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authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	great_a	8,286	5	3.5391	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09569	The key of historie. Or, A most methodicall abridgement of the foure chiefe monarchies, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome Being a generall and compendious chronicle from the Flood. Digested into three bookes. Whereunto is added a marginall chronologie of euery Roman emperors raigne, and of all the most memorable persons and accidents. Together with briefe illustrations vpon the more obscure names, places, and offices. With a directory table for the more profitable reading of history. Written by that excellent and most learned man Iohn Sleidan.; De quatuor summis imperiis. English. Abridgments	Sleidanus, Johannes, 1506-1556.; Darcie, Abraham, fl. 1625.	1627 (1627)	STC 19850; ESTC S114662	111,008	406

Innocent the first of that name excommunicated Arcadius the Emperor for that hee gaue consent to haue Saint Iohn Chrysostome expelled out of his Church as it is related in the Papall Law At this time flourisht Saint Augustine also Bishop of Hippo who was present at the third and fourth Counsell of Carthage where amongst others those decrees passed That the Bishop should haue a little mansion house neere to his Church That his housholdstuffe should be meane his table and prouision poore and by his vprightnesse and integrity of life should get himselfe authority That he should vse the vtensils of the Church as things committed to his charge and not as his owne This Innocent the first writ also to Saint Austine and to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage where exhorting them to mutuall prayers he cals them brothers and fellow-priests After Innocent followed Zozimus who commending the decrees of the Fathers and of antiquity saith that it is not lawfull no not for the See of Rome as they call it to make any alteration therein or any contradictory decree Hee also reprehends corrects the custome of his time that many men of no learning aspired to the order of Priesthood Boniface the first succeeded Zozimus in whose time the sixt Councell of Carthage was assembled whereto there was great concourse wherein Saint Austine also was present Boniface sending his Legates thither declared that the Councell of Nice had granted such priuiledge to the See of Rome that all Prouinces euery where should appeale thither and therfore requested the Fathers there assembled to establish and confirme the same Their answer was that as far as they knew there was not any such decree at Nice but that the certaine truth might be sifted out and knowne they were agreed to send for a true copy of the Councell from the Churches of Alexandria and Constantinople which being at length produced the decree was found quite contrary to wit each Prouince should haue the cognizance of their owne causes and that an appeale should lye from the Bishops to the Councells of the Prouince or else to the Oecumenicall Councell as they call it St. Cyril was then Bishop of Alexandria Boniface died before the copy came and his successor Celestinus vrging the same had his answer according to the tenor of that decree Arcadius dying his sonne Theodosius the II. succeeded Theodos II. 408. an 42. m. 2. d. 28. in whose raigne and by whose command a Councel was held at Ephesus in which Nestorius was condemned who denyed that Christ was borne God of the Virgin Mary and at this time dyed St. Augustine On the other side Stilico Honorius his Protector dealt no lesse perfidiously then Ruffinus For hee not onely gaue the Gothes leaue to inhabite and seat themselues in Gallia but also instigated them to march into Italy with their Leader Alaricus and took the City of Rome which happened in the yeare of Rome built 1162 and of our Lord 412. The Gothes keeping their Rendezuous at Rome for a while and harrazing the Countrey till they came to n A seacoast towne in Italy now called Reggio opposite to Sicilie Rhegium from thence sayld ouer into Sicily where they suffered shipwracke and lost their King But Stilico still continuing his villainous and treacherous practices with intent to translate the sway of gouernment into his owne sonne Eucherius his hands was vpon discouery of his plot taken and by Honorius his command put to death King Alaricus thus dispatcht the Gothes elected his kinsman Adolphus their King and vnder his leading marcht backe againe to Rome where what remained they spoile He being slaine Gensericus raigned after whose death followed Wallis with whem Constantine Honorius his sisters husband and Leiutenant for the Gallia's as afterwards Collegue in the Empire entered into amitie and league granting them Aquitania a part of Gallia to inhabite At the same time the Scots and Picts infested Brittaine but were put to flight by the auxiliary forces sent from Honorius the Emperour likewise the Vandals and Alans with their chiefetaine Gense ricus pillaged vp and downe Hispaine After Honorius his decease at Rome his sisters sonne Valentinianus succeeded him in the West and at Rome Theodosius Arcadius his sonne as aboue recited in the meane space gouerned the other part of the world at Constantinople About this time the Vandalls and Alans prouoked by the dissentions and factions of the Roman Captaines in Africa breake forth out of the Hispaines into Africa and wasted the country w th fire sword After with destruction a certaine part of Africa was giuen them to inhabite The Gothes who by Honorius his permission and consent as a little abouementioned inhabited Aquitane in Gallia not satisfied with their owne bounds offred violence and injury to their neighbours and wearied Narbon with their siege But Litorius being dispatcht thither with forces raised the siege set the Town at liberty brought in prouision and giuing them battell at the first sped well but afterwards was taken with the losse almost of his whole Army so great was this ouerthrow that the Romans were forced to sue for peace In like manner Gensericus King of the Vandalls breaking the league made with the Romans in Africa as before mentioned on a sudden surprizes Carthage where he exercised much cruelty which City had then continued in subiection to the Romans for 585. yeares Thus hauing got possession of Carthage hee strikes ouer into Sicilia which hee made flow with blood Hereupon Theodosius the Emperour rigging a Nauie prepares for warre against the Vandals but by reason the Hunnes forraged Thrace and Illyricum the Armie was recalled out of Sicilie to defend those parts The Scots Picts then againe make an irruption into Britaine and the inhabitants despairing of aid from the Romans desire helpe from the English The Saxons inuade Britaine about 448. a people of Saxonie who being allured with the beautifulnesse of the country by little and little conueying ouer more forces oppressing the Britaines brought the greatest part of the Iland into their subiection Not long after this Theodosius the second died at Constentinople in whose raigne as it is written the Sunne was doubled and a comet appeared almost from the Ides of Iuly till the moneth of September Martianus succeeded Theodosius in the East Martianus 450. an 6. m. 6. Wee haue aboue mentioned Gensericus with whom Valentinianus concluded a peace diuiding Affrica betwixt them About this time Athila King of the Huns hauing got Ducia and Pannonia most cruelly harrazed the neighbouring Countries Macedonia Mysia Thracia intending to conquer the Easterne part of the Romane Empire But perceiuing that the warre would be extreame difficult in regard the Gothes who then were in league with the Romans and inhabited part of Gallia as abouesaid aided the Romans therefore by his Ambassadours hee requires their amitie and confederacie but Aetius Valentinianus the Emperours Lieutenant preuented that who corroborating the league with Theodoricus

without his aid and protection as concerning any danger he need not trouble himselfe For all of vs saith he doe not onely promise to watch about and guard Thee but also to interpose our owne sides and bodies But for all this after Cesars death hee reioyced wonderfully and boasted that they who had slaine him had obtained that glory which could scarce bee contained within the heauens This therefore is the fourth and last Monarchy in which place we must note how this citie which was built by Shepheards from most slender beginnings by little and little increased to the height of potencie and grew to bee Empresse of the whole world Now hereafter I will briefly as farre as I may declare after what manner it fell off by degrees from this most high estate vnto ruine The end of the first Booke IOHN SLEID AN of the foure chiefe Monarchies OR The key of History The second Booke CEsar being slain Octauius Cesar begun his raigue Anno mundi 3925. and raigned An. 57. his sisters sonne Caius Octauius hauing drawn about the militarie bands to his partie persecuted the murtherers most bitterly And at first seemed to take armes in defence of the Commō-wealth against Marcus Antonius but afterward diuding the Empire with him and Marcus Ledipus ordained a i Gouernment by three Cicero put to death An. 3926. Triumuirat in which Marcus Cicero was by Marcus Antonius whom he had very vehemently opposed put to death being sixty three yeers of age which was eight yeeres after Quintus Hortensius his death who was so many yeers elder then hee as abouesaid Cicero directly ouershot himselfe in his owne policies for when Marcus Antonius molested the Common-wealth after Caius Cesars death he with exceeding great praises commended to the Senate Caius Octauius Cesars kinsman a yong Gentleman of twenty yeeres of age and begunne to vrge to haue him created Consull without any regard had to his age producing examples of ancient times how it might be done and refuting such obiections as might seeme dangerous professing to be bound to the Senate vpon his honour that he should alwaies couernue such a Common-wealths man as he then was and such an one as they ought chiefly to wish and desire him to be but afterwards forsaken by him hee fell into Marcus Antonius his hands Marcus Brutus reprehends him sharpely for such his flatterie Then as it is common certaine grudges arising in emulation of the Empire when as Marens Lepidus for conspiracie against Octauius was formerly remoued out of the Triumuirat and banished Octauius made warre against Antonius his other Collegue and after his victorie at k A town in Epirus Actium ouerthrew both him and Cleopatra beforementioned at Alexandria forcing them both to kill themselues and made Egypt a Romane Prouince Authors report that in Ptolomie Auletes raigne the yeerely reuenues of Egypt came to 12500. talents which summe the learned of our times reckon to 7500000. crownes but when it came in subiection to the Romans they iudged it to be farre more rich in regard of the traffique with India and Aethiopia Antonius thus ouerthrowne and cut off Octauius alone gouerned the Common-wealth forty foure yeeres and in 29. yeere of his Empire and of the world 3954. Christ born An. mundi 3954. as most account was our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST borne Herod sirnamed the Great hauing seuen yeeres before most sumptuously re-edified the demolished Temple of Ierusalem Marcus Antonius was married to Caius Octauius his sister but afterward being intangled with Cleopatra's loue forsooke his wife and married her which partly was cause of the warre Both of them were exceeding riotous and Authors relate almost incredible stories of their banquets delights and pleasures but such as I before set downe was the vp-shot and end of their liues This Marcus Antonius was that most famous Oratour before-mentioned Marcus Antonius his Nephew In Caius Octauius his raign the Romans had their first war in Germanie within their own territories Caius Iulius Cesar indeed ouerthrew the Germanes twice but it was in Gallia to wit Ariouistus in the Country of the Celts and afterwards at the meeting together of the Riuer Maze and the Rhyne After this victorie he built a bridge and past ouer the Rhyne but resting there a few daies brought backe his Armie into Gallia and broke downe the bridge Two yeers after he passed again ouer the Rhyne on his second bridge a little aboue that place where hee formerly had led ouer his Armie and then fully intended to haue gone against the l Now of Pomerania in Germanie Sueuians but being certified by his Scouts of all affaires and fearing much difficultie and scarcitie of prouision returnes into Gallia breakes downe some part of the bridge and in the other part built a Tower and a Castle and fortified it with Cittadels that hee might not altogether free his enemies from the feare of his returne And this was all that Cesar did against the Germans as he himself writes But Octauius by the two brothers Tiberius and Drusus made warre against the m Germanes bordering on the Alpes Rhaetians and n Vandals Vindelicians and with o People about Colen Vbian forces who were confederates with the Romanes Quintilius Varus being their Captaine Generall inuaded that part of Germanie now called Westphalia howbeit Arminius Chiefe-taine of the p Germanes neere the riuer Elbe Cheruscans almost vtterly ouerthrew him betwixt the Riuer q Ems. Amasia and r Necchar Horat. lib. 1 Ode 24. Lupia Horaee in a most elegant Ode comforts Virgil lamenting his death Drusus died in Germanie leauing behinde him two sonnes Germanicus a most worthy soldier and Claudius Horace in another most elegant Ode as wee said before Horat. lib. 4 Ode 4. extols him and deriues his pedegree from Caius Claudius Nero who when hee was the second time Consull together with Marcus Liuius Saelinator slew Asdrubal Annibals brother at the Riuer of Metanrum as he was bringing ouer a supply of forces ſ Octauius so stiled in honour as much as Soueraign at this day Augustus also subdued the t Of Biscay in Spaine Cantabrians u Of Aquitane in Gallia Aquitanians * Hungars Pannonians x Inhabiting Wendenland in some parts Dalmatians y Of Sclauonia also or Wendenlond Illyrians z Inhabiting neere Lombardie Salassians and inhabitants of the Alpes It is reported that he often intended to lay off the weightie charge of the Empire but againe considering with himselfe that it would be rashly committed to many mens authority changes his minde In the thirty third yeere of his raigne deceased Herod the Great whom hee and Marcus Antonius in the third yeere of their Triumuirate had made King of Iudaea and in the eight yeere after his death his sonne and successor Archelaus was banished to Vienna a Towne in Gallia It is written that Octauius maintained forty foure legions of soldiers in protection of the Prouinces

Britaine in his iourney through Illyricum towards his intended warre against the Persians was trecherously slaine by his owne soldiers At this time the Common-wealth flourished peace being setled in all nations on euery side farre and neere in so much as Probus would sometimes say that the world would come to that passe shortly that there would be no need of Legions and garrisons but the souldiers offended at this his speech thought it best to cut him off After him followed Carus Carus 282. An. 1. and some moneths together with his sonnes Corinus Numerianus hee subdued the Sarneatians who now after Probus his death were growne more insolent and menaced euen Italie it selfe then making an expedition against the Persians tooke Mesopotamia and marching on further died His yonger sonne Numerianus serued in the warres with him his other sonne Carinus hee had set ouer the Gallia's Numerianus was slaine by his t Arius Aper Diocletian 284. an 20. wiues father and in his place came Diocletian with whom Carinus had diuers conflicts about obtaining the Empire but was ouerthrowne and slaine Diocletian in regard of the troubles and seditions in many places kindling tooke to him for his Collegue Maximianus He quiered the country of Gallia then in commotion as also Affrica and Diocletian Egypt putting the Authors of these broiles to death He recouered Britaina also in the tenth yeer after the reuolt and to the end that the state of the Common-wealth might be more firme and to auoid new commotions about succession hee adopted Galerius and Maximianus Constantius Chlorius Galerius being sent by Diocletian against Narses King of the Parthians had ill fortune in that warre losing the major part of his armie but afterwards commanded to renew the warre he ouerthrew the enemie in maine battell and marching on further in those places then any other Emperour except Trajan tooke Ctesiphon subdued all Assyria and recouered the fiue Prouinces lying beyond the riuer u Running through Armenia Tigris which had reuolted in Trajan the Emperours time Diocletian hauing setled the affaires of Asia returned into Europe where the Scythians Sarmatians * Almaines lying betwixt the Alpes and Ments as Carion supposes Alans x People of Sarmatia Bastarnans y ●welling about the Riuer Carpis in Scythia Constantius Galerius 304. an 2 m 3. an 7. m. 5. Carpies Chatties and Quadies were then all in peace Afterwards both hee as also Maximianus resigning their Soueraigntie inuest their Collegues before mentioned with the title of Emperours Constantius of the Gallia's Britaine the Hispaines Italie and Affrica and Galerius of Illyricum Greece and Asia Marcellus was then Bishop of Rome whose decree is extant prohibiting Bishops from calling a Synode without the authority of the Sea of Rome as also to condemne any Bishop who should appeale to Rome But Maxentius the Emperour persecuting him his estate as others before him was both meane and miserable Whereupon it may easily bee coniectured whether or no he in those perplexities and lurking corners could take so much vpon him as to establish such manner of decrees At length Constantius dying at Yorke Galerius adopted Severus and Maximianus In the meane space the Preterian souldiers at Rome elect Maxentius their Emperour After Seuerus was slaine Maximianus made choice of Licinius for his Collegue in the Empire Among those arose great troubles whereupon the Nobles of Rome call home Constantine Constantius his sonne then imploied in the Gallia's to rescue their Citie from the tyranny of Maxentius Constantine the Great 306. an 30. m. 9. d. 27. Hee marching forward into Italie with part of his armie in pitcht field got the victorie and afterwards quite defeated Maxentius his forces at the Citie of Rome After this hee fought against Licinius who being ouerthrowne in battell and almost growne into hatred with all men was at length slaine by his own souldiers Many write that the cause of this warre was for that Licinius did bitterly persecute the professors of Christianitie although he had been very often intreated and admonished to the contrary by Constantine For from the time of the resurrection of Christ vntill this age almost three hundred yeeres the professors of Christ were diuersly punished omitting those whereof the Scripture makes mention as of z Acts 7. Stephen a Acts 11. Iames the brother of Iohn b Acts 9. Peters imprisonment and inlargement by the Angel passing ouer in silence Paul likewise who grieuously persecuted the Church of God but after his conuersion escaped no kinde of punishment for Christs cause the Roman Emperours also as Nero Domitian Trajan Septimius Seuerus Decius Valerian Aurelian Diocletian and Maximian committed most horrible and outragious masfacres But Constantine comming to the Empire and imbracing the true Religion affoorded harbour and refuge to the Christians Then first of all beganne the Bishops of Rome to liue in safe●ie for till then almost all of them who from Peter whom they will haue to be their first are reckoned to thirty three were tormented with persecutions Their decrees are inserted in the bookes of the Councels but the greatest part of them are so sleight triuiall quite different from the sacred Scriptures as makes it credible that they were a long time after forged by some others But if they bee true and proceeded from them then indeed that which Paul by prophesie foretold 2 Thes 2. seemes most rightly to bee applied to this place that then that sonne of perdition and man of sinne beganne to worke the mysterie of iniquity That decree yet extant goes vnder Anacletus his name the fourth from Peter as they reckon wherein he ordaineth the Church of Rome to be by Christs command and institution the head of other Churches To Alexander the next after him is that decree attributed where he commands that the water should be consecrated with salt to purge the people and to auoid the snares of the Deuill But iudge I pray you how far those differ from that Maiestie of the Apostles how farre from the writings of S. c S. Ierom writes that he dyed in the 68 yere after the passion Suidas says that he liued 120 yeares Iohn the Euangelist who almost liued till this very time I haue onely set downe these two decrees that by them wee may iudge of the rest for they are almost of the same molde and cary open colour of ambition and not onely the speech wants the grace but also the matter it selfe hath no salt in it Colos 4. both which Paul requires in the Ministers of the Church And to this place also appertaines that decree of Constantine the Emperor which they haue inserted into their books for the foundation and bulwarke of their power For the cause and occasion of his excessiue d In conferring as they imagine the City of Rome the Empire of the West c. vpon he Popes liberality which is there set downe may out of history be disproued

of Germanie vpon the Danish sea Theodoricus thereby to strengthen himselfe obliged the Kings of the Vandals Visigothes and Burgundians to him by affinitie Whilest the squares went thus in Italie great troubles were on foot throughout Thrace Affrica and Britaine where at length the Saxons got the vpperhand Zeno dying at Constantinople Anastatius 491. an 27. m. 3. d. 3. Anastatius succeeds him Hee fauoured many of those who allowed of Eutyches his opinion wherupon a dissention grew betwixt him and Gelasius Bishop of Rome who by tedious letters dehorts him as their bookes haue it from vndertaking the protection of them for there were two things saith he whereby principally this world should bee gouerned the sacred authoritie of Bishops and regall power and so much the more charge lies vpon the Priests for that they euen for other men must render an account to the Lord but he was to gouerne for ciuill policie yet so as to bee subiect to the Ministers of God and to depend vpon their iudgement and seeing that Priests doe obey the lawes politicall it is likewise iust that hee himselfe should not refuse those constitutions which the Steers-men in matters diuine establish therefore sithence this honour ought to be giuen to all Ministers of the Church the cause it selfe requires that to him most especially it should bee attributed whom God by his owne word as also the consent of the Church would haue to rule ouer the whole order of Priests Let him leaue off therfore and rather heare him an excuser in this life then finde him an accuser in the other After this his decree concerning the holy Bible is annexed in which he grants superiority to the Sea of Rome as they call it then to Alexandria the third place to Antiochia In Anastatius his raigne Sicilie was tossed with troubles and hostile insurrections which were quenched by the Authors death Then also the Hunnes wasted Armenia and Cappadocia the Getes Macedonia Thessalie and Epirus from both which the Emperour was enforced to buy his peace by gifts and no small losses Much about this time which was in the yeere of Grace 500. Clodoueus King the French first of all imbraced the Christian Religion hauing beene very oft and earnestly solicited thereunto as also to forsake his Idols and superstition by his wife who was of the house of Burgundie The Councell of Orleans in his raigne established which consisted of thirty three French Bishops is extant wherein amongst the rest it is decreed that if the rauisher of a Virgin shall flie to a Church though hee haue offered violence to the Virgin yet hee shall not come within danger of death but shall either bee as a bondslaue or else redeeme himselfe from her Anastatius slaine by lightening or as the papall law speakes dying vpon an x Sleidan as Meibomius notes here mistakes the Emperour for Pope Anastatius Iustine 518 an 9. d. 24. ● eruption of his bowels Iustinus succeeded a man of obscure parentage and from a swine-heard made a souldier as it is written He was at dissention with Theodoricus King of the Gothes Lord of Italie about diuersitie of Religion but yet they held off from blowes Theodoricus dying Alaricus his Grand-child by his sonne succeeded to the great ioy and contentment of the Gothes Iohn the first of that name was then Bishop of Rome He with other more was sent in Ambassage by the aforementioned King Theodoricus to Constantinople where as their bookes relate hee was most honourably entertained not onely by the people but also by the Emperour himselfe For they say they were exceeding ioyous that it was their fortune now at length to see and entertaine the blessed S. Peters Vicar as they tearme him in Greece which had neuer befallen them before since Constantines time the Great and Syluesters But it is strange that they should pra●e thus of Syluester who came not into Greece as it is manifest For then when it was most be●oofefull as also needfull I meane at the Councell of Nice he stirred not but sent thither his Legates Victor and Vincent and afterwards as they relate he himselfe assembled another Councell at Rome wherein he confirmed the decrees of the Councell of Nice There is extant also a consolatorie Epistle of this Iohn the first to the Bishops of Italie wherein hee exhorts them that albeit King Theodoricus polluted with Arian heresie threatned destruction to them and to all Italie yet they should not desist from their purpose but resolutely proceed After Iustine Iustinianus 527. an 38. m. 3. d. 13. his sisters son Iustinianus was made Emperour Hee wholly bent himselfe to the restoring of the Common-wealth and at his first entrance set ouer the whole charge of gouernment to Belisarius who by many great battels ouercame the Persians transgressing their bounds and offring violence to the Romane dominions set free Illyricum wasted by the Gepidaes and Bulgarians reduced the Parthians being vp in armes to amitie ouerthrew the Vandals most powerfull forces in Affrica recouered Carthage and from thence striking ouer into Sicilie where hauing notice of the rebellion in Affrica he returnes thither and speedes well Then at length marching into Italie takes Naples sackes it ouerthrowes the Gothes whose King Theodatus then was After this he repaires to Rome where he was kindly and honourably entertained by all remouing from thence takes in the townes and forts euery where and amongst the rest Perousa after this he besieges Rauenna where Vitigis King of the Gothes giuing him battell loseth his Armie is taken prisoner and carried away by Belisarius to Constantinople The Gothes renewing their forces in the country beyond Po elect Hildebrand their king To him two succeeded and after them Totilas He in Belisarius his absence ouer-running all Italie takes Rome after a siege sackes and sets fire on it Belisarius hereupon recalled hauing finished the warre against the Parthians who againe forraged Syria returnes into Italie and recouers the Citie in a manner left desolate and then incountring with the enemy had a happy battell but sailing into Sicilie for prouision is called backe by Iustinianus which affoorded occasion to Totilas to renew his forces returne to Rome The Emperour forthwith ordaines Narses the Eunuch Generall in the Italian warre hee expelled the Gothes quite out of Italie which was so much the easilier effected they hauing lost their King Totilas who died of a wound That warre with the Gothes lasted eighteene yeeres And Iustinianus thus recouering Italie and Affricke after he had assumed his Grandchild by his daughter for his Collegue in the Empire departed this life Some write that hee was a Prince of a dull nature and ouerswaied by his wife Theodora Tribonianus the Lawyer was in high esteeme with him he who abrogating the writings and disputations of the Ancients gathered out of them an hotchpotch of the lawes and left vs the fragments onely which now goe vnder the name of the Pandects But he had

of their owne modestie in other mens impudency That decree which goes vnder Gratians name in diuers places amongst other passages hath these The Rule of the Church of Rome which is the blessed Apostle S. Peters seat must bee followed It is not lawfull to hold a Councell without permission of the Bishop of Rome The Lawes of the Church Rome are to bee obserued as pronounced by Peters owne mouth What yoke the Church of Rome imposes though it be not tolerable it must be endured The Ministers of the Church ought to vow chastity that is they should not mary It is lawfull for him that hath not a wife to haue a Concubine If the Pope bee negligent and remisse in his office hee may hurt indeed aswell himselfe as others notwithstanding he cannot bee iudged by any man because he himselfe is to iudge all men The Emperour ought to be ruled by and not rule ouer the Pope All mortall men besides may be iudged by men but the Pope Peters successour by God alone It is lawfull for the Pope to release subiects from their loyalty and oath whereby they are bound to their Prince In Gregories Decretall Epistles and in Boniface his sixt booke of Decretalls the Clementines and Extrauagants as they call them it is set down there amongst other things That the Popes authority is not subiect to the Decrees of Councells It belongs to the Pope to approue of the elected Emperor or to reiect him if hee bee not fit There are two great lights which gouerne the world the Sunne and the Moone The Pope is in stead of the Sunne and the Emperour of the Moone Bishops may deale more mildly with those that haue offended by adulterie and other such crimes as being of lower nature The Pope onely hath cognizance concerning the priuiledges of the Church of Rome The bones of excommunicate persons already buried ought to bee digged vp and throwne away The Pope may depose the Emperour from his place and Magistracy The Emperour is bound to performe allegiance and fealty to the Pope by oath It is iust that Ecclesiasticall persons should be exempt and free from all cost molestation and charge A man may bee declared an Heretique after his death and his goods be confiscated The sonnes of heretiques ought not to bee admitted to any place of gouernment either ciuill or ecclesiasticall It is necessary to saluation that all men bee subiect to the Pope of Rome Those few places onely are drawne out of an immense heape and what kind of stuffe they are there 's no man that is well in his wits but may perceiue The Law is that men of deepest learning should define the same Soueraigne reason is grafted in Nature which commands those things that are to bee done and forbids those that are contrary And all lawes ought to haue reference to the common good And the Law-maker ought to haue the like affection towards the people and Common-wealth that the father hath towards his owne Children but what likelihood hereof is there in any the beforementioned places but for them not onely to excuse those fopperies but also to garnish adorne and illustrate them with new Commentaries and rather to babble out any thing then suffer their dignity to bee impeached I pray you what grosse impudencie is this but ●●e●sting no deeper If pride auarice ambition of bearing rule and ignorance of learning drew them on to make such decrees if they themselues vary in opinions nor will one bee tyed to anothers lawes because endued with equality of power pray thee why doest thou macerate thy selfe in straightning those crooked and contrarizing decrees I omit that Ocean or rather sincke I meane that part of the Papall law containing the sale of benefices as they cal them and consecrated goods for who is able to reckon vp their deceipts and collusions no not they themselues that haue beene factors many yeares together in this kind of trafficke do sufficiently vnderstand and know all the trickes when new ones are daily inuented But this argument requires both another time and a booke of purpose now therefore let vs returne to our purpose As Frederick the Emperour so also Lewis the IX King of France inuaded Syria and Aegypt with an Army who afterwards o Of the plague dyed at the siege of p In Africa where formerly as some say Carthage stood Tunis City in the yeare of Grace 1270. In his raigne William Bishop of Paris raised a question about Ecclesiasticall Benefices which cause being publikely discust his opinion tooke place that it was not lawfull for any man to hold more then one but it is sufficient to haue spoken onely and writ down such decrees as those To Gregory Innocent the IIII succeeded vpon whom as it were by hereditary succession the Emperours displeasure fell Wherupon calling a Councel at Lyons he summons the Emperour excommunicates him for not appearing depriues him of his dignity exhorting the Princes of Germany to choose another and this his decree which amongst others is in priuate as also certaine of the Emperours Epistles to seuerall Kings are extant wherein he demonstrates at large the Popes iniquitie and his owne innocencie The Emperour was minded to goe to Lyons and trie his fortunes but a new rebellion breaking forth throughout Italie turnes all his forces that way where good successe failing him he returning into Puel began to languish and at length died Some say hee was poisoned others strangled by his bastard sonne Manfred who afterwards inuaded Italie At that time liued the famous Lawier Azo after whom the whole streame of Writers followed who violating that sharpe and seuere edict of the Emperour q Commanding his Code onely into which as abouesaid the whole law was contracied to be bserued Iustinian filled the world with an innumerable companie of Books from whence we must now seeke those points which those Ancients handled most copiously and learnedly For one man compiles anothers workes so that there is no end or measure of writing and all ouerflowes in contrary opinions in so much as the old mans saying may properly take place here who hauing asked three Lawyers their aduise you haue done brauely saith he I am a great deale further to seeke then before I omit the quiddities which are daily deuised in abundance for the Comedians saying falls right here that craft starts one mischiefe in the necke of another Cicero complaines that many worthy ordinances were setled by lawes but those for the most part were corrupted and depraued by Lawyers inuentions What if hee were now liuing and saw those Pyramides of bookes and our moderne practice and that sacred repositorie of the lawes thus filthily polluted miserably contaminated Howbeit as God indeed hath within our memorie brought all other Arts to light againe so hath he raised vp many men who being furnished with the help of good learning thinke those paines taken in this behalfe not to be repented of being to restore this