shalt not thou also be dispised And so Bishop Robert going backe he left the Pope who when he was pushed as I told you lamented wonderfully as one pearced through with a lance halfe dead sighing and sobbing with a submisse and deploring voice so as they of his Chamber hearing the same and being astonished they demaunded the reason thereof the Pope with sobs and sighes made answere and sayd I haue beene mightily vexed with visions of the night and there is no meanes for me to be absolutely restored to my former state out alas alas how my side torments me which was goared through with the launce of a Ghost So as he neither eat nor drunke all that day but fained himselfe to be grieued with the feauer asmaticall and againe that he was sicke of an incurable plurisie neither did the Pope euer after this liue one good or prosperous day while the night or one night while â—he day but altogether without rest and much disturbed and molested till his whole armie was difcomfited and then his sadnesse conuerting into deepe and growen melancholie he ended his life at Naples when perceiuing his kinsmen to lament and houle renting their garments and tearing their haire for griefe lifting vp his eyes which were almost drowned in death he sayd Poore miserable soules why doe you lament doe not I leaue you all rich What would you haue more and instantly vpon the words he gaue vp the Ghost his soule being to vndergoe the strict and seuere sentence of the euerliuing God Auent l. 7. Auentinus obserues thus much in few words that Innocent entending to deuoure and swallow vp the kingdome from Conrades son of 2 yeres old was suddenly taken away in a day diuinely prescribed vnto him as we find in the Annales by the supreame and highest Iudge Caestr l. 7. Caestrensis saies that the same night he died a voyce was heard in the Popes Palace Veni miser ad Iudicium and a pale deadly wound was found in his side But the vision of a certain Cardinal which happened the same week is worthie of speciall note and Matheus conceales his name for some purpose He though the was in heauen before the Maiestie of the euerliuing Lord sitting on the Tribunal on his right hand stood the blessed Virgin and on his left a certain noble Matron verie venerable both in bodie and in habit who stretching out her right arme ouer her left hand she supported as it were a Temple on the Frontispice of which Temple was written in golden letters Ecclesia and Innocent the fourth prostituted before his diuine Maiestie with hands ioyned and erected and bended knees requiring pardon and not iudgement But this noble Matron contrariwise said Most iust Iudge giue a iust iudgement for I accuse him in three points first when thou laidst the foundation of thy Church on earth thou diddest endow it with liberties which proceeded from thy selfe but this man hath made her a most contemptible bondmaid secondly thou diddest found thy Church for the saluation of sinners that so she might gaine the soules of miserable caitiues offenders but this man hath made it a table of money changers thirdly the Church was founded in constancie of faith iustice truth but this man hath made both faith good to maners wauer and fleet he hath remoued iustice ouershadowed veritie yeeld me therefore iust sentence Then the Lord sayd well depart and receiue the reward of thine owne demerits and so he was taken away But when the Cardinall out of the terrour of the sentence awaked he was almost out of his sences and all his men supposed him to be mad At last his distraction being mitigated he began more at large to explaine his vision so it came to be published ouer all those parts Of the same kind was that of Alexander his successor who saw him in this state and a beautifull woman expostulating with him before God on his throane in these words Dissipasti EcclesiaÌ„ Dei duÌ„ viueres carnalis penitus factus c. And he heard God denouncing the same sentence formerly related whereupon saith the author being vehemently terrified for the space of certaine daies he could not well come to himselfe again therfore one presenting him a gift to obtain froÌ„ him a grant of a certain church he made answer No brother the Church seller is dead but it is thought that if out of the astonishment of this vision he doe not amend he will be more seuerely taken vp before God All which things haue some reference to Robert of Lincolnes Historie whom he of all Ecclesiasticall persons tooke to be his greatest enemie although he is celebrated by writers of those time to haue beene a
the Author himselfe intimates Peter of Aragon returning an answer to the same set before his eyes the just judgement of God in that he lately put his hand to such a brutish immanitie as was detestable execrable to all men And long time they slept not in this flagition for as Collenucius notes Charls from that time forward was continually afflicted and tormented with the anguish terror of his daily misfortunes and ouerthrows Clement suruiued them but one moneth when as the fruit and triumph of victorie he thought to haue gotten all Italie into his hands The Papacie was then vacant for two yeares and nine moneths though his predecessors had euerie way studied and endeuoured to preuent such an inconueniencie For those Cardinals which were resident at Viterbe supposing no one was inferiour to another could resolue vpon nothing certaine amongst whom one of the number laughing at the others curiositie said Sir Onuphrius in Pontificibus we had need open the top of this Conclaue for the holie Ghost cannot descend through so many roofes downe vpon vs. At last Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicilie were faine to come thither to their rebuke and shame and for the further encouragement of the Gibelline faction who after long and many contestations at last brought it to passe that they consented to chuse Theobald Vicont of Placentia and Archdeacon of Liege who was then in Syria he returning into Italy obtained the place and was named Gregorie the tenth and hereupon grew these verses of the Cardinall de Porto Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem Patrem Patrum fecit disdordia fratrum An Archdeacon obtained the Papall dignitie Father of fathers made by brothers enmitie These things occurred in the yeare 1272. An. 1272. In the meane while Richard Earle of Cornewall dyed being another competitor for the Empire for supplie of whose place the Princes assembled together to take some order Part of them after Richards death thought good to retaine Alphonsus of Castile others alledged That a king of Germanie was to be brought from no other part but Germanie when Gregorie put in his spoke and told them plainely That if they presently resolued not vpon some bodie he out of his Pontificall authoritie would constitute them an Emperour All things therefore being maturely debated and considered at last they concluded vpon Radulph sonne to Albert Count of Hasburg a Prince of no great State but renowmed for his militarie experience and judgement whom they declared Emperour All gaue their consent except onely Otocarus king of Bohemia whose steward this Radulph had beene and he was herewith highly moued so as they came to a sharpe war amongst themselues He was chiefe of the house of Austria in which familie the Empire at this day continues Alphonsus was much discontented because Gregorie gaue his consent thereunto complaining wonderfully against Gregorie in that vnknowne to him he had condescended to this election aduising him to desist from this enterprise proceeding no further in it During Pope Gregories raigne a Councell was celebrated at Lyons whereat Philip king of France the Emperour of Greece and many other Princes were and for the better successe and issue hereof certaine Prelats out of euerie Prouince well affected to him were cited to be there present Their proposition was out of the example of the Machabees to shew That the Bishop of Rome as he was high Priest had power ouer both swords and therefore that it concerned him to ordaine warre especially when it was for sacred ends for deluding them with this sauce he made them swallow and digest many vnsauroy cates Consequently he decreed That a tenth of all benefices should be paid for six yeares to this purpose All Penitentiaries and Confessors were enioyned to vrge vehemently all sinners and offendors to assist him with their riches and wealth he imposing on all Christians in generall without exception of sex age or qualitie a yearely penie vnder paine of excommunication Rodulphus without the priuitie of the States of the Empire did first yeeld vnto him Romania which before was wont to pay to the Empire yearely seuentie thousand dragmes of gold The Emperour of Greece complained who was at this Councell That he being daily threatned and menaced by the Turke who lay hard by him yet Charles of Anjou disturbed him with other attempts and after his returne into Greece hee promised Gregorie by embassadors That if he would but crosse Charles his designes he would joyne a new to an old Rome which was Constantinople The which embassage Gregorie readily gaue eare vnto returning vnto him againe by his Nuntioes who were to accord with him of three conditions Nicephor Gregoras l. 5. First That in their sacred administrations and offices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the foure Patriarches he might be first nominated Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That any might be permitted to appeale to Rome as to the higher and most soueraigne tribunall Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in all things he might be allowed supremacie and highest place About any other points of diuinitie saith Gregoras there past not a word No not of the addition made to the Creed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all things were quiet and pacified In these things there was a long addormentation and silence onely hee regarded that which belonged to his own peculiar interest But it fell not out well with him that the Greeke Church disauowed the Emperour especially in this Councell where a certaine forme of electing the Pope was set downe which at this day is obserued in the Conclaue Vbi pericul de election electi potestate in sexto Innocent 3. in serm 3. de Consecratione Summi Pontificis as we may read in the chapter Vbi periculum de electione in sexto And there he doth not onely exhort the Cardinalls That they would chuse the Vicar of Christ Peters successor gouernour of the whole Church and guider of the Lords flocke but further is not ashamed to adde For a necessarie prouision of the whole world as a fit spouse for the same Church That which Innocent the third in truth did formerly produce in the third sermon of his consecration he brings it out more audaciously from a Decretall which they esteeme of highest authoritie being the order and forme according to which the Popes are chosen and inuested with their proper attributes and titles What can be done more to Christ our Lord the onely true Bridegroom of the Church Oseae 3. Or besides him who could say In mercie and pitie I haue espoused thee Ephes 5. v. 25. 26. Who besides him doth sanctifie her He yeelded vp himselfe for her that so she might be sanctified and clensed by the washing of water in the word and therefore who is that fit Bridegroome for the Church but he and who will arrogate to himselfe these titles but Antichrist not by way of comparison or in
Lincolne And yet our Authour ascribeth miracles to this man And these things also happened during the Papacie of Alexander the fourth Vnder Gregorie the tenth one Nicholaus Gallus a countrie man of ours flourished who was borne in Languedoc the seuenth Prior generall of the Carmelites who distasting the corruptions that then crept into his order returned into his auntient hermitage and there ended his life he being Authour of that book intituled Ignea sagitta wherein he layes open the customes and manners of the Monkes of his time especially the Mendicants who beeing but newly risen vp were yet growne to such an hight of deprauation that in their conuents there was no so much as any mention made of studies or any Christian exercises so wholly they were transported with pleasure and vncleanenesse That these after the leauing of hermitages and entring into cities were so degenerated as they seduced the present and were like to corrupt those future and to come And this was wholly the Popes fault Elias Rubeus in Semidiali l. 2. c. 3. 4. who denied them nothing both to the Churches prejudice and the danger of their owne saluation Much after this vaine Elias Rubeus an English man in his Simidiali inferres That the Monkes had conuerted religion into superstition and turned from the interior to the exterior to the forme of an hood to colour and to meats making saluation to consist in things of themselues vaine or indifferent That there was no kind of men more blind in concupiscences or infamous for vncleannesse than the Clergie that a man who otherwise was good and commendable for his life and manners if he but once attained to any Clericall place he was instantly transformed into a theefe of a lambe he became a wolfe and of a souldier of Christ a base broaker and huckster And therefore it was deseruedly spoken of a Monke who was consecrated to be a Bishop Monachum promouendo perimunt They kill the Monke by promoting him All Bishops breaking downe the walls entred not into the Bishoprickes by the open gate neither could inferiors by any other meanes be promoted or preferred The saying was in the Court of Rome Except you bring purses laden with money you cannot be promoted to the honour of any Ecclesiasticall dignitie No esteeme was made of learning vertue or religion In such a case reall allegations of royals preuailed aboue learning vertue or morall vnderstanding And therefore because they thus promoted doe glorie in their exaltation by meanes of money they afterwards become extreame and shamelesse extorters of money but in my opinion Ecclesiasticall persons erre mightily in this nay what may we say of the verie gouernours and rulers of the Church certainely to auerre nothing but truth without lying we can deliuer no good of them in generall Nicholas of Biberache in Germanie affirmed no lesse He tells how he was at Rome and declares how they there vsed only fained flatteries toward strangers learned men and that Iuramenta per oscula Iudas Oathes passed for Iudas kisses Faith and pietie were there rare and deere like aromaticall spices And that the Pope and his assistants raked all to themselues being robbers and theeues worse than Pharao Perpetuò in sinu mulierum and dayly lulling in womens laps he concluding in these verses Papae dicatis precor intuitu pietatis Quod stat in Ecclesia iam multiplex simonia Et mala quamplura fidei quae sunt nocitura Quae si durabunt eclipsin forte creabunt Shew to the Pope in zeale and pietie That in the Church raignes too much simonie And euils many more that hurtfull are Which will eclipse true faith in spreading farre He presaging herein some eclipse and reuolt in the Church But Arnold de Villa noua borne in Catalognia a man endued with the knowledge of all Tongues and Sciences speakes somewhat more broadly The diuell saith hee led all Christian people from the veritie and truth of Iesus Christ The faith that Christians now retaine is but such as the diuels themselues hold All Cloysterers swarue from charitie and are damned All falsifie the doctrine of Christ and Diuines did ill namely the Schole-men in mixing Philosophie with Diuinitie The Popes in their consultations haue no regard but to humane respect and interests And as for doctrine he expresly condemneth the sacrifice of the Altar Masses are not to be celebrated We must not sacrifice for the dead Nothing herein is offered vnto God Almes rather represents the passion of Christ than this sacrifice He therefore for these propositions was condemned of heresie by Frier Iohn of Longuil of the Order of the Predicants and Geoffrey of Crudilles But Germanie vnder Honorius the fourth renewed her auncient vertue Bernard Luitzenbergens Catologo haereticorum sent Iohn Bishop of Tusculum a Roman Cardinall to Rodulphus the Emperour vnder pretext of intreating him to goe into Italie there to be crowned which notwithstanding he did not greatly desire and he demaunded of all his Clergie for fiue yeares a fourth of all reuenewes as well secular as Ecclesiasticall as also of the Conuents of women and Nunnes A Diet therefore was called at Wirtzberge where his demaunds and patents were opened being corroborated and vrged with many intimations and reasons By a generall consent the Archbishop of Collen rose vp who opposing himselfe appealed to a generall Councell and as he was deliuering there reasons according to the charge imposed vpon him hee was by the Cardinall interrupted threatened and excommunicated The Monks and Priests receiued him with scorne and laughter filling the whole temple with clamors and tumult He exclaimed of the wrong and violence done vnto him imploring aid of the Emperour who was present who by his Marshall caused him to be conducted halfe dead into his lodging Then Probus Bishop of Thoul a Doctor of Diuinitie standing on his feet neere to the Font made this Oration How long deere Collegues shall these Romultan Vultures abuse our patience Auent l. 7. Nauclerus vol. 2. Gener. 43. if rather I may not say our follie and blindnesse How long shall we endure their impietie auarice pride and exorbitancies This wicked race of arch Synagoguists will neuer giue ouer before they haue brought vs all to pouertie slauish seruitude And comparing the Popes to the Iewish Priests Our owne discord said he brought forth this incouenience These imposters haue made vse of our differences and as long as they are vpheld the Christians will neuer be able to enioy happie peace to auoyd the miseries of warre or to exercise pietie and charitie one towards another They lately set the Sueuians and Saxons together by the eares then did they depriue both of State and life Frederick the second an excellent member of the Christian Commonwealth and Conrade the fourth both Sueuian and worthie Princes The impes of Sathan and Antichrist sowed seditions and dissentions in Germanie then afterwards by fraud and deceit they intercepted and put to
spirited man to see the places infernall and a Palace wherein was a firie bed on which this the Popes nephew lay All which being related to the Pope he was neuer after seene to be merie but within a while departed Whose bodie being layd in a certaine Church with many lights about it in the night the Church was burnt with fire and his bodie from the loynes downe to the feet Clement l. 2. tit 11. de sententia re iuditata C. Pastoralis And yet this is he which in his Clementine Pastoralis We as well out of the superioritie which vndoubtedly we haue ouer the Empire as out of the power by which in the Empires vacancie we are to succeed the Emperour but more especially out of the fulnesse of that power which hath pleased Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords in the person of blessed S. Peter to conferre vpon vs c. doe decree and ordaine May we not rather beleeue by the poynts aboue mentioned that hee tooke his power from him that sayd to the Lord I will giue thee all these kingdomes if falling downe thou wilt worship me This is he also that commaunded Corpus Christi day to be kept holie of all men in a Councell at Vienna which was first instituted by Vrban the fourth and then afterwards came to be neglected againe and therefore he granted new Indulgences which is to say Lib. 3. Clementinarum tit 16. de reliquijs veneratione sanctor To all saith he penitents and confessed which shall be present at the Matines of this feast in the same Church where it is celebrated shall haue 100 and he that is present at Masse as many as also they that were present at the first beginning of Euen-song of the same feast 100 and they that were at the second as many and they that were present at the offices of the first third sixt and ninth houres and at those completorie for each of the houres he had graunted fortie Indulgences And to him that was present at the Matines of the Octaues of that feast and the Masses of the foresayd houres he obtained an hundred for euery day of those Octaues And trusting the mercies of God we release him of all enioyned penances Can we better judge of these inuentions than by the inuentors themselues who made but laughter and scorne of these things whether in life or death And yet abusing the reuerence falsly by them vsurped they dare presumptuously vpon any occasion offered most vnworthily dare and prouoke Princes and Emperors This was the Pope amongst others who being angrie with the Venetians for taking of Ferrara exposed them all both in generall and particular to bootie and spoyle so as they might haue beene brought vnder slauerie and seruitude To be redeemed from which miserie they sending Francis Dandulo to require absolution in their names after many detractions delayes the matter was thus concluded That he lying prostituted at his feet so long as the Popes pleasure was to obtaine the same he was enforst with a coller of yron about his necke by way of penance like a dog to lye under his table and therefore amongst his countrymen he was tearmed Canis a Dog And yet Baronius would needs excuse the crueltie of Alexander the third against Frederick the first Because saith he to be true it digresseth too much from the accustomed clemencie of the Popes OPPOSITION When Clement published the Councell of Vienna to giue some hope of Church reformation he commanded Durandus Auditor of the Rota and Bishop of Mende a French man vulgarly called the Visitor or Examiner to digest certaine principall heads thereunto tending to bee propounded in this Councell There is a treatise yet extant whose title is The celebrating of a Councell printed at Paris Anno 1545 this booke began with a sharpe reprehension of the Roman Clergie with an intention if he might haue beene heard or beleeued not to haue spared them a iot They follow saith he the way of Balaam of Bosor who loued the reward of iniquitie and bore the chastisement of his owne madnesse for a dumb she Asse speaking to him in a mans voyce discouered the Prophets follie and impietie The same happens amongst vs at this day seeing so many foolish and dissolute parts are played in the Church of God by the sayd Ecclesiastical persons who should be a light vnto others as candles set on candlestickes according to that which the Lord sayth as that they dull and amaze the sence both of Iewes and Pagans yea and they who are altogether depriued of the vnderstanding of diuine wisedome doe detest their follie and their by and digressing steps from Gods pathes they correct and conuince by a sounder vnderstanding And therefore he briefly sets downe what course must be held to effect a reformation Tit. 2. By a sacred Councell saith he both Kings and Popes ioyning their hands together we must haue recourse First to the Law to the Gospell and to the Councels approued and confirmed by the instinct of the holie Ghost as also to good and wholesome humane lawes And whatsoeuer we find to the contrarie to haue beene attempted in worldlie gouernement let it be reformed and amended as well as may be and the contrarie no wayes permitted to escape vnpunished Let all abuses customes dispensations priuiledges liberties and exemptions which are opposit to the same reformation be remoued being to be reputed but meere deprauations and corruptions Tit. 2. Secondly Let the Popes themselues conforme their words and deeds both to diuine and humane lawes submitting themselues thereunto for imitation sake and setting forth examples of those things to be performed in themselues for their followers and subiects to imitate and behold but otherwise if they themselues swarue and digresse from lawes and precepts desiring rather to ouerrule and commaund than to aduise and counsell their subiects Their honour will swell vp into pride and what was ordained for concord will turne to offence and discord Thirdly It cannot be denied but that the Roman Church hath in many things declined from the Institutions of the sacred Primitiue Church and from the sentences and approbations of the holie Fathers Councels and Decrees So as it appeares to haue vtterly forgotten the first Institutions although wee should prefer the truth of the holie Scriptures before any custome how auncient soeuer Fourthly That the Popes should not easily permit causes and controuersies to be transferred out of their Prouinces to be decreed in the Court of Rome That Ecclesiasticall gouernement was manifestly confounded when the Popes place benefices depending on the Bishops yea and that before their vacation so as it is to bee feared that the Roman Church hooking all to her selfe will giue an occasion to verifie the prouerbe Qui vult totum perdit totum All craue nothing haue And here he inueyed against the promotion of strangers whose voice the subiects could not heare they neither vnderstanding the people
remoue than confirme the opinion she formerly conceiued of it Katherine also gaue the like censure of the state of the Roman Church nay and if we may beleeue Antoninus she presaged That euen then the Churches confusion was at hand and that presently a reformation would ensue When she heard of the Perugians rebellion against the Pope Begin not your lamentation saith she so soone for you shall haue weeping too much for this you now see is but milke and honie in respect of those miseries to ensue Thus doe the Laitie and presently you shall see the Clergie will doe worse for they shall giue a generall scandall to the whole Church of God which like an hereticall pestilence shall disturbe and dissipate the same It shall not properly be an heresie but as it were an heresie and a certaine diuision of the Church and all Christendome This saith Raimond who writ her Legend we see accomplished in the schisme that followed vpon Gregories death For when the schisme began Raymond told her That what she had prophesied was now come to passe and she replied Euen as then I told you that the present molestations were but milke and honie so I say vnto you That this you now see and behold is but childrens sport in comparison of future miseries especially in adiacent and bordering Prouinces Which we haue seene come to passe saith he ouer all Italie and Sicilia whereunto wee may worthily annex France which neuer felt a more sharpe and terrible warre than at this instant Then Raymond againe prosecutes Being curious saith hee to demaund of her what would follow after this wonderfull agitation and reuolt because it manifestly appeared that shee entertained celestiall reuelations she replied God shall purge his Church from all these tribulations and miseries by a meanes altogether inperceptible and vnknowne vnto men and after this shall occurre such a wonderfull reformation of Gods Church and a renouation of sacred and holie Pastors that through the cogitation thereof onely my spirit euen reioyceth in the Lord. And as otherwhiles I haue many times told you the spouse that now is deformed and rent shall then hee adorned with goodlie and precious iewels and all the faithfull shall exult for being honoured with such holie Pastors Antoninus addes further What this sacred virgine foretold of schismes and tribulations we haue seene them cleerely and euidently come to passe but for that shee denounced touching good Pastors and the Churches reformation that hath not yet beene effected And yet he wrot in the yeare 1450 after the schisme extinguished and the dissolution of the Councels of Constance and Basil the which as it seemes he thought had not sufficiently prouided for the reformation of the Church conformable to this virgines predictions neither can it any wayes be perceiued in the Church of Rome or in the Popes whether you consider doctrine or manners so as this prophesie may verie well be applied to that reformation that began not long after which purged both the errors of doctrine and the abuses of discipline through the diligence and zeale of those godlie ministers which God stirred vp in the age following by a meanes as she said inperceptible of men the which was then a preparing before his death In Bohemia mention is made of one Militzius a famous Preacher of Prage whom Iacobus Misnensis tearmes renowmed and venerable This man declared how against his will he was enioyned by the holie Ghost to search out of the holie Scriptures the comming of Antichrist whom he found to be now alreadie come the same spirit conducting him he was constrained to go to Rome where he preached publikely and afterwards before the Inquisitor he confirmed That the great Antichrist of whom the Scriptures doe prophesie was already come The same man said That in the Church Idols should be erected which would destroy Ierusalem and make desolat the Temple but that they were couered with hypocrisie That many know the truth and yet through iniustice suppressed it and therefore in this silence they renounced Christ and durst not auouch his truth before men He also inueyed particularly against many abuses as we may see in Iacobus Misnensis his treatise de Aduentis Antichristi which he wrot about the yeare 1410. An. 1410. We find also a Bull of Gregorie the eleuenth directed to Iohn Archbishop of Prage wherein he is commanded to excommunicat and persecute Militzius and his auditors who were taught and instructed by him That the Pope and his companions were Antichrists That there was no truth amongst them vndepraued So as it is manifest that the Church in Bohemia came to haue some reformation and so much the rather because the Waldenses as we formerly saw fixed here their habitations long time before In these verie dayes about the yeare 1460 one Iohn Wickliffe An. 1460. a man of singular vnderstanding began to lift vp his head who was trayned vp at Oxford in all learning and science being both a famous Diuine and Philosophâ—â— who was for these parts highly honoured and esteemed of all the Faculties and Degrees in that Vniuersitie This man questionlesse charged the Roman Church on euerie side verie stoutly for not satisfying himselfe in shewing the Pope to bee an Heresâ—arch the Antichrist deciphered in the Scriptures the abhomination of desolation in abstracto in abstract brought in by Sathans guile and their Churches impostume and that he conuinced him to be the same both by the Scriptures the course of all histories diuers preualent reasons and his owne proper actions but further he assaileth the inward poynts of his doctrine taxing it with vanitie superstition and idolatrie reprehending the seruice of the creator conuerted to the creature to mortall men to Saints to reliques to images That the Sacrifice of the Redeemers Passion was turned into the foolish spectacle and mummerie of a Masse the benefit of the death and passion of Christ the sonne of God into dispensations absolutions pilgrimages and indulgences the benefits or rather inchauntments not of a pure but most impure man The people were fallen away from the incomparable merits of Christ our Sauiour to their owne workes from the firme tuition and defence of Christs crosse to the shaken reed of their owne demerits To conclude from God the generall creator to a ridiculous host which must bee worshipped as God though it were knead and made with mens hands And for the furtherance of this so high a worke of Gods he translated the whole Bible into the vulgar Tongue all those heads of doctrine he deliuered to the learned in Latine and to the ignorant in the vulgar Tongue In publique lectures at Oxford he was a Doctor in ordinarie Sermons of the Church a Pastour putting on a brasen forehead against the shamelesse strumpet and a breast of Diamant against the power and violence of the whole Clergie thundring the like euen into the eares of Edward the third then raigning in England and he drew vnto himselfe the attention
thinke nothing more vnworthie or more vnbefitting their dignitie The Monkes are rauening Wolues in sheepes clothing diuels transformed into Angels of light Scribes Pharisies hypocrites painted sepulchres to whom hee applies that prophesie of Paul against false Prophets in the last times 2. Timoth. 3. and the like places The Monasteries of men and women are so many brothell houses their diuinitie meerely scholasticall and that properly which S. Paul would decipher in these words Jdem in Epist de Theolog. studio They dote about questions and strife of words c. Their fruits are like those of the lake of Sodome outwardly faire but inwardly smoke and ashes Ecclesiasticall persons are simoniacall no man hath Orders without argent no man put backe that brings money be he neuer so wicked To such an excesse are they growne in lasciuious wantonnesse that their people the better to defend their wiues chastitie will haue no Priests except they haue concubines The traditions of men euen the least are more esteemed than the lawes of God which whosoeuer shall omit or commit any thing against them shall bee grieuously punished The Legends of Saints are read in stead of Scriptures and consequently the Saints brought into the place of God But because all these corruptions diuers other the like are defended vnder the onely name of the Church he ouerthroweth this foundation Idem in Tractatu contra Simoniacos Notwithstanding saith he the authoritie of the Church militant be great because founded vpon a firme rocke c. yet we are not to attribute vnto it the titles of the Church triumphant That it cannot be deceiued That it cannot sinne for many times it deceiueth Idem contra noua Sanctorum festa and is deceiued I doe not say in matters of faith c. but of fact or manners or iudgement c. And writing to a scholer of Paris touching certaine ordinances of the Councell of Constance Truely saith he it seemeth not conuenient to me to proue the Acts of the Councell by the Councell Jdem ad Scolasticum Parisicus c. but if all the Acts of the Councell be definitions of faith when some produce many Decrees of the holie Fathers and Synods on the contrarie part see what a thing it is this schisme still hanging and in so great varietie of things and opinions and controuersies of learned men to ordaine so many articles of faith whereas it seemeth vnto me to be not onely conuenient but necessarie that those other constitutions or determinations which they affirme to be alledged by others in the contrarie part should be interpreted in behalfe of the truth and of faith and proued not to be contrarie to these least otherwise the Church might seeme to erre in matter of faith determining the contrarie And whereas you say That the Decrees of the Fathers are not woont to depend vpon reason Truely with your good leaue be it spoken if the question be of faith or matter in controuersie it is their manner to rest themselues vpon reasons especially drawne out of the Scriptures or the definitions of the holie Fathers from whose footsteps they depart not without great reason c. And as for that place of Saint Augustine which you alledge c. I should not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not compell me Truely it seemes strange at the first view that he should seeme to preferre the authoritie of the Church trauelling vpon the earth before the authoritie of the Gospell since in many things that may be deceiued this neuer and that the authoritie of the Church as touching the root and foundation thereof consists principally of the Gospell neither can the institution power edification thereof be drawne from any other so expresly and certainely as from the Gospell especially since Paul himselfe saith thereof If an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise let him be accursed otherwise that is a contrarie Gospell He therefore answereth That S. Augustine neuer thought any such thing but was to deale with the Maniches who had their Scriptures proper to themselues and receiued not ours As if he should say It is not out of mine owne particular iudgement that I receiue the Gospell for Canonicall Scripture but the authoritie of the Church which hath acknowledged it to be such That is to say of the Primitiue and Apostolike Church which hath appointed the Canon of the Scriptures some of those being yet liuing that writ them Apostles Euangelists Disciples of the Apostles who could giue testimonie to the truth of these Scriptures that this or that man was the Author of this or that booke being directed by the spirit of God which being inspired from aboue ought to be the rule of our faith and Church To be briefe saith he thou art not ignorant that both Christ our Law-maker and his Apostles preaching the law and faith vnto vs alledged many times their proofes out of the old Testament and the sayings of the Fathers and Prophets to confirme their owne than which we can propose vnto our selues no example more certaine for our imitation since his actions are a most infallible instruction of our manners and actions c. And therefore it is not their parts who hold the Councell by a certaine bolnesse and libertie to doe what pleaseth them to thinke with themselues Wee are the generall Councell let vs carrie our selues boldly we cannot erre They that were at the Councel of Pisa defined and caused it to be published That they by a new election at the instance of certaine ambitious men had taken away the schisme and restored the peace of the Church And yet who is so blind in the Church that by experience of things apparently seeth not how much this opinion deceiued both themselues the whole Church For saith he of what kind of men for the most part doe Councels consist doubtlesse of Lawyers Canonists rather than Diuines of temporal persons whose care is of the things of this world not spirituall How then canst thou hope for a reformation of the Church from them If then saith he they assemble themselues for the recouerie of the temporall peace of the Church there is no necessitie that we should presently beleeue that they are come together in the name of Christ First because they know not whether it be expedient for the health of the Church and that Christ hath determined by this meanes to heale this diuision For what else are temporall afflictions wherewith the Church is oppressed but bitter potions and medicines whereby temporal auarice pride and wantonnesse is beaten downe And who will say that they are assembled in the name of Christ who with this mind seeke the vnitie of the Church who neuerthelesse are so many that they can hardly be numbred These carcall sonnes of the Church doe not onely not care for spirituall things nor haue any feeling of them but persecute those that are according to the spirit as since the time of
cause banished their countrey Theodor. Ã Nyem de schismate l. 3. who repaired to Iohn Hâ—s who as Aeneas Siluius saith gaue him great light in many principall poynts In Italie it selfe Nicholas Lucensis a Carmelite and Doctor of Diuinitie was not afraid out of the pulpet at Lucca in the presence of Gregorie the twelfth to preach against his and the Papall tyrannie whereupon he was cast into prison and hardly got out againe notwithstanding that fauour and helpe he had from the gouernour and from thence forward he was put to silence Besides infinit numbers of all estates and conditions whom euerie where with exquisit torments they put to death in France England and elsewhere some shut vp in barrels some hanged on gibbets some burnt whose memorie remaines in the bookes of their aduersaries themselues Thom. Waldens in Fasciculo Zizoniorum Baptista Panaetius in Chron. in sermon Thom. Walsing in Chron. Thom. Walsing an 1413. in Henr. 5. Waldensis Baptista Panetius Walsingham and others Amongst whom we must not forget Iohn Oldcastle a nobleman of England heire by right of his wife to the Lord Cobham A man saith Walsingham Regi propter probitatem charus acceptus in great fauour with king Henrie the fift for his honestie and likewise renowmed for his valour and great knowledge in feats of armes who in the yeare 1413 is in the historie called the Protector and defender of the Lollards for that name or title was giuen to all those who protested against the corruptions of the Church who sent into the Diocesses of London Rochester Hereford some to publish the truth of the Gospell without the leaue and license of the Ordinaries who were especially in their sermons to confute the doctrine of Transubstantiation the Sacrament of Penitence Perigrinations the worshipping of Images the Keyes vsurped by the Church of Rome For these speciall heads the Authour reciteth Hee therefore reporteth That Oldcastle being by the authoritie of the king committed to the Tower of London and being brought before the Archbishop of Canturburie hee tooke out of his bosome a copie of the confession of his Faith and deliuered it vnto him to read which the Archbishop hauing read said That it contained in it much good and Catholike matter but yet he must satisfie him touching other poynts that is to say the abouenamed but especially that that concerned the power of the Pope and Cardinals and the Roman Hierarchie which Oldcastle refused not to doe but ingeniously professed withall That the Pope was true Antichrist that is his head the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelats his members the Friers his tayle And as touching the other poynts Idem in Ypodigmate Neustriae an 1413. They are ordinances sayth he of the Church of Rome made against the Scriptures after that it grew rich and the poyson had dispersed it selfe therein and not before The place it selfe is worthie the reading that we may acknowledge the agreement of their doctrine with ours against which no man can cauill Wherefore the Archbishop pronounced Oldcastle an heretike and excommunicated him requiring the secular power for the putting of him to death But the king proceeding slowly and vnwillingly in this businesse he escaped out of prison to whom there gathered a great multitude to haue freed him from that danger who were almost all put to the sword and such amongst them as were taken prisoners as well Clergie as Lay vnder a pretence of heresie were put to death whose constancie appeares in these words That the greatest part of them nec quidem poenitere curabant tooke no care to repent If wee may credit Walsingham there were not then lesse than an hundred thousand who made publike profession of this doctrine Another Annalist in few words sayth Iohannes Capgrauius l. 2 de Nobilibus Henricis That Oldcastle was not afraid in the Parliament to say That England would neuer be at peace vntill the Popes power were banished beyond the seas And learned and eloquent as he was he caused many bookes to be scattered in the streets against the inuocation of Saints auricular confession the single life of Priests Transubstantiation and other abuses of the Church of Rome for which cause being led prisoner to London at the last he was burnt But there comes now vpon the stage euen with open faces Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage men by the testimonies of their aduersaries themselues renowmed for their learning and godlie conuersation who being called to publike charge in the Church did publikely preach against the abuses of the Church of Rome euen those that we in these dayes detest and abiure namely against the tyrannie of the Pope whom as their owne Iudges doe testifie they called Antichrist Aeneas Siluius in historia Bohemia c. 35. Aeneas Siluius himselfe who was afterwards Pope Pius the second sayth With the sound of their voyce the spirit of God assisting the word of God thundering in them the people were awakened out of their dead sleepe ran by flockes to this great light enuiting likewise their neighbours from diuers parts And whereas about that verie time Pope Iohn the foure and twentieth had granted a full remission of sinnes to all that would beare armes in defence of the Church of Rome against Ladislans king of Naples Certaine mecanicall persons saith Pius the second hearing this published with a lowd voyce Pope Iohn to be Antichrist bearing the crosse against Christians These good Fathers in the meane time assembled at the Councell of Constance for the reformation as they sayd of the Church as well in the head as in the members who should haue beene stirred vp thereunto by the sound of these Heraulds vnder a pretence of fidelitie as much as in them lay supprest and opprest them Being therefore called to the Councell vnder the trust of a safeconduct granted by the Emperour Sigismond who had called that Councell there to giue a reason of their doctrine they willingly came but presently they were cast into prison declared heretikes and in the end burnt aliue Iohn Hus first and Hierome about a yeare after Cap. 35. These Fathers leauing this Decree for an example and law to all posteritie Haereticis non seruandam fidem That we are not to keepe faith to Heretikes For such they accounted all those as we haue seene that withstood their opinions euen in matters meerely ciuile and that not without an apparent purpose to cut off all hope of a reformation of the Church by a free and lawfull Councell Siluius telleth vs That they were admonished not to thinke themselues more wise than the Church and that it would be easie for them to obtaine an honourable place in the Church if they would renounce their opinions In which meanes of conuerting we may easily note the stile of that auncient Doctor tempting our Sauiour in the desart Cap. 36. But they answer saith Pius That they teach the truth being the disciples of Christ directing themselues
it was said they had craftily gotten into their hands Therefore thinking it best for him to rest quiet hee approueth the conuocation of the Councell of Basil and confirmeth the Legation of Cardinall Iulian and that so much the rather for that Sigismund came into Italie whose alliance with the Duke of Milan and intelligence with the Colonni he feared But this Prince otherwise great either by his owne negligence or more truely by reason of pouertie came thither in so poore a manner that hee easily put away from him all feare We haue seene him saith Valla with few followers about him liue but as for a day and he would haue perished for hunger if Eugenius had not fed him though not gratis for he wrested from him the Donation He comming to Rome to bee crowned Emperour of the Romans could not be crowned of the Pope but on condition that he should ratifie the donation of Constantine and also giue all those things anew Yea he addeth in indignation What is more contrarie than to be crowned Roman Emperour and to renounce Rome to be crowned of him whom he confesseth and as much as in him lyeth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire and to ratifie a donation which if it be true leaueth to the Emperour nothing of the Empire which I thinke children would not haue done Yea and Eugenius adiureth him before he set the Crowne on his head presently to depart Rome and to stay no longer in Italie and so hee forthwith passed the Alpes Platina in Eugenio 4. and returned into Germanie And this is it Platina hath In the beginning of his Popedome moued by the words of the Emperour Princes and Prelats he confirmed the Councel of Basil euen by his Apostolicall letters for he was so vexed with warres that he scarcely had power to breath but taking heart againe hee constantly and prudently administred all things Thus spake hee in fauour of the Popes Whereup Eugenius stoutly taketh vpon him to dissolue this Councell or to assigne another somewhere else and he publisheth his Bulls whereby he reuoketh both the Councell and Cardinall Iulian whom he had appointed to preside there who speedily returneth to him into Italie The Fathers of the Councell on the contrarie by their embassadours sundrie times beseech him That he would come and be there present himselfe otherwise by dissoluing the Councell hee would giue occasion of scandall yea they decree That reuocation can haue no place and set before him the most grieuous punishments propounded in the Councell of Constance vnlesse he would obey but if he purpose which he hideth to hold another Councell they declare openly that there can be but onely one And that if he breake it off Sess 10.11.12.26 he with his is to expect the like judgement of God as in time past fell vpon Core Dathan and Abiron schismatikes Lastly they admonish cite blame accuse and adiure him leauing no forme requisit vnobserued or done they abrogat the Cardinals by him created for to hold another Councell Sess 31.34 35. they suspend him from the Popedome depose him pronounce him a notorious schismatike periurer heretike scandalous incorrigible obstinat depriued deposed put downe and as such a one they take from him all obedience and make a Decree for the chusing another in his roome All which things in their order reach to the yeare 1439. And these things were done notwithstanding the Emperour Sigismund in the meane time was deceased who had chiefely set forward the Councell that Eugenius also with his had assigned another Councell first at Ferrara in the yeare 1438 An. 1438. and after by reason of the pestilence there transferred it in the yeare 1439 to Florence An. 1493. whither came the Emperour Palaeologus of Greece to entreat the succours of the Latines against the Turkes and for that cause as it was thought was the more pliable to the pretentions of the Romish Church But the Fathers of the Councell of Basil proceed farther to the election of a successor and prescribe beforehand the forme of the oath that hee ought to take namely To execute and obserue the Decrees of the Councells of Constance and Basil Sess 37. also to procure the celebration of generall Councels and confirmation of elections according to the Decrees of the sacred Councell of Basil They further declare the Councell of Ferrara to be vnlawfull and none at all and tearme it a Conuenticle And presently also authorise three Catholike truthes against certaine Inuectiues of Eugenius The first is That the power of a generall Councell representing the vniuersall Church Sess 38. is aboue the Pope and all other whomsoeuer is a truth of Catholike Faith Secondly That the Pope can by no meanes of his owne authoritie dissolue a generall Councell or prorogue it to another time or transferre it from one place to another without the consent thereof Thirdly That he which obstinatly repugneth the foresaid truthes is to be rudged an heretike And these they handle in a writing published expresly In the end they enter into the Conclaue and chuse for Pope Amades Duke of Sauoy absent by the name of Felix the fourth who a little before did liue an Hermits life at Ripaille vpon the lake of Lausanne In the meane time Eugenius was not idle in Italie Charles the seuenth king of France who held for the Councell of Basil had sent his gallies into the Ionicke sea for to meet Iohn Palaeologus Emperour of the East and to giue him to vnderstand in what place the lawfull Councell was held to persuade him to take land in France thence to conduct him to Basil Eugenius hauing corrupted with money the Generall of the French gallies breaketh off his course and draweth him to his part Whereupon Eugenius taketh occasion not a little to commend his Councell by the hope of making an vnion betweene the Roman and Greeke Church which notwithstanding as it seemed continued not long And so hauing dismissed his conuenticle he returneth to Rome where he is receiued with greater applause than before On the other part the Councell of Basil continuing still neuerthelesse it troubled him and truce being made betweene the kings of France and England whereby the souldiers on both parts were dismissed Eugenius taketh the occasion offered and winneth the Dolphine of France who was afterward Lewis the eleuenth who of those broken troupes gathered together to the number of thirtie thousand and more and vnder diuers pretences marcheth towards Basil but indeed with a purpose as the Historiographers of Italie doe testifie to terrifie the Fathers of the Councell for to constraine them to breake it off When these were entred on the territorie of the citie the Cantons of the Switzers ran to succour it There foure thousand Switzers sustained a violence and force neuer before heard of in a conflict that continued till night of the Switzers fighting it out euen to the last gaspe there hardly escaped an hundred and fiftie
taught by the word of God not to feare them that can kill the bodie only but him that can cast the soule into hell Lastly That seeing the embassadors of Eugenius dare preach euerie where their new doctrine That the Pope is aboue the Church they ought not deferre the publication of those three Conclusions yea That they should imitat the Apostle Paul who would not for one houre forbeare Peter not walking according to the truth of the Gospell with a right foot But that the other things which respect his person might be deferred least Panormitan exclaime more than needs At these words Panormitan Ludouicus Romanus and others made a great tumult and greatly vpbraided him That he had related those Conclusions at Louaine and at Colonia which he himselfe also denied not And verie hardly could Iohn de Segouia obtaine silence to be made though all did take an exceeding great delight to heare him speake He then strongly confirmed the sentence of the President after many forcible arguments The followers of Eugenius saith he preach heresie all the world ouer neither doth any say vnto them that they should surcease but to you that intend to publish the truth a thousand things are whispered in your eares for to make you be silent c. And to you my Lord President I say that you must rather please God than Princes If you therefore depart hence without conclusion know that you shall render an account thereof in the seuere iudgement of God And at length the Cardinall of Arles pronounceth sentence whereby the minds of the contrarie partie were sore troubled The Councell had established eight Conclusions yet with intention to retaine onely the three former These saith he in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost I conclude This said he rose vp cheerefully and very many striuing kisse the skirts of his garments it being the common opinion That this was rather a worke of the holie Ghost than of him Panormitan being much ashamed retireth to his lodging and in his chamber complaineth of his king the king of Arragon in that he had compelled him to fight against the truth and to lose his reputation and his soule And the Author addeth That notwithstanding his protestation he had seene him oftentimes in his studie complaining of his Prince that he was carried away with the counsell of others and the Archbishop of Arles vpbraideth him that none was more eagre in publishing the errours of Eugenius none more readie to the Monitories and suspension and therefore that he should examine his conscience Now in the end the Decree is read and published and the Hymne Te Deum sung according to custome with the assent of the embassadors of the Princes yea of the Emperour and of the king of France notwithstanding the endeuours of the aduerse parties to the contrarie and they protested by the mouth of the Archbishop of Tours That what they had moued to the contrarie had not beene for that they doubted of the truth and holinesse of those Conclusions for which they were euen readie to suffer martyrdome but that they might reserue to themselues some way of treating a peace The same Authour noteth That the pestilence waxing hot at Basil many of the Prelats departed into diuers places who at the point of death receiuing the Sacrament said to their friends that stood about them We are within few houres to appeare before the tribunall seat of God All yee which be present pray to God to conuert them who acknowledge Gabriel to wit Eugenius for Pope because they cannot be saued in that estate testifying euen to the last gaspe that they will dye in the faith of the Councell of Basil And notwithstanding all this danger the Cardinall of Arles would not depart till he had fully brought to passe both the deposition of Eugenius and the election and coronation of a new Pope which was Amade Duke of Sauoy called Felix the fourth Then because he had beene maried grew a question whether he might be chosen it was determined That not onely he who hath had a wife but he which yet hath one may be admitted For why else say they doe our Doctors dispute Whether one that hath a wife being chosen Pope is bound to yeeld the duetie of mariage to his wife but because also a maried man may be receiued There haue been also as you know Popes in mariage state neither was Peter the Prince of the Apostles without a wife Why doe we now obiect these things It may be it were neuer the worse if many Priests did marie Sacerdores quam-plures vxorari because many would be saued in a maried Priesthood which in a barren are damned Some doe note That the Cardinall of Arles to whom the prayse of this whole action is referred being sent from the Councell into lower Germanie in his returne verie hardly escaped an ambush which Eugenius had layd against him so that he seemed not without cause to haue said in a certaine Session of the Councell Christ was sold for thirtie peeces of siluer but I was sold for a farre greater price for fortie crownes of gold deliuered and payed by Gabriel sometime Eugenius that I might be taken prisoner and presented vnto him It is worthie remembrance That when Eugenius had sent Legat Iulian Cardinall of Saint Angelo to the Councell of Basil presently after sent him commaundement to dissolue it Iulian laied open vnto him by letters how great an iniurie he should doe himselfe and brought many reasons against it Epist Julian Cardin. Legati in German ad Eugen. Papam among others this That the Bohemians who had beene called thither would by good right say Is not heere the finger of God seene Behold armies haue so often sled from before them and now the vniuersall Church also flieth Behold they can neither be ouercome with armes nor by learning Whereas hee alledged his warres although he most certainely foresaw that he should lose Rome and the whole patrimonie of the Church that he ought rather forgoe them than breake off the Councell seeing that the saluation of one soule for which Christ died is deerer vnto him than all the temporall demaine of the Church than the whole world than heauen it selfe If not saith he Now is the axe layed to the root the tree leaneth ready to fall neither can it long persist For the feare also hee was brought into least the Councell would take away the temporall of the Church A wonderfull matter saith hee if this Councell did not consist of Churchmen it might perhaps bee doubted But what Church-man is there will consent to this determination not only because it were against faith but because it would redound to their owne detriment c. But I feare least it happen vnto vs as it did to the Iewes who said If wee let this man goe the Romans will come and take away our place and our nation So likewise we if we
fulnesse of power But wilt thou know saith he what is that Tibi dabo in vertue of which thou mayst chalenge to thy selfe that thy soueraigne iurisdiction read in the Gospell what Sathan saith to Christ Tibi dabo I will giue thee all these kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me c. And as for doctrine he complaineth that it is all euerie where besprinkled with fables O wonderfull madnesse of men saith he which giue credit to these old wiues doting tales But how long is it since this was done before the comming of the Sauiour or since Nothing of these things is knowne He may be ashamed of their triflings and more than mimick lightnesse A Christian man which calleth himselfe the sonne of Truth and of Light would blush to vtter such things which are not onely not true but also nothing probable or likely c. Christian sinceritie hath no need to be maintained by falshood it is of it selfe sufficiently ynough defended by it owne truth and light without those fained and deluding fables most contumelious against God against Christ and against the holie Ghost c. But our fable-tellers bring in Idols speaking c. Neither can I be persuaded that these writers were any other than Infidels who did it in derision of Christians c. We discerne false money reiect it and call it in and shall we not discerne but retaine a false Authour Shall we mixe these fables with good bookes Shall wee defend them for good But we had need to set downe here the whole booke Nicholas Cusan by nation a German Doctor of Diuinitie and afterward a Cardinall the most learned of this age in his books De Concordantia Catholica consenteth to the Councell of Basil Aeneas Syluius l. 1. de Gestis Basiliensis Concilij Nichol. Cusanus de concord Catholic lib. 1. c. 11. Idem c. 14. 15. Ibid. cap. 15. 16. though Aeneas Syluius nameth him that Hercules of Eugenius and bewaileth That so noble a wit had turned aside to defend that schismatike In the first booke he defendeth and proueth these Positions That all the promises of Christ speaking to Peter I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of hell c. I haue prayed for thee c. are to be refered to the vniuersall Church and not particularly to S. Peter or his successour especially seeing many Popes haue beene schismatikes and heretikes That euerie Bishop hath his seat in the Church according to the priuiledge of the place which he holdeth and by that reason the Bishop of Rome obtaineth the same degree of Presidencie which Rome had in old time among the Gentiles and he addeth on an heape That the Apostles had chosen Peter for their head but whence doth that appeare That otherwise if they should hold place according to the holinesse of him that first sat there or according to the reuerence of the place it is not to be doubted but that Ierusalem ought to haue the Primacie where our chiefe Priest washed his Church with his owne bloud but that Ephesus the seat of S. Iohn should be preferred before Alexandria where S. Marke and so of the rest That it belongeth to the duetie of the Bishop of Rome to assemble a generall Councell of all the Churches of whom he is acknowledged which duetie if hee should slacke to performe the Emperor ought to supplie it in his stead least the Church should suffer damage In the second booke L. 2. c. 2. That this Councell dependeth not on the Head thereof but on the consent of all which sit there who ought to contribute what in them is to the making of the Decrees so that no prescription may take place to the contrarie Ibid. c. 8. Ibid. c. 12. seeing that the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome euen sitting President is not greater there than that of euerie Metrpoolitan in his Prouince That indeed Peter himselfe hath receiued in no wise greater authoritie from Christ than the rest of the Apostles neither was there any thing said vnto him that was not said equally to the others as well as to him for as much as they are no lesse Rockes than Peter so that that which is said Vpon this rock c. is to be referred to his Confession not to his Person therefore seeing the power of binding and loossing is the foundation of all diuine jurisdiction it is manifest that all Bishops and perhaps all Priests Idem l. 2. c. 13. as touching jurisdiction haue equall power He restraineth afterwards not as touching the execution quae sub certis positiuis terminis clauditur which is limited with certaine positiue bounds that is ordained by mans law but he addeth That the cause thereof ceasing all degrees also of maioritie and minoritie doe cease so that it returneth againe to naturall right to wit to that equalitie That an vniuersall Councell without all controuersie is aboue the Bishop of Rome whose power if in some places it be said to be of Christ yet in many other places it is held That his Primacie is from men and dependeth on the Canons Wherefore Idem ibid. c. 17. 18. 19. as he may be both judged and deposed by a Councel so he cannot abrogat change or contrarie the Canons of Councels For proofe whereof wee read Jbid. c. 20. 21. That the Popes legats haue spoken standing in vniuersal Councels their letters were woont to be examined And his Decretals are inferior to the Canons which if the Pope contradict hee is not heard All which positions he proueth verie largely both by the Decrees and by the writings of the Fathers themselues Jdem l. 3. c. 3. 4. In the third booke he euidently proueth by many arguments drawne from out of Ecclesiasticall antiquitie That it is false that Constantine either gaue the Empire of the West to the Pope or could giue it That it is nothing truer that Popes haue bestowed the Empire on Charlemaine or to any of his successours or translated it from the Greekes to the Germans as they pretend That it is most false that the Electors of the Empire were instituted by the Pope and in his name did proceed in their election he maintaineth to the contrarie That the Emperour doth so depend of God alone that he hath no need to bee confirmed by the Pope and that he can in no wise be deposed by the Pope That in his charge the Emperour is the minister and Vicar of Christ Idem ibid. c. 6. 7. appoynted by him supreme keeper and preseruer of the Faith by which reason also he himselfe ought to bee present in Councell and euerie Prince in his dominions may vse the same and like right That the Emperours at all times haue assembled vniuersall Councels Ibid. c. 8. 9. and haue defended their order as Kings and Princes haue vndertaken the care of Nationall and Prouinciall yet neuerthelesse the Emperour and the Pope concurring together this charging
consent to the dissolution of the Councell of Basill And if any be moued at it that they are readie to aunswer actum est ne agas That hee hath that promise from the Chauncellour of Fraunce that they had heard that the kings Embassadours allured with certaine promotions made great shew that the king would consent to the dismission of the Councell but that they had resolued to resist him to his face And there we haue a Treatise concerning that matter written in the yeare 1434 by Iohn Patriarch of Antioch An. 1434. which he caused publiquely to be pronounced in the great hall of the Couent of Franciscan Friers in Basill That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope It beginneth Ad ostendendum Where out of the Fathers and by the Decrees he bringeth it to this In 3. vol. Concil in Append. Concil Basiliens ad ostendend That the Pope is the seruant of the Church to be chastised by it if he doe his duetie amisse and confuteth at large whatsoeuer is alledged to the contrarie Let the Reader see the booke it selfe in the Councels At the same time whilest the Popes boasted that the Greekes did acknowledge obedience vnto them are published two bookes of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica against the Primacie of the bishop of Rome In the first booke he sheweth Nilus Archiepisc Thessalon de Primatu That the principall controuersies between the Greeke and Latin Church proceed from this that the Pope will not be judged by an vniuersal Councell but contrariwise as a master among his disciples will be Iudge in his owne cause whereas he ought to be ruled by the prescriptions of the Councel and contain himselfe within the Decrees of the Fathers That the bishop of Rome hath not the same power ouer other bishops as a bishop hath ouer his Diocesans but hath onely the prerogatiue of the first seat to be higher than other And here hee enlargeth himselfe to shew the commoditie and authortie of Councels In the second book he teacheh That the bishop of Rome hath not the right of Primacie from Christ nor yet from S. Peter nor from the Apostles but that the Fathers for some causes haue giuen vnto him the first seat That he is not the successour of S. Peter but inasmuch as he is a bishop by which reason also all other bishops are his successors That he is not an Apostle much lesse prince of the Apostles That in those things which pertain to the rules of faith they may haue often erred That he hath no right to alledge his Tu es Petrus because that promise respecteth the Church of Christ and not S. Peter and much lesse him whom they would haue to be his successours That though we yeeld him to be first in order yet he is not therfore to beare domination ouer others this Primacie not inferring an order aboue others but a co-ordination with others Moreouer he rejected these presumtions of the Bishop of Rome That he is the Iudge of all to be judged of none That he is not bishop of a certaine place but absolutely bishop That he alone by his owne right ought to assigne an vniuersal Councell and the like seeing that the Primacie or rather first Seat was granted to him onely propter vrbis principatum because Rome was the first or chiefest in order among cities We need not here repeat how openly and as they speake formally the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia opposed themselues earnestly desiring reformation of the Church according to the holie Scriptures exhibiting to this end a confession of their Faith to their King to the Emperour and to the Councell and preaching the same publikely in the Temples which by publike authoritie were then granted vnto them Also after faith was broken with Iohn Hus how stoutly they defended it by just and necessarie armes God from heauen fighting for the safegard of that poore people vtterly frustrating all the endeuours of the Emperour and of the Popes against them as we haue aboue shewed out of Aeneas Syluius for they haue continued without interruption vntill these our times But it is worth the adding That those Waldenses who some ages before had brought this light of the Gospell into Bohemia abode still in the mountaines of Languedoc and Prouence and in many places within the Alpes and there kept themselues safe from the persecution of Popes and Papists In Lombardie also as witnesseth Antonine vnder the name of Fratricelli were some knowne to the time of Eugenius But in England especially the seed of Wickliffe was largely propagated where without repeating any thing of Sir Iohn Oldeastle of whom wee haue before spoken we read of verie many to haue suffered martyrdome for the same doctrine William Taylour Priest and professor of Artes in the Vniuersitie of Oxford An. 1422. An. 1428. in the yeare 1422 and William White in the yeare 1428 Author of many Treatises vpon matters controuerted in that time was burned for thirtie articles which by word and writing he had defended He taught among other things That the Roman Church was that withered fig tree which the Lord had cursed for barrennesse of faith That the Monkes and Friers were the annoynted and shauen souldiers of infernall Lucifer That against these the Bridegroome when he shall come will shut the gate for that their lampes are out With the same mind also Alexander Fabritius in his Treatise intituled Destructorium vitiorum wrot many excellent things against the corruptions of the Romish Church against the antiquitie of which he opposed this saying of S. Cyprian If Christ alone saith he ought to bee heard we are not to attend what men before vs haue thought fit to bee done but what Christ first before all hath done If Christ had knowne that man might more easily get eternall life by the lawes of Iustinian than by the law of God he would haue taught them vs with his owne mouth and would haue let goe the law of God till another time which notwithstanding he hath taught with great diligence and wherein is contained all the doctrine requisit to saluation Againe He is a betrayer of the truth who openly speaketh a lye for the truth and he which doth not freely pronounce the truth the Pastors of the Church which refuse to pronounce the truth of the Gospell and by their euill examples slay such as be vnder them are traytors and most manifest Antichrists The Pastors and Prelats of the Church take great paines in these dayes for the obtaining of dignities one in the kings kitchin another in the Bishops Court another in seruice of his Lord but none in the Court of the Law of God Proud Priests and Prelats against the doctrine and example of Iesus Christ doe beare dominion as the kings of the Gentiles Being vniust they oppresse theirs with superfluous traditions vniust constitutions These moderne Priests doe whatsoeuer flesh and bloud reuealeth vnto them therefore are they cursed
Epist 1. That which our embassadours haue reported vnto you beleeue it as a thing most true none otherwise than if S. Peter had by oath confirmed it Doth it not seeme vnto you that the sentence of deposition hurteth the Maiestie of the Empire For our conscience assureth vs of our integritie we haue God with vs whom we call to witnesse that we haue neuer had any other end than to bring Church-men to perseuere in the true faith such as it was in the Primitiue Church when they imitated the humilitie of Christ and life of the Apostles for then Clergie men were often woont to see the Angels to shine in myracles to heale the sicke raise the dead and subdue Princes not with enimies but with holinesse whereas they that liue in this age are giuen to the world and drunken with delights Deum humeris induunt they counterfeit God and choke our religion by the superfluitie of their riches To withdraw from them then these superfluous riches that hurt them and ouerwhelme them with so great damage is it to doe against charitie To the performance therefore of this worke together with vs we inuite all Princes for they which lay aside superfluous things doe serue God the better and yee ought to take order that God may be well serued And at length the Author a famous Lawyer in his time concludeth And these are perhaps the things for which in those times they thought Frederick to deserue the name of the enemie of the Church But yet Historians are not silent Math. Paris in Henrico 3. An. 1249. that he was impoysoned Mathew Paris Potionatus the Chronicle of Augsburg Veneno extinctus Killed by poyson and Sigonius himselfe others say stifled with a pillow cast on his mouth namely to hasten his time whereof Manfred his bastard sonne was suspected whom notwithstanding saith Sigonius Compilatio Chronolg apud Pistorium he left heyre with his other brethren for which cause many discharged him of it without doubt for to burthen therewith Pope Innocent which Cuspinian doth expresse in these tearmes Manfred saith he choked him with a pillow hauing beene corrupted whether by his enemie and who was a greater or by the Pope And thus are we brought to the yeare 1250. An. 1250. All this passed whilest S. Lewis made warre in the Holie Land who there lost the battell and fell prisoner into the hands of the Souldan neither do Historians dissemble who was the author of this ouerthrow The brethren saith Paris of the king of France entreated the Pope in the behalfe of the said king and of themselues that he would make peace with Frederick humbled and humbly offering satisfaction to the Church according to the honour he bare to the vniuersall Church The said brethren also of the king namely the Earles of Poitou and of Prouence layd to his charge That by his couetousnesse all this misfortune was happened for the Pope saith he had hindered the crossed souldiers corrupting them with money from going to the kings succour and had absolued from the vow of their peregrination them which before he had crossed for the Holie Land by the preaching Friers and Minorites Moreouer he had sold the crossed souldiers to Earle Richard and other great men as in times past the Iewes were woont to sell sheepe and doues in the Temple whom Christ in his wrath cast forth as it is in the Gospell This is the testimonie that historie giueth to this Innocent contrariwise of Frederick Auentine saith That he was without doubt the most potent Auent l. 7. and the most profitable Prince to the Commonweale of Christendome that had beene since Charlemaine and without contradiction the most wise Witnesse Nicholas Cusan Bishop of Brixen Cardinall of Rome a man euerie way most learned and Egidius Romanus Archbishop of Bourges in Gaule a famous Philosopher and Peripatetick who in the bookes that he wrot of the institution of a king to the Westerne Emperours of France exhorteth them to follow him for example The same Frederick caused all the bookes of Aristotle and many others both sacred and prophane all the treasure of Philosophie to be by most learned interpreters translated out of the Greeke and Arabian tongues in which he had taken pleasure from his youth He gaue great priuiledges yea the Burgesie of Rome to all the people of Prussia and of Sarmatia because they had forsaken the seruice of false gods for to embrace Christian pietie His power his strength his prudence his high courage his experience in militarie affaires his neerenesse for he made his abode in Italie contrarie to the custome of the auncient Emperours gouerned Germanie by his sonne and onely twice went out of Italie into Germanie was dreadfull and suspicious to the See of Rome Which Gregorie the ninth denied not but freely confessed And because the Empire flourished more than was to the liking of the Roman Cardinals placuit it was their pleasure not onely to bruise and breake it with discords but also to bring it into ashes and to cast downe Frederick from the highest step of humane things There remaineth summarily to quote what commodities these three Popes persecutors of Frederick haue brought vnto the Church in counterchange of so many discommoditie Innocent the third and Honorius the third approued the rules of Francis and Dominick Gregorie the ninth canonized them Chronic. Martini Platina in Innocentio 4. and Anthonie of Padua besides and Innocent the fourth not to seeme inferiour vnto them enregistreth in the same Calender Edmund of Canturburie Stanislaus of Cracouia and Peter of Verona And we haue seene what myracles they did by these Friers and from that time forth you shall hardly meet with any Pope that maketh not some Saints Let the Reader judge with what warrants these men can place others in the kingdome of heauen which by so horribly wicked actions make themselues vnworthie to liue vpon earth Johannes de Oppido Extra de Celebr Missarum C. sane cum olim Durandus in Rationa l. 41. Nauclerus Gener 42. vol. l. Math. Paris in Henrico 3. Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 18. Extr. C. Propos de Concess praebend causa 25. q. 1. 16 glossa Plat. in Jnnocentio 4. Also Innocent the third ordayned Transubstantiation Honorius made the Hoste to bee on the knees adored and to bee carried to sicke persons with burning torches Gregorie the ninth that hee might not remayne behind ordayned the little bell which being rung warneth all men to adore it the Salue Regina also for to be sung in Churches and the Aue Maria when the bell tolleth Alexander the third Innocent the third Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth made many Decrees the most part to authorise the Church of Rome in her pretended fulnesse of power Innocent the third went so farre as he feared not say We can according to the fulnesse of power dispence of the law euen aboue the law which the Glosse