by their profound wisedom that there was no meanes to be had for the reestablishment of their first Domination because the nations of the North most strong and warlike had made proofe that the corporall strength of Italians was farre inferiour to theirs and that it was impossible to bring them euer so low againe by armes or force to yéelde them that obedience they had done in former time yet the Italians lay other ambushes for them and begin to deceiue these people to bring them vnder againe by a victorie altogether spiritual voluntarie and nothing at all carnall tastiug nothing but a spirituall gouernment and such a one as might guide men to life euerlasting and to lay the foundation stones of this Domination they must vphold that there is none other meane to be brought for the confirmation of the christian Church but by establishing of a soueraigne Heade and vniuersall Bishop in like manner forsooth as it is in the Monarchies and Empires of the world Perswading themselues that if they had carried awaie this pointe once they might verie well preuaile in the rest séeing that Rome had béene the seate of the rulers and Emperours of the earth they might rather then any other nation com by this prerogatiue to dispose of christian people vnder the cloake and authoritie of their vniuersall Bishop at their owne will and pleasure so that they might without euer striking stroke or shedding bloud be kinges and make money come apace from al prouinces which should protest to hold y e christian part And for a fairer shew and more credit of the matter it were verie méete to publish by word of mouth by reporte and writings that Rome had béene the seat of S. Peter and that he suffered martiredome there so that thereby he had planted in that citie a more excellent dignitie and prerogatiue then in anie other citie of the world Cap. 12. How in creating an vniuersall Bishop at Rome the Italians entred into possession of a farre more excellent Domination then that which they had lost before THese two pointes being once granted them the Italians might verie well dispose at their pleasure of all christiandome putting on but the cloake and authoritie of their vniuersall Bishops This was an easie way for them to hold for the recouerie of a more excellent Domination being now spirituall and heauenly then the first which they had lost and by this prerogatiue might they make the purest and most precions golde and siluer of all christianitie to flie to Rome It was most easie of all to make this currant among other Bishops perswading them that all this did but encrease their dignitie and profit and inuest them with a power to make heade against the kinges of the earth to cast of their yoake and neglect all their magistrates By reason whereof this inuention was found good and passed quickly without any contradiction but there was onely a little strife betwéene the Bishop of Rome and him of Constantinople for the superioritie of them two But yet on the Italians side there was no meane to make them forgoe this dignitie they would in no wise lay it downe because they foresaw that therby they could make what doctrin they listed currāt throughout all churches and their constitutions to be receyued euerie where as the decrées of their soueraigne and heauenly Court they could make them selues redoubted and feared of the kinges and princes of the earth as though they were the onely Porters of heauen gates and that no man coulde come in there but by their leaue meane and fauour To make the rest of the Clargie receiue this inuention there was no more adoe but to performe it with a smell of the augmentation of their dignitie and profit and they straight waies embraced it with all ioy and gladnesse for whilest that men are liuing here in this earth verie few are found but will suffer themselues to bee infected with such plagues which as Galen saith are Auarice and Ambition which bring vnto the soule that which the falling sicknesse doth bring to the bodie And if there be anie found anie found amongst the rest which haue the glorie of God and the saluation of men in greater regarde it is in so small number that the greater part shall soone ouercome the better and bring them quicklie to a contrarie bow Cap. 13. How the people follow none other religion but that which their Pastors teach them and how the Romanes giue vs one according to their owne nature TOuching the people by whom I comprehend Nobles Citizens and Pesants in matter of religion they will embrace that which their Pastors shall preach vnto them or that wherein they haue béene brought vp without making any further choice So that if a man be of the Empire of Tartarians he will frame himselfe to the forme of diuine seruice that is there established in like manner will hée doe that is borne among Turks Iewes Lutherians and Catholiks the worst is when he is grounded in one he wil take no knowledge nor make none examination of anie other but will haue them all in detestation and shall be as glorious in his owne as if he had found some pretious treasure of inestimable valour especially when he hath his eyes dimmed by sensible terrestriall and humaine religion The Italian is not here to séeke how to deale with him he can handle the matter so well that he will fetch some substance from him without any warre or violence and at his owne pleasure and to effect the same he hath no more to doe but to winne to his side the Doctours and Priestes which instruct the people who may teach them a religion which is altogether agréeable to their owne nature But here is the point of controuersie which hath and shall be euer betwoone God and men that God wil be honoured with a seruice agréeable to him selfe and of the qualitie of his owne nature to wit spirituall diuine and heauenly and wee humaine creatures cleane contrarie will serue him with a seruice that is nearest and best agréeing to our owne nature for it is his will that when we adore and inuocate his holy name we should lift vp our spirits aboue the heauens and we desire to finde him here below on earth in our Temples vnder some visible forme which we may sée and touch because that our earthly nature taketh farre greater delight in that which it séeth with the bodily eyes then to transport it selfe in spirit aboue the azured heauens so farre distant from vs. In like manner those which will make their prayers to the saintes of Paradice take great pleasure to haue their images here below on earth sauing a long iourney to goe into the kingdom of heauen to séeke them God will haue his diuine seruice procéeding from his diuinitie and such a one whereof he himselfe is the authour and we take more delight in that which is humaine and procéedeth from our owne braine
contrary to our dutie towards God which is to shew our selues humble lowly and glad to bee taught by him and to tremble at his words as this Dampish earth an insensible and deafe creature taught vs at the publication of the law when it reeled trembled and was readie to shake in sunder at the voyce of God Moreouer what fayre shew soeuer they can set on the Constitutions of Pastors the shall alwayes be humaine and whosoeuer obayeth them obayeth but men and there inuentions But he that woulde looke with a vigilant eye to the neere examination and déepe sownding therof shal easily discouer that their only purpose is to amplifie there authoritie more and more still and to drawe coyne from people secretly selling that at an hard and deare rate which God geueth vs fréely and offereth vs most gratis And this is the reason why the Italyans fearing lest the publications of such doctrine altogether heauenly and diuine would make there Domination shake from the top quickly turne it vp side downe and soone diminish all the profits that the reape out of the countries of all Christendome by meanes of their reaching inuentions they haue therefore by a most subtill péece of prouidence toke order in the matter that the Doctrine and lessons of these men come not to light by remedies which séeme to be the fittest in the world for their purpose Cap. 26. The first meanes that the Romanis vse to maintaine their Domination FIrst to preuent lest any should attaine to so great knowledge in the holy Scriptures that they should finde out of themselues the most perfect and onely wholsome meanes of saluation to consist therein and to despise all other humaine seruices the haue caused all that concerneth the Diuine seruice to be written and pronounced in a tongue out of vse with all nations the vnderstanding whereof cannot be attayned but in consuming many yeares great trauels and much cost to th ende to kéepe the people still in ignorance of the true way to serue God Taking good héede not to translate it into Italian lest by and by they should proue to lerned to suffer the councell of Rome to handle them as they haue done And beside all this to vse the matter so that the that vnderstand Latine should not learne to much by the lecture of the Epistles and Gospels the haue set downe an order that the shall sing thē with such a Note that those which vnderstand the tongue very well otherwise shall not vnderstand much more in that place then the ignorant people for to speake troth the councell of Rome vseth the word of God no further but so fare as it will serue for there Domination and enriching in other partes of Christendome and would be willing that whatsoeuer therin is contained importing any disaduantage to their dealinges had bine cut of fiue hundred yeares since for that they haue no néede of it obseruing therein verie well the saying of a certaine Philosopher vsed in these speaches Take heede leste in seeking to much the Heauen yee loose not the earth Which is as much to say that they must prefere earthly things before the kingdome of God As we sée the Italians doe interpreting or reading Gods commandements when the cutof the defences made in the law of God againste Images whereof one is not to make Images another not to bow downe to them and the third not to worship them Would they euer do this thinke you but that they foresée that the true vnderstanding of this commandement wold coole fréeze the zeale of those that bring offrings to the worshipping of their Images with the which they licke their lippes full swéetly But they will not I warrant you peruert or misconster this article Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church All the world shall heare what these wordes signifie they will want no Trumpets for the matter that they may therby be Dominators and Kings and fetch in mony by Cart lodes to Rome such force and vertue haue those wordes so sure a staffe vnto them is the rocke of S. Peter Sée then this is one mean most ingeniously inuented to containe the people within the obedience of the Romane Councell Cap. 27. A second meane that they haue to keep men in their seruice still BVt iudging that to be a sufficient remedy to withhold learned men who by reading of the holie scriptures by true contemplation of thinges created by the handie worke of God and by the great harmony of both these ioyned togither should be brought to the knowledge of the Creator and to the true seruice conuenient for his holie name and so fall to be opinatiue reiecting the Italian Domination and by such meanes shake their so sure gouernment make it totter a litle Against whom being men well armed with sound arguments it were a most dangerous thing for the Italians and their suppostes to deale by way of disputations yet sée they haue defenses ramparies to let them for making any breach in their Domination First to make them hold their tongues no more but to giue them some fat benefice some Abbey or Priory and to schoole them a litle with this lesson that the veritie which they saie they know is but poore and bare god wot wearing but a thrid bare coate neuer able to make a man rich as it was apparant indéed in him who was the Veritie it self hauing no place to hide his head in that beside it had the world all Kings and Princes of the earth for enemy On the other side he that wold be employed for Rome she had to command all ouer y e world and had the bestowing of Bishoppricks Abbies Priories and Parsonages to aduance and make happie all those that imbraced their part Now of a great number few or none stand out with them but are ouercome with such temptations if there be any that will not yéeld to them we sée by and by that the Bishops and their Officials haue them in chace and do their vttermost to inflame the Magistrate against them to put them to death as did the Priests of the old law against Helias Ieremias and the rest of the Prophets their successors against Christ But if the Magistrates chance to wincke at them the Councell of Rome hath caused Ecclesiasticall Counsellers to bee admitted into all Courtes of Parlament to aduise stire vp and inflame all Presidents Proctors of the King and all other councellours to make open warre with fire and sword against such people not without sore charge to the Iudges to looke vnto them menacing their negligence herein with double punishment By reason whereof it shal be heard for them to escape their handes Whereby appeareth how great the carnall wisedome of this nation is to maintaine and hold fast their reuenues and Domination Cap. 28. The third meane whereby they fortifie thēselues with the Forces of three of the most mightiest in al Christēdome NOt to
of how great miseries troubles calamities warres quarrels diuisions and hatreds should Christians haue saued deliuered themselues But at the least we shal be preserued in time to come by experience of these oppressions that are past which cannot chuse but be to our great good and profit Cap. 40. That the Councell of Italy neuer made conscience to cut off the authoritie of the Pope when they smelt that there was any thing for them to be gained WHen we come then to remember how they make the people belieue that the Church cannot stand without an vniuersall Bishop who without euer looking to that which might follow thereupon allowed verie well of all that They incontinent hauing this aduantage made him proper to themselues by such deuise haue vsurped a domination ouer all the world prepared a way to fetch great summes of money out of all parts of Christendome vnder the name and authoritie of this their Bishop Whose authoritie notwithstanding they neuer make conscience to abridge when they smell any profit for themselues how did they practise in the great Pardons which were sent abroad in the time of Charles the eight and Lewes the twelfth by the which generall remission of all sinnes was giuen and Paradice opened to all those that would go in pilgrimage to Rome Wherein I say that they did limit and restraine the power of their Bishop for being vniuersal as they maintain so also is his power extended ouer all and not restrained or tied within Rome Wherefore did they this then but for a fine deuise to enrich their Citie by the concourse of diuers straunge peoples who flocked thither from all partes of the world to go into Paradice preferring by this meane the inuentions of men before the commandements and decrées of God and the way that he sheweth them to attaine to heauen This is an euident token that this nation being most subtill measureth all things as they sée they may turne her to profite and augment her authoritie Cap. 41. That other kingdomes may create and constitute Popes within themselues because the Italians refuse their Pope of Rome to be common to all NOw if there had béen in other nations any craft or sutiltie any thing néere like to that of Italy after they had perceiued how by this prerogatiue they were brought vnder the iurisdiction of the Italians and dreyned of their money by this country if they had straight pretended that the vniuersall Bishop ought as well to visit and be resident among other nations and principall parts of Christendome as at Rome and in case the Italians wold not consent to haue told them plaine that euerie nation should haue procéeded to the election of an other in euerie seuerall countrie as the Frenchmen for their part who held that the Gospell was first brought vnto them by S. Dennis and that therefore he is their Apostle to constitute the Sea of their Bishop at the Temple of S. Dennis for France and for Spaine at S. Iames Church in Gallitia so in like manner for other nations And in case hereupon they should enter into choller and storme at this they might be answered that S. Panl did admonish the Corinthes to follow him euen as he imitated Christ And in good faith it is honour inough for these Romish maisters in imitating them to establish the like order gouernment as they allow best of among themselues for truth it is that the true manner of honouring and worshipping of Saintes consisteth in doing our vttermost to imitate and follow their footesteps According to this euen as they wold neuer consent to be depriued of their Pope without whom they cannot beare sway in the world and purloyne money from other nations not so quick spirited as they so in like maner if the French would looke well into their affaires it were necessarie for them also to make a Pope among themselues to serue their own turne And by the example of the Romanes they should endeuour their vttermost to raunge vnder their iurisdiction not onely a whole kingdome but also other nations more Septentrionall who are lesse ingenious then they and principally this might be effected by the Prouensals or Gascons being a people more meridionall then the other Frenchmen As for y e English although by reason of the great trafficke they haue into all partes by sea they are not a people altogither so dull spirited and grosse yet they confesse that the French haue subtilly recouered that of them by conclusions of peace which they by great victories had conquered from them before So that it is verie like by this meane that if in imitating the Italians there were a Pope constituted but in France onely yet he should haue vnder his iurisdiction England Scotland Ireland Norway Friseland and all the Netherland By this shift they might fetch in coyne from these parts after the example of the Romanes and the people of Italy who haue had a hand of such people whereas if the French had practised such conter-pollicies whereas the Italians contemne them at this day as grosse and barberous they would haue made as much of them otherwise as a nation and people as pollitike craftie and subtill as themselues might bée All which is to shewe how farre they excell vs in inuention and subtiltie of spirit Cap. 42. Arguments in defence of a Pope if there were any in France against him of Rome BUt if any obiect that the Italians would neuer endure y e for because he were first in possessiō of one only Pope I agrée well to that so they were the stronger but when we sée that many of our Kings haue passed cleare through the countrie of Italy without any contradiction and gone as farre as Naples and that those that at any time went about to withstand them were by and by ouerthrowne wee must néedes thinke that it were great disaduantage for them to deale that way but if on the other side they would go to dispute and combat of wordes to discide whether the succession of S. Peter and the lieftenancy of Christ be tyed to Rome or no we shall néede but to sende them to combat in this dispute with the Lutherians who maintaine according to the saying of Virgil that the propertie and true description of Rome is to containe seuen mountaynes thereby geuing vs to vnderstand that it is the Citye remarked in the Apocalips to be the seate of Antichrist Now in y e towne of Saint Dennis in France there is no such matter therefore such qualitie cannot be attributed truely to the Pope as the haue giuen him But some may reply y e the people would neuer beléeue so much in any other Pope as in him of Rome to that I answere that if they had made one of as subtill a preist as him of Bellouet if no man had gone about to descrye his knauery as some did he might haue easily preuailed for that poynt for there was neuer any Pope of Rome