the Churches Editio Parisien Epist 18. Pa. mel 55. but Cyprian complained thereof vnto Cornelius as of a wrong and in barre of such proceedings pleaded the lawes and constitutions of holie Church These fellowes saith he after all this presume to passe the sea c. For seeing sayth he that by vs all it hath beene alreadie ordained according to rules of equitie and iustice That euerie ones cause should be heard in the place of the fact committed and that to euerie Pastor should be allotted his proper portion of the flocke which he was to ouersee and for which he should stand answerable vnto God it is not fit that those ouer whom we are set should run from place to place to make the Bishops who are at vnitie among themselues to square and fall foule one of another for example Cornelius and Cyprian but that euerie one answere for himselfe in the place where the defendant may haue both accusers and witnesses face to face vnlesse perhaps these few desperate companions thinke the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa who haue condemned them to be lesse meaning lesse than that of Cornelius to whom they fled By all which it euidently appeares that it was the least part of Cyprians thought to acknowledge anie right of appeale to the See of Rome Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 33. Wherefore when Bellarmine sayth that the constitution alledged by S. Cyprian That euerie cause should be heard in the place of the fact committed is to be vnderstood onely of the first instance the words themselues and those which follow are too too cleere against him The cause sayth Cyprian hath beene heard sentence is passed it is not fit that a censure of Priests or Bishops should be retracted as rash and vnaduised And as friuolous is that which he sayth that the word lesse is not spoken in comparison of the Pope but of the cause for those words vnlesse they thinke the authoritie of the Bishops of Afrike to be Lesse must necessarily be vnderstood in comparison of them with other Bishops of those against whom they complained with him to whom they sayled that is vnto Cornelius And all this suiteth with the veine of Cyprian as also doth that in his Treatise of the vnitie of the Church The other Apostles sayth he were the same that S. Peter was of like honour of equall authoritie and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie to shew that the Church is one where yet to bolster out this pretended Primacie one or other hath corrupted the text in sundrie places contrarie to the truth of manuscripts acknowledged in the Paris edition by the learned Turnebus For betweene these words Pasce oues meas and Et quamuis either Pamelius or some other before him hath inserted these Super vnum illum aedificat ecclesiam suam illi pascendas mandat oues suas that is He hath built his Church vpon him alone i. S. Peter and him hath he commaunded to feed his sheepe And whereas Turnebus readeth Tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem originem ab vno incipientem sua authoritate disposuit i. yet that he meaning Christ might declare this vnitie he hath declared by his authoritie that this vnitie should take her beginning from one alone Pamelius with like honestie as before betweene these words manifestaret and vnius hath thrust in these Vnam Cathedram constituit i. he hath established one Chaire Likewise after those words before mentioned The Apostles were all the same that Peter was c. after the word proficiscite he addeth Primatus Petro datur The Primacie is giuen vnto Peter And againe vnto these words vt vna Christi ecclesia monstretur he addeth Cathedra vna i. and one Chaire And to conclude where S. Cyprian sayth Qui ecclesiae renititur resistit in ecclesia se esse confidit i. He which resisteth the Church can he hope that he is in the Church Pamelius betweene these words resistit and in ecclesia foisteth in these Qui Cathedram Petri super quam ecclesia fundata est deserit i. he which forsaketh the Chaire of Peter vpon which the Church is builded And the like doth he in manie other places of this Treatise which additions how incompatible are they with the sence and scope of the text it selfe where it is said The Lord hath giuen after his resurrection equall power to his Apostles and againe They were all the same that Peter was as also with that Nullitie pronounced elsewhere against appeales made ouer the sea Cyprian in Concil Carthagin siue de sentent Episcop 73. editio Parisiens Cyprian de Alâ—ator and diuers other places of the same Author None of vs sayth he hath made himselfe a Bishop of Bishops through feare and tyrannie to force his Collegues to his obedience The heauenlie goodnesse hath bestowed vpon vs the ordering of the Apostleship and hath by his heauenlie fauour dignified the Vicars seat of the Lord Christ said to all the Apostles and in them to all Bishops which should succeed them in their Vicariall ordination He which heareth you heareth me Idem ad Puppien Epist 66. editio Parisien so that sayth he one of vs may not iudge another but we attend he excepteth none the iudgement of our Lord Iesus who alone hath power Vnus solus to ordaine vs to the gouernment of his Church and to iudge our doings Thus farre Cyprian immediately vpon whose death the Church of Afrike to cut off all claime of this pretended jurisdiction decreed That the Bishop of the first See should not be called Prince of Priests or chiefe Bishop Idem in Concil Carthag siue de sentent Episcop epist 73. Concil Afric art 6. Capitu. Carol. Magn. li 7. c. 17. Bochell Decret Ecclesiae Gallic li. 5. tit 5. cap. 1. or by any other like name Which decree our French Church heretofore vnderstood expressely of the See of Rome And now let the indifferent Reader judge which edition that of Pamelius or this of Turnebus sorteth and suiteth better with these sayings of Cyprian and consequently whether these are not Harpyes clawes which thus defile the pure foord of the Fathers writings to our hands and what they haue done in this Epistle who can warrant vs that they haue not done in the other writings of the same Father and of all other Fathers But here may we see as in a glasse the audaciousnesse of Baronius Baron to 1. an 33. art 21 an 34. art 203. passim who would make vs beleeue that the meaning of S. Cyprian was cleane contrarie for first he sayth That S. Cyprian acknowledged S. Peters Chaire as supreme Iudge ouer all Churches in the world grounding himselfe vpon the Epistle before rehearsed and so notoriously corrupted which yet he is not ashamed so often to repeat as if it were as true as Gospell and who cannot make his owne cause seeme good if he may be
Church together with their power that at this time came in the inuocation and adoration of Saints and Martyrs in stead of the gods the verie ground-plot of Heathenisme to erect the building of Christianitie vpon OPPOSITION Such were then the proceedings of the Popes yet when he presumed to passe his bounds too farre there neuer wanted some one or other to lay a blocke in his way which we should now more clearely discouer had the writers of those daies beene as carefull to record vnto posteritie the oppositions of the one part as they were to set downe the attempts of the other But this appeareth that Leo his pretencions were euer opposed by the Churches and we may perceiue by Symmachus his owne Epistle that in Sclauonie Dardanie and Dace Symmach in ep ad Presbyt Illyr Dardaniae Daciae his authoritie was little esteemed And in Rome itselfe his owne Clergie accused him to Theodoric at what time he was wiser than to replie as now they doe that no man may presume to aske him Domine cur ita facis Neither did his predecessor Anastasius the second find the Bishops of France and Germanie ouer gentle in taking their bitt into their mouths when they wrot vnto him in the time of Clouis the first and first Christian King of Fraunce that memorable Epistle whereof we will here insert some few of the most important clauses Non putatiuè sed veracitèr affirmant Episcopi that is The Bishops doe constantly and truly affirme Epist episc Gol. German ad Anastas 2. in Collecta Auentin that a Councell is of greater authoritie than is a Pope Anastasius Paule the Apostle which crieth out Be ye followers of me resisted Peter who was chiefe of the Apostles because he was to be reproued c. This is indeed a verie fountaine and nurserie of scandales to the people when the Bishops of the Church rise in dissention against each other among whom there should be a full and a perfect peace c. And againe Our weake wit say they cannot conceiue what this new kind of compassion meaneth which these Phisitians of Italie vse in the cure of the disease of France They who pretend to cure our Bishops are themselues shaken with a continuall feauer they who promise sight to vs are themselues blind they take vs to be crouchbackes and haue themselues such a bunch of auarice growing on their backes that it will not suffer them to enter in at the narrow gate they let their owne sheepe goe astray and call our Shepheards into the way of truth going about to persuade vs that the physicke of spirituall diseases the absolution of soules is at Rome c. But if they will needs applie their searing yrons to our wounds they shall quickly feele our French truth which they without a cause prouoke against themselues c. And if they say yet farther That the Bishops of France are spiritually sicke let them remember the commaundement of our Sauior and visit vs in our sicknesse for the sicke must not runne to the Physitian but the Physitian come vnto the sicke which if they refuse to doe then let them know that we haue of our owne a perfect good Antidot euen the Gospell of the Sonne of God to expell all venome from our hearts that is to say We haue no need of your Treacle Let them take this for a warning not to make shew of too great zeale of iustice thereby to draw vs into the snare of their King like iudgements least we answere them as it is in the Gospell Let him of the Bishops of Italie which is without sinne cast the first stone at vs. All which we say to this end that they in the hardnesse of their heart may not offer to lay their pretended authoritie vpon our Bishops For it is not impossible that the stone which they cast at vs may flie backe in their owne faces for our men vse not to be afraid of feathers Let them rather this day confesse before Christ that they are a sort of miserable comforters those properly whom S. Iohn saw in Pathmos of whom he saith He sent the Dragon and he drew the third part of the starres c. The stinke of their ill name is spred to the vtmost borders of the earth They which dwell beyond the mountaine of God that is they which will make themselues gods shoot their arrowes beyond the stone of saluation because they are not planted in the house of the Lord after the order of Melchisedech c. that is are not called by a lawfull vocation And although say they by the shaking of our Oxen of France the Arke of our couenant should be like to fall yet it belongeth to our Bishops to hold it vp and not to them But if they by their euill speaking slander the Arke of our Church the like mischiefe befall them as befell Vzzias the Leuit. To conclude let them learne this Syllogisme If there be equall power in all Bishops then is it equall in euerie one but it is equall in all ergo in euerie one And by this you may see what reckoning the Bishops of France made of the Bishops of Rome in those daies 15. PROGRESSION That Pope Hormisda tooke vpon him to constitute diuers Vicars of his See in the West AFter Symmachus succeeded Hormisda who would lose no time If we may beleeue his Epistles he made diuers Bishops his Vicars in sundrie Prouinces of the West as Auitus Bishop of Vienna in the Prouince of Narbona Iohn of Arragon in Spaine on this side the riuer Betis and on the other side Salust Bishop of Seuile These Bishops accepted of this title thereby to aduance and to set themselues aloft aboue their brethren and the Pope cunningly soothed them in their ambitious humor thereby to enlarge the precincts and limits of his owne authoritie And in the East also vnder colour of composing a certaine difference in religion concerning the Chalcedon Creed he sent his Legats to the Emperour Anastasius who would not receiue it The Pontificall Booke sayth That he did it by the aduice and counsell of Theodoric forbearing to say By his permission D. 50. c. Si ille qui. though indeed it had beene farre more honourable for the Pope to haue beene the author of so good an aduise himselfe And yet how earnest soeuer he would seeme to be in the defence of this Councell it is euident that he renounced one of the principall Canons thereof concerning the place and ordering of Bishops seeing that he protested though vpon another occasion that he receiued nothing but what was contained in the Councell of Nice for feare of broaching himselfe vpon the Canons of those two Councels of Constantinople and of Chalcedon both which equall in all points the priuiledges of the Church of Rome and of Constantinople And it is sport alone to see the instructions which he gaue vnto his Legats how he setteth downe how farre they should goe and
belong to that Court that vseth to commaund both Emperours and Kings And Baronius hath set downe this excellent Apothegme in great letters Baron an 1169. art 11. By the pride of the seruant we may iudge the modestie of the Master Doubtlesse the wisest of this world judge otherwise of the power and authoritie of the Pope Otho Bishop of Frisinghen saith Otho Frisingens in prologo l. 4. Chron. Two persons are constituted in the Church by God the Priestlie and the Princelie the one hath the administration of the Sacraments of Christ and to exercise Ecclesiasticall descipline with the spirituall sword the other carieth the materiall sword against the enemies of the Church defending the poore and the Churches of God from the oppression of the wicked punishing euill doers and exercising secular iudgement These are the two swords whereof we read in the Passion of our Sauiour but Peter is said to vse but onely one Therefore euen as to the spirituall sword spirituall possession belong that is to say the tithes the oblations of the faithfull and others of like sort so to the materiall are subiect all worldlie dignities as Duke domes Earle-domes and the like Now God would that these things should be in his Church orderly and not confusedly that is to say not in one person alone but diuided betweene two as I haue formerly named Euen as these persons therefore that carrie the materiall sword are not to meddle with those things that are spirituall so is it not fit for the spiritual to vsurp the other And to make good this saying many testimonies of the Scriptures and of our Lord himselfe besides the example of Saints may be alledged as that Gospell that saith Giue vnto Caesar the things that belong vnto Caesar and vnto God the things that are Gods That which our Lord Iesus Christ had deliuered in words he declared also by effects when yeelding tribute to whom tribute belonged he gaue tribute for himselfe and Peter And S. Paul acknowledged that we ought to yeeld honour to whom honour belongeth considering that all power is from God who being brought to iudgement did not appeale to Saint Peter who then possest the chaire at Rome but to Nero a most impious and a wicked man ordained by the will of God King of the whole world And thus much touching the honour of Kings But he goeth about to defend the Pope by some poore weake reasons but in the end concludeth I confesse I know no other refage but this that we haue known holie men both of Apostolike faith and merit as Syluester Gregorie Vlric Boniface Lampert Gothard and diuers others that haue had these things but for my selfe to speake my owne opinion I doubt whether this exalting of the Church in these dayes be more acceptable to God than the humilitie of former times Verily it seemeth that state was the better this the happier Neuerthelesse I agree with with the Church of Rome c. That is to say to be rather temporally happie with the one than spiritually happie with the Apostles and the holie Fathers and shortly after he hides not from vs vpon what foundation he groundeth his reason That all scruple saith he of that controuersie being resolued by his authoritie and example is againe secretly signified by that which was sayd to S. Peter Duc in altum lanch into the deepe and cast your nets to take fish Luke 5. yea it is so secret that for the space of 500 of the first and best yeres none of the auntient Doctors could perceiue this mysterie Jdem l. 3. Chron. 1.3 But the same authour speakes more openly in another place After the donation of Constantine the Church of Rome affirmeth that all Realmes of the West belonged to it by the gift of Constantine this he refuteth himselfe In token whereof it doubted not to exact tribute euen to this present of all those except the two Kingdomeâ— of the French that is to say the Gaules and the Germans which hee would gladly draw into his Net if they would suffer him But in our France at the verie same time they that were called Waldenses or Albienses earnestly set against the Church of Rome condemning all the traditions thereof rejecting the ceremonies and declaring it in expresse words to be that Babylon in the Apocalyps the mother of fornications and the Pope verie Antichrist the man of sin foretold by the holie Scriptures These people maintayned the puritie veritie and simplicitie of the Christian Religion in all the Countries both on the mountaines and vallies of Daulphine Prouence Languedoc and Guyan where the corruptions and papall inuentions could not so easily penetrat no otherwise than as we see the Tongues customes and habits of nations to be preserued in Countries more remote against the inundation and mingling of the people as the originall Tongue of Spaine in the mountaines of Biscay and the auntient Tongue of the Brittons in Wales with their manners and customes also and so likewise of others For that so great a multitude of people spread from the Alpes euen to the Pirence by the instruction of Waldo had beene as it were hatcht vp in one day exceedeth all beliefe all reason Contrariwise he that would retire himselfe from the world seriously to contemplate his owne saluation it is likely he rather learned it of them and afterward taught at Lyon where for the renowne of the citie they that were his followers or affected his doctrine were called Waldenses as they who preached in the citie of Alba ware called Albienses and not many yeres before Peter Bruitzius Henrie his disciple publiquely teaching at Tholouse were called Tholousians and so likewise were they called at the Councell of Lateran held vnder Alexander the third Of this antiquitie to the end we need not doubt thereof the aduersaries themselues auouch the truth amongst whom Frier Rainerius who writ about the yeare of our Lord 1250 Among all the sects that are saith he or euer will be none can be more pernitious to the Church of God than that of Lyons An. 1250. Frater Rainerius de Waldensibus for three causes the first because it hath continued a longer time than any some say that it hath beene euer since the time of Syluester others say from the time of the Apostles that is to say inasmuch as integritie euer went before corruption and the same maintayned by them as it is said of the true Church in the Apocalyps that it was preserued euen in the desart The second because it is more generall for there is not almost any Countrie where into this sect hath not crept whereas in the meane time they aske vs where our Church then was The Third because all the other procure horrour by their blasphemies against God this of the Lionists hath a great apparence of pietie in as much as they liue vprightly before men and put their trust in God in all things and obserue all the Articles
before his consecration at Rome might execute all his authoritie and prerogatiues and whosoeuer thought otherwise were traitors and heretikes Of which kind also that information is De nullitate processu Iohan. 22 whether Marsilius Patauinus or Ockam be Authour thereof Wherein Lodouike appeales from a Citation vnduely made in Auignion vnto a generall Councell conuocated in some safe and secure place with due forme and according to the sacred Canons and after a lawfull Appeale hee auerres that no place remaines for any Excommunication or Interdict And thus it was enacted against Iohn the two and twentieth or according to Platina the three and twentieth Furthermore Trithemius in Chronic. Hirsaugiens the Diuines and Ciuilians of these times argued this question by way of Thesis De potestate Imperiali Papali earumque distinctione Of the Emperours and Popes power and their seuerall distinction For to omit what Vldarick the Emperour Lewis his Chancellor Apologia Ludovic 4. contra Ioh. 22. publicē proposita wrot to Iohn in certaine letters directed to him in his Masters name wherein amongst other things he calls him Bestiam illam de mari ascendentem That beast arising out of the sea of which mention is made in the Apocalyps an Apologie was publisht in Lodouikes behalfe by the Diuines whereby they stifly affirme Quod nullus Papa potestatis plenitudinem in temporalia sibi arrogare potest That no Pope could arrogate to himselfe any plenarie power in temporall things much lesse in the Empire and yet much more lesse such an one as Iohn a man most vnworthie of the Papall chaire as also that the Pope swaruing from the Faith might haue a superiour on earth which is the whole Church represented in a generall Councell which out of their authoritie may judge him and to which for this cause it was lawfull to appeale And the same we read printed at this day But beyond all others out of doubt William Ockam a Franciscan an Englishman borne being a verie wittie and learned Doctor assayles him verie stoutly Defend me Caesar saith he with thy sword against the Popes iniuries and I will by word writing and irrefragable reasons maintaine thee against him the which indeed he performed while he liued hee constantly auerring That the Pope was an heretike and schismatike whose censures were nothing at all to be esteemed From hence came those Dialogues of his Pro Ludouici defensione Liber nonaginta trium dierum pro Michaele Caesennate Generall of the Franciscans excommunicated for the same cause Errores Iohannis 22 Dialogus inter Clericum militem and other such like In which he debates this poynt with so vnanswerable arguments as no man need to call his opinion into doubt or question The principall heads were these That the Pope ex iure diuino hath no Primacie That Peter neuer had nor neuer sat at Rome and therefore the Pope cannot haue it That the Pope may erre yea and the whole Roman Church and therefore ought to be liable to a Councell Concerning the controuersie betwixt the Pope and the Emperour he discusseth eight seuerall questions First Whether the Imperiall and Pontificiall dignities might be joyntly discharged in one man Secondly Whether Caesar onely receiued his authoritie from God or from the Pope of Rome also Thirdly Whether by any authoritie from Christ the Pope and Church of Rome haue power to confirme Caesar and other kings in the exercise of royall jurisdiction Fourthly Whether Caesar being elected hath at the same instant absolute right to gouerne the Commonwealth Fiftly Whether other kings besides Caesar and the king of Romans being consecrated by Bishops receiue any authoritie from them Sixtly Whether such kings are in any sort subiect to those which consecrated them Seuenthly Whether if they should vse any other rite or solemnitie or assume another Diademe they lost in so doing their royall title and prerogatiue Eightly Whether the seuen Electors conferre as much right vpon the Emperour elected as other Kings and Princes haue by lawfull succession All which questions he arguing on both sides he determines in the greatest part for the ciuile Magistrat I meane for Kings and Princes vtterly ouerthrowing by the way the Extrauagants of Iohn the two and twentieth as false hereticall and by many condemned Whosoeuer thinke otherwise they may be numbred amongst them of those times whereof the Apostle to Timothie admonisheth vs 2. ad Timoth. c. 3. v. 3. 4. The time will be when they shall not giue eare to sound doctrine but according to their owne lusts they shall seeke out for teachers that may delight their eares which themselues shall stop against all truth and open wide vnto fables For this is the state of the present time that all men in a manner enquire not what was the doctrine of Christ of the Apostles or of the Fathers but onely they listen what the Pope wills and commaunds them Ascentius in his Preface sayes That he writ six other Tractats which he wittingly omitted because they were somewhat too sharpe and bitter against the Pope of Rome Editus Basiliae Marsilius Patauinus the Author of that golden Treatise whose title was Defensor Pacis of the authoritie of the Emperour and of the Pope writes much out of the same veine where out of the holie Scriptures the Lawes the Canons and both the sacred and ciuile historie he affirmes and auerres these propositions ensuing That Christ was the onely head and foundation of the Church and not Peter That he constituted none of the Apostles no not Peter himselfe Vniuersall Vicar and head of the Church and that by as good right any one else may vsurpe to himselfe this title That Peter was neuer Christs generall Vicar neither did Christ appoynt the other Apostles to be subiect vnto Peter How it was most probable that Peter was neuer at Rome much lesse that there hee held his seat who as the rest of the Apostles had no peculiar seat That the Pope labouring to confirme his Primacie by succession hath no right at all and therefore it is not validious That he hath no greater authoritie than other Bishops no not in that which appertaines to Indulgence and remission of sinnes and that otherwise by diuine right all men are equall with him the Bishops of Magunce Collen and Treuer are Primats as well as he That the plenarie power attributed to him was a manifest lye an execrable title and the verie originall of all euils and the vse thereof was to be interdicted the Popes by some good generall Councell But concerning temporall things Christ whose Vicar he would be thought to be neuer exercised any temporall authoritie vpon earth but contrariwise both himselfe and the Apostles submitted themselues to the ciuile Magistrat and after his ascention into heauen they both obeyed Princes and enioyned their disciples to this obedience and therefore that no temporall jurisdiction did any wayes belong to the Pope ouer any man much lesse ouer Princes
the begging Friers ought to be bridled being burdensome to the people dammageable to spittles and hospitals and to other truely poore and needie wretches preiudiciall also to the Curats and poore of Parishes and likewise if it be well considered to all estates of the Church Those Preaching money-gatherers aboue all because they defile the Church with their lyes and make it ridiculous and the office of Preaching contemptible Monkes after the Canon of Chalcedon to be restrained in their monasteries to fastings and prayer excluded from Ecclesiasticall and secular affaires and to be debarred from all studies Diuinitie excepted seeing it is euident That the Court of Rome in contemning Diuines haue preferred to all Ecclesiasticall degrees the students of gainefull sciences when neuerthelesse the Primitiue Diuines haue edified the Church which some wrangling Lawyers haue destroyed and now seeme to bring to extreame ruine so that now this horrible prouerbe is vsed of some That the Church is come to that state that it is not worthie to be gouerned by any but reprobats Neither doe they withdraw themselues from the jurisdiction of Ordinaries against the holie Decrees by humane priuiledges obtained by importunitie For it is not a little to be doubted saith hee whether such men are in state to be saued All which things although they respect more the circumstance than the substance of Christian religion yet are they in no sort touched in that Councell Moreouer Petrus de Alliaco in Vesperijs this same Peter de Alliaco in his Questions hath disputed Vtrum Petri Ecclesia lege reguletur Whether the Church of Peter meaning the Roman may be ruled by a law where he concludeth affirmatiuely and subiecteth both the Pope and the Roman Church to a Councell Yet there wanted not at the same time euen in France it selfe busie spies of the Pope who maintained contrarie positions for in the yere 1429 one Frier Iohn Sarazenus of the order of Preachers durst teach and maintaine these same that follow First That all powers and iurisdictions of the Church which be other than the Papal power are from the Pope himselfe as touching their institution and collation 2. Such like powers are not de jure diuino of diuine right nor immediatly instituted of God 3. It is not found that Christ hath expressed such powers to wit different from the Papall but only that supreme power to whom hee hath committed the foundation of the Church 4. Whensoeuer any Statuees are made in any Councell the whole authoritie giuing force to those Statutes resideth in the Pope alone Fiftly It is not expresly shewed by the text of the Gospell That the authoritie of iurisdiction was bestowed on any of the Apostles sauing onely on Peter Sixtly To say that the power of iurisdiction of inferiour Prelats whether they be Bishops or Curats is immediatly from God like as is the Popes power is after a a sort repugnant to the truth Seuenthly Like as no flower no bud neither yet all flowers and buds together can doe any thing in the tree which are all ordained for the tree and deriued from the tree so all other powers can de jure by right doe nothing against the chiefe Priesthood or Priest being instituted by him Here after is said that the Spirituall power is the Pope as sayd Hugo de Sancto Victore 2 De Sacramentis out of which it may seeme that here by chiefe Priesthood hee meaneth the Pope Eightly That the Pope cannot commit Canonicall simonie prohibited by the positiue law The professors of Diuinitie in Paris being solemnely assembled on the eighth day of March and hauing duely weighed these positions condemne them publikely and compell the said Iohn to abiure them and force him to answer vnto others contrarie which here doe follow First That all powers of iurisdiction of the Church which are not the Papall power are from Christ himselfe as touching their primarie institution and collation but from the Pope and from the Church as touching their limitation and ministeriall dispensation Secondly Such like powers are de jure diuino of diuine right and immediatly instituted by God Thirdly It is found in holie Scripture that Christ hath founded the Church and hath expresly ordained the powers diuers from the Papall Fourthly Whensoeuer in any Councell any Statutes are made the whole authoritie giuing vigour to the Statutes resideth not in the Pope alone but principally in the holie Ghost and in the Catholike Church Fiftly By the text of the Gospell and by the doctrine of the Apostles is expresly shewed That the authoritie of iurisdiction was bestowed on the Apostles and on the Disciples sent of Christ Sixtly To say that the power of iurisdiction of inferiour Prelats whether they be Bishops or Curats is immediatly from God is consonant to the Euangelicall and Apostolicall truth Seuenthly Any power that is to say of the Church by right may doe something and in certaine cases against the Pope Eightly Any whosoeuer that is but meere man hauing the vse of reason of whatsoeuer dignitie authoritie and preheminence yea though he be a Pope may commit simonie Lastly If I haue vttered or written any other things which seeme contrarie to the foresayd truthes or which are otherwise written I will not stand in them but will and entreat that they be accounted for not sayd or written and all other things whatsoeuer which may seeme to yeeld occasion of scandall or errour The Acts of all which are solemnely kept in the Arches of the Sorbone The Councell of Basil was able perhaps to take in hand a reformation with more courage than that of Constance but it had Eugenius to contend with who as before we haue seene defended stoutly euen the least articles so that by admonitions gaine sayings and oppositions he left nothing vnattempted Notwithstanding the historie of the Councell of Basil written by Aeneas Syluius then Clerke of the Ceremonies who was there present and since Pius the second and therefore a most fit witnesse assureth vs that many things were there grauely pronounced according to the truth although he plainely sheweth that Eugenius had intruded into it many of his which were incorporated and had taken oath in the Councell and yet neuerthelesse in all things tooke the part of Eugenius who were vulgarly named the Grisean sect An. 1438. In the yeare then 1438 when Eugenius had assigned his Councell at Ferrara to the preiudice of that of Basil the Emperour Albert came in betweene to be a mediator of peace and for that intent assembled a Parliament first at Norimberg and after at Mentz wherein were present the Deputies of the Councell of Basil of all nations in Eugenius name appeared none in shew yet verie many in deed who set forward his intention The Fathers of Basil consented that for the commoditie of the Greekes the place of the Councell should be changed Eugenius for to retaine his authoritie would haue the Councell of Basil bee dissolued In the meane
bee so muzled by these excommunications for first Cyprian in his Epistle to Pompeius Cypria in Epist ad Pomp. 74. Among other things saith he which our brother Stephen hath written vnto vs either insolently or vnfittingly or contrarie to himselfe hee hath also added this If any man come to vs for what heresie soeuer making no difference betweene heresie and heresie which yet the Councell of Nice afterward thought fit to make let him receiue imposition of hands in penance nay farther saith he his obduratnesse of heart and obstinacie is such as to presume to maintaine That by the baptisme of Marcion Valentin and Appelles children may be borne vnto God Thus he spake and this he maintained in heat of contention contrarie to what the Church afterward defined because these retained not the forme of baptisme But saith he a Bishop should not onely teach but also learne and he is the best teacher of others who is himselfe euerie day a learner As if he had said That Stephen should doe well to learne religion by conferring with his Collegues not to lay his authoritie vpon them vnder a pretence of custome which not grounded vpon truth saith he Cyprian Epist 71 is nought else but an aged errour Saint Peter saith he the first chosen of our Lord vpon whom also hee built his Church when Saint Paul disputed with him vpon the poynt of circumcision carried not himselfe in this manner neither boasted he that the Primacie was giuen vnto him hee told him not that he was an after commer and that foremost must take vp hinder most or disdained him for that he had beene a persecutor of the Church but submitted himselfe with all willingnesse to truth and reason giuing vs thereby an example of patience not to be selfe-willed in louing that which proceedeth from our selues but rather to account all that as our own which our brethren shal teach vs for our good saluation of our soules And vpon these and the like tearmes he euer holdeth him But Stephen staied not here for he had alreadie written to the Easterne Bishops Euseb l. 7. c. 4. who held opinion with Cyprian declaring vnto them That hee could no longer hold communion with them if they persisted in that opinion as appeareth by that Epistle which Dionysius Alexandrinus wrot vnto Xystus who succeeded vnto Stephen and yet more plainly by that which he wrot to Firmilianus Helenus and others to whom also Cyprian had alreadie dispatched Rogatian his Deacon And the Easterne Bishops vpon the intimation giuen them from Cyprian grew much offended with the insolencie and pride of Stephen and therefore in their answer vnto Cyprian We say they haue cause indeed to thanke him for that his inhumanitie hath giuen vs large testimonie of your faith and wisedome yet deserueth not Stephen any thankes for the good he hath done vnto vs no more than did Iudas for that by his treason he became an instrument of saluation vnto all the world But let this fact of Stephen passe least the remembrance of his pride and insolencie put vs farther in mind of his greater impietie And a little after comming to the fact it selfe Although say they in diuers Prouinces many things are diuersly obserued yet no man by occasion thereof euer departed from the vnitie of the Catholike Church which yet Stephen now presumeth to doe breaking that league of peace with vs which his predecessours so inuiolably obserued He markes not what a flaw he makes in this precious gemme of Christian veritie when he betrayeth and forsaketh vnitie And yet say they Stephen all this while vaunteth himselfe to haue Saint Peters chaire by succession And this no doubt was that which animated him to presume so farre vpon the Churches But made they any whit the more reckoning of his excommunications therefore or did they not rather tell him That thereby he had excommunicated himselfe Surely say they a man full of stomacke breedeth strifes and he that is angrie encreaseth sinnes How many quarels hast thou O Stephen set on foot throughout the Churches and how much sinne hast thou heaped vp vnto thy selfe in cutting thy selfe off from so many flockes For so hast thou done seeing he is a right scismatike which departeth voluntarily from the vnitie of the Church Cyprian Ep. 4. And thou whilest thou wentest about to seperat others from thee hast seperated thy selfe from all other Churches c. Walke saith the Apostle in your vocation in all humilitie of mind in meekenesse and patience supporting one another in loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the band of peace c. And hath not Stephen well obserued this precept thinke you when hee breakes off now with all the Churches of the East and anone with those of the South Or hath not he with great patience and meekenesse receiued their embassadours who vouchsafed not to admit them to ordinarie talke giuing order with great humilitie that no man should receiue them vnder his roofe and was so farre from giuing them the Pax that he forbad any man to affoord them lodging Can such a man be of one bodie or of one spirit who is scarcely of one soule in himselfe And see whither this grew in the end He is not say they ashamed to call Cyprian false Christ and false Apostle and a deceitfull workeman For finding his owne conscience surcharged with all these imputations he wisely began to obiect that to another which others might farre more iustly haue laid vpon himselfe Thus then wrot the Churches of the East vnto Saint Cyprian as much offended with the insolencie which Stephen had vsed vpon this occasion so that Pamelius had reason I confesse to say as he did That he would willingly haue left out this Epistle as Manutius had done before him but that Morelius i. Turnebus himselfe had printed it in his edition How farre is all this short of that mild and temperat humour of Saint Cyprian Cyprian Epist ad Inbaianum Edit Paris 70. in Edit Pamelij 73. We saith he will not fall at variance with our Collegues and fellow Bishops for the Heretikes sakes We maintaine in patience and meekenesse the loue of heart the honour of our societie the band of faith and Priestlie vnitie And for this cause at this present by the inspiration of God haue we written a treatise of the Benefits of Patience And at the same time for a lenitife of this sharpe humour he wrot another booke of Zeale and Enuie Such were the essayes of the Bishops of Rome euen in the heat of persecution and such were the wiles of Satan to serue his owne turne and to set forward his worke by their ambition and bad carriage of a good cause But Constantine comming shortly after to restore peace vnto the Churches and as it were to shed forth the sweet influence of his liberalitie and fauour vpon them these sparkes of ambition fostered by his bountie and no waies restrained by
Vulcans boyling 〈◊〉 For we now enter into an age wherein the people was not fed but with such fables Now this Pope Iohn passeth for a Martyr and was enrolled among the Saints as hauing suffered for conuerting the Arrian Temples into Christian Churches But Anastâ—sius Bibliothecarius seemeth to report the contrarie Anastas in Iohan. 1. Greg. Tureneâ—s de gloria Martyr c. 40. and Gregorie of Yours speaketh too confusedly to be beleeued It is therefore more probable that he was so handled vpon a poynt of State as about the same time Boetius and Symmachus lost their heads for that they had intelligence with the Emperour against Theodoric For it is cleere that Iohn crowned the Emperor at Constantinople though he had bin alreadie Sacred by the Patriarch which was too much for an embassador to do who would not voluntarily fall into suspition with him which sent him An. 525. So likewise it was a meere matter of State which moued Theodoric when hee saw the factions bandings which were vsed in the election of Popes to put to the hand of his authoritie and to appoint him to be Pope who was at that time in greatest reputation of honestie among the Orthodox which was Felix the fourth Whereupon Athalaric who succeeded his grandfather Theodoric the same yere Athalar Epist ad Senat. Roma apud Cassiodo li. 8. Epist much reioyced as appeareth by the letters which he wrot to the Senat of Rome which had receiued him You haue saith he receiued a personage instituted by God and approued by the iudgement of the Prince And had reason seeing that Baronius proueth out of this verie Epistle that for the space of fiftie eight dayes which the See was vacant the citizens of Rome had beene in continuall ielousies readie alwayes to come to blowes as in the former schisme which was between Symmachus and Laurence had not Theodoric interposed his authoritie But Baronius can by no meanes be brought to dispence with Theodoric for this grieuous sinne but whereas he was woont highly to commend his moderation hee now blazoneth him for a barbarous and a cruell tyran And see Reader saith he who it was which first made the ouerture to Emperours to confirme the Popes a Barbarian a Tyran and an Arrian Yet should he haue remembred that for preuention of the like confusion Odoacer long before had made the same law Which they neuer imposed vpon other places because they saw no where else the like disorders And which is more Athalaric was faine at the request of the most Orthodox among them though himselfe and Arrian by a law made to represse their vnlawfull simonie Whom yet they cannot accuse as ouer hard vnto them seeing that at the humble suit of the Roman Clergie he released them of the law of Valentinian the second Athalaricus apud Cassiod l. 8. c. 24. by which they were iusticiable in all causes both ciuile and criminall before the secular Magistrat in like sort as any other persons were and ordained That in the first instance they should goe onely to the Bishop of Rome Idem li. 9. Variar Epist 15 and not to the secular Iudge but by Appeale of which more at large hereafter And likewise in the East the Emperour Iustinian was faine to meddle in Church gouernement to rectifie what was amisse therein And this sticketh sore in the stomacke of Baronius and of his companions for that the more to represse the ambition of certaine Bishops which haunted the Court L. 14. Co. de Episc Cler. by a law directed to Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople he forbad all Bishops to come at Court vnder what colour or pretence soeuer saue onely vpon expresse order and commaundement from himselfe vpon paine and perill not onely of his displeasure but also of excommunication to be inflicted if the partie offending were a Metropolitan by the Bishop of Constantinople if an inferiour Bishop by his Metropolitan And it seemeth that this canker was farre gone when he was forced to applie so sharpe a remedie when by another law directed to Atarbius Grand Master of the houshold he ordained That so often as any See fell void the inhabitants should nominat three men of Orthodox religion and of sound life of which one to be chosen to the See whom the Emperour should thinke fit with many other circumstances there added forbidding also any Bishop Visitor Priest or other Clergie man of what dignitie soeuer or any Master of an hospitall to be made for money vnder paine as well to the giuer as to the receiuer of exclusion from all offices and dignities in time to come Which lawes would neuer haue beene made L. 42. Co. de Episc Cler. Nouell 123. but by occasion of a strange dissolution and corruption of discipline in suing for dignities in the Church And farther he was constrained to proceed to the reformation of the ordinarie Liturgie and of the Sacraments commaunding vnder paines both temporall and spirituall throughout the Empire that both the one and the other should bee celebrated in a knowne language and that in such absolute and mandatorie tearmes as a man may well perceiue that they proceeded not from a borrowed jurisdiction Which law of his was also to take place and to stand in full force within the walls of Rome it selfe 17. PROGRESSION Of Boniface the second and that he restored the Churches of Afrike to the communion of the Roman Church An. 530. ABout the yeare 530 vpon the death of Felix successour vnto Iohn the first new strifes arose about the election of a Pope some standing for Boniface and others for Dioscorus Lib. Pontif. in Bonifac. 2. but Dioscorus happening to dye about eighteene dayes after left the roome voyd for Boniface the second of that name who vnder colour of preuenting the like inconuenience in time to come called a Councell where he passed a Decree That a successor should there present bee created and thereupon he nominated to it Vigilius the Deacon but finding him to be a man of more sufficiencie than he thought for hee called another Synod wherein he declared Vigilius to be guiltie of treason Reum maiestatis and thereupon burnt the nomination which was made of him So well was this new forme of election alreadie ordered by the holie Ghost And yet this man in a certaine Epistle of his to Eulalius Bishop of Alexandria Bonifac. in Epist ad EulaliuÌ„ in 1. to Concil vaunteth That he had receiued authoritie from Saint Peter to be a helpe to the Vniuersall Church and that he ought to haue a superioritie ouer other Priests and Pastors of the Church as the Archangels haue ouer the ordinarie sort of Angels Which comparison serueth well for Archbishops but vnlesse he will compare himselfe to God how will he find a Pope among the Angels And it followeth in that Epistle That by vertue of this authoritie hee had by his Legats restored the Church of Carthage
Theodora surprised with the beautie of this Iohn that is to say the eleuenth who then had some charge in the Church of Rauenna did not onely entice but forst him to lye with her These things whilest they were thus impudently carried the Bishop of Bologne dying this Iohn was chosen in his place at the last Sergius dying to the end she might not be too farre from her paramour for Rauenna is distant from Rome two hundred miles she caused him to leaue the Archbishopricke of Rauenna and to vsurpe Luitprand l. 2. c. 13. proh nefas the Popedome of Rome This Historie in Luitprand is set downe more amply and with words more scandalous which I willingly spare to deliuer Frodoard Hist Rhemens l. 4. c. 19. Baron vol. 10. an 925. art 9 10 11. This is that Iohn who as Frodoardus reporteth to gratifie Rodulph the King created a child of fiue yeares age Bishop of Rheims whereupon Baronius thus crieth out Thou seest gentle Reader by the authoritie of what Pope this was first brought into the Church of God if he may be called a Pope that is by Iohn the tenth whom Platina cals the eleuenth than whom there was no man more wicked whose entrance into the Chaire of Peter was most infamous and his departure most execrable Now Marozia her daughter hauing lost her husband the Marquesse Albert not knowing how to liue a priuat life married her selfe to Guido Duke of Tuscan with purpose to get into his hands the gouernment of Rome which Albertus had and because Pope Iohn withstood it she persuaded her husband to take him out of the way who afterwards hauing caused his brother to be slaine in his sight Luitprand l. 3. c. 12. cast Iohn into prison and smothered him with a pillow Guido shortly after died and Marozia still greedie of gouernment made a motion of marriage with Hugh King of Arles assuring him the gouernment of the Citie of Rome who being called from elsewhere into Italie came and married her and with speedie journies comming to Rome was admitted without anie resistance But he being otherwise a wise Prince it so fell out that when Alberick by the counsell of his mother with lesse dexteritie than was fitting brought water vnto him to wash his hands he gaue the young man a box on the eare to reuenge which contumelie the youth in a furie presently went to the Romans and persuades them to sedition against Hugh whom he assayling in the castle droue him to such a strait that he was enforced to leape ouer the wall Whereupon Alberick both renewes the name of Consull in Rome and made himselfe a Consull changing the whole order of the gouernment and in such sort altereth the State that from thence forward for a long time the election of the Popes depended vpon him and his so to Leo the sixt the successor of Iohn the eleuenth in the yeare 928 An. 928. he substituted Stephen the seuenth but according to Onuphrius the eight and in the yeare 930 Iohn the twelfth An. 930. the bastard sonne of Pope Sergius the third and of Marozia gotten as is said before in adulterie and consequently his brother by the mothers side whom Sigonius not vnfitly saith sedere iussus was commanded to take the See and againe in the yeare 935 he constituted Leo the seuenth An. 935. successor to Iohn the twelfth An. 938. And whereas King Hugh in the yeare 938 had caused Stephen the eight to be nominated in the place of Leo the seuenth the faction of Alberick by a ciuile tumult wounded in such sort his good name that being ashamed to shew himselfe publikely he died with discontent in whose place Martin the second alias Martin the third succeeded whose place foure yeares after Agapete the second held who also about the yeare 956 dying An. 956. the Consull Alberick was of such power and authoritie that he caused Octauian his owne sonne to be chosen Pope though young of yeares and a child in manners This man according to Platina was Iohn the thirteenth according to Onuphrius the twelfth Here Baronius searcheth into the age of Octauian Baron vol. 10. an 955. art 2 3 4. because the Emperour Otho comming into Italie was wont to say He is but a child and therefore may hereafter easily be changed by the example of good men When he had held the Seat eight yeares his natiuitie being cast concluded that notwithstanding he had beene the eldest sonne of Alberick which he was not yet he could not be aboue eighteene yeares of age Iudge now Reader what Father of fathers he was to gouerne saith he the spirituall regiment of all the Christian world and so he pronounceth him an vntimely birth which the tyrannie of Rome had brought forth excelling in power confounding euerie thing with warres daring and subuerting all things in such sort that by no meanes he could be said to be a lawfull Pope in whose election there was no law obserued but all things carried by force and feare he that wanted yeares to be a Deacon seemeth as a vice playing the Popes part vpon a stage After all this saith Baronius by common consent it was agreed that he should be tollerated rather than by Schismes to trouble the Church of God and note withall that not long after he preferreth him before those that were solemnely chosen in a full Councell But it is not amisse to heare what Luitprand an eye-witnesse saith of both the Iohns Luitprand l. 3. c. 12. that it may the better appeare how farre the impudencie of this Seat had proceeded To Iohn therefore the twelfth besides what I haue alreadie alledged of him and of Marozia his mother he hath these verses where she inuiteth Hugh by the marriage of her to the Principalitie of Rome Quid veneris facibus compulsa Marozia saeuis Coniugis ecce tui spectas tu suauia fratris Nubere germanis satagens Herodia binis c. Reproaching his incest and againe Aduenit optatus ceu bos tibi ductus ad aram Rex Hugo c. Moreouer he bringeth in Alberick exhorting the Romans to shake off this infamous yoke with these words Is the dignitie of the Citie of Rome so besotted as to be obedient to the gouernment of a strumpet What thing more base more abhominable than to yeeld to the incest of a woman For Theodora his mother had made Iohn the twelfth her fauorite Pope and as for Iohn the thirteenth he describeth his life not with his owne but the words of the best of the people of Rome Witnesse Raineria a widow of one of his souldiors to whom he gaue the gouernment of manie Cities the keeping of the Crosse of gold and the Cups of S. Peter And witnesse Stephana his loue who died in the deliuerie of that child which she had lately conceiued by him and if all things should hold their peace the Palace of Lateran sometimes the lodging of Saints
worshippers of false gods were woont to doe he vsurpeth both the Empire and the Popedome c. He resisteth the diuine maiestie and the most Christian King ordained from aboue and inaugurated by God himselfe he impugneth And cunningly and craftily and closely he goeth about in a sheepes skin and vnder the title of Christ to get into his hands the Empire of the whole world For these causes the Emperour the Bishops the Senat the people pronounce him deposed being vnwilling to commit the flocke of Christ to the gard and custodie of such a wolfe And so both those pretended heresies of Simonie and Nicholaisme with one consent they ouerthrew and this verie Decree not onely the Bishops of Germanie and France but of Italie it selfe in a Synod holden at Pauia did vnder their Seales and by oath confirme They writ likewise by the authoritie of the Synod of Wormes to Hildebrand that he should giue ouer the Popedome and betake himselfe to a priuat life and also to the Clergie and people of Rome that according to the Law of their auncestors they should chuse another but yet so as that they should lay no violent hands vpon the person of Hildebrand but leaue him to the iustice of God Amongst all these Bishops there was not any that contradicted the decree but Albert of Wirthsbourg and Herman of Metz who likewise were soone persuaded by the admonitions and reasons of William of Vtrecht to be of the same opinion and to subscribe with the rest Gregorie so soone as hee vnderstood hereof is nothing at all discouraged but borrowing a great summe of money of Mathilda distributeth it amongst the people with the poore mens money payed his souldiers wages flattereth the people of Rome setting before their eyes their auncient renowme and giues them hope of libertie and so calls a Councell at Rome where in a full assemblie in the name of the Synod of Wormes one Rowland a Prelat of Parma vpon the suddaine stands vp and without any duetie done vnto him speakes vnto him in these words Our most Christian Emperour and the reuerend Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce commaund thee to resigne that charge which thou hast vsurped by subtilty money and fauour For it is not lawfull for thee against their willes and the authoritie of the Emperour and decree of the Church of Christ to meddle with the Sheepefold of Christ And presently turning himselfe towards the assemblie Most holie brethren saith he chuse according to your owne Law a Pastor which choice of yours the sacred Consull Tribune and your Prince according to the maner of your auncestors will authorise For this Hildebrand is neither Pastor nor Father nor Pope but a theefe a wolfe a robber and a tyran Whereupon they rushed vpon him and he wanted not much of being ouerborne by the people In the Letters which he deliuered there were these words Because thine entrie began with so many periuries and the Church of God by the abuse of thy nouelties hath beene endaungered in this so great a tempest and hast dishonoured thy whole life by thy infamous conuersation as we haue promised vnto thee no obedience so will we neuer performe any to thee Gregorie therefore returning the fault vpon themselues the day following depriued Henrie as much as in him lay of the kingdome of Germanie and Italie discharged the Princes of their oath of allegiance excommunicateth Sigefrid Archbishop of Mence and the Bishops of Vtrecht and Bamberge threatning to proceed in like maner against the rest if they came not to Rome to purge themselues In which decree let the Reader note the cunning he speakes to Peter as to his reuenger Heare me saith he O Peter Prince of the Apostles thou and thy brother S. Paule can best witnesse for me besides others that I was drawne against my will to the gouernement of thy holie Church and therefore I persuade my selfe that it pleaseth thee that I should rule the people of Christ committed by God especially to thy charge c. Being therefore confident herein for the honour of thy Church in the name of the omnipotent God the Father sonne and holie Ghost and by right of thy authoritie I interdict Henrie the King the sonne of Henrie the Emperour who by a straunge pride the like whereof was neuer heard of hath risen against the Church all the Kingdome of Germanie and Italie c. To the end all people may see and vnderstand that thou art Peter super tuam Petram and vpon thy rocke the sonne of God hath built his Church c. These selfesame words hath Sigonius and not vpon this rocke And some denying that the King could be subiect to the Popes curse or excommunications Thinke you saith he that God when thrise together he committed the charge of his Church to S. Peter saying feed my sheepe that he excepted Kings And so what he would he obtayned Thus Hildebrand being by the Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce deposed in a Councell at Wormes and Henrie excommunicated and depriued his kingdome by Hildebrand and the Clergie at Rome they both endeuour to strengthen their owne part But forasmuch as such Kingdomes as are long time gouerned vnder a minoritie are seldome or neuer without factions there arose presently against Henrie many Princes of Germanie to whom Hildebrand alledged that Pope Zacharie had deposed Childerick king of Fraunce onely for his negligence and placed Pepin in his Throne Why then should it not be lawfull for him to do the like against whomsoeuer should rebel against S. Peter And they on the other side vnder his patronage are content to comfort and to flatter their consciences with these toyes Of this number was Hugh Duke of Alsatia who was growne far in debt Rodulphus Duke of Sueuia the Emperors brother in law fed with the hope of the Empire Bertholdus Duke of Zaringia his sonne in law Welfo Duke of Bauaria the Bishops of Mence Mets and Wormes and certaine Abbots eyther stroken with a feare of the excommunication or for some speciall causes bound to these Princes who with one consent reuolt from the Emperour ioyne their counsels and forces to the Saxon rebels and fill all Germanie with robberie sword and fire Insomuch that the Historiographers of those times want words to expresse the horror and abomination of that disordered confusion which by all good men was imputed to Gregorie who crie out against this vnworthie and wicked act in their sermons curse Gregorie wish all ill to Hildebrand publish him to be Antechrist vnder a shew of pietie say they he exerciseth his furies with honest words he makes shew of seeking the publike good vnder the title of Christ he playes the part of Antechrist in Babylon he sits in the Temple of God and extolleth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as if he were God he glorieth that he cannot erre and for the greater increase of his glorie he takes vpon him to make an Emperor at his pleasure
that iudge the world saith he let them see and iudge these things least wrong should seeme to proceed from whence equitie and iustice should be had We shall bee condemned of rashnesse and said to open our mouthes against heauen but we write not these things out of a spirit of pride but with the inke of griefe wee feele our owne priuat miseries and deplore the publike c. The Apostle speaking to the Romans saith Euerie creature ought to be subiect to the higher powers If the Apostle so writ to the Church of Rome who in the Church of Rome will presume to contradict this Apostolicall doctrine c. Some Angels are greater and higher in dignitie than others yet they admit not the pride of emancipation or freedome the one aboue the other One of them long since would be freed from the power of God and of an Angell became a diuell by these extraordinarie liberties now adayes are wrought the vtter ouerthrow of many But to dispute of the doings of the Pope is held they say for sacriledge besides the disputation is not equall where it is not lawfull for the defendant to answer neither is it a quarell when thou strikest and I onely must endure the blowes In the same sence in the Epistle 158 to Iohn Bishop of Chartres and vpon the same subiect which was then pleaded by the Author before the Pope he saith All the lawes and the Canons and whatsoeuer we could alledge out of the word of God Petrus Blaesens Epist 158. to affirme and make good our cause Maiores inter caeteros the greatest haue held detestable and sacrilegious and did publikely iudge vs enemies to the Church of Rome vnlesse we would relinquish these word by which we endeuoured to proue the Church of Saint Augustine which they affirme particularly to be his to be subiect to the Church of Canterburie c. For hauing no regard of the losse of soules they permit in the Monkes all vnlawfull things to cast off the yoke of all discipline to follow all pleasures of the flesh and to pay for their riot and excesse through the whole yeare an annuall pension Wee hauing then beene publikely forbidden to produce in this cause either Canons or Lawes but onely priuiledges if we had any readie at hand whereof they knew none we had at that time saw that in this respect we were destitute of all humane comfort and they being resolued to prouide a lay man and not learned but rich ynough to purchase honors who had bought this Abbie by simonie not priuily but publikely and as it were in open market I put my selfe forward to accuse him and to make my selfe a partie against him but when I layed open manifest and notorious things they whom he had made friends with the Mammon of iniquitie poured wine and oyle into the wounds of his infamie Moreouer hauing gotten much money from the Marchants of Flanders and in a manner drawne them drie notwithstanding borrowed an infinit quantitie of gold of the Romans so by this meanes the Doues wings were all siluer and the hinder parts of her backe glittering all in gold in such sort that they would heare no more of the libertie and dignitie of the Church of Canterburie for the which the Martyr Saint Thomas fought euen vnto death This pretended Martyr notwithstanding suffered for the Popes authoritie who as Peter of Blois here tells vs according to the example of the Pharisies gilded his sepulchre that he might the better rob his Church Neither are we to forget also That in his treatise of the Institutions of a Bishop written to Iohn Bishop of Worcester he attributeth to euery Bishop that authoritie which the Church of Rome restraineth to the Popes as successors of Saint Peter We read saith he that our Sauiour said to Peter Petrus Blaesens de Institutione Episcopi If thou louest me feed my sheepe thou art the heire and Vicar of Peter feed my sheepe In being an Euangelist doe the workes of an Euangelist and of a Pastor be not ashamed of the office of a Pastor Thy ministerie hath more charge than honour if thou affect honour thou art mercenarie if thou wilt imbrace the burthen the Lord is strong to encrease his grace that profit may come by profit and gaine by gaine But if thou canst not endure the burthen and knowes thy selfe insufficient it is too late to complaine He said before Take heed by all meanes thou wrap not thy selfe in secular affaires for there is no agreement with the spirit of God and the spirit of this world persist in thy vocation the world is wholly giuen to wickednesse And this hee afterward recited Animabus Praelatus es non corporibus Thou hast the charge of soules and not of bodies Nihil Praelato commune est cum Pilato A Prelat hath nothing common with Pilat thou art Christs Steward Peters Vicar thou art not to make an account to Caesar but to Christ of that iurisdiction that is committed vnto thee And by these and the like places we may judge what he thought of the Popes who so violently drew all secular power vnto them But he was constrained verie often to temper his stile according to the tyrannie of those times Petrus Blaesens in Tractatu de Peregrinat Hierosolimit as when he said The sword wherewith Peter cut off these seruants eare exceedeth in these daies according to all mens opinion the weapons of Alexander and Caesar Abbas Vrsperg Let vs now come to Innocent the third The Abbot of Vrsperge tells vs of his entrance into the Popedome I haue heard in those times saith he things incredible to be related and hard to be beleeued that the same Pope said That he would take away the Kinglie Diademe from Philip or that Philip should take from him the Apostolical Ensigne Now albeit it were not to be beleeued that he would prefer his will before the will of God neuerthelesse it appeareth that he was at all times contrarie vnto him But God foreseeing from aboue permitted not that through all Germanie his diuine seruice and the Ecclesiasticall dignitie should perish which continued there more permanent than in other countries albeit much corrupted and depraued through the instigation of sinne and chiefly carnall pleasures And he noteth especially that Innocent opposed the authoritie of the Apostolike See against Philips Vt regium genus deperiret To ruinat the royall race But Auentine saith That he raised cognatas acies Auent l. 7. brother to fight against brother and the sonne against the father and the one to pollute himselfe with the bloud of the other and then crying out Who saith he can giue any other reason of the discord among Christians but the spectacle of the Roman Bishop quasi paria componentis taking pleasure to see and to cause them like Fencers to murder one another euen so the Christian people were slaine the Bishops of Rome encouraging the one against the
iust Abel whom carnall Kaine murdered it hath euer beene and will be to the worlds end These are they who for temporall commodities flie to the Church and liuing like secular men couet and scrape and rob desiring to beare rule but not to serue glorying in their superioritie oppressing their inferiours reioycing in their owne pride and luxurie They account gaine godlinesse and are alwayes readie to doe and endure whatsoeuer for the encrease of their temporalties howsoeuer they are gotten scorning and laughing at those that are willing to liue iustly holily chastly innocently spiritually To be briefe they thinke none other learned men to be profitable to the Church but such as haue learnt profitable sciences With such the Church at this day is full that almost in euerie Chapter and Colledge none other can hardly be found Since therefore no other are accounted in these dayes wise in the Church but these temporall persons and all things are swayed according to their disposition if any are to be sent either to the Court of Rome or of any other secular Princes or to the Councell in hope of greater preferment after which they gape by fauours and intercessions with great importunitie they labour to be sent For what doe these temporall men but seeke for temporall things thinke of temporall gaine Can we thinke that such will endeuour the reformation of the Church in manners and discipline and honestie of life who thinke that reformation their greatest calamitie and desire nothing so much as that it may be lawful for them to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth them freely without feare of punishment c. And here hee describe them at large But what concludes he hereupon Truely since the Prophet saith Vpon whom shall my spirit rest but vpon the humble and him that trembleth at my words wee must not looke that these Councels should be ruled by the spirit of God where the Decrees depend vpon voyces where for the most part carnall ambitious contentious persons puffed vp with vaine knowledge where subiects ill prepared to receiue the spirit of God where the workes of the flesh contentions emulations clamors beare sway since it is sayd quite contrarie The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous Yea since our auncient Fathers when they went about to celebrat a Councell to the end they might the better obtain the assistance of Gods spirit therein prepared themselues with prayer fasting teares contrition of heart humilitie of spirit searching and inquiring into the verie inward parts of their selues least they should offend any way therein that might auert his presence and whereby he should not speake more in them than they themselues If saith he they had by experience found that they could not be deceiued in those matters for which they were assembled what need was there of such diligence c. Since therefore the whole congregation assembled doth many times depend vpon the voyce and opinion of one man why as that one man may be deceiued in his iudgement may not likewise the whole multitude especially if out of humane presumption or any other grieuous crime it deserue to be deceiued Is it not onely proper vnto God to doe all things rightly and neuer to be deceiued But thou repliest saith he That in that the Councell cannot erre it proceedeth not from humane infirmitie but the power of the holie Ghost Doe thou tell me againe how thou knowest that the holie Ghost will alwayes giue his asststance to the greatest part c. especially since the greatest part is commonly the worse c. In the Councell of Achab the holie Prophet of the Lord Micha was present who without feare spake that which the spirit of God suggested vnto him but yet could persuade nothing with the king and the rest of the false Prophets who spake out of their own spirit and vnderstanding c. Read in the Prophesie of Ieremiah what the Lord spake of his Temple against those who falsely persuaded themselues that God would neuer forsake it for their iniquities Trust not in lying words saying It is the Temple of the Lord c. Therefore this house is made a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes Behold what I did to Shilo for the wickednesse of my people Now therefore because ye haue done all these workes and haue not heard me I will doe vnto this house wherein ye trust as I haue done vnto Shilo and I will cast you out of my sight c. Now what is the Temple of the Lord but the Church of God For notwithstanding these things were spoken to the Iewes and written for them yet according to the Apostolicall tradition in a figure they are spoken to Christians But perhaps thou wilt yet say That promises of God can neuer faile where he hath bound himselfe to bee with his Church to the end of the world I confesse indeed that God can neuer faile of his promise but where and with whom he is by grace in his Church it is not for vs but for him to know God knoweth saith the Apostle who are his but we how should we know it The Church by grace may remaine in one simple woman as it is sayd to be in the Virgine onely at the time of the Passion Hath a Councell of Bishops in these times a greater authoritie and prerogatiue than the congregation of the Apostles who all declined and went astray Nay hath it a greater prerogatiue than the whole militant Church which S. Augustine sayth cannot accomplish that which the Apostle saith Offer it selfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle but onely in the celestiall Ierusalem where that shall be true that is written They are without spot before the throne of God What other cause can wee thinke there was why those foure Councels the Nicene Constantinopolitan first Ephesine and that of Chalcedon are accounted more holy and had a greater veneration than the rest but because they were assemblies of holie men and such as came thither were so accounted and therefore in them and by them God manifested his holie will c. Such the spirit of God assembleth such he assisteth and is in the middest of them At the last to shew that such euents must not be looked for from contrarie persons he reciteth the historie related by vs in the former Progression of the Owle that in the Councell at Rome celebrated by Iohn the foure and twentieth appeared after the inuocation of the holie Ghost Thus did Clemangis write to this Scholeman who was present at the Councell of Constance To conclude in his Epistles hee calls the Church of Rome a house of theeues no otherwise to be purged than with a whip as the Temple once was for what doth he differ from a theefe who being entred by the breaches and ruines to steale brings others in by the same way meaning the Pope Truely the Church at this day is made a shop of ambition trafficke theft The Sacraments Orders yea
betweene both was the Emperour who would haue it so to be transferred that it should be thought dissolued Neuerthelesse he found so much reason in the proceeding of them of Basil that he gaue them for Protector of the Councel Conrade de Windzberg whereby he manifested both that he approued the Councell and disliked the wiles of Eugenius namely that which the Author noteth The embassadours requested that the Fathers would repaire and transferre the Councell to another place which one thing Eugenius seemed to haue sought that so he might either disperse the Fathers of the Councell or take away the libertie thereof During the Parliament of Mentz was disputed among the Diuines in the Councell of Basil of the person of Eugenius the one part affirming That he is an heretike others That he is a relapse and some denying both the more grieuous sentence carried it away That he was an heretike and a relapse both together The Diuines therefore set downe in writing eight Conclusions which they call Truthes and send copies of them throughout all the world which were such First It is a Truth of Catholike Faith That a sacred generall Councell hath power aboue the Pope and all other whomsoeuer Secondly That a generall Councell lawfully assembled cannot without the consent of the same be by the Pope of Rome his authoritie either dissolued or transferred or prorogued for a time and that is of the same Truth Thirdly That he which obstinatly opposeth himselfe to these Truthes is to be iudged an heretike Fourthly Pope Eugenius the fourrh hath repugned these Truthes when first by the fulnesse of Apostolike power he attempted to dissolue or transferre the Councell of Basil Fiftly Eugenius being at length warned by the sacred Councell hath reuoked the errours repugnant to these Truthes Sixtly The dissoluing or transferring thereof the second time by Eugenius attempted is contrarie to the Truthes aforesaid and containeth an vnexcusable errour concerning faith Seuenthly Eugenius enterprising againe to breake vp or transferre the Councell is fallen into his errours formerly reuoked Eightly Eugenius being admonished by the Synod to reuoke the dissolution or translation by him attempted for the second time persisting in rebellion after his contumacie declared and erecting a conuenticle at Ferrara declareth himselfe obstinat Neuerthelesse the Fathers would haue these yet publikely be examined by all the Doctors both of the Ciuile and Canon Law for the space of six dayes Lewis Cardinall and Archbishop of Arles sitting President a man of great learning and courage and they would that all should speake their opinion of them The Abbot of Palermo vulgarly called Panormitan tooke vpon him the defence of Eugenius yet durst not denie that hee was an heretike but onely that he was a relapse whom he would rather should be called a Prolapse because from a relapse is no returne On the contrarie Iohn de Segouio a Spanish Diuine of great fame stifly maintaineth out of his owne sayings That he is an Infidell rather than a beleeuer a member of Sathan rather than of Christ opposing to that singular Glosse alledged by Panormitan That the iudgement of the Roman Church ought to be preferred before all the world the authoritie of S. Hierome Orbis maior est vrbe The authoritie of the whole world is greater than of one onely citie The Bishop of Arges proceedeth That the Pope is onely the Minister of the Church Panormitan waxing in choler contendeth That he is Lord thereof Segouia replieth Take heed what thou sayest Panormitane that is a more honourable title for the Bishop of Rome whereby he calleth himselfe the Seruant of the seruants of God For that is taken from the saying of Christ to his disciples when they asked which of them should be the greatest for you know that he answered The Princes of the Gentiles rule as Lords ouer them c. But the Archbishop of Lyons Embassador of the French king stoutly proued by many reasons that Eugenius was an heretike and detested the lacke of courage of them that had created such a man Bishop of Rome The Bishop of Burgos Embassadour for Spaine insisting on the three former conclusions concludeth out of all the Law diuine and humane That the Councell is aboue the Pope that he is an heretike which denieth it But comming to other things which properly respected the fact of Eugenius It seemed saith the Authour that he somewhat departed from himselfe and was no more Burgensis neither did that grace appeare in his words nor that grauitie in his speech or chearefulnesse in his countenance and if he could haue seene himselfe perhaps he would haue beene abashed at himselfe For who saith he did not then see the force of the truth which furnished this man speaking for it with sentence and words but speaking against it tooke away from him that verie eloquence which naturally was ingrafted in him Yet thus much modesty shewed both he and Panormitan that they sayd ingeniously That the iudgement of the Diuines was to be beleeued and not their opinion who were not instructed in the holie Scriptures What Doctors of the Canon-law are these what assessours or assistants of Popes and of Councels which neglected to read the holie Scriptures The Authour proceedeth to declare what was done vpon those three conclusions vpon the first namely which hath two points Whether the Councell be aboue the Pope and whether Catholike faith commaundeth to beleeue so And for the Popes authoritie was solemnely cited Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. Item I haue prayed for thee Peter c. By conference then of places and by the exposition of the Fathers they manifestly proue that these things were promised to the church not to Peter much lesse to the Pope and indeed that many Popes haue grieuously erred and of these they produce examples That the Church which is represented by a Councell is the mother of all the faithfull and by consequent of the Pope whence of Annacletus and Calixtus it is called Mother That the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Pope onely his Vicar a Vicar who can neuer be aboue the Spouse who is one bodie with the bridegroome That these words euer in their mouth maketh nothing for them Whatsoeuer yee shall bind on earth c. for this power was giuen to the Church not vnto Peter for edification not for destruction which consequently may be taken away from the Pope if he abuse it who is onely Vicar and Steward of the Church therefore not equall to the Church seeing Christ sendeth Peter himselfe to the Church tell it sayeth he to the Church which if he will not heare he ought to be accounted an heathen and a publican That this Church ought to be heard by the Pope in a generall Councell lawfully assembled And that all those Canonists which buzze into his eare that the Pope cannot be iudged but by god alone that the first Seat is iudged of none that though he should leade multitudes of soules
with him into hell yet is it lawfull for none to say vnto him what or why doest thou so doe most shamefully flatter him That those decrees are the words of the Popes themseues labouring to enlarge the fringes of their garment That those places also of Scripture Thou shalt be called Cephas c. I will giue vnto thee the keyes c. I haue prayed for thee c. Feed my sheepe c. Launch forth into the deepe and the like are induced against the true meaning of the holie Scripture which they proue both by forcible reasons and by good and well applied places of the Fathers That the Pope if he obey not the Church may be deposed by it seeing he is not the naturall head thereof but grafted in which may no lesse be cut off than the rest of the members if hee ill execute his charge if he be for the destruction or dammage thereof be cast into the fire if he bring not forth good fruit and be troden vnder foot in the street if he be vnprofitable Which is the opinion of S. Hierome interpreting the vnprofitable salt That the Prelat foolish and vnsauorie in preaching chiefely in Peters chaire is to be cast forth of doores that is to be deposed that he may be troden vnder feet of swine that is of Diuels which beare rule ouer the euill Prelat as ouer a beast of their flocke And this not onely for heresie but for whatsoeuer crime whereby the Church is scandalized And this so much the more truely for that the Pope to speake properly is not the Vicar of Christ but of the Church and the Lord and Master may by all right depose his Vicar or Lieutenant whose power ceaseth when the Master is in presence so likewise doth the power of the Pope when a Councell is gathered wherein remaineth fulnesse of power Here this doubt came in their way But the calling of a Councell doth it not belong to the Pope alone Yea saith he if that haue place who seeth not that the ruine of the Church is neere at hand and will presently ensue For who knoweth not that hee which will sinne will sinne without punishment And who wil beleeue that a Pope will assigne a Councell for to represse and reforme himselfe Neither doe I find saith he either by histories or by the Acts of the Apostles themselues that Popes alone haue assembled Councels The first of all Councells where Mathias is substituted in place of Iudas I find to be gathered not by the commaundement of Peter but of Christ who commaunded his Apostles that they should not depart from Hierusalem but should expect the promise of the Father The second for the election of Deacons was not assembled by Peter alone but by the twelue Apostles for it is written Then the twelue called the multitude together The third for the taking away of Circumcision and other legall rites was gathered by commune inspiration as it is written The Apostles and Elders came together The fourth for the permission of certaine legall things seemeth to be assembled by Iames the brother of the Lord. The same was also in the Primitiue Church and since by the authoritie of the Emperours yet so as that the Popes consent was requisit according to reason but on condition that the greater part carrie it away And much more the Councell being once assembled cannot be by the Pope reuoked seeing he himselfe is a part of it which ought to giue place to the greater and from it to depart maketh him guiltie of schisme And thus much for the first Truth whereon the second dependeth That the Pope cannot dissolue a Councell otherwise at the first word he should heare of correction he would bethinke himselfe of this remedie There remained the third Whether this of Catholike faith is so to be beleeued Which they shew affirmatiuely because we are held to beleeue whatsoeuer is in the Gospell now in it say they is dic Ecclesiae on which words the Councel of Constance hath grounded this Decree That the power of a Councell is aboue the Pope vnder paine of heresie And so these three first Conclusions rest most firme by consequence of which the others also are approued Now this decision was to be applied against Eugenius and part of them who had consented in these Truthes desired that the sentence should be deferred some hoping they should haue better of him others by reason that many Bishops yet stayed in the Parliament of Mentz famous men whose Suffrages might seeme to be expected And Panormitan tooke occasion thereupon to inferre That the Bishops ought to be stayed for and that inferiours haue not in Councell a Suffrage decisiue but onely consultatiue Vnto which added Ludouicus Romanus That argument is not to be taken out of the Acts of the Apostles whose examples were rather to be admired than imitated neither is it there manifest that the Apostles had called the Elders out of their duetie there is onely declared that they were present out of which nothing can be inferred Which speech all wondering at in so great a man crie out Blasphemie Then therefore Lewis Cardinall of Arles A man of all other most constant and borne to the gouernement of generall Councels taking vp the words of all the Orators that had spoken declareth That all these doubts were without cause That these Conclusions had beene maturely determined and weighed That the embassadours of all the Princes had giuen vpon these their sentence which were the chiefest men in the Church That the Bishops were in fault that they were not present That to such as were present greater reuerence was giuen than in any Councell before and indeed greater authoritie for so much as their prerogatiues are fully restored vnto them whom they placed in their former state and haue made them which were not Bishops but shadowes to be true Bishops That euen they which now do most draw back haue in their writings auouched the same Truthes meaning by those words of Panormitan and Ludouicus Romanus But saith hee the Presbiters are not so to be put downe who in the Councell of the Apostles had a decisiue voyce and in like sort also in the auncient Councels That in time past the Bishop and the Presbiter or Priest was but one and the same in so much that S. Augustine saith on these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes c. That our Lord gaue judiciariam potestatem iudiciarie power to Bishops and Priests especially seeing they haue more done their duetie in the Councell than the Bishops these fearing to lose their dignities and their delights those for so just a cause not dreading any losse nor yet death it selfe That the Councell hath now sat eight yeares so that there cannot be pretended any headlong proceeding nor any ignorance And moreouer the threats of some Princes are inferred beside the Purpose who are wiser than to attempt any thing in preiudice of the Councell and they themselues also being
East from his authoritie not caring in the meane time what became of our Churches of the West But this one thing is euident that Gratian long since entred this Canon in his collection of decrees in the same sence which we alledge it and in more forcible tearmes than we doe cite them namely thus Distinct 65. Can. 6. Nichola in Ep. ad Michael Imperator Let the old custome continue in Egypt Lybia and Pentapolis since the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome For to interprete this Canon after Nicholas the first who liued fiue hundred yeares since that Councell as Gregorie the thirteenth and Bellarmine doe saying That the Councell of Nice knew well ynough that our Lord had giuen all to the Church of Rome and therefore could haue no meaning to order her but others by her example were first to make him judge in his owne cause and secondly to presuppose the thing in question which is an apparant fallax But Bellarmine hath yet one crochet farther of his owne braine he telleth vs That in the vulgar copies there are wanting in the beginning of this Canon these words The Church of Rome hath euer had the Primacie yet let the old custome stand c. But I wonder which are those which he calleth the vulgar copies or whence is it that he would haue these Canons taken if not out of the Greeke Councels out of Ruffin Balsamon Patriarch of Antioch out of Gratians decrees canonized by themselues or out of Cyzicenus who tooke them out of their owne Librarie and lastly if not out of the old Romane Code it selfe Codex canonem vetus ecclesiae Roman edit Paris An. 1609. where this Canon beginneth with these words Antiquae consuetudines seruentur c. Let old customes be kept hauing this summarie ouer head Of priuiledges belonging to certaine Cities joyning Rome as you see with other cities What copie can Bellarmine produce vnto vs more authenticall than these Concil Chalced. Can. 16. Peraduenture he will say the Councell of Chalcedon where it is so read as he alledgeth Action 16. But what if we reply that the Greeke copie of this Councell hath no such matter That Balsamon neuer heard thereof What will he rejoyne especially seeing that this Councell was held in the Greeke Church And put case it were not must we seeke the Canons of the Nicene Councell among those of Chalcedon rather than in the Nicene Councell it selfe Moreouer seeing that Bellarmine sticketh not to tell vs that it was Paschasin Legate of Pope Leo which proposed it in this manner in the Councell of Chalcedon what securitie will he giue vs that this Paschasin dealt more honestly now than did he which afterwards falsified this verie Canon in the open face of the Councell of Carthage But this is not all for Bellarmine himselfe corrupteth Paschasin for whereas he proposeth those words Quod ecclesia Romana c. as a title onely or summarie to the Canon Bellarmine alledgeth them as part of the text and decision it selfe saying Ecclesia Romana semper habuit Principatum inuerting quite the sence and meaning of the Fathers Moreouer true it is that Paschasin alledged those words in manner as we haue said but Bellarmine concealeth that when Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople had deliuered the booke of Canons to Constantine Secretarie to the Synode Constantine read the sayd sixt Canon as we now doe beginning with those words Antiquae consuetudines seruentur Can. 3. and not with those other Quod ecclesia Romana c. And the decree of the Councell thereupon followed Can. 28. That the Bishop of Constantinople should hold the first place or primacie after the Bishop of Rome because she was new Rome Neither is it the quarrell betweene vs which of these two hath the prioritie but we say that it was so decreed Propter principalitatem vrbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by ordinance from Christ not by anie authoritie deriued from S. Peter neither yet by anie graunt from Constantine or act of the Nicene Councell but that it was here so ordered Propter primatum vrbis i. because Rome was the chiefe citie and so as that Constantinople which had none of these fond claimes to make ijsdem primatibus honoris ijsdem priuilegijs vtatur should enjoy the same primacie of honour and equall priuiledges for no other reason but because she was Nona Roma new Rome Now if those pretended priuiledges of the Church of Rome came from the Gospell or from the prerogatiue of S. Peter how could these be made equall with them And if these be equall then is it euident that those other came not from the Gospell or prerogatiue of S. Peter and why then should these men so abuse the name of the Gospell Truth it is that the morrow after Lucentius the Popes Legate protested against this decree requiring it to be retracted and an Act to be made of such his Protestation But his Protestation was rejected by the Emperours Delegates themselues who pronounced in this manner as is there expressed The honourable Iudges said what we haue pronounced all the Synod hath approued namely touching the Canon against which they protested So farre was it from that which Bellarmine would haue Bellarm. de Roman Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 13. That the Fathers of that Councell held themselues satisfied with the remonstrations of Paschasin and this is the truth and sinceritie which they euer vse in alledging Councels As for his finall answere to which he holds himselfe it is more than ridiculous The true exposition and meaning of that Canon sayth he is that the Bishop of Alexandria should gouerne those Prouinces because the Bishop of Rome was so wont to doe that is was wont before anie definition of the Councels to suffer the Bishop of Alexandria to gouerne them But let him tell me in conscience can these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Quia Romanus Episcopus ita consueuit alias Quia Romano Episcopo pardis mos est that is Because this is the manner or custome of the Bishop of Rome can I say these words be thus vnderstood without violencing and wresting all sort of languages Or can this exposition anie wayes suit with the opinion of Ruffinus Or can Bellarmine but blush at the remembrance of this euen in his secret chamber Adde we hereunto that in that celebrious and renowmed Councell of Nice the deputies of the Bishop of Rome presided not but contented themselues with the fourth roome So that Cardinall Cusanus hauing expounded this sixt Canon as we now doe had reason to say as he doth De concordant Cathol lib. 2. cap. 12. Hence we may see saith he how much the Bishop of Rome hath at this time gotten onely by vse and custome of subiectionall obedience beyond that which the old customes of the Church afforded him This then is the naked truth according to that which we find in Histories which yet Baronius would
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
which ensued shortly after Leo made instant suit for it and was earnest to see the Acts where he found it thus written Constantine a reuerend Deacon sayth Extant in Concil Chalced. Act. 1. Eutyches when his condemnation was read vnto him appealed to the Councell of the Bishops of Rome of Egypt and of Ierusalem and of Thessalonica I would aske now Whether this Appeale seemeth to haue beene made to the Bishop of Rome or to a Generall Councell and it followeth Florens said The assemblie being broken vp in the middest of the prease he told me in my eare that he appealed to the Councell of Rome of Egypt and of Ierusalem Basil Bishop of Seleucia addeth farther Eutyches the Abbot while the companie was yet sitting said That if the Fathers of Rome and of Alexandria should tell him that he ought to confesse that there were two natures in Christ inseperable though not confounded no not after the vnion then he will confesse it but he spake not these words by way of Appeale But this is it which I would know Whether by vertue of this surmised Appeale the Bishop of Alexandria might not also take as much vpon him and yet Leo himselfe as he confesseth in his Epistles was almost surprised by this stratageme Sixtly Theodosius the Emperour by occasion of this trouble in the Church assembled another Councell at Ephesus he called thither Leo Bishop of Rome Vol. 6. an 449. art 65 66 67 68. Knowing well saith Baronius that a Generall Councell could not be assembled without his authoritie a thing saith he deepely to be grauen in the readers memorie But now what proofe Leo saith he in the beginning of his Epistle to the Synod of Ephesus telleth them in this manner The religious Emperour hath yeelded this respect and reuerence to the diuine ordinances to vse the authoritie of the Apostolike See for the bringing of his holie intents and purposes to passe All which I confesse was fit and requisit to be done but is there no difference whether the Emperour call Leo to the Councell or Leo him or whether the Emperor by his authoritie call a Councell And he addeth these words As if the Emperor had beene desirous to have that now declared by Peter himselfe which was once so highly commended in his confession and thereupon he falleth to ruffling with his Tu es Petrus as if these words had beene spoken not by Leo but by the Emperor himselfe But see the frothinesse and vanitie of this man who neuer considereth that this verie Theodosius wrot in like manner to Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria and to all other Bishops threatning them That for default in appearance they should not be held excused either before God or him In Concil Chalced art 1. because no man could now absent himselfe but such as was wounded with a guiltie conscience Neither doth he regard that the Emperor was purposed to make Dioscorus himselfe President of that Councell We saith the Emperour according to the Canons of the holie Fathers do giue and grant vnto him the authoritie and Primacie c. The reason was because he thought as well he might that the Bishop of Rome would not be there in person no more than he had beene in the former Synods and held Flauian Bishop of Constantinople as a partie in this quarrell Wherein saith Baronius the Emperor vsurped the authoritie of the Pope seeing that Hosius presided in the Councell of Nice and Cyrill at Ephesus both of them as Legats from the Pope All which are meere surmises and as we call them demands of Principals Petitio principij taking those things for granted which are principally in question and most contradicted But where was shame when he aduentured thus to abuse vnto his owne purpose the graue and religious proceedings of the Emperor in this Councell Seuenthly in this Councell which was no doubt packed in fauour of Eutyches the Popes Legats were by Eutyches chalenged and refused as partakers with Flauian Bishop of Constantinople Whereby Leo first began to haue his eyes opened and to perceiue the tricke that Eutyches had put vpon him And Flauian himselfe was there condemned and degraded as a man set vpon by a companie of rogues and theeues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore was this Councell afterward called an Assemblie of Theeues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this extremitie Flauian Appealed from them and this is the first place where we read this word vsed properly and as a tearme of law And hereupon Baronius groundeth himselfe Liberat. in Breuia c. 12. and saith That he Appealed to the Bishop of Rome and voucheth for his author Liberatus Archdeacon of Carthage who saith That hee Appealed in writing to the See Apostolike an author whose estimation Baronius himselfe hath cried downe in so many places Adde hereunto That the Councell of Chalcedon wherein the acts of this Synod are repeated reporteth That he said onely Appello à te i. I Appeale from thee without specifying to whom And Hilarie a Deacon of the Roman Church saith onely That vpon the sentence giuen contradicitur that is It was gainsaid meaning that he appealed from that roguish companie to a more lawful Synod which he entreated Leo to obtaine of the Emperour for the justifying both of his cause and person And to speake a troth there was none other now left to whom he might addresse himselfe the Bishops of Alexandria and Ierusalem being his professed enemies and he of Antioch deposed Now what became of this appeale no man can tell for as one mischiefe lightly commeth not without a fellow Flauian was outragiously beaten and shortly after partly of griefe partly of his wounds dyed And euen such was that Appeale also of Theodoret vnheard and yet condemned who in his Epistle to Leo vseth these words Helpe me saith he who do Appeale vnto your Holinesse and command me to appeare before you that I may yeeld an account of my faith vnto you Now whether he spake this properly and as a tearme of law or onely by a metaphor wee should better discerne if we had the Greeke though the Greeke word it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he not alwayes taken in this rigor For when the Fathers in the Councel of Aegypt vpon the banishment of Athanasius in their Synodal Epistle request all Bishops to receiue him vnto their communion they vse these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist Synod ad omnes Episcopos that is We Appeale you or call vpon you as reuengers of such iniustice In which sence this word is found in many other places Wherefore when it is said That he Appealed to Leo the meaning is that he had recourse vnto him hoping by his meanes to procure a more lawfull Synod And in effect the letters of Valentinian the Emperour Extant in Concil Chalced. act 1. who at that time resided at Rome and of Galla Placidia to her sonne Theodosius testifie the same In which
acquainted the Emperour with his cause the Emperours answere was That if those letters were found to haue beene written by him Syluerius might not presume to stirre from thence if otherwise that then he should be restored to his See againe And it came to passe vpon the examination of these letters that Syluerius returned into Italie Whereupon Vigilius fearing least he should be deposed told Belisarius That vnlesse he would deliuer Syluerius into his hands he could not performe that which he had promised Wherefore Syluerius was deliuered to a couple of his gard and was by them carried prisoner to Palmaria where he starued in their custodie Then Vigilius to performe his promise to the Empresse wrote by Antonina wife to Belisarius that letter which Liberatus setteth downe all at large directed to the chiefe Eutychians as the Empresse had required him to doe wherein he telleth them That he holdeth and euer did hold the same faith which they did requesting them not to let anie know what he had written but rather seeme to mistrust him And he farther declared his faith in these words We doe not confesse two natures in Christ but one Sonne composed of two natures pronouncing Anathema against all such as should affirme the contrarie And now let the champions of the Romane Church tell vs what vocation or calling this good Pope had Baron vol. 7. an 538. art 20. 4 Baronius to defend the matter saith That the like schisme was neuer seene in that Church and yet we may remember that his predecessors had their errors A Pope saith he thrust into the Chaire by a secular authoritie a theefe in at the window a Wolfe amongst the Sheepe a false Bishop amongst the true an Antichrist against Christ The impietie of Nouatus the obstinacie of Vrsicin the presumption of Lawrence all these put together seeme as nothing in comparison of him And yet shortly after when he had murdered Syluerius he maketh him a Saint and a Vicar of Christ Jb. art 19. excellent beyond comparison He laboureth by all meanes to proue that this Epistle in Liberatus smelleth of the forge for What probabilitie sayth he that in his inscription he should call the Emperour and the Empresse Lords and Fathers Dominos Patres But he is egregiously mistaken not seeing that this Epistle was not directed to them Libera c. 22. but to the chiefe heretikes Theodosius Anthymius and Seuerus according to the promise which he had formerly made vnto the Empresse And Liberatus in the end of that discourse saith That Vigilius writing priuily as he did continued in his See Looke now and see what is become of these men of their vndoubted succession and infallibilitie in points of faith who the worse they are the more they crie out Tues Petrus Agapet in ep ad Justin Agapete who made his mone vnto Iustinian That Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople had receiued Achilles an heretike vnto penance without his authoritie being himselfe at Constantinople would needs vse his power and authoritie euen to the deposing if anie man thinke fit to beleeue them of the Patriarch Anthymus and to the setting of Mennas in his place But we will shew how this was done by authoritie of the Prouinciall Synod And Vigilius who groweth violent in his Epistles and pronounceth That vnto Peter was giuen the preheminence ouer all the rest and that therefore he was called Cephas that is by interpretation a Head by which it appeareth that he was much better seene in the ambition of the Latines than in the language of the Grecians that for this cause all Appeales must come to Rome and all greater causes be referred to the hearing of the Consistorie there Vigilius ad Euterium To be short That all other Bishops may peraduenture be said to be called in partem sollicitudinis i. into part of the cure but not into that plenartie of power and absolute jurisdiction A prophane speech and well befitting Antichrist and so Baronius himselfe doubteth not to call him OPPOSITION We haue seene how farre their ambition would haue gone let vs now see how farre it went For the case of Anthymus Liberatus saith briefely That Anthymus seeing himselfe deposed at the suit of Pope Agapete deliuered vp his Pall vnto the Emperour and went his way and that Agapete to content the Emperour ordained and consecrated Mennas in his place But reason would that in this case we should giue more credit to the Emperour Iustinian himselfe in whose presence these things were done Nouel 42. He therefore telleth vs in his 42 Nouell That Anthymus was cast out being first condemned and deposed by the common consent and suffrage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well of Agapete as of the Synod Where Baronius by occasion of this word First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will needs shew a tricke of wit and thence inferreth that he was first deposed by Agapete who vsed saith he therein the fulnesse of his power Whereas the Emperours meaning was onely to shew a legall proceeding in the cause and that nothing was done by violence against him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie not first but before Prius non primum with relation to that which followeth as also those words By the common suffrage of Agapete what sence haue they vnlesse they be joyned with that which followeth and of the Synod And so hath Holoander himselfe translated it For how can the suffrage of one alone be tearmed common but onely in relation to some other man Moreouer if he by his full and absolute authoritie had deposed him what need was there thereof a Synod And when they had done all yet was the confirmation of the Emperour necessarie thereunto which he expresseth in the 42 Nouell in these words Though this be a matter vnusuall to the Maiestie of a King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet we also now set our hand to the making of this Decree and Ordinance For so often as the generall suffrage of Priests and Bishops hath depriued anie of their Priestly Sees as vnworthie of their place and calling such as were Nestorius Eutyches Arrius Macedonius Eunomius and others not inferior to them in wickednesse and malice so often hath the Regall dignitie contributed the vigor of her authoritie with the authoritie of sacred persons Which tearmes expresse and declare that the confirmation depended of him not of Agapete which had alreadie passed his sentence of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the end saith he that both the diuine and secular authoritie may concurre for the establishing of lawfull and iust decrees But if perhaps the Emperors credit be not good we can for a need produce the testimonie of Agapete himselfe whose Synodall Epistle we find registred in the Acts of the fifth Generall Councell written by him to all Bishops in the name of the Synod where speaking in the name of the companie he saith We haue
all along giuing him fairely to vnderstand That all the Apostles were endowed with equall authoritie and certifying him onely An. 649. That he was consecrated Bishop of Carthage without euer asking confirmation at his hands only he requesteth him to recommend him in his prayers vnto God that he might wel discharge his office After this came Martin who taking occasion vpon the fame and suspition that was of the Patriarches of the East that they were Monothelites sent thither certaine Bishops and made some of those which yet remained Orthodox in the East his Vicars This was a faire attempt but the Emperour Constans hindered him in his walke for the yeare following he sent and caused him to be apprehended in Rome and to be brought prisoner to Constantinople where he died a banished man hauing beene accused for conspiring with the Sarasens against the Emperour as appeareth by his letters written to Theodorus Martinus in Epist ad Theodor 14. Sanctuâ— Audoenus in vita Sancti Eligij Sacerdotalem Concilium This Martin was a man of a hautie mind and a great vndertaker yet could not he maintaine his pretended authoritie no not in the West For when a certaine Heretike had crept into the Bishopricke of Authun the Bishop of Noion who was then in Court solicited the king and obtained of him saith Saint Ouin That by his commaundement a Councell of Priests or Bishops should be called at Orleans where the Heretike was condemned and banished the realme of France without expecting any higher authoritie So likewise vnder Pope Eugenius his next successor there was a Councell held at Chaalons vpon the riuer of Saosne which as appeareth in the verie front thereof Ex euocatione ordinatione Domini Clodouaei Regis Synod Epist ad Theodo Arelat was assembled by the conuocation and ordinance of king Clouis as also in the Synodall Epistle to Theodore Archbishop of Arles wherein they presume to declare vnto him by the authoritie of that Synod That considering the time of his penance was not yet expired he might not offer to meddle with his Bishopricke nor with the good belonging thereunto Ordaining farther Ib. can 10. That vpon a vacancie no successor might be chosen but by the Clergie and people of that Prouince that otherwise the election should be held as voyd and of none effect where you shall find no exception or reseruation at all to the Pope of Rome And in Spaine there were held at that time the 7 8 9 and 10 Councels of Toledo all which acknowledge their assembling to haue proceeded onely from their owne care and from the authoritie of the Prince namely the seuenth By our deuotion say they and by the care of king Chindasuinda the eighth By the commaund of the king Reccesuinda and the tenth By his most holie desire Sanctissimâ— Vote without any mention of the Pope at all though in those Synods the highest points of our religion were in question as namely in the eight whose Synodall Epistle hath yet onely this inscription The Decree of the Vniuersall Councell published in the name of the Prince And againe A law published in the same Councell Imperante Principe glorioso by the commandement of the renowmed Prince In all which besides those high poynts of Christian religion order was also taken against intrusions extortions and other abuses of Bishops proceeding to the punishment of some and finall deposition of others insomuch that in the tenth Synod one Pontamius Bishop of Bracara a thing neuer before heard of accused himselfe and was thereupon deposed by the Synod and Fructuosus Bishop of Duna chosen in his place with these words We doe here constitute and appoint by a common election Fructuosus to be Gouernour of the Church of Bracara to take vpon him as Metropolitan the care of all the Prouince of Galleece and of all Congregations and Bishops of that countrey Patrum sententia And this was done by the Decree of the Fathers annexed to his letters of Ordination without binding him to take a journey to Vitalian at Rome for confirmation who sat not in that pride which Popes now vse to sit in For as Anastasius reporteth when the Emperour Constans came to Rome he with all his Clergie went to meet him six miles off and there receiued they him with all tokens of submission and reuerence though he was a sacrilegious and bloudie Emperour and one which had confined Pope Martin the first to a certaine place in banishment as Baronius reporteth 24. PROGRESSION Wherein the religion of this age principally consisted and what was the purpose of the Popes when they sent Preachers into forreine Countries THe good Bishops of the Primitiue Church heeded onely the building and reedifying of the spirituall Temple of God in gathering together liuing stones but from hence forward shall you find the Histories stuffed onely with relations of materiall Edifices Oratories Images Marbles Incrustations Ouerlayings with gold and such like which the worser sort of men were euer most spendfull in thereby to shadow and obscure the memorie of their euill acts And those princes which all histories leaue vnto vs stained with dishonor recouer fame and good report of vertue pietie and religion by either building or beautifying some Church or other after their example Beda l. 1. c. 20. 26. 29. Histor Eccl. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 16. 19. Galfri Monumet l. 8. c. 4. And if any Bishops of Rome did send to make a conquest of some farre countrey as Gregorie the Great into England and after him Honorius Vitalis and others it was not principally to preach the Gospell but to broach their owne ceremonies their Singings their Seruice in Latine Houres Organs Altars Tapers Anelings and such other nifles stirring vp Princes to inforce their subiects to the vse practise of them who would faine haue kept themselues to the first institution of the Church in the puritie of the Gospell Malmesbu de gest Anglo li. 1. c. 50. And the more to win vnto themselues credit in forreine parts where euer they saw any ambitious spirit thirsting after some preheminence ouer the rest of his brethren presently their fashion was to send him their Pall either as a bare token of honour or as a liuerie of their Vicarship and to vse meanes to draw all causes vnto them yet found they not credit in all places alike but as they caried it away cleere in some places so in others they met with a balke especially in those Churches which being well planted at the first grew vp and prospered in puritie of doctrine OPPOSITION Wherefore doe they what they could yet the Churches of the East euer reiected that Decree of Phocas 2. To. Concil Epist Vitalian 2 3 4. Sigo de Reg. Italiae l. 2. Blond Deca 1. li. 9. An. 680. neither would Paule Archbishop of Candia suffer Iohn Bishop of Lampeon when he had beene condemned by his owne Synod to appeale to Rome as
advantage of the present necessitie of Charles and performed this ceremonie in farre different tearmes as well in a Synod at Rome as afterward at Paris where hauing commended Charles the Bald and spoken as much honour of him as Adrian the second had villanie and wrong and told the people that this was formerly reuealed from heauen to Nicholas the first trencheth smooth And for this cause sayth he haue we in the presence and by the suffrage of all our brethren and fellow Bishops and of all the Senat and people of Rome chosen him and approued of him c. and according to the auncient custome haue with all solemnitie aduanced him to the scepter of the Romane Empire c. and at his vnction abused the words which the Prophet had once vsed vpon our Sauiour Christ We annoint him saith he with oyle without to signifie thereby the vertue and force of the inward vnction of the holie spirit with which the Lord God hath annointed this his Christ aboue his fellowes in imitation of the true King Christ our Lord so that what he hath by nature this purchaseth by grace It came to passe that Charles was no sooner returned into France but presently the Earles of Tusculana chiefe of whom was Marquesse Albert confederated themselues against this Iohn assisted by Formosus Bishop of Port and others So that the yeare following 877 he was faine to send the Bishops of Fossembrona and Senogallia vnto him to entreat him to repasse with a power into Italie as well against the Earles of Tusculana as against the Sarasins and for his greater encouragement assembled a Synod at Rome where he cursed all those who in deed or word should oppose against the election or consecration of Charles to the Empire But the mischiefe was that passing the Alpes he fell sicke of a feauer for which he tooke a certaine pouder of Sedechias a Iew his physition whereof he died It is worth the remembrance which Rhegino reporteth of this Iohn Rhegino in Chron. Adalgisus had kept the Emperour Lewis the second prisoner at Beneuento whence he could not get free but vnder deepe oaths This Lewis saith he came to Rome and there calling an assemblie in the presence of the Pope complained of the tyrannie and wrong vsed vpon him by Adalgisus whereupon the Senat proclaimed him a Tyran and enemie to the State and grew to open hostilitie and defiance with him Yet remained there a scruple in the Emperors conscience by reason of his oath Iohn vndertooke to remoue it and his successors since that time haue often followed his example Pope Iohn saith he by the authoritie of God and of S. Peter absolued the Emperour from the oath with which he stood obliged assuring him that what euer he did or said to saue his life needed not to trouble him and that it might not be called an oath which he tooke though with neuer so manie curses vpon himselfe if it were contrarie to the weale publike O how should the verie Heathen haue made him blush in the like case By these and the like remonstrances saith he the Emperour was encouraged to make fresh warres vpon him yet fearing least his subiects more religious than the Pope should reckon him a forsworne and periured Prince he went not himselfe in person but sent the Queene against him These were euen in those dayes the deuises of the Court of Rome We haue manie times alreadie spoken of that goodlie donation of Constantine and it should seeme that it was forged at this time during the canuassing for the Empire betweene the two Charles the Bald and the Grosse the vncle and the nephew when the vncle pursued so hotly the fauour and furtherance of the Pope and we haue a great Author for it For not to speake of the stile which sauoreth wholly of this age Otho the third Emperour in that Patent which we find taken out of the Treasurie of the Popes Charters in a certaine chamber of the Cordeliers of Assisa before mentioned speaking of this donation These are sayth he meere inuentions forged by the Popes themselues by whose direction Deacon Iohn Johannes Digitorum surnamed Long-fingers wrote a graunt in letters of gold and in the name of Constantine the Great hath published a packe of lies as if they had beene graunts of great antiquitie Now if you will know when this Long-fingers liued Trithemius telleth you that it was in the time of Charles the Bald and Iohn the seuenth and he wrote the life of Gregorie the first in foure volumes and Platina himselfe sayth that he was afterward created Pope vnder the name of Iohn the ninth So that it is no great wonder if Baronius in his third Tome to qualifie the hainousnesse of this deed sayth That this donation because it was translated by Deacon Iohn out of a corrupt Greeke copie is therefore doubtfull rather than to be approued but in his twelfth Tome he flatly calleth it a forged bastard and counterfeit deed And the same Otho speaking againe of this donation sayth That they are lies when they affirme that anie Charles euer gaue that to S. Peter which belonged to the Emperour For we answere saith he That this Charles meaning the Bald could not lawfully dispose of anie thing by way of gift seeing that before such graunt made he was alreadie routed in the field and put from the Empire by a better Charles meaning the Grosse wherefore he gaue what was none of his owne to giue but that which he possessed by violence for the present and had no hope long to keepe And of this routing of Charles you may read farther in a French Chronicle now lately published by Pithaeus And farther this good Prelat Iohn learnedly setteth downe the admirable vertue of the Pall or Mantle when he sent him to Wilibert Bishop of Colen hoping by his commendation to raise the market Johan ep ad Willibardum episc Coloniens The vse of this Pall or Mantle saith he among other rare qualities hath this speciall vertue that so soone as it is bestowed vpon anie man presently it taketh away all imputation of faults formerly committed not that the mantle doth purifie from sinnes but because the care of him which bestoweth it ought to be such that he will not bestow it but vpon one that is cleare from them alreadie and therefore he from whom this gift is taken away i. to whom it is denied is but an imperfect man and perfect can he not be on whom this holie aid is not bestowed for a confortatiue But seeing that it is now indifferently bestowed vpon all where is that care and consequently that vertue which is pretended OPPOSITION Charles enjoyed but a while this benefit of the Pope in which time yet he made a great breach in the imperiall authoritie Aimoni. lib. 5. c. 32 33. We read in Aimonius That he appointed a Synod at Pontigon by the aduise and counsell of Iohn Bishop of Tuscanie and
to consider OPPOSITION There assembled therefore in the yeare 991 at Rheims vnder Hugh and Robert his sonne the most famous Bishops of all the Prouinces recited by name in this Synod Synod Rhemens c. 1 2. the Acts whereof were elegantly set downe by Gerbert who was afterwards Siluester the second And first of all they appointed for President Siguin the Archbishop of Sens but the Custos and interpreter of all that was done Arnulph Bishop of Orleance because amongst all the Bishops of France he was most famous for his wisdome and eloquence First therefore he proposeth vnto them how much it concerned them Synod Rhemens c. 2 3. truly and strictly to examine the fact of Arnulph Bishop of Rheims his offence being such as came within the compasse of high treason least saith he for one mans cause we should be accused of perfidious infidelitie and men may iustly say If the Bishops vsed iust lawes and were faithfull to their Kings why punish they not with their lawes so impure and corrupt a man Doubtlesse the reason is this They are willing to conceale the wickednesse of others that they themselues might be bold to sinne without punishment Whereunto Siguin Archbishop of Sens answered That he would neuer endure that this pretended offence of treason should be discussed except a promise were made if he should be conuicted of pardon for which he alledged the 31 Canon of the Councell of Toledo whereunto the Bishops replied That if that should take place it is to be feared that the secular people would not from henceforward attend spirituall iudgements owing all iustice and obedience to their King Secondly there was produced the oath of Arnulph to the Kings Hugh and Robert in expresse words vsing that imprecation against himselfe which the Prophet did against the traitor Iudas Psalm 109 Fiant dies mei pauci Episcopatum meum accipiat alter c. Let my daies be few and let another take my Bishopricke or my Charge c. beseeching withall his brethren and sonnes that is his Diocesans not to be backward in approuing the same vnder their hands and seales Thirdly the Priest Adalger was sent for by whom he played that traiterous part at Rheimes who confessed the whole fact and declared Arnulph the captaine and author thereof yeelding himselfe to put his hand to the fire and protesting that he was strucken with horror and feare of that curse which was pronounced against Arnulph and his followers which is there recited in the selfesame words And it is worthie the noting that this was done not by the authoritie of S. Peter or the See of Rome but by the authoritie say they and power giuen to the Apostles and left vnto vs and in like manner that which was pronounced vpon the fact of Laon set downe in the selfesame stile Siguin asked Whether Arnulph from thenceforward abstained from the companie of those that were excommunicated to which he answered That he did quite contrarie accounting them worthie of the communion of the faithfull Cap. 11.12 13. 14. And hereupon were read the fourth Canon of the Synod of Antioch the nine and twentieth and thirtieth of the Councell of Carthage which doe manifestly condemne it But yet neuerthelesse Arnulph Bishop of Orleans the moderator of this businesse requesteth That it might be lawfull for anie man to defend him for his Clergie for his Abbots yea they are commaunded vnder paine of the great Curse with all fidelitie and libertie to speake in defence of his innocencie which in the name and by the consent of all the rest was pronounced by Siguin Whereupon there came presently forth Iohn a scholler of Auxerre Romulfe Abbot of Sens Abbo Rector of Florat Cap. 17.18.19 20. furnished with bookes and confessing themselues to be vrged thereunto by the force of that curse that was layed vpon them if they should omit anie thing that might make for his defence Fourthly to auoid the judgement of the Synod they alledged a certain pretended Epistle of Stephen Archbishop of Mauricania to Damasus Bishop of Rome and another of Damasus to Stephen whereby they proue That the causes of Bishops and other great affaires ought alwaies to be referred to the Bishop of Rome They likewise alledged certaine articles out of the Epistles Decretals by vs formerly confuted whereby they would seeme to euict That Arnulph aboue all things ought to be restored and that without the knowledge and consent of the Pope nothing might be done in his businesse who in all cases whatsoeuer was to be judged by him and none other The Synod answereth and determineth out of the tenth Canon of the African Councell That if anie Clerke shall neglect the purgation of his owne cause for the space of one whole yeare together that he is neuer afterward to be heard or to be restored againe to his place Whereupon there were alledged manie examples namely that of Hildeman Bishop of Beauvais Hebo Archbishop of Rheims Crescon de Villarege and others Letters were there read sent both from Kings and Bishops Cap. 23.24 whereby Iohn the Pope had beene aduertised of the whole matter and entreated to pronounce sentence against this man honoured with so great a dignitie by King Hugh and that freely and yet conuicted of such heinous offences and who being called to the Palace refused to come being inuited by the Archbishops and Bishops answering that he owed them no such dutie and at the last was not onely intreated but charged to doe that which was fit to be done concerning this other Iudas to the end that by his occasion the name of God might be no more blasphemed and he from hence forward might not pretend cause of ignorance our Bishops adding thereunto these words To the end we may know and vnderstand why amongst all others we are to preferre your Apostleship iudging him consequently to be or not to be the successor of Saint Peter as he should confirme or disallow their sentence pronounced according to the Canons which they thought was by no meanes to be called in doubt But all this notwithstanding he made little account of these letters and a white horse giuen by Cont Herbert preuailed more than their Legation who for the better dispatch of certaine maledicta in reos demaunded ten crownes which he ought not to haue done if they were not iust for a thousand And in the end they had no other answer but this That he for whose cause he had beene taken should order this businesse as it seemed good vnto himselfe It was not therefore without cause that the Councell of Carthage where were assistants 227 Bishops and among the rest Saint Augustine ordained for a perpetuall memorie What we are to hold concerning the power of the Bishop of Rome Which being all there read they gathered from thence this conclusion That all businesse were to be determined in those places where they had their beginning and that there was no Appeale to be
second Synod at Rheimes that foresaid Arnulph was restored to his Bishopricke which it is likely Leo the Popes Legat obtained because Iohn had confirmed the mariage of king Robert as appeareth in a letter that Gerbert sent to queene Adeleide Gerbertus in Epist ad Adelaidam Reginam Adde hereunto That Gerbert would not hold the Bishopricke vpon such conditions as were proposed vnto him But it seemeth by an Epistle of Hughes which is read among the Epistles of Gerbert that this mariage was that of king Robert with Bertha the sister of Rodolph king of Burgonie which afterward was dissolued by reason of a spiritual kindred joyned to that of their bloud It falling out many times that circumstances ouerthrow the substance This Gerbert could not bridle himselfe but that he must needs write an Apologie of the Church of France in an Epistle to Wildered Bishop of Strasbourge wherein he proueth out of the auncient Canons of the Church the just proceedings of our Bishops in these words Gerbertus in Epist ad Wilderodonem Episc Argentinensem The silence of the Pope or his dissimulation or his new constitutions are preiudiciall to the lawes established but this is but a cauill of wicked men c. Thou sayest that Arnulph practising seditions treasons captiuities the vtter ouerthrow of his kings the betraying of his countrey contemning all lawes both diuine and humane is neither to be depriued of the communion nor by the power of his Prince to be cast out without the commaund of the Bishop of Rome And the Apostle sayth That the Prince carrieth not the sword in vaine but for the punishment of the wicked and the preseruation of the good Fauour me all ye that haue promised faith and loyaltie to your Kings and haue a purpose to keepe it who haue not betrayed nor purpose to betray the Clergie and people committed to your charge you I say who haue abhorred and detested such wickednesse fauor those that obey God commaunding that the sinner listening not to the Church should bee held for a Heathen or a Publican who crieth vengeance vpon you Scribes and Pharises which transgresse the commaundement of God to establish your tradition c. To the end that no man here charge vs of enuie derogating from the priuiledges of the Church of Rome S. Hierome the Roman Priest telleth thee If it be a question of authoritie Orbis major est vrbe the world is greater than a citie and if one Priest be not sufficient then let great Pope Leo come The priuiledge saith he of S. Peter holds not good where a man iudgeth not according to the equitie of S. Peter c. To what end are matters iudged and determined if matters to be iudged are not thereby informed Those 318 Fathers of the Councell of Nice how made they eternall lawes if it be in the power of one onely man to abrogate them at his pleasure Apiarius the Priest is condemned by the Africans and restored againe to the communion by the Romans The Bishops of Africke writ to Pope Celestine That this was contrarie to the Councell of Nice Our false accusers after the same manner say That Arnulph a chiefe Bishop ought not to be iudged but by the Soueraigne Bishop of Rome And Saint Augustine saith of Cecilian the Metropolitan Bishop of all Africke That if his accusers could ouercome or vanquish him after his death of that which they could not proue during his life that after his death without retractation they would pronounce him accursed Surely then it hath beene lawfull for vs to pronounce against Arnulph liuing confessing conuicted as against a Heathen and Publican it hath beene I say lawfull for vs to follow the Gospell the Apostles the holie Councels the Decrees of Apostolike men so we disagree not from these foure c. Truely the Church of France is wholly opprest with tyrannie and by those of whom a man should hope for helpe But thou art O Christ the onely comfort of man This Rome that was heretofore held for the mother of all Churches is said now to banne the good and blesse the wicked to communicat with those to whom a man ought not to say God speed and to condemne the worshippers of thy law abusing that power to bind and vnbind which it hath receiued of thee This Gerbert in the meane while a Monke of the Abbie of Fleurack not verie happie as he saith for his race nor his plentie of wealth yet esteemed for his wisedome and capacitie of men of greatest worth and nobilitie An. 1000. And here we come to the thousand yeare But least any man should thinke that we or such Authors as we haue alledged should speake of the Church of Rome out of passion or discontent it shal not be amisse to insert the judgement of Cardinall Baronius himselfe touching these times who in the tenth tome of his Annales hath these words Baron Annal. to 10. An. 912. art 5. What was then the face saith he of the Roman Church How foule was it when strumpets no lesse powerfull than vncleane and impudent bare rule at Rome At the will and pleasure of whom the Sees were changed Bishoprickes giuen and that which was horrible and detestable to heare their louers false Popes were thrust into the Seat of Peter who were put into the Catalogue of the Popes of Rome to no other end but to make vp the number and lengthen the time For who can say that they were lawfull Popes of Rome that by such strumpets were thrust in without law There is no mention any where made of any Clergie chusing them or consenting to their choyce The Canons were silent the Decrees of Popes forgotten auncient traditions and old customes in the election of the Pope quite banished holy rites and ceremonies extinct Thus had lust and couetousnesse drawne all vnto it selfe emboldened by the secular power and carried by a furious desire of bearing rule Then as it appeared Christ Iesus slept in the ship a profound sleep when with the blasts of winds so violent it was ouerwhelmed with waues he slept I say not seeming to see these things and suffering them to be done in that no man rose vp to reuenge them And that which seemed worst of all there wanted Disciples to awaken our Lord with their cries thus sleeping yea quite contrarie all lay snorting in a dead sleepe What maner of Cardinals Priests Deacons thinke you were chosen by these monsters since there is nothing so naturall as for euerie thing to ingender his like And who in the meane time can doubt that they consented in all things to those by whom they were chosen who will not easily beleeue that they followed their steps and who knowes not that they endeuoured nothing more but that our Lord should still sleepe and neuer rise vp to judgement neuer awaken himselfe to know and to punish their wickednesse Now from this onely place let the Reader judge by what law that
which without wrong done vnto his Authors he could not conceale For Hermannus a Chronicler of those times and Leo Bishop of Ostia had witnessed before That the Romans being wearied with the wickednesse of Benedict expelled him and substituted though not without money Siluester in his place And that some few monethes after Benedict with the helpe of his kindred and friends recouered it againe who that he might with more libertie betake himselfe to his owne pleasures he substituted Iohn the Archpriest Herman in Chron. Leo l. 2. c. 80. Otho Frisingensis supra who was accounted almost the more religious he would haue said the more hypocrite And of all three Otho Frisingensis recounteth before vnto vs the pitifull estate that Rome was then in I my selfe saith he haue heard it in the city from the Romans themselues To conclude Baronius calls those three false Popes tricipitem Bestiam a Beast with a triple head rising from the gates of hell Where is then that See against which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Now Cerberus himselfe as that which the Poet speakes of is choked with a ball of pitch And where is that euer-running spring of the spirit of God or in whom did it now reside This ball of pitch saith he a certaine good man and a zealous called Gratian made for them Baron an 1045 1044. and see how he did it He went to the aforesaid men and persuaded them with money to forsake the See and to Benedict he left the reuenues of England because he seemed to be a man of greatest power and authoritie The Romans in recompence thereof as to the purchaser of their freedome made him Pope who was Gregorie the sixt I aske now Whether this transaction may bee borne with amongst the Canonists or whether all this may redownd to his profit without simonie And to say the truth for this either cause or pretence of cause hee was afterwards in the Councell of Sutri by the authoritie of Henrie the Emperour and the consent of the Romans expelled his See and the Bishop of Bamberge who was Clement the second installed in his place chosen from amongst strangers because alas therefore there were none capable thereof at Rome But Baronius is much grieued with these words Leo Ostiens l. 2. c. 80. who calls this election a detestable presumption of the Emperour Henrie and doth vehemently endeuour to proue that therefore the Popedome of Clement could not be lawfull But in all this time when will he find vs any Pope and how will he fill vp that gulfe of pretended succession which they so much boast of Except he meane to supplie it with the abhominations of Benedict the ninth who yet continuing euen after the death of Clement thrust himselfe thrice into the chaire We must not forget that you may vnderstand that the libertie of the Churches was not yet wholly taken away that Henrie the King of Germanie in the yeare 1006 held a Synod at Frankford whereof Dithmar thus speaketh Dithmar l. 6. The generall Councell is appointed at Frankford by the King and was visited by all those that are on this side the Alpes Which was done to make Bamberge a Bishopricke and being done Eberard was nominated Bishop by the Emperour and consecrated by Willegisus the President of the Synod and all this without the knowledge or consent of Rome Henrie his sonne likewise called another Councell in the yeare 1047 An. 1047. wherein he sharply repressed all simoniacal persons Glaber saith Glaber l. 5. c. 5. Coadunare fecit He assembled as well the Archbishops as the Bishops c. And for a conclusion after he had pronounced a curse against all those that had committed simonie he protesteth and saith As God hath giuen me of his meere mercie the Crowne so will I freely giue that which belongs to his religion Here is no mention made of Rome But Baronius wittily after his manner saith That he thinkes that Clement the second was at this Synod though without any Author for saith he the Emperour ought in duetie to giue his helping hand vnto him by this his Edict which he likewise performed in fact But suppose that Pope Clement were present thereat and in all these proceedings not remembred doth it not hurt his cause the more So likewise in Spaine in the yeare 1012 there was a Councell held at Leon Baron vol. 11. an 1012. ex script Anto. August art 16. Glaber l. 3. c. 8. in which thus spake the Fathers We say they are met together at Leon and by the commaundement of King Alphonsus the fift we haue made these Decrees which are intituled The Decrees of the King Alphonsus and Geloira the Queene And in France in the yeare 1017 a Councell was called by King Robert touching the cause of Heresie notwithstanding that he by the testimonie of all the writers of those times was commended for his pietie and deuotion 40. PROGRESSION Of the wicked inuentions of Hildebrand and the Popes of this time to enlarge their power and authoritie Of the doctrine of the redemption of penitentiaries by whom and when it came in Of the fained myracles of Alexander the second to deceiue the people Of the troubles that arose in Milan through the Popes intrusions there Of the Peter pence that were granted at this time by diuers Princes to the Pope Damianus Bishop of Ostia exclaimeth against the lasciuious life of the Roman Clergie THe thirtie yeares that follow vnder diuers Popes vsing rather the magistracie than ministrie of Hildebrand who especially swayed in those times gaue occasion vnto them to vsurpe againe that which the Emperour Henrie the second had taken from them by restoring that auncient law which was made in a solemne Synod betwixt Hadrian the first and Charles the Great and was in force vnder the gouernment of his whole race and afterwards confirmed vnder the Othoes and other Kings of Germanie This Hildebrand was by nation a Tuscan by profession a Monke of Clugnie He obtained that dignitie by bad meanes as Cardinal Benno and the Roman Archpriest doe witnesse The minoritie of Henrie the third the sonne of the Emperour Henrie the second being a child of fiue yeares of age and brought vp vnder the tuition of Agnis his mother as the minoritie of Princes produce many times weake counsellors was a great occasion why Hildebrand abusing his youth did dare to enterprise so much But the diuell especially by his messengers thrust himselfe into the businesse whilest they that they might the more easily obtaine that they desired abused the people vnder the name of two pretended Heresies the one was Simonie the sale for siluer or other thing equiuolent thereunto of Ecclesiastical charges though at that time there was nothing at Rome more cōmon where the Popedome it selfe was set to sale to whomsoeuer would giue most where the Popes sold all Ecclesiastical dignities and themselues to the diuell as we haue often seene
and thy souldiers to doe in remission of your sinnes c. Here I know not what I should say or whether to turne my selfe For if I should turne ouer the whole volume of the old and new Testament and all the auntient expositers that writ thereupon I should neuer find any example of this Apostolike commaund Only Pope Hildebrand hath offered violence to the sacred Canons whom we read commaunded the Marquesse Mathilda in remission of her sinnes to make warre against Henrie the Emperour And so hauing discoursed out of the Scriptures and some places of Gregorie of the true manner and meanes of the remission of sinnes and shewing to a sinner his sinnes and making him to confesse them to feele the burthen of them to bee sorie for them to seeke the remedie by a liuelie faith in Christ Iesus the church of Liege concludeth in these words This manner of binding and loossing thou hast heretofore held and taught vs O my mother the Church of Rome From whence then comes this new authoritie by which there is offered to offendours without confession or repentance an immunitie from all sinnes past and a dispensation for sinnes to come what a window of wickednesse doest thou hereby set open to men The Lord deliuer thee ô mother from all euill Let Iesus be the doore vnto thee let him be the Porter that no man enter into thee but to whom be shall open He deliuer thee I say and thy Bishop from those who as the Prophet Michah speaketh seduce the people of God that bite with their teeth and yet preach peace This was the letter of the church and Clergie of Liege to Pope Paschal the second fortified with the testimonies of the holie Scriptures and authorities of the Fathers Neither need we doubt that such in those times was the voyce of the greatest part of the Churches of Christendome who consequently acknowledged Satan to be let loose wasting the Church of God in the person of Antichrist sitting in his Throne which the Emperour Henrie instructed by his Prelats spake plainely in his Epistle to the Christian Princes exhorting them to haue regard to their posteritie the royall Maiestie Auent l. 5. and the saluation of all Christian people because saith he the Pope vnder the honest title of Christ goeth about to oppresse the publike libertie of all Christian people whom Christ hath bought with his bloud and indeauoureth day and night to bring vpon all Christians a slauish seruitude except the Kings and Princes of the earth preuent it neither will he cease to doe it vntill like Antichrist he sit in the Temple of God and be worshipped of all as if he were God These and the like letters saith Auentine are to be found in many antient Libraries written to the kings of France Denmarke England and to other Kings and Princes of Christendome who neuerthelesse became not the more strange vnto him but being rather sorie for this his condition detested the author An. 1104. It was at this time that Yuo Bishop of Chartres writ a letter to Richard Bishop of Alba the Popes Legat who would censure his Clegie of simonie whom he openly giueth to vnderstand that he had done his best endeauors to mend that fault but all in vayne because they maintained it by the custome of the Church of Rome You Epist 133. If the Deane saith he and Chapter or other officers doe exact any thing of those that are made Canons my selfe forbidding it and persecuting the fault they defend themselues by the custome of the Church of Rome wherein they say the Chamberlaines and other officers of the Palace doe exact much of such Bishops and Abbots as are consecrated which they couer vnder the name of oblations or benedictions for there they say neither penne nor paper will be had without money and with this collop they stop my mouth not hauing any other word to answer them but that of the Gospell Doe that which they say that is to say the Pharisies and not that which they doe If therefore I cannot pluck vp this plague by the root impute it not onely to my weakenesse because from the first growth of the Church of God the Church of Rome hath been sicke of this disease nor to this houre cannot free herselfe of those that seeke their owne gaine Moreouer the same man being much molested by the Clergie at Rome makes a grieuous complaint vnto Paschal against the Appeales to Rome which are the cause of much disorder rebellions in the Clergie against their superiours whom abusing that libertie they slaunder at Rome Epist 75. he neuerthelesse not long before in the cause of Godfrey appealed to Rome whose place by the authority of the Pope he supplied out of the selfesame humor as aboue acknowledging reason and justice when it made for their owne purposes 43. PROGRESSION Of the turbulent estate of the Church and Common-wealth through the factious pride of Pope Paschal NOw to follow againe the course of our Historie Auentine concealeth not ratiunculas some smal reasons as he calleth thē why these Popes since Hildebrand pretended a right to deiect from their Throne vel potentissimum Imperatorem any Emperor how mightie soeuer That all power had been giuen of God to Christ and from Christ vnto S. Peter and to the Bishops of Rome his successors vnto whom by Religion of oath all Christians were bound perpetually to obey and to other Princes onely a limited time and vnder condition so long as it shold please them That therefore it was lawfull for the Pope if the Emperour disobeyed him who represented Christ on earth to excommunicate and depose him no lesse than any other Christian insomuch as he raigneth but by precarie right and holdeth the Empire in homage of him That in case he should rebell he might root him out of the Common-wealth as a Tyran by any meanes whatsoeuer And the people saith he bewitched by Hildebrand with such reasons as they are subiect to let themselues be carried away with euerie wind of doctrine Fraunce Italie and Germanie were pierced to the heart for the space of three and thirtie yeares Namely Paschal following from point to point this instruction who seeing his enemie dead reenforced the rigor of his Decrees and will not receiue to absolution the inhabitants of Liege till they had taken him out of the Sepulcre where they had layed him when Henrie also his sonne demaunded permission of him to giue him buriall he flatly refused him saying that the authoritie of holie Scriptures and of diuine miracles and of the Martyrs receyued vp into heauen repugned thereunto This writeth Peter the Deacon l. 4. ca. 38. And Auentine noteth expresly that till that time the Bishops of Rome had accustomed to date their Bulls Epistles and other affaires from the yeres of the Emperours raigne which he first ceased to doe and began to date from the yeare of his Popedome He was also the first that gaue
Fol. 5. Fol. 144. Fol. 78. by reason of a scedule which Frier Leo saw to descend from heauen and fell vpon the head of Saint Francis wherein it was written This man is the grace of God wholly conformable vnto Christ the example of all perfection deified in the glorie of God the Father in the glorie of the Saints vnited to God whereby he preceeded all liuing creatures is made one and the same spirit with God whom the Militant Church hath deserued to be an Aduocat with God in whom the passion of Christ is renewed for the saluation of all mankind in so much that God hath beene pacified for the whole world through one Masse of S. Francis All are saued that dye in the Order and vnder the rule of S. Francis for Francis prayed vnto God and obtained of God that none of that Order might dye any euill death The same grace descendeth vpon him who taketh vpon him that Order of religion Bernard in Rosario Thom. in l. 4. Sent. dist 4. ex vitis Patrum as vpon him that is baptised And the putting on of the hood giueth vnto them full remission of sinnes and freeth as well from the punishment as the sinne and taking vpon him a new purpose of a vow the which afterward he may repent is neuerthelesse baptized againe and hath pardon Wilt thou any more Christ hath prayed Francis hath obtained And when shall we haue an end of these blasphemies This booke notwithstanding was exhibited in the generall Chapter of the Franciscans by Frier Bartholomew of Pisa and approued by all with a generall consent in the citie of Assise the second of August 1389 with this expresse clause We haue searched debated and caused this booke diligently to be examined and we find nothing therein worthie correction therfore it is called by them The Golden Booke and sent by the commaundement of the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fift and Nicholas the third to all the faithfull vnder the paine of heresie to beleeue the markes of S. Francis Liber conformitatum Impressus Bononiae an 1590. fol. 3. 254. Item fol. 3. 250. Anthon. parte 3. tit 23. 1. 28. Bonauent in Legenda B. Francis likewise by the commandement of Benedict the twelft to celebrate the day whereon they had receiued it And that by a Bull of Alexander the fourth the hiâ—â— of Auernia whereon they say these things happened should be receiued into the protection of the See of Rome And yet the Authors of these times doe not agree among themselues vpon these marks for Bonauentura who liued fortie yeres after saith in his Legend That they were seene and acknowledged of many euen to the putting in of the nailes Mathew Paris cleane contrarie a most superstitious Monke who liued at the same time affirmeth that there appeared not any marke or trace either in his side his feet or hands There was no lesse fained of Dominick especially when he was to bee opposed against the Albienses Antonius Archiep parte 3. tit 23. l. 1. § 3. Therefore the Archbishop Anthonie who was of his Order so compareth his myracles with those of Christs as euer they excell them both in weight and number Christ saith he raised three onely that were dead Dominick three in the citie of Rome But what should wee thinke of those fortie strangers that suffered shipwracke in the great riuer neere Tolouse the ship being ouerwhelmed and they a long time vnder water but that by the prayer of S. Dominick they came safe out of the riuer and were restored to life Christ being immortall entred twice among his Disciples the gates being shut but Dominicus as yet but a mortall man which is much to bee admired entred in the night into the Church the doores being shut least he should waken his brethren Christ said after his death All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth and this power saith he is not a little communicated to Dominick ouer all celestiall terrestriall and infernall things Note how he alwayes quarels for the better For he had the holie Angels at his seruice the elements did obey him and the diuels trembled at him and were not able to disobey him This hee proueth by many examples He addeth That at Venice before Dominick was borne into the world there was in Saint Markes Church two Images to be seene of all whereof one was in a verie religious habit of the Order of the Preachers with a Lilie in his hand the other had the similitude of the Apostole S. Paul as they vse to paint him ouer whom was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paulus S. Paul but vnder the feet of the Image was written Per istum itur ad Christum By this man we come to Christ Aboue the other figure was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicus that is S. Dominick but vnder him Facilius itur per istum The way is easier by this man that is to say by Dominick for saith Anthonie The doctrine of S. Paul and so likewise of the other Apostles was a doctrine leading to faith and obseruance of the commaundements the doctrine of Dominick to the obseruance of Counsels and therefore the way more easie by him to come to Christ And so thou hast one superiour to S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles and his rule better than Apostolicall doctrine But worse followeth Because he was like vnto Christ he was aptly named Dominicus by our Lord Christ for Dominicus quasi totus Domini was that principally and by possession which our Lord was absolutely and by authoritie For the Lord saith I am the light of the world and the Church singeth of Dominick Yee are the light of the world The Prophets diuers wayes foretold of our Lord for they all beare witnesse of him Of Dominick and his Order saith Zacharie in his eleuenth Chapter speaking of the person of God I haue taken vnto me two staues the one I haue called Decorem Beautie the other Funiculum a Cord or a Band Beautie is the Order of S. Dominick for the beautifull habit of their Prelats the Cord is the Order of the Minors because they are girt with a cord Thus play they with the Scriptures Furthermore The Lord was borne vpon the naked earth but the Virgine his mother for feare of the cold puts him into a manger Dominick being borne and a little infant vnder the custodie of his nurse getting out of his cradle detesting as it were the delights of the flesh was found oftentimes by his nurse lying all naked vpon the bare earth At the birth of our Lord there appeared a star which guided the wise men vnto him thereby insinuating that the whole world should be enlightened by him likewise in the forehead of Dominick as he was baptised the godmother beheld a starre signifying that a new light was come into the world c. The prayer of the Lord was euer heard whensoeuer he wold for that
any proportion which yet had beene too much but simply properly absolutely But if Bellarmine here say Bellarm. de Romano Pontific l. 2. c. 31. Bern. Epist 237. ad Eugenium That Gregorie did this but as he was Christs Vicar I aske him Whether he euer so much as heard that if a Princes embassadour contract any matrimonie in his Masters name he calls himselfe the Bridegroome or if he could doe this without committing an hainous offence Or how can hee in thus doing auoid S. Bernards reprehension who forbids Pope Eugenius this tytle but rather that he should take heed of S. Iohns Prophesie in assuming to himselfe such blasphemous titles Thomas de Corsellis apud Aenean Syâ—uium 7 Comentar de Concil Basiliens Questionlesse Thomas de Corsellis speakes not so in the Councell of Basil We said saith hee that the Church was Christs spouse and the Pope wee know is his Vicar but no bodie substitutes a Vicar in such a sort as that hee will submit his spouse vnto him nay the spouse in matters very important may be thought to haue more authoritie than the Vicar whereas she and her husband haue but one bodie but so it stands not betweene the Vicar and his Lord. This Gregorie died about the beginning of the yeare 1276 whom Peter of Tarento succeeded that was Bishop of Ostia of the Order of Predicants being nominated Innocent the fift and about fiue moneths after Otho Fliscus a Genoway came to the Papacie after this man also who was called Adrian the fift he being chosen at Rome in king Charles his presence who was created and chosen Senator of that citie This manner of election was no wayes pleasing to the Cardinals because their authoritie herein seemed to be somewhat impaired Presently after his comming to the Papacie he departed to Viterbe the better to abate Charles his power and greatnesse for extenuation whereof he sent for the Emperour Rodulphus into Italie to oppugne and make head against Charles who being formerly solicited by Gregorie had promised to come And here the Reader may easily judge whether he was not wonderfully transported with this affaire that hauing occupied the chaire Pontificall but eleuen dayes onely and not yet being fully consecrated he studied and deuised how to supplant Charles Platina in Adriano 5. Neither were the Cardinals satisfied with that forme of Conclaue instituted by Gregorie the which was not obserued in the election of his successor nor likewise of this present Pope but contrariwise it was reuoked by Adrian in the small time he liued by an expresse Bull published to that end that so by this means all ambition and practise might be cut off and all means of attaining to the place by bribes gifts that so they might rather chuse to create the Pope by bandie and partialitie When therefore this Bull could not stand in force and vigor by reason it was made before his consecration Iohn the 22 who succeeded him presently confirmed the same And hereupon Nicholas the third Martine the fourth Honorius the fourth Nicholas the fourth and Celestinus the fift were elected without Conclaue Whereby you may plainly discerne how inconstant the spirit is that leads and directs them Iohn treads his predecessors foot-steps though he was but a foolish and vnworthie man Platina in Johan 22. Bringing as they say more detriment than either honor or profit to the Papacie and therefore hee importuned Rodulphus to come into Italie But hee eâ—cused himselfe through the warre he had in hand with the king of Bohemia and Iohn in the second yere of his Papacie died at Viterbe being by the fal of a vault crushed to death Vpon this occasion the Cardinals returned to Rome and now likewise Charles discharging the Senators place of the citie carried greatest sway in the election who labouring but in vaine that some French man might be nominated after much altercation Platina Stella in Nichol. 3. Machiauel hist. Flor. l. 3. the sixt month after Iohn Vrsinus was chosen being afterwards called Nicholas the third who was a man full of ambition and insolencie for so he is deciphered by Machiauel and he impatiently supporting Charles his so great power he instantly propounded to him how behouefull it was that Rodulph should come into Italie and so from thence to passe by sea into Palestina which otherwise could by no meanes be succoured and releeued also That Tuscan was vnder the jurisdiction of the Empire and except it were restored againe to Rodulphus he would make this serue for him as a just excuse Vnder this pretext therefore he took away from him Tuscan which his predecessors had conferred vpon him by way of Vicariate as also at Rome in that he could not endure to see him a Senator of such soueraigne authoritie he excited his fauouries against him laboring to be chosen Senator himselfe And thus deposing Charles he alone discharged both the Pontificall and Senatorian dignities Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. He furthermore ordained That no King Prince or any other borne of royall stocke or otherwise of any high eminent dignitie should be preferred to the Senatorship and that the citie vnder no title or office whatsoeuer might not be gouerned by any one for aboue the terme of a yere without his speciall fauour and permission And thus the Sueuian familie being wholly extinct in that he could the more easily forbeare his amitie he now began to tread Charles vnder foot For Rodulph he heard that he had businesse ynough in Germany without attempting any thing in Italie in whose mouth the saying was verie frequent Vestigia Italiam adeuntium videre se non cernere redeuntiuÌ„ He saw the steps of those that entred into Italie but not of such as came well out againe Wherfore out of this confidence he so much the more vrged him seeming to be verie angrie with his delayes but especially in that he prepared not himselfe for a voyage to Ierusalem the which was wont to be a common pretext for excommunicating of the Emperors Rodulph therefore not minding to loose a certaine substance for a greater shadow Martinus Polonus in Chron. ad an 1277. Platina in Nichol 3. Blondus Decad. 2. l. 8. Stella ibid. that he might be freed from this burden he peaceably surrendred and confirmed vnto Nicholas the possession of all Romania vpon this condition That taking Tuscan out of Charles his hands he should restore it vnto him Which being done Nicholas created Bertold Vrsine his brother Count of Romania furnishing him with an armie wherwith to recouer those towns that were held by the Gibellines He also allotted another armie to Franciscus Latinus his sisters sonne being Bishop of Ostia with the same to scoure ouer all Tuscan the Marquisat and Lombardie And thus he disposed of the greater part of Italie Martinus and Platina say That if death had not preuented him hee was minded to haue made two kings of his name one of Tuscan
the execrable blasphemie For the Lord should not else haue beene discreet that so I may speake with his reuerence except he had left such an onely Vicar behind him Bald. in cap. Cum super de causis propr possess Jn ExtrauagaÌ„t Comm. l. 1. de maiorit Et obedientia C. vnam sanctaÌ„ ibi Glossa Et additio Petri Bertrandi in iure Canonic Editionis Gregorianae Lugdunens C. Fundamenta de Electione in 6. that could doe all these things now Peter was his Vicar and so the same may bee affirmed of Peters successors But because many Canonists of those times were ashamed of such words in certaine editions they were quite rased out and Gregorie the thirteenth vnder colour of reformation restored them againe The Glosse vpon the chapter Fundamenta electionibus sexto pronounces flatly That the Pope is not a man and in a little verse it is said Thou greatest of all ehings thou art neither God nor man but some intermediant power whereupon he surnames the Pope Admibilis Admirable by which name Christ is called in the 9 of Esay it was a wonder omitted the attribute following Emanuel God be with vs. That Glosse vpon the Extrauagants of Iohn the two and twentieth titulo 14 sayes Non est purus homo Glossa in proemium Clementinar but yet that of the chapter Cum inter nonnullos titulo 14 speakes as it were infuriated To beleeue that our Lord the Pope could not so or so decree is merely heretical Now judge by all precedent inferences Ius Canonicum impressum Lutetiae an 1â—20 apud Claudium Cheualonium in sole aureo Ius Canonicum Gregorij 1â— impressum Lugduni postrâ—me Editionis apud Rouillium in Extrauag Iohan 22. C. cum inter nonnullos Tit. 14. ni verbo declaramus circa finem what reformation is to be expected from these men when Gregorie the thirteenth perusing the whole Canon law left this Glosse absolute and entire and being formerly rased out by others precisely renewed the same such an heart-griefe it is vnto them howsoeuer they may faine and dissemble to abridge the least title of Antichristian priuiledges But as Antichrist augments and multiplies his blasphemous names and titles so does God daily excite and stir vp men in the world to detect and point him out with their finger which we shall better obserue in the sequel of these relations OPPOSITION Lewis the fourth Emperour suppressed his competitor Frederick and fortified himselfe by the king of Englands affinitie whose wifes sister hee maried being daughter to the Count of Holland and therefore Pope Iohn thought to rayse a verie dangerous conspiracie against him either to detaine him still in Germanie or to make all enterprises more difficult to him in Italie He therefore entred into a league with Charles the Faire king of France and Robert king of Sicilie enjoyning further Leopald Duke of Austria and brother to Frederick to take vp armes he made the Duke of Poland a king vpon condition that hee should war against him and further he commaunded the Teutonian Knights to make peace with the Lituanians who were yet Pagans to inuade the Marquisat of Brandenberg which belonged to Lewis his sonne When he saw that in all likelihood he would not leaue Germanie he sent Philip de Valois into Italie with Cardinall Bertrand a Dominican in his companie to open a way for him and he excommunicated all those whosoeuer that were of Lodouikes partialitie Lodouikes partakers cried out vnto him in these distresses requesting his aid He notwithstanding to claime his right fairely sent an embassadour to Iohn yea to his Legat to treat of a peace who being entertained with threats and contumelies returned backe againe Iohn still reiterates his thundering excommunications so as all other affaires layd apart Lewis must needs enter Italie with an armie Auent l. 7. In Auentine Iohns Bull against Lewis is to be read taken out of the ancient Libraries of Bauaria the which it will be verie requisit here to insert absolute and entire After saith he that the Roman Empire transferred by our predecessors from the Greeks to the Germans was committed to the custodie and protection of Charles the Great this soueraigne honor was woont to be the benefit and prerogatiue of the highest Priest For it was then decreed That if the Almans at any time made choyce of a king this election should be of no vigor nor force except the Pope of Rome Father and Prince of Christendome did ratifie the same and he so assigned by the Princes and States of the Empire could neither gouerne nor take vpon him royall Title before the Pope Gods Legat authorized and approued him suo numine with his diuinitie And further the Empire being destitute of an head the absolute power and prerogatiue lay in the Pope whose see it manifestly is And wee haue seene throughout all precedent discourse what strife hath beene about this word Benefice or Fee as also how much bloud was shed in all parts of Italie In like manner when the seuen Electors are diuided neither the one nor the other of the elected can be king And so the Roman Bishop as the common parent to all men is to manage at his owne will the Roman Empire being by such a dissention destitute of an head And as the mind commaunds the bodie to serue by whose benefit it onely liues so no man can denie but that then the Christian affaires goe best forward when things fraile yeeld to those eternall prophane to sacred and those corporall to the other spirituall Which then comes to passe when the Pope at his discretion gouernes both dignities for both the the Church is gouerned and all other power is reduced vnder his lawes and obedience And the Emperour by oath is bound vnto him who by a Vicegerencie vnder the celestiall Emperour swayes and rules the earth For this cause it is that two after Henrie the seuenths death hauing beene nominated Emperours Frederick and Lewis both the one and the other were incapable of this soueraigne dignitie and so consequently the Christian Commonwealth came to be dissipated and abandoned and therefore in all right was to be directed and gouerned by vs. As also Lodouike to his owne great hurt and preiudice and no lesse detriment to the Roman Church before he was thought worthie by vs to rule out of his owne head tooke vpon him the royall Titles rashly vsurping the authoritie and power of Emperour which still he holds both in Italie and Germanie For hee hath giuen into his sonnes hands the Principalitie of Brandenburg contrarie to all lawes And notwithstanding our opposition he succoured Galeazzo and his hrethren who were condemned of heresie And this is continually for such an heresie as neither the Apostles nor the Fathers euer made mention of We therefore according to the authoritie deriued to vs from heauen peremptorily commaund Lewis within the space of three moneths to abiure all royal Title and absolutly to
forbeare all gouernment publike adminstrations and managing of affaires disanulling all things formerly by him acted and neuer hereafter to reassume the dignitie except by our expresse iniunction and commaund But if he delay any wayes in this case to obey Wee commaund all Patriarches Bishops Priests Princes and immunified cities to fall from him and forcibly to vrge him to submission Dated and published in Auignion the eighth of the Ides of October in the eighth yeare of our Pontificall dignitie and in that of Christ 1321. And that wee may aggrauat nothing out of our owne constructions let the Reader but onely obserue this forme of speaking which retaines with it a certaine similitude of that which hee sayes in one of his Extrauagants where without any ambiguitie God hath cōmitted to me saith he the prerogatiue of Emperor both celestiall and earthlie When this Bull came to Lodouikes hands prudent as he was he seriously consulted with all the famous Diuines and Ciuilians both of Italie Extrauag ne sede vacante C. si fratrum Germanie and France but especially with those of Bologna and Paris and all their opinions agreed in this conclusion That Iohns Decrees and promulgations against Caesar were altogether repugnant to Christian integritie and diuine Philosophie These resolutions of the Diuines saith Auentine are yet extant in Libraries written in parchment Many renowmed men also of whom some were Ciuilians and some Diuines writ stifly against Iohn whom they sharpely refuted out of the holie Scriptures and the auncient lawes and Canons And amongst others some Minorites of greater note forsooke Iohn to cleaue vnto Lewis summoning Iohn as it were to a day of hearing Lodouike in the meane while being constituted published a solemne Diet to be held at Ratisbone whither all the greatest Princes and Bishops of Germanie had recourse Amongst these there assisted Iohn king of Bohemia Mathew Henrie and Baldwine of Magunce and the two Archbishops of Collen and Treuers Where it was decreed That Lodouike the Emperour should be prouident to preuent the bringing of the German libertie into seruitude and that the Maiestie Imperiall might be freed from tyrannicall talons and therefore by the Acts of this Diet all the Decrees of Iohn the two and twentieth were declared void and inualidious and whosoeuer stood in defence of them hee was to be reputed an enemie to the Commonwealth and his goods to be confiscated By the force of these Acts Otho Bishop of Carinthia and Lambert of Tolouse the Popes Legats were expelled out of Germanie and all the Bishops Prelats Priests Monks yea and the Franciscans themselues obeyed this Decree only the Dominicans hung neutrall bending sometimes to Iohn and sometimes to Lewis as their owne interests moued them one while obseruing Iohns interdict another time for feare of being expelled celebrating and discharging sacred functions as also by the high authoritie of this Diet an Act was published which is to be read absolute and entire in Auentine whose principall heads to auoyd tedious prolixitie it may suffice here to insert Christ the Sauiour our Lord and God Auentine l. 7. and his chiefe Legats Peter Paule Iames and Iohn ascending into heauen told vs of verie dangerous times imminent and hanging ouer our heads but aboue all they instantly admonished vs That being subtile in some sort as serpents we should take heed of the leauen of the Pharisies and auoid false Christs false Apostles and false Prophets being so tearmed by reason of the lying and hollow hypocrisie of their religion who call themselues Christs Priests when they are the verie messengers of Antichrist They may be discerned by their vnquenchable thirst of honour power and worldlie treasure and their excesse auarice and pride is growne to a prouerbe We cannot denie but must cleerely confesse that our times can abide no strict examination or censure For now manners being wholly corrupted Christian sinceritie is troden vnder foot inured customes more preualent than truth ouercome but yet indignation cannot but breake silence and being placed in a most high watch tower of discouerie of humane proceedings we must not hold our peace least as the holie Prophet sayes we shew our selues like to dumbe dogs that cannot barke And though we be not able vtterly to expell such Wolues clad in sheepes skinnes yet it is our parts and dueties to resist and in some sort to discouer them For though we cannot doe as we would yet our mere good will when we can attaine no further is both honourable and commendable At last he applies this theame to Pope Iohn declaring how many sundrie waies he wasted and spoiled the Christian Church as he that prouoked Christians to draw their swords against their owne bowels and stirred vp nations to periurie treacherie rebellion and conspiracie And this Antichrist saith he will not suffer vs to keep that peace recommended to vs by God so great is the peruersenesse of that man or rather of Sathan as in publike sermons he sets forth his owne flagitions for singular benefits When Christian Princes are at discord then the Roman Priest raignes In briefe the Pope is then of greatest authoritie and power when all others being weakened and pluckt downe by discords seditions and mutuall hatreds his thunderings grow terrible euerie becke of his obeyed and wee obserue euen his verie spittings c. And questionlesse it was by this policie that both of vs were created to the dignitie whom a verie briefe letter from him might easily haue reconciled or at least haue persuaded vs to determine our right rather by iuridicall proceedings than by armes But contrariwise he no wayes laboured to procure peace betwixt vs but rather to nourish discord enclining one while to mee and then another while to my aduersarie of Austria Now he would be on Fredericks side and then on Lodouikes partie and which of them grew weaker him would hee alwayes fortifie with his aydes and supplies First of his owne accord hee inuited vs secretly to communicate giuing faire and equiuocall speeches to vs both and being almost come to agreement he would then againe persuade vs to reassume armes All this he did politically that while we thus ruine one another with domestical and intestine wars he might racke the Empire demolish castles and cities and inuade and spoyle both the people and the Common-wealth whose destruction he hath conspired reduce Christs flocke into seruitude and fight against the Saints and holie ones of God He boasts that he may presently without all delay denounce sentence against vs before we are condemned Being our capitall aduersarie and publique enemie yet in his owne cause he sayes he is both sutor witnesse and Iudge The which we neuer red of amongst the Turkes Iewes Saracens nor Sarmatians Those that hold their loyaltie to Caesar obseruing herein Christ our Sauiours commandement he for no other cause condemnes of heresie What is his will he thinkes to be lawfull wealth purchaseth authoritie for all things c. He
the Bishop hee freely confessed these things not denying himselfe also to be the author and meanes that many abhorred and left the Masse 59. PROGRESSION Clement dying at Auignion Stephen Albertus a Lymosine was chosen by the name of Innocent the sixt Charles is crowned Emperour at Rome where he makes no stay but returnes into Germanie CLement dying at Auignion Stephen Albert a Lymosine succeeded him being nominated Innocent the sixt He presently commaunded euerie Bishop to be resident in his proper diocesse but in stead of retiring himselfe to his owne hee dispatched a Legat into Italie Giles de Carilla a Spaniard with all ample commission to confirme vpon him absolute authoritie and power Iohn de Vrsini and Peter Colonna were both by the Popes and peoples consent ordained Senators at Rome till the sixt yeare of his Pontificacie when Francisco Baroncelli inuading the Tribunall with open violence enstiled himselfe Scribe to the Senat by the grace of God second Tribune of the citie and Roman Consull vnderstanding herein Nicholaus Laurentius formerly mentioned who was the first When Innocent had notice of this he loossed Nicholas out of prison and gaue him authoritie to suppresse Baroncelli which by the assistance of the Nobilitie and the greatest part of the people he easily effected But afterwards exceeding the tearmes of his commission he was enforced priuily to slinke away and being discouered in his flight hee was slaine Such was the state of the citie of Rome and of the chaire committed as they say vnto Peter being abandoned by her Bishops The Emperour Charles on the other side laboured nothing else but to set on his owne head the Imperial Diademe to this end therefore he going into Italie he was presented with an yron crowne at Milan and then he went forward to Rome where two Cardinals were enioyned by Innocent to impose it on him but expresly vpon this condition for the adding of somewhat to his predecessors attempts Blondus Decad. 2. l. 10. Albertus Argent in Chronic. That he should conuocate no assemblies at Rome nor enact any ordinance in any thing that concerned the Romans without the Popes aduice and counsell Item That he should neither reside at Rome nor in Italie And indeed he presntly departed for taking his journey through Tuscan and Lombardie he returned into Germanie And hereupon grew that grieuous complaint of Petrarches to Nerico de Furli his familiar friend I cannot by any meanes saith he conceale thus much that I know the Emperours destinies and that they might raigne more happily in the West in the South or any where else than in the North all things are there so cold and frozen there is no noble vigor no vitall heat of royall Empire Fortune if the Fates denie vs Romulean Caesars yet send vs at least some Theodosioes out of Spaine or Seueroes out of Africke Ah what would then the great Architect of this Monarchie say when he should see his successor contend in humilitie with a simple Priest calling to mind that superbious Prince in times past of the Gaules who comming submissiuely into the campe as Florus sayes layed downe his quiuer and arrowes at Caesars feet saying Take these thou being most valiant hast vanquished a valiant man Many obseruations of this kind offer themselues to be considered c. By things past I coniecture of things to come I am not therefore so much moued that the Legats horse rushed against Caesar as that I discerne the minds and courages of men to be daunted and crushed and I know that all eminencie and dignitie is impatient of a companion He adds further If auntient examples doe not suffice to testifie thus much I am affraid this late occurrent will furnish vs with too true an one For as it is reported the Roman Priest hath forbidden the Roman Emperour to reside at Rome Petrarch apud Blondus Decad. in 2. l. 10. And the Pope doth not onely enioyne the Emperour to be content with the mere Diadem and Title but further he rules and commaunds him and permitting him to be enstiled Emperour yet he will in no wise suffer him to sway and gouerne And writing to Charles himselfe I know not saith he what you haue promised and vowed by oath to the Pope that he should by the same as by a strong wall and vnpassable mountaine prohibit you accesse to the citie what manner of pride is this the Roman Prince being the Patron of libertie to be depriued of libertie himselfe that he should not be his owne whose all things else are Then in his Booke De vita solitaria he cannot almost moderat himselfe Petrarcha de vita solitaria l. 2. sect 4. c. 2. This our Caesar saith he euen snatching as it were the Dyadem presently departed into Germanie contenting himselfe with the lurking holes of his own Countrie and with the title of the Empire whose remotest members he embraceth and takes no care of the head loosing that absolutely which we hoped he wold haue recouered not daring to preserue his owne but flying away though no bodie pursues he reiects the sweet embracements of his spouse and the beautifull aspect of faire Italie as if there were any thing fairer than it vnder heauen I confesse that rash and subtile faith reprehends him in that wherein she presumes to blow and thunder against the highest and he excuseth himselfe by saying he tooke an oath to the Church that he would continue at Rome no longer than one day Oh infamous day Oh reproachfull oath O God obserue this oath this Religion this pietie the Roman Pope hath so forsaken Rome as he will not yet haue it frequented by another And of this he capitulates with the Roman Emperour I know not what I should here say and though I know yet it is wisedome to be silent One thing there is which though I would conceale the matter it selfe would vtter surely he that driues out of the Citie the naturall enhabitant would bring in the Boore and swaine if he could and whether he doth this well and iustly let it be duely considered In the meane while Cardinall Carilla the Legat reduced vnder due subjection Romania reaping there his golden haruest whose whole crop lay at Furli and was afterwards conueyed to Auignion I call it an haruest because these are the verie Authours words He had at Furli a Treasorie which might rather be called a barne of gold and siluer for the Muletters laded it vpon their Asses neither more nor lesse than if it had beene graine carrying it daily to Furli This was the cause that William Grisan a Lymosine who was called Vrban the fift about the yere 1362 being successour to Innocent the 6 to whom Cardinall Adrian Abbot of the Cistercian order An. 1362. had not done so painefull and industrious seruice he resolued once againe to send the same Carilla into Italie who made such a way for him An. 1366. as he determined in the yeare 1366 to
some the three and twentieth sat neere to his heart who had found meanes for the price of thirtie thousand Crownes to redeeme himselfe out of the hands of the Palatine who had him in custodie departing thence visited his antient friends throughout Italie for that it seemed to portend vnto him a new Schisme yet he commeth to him to Florence and saluteth him humblie trusting in the friendship and faith of Cosma de Medicis who had all power and authoritie in the citie though it were a free citie Martine therefore made him Cardinall of Tusculum where a few daies after he dyed Peter de Luna called Benedist the thirteenth raigned yet imaginarily in his rocke of Arragon with some of his Cardinals and Alfonsus king of Arragon was offended against Martin for that to his prejudice he had declared king of Sicilie Lewis of Anjou adopted by Queene Ioane In the meane season fell out the time appointed for the Councell of Pauia which hee could not with honestie shift off though Alfonsus threatned to oppose Benedict against him He therefore sendeth thither Peter Donatus Archbishop of Candie with some Cardinals to begin the Councell at Pauia then after by reason of the pestilence transferreth it to Siena to which place resorted a greater number of all Nations than to Pauia Neither wanted there the Embassadours of Alfonsus to prolong the Councell till he might with bountious gifts promote the businesse of Benedict But Martin thinking it good to preuent the worst suddenly breaketh vp the Councell and putteth it off for seuen yeares And therefore Antoninus saith it was onely held perfunctoriè for fashion sake Till at last Martin is deliuered of this feare first by the death of Benedict in the yeare 1424 An. 1424. Antonin tit 22. cap. 7. hauing surpassed the yeares of S. Peter for the full measure saith the Authour of his damnation but not in the seat of S. Peter to whom neuerthelesse his Cardinals created a successor named Clement the 8. But afterwards the sayd Clement renouncing the Popedome in the yeare 1428 An. 1428. whom Martin compelled so to doe he being forsaken of most of his Cardinals and giuing him the bishopricke of Maiorca and reseruing to the Cardinals that were about him their dignities and furthermore hauing also before all things appeased the mind of Alfonsus when he perceiued that the warres of Lewis had no good successe at Naples then Martin being receiued at Rome bendeth his care to the re-edifying and repayring of the buildings and the Cardinals by his example euerie one in their parishes did the like and that was sayd instaurare to restore or repaire the Church He gaue himselfe also to the gathering of money on all sides For saith Antoninus this thing common report reproued in him that he too greedily laboured to heape vp money so that he was in no wise able to say with the chiefe Apostle Siluer and Gold haue I none But that his exceeding great temporall treasure was consumed by the hands of his kinsmen and chiefely of his nephew the Prince of Salerne to whom it fell by his death in bestowing it on hired souldiers and enemies against the Church And in the yeare 1431 he dieth happie in this that thereby he escaped the Councell of Basill which fell out at the same time and was so much the more to be feared for that the Fathers of the Councel of Constance had made a law both by word and in effect wherby it was decreed That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope This is that Pope of whom Angelus de Clauasio a Frier Minorite authour of the Angelicall Summa writeth on the word Pope Hauing communicated the matter with his Doctors he gaue to a certaine man leaue to marrie with his owne sister And this Angelus flourished almost about the same time vnder Sixtus the fourth Now he had alreadie assigned this Councell at the instance of Sigismund and for to hold it ordayned Legat Iulian Cardinall of S. Angelo who had alreadie begun it and hauing had but bad successe of the warres in Bohemia had graunted in the Councels name a safe conduct to the Bohemians and Morauians to come thither with all assurances requisit But it was to be doubted whether Cardinall Condelmero his successour called Eugenius the fourth would continue it and so much the rather for that in the second Session it had beene deceed these words That the Synod gathered together by the assistance of the holie Ghost making a generall Councell and representing the Church militant hath power immediatly from Christ Concil Basiliensi Sess 2. whereunto all men of what estate or dignitie soeuer yea be it the Pope himselfe is bound to obay in those things that pertaine vnto Faith and he that shall disdaine to obay the statutes vnlesse he repent Monstrelet vol. 1. An. 1431. let him be duely punished And indeed hee endeuoured alreadie to put it off for a yeare and a halfe longer and to transferre it to Bononia that thereby as he sayd the Greekes might more easily repaire vnto it For which cause Sigismund fearing delay wrot vnto him verie vehemently That vnder pretence of the Greekes he ought not deferre the peace of the Church among the Latins That the Bohemians had alreadie accepted of the safe conduct of whose conuersion there was some good hope which if it would not be they would then ioyntly take counsell together of the meanes to destroy them That seeing they professe to proue their doctrine by the holie Scripture if the Councell should either be dismissed or deferred till another time they would say that the Fathers could not aunswer them and that the Catholikes themselues to whom so long time Reformation was promised frustrate of that hope at Pisa and at Constance would verily deeme all to be but mockerie and collusion That the Princes also neighbours of the Bohemians would make truce with them as some alreadie haue done and it may be would ioyne together with them both in their minds and forces Therefore that he should giue commission to the President Cardinall Iulian to continue the Councell otherwise it were to be doubted that the delaying of the Councell would prouoke the Laitie to play the mad-men against the Church Moreouer That the Councell it selfe would by no meanes consent to the dissoluing of it and in that behalfe should be followed and out-borne by the greatest part of the Kings Princes Prelats and of all in generall who would hold him by good right for an authour and fauourer of heresies and schismes among Christians whereby he would be an occasion of a new disobedience in the Church and of new troubles and that it would be much better if he himselfe were present in person Eugenius was yet but young in the Popedome and had not as yet ynough tried his strength at Rome also was disagreement betweene him and the Colonni whom he had diuersly molested for to recouer of them the money of Martin which as
fulnesse of power But wilt thou know saith he what is that Tibi dabo in vertue of which thou mayst chalenge to thy selfe that thy soueraigne iurisdiction read in the Gospell what Sathan saith to Christ Tibi dabo I will giue thee all these kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me c. And as for doctrine he complaineth that it is all euerie where besprinkled with fables O wonderfull madnesse of men saith he which giue credit to these old wiues doting tales But how long is it since this was done before the comming of the Sauiour or since Nothing of these things is knowne He may be ashamed of their triflings and more than mimick lightnesse A Christian man which calleth himselfe the sonne of Truth and of Light would blush to vtter such things which are not onely not true but also nothing probable or likely c. Christian sinceritie hath no need to be maintained by falshood it is of it selfe sufficiently ynough defended by it owne truth and light without those fained and deluding fables most contumelious against God against Christ and against the holie Ghost c. But our fable-tellers bring in Idols speaking c. Neither can I be persuaded that these writers were any other than Infidels who did it in derision of Christians c. We discerne false money reiect it and call it in and shall we not discerne but retaine a false Authour Shall we mixe these fables with good bookes Shall wee defend them for good But we had need to set downe here the whole booke Nicholas Cusan by nation a German Doctor of Diuinitie and afterward a Cardinall the most learned of this age in his books De Concordantia Catholica consenteth to the Councell of Basil Aeneas Syluius l. 1. de Gestis Basiliensis Concilij Nichol. Cusanus de concord Catholic lib. 1. c. 11. Idem c. 14. 15. Ibid. cap. 15. 16. though Aeneas Syluius nameth him that Hercules of Eugenius and bewaileth That so noble a wit had turned aside to defend that schismatike In the first booke he defendeth and proueth these Positions That all the promises of Christ speaking to Peter I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of hell c. I haue prayed for thee c. are to be refered to the vniuersall Church and not particularly to S. Peter or his successour especially seeing many Popes haue beene schismatikes and heretikes That euerie Bishop hath his seat in the Church according to the priuiledge of the place which he holdeth and by that reason the Bishop of Rome obtaineth the same degree of Presidencie which Rome had in old time among the Gentiles and he addeth on an heape That the Apostles had chosen Peter for their head but whence doth that appeare That otherwise if they should hold place according to the holinesse of him that first sat there or according to the reuerence of the place it is not to be doubted but that Ierusalem ought to haue the Primacie where our chiefe Priest washed his Church with his owne bloud but that Ephesus the seat of S. Iohn should be preferred before Alexandria where S. Marke and so of the rest That it belongeth to the duetie of the Bishop of Rome to assemble a generall Councell of all the Churches of whom he is acknowledged which duetie if hee should slacke to performe the Emperor ought to supplie it in his stead least the Church should suffer damage In the second booke L. 2. c. 2. That this Councell dependeth not on the Head thereof but on the consent of all which sit there who ought to contribute what in them is to the making of the Decrees so that no prescription may take place to the contrarie Ibid. c. 8. Ibid. c. 12. seeing that the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome euen sitting President is not greater there than that of euerie Metrpoolitan in his Prouince That indeed Peter himselfe hath receiued in no wise greater authoritie from Christ than the rest of the Apostles neither was there any thing said vnto him that was not said equally to the others as well as to him for as much as they are no lesse Rockes than Peter so that that which is said Vpon this rock c. is to be referred to his Confession not to his Person therefore seeing the power of binding and loossing is the foundation of all diuine jurisdiction it is manifest that all Bishops and perhaps all Priests Idem l. 2. c. 13. as touching jurisdiction haue equall power He restraineth afterwards not as touching the execution quae sub certis positiuis terminis clauditur which is limited with certaine positiue bounds that is ordained by mans law but he addeth That the cause thereof ceasing all degrees also of maioritie and minoritie doe cease so that it returneth againe to naturall right to wit to that equalitie That an vniuersall Councell without all controuersie is aboue the Bishop of Rome whose power if in some places it be said to be of Christ yet in many other places it is held That his Primacie is from men and dependeth on the Canons Wherefore Idem ibid. c. 17. 18. 19. as he may be both judged and deposed by a Councel so he cannot abrogat change or contrarie the Canons of Councels For proofe whereof wee read Jbid. c. 20. 21. That the Popes legats haue spoken standing in vniuersal Councels their letters were woont to be examined And his Decretals are inferior to the Canons which if the Pope contradict hee is not heard All which positions he proueth verie largely both by the Decrees and by the writings of the Fathers themselues Jdem l. 3. c. 3. 4. In the third booke he euidently proueth by many arguments drawne from out of Ecclesiasticall antiquitie That it is false that Constantine either gaue the Empire of the West to the Pope or could giue it That it is nothing truer that Popes haue bestowed the Empire on Charlemaine or to any of his successours or translated it from the Greekes to the Germans as they pretend That it is most false that the Electors of the Empire were instituted by the Pope and in his name did proceed in their election he maintaineth to the contrarie That the Emperour doth so depend of God alone that he hath no need to bee confirmed by the Pope and that he can in no wise be deposed by the Pope That in his charge the Emperour is the minister and Vicar of Christ Idem ibid. c. 6. 7. appoynted by him supreme keeper and preseruer of the Faith by which reason also he himselfe ought to bee present in Councell and euerie Prince in his dominions may vse the same and like right That the Emperours at all times haue assembled vniuersall Councels Ibid. c. 8. 9. and haue defended their order as Kings and Princes haue vndertaken the care of Nationall and Prouinciall yet neuerthelesse the Emperour and the Pope concurring together this charging
consent to the dissolution of the Councell of Basill And if any be moued at it that they are readie to aunswer actum est ne agas That hee hath that promise from the Chauncellour of Fraunce that they had heard that the kings Embassadours allured with certaine promotions made great shew that the king would consent to the dismission of the Councell but that they had resolued to resist him to his face And there we haue a Treatise concerning that matter written in the yeare 1434 by Iohn Patriarch of Antioch An. 1434. which he caused publiquely to be pronounced in the great hall of the Couent of Franciscan Friers in Basill That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope It beginneth Ad ostendendum Where out of the Fathers and by the Decrees he bringeth it to this In 3. vol. Concil in Append. Concil Basiliens ad ostendend That the Pope is the seruant of the Church to be chastised by it if he doe his duetie amisse and confuteth at large whatsoeuer is alledged to the contrarie Let the Reader see the booke it selfe in the Councels At the same time whilest the Popes boasted that the Greekes did acknowledge obedience vnto them are published two bookes of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica against the Primacie of the bishop of Rome In the first booke he sheweth Nilus Archiepisc Thessalon de Primatu That the principall controuersies between the Greeke and Latin Church proceed from this that the Pope will not be judged by an vniuersal Councell but contrariwise as a master among his disciples will be Iudge in his owne cause whereas he ought to be ruled by the prescriptions of the Councel and contain himselfe within the Decrees of the Fathers That the bishop of Rome hath not the same power ouer other bishops as a bishop hath ouer his Diocesans but hath onely the prerogatiue of the first seat to be higher than other And here hee enlargeth himselfe to shew the commoditie and authortie of Councels In the second book he teacheh That the bishop of Rome hath not the right of Primacie from Christ nor yet from S. Peter nor from the Apostles but that the Fathers for some causes haue giuen vnto him the first seat That he is not the successour of S. Peter but inasmuch as he is a bishop by which reason also all other bishops are his successors That he is not an Apostle much lesse prince of the Apostles That in those things which pertain to the rules of faith they may haue often erred That he hath no right to alledge his Tu es Petrus because that promise respecteth the Church of Christ and not S. Peter and much lesse him whom they would haue to be his successours That though we yeeld him to be first in order yet he is not therfore to beare domination ouer others this Primacie not inferring an order aboue others but a co-ordination with others Moreouer he rejected these presumtions of the Bishop of Rome That he is the Iudge of all to be judged of none That he is not bishop of a certaine place but absolutely bishop That he alone by his owne right ought to assigne an vniuersal Councell and the like seeing that the Primacie or rather first Seat was granted to him onely propter vrbis principatum because Rome was the first or chiefest in order among cities We need not here repeat how openly and as they speake formally the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia opposed themselues earnestly desiring reformation of the Church according to the holie Scriptures exhibiting to this end a confession of their Faith to their King to the Emperour and to the Councell and preaching the same publikely in the Temples which by publike authoritie were then granted vnto them Also after faith was broken with Iohn Hus how stoutly they defended it by just and necessarie armes God from heauen fighting for the safegard of that poore people vtterly frustrating all the endeuours of the Emperour and of the Popes against them as we haue aboue shewed out of Aeneas Syluius for they haue continued without interruption vntill these our times But it is worth the adding That those Waldenses who some ages before had brought this light of the Gospell into Bohemia abode still in the mountaines of Languedoc and Prouence and in many places within the Alpes and there kept themselues safe from the persecution of Popes and Papists In Lombardie also as witnesseth Antonine vnder the name of Fratricelli were some knowne to the time of Eugenius But in England especially the seed of Wickliffe was largely propagated where without repeating any thing of Sir Iohn Oldeastle of whom wee haue before spoken we read of verie many to haue suffered martyrdome for the same doctrine William Taylour Priest and professor of Artes in the Vniuersitie of Oxford An. 1422. An. 1428. in the yeare 1422 and William White in the yeare 1428 Author of many Treatises vpon matters controuerted in that time was burned for thirtie articles which by word and writing he had defended He taught among other things That the Roman Church was that withered fig tree which the Lord had cursed for barrennesse of faith That the Monkes and Friers were the annoynted and shauen souldiers of infernall Lucifer That against these the Bridegroome when he shall come will shut the gate for that their lampes are out With the same mind also Alexander Fabritius in his Treatise intituled Destructorium vitiorum wrot many excellent things against the corruptions of the Romish Church against the antiquitie of which he opposed this saying of S. Cyprian If Christ alone saith he ought to bee heard we are not to attend what men before vs haue thought fit to bee done but what Christ first before all hath done If Christ had knowne that man might more easily get eternall life by the lawes of Iustinian than by the law of God he would haue taught them vs with his owne mouth and would haue let goe the law of God till another time which notwithstanding he hath taught with great diligence and wherein is contained all the doctrine requisit to saluation Againe He is a betrayer of the truth who openly speaketh a lye for the truth and he which doth not freely pronounce the truth the Pastors of the Church which refuse to pronounce the truth of the Gospell and by their euill examples slay such as be vnder them are traytors and most manifest Antichrists The Pastors and Prelats of the Church take great paines in these dayes for the obtaining of dignities one in the kings kitchin another in the Bishops Court another in seruice of his Lord but none in the Court of the Law of God Proud Priests and Prelats against the doctrine and example of Iesus Christ doe beare dominion as the kings of the Gentiles Being vniust they oppresse theirs with superfluous traditions vniust constitutions These moderne Priests doe whatsoeuer flesh and bloud reuealeth vnto them therefore are they cursed
it for which it had need to be commended It was apparant that hee required it not for desire of good worke but for couetousnesse In comming therfore to speake their opinions the Cardinall de Porto who was next to the Cardinall of Hostia I feare Holie Father saith he that verie shortly we shall heare that al the Abbayes in France will be in Commenda so that there will not any remain that hath an Abbot for whatsoeuer we ordayne there is nothing else but Commenda's That kingdome will one day when we least looke for it rise against vs and not beeing able to endure our vnprofitable ministerie will attempt some great matter against thy seat The Pope approued his iudgement and added That from the Popedome of Calixtus till that day he thought there were more than fiue hundred Monasteries giuen in Commenda that is in lesse than nine yeares And yet in his Epitaph among his triumphes is obserued this exploit Platina in Pio 2 Pragmaticam in Gallia abrogauit hee abolished the Pragmaticall sanction Wherefore Pius beeing dead who in foure yeares space had taught Fraunce sufficiently what great dammages would ensue thereupon complaints for the Pragmaticall sanction are redoubled whereupon the king commaunded his Court of Parliament to set downe vnto him in writing the causes of this complaint which it did and deliuered them vnto him againe in eightie sixe Articles vnder this Title For the libertie of the French Church against the Court of Rome The principal Articles are the 14 15 16 17 18 in these words Whereas many things had been decreed in the holie Councels of Constance and Basill consonant or agreeable to the auntient Canons and to the royall ordinances abouesayd King Charles the seuenth the king who then was Dolphin being present together with the Princes of the bloud Royall the Prelats and the Colledges Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall and in the hearing of the Embassadours both of the Pope of Rome and of the holie vniuersall Councell at length he receiued those Decrees and confirmed them by his Edict which commonly wee call Pragmaticall And these things were done a Bourges in the yeare 1438. This sanction therefore was euer held to be of so much the more authoritie because it had the originall from the holie Councels in which the Pope or his Legat sat President For there had beene neuer any law made in Fraunce before that time which had authoritie and force from the vniuersall Church 16. From that time forth the kingdome better prospered and had greater authoritie and glorie than ever before and more plentie and abundance of all things Guienne and Normandie can witnesse what terrour it was to the enemies out of which places they were expulsed and cast out 17. The obseruation of this sanction dured the space of twentie and three yeares and now since hath ceased these foure yeares When in the meane time men of excellent probitie and grauitie haue gouerned and ruled the Churches without molestation and disturbance of which some for the singular sanctitie of their liues after their decease were had in reputation for miracles as Michaell Bishop of Anger 's the Archbishop of Arles and many others 18. Contrariwise of the abrogation of these Canons Decrees and Constitutions innumerable inconueniences would arise which seeme may be referred to foure kinds Those same which were obserued in the admonition afore mentioned But the king being troubled either with continuall warres or with suspitions from time to time put off the businesse to a generall assemblie Yet saith Monstrelet in the yeare 1467 Paule the second being Pope Monstrelet es Chronologiques the king graunted his letters to his Legat being come from Rome in the moneth of September for the abrogation of the Pragmaticall sanction which were exhibited and published in the Chastellet of Paris without any contradiction or disturbance But he addeth on the first day of October following M. Iohn Balue who after was Cardinall came to the hall of the Palace royall at Paris to procure the publication of the same in Court Where he findeth M. Iohn de Saint Romain the kings Atturney generall who verie stoutly opposed himselfe against the execution of the said letters whereat Balue was verie much displeased Balue threateneth him That the king would not be well content with it and would displace him from his office But he despising his threats answered That the king might take away his office from him yet neuerthelesse he was resolued rather to lose it than he would either doe or suffer to be done any thing against his conscience or to the detriment and dishonour of the king and kingdome And to Balue he said That he might blush for shame for hauing vndertaken the dispatch of such a businesse And after that the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Deputies of the same came to the Legat himselfe and appealed from him and from the effect of his said letters to the Councell and in whatsoeuer place it should be made They also went to the Chastelet where they requested that their opposition might be inregistred there These are the words of Monstrelet and it is not to be omitted That this Iohn Balua being Bishop of Eureux was made a Cardinall and a little after conuicted of treason against the king and kingdome The yeare following one M. Iohn Loyre by vertue of certaine Bulls from the Pope interdicted the citie and Diocesse of Niuers vsing the authoritie of the Officiall of Besanson But by the sentence of the Court it was decreed the twelfth of December at the suit of the kings Atturney generall and of M. Peter Chartres Doctor and Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Paris That notwithstanding the Interdict the Diuine Seruice should be continued and the Churchmen compelled vnto it being by the kings power set into their temporalties That also the said Loire and Officiall should be layd hold on and be held to procure at their owne charges the abrogation of the Bulls Neither wanted there in all places some who in the middest of the tyrannie powred forth their sighes euen before the Popes Dominicus Bishop of Brescia in Italie wrot a Treatise which he directed to Pius the second and intituled it The Reformation of the Court of Rome truely mild ynough according to the times and yet sometime not without a sting If saith he we consider the former Popes and their Acts the Cardinalls the Bishops Protonotaries and other Prelats Penitentiaries Subdeanes Auditors Clerkes of the Chamber Acolythes or vnder ministers Chamberlains Aduocates Proctors and others appointed in diuers degrees and offices wee shall surely weepe with Ieremie Lament 4. Oh how is the gold become so dimme the most fine gold is changed the stones of the Sanctuarie that is the Prelats are scattered in the corner of euerie street that is of the broad wayes which lead to destruction in the corners whereof they are as Gregorie expoundeth it Her Nazarites were purer than snow and whiter
of Rome was a congregation of vnfaithfull and not a Christian assemblie as also the merits and intercession of Saints to God the difference of dayes and meats the Roman consecrations with many other things of this nature they vtterly detested and held friuolous What the Author layes further vpon them proceeds from the father of lyes But he testifies Chronic. Hirsaug that there were innumerable multitudes of this profession in Austria Bohemia and other bordering countries and that one of their Preachers being condemned to be burnt at Vienna and conducted to the place of execution more than eightie thousand vpon the same embraced that religion in those parts of whom many were committed to the fire in sundrie places But they saith he with ioynt will and consent perseuered in their errours euen vnto death Now let the indifferent Reader judge whether any one could euer cheerefully and joyfully lay hold of the flames for such haynous crimes and offences as they are imputed and charged withall much lesse so great a number of all kinds and qualities Not long after Lombardus was taken at Collen a principall Pastor amongst them who drew vnto him both there and elsewhere many disciples by his bookes which were written in the German tongue and vulgarly dispersed Wherin saith the same Author he defended his doctrine strengthening and fortifying the same out of the holie Scriptures and therefore he was condemned to the fire leauing many as himselfe confesseth both within and without the citie secret professors and disciples of his errours Moreouer he addes That Bohemia being then infected with this heresie euen to this present day abounds and swarmes with such errors obscenities as hereafter in the yere of Abbot Blasius 17 shall more fully be related though afterwards it was euident ynough to all the whole world what the Bohemians were especially in the time of the Councell of Constance in whom no blemish of those corruptions appeared and therefore Trithemius mouth may herein fitly be stopt who transported too violently with a vulgar aspersion replenisheth his historie too plentifully with these calumniations 57. PROGRESSION Afer a vacancie of two yeares three moneths and seuenteene dayes the Cardinals dissenting and referring it to his owne arbitrement Iames de Ossa chose himselfe Pope and was called Iohn the two and twentieth Lewis of Bauaria subduing Frederick of Austria went to Rome with an armie where against the Popes will he was crowned and afterwards he elected another Pope Peter Corbario of Rietto being named Nicholas the fift This Nicholas comming into Iohns hands by treacherie was cast into prison Iohn dyes at Auignion An. 1316. IN the yeare 1316 after a vacancie of two yeares three moneths and seuenteen dayes during which time the Cardinals could not agree of their election Iames d'Ossa of Cahors whom Platina calls Iohn the three and twentieth came to the dignitie The Cardinalls dissenting referred it to his arbitrement to make choice of any one out of their number whom he should judge worthie and most fit But beyond all mens expectation and through Cardinall Neapolion Vrsinoes aduice deluding them all he chose himselfe Pope and so mounting vpon the throne I am Pope Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 4. saith he And here Antoninus addes Though in other elections no man can chuse himselfe yet in the electing of a Pope this is not prohibited when the election is thus absolutely referred to himselfe Let the indifferent Reader but censure of this kind of vocation to the Seat by euents ensuing All these things passed at Lyons and not long after he went to Auignion there to settle his residence This Iohn was borne of verie obscure parents and as it is noted by the writers of those times he much affected innouations and was verie ambitious Henrie the seuenth being dead for supplying the place of the vacant Empire the Electors were greatly diuided in their voyces many inclining to Lewis Duke of Bauaria and diuers to Frederick Duke of Austria Lewis to procure his owne coronation solicited by Embassadours Iohns consent Iohn alledged that he had alreadie presumed to do things euerie way exceeding the power of an absolute Emperor and so he repelled his entreaties Then Frederick on the other side propounded vnto him by Embassadours the demerit and valour of his predecessours Rodolphus and Albert both Emperours His aunswer was briefe in one word Blondus Decad 2. l. 10. Auentin l. 7. That Salomons son was not so wise a man and so dismissed them detayning them thus as long as he could betwixt two stooles That he according to the Law of his predecessour might sway and gouerne the Empire the which he challenging out of that law arrogated to himselfe Lewis notwithstanding still held his possession and subdued Frederick in battaile taking both him and the chiefest of the Nobilitie in the field Afterwards prouiding for the affaires of Italie he constituted Mathew Vicount of Milan and restored the Gibbellines in many places When Iohn obserued these proceedings he commaunded him to lay downe the gouernement of the Empire vnder paine of excommunication as also he sent a Cardinall Legat into Lombardie who vpon the same penaltie enjoyned the Vicounts Antonin Part. 3. Tit. 21. l. 6. Parag. 10. both father and sonne to depart Milan and they vsing some protraction he excommunicated them interdicted the Citie it selfe from all sacred offices and armed the Croysados against them To this end therefore in the Cathedrall Church of Auignion this excommunication was solemnely thundered out as shall in proper place be mentioned that Lodouick onely making some delay in his obedience might bee charged with heresie And hereupon Italie was diuided into more cruell factions than euer before and the Guelphes rose against the Gibbellines in the selfe same Cities being one fleshed against another yea the verie Monkes themselues some holding with the Pope and others with the Emperour the Minorites against the Dominicans and the Dominicans rent and diuided amongst themselues Notwithstanding amiddest all these tumults Lodouick passing through Italie with an armie was louingly entertayned at Rome and that he might the better manifest to al the world the incredible loue and consent of the people herein he deferred his coronation while the Nobles of Italie and the Embassadors of Cities could arriue which came daily to him from all parts Nauclerus vol. 2. And then they set the Crowne on his head at S. Iohn Laterans or as some say in S. Peters Church and at the peoples great instance by the hands of Stephen Colunna and Vrsinio d'Vrsini he being consecrated likewise by Iames de Prato Bishop of Castello and the B. of Ellera for they thought it not requisit to attend the Popes comming or any Legat from him because then the gouernment of the city was in the hands of certaine principall Barons or Nobles who instiled themselues to be the king of Romans Substitutes they executing full and absolute authoritie but they were yearely
changed except the Senat at any time thought good to vse some prorogation Lewis proceeded yet further by the Romans instigation who had many times in vaine summoned and solicited the Pope as their naturall Bishop to reside at Rome causing election to be made of Peter Corbario of Rietto An. 1327. a Frier Minorite by the Clergie and people of Rome he beeing a verie learned man and fit for the managing of any gouernement who was called Nicholas the fift and there were many that he made both Cardinals and Bishops Nay and moreouer Iohn being conuinced in a solemne Councell of heresie he condemned him to be burnt which sentence was presently and publiquely executed in effigie or picture After the performance whereof setting all things in as good order as was possible in Italie he thought good to returne into Germanie which was wonderfully molested by Iohns arts and stratagemes From such a forme of contention kindled in Christendome what could bee expected but a generall confusion and so much the rather because some yeares before Iohn called Philip de Valois and other Princes into Italie with preualent forces against Lewis and the more to endeere vnto him Philip who afterwards came to the kingdome hee permitted him to leuy a tenth of his whole Clergie Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 6. part 6. 9. Auent l. 7. Guiielmus de Naugiaco vnder pretext of an entring into a warre against the Infidels which custome his predecessors had formerly taken vp Thus all things hung in doubtfull balance by the variable successe of affaires till Lewis in Germanie came to an accord with Frederick who was glad to redeeme his owne libertie by yeelding vp the Empire Now Nicholas the fift Iohns corriuall in Italie An. 1334. Supplem Martini being deliuered into Iohns hands by the Pisanes who reuolted from Lewis Antonin part 3. tit 21. c. 6. part 15. Summa Constit à Greg. 9. ad Sixt. 5. vsque constit paternuÌ„ morem Annales Franciae Christianus Massaeus in Chronico Guilielmus Ockam in opere 90 dicrum Adâ—ianus 6. in quaest de confirmat he was cast into prison Wherefore Iohn king of Bohemia interposed himselfe to procure some peace betwixt them vpon conditions but during the negotiations in the yeare 1334 Iohn dyed at Auignion Christendome being all ouer in turmoyles but especially all the Prouinces and cities of Italie All Historiographers concurre in this That Iohn left behind him a huge treasure in readie coyne some say fifteene and others fiue and twentie Milliones auri millions of gold which for those times was verie wonderfull For vnder colour of recouering Palestina he gramd and gript all the world And yet hee was not ashamed to admonish Edward king of England That hee should not impose such grieuous burdens vpon the Irish The gouernement of whom saith he my predecessor Adrian granted vnto you vnder certaine conditions But by what right or succession suppose you should these people any wayes belong to the Pope For other matters he publikely preached in Auignion That the souls yea of the most holie and faithfull did not behold the face of God before the last day of judgement which he pretended to vnderstand from certaine visions of one Tundall an Irish man And two Monkes he sent to Paris one a Minorite and the other a Dominican to preach this opinion out of his suggestion and to exhort the Sorbon to imbrace the same labouring also the like in other Vniuersities But king Philip of Valois assembled all the learnedest Diuines of his kingdom at Bois de Vincennes who expresly censured this opinion to be plaine heresie In these things Thomas Wallis Durandus de Sancto Portiano William Caleth and other Authors are plentifull Auentine addes That he read a certaine Epistle of the Diuines liuing amidst these dissentions especially of those of Paris by which they taxed him of heresie persuading him to renounce this opinion which they say he did by their persuasion not many dayes before his death But he might rather peraduenture be condemned of heresie by the moderne Diuines of the Roman Church because as the same Author relates he sent for certaine men that dwelt in the confines of Bohemia and Austria who had painted the Trinitie Auent l. 7. vnder the formes of an old man a young man and a doue as yet at this day they vse to doe whom he charged with irreligion denouncing them to be Anthropomorphites whom he condemned to be burnt although in so cleere a Sun-shine of the Gospell both Bellarmine and other of his followers are not ashamed to allow and defend the same Jn extrauag Johan 22. tit de verb. signific c. 1. 2. 3. 4. cap. ad Candidorem Cum inter non nullos quia quorundam Nicholas the fift wonderfully promoted the Minorites and Iohn laboured hard according to the vsuall inconstancie of the spirit of lyes to suppresse beat them downe and this by such arguments as plainely ouerthrew the Mendicants foundation For concerning the question Whether Christ or his Apostles held any thing in proper he saith we must herein beleeue the holie Scripture by which the articles of our faith must be confirmed which teacheth vs That they possessed something in proper and therefore to beleeue otherwise was heresie and he that otherwise affirmed was to be reputed an heretike And because their most glorious pretext was in a wilfull pouertie he turned them to beggerie indeed enioyning them to be content with meere almes shewing how the custome de facto permitted to them by Nicholas the fift with an exception of propertie reserued to the Church of Rome was but a plaine delusion and cousenage that so they might cunningly be exempted from that pouertie which they professed and therefore the Mendicants being driuen to beg their liuing from doore to doore grew mightily incenst against him He further argued That Christ neuer commaunded nor aduised Christians to relinquish their goods That hee neuer set downe any other rules of pietie to the Apostles than to other Christians to whose perfection the possession of mouables or immouables were no wayes repugnant That the Apostles neuer vowed pouertie nor neuer out of vow renounced their temporall goods who questionlesse euen as other godlie men doe both might and may with a good conscience contend for temporall goods and the naked vow was no furtherance at all to Christian perfection But to this point he grew saith Auentine That such Franciscans as now liued from hand to mouth and begged from doore to doore that spake against his opinion in preaching That Christ and his Apostles possessed nothing he condemned of impietie and pernitious errour banisht them out of the Christian Commonwealth called them Fraterculos Sillie brethren and many also he burned The same Auentine obserues in these times That what was formerly distributed for the sustentation of the poore was now conuerted to ornaments setting forth of walls and glorious pompe which was out of