liuing Lord within the Arke of his true spirituall and visible Churche And where is then the friuolous bragge of the Papistes which make so muche of there paynted sheath would nedes beare vs downe that this gournment of the Church of Rome which nowis hath bene of such an old standing time out of minde euen from the primitiue Antiquitie that neuer was any other church demonstrable here in earth for men to follow besides the said only Catholick mother church of Rome whē as we haue sufficiently proued before by the continual descēt of the Church till this present tyme that the sayd Church after the doctrine which is now reformed is no new begunne matter but euen the olde continued Churche by the prouidence and promise of Christ still standing which albeit it hath bene of late yeares repressed by the tyranny of Romayne Byshops more then before yet notwithstanding it was neuer so oppressed but God hath euer maintayned in it the truth of his Gospell agaynst heresies and errours of the Church of Rome as in thys history more at full is to be seene Let vs now proceede farther as we began deducing this descent of the Churche vnto the 1501. yeare In which yeare the Lord began to shew in the partes of Germany wonderfull tokens and blody markes of his Passion as the bloudy Crosse hys nayles speare and Crowne of thornes which fell from heauen vpon the garments and cappes of men and rockes of woman as you may further read in this booke pag. 816. By the which tokens almighty God no doubt presignified what grieuous afflictions and bloudy persecutions shoulde then begin to ensue vppon his Churche for hys Gospels sake according as in this history is described wherein is to be seene what Christen bloud hathe bene spilt what persecutions raysed what tyranny exercised what tormentes deuised what trechery vsed agaynst the poore flocke and Church of Christ in such sort as since Christes tyme greater hath not bene seene And now by reuolution of yeares we are come from the time of .1501 to that yeare now present 1570. In which the full seuenty yeares of the Babilonicall captiuitie draweth now well to an ende if we count from the first appearing of these bloudy markes aboue mentioned Or if wee recken from the beginning of Luther and hys persecution then lacketh yet xvi yeres Now what the Lord wil do with this wicked world or what rest he will geue to hys Church after these long sorrowes he is our father in heauen his will be done in earth as seemeth best to his diuine maiestie In the meane time let vs for our partes with all patient obedience wayt vpon hys gracious leysure and glorifie his holy name and edifie one an other with all humilitie And if there cannot be an end of our disputing and contending one agaynst an other yet let there be a moderation in our affections And for asmuch as it is the good will of our God that Sathan thus should be let lose amongst vs for a short time yet let vs striue in the meane while what wee can to amende the malice of the tyme with mutuall humanitie They that be in errour let them not disdayne to learne They whiche haue greater talentes of knowledge committed instruct in simplicitie them that be simple No man liueth in that common wealth where nothing is amisse But yet because God hath so placed vs Englishmen here in one common wealth also in one Church as in one shippe together let vs not mangle or deuide the shippe which being deuided perisheth but euery man serue in his order with dilligence wherein he is called They that sitte at the helme keepe well the poynt of the needle to knowe how the ship goeth and whether it should Whatsoeuer weather betydeth the needle well touched with the stone of Gods word will neuer fayle Such as labour at the oares start for no tempest but doe what they can to keepe from the rockes Likewise they whiche be inferiour rowmes take heede they moue no sedition nor disturbance agaynst the rowers and mariners No storme so daungerous to a shippe on the sea as is discord and disorder in a weale publique What countryes and nations what kingdomes and Empyres what Cities townes and houses discord hath dissolued in storyes is manifest I neede not spend tyme in rehearsing examples The Lord of peace who hath power both of land and Sea reach forth hys mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sincke to keepe them vpp that stand to still these windes and sourging seas of discord and contention among vs that wee professing one Christ may in one vnitie of doctrine gather our selues into one Arke of the true Church together where we continuing stedfast in fayth may at the last luckely be conducted to the ioyfull porte of our desired landing place by hys heauenly grace To whome both in heauen and in earth be all power and glory with his father and the holy spirite for euer Amen The vtilitie of this Story SEyng the worlde is replenished with such an infinite multitude of bookes of all kinde of matters I may séeme perhaps to take a matter in hand superfluous and needles at this present to set out such Uolumes especially of histories considering now a dayes the world is so greatly pestered not only with superfluous plenty therof but of all other treatises so that books now seeme rather to lacke Readers then Readers to lacke bookes In which multitude of bookes I doubt not but many doe both perceiue and inwardly bewayle this insatiable boldnes of many now a dayes both in writing and printing which to say the truth for my part I do as much lament as any man els beside and would therefore no man should thinke that vnaduisedly or with rashnes I haue attempted this enterprise as one being not onely doubtful but also both bashfull and feareful within my self for setting the same abroad And why first I perceaued howe learned this age of ours is in reading of bookes neither could I tell what the secret iudgementes of readers woulde conceaue to see so weake a thing to set vpon such a weighty enterprise not sufficiently furnished with such ornamentes able to satisfie the perfection of so great a story or sufficient to serue the vtility of the studious and the delight of the learned Which abilitie the more I perceiued to be wanting in me the lesse I durst be bold to become a writer But agayne on the other side when I weyed with my selfe what memorable Actes and famous doynges this latter age of the Churche hath ministred vnto vs by the patient suffringes of the worthy martyrs I thought it not to be neglected that so precious Monumentes of so many matters meet to be recorded and regestred in books should lie buried by my default vnder darkenes of obliuion Me thought somewhat was to be sayd of them for their well deseruing and something agayne of our partes for benefites by
in the Prologue of his Sermons And Hiereme in the 95. distinct Ecce ego And Augustine vpon this place Homo quidam peregrinus A certayne traueller ☞ The fourth conclusion toucheth the Sacrament of the aultar and is this That wholy I beleue that the Sacramēt of the aultar made by vertue of heauenly words is bread and Christes body so as Christ himselfe sayth in the Gospell and as S. Paule sayth and as Doctors in the common law haue determined To this sentence Iohn 6. Moses hath not geuē you bread from heauen but my father will geue you bread from heauen He is the true bread that came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world My father geueth vnto you bread in deed the very true bread of God is that which came downe from heauen and geueth life vnto the world I am the bread of life The bread which I wil geue is my flesh And in the Canon of the Masse Panem sanctum vitae aeternae the holy bread of life And Corinth the 10. cap. and first Epistle The bread which we breake is it not the communicating of the body of the Lord Let a man proue himselfe and so eat of that bread c. And Canon De consecratione distinction 2. Under the authority of Hilarius the Pope Corpus Christi quod sumitur de altari c. And Augustine in the foresayd distinctiō That which is sene is bread c. That which fayth requireth is bread and is the body of Christ. And in the foresayd distinction cap. Omnia quaecunque c. By these two sentēces it is manifestly declared that that bread this bee not two but one bread and one flesh Note the woordes for that he sayth the breade and fleshe And the author De diuinis officijs and also Augustine in his booke De remedijs poenitentiae why preparest thou thy teeth c. And Ambrose De Sacramentis de consecratione distinct 2. Reuera mirabile est c. This meat which you receiue this bread of one which descended from heauen doth minister the substaunce of eternall life and whosoeuer shall eate the same shall not dye euerlastingly and is the body of Christ. Note how he sayth and is the body of Christ. ☞ The 5. article telleth of forgeuenesse of sinnes is this That very contrition withouten charity and grace do away all sinnes before done of that man that is verely contrite and all true confession made by mouth outward to a wise Priest and a good profiteth much to a man and it is needfull and helping that men shew theyr life to such trusting fully to Gods mercy that he forgeueth the sinne And herto I say that there bene 2. remissiōs of sinnes one that longeth onely to God And that remission is the clensing of the soule from sinne And the other remission a certifying that one man certifieth an other that his sinnes bene forgeuen of God if he be sory with all his hart for thē and is in full wil to leaue them for euer and this maner of forgeuenes longeth to Priests Of the first maner of forgiuenesse Dauid sayth And I sayd I will confesse my vnrighteousnes vnto the Lord thou forgauest me my misdeed And Zachary sayth And thou O childe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. To geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of theyr sinnes by the bowels of Gods mercy And Iohn Baptist. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Iohn the Euangelist sayth in his Epistle If we confesse our sinnes he is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our sinnes and clense vs from al our iniquity And it foloweth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ and he it is that is the propitiatiō for our sinnes And of the other remissiō of sinnes Christ speaketh in the Gospell and sayth Whose sinnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen And mans forgeuenes auayleth litle but zif God forgeue our sinnes through his grace ☞ The 6. conclusion teacheth indulgences and pardons that the Pope graunteth in his Buls and men callen it an absolution A poena a culpa Of this maner of speach I cannot finde in the Gospel ne in no place of holy write ne I haue not read that Chryst vsed this maner of remission ne none of his Apostles But as me semeth if the pope had such a power sithē the paines after a mās death bene much greater thē any bodily paines of the world me thinketh he should of charity keep mē out of such paynes and then men needed not to finde so many vicious Priests after theyr life to bring theyr soules out of Purgatory An other thing me thinketh that sithe the popes power ne may not keep vs in this world fro bodely paynes as from cold from hunger from dread frō sorow and other such paynes how should his power help vs frō spirituall paynes when we bene dead But for that no mā commeth after his death to tell vs the sooth in what payne they bene men mow tell thereof what him lust S. Iohn sayth in his Apocalips that he sawe vnder the aultar the soules of them which were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they had And they did cry with a loud voice saying how long Lord holy and true doest not thou reuenge our bloud of them which dwel on the earth And white stoles were geuē to euery of thē to rest a while till the number of theyr felow seruaunts brethren should be fulfilled which also remayned to be slayne as they were c. Here semeth it that these soules were not assoiled a poena that is from payne for theyr desire is not fulfillen And they were bidden abide a while and that is a payne And if Martyrs were not assoyled from payne it is hard for any mā to to say that he assoyleth other mē a poena Also good mēs soules haue not but spirituall blisse and they want bodely blysse vntill their resurrection in the day of dome And after they desiren to haue that blysse and abiden it and that is paine to them And I cānot see that y◠Pope hath power to bring him from this paine But it any man can shew me that he hath such a power graunted in the troth of holy write I will gladly leefen it ☞ The vii point speaketh of the Pope and is this Sith it is onely due to God as I haue syd before to geue to graunt plener remissiō from paine and from blame that whatsoeuer he bee Pope or other that presūptuously mistaketh vpon him the power that onely is due to God in that in as much as in him is he maketh him selfe euen with Christ blasphemeth God as Lucifer did when he sayd Ascendam ero similis altissimo That is I will ascend
they shall be declared after my maner and fashion it shal playnely appeare what my opinioÌ„ iudgement is concerning all matters that I am accused of But because I am ignoraunt unlearned I wil get me vnder the mighty defences of the Lord. O Lord I will remeÌ„ber thine onely righteousnes God the father almighty vncreate the maker of heaueÌ„ and earth hath sent his sonne that was euerlastingly begotten into this world that he should be incarnated for the saluation and redemption of mankind who was coÌ„ceiued by the holy ghost euerlastingly proceeding from the father and the sonne and was borne of Mary the virgin to the end that we might be borne a new He suffered Passion vnder PoÌ„tius Pilate for our sinnes laying down his life for vs that we should lay down our life for our brethreÌ„ He was crucified that we should be crucified to the world and the world to vs. He was dead that he might redeeme vs from death by purchasing for vs forgeuenes of sinnes He was buried that we being buried together with him into death by Baptisme and that we dead to sins should liue to righteousnes He desceÌ„ded into hell therby deliuering man froÌ„ thraldom and from the bondage of the Deuill restoring him to his inheritaunce which he lost by sinne The thyrd day he rose from the dead through the glory of his father that we also should walke in newnes of life He ascended vp to the heauens to which no body hath ascended sauing he that descended from heaueÌ„ eueÌ„ the sonne of man which is in heaueÌ„ He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty vntill his enemies be made his footstoole He being in very deed so muche better then the Aungelles as he hath obteyned by inheritaunce a more excellentname then they From thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead accordingly to theyr workes because the father hath geuen all iudgemeÌ„t to the sonne In whose terrible iudgement we shall rise agayne and shall all of vs stand before his iudgement seat and receiue ioy as well bodely as spiritually for euer to endure if we be of the sheepe placed at the right hand or els punishment both of bodye and soule if we shall be fouÌ„d amongst goates placed on the left hand c. Iesus Christ the sonne of God very God very man a king for euer by stablishing an euerlasting kingdome breaking to ponder all the kingdoms of the world Dan. 2. a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech wherby also he is able euermore to saue such as by him come vnto god alwayes liueth to intreat for vs. Hebr. 7. He offring one sacrifice for our sins hath made perfect for euer by one oblation those that be sanctified Heb. 10. Being that wisedome that cannot be deceiued the trueth that cannot be vttred he hath in this world taught the will of the godhead of his father which will he hath in worke fulfilled to the intent that he might faithfully instruct vs and hath geueÌ„ the law of charity to be of his faythfull people obserued whiche he hath written in the hartes and mindes of the faythful with the finger of God wher is the spirit of God searching the inward secrets of the Godhead Wherfore his doctrine must be obserued aboue all other doctrines whether they be of Angels or of men because that he could not nor would not erre in his teaching But in mens doctrins there chanceth oftentimes to be error and therfore we must forsake theyr doctrines if clokedly or expresly they be repuguaunt to the doctrine of Christ. Mens doctrins being made for the peoples profit must be allowed and obserued so that they be grounded vpon Christes doctrine or at least be not repuguant to his words If the high bishop of Rome calling himself the seruant of the seruauntes of God and the chiefe vicare of Christ in this world do make maintaine many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is he of those that haue come in Christes name saying I am Christ haue seduced many a one by the testimony of our sauiour in Math. cap. 24. and the idoll of desolation sitting in the Temple of God and taking away from him the coÌ„tinuall sacrifice for a time times and halfe a time Which idoll must be reueled to the christian people by the testimony of Daniel Wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell When you shall see the abhomination of desolation that was tolde of by Daniell the Prophet standing in the holy place let him that readeth vnderstand and he is the pestiferous mountayn infecting the whole vniuersall earth as witnesseth Ieremy chap. 51. not the head of Christes body For the auncient person in yeares honorable in reuerence he is the head the prophet teaching lies is the tayle as Esay alledgeth chap. 9. And he is that wicked and sinnefull Captayne of Israell whose foreappointed day of ininuity is come in time of iniquity who shall take away Cidarim and take awaye the crowne Ezech chap. 21. to whom it was sayd Forasmuch as thy hart was exalted and did it say I am a God sittest in the seat of god in the hart of the sea seing thou art a man and not God and hast geuen thine hart as if it were the hart of God therfore behold I will bring vpoÌ„ thee the most strong and mighty straungers of the nations they shall draw theyr swords vpoÌ„ the beauty of thy wisedom shall defile the commaundements kill thee and pul thee out thou shalt dye in the destruction of the slayne and it foloweth In the multitude of thine iniquities of the iniquities of thy marchandise thou hast defiled thy sanctification I will therfore bring forth a fire from the midst of the whole earth will make thee as ashes vpon earth Thou art become nothing neuer shalt thou be any more Eze. cha 28 Furthermore he is the idle shepheard forsaking his flock hauing a sworde on his arme an other sworde in his right eye Zach. 11. sitting in the temple of God doth aduaunce himselfe aboue all thing that is called God or whatsoeuer is worshipped by the testimony of Paule to Thes 2. epist. 2. chap. And in the defection or falling away shall the man of sinne be reueled whom the Lord Iesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth For euery kingdâ—â—e deuided in it selfe shall be brought to desolation He â—â—â—so besides the beast asceÌ„ding vp out of the earth hauing two hornes like vnto alambe but he speaketh like a dragon as the cruell beast ascending vp out of the sea whose power shall continue 42. monethes He worketh the things that he hath geuen to the image of the beast And he compelled small and great rich and poore freemen and bondslaues to worshyp the beast and to take his marke in theyr forehead or theyr hands Apo.
working of some of whome Ioannes Auentinus shall tel vs in his own words shew vs who they be Quibus inquit audiendi quae fecerint pudor est nullus faciendi quae audire erubescunt Illic vbi opus nihil verentur hic vbi nihil opus est ibi verentur c. Who beyng ashamed belike to heare their worthy stratagemes lyke to come to light sought by what meanes they might the stopping of the same And because they could not worke it per brachium seculare by publike authoritie the Lord of heauen long preserue your noble Maiestie they renewed again an old wonted practise of theirs doyng in like sort herein as they did sometymes with the holy Bible in the dayes of your renowmed father of famous memory king Henry the viij who when they neither by manifest reason could gainstand the matter contained in the booke nor yet abide the comming out thereof then sought they by a subtile deuised traine to depraue the translation notes and Prologues thereof bearing the king in hand and all the people that there was in it a thousand lies and I cannot tell how many mo Not that there were such lies in it in very deede but because the comming of that booke should not bewray their lying falshood therefore they thought best to begin first to make exceptions themselues against it playing in their stage like as Phormio did in the old Comedie who beyng in all the fault himselfe began first to quarell with Demipho when Demipho rather had good right to lay Phormio by the heeles With like facing brags these Catholike Phormiones thinke now to dash out all good bookes and amongst others also these Monuments of Martyrs Which godly Martyrs as they could not abide beyng aliue so neither can they now suffer their memories to lyue after their death least the acts of them beyng knowne might bring perhaps their wicked acts and cruell murthers to detestation and therfore spurne they so vehemently against this booke of histories with all kind of contumelies and vprores railing and wondering vpon it much like as I haue heard of a company of thieues who in robbing a certaine true man by the high wayes side when they had found a piece of gold or two about him more then he would be acknown of they cried out of the falshood of the world meruailing and complaining what little truth was to be found in men Euen so these men deale also with me for when they themselues altogether delight in vntruths and haue replenished the whole Church of Christ with fained fables lying miracles false visions miserable errors contained in their Missals and Portuses Breuiars and Summaries and almost no true tale in all their Saintes lyues and Festiuals as now also no great truthes in our Louanian bookes c. Yet notwithstanding as though they were a people of much truth and that the world did not perceiue them they pretend a face and zeale of great veritie And as though there were no histories els in all the world corrupted but onely this history of Actes and Monumentes with tragicall voyces they exclaime and wonder vpon it sparing no cost of Hyperbolicall phrases to make it appeare as full of lies as lines c. much after the like sort of impudencie as Sophisters vse sometymes in their Sophismes to doe and sometimes is vsed also in Rhetorike that when an Argument commeth against them which they cannot well resolue in deed they haue a rule to shift of the matter with stoute wordes and tragicall admiration whereby to dash the Opponent out of countenance bearing the hearers in hand the same to be the weakest slenderest argument that euer was heard not worthy to be answered but vtterly to be hissed out of the Schooles With like sophistication these also fare with me who when they neither can abide to heare their owne doings declared nor yet deny the same which they heare to be true for three or foure escapes in the booke committed and yet some of them in the said Booke amended they neither reading the whole nor rightly vnderstanding that they read inueigh and maligne so peruersly the setting out therof as though neither any word in al that story were true nor any other story false in al the world besides And yet in accusing these my accusers I do not so excuse my self nor defeÌ„d my book as though nothing in it were to be sponged or amended Therfore I haue taken these paines reiterated my labours in trauailing out the story again doyng herein as Penelope did with her web vntwisting that she had done before Or as builders do sometimes which build and take down againe either to transpose the fashion or to make the foundation larger So in recognising this history I haue emploied a little more labour partly to enlarge the argument which I tooke in hand partly also to assay whether by any paynes taking I might pacifie the stomacks or satisfie the iudgments of these importune quarellers which neuerthelesse I feare I shall not do when I haue done all I can For well I know that all the heads of this hissing Hidra will neuer be cut of though I were as strong as Hercules And if Apelles the skilfull Painter when he had bestowed all his cunning vpon a piece of worke which no good artificer would or could greatly reprooue yet was not without some controlling Sutor which tooke vpon him Vltra crepidam much more may I looke for the like in these controlling dayes Neuerthelesse committing the successe thereof vnto the Lord I haue aduentured againe vpon this story of the Church and haue spent not onely my paines but also almost my health therein to bring it to this Which now beyng finished like as before I did so againe I exhibite and present the same vnto your Princely Maiestie blessing my Lord my God with all my heart first for this libertie of peace and tyme which through your peaceable gouernement he hath lent vnto vs for the gathering both of this and other like bookes tractations and monuments requisite to the behoofe of his Church which hitherto by iniquitie of tyme could not be contriued in any Kinges raigne since the Conquest before these Alcion dayes of yours Secondly as we are all bound with publicke voyces to magnify our God for this happy preseruation of your royall estate so priuately for mine owne part I also acknowledge my selfe bound to my God and to my Sauiour who so graciously in such weake health hath lent me time both to finish this worke and also to offer the second dedication thereof to your Maiesty desiring the same to accept in worth tâ—â— donation thereof if not for the worthinesse of the thing geuen yet as a testification of the bounden seruice and good will of one which by this he here presenteth declareth what he would if he had better to geue And though the story being written in the popular tongue serueth not so greatly for your own peculiar
iurisdiction in which poynt this new Church of Rome hath swarued from the auncient Church of Rome which was as is sufficiently proued THe third point wherein the church of Rome hath broken and is departed from the Church of Rome is the forme of stile title annexed to the Bishop of that Sea As where he is called Pope most holy father vicare generall vicare of Christ successour of Peter vniuersall Byshop Prince of Priestes head of the Church vniuersall Summus orbis pontifex Stupor mundi head Byshop of the world the admiration of the world neither God nor mā but a thyng betwene both c. for all these termes be geuen him in Popish bookes Albeit the name Pope beyng a Greeke name deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which soūdeth as much as Father in the Syracusane speach may peraduenture seeme more tolerable as which hath bene vsed in the old time among Byshops for so Austen was called of the Coūcell of Aphrike Hierome of Boniface other Also Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was called Papa 24. q. 1. cap. loquitur dist 50. cap. De eo tamen Item Clodouaeus or as Rheanus calleth him Ludouicus first Christiā king of Fraūce calleth a certain simpler Byshop Papam Hierome also in his Epistle to Chromatius calleth Valerianus by the name of Pope likewise writyng to Eustachium and Fabiola he calleth Epiphanius beatum Papam In the Apologies of Athanasius we read oft tymes that he was called Papa and Archiepiscopus Ruffinus also Lib. 2. cap. 26. calleth him Pontificem maximum Also Aurelius President in the vi Councell of Carthage was called of the sayd Councell Papa ex cap. 4. vi Concil Carthag And before this Eleutherius Byshop of Rome writyng to kyng Lucius the first Christian kyng in this land calleth him in his Epistle the vicare of Christ. c. But that any of these termes were so peculiarly applied to the Bishop of Rome that other bishops were excluded from the same or that any one bishop aboue the rest had the name of Oecumenicall or vniuersall or head to the derogation of other Bishopps or with such glory as is now annexed to the same that is not to be found neither in histories of the old tyme nor in any example of the primitiue Church nor in the testimonies of auncient approued Doctours First before the Councell of Nice it is euident by Pope Pius the ij that there was no respect had to the church of Rome but euery church then was ruled by his owne gouernance til the yeare of our Lord 340. Then folowed the Councell of Nice wherin was decreed that throughout the whole vniuersitie of Christes Church which was now far spread ouer all the world certaine Prouinces or precincts to the number of foure were appointed euery one to haue his head church and chiefe bishop called then Metropolitane or Patriarch to haue the ouersight of such churches as did lie about him In the number of which Patriarches or Metropolitanes the Bishop of Rome had the first place The Bishop of Alexandria was the second The Bishop of Antioche the third The Bishop of Hierusalem was the fourth Patriarch Afterward in the number of these Patriarches came in also the Bishop of Constantinople in the roome of the bishop of Antioch So these foure or fiue Metropolitanes or Patriarches had their peculiar circuites and precincts to them peculiarly appointed in such sort as one of them should not deale within an others precinct also that there should be among them equalitie of honour wherupon we read so oft in the decrees of the olde Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is equall degree of thrones and of honour among priests and ministers Againe speaking of the said Patriarches or Primates we read in the 2. and 3. chap. of the Councel of Constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That bishops should not inuade the Dioces of other bishops without their borders nor confound togither churches c. Moreouer the old Doctours for the most and best part do accord in one sentēce that all bishops placed wheresoeuer in the church of God be eiusdem meriti honoris successores Apostolorum that is to be of one merite of like honour and all to be successors together of the Apostles Also he that is the Author of the booke called Dionysius Areopagita calleth all the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of equall order and of like honor c. All this while the Bishop of Rome was a Patriarch and a Metropolitane or bishop called of the first sea but no Oecumenicall Bishop nor head of the vniuersall Church nor any such matter In so much that he with all other Bishops was debarred from that by a playne decree of the Councell of Carthage Can. 39. in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That the bishop of the first seat shall not be called the Prince of priests or the high priest or any such thing And least any here should take occasion of cauilling to heare him called bishop of the first sea here is to be expounded what is ment by the first sea and wherfore he was so called not for any dignitie of the persō either of him which succedeth or of him whom he is said to succeede but onely of the place wherin he sitteth This is plainly proued by the councell of Calcedone cap. 28. Wherin is manifestly declared the cause why the sea of Rome among all other Patriarchall seas is numbred for the first sea by the auncient fathers For why saith the Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for that our forefathers did worthily attribute the chiefe degree of honour to the sea of old Rome because the principall raigne or Emperie was in that Citie c. The same also is confirmed by Eusebius Caesariensis declaring quòd excellentia Romani Imperij extulit papatum Rom. Pontificis supra alias Ecclesias That the excellencie of the Romaine Emperie did aduance the Popedome of the Romaine bishop aboue other churches c. Ex Gab. Biel. Moreouer saith the said Caesariensis Nicena synodus hoc contulit priuilegium Rom. pontifici vt sicut Romanorum rex Augustus prae caeteris appellatur ita Rom. pontifex prae caeteris Episcopis Papa vocaretur That is The Councell saith he of Nice gaue this Priuiledge to the Bishop of Rome that like as the king of the Romaines is named Emperour aboue all other kings so the bishop of the same citie of Rome should be called Pope aboue other bishops c. By these places hitherto alledged and such other many more then be here alleaged it appeareth that though these titles of superioritie had bene attributed to the Bishop of Rome yet it remaineth certaine that the said Bishop receiued that preferment Iure non diuino sed humano by mans law not by the law of God And so is the distinction of the Popes proued false where
regenerated by fayth in Christ before they begin to do any good worke of charitie or any other good deede 10. Item the doctrine of S. Paule perpending the high glory of a Christen mans state in Christ Iesus by faith first setteth him in a perfect peace with almightie God Rom. 5. Secondly exempteth him from all condemnatiō Rom. 8. Thirdly it matcheth him with aungels it equalleth him with Saints and felow citizens of heauen it nūbereth him with the housholde of God and inheriteth him with Iesus Christ himselfe Ephes. 2. Fourthly it adopteth him from the state of a seruaunt to the state of the sonne of God crying Abba father Gal. 4. Fiftly it openeth to him a bolde accesse and entraunce to the high maiestie and throne of grace Ephes. 2. Heb. 4. Sixtlye it subiecteth all thinges vnder him as ministers yea the Apostles themselues in their hiest office death life thinges present thinges to come with the whole worlde besides and assigneth him no spirituall head but onely Christ saying And you are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Cor. 3. Seuenthly it aduaunceth and setteth him in a spirituall liberty or freedome aboue all terrours of spirite rising either of Gods lawe or mans lawe aboue all dreadfull feares of sinne damnation malediction reiection death hell or purgatory aboue al seruile bondage of ceremonies mens precepts traditions superstitious vses yokes customes or what els soeuer oppresseth and intangleth the spirituall freedome of a conscience with Christ hath set at libertie And requireth moreouer that wee walke and stande stout in that liberty with the free sonne of Sara whereto we are brought and not suffer our selues any more to bee clogged with any such seruile bondage that is to meane although we must be content to subiect our bodies to all seruice to all men yet that we yeld not our spirituall consciences and soules as slaues and seruants to be subiect to the feare or bondage of any terrene thing in this world forasmuch as we are in that part made Lordes and Princes ouer all things whatsoeuer can harme or binde or terrifie vs. Ga. 4. Colloss 2. 11. Item the right vayne of S. Paules doctrine putteth no difference nor obseruation in dayes and tymes Gal. 4. Col. 2. 12. Item it leaueth all meates to be indifferent wyth thankes giuing to serue the necessitie of the body and not the body to serue them Col. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 13. Item it permitteth marriage without restraint or exception lawfull and also expedient for all men hauyng neede thereof 1. Cor. 7. 14. Item it admitteth no sacrifice for sinne but the sacrifice of Christ alone and that done once for all with bloude For without bloud there is no remission of sinne whiche onely is applied to vs by fayth by nothing els Heb. 9. 15. Item as touching the holy Communion by the letters of S. Paule to the Cor. 11. we vnderstande that the vse then amongst them was to haue the participation of the bread called the Lordes body and of the cup called the Lordes bloud administred not at an altar but at a plaine bord or table the congregation there meeting together after the time of their supper where not the minister alone did receaue and the other looked on but the whole congregation togither did cōmunicate with reuerence thankes giuyng not lifting ouer the Priestes head nor worshipyng nor kneeling nor knocking their brestes but eyther sittyng at the supper or standing after the supper According to which forme the Muscouites yet to this day followyng the old rite of the Country although being drowned otherwise in much superstition vse to receaue it after they be risen from their diner standing Experience wherof was seene here at London the first day of October 1569. 16. Item the sayde Apostle besides the sacramentall supper maketh mention of Baptisme or washing of regeneration although he himselfe Baptised but few 1. Cor. 1. of the other sacraments he maketh no mention 17. Item by the same doctrine of S. Paule no tongue is to be vsed in the congregation which is not knowen and doth not edifie 1. Cor 14. 18. Item the rule of S. Paules doctrine subiecteth euery creature vnder the obedience of Kinges and Princes and ordinary Magistrates ordeined of God to haue the sword and authoritie of publike regiment to order and dispose in all thinges not contrary to God whatsoeuer perteineth to the maintenance of the good or to the correction of the euil from whose iurisdiction there is no exemption of vocations of persons whether they be Ecclesiasticall or politicall And therfore to this office appertaineth to preserue peace to set things in lawfull order to conserue Christian discipline in the Church of Christ to remooue offences to bridle the disobedient to prouide and procure wholesome and faithfull teachers ouer the people to maintaine learning and set vp schooles to haue ouersight not onely of the people but also of all Ecclesiastical ministers to see to euery one to do his dutye to remooue or punish such as be negligent also to call Councels and Synodes to prouide the Church goodes to be faithfullye dispensed by the handes of true dealers to the sustentation of the Church of true teachers to the publike necessitie of the poore c. 19. Furthermore by S. Paules doctrine the Ministers and superintendentes of Christes Church haue their authoritie and armour likewise to them limited which armour is onely spiritual and not carnal wherby they fight not against flesh bloud but against the power of darkenes errour and sinne against the spirituall seduction and crastines in heauenly things against the works and proceedings of Sathan the Prince of this worlde in comforting weak consciences against the terrors of the deuil and desperation and finally against euery cogitation lifted vp against Christ to subdue euery celsitude to the subiection and power of Christ Iesu the sonne of God An other briefe recapitulation of the same BRiefly and in a compendious summe to reduce the whole doctrine of S. Paule in these fiue pointes chieflie it consisteth 1. First in setting foorth the grace great loue and good-will and free promises of God the Father in Christ Iesus his sonne to mankinde which so loued the worlde that he hath giuen his owne sonne for the redemption thereof Iohn 3. which gaue his sonne to die for vs being his enimies Rom. 5. which hath quickned vs being dead in sinne Ephes. 2. which so mercifully hath reconciled the world to himselfe by his sonne and also by his ambassadours desireth vs to be reconciled vnto him 2. Cor. 5. who hath giuē his owne sonne to be sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. to be accursed for vs. Gal. 3. which by firme promise hath assured vs of our inheritance Rom. 4. which not by the works of righteousnes that we haue done but of his owne mercy hath saued vs by the washing of regeneration Tit. 3. c. 2. The
publike Churches Neither doe I see howe the Heathen in those daies would haue suffered these ornaments to be vnconsumed which would not suffer the Bishops themselues to liue amongst them Notwithstanding Isidorus and Polydorus iudge the contrary Betweene this Stephen and Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was a great contention about rebaptising of heretickes whereof more hereafter Christ willing shall be saide Besides these Byshops aboue specified diuers other there were also sent into banishmēt vnder the forenamed Emperours Gallus Volusianus as appeareth by Dionysius writing to Hermammon on this wise that Gallus not seeyng the euill of Decius nor foreseeing the occasion of his seductiō and ruine stumbled himselfe also at the same stone lying open before his eyes For at the first beginning when his Empire went prosperously foreward and all thinges went luckely with him afterward he draue out holy men which praied for his peace and safegarde and so with them reiected also the praiers which they made for him c. Eusebius Lib. 7. cap. 1. Otherwise of any bloudshed or any Martirs that in the time of this Emperour were put to death we doe not read After the raigne of which Emperour Gallus and of his sonne Volusianus being expired who reigned but ij yeares Emelianus which slewe them both by ciuill sedition succeeded in their place who reigned but three monethes was also slayne Next to whom Valerianus his sonne Gallienus were aduaunced to the Empire About the chaunging of these Emperours the persecution which first began at Decius afterwarde slacked in the time of Gallus was now extinguished for a time partly for the great plague raigning in all places partly by the change of the Emperors although it was not very long For Valerianus in the first entraunce of the Empire for the space of iij. or foure yeres was right courteous and gentle to the people of God well accepted to the Senate Neither was there any of all the Emperors before him no not of the which openly professed Christ that shewed himselfe so louing and familiar toward the Christians as he did in so much that as Dionysius writing to Herman doth testifie all hys whole courte was replenished with holy Saintes seruantes of Christ and godly persons so that his house might seeme to be made a Church of God But by the malice of Sathan through wicked counsell these quiet dayes endured not very long For in processe of tyme this Valerianus beyng charmed or incensed by a certayne Egiptian a chiefe ruler of the Heathen Synagoge of the Egiptians a mayster of the Charmers or inchaunters who in deede was troubled for that he could not do his Magicall feates for the Christians was so farre infatuated and bewitched that through the detestable prouocations of that deuilishe Egyptian he was wholly turned vnto abhominable Idols and to execrable impietie in sacrificing young infāts and quartering bodies and deuiding the entrals of childrē new borne and so proceeding in his fury moued the eight persecution agaynst the Christians whom the wicked Egyptian coulde not abide as being the hinderers and destroyars of hys Magicall enchauntinges about the yeare of our Lord. 259. The eight Persecution IN the which persecution the chiefe administers and executours were Emilianus President of Egipt Paternus and Galerius Maximus Proconsuls in Aphrica Bergomensis also maketh mention of Paternus Uicegerent of Rome and of Perennius Vincentius speaketh also of Nicerius and Claudius Presidentes c. What was the chiefe originall cause of this persecution partly is signified before where mention was made of the wicked Egiptian But as this was the outward and politicall cause so S Cyprian sheweth other causes more speciall and Ecclesiasticall in his iiii booke Epist. 4. whose wordes be these but we sayth he must vnderstand and confesse that thys turbulent oppression calamitie which hath wasted for the most part all our whole company and doth dayly consume riseth chiefly of our owne wickednes sinnes while we walke not in the way of the Lord nor obserue his preceptes left vnto vs for our institution The Lord obserued the will of his father in all poynts but we obserue not the will of the Lord hauing all our minde and study set vpon lucre possessions geuen to pryde full of emulation and dissention voyde of simplicitie and faythfull dealing renouncing thys world in word onely but nothing in deede euery man pleasing himselfe and displeasing all other And therefore are we thus scourged and worthely For what stripes and scourges doe wee not deserue when the confessors themselues such as haue byd the tryall of their confession and such as ought to be an example to the rest of well doyng doe keepe no discipline And therfore because some such there be proudly puft vp with this swelling and vnmannerly bragging of their confession these tormentes come such as doe not easely send vs to the crowne except by the mercy of God some being takē away by quicknes of death do preuēt the tediousnes of punishimēt These things do we suffer for our sinnes and desertes as by the Lordes censure we haue bene forewarned saying If they shall forsake my lawe and will not walke in my iudgementes If they shall prophane my institutions and will not obserue my preceptes I will visite their iniquities with the rod and their transgressions with scourges These rods and scourges sayth he we feele which neyther please God in our good deedes nor repent in our euill deedes Wherefore the sayd Cyprian adding this exhortation withall exhorted them to pray and intreate from the bottome of their hart and whole minde the mercy of God which promiseth saying but yet my mercy I will not scatter from them c. Let vs aske and wee shall obtayne and though sayth Cyprian it be with tariance yet for so much as we haue greeuously offended let vs continue knocking for to him that knocketh it shal be opened if our prayers sighinges and weepinges knocke still at the dore with continuance and if our prayers be ioyned together with brotherly agreement c. Moreouer what vices were then principally raygning among the Christians hee further specifieth in the sayd Epistle which chiefly were deuision and dissention among the brethren For when it was spoken to them in a vision by these wordes Petite impetrabitis that is Pray and ye shall obtayne afterward it was required of the congregation there present to direct their prayers for certayne persons assigned to them by name but they could not agree and cōdescend altogether of the names and persons of them which they should pray for but were dissonant in their consent and petition whiche thing sayth Cyprian did greatly displease hym that spake vnto them Pray and ye shal obtayne for that there was no vniforme equalitie of voyce and hart nor one simple and ioynt concorde among the brethren whereof it is written the Psalme 67. God which maketh to dwell in
caused theyr bowels and flesh to be deuoured of the hungry swine This rage furye of the wicked Arethusians Zozomenus supposeth to come of this because that Constantinus before had broken them from their country maner of setting forth and exposing their virgins filthely to whom soeuer lusted and destroyed the temple of Venus in Heliopolis restrayning the people there from their filthines and vile whoredome Sozom Lib. 5 cap. 10. Of the lamentable story or rather Tragedy of Marcus Arethusius their Byshop thus writeth the said Sozomenus and also Theodoretus in his third booke in these words as followe This Tragedye saith hee of Marcus Arethusius doth require the eloquence and worthines of Aeschilus and Sophocles which may as the matter deserueth set forth and beautify his great afflictions This man at the commaundement of Constantinus pulled downe a certayn temple dedicated to Idols and in the stead thereof built vp a church where the Christians might congregate The Arthusians remembring the little good wil that Iulianus bare vnto him accused him as a traitour and enimie to him At the first according as the scripture teacheth he prepared him selfe to flee But when he perceiued that there were certaine of his kinsmen or frynds apprehēded in his steed returning agayne of his owne accord he offred himselfe to those that thirsted for his bloude whome when they had gotten as men neither pytiyng his old age worne yeares nor abashed at his vertuous conuersation being a man so adourned both with doctrine maners first strypt him naked pittifully beate him then within a while after they cast him into a foule filthy sinke from thence being brought they caused boyes to thrust him in with sharpned stickes made for the nonce to prouoke his paine the more Lastly they put him into a basket and being annointed with hony broth they hung him abroad in the heate of the sunne as meate for waspes and flies to feede vpon And all this extremity they shewed vnto him for that they woulde enforce him to do one of these things that is either to build vp-againe the temple which he had destroied or else to giue so much money as should pay for the building of the same but euen as hee purposed with him selfe to suffer abide theyr greuous torments so refused he to doe that they demaunded of him At the length they taking him to be but a poore man and not able to pay such a summe of mony promised to forgiue him the one halfe so that he would be contented to pay the other halfe But he hanging in the basket woūded pitifully with the sharpned sticks of boies children and all to be bitten with waspes flyes did not only conceale his paine griefe but also derided those wicked ones and called them base low and terrene people and he himselfe to be exalted and set on high At length they demaunding of him but a small some of money he answered thus it is a great wickednes to confer one halfe penye in case of impietie as if a man should bestow the whole Thus they beyng not able to preuayle against him let hym downe And leauyng him went their waye so that euery man might learne at his mouth the example of true pietie and faithfulnes Although the tractation of these foresayd stories persecutions of Persia aboue premised do stray somwhat out of the order course of time and place as which came neither in the time of Constantine nor be pertinent to the monarchy of Rome yet because in this present history we are in hand with the holy martirs and Saintes of Christ for as much as these also gaue such a faithfull testimony of the Lord Iesus with their bloud I thought therefore not to passe them ouer with some testimony in this our Catalogue of holy Martirs And here an end of these persecutions of the primitiue church ¶ It may peraduenture be marueiled of some reading the history of these so terrible persecutions aboue specified why God the almighty director of al things would suffer his owne people and faithfull seruaunts beleeuing in his owne and onely begotien sonne Iesus so cruellye to bee handled so wrongfully to be vexed so extreemly to be tormented and put to death that the space of so many yeres together as in these foresaid persecutiōs may appeare To the which admiration I haue nothing to aunswere but to say with the words of Hierome Non debemus super hac rerum iniquitate perturbare videntes c. We ought not to be mooued with this iniquitie of things to see the wicked to preuaile against the godly for so much as in the beginning of the worlde we see Abell the iuste to bee killed of wicked Cain And afterward Iacob being thrust out Esau to reigne in his fathers house In like case the Egyptians with bricke and tyle afflicted the sonnes of Israel Yea and the Lorde himselfe was hee not crucified of the Iewes Barrabas the thief being let go Time would not suffise me to recite recken vp how the godly in this world go to wracke the wicked flourishing and preuailing Hiero. Briefly howsoeuer the cause hereof proceedeth whetherfor our sins here in this life or how else soeuer yet this is to vs may be to all men a sufficient stay that we are sure these afflictions and persecutions of God his people in this worlde not to come by any chaunce or blinde fortune but by the prouydent appointment and forewarning of God For so in the old law by the affliction of the children of Israell he hath prefigured these persecutions of his Christians So by the words of Christes owne mouth in the Gospell he did forwarne his church of these troubles to come Again neither did he suffer these so great afflictions to fall vpon hys seruaunts before that he had premonished them sufficientlye by speciall Reuelation in the Apocalips of Iohn his seruaūt in the which Apocalips he declared vnto his church before not onely what troubles were comming at hande toward them where and by whome they shoulde come but also in playne number if the wordes of the prophecye be well vnderstoode assygneth the true tyme howe longe the sayde persecutions shoulde continue and when they shoulde cease For as there is no doubte but by the beast with seauen heades bearing the whoore of Babylon dronken wyth the bloude of Saintes is signified the Citie of Rome So in my iudgement the power of making fortie two moneths in the thirteene of the Apocalips is to bee expounded taking euery Moneth for a Sabboth of yeares that is reckonyng for seauen yeares a moneth so that forty and two such Sabbots of yeares being gathered togither make vppe the yeres iust betweene the time of Christes death to the last yeare of the persecution of Maxentius when Constantinus fyghting vnder the banner of Christ ouercame him and made an ende of all
sunne beames Item in making whole the altarstone of Marble brought from Rome Ite in drawing a length one of the timber peces which wente to the building of the temple in Malmesbery Item in sauing the Mariners at douer c. As concerning these and such other myracles which William Malmesbery to hym attributeth I can not consent to him therein but thynke rather the same to be Monkishe deuises forged vpon their Patrons to maintaine the dignitie of their Houses And as the Authour was deceaued no doubt in beleuing such fables himselfe so maye he likewise deceaue vs through the dexteritie of his style and fyne handling of the matter but that father experience hath taught the worlde nowe a dayes more wisedome in not beleuing such practises this Aldelmus was Byshoppe of Schyrborne which sea after was vnited to the sea of Winton In which Church of Winchester the like miracles also are to be read of Byshop Adelwod and S. Swithune whom they haue canonized likewise for a Saint Moreuer neare about the xxv yeare of Iue by the report of Bede S. Iohn of Beuerley which was then Byshop of Yorke died and was buried at the porche of the Minster of Deirwod or Beuerley In the which portch it is recorded in some Chronicles that as the said Iohn vpon a time was praying being in the portch of S. Michaell in Yorke the holy Ghost in the similitude of a Doue sat before him vpon the altar in brightnes shining aboue the sunne This brightnes being sene of other first commeth one of his Deacons running vnto the portche who beholding the Bishop their standing in his praiers and all the place replenished with the holy ghost was strokeÌ„ with the light therof hauing al his face burnt as it were with hote burning fire Notwithstanding the Bishop by and by cured the face of his Deacon againe charging him as the storye saith not to publishe what hee had seene duryng hys lyfe time c. which tale semeth as true as that we read about the same time done of S. Egwyne in Polychron Abbot of Eusham and Byshop of Worcester then called Wyctes who vpon a time when he had fettered both his feete Inyrons fast locked for certaine sinnes done in his youth and had cast the key therof in the sea afterward a fish brought the key againe into the ship as he was saying homeward from Rome But to leaue these Monkishe phantasies and returne into the right course againe of the story In the time of this foresaide Iue began first the right obseruing of the Easter day to be kept of the Pictes and of the Britaines In the obseruation of which day as is largely set foorth in Bede and Polychron Lib. 5. cap. 17. and 22. three thinges are necessary to be obserued the full Moone of the first Moneth that is of the month of March Secondly the Dominical Letter Thirdly the Equinoctiall day which Equinoctiall was wont to be counted in the East church and especially among the Egiptians to bee about the 17. daye of Marche So that the full Moone either vppon the Equinoctiall day or after the Equinoctiall day being obserued the next dominicall day following that full moone is to be taken for Easter day Wherin is diligeÌ„tly to be noted two thinges First the fulnes of the Moone must be perfectly ful so that it be the beginning of the third weke of the mooue which is the 14. or 15. day of the moone Secondly is to be noted that the said perfect fulnes of the moone beginnyng the thirde weeke must happen either in the very euening of the Equinoctial day or after the Equinoctial day For els if it happen either on the Equinoctiall day before the euening or before the Equinoctial day then it belongeth to the last moneth of the last yeare and not to the first moneth of the first yeare and so serueth not to be obserued This rite and vsage in keping Easter day being receiued in the Latin church began now to take place amoÌ„g the Pictes Britaines through the busie trauaile of Theodorus Cuthlacus but namelye of Elbert the holy Monke as they terme him and of Colfrid Abbot of Sirwin in Northumberlande which wrote to Narcanus or Naitonus the King of Pictes concerning the same who also among other thinges writeth of the shauen crownes of Priestes saying that it was as necessary for the vow of a MoÌ„ke or degre of a Priest to haue a shauen crowne for restrainte of their lustes as for any Christen man to blesse him against spirits when they come vpon him Bede Lib. 5. The coppy of which letter as it is in Bede I haue here annexed not for any great reason therin conteined but only to delite the Reader with some pastime in seing the fond ignorance of that Monkish age the copy of the letter thus proceedeth ¶ Of the shauing of Priestes out of the fift booke of Beda the xxi chap. COncerning the shauing of Priests wherof you wryte also vnto me I exhort you that it be decently obserued according to the Christian faith We are not ignorant that the Apostles were not al shauen after one maner neither doth the Catholicke Church at this day agree in one vniforme maner of shauing as they do in faith hope and charity Let vs consider the former time of the Patriarches and we shall finde that Iob an example of patience euen in the very point of his afflictions did shaue his head and he proueth also that in the time of his prosperitye he vsed to let his heare grow And Ioseph an excellent Doctour executor of chastity humilitie pietie and other vertues wheÌ„ he was deliuered out of prison seruitude was shauen wherby it appeareth that whilst he abode in prisoÌ„ he was vnshauen Behold doth these being men of god did vse an order in the habite of their body one contrary to the other whose consciences notwithstanding within did wel agree in the like grace of vertues But to speake truely and â—rely the difference of shauing hurteth not such as haue a pure faith in the Lord sincere charity towardes their neighbor especially for that there was neuer any controuersie amongst the Catholike fathers about the diuersitie thereof as there hath beene of the difference of the celebration of Easter and of faith But of all these shauinges that wee fynde either in the Churche or els where there is none in mine opinion so much to be followed embraced as that which he vsed on his head to whoÌ„ the Lord said thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hel shall not preuaile against it I will gyue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And contrarywise there is no shauing so much to be abhorred and detested as that which he vsed to whom the same S. Peter said thy money bee with thee to thy destruction because thou
Anselme with maried priestes were runing verses made to helpe the matter withall when reason coulde not serue Which verses for the folly therof I thought here to annexe O malè viuentes versus audite sequentes Vxores vestras quas odit summa potestas Linquite propter eum tenuit qui mortetro phaeum Quod si non facitis inferna claustra petetis Christi sponsa iubet ne praesbyter ille ministrer Qui tenet vxorem domini quia perdit amorem Contradicentem fore dicimus insipientem Non ex rancore loquor haec potius sed amore About the end of the third yere of this king which was the computation of our Lord 1103. a variance fell betweene king Henry and Anselme the occasion whereof was this Ye heard a little before how Henry the foresaid king had of his owne authority inuested 2. bishops our Roger which was his Chauncelour bishop of Salisbury and another Roger bishop of Herford Besides them diuers also he invested and diuers other like things tooke he vpon him in the ecclesiastical state which he might lawfully doe Gods worde allowing wel the same but because it was restrained by the bishop of Rome for him so to doe this Anselme swelled fretted and waxed so mad that he woulde neither consent to it neither yet confirme them nor communicate nor talke frēdly with them whome the king had instituted and inuested but opprobriously called them abortiues or children of destruction disdainefully rebuking the gentle king as a defiler of Religion and polluter of their holy ceremonies as witnesseth Polydorus With thys vncomely outrage the King was much displeased as he myght full well and required Gerard the Archbishop of Yorke as he ought him allegeance to consecrate them who wythout delay did so well performing the same saning that one William Gifford to whom the king had geuen the Bishoprike of Winchester refused to take his consecration by the hands of the Archbishop of Yorke For the which cause the King worthely with him offended depriued him both of bishoprike and goods and banished him the realme Moreouer the king required of Anselmus the Archb. of Canterbury to do vnto him homage after the maner of his auncetours as witnesseth Guliel de gestis pontif Anglo Also it was asked of the sayde Anselme whether that yee wold be with the king in geuing inuestures as Lanfrancus his predecessor was with his father To whome Anselme said that he promised not in any time that he would enter into this order to kepe the law or custome of his father as Lanfrancus did Moreouer as cōcerning homage to be done to the King that he refused alledging the Censures of the Popes excommunication whom his councel of Rome a little before had geuen foorth open sentence of excommunication vpon all such lay persons whatsoeuer they were that shoulde from hencefoorth conferre or geue any spirituall promotions also vpon them that receiued them at their hands either yet should consecrate any suche receiuers Moreouer he accursed at them that for benofices or other Ecclesiasticall promotions shoulde subiect themselues vnder the homage or seruice of any great mā king Prince Duke or Erle of the laitie For it was vnseemely sayd the Pope and a thing very execrable that the hands which were conuerted into so high working as was grāted to no Angell that is to create him with their Crosses which created all and to offer vp the same before the sighte of the father for the saluation of the whole world shoulde be brought to such a slauerie as to be subiect to those filthye hands which both day and night are polluted in shamefull touchings robberies and bloudshed c. This decree of Pope Urban Anselmus alleaging for himselfe denyed to subiect himself to the kings homage fearing as he said the Popes excommunication Upō this messengers were sent to Rome on both partes vnto the Pope then paschalis who stoutly standing to the steps and determinations of Urbane his predecessor woulde in no case decide to the kings inuesting In the meane time while there was long disputation on both sides for inuesting the nobles of the realme cōtended that inuestings did belōg to the kings dignity wherfore the King calling for Anselmus againe required him either to do homage to him or els to voide his kingdome To whom Anselmus replying again required the popes letters to be brought forth and according to the tenor thereof so the matter to be decided For now the messēgers were returned from Rome with the Popes answer altogether bearing with Anselmus Then sayde the king what haue I to do with the Popes letters I wil not forgo the liberties of my kingdome for any Pope Thus the contention continued betwene them Anselmus sayeth he would not out of the realme but depart home to his church and there see who wold offer him any violence and so did Not long after message came from the King to Anselme requesting him after a gentle sort to repaire to the Kings presence againe to set an ende of the controuersie begun whereunto Anselme graunted and came Then were newe Ambassadours sent againe to the Pope that he woulde something qualifie and moderate or rather abolish the streitnesse of the Romaine decree before mentioned On the part of Anselmus went two monkes Baldwinus and Alexander On the kings behalfe were sent two bishops Robert bishop of Lichfield and Herbert bishop of Norwich to the kings letters wrytten vnto the Pope containing in forme as followeth Patri venerabili Paschali summo pontifici Henricus dei gratia rex Anglorum Salutem Promotioni vestrae in sedem sanctae Romanae ecclesiae plurimum congaudeo petens vt amicitia quae patri meo cum antecessoribus vestris suit inter nos quoque illibata permaneat Vnde vt dilectio benignitas a me videatur sumere initium beneficium quod ab antecessoribus meis beatus Petrus habuit vobis mitto eosque honores eam obedientiam quam tempore patris mei antecessores vestri in regno Angliae habuerunt tempore meo vt habeatis volo eo videlicet tenore vt dignitatis vsus consuetudines quas pater meus tēpore antecessorum vestrorum in regno Angl. habuit ego tempore vestro in eodem regno meo integrè obtineam Notumque habeat sanctitas vestra quod me viuente deo auxiliante dignitates vsus regni Angl. non minuentur Et si ego quod absit in tanta me deiectione ponerem optimates mei imo totius Angl. populus id nullo modo pateretur Habita igitur charissime pater vtillori deliberatione ita se erga nos moderetur benignitas vestra ne quid inuitus faciam a vestra me cogatis recedore obedientia In English To the reuerende father Paschal the chiefe bishop Henrie by the grace of God king of England greeting For this your promotion into the see of the holy Church of Rome
honor of the holy Martyr S. Steuen to keepe him from the hands of his enemies that day When the morrow was come beyng Tuesday there came to hym the Bishops Prelates counsailyng and perswadyng hym couertly by insinuation for apertly they durst not that he would submit hymselfe with all hys goodes as also his Archbishoprike to the wyll of the kyng if peraduenture his indignation by that meanes myght swage Adding moreouer that vnlesse he would so do periury would be layd agaynst hym for that he beyng vnder the othe of fidelitie to keepe the kyngs lawes and ordinaunces now would not obserue them To this Becketh the Archbishop answereth again Brethren ye see and perceyue well how the world is set agaynst me and how the enemy riseth and seeketh my confusion And although these things be dolorous and lamētable yet the thing that grieueth me most of all is this the sonnes of mine owne mother be pricks thornes agaynst me And albeit I do holde my peace yet the posteritie to come will know and report how cowardly you haue turned your backs and haue left me your Archbishop Metropolitane alone in this conflict And how you haue sittē in iudgemēt against me although vnguilty of crime now ii dayes together and not that only in the ciuil spirituall court but also in the temporal court ready to doe the same But in generall this I charge and command by the vertue of pure obedience and in peril of your order that ye be present personally in iudgement against me And that yee shal not faile so to do I here appeale to our mother the refuge of all such as be oppressed the church of Rome and if any secular men shall lay hands vpon me as it is rumord they will I straightly enioyne and charge you in the same vertue of obedience that you exercise your cēsure ecclesiastical vpon them as it becommeth you to doe for a father an Archbishop And this I doe you to vnderstande that though the world rage the enemy be fierce and the body trembleth for the flesh is weake yet God so fauoring me I will neither cowardly shrinke nor vily forsake my flock committed to my charge c. But the bishop of London contrary to this commandement of the archbishop did incōtinent appeale frō him And thus the bishops departed from him to the court saue only two Henry Winchester and Ioceline of Salisburie who returned with him secretly to his chamber and comforted him This done the Archbishop which yesterday was so sore sick that he could not stirre out of his bed now addresseth him to his masse of S. Steuen with all solemnity as though it had bene an hie festiual day with his Metropolitane Pall which was not vsed but vpon the holy day to be worne c. The office of his masse began Sederunt principes aduersum me loquebantur that is Princes sate and spake against me c. the kings seruauntes being also there and beholding the matter For this masse Gilbert bishop of London accused Becket afterward both for that it was done per artem magicam in cōtemptum regis as the wordes of Houeden purport that is both by arte magike and in contempt of the king c. The masse being ended the Archbyshop putting of his pall his miter and other robes procedeth to the kings Court but yet not trusting peraduenture so greatly to the strength of his masse to make the matter more sure he taketh also the sacrament priuily about him thinking thereby himselfe sufficiently defenced against al bugs In going to the kings chamber there to attend the kings comming as he was entring the dore he taketh from Alexander his crosier the crosse with the crosse staffe in the sight of al that stoode by and carieth it in himselfe the other Bishops following him saying he did otherwise then became him Amongst other Robert bishop of Hereford offred himselfe to beare his crosse rather then he shoulde so doe for that it was not comely but the Archbish. woulde not suffer him Then sayde the bishop of London to him if the king shall see you come armed into his chamber perchaunce hee will drawe out his sworde against you which is stronger then yours and then what shal this your armour profite you The Archb. aunswereth againe if the kings sworde do cut carually yet my sword cutteth spiritually striketh down to hell But you my lord as you haue plaid the foole in this matter so you will not yet leaue of your folly for any thing I can see and so he came into the chamber The king hearing of his comming and of the maner thereof taryed not long but came where Becket was set in a place by himself with his other Bishops about him First the crier called the prelates and all the lordes of the temporaltie together That being done and euery one placed in his seate according to his degree the king beginneth with a great complaint against the Archb. for his maner of entring into the court not as sayeth he a subiect into a kings court but as a traitor shewing himself in such sort as hath not ben sene before in any christen kings court professing christiā faith To this all there present gaue witnes with the king affirming him alwaies to be a vain a proud man and that the shame of his fact did not only redound against the prince himself but also against his whole realme Moreouer they sayde that this had so happened to the king for that he had done so much for such a beast aduauncing him so highly in such a place and roume next vnder himself And so altogether with one crie called him traitor on euery side as one that refused to geue terrene honour to the king in keeping as he had sworne his lawes and ordinaunces at whose handes also he had receiued such honour and great preferments and therefore was well worthy sayde they to be hādled like a periured traitor and rebell Wherupon great doubt and feare was what should befall vpon hym The Archb. of Yorke comming downe to his men said he could not abide to see what the archb of Cant. was like to suffer Likewise the Tipstaues and other ministers of the assemblie comming downe with an outcrie against him crossed them to see his hauty stubburnnesse and the busines there was about him Certaine there were of his disciples sitting at his feete comforting him softly and bidding him to lay his curse vppon them Other contrary bidding him not to curse but to pray and to forgeue them and if he lost his life in the quarell of the church and the liberty therof he should be happy Afterwarde one of them named Ioannes Stephani desired to speake something in his care but could not be suffred by the kings Marshal who forbade that no man should haue any talke with him Then he because he could not otherwise speake to
not be found geuyng certificate thereof aud excommunicatyng c. 7. Item that the sayd prouinciall or his Friers should haue full power to absolue those that were excommunicated which wittyngly had done any fraude touchyng the collection aforesayd so that the sayd persons did make due satisfaction to the deputies aforesayd Ex Math. Pariens fol. 205. What man hauing eyes is so blinde which seeth not these execrable dealings of the Pope to be such as woulde cause any nation in the world to do as the wise Grecians did and perpetually to abrenounce the Pope and well to consider the vsurped authority of that sea not to be of God But such was the rude dulnesse then of miserable England for lacke of learning godly knowledge that they feeling what burdens were laide vpon them yet would play still the asse of Balaam or els the horse of Esope whych receiuing the bridle once in his mouth could afterward neither abide his owne miserie nor yet recouer libertie And so it faâ—ed with England vnder the popes thraldome as partly by these stories aboue hath ben declared partly by other in like case following is to be seene For so it followeth in the history of the sayd Matth. Paris howe the Pope taking more courage by hys former abused boldnesse perceiuing what a tame asse he had to ride vpon ceased not thus but directed a new precept the same yeare 1246. to the Prelates of England commaunding by the authoritie Apostolike yâ— all beneficed men in the realme of England which were Resident vppon their benefices should yeld to the Pope the third part of their goodes and they which were not resident should geue the one halfe of their goods and that for the space of 3. yeres together with terrible comminations to all them that did resist and euer with this clause wyth all Non obstante whych was like a key that opened all locks Which summe cast together was found to amount to lx M. pounds which summe of mony could scarce be found in all England to paie for King Richardes raunsome Paris fol. 207. The execution of this precept was committed to the bishop of London who coÌ„ferring about the matter with hys brethren in the Church of Paules as they were busily consulting together and bewailing the importable burthen of this contribution which was impossible for them to sustaine sodainely commeth in certaine Messengers from the Kyng Sir Iohn Lexintune Knight and M. Laurence Martine the kings chaplain straightly in the kings name forbidding them in any case to consent to this contribution which shuld be greatly to the preiudice and desolation of the whole Realme Parisiens fol. 207. Thys being done about the first day of December in the yeare abouesayde shortly after in the beginning of the next yeare 1247. about Februarie the kyng called a Parliament where by commoÌ„n aduise it was agreed that certaine Embassadors should be sent to Rome to make manifest to the Court of Rome the exceding greuances of the Realme deliuering moreouer these letters to the Pope in the name both of the Temporaltie and also of the Clergie as here followeth * An other letter sent to Pope Innocent 4. in the names of the whole Clergie and comminaltie of England An. 1247. SAnctis Patri in Christo ac Do. Innocent Dei prouidentia summo pontifici vniuersitas cleri populi per prouinciam Cant. constituti deuota pedum oscula beatorum Cum Anglicana Ecclesia c. To the most holy father in Christ and Lord Innocent by Gods prouidence chiefe bishop The whole comminaltie both of the Clergie and laitie within the prouince of Canterbury sendeth deuout kissings of his blessed feete Like as the Churche of Englande since it first receiued the Catholicke faith hath alwayes shewed her selfe faithfull and deuout in adhering to God and to our holy mother the Church of Rome studying with all kinde of seruice to please and serue the same and thinketh neuer otherwise to do but rather to continue and increase as she hath begon euen so nowe the same Church most humbly prostrate before the feete of your holinesse intirely beseecheth your clemencie to accept her petition in sparing this imposition of money which so manifold waies for the subuention of other nations by the commaundement of your holines is laid vpon vs considering that not only it is importable but also impossible which is enioyed vs. For although our countrey sometimes yeldeth foorth fruite for the necessary sustentation of the inhabitants yet it bringeth foorth neither gold nor siluer neither were able to bring forth of long time so muche as nowe a daies is required Which also being burdened and ouercharged of late daies with an other such like imposition but not so great as this is not able any whit to aunswere to that which is exacted Furthermore besides this commaundement of your holines there is required of the Clergie a subsidie for our temporall king whose necessities neither possibly we can nor honestly ought to forsake whereby he may both withstande the inuasion of the enemie and mainteine the right of his patrimonie and also recouer againe that hath bene lost In consideration whereof we haue directed the bearers heereof to the presence of your holinesse with our humble supplication to explane to you the dangers and inconueniences which are like to ensue vpon the premisses Which by no meanes we are able to susteine although notwithstanding we know our selues by all bonds of charitie to be obliged to your deuotion and obedience And because our generall communitie hath no seale proper we haue signed therefore these presents with the publike seale of the Citie of London c. Ex Paris fol. 209. The like letters were sent also vnto the Cardinals to the same effect The Pope vnderstanding these things and perceiuing that there was no striuing against such a generall consent and yet loth to forgoe his sweete haruest which he was wont to reape in Englande craftely deuised to sende this aunswere againe to the King much like to the same which hee sent before which was that although the Pope in time past vpon his owne will and pleasure to the importable greeuance of the Realme of Englande hath euery where aud without respecte through the whole lande made his prouisions in geuing their benefices vnto his Italians yet nowe the Lorde be praised that tempest sayd he is ouerblowen so that heereafter if the Pope shall graunt his prouision for any of hys nephewes or of his Cardinals they shall come first and make their instant sute vnto the king without all inforcement so that it shall stand wholy in the kings free arbitrement to doe herein what hee thinketh good c. Paris fol. 209. b. This aunswere of the Pope all be it it was but a subtile shift for the time yet neither did hee long stande to that hee had thus promised to the King For shortly after and within fewe dayes
and bridle him withall that peace thereby and loue might dwell vppon the face of the earth But alas the B. of Rome sitting in the chaire of peruerse doctrine or pestilence that Pharisee anoynted wyth the oyle of iniquitie aboue the rest of his consortes in this our time which for his abhominable pride is fallen from heauen indeuoureth with his power to destroy and vndoe all and thinketh I beleeue to stellifie againe himselfe there from whence hee fell Hys purpose is to darken and to shadowe the light of our vnspotted life whilest that altering the veritie into lies his Papall letters stuft with all vntruthes are sent into sondry partes of the world of his owne corrupt humor and vpon no reasonable cause blemishing the sinceritie of our Religion The Lord Pope hath compared vs vnto the beast rising out of the sea full of names of blasphemy and spotted like a Lyberd But we say that he is that mōstrous beast of whom it is sayd and of whome we thus read And there shall come an other red horse out of the sea and hee that shall sit on him shall take peace away out of the earth let them therefore that dwell vpon the earth destroy him For since the tyme of hys promotiō he hath not ben the father of mercy but of discord A dilligent steward of desolation in stead of consolation and hath intised all the worlde to commit offence And to take the wordes in right sense and interpretation he is that great Dragon that dath deceiued the whole worlde hee is that Antichrist of whom he hath called vs the forerunner he is that other Balaam hired for money to curse vs the Prince of darcknes which hath abused the Prophetes This is the Aungel leaping out of the sea hauing his Phials fild with bitternes that he may both hurt the sea and the lande the counterfait Vicar of Christ that setteth forth hys owne imaginations He sayth that we doe not rightly beleue in the Christen fayth and that the world is deceiued with three maner of deceiuers which to name God forbid we should open our mouth seeing that openly we cōfesse onely Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour to be the euerlasting sonne of God coequall with hys father and the holy Ghost begotten before all worldes and in processe of tyme sent downe vpon the earth for the saluation of mankinde Conceaued not by the seede of man but by the holy Ghost which was borne of the glorious virgin Mary after that suffered and dyed as touching the flesh and by hys Godhead the third day he raysed from death that other nature which he assumpted in the wombe of his mother But we haue learned that the body of Machomet hangeth in the ayre and that his soule is buryed in hell whose works are damnable contrary to the law of the most highest We affirme also that Moyses was the faythfull seruant of God and a true teacher of the law and that he talked with God in mount Sinay vnto whō the Lord sayd Rubrum c. By whō also God wrought miracles in Egipt and deliuered the law written to the Israelites that afterwards with the elect he was called to glory In these and other thinges our enemy and enuier of our state causing our mother the church to accuse her sonne hath written agaynst vs venemous and lying sclaunder and sent the same to the whole worlde If hee had rightly vnderstoode the Apostles meaning he woulde not haue preferred his violent will before reason which beareth such sway with him neither would he haue sēt out his Mandates to the suggestion of those which call light darcknes and euill good whiche suspect hony to be gall for the great good opinion they haue cōceaued of that holy place which in deed is both weak infirm cōuerteth al truth into falshood affirmeth that to be that is not Truly my opinion so indifferent on euery side ought not in any case to be infringed and auerted from the fayth to such enemies of so corrupt a conscience Wherefore we greatly are inforced not a little to meruaile which thing also doth much disquyet vs to see that you which be the pillers and assistentes in office of righteous dealing the Senators of Peters Citie and the principal beames in Gods building haue not quallified the perturbation of so fierce a Iudge as doth the planets of heauē in their kynd which to mittigate the passing swift course of the great orbe or sphere of heauen draw a contrary way by theyr opposite mouinges In very deed our Imperial felicitie hath bene almost euen from the beginning spurned agaynst and enueied at of the papall see and dignitie As Simonides being demanded why he had no mo enemies and enuiers of hys state answered and sayd quia nibil falsciter gessi for because sayth he I haue had no good successe in any thing that euer I tooke in hand And so for that we haue had prosperous successe in all our enterprises the Lordes name be blessed therefore especially in the ouerthrow of late of our rebellious enemies the Lombardes to whom in their good quarrell he promised life and absolution and remission of their sinnes is the cause wherefore this Apostolicall bishop mourneth and lamenteth And now not by your councels I suppose he laboureth to impugne this our felicitie but of hys owne power of bynding losing wherof he glorieth so much he impugneth it But presently where power and habilitie wanteth to redresse there doth abuse take place We see in hym which was so mighty a king and the worthiest prince amongst all the Prophetes to desire craue the restitution of Gods holy spirit when he had polluted the dignitie of hys office But the prouerbe is Vti indissolubilia non solnuntur ita inligabilia non ligantur As thinges indissoluble are not to be losed so thinges that cannot be bound are not to be bound Which thing manifestly is proued in him For why the scriptures of God doe instruct men how to liue they mortifie our soules whiche are immortall and quicken the same whiche are dead for want of lyfe And doubtles he is able to humble and bring downe those that are vnworthy of dignitie as much as him pleaseth and when him pleaseth Doubtlesse if the Byshop of Rome were a true Byshop indeed innocent impolute and not associate with wicked liuers and euill men his life should declare him so to be He would not then be an offerer of dissentious sacrifice but a peaceable offerer of loue charity would cense not with the incense of griefe hatred but with the sweet smelling incense of concord and vnity neither yet would alter suum pontificium in maleficium That is make of a sanctified office an execrable abuse If he were such a Byshoppe as he ought to be he would not wrest or abuse the preaching of the word into the fruite and gayne of his owne dissention neither
the displeasure you doe to them as our owne and proper iniurie For why it were a great dishonour to our Realme and Kingly estate if we should wincke hereat and ouerpasse the same with silence Wherefore if you wil consider and respect the thing that we haue sayde we doubt not but that you will release the Bishoppe of Penestrum with the other Legates and Prelates of the Churche which you to our preiudice doe detaine In desiring of our aide doubtlesse we gaue vnto them a manifest nay neither could they obtain in our kingdom any thing at all which seemed to be against or preiudiciall to your maiestie Let therefore your imperiall prouideÌ„ce poÌ„der in the ballance of iustice those things which we wryte vnto you neither let our lawfull request vnto you be frustrate or made in vaine For our realme and kingdome of Fraunce is not so debilitate or empouerished that it will be spurned at or troden vnder your feete Fare ye well The rescript of the Emperour to the same letter of the king of Fraunce OVr Imperiall magnificence hath perused your kingly letters wherein if we had not founde manifest contradiction they might peraduenture haue obteined at our handes all that they required But euen as with a little leauen a whole lumpe of dowe is sowred so a manifest vntruth alleaged hath made the whole argument of your letter both faultie and vnsauerie It is apparaunt that you wanted the vertue of mediocritie in the conclusion of the same your graces letter For that they themselues bewray no lesse then we giue you manifestly to vnderstand many moe besides doth know It is notorious also and to al the world reuealed in what sort that Apostolical father hath impugned our innocencie as well with the one sworde as with the other And howe that whilest we at his commaundement tooke our iourney beyonde the seas the same our enemie and hostile aduersarie inuaded our kingdome of Sicilia and the same not in one place or two but in diuers sondry parts therof hath wasted spoiled and destroied After this when with great intreatie at our returne from Asia we had concluded a peace with him which with vs at his owne pleasure he made And had taken and receiued our deuotion for the same which in seruiceable maner we graunted him The sayde Apostolicall father that notwithstanding hath since that time rather aggrauated his displeasure towardes vs then any thing at all qualified the same and further hath to our depriuation and subuersion excogitate and deuised against vs all the mischiefe hee might or hath bene able no cause in all the worlde geuen of vs to prouoke the same And farther hath promulgated to our great defamation and shame as well by his letters as Legates the sentence of excommunication against vs vnto all nations Lastly hee aspiring to our imperiall state and conspiring our supplantation hath made warre against vs as against king Dauid Gods annointed and hath vnto a priuate Councell for that purpose called all the Prelates he caÌ„ get as one that meaneth to set the whole world together by the eares But such is the maruelous wisedom of God by whome we liue and raigne beholding the wicked purpose hee went about confounding the crafty in their craftinesse hath geuen into our hands as well your Prelates of the realme of France as also of other regions and prouinces al which we imprison and detaine as enemies and aduersaries to our Imperiall crowne and person For where there desisted not to be a persecutor there hath not wanted also a sufficient withstander defender Let not therfore your kingly highnesse maruell although Augustus detaineth in prison your French Prelates which haue indeuoured themselues to conspire and so to disturbe our imperiall estate and regiment Fare ye well When Fredericke nowe saw there was none other remedie and that in vaine hee laboured to haue peace wyth the Pope hee prosecuteth his warre to the vttermost and when he had gotten Ludertum and recoÌ„ciled the same he destroyed the towne of Geminum and Naruia and geueth the spoyle of them vnto his souldiors He gently receiued the yelding vp of Siburnum and wasteth all the countrey rounde about Rome The Pope heere with dismaied and troubled with such as otherwise dissuaded and counsailed him and that things not so well prospered with him and against the Emperour as he wished and desired being in dispaire of obtaining his purpose died for very anger and thought What opinion the Prelates of Germanie at that time had of this Gregory is extant and to be sene by the oration of Eberhardus Byshop of Iuuauence that he made to the nobilitie of Boioria in the Parliament at Reginoburgh written by Iohannes Auentinus in his 7. booke Doubtlesse he not onely brought great and ruinous calamities to the whole Christen coÌ„mon weale and also Empire whilest he sought thus to depresse bridle the Emperour aduance hiz papal sea and dignity but also brought into the church of God much horrible impiety blasphemy and wickednes wherof both Blondus Platina Baleus and others make mention And amongst others that most detestable Catilene Salue Regina in the which hee attributeth the honour and worship onely due to Iesus Christe vnto the virgine hys mother This is he in whose name the booke of the Decretals was set out which to omit the opinion of diuers other learned men Iohannes Baleus calleth it the sinke or puddle of foolishnesse and impietie Doubtlesse Charolus Molineus a man both of singular iudgement in that law which in tribunall courtes iudgements is vsed as also in this painteth foorth the decree of this Gregory in his booke of annotations vnto Platina whose woordes thereof are these Certum est multa capita in ijs mutila decurtata esse vt inuidiosum argumentum lateret c. That is Doubtlesse diuers Chapters in the same booke of decretals be mangled vnperfect that many contentious arguments therein myght lurke For when the ambitious desire of raigning lyke kings tooke them they studied nothing els but how to enlarge and aduance their See and dominion with the Empire it selfe and other kingdomes ofte shaken and weakened through coÌ„tention and this purpose and end had they and none other in al their constitutions The profe wherof Molineus declareth in his boke de regibê° Galliae Angliae But many moe examples by the Emperors Princes and Lords Electours of the Empire may be gathered wherof to speake more conuenient place shall serue hereafter In the steade of thys Gregorie was placed Coelestine horne in Mediolanum amongst the Castellians who as Blondus declareth by fained promises offred a league wyth Fredericus and the 18. day after he was created Pope he also died Thus when the author of al this conspiracy was gon Fridericus nowe thinking himselfe free and voyde of that feare which before he had and durst not be absent out of Italy with all
his indeuour leuieth an army and prepareth his furniture and other necessaries for the deliuerie of the Christians so mightely oppressed as ye heard by the Turke or Tartarians Who hearing of the comming of the Emperour left the straight way thorough Hungarie whyche they came returned by the riuer of Danubium to Taurica and so through the fennes of Meotida and by the riuer Tanaum into Sarmatia Asiatica When the Cardinals had nowe a long time protracted the creation of the Pope and would not agree vpon the same The Emperor put them in remembrance of their duty and blameth them for their disagreeing and exhorteth them to be more carefull for the christian common wealth His 2. Epistles touching this matter are extant Wherby appeareth that only for the care and desire of peace he had to the christian vnitie and state he did the same and for that peraduenture the cardinals refused to make peace with him before they had created a newe Pope The one for more breuitie I haue omitted and here the other inserted An Epistle Inuectiue of the Emperour vnto the Cardinals for that they cannot agree vpon the creation of the Pope VNto you I write Oh you children of Ephraim which euill haue bent your bowes and worse haue shot your arrowes filthely turning your backes in the day of battaile Vnto you I speake O you children of Belial and disperpled flock You insensible people and assistents of the great iudge Vnto you I wryte O you diseÌ„tious Cardinals who the world for your deserts doth hate for whose causes the whole world being at variance is euill spoken of Doubtlesse I cannot speake vnto you but to your detractatioÌ„ because I am worldly and you spiritual I am vnperfect wherfore I must do as the vnperfect worlde doth neither can the parte be dissonant to the whole nor I contrary to my selfe that wryteth Attend ye therfore my rude Epistle wanting the dignity of Rhetoricall stile My prouoked tounge brasteth foorth into wordes before my conceiuing spirit hath deliuered the same and so not attending to the higher regiment hath hastened to expres my words not fully conceiued or premeditate Thus I say troubled minde oftentimes doth beget vnordered talke and vntimely vttereth the same This therfore is that our heart hath conceiued that we beleeue and all men confesse that Iesus Christ the mediatour betweene God and man which came from heauen to make peace vpon the earth is not deuided and at variaunce being also the maister and Lorde of the Apostles But Sathan being deuided in himselfe that blustering prince is amongest you as those to whome he ministreth He euen he the perswader of discorde and dissention that mankiller father of lies and spirite of darkenesse that hath deuided your tonges and set dissention amongst your selues Neither ye doe good one to another nor yet to the world being by you in so perillous a state brought And the little shippe of Peter which is tossed vppon the sea by vehement windes you nothing regarde which shippe though it neede not in deede vtterly to feare drowning yet suffereth it by your negligence many great stormes and perillous tempests Doubtlesse if yee woulde diligently consider howe the nations and people whome ye were wont to iudge in scorne shake their heades at you euery one of you would be ashamed of an other And to say the truth they can not doe too much to detect your so detestable opporobrie for whilest euery one of you aspireth to the chaire euery one is at variance with his fellowe and whilest one of you cannot agree with another none is promoted whilest none is promoted the Cathedrall dignitie vanisheth And thus by your discorde the peaceable state and concorde of the Churche is confounded and the perfection of the faith and Religion whereby yee should liue perisheth And surely through your default it perisheth so that where as nature hath placed the sense and vnderstanding to be that partly like a monster remaineth with you both senselesse and headlesse And no maruell for why your hearing is impaired and that sounde of the mouth that shrilly was heard throughout the whole earth is vtterly dombe and become a scoffing Eccho For why the toundâ—ings of Peter and Paule are now no more heard the Preachers are become dumme dogges and are commaunded to silence Perhappes you haue handes readie to receiue but there be no bribes For why those that were wont to come from Saba and bring golde with them nowe come no more seeing the Lord is not in the maunger and the celestiall shining starre refusing to be their guide Moreouer yee want feete to walke withal for seeing there is no man to geue you ought you will not remoue one foote for any mans pleasure Fie shamelesse people the least and simplest beast may learne you obedience for the birdes haue their Captaine and the sillie Bee their King but you will come vnder no gouernment c. The Emperour yet after thys at the request of Galdwinus the Emperour of Constantinople who came to Fredericus to Parma released the Cardinals out of pryson thinking thereby not onely to gratifie the Emperour Baldwinus but also thinking that therby things would haue the better growne to publique tranquillitie on euery side When the Cardinals were all assembled at Auignia they made Simbaldus a Genues Pope whome by a contrary name for that he had determined as I suppose to be hurtfull to the common wealth they called Innocentius the 4. Of which election when Fredericke vnderstoode be was well pleased therewith And for that he had in all this troublous time bene his friend he well hoped that the Christian common wealth should by him haue ben brought to much peace and coÌ„cord Wherfore he sent both his legates and letters gratulatorie vnto him letting him to vnderstand howe wel it contented and pleased him that he was made Pope what peace quietnes therby he promiseth as it were to himselfe he maketh full relation thereof offring againe vnto him obseruaunce helpe and aide in all things commeÌ„ding his dignitie to the publique state and quietnesse of the christian common weale and Empire c. Hee also wrote hys letters to Otho Duke of Boioria who a little before was reconciled to the Emperor that he which was elected pope was a good man a louer of peace and studious as well for the tranquilitie of the christian coÌ„mon wealth as of the Empire The Legates of Fredericke also with the furtherance of Baldwinus the Emperor of Constantinople laboured very diligently for the conclusion of the promised peace And to be briefe euery man was in good hope and looked for no lesse But farre otherwise fell the matter out and contrary to al their expectations For the Pope set on and incouraged by the Cardinals and other against Frederick secretly and amongst themselues wrought contrary to that they openly pretended and not a little disappoynted both Fredericke and others of
Christ for helpe then it is ryght nowe For it is fulfilled that God sayde by Isay the Prophet ye riseth vp erlich to follow drunkennesse and to drinke till it be euen the harpe and other minstrelsies beeth in your feastes and wine But the woorke of God ye ne beholdeth not ne taketh no kepe to the workes of his handes And therfore my people is take prisoner for they ne had no cunning And the noble men of my people deyeden for hunger and the multitude of my people weren dry for thirst and therefore hel hath drawen abroade theyr soule and hath yopened hys mouth wythout any ende And estsoones sayeth Isay the Prophet The worde is floten away and the highnesse of the people is ymade sicke and the earth is infecte of his wonnyers for they haue broken my lawes and ychaunged my right and han destroyed mine euerlastynge bonde and forward betwene them me And therfore cursing shal deuour the earth and they that wonneth on the erthly shallen done sinne And therefore the earth tilyars shullen waxe woode and fewe men shullen cen yleft vpon the earth And yet sayth Isay the Prophet this sayeth God for as much as this people nigheth me with their mouth glorifieth me with their lippes and their hart is farre from me And they han ydrad more mens commandement then mine and more draw to their doctrines then mine Therefore will I make a great wondring vnto this people wisedome shall perish away from wise men and vnderstanding of ready men shall be yhid And so it seemeth that an other saying of Isay is fulfilled there as God bad hym goe teach the people and sayd go forth and say to this people eares haue ye and vnderstaÌ„d ye not and eyes ye haue and sight ne know ye not Make blinde the hart of this people make their eares heauy and close their eyen least he see with his eyen and yheare with his eares and vnderstand with his hart and by yturned and ych heale him of his sicknes And Isay sayd to God how long Lord shall this be And God sayd For to that the cities ben desolate withouten a wonnier and an house withouten a man Here is mychel nede for to make sorow to cry to our Lord Iesu Christ hertilich for helpe and for succour that hee wole forgeue vs our sinnes and geue vs grace and coÌ„ning to seruen him better here after And God of his endles mercy geue vs grace and coÌ„ning trulich to tellen which is Christes law in helping of mens soules for we beth lewde men and sinfull men and vnconning and if he woll be our helpe and our succour we shullen wel perfourme our purpose And blessed be our Lorde God that hideth his wisdome from wise men and fro ready men and teacheth it to small children as Christ teacheth in the Gospell Christen men haue a law to keepe the which lawe hath twe parties Beleue in Christ that is God is the foundmeÌ„t of their law and vpon this foundement as he sayde to Peter and the gospel beareth witnes he woll byelden his Churche and thys is the first party of Christes law The secoÌ„d party of this law beth Christes commaundements that beth written in the gospel and more verilich in Christen mens hartes And as touching the beleue we beleuen that Christ is God and that there ne is no God but he We beleuen neuertheles that in the Godhead there bene three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and all these three persons ben one God and not many Gods and all they beth ylich mighty ylich good and ylich wise and euer haue bene and euer shullen ben We beleuen this God made the worlde of nought and man he made after hys owne likenesse in Paradise that was a land of blisse and gaue him that land foâ— hys heritage and bad him that he should not eate the tree of knowledge of good and euil that was a midde Paradise Then the deuell that was fallen out of heauen for his pride had enuie to man and by a false suggestion he made man eate of this tree and breake the commaundement of God and tho was man ouercome of the deuill and so he lost his heritage and was put out therof into the world that was a land of trauel and of sorow vnder the feendes thraldome to be punished for his trespasse There man followed wickednes and sinne and God for the sinne of man sent aâ—sloud into this world and drownd all mankind saue eight soules And after this flud he let meÌ„ multiply in the world and so he assaled whether man dread him or loued him among other he found a man that hight Abraham this man he prooued whether he loued him and drad him and bad hym that he should offeren Isaac his sonne vppon an hill and Abraham as a true seruaunt fulfilled his Lords commaundement and for this buxumnes and truth God sware vnto Abraham that he would multiply his seede as the grauell in the sea and as the starres of heauen and he behight to him and to his heires the lande of behest for heritage for euer gif they wolden ben his true seruauntes and keepe his hests And God held him forward for Isaac Abrahams sonne begat Iacob and Esau and of Iacob that is ycleped Israel comen Gods people that he chose to be his seruaunt and to whome he behight the land of behest This people was in great thraldome in Egypt vnder Pharao that was king of Egypt and they crâ—eden to God that he should deliueren them out of that thraldome and so he did for he sent to Pharao Moses and his brother Aaron and bad him deliuer his people to done him sacrifice and to fore Pharao he made Moses done many wonders or that Pharao wold deliuer his people and at the last by might he deliuered his people out of thraldom and led them through a desert toward the lande of behest and there he gaue them a lawe that they shulden lyuen after when they comen into their countrey and in their way thither ward the ten commaundements God wrote himself in two tables of stone the remnaunt of the lawe he taught them by Moses his seruaunt how they shoulden do euery chone to other and gif they trespassed againe the law he ordeined how they shoulden be punished Also hee taught them what maner sacrifices they should doe to him and he chose him a people to ben his priestes that was Aaron and his children to done sacrifices in the tabernacle and afterwarde in the temple also He chese him the remnant of the children of Leuy to ben seruauntes in the tabernacle to the priestes and he sayde When ye come into the lande of behest the children of Leuy they shullen haue none heritage amoÌ„gst their brethren for I would be their part their heritage they shullen serue me in the tabernacle by dayes and by nighâ—es and he
Lord we axen this now for more â—eede was their neuer I doubt not gentle reader but in reading this goodly treatise aboue prefixed the matter is 〈◊〉 playne of it selfe wtout any further explication what is to be thought and iudged of this vicare of Christ and successour of Peter whome we call the Bishop of Rome whose life here thou seest not onely to be so disordered in all poynts swarâ—ing from the steppes and example of Christ the Prince and Byshop of our soules but also whose lawes and doctrine is so repugnant and contrary from the preceptes and rule of the Gospell that almost there is no conuenience betweene them as in the perusing of this complayning prayer thou mayest notoriously vnderstand Wherefore hauing no neede to stand in any further expressing of thys matter but leauing it to thine own consideration and discretion I will speede my selfe Christ willing to proceede toward the time of Iohn Wickliffe and his fellowes taking by order of yeares as I go suche thinges by the way as both happened before the said time of Wickleste and also may the better prepare the minde of the reader to the entring of that story Where first I think it not inconuenient to inferre a propheticall parable written about this time or not much before which the author morally applieth vnto the Byshop of Rome To what author this prophecie or morall is to be ascribed I haue not certainly to affirme Some say that Rupesciffanus of whome mention is made before pag. 390. was the author therof alledge it out of Froysard but in Froisard as yet I haue not found it In the mean seasoÌ„ as I haue fouÌ„d it in Latin expressed because it painteth out the Pope so rightly in his fethers colours as I thought the thing not to be omitted so I tooke this present place as most fit although peraduenture missing the order of yeares a litle to insert the same The effect of which parable followeth here vnder written In the time of Pope Innocent the 6. aboue specified this Ioannes de Rupe scissa a Fryer among other hys prophecies merueilously forespake as alledged Froysard who both hard and saw him of the taking of Iohn the Frenche king prisoner and brought forth many other notable collections concerning the perils mutations and changings in the Church to come And at what time the pope kept hym at Auinion in prison where Froysard is sayd to see hym and to speake with him the sayd Froysard hard in the popes Court this example and parable recited by the foresayd Fryer Rupescissanus to the two Cardinals to wit Cardinall Hostiensis and Cardinal Auxercensis which followeth in these wordes ¶ When on a certayne time a byrde was brought into the worlde all bare and without fethers the other byrdes hearing thereof came to visite her for that they sawe her to be a merueilous fayre and beautifull byrd they counsailed together howe they might best do her good sith by no meanes without fethers she might eyther flee or liue commodiously They all wished her to liue for her excellent forme and beauties sake in so muche that among them all there was not one that would not graunt some part of her own fethers to decke this byrde withall yea and the more trim they sawe her to be the more fethers still they gaue vnto her so that by this meanes she was passing well peÌ„ned and fethered and began to flee The other byrdes that thus had adourned her with goodly fethers beholding her to flee abroad were merueilously delighted therwith In the end this byrd seeing her selfe so gorgeously fethered of al the rest to be had in honor began to waxe proud hauty in so much that she had no regard at all vnto theÌ„ by whoÌ„e she was aduaunced yea she punged them with her beak plucked them by the skinne and fethers and in all places hurted them Whereupon the byrdes sitting in councell agayne called the matter in question demauÌ„ding one of an other what was best to be done touching this vnkind bird whom they louingly with their own fethers had decked adourned Affirming that they gaue not theyr fethers to the intent that she therby puft vp with pride should contemptuously dispise them all The Pecocke therefore aunswereth first Truely sayth he for that she is brauely set forth with my paynted fethers I wil againe take them froÌ„ter Then sayth the Falcon and I also will haue mine againe This sentence at length took place among them all so that euery one plucked froÌ„ her those fethers which before they had geuen chalenging to them their owne agayne Now this proude byrd seeing her selfe thus to be dealt wythall began forthwith to abate her hauty stomacke and humbly to submit her selfe openly coÌ„fessing and acknowledging the or her selfe she did nothing but that her fathers her honor and other ornamentes was their gifte she came into the world all naked bare they clad her with comely fethers and therefore of right may they receaue theÌ„ againe Wherfore in most humble wise she desireth pardon promising to amend all that is past neither would she at any time hereafter commit whereby through pride she might lose her fethers againe The gentle byrdes that before had geuen their fethers seing her so humble and lowly being moued with pitie restored againe the fethers whiche lately they had taken away adding withall this admonition We will gladly say they behold thy flying amoÌ„g vs so long as thou wilt vse thine office with humblenes of minde which is yâ— chiefest comelines of al the rest But this haue thou for certainty that if at any time hereafter thou extoll thy selfe in pride we will straightwayes depriue thee of thy fethers reduce thee into thy former state wherin we found thee Euen so oh you Cardinals sayth Iohannes Rupescissanus shal it happen vnto you For the Emperours of Romaines and Almayne and other Christian kings potentates and princes of the earth haue bestowed vpon you goods laÌ„ds and riches that should serue God but you haue poured it out and consumed it vpon pride all kinde of wickednes ryot and wantonnes Armachanus IN the Catalogue of these learned and zelous defenders of Christ against Antichrist aboue rehearsed whome the Lord about this time began to rayse vp for reformation of his Churche being then farre out of frame I cannot forget nor omit something to write of the reuerend Prelate and famous Clerke Richard Armachanus primate and Archb. of Ireland A man for his life and learning so memorable as the condition of those dayes then serued that the same daies then as they had but sewe good so had none almost his better His name was Richard Fizraf made primate and Archb as is sayd of Ireland First brought vp in the vniuersitie of Oxford in the study of all liberall knowledge wherin he did exceedingly profire vnder Iohn Bakenthorpe his tutor and instructor In this time the begging Friers
and diuers other I credibly heare of certayne olde Irish Bibles translated long since into the Irish toung which if it be true it is not other like but to be the doing of this Armachanus And thus much of this learned prelate and Archbishop of Ireland a man worthy for his christian zeale of immortall cōmendation After the death of this Innocent next was poped in that sea of Rome pope Urbane the fift who by the fathers side was an englishman This Urbane had bene a long wayter in the court of Rome and when he saw no promotion would light vpon him complayning to a certayn frend of his made to him his mone saying That he thought veryly if all the Churches of the world should fall yet none would fall in his mouth The which frend after seing him to be Pope and inthronised in his threefold crowne commeth to him putting him in remembrance of his words to him before sayth that where his holynesse had moned his fortune to him that if all the Churches in the world would fall none would fall vpō his head Now sayth he god hath otherwise so disposed that all the churches in the world are fallen vpon your head c. This Pope mayntayned and kindled great wars in Italy sending Egidius his Cardinall and Legate and after him Arduinus a Burgundian his legate and Abbot with great puissaunce and much mony agaynst sundry cities in Italy By whose meanes the townes and Cittyes which before had broken frō the bishop of Rome were oppressed also Bernabes Baleaceus princes of Millam vanquished By whose example other being sore feared submitted themselues to the Church of Rome And thus came vp that wicked church to her great possessiōs which her patrons would needes father vpon Constantine the godly Emperor In the time of this Pope Urbane the 5. and in the second yeare of his raign about the beginning of the yere of our Lord. 1364. I finde a certayne Sermon of one Nicolas Drem made before the Pope and his Cardinalies on Christmas euen In the which Sermon the learned man doth worthely rebuke the prelates and priests of his time declaring their destruction not to be farre of by certayne signes taken of their wicked and corrupt life All the sayings of the Prophets spoken agaynst the wicked priestes of the Iewes he doth aptly apply against the clergy of his time comparing the Church then present to the spirituall strumpet spoken of in the 16. of the Prophet Ezechiel And proueth in conclusion the clergy of the church then to be so much worse then the old Synagoge of the Iewes by how much it is worse to sell that church Sacraments thē to suffer doues to be solde in the church with no lesse iugement also and learning he answereth to the old and false obiection of the papists who albeit they be neuer so wicked yet thinke themselues to be the church which the Lord cannot forsake All which thinges to that entent they may the better appeare in his owne words I haue thought here to translate and exhibite the Sermon as it was spoken before the Pope ¶ A copy of a Sermon made before Pope Vrbane 5. the fourth sonday in Aduent 1364. by Nicholas Orem IVxta est salus mea vt veniat iustitia c. That is My sauing health is neare at hand to come and my righteousnes to be reuealed c. Esay 56. After the sentence of S. Paule Rom. 2. and in diuers other places before the Natiuity of Christ the whole world was deuided into two sorts of men the Iewes and Gentils The Iewes who wayted for the opening of the dore of Paradise by the bloud of the Sauior to come The Gentiles who yet sitting in darckenesse were to be called to light and to be iustified by fayth as is written Rom. 5. This saluation perteining both to the Iew and Gentile God promised before time to the Fathers by the Prophets to stirre vp the desire thereof in their hartes the more and to encrease theyr firme hope and fayth in the same As first in Mich. 6. the voyce of the Lord cryeth Health and saluation shall be to all men which feare my name And Esay 46. I will geue in Sion saluation and in Ierusalem my glory c. with diuers such other places like And forsomuch as hope in many times which is deferred doth afflict the soule and conceiueth wearinesse of long deferring He therefore prophesying of the nearenesse of the commyng thereof sayeth moreouer Esay 14. his time is neare at hande to come Also Abacuc 2. He will come and will not tary with many such other places mo◠So then the holy Fathers being in Limbo looked hoped that he should bring out them that sate bound and which in the house of prison sat in darckenesse as is read Esay 41. Then the time drew on in which came the fulnesse of the Gentiles and in which the Lord would declare the riches of this mistery being hidden from the world and from generations Col. 1. Wherefore the Lord in this text doth both certifye our fathers of the comming of our Sauior and doth comfort them touching the nearenesse thereof and also teacheth the iustification of the Gentils by fayth approching now neare at hand according to the words of my text Iuxta est salus mea c. Which words were fulfilled thē what time the Lord did manifest his saluation and did reueale his righteousnes in the sight of all the Gentiles And is deuided in 3. partes Of which the first speaketh of the nearenesse of his comming where is sayd Iuxta est salus c. The second concerneth the mistery of the Aduent of Christ and his incarnation where he sayth Vt veniat c. Thirdly is considered the seuerity of God his terrible reuenging iudgement to be reuealed where he sayth Vt reueletur c. which is to be expounded of his primitiue iustice whereof speaketh Amos the 5. saying And iudgement shall be reuealed like a sloud and righteousnesse like a strong stream Wherfore for our contēplation let vs receiue with ioy the solemnities of his holy vigile the word I say of God the father that is Christ. To whom it is sayd Esay 49. I haue geuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles and to be my saluation through the ends of the world Agayne Esay 46. My saluation shall not slacke c. As touching the nearenes thereof it is in these dayes opened to vs by the gospell where we read in S. Math. When the virgine Mary was dispoused vnto Ioseph before they did come together she was found with childe by the holy Ghost By this it was euident to vnderstand that our sauior ought shortly to proceed out of the chaste wombe of the virgin according as the Prophet dyd foretell saying Behold a virgine shall conceiue and bring forth a sonne c. For like as
semeth to haue no remedy but that as other thinges other kingdomes haue theyr endes and limittes set vnto them which they cannot ouerpasse 80 it must needes be that such a domination gouernment of the Church haue an end by reason of the demerites and obstinacyes of the gouernors prouoking and requiring the same like as we reade in the Prophet Ieremy cap. 8. There is no man that taketh repentaunce for his sinne that will so much as say wherefore haue I done this But euery man runneth forth still like a wilde horse in a battell And the Prophet Ieremy in the 13. chapter of his prophecy Like as the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of mountayne her spottes so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good Whereunto also accordeth that which is written of the same Prophet chap. 17. speaking of Iuda signifying the Church The sinne of Iuda sayth he is written in the table of your hartes and grauen so vpoÌ„ the edges of your altars with a penne of Iron and with an Adamant claw which is as much to say as indelible or which cannot be raced out as also Ezechiell speaking of the punishment chapter 21. sayth I the Lord haue drawne out my sword out of the sheath and cannot be reuoked Notwithstanding all these signifye no impossibility but difficulty because that wicked men are hardly conuerted for otherwise the Scripture importeth no such inflexibilitye with God but if conuersion come he will forgeue So we read in the Prophet Ionas cap. 3. Who can tell God may turne and repent and cease from his fierce wrath that we perish not And to the like effect sayth the same Lord in Ieremy cap 26 Looke thou keepe not one word backe if peraduenture they will harken and turne euery man from his wicked way that I also may repent of of the plague which I haue determined to bring vpon them because of their wicked inuentioÌ„s c. For the further proofe wherof Niniuy we see conuerted and remayned vndestroyd c. Likewise the Lorde also had reuealed destruction vnto Constantinople by sundry signes and tokens as Augustine in a certayne Sermon doth declare And thus for the third part or member of my deuision Fourthly and lastly remayneth to declare some wholesome concluding now vpon the causes preceding That is if by these causes and signes heretofore declared tribulation be prepared to fall vpon the Church then let vs humble our mindes mildely and wisely And if we so returne with hart and in deed vnto God verely he shall rescue and helpe after an inestimable wise and will surcease from scourging vs as he promiseth by his Prophet Ieremy 18. If that people agaynst whom I haue thus deuised coÌ„uert from their wickednesse immediately I will repent of the plague that I deuised to bring vpon them speaking here after the maner of men c. Now therefore for so much as tribulation and affliction is so neare comming toward vs yea lyeth vpon vs alreadye let vs be the more diligent to call vpon God for mercy For I thinke verely these many yeares â—here hath not hene so many and so despightfull hartes and euill willers stout and of such a rebellious hart aganst the Church of God as be now adayes neither be they lacking that would worke all that they can agaynst it and louers of new fanglenes whose hartes the Lord happelye will turne that they shall not hate his people and worke deceipte agaynst his seruauntes I meane agaynst Priestes whom they haue now in little or no reputation at all Albeit many yet there bee through Gods grace good and Godly But yet the furye of the Lord is not turned away but still his hand is stretched out And vnlesse ye be conuerted he shaketh his sworde he hath bent his bowe and prepared it readye Yet the Lorde standeth wayting that he may haue mercy vpon you Esay 30. And therefore as the greatnesse of feare ought to incite vs so hope of saluation may allure vs to pray and call vpon the Lord especially now toward this holy and sacrat time and solemnity of Christes natiuity For that holy and continuall prayer without intermission is profitable and the instant deuotion and vigilant deprecation of the iust man is of great force And if terreine kinges in the day of celebration of their natiuity be wont to shew themselnes more liberall and bounteous how much more ought we to hope wel that the heauenly king of nature most benigne now at his natall and byrth day will not denye pardon and remission to such as rightly call vnto him And now therefore as it is written in Iosue chap. 7. Be you sanctified agaynst to morow c. And saw vnto him as it is written in the first booke of Kinges chap. 25. Now let thy seruaunts I pray thee finde fauour in thy sight for we come to thee in a good season Moreouer ye may finde that ye aske if that ye aske that which he brought in the day of his Natiuity that is the peace of the Church not spirituall onely but also temporall which the angelicall noyse did sounde and experience the same time dyd proue testifyed by T. Liuius Plinius and other heathen storywriwriters which all maruelled thereat saying that such an vniuersal peace as that â—ould not come on earth but by the gift of God For so God did forepromise in the Prophet Esay chap. 66. Behold I will let peace into Ierusalem like a waterfloud c. And in the Psalme 71. In his time righteousnesse shal florish yea and aboundance of peace c. Therefore now O reuerend fathers in the Lord you here in this present assembly behold I say the day of life and saluatioÌ„ Now is the oportune time to pray vnto god that the same thing which he brought into the world at his byrth he will graunt in these dayes to his Church that is his peace And like as Niniuye was subuerted ouerturned and not in members but in maners so the same wordes of my theame Iuxta est iustitia mea vt reueletur may be verified in vs not of the primitiue iustice but of our sanctification by grace so that As to morow is celebrated the natiuity of our Sauiour our righteousnesse may rise together with him and his blessing may be vpon vs which God hath promised saying My sauing health is neare at hand to come c. Whereof speaketh Esay the Prophet chapte 51. My sauing health shall endure foreuer c. This health graunt vnto vs the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Amen This SermoÌ„ was made by maister Nicholas Orem before Pope Urbane and his Cardinals vpon the eueÌ„ of the Natiuity of the Lord being the fourth Sonday of Aduent in the yeare of our Lord 1364. and the second of hys Hopedome In the 5. yere of this forenamed Pope Urbane began first the order of the Iesuites And
Antechrist alledgeth the sayinges and writinges of the Uniuersity of Paris also the writings of Guilielmus de sacto amore and of Militzius afore noted About the same time or shortly after an 1384. we read also of Ioannes of Mountziger Rector of the Uniuersity of Ulme who opēly in the scholes in his Oratiō propoūded that the body of Christ was not God and therfore not to be worshipped as God with that kinde of worship called Latria as the Sophister termeth it meaning thereby the Sacrament not to be adored which afterward he also defended by writing affirming also that Christ in his resurrection tooke to him agayne all his bloud which in hys passion he had shed Meaning thereby to inferre that the bloud of Christ which in many places is worshipped neither can be called the bloud of Christ neither ought to be worshipped But by and by he was resisted and withstood by the Monks and friers who by this kinde of Idolatry were greatly enriched till at length the Senate councell of the city was fayne to take vp the matter betwene them Nilus was Archbishop of Thessalonica liued much about this time He wrote a long worke agaynst the Latins that is agaynst such as tooke part and held with the Church of Rome His first book being written in Greeke was after translated into latin lately now into english in this our time In the first chap. of his book he layeth all the blame and fault of the dissention schisme betwene the East and the West Church vpon the Pope He affirmed that the Pope onely would commaund what him listed were it neuer so contrary to all the olde auncient canōs That he would heare and folow no mans aduise that he would not permit any free coūcels to be assēbled c. And that therfore it was not possible that the cōtrouersies betwene the Greeke Church and Latine Church should be decided and determined In the second chap. of his book he purposedly maketh a very learned disputation For first he declareth that he no whit at all by Gods commaūdement but onely by humain law hath any dignity more thē hath other bishops which dignity the Councels the fathers the Emperors haue graunted vnto him Neither did they graūt the same for any other consideration more or greater ordinaunce then for that the same City then had the Impery of all the whole world and not at all for that that Peter euer was there or not there Secondarily he declareth that the same premacy or prerogatiue is not such and so great as he and his Sicophāts do vsurpe vnto thēselues Also he refuteth the chiefest propositions of the Papistes one after an other He declareth that the Pope hath no dominion more thē other Patriarches haue and that he himselfe may erre as well as other mortall men and that he is subiect both to lawes councels as well as other Bishops That it belonged not to him but to the Emperor to call generall councels that in Ecclesiasticall causes he could establish and ordeine no more then all other Bishops might And lastly that he getteth no more by Peters succession then that he is a Byshop as all other Bishops after the Apostles be c. I can not among other folowing here the occasion of this matter offered leaue out the memory of Iacobus Misnensis who also wrote of the comming of Antechrist In y◠same he maketh mentiō of a certayn learned man whose name was Militzius which Militzius sayth he was a famous and worthy preacher in Parga He liued about the yere 1366. long before Husse and before Wickliffe also In the same his writings he declareth how y◠same good man Militzius was by the holy spirit of God incited and vehemently moued to search out of the holy Scriptures the maner and comming of Antechrist and found that now in his time he was all ready come And the same Iacobus sayth that the sayd Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to go vp to Rome there publickely to preach And that afterward before the Inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mighty and great Antechrist the which the Scriptures made mention of was already comen He affirmed also that the Church by the negligence of the Pastors should become desolate and that iniquitye should abound that is by reason of Mammon master of iniquitie Also he sayde that there were in the Church of Christ idols which shoulde destroy Ierusalem and make the tēple desolate but were cloked by hypocrisy Further that there be many whych deny Christ for that they keepe silence neither do they heare Christ whome all the world should know and cōfesse his verity before men which also wittingly do detaine the verity and iustice of God There is also a certaine Bull of Pope Gregory 11. to the Archbishop of Praga wherin he is commanded to excommunicate and persecute Militzius and his auditours The same Bull declareth that he was once a Chanon of Praga but afterward he renounced his Canonship began to preache who also for that he so manifestly preached of Antichrist to be already come was of Iohn Archbishop of Praga put in prison declaring what hys errour was To wit howe he had his company or cōgregation to whō he preached and that amongst the same were certain conuerted harlots which had forsaken their euill life and did liue godly and well whych harlots he accustomed in hys sermons to preferre before all the blessed virgins that neuer offended He taught also openly that in the Pope cardinals Bishops prelates priests other religious men was no truth neither that they taught the way of truth but that onely he such as held with him taught the true way of saluation His Postill in some places is yet to be sene They alledge vnto him certaine other inconuenient articles which notwtstanding I thinke the aduersaries to depraue him with all haue slanderously inuented against hym He had as appeared by the foresaid Bull very many of euery state and condition as wel rich as pore that cleaued vnto him About the yeare of our Lord. 1371. liued Henricus de Iota whom Gerson doth much commend and also his companiō Henricus de Hassia an excellent learned and famous man An Epistle of this Henricus de Hassia which he wrote to the Bishoppe of Normacia Iacobus Cartsiensis inserted in his booke De erroribus Christianorum In the same Epistle the author doth greatly accuse the spirituall men of euery order yea and the most holyest of all other the Pope himselfe of many and great vices He sayd that the Ecclesiasticall gouernors in the primitiue Church were compared to the sunne shining in the day time and the politicall gouernors to the Moone shyning in the night But the spirituall men he said that now are do neuer shine in the day time nor yet in the night time but rather with theyr darcknes do obscure both the day
to Absolon and his talke was with Ioab the sonne of Saruia and Abiaâ—har the priest which toke part with Adonias But Sadoc the priest and Banaias the sonne of Ioaida and Nathan the Prophet and Semei and Serethi and Felethi and all the power of Dauids host were not on Adonias part This was the cause of the deposing of Abiathar because hee toke part with Adonia that he shuld be king against Salomon the eldest sonne of king Dauid wherefore it is wrytten in the thirde boke and second chapiter of the kings The king sayd vnto Abiathar the priest goe your wayes vnto Anatoth thine owne fielde for thou art a man of death but this day I will not slay thee because thou hast caried the Arke of the Lorde before my father Dauid and diddest labour in all things wherein my father laboured Then did Salomon cast out Abiathar that hee should be no more the priest of the Lord that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled which he spake vpon the house of Hely in Sylo Beholde the most prudent king Salomon according to the wisdome which was geuen him of God did exercise hys power vpon the sayd priests putting him out of his priesthode setting in his place Sadoc the priest this was a greater matter theÌ„ to take away the temporalities If then in the law of Christ whych nowe raigneth ouer vs a byshop should likewise rebell against the true heire of the kingdome willing to sette vp another for king why shoulde not the king or his heire haue power in like case to take away the temporalities from him so offending Item it is also euident by the king Nabuchodonozor whych had power geuen him of God to lead away the children of Israel with their priests and Leuites into the captiuity of Babylon as it is wrytten 4. booke of the kings 25. chapter Item it is red in the 4. boke of kings and 12. chapter How that Iosias the most godly king of Iuda according to the wisdoÌ„ which God had granted him toke away all the consecrate vessels which Iosaphat Ioram and Ochosias his forefathers kings of Iuda had consecrated and those which hee himselfe had offered and all the treasure that could be found in the temple of the Lord and in the kings pallace and sent it vnto Azahel king of Syria he departed from Ierusalem Marke how this most holy king exercised hys power not onely in taking away the temporalities of the priests but also those things which were consecrate in the temple of the Lord to procure vnto the common wealth the benefite of peace Item in the 4. boke and 18. chapter of the kings it is wrytten howe that the holy king Ezechias tooke all the treasure that was found in the house of the Lord and in the kings treasurie brake downe the pillers of the temple of the Lorde and all the plates of gold which he himselfe had fastned therupon and gaue them vnto the king of the Assyrians yet was hee not rebuked of the Lorde therefore as hee was for his other sinnes as it appeareth in the 2. boke of Paral. 32. chapter for so much then as in time of necessity all things ought to be in common vnto Christians it foloweth then that the seculere Lordes in case of necessitie in many other common cases may lawfully take away the mooueable goodes from the cleargie when they do offend Item it is also read in the 12. of Mathewe that the disciples of Iesus for to slake their hunger vppon the Saboth day pulled the eares of corne and did eate them and the Pharisies rebuked them therefore vnto whome Christ aunswered Haue ye not read what Dauid did when hee was hungry and those that were wyth him howe he entred into the house of the Lorde and did eate the shew breades which it was not lawfull for hym neither for them that were with hym to eate but only for the priests This story is written in the 1 boke of the kings and 21. chapter And the commandement in the 12. of Deuteronomie Whereby it appeareth that it is lawfull in time of necessitie to vse any thing bee it neuer so much consecrate Otherwise children by geuing their moueables to the consecration of any temple shoulde not be bound to helpe their parents which is contrary and against the Gospel of S Mathew in the 16. chapter whereas our Sauiour sharply rebuked the Pharisies that for their owne traditions they did transgresse the commaundement of God Item Titus and Vespasian seculer princes had power geuen them of God 24. yeares after the Lordes Ascension to take away the temporallities from the priestes whych had offended agaynst the Lordes holy one And thereby also berest them of their liues and it seemeth vnto many they did and might worthely doe the same according to Gods good wil and pleasure Then forsomuch as our priests in these dayes may transgresse and offend as much and rather more against the Lordes annoynted it followeth that by the pleasure of God the seculer Lordes may likewise punyshe them for their offence Our sauiour being king of kings and high bishop wyth hys disciples did geue tribute vnto Cesar as it appeareth Mathewe 17. and commaunded the Scribes and Pharisies to geue the lyke vnto Cesar Mat. 22. Whereby hee gaue example vnto all priestes that shoulde come after hym to render tribute vnto their kinges whereupon blessed S Ambrose in his 4 boke vppon these wordes in the 5. of Luke cast out your nettes wryteth thus There is an other kinde of fishing amongst the Apostles after which manner the Lord commanded Peter only to fish saying cast out thy hoke and that fish which coÌ„meth first vp take hym And then vnto the purpose he sayth It is truely a great spirituall document wherby all Christian menne are taught that they ought to be subiecte vnto the higher powers and that no man ought to thinke that the lawes of a king here on earth are to be brokeÌ„ For if the sonne of God did pay tribute who art thou so great a man that thinkest thou oughtest not to pay tribute He payed tribute which had no possessions and thou which daily seekest after the luker of the world why doest thou not acknowledge the obedience and duetie of the worlde Why doest thou thorowe the arrogancie of thy minde exault thy selfe aboue the worlde when as thorowe thine owne miserable couetousnesse thou art subiect vnto the worlde Thus writeth S. Ambrose and it is put in the 11. quest 1. Magnum quidem He also wryteth vppon these wordes in the 20 of Luke shewe me a pennie whose Image it hathe if Christ had not the Image of Cesar why did hee pay any tribute He gaue it not of hys owne but rendred vnto the worlde that which was the worldes And if thou wilt not be in daunger of Cesar possesse not those things which are the worldes for if thou hast richesse thou
retractation whereunto they by force compelled him wherby it may likewise be coniectured what credite is to be geuen to the articles and conclusions which these caueling Fryers wrasting all thinges to the worst haue obiected and imputed both to Wickliffe all other of that sort whoÌ„ they so falsly do infame so slannderously doe bely and so maliciously doe persecute After these thinges thus done and wrought in the diocesse of Lincolne it so befell the sayd W. Swinderby to remoue to the diocesse and countery of Herford where he was as much or more molested by the friers again by Ioh. Tresnant B. of Herford as by the processe story here ensuing set out at large out of their owne registers may appeare Here followeth the processe of Iohn Tresnant Bishop of Herford had against the aforesaid William Swinderby in the cause of hereticall prauitie as the popishe heretickes cal it THe glorious name of the prince of peace and his counsaile whose counsailour no man is whose prouideÌ„ce in his disposition is neuer deceaued being inuocated To all and singuler beleuers of Christ which shall see or heare this our processe vnderwritten Iohn by the subâ—erance of God B. of Herford greeting and peaceable charitie in the Lord. Forasmuch as God the creator of all things the keper of iustice the louer of right and the hater of malice beholding from the high throne of his prouidence the sonnes of men now through the fall of their first father prone and and declining to dishonest and filthy detestable mischifes and to keep vnder their malice which wicked transgressioÌ„ did first gender hath appoynted diuers presidentes of the world stablished in sundry degrees by whome and theyr circumspect prouidence mans audacitie should be restrayned innocency should be nourished amongst the good terror should be striken into the wicked not to deceiue also that their power to hurt theyr insolency should be brydled in all places And whereas amongst many kindes of cares whiche come to our thoughtes by the duety of the office committed vnto us we are specially bound to extend our streÌ„gth chiefly that the catholicke fayth may prosper in our tymes and hereticall prauity may be rooted from out of the borders of the faythfull we therfore being excited through the information of many credible and faythfull Christians of our dioces to roote out pestiferous plantes as sheep diseased with an incurable sicknes going about to infect the whole and sound flocke are by the care of the shepheard to be remoued from the flock that is to say Preachers or more truely execrable offendours of the new sect vulgarly called lollardes which vnder a certayn cloked shew of holynes running abroad through diuers places of our diocesse endeuoring to cut a sunder the Lords vnsowed coat that is to say to rent the vnity of the holy Church of the Catholicke fayth and also to teare in peeces with their teÌ„pestious blasts the power of S. Peter that is to say to weaken the streÌ„gth of the ecclesiasticall states and degrees and the determination of the same holy church haue wickedly presumed do presume from day to day to speak to teach to mayntayne and that which is more horrible to be vttered to preach openly many things hereticall blasphemies schismes and sclaunderous diffaminges euen quite contrary to the sacred Canons and decrees of the holy fathers so that they knowe not to direct their pathes in the wayes of righteousnes and trueth in that that they expounde to the people the holy scripture as the letter soundeth after a Iudiciall sort otherwise then the holy Ghost will needs haue it wheras the words wander from their proper significations and appeare to bryng in by gessing new meanings whereas the wordes must not be iudged by the sense that they make but by the sense whereby they be made where as the constructioÌ„s is not bound to Donates rules where as fayth is farre placed from the capacitie of reason But they labour by their pernitious doctrines teachings puâ— like and priuy to boyle out the poysoÌ„ of schismes betwene the clergie and the people We to encounter agaynst suche kinde of preachers nay rather deceauers and horrible seducers amongest the people aduauncing and rowzing vp ourselues in Gods behalfe and holy mother Churche with the spirituall sword whiche may strike them wisely and wounde them medicinably for theyr health and welfare and namely William Swynderby Priest so pretending himselfe to be as a teacher of suche kinde of pernicious doctrine and an horrible seducer amongst the people to whom personally appearing before vs on the wednesday to wit the 14. of the month of Iune in the parishe Church of Kington of our diocesse in the yeare of our Lord. 1391. he being vehemently diffamed to vs of heresie schisme and his peruerse doctrines both manifest and priuy we therefore haue caused many cases and articles coÌ„cerning the catholicke fayth to be ministred vnto him that he should answere to the same at a day and place for him meet and conuenient of his owne choyse and freewill that is to say on the Friday being the last of the same month of Iune next following assigned to him at the Churche of Bodenhame of the same our diocesse Of whiche cases and articles exhibited vnto vs by many of Christes faythfull people zelous followers of the catholike fayth to make information to our office which cases and articles also were by vs administred as is before sayd to the same William Swinderby the tenor therof followeth and is thus ¶ Reuerend father and high Lord Lord Iohn by gods sufferance bishop of Hereford It is lamentably declared to your reuerend fatherhood on the behalf of Christs faythful people your deuout children of your diocesse of Herford that notwithstaÌ„ding the misbeliefe of very many lollards which hath to long a time sprong vp here in your diocesse there is newly come a certayn child of wickednes named William Swinderby who by his horrible perswasions mischieuous endeuours and also by his open preachings and priuate teachinges doth peruert as much as in him is the whole ecclesiasticall state and stirreth vp with all hys possible power schisme betwene the clergy and the people And that your reuerend fatherhood may be the more fully informed who and what maner of man the same William Swinderby is there be proposed and exhibited herafter to the same your fatherhood on the behalf of the same faithful people of Christ against the same William Swinderby cases and articles Which if the same William shall deny theÌ„ shall the same cases and articles most euidently be prooued against him by credible witnesse worthy of beliefe by other lawfull proofe and euidences to the end that those being proued the same fatherhood of yours may do and ordeine therin as to your pastorall office belongeth ¶ In primis the same William Swinderby pretending himselfe priest was opeÌ„ly and publiquely
by no tribulation could they be compelled to forsake the faith Wherfore of them this seemeth to me to be vnderstanded Thē I wil bring vpon thee some of the most strongest people they shal draw their naked swordes c. By these things it may plainly apeare why at this time rather then in time past thys matter is stirred vp and why in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes the calling of the Gentiles is intreated of to the verifying of the Gospell through the disclosing of Antichrist But forasmuch as many tales and fables are tolde of Antichrist and his comming and many things whych doe rather seduce then instruct the hearers are applied to hym out of the scriptures of the prophets we will briefly wryte those things which are spoken of hym and we will shewe that the same fable sprang from the error of people imagining from no truth of the scriptures prophesying Now then they do say that Antichrist shall be borne in Babylon of the tribe of Dan conceiued of the mixture of man and woman in sinne because that Christe was borne of a virgin and conceiued of the holy ghost They say that he shall be an ill fauoured personage because that it is wrytten of Christ comely and beautifull is he beyonde the sonnes of men They say that he shall preach three yeres and an halfe where Christ preached that he shall circumcise himselfe and say that he is Christ and the Messias sent for the saluation of the Iewes And they say that he shal 3. maner of waies seduce the people by false miracles giftes and torments So that whom he shall not be able to ouercome with myracles nor with gifts those shall he goe about to ouercome with diuers kinds of tormēts And those that he shal seduce will he marke with hys tokens in their forehead or hands He shal sit in the temple of God and cause himselfe to be worshipped as God He shall fight as they say with the 2. witnesses of Christ Enoch Hely and shal kill thē and he himselfe shall finally be slaine with lightening To this imagined man of their own imagination but of none of the prophets foreshewed at least in no such wyse as this is do they apply the Prophets as this of Daniel When y◠cotinual sacrifice shal be taken away abhomination shall be placed to desolation That is say they when the worshipping of God shal be taken away desolation to wit Antichrist shall abhominably shewe foorth hymselfe to be worshipped then shall there be 1290. dayes that is to say 3. yeres and a halfe And this time doe they say is the time times and halfe a time And when it is sayde in Daniell Blessed is hee that looketh for and cōmeth to a 1335. dayes This do they say is thus to be vnderstanded 45. dayes of repentance to such as haue worshipped Antichrist whych 45. dayes added to the 1290. make 1335. daies Which dayes they that shall reach vnto shal be called blessed They apply also to thys Antichrist this saying of the Apocalips I saw a beast rising vp out of the Sea hauing 7. heads and 10. horns who had power geuē him to make 42. moneths Which moneths as they say do make 3. yere a halfe in which Antichrist shall raigne And many other things there are told and applied vnfitly to this imagined Antichrist that are not truly grounded vpon the scriptures Now let vs shew the errors of this fable First of al if there shall come such one saying expresly that he is Christ what Christian would be seduced by him though he shuld do neuer so many miracles neither shall he come after the maner of a seducer which shal shew himself an expresse aduersary Neither is it likely that the Iewes can be seduced by such a one seeing that Christ is not promised vnto them of the stocke of Dan by any of the Prophets but of the stocke of Iuda nor yet is he promised to thē to be a king warlike but peaceable taking warre away not making warre For of Christ sayeth Esay And in the last dayes shall there be prepared the mountaine of the house of the Lorde in the toppe of the mountaines and it shal bee exalted aboue the hilles and to it shall all the nations haue great recourse and manye people shal goe and say Come let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and hee shall teache vs his wayes and wee shall walke in his pathes For out of Sion shall there goe a lawe and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge the nations reproue much people And they shall turne their swordes into plowshares and their speares into sithes There shall not a nation lift vp it selfe against an other nation nor yet shall they bee any more exercised to warre And againe A litle babe is borne to vs and a sonne is geuen to vs and his Imperiall kingdome vpon his shoulder and his name shall bee called The great counsailour The mighty God The father of the world to come The Prince of peace His Empire shall be multiplied and there shal be no ende of his peace He shall sit vpon the seat of Dauid and vpon his kingdom that he may make it stedfast and strong in iudgement and in iustice from hencefoorth for euermore Zachary doeth say of Christ Reioyce thou greatly O thou daughter Sion be thou exceeding merye O daughter Ierusalem Beholde thy king shall come a righteous person and a Sauior vnto thee and yet he a poore man and getting vp vpon an asse euen vpon a yong colt of the she asse And I wil scatter abroad the chariot of Ephraim and the horse of Ierusalem And the bow of warre shal be dispersed and he shall speake peace to the nations and hys power shall be from the sea to the sea and from the floud vnto the borders of the earth By which thinges it is manifest that the wise Iewes knewe well inough Christ to be promised to them of the stocke of Iuda and not of the stocke of Dan that he was geuen all to peace not to warre Therfore it is not likely that they cā be seduced by such a one But if there should haue beene in time to come some such singular Antichrist then would Christ seing he loued his haue sayd somwhat vnto thē of him Now of one singularly doth he not speak but of many saying Many shall come in my name say I am Christ and they shal seduce many persons But now let vs see how the prophecies in Daniell the Apocalips aforesayd be falsly and erroneously applied to the same imagined Antichrist For in Daniel the ix chapter thus it is written And after 72. weekes shall Christ be slaine and they which will deny him shall not be his people And the Citie
in vs. If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and iust he will remit them and clense vs from all our iniquities If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not vs. My welbeloued children this I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world Therfore we ought to confesse our selues chiefly vnto God euen froÌ„ the hart for that he chieflye doth remit sinnes without whose absolution litle auaileth the absolutioÌ„ of man This kinde of confession is profitable and good The authors of the Canons say that although auricular confession made vnto the Priest be not expresly taught by Christ yet say they it is taught in that saying which Christ said vnto them diseased of the leprosy whom he coÌ„mauÌ„ded Go your wayes shewe yourselues vnto the Priestes because as they say the law of clensing lepers which was geuen by Moyses signified the confession of sinnes vnto the Priest And wheras Christ commauÌ„ded the lepers to shew themselues vnto the Priestes they say that Christ ment that those that were vncleane with the leper of sinne should shew theyr sinnes vnto the Priestes by auricular confession I maruell much at the authors of the Canons for euen from the beginning of their decres vnto the end they grounde theyr sayings vpoÌ„ the old law which was the law of sinne and death and not as witnesseth Paule vpon the words of Christ which are spirite life Christ sayth the wordâ—s which I speake vnto you are the spirit and life They grouÌ„â— theyr sayings in the shadow of the law and not in the light of Christ. For euery euill doer hateth the light commâ—th not into it that his deeds be not reproued but he that doth the truth commeth into the light that his workes may be openly sene because they are done in God Joh. 3. Now let vs passe to the words that Christ spake to the leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean And Iesus stretching forth his hand touched him saying I will be thou cleane and straight wayes he was cleansed of hys leper And Iesus sayd vnto him See thou tell no man but go and shew thy selfe to the Priest and offer the gyft that Moyses coÌ„maunded for a witnesse of these thinges This Gospell witnesseth playnely that the diseased of lepers were clensed onely by Christ and not by the Priests neither did Christ commaund the leper to shew himselfe vnto the priestes for any helpe of cleansing that he should receiue of the Priestes but to fulfill the law of Moyses in offering a sacrifice for his clensing for a testimony vnto the Priestes who alwayes of enuy accused Christ as a transgressour of the law For if Christ after he had clensed the leper had licensed him to communicate with others that were cleane before he had shewed himselfe clensed vnto the Priests theÌ„ might the Priestes haue accused Christ as a transgressour of the law Because it was a precept of the law that the leper after he was cleansed shoulde shewe himselfe vnto the Priestes And they had signes in the booke of law whereby they might iudge whether he were truely cleÌ„sed or no. And if he were clensed then would the Priestes offer a gift for his clensing And if he were not cleansed then would they segregate him froÌ„ the company of others that were cleane Seing euery figure ought to be assimuled vnto the thyng that is figured I pray you then what agreement is there betwene the clensing of lepers by the law the confession of sinnes By that law the Priest knew better whether he were leprouse then he himselfe that had the leper In coÌ„fession the priest knew not the sinnes of him that was confessed but by his owne confession In that law the Priest did not cleÌ„se the leprouse How now therfore ought the priests to clense sinners from their sinne that without theÌ„ they cannot be clensed In this law the Priest had certein signes by the which he could certaynly know whether a maÌ„ were clensed froÌ„ his leper or not In confession the Priest is not certaine of the clensing of sinnes because he is ignoraunt of his contrition He knoweth not also whether he will not sinne any more without the which contrition and graunting to sinne no more God hath not absolued any sinner And if God hath not absolued a man without doubt then is he not made cleane And how then is confession figured vnder that law Doubtlesse so it seemeth to me vnder the correction of them that can iudge better in the matter that this law beareth rather a figure of excommunication reconciliation of him that hath bene obstinate in his sinne is reconciled agayne For so it appeareth by the processe of the Gospell that when as the sinner doth not amend for the priuate correction of his brother nor for the correction of two or three neither yet for the publick correction of the whole Church Then is he to be counted as an Ethnike a Publicane as a certayn Leper to be auoyded out of the company of all men Which sinner notwithstanding if hee shall yet repent is then to be reconciled because he is then clensed from his obstinacy But he which pretendeth himselfe to be the chiefe vicar of Christ and the high Priest sayth that he hath power to absolue A poena culpa Which I doe not finde how it is founded in the scripture but that of his owne authority he enioyneth to sinners penance for their sinnes And grauÌ„t that froÌ„ their sinnes he may well absolue them yet froÌ„ the payn which they call a poena he doth not simply absolue as in his indulgences he promiseth But if he were in charitye and had such power as he preteÌ„deth he would suffer none to lie in Purgatory for sinne forsomuch as that payn doth farre exceed all other payne which here we suffer What maÌ„ is there being in charity but if he see his brother to be tormeÌ„ted in this world if he may he will helpe him and deliuer him Much more ought the Pope theÌ„ to deliuer out of paynes of Purgatorye indifferently as well rich as poore And if he sel to the rich his indulgeÌ„ces double wife yea triple wise he seduceth them First in promising to deliuer theÌ„ out of the payne from wheÌ„ce he doth not neither is able to deliuer theÌ„ And so maketh theÌ„ falsly to beleue that which they ought not to beleue SecoÌ„dly he deceiueth theÌ„ of their mony which he taketh for his indulgence Thirdly he seduceth them in this that he promising to deliuer them froÌ„ payne doth induce theÌ„ into greuous punishment in deed for the heresy of simony which both of theÌ„ do coÌ„mit therefore are worthy
God deuysed ordayned for the best vnto the elect Christians The fourth Like as the mystical body of Christ is the congregation of al the Electiso Antichrist mistically is the church of the wicked of al the reprobates The fift The conclusions of Swinderby be agreable to the fayth in euery part ¶ This letter was thus subscribed By the spirite of God sometime visityng you ☞ Besides this epistle aboue prefixed there is also fouÌ„d annexed with the same a deuise of an other certayne letter couÌ„terfeited vnder the name of Lucifer prince of darknes writing to the Pope and al popishe Prelates persecuting the true and right Church with all might and mayne to maintayn their pride and domination in this earth vnder a coulourable pretence visor of the catholique church succession Apostolical Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Dekam aboue mentioned yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford coÌ„teyned inserted amoÌ„g yâ— tractations of Walter Brute and deuised as yâ— Register said by that Lollards I thought no meeter place then here to annexe the same the tenour wherof thus proceedeth in words as follow ¶ The deuise or counterfayt of a certayne letter fayned vnder the name of Lucifer Prince of darknesse wryting to the persecuting prelates of the popish clergy I Lucifer prince of darknes and profound heauinesse Emperour of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont Captaine of the dungeon Erebus kyng of hell and comptroller of the infernall fire To all our children of pryde and companions of our kyngdome and especially to our Prynces of the Church of this latter age and tyme of which our aduersary Iesus Christ accordyng to the Prophet saieth I hate the church or congregation of the wicked send greeting wish prosperitie to all that obey our commaundementes as also to those that be obedient to the lawes of Sathan already enacted that are diligent obseruers of our behestes and the precepts of our decree Know ye that in times past certaine vicars or vicegerents of Christ following hys steppes in miracles and vertues liuing and continuyng in a beggerly lyfe conuerted in a maner the whole world from the yoke of our tiranny vnto their doctrine maner of lyfe To the great derision and contempte of our prison house and kyngdome and also to the no little preiudice and hurt of our iurisdiction and authorytie nor fearing to hurt our fortified power ond to offend the maiestie of our estate For then receiued we no tribute of the world neyther dyd the myserable sort of common people rushe at the gates of our deepe dungeon as they were wont to do with continuall pealyng and rappyng but then the easie pleasant broad way which leadeth to death lay still without great noyce of traÌ„pelyng trauaylers neyther yet was trode with the feete of myserable men And when all our courtes were without sutets Hell then began to houle And thus continuyng in great heauines anguish was robbed and spoyled Which thing considered the impacient rage of our stomacke coulde no longer suffer neyther the ougle retchelous neglygence of our great Captayne generall could any longer indure it But we seeking remedy for the time that should come after haue prouyded vs of a verye trimme shift For in stead of these Apostles and other their adherentes whyche draw by the same lyne of theirs as wel in maners as doctrine are odious enemis vnto vs We haue caused you to be their successors put you in their place which be Prelates of the church in these latter times by our great might and subtletie as Chryst hath sayd of you they haue raigned but not by me Once we promised vnto him al the kingdom of the world if he would fal down and worships vs but he would not saying my kingdome is not of this would and went his way when the multitude would haue made him a temporall kinge But to you truely which are fallen from the state of grace and that serue vs in the earth is that my promise fulfilled and all terrene thyngs be our meanes which we haue bestowed vpon you are vnder gouernment For he hath said of vs as ye know The prince of the world coÌ„meth c. and hath made vs to raigne ouer al children of vnbeliefe Therfore our aduersaryes before recited dyd pacientlye submit themselues vnto the Princes of the worlde and did teache that men shoulde do so saying Be ye subiect to euery creature for Gods cause whether it be to the Kyng as moste chiefest And agayne Obey ye them that are made rulers ouer you c. For so their maister commauÌ„ded them saying The kinges of the heathen haue dominion ouer them c. But I think it long til we haue powred our poyson vpoÌ„ the earth and therefore fill your selues full And now bee yee not onely vnlyke those fathers but also contrary vnto them in your lyfe and conditions and extoll your selues aboue all other men Neyther do ye geue to God that which belongeth to him nor yet to Caesar that which is his But exercise you the power of both the swordes according to our decrees makinge your selues doers in worldlye matters fighting in our quarell intangled with secular labours and busines And clyme ye by litle little from the myserable state of pouerty vnto the highest seates of all honours the most princely places of dignitie by your deuised practices false and deceitfull wyles and subtlety that is by hypocrisy flattery lying periurie treasons deceits simonye and other greater wickednes then which our infernal furies may deuise For after that ye haue by vs bene aduaunced thither where ye would be yet that doth not suffice you but as gready staruelings more huÌ„gry then ye were before ye suppresse the poore scratch and rack together all that comes to hand peruerting and turninge euerie thing topsie toruey so swollen that redy ye are to burst for pride liuing like Lechers in all corporal delicatenes and by fraude dyrecting all your doinges You challenge to your selues names of honour in the earth callyng your selues Lordes holye yea and most holy persons Thus eyther by violence ye rauen or els by ambition subtilly ye pilfer away and wrongfully wraft and by false title possesse those goodes whych for the sustentation of the poore members of Christ whom froÌ„ our first fall we haue hated were bestowed and geuen consuming them as ye your selues lyst therewith ye cherish and maintaine an innumerable sort of whoores strumpets and bawdes with whom ye ride pompously like mightie Prynces farre otherwise goinge then those poore beggerly priestes of the primatiue Church For I would ye shoulde buylde your selues ryche and gorgeous palacies yee fare lyke Prynces eating and drinking the most daintiest meates and pleasauntest wiâ—es that may be gotten ye hoord and heepe together an infynite deale of treasure not like to him
the obedience of Christs true vicare yet peraduentuâ—e if euery man were left to his owne libertie he would doubt of the preferring of your dignity or that is worse woulde vtterly refuse it by such doubtfull euidence alleaged on both sides and thys is the subtil craft of the croked Serpent that is to say vnder the pretense of vnitie to procure schismes as the spider of a wholesome flower gathers poyson and Iudas lerned of peace to make warre Wherefore it is liuely beleeued of wise men that except this pestilent schisme be withstand by and by the keyes of the Churche will be despised and they shall binde the consciences but of a few and when either none dare be bolde to correct this fault or to reforme things contrary to Gods lawe so by this meanes at length temporall Lordes will take away the liberties of the Church and peraduenture the Romanes will come and take away their place people and landes they wil spoile their possessions and bring the men of the Churche into bondage and they shall be contemned reuiled and despised because the obedience of the people and deuotions towardes them will almoste bee taken away when the greater part of the Church left to their owne libertye shall waxe prouder than they be wont leauing a wicked example to them that doe see it For when they see the Prelates studie more for couetousnesse than they were wont to pursse vp money to oppresse the subiectes in their punishings to seeke for gaine to confounde lawes to stirre vp strife to suppresse truth to vexe poore subiects with wrong corrections in meat and drinke intemperate in feastings past shame what maruell is it if the people despise them as the foulest forsakers of Gods lawe but all these things doe folowe if the Church shoulde be left long in this doubtfulnesse of a schisme and than shoulde that olde sâ—ying be verified in those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery one did that that seemed right and straighte to himselfe Micheas did see the people of the Lord scattered in the mountaines as they had bene shepe without a shephearde for when the shepheard is smitten the sheepe of the flocke shal be scattered the great stroke of the shepheard is the minishing of his iurisdiction by which the subiects are drawen from his obedience When Iason had the office of the highest Priest hee chaÌ„ged the ordinance of God and brought in the customes of the heathen the priests leauing the seruice of the holy altar applying themselues to wrasting other exercises of the Grecians despising those things that beloÌ„ged to the priests did labor with all their might to learne suche thinges of the Grecians and by that meanes the place people and holy oynting of Priestes whych in time past were hadde in greate reuerence of kynges were troden vnder foote of all men and robbed by the kinges power and was prophaned by thrusting in for money Therefore let the hyghest vicare of Christe looke vnto this with a diligent eye and let hym be the follower of him by whom he hath gotten authoritie aboue others If you mark well most holy father you shal find that Christ rebuked sharpely two brethren coueting the fease of honour hee taught them not to play the Lordes ouer the people but the more grace they were preueÌ„ted with to be so much more humble then other and more lowly to serue their brethren To hym that asked hys coate to geue the cloake to him that smote him on the one cheeke to tourne the other to him For the sheepe that are geuen to hys keeping hee must forsake all earthly thyngs and to shedde his owne bloud yea and if neede required to die These things I say be those that adorne the highest Byshop if they be in him not purple not hys white horse nor his Imperiall crowne because hee among all men is most bounde to all the sheepe of Christ. For the feare of GOD therefore and for the loue of the flocke which yee guide consider these things diligently and doe them wisely and suffer vs no longer to wauer betwixte two although not for your owne cause to whom peraduenture the fulnes of your owne power is knowen yet in pitying our weakenes if thou be he tell vs openly and shew thy self to the world that al we may follow one Be not to vs a bloudy bishop least by your occasion mans bloud be shed least hel swalow such a nomber of soules least the name of Christ be euill spoken of by Infidels thorough suche a worthy personage But peraduenture yee will say for our righteousnes it is manifest inough and we will not put it to other mens disputations If this bald aunswer should be admitted the schisme should continue still seeing neither part is willing to agree to the other and where the world is as it were equally deuided betwixt them neither part can be compelled to geue place to the other without much bloudshed The incarnation of Christ and his resurrection was well inough knowen to himselfe and his disciples yet hee asked of his father to be made knowen to the world Hee made also the Gospel to be wrytten and the doctrine of the Apostles sent his Apostles into all the world to do the office of preaching that the same thing might be knowen to all men The foresayde reason is the subtelty of Mahomet the which knowing himselfe guilty of his sect vtterly forbad disputations If ye haue so ful trust of your righteousnesse put it to the examination of worthy persones in a generall councel to the which it beloÌ„geth by right to define such doubts or els commit it vnto able persons and geue them ful power to determine all things concerning that matter or at the lest by forsaking the office on both parties leaue the Churche of God free speedily to prouide for a new shepheard We finde kings haue forsaken their temporal kingdomes vpon onely respect of deuotion and haue taken the apparel of Monkes profession Therefore let Christes Vicar being a professour of most high holinesse be ashamed to continue in his seat of honor to the offence of all people and the preiudice and hurt of the Romish church and the deuotion of it and cutting away kingdomes from it But if you say it is not requisite that the cause of Goddes church should he called in controuersie and therefore we cannot so easily goe from it seeing our conscience gainesayeth it To the which we answer if it be the cause of God and the church let the general councel iudge of it but if it be a personal cause as almost all the world probably thinketh if ye were the follower of Christ ye would rather chose a temporall death then to suffer such a wauering I say not to the hurt of so many but the endles destruction of soules to the offence of the whole world and to an euerlasting shame of the Apostolical dignitie Did
father and to the sonne Ouer this I beleue that through counsell of this most blessed Trinity in most cōuenient time before ordeined for the saluation of mankinde the second person of this Trinity was ordeined to take the forme of mā that is the kinde of mā And I beleue that this secōd person our Lord Iesu Christ was conceiued through the holy ghost in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary without mans seed And I beleue that after 9. monethes Christ was borne of this most blessed virgine without any payne or breaking of the closser of her wombe and without filth of her virginity And I beleue that Christ our Sauiour was Circumcise◠in the eight day after his birth in fulfilling of the law and his name was called Iesus which was so called of the Angel before that he was conceiued in the wombe of Mary his mother And I beleue that Christ as he was about xxx yeare olde was Baptised in the floud of Iordane of Iohn Baptist and in the likenes of a Doue the holy Ghost descēded there vpon him a voyce was heard from heauen saying Thou are my welbeloued sonne in thee I am full pleased And I beleue that Christ was moued then by the holy ghost for to go into desert and there he fasted 40 dayes 40. nightes without bodely meat and drink And I beleue that by and by after his fasting when the manhood of christ hūgred the fiend came to him and tempted him in glottony in vayne glory and in courtise but in all those temptations Christ concluded the fiend and withstood him And then without tarying Iesu began to preach and to say vnto the people do ye penaunce for the Realme of heauen is now at hand I beleue that Christ in all his time here liued most holity and taught the will of his father most truly and I beleue that he suffered therfore most wrongfully greatest repriests and despisinges And after this when Christ woulde make an end here of this rēporal life I beleue that in the day next before that he would suffer passiō in the morne In forme of bread and of wine he ordeined the Sacrament of his flesh and hys bloud that is his owne precious body gaue it to his Apostles for to eat cōmaunding them and by them all their after commers that they should do it in this forme that he shewed to them vse themselues and teach and comō forth to other men and womē this most worshipfull holyest sacrament in mindfulnes of his holyest liuing of his most true preaching of his wilfull and patient suffering of the most paynefull passion And I beleue that thys Christ our Sauiour after that he had ordeined this most worthy Sacrament of his own precious body he wēt forth wilfully agaynst his enemies and he suffered them most paciently to lay their hands most violently vpō him and to binde him and to lead him forth as a theefe to scorne him and buffet him and all to blow or file him with their spittinges Ouer this I beleue that Christ suffered most meekly and paciently his enemies for to ding out with sharp scourges the bloud that was betwene his skinne and his flesh yea without grudging Christ suffered the cruell Iewes to crowne him with most sharpe thornes and to strike him with a reede And after Christ suffered wicked Iewes to draw him out vpon the crosse for to nayle him thereupon hand and foote And so through his pitifull nayling Christ shed out wilfully for mans life the bloud that was in his vaynes And then Christ gaue wilfully his spirit into the hāds or power of his father so as he would whē he would christ died wilfully for mās sake vpon the crosse And notwithstāding that Christ was wilfully paynefully most shamefully put to death as to the world there was left bloud and water in his hart as before ordeined that he would shedd out this bloud this water for mās saluation And therefore he suffred the Iewes to make a blinde knight to thrust him into the hart with a speare and this the bloud and water that was in his hart Christ would shed out formans loue And after this I beleue that Christ was taken downe from the crosse and buried And I beleue that on the third day by power of hys Godhead Christ rose againe from death to life And the xl day therafter I beleue that Christ ascēded vp into heauen and that he there sitteth on the right hand of the father almighty And the fifty day after this vp going he sēt to hys Apostles the holy ghost that he had promised them before And I beleue that Christ shall come iudge all mankind some to euerlasting peace and some to euerlasting paines And as I beleue in the father in the sonne that they are one God almighty so I beleue in the holy Ghost that he is also with them the same God almighty And I beleue an holy church that is all they that haue bene and that now are alwayes to the end of the worlde shal be a people the which shall endeuour them to know to keepe the commaundements of God dreading ouer all thing to offed God and louing and seeking most to please him And I beleeue that all they that haue had yet haue and all they that yet shall haue the foresayd vertues surely standing in the belief of God hoping stedfastly in his mercyfull doinges continuing to theyr end in perfect charitye wilfully paciently and gladly suffering persecutiōs by the example of Christ chieflye and his Apostles all these haue theyr names written in the booke of life Therfore I beleue that the gathering together of this people liuing now here in this life is the holy Church of God fighting here on earth agaynst the fiend the prosperity of the world and theyr fleshly lusts Wherfore seing that all the gathering together of this Church before sayd and euery part therof neither coueteth nor willeth nor loueth nor seketh any thing but to eschew y◠offēce of God to do his pleasing will meekly gladly and wilfully with all mine hart I submit my selfe vnto this holy Church of Christ to be euer buxome obedient to that ordinaūce of it of euery member therof after my knowledge and power by the help of God Therfore I knowledge now and euermore shal if God will that with all my hart and with all my might I wil submit me onely to the rule and gouernaunce of them whō after my knowledge I may perceiue by the hauing and vsing of the before sayd vertues to be members of the holy Church Wherfore these articles of belief and al other both of the olde law and of the new which after the commaundement of God any man ought to beleue I beleeue verely in my soule as a sinful deadly wretch of my cunning and power ought to beleue praying the Lord God for his holy
the time thus passed the people and Cardinals were in great expectation waiting when the Pope according to his othe would geue ouer wyth the other pope also And not long after the matter began in deede betwene the two Popes to be attempted by letters from one to another assigning both day and place where and whē they should meete together but yet no effect did folow This so passing on great murmuring was among the Cardinals to see their holy periured father so to neglecte his othe and vow aforenamed In so much that at length diuers of them did forsake the Pope as being periured as no lesse he was sending moreouer to kings and princes of other lands for their counsell and assistance therein to appease the schisme Amongest the rest Cardinall Bituriensis was sent to the king of Englande who publishing diuers propositions and cōclusions remaining in the registers of Thomas Arundell disputeth that the pope ought to be subiect to lawes and councels Then K. Henry moued to write to Gregory the pope directeth his letter here vnder ensuing which was the yeare of our Lorde 1409. The contents of the letter be these The letter of king Henry the fourth to Pope Gregory 12. MOst blessed father if the discrete prouidence of the Apostolike sea would call to mind with what great pearils the vniuersall world hath ben damnified hetherto vnder pretēce of thys present schisme and especially would consider what slaughter of Christen people to the number of two hūdreth thousand as they say hath bene throughe the occasion of warre raised vp in diuers quarters of the world and now of late to the number of thirty M. souldiours which haue bene slaine through the dissention moued about the Bishopricke of Leodium betwene two set vp one by the authoritie of one Pope the other by the authoritie of the other Pope fighting in campe for the title of that Bishoprike Certes yee would lament in spirite be fore greeued in minde for the same So that with good conscience you wold relinquish rather the honour of the sea Apostolike then to suffer such horrible bloudshed heereafter to ensue vnder the cloake of dissimulation followinge herein the example of the true mother in the booke of kings who pleading before Salomon for the right of her childe rather would depart from the childe then the childe shoulde bee parted by the sword And although it may be vehemently suspected by the new creation of 9. Cardinals by you last made contrary to your othe as other men do say that you do but little heede or care for ceasing the schisme Yet farre be it from the hearing and noting of the world that your circumspect seat shoulde euer be noted distained with such an inconstancie of minde whereby the last errour may be worse then the first Ex Chron. D. Albani part 2. ¶ King Henry the 4. to the Cardinals ANd to the Cardinalles likewise the sayde King directeth an other letter wyth these contentes heere following Wee desiring to shewe what zeale wee haue had and haue to the reformation of peace of the Churche by the consent of the states of the Realme haue directed to the Byshop of Rome our letters after the tenoure of the copie herewith in these presentes enclosed to bee executed effectually Wherefore we seriously beseeche your reuerende colledge that if it chaunce the sayde Gregory to be present at the councell of Pise and to render vp hys Popedome according to your desire and hys owne othe you then so ordaine for hys state totally that chiefly God may be pleased therby and that both the sayde Gregory and also wee which loue intierly hys honor and commodity may haue cause to geue you worthely condigne thankes for the same Ibid. This being done in the yere of our Lorde 1409. afterward in the yere next folowing an 1410. the Cardinals of both the Popes to witte of Gregorius and Benedictus By common aduise assembled together at the citie of Pise for the reformation of vnity and peace in the Churche To the which assembly a great multitude of Prelates and bishops being conuented a newe Pope was chosen named Alexander 5. But to thys election neither Gregorius nor Benedictus did fully agree Whereby there were 3. Popes together in the Romaine churche that is to vnderstande not 3. crownes vpon one Popes head but 3. heads in one Popish churche together This Alexander being newly made pope scarcely had well warmed his triple crowne but straight geueth out full remission not of a fewe but of all maner of sinnes whatsoeuer to all them that conferred any thing to the monastery of◠Bartlemew by Smithfeld resorting to the saide church any of these dayes following to wit on Maundy thursday good Friday Easter euen the feast of the Annunciation from the first euēsong to the latter But thys Pope which was so liberall in geuing remission of many yeares to other was not able to geue one yere of life to himselfe for within the same yere he died In whose stead stept vp Pope Iohn 23. In the time of this Alexander great stirre began in the country of Bohemia by the occasion of the bokes of Iohn Wickliffe which then comming to the hands of I. Husse and of other both men women especially of the lay sort and artificers began there to doe much good In so much that diuers of them not onely men but women also partly by reading of those bookes translated into their tounge partly by the setting forwarde of Iohn Husse a notable learned man and a singulare preacher at that time in the vniuersitye of Prage were in short time so ripe in iudgement and prompt in the scriptures that they began to moue questions yea and to reason wyth the Priestes touchyng matters of the Scriptures By reason whereof complaint was brought to the sayd Pope Alexander the fifte who caused eftsoones the forenamed Iohn Husse to bee cyted vp to Rome But when hee came not at the Popes citation then the sayde Pope Alexander addressed hys letters to the Archbyshop of Suinco Wherein he straightly charged him to prohibit and forbid by the authority Apostolicall all manner of preachings or sermons to be made to the people but onely in Cathedrall Churches or Colledges or Parish churches or in Monasteries or els in theyr Churchyardes And that the articles of Wickliffe shoulde in no case of any person of what state condition or degree so euer be suffered to be holdē taught or defended eyther priuily or apertlye Commaunding moreouer and charging the sayde Archbyshop that wyth foure Bachelers of Diuinitie and two Doctours of the Canon lawe ioyned vnto hym would proceede vpon the same and so prouide that no person in churches schooles or any other place should teach defend or approoue any of the foresayd Articles So that who so euer should attempt the contrary should be accounted an hereticke And vnles he
peragendo poenam eis pro eorum demeritis iniuâ—gendam iuratos absoluit in forma iuris nunciata eis eorum cuilibet pro modo culpae poena salutari videlicet quòd die dominica tunc proximè sequente praedicti poeniteÌ„tes nudi capita pedes processionem apud ecclesiam collegiatam de Wengham faciendam cum singulis saccis super humeris suis palam portantes plenis videlicet foeno stramine ita quòd stramen foenum huiusmodi ad ora saccorum patentium intuentibus prominerent lentis incessibus procederent humiliter deuote In English IGnorance the mother of error so much hath blinded and deceiued certaine persons to witte Hugh Penny Iohn Forstall Iohn Boy Ihon Wanderton Will. Haywarde and Iohn White tenaunts of the Lord of Wengham that against the comming of the aforesayde Archbishop to hys palace of Canterbury on Palmes Sonday euen the yeare of our Lord 1390 Where they being warned by the baillife to conuey and cary hay strawe and other littour to the aforesayd palace as they were bounde by the tenor of theyr landes which they hold of the sea of Canterbury refusing and disdaining to doe their due seruice as they were accustomed brought their straw and other littor not in cartes and waines openly sufficiently but by peece meale and closely in bagges or sackes in contempt of their Lord and derogation of the right and title of the sea of Canterbury Wherupon they being ascited presented before the archb sitting in iudgement at hys manour of Statewood yelded and submitted themselues to hys Lordshyppes pleasure humbly crauing pardon of their trespasse Then the aforesayd archbishop absolued the aboue named Hugh Penny c. they swearing to obey the lawes and ordinance of holy church and to do the punishment that shuld be appoynted them for their desertes that is that they going laysurely before the procession euery one of them should cary openly on hys shoulder his bagge stuffed with hay and strawe so that the sayd hay and strawe should appeare hanging out the mouthes of the sackes being open * Notes of certaine Parliament matters passed in this kings dayes To proceede now further in the raigne of this king to intreat also some thing of his parliamentes as we haue done of other before first we wil beginne with the Parliament holden in the first yere of hys comming in Moreouer forsomuch as our Catholike papistes will not beleue yet the coÌ„trary but that the iurisdiction of their father the pope hath euer extended throughout all the world as well here in England as in other places here therefore speaking of the Parliaments holden in this kings dayes concerning thys matter I refer them to the Parliament of the sayd king Henry in his first yere holden and to the 27. article of the same Where they may reade in the 10. obiection laid against K. Richard in plaine words how that for asmuch as the crowne of this realme of England and the iurisdiction belonging to the same as also the whole realme it selfe at all times lately past hath ben at such libertie and enioyed such prerogatiue that neyther the Pope nor any other out of the same kingdome ought to intrude himselfe nor intermedle therein it was therefore obiected vnto the forenamed king Richarde the 2. for procuring the letters Apostolical from the Pope to the confirming and coroborating of certaine statutes of hys and that hys censures myght be prosecuted against the breakers thereof Whyche seemed then to the Parliament to tend against the crowne and regall dignitie as also against the statutes liberties of the said thys our realme of England Act. Parl. An. 1. Reg. Henrici 4. Act 27. Furthermore in the second yeare of the saide king thys was in the Parliament required that all such persones as shal be arested by force of the statute made against the Lollardes in the 2. yeare of Henry 4. may be bailed and freely make their purgation That they be arested by none other then by the Sheriffes or such like officers neither that any hauocke be made of their goods The king granted to take aduise therein In the 8. yeare moreouer of thys kings raigne it was likewise propounded in the Parliament that all suche persons as shall procure or sue in the court of Rome any processe touching any benefice collation or presentation of the same shal incurre the paine of the statute of prouisors made in the 13. yeare of Richard 2. whereunto the king granted that the statutes herefore prouided should be obserued Item in the sayde Parliament there it was put vp by petition that the king might enioy halfe the profits of euery parsons benefice who is not resident thereon Therunto the king aunswered that the ordinaries should do theyr duties therein or els he would prouide further remedie to stay their pluralities Item in the sayde Parliament it was required that none do sue to the court of Rome for any benefice but only in the kings courtes ¶ In the next yere folowing which was the 9. of this Kyng an other petition of the Commons was put vp in Parliament against the court of Rome whych I thought good here to expresse as foloweth The Commons do beseeche that forasmuch as diuers prouisors of the benefices of holy Church dwelling in the Court of Rome through their singular couetounes now newly imagined to destroy those that haue bene long time incumbents in diuers their benefics of holy church peaceably some of them by the title of the king some by title ordinary and by the title of other true patroÌ„s therof by coulor of prouisions collations and other grauntes made to the sayd prouisors by the Apostoil of the sayd benefices do pursue processes in the said court by citation made beyond the sea without any citations made within the Realme in deede against the same incumbents whereby many of the said incumbents through such priuy crafty processes and sentences of priuation and inhabilitation haue lost theyr benefices and others put in the places of the saide incumbents before the publication of the same senteÌ„ces they not knowing any thing and many are in great hassarde to lose theyr benefices through such processes to theyr perpetuall destruction and mischiefe and forasmuch as thys mischiefe cannot be holpen wythout an especiall remedy be had by parliament Pleaseth it the king to consider the great mischiefe and daunger that may so come vnto diuers hys subiects without their knowledge through such citations out of the realme and therupon to ordaine by the aduise of the Lords of this present Parliament that none presented be receiued by any ordinarie vnto any benefice of any such incumbent for any cause of priuation or inhabilitation wherof the processe is not founded vpon citation made wythin the realme and also that such incumbents may remaine in all theyr benefices vntil it be prooued by due enquest in the court of the
be it here to all the worlde that he neuer since varied in any poynt therefro but this is playnly his beliefe that all the sacramentes of the churche be profitable and expedient also to al them that shall be saued taking them after the intent that Christ and hys true church hath ordayned Furthermore he beleeueth that the blessed sacrament of the aulter is verily and truely Christes body in forme of bread After this the bishops and priests were in much great discredite both with the nobilitie and commons partly for that they had so cruelly handled the good Lorde Cobham partly agayn because hys opinion as they thought at that tyme was parfect concerning the sacrament The Prelates feared this to grow to further incōueniēce towards thē both wayes wherfore they drew theyr heads together at the last consented to vse an other practise somewhat cōtrary to that they had done afore They caused it by and by to be blowne abroad by theyr feed seruauntes frends and babling sir Iohns that the sayd Lord Cobham was becomen a good man and had lowly submitted himselfe in all thinges vnto holy Church vtterly 〈◊〉 his opinion concerning the sacrament And thereupon they counterfayted an abiuration in hys name that the people shoulde take no hold of that opinion by any thing they had hearde of him before and to stand so the more in awe of them Cōsidering hym so great a man and by them subdued This is the abiuration say they of sir Iohn Oldcastle knight sometime the Lord Cobham * An Abiuration counterfaited of the Byshoppes IN Deinomiue Amon. I Iohn Oldcastle denounced detected and conuinced of and vpon diuers articles sauoring both heresye and error before the reuerend father in Christ my good Lord Thomas by the permission of God Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury and my lawfull and rightfull iudge in that behalfe expresly graunt and confesse that as cōcerning the estate and power of the most holy father the Pope of Rome of his Archbishops his Bishops and hys other prelates the degrees of the church and the holy Sacramentes of the same specially of the Sacramentes of the aultar of penaunce and other obseruaunces besides of our mother holy Church as Pilgrimages and pardons I affirme I say before the sayd reuerend father Archbishop els where that I being euill seduced by diuers sedicious preachers haue grieuously erred and heretically persisted blasphemously aunswered and obstinately rebelled And therfore I am by the sayd reuerend father before the reuerend fathers in Christ also the bishops of London Winchester and Bangor lawfully condemned for an hereticke Neuertheles yet I now remembring my selfe and coueting by this meane to auoyd that temporall payn which I am worthy to suffer as an hereticke at the assigned 〈◊〉 of my most excellent Christen prince and siege Lord King Henry the 5. now by the grace of God most worthy Kyng both of England and of Fraunce Minding also to prefere the wholesome determination sentence and doctrine of the holy vniuersall Church of Rome before the vnwholesom opinions of my selfe my teachers and my followers I freely willingly deliberately and throughly cōfesse graūt and affirme that the most holy fathers in Christ S. Peter the Apostle and his successors byshops of Rome specially now at this time my most blessed Lord Pope Iohn by the permission of God the xxiii Pope of that name which now haldeth Peters seat and each of them in theyr succession hath full strength and power to be Christes Vicar in earth and the head of the church militant And that by the strēgth of his office what though he be a great sinner and afore knowne of God to be damned he hath full authority and power to rule and gouerne bynde and loose saue and destroy accurse and assoyle all other Christen men And agreeably still vnto this I confesse graunt and affirme all other Archbishops Byshops and Prelates in their prouinces Dioces and Parishes appoynted by the sayd Pope of Rome to assiste him in his doinges or busines by his Decrees Canons or vertue of his office to haue had in times past to haue now at this time and that they ought to haue in time to come authoritye and power to rule and to gouerne binde and loose accurse and assoyle the subiects or people of theyr aforesaid prouinces dioces parishes and that their said subiectes or people ought of right in all things to obey them Furthermore I confesse graunt and affirme that the sayd spirituall fathers as our most holy father the Pope Archbishops Bishops Prelates haue had haue now and ought to haue hereafter authority and power for the estate order and gouernaunce of their subiectes or people to make lawes decrees statutes and constitutions yea and to publishe commaund and compell their sayde subiectes and peoyle to the obseruation of them Moreouer I confesse graunt and affirme that all these foresayd lawes decrees statutes and constitutions made published and commaunded according to the forme of spirituall law all christen people and euery man in himself is straightly bound to obserue meekely to obey according to the diuersity of the foresayd powers As the lawes statuts canons and constitutions of our most holy father the Pope incorporated in his Decrees Decretals Clementines Codes Chartes Rescriptes Sextiles and Extrauagants ouer all the world and as the prouinciall statuts of Archbishopps in their prouinces the Sinodall actes of Bishops in their dioces and the commendable rules customes of prelates in their colledges and Curates in their parishes all Christen people are both bound to obserue also most meekly to obey Ouer besides all thys I Iohn Oldcastle vtterly forsaking and renouncing all the aforesayd errors and heresies and all other errors and heresies like vnto them lay my hand here vpon this booke or holye Euangely of God sweare that I shall neuer more from henceforth holde these aforesayd heresies nor yet any other like vnto them wittinglye Neither shall I geue counsell ayde helpe nor fauor at any time to them that shall holde teach affirme or maintayne the same as God shall helpe me and these holy Euangelies And that I shall from henceforth faythfully obey and inuiolably obserue all the holy lawes statutes Canons and constitutions of all the Popes of Rome Archbishops Bishops and Prelates as are conteyned and determined in their holy Decrees Decretalles Clementines Codes Chartes Rescriptes Sextiles Sumnies papall Extrauagantes statutes prouinciall actes synodall and other ordinary regules and customes cōstituted by them or that shall chaunce hereafter directly to be determined ormade To these and all such other will I my selfe with all power possibly apply Besides all this the penaunce whiche it shall please my sayd reuerend father the Lord Archbishop of Caunterbury hereafter to enioyne me for my sinnes I will meekely obey and faythfully fulfill Finally all my seducers and false teachers and all other besides
the king Wenselaus who thē fauored that pope gaue cōmaundement that no man should attēpt any thing against the sayd Popes indulgēces But Hus with his folowers not able to abide the impiety of those pardōs began manifestly to speake agaynst them of the which cōpany were 3. certayn artificers who hearing the priest preaching of these iudulgences did opēly speak against them called the pope Antichrist which would set vp the crosse to fight agaynst his euenchristened Wherefore they were brought before the Senate and committed to warde But the people ioyning thēselues together in armes came to the magistrates requiring thē to be let loose The magistrates with gētle wordes and fayre promises satisfied the people so that euery man returning home to his own house the tumult was asswaged But the captiues being in prison not withstanding were there beheaded whose names were Iohn Martin and Stascon The death and martirdome of these three being knowne vuto the people they took the bodies of them that were slaine and with great solemnitye brought them vnto the church of Bethlem At whose funerall diuers priestes fauoring that side did sing in this wise These be the Sayntes whiche for the testament of God gaue their bodies c. And so their bodyes were sumptuously interred in the church of Bethlem I. Hus preaching at the same funerall much commending them for theyr constancye and blessing God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whyche had hidde the way of his verity so from the prudent of this world and had reuealed it to the simple lay people and inferior priestes which chose rather to please God then men Thus this City of Prage was deuided The prelates with the greatest part of the clergy most of the Barons which had any thing to lose did hold with the pope especially Steuen Paletz being the chiefest doer on that side On the contrary part the commons with part of the clergy studentes of the vniuersity went with Iohn Hus. Wenslaus the king fearing least this would grow to a tumult being moued by the doctors and prelates and councell of his barons thought best to remoue Iohn Husse out of the Citty who had bene excommunicated before by the Pope And further to cease this dissention risen in the church committed the matter to the disposition of the doctors and the clergy They cōsulting together among thēselues did set forth a decree ratified and confirmed by the sentēce of the king contayning the summe of 18. articles for the maynteynance of the Pope and the see of Rome agaynst the doctrine of Wickeliffe and Iohn Husse The names of the Doctors of Diuinity were these Steuen Paletz Stanislaus de Znoyma Petrus de Ikoyma Ioannes Heliae Andreas Broda Iohannes Hildesen Mattheus Monachus Hermannus Heremita Georgius Bota Simon Wenda c. Iohn Hus thus departing out of Prage went to his coūtry where he being protected by the Lord of the Soile continued there preaching to whom resorted a great concourse of people neither yet was he so expelled out of Prage but that sometimes he resorted to his church of Bethleem and there also preached vnto the people Moreouer agaynst the sayde decree of the doctours I. Hus with his companye replied agayne and aunswered to their articles with cōtrary articles agayn as foloweth The obiections of Iohn Hus and of his part agaynst the decree of the Doctors FIrst the foūdation of the Doctors wherupon they foūd all their writings and counsels is false which foūdatiō is this where as they say that part of the clergy in the kingdome of Boheme is pestilent and erroneous and holdeth falsely of the Sacramentes 2. The Doctors hereby do defame the kingdome of Boheme and do rayse vp new discordes 3. Let them shew therefore those persons of the Clergye whom they call pestilent so let them verify theyr report binding themselues to suffer the like paine if they be not able to proue it 4. False it is that they say the Pope the cardinals to be the true manifest successors of Peter of the Apostles neyther that any other successors of Peter or the Apostles can be foūd vpon earth besides thē Whē as no man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or of fauour And all Byshops and priests be successors of Peter of the Apostles 5. Not the pope but Christ onely is the head and not the Cardinals but all Christes faythfull people be the body of the Catholick church as all holy Scripture and decrees of the holy fathers do testify and affirme 6. And as touching the pope if he be a reprobate it is plain that he is no head no nor member also of the holy Church of God but of the deuill and of his sinagogue 7. The clergy of the gospellers agreeing with the saying of S. Austen which they alledge and according to the sanctions of the fathers and determinations of the holy mother church do say and affirme laudably that the condēnation and prohibition of the 45. articles is vnlawful and vniust and rashly done for that not onely because the doctors but also all Bishops and Archbishops in suche great causes namely touching faith as these articles doe haue no authority at all as appeareth◠De baptismo et eius effectu cap. Maiores Et in Can. 17. dist cap. Hinc sedi c. 8. The second cause of the discord which they alledge also is most false seing the fayth of whole Christendome cōcerning the church of Rome is deuided in 3. parts by the reason of 3. popes which now together do raigne And the 4. part is newtrall Neither is it true that we ought to stand in all things to the determination of the pope of the cardinals but so farr forth as they do agree with the holy scripture of the old and new Testament from whence the sanctions of the fathers did first spring as is euident De accusationibus cap. qualiter c. 9. In the 4. Article they brast out into a certayne dotage are contrary to themselues By reason that they doitishly haue reprehēded the gospellers who in all their doings receiue the holy scripture whith is the law of God the way of trueth and life for their iudge and measure and afterward they themselues doe alleadge the scripture Deut. 17. where all iudges both popes and Cardinals are taught to iudge discern betwene leaper leaper in euery ecclesiasticall cause only after the rule of gods law And so are they cōtrary vnto their secōd article wherin they say that in euery catholicke matter we must runne to the pope which is cōtrary to the foolish condemnation of the Articles aforesaid 10 Consequently like idiots they doe most fasly alledge for their purpose the Canon vnder the name and authority of Ierome written 24. q. 1. Haec est fides papa c. where they do apply the wordes of Ierome most impertinentlye to the pope of Rome which he writeth to S.
vniuersitie of Prage should be restored againe and reformed and that they which had bene the disturbers thereof should be really punished That the principall heretickes and doctors of that secte should be sente vp to the sea Apostolique namely Ionnes Iessenetz Iacobellus de Misna Symon de Tysna Symon de Rochinzano Christiannus de Brachatitz Ioannes Cardinalis Zdenko de loben The prouost of Alhalowes Zaislaus de Suiertitz and Michael de Czisko That all secular men which communicated vnder both kinds should abiure that heresie and sweare to stoppe the same heereafter That they which were ordeined Priestes by the suffragane of the Archbishop of Prage taken by the Lord Zenko should not be dispensed with but sent vp to the Sea Apostolicke That the treatises of Iohn Wickliffe translated into the Bohemian tongue by Iohn Husse and Iacobellus should be brought to the Ordinary That the treatises of Iohn Husse condemned in the Councell should also be brought to the Ordinarie That all the tractations of Iacobellus De vtraque specie de Antichristo wherein he ralleth the Pope Antichrist Et de remanentia panis post consecrationem should likewise be brought and burned That all songs and balates made to the preiudice of the Councell and of the Catholike persons of both states should be forbid to be soong in Cities townes and villages vnder great and extreame punishment That none should preach the word without the licence of the Ordinarie or of the parson of that place That Ordinaries and Prelates hauing iurisdiction should not be stopped in their iurisdiction by the secular power vnder paine of excommunication That all and singular parsons shall be commaunded to obedience vnder paine of excōmunication and that whosoeuer knoweth any person to fauour any Wicleuistes or their doctrine or that keepeth company with suspect persons he shall present the same to his Diocesans or his officials That the confederacie of the seculars made betweene themselues or any of the spiritualtie to the preiudice of the foresaid Councell and of the Apostolicke sea Church of Rome in the fauour of Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and other in the said Councell cōdemned shal be dissolued That the rites and ceremonies of Christian Religion touching Gods seruice Images and worshipping of reliques shall be obserued and transgressours of the same be punished That all and singular either spirituall or secular that shall preach teach holde or maintaine the opinions and Articles of Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Hus and Hierome in this Councell condemned and conuict of the same shall be holden for heretickes and falling in relapse shall bee burned That all secular persons being monished and charged by the Ordinaries shall be bound to geue their aide and furtherance vnto them touching the premisses The Bohemians notwithstanding these cruell Articles contemning the vaine deuises of these Prelates and fathers of the Councell ceased not to proceede in their league and purpose begon ioyning themselues more strongly together In this meane time it hapned that during this Councell of Constance after the deposing of Pope Iohn and spoiling of his goodes which came to 75. thousand poūds of golde and siluer as is reported in the story of Sainct Albans Pope Martin vpon the day of S. Martin was elected Concerning whose election great preparation was made before of the Councell so that beside the Cardinals fiue other Bishops of euery nation should enter into the conclaue who there together should be kept wyth thin diet till they had founded a Pope At last when they were together they agreed vpon this man and not tarieng for opening of the dore like mad men for hast brast open an hole in the wall crieng out habemus papam Martinum we haue a Martine Pope The Emperour hearing thereof with the like hast came apace and falling downe kissed the new Popes feete Then went they all to the Church together and sang Te Deum The next day following this Martine was made priest which before was but a Cardinall Deacon and the next day after was consecrate Bishop and sang his first masse whereat was present 140. mitted Bishops After thys the next morow the new holy Pope ordeined a generall procession where a certaine Clarke was appointed to stand with flaxe and fire who setting the flaxe on fire thus said Ecce pater sancte sic transit gloria mundi i. behold holye father thus vadeth the transitorie glory of this worlde Which done the same day the holy father was brought vp vnto an high scaffold saith the story I will not say to an high mountaine where was offered to him all the glory of the world c. there to be crowned for a triple Kyng This done the same day after dinner the new crowned Pope was with great triumph brought through y◠middest of the Citie of Constance where all the Bishops and Abbots followed with their miters The Popes horsse was all trapt with red skarlet downe to the ground The Cardinals horses were all in white silke the Emperour on the right side and prince Electour on the left playeng both the Popes footemen went on foote leading the Popes horse by the bridle As this Pageant thus with the great gyant proceeded and came to the market place there the Iewes according to the maner offered to him their lawe and ceremonies Which the Pope receiuing cast behind him saieng Recedant vetera noua sunt omnia i. Let olde thinges passe all things be made new c. Ex hist. S. Alb. ex paralip Vrsperg This was an 1417. Thus the Pope being now cōfirmed in his kingdome first beginneth to write his letters to the Bohemians wherin partly he moueth them to Catholicke obedience partly he dissembleth with them faining that if it were not for the Emperours request he woulde enter processe against them Thirdly and finally he threatneth to attempt the vttermost against them and with all force to inuade them as well with the Apostolicall as also with the secular arme if they did still persist as they begōn Albeit these new threates of the new Bishop did nothing moue the constant harts of the Bohemians whome the inward zeale of Christes word had before inflamed Although it had bene to be wished such bloudshead and warres not to haue followed yet to say the truth how could these Rabines greatly blame them heerein whome their bloudy tirannie had before prouoked so iniustly if nowe with their glosing letters they could not so easely appease them againe Wherfore these foresaid Bohemians partly for the loue of Iohn Hus and Hierome their countreymen partly for the hatred of their malignant Papistry assembling together first agreed to celebrate a solemne memoriall of the death of Iohn Husse and Hierome decreeing the same to be holden celebrate yearely And afterward by meanes of their frends they obteined certaine Churches of the King wherin they might freely preach and minister the Sacraments vnto the congregation This
to passe according vnto Zisca his will and minde and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depend he sought priuie meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernance of the whole kingdom the guiding of all his hostes armies and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto him Upō which cōditions whē as Zisca for the performance of the couenants went vnto the Emperour being on his iourney at the Castle of Priscouia he was stricken with sicknesse and died It is reported that when he was demaunded beyng sicke in what place he would be buried he commaunded the skinne to be pulled off from his dead carkase and the flesh to bee cast vnto the foules and beastes and that a drumme should be made of his skinne which they should vse in their battailes affirming that as soone as their enimies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight The Thaborites despising all other Images yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie ¶ The Epitaphe of Iohn Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians I Iohn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captain in warlike policie a seueare punisher of the pride and auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my countrey do lie heere That which Appius Claudius by geuing good counsell and M. Furius Camillus by valiantnesse did for the Romaines the same I being blinde haue done for my Bohemians I neuer slacked oportunitie of battaile neither did fortune at any time faile me I being blinde did foresee all oportunitie of well ordering or doing my businesse Eleuen times in ioining battaile I went victour out of the field I seemed to haue worthely defended the cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fatte and glotonous Priests and for that cause to haue receiued help at the hande of God If their enuy had not let it without doubt I had deserued to be numbred amongst the most famous men Notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this halowed place euen in despite of the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Iohn Zisca a Bohemian enemy to all wicked and couetous Priestes but with a godly zeale And thus haue you the actes and doings of this worthy Zisca and other Bohemians which for the more credite we haue drawne out of Aeneas Syluius onely his rayling tearmes excepted which we haue heere suppressed All this while the Emperour with the whole power of the Germaines were not so busie on the one side but Martin the Pope was as much occupied on the other side who about the same time directed downe a terrible Bull full of all poison to all Byshops and Archbyshops agaynst all such as tooke any part or side with Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hierome or with their doctrine and opinions The copie of which Bull which I found in an olde written monument I wish the reader throughly to peruse wherein he shall see the Pope to poure out at once all his poison The Bull of Pope Martine directed foorth against the followers of Iohn Wickliffe of England of Iohn Husse of Boheme and Hierome of Prage MArtine Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to our reuerend brethren the Archbishops of Salzeburgen Gueznen and Pragē to the Bishops of Dlumcen Luthomuslen Bambergen Misnen Patauiē Uratislauien Ratisponen Cra. ouien Poznamen and Nitrien also to our beloued children the Inquisitours appointed of the Prelates aboue recited or where else soeuer vnto whome these present letters shall come greeting and Apostolicall benediction Amongst all other pastorall cares where with we are oppressed this chefly and specially doth inforce vs that heretikes with their false doctrine and errours being vtterly expulsed from amōgst the cōpany of Christen mē and rooted out so farre forth as God will make vs able to do the right and Catholike faith may remaine sound and vndefiled and that all Christian people immoueable and iuiolate may stande and abide in the sinceritie of the same fayth the whole vayle of obscuritie being remoued But lately in diuers places of the world but especially in Bohemia and the Dukedome of Morauia and in the straights adioining thereunto certaine Archheretickes haue risen and sprong vp not against one only but against diuers sundry documēts of the Catholike faith being landlopers schismatikes and seditious persons fraught with diuelish pride Woluish madnes deceiued by the subtlety of Sathan and frō one euill vanity brought to a worse Who although they rose vp sprang in diuers parts of the world yet agreed they all in one hauing their tailes as it were knit together to wit Iohn Wickliffe of England I. Hus of Bohemia Hierome of Prage of dammable memorie who drew with thē no small nūber to miserable ruine and infidelitie For when as those such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse false opinions the prelates who had the regiment execution of the iudiciall power like dumme dogs not able to barke neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle all such disobediēce nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house as they were enioined by the canons those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes and their Woluish fury and cruelty with all expedition but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly by their ouerlong delaies to growe and waxe strōg a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things which they did lōg falsly pernitiously and damnably sow among them and geuing credite vnto them fell from the right faith and are intangled the more pitie in the foule errors of Paganisme In so much that those Archheretickes and suche as spring of them haue infected the Catholicke flock of Christ in diuers climates of the world and parts bordering vpon the same and haue caused them to putrifie in the filthie dunghill of their lies Wherefore the generall Synode of Constance was compelled with Sainct Augustine to exclaime against so great and ruinous a plague of faythfull men and of the sound and true faith it selfe saieng what shall the Soueraigne medicine of the Church do wyth motherly loue seeking the health of hir sheepe chasing as it were amongst a companie of men franticke and hauing the disease of the Lethargie What shall she desist and leaue off hir good purpose No not so But rather let hir if there be no remedie be sharpe to both these sorts which are the greenous enemies of her wombe For the Phisition is sharpe vnto the man bestraught and raging in his frensie and yet is he a father to his owne rude and vnmanerly sonne in binding the one in beating the other by shewing therein his great loue vnto them both But if they be negligent and suffer them to perish sayth Augustine this mansuetude is rather to be supposed
false crueltie And therefore the foresaide Synode to the glory of almighty God and preseruation of his catholicke faith and augmenting of Christian religion and for the saluation of mens soules hath corporally reiected and cast forth of the houshold of God the foresaid I. Wicklieffe I. Hus and Ierome who amongst other things did beleeue preach teach and maintaine of the Sacrament of the aultar and other sacrameÌ„ts of the church articles of the faith coÌ„trary to that the holy Church of Rome beleueth holdeth preacheth and teacheth haue presumed obstinately to preach teach hold and beleue many other moe to the damnation of themselues and of others and the sayde Synode hath separated the same as obstinate and malipert heretickes from the Communion of the faithfull people and haue declared them to be spiritually throwne forth and many other things both wholesome profitable hath the same Councell as touching the premisses stablished and decreed whereby they which by the meanes of those Arch-heretikes and by their false doctrine haue spiritually departed from the Lords house may by the canonicall rules be reduced to the straight path of truth and veritie And moreouer as we to our great griefe do heare not only in the kingdome of Bohemia and Dukedome of Morauia and other places aboue recited but also in certaine parts and prouinces neere adioining and bordering vpon the same there be many other of the secretaries and followers of the foresayd Archheritickes and hereticall opinions casting behind their backes as well the feare of God as the shame of the world neither receiuing fruit of conuersion repentaunce by the miserable destruction of the foresayde Iohn Hus and Hierome but as men drowned in the dungeon of their sinnes cease not to blaspheme the Lord God taking his name in vayne whose minds the father of lies hath damnably blinded and do read and study the foresaid bookes or workes contayning heresies erroures being lately by the foresayd Synode condeÌ„ned to be burned also to the perill of themselues and many other simple men against the statutes decrees and ordinaunces in the Synode aforesayd and the Canonicall sanctions do presume to preach teach the same to the great perill of soules the derogation of the Catholicke fayth and sclaunder of many other besides We therfore considering that errour when it is not relisted seemeth to be allowed and liked and hauing a desire to resist such euill and pernicious errours and vtterly roote them out from amongst the companie of faythfull christians especially froÌ„ the afore recited places of Bohemia Morauia and other straights and Ilands ioyning and bordering vpon the same least they shold stretch out enlarge their â—â—â—ites we will and commaund your discretions by our letters Apostolicall the holy Councell of CoÌ„stance approuing and allowing the same that you that are Archbishops Bishops and other of the clergy and euery one of you by himself or by an other or others being graue and fit persons to haue spirituall iurisdiction do see that al and singuler persons of what dignitie office preeminence state or conditioÌ„ so euer they be and by what name soeuer they are knowne which shall presume otherwise to teache preach or obserue touching the most high and excelent the most wholesome and superadmirable Sacrament of the bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe or els of the Sacrament of Baptisme confession of sinnes penaunce for sins and extreme vnction or els of any other Sacramentes of the Church articles of the faith then that which the right holy vniuersall church of Rome doth hold teach preach obserue or els that shall presume obstinately by any wayes or meanes priuily or apertly to hold beleue and teach the Articles bookes or doctrine of the foresayd Archhereticks Iohn Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hieronimus of Prage being by the foresayd Synode of Constaunce with theyr authours as is sayd damned and condemned or dare presume publikly or priuily to allow or commend in any wise the death and end of the said archheretiks or of any other their receiuers ayders and fauourers in the fauour or supportation of the foresayd errors as also their beleuers and adherentes that then as before you see and cause them and euery of them to be most seuerly punished that you iudge and geue sentence vpon them as hereticks and that as arrant hereticks you leaue them to the secular court or power Let the receiuers also and fauourers and defenders of such most pestiferous persons notwtstanding they neyther beleue fauour nor haue deuotion towardes their errors but happely shal receaue or entertain such pestiferous persons because of carnall affection or friendly loue besides the punishmene due vnto theÌ„ by both lawes ouer and aboue the same punishment by competent iudges be so afflicted for so haynous actes of theirs with so seuere payn punishment excruciated that the same may be to other in like case offending an example of terrour that at the least those whome the feare of God by no meanes may reuoke from such euill doing yet the seueritie of this our discipline may force and constrayne As touching the third sort which shal be any maner of wayes infected with this damnable sect and shall after coÌ„petent admonition repeÌ„t and amend themselues of such errours and sectes aforesayd and will returne agayn into the lap and vnitie of our holy mother the Churche fully acknowledge and confesse the Catholike fayth towardes them let the seueritie of iustice as the quallitie of the facte shall require be somewhat tempered with a tast of mercy And furthermore we will and command that by thys our authoritie Apostolicall ye exhort and admonish al the professours of the catholicke fayth as Emperours kings Dukes Princes Marquesses Earles Barons Knights and other Magistrates Rectors Consuls Proconsuls Shires Countries and Uniuersities of the kingdomes Prouinces Cities otwnes Castles villages their lands other places al other executing teÌ„poral iurisdiction according to the form exigence of the law that they expell out of their kingdoms prouincies Cities towns castles villages lands other places al all maner of suche heretickes according to the effect and tenour of the Councell of Laterane beginning Sicut ait ecclesia c. that those whom publikely and manifestly by the euidence of their deedes shall be knowne to be such as like sicke and scabed sheepe infect the Lords flock they expell and banish till such tyme as from vs or you or els other ecclesiasticall iudges or Inquisitours holding the fayth and communion of the holye church of Rome they shall receiue other order and countermaund and that they suffer no such within theyr shyres and circuites to preach or to keepe either house or familye either yet to vse any handicrafte or occupations or other trades of merchaundise or els to solace themselues anye wayes or frequent the company of Christen men And furthermore if suche publike and knowne heretiques shall
read ouer hee shall finde the Byshoppe of Rome to be comprehended amongst the other Bishops It was also prohibited by the councels of Africa that the Bishops of Rome shoulde not receiue or heare the appeales of any which did appeale froÌ„ the Councell whych altogether declare the superioritie of the CouÌ„cell And this appeareth more plainly in the Actes of the Apostles where as Peter is rebuked by the congregation of the Apostles because he went in to Cornelius a Heathen man as if it had not bene lawfull for him to attempt any great matter weout the knowledge of the congregation and yet it was said vnto him as wel as others Ite Baptizate c. Go baptise But this seemeth to make more vnto the purpose which S. Paule wryteth vnto the Galathians whereas he sayth he reststed Peter euen vnto his face because he did not walke according to the verity of the Gospell Which words if they be wel vnderstand signifie none other thing by the veritie of the Gospel then the Canon of the Councel decreed amongest the Apostles for the Disciples being gathered together had so determined it Whereupon S. Paule doth shew that Peter ought to haue obeyed the generall Councell But nowe to finish thys disputation we will here adioyne the determination of the Councell of Constance the which Councell aforesayd willing to cut off al ambiguitie and doubts and to prouide a certain order of liuing declared by a solemne decree that all men of what estate or condition so euer they were yea although that they were Popes themselues be bound vnder the obedience and ordinances of the sacred generall Councels And although there be a certaine restraint where as it is sayde in suche thinges as pertaine vnto the faith the extirpation of schisme and the reformation of the Churche as well in the heade as in the members notwithstanding thys amplificatiue clause whych is adioyned is to be noted Et in pertinentibus ad ea that is to say withall the appertenauntes The which addition is so large that it containeth all thinges in it whych may be imagined or thought For the Lord said thus vnto hys Apostles goe ye forth and teach all people He did not say in three poynts onely but teach them to obserue and keepe al thinges what soeuer I haue commaunded you And in an other place he sayeth not thys or that but whatsoeuer yee shal binde c. which altogether are alledged for the authority of the Church and generall Councels For the preserment wherof these things also come in place He that heareth you heareth me And againe It is geuen vnto you to knowe the mysteries of God Also where 2. or 3. bee gathered in my name c. Againe whatsoeuer yee shall aske c. O holy father saue them whom thou hast geuen me c. And I wil be with them euen vnto the ende of the worlde Also out of S. Paul these places are gathered We are helpers of God c. Which hath made vs apt ministers of the new Testament c. And he appoynted some Apostles and some Prophetes c. Iu all which places both Christ and the Apostles spake of the authority of many which altogether are alledged for the authority of that vniuersall Church But for somuche as that Churche being dispersed and scattered abroad can not decree or ordaine any thing therfore of necessity it is to be said that the chiefe and principall authority of the church doth consist in the generall Councels where as they assemble together And therfore it was obserued in the primatiue Church that hard and waightie matters were not intreated vpon but onely in the general councels congregations The same is also founde to be obserued afterward For when as the churches were deuided general councels were holden And in the Councel of Nice we do finde the heresie of Arrius condemned In the Councel of Constantinople the heresy of Macedonius In the Councell of Ephesus the heresye of Hestorius In the Councell of Chalcedon the heresies of Eutichius were also condemned for somuch as they thought the iudgement of the bishop of Rome not to suffice to so great waighty matter and also they thought the sentence of the Councell to be of greater force then the sentence of the Pope for somuch as he might erre as a man but the Councell wherein so many meÌ„ were gathered together being guided with the holy ghost could not erre Also it is a very excelleÌ„t saying of Martianus the Emperour which serueth for that purpose whose words are these Truely he is to be couÌ„ted a wicked and sacrilegious person which after the sentence of so many good and holy men wil sticke to withdraw any part of his opinion For it is a poynt of meere madnesse at the noone time faire day light to seeke for a fained lighte for he which hauing found the truth seketh to discusse anything further seeketh but after vanities and lies Now I thinke it is euident inough vnto all men that the bishop of Rome is vnder the Councell Notwithstanding some do yet still doubt whether he may also be deposed by the Councel or not For albeit it be proued that he is vnder the Councell yet for all that will they not graunt that hee may be also deposed by the Councell Wherefore it shall be no digressing at all from our purpose somewhat to say vpoÌ„ that matter and first of all to speake of these railers which are yet so earnest for the defence of the Byshop of Rome which being vanquished in one battaile still renew an other and coÌ„tend rather of obstinacie then of ignoraunce They would haue here recited againe that whych we haue before spoken as touching the preeminence of the Bishop of Rome or the Patriarcke And as there are many of theÌ„ more ful of words then eloquent they stay much of this poynt where as Christ sayd vnto Peter Tibi dâ—bo claues regni coelorum I wil geue thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen what soeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bounde in heauen as though by those wordes hee should be made head ouer the other And againe they do amplify it by this Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe whyche they do not finde to be spoken to any other of the apostles And because it is sayde that Peter was the chiefe and the mouth of the Apostles therefore they iudge it well spoken that no man shall iudge the chiefe and principall sea being all of thys opinion with Boniface which sayde the the Pope ought to be iudged for no cause except he bee perceyued or knowen to swarne from the farth although he do cary innumerable people with him headlong into hel there to be perpetually tormented as though hee coulde not open the kingdome of heauen to others if any other could shut it against him neither that he could feede other if hee
this was but a small matter and to be small intreatie because there was no danger in it And also it shuld seme iniurious not to tary for the Ambassadors of the Princes which were then at Mentz when as they were not absent for their owne priuate commoditie but about the affaires of the common wealth and the commodity of peace neither had he forgotten that at their departure they had desired that during their absence there should be nothing renued concerning the matters of Eugenius Then immediatly adioyning the third part of his Oration wherfore this delay was required he concluded that it was not required for the priuate commoditie of any one man but for a common wealth not to cause any trouble or vnquietnesse but for the better examination of the matter that all things might passe with peace and quietnes that the matter might be somuch the more firme and stable by how much it is ratified allowed by the consent of many And so he proceded to the last part of his argument requiring the fathers that they would consider and wey in their mindes the effect that would follow if they should graunt or deny thys request For sayth he if ye shall deny this small petition of the Princes they al wil be agreeued therewith and take this repulse in ill parte They will say they are contemned of you neither will they be obedient vnto you or receiue your decrees In vaine shall ye make lawes except the Princes do execute them and all your decrees shall be but vaine yet woulde I thinke this to be borne wtall if I did not feare greater matters to ensue What if they shuld ioyne themselues with Eugenius who not onely desireth to spoyle you of your liuings but also of your liues Alas what slaughter and murther doe the eyes of my minde behold and see Would God my opinion were but vain But if you do graunt and consent vnto their petitions they wil thincke themselues bounde vnto you they wil receiue and embrace your decrees and whatsoeuer you shal require of them shall be obtained They will forsake your aduersary they will speake euil of him and abhorre him but you they wil commend and praise you they will reuerēce vnto you they wil wholy submit themselues and then shall followe that most excellent fruit of reformation and tranquillity of the church And thus he required the matter to be respited on all partes At the last he sayde that except the Ambassadors of the Princes were heard he had a protestation wrytten which he would commaund to be read before them all When Panormitan had made an ende of his Oration Lodouicus the Prothonotary of Rome rose vp a man of such singular wit and memory that he was thought not to be inferior vnto any of the famous men afore time In so much that he had alwaies in memory whatsoeuer hee had heard or red and neuer forgate any thyng that he had sene This man first commending Panormitane sayde that he came but the day before from the haths that it semed vnto him a strange thing which was now brought in question wherin he desired to heare other mens minds and also to be heard of others and that those prelates which were at Mentz shuld be taried for to be present at the discussing of this matter in the name and behalfe of their Princes which prelates were men of great estimation and the Orators of most mighty Princes He allowed also the saying of Panormitane touching the voices of the inferiors that it seemeth not to be against the truth that only Bishops should haue a deciding or determing voice in Councels And all be it that some in thys disputation doe thinke that which is writtē in the 15. chapter of the Actes to be their force or defence notwythstanding he was nothing moued therewith nor tooke it to be of any effect albeit it was sayd It seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs where as both the Apostles and the elders were gathered together whereby it appeared that the others had a deciding voice with the Apostles For he sayde that there was no argument to be gathered of the Acts of the Apostles whose examples were more to be meruailed at then to be folowed and that it doth not appeare there that the Apostles called the Elders of duety but that it is onely declared that they were there present whereupon nothing could be inferred And that it semed vnto him that the inferiours in the Councell of Basill were admitted to determine with the Bishops but of grace and fauour onely because the Bishops may communicate their authority vnto others He alledged for testimony the bishop of Cancen a man of great authority who woulde not suffer any incorporation or felowship of the meaner sort and therfore neither any inferiour neither himselfe which as yet was not made Byshop to haue any deciding voyce in the councel Wherefore for somuch as the matter was waighty which was nowe in hand and that the Byshops spake against it he required the Councell that they would of necessitie stay and tary for the Ambassadours of the Princes comming from Mentz His Oration was so much the more greeuous in that many were touched with his wordes and specially in that poynt that he said the apostles were not to be folowed for that al men did impugne as a blasphemy But here a man may meruel that a mā of such excellency alledged no more or better matter But in this poynt the memory of the man is to be pardoned which did not willingly speake in thys matter and desired nothing somuch as not to obtaine that which he intreated for After him many other spake theyr minds but al to this end that they might protract the time and deferre the conclusion of these matters THen Lodouicus the Cardinall Arelatensis a man of marueilous constancy borne for the gouernaunce of general councels gathering together the wordes of all the orators spake in this wise Most reuerend fathers this is no new or strange busines nor begon to day or yesterday For it is now many wekes ago since the conclusiōs were disputed vppon amongst the diuines sent vnto Mentz and to all other partes of the world After thys they were disputed vpon 6. daies continually and fully discussed and after that not without great delay approued by the deputies and as the truth seketh no corners so all things were done publikely and openly Neyther can any man pretend ignoraunce neither are the Prelates or Princes contemned For wee called all that were present at Basill and exhorted al y◠rest for to be present And for somuch as mention is made of the most noble King of Castell who is it that is ignoraunt that the kings Orators were there present The bishop of Burgen and Ebrun men of singulare learning and eloquence and you also Panormitane youre selfe which heere represent the person of the moste famous king of
by his interpreter the they all should be of good cheare For the Emperours safe conduict should be obserued and kept eueÌ„ to the vttermost neither should the Patriarck nor any other once violate the libertie or take away the assurance granted by the Emperour Notwithstanding he desired the patriarche that he would call backe hys wordes agayne not to speake any more in such sort But that famous father being nothing at all moued or troubled coÌ„mitted his whole minde vnto Iohn de Bacheistein auditor of the chamber a man both graue and eloquent to be declared Who affirmed that the patriarches minde was not to threaten anye man or disturbe the libertie of the councell but to moue the fathers vnto Constancie that they should be mindefull of the reformation which they had promised vnto the whole world and not so say one thing to day an other to morrow for if they would so do it were to be feared least the lay tie seeing themselues deluded and dispayring of reformacion should rise agaynst the Clergy Therfore he monisheth the fathers to foresee and prouide for the perill that they shoulde not depart from the Councell nothing being determined or done and finally he desired pardon if in his wordes he had offended eyther agaynst the Councel PanormitaÌ„ or any other maÌ„ Wherby he declared it to be true which is commonly sayd that Humilitie is the sister of nobilitie both which did very excellently appeare in this man Yet for al this could not the humilitie of the patriark stop or staye their noyse or cryes For as often as mention was made of reading the Concor datum great noyse and rumours were stil made for to stop the same Then Amodeus archbishop of Lyons and primate of al Fraunce a man of great reuerence and authoritie being touched with the zeale of fayth whiche he sawe there to be stopped and suppressed sayd Most reuerend fathers I haue nowe a great occasion for to speake for it is now 7. yeares or more that I haue bene amongst you yet haue I neuer seene the matter at that poynt whiche it is now at most like vnto a miracle for euen presently I doe behold most woÌ„derfull signes of miracles for it is no smal matter that the lame do walke the dumme do speake and that poore men preach the Gospel Wherupon I pray you commeth this sodayne chaunge Howe happeneth it that those which lie lurking at home are now sodenly start vp Who hath geuen hearing to the deafe and speache to the dumme Who hath taught the poore men to preach the gospell I do see here a new sorte of prelates come in whiche vnto this preseÌ„t haue kept silence and now begin to speak Is not this like to a miracle I would to God they came to defend the truth and not to impugne iustice But this is more to be marueiled at then any miracle that I doe see the best learned men of all impugne our coÌ„clusions which are most certayn and true And they which now reproue them in times past allowed them You are not ignoraunt howe that Lodouicus the Prothonotarye preached these verities at Louain and at ColleÌ„ brought them from thence confirmed with the authoritie of the Uniuersities Wherfore albeit that he be now changed yet is the truth in no poynt altered And therefore I desire you beseech you all that ye will not geue eare vnto these men which albeit they are most excelleÌ„tly learned yet haue they no constancy in them which doth adorn all other vertues When he had ended his Oration Lodouicus the Prothonotary rising vp sayde It is most true that I brought those verities but you do cal them verities of fayth which addition semeth very doubtful vnto me When he had spoken these wordes Cardinall Arelatensis requred that the Concordatum of the twelue men should be read and many whispered him in the care that he should go forward and not aulter his purpose Then Panormitan as soone as the Concordatum began to be read rising vp with his companions and other Arragons cryed out with a loud voyce saying You fathers do contemne our requestes you contemne kinges Princes and despise Prelates but take heede least whilest that ye despise all men you be not despised of all men You would conclude but it is not your part for to conclude We are the greater part of Prelates we make the Councell it is our part to conclude and I in the name of all other prelates do conclude that it is to be deferred delayed With this worde there sprang suche a noyse and rumour in the Councell as is accustomed to be in battaile with the sound of Trumpets and noyse of horsemeÌ„ when as two armies ioyne Some cursing that which Panormitan went about other some alowing the same So that diuersitie of minds made diuers contentions Then Nicholas Amici a Diuine of Paris according vnto his office sayd Panormitan I appeale froÌ„ this your conclusion to the iudgement of the councell here present neither do I affirme any thinge to be ratified whiche you haue done as I am ready to proue if it shall seeme good The contrary part seemed nowe to bee in the better place for they had already concluded The other part had neither coÌ„cluded neither was it seene how they could conclude amongest so great cryes and vprores Notwithstanding amongest al this troublous noyse Iohn Segouius a singular Diuine of the vniuersitie of Salamantine lacked not audieÌ„ce for the whol couÌ„cel was desirous for to hear him wherfore al meÌ„ as soon as he rose vp kept silence he perceiuing that they were desirous to heare him speak begaÌ„ in this sort Most reuerend fathers the zeale and loue of the house of God forceth me nowe to speake and I woulde to God that I had ben either blind this day not to haue sene those thinges whiche haue happened or that I had bene deafe that I should not haue heard those words which haue bene spoken Who is it that is so stony or hard harted which caÌ„ abstayne from teares when as the authoritie of the church is so spoyled libertie taken away both from vs and the councell that there is no place geue vnto the veritie O sweet Iesu why hast thou forsaken thy spouse Behold and look vpon thy people and helpe vs if our requestes are iust We come hether to prouide for the necessitie of the Church we require nothing for our selues â—our desire is only that truth might appeare We trusted now to haue concluded vpon the verities which were sometimes alowed in the sacred deputations The Oratours of the Princes are present require the conclusions to be deferred But we be not vnmindful of those thinges which Ambrose wrote vnto Ualentinian the Emperour in this maner if we shall intreate vpon the order of the holy Scripture and auncient times past who is it that will deny but that in case of faith I
seene Gabriel deposed before his death This mans death was greuous vnto all the fathers for now they sayde that two pillers of the Councel were decayed ouerthrown meaning the Prothonotary and the Patriarke whereof the one by the law and the other with his deedes defended the verity of the Councell About the same time also dyed the king of Arragones Amner in Switzerland a man of excellent learning being bishop of Ebron The Abbot of Uergilia dyed at Spyre Iohn the bishop of Lubecke betwene Uienna and Buda These two last rehearsed euen at the point of death did this thing worthy of remembraunce WheÌ„ as they perceiued the houre of theyr death approche calling vnto them certayne graue and wise meÌ„ sayd All you that be here present pray to God that he will conuert such as knowledge Gabriell for high Bishoppe for in that state they cannot be saued and professing themselues that they would die in the fayth of the Councell of Basill they departed in the Lord. In Boheme also departed the bishop of Constance which was Ambassador for the Councell There was great feare and trembling throughout all the CouÌ„cel There had bene also in the Councell by a long time the Abbot of Dona of the Dioces of Cumana a man poore vnto the worlde but rich vnto God whom neither flatterings nor threatnings could turne away from his good purpose intent chusing rather to begge in the truth of the fathers then to abounde in riches with the false flattering aduersaryes WherupoÌ„ after the Lords were departed which gaue him his liuing he remayning still was stricken with the plague and died Likewise a great number of the registers and Doctors dyed and such as fell into that disease few or none escaped One amongest all the rest Aeneas Syluius byting strickeÌ„ with this disease by Gods helpe escaped This man lay 3 dayes euen at the poynt of death all men being in despayre of him notwithstaÌ„ding it pleased God to grauÌ„t him longer life When as the pestilence was most feruent hote that daily there dyed about one hundred there was great intreatye made vnto Cardinall Arelatensis that he would goe to some other towne or village neare hand for these were the words of all his frendes household What do you most reuerend father At the least void this wane of the Moone and saue your selfe who being safe all we shall also be safe if you dye we all perish If the plague oppresse you vnto whom shall we flye Who shall rule vs or who shall be the guide of this most faythfull flocke The infectioÌ„ hath already inuaded your chamber Your Secretarye and chamberlayne are already dead Consider the great dauÌ„ger and saue both your selfe and vs. But neither the intreatye of his household neither that corses of those which were dead coulde moue him willing rather to preserue the Councell with perill of his life then to saue his life with perill of the couÌ„cel for he did know that if he should depart few would haue taryed behinde and that deceite shoulde haue beene wrought in his absence Wherfore like as in wars the souldiors feare no daunger when as they see theyr Captayne in the midst of theyr enemyes so the fathers of the Councell were ashamed to flye from this pestilence seing theyr President to remayne with them in the middest of all daungers Which theyr doinges did vtterly subuert the opinion of theÌ„ which babled abroad that the fathers taryed in Basill to seeke their own profite and commodity and not the verity of the fayth for there is no commodity vpon the earth which men would chaunge for theyr liues for that all suche as doe serue the world do prefer before all other thinges But these our fathers shewing themselues an inuincible stroÌ„g wall for the house of God vanquishing all the craftye deceites whiche Gabriell vsed and ouercoÌ„ming all difficultyes which this most cruell and pestiferous yeare brought vpon theÌ„ at the length all desire of liâ—e also being set a part they haue ouercome all daungers and haue not doubted with most constant mindes to deâ—end the verety of the councell euen vnto this present The time of the decree being passed after the deposition of Gabriel it semed good vnto the fathers to proceed to the election of another Bishop And first of all they nominated those that together with the Cardinals should elect the Pope The first principall of the Electours was the Cardinall ArelateÌ„sis a man of inuincible constancy and incomparable wisedome vnto whose vertue I may iustly ascribe whatsoeuer was done in the couÌ„cell for without him the prelats had not perseuered in theyr purpose neither could the shadow of any Prince haue so defended theÌ„ This man came not to the election by any fauor or denomination but by his owne proper right The rest of the Electours were chosen out of the Italian French Germayne and Spanish nations their Sels chambers appoynted to them by lots without respect of dignity or person as the lots fel so they were placed Wherby it chaunced a Doctor to haue the highest place and a Bishop the last Wherein the distribution of lots was very straunge or rather a Diuine dispensation reprouing the deuises of man wheras the prelates had determined to haue the best Chambers appoynted for themselues had earnestly conteÌ„ded before to haue theyr chambers appoynted according to theyr dignity The next day after there was a Session holdeÌ„ where in Marcus a famous Diuine made an Oration vnto the Electors wherein he reckoned vp the manifolde crimes of Gabriel whiche was deposed He endeuored to perswade the Electours to choose such a man which shoulde in all pointes be contrary vnto Gabriel eschew all his vices that as he through his manifolde reproches was hurtfull vnto al men so he which should be choseÌ„ should shew him selfâ— acceptable vnto all men through iustice and as Gabriell was couetous and full of rapine so this man should shew himselfe continent There was so great a nuÌ„ber of people gathered together to behold this matter that neither in the church neyther in the stretes any man could passe Thâ—re was preseÌ„t Iohn Earle of Diestein who supplyed the place of the Emperours Protector also the Senatours of the Citty with many other noble men to beholde the same whereof you shall heare Christ willing more largely hereafter The Citizens were without in armour to prohibite that there should be no vproare made The Electours receiued the Communion together and afterwardes they receiued theyr oth the Cardinall Arelatensis opening the book of Decrees read the forme of the othe in the audieÌ„ce of all meÌ„ first of all he taking the othe himself began in this maner Most reuerend Fathers I promise sweare and vowe before my Lord Iesus Christ whose most blessed body I vnworthy sinner haue receiued vnto whom in the last iudgement I shall geue accompt of all
sette downe to be seene The copie of an Epistle which Iulian Cardinall of S. Angen and the Popes ambassadour into Germanie wrote marueilous boldly and frely vnto Eugenius B. of Rome for that he went about to dissolue the couÌ„cel of Basil. Most blessed father after the deuout kisses of your blessed fete NOw shall the whole worlde vnderstande and know whether that your holines haue in you the bowels of fatherly loue charity and the zeale of the house of God whether you be sent to make peace or discord to congregate or disperse or whether you be that good shepheard which geueth hys life for his sheepe Beholde the doore beginneth now to be opened whereby the lost sheepe may returne againe vnto their owne folde nowe is there good hope euen at hand of the reconciliation of the Bohemians If that your holinesse as it is your duety do helpe and further the same you shall obtaine greate glory bothe in heauen and earthe But if peraduenture you goe about to lette the same whiche is not to be hoped for at your handes all menne will reprooue you of impietie Heauen and earth will conspire againste you all men will forsake you For how is he to be folowed wich wyth one worde may restore peace and quietnes to the church and refuseth to do it But I coÌ„ceiue a better hope in you how that your holines without any excuse wil with your whole hart mind fauor this most sacred couÌ„cel giue thankes vnto almighty God this great goodnesse that this congregatiou hath not departed Behold the ambassadors of this sacred councell are returned with great ioy and gladnes from Egra reporting how that thorow the grace of the holy Ghost they haue firmly concluded with the ambassadors of the Bohemians that is to say of the Prages Orphants and Thaborites amongs whome was also present the captaines of their ennemies and specially Procopius That a solempne ambassade of all the states of the realme should come vnto the councell of Basill After that a safe conduite is sent vnto them by the sayde councel in fourme conditioned which shall be done with speede This sacred congregation is marueâ—lously exhilerate and ioyfull For those our ambassadours affirme that all things were handled with such charitie at Egra that they did see such things amoÌ„gs the Bohemians that not without cause they doe conceiue great hope of their reconciliation And at the last gentlely imbrasing one another eueÌ„ with teares of gladnesse they departed from Egra The Bohemians requiring our ambassadors that the matter might be ended wyth all expedition They reporte also that manie thinges happened in that Treatie whyche if any manne hearde and didde not weepe for ioy he might well thinke him self to be but smally affectioned vnto Christ. As for 3 of the 4. articles they seeme not to make any great difficulty vpon As touching the 4. that is of the communion vnder both kindes there is good hope that they wil followe the iudgement of the councel Who is it then that dare councell your holines to perseuere any loÌ„ger in the purpose of dissolution for if the councell had not ben appoynted at all for so great hope and necessity it ought to haue ben appoynted in this place How worthy prase and commendation should your holines doe if that you woulde leaue Italy and all other affaires and come hether in your owne person Although you shoulde neede to be caried in a wagon or litter The keping defence of the temporal patrimony of the church may well be disposed and done by legates and vicares This is the true patrimonie of the church to winne soules For the church is not a heap of stones and walles Christ hath not made you a keper of castles fortes but a pastor of soules Therfore you shuld do that in your owne person which is most necessary and acceptable vnto Christ and al other things be your substitutes For so did the Apostles which to the inteÌ„t they might the more frely intend to the preaching of the word of God did institute 7. to serue the tables and for the ministration of other inferior things I heare that by the grace of God your holinesse doth daily recouer and amend â— if â—o be as it is said you do visit some churches on fore ye may also come hether on horsebacke for you can not go vnto any thing more profitable or coÌ„cordant to your office then to go vnto that place whereas innumerable benefits and goodnes may spring Let your holines vnderstand and consider wherin Christ whose vicar you are and S. Peter whose successor you are and the apostles and holy bishops did exercise occupy themselues and as you do succede them in office so succede them in maners But if per aduenture your holines can not come hither I doe councell you that for so great a benefite you would send the more part of the reuerend Lords Cardinals of the court of Rome and command al other prelates to come hether doe not let or hinder them that are willing to come as it is reported you do but rather allure them to come hither Your holines may beleue me that only charity mooueth me to councell you in this sort be ye not seperate from your members nourish your children as the henne doeth her chickens vnder her wings And if so be that you will doe nothing els yet speake this only word Placet That is to say that it pleaseth you that the couÌ„cel of Basil shuld go forward For a few daies past there came newes hither for the which your holines ought alltogether to cease from your dissolution The reuerend father the Archb. of Lyons hath wrytten vnto the councell and vnto me also howe that the Prelates of France haue assembled togither in the city of Beturia and there after long and exacte examination haue concluded that the councel is lawfully coÌ„gregate in this place And that it is necessary that it shuld be holden and celebrate here at this present and how the Prelates of France shuld come vnto it he also directed hither the cause which moued them so to conclude the copye whereof I suppose is sent vnto your holinesse by some other Wherupon then doth your holines stay You haue gone about as much as in you lay by your messengers letters diners meanes to draw backe the Prelates and haue laboured with al your endeuor to dissolue the councell yet notwithstanding as you do see it is increased day by day And the more it is forbidden the more is all mens minds inflamed to the contrary is not this then to resist the wil of God Why do ye prouoke the church to anger Why do ye stirre vp the Christian people vouch safe I pray you so to doe that ye may gâ—t the loue and fauor of the people not the hatred for all nations are greatly offended when they heare these your doings Suffer not your holines to be seduced
maruell considering that he had slaine his brother Theodosius before at home moreouer liued in incestious matrimony also being inclined to certayne new sects could not abide the coÌ„trary teachers but slew theÌ„ which admonished him thereof The sayd Constans going afterward to Italy was also ouercome of the Lumbardes c. the Saracens after this victory spoyled also Rhodes Although these cursed Saracens in these theyr greate victories conquests were not without domesticall seditions and deuisions among themselues yet the princes of the Saracens being called then Sultans had in theyr possession the gouernment of Syria Egypt Affrike of a great part of Asia about the terme of 400. yeares till at length the Saracen king which ruled in Persia fighting agaynst the Saracene of Babilon sought ayde of the Turkes to fight with him agaynst the Sultane of Babilon The which Turks by litle and litle surprised vpoÌ„ the Sultan of Persia not long after putting him out of place vsurped the king dome of Persia which afterward went further as ye shall heare the Lord willing And this is the first beginning of the Turkes dominion These Turkes after they had thus ouercome great couÌ„tryes and prouinces and made their power large mighty both in Asia and Europa begaÌ„ to deuide theyr kingdoÌ„es countryes amongest themselues But when they coulde not agree but with deadly war contended for the boundes of those kingdomes and dominions in the meane tyme 4. of the principall families conquering and subduing all the rest parted the whole Empyre amongst theÌ„selues And yet they also not so contented fell to such cruell hatred conteÌ„tion warre and slaughter no doubt by the iust iudgement of God against his blasphemous enemies that there was no end thereof vntill the remnant of the auncient Turkes was vtterly rooted out For it is euident that there are fewe nowe remayning which are Turkes in deed by birth and bloud and that the state of that great empyre is not upholdeÌ„ but by the strength anâ— power of souldyors which haue bene Christians and now are turned to Mahumetes Religion so that euen theyr owne naturall language is now out of vse amongest them sauing in certayne families of theyr nobility and geÌ„tlemen These foure familyes aboue mentioned with theyr Captaynes and armyes about the yeare of our Lorde 1330 went raging throughout all Asia and Europa and euery one of them conquered some parte of the countryes where they passed The causes of these great inuasioÌ„s and victoryes were the dissention and discorde falsehoode idlenesse vnconstancy greedy auarice lacke of trueth and fidelity among Christian men of al states and degrees both high and low For by the wilfull defection and backesliding of the Christians the Turkish power did exceedingly encrease in that many â—rsiring the licentious life liberty of war allured with the prosperous successe of thynges forsooke the Churche of God and made themselues bond slaues to Mahumet and his deuilish sect bâ—th because that fleshly liberty is delighting to all men and partly also because as fortune fauoreth so commonly the willes of men enclyne And agayne suche as be prophane and without the feare of God whereof there is an infinite number in the Church in all ages are wont commonlye to iudge of Religion according to the successe of realmes and kingdomes For if any not onelye for the variety of opinions but also for the diuersitye of euentes and fortune amongest men haue inquired and doe inquire whether there be any Churche of God distyncte from other nations what it is and where it is especially for so muche as the greatest part of men bothe in the olde time when as the foure Monarchyes flourished in order was ignoraunt of this doctrine whiche is peculier to the Churche alone and nowe also the barbarity of Mahumet preuayleth raigneth in the moste part of the worlde And how standeth this with mans reason that a small number both miserable and also feebled and broken with manye battayles shoulde be regarded and loued of God and the other flourishing in all wealth prosperity victoryes authority and power should be reiected and despised of God seing there is no power and authoritye but by the ordynaunce of God Albeit therefore the power of the Turkes hath bene for these two hundreth yeares of greater force then any other Monarchy of the world besides yet is there no Imperiall dignity to be estemed in that Turkish tyraÌ„ny but amongest those nations onely where the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell is preached other disciplines necessary for the Churche of God the common life of man mayntayned and regarded where the lawes of God other honest and ciuil ordinaunces agreable to the same doe flourish and reigne where lawful iudgement is exercised where vertue is honoured and rewarded where sinne and wickednes is punished where honest familyes are mayntayned and defended These thinges are not regarded amongest the Turkes the enemies of the sonne of God and all lawfull Empyres because they dissolue and reiect all godly focietyes honest discipline good lawes policyes righteous iudgemeÌ„ts the ordinaunce of matrimony and godly familyes For what hath the Empyre of the Turkes bene hetherto but moste deadly cruell and perpetuall warre to worke all mischief destruction and desolation to subuert good lawes Cityes kingdomes policies and to enlarge theyr cruell power dominion The stay and strength whereof is not loue and fauour proceeding of vertue and iustice as in lawefull and well gouerned Empyres but feare violence oppression swarmes and infinite thousandes of barbarous and most wicked people ministers of Satans malice fury Whiche kinde of dominion and tyranny hath bene condeÌ„ned by the voyce of God many yeares agoe the â—â—stimonyes wherof the Lord would haue to remayne in the Church least the godly being moued with the power successe therof should fall away and forsake the sonne of God Wherefore let vs not seâ—ke for any Imperiall state in that barbarity but let vs be thankefull acknowledge the great benefite of God for that he hath reserued to vs certayne remnaunts of the Romayn Empyre And let vs call vpon him dayly with harty petitions and grones wyth zeale and loue to the house of God that this Turkish power ioined with the malice of Sathan against the sonne of God preuayle not agaynst the poore congregations litle remnant of his Churche as it hath hitherto done agaynste those strong and noble christian kingdoms and churches were now we see the Turkish tyranny to raigne SathaÌ„ to haue taken full possession Whose state was once farre better then ours is now and more like to continue without such horrible ouerthrowes and desolation Oh that we might foresee a litle the great daunger that hangeth ouer our heades For though the Turke semeth to be farre of yet doe we nourishe within our brestes at home that maye soone cause vs to feele his cruell hand and worse if worse may be
prison and after burned at Auinion Anno. 1354. Ex Ionn Prosiardo volu 1. cap. 211. Ex scripta Godfri de Fontanis A contention in France betwene the Prelates and the Friers there A sermon of the Bish. of Byters to the students of Paris agaynst the Friers That is the Dominicke Friers and the Franciscane Friers The constitution of Pope Innocent 3. Omnis vtriusque sexus The Friers priuilegies proued contrary to the Popes constitution The Bish. Ambianensis Friers ought not to preach in Churches without special licence of them to whom the church belongeth The Friers reply against the Prelates Herode and Pilate were made friends in crucifying of Christ. An other sermon against the Friers Bishop Ambianensis In veritates c. Veritie in three partes consisteth The Friers proued with a lye The Friers priuilegies confuted in disputation at Paris A seditious commotion betweene the townes men and the scholers in the vniuersitie of Oxforde Procession for peace The holie procession would bring no peace TransubstaÌ„tiation will not helpe in time of need A conquest of the scholers of Oxforde The vniuersitie of Oxford dissolued for a tyme. The towne of Oxford interdicted Chaunted to the Commissary of Oxford to haue the al ife of bread and ale and other priuilegies aboue the Maior of the towne An holsome decree of a good Archb. not to abstaine from bodely labour vpon certaine holy dayes A parliament Simon Sudbury Archb. of Cant. The Nuns of S. Bridges order This Ladye Blanch was Duckesse of Lancaster Dead men excommunicated by the Pope The Popes messengers hanged The feast of the speare and of the holy nailes En histor Criekladensis 46. Bonifacius 25. An vntruth in Polyd. Virgil. This Adam Mirimouth was compiler of the story of K. Edw. The first great plague in England The vestmeÌ„ts wherin S. Peter sayd Masse or els the papists doe lye Canterbury Colledge builded in Oxforde The conclusion of this booke Antichrist in his pride The loosing out of Sathan The fift booke The yeares and tyme of loosing out Satan examined Apoc. 10. The place of the Apocal 20. Expounded for the loosing out of SataÌ„ What the loosing of Satan doth meane in Scripture Three reasons The first reason The 2. reason The 3. reason Apoc. cap. 13. Xlij monethes in the Apocal. cap. 13. examined What time Satan was tied vp About what time and yeare Satan was let out by the couÌ„t of the Apocalips The ceasing of persecution in the primitiue church The binding vp of Sathan The time of losing of Sathan The time of Antichrist examined Verses prophesying of the comming of Antichrist The argument of the bookes after folowing Anno. 1360. A brief rehearsall of faythfull learned men which withstood the proceedings of the Pope The author of the plowmans prayer not knowne An olde booke intituled the ploughmans prayer written as seemeth about Wickliffes tyme. The complaynt of Esal applied to these times * Forward that is couenant The law of Christ standeth on two partes * Amid Paradise that is in the middest of Paradise Abraham * Held him forwarde that is kept promise with him Gods loue to man Feile times that is oft tymes Special precepts or lessons of the Gospell Christes sheepe stopped from cleane water compelled to drinke puddel * Syth that is afterward * Binemen that is take away * Herying that is worâ—hipping The honouring of God standetâ— in iâ—â— â—hingâ—â— * Nemeth that is taketh Against anricular confession Sinnes forgiuen without â—hrist * Heigheth that is exalteth Obiection of the priestes to maintain â—hrist Answere to the obiection Penaunce for sinne is mans ordinance and not Gods Mischiefes that come by auricular confession Popish priestes charged wich Simony * Beth that is bee * By nemet's that is taketh away The Popâ— breaketh the law of loue mercye The Pope would be a father but he beareth no loue To forsake the world is not to liue in ease from company True seruice of God staÌ„deth not in long prayer but in keeping Gods commandements * Chargen that is they care for * Behited that is promised * Kunnen that is they can * Heryeth that is worshippeth Singing in churches falsly called Gods seruice Weping for sinnes better seruice then singing in church The order of pâ—â—estes not made to offer Christs bodie The sacrament of the body of the Lord abused * Fullen that is baptise Priests principally sent to preach not to say masse or to make the lords bodie He that speaketh Gods teaching is holden an heretike What inconuenience by the vnmaried liues of priestes He complainâ—th of the idlenes of priestes What is the true church of Christ. * To fore â—hat is before * Herying that is worshipping * Heriers worshippers He complaineth of images in churches He coÌ„playneth of false pastors that liue by their Booke but feedeth not them * Lesew that is pasture * Beth that is bee Against hirelings * Sweuens that is dreames * Bliue quickly * Meste most Popish priests neither reach themselues nor wyl suffer other beside theÌ„selues to teach * I hightest promised * Weâ—en know * Tweyne that is two * For that i but. He complaineth for punishing litle faults and to lâ—t great faulâ—es escape If he be an heretike that breaketh mans lawe what is the P. that breaketh Gods lawe A leud maÌ„ that is a lay man Against the canon law The popes lâ—w against Gods lawe in causing men to accuse themselues MoweÌ„ that is may Tooke kept that is tooke heede The breakyng of the popes lawe more punished then the breaking of Gods law For to that that is therfore Pilate more commended then the pope The Pope breaketh patience Christes vicare and his priestes will suffer nothing No temporall word geuen to Peter Thilk things those things faith commeth not by outward force Pope breaketh the rule of charitie of mercy and of patience Or then before that The P. breaketh the law of swearing Nole 1. would not Seruant of seruants the popes stile abused Thralles that is to say bond men Pride of priests Meekenes commended in Ministers Vicar in earth not tollerable in the pope Sweâ—â—ens that that is dreames Mastership and Lordship in Preachers False glosers Nele that is will not Pouertie of Christ not folowed Couetise Pouertie counted sâ—lly Nele thâ—â— will not God is serued of the worst A lesson for them that haue goods well to spel them Seggen that is do say The pouertie of Christ rightly considered A poore kyng and a proud Vicar howe ioyne these two together Christ a seruant vpon earth the pope a Lord. The pope for his right and riches wil pleade fight and curse Propriety of goods here â— not take away but charitie is required to helpe the neede of our neighbour The Pope a mainteyner of theeues and robbers Christ a good shepeheard in dâ—â—â—e Comparison betweene the popes sheepheards and Christ. * But for that is but because * Within forth i. inwardly * Lesew
13 chap. And thus by the testimony of all these places is he the chiefe Antechrist vpon the earth and must be slayne with the sword of Gods word and cast with the dragon the cruell beast and the false Prophet that hath seduced the earth into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented world without end If the city of Rome do allow his traditiōs and do disalow Christes holy commaundements and Christes doctrine that it may confirme his traditions then is she Babilon the great or the daughter of Babilon and the great whore sitting vpō many waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth are become dronken with the wine of her harlotry lying opē to baudry With whose spiritual whordom enchauntments witchcraftes and Symon Magus marchaundises the whole roūd world is infected and seduced saying in her hart I sit as a Queen and widow I am not neither shall I see sorrowe and mourning Yet is shee ignoraūt that within a litle while shall come the day of her destruction ruine by the testimony of the Apoc. cha 17. Because that from the time that the continuall sacrifice was taken away the abhomination of desolatiō placed there be passed 1299. dayes by the testimonye of Daniell and the Chronicles added do agree to the same And the holy City also hath bene troden vnder foot of the heathen for 42. monethes and the woman was nourished vp in the wildernes vnto which she fled for feare of the space of the serpēt during 1260. dayes or els for a time times halfe a tyme which is all one All these thinges be manifest by the testimony of the Apocalips the Chronicles therto agreeing And as concerning the fall of Babilon aforesayd it is manifest in the Apoc. where it is sayd In one day shall her plagues come death lamentation and famine and she shal be burned with fire For strong is the Lord whych will iudge her And agayn Babilon that great Citty is fallen which hath made all nations to drinke of the wine of her Whoredome And thirdly one mightye Aungell tooke vp a myllstone that was a very great one and did cast it into the Sea saying with suche a violence as this is shall that great Cittye Babylon be ouerthrowne and shall no more bee founde For her Marchauntes were the Princes of the earth and with her Witchcraft all Nations haue gone astray and in her is there founde the bloud of the Sayntes and Prophetes And of her destruction speaketh Esay in the 13. chapiter And Babilon that glorious Cittye being so noble amongest kingdomes in the pride of the Caldeans it shall be that like as the Lorde did ouerturne Sodome and Gomorre vpside downe it shall neuer more be inhabited nor haue the foundation layde in no age from generation to generation Ieremy sayeth Your mother that hath borne you is brought to very great confusion and made euē with the ground And agayne The Lord hath deuised and done as he hath spokē agaynst the inhabiters of Babilō which dwel richly in their treasures vppon many waters thine ende is come And thirdly Drouth shall fall vpon her waters and they shall beginne to be drye for it is a land of grauen imagies and boasteth in her prodigious wonders It shall neuer more be inhabited neyther be builded vp in no age nor generation Verely euen as God hath subuerted Sodome and Gomorre with her calues Pardon mee I beseeche you though I be not plentiful in pleasaunt wordes For if I should runne after the course of this wicked world should please mē I should not be Christes seruant And because I am a poore man neyther haue nor cā haue notaries hyred to testifie of these my writings I call vpon Christ to be my witnes which knoweth the inward secrets of my hart that I am redy to declare the things that I haue writtē after my fashion to the profit of all Christen people to the hurt of no mā liuing am ready to be reformed if any mā will shew me where I haue erred being redy also miserable sinner though I be to suffer for the cōfession of the name of Christ of his doctrine as much as shal please him by his grace loue to assist me a miserable sinner In witnes of al these things I haue to this writing set that seale of our Lord sauior Iesus Christ which I besech him to imprint vpon my forehed to take frō me al maner of marke of Antichrist Amen ¶ These two suppositions as they are termed in the scholes written by Walter Brute and exhibited vnto the Bishop although they conteyned matter sufficient eyther to satisfie the bishop if he had ben disposed to learne or els to haue prouoked him to replye agayne if his knowledge therin had ben better thē his yet could they worke neither of thē effect in him But he receiuing perusing the same when he neither could confute that which was said neyther would reply or aunswere by learning to that whych was truth finding other by causlations said that this his writing was too short and obscure and therfore required him to write vpon the same againe more plainely and more at large Whereupon the said Maister Walter satisfying the Bishops request and ready to geue to euery one an accōpt of his faith in a more ample tractatiō renueth hys matter agayne before declared writing to the Byshop in wordes and forme as followeth REuerend father forsomuch as it seemeth to you that my motion in my two suppositions or cases in my two conclusions is too short and somwhat darke I wil gladly now satisfy your desire according to my smal learning by declaring the same conclusions In opening wherof it shall plainely appeare what I do iudge in all matters that I am accused of to your reuerence desiring you first of al that your discretiō would not beleue that I do enterpryse of any presumption to handle the secretes of the scriptures which the holy and iust wise Doctours haue left vnexpounded It is not vnknowen to many that I am in all points farre inferiour to thē whose holynes of life profoundnes in knowledge is manifold waies allowed But as for mine ignorance and multitude of sinnes are to my selfe and others sufficiently knowen wherefore I iudge not my selfe worthy to vnloose or to cary their shooes after them Do you therefore no otherwise deeme of me then I do of mine owne selfe But if you shal finde any goodnesse in my writings ascribe it to God only who according to the multitude of his mercy doth sometimes reueale those things to Idiotes and sinners which are hidded from the holy and wise according to this saying I will prayse and confesse thee O father for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast disclosed them to the litle ones Euen so O father
because it hath thus pleased thee And in an other place I am come to iudgement into this world that they which see not may see and that they which see may be made blinde And Paule saith that God hath chosen the weake things of the world to coÌ„found the mighty that no man shal boast in him selfe but that al meÌ„ should geue the honour to God It was commaunded to Esay bearinge the type of Christ Go and say to this people Heare ye with your hearing and do not vnderstand Beholde ye the vision and yet knowe ye not the thing that ye see Make blinde the hart of this people make dull their eares and shut their eyes least that perchaunce with their eyes they should see and with their eares they shoulde heare and with their harts they should vnderstand and bee conuerted and I should heale theÌ„ And I sayd how long Lord And he sayd vntill that the cities be made desolate without inhabitants and the house without any person within it Also in Esay thus it is written And the multitude of all nations which shall fight against Ariel and all persons that haue warred and besieged and preuailed agaynst it shall bee as a dreame that appeareth in the night as the hungry person dreameth that he eateth but wheÌ„ he shall awake out of sleepe hys soule is empty And lyke as the hungry person dreameth that hee eateth and yet after that hee shall awake he is still wearye and thirstye and hys soule voyde of nourishment euen so shall it bee wyth the multitude of all nations that haue fought agaynst the mount Sion Be you amased and haue great wonder reele ye to and fro and staggre ye be ye druncken and not with wyne staker but not through drunckennes for the Lorde hath myngled for you the spirite of drousines He shall shut your eyes he shall couer your Prophets and Prynces that see visions And a vision shal be to you all together lyke the wordes of a sealed booke which when hee shall geue to one that is learned he shall say Reade here and he shall aunswere I cannot for it is sealed And the booke shal be geuen to one that is vnlearned and knoweth not his letters and it shal be sayd vnto him Reade And he shall aunswere I knowe not the letters I am vnlearned Wherefore the lorde saith For asmuche as this people draweth nigh me with their mouthes and glorifyeth me with their lips but their hart is farre from me and they haue rather feared the commaundements of men and haue cleaued to their doctrines Beholde therefore I will ad besides and bring such a muse and maruell vpon this people which shal make men amased with marueling For wisedome shal perish from their wise men and the vnderstanding of their prudent persons shal be hidden And soone after it followeth in the same place yet a litle while and Libanus shal be turned into Charmell and Charmell counted for a cops or groaue and in the same day shall the deafe folkes heare the worde of this booke and the eyes of the blinde changed from darkenes and blindnes shall see Nabuchodouoser enquiring of Danyel said Thinkest thou that thou canst truely declare mee the dreame that I haue sene and the meaning thereof And Danyel sayd As for the mistery whereof the king doth aske neyther the wise men magitiens southsayers nor enchaunters can declare to the king But there is a God in heauen that discloseth misteries who will declare to thee O king Nabuchodonosor what things shal come to passe in the last times of all To me also is this sacrament or misterie disclosed not for any wisedome that is in mee more then in all men liuing but to that the interpretatioÌ„ might be made manyfest to the king that thou shouldest know the cogitagions of thy minde It was also sayd to Daniel And thou Daniel shut vp the wordes seale vp the booke vntill the time appointed Verely many people shall passe ouer and many folde knowledge shall there be And Daniel sayde to the man that was clothed with lynnen garments who stode vpon the waters of the floud How loÌ„g wil it be before the end shal come of these marueilous thinges And I heard the man that was clothed in linnen apparel who stode vpon the waters of the flouds when he had lift vp his right haÌ„d and his left hand into heauen and had sworne by him that liueth for euermore that for a time tymes and a halfe tyme. And when the scattering abroad of the hand of the holye people shal be accomplished then shal al these things be finished And I heard and vnderstoode not and I sayd O my Lorde what shall bee after these things and he sayd Go thy wayes Daniel for this talke is shut sealed vp vntil the time that is before appointed All these thinges haue I written to shew that he that hath the key of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth doth when and how loÌ„g it pleaseth him hide the mysteries and the hid secrets of the Scriptures from the wise prudent and righteous and other whiles at his plesure reuealeth the same to sinners and lay persons simple soules that he may haue the honor glory in all things Wherefore as I haue beforesaid if you shall finde any good thing in my wrytinges ascribe the same to God alone If you shal finde otherwise think ye the same to be written of ignorance and not of malice And if any doubt or errour be shewed me in all my wrytynges I wil humbly allow your information fatherly correction But why that such maner of matters are moued touching the disclosing of Antichrist in this kingdome more then in other kingdomes and in this time also more then in time past the aunswere as concerning the time of the motion is that it is the last coniunction of Saturne and Iupiter in the signe of the Twins which is the house of Mercury being the signifyer of the Christian people which coniunction seemeth to me to betoken the secoÌ„d comming of Christ to reforme his Church and to call men agayne by the disclosing of Antichrist to the perâ—ection of the Gospell from their Hethenish rytes and wayes of the Gentiles By whom the holy citie was trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes euen as the coniunction of the sayd two planets being inclosed in the signe of the Virgine which is also the house of Mercury dyd betoken the first commyng of Christ for the saluation of all people that were perished of the house of Israel wherby to call theÌ„ through the same comming to the full perfection of the Gospell As touching this calling of the Heathen speaketh Christ in the Gospell I haue also other sheepe that are not of this folde and those must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one shepefolde one shepeherd For although the Gentiles be conuerted from