by the sworde both in Citie and in Towne some beyng sought for some offeryng themselues willyngly least they shoulde seeme by their sylence to deny Christ. Thus al the Christians that could be founde without pitie were slaine and diuers also of the kinges owne court and housholde Amonge whome was also Azades an Eunuche and whome the Kyng did entirely loue and fauour Which Asades after that the King vnderstoode to be put to death beyng greatly mooued with the sorrow thereof commaunded after that no Christians to bee slayne but them onely which were the Doctours and teachers of Chrystian Religion In the same tyme it happened that the Queene fell into a certaine disease vpon the occasion whereof the cruell Iewes with the wicked Magicians falsely and malicyously accused Trabula the sister of Symeon the Martyr a godly Uirgine with an other sister also of hers that they had wrought pryuie charmes to hurt the Queene for the reuenging of the death of Symeon This accusation beyng receaued and beleeued innocent Trabula with the other were condemned and with a sawe cut in sunder by the middle Whose quarters were then hanged vpon stakes the Queene goyng betweene them thinking thereby to be deliuered of her sickenes This Trabula was a mayde of a ryght comelye beauty and verye amiable to whome one of the Magicians cast great loue much desiring and labouryng by gyftes and rewardes sent into the pryson to wynne her to hys pleasure promising that if she woulde applye to hys request shee shoulde bee deliuered and set at lybertye But she vtterly refusing to consente vnto hym or rather rebukyng him for his incontinent attempt dyd chuse rather to dye then to betray eyther the Religion of her minde or the virginitie of her body Zozom Now forsomuch as the king had cōmaunded that no Christians should be put to death but onely such as were the teachers and leaders of the flocke the Magicians and Archmagitians left no diligence vntried to set forward the matter Whereby great affliction and persecutions was among the Byshops and teachers of the Church which in all places went to slaunghter especially in the country of Diabenor for that part of Persia aboue al other was most Christian. Where Acepsimas the Byshop with a great number of his flocke and clergy were apprehended and taken vpon the apprehension of whō the Magicians to satisfie the kings commaundement dismissed al the rest onely depriuing them of their liuing and goods Onely Acepsimas the bishop they retayned with whom one Iacobus a Minister or priest of his church was also ioined not of any compulsion but onely as himselfe so desired and obtained of those Magicians that he might folow him be coupled in the same bonds to serue the aged byshop and to relieue so much as he might his calamities and heale his woundes For he had bene sore scourged before of the Magians after they had apprehended him and brought him to worshippe the sunne which thing because he would not do they cast him into prison againe where this Iacobus was waiting vpō him At the same time likewise Athalis a Priest or Minister also Azadanes and Abdiesus Deacons were imprysoned and miserably scourged for the testimony of the Lorde Iesus After this the Archimagus espying his time complaineth to the king of them hauing authoritie and commission giuen him vnles they would worship the sunne to punish them as he pleased This commaundement receyued of the king the master Magus doth declare to thē in prison But they aunswered againe plainely that they would neuer be either betraiers of Christ or worshippers of the sunne wherupon without mercy they were put to bitter torments Where Acepsimas strongly persisting in the confession of christ endureth to death The other being no lesse rent wounded with scourges yet cōtinued meruailously aliue And because they woulde in no case turne from their constant sentence were turned againe into prison Of whome Athalas in the time of his whipping was so drawne rackt with pulling that both his armes being loosed out of the ioynts hanged downe from his body which he so caried about without vse of any hande to feede himselfe but as he was fed of other Miserable and almost innumerable were the slaughters vnder the raigne of this Sapores of Byshops Ministers Deacons religious men holy virgins and other ecclesiasticall persons such as did then cleaue to the doctrine of Christ and suffered for the same The names of the bishops besides the other multitude taken in that persecution is recited in Sozom. lib. 2. and in Niceph. lib. 8 cap. 37. in this order following Barbasymes Paulus Gaddiabes Sabinus Mareas Mocius Iohannes Hormisdas Papas Iacobus Romas Maares Agas Bochres Abdas Abiesus Ioannes Abramius Agdelas Sabores Isaac Dausas Bicor also with Maureanda his fellow bishop and the rest of his Churches vnder hym to the number of 250. persons which were the same time apprehended of the Persians c. Briefly to cōprehend the whole multitude of them that suffered in that persecution the maner of their apprehension the cruelnes of their tormēts how and where they suffered in what places it is not possible for any history to discharg Neither are the Persians them selues as Zozomenus recordeth able to recyte them In summe the multitude and number of thē whom they are able to recite by name commeth to the summe of xvj thousand men and women The rumor and noyse of this so miserable affliction of the Christians in the kingdome of Persia comming to the eares of Constantinus the Emperour put him in great heauines studing and reuoluing with himselfe howe to helpe the matter which in deede was very hard for him to do It so befell the same time that certaine Embassadours were then at Rome from Sapores king of Persia to whom Constantinus did easely graunt and consent satisfying all their requestes and demaundes thinking thereby to obtaine the more friendship at the kings handes that at hys request he would be good to the Christians to whome he writeth his Epistle in their behalfe and sendeth the same by his messengers beginning thus Diuinam fidem seruans veritatis lucem sortior Veritatis luce ductus diuinam fidem cognosco Per ea igitur quibus illa res agēdas confirmat sanctissimam religionem cognitam redd◠hunc m◠cultum doctorem cognitionis sancti dei habere confiteor c. Eusebius de vita Constantinus lib. 4. The contentes whereof briefly do tende to this effect Declaring vnto him how he should stand much beholden to him if at his request he would shew some quiet and rest to the Christians In whose religion there was nothing which he could iustly blame For so much as in their sacrifices they vse to kil nothing nor to shed no bloud but only to offer vp vnbloudy sacrifices to make their praiers vnto God who delighteth not in bloud shedding but onely in the soule that loueth
among vs of this age of the Church but also among the Auncient fathers Whereof S. Austen speaking of his commendation sayth Ego inquit literas Cypriani non vt canonicas habeo sed eas ex canonisis considero quod in eis deuinarum Scripturarum autoritati congruit cum laude eius accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace eius respuo c. By which words it may appeare that Austen although he did not repute y◠bookes and writings of Cyprian to be equiualent with the holy Scripture yet notwithstanding next after the scriptures he had the same in great admiration Vincentius and Laziardus Celestinus recyting the names of dyuers bookes bearyng the tytle of Cyprian moe perchaunce then be truly his do collect out of them a certaine extract of his most pithy sentences al which here to repeat were to tedious To giue a tast of the speciall I thought it not impertinent As where he speaking of the treasures of a rich man exhorteth saying Ne dormiat in thesauris tuis quod pauperi prodesse potest◠i. Let it not sleepe in thy treasures that may profite the poore Duo nunquam veterascunt in homine cor semper nouas cogitationes machinando lingua cordis vanas conceptiones proferendo i. Two things neuer waxe old in man the hart euer in imagining new cogitations the toung euer in vttering the vaine conceptions of the hart Quod aliquando de necessitate amittendum est sponte prodiuina remuneratione distribuendum est .i. That which a man must needes forgo of necessitie wisedome it is a man to distribute so that God may euerlastingly reward him Disciplina est morum praesentium ordinata correctio malorum praeteritorum regularis obseruatio i. Discipline is an ordinate amendment of maners present and a regular obseruation of euils past Integritas ibi nulla esse potest vbi qui improbos damnent desunt soli qui damnentur occurrunt There can be no integrity wheras they which should condemne the wicked are euer wanting and they only which are to be condemned are euer present Auari ad hoc tantum possident quae habent vt ne alteri possidere liceat A couetous man onely possesseth his goodes for this because an other should not possesse them Sericum purpurum indutae Christum induere non possunt Wemen that aduaunce themselues in putting on silks and purple cannot lightly put on Christ. Foeminae crines suos inficiunt malo praesagio Capillos enim sibi flammeos auspicari non metuunt They which colour their lockes with red and yealow beginne betime to prognosticate of that colour theyr heades shall be in hell Qui se pingunt in hoc seculo aliter quam creauit Deus metuant ne cum resurrectionis venerit dies artifex creaturam suam non recognoscat They which loue to paynt themselues in this world otherwise then God hath created thē let them feare least when the day commeth of resurrection the creator will not know them Qui pauperi eleemosinam dat Deo suauitatis odorem sacrificat He that gyueth an almes to the poore sacrificeth to God an odour of swete smell Contemnenda est omnis iniuria praesentium molorum fiducia futurorum bonorum All iniurie of euils presēt to be neglected for the good hope of good thinges to come Nihil prodest verbis proferre virtutem factis destruere To set out vertue in wordes and to destroy the same in factes is nothing worth Quo plures domi sint tibi liberi hoc plus tibi non recondendum sed erogandum est quia multorum iam delicta redimenda sunt multorum purgandae conscientiae The mo children and greater houshoulde thou hast at home the more cause thou hast not to horde vp but to disperse abroode for that many sinnes are to be redeemed many consciences are to be purged ¶ Moreouer least the Papists here should take an occasion by this text grounded vpon the text of Tobi cap. 4. Almose saith he deliuereth from al sinne and death to build vp the workes of satisfactiō the said Cyprian Lib. 4. Epist 2. more plainely expoundeth both himselfe and that place of Scripture writing in these wordes Quia scriptum est Eleemosina ab omni peccato morte liberat Yob 4. non vtique ab ea morte quam semel Christi sanguis extinxit a qua nos salutaris Baptismi tedemptoris nostri gratia liberauit sed ab illa quae per delicta postmodum serpit c. That is Almose doth deliuer from all sinne and from death Yob 4. not from that saith Cyprian which the bloude of Christ hath once extincted and from which the wholsome grace of our Baptisme and of our redeemer hath deliuered vs but frō that death which afterward creepeth in by sinne c. Cyprian Lib. 4. Epist. 2. by which words it is apparant that Cyprian meaneth this deliueraunce which commeth by almose gyuing from death and sinne not to be expounded nor to be taken for death euerlasting from which only the bloude of Christ doth saue vs but for temporall or transitory punishment which is wont to be inflicted in this body of sin For so it is nothing repugnaunt but that temporall vertues may haue their temporall rewards in this life likwise sinnes committed may haue temporal punishments both of vs and in our families our eternal saluation standing euermore firme in Christ yet notwithstanding The foresaide Vincentius moreouer speaking of an other booke of Cyprian although the said booke be not numbred in the Catalogue of his workes maketh mention of xij abuses or absurdities in the life of man which in order be these 1. Sapiens sine operibus A wise man without good workes 2. Senex sine religione An old man without religion 3. Adolescens sine obedientia A young man without obedience 4. Diues sine eleemosina A rich man without almose 5. Foemina sine pudicitia A woman shameles 6. Dominus sine virtute A guide without vertue 7. Christianus contentiosus A Christian man contentious 8. Pauper superbus A poore man proude 9. Rex iniquus A king vnrighteous 10. Episcopus negligens A byshop negligent 11. Plebs sine disciplina People without discipline 12. Populus sine lege Subiectes without law As I haue hetherto set forth the commendation of Cyprian this blessed Martyr so must we nowe take heede againe that we do not here incurre the old common daunger whiche the Papystes are commonlye accustomed to runne into whose fault is alwayes almost to be immoderate and excessiue in their procedings making to much almost of euery thing So in speaking of the holye Sacraments they make more of them then doth the nature of Sacraments require not vsing them but abusing thē not referring or applying them but adoring them not taking thē in their kind for thinges godly as they are but taking thē for God himselfe turning religion into
sonne of them which were sent therto And if there were some that repugned the same hee that was troubled and is giltie let him speake Ye say moreouer that I was exalted and promoted from a base and lowe degree to this dignity by him I graunt that I came of no royall or kingly bloud yet notwithstanding I had rather be in the number of them whome the vertue of the minde then of birth maketh noble Peraduenture I was borne in a pore cotage of poore parentage and yet through Gods clemencie which knoweth howe to worke mercie with his seruants and which cherisheth the humble and low things to confound the hie and mightie in this my poore and lowe estate before I came to the Kings seruice I had aboundantly and wealthely to liue withall as yee know amongst my neighbours and frends And Dauid euen from the shepefold was taken vp and made a king Peter of a fisher was made a prince of the church who for his bloud being shedde for the name of Christ deserued to haue in heauen a crowne and in earth name renowne would to God we could do the like We be the successors of Peter and not of Kings and Emperors And where ye seeme to charge me by insinuation wyth the blot of ingratitude This I answere there is no offence capitall or infamous vnlesse it proceede from the heart and intention As if a man commit a murther vnwillingly although he be called a murtherer yet he is not thereby punishable And so although I owe my duetie seruice with reuerence to my king yet if I haue forborne him as my Lorde if I haue warned him and talked with him fatherly and gently as with a sonne and in talking with him could not be heard If therefore I say being enforced thereunto and against my wil doe exercise vpon him the censure of due seueritie in so doing I suppose I make rather with him then against him and rather deserue at his hande thanke for my correction then note or suspicion of vnkindnesse or punishment for the fact Sometimes a man against his will receiueth a benefite as when necessitie causeth a mā to be restrained from doing that which he ought not he that doth so restrain him though he stop him doeth not hurt him but rather profiteth him for hys soules health An other thing that defendeth vs from ingratitude is our father patron Christ. Which in that he is our father to whome we as children owe obedience then are we bounde as children by necessitie to obey his commaundement in warning the euill doer in correcting the disobedient and in brideling the obstinate which if we do not we runne into danger to haue his bloud required at our hands Ye set foorth likewise and shew what losse we thereby may sustaine of our temporalties But yee speake no worde of the losse of our soules Moreouer as concerning the departure of the king from the homage of the Church of Rome which in your letters ye seme to pretende or rather threaten God forbid I say that the deuotion or faith of our king should euer swarue away from the obedience and reuerence of the church of Rome for any temporal commoditie or incommoditie which thing to doe is very damnable in any priuate subiect much more in the prince which draweth many other with him therefore God forbid that euer any faithfull man should once thinke so hainous a deede And you according to your discretion take heede left the wordes of your mouth infect any persone or persons therein occasioning them by your wordes to such dangerous and damnable matter like to the golden cup which is called the cup of Babylon which for the outwarde golde no man will refuse to drinke of but after they haue dronke thereof they are poysoned And where ye lay to my charge for the suspending out of the reuerende father bishop of Salisburie and for excommunicating of Iohn Deane of the same Churche for a schismatike by knowledge and processe had of the matter to this I answere That both these are iustly and condignely excommunicate and if ye vnderstande perfectly the condition of the matter and the right order of iudgements yee will say no lesse For this standeth with good authoritie as ye know that in manifest notorious crimes this knowledge and order of proceeding is not requisite Perpende with your selues diligently what the bishop of Salisburie did cōcerning the Deanrie after that he was prohibited of the Pope of vs vnder paine of excommunication and then shall you better vnderstand vpon so manifest disobedience suspension did rightly followe as ye read in the decree of S. Clement saying If they do not obey their Prelates all maner of persons of what order so euer they be whether they shall be Princes of high or lowe degree and all other people shall not onely be infamed but also banished from the kingdome of God and the fellowship of the faithfull As concerning Iohn of Oxford this we say that excommunication commeth diuers wayes Some are excommunicate by the lawe denouncing them excōmunicate Some by the sentence of the Prelate Some by communicating with them which are excommunicate Nowe he that hath fallen into this damnable heresie in participating with schismatikes whome the Pope hath excommunicate he draweth to himselfe the spot and leprosie of like excommunication Wherefore seeing hee contrary to the Popes expresse commaundement and ours being charged vnder paine of excommunication to the contrary tooke vpon him the Deanrie of Salisburie we haue denounced him and holde hym excommunicate and all his doings we disanull by the authoritie of the viij Synode saying If any man either priuely or apertly shall speake or communicate with him that is excommunicated he draweth vnto himselfe the punishment of like excommunication And nowe for so much as you brother bishop of London which ought to know that saying of Gregorie vij if any bishoppe shal consent to the fornication of Priests Deacons c. within his precinct for reward fauour or peticion or doth not by authoritie of his office correct the vice let him be suspended from his office And againe that saying of Pope Leo which is this If any bishop shall institute or consecrate such a priest as shall be vnmeete and vnconuenient if he scape with the losse of his owne proper dignitie yet he shall lose the power of instituting any more c. Therefore forsomuch I say as you knowing this haue double wise offended against the sentence of these Canons we commaunde you and in the vertue of obedience enioyne you that if it be so within three monethes after the receite hereof you will submit and offer your selfe to due correction and satisfaction to the counsell of our fellowbishops for these your so great excesses Least other through your example runne into the like offence and we shall be constrained to proceede against you with seuerer sentence Finally in the closing
sent to the sayde Leoline William Brues a noble man was caused there traitrously to be haÌ„ged c. These wyth other crimes whether true or false were suggested to the king against the sayd Hubert by his aduersaries Wherunto he was required to answere by order of law Hubert then seing himselfe in such a strait refused to answer presently but required respite thereunto for that the matters were weighty which the king obiected to him which was graunted to hym till the 14. day of September but in the meane time Hubert being in fear of the king fled from London to the priory of Merton And thus Hubert who before for the loue of the king and defence of the realme sayth mine author had got the hatred of all the nobles of England now being out of the kings fauor was destitute of comforte on euery side saue onely that Lucas Archbishop of Dubline wyth instant prayers and teares laboured to the king for him By this example many like is to be sene howe vnstable and variable a thing the fauor of mortall mutable princes is To teach all such as haue to doe about princes howe to repose and plant their trust not in man but in their Lord God by him to finde help in Christ the true Prince of all Princes which neuer faileth By like example was Clito serued of king Alexander Ioab of king Dauid Bellisarius of Iustiniane Harpagus of Astiages Cromwell of king Henry with innumerable moe which in histories are to be found When the day was come that this Hubert should answer keeping among the monks of Merton he durst not appeare Then was it signified to him from the King that hee should come vp and appeare in the court there to answer to his charge Wherunto he answered againe that he misdouted the kings anger therfore he did flie to the church as the vttermost refuge to all such as suffer wrong From whence he would not stirre till he heard the kings wrath to be mitigated towards him With this the king mooued sore displeased directed his letters in all hast to the maior of London commanding him at the sight therof to muster and take vp all the citizens that could beare harneis in the Citie and to bring to him by force of armes the foresaid Hubert either quicke or dead out of Merton Wherupon the Maior immediately causing the great bell to be ronge assembled together the people of LoÌ„don and opening before them the kings letters commaunded them to prepare and arme themselues in al readines to the executing of the kings will and message The Citizens hearing this were therewith right glad and ready for they were all in great hatred wyth Hubert because of the execution of Constantine their citizen aboue mentioned pag. 269. Notwithstanding certaine of the citizens namely Andrew Bukerel Iohn Trauers other mo men of more graue sage discretioÌ„ wisely pondcrying with themselues what inconuenience might rise heereof went in haste to the Byshop of Wintchester lying then in Southwarke and waking him out of hys sleepe desired him of his counsaile in that so sodeine and daungerous distresse Declaring to him what perill might thereby ensue as well to the church of Merton as also to the citie by the fury of the vnordinate fierce multitude which wil hardly be brideled from robbing and spoiling neither wil spare sheding of bloud c. Unto whoÌ„ againe the bloudy byshop gaue this bloudy counsaile sayth Pariensis Daungerous it is quod he both heere and there but yet see that you obey and execute the precept of the king I counsaile you plainely At the which counsail of the bishop they being amased went with an euill will about the businesse enioyned But the people inflamed with hatred gladly coueted to be reuenged and to shed the bloud of the sayd Hubert ¶ The cause why Peter Byshop of Wint. was so cruelly set against the Iustice was partly for the damages hee had done to the Romane Priestes as is before touched Partly also for the olde grudge because the king comming to his lawful age before through the counsail of this Hubert losed himselfe froÌ„ the gouernment of the sayd B. who had him then in custodie And thus rose vp the grudge and displeasure of this bishop him On the next morowe the Londiners issuing out of the citie to the number of xx M. setfoorth toward the Abbey of Merton where Hubert was lying prostrate before the altar commending himselfe to God In the meane season while the Citizens were in their iourney raging against the poore erle of Kent it was suggested to the king by Radulfe B. of Chichester and Lorde Chauncelor that it was daungerous to excite vp the vulgare and vnruly multitude for feare of sedition leâ—t peraduenture the rude and heady people being stirred vp will not so soone be brought downe againe when the K. would haue them Moreouer what shal be sayd quod he among the French men and other nations which of great things loue to make them greater of euill things to make them worse then they are but thus iestingly mockingly See what a kind bird is the yong king of England whych seeketh to deuour his old nurse vnder whose wings he had ben brought vp and nourished in his youth And thus the king by the perswasion hereof chauÌ„ging his councell seÌ„t in all hasty wise after the army againe willing them to retract theyr iourney and to retire And thus the Londiners although much agaynst their wils returned home missing of theyr purpose Wherein is to be obserued another notable example of Gods working prouidence For when yâ— king sayth the history had sent by 2. messeÌ„gers or purseuants to reuoke and call back again the army of the Londiners going with gredy mindes to shed the bloud of the innocent Iustice One of the messengers posting with all speed possible with the kinges letters ouertook the army and comming to the foreward where the Captains were by vertue of the kings letters staied their course and bloudy purpose wherby they could proceed no farther But the other messeÌ„ger crafty and malicious who bearing hatred to the sayd Hubert rather wishing him to be slayne then to be deliuered lingred by the way of purpose although being commaunded to make haste when he came went onely but to the middle sort More like a messeÌ„ger meet to serue a dead mans arrant then to serue the turne of them which be aliue And â—o in like maner by the iust hand of God it fell vpon him For the same messenger stombling with his horse riding but a soft or a foote pace and rather walking then riding fell down backward from his horse backe and there brake his necke and dyed This mercifull message of the king was as is said sent by the instigation of Radulph B. of Chichester Lord Chaunceller a vertuous and a faythfull man and one that coulde skill to
38. Item the foresayd Officials call by Citation afore thē the honest wedded aswell man as woman charging thē that they haue committed adultery to the perpetuall infamy of theyr husbands and wiues And for nothing els but by extortion to wring mony from them 39. Item mention must be made of the multitude number of Proctors which eate and deuoure vp all the world with their citations catching vp clientes and keeping abroad in the countryes courts and Assises who for mony returne not the citations which by extortion they receiue of them which are cited 40. Item there be many other griefes and enormityes which the Chapiters Abbotes Priors Prouostes and other ecclesiasticall persons in the Realme of Fraunce practise agaynst the people As whē they cause to be cited before them many of the kinges burgesies other in diuers places being priuiledged that is to say Baiocēses Manmectans in Britaine Lugdons Masticous with other more But specially the Prouos of hospitals vse more cōmonly this trick then any other do wherby the people is much endamaged and wil be euery day more and more if remedy be not had therein 41. Item ecclesiasticall magistrates labor to haue cognition of causes of iniury in whatsoeuer cause it be whether the iniury be committed by word or fact Likewise they take vpon them to heare the causes of maried clerkes and of their wiues although they both vse marchaundise And if at any time such couples be taken by the secular Magistrates the Officiall causeth a suspension to be denounced in that Parish by force of the councell Siluanecten 42. Item they chalenge to haue cognition concerning widowes goods both moueable and vnmoueable And if it happeneth at any time that a Marchaunt widow in any the kings peculiars by way of rest procureth any temporall man to be conuented before the secular iudge and the matter so farre trauised that he should haue bene condemned by the sentence of the secular iudge then come to the eare of the ecclesiasticall magistrates how before whom the widow did conuēt him The sayd temporal iudge shal be constrayned to withdraw the same And by their monitions and censures to correct the same and this oftē times happeneth 43. Item many of the tenaunts inhabitours of the Bishops landes calleth one an other to the court of the Officials by a kinde of appellation By vertue wherof the Officials take vpon them to proceede in the same and to haue cognition thereof to the preiudice of the temporall iurisdiction of our soueraigne Lord the king 44. Item if any man be apprehended by secular iustice in shedding of bloud by thē if he be Lay he is to be ordered If he be a Clerke he is to be restored to the Ecclesiasticall iudge But whether he be a temporall man or clerke that is so takē and appealeth to the Officials court They will be so bold to haue cognition therof requiring herewith amends of the secular court which enterprised the foresayd apprehension If this be suffered the malefactor shal neuer be punished For by and by they will appeale and immediatly after the appellation flye and auoyde away 45. Item when they cause many of Office to be cited before them they will admit them to haue no Proctors To whom when they come at the day of appearance they obiect the crime of vsury And except they answer as the promotors wil thēselues they are trodē vnder feet although they be mere lay and shall not be dismissed before they fine euen as the Officials list themselues although they be no vsurers But if any be vsurers they take of them satisfaction and bribes and so be permitted to vse their vsury no lesse then before So that they may haue their olde fees and bribes 46. Item they procure theyr officers to apprehend clerks in whatsoeuer soile they be foūd albeit by iustice they may appeal therefro But if by any they be let of their will here in they do forthwith by sentence of excommunicatiō cause them to desist therfore 47. Item as often times as any temporall Magistrate doth apprehēd any person which afterward being required of the clergy is quietly deliuered vnto them yet for all that the Officials causeth those Magistrats to be denoūced excommunicate by law 48. Item the Prelates geue order of Tonsures aswell to men of 30. yeares as vpward as also to maried men whē they come vnto them for feare of imprisonment punishment due vnto them for their criminal offences before cōmitted And this is often times put in practise 49. Item if it happen any of the kings seruants or any other to be excommunicate would fayne be absolued being glad to pay reasonably for the same The Clergy will not receiue but such satisfaction as shall please thē wherby many of them remayne still excommunicate 50. Item when two persons haue bene at strife and law together for the possessiō of land and the matter contentious be put into the handes of the king by some seruant or officer of the king for the taking vp of the matter then do the Prelates admonish the one part not to trouble the other which is in possession Otherwise if he do they do excommunicate him 51. Item the foresayd Prelates Deanes Chaplens and other the rout of the Clergy putteth the kinges officers to so much trauaile and expenses in trying out the kinges vsurped iurisdictiō as they terme it that often times many of them spend and consume in the trauaell of the right and title thereof all that they haue and more to 52. Item if any secular iusticer in a true and iust cause at the request of the party putteth in his helping hand cōcerning the inheritaunce of Clerkes the Ecclesiasticall Iudges and their Ministers sendeth out monitiōs in writing agaynst the sayd Iusticer yea vnder payne of excōmunication forfeiture to take away his hand and leaue of Enioyning him further to suffer the other party quietly to enioy the sayd things Otherwise they denounce him excommunicate shall not be absolued before he haue well paid for it euen as pleaseth maister Officiall to the high preiudice of the authority of our soueraigne Lord the king 53. Item the Ecclesiasticall magistrates so soone as they heare any rich or fat Cob to dye or thinke that he will not liue long send out forthwith letters vnder seale to theyr chaplain commaūding him in any wise not to presume to bury him although he made his Testament and receiued the rites of the Church And when afterward the frendes and kinsfolkes of the dead resort vnto them to know the cause of their inhibition they declare vnto thē that he was an vsurer and that he kept not the commaundementes of holy Church And so long keep they the corpes of the dead vnburyed while the frendes of him buy it out with good store of mony heaping hording by these meanes aboūdance of riches 54. Item if there be any
violent shedding of bloud in any churchyard wherby the interdict taketh place the Clergy causeth a certain impositiō to be leuied of the parishioners there for the salary towards the restoring therof Although some of the parishioners be of an exempt iurisdictiō yea although he which shed the bloud be able to pay the whole taxe which they leuyed and more to 55. Item certaine Chaplaines affirme to haue certayn Apostolicall priuileges by vertue wherof they may appoint what Iudges they will yea and oftentimes of their own house so be iudges in their owne cause which is playne against the law wherby often times it happeneth that after great proces expenses had made in any great cause of inquest more often about reality then otherwise when they haue notice by the Proctors and Aduocates that they shall haue the foyle therin they reuoke forthwith those named Iudges and so the kings subiectes are damaged and can haue no iustice nor redresse at their handes 56. Itē if any temporall man call a Clerke before a secular iudge in a case of inheritance the ecclesiastical iudge procureth a stopp to be made therein attributing to themselues the cognitiō therof and so by adiourning remouing the lay man is constrayned to make satisfaction 57. Item the clergy chalengeth the cognition of such causes as maried Clerkes being marchauntes and artificers do commence when by law it doth appertaine to the temralty especially about the trade of Marchaundise 58. Item they oftentimes make interdictions in many of the kings townes and holdes and cause the diuine seruice to cease agaynst the priuiledges graunted by many of the high Bishops of Rome to our soueraigne Lord and maister the King 59. Item to and for the maintaynance keeping of theyr temporalties they appoynt Baylifs other officers who if they do offēd may not condignly be punished according to law and iustice 60. Item the Ecclesiasticall Iudges haue promoters belonging vnto them who whē any man is excommunicated be it right or be it wrong they cause to be made that no man shall work or do anything for him that is excommunicate whereby the landes and vines are often times vnlooked to and vntilled to the no small preiudice of the king and his common people 61. Item the foresayd Promoters cause Citation to be made out by vertue wherof they call in one citatiō 20.30 40. persons to appeare for participating with such Interdicted persons taking of some 10. of other some 20. s. as much as they be able to make wherby the commō people are much oppressed 62. Item the Ecclesiasticall Iudges cause all the Aduocates of their courtes to be sworne that none shall retayne them of their Counsell agaynst any of them without their licence whereby oftentimes the poore man quite leeseth his right and the Kinges cause is delayed Because hys Solliciters cannot freely retayne counsell without speciall licence 63. Item they will make Inuentories of theyr gooddes which dye intestate or without making of will And will haue the possession of thēir goods as wel moueable as vnmoueable in theyr owne hands to distribute to the hetres or to whom they list 64. Item the execution also of Testamentes they take to their own hands taking inuentories of dead mens goods and keeping and disposing them to the heires after their pleasure And haue officials properly deputed for the execution therof 65. Item they will not geue credite sometimes to testamentes made before witnesse vnlesse they be first by theyr owne Officials approued After he had thus spoken the prelats required to haue time to answere therunto wherupon was appoynted for the same the Friday next ensuing On the which day the Bishop Eduen Archbishop or Senon elect in the name of the whole clergy answered for them all before the king holding his Parliament as that day at Uicenas and thus he there proposided For somuch as the Lord Peter Cugner of late propounding against the Church of Fraunce took to his Theame that is written in the 22. of Mathew Render vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto God that which is Gods by which words he sayd two points were to be noted First the reuerence and subiection of the Prelates that they ought to haue to the king their soueraigne Secondly the deuision of the temporall iurisdictiō from the spirituall The which first part he proued out of the first Epistle of Peter in the second Chapter where it is written Submit your selues vnto euery creature for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superior or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well The second poynt he proued by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ in the 22. Chap. of Luke where the Apostle sayth Lord behold here are 2. swords And he said vnto them it is enough signifying by the two swordes the two iurisdictions And in likewise out of the 17. of Math. where Christ would pay tribute for him and Peter Geuing hereby an example how that Ecclesiasticall persons were bound to pay and yeld to the temporall power the tēporalities which also is proued in the 11. quest prim cap Si tributum cap magnum And further because this is proued by mans law where it is sayd 2. great gifts are bestowed Priesthood and Empire The priesthood to rule ouer matters diuine the Empire to beare domination ouer humaine matters wherby he cōcluded that when these iurisdictions are distincted of God The one being geuen and limited to the church and the other to the temporalty That in no wise the Church ought to intermeddle or to haue any thing to do with the temporall iurisdiction For it is written in the 22. of the Prouerb You ought not to passe the old limits bounds which the forefathers haue set And well by the way be bringeth in this word olde auncient Because customes brought in to the contrary be of no force but rather are coūted abuses corruptions Neither can prescriptiō take place for that ius fisci is inprescriptible neither cā the king abrogate frō himselfe such law nor renoūce his right prouing the same by many chapters contained in the 10. Dift Wherefore seeing the king at what time he was crowned sware not onely not to alienate or infringe the lawes of his realme but also to call in such lawes as were alienated vsurped either by the Church or by any other the king was bound by his oath to reuoke the same abuses In especiall he did exhibite many articles in writing wherin as he sayd the Church did vsurpe vpon the iurisdictiō temporall To answere these premisses which conciling of the places vnder protestatiō whatsoeuer I say or shall say it is not to ground or make any finall iudgemēt or determinatiō herein but onely to informe the consciēce of our soueraigne Lord the king and
the law and words which the Lord of hostes sent in his holy spirite by the Prophetes aforetime Also Esay witnessing after the same effect cap. 30. sayth For it is an obstinate people lying children and vnfaythfull children that will not heare the law of the Lord which say to the Prophetes meddle with nothing and tell vs nothing that is true and right but speake frendly wordes to vs. c. All this shall be verified when the Prelates begin to hate thē that tell them trueth and haue knowledge like vnto such of whō Amos speaketh chapter 5. They beare him euil wil that reproueth them openly and who so telleth them the playne trueth they abhorre him And therefore sayth the Lord to the Church of Ierusalem Ose 4. Seing thou hast refused vnderstanding I haue refused thee also that thou shalt no more be my priest And for so muche as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy children and chaunge theyr honor into shame And so shall it be like priest like people c. And many other sayinges there be in the prophets speaking of the deiecting and casting downe of the priestly honor Besides these foresayde signes and tokens hitherto recited there be also diuers other As the backsliding from righteousnes the lacke of discreete and learned Priestes promoting of childrē into the Church with such other like But these being alreadye well noted and marked you may easely iudge and vnderstand whether these times now present of ours be safe and cleare from tribulation to be looked for and whether the word of the Lord be true according to my theame Iuxta est iustitia mea vt reueletur my righteousnes is neare at hande to bee reuealed c. And thus muche of the second part Now to the third part or member of my subdeuision which is concerning the false and perilous opinions of some vpon thys word of my theame vt veniat c. which opinions principally be 4. repugning all agaynst the truth of the canonicall Scripture The first opinion is of such men who hauing to much confifidence in thēselues do think and perswade with themselues that the Prelates be the Church which the Lord will alwayes keepe and neuer forsake as he hath promised in the persons of the Apostles Mathew 28. saying And I will be with you to the end of the world c But this is to be vnderstanced of fayth whereof Christ speaketh Luke 21. I haue prayd for thee that thy fayth shall not fayle Whereof we read Ecclesiast 40. fayth shall stand for euer c. And albeit Charity waxe neuer so colde yet fayth notwithstanding shall remayne in few and in all distresses of the world of the which distresses our Sauiour doth prophecy in many places to come And least peraduenture some shoulde thinke themselues to be safe from tribulation because they be of the church this opinion the Lord himselfe doth contrary in Ieremy the 7. Trust not sayth he in false lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord and a litle after but you trust in wordes and lying counselles which deceiue you and doe you no good The second opinion is of them which deferre tyme for thys they well graunt that the Church shall abide trouble but not so shortly thinking thus with thēselues that these causes tokens afore recited haue bene before at other times as well in the churche For both by Gregory and Bernard holy doctors in time past the Prelates haue bene in like fort reprehended both for theyr bribinges for theyr Pompe and pride for the promoting of persons and children vnfitte vnto ecclesiasticall functions and other vyces moe which haue reigned before this in the Church of God more then now and yet by God his grace the Churche hath prospered and stand Doe ye not see that if an house haue stand and continued ruinous a long season it is neuer more neare the fall thereby but rather to be trusted the better Moreouer many times it commeth so to passe in Realmes and Kingdomes that the posterity is punished for the sinnes of the predecessors Whereof speaketh the booke of Lamentations the 5. chapter Our fathers haue sinned and are now gone and we must beare their wickednesse c. Agaynst this cogitation or opinion well doth the Lord aunswere by the Prophet Ezechiel chapter 12 saying Beholde thou sonne of man the house of Israel sayeth in this maner Tush as for the vision that he hath seene it will bee many a day or it come to passe It is farre of yet the thing that he prophecieth Therefore say vnto them thus sayth the Lord God The wordes that I haue spoken shall be deferred no longer looke what I haue sayd shall come to passe sayth the Lord. c. We haue seene in our dayes thinges to happen which seemed before incredible And the like hath bene seene in other times also as we read written in the booke of Lamentations chapter 4. The kinges of the earth nor all the inhabitaunce of the worlde would not haue beleeued that the enemy and aduersary shoulde haue come in at the gates of the Citty for the sinnes of her priestes and for the wickenesse of her Elders that haue shedde Innocentes bloud within her c. by Hierusalem as is sayd is ment thē Church The third opinion or error is very perilous and peruerse of all such as say veniat let come that will come Let vs conforme out selues to this world and take our time with those Temporifers which say in the booke of wisedome Sap. 2. Come let vs enioy our goodes and pleasures that be present and let vs vse the creature as in youth quickly c. Such as these be are in daungerous case and be greatly preiudicial to good men in the Church And if the heades and rulers of the Church were so vile to haue any such detestable cogitation in them there were no place in hell to deepe for them This Church founded by the Apostles in Christ consecrated with the bloud of so many Martyrs enlarged and increased with the vertues and merites of so many Sayntes and indued so richly with the deuosion of so many secular princes and so long prospered hetherto If it now should come into the hands of such persons it should fall in great daunger of ruine and they for theyr negligence and wickednes well deserued of God to be cursed yea here also in this present world to incurre temporall tribulation and destruction which they feare more by the sentence of the Lord saying to them in the booke of Prouerbes cap. 1. All my counsels ye haue despised and set my correctiō at nought Therefore shall I also laugh in your destruction when tribulation and anguish shall fall vpon you Fourthly an other opinion or errour is of such as being vnfaythfull beleue not any such thing to come And this errour
vertue and followeth such doctrine and knowledge which is agreeing to true pietie And therefore such men as doe leade him and learne so to beleue and to worship God are more to bee commended Moreouer he assureth him to finde God more mercifull to him if hee woulde embrace the godlye pietye and truth of the Christians And for example thereof bringeth in the stories of Galienus and Valerianus who so long as they were fauorers of the Christiās did prosper and florish But as soone as they moued any persecution agaynst them it happened to them as it did to all other Emperors before them that all went backward with them as especially might appere by Valerianus who after he had raged so cruelly against the Christians was eftsoones ouercome of the Persians the reuenging hand of God falling vpon him where hee led euer after a miserable life in wretched captiuitie Farther also for the more euidèce of the same inferreth the examples of those Emperors and tyrants in his time whom he vanquished subdued only by his faith in Christ for the which faith God was hys helper and gaue him the victory in many battailes and tryumph ouer great tyraunts whereby he hath also enlarged the dominiō of the Romane monarchie from the west Ocean to the vttermost parts wel neere of al the East To the doing and working wherof he neither called to him the helpe of any charmer or diuination of southsayer nor vsed the killing of any sacrifice but onely the following of the crosse and prayer made to almightie God without any other bloudy sacrifice was the armour wherewith hee ouercame c. And in the end of the Epistle addeth these words What ioy saith he what gladnes would it be to my hart to heare the state also of the Persians to florish as I wish it to do by embracing this sort of men the Christians I meane so that both you with them and they with you in long prosperite may enioy much felicity together as your harts would desire in so doing no doubt ye shall For so shall you haue God which is the author and creator of all this vniuersall worlde to be mercifull and gratious to you These men therefore I commend vnto you vpon your kingly honour And vpon your clemency and piety wherewith you are indued I commit them vnto you desiring you to embrace receaue them according to your humanitie and benignity agreing and conuenient to your estate who in so doing shal now both procure to your selfe grace through your faith and also shall declare to me a great pleasure and benefit worthy of thanks This Epistle wrot Constantinus to king Sapores Such care had this godly Prince for them that beleued in Christ not onely in his owne Monarchie but also in all places of the world neither is it to be doubted but this intercessiō of the Emperour did something mittigate the heate of the Persians persecution Although thereof we reade no certaine thing in our historyes Of other troubles and persecutions we read of which happened afterward in the said country of Persia vnder Isdigerdes the king but these followed long after about the time of the Emperour Theodosius At which time suffered Andas their bishop and Hormisda a great noble mans sōne and of great reputation among the Persians whom whē the king vnderstod to be a Christian and to deny to turne from his religion condemned him to kepe his Elephants naked In processe of time the king looking out and seeing him all swarted and tanned in the sunne commanded him to haue a shirt put on to be brought before him Whome then the king asked if he woulde denye Christ. Hormisda hearing this tare of his shirt from his body and cast it frō him saying If yee thinke that I will denye my faith to Christ for a shirt haue heere your gift againce c. And so was vpon that expelled the country Theodor. lib. 5. An other there was that same time named Suenes which had vnder him an hundreth seruaunts The king takyng displeasure with him for that he would not alter from hys religion and godly truth asked who was the worst of all his seruaunts And him the king made ruler of all the rest and coupling him with his maisters wife brought also Suenes vnder his subiection thinking therby to subdue also the faith of Suenes but it was builded vpon a sure foundation Of Beniamin the Deacon thus writeth the saide Theoret in his fift booke that after two yeares of his imprisonment at the request of the Romaine Legate hee was deliuered who afterward contrary to the kings commaundement hee preached and taught the Gospell of Christ was most miserable excarnificate hauing xx sharpe prickes of reeds thrust vnder his nayles but when he did laugh at that then in his priuye yarde had a sharpe reede thrust in with horrible paine After that a certaine long stalk ragged and thorny being thrust into his body by the nether part was forced into him with the horriblenes of the paine whereof the valiant and inuincible souldiour of the Lord gaue ouer his life Theodor. ibid. And thus much concerning the martirs and persecutions among the Persians although these persecutions belong not of this time which came as it is sayd long after the daies of Constantinus about the yeare of our Lorde 425. Likewise vnder Iulianus the wicked Apostata certaine there were which constanly suffered Martyrdome by the Heathen Idolaters as Emilyanus who was burned in Thracia and Domitius which was slayne in hys caue Theodorus also for singing of a Psalme at the remoouing of the body of Babylas wherof mention is made of before pag 60. being apprehended was so examined with exquisite torments and so cruelly excruciate from morning almost to noone that hardly he scaped with life Who being asked afterward of his friendes howe he coulde abide so sharpe torments said that at the first beginning he felt some paine but afterward there stode by him a yong man who as he was sweating wiped of his sweate and refreshed him with cold water oft times wherewith he was so delited that when he was let downe from the engine it greeued hym more then before Ruff. lib. 5. cap 36. Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 11. Zozom lib. 5. cap. 10. Artemius also the captaine of the Egiptian soldiours the same time lost his head for his religiō indede although other causes were pretended against him Theo. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 11. Adde to these moreouer Eusebius and Nestabus twoo brethren with Nestor also which for their christianitie were dragged through the streetes and murdered of the idolatrous people of Gaza Sozo Lib. eod cap. 11. But especially the crueltie of the Arethusians a people of Syria exceeded against the Christian virgines whome they set out naked before the multitude to be scorned after that being shauen they couered them with swil and draffe woont to be giuen to their hogs so