a certaine Monke restorer of the Papaltie who made two great bookes of Counsell in the Towne of Colongne Hereby may we see how assured the foundation of Poperie is If Linus were the high Priest or soueraigne Bishop of Rome in the time of Nero it is certaine S. Peter was not there But to prooue the Institution of Popish ceremonies by the example of the Elders they say that Linus ordeined that women should not enter into the Church vnlesse their heads were couered yet that was not an ordinance of Linus but of S. Paul There is a great diuersitie in the Romish Catalogues of Bishops that hardly can the writers thereof be agreed in their differences which is a great argument that the Papaltie of Rome leanes vpon vncertaine arguments You may also see this in Cletus This yeare Vespasian war sent by Nero against the Iewes Nero hated of all and searched to be slaine killed himselfe of the age of thirtie and two yeares and the yeare of his Empire fourteene Galba Sergius succeeded of the age of 43. yeares and raigned seuen moneths He became cruell Auaricious a Glutton and a Sodomite He was slaine of his souldiers by his successor Otho in the place where men pleaded causes His head was presented to the souldiers and exposed for a derision and mockery Otho the eight Emperour like in all vices to Nero. Hee raigned three monethes He slewe himselfe with a stroake of his Poinard in his left Pap after the battaile he lost against Vitellius Vitellius Spinter the ninth Emperour raigned about seuen or eight monethes He was a great whooremoonger cruell bloudie and a Glutton It is rehearsed of him that at one supper he was serued at his Table with two thousand sundrie sorts of Fishes and seuen thousand sorts of flying Fowle he was so excessiue He was miserably slaine and drawne naked through the streetes And after hee had beene launced and pierced with many Darts was cast into Tiber. Hee was of the age of 57. yeares The yeare 71. Ignatius was ordeined the second Bishop of Antioche And in this time all Mathematicians were driuen out of Italy Fabius Quintilianus was drawne from Spaine by the Emperour Galba and brought to Rome Vespasian the tenth Emperour of Rome raigned nine yeares a man wise prudent loyall and affable modest and patient one onely vice brought dishonour vnto him namely Auarice and couetousnesse of siluer yea euen to impose tribute vpon vrine saying That of all things the smell of gaine is good As he died he said that an Emperour should die sitting The yeare 72. the Citie of Ierusalem was besieged by the Romanes There hath bene no Nation that we can gather by any Historie that hath bene so much tormented as that of the Iewes So much the more familiarly the Lord declared his mercies towards this ingrate and hard hearted people so much the more was it needful he should visibly shewe horrible signes of his anger vpon it No woe nor trouble could be imagined whereof God gaue not some proofe vnto this miserable Natition The recitall whereof may serue vs for a glasse to shewe vs what end such may attend as are obstinate and mockers of the grace of God such also as enhardeÌ„ themselues against his bountie After their reuolt which was the 12. yeare of Nero the Romanes ceased not by the space almost of sixe yeares to powre horrible euils vpon the Countrey of Iudea Although a man speak not of the waste of the country who can possibly esteem as belongeth therevnto the onely miseries of that Towne For before it was besieged by the Romanes it was horribly afflicted by domesticke enemies with so many factions of audatious Theeues which fought one against an other which of theÌ„ should commit most rapines murthers oppressions And not one of al those bands which were diuided into three principal that is to say Zelators 1. such as followed Ilion thirdly them of Simon the Gadarean and of his sonne Eleazar thought he mainteined his place well but in surmounting one an other in all manner of wickednes And finally their rage was so ouerflowne that there needed no more but only to haue an opinion of modestie and true religion for to be put to death They sought one with an other who should be the first to sley the Rich to robbe them of their goods To sley the common people such as were poore and of base condition was but to take away such as were vnprofitable and such as were like to be but a charge to the Towne alreadie threatned with a siege and to prepare the Towne to sustain a longer siege To giue to know by any one word or to shew any countenance of griefe at such vnbridled licence to all euils which were then this was called treason and to complot with the Romanes When any lamented his parent or friend wrongfully slaine hee was straight brought to some greeuous torment To pollute the Sanctuary by slaughters and murders this was to combat for the conseruation of the Temple and the Countries Religion To take away the sacred money out of the Temple and dispend it vpon dissolute villaines was to borrow their necessaries for the defence of the Ceremonies ordained of God It was held a crime worthie of death to seeke to withdrawe himselfe out of the middest of these euilles And they which remained in the Towne besides other miseries and publike griefes were constrained to see before their eyes their wiues their children and their goods to serue the appetite of all sorts of villains Finally this miserable people needed not feare any new oppression of the Romanes wherwith before they had not bene tormented euen by themselues which called themselues their defenders But after the Towne was besieged by the Romanes there was so horrible a famine that during the siege eleuen hundred thousand men dyed Besides such as were slaine by the enemies at assaults and such as were slaine when the Towne was taken and during that warre there was about 97. thousand taken Some part of them were solde others were carried to great Townes to serue for Princes pastimes in exposing them to beastes to bee torne in peeces Others were put into some paled parke where they fought till they slewe one an other Others were led into â—ands there to spend their liues The 14. day of Aprill of the foresaid yeare Titus laide siege before Ierusalem during the feast or Easter the yeare of Christ 73. vpon which day in respect of the solemnitie there were infinite people assembled The 22. of that moneth hee made platformes and Rammes and beganne to beate the Towne The 7. day of May he tooke the first wall and the new Towne called Bezeth The 12. day of the said moneth the second wall was again taken with the base part of the towne from whence the Romanes had before bene chased The 21. of the said moneth hauing gotten 2. parts of the towne
enclose them abandoned their Forts left their siege and retired away shamefully Selym Emperour of the Turkes dyed about the 15. of December after hee had ended the warre against the Walaques wherin he lost an infinit number of men and tooke peace with the Venetians His sonne and successor Amurath at his comming in caused fiue of his bretheren to be put to death and two wiues of Selym the one of which who was great with childe seeing the death of her children threw her selfe to the ground out of an high windowe Hauing thus prouided for his estate hee prepared to make warre vpon the Polonians some of which called Kosaques had succoured the Vayuoda of Watachia The 12. of Ianuary 1575. they of the Religion found meanes to get Arguesmortes a strong Towne and of great importance in Languedoc especially for Salt that comes from thence and greatly furnisheth the Prouinces The same day the Marshall d' Danuile made a league with them of the Religion and a publike and large declaration containing the causes of his doings The Duke de Montpensier tooke Fontenay in Poictou and Lusignen yeelded vpon composition This notwithstanding the Churches of that Prouince and other nigh vnto it in some sort maintained themselues euen in the middest of Armes The Duke d' Vzes sometimes affectioned vnto Religion tooke Armes against it but hee prospered not much therein The Churches of Languedoc and Dauphine redressed themselues after the King was retyred from Auignon but their vnion with the Politikes or Malcontents destroyed them within by the wicked liues of many of those Politikes badly aduised King Henry the third was sacred at Reimes the fifteenth day of February and espowsed soone after Louyse the daughter of Nicholas Count de Vandemont in Lorraine So that then and after there was nothing in the Court of France but pastimes such as there is lesse euil to conceale then profit to describe In the mean while warre continued in Languedoc well for the aduantage of them of the Religiō being assisted of the Marshall de Danuille their confederate vnto which part many enclined and ioyned themselues daily In the moneth of April a negotiation and parley was made at Paris betwixt the Kings Councell and the Deputies of Churches the Politikes without any conclusion But contrary the warre waxed hot in Dauphine Languedoc with losse on both sides but they of the religion were the stronger And since we are vpon that point we will set downe in this present Article that which was done in France during this yeare 1575. worthy of note in few words About the end of April the Duke d'Vzes besieged Bais a litle Towne vpon Rhosne and got the Towne but they of the Religion which held the two Castles constrained him to forsake it after he had lost many of his people To reuenge himselfe he burnt a part of the Towne and continued after such sackings and destructions that he became very odious In the month of May sell a tumult at Marseillis and in certaine other places of Prouince against gatherers Farmers of the kings demeasnes which were chased away And therevpon arose a band of Politike malcontents which they called les Raises shauen because they caused their beards to be shauen or some part of them to be knowne by that signe and in Prouence they of the Religion held certaine places as Riez Lourmarin Siena and others some of which soone after were taken out of their hands The 17. day of Iune le Sieur de Monbrun a Daulphenois Gentleman a wife and valiant Captaine of warre ouerthrew le Sieur de Gordes Gouernour of Daulphine who saued himselfe by flight within Gap and left 22. companies of Swisses in the field which were broken and nine hundred cut in peeces straight with Frenlich their Colonell and sixteen Captaines with 18. Ensignes carried away by Monbrun and his people which had a great bootie of Armes especially and lost on their part but sixe men Le Sieur de Gordes after that gathered great Forces and againe meeting in the field he ouerthrew Monbrun who meaning to leape a ditch to obtaine a meet passage for his retrait his horse fell and he vnder him whereby his thigh was broken and so remained prisoner hauing only lost twentie two men and thirtie eight were taken prisoners This happened the ninth of Iuly and soone after by decree of a Parliament at Grenople Monbrun had his head cut off On the other side the Duke of Vzes destroyed and burnt all the flat Countrey of Languedoc with the losse of infinite Corne. Le sieur de Lodignieres ordained Chieftain of the troupes of Dauphine in the place of Monbrun gaue order for the affaires at the beginning of August and tooke many places Vpon these actions and the sixteenth day of September Francis Duke d' Alencon and brother vnto the King conueyed himselfe secretly in the night from the Court then at Paris wherevpon came brutes and discourses maruellous straunge and diuers Two dayes after his retraite hee published by writing the causes thereof declaring that hee meant to procure a good peace and reformation in France Hee writ vnto the Princes and Lordes of the Religion to the Churches to the Marshall Danuile and to the Politikes vnto the same end Insomuch that each one assured himselfe soone to see goodly things and there remained but verie fewe which feared any hid euill as discourses after published doo shewe In the meane time the Prince of Conde tooke order Almaine to leuie an Army to enter into Fraunce and by Armes to obtaine some rest for them of the Religion and for the whole estate hee dealt fully with Duke Cassimere of all things requisite for such a good The King the Queene mother and their Councell were greatly troubled as if all had beene lost by the retrait of the Duke d' Alenson writing to all places calling as they say tag and rag they made leuies and brought troupes into the field and yet without any exployt of warre They made flie a report of souldiers from Almaine and Sueuia yet none entred France during that fourth warre to do seruice vnto the King who in the meane while demaunded siluer of his Townes and for the rest hee bore himselfe as if there had beene no appearance of warre His mother in the meane time got her towards the Duke d' Alenson as some said to make peace betwixt the two brethren and for the quiet of the kingdome In the meane while the King forbad all the nobilitie to come nigh the Duke of Alenson hee sent also certaine troupes to hinder not onely that but the comming of certaine Almaines which le Sieurs de Thore and de Cleruant ledde which were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Guise and Cleruant was taken prisoner with certaine others the tenth of October Soone after was there a truce made betwixt the Queene mother and the Duke of Alenson for sixe moneths wherewith each one was miscontented but the
he remained a yeare and sixe monethes At this time the Emperour appeased the seditions which were betwixt the Iewes and the Samaritanes The yeare 53. the Emperour Claudius tooke the Kingdome of Chalcide from Agrippa which hee had held foure yeares and gaue him the Tetrarchie of Philip with Traconite Bathane and Abele and constituted Felix Gouernour of the Iewes Iudea was maruellously afflicted about this time by intestine conspiracies and robberies which was committed by the greatest men of Ierusalem Ionathan the high Priest had admonished the Gouernour Felix to acknowledge the true God But Felix was so grieued hereat that he ordeined an other high Priest namely Ioseph who was a familiar friend of the said Ionathan Ioseph assembled together a band of theeues and slew Ionathan These theeues which remained vnpunished for this in an assembly of people fell vpon all they thought good neither carrying reuerence to any persons nor places how holy soeuer And the true cause of all this mischiefe was that some false Prophets and seducers ioyned themselues with these theeues But so soone as they were come vnto them Felix made them die as seditious persons Amongst them was a renowned Egiptian of whom Iosephus makes mentiō in his Antiquities This deceiuer perswaded the common people to ascend with him into the Mount Oliuet saying that from thence he would shewe himselfe to them and that by his commaundement the walles of Ierusalem should fall and promised them that thereby they might enter Felix hereof aduertised made arme certaine people and with a great number of horsemen rushed vpon that disguised band which was of thirtie thousand and slewe about 400. of them and tooke 500. aliue In the meane while this abuser escaped and was neuer after seene Those theeues againe perswaded the people to make warre against the Romanes and no more to yeeld them obedience They burnt and pilled such Villages as resisted them The yeare 56. S. Paul went to Ierusalem where he was taken and ledde to the Gouernour Felix Domitius Nero succeeded in the Empire and raigned fourteene yeares two monethes and certaine dayes Hee was as very cruell man and insatiable in whooredome and Homicide euen in sleying his owne mother his sister his brother his wife Octauia and an other wife called Pompeia whom he slewe with a blowe of his foote Hee killed also his Schoolemaister Seneca and a Romane Consull named Atticus the better to enioy his wife called Statilia The yeare 57. after the death of of Aziarius King of the Emesicians his brother succeeded him See Iosephus And Nero gaue the principallitie of the lesse Armenia to Aristobulus the Sonne of Herode King of Calcyde and the Kingdome of Agrippa the younger was thereby greatly encreased The yeare 58. after Felix was departed from Iudea there was a great sedition in Cesaria which is in Palestine where a great number of Iewes were slaine The same yeare S. Paul was sent prisoner to Rome There was a sedition also in the other Cesaria And Festus succeeded Felix in the gouernment of Iudea The yeare 59. in the Towne of Thoulouze which is in Gaul there was a verie renowned Rethorician called Statius Surculus The same yeare the Towne of Magunce was repaired by the Romaines The yeare 60. In Rome was a great earthquake and an Eclipse of the sunne at the time when Nero exercised his Parracides and whooredomes The yeare 61. a boy of eight yeares of age in Italie in the time of Fonteius and Vispanus Consuls did runne fortie thousand paces from noone till the euening The same yeare there was an Eclipse of the Sunne the last day of Aprill The yeare 62. Albinus was made Gouernour of Iudea The yeare 63. Iames the brother of the Lorde Iesus which was called Iust accounted Bishop of Ierusalem was slaine by the Iewes The high Priest Ananias thinking to recouer libertie caused him to be called into iudgement and accused him as a corrupter of Moyses Lawe Some say hee was cast downe from the toppe of the Temple and as hee prayed for them which put him to death hee was strooken with a Fullers Bowe on the heade whereof hee dyed Then did Albinus gouerne Iudea succeeding Festus The yeare 64. a Thunderbolte fell before Nero his Table The same yeare Saint Marke the Euangelist died which was the eight yeare of the raigne of Nero hee was burnt for the Gospell in Alexandria which is in Aegypt where hee preached At this time Agrippa augmented the Towne of Cesaria Phillippe and called it Neronia The yeare 65. after S. Marke his death Annianus was ordeined the first bishoppe of Alexandria and gouerned the Church 22. yeares The yeare 66. beganne the first persecution which was the tenth yeare of Nero and endured till his death By the commaundement of this tyrant fire was lightned in the Towne of Rome and that none should say it was his act hee laide the fault vppon the Christians and made them die of many kindes of deathes They that called themselues Christians which name was as odious vnto all men as if they had beene enemies of mankinde and they also which were accused by the prisoners besides all other euills done vnto them endured also this opprobry that beeing couered with Beasts skinnes they were with dogges torne in peeces Some were fastened to Crosses and Gallowes Others burnt with fire in so much that of them they made fires to cleare and lighten the night Cor. Tacitus rehearseth this After Festus vnder Nero succeeded in the gouernment of Iudea Albinus and after Florus vnder whom the Iewes beganne to fall into such rebellions and dissentions that neither menaces nor torments exactions nor occasions could represse them In Asia three Townes perished by an Earth-quake namely Laodicea Hierapolis and Colossa All Townes which had receiued the Gospell whilst S. Paul liued who had instructed them partly by writings partly by his Disciples as by Epaphras A mirrour of Gods iudgement who cannot endure the despising of his word The yeare 60. the Church of the Lord Iesus in Ierusalem as it was assembled was diuinely admonished and transferred into the Towne of Pella which is beyond Iordaine This same yeare Vespasian was ordeined by Nero to set an order in the Countrey of Iudea who did many things worthy of memorie The yeare 68. began the warres of the Iewes vnder Florus because of his great crueltie whereof Iosephus makes mention Lib. 2. Chap. 13. Egesippus Lib. 3. Chap. 4. The yeare 70. if we will beleeue the catalogue of the Romaines Linus succeeded S. Peter S. Hierome Nicephorus Euthalius Deacon and others say that S. Peter was crucified the 14. yeare of Nero which was the last of his raigne and the 27. yeare after the conuersion of S. Paul How then could this be that Linus should succeed him in the Apostolicke Sea as they say seeing Linus was Martired a yeare before S. Peter For so is it rehearsed by
vailable 8. q. 3. c. Salus in omnibus Galen the Phisitian flourished at this time Valentine the hereticke a Platonician denied the resurrection of the flesh Hee affirmed that Christ tooke no humane flesh off the Virgines wombe but that hee passed through it as through a conduit Cerdon the Stoike said at Rome that the holy Ghost descended not vpon the Apostles but vpon himselfe Note here the saying of Tertullian namely that the Philosophers are Patriarkes of heretickes Martian the Stoike a follower of Menander made two contrary principles This Pope seeing hee named himselfe so was a learned man and made a booke intituled De Trinitate vnitate Dei. Pius first of that name 11. Pope of Rome an Italian of Aquilia ruled at Rome a 11. yeares Some say hee ordeined that Easter should be celebrated vpon the Sunday by the perswasion of Hermes who said it had bene reuealed vnto him by an Angell in likenes of a shepheard And this ordinance was after confirmed by many Pope That hee decreed punishments for Ecclesiasticall persons which administred the Sacraments of the body and bloud of Christ negligently That is to say that he that by imprudency negligently let fal vpō the earth any of the blood of Christ so speakes he should do penance 40. dayes If it fell vpon the Aultar 3. dayes If vpon the Chalice cloth 4. dayes If on any other cloth 9. dayes And that the said bloud so falne should be licked scraped or washed and after all burnt and kept for the Sacristeres By litle and litle then the Romane seate beganne to forge ordinances Also that Virgins or Nunnes should not take vpon them the vaile before the age of 25. yeares Item that if any Ecclesiasticall person did sweare or blaspheme he should be deposed and euery Laie person excommunicated Anicetus 12. Pope a Sirian ruled 10. or a 11. yeares wise and of good life Some attribute vnto him that hee ordained the Crowne for Priests He was martyred vnder Marcus Aurelius In his time Egesippus an Hebrew came to Rome dwelt there vntill Eleutherius Iustinus a Christian Phylosopher writ a booke in defence of Faith and Religion to the Emperour Antonius Pius who also was much enclined to maintaine it He writ against Martian Policarpus Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse aboue Ephesus came to great age Ireneus saith that he was ordeined Bishop by the Apostles and it is likely that he began his ministery the 2. or 3. of Traian S. Ierome in his Catalogue saith he was placed there by S. Iohn the Euangelist who dyed the yeare 68. after the passion of Iesus Christ as most say Ireneus reciteth of him that one day as Marcian encountred him and said vnto him Take knowledge with vs. Policarp answered him I know thee for the first sonne of Satan And Ireneus saith further There are some haue heard him say that Iohn the Disciple of Iesus went into Bathes to wash himselfe and seeing Cerinthus the hereticke there he went out and washing himselfe saying Let vs flie from hence least this house fall vpon vs where Cerinthus enemy of the truth washeth Note how the Disciples of the Apostles had this rule not to communicate with them which falsifie the truth of the Gospell Whilest Policarpus was at Rome he withdrew many from their heresies Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus the brother of Antonius Pius obtained the Empire 18. yeares Lucius Verus his sonne in lawe gaue himselfe to dice and to haunt the Stewes Therfore was he sent into Siria by Marcus Aurelius and at last as some say poisoned After some he dyed of an Apoplexe So Marcus Aurelius Antoninus raigned alone The fourth persecution after Nero was stirred against the Christians by Marcus Aurelius And as Eusebius saith many euils happened in Italie great pestilence warre earthquakes Invndations of waters and a multitude of Grashoppers In the meane while by the persecutions as it were continuall the Christians affaires encreased from day to day by the doctrine of the Apostles Disciples Wherof yet many then did liue that the Christian Religion tooke strong roote being thus bedeawed with the bloud of Martyrs We must not here forget the sentence of Iustine spoken in a colloquie with Trypheus Hee saith thus Men may each day perceiue that we which beleeue in Christ cannot be astonished nor turned backe Let them cut off our heads Let them crucifie vs Let them expose vs to beasts to fires or other torments and so much more as men torment vs so much more do the number of Christians encrease Euen as when a Vine is cut it is but to make it more fertile So the Vine which God hath planted and the Sauiour Iesus that is his people cannot but multiply by torments c. Melito Bishop of Sardis writ to the Emperour for the Faith and Christian Religion Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis was at this time Theophilus Bishoppe of Antioche writ against Martian Denis Bishop of Corinthe Iustus Bishoppe of Vienne a Martyre for the Faith Attalus Blandina Photin Bishop of Lions a Martyr also for the Faith Persecution in Asia The end of the life of Policarpus was at this time Marcus Antonius Verus and the chiefe Gouernours of the Empire caused such a persecution that it came euen to the Christians which dwelt in the Towne of Smyrna whereof Policarpus was Bishoppe and had beene a long time and was there burnt hauing serued the Church of God about three score and tenne yeares which was the seuenth of this Emperour Some say hee was of the age of foure score and sixe yeares The Prayer of Policarpus before his death is in the Eccleciast History Booke 4. His bones taken out of the fire were laide in a Sepulchre Pionius Martyre Soter an Italian 13. Pope helde the seate about tenne yeares He endured many aduersities and in the ende was Martyred He ordained that none should celebrate without two men present That Nunnes should carry Vailes on their heads That they might not touch sacred Ornaments as Chalices Corporalles and that they should not Incense in the Temple nor about Aultars In his second Decretall he calleth himselfe Pope Hee instituted that each Priest doing his Office should haue with him an other Priest If there chaunced some suddaine necessitie to happen Hee saide that an oath made imprudenly which redounded to an euill ende ought not to be kept For it were better saith he to periure himselfe then for keeping his oath to fall into a greater crime At this time Peregrine a Philosopher did publickely at Pise cast himselfe into the fire vpon vaine-glorie At this time beganne the Cataphryges heretikes by Montanus with Priscilla and Maximilla They vsed in their Sacrifices a Childes blood which they mingled with Flowre or with Breade If the Childe whose blood was drawne out dyed they held him for a Martyr If
he liued for a great Priest Montanus was of Phrygia of a Towne called Ardaba Hee called himselfe the Paraclet Hee forbadde marriage and inuented and instituted Fastes Against those Heretickes writte Apollinaris Hierapolitaine and before him Milciades and Apollonius Appelles the Disciple of Marcian whome Theodotius called the great Hereticke put a beginning to God Also that Christ appeared in a fantasticke bodie Tatianus and his followers Encratites and Seuerians in this time These abstained from all kindes of flesh and drunke no wine They blamed Marriage as well as fornication They cast off the Epistles both of S. Paul and S. Peter The Doctrine of Christian libertie beganne at this time to bee greatly obscured and by little and little the errour tooke encrease For although yet there was no forbidding to vse the good thinges or God yet the Historie of Alcibiades recited in Eusebius Booke 5. Chap. 3. sheweth that by little and little men beganne to place a certaine Religion in seruices forged at pleasure This Alcibiades was one of the Martyres which suffered death in Gaul vnder Marcus Antonius Verus the Emperour Hee vsed to liue so austerely as hee did eate onely bread and drunke water In so much that beeing in prison hee would vse no other diet Attalus a Romane a man renowned amongst the Martyrs being also imprisoned shewed Alcibiades a better way and brought him to this point that after hee vsed indifferently the creatures of God without scruple and with thankesgiuing Eleutherius borne in Greece at Nicopolis ruled at Rome 15. yeares and more Hee made a commaundement against the heresie of the Seuerans which then raigned that no Christian for any ceremonie should reiect any sort of meates whereof there is an accustomed vse Also that none should be dismissed of his Office vnlesse first hee be accused and conuinced of crime That Bishops should finish nothing in an accusation intended against a Bishop without knowledge of the Pope but they might determine by Sentences the causes of other Church people That a Clarke may not be drawne into any cause but before his Bishop from whom if there were cause of suspition he might appeale Christian Religion then greatly augmented and came into farre greater suertie then before Lucius King of England and his Countrey receiued the Faith Many Nobles of Rome with their wiues and children were conuerted and Baptized The said Lucius left his Kingdome and went to preach the Faith first in France after in Almaine where hee was martyred Smyrna in Asia whereof Policarpus was Bishop was ouerthrowne by Earthquake and for the repaire of it tributes and tallages were laid Commodus the 18. Emperour raigned 13. yeares cruel luxurious incestuous of his owne Neeses hee held in his Pallaice three hundreth Concubines and three hundreth buggering boyes In a wicked rage he slew Lucilla his sister Being at the hot houses and but pricked with a Flea he cast the maister of the house into the Furnace Ireneus Bishop of Lions flourished The Temple of Serapis burnt in Alexandria The Capitoll at Rome and the Librarie burnt by lightning Apollonius a Senator of Rome accused to be a Christian presented to the Senate a booke conteining a defence of the Christians He was beheaded because the Imperiall lawe had so ordeined it Heereby appeares that Popes or Bishops of Rome were not as at this present they are Apollonius a man of authoritie could not shunne the sentence of death onely because he was a Christian hauing so many friends at Rome The Imperiall Lawe then was that such as were in Iudgement conuicted to be Christians should be punished with death Commodus made die many Noble persons It is recited in the History of the Martyrs of Gaule that the Painims sollicited and by torments constrained the seruants of Christians to confesse of their maisters things impossible once to be imagined Namely that they did eate the flesh of litle children that they committed paldiardizes and whoredomes such as is vnlawfull to name In so much as they which before had vsed some moderation in Christians causes gaue themselues greater licence to exercise crueltie against them This happened at Lions and at Vienne Eusebius reciteth it in his Epistle of the faithfull of Lions and of Vienne in Chap. 1. of the 5. booke At Rome the Pallace and the Temple of Vesta and of Peace and the greatest part of the Towne was consumed by fire Commodus the 13. yeare of his Empire was strangled of the age of 32. yeares by the counsell of Martia his chiefe Concubine who fauoured the Christians and other her friends which he had condemned to death because they shewed him certain his insolencies but they by this meanes preuented him and little there wanted that the bodie of this Tyrant was not drawne into Tyber by the common people Aelius Pertmax the ninteenth Emperour held the Empire by the space of sixe moneths His couetousnesse caused his death for retaining his souldiers wages He was of the age of seuentie yeares Didius Inhanus of Millaine 20. Emperour raigned foure or seuen or two moneths as some say Hauing slaine his predecessor hee was slaine of his Successor of the age of 56. yeares For his auarice he was hated of all Some say he was slaine by a souldier of little estimation within his Pallaice Victor Bishop of Rome borne in Affricke ruled tenne yeares He ordeined that such as would not reconcile themselues should be depriued of the Table of the Lord. Hee instituted that vnlesse it were in cases of necessitie Catholicke Baptisme should be celebrated in the time of the feast of Easter As we may see in the first Decretall Epistle attributed vnto him It were incredible if all Historians did not witnesse it that for the day of celebratiō of the feast of Easter so great a schisme should happen in the Church that of a dissention and question thereof so terrible a warre should come and all by this Victors meanes who would needs haue the feast of Easter celebrated on the Sunday because of the mysterie of the resurrection and would not haue the Fastes broken but on that day Victor writ to Policrates who was a Ruler amongst the Bishops of Asia and gaue commaundement in his Letters whereat all the Bishops of Asia were greatly offended Septimus Seuerus Pertinax borne in Affrica 21. Emperour raigned 18. yeares and dyed of the age of 70. yeares in England Many Sinodes were held in diuers Prouinces touching the Feast of Easter vpon what day it should be celebrated and by common accord it was agreed that the saide Feast of Easter should be celebrated vpon the Lordes day on which was his Resurrection and on no other day But the Bishops of the Countrey of Asia were of a contrary opinion saying that they should keepe the customes of of their Auncestors touching that Which Victor seeing would needs haue depriued generally all the Churches of Asia and
of the poore he caused the vessells vailes and other precious things of the Temple to be solde Sozomene lib. 4. cap. 25. And Hierome ad Rusticum accuseth Bishops which vsurpe and make proper that which is common If the liberalitie of Emperours failed the Churches defrayed the charges of Bishops and all others that went to Sinodes Theodoret. lib. 2 cap. 16. Libraries The bookes of the holy scripture which for the most part were lost during the persecutions at this time by the benificence of the Emperour Constantine were written in great dilidence and with magnificence worthy of such an Emperour By the witnes of Athanasius it is plain inough that in the Chrians Temples there were Libraries and therein he accuseth the impietie of the Arrians which tooke out these bookes burnt them Hierome against Rufin makes mention of the Librarie at Cesaria It appeares by the Acts of a Romane Sinode held vnder Siluister that the Romane Church mainteined certaine Notaries to write the acts of the Martirs Schooles There were also Schooles of two sorts Ethnicks or Philosophicall and Ecclesiasticall Nazianzenus in the death of his brother Cesarius makes mention of the Schooles of Palestine wherein he learned Rhethoricke Lactantius held that of Nicomedia Ephiphanius a Sophister kept that of Laodicea That of Cesaria in Cappadocia was renowned bicause Constantius caused Gallus and Iulian his children to be taught there But aboue al that of Alexandria was most famous for blind Didimus who ruled there Rufin Lib. 2. Cap. 7. And Basilius calleth it a goodly shape of all doctrine In Europe that of Athens because of letters was of most acount wherin Iulian had for condisciples Basile and Gregorie Nazianzenus as the said Gregorie witnesseth in his Inuectiue against Iulian. Victorinus Affrican taught at Rome Rhethorike See Hierome in his Treatife of Illustrious men The Salarie or reward was to professors payde after the lawe of Constantine conteined in the title de profess med in the Code At this time there was a man called Arrius a professor in the schoole of Alexandria in Egipt whose Heresie did miserably torment and distract the vnion of the Church He was a man swelled with ambition and presumption One day hauing heard in the congregation of the faithfull Alexander Bishop of Alexandria subtilly and learnedly disputing of the diuine essence after he had shewed that the vnitie thereof was in a priuitie Arrius Logician rather then a Theologian began to dispute and vomit out the pâ—ison he had long time gathered Epip Lib. 2. Tome 2. Necesie 69. rehearseth that Arrius was now found in an errour that Melitius a Bishop in Thebaide accused before Alexander his Bishop who after that looked to him more narrowly and tooke heed to his subtilties Such a care had Bishops at this time one of an other that no euill should goe forward Arrius maintained the Sonne of God to be a creature and the holy Ghost created of him But with what arguments and babble of words he vsed to confirme his error it should be superfluous to rehearse There are long Epistles of Arrius to Alexander and of Alexander to all Churches by which one may more at large know the spring of all this infection Alexander at the beginning sought to stop this euill by silence But seeing that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia tooke vpon him the cause of Arrius in hatred of the Church of Alexandria Alexander not onely published the Apostasie of Arrius but also excommunicated him and his adherents as Heretickes and Schismatickes which would maintaine that God was sometimes without being Father and that the Sonne was a creature and made who knew not perfectly and exactly the Father It is straunge how so cursed an errour should in so litle time subuert so many Bishops yea the most learned not onely of the East Church but of the West also Epiph. saith that Arrius being chased away went into Palestine But Alexander hasted Letters euery where to the number of seuentie to aduertise the Bishops of Arrius his doings who was receiued of his Protector Eusebius Arrius in the meane time sent Letters to Alexandria naming him Pope and his Bishop The great Councell of Nice Anno domini 320. These debates and contentions brought great dolour and care vnto the good Emperour Constantine and incontinent to giue order therefore seeing this euill from day to day got the vpper hand sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spaine to Alexander a man of great pietie and authoritie with his Letters Patents to the Church to finde meanes to extinguish this fire whose flames were blowne all ouer Eusebius reciteth the Tenure of Constantines Letters full of all pietie in the life of the said Emperour Lib. 2. Hosius furnished with these Letters came into Egipt and did all that he could to agree Alexander Arrius but in vaine Whereof the Emperour being aduertised was more grieued then before at the request of the Bishops and instance of Alexander as witnesseth Rufin lib. 1. cap. 1. ordained at his owne charge an vniuersal Sinode at Nice a town of Bithinia the yeare of Christ 320. after some and the yeare of his Empire 17. At which Sinode from all the parts of the earth came Bishops and the number was 250. after Socrates li. 1. ca. 8. besides Priests Deacons A colites other multitudes Theodoret. li. 1. ca. 7. saith 318. Bishops and this is about the number wherof the most part of the Elders agree that haue written thereof Some say that the Emperour before he assembled this generall Sinode had caused Arrius to come vnto him and in the presence of some Bishops hauing enquired of his heresie Arrius with an oath answered that he bred no heresies then straight the Emperour in the presence of all said If thou hast sworne with a good conscience that thy oath be made with a full faith then departest thou an Innocent But if falsly thou callest God to witnesse let him whom thou hast offended take vengeance So many spake for him which he before had gained Notwithstanding the Emperour writ large Letters that men should take heede of Arrius that they builded not their Faithes vpon his heresies These letters beganne with these words Constantine the great Augustus c. The place for the Sinode was in the Emperours Pallace wherein hee had placed seates couenable and conuenient for each state and degree The Emperours seate was in the first ranke and it was couered with Golde as Eusebius saieth in his life Liber 3. Hee himselfe made the first exhortation to enter into the matter wherevnto by consent of all Eustachius Bishop of Antioche had charge to answere The Emperour the better to agree with them proposed the great crueltie and tirannie of the persecutions passed that now peace was open vnto them and that it should be a straunge thing the outward enemies being vanquished to stirre vp warres within Theodoret. Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Amongst the Bishops which were there assembled
saith that the Towne was dedicated by him the yeare of his Empire 28. and as he had taken the Empire diuided and vnited it in his person so he diuided it againe as a paternall heritage and made a partition thereof amongst his children whom whilest he liued he created Cesars one after an other that is to say Constantine his eldest sonne Anno. 10. Constantius the second Anno. 20. and Constans the youngger Anno. 30. Whose Empires were very turbulent and endured but 24. yeares 5. moneths 12. dayes according to the Chronicle of Hierome Constantine the Father died at Nicomicha after he had liued 66. yeares and raigned 31. yeares Pompon Laet. Licinius the sonne of Constantia sister of Constantine the great and Crispus sonne of the said Constantine the great with his said son Constantine the eldest were created Caesars the yeare of the Lord 316. But the wickednes of Fausta the wife of Constantine the great caused the death of Licinius and Crispus and many other noble personages See Aure. Victor and Pompo Laet. Crispus was instructed by Lactantius Constantine the eldest sonne of Constantine the great was Emperour with his two brethren after the father the yeare of our Lord 338. The Empire was thus parted namely that Constantine should enioy Gaul Spaine and England Constance should haue Italie with Slauonia and Greece And Constantius should holde Constantinople with the East This partition contented not Consantine hee raised warre against his brother Constance being proud of his Army of Gaul but warring more couetously then warily was ouerthrowne by an ambush nigh to Aquilea and being wounded in diuers places dyed there hauing raigned but three whole yeares and liued 25. See Bapt. Egnat and Pomp. Laet. Constance after he had vanquished his elder brother passing the Alpes came to make warre in Gaul and in two yeares with great difficultie conquered the Countrey which his brother had in partition He at the beginning gouerned well but after gaue himselfe to pleasures and at last became odious to all men So that in the end they conspired against him as he was at hunting and was slaine by the deuice and treason of Magnentius who vsurped his Empire yet he had saued this Magnentius his life Constance liued thirtie yeares and raigned fourteene See Pomp. Laet. Constantius had for his part the Empire of Constantinople with the East Hee vanquished Vetranio who made himselfe Emperour in Hungarie after the death of Cōstance Moreouer to reuenge the death of his said brother Constance hee made great warre against Magnentius In the first battaile there were slaine of one part and the other 53000. fighting men Magnentius had the worst And againe making head was ouercome nigh Lions Constantius was suspected vpon enuie and ambition to haue made away Dalmatius his Cousin-germain a vertuous man who better resembled Constantine the great then his owne father and who was appointed for a copartner with the said Constantius when he had his partition But Constantius liued not long after For as he was going the second time against the Persians vnderstanding that Iulian had made himselfe Augustus he tooke a Feuer and dyed the yeare of his age 40. and of his Kingdome 24. See Eutrop. Aurel. Vict. Pompon Laet. and Bapt. Egn. The Sinode of Sardis in her Sinodall Letters calleth Iulius their friend and companion Theodoret. lib. 2. chap. 8. It followeth that the Bishop or Archbishop of Rome had not the pretended superioritie It seemeth that Iulius was dead when Constantius hauing tamed the tyrannie of Magnentius and Syluanus hee was in Italie to appease the discordes of Athanasius his cause Liberius borne in Rome his father being called Augustus succeeded Iulius the yeare of Christ after S. Hierome 352. about the 12. yeare of Constance Empire his confession was agreeing vnto the Catholique faith and writ to Athanasius very Christianly of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost as may be seene in his Epistle which is affixed to the workes of Athanasius Athanasius in the Epistle to them which leade solitary liues rehearseth how Liberius was subuerted The Emperour Constans sent to Rome one named Eusebius an Eunuke with Letters wherby he threatned him exile and on the other side tempted him with presents to induce him to cōsent with Arrius and to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius Liberius despised both his menaces and gifts as a sacrifice of blasphemie Whereat the Emperour being exceedingly grieued found meanes to get him out of Rome and being come to him threatned him with death But Liberius manfully answered I am ready to endure all rather then of Christians we should be accounted Arrians Why what art thou said the Emperour that with one wicked man troublest all the world The word of Faith said Liberius dependeth not vpon multitude He was then banished by this Emperour Constans into Berrea which is a Towne in Thrace Where after hee had bene two yeares he was called home as saith Theodoret his restitution after some was accorded by the Emperour at the request of many Romanes and of the Westerne Bishops The same saith Athanasius in the before alleadged Epistle Also that Liberius after his two yeares exile feared with threatnings and apprehension of death sealed to the condemnation of Athanasius Ruffin saith the same and Hierome as Baleus saith writeth that by ambition Liberius fell into the heresie of Arrius being once fallen from the integritie of faith We finde some constitutions of Liberius namely not to make noises in fasting time that times of fasting and Lent bee not polluted by the act of marriage that in time of famine and pestilence men should appease the Lords anger by fasting almes and prayers An aduertisement The principall felicitie and ornament of the Church of this time was the multitude of excellent Doctors which by their doctrine sought so farre as in them lay to conserue multiply the puritie of doctrine But this felicitie was greatly obscured partly by the multitude of heretickes and partly by the rage of seditious people and schismatickes In so much that since the time of the Apostles there was no Church that hath endured more dissentions combats and diuisions within it then that of this world Wherevpon by good right Basile the great in a certaine poeme writing of the iudgement of God complaineth saying I haue liued the age of a man and I haue seene great concord amongst the Arts and Sciences But in the Church of God alone for which Iesus Christ dyed I haue obserued so many dissentions that it is altogether dissipated and wasted And comming to the cause As I searched saith he the cause I remembred the place of the booke of Iudges where it is written That then euery one did whatsoeuer hee thought good in his owne eyes Great persecutions were vnder Constantius after the death of Constans against the Catholike Doctors and Bishops by the Arrians Many were put to death euen within the Temples others
were exiled others put in prison virgins imprisoned and the houses of Christians pilled and sacked S. Hilarie was sent into exile At this time for the great persecutions without and heresies within many retired into the Desarts They write of two which were called Amon. The one was the Father and chiefe of three thousand Monkes The other Amon with two hundreth and fiftie Clarkes and Monkes was slaine by the Arrians Eusebius Sarmatha and Amathas Disciples of S. Anthonie were slaine by the Painimes Macarus the Aegyptian an other Macarus of Alexandria Hylarion the Disciple of S. Paul the Hermit Theodorus Entichian Pachomius Moyses Beniamin Helias Serapiō was the father of 2000. Monkes whom hee made worke for the necessitie of their liues and to helpe the needes of other poore Paemen other infinit Martin renounced his military estate Hist trip lib. 8. chap. 1. Iohn Cassian in the Collat of Fathers Naucl A coniuration was made by the Arrians after the Councel of Sardis against two Catholike Bishops Eufrates and Vincentius They caused an whoore in the night time to come into their chamber and by Apostate people which suddenly went after the said strumpet and so profered to accuse them to haue bene surprised in whoordome But the harlot disclosed the coniuration A Councell was held at Millaine in fauour of the Arrians against Athanasius the which resisted Paulinus Bishop of Treners Denis Bishop of Millaine Eusebius Bishop of Verceil and Rhodamus wherevpon they were cast out of the Church and with them Liberius Lucifer Metropolitane of the Iles of Sardine and Osius of Spaine sent into exile Anno Christi 361. The said Osius in his age by many torments beatings and wounds was forced to cōsent to the exposition of the Arrians and thervnto to subscribe in the first volume of Councels Tritenius saith that Osius being rich fearing either banishment or losse of his goods consented to the Arrians and being about to depose a Catholique Bishop called Gregory he fell downe out of his Chaire and so died Hereby are we aduertized that it is nothing to begin wel vnlesse we perseuer vnto the end Vnder Constantius many Councels were held namely in Tyre Sardis and Millaine as is said in Arimine in Syrmion of Pannonie in Nicea which is in Tharse in Seleucia which is in Isauria wherein the faith of the Fathers of Nice was condemned Felix borne at Rome sonne of one named Anastasis hauing bene the Deacon of Liberius was thrust into his place by the Arrians hoping he would consent with them in doctrine but hee became a true Catholique in the confession of the Councell of Nice and gaue no place either to the heretickes or to Constance himselfe declaring him an hereticke and was rebaptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia We finde in the booke of Councels an Epistle of the Bishoppes of Aegypt to Felix and Felix his answere to them with certaine constitutions namely that none might accuse a Bishoppe before a ciuill Magistrate Item to restore a Bishoppe who is cast out by force Item not to admit witnesse of prophane people against religious persons Item that Bishoppes should frequent Sinodes or send thither if they could not goe Som say that Felix gouerned with Liberius a certaine time But Theodoret saith that Felix withdrew himselfe into an other Towne Socrat. lib. 2. chap. 37. saith that Felix was driuen away by the Romane people in a sedition and that the Emperour thereby was constrained to send for Liberius thither Others say that Felix was beheaded with many others for that hee prooued the Emperour Hilary Bishop of Poiters was reuoked from exile and Paul Bishop of Treuers died in exile in the Countrey of Phrygia Anno Christi 363. Lucius Bishop of Adrianople dyed in prison Paulus Bishop of Constantinople sent into exile was strangled by the way Nicomedia by an earthquake was wholly subuerted and the Townes nigh were also afflicted After the death of Constance Constantius againe pursued Athanasius and then was the great persecution against the faithfull Liberius returned from exile the yeare of Christ 363. About this time three Sectes of Arrians rose vp That is to say Macedonians Eunomians and newe Arrians 1. The Arrians held the Sonne to be like vnto the Father but by grace not by nature 2. The Macedonians that the Sonne is altogether like the Father but not the holy Ghost 3. The Eunomians that the Sonne is altogether vnlike the Father Eusebius Bishop of Verceil endured great torments of the Arrians because in councell at Millaine he tore in peeces a scedule wherevnto the westerne Bishops had subscribed to the Arrians in the Councell of Arimine Some say hee was seuen dayes without bread and water in a Caue and afterward was kept in a very straight place But after the death of Constantius he was deliuered and returned to Verceil into his Bishopricke vnder Iouinian Finally after the death of the said Iouinian vnder Valens who was an Arrian he was stoned by the Arrians the yeare of Christ 388. Note Reader that at this time in each Towne there were both Catholike Dostors and Arrians Temples for the one and Temples for the other so the Church was diuided Achatius Bishop of Cesaria in Palestine an Arrian was in great reputation with Constantius Iulian borne at Constantinople the sonne of Constantius brother of Constantine the great he was faire of face subtill and of good spirit giuen both to Letters and Armes he set Fraunce at libertie which the Almaines had wasted hee tooke the King an the first cōflict beyond the hope of all Colleine was taken of him when he was very young of which prize hee got great renowne and reioyced the hearts of the souldiers In so much that they named him Emperour in Paris Whereof his Cousin Constantius being aduertised died in dispite about the age of 45. yeares as he prepared to make warre vpon him Yet when he died he made him his heire Anno Domini 363. Athanasius returned into Alexandria George who ruled in his absence was slaine and his body burnt A Sinode was in Alexandria of good Catholique Bishops wherein they that fel into heresie were permitted not onely to returne into the vnion and communion of the Church but euen into their offices and Bishoppricks There was also concluded and declared that the holy Ghost is of one same substance with the Father and the Sonne and that in the Trinitie there was nothing created or lesse or after an other Item that God hath but one essentiall substance but reall subsistence of three persons This word Substance differeth from the word Subsistence when we speake of the persons of the Trinitie For substance cōcerneth the essentiall nature of a thing after which the three persons of the Trinitie are but one alone substance and nature But this word Subsistence sheweth in one same diuine substance three persons and different proprieties not onely in name as the Sabellians say
the Gothes Viscoths Huns and Scyths who hauing passed Danubia ran vpon Hungaria Epire and Thessalia endammaging much the countrey and burning certaine Townes He was ouercome and flying was wounded with a Dart and so fell from his horse and was put in a litle strawe-house to be healed Alanus the Victor pursued him the house whereinto he went was burnt none knowing he was retired thither This was the reward of his tirannie and crueltie against the faithfull And this came to him three yeares after the death of his brother hauing raigned fourteene yeares This battaile was the beginning of great warre that the Romane Empire after sustained Gratian sonne of Valentinian raigned eight yeares with his Vncle Valens three and with Theodosius 4. But his true Kingdome began after the death of Valens the yeare of our Lord 380. Hee reuoked from Exile the Catholique Bishoppes and put backe the Arrians He made Valentinian his litle brother on the fathers side his companion of the Empire Hauing called Theodosius out of Spaine hee gaue him part of the East Empire establishing him as a Ram-part against the Gothes and Huns which occupied Thrace and Daceas as their hereditary countreys Theodosius handled them hardly At his comming he obtained a great victorie against the Almaines But as he cherished too much some of those barbarous Nations which hee caused to come with him hyring them with Gold his owne souldiers bare him euill will insomuch that Maximus was chosen Emperour in England and passing into Fraunce with the Romane Army ouercame Gratian at Paris who fled to Lions where he was taken and killed trayterously by Androgius See Pomp. Laet. Aurel. Vict. Bapt. Egn. lib. 1. Paul Diac. lib. 1. and Oros lib. 7. chap. 33. Theodosius began his true Kingdome after the death of Gratian the yeare 386. He was of the line of Traian who was also sent by the Emperor Nerua to help the Common-wealth Theodosius maintained and amplified the Empire hee put to flight the Huns and Gothes in diuers battailes which came very farre into the Empire hee also graunted peace to the Persians Valentinian the second of that name the brother of the aforesaid Gratian on his fathers side being chased from Italie by Maximus with Iustin his mother Arrian which had wrought great troubles to Ambrose fled into the East towards Theodosius who receiued him and gaue him part of the Empire after hauing shewed him his fault and that because he rebelled against religion and persecuted the Catholiques he fel into this perill Valentinian was strangled seuen yeares at Vienna in Fraunce by his Chamberlaines at the suggestion of Eugenius and of Arbogastes So that it seemed he had strangled himselfe Theodosius tarried not long before hee ouercame Maximus vsurper of the Gaulois and Victor his sonne and Androgius their Coronell which caused Gratian to die Auenging the death of Valentinian he ouercame Eugenius the Tyrant and Arbogastes his companion in a notable victorie For the time the windes the snowe and hayle ranged themselues on his side who had fewe people in respect of the Armie of Eugenius Claudians Latine verses with exclamation witnesse it saying O welbeloued of God who gaue thee a winter armed for thy successors and made come to thy wages the Tempests and the windes c. The said Iustin hauing drawne into her errour Valentinian her sonne sought also to haue deceiued Ambrose but in vaine One day she sent a sort of souldiers to enuiron the Temple to make Ambrose come out who spake to them and said hee would not so easily forsake his place and that to wolues hee would not expose the sheepfolde nor the Temple to blasphemers And that if they determined to sley him let them do it within the temple and so should death please him Theodo li. 5. chap. 13. Reliques The beginning of adoration of Reliques may be reduced to this time Ruffin writeth of Theodosius before hee enterprised warre against Eugenius the tyrant himselfe went with the Priests visiting the Churches and before the Sepulchres of the Apostles made his Orisons and Praiers The contention betwixt Hierome and Vigilantius prest Bishop of Bercolne in Spaine doth sufficiently shewe that superstition was then come forward By the writings of Hierome which are stuffed rather with iniuries outrages then sound reasons out of the holy scriptures we may know that Vigilantius had reason to oppose himselfe to such Idolatry rather then veneration of the Martyrs The words of Hierome writing to Riparius are Thou saist that Vigilantius openeth againe his stinking mouth and spitteth his infection against the reliques of holy Martyrs calling vs which receiue them Cendrier Idolaters which do reuerence vnto dead mens bones And in the booke which he perticularly writ against Vigilantius saith One Vigilantius is risen vp which with an vncleane spirit against the spirit of Christ denieth that we must honour the Sepulchres of Martyrs condemneth Vigils c then addeth And thou sayest in thy booke that as long as we liue we may pray one for an other but after we be dead that the prayers are not heard and yet they pray for the vengeance of their bloud and cannot be heard In which thou proposest vnto me an Apogrypha Booke which thou and the like readest vnder the name of Esdras where it is written that after death none dare pray c. And thou darest out of the gulfe of thy brest vomit so filthy a mockery as to say the soules of Martyrs then loue their owne ashes and flie about them for being absent they cannot heare a poore sinner who by chance resorteth thither c. Briefly he alleadgeth for great meruailes whatsoeuer Vigilantius said but refuteth it not Hee addeth also that Vigilantius heretike saide that Alleluia should not be sung but at Easter That continencie of single life commaunded is heresie and the seede of whoordome It is also reported vnto me saith hee that against the authoritie of Paul vnto whom Peter Iohn and Iames gaue the right hands who commaunds to remember the poore thou forbiddest that any should send any comfort of money to Ierusalem for the vse of the Saints and maintainest that they doo better which vse their owne and which by litle and litle distribute fruites of their possessions then they which hauing solde their possessions giue all at once He saith yet Thou fearest and turnest away viperous tongue Monkes from their application and studie and sayest by way of argument If all men should shut themselues vp or goe into solitude who should celebrate Churches or who should gaine and winne seculer men c. Wee may know by this rehearsall that Vigilantius and other good Doctors of this time maintained that the adoration of Saints was drawne from the Ethnike superstition of the Gods into the Church of the Lord. The abuse came first from the too great praise of Saints It encreased afterward by the false perswasion of the intercession confirmed by signes and lying miracles The
thing worthy of remembrance the great constancie of a woman called Denise and the exhortation she made to her sonne called Maioricus Remember said she my sonne that we were baptised in the name of the Trinitie wherefore let vs not loose the garments of our saluation Also an other called Victoria who neither by the solicitation of her husband nor the teares of her children could be perswaded c. Naucler Epiphanius Bishop of Pauie a very graue man brought into peace and concord the people of Liguria and brought from Burgonie many Captiues as well by his Siluer as his holie life whereby he entreated the redemption of 6000. Captiues Paul Diaconus and Naucler after him Seuerin an Abbot in Noric was now of great renowne Odoacer King of the Gothes as he passed by Noric into Italie went vnto him for his blessing Odoacer occupied Italie and was made King thereof and the Gothes raigned there by the space of 70. yeares The West Empire takes here an end after Augustulus had deposed himselfe the yeare of Christ 472. Sidonius Bishop of Auuerne a famous Poet in this time Clouis the fift King of France and the first Christian King raigned 30 yeares That is fifteene a Painim and fifteene a Christian Hee reuenged himselfe of them which cast out his Father Childerike out of his kingdome Going to Soisons hee tooke it by force and draue away Siagre the sonne of Giles the Romaine who occupied the kingdome against Childeric as hath bene said And at his returne tooke Melum and chased away the Romanes He amplified the kingdome of France hauing subiected to it all the Cities and Townes which the Romanes held betwixt the Riuers Rhene and Seine also all such as were betwixt Seine and Loire The histories of France say that in a certaine battel against the Almaines being at a strait he remembred the admonitions which Clotilde his wife had often giuen him to imbrace the Christian faith and religion In such sort that being pressed he lifted vp his eies to heauen and said Lord God deliuer me from this perill wherein I am thus enuironed with mine enemies and I will beleeue in thy name I all my people It came to passe not only that he was deliuered from perill but also that he had victorie vpon his enemies wherefore he was baptized by Remy Bishop of Rhemes his two sisters and more then 3000. of the noblest of his people besides women and children The inuention and fable of the holy Ampoule as they call it wherwith the kings of France are annointed is reported of this time Clouis for recompence gaue to the Church of Rhemes many great gifts lands signories and rents S. Remy afterward had great authoritie and was principall Councellour of king Clouis Some say he builded the Church of Laon and that hauing erected it a Bishops place gaue vnto it the land of Laon. Patricius the brother of S. Remy Earle of Soissons was after Bishop of Soissons and also gaue to the said Church the Earledome which the Bishop there holds at this day For you must vnderstand that S. Remy and his brother were children of the Duke of Laon and of Soissons of a noble and auncient race The Annales of France make mention that Alaric King of Visigots then occupied a great part of Gaul namely all the country along the Riuer of Loire from Orleans euen to mount Pirenes which do seperate France and Spaine Item the countries of Berry Auuerne Limosin Quercy Perignex Angolmois Agenois Languedoc Prouence and other nigh places against which Clouis willing to make warre as he passed nie Tours he sent to make his offerings to S. Martin to haue his succours against the said Visegoths and that after the victory he himselfe came to Tours and offered great gifts to the Temple of S. Martin If this be so for a first Christian king he was partly instructed in the Christian faith and felt yet his Paganisme because in the place of his old Gods he reclaimed called now vpon Saints The fault may be imputed to the Bishops Pastors which then were more superstitious then religious and more foolishly deuout then well and diuinely instructed in the word of God As S. Brice Patrice Fourcy Medard Gildard Vaast Remy Severin Germanie Loupe Nicaisius Aguien and other Saints of like branne were canonized after their deaths Vnder Zenon there happened such a fire in Constantinople that the greatest part of the Towne was brought into ashes and more then sixe score thousand volumes were lost and consumed Clouis had in marriage Clotilde the daughter of Chilperic King of Burgonie who was slaine by his owne brother called Gondobaldus and his wife mother of the said Clotilde was drowned Felix the third of that name borne at Rome gouerned the Church of Rome 8. or 9. yeares his Father was a Priest called Felix The consecrations of Temples and their dedications yearly are attributed vnto him Germain Bishop of Capua in this time Vaast Bishop of Arras Vedastus in Latin Fulgence Bishop of Rupe in Affrike Auitus Bishop Vienne Solemus Bishop of Chartres preached Christ and Fourcy that came new from Ireland The Councell of Orleans the third at this time after Iohn le Maire In the first Melanius was President In the saide Councell which was vnder Clouis it was agreed that the goods of the Cleargie should be imployed for the mainteining of Priests for the reliefe of the poore for the deliuerance of prisoners and for the repairing of Churches In the Councell of Tarrascon in Spaine Church-men were enioyned not to buye good cheape with intent to sell the same thing dearer for then they should be deposed Meane cares occupied the assemblies of Bishoppes Anastatius the Emperour called Dicorus for the chaunge of colours which appeared in his eye-browes succeeded Zeno and raigned 27. yeares he commaunded straightly to worship a quaternitie that is to say foure persons in the Diuinitie which pernitious heresie was by him maintained Gelatius of Affricke gouerned the Romaine Church fiue yeares his Father was a Bishop named Valericus Naucler The distinction of Autentike and Apocrypha bookes of the scripture are attributed vnto him Hee declared many bookes Apocryphaes as the booke called the Assumption of the Virgine Mary Item the Canons of the Apostles such like In the 1 volume of the Councels The Manicheans againe are condemned and exiled and their bookes burnt He shewed how Anastatius the Emperor might be excommunicated Hee is numbred amongst them which chiefly ordained the Canon Te igitur clementissime c. Some attribute to him the ordinance of Bigamies that is of such as haue bin twise married that they should not be promoted to orders vnles it were by ordinance of the Apostolike sea That orders should be made foure times a yeare and on the Saterday only He made Hymnes Collects Responds Graduels Prefaces of the Masse and brought all into order He
Bishop of Constantinople tirannized ouer the faithful by imprisonment exile and other torments Naucl. Chron. Abb. Vrsp and Fascic temp At this time were Vincent Bishop of Beanuais and Foursy the King of Ireland his sonne who came into France with two of his brethren Aubert Bishop of Cambray Gertrude others all which after their deathes were called Saints Clouis the 12. King of France raigned 17. yeares This King in a time of famine tooke all the gold and siluer wherwith his father Dagobert had adorned the Chappels of Martyrs yea and one of the Armes of S. Denis to giue to the poore to relieue them For that cause the Monkes deuised that he became a foole and out of his wittes in the ende of his dayes Chron. de Regib Fr. Martin Pope first of that name an Italian ruled at Rome sixe yeares and more At the beginning of his Popedome he sent Messengers to Constantinople to Paul the Patriarke to reduce him from his heresie but so much wanted therein his amendment that euen abusing the authority of the Emperor an heretike like himselfe hee caused the saide messengers to bee throwne out whereat the Pope Martin being mooued assembled a Councell at Rome of 150. Bishops and condemned Paul the heretike agreeing with the condemnation of Pyrrhus Cyrus Sergius and others Then the Emperour Constance sent Olimpus Exarke into Italie and commaunded him to make haste either to sley Pope Martin or to take him and bring him Againe Constance sent to Rome Theodorus Calliopa who by subtiltie tooke the Pope and hauing bound him in chaines brought him to Constantinople and from thence was hee banished and sent into a Citie of Pontus where he finished his daies after many and great miseries and the seat was vacant three moneths Supp Chron. In this time were held the Councell of Toledo 8.9 and 10. In the 10. there was an ordinance against Bishops which gaue Monasteries and benefices Ecclesiastical to their parents which was now made of no valewe In the 4. Chap. it was ordained that Nunnes should make a profession and vow of chastitie and that they should be apparelled in an other sort from others to be knowne Ierusalem was taken by the Mahometists Some as Nauclerus say that it was in the time of Agathon Pope and of the Emperour Constantine the sonne of this Constance Rhodes taken by the Sarrasins The Iles Ciclades were wasted by them and Sicile forraged Naucl. At Rome there appeared great signes fire fel from heauen and great thunder lightnings and invndations of waters whereof great pestilence followed Fasci Temp. and Nauclerus Eugenius Pope the first of that name a Romane ruled at Rome about three yeares He ordained that Bishops should haue prisons to punish crimes and faults of Clarkes That Priests houses should be scituate and builded nigh Churches Supp Chron. That none bee kept in Monasteries against their wills One named Peter succeeded Paul the heretike at Constantinople and was of the same heresie His Letters were recited at Rome and the Pope was hindered by the people from celebrating vntil he had cast them away because they denied two natures in Christ Naucler Claudus Arch-bishop of Besancon afterward Abbot of the Abbey of S. Eugenius was renowmed about this time through Burgoine Fasci temp And after his death they made that abhominable Idoll which is at S. Claud. in the Countie of Burgoine The children of Arikert King of the Lombards whilest they stroue one with an other the one was slain and the other a fugitiue first into Bauiere after into France Naucl. At the Councell of Calibone in the Prouince of Narbone held in this time Theodoric Bishop of Arles was accused to haue done somewhat against the Ecclesiasticall statutes and Canons and because he appeared not hee was suspended out of his Bishoppricke vntill the next Councell Vitalian Pope an Italian ruled at Rome 14. yeares and more It was he who first ordained singing in the Romane Church and agreed it with Organes by the consent of Rodoaldus King of the Lombards who beeing taken in adulterie with a wife of Lombardie was slaine by her husband It is not found that hitherto the Romane Church had full domination in the Towne of Rome other goodly things it pretendeth since the death of Constantine the great vnlesse it were vnder certaine too soft Emperours and yet then not much But to this Vitalian the Emperour by singular grace confirmed the priuiledges of the Church which notwithstanding he after brake and made them of no force Fasci temp and Naucler Constant the Emperor caused to be assembled a Sinode and abiured his heresie and after came to Rome with a great company with Cierges in their hands and so entred into the Temple but he shewed well it was not vpon deuotion but to see where the Treasures were to take and carrie them away Hee was there to visit it fiue dayes Afterward hee tooke away all that was delicate in his eyes He tooke away more ornaments and riches he alone in 7. dayes then the Barbarians had done in 258. yeares Naucl. and Supp Chron. He was greatly hated at Constantinople for his cruelties and for causing to die in exile Pope Martin in such miserie and for cutting the tongue and hand from Maximin Wherefore he sought againe to bring the Emperiall seate to Rome and kept his Court sixe yeares in Sicilie Abb. Vrsperg where hee did many great euills as is recited by Paulus Diaconus He was slaine in Sicilie being in the Bathes this yeare 669. and of his Empire 27. Mizizius otherwise called Mitius or Missessius was constituted Emperour and raigned about sixe moneths Constantine the fourth sonne of Constant commonly called Le Barbu the bearded came against him and caused him to die and all such as had bene of the conspiracie against his father After these things were done he raigned from the beginning with his brethren Tiberius and Heraclius Abb. Vrsp. But after according to Naucler alleadging Blundus and Pius his abbreuiator he caused their noses to be cut off least they should after come to the Empire so that his sonne Iustinian might raigne The Councell of Toledo 11. in this time Dado Bishop of Ruoan writ three bookes of the life of S. Eloy Bishop of Noyon Abb. Trit Clotaire the third of that name and the 13 king of France raigned foure yeares Note Reader touching the Kings of France which follow that from this Clotaire vntill Pipin and Charlemaine they did nothing worthy of any great memorie but became vnprofitable and full of cowardise so that they had not like authoritie as either their predecessors or successors They had as it were nothing but the bare names and titles of Kings For the Maiors or Prouostes of the Pallace which then were as it were the Constables or great Maisters had the administration of all matters of the Kingdome as well those of warre as of peace and all was
side from whence bloud came wherwith many maladies were healed This thing being declared to the Bishop of the said place he made that blood to be preciously kept and shewed it and carried it hither and thither And therevpon ordeined each yeare a feast called the Passion of the Lordes Image the eight of Nouember Of this blood there was brought to Mantoua Supp Chron. Who sees not that this Fable was inuented to the end that vnder the shadow of miracles the seruice of Saints and Images might be set forward against the Grecians Emperours Whē men haue no authoritie from the holie scripture they cry Miracle Miracle Note hereby the refuge of Papists There was a Sinode held in France against the Grecians touching Images by the authoritie of King Pippin Abb. Vrsp In this time Saints liues were forged on all sides Verus Biship of Siuil wrote the life of S. Eutropius Bishop Abb. Trit Wibaldus composed the life of S. Boniface his maister Bishop of Magunce Tritem Constantine Pope second of that name a Romane gouerned at Rome one yeare By ambition and force hee occupied the Papacice And from the estate of a Laie-man being made Priest hee was chosen Pope by store of money and Armes but after was taken and cast into a Monasterie and his eyes put out In this time likewise there was an Antepope called Phillippicus or Phillip who also was deposed and Stephen the third constituted Sergius Bishop of Rauenna and Christopher Authours of the former schisme had their eyes put out Stephen Pope third of that name Monke of Sicilie ruled at Rome foure yeares This Pope assembled a Councell at Rome where all that was reuoked which Constantine his predecessor had ordeined euen in disgrading them which by him were consecrated In the said Councell assisted 12. Bishops of France Naucler There was also ordeined that no Laie-man should be made Pope or Bishop but successiuely by order and Ecclesiasticall degrees Naucler Item that euery Sunday the Gloria in excelsis should be sung at Masse There was condemned the Councell of Constantinople 7. wherein the Emperour Constantine the 2. and the Bishops of Greece had ordeined that Images should be laid downe This Councell was declared hereticall and againe Images commanded as worthie of honour and veneration This thus agreed vpon the next morning there was made a great procession where the Pope went on foote in great deuotion and all others Naucler and Supp Chron. A great token of repentance for a Pope Charlemaigne the sonne of Pippin 22. King of France had this surname of great for his prowesses and vertues Hee had maruellous warres The first in Aquitane The second against the Lombards And the third against the Saxons He had also warre in Spaine in Bauiere and in Hungarie against the Hunois which Historiographers declare in their order Adrian Pope a Romane gouerned the Romane Church 24. yeares This Pope shewed himselfe cruell against such as impugned the seruice of Images and made a booke Intituled Of the worshipping of Saints Chron. Sigeb and Abb. Trit Dedier 22. and last king of Lombards desired the loue and friendship of this Pope but he would not consent therevnto Saying that he would not accord with him which so often had broken his promise wherewith Didier being moued practised many euils against the Church of Rome In so much that Adrian was constrained to demaund aide in Fraunce Supplim of Chron. Charlemaigne came into Italie at the request of Adrian against Didier and obtained victorie against him after he had raigned 18. yeares hee sent him prisoner into France with his wife and children And the kingdome of the Lombards finished in Italie which had endured 224. yeares or 213. After hee had ouercome the Lombards hee instituted the Vniuersitie of Pauie and adorned it with learned people Charlemaigne came to Rome and kissed the Popes feete Blundus and P. Emilius He restored to the Romane Church his reuenewes priuiledges and ratified all that which his Father Pippin had giuen to the said Church Wherefore this Adrian caused a Councell to be held of 153. Prelates by which was giuen to Charlemaigne the right of Inuesture placing Bishops in possession of their seates and to elect the Pope of Rome from hence forward Distinct 63. cap. Adrianus This priuiledge endured not long and was but feined hypocriticall And the succeeding Popes obserued it not saying it was but curtesie and a personable priuiledge which could not exceed the person of the Emperour which then was Leon Emperour fourth of that name sonne of Constantine Emperour raigned fiue yeares his wife was of Athens named Hirene otherwise also Theodora a faire woman and of great spirit Naucler He loued precious stones and hauing seene a Crowne full of precious stones in the Treasury of Saint Sophie put it vpon his head but by the coldnesse thereof he fell into a Feuer whereof he dyed Chron. Sigeb Fasc temp Naucler Supp Chro. After his wife Hirene raigned Charlemaigne enterprised warre against the Saxons Infidels and Painims and this endured 33. yeares Naucler For they often reuolted and feined themselues to be Christians abusing Charlemaigne Abb. Vrsp. Finally they were made subiect Adrian builded certaine Towers and walles at Rome and gaue great gates of Brasse to the Church of S. Peter and adorned the Aultar with a couering of Gold Hee ordeined that an hundreth poore people should be nourished in the Court of Lateran He restored S. Anastatius and other ruinated Churches He was puissant and noble of race and none of his predecessours came to like temporal glory and riches Supp Chro. Fasci temp Charlemaigne displeased at the discord of the Church Musicke betwixt the Romanes and the French sent two Clarkes to Rome to learne the Song of the Romane Church which first instructed the Church of Metes in Lorraine and after al France in the same singing Supp Chron. Constantine 6. of that name Emperour 76. of Leon the 4. raigned tenne yeares with his mother Hirene but being come to age he depriued her of the Empire exhorting her rather to deale in domesticall affaires without medling with gouerning the Empire Sigeb Charlemaigne made warre in Spaine against the Sarrasins Naucler Where the Peers of France were betraied Ganelon Hirene had her deuotion towards the virgin Mary and all other Saints And at the request of Pope Adrian and of Therasius Arch-bishop of Constantinople she assembled after Sigeb a Councell at Nice called the seuenth of 350 after some or of 325. Bishops Naucler Wherin it was decreed that not only in Temples should be Images but also that they should be worshipped of right that al gainsaiers should be excommunicated but this decree was after abolished by Constantine Chro. Euseb Here tooke the Vniuersitie of Paris her beginning by the care of Alenin an English man who was Charlemaignes maister Constantine the 11. yeare of his Empire depriued his mother of the
Sarrasins It was hee which enriched the Crosse with precious stones the which the Deacons vsed to carrie before the Popes The yeare of Christ 849. Leo Emperour of Constantinople was slaine in his Pallace hee beeing in his Chappell by a conspiracie of his Nobles and especially of Count Michael who after obtained the Empire nine yeares Naucler Chron Sigeb A Sinode at Rome of 64. or after some 47. Bishops was assembled by Leo wherein a great Cardinall was condemned and deposed because he had left his Parish fiue yeares and for other crimes Notwithstanding after this the same Pope ordained that a Bishop ought not to be condemned vnlesse hee were euicted by 72. witnesses A great mutation hapned in France by the Normanes Frisons Brittaines and others which wasted it Adulphus after the Chronicle of Eusebius or Ethelwolphus or Alidulphus or Adolphus after some the first Christian King of England went to Rome on Pilgrimage with his sonne Alfredus Nauclerus And graunted to the Pope Leo of each house in his Countrey a certaine peece of Siluer for tribute payable to the Popes of Rome euerie yeare in the honour of Saint Peter which custome was long time after kept This Tribute was called S. Peters pence or guilt and so was all England made subiect to the Popes seate Functius The body of S. Helena mother of Constantine the great from Rome was transpoted into France Chron. Sig. and Fasc Temp. In Almaine vpon the coast of Rhene a great famine came and after that a great earth quake whereby S. Albons Church at Magunce fell An Aduertisement As for the Popes on the Romane seate from Phocas the Emperour hitherto they haue still multiplyed newe traditions ceremonies buildings pleasures pompes and warres they haue deuised and practised murthers alterations and chaunges of Kingdomes in such sort as finally the Church vnder their gouernmenment became altogether the whore whereof is spoken in the Apocalips and the better to discouer the thing the Lord hath manifested the truth thereof to all the world in this Pope that followeth Iohn the 8. who being a woman and an whore hath shewed in her body the true portraict of the great spiritual whoredome of the Romane Popes which after still more and more is manifested Iohn 8. of that name tooke the name of an English man because of a certaine English Moonke of the Abbey of Fulden which he loued singularly as for his office hee was a Pope but for his Sexe hee was a woman This woman beeing an Almaine by Nation borne at Magunce and first called Gilberte feigned her selfe to be a man hauing taken on her mans apparell went to Athens with her amorous Louer the Monke In which place she profited excellenty in all kinde of Sciences and after the Monkes death came to Rome still dissembling shee was a woman But because she was of a very sharpe spirit and had a notable grace well and promptly to speake in disputations and publike Lectures so that many maruelled at her knowledge euerie one was so affectioned towards her and so well shee gained the hearts of all that after the death of Leo she was chosen Pope Into which office being brought shee bestowed holy orders as they call them after the maner of other Popes shee made Priests and Deacons she ordained Bishops and Abbots she sung Masses shee consecrated Temples and Aultars shee administred the Sacraments shee presented her feete to kisse and did all other things which the Popes of Rome vsed to do and yet her Actes were then of verie litle or no valew Whilest this woman was thus in the Papall office the Emperour Lotharie now olde tooke the habit of a Monke and Lewis the second of that name beeing come to Rome tooke the Scepter and Imperiall Crowne at her hands with S. Peters blessing In dooing whereof this whore of Babilon shewed her selfe to haue that power that she made Kings subiect vnto her In her time Ethelwolphus king of England gaue cowardly the tenth part of his Kingdome to the Cleargie and Monkes as Horeden saith and his sonne Ethelbaldus espoused Iudith his mother in lawe his fathers widow now dead But whilest this Pope was in his estate she was got with child by a Chaplaine of hers a Cardinal who knew well of what Sexe she was And as she went on Procession solemnly to the Church of Lateran she brought forth this child gotten in whoredome betwixt the Collosse and the Church of S. Clement in the middest of Rome in the publike streete in the presence of all the people of Rome and died in the same place as she deliuered her childe the yeare of our Lord 857. Because of such a fault as to bring forth a childe in a common streete shee was depriued of all honor accustomably done to Popes and buried without any Papall Pompe Heere thou mayest see Reader how the Romane Church cannot erre after they haue caused a Masse of the holy Ghost to bee sung This Act alone certainly doth so euidently shewe that it is the seate of the great whore and the mother of all whoredomes that there is no Apelles whatsoeuer that can better paint her in her colours But to the end that Popes and annointed Fathers may seeme to detest such a sinne they turne from that streete as from a place which they much suspect because of the euil luck Functius makes no doubt so say that this was permitted of God that this woman should be created Pope and withall that she should be an harlot publikely prooued because in these times she made kings subiects vnto her as Ethelwolphus and Alfredus were in England that they might acknowledge Antichrist for their king For God in this Papesse harlot would manifest to the world this whore of Babilon whereof the holy Ghost hath foretold to the ende the faithfull I might take heed of her But to the end those good Fathers should no more fall into such an inconueniency they haue ordained that a Deacon should handle their priuie parts in an holied Chaire to the ende hee may be knowne whether he be a man or no. But now whilest they be Cardinals and before they be chosen Popes they engender so many bastards that none can doubt if they be males neither is there any more need of so holy a ceremonie Lotharie now old hauing diuided his kingdome to his children and made himselfe a Monke as is said died the yeare 855. Lewis second of that name the sonne of Lotharie vnto whom his father had assigned whilest hee liued the Kingdome of Italie and the Empire was a kinde man and one that feared God Hee raigned nineteene yeares and died the yeare 874. Benet Pope third of that name a Romane ruled at Rome about three yeares This man when he was chosen Pope receiued the office weeping taking God to witnesse that he was not meet for such a charge Hee was three dayes in fasting and prayer desiring the Lord to giue him
Cardinall Deacon he wrote Saint Gregories life in foure volumes Lewis the Emperour being in Italie dyed hauing raigned 19. yeares and was buried at Milaine His successour was Charles the second of that name surnamed le Chauue the sonne of Lewis le Debenaire of his second wife Iudith vncle of the dead Lewis the second After he was King 36. yeares he heard say that the Emperour his Nephew was dead and incontinent went to Rome to receiue the Crowne of the Empire hauing ordeined Boso his wiues brother King of Prouince Pope Iohn in a small time crowned three Emperours and after gaue occasion of great contention and warre First hee crowned Charles le Chauue who two yeares after he came into Italie to driue the Sarrasins out of the kingdome of Naples was taken with a Feuer at Mantone where hee dyed being poysoned by his Physitian a Iewe called Zedechias the yeare 878. hauing bene King 36. yeares and Emperour two yeares and was buried at Verseile and after as some say was transported to S. Denis The Pope vnderstanding of his death would that his sonne Lewis le Begne should be chosen Emperour But the Romanes contradicted it and would that Charles the third surnamed le Gros sonne of Lewis king of Germanie it should be chosen The Pope remaining still in his opinion was sent to prison but he escaped by the helpe of his friends and fled into France where he remained a yeare first in Arles and after at Lions Finally some say at Troy in Champaigne where he assembled the Councell of the French Church and there created and crowned Lewis le Begne Emperour and saluted him Augustus In the meane while Charles the third was at Rome kept it He sent for the Pope who returned to Rome and pronounced that the saide Charles might dwell at Rome and crowned him Emperour And so they raigned together two yeares Finally Lewis was poysoned and Charles raigned alone 12. yeares Plat. Florent and Robert Barns This Pope at the same Councell gaue to the Flemings a Bishop in Tornay Lewis le Begne two yeares after he was crowned in France 1. of that name died at Champaigne and left his wife great with childe who after brought foorth Charles le simple Nauclerus Charles called le Gros the sonne of Lewis King of Germaine being at Rome occupied the Empire and raigned alone And by him the Empire or the French men returned to the Almaines Naucler and R. Barns and came not at the wish of the French nor according to the imaginations and subtill deuices of the Pope This Pope Iohn ordeined that such as offended in Sacriledge should be excommunicated amerced at thirtie pound of siluer 22. quest 4. Chap. Quisquis Iohn le Maire saith that this Pope was a cruell man and disgraded Formosus Bishop of Portensis which was an occasion of many mischiefes Fasci temp Some Historiographers say it was for that he was the cause that the said Iohn Pope was imprisoned at Rome Finally he was poisoned or as some say slaine with the blow of a Mallet vpon a conspiracie made against him Chron. Abb. Vrsp R. Barns Pascasius about this time was Abbot in Saxonie he writ a Booke of the Euchariste and most men followed his opinion which pleased the Schoole-men more then the opinion of Iohannes Scotus or of Bertramus which were reiected as shal be told in his place Martin second of that name a French man by euil arts entered into the Popedome Supple Chron. and gouerned a yeare and fiue moneths before he was called Marin Betwixt Martin Pope second of that name and Adrian the third Sigebert and Visperge place Agapetus but other Historiographers make no mention of them Adrian Pope the third of that name ruled at Rome a yeare and three moneths Hee ordeined that from thenceforth the Emperours should not meddle with the election of the Pope And that his aurhoritie therein should be no more any thing requisite but that the election of the Cleargie should be free Dist 62. chap. Nullus chap. Adrianus Hee made this Lawe whilst the Emperour was occupied in the warre against the Normains which then endured not long For Leo the eight Pope did ordaine cleane contrary as shall bee saide afterward Platina saith heere that William Pyon Duke of Aquitane and Counte Auerne founded the first Monasterie of the order of Clugny vnder the rule of Saint Benet and made Berno Abbot there after whome Odo succeeded who hauing bene a Musitian at Tours came to be a Monke at Clugny Chron. Sigeb The Emperour Charles became iealous of his wife for the great familiaritie shee had with Luitwaldus Bishop of Verseil who in a full assembly protested that hee neuer had her company Shee notwithstanding accepted the diuorce and withdrew her selfe vnto the couent d'Aulaui where shee made an end of her dayes Sigeb and P. Phrig 9. At this time the Normains Northerne people did great hurt in France after they had spoyled Artois Cambray Liege Brabant Gelders and Treuers c. Charles being not able to resist them finally agreed with them in giuing in marriage the daughter of Lotharie his cousin germain called Gille to Geffrey or Rotfrid their King and assigned for her dowrie the Countrey of Frise vpon condition he should be baptised Notwithstanding those Normains afterward afflicted France and besieged the Citie of Paris as shall be said The subiects of Charles le Gros greeued at his cowardlinesse because he let France be so outraged by the violence and crueltie of the Normains and that also hee had forsaken his wife a good woman they deposed him as vnworthy and vnprofitable for the gouernment of the Empire and gaue him a Curator named Arnulfe or Arnould who was his brothers sonne Some say that Charles le Gros finished his dayes in great pouertie in the Abbey of the rich Angell called in Alemand Richenna nigh vnto Constans by the Lake without any great honour of Sepulchre Others say he was strangled by his owne people This is a glasse for great Princes of the world and an excellent patterne of the humaine condition Arnulphus thē his Nephew by his brother Carloman Duke of France Orientall which then was called the Teutonique Kingdome comprehending Bauier Sorabe Saxe Turinge Frise and Lorraine was made Emperour Hee was a valiant man and repressed the Moranians and Slauonians after hee made strong warre vpon the Normains nigh the Riuer of Mense Stephen Pope fift of that name ruled 6. yeares ten moneths in the Romane seate It was in his time that the tale of S. Michael in the Mount Bargamus in Pouile is said to bee true There was one of his Decretals to Hubert Arch-bishop of Manyeance 2. G. v. c. Consuluisti ordeined the song of Crosse de consecrat 6. dist v.c. Nunquid Odo 31. King of France raigned nine yeares He was Tutor vnto Charles le Simple and crowned King to resist the Normains which then
at Siennes in Tuscane ruled at Rome 12. yeares and one moneth rather a Monster in nature then a man Hauing abandoned the Monasterie of Clugny where hee was a Monke and being come to Rome he insinuated himselfe into the familiaritie of Laurence an Archpriest of whom hee learned Magike Arts and Negromancie which Arts the said Laurence being yet young had learned of that diuellish Monster Syluester Pope second of that name with certaine others There was a certaine particular intelligence betwixt this Laurence Thoaphilacte Iohn Gratian and Hildebrand all Archpriests or Cardinalls of the Sinagogue of Rome Wherfore Hildebrand did whatsoeuer he would with Theophilacte whilest hee was in the Popes office vnder the name of Benet the ninth But which is more vntill he came to be Pope nothing was done vnder the other Popes but at his pleasure When hee list as Benno saith he would shake his skirtes and fire would come out like sparkes and by such miracles he abused the eyes of simple people as if it had bene some signe of sanctetie And therefore saith Benno when the diuell could not persecute publikely Iesus Christ by the Painims he disposed himselfe fraudulently to destroy his name by that false Monke vnder the shewe and colour of religion Authors rehearse that this Hildebrand poysoned seuen or eight Popes by the seruice of Gerard Brazut to the ende by that meanes he might the sooner come vnto the Papacie Yet during those great troubles he handled all things so subtilly that none doubted he by any meanes aspired to the seate And although he was not Pope by name yet in effect he was the Organe and onely Instrument of him that was ordained Pope or of all his wicked inuentions and by litle and litle he practised vnder the other Popes that which he executed in his owne Popedome This notable Hypocrite vnder the colour of Canons and a certaine pietie hee did whatsoeuer hee would although he was the most vniust and the wickeddest in the world He accused Alexander the second his Lord and Maister because he had sought succours and helpe of the Emperour against his aduersaties and said it was not reasonable according to Canons that he should enioy the Papall dignitie which had demaunded succours of a prophane Prince Hauing dismissed the said Alexander of his dignitie he imprisoned him and caused him secretly to die and incontinently vsurped the Papall seate whilest men prepared for the obsequies and funeralls of the dead He communicated his siluer and counsell with Brazut and certaine Iewes his familiars by the meanes of which he found many tongues at his hire which cried with an high voyce yea euen before Alexander was buried S. Peter the Apostle hath chosen Hildebrand and they placed him in the Papall Chaire vnder the name of Gregorie the 7. And this was done the 1000 yeare after the destruction of Ierusalem In the which yeare the 6. Vicars of Sathan began to attribute vnto themselues openly the name of God and the office and vertue of Iesus Christ true God and true man For as soone as the said Gregorie had bin declared and ordained Pope the same was proclamed that the true Vicar of Christ Iesus was chosen And also the same Gregorie appropriated vnto himselfe that which is said of Iesus Christ in the second Psal Hee ouerthrew the lawes of God in forbidding marriage to Priests and casting kings out of their seats It was he which shead out the first seeds of the warre of Gog Magog which were the most pernitious and bloudie that euer was and which his familiar Vrbain 2. of that name afterward pursued Baleus Anglus The beginning of the mischiefes and extreame calamities of Croysades against the Turkes vnder a shewe of recouering Ierusalem Benno a Crdinall rehearseth the history folowing One day saith he as Gregorie came frō Albe to Rome he forgot to bring with him a booke of Negromancie which he held very deare and without the which hee neuer went or at least very seldome Whereof remembring himselfe at the doore of Laterane hee called hastily two of his most familiars which accustomed to serue him in all his wickednesse and villanies and commaunded them that they should bring him the said booke with all expedition straightly charging them that they should not presume so much as to open the booke by the way and that vpon curiositie they should not enquire vppon the secrets thereof But the more he commanded them the more inflamed he their curiositie diligently to seeke the secrets thereof As then returning they had opened the booke and had curiously read the diuellish commaundements of that Art suddenly the Angells of Sathan presented themselues the multitude of which and the horror of them brought those two young men almost out of their wits that with much adoo could they come to themselues And as they themselues rehearsed it those euil spirits insisted strongly saying Wherefore haue you called vs wherefore haue you disquietted vs Commaund vs quickly what you will haue vs to doo else we will fall vpon you if you keepe vs any longer here One of the young men then answered cast vs downe these walles straight And saying so hee shewed thē with the hand certaine high walles nigh the towne of Rome which in a moment these euill spirits ouerthrew to the earth They then thus terrified trembling almost out of breath scantly could come to Rome vnto their maister Behold what Benno saith who was in that time Gregorie being come to the papall dignitie began incontinently to sollicite that the Canons which his predecessors had made by his cautelous Councell touching Simonie and singlenesse of life in Priests and Monkes should be obserued not to the end hee might wholy abolish the wicked and detestable marchandise which was made of Ecclesiasticall Benefices but that vnder some colour of honestie hee might take from Princes the power to conferre and bestow them and to the end that by that meane all Bishops might be reduced and brought vnder the power and authoritie of the Romane seate which because of the right of Inuesture were obliged and beholding vnto Princes more then vnto the Pope of Rome And although that the Emperour Henry were the greatest of all Princes yet this arrogant and proud marchant iudged it best first to touch and deale with him tragically for the cause of Simonie Hee assembled a Councell at Rome in the place of Laterane touching these things but the Emperour beeing hindered because of his warres could not intend to debate his right in the Sinode The Pope notwithstanding had taken the matter so at heart that for that cause he ceased not to vse both treasons and murders and that more is he stirred in many places intestine and inward warres which engendred all maner of calamities For first he laide ambushes for the Emperour hee sought by diuers meanes to cause him to die In so much as hee sought to haue slaine him euen in the Church
as he should be at his prayers The Cardinall Benno rehearseth thus the Historie The Emperour saith he had a custome often to goe make his prayers in the Church of S. Marke in the Mount Auentine As then Hildebrand enquired diligently by certaine spies of all that he did hee gaue charge to marke the place wherein the Emperour prayed oftnest either standing or on his knees and suborned one promising him a great summe of money to lay great stones on the beames or vpper lofts of the Church see the holy councell of this Pope and that he should lay thē so wel that when the Emperour should make his prayers he might let them fall on his head to dash out his braines But as he which had enterprised such a villanie was at hand to accomplish it and went about to handle and remoue a stone the heauie for him the stone by the waight deceiued him and the scaffold which was on the beames being broken the stone and the poore miserable man by a iust iudgement of God fell vpon the pauement of the Temple was all burst with the same stone After the Romanes vnderstood how all things was past they bound the feet of that wicked villaine and by the space of 3. daies trailed him through the streets of the towne But vsing their accustomed humanitie commaunded he should be buried The sonne of Benno saith here yet further that Iohn Bishop of Port who was Hildebrands Secretarie and great familiar comming into the Pulpit which was in S. Peters Church said amongst many other things in the hearing of the people and Cleargie Hildebrand hath done such a thing and we also as deseruers should all bee burned aliue meaning to giue to vnderstand that which hee had done of the Sacrament of the body of our Lord. Whereof Hildebrand demaunding Councell of a certaine thing as of old the Painims did of their Idols cast it into the fire because it gaue him do answere although the Cardinalls which were then present spake against his deed This is a beginning of the fruite of that cursed decree of Transubstantiation applied vnto Charmes and Inchauntments He excommunicated also the said Emperour Henry without lawfull accusation without Canonicall appellation without forme of iustice yea euen for that he was but too obedient vnto him Hee diuided also from him the Princes of the Empire and sought by secret treasons to destroy him but God preserued him O straunge treason proceeding from the sanctuarie or rather frō him who seemed to be the high Priest to gouerne the Church to haue superintendancie ouer Iudges and Elders By menaces also he constrained Bishops to sweare that they should not defend his cause neither should they fauour or helpe him in any thing drawing violently the scripture to make them serue his false dealing Notwithstanding saith Benno so soone as hee arose vp from his seate to excommunicate the Emperour the seate which had lately bene made of new and strong wood by the will of God of it selfe brake in many peeces in a terrible maner In such sort as it gaue to know that he that did sit vpō it would sowe terrible schismes against the Church by so arrogant and presumptuous a maner of excommunication This saith Benno But when he sawe that all his Ambushes could serue him for nothing he beganne to vse open force and emnities and after he had excommunicated Henry declaring all his subiects acquited of their oath of fidelitie which they had deliuered him he sent the Crowne of the Empire vnto Rodolphe Sauoic with this Latine verse such as it is Petra dedit Petro Petrus dià dema Rodolpho That is to say the Rocke hath giuen the Diademe vnto Peter and Peter giueth it vnto Rodolphe Henry then being for this cause sore troubled laid downe his royall apparell and came towards him into the Towne of Canuse with his wife and litle sonne in the time of a strong and sharpe winter through a very daungerous way Being before the gate of the Citie sayth Benno from morning till night without hauing eyther meate or drinke in apparell of cloath and barefooted beeing made a spectacle for Angels and men hee required pardon in all humilitie He endured three whole dayes in a very lamentable affliction In so much that Hildebrand who tooke his pleasure the meane while with his whores and Monkes mocked him He desired sore that he might haue entry into the Citie but it was refused him And as with great instance he demaunded it by the space of three dayes he was answered that the Pope had no leisure to speake with him Henry taking not in euill part that they would not suffer him to come into the Citie remained in the suburbes not without great grieuance For the winter was sharper then of custome Yet to the end he would offend no person he kept 3. whole dayes there without departing Finally the fourth day at the request of the Countesse Matilde who as Histories say loued a litle too much the Pope and of the Abbot of Clugny and of the Earle of Sauoy called Adelrans he was permitted to enter of the Pope But when he demaunded pardon of the Pope setting his Crowne betwixt his hands and in his power he would neither pardon nor absolue him of excommunication vnlesse first he promised to purge himselfe in a ful Sinode of his fault with other vnlawful and vnreasonable conditions All which things he promised and confirmed them by estate yet would they not remit him into his Kingdome Can any body haue haue a more liuely portraite of the Image of Antichrist The Princes of Italy after they knew this were exceedingly offended that the Emperour had so made his agreement with Hildebrand and that so dishonestly and vilely he had submitted himselfe to him who had inuaded the Papacie by wicked practises and who had polluted and defiled all with murders and adulteries c. After this the Pope with his Cardinalls glorying that he had brought the Emperour into seruitude durst now aduenture to enterprise greater things But the Emperour afterward tooke courage and straightway dispatched all that by taking Armes And after many sharp and hard warres he vanquished Rodolphe in battaile Who hauing his right hand cut off made call all the Bishops and Priests on his side Which being come after one had brought him his hand he spake in this sort I confesse that this is worthily come vnto me and wel bestowed vpon me Behold the hand wherewith I haue deliuered the oath of fidelitie to my Lord Henry but at the sollicitation of you I haue so many times vnluckily fought against him and also falsified my faith vnto him and therefore I haue receiued a reward such as my periurie meriteth See if you haue guided mee in a right way So then and now keepe to your Prince the fidelitie which you haue promised vnto him As for me I goe to my Fathers and incontinently after Rodolphe
France He commanded to assemble an vniuersal Councel of all the church in the Citie of Cleremont in Anuegue and made an Oration of great efficacie For straight there crossed themselues to the combat at least three hundreth thousand men all readie to goe vnto Ierusalem of the number of which there were many valiant Princes who to make mony solde their owne landes and signeories as Hughe the great the King of Fraunce his brother Robert brother of the Duke of Normandie Robert or Rambert Count of Flaunders Raimond Count of S. Giles Stephen Count of Blois Brunamon or Bayamond Prince of Pouille and Godphrey de Bullon who was the chiefe with his two brethren Eustace and Baudwin Also Ansele of Ribemont and many others He excommunicated the King of Galatia because he had put a Bishop in prison and exacted this oath of such as he would promote to orders So God helpe me and these holy Euangelists of God Hee made also certaine their statutes namely Clarkes should euery day say the houres of the Virgine Mary a verie Idolatrous thing and vnto her to dedicate the Saterday with a Masse He ordeined that no person should come into Popish orders vnles he were a virgin that is to say vnmarried whoremonger or buggerer as their acts shewed As for Priests they must needs be without wiues althogh they passed not for whordomes He forbad that Bishops should be ordeined without titles that faith shuld be kept vnto such as Popes had excommunicated He held himselfe close for the space of two yeares in the house of one Peter Leon for the feare he had of one Iohn Paien a Romane Citizen where also he died the yeare of the Lord 1099. and his body was buried secretly beyond Tiber for feare of enemies The same yeare died also Guibert which was called Clement the 3. after he had seene three Popes dead in his time Theodorus Bibliander writeth in this sort of that Hildebrand aforesaid and this Vrbane speaking to the Princes of al estates Hildebrand saith he in inciting the Emperour of Greece against the Turks sowed the seed of the war of Gog and Magog against which crieth the bloud of the Church shead with a miserable ruine and losse by the sword of his tongue O how much blood hath beene shead at the sollicitation of Vrbane the second to the end that vnder the colour of making warre to amplifie the Christian religion and recouer the sepulchre of the Lord he might be put againe in the Romane seate after hauing oppressed such as were of the faction of Guibert Fredericke Barbarossa did so the yeare of the Lord 1188. Frederic 1228. The King of France Lewis 9. who was a Saint after his death did as much the yeare 1288. Sigismond did it twise Anno. 1409. Vladislaus King of Hungarie Anno. 1420. who dyed nigh Varne And at this day what shall we iudge of such as bring the Turke into Christendome to auenge their particular iniuries This Pope Vrbane by excommunications constrained Philip King of France to take againe Berthe his first wife which he caused to be detained prisoner in the Castle of Monstrell vpon the sea and to leaue his second Bertrande who was wife of the Count de Angiou Nice in Bithinie is taken and after the Towne of Ierusalem by the Christians whereof Godfrey of Bulloine was constituted King Naucler Antioche was taken by Boemondus a Norman sonne of Robert Duke of Pouille Supp Chron. The reward that those noble Combatants and fighters for Christendome got was the carrying away of Relickes The Speare which pearced the side of Iesus Christ was found in the said Towne in the Church of Saint Andrewe Supp Chron. Robert Count of Flaunders brought away the Arme of Saint George which he sent into the Abbey of Anchin Sigeb Godfrey was the first King of Ierusalem Baudwin his brother is called the second Naucler Paschall second of that name borne of Italie called before Rainer a Monke and lately created Cardinall of the title of S. Clement by Hildebrand his maister succeeded Vrbane the second in the Papacie When this proud Squire knew hee was chosen he would not mount into the Papall seate vntill first the people had cryed thrice Saint Peter hath chosen Rainer After this beeing apparrelled in a Scarlet Roabe and a Theatre or Crowne vppon his head mounted vpon a white steed hee was ledde to the place of Laterane where the Papall Scepter was giuen him and he was girt with a Baudrier or large Girdle at which hung seuen kayes and as many seales as Ensignes or tokens of the Papall power so much did this great Antichrist and aduersary of God magnifie himselfe by which things signified that according to the graces of the holy Ghost which they distinguished into seuen he had the power to open and shut Churches By this meanes this harlot mounted on horsbacke being come vnto a perfect age in such sort encreased that she got vpō the Beast with ten hornes which she had gouerned vntil our time in great pride arrogancie as had bin foretold Apo. 13.17 This soueraigne Vicar of Sathan on earth imployed all his time in warres and seditions whilest Godfrey de Bulloine and other Christian Princes fought against the Sarrasins in Siria And to the end he might not be esteemed lesse thē Hildebrand he sought all the meanes that might serue to the greatnes of his Romane seate Hee furiously deposed from their dignities all the Bishops and Abbots which had bene ordeined by the Emperour He sent into exile one Albert Theodoricke and Maginulphe who aspired vnto the Papacie He assembled at Rome a Councell of the Bishops of Italie and France Anno. 1101. because of an opinion of a Bishop of Fluence touching Antichrist alreadie borne as Sabellicus rehearseth For seeing so many mischiefes committed in the Church he said Antichrist was alreadie manifested but he was repressed by many iniuries done vnto him He againe prohibited Ministers to marry as all his Prelate predecessors had done and called that marriage the heresie of the Nicholaits He pronounced that they were great heresies to make no account of yeelding obedience to the Roman church and to despise censures and also to receiue Inuesture of Benefices at the hand of a prophane man He renewed the statute of paying tenths to Priests that said Masse and would needes it should be a sinne against the holy Ghost to sell tenths In this Sinode he renewed the excommunication of Gregorie the seuenth and of Vrbane the second against the Emperour Henry the fourth and published it againe And which is more the rage of this cruell tyrant was so inflamed against him that he stirred the sonne of the said Emperour called Henry the fift to take armes against his Father an horrible thing to speak There was neuer inhumanitie nor cruell act if this were not The Sonne yea that onely Sonne not angred or stirred vp by any publike or particular iniurie despised not onely his Parent
Rome 18. yeares This Pope a very daungerous pestilence added vnto the Articles of the Faith Transubstantiation as a 13. Article See the Decretalls Tit. 1. De summa Trin. side Catholica ca. Firmiter credimus This Decretall was made the yeare of Christ 1215. promulged in the Councell of Lateran Where were the Patriarkes of Constantinople Ierusalem 70. Archbishops 400. Bishops 12. Abbots 800. conuentuall Priors and many Embassadors of kings princes to stop the Sarasins For there was a Croisado published therfore was there demanded the 4. peny of all rents He commaunded that the Canon of the Masse should be receiued as if it came from and were ordeined of the Apostles See the Decretals Dit 46. De celebratione MissaruÌ„ ca. 6. cuÌ„ He commanded confession in the Priests eare that is that he which came to be capable of deceit should confesse himselfe at the least once in the yeare to his owne Pastor See the Decretals Tit. 38. chap. Omnis vtriusque sexus In the said Councell of Lateran it was ordeined that the Canonization of Saints might not be done but by the Pope There also was condemned the booke of Ioachim Abbat against Peter Lombard Now was the error of Almaric Bishop of Chartres of whom we shall hereafter speake and of the Albigeois against which Innocent made preach the Croisado There was also ordeined that if Princes had offended one an other the correctioÌ„ therof shuld appertain vnto y e Pope Nauc The yeare of Christ 1199. the Emperour Henry dyed at Palerme Being sore heated in the pursuit of an Hart he drunke so much of a Fountaine that he rankeled his bodie Philip brother of the said Emperour Henry Duke of Souabe obtained the Empire and raigned 8. yeares He was crowned at Magunce Innocent hated Philip and was against his election The Bishop of Colongne and other Princes as well seculars as of the Cleargie seeing themselues despised that they had not bene called to the electioÌ„ of the said Philip vpon an assembly at Aix they chose for Emperour Otho the sonne of Henry surnamed Lyon Duke of Saxonie and Bauiere and was crowned by the Archbishop of Boulongne so was there a diuision in the Empire whereof great mischiefes came in Almaine by Rapines pillings fires warres Robberies Benefices Ecclesiasticall became litigious and much siluer did runne to Rome Naucler and Vrsperg Otho then 4. of that name Duke of Bauiere and Saxonie a man proud and hardie raigned three yeares being a fauourite of Pope Innocent who had said that he would either take away Phillips Crowne or he should take away his Vrsperg There happened then great discord in Almaine by the Popes treason who procured Phillips death Otho of Wittilispach Count Pallatin entered into the Emperor Phillips chamber at Bamberge and slew him traiterously with a dagger the ninth yeare of his raigne His Esquire seeing this being greatly troubled began to crie and being wounded in the cheeke fell downe The traytor fled to the Bishop of Bamberge a companion of the conspiration in the Popes fauour who notwithstanding was afterward slaine by the Emperours Marshall nigh Ratisbone being hid in a poore cottage See Naucler After the death of the said Phillip the Pope sent vnto Otho to come to Rome to be crowned and so he was the yeare 1209. Adolphe Bishop of Colongne who sometimes was on Phillips side was deposed by the Pope and died in exile Naucler and likewise the Bishop of Sutry before the said Phillip was Emperor because he had absolued him froÌ„ an excommunication The yeare of Christ 1210. Otho whom the Pope so much loued in despite of Phillip the Emperour is now become the Popes mortall enemie yea euen to be excommunicated and in full Councell declared to be deposed from his Empire with commaundement from the said Innocent that none should hold him for Emperor nor obey him acquitting his subiects of the oath they ought him Naucler This done he sent Letters to the Archbishop of Magunce that he should declare the said Otho through all his Cities to be excommunicated and deposed froÌ„ his Empire in full Councell held at Rome which he did Wherevpon the Princes of Almaine inuaded his Bishoppricke and put all to fire The cause wherefore the Pope published the said excommunication was because Otho occupied Romandiole the patrimonie of the Romane Church Otho then fearing a new chaunge left Italie and returned into Almaine which hee found all troubled for the said excommunication The Abbey of S. Antoigne by Paris a religion of women was founded about this time The Sea of Hist. The king Phillip gaue to the Church of S. Denis diuers precious reliques which the Emperour Baudwin had sent him froÌ„ Constantinople that is to say the true Crosse of a foote long also the haires which Iesus Christ had in his Infancie one of the thornes of the Crowne one side and foure teeth of S. Phillip the cloathes wherein Iesus Christ was wrapped in the maunger and the purple garment which he had on at his passion See the Sea of Hist. Such as were great in this world submitted their greatnesse vnto those toyes and trifles more then childish The yeare of Christ 1212. Otho hauing assembled the Princes at Noremberg shewed the Popes subtil deuâ—â—s against him and that vniustly he persecuted him From thence hee led his Armie into Turinge against his enemies which tooke the Popes part After he came into Saxonie where his marriage was celebrated with the daughter of king Phillip who died foure daies after Iohn King of England King Richard his brother made his kingdome subiect to the Romane Pope For a signe whereof he promised to pay yearely fiue markes of gold Suppl Chron. or 1000. markes of sliuer See the Annales of France After Otho had bene Emperour 4. yeares Frederic 2. of that name sonne of Henry 6. king of both Sicilies and of Ierusalem succeeded and after his election made in Almaine hee was annointed and crowned at Aix and Otho depriued of his Empire died the yeare following of a fluxe of bloud Naucler and the said Frederic raigned 44. yeares or 33. after Suppl Chron. Innocent edified the Hospitall of the holy Ghost and gaue vnto it great reuenewes He repaired the Church of S. Sixtus He gaue vnto all the Churches of Rome the waight of a pound of siluer to make their Challices on vpon condition that none should sell or alien them The foure Sects of begging Friars S. Francis an Italian of a Towne called Assisium was in this time S. Dominike a Spaniard of Caliroga in the Diocesse of Lexonia in this time also The said Dominike went to Rome and prayed the Pope Innocent in the said Councell of Lateran to confirme his order of Iacobins but hee would not consent therevnto Albert Patriarke of Ierusalem made the rule of Carmes the first Author of the said order in Siria The Pope approued the order of the
Hermits of S. Augustin The Emperour vsed all diligence to get fauour of the Pope thinking to liue at rest yet was he excommunicated because he had not accomplished the vow he made to goe vnto Ierusalem then had he great troubles all ouer But the Emperor hasted his voyage beyond the Seas to mittigate the Popes furie but whilest he was absent the Pope got Pouille vnder his power The Emperour Frederic vnderstanding this fraud of that subtil Foxe returned with a great Armie into Pouille droue the Popes people away and recouered that which was taken from him Then the Pope againe excommunicated the Emperor because hee had allied himselfe with the Souldane and writ Letters vnto the Souldane by which hee prayed him that he would not yeeld the holy Land vnto the Emperor as he vnderstood by a certaine vncertaine bruite that he would do Also he sent and commaunded the Princes of Almaine that they should elect none of the children of Frederic for King nor any of his house The Historiographers of France make heere mention of one called Almaricus of Chartres a learned man but an heretike who approued say they all whoredomes vnder the vaile of charitie Many of them both men and women as well Ecclesiastical as Lay-people were taken found guiltie and condemned at Paris and burnt without S. Vistors gate They say further that Almaric maintained that euery one was bound to beleeue that he is a member of Iesus Christ and that when Iesus Christ suffered death and passion we suffered with him The said Almaric after his death was condemned and excommunicated at a Councell at Rome and his bones cast out of the Church-yard and after burnt to ashes Nauclerus also reciteth that there was in his time in the Countrey of Alsatee many heretickes which maintained it to be lawfull to eate flesh in Lent and vpon Fridayes And that they themselues said that it was no sinne to haue the company of women but a naturall thing There was at Strasbourg about 80. burnt Such as are against the Popes doctrine haue bene euer flaundered and Histories haue often followed their affections when there hath bene a question of truth The Albigeois or Albiois a people which had receiued a beginning of the light of truth opposed themselues against the Idolatrie of Transubstantiation which first gaue them occasion to withdrawe thmselues from the Romane Church They inhabited the Countrey about Tholouse and d' Albi. S. Dominike Author of that new Sect of such as named themselues preachers came from Spaine and persecuted them greatly both in deed and word The Pope sent also towards them his Legate Nicholas Bishop of Tusculan who being there with 4. horses 2. Mules returned in a litle time with 50. and with great pillage hauing exercised great tirannie against these poore people vppon whom they laid enormious crimes to make them odious to all the world This Pope caused to be published a Croisado against them and gaue full indulgences and remission of sinnes to such as would make war vpon them Simon Count of Mountfort went against them ouercame a great number nigh vnto Tholouse 140. were burnt in the Diocesse of Narbone and 400. in the Diocesse of Tholouse at diuers times In this ouerthrowe of the Albigeois Peter king of Tarracon who had drawne them back and bore them fauour and amitie was slaine at the combats Simon de Mountfort pursued his victorie See Mathew de Paris an English Historiographer who was in this time In the time of Innocent was held a Councell in France against king Phillip of France after he was returned from beyond the Sea The Popes Legate had laid an interdict vpon all the Kingdome of France because the King had put away his wife Ingeberge sister of the King of Dalmatia or Morauia after some Chronicles vnder the colour that she was his kinswoman and had espowsed newly the daughter of the Duke of Boheme called Mary Against the sentence of the said Legate the King armed himselfe with appellation to a future Councel and in the meane while reuenged him of the Bishops which had consented vnto the said sentence For he cast them out of their Diocesses and Benefices and caused to be held in straight guard the said Ingeberge in the Castle of Estampes The King tooke againe his first wife Ingeberge wherevpon his second dyed of griefe The Children the King had by her were declared legitimate The yeare 1216. Innocent dyed at Pise and there was buried Hee came thither to appease controuersies betwixt the Townes of Pise and Genes Honorius Pope 3. of that name ruled at Rome ten yeares 7. or 8. moneths certaine daies and was chosen at Peruse The first yeare of his Popedome hee confirmed the order of the Iacobins which his predecessors had refused to do Honorius being admonished by a dreame confirmed it For in a Vision he thought that the Church fell that S. Dominike sustained it with his shoulders by reason hereof he sent for him and so was confirmed the third older of Mendicants or beggers Yea Honorius would needs haue him to obtaine the first place He commaunded that the Host should be kept in a place by it selfe and well enclosed That when the Priest lifteth vp the Host the people shall with all reuerence bowe as also when it is carried vnto the sicke Ierusalem was rased euen to the foundations by Gordirius the sonne of Saladin whilest the Christians were before Dimiere Supp Chron. Honorius went into Fraunce fearing Frederic and held a Councel at Lyons where he declared Frederic an enemy of the Church and deposed him of his Empire deliuering all Princes from their oath of fidelitie that they had promised him Naucl. All the cause was because he conferred Benefices Honorius then did so much with the Princes of Almaigne that Iohn King of Cactâ—le or Henry Lantgraue of Turinge was elected Emperour and after Rodolpe or William Count of Holland who raigned two yeares which obteined not the Imperiall blessing being preuented by death Histories in this place are confused The yeare 1220. or 1223. Dominike the Emperour died The yeare 1223. Honorius confirmed the Religion of S. Francis which was the fourth order of Mendicant Friars All the foure orders of the said Mendicants were confirmed by Honorius Fascic Templ The fulnesse of all Infection is come into the Church by these foure plagues of begging Monkes Frederic was reconciled with Honorius by the meanes of Iohn King of Ierusalem who gaue his daughter in marriage to the said Frederic Lewis 8. of that name Father of S. Lewis the 12. King of France raigned three yeares He made warre vpon the English men when his Father Phillip did the like vpon Otho He spake with the Emperour Frederic and renewed the fraternitie betwixt the French and Almaignes See Gaguin li. 3. All Lombardie at the perswasion of Pope Honorius rebelled against the Emperour Frederic Naucler Honorius dyed and was
Laterane and there crowned him King of Ierusalem and Sicilie vpon condition notwithstanding to sweare to pay vnto the Romane Church yearely 40000 peeces of gold and that he should not receiue the Empire at the hands of the Almaines no not though they would thrust it vpon him The Sarrasins came into Spaine and committed a great massacre there The yeare of Christ 1267. Conradin the true and Legitimate King of Sicilie sonne of Conrade who was sonne of Frederic the second vanquised in warre by Charles Count d'Angiou and was finally taken and disclosed by a Marriner vnto whom he gaue his Ring in pawne for his passage to Pise but hee was brought vnto the Count d' Angiou and put in prison afterward by the Popes Councell he was beheaded the yeare 1268. Naples with Frederic Duke of Austriche and many others There is great diuersitie in Histories touching the taking of the said Conradin See the Chro. of the Emperors in the 2. Tome Iohn Naucler in the Generation 34. in the 2. volu See heerevpon Martin Luther in the booke against the Romane Popedome inuented by the diuell This Pope Clement demaunded a certaine Tenth in Almaine Iohn surnamed Teutonicus Glossator of the Decree and Prouost of S. Stephen d'Alberstat opposed himselfe against it and appealed to the next Councell for which appellation the said Prouost was excommunicated by the Pope and depriued of his office The Sea of Hist Clement hauing a Nephew which held 3. Benefices Ecclesiasticall constrained him to forsake two of them Naucler The said Clement died at Viterbe and the seate was vacant two yeares Gregorie Pope tenth of that name borne at Plaisance in Lombardie ruled at Rome foure yeares Before hee was called Thiband Archdeacon of Lande and was then in the parts beyond the Sea in the Citie of Acre when hee was chosen at Viterbe The Cardinalls being in the Conclaue for the election Iohn Bishop of Port mocking him said Come let vs vncouer this house for the holy Ghost cannot discend passe through so many couerings After his election he sought to pacifie the Venetians and the Geneuois Phillip 3. of that name surnamed le Hardie sonne of S. Lewis 44. King of France raigned 15. yeares The yeare of Christ 1272. Gregorie made assemble a Councell at Lyons of all the Barons and Prelates of France wherein he ruled and king Phillip met him gaue him a guard of souldiers and three strong places about Lions for the suretie of his person Iohn le Maire In the said Councell was ordained that the Pope should be chosen of the Cardinalls incontinent after the others death and that they should put the Cardinalls in sure prison wherein they should giue them neither to eate nor drinke vntill they were agreed This ordinance was then made because the seate had bene vacant almost three yeares before they could agree vpon the election In the said Councell was also accorded the tenth part of the Church goods to be giuen for sixe yeares to maintaine the warre for the conquest of the Land beyond the sea At the said Councell some sorts of Monkeries which liued of Almes were defaced namely the bretheren des Sacs the bretheren des pres the bretheren des blancs manteaux and many others Michael Paleologus then the Emperour of Constantinople came thither for the vnion of the Greeke and Latine Church which was ratified by the said Emperour And this was the third time that the Greeke Church was revnited with the Latin but it was alwaie broken as yet this third vnion was During the time of the said Councell certaine Princes of Tartaria which had followed the said Emperour Paleologus receiued baptisme Moreouer there was great disputation about the voyage vnto the holy Land which was the old practise of Popes but nothing was concluded therein S. Thomas d' Aquin going to the said Councell of Lions whervnto he was called died in the way of the age of 50. yeares Bonauenture was created Cardinall by the Pope but soone after he died Gregorie 10. returning from France to Rome and passing by Florence was required to take away the Interdict hee had forbidden them all right of warring but he did nothing therin And from thence came to Aretinum where he died After the Empire had bene long vacant and that many Ciuill warres had therevpon followed Rodolphe Count of Habspurge in Suesia was chosen king of the Romanes by the Electors a man of mean age and who had valiantly carried himself in the charge he had vnder Frederic 2. He had also bene great Maister in the Court of Ottocarus king of Bohemia who sought to hinder the election because he also aspired vnto the Empire Whilest they were chusing Rodolphe he held the seate before Baste For there were then two factions in the towne Such as fauoured the Bishop bore a Perroquet Such as fauoured the Count Rodolphe carried the Starre Rodolphe sought to place in the Towne them of the faction of the Starre which were chased out Munster After he was crowned at Aix he held certaine assemblies or Imperiall Iourneyes where the king of Bohemia was declared a Rebell who during the vacancie of the Empire vsurped Austrich Siria Carinthia and Carniota Rodolphe then with the power of the Princes occupied Austrich and droue out Ottocaire King of Bohemia and after constrained him to yeeld himselfe a vassall and to do homage Ottocairus according therevnto required that one thing might bee graunted him namely that he might not do his homage publikely For hee was very proud and shamed to bow the knees before him that before had serued him as his great Maister The Emperour agreed that it should be vnder a Pauillion But this Pauillion was made with such industrie that in drawing it would diuide in foure parts Beeing then vpon his knees and receiuing the standerd at the Emperours hand according to the custome one broke the coard of the Pauillion so that it opened on all parts in such sort that Ottocairus was seene of all dooing homage on his knees This being come vnto the knowledge of Kunegunde his wife which he had espowsed during the life of his other wife Margaret as soone as her husband returned mocked him that he had bowed his necke being adorned so pompeously before him that once had bene his seruant and so incited him to reuenge himselfe of that despight The king being thus pricked forward made warre vpon the Emperour against the oath he had taken against the aduise of the Princes of his Countrey The Emperor met him put him to flight and finally a Gentleman of Styria wounded him and being dispoiled of all that hee had was carried dead to the Towne of Austriche Anno 1279. and 14. thousand of his people were slaine besides prisoners After this Rodolphe entred into the Countrey of Bohemia and wasted it Pride intermedled with shame and disloyaltie falleth into confusion and ruine The Bishop of Olmunce made the peace and brought
had slaine his naturall Lord in battaile And the said Boniface holding a Crowne vpon his head and a Sworde at his side answered I am Caesar The yeare 1298. Boniface published the sixt booke of Decretalls and sent them to the Students of Bolongne and to other Vniuersities commanding them to vse them in all iudgements and schooles This proud and arrogant Pope ordained that all king of the earth which would not hold their Kingdomes of his sanctetie or rather tirannie should bee excommunicated and deposed He excommunicated Phillip king of France because he would not suffer his money to be carried out of his kingdome and cursed both him and all his euen to the fourth generation yea with his reliques and crosses He would not confirme the Emperour Albert whom hee had alreadie reiected twise or thrise but vpon this condition that he would occupie the kingdome of France and depose Phillip He declared Alphonsus king of Arragon absolued and gaue him the kingdome of Sardeigne vnder certaine conditions Iohn Duns surnamed the Scot a Frier called the subtil Doctor was in this time He died of an Apoplexie Some say hee was buried aliue Supp Chron. Dinus the Legist Petrus de bella pertica Iacobus de arena Iohannes de sancto Geminiano Iacobin Ihones Andrea and Dante 's Aliger Florentin were in this time The yeare of Christ 1300. this Pope instituted a Iubile giuing full remission of all sinnes to such as from an hundreth to an hundreth yeares would visit by vow of Pilgrimage the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul in the Citie of Rome He then celebrated the first Iubile and opened the Faire for indulgences and made them serue euen for such as were in purgatorie Agrip. de vanita scien Such as they called in Italie Fratricelli are condemned and persecuted Historiographers say that they vsed carnall pleasure contrarie to the honestie of marriage and this they did in the night time after they had celebrated their misteries Supp Chron. One called Aerman chiefe amongst them was vnburied 20. yeares after his death at Ferrare although before hee was accounted as a Saint and his bones were burnt A woman called Guillaume which was very renowned and her husband Andre were also vnburied and their bones burnt The Chroniclers rehearse how those of this Sect were disclosed namely by a Marchant of Millain called Conrad whose wife in the night time haunted these assemblies and that the candles being put out they abused one an other brutally and such or like which haue rather an appearance of affable then of a true narration This Pope nourished discords the dissentions which were amongst the factions of Italie and sought alwaies to maintaine them He prohibited that the Cleargie should pay no tribute to Princes without his leaue licence He gloried in his pride to be the key-keeper of heauen and published that hee ought not to be iudged of any person no not though he led an infinit number of soules into hell with him because it is lawfull for him to do all things O Infernall Decree and execrable blasphemie He eleuated his parents into dignities two of his Nephewes very young he made Cardinalls also his Vncle Hee made some Counts or Earles and left them great treasures by meanes of which after they would auenge his death Naucler He depriued two Cardinalls Colonnois Peter and Iames of their Benefices yea and of their fathers goods because that during Celestins life they had written that he was no lawful Pope but that Celestine was he He imputed also vnto them that they had pilled the treasure of the former Popes In a full Councell he excommunicated Sarra the said Cardinalls Vncle and honourable Prince with all the Collonois Supp Chron. He exercised such enmitie against the Gibellins that vnderstanding that some of them were retired to Genes he himself went thither also to the end to ouerthrowe them altogether And as one day vpon an Ashwednesday hee gaue Ashes vnto the people according to the custome Porchat Archbishop of the town presented himselfe before him but he vnderstood of many that he was of the faction of the Gibellins falling on his knees with his head vncouered which when Boniface marked without hauing any regard to the day or to the place or to the people present or to religion became angry against the Archbishop casting a great sort of Ashes in his eies said Remember that thou art a Gibellin and that with the Gibellins thou shalt bee brought to ashes and straight depriued the Archbishop of his dignitie although afterwards he remitted him into his former estate Plat. Cor. Abb. But being ingratefull for the good saith Iohn Marie that his predecessors had receiued of France he rose vp in such pride against the King Phillip that it were an hard thing to beleeue He sent to signifie vnto the king in maner of a commaundement by the Bishop of Appaine his Legate that incontinently and without delay he should prepare himselfe to go beyond the sea Vnto which thing then the King could not well harken for the great warres hee had against the Flemmings The Legate seeing that he could not obtaine an answere according to his appetite he began to vse great menaces saying that if he did not obey the Pope he would depriue him of his kingdome by which two rigorous words the King beeing much grieued caused the said Legate to be detained a prisoner But when these things came to the notice of the proud Pope hee dispatched the Archdeacon of Narbone with Letters of commaund forbidding the King that in no case he should entermeddle to take any subsidie vpon the lands and reuenewes of the Church which thing King Phillip le bel had bene constrained to doo because of great warres that he sustained for the good and defence of the Kingdome and moreouer that for the Kings contumacie and for that he had detained prisoner his Embassador against the common right of all Nations the kingdome of France was deuolued fallen to the Romane church And if he did not obey the commaundements and defences of the Pope he should bee held in the number of heretikes with all his fauourers and adherents This Archdeacon cyted many Bishops Abbots Theologians and Decretists at a certaine day named to be before the Pope at Rome and annihilated all the indulgences and priuiledges giuen to the French men by the Pope of Rome his predecessors This rigour perceiued the king in the presence of his Barons and of all his Councell commaunded vpon good deliberation of the Assembly that the first Legate who had outraged the King should bee deliuered and that they both without delay should voyd his kingdome Soone after he caused to assemble a Councell of all the Prelates and Barrons of France in the Citie of Paris In the saide Councell the King did sit and reciting the outrages and iniuries which he had receiued of the Pope Boniface he vttered how
that whilest the Empire is vacant the right of the Emperour is deuolued vnto the Pope and that this is against the libertie of the holy Empire against the dignitie rights and maiestie thereof but that by a custome approoued and vsed of long time and obserued by his auncestors without that euer was done to the contrarie during the vacation of the Empire it appertaineth vnto the Count Palatin of Rhene to haue the managing of the affaires of the Empire to conferre Feastes and Imposts and ordering of other businesses After all this to excuse himselfe he yeelded in the presence of all clearely and holily a reason of his faith and confessed openly he was a Christian beleeuing wholy the Articles of the Faith as they were taught by the Catholique Church and purged himselfe very well of all things that were obiected against him by Iohn the 23. and Benet 12. Who would not admire the pietie of Lewis thus vexed and tormented by Popes what would this haue come vnto if he had tried it by Armes against them The integritie of this Lewis finally was acknowledged by Pope Benet And the peace was soone after made betweene the Emperour and the Pope Who straight bore the Emperor such an amitie that he defended and maintained him hardily in his innocencie against the Embassadors of the king of France which vsed alwaies rude defamitorie words against the said Emperour in so much that the Pope was called by the said Embassadors the Protector of an heretike And although Benet for a certaine time was not without great feare because of their words for they threatned him with great warres if hee absolued the Emperour yet hee commaunded by a publike decree which was proclaimed through all Almaine that all processes which had bene attempted by Iohn against the Emperor should be nothing and of no valew and that it appertained not to Iohn to attempt such things against him seeing the Emperors and the Popes iurisdiction are distinct and seperate Hee further declared openly that Lewis in all things had borne himselfe like a good valiant Emperour Yet you must vnderstand that the Pope did nothing herein freely of good courage but cautelously to acquire the fauour of Lewis For because he sawe the king of France in the kingdome seignory of whom hee remained had taken some ill conceit against him hee feared that if also hee had the Emperour his enemie there were no person where he might haue succours if the king of France practised any mischiefe against him Therefore Benet iudged that it should be for his profit if he got the beneuolence of the Emperour hoping by that meanes that the other durst attempt nothing against him These be the practises and meanes wherewith Popes haue nourished and do yet nourish their tyrannie in the Church of the Lord. Benet being menaced by the king of France chaunged his opiniō and left the sentences giuen by his predecessors against Lewis He placed Vicars in the Imperiall Townes of Italie and drew vnto the Romane seate the charge and office of a Senator withdrawing it frō the Emperour He inuented all that was needful for the Apostolike penetētiary declaring in order the taxes of Letters and so assembled great riches frō all nations This Pope first vsurped collations of all Prelatures Bishopprikes other benefices as wel for himselfe as for his successours and depriued such as were vnlearned and ignorant from their benefices And ordained that all his Chaplaines should sing by note their Canonicall houres That thay should lie in one Dortoire and that they should haue no other reuenewes but that was necessary for their life and apparell He builded in Auignon a very faire house with Towers and goodly Orchards And this olde Adulterer bought deare the sister of Francis Petrarke which was very faire of her brother called Gerard to abuse her He ordeined 6. Cardinals being absent frō Rome repaired with great charge cost the roofe of S. Peters church published certaine acts against the Iacobins as Leander witnesseth Ockam Dante 's held for heretikes bicause they maintained by liuely reasons out of the scriptures that the Romane Empire depended not vpon the Pope but of God onely Naucler Such as speake against the Pope are heretikes Benet made many Extrauagants and Benedictines for the Monkes of the order of S. Benet wherein is made mention in the sixt and seuenth Chapter how Abbots ought to send their young Monkes such as are fittest to their studie vnto the Vniuersities and offer them pentions to do it He made a Decretall which beginneth Benedictus Deus in donis suis to the ende benefices should not be giuen to such as were vnworthy of them Wherein is confuted and condemned as hereticall the doctrine which his predecessor Iohn had publikely preached touching the happie soules and it was determined declared y t the soules which had nothing to purge incōtinent as they are departed frō the body do see y e face of God He was said to haue bene so rigorous that hee would scant know such as were of his blood and said that the Pope had no parents Fascic temp The yeare of Christ 1339. the Castle of Loppen was besieged by certaine Gentlemen with 30000. footemen and fifteene thousand horsemen but they were valiantly driuen back and chased away by the Swisses which with the number of two or three thousand slew 4000. of the said combatants three Counts Fasc temp and others The Sarrasins in Spaine were discomfited where there were 1000. slaine as many prisoners Chro. Euseb The sea of Histo Benet dyed in Auignon to the great ioy of many for his great rigor and therefore some write of him Hic situs est Nero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero cuppa repleta mero that is Here lyeth death to Laie-men a viper to the Cleargie A straier from the veritie a cup full of Wine He left great summes of gold and siluer whereof he gaue nothing to his parents and friends but to the Church Francis Petrarke flourished in this time and Gregorie de Aremino the Augustine and generall of his order Orchanes second Emperour of the Turkes sonne of Ottoman who raigned 22. yeares Clement Pope sixt of that name Limosin ruled in Auignon 11. yeares before called Peter Roger borne of Limoges First hee was Prior of S. Babille which is a Priorie of the order of S. Benet after Abbot of Fescan after Bishop of Arras then Archbishop of Roane and after by Pope Benet 12. was made Cardinal and finally after his death was made Pope although hee was the youngest of all the Cardinalls H. Marius in his booke Intituled Eusebius Captiue in this maner describeth the Pope Clement 6. saith he a man very desirous of women of honour and power being incited with a diabolicall furie fixed Letters vpō the gates doores of Temples by which he threatned the Emperour vpon
for that hee derided Churchmen and principally them of the Vniuersitie of Paris which conceiued great enmitie against him but especially because hee caused to bee builded the Towre of the litle Castle vpon the litle Bridge to represse the Insolencies of Schollers and to stay their night courses Wherefore at their pursuite many secret Inquestes were made against him and hee was charged to haue had the company of Iewish women That hee beleeued not in the Sacrament of the Aultar but mocked at it and would neuer bee confessed Beeing charged with these informations hee was imprisoned in the Chastelet and from thence yeelded to the Bishop of Paris his prison and was declared an heretike worthy to bee burned At the Princes request the sentence was moderated and he was publikely placed on a Scaffold in our Ladies Court at Paris as an heretike and contemner of Sacraments and as such an one condemned to perpetuall prison with bread and water Hee was afterward deliuered from the saide prison of Paris by a popularie tumult which would haue made him theyr Captaine but hee withdrewe himselfe to Dijon where he was borne The ninth of Iuly Ludolphe or Lupolde Duke of Austriche with a great company of people of warre deceiued by the counsell of the Nobles fell vppon the Swissers nigh Sempac which were in number of a thousand sixe hundreth which draue away all that multitude and slewe the Duke of Austrich with eighteene other Princes Two yeares after the Gentlemen which escaped returned with sixe thousand combatants but two hundreth men of Glaronne put them to flight and ouercame 2400. Fasc About the yeare 1387 fell there a schisme betwixt the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Friar Iacobins One Doctor of the Friars Preachers called Iohn de Montelon preached and maintained publikely that the Virgin Marie was borne in originall sinne Such questions come of pride and ambition they are not such as the Lord requireth At Rouen an other Doctor of the same order preached publikely that if he prooued not that the Virgin Marie was conceiued in originall sinne let them call him Huet that is Owle Herevpon in despite and derision of them when men sawe any of the said order they called them Huets The Sea of Hist Charles 6. king of France visited the Pope Clement 6. in Auignon Clement died the yeare of our Lord Iesus 1392. and was buried in Auignon as they say These two Popes sent terrible Bulles into diuers parts of the world and sowed diffamitorie bookes wherein they named one an other Antichrists Schismatikes heretikes tyrants traitors theeues vniust sowers of tares and children of Belial Iohn de Ligni Doctor of both lawes published a Treatise in fauour of Vrbaine and the Abbot of S. Vast the kings Councellor of France an other in fauour of Clement The seate of Rome could neuer be better approoued of Antichrist then by the acts of these Popes and the witnesse of their partakers and complices Boniface Pope ninth of that name ruled at Rome 15. yeares hee was a Neapolitain elected of the age of 30. yeares before called Peter Thomocel He was the likeliest amongst the Cardinalls which Vrbain had created He confirmed the feast of the visitation of the Virgin Marie instituted by Vrbain his predecessor Hee fortified the Castle of S. Angelo against the Romane people He made a lawe whereby he obtained the seignorie of all the world that is to say That it should not be lawfull for any person to enioy any Benefice wherevnto he should be promoted before he had paid to the Fiske or Apostolike chamber all the reuenewe of the first yeare He abolished Tribuns which was a noble Magistracie in the Towne of Rome and constrained the Romanes by a cruel Edict to call a stranger to be Senator namely one Maleteste of Piscane Boniface canonized S. Brigide as is aboue said in the life of Vrbain the 5. He made great merchandise of Indulgences and sold them for money The yeare of Christ 1394 Clement the seuenth dyed in Auignon Benet Pope 13. of that name otherwise called Peter de la Lune borne at Catalongne father to the king of Arragon gouerned in Auignon 21. yeares and after went into Arragon in the time of the Councell of Constance Before he was Pope being a Cardinall he made a voyage to Paris to cause the schisme to cease And then in the Vniuersitie of Paris were M. Peter d' Aliaco Cardinall Doctor in Theologie and M. Iohn Gerson who after the said Aliaco was Chancellor of Paris The yeare 1395. the Christian Princes Sigismond king of Hungarie and Boheme brother of the Emperor Wencelaus Phillip d' Artois Iohn Count de Neuers and many other Christian Princes were discomfited nigh Nicopolis going against Baiazet the Turke to giue succours to the Emperour of Constantinople the pride and dissolution of the French was cause thereof The beginning of the Dukes of Millaine Wee haue saide that in the time of Henry the seuenth there was at Millaine two factions that is of the Gibellins and of the Guelphes The Vicounts stucke to the one the yeare 1250. and were the strongest in their families In so much that in the end Mathew Vicount cast out of the Towne of Millaine the great familie of Turrians Galeace succeeded Mathew in the administration of the Common-wealth After Galeace came Actio his sonne out of whose helme fell the Serpent And because this man dyed without issue his Vncle 's Iohn Bishop of Millaine and Luchin tooke the gouernment of the Duchy and had great warres against the Cities of Parme Lande Cremone Bergame Genes and others subiected them The Bishop being dead and Luchin also the administration came to Barnabas who with the aide of his brethren had many warres against the Pope of Rome but principally he a long time molested Bolongne vntill the Citizens redeemed themselues with money See Munster The vnluckie battaile for the Christians in Hungaria against the Turke where 20000. Christians were slaine and infinite others taken and put to death The Count of Neuers was there taken prisoner but his life was saued with 22. others Gentlemen His raunsome was 200000. scutes Naucler the Sea of Histories Benet the 13. graunted to the Vniuersities Rolles to haue prouision of Benefices Mary daughter of king Charles made her selfe a Nunne at Poissy The yeare of Christ 1398. was assembled a Councell by the Prelates of France wherin it was said that because Pope Benet would not accord to that way of cession they would obey him no more in any thing That Ordinaries should make collation of Benefices That vnto electiue dignities men should proceed by election without any more resorting to the Pope Benet The English men imprisoned and after vngently murthered their king Richard because he had made peace and accord with the king of France without consent of the people The yeare 1399. certaine Monkes of the order of S. Bernard brought
a S. Snairy placed it in an Abbey of theyr order called Cadoyn in the Diocesse of Cahors Annales of France How then say they it is at Chambery The Sect of white Mantles in Italie was destroyed For Boniface the 9. made take ther Rector and caused him to die Some say he was burnt See Naucler The Trinetois otherwise called the Bretheren of the redemption of Captiues which was also called the order of Inham multiplied greatly The Turelupins are persecuted they were otherwise called the poore of Lyons many were burnt in Frāce with their babes Iohn Hus. The light brought in by the writings of Wickliffe greatly profited such as came after him and aboue all to Iohn Hus who also cleansed the fountaines of the Gospell which were filled not onely with infectious clay and mire but also euen with mortall poyson which the begging Monkes and prophane Schoole-philosophie had tempered And although the vertue that God had giuen to this person meriteth a longer recitall of his beginning yet we will send the Readers to the booke of Martirs since Wickliffe and Hus. As for vs we haue chiefly to render thankes vnto God that through him and other true faithfull he hath sent vs the light of his Gospell The Pope Benet gaue to Charles the sixt king of France the tenth part of all Ecclesiasticall goods partly that the king should maintaine and defend him and partly to the end hee himselfe might bee partaker of the bootie And as hee made his residencie in his Countrie of Catalongne in a strong Castle called Pauiscole maintaining himselfe to be the true Vicar of Iesus Christ he was condemned many waies by the authoritie of the said Councell He assembled a Councell at Parpignan and created many Cardinalls Finally dying at Pauiscole the yeare of our Lord 1424. he commaunded his Cardinall that straight they should chuse an other in his place and they elected one called Giles Munios Chanon of Bercelone and named him Clement the 8. He incontinently at the Instigation of the king Alphonsus created Cardinalls and did all that which Popes are accustomed to do But after that Pope Martin the first had agreed with the king Alphonsus Giles by his commaundement renounced all the rights which he pretended in the Popedome and was declared Bishop of Maiorque and the Cardinalls created by him willingly renounced their dignities of Cardinalls The witnesse of Mathias Flactius of Esclauonia a diligent Author extracted and taken out of Theodoric of Nyem shall not bee heere impertinent who made a Chronicle of that schisme comprised in three bookes Theodoric of Nyem saith he who was a very familiar Secretarie to a certaine Pope and a good and a wise man hath faithfully described the historie of this schisme which hath bene amongst Popes by the space of 39. yeares before the Councell of Constance Good God what subtilties what fraudes what wickednesse and what straunge acts rehearseth he of those Popes and good spirituall Fathers in that Historie whereby they mocke God all Religion and the Church of Iesus Christ yea molest and do subiect it to their tirannie And surely I cōfesse that although before I had read heard and seene many of their villainies and that therefore I had conceiued in my selfe an euil opiniō of the malice of that Antichrist and of his children yet after I had read this booke I perceiued that they were ten times more wicked then euer I could haue thought before In the same booke also he saith that such are not worthy of the title of Emperour which make a countenance not to see yea dissemble the execrable wickednesse of Popes tirannies Chrysoloras of Constantinople taught Greeke Letters in Italy which 700. yeares before had not bene in vse whose daughter espowsed at Constantinople Francis Philelphe Bertholde Schwartz Monke and Alchemist was the first of Gunnes and Artillerie about this time Scotland conuerted to the Faith Wencelaus Emperour for his cowardise and couetousnesse was deposed from the Empire and his Nephewe elected Iosse sonne of Iohn Henry Marquis of Morauia who was the brother of Charles the fourth of that name Marquis of Brandebourge an vnprofitable man was chosen king of the Romanes by some before Robert as some say being now old because he was the vncle of Wencelaus yet he was neuer crowned For there passed not sixe monethes after his Election Robert or Rupert Duke of Bauiere and Count Palatin of Rhene was chosen after Frederic Duke of Brunswic and of Lunebourge This Frederic was a valiant Prince wise and exercised in Armes and truly worthy to gouerne the Empire but there was long time enmitie betwixt him and the Archpriest of Magunce For before he was crowned the Count of Waldec hauing charge of this gentle Archbishop hee slew him villainously which was cause of great hurly burly and tumult throughout all Almaine vntill the Princes Electors assembled in the Towne of Bopert where they Elected Robert Count Palatin a man well exercised in deeds of warre and a great louer of Iustice but of a small stature But willing to enter into Aix la Chapelle to be crowned the Citizens were against it saying that in that case they could not fauour Robert because as yet they were not absolued of the oath they had giuen to Wencelaus But that the election might not be vnprofitable the Bishop of Colongne crowned Robert in the Towne of Colongne After this Robert made preparation to goe to Rome the yeare 1402. to receiue the Imperiall Crowne but hee was hindred by the Venetians and Millanois and so could not execute that which he had enterprised Hee dyed at Oppenhem the tenth yeare of his Empire and was buried in the Towne of Heidelbourge Innocent the seuenth borne at Sulmo before called Cosmar de Peruse Priest Cardinall of the title of Saint Crosse all Italie beeing in great trouble was created Pope after Boniface the ninth This Pope as Platina saieth beeing yet a Cardinall vsed customably to reprehend the negligence and pucillanimitie of Popes saying that with their carelesnesse the schisme and trouble which was thē so great as well in the Romane Church as in the common-wealth tooke yet no end But being mounted into the Papall seate and in some things following the fashions of Vrbain and Boniface his predecessors which he reprehended being a priuate person not onely he did the things which he condemned so sore before but he could not so much as beare that one should speake to him thereof He gouerned the affaires in such confusiō that once the Citizens of Rome beeing come towards him to require him that they might haue their old libertie be put in possession of the Capitoll of the bridge Miluins and of the Fortresse of Adrian And that that pernitious schisme which was in the Church might be takē away wars seditions banished remonstrating that to do the same the king of France promised to deliuer his hand and that
from the Sonne as the Father They agreed also to Purgatorie and the Romane Pope to be the primate of the Catholicke Church which they had neuer done before now but euer were of contrarie opinions But as soone as they were come to their Countrey againe at the perswasion of Marcus Bishop of Ephesus they againe denied the two last Articles Plat. Vola and Naucler It is straunge that the Grecians which haue beene so slowe to acknowledge and confesse so true a doctrine of the holy Ghost are now so quick and light to accord so friuolous and false a thing that is to receiue and beleeue against all holy scripture that there is a Purgatorie and Romane Pope to be Primate of the Catholicke and Vniuersall Church wherevnto the first generall Councell had openly resisted in the time of Constantine the great In the said Councell of Florence the Armenians and Indians were also brought into the vnion of the Romane Church and promised to keepe and maintaine the Sacrament of Confirmation Naucler This Pope Eugenius confirmed Annates vpon all Benefices Hee Canonized S. Nicholas Tolentin of the order of the Hermits of S. Augustine Bessarion Cardinall flourished and his house at Rome was open to euery man of knowledge like a Colledge Vadian Sigismond of the age of 70 yeares died and was buried in Hungarie in the citie called Albe His wife Barbara was without all religion and without God insatiable in all paliardize and whoredome Shee mocked her damzels because they fasted and prayed saying they must liue iocondly and merily and take all their pleasures during this life for after death the soule perisheth with the bodie The Councell of Basill continued still and proceeded against Eugenius the fourth who after many times cyting and not appearing was publikely deposed by the authoritie of the Councell the tenth of Iuly Eugenius mooued herewith incited the Dolphin of France who after was called king Lewis the 11. to lead a great Armie in to the Countrey of Ferrara and Alsarce and to come to Basill Wherefore the said Councell brake vp and herevpon came many mischiefes See Naucler Albert the fift of that name Duke of Austrich and second king of the Romanes of that name sonne of Albert the fourth Duke of Austrich was scant 10. yeares olde when his father died of poyson fighting against Iosse Marquesse of Morauia but being yer vnder Tutors which were his vncles there was great strife betwixt them for his tutelage Therefore Vienna and all the Countrey of Austrich endured great calamities till Albert came to age and was dispatched of his tutelage and planted a peace in Austrich which was before full of theeues and of Intestine warres After the yeare 1422. he espowsed Elizabeth the doughter of Sigismond and had with her in marriage the noble Townes of Maruia But after the death of Sigismond he was chosen king of Hungaria by the consent of all the principall of the Countrey and Crowned the yeare of grace 1438. After this he was also made king of Bohemia and that came because there was a great alliance betwixt the Kings of Boheme and the Dukes of Austrich whereby they had ordained betwixt them that whensoeuer one of the houses remained without heire-male of the other they should create a king He was also chosen king of the Romanes by the common accord of all the Princes Electors The yeare 1459. the 17. day of Nouember in the Councell of Basill after the deposition of Eupenius the Cardinalls elected Amedeus of Ayme Duke of Sauoy and called him Felix the fift so came into the Church the 23. schisme and diuision which endured the space of sixteene yeares Some followed Eugenius others Felix some said they were newters and so obeyed neither one nor the other The Kings of France England Spaine Scotland obeyed the Pope Eugenius For although he was deposed yet held he good during his life This Councell of Basill assembled with great authoritie was notwithstanding dissipated and broken by one onely Pope That of Constance deposed three and ordained the fourth This could not bring about to depose one Fasci Temp. In the Councell of Basill it was forbidden that secular Princes Councellors and Communalties vpon paine of excommunication should not bee so hardie to greete and submit the Churchmen with tallies and common collection Fasci temp Augustine of Rome was condemned an heretike in the said Councell and there was confirmed the Conception of the Virgin Marie to bee kept as a solemne Feast But to the contrarie see Epiphanius in his 3 Booke and 12. Tome 68. and 69. heresie See also S. Bernard in the Epist 154. to the Canons of Lions The said Councell then confirmed that the Virgin Marie was conceiued without originall sinne it also confirmed her visitation In this time was a Councell held of the French Church at Bourges in Berry and there was published the pragmatike sanction which is all the marrow and substance of the Canons of the Councell of Basill to bee expresly obserued for euer Iohn le Maire The Duke Aime of Sauoy after the death of his wife Margarite of Bourgongne had left his Ducall estate and withdrew himselfe into an hermitage pleasant and delightfull called Ripaille vpon the Lake of Lansanne which he had caused to bee sumptuously builded and so left the gouernment of his signiories to his eldest sonne Lewis father of Duke Phillebert of Sauoy Beeing then in his said place of Ripaille the said Duke Anne with tenne knights all hermits wearing great beardes and simple cloathing and writhen staues full of knottes in great renowne of sanctetie of life was by the said Councell elected to be Pope as is said the 17. of Nouember the yeare 1439. and the 17. day of December the election was denounced vnto him and he went vnto Basill and was there solemnly crowned in the presence of two of his eldest sonnes Before this ceremonie his Beard was taken from him and in a small time he learned the Romane office He created some Cardinalls of great estimation and vertue Iohn le Maire The Emperour being called to goe into Hungarie sound himselfe greatly tormented in the moneth of August with an intollerable heate which hee thought to haue taken away by colde viands which brought to him a fluxe of the belley euen to bloud whereof he died the yeare 1439. nigh Strigoma after hee had beene Emperour almost two yeares Hee left two daughters and his wife with childe who soone after brought forth Ladislaus Frederic Duke of Austrich after Albert was Emperour of Rome He loued peace and rest restrained and brideled easily them of Austrich which stirred strifes and commotions So extinguished he the warre alreadie commenced by Matthias king of Hungarie by agreement with him Likewise this Frederic making warre against the Flemmings to haue his sonne Maximilian whom they detained prisoner appeased and contented them by the punishment of some and so taking and receiuing his
peasants to be hanged and strangled which mocked and derided these toyes and follies He placed in the Kalender of Saints one Vincent borne at Valence of the Iacobin order Albert of Dropan Carmelite and Edmond of Canterburie English He ordained also that no person should appeale from the Pope to the Councell and yet had done more if he had liued longer He gaue too much licence to his followers and made one Roderic Borgia his Vice-chauncellor who after was Pope called Alexander the sixt He published saith Valerius Letters of pardons which he solde then for fiue Ducats a peece but now they are better cheape by the meanes whereof he left vnto his successor an hundreth and 15. thousand Ducates Iohn Capistran and Robert de la Lice aboue named as is said were sent by the Pope into diuers Countries to preach the yeelding of obedience to the Romane Church to giue some colour and appearance to their filthy fooleries prohibited pastimes and other ciuill exercises as bankets daunces and other like things Briefly they acquired such great brute and fame by their hypocrisie that afterward they were adored as Saints of many although they knew not what the doctrine of Iesus Christ meant The world meriteth to haue such Doctors since they make so small account of the truth This Pope Calixtus died in Iuly the yeare 1458. beeing very olde and left great riches Frauncis Foscarius was Duke of the Venetians about 36. yeares who hauing conquered or rather vsurped many lands and dominions in Italie vnto the profit of the Seignorie of Venice in the end of his dayes for a repentance the Venetians deposed him of his Ducall dignitie without alleadging any other reason but his age and impotencie And constrained him to leaue his Ducall Pallace to see a new successor enter into it whereof incontinently after he died After his death his sonne was banished and after called againe and cruelly tortured and againe sent into perpetuall exile although they found nothing in him of that which they laide to his charge Chron. Euseb Pius the second of that name a Tuscan by Nation borne in the Towne of Sienes whose father was Siluius and his mother Victoria before called Eneas Picolominius although long time he had bene spotted with the vice of ambition yet finally he came vnto the Popedome This poore young boy became so great as all Historiographers say which haue written of the Popes liues that hee was held one of the learnedst Popes and much esteemed for that he had written many things worthily In the Councell of Basill he was the Popes Secretarie and by Orasons and Epistles he purged the authoritie of Eugenius a litle after that he was crowned a Poet Laureate by the Emperour Frederic the third of that name and being called from his Court he came vnto greater estates and was both his Secretarie and Counceller He was sent Embassador hither and thither vnto many Princes and after ordained Bishop of Trieste by Nicholas the fift and consequently Bishop of Siennes and after placed in the number of Cardinalls by Calixt Finally comming vnto the Papaltie following the examples of his predecessors hee published a voyage against the Turkes but being preuented by death he could not put it in execution Some there are as saith Iohn Functius which haue left in writing that he sought to draw to himselfe a great summe of siluer from the Almaines vnder a colour to make warre vpon the Turkes because he knew well the riches of the Almaines as he that had long conuersed with them and that to the end he might dispend them in pompes and papall dissolutions and to inrich his parents and friends Vnder the shadow of warring against the Turkes Popes get store of siluer Lewis 11. sonne of Charles the 7. the 54. king of France being in Bourgongne and hearing newes of his fathers death came straight into France and was crowned The aforesaid Pope though before he was Pope hee had with singular diligence written two bookes of the acts of the the Councell of Basill yet as soone as he was made Pope hee sought to suppresse it For as he was very ambitious in all hee did when he was Pope so he trauelled in nothing to lessen the Maiestie or rather Papall tyrannie but rather to encrease it what he could Which to maintaine saith Stella the Venetian it is found that hee spared neither Kings nor Princes people nor tyrants hee I say which was more cruell then any tyrant He was a great enemie of Lewis king of France the eleuenth of that name because he would not consent to the abolition of the pragmatike sanction in his kingdome because it derogated from the libertie of the Cleargie Hee was angry against Borge de Est Duke de Mutine and made warre vpon him because hee fauoured Sigismond Malateste and the French men against Ferdinand For vpon his owne authoritie and by force of Armes hee put in possession of the Kingdome of Naples Alphonsus Bastard of the King Ferdinand to the great disaduantage of Iohn de Aniou sonne of King Rene. He pursued with cruell and sharpe persecutions Sigismond Duke of Austrich because hee had chastised Nicholas de Cuse a Cardinall for his rapacitie and couetousnesse full of arrogancie He shead out also the venome of his malediction against Gregorie de Hambourge a man very learned in the Ciuill lawe as it had bene a chased viper as Wolfgang de Winsebourge a Diuine of Basill saith and so sharply pursued him with the Letters of his thundring excommunications that he was constrained to remooue into Boheme He furiously cast out of his feat Diether d' Eisenbourge Archbishop of Magunce because as he said he had an euil opinion of the Romane Church and placed an other in his place Besides he depriued the Archbishop of Beneuent of his Archbishoppricke because against his will he tooke in hand new enterprises He caused a day to be giuen to George king of Boheme because he fauoured such as held the doctrine of Iohn Hus that vpon the paine to loose his kingdome He for his particular profit deposed many Bishoppes and added 12. newe Cardinalls to such as were alredie before He celebrated a Councell at Mantua and abbrogated in France the pragmatike sanction as a pernitious practise against the Romane Church Hee was the first that created the Abbreuiators of the Chauncelerie and reducted them into their order He brought vnder his gouernment many Townes of Campania called at this day Terra de lauoro the Land of Labour and maruellously encreased the Churches reuenewes and rents He neuer graunted any thing eyther to kings or to people for any feare hee had as his fierce and arrogant Papists say but he sharply persecuted the enemies of the Cleargie as if they had beene publike enemies As for his friends hee shewed himselfe very gentle towards them and greatly helped them At the sollicitation of Soreth he Canonized one called Angelus borne at Ierusalem and
placed in the number of Virgins Katherine de Sienes a Iacobin Because he was a very curious builder as the Papists giue him that praise he repaired the Courts of Vatican and had sooner atchieued a Castle in the Towne of Tiuoli then was thought he had begunne At Sienes where hee was borne hee builded a goodly Porch of wrought stone At a place called Corfinium he founded a Citie and named it Pientia of his owne name and builded there a vaulted Temple very sumptuous and a pleasant house and besides this a Sepulchre of Marble for his father and mothers bones See what Platina sayth thereof The Kingdome of Bosne The kingdome of Bosne stretched euen vnto Macedonia It was made tributary vnto the kingdome of Hungarie the yeare 1415. After it reuoulted from the kings obedience and made alliance with the Turke Sigismond King of Hungarie sought to chase away such as occupied it but the Turke was the stronger and reteined the Countrey of Bosne After the Hungarians got together a great Armie came into Bosne and slew the king Itrarch who was a Turke and subiected to their power all that Region and constituted a king there namely the first Christian which had yet bene There was a Prince in Ruscia called George Despot who had giuen his daughter in marriage to the Turke Hee had three sonnes Stephen George and Lazarus Lazarus succeeded his father and had but one daughter who espowsed Stephen king of Bosne who soone after his enioying the principalitie of Ruscia gouerned with a Turkish spirit full of great impietie and wicked religion But it hapned that about the yeare of saluation 1463. as hee had a great land in the higher Misia Mahomet the Turke by flatteries drew him out of the Castle where hee was and calling him to him to talke vnder the shadow of amitie laid hold on him and caused him to be scorched aliue so lost he both his life and kingdome which he had by his father By this mans temeritie and wickednesse together Ruscia and Bosne with the greatest part of Seruia fell into the Turkes obedience As the Pope Pius was at Ancone vpon his departing to goe to warre he was surprised with a slowe feauer the yeare of the Lord 1464. whereof hee died From thence he was carried to Rome and buried in the Church of S Peter One vice of Ambition saith Volaterane contaminated and defiled all the vertues of this person as he that alwaies greatly desired great estates and honours And for that cause endured hee great trauells and alwaies maintained himselfe in the fauour of Princes The warre called The publike Weale was begunne the yeare 1464. by the conspiration of the Princes of France meaning to reforme the kings affaires who tooke offices and dignities from such as had long time faithfully exercised them He greatly also vexed the Nobles and puissant of the Kingdome by demaunds The Duke of Britaine and the Count de Chaelois the Duke of Bourgongnes sonne perswaded Charles Duke of Berry to bee the chiefe Captaine and Prince of that warre and conspiration which Phillip de Commines handleth at large and truly therefore see his historie The aforesaid Pope Pius as Platina and Sabellicus recyte amongst other sentences which he vsed commonly left this in writing With great reason was marriage taken from Priests but yet there is a farre greater reason wherefore it ought to haue bene yeelded them againe He inserted also this sentence in his second booke of Councells It may be saith hee that it were not the worse if a many Priests were married For many being married Priests should be saued which in their barren singlenesse are damned He himselfe would needs abolish certaine Monasteries of S. Brigide and S. Claire commaunding them out that they might burne no more and vnder the habit of religion they should not hide whoredome saith Caelius Secundus About this time there was no small debate in Italie betwixt the Friars Minors and such as they called Bullists which of those should guard and gouerne the Nunnes there As for the discords which were betwixt the Obseruantins and the Non Obseruantins Baptista Mantuanus accordeth them in his Bucoliques in the tenth Eglogue Paul the second of that name borne at Venice the sonne of Nicholas and of Polixene called before Peter Barbe or Balbe and Nephewe of Eugenius the fourth on his sisters side beeing Cardinall of the title of S. Marke was chosen in the place of Pius and occupied the seate of Antichrist Before he was made Bope he meant to traffique as a Marchant but hearing that his Vncle Gabriel was chosen Pope he gaue his minde vnto Letters and comming to Rome he was first created Archdeacon of Bolongne after that Bishop of Ceruio consequently Cardinall and as hath bene said finally Pope and Romane Antichrist It was he who first vaunted that hee held enclosed in his breast all Lawes both diuine and humane He was a goodly man and of faire representation but of a proud spirit and very couetous to gather riches and yet more to distribute Ecclesiasticall Benefices for his owne gaine and profit As for his Popish apparell saith Platina you neede not doubt but he surpassed all his predecessors and especially in his Mitre which he maruellously inriched buying from all Countries Diamonds Saphyrs Emeraudes Chrysolites Iaspers Pearles and other precious stones of great price Thus adorned and shining he would come publikely abroad with an exceeding magnificall apparence Then would he be seene and adored of each one for that cause would he often stay Pilgrims in the towne deferring the accustomed day to shew the Snaire that at once he might be seene of more people And that hee alone might not differ from others in habits and garments he commanded by publike Edict vpon greeuous paines that none should weare redde Bonnets but Cardinalls vnto which also the first yeare of his Popedome he gaue them a cloath of the same colour for footcloathes for their Horses and Mules when they rode Platina He fought to encrease his maiestie as well by authoritie as by force of Armes All the time of his raigne he stirred great warres in Italie by his deuices and practises Hee assailed the Towne of Ariminum and others and miserably destroyed and wasted not onely the suburbes but euen the Townes themselues with Gun-shot He greatly hated the decrees and acts of Pius his predecessor and depriued also of their goods and authorities such as for their knowledge and doctrine hee should haue sought through the world and haue drawne them vnto him by gifts and promises He declared such to be heretikes as from thenceforth should but onely name an Academie or Vniuersitie eyther in sport or earnest He was of an heauie and grosse spirit and therefore loued neither Letters nor vertues As one that was giuen altogether vnto ambition dissolution and voluptuousnesse He employed all the day either in gourmandizing or waighing peeces of Gold or
warring delighted in nothing but a dastardly idlenesse ful of sloath which brought with it nothing but diuers concupiscences fraudes pleasures pompes gourmandizes dissolutions pailliardizes and Idolatries He erected a new Colledge of Secretaries for his owne profit augmenting the number of them which were there before He builded a new Pallace and an house of pleasure of a new fashion He was the first of all the Popes which in an invsuall maner aduanced his bastards vnto honour and riches For hee gaue certaine Townes nigh Rome vnto his bastard Francis and greatly inriched his daughter called Theodorine which he married vnto a very rich man of Genoa Charles eight of that name King of France succeeded his father Lewis the 11. being of the age of 14. yeares The three Estates were solemnly assembled at Tours for the Kings person Hee was very conscionable yeelding vnto the King of Spaine the Countes of Roussillon and Parpignant Hee conquered the kingdome of Naples and the Princes and Gentlemen went thither of their owne charge At Rome the Pope declared him Emperour of Constantinople The King Alphonsus and his sonne Ferdinand for feare retired into Sicilie and Charles entred triumphantly into Naples Then the Lords and Townes in Italie banded themselues against the King to enclose him at his returne yet he got through with a great victorie ouer them at Fonnone for he had fewe people against many and as vanquisher returned into France But at the end of the yeare Naples reuolted vnto the said Ferdinand King Lewis the 11. would not that his sonne Charles should learne any part of the Italian tongue but onely this Prouerbe Qui nessit dissimulare nescit regnare that is hee that cannot faigne and dissemble knowes not how to raigne A poore lesson better beseeming a Tyrant then a King M. Iohn an English man a Priest in this time was burnt at Paris in the place called the Swine Market because in the morning of the day then called Corpus Christi in the great Church of our Lady in the Chappel dedicated vnto S. Crispin and Crispinian he tooke from a Priest that sung Masse his Host and cast it on the ground The Pope Innocent absolued the Venetians which had bene excommunicated by Sixtus for acts before recited and solde pardons and Indulgences as well for the liuing as for the dead He inriched with great presents many Temples through Italie He gaue vnto the Augustins of Bergoine a Church of siluer of an exquisite and maruelous worke He by his Bulles permitted to them of Norway that they ought to sing Masse without wine Moreouer seeing that Pardons nor the Iubile nor the warre against the Turkes serued him any thing to gather siluer hee inuented a new maner of gathering siluer For he found inclosed in an old wall the title which was set vpon the Crosse of Iesus Christ written in three languages Iesus of Nazareth c. with the Iron of the Launce wherwith Christ his side was pearsed Being hindred by a long disease he could not accomplish that which he purposed in his courage But the yeare of our Lord 1492. he deceased out of this world There was a Poet called Marcellus who made an Epitaph in Latin Verses whose sence is this What needest thou seeke witnesses to know whether Cibe be male or female Behold onely the great troupe of his children they will yeeld a certaine testimonie thereof He begot eight sonnes and as many daughters It is not without cause that Rome calls him Father c. The Towne of Arras was againe taken by the Flemmings in the nigh time The keyes of one of the Towne gates was counterfeited and giuen to foure of the conspiracie poore Mechanikes the one of which was called Grisard who had an ordinarie garde of the gate and vsed customably vpon the wall to sing with an high voyce What houre is it It is not time What houre is it It is not day This was to aduertise the enemies when they should approach And when they were nigh hee sung an other Song Marchez la duron duraine marchez la duron durean So the Towne of Arras was by him deliuered into the Emperours hand without any effusion of bloud Horrible things of Roderic Borgia To shewe the horrour of that abhominable seat of Rome it shal not be impertinent to declare how and by what meanes a Spaniard came thither In the time of Innocent the 8. after that Borgia was placed in the number of the Cardinalls and Fathers of the Romane Church his affection was incessantly set to mount higher and to that ende hee inuented each day all the meanes hee thought good and meete to enioy the accomplishment of his desires Finally he gaue himselfe to the diuellish Art of Necromancie to the end that by the helpe of diuells and euill spirits he might enter into the way whch he sawe shut to him as well by the riches as the great credit and prerogatiue of his companions After hee had certaine time employed his studie and diligently watched about the cursed and dammable Art of Necromancie he began to inquire of his diuels wherewith he prooued very familiar if they would not sauour him so much as in the pursuite of the Papall dignitie they would giue him support and helpe Wherevnto they readily agreed but yet vnder this especiall rescription and couenant that by certaine words he should deliuer an oath to shewe himselfe in all things a faithfull protector of Sathan To which this Cardinall of a wicked minde consented onely he required that when hee should come to do his homage and take his oath the diuell would not appeare vnto him in any hideous and fearefull forme but rather vnder some humane forme namely vnder the person of a Protonotaire which hauing graunted him at the time assigned and established on a Sommers day the Cardinall beeing retired into a place called Montcauallus being alone in a chamber the saide Protonotaire presented himselfe vnto him like a man of meane age honourably apparelled who after certaine talke helde betwixt them hee assured the Cardinall that hee should bee Pope Then Roderic Borgia beeing very ioyous began to inquire of him how long hee should raigne This Protonotaire deliuered him a very ambiguous answere namely that hee should raigne the space of eleuen and eight the Cardinall foolishly promised himself the time of 19. yeares in his Papall dignitie although Sathans meaning was but 11. yeares and 8. monethes After Pope Innocent was dead by pluralitie of voyces hee was established Pope And because there should be no want at the solemnities he named himselfe Alexander the sixt before named Roderic Borgia borne at Valence in Spaine the Nephewe of Calixtus late Pope third of that name As one that long time had had the handling of the office of Vice-chauncellor hee knew all the estate of the Court of Rome and knew all the councels and enterprises of the Princes and Communalties of Italie Being then placed
the first of December vnderstanding that the French had bene vanquished at Millaine by the Emperours people and chased out of all Italie which also was not done without his meanes drinking making good cheare hee maruellously reioyced at this newes and herein suddenly died as they say Hee which neuer beleeued there was either hell or heauen after this present life There was a Poet called Sannazarius which made a Distiche that is two Latin Verses of the death of the said Leo which because they seeme to be wel made are set downe Sacra sub extrema si forte requiritis hora. Cur Leo non poterat sumere vendiderat The sence of these Verses is If you aske wherefore Leo could not take the Sacraments beeing so nigh his death the reason is he had sold them before That which is aboue spoken of the taking of Rhodes and of the wonders seene the same day that agreement was made to yeeld the Towne into the Turkes hands cannot accord with that which is spoken of the death of Leo. For it is a certaine that Rhodes was taken by Pope Adrian his successor and was yeelded to the Turkes Anno 1522. An Aduertisement touching a certaine coniecture of the supputation of time It would bee noted in this place that the yeare after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ 161. Paulus Samosatenus beeing Bishop of Antioche began to disgorge his blasphemies against Iesus Christ denying that he was the true and eternall sonne of God Which most daungerous and pernitious heresie of all others was afterward augmented by Arrius and Mahomet and is yet at this day by that Antichrist the Pope Moreouer the Monkes which began as it were the same yeare vnder Paul the first here vnto haue nourished and maintained the same heresie in theyr diuers maners of life and theyr wicked doctrines whilest Antichrist raigned in the Temple of God and dealt with preaching and teaching publikely in the Church namely by the space of 42. moneths or of 1260. dayes which is all one which dayes if wee take them for yeares as they ought adding thervnto the first number of 261. yeares they will come to the yeare 1521. after the Natiuitie of Iesus Christ But that you may vnderstand this secret That yeare was discouered that great aduersarie of God who lifted himselfe aboue all that ws called God or worshipped as God This yeare then that error which so long time had beene mainteined vnder the tyrant of Antichrist began to bee shaken and to fall because the truth and righteousnesse of Faith through the spirit of Iesus Christ were reuealed by the meanes of certaine learned persons For in the said yeare 1521. Martin Luther beeing well fortified by the spirit of God in the presence of all the Estates of the Empire assembled at Wormes confessed and maintained constantly and hardily the true doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ which the aforesaid heretikes denied And since this confession the true Church of our Lord Iesus Christ hath againe begun to renew it selfe and his kingdome to take and gather more greater forces And the kingdome of Antichrist hath begun to diminish and approacheth his ruine This which followeth is extracted out of the book of Christien Masseus The yeare of the Lord 1515. Frances King of Fraunce receiued of Leo a Iubile that is to say pardons to sell to be published through all France which was also spread through all Christendome This was a bottomelesse depth of all euills for vnder the shadowe of fighting against the Turkes they heaped vp inestimable treasures They which had this charge and commission perswaded the simple people that whosoeuer would giue tenne French soules should deliuer the soule for whom hee gaue them from the paines of Purgatorie For they held this for a certaine rule that God would doo whatsoeuer they would according to that which is said All that you doo on earth c. So that if there had wanted but one farthing lesse then the said tenne soules they said all could profit nothing Such like marchandise displeased many good men and they began to debate this question touching the Popes power whereof the old Bishops neuer heard speake Martin Luther was then in Almaine who then began to cry very sharply against Indulgences against whom one called Iohn Bekins opposed himselfe and they two entered into great disputations and contentions touching this matter Pope Leo the tenth thundred a great processe against Martin Luther and condemned him as an heretike and reiected him from the communion of the faithfull He straight appealed vnto the Councell to come After this Leo commaunded that his bookes should be burnt at Rome and on the other side Luther burnt at Wittemberge his Canons and Popish Decretalls saying As they haue done to me so haue I done to them Thus farre Masseus The rest of this historie you may see in Sleidon Baptista Mantuanus had before exhorted the said Leo to doo his office thus speaking vnto him in the fourth booke de fastis Yet there remaineth many things for thee to doo of great importance holy Father If they be great and waightie thou must enterprise them with great courage But there are there amongst others which are most worthy wherin thou shouldest employ thy selfe and trauell therein The first is warre wherewith Italie alreadie tyred and the fields thereof bedeawed with humane bloud An other is That the Romane Court is infected with a daungerous poison which spreadeth it selfe ouer all Nations Lastly there is a Faith which is oppressed and on all sides offered a pillage vnto all cruell and barbarous Nations All these things cry after thee and demaund succours of thee helpe them for the Commonwealth of Christ staggereth and Faith is sick and alreadie nigh her death Leo hauing gathered a great summe of siluer for pardons which he sold inriched his parents bankers and listed them vp into great dignities Martin Luther a great Theologian began to preach the true and pure doctrine against the hypocrisie of Papists and from thence forward the Popedome ceased not by litle and litle to fall into ruine Francis de Valois Duke de Angoulesme as the nighest and meetest to succeed in the Crowne was King 57. yeares after the death of Lewis the 12. whose eldest daughter called Claudia he married Selim hauing driuen away and after poysoned his olde father because he liued too long was Emperor of the Turkes in the yeare 1510. Vnto this wickednesse he added the murdering of his bretheren and the strangling of his Nephewes He vanquished and droue the Sophie away and in many battailes ouercame the two Souldans Campson Tonombeus with the Mammelus and Arabians hee added to his Empire Egipt and Arabia and tooke the great Caire Afterward returning the into his Countrie an Vlcer engendred in his loynes which still encreasing as a Canker killed him the 7. yeare of his raigne See hereof Munster in his Cosmographie Paulus Iouius and Ritche the first booke Soliman the
into Flaunders He passed then through France from Spaine with great receiuing and entertainment of the king and his subiects The Emperor and the King sent their Embassadors to the Venetians to ioyne with them for making warre vpon the Turke but without any thing beeing mooued with that Embassage they incontinently sent towards the Turke to make peace with him Some say they were behinde counselled herevnto by the French Embassador They of Gaunt are punished by the Emperour many are beheaded and otherwise punished and after he had taken their liberties from them he caused a strong Forte to be there builded to bridle them The French king seeing himselfe out of hope to recouer Millaine he began to contract with the Duke of Cleues cōcerning a marriage betwixt him and the Princesse of Nauarre Iohn de Vainoda king of Hungarie died leauing a little child called Stephen borne of Elizabeth daughter of Sigismond king of Polonia Phillip Chabot Admirall of France is condemned at Melnue vpon treason and in seuen hundreth thousand Scutes as a fine and after banished into the wood of Vincenne but a litle after hee was againe restored vnto all his goods and estates The disputation of Remsbourge began in Aprill betwixt the Protestants and them which they called Catholickes Phillip Melancton Bucer Pistorius other Theologians were there on the Protestants side against Eccius Iulles Pffug and Iohn Gropper Caesar Fregosa and Antonie Rincon which the French king sent Embassadors to the Turke as they passed the Pan to drawe towards Venice they were taken by the Imperialists and put to death The Marquesse Alphonsus Daual the Emperours Lieftenant in Lombardie is accused of that murder by the Lord de Langeay The King dispatcheth his Embassadors to the Iourney at Reiusbourge to complaine of that wicked act After hee stayed at Lyons George d'Austriche bastard sonne of the Emperour Maximilian Archbishop Valence as he passed through Fraunce from Spaine vnto the Emperour who was in the lowe Countries Francis sonne of Anthonie Duke of Lorraine espowsed Christierne widowe the daughter of Christierne king of Denmarke which displeased the king of France Ferdinand besieged Bude a Towne in Hungarie where the Queene Dowairie was shut vp with her litle sonne but the Turkes comming downe in great numbers in the moneth of Iuly he was glad to leaue his siege The Turkes arriuing a litle while after tooke the Towne of Pest and discomfited a great part of Ferdinands people After whether the said Dowairie would or no he forced her to appropriate Bude vnto him vnder the colour that shee could not defend it against Ferdinand So the litle King and his mother were banished into Transiluania The Emperour came to Lupues to speake with the Pope And to hinder the Turke of an other side to withdraw him from Hungarie hee embarked himselfe with his Armie in the Porte of de Venere and passing by the Iles of Corseigne Maiorque and Minorque he made saile to Argiere where he tooke land the third of October but there arose a great and horrible tempest of the sea which scattered and dispearsed a great number of his sayles so that hauing lost a good part of his Artillery and almost all his furniture of warre he was constrained to retire into Spaine The French after they vnderstood of this losse tooke occasion to mooue warre The principall Lords of Austriche euen to the number of 24. and with them tenne Cities presented a request vnto the King Ferdinand the third of December at Prague to this end that according to the decree of the last Iourney at Reiusbourge they might reforme their Churches Ferdinand answered that that that Decree onely appertained vnto the Protestants therfore he commaunded them to attend the issue of a generall or Nationall Councell of Almaine promised by the Emperour at the said Reiusbourge The beginning of the Councell of the Trent Paul Pope published the Councell at Trent the first day of Nouember Edicts of extreame rigour were published at Paris against such as they called Lutherans namely to bring vnto certaine deputed Theologians all such as were any thing spotted therewith And that all Stationers and Booke-binders should bring in within a certaine time all suspected bookes Priests also had set downe a certaine forme of Interrogating such as came to confession if they knew any Lutherans A generall Procession on is made and Geneuiefue the Parisians Goddesse trotted through the streetes in great pompe The French king sent the Lord de Longueuil to the Duke of Cleues there with Martin de Rossem to leauie people and to attend occasion to begin their enterprise After in the moneth of Iuly following warre is denounced to the Emperour Longueuil Rossem pilled spoiled in Brabant all the Countrey but they wanted powder and furniture for Artillery They of Rochel in Xantoinge mutined against the king for a Garrison placed there against the custome and for extreame tollages Gernac is sent thither by the king Whilest the king goeth vnto Parpignan Guillame Poyet Chauncellor of Fraunce is by iustice apprehended in the night time in his bed and lead to prison who foreseeing this tempest made himselfe a Priest a litle before to shun the punishments which he knew to be due for his deserts The Papall Priesthood serueth for a good cloake to couer all maner of infection The Scots about the beginning of December fought very vnluckily against the English The cause of the warre was because the king of Scotland came to Yorke as he had promised to end a controuersie which they had together about the limits of their Countries The Emperour made Crowne his sonne Phillip king of Spaine and gaue him in marriage Marie the daughter of Iohn king of Pontugall Sigismond the sonne of Sigismond king of Pologne tooke in marriage Elizabeth the daughter of Ferdinand king of the Romanes Clement Marot retiring to Geneua set out in French verses 20. Psalmes of Dauid He had before published 30. at Paris wherevpon he was persecuted by the Sorbonists The Emperor and Henry of England ioyned themselues to make warre vpon the French king who tooke Landrecy and fortified it The Hauen and Towne of Nice taken and the Castle besieged by the Prince d' Anguien after that Barbarossa conducted by the Captaine Poidin had taken land with his Armie by Sea at Tolon The Duke of Cleues chastised by the Emperor forsooke the alliance of France The Princesse of Nauarre in the way against her will with the Cardinall de Ballay for her conduction vnto Cleues was stopped with great ioy of the marriage broken Trouble in Scotland by such as demanded that their young Queene might be accorded vnto Edward sonne of king Henry The king of France did so much that he pacified the Nobilitie to drawe vnto himselfe that alliance The Vauldois a people in Prouence are put to the spoyle for the Gospell wherefore the Historie is faithfully described and
at large in the booke of Martyrs which I haue set forth At the Iourney of Carignan in Piemont nigh Cirisolles the Emperialists vnder the conduction of Alphonsus Dauall are discomfited by the Prince d' Anguien The Emperour taketh againe Luxembourge by composition he taketh Ligni and the Castle after S. Dedier where Rene Prince of Aurange was stricken with a bullet and died to the great griefe of the Emperour Anthonie Duke of Lorraine died not so much of age as of griefe to see the warre so nigh him yea euen as it were in his Countrey Francis his sonne succeeded him who married the Emperours Neece The King of England laid siege before Bologne and in the end tooke it by composition The Emperor being incamped vpon the Riuer of Marne the Count Guillam de Furstemberge was taken by certaine French horsmen as he sounded the Watch. The Emperor being at Soisson made peace with the king of France the 24. of September In the moneth of March Lewis Palatin Elector deceased and had Frederic his brother his successor Henry de Brunswic a sworne enemie of all vertue making no account of Marie the sister of Vlrich Prince of Wittemberge his wife but giuing himselfe to an whore one of his wiues Damzells by whome hee had seuen children was accused by the Protestants in a full Audience of Estates the fift of Aprill and to the end the thing should be more secret they caused to be made an Image like to an whore by certane Apostate women when this was done they caused her to bee buried with great pompe and magnificences after they had made all the Priests thereabouts say Masses Vigills and all the Seruice accustomed to be done by the Papists at the buriall of their dead To this he had nothing to answere but remained confounded The King of France caused a Fort to be built vpon the sea banke nigh Bullen to hinder the victualling of the Towne holding his Armie thereabouts Charles Duke of Orleance the king of France his sonne who should haue bene sonne in lawe or in other alliance of the Emperour the ninth day of September beeing of the age of 23. yeares was taken away by a malladie which held him but fewe dayes Guillam de Fustemberge prisoner at Paris after he had payed 30000. Skutes for his raunsome was set at libertie in the lowe Countrie with the Emperour who honourably and amiably receiued him The Sorbonists of Paris were assembled at Mèlun by the Kings commaundement to determine of Articles to propose at the Councell After long disputation they thought it best wholy to followe them which they had lately caused to be disputed on at Paris The Theologians at Louaine writ 32. Articles of the same subiect that they of Paris Peter Bridly minister in the Church of the Straungers at Strasbourge was secretly called vnto Tornay by such as were there desirous of the Gospell after hee had some litle while caught there the 19. of Februarie he was cruelly burnt with a litle fire See the booke of Martyrs Francis Duke of Lorraine died leauing a sonne a litle child The Bishop of Mets his Vncle and his mother were appointed his Tutors The daughter of Ferdinand married to the sonne of the king of Poland dyeth also This Pope Paul had assigned the Councell of Trent as is said not to remedie the euills of Christianitie for the tranquilitie of consciences or to place Religion in a good seate and estate to the honor and glory of God but to tread vnder feet his truth and to oppresse the Ministers of his word In which place seeing that he did not all he would the yeare 1546. vnder colour that the ayre was there corrupted he transported himself vnto Boulongne to the end by that meane hee might the better take away all libertie from Christians to say their opinions and to hinder the reformation of the Church This Antichrist raised horrible and straunge warres against the seruants of God pursuing them by fire sword imprisonments and all other sorts of punishments Yea he spared not his Cardinalls namely Fulger and Contarien after they had tasted the sauour of the word of God nor the Bishop of Pontus Iohn Baptist nor his brother Paulus Vergerius Bishop of Iustinopoli The chiefe amongst the tormentors were his Nephewes the Cardinall Farnese and Octaua Duke of Parma his brother which beyond all measure glorying therein the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 1546. as they were vpon their departure frō Italie into Almaine to make warre vpon the Protestants they vaunted brauely and fiercely that they would make such an effusion of the Lutherans bloud that their horses should swim therin And the meane while that good holy Father Paul tooke his pleasure with his daughter Constance after the old maner They say also that that old man stinking as a Goate sollicited to whoredome an other his Niece who was a very honest maide and no lesse laudable for her honestie and chastitie then for her excellent beautie This Pope as Baleus saith had in his Tables the number of 45000. whores whereof he exacted euery moneth tribute to the end they might haue libertie to exercise their whoredome and as saith the booke intituled Eusebius Captiue they are greatly esteemed they kisse the Popes feete they talke very familiarly with him they frequent day and night with him But such as trust onely in Iesus Christ and embrace the true doctrine are held by the Pope for heretickes and of him are banished set in prisons and stockes and punished by fire sword and Gallies The Elector Palatin reformed in his Countrey the doctrine and Popish ceremonies and receiued the Gospell The Conference of Reiusbourge is held See Sleidan The 7. of Ianuary the Councell began at Trent Alliance betwixt the Pope and the Emperour concluded the 26. of Iune to reduce the Almaines vnto the obedience of the Pantople The Pope binding himselfe to deliuer 200000. Ducats into the hands of the Venetians Moreouer to furnish ten thousand footemen Italians and fiue hundreth light-horsemen waged for sixe moneths Moreouer permitting the Emperour to sell of the reuenew of the Monasteries of Spaine to the valew of 100000. Crownes and to take the moitie of all Ecclesiasticall liuings In the end a peace was made betwixt the kings of France and England vpon conditiō that Bologne should remaine English vntil the king had payed the siluer by him promised On Satterday the 7. of August of this yeare 1546. the Towne of Maligues was in such sort handled with Thunder and Lightning that of long time there had not bene seene the like The Thunderbolt fell vpon a Tower called Saderpoort that is to say the gate of Canon powder where there was more then 800. Barels of Gunpowder which being on a flame augmented the tempest and first laid on the earth that which was about it after it so embraced the Towne that without abundance of raine mingled with the thunder it was thought
porke was who answered that his Phisitian appointed that none should be serued Then cryed he in this manner Bring me my porke flesh Al di spetto di Dio that is to say in despight of God This now is a common ieast and ordinarie amongst rakehells and rascalls ruffians and bawdes through Italie as Also many other speeches as infamous and dishonest Blasphemies vsed in Italie authorised by the Popes word Hauing one day seene a Peacocke at his dinner which he had not touched keepe said he this cold Peacocke for my supper spread the table in the Garden for I will then haue company As then he sat supper he saw other hot Peacockes serued vpon the table and not seeing his colde Peacocke which hee commaunded to be kept being exceedingly vexed he disgorged an execrable blasphemie against God At which certaine Cardinals that sate with him at the table said Let not your holines be so chollericke for so small a matter Wherevnto Iulius answered If God would bee so angry for an Apple as to cast our first Father Adam out of Paradice wherefore should it not bee lawfull for mee that am his Vicar to be angry for a Peacocke seeing a Peacocke is of much more valewe then an Apple As hee was about to create Cardinall Peter Betan Bishop of Fano of the order of the Iacobins certaine of the Cardinalls resisted him and amongst other things alleadged that he was infected with the heresie of the Lutherans Vnto whom Iulius answered Although it be so should it not be wisely done by putting a redde hat on his head to purge him of that euill and so retaine him one of ours with such a bond then to suffer him to flie from vs and ioyne with our enemies that we haue in Almaine as Vergerius did The 10. of September Affrike a Towne of Affrike was taken by the Emperours Armie vnder the conduction of the Viceroy of Sicilie Dracut Lord of the Towne withdrew towards the Turke his maister and the warre began againe more sharpe betwixt the Emperour and the Turke A sedition in Ausbourge because of certain Spaniards which in the moneth of August made mockes in the Church at the Sermon A woman also of the said Towne mocked a Priest which in his Surplice walked through the Towne with his hoste The Emperour had put the said woman to death had it not bene that Mary the Gouernour of the lowe Country entreated for her and saued her Maurice and Albert his cosin the Elector of Brandebourg and Henry of Brunswic tooke Armes against them of Magdebourge Nicholas Pernot sieur de Granuelle dyed at Ausbourg about the end of August to the Emperours great griefe Anthony Pernot his sonne Bishop of Arras succeeded in his estate About the beginning of Nouember Virich Prince of Wittemberge deceased from this world and his sonne Christopher was his successour Stephen Bishop of Winchester was dispossessed of his Bishopprick in England and put in prison because he would not submit himselfe vnto the Kings Edicts and lawes touching Religion The last of February Bucer dyed at Canterbury and was very honourably buried with a great number of Epitaphes made by learned men lamenting his death The Councell of Trent was deferred by the Pope from the first of May vntill the first of September In Saxonie diuers prodigious things were seene as three Sunnes and three Moones now pale and bleake or blew now red as blood The king of France caused to be published a very cruell Edict against the Lutherans confirming yea passing all his former Edicts and left nothing behinde that appertained to extreame crueltie On all sides the Papists assembled at Trent on the Councell day likewise from Almaine resorted the Electors Ecclesiasticall The Cardinall of Cressentia was President in the Popes place The Emperour and the King Ferdinand sent thither also their Embassadors But the King of France by his Embassadour disavowed the Councell for generall reputing it but a particular congregation to the profit of some His protestation was held for none without vouchsafing to record it Le sieur d' Brisac tooke in Piedmont and about Turin a certaine number of Townes and amongst others Cheri and Saint Damian The Turks Army after hauing assayed the Fort of Malta and rushed vpon Tripoly in Affrické and tooke it The Emperour accused the King of Fraunce to bee the Authour of this losse An Edict published by the King of Paris whereby it was forbidden to transport any siluer out of the kingdome to Rome because of the warre betwixt the King and the Pope There came a writing from the Emperors Court whereby was declared the cause and originall of the warre of Parma and wherefore hee receiued Plaisance into his protection The fact of Duke Octauius is condemned and detested The French to the contrary shewe also by writing the daunger wherein Octauius was at Parma the iust cause that the King had to succour it and that wrongfully the Emperour had taken the Towne of Plaisance The Duke of Somerset is againe imprisoned in October by the meanes of the Duke of Northumberland vnto whome came the gouernment of the Realme after him The eleuenth Session of the Councell of Trent was in October where was confirmed the locall presence transubstantiation and all that euer was inuented for the Deification of that faire morsell of bread George de Martinuse of Dalmatia commonly called the Monke a man of great authoritie in Hungarie was made Cardinal who was after slaine the 18. of December in his own house by certaine Italians vnder colour that he dealt with the Turke suspitiously although before he had so wrought with the wife of the deceased Vaiuoda that she gaue ouer the gouernment of Transiluania to the King Ferdinand In Nouember the Duke Maurice agreed altogether with them of Magdebourge The ende of her euils and calamities was the entry of a great warre yea of all ill luck vnto the Emperour For Maurice hauing practised with Kings and Princes straungers determined with himselfe by force to deliuer the Lantgraue his Father in lawe which notwithstanding hee deferred a certaine time because first he thought it good to prooue all by loue The Duke of Somerset the vncle of King Edward was beheaded at London at the instance of the Duke of Northumberland Maurice by a writing dedicated vnto the states of the Empire greatly complaineth of the discord of Religion amongst them Item of the captiuitie of Lantgraue a prisoner by treason to the great dishonour of the Emperour Albert of Brandebourge complaineth also of the miserable seruitude of Almaine and hauing expressed the causes thereof he declareth that he and his companions do iudge the Ecclesiasticall people to be the chiefe authours of all the abouesaid euils And Maurice and Albert allyed and ioyned themselues together at Rotebourge Ausbourge besieged by them is taken The Fathers of the Councel at Trent being at discord the Imperialists against the Romanists after they vnderstood
Dauid George knew well that by litle and litle hee should be discouered His Secretaries and disciples were maruellously astonished at his death because they were of opinion he should neuer haue died Although their hope was something maintained by that he had said as after was reported he would againe take life by the space of three yeares and bring to passe excellent things Hee held in his house a state almost royall And for the gouernment of his house and Castle it was well ruled euery one had his estate and office in that family and the labours were so distributed that he had no need in any thing to employ others then his owne In the gouernment of their common good they very strictly obserued three things to the end they might more and more conceale their so pernitious a Sect. First that none amongst them should publish the name of Dauid George Secondly that none should reueale of what state and condition hee had bene wherevpon many thought hee came of some great nobilitie others that he was some great Marchant hauing many factors both by sea and land Thirdly that they should not discouer any one article of their doctrine to any of Basill no not to any Switzer neither should they seeke to drawe any to their doctrine The summe of his accursed doctrine was That whatsoeuer had hitherto bene giuen of God by Moyses by the Prophets by Iesus Chirst himselfe by his Apostles and Disciples is imperfect and vnprofitable to make vs obtaine the true and perfect felicitie and was onely giuen to this vse that hitherto their doctrine might represse men and keepe them vnder as young men and children and so containe them in their offices But the Religion of Dauid George is perfect and hath in it sufficient efficacie and strength to make happie him that receiueth it he being the true Christ and Messias the we beloued of the Father in whom the Father taketh great pleasure borne not of the flesh but of the holy spirit of the spirit of Iesus Christ hauing hitherto beene kept in an vnknowne place for all his Saints to restore in spirit the house of Israel not by the Crosse or tribulations or death as the other Christ but for the loue and grace of the holy spirit of Christ O execrable monster or horrible efficacie of error deception or plasphemies drawne out of the deepe pit of hell In the yeare 1557. many good men mooued with affection to amplifie the kingdome of the Lord through many trauels and perills hauing passed the torride Zone and long time soiourned in the way they fell to inhabit in a Region on the South coast vnknowne vnto our fore elders full of Brasill which before in the yeare 1500. had bene discouered by the Portugales and it was called America of the name of their Captaine and cōducter Americ Vespucius The Inhabitants the eare very sauage and wilde without any forme of Religion or ciuilitie There it pleased the Lord in this time to erect a Church of certaine French men which one Villegagnon had sollicited and gathered together He receiued thē also at the beginning with good countenance and outward ioy seeing his enterprise commended by many notable persons But in the yeare 1557. and 1558. the said Villegagnon gaue sufficiently to know that he was neuer touched with any true zeale or feare of God For after he had persecuted both the Ministers and poore flocke of that Church by many tyrannies and impudent writings with seditious practises he hindred as much as in him lay the aduancement of the Lords glory who after raised vp the Portugales to take the Fortresse which he had builded in the I le by him called Collignyen Valois finding no resistance within because the said Villegagnon being retired into France taken with an apprehensiō that the sauage people would eate him had ordained no such company of people as were necessary for the defence of such a place And although in that number there were some valiant and wel experimented in Armes yet for as much as they were accompanied with such as had no knowledge therein and were ill maintained yea pined away with famine and diseases before they would abide the enemies furie they withdrew themselues with the sauage people Therefore was it easie for the enemies to enioy that Castle which had beene builded at the charges of the king of France and with the sweat and trauel of many good people and the Artillery marked with the Armes of France with certaine munitions of warre transported to Lisbone the principall Towne of Portugall in a trophee and triumph of the victorie The French retiring to land receiued the cruel yoake of that sauage people liuing without any forme of Religion a sad and lamentable thing to rehearse By all Histories as well auncient as moderne we my be instructed that Hypocrites and Apostates haue in all times hindred the course of the Gospell Charles the 5. Emperour after he had resigned by expresse Embassage into the hāds of the Princes Electors the Romane Empire hauing held it about 37. yeares died in his Country of Spaine the 21. of Septēber 1558. in a Monastery of S. Iust of the order of the Hieronymies nigh to Plascencia a Towne scituated betwixt the kingdomes of Castile and Andalonsia Ferdinand 1. of that name succeeded him was cōsecrated Emperor in the towne of Francfort vpon Mein by the Electors and Princes of Almiane with the accustomed solemnities After great and continuall warres by the space of 9. yeares at the instigation and by the practises and meanes of Popes Iohn Maria de Monte surnamed Iulius the third and his successors and adherents as well in Italie Piemont Almaine and France as in the lowe Countries of Flaunders Artois and Lorraine by the Spaniards and French Finally there happening great victories and prises one vpon an other to the ouerthrow and totall oppression of people and subects the third of Aprill 1559. after Easter at a Castle in Cambresis there was a peace concluded betwixt Henry the second of that name King of France and Phillip King of Spaine wherein they promised to yeeld one to an other the landes that were lately conquered They also compounded and agreed of all other controuersies and differances in regard of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie and of the Duchie of Millaine vpon condition of the marriage of the said Phillip with the eldest daughter of Henry which lands should appertaine to the children comming of that marriage By the same treatie of peace there was yeelded vnto Emanuel Philibert Duchie of Sauoy and the principalitie of Piemont which the French had held from his father him more then 24. yeares by the meanes of a marriage betwixt him and Dame Margarite daughter of king Francis the first of that name and the alone sister of Henry reseruing certaine strong places in the said Piemont for a certaine time The yeare 1559. the fift of March the sonnes the sonnes in lawe and
and the Prince vnto the court after stared them prisoners and handled the prince very rigorously On the other side their forces assembled on all sides to ouerrun the realme The king of Spain should enter into Bearne to ruinate destroy the queen of Nauarre and to solemnise the entry of the Estates the prince should haue bene publikely beheaded afterward straigt vpon the conclusion of the Estates the Armies marched to sacke and spoyle such as were suspected and the people were suffered and countenanced to runne vpon all such as were religious to dispatch them with out other Inquisition And to the end to leaue none aliue the King should cause all the Princes Lords and Knights of the order to sweare and seale all the articles of Sorbone sending to the fire without longer proces all such as denied it The Chancelor did the like with such as were of the order d'la longe robe about the court The Parliaments Prelates had charge to do the like with such as belonged to Iustice and to the Cleargie Likewise Ladies honorable womē were not forgotten This being done the Inquisition of Spain entred into France to begin new tragidies But as all things were vpon the point to be executed God cut the strings thereof striking the king Francis with an Apostume in his eare wherewith after he had languished certain dayes he was finally stifled and dyed the fift day of December 1560. hauing only raigned 17. moneths This death ouerthrew the disseines and purposes of the Duke of Guise and constrained the aduersaries of the reformed Church to yeeld some reliefe vnto the faithfull who had that yeare giuen them in mockery the Huguenots because of their night assemblies to muse deuise new subtilties and persecutions whereof we will God willing speake briefly in the years following but yet the Churches in that yeare prospered in all Prouinces with infinite witnesses of God his fauour towards his and of his iudgements vpon his enemies of all estates Some of the Religion were publikely executed in diuers places but for one which died there came a thousand to the doctrine of the Gospell In so much that it was incredible the great number of persons which this yeare and that following forsooke the Romane Religion to come vnto the Christian This yeare Scotland was troubled with a ciuill war by the practises of some which would needs commaund all ouer vnder the colour of maintaining the Romane Religion but they frustrated of their hope and the reformed religion began then to set foote in that kingdome by the fauour and assistance of Elizabeth Queene of England The Queene widowe of Iames the fift died in the moneth of Iune Martin Bucer and Paul Phagius whose bodies had bene buried and burned foure yeares before in England by the sollicitations of Cardinal Poole were established in their first honor and their memorie publikely celebrated the 30. of Iuly The 10. day of Aprill before died that very learned and modest person Phillip Melancton an excellent ornament of all Almaine after whose decease many wicked spirits troubled the Almain Churches which during his life they durst not haue enterprised Ioachim Camerarius a man very learned and his great friend hath described his life The moneth of Ianuary before tooke also from this world Iohn Alasco a Gentleman of Polonia one very affectionate to the aduancement of the kingdome of Chist whose memory is precious in all Churches About the end of the same yeare Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy warred vpon them of the vale of Angrogne and their neighbours professing the doctrine of the Gospell which after assaying all meanes of peace to conserue it offering their Prince all that good subiects should do defended themselues though fewe in number so couragiously and were assisted of God that after many combats they were left in peace which at this present they enioy the fauour of Margarite of France Duchesse of Sauoy amongst other humane meanes seruing them greatly both then and afterwards In the same Countrey of Piemont were seene many prodigious wonders the like in France Austrich Pologne Almain At the begginning and vntill the end of this yeare 1561. the French Churches encreased openly shewed themselues Katherine de Medices Queene mother hauing all affaires in her hand was counselled by the Princes of the house of Bourbon by the Admirall and other great Lords of the Religion by meanes whereof the greatest of the Romane Religion entred into league with them and so made priuie preparation for great troubles and vexations after hapning In the moneth of Ianuary the Princes and great Lords being assembled at S. Germaine in Laye an Edict was made the seuenteenth of the said moneth which on the one side gaue some release and libertie vnto them of the Religion and on an other side curbed and brideled them After the Councell assigned on the ninth day of September following was a conference and disputation at Poissy betwixt the Doctors of the Romane and reformed Churches In that same moneth the Electors and Princes of Almaine being assembled at Neubourge in Turinge to take Councell for maintaining the confession of Ausbourge by them presented vnto the Emperour Charles the 5. Anno 1530. gaue audience about the beginning of February the Popes Embassadors which commaunded them to send their Embassadors vnto the Councel assigned at Trent to effect which they offred for the Pope their M. such safe conduct as was possible to desire The 7. of February the Electors and Princes made answer that they found it strange that the Pope being the cause of all the cōfusions then in the Church should go about to assemble a Councel to assigne it vnto them whom he had nothing to doo to command that they did not neither euer would acknowledge any soueraigntie to belong vnto the Romane seate yea they were assured that it appertained not vnto the Pope to conuocate or call a Councell And after they had shewed the orders and filthinesse of the Romane Church and that it were good to regard and looke vnto the meanes to procure a generall and free Councel they sent away their Embassadors and after they writ vnto the Emperour Ferdinand that they all with a commō aduise agreed vnto the confessiō of Ausbourge afterward they published in an Imprinted writing their causes of reculation against the Councell of Trent These Embassadors went into diuers other places to the same effect but they receiued no good answere o any King Prince or great Lord making profession of the Gospell but especially the Queene of England would not giue leaue to the Abbot Martinengue who was sent by the Pope vnto her to passe the sea to come into England The 5. day of March the Pope caused to bee strangled in the night time in the S. Angelo the Cardinall Charles Caraffe he beheaded also in an other prison the Counte of Palliane and certaine other Cardinalls the next day shewing all their bodies
vnto the people The 18. day of May Charles the ninth of that name sonne of Henry de Valois and of Catherine de Medicis was sacred king at Reimes in Campagne and soone after crowned at S. Denis in France The Churches of his kingdome to the eye-sight flourished to the preiudice whereof was made an Edict called of Iuly notwithstanding which they maintained themselues with great testimonies of the blessings of God In the meane while the king of Nauarre the first Prince of the bloud next vnto the kings brethren sent for Peter Martyr and Theodore de Beza to be at the disputation of Poissy which were sent thither by the Lords of Zurich and Geneua The 24. of August the Prince of Conde was recōciled by the King and his Councell with the Duke of Guise who vpon the Princes words which he spake on high I hold him and them for villaines which haue caused my imprisonment answered I beleeue so it nothing toucheth me Soone after the gouernmēt of the kingdome during the kings minoritie who was then but ten yeares old an halfe was cōfirmed to the queene mother In the meane while the deputies of the Churches and certaine other Ministries with safe conduit arriued at Poissy presented vnto the king a request for the order of the disputation and also the confession of their faith who with good countenance receiued thē promising to communicate their requests vnto his Councell make them an answere by his Chancelor In the beginning of September many requests were presented to set forward that which was begun and finally the 9. of the said moneth in the presence of the King Prince Lords and notable persons of the kingdome of France as wel of y e one as the other religion Theodore de Beza in the name of all the French Churches after publike inuocatiō of the name of God made long oration cōprehending a summary of all the Christian doctrine held preached by the Ministers of the reformed Churches and his oration finished he presented their cōfession of faith which was receiued deliuered into the hands of the prelates to prepare themselues to answer it But they opposed themselues only against two Articles of that oratiō The one of the Supper and the other of the Church and pronounced their answere by Charles Cardinal of Lorraine who had for his maister Claude Despence a Doctor of Sorbone who once shewed some seed of religion This answere hauing bene made certain daies after the oration the Ministers prayed that they might reply straight way but it was deferred to an other day and audience was giuen them but not so notable as the first thē fel there out a sharp disputation which began an other time after a third oration Then entred into conference fiue of the Romane Churches side with fiue of the reformed Churches who after a long disputation vpon the matter of the Supper retired without according any thing assuredly Frō the end of this moneth vntil the end of this yeare diuers leagues factions were made against the Churches seditiōs were stirred at Paris and in other places against the Christians assembling to heare the word of God the kings councel being occupied to prouide by some Edict against the mischief to come to procure rest for the kingdome About this yeare died Shuvenckfeld a very pernitious heretike who by his wicked doctrine greatly endamaged the Churches of Almaine The summe of his principall errours was to reuiue and renew againe the heresie of Eutiches For hee maintained that the humaine nature of Iesus Christ ought no more to be called a creature but we must think that it is at this day swallowed vp by the diuine nature by that meanes cōfounding the two natures Vpon this foundation so badly placed he established other mōstrous opinions the fault was in not wel cōsidering the vniō of the two natures in Christ and the communicatiō of the properties But these opinions are not dead with him but contrary haue bene renued promoted by such who will needes at this day haue the the humaine nature of Christ infinit In the moneth of Ianuary which was then 1591. because they then began the yeare at Easter and at this present we begin it the first of Ianuary an assembly was made of the most notable persons of all the Parliaments and other renowmed people besides the priuie Councellors which decreed and set foorth that notable Edict named of Ianuary which permitted free exercise to them of the Religō through all the kingdome of France prouiding good securitie for all people and rest for the Common-wealth Many thought that hereby the Churches should haue rest when soone after newes arriued of the massacre of Vassi committed by Francis the Duke of Guise who in his owne presence caused 42. persons of the Religion to be slaine and a great number others to be wounded being all assembled to heare the word of God This was the beginning of the ciuil warres of France For the Duke of Guise and his partakers tooke Armes on the one side The Prince of Conde the Admirall and others meaning to maintaine the Royall authoauthoritie the Edict of Ianuary and the Churches that were vnder the protection and defence thereof opposed themselues against them by Armes also and the war began through all the kingdome where infinit cruelties were exercised in diuers places against them of the Religion as the history of our time maketh mention Many Townes Fortresses were besieged carried away by assaults sacked spoiled more cruelly thē by the most barbarous people in the world diuers encounters bloodie battailes namely that of Dreux wherein the two chiefe Captaines of both partes remained prisoners many of the Nobilitie and souldiers as well Straungers as French were slaine Churches dissipated and dispersed in most part of the Prouinces and a maruellous desolation in infinite Families Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinands sonne was declared king of the Romanes the 14. day of Nouember and sixe daies after he was crowned two moneths before he was crowned king of Boheme Peter Martyr borne at Florence an excellent Theologian and professor of Theologie at Zurich where he writ bookes full of great and sound doctrine died the 12. day of Nouember being then of the age of 63. yeares The ciuill warre continued in France notwithstanding the taking of the Prince of Conde and the Constable The Duke of Guise hauing laid siege before the Towne of Orleance being kept by them of the Religion was wounded in the shoulder with a Pistoll shot the 18. day of February and died certaine dayes after in great torments By this meanes Orleance was deliuered a peace concluded the moneth following the Edict of Ianuary abolished in the most part of the Articles to the great disaduantage of them of the Religion which notwithstanding tooke hart and in the quarters maintained themselues in their accustomed order In the moneth of Iuly
the English men gaue ouer Hance de grace or New Hauen vnto the French king The same time they of Lubec and the king of Denmarke made warre vpon the king of Snede Henry de Brunswic made many courses into Almaine into the lands of the Bishop of Munster The eight day of September Maximilian king of the Romanes was crowned king of Hungary The 24. of September Charles the ninth king of France caused his Maioritie to be published declaring to the Parliament of Paris that he would take vpon himselfe the managing of the affaires of the kingdome The 28. was published and affixed at Rome on the part of the Cardinals Inquisitors a monitorie personal adiournament against Iane d' Albret Queene of Nauarre who because of the profession of the Gospell was cited to Rome to answere in the Popes consistory therefore and for want of appearance within sixe moneths her Countrey to be giuen vnto the first conquerer thereof and her vassalls and subiects absolued from their oath of fidelitie This was but a subtill deuice tending to an other end and the king of France tooke into his hand the cause of this Princesse so that for that time the Popes thunderclaps turned into smoake The second day of October the Bishop of Wirtzbourge was slaine his Towne occupied and raunsomed wherevpon followed great troubles in Almaine and at that time of Automne the pestilence was vehement in the quarters about Francfort Nuremberge and in the coastes about the Balthique Sea which carried away nigh three hundreth thousand persons The ninth day of Nouember the Armies of Denmarke and Snede encountred together and had a bloudie battaile wherein were slaine 3000. Snedes with great losse of their Artillery and baggage The fourth day of December was ended the Councell of Trent Betwixt the first and last session whereof were eightteene yeares In it all the Articles of the Popish doctrine were confirmed There was a great strife betwixt the Embassadors of France and of Spaine for the primer seat but he of Spaine got it at that time In the same yeare and the 13. day of August died Wolfangus Musculus Doctor in Theologie at Berne a man who by his writings greatly serued and yet doth the Churches of God He was then of the age of 66. yeares The 26. of Ianuary 1564. the Lithuaniens got a great victorie vpon the Muscouites which lost nine thousand men vpon the field with their baggage and many flying perished in pooles and Isy Marishes The first day of February died at Marpurge a Towne of Hesse Andrew Hiperius a very learned Theologian amongst thē of our time who left many profitable bookes to the edification of the Churches of God He was then of the age of 53. yeares In the moneth of April Frederick Elector Count Palatin came with Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge into the Abbey of Malbrun nigh to Spire where by the space of 7. daies their Diuines disputed some against others of two Articles in the doctrine of the holy Supper that is to say of the vbiquitie or presence of the body of Christ Iesus in all places and the interpretation of the words of the holy Supper This is my body After long contestations and strifes they departed without according any thing and after that their debate waxed hotter to the ruine of Churches and to the great contentment of the Pope and his adherents The 27. of May about eight of the clocke at night dyed Iohn Caluin a professor in Theologie a Minister of the word of God in Geneua a person of singular pietie memorie viuacitie of iudgement and admirable diligence of a solide doctrine wherin he hath comprehended the pure Theologie as his writings read without preiudice or sinister affection do apparantly shewe He was moreouer endowed with incredible zeale and prudencie in all the course of his Ministery hauing serued to the aduancement of the doctrine of the Gospel and to the edification of the Churches amongst all the excellent persons raised vp in our time to ruinate the tyrannie of Antichrist and to establish the throne of the celestial veritie He was of the age of 55. yeares saue one moneth and 13. daies he was buried without pompe hauing left many bookes very profitable for such as would seeke to aduance and goe forward earnestly in the intelligence of the holy scripture and an honorable memorie vnto all reformed Churches About this time the Maritimal and Sea Armies of the kings of Denmarke and Snede encountred vpon Balthique Sea in battaile wherein the Snedes remained victors and carried away three great ships of warre with a number of prisoners which the king of Snede caused afterward to be cruelly handled But about the end of Iune they of Denmarke and Lubec had their reuenge and ouercame the Snedes vpon the Sea conquering one ship though inexpugnable vntill then after hauing sunke many moe The Emperour Ferdinand a gentle and peaceable Prince died the 25. day Iuly at Vienna in Austrich hauing liued 61. yeares foure moneths and an halfe leauing for successor to the Empire his sonne Maximilian who soone after was elected and crowned The beginning of his yeare 1565. was very sharpe and colde in many Countries of Europe and there fel an extraordinary quantitie of snowe which beeing frozen and after melted in the spting time there followed great Invndations The Churches of France maintained themselues in some estate whilest the young King guided by his Councell made his voyage of Bayonne A warre in Hungary against the Turkes with losses and ruines on both parts The Churches in the lowe Countries began also to lift vp their heads especially vnder Charles the fift The encrease of the French Churches encouraged them they also published their confession of faith The Ecclesiasticke Romanes that which afterward came to pass e amongst other practises sought to establish the Spanish Inquisition and certaine yeares before made new Bishops to the end more easily to maintaine the Popes authoritie After this erection by the space of foure or fiue yeares whilest Margarite Dutches of Parma gouerned the lowe Countries for her brother the king of Spaine some ceased not to cōtend against others by remonstrances bookes and diuers practises some to abolish others to giue entry and authoritie vnto the Inquisition The I le and Towne of Malte was furiously assailed by the Turkes in the moneth of May but they were Iustained and pushed backe by the knights of Malta being assisted with the succors which were sent from many places In the monethes of Iune and Iuly were great deluges and ouerflowings of waters in diuers quarters of Almaine especially in Thuringe A very sharpe warre was in Hungarie betwixt the Turkes and the Almaines with diuers accidents that befell on both sides The eight of December the Pope Pius the fourth died of the age of 66. yeares and 8. moneths hauing bene Pope about six moneth
Conrad Gesner of Zurich a Phisitian learned in the tongues and humane sciences laborious and painfull amongst others and who very diligently writ a perfect and full historie of all beastes foules fishes and creeping things died also in the moneth of December leauing infinite other writings in all sorts of litterature alreadie Imprinted and others to Imprint About the end of this yeare the King Phillip sent from Spaine into the lowe Countries an Edict wherby he ordained that the auncient and new placarts against them of the Religion should be executed that the Inquisition shuld be throughly established and the Inquisitors fauoured in the exercise of their charge that the decrees of the Councell of Trent should be receiued and obserued from point to point These Letters Patents were the cause of all the troubles following and not yet ended The 7. day of Ianuary 1566. Michael Gillier a Monke of Lombardie being come from one degree to an other till he was Cardinall finally was chosen Pope and called himselfe Pius the fift The 21. day of the said moneth the Emperour Maximilian second of that name held his first Imperiall Iourney at Ausbourge where the affaires of Religion was handled Frederick Count Palatin de Rhene and chiefe Elector of the Empire a Christian and magnanimous Prince constantly maintained the pure doctrine and the true reformation established in his Countrey by meanes whereof he made himselfe redoughted of all such is resisted him either openly or secretly and was well beloued of the Emperour and of the greatest in Almaine He was then accompanied with the Prince Cassimere his sonne who kept him good company and a great company of the Nobilitie In the moneth of March and in the other following hapned great troubles in Scotland and finally the King himselfe was strangled in the night and the chamber wherein hee was ouerthrowne with Cannon powder An Earle of that Realme espowsed his widow but being ouerthrowne in battaile by the Nobilitie he fled out of the Realme The Queene thingking to saue her selfe in France was stayed prisoner in England Iames the sixt the sonne of her and her slaine husband at this present King of Scotland of the age of fifteene or sixteene yeares is a Prince of great hope In the same moneth of March at the Imperiall Iourney at Ausbourge the Emperour there assisting it was decreed that the affaires of Religion should remaine in their present estate but for the affaires of the Empire they prouided especially for the warre against the Turkes In the beginning of Aprill certaine great Lords and Gentlemen of the low Countries leagued themselues in good number against the Inquisition pretending the same to be contrary to the liberties of the lowe Countrie The people banded themselues and the Assemblies of them of the Religion began to encrease In so much that the fourth of May there was publike preaching at Antwerpe without the Towne fiue weekes after within the said Towne At the same time such as were leagued against the Inquisition were surnamed les Gueux The cause hereof was for that some of the principalls going to present a request to the Councell of the estate the Sieur de Barlaimont their aduersary said to an other Councellor that sate nigh him Voici mes Gueux Great and litle after that tooke a deuise wearing apparell of gray cloath and peeces of money about their necke hauing on the one side the kings Image and on the other side a beggers dish with this Inscription Faithfull to the king euen to the begers dish In the moneth of Iune Iuly and the other following fell a sharpe warre in Hungary against the Turkes but the end was not very good for the Hungarians and Almaines lost many men in diuers encounters also many strong holdes especially at Zigeth which was besieged by Soliman himselfe who dyed a fewe dayes before the taking thereof Selim the second of that name succeeded his father Soliman was acknowledged and crowned Emperour of the Turkes in the moneth of September and soone after transported himself into Hungarie to prouide for the affaires of that warre and then straight departed towards Constantinople leauing one of his Bâ—ssâ—es called Pertaw to continew who with a puissant Armie of Turkes and Tartarians forraged Hungarie and Transyluania committing very straunge saccagements and cruelties The Vainoda of Transyluania called this Bassa to his succours to recouer certaine places occupied by the Hungarians but perceiuing such succours did wholly ruinate ouerthrow himself he sound means to surprize the Tartarians cut them all in peeces and so dissipated all that Turkish Armie first himselfe beeing well chastifed for drawing such people into his Countrey Iohn Functius a learned Chronographer amongst all them of our time Matthias Horst and Iohn Shnell Ministers of the Gospell at Conigsprucke in Pruse were beheaded the 28. of October for the crime of conspiracie against the Prince Albert who had established the Osiandrisme that is to say the dreames and errors of one Andrew Osiander concerning Christian righteousnesse and other points of Diuinitie which errour these three maintained and would haue reuenged themselues of Albert who had purged his Countrey of that infection The death of Soliman the great whip of Christendome gaue some release vnto Almaine Selim preparing himselfe to make warre vpon Venetians but the Emperour decreed a new warre within Almaine it selfe against Frederick of Saxonie sonne of the dead Elector taken in battaile by Charles the fift The cause heereof was that Iohn Frederick supported and gaue refuge vnto William Grembach and other Gentlemen which were banished out of the Empire because of the murder of Melchior Zobel Bishop of Wirthbourge Augustus Elector Duke of Saxony the Cosin-germaine of Iohn Frederick had the charge of this warre whervnto he prepared himselfe in the moneths of October and Nouember and about the end of the yeare he laid siege before the Towne of Goth where there was a Citadell or Castle one of the strangest in Almaine Iohn Frederick Grombach and others were there which sustained the siege certaine moneths They of the Religion encreased maruellously in Flaunders Brabant and in many other Prouinces of the lowe Countries and their affaires got so forward that the 20. day of August the Images in the Churches of Antwerpe were broken in peeces The Images of other Townes were vsed incontinently after the like handling euen with an incredible swiftnesse by the simple people with such an astonishment of euery one that none of the Magistrates opposed themselues against them William de Nassau Prince of Orange Gouernour of Antwerpe hauing done what he could to hold things in an euennesse and considering that it should be impossible for him to withstand the tempest which he sawe comming gaue place to the time and resolued to retire himselfe into Almaine admonishing other Lords to do the like seeing men made account to think vpon meanes to conserue the priuiledges of the
themselues Iane d' Albert Queene of Nauarre an excellent Princesse came thither to find her brother in lawe the Prince of Conde brought with her her son Henry then very young From that time that campe of the Religion was called the Army of the Princesse They presented and published many Remonstrances which serued for nothing and Churches were dissipated and dispersed in the most part of Prouinces and very rigorous Edicts published against them of the Religion Henry Duke of Aniou and brother of King Charles the ninth being then chiefe of the Army of the Catholicke Romanes The Chauncelor d'l'Hospitall perswading to peace was sent to his house and his Seales giuen to an other The Almaines and other Straungers were sollicited on both sides to come to their succours The Emperour behaued himselfe very wisely in this behalfe The 21. day of October sixe Theologians of the part of Augustus Elector of Saxonie and as many on the side of Iohn William Duke of Saxonie were assembled at Aldenbourge to agree the controuersies hapning amongst these Theologians vpon certaine points of Christian doctrine The Duke Iohn William assisted there personally that conference and disputation continued vntill the beginning of March in the yeare following and there was at large disputed vpon Iustification and many Articles depending thereon As the acts of the disputation do shewe The 25. of this moneth Paul de Ridnend sieur de Mouuans a braue and valiant souldier amongst the French Captaines much affectioned towards Religiō was ouerthrowne with his footmen of Prouence and Daulphine by the companies of horsemen of the Duke Montpensier of the Count de Brissa◠and other Catholicke Romanes were slaine in the field with a great number of souldiers and losse of many Ensigne Such as escaped ioyned themselues to the Princes Army The 12. of Nouember the Captaine la Coche a Gentleman of Dauphine was ouerthrowne with his troupes by the Duke d' Aumale betwixt Metz and Sauerne He was taken and after put to death About the ende of Nouember the Prince of Orange not beeing able to take order in the affaires of the lowe Countries withdrew into Almaine with certaine warriours attending the departure of the Duke de Deux Ponts who prepared to giue succours to the Princes In the meane while the French Armies besieged and tooke diuers places remaining in the field notwithstanding the rigour of winter which killed a great number of souldiers Christopher Duke of Wittemberge and Count de Montbelliard died the 28. of December About the same time 5500. Reisters conducted by Philibert Marquesse de Bade and other great Lords of Almain passed Rhene and soone after they entred The Queene of England about the 23. of Nouember tooke three Spanish ships laden with great riches The sixt of Ianuary she made a reason of her action in an Imprinted writing Wherein she shewed how litle the Duke of Alua his menaces astonished her During the moneths of Ianuary and February the next Countrie to Strasbourge was seene full of people of warre Almaines readie to enter France The Prince of Orange was in great distresse about pleasing of the Reistres but in the end he appeased them and ioyned himselfe to the Duke de Deux Ponts who before he departed wrote largely vnto the King the reasons that mooued him to succour the Princes and them of the Religion and the next morning mounted on horsback and the 12. of March he mustered where there were found seuen thousand and sixe hundreth Reistres well mounted besides the troupes of the Prince of Orange and of certaine French Lords and Gentlemen and certaine Lansquenets footemen The last day of February the Duke of Alua adiourned by publike Edict all fugitiues of the lowe Countries to appeare in person within six weekes after vpon paine of confiscation of their goods They doubting his crueltie thought it better to loose the sleeue then the arme In so much that no person returned therfore the Duke fatted himselfe with confiscations and continued also to feede himselfe with the bloud of such faithfull as he could catch The thirteenth day of March Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conde fighting valerously in the battaile fought nigh to Coignac in Poictu amongst the troupes and Army of the Catholickes was ouerthrowne from his horse to the ground taken prisoner vpon his faith and against all right diuine and humane slaine with a Pistoll behinde on his head by one called Montesquian The Catholicke Romanes made great reioycings at that death thinking to haue gained as much as if they of the Religion had now no helpe at all There were also great triumphes made at Rome Many Gentlemen and valiant Captaines were slaine with the Prince The Admirall de Chastillon hauing gathered together his troupes vnder the authoritie of Henry de Bourbon Prince of Nauarre and of Henry de Bourbon Prince of Conde sonne and successor of Lewis both of them as yet very young hartned so euery one that the Catholicke Romanes willing to pursue their victory with an inconsiderate boldnesse were beaten downe before Coignac had other notable great losses after that The Princes the Admirall the Lords Gentlemen Captaines and souldiers of the Army renewed their former oath to do their duties in opposing themselues against the violence of the enemies to procure a good peace to the glory of God to the rest of the churches of al the kingdome The Queene of Nauarre brought the Prince her sonne into the Armie and after hauing made many good remonstrances and reasons to encourage and stirre him to the performance of his dutie towards God and his Country she retired into Rochell Then waxed the warre hotter then before with diuers exploits and chaunces on both sides The estates of the Empire were assembled at Francford the 14. day of Aprill to prouide for the affaires of Almaine In the same moneth the Pope sent vnto the Duke of Alua as a recompence of so great paines as he had taken to maintaine the Popedome an helme and a paire of gloues blessed with great ceremonies on Christmas day Paul the third sent the like present vnto the Emperour Charles the fift after he ouercame the Protestant Princes The seuenth day of May Francis de Colligni Sieur d' Andelot Colonell of the French footemen very affectionate towards the maintaining of the true Religion a Knight without all feare and greatly dreaded of the Gospells enemies died of poison in the Towne of Saintes Many other great Lords and Gentlemen of the Religion died in the same manner before and after by the cunning art of certaine poysoners sent through Fraunce and better recompenced for such execrable acts then the wisest valiantest and faithfullest seruants of the Crowne The Duke de dreux Ponts being entred into France maugre the hinderance of Claude d'Lorraine Duke d' Aumale besieged and tooke Charite a Towne placed vpō the Riuer of Loire and passing forward to ioyne himselfe
to the Princes Army arriued vpon the marches of Limosin where an hotte feauer tooke him and carried him out of the world the 11. day of Iune leauing for Commander of his troupes Wolrad Count de Masfeld who brought his Army nigh to the Princes foure daies after this accident and performed greatly his due with the other Lords that accompanied him in all the rest of this warre hereof is a witnesse that which happened in the encounter which was the 25. of that moneth at what time if a great ruine had not come the Army of the Catholicke Romanes had bene ouerthrowne yet they loft a great number of their auantgard and afterward the Princes got many places in Poictou Although the Princes were strong yet they neuer ceased to demaund peace but their Herauld was not suffred to carrie their request vnto the king so warre was continued and the Princes besieged Poiters where they lost time and many people by diseases happening in their Campe. Whilest things were thus confused in Fraunce and Flaunders the Emperour Maximilian the 18. day of August suffered the Lords and Gentlemen of the Archduche of Austrich to enioy a free exercise of Religion in their Townes Villages and Castles after the doctrine of the confession of Ausbourge The 27. of the same moneth Cosme de Medices Duke of Florence was created and after solemnly proclaimed at Rome great Duke of Thuscane by the declaration of the Pope Pius the fift The Parliament of Paris condemned the Admirall as guiltie of treason who notwithstanding was of great authoritie in the Princes Army couragiously acquiting himselfe of the charge he carried without any apprehension of the daungers wherevnto he was still subiect by murderers and poisoners which were daily sent to sley him One of which who had once bene his chamberlaine was put to death for the like attempt by the sentence of the Princes Lords and Captains of the Army the 21. of September After the one Army had long time sought the other finally they encountred in the plaine of Montcontour the third of October and there was a generall battaile wherein after great losse of both sides but more of the Princes especially of their Lansquenets and a part of their French footemen the field remained vnto the Catholicke Romanes which made great triumphes thereof through Europe But in lieu of following their victory they stayed vpon the siege of the Towne of S. Iohn d' Angeli which was yeelded to them by composition at the end of certaine weekes during which time the besieged occupied themselues so well that the Catholickes lost many thousands of men and that of the most resolute of their troupes by meanes whereof the Princes had meanes to reassure theyr people to gather in their forces and to prouide for the affaires of warre so that the Catholickes found themselues againe to begin The sixteenth of Nouember the Duke of Alua caused to bee published in the lowe Countries certaine Letters of absolution and pardon of the king of Spaine for such as were absent and would returne into their houses but this deceit serued for nothing but to bring in birdes too much alreadie tamed with the too much violence of so bloudie a Fowler The 24. there was discouered in England a coniuration or rebellion of certaine Earles which would haue planted Poperie in that Kingdome But the Queene prouided there so well for all things that their forces remained wholy vnprofitable The third of December S. Iohn d' Angeli was yeelded by composition Sansac other Catholick Romanes were shamefully chased from before the Towne of Vezelay in Bourgongne after great losse of his brauest souldiers to the number of 150. The rest of the yeare passed in diuers exployts of warre heere and there to the great hurt of both parts and to the ruine of the kingdome In the beginning of the yeare 1570. the Princes and Lords of the Religiō of the kingdome of France desiring peace had diuers negotiations about it but at that time nothing was concluded but warre continued the Churches then being very desolate The Theologians of the Countrey of Saxony being then in great contention for the intelligence of certaine Articles of Christian doctrine namely of Iustification of free will of good workes of things indifferent and of the presence of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper By occasion whereof they assembled themselues in a Towne of the Duchie d' Aumale called Zeruest where by the stepping in of a certaine Doctor of Tubingue called Iames Andrew a man then very renowmed in all Almaine through the Prouinces whereof hee had not ceased certain yeares to runne to cause that monstrous opinion of the vbiquitie of Christs body to be receiued by the meanes whereof the errors of Nestorius and of Eutiches auntient heretikes and their complices are againe renewed there was made a certaine agreement which after was reiected and controwled by diuers Theologians Heerevpon afterward happened greater troubles which euen at this day doo endure by the practises and slaunders of that vbiquitarie Doctor Whilest the Christians contended with their voyces with their writings and blowes of sworde in diuers places of Europe and that the Westerne Antichrist sought by all meanes to maintaine his tyrannie the Antichrist of the East did what hee could by meanes of Selim Soliman his successor the Turke to encrease his domination For Selim sent his Embassador who arriued the 27. of March at Venice and denounced warre against the Venetians if they refused to yeeld him the I le of Cyprus Which they refusing there was preparation for warre on both sides The 4. of Aprill the Ministers of the Churches of Lithuania and Sathogitia comprehended in the kingdome of Polongne held a Sinode in the Towne of Sendomire where they agreed vpon certaine Articles touching the Mediatorship of Iesus Christ and the holy Supper to the end they might all agree in one concordance of doctrine During this time the troubles of France continued The Electors Palatin and of Saxonie assembled at Heidelberge with certaine Princes and great Lords of Almaine for to honour the marriage of Duke Cassimere who espowsed Elizabeth daughter of the Duke of Saxonie sent large Letters to the king to exhort and induce him to enter into a pacification About the end of Iune the king of Polongne and the Muscouite made a truce for three yeares The Muscouite was then sore troubled with extreame famine In the moneth of Iuly the estates of the Empire were assembled at Spire to prouide for the affaires quietnesse of Almaine The Emperor was there in person with his two daughters Marie and Elizabeth which were affianced vnto the kings of Spaine and France vnto which they were sent In the moneth of August the Duke of Alua put to death in the Towne of Antwerpe a great number of souldiers of the garrison of Valenciennes for a mutinie against
the Count de Lodron theyr Captaine After by the space of certaine moneths hee remained peaceable in his gouernment of the lowe Countries which he forraged at his pleasure heaping vp a maruellous bootie to himselfe The third ciuill warre tooke an end in France and the Edict of pacification was published in the Parliament of Paris the 11. day of August Iohn Brencius a Minister in the Duchie of Witemberge of the age of 69. yeares and who had begun to preach write after the first Doctors of our time died the 11. day of September Certaine yeares before his death he had published by diuers Imprinted bookes a new opinion to maintaine the carnall presence of Iesus Christ in his holy Supper The summe of this opinion willing to attribute to the flesh of Iesus Christ a presence in all places as well as to his diuine nature was that the humane and diuine nature being inseperably vnited in one alone person the humane is in each place as well as the diuine But in the explication of this mysterie he maintained that the personall vnion of these two natures in Iesus Christ doo onely signifie that they are together not otherwise in Iesus Christ then in S. Peter and other seruants of God according to the essence But as to the efficacie that all the properties of the diuine nature are really and indeed dispersed and communicated to the humane nature so that thereby hauing egall maiestie and power with the diuine the said diuine nature worketh and doth nothing without it Although the authoritie of this person serued to the increase of this dangerous errour yet there wanted not for many learned men which opposed themselues betimes against this errour and prooued euen to Brencius himselfe without that either he or any of his Disciples could answer pertinently therevnto that if such an opinion of the vbiquitie of the flesh of Iesus Christ and of the personall vnion of the two natures according to the definition of Brencius were true the two natures of Iesus Christ should be seperated euen according to the essence as well in Iesus Christ as in S. Peter and other the faithfull and Christ should be God after the flesh Behold a blasphemie which establisheth the heresie of Nestorius seperating the two natures of Christ and which on the other side confoundeth the properties of those two natures as did the heretike Eutiches Notwithstanding that they discouered to Brencius the absurdities and blasphemies rising vpon his opinion yet left not he to maintaine it hauing a Disciple called Iames Andreas who with certaine other that after rose vp added errors vnto errors And which is worse Brencius in the end of his life in the place to humble himselfe before God for so molesting the Churches in the making of his testament thundred against the Churches which approoued not his vbiquitie being so farre audacious euen he alone who could not vnto the purpose reply to the arguments of certaine Doctors which liuely refuted him as to condemne all the Churches of France England Scotland Suetia and others This testament was maintained by his Disciples and from that time till this instant hath caused great euils and kindled a fire which cannot be extinguished if God set not too his hand in some especiall maner The last day of October East and West Friseland Holland Zeland Brabant and other places thereabouts were sore tormented and beaten with a straunge tempest of windes and two dayes after the Sea swelled and hauing broken and ouerthrowne her dikes and leuies drowned many Countries and infinite people and cattaile with such an astonishment of all that it was feared all the lowe Countries would haue bene swallowed vp There happened as much in the Balthike sea especially at Hambourge There was also great ouerflowings of waters in France about the end of this yeare About this time the Turke made quicke warre vpon the Venetians in the I le of Cyprus with a puissant Army which by assault tooke Nicosia one of the greatest Townes thereof wherein there was made a cruell and bloudie butcherie of the besieged in the moneth of September The fourteenth day of Nouember Phillip King of Spaine espowsed his Nieco Mario the daughter of the Emperor Maximilian The 17. of Nouember a great Earthquake hapned at Venice Ferrara and other places of Italy whervpon followed maruellous tuines and desolations especially at Ferrara The 26. and others following Charles King of Fraunce espowsed at Mezieres Elizabeth the daughter of the Emperor Maximilian The 16. of December the Riuer of Rhene so ouerflowed that in 80. yeares had not beene seene the like wherevpon many discourses published remembring the miseries passed and the wonders happening teach vs euery one to feare and preuent the euils to come The 11. of the same moneth the Emperor assembled the estates at Spire to prouide for the affaires of Almaine and to giue audience vnto straunge Embassadors The Kings of Denmarke and Snede made peace together the 13. of the same moneth hauing bene at warre together 10. yeares or there abouts The 20. of that moneth the Embassadors of the Protestant Princes made a long oration to the King of France beeing then at Villers to exhort him aboue all things to keepe his Edict of pacification which he promised to doo The French Churches lifted vp their heads after many stormes Ieachim Elector of Brandebourge died the second day of Ianuary and 11. dayes after deceased also his brother Iohn Marquesse of Brandebourge The 13. day of March Iohn Vaiuoda of Transiluania suffering himselfe to be gouerned by a pernitious heretike called Blandrata one that counterfeited himself a Phisitian was slaine by the drugges of the said Blandrata and died without heires by meanes whereof Stephen Bathory was chosen Vaiuoda in his roome The 28. day of May began a disputation betwixt Peter Datherius Minister of the Gospell and 15. Preachers Anabaptists in the presence of Frederick Elector Palatin who had giuen them safe conduct The Articles in the disputation to the number of 13. touched that which is in chiefe debate at this day betwixt them and the reformed Churches namely of the authoritie of Canonicke bookes of the old and new Testament of the vnitie of the diuine essence and of the destination of the three persons subsisting therein of the one flesh and humane nature of Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Mary of the Israelitike and Christian Church of originall sinne of little children of iustification of the resurrection of the flesh of excommunication and diuorce of the proprietie and possession of goods of the Magistrate and of criminall iustice of an oath of the Baptisme of litle children and of the communion of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper This disputation was set downe in writing and continued from the 28. of May vntil the 19. of Iune without any fruite because of the obstinacie of the Anabaptists
Trent made great a sonne and two nephewes of his ratified the promises of marriage of the Prince of Nauarre with Margarite of France whereof his predecessor made difficultie and carefully and readily prouided for the good assurance of his temporall greatnesse The ninth day of Iune Iane d' Albert Queene of Nauarre an excellent Princesse amongst all them of her time daughter of Henry d' Albert and of Margarite d' Valois sister of king Francis the first going to Paris to giue order for diuers things requisit for the honor of the Prince her sonnes marriage fell suddenly sicke and died to the great griefe of them of the Religion and of all persons that loued the rest of France which this Princesse had procured by all meanes The 12. of Iune the Duke de Medina Coeli being sent from Spaine into Flaunders to gouerne in the Duke of Alua his place was shamefully ouerthrowne by them of Flushing lost 12. hundreth Spaniards 16. ships and foure of them were burnt in his presence hee sauing himselfe by flight The bootie was very great and almost inestimable On the 15. day an alliance was confirmed at Paris betwixt the King of France and the Queene of England who sent thither the Lord Clinton her Admirall The 16. the Prince of Orange published the causes wherefore hee againe tooke Armes against the Spaniards and their adherents in the lowe Countries The 25. certaine Gentlemen of Frise with good troupes holding the Prince of Orange his part seized vpō Dordrec and other places of Holland which ioyned themselues on that side The exercise of Religion was again set vp to the great despite of the Duke of Alua and the Spaniards Three dayes after the Prince of Orange writ at large vnto the Emperor shewing him the causes of that warre In the mean while certain Almain Lords leuied Reiters to succour the Duke of Alua. Sigismond August king of Polongne died the first of Iuly without heire-males which gaue occasion vnto Katherine de Medices Queene mother and Regent in France to send Embassadors into Polongne to the end to obtaine the Crowne for Henry Duke d' Antou her second sonne then liuing The 19. of Iuly the Emperour put the Prince of Orange to banishment from the Empire and pronounced him acquited from all priuiledges and rights and all his goods confiscated if he continued with strong hand to enter into the lowe Countries This notwithstanding the Prince pursued that which he had begun But in this moneth of Iuly 7. or 8. thousand French men marching to the succours of the besieged at Monts in Hainaut before they came there were defeated their chieftaines taken and they of Monts straighter kept in The Prince passed Rhene tooke Ruremond the 4. of August Louaine yeelded Maligues and certain other Townes were surprised After he drew towards Monts to succor his brother But the news of the pitious estate of Frāce brought such a change that the Prince was constrained to cut off his way to enter his troupes and retier himselfe into Holland whether he was called by the estates of the Countrey being accompanied with a small number of people This retrait so encouraged the Duke of Alua hauing now nothing to hinder him that the 21. of September he made himselfe maister of Monts by composition and kept promise with the Count Lodowick causing him safely to be conducted vnto the lands of the Empire After this Maligues was abandoned by them which the Prince left there and all other places before taken were taken againe into the hands of the Spaniards From Monts the Duke went towards Malines the first day of October Certaine Burgesses and all the Cleargie met him with Crosses and Banners but it serued for nothing for as much as they had receiued the Prince into their Towne he gaue the pillage and spoile of the Towne to the souldiers which tooke their pleasure there three daies slew many men and violated many women and maidens Whilest the lowe Countrie Churches sobbed thus vnder such tempests they of France which were thought should haue enioyed some long rest were rudely beaten and as it were flatly ouerthrowne by a maruellous straunge accident Wee haue before spoken of the death of the Queene of Nauarre as she came to Paris about the marriage of the Prince her son This Prince afterward called the King of Nauarre Henry de Bourbon his Cousin Prince of Conde Gaspar de Coligni great Admiral of France le Count de la Rochefoucand the Marquesse de Reinel many Lords Gentlemen and Captaines which had alwaies borne Armes against the Catholike Romanes came to the Court about that marriage at the kings request This marriage hauing bin solemnized vpon Monday the 18. of August the Friday following the Admirall was grieuously wounded with the blowe of an Hargabush shot out of a certaine window by a man then not sufficiently knowne called Maureuel a waged murderer yea one of the most execrablest manquellers of the world who afterward by the iust iudgement of God lost the same arme with which he gaue that detestable blowe The Sunday following the Admirall was most traitorously slaine in his chamber and cast dead out of the windowes vpon the pauement where he was knowne of Henry Duke of Guise After they rushed vpon the other Lords Gentlemen Captaines which were slaine also some within the Castle de Louuine others without This was done betimes in the morning All that day and morning was employed by such as they call Catholicke Romanes in sleying men and women of the Religion many not sparing women bigge with childe no nor litle children They continued this the dayes following but not in so great number because the murderers found not any more to sley The day of the wounding and the Sunday the King dispatched Letters expresly vnto the Gouernours of the Prouinces whereby he aduertised them that that disorder hapned besides his knowledge and to his great griefe by the practises and enmities of the house of Guise and that he determined to take good order therefore in the meane time hee would that his Edict of pacification should in each point be maintained Briefly he imputed the Admiralls wounding and death whom in the said Letters he called his Cousin to the particular quarels of the houses of Chastillon and Guise But meer contrary on thursday the 28. hee declared and caused to be published that that massacre and horrible murder had beene done by his expresse commaundement and to preuent a conspiration of the Admirall and his partakers wherof notwithstanding neither he nor his Councellors made it appeare nor could produce any profit although it was much prooued and desired of many Whilest great and litle were thus hungring and thirsting after innocent bloud the same Sunday the 24. of August certain Priests by Art made a great Thorn-tree in the church-yard of S. Innocent flourish at noone time of the day and cryed a myracle a myracle This
encreated the rage of the people against them of the Religion And although the Priests in the meane while filled well their powches by such an inuention making the people beleeue that the Catholicke Romane Religion began now to flourish againe in Fraunce yet their deuise was soone after discouered and the tree remained destroyed but euen then when it flourished some said that God had shewed to all mens eyes the innocencie of such as were slaine and that by such a token hee assured his Church that it should not perish as the persecutors pretended but that it should florish vnder the crosse against all hope of men as that Tree florished extraordinarily Moreouer certain weekes after le Sieurs de Briquemald de Caragues excellent men which had done great seruices to the Crowne the one by Armes and the other in affaires of iustice were in hatred of the Admirall and of Religion hanged strangled within Paris in the presence of the king himself his mother his brethren They maintained euen to the last sigh the innocency of the dead Admiral and of them of the religiō shewing a singular cōstancy in their deaths Certaine yeares after they were iustified by the Edict of Henry the third the next king and their names declared honorable as also the before mentioned massacre was cōdemned disavowed But men cōtented not themselues thus to haue imbrued the towne of Paris with blood but in like sort were all of the Religion handled at Meaux in Brie at Troys in Champagne at Rouen at Orleans at le Charite at Burges at Lyons at Romains in Dauphine at Thoulouse at Bourdeaux with so barbarous disloyalties and cruelties that scarce our posteritie will beleeue it In few dayes with them of Paris were slain more then thirty thousand persons olde and yong of all quallities men women and children as bookes in Print do shewe euery day The King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were constrained to abiure Religion The Parliament of Paris published a diffamatorie arrest and iudgement against the Admirall whose bodie was taken from the gibet and so secretly buried that his enemies could not finde it out Many persons forsooke Religion some vpon infirmitie others vpon despight so that so hard a proofe discerned the false from the true Christians Rochell Sancerre Nismes in Languedoc Montaubon in Querci and a fewe other Townes in the kingdome after diuers consultations maintained themselues and kept the exercise of Religion which put the authors of the murthers and confusions into a new paine as shall be touched hereafter Amongst so many troubles commencements of greater sorrowes a new Starre appeared in heauen as great as the day Starre nigh the Starre Cassiopec of the figure of a Lozenge This beganne the ninth day of Nouember at night It stirred not from the place the space of three weekes It was thought to be like the Starre which appeared to the wise men which came from the East to worship Iesus Christ in Bethlehem straight after his birth This Starre appeared in seuen the space of nine moneths or thereabouts Hereof were many discourses made by diuers learned men Concerning the lowe Countries after the Princes retrait aboue mentioned the waight of the warre fell vpon Holland and Zeland whither the Duke of Alua sent the Captaine Montdragon with twentie Ensignes of Wallons which to the great astonishment of euery one got the I le of Suitbeuerland and constrained the Princes troupes to leuie the siege before a Towne called Tergoes In the meane while the Duke marched with his Armie and the 21. of Nouember tooke and spoyled Zutphen a Towne in Holland And to feare others and drawe them to yeeld the sooner without delay all manner of cruelties were executed by the Spaniards and Wallons in that Towne Frideric de Toledo the Dukes sonne and Lieutenant marched from Zutphen to Narden which is an other litle Towne wherof the Inhabitants at the yeelding of themselues the 30. day of Nouember were so cruelly handled against the rights of reddition and of war amongst people of any humanitie that men might iudge that this sacking and spoyle with that of Roterdam were the onely motiue and cause of the rising of other Townes which then were vpon the point to returne vnder the yoake After the taking of this Towne the Army drew straight to Harlem the Inhabitants whereof determined to defend it rather then submit it selfe vnto the mercy of people without mercy Indeed they bore themselues valiantly and sustained diuers assaultes with the aide of certaine souldiers which were sent them by the Prince and kept good defence vntill the 13. of Iuly the yeare following In the yeare 1573. the Townes of Rochel Sancerre were cruelly handled assailed and bearen by the Catholick Romans but with a diuerse issue As for Rochel being well garded and defended the newes also of the report that the Duke of Anion should be king of Polongne were cause that Rochel was deliuered and obtained peace yea and remained with her priuiledges They of Sancerre hauing beene troubled with an horrible and grieuous famine the space of certaine moneths receiued some fauourable dealing by the comming of the Polonian Embassadors which then came into Fraunce to conduct away their new king These things ended in the moneth of Iuly to the confusion of the Catholicke Romanes which lost more then twentie thousand men before Rochel Some Churches then began to respire and many tooke againe good courage to redresse some portion of so many ruines Warre was also kindled in Holland especially at the siege of Harlem where the besieged men and women executed maruellously their duties but not being able to be succoured oppressed also with famine finally they yeelded themselues the 13. of Iuly at the discretion of Frederick de Toledo who drowned hanged beheaded more then two thousand souldiers The Burgesses escaped death by the payment of a great summe of money which they straight disbursed In the moneth of April before they of Flushing obtained a memorable victory ouer the Army of the Duke of Alua and cast into the sea a great number of Spaniards After the taking of Harlem Frederic besieged Alemar a Towne nigh therevnto resoluing with himselfe to make a goodly butchery of the Burgesses if they could obtaine it But he was constrained to leaue his siege after great losse The Prince on the other side found meanes to obtaine the strong Castle of Rameken and the Towne of S. Gertrudenberghe They of Linchuse ouercame the Nauall Army of the Count de Bossu and tooke him prisoner the 12. day of October whilest Leiden was besieged of the Spaniards The second day of September the Duke of Alua forsooke the lowe Countries making his iourney through the Franche Counte Sauoy and Piemont to embarke himselfe at Genes and so to saile into Spaine carrying with him an infinit bootie from the lowe Countries which he left in great heate of warre betwixt the hands
of Lewis Requescens great commaunder of Castile a man in appearance of soft condition but no lesse fellonious and cruell then his predecessor in that gouernment Iohn de Austriche made warre in Barbarie about the ende of this yeare and got Tunes builded a strong Citadell betwixt Tunes and the Goulette to resist the Turkes after hee withdrew into Sicilie The great Commander meaning to driue away the Prince of Orange incamped before Middelbourge in Zeland armed a puissant Fleete about 80. vessels and the 24. of Ianuary 1574. made saile towards Zeland but his Army encountred the Princes Army In so much that after a long combat where that Commaunder commaunded not but looking ouer the Dikes to iudge of the blowes with more assurance he sawe the Spaniards ouerthrown with his Wallons wherof some were drowned others carried away prisoners and almost all their vessels lost They of Middelbourg wayed with the siege and all hope which they had of succours turned into dispaire they yeelded themselues a moneth after In the beginning of February the warre waxed hotte in Barbary betwixt the Spaniards Moores and Turkes The 18. of the same moneth Henry Duke of Aniou arriuing from France in Polongne made his entrie into Cracouia and was crowned three dayes after with accustomed solemnities About this time the Venetians beeing tyred with warre entred an accord with Selym whereat the Pope and the King of Spaine were not content Fraunce entred into new troubles They tooke them to Arms in Normandie and Poictou The king in great hast retired himselfe from S. Germaines to Paris From that time followed great chaunges in France there then seeming to be no more any question of Religion but of the estate a thing notwithstanding of longer discourse then I need now set down seeing it i◠handled in particular bookes depending vpon the history of this time The warre continued in Holland and the Spaniards encamped before Leyden but they were constrained to leaue their siege the 23. day of March to goe meete the Duke Christopher son of the Elector Palatin the Counties Lodowick and Henry de Nassan brethren which came downe in the strength of winter towards Mastriche with a good number of footmen and horsemen These Lords being aduertised that the Spaniards came to finde them aduanced themselues and encountred in a field of thornes called Morkerheide where the Lansquenets crying after siluer refused the combat insomuch that the Lords were vanquished and slaine all three vpon the fourth day of April Ioachim Camerarius a learned man amongst all the Almaine an inward and familiar friend of Phillip Melancton dyed at Leipsic beeing of the age of 74. yeares the 17. day of Aprill The 21. day died Cosme de Medices Duke of Florence and great Duke of Thuscane leauing a sonne vnto whom the state and tytle of great Duke was confirmed by the Pope The great Commaunder thinking to haue gained all by the ouerthrowe of the Count Lodowick caused a generall pardon to bee published in the Towne of Antwerpe the 23 of Aprill but none came for it so that the war continued Yet three daies after this publication the Spanish souldiers kindling a mutinie for want of their pay entred into the Towne of Antwerpe by the fauour of the Castle constraining the Burgesses to furnish them the summe of foure thousand Florents to bring this to passe they vsed great insolencies They constrained also the Gouernor and the Wallon souldiers to auoyd the towne with intent to gorge themselues the more at their ease They also set farther off the ships which had the guard of the Hauen The Princes Nauie hauing discouered these Ships got quickly hold of them and carried them away in the Commaunders view whilest he and his souldiers tooke their pastime in sacking of Antwerpe The Spaniards prceiuing that during their absence Leiden was not againe victualled returned to besiege it the second day of May and held it closer then before for in diuers places they made Forts to the number of 22. vpon large and deep dikes the most part invnited and strengthned with 2. or 3. Canons The eleuen day of May a great part of S. Markes Pallace at Venice was burned and two daies after a great number of houses at Venice with a notable losse for many Marchants There happened as much at Bruxels in Brabant the 24. of the same month and the fire tooke hold of certaine Gunpowder which was in a Tower which by the ruine thereof greatly endamaged all the Towne and slew 15. persons A great warre was then in France especially in Poictou and in Normandie Gabriel Counte de Montgommeri hauing with a fewe men sustained the siege and diuers assaultes in the Castle of Danfronc yeelded it by composition but he was reserued and carried prisoner vnto Paris where not long after by decree of the Parliament his head was cut off In the meane while the Duke of Alencon the kings yongest brother and the king of Nauarre were as prisoners in the Court and the Churches languished vnder so many confusions The last day of May Charles the ninth King of France dyed of the age of 34. yeares in the wood of Vincennes leauing his kingdome much indebted and maruellously full of broyles Henry of Valois the third sonne of Henry the second born in the yeare 1551. the 21. of September beeing in Pologne when his brother Charles dyed and vnderstanding the newes of his death departed secretly that kingdome and tooke possession of that his mother had kept for him He passed through Venice so into Piedmont where he visited Margarite the Duchesse his Aunt who dyed soone after and arriuing at Lyons in the beginning of September hee caused certaine Edicts to be published against them of the Religion who stood vpon their gard seeing their new Prince threatned them so openly A litle before his comming Henry Montmorency Marshal de Danuile and gouernor of Languedoc entred in cōference with the principals of the Religion least that prouince other nigh therevnto might come to ruine and destruction by ciuill warres and to procure some rest for France The Prince of Conde retired into Almaine The king descended into Languedoc hauing failed to take Liuron a smal Towne of Dauphine About the end of this yeare died Charles Cardinall of Lorraine one of the chiefe instruments of the troubles and confusions of France To come vnto the affaires of the low Countries The siege of Leiden hauing continued all the Sommer with appearance of extreame confusion for the besieged the third day of October following it was refreshed and victualled by the prowesse of a fewe souldiers conducted by Boisot Admirall of Holland beeing helped with the Sea-floud which the Prince by the meanes of pearcing of certaine Dikes and sluces opening had caused it to come farre euen nigh vnto the Towne The Spaniards after they had fought a litle seeing the water began to
the Estates the 12. day of February The next morning the Spaniards forsooke the Castle of Vtrich according to the accord and the 20 of March folowing they which were in the Townes and Citadell of Antwerpe came out with their bootie The Almaines remained in the towne vnder the Colonels Foncquer and Fronsperge attending paiment the 2. of April the Spaniards came out of Mastricht Iohn de Austria made his entry into Bruxells by the 1. of May and tooke his oath according to the statutes of the Countries the eleuenth of Iune hee went to Malignes where hauing performed that he came for hee retyred vnto Namur and laide hold of the Castle the 24. of Iuly the Estates hauing discouered the drifts and practises of Iohn de Austria stood vpon their guardes and discouering what hee went about against them got the Castle of Antwerpe and constrained the Almaines quickly to dislodge seazing diuers places and dismanteling the Citadell or Castle of Antwerpe ioyned it to the Citie of Antwerpe the 28. of August and in the moneth following caused their iustification to be published taking armes for theyr defence calling the Prince of Orange to their succours Who arriued in Antwerpe the eighteenth day of September and fiue dayes after at Bruxells being of all receiued with great ioy hee was after the 22. of October chosen Gouernour of Brabant About the same time was there trouble at Gaunt and Groine which after was appeased Genebrardus Mathias Archduke of Austria the Emperours brother being called to be Gouernour of the lowe Countries made his entry into the Towne of Antwerpe the 21. of Nouember and the 17. of December he accepted the gouerment of the countries vpon the conditions proposed vnto him by the Deputies of the Estates The Churches of Holland and Zeland florish they of other Prouinces of the low countries begin to hope well Stephen Bathori King of Poland this yeare made warre vpon the Dantzick but after certaine encounters a peace was accorded vpon conditions Sebastian King of Portugall sent Peter d'Alascoua Embassador to Phillip King of Spaine with commaundement to treat of three point that is for aide in the action of Affricke for the marriage of his daughter and for enterview The Embassador obtained all three the promise of marriage with one of his daughters when she should come to yeares that the Catholick king should goe to Gradalupa to meet with K. Sebastian and as for succours he should furnish men gallies to vndertake the enterprise of Alarache the which was spoken very coldly Philip confirmed the succors of men gallies so as the Turke should send no mē into Italy and that they should vntertake Alarache in this yeare the whole being referred vnto their enterview at Gradalupa In the Parliament held at Blois Pierre d' Epinac Archbishop of Lyons rose vp and before them all declared his reasons touching the Cleargie the Lord of Senscey spake for the nobilitie and Versoris for the common The two first by a multitude of reasons wonderfull speeches concluded that it was most fit and conuenient that there should be but one Religion in the realme The third shewed that the people wholly desired the revnion thereof so it might be done by peaceable and quiet meanes without warres But the Cleargie and Nobilitie after many difficulties caused the Parliament to breake vp so that vnder the ashes of the last warres which as yet were hot there might be found the sparkes of a great fire For after many messages although in vaine sent by the King to the Protestant Princes the warre began again for the Prince of Conde rose vp in arms and swore not to leaue them vnder whose protestation was placed Deo victricibus armis vntil he had brought the realme into her former splendor dignity But the reasons that perswaded peace to the King got the vpper hand of those that desired warre and therevpon an Edict of peace was made at Poitiers with great contentment on both parts and the Prince of Conde the same night he receiued it caused it to be published by torch-light although with lesse aduantage on his side then the first for it restored the exercise of the Catholicke religion in the places where it had beene prohibited it suffered mens consciences to be free yet without publike exercise but onely in the Townes and places whereas then it was openly preached and to Gentlemen of qualitie and degree in their owne houses yet there was some difficultie in the execution and obseruation of this peace which the conference at Nerae betweene the Queene mother and the King of Nauarre soone auoyded but the wound not well healed did still bleede by means of the furious disorders of those that were his chiefe doers but the yeare one thousand fiue hundred eightie one it was wholly ioyned and drawne into a scarre See the Historie of France Syr Martyn Forbisher tooke his voyage by sea about the the end of May towards the North and West discouering vnknowne Countries and came againe rich laden into England about the end of September following The Pope forasmuch as this intended warre by Sebastian was attempted against Infidels opened his spirituall treasures graunting the Bull of the Croisada which till that time was not brought into the Realme The ninth of Nouember there appeared in the Zodiaque in the signe of Libra neare vnto the station of Mars the goodliest and greatest Comet that hath bene seene in many ages the which hapning in the progresse of this warre amazed many who looking to examples past said it was a signe of vnhappie successe and that comming frō a corrupt aire it did endamage the delicate bodies of Princes And for as much as the auncient Captaines with their diuines did interpret it to good not for that they beleeued it but to incourage the souldiers the Portugall likewise taking it for a fauour said that this Comet spake vnto the King saying Accometa which is to say in the Portugall tongue Let him assayle them not hauing any such beliefe but for flattery fearing more the Kings choler by reason of his rough inclination then the heauens Ieronimo Conestaggio After the sixt Edict of pacification in France the King hauing published certaine ordinances in regard of policie sollicited much the Prouinces of his Country to get mony of them wherevpon followed great discontentment In the meane while the souldiers being dispersed in many places and yet hauing weapons in their hands gaue them of the Religion to thinke they could not long continue in quietnesse yet the Churches maintained themselues in diuers places About the end of March the Towne of Geneua had great alarums many troupes appearing in diuers places to haue surprised it but their comming being discouered and the towne holding her selfe vpon her guards there followed no exployts of warre The Queene mother made diuers progresses through the Realme of France to maintaine said she the publike repose and so
the Territories of the Church whereof sixe hundred were vnder the conduct of Thomas Stukely an English man who fled out of England for treason who a litle before had obtained the title of a Marquesse from the Pope were embarked at Ciuitauechia in a ship of Genua to be transported into Ireland the which arriued at Lisbone in the time that they made preparation for the warre of Affrike The King hearing of their arriuall and that for want of money he could haue no Italians out of Tuscane desired to see them with intent to retaine them and vse them in the warre of Affricke and hauing caused them to disimbarke and to lodge at Oeicas neare to the mouth of Tagus hee went one day to view them and hauing had some conference with Stukely hee perswaded him to promise to goe with him into Affrike The Catholicke king because he would not shewe himselfe a partie would not contradict it The Pope was so farre of that before the newes could come vnto him he gaue them impresse and they remained for his seruice The 24. of Iune beeing Midsommer day Sebastian hauing a prosperous winde the whole Army set saile to his great pleasure and contentment who young and vnskilfull guided by some sinister starre or by that diuine permission which would punish this people went into Affricke to a dangerous although a glorious enterprise leaning the Realme emptied of money naked of Nobilitie without heires and in the hands of ill affected gouernours In this most fierce and bloudie battaile between the Portugalls and the Moores three kings died The king Sebastian the 4. of August when both the battailes were ioyned fought so valiantly that those which saw his valour wondred at it for although they slew three horses vnder him without any whit daunting him yet was he neuer wearie to change strike succour all parts of the Army where was greatest daunger Many of his Nobilitie which remained yet on horsback seeing the Army in rout sought the King in all parts to saue him but the Standard which was carried before him as a marke to knowe him was now taken and the bearer slaine and being deceiued with an other some what like vnto that which Edward de Moneses carried they followed the one instead of the other so as the king remained as a mā lost with some of his most trustie seruants about him and one Renegado who laboured to saue him hauing in vaine sought to flie being aduised to yeeled with his Armes he would by no means agree vnto it One amongst thē holding vpon the point of his foote a white Napkin in signe of peace went towards the Moores as an Embassador for the rest to yeeld but they either barbarous or wilfull tooke the messenger prisoner and charged the rest who being fewe in number wearied and without courage they were all slaine Some say there grew a controuersie amongst them about the Kings owne person and for that occasion they slew him They sent afterward to seeke his body and by a notable example of the inconstancie of this world they carried it naked vpon a saddle pomell into the royall Tent of Moluc where letting it fall to the ground it was carefully viewed by the Nobilitie who were there present and a publike certificate that it was he keeping it after at Alcazar-Quiuer Ieronimo Conestaggio Mulei Moluc seeing his men at the first to flie although he were sicke vnto the death mounted to horse in choller going towards them that ranne away to stay them and encourage them the shot of the Christians drawing neare he made shewe to match himselfe foremost but his fauourites came about him entreating him not to hazard himselfe But he persisting his resolution and they to stay him he grew in choller laying hold on his sword to disperse them at what time being seazed with a deadly fit of an Apoplexie he swowned and fell from his horse but being taken downe by them about him hee was laid in his Litter where putting his finger into his mouth in signe of silence suddenly or as some report before he was laid downe gaue vp the ghost Mulei Mahamet escaped his enemies hands but his too great haste to passe Mucazez and to recouer Azzill was the cause he was drowned in his passage Those whom Idlenesse had made curious did note the diuersitie of these Princes deaths for being all lost in one battaile within the space of sixe houres the one died of his naturall death the second by the sword the third was drowned Hamet was proclaimed King of the Moores Hee caused the body of Mulei Mahamet to be found out and causing it to be fleied filled the skinne with straw and carried it in triumph to the end to take from the Moores all the hope they had conceiued in him Monsieurs the king of France his brother after the example of the Arch-duke Mathias went into Flaunders there to make worke for the king of Spaine where he made a goodly entrie but an euill retreit Henry the third this yeare by the example of Lois the eleuenth to vnite great persons in concord and inuiolable amitie both for the benefite of the estate and countrie he instituted the order of the holy Ghost D. Chytraeus Of him this Anagrame was made Henricus Tertius In te verè Christus In this yeare and the next the estate of France and of the lowe Countries and of Almaine remained as before In France the Prince of Conde retiring vnto Fere a Towne vnder his gouernment of Picardie warre flamed which continued in diuers places by the taking holds on either part but more slowly then in former yeares The strongest was in Dauphine and in Guienne Fere Mouire and other places hauing bene yeelded by composition These tempests ended by a negotiation of peace In the Augustine Friars at Paris this also was done in remembrance of his birth day and the two Kingdomes of Poland and Fraunce falling to him as vpon that day expecting as then the third Crowne in heauen of which this Symbole was made Manet vltima coelo He made 26. Knights of the order before spoken of and gaue them yearely pensions out of Abbies and Ecclesiasticall liuings in despight of the Pope This yeare Iohn Fox William Wickney and Robert More English men hauing bene prisoners in Turkie about the space of 13. or 14. yeares with more then two hundred and sixtie other Christians of diuers Nations by killing their keeper maruellously escaped and returned to their natiue Countries I. Stowe The Towne of Maistricht was taken by force of the Spaniards the 29. of Iune where they slew a great number of people After the estates sought a protector and addressed themselues in the yeare 1580. to the Duke of Alenson who dealt with them The Turkes leauing Europe in quietnesse after peace made with the Venetians waged warre against the Persians and after many battailes lost especially for the Turkes they
tarry himselfe or to leaue some Gentlemen of good worth with a competent number of souldiers in the Country of Virginia there to begin an English Colonie After they had sailed a certain number of leagues on the sea by force and violence of fowle weather they were seperated one from the other so that S.R.G. being singled from his fleete all alone arriued in the Iland of Hispaniola in the West Indies about the midst of Iune following In the moneth of May the Prince of Parma recouered the Towne of Bruges which next to Gaunt is the chiefest Citie in all Flaunders all matters forepassed forgotten vpon condition they would restore the Catholicke Romane religion and become true leigemen to the king of Spaine They of Gaunt likewise all their Townes about them being taken by the Spaniards and all their passage for prouisiō stopped vp as also constrained through famine entered into counsell either of deliuering their towne or else of some reconciliatiō and the Prince of Parma offered them the same cōditions which they of Bruges had all which the Senators addicted to the Romane religion and the Citizens thought good to imbrace And Imbysa who being Consull sixe yeares before was the cause that their pacification was broken and the expelling of the Popes Agents necessitie thus constraining yeelded therevnto The Pope daily vrged by his Embassador the Emperour Rodolphe that his Calender might be receiued vsed throughout all Germanie But although the Emperour commaunded it to be kept and obserued in the kingdome of Bohemia Austria and other his hereditary possessions yet the Princes of Saxonie and others constantly refused so to do following the counsell of Augusta But the Bishoppes for the most part and amongst those Ernestus of Coloine Elector and the Bishop of Monasterie began to allow of it in their Diocesses The Senate of Augusta said that in allowing of this Calender they intended nothing against the quiet of Religion but for policie sake that they might exercise their vsuall marchandise with the subiects of those neighbour Princes and Bishops which had receiued it and that all manner of confusion in iudgements markets and other publike places in the Citie risen by the difference of the Calenders might be auoyded the which decree was obtained Which when it was published at Augusta the Ministers of the Gospel wrote to the Senators that they would obey the decree in all politicall affaires but in their Churches and celebration of their Feasts exercises of their religion they would by no meanes obey the Pope Therefore the 24. day of May they denounced to their auditorie the Feast of the Ascentiō of Christ the next day the 28. of May to be celebrated which the Bishops had finished one moneth before The Senate taking this in ill part caused the Superintendent to be carryed out of the Citie but the Citizens knowing thereof ran first vnarmed then with weapons and at the gate of the Citie tooke their Pastor out of the Cart but the tumult increasing the Ministers of the Gospell at the intreatie of the Senate disswaded the Citizens from sedition and appeased them When some should be chosen out of the Senate Patricians Marchants and the Commons which should determine this controuersie To these the D. of Wittenberge and the Senate of Vlme ioyned their Embassadors who the 4. day of Iune which according to the Gregorian Calender was the 14. doo so arbitrate the matter that al faults remitted they after that throghout the whole Citie should follow the new Calender which should be kept in policies and both the Churches of Religion Notwithstanding the peace and quietnesse of it should remain constant and firme And that it should be lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell to protest vnto their Auditors that they had chaunged nothing nor would chaunge any thing in that doctrine which they had hitherto preached vnto them nor that they did obey the Pope but the Imperiall maiestie and politicall magistrates in obseruing keeping the new Calender with the rest in the Citie D. Chytraeus About the middle of Iune Syr I. Perrot Knight was sent ouer to be Lord Deputie in Ireland This Deputie by the aduise of the Councell of Ireland thought it best to bring the whole land into shyre grounds whereby the lawes of England might haue a thorough course and passage And what S. H. Sidney had done in fewe Countries that be performed in the whole realme and to euery new County he appointed assigned seuerall Sheriffes Hollen Vpon the K. of Frances deuise when he was K. of Poland Manet vltima caelo the Leaguers made this Distiche Qui dedit ante duas vnam abstulit altera nutat Tertia tonsoris nùnc facienda manu Ericus Duke of Brunswicke the sonne of Ericus who spent the better part of his life in Belgia Italie Spaine and gaue himselfe more to the Romish religion then the true doctrine of the Gospell imbraced of his Nobles and subiects in the fiftie sixe yeare of his age departed this life at Papia in Italie vpon whom this was written Papa tibi Papiaque fuit non patria cura Hinc procul a patria te tegit vrbs Papia Whom Iulius founder of the Vniuersitie of Iulia succeeded in the kingdome D. Chytraeus Iohannes Basilides the great Duke of Mochouia or Emperour of Russia who for 25 whole yeares had afflicted scourged Linouia with warre this yeare ended his tyrannie with his life Who after the manner of Russia is reported to haue bene verie godlie Beeing readie to die hee called his sonne Faedor so they call Theodore and the chiefe of his Nobilitie to him in whose presence with a godly exhortation he committed the whole Empire and ioyned to him foure of his wisest Counsellors who should haue care of him and the Empire whom hee perswaded that being warned by him they would abstaine from making warre and make peace with their neighbour Kings and Princes He commaunded also that for ten yeares space they should remit his subiects sore wasted and brought to pouertie by his waries all his tributes taxes and Subsidies that in this space they might recouer themselues and to all his Captaines he gaue free leaue either to stay or depart after this done he was shauen and betooke himselfe to a Monasticall life and so dyed Idem The same time that Amurathes ioyned the North part of Tauricus Cherronesus to the Turkish Prouinces all the Christian Churches at Constantinople of which I vnderstand there are about 30 in Monasteries and otherwise remaining had almost bene conuerted into denne◠and holes of the religion of Mahomet by the earnest motion of the high Bishop of the Turkish Priests whom they call Mufti And when the Grecians Armenians and other Christian nations most humbly pleaded and alledged the priuiledges granted by Mahomet the second and other succeding Emperours to the Christians for a free exercise of their religion the answere was that they were tollerated
haue bene a continual prisoner then to be deliuered after such maner D. Chytraeus Two things gaue an alarum to he League one the assembly at Mountauban the other the voyage of the D. d'Espernon to the K. of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fire and began to send out Commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them prohibited the raising of souldiers The first point of their disliking shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and Commons beeing Catholickes to oppose themselues against the heretikes Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to be holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had beene reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the King should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crowne whereof the King of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practice of his friends and fauourers of the king Fiftly because of the great preparations of warre made both within and without the Realme that should be readie by the 15. of Aprill then next ensuing to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourge the 15. of December 1584. against y e religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queen of England should furnish 5000. Rutters 4000. Switzers 12000. English Count Palatine Prince Cassamire and the D. Pomeranie each of them 4000 Rutters The Lantgraue of Hesse two thousand 500. The Duke of Wittemberge 2000. The Lords of their League besides the Queene of Englands Forces 5000. Switzers The Kings Protector and Consull of Scotland 2000. Scots The King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde their Associats twentie and fiue thousand Harquebusiers and 4000. horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the King of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the King of Spaine and to helpe the Emperour to get the Domaines of the Empire withholden by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the moneth of March to Basill and Switzerland there to determine the differences of the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion would not yeeld vp the Townes by them held for the assurance of the execution of the Edict of peace Seuenthly because of the vniuersall abuse suffered in placing of Officers in leauying of monies and by inuention of excessiue oppressions laid vpon the people And lastly against such as at abusing the Kings fauour and authoritie had in a manner seazed vpon his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest men vnto him consumed the Kings treasures braued the Nobilitie out of the libertie of iustice spoiled the Cleargie of their Tithes and perswaded the King that it was necessary for his seruice to weaken and diminish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes and Lords Vpon these iust occasions they said they were forced to meete in armes H. of Fr. The League made warre against the Huguenots seazing vpon the best Townes of the Catholickes in all the Realme Religion was preached in Guyenne and they went to driue it out of Picardie the Huguenots were Rochell and the Leagues Army marched straight to Paris they were at Mountpellier and the League set vpon Marsaille which by meanes of the second Consull of the Towne they tooke who afterward was hanged Antwerpe a Citie Brabant the most famous Towne of all Belgia and Europe after Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma had stopped their passage by the Riuer by the space almost of an whole yeare constrained by famine and the daily tumult of the common people who desired peace returned to the obedience of the king of Spaine yeelded to the Duke vpon very meane conditions On the 26. of Iune arriued at London Deputies for the Estates of the Netherlands or lowe Countries and on the 29. of the same they came to Greenwich where by vertue of their commission from the vnited Countries they presented to her Maiestie the soueraigntie of those Countries to wit of Brabant but the commission for the siege of Antwerpe not fully authorised of Gelder of Flaunders Holland Friseland Zeland and Vtrick I. Hooker The Queene of England of her most gracious compassion and mercie tooke into her protection and defence the estate of Poland and Zeland Syr Frances Drake Generall of the English Nauie tooke his voyage to the coasts of Spaine and America that thereby hee might weaken the power of king Phillip hee tooke the greene Promontory where the ships that are to goe to America lie at Roade Then came he to Hispaniola an Iland of S. Domingo in the beginning of Ianuary where he stirred vp the slaues of Affrica and Aethiopia who had there their Colonies and were so cruelly handled that many times in dispaire they offered violence to themselues to fight for their libertie who being armed by thē killed the Spaniards and deliuered vp the I le He tooke all their gold which was ready shipped for Spaine 254. peeces of Ordinance and returned richly laden with gold into England before Autumne with 23. ships D. Chytraeus At this time was the conspiracie of Anth. Babington Salisbury Tytchbourne Abington c. against our most gracious Soueraigne incited thereto by Mary Q. of Scots who for this traiterous attempt were arraigned conuicted condemned executed according to the law made for traitors A great victory hapned to the Queen in Ireland against the E. of Arrane and L. Feruhurst who were banished out of Scotland These practised with the Guise the Spaniards brought with thē 3000. Scots into Ireland and at Conocke they were put to the sword by S. Ri. Bingā gouernor of that prouince Chytraeus Vpon the 8. day of September Robert E. of Leicester accompanied with diuers honorable personages Captaines and souldiers with a traine to the number of 50. sailes of ships and hoyes set forward toward Flushing where he was princely entertained by Graue Maurice second son to the deceased Prince of Orange I. Hooper The Pope excommunicated the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde declaring him incapable to the succession of the Crowne of France abandoning his person and his Countries for a pray to such as could obtaine it but they sleigthly regarding it opposed themselues against it The K. of Nauarre complained himselfe to all the estates of France in that they had caused the succession of a king being yet aliue to be decided in the Court of Rome made the title of a Prince of the bloud to be iudged by the Pope and suffered the Consistorie to giue that which belonged not vnto them he sent his Letters to the Cleargie the Nobilitie and the Commons The Princes of Germanie that sought to aide such as were of their religion perceiuing France to
entertain hold the people in a vain hope of deliueraÌ„ce but all this while famine made warre against the Parisians Gregorie 14. before called Nicholas was borne at Millaine his fathers name was Frances Sfondrate of an auncient wealthy family He was elected Pope in the place of Vrbane The 8. day of Ianuary he instituted a Iubily and commaunded it to be published Anth. Cicca After this he made Gcnerall of the Churches army Count Sfondrate his nephew and sent him with an army into France to the maintenance of which warre he contributed fiue hundred thousand ducats besides other 40000. poundes of his owne He created his nephew Duke of Mount Marian the which state for that the great D. of Florence for his conspiracies and rebellioÌ„ against the church was put to death was now void by confiscation and therfore the Pope said he might bestow it where he thought good A great dangerous tumult hapned at Cracouia the king himself being there vnder the name of religion chiefly by certaine schollers who egged on by their maisters the Iesuites assaulted violently such houses where the exercise of religion different from the Popes were celebrated This was soone appeased by the magistrates but the third night when they thought all had beene quiet they gathered their companies together and set fire on the house D. Chytraeus The Princes Romane Catholicke Lords which were the Kings partakers perswaded with him to frame himselfe to the exterior profession of the religioÌ„ and by the D. of Luxembourg who had before made a voyage vnto Rome in their name they practised with the Pope to that end On the contrary side the Protestant Lords beseeched the king to haue them in remembrance who were so faithfully imployed for him Other of his Councel pressed vpoÌ„ him to prouide for his peaceable subiects as wel of the one as of the other religioÌ„ Also that he wold preuent the new attempts of the Pope and his adhaerents against France And these sollicitations begat an Edict for the vpholding of the two religions in his kingdome D. Chytraeus An act was made by the high Court of Parliament at Chalouns and at Tours against the Popes Bulls his Nuntio and his Legate in France This likewise was proclaimed We haue proclaimed and do proclaime Pope Gregorie the 14. of that name an enemy to the common peace to the vnion of the Romane Catholike Church to the King and to his roial state adhearent to the conspiracie of Spaine a fauourer of rebels guiltie of the most cruell most inhumane and most detestable parracide traiterously committed on the person of Henry the 3. of most famous most Christian and most Catholike memorie Christian Duke of Saxonie Prince Elector died of the age 31. yeares D. Chytraeus Gregorie the 14. fell now sicke of a quotidian Feuer hee was also troubled with a continuall flix and the stone whereof he dyed and was buried in the Chappell of the Gregories in S. Peters Church Hee sate in the seate ten moneths and as many dayes and it was vacant 15. dayes Anth. Cicca In this time there was a great dearth through the most part of Italie and other Christian Prouinces after which followed a great plague There dyed in Rome from August 1590. vnto the end of August the yeare following 1591. threescore thousand Idem Innocent the 9. before called Antonius Fachiuertus Cardinall of the 4. holy Crownes He was borne at Bononia and before hee was Cardinall by Pope Gregorie made Patriarke of Ierusalem Fredericus Wilelmus Duke of Saxonie and Iohannes Georgius Elector and Marquesse of Brandebourge had the Protectorship of Christians sonne these no further vrged his mandates concerning Religion and recalled home many Ministers of the Church and Superindents who had not obeyed them and therefore banished by him a litle before his death D. Chytraeus The Duke of Guise by a cord which was giuen him wherwith sliding downe out of a window escaped out of prison and fled to the Lord de la Chastre The great Chancelor of Poland Zamoscius rebelled against his leige Lord with an Armie of 30000. men Pope Innocent the 9. being 70. yeares of age and hauing ruled two moneths odde dayes dyed So that in the space of fourteene moneths 4. Popes dyed Sixtus Vrban Gregorie and Innocent and it is to be thought the most or all of them dyed of poyson For Brazuto is not dead that giueth them poyson This Brazuto killed 6. Popes with poyson as it is to be read in the life of Damasus The seate was vacant one moneth and a day Edmond Coppinger and H. Arthington conferring with one of their sect called William Hacket they offered to annoint him king but Hacket taking Coppinger by the hand said You shall not need to annoint me for I haue bene already annoynted in heauen by the holy Ghost himselfe then Coppinger asked him what his pleasure was to be done Goe your way both said he and tell them in the Citie that Christ Iesus is come with his Fanne in his hand to iudge the earth Which they did in diuers streets crying also repent England repent and in Cheapeside got vp into a Cart and preached how this Hacket represented Christ that they were two Prophets the one of mercy the other of iudgement sent and extraordinarily called by God to assist him in this great worke and were witnesses of these things For these misdemeanors and spreading of false prophecies as also for his traiterous words against the Queenes Maiestie Hacket was hanged But Coppinger dyed in Bridewell and Arthington long after was reserued in the Counter in Woodstreete in hope of repentance I. Stowe Hippolitus Aldobrandinus Cardinall was elected Pope by the name of Clement the eight When Sebastian King of Portugall went with his Armie into Affrica hee requested hostage of Muhameth to whom hee deliuered his sonne Mulei Xeques him Sebastian sent Magaza but they both being slaine in the battaile of Alcazar 1578. Xeques was sent into Spaine and brought vp vnder King Phillip At the last this yeare hauing before by degrees perswaded to become a Christian was baptised with his kinsman other of his Nobles in the most famous Monastery of S. Laurence and vowed euer after to continue true Christians Genebrardus The 16. of Ianuary Cassimere Duke Palatine to the great sorrow and discomfort of the Church of Geneua departed this life Ladislaus King of Hungarie and Boheme died of the age of 18 yeares This yeare Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes prepared for warre against the Christians The cause was this The truce taken was yet kept betweene the Emperour and the Turke to the great quietnesse of both their subiects But in the meane season a peace was concluded betweene the Turke the Persian Wherefore many of the Turkish Bassâ—es perswaded their Emperour to make war vpon the Christian and so forthwith he dispatched a puissant Army into the confines of Hungary The Emperour
downe to be admitted againe into the Cittie then the Iesuits the matter as then was left in suspence put ouer to the K. the Parliament of the realme But the Iesuits being importunate vpon the king the K. the yeare following sent one Iohannes Ostrouius into the Citie who instructed by the kings commandement demaunded that all those that were spoyled and eiected of the seditious communaltie might be put into possession of their Churches whose Oration was forthwith answered in the name of the Citie and the Senate by Dauid Hilcheuius theyr aduocate The 26. of August Peter Barrier alias Bar borne at Orleans was prisoner at Melena where he confessed that he was seduced by a Capuchin Friar at Lyons by the Curat Vicar of a certaine parish in Paris and also by a Iesuite closely to follow the king and to murder him with a two edged knife the which was found about him he further confessed that two Priests by him nominated were also come frō Lyons for the same intent and that he set himselfe the forwardest in the execution therof to the ende hee might get the greatest honour thereby For the which hee was executed At this time was the Duke of Nemours within Lyons from whence he would not stirre to goe to the Estates of the League although the Pope had giuen him commaundement the other chiefe Captaines thought it meet and his friends seruants desired him to goe he vouchsafed not so much as to send vnto them knowing that the Leaguers cast their eyes altogether vpon the D of Guise and that the D. de Maine his brother by the mothers side crost all his purposes and would worke all meanes for his death A certaine bold Friar of Lyons perceiuing well that this young Prince pretended to bring some new matter to passe within the League whereby he might at least haue some great hand in the gouernment by the aduice of two or three Councellors who were of his complices he compassed Lyons with many Fortresses which held on his side at Toissai Vienne Montbrison Chastillon de Dombres and other places Quilian forsaking him he bought it with a great summe of mony at the hands of the Lord of S. Iulian who was Gouernour thereof This done Lyon was inclosed as well by water as by land The Lyonnois did not withstand neither his prodigallities nor his Councellors nor his men of warre which forraged the plaine country receiuing the guerdon of their reuolt from the kings obedience In the end acknowledging themselues they rose vp against the D. of Nemours assisted by the presēce and counsell of the Archbishop sent by the D. de Maine and the 18. of Decemb. they tooke hold of Nemours who was seene three times at deaths doore committing him to close prison where hee continued certain moneths and at last escaping by cunning meanes spoyled of his succours chased from his Fortresses he went dyed farre from France in a litle Towne called Aueci scituate in Sauoy in the Country of Geneuois After the solemne funeralls of Henry the 3. late King of France were performed in the Cathedrall Church of S. Denis Henry the 4. King of Nauarre was publikely proclaimed king In the meane season the Popes Legat with the Embassador of Spaine vrged the election of the D. of Guise at Paris and cursed the K. of Nauarre for that he s oft had fallen and those Bishops with the Archbishop of Bourges by whom he had bin reconciled to the Church and absolued Likewise at Rome the Agents and Ministers of the K. of Spaine sollicited the Pope that he would confirne the excommunication pronounced by his Legate at Paris nor would admit any Embassadors from the hypocriticall king If he did they vowed as his Embassadors came in at one gate they would goe out at the other The 26. of Nouember the Duke of Neuers came to Rome sent by the K. of France for his absolution whom the Pope entertained with all kindnesse but a litle while after hee dismissed him not denying simply absolution to the K. but deferring it vntill he sawe more manifest signes of penitence D. Chytaeus The K. of France deliberated to assemble at Mante certaine of the chiefe Nobles of the Realme to take counsell of diuers matters at that time needfull The deputies of the reformed Churches were there present about the ende of Nouember whom the king caused to be called together the 12. day of the moneth following and hauing giuen them audience and heard the great sorrowe which they made vpon the infinite cōtradictions of his decrees and the complaints of the wrongs done vnto them through all his Prouinces hee answered that the change of religiō had not any way changed his affection frō them that he would redresse their griefes and make peace and concord among his subiects Hee receiued their Bills of complaints to haue them pervsed But these affaires were driuen to such length that the distance of many yeares hath buried all And the Captaines of the League hauing plunged the Realme into new miseries those of the religion almost in all parts of the kingdome continued as grieuous vnder the crosse as before Sigismond K. of Poland was perswaded to embrace that religion and seruice of God comprehended in his word the confessiō of Augusta as it had flourished in y e later time of Gostauus and the former daies of Iohn the 3. king of Poland and as it was receiued by the States of the land in the Councell of Vpsalem the yeare 1593. by a solemne testification for the confirmation and defence of the same religion hee voluntarily offered his oath which remaineth vpon record Chytraeus The same day that Sigismond K. of Poland and Vpsalem was inuested with the crowne of Suetia Iames the 6. K. of Scots had a sonne by Anne his wife the sister of Christian the 4. K. of Denmarke to whose christening the K. of France the Q. of England the K. of Denmarke Count Maurice H. D. Brunswic Vtricus Duke of Magapolis were inuited The 9. of April Ferdinādo E. of Darbie deceased at Latham Henry the 4. king of France and Nauarre was with great solemnitie crowned king at Chartres When the last yeare he sent to the Pope the D. of Neuers for absolution Pope Clement the eight then answered that hee stood in need of three fold benefite from the Apostolicke Sea first of absolution in Court of Conscience secondly in a lower Court of Conscience from publike excommunication thirdly in the Court of Rehabilitation as they say to the kingdome for the which before by reason of his heresies hee was held vnfit Paetrus Mathaeus Mathias Arch-duke of Austria was by the Emperour his brother chosen Generall of the Forces against the Turke and went to Vienna Idem The same time the Pope promised to send to the Emperour 5000. footemen and 500. horsemen for the leuying of which sixe Tents were gathered of the Cleargie throughout all Italie which amounted
Bosua who had forraged diuers of their frontiers and had spoiled and wasted Crotia and the fertile Region Tyropolia leading away many Christians captiues and that this Bassa beeing thereof explained to the Turke he was therefore bountifully rewarded and set in greater place and authoritie then he had before but at the siege of the Castle Zisekna he was driuen to flie and there receiued by death a iust reward for his trecherie This making the Turke more incensed hee made warre vpon the Christians and sent Beglerbegus of Creece who besieged the aforesaid Castle Ziseckna and forced them to yeeld it At this time also he sent diuers of his choisest Bassaes to inuade Hungarie and tooke there two Cities Vesprian and Palotta Besides hee imprisoned the Emperours Embassadour and Orator at Constantinople Caesars request therefore was that greater defence might be made against the Turkish powers and that all the Christian Princes of his Empire would conioyne to the resisting of this great enemie of Christ and Christendome Which forthwith was agreed vnto But in this Session a great dissention arose amongst the Protestant Princes the reason was for that the Elector Palatine did not so strictly and precisely keepe the confession of Augusta as the rest of them did that is to say Duke William Fredericke Administrator of the Electorship of Saxonie who in the administration of the charge of the Electors in their minoritie recalled and brought in the opinions of Flaccus Illiricus and Iacobus Andreas approoued of the aforesaid Electors and all those that withstood them or opposed themselues against either in Vniuersities Schooles or any place whatsoeuer hee cruelly persecuted and banished them as Caluinists and Zuinglians so that at Lipsia and other places vnder the pretext and colour of his execution against the Caluinists much spoile and hurt was done Many of these beeing let out of prison were receiued by the Elector Palatine and for this cause the Protestants of Saxonie would seperate themselues in this Session in the common petitions and propositions from them that held of the Count Palatine but the greater part of them desirous of peace did not consent thereto But when it was obiected to the Prince Palatine that hee was of a contrary religion to his father hee before them all made an orderly and modest confession of his faith and religion in this maner I haue not anyway digressed from the religion which my worthy father professed He whilest he liued beleeued not in S. Martin or S. Iames but in Christ The same beliefe the same grounds and principles of faith I do constantly hold and euer intend to do My father condemned the errours of Arrius Nestorius Eutychius and the Anabaptists and so do I his sonne not onely condemne them but with my soule detest and abhorre them The errours in the Sacraments which are two fold some of them who make Idolls of Sacraments and worship and reuerence the signes for the thing signed not obseruing nor considering the signification of the Sacraments other some that vnderstand them for naked and simple signes my father detested and so do I his sonne I come nearer My father reiected Caluanisme and Zuinglanisme and so do I his sonne If so be it be true that the Vbiquitaries and Flactians do faine that is to say if truth or omnipotencie or the whole presence of Christ should bee denied vpon the earth But in this errour I am happier then my father in that I know the true and right religion vnder the name of Caluine to bee defiled and scandalled by certaine seditious and ambitious persons in Germanie which my father had knowne if he had liued longer as now the two mightie Electors of Saxonie Augustus his sonne and Christian do vnderstand In this Session great consultation was had for composition for peace in the lowe Countries This yeare the Italians made great tumults in Brabant the reason was for that they were not so much esteemed of since the Duke of Parmaes death and that the Spaniards were preferred before them that they had pay daily and the Italians not regarded For this cause they left the Kings Campe and tooke the Towne of Sidien in Brabant and fortified it In this space no pay was sent wherfore they made great hauocke throughout all Brabant euen to the gates of Bruxelles Complaints were made hereof to the Gouernour the Arch-duke of Ernestus that hee was faine to send certaine companies of the Spaniards who had authoritie to bring them into order and make them obedient or driue them out of the Countrey This more incensed the Italians but the Spaniards draue them out of certaine of their holds And Graue Maurice fearing least they of enemies should become friends went to the Italians and politikely praised them and their dauntlesse spirits extolled their worthy acts and great victories that they got vnder their famous leader the Duke of Parma that the Spaniard had offered them such an iniurie and disgrace as the like was not to bee borne and therefore it behoued them to looke to their safetie and that there was no better way but to serue vnder the King of Fraunce as long as they might bee well payed The Italians mooued by his perswasion the last of Nouember wrote to the King of Fraunce humbly desiring him that he would receiue them into his charge and defence beeing in number 1023. footemen and 200. hosemen But the King commended the determining of these businesse to the States of Holland The Arch-duke Ernestus died at Bruxells as some say of a melancholy for that hee might not marrie the Infant of Spaine and that the names of his house of Austriche against the Turkes and his owne against the confederates had no better successe that he was not onely despised of the enemie but of the Spaniards and that hee had receiued no Letters a long time from the king amongst whose Councell hee had many enemies hee died of the age of 42. a very modest and sober Prince who was seldome seene to laugh This winter dyed Amurathe the 3. the 14. Emperour of the house of Othoman and the very best thereof beeing not so cruell as the other hee was much giuen to pleasure His eldest sonne succeeded him in the Empire beeing of the age of 29. yeares The Castle and Citie of Strigon by Ister after it had bene three and fiftie yeares vnder the tyrannie of the Turkish Emperour by the valour and industrie of Count Charles Mansfield was deliuered to the Christians which victorie hee sawe not for he died at the siege thereof of a lingring disease This Prince was from his childhood brought vp in martiall affaires and shewed himselfe a good subiect to the King of Spaine his maister The King of Fraunce hauing got absolution from the Pope sent by his Embassadors Letters and thankes to him and in them promised all obedience to the Apostolicke Sea of Rome Christopher Mountdragon a Spaniard Gouernour of the Castle of Antwerpe and Captaine of the
Caius Emp. of Rome 75 Caracalla Emp. 51. slaine 161 Charles K. of Naples sleyeth his sister Iane at the Popes instigation 397 Chartreux order founded 370 Castle of S. Angeto builded Chiliastes renued 67 Chorepiscopi particular Bishops 91 Christian libertie 19 Church of Antioche in great fame 16 Church in Babylon 10 In Affrike troubled by Gensericus 78 Romaine declared principall 111 Church called Sancta SanctoruÌ„ builded 63 Churches flourishing in Asia the lesse gouerned by the Apostles 8 Churches orientall communicated but once a yeare 227 Churches orientall and occidentall appeased 244 Church of Aquilegia reduced 89 Christians persecuted the first time by Nero. 19 The second vnder Domitian 27 The third vnder Traian 28 The 4. vnder M. Aurelius 40 The 5. vnder Seuerus 41 The 6. vnder Iulius Max. 55 The 7. vnder Decius 58 The 8. vnder Galius 60 The 9. vnder Aurelian 70 The 10. and most cruell vnder Dioclesian 76 Christ exerciseth his ministerie suffereth his passion 6 Cleargie Clarkes and their signification 90 The Cleargie augmented 112 Cleargie Romane vsurpeth the election of the Pope 149 The temporall sword 201 They wil haue no reformatioÌ„ 232 Except from common collectors 241 Clarkes enioy immunities 39 That they ought to meddle with secular affaires 160 Clouis baptised and his Nobles 108 Collation of Benefices 209 Colledge of faire women 194 Comet seene three moneths together 397 Commodus strangled 45 CoÌ„municants take the wine and bread in their hands 238 Councell at Ierusalem 192 Councells touching Easter 162 Clerus Bishop 26 Clement the first 27 Claudius Emp. 69 Councells of Philadelphia 56 At Antioche 68 At Nice 96 Councels prouinciall euery yeare 98 Councell Affrican 107 Councell of Carthage 109 Ephesus 112 Of Chalcedon 120 Of Orleance 132 At Tara in Spaine 136 Tolledo 141 Constantinople 155 Councell at Auuergne 161 At Orleance 171 At Lyons 177 Paris 197 Ciuill 200 Tolledo 222 Councells the foure generall to be kept as the Gospell 223 Councell at Rome 128 Councels cannot prescribe lawes to the Romane Church but from thence hath her vertues and perfections 243 Cornelius B. of Rome 60 Councell at Reius 335 At Tours 33. Lateran 349 Councell in France against the K. thereof 359 Councell generall at Vienna 371 Councel National in FraceÌ„ 430 Councel general at Vienna 444 At Parpignan 445 At Pise 459 At Constance 460 Cardinall Albert. 641 Christian Churches of Constantinople 650 Charles Borgia 642 Clement 8. Pope 679 He maketh warre vpon Caesar Est 760 Confession taken away by Nectarius 92 Confession annicular instituted 346 Conon Pope 88 Conrade 1. of that name Emperour 250 Conrade the second 261 Conrade the third 272 Conrade a Merchant of Milain disposeth the Sect of the Fratriceilli 384 Conrade the lawfull K. of Sicilia beheaded by the Popes councell 409 Consecration of water mingled with wine 98 Constance sister of William King of Sicily a Nun was dispended with for marrying 335 ConstaÌ„tius Emp. an heretike 226 Constance pilleth Rome 161 Constance Emp. abiureth his heresie Ibid. Constance slaine at the Bathe 20 Comodus Emp. 44. His death 45 Count or Earle 366 Constantine the great Emperor desired to be baptised in Iordan 83 Hee caused a Tabernacle to bee carried in warre 87. He burneth the libell of the Bishops 92 By his humillitie he raiseth vp the pride of the Popes against his successors 31 Constant the 4. Emp. 198 Constant the 5 Emp. 215. He commanded Images to be cast out of Churches Constant 6. Emp. 222 Constant Pope 2. of that name hath his eyes put out 220 Constant Paleologne the last Emperor of Constantinople 421. murdered at the taking therof CostaÌ„tinople builded in the midst of Byzantium 89 Is fired 112. Is besieged 3. yeares of the Sarazins and ArabiaÌ„s recouered by the Grecians 211. Besieged of Baiazeth 222. is taken Cosroes K. of Persia destroyeth Syria 185. He would abolish Christianitie Ibid. He is ouercome by Heraclius Coronation of Clement the fift troubled with the deathes of many 2018 Cresselius punished for his ambition 334 Croisades take their beginning 299 Crueltie of Pope Pius the fourth 300 Cyrus reedifieth the Temple 4 Custome vpon wine and salte in France 112 Cyprian S. his death 64 D DAgobert instituted a Colledge of faire women 194 Damasus 2. of that name Pope 2â—5 Denmarke with his K. conuerted to the faith 121 Danes and Normans do returne into France 156 Darfosa martyred 89 Darius Histaspes endeth the Temple 12 Dauphin sold to the K. of Fr. 129 Decadence and fall of the Pope 259 Decretalls froÌ„ whence forged 60 Decretalls examined 61 Decretalls gathered together by Raymond the Monke 352 Decretalls attributed to Lucius 71 Degrees Ecclesiasticall 59 Denis Bishop of Alexandria his death 119 Denis B. of Rome and his Decretalls 68 Denis a Romane Abbot made the great paschall Cicle 173 Denis the woman of great Constantine martyred 116 Deus Dedit or Dorithe Pope 186 Deacon and his signification 14 Didier last K. of Lombards 221 Dydius Iulius Emp. 45 Dydinus a blind man a famous Regent in the Schoole of Alexandria 244 Digna a noble matron in Aquilea cast her selfe headlong into the water 153 Dioclesian caused his feet to bee kissed 76 Dioclesia Max. depose themselues of the Empire 78 D. Saunders 642 Duke Alanson 640 His death 645 Duke of Guise slaine 666 Death of the L. Russell 658 Death of the Q. of Scots 659 Dissention in religion 682 Duke of Parma dieth 680 Death of Sixtus the 5. 674 D. de Maine 676 Death of Ch. Burbon 673 D. of Neuers 685 Dissention amongst the Protestant Princes 627 Death of Amurathe 690 D. Lopez executed 688 Dioclesian dyeth in a rage 79 Diuision of the kingdome of Iudea 3 Diuorce permitted for the long sicknesse of a woman 257 Doctrine Euangelicall receiued at Valence in Dauphine 177 Domitian Emperour 26 Domitian slaine 37 Domitius Nero. 28 Donation of Constantine 89.405 Death of the Duke of Guise 577 Decius Emperour 58 His death 59 Diaconesses 92 Deodatus Pope 199 E EAster ordained on the Sonday 39 To be celebrated in one day in all places Ibid. Ebion an heretike 18 Edmond the last King of the Easterne English men slaine by the Danes 271 Edward the 3. King of England elected Emperour 411 Election of the Pope giuen to Charlemaine 253 Giuen to the people and Cleargy of Rome 256 Vsurped by them the Ro. people 271 To the Popes Elders 5 Election of the Emperours giuen to the Germaine Nation 277 Emperour kisseth the Popes feet 219 Empire Westerne endeth 153 Empire Romane decayeth 141.187 Empire of Constantinople transferred into France 218 Empire diuided betwixt two Emperours 79 Empire of the West diuided 262 Empire in discord 303 England first keepeth the Lent fast 194 Euensong of Sicily 362 Estate of France 619.623 Estates of the lowe Countries 620 Estates of Almaine 692 Euangelists which 14 Euaristus martyred 74 Eucharist called oblation 37 Giuen into the hand of the receiuer 91. carried to such as were nigh dead 80. A booke
Subtilties of the Romane Court. Deceits of the Roman court Notable misteries O true Bulls That is of Sathan Marcel 2. The Popes Character is to be an enemie vnto the truth Marcel Inquisitor generall Ierome Vida Cremona The cause wherefore Vergerius was put from the Councel Paul 4. Theatin before hee was Pope confessed the truth A tumult at Geneua Vlpian victualled Mariēbourg The Lucarnois demanded the Gospell Dissention of the Supper renewed by thē of Breme Hambourge The death of Frederick Palatin A wonder in the Country of Aouste Pruse receiueth the confession of Ausbourge Iohn Functius Comete Parracide of three childrē Iourney at Ratisbone The returne of Charles the fift into Spaine The death of Dauid George Ferdinād 1. Of the Spanish Inquisition Martyrs of Spaine Other Marties of Spaine Diethmarsois brought vnder the yoke The death of Paul the 4. Pius the 4. elected Pope The marriage of Phillip King of Spaine with Elizabeth of France The state of France An. 1560. vnder Francis the 2. which died in the moneth of December The estate of Scotland The death of Melancton Warre in Piemont The begining of troubles in France Notable executions at Rome King Charls the ninth sacred Reconciliation of the Prince of Conde and Duke of Guise A conference at Poissy about matters of religion The death of Shuvenckfeld The state of France Frances Maximilian crowned king of the Romans and of Boheme The death of Peter Martyr The Duke of Guise slaine and peace made The estate of Almaine The Kings Maioritie A citation frō Rome against the Queene of Nauarre The Bishop of Wirtzbourge slaine Battaile betweene the Danes The end of the Councel of Trent The death of Musculus The death of Hiperius The death of Caluin A battaile betwixt y e Danes and Snedes Maximilian The death of Ferdinand The estate of the Flemish Churches War at Malte Deluges Warre in Hungary The death of Pope Pius 4. The death of Conrad Gesner An Edict against the Religion in the lowe Countries Pius 5. The violent death of the king of Scotland A league in Flaunders against the Inquisition War in Hungary Selim succeeded Soliman Iohn Functius others beheaded War against Iohn Frederick of Saxonie Images burst in the lowe Countries Troubles in the lowe Countries Continuation of troubles beginning of warre in the lowe Countries The death of the Duke of Brunswick Certaine Bayliwickes yeelded to the Duke of Sauoy The Duke of Alua commeth into the lowe Country and his first exployts The second ciuil warre in France Great deluges in Italie Cassimere bringeth succours to them of the Religion Reisters in France Siluer stayed The death of the Duke of Pruse The Prince of Orange and the Count of Hochstrate iustifie themselues Open warres in the lowe Countries The Counts d' Aigmont and d' Horne beheaded The Count Lodowick ouerthrowne The Prince of Orange taketh Armes The miserable estate of the Churches The death of the Prince of Spaine The king of Snede Three Moones at one instant Treuers besieged Exercise of Religion in Austrich The third ciuill warre in France A conference at Aldebourg Reisters in France The Queene of England tooke three Spanish ships The Duke de Deux Ponts leadeth an Armie into France Confiscations in the lowe Countries The Prince of Conde slaine An Imperiall Iourney The Popes present to the Duke of Alua. The death of the Sieur de Andelot Exercise of Religion in Austriche Great Duke of Thuscane An arrest against the Admirall The battle of Montcōtour Pardon of the Duke of Alua. A coniuration in England A continuation of warre in France Troubles for matters of Religion in Almaine The Turkes denounce war to the Venetians A Sinode in Polongne Exhortation vnto pacification A truce An Imperiall Iourney Executions to death The 3. Edict of pacificatiō The death of Iohn Brencius the father of vbiquitie Deluges in Friseland France and other Countries Nicosia taken Marriage of the King of Spaine Earthquakes Marriage of the King of France Deluges in France An Imperiall Iourney Peace betwixt Denmarke and Snede Vaiuoda of Transiluania A disputation against the Anabaptists A league against the Turke Raining of corne Rodes of the Muscouites Famagoste yeelded A strange Sun A Nauall battaile at Lepante A conference at Dresde The Duke of Nothfolke beheaded Strange wonders in Pruse Fire in Wirtzbourge A sharp winter Exactions of the Duke of Alua and resolutions in Flaunders Appearance of rest in France The death of Pope Pius the 5. and election of Gregory 13. The death of the Queene of Nauarre The ouerthrow of the Duke de Medina Coeli Alliance The Prince of Orange iustified himselfe to the Emperour The death of the King of Polongne War in y e lowe Countrie Horrible murders in Frāce A new starre Exploits of warre in Holland and Zeland Sieges of Rochel and Sancerre The siege and losse of Harlē Warre in Barbary Requescens ouerthrowne and Middlebourg yeelded Henry de Valois king of Polongne Peace betwixt the Venetians the Turke Troubles in France The ouerthrow of the Duke Christopher and of the Count Lodowick The death of Camerarius The death of Cosme de Medices Antwerpe pilled by the Spaniards The second besieging of Leiden A fire at Venice Bruxelles The taking and death of Montgommery The death of Charles 9. Leyden deliuered The death of Selym. The aftaires of France The estate of the lowe Countries The king of Poland lost his kingdome The death of Bullenger Rodolphe crowned king of Hungarie Boheme and of the Romans The estate of France The estate of low Country The death of Sinder A new king of Poland The death of Maximilian Rodolph 2. Rodolph 2. The death of Fr. Palatine of Khene The estate of France Salentinus Iohn de Austrich Mathias Archduke of Austria Sebastian King of Portugall The Parliament at Blois Syr Martin Forbisher Croisada A Comet Warre and other acccidēts in the lowe Countries Cassamire The Prince of Parma created Duke Free exercise of the reformed religion Malcontents The reformed Church at Antwerpe Prince of Parma An heretike burnt at Norwiche The estate of Almaine Irish rebellion Thomas Stukely The 2. voyage of Sebastian with his Army into Affrike The death of Sebastian Molucs death Mulei Mahamet drowned Hamet proclaimed king Monsieurs voyage into Flaunders Institution of the order of y e holy Ghost Maistricht taken The Turkes Almaine The death of Henry King of Protugall An Earthquake K. Phillip The death of the Duke of Sauoy The tyrannie of the Duke Alua. A blazing Star A Proclamation against Iesuites The death of Q. Anne Iesuites D. of Aniou The crueltie of a father Richard Atkins burned for religion The Queene of France discontented with king Phillip D. Alanson Ouids tombe The Prince of Orange shot Cardinall Albert. A Priest died for feare The death of the Duke of Alua. Charles Borgia The new Calender set forth by the Pope D. Saunders Amia banished Scotland The King of Nauarre Albertus Alasoo The death of Fr.
But as once he was taking his ordinarie refection with his Captaines as Casulanus reciteth it the yeare of our Lord 1285. he was taken with a secret malladie of which hee died after hauing said hee endured much griefe although the Phisitians founde not in him any signe of death and was buried at Peruse Some Authors which Thomas Cooper one very learned followeth in his abridgement of Chronicles haue left in writing that the first yeare of his Popedome hee tooke as the Prouerbe is to bread and to potte the concubine of his Predecessor Nicholas But for feare such an accident should happen vnto him as did vnto the other namely that if he had a childe it should be like vnto a Beare he commanded that all the Beares which had bene painted in the Pallace by a Pope of the house of Vrsins should be defaced and cleane taken away because he knew well that the figure of things vpon which women think when they conceiue their children oftentimes is certaine imprinted in them It appeares well that this Pope was herein very expert but he tooke no heed that such a monster shewed to the world what sanctetie there is in Popes singlenesse Giles of Rome Bishop of Bourges disciple of S. Thomas d'Aquin liued in this time Phillip le Bell 45. King of France and of Nauarre raigned after his father Phillip the third the yeare 1225. The Pallace was sumptuously builded in the Ile which Sene maketh Euguerrant de Marigni the Kings Councellor and President des Finances had the charge thereof In this Pallace the Court of Parliament had his seate distributed into chambers The king dwelt there The Colledge of Nauarre was builded by the Queene Ioane at the entry of the raigne of this king Honorius 4. of that name borne at Rome of the house of Sabellius which is a noble race called before Iames and beeing Cardinall Deacon after he had bene chosen by the Cardinals tooke possession of the Popedome and ruled 2. yeares Naucl. He had a brother called Pandulphe which was then Senator of Rome who greatly punished theeues homicides and other such like This Pope dwelt in Mount Auentine where he builded a new house and incited many others to do the like He excommunicated Peter King of Arragon who then occupied the Kingdome of Sicilie against Charles and confirmed the Interdict published against him by his predecessor Martin because hee would not permit that the Popes seate should enioy that Region The Florentines and they of Luke obtained by siluer of Rodolphe the Emperour libertie for their Common-wealthes The Florentines gaue 6000. skutes and the Luquets 12000. skutes The Venetians also obtained licence to forge Ducats of Gold at Venice The Geneuois got themselues franchis and libertie Chro. of the Emp. Tom. 2. This Emperor was noted of couetousnesse A childe called Rodolphe was martired at Berne by the Iewes whereby they of Berne put the Iewes to death And therefore the Emperour Rodolphe assembled thirtie thousand souldiers and besieged Berne but profited nothing as is aboue said The Colledge of Collets at Paris was founded by Iohn Collet Priest Cardinall of S. Cecilie Legate in France borne in Beauoisin saith the Sea of Histories He mooued a maruellous warre against Guy Feltron who occupied the Townes of Flaminia and ouercomming him hee annexed vnto the seignorie of Rome all that Countrey This Pope confirmed the Sect of the Augustines which was not yet receiued at Paris but was by many impugned because it was not well allowed by the Councell of Lateran and graunted them many priuiledges And besides hee would that the Carmes leauing their coloured apparell with barres should take the white habit and ordained they should be named the bretheren of the Virgin Marie After which goodly deeds he liued not long but being dead the yeare 1288. hee was carried from the Church of S. Sabine in the Mount Auentine into the Church of S. Peter where hee was buried with great pompe After the death of Honorius the seate was vacant tenne moneths For the Cardinalls beeing in the Conclaue died vpon sudden malladies euen when great earthquakes terrified them and so the election was deferred vntill an other time Nicholas Pope 4. of that name Minister generall of the Friars called Ierome borne at Marke d'Ancone ruled at Rome foure yeares and one moneth Naucler or 6. yeares 8. moneths and 16. dayes after some He succeeded the foresaid Honorius 10. moneths after his death yet the Cardinalls were not all of one opinion This Pope superstitiously deuout dwelt nigh vnto the Church called S. Marie the greater or ad praesepe because they forged that lie that the Crib where the Virgin Marie laid Iesus Christ after hee was borne into the world is there and adorned it with edifices and rich paintings Hee created Cardinalls of all sorts of Monkes for the profit of the Kingdome of Abaddon to the end they might be light-horses prepared to the battaile and might haue teeth like Lyons tailes like Scorpions wherewith they might hurt men For as Platina sayeth he loued all alike and thought not himselfe any thing more bound to his parents and kinsfolke then vnto others Hee caused the Croisado to be preached and sent at his owne charges many souldiers into Asia to keepe the Towne of Ptolemais Supp Chron. There hapned in his time many ciuill warres murders dissentions and brawles at Rome vppon his occasion giuing more countenance to the one part then to the other And this contention endured the space of two yeares and an halfe Fasci temp Many Hauens of the sea were lost the Christians were rooted out of Ierusalem and Siria by a long and great dissention of the Venetians Geneuois Pisans which then were for Communalties the mightiest by Sea It is said their contention was for an Abbey which each of them said to be theirs and this quarrell endured thirtie yeares In so much that the Popes Alexander the fourth Vrbain the fourth Clement the fourth and the Kings of Fraunce and Sicilie were greatly busied to agree them and yet did no good In the meane while the Empire of Constantinople was vsurped by others and the French and Italians cast out of Greece The Ports of Tyre and Ptolemais were also taken from the aforesaid Contendants The last yeare of the Empire of Rodolphe Charles Prince of Salerne and sonne of Charles King of Sililie was deliuered from the prisons of the King of Arragon and after came to Rome and on the day of Pentecost was crowned King of Sicilie by the Pope Nicholas and absolued from the oathe hee had made to the King of Arragon See the Historie of France The yeare of Christ 1291. three thousande Christians were slaine by the Sarrazens in the Countrey of Syria the rest for feare retired Chron. Euseb Acha according to Naucl. was taken by the Souldan with fifteene other Townes twelue Castles and a great number of Christians slaine and this
happened by the dissention of the Christians and rashnesse of such as were Crossed saith Fascic tempo There was mortall warre betwixt the Geneuois and they of Pise for the I le of Corsike but finally the Pisans were vanquished vpon the sea and more then twelue or sixteene thousand men slaine with a losse of fortie eight Gallies Fasci Temp. And other ships besides them were sunke and drowned Suppl Chron. The Tartarians got hold of the kingdome of Constantinople and a great part of that Empire The same Nicholas Pope dyed of griefe that all things happened not after his wish seeing so manifold calamities all ouer and especially at Rome The Cardinals after his death retired to Peruse that their election might be more sure but in two yeares and three moneths they could not accord Suppl Chron. Rodolphe the Emperour dyed also the yeare of his age 73. of our saluation 1291. of his Empire 18. He had for his wife Anne Countesse of Hohemberg which was buried at Basle with her sonne Herman who was drowned in Rhene Adolphe Count of Nassau was chosen Emperour by certaine of the Electors and Albert Duke of Astrishe by other yet Adolphe was crowned at Aix the Chappell His brother who was Archbishop of Magunce helped him much He raigned sixe yeares and after was deposed by the Electors For besides that he was not puissaunt enough in domestical faculties to sustaine that Imperiall dignitie he also despised the Princes of the Empire and dignified diuer without merite He committed adulterers violated Virgines Nunnes and Widowes he enterprised warre against Fraunce because of the kingdome of Arles but he executed no memorable thing sauing that he ledde an Armie into Thuringe and Misne to pacifie contentions betwixt Albert Lantgraue of Thuringe and his sonne Dietere and others Celestine fift of that name an Esermen by Nation which is a place nigh the Towne of Sulme by profession an Heremite and before called Peter Moron after that briberies of the Cardinalls which had endured the space of two yeares had taken ende by the fauour of Charles the second of that name King of Naples and of the Cardinall Latin was declared Pope Incontinently after his election he went to Aigle and caused to come before him all the Cardinalls and created new to the number of twelue amongst which there were two Hermites Ptolomie and Laques haue written that at his installing were two hundreth thousand men In the first Consistory he held saith Christian Masseus as he went about to reforme the Romane church to the ende the Cleargy therof might serue for an example to others he incurred so the maleuolence indignation of many that grinding their teeth against him they called him sot and dotard One of these companions called Benet suborned an other who making a crany or hole in his Chamber many nights cried as it had bin an Angel from heauen Celestine Celestine renounce thy Papacie For that charge exceedeth thy Forces Some also in the day time counselled him to giue ouer his Popedome and prouide for his saluation The king Charles was aduertised of these things getting their Pope to come to him he praied him as much as was possible that he would not reiect such a dignity which was giue him from heauen wherevnto he answered I wil do what God will As hee returned from Naples it may bee hauing no rest in his conscience on the Vigile of Saint Luce he dismissed himselfe of that charge and hasted to returne into his Hermitage All this rehearseth Masseus yet first he made a constitution by the consent of all that it should be lawfull for a Pope to giue ouer such a charge Which constitution Boniface 8. his successor a man subtill and malicious confirmed and placed if in the 6 booke of his Decretalls Moreouer the said Boniface his successor fearing that the people despising him would cleaue vnto Celestine he caused him to be put in close prison where he kept him euen till his death He died then in prison the yeare of our Lord 1295. the 10. day of May two yeares and fiue moneths after he had bene chosen Pope The Sect of Monkes called Celestines had their name and originall of him Arlot general of the order of Friars who made the Concordances vpon the Bible liued in this time Abb. Trit Boniface 8. of that name borne in Campania in the Towne of Anagnia called before Benet de Gauete one of the chiefe Councellors of Celestine his predecessor beeing at Naples was thrust into his place by a maruellous treason Being Cardinall Priest of S. Martin in the Mountaines he desired so to come vnto the Papall dignitie that he left nothing behind either of ambition or fraud that he thought might bring his purpose to passe Againe hee was so arrogant that he despised almost all men in respect of himselfe This is he of whom it is commonly spoken That he entred as a Foxe raigned as a Lyon and died as a dogge For it was he that sollicited Celestine to depose himselfe and so hee entered like a Foxe he gouerned like a Lyon in so much that hee was so arrogant and cruell to the end so that he called himselfe Lord of all the world but he died like a dogge For his end was miserable and all his deeds were reprooued as may be seene by his Historie He said as Marius witnesseth that he shut Celestine in prison not for any enmitie towards him but for feare the authors of sedition by his conduction should do him and the Romane Church any domage But who will not say that this Boniface was an horrible monster and an ignorant person hauing circumuented despoiled and finally murdred in prison a simple man which was his father After that the Princes of Almaine had chosen Albert Duke of Austrich Adolphe hauing on his side Otho Duke of Bauiers Raoul Count Palatin and certaine Imperiall Cities gaue battaile against Albert nigh Spire which was sharpe and cruell wherein Adolphus was slaine the yeare of his Empire 6. or 8. after some Albert Duke of Austrich sonne of Rodolphe the Emperor was againe chosen by the Electors and crowned at Aix the Chapple the yeare 1298. Hee gaue the gouernment of the Duchie of Austrich to his sonne Rodolphe and gaue him in marriage Blanch the sister of Phillip king of France He made many warres That against the Bishop of Salisburie was for certaine Salt-wells For this Bishop being prouoked by Albert caused to be destroyed the place where the Salt was made The Emperor who could not be ouercome was impoysoned but the Phisitians gaue him such remedies that the venome came out at his mouth and nosthrills The force thereof was so great that it wasted one of his eyes and hee was called Borgne Hee was a magnanimous and valiant Prince He demaunded of Boniface to be crowned but he refused him saying hee was vnworthy of the Empire because hee